***

Disclaimer – I don't own X-Men: Evolution

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A scream didn't dare erupt from her throat as she felt her feet leave the ground. Her eyes were squeezed shut tightly as gravity pulled her down to the ground. Her heart raced as she waited for the impact of her body to hit the hard ground of the danger room but it never happened. She opened her eyes almost immediately and looked down to realize she hovered three feet above the ground. With her white fringes in her face, she looked up to see Jean Grey wavering near the ceiling, staring right back down at her. She had her fingertips pressed against her temples as she concentrated hard.

Out of what seemed like nowhere, a laser projected out from the wall and sent a beam at Jean. The red head easily dodged it, but she forgot about Rogue.

"Ow!" The younger female groaned as she fell those three feet. She took the X symbol off her belt as she sat up, wincing at the pain located in her lower back. With the piece clutched in her hand, she charged it up and flung it at the last remaining laser. Knew that would come in handy sooner o' later. She said to herself, smirking as she placed her hands on her hips. "Looks like we're the last two standin' once again, Red." With a nod of the head, her white fringes slightly moved out of her face. "You know the sayin' here: the last one standin' wins."

"I am aware of that." Jean tapped her head, a smile of her own formed upon her pink lips. "But I'm the one flying. I believe you're the one standing, Rogue." And with those words, she hurled pieces of debris at the Southern with her telekinesis powers. She was impressed at how fast Rogue dodged them, in the year and several months the girl was there, her fighting and agility skills had greatly improved.

Stupid advantage. Rogue sent directly at her. Why don't you come down here and fight?

So you can absorb me? Jean almost laughed. But I will lower myself. And she did.

Rogue glanced up at the control room where she saw the silhouette of Logan. Within a minute later, the danger room when dark. Pitch black. Rogue's eyes quickly adapted to the light. She knew Remy had 'cat eyes'; he could easily see in the dark. She slowly walked towards the cautious telepath, knowing she was going to scan Rogue's mind to know where she was. Rogue used her stolen empathy powers against her opponent, sending Jean's own emotions right back at her, which created a shield around her mind, not allowing Jean to enter. She phased through a pile of a small mound of debris behind Jean and slowly climbed up it. Never thought I'd be thankful for Remy's thief skills. She realized as she lunged out at Jean, wrapping her arms around her neck. She brought her bare hand up to the front of her face and lightly touched it.

Jean's eyes rolled up into the back of her head and they both fell to the ground. Rogue landed on Jean, feeling lightheaded with all the new memories circulating around in her head. She slowly got to her feet and groaned slightly at the sudden headache forming between her temples. It didn't help when the lights came back on, seeming brighter than ever.

"Good job, Stripes." The doors slid open as Logan walked in, Cyclops at his heels. "Session over." He yelled and the surrounding debris faded out. The room now looked bare. "I see you're finally learnin' to control the absorbed powers."

By the cost of other's lives. Scott said to himself as he picked up the unconscious Jean. He then blinked and then glanced over at Rogue, knowing she how possessed the powers of Jean.

Yes, I heard that. She said to him, crossing her arms over her chest. Her smirk was back as she stared at him. It took her a minute to realize Logan was still talking to her. Right as she was about to answer him, Xavier's voice broke through her thoughts. Rogue, please see me after your training session with Logan. She raised a brow. If he were a telepath, wouldn't he know the training session was over? I heard that, Rogue. Come to my office after Logan finishes up talking to you. "Oh!" She remembered that she was supposed to be listening to Logan. But when she came to her senses, she realized Logan and Scott, who was now helping Jean to her feet, were on their way out.

"Somethin' wrong?" Logan asked, cocking a brow at her. "Just remember what I said, Stripes." And with those words, he left the danger room.

Of course I'll remember what you said. Rogue uncrossed her arms as she made her way out of the room. You asked if somethin' was wrong, Wolvie. She decided that was close enough; after all, it was what he had said.

