A/N: O.O *blinks* I'm up to 81 reviews.
Responses to reviewers:
tre0220: It's by Tapping the Vein, called "Again".
bunny_angel: I agree. I think we should lynch Mystique and beat Rogue over the head for doing something that stupid, haha. x)
Taineyah: I never thought I'd actually be happy to hear someone cried. As for Rogue... who knows?
Carla-p: It did? *Sniffs* That's the nicest thing anyone ever said. ^^ Honestly.
Yumiko: Hmmm, wait for the epilogue. I promise you something will happen there.
raniatlw: Yup.
Arekanderu: The waiting is over!
Lady Dragon: Really? *blushes* Thank you!
And now it's time to get on with the story
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rogue quietly hummed as she dug through the fridge. With a small, "Ah ha..." she grabbed a bottle of coke and popped off the top with a can opener. Taking a swig, she walked past the rec room, but stopped when she saw Scott staring wistfully out the windows. Retreating to the fridge, she opened another bottle. Treading softly up to him, she peered over his shoulder and saw the source of his gaze.
"Thought you were over her."
Scott sighed, blowing air up at his hair. "Yeah, I thought so, too."
She handed him the coke and ordered, "Drink. Sugah usually helps these kind of situations." He stared at the bottle and she pressed it into his hands. "Trust me. Moping gets you nowhere."
He gave her a small smile and took the drink. "How come you're not scared of us? According to Kitty, even a glimpse of any one of us would freak you out."
Rogue shrugged. "Yah realize a few things while yahr sleepin' for 15 days. Figurin' out that yah guyz aren't mah enemies were one of them."
They began walking down the hallway. Scott ran his fingers through his hair and said seriously, "Despite what you think of us, all of us were worried."
She sipped her drink. 'If only yah knew the whole story...' "Ah know," she said aloud. They stopped at another window and stared in unison at Jean, who was laughing at something Kitty said. "You know I used to have the biggest crush on you. It was up to the point where you were almost like some kind of idol with no flaws." She laughed at herself.
Scott looked curiously at her, although it was hard to tell with his dark glasses. "Used to?"
Rogue grinned wryly. "Ah found out that yah're no different from the rest of us." She rested her hand on the sill, gazing out at the sky. "Yah know Scott, Ah used t' think yah were stupid, too. Always waitin' around for some girl who strays from one guy t' another." She placed her hand on the glass, the sun's beams shining through the crack of her fingers. "That is, until Ah found out what it was lahke to love someone so much that yah want them to be happy. Even if it's not with yah." She closed her eyes. "How come you never told me how much it hurt?"
Scott glanced at her and he realized, with a bit of sadness, that Rogue had changed. She was now grown up in more ways than many teens her age were, but what a price to pay; her 'illness' drew lines in her face that weren't there before, her eyes no longer gleamed with childish youth, and her lips no longer carried the uncertain, but sincere smiles. Or was that the result of love? "You've... changed."
Rogue opened her eyes. "For better or for worse?"
He took a sip of his coke, aware of her graceful, yet sad features. "Only time will tell."
They both laughed at the nonsensical phrase, but the laughter was empty and sorrowful, like the howling of a lonely wolf.
--------------------------------
"What if, you had a second chance at life?"
A snowflake caught in Rogue's lashes. She sucked in the cold air and glanced sharply at Irene who was sitting calmly on the bench. "Whaddya mean?"
"What if I told you that you could be cured?"
Rogue licked her chapped lips, but only succeeded in getting it more chapped. "That sounds wonderful. What's tha catch?"
Irene grinned dryly. "Nothing gets past you, doesn't it?" She rested her hands on her walking stick. "Although it may save your life, it could also destroy it. However, it is better than just leaving you to die eventually, leaving only your shell for the psyches to control."
Silent, Rogue took a seat next to Irene and turned her heads toward her. "It could also destroy mah life?"
