X-Men: Revolution

by J.HunterFiction

Kurt once made his way to the Real World and learned that up there life he knew was a cartoon. Right now he's back to Evo in the company of 2 individuals and has to re-live every single episode. As expected, knowing the future can be a heavy burden and a great responsibility. Established KurtxOC, slow burn chaos theory. Rating T/M depending on the chapter.

23. 9 - Survival of the Fittest - 3 of 3

Author's Note: I haven't updated anything on FF for a LONG time (over 4 years for this story alone), so BEWARE. I have changed a lot in the earlier chapters and haven't reuploaded the new versions. But mostly what changes is when things happen (moving plot from one episode to another, one month to another etc.), so it's alright to keep reading without revisiting previous episodes anyway. To be more up-to-date go to /jenhunter :)

Now, this chapter is a bonus, meaning it has little to do with plot as a whole, but it does have a lot of character development and I'm happy with how it turned out. It's long (almost 16k words!), but I didn't want to split it into parts since it's a bonus. Enjoy~!

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Episode 9.0

Survival of the Fittest

BONUS: The Camp

"Is everybody ready to go?" Ororo asked, descending into the main hall, where all of the students gathered with their hiking backpacks huddled on the floor between them. Mostly everyone had smiles on their faces, even Kitty brightened up since the camp was supposed to be under Storm's supervision. Sure, the weather witch was strict when she needed to be, but there would be a lot more fun and less fighting for your life than with Logan, no doubt about it.

The woman urged everyone up and out of the building, to where the Van was parked. The chatting group swarmed around to load their backpacks into the trunk. The only person stalling was Rogue. The girl watched others without eagerness before finally heaving her own luggage down the marble staircase, in the back of her mind she cursed the Professor for not allowing her to stay behind.

Her backpack was the last item to fit into the trunk, then she hopped in the back door of the car. The spacious, special-task land cruiser felt very crowded with eight people in it, even though it didn't exceed its supposed capacity. But Rogue didn't like confined spaces, where she didn't have enough room to stay out of touch with others, and her knee brushing against Evan's every now and then made her tick.

"Can ya stop stirrin' like a two-year-old, Porcupine?" she groaned finally.

Daniels, who was leaning towards the middle row, shifted back unsure what he did to deserve her anger, but he became more mindful of his movements from then on.

The goth rolled her eyes and curled up against the tinted window, looking out at the farmlands they were passing. Even from here, she could tell that the light pouring from the sky brought intense heat that she wasn't equipped to deal with out in the open, without AC or being able to get half-naked like the rest of the lot.

She looked down at her long sleeves, long pants and leather gloves in comparison to the shorts and tank tops everyone else in the car was wearing. In weather like this she wished she could wear a summer-appropriate outfit like that without running the hazard of rendering her teammates unconscious and having to deal with their nasty thoughts.

She doubted she wants to know what most of them have going on in their heads.

About forty minutes later they pulled up at the foot of a rising slope covered finely by trees. "From here on, we hike" Monroe informed them, killing the engine and stepping out of the car first. Everyone followed along and Scott handed everyone their backpack as he unloaded them from the trunk.

Being the last to put her's in, Rogue also was the first to receive it back, and as soon as she did, she maneuvered her way out of the group to wait in the shade of the trees a dozen feet away. After a moment of buzzing around the vehicle, everyone headed towards her and followed Ororo as she guided them onto a narrow, wild path up the gentle mountainside. With a heavy sigh, she followed behind the chatting group.

The views in the forest would have been enjoyable, hadn't she been too preoccupied with the annoying heat and the unpleasant perspective of having to deal with it constantly throughout the trip. At least no one tried to pull her into the conversation.

That joy only lasted for so long, because a few minutes into the hike, Evan fell back behind the group and waited for her. She slowed down, pretending to adjust the straps of her heavy camping backpack, hoping he wouldn't have the guts to stall long enough for her to catch up. He had.

"Hey, Rogue, why don't you join everyone up front?" he asked in an upbeat voice that nearly made her roll her eyes.

"Ah'm good here" she responded in a near mutter.

Evan nodded slightly, agreeing not to push her on this matter. He didn't however get enough of a hint from this to return to the rest of the group and leave her alone; he continued to walk alongside her.

"I wasn't too happy when I heard about the camp at first" he picked up again. "We weren't supposed to bring any gaming devices and you can't really skate here either" he shrugged with a grimace at the inconvenience. "But I can't deny, you don't get sights like this in the city."

Unenthusiastically the girl followed his gaze towards the bright green treetops and patches of sunlight seeping in between their thick branches, golden beams swaying gently with the leaves. Further to their right, down the slope, there was a wide landscape of forests and wild fields untouched by men, under the endless dome of a baby blue sky with just specks of white, fluffy clouds. It could be charming if she was comfortable enough to think about it that way. But right now all she could see was a sea of heat and useless, stuffy summer breeze.

Turning away from the view she noticed Evan looking at her as if expecting her to express her appreciation of the view, which she ignored.

"Not your kinda thing either, huh?" he asked with a sigh.

She responded with a noncommittal grunt.

xXx

Soon enough they reached a slopped, grass clearing that overlooked a lake a couple dozen feet further down. Near the treeline, there was a patch of bare dirt with a bunch of rocks in the middle, surrounded by three thick logs, a sure sign that someone set up a campfire there at some point.

Ororo waited for Rogue and Evan to catch up with the rest of the group before she informed them that they would be reusing the space for their own camping ground.

"We have five tents, as you probably already know, so you'll be paired up" she told them. As a few hands lifted even so slightly to ask a question, she added; "I'll be deciding on how to split everyone."

The teens' hands fell back limp along their bodies.

"Alright" Monroe turned to her nephew first; "Evan, you're with Scott. Forge and Kurt, you're together. Kitty and Jean too. Fallen and Rogue, that leaves you two in the last one."

"Um… Auntie O., there were supposed to be five tents."

"Yes, Evan, and since we're in uneven numbers, I get to have the last one for myself as your instructor" the woman smirked at the group at large as some of them grimaced at not being able to get the same benefit, or at least choose their 'tentmate'. "Plaster smiles back on those faces and get down to setting up your tents, go on!" she waved her hands at them.

xXx

"Man, how am I not getting any instructor benefits myself?" Forge asked as they forced the folded material of their future tent out of its tight bag.

"You don't, you know… instruct enough?" Kurt shrugged with a smirk as he threw aside the empty bag and picked up the instructions. "But at least you have the best roomie available on the market!"

"Damn right I do" Forge grinned and high-fived the younger boy before snatching the folded instructions from his hand. "But I'm the brains here, you go pick up that bendy thing over there" he looked from the first picture to a piece of discarded plastic on the ground.

xXx

"I'm so glad that we're together!" Kitty beamed over the large sheet of material that she held straight for Jean to slip what she called the 'skeleton' of their tent into designed pockets. "I don't hate Rogue but she can be totally difficult to deal with. I so envy that you get to have a room alone at the Institute!"

Jean just smiled at her and picked up the instructions again before moving on to the next step, while Pryde just continued to chatter away.

xXx

Four tents away the aforementioned goth grimaced as the peg she tried to shove into the ground hit a rock and she needed to readjust it for the second time. "Campin' is annoyin'" she muttered.

"Have you ever camped before?" Fallen asked as she got up from another peg and moved on to the third one.

"Nah."

"Well, it could be useful to know everything about it there is" Harris said, her eyes on the peg. "Just a fair advice regarding the future."

Rogue rolled her eyes.

xXx

"This pole goes in there" Scott said picking up a long piece of plastic from the ground.

Evan groaned and took the pole from him. "Yes, I realize. Look, just because I'm a city kid doesn't mean I don't know how to set up a stupid tent."

"I'm just trying to keep us organized!" the taller boy responded with frustration.

"No, Scott, you're trying to be a leader, but this is not the time" Daniels responded, now reaching for a rigid pole and inserting it in the correct place without waiting for another unhelpful cue.

xXx

Ororo was the only one working alone on her tent, but she wasn't far behind the others and was nearly done by the time anyone was free to offer help. Evan, Rogue and Forge started moving into their new 'homes' - rolling out sleeping bags and pulling out other stuff from their backpacks; Scott and Kurt decided to gather dry sticks for a campfire and headed off to the edge of woods; Jean and Kitty went down to the shore to check out the lake up close.

Meanwhile Fallen approached Ororo when the woman was already finishing off the last peg of her tent.

"Have you or the Professor heard anything from Mr Logan?" she asked.

"Not for a month" Monroe responded, the softness of her face draining to be replaced by concern and disapproval directed at the absent man.

Harris grimaced slightly. "I hope it won't turn out that me telling him all those things was a mistake" she said in a voice low enough that Ororo wasn't certain she was even being addressed.

Nonetheless, she responded as she straightened up. "It's not about whether you should or shouldn't have told him, but rather about how he chose to deal with it" Monroe regarded the finished tent briefly before shifting her eyes to the teen. "His past has already been done. Knowing about it doesn't change what has already happened. I can only wish he'd learn to focus on this angle."

xXx

With or without powers, most any teen group's first activity when staying over at a lake is the same. This peculiar group was no exception and as soon as they'd settled down, everyone headed for the sandy shore of the lake and stripped down to their swimwear.

