Chapter 6
Author's Note: I'm going to have to apologise right off and say that we won't be catching up with a certain redhead this chapter like I said. I fully intended to but as I was writing it the focus of the chapter shifted and it seemed like too much of a jarring break to jump to what I was intending to write. You'll see the redhead next chapter I promise.
The next morning Rogue finds her cheek leaning on something smooth and warm. Her eyes open to find the bare chest she is sleeping upon. Rogue smiles a little as the first time they slept together Clark had had that scar on his chest courtesy of Jor-El and she had had to be careful of it because it stung Clark whenever anyone touched it. Last night she had been able to explore that chest as much as she wanted...which turned out to be a lot.
A finger gently pushes her white bangs off her face. Rogue looks up to find a pair of cerulean blue eyes full of warmth and love looking at her.
"Morning," Clark says softly.
Rogue smiles and hugs him close as he wraps his arms around her holding her close. "Mornin. What tahme is it?"
"About 6," he informs her.
"Too early," Rogue complains after last night's blissful activities had thoroughly worn her out.
"Ingrained habit," Clark explains as living on a farm he always got up early. It hadn't stopped just because he and his parents came here. Clark was usually up helping his mom make the breakfasts.
Rogue closes her eyes again and rests her head back down. "Have ya been up long?"
"A couple of hours," Clark admits. "I don't need much sleep," he explains although he is certain he has told her this before but a reminder never hurts.
"Even after last night?" Rogue questions that feeling a little...inadequate that she can't wear her boyfriend out.
Clark's hand gently rubs up and down her spine. He gently kisses Rogue on the top of her head and breathes in the scent of hair. He loves that smell just like he loves so many other parts of Rogue. "Don't take it personally. Last night was amazing," he assures her. "But I have my full powers back," he points out the difference to between the first time in the woods when Jor-El was taking them away from him and now.
"Have ya just been lyin here?"
"I was watching you sleep."
Rogue forces her tried eyes open and looks at him curiously for a moment. "Y'all have just been watchin meh?"
Clark smiles boyishly. "You just look so beautiful and peaceful I couldn't help myself." What Clark isn't mentioning is the fact that when he woke up he, and therefore they due to the fact Rogue was lying practically on top of him, were floating above by the bed by a clear foot. Luckily some instinct kicked in to make sure he didn't fall abruptly and he just floated down gently to rest back on the mattress. It was most likely driven by Clark's desire not to wake Rogue up.
Rogue can't help smiling. Clark could be incredibly sweet sometimes. She lays back down and lets last night replay in her head. She thinks after the 3 months apart they really just needed to connect on that most intimate and primal of levels again...which they did with so much hunger, passion and need it was scary...and addictive. She was a little sore she must admit and would probably be feeling it for hours but she wasn't complaining.
Rogue lets out a contented sigh as Clark just cuddles her close and draws little patterns on her skin with his fingers. The day her powers activated Rogue lost the ability to touch. Since she found she could touch Clark she has discovered or rediscovered she is actually quite a tactile person. She likes to be held. She loves the feeling of Clark's warm smooth skin against hers...and dear god is he warm. Rogue is roasting just lying here. "Ya know y'all are lahke a furnace," she says in a small complaint.
Rogue can feel Clark's chest rumble with suppressed laughter.
"What's so funny?" she asks him.
"After 3 months apart and an amazing night together your major gripe is that I'm too warm?"
Rogue shrugs. "Ya know meh. Ah never hold back mah opinion."
"Yeah. I love that about you," Clark says. He has always loved her blunt honesty about things.
"Besides it could beh worse. Ah could kick your ass lahke ah promised mahself ah would," she reminds him although her tone indicates she really isn't serious.
Clark squeezes her closer still. "I'm sorry," he says in a quiet voice.
"Ah know," she says in an equally quiet voice. "Ah forgive ya." If she didn't he sure as hell would not be having the privilege of sharing her bed. "Just don't do it again."
"I promised I wouldn't Anna and I'll never break that," he swears.
Speaking of her name. "How did ya know mah surname?"
"What?"
"In tha cave. Ya addressed meh by mah full nahme...which ah nevah told ya."
Clark's face screws up in thought. "I can remember saying it..."
"But ya can't remember how ya know it can ya," Rogue assumes from his previous statements.
"Sorry. No."
What a screwed up situation this is. Rogue strokes his chest with her hand. "It'll come back ta ya," she says trying to be supportive.
Clark hopes so. He can't shake the certainty he is suppose to be doing...finding something. 3 somethings...he thinks. He runs his hand through his hair. God is that frustrating. He is so use to having a perfect memory that it is so weird not to be able to just recall it with ease. "I should probably get going before everyone gets up," he supposes with a sad sounding resigned tone.
While Rogue hates the thought of him leaving she has to agree. If anyone catches him sneaking out of here she will never hear the end of it.
Clark gently rolls Rogue off of him, kisses her sweetly and slides out of bed. Rogue lies there and actually finds herself enjoying watching him dress with a kind of dreamy sultry smile. If only there was time.
Clark glimpses Rogue watching him, her nakedness covered by her bed sheet and wonders if she has any idea how sexy she looks lying in a sex-rumpled bed while she herself has rumpled up hair and that sex afterglow colour in her cheeks. God she has to be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and the fact she is actually his girlfriend...Clark is not particularly religious but he just has to thank God for giving him Rogue.
Clark dresses himself, moves to the bed and gives Rogue a goodbye kiss. He gently strokes her cheek. "I love you."
"Ah know. Ah love ya too sugah."
His face takes on a momentary seriousness. "I didn't want to ruin last night by raising it but there is still stuff we need to talk about."
Rogue nods. She knows that but she didn't want to ruin last night either.
