Way Out
By: Kryptonite
*****
*Eleven Months Three Weeks After*
" Rogue?" Kitty called, knocking quietly on the door. Waiting a few seconds Kitty was about to turn the handle when Scott came down the hallway.
" Scott have you seen Rogue? She hasn't been out of her room for days." In answer to Kitty's question Rogue opened the door a crack, blearily letting the light in.
" You need something? Because if not I'm going back to sleep." Rogue rubbed tiredly at her eyes.
" I was just wondering why you haven't been in class."
" Sick." Was all Rogue would say about the matter and she certainly looked the part, her skin having gone quite pale.
" If you're sick you should go see Jean." Scott chimed in, looking pleased as a cat whom had just gotten a new piece of string.
" I think I'll just sit this one out." She replied, going to shut the door again.
" Rogue you can't just 'sit this one out'. What if you're really sick?" Scott asked, stepping closer to the door. Kitty just raised one eyebrow at the confrontation she was witnessing. Normally Scott did so much better at getting Rogue out of her moods than this.
" I'll be fine. I just need to sleep." To prove her point, Rogue let out a huge yawn.
" Are you-" Scott was shut off as the door shut in his face. The two barely heard the sound of a deadbolt sliding into place.
" She didn't have a deadbolt on her door before… what did you do?" Kitty accused, turning to glare at Scott. She was given her answer when Jean walked up the stairs looking for him.
" Scott! I've been looking for you. I wanted to let you know that I was going to be working in the lab with Logan for the rest of the day. I'm afraid we'll have to forgo lunch." Jean looked up at him through her eyelashes, smiling prettily. Kitty just rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what Jean was doing.
" It's alright Jean, if you have to. I wanted to talk with Rogue about her attitude lately anyway. She's been acting so cold to you." The look of anger at Rogue's name was quickly replaced by a sympathetic smile.
" It's alright, it's only to be expected. I mean, everyone's told me how much you've been helping the poor dear. I couldn't possibly except to come back and not have her a little upset." Scott kissed Jean's hands.
" I knew you would understand." Kitty knocked gently on Rogue's door.
" Rogue? If you need anything you know where my room is. Don't hesitate for any reason. Okay?" With that Kitty glared once more at the couple in front of her before turning to go down to her next class.
" What was that about?" Jean asked, distracting Scott from the reason he had come up here in the first place. She went to walk back down the stairs she had come up, Kitty going the other way by her room.
*****
*Eleven Months Three Weeks Five Days After*
" Leave me alone." Rogue whispered, half asleep as the nightmare raged unchecked. The rare occasion when the bitch in her head couldn't control something was when Rogue wanted her too.
What made it worse was that despite the damage the nightmare 'hurricane' did to her 'house' that the psyches in her head lived in, and the fear it caused in the members hiding so deep within, even if the main girl could have done something she wouldn't have.
" No… stop…" Rogue tossed, sheets coming to twist about her legs as sweat trickled down her face. Images she had no right seeing, images she hadn't ever had happen to her bombarded her mind, causing her to wake up, a scream caught in her throat.
Taking a deep breath, Rogue stood up, kicking her legs numerous times to untangle the sheets. For a little while the voices in her head were silent, trying to fix the 'house' from the latest nightmare. Rogue stepped into the shower, remembering to take off her clothes this time.
I can't do this anymore. Scott… It hurt for her to even think his name much less to see the images that went along with it, the feelings she had started to feel despite what the voices had said.
" Well too bloody bad child. His precious love is back. Looks like you've been demoted to the shadows again." Rogue whimpered as she slid to sit in the bottom of the tub, letting the warm water pound down on her head.
" And there is nothin' you can do about it. Tough luck." Pyro chuckled mercilessly as he threw out his own insults. Rogue's eyes shot open at that statement as she laid out a plan.
Not every insult gets the intended result of tears. Sometimes they jumpstart our minds to give us a way out of everything.
*****
A/N: Yes I know I painted Jean as a real conniving bitch, but hey *shrugs* she's supposed to be. So what exactly is Rogue's 'plan'? Anyone who doesn't guess correct gets to be chased by Wolverine *grins wickedly* No, but seriously, I was planning on stretching it out a couple of more chapters but I really have a good idea for the whole 'Rogue leaving and coming back twice as cool' thing.
Star-of-chaos, Roguechere, Veronica, Julia, EclipseKlutz, Tara, and Syd all get fresh, chocolate chip cookies. Syd, I know (one of the few things I know from the comic books) that Rogue never mastered full control of the voices, and they really do help so much with the poor self-image so don't worry. They aren't leaving completely.
Tara I'm glad you finally reviewed, I'm also glad you liked having so many chapters to read. Roguechere, I didn't realize I was so good at cooking ;) Star, Scott will come to his senses, it'll take a little while but it will happen. And Eclipse, if you think you're confused by the second chapter… keep reading. Have a good life everyone, catch ya on tha flipside.