Standoff

Hank leaned his elbow on the rim of the control panel in front of him, as he leaned forward to watch the monitor. He saw Rogue and Jean walking out of the white room together, and out the door. Elizabeth let out a sigh, as she glanced into the room. Rogue was fast asleep in the twin bed, while Jean was leaned back in the chair, asleep as well. "You know, Dr. McCoy, it's awfully weird watching those two fast asleep, and yet on the monitor here they're up and walking around." Elizabeth commented, as she ran her hand through her thick black hair.

Hank smiled. "That it is, my lady."

Rogue and Jean walked side by side, out the door of the white walled room. They looked around their surroundings. The familiar field of grass that Rogue had recognized from so many of her nightmares stood in front of them. They looked up, watching the dark gray clouds circulate in the dark night sky above them. Rogue gulped, knowing the time came near. She looked at Jean, who stared at the sky. Jean sensed Rogue's fear, "Don't worry, Rogue. It'll be alright." She told her.

Rogue looked around her; there was no place to hide. The grass was cut short, covering the ground, not missing a spot, in front of her. She turned around, and saw the field stretch out endlessly behind them. "The room's gone." Rogue said.

Jean looked behind them, seeing nothing but endless grass covered ground. They turned their faces to look at each other, with confusion of the sudden change. "What are you doing here?!" They heard.

Jean and Rogue looked up, and saw a woman flying above them, with long blonde hair. She was wearing a black jumpsuit that tightly fit to her body, with a black mask over her face. "Whoever you are, you are not welcome here!" Jean yelled to her.

The woman's face turned angry, at Jean's comment. "This is my mind, sister!" She hissed, as she flew down towards Rogue.

Rogue froze, not knowing what to do. "No!" Jean yelled, holding her hand to the woman.

The woman froze in her tracks, as Jean used her telekinesis to stop the woman from touching Rogue. She pointed her other arm at her, and threw her arms towards the ground. The woman was thrown to the ground, as the telekinesis followed Jean's movements. The woman planted her hands on the ground on each side of her head, and looked up.

Elizabeth shot up from her seat, pointing at the monitor, as it focused on the woman's face. "There!" Elizabeth snapped.

Hank quickly typed into the keyboard. The monitor did a screen shot of the woman's masked face. "Well, I'll transfer this to Cerebro, but if she's masked, Cerebro may not be able to pick up her identity. They have to unmask her." Hank said, transferring the screen shot to Cerebro's data base.

Elizabeth looked into the room, and closed her eyes, focusing on Jean, "Jean, unmask the woman so Cerebro can identify her!" She telepathically said.

Jean grabbed onto Rogue's arm softly, as she heard Elizabeth's telepathic message through her head. "Get out of my head!" Rogue screamed at the woman.

The woman stood to her feet, and stared at them. "Make me!" She hissed at Rogue.

Rogue screamed out her frustration, and flew into the air towards her. "Rogue wait!" Jean called after her.

The woman flew into the air towards Rouge. They reached each other, their arms outstretched to each other. The woman wrapped her hand around Rogue's throat, and squeezed. Rogue wrapped her gloved hand around the woman's throat, doing the same thing. "Stop!" Jean yelled, as she levitated herself into the air to the two fighting women.

Elizabeth's eyes opened with shock, as she stood, staring at the screen. "Dr. McCoy?!" Her voice rising with concern.

Hank typed into the keyboard, the data from the polygraph, as the marker began scratching faster onto the scrolling graph.

Rogue placed her other hand on the woman's fingers wrapped around her throat. Rage fueled her eyes, as she effortlessly pried the woman's fingers from around her throat. The woman's eyes widened with shock at the young girl's sudden strength. She then became furious, as she stared back at the young girl, "This mind is now mine!" The woman snapped.

"This is my mind, and my dream! I can dream up anythin' I want!" Rogue growled.

Rogue quickly let go of the woman's arms, and she punched her back. The woman flew back from the impact of Rogue's punch. A concrete wall appeared behind her, and the woman flew back, slamming her back into the wall. She fell towards the ground, leaving a cracked imprint of her figure on the wall. The woman fell flat onto a metal clad floor. "You're on my territory now!" Rogue hissed.

The woman's head looked up, and saw that she was surrounded by metal walls. She looked up, and saw a dome shaped metal ceiling above her. Posted along the top of the walls were targeting cameras, for automated weapons. She looked up, and saw Rogue still flying in the air above her, smiling. Jean floated in the air next to Rogue. They both looked down on her.

Elizabeth sat back in her chair, as she stared at the screen. "Her blood pressure is rising." Hank told her.

