"I have an assignment for you." A gloved hand slid the thin envelope across the desk.
Slouched on the chair, Pietro straightened and casually snatched it, opening it with lightning speed. A photograph of a girl with snowy bangs fluttered to the floor while he read the contents.
"I understand that you have a certain... 'relationship' with her."
Pietro kept a stoic face. "What of it?"
The gloved hand raked through a mess of gray hair and rubbed the tired, but determined lines across a face. "Her powers would be of great use to my plan." At Pietro's silence, he continued, "Build a closer bond with the girl and bring her over to our side."
With graceful ease, Pietro pocketed the fallen picture into his shirt pocket. "Of course, Father."
Magneto tapped the desk with one finger and let the sound resound through the quiet. Pietro took it as a sign of dismissal, and abruptly stood up, already heading out to the door.
"One more thing."
The speedster paused at the doorway and turned around, his face expressionless.
"Emotions are a weakness." Magneto also held a placid expression and scrutinized his son carefully.
"I already know that, sir."
Magneto chuckled, but it was cold and hollow. "Good, because you'll need to remember that."
----------------------------------------
Gambit took a long drag from his cigarette as he studied the students chattering, laughing their way to class. His eyes darted from one teen to another while he fingered the cards inside the pocket of his worn, brown trenchcoat.
He didn't see her.
Snuffing the cigarette out under his shoe, Gambit stuffed his hands in his pockets and plunged into the young crowd. Girls eyed the Cajun stranger and giggled at his disarmimng smile and nonchalant waves.
He still didn't see her.
"So, like, are you new here or something?"
Gambit sighed inwardly as a tall and gorgeous blonde blocked his pathway. His eyes roamed her figure and he smirked. 'Not bad, but not good enough.' With a thick accent, he murmured, "Non, jus' visiting."
Courtney fluttered her eyelashes at his sensual, heavy voice and her friends giggled. "So, like, what's someone like you doing here?"
That's when he saw her.
Giving a lazy wave, he winked at them and watched with satisfaction as they practically drooled. Thumbing his direction toward a quiet, demure girl searching through her locker, he said, "Remy's wit' da fille," and ducked out of their way.
Rogue gave a small start as she felt raging jealousy and heated glares behind her back. She shrugged it off and fished out her chemistry book. Right at the moment she slammed her locker shut, pain swelled inside her head. She clutched it with one hand as she fell against the lockers, falling to her knees.
'Just give up...'
Rogue bit the wrenching scream inside.
The students were oblivious to her suffering and walked around her.
Gambit frowned at the scene and weaved his way against the flow of students. Wrenching free from the current, his shadow fell across her slumped figure and she looked up. Time stilled as they stared at each other.
He was surprised at her limp figure; her tired eyes drowned him with their hollowness. Opening his empathy, he became engulfed in a turmoil of sorrow, hatred, conflicted feelings, confusion, and vengeance, but what chilled him was the emptiness inside her.
She felt no love.
"Save me..."
He could barely hear her words and was once again swept by the flurry of students rushing to class when the bell rang. His head turned back to where she was, but she was gone.
----------------------------------------
"Well-if-it-isn't-my-best-friend-in-the-whole-wide-world!" (1)
"Shut it grandpa." Rogue proceeded to walk alone.
Feigning a hurt look, Pietro asked in a slower pace, "Now is that any way to treat a friend? And I thought you said you weren't mad at me."
"Ah'm not." Dismissing this, Rogue breathed in the hazy air and started to walk. A hand grabbed her shoulder, preventing her from walking without awkwardness and she threw a withering look behind her shoulder. About to bitch him off, she stopped at Pietro's words.
"You hear voices in your head, don't you?" he asked softly.
Thinned lips denied, "Ah don't know what yah're tahlkin' about," but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her shaken nerves.
Ignoring Rogue's words, he persisted, "Do you trust me Rogue?"
She shook off his hand and snapped, "Who do yah think yah are, mah mom?" Never for the world would she tell Pietro that ego-headed jerk that of course he was the only person she would ever trust.
And that he had broken that trust with his father.
As if reading Rogue's mind, he said quietly, "He's my father. I don't have a choice, but he can help you, Rogue. He can make them stop."