"There are dominant pysches within you that draw out their hatred for you from their retracted memories of the original owner. Their extreme hate overpowers the other psyches who have either neutral or positive positions. They've already breaking through the barriers of your mind and put up their own mental barrier to keep outsiders from intruding. However, if we wipe out the psyches's memories, it can bring an end to their mental riot. The catch is... their memories are closely embedded with yours, and if we erase theirs...."
"Mine will also be erased, which means Ah won't remember a thing," Rogue finished. She quietly thought over something. "That means... I'll forget the Institute and everyone in it, the Brotherhood, you, Elizabeth, Mark... everything."
"Either path you choose, you'll lose who you are," Irene said softly. Rogue stayed silent, and it must have disturbed Irene because she shifted uncertainly. "Charles could inform you on who you are once you've been cured. It probably won't help much, but you can also leave your pain behind."
"Ah don't know..." Rogue trailed off. She went through much in the last couple of months that have passed. To forget everything, even before that, was asking much, even if it was to save her. "Ah just... it's all too much too fast. Ah need some time t' think about it." She brushed off the snow on her lap. "Who's gonna... err... 'fix' meh then?" She made a face; it was as if she was a broken car that some mechanic was just gonna swing by to repair.
"Me." Irene briefly smiled. "Fate has allowed me to do what I can to fix the worn threads of time, and its leading future."
Somehow, Rogue was not surprised and she smiled back, not remember that Irene could not see as conflicting expressions crossed Rogue's face.
To be saved... or not to be saved?
---------------------------
'Ah, the lovely wonders of school,' Rogue thought as she was jostled in the crowd. Her prolonged absence was not noticed by many, which was actually better for Rogue. That way, Rogue didn't have to explain why she was gone for so long. Only her teachers knew the real reasons and they had no intention of leaking that out to the public.
Making her way out to lunch, Rogue stepped out in the open and shaded her eyes. Waving off at one area was Kitty, Scott, Kurt and them, but her eyes strayed past them, looking for someone else. Her green eyes landed upon the Brotherhood and she smiled, walking towards them. Her step faltered; was Lance deliberately avoiding looking at her?
Suddenly, a flash of red snarled at her before landing a ferocious punch upon her face. Rogue's head knocked back at the sudden impact, but managed to grab the other fist before it hit her again.
It was Wanda.
"You fucking bitch!" she screamed. "I am fucking gonna kill you!" She wrenched her hands free,pounding and kicking Rogue. Lance and Fred dragged Wanda off of her, Toad just half a step behind.
Rogue's X-men friends gathered protectively behind her while Kurt gently helped her to her feet. A crowd had gathered in the meantime, but was interrupted at the sound of the principal's voice. "All right, break it up! Wanda, Rogue, come with me. What has gotten into the two of you?"
Reluctantly, the excited students departed, already gossiping about the brief fight while Rogue and Wanda followed the principal into his office. During his lecture about fighting on the premises, Wanda kept quiet but shot withering, black glares at Rogue, sneering at her all the while. Rogue only cast her eyes to the floor, knowing perfectly well of the source of her furiousness.
"A week's detention for the both of you. I won't be so lenient to you the next time this happens. It'll mean suspension if this occurs once more." Scribbling something down, he said, "You're dismissed."
Wanda stalked out with Rogue behind her. Outside, Lance and his gang, Scott, Kitty, and Kurt were waiting. Ignoring Kitty's exclamations, Kurt's sympathies and Scott's heated glares with Lance, she uncertainly said, "Lance...?"
He looked at her briefly before turning away.
How did he know? Even her X-men friends didn't have a clue. "Lance... Ah... yah don't believe Ah did it because Ah wanted to, did yah?" This couldn't happen. Of all the things that have happened, this couldn't. It couldn't! Her vision blurred. But then again, what did she expect? Pietro was their friend as much as hers and how could she expect them to understand why she did what she did?
He averted her eyes. "I don't know what to think anymore."
Wanda snarled, "Watch your back, bitch. Once I find you alone..." Toad ushered her off, as Fred reproached her for making such a threat. Both also avoided looking at Rogue. Lance shook his head apologetically at Rogue and left with them.
