Sorry if this chapter isn't too interesting. I'm wrapping up part I. After this, things won't center around lily so much. Other relationships and such will be explored. So keep reading! And I've been really busy lately so if it takes me awhile to put out a new chapter, don't lose interest, I promise I will keep writing!

Chapter seven

Rogue's eyelids fluttered and she felt the floor beneath her and the throbbing pain in her head. She slowly tried to stand up, scraping her hands against the cement floor. Where were her gloves? Her eyes began to focus and she realized that she was in a small dark room with a musty smell wafting through the air. The door was in a mist of blue light, and Rogue quickly guessed that it was a force field that wouldn't let mutant powers through. She'd seen plenty before. Still, she got up, and dusted herself off.

"Feeling better?" A silky male voice asked inside her head.

"Huh?" Rogue sat down again and shut her eyes. "Who are you?"

" You don't need to know that," the voice said. "I'm speaking to you like this, because I know your strengths. The minute I walk in that room you'll try to escape. It's so much easier this way don't you think?"

"I think it's cowardly," Rogue replied evenly. "Why can't ya come in here and face me like a real man?" The voice chuckled.

"I've always liked you, Rogue. You were always my favorite."

"So I know ya?"

"No, but I've watched you and your friends, knowing someday we'd be enemies. I'm so glad Xavier sent you to me."

"Ya won't be so glad when I get outta this room."

"Oh, I don't plan to keep you here. And I don't want you harmed. You're very valuable to me and to your friends."

"Which is why you won't have me here long. Ya can't capture an X-Man without all of em having a little something to say about it."

"I'm counting on it." The voice inside her head sighed. "In a away, I'm doing them a favor."

"What favor is that?"

"I'm giving them back you. And in exchange I'll be ridding them of the most evil force on earth."

"Evil force? We've seen em all. You can't rid us of Apocalypse and Magneto and Sinister and all of em."

"They are only the beginning of evil. When I get done with her…"

"Who?"

"Just wait here. I won't hurt you. Wait for your friends to come."

"It's okay, you're alright," Logan said reassuringly as he put a cold washcloth on Lily's forehead.

"What happened?"

"Nothing important. You're okay." She lay on the bed in the infirmary, an IV tube in her arm and tubs hooked up to her head.

"What are all these?" She asked, gesturing to the tubes. Logan bit his lip.

"The professor thought you might have hurt yourself with all that power. He wanted to scan your brain waves to make sure you were okay."

"What about everyone else? There was that man…and the…lights…"She was drifting off again, holding on to his arm. "And alI I could see was…the lights…and the red...the red…." She closed her eyes and breathed heavily.

"She awake yet?" Ororo asked, coming into the room.

"Yeah, she just woke up." Ororo nodded.

"Good, I'll inform the professor." A large bandage was across Ororo's arm where a five-year old scar had opened up and poured out blood.

"You're not angry with her, are you?" Logan asked, staring down at the sleeping girl.

"What?"

"Because she didn't mean to. She can't control it yet."

"I know, Logan," Ororo said gently. "And no, I'm not angry with her. Her powers aren't her fault."

"Will you help me convince the others of that?"

"Logan…it may not be her fault…but drastic measure still might have to be taken to make sure it never happens again."

"Rogue!" Xavier shouted, lurching forward in his wheelchair.

"Professor, what's wrong?" Jean ran in as fast as she could with her sprained ankle.

"It's Rogue," Xavier said. "She's in trouble. That Drake Armitage has her."

"Do you know why?"

"I don't know. Probably to use her as bait to get to us." Xavier sighed. "I shouldn't have sent her alone."

"She'll be okay."

"Round up everyone who's still...everyone who can fight and tell Scott to get the blackbird ready."

" What about…Lily?"

"I don't really want to risk it…but… she could be helpful and we need every person we can get since her powers wiped out half the team. And she'll never learn control unless he learns how to fight."

"Prof., you have da let me go!" Remy begged from his bed. "I can fight, you know I can!"

"Gambit, I'm not going to risk any more injuries! You can't fight in the state you're in.

"Prof., If anything happens to her…" Remy's eyes were wide with fear.

"Nothing will happen, Gambit, have faith in us. We'll get her back." Jean smiled regretfully at him and took Scott by the arm and went to the black bird.  Jubilee had gotten a severe concussion and Hank had too many cuts and bruises to even move. Charles, Jean, Scott, Lily, and  Logan assembled in the blackbird and the professor used his telepathy to track Rogue.  He gave directions to Scott, who fired up the jet.

"I'm sorry," Lily said, looking over at the X-Men. "I'm sorry for all of this." Jean nodded, but couldn't stop the words that came spitefully from her mouth.

"Not sorry enough."  Logan glared at her.

"You don't know for sure that Drake kidnapped Rogue because of Lily!"

"Oh, Logan you're the last person I would expect to be naïve!"

"Enough!" The professor snapped. Logan and Jean stared at each other, and it was the first time in a long while that Logan didn't feel like the whole world was spinning.

"Right on time!" Drake laughed and put his watch in his pants pockets. "I love those X-Men." Skylark attempted a grin.

"You got all men on this?" Drake asked. Skylark nodded.

"Of course." Drake slapped his hands together. "Well, get on it then. You're my best man, I can't have you sitting here like an idiot. Let's capture her and get it over with."