When the plane landed, Cyclops worried about the extra mutants, Storm took the team, and Rogue took Bobby to ER. Jean, Storm had told her, wasn't there. She had her own mission which had taken her from the mansion. Beast and Xavier waited for her in the infirmary.
The elevator door opened and the power flickered at the crashing thunder. It blinked out, but quickly snapped on as the generators kicked in.
"Damn," Rogue cursed. What else wanted to go wrong?
She explained what had happened again to the two older men and stepped aside while they examined Bobby, who was heavily sedated. Storm had called ahead for Jean Gray, but instead told the two her evaluation. Everything was prepared.
The power flickered more. Then the lights went out.
"I thought the generator was on?" Rogue said in the dark.
"It should be," Beast sighed.
The lights came back on once more, but only in the room they were in. The professor had his eyes closed. "The Generator has been struck by lightening. I will do what I can."
Rogue volunteered to help Beast but he sent her away, preferring the silence to work on Bobby. With limited energy, he wanted to conserve the professor for when he was needed. The two would manage Rouge knew. So she left.
Up the steps she went in the dark, seeing only because her eyes had adjusted. She did find a moment to send a angry thought to Storm at letting the rain continue, but how was she to know?
"What else could go wrong?" she asked herself aloud as she stepped out into the dark mansion.
The lightening flashed outside to light up her way somewhat, and she could see some others had lit candles. She moved in that direction, but stopped herself, instead sitting on the base of the stairs and slumping over.
She was tired, wet, dirty, everything imaginable. Miserable. But for Bobby not herself. She had time to examine her feelings and wonder if she was feeling more than sadness, but regret? Did she have feelings for Drake? Is that why she was so panicky?
"No," she mumbled. She was overcompensating for not liking him in the way he liked her. He, as Jubes and Kitty had told her plenty, was devoted. She didn't need or want devoted though. She just wanted him well.
"Here."
She jumped at the voice, hearing Gambit. She had been so lost in her own world that she didn't see the light coming towards her. She suspected for a moment that he probably came from behind anyway.
He offered her the candle. "Remy don' need it, but," he shrugged endearingly, "perhaps de Rogue do."
"Thanks." she didn't take it, she couldn't even lift her head. She saw the candle placed beside her at her feet. She eventually looked up and saw Gambit. She just stared at him, too sad to say anything.
He lit a card and the room grew slightly brighter. Without saying anything he just sat next to her, lighting cards and letting them die, without an explosion.
"Dra-Bobby's not doin' so well." She finally spoke. "Between the power out, Sunspot not getting the sun until it clears up tomorrow, and Berzerker sick at his parents, Jean Gray away and all that, there's no electricity. Bobby's chances aren't looking good."
Gambit didn't say anything.
"Did you hear me?" Rogue asked him quite loudly, extremely strung out. She jumped up and walked around. Stopping in front of him, then walking on. "I don't know what to do!"
"Why do y' need t' do anyt'ing?"
"What?" Rogue stopped from her pacing. "Why, I mean, he's my friend. I can't just do nothing."
"So help him den."
"How?"
Gambit appeared to acknowledge the rhetoric of her question, saying nothing once again. After a space of silence, Rogue wasn't sure how long, she looked over to him. He stood to leave, handing her a glowing card. "Be easy if Rogue could jus' reverse her powers, non?"
Rogue held the glowing card, unaware. Somehow something he said spun in her head. Reverse her powers? Give him her strength? No, it wouldn't work, She told herself. She looked at Gambit's card, the glow fading, she could relate. Rogue didn't have the warmth Bobby needed, ironically. He was Iceman, but needed something she couldn't give him. She was a cold as the card in her hand, now just a plain three of diamonds.
"Warmth," she said. Thinking about it because she had nothing else to consider or dwell on.
Compassion. It came from strange places she new that. If no one had ever shown her any, she wouldn't be in the mansion, probably out on the streets, or jail. Probably dead. But Logan had helped her. He had compassion, believe it or not.
