Disclaimer: I do not own any X-Men characters appearing in this story, they are the property of: Marvel Comics, 20th Century Fox, Stan Lee and a whole bunch of other people none of which include myself. This has been written for purely recreational purposes, I make no money from this so please don't sue.
"Human memory is a marvelous but fallacious instrument... The memories which lie within us are not carved in stone; not only do they tend to become erased as the years go by, but often they change, or even increase by incorporating extraneous features."
-Primo Levi
"Our dreams must be stronger than our memories. We must be pulled by our dreams, rather than pushed by our memories."
-Jesse Jackson
"I've never tried to block out the memories of the past, even though some are painful. I don't understand people who hide from their past. Everything you live helps to make you the person you are now."
-Sophia Loren
"Chuck, you didn't…?"
"I had nothing to do with Rogue's collapse but I have been fearing something like this for sometime. Kurt, Hank if you would."
Beast and Nightcrawler had already sprung into action appearing almost instantly at Rogue's side. Kurt tried to take Rogue from Logan's arms only to find himself growled at. Pulling his arms back in the universal 'I surrender' gesture Kurt settled with porting both Logan and Rogue down to the Infirmary seconds later he came back and made the journey once more with Beast.
Logan, Ororo, Scott and Kurt stood anxiously outside the infirmary waiting for any news on the southern girl. Professor Xavier and Beast were both inside running diagnostics on the unconscious X-Man in training.
"Argh! I hate waiting."
"Please Logan, have patience. Charles and Hank are doing the best they can. The only thing we can do is wait."
Logan merely growled in acknowledgement and went back to pacing.
Ten minutes later Xavier rolled out of the room his face lined with worry. No words were spoken as he joined the vigil.
Twenty minutes after that Hank exited the room. He looked at the assembled adults and sighed. "I must admit I am at a loss to explain exactly why Rogue collapsed as she appears to have sustained no substantial physical injuries aside from the trauma one would expect to see after a fall to the ground."
"Thank you Hank, I am sorry to say that I did not think you would find a physical reason for Rogue's ailment."
"So what you're saying is Rogue went down like a French prizefighter with a glass jaw and you've got no clue as to why?" Logan growled irritably, the animal in him considered Marie a part of his territory and any attack made on her was by extension an attack on him.
"Not exactly, Logan. As I said before I've been fearing a reaction similar to this since you've brought Rogue's behavior to my attention. It would seem, and I would have to run a more thorough diagnostic to be completely sure, but it seems that Rogue is in the process of breaking down mental barriers that are blocking memories."
The collected adults swallowed that piece of information for a moment before Storm broke the charged silence. "Professor, these blocks would have to have been put up by another mutant, a telepath…I thought that Logan was the first mutant she encountered—" Logan tersely cut Ororo off. "I was."
"Logan how could you possibly know that for certain? Has Rogue ever explicitly—"
"Listen, One-Eye," Wolverine moved swiftly and positioned himself directly in front of Scott, "Marie would have told me. She knows she can tell me anything."
"If Rogue is indeed having difficulties in accessing memories perhaps it is because the mutant she encountered does not wish for her to remember their interlude."
"That is one distinct possibility Hank and one we cannot afford to disregard."
"Do ve vant Rogue to recover dese memories? Is eet possibul zat Rogue herself blocked dem to protect herself?"
"While it is possible I don't feel it is probable, these barriers have a distinctly alien feel to her mindscape."
"Alien?' Logan snorted "Ya mean like little green men from Mars?"
Despite the serious nature of their situation Kurt and Logan shared identical smirks.
"I believe, my friends, that the Professor is means 'Alien' in the context of the barriers being foreign to the mind of young Rogue rather than them being miniature space men from the cosmos."
"Beast is correct. It is my belief that these mental shields were put into place by a mutant of significant power."
Storm, who had been standing next to Nightcrawler staring through the window at the supine figure that was Rogue , shifted her attention back to Xavier and the others.
"That still leaves us with the same problems: Who put these barriers up, why are they coming down now, what information was being blocked, how are we going to help Rogue get through all this, and will she even want out help when she wakes up?"
