Disclaimer: I wish. But I don't, so with much hardship I admit I don't own anything remotely that I wrote about. *sob*

A/N: Yeahhhhhhhhh. I'm Freeeee!! No more exams!!! And holiday time off work. Woohoo. Means I have time to write. Yay. Thanks to all those who reviewed. Would love to hear from you again.

Chapter Seven

Rogue was frowning as she stepped into the suddenly dark hallway. Her thoughts were many states away, encased in the warmth of her homes front porch. Memories resonated in her mind of long lost safety and peace. She wasn't really seeing anything except her memories but she came to an abrupt stop as her brain finally translated what her glazed eyes were showing her.

Her eyes flicked from side to side.

The hallway was unnaturally quiet and still. She strained to hear sounds of life but there was none. Something was wrong. She could feel it. She could feel eyes crawl over her skin, watching her.

Mustering up the courage, she nervously stepped forward into the uncanny calm. She slid her gaze to the luminescent window, the only light source in the corridor. She jumped as a raindrop sharply hit the glass with a crack that reverberated through the hallway.

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped as the heavens parted and the floodgates opened.

Forgetting the eeriness of the hallway, she broke into a mad dash heading for the nearest exit to the gardens. Her only thoughts were of rescuing her beloved book from the brutal punishment of the stinging rain.

Just as she was about to rush through the door, an arm snapped out, caught her around the waist, lifted her off her feet, spun her around and back from the door.

She shrieked and let out a vicious kick to her captors' ankle. Her antagonist let out a grunt but tightened his grip on her. She thrashed around trying to jab an elbow into his stomach. He lifted her and started to walk into the gloom.

Her nightmares came flooding back and the darkness was reaching to claim her as its own. Her assailants arm became an iron fetter, chaining her in place.

She struggled harder, trying not to scream.

The terror of her dreams had followed her into reality. Her mind was screaming denial. It couldn't happen. It couldn't.

She dimly, through the screaming, could hear someone talking but the words couldn't penetrate.

She faintly recognised that her feet were on the floor and the pressure around her waist had gone. Gloved hands cupped her face and eyes stared at her. She stood still in shock, her face white and her eyes shimmering with terror and tears.

A stranger's face stared at her, concern evident in his crimson and black eyes.

"Rogue...Rogue. C'mon Petite, say somethin'."

She shook her head, trying to clear some space for thinking. She slowly grasped the fact that she was free, she was standing in the hallway and no one was trying to hurt her.

"Remy?"

"Chere, y' gave Remy a huge fright. Are y' ok?"

She moved her head free of his hands and stepped back. She looked around and seeing nobody else turned her now frowning face toward the slightly smiling man standing in front of her.

Without warning her fist lashed out and caught Remy square on the jaw. Fury raged through her body and flickered to life in her eyes. She stood above a shocked Remy, who had ever so gracefully landed on his butt. She was trembling with anger and clenched her fists.

"What the hell did yah think yah were doin'?"

"Chere, Remy was jus'."

"Shut up. Just shut the hell up. Don' ever, ever grab me like that again. Don' ever sneak up on me. Ah should kick yah while yah down." She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to do that very thing.

When she was in control and opened her eyes, she found Remy now standing, rubbing his jaw.

"What were yah doin'?"

"Remy found yo' book outside and t'ought he'd return it."

"That's nice, but why did yah grab me?"

"Didn' see any reason fo' belle Rogue t' go outside and get wet. Had to stop y' somehow."

"Yah could've called out."

"Yeah, Remy 'member dat next time."

Rogue shook her head and reached for her book. She missed the look of consideration Remy shot at her.

"So, Petite y' don' like t' get grabbed huh?"

Rogue shrugged, embarrassed. "Ah don' like been touched period."

"Hmmm."

Both contemplated that, neither believed it.

The lights in the hall flickered back to life and drove the remainders of Rogues nightmares away. Remy noticed her shoulders relax and the tension she held drain away. John emerged from the Rec room.

"Mate, excellent you found her. Woah, what happened to your chin?"

"Rogue. She has a sauvage left hook."

"Yeah she does. Wait, Rogue. Have you been beating up on the new guy already?" He grinned at her. "That's not like you."

"Shut up Saint John. Ain't yah supposed ta be studyin'? And Remy yah'll need some ice for your face."

"T'anks fo' yo' concern Petite."

Rogue sighed, grabbed Remy with one hand and John with the other and dragged them both to the kitchen. She slammed open the freezer, grabbed a packet of frozen peas and a teatowel and shoved them both at Remy.

"Sit. Apply ice. Then go annoy someone else. John, you're comin' with me." She caught Johns wink to Remy and scowled. "We're goin' ta the library. Ta study and work."

"Sure Rogue. Whatever you say."

She rolled her eyes and then winced when she realised that she'd done it. Damn it. They were turning her into a nutcase.

"So what'd the Prof want?" John was leaning back on two legs in his chair.

Rogue shrugged. "Nothin' too interestin'."

"Well, you gonna tell or what?"

"Ah jus', well ah might go away for awhile that's all."

"WHAT!" The response was simultaneous.

"Why Rogue? What's wrong? What's happened?"

"Nothin', its nothin'. Don' worry about it sugah."

"Damn it. I will worry about it. What's wrong? Tell me."

John was sitting forward, a frown marring his face. His shoulders tense. Remy tried to catch her eyes. She wouldn't look at either of them.

"It jus'.it might not be safe for me here. Or for you if ah'm here." With that realisation her eyes widened. She hadn't thought about the safety of anyone else. What if Magneto hurt them because of her?

She stood suddenly, knocking her chair over. She looked around wildly, panicking.

"Ah..Ah hav' ta go."

With that she ran out of the room leaving two very worried men behind.

A/N: Sauvage = Wild.