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Okay, I think I've left you hanging for long enough. My creative side has returned within the last few days, and I think I can write a decent enough chapter. For those reading earlier chapters, I apologise – my page breaks have disappeared…fabulous…
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'THE DEMON IN ME'
BY SERGEANT SCARLETT
CHAPTER SEVEN: 'Understanding'
It was the middle of what had been a quiet, uneventful, night. Students and teachers alike were sleeping soundly in their beds when they heard the screams. The shrill cries pierced the silence like a sharp knife cutting through steel. It wasn't just one scream; they continued, and refused to cease, filling mansion with terror and fear, crashing through the hallways and corridors like stormy waves. Younger students leapt out of bed in fright and ran to comfort each other.
John had fallen asleep in Bobby's room. They both were woken harshly by the sounds of screaming. Bobby knew John was thinking the same thing.
Rogue.
Throwing the covers off themselves in a maddened frenzy, they left the room. Bobby assisted John in walking down the many staircases the mansion held, following the screams. The hairs on the back of John's neck stood up chillingly as they moved. The sound was more than unpleasant; almost torturous. He felt his way by running his hands along the staircase banisters. More than once John found himself trip, but he didn't care. All that mattered was helping Marie.
Other students were gathering outside Rogue's room. Bobby caught sight of Pete conversing with Angel, and Kitty and Jubilee were comforting younger students who had managed to sneak out of their rooms.
"Pete, what's going on?" asked Bobby, his voice shaken and worried. "Is Rogue okay?" He had trouble making himself heard over the screams.
"We don't know. Storm's in there at the moment. Mr Summers has gone to get the Professor," Colossus answered with a downcast gaze. Warren looked apprehensive, almost too stunned to speak.
John felt himself becoming agitated. He couldn't just stand and listen to Marie screaming in pain any longer. "Isn't there something we can do? How about we go and fetch Logan, or Dr McCoy? We have to do something!" His hands were balled into fists by this point, and behind his bandage, his eyes were bulging. "Someone has to help her!" He felt Bobby's hands on his shoulders, attempting to comfort him. He shook them off. "Don't you understand, Iceman? This is Marie we're talking about!"
"Calm yourself, Mr Allerdyce," came the Professor's soothing, authoritative voice. Professor Xavier wheeled himself into Rogue's room. The screaming soon ceased. Minutes later, Wolverine pushed through the eager crowd of students.
"Get out of the way!" he growled as he passed John and Bobby. John felt his blood boil. Who did he think he was?
"Relax, John; she'll be okay," Warren spoke softly, as Scott Summers and Storm emerged from Rogue's room. Storm whispered something to Scott, who left swiftly, before addressing the students.
"We are taking Miss D'Ancanto to the medical bay. You may rest assured that she will be taken care of there. Now, it is three o'clock in the morning. Would you all return to your beds. I don't want have to start handing out detentions." That was warning enough for the students, who began to disperse, still talking in hushed tones about what could've happened.
Bobby and John, along with Pete, Warren, Kitty and Jubilee, assembled in Bobby's room. Clearly none of them were in the mood for sleeping. Kitty and Jubilee huddled together on Bobby's bed, almost tearful.
"I don't know what could've happened to make her scream like that..." Jubilee commented slowly, "waking up to hear that… I thought someone had died!"
Warren added pensively, "Let's be grateful no-one has. Although, I must admit it is odd. Bobby, has Rogue suffered anything like this before?
"She did suffer from nightmares when she first came here," he admitted, his head between his hands, "but they stopped after a couple of days."
"Any medical conditions?" cut in Colossus.
John found himself snorting. He felt the others' gazes fall upon him, almost urging him to explain. He couldn't help lacing his voice with sarcasm. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. Marie used to in possession of what is known as the 'X-Gene', something which you all have. Not so very long ago, Marie took a so-called 'Cure', which suppressed this gene. Any light-bulbs flashing?"
"So you're saying that the Cure is affecting Marie?" Kitty said carefully.
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Pussy Cat," John finished with a sneer.
Bobby shook his head. "No, I don't think so. If this was true, there'd be reports of other cured mutants having these side effects. Rogue wasn't the first mutant to take the Cure. Seriously, that Cure was a good thing, Rogue got what she wanted when she took it. It benefits us all."
"And I suppose it benefited me, being strapped down and given it forcibly?" John spat through seething teeth. "You don't know shit about this Cure, Iceman. You're in way over your head." John couldn't help letting that last comment out. Bobby's silence proved that he'd touched a nerve. The others were silent, worried about what might happen next. Kitty gave a little gasp as John stood up and grabbed his cane.
"All of you are," John muttered as he left the room.
Beep. Beep. Beep. The sound was eerie, though necessary to measure her heartbeat. Professor Xavier hovered his hands over Rogue's unconscious form in the med bay. Her cries of pain had finally subsided, but only through the Professor's telepathic powers. Rogue appeared peaceful, but the Professor was worried; if the only way to stop her pain was to keep her unconscious, then there was definitely a problem.
