I met with the professor in the Danger Room right after lunch and attempted
to control my powers.
"Just concentrate on try to force the energy from your hands." The professor said as if it was the easiest thing in the world. I nodded and put my hands out in front of me so I wouldn't light my pants on fire if anything happened, nothing did. "Take a deep breath and try again."
For the next hour I tried and tried but nothing happened, in-between each attempt I took a deep breath in order to keep my temper in check. But by the end of the hour I was ready to scream.
"Just once more Kaley, then we'll take a break." He said in the calmest of all voices.
That threw me over the edge and I screamed at the top of my lungs, flames burst from my palms toward the stupid target and left it as ashes. Plus the sprinklers on the ceiling came on and drenched my new black tank top.
"Good well, now that we've realized what triggers your powers we can work on that. However I think it would be wise for you to take a break." He said in a totally calm voice that made me giggle. He was soaking wet too, but the calm expression on his face and his shiny head was too much to take. He left me laughing, I laughed even harder when the wheels on his wheelchair started to squeak.
A while later I left the Danger Room and went to the Game Room where everyone was sitting around doing nothing, just a regular summer day. Once again I challenged Jubilee to play a game of pool with me, for money. In the back of my mind I wondered if she would ever learn that I was better than she was and there was nothing she could do about it.
I was about to call the pocket for the eight ball when Mama walked in, everyone stopped and looked from me to her and then from her to me. The tension level in the room skyrocketed but I shook my head at all of them.
"You wan' next game?" I asked smiling devilishly, everyone's jaws dropped at the same time. I leant on my pool cue and raised my eyebrows waiting for a response.
"If ya want' lose shugah." Mama said and joined Jean on the couch. I laughed at that; not even Papa could beat me anymore.
"Dis won' take long." I said and grinned at Jubilee as I bent down to take my shot. "Eight ball, corner pocket." For dramatic effect I shut my eyes and smiled as I heard the ball go into the pocket. Once again I walked over to the corner of the table and picked up the pile of bills that was laid there. I was about to put it in my pocket when it was forced from my hand.
"Kaley what have I told you about keeping Jubilee's money?" the professor said handing the money back to Jubilee. I glared.
"Earned it fair an' square." I grumbled under my breath. How did he always seem to show up when I was winning money?
"I'm psychic." The professor deadpanned and I laughed out loud. "Now, I've decided that since you have already destroyed one of my good suits that we should take today off, that should be long enough for Hank to disarm the sprinklers."
I snickered at the professor and turned to face everyone. "Who's next?"
"Ah think ah had next game." She said standing up and taking the pool cue from Jubilee. Unfortunately no one warned me that she was a pool shark. Luckily since the professor was in the room so I didn't lose any of my money.
Papa walked in as she sunk the eight ball, with the cue behind her back. I glared and he laughed.
"Did no one tell you dat Rogue is pool playa extrodinaire cherie?" Papa said, I shook my head and he laughed some more. "Come on, we play cards oui?"
I nodded happily and followed Papa to a table where some other people we re assembled. I smiled as Rogue sat down with us at the table.
"You play cards too?" I asked with one eyebrow raised inquisitively, she nodded. "Der anyt'ing you don' do?" Everyone at the table laughed, obviously realizing that I wasn't in the midst of my temper tantrum anymore.
I laughed again when I beat Papa for the third time in a row. He glared at me, but the smile in the corner of his mouth assured me that he wasn't actually mad. I saw Luke pass by the doors alone and I feigned restlessness.
"I'm out." I said and stood up, walking out of the room, despite the lewd looks that Jubilee and Jean were giving me, once I was out of the room I ran up behind him and jumped on his back. He caught me with little effort and started running with me on his back.
Finally he stopped and swung me around so I was facing him. "Hey baby."
I greeted him with a kiss and a smile as he took my hand and we walked along the hallways together in silence.