Everyone except one.

Rogue remained in her zip-up hoodie, with sleeves folded up just ever so slightly and almost meeting the top of the gloves. She did remove her sneakers but remained in the skin-tight pants that reached halfway down her calves. She stood for a moment at the back of the shallow beach watching things unfold; Evan and Kurt racing to the water, Fallen and Forge close behind, Kitty rubbing sunscreen over Jean's back, Scott following along into the water but with about half the enthusiasm the two boys already there had expressed.

And she was just an outsider looking in through an impenetrable pane of an invisible barrier. The barrier of caution. Sure, she could strip down and go into the water, but she could already feel an internalized panic attack build in her chest at the mere thought of anyone coming within 10 feet of her when the vast majority of her skin is exposed like that. Even the unbearable heat she was experiencing with those clothes on was better than having to feel that fear.

She noticed Ms Monroe watching her, the woman's blue eyes seemed to analyze her closer than the teen would like to be analyzed. It's like she knew what was going through her head, but knew better than to make her talk about it.

She picked up her sneakers and the book she placed on top of them, and with that in her hands, she moved into the shade of the nearest trees and made herself comfortable there. A dozen minutes later she was immersed in the story and not the thoughts of the heat and exclusion.

xXx

"Fallen!"

"What is it?" the girl looked into the water where only Kurt's head peeked above the surface.

"Come!"

"What for? I just got out" she was indeed just trying to squeeze water out of her hair.

"I'm bored."

Harris looked behind him at Evan, Jean, Scott and Kitty who played some kind of made-up version of volleyball. "Play with them. I want to dry out and stay on the shore. Had enough salt water in my lungs for the day."

"Fallen" he said again, now his voice pleading.

"You're bored, come with me, and let's play some cards."

"I'd like to remind you that fur attracts sun and it's hot enough without it. I'm not leaving the water until sunset. You come here. Or else."

"Or else what?" she cocked her head with a smirk.

"Or else I come out just to teleport you back in here with me. Might forget to teleport your swimsuit along so you can't leave again."

"I'll parade butt-naked right out of this lake if you do."

"I wouldn't mind seeing that" he stated.

"How do you feel about others seeing that as well?" she nodded her head towards the rest of the group, yet she started to move towards the water. Kurt's serious face broke into a smile as she approached. "Oh don't be so joyful, I'm only coming to drown your furry ass for threatening me."

Wagner stood up and started to back off cautiously, although his lips were still curved in a smile. He accidentally backed himself against a large rock sitting along the shore where the water was waist-deep. Fallen caught up to him there and placed both her hands on the warm stone, trapping him in between.

Her brows curved in disapproval. "Don't dare threaten me again."

He was still smiling like a dork. "Don't pretend to be mad."

An uncontrollable smirk quivered on her lips. "Deal" and she sealed it by leaning in for a kiss. After a moment as they broke apart, she asked in a more concerned tone. "Now, what's up?"

Kurt wasn't even remotely surprised that she knew something was 'up'. Whether she read it in his voice or his eyes when he declared to be bored, she already knew there was some underlying motive and everything from that point was just teasing.

He just ever so slightly motioned with his head back to the shore, to his adopted sister geared up in beach-inappropriate clothing and leaning over a book.

"I guess that tendency to melt in the sun runs in the family" Fallen said low.

"Yeah, except I feel comfortable cooling off in the water, and she's denying herself even that much" Kurt responded with genuine concern.

"Out of concern for others."

"Still."

xXx

When the sun set, everyone - exhausted from the hike and time spent in the water - retreated back to their tents to rest. But she strolled to the shore and climbed the stones on the shore and sat down, facing the lake. She set down her gloves on its surface; it was still radiating warmth from the many hours of absorbing the heat of the sun. Although she already traded her trademark black, leather gloves for a pair of much thinner, more breathable ones, the extra layer still proved too much for the weather. She reached down to splash her palms in the lukewarm water and wash off the day's worth of sweat.

Her thin zip-up hoodie followed shortly, joining the gloves on the stone and leaving her in only a tank top, with her arms finally exposed to the refreshing breeze of the late, summer evening. She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy it and perhaps forget, if only for the moment, that those safety measures that keep her overheated all the time since warm weather began, need to be back in place. Not only for tomorrow but also for the rest of her life.

Somehow the hardest part of it all was that no one could relate to or understand her, they all had the freedom to play with their friends, even if with the necessity of wearing glasses or being careful about sneezing, in case they shot a spike through someone's eye. But they all had a degree of control or relatively easy ways of keeping those issues in check. She, on the other hand, couldn't maintain a healthy relationship with anyone, not without even being able to shake a bare hand or hug with genuine emotion instead of analyzing every inch of contact.

She took a deep breath, trying to forget about it for a moment and focus on this moment when she can feel the breeze caress her skin, when she can let it breathe with her instead of suffocating in confinement.

The sky was beautiful. Dark, and clear. Stars shone brightly without the city lights, the Milky Way stretched from the mountains across the lake, and the moon was a thin curve among it all but it reflected brightly in the black water.

Looking into the endless depth of shimmering lights and impenetrable darkness above her head made even her own problems seem so small and insignificant. For some, it might be disconcerting, to feel so small, but she found comfort in the idea that there are things bigger than this pitiful planet.

xXx

"So what do you want to do about Rouge?" Fallen asked as she walked beside Kurt through the forest path. After the night had fallen the world seemed even quieter - birds' singing was replaced by cicadas' soft cries, and the wind was gentle in the crowns of trees above them. Even their steps were a light whisper against the ground as they circled back to the camp.

"I'm not sure" the boy's response was soft, and his pale eyes were absent as he genuinely tried to come up with a solution to an unsolvable problem. "Maybe the best we can do is help her relax and feel safe doing so."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm really not sure" he said again, this time sighing. "All I know is that she's in a dark place and I don't want her to keep fighting the light."

"The beauty of nature brought one hell of a poet out of you" Fallen scoffed before nodding more seriously. Kurt looked to where she motioned, down on the shore. Rogue's back was exposed to them against the shimmering water. Even seeing her from afar, just sitting there on the rock, made her look lonely and secluded. Looking down at the shore, Harris whispered: "Go on ahead, pull her out of that darkness."

"I don't know if I can."

"Try. Being someone who always lived in the darkness, you learned to carry your own light. And that light affects people close to you" she squeezed his hand tighter, letting him know how true it was for her. "I believe that all you need to do is make sure she allows herself close enough to let it reach her."

For a moment Kurt was silent, weighing her words against the less-optimistic scenarios in his head. But eventually, he averted his eyes from the southerner and gave Fallen a small nod. He kissed her goodnight before letting go of her hand. "See you in the morning?"

"Sweet dreams, Kurt. And good luck" she smiled slightly at him before moving towards the empty tent she was supposed to share with Rogue.

Wagner watched her disappear behind the flap before taking a deep breath and heading down to the shore slowly. He didn't know what he was going to do. He always thought himself a poor choice for serious situations - he didn't know the things to say and always ended up laughing nervously at some bad joke he made, trying to ease the tension. When he couldn't make a joke out of something or someone didn't receive that coping mechanism very well, he felt like he came into a conversation empty-handed.

Maybe he could get a laugh with Rogue but he knew it wouldn't change anything for her, not long-term anyway. He knew, after all - he used to be the same way.

"Taking a breather?" he asked softly when he was a dozen feet behind the girl.

She shifted in surprise before turning her head towards him, only enough to catch a glimpse. Looking taken off guard, she grabbed the gloves and hoodie that lay beside her. "So much for that breather" she scoffed.

"Don't bother putting all that on" Kurt shook his head slightly as he approached her and gracefully settled down two feet away. Seeing the girl's gaze stilled on the items in consideration, he added; "I promise not to disturb your personal space."

"Already kind of have" she said, but her voice was soft and her hands returned to her legs, leaving the 'armor' where it lay.

Wagner smiled half-heartedly at her, even though she wasn't looking back at him. "But maybe that's a good thing."

Only now she did look at his face, her dark eyebrow arched critically.

Resisting the impulse to reach out to her shoulder, the German continued; "Maybe you need to expand your comfort zones. Let yourself be comfortable."

"My discomfort is there for y'all safety" she stated harshly. "If I relax it's all it takes for a tragedy."

"I think you need-"

"Do NOT tell me that I need to change mah approach" she frowned angrily. "I've heard enough of that since I'm at Xavier's. Don't you think I'd want to be able to live a normal life?" she shifted gesturing in frustration. "To goof off like it's a fucking kindergarten? To strip off to the bare minimum in this damn hot weather? To have guys being stupid-ass jerks being my worst issue with dating?!" she got up.

"Rogue" Kurt slowly followed suit, trying to soothe her. "I'm not trying to deny that you struggle more than most of us. That's not my point…"

"Then what is, huh?" she crossed her bare arms on her chest. "What could ya possibly have to say to make it any better, huh?

"You take one step forward and fall two steps back. Trust me, I know how it feels. When despite all your attempts you feel yourself getting further and further away from the end of what feels like a nightmare. Something like this should end, you tell yourself, this loneliness can't be real. At some point, someone, sometime, will understand you. Really understand. It has to be. Nightmares always end. And then you begin to believe that no, sometimes they don't. But they really do. You just need to pull through until dawn, until there's a way to control this, and I'm sure - one way or another there will be a way" he said solemnly. "A hand to hold is often all we need to avoid getting lost in the darkness."

