Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men.
A/N: Thanks to all of you who have sent wonderful reviews to me. I appreciate it more than you will ever know. So to all of those how have taken the time to read my story, this one's for you. :o)
Dreams
Chapter 7
The sun had nearly set by the time she got to the mansion. 'Hope no one's home.' She quickly climbed through the second story window, trying as hard as she could to be quiet. But when she tripped over the windowsill on her way in, she couldn't help the expletive that escaped her mouth.
"Damnit!" She said as she sat on the floor, rubbing her recently stubbed toe. 'Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea if I asked Charles to install some outdoor lighting.' Her attention was taken away from her foot as a slow chuckle came from the shadows.
The light from a match, illuminated his face for only a second, before it was extinguished. The hot end of his cigarette gave away his where about in the shadows. She sat in the middle of the floor, she watched the tiny orange flame come closer to her.
"Remy, remember tellin ya to stay put, Chere. Now, why'd ya not listen to Remy?"
She stared up at him, his face barely visible in the darkness. 'Play it cool, maybe he won't know something's amiss.' Flashing him a charming smile, she answered. "Ah had to go out for some air, Remy. Surely ya understand?"
His figure retreated over to the bedside table and he turned on the light. She put her hand up against her eyes, letting them adjust to the bright light.
"I understand a couple of minutes, Chere, but not a couple of hours."
"Ah had to go take care of somethin'."
"Care to share?"
Again she showed him that charming smile. "Ah'm not tellin you all my secrets, Cajun."
Remy raised an inquisitive eyebrow at that remark. "Ya may not tell me now, but Remy find out . . . eventually." He strode over to her, placed his hand on his chin and said, "Maybe Stormy right. Ya've been pickin up mah bad habits." Offering her a hand, he added, "Want some help gettin up?" Placing her gloved hand in his, he helped her to her feet. She turned her head away as he focused his intense gaze on her. "Come, Chere. The Professor wants to have a 'family' meeting."
Panic bloomed inside of her. "Already? Don't you think I could get cleaned up before I have to meet everyone?" She began to fidget, rubbing her hands together.
Remy looked down at the top of her head. He laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Ya're stalin for time, Rogue. Ya are goin to have to tell them all, might as well get it done in one sittin."
"Ah know. But please, just a quick shower?"
He smiled. "Okay, 15 minutes. If ya not down in 15 minutes, Remy come up here and join you."
"Ya'd like that, wouldn't ya?"
"Ya know ah would." He winked at her, emphasizing his reply.
As she pushed him out the door, she replied, "Well, get a move on, Cajun. Ah only got 15 minutes to make myself presentable."
****************
As Remy walked into the library, all eyes turned and focused on him. Jean, Scott and Ororo sat on the couch, while Logan and Hank had preferred to stand. "She's upstairs. She'll be down in 15 minutes, I guarantee." He said with a sly smile on his face.
"What makes you say that, my dear Cajun?" Hank asked.
"Just call it a hunch."
Remy turned and found Charles behind him. Slowly, he walked over to him and leaned down.
"She's not gonna talk. Ah can tell you dat right now."
"They need to know."
"Maybe it would be best comin from you." Remy answered.
Deep down, Charles knew that Rogue wouldn't be able to handle the pressure of informing the team of her condition. He wished there was a better way to tell them, but unfortunately, this is the way it had to be. He positioned himself where everyone could see him, and began.
"As you all know, I've called this special meeting tonight. And I am afraid that it doesn't come with any good news." Sighing, Charles continued. "Recently, it was discovered that Rogue's powers were becoming harder and harder to control. But this time, I am not sure if there is anything we can do."
"Professor, what exactly are you getting at?" Scott asked, as he moved closer to the edge of the couch, resting his elbows on his knees, hands clasped in front of him.
"Rogue's powers have turned against her. They are now draining the life out of her."
The door to the library opened and she stepped through. She felt like prey being watched by the hunters as she walked into the room. She caught movement out of her right eye and swung around to meet Logan's cold stare.
