Warning: Consequences of Wanda's actions, outbursts and confrontations. Reflections of the past, hints of things to come. This chapter also acts as a filler chapter for cannon events. Teenage tantrums and rebellious behaviour.
Dear Scarlett,
Ah'm sorry it's been a while. But Ah really need someone to talk to. Things are a little rough here. One of the girls Ah'd been asked to be friends with, well, she turned out to be someone Ah couldn't trust. We'd met before and let's say it didn't end well.
Dad and Logan have been trying to figure out my missing months. We've covered September through November, but that still leaves May through to August. They're looking into what happened after Annie attempted suicide and we left Florida.
On the plus side, things are going well with Scott. I'm still with the X-kids so we don't see much of each other in the field. The other kids are coping well though.
School will be wrapping up soon and Scott's been trying to suss out what to get for my birthday. Ah tell him not to bother but he won't drop it. It's so sweet though. Ah've kind of got mixed feelings about the whole thing. The last party Ah had was at Mom's insistence. "Just a few friends, Rogue. A few decorations and a cake."
Ah knew mom was on a low budget so I suggested we hit the dollar store, which mortally offended her.
"This is you're sixteenth birthday, the dollar store won't cut it."
Honestly, one minute she's saying we're not made of money and now she wants to blow what we have on something stupid as my birthday. Carole manages to cut through the emotion though.
"Kid, let your mom do this. She spent months not knowing if you were alive or dead. Just paste on a smile and suck it up!"
Who knew Hard-nosed Carole could be so introspective?
Well, they're not here anymore and if Ah were to answer honestly about what Ah want for my birthday, well, they wouldn't be able to fix it. So Ah'll take Carole's advice and let them waste their money on me. Honestly, the things Ah have to do for the people Ah live with...
XxX
The Professor had called Wanda in for a meeting the day after the car trouble.
"I wanted to discuss yesterday's events with you."
Wanda was instantly defensive. "It wasn't my fault her car started playing up. Serves her right for driving such a piece of..."
Charles interrupted before she could verbalise profanity. "We checked the car. There was nothing wrong with it. Cerebro also picked up your usage of power at that time. Do you have anything to say?"
She started blankly at him.
"Very well. For the next month, you will be grounded and your allowance will cease during that time. You will report to Logan and Ororo for your daily tasks."
Her eyes widened. "Daily?"
"Yes. Your actions not only endangered your own and Rogue's life but it could have ended very badly for anyone who had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
She spoke quickly. "It was quiet."
Charles gave a sigh. "Then you are fortunate, otherwise it could have been much worse. There is another matter, pertaining to an incident at a psychiatric hospital in Montana. I have made Rogue aware of the event. She asks that you give her space until she is able and willing to speak to you again. I have also made your father aware."
"What does he have to say about it? It was his fault I was there in the first place." As her voice rose in anger, so did several objects around the room. There was a knock outside the office doors.
"Professor are you alright?"
"Yes, please, stand down."
"He's the one that locked me away. He left me there. Why am I the one being punished?"
"Wanda, stop this. You must learn to control yourself!"
"What's the point? Nothing ever changes. I may as well be back in the institution. You'll never let me forget. None of you!"
The alarm triggered the rest of the team, who appeared outside the door in full fight mode. With Scott aiming his laser-beams at the handles and Logan kicking the doors in, they rushed inside.
"Jean, get her down."
Kitty and Kurt were tasked with handling the moving targets as both Charles and Jean worked to gain control of Wanda.
Rogue slipped in, nodding to Logan as Bobby created an ice-bridge, transporting her close.
Rogue only needed a second's touch of her finger to Wanda's bare arm to distract her enough for Jean and the Professor to subdue her properly while Logan pulled her away.
XxX
Rogue didn't sleep that night, she was too wound up by Wanda's memories of Professor Bones. Or rather, her own self. The Professor had been a constant figure for the rest of the patients. Quiet, considerate and completely oblivious to her own existence.
She recalled the day her mother came to claim her and feeling no attachment to the red-haired lady who appeared nervous and shaking.