"Wolverine!" Rogue jumped into the air, streaking down the hall. He was the key, she knew it.
"Logan." She panted as she saw him. "I-I need your help."
He crossed his arms on his chest. "Well, catch your breath first at least, kid."
Logan leaned back in his chair. Rogue had found him in the communications room, surveying the recent recordings before the outage.
"Can I touch you?"
"What?"
"I need to touch you."
"Marie—Rogue, what is going on, what in the blazes are you yammering about?"
Rogue launched into explanations. "Well, you know Bobby was hurt. Bleedin' inside and out. He's not doin' so well. I wasn't sure what to do. And we have no power here. None at all. I mean, anyone who could help is not here. No one. Like I said, I wasn't sure what to do, so I got to thinkin'. And then I thought of you and I was thinkin' you could help because you have your healing factor. So if Bobby can't have the machines to monitor him, if he had your healing power in him, it would solve the problem. It did with me, we give him a boost of Wolverine."
"And how on earth do you think that transfer is going to happen?"
"Through me."
"You?"
"Yes. If I can absorb your healing and then just maybe I can pass it on to Bobby, it can help him." She gestured from one side to the other as she described her scenario.
"If? Just maybe? Rogue, sounds rather dubious, don't ya think?"
"If I can concentrate, I think I can do it. Jean is always saying if we just focus, there's not telling what we can do."
Logan snorted. "Well, that's Jean."
"I thought you trusted her."
"What does that have to do with it?" He shook his head. "Look, I think you should just wait until she gets back. Your boyfriend'll be okay."
"He's Not my boyfriend!" Rogue surprised even herself with the vehemence of her statement. "I mean, no."
Logan looked at her, a smile at his lips. He shrugged. "Whatever, he'll be okay. Don't worry okay? Jean'll be back soon, a few hours, her report came back an hour or so before we got back."
He turned around to grab the sheet to show her. Rogue took her chance and whipped off her glove and touched the back of his furry neck. His head came swinging around his shoulder as he looked at her, shocked before he froze and fell to the ground, passed out from her extended absorption.
Rogue held longer than she might if she were taking a nick of power from someone. If she were taking Kitty's phasing abilities or Jubilee's plasma fireworks, she would just brush a finger against her skin. But, now with the experience of Carol, Rogue knew when long was too long. She held on to Logan for a space longer than a brush, enough that she knew he would pass out.
She wasn't prepared for the images that entered her mind. First there was a the memory she already had from Logan, of him in the tank and his anger and pain at the experiment. Next in her mind came images of people. An Asian woman, an Native American woman, Jean, Rogue even saw herself in her mind's eye. She saw more students, she saw Cyclops. But she saw Jean in every other glimpse of people.
When Rogue broke away, it felt like forever had passed between the two. In dreaded worry, she dropped to her knees to check on Logan. He was only sleeping, still fine. She heaved a sigh and took the opportunity to kiss him on his furry head. She loved his hair. He would never have let her do that. Ever.
"Sorry Logan."
Rogue flew down the hallway before she lost her nerve or Logan's healing factor. She never knew how long she would maintain an ability, it usually varied with how long she had touched someone. Entering Bobby's room, she locked the door behind her, wanting no one to interfere if the plan did not work.
She sat next to his bed and reached to touch him, hesitating at the last moment. She focused her thoughts and took a deep breath and felt his skin on his cheek. She felt the familiar shock of touch, the ice running up into her veins, Iceman's power. It tried to grip her, take control.
She immediately thought of Logan. Wolverine. His claws shot out through his knuckles. She imagined doing that with her own power and the icy power threatening to overtake her. Willing the though and the healing power from her, she focused her energy to Bobby.
The room was dark except for a small candle burning safely in the room. It smelled like rain. Rain on some fruity flower to be exact. The time crept by for Rogue, just as when she had touched Logan.
The images shot into her. Pictures of her, kissing her, his home and family in Boston, Scott, the team, Jubilee and Betsy laughing, him kissing Kitty. Kitty looked unsure in Rogue's mind's eye, and the feeling she got from Bobby was apprehension as well. But she saw the action in slow motion. Then she saw herself again.
