There had been nothing else left to say so the room grew to an eerie dead silent state. For the next ten minutes they all ate their food, no one dared to say a word. Rogue didn't even really seem to notice the time go by all she could do was just stare at her food. She didn't feel like looking at them for the moment.
After what seemed like another ten minutes Irene's friend decided she had had enough of the silence and began to speak. " Irene I request that for the remained of the week I have complete jurisdiction over Rogue."
" Of course." Irene answer. Rogue looked up in shock at them. Hold up isn't this my life here? Who said this old hag gets to run it? Rogue thought. But looking around the room Rogue realized that she had said all that out loud. Damit.
" Rogue do you have a problem with this arrangement?" The old woman asked in a gentle tone slowly setting down he cup of tea.
" Yes as a matter of fact Ah do." Rogue said standing up.
" Rogue." Irene warned. Casting a small glace towards Irene Rogue decided to continue.
" Look Ah-" Rogue started but Agatha stood up and cut her off.
" Listen carefully child. I am here of my own free will. My old and dear friend Mystique told me that her daughter was in need of my assistance. I will help you for her sake but we do it my way or not at all. If you have any problems with that then you may return home." The old woman told her and Rogue was a little more then shocked. First off Agatha had called her Mystique's daughter. She knew it was true but she had never heard anyone say it so naturally and freely before. It sounded normal, it didn't sound all that bad. And Rogue hated it. And then there was the question as to why Mystique would do this for her? Sure she was her adoptive mother but they had never been on the same side really. What was there for Mystique to gain in this whole ordeal? Nothing. It wasn't like Rogue was just going to go and join her once this was all over. Hell no. She was going to return to the X-Men. And it wasn't like Mystique and Rogue were going to become all buddy, buddy after this. So what was there to gain Rogue asked herself again? Absolutely nothing.
Rogue really took Agatha's words into consideration. Would it be that bad to live under her rules if it meant that He would be out of her head or at least permanently quiet. Hell yeah it was worth it Rogue told herself but she didn't want the to know, so she was pretty casual about it.
" All right. Ah'll do it." Rogue looked over to Irene and then Mystique both were smiling. She scowled at Mystique, she then looked to the old woman that would be controlling her life for a time. She nodded and then gave a forced smiled.
" We begin tomorrow morning bright and early." Agatha then walked out of the room sending a last glance towards Mystique. There was another long silence and Rogue still stood were she was. Then Mystique slowly rose to her feet. Irene's head tilted towards her direction.
" Rogue I'd like to have a word with you." Mystique asked in a calm and gentle tone. One she hadn't used with Rogue for a long time. It was the tone she had used with her the first night she had joined the brotherhood. Where she had comforted the poor girl, as she tried to figure out who she was. Mystique being the only other one that knew of this but was unknown to everyone else. Rogue had indeed cried herself to sleep that first night because she couldn't figure out who she was and couldn't figure out what she could have done to have mutants like her try and kill her. It didn't make sense to her at the time but after she had absorbed Mystique's horrible and twisted memories of how she had manipulated her into believing all those lies. How she had played her against the X-Men. How she had used her to get information on Xavier. How she had pretended to be her friend. How she had done so many things to ruin her life. When she thought she had started to form a semi normal life, Mystique had to go and ruin it for her. It always led to Mystique.
Though despite all Rogues' raining hatred for her adopted mother she slowly nodded and followed Mystique out of the kitchen. Never looking back. They continued to walk with Mystique leading the way and Rogue not to far behind.
They kept on walking well out of the house and into the small garden that Eve managed to maintain nicely in the front of the house. They stood their for a few moments which to them seemed to last a life time. Rogue didn't really feel like looking at Mystique, it was too painful.
" Why won't you look at me?" Mystique asked after a few more minutes had passed. Rogue crossed her arms and looked at something right past her head. She was still avoiding Mystique's gaze.
" Ah don' know what yar talkin' about." Rogue answered in a surprisingly normal tone. Bravo Rogue told herself, she had almost fooled herself into thinking she
" Oh please." Mystique said sarcastically. Rogue shot her a small icy glare.
" What?" Rogue blurted out.
" Why won't you look at me?" Mystique questioned again in a mediocre voice. Rogue opened her mouth to answer he but found she had no real answer. " You don't see me do you?" Mystique asked quietly.
Rogue slightly nodded. It was true.
" I thought so." She sais quietly. " What do you see then?" Mystique asked gently.
It took Rogue a moment to gather the courage to answer her, but this was what she had always wanted, to tell Mystique how she felt and how much she hated her.
" Pain. Old memories I'd rather forget but Ah can't." Rogue answered still not looking at Mystique but somewhere else. She just had chosen a flower to look at instead. " I somehow manage to see Risty." Rogue choked on the words. Even after all that time she still felt the pain, she still missed her best friend. Sure Remy had somewhat filled that void, but it was still there. There were just some things that girl friends could do with and for you that a guy friend couldn't. You can't really talk to a guy about how you're ticked at men and think there the scum of the earth. Sure she had Kitty there as well, but there was difference. With Risty, Rogue's powers never once really came up in a conversation. It was a nice change.
Mystique just nodded, completely unaware of the daunting thoughts that were floating around in Rogue's head. Rogue still didn't want to look at her, no matter what she still saw Risty, sweet, bad ass Risty. The girl that had seriously helped into opening her up a bit more. The girl that had told her she could do better then all this, the girl that made her feel…wanted for the first time because of who she was, but that girl wasn't real, she was all a lie. And that hurt Rogue more then she really wanted to admit, and it pissed her off that after these six months she still felt such hatred and resentment towards the woman that had tricked her and stole her best friend away.
