Author Note: I have been updating really quickly cause I want to put some lay down on the story before they become weekly updates. If anyone guessed the person at the end of chapter 2 calling Rogue gets a cookie.
Disclaimer: Still don't own X-men, and still in the hands of 20th Century Fox (sigh).
"Rogue?" Jean peaked her head around the corner.
"Ah Jean, I was just…" Rogue said removing her hand off Scott's chest, hoping Jean didn't see. (1)
Jean's eyes flickered to Scott before looking over to Rogue. "It's nice to see you visiting Scott…" Jean said moving to the desk near the medical bed. She pulled out flowers from her purse and replaced the withered flowers. She arranged the flowers slightly before smiling and returning her gaze back to Rogue. "It has been a while since you came."
A while? Can't ya count to five?
"Yeah, I wanted to see how he was doing…." Rogue looked at Scott "The scar completely healed."
"Yes…." Jean crossed her arms "I will be running a mental scan soon to look for any activity." She sighed "We usually check if irises react to light, but that is difficult with his mutation. We know he isn't brain dead but his brain refuses to response to any stimuli. Even coma patients dream. If only…" Her eyes shifted to Rogue "We had a base line of what happened."
Rogue clicked her tongue "I told you, I don't know what happened with my powers. I felt no pull, tug or normal manifestation." Rogue pointed to her head "I didn't even hear him in my head afterwards."
"Rogue, Scott condition isn't getting any better…" Jean shook her head crossing her arms over her chest. "We just want to find out if your powers have evolved, maybe find out a way to reverse this coma. This is for the safety of the team and-"
"Team…" Rogue scoffed. "They been looking at me like I'm a tumor ever since what happened to Scott. What do I owe them?" Rogue bit her cheek trying not to cry. She refuses to let Jean see her so vulnerable. "I'm already doing what I can to keep them safe"
"If you maybe touch some-" Jean started
"What?" Rogue turned red in fury. "And get another person into the same situation as Scott?" Rogue shook her head "I don't know what the hell in you thinking but there no way I am taking out another member of the team."
"Rogue we just need to find out the extent of your powers so we can help Scott…" Jean protested.
"Jean, you have no idea how it feels to have someone in your head! They never leave always being a piece of you. You think I like seeing my friends look of anguish with just a brush of a finger!" Rogue screamed too upset with Little Miss Perfect. "This conversation is done."
Jean balled her hands into a fist. She had always tried to be a friend to Rogue especially since her and Scott seemed close. However the nice act always back fired. No matter how nice, patient and respectful Jean was, she couldn't get through to Rogue. It was always tough act, staying away from everyone to ensure their safety. However Jean was now sure it was all a ruse so Rogue can protect herself. That's why Rogue hid herself behind thick mesh clothing and trashy makeup. Jean scoffed; she didn't know how it felt to have someone in her head? Rogue picked the wrong person to use that line on.
"You are selfish!" Jean screamed on the top of her lungs.
Rogue turned around at the door. She looked at Jean. Jean's powers slowly leaked out and everything in the medical bay started floating in midair. Rogue bit back a laugh. Even Miss Perfect can lose her cool. She raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me?"
"Scott has been in this infirmary for eight months. You only acted like a friend for three months, after that you just left him here to rot." Jean eyes looked like in the brink of tears "You haven't done a single thing to help. You just have been smiling enjoying life like nothing happened!"
Rogue grinded her teeth "The guilt has been eating away from me Jean! I beat up myself all this time and had-….I could mop around but-…" Rogue stopped. She couldn't think of a good excuse why she wasn't as depressed as she should be. She was every shade of guilty and she knew every fiber of her body was eating away at her psyche. But she was never in the brink of serious depression. Depressed yes, but not to the extent of her old self would be. She stepped back.
"I have no reason to explain myself to you." Rogue turned around. "You have no idea how it feels princess" She muttered under her breath "Plus Scott stopped being my friend ever since you two became an item…"
Jean huffed "Really Rogue, I don't know how it feels for people to be in my head? I worked my butt off so I didn't have everyone thoughts floating in my head." Jean pointed to her skull angrily" You think I just woke up one day and my powers decided to work?" Jean waved her hand dramatically pushing the desk against a wall "No! I sucked it up, stop feeling sorry for myself and worked on it. You always act like the damn victim!"
"What the hell did you say?" Rogue ran up to Jean stopping short of her face. "You know nothing about me or what I had to go through!"
"We had the same path Rogue!"
Rogue pointed her finger to Jean's chest "No! You had a loving family who understood you were a mutant. I am an orphan who was used by a terrorist and her lover!" Rogue spat in disgust.
"We both know it feels Rogue having thoughts in your head that aren't yours…" Jean bit her lip. She remembered all the painful memories of thoughts leaking into her and the feelings of her head shattering to a million of pieces. Jean had control, why couldn't Rogue?
"The voices" Rogue scoffed "That are nothing compared to knowing you can never have skin to skin contact! You think anyone would want someone they can't touch?"
"Stop using that damn excuse! You want to know why you can't touch? It's because you are just protecting your damn self. Your powers are always trying to protect you acting like everyone is the enemy." Jean pointed accusingly to Rogue. The barriers Rogue had were thick and hard as an eight inch steel wall. Maybe it was psychological. Her walls are not because of her uncontrollable powers but instead her powers were uncontrollable because her unwiliness to get close.
"You see what I can do Jean. I have tried with the Professor and there is no-"
"That's because you have low confidence in yourself. No one likes self-loathing! That's why you didn't have a chance!" Jean screamed panting out her anger.
