MAGNETIC ATTRACTION
Part Thirty-Nine
Remy sat on the back porch of the Xavier mansion; he wasn't permitted to smoke within the building, and so that meant, despite the bitter snowy November weather, he was only able to smoke outside.
The rain had held off since the snow had arrived; Remy wondered if perhaps there was a chance that Storm was in control of that or if it was just coincidence. Wolverine had assured him that the snow was not her doing, but was the frequent rain?
He stared at the gardens, the perfect topiaries now capped with snow, the pruned rosebushes highlighted with ice, almost seeming lined with silver, the conifers and the decorative lawn statues all dusted. It was certainly a nicer place to look at than the dirty and litter strewn yard outside the warehouse. Even when the flowers had long since died, the bushes had been cut back and the trees had no leaves, this was a place of beauty and the snow made it all seem so pristine and pretty. So pure and innocent.
He smoked the cigarette, hoping it would calm him. But no part of him felt calm. Despite the sun was setting nicely, the air was still (although still bitterly cold) and the gardens were relaxing to look at, inside, he felt no inner peace.
His conversation with Rogue this afternoon had not resolved anything. She was going to go ahead with her plans regardless of anything he said. He supposed in some small way he should admire how determined she was, that she had set her goal and no one was going to stop her from reaching it.
Another part of him felt she was being foolish, that risking her life and her abilities was not worth the chance that she may gain control of her powers. And risking her life was certainly not worth the chance that it may save Wanda's already disturbed mind. Regardless of what the Professor had claimed that he didn't believe Rogue's life was in immediate danger through this evolution progress, Remy didn't trust it. To him, it was a risk of her life...a sacrifice of part of it somehow.
Wanda deserved help, certainly. But did she deserve the sacrifice of another?
Perhaps, but not Rogue's sacrifice.
Should be Magneto who makes the sacrifice, not Rogue. Wanda is his daughter. He should be the one to go through the machine himself if he thinks it's going to be so goddamn successful, Remy thought bitterly as he flicked ash to the ground and watched it dance across the snow as a light breeze caught it before it disappeared forever into slush on the slabs.
Then again, what would happen if he did put himself into that machine. What would he become? Would he become even more crazy and overpowered than he already is? Does he know that's a possibility? Is that why he needs Rogue?
No, it seemed to Remy he needed Rogue because he simply needed a test subject to take the brunt of all initial mistakes. That was all this was about. And if Rogue came out for the worst, he'd fix the problems, and probably not be so much as even remorseful about the consequences.
But what can I do? I can't do anything. I have no power over Rogue. I've tried all I can, but if she has a mind to do it, she's going to. She doesn't want nor need my permission, she's determined to get what she wants and she won't stop until it's hers.
A light footstep at his back caught his attention, and he turned to look over his shoulder as Kitty Pryde left the back door. The girl was adorably pretty with her wide blue eyes, her chestnut hair and heartshaped mouth. She looked like an innocent child, with her petite frame and small feet. Instinct, and some spying on the X-Men in the past had told Remy she was anything but an innocent child. She was a skilled fighter, if not a slightly anxious one, and highly intelligent for her age.
"Hey," said Kitty brightly. "Just...thought I'd just see if there was anything you needed."
Checkin' on me more like, Remy thought. The X-Men leave me to wander free around their house and gardens while the Professor ain't around, but I'm bein' watched like a hawk. Silverware is probably counted and anything of real value is probably locked away or in view of a security camera. Take no chances when there's a thief in the house.
"No," Remy said, he took a long drag from the cigarette and sighed out the smoke, "I'm fine."
"We have a library you know, if you need a book to read or something. Most of them are old classics, but there's probably a few modern books in there that people snuck in over the years..." Kitty suggested.
"No thanks. Never been much of a reader," Remy confessed.
"There's a rec room...if you wanna watch television or anything, and there's a few computers in there if you need to check email or..."
"I don't have email," Remy admitted. True. He'd never really needed to have email. The less easy he was to get in touch with and trace, the better. He'd seen the rec room earlier, when it had been quiet but now, it was bustling with life of all the students and he didn't feel like being scrutinized by them all right now.
