Disclaimer: I don't own no character, no singer, no song used in this fic.
A/N:
My Word died on me…
And my brother won't let me borrow his computer. Something about his thesis being much more important than fanfic (as if!).
Ok, I also made smart use of my time. After much deliberation and soul searching, I decided to write my own version of Impact. The original one's great and perfect as it is, (thanks to Alwaysright1 and Ice Angel for giving me the spoilers!) but I had, like, four versions of this chapter trying to tie it up with the last chapter, but I just can't. Plus, I can't think of a song with a title of Impact (joke)! So here it goes…
And warning! Contains spoilers of Impact.
RockStar
Chapter 10: Basketcase
Rogue.
Rogue jerked upright in bed. "Who's there?"
Rogue.
"I hear ya," she grumbled as she squinted in the dark, as if that way, she would see better in the dark.
Rogue.
"Sugar, stop that. You're not scaring me or anything," with a grumble, she peeled the blankets off her and climbed down the medbay bed. "And don't let me catch you." She shivered as her foot hit the cold floor. "I don't want no more voices in my head, but maybe for you, sugar, I'll make an exception,"
That's right, Rogue, come closer. Come to me.
Rogue grumbled as she took a robe off the rack and shrugged it on.
Come on, Rogue, I'm waiting.
Rogue steamed as she followed the source of the voice.
Come to me, Rogue, and I'll give you your heart's desires.
It was about three in the morning when Logan decided to retire.
Sleeping was the hardest part of his day (or night, whatever!).
It was the time he was most vulnerable.
It was the time when the nightmares would come.
He glanced out the window to somehow calm his troubled soul.
"Stripes?"
He barely had time to pull on his shorts before he took off running outside.
"Stripes, what are you doing here?" Logan saw Rogue's back, her hair, gown and robe billowing after the wind, the moon giving her skin an ethereal glow.
Rogue didn't even turn around to acknowledge him.
Logan caught up with her. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Someone's calling me," she replied in a voice unlike Rogue's.
"You're still not well. Let's get you back to the sick bay," Logan told her as he tried to steer her back to the mansion.
But Rogue's feet seemed to be set in cement. "No. I have to find him."
Logan looked at Rogue's face and almost shuddered at what he saw, or didn't see. Her normally fiery and expressive eyes were dull and empty. It was like there was no one there. "Stripes," he tried to shake her awake. "Rogue!"
"He said that if I come to him, he'll give me my heart's desires," Rogue breathed.
Logan noticed that she was not blinking as well. She's just sleepwalking, she has to be. He was unwilling to believe that she's having a relapse.
Rogue gave a deep sigh.
Then, she collapsed.
Kitty sighed impatiently as she rolled her eyes. "Rogue, like, there is such a thing called overkill, you know,"
"Better safe than sorry, sugar," came the reply from the top of the stairs.
"I think ma chere looks cute," Remy grinned as he slouched near the doorway, looking at Rogue appreciatively.
Rogue mock-glared at him as she adjusted the black Korn shirt she wore over her gray long-sleeved shirt. She also wore her favorite (hence oldest) pair of denim pants that were ripped in the knees and fit her snugly. Biker gloves covered her hand. A thick piece of leather choker (not the same ones Remy gave her) was wrapped around her neck. A cap was on top of her head. Sneakers completed her ensemble. "Is he coming?" She asked Kitty. Though her tone seemed rude, she actually didn't mind the company of the Cajun. He was sort of growing on her. After all, he did keep her company during the days she was cooped up in medbay.
Logan, Xavier, and Hank had decided that Rogue's episode was nothing more than her sleepwalking since it had been a five days since then and nothing happened since. That, or it was an after effect of the Apocalypse incident. Nonetheless, they all decided to monitor Rogue's sleeping patterns. But she was allowed out of the medbay and back into the room she shared with Kitty.
Kitty had planned on going to the mall on the first day Rogue was allowed out of the mansion—Kitty's cure-all for everything. Kitty was bemoaning the fact that Rogue had spent her first week of summer vacation in the Institute and planned an itinerary for the older girl.
Rogue was apprehensive about going into a crowded mall. For the first time in months, her head was clear, and she planned on keeping it that way, to the point of paranoia.
But Kitty had whined about it to the point where Logan threatened to carry the teenage Goth over his shoulder just to shut Kitty up.
Plus, Kitty had planned on buying new clothes, make-up, accessories, and a black wig for Scarlett, since Rogue can't shape-shift anymore.
