Logan reaches over on the side table and activates the comlink, waking a slumbering German man seven hundred miles east out of a sound sleep.

"What time is it, liebchen?"  Kurt Wagner's sleepy voice fills the room, waking Remy LeBeau in the corner. 

"It's about 4:30 here, snuggle-elf."  Logan says.  Remy snickers quietly.

"Herr Logan?" 

"Where's Professor Xavier?"  Scott Summers asks, snatching the comlink from Logan's grip.

"He's asleep," Kurt answers.  "Ororo took the comlink for the night." 

"Kurt…" Ororo Munroe's voice can be heard.

"Ororo, it's Scott.  The Brotherhood has Rogue.  I don't know where they are taking her.  We're going to need a full team.  I need you to add the three combat-ready students.  Outfit them and bring them with you.  Call us when you get the jet in the air."

"Scott, are you completely sure?" Ororo asks, her voice sounding nervous.

"Storm, wake them," Scott says sharply.  He closes the connection and looks at Logan, who gives him a reassuring nod.

--

::Rogue!::

Silence

::Rogue...You gotta wake up, love,:: Jonothan Starsmore thinks desperately.  ::Please, poppet, wake up.:: 

     Groggy, Rogue opens her eyes to look into Jono's worry-laden orbs.  She smiles so weakly that it makes Jono instantly more worried, a feat he previously believed to be impossible. 

"Well, that's the last time ah'm sleepin' at your place," Rogue finally groans.

Jono's eyes crinkle, smile-like once more.

     ::What happened back there?::  Rogue asks mentally.

     ::I really don't know.  I was watching the telly when someone grabbed me from behind and trussed me up.  It happened so bloody fast, you didn't even wake up until that bloke attacked you.::

     ::That's where my memory comes in.::

     ::Did it work?::  Jono asks anxiously.

     "Hey, they're awake."  Pyro's voice comes from somewhere in the van.  "We should go back and say hi."

     "Leave 'em alone,"  Toad's voice echoes from the same direction.  "We'll be there soon."

     "It'd be rude to ignore them,"  Pryo adds. "We'd be bad hosts."  Rogue knows he just wants to come back to gloat.

     "Sit down and shut up," rumbles a voice that makes her heart sink.  It was Sabretooth.  That part, his voice from earlier, was flooding back to her now.

     "Which barrel did Erik find him under?"  Toad asks to Sabretooth, voice low.

     Rogue snickers to herself.  ::Ah think it did work.  Scott is at the safe house, ah think, with Logan and Remy.  The only way ah'd know that is 'cause it worked.  Did ah hurt you?::  Her eyes look into his filled with worry.

     ::Not a bit. One question, though: When did they start numbering mutants?::

     ::Not yet, why?::

     ::(Erik's number)  for some reason I can't get that number out of my head.  I don't understand what it means.::

     ::It's Magneto's number.  He's a Holocaust survivor.  It's very complicated but… His psyche is in my head.  For some reason, when ah try to drain you or Scott, my teacher, you can share in my memories, even those memories that don't really belong to me.  You ain't very strong in my head now, though.  Probably because ah wasn't paying attention to you at the time.::

     ::When we get where we're going, you should probably try again and tell them where we are,::  Jono thinks as quietly as he can, just in case he is projecting.

     ::It would help.  You sure ah didn't hurt you?  If you hold on too long, ah can kill you.::  Rogue says.

     "Well, well...Bobby's girl.  Does our little snowman know you've been out runnin'?" 

The van turns.  Jono, who was kneeling in the van next to the girl, loses his balance and falls heavily on Rogue.

 "Good God, Rogue, what would Bobby say if he could see you now?"  Pyro says.

"Ah ain't Bobby's girl no more," Rogue says quietly.  Jono pulls himself to his knees before slumping next to Rogue against the side of the van.

     There is a silence before the next statement comes, a bit to close for comfort.  "Yes Rogue, but the question is, where you ever really Bobby's girl?  I always thought you'd wind up in my bed."

     "Ah did love him."  She answers quietly.

     John Allardyce's face materializes out of the darkness.  "Yes, but I saw the way he looked at our pretty Kitty, all sweet, innocent... touchable."

     "It don't matter much now, does it?"  Rogue says, her voice growing cold.

     "I suppose not, but it might matter to your mummy with no face over here," Pyro says, eyes glittering with malice.

     ::Oh, go play with yourself, flamer,::  Jono snaps.