Her shoulders lowered and the harshness of her expression softened. "Why are ya telling me this?"

"Because like it or not, we're family. And as your big brother-"

"I'm older than y-"

"Don't argue with that. As your big brother, I won't let you make your life more difficult than it already is by design. I'm here for you, Rogue" he looked her in the eyes with a promise in his own. "Always will be. And maybe I can't do that much but you need to remember that you don't have to do this alone."

For a moment the girl seemed to digest and struggle with everything he said. Eventually, she sighed with defeat and let her arms fall limp at her sides.

"How am I supposed not to feel alone? I'm trapped in mah own skin."

"Tell me about it. It's hard to see but some limits we set up by ourselves."

She shifted her green eyes to him, almost sheepish. "What do ya mean?"

"Like this camp, for example" he smiled at her gently. "You act like you're here with some random kids from school and you need to take all the precautions you can take not to use your powers on them. But all that gear you're wearing isn't necessary" he gestured to the calf-length legging she still had on and the long-sleeved hoodie that laid at their feet with her gloves. "All of us know about your powers. Half the weight of staying safe is off your shoulders, and on ours, your friends" he placed a palm flat on his chest.

Rogue exhaled slowly as she considered his words. But then her attention shifted to Kurt, with confusion as he proceeded to remove his t-shirt, leaving him in swimming shorts. "What the fuck ya doin'?"

"Challenging my sister to a game of midnight valleyball" he smirked before slipping off the stone and - with a soft splash - into the water below. "Come on" he moved a few steps back and gestured for her to follow.

She watched him like he lost all his marbles.

He offered her a genuine, understanding smile. "You've been burning up all day and never gave yourself the chance to cool off in the water with all of us. Time to catch up" he gestured with his fingers again. "Come on in."

She still stared at him, eyebrows arched high up her forehead.

Wagner sighed softly. "One-on-one volleyball is a non-contact game. You're not taking any risks, I promise."

At last, she nodded slightly. She would happily get rid of the feeling of heat on her skin that was present there throughout the day and still remained, as if the temperature penetrated her body all the way to her bones that now continued to radiate outward.

She removed her tank top and leggings, and replaced them with the rest of her clothing. Now, only wearing the swimsuit, she slipped down into the water. She expected it to be cold, but it was the perfect temperature to cool off, yet not get cold. She sighed in relief as she crouched down to let it cover her all the way to her neck.

"This is amazin'" she said.

"Then don't deny yourself that tomorrow" Kurt told her. She seemed uncertain. "Being careful doesn't need to mean staying on the shore in a winter outfit."

Before she had the chance to tell him off, the boy disappeared, vacuuming a bit of surrounding water along with him. A few short seconds later he reappeared with a ball in his hands.

"I believe you know how to play?"

xXx

"Verdammt-!" was all Kurt managed to say before splashing into water with his full body as he tried to receive the ball.

Rogue laughed at the boy's failed attempt.

"Aaand I think I won" she stated once he resurfaced and struggled through the water towards the ball that drifted away.

"Good thing I didn't propose a bet on this game" Wagner scoffed. "I didn't think you'd have much experience in volleyball."

Rogue not only knew how to play, but she was pretty good at it, too. And Kurt's inherent speed and coordination could only help him so much with the water slowing him down.

"It's not experience, it's all the pent-up anger" she shrugged. "And trust me when I say I have plenty."

"No doubt" he admitted with a smile on his face, one that was reflected on the pale girl's own face too. And she too, was surprised to feel herself smiling back.

"...You're a good brother, Kurt."

It was something new on her lips, but it felt genuine, even if with a sad note in her voice. Yet the sad smile on her lips was more than she was used to these days, but it lasted only for so long before her face fell and she shifted her eyes towards the night sky for a moment before shifting back down.

"You saw the future, Kurt" she said low. "Tell me… Did I ever… learn to control it? Is that what you meant earlier?" she stared down at her bare palm. Her milky skin seemed to radiate in the moonlight, and for the first time she thought that the way she was pale reminded her of the vampires she so loved to read about. "Sucking the life out of people… will it stop?"

"You're not sucking the life out of people, only borrowing their memories and so on" Kurt responded softly.

"Because I let go. What if I didn't? If I held onto them long enough" her eyes sparkled as she moved through the water. "A long handshake is all it would take."

Or a hug. Or a kiss.

She always read novels that romanticized misery, but there was nothing romantic about her own.

She rested her back at the foot of the stone she previously sat on and once again lifted her eyes to the sky. She could hear Kurt move towards her, he stopped beside the stone as well.

"I haven't gone far enough into the future to know" he said softly. "But what I do know is that in some other… 'versions'... of our lives, you did gain control of your powers, eventually."

She looked at him immediately. "Really? Or are ya just sayin' that to make meh feel better?"

He shifted his eyes to her with a sad smile. "If I wanted to just make you feel better, I would just tell you it happens, wouldn't I? But all I can tell you is that there's a chance that this story we're living right now is one of those where you get rid of the gloves one day."

Rogue slowly turned her face back to the dark lake, absently watching the horizon.

"For now, this hope… might just be enough for me."

xXx

When Rogue headed back to her tent she was both: slightly uplifted and anxious. Now she had something to look forward to - a future where she has hope of a normal life, with her powers under control. But there was also this possibility that the future is not one meant for her and will never come.

It was kind of difficult to grasp the fact that Kurt knew facts from different versions of their world. What did it mean for her? How big is the chance that those facts will be true for their own reality? This hope was the kind of vulnerability that could as well be most painful when it's shattered.

By the moment she started doubting if she should hold on to that hope in the first place.

She needed to sleep on this.

She entered her tent to find her temporary 'roommate' still awake. Fallen watched her like she knew about the thoughts in her head and awaited a conclusion. Of course, she must have known Kurt went to talk to her and maybe had some idea about what was said between him and her. But nonetheless Rogue wasn't going to discuss any of it with her.

And the brunette didn't ask. It seemed as if after a reasonable moment of silence she realized Rogue doesn't want to talk about it, so she resumed reading her book. The older girl respected her for it. Kitty would have given it at least a few attempts before she'd stop bothering her. It was nice to - for a change - have a roommate that doesn't try to strike up a conversation when it's uncalled for.

She changed from the wet swimsuit, covering herself with a towel, although Fallen kept her eyes respectfully on the book anyway. Already in a two-piece outfit, she brought instead of PJs, Rogue settled into her sleeping bag, her back turned to the brunette who switched to a small flashlight to read, so as not to disturb her.

"...Goodnight" Rogue whispered.

"...Goodnight" Harris responded softly.

xXx

At least one more day of fun is to be described here but I don't have any specifics in mind, so I'm open to your ideas. Other than that, I'll try to put something together on my own and update this chapter sometime in the future. Maybe someone gets lost in the woods alone? Evan, and Rogue is annoyed about it.

xXx

"When did you last wet your bed?" Evan asked.

Pryde pursed her lips and shifted a little. "I don't know, when I was like, four."

Daniels squinted at her as if assessing her answer before giving a small nod of approval. "You get a pass."

The brunette now took the turn to spin an empty bottle. It was the second evening of their camp and everyone decided to play some Truth or Dare to kill time; Evan suggested it was a great way to get to know one another better, and he was backed up by everyone but Rogue, who merely didn't resist the idea. Except the idea was reduced to Truth or Truth for convenience.

"When was your first kiss and with whom?" Kitty asked when the bottle landed on Forge, who chuckled with slight embarrassment.

"First year of college- yeah, I know, don't laugh- with a girl my friend set me up with."

"Were you that not into the whole thing that a pal needed to interfere?" Evan teased.

Jonathon shifted with a grimace. "I liked the idea of having a girlfriend, but I didn't want to- um, date? Way too much hustle."

"Okay, Casanova. Spin the bottle" Jean urged with a hearty smile.

The bottle pointed to Fallen.

"How old are you really?" Silvercloud asked. "Including the years you've lost due to time travel."

"Don't you know?" she asked.

"I never asked how old you were in the first place, so…"

"Um, okay, hold on" the girl thought for a moment. "I would have turned 20 a few months ago."

"You're older than all of us then" Kitty gasped.

"And he's almost 5 years older than me" Harris pointed her thumb at Wagner who waved at everyone in response. "So he's the grandpa."

"Hey!" Kurt protested. "I'm not!"

Next up was Evan. "I don't know… Your biggest fear?" Fallen asked.

"Eeeh… I have this thing about snakes" Daniels admitted. "If I see one, you can be sure I run the other way before you even manage to tell me if it's a fake."

Soft laughter came from around the circle.

xXx

Ororo watched the scene with a soft smile that started to grow sadder.

Right now it was as if they were just a group of ordinary friends chatting and laughing by the campfire, and she almost regretted knowing beforehand that they were fated to face extreme hardships and be forced to mature even faster than they already have. But they were foretold about the war in which their faces would be representing the entire species that the rest of the world will wage war upon from fear of the Formidable Unknown. She was, in a way, proud of them for deciding to stay regardless, and be the voice of those not granted a chance to speak, but at the same time she feared they might not yet realize the burden they would need to shoulder in order to do that.