" I know that it won't mean much to you now. But I feel it's something I need to say." Mystique said quietly, Rogue finally turned to look at the woman that had adopted her and saved her from growing up in an orphanage, the woman that had taken her in because she knew that one day she would have great power, the woman that decided to lie to her for four months into thinking that she was her friend to gather information of her family. The very woman that would sell her to gain the ultimate power. It was all there, in black and white, and she knew that Mystique wouldn't even deny it.
" Okay." Rogue said quietly, slightly rolling her eyes. What now? Rogue thought, was this some favor she needed in exchange for helping her out? Most likely, Rogue thought sadly.
" I'm sorry that I hurt you."
Rogue almost choked on nothing with that statement. She was what? She was sorry? Those were two words she never thought she would hear come from this heartless woman. " Beg pardon?" Rogue asked trying understand her correctly.
Mystique sighed, as if trying to summon the strength to say it again. " In know that with my selfish actions that I cause you more pain then you needed, but please know that I am sorry. It was never my intention for you to get hurt like that." Mystique told her. Something about that whole statement didn't sit well with Rogue.
" So when were you planning on telling me?" Rogue asked quietly, her voice on edge, she would tip with the wrong answer.
" I never had any intentions of telling you." Mystique said after a while. That did it for Rogue.
" You never were going ta tell meh? So what were ya just going ta keep up this whole Ah'm your best friend thing and then suddenly disappear every so often? Were ya just planning to string meh along until she got everything? Making meh feel bad when meh best friend left for God knows where? Was that yar plan?" Rogue suddenly blurted out. It looked as if Mystique was hurt by her words. Good. Rogue thought. She dissevered to feel guilty for all the pain she put her through. For the Hell Rogue lived in for all that time.
Rogue was slightly panting now as she watched and waited for Mysitque to answer. " As a matter of fact...it was." Mystique said in shame. They were silent for a moment, and then as if the thought had just occured to Mystique she raised her head, " I was your best friend?"
Rogue wanted to smack her right then and there. " WAS!" She yelled out and began to walk away. Why should that mattert to her? Was it some small childish victory of hers? Did she want to try and see if she could befriend the lonely Goth? The woman was sicker then Rogue thought she was.
" Rogue!" Mystique called out for her.
" Got to Hell!" Rogue yelled out, not bothering to turn around and face Mystique she just kept on walking, because she knew if she turned around, she would lose it. She was already beging to lose it now. Not just her emtions, but her walls were slipping, and he was feeding off her pain and anger.
" Don't speak to me like that! I'm your mother for God sakes!" Mystique shouted out to Rogue. And that did it. That broke the dam that held back all of Rogue's pent up anger.
" YOU NOT MY MOTHER!" Rogue all but screamed out, her eyes flashed red for a moment.
" YES I AM!"
" THEN FOR GOD SAKES ACT LIKE IT!" Rogue yelled at her, spinning around on her heel to face Mystique. It was slipping, she could feel it, she could feel Him. But she kept on talking. " WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU WHEN I LEARNED HOW TO WALK? WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU WHEN I LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE, WHEN I FISRT GOT MAH FUCKIN' PERIOD, WHEN I GOT MAH FIRST GOD DAM KISS? WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU ALL THOSE TIMES, HUH? MYSTIQUE?" Rogue yelled out to the blue woman, her eyes brimming with tears as Rogue poored out her feelings, every so often they would shine a powerful scarlet color. But she didn't stop, she kept on talking, kept on letting it out, releasing all this pent up rage. And all Mystique could do was listen.
*
*
*
" You think we should stop it?" Irene calmly asked Agatha, Irene sat properly in her usual chair, while Agatha stared out the window and watched the events occur as they were. While Irene had some vison pertaining the event, she still could not tell what the actual out come would be.
" Perhaps." Agatha said quietly, as if she was still debating the subject in her head. " But not yet."
" Yes, I see...well you know what I mean." Irene told the old woman, Agatha smiled warmly fully understanding the blind woman.
" I know." She turned her attention back towards Rogue and Mystique. " The girl is quite strong, she will a become a powerful mutant when she grows up." Agatha observed. " Once she has under gone some decipline and proper training, she will be ready." Agatha trailed off.
" You think so?" Irene asked, she hadn't seen much of Rogue's future lately, the girls destiny kept changing in ways that even she hadn't even expected, but that was Rogue.
Agatha nodded, and even though Irene couldn't see it, she felt it. The old woman had ways of making Irene see with out seeing. " I know so."
*
No I can't stop loving you
No I won't stop loving you
Why should I even try?
*
Mystique stood there taking it all in. She had no idea that's how Rogue felt, she never had cared before. But what was this feeling she felt now? It wasn't a normal feeling that she had ever felt before, was it Guilt? Yes it was. She felt guilty for her actions. Unbelievable.
Rogue looked at Mystique, there was no sign of emtion on her face. Unbelievable. Rogue thought. She hated her so much, she just wanted to strangle her.
Why don't you kill her? He asked seeming to enjoy this little bout of Rogue and Mystique's.
Rogue shook her head vilently. No. She told him, she wouldn't kill her. She didn't know why but she couldn't do it, sure she thought about it, but she would never actually do it.
" Rogue..." Mystique trailed off, not sure on how to respond. " What do you want me to do then?" Mystique asked, it was the only question Mystique could think to ask.
Kill her! Apoclypse ordered her.
No.
Why not? He asked angerly.
Because....
Because why? He asked again.
She's....she's....
She's what? She's nothing to you, all she ever did was lie to you. Apocolypse told her, filling her head with images of all the times Mystique had lied and used her.
