The ride back to the mansion was quiet and tense. Charles came back from his conversation with Irene worried and refused to say anything until they got back to the older Professor Xavier. Surprisingly enough Erik didn't pry once. He and Rogue talked little. His thoughts seemed to be quite occupied with something and stayed into deep thought. To be completely honest Rogue wasn't sure she wanted to know what trouble was coming towards them. As if they didn't face enough with Trask Industries and the Friends of Humanity.

They touched down smoothly as Rogue silently commended herself on how far she's come with flying.

Charles summoned everyone to the meeting room, even the junior X-Men were in attendance. For a long few minutes Charles and Professor Xavier mind melded, sharing information and events that had occurred over the past few hours. When they broke the connection Professor Xavier had a look on him that clearly said he was "deeply concerned".

Finally he spoke to the assembled X-Men. "The mutant seer with pre-prospective abilities has contacted us to bring something most disturbing to life. It appears when Bolivar Trask tore opened the space time continuum it did not only pluck out guests-" He gestured to the younger version of himself and Magneto- "it also gave a very dangerous mutant from the future the opportunity to return to this era."

The X-Men looked about themselves, not overly concerned.

"This immortal mutant is the oldest and possibly the most powerful mutant ever born. He has no respect for life and knows nothing but conquering. According to Destiny 'He will not stop until he fills a sea of blood, mutant and human alike."'

Rogue's stomach flipped. Wonderful, just lovely. Her mother wasn't one to exaggerate or send people on wild goose chases. This meant everyone was in for some bad trouble.

"She didn't tell you anything else?" Storm asked, clearly confused there wasn't more.

"Destiny, the mutant seer, doesn't exactly speak like us when referring to the future. She often speaks in riddles, it's just an effect her powers have on her." Charles said as he rubbed his forehead.

Cyclops sighed. "And how do we know we can trust this mutant?"

"We don't." Rogue answered abruptly. Charles gave her a scolding look for letting her feelings get in the way, and Rogue winced. "But she's not exactly one to send people on wild goose chases. She's probably telling us because this because this mutant would cause trouble for her as well."

Charles nodded at that. "Yes, true. But I would have felt if she was lying to me, and she wasn't."

"I don't suppose she gave us a name." Erik guessed.

"None. Only that this mutant would be the apocalypse." Charles added. "And she didn't give us a time or place to expect him."

"Lovely." Rogue commented.

Several of the younger X-Men such as Kitty and Jubilee looked frightened, and some even clung to Peter Rasputin. Professor Xavier noticed this and quickly dismissed them. "There is nothing more we can do tonight. I expect everyone to try and get some rest. We will start our search for information tomorrow morning."

Nobody protested with the exception of Cyclops who asked how he was supposed to sleep with a massacre rapidly approaching. But eventually he left too, taking his wife with him. As for Rogue she headed upstairs to shower and change out of her uniform. Now dressed in black pants and top she made her way out to the garden for air.

Rogue looked around carefully to make sure no one was watching before she pulled her silk glove off, setting it on the grass as her fingers lightly touched the soft petals of a orchid. She smiled to herself.

"Such a rarity." Came a smooth voice next to Rogue. She jumped as the voice sent shivers down her spine.

She glared at the interruption. "Shouldn't sneak up on people like that." Erik smirked at her as he sat down in the grass next to her. "What's a rarity?" Rogue asked, unable to help herself.

"You of course." Erik said as he used his gloved hand to reach out and grab her bare one. Rogue was so surprised by the sudden action she didn't respond. He turned her wrist over to examine it. "A mutant with such unique abilities. Not to mention deadly."

Rogue broke eye contact and snatched her hand away at his last comment. Moving quickly she grabbed her glove off the ground and put it on.

He frowned as he realized how she mistook his words. "Rogue you misunderstand. I meant it as a compliment." She snorted at that.

"Most people here mean it as an insult."

"I am not most people." He reminded her. "Do you know what else is a rarity? That Charles should come across a mutant he didn't know what to do with. A deadly one full of unchained potential. But then again he would be cautious around such a powerful mutant that was clearly holding something back."

Rogue rolled her eyes at him, trying to ignore him and preparing to deny whatever argument he cooked up.

"On the jet, when we were returning to the mansion, you answered a question I hadn't asked yet."

Her muscles tensed up suddenly. She went though their conversation over in her mind, trying to find out where she had slipped up, and cursing herself for being so careless.

Erik continued. "Naturally I found it very odd. I questioned Charles on you brain activity. He isn't as trained as his older self and easily picks up information that leeches out. Charles told me the strangest thing, that your mind was very closed and tightly knit, but occasionally he could sense foreign pieces and memories in you mind. Familiar ones." Erik paused to take notice of the girl's reaction. She was clearly avoiding his eyes.

