A/N: I do not own the characters.
"Bombs away!" He ran full speed towards the pool, leaping into the air and forming a cannonball, making a big enough splash to soak both women sitting near the edge of the pool. The taller of the women leapt to her feet.
"ROGUE!"
He popped his head out of the water, with just his ears sticking out so that he could hear her, but so that the water hid the smile that always spread across his face when he was being yelled at.
"You know that we're working on something important here! You know that you are not supposed to do cannonballs while we're working! You know that..."
"Raven, let her be. She's just a child."
"Yeah, Momma. Ah'm just a child." He stopped treading water and climbed out of the pool, grabbing a towel and offering it to Mystique. Mystique grabbed it and swatted him with it.
"Go get dressed. We're going to take you with us today."
"Really? Ah get t' see where y'all work?"
Both women nodded, and he jumped happily and swatted the air. "Awesome!"
Beaming, he was about to hug his parents before realizing that he was only wearing a bikini. "Sorry... Ah'll just go get dressed then." He nodded again before running back to his room to put on some clothes.
Raven shook her head and turned to Irene. "Are you sure that she's ready?"
Irene nodded and picked up the book that she had been reading, her fingers flying over the pages as she picked up where she left off. "She's made progress, Raven. And besides, Magneto is getting impatient."
"Heaven forbid." Mystique hated playing second fiddle to him.
Irene smiled and set the book down again. "You really need to relax. Nothing bad is going to happen to her because of this."
"Are you sure?"
"Despite my inability to see what is happening in the present, you know that I am able to see into the future. I can assure you that nothing bad will happen ...to her."
"To her?"
"We're going to have to move."
"Why?"
"You've been spotted."
Mystique looked around nervously before morphing into her more human looking persona.
"How? We have a force field. They would have to be able to see through it."
"Or someone tampered with it. Either way, we have to leave."
"So we move. No big deal."
"By we, I mean just the two of us."
"What?"
"It is unsafe for her to stay with us now that we are known."
Just then, a yell came from inside of the apartment. "Hey! Y'all gotta come see this!"
Raven looked into the apartment, where Rogue was standing in front of the television. She headed towards the apartment before turning around again and helping Irene up.
He was glued to the television. He had turned it on in his room when he was getting dressed, but had darted out into the living room as soon as the news came on. He finished tying his shoes as the other two women came in.
"You're on TV."
Sure enough, a helicopter-mounted television camera was hovering just above their apartment, showing the two sitting by the pool, going over documents. A reporter began to narrate.
"The home of two of the most high-ranking members of the notorious Brotherhood of Mutants has been exposed. Mystique and Destiny, real names unknown, have evidently been residing in this Manhattan high-rise for at least ten years, during which time they adopted a child."
The camera switched slightly, and the inside of Rogue's bedroom, appeared. She was sitting at her desk, reading, the streak of white hair shining in the sunlight that flooded through another window.
"How'd they get that!" He shrieked. His room was off limits.
"That's what I'd like to know." Mystique picked up the telephone and dialed a number. She left the room, as the newscast continued. "So far, no representatives of the Brotherhood have been available to comment, and the police are also not commenting. We are, however, live on the scene, and will update you as the situation develops." With a quick glance to Irene, he ran out onto the patio, and looked up to the sky. Sure enough, there were a flurry of helicopters circling.
"Get back in here!" He turned and saw Raven standing at the door. Knowing better than to disobey, he ran back inside.
"Rogue, you're going to stay with Irene's sister for awhile in Mississippi."
"Why?"
"Because it isn't safe for you here. We're getting you a new identity. And we're going to have to do something about that hair."
His hand went to his hair, which was brushed back, the two stripes forming one long skunk-like stripe down the middle of her head. "But Ah like mah hair."
"So does the news, sweetie." Irene turned up the volume, and sure enough, the news cameras had captured her out on the patio moments before, and were now talking about her.
"Fine. What's mah new name?"
"Marie. We're still waiting for the rest of the information to come through. You'd bettter go pack. There should be a transport here for you in about half an hour."
He nodded and left the room.
Charles sat back again. He remembered that particular incident. It had been about four years before they picked Rogue and Wolverine up in Canada. He himself had always wondered the same as Mystique. He knew that the brotherhood had just as many advanced technology available to them as the X-Men did. Sure, he had been glad about their exposure, since they were obviously planning something at the time, but he had always been worried about the child, who seemed to disappear into thin air. After a few years had passed, though, he just presumed that the girl had joined up with the Brotherhood or had moved out, gone to school or something. When he first met with Rogue, he had noticed something familiar about her, but hadn't been able to place it. Even after the hair had gone back to "normal," he had been unable to remember where he'd seen it before, and too polite to go into her mind and find out for himself.
"Professor." The voice came from behind him, and he turned to face Beast.
"There's something you should see."
He led the way back to his office, where a number of readings were printed out on paper and strewn across his desk.
"I've been cross-referencing these readings from tests that I've done on Rogue with readings from her initial physical. Interestingly, there are a few discrepancies. Granted, some of them can be attributed to the absorption of the Phoenix force, but some definitely cannot. For example, her muscles."
"What about them?"
"By no means was she weak before, but her muscles have developed in ways that should be physically impossible in such a short period of time."
"Perhaps it's a side effect of absorbing someone?"
"Carol... she absorbed Carol just before the incident."
"That would explain the muscles. Perhaps it will wear off soon."
"It's already been a few hours."
"Is she displaying any other of Carol's abilities?"
"No, I had no problem setting up the IV. If she had indeed absorbed the invulnerability, I would have had to use an adamantium needle. And even then it would have been hard."
The Professor's eyebrows creased and he tried to figure out what exactly was going on.
"Have you had any luck locating the Phoenix?"
He looked up at his furry friend. "Yes, and no. I've moved through a majority of her memories. Only a window of about five years remains."
"You seem somewhat apprehensive."
"I've uncovered some...interesting aspects of our young friend's life."
"Such as?"
"Her parents are Mystique and Destiny."
Beast was speechless. "But...how?"
"Do you remember awhile ago, when their location was broadcast on the news?"
"Of course."
"The child that they had..."
"Inconceivable!"
"I assure you, it's the truth."
"Are you two gossiping again?"
They both turned to the door, surprised to see Jean standing there.
"Jean! You are supposed to be on bedrest." Hank leapt up and put his hand on her arm, trying to gently lead her back to her room.
"No, Henry. Scott's doing enough resting for the both of us." She stepped into the office and sat down in Hank's now empty chair.
"So what's the topic du jour?"
"We were just discussing my findings from entering Rogue's mind to locate the Phoenix force."
Jean winced slightly, feeling incredibly guilty. "Maybe I could try?"
"Absolutely not." Charles didn't even have to think before answering.
"Why not? I'm sure that it would come right to me. Like a magnet. You got any food down here, Henry? I'm hungry."
Hank pointed to the lowest drawer on his desk, and she opened it, revealing a number of boxes of twinkies. She opened one and started to eat the pastry, while waiting for the Professor to reconsider.
"Jean, you're weak enough as it is."
"Charles," she countered, taking a bite of a twinkie. "You aren't looking so hot yourself. How long have you been trying?"
The professor bowed his head. "I'll give you half an hour. But first, there are things about her that you must know."
A/N: I don't want to do it, but I'll hold this story ransom as well. Reviews! Good, bad, I can take it!