A/N: Here's the lunacy ya asked for bunny angel.
Her eyes closed and she opened them, repeating the procedure. Was it just her, or was the room becoming smaller? Glittering eyes snapping from side to side, she narrowed them suspiciously at the wall opposite from her. It seemed to be grinning at her. All logic flew from her brain as she realized that the wall now had a mouth. Feeling something wet fall to her cheek, she looked up to a blood-covered ceiling. The red liquid was edging its way down the walls, erasing the simple life of white and began to creep towards her.
Rogue was torn at where to turn. If she moved away from the blood, the wall would eat her, but if she didn't, the blood would drown her. Tears poured down her face, but she held back her fear. She would not scream! But even as she thought that, her mouth opened into a silent wail and the blood eagerly wrapped around her body like tar. Struggling, Rogue only watched as the thick liquid creeped closer and closer, finally pouring into her mouth, filling her body with the coppery taste.
Everything was fading into black and she felt herself being probed by the wall's jagged teeth. Her cheeks stung but she refused to open her eyes and watch herself die.
"Rogue!"
Her eyes snapped open. Vision blurred, she focused onto the distant face of Irene. Her hands repeatedly hit Rogue's face until Rogue pushed them away. Looking around her, she realized she was sprawled on the floor and trudged herself up. Her cheeks stinging, sweat clung to her upperlip and she licked it off. Was it all just a dream?
"You were trembling; are you alright, Rogue?"
Shaking her head, Rogue muttered, "It's..." She looked into Irene's dark glasses. "Nothing," she finished. She rubbed her temples and said, "So, you came like you promised."
Kneeled on the floor, Irene shifted her position and seemed to reach out to her, but changed her mind. "Rogue..." she began but she stopped. Her eyes seemed to probe through Rogue's soul and Rogue cringed despite the fact that Irene was blind.
"You aren't supposed to be here," Irene finally said.
Rogue sniffed. "Tell dat t' tha nuttos dat landed meh here in da first place."
Irene paused before saying, "No, I think you WANT to be here."
She stared at the blind woman in front of her and burst out laughing. "W, what?! Me??? Want to be in this LOONY BIN!?"
But Irene's next words quieted her. "Because here, you're not looked upon as insane, but rather, like everyone else. Like a coward, you don't want to face the real world and ran hiding here instead." She stood up firmly. "That is why you didn't resist being sent here because--" she faced the general direction from where Rogue spoke, "-- the Rogue I know wouldn't have stood for it."
"Well I'm not the Rogue you know," she snapped. "Didn't they tell yah t'at already? Patients t'at 'ave had schizophrenia fo' too long tend to nawt recover completely."
"But you're not schizophrenic. Why are you so ready to believe you are?"
Rogue's mouth opened and closed like a dying fish. "B, because..."
"Have you been experiencing unexpected hatred and rage lately? Are you confused on what is reality and imagination? Seeing people that aren't really there?" Irene casually tossed at her before sternly saying, "That doesn't automatically mean you have schizophrenia."
Rogue gave no answer.
Her face more gentle, Irene said, "You dreamed about drowning in blood."
At this, Rogue snapped, "Ah don know what what yah're tahlkin' about." Before Irene could say anymore, she snarled, "GET OUT."
"You know as well as I do you are not schizophrenic, Rogue! Why do you continue to yield to the psyches?"
Rogue sucked in a sharp breath.
Irene shook her head. "Of course I know about them. They are the ones responsible for your sudden acts of violence, impossibly strong mental barriers, hallucinations--"
"Yah don't know anythin'!! SHUT YAHR MOUTH, YAH KNOW NOTHIN'!" Rogue yelled.
"What don't I know? I can't see your future anymore! Not even a glimpse! Can you tell me any other reason why other than the psyches?!" Irene shot back.
"Christ Irene, wuddya want meh t' say, huh? THAT AH'M DYIN' AND CAN'T DO SHIT ABOUT IT?!" Rogue snapped her mouth shut, stunned at what she had said. It didn't seem real when she told Pietro, but now, admitting it to Irene, the words took to a different light. "Ah'm... dyin'..." she said, not wanting to believe the words. Disbelief in her jade eyes, Rogue whispered, "The psyches... are killing me, aren't they?"
A nurse burst into the room, anger seeping through her body. "I will not tolerate such a ruckus to inhibit this hospital! Miss, I will have to ask you to leave for the patient's benefits as she is not to be excited." Without waiting for a response, the nurse gruffly pushed Irene out of the room, who only turned back with words only Rogue could hear.
