Professor Charles Xavier sighed as he took off the helmet that connected him to Cerebo. For the third time this week he had woken up with a feeling of desperation that sent him to search for the mutant calling for help. Where ever she was, he would need to find her quickly, or she might not survive the rest of the week. The only problem seemed to be that the child didn’t know where she was.

---

Matthew, the night time guard at the Nashville Institute for the Mentally Challenged and Disturbed; looked inside the 8” x 8” window that allowed hospital staff a view of the room and the patient inside. This week, a girl was the newest resident. She seemed normal by all accounts. But if anyone actually tried to get close to her she would start screaming bloody murder and hurting herself. The only way the doctors could get close to her was to have one of the orderlies hold her down so they could administer some sort of drug to knock the girl out. He looked at the chart hanging on the door. She was normal for all anyone could tell. According to the girl’s chart there was nothing physically wrong with her, other than bruising easily. But mentally, that was another story. Matthew could her the girl inside talking to someone named Toby, even though there was no one there.

It was tragic really. The girl in the room was beautiful, aside from the scratches all over her face and the bruises up and down her arms. She had long brown hair with two platinum white streaks that framed her face, and deep, haunting, chocolate eyes that seemed years older than the girl herself. At most she was twenty years older, but he pegged her for a couple of years younger than that. And no one knew her name. The doctors had tried asking her, but she kept on about David, and her momma and daddy, and Toby. She talked about Toby the most, so that was what she had been nicknamed by the orderlies and guards, Toby.

Matthew gently knocked on the window, “Hey Toby, you ok in there?”

She started screaming in reply.

---

“Kitty, can I see you in my office?” the Professor asked the young girl sitting in the chair watching television. “I need your help with something.”

“Sure, Professor. I’ll be right there,” the girl said giving her friend on the
couch a blank stare.

“Thank you Kitty.”

“What was that about?” Jubilation Lee asked the small dark headed girl.

“No clue. Better go see what he wants,” Kitty replied climbing out of the
chair.

“See ya later, chica,” Jubilee said as the girl phased through the door.

---

“Come in, Kitty.”

She opened the door and walked into the Professor’s office. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes. Kitty I need your help. I’ve heard that you’re very good with computers.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied. Please don’t let him say anything about hacking into the school’s mainframe, she thought, forgetting the Professor’s specific mutation.

“Good. I need some help finding someone. A mutant. It will require you hacking into several different mainframes, similar to what you did last week.”

Kitty blushed as she nodded. “Wh-What do you need exactly, sir?”

“There is a girl who is trying to get anyone’s assistance. I’ve heard her several times calling for help. I’ve tried using Cerebo to locate her, but she doesn’t seem to know where she is. This is usually the case when a mutant is being held in against their will. I’ve narrowed her location down to somewhere in the Southern United States, but other than that I can not find her. What I need you to do is to hack into the databases of the mental hospitals in the south. I believe she is in a mental hospital, because she doesn’t seem to know who she is as well as not knowing where she is. Here is a file with the information that you’ll need to help you find her.”

“Yes sir. And Professor, it was a dare.”

“I understand. Oh, and one more thing Kitty, I need you to find her as soon as you can. The longer she stays where ever she is, the less likely it will be that I can help her. And you won’t have to attend your class until you’ve
finished. The more time you can spend on this the better.”

---

Toby would sing to her. That’s why she liked him. That’s why he stayed around the most. He sang songs about girls like her.

She gives a smile when the pain comes
The pain gonna make everything alright, alright.

She didn’t mean for Toby to touch her. It was an accident. He was nice to her. He gave her a ride and food and clothes. She never wanted anything to happen to Toby.

The mean people took her clothes. And when they stuck her, they took Toby. And David. And Momma and Daddy.

She missed her Momma and Daddy. But they were still there. Just like David and Toby.

