Author's Notes: Thanks to those who reviewed. The chapters get longer from here.
Logan and Scott stood near the Professor as they waited outside the mental institution. Today was the day they brought home the newest addition to the institute.
It was still early. All the students were at school, so the instructors figured it was the best time to bring in Nightmare.
Scott stood trying not to seem worried. He had never once met someone who was truly insane, and he was not looking forward to it.
Logan could sense he was worried.
"Relax would ya," he said in his gruff voice.
"I can't," Scott said. "I really don't like the idea of taking this guy back with us."
"The kid's just got a few screws loose in his head," Logan exclaimed. "You're probably making him out way worse then he actually is."
"He's right Scott," the professor said. He had been listening to their conversation carefully.
"I admit this boy may seem very odd, but when Ororo and I met him yesterday he wasn't as bad as we feared he would be. He may seem a little dark and act as if he should be feared, but yesterday he was rather reasonable to us."
When he was done speaking Dr. Philips came out of the door with two security guards following him. They were wheeling a rather strange contraption over to them.
It was a large flat board on wheels. It stood upright and had a handle in the back allowing it to be pushed.
On the board were four shackles and two leather belts used to strap in very dangerous patients.
"Good morning," the doctor said to the three mutants as they stood and looked at the big device. "The patient should be out here shortly and we can continue with the transfer."
Logan looked at him questioningly.
"What is that thing for," he asked pointing to the thing, whatever it was.
"That," said Dr. Philips, "is what you will be using to transport my patient."
"What," Logan questioned disapprovingly. "You're gonna strap him onto that thing, like an animal?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Well, then how are we gonna get him back to our institute," asked Scott, "the car we brought isn't big enough to carry that thing."
"Don't worry," Dr. Philips assured. "Two of my guards are going to drive you back to your institute in one of our vehicles."
Logan was still rather disapproving of the transportation device.
"Why do you have to have him all chained up like he's some kind of monster."
"Because that's what he is," Dr. Philips said. "He is a danger to society. Once you get him to your institution you can do what ever the hell you want with him. But as long as he is outside of your gates then he is to be placed on this machine."
"And remember once he is at your institution he is not allowed outside of your walls until the state is convinced he is at full mental health."
Logan wanted to chew the man out, but the Professor entered his mind and asked him not to do so.
At last the doors of the mental hospital opened. Three guards come out leading Nightmare over to the three mutants.
His hands and feet were bound by hand and ankle cuffs. They made an irritating clinking sound as he made his way over to them.
One of the guards had a large box, big enough to fit a seven-year old child in.
He walked it over to Dr. Philips and asked, "where do you want me to put this sir?"
Scott was the one to answer the question.
"You can put it in the back of that car over there."
He merely planed to follow the sanitarium's vehicle back to the institute. He did not want anything to do with Nightmare quite yet.
The guard took the box over to the car.
As he did so Charles turned to Dr. Philips. "What is in there anyway."
"Those were his only personal belongings," the doctor answered. "If I had my way I wouldn't allow him to have them back. But the state insisted that they go where he goes. Seeing as he doesn't have any other personal items."
He leaned closer to Charles and whispered, "if I were you I'd keep them away from him."
The guards removed the cuffs from Nightmare and placed him on the transportation rack. Luckily there was a small board he could stand on as he was latched to the damn thing.
He stood on the board and said, "ready when you are Dr. Philips."
The doctor took his keys out of his pocket and locked Nightmare's wrists and ankles into the shackles.
The belts were placed around his torso and latched tightly around him.
After that he was instantly placed into the Sanitarium's vehicle.
Before the doors were closed on him he looked directly at Dr. Philips.
"I bet you'll die a happy man now that I'm gone," he said.
"Yes," the doctor claimed. "Very much so."
"Not if I'm the last thing you ever see," Nightmare said. And with that the doors were closed.
Dr. Philips' face turned to worry and anger.
He turned back to Xavier and said, "get him away from my hospital." And he headed back into the hospital. He didn't say another word.
The three mutants stood in silence.
After a while the first guard called to them. "Come on, hop in. We want to get this over with."