Rogue broke free of the connection when she was sure she might have given her friend the healing factor she had stolen from Logan. She stumbled back, reeling from what she had seen and felt. She knew Bobby cared for her, but to see him also kissing Kitty had been a shock. Jealousy gnawed at her, but she could only offer it the logic of 'why should I care?'
Bobby—Drake can do whatever he wants. With whomever he wants.
'But he said, well, that is he has sure made an effort to get me.' she fought with herself.
And you have made it clear, to you at least, that you are not interested. Why shouldn't he pursue someone else?
'Well, obviously he wasn't that interested in me to begin with.'
That could've happened a while ago, you never know.
'Who cares? He's clearly, obviously, apparently…"
Rogue fought back and forth between her selves, trying to understand. She stuffed the images and voices in her head far down. Looking to Bobby, he looked to be breathing deeper. When she thought she heard a sound she fled the room. Lord knew what Logan would do when he found her.
Rogue was jarred awake by jostling hand on her shoulder. She hadn't realized she was asleep in an arm chair in the study. After fleeing Bobby's room, she had gone to the library to watch the storm. As she did, she couldn't help but think of Ororo.
But she stood up from her chair to face Logan. She swallowed hard, bracing herself for what she knew to be coming. His face, as always, was unreadable. If anything was to be read, ever, he looked angry. Wolverine always seemed mad, in both ways.
"Logan, I," Rogue started. "I'm sorry."
He didn't say anything, but she could see his fist clenching and unclenching. His knuckles were bloody and bulged with contusions of his claws trying to rip from his skin. But Logan kept them under control. Rogue knew that he would not hurt her, but she knew his ire and claws were closely tied together, and his fuse was extremely short.
"Rogue." He sat. "I know why you did what you did, but that doesn't make it ok. You did the wrong thing for the right reason."
She opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't have excuses for him, instead, her head dropped. She deserved whatever beating, reprimand, punishment he would doll out. His sigh was audible.
"But it worked."
"What?" Her eyes snapped up to met his.
"You some how did it." He shrugged. "Jean got in a few hours ago and couldn't find anything wrong with Frosty, except for a severe case of sleep."
"Bobby's okay?"
"For someone who's not your boyfriend, you sure care a lot, kid."
An image flashed in Rogue's mind. First of Bobby and Kitty, but then one of Wolverine and Jean Kissing. Logan and Jean kissing? How was she seeing that in her head? Usually people faded from her conscious after a while, but Logan was still there. She did not remember seeing that image last night. Was he kissing her, or was she kissing him?
Rogue looked at Logan.
"What? Do you?"
"What do I what?" she asked confused, the image would not leave her mind. Logan and Jean. Jean and Logan.
"Care for iceboy?"
"I-uh, no. I mean yeas, but no. Not like that." she stumbled as she spoke.
Geez, kid, what's your problem?
"Uh, nothing." Rogue responded without thinking, turning away. She couldn't look at Logan or all she would see would be Jean.
"What?"
"Huh?"
What is freaking her out?
"Nothing, nothing. I should go check in on Fr-Bob-Iceb-man, Drake. Uh, see you later Logan."
Rogue quickly left the room. She had heard Logan's thoughts she realized. It was not like the time when she had touched Jean and could hear other peoples thoughts, this time it was coming from her. She was hearing the Logan inside her head, the part of him that was with her, but that one and the true one were enough alike she hadn't realized the difference of the speaking. She knew him well enough to know what he was thinking and going to say, with that part of him so recently renewed.
She put it out of her head as she headed to infirmary ward. Into her head came the thought that the blasted thing had worked! She had taken one power, used herself as a conduit and flushed it out to another use. Incredible. Unbelievable, actually. Drake had been in critical condition. Was it possible he was fine—she had to see.