"And I'll just say now you're my girlfriend and I always love and support you."
Rogue looks at him a bit confused. "What?"
"Wanda Rogue. I want to know what happened between the two of you."
Rogue almost growls and folds her arms across her chest looking stern and distinctly unhappy. He just had to mention her.
Clark sighs at her reaction. "Look I'm not forcing you to talk about it," he modifies his statement. "Just...if you ever want to talk I'm always here to listen to you."
"Have ya talked ta her about it?" she asks sounding almost snide.
"No. You're my girlfriend. You come first."
That mellows Rogue's temper out a little that he didn't go behind her back to Wanda. "Not today," she tells him.
"Ok," he accepts. He has told her what he wants but he won't force her to tell him. "I'll see you at breakfast." He gives her another quick kiss and superspeeds away, blowing Rogue's hair about in the process, to reduce the risk anyone catches him.
A little later that morning Kitty is making her way to the nearest bathroom her mind not on anything in particular really. It was too early for any sort of deep thoughts. One thing that does cross her mind many mornings is waking up in her own room and missing Rogue.
Yes it may seem strange how she of all people would miss the emotionally repressed Goth whose tastes were almost the polar opposite of Kitty's but the simple truth is Rogue is her closest and possibly best friend.
Kitty comes to a stop outside the bathroom when she finds the door locked. A knot of irritation puckers her brow. More bathrooms hadn't meant the complete end to queuing and waiting. Luckily it is only a few minutes later the door opens to reveal the very person Kitty was thinking about.
Rogue...and she was practically glowing. Kitty hadn't seen Rogue look like that since before Clark vanished. "Morning," Kitty greets Rogue.
"Mornin!" Rogue greets Kitty back in what Kitty would describe as a disturbingly cheerful manner.
"Did you and Clark make up already?" Kitty asks in a surprised tone, assuming what it is that has Rogue so cheerful looking.
The patented Rogue scowl clouds her features. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing."
Rogue doesn't buy it and says so with a single arched eyebrow that always makes Kitty crack and it doesn't fail for the first time here.
"It is just...like don't get me wrong I'm totally thrilled you and Clark are ok but I thought you would hold out until he did some big flashy gesture as an apology," Kitty explains her train of thought.
"Or ya know we could talk lahke two reasonable adults," Rogue puts forward the alternative which she and Clark did...although a big flashy gesture would have been nice now Kitty mentions it.
Kitty has to bite back a retort about why Rogue can't do that in relation to Wanda because she values her head remaining attached to her shoulders. Although she really wishes Rogue would just talk to her about it so she could help.
Rogue shakes her head a little aggravated about how everyone around here feels it necessary to nose into everyone else's private affairs before she heads to her room.
Kitty follows. "So I assume you and Clark did talk then?"
Rogue sighs. Here they go. "Yes Kitty," she allows herself to admit. "Ah mean we didn't talk through everything but there's a lot ta go through. We really just decided that we couldn't live without each other so ah forgave him."
Kitty nods in understanding. She smiles. "That's like so sweet," she teases.
Rogue scowls once again at her far too perky friend. They reach the door to Rogue's room where upon habit Rogue opens it carefully so as not to set off any stupid trap one of the New Mutants set-up as a prank. Sure there isn't one Rogue pushes the door open...and her jaw drops.
"Oh wow," Kitty says in awe at the sight before them. She feels envious. She had mentioned a flashy gesture. She never expected Clark to pull it off on his first full day back.
Rogue wanders into the room in an almost stunned state. The room full of varying types flowers of different colours. Reds, purples, blues, yellows...you name it. She can only have been out of here for 20 minutes tops if that and Clark managed to do all this for her. Warm feelings well up inside her.
"What is going on?"
Kitty and Rogue turn to find Scott and Jean, who were just passing on their way down for breakfast, standing at the doorway taking in the sight. Jean had asked the question.
"We're assuming Clark," Kitty says in reply.
"Little bit overboard if you ask me," Scott expresses his opinion.
Jean folds her arms across her chest and looks at her boyfriend sternly. "And what does that mean? Are you saying a boyfriend shouldn't do nice things like this for the person they care about?" she asks him.
Panic instantly rides up inside Scott as he tries to think of a reply that won't get him in trouble. "I...uh...no. That's not what I meant. I just meant you know you can go over the top."
"So you're saying there is a limit of how much you can show your affection?" Jean asks him to clarify.
"Yes...no...uh...I mean...it's the thought that counts," he lamely comes up with.
Jean narrows her eyes slightly at him and her foot starts to tap in an aggravated manner.
Scott takes a step back. "Um...I'm going to go ahead and see what's for breakfast," he says pointing in the direction he is heading desperate to get out of here before he messes up more.
Jean glares at him as he departs.
"You were so totally playing him weren't you," Kitty says.
Jean's stern expression fades into a smirk. "Just because I love him doesn't mean I don't think I need to keep him on his toes," she explains.
Kitty nods in agreement. "I so totally agree."
Rogue is almost impressed by Jean there. Who knew little Miss goody two-shoes could be that sneaky.
After breakfast Clark and his parents sit with the Professor in his office. Charles wanted them to discuss the entire situation and see where they now stood with everything. When Virgil first brought Clark to Charles' attention he must admit he never imagined dealing with everything they have but he does not regret the decision. Clark is a remarkable person and Charles isn't referring to the powers the teen possesses.
"Please protect him and deliver him from evil."
Charles can remember the first time Virgil showed him that message and he could almost feel the emotion behind it. The plea of desperate parents who shot their son into space in the attempt to save his life. Charles swore that he would uphold that plea and he will do his best to do so and keep Clark safe from those evil forces that would try to exploit his great power or failing that try and kill Clark.