The door to the institute swung open and Rogue ran inside. She slammed it shut and leaned against it. Her hands moved over her eyes as she tried to hold back her tears. She didn't care if she got in trouble for leaving school early. She had never been so humiliated in her life.
Her thoughts were full of hatred towards herself.
'Why did that have to happen? Why does all the bad stuff have to happen to me? Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
There was so much anger and sadness in her mind. She couldn't believe that humiliating thing happened to her. And in front of Remy. Sadly she had no one but herself to blame for this.
She kept on replaying the incident in her mind.
It was back at the high school. The students were walking through the halls between classes.
Rogue had managed to avoid Sarah and her thugs the entire day.
She was standing against the wall waiting for Remy to come to his locker. Today was the day she was going to ask him to the dance. She was ready for this. The entire day she had thought about what she was going to say.
And she knew exactly what to wear that morning. She wanted to look her best when she asked the Cajon out.
She had on her usual gothic attire. Her green transparent shirt, her black leather skirt, everything. It was the outfit she thought she looked best in.
After waiting for what seemed like an eternity she saw him.
Remy moved to his locker, fiddling with a card in his right hand. It moved so elegantly between his fingers that she was almost hypnotized by it.
As soon as Remy stopped at his locker Rogue took a deep breath and began to move over to him.
She talked to herself as she moved, trying to calm herself. "It's ok Rogue. You're just going over to him; you're just asking him to a dance. It's what every normal teenager does. Not that Ah'm really normal, but still"
This was it; after taking a few more steps she would be next to Remy.
But before she could get to him Tabitha walked over to the demon eyed young man.
"Hey Gambit," she said. "I was just on my way over here and wanted to ask if you wanted to go to the dance with me."
Rogue stopped dead in her tracks after hearing that.
"WHAT!" she screamed in her mind.
Remy looked at Tabitha. His mouth opened and out came the words that the Goth could only listen in dread.
"You're lucky," he said, "no one's really asked me yet."
"Well," Tabitha said, "if you need to think about it I'll understand."
"There's no need for that," he claimed. "Sure, I'll go you."
They were just simple words, but they sill struck through Rogue's heart like a bullet.
She couldn't believe it. She had blown her chance with Remy.
She started to back away from the two. She could not walk up to him now. That would be too embarrassing.
Still she could not look away from what had just happened. Remy was the first person she had a crush on since Scott. And now she may have lost him to.
It was as if every person she grew to like got taken away from her. It was always too much to bear.
All she knew now was she had to get away from there. She started to turn and walk away.
Sadly she was not watching where she was going. Her mind was filled with too much disbelief and sorrow to do so.
And that was when it happened. The most humiliating moment of her life.
Some idiot janitor had left his garbage can right in the middle of the hall. She was so upset from what just happened that she didn't even notice it, until she ran into it.
She felt the impact hard against her body. She was moving so fast, trying to get away.
The impact caused her to loose her balance, and she fell in. She fell headfirst into the garbage can.
In seconds her head hit the bottom of the can. It hit her so hard that she was dazed for a few seconds.
It did not take her long to realize where she was.
Luckily there was not much garbage in the can with her, but there was still enough to make her gag.
She tried to get out, but it was then that she realized she was stuck. Stuck upside down in a trashcan.
Outside of the can the students looked on. All that was visible of poor Rogue now were he legs sticking out from the opening in the can.
All the Goth could do now was kick her feet about and scream for someone to help her. And that is exactly what she did.
She kicked her legs about, screaming her head off.
Soon Rogue could here all the students around her burst out laughing. All around her they were wailing with mirth at her predicament.
Rogue would have found this situation funny as well if it wasn't happening to her.
Soon the bell rang for the next class. This was when the cruelty of the students grew even worse.
No one helped her.
They all just walked by her as her legs thrashed about, her screams muffled from inside the can.
And soon there was nothing, but silence in the hall, showing that she was all alone with her disgrace.
She had no idea how long she was in there. She had to wait for that idiot janitor to show up and get her out.
After that she did not wait for the man to ask her what she was doing in there.