"Hey you two, what do you say you cash in those Danger Room sessions?" Scott said coming around the corner, we both shrugged and followed him to the Danger Room, Scott got it all set up and handed me a pair of bracelets. I looked at them and slumped my shoulders. "It's nothing against you kiddo, it's just a safety precaution.'
I sighed and nodded. "I jus' never though of bein' a safety hazard." But I clamped the bracelets on all the same. I felt the cold hit me full force as my powers were drained from my body. I shivered and Luke rubbed his hands up and down my arms until they were warm again. I gave him a thankful smile as the room went black and then the lights came up on a shaggy looking figure we both knew to be Viktor Creed.
After battling it out in the 'desert' I went home to take a quick shower, very thankful for being able to take of those stupid bracelets. I ran home and took a shower, got changed and found Rogue sitting at the kitchen table. Taking a deep breath I walked in and sat across from her.
"I t'ink ders some t'ings we need t' discuss." I said, noticing how my accent got thicker the more nervous I got. She nodded and looked at her hands. "Where did you go?" I asked after a deep breath, I looked up. Trying to look into her eyes for all the answers I already knew.
"Ah went away for a while." She said. I waited for her to continue. "Ah went t' California, became a waitress."
"You left me t' become a waitress?" I asked, trying the force the tears back into my eyes. Rogue looked up and looked my bare hand in her gloved ones and shook her head.
"No ah...ah didn't!" She tried but I pulled my hands away, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
"Den why'd you go?" I asked straight out. There was no point in beating around the bush. I stared at her until she finally got the courage to speak.
"The main reason was that...well, when Gambit got his powers back...Ah was afraid that Ah would get mine back, and then ah wouldn' be able t' touch ya...can ya imagine goin' through life neva bein' able t' touch yer own chile?" Rogue said tears streaming down her face. "It wouldn' ta been fair t' me, or t' you. So Ah lied to Gambit, tol' him ah didn' love him. It was the hardest thing ah've evah done."
I had never thought about that. In all the time that I had spent thinking about why she had left me and Papa, that had never once crossed my mind.
"So ah left one night and nevah turned back. Listen t' me shugah, it had nothin' t' do with you." Rogue said looking up and me once again. I felt my glare falter and I bit my lip to keep my emotions from showing. Ororo always taught me that the best weapon when in battle was controlling your emotions. "And everyday Ah thought about runnin' back an' holdin' you in mah arms, but ah couldn' an then one day mah powers came back. It was the day of your tenth birthday, an' I couldn' bring mahself to see ya after that."
"So why did you come back?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from cracking. Rogue looked up at me with tear filled eyes.
"Ah needed t' see you again shugah, I jus' needed to." Was her only response. I didn't really know what to say. So instead I stuck out my hand palm up. She looked at my hand and then to me.
"Do it." I said as sternly as I could muster under the conditions. Rogues eyes filled with fear and disgust. "I want you t' see all dat you've missed."
"Ah can't...it would kill ya." She said downcasting her eyes. I snorted and shook my head.
"You gave birth t' me, non?" I asked studying her reactions. "I don' t'ink it'll hurt me."
Rogue's chin trembled as she considered my point. At her hesitation I took back my hand and placed it across my chest again.
" We don' have t' do it here. We can do it in de lab, so Hank will be standin' by." I said waiting for her to react. "You wan' t' be part of my life den you haft' know what I've been through non? Allons.." I said and walked out of the house and into the mansion. I was halfway to the lab when Professor Xavier appeared in front of me.
"I don't think so young lady." He said sternly. Trust him to be in my head.
"I don' 'member askin' you 'bout it." I said snottily and continued to the lab. He came after me in his damn hover chair, stupid Shi'ar technology. Suddenly Scott appeared in front of me, blocking my way. "Damn psychics!" I said and pushed past him with strength I didn't know I had.
"What's goin' on cherie?" Papa asked when he saw the whole X-men team following me down the hallway.