"Don't give up."
-------------------------
Walking down the hall, Rogue warily glanced from one person to the other as she journeyed. Soft crying reached her ears, and Rogue, ready to ignore it, stopped when she recognized the crying voice. Tentatively entering the hospital-like room, Rogue approached the sobbing girl next to Matt who took no notice of her whatsoever.
"Hey."
Elizabeth jumped up guiltily and wiped her face with her sleeve. "W,what do you want?"
Feeling stupid for intruding, Rogue muttered, "Ah... was jus' wonderin' if yah were okay."
"Look at what I've found Ellen!" Matt said happily.
Elizabeth sniffed before turning to him with a sisterly smile. "Oh... you crushed it's wings."
Matt smiled and glanced down at the lifeless butterfly in his hand. "Really? Stupid things really; why are they so pretty but delicate?" He hummed as he dropped the colorful remnants outside his window. "Look at the green sky Ellen! If you look carefully to the left, you can see the flying unicorns."
Rogue was silent as she watched Elizabeth put on a strained smile. Sad, really. Here was a girl of only 8 or 10 years old, and she was the 'older' sister of her brother. Her heart went out to Elizabeth; a girl like her shouldn't have to grow up so fast and deal with problems like this. Unknowingly, her hand gently stroked Elizabeth's blond curls and patted her head comfortingly.
When Elizabeth grabbed her hand, Rogue gave a start but saw the desperate tears in her eyes and relaxed. she was only a kid after all.
"Please... can you stay with me?" The girl's voice trembled. "This is the first time he's actually talked to anyone beside his 'friend' and Mom won't be here for a while."
Drawing up a chair, Rogue sat down and waited for the girl to climb on as Matt happily snatched more butterflies. Looping her arms around the young child, she softly brushed away Elizabeth's tears and gently held her hands. Quietly singing something she learned from her childhood, she watched Matt chatter away happily as Elizabeth drifted to sleep.
Maternal love filled her and pain lurked in her heart as well. Was this what touch was like? Full of warmth in being able to comfort one with just a single touch, but painful to know that you could do nothing else? Lifting Elizabeth onto Matt's bed, she took the butterfly from his hands and instructed, "No Matt, yah'll crush its wings lahke that..."
Matt unhappily looked at the sprinkling specks of white. "What's that?"
Rogue's eyes closed and took in a breath of the cold air. "December."
---------------------------------
Walking in the vast garden, Rogue shivered as the snow drifted to the ground. Until recently, the people had allowed her to venture into the gardens and Rogue was taking every chance to go. Frustrated with the cold, Rogue brooded on a stone bench hidden within the maze of a garden. Her hands brushed the frozen bushes and a hand lingered on one of the leaves.
A thought fleeted through her head. What if she could absorb the essence willingly? Almost as soon as she thought that, she dismissed it and looked down at the broken leaf in her hand. She blinked; the leaf had turned a distinct brown. Nonplussed, she looked at the other leaves and noticed they still held their crystal like shade of green.
Maybe... just maybe, she was overcoming the powers of the thing around her neck. Grabbing frantically at another leaf, Rogue willed herself to take its lifeforce and felt something slide within the contact. The leaf had turned a dry brown and crackled at her touch.
Hope soaring, it plummeted once more when a thought dawned onto her. If she was able to overcome the collar's limitations, did that mean she could not touch willingly anymore? Closing her eyes, she gathered her energy and broke off another leaf. Tentatively opening her eyes, Rogue noted with joy that it was still green.
Rogue sobered once more. Since she was wearing the collar, this was no sure way of telling whether or not her powers were under control. Sighing, Rogue glanced at a glinting silver and blinked rapidly in surprise. Scrambling off the bench, she crouched at a distant bush and glanced for passerbys. Reaching under it, her hand came into contact with a familiar cold. As she drew her clutched hand out, the blue hue already glinted menacingly at her and she sucked in a sharp breath.
What was this sword doing here of all the places?
Pietro's laugh sounded hollow behind her.
"I was hoping to find you here, Rogue and it looks like you've found the sword I've hidden for you."
A/N: Aww, this story's actually gonna end sooner than I thought. R & R please! Profound thanks to those who have!!!! Not to sound corny and all, but seriously, it's your reviews that keep me writing. Thanks for the support!
giggleboxsam: Yeah, I agree on what you said about Elizabeth, so I came up with this. Haha, wuddya think?
