Disclaimer: Marvel's, not mine.
Thanks to fudje, Chica De Los Ojos Café, enchantedlight, Antonia, ishandahalf, heartsyhawk, AnimeSiren, (?), fudgebrowne, Miss Ginny and Green Bird 2071 for reviewing the last chapter.
Questions/Comments:
Miss Ginny: Don't worry about the last review, I don't remember feeling spiteful about it. I also didn't realize I was character bashing. This is an alternate universe, so the characters personalities may be different. Jean's just a little more rough around the edges. As for this being a JOTT, it's mainly focused on being a ROMY. You will see other characters dance in and out of the story, but never be as centered as Remy and Rogue. But that doesn't mean Scott won't meet Jean….Oh, and the Professor was in an accident that basically put his brain in a comatose state. He can't use his brain. He's a vegetable. Hope that answered everything!
Green Bird 2071: Hmm…everyone wants me to place Scott with Jean. Don't worry I already have plans for them…as for Rogue and Magneto…that question/theory, will be answered in this very chapter.
……………………………………
Rogue was running, the soles of her shoes thumping into the ground, thudding against her ears right next to her heartbeat. The edge came upon her faster than she expected, and losing her balance her body fell, slamming into the hard concrete below, her breath heaving. She sat there, afraid to drag herself up, her eyes on the ground, sweaty strands of hair obscuring her view.
Her movements had echoed against the room's fake interior. And then, in a ghostlike fashion, the walls began to fade, swirling into one giant room.
The danger room, they called it.
They had sent her in alone, as a test of her physical shape. She had never done anything like this before.
She could hear the voice booming over the intercom, giving her feed back. It was Ororo. And Rogue was not listening.
Her fists were clenching at her sides, her hair matting against her neck, eyes refusing to look back up.
She felt like laughing. She was indestructible. She could fly, she could pummel anyone into oblivion. She could absorb their very life.
But she could not complete this easy course.
When Ororo's voice silenced, Rogue pulled herself from the ground.
…………………………………………..
Remy was watching Rogue from the command center above the danger room. His face was ridged during her entire struggle. She had no problem defeating anything that attacked her. But her shaky movements made obvious the fact she did not believe in herself.
Remy rubbed both hands against his eyelids as if trying to vanquish an invisible headache.
"Rogue was always a stubborn woman. That quality alone will make her a hard one to defeat."
Remy's hands dropped to the side at Erik's voice. His eyes stayed on Rogue's movements, but his thoughts ran with anger over Erik's words.
"Are y'sure she's de same girl you once knew?" Remy cocked his head to the side, his eyes made brighter by the dim lighting in the room. "Cause it seems to me homme, dat Rogue was hit by something hard. It's almost like she's dead sometimes."
"Such a harsh description Remy."
"Perhaps. But if you had seen her de last few days," Remy paused. The man was still listening. "She touches things, and looks at them like she will never understand them or see them again. Her thoughts just linger dere. Like she's lost."
"That happens to even the best of us," Erik responded, gliding forward to the window.
"Oui." Remy wanted to continue, to urge Erik to at least try to understand, but he couldn't. He would never be able to. Remy returned his vision to Rogue. She was running from something she could not see.
"How do you know Rogue?"
Rogue collapsed off the edge of the platform she was running on, her body deflating as she landed. After a few seconds she still did not get up. Remy watched Eric's jaw set, twitch, and then he turned away from the window.
"She dated my son once Mr. LeBeau." He spoke as he headed out the door, as if displeased with Rogue's abilities. As if conquered by another memory.
But Remy didn't want to believe that one man had destroyed love and life for Rogue.
So he refused to.
………………………………………………
Rogue leaned her head back against the wooden panels of the wall. Sweat poured down the bridge of her nose, trailing down her neck.
She didn't usually enjoy saunas. She still didn't. But it soaked up her thoughts, sucking the willpower to think about anything but the heat.
Mistake after mistake after mistake.
Rogue groaned and sat up, wrapping her white towel closer to her body. Standing, she walked on bare feet back to the women's locker room. She stood under the shower, and without removing her towel turned the water on.
It rushed lukewarm through her hair, soaking her towel immediately. She didn't feel she could move, wash her hair, remove the towel.
So perhaps this wasn't the life she was meant to lead. She would never know. Instead she would be Rogue, Queen of Misery.
Or Anna Raven, always on the run. Afraid to look back or sit still. Or maybe she spent too much time in the past.
"You okay Rogue?"
The girl's voice was quiet, verging on shy, but never accomplishing it. And swallowing, Rogue realized she had missed it.
