CHAPTER 5:

Old Memories


Remy lay in her expansive king-sized bed, surrounded by a mound of deep green blankets and black silk sheets. The arching window flooded the room with radiant light, casting a luminous glow over Remy, accentuating the defined contours of his abdomen and chest, with one arm draped over his eyes, shielding them from the moon's brightness.

As sleep eluded her, Rogue found herself unable to rest. She leaned against the cool, textured wall near the window, admiring the sight of her beloved.

Cameron Hodge filled her mind.

She longed for the day when she wouldn't have to encounter his name or endure the sound of it again. Unfortunately, that's how things go—a man who harbors a deep aversion towards mutants. He's never tried to conceal it, and Graydon decided to bring them together a couple of years ago at a holiday party while they were in college.

Warren told her about him when he revealed what he was.

One night, Warren woke to the smell of burning flesh. Cameron used a lighter to his wings, wanting to burn them off. She was reluctant to be in the same place as the psycho, but Graydon insisted that she attend the party. Rogue agreed, and Cameron couldn't hide the longing in his notice of her and offered to take her home, which showed his concern for her safety and his growing feelings for her.

Now, two years later, she has to confront him again.

Great.

Remy awoke from his slumber, sensing the absence of warmth beside him.

"Chere?" he murmured, reaching out into the darkness.

Rogue, wrapped in his sweatshirt, returned to bed and nestled against him. Her head found its place on his chest. Without hesitation, he embraced her, kissing her head tenderly. "Can y' not sleep?"

"No," She said plainly, "thinking about the next step."

He hugged her tightly, "Do y' want me to come wit' ya t'morrow to talk with the X-Men."

With her heart racing, she longed to give her consent. With him as her ally, she felt invincible. However, she and Lance were going. Wanda assured them that she would remain at the apartment with Tabitha to analyze the spyware, hoping to catch Cameron interacting with students at the college.

"What am I gonna do wit' out ya?" He huffed.

The offer was tempting. He anchors her. Keeps her calm in a storm. Having him with her at the meeting tomorrow afternoon was a good idea for her. Remy's an acolyte. An enemy of the X-Men, as is she. His presence could be seen as a threat against them. And she'd rather not fight. He has a point. John's focus tomorrow's on Wanda, adn Piotr is at school.

"Fine," Rogue gave in, "yah can come, but yah better be on yah best behavior Remy Etienne LeBeau or–" His soft snoring cut her off. He hadn't heard a word, she said, falling back asleep. She watched him for a solid minute before falling into sleep.

In the late afternoon, as evening approached, Rogue gently rapped on the door of the X-Men's headquarters. Standing behind her in silence were Remy and Lance. Remy assured Rogue that he would be on his best behavior. Lance made no promises but agreed to try his best for her and Kitty. That was all she could ask for.

The dark-colored door burst open. Bobby blocked the entrance, shouting back at someone before turning to look at her. His bright blue eyes widened in surprise as they darted past her to Lance and Remy. "You normally have Wanda with you," he said, his surprise evident in his tone.

She forcefully pushed past him, heading towards the grand staircase that ascended to the second floor. In her view, this was the main floor, housing the kitchen, library, offices, and classrooms. The walls were adorned with paintings and photographs, each telling a story of the X-Men's past adventures. She had recently discovered that the student bedrooms were on the second floor while the faculty bedrooms were on the third floor. Their current floor provided access to the pool, garage, and an elevator leading to the sub-basement.

Bobby closed the door and quickly reached the bottom of the stairs. "I can accompany you," he offered.

"No need. Ah know where Ah'm goin'."As she ascended the stairs and turned left, she proceeded down the lengthy corridor and halted at the door furthest to her right. She announced her presence to the professor with a swift series of knocks. Upon the second tap, the door swung open, revealing Kurt Wagner. The entire X-Men student body and Bobby's team of New Mutants observed her, the awkward silence hanging heavy in the air, as she confidently entered the room.

