Rogue lay on the couch in Professor X's study, staring at the ceiling
trying not to fidget just as she had years ago. Rogue shifted her legs in
an attempt to get comfortable as she thought; you think he would have
gotten a couch with out lumps in it.
The couch was exactly the same, the couch where she had first confessed hearing voices to him, the couch where she had told the Professor she wanted to a teacher, the couch where she had told him that she was leaving the X men.
"The couch does have some sentimental value to it," the Professor admitted from where he sat across from her in a Victorian style chair, one leg crossed over the other.
The Professor was dressed as Kurt had been just the day before, black combat suit with a leather jacket over it that was dominated by the yellow X across its chest.
Rogue smiled wearily, "Listening in Professor?"
The Professor looked unfazed, "You were thinking out loud as they would say, Rogue."
Rogue sighed and nodded, "Its just all of this."
The Professor nodded both sagely and sympathetic, "It must have been quite a shock going from an elementary school teacher with a loving.companion too.this."
Rogue shook her head as tears welled in her eyes. Dang it, Rogue thought as she tried to hold them in, I swore I wasn't going to cry.
The Professor handed her a box of tissues, "There's nothing wrong with crying Rogue, it relieves stress and rids your body of unwanted chemicals."
Rogue wiped her eyes before laughing, "You sound just like Dr. McCoy."
He smiled again, "My apologies, I'm coming off more as a scientist than confidant. I'm sorry, but it's been years since I did this."
"But I've always had a special interest in you Rogue." He added quickly added sensing her doubt, "The truth is I thought of you as my one great failure as a teacher; some nights I would stay up forever wracking my brain for ways to help you.but I'm babbling."
Rogue was touched by his interest in her welfare, "Professor, you never failed me. You helped me to accept who and what I am."
The Professor smiled, "Perhaps while your here we can work on that together, perhaps find a solution."
At this Rogue bristled, "You mean during my incarceration?!"
The Professor was untouched by her anger. Keeping a calm tone and a poker face he stated, "No Rogue incarcerated would be what would happen to you if you weren't in my custody."
Rogue struck the couch lightly with her fist letting it drop from the air, some what surprised when it shuddered, "You seemed very quick to take me on."
At this the Professor frowned in displeasure, "I do not agree with the decision yes, but I will be da**ed if one of my students will spend time in prison for doing what it right."
Impressed that the Professor would curse she asked, "Is there anyway around SHIELDS injunction?"
The Professor shook his head, "Not anyway I can see. Though I do have a young lawyer working on it secretly, I doubt he will find anything. "
Rogue sighed, "What about Ms. Marve-I mean-What was her name? Carol Danvers?"
"Still in a coma I'm afraid, the doctors doubt she will ever wake."
Rogue raised a shaking hand to her temple, "I can feel her, in my head. She's confused and angry, but I don't think she knows what happened."
The Professor nodded, he remembered the effects of Rogue's powers, "It should fade in time, as did all the others."
Rogue looked uncomforted, "Yeah, but I got a lot stronger dose this time."
The professor took her hand and held it, "It wasn't you fault Rogue, both Kurt and I thank you for doing it. If it was either of us in your place we would have leapt into action, you hesitated to think what was right. That showed an amazing amount of character."
Rogue sat up and pulled her gloved hand from him, "There's a woman lying in a coma, probably for the rest of her life, and you're proud of me! She wasn't a 5 dollar drink to suck the juice out of, but that's what I did!"
The professor shook his head and rose to walk behind his desk, "I'm not going to argue with you about this Rogue, your being punished for it, unjustly I might add. While you think this is your fault? Why? This is the life we choose for ourselves, everyone, and this is one of the consequences."
Rogue shook her head and slumped her shoulders, "What am I going to do? No Pietro, no teaching, stuck here or in prison for 2 years, a mad woman in my head, and a former teacher that thinks I'm a hero for something anyone else would be appalled at."
The professor looked out the window in his study to the driveway where a car had pulled up in the downpour, "Perhaps there is a way you can continue to teach."
Rogue looked at him from in between strands of hair, "You're kidding."
The Professor turned and smiled the same smile that Logan and Pietro had, he would brook no argument, "I believe that it would be a great opportunity for both the school and you."
"What would I teach?!"
The Professor waved a hand dismissively, "We can sort that out later. Perhaps you could sit in on classes that demand a teachers presence."
Rogue stared at him dumbfounded, "All those years of college you put me through and you want me to be a sub?"
The Professor rolled his eyes in a gesture that made his eyebrows climb his forehead, "That is one way to think of it."
Rogue slapped her knees and rose, "What the hell, I don't have anything better to do."
The professor nodded and began shuffling papers on his desk, "I'm glad you're here Rogue, we all are. Together I think we should be able to get a number of things done."
Rogue smiled at his speech like tone, "Anyone ever tell you you're a snake oil salesmen Professor?"
The professor paused without looking up from his papers, "Magnus, once."
Rogue reached for the door but stopped when Professor Xavier held out a worn green journal, "In case you need it."
Rogue took the Journal, turning it over in both hands before taking a moment to open it and marvel at the flowing script with which she had covered pages, "I thought I asked you to burn this?"
The Professor shrugged, "You know how forgetful I am."
Letting herself out of the room quietly with a slight click as the door shut Rogue decided to go and check in on Kurt and Talia.
Walking towards Kurt's room Rogue passed the large staircase in the front of the mansion and noticed a rain soaked pair holding their luggage and dripping on the carpet. Stepping to the railing she opened her mouth to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue when one pushed back the hood of her rain jacket revealing long red luscious hair.
Backing up till she was out of sight of the staircase Rogue watched as Jean asked the other figure something and laughed. The other rain jacket clad man pushed his hood back as well, revealing the red tinged glasses Rogue knew so well.
