Warning: Emotional manipulation, curtesy of Mystique, taken from 'Rogue Recruit.'

Rogue was having an awful night.

After escaping from the school hall and the people that would have torn her to shreds if they could, she ran through the streets, cutting across roads, ignoring cars and ripping her dress from the numerous obstacles blocking her way to her destination.

As she ran, she lost all consciousness of who she was. She was no longer Rogue, the outcast, the vulnerable. She was Cody Parker, heading home in such of familiar surroundings.

She stopped outside a house, similar to the one she shared with Irene. The layout wasn't the same as she entered a room at the front. There were so many trophies for various sports and posters from several different bands. Photo albums provided the answer. A lifetime highlighting the key moments in the boy's life. That was when she saw it. The photo of Cody and a girl with auburn hair and strange white stripes. The confusion had come full circle. She was the girl in the photo. But how could that be when her head was filled with other memories. Fights with her brother, training sessions in the rain, slipping and sliding in the mud. Realising that pull of attraction to the pale girl with auburn hair and white bangs. Landing that creep a well-earned broken nose. Learning the same girl's schedule, just so he could get to know her, see if the attraction was mutual. Finding it was, building a rock-solid relationship, then taking the next step. Despite his prowess on the field, he was as shy and humble as corn pone and it was only his feelings for Rogue that gave him the strength to act on his feelings...

And now he was in the hospital.

The door opened, revealing a grim figure in a weird outfit. Claws extended from his hands as he approached her, ready to attack. There was nothing she could fight him with, the trophies were out of reach and she was still in her white dress. Her attacker mentioned something about the X-Men. Who were they? What were they? She stumbled back and recalled the heels she had brought to wear with her outfit. They were higher than she would normally go with, but they had looked so good and made her height more of a match for Cody's six foot plus hulk. She pulled them off her foot and braced them in front of her face. The creep had the audacity to laugh at her for trying to protect herself and a dull sense of anger overtook the fear. She welded the heels as a weapon, the heels making contact with her assailant's face.

He howled and she felt victorious, thinking to herself, 'I hope I made him bleed'. She didn't notice his arms spread out as she ran past him, taking advantage of his distraction and not noticing that his claws had penetrated her arms, sending claw-marks deep through her skin. She ran downstairs, narrowly missing the other figure, laying in wait for her. This one was female with long white hair. Not that the hair colour mattered. Lord knows, she'd received much grief about her hair colour from stupid idiots who had nothing better to do. The point was, the lady was holding something in her hand, prepared to strike. She barely made it out of the house before there was a minor explosion. She felt sorry for the Parker family. They had barely completed renovation work and not their front door was missing, all because of her.

XxX

The adrenalin she'd been surviving on had finally expired as she ran down the alleyways and back streets, all knowledge of safety precautions vanished. It was then she noticed the bleeding and how her beautiful dress was ruined.

"Ah'm definitely not getting mah deposit back."

She took a moment to lean against the wall, fathering her breath and trying to restore the air into her lungs. It wasn't easy when all she wanted to do was collapse and all she could smell was the metallic scent of her own blood. She half wondered if this was where they would find her. She hoped that death would be quick, she'd had enough lingering tragedy...

"Rogue!"

She heard someone call her name. The voice was too familiar to be her attackers. She looked up and saw Irene stand over her, her arm out-stretched and welcoming. Whatever their arguments and different opinions, Irene would look out for her. She rose to her feet, her tights ruined from the running and the less than hygienic streets.

"I have a friend who will help you. I'll take you to her now."

She spied the car and knew the danger was over. Finally, she'd be able to rest and make sense of her situation. Finally, someone would be able to answer her questions and perhaps offer comfort. She'd soon be able to forget this night in its entirety.

As she approached the car, she heard footstep heading her way. The assailants had returned. Was there no where safe, anymore? Was she destined to keep running from her troubles?

There was no time to get in the car, so she turned heel and began to run. Her body ached and her feet protested as she pressed on, jumping fences with more agility than she'd ever previously demonstrated.

She took a breath in the garden as she evaluated her next move, but it was too much to hope that she would be left alone. She was their target. The blue one was talking to her about being in her shoes, not understanding what was going on or who she was. His words were sinking in, her mind slowly comprehending that he didn't want to attack her. But then one of the others pounced, making his words superfluous.

"Kitty, no!"

The girl had her pinned to the floor but she used the memory of some wrestling moves to knock her off. They had to of come from Cody. Not only did he play football, but he was also on the school wrestling team. That had been one of the things that had brought them together. A mutual passion for high-adrenalin sports...She pulled herself up but her arm came into contact with the blue fuzzy one. Once again, she felt him spasm and collapse, only this time, she had the knowledge of who the assailants were. Somehow, she left the garden, only to appear in a cemetery. She stopped herself crashing to the floor and ending up a permanent resident by visualising a new place to appear.

She was slowly understanding that her skin had the ability to take from people their memories and abilities, before leaving them in an unconscious state. She was a thief of the worst kind. No wonder those people were after her. No doubt they wanted her contained before she could hurt anyone else and...

There was someone else in the cemetery. She raked her brain for the identity. Jean Grey, One of the X-Men. Like the blue boy, Kurt, she used honeyed tones to get her to comply. Was that the strategy? Lull her into trusting them before the man pounced again. Well no, not again.

She ran into one of the mausoleums but another was in there, he wasn't so patient. Scott Summers smashed the carvings, throwing the pieces at her. She didn't see the stairs leading out and lost her footing. They were there again, Jean and that woman with white hair.

"Are you hurt? We can help."

Her bare skin touched the older woman's arms and once again she felt the rush of power. She floated into the air, her mixed emotions manipulating the weather as her mind tried to break down what was happening to her. The woman had clearly been more powerful and she was finding it difficult to keep calm.

All she wanted was to escape.

She closed her eyes briefly, disappearing from view, thus ending the sudden storm and leaving the cemetery in ruins.

Again, Irene was there for her and helped her calm down enough to pack and leave with Raven, unaware that the man had caught onto Raven's scent. It explained the girl's changing reactions and the X-Men were sure they would have another chance.

XxX