Chapter 22: Rogue Attacks

"Kurt." He stirred sleepily. "Kurt!"

"Huh?" He sat upright, looking around in confusion.

"Kurt, something's wrong," the voice hissed. "I heard something."

"Sabere?"

"Get up, dammit! Someone's in the mansion. I need you to take me up to Jean's room." Sabere dropped down onto his bed, and he quickly 'ported them upstairs.

The light was on, and Rogue was standing over the unconscious bodies of Scott and Jean.

"Rogue?" he asked hesitantly. She turned slowly to face them, her skunk-stripe hair sliding across her shoulders. She was dressed entirely in black, which made the vicious red glow of her eyes – Apocalypse's red – even more startling.

She bared her teeth and leaped for them, but Kurt flung his arms around Sabere and took them outside.

"Wake up!" Sabere screamed into the dark. "We're under attack!"

"No!" The door glowed pink for a moment and exploded out – Rogue had already attacked and imprinted Gambit. She crouched in the hall, glaring, and with speed and agility equal to Mystique's heightened powers, managed to wrap her hands around Kurt's wrist.

The shock threw him to the floor, gasping for breath as his lungs froze. He felt like his very life was being drawn out through his wrist – and she wouldn't stop – I saved you once – you're one of us – stop –

Suddenly Rogue was gone, and Sabere was standing over him, fists clenched. Rogue shrieked and attacked, throwing punches and kicks that even he would have trouble blocking. He wanted to help her – but he still couldn't breathe –

Bamf – bamf – bamf – Rogue figured out teleporting almost immediately, and after that Sabere had no chance. By the time Kurt managed to catch his breath and get up to help, Sabere was sprawled on the floor and Rogue had 'ported away.

"Who else has she gotten?" Kurt asked hoarsely, helping her sit up.

"No idea – and she already had Logan, Bobby, and Magneto from when she first came here – she'll hit the whole mansion – "

"She's unstoppable," Kurt said. "Apocalypse has made her into the perfect soldier – ruthless and powerful."

"Not as powerful as he is," Sabere said grimly. "We can stop her."

Something huge crunched on the ceiling, followed by a grunt and loud curses in Russian. Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Two telekines, a healing factor, magnetic manipulation, and now steel skin? What else does she need?"

They realized who was left at the same time. "Xavier." Sabere seized his shoulders and he took them up to Xavier's room.

Xavier was sitting up, an IV in his arm, brow furrowed with concentration. This was the first time Kurt had seen him in several days, and he definitely looked worse. He was pale and had lost far too much weight – and yet there he was, sitting and focusing, holding his strength. Before they could try to defend him, Rogue 'ported into the room accompanied by a cloud of red smoke and strode confidently towards Xavier.

Her hand stretched out for his head, but Xavier held up his own hand, and suddenly she froze in her tracks. She frowned, grimaced, and struggled, her fingers grasping as she tried to imprint him. Kurt thought he saw the air between them shimmer. Xavier's face contorted and he was shaking with strain, but Rogue was worse – she sank to her knees, mouth open in a silent howl, hands clawing. Suddenly she screamed and collapsed facefirst onto the bed, her hand flopping harmlessly next to Xavier's legs.

Before either of them could congratulate him, Xavier exhaled in a long groan and slumped over next to Rogue. Sabere was at his side immediately. "Get Jean."

Bamf – "It's Xavier." Jean embraced him and bamf – back into the Professor's room, where Sabere was trying to move him into a more comfortable position. "He fought off Rogue, and collapsed – I can't tell what happened – "

Jean immediately took over and Sabere stepped back to wrap an arm around Kurt's waist. He absentmindedly brushed her shoulder while Scott carried Rogue out of the room and Jean examined Xavier. Minutes ticked by, and the doorway slowly filled with the other X-Men and some students. Finally Jean looked up, tears in her eyes.

"He's in a coma."

A hush fell over the crowd outside the door. "But…" Sabere's hand tightened around his waist. "We need him, Jean."

"I know. There's nothing we can do for him anymore, other than set up life support and pray." She drew the blankets up to his chin and turned down the lights, taking in a deep breath to hold off sobs. "We have to finish this without him."