Some one said Toby’s name. He looked like he wanted to come in her room. She started screaming at him to keep away. She didn’t want to hurt him. He looked almost nice.

Finally he left. Toby came back. Hey kid. You ok? Wanna hear more of that song?

Yes, Toby. she begged. Anything to make her forget what she had done to him.

She says she talks to angels they call her out by her name
Oh yeah she talks to angels they call her out by her name
She says she talks to angels they call her out by her name

The girl the guards called Toby didn’t hear any more as she finally fell asleep curled in a ball in the corner.

---

“Professor, I think I might have found her,” Kitty said rushing into the
physics class she should have been attending.

The Professor stopped his lecture. “Good. You will find Jean and Storm in the landing bay. I want you to go with them to pick her up.”

“Ar-Are you sure? What if its not the rig—“

“Yes I am certain Kitty. I’m sure that you’ve found her. Nashville is the right
place.”

“Ok, yes sir, I’ll head there right now,” Kitty said running out of the room at
the same pace she had entered it.

Jean, Ororo, meet Kitty in the landing bay. The three of you are heading to Nashville to pick up a mutant. You must hurry; she is in very unstable mental condition. When you get there, Jean you’ll need to sedate her, preferably without drugs. Also, take Logan with you as well. I have a feeling he might be helpful.

“So, class, where were we?” the Professor continued.

---

Jean always knew that getting her doctorate would be a big help professionally. And occasionally, it was a big help in other ways. Today was no exception.

“Dr. Jean Grey? The mutant’s right activist?” The young doctor looked at her with surprise.

“Yes,” Jean said pulling a tight smile across her lips. “I need to see a patient of yours. A young girl, no name, long brown hair with two white streaks? She needs more specialized attention than you can provide. I’m willing to offer that to her for free.”

“I’m sorry doctor, but she isn’t in any condition to receive visitors, no matter what they are offering,” the doctor countered.

Logan stepped up to make his presence known. “The doctor said she needs to see the kid. Ya don’t know who she is, so just let Jean here give it a go? Ok?” he growled at the younger man.

“Ri-Right this way, Dr. Grey.”

---

She was trying to talk to Toby again. He was being mean. He didn’t want to listen to what she was saying.

But then, there he was. On the other side of the door. “How’d ya get out there Toby? It’s not fair to leave me in here, sugar!”

The door opened. Toby didn’t come inside. “Well ya just gonna stand out there or ya comin’ in? Toby, I said I was sorry! I didn’t mean ta! Ya know that!”

Then Toby started coming in, with a red headed lady behind him. “Who’s that Toby?” The red headed lady walked towards her and she started screaming again. “Toby tell ‘em ta stay away! Tell ‘em not ta touch me! Ya know what’ll happen if they do! Don’t let ‘em! Toby!” One of the mean people came in the room too, and held her down.

“If you’re gonna sedate her I’ll need to hold her down for you. Better hurry,
she’s awful strong,” the mean man holding her said.

“I’m not going to sedate her. You can let her go,” the red headed lady said.

“Lady you don’t know what you’re asking for.”

“We can take care of her, thank you. You can go.”

The mean man let go of her, and she ran back into the corner, drawing herself into a small ball. “Toby, why’d ya let him hold me down like that? Why? Why’d ya let them hurt me?”

---

Jean looked over at Logan; then looked back at the girl huddled in the corner.

She thinks you’re Toby.

Who the hell is that?

I don’t know, but maybe we can use that to our advantage. We have to get her back to the Blackbird. You think you can get her to go with you?

I can try, Red. I ain’t promisin’ nothin.

“Hey Kid. Ya wanna get out of here?” The girl looked up at him with eager eyes.

“Yeah Toby. I’ve been tellin ya that since they put me in here. I wanna keep
goin’ on our trip.”

“K, so what’d ya say we cut out of this hamburger joint?”

“Only if ya sing my song,” she suddenly insisted. “Just a little bit,” she
pleaded

Logan cringed. He looked to Jean for some help. She looked at the girl for a moment, and then he started hearing the words.

