Sighing heavily, Rogue stood outside the closed door of Elizabeth's room. She bowed her head, closing her eyes, as she placed her hand onto the doorknob. She turned the knob hesitantly, and slowly opened the door, looking inside. Her eyes opened wide with shock, her mouth dropped, letting out a gasp. The room was not the way that Elizabeth had left it. Her bed had been cleaned; clean sheets sat folded against the un-cased pillows. Her pictures that hung on her mirror of her vanity area; gone. Rogue stepped inside the room, her eyes scanning the area.
"Wha?" She breathed out, as she touched her fingers to the rim of the oak frame of the mirror.
The pictures of her and Elizabeth; Elizabeth and Remy; her and the twins; the couples all together; gone. She rushed to Elizabeth's closet door, and found the hangers blank. The closet had been emptied of Elizabeth's boxes on the floor that hid in the back. "We sent them back home to Brian." She heard a low voice from the room doorway.
Swinging around, her eyes narrowed with rage at the red headed mutant, Jean, standing at the doorway, with her head bowed. Rogue clenched her fists tightly, and threw them up to the sides of her head, "You bitch! You have no right to touch her stuff! We wanted to keep it the way it is!" Rogue screamed.
"Rogue, please! I wanted to keep her room the same way too! But Brian needed her things! Her home was in Britain!" Jean explained, her green eyes welling with tears.
"No! Her home was here! She was an X-Man! I knew her! She was happiest here!" Rogue yelled, as her voice became shaky.
Rogue could feel the sobs beginning to rise again. Jean rushed into the room, as Rogue dropped to her knees. She attempted to wrap her arms around her gothic colleague; to comfort her. But Rogue only pushed her back, "Leave me alone! You know nothing of what I'm goin' through!" Rogue screamed.
"Yes, I do. Betsy was a good friend to me too, Rogue!" Jean sobbed.
Rogue squirmed away from her, as she attempted to wrap her arms around her again. She finally gave up, and threw her head into Jean's shoulder, sobbing loudly. "I know, Rogue. It's so hard," Jean sobbed, "But, we have to think of the wonderful memories she's brought us," Jean began, "The laughter. Her jokes. How protected all of us girls felt around her."
The tears were too much for Jean to handle. The sobs from Rogue were too much. She finally gave up as well, throwing herself against Rogue, as they hugged onto each other, sobbing. "I can't take it anymore! I don't know what I'm gonna do without her! That girl was everything to me!" Rogue sobbed.
"I know," Jean sobbed, "I know."
*~*~*~*
"Where you goin', luv?" John asked curiously, watching Wanda head to her car.
"To the institute. I've gotta see how Rogue's holdin' up." Wanda told him.
John sighed, leaning against the doorway frame, watching his girlfriend get into her car, and speed out of the driveway. Pietro stood behind him, watching as well, "She goin' to the institute?" He asked.
John nodded. "She hasn't been to keen either since Betsy died." He turned to look at Pietro, "She's been havin' dreams about Betsy comin' back. She wakes up crying to me, but I tell her, Luv, she ain't comin back. No matter what you do, or what spell you cast, she can't come back," John told him.
Pietro shook his head solemnly, "I kinda wish Betsy would come back though. I miss her." He sighed.
John nodded, "Me too." He then closed the door, making his way to the stairs.
*~*~*~*
Wanda sped in her car, down the road, towards the Xavier Institute. She flicked on the stereo, as her arms tensed. She had in a CD; the song, ironically, Gone Away, by Offspring. Tears welled in her eyes, as her fingers tightly clenched the steering wheel. She blinked harshly, to let the tears fall, so her sight could clear for the road. Her lip trembled, as she felt a sob wanting to escape her throat. She shook her head, pulling over to the side of the road, and shifting the car into park. She clenched her eyes shut, turning off the car, and stepping out. She looked out towards the ocean, pressing her fists to her forehead. A fond memory of Elizabeth swarmed through her mind, as she knelt down to the grass below…
*~*~*~*~*
"Where is she?" Elizabeth frantically snapped, stepping into the Brotherhood home.
