Anya slowly opened her eyes. The blinding white light from the ceiling stung at her sensitive eyes. She had a hand over her eyes to keep the light from them when a familiar voice startled her. "Well, so the Beauty has awakened to the Beast? It is good to finally see you up and about Ms….Anya?" Beast stumbled over his words. He did not know what Anya's name was or what she liked to go by.
"Darkholme…Raven…she was meh mother, so ah am a Darkholme am ah not?" Anya asked as she removed the hand from her face. Slowly her eyes adjusted. "What time is it Beast?" Hank smiled while he checked his watch. "It is only a little after nine o'clock am. I am feeling rather famished, as perhaps you are. You did not eat anything all day yesterday. Shall we go upstairs and join the others for breakfast?" Beast rose from the chair beside her seat. He placed the clipboard down on the seat before offering Anya a hand. "Shall we?"
Anya blushed a little as she nodded. "Sure, ah am hungreh." As if to prove her point, her stomach decided to growl rather loudly. Her face now tinted a dark scarlet she stood. The sweats that Beast had given her the day before barely stayed on. The overly large sweater hung off of one shoulder to reveal a lot of creamy white skin. Her curly blonde hair hung over her shoulder, obscuring some of her milky skin from view. The pants that she wore were too long, dragging along the bottom of her foot. She wore no socks or shoes, causing Anya to wiggle her toes on the cold floor. "Muh clothes, what happened to them?"
Hank lead her through the med bay doors as he spoke. "The bullet hole in your shirt was rather small, but I had to cut it off to start operating as soon as possible. The rest were drenched in your blood, so they were incinerated." Anya nodded. She silently walked with Beast to the dining room, her attention now elsewhere.
In the dining room: Anya felt extremely awkward. As soon as she walked in all conversations dropped, hushed whispers filled the room instead. She had already felt out of place in her oversized sweats and no socks or shoes, but now she just felt like a banana in an orange tree. Seas of faces were before her own, but only one she recognized. However it wasn't the one she was looking for. She had secretly been looking for Gambit as they stalked the halls. With no luck she decided to wait to see if he was dining with the rest, but it was not Gambit's face she saw within the crowd.
Rogue was sitting in her usual spot. Magneto had gone on another mission, leaving her on her own through this whole mess. Magneto would be able to relate to this situation, being cloned and reduced to an infant to be raised right was sort of what she was going through, kind of. Sighing she took a long sip of her coffee, black with two spoons of sugar. The scraping of a chair beside her own startled her out of her mind. "Hey Hank. Anya."
Anya was startled by the coldness her sister was giving her. "Anna, may ah join you?" She asked, rather nervous now. "Of course sug. Sorry muh mind must be somewhere else." Anya smiled as she sat down opposite Rogue. Rogue took note of Anya's breakfast. Black coffee, two sugar packets on the tray beside it. Her plate held very little food, a scoop or two of scrambled eggs and some buttered toast. "Hank, shouldn't she be eattin somethan a little more?" Rogue asked. Startled Hank looked at Anya's tray.
Startled, Hank looked at her plate. "I thought I put some fruit on there. Here." Hank handed over a peeled orange. "Please, consume this as well. It will help to get some nutrients in your system." With a surprised look Anya nodded. Very shyly she munched on the orange as she watched Rogue. Her shoulders seemed tense and she had the nervous habit of looking around. As if she were expecting some one. Silently the trio ate. Once finished eating Hank cleared his throat. "Rogue, it appears that our new addition needs some clothing. Perhaps it would be best if you went out shopping with her."
Anya's eyebrows peeked up. "Shoppin? But ah don't have any money." Rogue smiled. "Don't worry sug, yah can pay me back soon." With a wink Rogue stood. "Now c'mon. Let's head to muh room and get yah outta those drab clothes." Rogue wrapped her arm around Anya's shoulder and led her upstairs.
