Unravel
She looked at her hands and wondered how she came to have so much power. Power that she was afraid of. Power that made others afraid of her.
"Hey, kid, you daydreaming again?"
She looked up at the sound of his voice. He was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed at his chest. She eyed his white T-shirt and blue jeans. How normal it looked, yet underneath the T-shirt and the jeans was something extraordinary.
He came in closer when she didn't answer him. His eyes filled with concern. "Want some company?" He sat down next to her without waiting for a reply.
"I was just thinking, that's all," she said.
"About anything in particular?" he said.
She glanced outside the window. "Life."
"Yeah, it sucks, doesn't it?" He was glad to see her respond with a small smile.
"It's scary," she said softly. "My life, our lives…it's not like anyone's else's, you know?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I know."
"You think we'll be okay here?" she said.
He sighed. It hadn't been that long ago when they both arrived to the school. "I think we'll be okay."
Her hand inched towards his, but she didn't make a move for it, fearful of the result. She ached for some kind of contact with anyone. A sign of support, a sign of comfort.
"Why's that?" she said.
"You watch my back, and I'll watch yours, kid," he said.
"Where are they?" Storm asked as she entered the main room.
"They're talking in the next room," said the Professor. He turned to look at Scott, Jean, and Storm. "She's afraid."
"Of us?" Scott asked.
"Of herself," the Professor said.
"We can help her," Jean said. "We can slowly integrate her with the other students so it won't be so overwhelming."
"What about him?" Scott asked. "Logan?"
"He seems to want to help the girl," the Professor said. "He wouldn't want to leave the school yet."
"Well, what can he do?" Scott said. "Teach art class?"
The Professor frowned at him.
"I'm sorry, Professor, but I don't trust him," Scott said.
"It's not about trust, Scott," Jean said. "It's about helping them."
Storm nodded. "Yes, Scott, they need to know that we are on their side because--"
"Because they're mutants," said Scott.
"Because they are one of us," Storm said.
Rogue walked outside and breathed in the fresh air. The sky was clear and the breeze gentle. She tucked a piece of her dark hair behind her ear just as a basketball came bouncing her way.
"Hey." A teenage boy ran after the ball.
Rogue couldn't help but notice his icy blue eyes.
The boy picked up the ball and smiled at her. "I'm Bobby."
"Rogue," she said. "I mean, Marie."
"So, which one is it?" Bobby said. "Rogue or Marie?"
"Marie."
"That's a pretty name," he said.
She blushed.
"Hey, Bobby, what's taking you so long?" Another teenage boy came over to them. He had dark hair and eyes. He spotted Rogue and smiled at Bobby. "Oh."
"Well, see you around, Marie," Bobby said.
Rogue watched the two boys go back to the basketball court. She was still blushing.
Logan paused outside a door way and watched the redheaded doctor read. His eyes traveled up her body and stopped as their eyes made contact. "Logan," Jean said. " I didn't see you come in."
"Most people don't," he said.
"You usually like to sneak up on people?" she said.
He raised an eyebrow. "Depends on the person." He gestured to the book in her hands. "What are you reading?"
"I Am Legend by Richard Matheson," Jean said. "I'm not usually into horror novels, but this one is different."
"How so?"
"Well, it's about the entire world being turned into vampires except for one man," Jean said. "He's the last human left and he has to fight to survive."
"Why does he have to?" Logan asked.
"What do you mean?"
"If he's the last human left, why does he want to fight to live in a world that's no longer his?"
Jean looked thoughtfully into his eyes. For a moment, she saw him soften. "It's about hope. Hope is keeping him alive."
"Jean."
They turned to see Scott walk in the room. His red glasses looked at Logan and then to Jean.
"Scott." Jean got up and went beside him. "Logan and I were just talking."
Logan nodded. "Yeah, that's all."
Scott looked back at Logan. "Jean, the Professor would like to see us in his office."
"Alright." Jean grabbed his hand and left with him.
Logan watched them go.
Bobby watched the basketball go right through the net. "I win."
John caught the ball and bounced it on the concrete. "Rematch?" He began to circle Bobby.
"Come on, John," Bobby said. "We have to get ready for dinner."
John threw the ball at Bobby. Bobby looked at him surprisingly.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"I saw how you were looking at that girl," John said.
"What girl?"
"The one you were talking to earlier," John said.
Bobby tossed the ball back to John. "So?"
John began to dribble the ball again. He remained silent.
"What's your problem?" Bobby said.
"I heard things about that girl," John said.
"What kind of things?"
"She steals powers from other mutants," John said.
