Author's note: As always, the characters written about are not mine. Also, I'm not sure how long I'll continue with this story if no one wishes to read it. All I can say is please be patient as this is a slower story requiring character development. Please review.
Xavier's voice droned distantly. Rogue hardly noticed what he was saying, thinking about how to approach him.
How can I start? After all, it was just a dream. But I have a bad feeling about it.
"Rogue," Xavier's calm fatherly voice said, interrupting her daydreams. "What is the matter? You are somewhat distracted today."
Rogue suddenly noticed students already packing up their exercise and text books. Class has already been dismissed and she didn't even know.
Rogue felt embarrassed and apologised, "Sorry Professor."
"Is something bothering you?" he asked. Knowing that he was a telepath, she knew she couldn't escape from talking about the subject – about her dreams. But it has always part of his character to allow people to talk for themselves.
Her eyes stared off into the distance and she licked her lips nervously.
She decided to tell him and confessed, "Its just John. He's just been on my mind lately. It's this dream I've had. I think I need to see him."
Then she rushed on. "Will you please help me?"
Xavier's hand moved the handle on his wheelchair and he turned around before answering her.
"Yes Rogue," he said. "I will help you. But you must promise to be careful."
"Yes," Rogue said. "I think I'll try."
"Okay. Now come with me."
Rogue followed Xavier to the entrance of Cerebro.
The security scanner scanned Xavier's iris before a metallic voice announced, "Welcome Professor."
The metal doors were unlocked to reveal a giant circular metal room Rogue had never seen before.
"Can I come in?" Rogue said as Xavier continued wheeling into the room through a platform.
"Yes," he replied. "Just come in and stay very still."
Rogue just stepped in. The metal doors once again began sliding close.
"Now, please excuse me," Professor Xavier said. "I have to concentrate to find him."
Xavier gently slid on his helmet and closed his eyes.
Rogue stood, waiting, wondering if she could feel anything to indicate his power in action. She couldn't feel anything.
Suddenly, Xavier's hand slid down to the handle to move his chair backwards. His hands gripped the helmet and pulled it hurriedly from his head.
Something was wrong.
Xavier was still clutching at his head. And he had rolled off onto the floor. Unconscious?
"Professor!" said Rogue in alarm. Rogue rushed over to his body and supported his head with her arm. "Is everything all right? Can you hear me? I'm sorry. I'm sorry…"
It felt like eternity before he answered.
"What?" he said slightly dazed. "Yes I can. Yes. John. He's – he's at Stanmer Street. Go. Go find him."
He gradually opened his eyes.
"What happened Professor?" whispered Marie who was concerned.
"It's just his mind," he said as he struggled to return to his wheelchair. "I am afraid something bad has happened. I tried to read his mind but it was filled with…"
His voice mysteriously trailed off. He said no more. But his eyes told the story – they were filled with… sadness.
"Excuse me, Rogue," he said while avoiding her eye contact. "I have a class to attend to."
Rogue followed him out of Cerebro but wondered at what he was going to say which he never said.
Rogue quickly slipped her coat on and pulled it tight around her. She started running to the front door to unlock it when Bobby walked down the stairs.
"Rogue?" he said in surprise. "Where are you going?"
"I have to go somewhere in a hurry. It doesn't involve you."
"What?" he said, walking down a few more steps and frowned. "Where are you going?"
"It's…" she said. "Sorry. I have to go. To see John."
She had almost swallowed those last three words.
Before he could reply, she spun around and disappeared and quietly shut the door behind her, leaving him speechless.
To her irritation, the clouded skies had begun to send a light drizzle upon the earth.
Too bad, Rogue thought. I don't have an umbrella and I don't think I can go in and explain to Bobby right now. He might get angry.
She continued forward, her leather lace up shoes thudding on the pavement. She finally reached the end of a long road and turned left into Castor Road.
And as she recalled, turning right should lead into Stanmer Street.
She walked into the Stanmer Street quite slowly as it was a busy road. Shops were situated at the other end of the street. Kids laughed noisily and rushed past her on bicycles. Shoppers hurried down from one side of the road to another, holding umbrellas, dampened with rain.
Her own coat too, had tiny minuscule water droplets sprinkled upon it and her hair was becoming wet.
So she was distracted for a moment before remembering her mission. Then she glanced around but could not see John anywhere.
Then she saw him.
He was sitting near a clump of bushes, a miniature garden amidst the concrete road. It was under a roof and therefore sheltered slightly. He was sitting on the low fence of the garden, smoking and in the same clothes the day since he left Xavier's to join Magneto.
He was exhaling a puff of smoke when he noticed an additional pair of feet beside him and looked up. She looked familiar. Who was she?
"Rogue?" he said. "Long time no see."
He tapped his cigarette on the side, dropping ashes to the ground.
"John," Rogue said as she sat beside him. Strangely, she felt compassion for him. "What have you done?"
His clothes were becoming dirty and worn. And he smelt of cigarette smoke and sweat like he hasn't washed for days. His hair had become wet and plastered to his head. His shirt was also wet and clung to his skin.
He returned to smoke.
"John," she said more seriously this time. She didn't want to sound so unfriendly but something inside her gave and she commanded, "Answer me."
He exhaled again, allowing the smoke to rise. Rogue covered her nose in disgust.
"Stop it!" she said as she snatched the cigarette away and dumped it on the ground, crushing it with her heel and extinguishing the flame.
"Hey," John started. His eyes were angry and he stood up facing her.
"John," she said to him sincerely and attempted to make eye-contact. "Smoking is bad for you. Quit it."
"It's none of your business!" he said, standing up and then he retrained himself and said in a normal tone, "Rogue. What are doing here? Coming back to tell me how to live my life?"
"No," Rogue said and stood up too to face him. "I came because I was worried about you."
He laughed a hollow sounding laugh. "It's too late for me Rogue."
Rogue tried to look into his eyes but they were aimed at the ground. "What do you mean?"
He glanced at her, grabbed another cigarette from his pocket and lighted it.
Putting it in his mouth, he replied plainly, "I'm getting addicted. Been smoking for at least a month or so."
"Oh John," Rogue said shaking her head. "Don't John."
"I told you already," he said returning the cigarette packet his pants pocket, smoking once more. "It's too late."
Strangely, he had said those words with a sort of sadness and even a tinge of regret. He would not made eye contact and his body was turned away.
"No," Rogue whispered. "There's still time. You can turn back John. It's only a month. What's happened with Magneto?"
"Bad stuff happened," he said as he finally turned around and shook his head. "Let's not talk about it. Look. I have to go and find some cigarettes, maybe a drink…" he said as he turned around.
"No!" she said as he grabbed his arm, exposed flesh, since he rolled up his sleeve, impulsively with her gloved hand. She felt eerily sad, for this young man who had put himself into such a mess. What would she do?
"What?" he said frowning. "Are you going to use your power against me? And call your friends to get me? No Rogue. Let's not do that."
Rogue hesitated and allowed him to twist his arm away. "I'll meet you here next week. Later in the afternoon. That's all I'll promise you."
Then he walked away, leaving her there all alone. Then she looked down at her feet and at once noticed the amount of cigarette butts on the ground. John's cigarette butts. Then she sank to the ground and did some introspection. One thing was certain.
He needs help.