Rogue stood there, her eyes cast to the side as Scott muttered threats under his breath, as Kitty patted her comfortingly, and while Kurt cracked lame jokes. Their voices dimmed out of her ears as she slowly blinked away her tears.
--------------------------
"Shhh... it's okay."
Rogue continued to sob into Irene's lap as she gently stroked Rogue's hair. She didn't question why Irene was in her room. "Ah can't take it. Ah can't. What if the others found out lahke they did? They'll distance me and Ah can't take that. Ah already lost Pietro and Remy; if Ah lose them, Ah don't know what Ah'll do."
"I thought it was your choice to let Remy go."
Quieting to sniffles, she lifted her head, peering up at Irene's dark glasses. "Ah knew if Remy stayed, he'd be miserable with me." She laughed bitterly. "Then Ah found out he already had a sweetheart waiting for him back home. He'll certainly be fine without meh." She added softly, "Everyone will be." She hesitated. "Irene... did Pietro really have t' die? It was because of meh that he died."
Irene patted Rogues hand. "Poor child. Sometimes Fate can be cruel, and yes, he was bound to die. You just gave him a more peaceful way."
Rogue rested her head on Irene's lap, a ghostly image of a child. "The pain's eating meh up inside. Yah hafta take it away, Irene or else Ah'll die."
Cupping Rogue's face, Irene said, "Are you sure?"
She felt her nod. "Can yah... take me somewhere else? Change schools, living locations, tha works?"
"Would you at least like to say good-bye?" Irene murmured.
"Ah was never good at good-byes." Rogue wiped off her tears with her sleeve. "Besides, they know nothing about mah condition. They'll be better off if they didn't know and without me." Her voice quivered. "Please, Irene, give meh mah second chance at life."
As Irene placed her hands at the sides of Rogue's head, Rogue closed her eyes, feeling her thoughts slipping away to nothing.
'This is... mah fate.'
~FIN~
A/N: AHHHHHHHH it's over! What in the world did I do???? Hee hee........just kidding! There's still the epilogue left to go. But then again, I might change my mind and add two more chapters, who knows? As always, reviews are appreciated and in desperate search of.
Responses to reviewers:
tre0220: It's by Tapping the Vein, called "Again".
bunny_angel: I agree. I think we should lynch Mystique and beat Rogue over the head for doing something that stupid, haha. x)
Taineyah: I never thought I'd actually be happy to hear someone cried. As for Rogue... who knows?
Carla-p: It did? *Sniffs* That's the nicest thing anyone ever said. ^^ Honestly.
Yumiko: Hmmm, wait for the epilogue. I promise you something will happen there.
raniatlw: Yup.
Arekanderu: The waiting is over!
Lady Dragon: Really? *blushes* Thank you!
And now it's time to get on with the story
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rogue quietly hummed as she dug through the fridge. With a small, "Ah ha..." she grabbed a bottle of coke and popped off the top with a can opener. Taking a swig, she walked past the rec room, but stopped when she saw Scott staring wistfully out the windows. Retreating to the fridge, she opened another bottle. Treading softly up to him, she peered over his shoulder and saw the source of his gaze.
"Thought you were over her."
Scott sighed, blowing air up at his hair. "Yeah, I thought so, too."
She handed him the coke and ordered, "Drink. Sugah usually helps these kind of situations." He stared at the bottle and she pressed it into his hands. "Trust me. Moping gets you nowhere."
He gave her a small smile and took the drink. "How come you're not scared of us? According to Kitty, even a glimpse of any one of us would freak you out."
Rogue shrugged. "Yah realize a few things while yahr sleepin' for 15 days. Figurin' out that yah guyz aren't mah enemies were one of them."
They began walking down the hallway. Scott ran his fingers through his hair and said seriously, "Despite what you think of us, all of us were worried."
She sipped her drink. 'If only yah knew the whole story...' "Ah know," she said aloud. They stopped at another window and stared in unison at Jean, who was laughing at something Kitty said. "You know I used to have the biggest crush on you. It was up to the point where you were almost like some kind of idol with no flaws." She laughed at herself.