She ran passed him and left the high school and she didn't stop until she was home.
And that was where she was know. Leaning against the door crying. Why did that have to happen to her? Of all the rotten luck.
She was somewhat glad that there was no one home. Sure Mr. McCoy was home, but he must have been in his lab, where he usually was when every one else was gone.
Rogue moved away from the door and headed for the den. She sat down in a chair and leaned her head against her hands.
All she could think about was that embarrassing moment. The day could not possibly get any worse.
The large vehicle moved quickly down the road as Scott drove behind it in his precious car.
Inside the Professor and Logan sat in the back with Nightmare and the second guard.
Nightmare was still in his restraints, which were locked in on a special area on the floor that kept him steady as they sped to the Institute.
Charles looked over to him as the vehicle bounced over a pothole.
"There shouldn't be too many people at the Institute when we arrive," he said, "you should have a peaceful arrival."
"Actually," Nightmare began, "I was rather hoping that there would be plenty of people there when I came."
"Why is that," Logan asked.
Nightmare leaned his head on the back of the board he was strapped to.
"I have my reasons," he claimed.
"I see," said Charles, "but Nightmare you should know that not many of our students are really comfortable with your arrival. So we thought it best to bring you when they were at school so we could get you settled in and then try to have you meet with them after we calm them down a bit."
"That is understandable," Nightmare said. "But I would still prefer others around."
"Why," Charles asked. "I assumed that being out of contact with people for so long would make you nervous around them."
Nightmare looked directly at Charles as he spoke. "I have spent many years alone. I had nothing, but my own mind to keep me company."
"When I was brought to the mental institution I had not realized how much damage all that did. When the psychiatrists at the hospital talked with me I found myself asking them more questions than they asked me."
"I soon learned that I was getting into there heads. I learned personal things about them. Their secrets, their dark memories, and I even learned who they truly were."
"The reason I did this was because, my mind was not used to other people, so it had a need to learn about them. It gave me mental stimulation. After a while I found myself needing that more and more."
"I became addicted to that in a way. And I figured that I should try and cure myself of it. The only way to do that, I think, is being near as many people as possible."
Logan looked at the cloaked figure curiously. "What do you mean by, seeing who someone really is."
"It's simple," Nightmare claimed. "Let us take Dr. Philips for example. During the sessions I had with him I learned about him and in time I knew his heart."
"On the outside he may seem like a caring individual. But I know better "
"He has grown angry and selfishness after failing so many patients. He knows that he is not helping the disturbed individual in his hospital, but he doesn't care."
"It had always been obvious that he would never reveal this to the outside world. If a patient was not doing well he would hide him away in order to protect his reputation. That is exactly why he got rid of me."
Charles and Logan listened to this astounded.
Xavier was very impressed. Nightmare was able to learn about people without entering their minds like the telepath could.
But still this made him nervous. He did not want Nightmare knowing the personal facts of his students. He himself tried hard not to enter his students' minds to find out information like that, unless he had to.
His thoughts were interrupted by the guard behind the wheel of the vehicle.
"We're approaching your Institute," he said.
Soon they found themselves outside the gates of the institute. In just a few more seconds Nightmare would be free to walk its halls with the X-Men
Rogue had moved upstairs to her room after sitting downstairs crying to herself.
She had her own room in the institute now and she was very thankful about it. Now she would not have to worry about listening to Kitty's phone calls with Lance at 1 o'clock in the morning.
She had pulled out her guitar and had been strumming away at it for quite some time. The gentle plucking of the strings helped her forget about her embarrassing ordeal.
Rogue always loved playing her guitar. It seemed to be the only thing that truly made her happy in this world.
She liked writing her own songs and then trying to think of the right tune to go with it. That was what she was doing now. She was completely unaware of the commotion going on outside.
Outside of the institute the asylum transport stopped near the front door. Scott pulled up beside it.
The guards exited the vehicle and began wheeling Nightmare out.
As they did that Logan helped the Professor get out of the back in his wheelchair.
When Nightmare was taken out he looked up at the mansion. He had never seen such a building before in his life.
"Impressive," he said.