***

           "Don't you ever wonder about it, Rogue? How many powers you can absorb? How long they'll last?" The Professor sat in his wheelchair, behind his desk, across from Rogue.

"No." She stated in a bored tone. She didn't look amused. The last thing she wanted to talk about was the reason why she was here; her powers. "As far as I'm concerned, Prof, I get a bunch of unwanted memories and absorb their power." Rogue shifted uncomfortably in the chair. "It's not easy, y'know. Now I can phase through things, charge things, move things with my mind and I'm an empath and a telepath."

"Do you have those powers under control?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "If not, until you do, I recommend you do not absorb anymore powers. We wouldn't want things to get out of control."

She knew he was right; she just got control of Kitty's power. Now, when her alarm clock went off in the morning, she didn't phase through the bed, which actually pleased her. And she didn't charge up the alarm clock when trying to shut it off, which pleased her even more. She went through seven alarms in a week. One a day. The empathy powers never gave her any real trouble, except gave her the emotions of her fellow teammates when she didn't care for them. Now, she had to learn to control telekinesis and telepathy.

"You can do it." She looked up at the Professor, her grey-green eyes meeting his brown ones. "I know you can." He watched her as she stood up uneasily.

"I'm tired." The Rogue explained, slowly turning around. "And I feel like shit. I'm goin' to go to sleep." And with those words she dragged her feet out of the room, telekinetically opening the door for herself.

***

           Dreams.

           They weren't her dreams. They were memories, but they weren't her memories. The stolen memories pushed out her own as she slept, making her relive them.

           She saw Jean flirting with some blonde guy, and Scott glaring at the both of them from behind. She saw a younger Jean meeting the Professor and Scott for the first time. She saw the first time Jean's powers manifested.

           It was like a slideshow of unwanted memories.

           Unknowingly, random inanimate objects in Rogue's room floated around. Her body, even in her sleeping state, was more than a foot above the bed.

           "You guys are too heavy! Have one of you put on weight?" Voices erupted inside her head as she felt herself fall. A scream shot out from her as she plummeted into the darkness.

           Her body fell limply to the bed, and all the objects dropped into their respective places. Rogue sat up immediately as Kitty, Kurt and Scott barged into her room.

           All she could do was stare at them blankly. "Who are you guys?" She asked, her voice no higher than a whisper.

           ***

           Short-term memory loss. Hank McCoy had told them. 'Short-term' was right, considering Rogue blanked out less than a minute later, not recalling to ever asking who anyone was.

           "This is serious." Professor Xavier tried to explain to Rogue, who now sat, once again, in his office.  "Scott and the others said you had specifically asked 'who are you guys?'"

           "Maybe I asked 'how are you guys?' I mean, they did barge into my room."

           "Everyone in the mansion heard you scream."

           "Maybe they were dreamin' 'bout it."

           His dark brows arched up. "Everyone had the same dream that you screamed at the same time?"

           She shrugged. "Maybe." Rogue then sighed and ran her hand through her white fringes. "Prof, it's not my fault that I have a new psyche in my head." She paused, "Well, maybe it is but still. After absorbing a new load of memories, you expect me to be a-okay? Just give me time to adjust!"

           The window behind him that was opened just a few inches shut down. The sound echoed out through the office.

           "I'm sick of bein' called into your office. Just trust me and let me deal with my powers—on my own." She turned on her heel and walked out of the office, phasing through the door while mumbling something about taking a walk.

           ***

           Rogue dragged her feet through the grass as she wandered outside the institute, near the wooded area. Where does Baldy get all this money? She asked herself, pondering the question. Maybe I should absorb him and find out. She shook her head. No, don't think that way. You have enough memories and psyches in your head. She shrugged. I know, but still… It was then that she stopped dead in her tracks and grunted out loudly. "You're goin' crazy Rogue. Not only are ya talkin' to yourself, but you're answerin' yourself." Suddenly, she heard the sounds of twigs breaking and bushes rustling. "Who's there?" She asked, getting in a fighting stance.