She too was suffering from a loss of weight and was clearly trying to restrain herself from scaring off the vulnerable teenager.
Rogue remembered how eager the women was, how she wanted to talk. The careful way the doctors broke the news.
"Rogue, this lady is Anna Green. She's come a long way to find you."
"Why?" Came the dull response. Their eyes met briefly, hers devoid of any trace of feeling. The lady's eyes were open and honest, willing her to remember.
"She's looked for you for so long."Rogue had forgotten they weren't alone.
"Why?"Again, there was the coldness, seeping into her voice of it's own accord.
The doctor continued, passively. "You may not recall but you hold very great significance to Anna."
This was getting irritating.
"Anna is a relation of yours. Rogue. Not just any relation. She's your mother."
"Oh."
The disappointment was evident. At the same time, Anna refused to be disheartened.
"Ah know it's been a long time. You'll have questions and Ah'll answer if Ah can." She smiled kindly but there was no reaction in return.
XxX
Looking back, Rogue recalled the irritation as the woman continued to return. The visits were part of her routine along with the therapy. The woman wanted to know if she had friends, if she had questions. Anna grew upset after hearing what the nickname her daughter had been given was.
"Ah've put weight on, but Ah'm still skinny. Doctors say Ah still have a way to go. But Ah keep throwing up."
"We did have you tested for allergies, before..." The words escaped before she could stop them.
"Before what?"
"You were unwell for a while." She stopped herself from going further.
"Whose we? You said we?"
"Ah guess Ah meant me."
Somehow that answer didn't satisfy.
XxX
The scene changed as she watched the mother and daughter reconnect, which meant that soon she'd be abandoned once more.
It wasn't fair!
Where was her happy ending?
Why did Rogue get to have a family and she didn't?
She avoided them both, quietly stewing her temper. Nursing her hatred and projecting her loss.
Rogue came to say good-bye.
"She's taking me home now. It's all arranged. If you want, we could..."
Wanda snarled. "What? We could write? And say what? Another day locked up while you get to live your life?"
"Ah'm sorry..."
"Shut up, you're lying to me. Why does everyone lie?"
"Ah have never lied to you Wanda!"
"You think your precious mother will let you be friends with me? You aren't going anywhere. I won't let you."
The table aimed straight for the side of her chair, knocking her out, but she grasped the handles. The attacks continued as she yelled until her face and body collided with the floor. She was dazed but aware of cables being pulled out of the wall. The light above was flickering and someone was pounding on the wall.
She felt the cords travel under her t-shirt, up her side and caress her neck before pulling tighter. Her limbs were frozen still, not from her injuries but by something else. Her breath grew ragged and there was a pain in her chest before all went dark.
XxX
She woke mid-panic attack to find that her father had been called for. Kitty had left the room to sleep elsewhere leaving the two to talk. Charles had installed psychic blocks surrounding the room the ensure anonymity.
"Are you alright?"
It was such a passive comment with mountains of logic and reasoning behind it.
"She really didn't want me to leave her. She'd rather Ah be dead."
"Wanda is a very troubled young person. But I will not attempt to excuse her behaviour to you. My concern is for you."
Rogue shrugged and looked away. "Ah don't know what you want me to say."
"I'd rather you tell me the truth, even if you think it may hurt."
Those words were all Rogue needed to hear to let the word vomit enshew. All the feelings she's garnered over the previous weeks came pouring out. All the red flags and things she tried to ignore. "Ah feel betrayed. Not just by Wanda but by, by myself."
"Why is that?"
"Ah've always tried to do the right thing. Not judge people before Ah know them, you know? Yet somehow that same policy isn't applied to me. Ah've had feelings about people, not premonitions but bad vibes or good vibes. However, every time Ah try to ignore it for the sake of social expectation, it blows up in my face. Ah didn't remember Wanda but she remembered me. She took advantage for whatever reason. Ah want to be mad but Ah'm just so tired of feeling this way. Ah hate thinking Ah could run into someone Ah knew once and for whatever bull-shit reason, we're no longer talking. Ah'm done with not knowing what happened to me. Ah'm just done."