When Rogue had gotten her powers, she had changed to look like the X-men, like Logan. Ororo, and Scott. She had made her believe they were going to kill her. Mystique had made Irene tell her to believe that she had a friend that could help her. And she ran to Mystique because she believed it. When she thought that they were pratcing to attack her in their Danger room sesions, though it was true she left out that Scott didn't like it one bit. Then when when she had wanted her to go on the class field trip to get rid of Scott. That plan of her's back fired. Another time, which left the most bitterest taste in her mouth was when she had pretended to be her friend. Risty. To gather information on the X-Men. Like she didn't already know enough, she corupted her life one to many times, she destoryed her home, blew it sky high, and then tried to be her friend once again. And now with all that, she thinks that by getting someone to help her with this five-hundred thousand year-old freak Rogue'll forgive her like that? Dream on.
You see. He told her roughly. All this pain and suffering, we can end it, here an now. He told her.
We? Rogue thought? Since when have we ever been a we? Rogue asked him.
Since I've been trapped in this Hell hole. He yelled at her.
I hate her, but I'd never kill her. Rogue told him, and she knew it was true, no matter what, Mystique was still sadly enough her mother.
KILL HER! I COMMAND YOU CHILD! He shouted out to her, Rogue cluched her head in pain and dropped to her knees.
" Rogue?!" Mystique called to her, Rogue vaguely heard her.
It hurt so much. He was attacking her walls, he was breaking through.
" Go away." Rogue whispered close to tears. " Just leave meh alone." She pleaded desperately. " Leave meh alone."
" Rogue?" Mystique heard Rogue's silent pleas and was not sure to whom she was talking to, though she had a pretty good guess. Everything was so hazzy, Rogue couldn't see. Her breath was quickening, she was having trouble breathing.
" Help her." She heard Mystique order someone. Who was she talking to?
" I can only try." Another voice answered.
You will obey me child. Apocolypse yelled at her, her head hurt like no tomorrow, his voice was just beating down on her. She was slipping away, back into the dark place she had gone when her physics took over, she screamed. She didn't want to go back. She wasn't going back there again. She swore she'd never go back.
Rogue suddenly felt a chilling calmness flow over here, as some ancient lyrics were muttered about her. A quiet whisper in the wind. He was retreating, what was going on? Rogue wondered.
The ancient words continued to flow through her as if purrifing her, she felt a small tingle flow about her as a heavy voice was silenced within her. Slowly she opened her eyes, only to be greated by the warm smile of an old woman. " What happen-"
Rogue never finished her sentence, for she was lost to the darkness.
Mystique walked up beside Agatha, then knelt beside Rogue whom had collasped from pure exahstion. " I told you it would turn out like this." Mystique growled.
" But I needed to see it for myself." The old woman informed Mystique.
" We could have lost her." Mystique said in a cold tone, gently picking Rogue up from the ground.
" But we didn't." Agatha argued.
" But what if you hadn't been able to subdo him?" Mystique cried out, and if you looked closely at her eyes one might have seen a small glient of a few small tears. She clutched onto Rogue as she carried her inside the house.
" I knew the first attack would work. The second will not be so succsessful, he will become immune after a certian point." Agatha told her following Raven in the house. Mystique stepped gently inside the front door and looked around a bit.
" How did it go?" Irene asked from her seat in the living room, she could hear then keenly in the hall.
" It could have been worse." Agatha answered.
" She could have lost her." Mystique answered coldly.
" I am not so careless Raven." Agatha bit out. Raven let out a small sigh in defeat. Agatha was right, the old woman was always right.
" I know. I just-"
" I know Raven. We all know." Agatha told her warmly, smiling as if there argument had never accured. Mystique looked down at the unconious Rogue in her arms. She looked so at piece but how could she with that monster in her head?
" I'm taking her to bed." Mystique muttered trying to avoid there gaze. Even though Irene couldn't see, she still felt it and it as unnerving.
Mystique carefully climbed the stairs with Rogue held delicatly in her arms. The girl had to weigh 110 pound? Didn't they feed her? She wondered. She then came to Rogue's bedroom door and creepily enough morphed a third arm and opened the door. Entering sliently for an unknown reason Raven carefully put Rogue down to sleep on her bed. " Sleep well, my dear." Raven whispered pulling the covers up over Rogue, after removing her shoes.
Rogue slightly sturred and in a drowsy half asleep state of voice whispered in uncertainty. " Huh? Remy?"
Mysique slightly choked. She then did something she never thought she would do, she focused on the vocal patterns and answered Rogue. " Oui chere. Now go t'sleep." She whispered.
" Uhuh. Night Rems." Rogue whispered as she nuzzed her head against the pillow letting out a content sigh. She looked so at peace, as if she were nothing but pure inocence.
Mystique smiled, " Good night Rogue." She answered in her own voice, somewhat heart broken as she brushed a stray strand of hair off her face. She then made her way towards the door. " May God protect you my child." She said for an unknown reason as she took one last look at Rogue before she closed the door behind her.
For the first time ever Mystique no, Raven felt like she really was a mother to them. She was never able to or wanted to really be a motherly romodle for either of them. Not until much later. She was not much for children, but she was one to help teenagers. They were so complex and there problems really weren't problems, just how they reacted and apporched them were the porblem. She loved helping them through it. She didn't have to become a principal at Bayville, but she wanted to. She never wanted to be a terrorist when she was younger, she had always wanted to be a teacher, though when she got the chance she didn't show it. She was to worried how she would look in the eyes of her team. A leader must have no weaknesses.
Realizing that she had spaced out beside Rogue's closed door Mystique quickly hurried down the stairs and into the living room. There was no sign of Agatha in the living room but Irene sat next to the fire place, the gas fire going, and Irene reading one of her many books in brail. " So how was it?" Irene said delicatly, closing her book and placing it on a small coffee table right beside her. She smiled up at Raven, she could sense where she was, a sense she developed once she lost her sight. " Don't worry I won't tell. It'll be just like when we were teenagers." Irene joked, but to Raven it was comforting.