She never mentions the word addiction in certain company
Yes she’ll tell you she’s an orphan after you meet her family
She says she talks to angels they call her out by her name
Oh yeah she talks to angels they call her out by her name

Logan paused. He wasn’t the world’s best singer by any means, but it seemed to calm the girl down. “K, Kid, you ready ta go?”

“Ok Toby,” she says quietly, reaching for his hand. “Where are your gloves,
Toby?”

“Oh, I uh, left ‘em on the pl-“

“He left them in the car,” Jean said before he had a chance to finish the
sentence. “He’ll put them on out there, won’t you Toby?”

“Yeah, in the car. I’ll put them on there.”

“K, till then, I’m gonna hold on ta your arm,” the girl said with all
seriousness, grabbing the part of his arm that was covered by his shirt sleeve.

“Whatever ya wanna do kid.”

---

As Logan and the girl walked out the door ahead of her, Jean sent Logan a message. Be ready to catch her. And whatever you do, don’t touch her skin. That’s been the main thing I’ve caught from her mind. It’s dangerous to touch her bare skin.

She waited for some sort of conformation from Logan. He nodded, and Jean called Kitty to her side in case she passed out after she reached into the other girl’s head. Under normal conditions, the Professor would have done something like this. But these weren’t normal conditions, and they couldn’t wait until getting back to the mansion. This needed to be done before they reached the Blackbird. Jean opened her mind and let herself slip into the girl’s unconscious. She looked for what basically equaled the plug that kept the girl awake, and pulled it.

---

Kitty watched as Jean stopped walking and let her eyes glaze over. She knew that Jean had to do something to help the other girl, but exactly what she didn’t know. She also knew that it was her job to catch Jean in case she fell. Kitty hoped she wouldn’t have to.

You don’t always get for what you hope for, Kitty thought as Jean slumped into her arms. Kitty tried to get Logan’s attention, but it became very apparent that Logan was having his own problems gathering the girl into his arms. He seemed to be avoiding touching her skin for everything he was worth. Wonder why that is. Maybe it has something to do with her mutation. Oh well. I have to get Jean back to Blackbird. Now how in the world am I gonna do that? Kitty looked around and saw not one, but two wheelchairs sitting empty beside her. “Umm, hey Logan, there’s a couple of wheelchairs over here, you want one?” Kitty asked as she placed Jean into the first one.

“Yeah. That’ll make this a hell of a lot easier. Thanks,” Logan said smiling at the younger girl.

---

The ride back to the mansion was quite. Jean was still sleeping from having to knock the girl out. And the girl was sleeping soundly in the seat. Logan watched her as she slept. She kept muttering about someone named David, but mostly she talked to Toby. Now just who the hell is Toby? he wondered. And why the hell do I remind her of him? And what does Chuck want with the girl anyway? He stopped questioning himself and just looked the girl over. Her face was all scratched up, like she’d been trying to get at an itch. And she had bruises on her arms in the shape of her own small fist. Other than that, she was gorgeous. She looked to be a few years older than the other girl that had come along. She had long brown hair that he suspected was actually auburn in color, with two white stripes running down either side of her face.

Wonder how long she’s been like this? And who let her get this way? Logan promised himself that he’d make sure that she was safe. Somebody has to. I don’t think anyone’s ever done that for her.

---

She woke up in a different room. “Toby? Are you here?” she asked sitting up in the bed she was in.

No answer.

She tried David and her Momma and Daddy and still got no answer. She looked around the room. All whites and blues. And a tube in her arm. And different clothes. She climbed out of the bed and saw that she had socks on. Someone put socks on her. But who?

There was a door. She started toward the door, but someone came in.

The red headed lady. And another man with her. He was tall and wore sunglasses. Inside.

“Where’s Toby? Where am I?”

