Traps Chapter 20

Cameron quickly moved his materials from the table for fear that Scott would shove them off in anger. Pietro lay he down and Scott tore off his sweater for a pillow.

"Water," he choked through his anxiety, "Pietro, go get water."

The younger mutant didn't even hesitate dragging Cameron with him for help.

"Allana, wake up, Allana!" Scott smoothed hair away from her sweaty face and checked her pulse and breathing, both were low, but there. Breathing a sigh of relief he slumped over her.

Her eyes fluttered and she squirmed underneath him her fists flying out in a defense that would have normally sent the room into a tornado zone, but nothing happened. He caught her fists before they could wail on him again and was making soothing noises when Pietro and Cameron came in.

She screamed in frustration and finally opened her eyes and found someone hanging on to her, in the confusion she tried to attack again, but again nothing happened. Shaking her head to clear it, her vision came into focus and saw Scott holding her.

"Hey, Scott," she said very slowly and very carefully as if testing her voice and his name. It came out stable enough and her head fell forward as if it were to heavy for her to support.

Movement ceased. Allana shook as if sobbing, and was making loud deep inhaling sounds, finally they figured out she was laughing and rather hysterically at that.

"It worked," she managed in between gulps of air, "It really worked."

"What worked, Allana, what did you do?" Scott demanded still not having let her go.

"The cure," Pietro said holding up the used needle. "She was the guinea pig."

He cursed, "You could have gotten yourself killed, what were you thinking?" He wanted to shake her until some sense came to her. She's scared the crap out of them and more specifically him.

She looked up at him, her green eyes dancing with mirth and exhaustion stretched across her features. "Are you kidding me, this is wonderful. You should be celebrating, physical contact with Rogue and all that."

He hadn't considered this prospect and he wasn't about to now, in fact he hadn't thought of Rogue all morning. There would be no admitting that in front of present company so he only shook his head.

"What am I going to do with you, Allana?" She didn't struggle as he helped her into his sweater that was so big on her smallish frame her hands barely peaked out from the sleeves. "We're taking you to Dr. McCoy." Nodding she gave a cat like yawn and didn't object as he picked her up like a baby.

"What do we do with him," Pietro asked indicating Cameron who hadn't said anything yet.

"Bring him," Scott said authoritatively, Pietro raised an eyebrow at his tone, but didn't object.

"Pietro," gurgled Allana in Scott's arms when they'd gotten into the jeep.

"Yeah," he cranked the car hoping the engine would turn over without any trouble. He didn't know what to think of the sight of Scott not letting go of protective hold on Allana.

"What is behind the curtain in you and Dante's room?"

He chuckled, "Not my story to tell."

"Think he ever will," she asked yawning again and settling against Scott's chest.

Pietro didn't bother to answer for she'd fallen asleep. The rest of the car ride was silent.

At the mansion Scott reluctantly relinquished control of Allana over to Dr. McCoy before going with Pietro in search of Rogue. First they checked her room, then the bathroom, the library, and the kitchen. She wasn't in the Danger Room in the backyard pool. She wasn't anywhere to be found. They came back to lab.

Cameron had been handcuffed and was sitting on a chair next to where Dr. McCoy had Allana.

"Fascinating," Dr. McCoy whistled as he examined a sample of Allana's blood.

"Where's Rogue," Scott asked.

"She left an hour ago with that girl, Risty," Dr. McCoy replied off handily.

The garage slammed open overhead and Scott and Pietro rushed up to find Logan had finally come home. He looked annoyed.

"Mystique," he sniffed as he came into the house, "has been here." Growling low in his throat he turned and faced Pietro. "What are you doing here?"

Scott gave a quick debriefing on their way to the lab. Allana was sitting up now, looking more alert and was toying with Scott's sweater when they entered.

"Logan," she said with relief, "Finally."

He ignored her as he hauled up Cameron to his feet.

While Logan was roaring at Cameron, she turned to Scott and Pietro. "What's wrong, where's Rogue?"

"Rogue's gone," Pietro was pacing back and forth very quickly and mumbling even faster to himself.

"The Bat Cave… we've got to go back… the cure. Mystique…" she breathed trying to calm down, "I think Mystique's luring Rogue back with the cure!"