Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men! I don't even own the clothes on my back because I didn't own the money that brought them.
Anything in here is a flashback>
'This is a thought'
"This is speaking out loud"
Note: I'm going to be using Dr. Nathaniel Essex and Mr. Sinister interchangeably throughout the story. They are same people.
Chapter 2: Memories and Connections
Xavier Mansion
Marie observed the area carefully that Rogue had escorted her into. She walked into the guest room inspecting the area that surrounded her, which was a large space simply furnished with the necessities for a bedroom. Against the wall facing her was a queen size bed decorated with a solid maroon comforter and matching maroon pillow cases encompassing feathered pillows. Next to the bed was a wooden nightstand with a digital alarm clock and desk lamp on top of it. To the far corner of the room adjacent to the bed was a maroon arm chair and matching foot rest. She noticed a tall window, beside the bed, overlooking the patio and covered pool bellow. There were two doors in the room, probably leading to a private bathroom and closet she assumed. The walls were painted white and lightly decorated with paintings of different landscape scenery. In between the two doors of the room was a tall dresser. The room was large enough to fit her master bedroom at her small loft in Manhattan. Marie let out a huge sigh as she walked deeper into the room and sat on the bed sinking intoits softnessas she descended. This was the place she would have to live in until God knows when. The anxiety and confusion of the day's events began to sink in making her feel more puzzled than ever.
"Ya know it's not that bad." Rogue said after a minute. She was leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed watching Marie's solemn expression as she sat still exploring the room. "Ah can show ya another room if ya want…"
"No, the room is fine. It's just that…" Marie began. She stopped for a moment to formulate her words, "Well, I don't really know or even understand what's going on. I'm just trying to take everything is all. I don't ever believe that I for one minute thought that I could be part of some criminal activity until now. It's rather… scary."
"Ah know what ya mean…" Rogue frowned.
"But you X-Men are wonderful people. I mean I'm a perfect stranger and you took me in just to protect me, even if it meant putting your own lives in danger. I don't know that many people who would do something so generous." Marie admitted as she took the jacket to her sweat suit off. She was wondering what her fiancé's reaction would be when she tells him all the events that occurred this morning. Good thing he was out of town on a business trip or he would have been worried sick that she had not returned home after her jog.
"It's nothing. We do this kind of thang all the tahme." Rogue shrugged and entered the room sitting down on the arm chair.
"I haven't fully considered all that has happened today. It's a little interesting, you know, having your life in jeopardy and all."
"Ah agree. But we will do our best to figure this out. We've been down that road before. Nothing the X-Men can't handle." Rogue reassured Marie. "Ah was wondering… Did ya see meh when Ah was captive at Sinister's lab?" Rogue asked. It was bothering her that someone might have known about the horrible things that Dr. Essex was doing to mutants and did nothing about it.
"Just this one time and it was by accident. I usually did DNA analysis in one of the more secluded labs at Dr. Essex's base. We only were allowed to work in those labs and not venture anywhere else throughout the building. He would give us some DNA samples throughout the day and we were given certain tasks or projects to complete with those samples. We assumed that he isolated the samples from volunteer mutants but we never really asked who's DNA we were testing…"
"We? There were more people than ya and the goons working for Sinister?" Rogue eyebrows raised at the new revelation.
"Yes, we were all clueless, however. There were two scientists other than myself and we never knew what Dr. Essex was actually doing."
"So how ya figure it out?"
"I was working after hours trying to finish a project for Essex so I wouldn't have to return the next day. Everyone else had gone home for the evening leaving me alone in the lab. I didn't finish till late. When I was walking down the hall towards the elevator… I heard a… a scream…" Marie trailed off turning her gaze away from Rogue. She decided to look at the window instead not wanting to see the expression on Rogues face.
"A scream?"
"I-I thought someone was in trouble. I ran down the hall, following the screams, up to these two large double doors. The doors wouldn't budge so I looked through the glass window near the topand… I saw you." Marie turned to look at Rogue.
"Ah was screaming?" Rogue asked wide-eyed.
"Yes and another girl…" Marie stopped when she saw Rogue's eyes widen and her face paled.
"Oh…"Rogue manage to say as a lump formed in her throat and she tried to hold back tears. She didn't want to cry but the mentioning of the girl released an orchestra of horrifying memories to return to her.
(Get ready…Flashback!)
Essex Main Lab
Rogue was dragged into the room by two guards, one holding each arm. She would have just walked there but her body was still numbed with pain from the prior 'experiments' she endured that day. They released her arms letting her drop to the ground in a heap.