Turning away she continued in the direction of Kurt's room, with no intention of leaving her room one door down from his for a while.
"God," Jean laughed again, "I thought it rained a lot in Alaska!"
Scott slid out of the rain jacket with a grin before helping her take hers, "Does that mean you didn't enjoy your stay Ms. Jean Grey Summers?"
Jean waited till he had put the coats in the coat closet before picking up her luggage and asking in a playful voice, "You just love hearing that name don't you?"
Scott shrugged and pulled her too him as he wiggled his eyebrows above his glasses and whispered, "Almost as much as I like screaming it."
"SCOTT!" Jean giggled, then giggled at the idea of giggling like a schoolgirl, "I'm the principal here, what if someone hears you?"
He shrugged and released her before he picked up his own bags, "Considering how many times we've done it in your office close-OHH!"
Jean raised a challenging eyebrow as he rubbed his butt, "There's more where that came from Scott."
Scott only grinned in response, "Using your powers to help your argument? That's not very fair."
"Were not playing fair Scott, were married."
"Touché."
"Is that the sound of a sparring married couple I hear, I knew the blissful honey moon would end all to quickly." Bobby grinned as he entered the front foyer.
"Hey Bobby-Good god what happened to your face?" Jean asked.
Bobby grinned and put a hand to the bandages that covered his bruises and scrapes, "Got thrown through Plexi-glass, what's your excuse?"
Jean gaped, "Bobby!"
Scott chuckled earning a look from Jean, "Careful Bobby, she's wicked bad with slapping offensive people on the rear."
Bobby's eyes practically sparkled, "Really?! Well I could go for it, not too rough though."
Jean shook her head and smiled, "Bobby I swear your never going to grow up. How is everybody?"
Bobby smile faded, "you had better ask Logan, I've only got the outside details. He was awake during the mission."
Scott looked up sharply. Instantly in leader mode he inquired, "What mission? I thought we were on stand down so The Ultimates would have something to clean up? Is anyone hurt? Where's Kurt?"
Jean looked worried as well so Bobby made a calming breathing gesture with his arms, "Were fine. The reason we went on a mission was because it was David."
"David?" "David?"
Bobby put a hand to his forehead before yanking it away, "Ouch, talk to Logan okay? I'm suppose to be getting my bandages changed."
Logan was sitting in front of the big screen television in the rec. room enjoying a can of brew while watching a hockey game. He had run the kids off to bed of course, didn't want them to think drinking was okay, course he liked to be alone so no one could hear him cheer.
With his team up by 6 points, a brand new cold one from his cooler, and the first real buzz he could ever remember having, life was all in all good for the teams resident samurai. That is till they showed up.
"Logan?"
Crap, Logan thought as he turned to look over his shoulder find Scott and Jean poking their heads in from the doorway, "Yeah?"
Scott and Jean strolled in looking like and smelling like a couple of lovesick kids. Scott leaned against the couch arm as Jean took a seat, both with the look on their faces that came with a major lecture.
Figuring on beating them to the punch Logan spoke first, "If this is about a subscription to a."gentlemen's magazine" that's delivered every month, its Bobby's."
Scott and Jean shared a confused look which Logan noticed with something that smacked of cunning, the truth was the magazine was his but they didn't need to know that, "What?"
Scott coughed, "We heard you went on a mission."
"You did," Cr*p, "Well cats out of the bag I guess."
Jean shook her long red hair, "We just heard about it from Bobby. He said we should ask you about it."
Logan picked up the remote from where it sat on his knee and turned off the TV. with a sigh, "All right."
Logan told them the whole story. At the beginning when he told them the part about Rogue arriving and how she was still here they shared a look. Logan noticed it, but decided to continue with his story since that was what they wanted to know about.
At the end Scott sat on the other end of the couch his eyebrows furrowed in thought. Jean sighed and cracked her neck before asking, "So David and Talia are fine, Rogue's here for at least two years, and there's a woman called Ms. Marvel in a coma. Did I cover it all?"
Logan nodded and sipped from the cooling can in his hand, "Yep."
"Scott?"
Scott looked up at Jean and said in a voice between sarcasm and weariness, "Magneto I can handle, Sentinels I can handle, but why do I have to live in a constant soap opera?"
Up stairs Rogue looked opened the door to Talia's room planning to look in on her, to her surprise she found Kurt sitting in a rocking chair next to her bed. He didn't looked up as she walked up behind him and whispered, "Kurt?"
Kurt looked up at her pulling the blanket wrapped around him a little tighter, "Hey."
Rogue sat down in a children's play chair next to the rocking chair, "How long have you been here?"
He never took his eyes off her, "Since she fell asleep, I stood outside the door until then."
Rogue took his hand and squeezed it, "Its okay Kurt, were all okay."
Kurt sat there for a minute thinking unreadable thoughts before retorting, "For how long? Do you know how many times she's been kidnapped or threatened? I stopped counting after awhile."
"What?"
Kurt looked at her blankly, "The first day she was born Mystique stole her right from underneath our noses in the hospital. She posed as a nurse and walked right into the recovery room. When she was two she somehow snuck aboard the Blackbird hitching a ride to the Savage Land, and now this."
Rogue couldn't think of anything to say.
Kurt continued, "And those are the ones that come immediately to mind, want to know what me and Wanda were seriously contemplating? Sending her away so she wouldn't be a target."
"Kurt.no."
"Do you know what its like to know that your life is so dangerous that taking your child to the park is a security risk? Every hour of every day I have to know, know Rogue, that someone has an eye on her."
"Kurt, do you think she would be safer somewhere away from you? She'd be safe, but what kind of life would that be? I grew up without knowing who my parents were, and it tore me up inside."