He concentrated on lessening the pain, which proved difficult considering he couldn't determine where it was coming from. He managed to provide a small amount of pain relief, enough to keep her from tossing and turning anyway. Keeping her calm was the most important issue at hand right now. Unfortunately, there was only so much he could do; the Professor would have to wait until someone with greater expertise in this field arrived.
He did not have to wait long. Dr Hank McCoy was greeted at the front of the school a mere two hours later by Storm, who showed him hastily inside. Logan had gone for a few more hours sleep, after promising he would keep watch over Rogue later.
"Thank you for coming at so short notice, Hank," Storm said with a meek smile, "we really didn't know who else to call." They were progressing down towards the medical bay.
"Think nothing of it, Ororo. I was very concerned when you called. How is Marie doing?"
"You'll see for yourself in a moment. The Professor's in there now keeping her asleep. We thought it best."
Hank nodded. "I agree. Ah; here we are."
Storm watched Hank's expression cloud with worry as he observed the unconscious girl. He set his briefcase aside and began to briefly examine her.
"I've done all I can, Hank," Professor Xavier said gravely. "I'm just sorry I couldn't have been more help." He wheeled his chair back, almost ashamed.
"Thank you, Charles; I'll take it from here." Dr McCoy proceeded to examine Rogue's sleeping form, pausing often to consult notes and the machines at her side. Storm and the Professor watched vigilantly as he worked.
"What I'd give to have Jean back here to help…" Hank murmured as he took a vial of Rogue's blood. "She had such a bright future, the poor girl."
Storm reached for a tissue. "We all miss her dearly."
Hank continued to work for sometime, until the Professor and Storm heard him sigh deeply. He looked up to face them.
"Don't worry, it's not as bad as I feared," he said slowly, "but there are some things you need to know. Firstly, it Marie D'Ancanto took the Cure about a month ago, correct?" Storm nodded. "This 'Cure' was designed to suppress the mutant X-gene. As you know, it was developed from Jimmy's mutation, which causes anyone who goes near him to be stripped of their abilities. However, as soon as a mutant is far enough away from him, their powers return. I think that is what has happened in Rogue's case."
"I don't understand, Hank," said Storm, confused. "What does it mean?"
"It means, Ororo, that this Cure is not permanent. It means that anyone who has taken this Cure will regain their powers eventually. In Rogue's case, around twenty-eight days later. I'll have to investigate this – it could mean that others are at risk too." Hank began rapidly packing away his things into his suitcase.
"Where are you going?" a startled Storm asked, her eyes wide.
"I need to find the extent of the problem. Keep Rogue asleep for the rest of the day, wake her up gently later. If she is in any pain, don't give her anything for it – I fear it may aggravate the Cure. Her powers will return, Charles." Hank donned his coat and made for the door. "Make sure you tell her before she finds out."
It was still early morning for most people's standards, and many of the students had indeed gone back to bed. John found he couldn't. Instead, he blindly wandered the corridors of Xavier's mansion, listening to the tranquil sounds of the morning.
Although he cursed himself profoundly for admitting it, John was getting increasingly more worried for Marie. He couldn't quite figure out why he was so distressed about her being taken into the medical bay, without a word from Storm or Summers about what was wrong with her. A nagging voice at the corner of his mind told him;
Because she's the only one who accepted you back; the only one who told you exactly what she thought; because you had an argument yesterday… Admit it – you care for her.
"Piss off." He couldn't quite work out why he was talking to himself either.
When are you going to admit that you care for someone other than yourself for a change?
"Try, never."
Accept it now. Go to her, before the Iceman does, before they make up after their argument. Take the opportunity and embrace it.
"Would you kindly fuck off before I personally remove your mouth?"
I'd like to see you try. Willing to lose your speech as well as your eyesight? I am part of you. Now, do as I say.
"Who the hell are you? Am I going mad?"
You'll wish you were insane soon enough. Be a good little fire starter, and do as I say.
"Why should I? You're just a part of my subconscious!"
Because I am more powerful than you can imagine, because I can do things that would make you crawl under your comforter and cry for your mommy. I've seen you at your best, at the top of your game Pyro, at Alcatraz, and I've seen you at the lowest point in your miserable little life. Now, you be a good little solider, and do exactly as I say…
John felt his blood run cold. He eagerly wanted this voice to simply be part of his overactive imagination. He carried on walking, but bumped heavily into a nearby wall.
"Fuck," he muttered, nursing his head. Enraged, he removed his bandage and threw it. He hoped, no, wished for his sight to return. He opened his eyes…
He was at a window, viewing what had to be the most spectacular sight in all his life. The Sun was resting gently on the city of New York, creating elegant beams of orange light which streamed across the grounds of the mansion…
Well, that's what he wanted to see. Instead, John saw nothing, and endless stretch of darkness.
"Fuck this."
The cane and the blindfold lay forgotten on the ground.
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