Scott looked curiously at her, although it was hard to tell with his dark glasses. "Used to?"
Rogue grinned wryly. "Ah found out that yah're no different from the rest of us." She rested her hand on the sill, gazing out at the sky. "Yah know Scott, Ah used t' think yah were stupid, too. Always waitin' around for some girl who strays from one guy t' another." She placed her hand on the glass, the sun's beams shining through the crack of her fingers. "That is, until Ah found out what it was lahke to love someone so much that yah want them to be happy. Even if it's not with yah." She closed her eyes. "How come you never told me how much it hurt?"
Scott glanced at her and he realized, with a bit of sadness, that Rogue had changed. She was now grown up in more ways than many teens her age were, but what a price to pay; her 'illness' drew lines in her face that weren't there before, her eyes no longer gleamed with childish youth, and her lips no longer carried the uncertain, but sincere smiles. Or was that the result of love? "You've... changed."
Rogue opened her eyes. "For better or for worse?"
He took a sip of his coke, aware of her graceful, yet sad features. "Only time will tell."
They both laughed at the nonsensical phrase, but the laughter was empty and sorrowful, like the howling of a lonely wolf.
--------------------------------
"What if, you had a second chance at life?"
A snowflake caught in Rogue's lashes. She sucked in the cold air and glanced sharply at Irene who was sitting calmly on the bench. "Whaddya mean?"
"What if I told you that you could be cured?"
Rogue licked her chapped lips, but only succeeded in getting it more chapped. "That sounds wonderful. What's tha catch?"
Irene grinned dryly. "Nothing gets past you, doesn't it?" She rested her hands on her walking stick. "Although it may save your life, it could also destroy it. However, it is better than just leaving you to die eventually, leaving only your shell for the psyches to control."
Silent, Rogue took a seat next to Irene and turned her heads toward her. "It could also destroy mah life?"
"There are dominant pysches within you that draw out their hatred for you from their retracted memories of the original owner. Their extreme hate overpowers the other psyches who have either neutral or positive positions. They've already breaking through the barriers of your mind and put up their own mental barrier to keep outsiders from intruding. However, if we wipe out the psyches's memories, it can bring an end to their mental riot. The catch is... their memories are closely embedded with yours, and if we erase theirs...."
"Mine will also be erased, which means Ah won't remember a thing," Rogue finished. She quietly thought over something. "That means... I'll forget the Institute and everyone in it, the Brotherhood, you, Elizabeth, Mark... everything."
"Either path you choose, you'll lose who you are," Irene said softly. Rogue stayed silent, and it must have disturbed Irene because she shifted uncertainly. "Charles could inform you on who you are once you've been cured. It probably won't help much, but you can also leave your pain behind."
"Ah don't know..." Rogue trailed off. She went through much in the last couple of months that have passed. To forget everything, even before that, was asking much, even if it was to save her. "Ah just... it's all too much too fast. Ah need some time t' think about it." She brushed off the snow on her lap. "Who's gonna... err... 'fix' meh then?" She made a face; it was as if she was a broken car that some mechanic was just gonna swing by to repair.
"Me." Irene briefly smiled. "Fate has allowed me to do what I can to fix the worn threads of time, and its leading future."
Somehow, Rogue was not surprised and she smiled back, not remember that Irene could not see as conflicting expressions crossed Rogue's face.
To be saved... or not to be saved?
---------------------------
'Ah, the lovely wonders of school,' Rogue thought as she was jostled in the crowd. Her prolonged absence was not noticed by many, which was actually better for Rogue. That way, Rogue didn't have to explain why she was gone for so long. Only her teachers knew the real reasons and they had no intention of leaking that out to the public.
Making her way out to lunch, Rogue stepped out in the open and shaded her eyes. Waving off at one area was Kitty, Scott, Kurt and them, but her eyes strayed past them, looking for someone else. Her green eyes landed upon the Brotherhood and she smiled, walking towards them. Her step faltered; was Lance deliberately avoiding looking at her?
Suddenly, a flash of red snarled at her before landing a ferocious punch upon her face. Rogue's head knocked back at the sudden impact, but managed to grab the other fist before it hit her again.