Sniffing, he said. "I smell a rat." As the other watched in confusion, Logan raised his bare hand and laid it on her cheek.
Nothing happened.
"All right, Mystique. The gig is up." Logan stated in a harsh voice.
In a matter of seconds, Rogue's form melted away and was replaced by that of the shape shifter's. Placing her hands on her hips, she gave Logan a hard glare. "I told her it wouldn't work. But that stubborn daughter of mine won't listen to me."
She swung around and came face to face with an irate Cajun. Remy's eyes burned ruby red against the black. Mystique stepped back and found Logan standing behind her. 'Trapped like a rat, too.' She thought as she found herself sandwiched between the two X-men.
"Where is she, Mystique?" Remy asked as he pulled out a playing card, charging it up and putting it close to her face.
"That's enough!" Charles voice rang out from behind them. All eyes turned toward Charles, for they had never seen him this upset before. "Remy, put your card away." He ordered. Huffing, Remy let go of the card and it landed at Mystique's feet with a tiny 'poof'.
Mystique brushed by him and made her way toward Charles. She stopped about a foot away from him. "What do you want to know?"
"Where is Rogue?"
"She went looking for a cure."
Remy spoke up. "A cure? You know a cure?"
Mystique turned around and faced all of the X-men. "I knew that she would come to me with her problem. How did I know? It's simple, I own most of Irene Alder's Diaries of Destiny. I also know there is the possibility for a cure and that Alder's diaries may hold the key to saving her. The problem is, I don't have the one she needs in my possession. So she went looking for it."
"And just where is this diary?" Scott asked.
"Antarctica. Magnus' old lab."
"How much of a lead does she have?"
Mystique glanced at the clock on the far wall of the library. "She has about a two hour head start."
Logan and Remy looked at each other. "Let's move." And quickly the two were out of the library door.
"Professor, shouldn't we go after them?" Scott questioned as he rose from the couch.
"No, Scott. Remy and Logan will be able to watch her. All we can do now is hope that they find the diary that has the cure."
A/N: Thanks to all of you who have sent wonderful reviews to me. I appreciate it more than you will ever know. So to all of those how have taken the time to read my story, this one's for you. :o)
Dreams
Chapter 7
The sun had nearly set by the time she got to the mansion. 'Hope no one's home.' She quickly climbed through the second story window, trying as hard as she could to be quiet. But when she tripped over the windowsill on her way in, she couldn't help the expletive that escaped her mouth.
"Damnit!" She said as she sat on the floor, rubbing her recently stubbed toe. 'Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea if I asked Charles to install some outdoor lighting.' Her attention was taken away from her foot as a slow chuckle came from the shadows.
The light from a match, illuminated his face for only a second, before it was extinguished. The hot end of his cigarette gave away his where about in the shadows. She sat in the middle of the floor, she watched the tiny orange flame come closer to her.
"Remy, remember tellin ya to stay put, Chere. Now, why'd ya not listen to Remy?"
She stared up at him, his face barely visible in the darkness. 'Play it cool, maybe he won't know something's amiss.' Flashing him a charming smile, she answered. "Ah had to go out for some air, Remy. Surely ya understand?"
His figure retreated over to the bedside table and he turned on the light. She put her hand up against her eyes, letting them adjust to the bright light.
"I understand a couple of minutes, Chere, but not a couple of hours."
"Ah had to go take care of somethin'."
"Care to share?"
Again she showed him that charming smile. "Ah'm not tellin you all my secrets, Cajun."
Remy raised an inquisitive eyebrow at that remark. "Ya may not tell me now, but Remy find out . . . eventually." He strode over to her, placed his hand on his chin and said, "Maybe Stormy right. Ya've been pickin up mah bad habits." Offering her a hand, he added, "Want some help gettin up?" Placing her gloved hand in his, he helped her to her feet. She turned her head away as he focused his intense gaze on her. "Come, Chere. The Professor wants to have a 'family' meeting."