Kurt shook his head, "Everyone's always looking at me as the carefree teacher, Hey there's Kurt without a care in the world!"
Her brother rarely asked for sympathy, but Rogue wasn't going to let him dig himself a nice little depressive hole, "We have to look at you like that Kurt, because you make it all seem right somehow. You make it not so sad or scary to know that the next time we step out the door we may to die."
Kurt ran his hands through his short hair which Rogue noticed for the first time that he did a lot lately, "Wasn't so bad with Wanda here, she always seemed to have a plan no matter what was happening."
Rogue smiled, "Something about those Maximoff's."
Kurt shook his head, "I will never understand why you're attracted to him, but who am I to judge?"
Rogue rose and offered him a hand, "Come on Kurt, you have classes tomorrow."
Kurt took it and leapt to his feet before doing a backwards somersault landing silently in the door way, "So you're really staying?"
"For two years, the Professor wants me to teach."
Kurt drummed his fingers together at the points and hunched his shoulders, "Excellent!"
"When did you start watching the Simpson's?"
The next day Rogue was unpacking her bag when a knock came at her door. Opening it she found Bobby standing there in a stained pair of sweat pants and a sleeveless T. Bobby looked none the worse for wear despite the bandages from where he leaned against the wall grinning, "Care for a work out?"
Rogue cocked an eyebrow, "Bobby Drake."
Bobby quickly backpedaled, "Whoa Rogue! The Professor wants me to help you figure out how strong you are, that and some other stuff."
Rogue shrugged, she could do with the exercise, "Why not?"
Bobby stood in the doorway waiting, waiting still when she shut the door in his face. Leaning against the wall he sighed, "Well, it's a start I guess."
Opening the door Rogue stepped out in a pair of wind pants she had picked up subbing a gym class once and a short sleeve under armor shirt that fit perfectly, as Bobby noticed.
Leading her down below ground Bobby flicked on the lights in the small gym. Recently added to the Institute it had all the major work out equipment of a pro football team camp. Bobby walked over to a weight bench bar and began sliding plates on, "Care to GRUNT help me GRUNT out here?"
Rogue shook her head, "I think you've got it."
Standing back both looked at the bar covered with plates, three on each side to be exact. Bobby patted the bench as he took a spotters position behind the bench, "Lets go."
Rogue laid down and asked, "How much is this?"
"Three hundred and fifteen pounds."
Squaring her hands Rogue took a deep breath and lifted. The bar rose without a wobble and hung there in her palms. Looking up at Bobby she asked with no strain, "How many reps?"
"Uhh, fifteen."
Rogue repped it out easily, lifting the bar up and down up and down with barely a pause in between. Dusting her hands off she shrugged, "Nothin really."
Bobby looked at the weight bench mentally astounded Rogue could out rep him by 4 reps, "There is one thing."
"What?"
Bobby jerked his head at a closed black door, "We've got some heavier stuff in there, want to try?"
Rogue followed him into the room expecting to find larger weights, instead the room looked like a forest. Hydraulic presses rose up into the ceiling from squat racks and weight benches, each one going from the size of Rogue's head to wider than she could get her arms around. "Why all this?"
Bobby pointed to one that sight oddly right in the middle of the room, "The first one was Poitr's. Professor X added these after we enrolled more than five mutants with super strength. Care to test your luck?"
Watching as he dialed in up to 3 tons Rogue lay underneath the bar that extended from the sides of the presses like the safety rails on roller coasters. Feeling the bars grip she asked, "This thing wont crush me will it?"
Bobby shook his head and stood to the side, "Bar wont come any lower than that. If its too heavy just tell me and I'll lower the pressure."
Rogue pressed, feeling the bar push upwards against immense pressure until her arms were fully extended. Letting it down slowly Rogue felt it continue to press down until it came to rest an inch from her chest. Rogue looked at Bobby, "That's heavier."
"Good, 3 sets of 15."
"Sh*t."
Pushing the bar up and down Rogue felt the weight gradually grow as it rose up to 15 tons. Rogue felt better, she hadn't worked out in a long time and it was nice to work out some pent up feelings that with her new strength would have left any punching bag in pieces.
Like any good spotter Bobby was watching to make sure that Rogue was working hard and wasn't in trouble, watching her chest rise and fall that is. Its strangely hypnotizing, Bobby thought, like a lava lamp.
Rogue finished her sets and pushed a large button on the bar, the machine immediately eased off its pressure, "Whoa haven't worked that hard in awhile. What next?"
Bobby mentally shook himself hoping Rogue wouldn't notice where his attention had been focused, "Ms. Marvel could fly right? Well the Professor thinks that you should have that power as well."
"I don't think.I can fly."
"Well if you don't think I could help you the only other person at the Institute who would know about flying is Jean." Bobby suggested sincerely.
At this Rogue stood up, "No I'm sure you can help! Where should we try?"
"Danger room? We got some wicked upgrades while you were gone."
"Sounds great. Lets walk and talk."
Walking through the tunnels Rogue noticed how quite it was down here, "So tell me everything that's happened while I was gone! When I left the place was crawling with people."
"Rogue it hasn't exactly become a ghost town."
"You know what I mean," Rogue said with a good natured shove, "Where's Evan, Jamie, Kitty?"
"Hmm," Bobby stroked his chin, "Right now Kitty and Piotr are somewhere in Russia handling the Mob which is now run by Omega Red an old enemy of Wolverine."
"Are they together?"
"Practically attached at the hip," Bobby laughed, "Evan and Jamie are in Africa right now helping the peace core. You're not going to believe what's happened with Evan!"
"What?"
"you know that hip new skateboarder named Spyke Gee?"
Rogue stopped at stared at him, "NO WAY!!!"
Bobby smiled with a wicked look in his eyes, "Oh yeah."
"But he's gay!!!"
