Spun
By Liz Wyatt
Chapter Thirteen: Loosen Your Hold
Feed me something
We'll go back to the start
Take pride of place
Understand our reasons
A photograph taken at the time when
Confidence won't up and leave
So loosen your hold
Though you might be frightened
Release or be caught
If this be the right thing
Unable by thought
To look what the tide brings in
Look what the tide brings in
Feed me something
-South
Her eyes opened to a harsh fluorescent light and the hum of her heart beating on a monitor. Rogue moved her aching head to the side in order to see the other people in the room with her. Logan was standing at the computer screen that was displaying an extensive scan of Rogue's body and brain. Beast was playing chemist with a few vials at the table across from her bed. Both men had their backs to Rogue, unaware.
She peered to the corner where Storm was twisted up into a chair, asleep. Next to her was Rogue's former flame and possible savior in this moment. She knew that it had to have been Bobby who found her. Rogue realized that she could have been left in Cerebro to die because of her stupid idea had he not come in.
As Rogue began to shuffle her feet on the bed, Logan immediately whipped his head around. His natural frustrated face was plastered in front of her.
"do you know how stupid you were." Logan stated. It wasn't a question, but a judgment.
"Logan…" Rogue started, but he cut her off.
"This defying death thing is not to be a recurrence for you Rogue. You've gotten lucky kid, but you don't have nine lives."
"I know I was stupid. I just wanted to test a theory."
"test a theory!? Dammit Rogue, you aren't some schoolgirl anymore. This is real. You're life is a real thing. You can't just throw it all away because you don't get a second chance when you go down that path."
Rogue knew that Logan had ventured into what she called "Jean territory" where her former teacher's death and mistakes influenced his arguments as if he was fighting the love of his life all over again.
The other people in the room began to stir, as Logan wasn't exactly quiet in his expressions.
Storm stretched in a mild confused and sleepy state. Once she realized that Logan was fuming and that Rogue was awake, Strom rushed to stand next to Logan.
"Rogue!" she smiled.
"hey Storm." Rogue said with her best fake enthusiasm because she was still distraught over Logan's outburst.
Bobby walked to the opposite side of the table and Beast stopped to look in Rogue's direction.
"hey." Bobby said quietly.
"hey." Rogue whispered.
"Bobby is the one who found you." Storm stated.
"I thought as much." Rogue had to admit that she was grateful.
"yeah, well it's just lucky that I had some dirty laundry duty to fulfill."
"yeah…" Rogue said before looking back at Logan.
He turned his back to her and looked back at the computer screen with folded arms.
Storm sighed and spun to talk to Logan. Rogue heard a few heated whispers and Storm even pushed Logan.
"Guess there is one thing that Wolverine is scared of." Bobby joked.
"Small pushy and authoritative women with white hair." Rogue shot back.
There was a silence as they both listened to the older mutants argument. Then Bobby broke the moment,
"Why'd you go in there? You remember what happened to Jean when she did that?"
"I know. Everyone keeps telling me how stupid I am. Listen, the truth is I don't know why I did it. I was just drawn to Cerebro. Maybe that's a professor trait or something, but I knew once I had the idea that there was no way to stop my body from going in there. I've never felt that strong an impulse."
Bobby appeared to be soaking in Rogue's confession. He looked concerned as well and Rogue had to ask,
"Why are you being weird lately? You ignore everyone and act like an asshole every time you see me."
His face-hardened and Rogue prepared herself for an angry rebuttal; however, he softened before admitting his own confession.
"I'm jealous. I'm jealous that Peter and you seem to be getting friendly and I'm jealous that you chose Pyro over us at the fire and I'm upset that Kitty and you seem to be good friends now."
"you're mad that Kitty and I aren't at each other's throats?" Rogue asked astonished and upset.
"In a way. If you two were cold to each other it would make things easier, but she wants to include you in everything. I want you to be happy Rogue, but I thought that I'd be the only one you would be happy with."
