A New Day is Dawning

"So all this time this Carol Rogue was hearing was just Lucas trying to brainwash Rogue?" Betsy asked the following day back at the mansion.

"Yes and the irony is Rogue had to absorb the real Carol Danvers in order to break Lucas' hold on her," Scott said. He looked at the damage in the hallways. "Man what a mess."

"I'm sorry we weren't able to stop them from stealing any of the data," Betsy apologized. "Or trashing the place."

"Hey, if anyone's to blame it's me for running headlong into that trap," Scott sighed. "I'm just glad you guys are tougher than you look, otherwise we might not have had a mansion to come back too!"

"It wasn't just your decision alone Scott," Xavier wheeled behind them. "I should have known Magneto would have taken advantage of our situation."

"Wouldn't put it past him to create it in the first place," Scott grunted.

"No, that was Blackjack's idea," Xavier shook his head. "It was a brilliant plan. By having Rogue steal data from SHEILD it would force us to leave the mansion with not enough defenses to stop the Acolytes from stealing data from us."

"So Blackjack and Cyndi were running the show while Lucas thought he was doing all the work," Betsy thought it out.

"Mostly Blackjack," Jean told her. "And if anything went wrong Lucas would be the scapegoat personality."

"While Blackjack would use the opportunity to get more in favor with Magneto," Scott thought.

"Exactly," Xavier frowned. "He used Lucas the way Lucas used David and Ian."

"Who's David and Ian?" Betsy asked.

"It's a long story," Scott said as they headed down to the infirmary. They went to Rogue's bed first. "How are you doing Rogue?"

"I'm sore all over and got a killer headache but I'll be okay," She said. "I just wish people would stop using me in their plots to take over the world! It's starting to become a running joke!"

"I've managed to help contain the Carol Danvers psyche," Jean was by her bed. "The real one that is. The fake one is gone."

"Yeah now I've got the real Carol stuck in my head. But at least the real one's still alive and will wake up in a day or two. I'm so glad I'm not a killer," Rogue sighed in relief. "So how did the whole Lucas/Blackjack/Cyndi thing end up?"

"I have no idea," Xavier sighed. "It looks like Lucas is now back where he started. Only this time there are a lot more personalities he has to contend with. And they're much stronger and more powerful."

"Should we tell Magneto about this?" Jean asked.

"You're kidding, right?" Betsy looked at her. "After all the trouble he put us through I think he should get a taste of his own medicine!"

Xavier frowned. "What did I say now?" Betsy asked.

"Lucas is the alter ego of the Professor's son," Jean sighed. "That's another long story."

"Oh dear," Betsy blinked. "I just keep putting my foot in it don't I?"

"Well to be fair there are a lot of landmines around here," Scott acknowledged.

"By the way what happened to our houseguest?" Betsy asked.

"Misfits took him to some kind of military prison," Scott said. "But I don't think he's gonna be able to sit up by himself for a long time, let alone escape."

"What about SHIELD?" Rogue asked.

"Fury wasn't exactly thrilled that Blackjack or whoever he was at the moment managed to get away with the data," Scott sighed. "Or that one of his agents came back in a coma."

"Let's just say we're lucky SHEILD isn't pressing charges against us," Xavier sighed.

"I think we've all but burned that bridge we had with them," Jean sighed. "At least they don't have the plans to build a Bio Pulse."

"But Magneto does," Scott frowned.

"And it's all my fault," Rogue frowned.

"No it's not!" Betsy said. "You can't blame yourself for what Lucas did to you!"

"Betsy's right," Xavier said. "It's mine for being too complacent. I assumed no one would dare mess with any of our minds again after the Apocalypse incident. I was wrong. Truth is Rogue, it could have happened to nearly any one of us."

"Yeah, but I was the easiest mark," Rogue brought her knees to her chest. "And he was right. I knew something was wrong with me but I was too scared and stubborn…"

"Look I admit I don't know the whole story here," Betsy said. "But I do know if somebody messed with my head before I wouldn't want anyone to look down on me or anything. You have to learn to trust your friends. Then again this is coming from someone who looks like one of your mother's other selves so maybe I'm not exactly the one who should be saying this."

"Why don't you rest for a bit?" Xavier suggested. Scott and Jean left leaving Betsy alone with Rogue.

Rogue made a wry smile. "By the way…Thank you."

"For what?" Betsy asked.

"For kicking the butts of the jerks who invaded our home that's why," Rogue said. "And I'm sorry about…"

"Don't apologize," Betsy told her. "Really you don't have to."

"No, I have to," Rogue said. "I don't have any right to judge you when your powers go out of control. Look what happened to me!"

"Well to be fair Lucas or Legion or whatever his name had a hand in that," Betsy pointed out. "Not to mention your loving mother. But if you really want to make it up to me you could show me around the Institute when you get better. You can tell me which students are the geeks we should prank."

"I think I'm starting to like your style," Rogue grinned. "It's nice to have you as a friend again. Well even though it wasn't really you to begin with."

"Well at least your mum has some good taste."

"Don't count on it. Considering who she's shacked up with in the past and is currently…" Rogue shuddered.

"I know about Sabertooth but who else? In case I feel like inserting my foot into my mouth again."

"Well, she's slept with Kurt's biological father Matt Burke, a British spy, my former guardian Irene, a.k.a. Destiny…"

"Uh, she's female right?"

