Chapter 13

The bright neon numbers 3:37am lit up Betsy Braddock's bedroom. She had been struggling to sleep all night, tossing and turning, not being able to find a comfortable position, either the pillow was too lumpy, the mattress too hard and the room was too hot. It didn't help that her mind wasn't wanting to rest tonight, it was too busy thinking of her friend Rouge, where she was, what she was doing, how she was coping? Betsy had begged the professor to send the x men out to find her and bring her home, but the professor felt it was better to leave Rogue to get some space and peace. Of course Betsy did not agree with this, and went out looking for her anyway but there was no sign at all of where she could be, in truth Betsy didn't know where to start and with the power Rogue had she could be anywhere by now. Xavier was adamant she would return, once she had over come her terrible loss, and gathered herself again. But that didn't ease Betsy's mind, there was something wrong, but she could not put her finger on it. A feeling like butterfly's in her stomach, a feeling you get when you remember you have to do something you really don't want to do, a nervous sickness deep down in her stomach.

She rolled over on to her side and sighed loudly, normally Angel would be lay there next too her and would wake up and sooth her back to a peaceful sleep, but tonight he was away from the mansion doing something for the professor, she missed he so much when he wasn't there with her, made her feel very lonely. When he was away in the past Besty would have got out of bed and gone to Rogues room, climbing into bed with her so they could talk through the night.

Betsy kicked off the heavy covers and got out of bed, grabbing her robe as she left her bedroom. The house was silent, not a sound, which was unusual. During the day it was full of laughter, noise, joy carefree voices, not surprising really as it was home for lots of children and adults. But at this time of night it was gloomy and lonely, Betsy didn't really like it like this and found it made her uneasy and slightly wary of the hidden corners and dark shadows. She carefully made her way down the long corridor not making a sound, even the old wooden floor boards didn't creek under her careful foot steps. She was heading down into the kitchen to get some thing hot to drink, hopeful it would bring on welcomed sleep when she heard a voice coming from the library, which was opposite the living room. She quickly and silently descended the last few steps and saw there was a slight gap in the door, one of the small table lamps dimly shone through it. Approaching the door she could hear a female voice inside, they were on the phone.

"I know but what else could I do?" she said sulking "baby, you asked me to come here to be a diversion, and I did that. Now I want to come home"

There was a pause while the person on the other end spoke

"Well it's not my fault you didn't find her first, she was good, and powerful. she could be anywhere with them by now and it will take you forever to find her!" she quietly fumed.

"But I got her out the mansion, she is on her own some where, I did what you asked!" she was whispering into the mouth piece but Betsy could clearly hear the tone of her voice, and it was not happy. "Do you really want me to have your baby in this shit hole, I want to have it with you in our home" she spat. "you can't make me stay here, I wont do it!" there was another long pause. Betsy moved even closer to the door, hearing every word clearly and she was shaking with anger, it took all her strength to keep from smashing the door to pieces and ripping the little bitch to shreds. But she had to listen to the end of the conversation so she hear all the proof.

"I'm fine and so is our baby, she's starting to kick. I wish you could be here to feel her" she said suddenly sweet. "yeah I know"

Another long paused followed.

"I miss you too baby,….. Love you too"

Betsy heard the receiver get placed back down, the anger suddenly engulfed her and she could not longer stay quite and hidden so she kicked open the door with such a force it swung back and hit the wall, probably leave a dent in the plaster. But she did not care, as she was intent on murder. Bella stood by the phone, tears in her pretty blue eyes, her head snapped up in shock as Betsy stormed in, the colour drained for her face in seconds, her mouth hung opened.

Betsy stood in the door way for a second trying desperately to control her violent hatred for the bitch stood in from of her.

"Betsy were you listening….. To my private….." Bella began shakily

"Don't even try, you piece of shit" She hissed through her teeth "how could you?"

"I haven't…" she began

" DON'T TRY TO DENY IT" she screamed, not caring who heard, in fact she wanted people to wake and hear. She advanced towards Bella, and looked like she was ready to put her hand round her neck and throttle the life from her.

"You can't prove anything" Bella hissed back,

"Who were you on the phone too" Betsy demanded to know, her tone as cold as ice

"None of you fucking business" she snapped. Yep that was the Bella Besty knew.

"Tell me you evil cow"

"Why it's too late for your friend now" she laughed

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

"I have done nothing, I didn't force her to leave, she did that her self"

"You're a lying bitch Bella, if you don't tell me who you we're on the phone too I'll…." They were almost face to face, each one holding their position.

"You'll what?" Bella snapped glaring at her "she was a freak and deserved to be locked up, again"

"arrghh you little slag" Betsy raised her arm ready to smack the witch across her face

"BETSY" shouted Storm from the door way

"Don't worry storm, I'll not hit her, I wouldn't do that to the poor mite inside this waste of space" Besty said looking Bella up and down in disgust

" What's going on?" asked the professor as he entered the room.