Charles sighed and rolled his wheelchair closer to Storm and shared her view, "…Those are indeed the questions but as of yet none here are privy to their answers…"
"Rogue" Her mother's voice over the intercom snapped Rogue from her restless sleep. "Rogue, report to the briefing room in five minutes."
Rogue sighed and rolled out of bed, she was slightly puzzled her last mission had been two nights ago—Magneto usually gave her about five days before calling on her again.
"Mornin' Momma, mornin' Irene."
"Good morning Rogue, how did you sleep?"
"Like an angel Irene—a fallen angel, but an angel still." Rogue grinned in good humor before settling into the neutral expression she considered to be her 'game face'.
"What's the mission this time? What's Mags need this time? Something old? Something new? Something stolen? Someone bruised?"
She leaned back in her seat and propped her feet on the table. Without missing a beat Destiny used her cane to knock Rogue's feet off the table.
"This isn't a mission for Erik, and I do wish you would demonstrate a bit more respect for your elders child, this mission is a favor from you to me. There is a person that I need you to take care of." Mystique said delicately.
"Any preference as to how it's done?"
"Yes, actually." Rogue frowned, usually on assignments like this she was given free reign to be as creative as she liked—as long as she wasn't caught."
"But we'll get to that later. First the mark." Mystique slid a folder across the table to her daughter. Rogue opened it and found a picture of a girl—she was pretty enough in that stereo-typical blond-hair, blue-eyes way.
"Her name is Carol Susan Jane Danvers, also known as Ms. Marvel," Rogue bit back a snicker "she is a captain in the U.S. Air Force dealing chiefly in intelligence, currently she is on loan to S.H.I.E.L.D. and has had dealings in the past with Interpol," All three woman shared identical grimaces—none of them had any fondness for either organization.
"Danvers, in collusion with S.H.I.E.L.D., has recently become involved in an ongoing investigation that will compromise us in the future." Rogue glanced at Destiny who, despite being blind, seemed to see the gesture and nodded to the unspoken question.
"As such she needs to be dealt with as soon as possible."
Rogue mulled the Intel over for a moment before speaking. "And what of the investigation itself, am I to retrieve whatever documents they currently have before shutting Danvers down?"
"No I will be dealing with that part of the mission. Your only concern is the elimination of Carol Danvers."
"I see…any particular reason why I can't just put a bullet through her brain?"
"Danvers is a mutant."
'OK no surprise there, hence the whole "Ms. Marvel" thing.'
"Her powers consist of flight, super strength, invulnerability, and a seventh sense that alerts her to danger."
Rogue whistled—when her mother made enemies she didn't go about it half-assed. The invulnerability also explained why Mystique wanted her to absorb Danvers, invincible people where a bitch to kill.
"So when do you want this done?"
"As soon as you commit her file to memory."
"Yah're the boss. I'll be on the next flight out to" She glanced down at the file and turned the page, " D.C. Hey Irene you want a souvenir? I'll bring you part of the Washington Monument." Without waiting for a response Rogue left the room and headed for the kitchen to grab some breakfast.
Rogue stood in the shadows waiting for Carol to enter the house. The sound of a key in the lock brought Rogue out of her daydreams, she would have to do this as quickly as possible if she didn't want Danvers' seventh sense to warn her.
A pretty young woman entered the foyer juggling her groceries in one arm while trying to pull the key out of the lock. A sharp cracking sound caught Carol's attention as she looked down and realized that she had broke the key off in the lock.
"Damn it to hell! That's the third one this month!" She angrily kicked the door shut and winced at the sound of splintering wood. She sighed and made her way toward the kitchen, as she was putting her groceries down she felt a chill that she recognized as her seventh sense—she wasn't alone.
The realization didn't do her much good as a pale hand clamped itself over her mouth. The pain was immense it felt as if her very essence was being ripped from her body. Carol quickly gathered her wits about her and made an effort to break free from the grasp, she was rewarded by a second hand the gripped her neck.
The ripping sensation doubled and Carol quickly passed out. The second Rogue felt Danvers' body go limp she released the girl and stood over the prone figure contemplating its' fate.
