He pushed the day prior out of his mind. Today was a new day and today he had a mission. He looked around before walking down the hallway, not wanting certain people seeing him. He paused in front of her door, lifting his hand to give it a knock.
"I think you have the wrong door," Kitty giggle from behind him, "Two doors down is your lady's."
"Merdi," he gasped and grabbed his chest, "You trying to give me a heart attack, sneaking up on me like that," he turn to face her, "I'm actually here for you, I need your help picking out a birthday gift for Rogue's birthday."
She let out a small squeal, "Shopping spree! Hurry up, if we leave now we'll be long gone by the time she gets done her session with Logan," she grabbed his hand, phasing them through the floor.
He tried to reorient himself as she pulled him through three walls, stopping in the garage. He instinctively walked towards his motorcycle before being stopped by Kitty who pointed to the black SUV parked next to Scott's car. Before he could speak she phased herself into the driver's seat. He walked around, climbing into the passenger seat. They clicked their seatbelts as the garage door began to open. His eyes widened as she sped down the driveway and out of the mansion gates.
"Jesus Christ woman, is this really how you drive," he asked.
"Yeah. Why," she looked at him.
The car glided into the next lane, "Eyes on the road! The road!"
Kitty pulled back into the right lane, giggling, "Sorry."
Remy closed his eyes, if her driving didn't kill him then the speed that his heart was beating might. Kitty pulled on her sunglasses and cranked up the volume on the radio. She sang along as Remy silently prayed to whatever God was out there. Remy opened his eyes only when he felt the car come to a stop before Kitty killed the engine. He all but threw himself out of the now parked car, happy to feel solid group beneath his feet.
He held his hand out to her, "Keys, I'm driving home."
She rolled her eyes but handed over the keys, "I don't get why that's always people reactions," she shrugged as they walked towards the mall.
"If you're looking for Remy, he left with Kitty a few hours ago," Jean called to Rogue as she headed for the front door.
"Did they say where they were going? Or when they'd be back," Rogue questioned, "Or which one of them was driving?"
"No, no and," she hesitated for a moment, "judging by the skid marks in the driveway…"
Rogue's eyes widened, "He let Kitty drive? He willingly got into a vehicle that Kitty was behind the wheel of," she looked around, "Did anyone try to stop him or at the very least throw a warning his way?"
"Well…," Tabitha interjected from behind Jean, "in our defense she was phasing through everything like a woman on a mission, so no one exactly got the chance. I'm sure he'll be fine."
Before Rogue could retort Remy burst through the door, "Who the hell gave that woman a license? She was trying to kill me. The grace of God is the only way we made it back in one piece!"
Kitty followed him, rolling her eyes again, "I think you're being a little over dramatic, I'm not that bad."
"Yes you are," Rogue, Jean and Tabitha said in unison.
Kurt and Scott remained silent from the kitchen doorway. They wanted no part of the fight that was surely about to ensue. They bumped into Logan as they made a retreat back into the kitchen. Remy managed to escape and join them as the bickering began. He winced as he heard Kitty's backs hit the floor before a shirt flew past the doorway. The others smiled at him as he grabbed a water from the fridge before taking a seat next to Logan at the bar.
"Fast learner I see," Logan commented.
Remy raised an eyebrow at him, "As an instructor, shouldn't you be out there trying to stop them?"
"Oh no," Logan chuckled, "There are some battlefields that even I won't walk onto."
"You were smart to make a retreat," Scott commented, pointing to a scar on his forehead, "I learned the hard way it's better to run than try and mediate."
"Battle scar," Remy asked before taking a sip of water.
"I tried to de-escalate a fight about a shirt and ended up getting a vase thrown at my head," he laughed, "There wasn't even a vase around when I walked in, Jean pulled it from the next room over."
Kurt pointed to his tail, "Rogue used meine tail to whip me through Kitty one time. Meine zister is deceptively strong."
Remy laughed, "Oh I'm well aware. Still got a scar on my back from her kicking me through a window."
Logan snorted, "Try training her. All I'm saying is I'm glad I heal fast. Especially now that she's tapping into all that power that's been locked inside of her."
They all sat silently for a moment, the weight of Logan's words changing the entire atmosphere of the kitchen. Remy's eyes fell to his hands, remembering the events of the day prior. All that power. The key to their victory, their survival.
Scott was the first to break the silence, "What's going to happen? When we finally have to face him, I mean. What do we do if she…if she loses control again?"
"She won't," Remy grimaced, "She won't lose control and she won't let him out alive."
Kurt looked to Logan then Remy, "Vell isn't zat a good zing? Zat means ve vin."
Logan let out a heavy sign, "Sometimes the cost of winning feels greater than the cost of losing."
