Hey guys! Shout outs follow.
Kurt: As Tainz's temproary disclaimer, it is my duty to inform you that all recognisable characters belong to Marvel Comics and Fox. Mind you, if it meant I'd get as much pizza as I've gotten lately, I'd happily sell myself to Tainz!
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Kurt was hooked up to an IV to treat severe malnourishment and dehydration but he wasn't in bad shape, compared to most of the other mutants they'd pulled out of the testing factility. Rogue felt horrible that he had been starved for the last ten years, remembering the perpetually hungry teenager af her X-men days. Finally, she took a deep breath and opened the door to go talk to him, rather than staring at him through the window.
He turned a freshly clean blue face to her when he heard the door open. His face split into a huge grin when he saw who it was.
"Hello Rogue."
"Hi, Elf." She nearly choked on his old nickname, but she wanted to get him into higher spirits before she told him. "How are ya doin'?"
"Much better. I have a full stomach for the first time in.... How long has it been anyvay? Three or four years?"
Her reply was so quiet that he had to ask her to repeat it.
"It's been ten years."
His eyes grew wide in astonishment. "Ten years? It vas that hard to find me?"
"Ah searched the whole time. Even when logic said Ah'd never find you, Ah kept looking."
"Vhy didn't the Professor help? Or the others? Surely they tried, too. It vasn't as though I vas in another country." He was watching her carefully.
Rogue hung her head. She'd hoped that he wouldn't ask questions right off. At least not those ones.
"Kurt, things have changed a lot since ya got taken."
"Vell, obviously. I am in a normal hospital, aren't I? I never vould have been able to be here back then. The Professor must be so happy that mutants und humans are getting along." It was obvious to Rogue that Kurt was forcing himself to be like she remembered him, happy-go-lucky. He clearly didn't want her to feel bad, but she could see the decade of torture and pain in his eyes.
"He never knew."
"Was willst du damit sagen? Are you saying that he...he's...dead?" Kurt's eyes filled up.
"Yes. He never even knew that ya were missin'."
Kurt's voice was soft, choked. "How did it happen?"
Rogue brushed her hair back from her face as she watched the jets in her mind's eye, watched her world come crashing to an end. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she started to speak.
"There was an explosion at the mansion. Ah was right outside. Military jets bombed the place out. The others...they never even knew what hit them." She wanted to say more. Like how much she missed them and how glad she was that he was there, but her voice wasn't working and her throat hurt.
Kurt stared at her in silence and she knew what he was thinking. "Then..."
"Yeah. We're the only X-men left." She hardly managed to choke it out around sobs.
"But, Herr Logan... He could survive anything."
"Ah know. Ah thought the same thing. That nothin' could kill him. Ah searched the rubble 'til Ah found his skeleton. Adamantium doesn't burn, y'know." She closed her eyes against the memory of digging through the remains of the mansion and dragging out the shining metal monstrosity. Not a cell of flesh had remained on the bones.
"He was the only one Ah could find anything of ta bury. Ah buried him in the woods at the back of the grounds. No one knows. No one ever even came ta take a look at the damage. The ruins are still there, just as they were last time I was there."
Kurt was crying openly. Just when he thought that he was getting his life back, it had been torn away from him. Rogue wrapped her arms around him and, careful not to touch his skin, rocked him back and forth like a mother comforting a child.
"Ah know. Trust me, Ah know. Ah've cried mahself ta sleep almost every night for a decade. Ah have nightmares."
Kurt was shuddering and shivering as he cried, and Rogue could feel every bone in his thin body through the hospital gown. They sat like that for nearly an hour before either of them spoke again. Anyone passing by would have mistaken them for two scared teenagers. Though Kurt had aged, you couldn't see it through his fur, unless you looked at his eyes, and Rogue, wardrobe and make-up choices aside, didn't look more than a year older than she'd been the last time they'd seen each other. They could have walked back through time into the Institute, and no one would have questioned that they should be there.
Finally, Kurt pulled away. "Vhere am I going to go now?" He wiped glistening liquid from his face with the back of his hand.
"Ah have an apartment you can come ta, if ya think ya can stand mah cat." Rogue understood what he really meant by asking questions unrelated to their friends. He meant that he didn't want to talk about it. He needed time to absorb it and Rogue knew that she had to give it to him. It had, after all, taken years for her to accept the knowledge.
Kurt nodded. "Danke. I should be getting out of here in a few days. I vouldn't vant to end up on the streets."
Rogue stood and looked at her watch. "Oh no! Ah have to get back ta work. Ah'm late. Oh no, Angel's gonna kill me!"
"Who?"
"Kathy Angel. She's in charge of mah team. Ah'm really sorry, Kurt. Ah hafta go."
"I understand. I vill be okay here on my own for avhile."