Clark and Jonathan summarise what happened in the cave which is the only part either can remember with any clarity.
"I'm afraid I have few answers to give Professor," Clark says apologetically since he is missing chunks of memory.
"Perhaps we don't have the full picture," Charles says trying to sooth Clark's feelings. "However we have learned something."
"About Krypton's destruction and the fact there was some sort of war," Jonathan summarises what he thinks it is they learned.
Charles nods. They have learned that Clark's people destroyed themselves in a war and that Jor-El feels personally responsible in some fashion that he couldn't prevent it and is now driven to ensure Clark survives by any means necessary. "Yes. It explains but does not justify some of what it is that motivates Jor-El," he states clearly that while they have a new understanding he can't agree with Jor-El's actions.
"Jor-El's wrong," Clark states bluntly.
"About?" Charles asks.
Clark's brow furrows. "I can't remember exactly but I know what he was trying to do with me was wrong. I feel with absolute certainty that he has come to the incorrect conclusion...and I know that makes no sense when I have no memory of what I'm talking about."
"Be patient Clark," the Professor advises. "I am certain it will come to you," he says trying to instil a confidence in Clark that this is so. "In fact both you and Jonathan should take some time to readjust. A lot has happened in the last 3 months."
"If that's a reference to not rushing out and being the Bayville Blur again Professor I'm already there," Clark says knowing he really needs to catch up on events before he takes that up again which he still wants to do. That belief he has to use his powers to help people hasn't changed.
"That's one area I'm referring to," the Professor says. Another is the fact that being associated with mutants won't gain them a lot of friends at the moment. Charles then notices Clark's gaze has drifted off to the right and upward and his brow has furrowed. "Clark?" he inquiries.
"SHIELD helicopter coming this way," Clark reports what he heard and now sees coming.
A confused expression forms on the Professor's face. Why would SHIELD be coming here?
"We'll continue this later," the Professor says to the Kents as he sends a telepathic summons to Logan. If he is meeting SHIELD best to have someone with him who knows the organisation. He rolls out of his office and meets Logan in the lobby.
"What's up?" Logan asks in a sour mood due to the fact someone stole his beer last night. He suspects Domino because it fits in with the fact she seems to enjoy irritating him. Logan's mood is not helped any when Charles tells him what's up. Logan's face instantly darkens even further. Fury may have helped when they were rescuing the Professor from Stryker. It does not mean Logan trusts the man at all because he doesn't. Fury always has an agenda.
Logan and the Professor head outside as a SHIELD helicopter lands on the lawn. The engine is cut and its blades slowly spin down to a halt. The door opens and Fury leaps down followed by Black Widow and Hawkeye.
"Who's the kid?" Logan asks Natasha in reference to Hawkeye since he has never met the archer before.
Hawkeye points at Logan. "Did he just call me a kid?" Hawkeye asks sounding a little insulted by that.
"Don't take it personally," Natasha says. "Compared to Logan most people are children."
"How old is he?"
A nostalgic smile comes to Natasha's face which freaks Clint out since she almost never smiles. "Lets just say you know how old I am and I first met Logan when I was a small child...not that he remembers it."
Logan lets out an unhappy snort. Natasha had mentioned that to him and all it is is a reminder of what has been stolen from him.
Hawkeye lets out an impressed whistle. "Wow. That's old!" he exclaims because he knows from Natasha's file she is older than she looks.
Logan glares at the archer and lets out a low growl. "Is there a reason you're here Patch?" he asks Fury. "Or are you just setting up Cupid here to be sliced and diced?"
At the Cupid remark Hawkeye is instantly in Logan's face. "You want to go old man?" he asks extremely agitated. He hates that insult.
Logan pops his claws and brings them up to in front of Hawkeye's face. "Any time bub," he says with a feral grin.
The Professor intervenes before this spirals out of control. "Perhaps we can focus on what brings you here Colonel," he says asking Fury to end this.
"Hawkeye. Stand down," Fury orders despite being slightly interested to see how that little confrontation would turn out.
"Logan if you will allow the young man to live for the moment," Charles asks his friend to ease back.
Logan retracts his claws with an audible grunt of irritation.
"What brings you back to my Institute Colonel?" Charles asks, getting straight to it.
"That's a conversation I would like to have with you alone in private," Fury says.
Charles arches a curious eyebrow. "Very well," he agrees. "In the meantime perhaps Agent Romanova and Agent Barton would like to observe one of our training sessions. I believe Domino and Storm are giving the New Mutants one at the moment. Logan if you would be so kind," he requests of Logan to show Widow and Hawkeye down to the Danger Room.
"If I must," Logan says not sounding very happy. "This way," he says and walks off back towards the mansion.
Black Widow and Hawkeye follow. "Ok I have to know. How did baldy know my name?" Hawkeye wonders.
Widow rolls her eyes. "In case it slipped your mind Xavier is psychic...and you should have much better mental defences," she criticises Clint at the fact Xavier must have read his mind.
Hawkeye scratches his head. "Right. I knew that."
"Sure you did Clint," Widow says sounding like she doesn't believe him...which she doesn't.
While Logan leads them down to the lower levels Fury walks beside the Professor as they enter the mansion and towards the Professor's office. Watching the two men go past is Clark who had just hanged around because of curiosity really. The moment he sees Fury an image burns into his brain of the man with the eye-patch standing in some sort of stone structure along with Lex and Lionel. Magneto and Live Wire were there also. Then more images come to him of Magneto's Acolytes fighting SHIELD and him shooting down several jets. Then even more images come to him of flying all the way to Africa from the mansion back right through his time at the mansion, in Smallville, all the way back past when he reappeared in that field in front of Lois and Chloe to when he was imprisoned by Jor-El.