Rogue groaned as she tried to look up at her surroundings. The guards left closing the doors behind them. 'Great! Same disgusting lab Ah was in this morning,' Rogue thought while wondering what he was going to do to her next. She managed to sit up and lean against a wall. Her head was spinning but she tried to ignore it as best she could. Swallowing hard she squinted through the pain to see if she could pin point Essex's position in the lab. Instead of finding him she saw an unconscious girl laying on one of the beds across the lab. The girl was wearing the same hospital gown and power negating collar around her neck that Rogue had on. She was constrained to the bed by metal binds around both wrists and ankles. Her blond hair seemed to have been doused in her own blood which was now was dryed up and form clumps of red matter in her hair. Rogue, using the wall to keep her balance, pulled herself up to a standing position. She graspsed the sides of beds and tablesmaking themcrutches as she limped her way over to the girl. She stopped short when she saw two shiny blue eyes staring back at her.
"Who are you?" The girl asked shakily. She tried to move until she realized that she was secured to the bed. Her dazed nature soon turned to anger, "Fucking A! What the hell is going on? Where am I?"
"He's got yah; he's got all of us." Rogue replied quietly.
"What? Who's got me? What's going on!" The girl shouted starting to get hysterical as she tried to pry her arms from with in the restraints.
Rogue sighed as she starred at the girl struggling with her bonds. Rogue remember being in that same position, trying to find anyway out of the lab, fighting for freedom and not recieving it. After a few days she realized there was no escaping Essex's torture and she soon gave up. This girl obviously didn't really know what she had gotten herself into, "Ya won't be able break those. It's metal. And if yah have powahs don't bother tryna use them. That there collar around ya neck is mutant proof."
"You didn't tell me who the hell you are, yet!" The girl retorted ignoring Rogue's words.
"Ah'm not the one who put yah there. Ah'm one of his prisoners too. It doesn't matter who ah am, sugah." Rogue answered sadly looking away. The girl just stared at her annoyed that Rogue wasn't answering any of her questions properly.
"What the hell is wrong with you anyway? Have you tried to escape or did you give up without attempting anything?" The girl snapped still trying to release herself from the bonds but to no avail.
"Ah have tried!" Rogue retorted returning her gaze back to the girl. "Ya just don't understand. There is no escaping this place. But go ahead and try. Ah ain't gonna stop ya! Then ya will see for yer'self that there ain't no escaping."
'She just doesn't have any idea.' Rogue thought shaking her head at the naive girl. Just then the doors opened and a tall man walked into the lab followed by two men wearing uniforms and holding guns.
"Well, well. I see that you are getting acquainted with Miss Danvers, Rogue." Essex said as he walked toward them. Rogue backed away not wanting him to get anywhere near her.
"Who are you!" Carol Danvers snapped as the man came up to her bed. She knew the guy had to be bad news if the other girl was backing away from him.
"My name is Nathaniel Essex but you, my dear, can call me Mr. Sinister." Essex said smiling at her. Carol grimaced at the sick smirk on his face. Essex looked over at Rogue who was as far away from him as possible, "Rogue, how are you feeling?"
"Go dig yer'self a hole and die in it, Sinister." Rogue replied coldly. Essex only smiled at her response.
"That's not nice. If you could only appreciate what I'm doing for you …"
"Yer full a shit Sinister! Yer doing nothing for meh but pissing meh off!" Rogue blasted.
Essex let out a laugh, "You just don't understand, Rogue. But in time you will." He stopped laughing and looked toward the guards. "Constrain her to the bed." He commanded. The guards made their way towards Rogue and grabbed her. She tried to struggle but they were too strong for her weak battered body.
"Rogue you are one of the most interesting mutants I have ever had the privilege of coming in contact with. Your DNA is able to imitate anything that comes in contact with your skin…"Sinister began as Rogue was strap down to a bed next to Carol Danvers.
"Thanks for stating the obvious!" Rogue retorted as the guards left her on the bed and exited the room.
"Do you know what Miss Danvers powers are?" He asked looking at Rogue. He continued not waiting for her to answer, "They call her Ms. Marvel. She has super strength, able to bend iron with her bare hands. Her skin, it's invulnerable to almost anything. She can also fly, Rogue. Have you ever wanted to fly?"
"What is this guy blabbing about!" Carol asked annoyed with the whole situation. She wondered how this Dr Essex person knew so much about her mutant abilities and what he wanted with her. She turned to see Rogue glaring at Essex intensively.
"How about you Miss Danvers, do you know anything about Rogue's powers?" Essex smirked at Rogue before continuing not waiting for Carol to answer, "Rogue can take memories with one touch. She can steal the power of a mutant with just one touch!" Essex said excitedly as he put gloves on. He walked over to Rogue and removed the collar from around her neck, "Have you ever wondered what will happen if you held on too long?" He whispered in Rogue's ear. Essex smile widen watching Rogue's face drain in color and horror engross her face as she began to realize what he was planning. He moved toward a machine excitedly pressing buttons and looking at calculations.
