I have to run to work and didn't want to wait another day before posting so if there are a few more mistakes in this chapter that's why! and I'm sorry. Speaking of which would anyone like to beta this story for me? Please let me know and together we can rid this story of grammer errors!
Please enjoy!
Taunting Repartee
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Rogue sat with everyone in sub-level seven. She had come to this meeting fully armed with a box of tissues and two water bottles; but for some reason she didn't feel that they would be enough to comfort her.
Kitty's hand on her back was helping; she was rubbing her hand back and forth about an inch and a half. Almost reminded her of how Magneto touched her; except she knew that Kitty didn't seek anything from her; that this touch wasn't the gateway for more intimate caresses. Her roommate was solely attempting to console her; to help her through this.
The lightheaded feeling she had been experiencing for the last twenty minutes, however, wasn't helping anything. But she was trying to ignore it. She really did just want to get this conversation over with.
'Anna, when was the last time you ate?' Max asked.
Rogue eyes widened in shock for a moment before she asked herself, 'Oh god, when was the last time I ate?'
'You tell me,' Max said.
"So, where do we begin?" Mr. McCoy asked.
"I suppose we should start, if you have no objections, Rogue," the Professor said as he glanced over at her, "with your first few interactions with the fragment."
"Huh? You want me to go back that far? Why?" Rogue asked; caught off guard.
'An-,' Max started to say.
'Later,' she told him quickly.
"Yesterday, Magneto referenced conversations that you and the fragment had," the Professor explained.
"Huh? …right, that whole thing about me being his student," Rogue said while rolling her eyes. It was the truth but the way he had taunted the Professor with that knowledge made her want to roll her eyes. She was the teenager and he, the seventy-five year old, was the one acting like a child.
"Rogue, how do you know what was said?" Ororo asked her eye lite up in surprise.
"Oh, Rogue asked if she could absorb me to see the conversation," Scott answered.
"So, I saw everything that happened yesterday," Rogue added.
"With your powers you can actually view recent memories?" Mr. McCoy asked.
"Yeah, but not just recent memories; all of them; mine or anyone else's I've absorbed," she said.
"You have absorbed me in the past. So, in theory you could tell me what I had for breakfast on my ninth birthday?" Mr. McCoy asked.
"Not in theory," she said as closed her eyes and pulled up his mind and pulled up the memory; having a date to concentrate on, she found, made it easier to find some memories. She watched a few seconds of Mr. McCoy's younger self's morning. "You had blueberry pancakes, a glass of milk," she said before grinning, "and when your mother wasn't looking you took a finger full of icing from your birthday cake," she finished with a short laugh as she pulled out of the memory and opened her eyes.
"That was the start of great birthday," Mr. McCoy said with a grin.
"That's pretty impressive, kid," Logan said.
"Ah, thanks," she said.
'You're surprised? I've been telling you this for months,' Max said.
'Yeah, I know but it's weird hearing someone else say it,' Rogue told him.
"Rogue?" the Professor asked strongly.
"Yeah?" Rogue asked as she glanced up at him. The Professor let out a sigh. "What were you saying?" she asked.
"I agreed that your powers are impressive but the fact that Magneto has knowledge from conversations he, hopefully, was not present for begs the question; how?" he asked. Rogue's eyes widen in fear as the Professor said "hopefully."
'He cannot find out that Max was the fragment,' she thought in fear.
"Professor, what do you mean by 'hopefully'?" Jean asked.
'Apparently, you were not the only one who caught that detail,' Max commented dryly.
"It is only a suspicion that I would prefer not to fully vocalize until I am certain that it has validity," the Professor said. Rogue took a deep breath.
'This conversation is getting way too dangerous,' Rogue thought to herself; as she tried to suppress her fear.
'Then say nothing more on the matter and end it,' Max said. 'Charles offered you time to process. You should take it and go eat something.'
'Maybe, you're right,' she thought.
"Rogue, is that alright?" the Professor asked; from his tone of voice she had a feeling that wasn't the first time he asked that question.
"Sorry," Rogue said quickly as she made eye contact with him. "I already told you that I'm done looking for a while. I can't handle anymo- Prof, I'm sorry, I changed my mind. I can't handle this today. I thought I could but I can't," she said.
"It's alright. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to get very far into this conversation," the Professor said before she took a deep breath. "Rogue, would it be alright if I went over everything that I know?" he asked.
"Do I have to be here for it?" Rogue asked.