Faster and faster the images...no the memories come to him. Clark snaps almost to attention. He stands stock still. He knows what he has to do right now and in an instant he is gone with a whoosh.
In the Professor's office Fury declines the Professor's hospitality of an offer of refreshment. Charles watches Fury look out of the window for several moments waiting for Fury to speak. Fury's mind unlike Hawkeye's is very disciplined and difficult to read.
Fury turns round to face Xavier. "I'll get to the point. Where is the individual referred to as the Bayville Blur?"
Charles hides the surprise he feels from his face. "Before I answer may I ask why you are seeking him?"
Fury had spent many an hour this morning contemplating how much he wants to reveal. "It is a matter of national security."
"I am afraid Colonel you will have to do better than that."
"Yeah. That's what I thought you'd say. To put it as simply as I can during an operation yesterday he attacked and destroyed several SHIELD jets and took an object vital to this country's security. So I ask you again where is he?"
Charles thankfully has an extremely good poker face. Yesterday...that must have been where Clark flew off to except from their talk this morning Clark said he has no memory of anything that happened after he left until the cave. Charles replies in a calm even tone to Fury. "I have not seen the Bayville Blur since he left us after the fight with the Juggernaut and I am deeply shocked and surprised he would commit the actions you claim he has."
"Do you know where he went when he left?"
"No. He only vaguely referred to personal issues he had to attend to."
"Ok let me ask another question. Who is he?" Fury wants to know.
Well Charles will have to say if Fury hasn't worked out Clark is the Bayville Blur they have done their job well in protecting the alien teen. "That is an excellent question Colonel. Unfortunately it is not one I have an answer to. He was a most secretive person when it came to such details," he deflects the Colonel's probing.
"He was a member of your team," Fury accuses.
"He was an ally as I have stated many times when asked this previously. He did not reveal details of his past and I respected his right to his privacy. In time I had hoped he would feel comfortable in opening up and joining us permanently but to my sadness that never happened," Charles tells the lie.
"So you have no idea who he is or where he is. That about right?" Fury asks Xavier to sum up the position.
"That is the case," Charles affirms.
Fury looks at Xavier and tries to read the man but has to concede Xavier is good at maintaining a neutral expression that reveals nothing. "Well if he ever does show up perhaps you'll be kind enough to let him know I want to have a chat to him," Fury requests of Xavier.
"When or if he returns I'll pass on your message," Xavier assures Fury.
Down in the lower levels Logan leads Black Widow and Hawkeye into the observation booth of the Danger Room where Storm and Domino are currently overseeing the New Mutants session. Storm in her traditional dark blue uniform with the cape and Domino in hers which is essentially just a tight one-piece suit and despite appearances to the contrary is not black leather. It's black but the material is something Forge conjured up with an unstable molecular structure that absorbs energy like a sponge meaning it can deflect off a lot of impact. In terms of bullets it would stop anything but a straight clean hit which combined with Domino's luck powers means she is extremely safe.
Strapped to Domino's thighs are two pistols Forge also created and Dom just has to say that that kid is a genius. They are what the Professor insisted on and that was non-lethal ordnance. They fired an energy discharge capable of stunning virtually anyone into unconsciousness and they know this because they tested them on the most resilient person here; Logan. That was one of Domino's best days where she got to shoot Logan repeatedly as Forge tweaked the weapons to perfection.
Down below in the Danger Room the scene is of two old sailing ships engaged in battle where the New Mutants are pirates trying to capture the other vessel.
"I thought we agreed we weren't going to do that," Logan says sounding rather annoyed about it.
Domino and Storm turns their head with identical stern expressions. "No. That was your opinion," Domino reminds him of that discussion. "And then you walked out."
Storm picks the story up. "Dom and I talked about it more after you left and decided we would do it."
"You call this training?" Widow asks not very impressed by what she is witnessing.
"And you are?" Domino asks.
"This is the Black Widow," Logan introduces her. "Fury is paying Chuck a visit."
Storm's jaw tightens. Fury around meant something potentially serious was up. She bites back her opinion on that but she will find out why from Charles later.
"And I'm Hawkeye," Clint introduces himself. "It is a pleasure to be in such lovely company," he says with the refined flirtation of a pro.
"Naturally," Domino quips while spotting the small glare from the redhead at Hawkeye's flirtations. Ooh hoo. Dom can virtually see the green eyed monster biting. She could have a lot of fun here.
Logan breaks up this scene. "Alright enough of that. Can someone explain why we are doing this?" he asks gesturing at the DR simulation below.
Storm and Dom simultaneously roll their eyes. "Seriously Hairy. You need to relax. Maybe you should have a beer," Dom says with a smirk.
"I would if someone hadn't stolen them," he accuses glaring at her.
Dom smiles in her own infuriating manner. "Well you know teenagers," she says deflecting off it was her.
Storm rolls her eyes again knowing Domino must have done it. Domino seemed to love to find ways to irritate Logan. She addresses Logan's question and gets things back on topic. "Logan not every training session is about accomplishing a task to perfection. They're teenagers and they need to have fun and blow off steam."
"Besides," Domino starts to say. "If you think about it they are learning important lessons. They are learning how to always be aware of their surroundings in a chaotic situation and watch each other's backs."
And there was the other side of Domino Storm had come to discover existed. She did have a good analytical mind and when she was being serious and focussed she did contribute many useful suggestions about how to improve the training sessions.
Down below the New Mutants are actually winning. An idea strikes Domino and she slides in next to Hawkeye and wraps her arms around his his elbow. "So tell me. Do you fancy the idea of making it just a bit harder for them and aiding me in defeating them?" she asks him with the sultry tone of a professional flirt.
"Well I never could say no to a lady," Hawkeye replies which gets a snort from Logan because in his opinion Domino ain't a lady.
