Remy clutched a sobbing Rogue in his arms, grateful he had changed into a long-sleeved shirt after his shower.

Xavier had given him a knowing smile when he had reentered the Medbay, and Remy had watched with detached interest as the Professor and the mansion's resident doctor exited, both voices lowered to a murmur and their heads bent together. He had shrugged it off in the end, settling himself down next to Rogue and drawing open a pack of cards he had brought with him to pass the time. Remy had found himself drifting off into space, a single card sliding effortlessly between his fingers as he timed his breathing to Rogue's inhaled breaths.

Initially, she had just started mumbling. Incoherent phrases drifted out, Remy growing more and more worried as he saw her face screw up in pain and her breathing becoming erratic. He had just decided to go phone Beast when Rogue had shot up from her bed, her eyes snapping open and filling with tears.

Killer. She called herself a killer.

He wondered what had reduced the usually unflappable Rogue to tears.

But all that was pushed to the back of his mind as he held her, his face instinctively burrowing into her hair and his hands rubbing soothing circles along the long of her back. He didn't know what else to do. Should he whisper false words of comfort into her ears, promising her that everything would be alright? Or should he say nothing at all, and just let his touch lend her some comfort? He felt that if he made the wrong choice, he would shatter the small amount of solace his presence seemed to bring her and she would sit alone in her bed, every sob erupting from her frail body ripping into his skin like a new wound.

He heard her cries soften and then eventually die out. She didn't remove herself from the embrace. Remy smiled, amused. Rogue almost always got embarrassed whenever he showed her any sign of physical affection. First, she would blush furiously and then stutter out a feeble complaint. Finally, she would resort to anger and sarcasm, huffing as she pushed him away.

'Y'feel better now chere?' Remy asked quietly. He felt her nod against his chest, the tip of her nose causing tiny sparks of electricity to erupt as it brushed against his shirt. Gambit suppressed a shiver, instead gently releasing Rogue. As he predicted, she immediately extricated herself, putting as much space between them as her tiny cot would allow. He watched as she fiddled with the edge of a blanket, her fingers nimbly pulling at the frayed threads. Remy sighed mentally, glad that she had stopped her weeping.

'Remy jus' gonna get de good doctor-'

'No!' Rogue shouted, interrupting him. Her gaze snapped up from the blanket to his face, dried tears still present on her cheeks. 'Jus'…jus' give meh a few minutes.'

'Ok. W'atever y'wan' chere.'

A silence descended around the Medbay, one teenager cautiously avoiding any eye contact as the other watched her attempts with barely concealed concern. The cards he had brought with him lay untouched, and the card he had been fiddling with had sprung out of his hands and landed clear across the room. Remy was thankful he hadn't accidentally charged it in surprise. Again he felt awkward. What should he do? Confronting her in this state never boded well. Rogue was a very private person, guarding her past and her secrets with a bloodthirsty determination only seconded by the Wolverine. All the time he had spent at the mansion, and Remy barely felt like he had cracked open even a small part of that formidable wall she had erected around herself.

Rogue inhaled harshly, letting out drawn out breaths, as if trying to expel the demons that resided in her. She was clutching her hand, her focus numbly fixated on the small pearls of blood that were leaking out. The IV line hung limply from the stand, ripped out when Rogue had collapsed into his arms. Remy's fingers pulled at the wet spot on his shirt.

'Voices…so many voices,' he heard her mutter. Her hands gripped the sheets, her knuckles turning white. Remy opened his mouth, but before he could even utter a word, Beast hurried into the room.

'Rogue! Are you alright?' Hank McCoy's voice broke through the solace of the room. One of his large hands plucked the stethoscope off his neck, adjusting the instrument in his ears. Remy saw Rogue stiffen slightly as the cool metal was pressed against her chest, Beast steadily listening to her heart. For a moment, those jade eyes met with his red on black ones, and time seemed to still. But just as suddenly, the spell was broken as the young woman looked away.

'Ah'm…Ah'm fahne,' she said. The hysterical edge to her voice had dulled, but was still present.

'Remy, would you mind getting the Professor?' The Beast enquired. Remy nodded mutely, his eyes still on Rogue as she chewed absently on her bottom lip.

'Now,' Beast said sharply. Walking out of the room, Remy chanced one more look over his shoulder at the pale Rogue before hurrying away to fulfill the Doctor's request.

--

Rogue sat alone in the room. Beast had left a few minutes ago, promising to be back soon after he had ran some tests on the samples he had taken from her. Subconsciously she rubbed at the spot where he had drawn out some blood, the skin there prickling with pain whenever she so much as moved. She willed her eyes to stop blinking, staring blankly ahead at the whitewashed walls as tears threatened to erupt once more. In a way, Rogue was grateful for the white. It pushed away the memories of being in that black space, surrounded by all those unforgiving eyes.

And, lordy, she had cried, her tears spilling all over Remy of all people. Rogue winced, remembering what she had screamed out before she had collapsed in his arms. It was too much to hope that he would forget. The boy had been blessed with the memory of an elephant. But still, it had felt nice to be held by him. His arms had been strong, and his body had felt warm. Shaking her head and trying to ignore the traitorous blush spreading over her cheeks, Rogue tried to wipe her mind clean.

Ya don' deserve to live.

Maybe she didn't. Rogue glanced down at her uncovered skin, feeling the cool air of the air-conditioning touch her skin, raising goosebumps along her forearm. Her very being brought pain and suffering, didn't it? One touch was all it took for her to end someone's life and take away their memories, their thoughts, and their secrets. She was more a weapon than a person, less than what an X-Man should be.

Get outta here before ya make me sick.

