Seven years ago
Xavier's Institute for gifted youngsters.
There were couples all around the Institute garden. The place was, once again, the safest for mutants. Some of them had already taken the cure and left. Some of them wanted to, but hey heard that mutants who took the cure were considerate still freaks for humans, and traitors to mutants. And, some of them, didn't like the idea or thinking about it. There were no mid terms. But only one petit disagreed.
She sat on the bench in the garden, waiting for her boyfriend. He should be already there, but, like always, Bobby Drake was late.
She heard a noise of something cracking behind her and glanced a look. It was he, not with his best traces, but it was he. Injured from the last battle against the Phoenix.
---We need to talk…
And she already knew where that was going. She had noticed different behaviors after she took the cure. There were some people, most of them, that didn't even look at her. Ororo Munroe was one of them, though had allowed Rogue to stay, the Afro-American woman still refused even mentioning Rogue's name. Hank had promised the little southern belle to talk about it with the new headmistress.
There were the students that avoided her not because they didn't supported her choice, but because they knew they would be discriminated if they made their points clear.
And there were those, a few, that couldn't care less about her decision. Logan was an example. After he killed Jean and couldn't burry her body, since the government took it, he fell in depression. Forgetting there was someone that needed him.
Bobby? He hadn't made his point clear. He and Rogue had great nights together, but he still refused talking about the cure-incident, as Ororo called.
---Is not that I don't like you Rogue…
And he paused.
---I just don't know you anymore.
He said caressing her hair and trying to avoid crying like she was doing. He loved her so much, but she had changed. And he did as well.
Somewhere in Alaska.
A very tall, blonde and baby blue-eyed woman walked around her laboratory. Emma Frost, using her white doctor coat, stared at the unconscious couple in front of her. Professor Xavier, in the past, had warned her about Phoenix, and she was sure she was the only one he did, and she had never thought that Jean would fight that hard against Phoenix.
---I guess she did.
And she glanced Scott Summers a sad look. She knew they were meant to be together. And she couldn't avoid thinking that Jean had never let Phoenix kill him, and only put him into a comma. Getting to Alkali Lake didn't happen to be easy, but finding the almost vanished body turned out to be impossible to anyone… Anyone but Emma Frost.
---Notes on!
Her harsh voice said and the computer in front of her quickly turned on and a feminine voice greeted.
---Good morning, Dr. Frost.
---Dazi… Open file. Grey, Jean.
And a file quickly popped up in front of her, at the screen. There was a picture of a young Jean Grey, the green eyes and red hair so bright and her look, sad. The Jean Emma knew.
---Concussions: right femur from the fall after the stabbing. Stabbing injuries slowly regenerating. Three broken rips, two on the right side and one in the left. Concussion: right side of he cranium, next to the front lobo. Morphine isn't acting the way it should, having the quantity risen up from 5 mm to 8 mm. Vitals, though stable, weak.
And she took a deep breath and walked to a unconscious Jean.
---If it weren't for Professor Xavier, I would kill you myself.
And she gave the redheaded the morphine and covered her with a thick fluffy cover. She was walking to Scott's med-table when her computer rang. She rushed to it, grabbed the headphones and answered it.
---Emma?
---Dr. McTaggert. What can I do for you?
---I've been having a long talk with Charles and his mind is getting stronger. How's his organic new body doing?
Emma took a glance at one corner of the big laboratory. There, some particles were getting together and working with some organic tissues, incubated. She smiled and answered the question:
---I'm getting there.
Xavier's Institute for gifted youngsters.
Rogue was getting back inside. She had been out there, in the freezing cold, wondering, thinking about him again. Bobby couldn't leave her mind, sure, but again, so couldn't Logan.
He wasn't talking to anyone, eating or, as peculiar as possible, drinking alcohol. The only time he would open his damn mouth was when he had Danger Room sessions, and that, only when necessary. And, even though all that made her sick and worried, nothing compared it to the fact that they hadn't talked about her being cured not even once.
When she stepped inside the Institute, she felt something wrong, the tension mood. Quickly, she looked around and noticed several kids following something. So, following them, she arrived to a commotion. A discussion inside a big circle made it clear that Hank and Ororo were diverging again. So, she got as closer as she could get.