Raven gave off a faint smile. " I felt like I was really her mother, Irene. It was a wonderful feeling that I wish I could have discovered years ago." Mystique said longingly. " But I would not change a thing. My life may have a countless number of problems but I would not change it." Mystique told her.
" Why?" Irene wondered out loud. " What is so great that you would not change?" Irene asked.
" They, Kurt and Rogue, would be completely different people if I would have raised them. I see myself in them, and I am eternally grateful that they have some of my better qualities. Though Rogue is not my own, I see so much of myself in her. I feel conected to her." Mystique explained.
" You masceraded as her best friend for a number of months. Perhaps that is why you feel a certain conection." Irene added. Raven looked over to Irene, for a moment she forgot that Irene could see what had yet to be, of course she knew of her alais Risty. " Of course I knew. Risty was a great influence on Rogue, there was no doubt that I would have seen her." Irene commented smiling. " Almost fainted when I saw that you chose the image you yourself used all those years when you were a teenager." Irene said, strolling down memory lane.
" I always liked being her. Risty I mean." Mystique said, looking into a cup of tea Eve had broughten in for her. " I was someone else but still myself." Raven tried to explain taking a small sip.
" Thank you." Irene said taking the cup from Eve. She then turned her head towards the sound of Mystique's voice. " It still was you. You just had a mask on. I always wondered why you chose to change your whole appearance because of your mutation. But I am glad you continued to got to school with me." Irene smiled as she sipped her tea.
" You would have killed me otherwise." Mystique said letting out a small laugh.
" This is true." Irene joined in the laughter.
As there laughing quieted there was a small calm about them. Raven continued to sip her tea but Irene just oppted for inhaling the subbtle scent. She let on a small smile. " You know I always forget how much I miss my own sight when I'm with Rogue" Irene said longingly out of the blue. " I would have loved to see her grow with my own eyes and not by my visons alone." She said sadly. " Being able to watch your child grow into something you helped mold them into is lifes most greatest gift." Irene preached.
" Are you trying to make me feel guilty?" Mystique asked, rasing an eyebrow at her old friend.
" No." Irene said carelessly. " Just thinking out loud." She chimmed as she look a sip of the tea.
" I know I was a horrible mother towards both Rogue and Kurt. And I know I can never make up for it. But this...this is my chance to at least try and correct all my wrongs." Mystique spoke pastionatly, her eyes reflected that this came right from her heart, something few thought she even had.
" You know this will not bring her with open arms towards you, right Raven?" Irene asked, hoping Raven already knew this was merely a first step of many to even get into her childrens, well at least one of their good graces.
Mystique was silent, she knew, but a woman is allowed to hope. " What do you see lieing ahead of Rogue now Irene?" Mystique asked standing up and heading towards the window. She gazed out intently as if outside her answers to her many asked questions were just waiting for her to find them.
Irene saw that Mystique had abruptly changed the subject on her, she let it slide for now. " I honestly don't know. " She answered smiling warmly while she took a sip of the warm tea.
" You don't know?" Mystique asked turning on her heel to look at the blind woman behind her, and for some reason, she was smiling.
" That is correct."
" How can you not know?" Mystique asked in amazement.
" Because not all things are already planed out for us Mystique." Agatha said calmly walking slowly into the room, joining into there conversation. " Somethings we can not avoid and leave up to fate, while others we are free to do what we will." She said smoothy the entire statement rolling gracefully of her tounge. Mystique gave a faint smile as the old woman joined them.
" Exactly Miss. Harkness." Irene said placing her cup of tea back on the coffee table. " It's a mystery."
" So what of Rogue?" Mystique questioned sitting back down on the couch next to Agatha.
" It is up to her." Agatha answered. " There are two pathes before her, and the journey to chose has just begun."
" No, please, I'm to tired. Talk prose." Mystique asked rubbing her temples.
" When Rogue wakes up tomorrow." Agatha began to answer. " She will have to choices. One stay here and seek counsel and guideness with us. Or leave us here and figure things out on her own." Agatha told her in a more common wording.
" So which will she choose?" Mystique asked, her eyes glancing back and forth between the two other women in the room. Irene then smiled and gave a soft chuckle, Mysitque raised an eyebrow in question to the blind woman. And though Irene could not see it, she could feel Mystique's confusion.
" As I said before Raven. It's a mystery."
*
*
*
TBC...
:
Authors Rant: It's done, believe it or not it's done. "Can't Stop Loving You" Has been completed. And as you can tell there will be a sequal. I am not that evil that I would just cut it off right there. The song just ended that's all and after a certain point I just ignored the song so oh well. Yesterday I heard the song like five times on the radio. It was like a nagging sign to complete this thing. And so quickly after I updated at the begining of the week I managed to turn out the last chapter, like a bunny on crack, Ishandahalf would say. But here it is, I'm sorry if it sucks or if you don't like it. I say tough, I saw no better way to really wrap it up.
Well, not more left to say other then if you want to find out what happens to Rogue and Remy look for the sequel around Thanksgving. No matter what I'll post what I got around then. Or perhaps I will post sooner. But for those of you new to reading my work, you'll soon discover my favorite saying "is better late then never." So I say good bye to all of you that stuck with me till the end. For my first song fic I don't think I did that bad.
I would answer your reviews but I am in no mood today, so sorry. If you really want an answer to questions asked, please email me. I'll repond to your personal emails. Until the next story. I pretty much have this whole thing planed out, it's all locked away safe in my head. I just have to find the key. lol. Well I wish you all well and this story will return around Thanksgiving. Later.