"So's Evan, or that's how I understand it. Wolverine thinks it's to improve his outsider image, but I think he can't handle having a gay protégé."
"What are they doing in Africa?"
"Evans part of some mutant back to Africa movement or something, while Jamie has turned out to be a one man army. The Professor lent him to the U.N. to help out with some kind of famine that they don't have enough labor to fix."
"Storm?"
"Our representation in Washington, she's turned out to be a regular ambassador."
"Rahne?"
"Went back to Muir island with Dr. Mctaggart, and Cannonball went with her."
"Ray?"
"He's some where in South America right now trying to get a lead on the Q men."
"Q Men? Weren't they a bunch of former surgeons who transplanted the mutant organs from people into themselves? I thought they were arrested years ago?"
"Most, but the business has picked up down south."
"Amara?"
At this Bobby stopped and looked at her with a wounded look that quickly disappeared, "She died."
"How?"
"Mission gone bad, figure it would happen eventually in our line of work. Ah, here we are."
Bobby punched in a code opening the round door in front of them, "The latest in holographic technology."
Rogue wanted to know more about Amara, but she decided to let it drop, "Looks cool, smaller than I remember it being."
"We had to downsize, now Merry Poppins start flying."
Rogue looked at him, "Any suggestions; happy thoughts? fairy dust? What?"
Bobby shrugged and stood back.
Rogue was staring at the ground when a voice yelled inside her head, Just jump.
Rogue was used to hearing voices in her head, so she didn't immediately freak at the sound, Marvel?
"Rogue, you okay?", Bobby asked worried.
Rogue looked at him and smiled which did a lot more than reassure him, "I'm fine, just collectin my thoughts."
Thinking to herself she asked, Can you hear me?
Yes I can unfortunately, you stupid b*tch you put me in a coma!
Cr*p, look the last thing I need is a p*ssed off psyche sharing my head. Now what were you saying about flying?
Rogue felt the irritation of the other woman shine through the thin almost transparent veil that separated their thoughts, Just jump.
Won't I fall down?
Not if you believe. When I say believe I mean you have to full out jump, you can't try to catch yourself.
Okay. Rogue sighed looking at Bobby she said, "Here I go, tell me how high I get."
Turning to the rest of the danger room she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped with all her might stretched out.
WHAMM!
You stupid b*tch!, Carol laughed inside her head giving the impression that is she could she would be rolling in the aisles, Did you really think I was going to teach YOU to fly?!
Rogue lay on the floor, practically drowning in her own misery as Bobby kneeled next to her and asked, "I'm guessing that didn't work as planned."
"Bobby," Rogue lifted her hand and a specific digit, "I think this states how I feel."
Later than night Rogue lay in bed in her pajamas a journal open in her lap, spinning the pen in her hand on over and under in a nervous habit she had learned from Pietro she thought. Not quite sure what to write Rogue began scribbling random things down in it, occasionally going back to scratch something out until she seemed satisfied with what was written, finally she put the journal down on the bureau next to her before clicking off the over head light and laying down.
In the dark with all the lights out and nothing to distract her Rogue felt for Pietro, sensing him to the North. Rogue wondered what he was doing. The little ball in the back of her head that was Pietro wasn't always reachable, it seemed to only be there during moments of strong emotion, like now that she could feel his thoughts. Rogue wasn't sure what she was feeling, but it wasn't good, like water it was slowly freezing on the surface going deeper and deeper.
Rogue shut her eyes and prayed to herself, "Please dear god don't let me be to late."
Taken from the Journal of Rogue:
Dear Journal
Been a long time huh? Looking at the last entry it's been a couple of years since I wrote in here last, I'm glad the Professor didn't destroy like I asked him too. I guess he gave it to me so that I could right down how I'm feeling and reflect on it, so here's some reflecting I guess. It all really started when I went with Bobby, Kurt, and Logan to find David and Talia. I have no idea why I went with them, maybe it was the way that Kurt was freaking out, or I was worried about Talia, I don't know. Anyway we found them in a small town about 12 miles through the woods, the town was absolutely trashed but no one was hurt thank god. David was bouncing a ball in the middle of the street with Talia standing nearby watching him when we found them. It seemed like the end of it, Kurt had Talia and Logan was talking to David when out of nowhere came Ms. Marvel. I don't know why she was there, bad luck I guess, on both sides. David instantly freaked out tossing Bobby 20 feet through a plate glass window of a shoe shop and Logan straight over my head where he struck a telephone pole. Bobby's fine now, though he's acting kind of weird for some reason and Logan got right back up but not in time to do anything. Ms. Marvel said something about us being mutant terrorists and looked like she was going to go after David. Jumping on her back I wrapped by arms around her neck to try and hold her back for all the good it did me. Instead of holding her down she flew up into the air pulling at my arms tearing the sleeves off my shirt. I could feel my power sucking her energy and I tried to let go, but I was so scared I would fall! We were twenty feet up in the air over concrete and all of a sudden she went limp in my arms and that's when we fell. She landed on top of me so she wasn't hurt, but I was sure that I was paralyzed or something. Instead I left a crater in the road with not a single scratch on me. Logan pulled her off me and tried wake her up, but she was already in a coma. The doctors say its not likely she will ever wake up, and everybody says it isn't me fault. Everybody but SHIELD that is. After Logan pulled Bobby out of the shoe store a caravan of vans appeared out of nowhere to secure the area. When they found out why Ms. Marvel was in a coma whey took me into custody, I guess she was with them or something. Professor Xavier cleared it up as best he could, but SHIELD took the opportunity to get me off their backs by putting me in his care for two years. So now I'm here at the Institute for the next two years, with Scott and Jean, by the way. I don't know what I'm going to do about them, but I know I'm not going to give up on Pietro. They don't know what he did when he was with his father all those years, that don't know what he did and what doing there dirty work will do to him.
