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Taunting Repartee
Chapter Seventy- One:
Rogue, Emma and Charles sat in the infirmary.
"That should just about do it," Emma said as she and the Professor exited Rogue's mind. "If there are any other issues, you should be able to help her," Emma said turning to look at the Professor. "But don't hesitate to call if you need my help. These are my techniques, after all, " she said to Rogue.
"I'll go see about a room for you and Mr. Creed to sleep in," the Professor said.
"Professor Xavier, you're letting us spend the night in your home. Please call us Emma and Graydon," she said with smile. The Professor returned her smile.
"I'll see about that room, Emma," the professor said.
"Thank you," Emma said a little flirtatiously as Rogue watched Emma watch the Professor leave the room.
"Emma?" Rogue asked with a raised eyebrow at Emma's prolong stare.
"I love Graydon, obviously and I don't want to be with anyone else besides him, but let just say... you not the only one capable of appreciating a piece of hot old man ass when it makes it's way into my line of slight," Emma smirked.
"Emma," Rogue exclaimed. Emma let out a laugh. "God, that's gross," Rogue exclaimed.
"How? Magneto is far older than he is," Emma said.
"Cause Prof's like an uncle to me," Rogue exclaimed as Emma laughed.
"I'm still trying to get over how big you're gotten," Emma laughed. "First time I saw you, you were eleven years old, in that little green dress, and those pig tails," she smiled.
"Oh god," Rogue laughed. "Worst Thanksgivings day ever," Rogue said.
"That's the sad truth," Emma agreed. "Although, I got a few that almost rival that day with my parents," she added.
"Yeah," Rogue sighed. "The day after thanksgiving day, wasn't that bad. I had fun, till I had to go home," Rogue smiled.
"I'm really glad I was able to do that for you," Emma said.
"Me too," Rogue said. "Thanks, for that and for this. Helping fix me," Rogue said.
"What's family for, darling?" Emma asked with a slight smile. Rogue smiled at that.
"I am sorry about the things I said while Max was holding me captive. I was just angry all the time-" Rogue started to say.
"Rogue, you don't have to apologize," Emma started to say.
"It's just, I said we would never be friends. We were already friends. How many times did I come up to New York to see you and Gray?" Rogue asked.
"No nearly enough," Emma said sadly.
"I got away as often as Irene would tolerate it," Rogue said.
"Three day trips once every year and half was not enough," Emma said strongly. "We hardly had time to get to know each other and every time we saw you so were much older. Growing up. That woman was holding you in isolation in Mississippi," Emma said.
"I know that now," Rogue said sadly as she cast her gaze down. What had she gone: a whole twenty minutes without thinking about her?
"...Magneto filled us in on a few things regarding Irene," Emma told her.
"I figured, when Dad told me you guys were gonna be here today," Rogue said. Emma nodded.
"How are you dealing, with all of that?" Emma asked. Rogue took a deep breath.
"I'm scared... all the time. I'm gonna do exactly what she wants me to do. What other choice to I have? I can't let Jubilee die," Rogue said, as tears formed in her eyes. "And I haven't been sleeping well. There's like the tiniest chance I might be pregnant," Rogue said laughing. "Fuck, it sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?" she asked.
"How far along could you be?" Emma asked concerned as he placed her hand on Rogue's stomach.
"Less than two months," Rogue said: a little surprised Emma was touching her. Emma closed her eyes for a second: concentrating.
"I'm not sure how long it takes for the little brain to develop, but as of right now, there is nothing going on in there. No brain waves of any kind," Emma said.
"Really?" Rogue asked. Emma nodded. "Mr. McCoy said he'll know by tomorrow," Rogue said as Emma took her hand off of her stomach.
"It's going to be okay," Emma said. "The chance that you are," Emma said.
"I know, it's really small, but it's the chance. If I am, I need to start planning, like now," Rogue exclaimed.
"Anna, darling," Emma said shaking her head. "You can't plan for everything," she said.
"I can try," Rogue said strongly as she held Emma's gaze. After a moment Rogue let out a deep breath. "I need to get some sleep," Rogue said. "The boys still in the kitchen?" she asked.
"Yes," Emma answered.
"I can show you where that is," Rogue said.
"I'm sure I'll be able to find it," Emma said. "That boy of mine, you're brother. I can sense him miles away. A few sub-levels is no issue," she said. 'Is there anything else, you want to talk about?' Emma asked.
"Emma, I can't talk like that," Rogue said quickly: her eyes getting wide.
"We just were before, with Charles," Emma said.
"That was different, it was fixing an issue in my mind. There was no way around being in my mind," Rogue said he breath coming fast.
"And you expect Irene to know the different? How could she?" Emma asked.
"Cause I told her," Rogue admitted. Rogue watched Emma's eyes widen with curiosity.
"When?" Emma asked.
"Earlier, before we got started," Rogue said.
"When you went to the bathroom," Emma realized.
"Yeah," Rogue nodded. "I told her, just out loud. She's always watching me, so I knew she would hear me. Or she already knew without me having to tell her, so it wouldn't matter. Just protecting myself," Rogue said.