"What thehell is he doing?" Carol asked Rogue becoming more fearful than annoyed.
"Rogue is going to absorb you." Essex answered for Rogue.
"WHAT!" Carol yelled. She watched Rogue straining to release herself from her bonds.
"No, please don't!" Rogue cried. Suddenly her bed began to move, putting her in a sitting position. The same thing happened to Carol's bed.
"This should be quick and easy. Or maybe it's slow and painful. I don't really know. Never been absorbed." Sinister sneered at the girls.
"Do something!" Carol yelled at Rogue.
"I can't! I can't even move!" Rogue screamed. She felt so helpless at this point.
"You're just going to sit there!" Carol eyes widen as their beds began to mechanically move closer together while Essex pressed a couple more buttons.
"Essex, please, STOP! Don't do this!" Rogue cried out. He let out a hideous laugh in return. Rogue turn to stare at the girl as their beds moved closer to each other. In a matter of time both of their forearms would be touching. Carol's faced was full of a melody of emotions, anger, fear, and confusion. There was nothing neither of them could do but watch everything unfold in horror.
Carol let out a piercing scream as Rogue's skin touched her, feeling thelife being sucked out of her. Rogue tried to move but her body wouldn't budge. She felt the life force of Carol Danvers sucking into her until there was nothing left to extract, Carol abruptly became quiet and still. 'Ah held on too long, Oh Gawd! Ah held on too long!' Rogue jumped out the bed ripping the bonds from its hinges. At that point the all the psyches let loose and rushed her mind swarming around and fighting for control. "GET OUT OF MAH HEAD!" She screamed as the pain rushed her head causing her to thrash around like a mad animal. Rogue looked across the room to see Essex starring at her with a strange look of amusement on his face. Rogue felt anger build up and all she wanted to do was hurt the man that cause her so much pain. She ran up to Essex and punched him square in the stomach sending him across the floor. He let out a loud yelp as he collided with the wall and fell to the ground unconscious. She began to walk towards the exit of the lab when she felt a severe panging in her head sending her plummeting to the ground. She placed her hands on her temple and shoved her face to her knees shaking violently. 'You stupid bitch! YOU KILLED ME!' Carol screamed in her mind.
"Go away! Leave meh alone!" Rogue shouted back out loud.
'No! Let me out! I don't want to be in your weak mind. I don't want to be in a head of a murderer.'
'No, Ah'm not a murderer' Rogue declared speaking in her mind. The world around her became dark. She felt herself floating in a void empty space within her mind. Suddenly Carol appeared in front of her with anger and vengeance written all over her face.
'Yes you are and you need to die just like you killed me. You didn't do anything to stop it from happening. You killed me. You deserve to die!' Carol lunged forward, grabbing Rogues neck and tightening her grip, 'I will make you pay!'
'No! Ah couldn't move. Ah didn't want to do this to ya!' Tears began roll down Rogue's cheek. She tried to pry Carol's hands from around her neck choking the life out of her.
'I HATE YOU' Carol barked angrily. Rogue was final able to release Carol's grip on her and began to build up a wall around Carol, the same mental wall that the Professor had taught her to build around her other psyches.
'What the hell are you doing?' Carol snapped as she saw the wall form around her, 'You killed me and then you lock me up!'
'Shut up, Danvers!' Rogue yelled.
'You can't lock me up for ever, murderer! I will get out and kill you just like you killed me!' Carol threatened as she disappeared, leaving Rogue alone in her mind.
'She's right. Ah am a murderer…' Rogue whimpered sliding to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest, and crying her heart out.
(Back to reality!)
Rogue shook her head trying to relieve herself of the throbbing pain in her temples that had arrived. The only good thing that came from the incident was the fact that Rogue now had permanent control of Carol's powers. She was now able to fly, have super strength, and have skin impenetrable to almost anything. The awful part was that these new powers came with a price, someone's life was ripped away in the process. She never forgave herself for absorbing Carol and it didn't help much that Carol would constantly patronize her about it, either. Sometimes she did feel guilty for what had happened to Carol, it wasn't the girl's fault that she was trapped in Rogue's mind. Other times she wanted to rip Carol out of her mind by her throat. After she came home Professor Xavier tried to help her with Carol's psyche. He succeeded by helping her temporarily pacify Carol. Once in a while Carol would come out and annoy her but Rogue learned how to ignore her constant bitterness overtime and create stronger walls to keep her locked away longer.
"I'm sorry… I have a headache so I'm going to lie down..." Rogue quickly got up and ran out the room before Marie could protest. 'Way to be a bitch!' Carol commented dryly increasing the pain in Rogues temples. 'Apparently she knows the appropriate time to come out!' Rogue thought sarcasticallyas she made her way down the long hall toward the stairs. She knew Carol could hear her thoughts but she didn't care. It would be a matter of time before Carol would be locked up again, anyway.
