Title: Stormy Forecast

Author: Viral

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. This is fan fiction; a fan's version of expression in which he/she wishes to portray character(s) aside from the creator's original concepts and/or ideas.

Author's Note: Rogue from X-Treme X-Men [before she lost her mutant abilities] is used. My apologies for the delay: I've been very exhausted. But I hope this chapter is sufficient enough for your enjoyment.

-=-=-=-

Ororo failed to find sleep the previous night and was watching through her window as the sun finally began to show itself over the horizon at 7:15am. Her blue eyes exerted a desire to rest the day away, but the nervous shivering of her body between silk sheets as she sat denied her any rest. Her hair was still pinned up loosely and she had yet to leave the comfort of the tight robe. Normally at this time of the morning she had already finished watering her indoor plants, checking her outdoor plants for unwanted pests, and made sure the garden was at excelsior in maintenance.

She wondered when it would be a good time to ask Xavier for some type of help. The last thing she wanted was for everyone to be aware that Ororo Munroe had actually had a fear of something other can closed spaces. Her countenance was depressed, and her lips almost poked out as if she was angry with herself for being afraid of a little nightmare. But the malicious voice still haunted her, and it was something that could not be easily ignored. It was not everyday that someone had a warrant out for the Beautiful Windrider that called for her death.

Finally, Ororo stood up and paced around the attic floor. She constantly thought to herself of what plan of action she should take. What if someone else is roaming the second floor hallway upon my decent? Ororo thought to herself. Shall they not ask why do I appear to be so tired or why I have not gone about my normal morning activities? One thing was a fact: Ororo Munroe needed to take a shower to start off her day. This was why she was so concerned with going downstairs.

Eventually, Ororo uncovered the master plan. She was on the mansion roof, in her robe, with the cold and icy air running around her body. Her immunity to heat and cold allowed her to be nil affected by the cold weather. Another gust of air came, but this time it was unnatural. It had been created by Ororo and lifted her body slightly above the roof. She then hovered off of the roof entirely, and flew effortlessly to the male dormitory of Xavier's Mansion. She counted the balconies over and over again until she was absolutely sure she had the right room. She landed on the balcony with a sound.

She looked inside the room, and surely it was the one she wanted. She removed a thin hairpin from her hair and began to play with the glass door that secured the bedroom from the balcony. Within seconds, there was a CLICK and Ororo had gained access. She silently thanked the heavens for her years in Cairo as a thief. Her lock-picking skills had refused to leave her. She slowly allowed the door to slip open and stepped inside the room.

Immediately her nose was bombarded with a familiar smell: a mix of expensive cologne and bodily warmth. She made her way to the private bathroom of the room and was nearly hit by a long staff. Quickly reacting, Ororo's arm jumped and her hand grabbed the staff and she used it to block her attacker as his shadowy figured lunged at her in attempt of a tackle. "Remy, it is me!" Ororo said, groggily as she subdued Remy.

He immediately recognized the voice and stepped back, "Stormy? What are you doing here?"

Ororo frowned, then smiled, "If I did not need to use your personal shower, I would fry you for calling me by that name."

"You can fry me any day, chere," Remy chuckled, "Remy's also a delicacy when he's boiled."

"I shall be out of your way shortly," she said as she slipped into the bathroom and closed the door. Remy, however, proceeded to go downstairs and see what Jean prepared for breakfast.

-=-=-

After she had bathed and was fully clothed, Ororo decided to skip breakfast. She knew, as with most mornings, Xavier would be in his office sipping coffee and reading headlines. She had her hair in a loose ponytail with two strands of hair loose on each side of her face, hanging with freedom. Closing her blue eyes to clear all of her thoughts, she lifted her caramel, smooth, brown hand up to the door of Xavier's office and gave it three light knocks.

"Come in, Ororo," Xavier said loud enough for Ororo to hear through the door. His telepathic skills still startled Ororo at times. Especially now since she was going through a few mental issues of her own.

She slid her hand to the doorknob and opened it slowly, and slowly entered the room, which preceded closing the door behind her. "Charles, my apologies for disturbing you so soon in the morning—"

"There is no need to be sorry, Ororo," Charles smiled as he placed his newspaper down. He took another sip of coffee before continuing, "Please sit down."

"Thank you, Professor," Ororo said as she sat down in one of the leather chairs that were placed in front of Xavier's desk. She sat for a long time without saying anything, just rubbing her forehead and looking down into her lap as if she had a migraine. Eventually, her eyes closed completely with exhaustion. It was only Xavier's voice that startled her awake again.

"Ororo, are you okay?" he frowned with concern.