     "Tough words from a guy with no mouth."

     "Pryo, sit down and shut up," Toad yells, "or you train all day with Sabretooth tomorrow."  Pyro is silent for the entire rest of the trip.

     ::I take it you know that bloke?::  Jono asks.

     ::Ah thought ah did,::  Rogue sighs miserably as she lays her head on Jono's shoulder for comfort.

     ::Is he always such an arse?::

     ::Usually.::

--

     Three sharp raps on the door wake Bobby Drake from a sound slumber.  Eyes still cloudy from sleep, the boy hauls himself from his bed, clad only in a pair of sweatpants, and opens the door. There stands the large, furry, cerulean frame of Dr. Henry McCoy, his stony, leonine face impressing upon Bobby that something serious has happened. 

"Young Master Drake, it's time."

     "Time for what, Doc?"  Bobby asks.

     "We need you for a mission.  Meet in the Professor's office in 15 minutes.  I am on my way presently to wake Miss Pryde."  Hank says, distantly remembering the first time someone woke him in the middle of the night for his first mission.  The feeling never goes away.

     "Um, don't bother, Dr. McCoy," Bobby says.  Hank follows the young mutant's eyes, looking over his shoulder to see the slumbering Kitty Pryde, curled unawares under a quilt on Bobby's bed.  "I'll tell her."

     "Well, that certainly saves me a trip."  Hank says with a sly grin.  "You have 14 minutes."  Hank says before heading down towards the door to Peter Rasputin's room.

--

     Sunlight pours in through the opening back doors of the van, causing both bound mutants to squint as they are yanked into the sunlit morning.

     "The ride's over, children," Mystique says. The blond man in tow behind her reaches in to grab Rogue. 

"Havok, wait.  I'll get her.  She's dangerous."

     "She's only a girl."  Havok says, not believing the blue woman.

     "And one touch of her skin and you won't wake up.  Isn't that right?"  Mystique says, teeth gleaming white against indigo skin. A lock of her scarlet hair turns white, as if in mockery of the young girl.

     "Ah don't know," Rogue responds icily.  "Why don't you touch me and we'll find out together."

With gloved hands, Mystique reaches in and hauls her from the van, throwing the young girl to the ground.

     Havok pulls Jono from the van as Toad, Sabretooth and Pyro all walk around to the back of the van.

     "Take them to Magneto," Mystique says.

     "Where are you going?"  Pyro asks.

     The blue woman stops and narrows her yellow eyes at John. 

"Nowhere that concerns you, child," she snaps, shutting the boy up quickly.

     Pyro grabs one of Jono's arms as Toad takes the other.  Rogue watches them lead the young Englishman though the front door of a cavernous house with massive doors.  A sharp shove to the back nearly knocks her off balance--Sabretooth's way of telling her it's time to follow.

--

     "Good morning, Professor," Bobby and Kitty say at the same time, entering the double doors of the office precisely 13 minutes after Hank knocked on Bobby's door.  Peter offers both students a shy smile.

     "Please, have some breakfast."  Xavier smiles kindly as he gestures to the try of pastries, bagels and tea.  They each grab a muffin and take a seat on the leather sofa next to Peter.

     "Ororo and Kurt are on their way."  Both Bobby and Kitty startle slightly at the sound of Dr. McCoy's voice.  In the corner, the blue scientist, in his black leather uniform, was nearly invisible in the shadows.

     Moments later, both Kurt and Ororo enter the office carrying a carafe of what smells like extremely strong coffee. 

"The Jet is ready, Professor," Ororo says, smiling at her newest teammates.

     "The briefing shouldn't take too long."  The Professor says with an impish glint in his eye that makes Kitty feel as if she's been busted. 

     "The important thing is this--if you do not wish to be a part of this team, a part of this mission, it is perfectly acceptable to leave.  You can go back to bed, and nothing else will be said.  Thanks to my little girl who can walk through walls here, you all know what the mission entails.  We have to get Rogue and Remy back safely to the mansion.  They are in Chicago at the moment, in the custody of the Brotherhood.  Do you want to go?"

     "Why us?"  Peter blurts out. He blushes crimson--he is not used to the situation, or the attention he has suddenly garnered himself.

     "We know of your exemplary performance when the mansion was attacked.  We have tapes of your Danger Room sessions.  To be honest, we were going to call all four of you up at the end of the summer, But it looks as though your commencement exercises are moved ahead a few months," Hank says evenly.