---I thought we had to protect them, 'Ro.
It was Hank and he was angry. What was weird, because since she met him, not even the biggest mutant-hater jerk would make him lose his patience.
---Yeah, our own.
Ororo was yelling back at Hank, what was weird too, because she would never have such a big argument in front of the kids
---What are you saying?
And Rogue was getting closer, starting to check the top of their heads.
---She thinks mutation is a disease. She's betrayed us.
And she lowered her head.
---She is not one of us.
But Hank wasn't paying attention anymore. Now, he looked behind Ororo, where a tall young woman had tears falling down her cheeks and tried to cover them up.
Inside a SUV.
The silence was killing him. He wanted to talk to her, try to make her feel better. After all, they would spend a lot of time together now.
---They didn't even try to stop me.
Rogue started to cry. Her red lips from the cold turned into a grin sometimes. Maybe it had to do that, before Hank picked her up, accidentally, she was sitting outside the Institute gates, having nowhere to go.
---You know, Rogue, there's something I try to recall everyday I wake up. Do you want to know what it is?
He, still driving very carefully, glanced her a compassion look. Seeing an affirmative nod of head, he continued.
---It's no quotation from someone important, but it's worth it.
And he took a deep breath.
---This too shall pass.
And she didn't know what to say. They were few words, but those few words woke something inside her up. She still felt like crap and wanted to die, but now, she was sure she wasn't alone.
---We'll go home in a second I just have to drive some people home, okay?
---Whom?
She said between breaths and whipping her tears away. Hank smiled kindly and parked the car. Unbuckling his belt he turned to her and turned the radio off.
---There was an experiment Professor and me were working on. It is top secret and not even Ororo knows about it. Want to know what it is?
And that lighted some passion inside Rogue. Finally something Ororo wouldn't take away from her, it was something she had that the Afro-American woman didn't.
---Well, have you ever asked yourself why don't I move in the Institute, like the others? I mean, after all, I do teach there.
Rogue smiled.
---That's easy. It is because your job in the government is more important than. You can't expose yourself that much.
And Hank laughed.
---That's what we wanted you to think.
Suddenly, someone opened the co-pilot door and Rogue turned to meet whom it was and the brown reddish eyes locked her green ones. She smiled weakly and only woke up from her trance when Hank said:
---Could you guys tight in the back sit? We'll get company this night.
Four years ago
Moira McTaggert's laboratory.
The redheaded woman held hands with he fiancé and, though she couldn't stand Emma Frost, she now, at least, bared being at the same place the blonde. This one, using very provocative dress, talked with Professor and massed her hair a little, like she always did.
---It wasn't easy…
Emma started.
---I'll give you that. But I had a good teacher…
---If it weren't for me you wouldn't make it.
Moira entered the room and smiled kindly at Charles, that was using his usual wheelchair. It had taken the group time to heal wounds physical and psychology ones, create new organic bodies for professor that had finally got to move out the old body and decide to join the X-men once more.
---I have to remind you that things have changed…
Jean, Scott and Professor were already inside the car. Emma and Moira were outside, wearing as many coats as possible and warning them about the news.
---There's this cure now, and Erik had it.
---We remember from the last time you warned us, Moira.
Charles tried to mock but it was clear he couldn't do it with the love of his life. So, he simply smiled at her and sent her one telepathically message.
---Don't worry. We'll be fine.
Goodbye was a sad sorrow, but now, they headed to the London International Airport.
Somewhere in Egypt.
Rogue now remembered when she discovered about Professor's prototype and the X-men League. The man had, together with Dr. McCoy, gathered the most amazing and unique group together. They were especial mutants that, despite their past and problems, matched prefect and turned into a very feared League.
It acted in the middle of the night and, similar to the X-men, didn't let the world know. But, different from the X-men, they were a smaller group that focused, only, on fighting for the right reasons.
Most of them had a terrible past, but so did Rogue. And that had never made them get apart. And, on the contrary, it only made them closer.
---Petit? Are you there?
Rogue woke from her feelings and answered the question though the headphone.
