Chapter 3: Jared
Rogue entered the foyer after leaving the garage and was about to head up the stairs when from the nearby hallway Professor Xavier appeared, a boy of around her age walking beside him. Rogue had never seen him before in her life – and if she had she would have recognised him, for he was distinctive with dyed blue hair, worn in impressive spikes. His pale skin was set off by the vast amount of black he wore, which hung off of his tall lanky frame in a not completely unattractive fashion. He had a number of strange pendants dangling from his neck, including an Ankh with an eye in its centre.
Despite Rogue was curious as to who he could be, she was rather exhausted and wanted to go upstairs to get changed into her normal attire, feeling strange donning her black funeral dress.
"Rogue," Professor Xavier stated, before Rogue had a chance to rush upstairs.
Rogue stopped at the bottom of the stairs, one foot on the first step, "yes, Professor."
"I'd like you to meet our newest recruit – Jared Rickman," Professor Xavier gestured towards Jared.
Rogue didn't reach out with her bare hand to shake his hand – she was afraid to. The professor had not yet noticed she wasn't wearing gloves – and as of yet, she'd manage to avoid having to do danger room sessions, she didn't need his knowing her powers were on hiatus. "Hi," she said quietly, she tried to sound enthusiastic but her voice was faint, exhaustion and melancholy from the funeral having long ago set in.
Jared gave her a nod, and a slight smile, when Rogue got a closer look she could see his eyes were bright green, but set off by a very slight amount of eyeliner, his lip was pierced, as was his eyebrow.
"Rogue, you aren't busy at the moment?" Professor Xavier queried.
"No," Rogue hugged herself in an almost timid way, she looked to the Professor.
"Jared will be moving into Sam's room, can you show him where that is?" Professor Xavier, "And show him around the mansion – I would, but I have some other things to do."
Rogue could have done without the company, she wanted to be alone, but she gave in, "sure," She nodded, she gestured to Jared, "come on…" she headed up the stairs.
Jared followed her.
"I'm Rogue, by the way," she said, she couldn't even remember if the professor had introduced her or not.
He nodded slightly.
"So…you're one of the new recruits…what's your power?" Rogue asked, she wasn't really all that interested at all, but it beat walking in silence.
Jared looked at her, "what's yours?" he asked, Rogue could detect an accent, but was unsure exactly what it was.
"I asked you first," she said, with a little smirk.
They continued up the stairs, Jared eventually answered, "My body does all sorts of weird things…" he stated.
Rogue took a good look at him, "I don't understand what you mean by that…can I have a better description?" she queried.
Jared stopped midway on the staircase, he looked at her, "It's hard to explain. Your professor is helping me understand it better," he replied.
Rogue suddenly realised his accent was most definitely British, she had to concentrate hard to understand what exactly he was saying, she wasn't used to this accent at all.
"I guess you'll find out eventually," he winked.
Rogue began to head up the stairs, "Well…Sam's room is down here," she reached the top of the stairs and headed down one side of the hallway, she stopped outside of a door, a poster of Superman was on the outside of the door, a little ripped at the edges. "This is where you'll be staying…bathroom is down the other end of the hall," she said, "There's a sign on it, you'll find it easy," she said.
"Is this place always so quiet?" Jared made a face, "it's like a fuckin' church in this place, its so silent."
Rogue looked away, if only he'd known how insensitive his comment had seemed just for that moment, "We had a funeral today," Rogue explained, "everyone will be keeping the noise down to minimum," she added, "out of respect."
"Ah, so that explains why everyone is wearing black. So who died?" Jared asked, leaning on the wall casually, there was nothing nervous or weary of his comfortable ness with his new home already.
"It's not my place to say," Rogue said quietly, "Breakfast is at seven on weekdays, ten on weekends…" she looked at him, she was about to walk away, "any rooms that aren't locked, or that have a security code request are free for your perusal – except bedrooms."
"Aren't you going to show me around?" he asked, he took a backpack off of his shoulder, and dropped it onto the floor, "introduce me to some of your mates?"
"Well I figured you'd rather settle in," Rogue gestured to his room door.
"It can wait," he opened the door and tossed the bag in and shut it again, without even glancing into the room, "show me around."