Rogue took one step back. What the hell did that mean? That she had no chance. Rogue scanned Jean's eyes. A green hue lined with red fury, yet behind the fiery moss there was something. Rogue clenched her teeth. She knew, the god damn princess knew about her feelings and she was gloating that she won.
"You bitch!" Rogue pulled her arm back and punched Jean straight in the face.
The punch threw Jean off balance. She banged against the medical bed holding her nose. Blood, there was blood that littered the floor. She looked at Rogue who had a smug look of satisfaction. Jean huffed; no way was the self-proclaimed princess of darkness getting away with this.
Jean lifted up Rogue in the air. Rogue swung her arms wildly not used to the feeling of weightlessness. She said a line of curses asking to be put done. Jean gave a little smirk and flung Rogue hard against the wall. Rogue back hit the wall in a loud bone crunching thud. On instinct Rogue ignored the ringing in her head and quickly recovered, staggering back up. There was no way she let her have this one.
"Ya want a fight? Ya got one!" Rogue ran to Jean.
Jean flung various objects towards Rogue. Rogue gracefully dodged them trying to inch a little closer to Jean. Jean levitated from the ground lifting, computers and linen from the infirmary. Rogue slid across the floor hiding behind a cabinet.
"Get out of hiding Rogue!" Jean screamed "Typical to always hide from the truth"Jean screamed while wildly throwing objects to random directions. She slowly levitated herself across the room. She would normally do a mind scan but Rogue mind was so cluttered with thoughts that scanning would be too much. She couldn't protect herself with her level of anger.
Rogue pinned herself against the cabinet taking her glove off. She had only one chance. Jean was too fast, too powerful of the telekinetic user and telepath. Rogue could only win this fight one way. Rogue licked her lips. After eight months this is how she was going to get rid of her dry spell.
Jean levitated herself near the cabinet and right when she was going to peek around the corner Rogue attacked. She jumped on Jean pinning the woman down on the floor. Jean may have been an X-men but she didn't have the level of strength Rogue had.
"Let me go!"
"Ya want a baseline Jean?" Rogue raised her hand over Jean's face "Here is ya damn baseline!" Rogue touched her finger against Jean's face and felt the telltale pull.
Jean wiggled in frustration and pain. It felt like tiny cold needles poking into her skin. Jean's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she gasped still holding on to consciousness. Rogue held on tight to Jean's face, not willing to let go.
ROGUE!
Rogue grabbed her head falling backwards to the floor. She curled into a ball while cold sweat ran down her body. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, her skin felt like it was melting and her body couldn't stop convulsing. The pain was like no other she had ever. It was as though every thought, memory, and feeling was trying to escape. Rage, compassion, love and fear were rushing all at once. It was as though all her mental barriers were broken in a second. She grinded her teeth, Jean must have done it.
"Rogue, Jean! What is this?" The Professor wheeled into the medical bay.
Jean slowly rose back on to her feet. She felt nauseas and cold trying to stay conscious for far too long. She breathed in deeply trying to find the energy to talk. "Professor I'm…"
"Jean what the hell you did to my head!" Rogue curled into fetal position wiggling in pain. "Too many…voices everywhere!"
The Professor looked at Rogue then Jean. "We discuss this later. We need to put her shields back up. Place her in one of the beds…."
Jean raised her hand feeling consciousness slip away. There was no tingling sensation she always felt when she called upon her telekinesis. She looked at her hand and tried again. Jean grew frustrated and stopped. There was no use, her powers just wouldn't come.
"I can't Professor…"
The Professor looked at Jean. This was indeed an interesting predicament. He raised his hand against his temple and in a second Rogue stopped her screaming and her body became limp. "I put her in an induce sleep. Logan will be here shortly to place her in bed so we can start putting her barrier back up" The Professor sighed.
Jean bit her lip. She never meant to lose her temper with Rogue. Then out of nowhere all the barriers that were stopping her from losing her mind fell. She didn't subconsciously break Rogue's barriers did she? Jean was mad, maybe livid that she refused to help Scott but she wasn't monstrous. Was it because she put her in a situation where she needed to use her powers? Jean heart dropped into her stomach. She felt no better than a villain. She turned to the Professor.
"Professor…" Jean started crossing her arms around her stomach " I can explain what…"
"Jean, you know I don't allow powers being used on others outside the Danger Room…" The Professor said "We can talk later, but both you and Rogue will need to face the consequences. Understood?"
Jean bit her lip and nodded. Logan walked in and grunted. He looked at Jean who shied away from his glare. Logan couldn't even think of how this mess ending up happening. Logan moved over to Rogue careful not to touch her bare hand. He carefully picked her up and placed her on the only medical bed available that wasn't flipped over.
"Mind explaining this to me Chuck?" Logan looked at The Professor without looking at Jean.
The Professor looked at Jean. "Jean, you may leave. I need to start working ASAP."
"Yes…Professor" Jean said weakly, leaving the room. She felt like a monster.
Author Note: Please R&R, Yeah, can you tell I had fun writing this? I sort of have the dislike for every depiction of Jean Grey. However, I will redeem the character somehow in my story. I think Jean Grey would be such a wonderful well writing character if she didn't die 14 times and had Cyclops wrapped around her finger. I swear they wrote a third mutant power for that woman, destroying lives.
(1) I specifically wrote in a non-accent tone for Rogue. I thought that Rogue sort of was not herself when talking to Jean. As though she had to put up a front with her. Did anyone else catch the no southern drawl?
tx peppa: Thanks, for catching Rogue isn't depressed but super guilty of what happened. I wanted her to come across as super guilty almost heartbreakingly so, but not to the point of horrible depression. Did it work?There are many reasons for this, which include character growth. Just you wait.
drakonpie250: Well...just read the story and you will find out.