Hey! Listen, I know you might be alittle confused with the Romy. All that's happening is Rogue is feeling unsure of this. Next chapter should explain it. Don' worry, it will be out soon.



Strangers



Telepathy





Smokescreen felt herself surrounded by something soft. She felt tired and warm.

'Am . . . am I dead? Am I finally dead?' Just then she heard a bird. She frowned. Slowly, Smokescreen opened her eyes. She was in a large bed. She tired to sit up but felt a stab of pain. She placed her hand on her side. She looked to see the area. It was bandaged. She saw that her chest had been bandaged and the those bandages wrapped on her shoulder. She had a bandage on her check too. There was some wrapping on her arms. Smokescreen lifted the blankets and saw that she was wearing shorts. Her legs had some bandages on them also. Smokescreen then realized that her hair was undone. She started to try and get out of the bed when a voice stopped her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. The doctors said that you should be in bed for another week." Her emerald eyes shot over to where the voice came from. A man stood by the door frame. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. The unique thing about him was the pair of angelic wings on his back. He caught Smokescreen staring at them. "I know, they are strange. I understand that they would-"

"They don't bother. My friend has a similar mutation. Except hers go back into her back and sometimes are demonic." He nodded. "Who are you?"

"I'm Warren Worthington. My mutant name it Angel." Smokescreen watched him closely for a minute.

"Smokescreen." Warren raised an eyebrow.

"What about your real name?" Smokescreen narrowed her eyes.

"Why do you care?" He shrugged.

"Told you mine."

"So?" Warren sighed.

"I'd like to know who is was that I saved the other day." Smokescreen was silent as she thought about this.

"My real name is Crystal."



Alana Heart, better know as Lady Hawk, looked at her companion, Angelic Demon. They were in a limo driving through Chicago.

"How long has it been?" Angelic Demon looked up.

"She hasn't contacted us for several days. But there were reports of a figure jumping from building to building with something after it around the time she disappeared." She watched Alana's expression. There was no change. "But, this is Smokescreen we are talking about. She is always the one to be the loner during a mission like the one she has. She was an assassin, was she not?" Alana nodded, although, her expression remained the same.

"This is very true. This is one of those situations that I do not like. A double edge sword." Angelic Demon sighed and nodded.

"Are you sure?" Alana looked out the window. "Isn't there any other way?"

"No, there isn't any other way. I did not make the rules of this game. I only follow them. Right now is the time to prepare."



Rogue shoved her black sneakers on. It was nearly eight o'clock at night. Blade was still staying in her bed. Rogue sighed when she thought about it. She was going out to buy some food tonight. Nothing much, just a few snacks and such. Rogue passed by a mirror. She paused and looked at herself. She wasn't looking for impurities. Or if she could do better. She was just staring at it. Thinking. Nothing really. Well, maybe something. She looked at herself, trying to figure out what was it about her that made Remy love her but . . . nobody else. If Remy was gone, then no one else would love her. Not in the way she wanted. No matter what, people never cared for her like that. Everyone always had someone. And . . . well, now she did have someone. But she wasn't sure how long till he was gone. Once that happened, she would be alone. And with the way things were going she figured that would be soon. He was the only guy to even look at her in that way. What was so wrong with her that she was rejected by those who might love her in that way? Was it that way she dress? Rogue glanced down at her clothes. She had on some jeans and a black blouse. Her gloves were there, as always. She hadn't put on her makeup. She had been so sad that she didn't want to. Rogue placed a hand up against the glass. She shoved away her thoughts and hurried down stairs. It hurt to think. Rogue tried to drown out her thoughts of love with something else as she made her way to the store. She got everything quickly and paid for it. She walked through the parking lot slowly. She felt water hit her. She looked up confused but was rewarded with more water. It had started to rain. Rogue didn't notice. She continued this slow pace as she made her way home. She had accidentally touched Blade the other day. She only pick up a few recent memories. Enough to know that Smokescreen was at the park and Blade talk to her. She thought of all those words that the two had exchanged. Rogue didn't pay attention to anything happening around her. She ran into someone. Rogue looked up to see the person.