"I understand it's frustrating..."
"Do you really? Or are you just saying that to be diplomatic? Ah'm tired of second-guessing people. Ah wish Ah could take people as they come but Ah can't. Ah'm tired of being something Ah'm not and Ah'm tired of feeling shamed for it."
XxX
Rogue was in the library, pouring over maps downloaded from school. Some of the younger ones tried to engage her but they were ignored.
"We start in Florida, then moved to, where? Then Ah'm found in Montana? But that's the other side of the country?"
Her head was throbbing and it was getting late in the evening. The words and pictures were all growing blurry.
"Curfew's coming up."
She couldn't tell who spoke and didn't acknowledge whoever it was standing in their doorway. She stretched her muscles reluctantly and replaced the books she'd been using.
Kitty was already in bed by the time Rogue reached the room.
"Are you ok?"
Rogue looked up, puzzled. "Hm?"
"You know, after everything?"
Rogue shook her head before deliberately crashing on her bed.
Wanda was removed from the institute after their confrontation. The Professor was disappointed. He never liked to admit defeat but he had to consider the safety of his students. He wanted to send Wanda to another facility he'd found that was in the know about Mutants, but Magneto had stepped in and sent her back to the Brotherhood.
The two men had been locked together for several hours, discussing past events. Neither were willing to wave a white flag or apologise.
It was a disappointing meeting.
XxX
With Wanda gone, Rogue was able to return to active duty. She had never been more focused nor team-orientated since her arrival.
In her spare time, she opted for one-on-one sessions with Charles, who was determined to help her piece together the truth. His efforts continued to meet with resistance and he began to fear the answers would only be in Montana.
Meanwhile, there were several incidents that needed their attention.
Magneto had been developing a new home for mutants, far from Earth and the persecution he'd always feared would occur. He 'invited' members of the Brotherhood to battle the X-Men for a place on 'Asteroid M'. Rogue had been one of the 'lucky' ones along with several members of the Acolytes. They didn't need to earn their place. Theirs was already guaranteed from being discovered by Magneto.
Despite Magneto's magnificent offer, the X-Men were forced to decline, so he placed them under sedation, until the 'losers' were able to establish a rescue party and bring them home.
Magneto had created a machine, meant to advance mutant DNA. He'd had already reached his potential but during a scuffle, which saw Mystique fall into the machine, her powers were amplified.
Up until now, Logan had always been able to detect her presence. He would soon find that things had changed.
XxX
The next adventure involved a public attempt to 'out' the existence of mutants. Perhaps it was the lengths Magneto had gone to; to keep them safe, but the Brotherhood suffered a mixed ideal that they deserved to be out in the open. Their setting of choice: Bayville High School at the last girl's soccer match of the season, at the end of the school year.
The Professor had been able to wipe the memories of the people present and a magnetic current blocked the live footage.
It had been too close and the X-Men were made all too aware of the necessity of anonymity.
XxX
It was the weekend and Rogue was desperate to leave the mansion. Scott and Jean had signed up for extra tutorials, which annoyed Rogue greatly as Saturdays used to be their day!
"I'm sorry Rogue, but I need to get this done. Can we reschedule?"
She wanted to stomp her foot and demand they go together, but she couldn't bear the thought of Pretty Prom Queen Jean seeing her actions as 'childish'. Rogue was used to living in her head most days but since she began living with not just one but two telepaths? That became impossible. It was bad enough getting a raised eyebrow from her father when her projection had been too loud, but it was worse getting one from Jean.
Especially when she offered her help!
Outwardly, she told Scott, "No worries sugah. Don't work too hard, ya hear?"
She kissed her gloved fingers and placed them on his lips, smiling as he reddened slightly, before walking away. Just because their skin couldn't touch didn't mean she couldn't flirt in other ways!
While the other kids were enjoying the pool and letting off steam in the only way they could, Rogue took the short trip to town and her favourite coffee hang out. She opted to kill a couple of hours with a slice of cake and a good book, unaware that someone had caught sight of her and made up his mind to approach her.
