Chapter 2: Vega is Introduced
Vega, in her befuddled state knew not what to do upon reaching the house. Knock? Walk in? Stand around and wait to be noticed? She opted for knocking because she didn't believe her legs, mind, or anything else could hold up for much longer. She walked with a slight limp to the front door and knocked three times. She held out long enough to see a girl with white bangs and brownish hair open the door before collapsing. It would be two days before her traumatized body would recover.
Vega's mind was in a fog. For once the voices and thoughts of others didn't crowd her mind. She was free to think her own thoughts, to sing as she went skipping down the pathways of her mind. She viewed the memories from pre-puberty…pre-powers. When she could touch…laugh…enjoy what life had to offer her. Her mother was there. She was alive and laughing with Vega. No! This isn't right! A small part of her mind protested. Momma is dead. I'm…I'm at a school. Wake up, WAKE UP! Her mind screamed and in response her body jerked. She jerked again as she felt what seemed to be restraints on her arms. As she became more aware, she realized they were hands.
She screamed and sat up, but the hands didn't leave her. Her mind registered the fact that they were touching bare skin and not getting absorbed. As soon as she was focused on the marvel of this occurrence though, she felt the familiar tug. Vega quickly pushed the hands away as well as the new part-force that entered her mind. She looked up to see a lady standing there holding her head.
"I'm sorry…My skin…Not safe." Vega mumbled.
"It's okay. We have similar cases here. My name is Jean Grey." I held her hand for 3 hours and it did not effect me. Why now? Jean asked herself. Jean handed the girl a glass of water. Vega drank it all then sighed. It had been a long time since she had held a glass. The memories slowly flooded back into Vega's mind.
"I must speak to Professor Xavier." Vega said setting the glass on the hard bed beside her. She turned to see the door opening and a balding man in a hovering wheel chair come through.
"Hello Vega. I am Professor Xavier."
"My mother sent me here. She said…." Vega took a breath. Her mother's life-force was threatening to surface. "She said you would allow me to stay…and learn here."
"Of course…But first I should like for you to tell me where you came from?" Xavier said coming closer to Vega. Jean, this might be emotionally draining. Be prepared. Xavier telepathically sent his message. Jean gave a small nod. Vega looked at her hands and began to tell about her experiences at the facility.
She began to describe one of her first experiences with absorption. As she described it, Xavier and Jean could see it, feel it, and hear it like it was happening to them.
"I was only a little older than 14 when I was taken to the…Criminal Behaviour Correction Facility… Vega mentally shuddered at the name…They took me from my mother and put me in a room with no windows. It had a bed and a door. I spent a week in there…the only contact I had was when a guard brought me my meals. One day I was brought out of a dream when three people came in. They grabbed me up and half dragged me to a room. There strapped to a bed in the center was a man. He was skinny and gaunt…He looked rabid…There was drool coming from his mouth, his hair was limp and long, and he kept mumbling about being innocent. They took the gloves they had given me off and forced my hand to touch the man's hand. Suddenly I was that man. I had killed five children…Brutally murdered them. And I wanted to kill again. I screamed like a banshee and ran around the room trying desperately to kill. I wanted…needed to feel the power of holding someone's life in my hands. I didn't know what was happening. They sedated me and strapped me to a similar bed. I was overcome with uncontrollable fear. For two days I relived this mans memories. And while I thrashed and fought the violent tendencies, the evil men took notes. They watched as I slowly became myself again. Then they had me absorb another person. It was too much to handle. They brought in a telepath to help me lock the forces away in a box. That worked for a month. The box was too small though. By that time I had absorbed 15 people. Every other day there was an absorption. They had ceased to care about my mental health. They wanted these people gone and they wanted their results. I learned to keep the criminals minds away from my own. I learned to block the telepath. I learned…I learned that I was just an animal to them. I was a 'mutie' with no feelings or intellectual capacity."
"My mother rescued me from that place…She was dying when she made me absorb her. She lives within me now. I never want to be imprisoned or forced to do things like that again. I don't ever want to touch anything...anybody again." Vega finished quietly holding herself as if she were holding the 4 years of anguish and helplessness in. Jean shuddered as she pictured what the child had gone through. 18 and she was ready to throw touch away and live alone, as long as it meant living with her own mind. Xavier sat in thought.
"I will show you to a room where you may sleep." He said finally. Vega nodded and shakily stood up off the bed and followed him out of the Med Lab. Once she was lying down in a real bed, her mind went back to the fog and she was happy again.
Jean, I need to speak with you. The professor's voice echoed in Jean's mind. Bring Rogue.
A/N: Okay, all the reviews made me nervous. I had a simple plot…but now I'm not so sure it would be suitable. Now I'm making it up. It's coming along nicely … in my head at least. I have a question though, Rogue and Bobby or Rogue and Gambit? Because though Gambit wasn't in the movie and I've only seen one of the TV shows, I favor him above others. Basically though I'm thinking stick to the Movieverse. But another question… Bring in Hank McCoy or leave Jean Grey in Med Bay?
