Disclaimer: We all know the drill; these characters belong to Marvel, who also owns a large factory that produces smelly cheese.

Author Notes: Okay so you may be wondering why there is a second part to the Interlude written by N? Mainly for the fact that I wanted to tie up some loose end before we got the rest of the whole X-men vs Acolytes thing going. Those loose ends being Amanda, and I wanted to start up the Wanda/Rogue friendship, seeing how Rogue just lost like her only close female friend. This way her and Wanda can chat about make-up tips and bad goth bands…..

(N's Note: I LIKE bad goth bands. You'll pry my copy of "a slight case of overbombing" from my cold, dead hands.)

Interlude at a Cheap Motel
Part 2
By starched_undergarments

Thoughts
Eyes
Hopes
Dreams
She could see it all, laid out before her - a long road of emotional journeys. Secrets long buried whirled past her closed eyes and feelings of intense pain
Joy
Fear
Lust
stretched and reached out to her.

"Rogue…"

She stirred, her eyes fluttering, the images blending and swarming together, the feelings dissipating slowly back into darkness.

"Rogue."

Her eyes opened and her head ached. She coughed and dragged her body up into a sitting position. She looked up, expecting to see Scott or perhaps even the Professor himself, but she was met with the harsh cold eyes of the Scarlet Witch.

"You're name is Rogue, right?" she asked. Rogue nodded and coughed again. The vile taste of her own vomit still in her mouth - a quick look around confirmed that she was still in the bathroom.

"You fell asleep," Wanda said, studying the other girl with some interest.

"Or something lahk that…" Rogue muttered and tried to stand. She wobbled and took hold of the cracked sink, steadying herself. She fell back to the floor, shaking from the cold as well as the painful memories that she had been swimming in.

It was still dark out, probably very early in the morning she guessed. Wanda sat on the dirty tile floor, directly across from Rogue, her dark blue eyes glowing with intensity.

"Can Ah help you?" Rogue asked coldly, not liking the way the she was being stared at. The Scarlet Witch said nothing at first, but then slid across the floor towards her, her hands outstretched.

"Are you in pain?" she asked quietly, her eyes searching for something in Rogue's.

Why lie? "Yes," she said, staring into those midnight blue depths.

"So am I." Wanda's gloved hand reached out, barley brushing Rogue's pale cheek.

Rogue felt tears slide down her face, hot and bitter. She opened her eyes to find that the other girl was crying as well.

"Mystique is mah mother," she whispered hoarsely, and the other girl nodded.

"Magneto is my father."

"Ah hate her so much."

Wanda nodded and ran her hand through Rogue's soft hair, their eyes still locked.

"It hurts," she whispered and the other girl nodded, drawing her towards her. Rogue could feel herself slid forward, her soul aching as she embraced her supposed enemy.

In the quiet hours before dawn the two young girls sat there on the cold floor, holding each other, and their hearts, together.

***

He knew he shouldn't be doing it, knew that if he was caught by his other teammates or anyone else trouble would be the result. Yet he had to, felt that if he didn't then some part of him would always regret, always hate himself for not putting things to rest.

Carefully he crept forward out of the bushes, his ears pricking up at the slightest noise. It was dark, close to three in the morning, and here he was prowling around in the bushes outside his girlfriend's house like a cat burglar or a peeping tom.

After a quick glance around Kurt snuck over to the side of the house, picking up a small stone he tossed it up at the second floor bedroom window. At first there was no response but then it opened and Amanda stuck her head out, her hair tousled.

"Amanda!" he hissed, "down here!"

She looked down and her face immediately changed from dazed to excited. She pulled her robe tighter to her and waved down at him.

"Kurt! Hi! What are you doing here?" She giggled, "Is this some sort of romantic Romeo and Juliet kind of thing?"

"I need to talk to you," he whispered back a little impatiently, "Come down to your back yard."

She nodded and closed the window, entering the back yard only moments later. He hugged her briefly and then led her over to a row of bushes, pulling her down into a stoop.

"Where have you been?" she asked him excitedly, "When I saw that news report I got so worried!" She touched his blue face tenderly. "Are you okay?"

"Ja, I'm fine, a lot has happened. Too much to really go into detail but I needed to see you, before….I mean, I needed to tell you…" He paused, looking into her soft hazel eyes. "Zat I can't see you anymore," he finished, casting his eyes downward. He could almost feel the hurt in her eyes, the accusing look of confusion and pain. She took his hand in hers and he could feel her trying not to cry, trying to understand.

"Why?" She whispered and he hated what he was doing, hated how he was hurting her.

Sighing, he embraced her. "Those people on the news, they were trying to kill us, all of us. And…and the institute has been destroyed so we might be leaving, going who knows where. But most of all, having been through all of this before I've realized zat…I couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt because of me, because of vhat I am."

"But Kurt!"

"No Amanda," he said firmly, "all my life I've run from people like this, people who are scared, people who hate me just because of the way I look. I am a mutant, and right now there are millions of people who don't understand and think we are a threat, the enemy. I don't want you to get hurt just because of me."

He kissed her cheek softly, tasting the salty waves of her tears.

"I vill always be grateful that I met you. You've shown me that there are people out there who do accept us, who do understand."

She nodded, defeated yet understanding his reasons.

"Goodbye Amadna, thank you for everything."

"Goodbye Kurt. Stay safe, my blue boy."

***

Upon arrival back at the hotel Kurt noticed that for five in the morning the rooms seemed to be very well lit and full of unusual activity. He crept in slowly only to find everyone preparing to leave, their faces worried and anxious.

"Vhat's going on?" He asked, Wolverine glanced at him, pulling his mask into place.

"Hope you're done your goodbyes elf, because we gotta go. Suit up. Magneto's on the move."

***

End Interlude Part 2

Next... The X-Men VS The Acolytes!