Rogue was deep in the midst of her book when she sensed a shadow looming over her. Logan's training helped her stabilise the flight or flight reaction. She was in a public setting, the scent of coffee was almost overpowering and surely if someone meant to attack, they would do so sneakily? She forced herself to control her heartbeat, before looking up and into the eyes of Piotr Rasputin.
XxX
Since the 'Asteroid M' debacle, the Acolytes had been keeping a low profile, so it was odd when one of the most diligent members of the team hadn't returned to the base before now.
John opted to investigate and because there was nothing else for him to do, Remy LeBeau tagged along.
As the newest member of the team, he had heard reports about the 'Rogue' mutant that had been expelled from Magneto's team and had beef with the boss-man's daughter, Wanda. That girl had been hounding the base for word about Magneto, who was currently incognito, until the time came where she was expelled from Xavier's.
That in itself was a feat worth hearing about but no-one was talking, at least not to him.
So, he was surprised to catch sight of their missing team-mate, leaving one of the town's theatres and heading for a local steakhouse.
"There ain't no way I'm missing out on a decent meal!" John raced after the two, Remy following in his wake.
Rogue and Piotr were waiting to be seated when the other two appeared and Piotr turned to face them.
He was the first to speak. "What are you doing here?"
John tutted, dramatically. "That's nice, first you abandon us for your girlfriend and now you're trying to stiff us out of a steak?"
The girl turned and Gambit came face to face with the girl he'd encountered recently in battle, handing her a charged card. He could tell that d'fille remembered him and hid his grin at the way she turned her back on him.
"You're dating an X-Man?" John continued to speak.
"No, it's not a date." That was a very firm negative from Piotr, Remy thought. Perhaps there was something there to know.
"We're getting dinner, that's all?" Now d'fille deigned to talk! Her sweet southern drawl was a welcome change from the steely Russian and casual Australian he'd had to get used to since moving North.
"How many to sit?" The waiter had returned and his attention was firmly focused on Rogue.
When Rogue answered with two, John answered with four. "You guys don't mind do you? Unless you want to be alone?"
There was no way to stop them from joining their table and soon, Rogue was sat in the middle of John and Piotr, directly across from Gambit. While the men ordered their steaks, she ordered a burger, earning a few comments from John.
"I like a girl who knows how to eat." He continued to stare at her. Remy was tempted to smack him on the head but was too interested to see how this was going.
She parried. "Well, Ah know my limits." And hoped that that was the end. Of course, it wasn't.
"You shouldn't be ashamed. There's nothing attractive about a skinny girl. Nothing to hold onto." He winked at her.
"Well, don't think you're holding onto me. Unless you want a repeat of last time?"
If she was hoping to shame him, than she was wrong. John was well beyond identifying with something like shame. It provided him with too many restrictions. "Aww c'mon girl, that was ages ago. I bet you've got more control now."
Rogue felt herself shiver in suspected revulsion.
Piotr had seen the movement and had had enough of John's behaviour. He rarely dated but even he knew it wasn't a positive sign when your prospective partner was physically disgusted by you. "Leave her alone, she is not one of your hooking ups."
Three pairs of eyes stared back at him confusedly.
Remy frowned, raising an eyebrow. "Do you mean hook ups?"
Piotr nodded. "Yes, that is what I mean. " He turned to John. "Besides, I think you are in danger of, robbing cradle?"
John stiffened, his mood fading. "How old are you, girl?" He may be many things but he wasn't a paedophile. It pleased him that he had some standards.
Rogue rolled her eyes. "The name is Rogue and Ah'm sixteen. Also, Ah'm not interested."
He grinned. "You say that now darlin'."
Rogue shook her head. "Never."
The waiter arrived with their food and during the course of their time there, Gambit noticed how very attentive the waiter was to d'fille. He asked repeatedly if she needed a refill, neglecting the other people at the table. When dinner was over and it was time to go, he asked if everything was alright with their food. Again his comments were aimed at Rogue.
"It was great thanks. It's just Ah'm a little disappointed."
"Oh, why?"