     "Four?"  Bobby asks.

     "Yes.  Rogue is to be part of the team as well."  The Professor answers.

     "You do not have to go if you feel you are not prepared."  Ororo says reassuringly.

     "I'll go."  Bobby says evenly, if a little quietly.  A member of his family is in trouble, and it is time to go get them.

     "I'm going.  I know Chicago," Kitty says strongly, curling her fingers in Bobby's hand.

     "When do we leave?"  Peter says resolutely. 

     "Jetzt. [Now.]" Nightcrawler says with authority, walking out the door.  The rest of the team stands and each nods at the Professor in turn before following the German to the hanger.

     Once Xavier is alone in his office once more, he crosses himself and makes a silent prayer that each of his children comes home.

--

     A loud knock on the door rivets the attention of the three men in the room.  Cyclops opens the door to receive his new team. 

Standing on the front step, the group is assembled like the front of a comic book cover.  Both the Beast and Cyclops nod to each other as the team begins to file in.  Bringing up the rear are the newest members--Colossus, Shadowcat and Iceman.

     "Well, well," Comes a voice from the corner of the room.  "Remy see the Iceman cometh."     

Iceman turns to look at the dark-eyed vagabond in the corner.  "I'm just here to clean up the mess you made."

     The card in Remy's hand glows electric magenta as Bobby's hands turn icy.

     "Genug! [Enough!]" Nightcrawler explodes, stepping between the two mutants.  "If we could, I would leave you both here.  I can't." Iceman and Remy look at the demon-like mutant, who has said nearly nothing since leaving Xavier's office.

"Was auch immer zwischen Ihnen ist, beenden Sie es." [Whatever is between you, end it.]"

     "He means cut it out," the Beast says simply, "or we leave you both here, tied to a chair."

     The two young hotheads back down from their ready stances, their cards and hands returning to their normal, unaffected state.

     "Good.  Now that we have that settled, we can get down to a search."  Cyclops says turning to Shadowcat. 

"So just how much do you know about Chicago?"

--

     "You stay here, kids.  The big boys have a meeting."  John says.  With a growl, Sabretooth shoves him through the large office doorway.  Rogue and Jono watch until the doors swing closed.

     :: It's time, yeah?:: Jono thinks.

     ::You bet, sugah.  We just need to be as inconspicuous as possible,::  Rogue says, shifting her weight back and forth, inching her shirt high and higher while tugging on a belt loop of her jeans in the back where her hands are bound.  Jono watches as a sliver of alabaster skin emerges between her shirt and the top of her jeans.

Jono inches the cuff of his black shirt up to expose his arm as much as possible.  He steps closer to the girl, inching his wrist just under her shirt.

When Rogue drains anyone, human or mutant, it is an incredible rush.  Secretly, she adores the sensation.  Parts of her body she never even knew existed come alive, as if there is an invading fire that racing through every nerve.  Bobby is the only exception--absorbing him feels as glittering and welcome as ice on a sweltering Mississippi day.

Draining Jono without drugs is unlike anything she could even fathom.  She feels strong and powerful, like every adrenaline junkie's greatest thrill magnified to the nth degree.  She audibly gasps at the sensation.

As the newness subsides a bit, she opens her mind wide.  She can begin to hear the conversation inside.  Fragmented thoughts tumble loosely into her conscious mind.  She calls Scott's name and is relieved when he answers.

::Good morning, Marie.::

--

"Now that the search squads are assembled, we should begin our search," Beast says, readying himself mentally for battle.  He has been in a lab to long, and must slip back into the suit, so to speak.

"No, wait," Iceman says.  The entire team stops to look at the younger mutant, who nods towards Cyclops.  "He may know where she is in a few moments."

--

::Scott, can you see where we are?::  Marie asks.

::I can see, but I don't know where it is,::  Scott answers.  ::How are you doing this?::

::Feelin' up a half-assed telepath,:: she answers. He chuckles to himself.

::Ah, I see it now,::  Scott interrupts.  ::Who's there?::

::Magneto, Sabretooth, Mystique, Toad… Pyro… and some mutant named Havok.::

::Never heard of him.  Got a real name?::

::Ain't heard it yet.::  She grows silent.  ::You and Logan, y'all are coming to get us, right?::  she asks.

