Chapter Seven

Magneto was back in his office, in his desk chair, thinking. There was a knock at the door and Mystique entered. "She's gotten to you, hasn't she?" Mystique asked. Magneto only just noticed her presence and looked to her. "She's good, isn't she?"

Magneto took in a breath and exhaled deeply. "Indeed, she is."

"She sort of reminds me of you." Magneto raised his eyebrow at Mystique who had a grin on her face.

"I don't see the resemblance."

Mystique laughed. "Oh you see it alright and you like it." Mystique said, gripping some of her hair at the front of her head and twirling it around her finger. Mystique was never usually girly in such terms, and Magneto understood her banter.

Magneto couldn't hide his smile. "She's smart, I'll give her that." Magneto threw back at her and went back to deep thinking."There's something about her. Something that does sit well with me."

Mystique's smile faded too. "The darker side to her. That look in her eyes she gets when she's in deep thought."

"Not just in her eyes." Magneto said. "There were deep cuts on her hand which she didn't seem to want me to see. I have a surspion."

"You think she's been experimented on? During the time she's been away from the X-Men? That would make sense about the sad tortured look in her eyes. But..."

"But what Mystique?"

"I've never seen someone recover so fast like that before."

"Me neither... I think she's stronger than she appears. As you know, she's not that scared little girl anymore. She's a harsh killer. Perhaps, dealing with what's happened to her through her anger."

Mystique nodded her head. "Did you find out which side she's on?"

"No. She decided to be tricky when answering that question."

"Like you." Mystique couldn't help the comment. A checky smile graced her lips and Magneto raised his eyebrow at her check.

"What are you doing now?" Magneto asked, deciding to drop the subject.

"Training Rogue. She seeked me out this morning and asked for another class. I told her three sharp in the gym. I'm leaving now to be there before her." Magneto raised his eyebrow. There was another thing that added to his idea. "You want me to find out what's happened to her during the past year?" Mystique didn't look pleased.

"Find out anything you can, but I believe I may have to take control of this too."

Mystique nodded her head. "Takes you to crack open you." And with that confusing comment to Magneto, Mystique left.

XXXXX

Rogue was laid out on the mat again, breathing heavy.

"You were sloppy again. You need to focus."

Rogue forced herself up to her feet. Mystique studied her. Rogue was breathing heavily and there was a look of dizziness in her eyes. "Have you eaten today."

Rogue was slow to answer, but finally shuck her head, no.

Mystique frowned. "You need to eat to saver your energy for fighting. We'll end this class for today and your to go straight to the cafeteria and eat something filling."

Rogue nodded and straighted up out of her fighting stand. She nodded her head to Mystique and said, "Thank you." Before turning around and leaving. Mystique watched her leave.

Rogue walked slowly and dazedly towards the cafeteria. She was feeling the tiredness more now and feeling the pain more. Mystique had reveded up the tentesity today and her hits were harder. Although she wasn't bleeding today, Mystique had kicked her in all the really bad places. Bad enough, that Rogue had to stop her walk once out of sight of Mystique and just stand still for a moment to swallow the pain and present a level head. The dizziness wasn't helping things at all. Rogue had been here with the Brotherhood for a good few days, coming to a week, and Rogue still hadn't made any friends. Rogue didn't want to either. She felt too awkward in the cafeteria during the day, so at the night time, Rogue would come down to the kitchen and slavish what food was left over, which wasn't much, but it was still something to keep her going. Last night though, she'd had a decent black night's sleep and (as every other night was a nightmare) she just felt so tired, that she passed up food for sleep.

Rogue stopped at the enterence to the cafeteria and looked in. She knew no one in there and had already over heard the whispers and hatered towards her about how she was new and straight away got to live in the main base where some of them had been there for years and not gotten anywhere near the main base. Rogue knew she had made enimies without even trying and some of those enimies were in there. She did want to get food, but she didn't want to run into them and have them start a fight with her (which some had tired to during the past few days).

