Scott knocked on Xaviers' door, entering a moment later, with Jean, and Ororo not far behind. "Professor, can we speak with you a moment? It's about Rogue," Scott asked, stopping before the desk. Xavier nodded.
"Of course. I've been meaning to speak to you on the same subject, I'm glad you're here." Xavier waved them into the seats in front of him. "Jean, you've been her mentor somewhat. Would you like to start?"
Jean nodded. "When Logan left four years ago, Rogue changed. I suppose she was always a little shy, but still sweet. After he went up north, Rogue slowly isolated herself from the other students. She became moody and rude to her classmates as well as us."
"As for her activities outside the school, she's been seen frequenting the bar downtown and has come back drunk more than once. And on the last mission it was imperative that she use her powers against one of Magneto's goons, but she didn't have to kill him. I thought by having her become an X-Men, she would better adjust. But it seems she's only become more angry and resentful of regular people. She's hardened," Scott said, his face grim. Xavier nodded, and then looked at Ororo.
"Is there something you wish to add?"
Ororo hesitated then said, "Yesterday she almost hurt Bobby. She teased him to a certain point, knowing he has feelings for her. She came very close to kissing him, then backed off and left. Bobby didn't know whether to be relieved or angered, so he settled for confused. Not to mention the numerous fights she has been picking with many of the students."
"In all, she's become dangerous." Xavier agreed. "I'm not sure what happened, whether it was the stress of her power, losing Logan, or the alienation she's had to go through. I cannot help her. She won't let me, and as far as I can discern from what you're saying, she won't let anyone else."
"She's become a loose cannon Professor." Scott said. " We can't keep her here forever, and she doesn't seem to want to be a permanent X-Men or a teacher. She's been reluctant just to stay here for college courses."
Xavier turned his chair to the window, focusing on a lone girl dressed in black. "Yes, but what can we do?"
None of them noticed the teenage boy with his ear to the door, and certainly no one noticed his eyes glow a distinct yellow.
Rogue bit into her sandwich, chewing methodically. She was so sick of this place. Sick of the food, the people, especially the people. Rogue rolled her eyes and got up, dropping her sandwich on the grass. The constant rules, nagging, the watching, she had to get out of here for the day. Screw class. She started for the gate when a voice stopped her.
"So what, now you're littering?" Jubilee said, her voice tight with anger.
"If you're hungry then pick it up." Rogue turned, crossing her arms.
"I know what you did to Bobby. You could have hurt him."
"Give me a break," Rogue muttered. They had no sense of humor, she wouldn't have really kissed him. He was the one starting to lean in, if she hadn't left he'd be vegetation by now. "Don't get all Jerry Springer on me. It's not my fault Mr. Freeze doesn't have the hots for you."
"Oh, very clever. I'm sure you have plenty of time to think these little barbs up, seeing as how you do nothing," Jubilee retorted.
"Yeah, other than save your butt. In case you don't remember I'm an X-Men," Rogue spat, stepping towards Jubilee.
"And so am I, except I don't kill people for fun," she hissed, moving towards her until they were standing face to face.
"Oh, but you're so valuable to us. We'll call you next Fourth of July, kay?" With a cold smile she walked off. Rogue could practically feel the energy dancing at Jubilees fingertips. She should probably be worried but she wasn't. These people were a bunch of geeks, just like Logan said. But then again, Logan had also said he'd be back for her. Liar. Well she was sick of waiting. He had been the only reason why she stayed so long. Even though it was apparent that he wasn't returning, she had still hoped. And he had lied. There was no reason for her to be here now.
"I have some news. It's fun," Mystique whispered, draping across Eric's lap.
"And what would it be?" Eric said, leaning back in his metallic chair. Mystiques eyes flickered over the underground cavern before replying.
"It seems our old friend Rogue is restless. I went back to the school and heard the X-Freaks talking about how she's becoming somewhat of a baddie. She wants to leave, she's grown violent, picks fights with the other student..."
"Ahh yes." Eric mused, "I noticed something of a smile on her face when she killed Denisio."
"She's ready to come over. All she needs is a little push." Mystique slithered off of Eric and changed her form into Xaviers. Eric stood and nodded, a faint look of amusement on his face.
"That will do just fine. We could always use more help in our cause."
Xavier smiled. "If it worked once..."
"Rogue, may I speak to you a moment?" She turned and saw Professor Xavier at her door. Rogue looked at him, confused for a moment. The professor never came into the dormitories, especially the female ones.
"Sure proff," she said, shrugging nonchalantly. "I thought everyone was at the game."
"Everyone is, with the exception of me and you. You are once again isolating yourself from the other students," he said, his tone a little sharper than what she was used too. She turned and bit back the urge to roll her eyes. Her respect for the professor overcame her frustration with the school. Barely.
"I hope this won't be another lecture," Rogue replied lightly.
"This isn't a lecture, it's an expulsion," Xavier said slowly.
"A..a what?" Rogue started at the professor, thinking that maybe she head misheard him.
"For the past four years we've taken care of you, and all you've done is mope around being miserly and secluding yourself, when, that is, you're not being nasty to the other students or staff. Enough is enough." Rogue was speechless, the professors usually kind, placid face was twisted in anger. "You almost hurt a student and I won't have it. You're to be out of here in an hour. Usually I'd give the students time to say goodbye, but I can't think of a person who'd care."