With eyes of a caged animal, she said in a low voice, "Yahr father can do nothing. Nobody can." Before Pietro could protest, Rogue fled down the street, cursing Scott for leaving her to a situation like this.
The breeze laughed mockingly at Pietro who only matched speed for speed with the wind. Rushing homeward, he fell into a fit of laughter. Cold, harsh laughter. He knew Rogue better than anyone else did, and he knew he had her right where he wanted her.
She would come crawling back to him sooner or later.
----------------------------------------
Lies. They were all lies.
Angry tears spilled from her eyes, which she furiously wiped away. Throwing books everywhere, Rogue managed to dent the wall and break a few ornaments.
Kitty knew better to interfere and let Rogue deal out her emotions. After all, it wasn't everyday you found out you're best friend was the enemy leader. Knowing better than to say anything, Kitty hastily ducked out of the room once a book flew at the opening door.
Rogue fell into a heap of hysterical fit of giggles and hiccuped at her stupid flowing rain of tears. The irony didn't fail to amuse her.
Christine studied the brunette with snowy locks and said softly, "What I tell yah? Trust is a rare thing to see anymore, Rogue. No one is capable of keeping it anymore."
Looking up through blurry eyes, Rogue stared and spat out, "Shut up. Yah got no right to tell meh who t' trust." An undertone of bitterness mixed with wistful sighs hinted in her voice. "Yah're not even real."
Her eyes flashed at her accusation. She hissed, "Is that how you treat you're only friend, Rogue? Tell me, who else has stood by your side for this long? Even Kitty abandoned you at your time of need. I don't see your so-called-brother of yours with you either. Your one best friend was a fraud." With contempt, she sneered, "Nobody gives a shit about you, Rogue. You're nothing. Even if I wasn't real, I'm the closest thing you have to a friend."
Rogue blinked. Christine was right. Nobody did care. In fact, she was becoming such a nuisance, they were plotting to kill her. Determination marked her face. No way in hell was she going to give into their wishes anymore. Practically flying to her dresser, Rogue dug out a duffle bag from under her bed and began tossing her belongings into it.
Christine lazed on the bed and blinked lazily at her. A smile grew on her face and she said, "So, we going on a trip?" She stretched with amazingly similarity to that of a cat. "Ya know, it's raining out there. Maybe we should take some umbrellas."
"Yah can do whatever. Ah'm going alone." She dragged out a covered parcel from under her bed.
Eyes widened, Christined asked in mock shock, "Hmm, is that the Professor's treasured sword? Since when did you have the time to nick it?" She giggle when a thought flitted through her head. "Do you even know how to swing it?"
Her bag zipped shut and thunder boomed, lightning streaking in the air. Ignoring Christine's question, Rogue silently fingered the worn card. She had long ago flushed the pills, choosing her pathway. It was no good going right now; people would notice.
She had to wait until midnight.
----------------------------------------
Rogue ran. She ran like she never had before and wove in and out of the woods like she was part of it. A nimble-footed deer would have found no better competition and Rogue herself was surprised at her speed. The rain continued its downpour and her combat boots squelched as it hit the mud and grass.
Grief was her burden and her friend. It hurt her countless times but it showed the result of caring, trust and love. Rogue was through with that. Her waterproof bag hit her back every step she ran, reminding her that she was leaving all the lies, lies, lies.
No more hurt, no more pain. But was she happy with no friends? She was going insane, but no one was going to be there for her. But did crazy people ever know they were crazy?
Crashing into someone, Rogue was jerked from her thoughts as she looked up bewilderingly. Had they come for her?
"Rogue?" Pietro unknowingly clasped Rogue into a protective hug. Studying her face, he noted how her eyes seemed to shine from the rain, or where those tears?
Rogue rested her head on Pietro. Not questioning why he was suddenly there, she began blathering like a child, "No more... no more. No one else... don't know what to do... take meh home... where's my angel? No one... forgotten, I'm forgotten..."
Something flickered within Pietro, a feeling of warmth he had not felt for years. Crushing it down, he only held Rogue as she sobbed out her tears.
He smiled. Rogue had come crawling back as he had predicted.
A/N: (1) Think it's easier for people to read when I space it out with lines like that. It means he's talking fast though, too.
Sorry for my lack of response to people who have diligently reviewed and emailed me. Okay, now lay on the criticism on my poor writing. I need the reviews.