"He insisted on coming," Kitty told Rogue.
"Oui," Remy bowed down grandly. "Remy's the filles' chauffer-cum-bodyguard for the day,"
"Great," Rogue rolled her eyes as she walked out of the door.
"Oh, yeah, she likes Remy," Remy grinned as he followed his chere out.
"Oh! Look! Look!" Kitty squealed as she pointed to a second-hand thrift shop. "There are a lot of great costumes in there at a bargain price," she said as she started to drag Rogue there.
Remy stifled a groan. This was not one of his best ideas. So here he was, in the mall, with two belle filles. But his feet were killing him, and his arms were sore because of the luggage he had to carry, but still, the two showed no signs of slowing down. He followed them in what felt like the millionth shop of the day. Actually, Kitty showed no signs of slowing down. It seems that Rogue was just happy at how tortured he was feeling.
Once inside, he saw a couch. Gratefully, he unloaded the inhumane amount of bags he was holding and plopped down to rest his weary feet.
"Oh, Rogue, this is soo perfect," Kitty gushed as she pulled out a black and silver skirt from the racks.
Rogue was amused at the younger girl. Though shopping wasn't really her thing, at least someone's getting a kick out of it. That and the fact that the Cajun snake charmer was miserable and getting more so by the minute. Maybe now he'll think twice before inviting himself on one of their trips again.
Rogue suddenly sensed a movement. She instinctively turned and saw a blotch of black from outside the shop. She looked around. Kitty had gone in the dressing room. Remy seemed to be dozing.
Come to me, Rogue. I have all the answers.
Throwing down the costume she was holding, she fled the shop.
"Chere?" A startled Cajun jerked up as she ran pass.
"Chere!" Remy caught up with Rogue outside the shop. He grabbed her clothed arm. "Are you that desperate of getting rid of me?"
"He's calling for me." Rogue tried to wrench his arm off.
Remy raised an eyebrow. "He? Who's he? Should Remy be jealous of this 'he', chere?"
Come to me, Rogue. This is where you belong.
"Let go." Rogue turned to him. "I have to go."
"You're going nowhere without this Cajun, chere." Remy frowned when he saw Rogue's empty eyes. "Chere?"
"Like, there you are!" Kitty cried out as she ran to their direction carrying their packages. "What were you thinking, just leaving those packages in the shop?" She admonished Remy.
Rogue took advantage of Remy's distraction as she shook herself free from his grasp. She then ran towards the shady figure who was beckoning her.
"Chere!"
"Rogue!"
Kitty and Remy caught up with Rogue outside the mall. Actually, Kitty caught up with Rogue, Remy was stuck with all the baggage. And of course, Kitty was no longer necessitated to hide her powers, so she did phased through floors and quite a few shocked people.
"Rogue!" Kitty grabbed the older girl's wrist. "Like, what's up?"
"He's calling me," she replied.
"Who?"
"What?" Rogue's eyes suddenly came to life, and it opened in shock. She looked around. "Are we done shopping now?"
"Who's he?"
"What he?"
"He who's calling you!"
"Who's calling me?"
"That's what I like to know!" Kitty stomped her foot impatiently.
"This conversation is going nowhere fast," Remy commented as he smirked at the two of them in amusement.
"Who asked you?" Two high-pitched, irritated voices asked him.
Do you have the time
To listen to me whine?
About nothing and everything
All at once.
I am one of those
Melodramatic fools
Neurotic to the bone
No doubt about it
Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm crackin up
Am I just paranoid?
Or am I just stoned
I went to a shrink
To analyze my dreams
She says it's lack of –
"Jaime!" Rogue gasped when she saw the youngest mutant in the manor enter the laundry room where she had dragged Bobby's electric guitar and amplifier. She paused in mid-song and mid-strum. She wasn't sure the next lyrics in her song were apt for young ears.
"Rogue," Jaime glared at his friend and mentor. "They were all going insane trying to figure out where you went."
Rogue smirked. Since her so-called episode in the mall (one she can't even remember), the grown-ups had insisted to keep an eye on her at all times. For a loner who valued her privacy, the constant strain of always being with someone else had started to get to her. So she went to the laundry room for some R and R. And to make sure that Logan wouldn't find her, she had turned the volume of the amp on the lowest and had turned on both the washing machine and the drier.
"And Mr. Logan didn't appreciate the trick you pulled."
Rogue grinned. Sprinkling pepper all over the place to conceal her scent was a stroke of genius. That way, Logan wouldn't be able to sniff her out.