A low beeping noise drew her attention away from the cheerful teenagers and to the new-gen communicator slightly sticking out of her pocket. She pulled it out to see it flashing a message from Logan; *It's a good view at the bay*.

For a brief second, she squinted in confusion, before looking around - particularly behind her. Indeed, a stocky, dark shape of a man was drawn against the shimmering water. With a soft, almost sad smile, she stood up and headed away from the oblivious teenagers. By the time she was fifteen feet away from the newcomer the chatter behind her became barely a murmur, almost entirely drowned out by cicadas and low splashing of the swaying water.

"Thought ya could use a lil' break from the kids" the man's hoarse voice was softened by a sympathetic scoff as he cranked his neck to look at her. "Musta been a pain in the arse to babysit them this long, huh?"

She looked back at the animate group huddled in the warm glow a few dozen feet into the forest. "I've been quite enjoying myself, if you can believe that" even as she said that Ororo's soft smile remained stained with the gore thoughts of how fragile and short-lived this serenity is.

"It takes a certain kinda person to feel that way I guess" Logan scoffed, but as he looked past her at the teens, a smirk played his lips in a way that, if you knew him - and she did - spoke for how much he truly cares for these kids.

"Do you ever wish it could stay this way?"

"What way?"

"Just…" at a loss for words, she turned sideways and gazed towards the teenagers. "Calm. The Institute being just a boarding school, us being just staff members, kids being just… Kids. Not soldiers in the making."

He looked at the profile of her face, and for a moment just absorbed the sheer beauty of her features; even the slight frown of uncertainty was adding up to it in a way. Finally he responded; "We can't stand back and let 'em kill off all mutants one by one. That's what'd happen if we're not prepared to risk our necks."

"Yes… I certainly realize that" she said in a clearer tone before resuming the soft, what-if tone. "But don't you WISH good kids like them didn't need to be a part of it?"

For a moment the grayish blue of Logan's eyes bore into the sky blue of Ororo's own, still transfixed on the teenagers. Then he just looked towards the lake with a deep, slow breath. "What we wish don't matter. Won't change a thin'."

"I know it doesn't change anything" she turned her face to him at last, a sharp frown forming in an instant. "That's a fact. But that's not what I want to hear from you."

"Then what do ya want to hear, 'Ro?" the man asked, meeting her eyes.

"I want to hear that you care. About them, about this whole thing. I want to hear that you're a part of it" she said intensely. The man's gaze drifted away from her again, his eyes moving along the opposite shore aimlessly. He dipped his head. "A nod? Is that all you can afford after being gone for weeks? You're more often absent than present, I would rather call you a guest than a resident at this point, leave alone someone they can rely on" she vaguely gestured towards the campfire. "Or any of us for that matter."

Outbursts of laughter occasionally carried all the way to the shore, but the group remained oblivious to them. For a lingering moment the man watched the teenagers in the distance, before finally responding in a lowered voice; "I'll be 'round more now."

"Oh will you? You're not going to disappear for weeks in another few days?" Monroe arched her brow skeptically.

"Nah" the shorter man met her eyes again. "Think I'm done for a while."

The frown turned into slightest puzzlement on the woman's face. "Does it mean you found what you were looking for?" a note of curiosity colored her voice.

He inclined his head ever so slightly. "A bunch of it. 'Nough for time bein'."

xXx

Next up in the game of Truth or Truth, was Kurt.

"How much control do you really have over your tail?" Evan asked.

With a thoughtful expression, Wagner used the spade of his tail to draw a nearly perfect circle in the sand and proceeded to put an 'X' inside of it. "It's pretty precise if I put my mind to it" he said looking down at what he was doing on the ground. "But the rest of the time it does its own thing, basically. Kind of like your hands sometimes? You can consciously choose not to do anything, or hold them up, use them to operate a device in your hands, but when you're not thinking about it they kind of know what to do on their own, swinging on your sides when you walk or something."

Daniels nodded his approval and everyone else found the answer satisfactory as well.

Next was Scott.

After a moment of hesitation, Kurt asked: "How did you discover your abilities?"

"It wasn't hard to notice that things I look at blow up."

The German shook his head. "No, I mean, under what circumstances?"

Summers gave a deep sigh before responding. "I ended up at a hospital with a terrible headache, my eyeballs feeling like they're going to melt. And then I blew a hole through all the floors, all the way to the roof."

Pryde, Daniels and Rogue all raised their eyebrows, they never knew that fact.

Next up, Rogue.

Perhaps inspired by the question he received, Scott asked: "What scares you the most about your ability? I imagine there's plenty to make you worried about. But does anything stand out to you?"

When the southern girl responded, her voice was faint; "...Hurting people who mean a lot to me."

Nobody made a sound for a moment, and it was Rogue herself who had to break the silence by spinning the bottle.

Next up, was Jean.

"What's the worst situation that your mutations put you in?"

It was clear that Jean didn't need to think twice to know the answer, but for a moment it seemed like she struggled against herself to say it out loud. But then, she did: "Being inside my friend's head the moment she died. Professor Xavier and my parents put me in therapy for the few following years."

Aside from a short gasp from Kitty, the silence was even deeper than that after Rogue's response.

"...Sorry for asking" Rogue said low.

"No, that's fine" Jean forced a brief smile, but then she figured that there was no point in trying. She brought her knees closer and wrapped her arms around them. "It messed me up for a while, but... I'm alright now, so don't worry, guys."

Scott put a hand on her back, but before he said anything he noticed two figures approaching from beyond the flame. Ororo was to be expected, but the company she was with caused him to get up.

"Mr Logan" he said with slight surprise.

Everyone instantly turned to look at the Canadian, their expressions not unlike their leader's. Kitty's face lit up and she bounced to her feet, wrapping her slender arms around the man's broad neck. "Mr Logan, you're back!"

Fallen looked at Ororo who returned the gaze and tipped her head ever so slightly.

"So much for fun and games" Evan said low Kurt.

"Where have you been for so long?" Scott asked.

"Doesn't matter. What matters is that ya'll been sittin' on yer butts throughout this camp and that's not what a camp is, not in my book" the man arched a brow at them although a small smirk played on his lips.

"Told ya" Daniels nodded at Wagner.

"If I were ya I'd get my butt back in the tents and rest while I can" Logan crossed his arms. "Tomorrow's not goin' to be all chasing rainbows an' pickin' flowers anymore."

A collective groan was in some cases colored with smiles. In Fallen's case, particularly, it was only a smile as she got up with everyone and moved toward her tent.

"What are you smiling about?" Forge asked walking beside her with Kurt.

She shrugged. "I'm just glad he's back. And I honestly feel the need to resume training."

"Why are you such an overachiever?"

"She always is" Kurt smirked.

"I have to" she told them. "Don't you get it? I'm the only one here without a power to help fend for myself and others. I need to be on top of my game and train my ass off to learn anything I can. I still have a long way to go, and there isn't much time before we enter the front line of a literal World War. So… Goodnight, guys" she said, gave Kurt a peck, and went to her tent.

xXx

Fallen's motivation showed at dawn the following day, as she strode at the front of the group, preceded only by Wolverine himself as he led them up the mountain.

"I'm surprised he's following an actual trail instead of sending us straight through the woods" Kitty said low to Jean.

"Not for long, Halfpint" Logan commented, hearing it regardless of the distance.

Certainly, after another mile or so, the man stirred them off the mountain trail and headed up a steeper slope. As they followed, the teenagers often had to grab onto trees for support. At last, they came up on a flatter area where the man pointed out two sides of the mountain and said they'd be split into two groups, each climbing one side.

"You get to decide for yourselves how you split."

"That's new" Jean said with her brow slightly arched and a smirk on her lips.

"Yeah, consider it making up for being absent a while" Logan smirked at his students.

"Wait, is this an apology?" Evan's eyes widened.

"It's as close to one as y'all ever get from me. Now, I want to see two groups of four, don't slack off or I'll change my mind 'about givin' ya a say in it."

Fallen approached Kurt with a smile. "Been a while since we got to work together."

Wagner only had time to respond with a smile before Forge popped in between them. "So, guys, adopt me?"

"You've got it" the German patted his arm.

"We need one more then" Silvercloud said, looking towards the rest of the group.

"Ja" Kurt said, his eyes already trained on one person, standing just a little to the side of everyone else. "Hey, Rogue!" she looked at him. "You wanna join us?"

The southerner looked at the others. Jean and Scott immediately formed a union, Kitty followed Jean, and Evan was just walking in their direction. She exhaled and headed towards Wagner and the other two.

"Don't have much of a choice, do Ah?"

"From this point on, it's a race to the top of the mountain" Logan informed everyone. "Storm is waitin' for you there, so don't even think about cheatin'. The entire team must make it to claim victory."

"What's the prize?" Evan asked.

"You'll be excused from a trainin' that loser team will get up for tomorrow, at dawn."

Everyone exchanged looks. The stakes are high.

Jean and Kurt's teams looked at them inquiringly, but before anyone said anything, Wolverine added; "Did I mention, no powers allowed?"

xXx

"Isn't it annoying that you could take us to the top in a few seconds, but instead we have to walk?" Forge asked, falling a step behind Kurt.