She had to hand it to the girl, it had taken almost fifty-five seconds for her to enter what Rogue called 'the coma stage'—most other people reached that point at around the thirty-eight second mark.
'You bitch!'
Rogue sighed—she hated this part—corralling psyches wasn't fun and the longer she held into a person the stronger the imprint they left was.
'Yeah, yeah, you evil psychotic whore, how could you. You killed me. I can't believe you killed me. What did I ever do to you?' Rogue could tell her perfunctory reaction to the girl's presence infuriated her, but to be quite honest it was the same with every person she absorbed so the self-righteous anger got old fast.
'Now let's be a good little psyche and get behind my mental shields, OK?'
'Let me think about that—NO! Fuck you, you evil…' Carol trailed off lacking a suitable word to describe her murderer.
'Whore, bitch, cunt, bastard?' Rogue supplied helpfully.
'Don't patronize me, you goddamned lunatic! I don't know what the fuck I ever did to you to warrant you killing me but I'm not just going to sit back and watch as you get away scot-free. You're going to turn yourself into Fury right now!'
Rogue laughed the one was certainly more amusing than any other psyche she had imprinted, regrettably she was also stronger and was resisting Rogue's efforts at imprisoning her with great success. Usually pissing them off would distract them long enough to block them off from her conscious mind.
'Yeah and who's going to make me do that, huh?'
'Me, that's who!'
'You and what army princess?'
The smug smile on Rogue's face was quickly wiped off as her body gave an odd lurch. Her right arm moved on its' own accord and began to attempt to strangle her.
'—The hell!'
Rogue wasn't quite sure what was happening but as she tried to pry her right arm off with her left her right leg went out and tripped her.
"Oof oh, that's it bitch you're going down."
Rogue released her hold on the right arm and put all her focus on pushing back Danvers' psyche before she strangled herself to death.
'I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you…' Carol's voice grew dimmer as Rogue pushed her in the darkest depths of her mind that was reserved for the most troublesome of persons.
'Well…that was different.'
Rogue brushed herself off and absent-mindedly rubbed her throat through the cotton fabric of her turtleneck. She could already feel the bruises forming, she looked around for her gloves and pulled them on. At her feet Ms. Marvel was still in an undignified pile.
"Bitch." She growled and dealt Danvers and swift kick to the head. Rogue was amused to note that her combat boots had ripped the tanned skin and left a gaping, bleeding wound. She laughed, "Not so invulnerable now are we?"
'Now let's see, I've probably left all sorts of DNA evidence here while I was strangling myself so what to do, what to do?'
Examining her surroundings Rogue noted a gas-stove. 'Perfect.' She moved forward but was distracted by the sound of crunching glass. Ms. Marvel had been buying a twelve pack of Coronas that were now all over the floor. With dread Rogue touched her back and peered down at her gloved hand—the black leather was shiny and wet from alcohol.
Resisting the urge to kick the body again for the damage done to her leather jacket Rogue began to set the stage. In a mocking falsetto she chirped, "Officer, officer! There's a fire across the street, there's a young woman who lives there alone! Her car's in the driveway but I don't see her! I think she's still inside!"
A rag from the counter was doused liberally in the beer and set on the lit stove range where it caught fire. Rogue then threw the flaming cloth on the ground in the center of the broken glass and alcohol. She lifted Carol by her armpits and dragged her back into the foyer touching the girls hand to her bleeding forehead Rogue then smeared a bloody handprint on the door. Dropping Carol Rogue went into the kitchen seemingly unconcerned with the fact that it was on fire and grabbed a cordless phone.
She dialed 911 and pressed the phone into Carol's bloody hand. More of Carol's blood was smeared on the phone and Rogue cocked her head examining the scene like an artist painting a portrait.
"Looks good enough." Rogue cracked the door open slightly and chanced a glance outside. Carol apparently lived in a very quiet neighborhood because she could see no one paying any attention to the now slightly smoking house.