"Oh yeah," Rogue nodded. "Now she's with Zartan leader of the Dreadnoks who work for Cobra. And she's pregnant with his kid."

"Good lord this place is sounding more and more like a mutant version of East Enders meets Dallas every minute," Betsy blinked.

"You don't know the half ofit," Rogue sighed.

Meanwhile a pensive Xavier was in the halls with Jean and Scott. "Repairs are coming along pretty quickly, considering," Scott told him. "Both the Misfits and the New Mutants are helping us rebuild."

"Well at least now we have an excuse to add on those extra rooms," Jean said. "Professor? Are you okay? You look really worried."

"You're still thinking about what happened at SHEILD aren't you?" Scott asked him.

"Yes, as much as I'd hate to admit it, I can understand Fury's point," Xavier sighed. "And now that both Magneto and the Hellfire club have the Bio Pulse weapon…"

"It'll be like stopping Apocalypse all over again," Jean said. "Only this time we have two sets of enemies and no idea when or where they'll strike."

"One thing's for sure it won't be in a remote location," Xavier frowned. "Most definitely they'll set it off in a heavily populated area in order to activate the most X-Genes possible. And if both Magneto and the Hellfire club have the resources to make more than one…"

"I just thought of something even worse," Scott frowned. "If things get really desperate there's only one other person Fury might turn to in order to build another Bio Pulse and have it used on mutants."

"Stryker…" Xavier frowned.

"He wouldn't! Would he?" Jean asked. "I mean the man is a psychopath!"

"So's Trask but that didn't stop Fury from getting his help when Apocalypse made his move," Scott pointed out.

"You have a point," Xavier put his hand to his head. "I never thought I'd admit this but I'm glad we at least have the Joes and Misfits on our side."

"Oh come on we're not that bad," Airtight said as he walked in with Lifeline.

"Let's just say you have your moments," Scott folded his arms. "What's going on?"

"Well we finished analyzing the information we got from Rogue's tests before the incident," Airtight said. "And we've come up with something. How is she?"

"Better," Jean told him.

"Well enough to try on clothes?" Airtight asked.

"Say what?" Jean asked.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Just what I need to get over my trauma, another stupid uniform," Rogue looked at what she was wearing. It was a black outfit with a gold X over her right breast and a strange thin expandable gold belt in the middle. The sleeves were short and she was wearing black boots and no gloves. She was in the Danger Room with Trinity, Airtight, Xavier, Remy and Scott.

"Not just a uniform," Airtight told her. "If my calculations are correct this may be a way for you to learn to control your powers. It's made up of an experimental polymer with circuits that can dampen your powers to some degree."

"What do you mean?" Rogue asked.

"Right now there's an electrical current running through the suit in synch with your own bio-electricity," Daria explained. "But this current is slightly stronger and can over ride the frequency your powers have. The life sucking ones that is."

"I don't feel anything," Rogue said.

"It's there, trust us," Quinn said.

"That will be a first," Remy groaned.

"So what do I do?" Rogue asked.

"Well it's already set up," Quinn said.

"How about we test it out?" Brittany asked.

"Gambit could go for a test run," Remy raised his eyebrows and leaned in close.

"What if it doesn't work and I absorb your thoughts?" Rogue asked.

"That's okay," Remy grinned. "Gambit have all sorts of new thoughts in his head."

"SHUT UP GAMBIT!" Rogue punched him and he fell down hard. "Huh? I didn't absorb him. I can touch him without hurting him."

"Trust me, that hurt…" Remy groaned where he lay on the floor.

"Oh did I mention you'll still have most of your super strength as well as your ability to fly?" Airtight asked. "We were planning on testing it out first."

"Not what we had in mind," Daria said.

"But effective," Brittany said.

"Oh goody..." Remy groaned.

"In a few years your body will build a tolerance to these impulses and they will be incorporated to your unique biochemical energy," Airtight continued. "You'll be able to mentally regulate your powers. Kind of like how people who get allergy shots over the years build up a slight tolerance to what they're allergic too."

"Push this button here to turn them off and then again to turn your powers on again," Quinn showed her.

"However there are some limitations," Daria told her. "You can't have this suit on for longer than three hours. Otherwise it might overload a little."

"When you say a little…You mean it might explode or something?" Remy asked.

"Or something," Brittany whistled. "Yeah…"

"And you can't wear it every day," Daria added. "Only three times out of the week and never two days in a row. Otherwise it might overload your system."

"And you might blow up or something," Brittany said. "We think…"

"In other words I'm wearing something that will either cure me or kill me," Rogue looked at them. "It figures."

"It's not much but at least it will help you to some extent," Airtight told her. "I mean you have to have that entire outfit on to work. But I figure that's a bit more dignified than some horrible collar."

"It doesn't matter. I can touch again…" Tears were coming down from Rogue's eyes. "Even if it isn't perfect it's better than what I had before! Oh thank you!" She ran over and hugged Airtight.

"Oh sure, him you hug…" Remy grumbled as he stood up.

"This is great, Rogue," Scott said. "I'm really happy for you! Come on, let's leave them alone for a bit."

"Why? This is the good part!" Brittany asked before Scott grabbed her. Soon Rogue and Remy were left alone.

"Okay Chere, I guess I had that coming," Remy scratched his head.

"You bet you did," Rogue folded her arms.

"But it did work," Remy grinned.

"Swamp Rat just shut up and kiss me," Rogue told him.

And he did.