"No," he answered.
"Yeah, that's fine then," she said.
"Rogue, do you, like, want me to come with you?" Kitty asked.
"Or me?" Kurt asked.
"Thanks, but I'm okay. You two stay and listen to what Prof has to say, okay?" Rogue asked.
"Are you sure?" Kurt asked.
"Yeah," Rogue nodded with a smile. "I think I wanna be alone for a few minutes. Maybe go get some fresh air," she said.
"You're going outside?" the Professor asked alarmed.
"Yeah, in a little while," she answered; confused by his concern.
"I'm afraid, I must ask you not to for the moment," he said. Rogue raised an eyebrow.
"Why can't she go outside?" Logan asked irritated. Rogue thought about for a second before she let out a sigh.
"How many cameras did that asshole have set up?" Rogue asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Cameras?" Ororo asked alarms; looks of panic and fear crossed everyone's expressions.
"Only two," the Professor answered quickly.
"Only two?" Logan exclaimed in disbelief. "Magneto's spying on us?" he asked outraged.
"Why haven't we destroyed them yet?" Scott asked.
"Because two cameras positioned at the entrances are harmless," Rogue answered as she glanced at Scott. "Annoying, but harmless. Since we know where they are it'll be easy for me to get past them unseen. An image inducer would be prefect if I wanna go to school. Assuming Eric hasn't had Pietro set up any cameras there too," she said softly before sighing.
'Anna, I believe it has been over a day since you have eaten anything. You should not allow yourself to be coxed into another conversation,' Max said.
'I'll eat in little while. I ain't even hungry,' Rogue thought; before Max sighed. "Look, if we destroy them then Eric might switch tactics. He might come here to see for himself whether I came back or not; which I don't think anyone here wants that to happen. It's the right move ta leave them where they are for now; ta let him think his tactic is gonna work for him," she finished as she glanced over at the Professor. She noticed surprise in his expression.
"Y- yes, precisely," the Professor agreed before he looked away from her; contemplating.
"Wait," Kurt said, "I thought Magneto said he wasn't going to kidnap you again."
"He did, Kurt, but kidnapping and staking are two different things. He probably just wants to know where I am. Hopefully, he'll leave it at that," Rogue said.
"Do you believe he will 'leave it at that?'" Mr. McCoy asked. She thought about for a second.
"...No," she groaned, "and I don't think he's done trying to kidnap me either; despite what he said ta ya all. I mean, I could be wrong," she started to say.
"I doubt that you are," the Professor gravely. "I agree that it is a question of when Magneto will attempt to abduct you again; not if," he said. Rogue let out a long sigh as she leaned her head back against her chair's head-rest; closing her eyes. The dizzying feeling was starting to get to her again.
"So, what are we gonna do about it?" Logan asked.
"Way I see it. I got three options- well, four- okay five, but those two I ain't really considering. They're not worth mentioning," Rogue said.
"What are the three options that are?" Jean asked as Rogue took a deep breath as she prepared to force herself to open her eyes.
'Anna, please stop hurting yourself. If you insist upon having this conversation before attending your own needs, at the very least, you can speak with your eyes closed,' Max said. She let out a sigh as she leaned her head back again.
"Kid, you alright?" Logan asked.
"Just a little light headed. So, I'm gonna stay like this for a while," Rogue answered.
"Rogue, if you would like we could relocate this meeting somewhere else, perhaps the kitchen?" the Professor asked.
"No, I really ain't hungry, right now," Rogue muttered slightly annoyed; she hated answering the same question over and over again. "The first option is waiting for Eric ta try and kidnap me again. And when he does find a way to stop him like I did yesterday. Which I really don't wanna do either. The fear and anticipation are too fucking much. I'd rather deal with the situation now then wait for him to dictate the terms of our next confrontation. Plus, with Magneto ya can't use the same strategy twice. He learns from his mistakes; makes sure that his enemies don't have access to the resources they used to defeat him again," she said.
"Specifically, meaning?" Mr. McCoy asked.
"Next time he won't kidnap me until he knows for a fact that I don't have access to my powers," Rogue answered.
"That ain't an option," Logan said strongly.
"Agreed," the Professor said strongly.
"What's the second one?" Kurt asked.
"Call Magneto and try talking him out of kidnapping altogether," Rogue said.
"Do you think you could?" Scott asked.
"You totally should have seen her the other day," Kitty started to say. "Rogue asked to borrow his car and then he said- hey what was it he said again?" she asked.