Kurt and Scott felt an unexplained weight to his words, seeming to understand the implications without needed the details. Logan looked back to Remy, who was suddenly fascinated by the kitchen counter. She must have told him her fate. He'd spoken with the Professor the day Rogue had given the Queen of Hearts back to Remy. It was a hard pill to swallow, know that his Stripes was going to die. The Professor went on to explain that it might not be a total loss as Rogue may also be the key to saving Jean. He shook his head. It seemed unfair that Jean's fate could be changed for the better, but Rogue was forced to just be resigned to hers. To his knowledge saving Jean had not yet been discussed with Rogue but knowing her, she'd be willing to make the sacrifice. Though not as close to Jean as she was with Kitty, Logan knew that Rogue cared for her as a friend and would do what she could to help her. To help any of them.
"Only one can survive. How very Harry Potter," Emma said from the doorway, "It really isn't a fair fate but fate doesn't have to be fair I suppose."
Scott turned towards her, "Fate?"
She swayed through the kitchen towards the main living room, "Fate, destiny, whatever you want to call it. We play the cards that destiny's dealt and she's rarely ever a fair dealer. Of all people I thought you'd respect the game Remy. You can't cheat fate by trying to stack the cards in your favor. All you can do is sit at her table and hope for a royal flush."
Scott stared, dumbfounded as she left. What the hell was she talking about? Remy ran his hand through his hair, letting her words fully sink in. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. Fate couldn't be control, but a small part of him wished it could be redirected. Kurt walked slowly over to the doorway, slowly peering around the corner. They all stood once they heard silence in the front room. He looked back and motioned to the others that the coast was clear. The three men stood with a sign before following out of the kitchen. Logan parted ways with the teens as they approached the stairs. Once upstairs Remy gave his friend a small nod before heading to his room.
He paused at his door before shaking his head. The excitement of the arguing females followed by the somber conversation in the kitchen had made him all but forget about the gifts he'd left in the car. He let out a groan as he turned to go back downstairs to retrieve them from the garage. If he stayed in his room tonight, he could get all the wrapping done, knowing that if he left it for another day, he'd either forget or the mansion would somehow explode. He'd come to learn to appreciate the peaceful days with the X-Men as they were few and far between.
Meanwhile, Rogue stood on her balcony, wondering when and if Remy would join her. She watched the sun go down before deciding her wasn't coming and headed inside. She'd settled on taking a hot bath to clear her mind. The water burned as it warmed her bare skin. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing on the sounds washing through the mansion. Jean and Scott were cuddled up Scott's bedroom, Jean mumbling lightly in her sleep while Scott snored. Kitty was in her room watching The Notebook for what felt like the millionth time. Downstairs Tabitha and Amara tip-toed to the garage, trying to sneak away and go to a rave they'd heard about. Little did they know they'd be seen by Storm when they drove away, as she was sitting on the front porch, chatting with her nephew Evan who'd stopped by for a visit. In the kitchen Bobby was rummaging around the fridge, making a snack as he and Sam studied for an upcoming test. In the library Kurt was writing another letter to his adoptive parents. She smiled as she heard the pen scribbling on the paper. The Professor and Beast were in the Professor's office, once again trying to come up with a plan of attack to keep everyone alive when it came time to face Apocalypse. Logan was in his room running through new ways to torture, correction, train everyone so they'd be better prepared to fight.
She opened her eyes, focusing her hearing back to her own breathing. Her sessions with Professor were helping and it soothed her to hear the carefree coming and goings of her fellow housemates. She sat in the tub until her hands began to prune. She knew she should try to sleep but lately it felt like her mind was racing a mile a minute with no red lights in sight. She glanced at her bed as she made her was out of the bathroom but decided a little more fresh air would do her some good. She returned to her balcony, pulling her bathrobe tightly around her waist. In a few short days she would be seventeen. She laughed at the thought. Most seventeen-year-olds were worried about finals, college, learning to drive and getting a date to prom. She, on the other hand, had to worry about becoming stronger, more powerful and controlled, saving the world. It was a heavy responsibility to bare, sometimes crippling.
She hung her head sadly, "How am I gonna pull this off?"
The mansion awoke the next morning to the sound of the front gate being crushed and thrown. Rogue jumped out of bed, changing into her uniform as fast as possible. She ran downstairs, joining the rest of the X-men as they gathered around Professor Xavier. The older members prepared to attack when a sound caught Rogue's attention. Without thinking she phased through the front door, wrapping her arm around someone's waist. There was a loud snarl as she and the unknown attacker hit the ground. Before anyone else could move she crashed back through the door, skidding across the entryway. She recovered and shook herself off before running to tackle Saber tooth again. This time he was prepared and flipped her over as she launched herself at him. charged again, tackling Saber tooth to the ground for a second time. The rest of the X-men followed, and this time Logan stood in front of Saber tooth. They both let out a snarl before lunging at one another. Rogue moved to back up Logan but stopped as a card landed at her feet before exploding. The force of the explosion knocked her off her feet once more. She sat up and looked in the direction it had come from, only to see Remy give her a small salute.
She quickly rolled out of the way as another card landed near her, "What the hell is the matter with you? Have you lost your damn mind?"
His mouth twisted into a smirk as she picked herself off the ground, taking a flighting stance. He ran at her, throwing a few punches as he got close enough. She managed to dodge most of his attacks before he kicked her legs out from under her. She rolled to the side as his fist hit the ground. She gripped his arm, pulling him to the ground with her. She rolled on top of him, trying to pin him down. He gripped the chest plate of her uniform, kinetically charging it. She leaned forward, her face hovering just above his.