Take Care,
Rogue Star
After what seemed like another ten minutes Irene's friend decided she had had enough of the silence and began to speak. " Irene I request that for the remained of the week I have complete jurisdiction over Rogue."
" Of course." Irene answer. Rogue looked up in shock at them. Hold up isn't this my life here? Who said this old hag gets to run it? Rogue thought. But looking around the room Rogue realized that she had said all that out loud. Damit.
" Rogue do you have a problem with this arrangement?" The old woman asked in a gentle tone slowly setting down he cup of tea.
" Yes as a matter of fact Ah do." Rogue said standing up.
" Rogue." Irene warned. Casting a small glace towards Irene Rogue decided to continue.
" Look Ah-" Rogue started but Agatha stood up and cut her off.
" Listen carefully child. I am here of my own free will. My old and dear friend Mystique told me that her daughter was in need of my assistance. I will help you for her sake but we do it my way or not at all. If you have any problems with that then you may return home." The old woman told her and Rogue was a little more then shocked. First off Agatha had called her Mystique's daughter. She knew it was true but she had never heard anyone say it so naturally and freely before. It sounded normal, it didn't sound all that bad. And Rogue hated it. And then there was the question as to why Mystique would do this for her? Sure she was her adoptive mother but they had never been on the same side really. What was there for Mystique to gain in this whole ordeal? Nothing. It wasn't like Rogue was just going to go and join her once this was all over. Hell no. She was going to return to the X-Men. And it wasn't like Mystique and Rogue were going to become all buddy, buddy after this. So what was there to gain Rogue asked herself again? Absolutely nothing.
Rogue really took Agatha's words into consideration. Would it be that bad to live under her rules if it meant that He would be out of her head or at least permanently quiet. Hell yeah it was worth it Rogue told herself but she didn't want the to know, so she was pretty casual about it.
" All right. Ah'll do it." Rogue looked over to Irene and then Mystique both were smiling. She scowled at Mystique, she then looked to the old woman that would be controlling her life for a time. She nodded and then gave a forced smiled.
" We begin tomorrow morning bright and early." Agatha then walked out of the room sending a last glance towards Mystique. There was another long silence and Rogue still stood were she was. Then Mystique slowly rose to her feet. Irene's head tilted towards her direction.
" Rogue I'd like to have a word with you." Mystique asked in a calm and gentle tone. One she hadn't used with Rogue for a long time. It was the tone she had used with her the first night she had joined the brotherhood. Where she had comforted the poor girl, as she tried to figure out who she was. Mystique being the only other one that knew of this but was unknown to everyone else. Rogue had indeed cried herself to sleep that first night because she couldn't figure out who she was and couldn't figure out what she could have done to have mutants like her try and kill her. It didn't make sense to her at the time but after she had absorbed Mystique's horrible and twisted memories of how she had manipulated her into believing all those lies. How she had played her against the X-Men. How she had used her to get information on Xavier. How she had pretended to be her friend. How she had done so many things to ruin her life. When she thought she had started to form a semi normal life, Mystique had to go and ruin it for her. It always led to Mystique.
Though despite all Rogues' raining hatred for her adopted mother she slowly nodded and followed Mystique out of the kitchen. Never looking back. They continued to walk with Mystique leading the way and Rogue not to far behind.
They kept on walking well out of the house and into the small garden that Eve managed to maintain nicely in the front of the house. They stood their for a few moments which to them seemed to last a life time. Rogue didn't really feel like looking at Mystique, it was too painful.
" Why won't you look at me?" Mystique asked after a few more minutes had passed. Rogue crossed her arms and looked at something right past her head. She was still avoiding Mystique's gaze.
" Ah don' know what yar talkin' about." Rogue answered in a surprisingly normal tone. Bravo Rogue told herself, she had almost fooled herself into thinking she
" Oh please." Mystique said sarcastically. Rogue shot her a small icy glare.
" What?" Rogue blurted out.
" Why won't you look at me?" Mystique questioned again in a mediocre voice. Rogue opened her mouth to answer he but found she had no real answer. " You don't see me do you?" Mystique asked quietly.
Rogue slightly nodded. It was true.
" I thought so." She sais quietly. " What do you see then?" Mystique asked gently.
It took Rogue a moment to gather the courage to answer her, but this was what she had always wanted, to tell Mystique how she felt and how much she hated her.
" Pain. Old memories I'd rather forget but Ah can't." Rogue answered still not looking at Mystique but somewhere else. She just had chosen a flower to look at instead. " I somehow manage to see Risty." Rogue choked on the words. Even after all that time she still felt the pain, she still missed her best friend. Sure Remy had somewhat filled that void, but it was still there. There were just some things that girl friends could do with and for you that a guy friend couldn't. You can't really talk to a guy about how you're ticked at men and think there the scum of the earth. Sure she had Kitty there as well, but there was difference. With Risty, Rogue's powers never once really came up in a conversation. It was a nice change.
Mystique just nodded, completely unaware of the daunting thoughts that were floating around in Rogue's head. Rogue still didn't want to look at her, no matter what she still saw Risty, sweet, bad ass Risty. The girl that had seriously helped into opening her up a bit more. The girl that had told her she could do better then all this, the girl that made her feel…wanted for the first time because of who she was, but that girl wasn't real, she was all a lie. And that hurt Rogue more then she really wanted to admit, and it pissed her off that after these six months she still felt such hatred and resentment towards the woman that had tricked her and stole her best friend away.