           "Just me." A familiar voice purred walking out from the shadows of the trees. Her lower jaw hung loosely when she saw who it was; Gambit. He stood there, his hands in his pockets, an odd smirk present on his face.

           "What are you doin' here?" She asked, not missing a beat. His accent has gotten lazier. She realized, scrunching up her nose in disgust. Sounds like he lost it.

           "The better question is, what are you doing here?" He asked, his red eyes refused to meet hers as he scanned her. "You're no X-men, Marie. You don't belong here or with the Acolytes."

           "Who are you?" Rogue asked, staring at him.

           "I am Remy, petit'." He answered after some hesitation. His accent still didn't seem authentic. But it looked like Gambit, so wasn't it him? It sounded like him, lacking his Cajun accent, so wasn't it him?

           "No you're not." She stretched out her arms, spread out her fingers and using her stolen telekinesis powers, she lifted him up into the air. His weight made her wince; she wasn't used to this. I'll ask again; who are you? She projected to him. If you don't give me a correct answer, I will phase you half way through the Earth. Don't test me. She had attempted to scan his mind—but was blocked.

           "You win." The person stared and before Rogue's every own eyes, Remy transformed into the blue skinned, red haired woman. Rogue immediately dropped her, recognizing her right away.

           "What do you want?" She spat, angrily at the older woman. "And how did you know my name? Did Remy tell you? Did Remy rat me out?" She raised her voice frantically for the last sentence, not wanting to believe he had done that to her.

           "He didn't need to. I know everything about you, Marie."

           "Stop callin' me that!" Who did this woman think she was? "Do you ya think you are?"

           "Raven Darkholme." Mystique smirked at her after seeing her face fall. "I am your birth mother."

           "Lies."

           "Afraid not, Marie."

           "Stop callin' me that!" An invisible force nearly knocked Mystique over. "Kurt said you were his mother. I-if that's true, then he's.. and we don't look.. And you're not my mother! I don't have a mother."

           "Kurt is my son, and you are my daughter."

           "Shut up!" Another invisible force shot out at Mystique, nearly knocking her over again.

           "I can see that you have a temper."

           "I said, shut up!" A force came shooting out at Mystique again, this time this one knocked her back over three feet. She landed hard against a tree, breathing heavily.

           "Irene was right. You are a powerful mutant." She said, her chest heaving as she regained her posture. "Just imagine what you can do when you learn to control all of it."

           "You disgust me." Rogue snapped, fighting back tears. "I'm more than a mutant, y'know."

           "You weren't meant to be." Mystique said hastily. "You're an experiment Magneto and I had decided on after I lost Kurt."

           "What—"

           "Rogue!" A red beam of light shot into the air as Cyclops and several other mutants showed up. "Mystique." He growled as the blue skinned woman changed into a bird and flew up into the sky. He had attempted several shots at her, all of them missing. When she was gone he ran up to Rogue. "Why didn't you call for us?"

           "Are you alright?" Berzerker showed up behind him, concern flashed in his eyes as he scanned her to make sure she hadn't been harmed. "What happened?"

           "I'm not sure." She answered softly as she wrapped her arms around herself. "But I have a feelin'.. somethin' bad is gonna happen." She looked up into the dark. "Soon."

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           Part three completed – December 17, 2003

           Part three revised – December 18, 2003

           A big thank you to my beta reader, hnh.

           Also, may I point out that this is an A/U. I have tweaked powers so if something is different, that's why.

           Kagii, what do you mean by the Pyro anti-good? 'Cause I'm just wonderin'..

           I have an original story? :)

           Anyway, next segment should be up by.. 2004!

           Thank y'all who reviewed. :P I love you ALL. You all deserve cookies. A cookie and ¾! ;)

           -- Aro ^^