Title: In the End
Author: Crimson Lipstick
Rating: PG (Will most probably have changed with next chapter)
Category: Angst/Tragedy (Applies more to later chapters)
Disclaimer: I forget to put this in the first chapter. I DO NOT OWN X-MEN.
Summary: Chronicles Rogue's life from the beginning of her downward spiral to her tragic death…
Enchantedlight: I updated this chapter as fast as I could. Hope you like it!
RebelRogue127: You like Rogue's attitude? I'm a big fan of Evolution and I was trying not to make Rouge too Goth like. Anyway thanks for your review!
Feline Fighter: It's good you like it. I hope you like this new chapter.
Albendon: Thankyou very much for your review. I like when it people tell me what they really think. I never said for certain that Rogue was going to kill herself, however I can see how you got the wrong impression. Anyway I've tried to make this chapter a bit longer and I hope you continue reading.
Spectra2: I'm glad you thought that. And I'm sorry if I took long to update, I had many things to do. I'll try to upload at least once a week.
DitaSweetSorrow: Thanks! I did do some research. And thanks also for reviewing my poem :)
Four…
Three…
Two…
One…
BRING!!!
The bell rang. Rogue leapt up and grabbed her bag, ready to bolt out the door.
"Rogue!"
She swore under her breath and turned around to face Scott, who was still standing by the whiteboard. Other students filed out the door; some giving her backward glances.
"Yes, Scott?"
She called all the X-Men by their first names since Liberty Island. To her it seemed that she was almost part of the team.
Almost.
"Could you come here for a moment?"
Rogue groaned involuntarily.
Kitty gave her a sympathetic look, "I'll like meet you outside."
Rouge nodded and silently headed to the front of the classroom.
Scott opened his mouth.
"If it's about mah latest test marks, Ah hardly think a B is anything to worry about," she interrupted him.
Scott sighed, "You got a C, Rogue."
"And?" Rogue gave him a puzzled look.
Scott looked slightly taken aback, "You used to be a straight A student."
"Ah still am," Rouge's temper was rising, "Just because Ah got one B and now one C doesn't mean Ah'm failing!"
Scott looked at her, or at least she presumed he was given his sunglasses "And next time it will be a D and eventually a F."
God! Now Ah know why Logan gets so pissed off with him! Like I got one C! Oh great, now Ah'm sounding like Kitty!
Rogue took a deep breath, "Listen, Scott Ah appreciate your concern and all, but it's only one C. Ah've not – Ah've not been feeling tah good lately, but Ah promise Ah'll try harder."
Scott pursued his lips, "Okay. But Rogue…"
"Ah've got to go," Rogue clipped.
Scott just looked her for a moment. His face was expressionless and Rogue had the annoying feeling that he was trying to read into her emotions. After a lengthy pause he spoke "You may go, Rogue. I'll see you tomorrow."
Rogue nodded and walked out as fast as she could out of the door. As soon as she was in the hall she began running.
And ran straight into Bobby Drake.
Shit.
"Bobby!"
"Rouge," Bobby looked at her, "We need to talk."
"Uh…. Not now, Bobby. Ah'm busy."
"Doing what?" Bobby raised one eyebrow.
Rogue paused and quickly lied, "Ah'm hungry. Listen, Bobby, we'll talk about this later."
"That's what you said last time."
"Ah know!" snapped Rogue, "But you're not the only thing that Ah have on mah mind, ya know!"
Bobby looked at her sadly, "You've changed, Rogue."
He began walking away.
"Where the hell did you get that line from?" Rogue yelled down the hall, "A soap opera?"
She stopped short.
"Bobby!" she called, "Bobby!"
He ignored her and turned around the corner.
Rogue banged her head against the wall.
"Rogue? You okay?" Kitty appeared and quietly walked towards her, "I tried like calling you but you were like walking so fast."
Rogue opened her mouth and closed it, "So you heard?"
Kitty squirmed slightly, "Yeah, I did. But Rogue don't like worry, Bobby's a jerk."
"No he isn't!" Rogue almost yelled, "Ah'm the jerk! Ah am the one who ended the freaking relationship!"
"Ssshh," Kitty held a finger up to her lips, "But he should have like known it was a bad time."