"Bella?" called Remy, pushing through the gathering crowd to be at his fiancée side. He stepped in between the two women, pulling Bella behind him, protecting her.

"How could you?" Betsy asked Remy, she sounded heart broken

"Do what Betsy!? I don't understand what's going on" Remy replied utterly confused by the situation.

"Betray Rogue the way you did. And what makes it worst, is you did it to be with the monster you're protecting now. When the only person you needed to protect is probably in real trouble somewhere, that's even if she's still alive!" her voice broken on the last few words.

"Besty, you must explain" said the professor from the doorway. Looking around the room everyone wore the same expression of bewilderment.

"This lying bitch, that Gambits is so gallantly protecting has just been having a secret midnight conversation with the father of her child"

Remy's forehead creased with confusion

"I'm sorry Remy but the kid aint yours, she been lying to you, and too us. Who ever she was talking too sent her back here so she could get Rogue out the house, and away from the protection of her family. God only knows what for, I think we'll have to ask her that one" an evil glint shone in Betsy eyes, probably from picturing Bella's demise.

"I don't understand….why would…..what……Bella?" Remy turned his back on Besty to look Bella in the face.

Everyone in the room turned and stare at her too.

Unsure of what to say or do, Bella did the only thing that she could think of, and that was to cry.

"Remy, baby I don't know why Betsy is saying these horrid things but none of it is true! This is your baby" Bella sobbed reaching out and holding onto the front of Remy's t-shirt. " why would I lie to you about such a big thing?"

"proffessor, read her mind, see if it's true" demanded Besty, unable to bare the lies coming from her mouth anymore.

"No, I wont let you, my mind is private" hissed Bella to Betsy, pure loathing in her eyes.

"Proffessor, please! It's Rogue, she's in trouble"

" I can't read Bella's mind without her permission Besty, it is not who I am. You know that" replied the proffessor sadly.

"I will though" said a voice from the crowd in the door way, the gathering people moved aside and let Jean through "Rogue is my friend too, and if this helps to find her or discover some truth then I'll do it, of course I'd much prefer Bella to give me her permission, after all she has nothing to hide?"

All eyes where back on Bella, who seemed torn between something, their eyes waiting of an answer either way.

"If she has nothing to hide then she'll allow Jean to read her mind!" said Betsy.

Remy was looking hard at Bella, he wanted to believe her so much, and wanted all this to be a big mistake. But the shadows of doubt where coming in fast. Why was Bella up so late? Why would Betsy lie about hearing her? And why was Bella hesitating giving Jean her permission if she didn't have anything to hide? The icy fingers of panic where beginning to take hold. 'what have I done?' he thought to himself 'where is Rogue?'

"Bella?" Remy asked scared, he felt he was now looking at a totally different person.

" No Remy I wont do it!, they have no business routing through my private thoughts, how dare they even think it" she eyes suddenly snapped to Remy's face "wait, you believe them?"

"If you just let Jean…." he began

"No, how could you?" she spat pulling herself away from Gambit suddenly. "I will not stand here and be called a liar! I'm going to bed and in the morning I'll be gone" she shouted as she stormed out of the room, the gathered students quickly moved out of her way before she ploughed them down.

"Hold on you….." Betsy began after her

"Betsy!" called the proffessor "leave her, we need to talk this through. Bella we will deal with later. And no jean you will not do anything thing with out permission you would only feel regret after"

Both Betsy and Jean sighed with disappointment, but nodded their heads in agreement.

"ok all you students back off to bed, x men stay here"

They all sat down on the sofa's in the living room apart from Remy who was silently standing by the window looking out across the gardens, this eyes seeing further into the blackness than most.

"Now Besty can you explained what it is that happen tonight?" the professor said calmly.

"Well, I couldn't sleep so I came down to the kitchen of something to drink. I heard her in the library on the phone. I listened to the conversation through the door, I know I know, sneaky but I don't care, never did like the bitch" she spat, while tears rolled down her cheeks "anyway she was on the phone and she said that she was sent here by someone as a diversion to get Rogue out the mansion and away from Remy and us. Then she said is wasn't her fault that they didn't get to her first!"

"Who?" Jean said shocked and clearly as upset as Betsy

"I don't know!" she said frustrated " she didn't say the name, but after that, she asked who ever it was if he wanted her to have his baby here? And she wanted to go home back to him!"

Remy's shoulders visibly slumped as Betsy said these words,. Every one knew Remy wanted a child and that he wanted to do the best for it, even if that meant sacrificing the love of his life, which him did. Everyone could also see he wasn't happy with Bella, they all watched him greave privately of the lost of rogue, even though he never admitted it and put on a happy front.

"I'm sorry Remy" said Jean whispered. He just shrugged in reply, not turning around to face them.

"Professor, does this mean someone has Rogue?" Cyclops asked cautiously, putting his arm around Jean.

"I fear it might" Xavier said darkly. Storm, jean and Betsy all began sobbing for their friend.