"Ah promise ta come back when Ah'm off!" Rogue was running out the door before she said the last word.
***
Kathy glared at Rogue, who was staring off into space thinking about Kurt.
"Your actions have been unprofessional and far too personal today."
Rogue shook her head, bringing Kathy back into focus. "Ah'm sorry, what were you saying?"
"If you have a conflict of interest, you should refuse an assignment. You know that that is part of our policies here. You will likely face an inquiry."
Rogue, already emotionally strained, blew up. "How on earth was Ah supposed ta know that Kurt was there? Ah've thought he was dead for a decade! Ah've finally found the one survivin' member of mah family and you want me to "face an inquiry?" How the hell would you have reacted if it were one of your precious little cousins in there? Wouldn't you have been upset?"
Kathy's voice became louder--Rogue's mention of family had touched a nerve. "As I understand your file, Kurt cannot possibly be your brother. I have read your entire history."
"Mah file's a load o' bull Ah cooked up. There's hardly a word of reality in there. You don't even know mah real name."
"You would not have become an agent if that were true. The FBI requires complete and truthful records of your life."
"The FBI wanted ta get mutants working for them so bad, they didn't bother verifying mah records. They just sent me ta see a telepath and they went by the telepath's word that Ah wasn't going ta do anything bad. The telepath told them Ah'd lied on my records, and all they did was ask if there was a good reason. Ah said yes and they shut up."
Kathy opened and closed her mouth a few times. She hadn't expected this kind of response from her underling. "Fine then. Please go do your job. There are four computers in the third room to the left. We need to know who's been funding this operation and how many X-gene positives have come through here. If any of them have been taken out of here alive, we need to know where they are."
Rogue didn't bother to answer, she just marched down the hallway to the computer room, seething. How dare anyone question that Kurt was her brother? Even if Raven Darkhölme hadn't been a "mother" to both of them, Kurt had lived with her at the Institute. That in itself was enough to make her call him family.
Ignoring the ever-present stench of the warehouse, where everything was still being held, Rogue started tapping away at a computer angrily. It only took her a minute to find the most shocking piece of evidence she'd ever laid eyes on. As soon as she saw it, she was sure that this operation was bigger than anything she'd encountered before.
The screen was filled with sums of money. 1000 dollars here, 400 dollars there. In bookkeeping, that wasn't unusual. What was strange was that every penny of it had come from the United States government.
"KATHY! Get in here!"
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Was willst du damit sagen? - What do you mean?/What are you saying?
Shout outs!!!
LadySilverDragon: You wanted more? You got more!
ChaosCat: I'm glad you liked the scene where they found each other. I successfully made myself cry when I wrote it.
Gecko (once again): Marie is a name for a fragile person, I agree. As for Romy, I'll never tell!!!!
Rogue Pryde: I'm glad you like "Kurt Rogue sibling stuff." There will be lots more of it in this!
Gub-man: I hope that the way Rogue told Kurt worked for you. I didn't know how else to do it.
RogueLeBeau: Thanks
Neurotic Temptress: Sorry I made you lose your appetite! Didn't mean to. On the Romy front....I'm not telling. You'll have to keep reading to find out if Rogue ever gets a boyfriend. I was glad she met Kurt too. I just couldn't stand him being dead. When I wrote the original version of the first chapter, Rogue was the only survivor, with no other potential survivors. It was just gonna be a fic about Rogue dealing with the memories on the tenth anniversary, but those damned characters never do what I tell them. When I read back what I've typed, it's usually completely different from what I meant to say!!!
roguehobbit: Sorry friend, but Kitty didn't make it. Only Rogue and Kurt did.... At least, unless I decide otherwise later!
x-silver-saffire-x: It could be why she changed it... I never even thought about that idea. I still can't picture her as Marie! I mean, I'm Taineyah, but I call myself Tainz. My name is de-girlyable, but Marie? I can't picture her parents going "oh how sweet. lets name this independant-spirited, amazingly strong baby Marie." But then, she was a normal baby, wasn't she? Oh well. Either one of us could be right!!! ; )
Beboots: Honey, breathe. That's better. And I promise it isn't finished. There's quite a bit more to go, and there will be a sequel!!
Lucky439: I am continuing, as per your request.
Sigma: I can't believe you think it's so great! I mean, I'm only 16. Surely there are better authors out there for you to read!!
Eclipse (rachlb_30@hotmail.com: I did cry when Rogue found Kurt.
Gecko: I'm glad you like the theory. Can you direct me to some other FBI/CIA stories? Thanks. I haven't seen any others, but I like the idea.
Yumiko: Thanks.
Rogue15: Yay!! you like the name Emily! I'm really glad!!
jacombo: I feel bad for putting the characters in such horrible situations. And things aren't gonna get better very quickly!
R+R and I'll shout out to you!!!!