" I know that it won't mean much to you now. But I feel it's something I need to say." Mystique said quietly, Rogue finally turned to look at the woman that had adopted her and saved her from growing up in an orphanage, the woman that had taken her in because she knew that one day she would have great power, the woman that decided to lie to her for four months into thinking that she was her friend to gather information of her family. The very woman that would sell her to gain the ultimate power. It was all there, in black and white, and she knew that Mystique wouldn't even deny it.
" Okay." Rogue said quietly, slightly rolling her eyes. What now? Rogue thought, was this some favor she needed in exchange for helping her out? Most likely, Rogue thought sadly.
" I'm sorry that I hurt you."
Rogue almost choked on nothing with that statement. She was what? She was sorry? Those were two words she never thought she would hear come from this heartless woman. " Beg pardon?" Rogue asked trying understand her correctly.
Mystique sighed, as if trying to summon the strength to say it again. " In know that with my selfish actions that I cause you more pain then you needed, but please know that I am sorry. It was never my intention for you to get hurt like that." Mystique told her. Something about that whole statement didn't sit well with Rogue.
" So when were you planning on telling me?" Rogue asked quietly, her voice on edge, she would tip with the wrong answer.
" I never had any intentions of telling you." Mystique said after a while. That did it for Rogue.
" You never were going ta tell meh? So what were ya just going ta keep up this whole Ah'm your best friend thing and then suddenly disappear every so often? Were ya just planning to string meh along until she got everything? Making meh feel bad when meh best friend left for God knows where? Was that yar plan?" Rogue suddenly blurted out. It looked as if Mystique was hurt by her words. Good. Rogue thought. She dissevered to feel guilty for all the pain she put her through. For the Hell Rogue lived in for all that time.
Rogue was slightly panting now as she watched and waited for Mysitque to answer. " As a matter of fact...it was." Mystique said in shame. They were silent for a moment, and then as if the thought had just occured to Mystique she raised her head, " I was your best friend?"
Rogue wanted to smack her right then and there. " WAS!" She yelled out and began to walk away. Why should that mattert to her? Was it some small childish victory of hers? Did she want to try and see if she could befriend the lonely Goth? The woman was sicker then Rogue thought she was.
" Rogue!" Mystique called out for her.
" Got to Hell!" Rogue yelled out, not bothering to turn around and face Mystique she just kept on walking, because she knew if she turned around, she would lose it. She was already beging to lose it now. Not just her emtions, but her walls were slipping, and he was feeding off her pain and anger.
" Don't speak to me like that! I'm your mother for God sakes!" Mystique shouted out to Rogue. And that did it. That broke the dam that held back all of Rogue's pent up anger.
" YOU NOT MY MOTHER!" Rogue all but screamed out, her eyes flashed red for a moment.
" YES I AM!"
" THEN FOR GOD SAKES ACT LIKE IT!" Rogue yelled at her, spinning around on her heel to face Mystique. It was slipping, she could feel it, she could feel Him. But she kept on talking. " WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU WHEN I LEARNED HOW TO WALK? WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU WHEN I LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE, WHEN I FISRT GOT MAH FUCKIN' PERIOD, WHEN I GOT MAH FIRST GOD DAM KISS? WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU ALL THOSE TIMES, HUH? MYSTIQUE?" Rogue yelled out to the blue woman, her eyes brimming with tears as Rogue poored out her feelings, every so often they would shine a powerful scarlet color. But she didn't stop, she kept on talking, kept on letting it out, releasing all this pent up rage. And all Mystique could do was listen.
*
*
*
" You think we should stop it?" Irene calmly asked Agatha, Irene sat properly in her usual chair, while Agatha stared out the window and watched the events occur as they were. While Irene had some vison pertaining the event, she still could not tell what the actual out come would be.
" Perhaps." Agatha said quietly, as if she was still debating the subject in her head. " But not yet."
" Yes, I see...well you know what I mean." Irene told the old woman, Agatha smiled warmly fully understanding the blind woman.
" I know." She turned her attention back towards Rogue and Mystique. " The girl is quite strong, she will a become a powerful mutant when she grows up." Agatha observed. " Once she has under gone some decipline and proper training, she will be ready." Agatha trailed off.
" You think so?" Irene asked, she hadn't seen much of Rogue's future lately, the girls destiny kept changing in ways that even she hadn't even expected, but that was Rogue.
Agatha nodded, and even though Irene couldn't see it, she felt it. The old woman had ways of making Irene see with out seeing. " I know so."
*
No I can't stop loving you
No I won't stop loving you
Why should I even try?
*
Mystique stood there taking it all in. She had no idea that's how Rogue felt, she never had cared before. But what was this feeling she felt now? It wasn't a normal feeling that she had ever felt before, was it Guilt? Yes it was. She felt guilty for her actions. Unbelievable.
Rogue looked at Mystique, there was no sign of emtion on her face. Unbelievable. Rogue thought. She hated her so much, she just wanted to strangle her.
Why don't you kill her? He asked seeming to enjoy this little bout of Rogue and Mystique's.
Rogue shook her head vilently. No. She told him, she wouldn't kill her. She didn't know why but she couldn't do it, sure she thought about it, but she would never actually do it.
" Rogue..." Mystique trailed off, not sure on how to respond. " What do you want me to do then?" Mystique asked, it was the only question Mystique could think to ask.
Kill her! Apoclypse ordered her.
No.
Why not? He asked angerly.
Because....
Because why? He asked again.
She's....she's....
She's what? She's nothing to you, all she ever did was lie to you. Apocolypse told her, filling her head with images of all the times Mystique had lied and used her.
