The Rogue

Author's Note: Hey again! Enjoy the next chapter!

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Jean watched emotionlessly as Logan sat upright, shaking off the aftereffects of Rogue's mutation. He groaned as he adapted to the room's brightness and stretched his sore muscles.

" Better keep still for a while," Jean said, holding him back. " Rogue's out by the door. She's pretty pissed at you."

Logan nodded and placed his shirt back on. He took his time as Jean examined him, making sure he was fully healed.

" Scott's pretty pissed at you too," Jean murmured, catching Logan's attention.

" Cyke?" he asked. " I don't give a rat's ass about what he thinks."

Jean placed her stethoscope away and gave Logan a serious look. " He's made up his mind, you know." She informed him. " He cares a lot for Rogue…"

Jean shifted nervously, foot to foot as Logan eyed her angrily. 'Thank God Prof. Xavier had this place 'wolverine-proofed'.' She thought.

The last tantrum Logan had vented off had cost quite a lot of money and had unfortunately cut the Home Economics class, but it was worth it; some of those kids could not cook!

" Red, Scott can try," Logan growled. " I know Marie cares a lot about me."

He stood up and walked past Jean, opening the door and expected to see a familiar auburn-haired woman waiting for him. Instead, he found an empty waiting room, save for a furry blue doctor checking the nearby offices. The doctor looked up from his clipboard and walked towards Logan.

" Wolverine, I presume?" he asked, extending his furry arm out towards him. He had reminded Logan of a British spy, only less obnoxious. " My name is Henry McCoy."

" Uh, sure. Nice to meet ya…" Logan said, not really listening to what the man had to say. " Have you seen a woman here, streaked hair?"

Henry nodded and smiled. " Oh yes, Rogue. What a delightful young woman!" he exclaimed. " She was here, but was called by Charles just a moment ago."

Logan nodded and walked away, leaving Henry to his daily checks around the lab.

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Marie stared at the blank screen and yawned. Xavier had told her to relax her mind and think of nothing. When that didn't work, he had her staring at Scott's laptop screen. Knowing Scott, it was a white screen.

"Professor, I don't think this is workin'," she said, her accent thickening as her patience wore off.

She began to wander off as she wished she knew what she was looking for. She began to recall one of her fondest memories and laughed out loud, causing Scott and Xavier to stare at her.

" Oh sorry, I was just thinkin' that this was like the time Ricky bought one of those 'magic eye' books," Marie started. " He had me staring at an abstract picture, telling me it was a butterfly!"

Scott and Xavier looked at each other then at her. Scott smiled and hugged the now-confused girl.

" Marie! You did it! You remembered something from the past!" he exclaimed.

" I think this 'Ricky' might be the key to unlocking the secrets!" Xavier added, smiling as well.

Marie blinked and realized what she had remembered. Her fondest memory of her and her son, Ricky during the time she was allowed to buy an apartment outside of the lab. She was always guarded, but at least her son was somewhat leading a normal life.

" Ricky… my son, Richard Adler."

Scott smiled and gave her another hug. As they parted, Marie stared into his glasses, knowing he was staring in her eyes as well.

" Thank you," she said, tears in her eyes.

" For what?" Scott asked. " It was all you."

" Alright, let's dig in just a little further, then you and Scott can do the rest," Xavier said. " We just need a location… after all, you want Ricky back."

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Area 42

" She's not alone, sir." Nate informed. " She's with a telepath, but he's making it easier for me to open her mind."

DeVillago smiled. " Good, now, 'help' the girl remember her memories. Remember the more important details about her mutation, about the location of her son as of right now."

Nate did as he was told and gasped inwardly as he also witnessed the major experiments done on the woman. He clenched his jaws, watching as the memories just flowed past him.

'God, what the hell is he planning to do to this woman?'

He felt Rogue notice his presence and found himself in a room, identical to that of a questioning room. There was a large mirror and the walls were padded.

" Who are you?"

He turned towards the voice and saw Rogue. He tried to disconnect the link, but he found himself to be stuck in the room.

" This is my mind, I control everything," she said coldly. " Now who are you and what are you doing in my head?"

Nate couldn't control himself, as information just flowed form his body.

" My name is Phillip Nate, I was contacted by General Austwit to aid him in a project to locate you," he said. " Dr. DeVillago wanted you to remember everything so that it would be easier to continue where he left off."

Rogue glared at him intently and he felt the room temperature drop. He could see his breath as he exhaled and his teeth chattered as he stood there.

" P-please… I-I was-"

" I won't kill you," Rogue said softly. " I just want to know if my son is still well."

Nate shook his head. " I have no clue. I was led blindfolded and was not told more than what I have informed you."

As soon as he had finished his last word, the temperature began to rise. Rogue sat down in front of him and smiled.

" See? That wasn't so hard."

Last thing he knew, he was out of the link.