She tried to move her lips, to muster a word for the girl. Moving one hand she placed it on the wall. That was her first move.
"Ah'll be fine Kitty."
She could here the girl's footsteps moving closer, her shoes kicking up the excess water from the large tiled shower area.
"I didn't think I would see you again An-Rogue."
Rogue nodded, her eyes watering, and she pulled them shut, blinking back the tears, hoping they would spread down her cheeks like running water and blend in.
"I ran into Remy. I see he made it too."
Another nod.
"Maybe I should help you out of here Rogue."
She didn't want help. She always tried to tell herself that. But she nodded again anyway, limply moving her head up and down. Kitty's arm moved in front of her vision, shutting the water off. Without the rushing sound of water the room became quiet.
Kitty grasped onto Rogue's arm, guiding her away from the shower area. Reaching into a yellow netted basket, Kitty pulled out a clean, dry towel and handed it to Rogue.
Slowly, Rogue reached a hand out, unwrapping her wet towel, and readjusting the new one. And then she collapsed on a nearby bench.
Kitty kneeled down in front of her, dressed fully in a dark blue uniform, one single X on the left breast of her suit.
"You never shoulda left Connecticut Anna. I would have helped you through it."
Rogue placed her head in her hands, not to hide the tears, but simply because she couldn't face Kitty.
"You and Ah both know it wasn't that simple," Rogue mumbled through her fingers.
"Only because you didn't allow it to be Rogue." Kitty placed one hand on Rogue's knee, shaking it slightly, as if to break her from her reverie.
Her words caused Rogue to look up more than anything. Her face was flush, but her eyes were now dry. She could feel the drops of water fall from her hair and land cold against her shoulder.
"What's that mean?"
"It means you always make things too difficult. You think of the worst possible scenario and subject yourself to it. Things can be simple Rogue."
Rogue stood up swiftly, knocking Kitty's hand off. "Ah absorbed an entire woman's psyche! Ah wouldn't call that simple Kitty!" She slammed her fist into a locker, causing the door to break.
"See?" Rogue gestured to the door. "Ah might as well be her." Rogue shrugged her shoulders and looked to the ceiling. The perfect, solid white ceiling.
"Alright. Let's forget about the past then. We can't fix that." Kitty moved forward, inching back closer to Rogue. "What about now? This place may be able to help you overcome everything!"
Kitty had always been so blindingly optimistic.
"Kitty, look who's running the show." Rogue spoke solemnly, turning to face the girl. She knew she looked a wreck.
Kitty swallowed, her eyes shifting, becoming nervous. "Yes. That's true but-
Rogue rushed forward, grabbing Kitty by the shoulders, interrupting her.
"Is he here?"
Kitty looked at her with large eyes and gave a sigh.
"Not right now."
"Not right now?" Rogue repeated, releasing Kitty and stepping back. "But sometimes he is?"
"Well, he is Magneto's son Rogue. You must have at least expected that."
Rogue nodded, clutching her arms to her chest. Looking down to the floor she bit the inside of her cheek.
Then she looked back up.
"It'll be okay."
Rogue was shaking her head as she said this.
Kitty tried a small smile.
"Yes. It will be. Now get dressed, and meet me in the kitchen for lunch. We have some catching up to do."
Rogue smiled in response, feeling her muscles force themselves into position, relaxing once Kitty had exited.
But the only person Rogue had convinced, she realized, was Kitty.
…………………………………………
Remy had walked by the open archway that led to the kitchen. Rogue had been there, with Kitty, and he decided not to disturb them. The kitchen was too sterile for him anyway, designed to match the white walled labs below.
He continued walking, his eyes, normally alert, now on the ground. There was such a sense of finality behind these walls. In fact, the only place he had not felt that, was in the car, on the highway, alone with Rogue.
"Something on your mind?"
"Now, what makes you think dat Betsy?"
Remy swung around, facing the pretty girl, who stood stock still in the middle of the hallway.
"You knew I was behind you?"
"You read my mind?"
Betsy took a step forward, her steps as quiet as Remy's. Her face was lighter than usual, without the brutally honest gleam.
"Actually, no I didn't," She was in front of Remy now, nose to nose, her eyes squinting in curiosity. "I can't seem to read your mind."
Remy's lips curved into a smirk. He tapped his skull lightly, his eyes dark.
"Were you looking for something in particular chere?"
Betsy gave a deep sigh, and her eyes moved to the side out the window.
"Surely you've noticed my," Betsy paused, emphasizing her last word, "relationship with the man known as Angel."
