So here's the third chapter, only a short one today. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue.
Entering the kitchen after her shower Rogue found herself confronted by Scott, Jean and Ororo, and spied Kitty standing off to the side, a mixture of concern and guilt on her features.
"Where were you Rogue? We know you go out for nighttime walks sometimes but when Kitty woke up this morning and you were still gone she panicked and came to wake us. We were waiting for the professor to get Cerebro ready so we could find you!" Scott ranted on.
"We're not angry Rogue" Jean said, trying to calm the situation "we were just so worried, it's not safe these days, what with the anti-mutant groups hanging around".
"Well Ahm fahne, but Ah do need ta talk ta Professor Xavier. Ah don't think Ah'll be goin' on walks at naght anymore. Ah was attacked" Rogue admitted.
"Well there you go! I told you! Anti-mutant groups, you're lucky you weren't hurt!" We'll have to make sure none of the students take to wondering around alone if they're getting this bad" Scott said accusingly.
Rogue rolled her eyes. She had used to find Scott so attractive but the older he got the more uptight he became, even more so now that Jean and him had finished high school and started working at the institute. She secretly wished they had gone to college rather than taking distance classes, but with anti-mutant hysteria on the rise they'd thought it would be better to stay help protect the Institute for the time being.
"Actually it wasn't a hate group. Or the Brotherhood before ya go accusin' them" She said, having seen Scott open his mouth to start speaking, "Ah don't realleh know who they were, but Ah thought Ah heard one of them mention a name. Ah'll tell ya'll more when we get togetha in the War Room. For now Ah'm hungry."
She moved past them, and Ororo, who had remained silent for the encounter, said "I'm glad your safe Rogue" and then turned to leave the room to alert the professor of the news. Minutes later they all heard Xavier's summons to the War Room sound in their heads. Rogue finished up with her cereal and stood to rinse her bowl out in the sink.
"I'm, like, sorry Rogue. I totally didn't mean to rat you out. I know how you, like, really enjoy your walks, but when you didn't come home for over an hour after the usual time I got really, like, worried, what with everything that's happened lately" Kitty said in a small voice from her corner of the kitchen.
Rogue turned and gave her a small smile. "Ah know Kit, it's okay. And Ah did turn out ta be in danger so it's not lahke you were wrong. It's nahce ta know that ya care enough ta notice."
"Of course I'd notice Rogue, you're like, my best friend, even if you're not always the most talkative person".
The two girls exchanged smiles before leaving the kitchen and heading to the War Room together.
Rogue had briefed everyone on the events of the night before, although they were somewhat altered. She had left out any mention of Deadpool and the fact that the men who had attacked her were now dead. Instead she made out that she had defended herself, knocking four men out – she didn't want to lie about her defense of herself and four was a realistic number she supposed – before finding a suitable hiding place. She claimed that the men had disappeared when dawn broke and the community had begun to go about their days.
Professor Xavier only watched her intently, making Rogue fear that he knew she was lying, but if he did, he didn't call her out on it.
"Why didn't you come straight to us when you got in? Why go and shower and try to have breakfast first?" Wolverine asked in his gruff manner.
The real reason was that Rogue hadn't wanted him or Laura to smell Deadpool or the mens' blood on her but obviously she couldn't tell them that, "Ah was dirty and tired from the nahght, not ta mention starved from all the energy Ah used up. The men were gone and Ah figured half an hour ta sort mahself out and calm down wouldn't make that much of a difference, Logan".
He grunted, then sat back, apparently satisfied for the moment, but his questions left Rogue feeling uneasy. How long could she keep the truth hidden from the others before she slipped up?
"Well this news is troubling indeed" Xavier finally spoke, "I shall have to work with Cerebro to find out more about this 'Sinister'. If he has taken an interest in Rogue, or any of the other residents here, then we must find out more about his plans. Everyone is dismissed for now. Rogue I am glad that you're unharmed but perhaps you should let Hank check you out just in case, hmm?"
Rogue nodded before turning to leave the room and head down to the medical bay but as she passed Logan on the way out he stopped her, saying "I'm proud that you could handle yourself out there Rogue. I'd hate for anything to happen to you. Taking out four grown men is pretty incredible for a young girl."
She smiled at him, a strange mixture of guilt and pride rolling around in her stomach "Thanks Logan, but Ah'd rather Ah'd been able to take out all of them. Maybe then we coulda questioned them. Ah'm gonna go get checked out by Mr. McCoy, Ah took a few good hits and the bruises are startin' to ache."
Logan nodded at her and clapped a hand on her shoulder and Rogue moved past him to head down to the medical bay, wondering at the fact that was the second time someone had patted her in recent hours.
No Deadpool in this chapter, but plenty in the next one.