Rogue felt trapped, but politely agreed.
"So what kind of music do you listen to, Rogue?" he queried, walking at her side as they began to traverse back down the stairs again.
"You go first," Rogue offered.
"Hmmm, Creed, Korn, Papa Roach, hmmm," He paused, counting them off on his finger, "Metallica, but I think their new stuff sucks, I also like Audioslave, Slipknot, Mudvayne, Seether…Oh, a lot of old stuff also, Deep Purple, oh, and Black Sabbath – Ozzy Osbourne rules," he smirked.
Rogue looked at him, "I love Black Sabbath, and Ozzy Osbourne…" she said.
"Really?" He asked, the pierced eyebrow raised, "so what's your favourite songs from both then?"
"Hmmm, well, I kind of like 'War Pigs'," she admitted, they got to the bottom of the stairs, "and 'Iron Man'…"
"How about 'Children of the Grave'?" Jared asked.
"Yeah, that too," Rogue said, "And then there's Ozzy's own stuff…I like 'Shot in the Dark'," she shrugged.
"That's also one of my favourite songs," Jared stated.
"I think Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne totally made music what it is today," Rogue shrugged, "My boyfriend thinks I'm nuts when I say that," she added casually.
"You have a boyfriend?" Jared raised his eyebrow again.
"Does that surprise you? I might look scary but I'm not all that bad," Rogue smirked, she hid her hands in the sleeves of her dress.
"So, is he a mutant too, then?" Jared asked casually.
"Yep," Rogue nodded, "and he goes here…"
"What's he like?" Jared asked casually.
"He's the guy all the girls want and the guy all the other guys want to be like, get what I mean?" Rogue asked.
"No…I don't," Jared shoved his hands into the pockets of his baggy black pants.
Rogue shrugged, "He's hard to describe, I guess…You'll meet him eventually…" She looked at Jared, "so…how about you, got a girlfriend or anyone special?"
"Did have – 'til she found out I was a mutant…" Jared trailed off, "Bitch wasn't worth my time anyways," he added.
Rogue pursed her lips together tightly and didn't comment, she turned a corner to head towards the kitchen, running head on into Remy who had been coming out of there. She bounced off of him and fell backwards into Jared.
Jared gasped as she did, his being totally unprepared for her fall.
Rogue expected to land right into him, and hoped he'd stop her fall, but he didn't, she passed right through him, and as she did, extreme pain shot through her body, almost as if she were being electrocuted at every little nerve ending. Her heart felt as if it were in a vice like grip, her lungs tightened, her head swam, she let out a cry of agony, she hit the floor with a dull thump, Jared fell sideways, landing beside her, another dull thump on the marble tiles.
"Chere…" Remy knelt by Rogue, "what…are you alright?" he asked.
Rogue winced, "Ow…what the fuck was that?!" she demanded of Jared.
"My powers…you passed through me, it…it's what happens when people touch me…" he explained. "Its my power…"
Rogue rubbed her arm, which had collided with the floor, "ow…" she pouted.
Remy helped her up carefully, "you alright?" he asked worriedly.
"Yes…I'm fine," she sighed, she looked at Jared, "Remy, this is the newest recruit to the institute…Jared Rickman. Jared, this is Remy LeBeau."
Remy gave a vague nod, "I'd shake your hand…but…after what you just did when my cherie amour nearly fell into you, I'd rather not," he made a face.
"Sorry…"Jared winced.
Rogue looked at Remy, "You feelin' any better?" she touched his shoulder lightly.
"I'm fine…leave me be, okay?" he asked softly, "I'll see you at dinner," he added, and with that headed off upstairs.
When he was gone, Jared pulled himself up from the floor, "He seems a bit abrupt…"
"He's not always like that," Rogue said quickly to Remy's defence, "why didn't you warn me what would happen if I touched you?" she asked.
"Because I didn't expect you'd go through me in the way you did…" He looked at her, "Besides…" he trailed off, "when people find out they can't touch me…they act all…I don't know…sympathetic…you have no idea of what that's actually like…" he shook his head.
Rogue felt tears escape her eyes, she could barely believe this, finally someone else who knew – knew exactly how she'd felt since the day she'd discovered her mutant powers. "yes….yes, I have…"