"Rien Papa." I said flashing him a smile and carrying on. I'm assuming somebody told him what was going on by the way he ran and stopped me, picking me up and hoisting me over his shoulder. He carried me away from the lab doors and sat me down on a couch. "Der a problem Papa?"
"You crazy cherie?" he asked, his eyes a dangerous red. I shook my head.
"I don' t'ink anyt'ing will go wrong." I said honestly, shrugging my shoulders slightly. "An' if it does den you are all here t' save me non?"
"Ah would like t' try Gambit." Rogue said from behind everyone. Without a second thought my father replied.
"Dis ain' your concern! T'is a family t'ing!" he yelled and turned back to my grabbing my shoulders and tried to shake some sense into me. "Cherie do you understan' what dis could do?"
"Oui." I said looking Papa in the eyes.
Papa stood up and threw his arms up in frustration, he started to rant in French about how he thought he had raised me better than to be that stupid.
"An' dis is de best t'ing t' do." I said once his ranting ceased. "You de one who wanted me t' forgive her. Dis be the only way I know how."
Papa looked at me with a new emotion in his eyes and nodded slowly, I knew he would understand eventually.
"Den so be it." He said and walked out of the room. "But Papa can' watch."
Everyone seemed to agree with him and left the room except for Hank, the professor and Rogue. Once again I stuck out my hand, pretending to have a lot more courage than I actually possessed.
Rogue looked to the professor for his approval, he gave her a curt nod and she slowly removed one of her long gloves, taking a deep breath she reached out her hand and placed it over mine. I refused to grasp her hand, it was her decision, if she wanted to be part of my life this was a risk she would have to take.
She bit her bottom lip and slowly lowered her hand onto mine. I had never felt such sheer adrenaline as the moment skin touched skin.
***********************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~******************~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~***************
Sorry it took so long for me to update but Christmas is a hugely busy time for me, plus this chapter was pretty difficult to write. Unfortunatly it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to so feel free to flame if you choose...just realize... only flamers flame.
Review! It'll be fun I promise...the next chapter should be up soonish.
"Just concentrate on try to force the energy from your hands." The professor said as if it was the easiest thing in the world. I nodded and put my hands out in front of me so I wouldn't light my pants on fire if anything happened, nothing did. "Take a deep breath and try again."
For the next hour I tried and tried but nothing happened, in-between each attempt I took a deep breath in order to keep my temper in check. But by the end of the hour I was ready to scream.
"Just once more Kaley, then we'll take a break." He said in the calmest of all voices.
That threw me over the edge and I screamed at the top of my lungs, flames burst from my palms toward the stupid target and left it as ashes. Plus the sprinklers on the ceiling came on and drenched my new black tank top.
"Good well, now that we've realized what triggers your powers we can work on that. However I think it would be wise for you to take a break." He said in a totally calm voice that made me giggle. He was soaking wet too, but the calm expression on his face and his shiny head was too much to take. He left me laughing, I laughed even harder when the wheels on his wheelchair started to squeak.
A while later I left the Danger Room and went to the Game Room where everyone was sitting around doing nothing, just a regular summer day. Once again I challenged Jubilee to play a game of pool with me, for money. In the back of my mind I wondered if she would ever learn that I was better than she was and there was nothing she could do about it.
I was about to call the pocket for the eight ball when Mama walked in, everyone stopped and looked from me to her and then from her to me. The tension level in the room skyrocketed but I shook my head at all of them.
"You wan' next game?" I asked smiling devilishly, everyone's jaws dropped at the same time. I leant on my pool cue and raised my eyebrows waiting for a response.
"If ya want' lose shugah." Mama said and joined Jean on the couch. I laughed at that; not even Papa could beat me anymore.
"Dis won' take long." I said and grinned at Jubilee as I bent down to take my shot. "Eight ball, corner pocket." For dramatic effect I shut my eyes and smiled as I heard the ball go into the pocket. Once again I walked over to the corner of the table and picked up the pile of bills that was laid there. I was about to put it in my pocket when it was forced from my hand.
