Guarded Secrets: Thank you. I can't really answer that question, but at this point I don't think he'll be a main character. Bored247:-) Thanks so much! Didn't think I could write something that could be described as addicting. Reluctant Dragon: I agree with you; Remy was slightly out of character. But it had been two months since I had last written him, and I was trying my best to incorporate his and Logan's personality, kind of together, so he could recite some of the classic lines from the movie, if you get what I mean. Obviously it didn't turn out the way I intended, and if I get the chance, I may go back and re-post that chapter. And I think we all accept Remy for the sex-god that he is, lol ;-) Thanks, for your comments. Ishandahalf: Thank you for forgiving me, lol! Remy is no Logan, but yay you like it so much! I bet you're really curious to see what's going to happen, next, so I'm not going to waste your time. Scroll down, and don't forget to review again! lilpyro900Sometimes I feel bad for putting them through so much pain. Sometimes, lol. Anyway I hope you review again, because I really appreciate reviews. Sweety8587: Same. I miss Logan, but with Remy around, you can't really complain, now can you? I bet you're really surprised about how fast I updated, aren't you? I wrote it all in one day! Glad to see you're looking forward to future chapters. Adrenaline Addict: It seems that it's always one bad thing, after another, for our favorite heroine. Things have smoothed out now. I'd just forgotten how fun writing this could be. Thanks for understanding about the last wait. Laura: Wicked. Nice to know this story is being met with enthusiasm! Enchantedlight: I updated! Hope you like this new chapter! MJK: Thank you, I wrote this instead of studying for an exam (blushes), but once I started this chapter I couldn't stop writing. Hope this meets your curiosity. Kleeber-elmo: I had to do that to make my story fit, but this new chapter is much more original, hint, hint. But love the thanks, hope this is fast enough. Kerrilea: But caffeine is so yummy! I remember trying to concentrate in class but the teacher had a cup of coffee on his desk, close to me, and it smelt…. Uh, moving on, it's so great people like this story! Chica De Los Ojos CafeI think this is my fastest update yet! Whoo! Thankyou, thankyou so much for your kind comments. Hope you like! Kyo-kitty: Don't really know what to say to that, but thanks, I know how annoying it can be when you're reading a good story, and then author doesn't update like for a year. Hope this satisfies you, and I really hope this was fast enough. Which it should be. The Dreamer Lady (And Lanco): I know, it's sad, isn't it? It's really good you liked the beginning, and this is nowhere near a slow update lol! It's only a couple of days I think. Don't worry, I'm shocked too. A Lost Soul: It would be creepy. I'd be hell freaked out if I was in her situation. Thanks for your review, and don't worry, I updated as fast as I could. Elle457: I typed the words they were saying as they were speaking because my subtitles weren't working, and I'm kind of an X-nerd, lol, so I knew a few quotes off by heart. The rest I did kind of take notes. I'm grateful you like my idea. Can't remember how I thought of it, though…. Alianne Swoop: Yay, I updated again! I was trying really hard to make it realistic, and I'm glad you thought it worked out and all came together nicely. Untouchable: Lol, it could have just been me, then. Wicked review, though, sounds just like what Rogue is going through right now…Pincher: I hate that too. So I promise that it will not be like that, okay? And that's all I'll say. Thankyou, and no, I don't think you're a nut. Actually I think you're sane, especially compared to me lol.
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FATE: n. The supposed force, principle, or power that predetermines events; The inevitable events predestined by this force; A final result or consequence; an outcome; Unfavorable destiny; doom.
xxx
She fled to the garden. The main garden that edged the basketball courts and overlooked the mansion, that was. Not Storm's. God, she did not want to piss the weather witch off. Past experience at taught her a lot, after all. It had been a restless night's sleep, and Marie imagined she hardly slept at all. She had woken early, sneaked past a sleeping Kitty, and changed. At least it was getting colder, so she didn't feel so out of place with her clothes. Skipping breakfast, she walked out to this bench, and sat, staring straight ahead, which was where she had remained until now.
She felt bad about Remy and was desperately trying to ignore his memories. They would resurface, naturally, but she did not think she was ready for them. From what she had seen, she did not like.
When he arrived, she was not at the least surprised. More annoyed.
"What do you want, Bobby?" she quipped.
But of course, it was not Bobby. It was Mystique. Great! This was going to be fun! Not…
She willfully tried to tune out.
"People are talking," Bobby whispered, taking an uninvited seat next to her, "They say you're stealing other people's powers."
Oh, really? Marie thought, I never imagined people could talk. How much more of this crap would she be able to stand?
"Oh no, it was an accident!" She began to feel like an actress, reciting lines, "He kissed me and… and we got lost in the moment…"
Truth was, considering she still did not know Remy's power, she did not what power she had temporarily possessed.
"You should go," she tuned back to her conversation with 'Bobby'.
She looked up, feigning surprise.
"Go!" he barked. Yeah, so subtle, man! She knew the real Bobby would never be so harsh. Especially to her.
Still she had an act to keep up. She stood up wildly, eyes brimming with fake tears; she had conjured by thinking of Logan, and fled. She ran as fast as she could, forming plans maniacally. She had to tell someone the truth, yes. She would have to tell Remy. No, she did not know if he was awake, or if he was, she did not know if she could face him again. If she couldn't tell Remy, then, naturally, she would tell the next best person. Charles Xavier…
She was so distracted that she did not notice another in front of her, until she had walked into them. As her eyes scanned upwards, she gasped.
It was the woman! The one that always seemed to be following her. Her dark red hair streamed past her shoulders, her caramel skin shone. She looked younger than Marie had seen her before, save for a frown etched on her face, like a scar.