"hold on Bobby! You, are the one who cheated on me. You, are the one who chose Kitty. You, are the one who was weirded out when I took the cure. How could you think that my life would just stop because you weren't in it!? You weren't the center to my universe Bobby Drake. For your information Peter, Kitty and I are friends whether you like it or not. You need to stop being jealous because it's ridiculous." If she wasn't still attached to the heart monitor she would have stormed out on him.
The action wasn't necessary because Logan seemed to have caught the end of Rogue's spiel and Bobby was currently high tailing it to the elevator.
Rogue sighed heavily and threw her head back to lie on the cushioned surface. She brought her arm to rest across her forehead as if to block the light fixtures.
Storm approached the bed with Logan close by.
"It's been a long couple of days."
Rogue simply nodded. She was too tired to try and play up conversation with the woman.
"Hank, can she be moved upstairs?" Storm asked. The quiet beast quickly gave a long speech about watching over Rogue once she is moved upstairs just in case she passed out again. Logan informed them that he would be keeping an eye on her. That was not up for discussion so Rogue didn't try to fight it.
Once upstairs Rogue settled into her sheets as best as she could. Logan knocked a little while later and came in slowly.
"just checking on you kid." His rough voice from before had softened slightly.
From her bed she could only see the dark outline of her muscular protector. She turned her head as he began to back out of the room, shoulders protruding to meet the doorframe.
"Logan…"
He paused and closed the door so he was further into her bedroom. He stood leaning against the wall.
"yeah?" He responded in a low tone.
"Do you think it's possible that my powers might be messed up because I took the cure?"
He was quiet for a few seconds before saying, "Whatever is happening to you…we'll figure it out."
"how can you? We had no idea how the cure worked yet hundreds of mutants lined up no questions asked. I half thought that the government had set it all up as a ploy to poison us off. When the woman rolled up my sleeve I braced myself for death." She hadn't opened up to anyone about that day. While she didn't expect Logan to understand she felt as though he were the only person in the school that would listen.
"I don't know what to say kid… I've been there Rogue. I've been ashamed and confused about being a freak. Thing is you can't have it both ways. We are what we are. Our lives before this, before your powers kicked in, it doesn't matter. If I've learned anything lately it's that the past should stay buried because we only have enough room for what's going to happen today."
They had drifted back into Jean territory and Rogue hit herself inside. He made a lot of sense though. Rogue knew she could never be that innocent girl that she was before that day when she had her first kiss. She'd seen too much. She'd escaped death too many times.
And for the millionth instant she was reminded of John. In their past they had been friends. The three amigos had lived carefree. Today they were completely different people. Was it possible for them to have a future of any rendition if the here and now was so messed up?
That image before she had blacked out of John turning his head into the empty room might have been a moment created by Rogue's imagination, but either way she knew he had to be out there. He had to be a different man today from that boy who had so blindly followed Magneto into the helicopter at Alkali Lake.
Whilst Rogue slept another mutant was spending another sleepless night at a computer consul. John was monitoring the news reports and government channels that the Brotherhood had managed to gain back in a short time.
He hardly noticed his blue companion watching him curiously. She knew that something had happened while the Pyro was free of Magneto. Something had changed in her as well, yet here they were serving a man who had disowned them so easily. For Mystique she blamed herself for not expecting Magneto's reaction to the loss of her powers. Upon getting them back she didn't run to him immediately. Instead she formed her own plans. This time she swore things would go her way, as Magneto was not let in on his position as her puppet.
"Pyro." She whispered.
He nearly jumped from his seat, but as he whipped his head around to meet her eyes he had composed his face.
"I thought Pietro was on duty after me."
"he is. I need you to do a job for me." She walked over to him with a tray. It had a white sheet over the contents.
"what's the job?" he asked as though he would even be given the chance to refuse.
"Bring this to Room 13."
He eyed her curiously and although he was confused, he obeyed. Sick with himself for slipping back into his position so easily with Mystique and Magneto. Magneto had left her there as a human. John could still remember the last look that had passed between them on that day. Hesitation.