"Kaley what have I told you about keeping Jubilee's money?" the professor said handing the money back to Jubilee. I glared.
"Earned it fair an' square." I grumbled under my breath. How did he always seem to show up when I was winning money?
"I'm psychic." The professor deadpanned and I laughed out loud. "Now, I've decided that since you have already destroyed one of my good suits that we should take today off, that should be long enough for Hank to disarm the sprinklers."
I snickered at the professor and turned to face everyone. "Who's next?"
"Ah think ah had next game." She said standing up and taking the pool cue from Jubilee. Unfortunately no one warned me that she was a pool shark. Luckily since the professor was in the room so I didn't lose any of my money.
Papa walked in as she sunk the eight ball, with the cue behind her back. I glared and he laughed.
"Did no one tell you dat Rogue is pool playa extrodinaire cherie?" Papa said, I shook my head and he laughed some more. "Come on, we play cards oui?"
I nodded happily and followed Papa to a table where some other people we re assembled. I smiled as Rogue sat down with us at the table.
"You play cards too?" I asked with one eyebrow raised inquisitively, she nodded. "Der anyt'ing you don' do?" Everyone at the table laughed, obviously realizing that I wasn't in the midst of my temper tantrum anymore.
I laughed again when I beat Papa for the third time in a row. He glared at me, but the smile in the corner of his mouth assured me that he wasn't actually mad. I saw Luke pass by the doors alone and I feigned restlessness.
"I'm out." I said and stood up, walking out of the room, despite the lewd looks that Jubilee and Jean were giving me, once I was out of the room I ran up behind him and jumped on his back. He caught me with little effort and started running with me on his back.
Finally he stopped and swung me around so I was facing him. "Hey baby."
I greeted him with a kiss and a smile as he took my hand and we walked along the hallways together in silence.
"Hey you two, what do you say you cash in those Danger Room sessions?" Scott said coming around the corner, we both shrugged and followed him to the Danger Room, Scott got it all set up and handed me a pair of bracelets. I looked at them and slumped my shoulders. "It's nothing against you kiddo, it's just a safety precaution.'
I sighed and nodded. "I jus' never though of bein' a safety hazard." But I clamped the bracelets on all the same. I felt the cold hit me full force as my powers were drained from my body. I shivered and Luke rubbed his hands up and down my arms until they were warm again. I gave him a thankful smile as the room went black and then the lights came up on a shaggy looking figure we both knew to be Viktor Creed.
After battling it out in the 'desert' I went home to take a quick shower, very thankful for being able to take of those stupid bracelets. I ran home and took a shower, got changed and found Rogue sitting at the kitchen table. Taking a deep breath I walked in and sat across from her.
"I t'ink ders some t'ings we need t' discuss." I said, noticing how my accent got thicker the more nervous I got. She nodded and looked at her hands. "Where did you go?" I asked after a deep breath, I looked up. Trying to look into her eyes for all the answers I already knew.
"Ah went away for a while." She said. I waited for her to continue. "Ah went t' California, became a waitress."
"You left me t' become a waitress?" I asked, trying the force the tears back into my eyes. Rogue looked up and looked my bare hand in her gloved ones and shook her head.
"No ah...ah didn't!" She tried but I pulled my hands away, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
"Den why'd you go?" I asked straight out. There was no point in beating around the bush. I stared at her until she finally got the courage to speak.
"The main reason was that...well, when Gambit got his powers back...Ah was afraid that Ah would get mine back, and then ah wouldn' be able t' touch ya...can ya imagine goin' through life neva bein' able t' touch yer own chile?" Rogue said tears streaming down her face. "It wouldn' ta been fair t' me, or t' you. So Ah lied to Gambit, tol' him ah didn' love him. It was the hardest thing ah've evah done."
I had never thought about that. In all the time that I had spent thinking about why she had left me and Papa, that had never once crossed my mind.