"No," Ororo said bluntly. She looked up to meet his curious blue eyes and continued. "I have been having a recurring nightmare. The voice that I hear haunts me while I am awake. However, I can never remember the fullness of the dream and can never figure out who the voice is. I feel as if my mind is under attack, but I do not know for sure."

"I see..." Xavier said and then inhaled and exhaled deeply. "Ororo, I need you to concentrate as intensely as possible on the events of the dream that you do remember. I will attempt to find out if it is just a nightmare, or something greater."

Ororo nodded and her eyes closed as she tried to remember:

Xavier found his mental body planted in Ororo's dream. Everything was overwhelmed in darkness, and only malicious whispers could be heard. He soon noticed that Ororo's mental body was nearby. He could hear her heavy breathing and almost feel the fear vibrating through the darkness. He then heard the voice that Ororo mentioned, and it also was familiar to him. Looking around for more details, Xavier began to walk in the darkness. Surely Ororo would be able to provide some light.

"Ororo, it is me: Charles," his mental body noted as he moved throughout the nightmare.

"Charles? Professor! Help me!" her mental body yelled in anxious reaction.

But before Charles could answer, the other voice called out, "You weren't worthy enough to lead us!"

The next thing he knew, the presence of Ororo's mental body disappeared, but the other form was still there. Had this nightmare killed Ororo in her own dream? He lifted his head, "Who are you?" yelling to the harsh female voice that had spoke against Ororo. "What are you doing in Storm's mind?"

The next thing Charles heard was a growl and then a sharp pain in his chest as his body was sent flying backwards.

That action alone caused Charles to suddenly spring from his mental body to his physical. He grunted and held his forehead. "This is very serious, Ororo," he said as he looked up to her frowning face. "There is someone who is out to kill you, and they are preventing me from any type of interference. I recognize the voice, but it has become almost impossible for me to place it on a single person. I suspect this is the craftsmanship of another psychic."

"But I know of no female psychic who still holds a grudge against me. Unless Emma Frost is really not as trustworthy as you have claimed her to be," Ororo answered, breathing abnormally.

"I will have to study this more. For now, I will get someone else to cover your History and Elective classes for today. I need you to attempt to rest and relax," Charles said, almost demanding.

"I shall try. Thank you for your help Charles," Ororo stood up and walked behind Charles' desk. She bent down and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "I could not have chosen a better confidant than you." She silently left the room, leaving Xavier flattered yet frightened for the Windrider's well being.

-=-=-

Ororo walked to the doors of the Danger Room. She had plans on following Xavier's advice to rest, and knowing no one would be occupying the large room would give her plenty of room to relax. "Ororo Munroe," she said to the voice recognition mechanism of the room. A keypad ejected from the wall and Ororo entered a six-digit code. The doors slowly opened with mechanical whirring, and Ororo lazily entered. The doors closed behind her as she looked at the vast room. It was completely made of nearly indestructible metal on the ceiling, floor, and walls. However, the electronics behind it all was the real sight to see.

Ororo opened her mouth to speak again, "Danger Room: Hawaii Island scenario."

The electronically enhanced system quickly took Ororo's words through all the echoes, and the machines began to react. Ororo blinked, and by the time she opened her eyes again, she was feeling the warmth of the sun's rays and was hearing water crush against the beach. She looked down, and saw her brown-skinned feet buried under light tan sand. The water was clear to the bottom. The illusion was so detailed, that even birds flew overhead.

And even though Ororo knew the scenario was nothing more than an illusion, she was convinced that it was real enough to supply her the rest she desired. And the best thing of all: she had this paradise all to herself.

She began to walk through the sand, garbed in a two-piece bathing suit. The bottom half of the bathing suit was hidden by a towel, which wrapped around her waist and tied in a bulky knot at the left side of her hips. Her hair was in long silvery white braids that extended to the middle of her back. Ororo seemed closer to heaven than she ever had before.

Finally, she neared the crashing waves and sat down on a towel that the Danger Room had provided. She sat down on it, and her blue eyes watched the water crash on the beach, then recede back into the ocean, only to do the same thing again. Finally, as her mind cleared and all she could hear were seagulls and water, and all she could feel was a soft, warm breeze against her skin, she reclined and closed her eyes. And at long last, this time she was not plagued with voices. There was not threat that made her heart pump, and no anxiety that made her suddenly waken.

It was approximately an hour when Ororo finally opened her eyes again. The paradise scenario had entirely erased her mind of all her problems. But those problems quickly came back. Ororo rose into the air, as her paradise seemed to turn against her. The sky began to grow dark with gray clouds, and the silent air was now blowing with fog. Her breaths became heavy once more as she looked upward, attempting to find the silhouette of the culprit who was responsible for her anguish.