When Rogue had gotten her powers, she had changed to look like the X-men, like Logan. Ororo, and Scott. She had made her believe they were going to kill her. Mystique had made Irene tell her to believe that she had a friend that could help her. And she ran to Mystique because she believed it. When she thought that they were pratcing to attack her in their Danger room sesions, though it was true she left out that Scott didn't like it one bit. Then when when she had wanted her to go on the class field trip to get rid of Scott. That plan of her's back fired. Another time, which left the most bitterest taste in her mouth was when she had pretended to be her friend. Risty. To gather information on the X-Men. Like she didn't already know enough, she corupted her life one to many times, she destoryed her home, blew it sky high, and then tried to be her friend once again. And now with all that, she thinks that by getting someone to help her with this five-hundred thousand year-old freak Rogue'll forgive her like that? Dream on.
You see. He told her roughly. All this pain and suffering, we can end it, here an now. He told her.
We? Rogue thought? Since when have we ever been a we? Rogue asked him.
Since I've been trapped in this Hell hole. He yelled at her.
I hate her, but I'd never kill her. Rogue told him, and she knew it was true, no matter what, Mystique was still sadly enough her mother.
KILL HER! I COMMAND YOU CHILD! He shouted out to her, Rogue cluched her head in pain and dropped to her knees.
" Rogue?!" Mystique called to her, Rogue vaguely heard her.
It hurt so much. He was attacking her walls, he was breaking through.
" Go away." Rogue whispered close to tears. " Just leave meh alone." She pleaded desperately. " Leave meh alone."
" Rogue?" Mystique heard Rogue's silent pleas and was not sure to whom she was talking to, though she had a pretty good guess. Everything was so hazzy, Rogue couldn't see. Her breath was quickening, she was having trouble breathing.
" Help her." She heard Mystique order someone. Who was she talking to?
" I can only try." Another voice answered.
You will obey me child. Apocolypse yelled at her, her head hurt like no tomorrow, his voice was just beating down on her. She was slipping away, back into the dark place she had gone when her physics took over, she screamed. She didn't want to go back. She wasn't going back there again. She swore she'd never go back.
Rogue suddenly felt a chilling calmness flow over here, as some ancient lyrics were muttered about her. A quiet whisper in the wind. He was retreating, what was going on? Rogue wondered.
The ancient words continued to flow through her as if purrifing her, she felt a small tingle flow about her as a heavy voice was silenced within her. Slowly she opened her eyes, only to be greated by the warm smile of an old woman. " What happen-"
Rogue never finished her sentence, for she was lost to the darkness.
Mystique walked up beside Agatha, then knelt beside Rogue whom had collasped from pure exahstion. " I told you it would turn out like this." Mystique growled.
" But I needed to see it for myself." The old woman informed Mystique.
" We could have lost her." Mystique said in a cold tone, gently picking Rogue up from the ground.
" But we didn't." Agatha argued.
" But what if you hadn't been able to subdo him?" Mystique cried out, and if you looked closely at her eyes one might have seen a small glient of a few small tears. She clutched onto Rogue as she carried her inside the house.
" I knew the first attack would work. The second will not be so succsessful, he will become immune after a certian point." Agatha told her following Raven in the house. Mystique stepped gently inside the front door and looked around a bit.
" How did it go?" Irene asked from her seat in the living room, she could hear then keenly in the hall.
" It could have been worse." Agatha answered.
" She could have lost her." Mystique answered coldly.
" I am not so careless Raven." Agatha bit out. Raven let out a small sigh in defeat. Agatha was right, the old woman was always right.
" I know. I just-"
" I know Raven. We all know." Agatha told her warmly, smiling as if there argument had never accured. Mystique looked down at the unconious Rogue in her arms. She looked so at piece but how could she with that monster in her head?
" I'm taking her to bed." Mystique muttered trying to avoid there gaze. Even though Irene couldn't see, she still felt it and it as unnerving.
Mystique carefully climbed the stairs with Rogue held delicatly in her arms. The girl had to weigh 110 pound? Didn't they feed her? She wondered. She then came to Rogue's bedroom door and creepily enough morphed a third arm and opened the door. Entering sliently for an unknown reason Raven carefully put Rogue down to sleep on her bed. " Sleep well, my dear." Raven whispered pulling the covers up over Rogue, after removing her shoes.
Rogue slightly sturred and in a drowsy half asleep state of voice whispered in uncertainty. " Huh? Remy?"
Mysique slightly choked. She then did something she never thought she would do, she focused on the vocal patterns and answered Rogue. " Oui chere. Now go t'sleep." She whispered.
" Uhuh. Night Rems." Rogue whispered as she nuzzed her head against the pillow letting out a content sigh. She looked so at peace, as if she were nothing but pure inocence.
Mystique smiled, " Good night Rogue." She answered in her own voice, somewhat heart broken as she brushed a stray strand of hair off her face. She then made her way towards the door. " May God protect you my child." She said for an unknown reason as she took one last look at Rogue before she closed the door behind her.
For the first time ever Mystique no, Raven felt like she really was a mother to them. She was never able to or wanted to really be a motherly romodle for either of them. Not until much later. She was not much for children, but she was one to help teenagers. They were so complex and there problems really weren't problems, just how they reacted and apporched them were the porblem. She loved helping them through it. She didn't have to become a principal at Bayville, but she wanted to. She never wanted to be a terrorist when she was younger, she had always wanted to be a teacher, though when she got the chance she didn't show it. She was to worried how she would look in the eyes of her team. A leader must have no weaknesses.
Realizing that she had spaced out beside Rogue's closed door Mystique quickly hurried down the stairs and into the living room. There was no sign of Agatha in the living room but Irene sat next to the fire place, the gas fire going, and Irene reading one of her many books in brail. " So how was it?" Irene said delicatly, closing her book and placing it on a small coffee table right beside her. She smiled up at Raven, she could sense where she was, a sense she developed once she lost her sight. " Don't worry I won't tell. It'll be just like when we were teenagers." Irene joked, but to Raven it was comforting.