"Because Ah wanted to try the fudge and cookie dough brownie but Ah'm full."
"I can get it in a to-go box for you?" Remy felt sorry for d'homme. He was clearly infatuated and d'fille was either taking advantage or completely oblivious.
Either way, she smiled. "Oh would you? That would be great. Can we also get the bill?"
She looked back to see three pairs of eyes on her. "What?"
Remy snorted. "Nice how you handled that poor waiter."
Rogue frowned. "What do you mean?"
"He obviously liked you, why do you think he kept on coming back?"
"Erm, he was doing his job?"
Remy grinned, leaning in closer. "So why would he ignore us?"
Rogue shook her head. "You're imagining it."
They settled the bill and Rogue walked out triumphantly with her box and a wave to the waiter. While Piotr saw her back to her car, she asked, "So, do you want to meet up again, this time without the body-guards?"
Piotr paused. "Maybe we should leave things a while?"
Rogue sighed. "If that's what you want."
"If we see each other too often, they will talk."
Rogue couldn't help but feel disappointed. "And you care?" Piotr was a good person to know.
"No, but if word gets back to Magneto?"
That made her think. "Do you think he'll hurt your family?"
"Maybe, if he thinks I need a lesson."
She threw her arms around him, finding it funny that he was so much taller than her. "Then alright, but stay in touch Piotr. Ah don't want to lose a friend over this."
"Nor I."
She gave him a brief hug before getting into her car and driving off, reaching the institute in time for curfew. The Professor was just leaving his office when she stepped through the door, aware that Logan was also in the vicinity.
"Ah, there you are. Did you have a good time?"
She grinned. "Ah did thanks. We went to see Doctor Zhivago and had dinner."
"Whose we?" She should have known Logan would jump on that!
"Piotr Rasputin." She looked both men straight in the eye.
Charles was naturally surprised."Rogue?" He knew they'd been friendly and while he wouldn't want to forbid her from making attachments, he still held the right to be concerned.
Logan took the more direct approach. He had caught the whiff of nicotine and was disappointed. "Since when do you smoke kid?"
"Ah don't smoke." She couldn't help but feel defensive.
"No? Well care to explain why you stink of nicotine?"
"That must be one of the others. Before you ask, Ah didn't plan to see anyone today. Ah met up with Piotr accidentally and then we decided to go for dinner because we were both starving and Pyro and Gambit were behind us in the queue. They asked if Piotr and Ah were dating, which we're not, and they joined us because there was no reason not to."
She'd used their 'code' names to create a layer of distance, an idle thought that Charles picked up on. But he would talk to her about that later.
By now the others had heard the raised voices and were curious. Scott found he did not like the company she kept. He'd been feeling bad that he had to break their usual routine and had been thinking about how to make it up to her. Now to hear she had spent her day with the Acolytes?
"Why would you chose to spend time with them? Or have you forgotten Asteroid M?"
Rogue frowned. "No, Ah haven't forgotten. Ah haven't forgotten that some of us were held captive while you almost joined the darkside."
He felt the venom of her attack and rallied, "Do you know how irresponsible you're being? What if one of them attacked you?"
She shrugged. "Well they didn't."
"You shouldn't be associating with them, they're dangerous."
"I'm allowed friends Scott and besides, they don't spend their lives plotting how to attack or provoke us. They need to make a life for themselves, too you know."
"So now you're defending them?"
"Piotr was good to me when Ah was at Magneto's. He can't help the situation he's in and why is it that you yell at me for spending time with someone who's not an X-men, yet others don't warrant such attention. You know what? Screw you!"
Charles had been debating when to interfere. "That's enough. All of you, go to your rooms. Rogue, we will discuss this in the morning."
"Discuss what? Ah spent a day with my friend, big deal! Ah bet you wouldn't give anyone else this much hassle if they did the same." She was thinking of Kitty and Lance but refrained from stating the fact, not wanting to throw shade on her friend.
She pushed past Scott and stormed to her room, any remnant of joy she'd felt that day disappeared. She slammed the door behind and felt great satisfaction at the noise it made. She threw herself on the bed.