Rogue's room: "Hey, Anna…Have yah seen Remy? Ah wanted tah apologize to him for whateva ah said last night that made him so mad." Anya walked out of Rogue's bathroom as she spoke. Her body clad in only a towel, another pressed to her head as she vigorously dried her hair. "Sorry Anya, ah haven't seen that swamp rat since last night either." Rogue was sitting at her vanity applying the little bit of lipstick she always loved to wear. Her hair was wild and curly, as it had been years ago. She was planning on straightening it, that was until she saw Anya's golden locks in a curled mess peaking from under the towel. Anya was now sitting on Rogue's bed, watching her with open adoration. "Why are you puttin that stuff on yah face? I think yah gorgeous without it." Anya smiled as Rogue tossed the same lipstick to her.
"It's muh favorite shade darlin. Try it on, ah bet it looks just as good on yah." Hesitantly Anya followed what Rogue had just done, staining her pink lips a perky red color. "It's gorgeous. Just like we gunna be as we shop." Rogue winked at Anya through the mirror. Anya returned the gesture with a smile. "Yah know ah always wanted a sistah. Just not one that could fit muh clothes. Kinda glad yah can though. Here wear this." Rogue tossed a small pile of clothes at Anya. Anya slid the clothes onto her lithe body.
The clothes fit her like a glove, just as Rogue's did. She looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a pair of black jeans that flared to cover the top of her feet. The tight shirt was a gorgeous shade of sapphire that made her icy eyes stand out more than normal. It wasn't as low cut as the one Mystique had her wear, but it showed enough milky skin that any man would surely look twice. Rogue was wearing a similar outfit, only the shirt that she wore was a brilliant shade of jade. Rogue's emerald eyes sparkled as she too looked in the mirror. "Yah know what they say about twins? Double tha trouble." Rogue giggled as she grabbed Anya's hand. "C'mon sug. Let's go shop till we drop!"
The car ride to the mall in Rogue's red convertible was filled with music playing on the radio. Rogue spent the time wondering why she was taking this so well. She had been cloned, her DNA stolen from her and used without her permission. She was more than ticked at Sinister and Mystique, but she held no resentment towards Anya. After all, it wasn't her fault that she's a clone of herself. People at the mansion were treating Anya just as she used to be treated. Maybe that's why she already felt so close to her. They were mirror images of each other in more than looks alone. Rogue's thoughts stopped as she heard Anya's singing.
"Well, yah can hear meh on the radio! You wanna turn meh on, turn on yur stereo. Yah can sing along, while they're playin' our song. How yah done meh wrong...Baby crank it up! Until yah blow the speakers out yer Chevy truck. So listen Romeo, when yur feelin' kinda lonely, let meh tell yah where ta go. Turn On The Radio!"(Reba McEntire: Turn on the Radio) Rogue giggled as the song drifted away and another came on to take it's place. "Where did yah hear that?" Rogue asked, not taking her eyes off the road. "Ah didn't till jus now. Ah liked it, ah hope it dint bother yah that ah sang along."
Eyes sparkling with mischief Rogue shook her head. "Nah, it dint bother meh any. Look Anya, we're here." Anya looked up to see a huge building looming over her. The place was at least three stories. Names of stores she's never been in hung over most entrance ways. "This is different from tha first mall ah been to." Anya shirked back into her seat feeling more than a little intimidated now. "C'mon sis, don' be shy now." Rogue giggled as she tore off her seatbelt and headed to Anya's side. "Sis. Yah jus called meh sis! That makes meh so happy!" Anya followed Rogue's example and the two took off into the mall.
Hours later back at Rogue's room: Bags upon bags of clothes littered Rogue's bed. Anya was a bit overwhelmed with all that Rogue had bought her. She had bought her two evening gowns for nights out, cute outfits for dates, outfits for everyday use, outfits for the danger room, an outfit for hiking, silky garments for bed, and even an outrageous outfit used to as Rogue said "seduce" a man. Of course while buying regular clothes; they had bought many under garments too. She now had a wide arrangement of thongs, silky sexy ones for 'night's outs' and ones for everyday wear. The bra's she bought ranged in color and size each one matching a specific thong. Rogue had even bought Anya three different swimsuits, a black string bikini, a deep blue one piece, and a deep red string bikini more revealing than the other two. Then of course, there was the shoes. So many shoes! Running shoes, combat boots, sneakers for everyday wear, and 3 pairs of heels. Yeah, overwhelmed was the word she was definitely looking for.