She turned, satisfied with a job well done, and was heading for the back door when a thought hit her. "Whoops, almost forgot." Making one more pit stop in the kitchen she grabbed Carol's wallet from her purse and in the same mocking voice as before "I think she may have been burglarized! Oh what is this neighborhood coming to these days?"
Passing through the laundry room Rogue knocked the clothes on top of the washer and dryer off as she exited the house and almost absently mindedly she turned around picked up a rock and threw it through the window of the room she had just exited.
In a low bass voice she said "There were signs of forced entry and Ms. Danvers' wallet was found missing. It is our belief that a burglar entered the domicile with the intent to steal any valuable goods and Ms. Danvers entrance prevented this from occurring, there was a struggle during which Ms. Danvers was knocked unconscious—" Rogue broke off and cackled to herself. Sobering quickly she made her way as unobtrusively as possible to her rental car four blocks away.
The sound of sirens wailing in the distance put a smug smile on her face.
"You completely failed in your objective. Have I taught you nothing?" Mystique pounded the table furious with her adoptive daughter.
Years of living with Mystique had inured Rogue to her mother's temper tantrums so this latest display of anger had no effect on her.
"I wouldn't say that Ah failed completely, Momma. Danvers is ina coma there's no way she's waking up anytime soon—if eva." The slow drawl made Raven's face tick of its' own accord. She hated when Rogue spoke with a southern accent which, of course, made it Rogue's favorite way to speak.
"Speak English." Raven hissed through clenched teeth. Rogue smirked in response. Raven took a deep breathe and decided to try a different tactic.
"I must say that your reluctance to kill this girl troubles me. I thought you were over your squeamishness." Rogue's eyes blazed with restrained ire. It was Mystique's turn to smirk.
"I am not squeamish! You want the damn bitch dead? Fine I'll kill her! I'll leave right now and go to her hospital room and overdose her on a sedative, she'll be dead before you go to bed."
"We've been through this, I want you to use you power to kill her. Is that really so difficult to understand?"
"Fine my power. I got it. I'll go right now, is there anything else I can do for you Momma? Any other favors you need for me to do before we're even?" Rogue stood up so fast she upset the chair she had been sitting in. Only her mother could get her riled up with such little effort. As she left the room she could hear Irene enter it from a different door.
"How did it go?"
Raven shot her a look before asking, "She used to be such a nice girl…what happened?"
On the stairs outside the briefing room Rogue shouted back her reply. "You happened! And I was neva nice!"
Once again Rogue found herself standing in front of Carol Danvers' comatose form. OK this time she was dressed as a surgeon in scrubs so that was a little different, but still she was getting really tired of the view.
Giving her surroundings another glance Rogue checked to be sure that no one was around. Satisfied that she was alone Rogue pulled one of her latex gloves off and mentally braced herself as her fingers skimmed Carol's face they twitched involuntarily and she pulled back, startled.
Danvers' psyche was much more active now that it was closer to its' body. Rogue easily pushed it back but it still gave her pause. If she absorbed all of Ms. Marvel how much more trouble would she have controlling her own body? She shivered at the thought of being a prisoner in her on mind.
No she couldn't. Even if Raven would be pissed at her Rogue would rather face the short term disappointment than suffer long term insanity.
Pulling her glove back on her still trembling hand she took a pillow from an empty bed, turned off the heart monitor and firmly settled it over Carol's nose and mouth. When she was certain Carol was no longer breathing she removed the pillow and returned it to its' former position on the neighboring bed.
Rogue stood there another minute to be sure that Carol truly was dead before calmly exiting the room.
'Now I've killed you, bitch'
There was no response and truly that was Rogue had been hoping for.
"Rogue, you're just in time. I was sure you wouldn't make it back in time to meet our guest."
"Flight was on time for a change."
"Good, you can tell me how the mission went later. First this is Mesmero, he's an associate of Magneto's."
"Hello Rogue. It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard nothing but the highest praise about you from Magneto and Mystique."
"Charmed." Rogue turned to Raven "Where's Irene? I got 'er something."
"You can speak to Irene later, first we have another mission to plan."
"I'm gonna have ta have a talk wit' Mags, Ah'm really feeling ovaworked."