Your tormented soul, Rogue
The couch was exactly the same, the couch where she had first confessed hearing voices to him, the couch where she had told the Professor she wanted to a teacher, the couch where she had told him that she was leaving the X men.
"The couch does have some sentimental value to it," the Professor admitted from where he sat across from her in a Victorian style chair, one leg crossed over the other.
The Professor was dressed as Kurt had been just the day before, black combat suit with a leather jacket over it that was dominated by the yellow X across its chest.
Rogue smiled wearily, "Listening in Professor?"
The Professor looked unfazed, "You were thinking out loud as they would say, Rogue."
Rogue sighed and nodded, "Its just all of this."
The Professor nodded both sagely and sympathetic, "It must have been quite a shock going from an elementary school teacher with a loving.companion too.this."
Rogue shook her head as tears welled in her eyes. Dang it, Rogue thought as she tried to hold them in, I swore I wasn't going to cry.
The Professor handed her a box of tissues, "There's nothing wrong with crying Rogue, it relieves stress and rids your body of unwanted chemicals."
Rogue wiped her eyes before laughing, "You sound just like Dr. McCoy."
He smiled again, "My apologies, I'm coming off more as a scientist than confidant. I'm sorry, but it's been years since I did this."
"But I've always had a special interest in you Rogue." He added quickly added sensing her doubt, "The truth is I thought of you as my one great failure as a teacher; some nights I would stay up forever wracking my brain for ways to help you.but I'm babbling."
Rogue was touched by his interest in her welfare, "Professor, you never failed me. You helped me to accept who and what I am."
The Professor smiled, "Perhaps while your here we can work on that together, perhaps find a solution."
At this Rogue bristled, "You mean during my incarceration?!"
The Professor was untouched by her anger. Keeping a calm tone and a poker face he stated, "No Rogue incarcerated would be what would happen to you if you weren't in my custody."
Rogue struck the couch lightly with her fist letting it drop from the air, some what surprised when it shuddered, "You seemed very quick to take me on."
At this the Professor frowned in displeasure, "I do not agree with the decision yes, but I will be da**ed if one of my students will spend time in prison for doing what it right."
Impressed that the Professor would curse she asked, "Is there anyway around SHIELDS injunction?"
The Professor shook his head, "Not anyway I can see. Though I do have a young lawyer working on it secretly, I doubt he will find anything. "
Rogue sighed, "What about Ms. Marve-I mean-What was her name? Carol Danvers?"
"Still in a coma I'm afraid, the doctors doubt she will ever wake."
Rogue raised a shaking hand to her temple, "I can feel her, in my head. She's confused and angry, but I don't think she knows what happened."
The Professor nodded, he remembered the effects of Rogue's powers, "It should fade in time, as did all the others."
Rogue looked uncomforted, "Yeah, but I got a lot stronger dose this time."
The professor took her hand and held it, "It wasn't you fault Rogue, both Kurt and I thank you for doing it. If it was either of us in your place we would have leapt into action, you hesitated to think what was right. That showed an amazing amount of character."
Rogue sat up and pulled her gloved hand from him, "There's a woman lying in a coma, probably for the rest of her life, and you're proud of me! She wasn't a 5 dollar drink to suck the juice out of, but that's what I did!"
The professor shook his head and rose to walk behind his desk, "I'm not going to argue with you about this Rogue, your being punished for it, unjustly I might add. While you think this is your fault? Why? This is the life we choose for ourselves, everyone, and this is one of the consequences."
Rogue shook her head and slumped her shoulders, "What am I going to do? No Pietro, no teaching, stuck here or in prison for 2 years, a mad woman in my head, and a former teacher that thinks I'm a hero for something anyone else would be appalled at."
The professor looked out the window in his study to the driveway where a car had pulled up in the downpour, "Perhaps there is a way you can continue to teach."
Rogue looked at him from in between strands of hair, "You're kidding."
The Professor turned and smiled the same smile that Logan and Pietro had, he would brook no argument, "I believe that it would be a great opportunity for both the school and you."
"What would I teach?!"
The Professor waved a hand dismissively, "We can sort that out later. Perhaps you could sit in on classes that demand a teachers presence."
Rogue stared at him dumbfounded, "All those years of college you put me through and you want me to be a sub?"
The Professor rolled his eyes in a gesture that made his eyebrows climb his forehead, "That is one way to think of it."
Rogue slapped her knees and rose, "What the hell, I don't have anything better to do."
The professor nodded and began shuffling papers on his desk, "I'm glad you're here Rogue, we all are. Together I think we should be able to get a number of things done."
Rogue smiled at his speech like tone, "Anyone ever tell you you're a snake oil salesmen Professor?"
The professor paused without looking up from his papers, "Magnus, once."
Rogue reached for the door but stopped when Professor Xavier held out a worn green journal, "In case you need it."
Rogue took the Journal, turning it over in both hands before taking a moment to open it and marvel at the flowing script with which she had covered pages, "I thought I asked you to burn this?"
The Professor shrugged, "You know how forgetful I am."
Letting herself out of the room quietly with a slight click as the door shut Rogue decided to go and check in on Kurt and Talia.
Walking towards Kurt's room Rogue passed the large staircase in the front of the mansion and noticed a rain soaked pair holding their luggage and dripping on the carpet. Stepping to the railing she opened her mouth to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue when one pushed back the hood of her rain jacket revealing long red luscious hair.
Backing up till she was out of sight of the staircase Rogue watched as Jean asked the other figure something and laughed. The other rain jacket clad man pushed his hood back as well, revealing the red tinged glasses Rogue knew so well.
Turning away she continued in the direction of Kurt's room, with no intention of leaving her room one door down from his for a while.