Rogue sat at the center of the room, her position starkly contrasting to the X-Men facing her. The tension in the air was palpable, each side bristling with their own set of grievances.

Glancing against the desk, Cyclops had his arms crossed over his chest. She ignored her and focused on Remy. "See, you brought Magneto's lackey."

Good on Remy for keeping his promise and staying quiet. If it were her, she would've said something in return or cracked his jaw in half. Instead, Remy smirked and reached into his worn black leather jacket for his cards. Something to keep his hands busy, and his anger simmered.

"Sure as hell wasn't comin' alone, and Wanda's busy," Rogue smirked, "Ah'll let her know y'all miss her."

"Prefer her over the current company you keep." Scott snipped, sneering.

Kurt, perched on the arm of the couch, said, "You ditched us."

"No, Ah didn't. Ah thought y'all would leave after yah gathered info on what yah needed." She gazed down at her chipped black nail polish, lost in thought. Remy leaned in to get a closer look. After a moment, he retrieved his wallet from his back pocket, pulled out a crisp hundred-dollar bill, and handed it to her warmly. She beamed with delight. The women in the room cast glances at their partners, their expressions silently conveying a desire for them to emulate Remy's money-giving qualities.

"Besides, it looked like y'all were havin' fun." She moved to pull out her phone, "Ah have videos."

Evan waved his hands frantically, belching, "Let's not."

"Can we get to the matter at hand? You left a voicemail stating you know who orchestrated the bombing and fires." Jean grumbled.

"Ah do. And then y'all can go after him."

"I thought this was a joint effort." Kurt looked at Scott, confused.

"Ah got yah the information y'all wanted; yah can monitor and take him out however the X-Men handle these sort of things." Rogue huffed.

"What aren't you telling us?"

The faculty were oddly quiet. Storm, beside Xavier, was oddly silent.

"His name is Cameron Hodge. He tried burnin' a friend's wings off while he was sleeping."

"Warren?" Scott whispered. His hands fell to his sides, "Are you telling me you knew Warren before the incident with the little girl?"

Rogue shook her head. "That's actually how we became friends. He liked me over yah, plain and simple. Sorry. But Cameron was roommates with him and my brother."

All eyes slid to Kurt.

Rogue sighed, frustrated, and then looked up at Remy, seeking reassurance. He responded with a gentle smile and a supportive nod, giving her the strength she needed.

SOUNDTRACK: Hot Dog-Limp Bizkit

"Not him. Ah have another brother. Half."

The atmosphere in the room was electric, with everyone speaking over the other. However, Storm and the professor remained calm; their silence speaks volumes. Xavier knew. The question is, did Storm tell the bald man, or did Mama? Perhaps he was already aware of the situation and patiently waited for Rogue to disclose the information when she felt ready.

Kurt staggered away from his vantage point, too shocked to utter a word. What had he expected? For his mother to reveal the truth? She was a spy! It was no surprise that she had kept the existence of her other children hidden from him. Perhaps, just this once, she had wanted to shield her son from her dysfunctional family. And Rogue hadn't disclosed the truth to Kurt because it wasn't her secret to reveal. After all, he had a loving family. Why taint it with a family that wouldn't give a second thought about him?

She wanted to spare him, but when she saw his hurt expression, Rogue instantly regretted it.

"Y-you kept a brother from me?"

"And a sister," Lance voluntarily said.

Rogue swiveled in her chair, fixing him with a steely gaze. Lyla wasn't a well-kept secret, but she was to the X-Men. The youngest among them was a force to be reckoned with. She possessed the stealthy manipulation of their mother and the unforgiving rage of Sabertooth. Kurt wasn't remotely prepared to face her, let alone the rest of the team. If Emma ever decides to unleash Lyla and set her against the X-Men, Rogue feels duty-bound to shield them. She preferred that they remain unaware of her sister's existence.

"Get. out," Rogue said, low.

