Flickering Souls

Chapter Thirteen: In The Name Of Love

Soon enough Kurt had settled in to his own bed and passed, rather pleasantly, out.

Scott lay, in and out of sleep, on the front stoop.

Rogue was tired, and relieved despite her concern. And she drifted off to sleep.

"Now." Mezmero breathed the word and Mystique started the car. She drove casually around toward the front of the mansion.

Rogue rose slowly from her bed and turned her attention down the hall. She slipped in to Kurt's room and laid her hand on his bare neck as though searching for a pulse. She stroked his soft velvet-like fur and smiled absently before sending his body in to a nervous spasm by absorbing his ability to teleport.

She turned and walked quietly out of the room and began her decent down the stairs.

Scott stirred slightly at the foot of the stairs. He rubbed his eyes and rolled over to see her as she approached.

She stopped and crouched down as though she might sit on the bottom step. And then …

Her face floated out of the darkness at him and he was horrified by what he saw. Her eyes were vacant and glazed in a way that haunted his nightmares.

"Mez…" he began but she reached for him.

He rolled recklessly away from her in terror.

"Rogue." He called to her. "ROGUE!"

But she just turned her attention towards him again with a determined look on her face.

"Not again." He breathed quietly as she dove at him.

He snatched her wrists and dove towards the wall. He let go immediately and sank his knee in her stomach.

"I'm sorry." He said as she doubled over and gasped.

She reached out and snagged a handful of his shirt and pulled him towards her.

"No! Rogue!" He shouted in to her face.

When she didn't respond he reached out and grabbed her by the hair. He pulled her past him and in to the wall.

"You're not LEAVING!" He roared at her. Not like this … Not again …

He spun on her and saw her rising to her feet.

"Sc … Scott?" She asked hesitantly as she turned.

Scott was pulling on his visor. "It's Mezmero." He said plainly. He's controlling you." Scott explained quickly.

"I …" She could feel the pull of his mind and she put her hands to either side of her head. "Scott …" She called. "Ah cant!!!"

"I know." He whispered, raising his hand to his visor.

Gently, gently! He told himself.

And he fired, catching her right between the eyes.

"Uhg!" Rogue slammed back hard against the wall and slid down to rest at the bottom of the stairs.

Scott heard a car approach the front gate. He threw open the door and glared down the driveway.

"Kurt!" He called up the stairs. When no one answered he turned his attention back to the car.

He narrowed his eyes and focused his beam and fired again.

He caught the car in the front side and the engine exploded.

Scott triggered the gate and tore out the door at a full run. He was still drunk and he could tell but his anger and indignation had taken over completely.

In a moment he was on them. Mystique lunged at him while Mezmero turned and ran.

Scott caught Mystique's attack and slammed her back against the burning car. He impaled her on a twisted and jagged metal spire and turned his attention down the road. Mezmero was fleeing in to the woods.

"If I ever see you again – I'll kill you." Scott told her and he tore off towards the woods.

The branches beat him soundly as he tore towards the man before him. He couldn't see Mezmero but he could see his movement through the trees.

"First Jean!" Scott roared, closing the distance between them.

"Now Rogue!" He shook with anger and rage.

"How many others?" He demanded. "And for WHAT?"

Scott pounced and caught Mezmero by the robes. The two of them collapsed on to the ground.

"FOR WHAT?" He demanded, spinning Mezmero to face him.

Mezmero was scared. He reached out and tried to seize Scott's mind but he couldn't. Scott was too emotional. He wasn't thinking at all.

Mezmero reached for Rogue's mind and he seized it. He began to force her to teleport to their location – to save him.

"Look in to my eyes." Scott growled at him, low and guttural.

Mezmero trembled and struggled, but Scott had him.

"And tell me why you have a right to hurt everyone I love?"

Rogue stood up and she felt the ability to teleport coming to the surface. Love … she thought after hearing Scott through Mezmero's contact. He …

"No more." Scott said softly, taking off his glasses. "And never again." He breathed as he opened his eyes while staring right in to Mezmero's face.

Rogue gasped and she fell to her knees. She wasn't sure what had happened. But she knew why it happened.

He … loves … no. She shook her head slightly. It hurt. He's in love … with me!

Scott stumbled back towards the mansion. He dragged Mezmero's body with him. When he was close enough he threw the body in to the flaming car across the front seat.

Mystique was gone. Only a bloody spire remained to indicate that she had ever been there at all.

Fire trucks and police sirens were wailing in the distance.

Scott pressed his palm to the gate control and slipped through before it could close.

He numbly stalked up the driveway, trembling under the weight of what he'd done.

And then … She opened the door.

Scott raised his eyes to meet hers and all his doubts melted away. He would do it again … in a heartbeat.

"Scott?" She asked nervously. "Mezmero …"

"Back in his car." Scott said softly as the gas tank exploded and the car blew itself over and on to it's side.

"Mystique was here too." He told her. "She escaped."

Rogue nodded. Scott looked like hell.

"Scott." She said, catching his attention. "When he was in my head … did you say … that you love …" She couldn't finish.

Scott smiled slightly and stepped up to face her. "Yes Rogue." He said softly. "I love you. I can't even tell you how long." He touched her face with his blood and soot stained hand and shook his head. "It seems like … all eternity." He breathed.

And Rogue rose up on to her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him in a way she had never kissed anyone before.

Scott, in turn, took hold of her – determined to never let her go.