Wagner turned his eyes from the top of the trees to the older friend with a serene look on his face. "Who's annoyed? I'm not annoyed" he smiled. "I missed being in the woods."

"Shouldn't we go faster?" Rogue asked, uncertain.

"It's a 3 to 4 hour climb that will get more difficult as we go, we need to have some energy remaining by the end of it" Fallen responded, "I guess" she added under her breath, fighting her own anxiety to go faster and order her teammates into a jog. At this point, it was more like a sightseeing trip than a race.

xXx

Around an hour in it stopped being so pleasant, as the trees and grass were replaced by stone and sand, the sky gradually darkened and little droplets started to appear on the ground, only to turn into actual downpour before their eyes. Kurt bailed first, teleporting himself into a narrow dent in the mountainside where he was safe from getting wet. Fallen and Forge quickly joined him, leaving only Rogue looking uncomfortably at the narrow space.

"Come on, ya're supposed to be superheroes, an' yet you hide from a little rain?" she looked them up and down critically.

"I hate getting my fur wet with rain" Kurt defended his choice.

"Maybe it will pass in just a moment" Forge called out from the nook. "Come on, get off the rain before you're completely soaked!"

Rogue once again eyed the narrow space beside them and decidedly remained in her spot.

That was when it clicked for Kurt, and he understood why out there in the rain feels more comfortable for his sister. There wasn't much hesitation before he stepped out into the rain and joined her, looking back at the two of his best friends.

"She's right, guys" he called out to them through the humm of the downpour. "We have a race to win. Let's do that."

xXx

"I'm so disappointed with myself sometimes" Fallen said as she leveled with Kurt.

"What? Why?"

"I was trying so hard to stop myself from forcing my obsession with being the best on you three and making you climb in the rain, that it took Rogue taking the lead for it to dawn on me why she wouldn't want to hide in the nook with us" the girl explained, looking at the back of the said girl as she walked a few good paces ahead of them. "You knew immediately."

Kurt snorted with sad amusement. "Blame it on sibling instinct."

"You're not actually blood-related."

"Doesn't matter."

After a moment, he added:

"Or you know what? Scratch that. Blame it on the rule of: it takes one to know one. I was pro at staying clear of running the risk of any physical contact."

Fallen smirked. "Yeah. Physical contact is gross."

"Absolutely. Like kissing, who would ever want to do that?

"Right. And sex? Ew."

"I would never."

"Dully noted."

Wagner snorted.

xXx

"How much further is this?" Forge sounded like he's left his lungs about half a mile down the mountain.

Wagner took a few steps back for him, put one arm around his shoulder and pointed up. "See that tip of this big rock we're climbing?"

"You're hilarious" Silvercloud rolled his eyes before proceeding with another feat of coughing.

It was still raining, although slightly less than before and the sun came out, making everything around them seem to sparkle, rather than be covered in wet fog that still hung near the foot of the mountain. Fallen was just admiring that view when she heard an uncharacteristic shriek from where Rogue was, and she only managed to turn around quickly enough to see the girl slipped and was about to take a couple dozen-foot fall onto rough rocks. And she would have surely not survived if Kurt's reflexes weren't better than that - Wagner immediately found himself at the top of the rock shelf, his hand shooting out to grab his sister.

He managed to lock his fingers around her wrist, she grabbed him back on instinct and the motion swung her painfully into the natural wall, but the few bruises were far better than the alternative fate.

Closely followed by Forge, Fallen was already on her way up to them as Kurt tried to pull the girl back up, and for a moment she was confused at the kind of odd scream that drew from both of their throats. Until she was close enough to see Kurt's fingers were firmly locked not around the cuff of the girl's glove, but over bare skin just below it.

"Shit" she muttered, falling to her knees beside Wagner and - careful to grab the gloved part of the girl's other hand helped pull her up, as both of the other two were barely able to maintain the hold of each other. As soon as Rogue was back on the safe ground the siblings let go, falling away from each other.

Fallen grabbed Kurt's arm, helping him stay in a sitting position as he breathed heavily, clearly shocked, his heart pounding so much you could almost see it through his chest. Forge wanted to leave them to it and run straight past them to Rogue, who looked to be in a very similar state, but as soon as he approached she let out a suffocated scream and crawled back. Confused, he wanted to approach her more gently now, but he felt a hand grab his wrist and looked back to see Kurt - still on the ground and unable to breathe properly, the boy just shook his head left and right at him, panting.

"Don't" he croaked.

Rogue was looking at them confused, but fearful, her eyes jumping between them, the surroundings, and her own self, as if she couldn't grasp her reality but sensed danger.

"What's- are you alright?" Forge panted looking between the siblings.

Fallen responded for them, "...Rogue absorbed Kurt's mind."

xXx

"What do we do now?" Silvercloud asked as the three of them stood in a small circle, a dozen feet away from Rogue who curled up beside the mountain wall and looked like she was having a bad time with her own mind.

"Should we let the Professor know what happened?" Fallen asked.

"Maybe it'll wear off in a few more minutes" Forge said low. "Anyway, we're probably too far to communicate with him even if we tried."

"But are we supposed to just sit and wait?" the girl asked. "She won't let any of us approach her."

"Maybe not just any of us" Kurt shifted his eyes from his sister to the brunette. "But you always managed to approach me when I got like that, so maybe you could-"

"I'm fine, guys" Rogue said clearly, getting up to her shaky feet. "We can keep walking" her southern accent was gone and replaced by a faint, German one. "Sorry for the delay" she said as she passed by them, her eyes just briefly skimming over them before locking on the ground just a few steps ahead.

The other three exchanged questioning looks before Kurt eventually nodded at them to keep walking. "We'll keep an eye on her" he said low, concern in his eyes clear as day.

xXx

She needed space.

Miles and miles of it, it felt like.

Her usual bubble of personal space seemed extended beyond reason, and she wasn't exactly sure whether it was her anymore, or how Kurt always felt, or both of their inadequately big needs of space combined together into this ridiculousness. In fact, right now she wasn't sure what is her, what is Kurt, and what is them combined anymore. All she knew was that it felt like fuel and fire sitting way too close to each other. Her and his issues, coexisting.

She was well aware that the other three are keeping a close eye on her from behind, watching whether and how she copes with having absorbed Kurt into her mind. For him, the entire situation ended in a moment of dizziness, and a few minutes of rest were enough to put him back on his feet. She, on the other hand, after those few minutes, merely remembered her own name. And the distinction between who she is and the other entity temporarily occupying her mind was still something she was sorting out, over a dozen minutes later.

She found herself keep looking over her shoulder, making sure they remained far enough from her. And they seemed to make sure to keep that distance. Of course, Kurt would probably know the fears his mind implanted in her and he granted her the space. A part of her was grateful for that, and being saved in the first place, another part just really hated him for the parts of him that clung onto her guts with feelings she didn't dare to let loose. She kept pushing his identity into the back of her mind, too scared of being that scared.

She kept walking, like a soldier. Holding onto her own identity with all of her strength. But it was a slippery surface, and she found herself falling just that tiny bit at a time, just enough to evoke terror at what darkness lies beyond that foreign identity in her head.

xXx

They arrived on top of the mountain another dozen minutes later, the other team was already there, sitting around on rocks. The only person with enough energy to stay on her feet was Ororo, who approached the late arrivals.

"You made it."

"Took you long enough" Kitty said with a proud smirk.

"We thought the rain stopped you" Jean added.

"Yeah… We did run into some- difficulties, because of it" Kurt's nervous look at Rogue didn't escape Storm's attention, and the woman regarded the 19-year-old looking for any indicators of what might have happened. The girl looked her usual, just a bad-day version of it; arms crossed, eyes averted, frown on her face. The only thing she could tell that was different, was that she seemed more tense than usual.

"Well… I'm glad you made it at last" she said, shifting her focus slowly to the group as a whole. "Let's head back to the camp, now, right?"

"Wait!" Evan got up abruptly. "Do we have to walk all the way back now?!"

"What else did you think? That I'd fly all of you back down?" Storm looked at her nephew.

"Well… maybe?" he shrugged with exasperation.

"I think you've got a lot to learn about camping, City Kid" Scott scoffed as they all moved along the best route down the mountain.

"But it's a mutant camp!" Daniels argued, following them. "Shouldn't it be encouraged to use our powers to get back?"

"I'm willing to make an exception for you and allow you to use your powers to do that" Monroe said from the front of the group.

For just a moment Evan felt a surge of joy before realizing how useless his powers were for this purpose. "Yeah, great" he muttered, ignoring the amused looks of his teammates.

xXx

It seems needless to say no one had any energy to spare for hanging out after they got back to the camp, and they just crawled into their sleeping bags as soon as it was possible. Half of them were asleep before five minutes passed. But not giving in to the exhaustion, Fallen remained laying on her side, her eyes open and trained on the back of the silhouette outlined by the electric blue light of an anti-mosquito lamp.

"I can feel you watching me" the older girl muttered after a few minutes.

"Sorry" the brunette whispered. "We just think someone should."

"We?" Rogue scoffed, sitting up to look at her. "And who's 'we'?" she asked, annoyed. "You and Kurt?"