No one responded to his statement.
The first guard walked over to the Professor.
"Alright, he's in your hands now," he said.
He then took a key out of his pocket and handed it to Charles.
"Dr. Philips made you a copy of the keys to his restraints," he said. "We're leaving that here with you, just in case he gets out of hand."
"Very well," Charles said taking the keys.
The guards did not wish to spend anymore time there. They got back into the transport and left the Institute, hoping never to see Nightmare again.
Nightmare kept his gaze on the huge building.
"How does one find there way around this place without getting lost," he asked.
"Don't worry," Xavier stated. "You'll get used to it."
He then handed the keys to Logan and said, "take his restraints off please."
Logan took the keys and made his way over to the young madman.
"Are you sure we should do that now," Scott objected. "Maybe we should wait till we get him inside."
"There is no need for that," Charles assured.
Nightmare looked to Scott as Logan undid his restraints.
"What's wrong," he asked him. "Afraid I might bite?"
Scott shut his mouth after those words.
As soon as his restraints were off Nightmare stepped off of the devise.
Still mesmerized by the sight off the mansion he was unaware of the car that pulled up next to Scott's car.
Jean Grey stepped out of the vehicle. As usual she was at the mall wasting her money on things she didn't need.
The red head made her way over to Scott. The two of them kissed before Jean spoke.
"What are you guys doing back so soon," She asked. "I thought it would take a little while longer to get that creep out of prison."
"Jean quiet," the Prof. said as he pointed his finger to reveal to Jean that Nightmare was standing near by.
Jean looked a little shocked at seeing the boy. When hearing that he would be coming to the institute she didn't know what to expect.
She whispered to the Professor, "what's with that costume," of coarse meaning Nightmare's cloak.
"I don't know," he answered. "The doctors said that he was wearing it when he came to the sanitarium. He would not let anyone take it off. I'm sure we will find out the reason for it soon enough, but until then don't say anything to him about it."
"Well, I guess we at least know he has no sense of fashion," Jean said ignorantly. If she only knew.
Logan looked away from Jean and back to Nightmare, or at least where Nightmare was, for now he was gone.
"Where'd he go," Logan blurted out in surprise after seeing the new student had fled. How was it possible that he could leave without him noticing?
Xavier, Jean, and Scott looked over and saw what Logan meant.
"Oh great," Scott said, "here, we've brought a madman to our home, and he's already gotten away from us."
"Don't panic," Xavier stated. "He couldn't have gotten far. Split up and look for him."
They all did so. Jean and Scott ran into the mansion as Logan began to search outside.
Back upstairs Rogue was unaware that any of this had happened. She remained in her room as the commotion began outside.
Her guitar was still on her lap as she continued to strum away at the strings. It seemed that she had finally calmed down from her miserable day.
She had been working on the music for a song she had been working on for a few weeks now, and today she finally felt like she had it right.
It wasn't a Gothic song, nor was it any kind of punk rock. Just a simple slow song about how humans did not understand her. She was very good at slow songs, even if they were not what people expected her to write.
Rogue finally felt that it was time to test the song.
She began plucking the strings again, waiting for the right time to begin.
She took a deep breath and began to sing the lyrics:
I have lived in this world; no one seems to notice me.
I feel pain just like the friends; still nobody wants to see.
They see bad, they see dark, and they think that they know best.
I may seem as hard as stone, but I'm fragile like the rest.
See me as I am, not this mask that blocks your view
I'm not looking for anything special, just for you to see what's true
She became quiet as she looked for the best place to start singing again.
Meanwhile, at the end of the hall Nightmare had come up from the stairs. His curiosity had got the better of him. He had a need to search the institute on his own.
Plus he thought having the mutants look for him would give him excitement of trying to outsmart them. He thought it would give him mental stimulation. His addiction had won over him again.
As he moved down the hall he heard a strange noise. A sound he had not heard in a long time.
Guitar strings. How odd it was to him, to hear that sound again. He moved slowly towards the sound.
Back in her room Rogue began the next verse:
I am just a simple girl, though it may seem strange to say.