"Is it true that Rogue's going to have her powers cured?" asked Kitty in a quiet hush after an awkward moment of lingering there.
"Where you hear that?" Remy asked curiously.
"Oh...around," she shrugged. "Everyone's been talking about it since she left...and rumours fly left and right around here. Some of them are bound to be true, right?"
"I guess."
She stepped up beside him and hugged herself against the cold. "There had to be some reason she would join that...that..." Kitty stammered to try and find the right word.
Remy finished the thought for her "dick?"
Kitty smiled faintly, "I was gonna say lunatic, but...that works."
"Definitely."
"Did he really kick you out?" Kitty asked, her tone more careful this time.
"He didn't kick me out. He invited me to leave," Remy lied. He didn't like the idea of them all knowing that he'd been sacked due to his outliving his usefulness and Kitty seemed like the type to gossip as far as he could tell by her pressing him for details right now.
"Same thing, isn't it?"
"If you say so," Remy flicked the cigarette again.
"So...is it true?"
"I'm not at liberty to say," Remy answered quietly. He didn't really feel like discussing the issues.
"That's a bad habit," Kitty responded, gesturing to his cigarette.
"So I hear."
"Aren't you afraid of cancer?" she queried.
"I figure I'll probably die some other way long before that happens," Remy confessed truthfully, "always somethin' gonna happen to you when you're a mutant. Can only be lucky so many times before luck runs out and you get yourself killed somehow."
"So...you're just gonna smoke til then?"
"I'll quit some day."
"I wish Lance would," she shivered a little. "I know he smokes...his breath always reeks of it...and his clothes smell of it too. I think he maybe does pot but..." she trailed off. "I don't know for sure."
Remy said nothing. He supposed it wasn't his place to go tattling on team mates. Or...latter team mates, as it was now.
Kitty stood, awkwardly hovering, her expression showed her conflicted thoughts and Remy picked up on it straight away. He supposed if he cared, he might have asked what was bothering her, but right now, he had enough of his own problems to go on.
"Can, I uhm...ask something?" Kitty asked after a moment of contemplation.
"Go for it," Remy replied, although truthfully he felt reluctant to be questioned or to answer anything she had to ask.
"Is Lance screwing someone?"
Remy turned to stare at the petite brunette, her wide blue eyes so serious, her expression so hurt. He wanted to tell her no, but the problem was he didn't know for absolute sure. "Is there some reason you think he may be?" he asked carefully of the girl, putting the cigarette to his lips.
"I..." she seemed flustered, "just...the way he acts, I guess."
"Gotta be a bit more specific than that, petit," Remy looked down at her. "Somethin' must make you think he has been, otherwise you wouldn't ask."
"I just...feel like..."
"He's not interested?"
"It's...I don't know, he used to be interested in...stuff...pushy, you know? But now he...doesn't act that way and it's weird in comparison to how he used to act..."
"I don't know if he has been or not. Even being stuck at that place, I can't account for his whereabouts all the time. All I can say is that I never saw him do anything that'd indicate he was screwing around."
"Oh," said Kitty almost seeming relieved.
Although Remy didn't want to consider anything about Wanda, the thought did occur to him that she possibly had been messing around with various people in and out of the warehouse. He'd always suspected it could be possible that she'd tried to seduce Piotr (although Piotr was no fool, far too shy and wouldn't have fallen for it), but Lance on the other hand...
What was it Pietro said about Lance? That if Wanda had been throwing herself at him...Lance wouldn't be able to resist? Didn't have the willpower? He didn't want to imagine it happening, especially if he'd been screwing Wanda at the time. While nothing had been exclusive, the thought that she'd been possibly messing with others while messing with him seemed quite disturbing.
"What is it?" asked Kitty.
"Huh?"
"You look...a little worried."
"Nothing," said Remy, he forced a charming smile, "you're probably worrying about nothing. Look, I know Lance likes you, seen the way he looks at you and I know he cares for you. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill."
Could be nothing but molehills, he realised dully.
"I'll try," Kitty responded softly.