Ah'm lucky Kitty's my friend. Especially since Ah treat her like crap most of the time. Ah really should start treating her like a real friend would.
Rogue paused, "Yeah, Ah guess so."
"Come on," Kitty grabbed her gloved arm, "Let's go and eat something."
Rogue shook her head, "Ah'm not hungry, Kit-Kat and besides Ah have to finish off that essay for Storm."
"You should have done it last night," Kitty reprimanded softly, "You want me to like save you anything?"
"Nah."
"Okay, I'll see you in history."
Kitty waved and walked down the hall and Rogue walked the opposite way. She walked quietly towards the dormitories, noticing how serene everything was. She reached her room quickly and with a bit of a push opened the door.
She headed straight for her desk and started up Kitty's laptop. In truth she hadn't really started the essay, but she had planned it out. Besides, one of the good things about being a straight A student was the fact that one D wouldn't make a huge difference.
She clicked on her user name and typed in her password. While waiting for the laptop to load, she sorted through the many teen magazines that littered Kitty's side of the room. She found one that looked appealing and flicked through it.
In it were girls her own age.
Skinny.
Beautiful.
Wearing mini skirts.
Tank tops.
Halter necks.
Ah knew there was a reason why Ah never read this crap.
Rogue stared in jealously. It was unfair. She would never be like them. Never wear clothes like them. Never have boyfriends she could actually kiss. Never look as nice. Never be as thin.
Never be as thin?
Rogue frowned, got out her seat and inspected herself in front of the mirror.
Ah'm not fat. Though you can't really tell.
She hesitated, pulled of her jumper and then her T-shirt. Standing in just her bra and pants, she stared intently at her reflection.
Rouge glared at the magazines and pulled her top back on.
"Ah don't want tah see this ever again!"
She marched over, grabbed the magazine and flung it out the window. Judging by the heavy thud, she had thrown it pretty hard.
And it was then she realised that the magazine was the latest issue and Kitty hadn't read it yet.
Maybe Ah shouldn't have done that….
She shrugged and turned towards the laptop. The screensaver had come on. Rogue had always hated it; the pipes gave her a headache. Anyway she had a paper to write.
Rogue sat back down and moved the mouse, swearing as the clock came into view.
Despite herself she yawned. She had gotten up early to do her geometry homework and read more of her English book. She could have done it last night, but she was busy doing… well nothing really, but time had gone so fast.
She switched off the laptop and closed the blinds. Yawning again, she lay down on her bed.
Ah'm just resting my eyes till lunch is ovah.
She fell asleep in less than five minutes.
Rogue knocked on the classroom door. With any luck Storm would be in even though it was seven-thirty in the morning.
Rogue had woken up at six o'clock in a mild panic after realising she had slept for a solid seventeen hours. After waiting a reasonable amount of time she had rushed over fully intent on apologizing.
"Come in."
Storm was sitting gracefully at her desk, marking papers. She looked up and smiled
"What is it, child?"
Ah wish she wouldn't call me that. It's bad enough with Logan calling me kid.
"Rogue?" Storm said gently.
Rogue bit her lip, "It's about yesterday."
"I noticed you were missing," Storm said.
Rogue bit her lip, "Yeah, um look Ah'm sorry for missing class yesterday. Ah – Ah lost track of time."
At least that's the truth.
Storm raised an eyebrow, "Doing what, may I ask?"
No you may not! Okay Rogue, cool it. . Pissing off Scott is one thing but messing with the wether witch is another…God! Ah'm starting tah think in third person!
"Ah fell asleep," Rouge said truthfully, "But Ah promise Ah'll make up the work. Ah'll give you the essay tomorrow."
"Is something wrong?" Storm looked concerned.
Yes. Everything. Bobby. Logan. My school work. The fact that Ah can't touch anyone without killing them. It's a good thing ya not a telepath.
"No." It came out almost robotically.
Storm look slightly troubled, "You better go and have something to eat before breakfast ends."
"God, Ah'm starving."
"I'm not surprised," Jubilee put her tray down and sat opposite Rogue and Kitty, "You slept through dinner last night."
"Yeah," Rouge picked up her knife and spread a thick layer of butter over her toast.
Kitty frowned at her plate, "Do you guys think I've like put on weight?"