Now as she stood before him in her natural state he could almost write the last months off as a dream. The Brotherhood was reassembling and while Magneto had used John as his second in command before, this time he was avoiding the subject with the Pyro. John wondered if Magneto trusted him anymore. He wondered if Magneto trusted anyone at all.
"Pyro." His created name vibrated off the steal walls.
He shook away his thoughts and grabbed the tray quickly. He headed down a long corridor to a door with '13' twisted on the front. Turning the knob he could barely see in the darkness, but he didn't mind. Setting the tray on the nearest table he clicked his lighter on and used his hand to light up the room.
A small voice broke from the corner.
"Why are you doing this?"
"It's what is best right now. Your powers are changing too much and we don't want you roaming around. It's not safe for you."
"He doesn't care what is safe for me. He's afraid I'll run and tell the X-men about his plans."
"Teva…"
"you know it's true yet you stand back and let this happen."
"we're only trying to do what's best. Now eat." He pulled the sheet off her tray with his unlit hand.
She moved towards the tray and as she came into the light he saw her frail form launch herself for the food. He realized that he was staring when her eyes met his with such a force that he backed towards the door.
"They'll kill you too." She said simply. John couldn't believe the change in this girl he had found not long ago tangled in her mother's arms while the building burned down around them.
He closed the door and went into the hallway.
"suck it up. You are not some girl. You are Pyro. People fear you." He breathed in.
"whatever you have to tell yourself." Mystique was waiting in the control room.
"shut it blue." He said with a warning tone.
"you know this is why he doesn't trust you. You've become too weak. Too soft for your own good."
"I told you Mystique -" he lit his hand
She cut him off by saying, "The government is going to find Eric and when they do I hope you'll step up."
"you sound like you know something he doesn't."
"don't you?"
The flame played at his fingertips. The anger inside him was nearly brimming over.
"Torch me and you'll never know."
The flame sizzled in his palm.
The next few days for both Pyro and Rogue involved training.
Pyro demonstrated new tactics for the brotherhood recruits.
Rogue worked up her strength. Even though Peter had offered to help her, Rogue was too afraid to be that close to anyone with her powers being out of control. He had tried to reassure her that she wouldn't hurt him, but she didn't care.
The gloves which she had hated for so long were slipped back onto their rightful place. She wasn't going to take any chances.
As Pyro attempted to teach the brotherhood members, Pietro was becoming even more frustrated with the fire manipulator. He was vying for Magneto's second in command and he thought Pyro was his only competition. Unbeknownst to the speedster, Pyro wasn't sure he wanted that title. Yet here they were duking it out.
"that the best you got fire bitch?" Pietro quipped as John was recovering from a blow to his back.
"funny. Real amusing that I'm the bitch coming from a guy looking like that." Pyro gestured to Pietro's tight silver shorts and sleeveless t-shirt.
Pietro's face grew red with fury. He raced towards Pyro. Somehow John was able to unlock his flame just in time and singe part of Pietro's shoulder. The speedster fell to the ground in agony.
The scarlet witch went over to the quicksilver. She smiled at John, but still looked a little concerned for her brother.
Meanwhile…
Rogue dodged another electricity bolt from the simulated Storm in the danger room. She ran across the room as the wind began to swirl around her into a cyclone. Rogue felt her ponytail whip in all directions as her feet began to feel weightless. The cyclone was too close for her liking. Running to the nearest corner, Rogue braced herself, ready to jump out of the way. Just as the cyclone was about to hit the corner the double doors to the danger room slid open and there was Kitty laughing alongside a large Peter. Distracted by their intrusion, Rogue missed her moment to jump and was pulled into the wind. Her feet lifted off the ground and she was flying uncontrollably.
"Rogue!" Kitty yelled over the whirling in Rogue's ears.
"End program!" Peter yelled.