Her eyes closed and she opened them, repeating the procedure. Was it just her, or was the room becoming smaller? Glittering eyes snapping from side to side, she narrowed them suspiciously at the wall opposite from her. It seemed to be grinning at her. All logic flew from her brain as she realized that the wall now had a mouth. Feeling something wet fall to her cheek, she looked up to a blood-covered ceiling. The red liquid was edging its way down the walls, erasing the simple life of white and began to creep towards her.
Rogue was torn at where to turn. If she moved away from the blood, the wall would eat her, but if she didn't, the blood would drown her. Tears poured down her face, but she held back her fear. She would not scream! But even as she thought that, her mouth opened into a silent wail and the blood eagerly wrapped around her body like tar. Struggling, Rogue only watched as the thick liquid creeped closer and closer, finally pouring into her mouth, filling her body with the coppery taste.
Everything was fading into black and she felt herself being probed by the wall's jagged teeth. Her cheeks stung but she refused to open her eyes and watch herself die.
"Rogue!"
Her eyes snapped open. Vision blurred, she focused onto the distant face of Irene. Her hands repeatedly hit Rogue's face until Rogue pushed them away. Looking around her, she realized she was sprawled on the floor and trudged herself up. Her cheeks stinging, sweat clung to her upperlip and she licked it off. Was it all just a dream?
"You were trembling; are you alright, Rogue?"
Shaking her head, Rogue muttered, "It's..." She looked into Irene's dark glasses. "Nothing," she finished. She rubbed her temples and said, "So, you came like you promised."
Kneeled on the floor, Irene shifted her position and seemed to reach out to her, but changed her mind. "Rogue..." she began but she stopped. Her eyes seemed to probe through Rogue's soul and Rogue cringed despite the fact that Irene was blind.
"You aren't supposed to be here," Irene finally said.
Rogue sniffed. "Tell dat t' tha nuttos dat landed meh here in da first place."
Irene paused before saying, "No, I think you WANT to be here."
She stared at the blind woman in front of her and burst out laughing. "W, what?! Me??? Want to be in this LOONY BIN!?"
But Irene's next words quieted her. "Because here, you're not looked upon as insane, but rather, like everyone else. Like a coward, you don't want to face the real world and ran hiding here instead." She stood up firmly. "That is why you didn't resist being sent here because--" she faced the general direction from where Rogue spoke, "-- the Rogue I know wouldn't have stood for it."
"Well I'm not the Rogue you know," she snapped. "Didn't they tell yah t'at already? Patients t'at 'ave had schizophrenia fo' too long tend to nawt recover completely."
"But you're not schizophrenic. Why are you so ready to believe you are?"
Rogue's mouth opened and closed like a dying fish. "B, because..."
"Have you been experiencing unexpected hatred and rage lately? Are you confused on what is reality and imagination? Seeing people that aren't really there?" Irene casually tossed at her before sternly saying, "That doesn't automatically mean you have schizophrenia."
Rogue gave no answer.
Her face more gentle, Irene said, "You dreamed about drowning in blood."
At this, Rogue snapped, "Ah don know what what yah're tahlkin' about." Before Irene could say anymore, she snarled, "GET OUT."
"You know as well as I do you are not schizophrenic, Rogue! Why do you continue to yield to the psyches?"
Rogue sucked in a sharp breath.
Irene shook her head. "Of course I know about them. They are the ones responsible for your sudden acts of violence, impossibly strong mental barriers, hallucinations--"
"Yah don't know anythin'!! SHUT YAHR MOUTH, YAH KNOW NOTHIN'!" Rogue yelled.
"What don't I know? I can't see your future anymore! Not even a glimpse! Can you tell me any other reason why other than the psyches?!" Irene shot back.
"Christ Irene, wuddya want meh t' say, huh? THAT AH'M DYIN' AND CAN'T DO SHIT ABOUT IT?!" Rogue snapped her mouth shut, stunned at what she had said. It didn't seem real when she told Pietro, but now, admitting it to Irene, the words took to a different light. "Ah'm... dyin'..." she said, not wanting to believe the words. Disbelief in her jade eyes, Rogue whispered, "The psyches... are killing me, aren't they?"
A nurse burst into the room, anger seeping through her body. "I will not tolerate such a ruckus to inhibit this hospital! Miss, I will have to ask you to leave for the patient's benefits as she is not to be excited." Without waiting for a response, the nurse gruffly pushed Irene out of the room, who only turned back with words only Rogue could hear.
