Chapter 16:
As afternoon faded into evening, Rogue pushed the large door to the kitchen outward with a sigh and walked into the hall. She had just finished helping the last few younger students clean up and put away their dinner dishes and she was near exhausted after such a busy Saturday.
Typically, weekends around the mansion were quiet and relaxing (at least for the students), but Rogue's duties included more than her studies, and she had been working in the lab with Bobby and Dr. McCoy for most of the day. As much as she disliked kitchen detail, at least it was better than being cooped up in the lower levels for hours.
Rogue stretched her gloved arms up over her head and yawned. The evening light was shining diagonally through the tall windows and throwing long shadows along the floor. As she reached the end of the hall, she could hear the sounds of a loosely organized baseball game out on one of the back lawns.
Strolling out the large back porch doors, Rogue could see about twenty of her classmates, young and not-as-young, spread out next to a makeshift diamond. The day was getting chilly as the sun started to set, and a few still wore jackets when playing outside.
Peter was standing in centerfield, calling quick orders to his teammates, while Kitty and Tracy were sitting in their 'dugout' doing fairly good impersonations of him. Blink was standing on the pitcher's mound, looking a little nervous through his round spectacles, but the other players on the field called to him encouragingly. They usually rotated positions, so each had a turn pitching, though it had been systematically decided last summer that Peter would keep his strong arm in the outfield, which he grudgingly agreed to after breaking the wooden bats of three hitters...in a row.
Rogue walked down a few paces towards the lawn and sat down on the stone steps. She leaned her chin in one palm and smiled softly as she watched her friends. It had been such a long, sad winter for them all, she was glad to see a little life coming back into the school.
After a few moments, she glanced to her left and noticed Kurt perching quietly on the stone ledge that lined the large bricked patio. He was gazing in the direction of the game, but his eyes looked thoughtful and distant. He was crouching, resting his arms on his knees, his hands steepled at the fingertips.
Behind him, the sky was slowing fading to a deep orange as the sun set, and he was silhouetted against the light. He sat almost completely motionless and, if not for the lazy movements of his tail, Rogue could have easily confused him for a dark, watchful statue. She noticed his rosary hanging loosely around his neck, and she knew he was not praying, just thinking.
Rogue stood and walked over to where her friend sat. Out of all the mutants who had come to the mansion over the past eight months, she was still the closest to Kurt. She had spent a lot of time just chitchatting with him, and he always seemed to appreciate every moment of conversation he had with anyone. He had lived in solitude for a long time, and though it had not made him cold or bitter to the world, his long unattended thirst for simple human interaction made him a quick and loyal friend.
"Hey, Kurt," Rogue said as she approached him. Kurt blinked, surprised out of his thoughts and then gave her a bright grin.
"Oh, hello," he replied, "Dinner all finished?"
"Yep, every last kiddo fed," she said, and then grinned, "Including me."
"And most already running it off," he added as the crack of a bat, followed by a small group of cheers, filled the air.
They both chuckled as they watched Kitty Pryde run through the first baseman, whose team suddenly called foul to the 'no powers' rule that most games at the mansion had. Tracy was jumping up and down along the third base, urging Jamie to 'split up, boyo' to earn her team a few extra points.
Kurt glanced over at Rogue curiously, "How was the work with the doctor today?"
Rogue shrugged, "Not too bad. Lots of paperwork for the kids medical charts but he kept us pretty entertained. Plus when we took lil' Melinda down for her check-up, she kept calling him 'Sulley,' for some reason..."
Kurt laughed, "That is from that movie they watched last month. You know...with the monsters and the doors..."
"Oh...right..." Rogue said with wide eyes, "I hope that didn't bother him too much..."
"I doubt it," Kurt replied, still grinning, "He seems like a very understanding man. If I remember, he found the similarity quite amusing himself."
Rogue nodded and looked relieved. She knew many of the others joked about their mutations openly, like Siryn or Kitty, and though it was never malicious, Rogue could not imagine talking about her power in such a way. Even Kurt made the occasional quip about his tail, but for her it was just too difficult.