Rogue snorted and Jubilee covered her mouth with her napkin.
"What?" Kitty sounded hurt.
"I'm sorry Kitty, but you're like a stick! You're anything but fat! I swear it's those damn teen magazines you insist on buying!"
Rogue felt a pang of guilt.
"Ah know. Trust us, Kit-Kat."
Kitty smiled and grabbed the butter spreading a minute amount on her toast, "You can never be like too careful."
Jubilee rolled her eyes but Rogue frowned.
Mah toast is swimming in butter!
"I thought you were like hungry," Kitty gave her a puzzled look.
"She thinks she's going to get fat now," Jubilee sighed, "Good one, Kitty."
"Ah am sitting here!" Rogue said indignantly.
Jubilee blinked, "Oh sorry."
Kitty laughed, "Like Rogue you can't get fat from eating that piece of toast."
"And if you do no one can tell," Jubilee added.
Rogue froze, "Excuse me?"
"That came out wrong," Jubilee apologized, "What I meant was that if you got fat from eating it wouldn't be that much so therefore it wouldn't show."
Yeah right.
"Funny," Rogue said coldly, "I thought you remarking on my clothes."
Jubilee froze, "Rogue, I wasn't. Honest."
Kitty looked between her friends worriedly, "She wasn't Rogue, and even if she like was you do..."
Rogue slowly turned her head and faced Kitty, her eyes unblinking,
It was Kitty's turn to freeze, "… Eat… eat hardly anything!"
Rogue looked at her frostily, "Ah don't appreciate being lied tah."
She slammed her fork down and stalked out of the cafeteria.
Rogue lay on her bed, the blinds closed yet again. Nirvana played loudly over the speakers. Lately she had begun to listen to that type of music. Not the heavy kind, but just things like Linkin Park and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
She was angry at what Kitty and Jubilee had said, but on the other hand neither of them would do anything to intentionally hurt her. Perhaps it was the truth. Perhaps she was taking things a little too seriously.
Perhaps.
But then again, shouldn't they know how sensitive she was? How she hated it when anyone remarked on her clothes or her powers? They should have known and yet they still said that. They couldn't be screwed honey coating every word that came out their mouths.
But why should they? Just because of her? She wasn't anyone special, but she was their friend. They should have known.
Should they have?
After all who was to blame? Their insolence or her sensitvity ?
Knock, knock.
Rogue snapped out of her trance, "Go away!"
"Rogue it's me. Kitty."
God, Ah can't kick Kitty out! It's her room as well.
Rogue sighed and switched off the music, "Come in."
Kitty walked in and carefully closed the door behind her. She sat cross-legged on her own bed and faced Rogue.
"Look, Rogue, Jubilee is really sorry. And I am too. We really didn't mean to like offend you."
"Ah know," Rogue sighed, "Anyway Ah'm not mad at her. Or you. Friends are supposed to tell you things you don't want to hear," Rogue added, trying to hide her bitterness.
"Then…?" Kitty sounded confused and aplogetic at the same time.
Rogue shrugged, "It's sort of hard tah explain."
"Rogue," Kitty began quietly
"So why are you smiling?" Rouge changed the subject quickly.
Ah don't wanna talk about this!
Kitty blushed as if Rogue had picked up on something.
"You know it isn't like illegal to smile."
"Kitty…." Rogue was now curious.
"Okay! Okay!" Kitty grinned and folded her hands in her lap, "I have like the best news ever."
"Lance Alvers sat next you in English?" Rogue asked dryly.
"Yes… but that's not the news!" Kitty added somewhat dreamily.
"Kitty," Rogue said cooly, "Ah'm waiting."
"Well," Kitty paused dramatically, "Logan's back!"
Rogue started laughing. For the first time in what seemed a long time, she laughed.
Kitty stared at her, "What's so funny?"
Rogue hiccupped, "Ah thought you said Logan was back!"
Kitty looked as if she were worried about Rogue's sanity, "He is. I saw him my way to our room. From what I like heard he arrived last night."
Rogue stopped laughing suddenly.
Very suddenly.
"He's – he's back?"
Kitty nodded silently.
Rogue stared open mouthed.
Ah guess today isn't that bad after all…