As Domino leads Hawkeye off she spots the increased glare from Widow and secretly smiles. Yep. Definitely fun.
"That's your new partner?" Logan queries from Widow not at all impressed from what he has seen so far.
"Unlike some other people he didn't quit," Natasha hits back in a cold harsh voice that hides the fact she was hurt when Logan left SHIELD and her.
"You know perfectly well why I did that!" Logan snaps back.
"Yes. Because you no longer wished to be a weapon," she recalls his words.
"And I was sick and tired of Fury's manipulations and secrets...and don't you dare think of defending him," Logan warns her off. "You know what he's like."
"Yes...but like you Logan I made a choice and mine was to serve SHIELD."
A decision Logan really doesn't understand beyond perhaps the fact that Natasha is a spy and she can't see herself doing or being anything else. He shakes his head at her and storms off in a foul mood.
Natasha lets out a momentary sigh, an uncharacteristic reveal of her feelings. She turns to find Storm observing her with a cold hard penetrating gaze. Natasha turns to look and see what Hawkeye is doing and what he is doing is cheering like a child as he swings on a rope over the ships. Another uncharacteristic moment has her smile a little bit at the sight of him. God what is happening to her. Once upon a time she could snap men's necks and not feel a thing. She doesn't feel any remorse for those things even now. It was her job but lately around Clint...
Natasha just might have to concede that maybe Sabretooth was correct. Maybe she is going soft.
Later the Professor watches as Fury and company depart the same way they arrived. Charles had deflected every probe Fury had tried about the Bayville Blur and now that Fury was gone it was time to see if he could get answers from Clark. He turns round and rolls back into the mansion. He doesn't instantly sense Clark which isn't unusual. He has to be in fairly close proximity to sense Clark's mind. Therefore Charles seeks out one of the people most likely to know where Clark is.
Charles finds Rogue in the rec room enthusiastically indulging in her love of pool against Scott and from the look of it winning decisively as usual. It isn't hard to sense for a telepath how much happier she is now that Clark has returned. He is forced to interrupt. "I apologise for intruding," he regrets doing so. "I was looking for Clark."
Rogue's brow furrows slightly puzzled. "Ah haven't seen him," she says which now she thinks about it is odd since he was meant to come find her after his meeting with the Professor. Rogue thinks she should have realised it sooner he hadn't shown up but she was too caught up in her game.
"You don't think..." Scott starts to say and then stops while shooting a concerned glance at Rogue. He was about to say something along the lines that perhaps Clark has gone off akin to what happened only the previous day. After all they have no idea what lasting impact Jor-El's meddling has had on Clark's mind.
"Don't ya think that!" Rogue snaps at Scott having guessed what he was about to say. Besides Clark promised he wouldn't leave her again.
"Now lets not jump to hasty assumptions," Charles says trying to calm the situation. "Clark has lost 3 months of his life. He may just be trying to catch up." Charles takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He reaches out with his mind to see if he can get any impression on Clark and therefore his whereabouts.
Rogue's hands slide into the pocket of her jeans and the fingers of her right hand curl round the silver looking octagonal metal disk that currently resides in there. "He's down in tha lower levels. Lab room 3," she suddenly states in a monotone.
The Professor's eyes snap open and he looks at her in the same manner that Scott is with intense scrutiny. "Rogue. How do you know that?" he asks her.
Rogue shrugs. "Ah just do."
That's...extremely strange Charles has to say. However on a hunch based on her precognitive flash that saved everyone he decides to go with it. He invites Rogue and Scott along and the 3 head for the elevator.
They soon come to the door to Lab room 3, one of the many labs where Hank or Forge or anyone really can experiment. Scott is the one who pushes the door open. The sight that greets them is that the white boards that cover every wall are covered in writing and not just any writing. It is all in Kryptonian script and on the opposite side of the room is Clark, a blur of motion, as he fills up another board in seconds with writing before moving on to the one next to it.
Clark then solidifies as he seems to pause before continuing his writing. The Professor, Scott and Rogue just watch on for several moments more until Clark fills the last board and seems to come to a stop before he slowly looks at his handiwork as if reading it back to himself.
"Clark?" Charles queries.
"Professor," Clark replies without actually looking at the man.
"May I inquire what you are doing?"
"I remember," Clark says cryptically.
"Remember what exactly?"
"The last 3 months. When I saw Fury it just all came back to me and well..." Clark gestures at the boards. "I just had an overwhelming urge to write it all down. This is what Jor-El was conditioning me to do but when the risk to the stone became too great he was forced to release me early."
"Is anyone else confused?" Scott asks pretty much completely lost.
"Very," Rogue says, a little worried about Clark.
Clark finally turns to look at his 3 guests. "You're going to want to summon the others Professor. You are all going to want to hear this," he tells them.
In short order the Professor has managed to telepathically summon the X-Men plus Martha and Jonathan. For now that will be enough. Otherwise it risks the situation having too many here raising too many questions.
Everyone stands along one wall of the room with Clark on the other. He paces a little back and forth as they await for him to explain what he has learned from getting his memory back.
"In your own time Clark," Charles says reassuringly.
"Right. We'll start at the beginning," Clark says as he walks over to one whiteboard which along with some writing has a diagram of what looks like a planet being blown up. He points at it. "Krypton was destroyed. You all know this. What you don't know and what I now do is that we destroyed ourselves."
"How do you mean Clark?" Hank asks.
"There was a war. A global civil war that literally tore the planet apart."
"How did zhat happen?" Kurt asks.
"Zod," Jonathan says repeating a word Jor-El said to him. Jor-El had said 'Before the War. Before the rise of Zod'.
"General Dru-Zod," Clark expands it. "Head of the Kryptonian military until he decided he could run things better than the ruling council."
