Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. I do own the original characters, ooh, and the Freak-house, not that Ink would ever let me through the door g.
The next day, Storm managed to get out of bed by noon, her and Remy joining the rest of the Way for lunch. She'd already spoken to Shadow, after Remy drifted into a natural sleep, explaining her wish to return to the X-Men with Remy when he got better – he'd basically given her his blessing. Funny, she hadn't realized she'd been wanting it until it was given – then she was glad. Shadow, like the rest of the Way, was her friend, and his opinion truly mattered to her.
She had been fully intending to be up for breakfast; but Remy was still sleeping, and she'd been watching him sleeping; then he'd woken up, and she just had to have a good-morning kiss; between one thing and other, the morning had disappeared completely.
There were cheers and laughter when they entered; she took this opportunity to take a good look at her old friends. Violet and Sword, teasing Remy as if nothing had happened; Kurt and Rogue, just smiling at them, their hands intertwined; the twins, grinning widely – she blushed, remembering Darklings tendency to eavesdrop; and finally Shadow, welcoming them with a dignified bow.
"Alright, shut up!" called Violet. "We have an announcement to make – not that Darkling doesn't already know."
Darkling grinned. "But for once I didn't spread it around, so go right ahead."
Violet took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."
The room exploded, everyone coming to hug her at once.
"Whoa! Breathing necessary, guys!" she said.
"We really must have a party now!" said Brightling, somehow managing both to hug Violet and maintain her contact with Darkling.
Rogue grinned down at Kurt. The girls had all gone off for 'makeovers', part of which had involved Violet and Storm stealing one of her dresses and raising the hem to a stupid level. Kurt had seemed to appreciate it, though; which was why, instead of being downstairs with the rest, they were upstairs in the attic, 'practising'.
"Aren't Ah squashing ya tail, Elf?"
"Ja."
"Ya wanna move?"
He grinned up at her. "Nein. That sounds like too much work."
She laughed, laying her head on his chest. They lay like that for a while, Rogue just thinking. Everything seemed to be going so well nowadays. Violet and Sword were going to have a baby, Kurt loved her, and Storm had come back for Remy. So happy she was, that for a brief moment she forgot about her troubles. And, resting naked on top of Kurt, fell asleep.
Kurt didn't realize what was happening until too late. He struggled under her, but could feel his strength draining away; he could barely speak.
"Rogue… Liebling… wake up…"
Suddenly Darkling and Brightling dashed into the room, followed closely by Violet – for once his habit of eavesdropping on the activities of the household proving very useful indeed. Grabbing a blanket, he pulled Rogue away from Kurt, while Violet tried to heal him.
~Mein Gott, she's never going to forgive herself for this…~
He felt a little strength come back, then Violet let her hands drop, sighing.
"That's all I can do, Kurt. You'll be alright for now, but full healing will have to take it's own time."
Rogue struggled out of Darklings grasp, backing into a corner. In the dim light, he could see that her eyes were yellow, like his own, and an indigo stripe in her dark hair fell across her face.
He reached out to her. "Liebling…"
His answer was a loud bamf.
"Nein!" he cried, leaping up suddenly. Violet pushed him back down.
"She just went to her old room." said Darkling, concentrating. "I'll send Sword…"
But then Brightling frowned. "No, she's gone somewhere else."
Darkling swore. "We've lost the trail. It's difficult to trace when she teleports."
"We'll go get Shadow," suggested Brightling, "see if we can't get a lock on her again."
The phone rang downstairs; Brightling frowned suddenly.
"Who is it?" asked Violet.
Brightling indicated Kurt with one hand. "It's his mother."
Logan lounged against the counter of yet another seedy bar, surveying the crowd with a look that kept the space on either side of him empty.
"This seat taken?"
He was about to pop a claw and scare her off; then he smelled the familiar scent.
"Raven, ya bitch. I thought ya were…"
"Dead?" she asked, sliding gracefully onto the stool. "Yes, so did everyone else. That was kinda the point."
"Ya mighta told me."
She shrugged. "Last time I checked on you, you seemed to be rather happy with the X-Men. One in particular, I believe."
He just growled, downed the beer and ordered another.
Raven shrugged, and they drank in silence for a while.
"It's hard, you know, being like us, Logan. Watching others grow old; your friends, your family. Perhaps you don't remember all that, but in your heart…" She looked straight at him, honey-colored eyes serious for once.
"Could you have done it? Could you have loved her when she aged and withered in front of your eyes?"
"Don't know, darling. She never gave me a chance to find out." He drank the remnants of the second beer. "Ya want ta go someplace else?"
"Sure. Just let me make one phone call."
A/N: Where is Rogue going? More importantly, who is waiting for her at the other end? (Hint: it's not good.) More evilness to follow; Review, pretty please with whipped cream and pixies on top. *glares at pixies* Hey! That's not what the whipped cream is for!