A loud heavy footstep came to Remy's attention and he turned to see Wolverine approaching from the door, his expression serious. Wolverine greeted them with a simple "hey."
"Hi," Remy responded as he took one final drag from the cigarette, stubbed it out and put it into the empty washed out baked beans can that appeared to be the makeshift ashtray out here. It was clear not many in the house smoked since all Remy could see were Cigar butts.
"Professor wants a word," Wolverine said coolly, "you know where to go."
"Yep," Remy nodded and with that, he entered the house, glad for the warmth to take the biting sting from his cheeks. He moved through the winding halls of the mansion. As he passed by the Rec room on the way, he noticed Tabitha Smith and Kurt Wagner fighting over a console game control pad on the couch and he tried to slide by as quickly as possible, not wanting the blonde to notice him there. Hoping that she'd missed his walking by the open door, he kept going until he reached the Professor's office and he knocked lightly before entering, feeling a strange obligation to be as polite as possible.
Charles Xavier was sitting near his fire, stoking it a little, his face lit up by the flames.
Remy approached slowly, hands in his pockets, and he sighed, "Wolverine said you wanted a word."
"Ah, yes," said the Professor, gesturing to a nearby winged armchair, the material looked to be ancient silk but on closer inspection had reproduced to look more antique than it actually was.
Remy sat down, feeling the material and noting the differences between it and real antique. The Professor seemed to note something was wrong.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
Remy shrugged, "this is reproduction."
"You have a keen eye."
"I can tell the difference, the details are different, the quality of wood, the fabric, even the pins..."
"You know your antiques," said Professor Xavier with a slight smile.
"It's somethin' I was taught to always see...the value of things, you know? I can't tell you a lot of details like who made what, what the stuff is made from or when it was made but...I can see quality and I can see a price tag."
"From your training as a thief?"
"Rogue told you about that?" Remy asked uneasily.
"It has been discussed briefly," admitted the Professor. "But I didn't bring you here to discuss furniture today."
"I gathered that," Remy shrugged, he sat there on the chair, leaning back into the comfortable padding. The heat of the fire rushed over him and warmed his previously stinging flesh.
"Did you talk to Rogue today?"
"I saw her."
"And you were unsuccessful in changing her mind."
Remy studied the older man's face, he could see this was not a question. "You know that already, don't you?" he asked knowingly.
"Indeed."
"She wants me to be there, for the evolution. I...don't know if I can do that but...it's what she asked."
"I see."
"How did the meeting with Magneto go? Did you talk him out of it? Did you see her? Did you speak to her?" Remy asked anxiously.
"I was unable to help change her mind. I have however, convinced Magnus to let me assist in building the machine."
"You're going to help him?!" Remy gaped, "no disrespect, but are you out of your goddamn mind?!"
"The opposite, actually," said the Professor. "It's the most logical thing I can think of..."
"How is it logical?"
"Damage limitation. I can't bear the thought of anything going wrong. If I am there perhaps I can prevent anything bad from happening. Rogue has a mind to do this, I cannot stop her, nor you nor Logan. As much as we don't want to see her do this, she has a point that...has the right to make her own choices."
"With your help can the machine work?"
"It's possible. But there's no way of predicting what the outcome will exactly be. Magneto has explained the plans, and shown me what he has in store and it all seems...very plausible."
"But...plausible isn't a definite thing," Remy reminded.
"No, but I know from one look in my friend's eyes that he believes and trusts this process. If he thought this plan was going to be a failure, he would not intend to put his daughter through this."
"He's not gonna though, at least not without puttin' Rogue through it first."
"Believe it or not," said the Professor softly, "he does not wish any harm on Rogue. Even without using my powers, I could sense that he does not want to see her suffer."
Remy wasn't convinced of this. He sighed and stared at the floor. "What can I do?"
"There is nothing you can do. You are free to try to convince her otherwise of course but I fear it will do little good. In the meantime you are very welcome to stay as long as you like."
"That's real nice of you," Remy admitted, "but...I don't belong here."