Rogues legs started shaking, and she stumbled back onto her bed. "No..," she moaned. This can't be...it was a trick, it must be. "You're not the professor. You're Mystique," Rogue said, her voice less than strong.
"Oh really?" Xavier said, turning. 'Sorry Rogue.' The voice in her head was undoubtedly the professors. "An hour." And with that he left.
Rogue sucked in ragged gasps, her mind reeling. She was being kicked out. She'd never heard of anyone being expelled. Rogue screamed and kicked her desk, splintering it in half. She was filled with a dark mindless rage. She pulled her closet's door off its hinges and grabbed a duffel bag, and started throwing her clothes in it. She pulled out her dresser drawer and dumped its contents out, throwing it across the room when she was finished. She grabbed Logan's dog tags, something she had stopped wearing for the first time last week. She debated on whether or not to keep them, and finally stuffed them to the bottom of her bag. She looked at her room, it was wrecked and torn apart. She smiled thinly and left. Whether he had kicked her out or not, she would have left before long. She closed the door gently behind her, and then kicked it in.
Rogue went to the end of the hall, and opened the window. She adjusted her duffel bag over her shoulder and took off. Why she had felt bad about flying after taking the power from Mrs. Marvel she didn't know. It was a wonderful gift to have. Rogue flew over the basketball court, where two teams battled it out. She saw Jubilee pass the ball to Bobby, and he sank it. Bobby picked her up in a bear hug and Jubilee screamed with laughter. She suppressed the urge to swoop down and slap them all. Gloves off. She looked at the crowd and saw Scott looking up at her, his face expressionless. One of the rules she broke almost every day was of not to fly. If someone were to see it, it would raise a lot of questions. People in high places knew about the school, or at least they thought they did. But something like this could bring a wail of anti-mutant picketers to the front steps. Rogue took one glove off, and waved at him, before dropping it. Soon after the other one followed. She flew off and promised herself that she would never wear gloves, or any full-body covering again.
Scott watched the glove flutter to the ground beside the court and another one drop a few feet behind him. He went and picked it up, a tight, icy ball clenching in his stomach. Rogue never took off her gloves, and she never went flying with a duffel bag either. Scott went around the court to where Ororo had already picked up the other glove. Their eyes met, her fear mirrored in his glasses.
"We have to find the professor," she whispered. Scott nodded and they took off towards the main building, motioning for Jean to follow them.
"What happened?" Jean asked. Scott showed her the gloves. Ororo opened the door leading to the main hall.
"Rogue took off with a duffel bag and dropped these." Jeans' face turned pale.
"You think she...you think she left. For good?"
Ororo put a comforting hand on Jeans shoulder. "The Professor will find her." Professor Xavier came out of his office, hearing them come down the hall.
"Rogue has left. And in quite a rage also," he said, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "Her room is demolished. Someone was there with her...but I can't quite feel who." Xavier sighed and ran a hand over his face. "We must find her before Eric does."
"We must find her before Charles does," Eric said, tapping his fingers against his metal table.
"I can go out looking for her, she's probably not-" Mystique was interrupted by by a enraged growl. She walked towards the door. "That was Sabretooth."
Eric stood, watching the door carefully. "Something wicked this way comes," he said to himself, opening the metal door with a wave of his hand. Rogue flew in a second later, kicking the door closed behind her. Eric winced as a slight imprint of Sabretooth appeared in the door.
"That'll leave a mark," Rogue said, floating slowly down to the floor. Mystique moved in front of Eric protectively. "Chill out, I'm not here to hurt him. That whole trying to kill me thing a couple years ago, water under the bridge," she said, shrugging. "I'm here to join the brotherhood, I'm sick of playing by the rules. Sick of Xavier and his never-ending rules. I want to be with you. As long as you try not to kill me again."
"Really?" Eric said, feigning surprise. "And how do you know I will not try?"
"Because, I am much more valuable to you alive and touching. Other than that, I could probably break through any metal you put on me and fly away in a minute. That is, after I give you a kiss goodbye," Rogue said, walking towards him.
"Does that include me?" Mystique purred, slithering in front of her.
Rogue stepped closer. "Anytime," she whispered. Mystique drew away, intrigued. Rogue turned to Eric. "You won't kill me because you're not that stupid, and you know now that the radiation would kill them anways."
"And how do I know you won't kill me?" Eric asked.
"Because what good would that do other than have every mutant in the world after me. I want to join you. I'm sick of being stifled, of being good. I want revenge. I want a war."
"Why do you want a war?" Eric questioned.
"Because I know who'll win." Rogue smiled tightly. "And I want to be on the right side. So am I in?"
Eric looked her over carefully. "With a few changes-"
"I'm not changing for you or anyone," Rogue spat. "I'm living for me now, not by anyone else's standards."
"That is what I want. I want to strip away the layers of fear Charles has clothed you in. I want the real Rogue to come out, not the Rogue that he has tried in vain to make you." Eric soothed, walking around her.
Rogue relaxed. "Then let the changes begin."
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
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Story Notes:
Written in response to a challenge.