"You gonna stand there all day blocking the door?" Rogue turned around and came face to face with Pyro. Rogue wasn't sure what to say or do. He was looking at her, iritated. "You gonna move?"

Rogue stepped aside and Pyro walked into the cafeteria. He stopped and turned back around to look at her. "You coming in or what?"

Rogue looked at him, then looked towards the table full of the people who hated her, then back to Pyro. She shuck her head, no.

Pyro shruck his shoulders, "Suit yourself." And Pyro turned around and went to sit at the table where all the people who hated Rogue sat. Rogue watched him for a moment at the door. One of the girls at the table who was sat next to Pyro motioned towards her at the door. The girl gave Rogue evil death glares. When Pyro turned around, he didn't seem arsed about seeing her there. In fact he turned his head around shaking it, no, he has no idea was what Rogue read from his lips. He had no idea why she was stood there staring at him. Even after it had been explained to him, he still didn't want to know her; just like all the rest of them.

Rogue turned, seeing no point of remaining in a door way and headed back towards her little room.

"What are you doing Rogue?" Rogue rolled her eyes, then turned around to face Magneto.

"Going back to the room I was given to stay in while I'm here."

"Your room? Have you just eaten?"

Rogue nodded her head. "Yeah." She said.

Magneto raised his eyebrows warningly. "You're not trying to lie to me are you Rogue?"

Rogue stayed quiet for a moment, not sure what to do or say. Then she shrugged her shoulders. "Is there something I can help you with or do for you?"

Magneto dropped his eyebrow, but there was still annoyance in his eyes. "Yes, come with me."

Rogue folded her arms, not much in the mood for Magneto's power games at the moment. She just wanted her bed and to sleep. She followed him though. Followed him to his office. She stopped in the doorway, unsure wheather to step in or not.

"Come in Rogue and have a seat at the table." Rogue did as she was told and watched Magneto move to the other side of the room where there was a very small kitchen area. He mentally turned on the kettle and pulled out a tin of beans and a loaf of breed. Rogue looked around the office while he was busy in the kitchen. There was a large window behind a study desk and chair that had a nice view of the forest and a lake off in the distance. Towards the wall that Rogue was facing, there was a large book shelve full of old leather bound books. Next to the little kitchen was a door that was closed. Rogue wondered what that door lead to. Maybe a safe room or some secret weapon room or something that was of importance.

The kettle clicked, indicating it was finished heating. Magneto lifted the kettle using his powers. "Tea or coffee?"

"Coffee. Black, no sugar." Magneto stopped what he was doing and opened a pot that was on the side. He used his powers to have a small spoon come to his hand and scooped out a spoonful of coffee. He used his powers to pour the hot water and stir the coffee while he went back to buttering the toast which had just tinged done, then took the beans out of microwave and poured it over the toast. He brought two cups over using his powers and placed the plate in front of Rogue. She frowned. "I said I'd already eaten."

"And I told you not to lie to me."

Rogue pouted and looked down at the food. The smell of toast was amazing to her nose.

"Eat!" He commanded, picking up his own cup of coffee and drinking it.

Rogue looked up to him. "I didn't realise you were boss of my diet Magneto."

"Somebody needs to look after you."

Rogue's mood went in to different directions. One, she liked the act that someone cared for her, two, she hated that he treated her like a child. "I don't need anyone to look after me."

"I begged a differ. Your a walking skeleton with hardly any meat on you. It's not healthy or attractive. Eat!"

"Who says I wanna be attractive."

Magneto slammed his fist down on the table which shuck Rogue back in her chair."Do not argue with me on this Rogue!" Rogue sat back, quietly watching him trying to get control of his anger. Rogue was annoied he was trying to force her to do something, but moved by his reaction. A fork flew over from the kitchen draw and hovered in front of Rogue. She looked from the fork, back to Magneto. He glared at her, waiting. Rogue looked back to the hovering fork, took it and looked back at Magneto one more time. He still hadn't moved and was watching her intensely. Finally Rogue digged her fork into the beans and lift a fork full to her mouth. The bean juice it came in was lush in her mouth and the sweet taste was heaven. Rogue looked back up to Magneto to see him relaxing.