Slouched on the chair, Pietro straightened and casually snatched it, opening it with lightning speed. A photograph of a girl with snowy bangs fluttered to the floor while he read the contents.
"I understand that you have a certain... 'relationship' with her."
Pietro kept a stoic face. "What of it?"
The gloved hand raked through a mess of gray hair and rubbed the tired, but determined lines across a face. "Her powers would be of great use to my plan." At Pietro's silence, he continued, "Build a closer bond with the girl and bring her over to our side."
With graceful ease, Pietro pocketed the fallen picture into his shirt pocket. "Of course, Father."
Magneto tapped the desk with one finger and let the sound resound through the quiet. Pietro took it as a sign of dismissal, and abruptly stood up, already heading out to the door.
"One more thing."
The speedster paused at the doorway and turned around, his face expressionless.
"Emotions are a weakness." Magneto also held a placid expression and scrutinized his son carefully.
"I already know that, sir."
Magneto chuckled, but it was cold and hollow. "Good, because you'll need to remember that."
----------------------------------------
Gambit took a long drag from his cigarette as he studied the students chattering, laughing their way to class. His eyes darted from one teen to another while he fingered the cards inside the pocket of his worn, brown trenchcoat.
He didn't see her.
Snuffing the cigarette out under his shoe, Gambit stuffed his hands in his pockets and plunged into the young crowd. Girls eyed the Cajun stranger and giggled at his disarmimng smile and nonchalant waves.
He still didn't see her.
"So, like, are you new here or something?"
Gambit sighed inwardly as a tall and gorgeous blonde blocked his pathway. His eyes roamed her figure and he smirked. 'Not bad, but not good enough.' With a thick accent, he murmured, "Non, jus' visiting."
Courtney fluttered her eyelashes at his sensual, heavy voice and her friends giggled. "So, like, what's someone like you doing here?"
That's when he saw her.
Giving a lazy wave, he winked at them and watched with satisfaction as they practically drooled. Thumbing his direction toward a quiet, demure girl searching through her locker, he said, "Remy's wit' da fille," and ducked out of their way.
Rogue gave a small start as she felt raging jealousy and heated glares behind her back. She shrugged it off and fished out her chemistry book. Right at the moment she slammed her locker shut, pain swelled inside her head. She clutched it with one hand as she fell against the lockers, falling to her knees.
'Just give up...'
Rogue bit the wrenching scream inside.
The students were oblivious to her suffering and walked around her.
Gambit frowned at the scene and weaved his way against the flow of students. Wrenching free from the current, his shadow fell across her slumped figure and she looked up. Time stilled as they stared at each other.
He was surprised at her limp figure; her tired eyes drowned him with their hollowness. Opening his empathy, he became engulfed in a turmoil of sorrow, hatred, conflicted feelings, confusion, and vengeance, but what chilled him was the emptiness inside her.
She felt no love.
"Save me..."
He could barely hear her words and was once again swept by the flurry of students rushing to class when the bell rang. His head turned back to where she was, but she was gone.
----------------------------------------
"Well-if-it-isn't-my-best-friend-in-the-whole-wide-world!" (1)
"Shut it grandpa." Rogue proceeded to walk alone.
Feigning a hurt look, Pietro asked in a slower pace, "Now is that any way to treat a friend? And I thought you said you weren't mad at me."
"Ah'm not." Dismissing this, Rogue breathed in the hazy air and started to walk. A hand grabbed her shoulder, preventing her from walking without awkwardness and she threw a withering look behind her shoulder. About to bitch him off, she stopped at Pietro's words.
"You hear voices in your head, don't you?" he asked softly.
Thinned lips denied, "Ah don't know what yah're tahlkin' about," but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her shaken nerves.
Ignoring Rogue's words, he persisted, "Do you trust me Rogue?"
She shook off his hand and snapped, "Who do yah think yah are, mah mom?" Never for the world would she tell Pietro that ego-headed jerk that of course he was the only person she would ever trust.
And that he had broken that trust with his father.
As if reading Rogue's mind, he said quietly, "He's my father. I don't have a choice, but he can help you, Rogue. He can make them stop."
With eyes of a caged animal, she said in a low voice, "Yahr father can do nothing. Nobody can." Before Pietro could protest, Rogue fled down the street, cursing Scott for leaving her to a situation like this.