"Yeah" Harris wasn't going to wrap it in ribbons. "We of all people have the best idea of what mess you could've absorbed from him."

"Really?" even with the faint light, Fallen was ready to bet that her tentmate rolled her eyes. "I, for one, do well pushing it back not to know what's there. I've got all of Kurt's thoughts locked away safely, so just- leave me be. Go to sleep" she turned back to her again and laid down.

"...Your usual accent is gone" Harris whispered. "You sound more like when Kurt is trying too hard not to let his own accent show."

After a moment, Rogue responded: "Doesn't mean anything."

"Alright. But if you need-"

"I don't- want to talk about it" she stressed.

"Fine. Goodnight then."

Rogue didn't respond.

But Fallen could tell it was getting worse as the hours progressed, and exhaustion crept in, making it harder to fight back the things that remain hidden in daylight. Asleep is such a vulnerable state to be in.

xXx

Perhaps the worst thing about trauma is that when you push it away, it pushes back. And if you don't bring it out to be dealt with in a safe, controlled environment, then it will come for you when you're least ready to deal with it.

And perhaps the scariest part about bearing someone else's trauma, is that you're not even aware it's there until it hits.

It hit her like a rock to her chest, less than an hour before dawn. Taking away her breath with a scream that she didn't know she had in herself. All she knew was that she woke up calling for help, with tears all over her face, and she was unable to tell if the terrifying images that she had just seen were nightmares, memories, or a sick mixture of both.

Before she managed to figure out where she is or even who she is, she felt someone throw a blanket over her and try to touch her back through it, and she flailed her arm outward so abruptly that she pushed the person away. Just a moment later new people came, and she felt panic expand in her chest, every individual she saw through the haze felt like a terrifying threat. As if through a glass wall, she could hear someone usher the others out. Someone else ushered her to focus on her environment, what it really is, not what is projected in her head.

After a moment, she did. Trying the entire cliche of taking deep breaths, she focused on where she was sitting, the blanket still hanging off one of her shoulders, the smell of a forest, and another familiar scent, of a person. She cracked her eyes open and carefully looked to her right. Fallen was sitting there, watching her. Rogue shut her eyes tightly closed again as a wave of a few more flashes of memories came, this time regarding the relationship and moments with Fallen. Taking deep breaths again, she opened her eyes once more and looked around. Kurt was there too, a little closer to the entry of the tent. Right, those were his memories.

"I- I just need a moment" she said between shaky breaths. "It's all too confusing."

The two didn't say anything. Kurt just quietly moved to sit at Fallen's side, and they gave her all the time she needed. And she couldn't tell how long it took, neither could she describe what went on in her head as she tried to sort every awful thought into two piles: Kurt's, and her own.

"Do you want to talk about what you saw?" Wagner asked softly once she turned to look at them. "Trust me, there's nothing there that I wouldn't know about already" he smirked sadly at her.

"I- I don't know… It's… There's so much" Rogue put her palms over her face. "I- I saw lashing- a cage- someone dying to protect me- and I felt it, I felt it all- the pain, the fear the- pure terror- and there was a fire at a church- woods- and this man- this awful man-" she proceeded to break down before taking another breath. "I don't even know who he is but I'm so terrified just- And none of it even lines up…"

"...Would it make it easier if it did?" Kurt asked low, his eyes slightly averted.

"I- I don't know- maybe?"

"Then… let's talk."

xXx

Forty minutes later Kurt and Rogue were sitting on the same rock they sat on a couple of nights ago, the girl had a blanket wrapped around herself, and her green eyes were glazed over as she gazed towards the faraway mountains.

"This view… reminds me of your place back home" she said low. "I don't know how I know that. Must've been buried underneath all the bad stuff… the little things that made it all worth it, you know?"

"I know" Kurt responded. "There were moments when I couldn't see them either."

"But you seem to cope so well-" she shifted her eyes to him again, looking lost. "I don't understand how…"

"You experienced it all at once, I had it sprinkled in over the years… had more time to push one bad thing to the back of my mind before the next bad thing happened" he briefly sent her a sad smile. "And I brought it out to deal with, over a long period of time, too… learned to live with it, one thing at a time."

A moment of silence passed before Rogue spoke up again; "...Look, I- I know it's not the same, me recalling random situations and emotions…"

"Doesn't have to be" he shook his head. "What you feel is true, either way. And I'm here to walk you through this… It's a path I already know, after all."

Usually Rogue was the last person to talk about anything personal, with anyone, but the thoughts in there were Kurt's and he always wanted someone he could share them with. And talking to him about it seemed, in this situation, almost like talking to your reflection in the mirror.

After a moment, she nodded faintly.

xXx

That morning when Rogue woke up, she felt uneasy, tired on the inside, but perhaps she was too exhausted for the nightmares to keep haunting her for that last hour of sleep. Taking a deep breath, she sat up and brushed her hair back. It was a long night.

Fallen was already up and dressed, sitting on her own sleeping bag with a book spread over her crossed legs. The brunette stopped reading and kept watching her. Rogue groaned, laying back down and turning her back to the other girl.

"Why do you act so hostile towards me since you absorbed Kurt's memories?"

Perfectly aware that Harris couldn't see it, still, Rogue rolled her eyes. "Maybe because I have vivid memories of having sex with you and trust me, I never wanted that."

She heard Fallen snort with amusement. "And here I thought you absorbed some deep-buried hate for me that he never told me about."

"No, in fact" Rogue sat up again. "He loves you very much, but in ways I would never, and it fucks with my head. Okay? There. I said it."

The brunette looked thoughtful for a moment as she nodded her head slowly. "So, basically you're temporarily in love with me and angry about it."

Rogue groaned even louder as she pulled her camping pillow over her head. "Oh fuck you. I mean- no, ew, no."

Fallen laughed. "Damn, you're cool and all but I'm dating your brother already" she joked as she got up and headed to the 'door' of the tent. "Besides, Rogue" she softened her voice. "You seem better now than when you came back last night. Hopefully, it's wearing out already."

As the girl left, Rogue exhaled deeply, removing the pillow from the top of her head. She wasn't sure if she was actually better or if she just temporarily had the upper hand, pushing back at the thoughts and traumas that would soon push twice as hard.

The answer was clear as soon as she dressed up and left the tent. Almost immediately she felt like she was suffocating, gripped by invisible hands over her lungs and heart; there were too many people out here, all of their attention shifted to her, and in the middle of it all- fire.

She screamed, overwhelmed with sudden flashes of memories that overlapped the reality that already made her panic. Stepping back right into the tent she just left, she fell into it and crawled back, unable to either stop screaming or breathe - she didn't know which is it anymore.

Someone followed her in, fueling her terror, and she shut her eyes so tight, but all it did was make her imagination even wilder. With reality fully blocked, she could see memories of the fire all around her, and the crowd outside the tent now translated to a mob surrounding this burning stake, where she was destined to die-

"-t m-"

A hand grabbing on her forearm caused her to shriek.

"-k at m-"

She wrestled her arm away, trying to crawl back but her back hit something. It felt too soft to be a stake but for some reason, she was assured it was it, and she was stuck.

"Lo-... -me… JEAN!"

Someone was talking urgently, but the words were drowned out by the raging fire and slurs shouted by the mob. And among the many faces was the face of the man who single-handedly broke his spirit more than anyone or anything before, or after him. Fire sparkled in his eyes, making the sick smile on his lips expose true evil within, and then-

Then everything went black.

xXx

"I said go, there's too many of us here."

"But I'm worried if she'll be okay-"

"You'll help more by giving her space."

"We'll take care of her, now go."

Hushed voices were getting clearer as she became more aware of her body, and eventually cracked her eyes open. A little blurry, but she could see she was laying inside the tent, Kurt at her side, Fallen and Ororo sitting near her feet, quietly watching her wake up.

"...Ah feel like shit…" she mumbled reaching to her face, just now realizing that her head rested in Jean's lap as the redhead's palms hover a safe distance above her head.

"Do you remember what happened?" Monroe asked softly.

"I-... I d-..." she was going to try and sit up, but Kurt put a hand on her shoulder and gently urged her to stay in Grey's lap. "Last thing I remember is bein' 'bout to leave the tent…"

Settling her head back down, she could see Jean nod slightly at the others. "I'm keeping Kurt's mind suppressed for now. But there's no guarantee it'll hold up for long if I stop."

"It's alright, Professor should be here soon enough."

"The Professor?" Rogue asked, trying to remember what led down to this. "Why?"

"You're not taking Kurt's memories very well, we think the Professor should have a look at you" Monroe said, briefly looking at Fallen and Kurt who both nodded with confirmation.

"You had a panic attack" Wagner said softly. "It used to happen to me a lot, especially in my sleep or after I'd wake up from dreams about something and then came across a trigger for it. I think that's what happened to you…"

"What… Ah don't remember any-"

"Because Jean makes sure you don't."

Rogue's eyes moved up to the redhead above her. Her eyes were closed and her palms still hovered a few inches above her head.

"We'll sort you out" Kurt said softly as he squeezed her arm. "I promise."

xXx

Everyone else watched from the camp as Jean was relieved of her duty after Professor was present to keep Rogue in check, should the other identity take over again. As soon as Grey joined them, Kitty asked;

"Will she be okay?"