Rogue ran up the stairs and headed toward her bedroom. She wasn't in the mood for breakfast or anything else for that matter. Her focus now was trying to ease the panging in her head. She hurriedly walked into her room and closed the door behind her by leaning against it.
"Ma chere. Wats wrong?" Remy asked looking up from where he was seated as Rogue entered the room and slumped against the door. He wore a black t-shirt with black track pants and his hair was still damp from his shower earlier. He had been working on his laptop at the computer desk before she came in. Two months ago they decided to move in together since their relationship had moved to a more serious level. Together they decorated the room with a more contemporary style than the vintage look of the rest of mansion. The walls were painted a light blue to add a soothing atmosphere throughout the area The king size bed was neatly made with a collection of soft decorative pillows and a huge white and blue pleated comforter. Two double doors lead to the balcony that overlooked the back of the mansion. Rogue would usually use them as an exit for her morning flights. There were a couple pictures of Rogue and Remy distributed around the room on the walls and atop the side table and dresser. They had there own private bathroom and walk in closet making the room seem like their own private apartment and a getaway from the pandemonium of the mansion.
"Ah'm not having a good day." Rogue replied walking over to the bed and throwing herself on it. Remy got up and joined her lying next to her.
"Why not? It's our anniversary." Remy frowned.
"Yeah, Ah know." Rogue sighed and laid her head on Remy's chest listening to his steady heart beat.
"So wat is it? Dat Danvers fille bothering ma chere again?"
"You can say that... Ah talked to Marie. She was there the night Ah absorbed Carol. Ah guess everytahme ah hear about that night it upsets meh." Rogue let tears escape her eyes as she talked. Remy reached over and wiped her tears away.
"Stop blaming y'self chere. It's not y'fault dat it happened."
"Yah should tell that tah Carol." Rogue scoffed.
"Shut the fuck up Carol!" Remy stated knowing that Carol was listening. 'Fuck off Cajun!' Carol retorted before disappearing to the back of Rogue's mind
"She told ya to fuck off." Rogue said rubbing her eyes. She was relieved that Carol decided to retreat on her own without putting up a fight and wasting useless energy. Remy laughed but stopped when he noticed that Rogue wasn't smiling.
"I know jus' wat will make y'feel betta, chere." Remy got up from the bed and pulled Rogue up next to him. He clasped his hands around her waist and pulled her into a gentle kiss. She returned the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"How do y'feel now mon amour?" Remy asked breathlessly after a minute as he pulled away.
"That did the trick!" Rogue smiled into his eyes.
"Good cause this here Cajun can't stand to see his amour cryin'. It makes him sad too." Remy said brushing a strand of Rogue's white hair behind her ear.
"Really? Ah'm starting to think that we have the same kind of mind connection Scott and Jean share." Rogue implied kissing him on the cheek.
"Non! Au contraire, chere, we have something better!" Remy smiled at Rogue. (Au contraire On the Contrary)
"What do yah mean, Swamp Rat?" Rogue asked eyeing him warily.
Remy took one of Rogue's hands and put it on his chest directly over his heart. She could feel it beating steadily under her finger tips. He then placed his hand on her chest feeling her heart quicken at his touch, "Well, my little River Rat, we be connected at de heart. We share only one heart, chere. Anyting' y'feel, I do. If y' sad, I will be to. If y' happy, so am I. Dat be how our love works. I can't live without you, chere. If this homme don have his heart, he'd die." The words stunned Rogue. She knew Remy loved her and that he would do anything for her. He had proven that fact over and over again. But saying the words to her meant so much more.
"Gawd! Ah love you so much," Rogue gushed as tears of happiness flowed from her eyes. They embraced each other again.
"Je t'aime aussi." Remy replied kissing her lightly on the lips. "Now we got to get back to celebrating our anniversary, mon amour." (Je t'aime aussi Ilove you, too)
"Are ya atleast gonna tell meh what ya have planed for tonight?"
"Non, it's a surprise."
"Fahne! Ah can't wait to see it though."
"I can't wait to show ya."
"Ah'm sorry that mah plan didn't work out so much. It was a fun morning till the fakeninjas." Rogue sighed.
"We still have one more place left to visit that is special to us , chere." Remy gave her a sly smirk.
"Where is that?" Rogue asked crossing her arms and raising her eyebrow knowing too well what that smile meant.
"Well, we haven't visited our bed yet!" Remy answered picking up Rogue and laying her gently on the bed, "We made a lot of memories here, non?"
"Yer bad, Swamp Rat!" Rogue giggled as Remy leaned down to her and kissed her passionately.
AN: Thank you everyone who reviewed! You guys give me motivation! Next Chapter will be here with in a week since I'm going to my sister's house for Thanksgiving. They are still living in the Stone Age over there. I HATE DIAL-UP!