"Is there another reason you pulled me in here."

Magneto picked up his coffee again. "Just eat Rogue. We can talk later." And he supped his coffee again.

Rogue looked down and lifted another forkfull to her mouth. There was silence between the two for a while. Magneto had collected a newspaper from the desk and began reading that while Rogue ate. When she was finished and Magneto heard the tap of a fork being placed on an empty plate, he looked up to Rogue. She had eaten everything on her plate. "Good girl."

The metal plate and fork left her and piled up in the sink. Rogue watched Magneto, waiting for him to say something. "Well?" She asked.

"Well what my dear?"

"Why did you want to see me?"

Rogue was waiting for it and had been waiting for it (well one of the many questions he'd want answers to from her). She wondered if the meal he'd just given her was posined or that he felt sorry for her and was giving her one last meal before he kicked her out with nothing or even kill her, now, after one last nice thing. Either way she was waiting for him to say the words. But he was silent. He breathed in a large breath then let it go.

"What happened to you after you left Xaveirs?" Magneto questioned.

Rogue hadn't been expecting that and sank back in her chair. A few brief, but still painful memories pasted before her.

"A lotta things."

Magneto sat up straighter and moved closer to her over the table. "You know some of my deepest darkest memories Rogue. Don't you think it's only fair I know yours."

"What makes you think I have deep dark secrets?"

"We all have deep dark secrets. Even if they're little ones, they still matter to that person. But it's obvious that your not just hiding any small secret, but big life changing ones. I need to know what changed you Rogue."

"Why? Why do you need to know anything about me?"

Magneto was silent and still. He could tell he wasn't getting anywhere with her. At last he reached over the table taking her hand in his firmly. He looked her in the eyes and said, "Please, just tell me. I want to know what haughts your eyes and what's changed such a sweet innocent girl into a heartless killer."

Rogue looked down to their hands. He knew how to play. He knew how to play every well. Rogue could see Magneto wanted this answer badly and that he wasn't going to back down from this. She decided that she'd just have to give in and take control.

"What do you want to know?" Asked Rogue.

"What did you do when Charles abandoned you? Where did you go?"

He was still holding her hand. Rogue looked away from his calm blue eyes and to their hands. "A cheap hotel. I paid for it using the money the Professor gave me."

"How long did you stay in New York?"

"About a week or two. I don't know. I wasn't really counting the days, I was just more interested in finding out what was happening."

"How did you go about finding out information." Asked Magento.

"Simple. I walked right up to them and asked. They all looked at me strange as if I'd lost my mind and was some sorta spy."

"What happened?"

"We got into a few arguements. I tried to explain things. Explain that the Professor had wiped their memories of me, but that I didn't know why. But, who would you believe? A man you've known and trusted for most of your life telling you he didn't do something, or a stranger you've talked to for five seconds telling you he's lieing?"

Magneto let out a sigh which showed he understood. "Something else must have happened. They attacked you back in the White House. Why?"

Rogue shrugged her shoudlers and looked away from him completely. "I might have...lost my temper when Logan started talking to me like some white trash in a bar... I screamed at him. Screamed about how he'd almost died for me once and that he was a heartless beast just throwing me out like that... I... Kinda insulted them all and let it slip at the same time that I knew alot about their lives and the X-Men's secrets. They got a little freaked out by that and tried locking me up so I couldn't go away revealing secrets. I got out of the cell though... And got a little bit of revenge." Rogue was looking down to her lap as if embarrised by her actions.

Magneto raised his eyebrows. It seemed every time he looked at this girl lately she had something new to suprize him with. "What did you do for revenge?"