Professor Xavier raised an eyebrow and gave a strange almost whimsical smile. "Don't you? Tell me, Gambit...who does belong here?"
"I..." Remy faltered and sighed, he didn't have an answer. He stared uneasily at the top of the desk, examining the organizer, the leather bound books stacked on the left, and the gold pen in its beautiful stand.
"The institute is a place for all mutants who wish to have a place to call home, a place where they can work together to make a difference, to be something other than what life would otherwise offer."
Remy wondered if Rogue had been talking to the Professor, if she'd told him things he'd said to her. It seemed almost too good to be true that this man was offering exactly what he'd been looking for. "It all sounds nice," Remy forced a smile finally, and he stood, "but you know that bein' on the side of the goodie two shoes ain't really my thing."
"If you say so," the Professor smiled warmly, "but if you change your mind, the door is always open."
"I appreciate the offer," Remy admitted as he headed for the door, "soon as this stuff with Rogue is sorted out I'll be out of your hair...er..." he glanced at the Professor's bald head, "I...mean way..." he remarked quickly and left the room feeling strangely embarrassed and very empty.
Rogue noted that Wanda had fallen asleep. She'd been lying there for hours, staring at the television in a blank state until she'd somehow drifted off, her head tilted back, a vague snore escaping the back of her throat.
It'd been hard to spend time with the girl. Feeling so much frustration with her past behaviour was bad enough, but trying to interact with a girl who was too doped to barely even know who or where she was made it even more difficult. Rogue had tried talking to her, about the music videos on MTV, about celebrities she thought were fake and overpaid, or about television shows she liked. Trying to get a response out of Wanda however was as difficult as trying to draw blood from a stone.
When the girl had finally dropped off, Rogue was able to work on her coursework a little and get through the three chapters of the book she had to read for her English literature class. Something she'd been neglecting. It was difficult to try and concentrate, as every time she read a paragraph regarding anything vaguely romantic or argumentative all she would think of was Remy LeBeau and his visit to her at college earlier in the afternoon.
He'd looked so very tired and unlike himself, so unkempt and hopeless. It wasn't like him. Where was he now? She had to wonder if he'd finally left town after the conversation.
Ah should have told him about the phone numbers, she thought as she glanced up from her book and gazed at the television, seeing a commercial on television about iPhones. It only reminded her that he probably had a bad number for her too, thanks to Wanda.
Rogue sighed as she closed her book at the end of the third chapter, and she glanced to her side to see Wanda, so deeply asleep that Rogue was positive even a bomb could have gone off and it wouldn't have awakened the girl. The loud music from the television didn't even disturb her in the least.
Just as Rogue was slipping her books back into her backpack, Rogue heard Tabitha humming to herself as she came upstairs, and she turned to look at the girl. Despite the cold weather out, Tabitha was dressed in a short skirt and revealing top that were inappropriate for her. Despite the disgust, Rogue felt also vaguely jealous the girl could wear such revealing clothing confidently without concern of others.
"Hi," Tabitha said brightly, she grabbed the remote control from the television and dropped herself into the seat on the couch between Rogue and the sleeping Wanda. Wanda didn't even stir as she bounced slightly as Tabitha did so.
"You're back late," Rogue noted, she glanced at her watch, noting it was nearly nine. Where do you spend all your time these days? You're barely ever here."
"I was at the institute. Kurt got that new game for Playstation...the one with the Zombies and stuff...I was playing that and totally lost track of time," Tabitha said casually, she began flicking through the music channels until she found something that she liked. She kicked her boots off and put her feet up on the coffee table, wiggling her toes a little, garish bright pink socks cladding her small feet.
"How is everyone?"
"Everyone is fine," shrugged Tabitha, she sang along to the lyrics on the music video. Then, out of the blue, she remarked, "I can't believe Remy just totally walked out on us, and ended up with the X-Men."
Rogue blinked and turned to look at the pretty blonde, "what?"
"He's there...I saw him. He flew by earlier like...I don't know, like he was trying to make sure I didn't know he was there, like he was embarrassed or something...but yeah, he's there."
Should Ah even tell her that he was thrown out, that he didn't just walk out on us? Rogue pondered.