"You're scared to death of her," Emma realized: Rogue looked up at her wide eyed.
"Everything thing that has ever happened to me, has only happened with her approval. Everything. Every place I've ever been. Every person I've ever been raised by. She's not even close to being done with me. Everything is leading up to some plan of hers, that she expects me to play a certain role in that plan. And if I don't, she's made it clear she will kill people till I say yes and do whatever she wants. She watches me all the time with her powers form the past. I have no idea how far back. For all I know she could've been holding me as a baby while she watched Juggernaut break my arm, bleeding within a inch of my life, so Magneto would agree to the truce."
"I don't know. How do you beat that? How do escape from that? How do you escape from that kind of destiny?" Rogue asked. "All I have is planning, and the people around me, supporting me, saying everything's gonna be okay. And it's good to hear, but I'm fighting just to keep myself form completely giving up hope. I don't know how much longer and I can do this-" Rogue said before she gasped, her phone ringing.
"Give that to me," Emma said strongly as she grabbed the phone off of the table before Rogue could. Emma quickly put the phone to her ear, answering it. "Hello?" Emma asked. "Irene?" she asked.
"Hello, Emma," Rogue heard Irene's voice come out of the phone. "Put my daughter on the phone," Irene said strongly.
"She's not your daughter, she's your captive. There is a huge difference. And you can't talk to her right now. I'm guessing you heard every word we just said to each other. So, I'm sure you understand the effect your tactics are having on her. My guess, also, is that whatever it you're planing you need more from Rogue than a mind broken with fear to suit your ends. So, you are going to give her some breathing room. No much, of course. We don't expect miracles. She'll learn the languages because she's not a cold hardened bitch. But you're going to let her get a good night sleep for once. Not because I said so, but because you see exactly what I'm seeing from her, and you know that's what you need to do to insure the investment you've been manipulating for the last seventeen years makes it year eighteen," Emma said.
"Are you done?" Irene asked dryly.
"Yes," Emma said her eyes narrowing.
"Then put my daughter on the phone," she repeated darkly.
"Emma, give me the phone, please," Rogue begged. "Before she comes here," Rogue said in a panic as she reached out for the phone. Emma reluctantly gave Rogue the phone. Rogue quickly put the phone to her ear. God, how was Irene going to make her pay for Emma's words? She closed her eyes as she said, "Hi, Irene." Rogue's whole body was shaking in fear.
"Rogue, honey," Irene said gently. "Take a deep breath, okay," Irene said.
"What?" Rogue asked confused: as her eyes snapped open.
"A deep breath, I want you to take one," Irene repeated: her tone sounded more kind than it had since she had started contacting her again. Rogue wasn't sure how to handle that. Irene had been nothing by cruel to her since- But now...
"O- okay," Rogue said before she did what Irene asked: her breath hyperventilating as she did so.
"A little slower, use the technique Storm taught you. Those seems to work," Irene said. Rogue closed her eyes as she held the phone to her ear. It took a few a moments but she gained a little bit of control back over her breathing. "Better?" Irene asked.
"A little," Rogue answered.
"Good," Irene said. "Because now I want you to listen to me very carefully, understood?" she asked.
"Yes," Rogue said nodding: having no idea what Irene could possibly say next. She braced herself.
"...You're doing a good job," Irene said. Rogue took a deep breath, hardly believing her ears.
"What?" she asked, confused.
"You're doing a good job," Irene repeated. "It's been less than a week and already you've completed reading one of the dictionaries I gave you, and multiple intro lessons on both of the languages I've assigned you. Not an easy task, considering you're still going to school full time. You've been utilizing nearly every second of your day and those around you to better ensure that you can study as much as humanly possible. I'm actually impressed with your efforts," Irene said.
"You're further along than I thought you would be at this point. Magneto did a better job teaching you stratagems than I thought he was going to. Which is why I want you to slow down, a little," she added quickly. "Not a lot," she said sternly. "You can get some more sleep at night. You can eat a meal without reading every second of it. Keeping reading on the way back and forth from school. It makes no sense for you to sit there and just stare out the window, like you used to," Irene said.
"Okay," Rogue said.
"If you slow down too much, I'll let you know," Irene said warningly.
"Over the phone?" Rogue asked.
"You're being as cooperative with my demands as I could expect you to be, I see no reason to come there in person as long as you continue to obey me," Irene said.
"Okay," Rogue said: her mind racing: processing all of what Irene had just said.
"Good night, Rogue," Irene said.
"Wait," she exclaimed. "Irene?" Rogue asked before she could stop herself.
"Yes?" Irene asked.
"Is Raven waking up tomorrow?" Rogue asked slowly.
"Where I am, it's already tomorrow," Irene said.
"She's already awake," Rogue said.
"Yes," Irene confirmed.
"I'm not the only one you have to manipulate in order for your plans to work, am I?" Rogue asked.
"You already knew that, Rogue and no that fact hasn't changed. It's a very big world we live in. Lots of moving parts, many paths that can be taken," Irene said.
"... You said I wasn't gonna be able to do this," Rogue said.