"God," Jean laughed again, "I thought it rained a lot in Alaska!"
Scott slid out of the rain jacket with a grin before helping her take hers, "Does that mean you didn't enjoy your stay Ms. Jean Grey Summers?"
Jean waited till he had put the coats in the coat closet before picking up her luggage and asking in a playful voice, "You just love hearing that name don't you?"
Scott shrugged and pulled her too him as he wiggled his eyebrows above his glasses and whispered, "Almost as much as I like screaming it."
"SCOTT!" Jean giggled, then giggled at the idea of giggling like a schoolgirl, "I'm the principal here, what if someone hears you?"
He shrugged and released her before he picked up his own bags, "Considering how many times we've done it in your office close-OHH!"
Jean raised a challenging eyebrow as he rubbed his butt, "There's more where that came from Scott."
Scott only grinned in response, "Using your powers to help your argument? That's not very fair."
"Were not playing fair Scott, were married."
"Touché."
"Is that the sound of a sparring married couple I hear, I knew the blissful honey moon would end all to quickly." Bobby grinned as he entered the front foyer.
"Hey Bobby-Good god what happened to your face?" Jean asked.
Bobby grinned and put a hand to the bandages that covered his bruises and scrapes, "Got thrown through Plexi-glass, what's your excuse?"
Jean gaped, "Bobby!"
Scott chuckled earning a look from Jean, "Careful Bobby, she's wicked bad with slapping offensive people on the rear."
Bobby's eyes practically sparkled, "Really?! Well I could go for it, not too rough though."
Jean shook her head and smiled, "Bobby I swear your never going to grow up. How is everybody?"
Bobby smile faded, "you had better ask Logan, I've only got the outside details. He was awake during the mission."
Scott looked up sharply. Instantly in leader mode he inquired, "What mission? I thought we were on stand down so The Ultimates would have something to clean up? Is anyone hurt? Where's Kurt?"
Jean looked worried as well so Bobby made a calming breathing gesture with his arms, "Were fine. The reason we went on a mission was because it was David."
"David?" "David?"
Bobby put a hand to his forehead before yanking it away, "Ouch, talk to Logan okay? I'm suppose to be getting my bandages changed."
Logan was sitting in front of the big screen television in the rec. room enjoying a can of brew while watching a hockey game. He had run the kids off to bed of course, didn't want them to think drinking was okay, course he liked to be alone so no one could hear him cheer.
With his team up by 6 points, a brand new cold one from his cooler, and the first real buzz he could ever remember having, life was all in all good for the teams resident samurai. That is till they showed up.
"Logan?"
Crap, Logan thought as he turned to look over his shoulder find Scott and Jean poking their heads in from the doorway, "Yeah?"
Scott and Jean strolled in looking like and smelling like a couple of lovesick kids. Scott leaned against the couch arm as Jean took a seat, both with the look on their faces that came with a major lecture.
Figuring on beating them to the punch Logan spoke first, "If this is about a subscription to a."gentlemen's magazine" that's delivered every month, its Bobby's."
Scott and Jean shared a confused look which Logan noticed with something that smacked of cunning, the truth was the magazine was his but they didn't need to know that, "What?"
Scott coughed, "We heard you went on a mission."
"You did," Cr*p, "Well cats out of the bag I guess."
Jean shook her long red hair, "We just heard about it from Bobby. He said we should ask you about it."
Logan picked up the remote from where it sat on his knee and turned off the TV. with a sigh, "All right."
Logan told them the whole story. At the beginning when he told them the part about Rogue arriving and how she was still here they shared a look. Logan noticed it, but decided to continue with his story since that was what they wanted to know about.
At the end Scott sat on the other end of the couch his eyebrows furrowed in thought. Jean sighed and cracked her neck before asking, "So David and Talia are fine, Rogue's here for at least two years, and there's a woman called Ms. Marvel in a coma. Did I cover it all?"
Logan nodded and sipped from the cooling can in his hand, "Yep."
"Scott?"
Scott looked up at Jean and said in a voice between sarcasm and weariness, "Magneto I can handle, Sentinels I can handle, but why do I have to live in a constant soap opera?"
Up stairs Rogue looked opened the door to Talia's room planning to look in on her, to her surprise she found Kurt sitting in a rocking chair next to her bed. He didn't looked up as she walked up behind him and whispered, "Kurt?"
Kurt looked up at her pulling the blanket wrapped around him a little tighter, "Hey."
Rogue sat down in a children's play chair next to the rocking chair, "How long have you been here?"
He never took his eyes off her, "Since she fell asleep, I stood outside the door until then."
Rogue took his hand and squeezed it, "Its okay Kurt, were all okay."
Kurt sat there for a minute thinking unreadable thoughts before retorting, "For how long? Do you know how many times she's been kidnapped or threatened? I stopped counting after awhile."
"What?"
Kurt looked at her blankly, "The first day she was born Mystique stole her right from underneath our noses in the hospital. She posed as a nurse and walked right into the recovery room. When she was two she somehow snuck aboard the Blackbird hitching a ride to the Savage Land, and now this."
Rogue couldn't think of anything to say.
Kurt continued, "And those are the ones that come immediately to mind, want to know what me and Wanda were seriously contemplating? Sending her away so she wouldn't be a target."
"Kurt.no."
"Do you know what its like to know that your life is so dangerous that taking your child to the park is a security risk? Every hour of every day I have to know, know Rogue, that someone has an eye on her."
"Kurt, do you think she would be safer somewhere away from you? She'd be safe, but what kind of life would that be? I grew up without knowing who my parents were, and it tore me up inside."
Kurt shook his head, "Everyone's always looking at me as the carefree teacher, Hey there's Kurt without a care in the world!"