"So...if he's not leading us now, who is?" Tabitha asked.
"Ah don't think we really have a leader at the moment," Rogue shrugged.
"'Cause if Magneto is gonna pick Pietro to lead this team, then I am so goin' back to Xavier's. There's no way I'm lettin' that prick boss me around, even if he is kinda hot in a weird sort of way."
Rogue sighed.
"You ever think about goin' back?" Tabitha asked curiously.
"Not really..." Rogue lied. Ah can't believe Remy went to the institute. So is he joinin' the X-Men now? Is this his way at gettin' back at me? Did he send the Professor here? Did he tell the Professor everythin' that happened? She wondered.
Tabitha nudged Wanda curiously, seeming to realise how deeply asleep the girl was, "what's up with this?"
"She's sedated."
"Again?" Tabitha asked.
"She's not well," Rogue responded, "she gestured to the IV attached to the girl's hand.
"I see," Tabitha changed the channel again and sighed, "TV sucks."
"Yeah, it does," Rogue responded. She stood up, "can you sit with Wanda for a little bit and keep an eye on her while I go to the bathroom?"
"Sure. Doesn't look like she's goin' anywhere," Tabitha laughed lightly and flicked through more channels.
Rogue feigned a smile, and got up. As she stood, she realised she'd been free of cramps for the day and had inadvertently forgotten about her period the moment she'd gotten home and had the Professor, Wolverine and Magneto to contend with. Being put in charge of Wanda had made it even more distracting. She went to her room to dump her bag, and get some clean underwear and then headed towards the bathroom.
She was pleased to note her monthly curse had finally ended. At least that was one less problem to contend with. She wished she had time to shower, but she supposed she could always do so in the morning. A quick clean was going to have to be good enough for now. She couldn't leave Wanda alone with Tabitha too long. Tabitha wasn't responsible enough to take care of the girl should she awaken.
Not that Ah'm really in the better position to handle her if she does wake up, thought Rogue unhappily. As well as the situation with Wanda, her mind was on how it seemed an absurd thought that she and Remy were both in the wrong places right at this moment. It should have been the other way around.
Her stomach churned with the thoughts of what Remy may have told the Professor or Wolverine. Had he told them of how she'd betrayed them, or how far they'd gone that night in her room when he'd let her touch him, when she'd let him touch her until her period had ruined everything? Her cheeks felt hot at the thought of it.
With a few free moments to herself, she dumped her blood-dotted undies into the washing machine in the basement along with her other undone laundry and started a cycle before going back upstairs. She'd see to putting the stuff in the dryer in the morning.
Just as she was climbing the stairs to the living room area, she heard Magneto's voice, and she arrived to see that he was there speaking with Tabitha. Rogue hoped to god that Tabitha had not divulged what she'd told her about Remy's going to the X-Men.
"So...no leader?" Tabitha was asking of Magneto as Rogue approached.
"For this moment in time, no," said Magneto coolly, he turned to see Rogue approaching, his cool blue eyes met with his briefly.
Looks like all she cares about is who's going to be bossing her around. Hopefully she didn't say anythin' about Remy, Rogue thought.
"Hi," Rogue said quietly, "sorry Ah had to leave Wanda with Tabitha but...Ah needed to go to the bathroom and start some laundry..."
"It is fine," Magneto said; he knelt down and went about removing the IV needle from Wanda's hand, "as she is sleeping, this is fine..." he stated calmly. Magneto leaned down to pick Wanda up; she seemed to weigh practically nothing in his arms, "Rogue, can you grab the IV?" he asked of her gently.
Rogue grabbed the pole and lifted it. It weighed barely anything either, although the bulk of the stand was somewhat awkward as she tried to move around the furniture. She followed Magneto carefully downstairs to Wanda's room, where he laid her down upon the bed. Wanda was starting to stir again, and she gave a strange moan as if in objection to being disturbed from the slumber.
"I would appreciate it if you could help her wash and get her into some nightclothes..."
Rogue gaped up at the man. Was he serious? "Ah...uhm..."