Two of his fingers moved to press against Rogue's forehead and her white streaks. "You absorb life force, but you take in so much more don't you?"

When she didn't speak he smirked again. "You don't need to say anything. Your silence confirms it all."

"You don't know what your talking about." Rogue snapped suddenly. "You have no idea what I'm forced to take in."

Memories flashed in her mind. The pain of undergoing a surgical experiment, the horrors of a concentration camp and the guilt that came with it. Rogue was never there but she could still remember the feel of the cold and the starving and the pain as her friends where slowly died.

"Then tell me." Erik dared. "Tell me and I can help you. If what I think is true then you know me much better than your letting on, and if I've guess correctly the much older and naive Charles has given you no training. I on the other hand am very good teacher."

Rogue stayed silent, trying to breath and calm herself down, not wanting to get to angry and let something important slip.

"I will even let you touch and absorb me, just because I'm curious." He offered.

At that Rogue snapped. "No!" She said a little to passionately.

"Why not?" Erik demanded.

She clutched the side of her face as she thought of what would happen if she did absorb him, things where heavy enough as it was. "Damn you." She whispered, and unable to help herself she added, "I can still remember the smell of gas and death in the air. I can feel the needle that burned my arm and marked me." She choked out. "I don't want that in my head again."

Erik was completely silent and honestly surprised. "You...don't just view them." He realized.

"No...damn you I feel them as if they where my own." Rogue squeezed her hand around her wrist, not caring what he knew now. "You know Charles was right." She said with a sickly smile. "Murdering Shaw would send you down a horrible path...but he deserved to die, and he wouldn't have stopped his schemes, ever."

The two of them sat in silent for a long while each contemplating what the other had said and wondering. Finally Rogue spoke.

"You meant what you said didn't you? About helping me, with my powers."

Erik nodded. "Yes, of course." He was of eager to know more about her after tonight events. "And you don't mind that my older counterpart tried to kill you once?"

"I don't care at this point." Rogue said, still clutching her forearm. "The memories and the constant need to wear these gloves..." She said with disgust. "I don't want to live my life like this. I can't live my life like this. And I know better than to pass up an opportunity like this. Besides, you're not your counterpart yet."

"Fortunate for you."

At that Rogue laughed. "Oh, he would still help me with my powers. He would be reluctant at first since I remind him so much of failure, but he's still utterly devoted to mutants."

She turned to finally look him in the eye. "I suppose that comes as a comfort."

Erik didn't know how to reply to that as he gently pried her fingers out from around her arm.

"They are not your memories, even if it feels like they are." He released her hand and used it to roll up his own sleeve, revealing the number etched into his skin. "They are mine." Erik reminded her. "And you can learn control over them."

In his study Professor Xavier sat with his younger self, both having a glass of scotch in their hands. A completely unused chess set lay before them as neither made a move. Both appeared to be too caught up in the worries of the mansion. The younger, less experienced one was the first to speak.

"He who is the oldest of your kind shall come though the gate that was torn open and shall raze this earth. He knows nothing but survival and bloodshed and will not cease until a sea of mutant and human blood lay before his feet. He will be the apocalypse." Charles repeated the words of Destiny.

Professor Xavier sighed. "Very troubling."

"She's Rogue's mother you know." Charles said very suddenly. "Destiny, I mean."

"I know." The professor took a drink of his scotch. "I've never asked her to speak of it, it's not a happy subject for her."

"What happened between them?" Charles asked.

Professor Xavier put down his empty glass and sighed. "One thing you must understand about Destiny is that she never does anything without a purpose, and she is not Rogue's biological mother."

"Are you saying she adopted Rogue not out of the goodness of her heart but instead because she knew Rogue would be important one day?"

"Or because she found her useful." Professor Xavier said, disappointed. "Rogue, as you just did, eventually put it together. The two have not spoken since, Rogue naturally feels very betrayed."

Charles also put down his glass, disgusted. "Good god. And her biological parents?"

"They remain a mystery to us."

"And to Destiny?" Charles asked.

"Destiny may very well have been the person that buried the information regarding Rogue's birth. If it was her she did a thorough job, not even my sources can find the files. Before Rogue came to the X-Men her adoptive mother, knowing Rogue would manifest in her teenage years, sent her to live with her "Aunt" in the South. She didn't attempt to contact Rogue after the girl ran away from her Aunts home."

Charles frowned. "But she must have seen Rogue's future. She must have known the X-Men would take her in."

"Exactly." Xavier nodded. "This leads me to believe she wanted Rogue to come here."

"But why?"

"That also remains a mystery. Only to be unveiled when Destiny sees fit to share."