"So what do they want?" Rogue asked.
Jamie was mad at her and stared at her in a way that made her feel like she was the lowest scum on the earth.
"Sorry." Rogue mumbled.
"Now get your behind up there and show everyone that you're alright." Jaime lectured her. "And tell Bobby his guitar is OK too."
"Yes, sir," Rogue mumbled as she shrugged off the guitar strap and placed the instrument on its stand. But halfway up the stairs, he heard him again.
Rogue. Come. Now.
Rogue suddenly started running.
"Rogue! Stop it! You're scaring me! ROGUE!"
Kurt trudged through the hallway in exhaustion. It had been four hours since Rogue ran out of Jaime in the laundry room. She was not seen since. He had been porting everywhere trying to find her, but his efforts were in vain.
He had no intentions of resting, but night had fallen and Professor X had insisted that they take a rest and resume their search tomorrow. After all, after Wolverine had sneezed out the pepper from his nose, he was ready to sniff out their current problem mutant.
Kurt sighed as he opened the door to his room. And gasped at what he saw inside. "Rogue!"
Normally, he would have been glad that his sister sought sanctuary in his room. Normally. But not tonight. Because he was harboring…
"What she doing in here?" Rogue demanded as she motioned towards Mystique's statue in the middle of his room.
"I can explain," Kurt began, but then he took an involuntary step back when he really saw his sister.
Her face was devoid of all emotions. And her eyes, though splotchy and red (probably from crying) were empty. This was a girl who looked like his sister, but was nothing like her.
"Don't try to lie to me, Kurt. He had told me everything," Rogue said. "I know all the things that happened. Including what she's done." And added in a much quieter voice, "and what I've done."
"He?"
Rogue didn't reply but simply glared at him.
"Look at her, Rogue, she can't hurt us anymore," Kurt said. "The professor said that he can't do anything for her anymore."
"No!" Suddenly, Rogue's face scrunched up in frustration. Kurt then saw his sister in her. "As long as she's here, she'll always be a threat to us, Kurt! Do you know what she did to you? Do you know what she's done to me? Because of her, I've unleashed the most powerful mutant on earth, Kurt! It's my fault! My fault!" She cried as tears started to run down her eyes.
"I know she did bad things to us, Rogue, but she's still our mother," Kurt said softly as he approached Rogue and attempted to comfort her.
But Rogue shrugged him off. "She is not my mother," she said venomously. She hastily wiped the tears from her face and straightened up. Her face once again withdrew, and once more, Kurt felt that he was looking at the face of a stranger. "Get rid of that—thing, Kurt. Or I would." She said coldly.
"Rogue, it is anger destroyed her. I don't want you going down that path."
"Too late, Kurt. I'm beyond anger now." She snarled as she turned around and took off.
Kurt turned around he had lost her mother. And now, he felt like he had just lost his sister. He looked at the statue and noticed a drop of water trailing downwards. It lands between Mystique's feet. She's crying. "Professor!"
"Stripes."
Rogue bit her lip as she stared into the fountain.
"Stripes, everyone's worried about you," when she didn't answer, he sighed and sat next to her. "Don't let anything get to you,"
"Nothing ever gets to me," Rogue replied.
"I talked to Kurt." Logan said. "It's not your fault." He looked at her. Kitty might have been the daughter he never had, X23 might have been his clone, but Rogue…Looking at Rogue was like looking in the mirror. He, of all people, knows what it's like to be without family, to be betrayed by the people you trust, to be treated as a weapon than as a human being. He knows and he understands what she's going through…
"Why do we have to keep her here?" Rogue's unemotional voice broke into his reverie.
"Professor checked her again, Rogue, at Elf's insistence. There's nothing in there, there's nothing more we could do for her." Logan replied. "But the statue being here gives Kurt hope, kid. We can't take that away from him."
"Well, good riddance to her," Rogue sneered as she stood up and walked away.
Kurt stands with the Mystique statue in the pavillion. He had just talked with Wanda in the brotherhood house. She was his last hope. He looked down the cliff on the side of the pavilion. It was the only place that was far enough from Wolverine's nose.
Then, Kurt saw a figure walking the path leading to him. When the light hit the figure, he saw a woman, she was probably Agatha Harkness. Kurt didn't say anything when she arrived. Neither did she. She just touched Mystique's cheeks.
"Can you do anything to help her?" Kurt couldn't help but ask, finally breaking the silence.
"I can't." Agatha replied. "But she can,"
"She?" Kurt frowned in confusion.