"I must go to the hospital to pick up more of the fluids she needs," Magneto explained, removing the bag from the IV, his expression tired as he did so.
"But..."
"I realise this is an inconvenience, of course," sighed Magneto, "but she is hardly in a fit state to do so herself responsibly, and it would be inappropriate for me to help her to do this," he explained, "Just help her shower and have her in her nightclothes by the time I return, it is all I ask."
You ask a little too much, lately, thought Rogue frustratedly, she watched as Magneto left the room without even waiting for her agreement or not. She supposed she should play along. In a few more days, she could be shot of the place entirely, and of Wanda and her father. All she needed to do was be responsive, and do as she was told in the meantime.
Ah can do this, Rogue told herself as she hauled Wanda up awkward, trying to arouse her from her sleep. "Come on, Wanda, we need to get you showered."
Trying to get a barely awake person showered was no easy task. And trying to do so without ending up accidentally absorbing the girl was an even more tedious one. Rogue managed to get her own clothes soaked in the process of getting Wanda in the shower. It was an awkward and embarrassing process to have to undress another person, but even more awkward being around so much naked flesh when her own skin was so deadly to others.
Wanda didn't have anything Rogue hadn't seen on her own body (unless she counted the piercings and the tattoos, of course) but Rogue still had to avert her eyes 99% of the time, even as she gingerly ran a soaped up washcloth over the girl's pale skin hoping that Wanda wasn't about to come out of her drugged up stupor and cause havoc.
God this is humiliating, Rogue thought. How do nurses and care assistants do this without feelin' embarrassed? Ah can't even look...
Rogue wondered if part of the reason she couldn't make herself look at the nude girl was that she knew Remy LeBeau had seen the girl in exactly this way. It made it harder to look knowing that he'd have seen and enjoyed this much naked flesh...especially on a girl who had a body that most celebrities envied and would strive to obtain.
Wanda leaned against the tiled walls of the shower stall, her head tilted back, eyes barely open as Rogue washed her. Rogue wondered if the girl were conscious enough to know what was going on, would she have gotten some kind of sick thrill out of this? After the incident where Wanda had tried to touch her between her legs, Rogue had been even more uneasy with the girl than usual, and having to shower her left her more uncomfortable with it.
"Don't go gettin' any ideas about this or anythin'," Rogue lifted Wanda's arms up to wash briefly under each, sighing. "Ah don't know how much of you is awake in there, but just so you know...Ah don't like girls that way."
Wanda gave no response, just stood there weakly, being washed. Rogue hoped that the girl was nowhere near present for this.
"You'd make this a lot easier on me if you'd take this damn cloth and wash yourself," Rogue uttered, "I ain't even touchin' your...you know..." she added frowning. "I'm sure enough water is gettin' where it needs to anyway..." she added after a moment.
After washing Wanda's hair – and not bothering with conditioner as that hadn't been part of what she'd been asked anyway – she turned the water off, grabbed the towel she'd brought from Wanda's room, and wrapped it around her shoulders and attempted to guide the girl back to her nearby bedroom. Wanda's walk was slow, feet dragging, head dangling. Water dripping upon the cement tiles with each step. It seemed to take forever to get her into her bedroom.
Wanda dropped to a sitting position on her bed, towel around her shoulders, hair dripping over her face. Rogue searched through the girls things to find some suitable nightclothes, finding oddly disturbing things like sex toys, pornographic magazines, and a stash of condoms.
"Jesus...you have some sick shit..." Rogue muttered. "Ah know these days it's all 'Sex in the City' okay and cool to have this kind of crap..." she gestured to the contents of a drawer, "but...just...gross..."
Wanda gazed up at her with strangely vacant blue eyes, and for the first time since she'd returned home, managed to speak. "S'...nor...mal..." she managed almost drunkenly.
Rogue blinked and turned to stare at her, she hadn't realised the girl was quite as conscious as she was. "Normal or not..." she tried to feign being casual, although feeling even more horribly awkward now, "it's still gross."
Wanda tilted her head back and gave a drugged laugh, it was an almost silent laugh, somewhere between a breath and a chuckle.