"Rogue," Lance hesitantly tried to argue, but the stern look in her eyes silenced him. The unspoken challenge hung heavily in the air, daring him to defy her authority. Recognizing his misstep, he nodded in submission and quietly exited the office.

The atmosphere in the room shifted as a hush fell over the team. Everyone present realized the magnitude of her power within the Brotherhood. Just as she was about to address the group, Kurt stepped forward and spoke before she could.

His voice was low and disappointed as he said, "You are no different from our mother. You are lying to me just like she did."

When Rogue took over as the team leader, Raven Darkholme, the principal of Bayville High, revealed her true identity to her younger brother. This revelation raised many questions and put Raven in a challenging situation, bringing back memories of losing her son to a German family and Magneto experimenting on him. After the brawl in an abandoned construction site, the X-Men and Kurt stopped trusting Rogue as if she were the one who lied.

"Ah don't know what yah want me to tell yah."

"An apology for lying to me," Kurt pointed at himself. Tears are evident in his eyes.

"Ah didn't lie. Yah didn't ask."

"How can I ask about something I know nothing about?" he raised his voice as if to get her to listen.

She rose from her chair, eye to eye with him. Scott and Evan took a step forward in case. Rogue mentally snorted. As if she'd attack her brother.

"Ah don't know why yah want to be part of this fucked family so badly!" Kurt's face fell, but she no longer cared. "We ain' what yah think. Our mama is a manipulative, cold woman. Our brother is a bastard and an asshole." Despite all that, she loves Graydon. "And our baby sister is wild. Unpredictable. One moment she's kind, the next she will try to kill yah." Her eyes narrowed, "Tell me, Kurt, would yah rather give up yer lovin' adoptive parents for our fucked family?"

Kurt hesitated.

"And that's not includin' our stepfamily. Ah can go on about Magneto, Wanda, and Pietro. Their bipolar younger sister, Lorna." Rogue pressed forward, "Is this what yah want? Me to include yah into our fucked up family?"

"That's enough," Xavier's soft yet stern voice said.

She kept pressing, "Ah can explain it all to yah if yah think yer ready Kurt. Our mama dropped yah in a river because her current husband began experimenting on yah–" Her head tilted to the side, studying him. "No? Yah don't want to know?"

Kurt slowly shook his head no.

"Then sit down and shut the fuck up." Rogue moved to her chair and sat down, her legs crossing. Remy squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. "Where were we?"


Lyla tossed her keys into the ceramic bowl beside the front door and leaned wearily against the cool wall. She only wanted to collapse onto her bed and shut out the world. She had half-expected to encounter a few Friends of Humanity (FOH) members loitering around campus or spewing hateful rhetoric on the street, but to her surprise, none were in sight. They seemed more organized than she had anticipated. It was probably Cameron Hodge's doing – he always liked to run things by the book. If he was calling the shots, she knew she wouldn't come across a single FOH member until the next attack, and they couldn't afford to let their guard down.

Uriel came from the kitchen, grinning. "How was your day?"

Her eyes tiredly narrowed on him, "Why do Ah have the feelin' yah already know."

He shrugged, "I know where some of your FOH friends will be tonight."

Lyla pushed off the wall and began climbing the stairs to her room. He continued, "There's gonna be at a frat party tonight. Mali, Lina, and Stahr are getting ready right now."

She glanced over her shoulder. "Together?" Lyla shook her head. "Don't answer that. We'll be there."

"I'd accompany you, but I have large wings on my back, and I don't think you'd want to fight tonight."

She was unexpectedly in a cramped corner of a bustling frat house. While there are nights when she craves a party, the thrill of getting high, and the company of a beautiful girl by her side, this evening was not one of those nights. She longed to be in the comfort of her bed, wrapped in blankets and engrossed in a movie. However, she knew that she had responsibilities to fulfill.

As Lyla sipped her beer from a red Solo cup, her gaze followed Winters as she made her way over.