" Mr. Nate? What happened?" DeVillago asked.

" She found out sir," he replied.

" General! Get this… this… incompetence out of my sight!" he barked. " The operation still goes as planned! Only, this time…"

" Sir?" Dr. Jenkins said. " What if it backfires on us?"

" It won't. We'll have the aid of our old friend," he replied. " I believe Victor Creed is still in our clutches, is he not?"

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Xavier began to worry as Rogue showed no signs of life. He had been disconnected from the link when he felt an intruder in her mind.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and began to gasp for breath. " Oh… Mah… it's a trap…"

" What?" Scott said.

" My memories are back… but someone from the labs had done that for me…" she growled. Tears stung her eyes as she recalled the people she had absorbed, the powers that she held.

" Rogue, you had shut me out of your mind… what happened?" Xavier asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

" I was to be the perfect weapon," she whispered. " Oh God… Logan…"

Scott tensed. "What about him?"

Rogue looked at him and at Xavier. Tears were now streaming down her face. " The doctor that was in charge of me… was involved in the making of the Wolverine."

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Logan made his way towards Rogue's room and saw Jubilee, Kitty as well as Rogue herself walking towards the teacher's floor, each carrying a large box. He curiously followed them, making sure to be extra careful around Rogue's sensitive nose.

He stopped about three doors down as the three stopped at a room directly opposite of his and right beside Scott's. Rogue opened the door and Logan heard Kitty gasp.

" Like, wow! Rogue, this room totally rocks!" he heard the over-bubbly teen exclaim.

Logan took a peek at her room as he inconspicuously passed by. It was one of the larger teacher rooms, usually reserved for those with kids. It was practically an apartment lacking a kitchen and dining room. It was a large rectangular room with two beds; a king- sized bed and a double bed.

He, along with the rest of the faculty had been informed that if they ever got married, that they would also receive one of those rooms. It was practical and it was safe.

'Why would Marie be moving in there?' Logan thought curiously.

Kitty sat on the double bed and flopped on her back. " Like, I cannot believe Professor Xavier is making you move out… but… why here?"

Jubilee nodded as she crossed her arms. They had placed the boxes on the floor and were taking a small break.

" Yeah, I mean rumor has it, these rooms were reserved for those with a family, like kids and a husband," Jubilee said. " Is there something you're hiding from us?"

Rogue shook her head. " Well, I am 28 now…" she started. " I guess he just thought it wasn't healthy for me to be rooming with people."

"Really?" Kitty teased, winking at Jubilee. " So… that bed isn't there just in case you get hitched to Mr. Summers?"

Rogue laughed and threw a stuffed plush toy at her eccentric valley-girl friend. Jubilee wrinkled her brow and decided to speak up.

"Or Logan?"

They were all silent and Logan, who was still outside decided to keep on listening. Rogue blinked and took a deep breath.

" J-jubes… what do you know… I mean," Rogue started. " Logan… loves me…"

Kitty gaped at Rogue and crawled over to her. " No way? He's over Dr. Grey?"

" Great rhyme, kitty," Jubilee noted. " He told me… well actually I pressured him to…"

" But what about Mr. Summers?" Kitty asked. " I mean, whoo! Have you seen the way he's been looking at you?"

Rogue laughed and unpacked. " You two are too much… Scott isn't like that…"

" Ooh, Scott!" Kitty teased. " Didn't know you were on a first name basis with him!"

Rogue shook her head and left her giggling friends to their thoughts. She began unpacking and thought back to the meeting that she had just come out of. She remembered her son, Ricky.

'Does he still know me?' she wondered. 'What did they do to him while I was gone?'

The latter scared Rogue more than anything in her life. She didn't want her son to go through any pain or any experiments. She didn't want him to lose more of his childhood that was already partially ripped away from him, being born in a laboratory.

Then she thought of Logan. DeVillago, she found out was part of the project responsible for the Wolverine. She gripped the shirt she was holding as she thought of the things that had been done to him.

" Rogue?"

She turned around and found Kitty looking at her, awaiting an answer. " Sorry, what was the question?"

" Geez, here I thought Jubes was the only one with a short attention span!" Kitty teased. " I said: if Mr. Summers wasn't your type, who is?"

Rogue shrugged. " I don't know," she said. " Right now, all I want is to get my past back. For all I know… I could have had someone."

Jubilee nodded. " That's a good choice. But… if you didn't, who would you go to?"

Rogue thought for a bit and smiled at Jubilee. " I may just go for Bobby!"

Jubilee laughed and threw a pillow at the woman. Logan sighed and walked towards his room. He had enough of listening in.

' I need a drink' he thought. ' This whole thing is giving me a headache!'

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Author's Note: that was kind of…long. Lol. Next chapter: Ricky is introduced to the X-Men and Scotty and Logan fight it out in the Danger room!