From behind Professor Xavier stepped three people. Though most didn't recognize them, Rogue (future) did.
The first was Sean Cassidy. Not the one from the future, the present day one. It was easy to see why Rogue had fallen for him. Sean had a glint in his eye that spoke of mischief and a lock of hair falling on his face that begged for someone to push it back. In deference to the older Sean, this one looked lanky rather than lean, boyishly cute rather than handsome. It was obvious from the way Remy looked at the boy that he wasn't happy that this boy was here.
Behind him stepped a beautiful, blonde. She was smiling at the reactions of the people around her. She seemed to be someone who delighted in surprising and unsettling people. Rogue knew this was true. The girl standing before her would become the White Queen of the Hellfire Club. This girl was Emma Frost. With her long hair (bleached) and patrician features (surgery), she was a vision. At this time, however, she was just another of the Prof's secret students. Students who had been invited to join the institute then trained to be spies for him. The prof never was too open in his deviousness.
The last new member of this eclectic group was none other Rama-Tut, the pharaoh that was replaced by Apocalypse in ancient Egypt. Even in the future not much is known about this pharaoh, but one thing was always sure. Rama-Tut had been thought to travel back from the future. The legends said that he'd fallen from the sky in a great winged transport of the gods. After usurping whatever pharaoh had been at the time, he'd ruled with an iron fist. Thanks to excavations in the future it would be revealed that he'd taken back future technology and shaped most of the Egyptian culture. A mighty warrior, who's only time of losing was to Apocalypse, no one was quite sure whether he was mutant or not. In a large suit of metal and with Egyptian symbols engraved all over, it wasn't a stretch to see this man going one on one with Apocalypse.
"These three have volunteered to help us. They have traveled a long distance to be here. I'm sure you want to rest."
"Yes, that would be good." Rama-Tut said in a deeply accented voice. Very old Egyptian (or at least it sounded how those "Mummy" movies made it sound). He followed Ororo who was leading him towards the west wing where guest suites were.
"I'm hungry." Emma said resolutely. Without any one directing her she left for the kitchen. Several of the X Men followed her (all male of course). Bobby was basically drooling in her wake.
"Yes, well. Make yourselves at home." Yeah, right. Rogue thought at the Prof's statement. She watched him and Magneto walk towards the elevator going to the sublevels. He has this wired with cameras attuned to our every move.
Quite right, Rogue. The professor sent to Rogue's head. And every telepath looking out for any thoughts they think I should know.
"Damn telepaths." Rogue muttered under her breath. She turned to see that Rogue and Remy were still nearby, both staring at Sean. He, unknowing of what they'd all experienced earlier, stared back.
"Got a problem, loves?" Sean asked sweetly. Rogue said nothing, but Remy was on the verge of saying something when Logan walked in the front door.
"Danger room session in a hour. Tell everyone."
"Come now, Wolverine? Mus' we figh' all de time?" Remy said in a whining voice.
"Listen, bub, if you can't take the life, leave." Logan said loudly, unsheathing one claw and pointing it at Remy.
"Damnit Logan! Back off!" Rogue said as she pulled Remy away and up the stairs. Rogue exasperation didn't stop him from sending a rude gesture Logan's way as he stumbled up the stairs behind her.
Logan chuckled to himself. He thought it amusing to mess with Gambit. He was one of the few people who actually fought back and didn't quake at the thought of big, bad Logan coming after him. Something told Logan that the Cajun could take care of himself. By extension, he could take care of Rogue. That was good enough for Logan, or it would be after Logan took the Acolyte apart in a Danger Room session.
"Who was that?" Sean asked behind Logan. Logan had known he was there but had been ignoring him.
"That was Gambit, an Acolyte…you know, Magneto's crew?"
"No, I mean her."
Logan turned to look consideringly (and slightly threatening) at Sean. "Her name's Rogue. Gambit's her boyfriend." So this was the boy who would marry little ole Rogue? I don't see it.
Logan stalked off to inform the rest of the teenage mutants that there was going to be a Danger Room session. Sean just stood there, at a loss for what to do.
"Hey, you want me to show you your room?" Kitty asked from behind him. She was devoid of Piotr for the first time in hours.
Smiling at the petite brunette, Sean nodded and proceeded to flirt all the way up the stairs and down the hall.