Dixie ran her hand over the railing as she walk down the stairs. Her feet, covered only by her socks, moved gracefully over the red carpet. Her eyes searched over the view in front of her. She stayed back, careful as to not ruin her bright blue dress trimmed with white fabric by the can of paint being held by two other mutants. A ribbon held back her rust colored hair. Dixie narrowed her eyes as she stared at the view. Two mutants were planing revenge. Whatever the revenge was for, she did not know. Nor did she care. The only this she cared about was the person the prank was going to be pulled on. Kurt laughed with Bobby as they thought the prank over. Dixie stepped off of the last step.

"I won't do it." The two glanced at each other and sent her pleading looks. "No."

"But, ve von't stand a chance vithout you." Her eyes remained narrow and her body was ridged.

"I'm not going to." Bobby got down on his knees and grabbed her legs and began to beg.

"Please! We need you Dixie! There is no way we could do this without you!" Dixie pried him off of her and shook her head.

"Look, I don't care if you pull pranks on the rest of us and I cover for you. I don't care if it is a student, a guest, or even an adult. But I do care that you want me to cover for you this time. This is no mere mutant you want to pull a prank on. I won't do it! We'll be killed before we even blink. That's if he's in a good mood before hand! We will die long a painful deaths if he wasn't! And that's if the Professor is there! I won't cover! You want to go down, fine by me, but I'm not letting you take me with you!" Dixie shook her head.

"Please Dixie! If you don't cover, then he will know! We can't run from him!" Bobby was near tears.

"That's my point! I don't care what mutant you pull a prank on! But Wolverine is not a normal mutant! He will mutilate us if you pain that bike neon pink!"

"Neon . . . pink?" A gruff voice asked. The three froze and slowly turned around. Bobby grabbed onto Kurt and the two disappeared. Dixie swallowed and looked up at the owner of the voice in fear. 'Dear god! I am going to die! PROFESSOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Logan stood before her with a mean look in his eyes. "What was that about my bike?"



Green eyes met pale yellow eyes as Rogue stared up at the person she bumped into. He was about the same age as her. He had skin that was paler than hers. He had dark green hair that was a messy but short. He wore an old pair of jeans, sneakers, a tattered brown, short sleeve, button up shirt over an old, white T-shirt. He smiled at her. Rogue stared at him blankly.

"Sorry." She walked around him. He reached out and stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder. Rogue felt herself freeze up. She didn't like being alone with him. It made her uncomfortable. Being close to him made her scared. Something about him made her uneasy. She didn't feel safe in the slightest. There was only a few other people like that. Trask and Sabertooth. Even Magneto made her feel somewhat safe, even though he was the enemy. He would protect mutants from the humans and, even though they were on opposite sides, she didn't think that he was all that bad. He just had a different way of doing things and different ideas for mutants. But that was beside the point. "Something ya need?" He gave her a smile.

"I just wanted to help with that bag." Rogue moved out of his reach.

"No thanks. Ah'm fahne." The stranger's eyes seemed to cloud over for a moment before returning back to normal.

"I'm Gaia." Rogue glanced at him. She didn't like this. Her mind was screaming at her to get away. Her instincts were to drop the bags and run like hell. She was terrified. Terrified of him. Her heart was racing. Right now she was praying that someone would show up. "What's your name?" Rogue's thoughts were chaos.

"Rogue." Rogue felt like slapping herself. Why give her name?! She didn't know. She didn't know anything right now but that she wanted to get away from him. There was too much chaos in her mind for her to call for the Professor. Rogue started to leave.

"Where are you going?" Gaia had started to follow her. Rogue glanced back at him.

"Home. Yeah, mah father's real strick about things. Ya see, last time Ah was with a guy he got the shot gun out." Gaia wasn't fazed by this. "And he let out 15 starving, viscous, fighting dogs out on the guy." Rogue figured Kitty would lecture her about being kind to animals later but right now she wanted to get away. "So bye." Rogue picked up her pace. Gaia stopped and watched her leave. Rogue just about ran back to the mansion.