Panic bloomed inside of her. "Already? Don't you think I could get cleaned up before I have to meet everyone?" She began to fidget, rubbing her hands together.
Remy looked down at the top of her head. He laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Ya're stalin for time, Rogue. Ya are goin to have to tell them all, might as well get it done in one sittin."
"Ah know. But please, just a quick shower?"
He smiled. "Okay, 15 minutes. If ya not down in 15 minutes, Remy come up here and join you."
"Ya'd like that, wouldn't ya?"
"Ya know ah would." He winked at her, emphasizing his reply.
As she pushed him out the door, she replied, "Well, get a move on, Cajun. Ah only got 15 minutes to make myself presentable."
****************
As Remy walked into the library, all eyes turned and focused on him. Jean, Scott and Ororo sat on the couch, while Logan and Hank had preferred to stand. "She's upstairs. She'll be down in 15 minutes, I guarantee." He said with a sly smile on his face.
"What makes you say that, my dear Cajun?" Hank asked.
"Just call it a hunch."
Remy turned and found Charles behind him. Slowly, he walked over to him and leaned down.
"She's not gonna talk. Ah can tell you dat right now."
"They need to know."
"Maybe it would be best comin from you." Remy answered.
Deep down, Charles knew that Rogue wouldn't be able to handle the pressure of informing the team of her condition. He wished there was a better way to tell them, but unfortunately, this is the way it had to be. He positioned himself where everyone could see him, and began.
"As you all know, I've called this special meeting tonight. And I am afraid that it doesn't come with any good news." Sighing, Charles continued. "Recently, it was discovered that Rogue's powers were becoming harder and harder to control. But this time, I am not sure if there is anything we can do."
"Professor, what exactly are you getting at?" Scott asked, as he moved closer to the edge of the couch, resting his elbows on his knees, hands clasped in front of him.
"Rogue's powers have turned against her. They are now draining the life out of her."
The door to the library opened and she stepped through. She felt like prey being watched by the hunters as she walked into the room. She caught movement out of her right eye and swung around to meet Logan's cold stare.
Sniffing, he said. "I smell a rat." As the other watched in confusion, Logan raised his bare hand and laid it on her cheek.
Nothing happened.
"All right, Mystique. The gig is up." Logan stated in a harsh voice.
In a matter of seconds, Rogue's form melted away and was replaced by that of the shape shifter's. Placing her hands on her hips, she gave Logan a hard glare. "I told her it wouldn't work. But that stubborn daughter of mine won't listen to me."
She swung around and came face to face with an irate Cajun. Remy's eyes burned ruby red against the black. Mystique stepped back and found Logan standing behind her. 'Trapped like a rat, too.' She thought as she found herself sandwiched between the two X-men.
"Where is she, Mystique?" Remy asked as he pulled out a playing card, charging it up and putting it close to her face.
"That's enough!" Charles voice rang out from behind them. All eyes turned toward Charles, for they had never seen him this upset before. "Remy, put your card away." He ordered. Huffing, Remy let go of the card and it landed at Mystique's feet with a tiny 'poof'.
Mystique brushed by him and made her way toward Charles. She stopped about a foot away from him. "What do you want to know?"
"Where is Rogue?"
"She went looking for a cure."
Remy spoke up. "A cure? You know a cure?"
Mystique turned around and faced all of the X-men. "I knew that she would come to me with her problem. How did I know? It's simple, I own most of Irene Alder's Diaries of Destiny. I also know there is the possibility for a cure and that Alder's diaries may hold the key to saving her. The problem is, I don't have the one she needs in my possession. So she went looking for it."
"And just where is this diary?" Scott asked.
"Antarctica. Magnus' old lab."
"How much of a lead does she have?"
Mystique glanced at the clock on the far wall of the library. "She has about a two hour head start."
Logan and Remy looked at each other. "Let's move." And quickly the two were out of the library door.
"Professor, shouldn't we go after them?" Scott questioned as he rose from the couch.
"No, Scott. Remy and Logan will be able to watch her. All we can do now is hope that they find the diary that has the cure."