From the darkness, Rogue stepped forward and joined their little tête-à-tête.
"Touch her," Agatha told Rogue. "Only you can release her from her imprisonment."
"Please, Rogue," Kurt begged.
"No." Rogue said shortly, her fury registering in the depths of her emerald eyes. She turned around and walked off.
"Do it, Rogue," Kurt's voice had risen in anger. "Do it and prove that you're nothing like her."
Rogue stopped and paused hesitantly. She turned back and started walking back. She removed her gloves as she was walking. She paused in front of Mystique. They were face to face, eye to eye.
Kurt held his breath. Finally.
Then, Rogue screamed as she pushed Mystique off the pavilion, down the cliff.
"No!" Kurt gasped as he jumped after the statue. He ported on and off. And as he finally touched the ground, all he saw was the pieces of clay that used to be his mother. "Mother!" He started crying.
Tears fell down Rogue's face as well.
Come, child. It is time.
Agatha sighs as Rogue walks down the darkened pathway.
~tbc
P.S.
I know, I know. It's a rip-off of the Impact episode, but it was so kick-ass I just had to write it in. =)
OK, so here are my answers to reviews!
A shout out to the following: I'm an Angry Gumball (I like your name…anyway, thanks!), ChaosCat (And here I was thinking that I was hiding my lack of plot really well. ^^ Thanks for the suggestions. I am bringing Apocalypse in…so I hope I can finally get my act together.), Alwaysright1 (Oh, thank you! Thank you! You are a lifesaver! And Apocalypse being cute…hmm…I didn't notice…but will be checking on that one. I soo love cute guys drools), Suzaka (Oh, thanks. I apologize for the tenses. English is not my native tongue.), Destiny Phoenix (Dances around insanely. Someone found me cute! Oh. You mean the story blushes thanks.), Thunderfox 150 (thanks. I'm taking the Beatles thing under consideration. Oh, an army of umbrellas? Can I have one? I broke mine recently ^^), Holy-Psychic-Vulpix (thanks, I really try to), tabbyg (thanks, you flatter me =) ooh. A you want to become a nurse, I have a cousin who's also a nursing student, she says it's hard but the rewards are great. So hang in there!), underestimated-gurl (gracias. It would've come out sooner, but this is, like, the fourth version I wrote of this chapter. Somehow, I cannot finish the other three), jskullguy (yeah. I know. Bad Rogue. shakes head in disappointment she's been pushed over the edge. I still say it's Mystique's fault. Though, I bemoan her and Kurt's relationship.), Carla-p (oh! So sorry! I thought that our country gets the most delayed episodes of Xmen evo. Um, if you like, I can recommend some great sites where you can read spoilers.), Yumiko (yup, Remy knows Rogue is Scarlett, but Rogue doesn't know that Remy knows. Plus after all the Apocalypse thing, Rogue had forgotten about Remy flirting with Scarlett. But now, Rogue knows everything. To be expounded on more next chapter), chickenmastah (thanks, but I would be a trifle delayed in updating stuff. Finals is around the corner and I've got another fic on-going. Sorry), Aak-chan (here's more!^^ it's nice to be wanted), Denial (thanks. I know that the Xmen movieverse gave Rogue the name Marie, but I wasn't aware that it was her actual name in the comic- and cartoon-verse. A lot of people in the review board informed me that Rogue's real name was never revealed in the comics though they were giving hints about it, so I was really curious whether they finally gave her real name, but I guess the writers are still keeping us in suspense), UnknownSource (thanks. Scarlett's now on a break, though she'll resurrect in the next chap. And there'll be a lot of finger-pointing, and quipping and grumbling, between the men and the boys next chap.), Caliente (I have an easy explanation as to why Rogue forgave Remy easily—she forgot about it. But rest assured that Rogue now knows everything, including Remy's, um, innocent flirting with Scarlett. Hah!), Lady Starlight so kiss my ass (hmm. Seems like a lot of people are on to me. OK, so I do have a little plot problem. But I'm trying to fix it as good as I can. Look! I have the Rogue-going-insane thingy. Oh, and sorry about you not seeing DH. Patience, my dear. It'll come. I also missed the episode the first time it aired in our country. And that ended up in a two-sided screaming match between me and my brother. Oh, well. Me rambling now…), and ishidahalf (the first part was originally written without Remy in it…then I read your review. I was, like, ish's gonna kill me if Remy doesn't make an appearance. So here he is). Hope to hear from you guys again!