Logan pushed through the fury to find his voice. "I'll be downstairs in minute!" he shouted through his door at Scott. Looking around, he moved his focus to one thing at the time. First, get dressed; second, go downstairs and find out what the team knew...or thought they knew. Third, do whatever the hell it took to find Marie.
******
"You got nothin'?" Logan looked at the rest of the team, including Xavier, with contempt, but he wasn't surprised. Chuck had a hard time getting a lock on Rogue when she was standing right in front of him, never mind when she was miles, possibly counties away. She'd disappeared, literally, from right underneath his nose, so he shouldn't blame anyone else for letting it happen either.
"No one saw her leave. She was with Hank and then went back to the med lab to rest, but when he got back - no Rogue," Scott was explaining. "The last anyone saw of her was when she was with Hank."
Scrubbing a hand across the back of his neck, Logan weighed his options. The most important thing was finding her, so holding back information had no place in the conversation. "That's not - entirely true. She was with me and until you started banging on my door, I didn't know she was missing."
He waited, hoping their Fearless Leader would get the point without anymore disclosure.
"She was with y-," comprehension dawned in Scott's eyes and although they narrowed in disapproval, he withheld any comment. He went right back into leader mode. "Okay. So we know Rogue was last with you and then somehow managed to leave the mansion without anyone noticing, without a trace...but for what reason?"
Seven sets of eyes settled back on Logan. At first he wondered if he should be offended, but he did have an idea as to why she left.
"I think she was probably driven to leave, but *not* because of something I did. Just in case you're wondering," he added with a glare.
"No one's accused you of that," Xavier said calmly.
"We may have another issue to consider," Hank said, removing his glasses to clean them. "Rogue made a lot of inquiries while we toured the mansion yesterday. They were mainly focused on the hospital and the doctors where she was found. I think she has total recall of what occurred there, but the questions focused on location and responsibility. Also, I got the distinct impression that she was picking my brain for any recent information we'd discovered."
"Do you think she knows about the organization relocating the hospital?" Storm asked.
"I think it's completely possible that she found that information, yes."
"So that's it then," Logan interrupted. "We go to that damn hospital, find her, and take down the hell hole while we're at it..."
"Hold on Logan," Scott stopped him. "We don't have a plan for extraction yet and it's highly likely they have other mutants in their possession. We need more reconnaissance before we try to take a hospital like that again. It was chaos last time."
"I tell you what, Cyclops; you work out your little plan; I'm going to get Rogue...I'll see ya on the other side."
"This is exactly why I didn't want you to go in the first place! You're a danger to the mission, the team, and Rogue because you're thinking with your dick instead of your head!"
It took the full weight of Colossus to stop Logan mid lunge as he went for Scott's throat.
"Stop it!" Xavier commanded. "None of this is helping. Scott, Storm, you have ten minutes to finalize plans for safely extracting any mutants that may be held at this hospital. Everyone else needs to suit up and be ready to leave - including Logan. We need every mutant brought back here, Rogue returned safely, and this facility properly contained. They cannot be allowed to establish this operation elsewhere. Is everyone clear?"
The team stood quietly for a mere second before jumping into action.
*********
Rogue bounced along in the jump seat of the 18-wheeler. She'd thought her days of 'runaway' were over, but obviously, not yet. This trucker was an old fella, portly and a proud grandpa with impeccable manners. Good thing too, because her days of being the frightened, defenseless-except-for-her-skin runaway were well over too. Lucky for her she could still look the part of wide-eyed innocence and it helped her thumb her way to the most recent location of the government's hospital.
She had to get away from Logan, not because she wanted to, but because she was afraid of what might happen if she didn't. Logan meant everything to her; more than anyone else in the mansion, more than her own safety. Her emotions for him were too strong and in strong opposition to everyone else that shared her being. They didn't agree on Logan, they didn't agree on her need for him, they didn't agree on much of anything. But when Rogue discovered the latest information on the hospital, they'd all finally come to a perfect, passionate agreement on what must be done. If she could give them what they wanted, maybe they would give her some peace. She was willing to make that bargain; agree to their demands in exchange for a chance with Logan.
********
The building stood before her, drab concrete with two thick metal doors, non-descript and dull on the outside, but she knew what evil was housed on the inside. It was a different place, but it was the same. This was where they had changed her, forever altering the Rogue she once was. Voices were stirring inside her now, screaming for justice and thirsty for vengeance.
~They did this to us! They did this to you! They'll do it again. Stop them! Destroy it!~
Rogue saw through the eyes of the others inside her, the ones who had been sacrificed to give her their mutation. They ceased to exist, except inside her. They resented her for it, but they needed her to avenge them. None of them would rest until they had revenge on the people that killed them.
