INNER BATTLES

The ground shook harshly, almost knocking everyone off their feet. Electricity sparked from Rogue's fingers as she floated well above the floor. Her eyes opened only to show how her eyes changed fervently as the onlookers could see blue, green, brown, black, and even white, that is until her eyes began to glow. Her head tilted upward as a red blast was shot upward.

Rogue was completely unaware of her own actions, believing her wound to be seriously fatal, she thought that she were dead. In the depths of her mind she stood, in the darkness, until she saw a bright light. The closer she walked towards it, the louder the voices became. She could not hear just one voice over the many and actually understand what they were saying, but their sound was full of a hate and fear that she was not new to. Her walk seemed endless, but she could tell that she was getting closer to whatever it is that fate had planned for her. She refused to let her fear consume her as she finally reached her goal. She slowly stepped into the light, only to be greeted by everyone that she had ever absorbed, even if it were only accidentally.

Everyone stood before her yelling at her for some reason or another. It was only then where she realized where she truly was, and that thought did not completely thrill her. Her own mind my an unwelcoming place. She fought them for control, but they began to riot, pushing her around as if she were nothing. But this was her body, and she was not about to take any prisoners. She fought them as hard as she could, attempting to touch them, in an attempt at absorption, once again. At first it was easy as there was so many of them and they were pushing her around. But as they spaced out, attempting to show her no fear, she had trouble putting them back in their rightful places, the back of her mind.

As their numbers dwindled, she attempted to change the scenery. She had to fight the X-men, the Brotherhood, and even the Acolytes, one by one. When she thought that she could no longer take it anymore, she found a pair of glowing red orbs hidden in the shadows of the tree lining. Rogue didn't know what she would expect from him, let alone here. He had obviously been watching the whole scene. She stopped where she was and tilted her head slightly as she laid a hand on her hip while she gestured for him to come out.

"Ya gonna go quietly?" Remy smiled.

"Where would da fun in dat be chere?" as he walked towards her, she noticed that he was flipping a card in between his fingers. Rogue stood in her combat stance and waited for him to strike first, but he didn't. Instead he just stood there, inches away from her, each staring into the others eyes.

"Mais, Remy would never hurt you on purpose. You 'member dat, neh." she silently nodded as he carefully took her head into his partially gloved hands and proceeded to kiss her. Just as his lips touched hers, he vanished.

"How touching." was a crude reply that came from behind her. Rogue turned to see a very sickened Mystique. She smiled to herself.

"Oh, this is gonna beh fun." Rogue took a step towards her, but she stood her ground.

"You don't want to do this to me Rogue. I can help you and you know it."

"Oh, can you?" Rogue replied sarcastically.

"Of course I can. I'm your mother." Mystique's features seemed to soften, but Rogue would have no part in this.

"Yeah, ya are momma, but there is one thin' ya can do for meh, not just here."

"What is it?" Rogue walked up to her, the same way she had done in the past, when she needed to talk. When she really was her mother, or at least posed as one.

"Momma, Ah want ya ta hurt lahke ya hurt meh." her southern accent getting thicker from the emotion. Rogue touched her as the woman visually panicked, completely unaware of what Rogue's true intentions were until that moment. Not that this wasn't an interesting experience for her, she wanted this over with more than anything. She changed the scenery to one that was near the Xavier Mansion. She walked through the trees watching a beautiful sunset, until a blonde woman jumped down out of nowhere, just missing Rogue in her landing. The look on her face showed her true intentions.

"Guess ya want ta kill meh too, eh Belle." Belladonna nearly snarled her response.

"Ya took my life!" then she lunged at Rogue, who easily blocked the angry girl. Rogue looked into her azure eyes and asked her, "What if Ah could give it back ta ya? What if Ah could give ya that life back?" Belladonna didn't trust her one bit, but decided to bite.

"What's da catch? What about Remy?"

"No catch. But Remy makes his own choice. Ya just have ta live with ya's. Ah don't evah wanna see ya 'gain girl. Not evah, for any reason at all."

"Bien, mais, if you screw up, I kill you." Rogue nodded, but sighed, as if in defeat.

"Many have tried Belle. Now this may..." Rogue changed the scenery so that they were standing at the edge of a cliff, but before Belle knew it, she was pushed off. At the sound of the screaming, frantic Belle, Rogue finished her sentence, "hurt a bit." Rogue smiled to herself. Yes, she would put out her end of the bargain, but it didn't mean she couldn't have a little bit of fun with it.