Rogue flew in the air, pushing the woman towards a metal wall, with her hand wrapped around her neck. She slammed her into the wall, staring at her angrily. "I said I didn't mean to do that! Why can't you learn to accept that I never meant to hurt you?" Rogue frustratingly yelled at her.

The woman just screamed out at Rogue, and kicked her away. Rogue flew back, and into the wall behind her. Rogue cried out at the impact, and she fell towards the ground below her. Jean gasped, and threw her arm towards Rogue, and used her telekinesis to stop her from hitting the ground. She gently laid her on the ground. She looked up, and saw the woman flying towards Rogue. "Enough!" Jean screamed, as she used her telekinesis to throw the woman back.

Rogue looked up, as Jean used her telekinesis to hold the woman still in the middle of the room. "This is not your mind! You have never been welcome here!" Jean yelled, as she stared at the woman she held in the air.

Jean closed her eyes, concentrating. The woman clasped her hands to her head, and knelt to the ground. "Stop! Get away!" The woman screamed.

Rogue stood up, and walked to stand next to Jean.

Elizabeth and Hank looked into the infirmary, as Rogue grasped onto her head. "Is she awake?" Elizabeth gasped.

Hank looked at the polygraph. He then shook his head, "No, she's still sleeping." He answered.

Rogue arched her back up from the bed, grasping to her head, she began to cry out in her sleep, as Jean attempted to lock away the personality of the mysterious woman from Rogue's memories. Jean's face began to strain in her sleep, and she began to lightly grunt. She turned her head from side to side. Elizabeth stared at them. "Come on, girls, you can do it." She whispered.

Hank stared at the monitor. On it, he saw Jean's eyes closed, as she stood next to Rogue. The woman was in the middle of the danger room that Rogue had set them in, kneeling onto the metal floor, grabbing onto her head. She let out one last scream, and passed out onto the ground. His eyes looked up into the infirmary, and he saw Rogue drop flat onto her bed, still asleep.

Jean opened her eyes, and saw the woman passed out on the floor. She began to pant from exhaustion. "Quick, unmask her." Jean breathed.

Rogue rushed towards the woman's body on the floor, and knelt next to her. She took one of her gloved hands, and carefully removed the mask.

Hank typed on the keyboard, causing the screen to do another screen shot of the woman's bare face. He transferred the data to Cerebro. He looked at the polygraph, and saw the mark beginning to slow down, scratching on the scrolling paper.

Rogue stared at the woman in front of her, as she was lying on the ground, unconscious. "I'm so sorry." Rogue lightly said, as a tear fell from her eye.

The woman's image in front of Rogue's eyes began to fuzz, and finally disappear. Rogue wiped her face away from Jean's view, as tears fell from her eyes, and down her face. She sensed Jean kneel next to her. Jean placed her hand on Rogue's shoulder, "Rogue? Are you alright?" Jean asked her.

Rogue wiped her tears, and looked at Jean, "Yeah, I'm fine." She sighed.

Rogue stood up, followed by Jean. She looked up at her fellow teammate, and sobered, "Thanks, Jean." She lightly said.

Jean smiled, and nodded, "You're welcome Rogue."

Elizabeth looked up, as she noticed Rogue stirring in her sleep. Jean stirred in her sleep as well, as they slowly began to wake up. "Hmm." Hank grunted, staring at the papers that had printed from Cerebro's system.

Elizabeth turned back to Hank. "Cerebro's just found out who the woman was." Hank said, handing Elizabeth two sheets of papers.

Elizabeth looked at the papers in her hand, and began to skim through the typed information. "Her name was Carol Danvers. She was the first of the second generation of mutants." Hank told her.

Elizabeth looked up at him. "Carol Danvers? Wasn't she also known as Ms. Marvel; one of S.H.I.E.L.D's mutant fighters?" She asked.

Hank's eyebrows rose in surprise, "You know of her?"

Elizabeth nodded, "Yes." She handed Hank the papers, "Remember, my father was a scientist for them, you know." She smirked.

Hank looked back into the room from the window. "So it was her that Carol Danvers unfortunately died at the hands of?" Hank whispered.

"Do you think she's locked away, Dr. McCoy?" Elizabeth asked him.

Hank looked at her, and saw her face filled with urgency and concern. Her brown eyes searched his face, as if looking for the answer. Hank shook his head, shrugging. "I don't know, Elizabeth." He answered. Hank removed his glasses, and wiped his eyes with his other hand, "I am still concerned with the fact that the powers of Carol Danvers had been permanently absorbed into our dear southern belle. I'm going to need to conduct DNA tests on Rogue when she awakens." Hank concluded.