"A coup," Scott assumes.
Clark nods. "That's what Jor-El told me."
"Jor-El told you?" Kitty queries.
"For 3 months I was locked up as Jor-El reconditioned me. He explained many things to me which I will get to in time but please allow me to tell this in the correct order or it won't make sense," Clark requests of them.
"Please continue Clark," Charles says.
"I don't know everything," Clark qualifies his words so to inform everyone not to expect him to have him every answer. "Only that Zod failed in his attempt at a swift decisive takeover and a war broke out between those loyal to him and those loyal to the ruling council. The war ravaged the planet but eventually Zod was defeated, captured and imprisoned. Only it was too late."
"How was it too late?" Jean asks, her puzzlement and confusion at what Clark has said so far plainly written on her face as it doesn't quite make sense.
"Poisoning the well. That is what the Romans called it."
Hank understands a bit more. "Yes. They did that if they couldn't defeat an enemy and hold land. They would poison all the water sources."
"Why would they do that?" Evan asks.
"It's the ultimate act of spite. If they couldn't have the land no-one could."
"In Zod's case he applied that to the whole planet," Clark explains it. "If he couldn't have the planet then it wasn't fit to survive without him. Before he was captured he unleashed some kind of doomsday weapon...I don't know what it was...only that it would inevitably lead to Krypton's destruction. Jor-El knew this which is why he placed me in a ship and launched me into space."
"By the Goddess," Ororo murmurs. That was monstrous. To exterminate your own race rather than accept defeat.
"I still don't know why no-one else could be saved," Clark says in a quiet sad tone because Jor-El never explained it once during those 3 months. Not desiring to dwell on the fact he the last of his kind Clark swiftly moves on to the next board which shows an image of his ship. "I get sent to Earth dragging pieces of the planet in my wake."
"The meteor shower," Martha fills in.
"Why Earth?" Clark asks. "Out of all the planets in the 28 galaxies Krypton knew of why was I sent to this one?"
"2-28 galaxies?" Kitty stutters out, wide-eyed, unable to believe what she is hearing. Hank's expression is pretty much identical as the infinite possibilities filter through his mind.
"Kryptonian civilisation had been around for a long long time," Clark explains that. "Millions of years I think. Anyway back on topic why Earth?"
"Because you look like us," Domino proposes as the most obvious explanation.
"Technically humans look like me," Clark corrects her. "But you're right. That's one reason. I could blend in. Also due to the powers gifted to me by the yellow sun my chances of surviving were greater. However Jor-El sent me here for a reason...well more than one but we'll get to all that. As much as I hate to do it I'll quote him. 'Humanity has great potential but it is also deeply flawed. Its flaws will lead to its own destruction'."
"Vhich means vhat precisely?" Kurt asks.
Clark smiles in a self-mocking fashion. "I was sent here to prevent it. To put it simply Jor-El expects me to save the world and the entire human race while I'm at it...so no pressure," he quips.
Charles' expression is deeply contemplative. "While I agree that humanity is far from perfect I do not agree we will inevitably destroy ourselves."
"I don't mean to sound rude but it doesn't matter whether you agree Professor. The point is this is the conclusion Jor-El has reached. That's his starting point. He believes humanity is destined to suffer the same fate as my race," Clark tries to get them to understand. "Now this gets us closer to why he was so insistent on me returning to him so I could be 'trained'," he says making air-quotes and making a derogatory facial expression. "If you take it he believes I'm suppose to lead humanity away from its self-destructive impulses...which by the way I'll just say right here and now I don't buy for one second...but lets humour Jor-El. If we assume that then the way I was raised makes that impossible."
"How?" Rogue, who had been silent up this point, asks.
"Humanity is fatally flawed and because I was raised by humans as a human I've inherited the flaw. Therefore to prepare me for my role all humanity had to be purged and thus purging the flaw with it. This would raise me above humans and allow me to see and do what needed to be done."
"It makes logical sense," Hank must concede. "If you start from the conclusion you said."
Logan snorts derisively at that.
"Yes well logical it may be but it is completely wrong," Clark dismisses it. "You can't lead people if you can't understand who they are. Can't understand what motivates them. Can't understand what it is they desire from life. Can't understand what it takes to inspire them to lead a better life. That's what I meant in the cave when I told Kal-El that Jor-El was wrong. By purging me of my humanity he was making it impossible for me to lead them because I no longer understood them. Proof positive of that was the fact that Kal-El never expected you to show up at the cave. He was totally baffled by it as matter of fact."
Charles observes Clark with some admiration. Clark says he doesn't believe he is meant to be a leader but from what he just said he has just proven he has the grasp of what it takes to be a great leader.
Clark moves on to another board. "Now I'll come onto another reason why I was sent here to Earth instead of somewhere else. Kryptonians have been visiting Earth for thousands of years and they left evidence of this but more than that they left something behind. 3 somethings to be exact that I need to protect and to fulfil what Jor-El thinks is my destiny. 3 stones." Clark taps one board over the image of a stone he has drawn. "The crystal of fire." He moves to the next board and taps on the image of another stone. "The crystal of water." He moves to a 3rd board and taps on the 3rd image he has drawn. "The crystal of air." He turns to face the group. "Named after the 3 elements."
"There are 4 elements," Kitty points out.
"In Kryptonian mythology there are only 3," Clark corrects her.
"Fascinating," Hank remarks truly interested in another civilisation's history.
Jonathan notices something about the symbol Clark has drawn on the stone. It is the figure of 8 inside a shield that was burned into Clark's chest. "Clark the mark," he says pointing at it.