Not far away, Rogue pulled Gambit towards her room. She was tired of everyone being so pissy about her and him. Jeez, when Kitty dated Lance, no one barely said a word.
Behind them, older Rogue followed. She called out for them to stop. They turned and watched as she calmly walked towards them. Both mutants completely hid their emotions. Remy was completely unsettled (if you ignored the Rogue sandwich fantasy in his head), while Rogue was curious. This was who she would become?
"Ah need to speak with ya." Rogue nodded towards her younger self.
"Speak here, chere." Remy commanded. Both Rogue's gave him a death glare.
"Ah'm afraid it's private."
"Remy, jus' go get somethin' to eat. Ya gonna need strength to deal with the Danger Room."
Remy wrapped his arms around Rogue's waist. "Ya sure?"
Rogue nodded. Alone with her older self, they walked towards Rogue's room. It was odd to be with this person. This stranger who knew everything about her. Who was her. This person knew everything she had ever done, and would ever do. A startling thought occurred to Rogue. This person knew what had happened while she was with Mystique and Mesmero.
She turned to ask her older self but seeing that she was about to talk, the old Rogue shushed her and nodded towards her room. Whatever, they could talk wherever.
Once inside, Rogue immediately looked around. The room seemed empty but it was…different somehow. Ignoring her bad feelings she turned back to her visitor.
Then the question on her mind popped out of her mouth. "Did ya do what Ah did?"
"Which time?" Older Rogue asked in confusion. She'd done a lot of things.
"Ya know, when Mesmero and Mystique controlled meh?"
Older Rogue nodded in understanding. "Ya mean did Ah put that girl in a coma like you did? Or do ya refer to the fact that Ah…we, now have all her powers and her screaming in our head relentlessly?"
Rogue nodded. "Ah hear her at times, but Ah'm getting' good at shutting her out."
"Ah know." Older Rogue stifled the urge to comfort herself. At this tender age, she had been very insecure and untrusting. For her to speak to her in this way was an unstable situation. If she said the wrong thing to her younger self then she'd cut herself off, and Rogue would have to make a new plan. "She'll fade in time, when she wakes up."
"Carol wakes up?"
"Yep. Her powers return to her, but we do keep them too."
Rogue sighed, happy to know that what she was forced to do at Mesmero's hands wasn't permanent. "Wait, we keep them?"
"Yeah, they stick around." Rogue smiled as her younger self floundered for a bit. She remembered finding out these powers, invulnerability, flight, and super strength, wouldn't go away. She hadn't known what she was going to do about them or when she would tell the others. In the end she'd never gotten the chance to tell her brethren about what had happened with Ms Marvel. They'd all just tapered out of her life.
"So what did ya want to talk about?" Rogue asked.
Older Rogue was about to answer when the door opened. Assuming it was Gambit here to bother them she turned with a sharp reprimand on her tongue. It wasn't Gambit though. It was Sean, being led in by Mystique in the guise of Kitty. It had been through many years of dealing with Mystique that Rogue was able to tell it was her. It was a certain hardness to the mouth and glint in the eyes that gave her away.
"What do ya wan' Kitty?"
Rogue turned to her younger self and held up a hand. "Tha's not Kitty. Tha's Mystique. And she's here for a reason. Shu' the door." Mystique did as Rogue said.
After Sean and Rogue settled themselves on the bed (far away from each other of course), older Rogue began to speak again. "Ah have a proposition for both of you. It would require tha' ya take care of something for meh. Somethin' tha' is a part of both of ya's. It would require ya both give something up but Ah guarantee ya both that ya would gain somethin' far greater in return. Will ya consider it?"
Rogue and Sean glanced at each other underneath their lower lids. Rogue was curious about this boy who would become the man she'd know as husband. Sean was merely curious.
"Ah guess it wouldn't hurt anythin' to hear wha' ya wan'." Rogue said as Sean nodded with her.
"Alright, here's the thing…"
Okay, a couple people have commented that I've confused them a little. Anyone with questions can email me at ice(underscore) vampire at yahoo dot com.(sorry gotta write it out because the website won't let meput a URL into the story and show it)Okay?
Once again, what makes you people believe that Gambit is the proud papa? (heehee) I guarantee you will be surprised.