"We need tah find out which room yah'll be stayin in. The one right beside mine's been open since ah been here. Maybe we can talk them into givin yah that room?" Rogue added thoughtfully. "It'll soon be dinnah time, we'll talk ta Scott an Emma then to find out yur arrangements. C'mon let's get washed up for dinnah." After scrubbing the makeup from their face, the two newly bonded girls headed down stairs. Most of the X-men were already seated around the table. Once again all talking hushed when the girl's walked in. "Grow up, would yah?" Rogue yelled as she took her seat. Anya stood awkwardly by the entrance. "C'mon Anya git yer rear over here!" Rogue joyfully shouted at her. Anya smile was pure relief as she walked over to sit next to Rogue.
Rogue's eyes scanned the room for Scott and Emma, ready to wear them down until Anya got the room right next to hers. Anya, however, was scanning the room for Remy. Disappointed, Anya took her seat beside Rogue, but as soon as she did Rogue stood up. "I spotted Scott. Let me go snatch yah up a room sug." Anya sat alone, not talking to anyone. A shadow loomed over her and Anya's breathing caught. Remy… Anya thought, but she was wrong. A short man with a very gruff voice sat beside her. "Your lookin for the Cajun? Sorry darling but he aint here. Saw his sorry butt in the bar not too long ago. Something spooked Gumbo, and I wouldn't expect to see him any time soon." "Ah..uhm excuse meh?" Anya was stunned, was this man psychic?
"The name's Logan, but people call me Wolverine. I already know about you darling. Anya, Rogue's clone. Everyone's been talking bout you since I walked in." "Clone? I'm not her clone, I'm her twin sister." Anya said, her voice shaky. "Darlin don't tell me you didn't know?" Wolverine looked sad as he looked at her. The few people within hearing distance stayed silent. Everybody's eyes had pity in them as she looked at them. "Oh my….it's true isn't it? Ah'm a freak!" Anya stood abruptly, her chair falling over. Everyone silenced at her actions. "Stop it, stop pityin' meh!" She yelled before she took off. Her eyes were filled with tears. She had no idea where she was going. She ended up in the main foyer, the door leading outside right in front of her. She turned and ran straight out the door and down the sidewalk. Just as she was about to turn to run in a different direction she ran smack into a strong sturdy man. She fell over. Her eyes burning from her tears and her nose now burning from the strong stench of alcohol. She looked up and into the eyes of the man she had been searching for all day.
"Remy!" Anya yelled as she threw herself into his arms. Normally, Gambit would have been ready to catch her, hold her in his arms. However, his alcohol slowed brain was too late to react. They fell to the cement. Gambit sat on his butt, a distressed Anya falling apart in his lap. Gambit was stunned, he hadn't expected to run into her so soon. Even though he was tore at the thought of her, he couldn't help but slowly pet her head. "Shhh…Chere, it's okay. Remy here. It be okay now." Gambit whispered softly in her ear. When her crying finally slowed he turned her to look into his eyes.
"Chere, what's wro-" Gambit's words were cut short as he took in Anya's appearance. Her blue orbs stood out more from the redness crying had caused to them. Her cheeks were flushed and her face paler than normal. His eyes slowly drifted down, finally stopping on her lips. He was completely captivated by the sheer lusciousness of her full and parted lips. With a small intake of her breath Gambit's eyes returned to hers. His hand moved from her shoulder to her cheek. Very slowly, it ran through her hair. The complete emptiness in his brain had nothing to do with his drunken state this time. He was at a loss with her, because of her. Gambit couldn't take it anymore. The way she was looking at him, it was as if he was everything to her, and that running into him right now had been the best thing that ever happened to her. Painfully slow he closed the gap between their lips.
A startled gasp escaped her lips before they relaxed against his own. Gambit's hand tightened in her hair, pulling her closer to him. His other hand, currently residing beside him on the cement, snaked its way up her body and around to her lower back. Anya copied his movement, one hand tangling itself into Gambit's messy locks while the other rest on the side of Gambit's neck. Tilting his head to the side just a tiny bit to gain better leverage, Gambit pushed his tongue to her lips. There Gambit's tongue begged and pleaded for entrance into Anya's mouth. When it gained entrance it was as if the world dropped away and there was only them. Or there would have been had it not been for someone clearing their throat and pulling them out of their dazed kiss.