Outside his room she could see a number of people. She slowed her walk, not wanting to intrude, and in turn have to answer the awkward questions that were sure to come. Turning the corner instead, she paced around a few halls down, working up her nerve.
A nearby door quietly opened and closed. Rogue glanced around to see who it was and grinned to see Gambit. Of all people, she was pleased to see him. she quickly went over.
"Gambit, you are a genius. It worked!"
He stopped when he saw her, grinned when he heard her. One shoulder fell gracefully against the wall as he casually leaned over her.
"A genius? Gambit knows. 'Bout what 'zackly?"
"Bobby. You said I should reverse my power, and I did."
"Remy never said y' should do anyt'ing."
"Well, no. Not exactly. But it was your suggestion that prompted it."
He nodded his head as if he understood. "Roused y' to take Wolverine's remedy, eh?" He grinned wickedly at her.
She flushed immediately, apparently the news spread fast. "Eh-no. I suppose that was my addition. Won't blame you for that one."
"Sure y' can." He leaned closer. "Gambit t'inks de Rogue owes Remy a kiss den for his help."
The cajun's face was in front of her, sorely tempting and alarming all in one breath. She shoved a hand to his chest. "'Scuse me?! 'Scuse you, rather! 'Less ya like comas."
"P'haps. Could be worth it, non?"
Rogue, flustered and red, shook a finger at him, despite it ineffectiveness. "Rogue." At his wide grin, she growled. "Swamp Rat."
She spun on her heel and went for Bobby's room. She could certainly defend herself in front of the others after that blasted gumbo-breathed cajun riled her up. She pushed passed the few teammates in front of his door, scraggled down the hallway. She entered and quietly shut the door behind her.
When she saw him, she forgot her anger at the rest. She walked over to his bed, his eyes on her. she sat down on his bed facing him. "Sorry I woke you."
"I hear I'm alive because of you."
His hands on her gloves were cold, she felt a chill through the cloth. For Bobby that was normal. It was more worrisome when he was warm.
"Nah. It was nothin'."
"Nothing?" he gave a weak laugh. "Not everyone I know would steal from Wolverine."
"Guess everybody's heard about that by now," she said under breath.
"You know how Kitty and the rest are with the gossip." He laughed again, a little stronger.
As with Logan, Rogue had random, rogue flashing images come to mind out of nowhere. Instead of Logan and Jean, she saw Bobby and Kitty. Kitty and Bobby. Kissing. Not once, maybe twice. She couldn't tell the difference as the flashes flipped through her mind. She shook her head to get the thoughts form her.
"Rogue?"
She looked down at him and his worried eyes watched her.
"Uh…" Rogue stuttered, unsure of what to say. Just like with Logan, she was surprised the memories resurfaced. She laughed to cover it up. "Nothing."
Modest Rogue? She heard a skeptical voice.
She could see her shocked face reflected in his own confused look. She brushed it off once more. "I'm glad you're better, Bobby."
"Thanks to you, Marie."
He reached up and touched her cheek with his hand and she felt the stinging bite of cold slipping between them. Before she knew or could do anything, she had hopped up and away, in true undoubted reflex.
"Drake!"
"Sorry," he said, slightly ashamed, "Rogue."
She sighed. "Bobby." The images of Kitty flashed before her again, then one of Jubes, one of Rogue and John together. She felt the stir of a jealous, not hers, at the last one. Then she saw the kiss of Kitty again.
"I—I gotta go, Bobby." She turned quickly, not even hearing his apologies.
She couldn't take the images flashing at her for no apparent reason. She was upset he touched her so carelessly and at the same time deliberately. But she was upset that a part of Bobby, and Logan, were still lurking within her, creeping up at inopportune times. Well, she told herself, every time was inopportune.
I love that Gambit says he thinks she owes Remy a kiss, like they are two different people. Kinda playing her, isn't he? Oh, and the wrong thing for the right reasons- I took that from the X-men Evolution cartoon, I started watching those. Thought it was a great line (from Rogue to Gambit!!) See more Romy, the previous was a setup, and more to come :D.