Bobby shook his head. "Whatever." He began to walk away.
"She does," John said watching him leave.
He turned back to the basket and shot the ball. It slowly circled around the rim before going through the net.
"Guess what?" Her eyes looked shyly into his.
"What?"
"I met some kids today."
"Oh, yeah?" He leaned back in his chair and put his boots up on the table. "Did they try to take your lunch money or anything?"
She laughed. "No. They were actually nice."
"That's good to hear," he said. "You should start making some friends."
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Did you make any new friends today?"
He frowned. "No, not today."
"Well, you know what?" she said smiling.
He loved seeing that smile of hers. "What?"
"You already have a friend."
"Yes, I do." Damn that smile.
In the middle of the night, Rogue woke up. She was having nightmares again. She glanced at the bed next to her. Jubilee was still sleeping. She quietly put on her robe and left the bedroom. She made her way down the stairs when she saw him.
"Logan?"
He turned in the dark hallway. "What are you doing up?"
"I had a bad dream," she said.
"Yeah, me too," he said.
They went into a room. He watched her wrap her arms around herself. He went to comfort her, but she moved from him.
"Don't," she said.
"I don't care about that, you--"
"I care, okay?" She walked over to the window and looked out. "No one can ever touch me."
"Rogue, listen to me, you can't do this to yourself," he said. "You can't shut yourself out from people."
She looked back at him. "Why? You do it pretty well."
She got him there. He walked over and looked up at the moon with her. "So, do you want to tell me about your dream?"
She shook her head. "I just want to forgot them."
"Same here," he said, "but it doesn't matter. As soon as I close my eyes, I see it."
Her dark eyes looked up at him. "See what?"
Logan's mind immediately flashed to the hazy images of shadows and pain. Images of a past that he could not recall.
She was still waiting for a response.
"Nothing." He cleared his throat. "How about we get something to eat? I think there's some pizza we can heat up."
The Professor was wide-awake as Logan and Rogue went into the kitchen downstairs. He sat in his wheelchair with his hands folded in his lap. A moment ago, something trigged in his head. A feeling, a thought.
Things were about to change.
Rogue sat under the tree with her book. She was wearing a black dress with matching gloves. Her feet were tucked under her as she read.
"Hey."
She looked up at the boy. John.
"Hey," she said.
"Can I sit down?" he asked.
"Sure."
He sat down and looked at her curiously.
She felt his eyes on her. "What?"
"You look sad," he said. He did not mean it to be rude and Rogue did not think so for his tone was gentle and filled with understanding.
John raised his hand and showed her a lighter. A red flame appeared. She watched as the flame seemed to jump from the lighter and onto his hand. He looked at her reaction; she seemed to be in awe. He twirled his hand and the flame moved with it as though it was dancing for her. She smiled.
Suddenly, the flame turned into ice and fell to the ground. They turned to see Bobby with his hand raised.
"Why did you do that for?" John asked madly.
Bobby lowered his hand. "Someone could have been hurt."
"I wasn't doing anything wrong," John said.
"You know better than to use your powers like that," Bobby said.
"Like what?"
Rogue watched as the two boys faced each other. One's icy blue eyes equally at level with the dark flames of the other. She stood up. "Stop it."
Bobby and John seemed to snap out of it and stepped back.
"Come on, John, lets go inside." Rogue grabbed her book and turned to go.
John smiled at Bobby as if telling him that this time he was the winner. He followed Rogue inside.
Scott woke up to the bed shaking. He looked over at Jean, who was tossing in her sleep. "Jean." He went to touch her when he went flying across the room. He leaned against the wall and looked up at the bed. She was sitting up in bed crying.
"I'm sorry, Scott," she said sobbing.
He got up and went to her. His arms wrapped around her. "It's okay, baby, it's okay." He rocked her gently as she cried on his shoulder.
"The dreams are getting worse." Scott's back was facing the Professor as they met in the office. "Last night, she knocked me across the room. I want to help her, Professor, but I feel like I can't."
The Professor listened to him and sighed. "Jean's changing."
"Changing?" Scott turned to the Professor. "How?"
"Her powers are growing," he said.
Scott frowned. "There's more to that, isn't there?"
"Just stay by her side, Scott, that's all I can say."
"Hey." She came bouncing into the room, quite a difference from the last time they talked.
"Hey," he said with amusement.
"Wanna go on a mission with me?"
He lowered his voice. "Like a top secret mission?"
She leaned in closer. "Yup, only you and me know about it."
"Then, count me in," he said.