The redhead nodded her head slightly. "Just like any memories she absorbed, Kurt's will fade over time. The professor will make sure it happens safely."

Ororo soon also joined the group.

"What will happen now?" Scott asked.

"Professor will take Rogue back to the Institute. Kurt and Fallen will be coming with them" she told them.

Logan solemnly watched as the four of them boarded BlackBird, and only when the ramp closed he turned around to the teens who intensely whispered between them about the situation. "Commercial break is over. Get up, it's time for the mornin' trainin'."

"But- it's only me left from the losing team!" Forge exclaimed.

"The winning team will join you."

Disapproval erupted from the remaining group.

xXx

Fallen didn't try to conceal the concern in her eyes as she watched Rogue across the aisle. Professor Xavier was beside the southerner, keeping her in check as well as assessing the situation, but as he said - he wasn't going to examine her mind in-depth during the flight, he mostly suppressed what she absorbed. Along with memories Rogue borrowed powers and there was the potential of her teleporting out of the jet, which would most likely kill her.

Harris just watched them, sunken against her own armchair, one leg up supporting her arm as she anxiously scratched her fingers with the thumb of the same hand. Eventually, she got up and walked over to the front of the cabin, where Kurt piloted the jet.

"What's on your mind?" she asked low as she slipped into the inactive second pilot's seat.

Wagner looked at her for a moment before turning his eyes to the console again. "I think this is not what people mean when they talk about sharing a burden with someone. And I wish she never got any taste of it."

Fallen took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Yeah."

The flight was short, and soon enough the jet slipped through the waterfall entrance and pulled to a stop in the hangar.

"Let's go to my office and dismantle this issue" Xavier said as soon as the ramp fell open.

"Should I teleport you there?" Kurt turned off the engines and got up.

"I can walk" Rogue scoffed as she got up and did her best to brave down the ramp, even though her legs were a little shaky.

Wagner inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. "Of course" he whispered.

Fallen squeezed his arm reassuringly. "Do you want us to come along, Professor?"

"I will let you know if we need any sort of assistance, but what I need to do now is a long process of trying to separate what needs to be tuned out and what doesn't. You can have time for yourselves, just stay nearby in case you're needed."

xXx

"Ok, I'm bored" Kurt stated and got off of the leg press machine. "Why do people do this to themselves?"

Fallen scoffed between calculated breaths as she continued doing sit-ups. "I didn't force you to work out with me, did I?"

Wagner went to the foot of Fallen's bench and made himself comfortable, perched on top of the foot holder. "I'm not saying all exercise is bad, just the boring type."

"Sometimes- boring is- good to- counteract this crazy life" the girl panted.

Wagner thought back to the simple camp trip that they just left because in an unexpected turn of events his adopted sister absorbed a portion of his mind. 'I hope Professor is able to help her' he thought.

"Worrying makes me hungry" he grimaced. "Do you want some snacks?"

Fallen took a breath between her sit-ups. "Just some- sparkling water would be- enough right now, thanks."

"For a kiss?" he smirked, using the girl's knee to keep balance as he leaned over the bench. Fallen smirked and as she came up to the sitting position she gave him a lingering kiss on the lips. Kurt pulled back with a satisfied smile and teleported upstairs.

The girl waited for another second for the air to clear before taking a breath and resuming the exercise. She was very glad to see that the work she put into working out outside of scheduled training made a difference through these 10 months of being at the Institute. It felt like forever, but at the same time went by in a blink of an eye. Her sense of not belonging started to ease by now; whether it was due to her managing to fit in and become part of the team, or just because she spent so much time jammed in a place she doesn't belong - that she wasn't sure.

A few minutes passed and Kurt still hadn't returned. 'Maybe he went to call his mom already' she thought, as Wagner mentioned planning to do that once they're done in the gym. She felt ready to be done by now, too, so she got off the bench and was just about to head to the door when all of a sudden Kurt reappeared right beside her.

"Took you-" she started saying but cut off at the exasperated look on his face.

"You need to come quick!" he barely gave her enough time for a breath before teleporting her with him.

As the brief flash of darkness cleared she found herself standing in one of the upstairs corridors with Kurt himself and Professor Xavier. She gave them a puzzled look.

"Rogue freaked out and bamfed to the roof!" Kurt explained, gesturing energetically to the narrow staircase leading further up.

"I don't want to risk using telepathy on her from down here, in case she uses Kurt's ability to teleport somewhere further away" Xavier explained. "I believe telepathy isn't always the answer, and it might be one of the cases where it's not."

Kurt's eyes sparkled with worry and hope. "Can you talk her down?"

Fallen grimaced with confusion. It made sense why Professor Xavier wouldn't be the one to do it, considering that the roof was the only area of the building that wasn't accessible by a wheelchair, but it was Kurt's mind that affected Rogue, so she would expect him to want to deal with the issue on his own.

"Why me?" she questioned.

Wagner sighed, his arms falling limp down his sides with resignation. "I tried. But a big part of her thinks she's me right now. If you were already freaked out, wouldn't it freak you out more if your own reflection came out of the mirror and tried to talk to you?"

Fallen had to admit that it would probably make her sure she went insane, making everything else worse. She exhaled low, realizing she might, after all, be a reasonable choice of a person to go up there.

"Just talk to that part of her that is my trust for you" Kurt put his hand on Harris' shoulder.

The girl nodded slightly. "Alright" she said low and turned towards the stairs.

"Put what you see aside, approach her like she's Kurt. Safe for touching her skin" Professor reminded.

"Right…" Fallen slowed down to a stop and turned back to the other two, a troubled look on her face. After a short moment, she turned her steps away from the staircase. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Xavier raised his eyebrows, completely taken off guard. "We shouldn't wait-"

Harris turned around without stopping. "If you want Rogue dealt with, you need to wait!"

The girl jogged down the corridor and disappeared behind the corner, leaving the two exchanging confused looks. It was when she came back 20 seconds later that Kurt's face expressed understanding.

"I barely know Rogue, but I know Kurt" the girl said as she tucked gloves under the sleeve of the hoodie she also picked up from her room. "And the best way to deal with his trauma was always confronting him with the triggers, so there's no way I can talk her down without any contact. Especially if Rogue's worry about hurting other people with her touch is now mixed with Kurt's worry about other people hurting him with theirs."

"Adding fuel to the fire" Wagner said low. He felt an unpleasant throbbing in his heart at the thought of what his sister is dealing with right now.

Fallen zipped up the hoodie to conceal her exposed stomach and disappeared around the first landing of the stairs. She slowly unlocked and opened the door; the hot July sun poured into the dim staircase and stuffy air filled her lungs instead of the conditioned air inside the mansion. The brunette couldn't help but look down on her gloves and long sleeves, and think how much she'd hate to have to wear this all summer. She always opted for minimal clothing necessary to stay warm and semi-decent; any extra layers made her uncomfortable.

'No wonder Rogue's always in a bad mood' she thought with a grimace as she looked around the roof. The southerner was sitting back against the side wall of the stairwell, curled up and shuddering.

She lifted her head from her knees when Fallen came around the wall, her green eyes full of terror.

"Nein, komm nicht näher, bitte…!" she begged in a small voice. "Ich habe nichts getan…!"

Fallen swallowed, trying to push aside her reservations. 'Just think of it as Kurt trapped in Rogue's body…' she thought to herself. 'No need to feel awkward about it.'

"It's alright, you know I would never hurt you" she knelt down to level with the girl but kept two or three feet of distance for now. "Just breathe through this, try to remember…"

Rogue's tearful eyes met her own for only a moment before turning away. "I feel trapped" she said, her voice shuddering. "Stuck in that cage for months…!" she spoke with a heavy German accent, reminiscent of Kurt's shortly after first moving to the United States. "All those people staring and- calling me names- and the… th…" her voice broke and the girl dropped her head back down against her knees.

"All of that is in the past now" Fallen said softly. "You're safe" she moved closer now and reached out to the other girl's hand.

Rogue pulled her hand abruptly away as her head shot back up and the girl tensed, pushing herself back against the wall as much as she could.

"It's just you and me right now" Fallen whispered, taking hold of her hand again.

This time Rogue let her, and after a moment she tightened her own fingers around the brunette's. Harris gave her a faint, sympathetic smile and reached out, her other hand slowly coming to rest on the southerner's pale cheek and lifted her face to catch her eye again.

"You're safe with me" she repeated, the whisper sounding like a promise.

Rogue's green eyes filled with fresh tears just before she shifted and lunged into Fallen's arms. Harris wasn't surprised, but she remained cautious as she wrapped her arms around the shuddering girl and cautiously rested her cheek on top of her head. Everything felt strange about embracing Rogue; from the odd, almost electric sensation radiating from her skin to the unfamiliar scent of her shampoo. But one thing felt very familiar; the way Rogue clung to her like she was a lifeline.

A few minutes passed and the southerner slowly pulled back, a look of confusion creeping onto her face. She lifted her eyes to the brunette and let go of her entirely before getting up from the ground.

"The show's over" she said, clearly trying to sound annoyed. "Ya can go back to yer actual boyfriend now. You helped him, now leave meh alone."