"I... started a fire... I piled up all their X-Men uniforms and stuff and burned them. It was just to show that I was done with them as people, but the fire grew and I accidently set half the building on fire... There was an explotion too, but I don't think any kids got hurt... Much."

A small chuckle escaped Magneto. Rogue looked up to see that he seemed amused. "And all this time we thought that was Pyro who started the fire. Though, to be fair, we never asked him if he did."

"No, it wasn't him. He was there at the time, but he didn't start the fire. I did. I don't even think he saw me when I confronted the X-Men."

"It appears so. So after you started the fire you escaped?"

"Yeah, I ran away. Left the state like the Professor wanted. I think you've got enough information there." Rogue pulled her hand away from Magneto.

Magneto closed his hand into a fist on the table, then brought it back. "Fairly well. You may leave if you wish."

Rogue nodded her head then stood up to go. "But Rogue, don't think our conversations over. I know there's more to your story then just that and I want to know what your hiding."

"So you can know if I'm a threat or not?"

Magneto didn't get a chance to reply as his door was burst open. "Magneto, you might wanna-" Pyro stopped seeing Rogue. He seemed to glare at her and Rogue looked right back at him. Then Pyro looked passed her as if she never existed and began talking to Magneto. It hurt. "There's a news report about who's going to take over the old president's job. You might wanna see who's gonna be voted for."

Rogue took it as her que to leave and walked passed Pyro to the door. Pyro looked down on Rogue giving her a dirty look as she passed.

Magneto watched the whole transaction unfold and as Rogue left he used his powers to close the door.

"You could be a little more nicer to the girl Pyro."

Pyro chocked on his laughter. "What?" He'd never in a million years thought he'd hear Magneto tell him to be nice to someone. If anything Magneto got annoied if he was nice to people.

"You catch more flies with honey than vinger, Pyro."

"Why would I wanna caught her or want anything to do with her for that matter?"

Magento raised his eyebrow at Pyro and stood up. He tooked his hands behind his back like he normally did and came to stand by his window. "Are you telling me your not the slightest bit curious as to who she is and what she states is true?"

Pyro shrugged his shoulders. "Not really. Not got much to do with me has it?"

"Why Pyro, it has everything to do with you. If, what Rogue is saying is true and Charles has entered not only your mind, but the mind of others, what memories has he taken from you and what events has he changed in your mind? How do you know that everything in your life isn't just a made up bubble Charles has put you in?"

"I think I'd know if I'd forgotten something or if something had changed in my mind."

"No, I don't think you would. Charles is a very powerful telepath and can make you believe in whatever he wants you to believe. Pyro, Rogue is your salvation. By ignoring her and pushing her away your ignoring and pushing away the facts that your memories have been stolen and your mind twisted. How do you feel knowing someone has entered your mind and changed everything you've ever believed in against your will."

Pyro was shaking his head, no, in disbelieve. "No... No, he can't- She can't-"

Magneto turned around fully to face Pyro. "And now you see why it is so important that we keep her close and find out everything she knows without pushing her away or scaring her. If she clams up and refuses to tell us we have no way of knowing what Charles has been up to."

"But... but, what about you? You've got your helmet. That blocks telepaths. That blocks him. You remembered who you are. Why do we need her when we have you to tell us what is right and what's wrong."

"Because Pyro I don't always wear my helmet and I am and haven't been as close to Charles and the X-Men as Rogue has. She will have inside information. All we have to do is reel it out of her."

"So you want me to befriend her and get to know what the hells happening with the X-Men?"

"If it was as easy as that Pyro I would have had the answers long ago and I doubt she would be here. The girl's very stubborn minded and she knows our tactics. She's absorbed us all and knows how we all think and what we want from her. We've got to woo her onto our side Pyro, not force her. And when she is one of us, not only will we have a new powerful weapon at our disposal, but we'll also have the answers we need. Now, what channel is it?"

Magneto turned to face the book shelves were there was a television screen in the middle of it.

"Channel six."