---No, Remy. I left to go shopping.
Both laughed and she heard an explosion coming from his side of the line.
---Listen…
Remy started with difficulty, like he was getting up.
---We'll need that messing signal thing you have.
Rogue started Engineering but never finished it. That didn't mean she didn't practice. So, now, she took care of the jets, chopper and every gadget the League could use in their benefit.
---Quicksilver in on his way. Don't leave the van.
And she knew why. Since she didn't have a mutant power, Beast pressed her on not trying battle on field. And that worked most of the time, but she sometimes wished to participate again.
---Okay.
She wondered why didn't Quicksilver told herself, but quickly she remembered he couldn't use communicators since the air resistance would burn the connections.
She didn't have time to run when she felt the van being moved and it was thrown away very hard. It rolled two or three times and it stopped, upside down. When Rogue started feeling her extremities again, she moved away as fast as possible, smelling gas. Passing thought the broken window she didn't even had time to breath because something threw her away again. Spilling blood, she looked up and saw Mrs. Marvel flying.
---I knew that traitor would get me to you.
Of course she meant about Quicksilver, or, as a civilian, Pietro Maximoff. Eric Lensherr's kid he was nothing like the man. Kind, but sometimes explosive, he believed in Beast's ideals and fought for it. Of course the Brotherhood never forgave him and, if it weren't for Mystique's direct order, they would kill him no matter what.
---Oh, shut up.
Rogue said and spilled some more blood. Suddenly, she felt it again, her stomach being smashed. Opening her eyes she met Mrs. Marvel over her and ready to start punching her face. Of course that, after some Strategy Room sessions she couldn't let the woman do that.
Rogue, when sensed the woman stopped punching her, started doing it against Mrs. Marvel. She knew about the mutant invulnerability, but she had to try, or, otherwise, she was toast.
Suddenly, when she felt it was causing no effect, she got the woman's hair. She could be indestructible, but she was still a woman. So, grabbing the blonde thing, she pulled it so hard that she felt some of them ungluing. And, when the woman screamed off pain, Rogue tried pressing her head by getting her hands to the woman's ears very hard. But the effect wasn't expected.
She couldn't take her hands away from the woman. It was like the damn thing was glued. And then, that feeling she thought she would never feel again: the extra life force running from Mrs. Marvel to Rogue. The thought, the woman's past and everything more.
Rogue was feeling sick again and when she felt strong arms hold her and get her away from Mrs. Marvel she thanked God. Almost when she was already safe, a bomb exploded where Mrs. Marvel was. Her dead opened eyes meeting Rogue's one last time was the last thing Rogue remembered. Of course it was that and her desperation.
---No!!!
Nowadays.
Somewhere between Albuquerque and Phoenix.
Magneto still looked for Mystique. And, though he knew the woman was too proud to come back to him or his crew, he too new that she still believed in Mutants Superiority. And, even knowing that Charles was still alive, he knew that his next plan wouldn't fail.
---Magneto.
He heard from behind and turned to face the woman with several scars and a furious look.
---Mrs. Marvel. Though you wouldn't wake from your comma. It's been four years.
---Yes. Four years that Rogue ruined my life. I can see a lot has changed.
And she approached him. Her blue eyes starring at Magneto, that was floating once more. Using his hemlet, he carried his half smile. Carol's blue suit impeccable like always. She hated everyone and everything now. Now, the only thing that mattered was revenge.
---I need revenge.
Magneto laughed one of his evil laughs and stood up from his chair, floating he got closer to her in a way both could feel each other's breath.
---And how do you plan on doing? The League is protecting her.
---I don't care. I'll take my chances.
And she turned her backs. What was she going to do? Thank him for saving her from limbo? No, that wasn't Carol Danvers, because Carol Danvers was dead. She died that day Anne Marie D'Ancanta almost took her life. Now, Mrs. Marvel was the only mind resident, and she didn't mind dying again. She only thought about payback.
---Maybe you shouldn't.
She heard from behind. Turning back to Magneto, she asked:
---Shouldn't what?
---Take your chances. Maybe, but just maybe, I have a plan.