Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 24

Chapter 2: Questions

"Here," Remy said softly as he sat on the edge of Rogue's bed and handed her the glass of water and the aspirin.

Rogue groaned and sat up a little, and took the painkillers gratefully, "god, why is my head aching so bad if I haven't been drinking?" she frowned and swallowed the pills with a large drink of water.

"There's a reason," he said, "but first I think – before you start worrying about that – you should try and recover a little."

Rogue looked over at him, "you look…different," she said strangely, even though the drapes were closed, there was still enough light to see by.

"In what way?"

"I don't know…" Rogue admitted, she couldn't place it, was it his hair, or was it the very slight – but becoming – signs of aging. Remy was almost twenty eight, not too far from thirty. Rogue suddenly realised how long had passed since the day she'd met him. Had it been ten years already? It seemed barely three. "You look a little tired," Rogue then decided.

"I am a little," he shrugged, "doesn't matter."

Rogue looked around her room idly, then sat up a little straighter, something wasn't quite right, at first it didn't really register. She'd been staring around the room several moments before she noted that her favourite perfumes that usually lay displayed on the dresser were gone, replaced with two larger perfume bottles, more expensive perfumes than even she would have bought.

Then the more Rogue looked, the more she began to realise things were out of place. The closet, that lay open, was full of clothes that she was almost positive were not hers. She glanced down to the bed sheets, they were white satin, not the pink cotton she would have there. Even the pillows were different, there were definitely more of them. The books by her bed were not the kind of books she would read – she'd never liked John Grisham as an author.

"Remy?" she asked, her voice quivering as she spoke. She glanced down at her body, the nightgown she was wearing was barely even qualifying as clothing, it was incredibly sheer, she put her arms over her chest as if she thought Remy might be looking at her.

"Hmm?" Remy asked, it seemed a casual response, and yet there was something very on edge about the way he did respond that told her something was incredibly wrong.

"Where's…all…my stuff…" she managed in slow breaths as she tried to calm herself. Things like this were not to be taken lightly.

Remy moved a little closer, he put his hand on her leg, the satin sheets between their skin, "I know you must be close to freaking out right now…" he said softly, "Just…try and remain calm while I explain…"

"Don't…tell me to remain calm…" Rogue pushed him away, as if perhaps this were all his doing, "What the fuck is going on?!" she demanded, she pointed to the closet, "those aren't my clothes, these aren't my books, and THAT is definitely not my perfume over there…this nightie isn't mine, yet…it IS my room…"

"Technically, this stuff is yours," Remy answered softly, "Technically."

"What do you mean technically? Did I just go out and buy this stuff without realising what I was doing?" she asked sarcastically.

"Kind of," Remy looked away, "What's the last thing you remember?" he asked.

Rogue paused, looking away, frowning, trying to remember, "you…running off, your watch beeping…" she trailed off, "and then…I don't know…it's all a blur."

Remy sucked in a breath, "you took some kind of strange…seizure," he decided to leave out the part about Betsy Braddock causing the seizure in the first place. "You were out for a time – almost a day – and then you woke up, and…you weren't you anymore."

"What is that meant to mean?" Rogue asked abrasively.

"Carol Danvers was in control of your body," Remy answered softly.

Rogue shook her head, "Now…it's not possible, I mean…the professor helped me to control her from stopping her doing that…she almost did it before but—"

"Well, this time she got out…and it was three weeks ago that she did…you've been in a sleep-like state in your own head apparently, you didn't know anything of what was going on…"
Rogue put her hands to her face, it was hard to believe this could be true. She didn't understand why it had happened at all, yet she could see by serious of Remy's face that this had to be true. He wouldn't just make something like this up to scare her. And it did seem logical in relation to all the items of clothing and other objects that appeared in her room that she had no recollection of buying.

"You okay?" Remy asked, after having realised she had been terribly silent for several minutes now.

Rogue sat up slowly, pulling her knees to her chest insecurely, "No," she mumbled, she looked away from him.

"What?" Remy inched closer.

"I feel like this is some nightmare I just can't wake up from," Rogue squeezed her eyes shut, "I keep praying that I'll close my eyes, then open them…" she said, after a moment, she blinked her eyes open wearily, "and everything will be fine…my room will be the way I remember leaving it…" she explained, "but…everything's different, god, even you look different."

Remy moved beside her, he draped one of the blankets from a nearby chair over her semi-exposed skin and pulled her to him and held her, "I might look different," he sighed, "but my feelin's have never changed."