It was Wanda.
"You fucking bitch!" she screamed. "I am fucking gonna kill you!" She wrenched her hands free,pounding and kicking Rogue. Lance and Fred dragged Wanda off of her, Toad just half a step behind.
Rogue's X-men friends gathered protectively behind her while Kurt gently helped her to her feet. A crowd had gathered in the meantime, but was interrupted at the sound of the principal's voice. "All right, break it up! Wanda, Rogue, come with me. What has gotten into the two of you?"
Reluctantly, the excited students departed, already gossiping about the brief fight while Rogue and Wanda followed the principal into his office. During his lecture about fighting on the premises, Wanda kept quiet but shot withering, black glares at Rogue, sneering at her all the while. Rogue only cast her eyes to the floor, knowing perfectly well of the source of her furiousness.
"A week's detention for the both of you. I won't be so lenient to you the next time this happens. It'll mean suspension if this occurs once more." Scribbling something down, he said, "You're dismissed."
Wanda stalked out with Rogue behind her. Outside, Lance and his gang, Scott, Kitty, and Kurt were waiting. Ignoring Kitty's exclamations, Kurt's sympathies and Scott's heated glares with Lance, she uncertainly said, "Lance...?"
He looked at her briefly before turning away.
How did he know? Even her X-men friends didn't have a clue. "Lance... Ah... yah don't believe Ah did it because Ah wanted to, did yah?" This couldn't happen. Of all the things that have happened, this couldn't. It couldn't! Her vision blurred. But then again, what did she expect? Pietro was their friend as much as hers and how could she expect them to understand why she did what she did?
He averted her eyes. "I don't know what to think anymore."
Wanda snarled, "Watch your back, bitch. Once I find you alone..." Toad ushered her off, as Fred reproached her for making such a threat. Both also avoided looking at Rogue. Lance shook his head apologetically at Rogue and left with them.
Rogue stood there, her eyes cast to the side as Scott muttered threats under his breath, as Kitty patted her comfortingly, and while Kurt cracked lame jokes. Their voices dimmed out of her ears as she slowly blinked away her tears.
--------------------------
"Shhh... it's okay."
Rogue continued to sob into Irene's lap as she gently stroked Rogue's hair. She didn't question why Irene was in her room. "Ah can't take it. Ah can't. What if the others found out lahke they did? They'll distance me and Ah can't take that. Ah already lost Pietro and Remy; if Ah lose them, Ah don't know what Ah'll do."
"I thought it was your choice to let Remy go."
Quieting to sniffles, she lifted her head, peering up at Irene's dark glasses. "Ah knew if Remy stayed, he'd be miserable with me." She laughed bitterly. "Then Ah found out he already had a sweetheart waiting for him back home. He'll certainly be fine without meh." She added softly, "Everyone will be." She hesitated. "Irene... did Pietro really have t' die? It was because of meh that he died."
Irene patted Rogues hand. "Poor child. Sometimes Fate can be cruel, and yes, he was bound to die. You just gave him a more peaceful way."
Rogue rested her head on Irene's lap, a ghostly image of a child. "The pain's eating meh up inside. Yah hafta take it away, Irene or else Ah'll die."
Cupping Rogue's face, Irene said, "Are you sure?"
She felt her nod. "Can yah... take me somewhere else? Change schools, living locations, tha works?"
"Would you at least like to say good-bye?" Irene murmured.
"Ah was never good at good-byes." Rogue wiped off her tears with her sleeve. "Besides, they know nothing about mah condition. They'll be better off if they didn't know and without me." Her voice quivered. "Please, Irene, give meh mah second chance at life."
As Irene placed her hands at the sides of Rogue's head, Rogue closed her eyes, feeling her thoughts slipping away to nothing.
'This is... mah fate.'
~FIN~
A/N: AHHHHHHHH it's over! What in the world did I do???? Hee hee........just kidding! There's still the epilogue left to go. But then again, I might change my mind and add two more chapters, who knows? As always, reviews are appreciated and in desperate search of.