"Great," she said. "I need a ride to the mall."
Click-click. Click-click. Click-click.
John turned the lighter on and off as he laid on his bed. His eyes stared at the ceiling. He could hear the rest of the students outside. Today he wanted to be alone.
"Hey, John, can we talk?" Bobby stood in his door.
"Okay," he said without looking up.
Click-click. Click-click. Click-click.
Bobby walked in and stood next to his bed. "Sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean anything by it."
"Yeah, okay."
"Really, I'm sorry."
"Yeah, okay."
Click-click. Click-click. Click-click.
"Do you wanna play some ball?" said Bobby.
"I don't feel like it," John said.
"Alright." Bobby started towards the door. "We're okay, right?"
"Yup."
Once Bobby was gone, John sat up.
Click.
He stared at the flame.
Logan hated crowds, or maybe he just hated people. He walked side by side with Rogue as she shopped. "I need to buy my own clothes," she had told him. "I'm getting kind of tired of borrowing Jubilee's clothes." So here they were, in between Old Navy and the Gap.
"You like this?" She raised a red shirt to her chest.
"Sure, kid." He tried to ignore the looks they were getting from other shoppers.
"I'm gonna try this on," she said going to the dressing room.
Logan followed and waited for her outside the room. He glanced around the store. Two teenage girls were staring at him.
"Look at his hair," one said.
"What a freak," said the other.
They weren't trying to keep their voices down either.
He sneered at him and they turned away. He chuckled.
"Logan?"
He looked up at Rogue and was caught off guard at the sight. Her long dark hair fell off her shoulders and onto her back. The dark blue dress fit her body, showing off every curve. Her hands were still wearing the black gloves.
"What do you think?" she said. She twirled around in front of him.
"It's nice," he said. His eyes continued to stare.
Stop it, Logan, she's only a kid.
"Yeah?" She admired herself in the 3-way mirror. "I think I like it too."
"Hey!"
They turned to look at the saleswoman and a teenage girl in the next dressing room.
"Hey!" The saleswoman grabbed onto the girl. "I saw you take that shirt!"
The blonde girl pushed the saleswoman off her and ran towards Rogue. She grabbed her and whipped out a pocket knife from her coat. "Stay away, or I'll cut her!"
Logan's eyes filled with fear as the girl moved the blade to Rogue's neck.
The girl saw Logan move to her. "I said stay away!" She started towards the exit of the store with Rogue.
"Let her go," Logan said calmly.
"I can't go back to that place," the girl said. "I can't let them lock me up again."
"Don't let them take you away for murder," Logan said.
The girl continued to move towards the exit with Rogue.
"Come on, we can work this out," Logan said. "Just let her go."
The girl grabbed Rogue by her head.
"No!" Rogue said. "Don't touch me!"
"I'm sorry," the girl said.
A bright white light flashed before Logan. When it disappeared, he looked up to see that the girl was gone. He rushed to Rogue. She was shaking.
"Rogue," he said. "Rogue, are you all right?"
She looked up at him. Her eyes filled with confusion. "Who are you?"
"Police say mutants were the cause of chaos this afternoon at Henderson Mall this afternoon…"
Storm shut off the television set and frowned. Scott and Jean stood next to her also frowning.
"Does we have any idea what kind of mutant Logan and Rogue saw?" Scott asked.
Jean shook her head. "We've never seen anything like it."
"Logan made it sound like the girl wiped out Rogue's memories when she teleported out of the mall," Storm said.
"Do you think the Professor can track her down using Cerebro?" said Scott.
"He's doing that right now," Jean said.
Storm lowered her eyes. "Lets hope for Rogue's sake, he finds the girl."
Voices. Too many voices. But none of them belonged to the girl. The Professor left Cerebro with even more questions.
"Did you find her, Professor?" Storm asked when he entered the room.
"I could feel her, but I could not find her," he said.
"What do you mean?" Scott said.
"She had many voices inside her mind," the Professor said. "It made it difficult for me to track her down."
"You mean like schizophrenia?" Jean said.
"Possibly," the Professor said, "but somehow I don't think that's the problem."
They waited for him to continue.
"I think the girl takes the memories from others and stores them inside her own mind," he said. "That's her power."
He watched her sleep.
"Who are you?"
"It's me, Logan."
"I don't know you." She paused. "I don't know who I am."
She stirred.
"Let me help you."
"Don't hurt me."
"I would never hurt you."
He reached out his hand for her to take. She took it.
That was when he realized Rogue was gone. She never would have taken his hand if she knew who she really was.
"Where are you, Rogue?"