Kitty Pryde had been heading towards the girls dorm to tell one of the students a telephone call had come in for her when she heard Piotr Rasputin's voice coming from Illyana Rasputin's bedroom – the one Illyana shared with Alison Blaire.

The door was hanging slightly ajar, and Kitty felt herself compelled to move on further and listen in.

"Just tell me, Illyana, are you pregnant?"

"No, I am not!" Illyana sounded sincerely outraged, and Kitty herself had never heard the young cheerful blonde ever sound so mad. "I can't believe you would accuse me of such a thing!"

"I have suspicions!" Piotr said, his voice ever more hostile.

Kitty moved towards the door a little closer, and gazed in. Piotr loomed over his petite sister almost dangerously, his eyes were wild. I told him she wasn't pregnant, why would he go and just assume she was? Kitty wondered.

"I'm NOT pregnant. Whoever told you I was is surely just trying to be mean!"

"No one told me, I deduced this for myself," Piotr said firmly.

"I'm NOT pregnant," she repeated firmly.

"I want you to prove this. I want you to take a pregnancy test," Piotr said.

Illyana gestured frustratedly at her brother, "I don't NEED to! I have not been NEAR a boy, I cannot believe you would call me a liar."

"If you are pregnant you need not keep the secret from me, I would not think the less of you, I just want to make sure you are given the proper care you need!"

Kitty couldn't stand by and let this happen, she pushed the door open, "Illyana…" she said softly.

"Miss Pryde…I am sorry if my yelling is disturbing anyone," Illyana said, her cheeks flushing scarlet.

"It's not that. Could you, uh, maybe give me and your brother a moment?" Kitty asked.

"But this is my room…" Illyana gestured around her.

"I know, but just for a moment, just until we straighten something out. Could you go tell Theresa that there's a phone call for her?" Kitty asked politely.

"Alright," Illyana said curtly, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Piotr looked flabbergasted, "why did you interrupt? I could have gotten her to admit it…she just needed coaxing."

"Hey, you were WAY out of line with her," Kitty said, she walked over and pointed a finger into his chest, "that was unfair! You have NO proof she's pregnant."

"That's why I want her to take a pregnancy test – there are some in the hospital wing," Piotr stammered.

"I already told you she's not pregnant," Kitty rolled her eyes.

"Then why do you bring up about pregnancy?" he asked. "The questions…earlier today."

"Because I was curious, alright? It was a total theoretical discussion…"

Piotr looked her in the eyes, "you're lying…" he whispered, "you are lying to me, you…you look…uneasy…and something does not feel right…if Illyana is truly pregnant you should tell me the truth."

"For…fucks…sake," Kitty breathed heavily and angrily, "Illyana is NOT pregnant," she yelled at him, "I am, okay!?" she looked at him, her eyes glistening, on the brink of tears, "I am…"

Piotr fell totally silent, stunned, his expression was unreadable, he just stood there, uttering not a word, nor giving any response to indicate what he was feeling.

"I'm pregnant…" Kitty whispered, then looked away, "I wanted to wait until the right moment to tell you but…now I just realise there IS no right way to tell you…"

"How…"

"How isn't important," Kitty responded, "it was long before you and I even got together."

"How long have you known…" he said, his voice shaky.

"Since the night Rogue had the weird seizure – then Carol took over."

"Why…why have you kept this…from me?" he asked, his voice angry now.

"Because I didn't know how you'd react, and I didn't know what I wanted to do…" Kitty stammered, "I…I kept putting it off because I didn't want to hurt you…and Remy kept telling me I should just let it out—"

"Remy knows…Remy knows…You told HIM, but you did not tell me?!" he demanded angrily.

"I…" Kitty tried to respond but before she could Piotr started again.

"He is the father, is he not?!" he demanded.

"No!" Kitty yelled back, "He's just my friend, and I was scared and crying and he was THERE, okay!? He was just there when I needed someone and I told him."

"I am the man you are in love with!" Piotr reminded, "don't you think I should have been the first to know you are pregnant with someone elses child?!" he demanded. "This isn't just some little minor thing that does not mean anything – this is a life changing thing – something I should have BEEN consulted with."

Kitty broke down into tears, "I know…"

Piotr shook his head at her, "I am not sure I can ever trust you again, Kitty. You have been dishonest…" he stomped towards the door, left the room and slammed it behind him, the door rattled, and Kitty fell to her knees sobbing.