The red headed lady turned to the man. “Scott, go get Logan and the Professor.” The red headed lady whispered it thinking that she couldn’t hear her.

“Where’s Toby?!” she screamed. “Y’all can’t keep doin’ this ta me! People don’t come back from the dead just ta disappear again!”

Then it was black.

---

“So who ever Toby is, he’s dead. Is it possible that the other people she keeps talking to are dead too?” Scott posed the question, after Jean explained to everyone gathered what had happened after he had left.

“It is a possibility. However, I think its better to not assume that they are
dead. She does keep talking about her parents, from what the file the hospital had on her says,” Xavier replied.

“So do ya want me to hang around, for the next time she wakes up?” Logan asked.

“I think that would be a good idea. I also think that at some point soon we
need to have a look inside her head, Professor. Right now she’s on medication to keep whatever voices she’s hearing quiet, but it won’t last long. “

“I agree Jean. Any medical reasons we can’t do it right now?”

---

She felt like she was awake again, but it wasn’t the same place.

It was home. How did I get here?

A warm voice startled her. “Hello Rogue.” She looked around the living room to see a man in a wheelchair sitting by the piano.

“How do you know that name? And how did I get back home?”

“You told me that name. And we aren’t at your house. We’re inside your mind. My name is Professor Charles Xavier, and I want to help you.”

“In my mind? And how can you help me?”

“Yes, in your mind. I want to help you, by letting yourself remember. Something has happened to you that has caused you to lose focus of the real world. I asked you to take us back to something you could remember clearly and you brought us here.”

“Oh. Now what?” she whispered.

“Now I’m going to ask you some questions.”

“Ok.”

“Rogue, what’s the very last thing you remember about this house?”

“Leaving,” she paused. “I remember I was crying, because Momma and Daddy touched me, like David did. And the same thing happened. I’m a bad girl. I had to leave. I hurt everyone.”

“What do you remember after that?”

“The bus station. Someone brushed up against me, and I got some of them too. And then Toby found me.”

“And who is Toby, Rogue?”

“Toby’s the one who called me Rogue first. He helped me. Gave me clothes, and food, and a place to sleep. Toby told me that I wasn’t a bad girl. He said he knew of a place where they could help me; make it stop. He was nice. He wore gloves in case he touched me, so he wouldn’t get hurt. But he did. I—I was asleep. I didn’t feel it.” She stopped, tears rolling down her face.

“Didn’t feel what, Rogue?”

“The pull. What happens when somebody touches my skin. I woke up and he was dead on top of me. It’s all my fault. I’m a bad girl. A very bad girl.”

“It’s not your fault Rogue. I need you to listen to me. This is very important.
You are a mutant. It is not your fault. Your particular mutation pulls the life
force from another person. If you were to touch a mutant, you would take that mutant’s power. Do you see what I am saying?”

“I—I think so.”

“Good. Now, I’m going to count to three, and both of us will wake up. Ok?”

“Ok.”

“One, two, three.”

---

Rogue sat up, knowing that this time she really was awake. Opening her eyes, she saw Toby.

“Hi Toby.”

“Hey kid.”

She looked around the room once more. The red headed lady was there, and the man with the sunglasses. On the other side of the bed she was laying in sat the man in the wheelchair from her dream.

“Charles?” she whispered.

“Yes, Rogue.”

She looked to her other side. “So you aren’t Toby?”

“Sorry kid. My name’s Logan,” he said with a little half smile.

“I’m Marie,” she said so quietly that she didn’t think anyone could hear her. “Who are they?” she asked pointing towards the other people in the room.

“Rogue, I would like you to meet, Dr. Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Ororo Monroe, and Kitty Pryde,” Charles said, as each one nodded. The girl Kitty waved.

“Hi y’all,” Rogue said smiling.

“With the exception of Scott, you have these people to thank for bringing you here.”

“Thanks. Umm, I have a question, though. Where is here?”

