Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. I do own pictures of Pietro in a bathrobe. Truly, I am blessed.

Drowning In You

The military base in Area 51 had to be well guarded, its reputation as a research base for extra-terrestrials a constant source of speculation to the public. Therefore when the unmarked car drove up to the gates, Lieutenant Cole sighed and signalled for it to stop, expecting another group of UFO hunters. He kept his gun lowered – no point in frightening the taxpayer – but he had both hands on it, ready to intimidate the driver if he refused to leave immediately. It had happened before.

"This is a restricted area folks," he said as the window slid down. "You'll have to – Major Robson!"

Lieutenant Cole straightened up and saluted, silently cursing himself. The Major was a very important and famously short-tempered man and he hadn't been expected today, certainly not in a civilian car.

"At ease Lieutenant." The Major eyed the soldier coldly. "Kindly let us through."

"Yes sir!" Lieutenant Cole radioed through to the base and requested the gates to be opened. The Major drove through and parked the car outside the main building of the base.

Colonel Andrews, the highest-ranking soldier on the base at that time, met the car. "Major Robson, sir."

"Colonel." The Major glanced at the building. "I'm here to transfer the mutant to another facility."

"Sir?" Colonel Andrews looked in confusion at the car, unarmoured and unremarkable. "Should I order a convoy?"

"Good grief man, credit me with some intelligence! It wasn't too long ago that a convoy managed to lose one teenage mutant, due to their visibility to their allies no doubt. There must be no repeat of that this time."

"No sir. May I have the papers, sir?"

The Majors companion, a Native American who barely seemed old enough to shave, handed over the transfer papers. Everything seemed to be in order, but the Colonel couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

"Right this way Major." He led the pair into the building and used his security clearance to get them to the lab. "Sir, may I ask why we weren't informed of this transfer in advance?"

"To prevent a breach of security." The Major offered no further explanations and Colonel Andrews didn't know how to inquire further. Silence prevailed as the trio entered the lab and took a good look at the mutant.

The young soldier gasped as he saw the blue-skinned woman strapped to the table. "That's inhumane!"

"Well, she's a tricky one." The Colonel looked more closely at the Majors companion. Sometimes it seemed like the army was taking them younger and younger – or maybe he was just getting old. The thought depressed him.

A group of soldiers took care of the mutant, restraining her with handcuffs and leg irons so that she could walk but was unable to escape. Surprisingly, she made no attempt to escape during the process, merely smirked at them. Her attitude made the Colonel nervous. He took four soldiers with him as he escorted the Major, the soldier and the mutant to the vehicle.

"Is there anything else we can do for you sir?"

"That will be all Colonel."

The Colonel watched uneasily as the car drove out of the base, wondering what it was about the four occupants that made him…

Wait, four occupants?

"Colonel?" Lieutenant Cole saw the expression on his superiors face change from concern to alarm. "Is something wrong."

"Sound the alarms." The Colonel began hurrying into the base. "I think we've been had."

Several miles from the base, the car slowed and Major Andrews tumbled out, followed by a set of handcuffs and leg irons. The vehicle picked up speed again and made its way through the desert.

Mystique massaged her recently released wrists. "It's about time Forge."

Forge steered the car with one hand as he turned to grin at her. "Better late than never. I've had to work on it in secret since Magneto started giving orders at the Brotherhood place. And I had some help."

"So I see." Mystique glanced at the man sat silently in the passenger seat. "Who is he and why is he helping us?"

"He calls himself Mesmero. He can get into peoples minds and make them do whatever he wants – and he has a proposition for us."

=======================

On the psychic plane…

The landscape of Rogues mind had been translated as a wasteland; where the sky was the deep blue of late twilight and rocks floated through the air. Jean Grey sat cross-legged on one such rock, or rather her astral self did. Her body was still in the Xavier Institute, apparently in a deep coma from which she may never recover. Fortunately, her mind was elsewhere.

She told herself she came here to be sure there was no way she could lose control of the body that housed her consciousness. She was almost sure it wasn't to gloat…

Several of the rocks carried heavy-looking concrete cubes; rectangular windows set with bars the only means to see in – or out. There were no doors. The prisons themselves weren't necessary of course, were only metaphors, but Jean found that it helped her to visualise what she desired. The outcome remained the same; the other personalities in the body remained trapped – including Rogue, whose mind they were in. The Goth hadn't realised that Jean was able to take control of her body until it was too late.

"You're back." Rogues voice was dull and tired. Time on the astral plane passed differently. Hours could go by in the blink of an eye or a moment could last an eternity. It sounded as though Rogue had spent too much time imprisoned in her own head.

"Just thought you might like the company," replied Jean smugly. The only limits on the astral plane were those imposed by the mind. Should Rogue ever work that out, Jean might have a real fight on her hands. The girl might be able to break out of her prison and wrest control of the body. Even if Jean were able to remain the dominant personality, it would be obvious to everyone there was a power struggle going on. So far she had managed to convince the X-Men that she was Rogue, could use her voice and had been able to mimic her mannerisms. She wasn't ready for her cover to be blown.