Pietro looked up, "In her room."
Elizabeth dropped her keys onto the table at the side of the door, and rushed up the staircase towards Wanda's room. She knocked on the door frantically, "Wanda, I'm here. Let me in, luv." Elizabeth said through the door.
The door opened, and Elizabeth frowned, seeing the blue eyes of Wanda red and bloodshot with tears. "Betsy!" She sobbed, as she threw herself onto her friend.
Elizabeth hugged her tightly, rubbing her short black hair, "Shh. Hush now, luv. I know." She quietly said.
"I can't believe my father did that to me! He wiped my mind and altered it!" Wanda sobbed. She then looked up into her friend's eyes, "I had no one else to turn to! Please! Help me!" She sobbed, "I think I'm gonna lose it again!"
Elizabeth tilted her head, glaring at Wanda, "Come. Let's sit and talk," She then grabbed onto her hand, forcing her out of the room, "Let's go grab some coffee, and go to lookout point. We can talk there. If you get upset, you can go ahead and destroy anything there without putting anyone in harm's way." She smiled warmly.
Wanda nodded hesitantly, following her outside of her room.
At Look out point; the mutants usually headed there for their "quiet time". Wanda and Elizabeth sat on the guard rails, their feet dangling over the side. "Now, talk to me." Elizabeth smiled.
Wanda sighed, her breath shuddered trying to keep back her sobbing. "He altered everything. Agatha reopened my memories," She looked at Elizabeth, who glared at her intently, "It was an accident. But, suddenly, I started seeing all these images. Of me in a straight jacket; in a locked up dirty cell; everything! I can't believe he did that to me! And for Pietro to go along with it?!" Wanda then broke down, placing her head into her hands.
Elizabeth scooted closer to her, wrapping her arms around her. Wanda rested her head onto her shoulder, as Elizabeth rested her cheek onto Wanda's head. "Betsy, why? Why'd he do this to me?" She sobbed.
Elizabeth sighed heavily, looking down at her, resting her chin onto Wanda's black hair, "I don't know, to tell you the truth, luv. But, with him altering your memories for happier ones, maybe it's his twisted way of trying desperately to make amends. From what Pietro had told me, you were set out to kill him. I wanted to desperately tell you, but I couldn't bring myself to. It's also my fault, luv. I should have said something to you." Elizabeth sadly confessed. "I'm so sorry."
Wanda shook her head, "It's not your fault. You didn't do anything. I don't think I can forgive my father or Pietro. I don't think I ever want to speak to them again."
Elizabeth sighed, hugging her tightly, "Wanda, you can't live on life like that. They're your family. I mean, you've been more than happy to talk with your father and Pietro lately; ever since that happened. Why stop now? We have to learn to forgive and forget." Wanda lifted her head up, looking up at Elizabeth as she continued, "We've forgiven and forgotten about our issues with you and the brotherhood. Why can't you do the same for your blood?"
Wanda looked out to the ocean, trying to think over the thought. She then hesitantly nodded, "I just need help. I need something to help me lock away the hate." Wanda sighed.
Elizabeth slightly nudged her with a smirk, "We'll be there for you. We always were." She smiled. "Rogue may not exactly be around, since she's off with Logan, but she'll also be there for you too."
*~*~*~*~
Opening her eyes, Wanda looked out to the ocean, clenching her fists. An angry scream built up in her chest, and finally was released from her mouth, as she threw her hands towards the ocean, her blue hex bolts being released to the water. Her scream was long and loud; her hex bolts causing the water to wildly wave up with the motions of her hands. She pulled her tense arms back towards her, and threw them out, causing the large wave to fly outwards. She relaxed, breathing harshly through her sobs. She turned, and walked towards her car, and slid into the drivers seat once more, slamming the door shut. She pounded her fist to the steering wheel, cursing as she did so. She finally rested her head into the steering wheel, letting sobs escape her throat, "Betsy. I need you." She sobbed.
Okay, once more, Tragic….but….the next chappie will be the build up of Betsy's return and how she'll return. So yeah….another chappie bein posted later before fanfic goes DOWN! GAH!