A/N: Okay, okay, I know! If anyone's reading this, they're wondering what
happened to me. Well, busy, bad computers, side-tracking... here's another
segment and hopefully I'll get back on it! Enjoy (Fay)!
Mirage focused every bit of herself to reach out to Rogue, to release her own energy for Rogue to use. With the energy she had stolen directly from Magneto she now felt herself charged just enough that she might be able to reach out of herself instead of transferring energy by direct contact. She did just that and began by finding and strengthening Rogue's mutation so that Rogue could also accept some of the energy around her, and use that instead of only what she was able to touch. She could feel Rogue begin to absorb and use what she offered, as she used what was given to her by Magneto. Rogue screamed as she felt the energy painfully pulled from her. When she heard the screams Mirage forced herself to look up and focus completely on Rogue, to let nothing else enter into her conscience.
Mirage didn't register when Sabertooth entered the room and began moving towards her. She didn't register Logan returning Cyclops his headgear to blast Sabertooth out of the room. She didn't feel Cyclops grab onto her as Logan was levitated up to Rogue. She did feel her barriers begin to slip. To her it looked as if brick walls were coming apart to free everything left behind them. Her mind showed her bright lights releasing themselves, memories, she felt them all slipping. She saw Logan fighting himself in order to free Rogue from her bonds before it was too late. All she could think to do was give him one more reason. Say one more thing to him before she lost herself. She stretched herself into his mind. Save her. Don't let her go. Remember. Don't let us be forgotten. Please, save her. She let the blackness, the memories of all those forgottens consume her. ************************************************************************
Please save her. Logan heard the voice and felt the desperation reaching out to him. He knew the voice and could only turn in time to see Mirage crumble from her kneeling position. He could only register that she wasn't moving before Rogue's screams drew him back.
"No!" He didn't know if he was crying out for Mirage, Lily, or the fact that Rogue was obviously fading. A white stripe had appeared in her hair. He was about to lose them both. It was enough.
Cyclops' blast broke Magneto's hold, but it was Logan's strength that broke the rotating rings around Rogue and himself. He freed Rogue as quickly as he could and felt as if his heart was crumbling when she went limp in his arms and he couldn't rouse her. He held her close, feeling he had failed at the last thing someone he had loved had begged for him to do. He had failed them both.
Logan's eyes shot open as he realized that his wounds were reopening and he was draining of energy. He fell back, thinking only that he hadn't failed them both. He'd saved the one. He didn't know if he dared to hope for the other. Blackness enveloped him. ************************************************************************
Logan struggled to open his eyes as he felt consciousness intruding upon the soothing darkness. Vague memories of something that needed done, something he needed to do, pulled at him. He felt a touch and caught a hand tightly in his.
"That tickles." Logan's groggy voice caused Jean to smile. She was glad to see him awake.
"Welcome back." Jean smiled softly at the man on the hospital bed.
"How is she?" Jean felt she couldn't be entirely sure of which "she" Logan was referring to. She hoped he meant the one who came with an easy answer.
"She's fine. She took on a few of your more charming characteristics for awhile, but we all lived through it." Logan swallowed when Jean didn't elaborate on the condition of the others who had been injured in the fight.
"And the professor?"
"He's doing well. He woke up two days ago." Jean couldn't help the guilt and pain that entered her eyes now. She knew they all owed the professor's life to Mirage. She didn't know what to tell Logan. She didn't know what he felt for the mysterious woman, all she knew is that she had seen Logan's face when Mirage fell. Jean didn't know how to tell him that she didn't get up. That she might not ever. That her powers were consuming her and trapping her within herself completely.
Logan saw it, he saw the whole truth written on Jean's face, but he couldn't let himself not ask the question. "Lil...Mirage?" Jean swallowed hard and looked Logan in the eyes. He could see the tears threatening to fall as she answered.
"Her guards broke. All the memories she's ever taken were released and, as best as we can tell, she's being consumed by them. She can't get out of her own mind, Logan. And we can't help her. Every time a mutant comes near her...she takes their powers... she exhibits everything without control...none of us can get close to her. Scott's been doing the best he can, since his power has no effect when her eyes are closed. She's releasing memories Logan. Anyone near her remembers anything that connects to them in any way. We remember her Logan...she was here from the beginning." She didn't know how everything came out in such a sure voice. All she knew was that Logan needed to know the truth. Logan closed his eyes as he heard all of this. He let out a deep breath when she was finished.
"When can I see her?"
"Logan..."
"I need to see her Jean."
"I'll take you in a couple of days, if you rest some more now."