Remy still didn't turn around, he didn't want the team so see the shame, disgust or hatred he felt for himself written clearly there in his face, he also didn't want them to see the tears running down his cheeks.

"Well what do we know?" Cyclops asked, he was always the first one to jump into action "if we can figure out who took her, we can find her"

Seconds later the door flew open and Angel strode in, "Sorry I've just got back, Betsy?" he said putting his arms out for her, she swiftly got up from her chair and ran to him, crying into his shoulder as he soothed her hair and whispered in her ear.

"Well I think it may be time to let you know what I know about Rogue, I know she would understand me telling you this if she knew what was to happen"

The teams attention turned to the proffessor. Rogue was always a mystery to them, she had a very secret passed and she didn't care to share. But they all understood and never pushed her to explain her amazing powers, they took her for her and always would. But the prospect of knowing a bit more about their friend interested them, they were only human.

"A couple of weeks back I had some information from a friend of mine in new york, he had some information for me that I asked him to get many months ago when Rogue first came to us. You see, Rogue is a mystery to me, she has incredible power for such a young person, more power then any other mutant that I have ever known. She never really wanted to share her past with any one because she was so ashamed I don't think she even told you Remy?" he looked over and remy shook his head slowly.

"My friend came back to me just after Rogue finally told me about her passed, but by then things had changed with Rogue and I didn't feel it was necessary to inform her of the information I had, she had too much on her young mind already". every one knew this was reference to Remy breaking up with her to be with Bella but no one said a word.

Remy felt the shame of the professors words just the same, and knew the others blamed him too for this situation. How could you hurt some one he loved as much as he had loved Rogue. She must have been in so much pain and it was all because of him. He had been so stupid ever to think he could just marry Bella and forget all about her. He'd make it up too her when he got her back safe.

"Rogue was an exsperiment for the US military, she was taken prisioner by them when she was 16 and she been experimented on since then." every one around the room gasped . "you see, as you all know a mutant has one different dna strand than a normal human, however the experiments changed many of Rogues dna so she mutated over and over again, and as a result gained more powers. Her original mutant ability was too absorb energy and powers. So the first experiment was to make her absorb a healing mutation so it was possible too operate on her because, any other person they would have died over and over again."

Remy let out a groan that was stuck inside his throat, he knew Rogue's past wouldn't be roses but hearing it like this managed to stir such hatred inside him for the people who did it all to her.

" I have been trying to keep her safe inside the mansion, but after she left I was foolish enough too think what she had learnt from her time here would have been enough to protect her in the out side world, but I was wrong. You see she is very valuable to them as she could prove to be a very powerful weapon." the proffessor said blunty

"Weapon?" said storm

"Yes, to hurt people, and enernies"

"But Rogue wouldn't hurt anyone" shouted Remy.

"I know, but these people have ways and means, they managed to null her incredible powers with their technology so mind control wouldn't be a problem."

"So we must find her then" Remy said turning around to look at them all "before they hurt her more"

"and I agree, I'll have to go to cerebo and use it try to locate her, she could be miles away from here, and they could be blocking any sort of psychic waves, but I will try" said the professer solemly.

"Ok, well I'll get the cars ready" said Remy already rushing towards the door.

" Remy it could take while" called the professor

" I know but I have to keep busy, if you've not got anything before sun rise, I'll go out anyway, I cant sit here doing nothing anymore!"

Once he was in the main hall way Remy saw Bella standing in front of the doors with her arms crossed in front of her, a very angry look on her face.

"I wont let you go Remy, she's nothing to do with you now" Bella said, standing her ground in front of the doors. "I didn't mean to hurt you but I still really love you, and if you get involved in this they will kill you"

"Who Bella? The father of you child or the people who have been torturing Rogue for years?" he shouted

"Both Remy!"

"Now listen" he said taking hold of Bella's arm and pulling her close "you need to tell me what's going on Bella, who has Rogue!?"

"I don't know! Remy your hurting me!"

"Who has her?!" he shouted

"I DON'T KNOW! Someone picked her up a couple of days ago, I don't know who or why or where she going"

"Who we're you on the phone to Bella?"

"no one!" Bella pleaded

"I've been patient with you Bella, most men would not take to being lied to as well, but if you don't tell me who was planning to kidnap her I will make sure your life is miserable"

"Magneto, that's who I talking too, he's the babies father." Bella said dejected "he wanted Rogue to be part of the brotherhood. But things didn't go to plan. I'm sorry Remy, I didn't mean to hurt you like I did but it's better just to stay out of things"

"I can't, I love her, more then I ever loved you" he hissed pushing passed her to the doors

"No Remy, I wont let you" she shouted. Remy turned to her and said "once Rogue is back home with me and I have begged for her forgivness, I will ask her to marry me and I will want to marry her and not just feel obliged too because of a baby, but because I love her more then anything in this world. But if any thing happens to her I'll hold you personal responsible and so will the rest of the team?" he said quietly inches in from of her face. "now stop wasting my time you evil bitch" he pulled away from her and opened the main doors, ran down the steps and towards the garages