"Sorry, sugar, but I'm not slated to die today. Forgive me," she kissed him, causing him to lose consciousness.
She brushed the hair out of his face as he lay limp on the ground. She noticed two figures out of the corner of her eye as she stood. She turned and watched as Mesmero ran for cover, followed closely by the White Witch herself. Rogue gritted her teeth but turned her attention back to hairy animal fighting the only father figure she'd ever had. Rogue gripped Saber tooth by the neck as she collided into him, the force of the impact leaving a long crater in the ground as he tried to push back against her. Logan stared she gripped him by the jacket, spinning in a circle before sending him crashing into three trees, each falling with an audible crack. He shook his head as he pulled himself up off the ground.
"I see Wolverine taught you how to land a cheap shot," he spat.
Her eyes seemed to glow, "No, he taught me that when it comes to battle there's no place for the weak."
She covered her feet in ice as he barreled towards her, roundhouse kicking him in the face as soon as he was within range. He crashed into brick wall that spanned the yard surrounding the mansion, knocked out and limp. She sniffed the air then turned in the direction of Emma once more. In an instant she was face to face with the double crosser. Jean took her attention from Pyro long enough to see Emma's diamond fist in Rogue's now metal hand.
It made a crunching sound as Rogue began to squeeze, "Sorry, Jean's busy right now. Maybe I can offer you some assistance."
Rogue pushed back as she felt Emma try to enter her mind. They stayed deadlocked like that for what seemed like a lifetime. Rogue's gripped tightened on Emma's hand, pushing her to the ground. Emma moved to punch with her still free hand, only to have Rogue catch it in her own. Emma tried to enter her mind again but the mental blocks he'd learned to build were too strong. Rogue inhaled deeply before smashing her head into Emma's. Emma went wide eyed for a moment before falling to the ground.
Rogue glared at her body, "Guess no one taught you that it's rude to invade other people's privacy."
She gripped her head, "She only follows orders. Now why don't we see what you can really do."
Apocalypse's voice rang through every corner of her mind, egging her on, whispering for her to let go of the control she held on so tightly to. She let out a strangled scream as her eyes glowed red, her body unable to shift from its now metal form. She looked down as a kinetic field formed around her. Wind swirled around her as she rose into the sky. On the ground the earth began to shake, bolts of lightning crashed in all directions. The fight that had been taking place now paused as everyone turned to their attention to the girl in the sky.
"Good Rogue, very good," he laughed sadistically, "Do you feel it taking over you? All the rage and aggression that you fight so hard to lock away. Washing over you, taking away all sense of control that you so desperately cling to. Do you feel the power consuming you? You treat it like a curse instead of an extension of yourself and that will be your downfall."
Metal orbs flew around Magneto's henchmen as they began to make a hasty retreat. Magneto was not a fool, seeing now that he'd been manipulated so the scene before him could unfold. He did not take kindly to being used as one of Apocalypse's puppets. Still, it was hard to ignore the beauty unfolding before him. Imagine the limitless possibilities if she did gain control, real control. He gave one last look before taking his leave.
On the ground her teammates and friends watched on helplessly. Jean put up a forcefield of psychic energy as Kurt helped Kitty usher the younger students back into the mansion, hoping they'd be safe there for the time being. She turned to face them, shooting beam of red from her eyes. Jean struggled as each shot rebounded off the forcefield. Scott readied his visor to shoot back but Jean put a hand on his shoulder.
"Charles," Logan looked at him.
"I'm trying Logan, but she's shutting me out," Professor looked up, "I'm not sure if anyone can reach her."
Jean gazed at Rogue. It was a long shot but if she could just get up there maybe she could reach her. Jean pulled the forcefield around her as she took to the sky. She could feel the strain on her mind as she tried to push past Rogue's mental barriers. She gasped as what looked like flames began to cover her skin. On the ground she could hear Scott calling to her. Rogue reached out a hand, pulling Jean towards her. Rogue flipped her hand over, her palm facing the sky before curling it into a fist. As she did so Jean felt another pull, the fire surrounding her now becoming centered to her chest. It was as though an invisible leash was attached to the flame, parting with Jean's body as Rogue pulled her fist to her own chest then down to her side. Jean watched as the flame took the form of a bird, a Phoenix. It circled around Rogue as she opened her arms. It looked as though she was welcoming it, inviting it to be absorbed into her.
Jean could feel herself growing weaker, the large source of her power now surrounding Rogue in the flame like energy before disappearing. With one final push Jean went crashing towards the ground. She reached her hand out to Rogue, everything around her starting to go black. They watched as the Earth came up to meet her before slowly lowering her to the ground. Scott scrambled over to her, the wind picking up and pushing him back. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into him, pressing her head safely to his chest. He once again looked back at the skies as they grew darker, the air even colder.
"Professor," Scott called, asking the question that was on everyone's mind, "What are we going to do?"
The Professor shook his head, "I don't know."