Rogues face appeared at the barred window and Jean prepared herself for the usual barrage of insults and threats. Perhaps even some pleading, she'd enjoy that. She wasn't ready for the girl's words.

"Ah pity you."

"Huh?"

"Ah've seen into your mind. Ah know how Mystique and Destiny tricked you and got you to trick the rest of the Brotherhood – and me. Before you used Magnetos enhancer you were just like the rest of us, but you let yourself believe that what you were doing was for the best. And after you used the enhancer, you stopped caring about other people as long as you got what you wanted. Everyone used you Jean, but you let them."

Jean glared at her. "Maybe. But now I'M in control. And I'm not the only one who got tricked."

"What do you mean?"

"Some of the things I learned from Irene, you have no idea. I managed to keep them from you and trust me, you should be grateful. Some of that stuff would drive you mad."

"Ah don't think I've got much to thank you for. And when the X-Men find out – "

"They'll never find out! Your precious Professor can't get into your min thanks to you stealing my enhancements. Your own powers turned against you. And they're too trusting to realise you're not in your body…"

"Rogue?"

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"Rogue? Earth calling Rogue!"

"Huh?" Jean exited the psychic plane and took a moment to gather her thoughts, reminding herself that she was Rogue now, an X-Man – or so everyone thought.

"Oh, hi Scott. Sorry, ah was miles away."

"I noticed. I've been trying to get your attention for ages! Did you forget about Logan's session?"

"Ah guess ah did."

Scott gave her a curious look. "Is everything OK?"

Jean looked down, considering. She had to pull this off just right…

"Can ah tell you something?"

"Sure."

"You have to promise not to tell, not the Professor, not anyone!"

"OK, I promise. What's up Rogue?"

Without a word, Jean took off one of her gloves and put her naked hand on Scott's face. He flinched, expecting to be knocked out. – but nothing happened. Her powers didn't kick in; there wasn't so much as a tingle from her skin. He caught her wrist and gazed at her in disbelief.

"You can control your powers? For how long?"

"Ever since ah touched Jean."

"But – but that's great! Why not tell everyone?"

"Because they're already worried about how mah personality might be affected by her, ah don't wanna give them another reason to worry. And ah don't know if it's because of her personality or her powers or her enhancements, but ah do know that it might not be permanent. Ah just – ah need to think this through. Ah need some time."

Scott nodded slowly. "Alright, I understand. But I still think you should tell Professor X."

"Ah will, but not yet."

Suddenly realising he still had hold of her wrist, Scott coloured slightly and stood up. "We're gonna be late. Logan's already annoyed that Kurt and Lance still aren't up to it. He doesn't like to be reminded that we don't all have a healing factor."

Jean laughed and followed Scott out of the room, a smile playing on her lips. So far, no one suspected she might not be Rogue and the girls mind was safely trapped in her own psyche. When she had invaded Irene's mind she had seen what her destiny should have been and although it was too late for her to be that person, it might not be too late for her to have that life…

And the first step is Scott Summers.

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The Beast glanced down at his clipboard and then looked up and smiled at the boy sat on the edge of the bed. "Well Lance, I think you're well enough to leave the infirmary."

"Yes!" Lances exuberance was marked by a small earth tremor. Beast managed to keep on his feet until the floor stopped shaking and tried to look stern.

"You will have to take it easy for a while. No danger room sessions for a while, no missions. I'd really prefer you to stay here a few more days, but Kitty's been bringing me muffins too."

Lance grinned at the standing joke that was his girlfriends cooking. "Will I be able to take Kitty to the Circus of Mystery tomorrow night? I promised her ages ago but I didn't know if I'd be able to."

"I don't see why not, but take it easy on the stitches. Why don't you go join the others? They'll be out of the Danger Room soon and Kurt's still excused 'til his ribs heal up."

"Thanks Mr McCoy!" Lance raced from the room, Beast watching with a rueful grin as he reflected on the folly of youth before he went to check on the only patient he had remaining.

Jean Greys comatose body lay in a room away from the other beds. Her red hair fanned out around her pale face. None of her vital signs had changed; there was still no sign of any brain activity. Her enhancements made it impossible to tell for sure, but Beast suspected she was in a permanent vegetative state. Brain dead.

Tragic mused Beast as he recorded the machines readings. So young and misguided, killing a woman and hurting the students, Lance almost died…but I suppose this way at least, she can't cause us any more trouble.

Author Note: Throughout this fic, Jeans consciousness will be referred to as 'Jean', but everyone will call her Rogue because that's whom they think she is. My apologies in advance for any confusion this causes. Also, I know nothing about the hierarchy of the Army so if my descriptions were off, I apologise for that too!