Immediately the wind was gone and Rogue was falling to the floor. With a large thud she sighed heavily at her stupidity. She let herself get distracted and taken by surprise.
Peter and Kitty dropped their gym bags and ran to Rogue's side. Peter grabbed her arm to help her up, but Rogue tried to pull away.
"just forget what you are about to say and let us help you." Peter said.
Rogue caved in as Peter helped her. Surprisingly there was no pull. Rogue still could not understand what her powers were doing. Was the fact that Rogue didn't want to hurt Peter so badly the driving force in her powers shutting down in that moment?
"looks like you've been in here a while." Kitty said referring to the multiple scenarios displayed out on the floor.
"yeah."
"you missed dinner." Peter said.
"I'll live." Rogue smiled to reassure her friend, but he wasn't letting her off that easily.
"You can't keep shutting everyone out Rogue."
"I know that. One day you'll all come rushing back into my head." She half joked.
"not funny." Kitty stated.
"I know. I know." Rogue tried to brush them off their serious tones. "anyways I should go hit the showers." She started to walk out of the room.
"Hey Rogue…I know you want to be ready for a fight, but sometimes all the preparations still aren't enough. Don't go overboard okay?" Kitty said.
Rogue had to admit that she was determined to learn quickly and build her strength along the way. She did want to be ready for the next fight. With Bobby hauled up in his studies, refusing to train much it seemed like the next gen of X-men were falling apart a bit.
Rogue couldn't help but feel a little responsible.
Back at the brotherhood headquarters, Magneto was laying out his plan of attack on the government. He had been secretive about what he was building in preparation, but John could hear the older mutant at work during the early morning hours.
Mystique often gave Pyro the knowing looks as their discussions surrounded the future of their brotherhood.
Pyro didn't like being in the dark. He really hated not knowing what Magneto was planning. Magneto was spending too much time with Teva and while John didn't like it he couldn't really say anything about it.
Magneto walked out into the main living area where John stood playing with his old lighter, aiming his fingers to shoot concentrated blasts at a target. Quicksilver was watching the newscast with a few other mutants. Mystique was sitting over a few files, ignoring everyone else.
"I want a team of six formed in the next hour. I need you to meet with me before our next attack on the government warehouses."
John made a move to go towards Magneto, but their leader waved him off.
"you my boy will have a separate job with Mystique." John looked at Mystique as she smiled all to intentionally. Quicksilver was already glaring at his competition. Pietro gathered up 5 other people as he took control and moved them to Magneto's room.
"what is he up to?" John said more towards Mystique although it wasn't a question for her to answer.
Reports came rushing in quickly. The Brotherhood was back. The government soldiers were currently fighting them off at one of their facilities. The news didn't state that this facility was one of three that were responsible for the new technology to fight and kill off the mutants. Magneto knew that. Charles had a feeling.
Here they were suiting up. Wolverine and Storm taking command. Waiting for Bobby to appear. Peter helped Kitty get her gloves situated.
As Rogue began to take a uniform off the shelf, Wolverine yanked her gloved hand away from the wall case.
"no."
"you need all the help you can get." Rogue fought back.
"Rogue. Your powers-"
"are a non-issue. I'm ready Logan. I've trained. Let me help." She had said it with such confidence that Logan had to take a moment to seriously consider her proposition.
Luckily to Rogue's relief, Storm came over before Logan could think of another reasonable way to object.
"Peter and Kitty go get the jet started. Logan, better do one last call for Bobby. And you Rogue, get dressed quickly." Rogue smiled in a silent 'thank you'; however, Storm did not linger because there was a job to be done and they knew that they were wasting time.
"Just like the kid to not respond." Logan complained once they were off in the jet.
"maybe he was sleeping and didn't hear the call?" Kitty offered.
"no, ice-man is acting more like an ice-child." Logan fumed again.
"It's okay. We don't need him. You've gone up against worse with less people." Rogue offered as reassurance.