"Yeah," Clark says in a tone that shows this is an uncomfortable topic. "It is the symbol for air but it was also the earliest version of the crest of the House of El. It was only later it was changed to resemble what looks like an S. The idea behind what Jor-El was doing is that it was suppose to represent the beginning of my journey and when I was done I would have earned the right to wear the modern version."
"Jor-El told you this?" Charles asks.
Clark nods. "3 months is a long time especially when as it turns out you don't absolutely require sleep and Jor-El is only a computer generated facsimile who doesn't need rest and can just talk non-stop," he says in a faraway tone as his mind drifts off into the memory of that period. He shakes his head and tries to refocus.
Domino raises her hand. "No offence but what does that this have to do with anything?" she asks.
"It's to do with why Colonel Fury was here," Clark answers Domino's question. "But first let me explain what the stones actually are. They are a fail-safe. They were designed to ensure the preservation of all Kryptonian knowledge in a worse case scenario because in simple terms what they are is a storage device that holds the entire collected wisdom of my race...a race that was around for millions of years. Earth was chosen at the time because humans were relatively primitive and could in no way access the knowledge contained within and second Earth is rather out of the way in cosmic terms. No-one would think to look for them here. That is another reason why I was sent here because the legacy of Krypton is here and I'm suppose to protect it and learn who my people really were." Clark moves onto another board with a drawing of a large crystal upon it. "When the 3 stones are united they form this and then the knowledge contained within can become accessible."
"How does this relate to Fury?" Logan finally pipes up with a question not seeing quite how it does.
"I'm getting to that. Jor-El let me out early because one of the stones' resting places was at risk of discovery."
"Clark just before you flew off you covered your ears like you were hearing something painful," Martha raises.
"What I heard was...in simplest terms a burglar alarm. It is a sound emitted when the stone is touched by a non-Kryptonian as an alert. It's designed to be so that it can't be ignored. When I heard it Jor-El's incomplete mental conditioning finally snapped into place and I became Kal-El...or what he wanted Kal-El to be."
"Vhere did you go after you left here?" Kurt asks.
"When I left here I flew to the Sahara, to the temple where the stone was hidden for safety and there I found SHIELD, Colonel Fury and Lex and Lionel Luthor."
"What!" half of them exclaim angrily since Lionel tried to kill them.
Scott looks at Clark and finds his gaze has turned to the Professor. "Clark?"
"Veritas," Clark says simply from something Jor-El said to him about the group and what it knew about him and his people.
Now everyone looks at the Professor. Veritas was the group the Professor was part of along with Lionel waiting for Clark's arrival. Somehow this must relate to that group.
Charles takes a moment to collect himself. "I know of the stories of the stones," he confesses, "and the power they are suppose to possess. Not what they actually were. They are myths about them going back many centuries."
"Did Lionel look for them?" Clark asks.
Charles nods. "He did but how far he got I do not know."
"I think he got pretty close," Clark expresses his opinion.
"How do you mean?" Jean asks.
"Lionel must have been the one to lead SHIELD there. It's the only explanation I can come up with which means he must have figured out at least where that stone was and who knows how much he knows about where the other 2 are."
"But how did he end up zhere vith SHIELD?" Kurt asks still not able to grasp the connection.
Scott answers for Clark having worked it out. "Lionel did a deal. His knowledge about the stones in exchange for his release from prison. I think we can make that assumption."
Logan growls and clenches his fists. He should have gutted Fury when he had the chance.
"This doesn't make complete sense," Kitty says. "Why would Lionel suddenly offer up information like that 3 months after he was imprisoned. Why not at the beginning?"
"I don't have that answer," Clark admits. "And honestly I'm not certain for now we will get one. However it might be related to who else was there."
"Who?" Evan asks.
"Magneto was there. His Acolytes were fighting SHIELD when I arrived. "
Charles bows his head slightly as he takes that in and wonders what it is his old friend is up to now.
"Magneto must have found out about the stones," Hank assumes.
"How?" Ororo asks baffled by how Magneto would know of these stones.
The answer suddenly occurs to Logan. "Mystique." Mystique had been at Luthorcorp for months posing as Lionel's secretary.
"She would have had like plenty of time to have hacked Lionel's personal files," Kitty suggests as she helps fill in the gaps.
"Magneto must think the stones can help create his world of mutant domination," Jean suggests as the reason he would be after them.
"They can," Clark says with utmost assuredness. "The secrets of my people's technology is contained within. If Magneto unites the stones and gains access to the knowledge within virtually overnight he would have access to technology that renders anything else on this planet obsolete. It would be like stone age man trying to fight a modern army. Not to mention the stones themselves are extremely dangerous if you don't know how to handle them. They possess different...you could use the term powers but it is not supernatural in any way. Just extremely advanced technology." Clark takes a moment. "This is why I asked you here. I need your help to find the stones. Now if necessary I'll do it by myself for the stones must not fall into human hands." Clark moves over to another board and points at the writing. "This is a warning. If human blood touches one of the stones a great darkness shall be awoken. Earth will come to the twilight of its existence and humanity will meet its Doomsday."
"What does that mean?" Scott asks.
"Haven't a clue," Clark admits. "However even if we ignore that what I can't ignore is what happens if either Magneto or SHIELD manages to unite the stones first and get access to the knowledge within."
"Ok Magneto I get but SHIELD isn't all bad right?" Evan puts forward. Logan snorts at that.
"Jor-El explained it to me and I know before anyone says it not to trust the man who brainwashed me but I can't find fault with his argument. SHIELD is essentially a department of the US government. Any technology they find would be used to strengthen the country's defences."
"How is that a bad thing?" Evan once again is the one to ask.
"Apart from it being used against mutants?" Domino points out one issue.
"Worse than that," Clark says. "Imagine how the other countries on Earth would react to finding out the US has access to technology that would render their militaries inert."