::Baby, the whole team's coming for you.  We even added people just for you.::

Jono nudges Rogue's hip with his arm.  She looks ahead and watches the double doors in front of her open of their own accord.  Both mutants step forward as she continues her frantic conversation.

::Hang in there, Marie.::  Scoot thinks strongly.

::I will.  I'll beat 'em up.::  Rogue thinks.

::That's my girl,::  Scott replies.

::Scott… Please hurry, sugah.::  Rogue inadvertently sends her panic to him as she breaks the connection to Jono. Both are shivering from shared connection and fear.

--

     "Let's make our guests a bit more comfortable, shall we?"  Magneto's voice is sweet and almost grandfatherly.  Barely though the door, both Jono and Marie get a rough shove in the back, bending each at the waist.  Marie feels her binding being cut by a knife--pinprick sensations between her shoulders tells her that they are Sabertooth's claws.

     "I captured the Rogue myself," John's smug voice can be heard over the beating of her heart.  "It was easy.  She didn't put up much of a fight." 

     "God, John, you are so...pusillanimous sometimes."  Rogue says, her hair falling forward and obscuring her vision.  Magneto chuckles at the bickering pair.

     "Christ, has Logan taken to beating you with dictionaries in the Danger Room now?"  John retorts.

     Rogue stands, flipping her hair behind her, anger evident across her features.  "No John, it's what happens when you live at a school."

     The room grows deadly silent as Magneto narrows his eyes and reaches out to grab John by the shoulders.  One swift thrust finds John hitting the wall with such force that the wind leaves his lungs.  Erik wraps his hand around the boy's throat before speaking.

"Tell me... Tell me you never touched her, or I swear to God I will rip you apart myself and personally deliver the pieces to Mystique."

     John's breath is catching in his throat under Erik's hands, eyes saucer wide as he  realizes his toes are barely scraping the floor.  "I didn't hit her, I swear.  I drugged her, like you said to.  I swear."  His voice cracks slightly with panic. 

Rogue can say nothing in John's defense; her voice is lodged in her throat.  She understands the rage from the man--he saw too many SS guards kill young women to prove their manhood.

     "Why don't I believe you?"  Magneto's voice comes as an icy growl. 

     A blue hand rests lightly but insistently on the older man's shoulder.  "The boy is telling the truth, Erik.  My little girl was in a bar fight earlier.  There's no reason to believe Pyro here could even get in a punch." 

Mystique smiles as she reaches over to touch the bruises on Rogue's cheek.  Rogue pulls back sharply before the blue woman makes contact.

     "Like mother, like daughter, I see."  Magneto smiles, releasing John, anger forgotten.

     "What the hell is this crazy bitch talking about?"  Rogue growls, narrowing her eyes.

     "That would be the animal," Magneto says wryly to Mystique.  Mystique nods her agreement.

     "Don't call him that."  Marie yells as John snickers.  "And you're right, John was never as good as ah am.  Of all the Xavier students to pick, Magneto, ah gotta say your judgment was lacking on this one." 

Mystique's hand whips out to grab the back of Pyro's shirt as he advances on the girl.

"Now now, John.  Be nice to my baby girl."

"Will you stop calling me that?"  Rogue says with venom.   

"What?  Has Xavier really never told you?"  Magneto says smoothly as he leans against his large desk. "Tsk tsk.  My old friend really must be slipping, unless he felt it was simply extraneous information.  Although, I, for one, would say that having your mother work for the Brotherhood would be fairly significant news. Don't you think so, my dear?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rogue asks, her borrowed bravado waning.  Magneto knows information, and is taking great delight in dangling it in front of her. 

"My beautiful changeling here is your mother."

Rogue shudders at the words.  The Erik in her head confirms the news. Rogue shakes her head in disbelief, tears welling in her eyes.

"She's your adopted mother, of course," Erik informs her.

"That's a lie," Rogue stammers.  "Ah know my adopted mother, and she sure as hell didn't have blue skin."

"Oh, I'm afraid that's a deception as well," Magneto says. "The woman who raised you wasn't the woman who adopted you.  There came a time, when you were very young, when you had to go to live with your Aunt."

The tears stream down Rogue's face, pooling on the edge of her ruby quartz goggles.

"Come on, Liebchen," Mystique says, circling the girl.  "You always knew you were adopted.  That woman just isn't the one you belong to."  Mystique's multi-tonal voice changes in Rogue's ear, sounding at once familiar and implacable.  "But I always kept an eye on you."