There was a long silence as they quickly flew to the location; however, Rogue could hear her heart pounding in her eardrums. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous. After all she had told them that she was ready for whatever came.
Peter squeezed her hand from across the elbow rests. She smiled.
Landing on the ground, the team was maneuvering through the woods surrounding a military base of operations.
As they peered from the edge of the compound, Storm quickly muttered out orders.
"Alright this is it. We've all seen the schematics for this place and we assume they'll be hitting the main warehouse, but who knows. Once we get in there I want Collosus to secure and humans. Rogue and Kitty you go in for more recon. I want all the computer files. We can always take advantage of a bad situation and up our intel. Logan and I are on main detail dealing with the Brotherhood. Got it?"
"aye aye captain" Logan mused. Storm shot him a death glare for joking around.
"Got it." Peter offered instead. Kitty and Rogue simply nodded.
As they ran closer to the building Peter went first past the open doors. Storm and Wolverine leant against the opening to inspect the situation. Storm motioned for Kitty to go through a side wall.
Once in place Kitty stopped to pull Rogue's upper arm.
"I got to get us through here. Think you'll be okay with piggybacking on my power?"
Rogue was confused. Why would she have a problem? Evidently this confusion showed on her face as Kitty continued,
"I just mean with your wonky powers…and the fact that you've never done this with me…"
Rogue huffed a quiet laugh and smiled, "you think too much Shadowcat."
The next moment sent Rogue grasping onto Kitty's hand as she pulled them both through a thick metal wall. Recovering from the new sensation, Rogue quickly followed Kitty as they ducked and ran alongside the back.
Rogue could hear a familiar cackling laugh from the center of the warehouse. She peeked her head over a few crates to see Pietro standing with his hands on his hips and legs spread in an authoritative stance.
Not far from him were other mutants destroying the contents of the crates. A few human scientists had been rounded up. They looked terrified as each was glancing over the dead soldier's bodies and their seemingly crazed captors.
Kitty yanked Rogue's arm to follow.
Outside Peter was dealing with a mutant nicknamed 'avalanche'. While he had read the profile he hadn't encountered the guy first hand. Avalanche stomped the ground, causing a small vibration to knock the Collusus off his feet. However, Peter recovered quickly.
Storm and Wolverine entered the Warehouse prepared. Storm had already prepped a storm to loom overhead. Wolverine as usual ran in with his claws out.
The group focused on the two older X-men as Kitty unlocked the main lab door for Rogue to slip through. Once inside Kitty placed a USB into the main computer. Rogue hacked into the server to transfer the data. While doing so they didn't hear the door open and a new mutant smashed a few guns that the scientists were working on. Kitty jumped.
Rogue kept working on the computer.
"They send two little girls to get the goods?" he laughed.
"guess we figured girls are smarter than boys." Kitty chipped in.
his face hardened. "watch it little girl. I was gonna be real nice and take you down to Quicksilver, but now I'm thinking I won't be as nice."
"aww that's too bad." Kitty faked with sarcasm before turning to Rogue and whispering, "keep downloading no matter what."
Rogue nodded.
He rushed Kitty then. She tried to step further away from Rogue. He tried to land a power punch, but she phased through it. Then she grabbed his arm and crashed it into a lab table. The table shattered and Kitty was astonished that he hardly seemed to feel it.
He smiled then and through her across the room into a wall where she collapsed to the floor. She got up, a little dazed.
In the meantime Rogue stepped away from the computer.
"no! he's mine. Keep it going!" Kitty yelled at Rogue. Kitty then sprang onto one of the tables and began throwing items at the mutant. He grabbed the table legs and shoved it across the floor. She grabbed onto the hanging light fixture and swung to kick him in the face.
Meanwhile…
John ran from one of the smaller buildings on the compound. Mystique met him outside it with Magneto by her side.
"got it. All the information on tracking the other members is in there. A few are still locked up, but shouldn't be a problem."
Magneto gave a thin smile.
Mystique saw Avalanche being beat down by Peter.