She said, "Where are you going?"
It was the first time Marie had heard her speak. Her voice was soft, almost delicate, but there was a slight edge; slight, but there was something implied with her tone that she was not one to be taken lightly.
Marie just looked at her calmly, "Who the fuck are you?"
The woman laughed, "Oh, Rogue, I hardly think that's important, don't you?"
"Ah think it is," Marie snapped, suddenly mad, her shock wearing fast. Not like much shocked her nowadays, anyway. She didn't care if the woman knew her name. She was sick of all this. Sick of being dragged back in time. Sick of always supposedly screwing thing ups. Sick of people popping out of nowhere. Sick of her stalking her. She was shocked, but more angry and curious.
"I know you don't trust me. I know you're angry with me. I know you're even a little scared. But you cannot go and tell Charles the truth," the woman walked forward, her feet crunching on the leaves littering the grass. They were standing quite away from the main building or anyone else for that matter, so privacy was guaranteed. Large trees surrounded them, providing shadow, yet the sun wasn't that bright.
"Ah don't trust you," Marie said as calmly as she could manage, Ah'm angry at you. But Ah am not scared of you. Ah don't want to cause a scene. Now, please tell me who you are, or leave me alone, and never come back. Ah don't need this. Ah've had it up tah here! No more surprises. No more strangers. Ah'm going to tell the truth and get myself the hell out of here. "
Marie thought she was being incredibly mature about this whole situation. For once she wasn't screaming, or crying, or stuttering. She was handling this very reasonably and logically, she thought.
The woman stepped aside, and watched Marie march angrily away.
"What do you think you're going to solve by all of this?" the red haired called, "Charles can't send you back. He's going to keep you locked up here. And then what's Eric going to do? You think this is going to stop him?"
Marie stopped and retraced her steps, curiosity and shock, finally getting her. How did the woman know so much about her? Was she a mutant?
"What do you mean?" she tried to keep her voice light.
"He'll just find another mutant with the same powers as you," the woman warned, crossing her arms and tipping her head to one side.
"No," Marie reasoned, "By that time the X-Men would have already found him. And we'd have destroyed the machine-" She stopped. We? She wasn't an X-Man. Never had been.
"And history would have been changed!" The woman finished off for her.
"History is already changed!" Marie challenged.
The woman sighed. Rested her head in her hands, "Eric will get suspicious if you do not leave soon. He will suspect something. He will boycott the plan. He will get the upper hand."
"That's a risk Ah'm willing tah take," she looked anxiously around. It would be hard to explain this to anyone. But why should it? It was not as if she was doing anything wrong. Still, an uneasy feeling did not leave her.
"Ra-Mystique is still in the school. If she sees you going to speak to Charles, and I assure you she most certainly will, she'll know, and things will change. Isn't it better to relive the history you already know, than the one you know nothing about?"
"Logan save me last time," Marie grated, "He's not here now, is he? No! So, no way am Ah risking mah life again…"
"You have no choice." For the first time, Marie noticed her eyes. They were light blue, and sharp, like they were piercing her very soul.
"What do you know?" she demanded. This woman had no right to enter her life and tell her what to do. Especially when she refused to let her know nothing in return.
The woman hesitated, as if debating whether to tell Marie something, "I know that if you don't do this, something worse will happen. Something terrible. Something even worse than your death."
"You're a stranger," Marie sighed, "Some weirdo who's been stalking me. Ah don't even know if you're a mutant or not. And Ah'm supposed tah believe your crap? Ah should leave and get someone 'to escort you off the premises'."
"I have your best interests at heart," the woman continued, ignoring Marie's last comment. "I do not work for Eric, if that is what you are implying. I work to assure, that you, this one abnormality I let in does not mess everything up! Things happen for a reason, everything does, and this is exactly why you shouldn't have been allowed here!"
Her voice grew, a sharper edge distinct.
Marie was stunned for a moment by her outburst, "So- so you brought me here, then?"
She blinked several times. She wanted to ask so many questions, yet did not know where to begin. Damn, she should have left this crazy person when had the chance.
The woman didn't answer, "Set things are supposed to happen in every timeline, Marie," she said instead, "And they happen. Fate, several call it. But occasionally, when the rules are bent, these things do not happen, and that is why I am talking to you! I implore you to let things unravel the way they should. Because only then, you will have a chance of returning."
Marie laughed softly, "Oh, so Ah get it. You're blackmailing me, aren't you?"
The woman smiled, as if amused, "Maybe. Maybe not. Just please, trust me. I may be a stranger, but I am your only hope. I know much about you, Marie, and this is only happening for you. You may not have asked for it, but you soon will appreciate it."
Marie paused, "Are you a mutant?"
The woman did not answer. She simply raised her eyebrows and began to walk off, towards the thick trees that marked the border of the estate.
Marie desperately wanted to follow her, "Ah still want more answers, you know! Like, where you come from! What you are!"
She tried to draw upon some of the anger that had fuelled her before. But strangely all she could feel was sympathy. Which was weird because she had never been too good at sensing feelings, especially ones that did not seem to be coming from herself.
The woman continued. If anything, her feet quickened.
"Well," Marie paused, thinking harder, "Well, could you at least tell me your name?"
The woman stopped. She didn't turn, but as she called out, her voice rang strongly. "Sophia."
And then she vanished.
xxx
The doors slide open. Angry footsteps echoed as a lean figure marched in angrily. The room was silver, bluish even, hi-tech, with several occupants sitting around a table, looking up at slides of some sort.
"W'ere is she?" the intruder demanded, interrupting rudely.
"Who?" Scott Summers asked, looking up from where he was sitting.
"Rogue," The Professor answered, his eyes growing distant.