"I said you couldn't manipulate me, which you can't," Irene said strongly. "But you can ask me questions and I may or may not answer you," Irene said.
"I can call out for you, like I just did today, and you'll answer me?" Rogue asked.
"...Understand, that I am not at your beck and call," Irene said sternly, before she let out an annoyed sigh. "But I know you won't ask unless it's important. Yes, I'll call if you ask me to," Irene answered.
"Okay," Rogue said nodding. "Okay, I think that's- yeah that's. That's enough control for me, for now. I don't- the world doesn't feel like it's spinning out of my control anymore... Okay... Thank you," Rogue said nodding: feeling just a little bite safer.
"Rogue," Irene said.
"Yeah- I mean, yes," she corrected quickly.
"I didn't tell you anything tonight, that I didn't want to tell you," Irene said strongly.
"I understand," Rogue said. "I just- nothing's changed- I just, I feel better about it, that's all. I feel better," Rogue said.
"That's why I called," Irene said. Rogue's eyes widened.
"But- I did better than you expected," she said confused, out loud before she could stop herself. "Your omnipresent. I'm not suppose to be able to take you by surprise. No one is," Rogue said: as her mind continuing to race: she felt like she was on the verge of something. This whole conversation she had had that feeling.
"Either you lied about that, or your powers have limits... Everyone has limits," Rogue whispered. Rogue let out a deep breath as her eyes widened. "Magneto taught me stratagems better than-" she started to repeat. "I never left Jerchio that week. Only person in or out was Pietro who had a key. He brought enough food to last us the for the week. He only came once. Magneto and I never left. That was when I really- … You have no idea how much of the emergence was mine or Magneto's idea, do you?" she asked Irene as her heart raced. Irene didn't respond.
"You had access to me planning out the truce, but writing out a contract and commanding over thirty people, influencing the future of mutant-human relations: it's completely different. You knew what the outcome would be, but not how we got there. It was the right step towards what you're planning, so you let it go and you assumed, to be safe, that Magneto did the majority of the planning. And then you pushed me as hard as you thought you needed to, to get me to the level you wanted me at. And I surprised you," Rogue finished: hardly believing the words that came out of her mouth.
"If you didn't want me to know that you had- No, you already told you have limits. That's why I can't hide my conversations, because the metal works. Not just against Agatha, against you too. You can't see into a room shielded by it. At first, I wasn't sure if it was just a scare tactic to keep me on edge. It was, but it wasn't. It- it wasn't a buff, like I thought it might be. In order for you to access my progress from afar you need me to adhere to those rules," Rogue said. "You still need me to," Rogue muttered.
"You're still going to," Irene said strongly: her tone losing all patients.
"For now," Rogue said. "Yes, of course, I am," Rogue said.
"... Good night, Rogue," Irene said.
"Good night, Irene," Rogue said before the line went dead. Rogue closed the phone, she closed her eyes for a moment as she caught her breath.
"Rogue?" Emma asked.
"I'm okay," Rogue said quickly. She opened her eyes. "The rules, they got a little clearer," Rogue said.
"The rules," Emma repeated. "Like the one's you and Magneto had?" she asked.
"Have," Rogue corrected. "We have a whole document of our rules written up. I'm the one who wrote them," Rogue told her. "With Irene, I don't write the rules, any of them. She does, she has complete control. I understand that," Rogue said a little louder, to Irene. "That's what's so terrifying. Not know why a rule is in effect. If it's a buff- if it's not. But it just got a little clearer, a little less frightening," Rogue smiled. "The more I understand, the better chance I stand against her. Of course, right now nothings really changed. I still have to do exactly what she wants me to, if I don't want Jubilee hurt. Which, I don't, so I will," Rogue said before she took a deep breath. "I'm gonna go get some sleep," Rogue said as she stood up.
"Alright," Emma said.
"Thanks, Emma," Rogue said with a smile. "That conversation needed to happen. I'm not sure if it would have if you haven't taken the phone. Thanks," Rogue said.
"Any time, darling," Emma said before Rogue left the room.
Marigab: Thanks! I had way to much fun writing that scene! And Awww! That sounds so cute, about your daughter! Next chapter, you'll know, I promise! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!
RogueBHS: Thanks! The same thing happen to me when I was kid. I walked in on my mom in the middle of the night. In her defense, her door was locked and blocked but I got it open anyway, cause I was a determined little kid who just had a nightmare. But that imagine stayed with me for a while. Not fun. I wouldn't go on her bed for a while after that. I thought I would use it. It seemed to fit well and add to Rogue's character and the back story of the Creed Family history :). I'm really glad you're enjoying the fic! Thanks for all the favorite-ing! :)
Ophelia 193 and GreenRogue: Thanks! I had way too much fun writing that part of the chapter! I hope you both enjoyed this chapter too! :)
AngelPaint07: You got it! Another update! Thanks for the review! I'm really glad you're enjoying the fic! And yes, you will see more of Kurt and Gray bonding! :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!
Now it time I cook lunch and take more medicine and then let's see if I can get chapter 72 written today or tomorrow :)