"Did Storm say when they would be gettin' back?" Rogue asked, and Kurt shook his head.
"No, but I don't think they expected to stay long," he replied, "Ms. Monroe did not say the girl was returning with them."
"Actually, she is," a new voice called. Rogue grinned as Bobby walked up next to them. He slung one arm casually over her shoulder and pointed at the sky.
"Cyclops just radioed from the jet..." he explained, "Said to get a single room ready for a new guest."
Kurt nodded with a smile, and Rogue looked over at the field thoughtfully. With how frequently new arrivals were coming to the mansion, she figured the Professor would need to start building additions to the dorms.
Bobby and Kurt began talking about the training sessions in the Danger Room that had been scheduled for next week. Rogue listened vaguely, and folded her arms. Storm had insisted Rogue also choose a time to meet for training, though Rogue was not sure how the elaborate facility could help her control her power.
She was not like Bobby or Kurt or Peter, whose gifts could be seen, manipulated and made useful. Her gift was not a gift, simply a complicated and uncontainable way to take what did not belong to her.
Inwardly, she almost felt as if her power made her an unwilling thief. And she would not touch someone, not take their very life force, just for the very unlikely chance she would learn a little bit on control. She would not risk someone else's life like that.
Suddenly, a wail from the baseball field drew her from her thoughts. Bobby moved quickly down the steps and across the field, and Rogue followed, hearing from behind her the soft, strange noise that accompanied Kurt's teleportation.
On the grass, Blink was sitting near 'home plate,' cradling his arm and wincing in pain. Kurt was already at his side when Bobby and Rogue caught up. He held the boy's arm and had Blink move his hand experimentally. Kurt patted the boy's head sympathetically.
"Just twisted, I think," he said, "But better go see the doctor anyway."
"What happened?" Rogue asked, and Kitty looked between her friend and the boy with concern.
"He was trying to slide into home…guess he tripped and came down on his arm."
Blink sniffed unhappily and nodded, as Kurt helped him to his feet. The other children had formed a loose circle around the fallen player. Bobby put an encouraging hand on Blink's shoulder.
"Think you can walk down with me?" he asked, and when Blink sniffed and nodded again, Bobby grinned, "Ok, let's go then. Did you at least get to the plate?"
"Damn right he did!" Siryn said, giving Blink a grin as he walked past, "Don't worry, kid, the doc'll fix you up good. Hurry back, though! You're the only pitcher on Peter's team worth spit!"
Blink grinned back and headed up towards the house with Bobby. Rogue touched Bobby's arm lightly with appreciation as he walked past. Standing here, surrounded by her friends, she realized she was happier than she had been in a long time, despite all of her other worries.
"Guess the game's over…let's pack up," Peter said. The sun had set, and the first stars had begun to appearing in the darkening sky. The kids gathered their things and started to head inside.
The lights along the patio flickered to life one at a time and Rogue folded her arms around her and shivered, sadly admitting to herself that is was not quite spring. Kurt was ushering the last few students inside, promising the enthusiastic youngsters to make snacks for whatever movie they planned to watch.
Rogue was following the crowd up to the second floor, when Bobby appeared from the elevator with a much less disheveled Blink and followed by Henry McCoy.
"Well," the doctor began with a grin, "Let's hope that closes up shop for the night. No diving for the popcorn, young man…"
"I'll reach with my good arm!" Blink said before charging up the stairs past Rogue, waving his Ace-Bandaged wrist like a trophy. They heard his pounding steps reach the second floor common room, where he was greeting by Siryn like a returning war veteran.
"Gonna watch the movie with us, Doc?" Bobby asked the taller man, who shook his head.
"No, I have a few things I want to straighten up in my classroom before turning in," Henry said, "But I'll check in on Blink one more time before he heads to bed. Thank you both again for your help today. I'll see you in the morning…"
With that, Rogue and Bobby both said good night to the doctor as he wandered happily towards the school rooms. Hand in hand, the pair headed up the steps together to join their friends.