"So what, am ah supposed to call you Daddy now?"  Rogue resorts to sarcasm, still not truly buying that the story is true, but toying with the nagging sensation that it is. 

"Not at all, my dear.  I have my own children to look after.  You are not among them, as much as I am sure that vexes you."  Magneto chuckles.

"Oh, ah'm devastated," Rogue drawls thickly.

::All this is a bloody brilliant bit of pantomime, mate.  Fancy tellin' a bloke why we were dragged out of our beds in the middle of the night?::  Jono projects, stepping closer to Rogue.  She can feel the buzzing sensation from his chest hum against her back.

"Let's just say I need more power than Commonwealth Edison can provide." 

"And you are just the man we're looking for," Mystique says, slinking her way into her favorite position, curled around Magneto hands resting demurely on his shoulder.  "How convenient for me that our little Rogue here brought you straight to us."    

"Business can be taken care of in due time.  Sabretooth, Toad, Pyro, see that our guests are made comfortable.  Pyro, have Havok help you look after the well-being of our guests.  Toad and Sabretooth will be needed in the basement as soon as everyone gets settled."  Magneto says, as efficiently as a concierge ordering staff of a four star hotel.  "I do hope that you enjoy our say with us."

Toad and Pyro grab each of Rogue's elbows and lead her from the room.

"Y'all know they're coming to get us," Rogue says, craning her neck over her right shoulder. 

"Tell me, girl, how is your dear brother?"  Mystique and Magneto both laugh as Rogue is dragged forcibly into the hallway, unable to articulate a response.

--

Cyclops blinks rapidly for a moment before he notices the rest of the team staring expectantly at him. 

"So, One-Eye, care to share with the rest of the class?"  Wolverine asks, arms crossed over his white tank top, the top half of his uniform bunched around his waist.

"It's time," Cyclops says readily, returning to familiar territory.  "Suit up and get in the jet.  I'll brief you all on the way."  He watches as the team files past him, game faces on, underlying nervousness aglow in the new four.

Logan rests a hand on Scott's shoulder.  "Marie..."

"She's fine, Logan.  A little beat up from the fight, but other than that, she's fine."  Scott turns to look at the feral man, allowing a look of pride to cross his face.  "They had to drug her."

Logan grins evilly.  "They can't take her without drugging her."

"Yeah, she's a little proud of that too."  Scott grins before both men make their way to the waiting X-jet.

--

"'Ere we are, then," Toad says, leading Jono and Rogue into a large suite.  "You kids have a lovely time, yeah?"  Toad says, blinking owl-like before both he and Sabertooth turn on their heels to leave. 

"We'll call you when we are ready for the boy."  Sabretooth growls as they pass Pyro and Havok, carrying trays of food.

"I always suspected," Pyro retorts before a roar makes him jump.  Havok snickers.

--

"You might want some of this," Havok says, placing a tray of food on a table in the center of the room.  It smells heavenly, with heaps of pancakes, bacon, eggs of every kind and three different kinds of syrup.

Rogue digs in immediately.  Jono reaches and grabs her arm.  ::You may not want to do that,::  He thinks quietly.

::Why not?::

::Might not be safe,::  Jono answers.

Rogue shakes her head.  ::That's an old SS trick,:: she thinks, taking a large bite of sausage. ::If there's one thing Erik won't do, it is resort to anything a German would do.:: 

"You can eat, too," Havok says, sitting in a plush chair in the corner of the room by the door.

"He doesn't eat."  Rogue offers between bites.

::Mutation gone horribly wrong, yeah?::  Jono thinks acidly, his mind always looking for the opportunity if it ever presented itself.

"That happens?"  Alex Summers says.  Growing up so isolated from a mutant community, he feels as if there so much he is playing catch-up on.

"Yeah, sometimes it's pretty bad.  I met a guy once who had to wear goggles to keep from blowing shit up all the time.  I think he was brain damaged or something."  John says, watching Rogue's face grow as red as her goggles with anger.

"After you eat, there's a shower in the next room," Havok says, watching the pair.

     "I'm sure you'd love to watch," Rogue snaps back at both men.

     "No, the entire room is secure.  You are allowed to wander around it unsupervised, at will," Havok says evenly.

     "Well, thank you kindly, ah will." Rogue stands and shrugs out of her coat, letting the wool heap on the floor.  She walks to the bathroom and shuts the door.

