The professor, Scott and Storm arrived outside Rogue's house. Strom looked up. The curtains were all closed.
"You sure she's here."
The Professor nodded.
They walked towards the house. Scott knocked on the door. There was no answer. He tried again but still there was no answer.
"Rogue, Pyro it's us. We know you're in there. Open the door please."
There was movement in the house. Then sharp whispers. Then the door opened. Pyro looked at Scott.
"Go away"
"She needs help John."
"It's Pyro and she doesn't need your help Storm. She doesn't need help as a matter of fact."
"I think she needs a lot of help."
Pyro looked at he professor. After awhile he moved out the way. They entered the house. Pyro walked out the door. He wasn't staying to watch this. He looked at the upstairs window. Rogue was standing watching him. He remembered what she had whispered to him when they had heard the knock.
"Go, this time I'll come find you."
He smiled and walked away. Rogue turned around and walked downstairs. They were waiting for her in the living room.
"Hello Rogue please, sit down."
Rogue sat opposite the professor. She looked into his eyes, wanting to show that she did not regret anything.
'So any survivors?'
She couldn't help but smile at the expression on their faces. Unsurprisingly the professor answered her.
'Logan is doing just fine. Kitty unfortunately…'
'Unfortunately? After what…'
Rogue stopped. She had to control her anger. They don't exactly what happened and right now that is how she would keep it. Maybe they should leave. But she knew they wouldn't. She looked up at Storm and Scott. Storm had a worried expression on her while Scott looked more alert and anxious. Just like...that day.
'We have to go. It's the only way to save her. If they find her she'll never be normal.'
'Now Rogue, I need you to relax so that I can read your mind.'
'It didn't happen here.'
'What didn't happen? Rogue?'
The professor moved closer.
'NO!'
She wrenched away as fast as she could.
'Rogue please this is for your own good.'
'For your own good, Marie…''NO!'
She stumbled off the sofa and ran towards the door. But Scott was too quick and grabbed her around the waist. His x-suit prevented him from touching her skin. She kicked and screamed fighting to break free.
'Rogue listen to me, you have to calm down.'
'Hold her arm while I administer the tranquilliser.'
'No leave her alone.'
'She'll be perfect for our experiment.'
'Rogue calm down'
'Honey it's going to be ok look at me. We'll find you. Mommy loves you.'
The voices in her head were everywhere. She couldn't control them. Finally she fainted. Storm reached out and felt her pulse, she was alive.
'Lay her down on the couch Scott, it's time to find out what happened.'
No one moved or said a word. The only sound was Rogue's occasional mutterings as she started to remember.
'I don't like it here. I want to go home.'
Her mother was sitting with her head in her hands. Her father stood by the window, occasionally peeping out of the curtains. He sighed and shaking his head as he turned to face her.
'Sorry Marie, but we have to stay here. It won't be much longer. Why don't you go play in the barn?'
Marie felt her heart drop. Before she could reply her father turned away from her and looked out the window again. Her mother glanced up at her. Her eyes were red, her face pale and somewhat old. She smiled a strange strained smile that looked more eerie than cheerful. Marie ran out the room. She was sick of this silence. She went into the barn and climbed on her swing. The tears ran along her face. They calmed her down a little. As the swing moved in a slow soothing motion she found herself falling into a peaceful sleep. She was walking in their garden. Her mother and father smiled at her as she approached them. She reached for her mother's hand but withdrew remembering that she was not allowed to touch. Her mother smiled. It was her soft, gentle smile that was only for her, for little Marie, and she felt love again. She could feel wind in her air. She reached out but the wind grew louder. Her mother and father disappeared and she was left alone. She wrenched open her eyes. It wasn't just the wind. Something outside had woken her. She walked cautiously towards the wall of the barn. Through the cracks she could see movement.
'They're here. Marie where are you?'
Her father burst in. He ran up to her, scooped her up and began running back into the house. They headed into the attic. Her mother was sitting in the corner. She took Marie while her father padlocked the door. Her mother clung to her, whispering words of comfort in an inaudible tone. There was shouting downstairs, loud footsteps. Marie closed her eyes praying for them to go away. Suddenly the door began shake. It opened with a bang and men came in holding guns. A man in a black suit strolled in.
'There you are.' He said in a soft menacing voice.
He signalled to his left and two men grabbed her father. Another three came and prised her away from her mother. She struggled free but the man holding her tightened his grip. The man in the suit had a lingering smirk on his face. He slowly took out a needle and turned to Marie. Fear welled up inside her.
'NO!'
She kicked out her legs furiously, screaming as loud as she could.
'Hold her arm while I administer the tranquilliser.'
'NO!'
'No leave her alone.'
Her mother was struggling free. Her fathers face was red as he tried to break free. Another man held her arm out while the suit man pushed the needle into her skin. The needle went in but the man had accidentally touched her skin and fainted. The man in the suit continued to smile.
'She'll be perfect for our experiment.'
Marie couldn't fight anymore. She began to feel tired. The man in the suit whispered to his men as they dragged her out the room. They readied their guns waiting. Her mother saw this to and smiled her true mother smile.
'Honey it's going to be ok look at me. We'll find you. Mommy loves you.'
That was the last time she heard her mother's voice.