It coalesces in the X-Men's minds. "They would try and steal the technology for themselves which would start an arms race or failing that launch a pre-emptive attack while they still could," Scott makes the rational assessment.
"Bottom line is that it would upset the balance that keeps Earth in relative peace and possibly start a 3rd World War. The one good thing is that while I was in the desert I did manage to retrieve the stone. It was the crystal of fire."
"Where is it now?" Charles asks.
"Smallville. In the caves behind the wall where it should be safe. Safer than here considering Colonel Fury is looking for me and probably keeping an eye on the mansion."
"That's why he was here because you took the stone from him," Jonathan assumes.
"Yeah and I may have shot down a few of his jets which probably doesn't put me in his good books."
Logan scoffs. "Kid don't worry about it too much. No-one gets into his good books. Hell he doesn't have a good book. He eyes everyone with paranoia and suspicion. Is it hard to see why I quit?"
"It's worse than that Logan," Clark says with guilt and remorse.
"What?"
Clark pauses for a moment. "Kal-El...I decided that I couldn't take the risk of them trying to find the stones so I collapsed the temple on top of Fury, Magneto, Lex, Lionel and Live Wire," he says with shame.
"Yet Fury was here."
Clark sighs. "Kal-El didn't care too much about whether he was sure they were dead or not." Clark thinks back. "I can remember...when I left they were all still alive under the rubble. I could hear their heartbeats but how badly injured anyone was I couldn't tell you. Fury obviously wasn't."
"Clark. It is not your fault nor was it really you," Charles tries to assuage the young man's guilt.
"I know what you're saying Professor. I do. It is just if you agree to help me you have to know that Fury is going to come down on me hard because he thinks I tried to kill him and you all risk the same. That's why all I can do is ask you to help."
"Magneto cannot be allowed to find these stones," Scott states the simple truth of it all. "If that means we have to cross Fury we will but Clark really all you have to do is ask for our help."
"Absolutely," Jean says in agreement. "Clark you're our friend and if this is important to you then it's important to us."
"Ja," Kurt expresses his agreement.
"Like totally," Kitty says.
"Thank you," Clark says genuinely moved. He turns back to the walls. "However finding the other two won't be easy. Jor-El only gave me clues to their whereabouts in the form of cryptic puzzles," he says tapping on the writing on the board which are the puzzles written out.
"Why would he do that?" Evan asks.
"It's a test...another trial. It's going to take a lot of research and considering Magneto and SHIELD were at the location of one of the stones I think it is safe to say they have a head start on us."
Rogue who has been very quiet up to now steps forward next to Clark. "Ya know what there is such a thing as going too far. Ah mean could these things beh any vaguer?" she asks sounding angry about it. She starts gesturing at the board with the image of the crystal of fire upon it. "Ah mean it is ridiculous. Buried by tha sands of tahme on tha edge of tha cradle of civilisation ta tha west of tha flowing lifeblood of a parched land lies that which burns away tha dead and allows life anew ta start over."
Clark looks at Rogue, his mouth hanging open slightly.
"What?" she asks.
"Rogue you just read that word for word...and I never taught you the language."
Everyone looks at Rogue with a mixture of curiosity and puzzlement.
Rogue herself looks genuinely surprised. "Ah...what? That's not possible. Ah can't read that," she insists gesturing at it.
That is when Clark's eyes start to follow the glinting metal Rogue is holding in her right hand. He reaches out and gently encompasses her right wrist with his left hand and holds it steady. He gently pries her fingers open to reveal she is holding the octagonal key that was one part of his spaceship. "Rogue how long have you been holding onto this?" he asks her with concern leaking into his tone.
Rogue shrugs. "Ah don't know. Since just after ya left maybe."
"Can I have it back?" he asks of her.
"Sure," she says.
Clark takes the key from her. The second he does Rogue starts to wobble on her feet. Rogue suddenly feels very light-headed and her eyelids incredibly heavy. She can't stop herself from passing out. Clark catches her and cradles her to him. He kisses her gently on the temple. "It's going to be ok. I won't let him hurt you," Clark promises.
"Son?" Jonathan inquiries with the same concern everyone is feeling at the sight of Rogue passing out.
"The key is more than just the method to access the caves. It can be used by Jor-El as a receiver for his consciousness. He could have been manipulating her all this time on a subconscious level." Clark then remembers being told how Rogue saved everyone by sensing the danger before the mansion was destroyed. He turns to look at Kitty. "Kitty was Rogue holding this that night the mansion was destroyed?"
Kitty thinks back. "Uh maybe...in fact now you mention it I'm like totally sure she was."
Clark frowns. "That doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't Clark?" Ororo asks.
"You're my links to humanity. Rogue most of all. Jor-El would have used the key to make sure you were killed not to save you."
"Maybe he felt guilty?" Kurt suggests.
"No," Clark dismisses that and then explains his reasons. "I spent 3 months listening to him. I understand him a lot better now. He's about saving the entire human race and if a few have to be sacrificed to do that then he will. I know I certainly don't like the idea that he can be so callous but he can. This doesn't add up."
Clark looks down at Rogue and picks her up into his arms. "However it can also wait," he decides about trying to figure this out as he looks to Mr McCoy who leads the way as Clark carries Rogue to the infirmary. If he finds Jor-El is behind this and has permanently hurt her Clark swears that remnant of his father or not, last remaining link to his lost home or not, if Rogue doesn't make a 100% recovery he will reduce those caves to a pile of rubble.
Author's Note: I know this is kind of long and wordy with a lot of exposition but I felt it was needed if Clark was going to explain the importance of what he is asking his friends to assist him to find. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up: Lex discovers a side-effect of handling the stone, Clark has his powers tested and tries to fly with...mixed results and we finally catch up with that certain fiery redhead.