"I do this and you've got to stop fighting me. I can't bring you back, but I want my life back!" she said aloud.
~They destroyed us to use you! We would all be their slave! Give us this - and we won't fight you anymore.~
She closed her eyes for a moment. Then Rogue silently agreed and prayed that the frenzy inside her was true to its word.
A slick chill slithered down her spine, snaking through her brain to the tips of her fingers, as she gave herself over them. With cold, calculating eyes she studied the building in front of her again, the entrance and exits, weak points and strong obstacles.
There wasn't the slightest hesitation as she gripped one of the doors tightly with both hands and ripped it from its hinges, sounding the squawking alarms and announcing her return.
*********
It wasn't at all like the last hospital. This place had obviously been thrown together fast and looked more like a prison than any hospital Logan had ever seen. They arrived to screeching alarms and standing outside the building with the rest of the team, he could feel the claws straining to remain sheathed. He wanted nothing more than to slice and dice his way to get to Rogue, but tried to play the role of obedient follower while in everyone else's presence. Once inside, Logan would separate himself from the group. She was here. With hyper senses, he felt confident he could track down his mate, get her out of this place even if he had to use force to combat the other people sharing her mind.
Logan got his chance to slip away when he broke off with Colossus and Kitty. Those two could take care of themselves as they worked to free some of the contained mutants. He followed his nose to the basement, every instinct telling him that's where he would find her.
Rather than do the smart thing, and flee the building, the commander in charge and the head doctors had gone underground. Determined to hold onto their catch and neutralize the threat, they'd gone to the central holding facility and center of operations. They were surprised to see that security had been breached by their finest creation, the one that got away.
That's where he found her. Her back was to him and he watched in slow motion as she walked towards the main chamber. The room had bare, cement walls and Rogue stood eerily still inside the doorway, eyeing the occupants, studying them.
There were three medical personnel and five guards and at first, none of them made a move. Then, the guard nearest to her grabbed for her arm. Logan watched as Rogue gripped the man's wrist, spinning and twisting his arm behind him, his hand coming up between his shoulder blades. The surprise and sudden force, dropping him to his knees. She relieved him of his weapon and knocked him out with a blow to the temple.
With her sights set on the three doctors, she took out one before shots from another guard knocked her down. Logan had charged into the room as soon as she'd grabbed the first guard, but now his focus was intent upon the guards with the guns.
Launching himself across the room, he took several shots in the shoulder before driving his claws into the man's chest. He heard Rogue behind him; she was locking them all inside the room. From the floor he watched as her wound healed and another guard moved in to attack, trying to tackle her to the ground. She wrenched away and spun back, grabbing him around the neck and twisting it with a snap.
Two things struck Logan at once as he stared. She never flinched, not at killing the man with her bare hands or at Logan's sudden appearance in the hospital. Her eyes watched what was happening as if it weren't her at all. Rogue was there, but she wasn't in charge.
She stared back at Logan as another shot struck her in the shoulder.
Logan ran for the two remaining guards, working them, driving his razor sharp claws into their flesh with a vengeance. He rarely took pleasure in the kill; normally it was only means to an end. However, this time, for what they'd done, this time he enjoyed it.
He found Rogue, struggling to her feet, the borrowed healing mutation working slower on her bullet wound. She stood, turning her dark gaze upon the two doctors in the corner. They were the priority; the guards were just an obstacle to cut through.
She stalked towards them, with death in her eyes.
"Rogue, no!" he had no idea why he said it. He just knew he didn't want her to kill them. He didn't want her to have to kill them.
Her eyes cut back to his.
~They did this to us! They'd do worse to you if they had the chance. They'll keep doing it unless we stop them!~
~I know that.~
"But you're not a killer, Rogue. Look at me!" he snapped. "Don't turn into this, Marie."
Shaking her head, her voice turned pleading.
"We have to end this, Logan. It's what they want. It's what I want; on this we all agree. It has to end."
"I know...but you don't have to be the one to do it."
Rogue looked at him then, understanding his request. She was about to answer when the two cornered doctors lunged forward towards each of them. She felt a needle prick into her arm and the familiar swirling tilt of tranquilizer flowed through her system. Her mutations fought against it as she felt herself falling. Struggling not to go under, she heard the familiar sound of Logan's claws cutting into skin and bone while she reached for one of the guard's weapons. She was determined to finish it; she had to.
Suddenly Logan's hands were pulling on her shoulders, tugging her towards the door.
"We gotta get out of here," he was saying, but the words sounded fuzzy.
He was steadier on his feet and as he led her from the room she saw crumpled figures and the doctors' blood on the floor. Logan had taken care of them so she didn't have to.