"Deal." Logan wearily closed his eyes, to dream of a woman he could hardly remember, or forget.
Mirage focused every bit of herself to reach out to Rogue, to release her own energy for Rogue to use. With the energy she had stolen directly from Magneto she now felt herself charged just enough that she might be able to reach out of herself instead of transferring energy by direct contact. She did just that and began by finding and strengthening Rogue's mutation so that Rogue could also accept some of the energy around her, and use that instead of only what she was able to touch. She could feel Rogue begin to absorb and use what she offered, as she used what was given to her by Magneto. Rogue screamed as she felt the energy painfully pulled from her. When she heard the screams Mirage forced herself to look up and focus completely on Rogue, to let nothing else enter into her conscience.
Mirage didn't register when Sabertooth entered the room and began moving towards her. She didn't register Logan returning Cyclops his headgear to blast Sabertooth out of the room. She didn't feel Cyclops grab onto her as Logan was levitated up to Rogue. She did feel her barriers begin to slip. To her it looked as if brick walls were coming apart to free everything left behind them. Her mind showed her bright lights releasing themselves, memories, she felt them all slipping. She saw Logan fighting himself in order to free Rogue from her bonds before it was too late. All she could think to do was give him one more reason. Say one more thing to him before she lost herself. She stretched herself into his mind. Save her. Don't let her go. Remember. Don't let us be forgotten. Please, save her. She let the blackness, the memories of all those forgottens consume her. ************************************************************************
Please save her. Logan heard the voice and felt the desperation reaching out to him. He knew the voice and could only turn in time to see Mirage crumble from her kneeling position. He could only register that she wasn't moving before Rogue's screams drew him back.
"No!" He didn't know if he was crying out for Mirage, Lily, or the fact that Rogue was obviously fading. A white stripe had appeared in her hair. He was about to lose them both. It was enough.
Cyclops' blast broke Magneto's hold, but it was Logan's strength that broke the rotating rings around Rogue and himself. He freed Rogue as quickly as he could and felt as if his heart was crumbling when she went limp in his arms and he couldn't rouse her. He held her close, feeling he had failed at the last thing someone he had loved had begged for him to do. He had failed them both.
Logan's eyes shot open as he realized that his wounds were reopening and he was draining of energy. He fell back, thinking only that he hadn't failed them both. He'd saved the one. He didn't know if he dared to hope for the other. Blackness enveloped him. ************************************************************************
Logan struggled to open his eyes as he felt consciousness intruding upon the soothing darkness. Vague memories of something that needed done, something he needed to do, pulled at him. He felt a touch and caught a hand tightly in his.
"That tickles." Logan's groggy voice caused Jean to smile. She was glad to see him awake.
"Welcome back." Jean smiled softly at the man on the hospital bed.
"How is she?" Jean felt she couldn't be entirely sure of which "she" Logan was referring to. She hoped he meant the one who came with an easy answer.
"She's fine. She took on a few of your more charming characteristics for awhile, but we all lived through it." Logan swallowed when Jean didn't elaborate on the condition of the others who had been injured in the fight.
"And the professor?"
"He's doing well. He woke up two days ago." Jean couldn't help the guilt and pain that entered her eyes now. She knew they all owed the professor's life to Mirage. She didn't know what to tell Logan. She didn't know what he felt for the mysterious woman, all she knew is that she had seen Logan's face when Mirage fell. Jean didn't know how to tell him that she didn't get up. That she might not ever. That her powers were consuming her and trapping her within herself completely.
Logan saw it, he saw the whole truth written on Jean's face, but he couldn't let himself not ask the question. "Lil...Mirage?" Jean swallowed hard and looked Logan in the eyes. He could see the tears threatening to fall as she answered.
"Her guards broke. All the memories she's ever taken were released and, as best as we can tell, she's being consumed by them. She can't get out of her own mind, Logan. And we can't help her. Every time a mutant comes near her...she takes their powers... she exhibits everything without control...none of us can get close to her. Scott's been doing the best he can, since his power has no effect when her eyes are closed. She's releasing memories Logan. Anyone near her remembers anything that connects to them in any way. We remember her Logan...she was here from the beginning." She didn't know how everything came out in such a sure voice. All she knew was that Logan needed to know the truth. Logan closed his eyes as he heard all of this. He let out a deep breath when she was finished.
"When can I see her?"
"Logan..."
"I need to see her Jean."
"I'll take you in a couple of days, if you rest some more now."
"Deal." Logan wearily closed his eyes, to dream of a woman he could hardly remember, or forget.