"So where are the pyjamas?"
"Bottom..." Wanda weakly gestured towards the dresser, she slumped against her pillows.
Rogue searched through the bottom drawer, finding an oversized t-shirt (which seemed oddly old judging by the faded and cracked insignia) and a pair of boxer shorts. She found underwear in another drawer and brought the items over, and knelt down to put the panties around the girls slim white ankles.
"Where's...my dad?" Wanda asked trying to cooperate.
"Gone to get you some fluids for the IV," Rogue answered, "he won't be long. And don't think about trying anything just 'cause he isn't here, 'cause I have his total permission to drain the hell out of you if you act up."
"Do it...I don' care," Wanda murmured tiredly.
Rogue raised an eyebrow at her. "Why'd you do it?"
"Hmm?" Wanda asked as Rogue pulled her into a standing position, to pull the underwear all the way up.
God, Ah hope no one ever has to do this for me. This is so humiliating.
"The overdose..."
Wanda didn't answer, she just looked away. Rogue realised it'd been an inappropriate question to ask in the first place.
"Why...you takin' care of me?" Wanda asked in replacement of an answer.
"Ah was asked to," Rogue responded, it was the truth she supposed, although she also felt strangely obligated to in a sense.
"You don't have to be so...nice...'bout it though," Wanda sighed tiredly as Rogue pulled the t-shirt over her head and helped her guide her arms in. The girls limbs were so weak Rogue realised the girl hadn't a chance in hell of trying to fight back. She felt strangely like a rag doll, responsive to everything Rogue tried to do, to every move Rogue forced her to make.
"Ah could be mean about it," Rogue sighed, "you nearly killed me after all..." she shrugged, "but...Ah'm gonna treat you how Ah think Ah would want to be treated if...if the same thing happened to me..."
"It...won't," Wanda sighed as she leaned on Rogue to get into the shorts.
"You don't know that," Rogue admitted, leaning sideways to avoid Wanda touching her flesh. "Our powers ain't so different. Neither one of us got control of them...only difference is you've been dealin' with yours a lot longer than Ah have. Who knows how Ah could be in a year or two's time," Rogue made her sit down on the edge of the bed. She sat down too, knowing that for this moment, she couldn't leave the girl until Magneto returned.
"Wouldn'...happen to you," sighed Wanda, her eyes sleepy.
"Why?" Rogue raised an eyebrow.
Wanda turned to look at her with vacant glassy eyes, "'cause people care 'bout you..."
"Your brother and your dad...they both care...but..."
"But?" Wanda asked, her eyes nearly closed.
Rogue sighed and pushed Wanda to lie down and dragged the covers over her awkwardly, "it's complicated. Try to sleep...you're exhausted..."
Wanda had no complaints, she didn't seem strong enough to fight the exhaustion that seemed to be weaving in and out. Whatever those sedatives are, Ah could do with a bunch of those, Ah might actually get some sleep some time too, Rogue thought dully. As Rogue was fixing the covers over the girl, she noticed Wanda's cellphone sitting there ontop of the cabinet. When she was sure Wanda was asleep, she picked it up and switched it on, feeling slightly ill at ease about invading the girl's privacy. It saddened Rogue that the lock screen on the phone was a picture of Wanda, Pietro and their father when the twins were what seemed to be around the age of five. They looked like the perfect happy family, smiling – even Magneto smiled. Now they were anything but.
Quickly, Rogue accessed the contacts to find Remy LeBeau's correct phone number and she copied it into her phone, making a hidden note of it in a draft text message just in case it should be deleted again. Rogue wasn't sure if she really intended on calling him, but having his number made her feel slightly better. Even if he should leave she might still have a connection to him, and that was enough for now.
End of Part Thirty-Nine
Yay another part up. I'm getting excited about being so close to the end of the story now. Only a few to go now ;)
Thanks to all for their insightful reviews as always. It's interesting to see the divide of opinions whether Rogue is doing the right thing or not, whether Remy is the one being unreasonable or not. So many interesting opinions! Anyway, off to work on the last part of the story. Hope you're all having a great Summer. :)