"So ah left one night and nevah turned back. Listen t' me shugah, it had nothin' t' do with you." Rogue said looking up and me once again. I felt my glare falter and I bit my lip to keep my emotions from showing. Ororo always taught me that the best weapon when in battle was controlling your emotions. "And everyday Ah thought about runnin' back an' holdin' you in mah arms, but ah couldn' an then one day mah powers came back. It was the day of your tenth birthday, an' I couldn' bring mahself to see ya after that."
"So why did you come back?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from cracking. Rogue looked up at me with tear filled eyes.
"Ah needed t' see you again shugah, I jus' needed to." Was her only response. I didn't really know what to say. So instead I stuck out my hand palm up. She looked at my hand and then to me.
"Do it." I said as sternly as I could muster under the conditions. Rogues eyes filled with fear and disgust. "I want you t' see all dat you've missed."
"Ah can't...it would kill ya." She said downcasting her eyes. I snorted and shook my head.
"You gave birth t' me, non?" I asked studying her reactions. "I don' t'ink it'll hurt me."
Rogue's chin trembled as she considered my point. At her hesitation I took back my hand and placed it across my chest again.
" We don' have t' do it here. We can do it in de lab, so Hank will be standin' by." I said waiting for her to react. "You wan' t' be part of my life den you haft' know what I've been through non? Allons.." I said and walked out of the house and into the mansion. I was halfway to the lab when Professor Xavier appeared in front of me.
"I don't think so young lady." He said sternly. Trust him to be in my head.
"I don' 'member askin' you 'bout it." I said snottily and continued to the lab. He came after me in his damn hover chair, stupid Shi'ar technology. Suddenly Scott appeared in front of me, blocking my way. "Damn psychics!" I said and pushed past him with strength I didn't know I had.
"What's goin' on cherie?" Papa asked when he saw the whole X-men team following me down the hallway.
"Rien Papa." I said flashing him a smile and carrying on. I'm assuming somebody told him what was going on by the way he ran and stopped me, picking me up and hoisting me over his shoulder. He carried me away from the lab doors and sat me down on a couch. "Der a problem Papa?"
"You crazy cherie?" he asked, his eyes a dangerous red. I shook my head.
"I don' t'ink anyt'ing will go wrong." I said honestly, shrugging my shoulders slightly. "An' if it does den you are all here t' save me non?"
"Ah would like t' try Gambit." Rogue said from behind everyone. Without a second thought my father replied.
"Dis ain' your concern! T'is a family t'ing!" he yelled and turned back to my grabbing my shoulders and tried to shake some sense into me. "Cherie do you understan' what dis could do?"
"Oui." I said looking Papa in the eyes.
Papa stood up and threw his arms up in frustration, he started to rant in French about how he thought he had raised me better than to be that stupid.
"An' dis is de best t'ing t' do." I said once his ranting ceased. "You de one who wanted me t' forgive her. Dis be the only way I know how."
Papa looked at me with a new emotion in his eyes and nodded slowly, I knew he would understand eventually.
"Den so be it." He said and walked out of the room. "But Papa can' watch."
Everyone seemed to agree with him and left the room except for Hank, the professor and Rogue. Once again I stuck out my hand, pretending to have a lot more courage than I actually possessed.
Rogue looked to the professor for his approval, he gave her a curt nod and she slowly removed one of her long gloves, taking a deep breath she reached out her hand and placed it over mine. I refused to grasp her hand, it was her decision, if she wanted to be part of my life this was a risk she would have to take.
She bit her bottom lip and slowly lowered her hand onto mine. I had never felt such sheer adrenaline as the moment skin touched skin.
***********************~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~******************~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~***************
Sorry it took so long for me to update but Christmas is a hugely busy time for me, plus this chapter was pretty difficult to write. Unfortunatly it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to so feel free to flame if you choose...just realize... only flamers flame.
Review! It'll be fun I promise...the next chapter should be up soonish.