Rogue sat in her usual seat and turned her attention to Irene who was already seated.
"Hey Irene, I brought ya back a lil' some—Ouch! Hey what the hell was that." Rogue reflexively grabbed her already sensitive neck and looked about for the reason for the sudden pain.
Mystique wiped off a syringe and placed it on the table. "I'm sorry Rogue, but you were given two chances to terminate Ms. Marvel and twice you failed."
"Didn'…"
"Your orders were to absorb her and if I just pierced your skin with that needle you didn't."
"Wha' gon' do…?"
"Be thankful you're my daughter Rogue, had you been anyone else I would have had you killed without a second thought." Rogue's head lolled as motor coordination became increasingly difficult.
"As such, I am only going to have Mesmero wipe your mind. We'll put you in a foster home and maybe you'll be given another chance to prove your worth in the future."
Rogue's protests died on her lips as she completely lost consciousness. The last thing she saw were Mesmero's hands coming toward her.
BL-INK
Bright lights. A white ceiling.
BL-INK BLINK
An annoying beeping sound.
BLINK
A blurry figure. Close. Too close.
"Welcome back to tha land o' tha livin', Sugah."
"Whaymei?" Marie licked her dry lips in a vain effort to get them to work.
'Where am I? Last thing I remember is a bright light and sirens.'
"Marie, darlin', can y'all hear meh?" Marie blearily turned her attention back to the woman—God she was irritating.
"Can ya hear meh?"
"Mrrmm."
"How are ya feelin', hon?" The woman, a nurse Marie supposed, bent over and helped Marie into a sitting position.
"W-tr"
"What was that?"
"W-ter?"
The cogs in the nurse's mind turned furiously. "Oh, water! Y'all want some watah?"
She nodded. "Sorry dear, Ah can't give ya water jus' yet—but I can give ya ice chips hold on a minute Sugah." An eternity passed as Rogue took stock of her surroundings while she waited for the nurse to return. She was obviously in a hospital, but she wasn't quite sure what she was doing in a hospital.
"Here ya go, dear." A spoon laden with ice chips presented itself before Marie. She welcomed the coolness into her parched mouth, eagerly melting the chips.
"There y'are. How d'ya feel?"
"Better." Marie was startled at the sound of her own voice—it was dry and raspy, nothing like she remembered it being.
"Wha' happened?"
The nurse's cheerful demeanor wavered for a moment before the annoyingly perky smile spread itself back in place.
"You were in a car accident, sugah. A right awful one at that. Ya've been in a coma fo' a month now."
For some reason this struck Marie as being incredibly amusing. The amusement faded as she recalled something else.
"Mah parents, mah brotha are they alright?"
The nurse's hesitation answered Marie's question.
"Oh Gawd…" For one long moment Marie forgot to breathe, forgot how to breathe.
"What happened?" She asked again.
"It was late. Not very many cars on tha road, Ah'm told. You and yoah family were comin' back from a basketball game. Yoah's I believe. A drunk driver behind the wheel of a big rig ran a red light and t-boned your car. Yoah father and brother were on tha side of the impact—they died instantly. You and yor mother on the other side of the car faired betta. A couple happened upon the accident minutes later a fire had started and the gentleman risked his life to pull you out. Your mother…was not so fortunate…she had been pinned under the steering wheel he was not able to pull her free in time. The car exploded and you were rushed to the hospital.
You were lucky and only suffered a few broken ribs and trauma to the head and while you were in a coma for a month it could have been much worse."
"Can I be alone for a while, please?"
"Of course, dear. I'll just inform the doctor's you've awoken."
"Thank you—"
"Nurse Betty." Nurse Betty supplied.
"Yeah, thanks."
Marie paid no attention to the sound of the door closing she was too deeply immersed in her thoughts.
'It's all my fault. It was my game we were coming from. I was the reason we were in the car that night. …I killed my family…'
Soft sobs and the steady beeping of the cardiograph were all that was heard from room 308 in Caldecott County Medical Hospital.
AN: OK I've tried it again and if this doesn't work I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Let me know how this looks.