She could not locate the viewing port, for the illusion created by the Danger Room was still there, except it was no longer a paradise. The sun was no longer shining, for dark gray clouds covered the sky like a winter comforter. The ocean was no longer peaceful with soft waves, but tormented by furious wind. Then, over the water, Ororo could see a large tornado coming her way. She growled inwardly, and then looked up as she heard a voice echoing over the Danger Room speakers. "You weren't worthy enough to lead us! You'll die, Windrider!"

Ororo began to lose control, as her emotions raged with anger. Lightning filled her eyes and surrounded her body as their sparks shot everywhere. Eventually it would have to hit the viewing port, and she would be able to see the creator of her nightmares. Winds excelled at alarming rates as sand flew in the air and tossed around. Everything had become a wreck.

Then suddenly, the large Danger Room doors opened with the form of a developed female entering in. The holograms of the Danger Room disappeared as soon as the door opened, but Ororo's lightning bolts and wind still raged. Only then did the female run towards Ororo, "Storm! What in blazes is wrong?"

Ororo turned her eyes, to see Rogue standing at the door. Her white eyes met Rogue's green eyes and she attempted to calm herself, but her emotions were ruling over her. The anger, fear, and grief had built up to a point where Ororo could no longer control it. Ororo pointed her right hand forward as a lightning bolt shot from it. Rogue grunted as she put up a telekinetic shield. The lightning bolt continued to come at her at full force and she fell back, but managed to remain protected by the shield.

Putting her hands to her temples, Rogue concentrated and began to lay gruesome mental attacks on Storm. The Windrider screeched with pain as her body descended out of the air. "Ah'm only tryin to help you, sugah! Ah gotta do this," Rogue noted and the mental blasts began to intensify. Rogue thought to herself, She should be unconscious by now? What's goin on? Storm ain't that strong, is she?

Apparently, Xavier trained Ororo too well to withstand psychic attacks. For despite the pain, Ororo neglected to faint. She grunted and breathed heavily as she fell to the ground on her hands and knees. Her long hair was hanging down with her face and she gritted her teeth. Finally, as a last resort, Ororo's thoughts became overwhelmed with survival. A spark of lightning filled her eyes and suddenly Rogue's head jolted backwards.

Electrical phenomenon had shown itself in Rogue's neural system when Ororo used the electro-magnetism of Rogue's own blood against her. Using the conductivity of Rogue's iron, Ororo had created a lightning bolt inside the Southern beauty's body, and charged her brain.

And when the Windrider finally stood again, it was clear her emotions were still in control. For her body lifted on the wind and lightning illuminated her presence, making her into a living lightning rod. Her hands pointed to Rogue's non-responding body, and sparks danced around her fingertips. "Ororo? NO!" Ororo's eyes immediately met light brown orbs.

She breathed deeply as she finally came to awareness of what she was doing. She looked to Rogue's body, which looked almost dead and gasped. Ororo hovered down to Katherine Pryde's side. "What have I done?"

-=-=-

"Charles, there was someone else here!" Ororo yelled in Xavier's study. "They reprogrammed the Danger Room against me and I did not keep my emotions in check. Rogue walked in at the wrong time and introduced herself into harm's way."

"Ororo, I trust that you are telling as much truth as you can," the Professor answered calmly. "But Cerebro would have picked up another presence in the school. Perhaps it was all in your mind?"

"Then why is Rogue's brain in shambles and her body not responding?" Ororo said, in a less demanding tone. In truth, she was worried for Rogue's life and for her own. This person, the one who was after her life, was becoming more of a threat.

"Is there any other physical proof?" Xavier asked, skeptically.

"The view port machines were unplugged and their wires were crossed. There was no way my voice recognition could have turned the scenario off."

"So it was your luck that Rogue came in," Xavier nodded. "And her loss that she came in." Xavier thought for a moment before speaking again, "But apparently someone was here. Too bad Logan isn't here to smell for a scent. I'll go down to check on Cerebro's systems. You must stay very aware of any odd-happenings in your mind or around you."

"I shall try," Ororo frowned nervously as Xavier left the room. Then suddenly, she heard the voice once more.

Her head jerked around at the sound of the echoing whisper, "You will die, Ororo Munroe! I swear it."

-=-=-=-

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Ororo listened with anxiety, hearing the footsteps coming up the staircase. If this were to be her predator, how would she react? The voice spoke continually in her mind as the footsteps neared. Her breaths became uneven and her hands shaky. Finally, the doorknob rattled and slowly turned.