---

He still called her kid, because she seemed to like it. And he was right; her hair was auburn. He noticed that her face seemed to be healing rather well. He never saw about the bruises, since she kept her arms covered all the time.

They would spend time together, watching movies, hanging out with her friends at the mall. She seemed to be normal again; at least as normal as all the other kids at Xavier’s.

But there were times when his heightened scenes let him in on her secret. She was sad. She felt like she didn’t fit in. She felt the need to run. Those were the times when they would just sit together under the trees, not talking.

Today was one of those days. He thought about suggesting a trip of some sort. Just to get away from the school for a little bit. Nothing big, maybe a couple of days in New York.

“Hey Marie, what do ya think about me and you taking a trip?”

She looked at him like he had grown a third head or something. And then he realized it; he had called her by her name. The name that no one else knew, because she had never told anyone. Then the tears started coming. And she got up and ran.

---

She didn’t stop when Logan called after her. He shouldn’t know that name. She wasn’t Marie anymore. Marie had put her parents and David into a coma. Marie had killed Toby, even if it was by accident. She kept running, not really sure of where she was going; just hoping she would know when she got there.

Rogue reached her room and shut and locked the door behind her. Then she locked herself into the bathroom. Keeping people from touching her wasn’t the only reason she wore long sleeve shirts.

---

Logan ran up to the mansion. He knew exactly where she was, but thought that giving her a minute to calm down would be good for her.

He hated being wrong.

The smell of blood greeted him as he reached her door.

---

Jean was restocking the supplies in the med lab when she heard Logan roaring four stories above her. Grabbing what she thought might help on her way out, she ran up all four flights of stairs.

---

Kitty knew that Rogue was a private person. The girl had gone through a lot. So when she tried to get into the bathroom that connected the rooms that she and Jubilee shared with Rogue’s and couldn’t, she gave it some time.

When she heard Logan roaring she phased right into the bathroom. What she saw brought her to her knees.

---

The decision to finally take the razor blade and pull it down her wrist,
pushing deeply; came as easily as the one to pick the blade up in the first
place. She watched with a morbid fascination as the blood started flowing out, deep red, as she cut through the newly broken skin of that morning to the older scars from the past six months.

Then she did the same on the other wrist.

She knew she had to. If he knew her name, then he knew what she had done. If he knew, then he would tell and no one would want her around anymore. It would be just like before.

It all made perfect sense.

And Toby agreed. He smiled as he watched.

She sang softly to herself as Logan roared, Jean ran, and Kitty phased through the wall. None of them would be able to help her.

And that was just what she wanted it.

She never mentions the word addiction in certain company,
Yes, she’ll tell you she’s an orphan after you meet her family.
She paints her eyes as black as night now, pulls those shades down tight
Yeah she gives a smile when the pain comes,
The pain gonna makes everything alright, alright.

She smiled as Toby grabbed her hand.

Things were going to be nice again.


End.

---

She Talks To Angels by The Black Crows

She never mentions the word addiction in certain company,
Yes, she’ll tell you she’s an orphan after you meet her family.

She paints her eyes as black as night now, pulls those shades down tight
Yeah she gives a smile when the pain comes,
The pain gonna makes everything alright, alright.

She says she talks to angels they call her out by her name
Oh yeah she talks to angels they call her out by her name

She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket
She wears a cross around her neck
Yes the hair is from the little boy
And the cross is someone she has not met, not yet.

She says she talks to angels they call her out by her name
Oh yeah she talks to angels they call her out by her name
She says she talks to angels they call her out by her name

She don’t know no lover,
Least none that I ever seen
Yeah to her that don’t mean nothing
But to me, it means everything

She paints her eyes as black as night now, pulls those shades down tight
Yeah she gives a smile when the pain comes,
The pain gonna makes everything alright, alright.

She says she talks to angels says they all know her name
Oh yeah she talks to angels says they call her out by her name