Raven gave off a faint smile. " I felt like I was really her mother, Irene. It was a wonderful feeling that I wish I could have discovered years ago." Mystique said longingly. " But I would not change a thing. My life may have a countless number of problems but I would not change it." Mystique told her.
" Why?" Irene wondered out loud. " What is so great that you would not change?" Irene asked.
" They, Kurt and Rogue, would be completely different people if I would have raised them. I see myself in them, and I am eternally grateful that they have some of my better qualities. Though Rogue is not my own, I see so much of myself in her. I feel conected to her." Mystique explained.
" You masceraded as her best friend for a number of months. Perhaps that is why you feel a certain conection." Irene added. Raven looked over to Irene, for a moment she forgot that Irene could see what had yet to be, of course she knew of her alais Risty. " Of course I knew. Risty was a great influence on Rogue, there was no doubt that I would have seen her." Irene commented smiling. " Almost fainted when I saw that you chose the image you yourself used all those years when you were a teenager." Irene said, strolling down memory lane.
" I always liked being her. Risty I mean." Mystique said, looking into a cup of tea Eve had broughten in for her. " I was someone else but still myself." Raven tried to explain taking a small sip.
" Thank you." Irene said taking the cup from Eve. She then turned her head towards the sound of Mystique's voice. " It still was you. You just had a mask on. I always wondered why you chose to change your whole appearance because of your mutation. But I am glad you continued to got to school with me." Irene smiled as she sipped her tea.
" You would have killed me otherwise." Mystique said letting out a small laugh.
" This is true." Irene joined in the laughter.
As there laughing quieted there was a small calm about them. Raven continued to sip her tea but Irene just oppted for inhaling the subbtle scent. She let on a small smile. " You know I always forget how much I miss my own sight when I'm with Rogue" Irene said longingly out of the blue. " I would have loved to see her grow with my own eyes and not by my visons alone." She said sadly. " Being able to watch your child grow into something you helped mold them into is lifes most greatest gift." Irene preached.
" Are you trying to make me feel guilty?" Mystique asked, rasing an eyebrow at her old friend.
" No." Irene said carelessly. " Just thinking out loud." She chimmed as she look a sip of the tea.
" I know I was a horrible mother towards both Rogue and Kurt. And I know I can never make up for it. But this...this is my chance to at least try and correct all my wrongs." Mystique spoke pastionatly, her eyes reflected that this came right from her heart, something few thought she even had.
" You know this will not bring her with open arms towards you, right Raven?" Irene asked, hoping Raven already knew this was merely a first step of many to even get into her childrens, well at least one of their good graces.
Mystique was silent, she knew, but a woman is allowed to hope. " What do you see lieing ahead of Rogue now Irene?" Mystique asked standing up and heading towards the window. She gazed out intently as if outside her answers to her many asked questions were just waiting for her to find them.
Irene saw that Mystique had abruptly changed the subject on her, she let it slide for now. " I honestly don't know. " She answered smiling warmly while she took a sip of the warm tea.
" You don't know?" Mystique asked turning on her heel to look at the blind woman behind her, and for some reason, she was smiling.
" That is correct."
" How can you not know?" Mystique asked in amazement.
" Because not all things are already planed out for us Mystique." Agatha said calmly walking slowly into the room, joining into there conversation. " Somethings we can not avoid and leave up to fate, while others we are free to do what we will." She said smoothy the entire statement rolling gracefully of her tounge. Mystique gave a faint smile as the old woman joined them.
" Exactly Miss. Harkness." Irene said placing her cup of tea back on the coffee table. " It's a mystery."
" So what of Rogue?" Mystique questioned sitting back down on the couch next to Agatha.
" It is up to her." Agatha answered. " There are two pathes before her, and the journey to chose has just begun."
" No, please, I'm to tired. Talk prose." Mystique asked rubbing her temples.
" When Rogue wakes up tomorrow." Agatha began to answer. " She will have to choices. One stay here and seek counsel and guideness with us. Or leave us here and figure things out on her own." Agatha told her in a more common wording.
" So which will she choose?" Mystique asked, her eyes glancing back and forth between the two other women in the room. Irene then smiled and gave a soft chuckle, Mysitque raised an eyebrow in question to the blind woman. And though Irene could not see it, she could feel Mystique's confusion.
" As I said before Raven. It's a mystery."
*
*
*
TBC...
:
Authors Rant: It's done, believe it or not it's done. "Can't Stop Loving You" Has been completed. And as you can tell there will be a sequal. I am not that evil that I would just cut it off right there. The song just ended that's all and after a certain point I just ignored the song so oh well. Yesterday I heard the song like five times on the radio. It was like a nagging sign to complete this thing. And so quickly after I updated at the begining of the week I managed to turn out the last chapter, like a bunny on crack, Ishandahalf would say. But here it is, I'm sorry if it sucks or if you don't like it. I say tough, I saw no better way to really wrap it up.
Well, not more left to say other then if you want to find out what happens to Rogue and Remy look for the sequel around Thanksgving. No matter what I'll post what I got around then. Or perhaps I will post sooner. But for those of you new to reading my work, you'll soon discover my favorite saying "is better late then never." So I say good bye to all of you that stuck with me till the end. For my first song fic I don't think I did that bad.
I would answer your reviews but I am in no mood today, so sorry. If you really want an answer to questions asked, please email me. I'll repond to your personal emails. Until the next story. I pretty much have this whole thing planed out, it's all locked away safe in my head. I just have to find the key. lol. Well I wish you all well and this story will return around Thanksgiving. Later.
Take Care,
Rogue Star