"Y'mean Warren Worthington de 3rd? I always suspected dere was something more to him den just a wealthy business man." Remy put an unlit cigarette to his lips and moved to the window.
"But, that's not all you've suspected, right?"
She was prying now, her hands placed awkwardly forward, standing on the tips of her feet.
Remy rolled his eyes and lit the cigarette.
"If you think that by admitting to me you're cheating on Scott you'll be absolved, or I'll be de one to tell him," Remy looked to the side, the smirk slowly disappearing, "You're wrong."
Betsy nodded, her mouth hung open slightly, words hanging on empty air.
"Of course not Remy. I can handle my own problems."
"Den why're we talking bout dis Psylocke?"
"I……don't know. I suppose I feel guilty."
Remy nodded, his expression sarcastic.
"As you probably should be petit." Remy continued to smoke his cigarette, hoping she would give up and walk away. He couldn't talk about love right now.
"I imagine a man such as yourself has been guilty of the same action."
Remy spun around, his movements effortlessly fluid.
"You're right Betsy. I have. But de difference was, I had a cold heart. I didn't care how I made de other woman feel." Remy spit the words through clenched teeth, hoping his honesty would scare her away.
But she only smiled. Her muscles trembled around her eyes, threatening tears.
"My heart was that way too, ever since my brother died." She paused, looking to the side, her eyes caught on something, a thought perhaps. Looking back up, she had replaced her guilty expression with her hard, bitter one.
"Thank you Gambit."
Remy didn't know what to say, so he simply watched her walk the rest of the way down the hall, as if their conversation had never taken place.
It seemed there was no better weapon in the world than love.
…………………………………………
Rogue admitted it felt good to talk to Kitty. Towards the end of their relationship in college, it had felt a chore to interact with the girl. But now….it was relieving to say the least.
Kitty placed their dirty dishes in the sink, rinsing them with water. She hummed as she washed them. Always so carefree.
"Ah'm gonna go read Kitty. It was nice talking to you."
Rogue had no book to read. A small lie.
Kitty looked to the side, smiling. "Sure Rogue. I'll see you later."
She returned to their dishes, and Rogue wondered at Kitty's brisk goodbye, if this was a time for Kitty to think. And maybe they weren't always happy thoughts. Rogue watched the girl's distant expression from the doorway before turning around and heading upstairs.
She found herself smiling again, as she reached her door and searched her coat pockets for her key. As she was inserting the key, a hand slammed down against the wall. Rogue continued smiling, imaging Remy behind her. But the hand was pale and lacked his signature black fingerless gloves.
"You look good Rogue."
She swallowed. And slowly, turned around.
"Still running from place to place I see."
He was too close to her.
"Not as fast as you Pietro."
The man smiled, his boyish grin still the same, his lanky figure finally starting to fill out.
"Course not babe. No one is."
The hand clamped around his mouth faster than he could respond, and he let out a muffled scream as he was pulled away from Rogue and pushed into the wall.
There were the black gloves Rogue was hoping to see.
"Dis man bothering you chere?"
"How the fuck did you sneak up on me?"
Rogue swallowed, words choking in her throat.
"Well, it wasn't exactly a challenge homme."
Pietro snuffed and pushed away from the wall, running a quick circle around Remy, and stopping when he was on the other side.
Remy didn't look phased. His eyes flashed brightly, his fists tight, now at his side.
"Oh I see."
"Really? Then why'd you interrupt our conversation?"
"Because you were standing too close."
Pietro laughed.
"What, is this your new boyfriend Rogue?"
Finally her vocal cords were free.
"Ah think you better leave Pietro."
Pietro crossed his arms. "Fine." He turned to Remy before running off. "Just be careful she doesn't suck you dry."
Then he was gone.
And Rogue slide down the door, collapsing on the floor.
Pietro had instantly taken her back.
"Rogue?"
"He." Her eyes closed and she lifted one weak hand to her cheek.
Remy noticed the key in her door, and turning it, pushed it open.
He scooped Rogue up in his arms, and shutting the door with his foot, placed her on her bed.
"Is dat de man who did dis to you?"
Remy let one hand brush her cheek, emphasizing her emotional condition.
"Not exactly."
"Not exactly?"
"It's more complicated than that."
"Well, maybe it's time to talk Rogue. You can't stop living chere."
There was a long pause, and Rogue knew she was holding her breath. On purpose, to feel the hard knot against her chest.
"You'll laugh. Maybe even be angry. Because it won't seem that bad to you."
"Let me make dat decision Rogue. You might be surprised."
Rogue sat up straight, defiant, her eyes on the verge of collapse.
"Fine. Ah'll tell you."