"How very forward of you, Anna. Assuming I would trust you with such a valuable possession," Rogue quoted dryly.
"Yeah, and then Rogue yelled at Magneto," Kitty said; she could hear the smile in her roommates voice. "Seriously, you were like fearless," she said.
"Cause he didn't give a shit about the car," Rogue said annoyed.
"Rogue, would you mind relaying what you said to Magneto?" the Professor asked.
"I said; we both know that you don't give two shits about that car. It's just a hunk of metal. You'd dismantle it in a second if you needed to. And as for being forward; you're the one who likes to take liberties they ain't entitled to. This afternoon you stood on the sidelines and watched as we fought those soldiers. You could have stepped in and ended that fight at any time. Instead you choose to trust us with it's outcome. And you know what? Kitty ended up saving your son'slifewhile you stood by and did nothing," Rogue quoted.
"Oh yeah, Quicksilver totally Magneto's son," Kitty said.
"Whoa, really?" Scott asked.
"Yup," Kitty said.
"I guess I could see the family resemblance," Jean said.
"Rogue if you would please continue?" the Professor asked.
"Then I said; so, I'm I being a little forward? Maybe. And ya know what? I'd like to make another assumption. I don't think that you want to seat in a car with the two of us for hours making awkward small talk. But I know that you're too much of agentlemanto abandon us on the side of the road. So, let me do you anotherfavor. I'll borrow your car for the night and drive your son's lifesaver home; safe and sound. So, we can all get on with our lives," she finished quoting. "I called Eric out on his bullshit. I was right and he knew it," Rogue said.
"Rogue, you did much more than that," Mr. McCoy. "You're argument was very sound," he commented.
"Thanks, Mr. McCoy," Rogue said with a small smile. "Anyway, so, maybe I can talk Eric out of kidnapping too. I mean there are a whole lotta reasons why he should be against abduction and he's been ignoring most of them because he really likes me and he actually wants to spend time with me. And he knows that I like him too," Rogue admitted.
"In his mind it's everyone else that gets in the way of us spending more time together," Rogue said. "Which is one of the reasons he wants ta get me alone. But he can't keep doing this; fucking kidnapping me," she exclaimed before sighing. "I mean, I know what he wants; the potential he sees in me and what he hopes our relationship might evolve into someday. But the way he's going about it is all wrong."
"And in the back of Eric's mind he's knows that the means he's using are tainting any future relationship we might have together. But those warnings coming from his conscience aren't strong enough of a deterrent to keep him from doing what's he doing. So, if I want him to stop then I'm gonna have ta be his conscience. I'm gonna have ta tell him what he already knows until those concerns are so loud that he can't ignore them," Rogue finished.
"Do you believe that Magneto would be willing to listen to you?" Ororo asked.
"He has listened to her arguments before," Mr. McCoy pointed out. "And if the argument you craft is as sound as the one you've used in the past. There is a chance he might listen to reason again," he said.
"Maybe," Rogue said. "But borrowing a car and taking him outta doing something he really wants to do are two completely different things."
"I would like to take a twenty-minute break," the Professor said suddenly.
'Finally,' Max exclaimed as Rogue opened her eyes. 'Perhaps now you can feed something besides Charles' curiosity?' he asked.
"I need more time to contemplate the implications of this conversation," the Professor said as Rogue's attention focused back on the on their conversation.
"What implications?" Ororo asked.
"Yeah, Prof," Rogue glanced at him. "The whole point of this conversation is to get you and everyone else informed. I've been living through this stuff for months, now. So, of course it's all apparent to m-" she started to say.
"Apparent, yes, but it not because of the time that has passed. I hadn't told anyone of my discovery of the cameras. Yet as soon as I said you shouldn't go outside you instinctively knew that Magneto had set them up; who he sent, where, and why," the Professor said.
"Prof, it wasn't instinctive. I had ta think about it for a few seconds before I realized all that," Rogue said.
"Yes, but in mere seconds you deduced all of those correct conclusions. During your training with the fragment did Magneto ever bring up the topic of deductive reasoning?" he asked.
"Yeah, deductive, inductive; the differences between the two. He spend, like, two hours lecturing me on the theories of logic," she answered.
"I see," the Professor said with a nod.
"I don't," Logan exclaimed. "Would either of you two mind explaining what training you're talking about?" Logan asked; she could tell that he was trying to keep control over himself; but he was clearly annoyed with the situation.