Her brother rarely asked for sympathy, but Rogue wasn't going to let him dig himself a nice little depressive hole, "We have to look at you like that Kurt, because you make it all seem right somehow. You make it not so sad or scary to know that the next time we step out the door we may to die."
Kurt ran his hands through his short hair which Rogue noticed for the first time that he did a lot lately, "Wasn't so bad with Wanda here, she always seemed to have a plan no matter what was happening."
Rogue smiled, "Something about those Maximoff's."
Kurt shook his head, "I will never understand why you're attracted to him, but who am I to judge?"
Rogue rose and offered him a hand, "Come on Kurt, you have classes tomorrow."
Kurt took it and leapt to his feet before doing a backwards somersault landing silently in the door way, "So you're really staying?"
"For two years, the Professor wants me to teach."
Kurt drummed his fingers together at the points and hunched his shoulders, "Excellent!"
"When did you start watching the Simpson's?"
The next day Rogue was unpacking her bag when a knock came at her door. Opening it she found Bobby standing there in a stained pair of sweat pants and a sleeveless T. Bobby looked none the worse for wear despite the bandages from where he leaned against the wall grinning, "Care for a work out?"
Rogue cocked an eyebrow, "Bobby Drake."
Bobby quickly backpedaled, "Whoa Rogue! The Professor wants me to help you figure out how strong you are, that and some other stuff."
Rogue shrugged, she could do with the exercise, "Why not?"
Bobby stood in the doorway waiting, waiting still when she shut the door in his face. Leaning against the wall he sighed, "Well, it's a start I guess."
Opening the door Rogue stepped out in a pair of wind pants she had picked up subbing a gym class once and a short sleeve under armor shirt that fit perfectly, as Bobby noticed.
Leading her down below ground Bobby flicked on the lights in the small gym. Recently added to the Institute it had all the major work out equipment of a pro football team camp. Bobby walked over to a weight bench bar and began sliding plates on, "Care to GRUNT help me GRUNT out here?"
Rogue shook her head, "I think you've got it."
Standing back both looked at the bar covered with plates, three on each side to be exact. Bobby patted the bench as he took a spotters position behind the bench, "Lets go."
Rogue laid down and asked, "How much is this?"
"Three hundred and fifteen pounds."
Squaring her hands Rogue took a deep breath and lifted. The bar rose without a wobble and hung there in her palms. Looking up at Bobby she asked with no strain, "How many reps?"
"Uhh, fifteen."
Rogue repped it out easily, lifting the bar up and down up and down with barely a pause in between. Dusting her hands off she shrugged, "Nothin really."
Bobby looked at the weight bench mentally astounded Rogue could out rep him by 4 reps, "There is one thing."
"What?"
Bobby jerked his head at a closed black door, "We've got some heavier stuff in there, want to try?"
Rogue followed him into the room expecting to find larger weights, instead the room looked like a forest. Hydraulic presses rose up into the ceiling from squat racks and weight benches, each one going from the size of Rogue's head to wider than she could get her arms around. "Why all this?"
Bobby pointed to one that sight oddly right in the middle of the room, "The first one was Poitr's. Professor X added these after we enrolled more than five mutants with super strength. Care to test your luck?"
Watching as he dialed in up to 3 tons Rogue lay underneath the bar that extended from the sides of the presses like the safety rails on roller coasters. Feeling the bars grip she asked, "This thing wont crush me will it?"
Bobby shook his head and stood to the side, "Bar wont come any lower than that. If its too heavy just tell me and I'll lower the pressure."
Rogue pressed, feeling the bar push upwards against immense pressure until her arms were fully extended. Letting it down slowly Rogue felt it continue to press down until it came to rest an inch from her chest. Rogue looked at Bobby, "That's heavier."
"Good, 3 sets of 15."
"Sh*t."
Pushing the bar up and down Rogue felt the weight gradually grow as it rose up to 15 tons. Rogue felt better, she hadn't worked out in a long time and it was nice to work out some pent up feelings that with her new strength would have left any punching bag in pieces.
Like any good spotter Bobby was watching to make sure that Rogue was working hard and wasn't in trouble, watching her chest rise and fall that is. Its strangely hypnotizing, Bobby thought, like a lava lamp.
Rogue finished her sets and pushed a large button on the bar, the machine immediately eased off its pressure, "Whoa haven't worked that hard in awhile. What next?"
Bobby mentally shook himself hoping Rogue wouldn't notice where his attention had been focused, "Ms. Marvel could fly right? Well the Professor thinks that you should have that power as well."
"I don't think.I can fly."
"Well if you don't think I could help you the only other person at the Institute who would know about flying is Jean." Bobby suggested sincerely.
At this Rogue stood up, "No I'm sure you can help! Where should we try?"
"Danger room? We got some wicked upgrades while you were gone."
"Sounds great. Lets walk and talk."
Walking through the tunnels Rogue noticed how quite it was down here, "So tell me everything that's happened while I was gone! When I left the place was crawling with people."
"Rogue it hasn't exactly become a ghost town."
"You know what I mean," Rogue said with a good natured shove, "Where's Evan, Jamie, Kitty?"
"Hmm," Bobby stroked his chin, "Right now Kitty and Piotr are somewhere in Russia handling the Mob which is now run by Omega Red an old enemy of Wolverine."
"Are they together?"
"Practically attached at the hip," Bobby laughed, "Evan and Jamie are in Africa right now helping the peace core. You're not going to believe what's happened with Evan!"
"What?"
"you know that hip new skateboarder named Spyke Gee?"
Rogue stopped at stared at him, "NO WAY!!!"
Bobby smiled with a wicked look in his eyes, "Oh yeah."
"But he's gay!!!"
"So's Evan, or that's how I understand it. Wolverine thinks it's to improve his outsider image, but I think he can't handle having a gay protégé."