     ::Jono, try sending this as quietly as possible to Scott… Whatever it is, it's in the basement.::

     ::Will do, love.::

--

     Rogue emerges from the bathroom, her hair still slightly damp, slipping on her gloves.  It did feel good to be clean once more.

     She can hear John's sarcastic voice as she opens the door.  "Time to go, Sparky."

     ::Sod off.::

     "Where are you taking him?"  Rogue demands.

     "Nothing for you to worry about," Havok reassures.  "He'll be just fine." Rogue looks deep into his eyes and knows he believes that is true.  A flash of a dream takes her aback.

"You know, Rogue, those are great sunglasses," Pyro says backhandedly. "They look like Cyclops', don't they, Alex?" 

Havok gives the boy a confused look. 

"Oh, I guess you wouldn't know.  You've never looked into the eye of a Cyclops." John snickers and leaves, leading a frantically projecting Jono down the hall. 

::Get out of here.  Please love, get out of here!::  Jono allows his words to echo over and over in her mind. 

Alex closes the door and turns to look at the girl. Rogue takes a tentative step, slowly, contemplatively, before the resignation of a decision settles on her consciousness.  Alex almost smiles at the sight.

"So, you're Alex."  Rogue says, coming closer one step at a time.  "The last time ah saw you, you were just a little boy."

     "How old are you, skunk girl?"  Alex asks with a smirk.

     "Seventeen," she answers sweetly.  "Eighteen, by the end of the summer." 

     Alex laughs unabashedly at the girl.  "You remember me, do you?  Sweetheart, I was 6 when you were born."

     "Yeah, ah know."  Rogue continues.  "Ah know a lot of things about you."

     "Alright, skunk girl, I'll play.  What do you know about me?"  Alex asks, taking a step forward, stopping her in her tracks.

     "Ah know your parents were killed."  She offers as an opener. 

     "So does everyone else."

     "Ah know your parents were killed in a plane crash." 

"You're going to have to do better than that."  Alex yawns.

     "Ah know there was only one parachute.  Ah know that your parents strapped it to your brother, and you hung on to him.  Ah know you were terrified.  You were, what...four maybe?  You told him you were scared.  He told you it was an adventure, just like your Dad had.  Ah know your brother's name is Scott."

     Each revelation from the young girl's lips hits Alex Summers like a hammer in the heart.  Alex's eyes widen, stricken before pain narrows them once more.  "Was.   My brother's name was Scott.  He's dead.  But then again, I guess you know that, huh, skunk girl?"

     Rogue shakes her head, a look of hurt wrapped in fear crossing her face.

"He ain't dead, Alex." Rogue's voice cuts through the silence of the room.

     "I would know.  My brother died protecting me from the crash."

     Rogue smiles.  "Your brother's a protector, all right."

     "Was."  Alex growls.

     "Is."  Rogue insists firmly.

     "How do you know that stuff about me?"  Alex asks.

     "My mutation. Ah absorb people.  When ah absorb someone, ah can share their memories.  Ah near absorbed your brother completely once."

     "My brother is dead.  You're lying."

     "Think about it, baby brother," Rogue says, her intonation beginning to mirror that of her teacher.  "How did I know about the crash?  I was born two years after your parents died.  I lived nowhere near the crash or you.  How did you I got the information?  I touched your brother.  I have his memories.  I know you, Alex.  I know what it is like to feel you wrapped around my body.  I know that you closed your eyes the entire way down.  You told Scott you were scared.  You couldn't even answer his questions.  You could only nod.  I can still feel wisps of your hair brushing the back of my neck.  I know how tight your legs were around my waist.  I can feel them still.  Think, Alex.  How do I know this?  I know where your brother is.  I know he is alive.  I know he turned so he hit the ground first.  He protected you."

     "Stop!"  Alex screams, raising his hands and sending out an energy blast to the girl, throwing her across the room. 

"My brother loved me," Alex yells in anguish.  "He died protecting me."  He stands heaving and gulping air, before a breath catches in his throat.  In the small pile of crushed drywall and mangled furniture in the corner of the room, the girl he thought he'd blasted into oblivion stands up and dusts herself off, straightening her gloves.  He stands riveted as she steps closer. 

     "Now do you believe me, baby brother?"  Rogue asks, her voice once again her own.

     "You're still alive," Alex breathes, more to himself than to the girl right under his nose.

     "You're not the only one Scott protects."