"Eric explained some of it to ya all yesterday," Rogue said.
"That Rogue began to train under the fragment of Magneto in her mind after the incident with the rebirth machine in the Sahara," the Professor stated.
"And that's the reason he started looking into you and your past," Logan said bitterly. "I knew I shouldn't have taken you with me," he said under his breath.
"I was not letting Kurt go without me and it would've been pointless ta go without him," Rogue said.
"That's right," the Professor exclaimed as he made eye contact with Rogue. "With the capabilities of your memory you could have told us exactly where the base was. You did not need to accompany them... Rogue, why did you lie?" he asked.
"Hey, maybe Rogue couldn't do all that then-" Kitty started to protest.
"Thanks, Kitty, but Prof's right. I lied," Rogue said.
"Kid, why's you do that? You knew how dangerous it would be," Logan said.
"Exactly," Rogue exclaimed. "I wasn't about to let my little brother run off into danger. If there was even the smallest chance that ya all might have run into Magneto I couldn't have let him go without me. If something had happened to Kurt because of information I had given you; I would never forgive myself," she finished.
"Thanks Rogue, but I can take care of myself," Kurt said.
"Not against Magneto, you can't," Rogue said.
"He has made that fact quite clear," the Professor said gravely. "Rogue, I thought we had finally covered everything there was to tell about that day the last time we spoke of this. Now, I know that was not the case. Is there anything else we know?" he asked. Rogue took a deep breath.
"Hmm- could you give me a second?" she said.
"Take your time," the Professor said. Rogue leaned her head back against the chair's headrest again; closing her eyes.
'Fuck, I don't even know if anything that happened at the base is reverent anymore. We didn't destroy the rebirth machine- Right, Max?' she asked.
'Correct,' he said. Rogue let out a sigh. 'But Charles does not know that. The question is will you tell him what you can of that day or not?"
'I may not be able to tell them everything but at least I can apologize for that lie I told,' Rogue thought.
'You already did,' he pointed out.
'No, the other one,' she thought remorsefully.
'Anna, you haven't done anything wrong,' Max exclaimed. 'This a supposed to be a school. Not a training facility for future intelligence agents. It is not your job to supply Charles with information. It is his job to teach and protect you; both occupations he has thus-far failed at miserably,' Max said.
'Yeah, I know. I just,' she started to think.
'Just what, Anna?' he asked.
'Just I feel bad about it. I hate lying to them. And I don't care that I'm good at it,' she thought quickly in anticipation of his next statement.
'Then tell him; if that's what you would like to do. It is your choice to, my girl,' Max said.
"There are hm- two things I should tell you," Rogue said out loud.
"The first?" the Professor asked.
"When we were in the base, Eric didn't have his helmet on. This was after Logan had destroyed the rebirth machine and Eric was really pissed about that. And when he gets angry his control over himself flies out the window and he's capable of anything... So, I talked to him," she told him.
"What did you say to him; your exact words please?" the Professor asked. Rogue let out a sigh as she pulled up the memory.
"I thought; Magneto? Hello? Please, I know that we shouldn't of come here. I didn't mean to actually find you," she relayed. There was a gasp from Kitty. "That's the second thing. I'll explain that in a minute. I thought; I'm sorry about operation rebirth, it shouldn't been destroyed. That's when Logan cut that metal thing's head off and I fell to the ground," she said. She quickly paused the memory and skipped ahead.
"When I opened my eyesI saw Eric staring down at me. I- ah," she started to say. Her voice failing her for a moment at the look Magneto was giving her. "... I thought; we're at your mercy... please let us go... At-ah-... At first I wasn't sure he had heard me at all. It wasn't until I woke up later that I was sure. Eric had all three of us pinned to the ground; there- there were metal spears at our necks," she said gasping; she could see it in front of her.
"And ah- ...he said; it seems I have you at my mercy..." Rogue quoted in unison with her memory; his voice ringing in her mind. "Just the- just the way he was looking at me when he said it," she said panicked as she felt a shutter run down her back as she stared up into Max's eyes.
Charles Xavier watched in horror as Rogue lost control over herself; she was tremblingly; hyperventilating.
"Rogue," Kitty exclaimed as she jumped to her feet and put her hand on her back.
"Rogue, leave that memory," the Professor ordered strongly as he placed his hand on her arm. "Rogue, can you hear me?" he shouted.
"Charles, should we take her to the infirmary?" Hank asked
"Give her a moment," Charles said. "This has happene-," he started to say.