The breeze laughed mockingly at Pietro who only matched speed for speed with the wind. Rushing homeward, he fell into a fit of laughter. Cold, harsh laughter. He knew Rogue better than anyone else did, and he knew he had her right where he wanted her.
She would come crawling back to him sooner or later.
----------------------------------------
Lies. They were all lies.
Angry tears spilled from her eyes, which she furiously wiped away. Throwing books everywhere, Rogue managed to dent the wall and break a few ornaments.
Kitty knew better to interfere and let Rogue deal out her emotions. After all, it wasn't everyday you found out you're best friend was the enemy leader. Knowing better than to say anything, Kitty hastily ducked out of the room once a book flew at the opening door.
Rogue fell into a heap of hysterical fit of giggles and hiccuped at her stupid flowing rain of tears. The irony didn't fail to amuse her.
Christine studied the brunette with snowy locks and said softly, "What I tell yah? Trust is a rare thing to see anymore, Rogue. No one is capable of keeping it anymore."
Looking up through blurry eyes, Rogue stared and spat out, "Shut up. Yah got no right to tell meh who t' trust." An undertone of bitterness mixed with wistful sighs hinted in her voice. "Yah're not even real."
Her eyes flashed at her accusation. She hissed, "Is that how you treat you're only friend, Rogue? Tell me, who else has stood by your side for this long? Even Kitty abandoned you at your time of need. I don't see your so-called-brother of yours with you either. Your one best friend was a fraud." With contempt, she sneered, "Nobody gives a shit about you, Rogue. You're nothing. Even if I wasn't real, I'm the closest thing you have to a friend."
Rogue blinked. Christine was right. Nobody did care. In fact, she was becoming such a nuisance, they were plotting to kill her. Determination marked her face. No way in hell was she going to give into their wishes anymore. Practically flying to her dresser, Rogue dug out a duffle bag from under her bed and began tossing her belongings into it.
Christine lazed on the bed and blinked lazily at her. A smile grew on her face and she said, "So, we going on a trip?" She stretched with amazingly similarity to that of a cat. "Ya know, it's raining out there. Maybe we should take some umbrellas."
"Yah can do whatever. Ah'm going alone." She dragged out a covered parcel from under her bed.
Eyes widened, Christined asked in mock shock, "Hmm, is that the Professor's treasured sword? Since when did you have the time to nick it?" She giggle when a thought flitted through her head. "Do you even know how to swing it?"
Her bag zipped shut and thunder boomed, lightning streaking in the air. Ignoring Christine's question, Rogue silently fingered the worn card. She had long ago flushed the pills, choosing her pathway. It was no good going right now; people would notice.
She had to wait until midnight.
----------------------------------------
Rogue ran. She ran like she never had before and wove in and out of the woods like she was part of it. A nimble-footed deer would have found no better competition and Rogue herself was surprised at her speed. The rain continued its downpour and her combat boots squelched as it hit the mud and grass.
Grief was her burden and her friend. It hurt her countless times but it showed the result of caring, trust and love. Rogue was through with that. Her waterproof bag hit her back every step she ran, reminding her that she was leaving all the lies, lies, lies.
No more hurt, no more pain. But was she happy with no friends? She was going insane, but no one was going to be there for her. But did crazy people ever know they were crazy?
Crashing into someone, Rogue was jerked from her thoughts as she looked up bewilderingly. Had they come for her?
"Rogue?" Pietro unknowingly clasped Rogue into a protective hug. Studying her face, he noted how her eyes seemed to shine from the rain, or where those tears?
Rogue rested her head on Pietro. Not questioning why he was suddenly there, she began blathering like a child, "No more... no more. No one else... don't know what to do... take meh home... where's my angel? No one... forgotten, I'm forgotten..."
Something flickered within Pietro, a feeling of warmth he had not felt for years. Crushing it down, he only held Rogue as she sobbed out her tears.
He smiled. Rogue had come crawling back as he had predicted.
A/N: (1) Think it's easier for people to read when I space it out with lines like that. It means he's talking fast though, too.
Sorry for my lack of response to people who have diligently reviewed and emailed me. Okay, now lay on the criticism on my poor writing. I need the reviews.