Was it because it had been Logan who had said those words? Was that why they had stung so badly and managed to worm their way under her normally impenetrable skin? Was that what Logan really thought of her? After all, it was his psyche that had said it, and the psyches were the phantom forms of their more tangible counterparts. So there had to be some element of truth in those words. A ragged sigh escaped her lips. Rogue felt tired, as if her body were made of lead. She always felt tired. So engrossed was Rogue in her thoughts that she failed to detect the harsh tapping sound of Irene's cane on the linoleum floor.

'Marie my child.'

Rogue's eyes widened and her head swiveled round.

'Mama?' No matter Mystique's revelation that she was Rogue's rightful biological mother, Irene would always be the maternal figurehead in her life. This woman had raised and nurtured Rogue, and had given her unconditional love. All Mystique had wanted, despite her claims that she loved her children immeasurably, was to raise her daughter as a weapon, a tool in the quest for power. As far as Rogue was concerned, Mystique could shove it.

'I heard from Charles that things haven't been…pleasant…lately?' Irene asked, her mouth quirking into a sardonic half-grin. Rogue watched as Destiny maneuvered her way effortlessly to the chair Remy had previously been sitting on. Instinctively, Rogue shuffled sideways to put more space between them. The flimsy hospital gown and sheets offered scant protection. Hearing the rustle of cloth, Irene raised an eyebrow.

'You're afraid.' The statement was blunt and to the point.

'Ah jus' don' wanna touch ya, is all.' Rogue tried vainly to suppress the crack in her voice. She saw Irene's face soften with something akin to pity and concern. Rogue didn't want her pity.

'Marie-'

'It's Rogue, Mama. No one here knows mah real name. Ah'd lahke to keep it that way.'

'Rogue,' Irene continued, smoothly, as if Rogue's vehement outburst hadn't occurred. 'This isn't a social call.'

Rogue was not surprised. With the rising anti-mutant sentiment sweeping across the country, it would have been foolish for Irene to attempt to visit her. Also, it had been years since Rogue had actually seen Irene. The sting of realizing that the blind mutant had raised Rogue because of Mystique's wishes had dulled somewhat, but it was still there, no matter the love that Rogue felt for Irene.

'Charles wanted to wait till you had a bit more time to recuperate, to tell you this himself. But I'm afraid that time has become a commodity that we cannot waste, and I believe since it was something I foresaw, I should be the one to tell you,' Irene finished somewhat bitingly. A tremor of foreboding passed through Rogue's body. Irene's visions were never good.

'Wha…what is it?' Rogue asked in a whisper. No more. Ah can' take anymore…

'Apocalypse is in you Rogue.'

A heavy silence descended upon the room as Rogue's knuckles turned white.

'He is going to use you as a vessel to ensure that his goal of wiping out humanity is achieved. My vision was not specific of how he would do this. I believe that he will either take over your mind and use your powers as the last time. Or he could very well manifest himself in your body and use it as his own.'

Rogue swallowed. No. No. NO! Ah can' take this anymore! Why can' all of ya'll just leave meh alone?

'You have to stop him Rogue. No one else can.'

Something inside Rogue snapped. It had pulsed and throbbed throughout her body for periods of time. The thin string with which she used to keep her emotions in check stretched and broke apart.

'STOP IT!' Rogue sobbed. 'Why can' ya'll just leave meh alone? Ah don' wan' any of this to happen…' Speech became difficult as her breathing hitched and her tears came out in bursts.

'Rogue…' Irene began soothingly.

'JUS' LEAVE MEH ALONE!' Rogue screamed vehemently. Distantly, she heard Irene sigh.

A tool. Ah'll always be nothin' but a goddamn tool.

The cane tapping against the floor. Irene was leaving.

Ah don' wan' tah be someone's vessel. Ah jus' want…Ah jus' want tah be free.

--

Kitty balanced the tray of chocolate chip cookies precariously as the elevator doors opened. Whenever she and Rogue had found themselves in the kitchen past midnight, the Southerner had always made it a point to crack open the jar filled with the Beast's heavenly treats. If nothing else, the baked goods would be an ideal peace offering.

As promised, Remy had found her when Rogue had awakened. Her eyes had narrowed suspiciously at the damp spot on Gambit's shirt, but he had remained tight lipped about it's origin. Before announcing that he was going to take a shower, upon which Kitty had dutifully replied that he absolutely stank, Remy had told her to wait a while before assaulting Rogue. Beast was in there doing something medical, and the Professor had told Remy to keep a wide berth of the Medbay for at least a decent amount of time.

Well half an hour was as good as any. With a resolute nod, Kitty had hastily grabbed the most conservative clothing she had, mindful of the hospital gowns and Rogue's determination to avoid direct skin to skin contact, and bounded down to the basement.

The stark smell of antiseptic filled her nostrils as Kitty continued down the hallway. Everything seemed eerily quiet as she drew closer to Rogue's room. Maybe that meant the Professor really had finished up. Kitty had assumed that Xavier would still be down there, and had also brought the cookies along as a bribe had that been the case.

Is that…is someone crying?

The staccato sounds of someone weeping suddenly invaded the still air. Hurrying, Kitty rushed to Rogue's room. One glance at the shivering, shaking form of her best friend drove all possible consequences from her mind. Dumping the cookies unceremoniously on a nearby bed, Kitty enveloped Rogue in a tight embrace, gently smoothing the Goth's hair. Sensing the habitual jerk away from her that Kitty had expected, the Valley Girl tightened her hold.

'Stop trying to push me away Rogue. Just let me help you,' Kitty whispered. Rogue stiffened for a moment, before slumping down in utter defeat. As Rogue cried for herself, Kitty's heart cried for Rogue.