****
As they made their way through the battle zone that remained of the hospital, Rogue's head slowly cleared of the drug. Logan was dragging her outside. The cool air hit her face, awakening her further. She saw the rest of the team nearby and with them were the other mutants that they'd rescued.
The one she recognized as Cyclops was giving orders for them to follow Storm away from the building.
"Is it ..." she tugged on Logan's arm. "Are they out? Are all of the other mutants out?" she asked.
He walked with her towards the team.
"Is everyone out?" she heard Logan yell to Cyclops. He answered him, yes. They'd gotten every mutant out and tried to destroy what they could.
~It's not over~ they said. ~You know what we've got to do.~
It wasn't over and she knew it. It had to be finished for her to be free. Thinking quickly over the options, Rogue moved towards Scott. He shot her a startled look since she hadn't spoken to him much since her return.
She smiled at him. "It will only hurt for a moment," she said and she reached for his face and her collar at the same time.
Closing her eyes, she felt some of his thoughts and memories flow into her, but more importantly, his mutation began to burn behind her eyelids. Rogue heard people shouting at her and felt Logan's hands on her shoulders, dragging her off of Scott. It was too bad she had to hurt their leader, but he'd survive - and it was necessary. Turning her face towards the direction of the hospital, she opened her eyes. An enormous red blast shot out towards the building, obliterating everything in its path. Staring down the building as every bit of Scott's mutation flowed out of her and into the destruction of what held her captive; Rogue hoped it would be enough.
All that remained was scorched earth and a huge hole in the ground. The glow from the optic blast still burned red behind her lids as she crumpled to the concrete. Rogue couldn't open her eyes, but she felt Logan move beside her, pulling her to sit up.
"You okay?" he asked, so calm and unalarmed.
"Yeah," she whispered. "I didn't mean t- I mean it wasn't just me ... I didn't hold on long enough to hurt him. I had too. I had to do it or-"
"Shhh," he stopped her. "I know. It's okay; he'll be alright ... after awhile."
Leave it to Logan, she thought, to give her the benefit of the doubt, to be more concerned about her than the truth - or what anyone else would think. She couldn't see the look on the faces of the X-Men, but she felt their stunned stares, sensed their disapproval and suspicion. 'Borrowing' Scott's powers without permission wasn't quite so well received by everyone else, especially since they'd saw it as unnecessarily draining him in an act of rage. They didn't understand it had to be done. Containment wasn't enough. It had to be total destruction, to make sure nothing remained. That's what it took to satisfy the vengeance of everyone inside her.
With her eyes still closed, she felt them. Some of them were satisfied, some were just happy they'd succeeded in their mission, still others were giddy and amused at the murder and violence they'd left in her wake. Rogue tried to focus on them all. ~I let you do it. I did what you asked. Now you have to let me have my mind back~ she reasoned.
They grew quiet and still for a moment. ~But you know we won't ever go away~ one of them said.
She knew it was true. They would always be there, these people housed inside her. They were a part of her, existed only in her, and they'd never completely abandon their chance at life. Rogue would have to accept them, but she insisted on control.
~I'm in charge~ she reminded them. ~I'm in charge and I make the final decisions. I can always end this if you don't like it.~ They never liked that alternative, she thought.
~And I want Logan, too~ she added. ~Separate, on his own, no absorbing him - Logan. Got it!?~
Their silence meant compliance. Rogue moved into the protection that Logan offered, feeling his arms wrap around her.
"I had to leave to protect you, y'know? I didn't want to," she said.
"Shh. I know that," he replied, pulling her closer. "You don't have to explain. I got a piece of you too, remember?"
Rogue thought about the people around them, the X-Men. Now was not the time to team up, beg for understanding, or try to survive in a house full of people. She already had a house full inside her. The idea of somewhere secluded, going somewhere far away with Logan for awhile was much more appealing. "They're not very happy with me. They don't trust me because I'm loose cannon," Rogue told him, referring to the team.
"Yeah ... well, join the club," he said with a snort. "They've always thought that about me."
"I don't wanna go back, not ... not for awhile," she admitted. "I can't."
"Hey," he said, tilting her face up even though she couldn't look at him. "You ain't gotta do anything you don't want to. Not anymore. They'll get over it. I got this nice little place in the middle of no where, you know? I've been meaning to check on it for some time now and ... I could use a hand."
Rogue smiled at his attempt at a casual offer to run away with him. Then she nodded firmly, "Sounds perfect."
"Besides," he added, "I've been back for almost a week. I'm gettin' restless; time to hit the road."
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to Laenwyn and Dakashy for looking this over and assuring me it was worth posting.