"You did good." came a gruff voice from behind her. How she was getting annoyed at all those sneaking up behind her. She turned to see another familiar face.

"I'm the last one Stripes." Rogue took a deep breath and made her way towards him.

"But do us both a favor and heal yourself quick." she smirked as her fingers hovered an inch before his face.

"Ah don't think that will be a problem." After touching him, she turned towards the cliff, looking down to make sure that there was no sign of Belladonna left, and took a few steps back. With a running start, she jumped off the cliff, enjoying the fall downward. But as she fell, she began to feel the pain of her actual wound, as blood began to seep through her shirt where the wound was. Just before she hit the ground she opened her eyes to find that she was laying in Remy's arms once again.


Remy, Belladonna, and Mystique had witnessed the outer struggle Rogue had endured during this inner battle, as her powers went out of control, but as she seemingly put away a psyche, their power subsided, until she fell from her place in the air, and right into a certain cajun's arms. It had felt so long to Rogue, but had only taken a few minutes. Remy quickly noticed that the wound was finally healing itself, though Rogue's faint complexion was not returning to that of it's normal pale color. Remy smiled when he heard her groan just before her eyes fluttered open.

"You had me scared dere for a minute chere." She groaned again as he helped her up.

"Me too." She looked around the room, noticing the destruction that she was most likely to blame for, not that she really cared. But there was a wide eyed Belladonna standing there, in front of a slightly bewildered Mystique.

"Don't you ever die!" she called out to her daughter. Rogue began to feel stronger every second that she was on her feet, as she steeled up like Colossus would and stomped towards her mother.

"Don't'cha evah feel anythin' besides what ya feel for yaself?" she called out as she stomped towards her. She held her in place with Jean's telekinesis.

"I did, until you betrayed me!"

"Betrayal, it's such a nasty word, mama, let's try...re-examin' mah life." She grabbed hold of Mystique, but just before she ported out, she looked at Remy telepathically explaining that she would be back and that he needed to deal with his ex-girlfriend anyhow.

After seeing this, Remy laid a hand on Belladonna's shoulder. She turned around with a solemn expression.

"Je connais."

"Do you?"

"Oui. You love her non?"

"Oui, mais what we had was special chere, just-"
"Not da same. Rogue gave me my memories back, and some of it I saw from your side. I never meant to hurt you."

"Believe me, Remy knows. You an assassin. If I was da mark, I would'a known it." he told her, giving her a reassuring smile. She nodded and turned to walk away, but stopped and looked at him. She moved in slowly, her lips so close to his.

"So there's no chance pour us?" she asked just before she kissed him. But he never kissed her back.

"Je regrete." he told her as he nodded his head.


When Rogue came back, she was her normal self again, well, as far as normal went. She found Remy leaning against a wall fiddling with his cards, a cigarette hanging from his lips.

"What took ya so long chere?" he asked as he casually walked over to her, placing his hands on her hips, and pulling her towards him.

"Was thinkin' dat you forgot all 'bout dis cajun." he told her with a mock pout.

"Ah'm sorry sugah. Had ta put momma in a place she couldn't hurt us no more." Remy smirked knowingly just before he lowered his lips onto hers.


Along a long secluded corridor, no one could hear the thrashing of the bars, nor the noise coming from the prisoner as she screamed and yelled that she was not suppose to be here. Raven Darkholme had been forced by her own daughter, into an isolated prison cell, and telepathically changed into a form that was not her own, but of a false prisoner of an assumed name. The intern looked down the empty corridor as she brought the prisoners their food. When she came back to her desk, she couldn't help but look at the new file.

Patricia Johnson

Believes herself to be Raven Darkholme, aka Mystique. Not a mutant but a gene carrier. Possible violent psychisophrantic. Signed in by Officier Marie Addler. Will not leave on her own recognisence, and has no living relatives. Lost control after loss ofonly daughter.No visitors allowed.

The file continued with the doctors diagnosis, but the intern put it away, not wanting to get into the woman's personal affairs, as she was not a doctor, and chose that it would be best not to get too close to the patients.


Ok, just so you know, fake name. Just made it up, I don't know anybody with that name, sorry if it's yours. Also, sorry for the wait, but I guess this is coming to an end. Any suggestions, comments, concerns, go ahead and hit that little button, but not too hard, you don't want to hurt your screen. ;-)