'Anna, pause that memory now,' the fragment of Magneto said strongly into Rogue's mind; and unknowingly into Charles' as well.
Charles was surprised when Rogue seemed to calm down almost instantly.
'Breath, Anna,' Magneto said as Rogue struggled to catch her breath. 'Inhale... Exhale,' Magneto coached; Charles watched as she did as he instructed. 'Again,' he ordered 'That was months ago,' the fragment reminded Rogue as Charles watched her continue to breath. 'It did not happen today. You are home. At the Xavier institute surrounded by people who care about you,' he said as Charles picked up a water bottle from the table and took the top off of it.
"Rogue, here," Charles said he brushed the water bottle up against her hand. Rogue grabbed it from him and took a large gulp.
"Is she going to be okay?" Jean asked.
"She needs a few moments to recover," Charles said.
'Keep breathing, Anna, you're doing well,' Magneto said.
"So, what was that? another flashback?" Wolverine asked.
"Yes," Charles answered. "I did not know how utterly terrified she was. If I had I never would have asked her to relive it," he said.
"He only looked at me," Rogue exclaimed as she tossed the empty water bottle onto the table. "I can handle that. I know I can. I handled it better then than I did right now," Rogue ranted. "God, I fucking hate when reliving takes this much outta me," she said annoyed before sighing.
'Anna, you need rest. Clearly, my girl, you are at your breaking point,' Max said.
"Breaking point?" Rogue repeated in disbelief. "No," she whispered barely audible.
"What is at it's breaking point?" Mr. McCoy asked.
"Nothing," the Professor said strongly. "Rogue, Magneto is wrong, please do not listen to him. You are overwhelmed," he said panicked as Rogue made eye contact with him.
"Prof, relax, I know that. That was scary as hell but it was momentary fear. I'm used to it. I just usually don't have an audience," Rogue explained. "Sorry, if I scared anyone," Rogue said as she glanced around the room.
"It's alright, Rogue," Ororo said.
'Anna, how long do you plan to ignore that dizziness. It's not healthy to neglect yourself, Anna. Wouldn't you agree, Charles?" Magneto asked.
"Huh?" Rogue asked as she glanced up at the Professor; an eye brow raised. "Prof, are ya reading my mind?" she asked.
"Of course not," he answered at once. The fragment let out a short laugh.
'And I though gray shades of morality were my specialty,' Magneto said. Rogue let out a sigh.
"Are you reading the fragment's mind?" she asked next.
"...Yes," the Professor said delicately. "Please understand-" he started to say.
"You don't have ta explain. I get it and I don't blame ya. But he's in my mind. So, reading his mind is reading mine," Rogue said. "Please, don't do it anymore?" she asked.
"Because of my suspicion, I'm afraid, I cannot promise that," he told her. Rogue sighed.
"I really don't feel like talking anymore," Rogue said dryly before she stood up. Charles' eyes widened as he watched her stumbled forward; her hands gripping the side of the table.
"Rogue, are you okay?" Kitty asked concerned her hand moving to Rogue's back.
"Yeah, I'm-" Rogue started to say as he heard her take a deep breath, "I'm just really light headed... I'll be okay; just got up too fast," she explained.
'Do I need to state the obvious, again?' Magneto asked.
"No," Rogue muttered under her breath.
'What you need, now, Anna, is to go eat something healthy. Not sugar,' Magneto said strongly. 'Something that will not cause your body to crash again in a mere few hours. Meat of some kind would be preferable.'
"I'll be okay after I eat," Rogue said as she ran a hand through her hair; taking another deep breath.
'And sleep. You need more rest after you've eaten and then once you wake you need to eat again. Or else your body will not recover from the trauma you have had to endure.' Magneto.
"Kurt, could you teleport me to the kitchen, please? I ah- I really need to go eat something," Rogue asked. "And then I need some more sleep."
"Rogue," Charles stated to protest say as Kurt stood up.
"Look, I get that you don't approve of our relationship. Half the time, I don't approve of it. But when he's right; he's fucking right. So, I'm gonna go take care of myself now," Rogue said as Kurt took hold of her arm. "Kurt?" she asked. Charles let out a sigh as he watched Kurt teleport them; Rogue, Kurt, and Kitty out of the room.
And that's it for today! I'm running late for work so I'll respond to reviews from last chapter and any I get for this chapter later tonight!
Thanks for reading!