ONE WORD

Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story, save the plot. Everything else belongs to Marvel.

It's amazing how words can change your life. The way you see and do things. One word could make all the difference to everything.

Mutant

One of the words that is thrown at me constantly. Hissed at me from across a room, spat at me in the street. Such a simple word. Something that happens all the time. Mutation is what makes things evolve, right? I mean, if it wasn't for mutation, we'd still be single celled organisms at the bottom of some ocean or something, yeah? So, when it happens to us - humans - the 'normals' automatically turn on us. They hate us for what we are, a more advanced, more evolved, version of themselves. We can't help but be who we are, what we are, but the fear that the 'normals' have of us has led to hostility.
It exists on both sides, I'm not going to pretend that its just people who do not possess the mutant gene – the X-Gene - who are hostile towards those who do. We, the mutants, fear our 'abilities' as much, if not more, than the 'normals' do. We haven't asked for them, and many of us are unable to control them, and the hostility shown to us by our families, our friends, leads us to be hostile in return.
It is a lack of understanding, mutants fail to understand what it is that normals fear – why this is happening to us, what it will do to humans as a whole – and normals fail to understand that the fear they possess is exactly the same in those who are the mutants.

I suppose you could split mutants into three categories; those who believe that mutants are the better part of the race, that the 'normals' are just in our way, that they need to be removed. This is the hostile category, the main group of mutants here is 'The Brotherhood of Mutants' led by a man called Eric Lensherr – a powerful mutant who possess the ability to control magnetism, he goes by the name 'Magneto' and he's bad news.

The next group would be those who believe that normals and mutants can co-operate, live side-by-side in harmony. These are led by a Charles Xavier – or Professor X - he's possible one of the most powerful mutants out there, with the ability of telepathy. He owns this school - 'Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters' – it's a place for children – mutant children – to go and learn about their powers and to gain control. This is also the home of the X-Men; an organisation of mutants run by Xavier to help bring peace between the 'normals' and mutants, and to stop the hostiles of both sides, especially Magneto – who was apparently an old friend of Xavier's – from destroying the other side.

The last group would be those who don't really understand what's going on or don't really care what happens, just so long as they're not involved. I suppose that the Morlocks would go into this group. They live in the sewers beneath the city. Figure themselves to be social outcasts, you don't really hear much about them until one gets brave and decides to cause a riot. The other people who belong in this group keep on the quiet. They don't want to be involved in this constant war, so they keep a low profile, go about their everyday lives and generally pretend that they aren't mutants.

Lies

That's all my life is. Lies. Ever since I found out what I was, who I was, I suppose I've been living a lie. Keeping myself to myself, changing my appearance, my attitude, so that other people would stay as far away from me as possible. I don't like doing it, and I wish there could be another way – cutting yourself off from everyone is hard, especially when you're a teenager. The whole 'tough and frosty Goth-girl' exterior. The 'I don't need anyone in my life' attitude. All lies. But I don't want anyone to get hurt, so I keep this act going. Until it's the only thing I know, and I can't change it.

Touch

Such a simple thing, the ability to touch someone else, to hold someone's hand or give them a hug or a kiss. So little to ask for, so much to expect. You don't really notice how special it is until it's gone, and then it's hard to get back.

My mutation has something to do with this. Everyone I touch through skin contact, ends up inside me. Inside my head. Their memories, talents, personality, physical abilities – in the case of mutants, their powers – I gain what they have. For a short time admittedly, but then they stay with me from that moment on. In my head I have a collection of what could probably be more commonly referred to as 'psyches', they can case problems at times. They try to be helpful. Well, some of them anyway. But they can get a little to much to handle occasionally, which normally results in headaches, migraines, loss of control

Control

One word. Seven letters. Two syllables. Such an easy thing to say. Such a difficult thing to obtain. I worked hard to have what I do now, months of continuous work, hours spent in a hospital bed or beside one, depending who had been more affected by my practise sessions. It all was worth it though. So much work for fifteen simple minutes of touch. I doubt I'll ever have perfect control, I don't think it's possible.

But this is enough for now.

More than enough.

Pregnant

Something I never thought possible. Something I thought would always be a dream. A fantasy. Something I doubted I'd ever get the chance to live through. To experience. So why does something I've wanted for so long feel… wrong?

I'm only just seventeen. I'm still in school, have no job, no source of income. I can hardly take care of myself!

I am the Rogue, the untouchable. This just seems so… unnatural. Like I'm not living this.

A child? I don't think I can manage.

The father? Away. Preparing to get married to a woman he's been engaged to for the past eleven years. He won't want to know that the girl he left back home is pregnant with his child. He doesn't need the pressure. Doesn't need to worry about his wife and the mother of his child at the same time. It wouldn't be fair on him

What can I do? If the people I live with, the X-Men find out – I don't think I'd have a home for long. But I can't keep this a secret forever, can I?

The situation has opened my eyes. Really opened them. I'm seventeen. No longer a kid, but not quite an adult. At the age where anything that can go wrong will go wrong. My life is a lie. I have no other choice.

It's amazing how words can change your life. The way you see and do things. One word could make all the difference to everything

There's only one thing I can do. One thing. One word.

Run.