I have needs in my life, and I'm yearning night and day.
I am trapped in my skin; it's a curse that has befell.
In my dreams all I wish is that soon I can be held.
See me as I am, not this mask that blocks your view
I'm not looking for anything special, just for you to see what's true
Nightmare listened to these words in the doorway. Luckily this strange pale girl had her eyes closed, so she did not see him.
'How interesting,' he said in his mind. 'This girl doesn't seem at all like the ones downstairs.'
Just then he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. He knew it had to have been one of the mutants that brought him here. He was not done playing with their minds yet.
Quickly he made his way to a nearby closet in the pale girl's room. He opened the door quietly and hid inside. Then he closed the door just as silently as he had opened it. It was as if he wasn't even there.
As the closet door closed Rogue heard the footsteps coming up the stairs.
She took her guitar off her lap and laid it on her bed.
After doing this Jean and Scott came running by her room. They stopped instantly and looked inside.
Scott looked at Rogue confused.
"Rogue, what are you doing home," he asked.
Rogue stood for a minute trying to think up an excuse. She did not want to tell Jean and Scott about what happened to her.
"Ah started feeling sick at school," she lied, "so Ah came home."
"Is that so," asked Jean in a voice of disbelief.
Rogue looked at Jean and the two instantly shot each other daggers.
Ever since the defeat of Apocalypse Jean started to dislike Rogue. No one really knew why.
To everyone else she was still miss perfect, but she had grown a darker side. She had finally become the bitch Rogue always knew she was.
Scott could feel the tension grow thick within the room. He decided to get the two girls focused on the matter at hand.
"Rogue, did you see anyone run by here earlier," he asked.
"No," she claimed, "you two were the only people Ah've seen since Ah got home."
"Are you sure," Scott asked more persistently.
Rogue looked at him curiously. He seemed very nervous about something.
"Yeah," she insisted. "Why, what happened?"
Scott gave a nervous sigh and said, "you remember that patient from the mental institution the Prof. wanted to enter into the Institute."
"Yeah," Rogue answered questioningly.
"Well, he's here," Scott blurted out.
Rogue cocked up an eyebrow and asked, "so is that why you're nervous."
"No," Scott said, "he got away from us outside."
"WHAT," Rogue yelled out in total shock. "are you kidding me!"
Scott held his hands up as if instructing Rogue to calm down.
"Relax," he said, "we're looking for him right now. I don't think he's gonna get very far."
Rogue could not speak at first. She knew that this madman was going to arrive here today, and like the other students she was not looking forward to it.
And now this guy was loose in the institute. That was not a very comforting thought.
Scott saw the worry on Rogue's face. He felt it as well.
"Okay," he said, "Rogue, Jean and I are gonna look for this guy. You just stay here and keep an eye out and your ears open. If anything happens contact Jean. Oh and you should lock the door."
It was well known that Rogue could take care of herself, but Scott felt it best that she stay in her room. Seeing how Nightmare's costume completely covered his body, Rogue would not be able to use her powers on him.
Rogue could only nod in agreement, even though she thought Scott's statement was stupid. How was she suppose to keep an eye out for this nut job if she locked herself in her room?
Scott left the room to continue the search. Soon Jean followed him.
Before she left she looked back at Rogue and said, "just keep the door shut," as if Rogue didn't understand the warning from Scott.
Then she closed the door and went after her boyfriend.
Rogue stood in her room, with her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes were full of anger.
She was glad the two of them were gone. She did as instructed and locked the door before she did anything else.
But as soon as the click was heard on the knob another noise came from behind her.
"I can sense the hostility between you and the red head."
She turned around saw Nightmare standing behind her. He leaned against the closet door, propping it open with his body.
"I don't blame you though," he said. "She seems rather shallow, as most people would say."
Rogue's eyes turned wide with shock. She knew who this stranger was instantly.
In one quick movement she took off her gloves and stood in a fighting stance.
"What the hell do you think you're doing in here," she asked him harshly.
Nightmare did not answer her. He looked her over slightly before saying, "relax. I'm not here to fight."