"The infamous partygoer isn't thrilled to be here tonight?" She joked. "I've spotted some X-Kiddies."

Lyla immediately sensed their presence as soon as they walked in. There was something unmistakably distinctive about the X-Men. As expected, Spyke and her half-brother Kurt were engrossed in a high-stakes game of beer pong, their laughter mingling with the clinking of glasses. Meanwhile, Jean Grey and Shadowcat swayed gracefully on the dance floor, their movements fluid yet purposeful as they discreetly scanned the room for any signs of trouble. Over by the steps near the living room, Cyclops patrolled the perimeter of the tiny house, his steely gaze never faltering.

"We can avoid them by staying put," Lyla said. "And Stahr is keeping an eye outside while Lina's upstairs."

Winters studied her for a moment. Her nose scrunching in thought, "What's wrong with you?"

Lyla's eyes snapped down to her, "Nothing's wrong."

Winters huffed, "You've been weird since last night's poker game."

A slight grin slid on her face to hide the truth. "Why, Ms. Winters, are yah payin' attention to me and my moods?"

Winters' mouth hung open.

Lyla chuckled softly, but her mind swirled with many unsettling questions. What if Graydon has returned? What if he has targeted Rogue? It seems improbable; after all, she was his favorite. They used to be inseparable, sharing everything, until she moved to Bayville and, in his eyes, deserted him. Lyla longed for even a hint of acknowledgment from either of her siblings.

Her father took an interest in her for a while, guiding her in combat techniques, helping her refine her powers, and training her to become a formidable hunter like him. He eventually left, and she hadn't seen Victor since middle school. After going to college, Graydon met Cameron Hodge, a fervent believer. Together, they concocted malevolent schemes to eliminate mutants from the face of the earth. During holidays when Irene was in Genosha, Cameron would demonstrate some techniques to Graydon on handling Lyla. Graydon would observe without any visible reaction, just sitting and watching. When she tried to tell Rogeu about it, she insisted that there was no way Gray would behave in such a manner.

She only believed Lyla down the road when Cameron set Warren's wings on fire when he was asleep. Isn't that fucked up, reader?

"I don't believe you." Winters snorted. "I'm goin' to go and find Stahr."

A few football players flanked her on her way into the crowd, keeping her from getting outside to meet up with Stahr. Winters is capable of taking herself. And she did, politely trying to get away. One of the guys gripped her wrist tight. Her determined eyes were ready to fight.

A fight isn't something they could afford.

Pushing herself away from the wall, Lyla moved leisurely toward Winters. She wrapped her arm around her neck, smiling.

Creed acted swiftly, assuming a male form. Malakai maintained a neutral expression as she stood among the football players, intertwining her fingers with the hand resting on her neck and gently kissing the knuckles.

"This guy botherin' yah babe?"

Malakai rested her head on Creed's chest, humming. "I think they were just leaving."

One didn't comply. In his intoxicated state, he arrogantly assumed entitlement. He forcefully thrust a drink into someone's chest and confronted Creed. Unfazed by his intimidating demeanor, Creed positioned herself between Malakai and the aggressor, protecting Malakai with her solid and imposing figure.

No words were said.

He lunged for Creed.

She dodged and unleashed a swift combination of strikes, targeting her opponent's right, left, and chin. The fool crumpled to the ground, completely unconscious. Rolling her shoulders, Creed returned to her original form and locked eyes with Malakai. Her gaze was a captivating shade of icy, smoldering gold bearing into Malakai's soul.

Jesus, that was hot.

Shit, did she just–

"Are yah alright?" Creed asked her.

"I am."

A sudden clap caught Malakai's attention, causing her to peer around Creed's back and catch sight of a slim, blonde man. The man's stark blue eyes sparkled with joy. Intrigued by Malakai's sudden focus, Creed turned around and went ashen with shock. "Cameron." She said with no emotion in her voice.

Malakai narrowed her gaze at the man.

"Lyla Creed. How long has it been? I have missed you."