"Don't give up."
-------------------------
Walking down the hall, Rogue warily glanced from one person to the other as she journeyed. Soft crying reached her ears, and Rogue, ready to ignore it, stopped when she recognized the crying voice. Tentatively entering the hospital-like room, Rogue approached the sobbing girl next to Matt who took no notice of her whatsoever.
"Hey."
Elizabeth jumped up guiltily and wiped her face with her sleeve. "W,what do you want?"
Feeling stupid for intruding, Rogue muttered, "Ah... was jus' wonderin' if yah were okay."
"Look at what I've found Ellen!" Matt said happily.
Elizabeth sniffed before turning to him with a sisterly smile. "Oh... you crushed it's wings."
Matt smiled and glanced down at the lifeless butterfly in his hand. "Really? Stupid things really; why are they so pretty but delicate?" He hummed as he dropped the colorful remnants outside his window. "Look at the green sky Ellen! If you look carefully to the left, you can see the flying unicorns."
Rogue was silent as she watched Elizabeth put on a strained smile. Sad, really. Here was a girl of only 8 or 10 years old, and she was the 'older' sister of her brother. Her heart went out to Elizabeth; a girl like her shouldn't have to grow up so fast and deal with problems like this. Unknowingly, her hand gently stroked Elizabeth's blond curls and patted her head comfortingly.
When Elizabeth grabbed her hand, Rogue gave a start but saw the desperate tears in her eyes and relaxed. she was only a kid after all.
"Please... can you stay with me?" The girl's voice trembled. "This is the first time he's actually talked to anyone beside his 'friend' and Mom won't be here for a while."
Drawing up a chair, Rogue sat down and waited for the girl to climb on as Matt happily snatched more butterflies. Looping her arms around the young child, she softly brushed away Elizabeth's tears and gently held her hands. Quietly singing something she learned from her childhood, she watched Matt chatter away happily as Elizabeth drifted to sleep.
Maternal love filled her and pain lurked in her heart as well. Was this what touch was like? Full of warmth in being able to comfort one with just a single touch, but painful to know that you could do nothing else? Lifting Elizabeth onto Matt's bed, she took the butterfly from his hands and instructed, "No Matt, yah'll crush its wings lahke that..."
Matt unhappily looked at the sprinkling specks of white. "What's that?"
Rogue's eyes closed and took in a breath of the cold air. "December."
---------------------------------
Walking in the vast garden, Rogue shivered as the snow drifted to the ground. Until recently, the people had allowed her to venture into the gardens and Rogue was taking every chance to go. Frustrated with the cold, Rogue brooded on a stone bench hidden within the maze of a garden. Her hands brushed the frozen bushes and a hand lingered on one of the leaves.
A thought fleeted through her head. What if she could absorb the essence willingly? Almost as soon as she thought that, she dismissed it and looked down at the broken leaf in her hand. She blinked; the leaf had turned a distinct brown. Nonplussed, she looked at the other leaves and noticed they still held their crystal like shade of green.
Maybe... just maybe, she was overcoming the powers of the thing around her neck. Grabbing frantically at another leaf, Rogue willed herself to take its lifeforce and felt something slide within the contact. The leaf had turned a dry brown and crackled at her touch.
Hope soaring, it plummeted once more when a thought dawned onto her. If she was able to overcome the collar's limitations, did that mean she could not touch willingly anymore? Closing her eyes, she gathered her energy and broke off another leaf. Tentatively opening her eyes, Rogue noted with joy that it was still green.
Rogue sobered once more. Since she was wearing the collar, this was no sure way of telling whether or not her powers were under control. Sighing, Rogue glanced at a glinting silver and blinked rapidly in surprise. Scrambling off the bench, she crouched at a distant bush and glanced for passerbys. Reaching under it, her hand came into contact with a familiar cold. As she drew her clutched hand out, the blue hue already glinted menacingly at her and she sucked in a sharp breath.
What was this sword doing here of all the places?
Pietro's laugh sounded hollow behind her.
"I was hoping to find you here, Rogue and it looks like you've found the sword I've hidden for you."
A/N: Aww, this story's actually gonna end sooner than I thought. R & R please! Profound thanks to those who have!!!! Not to sound corny and all, but seriously, it's your reviews that keep me writing. Thanks for the support!
giggleboxsam: Yeah, I agree on what you said about Elizabeth, so I came up with this. Haha, wuddya think?