"What are they doing in Africa?"
"Evans part of some mutant back to Africa movement or something, while Jamie has turned out to be a one man army. The Professor lent him to the U.N. to help out with some kind of famine that they don't have enough labor to fix."
"Storm?"
"Our representation in Washington, she's turned out to be a regular ambassador."
"Rahne?"
"Went back to Muir island with Dr. Mctaggart, and Cannonball went with her."
"Ray?"
"He's some where in South America right now trying to get a lead on the Q men."
"Q Men? Weren't they a bunch of former surgeons who transplanted the mutant organs from people into themselves? I thought they were arrested years ago?"
"Most, but the business has picked up down south."
"Amara?"
At this Bobby stopped and looked at her with a wounded look that quickly disappeared, "She died."
"How?"
"Mission gone bad, figure it would happen eventually in our line of work. Ah, here we are."
Bobby punched in a code opening the round door in front of them, "The latest in holographic technology."
Rogue wanted to know more about Amara, but she decided to let it drop, "Looks cool, smaller than I remember it being."
"We had to downsize, now Merry Poppins start flying."
Rogue looked at him, "Any suggestions; happy thoughts? fairy dust? What?"
Bobby shrugged and stood back.
Rogue was staring at the ground when a voice yelled inside her head, Just jump.
Rogue was used to hearing voices in her head, so she didn't immediately freak at the sound, Marvel?
"Rogue, you okay?", Bobby asked worried.
Rogue looked at him and smiled which did a lot more than reassure him, "I'm fine, just collectin my thoughts."
Thinking to herself she asked, Can you hear me?
Yes I can unfortunately, you stupid b*tch you put me in a coma!
Cr*p, look the last thing I need is a p*ssed off psyche sharing my head. Now what were you saying about flying?
Rogue felt the irritation of the other woman shine through the thin almost transparent veil that separated their thoughts, Just jump.
Won't I fall down?
Not if you believe. When I say believe I mean you have to full out jump, you can't try to catch yourself.
Okay. Rogue sighed looking at Bobby she said, "Here I go, tell me how high I get."
Turning to the rest of the danger room she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped with all her might stretched out.
WHAMM!
You stupid b*tch!, Carol laughed inside her head giving the impression that is she could she would be rolling in the aisles, Did you really think I was going to teach YOU to fly?!
Rogue lay on the floor, practically drowning in her own misery as Bobby kneeled next to her and asked, "I'm guessing that didn't work as planned."
"Bobby," Rogue lifted her hand and a specific digit, "I think this states how I feel."
Later than night Rogue lay in bed in her pajamas a journal open in her lap, spinning the pen in her hand on over and under in a nervous habit she had learned from Pietro she thought. Not quite sure what to write Rogue began scribbling random things down in it, occasionally going back to scratch something out until she seemed satisfied with what was written, finally she put the journal down on the bureau next to her before clicking off the over head light and laying down.
In the dark with all the lights out and nothing to distract her Rogue felt for Pietro, sensing him to the North. Rogue wondered what he was doing. The little ball in the back of her head that was Pietro wasn't always reachable, it seemed to only be there during moments of strong emotion, like now that she could feel his thoughts. Rogue wasn't sure what she was feeling, but it wasn't good, like water it was slowly freezing on the surface going deeper and deeper.
Rogue shut her eyes and prayed to herself, "Please dear god don't let me be to late."
Taken from the Journal of Rogue:
Dear Journal
Been a long time huh? Looking at the last entry it's been a couple of years since I wrote in here last, I'm glad the Professor didn't destroy like I asked him too. I guess he gave it to me so that I could right down how I'm feeling and reflect on it, so here's some reflecting I guess. It all really started when I went with Bobby, Kurt, and Logan to find David and Talia. I have no idea why I went with them, maybe it was the way that Kurt was freaking out, or I was worried about Talia, I don't know. Anyway we found them in a small town about 12 miles through the woods, the town was absolutely trashed but no one was hurt thank god. David was bouncing a ball in the middle of the street with Talia standing nearby watching him when we found them. It seemed like the end of it, Kurt had Talia and Logan was talking to David when out of nowhere came Ms. Marvel. I don't know why she was there, bad luck I guess, on both sides. David instantly freaked out tossing Bobby 20 feet through a plate glass window of a shoe shop and Logan straight over my head where he struck a telephone pole. Bobby's fine now, though he's acting kind of weird for some reason and Logan got right back up but not in time to do anything. Ms. Marvel said something about us being mutant terrorists and looked like she was going to go after David. Jumping on her back I wrapped by arms around her neck to try and hold her back for all the good it did me. Instead of holding her down she flew up into the air pulling at my arms tearing the sleeves off my shirt. I could feel my power sucking her energy and I tried to let go, but I was so scared I would fall! We were twenty feet up in the air over concrete and all of a sudden she went limp in my arms and that's when we fell. She landed on top of me so she wasn't hurt, but I was sure that I was paralyzed or something. Instead I left a crater in the road with not a single scratch on me. Logan pulled her off me and tried wake her up, but she was already in a coma. The doctors say its not likely she will ever wake up, and everybody says it isn't me fault. Everybody but SHIELD that is. After Logan pulled Bobby out of the shoe store a caravan of vans appeared out of nowhere to secure the area. When they found out why Ms. Marvel was in a coma whey took me into custody, I guess she was with them or something. Professor Xavier cleared it up as best he could, but SHIELD took the opportunity to get me off their backs by putting me in his care for two years. So now I'm here at the Institute for the next two years, with Scott and Jean, by the way. I don't know what I'm going to do about them, but I know I'm not going to give up on Pietro. They don't know what he did when he was with his father all those years, that don't know what he did and what doing there dirty work will do to him.
Your tormented soul, Rogue