"Should we engage with their little battle?"
Magneto sighed as if he annoyed.
"fine. Take the X-mutant out. I had such hope in these boys."
They all approached. John shot a flame into his palm. Colossus saw them approaching. Avalanche was out cold, but the army soldiers began to collect their stun guns and aim.
Magneto raised his hand to attempt to take the guns away, but he had no effect. The government had learned and had made them plastic.
Pyro however shot out his flame in their direction. Colossus powered up and sheiled the soldiers; however, one took a shot at him instead. The effects were instantaneous. His powers were on the fritz. He collapsed to the ground and began spasming.
"another reason their war is so futile." Magneto mused.
Hands burned, many soldiers retreated.
Mystique stood over Colossus.
"you'll live." She said coldly.
Stepping over his body she continued into the warehouse.
Inside Storm had used the lightening to punch through the rooftop and it was now pouring within and outside the building.
Seeing Magneto, Wolverine immediately dropped the mutant he was fighting and ran towards him.
"Logan! No!" Storm yelled as Magneto raised his hand and pulled at Logan's claws.
"you never learn do you? A pity for someone who should be so smart."
Logan however smiled.
"not as powerful as you were bub." It was true normally Logan would have been easily maneuvered in every which direction; however now Magneto could only hold the Xmutant back. He couldn't even lift Logan.
"I'm powerful enough." He said as he twisted his hand and Wolverine gasped in pain as his claws were being cut into other parts of his hands.
Quicksilver ran circles around Storm, stealing her breath. Storm's lightening disappeared from her hands and she fell gasping.
"Get what we came for?" Magneto asked Quicksilver. Pyro knew there was an alternative plan involving these six, but now he felt a stronger sense of dread.
Mystique eyed Pyro and winked. That made him even more disturbed.
"Almost." Quicksilver sped to the back room.
Inside Rogue had abandoned the computer to help Kitty. They were both bruised and suspended by his hands around their necks. He had them up against a wall, his back to the main door in as Quicksilver busted in.
"Let's go." Quicksilver said in a dark voice.
The mutants grinned and proceeded to throw both girls through the windows into the main compound.
Kitty was lying on her back and Rogue was coughing blood, heaved on her knees.
They both tried to get up.
When Rogue lifted her head she immediately saw Magneto playing with Logan. Then her eyes locked into John's own.
His expression changed into anger. She knew then that he must have been playing her the entire time; however, his eyes left hers and his face was full of rage as it set on the mutant whom she had been battling. He didn't move though.
Storm was attempting to get up and as she fought once again she tried to free the scientists. Kitty was still dazed.
Logan was screaming in pain. Rogue knew what she had to do then. She got to her feet and rushed towards the three Brotherhood leaders. She ran past Logan, screaming Magneto's name with a fury. She might have made it to him. Even landed a few blows, but suddenly Quicksilver was there and he was injecting her.
"No!" she heard John yell in a pained voice.
Rogue's world turned upside down and while she felt her body being heaved over someone's shoulder she did not know whose shoulder it was. Even as her mind fought to ignore the drowsiness now shooting through her system, she heard Logan being dropped and thunder raging.
Author's Note: WOW, if you guys have been still hanging on then this chapter is for you and all my lovely reviewers. YOU ALL KEEP ME GOING!
shout outs to: hotbritt500, RogueNya, myrmidryad, PyroWhore and of course ebuchala for making me feel loved and helping me to continue on!!!
I can't begin to explain my absence or excuse it. Let me just tell you that I have been studying abroad while writing the last few chapters and then I came home from that country and sort of got busy with real life.
Oh well. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It's a little different because I wanted to add in John's side a bit. I also feel a bit weird uploading it cus I wrote it on diff days and in parts so I hope it flows well enough. I'm also terrible with brotherhood members and powers so that may be why the fight may seem a little dull. Oh well, it's meant to be more Rogue & John then anything else! Tell me if you love it or hate it PLEASE.