Rogue remained in her fighting stance. She did not say a word; she just waited for the cloaked boy to make the first move.
Nightmare walked up to her calmly.
"If, I was really here to harm you," he said, "don't you think I would have attacked by now?"
Rogue paused once again and lowered her fists. Still she did not put her glove back on.
She looked at the young man, of course questioning his strange costume in her mind.
"Ah take it you're the new kid in the institute," she stated.
Nightmare casually began to walk in a circle around her, as if looking her over from head to toe.
"Yes," he said, answering her question. "Nightmare at your service ma'am."
"Nightmare," Rogue asked, "what kind of a name is that?"
Nightmare chuckled slightly to himself and asked, "what kind of a name is Rogue?"
The madman stopped in front of the Goth and they both stood looking at each other.
"Well," Nightmare asked, "aren't you going to call for your friends?"
It was then that Rogue remembered Scott and Jean. She had wondered why she didn't call Jean with her mind.
She then said to Nightmare, "Ah'll call them if Ah need help with you."
Nightmare smiled under the mask in his hood.
"Very good," he said.
He continued looking at Rogue. His hollow eye sockets moved over her body. What an odd attire she wore.
Rogue looked at the stranger. Her discomfort began to rise within her as she wondered why this guy was starring at her.
"What's wrong," she asked him, "you got a problem with how Ah'm dressed?"
"Not at all," he claimed. "Forgive my, it was been such a long time since I've seen a Goth."
Rogue crossed her arms and asked sarcastically, "well is it everything you hoped for?"
He did not answer her question. Instead he produced one of his own. "Tell me, Rogue, why are you a Goth?"
Rogue cocked one of her eyebrows up. "Excuse me," she asked, wondering why this guy was so curious.
"Why did you become a Gothic person," he asked. "I imagine that all Goths have a reason for becoming the way they are."
"Is it simply because you chose to, or is there a darker reason why?"
The pale girl felt a warm feeling come over her. She began to feel a light sweat come about her.
"What do you mean by that," she asked.
Nightmare smiled again under his mask and hood. "Did you suffer from some very tragic ordeal? Were your parents cruel to you? Did your father beat you on a regular basis? Or perhaps is it just to keep people away?"
A shiver rolled up Rogue's spine as she said, "Ah don't see why that's any of your business."
Nightmare caught himself in his act. His addictions were get the better of him again.
"Forgive me," he said. "After being out of contact with people for so long I find myself having a vast curiosity for personal things. It is something I can't really control."
Rogue's slight anger backed away a little bit, as she thought of her powers.
Nightmare then said, "I know that may seem a bit hard to understand."
"Well," Rogue said, "Ah may know a bit more about things that are beyond a person's control than you think."
Nightmare walked over to Rogue's bed as he said, "that is good."
He looked at Rogue's guitar and plucked one of the strings before looking at her again.
"That was a rather interesting song," he stated.
Rogue's eyes turned wide again as she said hysterically, "Oh God you heard me? That's just freakin great, Ah don't want people hearing mah songs."
"Calm down," Nightmare said. "It was quite good in my opinion."
Rogue calmed down a little. "Really," she asked, "you liked it?"
"Yes," the young madman said, sort of hissing.
Rogue became skeptical of his comment. "Why did you like it? Ah mean it was just a stupid song Ah made up, it can't be that good."
Nightmare disagreed. "Oh no, no, no. You did fine."
He then walked passed the Goth and unlocked her bedroom door.
"If you'll excuse me," he said, "I think I've put your friends through enough fear for today."
He then left the room, intending to find the Professor before any of the other mutants discovered where he had been hiding.
Rogue watched him leave, and immediately locked the door after he was gone.
That guy had really given her the creeps. She had never been so nervous before.
There was just something odd about him, besides the fact he wore that costume, and the fact that he was insane. Or was he truly crazy.
To Rogue it didn't really seem that way. He did seem creepy, but he didn't seem insane. It was obvious he had a good grip on reality and knew exactly what he was doing when questioning her.
But still, for some strange reason, Rogue was glad that she met him. It felt good that somebody actually liked her song, even if he was the only person to hear it.