Fallen watched the girl standing back to her. "Welcome back, Rogue" she got up as well. "And for the record… this was not me trying to help Kurt. He's downstairs, doing alright. He's been doing alright for a long time now. I was helping YOU… because in some bizarre way, we became a family because of him, and he cares one hell of a lot about you."

Rogue's tense shoulders slumped a little and her green eyes softened.

After a moment of lingering silence, Fallen picked up again; "Are you ready to come downstairs?"

The other girl hesitated for a second before nodding her head a little.

xXx

"It must be the strong concoction of traumas that caused Kurt's mind to cling to Rogue more than other identities she absorbed" Professor Xavier concluded once Rogue went for a much-needed, telepathically-induced nap and he asked the other two students to join him in the office. "I could erase most of the memories, but the resulting trauma would probably linger. Leaving it without a context could have unpredictable and perhaps negative effects, so I think it's best to let it fade out on its own."

"I must say, I don't miss you going off like this" Fallen grimaced, giving Kurt's knee a light squeeze.

Wagner pulled her in a bit closer with the arm draped over her shoulders. "I don't miss it either, trust me."

Charles watched the pair huddled on his couch, admitting that they made a good call to come along. Clearly, they had a more accurate judgment of Rogue's response to the memories she absorbed than he did. At this moment, the tired, serious looks on their faces really made them look like the tried-by-life young adults that they truly were under the 15-to-16-year-old exteriors.

"Let us know if anything changes, Professor" Kurt got up and offered his hand to his partner.

"Would you mind staying behind for a few minutes, Fallen?" Xavier asked.

The girl looked puzzled but gave Wagner a small nod. The boy nodded back, let go of her hand, stepped slightly back and teleported away.

"What is it, Professor?"

The man gestured for her to sit back down, and she did.

"When we came to pick Rogue up from the camp, Kurt insisted to come and that you need to come, too" he started. "He said we might need you more than we'll need him, and then asked you to step in with Rogue on the roof, which tells me he trusts you to know how to deal with these situations."

The girl looked slightly uncomfortable. "I had to deal with similar panic attacks from Kurt quite a lot in the beginning. Why?"

"One could argue that you didn't have to, but rather chose to" the man suggested.

Harris shrugged with a grimace. "Fine. What about it?"

"I just want to check in, ask how you dealt with what was going on with Kurt back then."

The girl gave a long sigh. "Well… Kurt went through hell and back. There was a lot of trauma to unpack back when we met. Every time he let me in there always seemed to be another layer to peel. The PTSD, haphephobia" she inhaled, "scopophobia, cleitrophobia… I understand where all of it was coming from now, but back then it was difficult to tell what would trigger him and how to soothe him afterward."

She went silent for a moment before picking up again;

"Mind you, most people would've offed themselves after a fraction of the shit he went through, so he was still doing damn well by just being alive up until that point. And then I was just trying to make sure he stays that way and starts to heal, and little by little, he did" she smirked sadly.

"You're telling me how Kurt was dealing with his trauma… And how did you deal with it?"

A little confused, she replied; "I don't understand the question… I was just trying to be the safe person he can trust with everything that he never let anyone know about."

"I'm asking how you felt, being the lifeline he held onto at the time. I'm sure it affected you, too."

Fallen started to realize that this is not necessarily a conversation about Kurt or his sister anymore. She took a moment, let the air out with eyes closed. At last, she spoke up low; "Sometimes it felt like a lot of pressure. After everything he's been through with people, I was grateful that he trusted me but I was scared to do something wrong and hurt him. It only took one wrong look, one wrong touch, one wrong word, and he was spiraling. Sometimes my patience was running thin and I just wanted to scream at him that I'm not going to suddenly start hating him" the lifted her hands and grabbed onto air with frustration. Then she relaxed them. "I never did, though. Being around him taught me how to be things I never was before" she dropped her hands back to her lap. "Gentle. Patient. Affectionate. Believe it or not, falling so completely in love with him was never part of the plan, but here we are."

Xavier's lips lifted in a soft smile. Based on the things he saw while exploring the past and alternate future within Kurt's mind a couple of months earlier, Wagner was definitely more serene now that ever before. Clearly, the Professor admitted, he wasn't able to help Kurt as much in the previous timeline as he wanted to. Maybe he did need that kind of love to start healing.

Building bridges, healing from the effects of being othered, and standing together in spite of differences, finding comfort in your own skin.

"This place is meant for views like this" he said.

xXx

Fallen looked at the girl sleeping in the dark room, the white strands of her bangs falling onto her face. She still didn't wake up after the Professor put her to sleep, and the man said it was a good thing. It meant she was sleeping through the worst of it.

The brunette quietly closed the door and headed down the corridor. Kurt's voice carried softly from a hallway to the left. Harris turned the corner and rested against the wall to watch the boy chat in German on the phone for a lingering moment. Being very animated as he recounted the camp to his mother, he noticed her and smiled, gesturing for her to come over.

She pulled away from the wall and strolled over to him. The boy's free arm immediately pulled her closer and she wrapped her arms around his middle, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Fallen is here! Say hi" he put the handset between them so she could hear.

"Hello, Fallen!" the woman's voice sounded on the phone. "It's the middle of the night over there, why aren't you two asleep?"

Harris scoffed. "Good morning, Margali. Don't worry, we can sleep in tomorrow. Everyone else is still at the camp so there's no training or anything."

"It's NIGHTcrawler for a reason, mom" Wagner added with a grin.

"Doesn't mean you have to keep the poor girl up with you!"

"She's a night owl, don't worry" Fallen chuckled.

There was a sigh at the other end of the line. "Well, at least you're a good match" she said defeated, but by the sound of her voice, there was a smile on her lips.

"Indeed" Fallen smirked, resting her forehead against Kurt's.

Wagner couldn't help the wide smile.

"Call me tomorrow to let me know how Rogue's doing" Margali said. "Alright?"

"Alright, mom."

"And get her to come here this year's Christmas. I want to meet your sister."

"I'll try."

"Forge, too. And anyone else you're friends with."

Wagner laughed slightly. "I'll see what I can do. Love you, mom."

"I love you, too, Kurti. Go to sleep. Goodnight."

"Have a nice day, mom. Bye-bye."

He was still chuckling as he replaced the handset on the base.

"Christmas is still almost six months away" Fallen stated the obvious.

"I know" he shook his head with a smile. "She's just excited that I have friends now."

Harris made a grimace meant to approve the theory. "How do you feel about going outside? I hear there are 'falling stars' tonight and the skies are clear."

"Let's go then."

xXx

Twenty minutes later they were still lying on the lawn, heads rested on each other's shoulders and legs in opposite directions.

Fallen shifted her gaze from the starry sky to the upside-down view of Kurt's face at the corner of her eye. "What are you wishing for?"

Wagner observed the blinking lights spread over the navy sky, occasionally finding one that falls and blinks away. "Maybe… for Rogue to be okay. Other than that… it's funny, but… I used to have so many wishes and now I just want everything to stay the way it is now."

Fallen smirked. She lifted her hand to play with his hair gently. "I'll second that."

Kurt shifted his head before the girl heard what got his attention. Only once she sat up she saw Rogue walking towards them, arms wrapped around herself. For once she was wearing an outfit appropriate for a hot, summer night, all the extra layers and gloves left behind.

"How are you feeling?" Wagner asked.

The southerner smirked sadly. "Better. Do ya mind if Ah sit with you? The Institute feels very…" she looked at the looming building. "Empty."

"There's always room for you, sis" the German patted the grass.

"I'm not really your sister" Rogue muttered softly but sat down.

Kurt laid back down, folding his arm under his head and urging Fallen to lay beside him with her head on his other arm. Rogue sat cross-legged on his other side, watching them for another moment before turning her eyes to the sky.

"Make a wish" Wagner smirked as a prominent star fell across the sky.

"It's just burning meteorites" Rogue stated in a whisper.

"Then what's the harm in talking at them?"

The southerner looked back down at her adopted brother and the girl rested on his shoulder. She considered them a moment before laying on her back at a safe-of-touch distance and turning her green eyes back up to the sky. "Whatever it is ya two have… Ah want that. Someday, with someone."

As she lay there on the lawn, under clear skies with the summer breeze caressing her naked skin, it felt like anything is possible. Beyond all the trauma and chaos she absorbed from Kurt, there was also some sort of serenity. A particular type of trust in a better future, a brand of hope that she never knew before.

She wanted to savor that feeling, unsure if she will be able to recall it once all of his mind is out of her system. There was comfort and solace to be found in the number of possibilities that fate had to offer.

The three of them enjoyed the calm, not knowing that this July was going to prove itself to be by far the most eventful month yet, and it was going to change their approach to the possibilities of altering the future forever.

"You never said that it would be this hard

There's gotta be a better way for me to say what's on my heart

Without leaving scars

When you fall apart am I the reason for your endless sorrow?

There's so much to be said

With a broken heart your walls can only go down but so low"

CALL YOUR NAME by Chris Daughtry

Next time on X-Men: Revolution:

Shortly after returning from the camp Kurt and Fallen are faced with another decision regarding whether to influence the future by rushing some events along or not. They discussed this very case earlier on, but this time everything's different and they come to different conclusions. Soon enough they will realize that what their decisions really brought along is a tragedy.

Episode 9.5: The Consequence