Before He Forgot Us: Chapter 10: Accidental Truth
I didn’t go to my room like I thought I would. Instead I walked around the various hallways like I had earlier. Watching the many diverse students with little or no real interest. Eventually I did end up in the common room. I really didn’t know what I was doing there. I just stood outside the large room and watched the people in it.
I watched as Kitty Pryde pretend to listen to the yammering of Jubilee but was in actuality watching Bobby Drake. I watched as Pete sketched quietly in the back corner, his eyes looking up occasionally to capture the light that reflected off of her features, a love triangle gone horribly wrong if I ever saw one.
I then observed the oblivious Bobby Drake playing a video game with the ever so aggressive St. John. Now that was an irony in the making. Eventually my curious gaze grew rather bored with the silent soap opera before me.
Wondering in almost as quietly as any trained assassin could, I joined both Kitty and Jubilee on the floor. Jubilee smiled that bright smile as Kitty gave me her normal shy grin.
“Hey Rogue, what’s up?” Jubilee asked as she rocked back and forth cross-legged on the floor.
“Just came to talk to ya’ll a bit. Storm and I have been talking about the future of the Junior Team and where we think the program should go and what not. She has also decided during our conversation that she is just too over worked and has relinquished her rights over the Junior Team to me,” I told the girls as I to folded my legs in the same fashion as Jubilee.
“Really? You’re going to be teaching us?” Jubilee squealed alerting the others as they started to listen to our conversation.
“Yes, now there will be a lot of changes but I think they will all be for the best,” said I as Pete quit sketching and moved towards us to pay more attention. Both John and Bobby put down their controllers to also listen to what changes will be occurring.
“As I observed earlier today, you are all lacking in skills most needed to be fully effective on missions. Strom was having you learn defensive skills, which don’t get me wrong is a very important aspect of your training, but you don’t have any offensive techniques at all. Also since this is such a large team I will be, like I did during the session today, be dividing you up into pairs. Each pair will have their own private training sessions, which I will have posted for you as soon as I talk to Slim about when the X-Men train. I don’t want to have conflicting schedules. Also I will be given your school schedules so I know when it will be best to schedule your training sessions together,” said I as I looked at the team members who seemed to agree with what I was saying.
“Now first I am going to divide you up into pairs. Jubilee and John both of you worked brilliantly together, you both have that drive to unleash as much power as possible. But John we have to find you an alternative to that lighter. It will become a liability in the end if we don’t fix the problem. Both of you however need a lot more conditioning, defensive and power training. That won’t be to hard to fix of course,” I said to them, both beaming with pride that they were actually do good at something. Other than getting to into trouble and being cool.
“Kitty, I am going to be pairing you up with Pete,” I stopped then and literally saw Kitty’s face fall at what I had just suggested.
“You spend half of your time trying to protect the whole team instead of actually helping them. I think that if I paired you with Bobby, like in the session, you would spend the entire time, like you did in today’s drill, protecting him. Pete doesn’t need protecting, that much is obvious. I need for you to learn more offensive skills and some new techniques with your powers. I think they can be very helpful in the near future. You need to be able to protect yourself and not just your team members. I want Pete to pretty much take over your training because,” I paused and turned to look at the emotionless face of Colossus.
“Pete you are amazing in the field, your defensive and offensive skills are near par. However your leadership skills need more work. I think you could possibly lead this team, like Slim does the X-Men, one day,” I said and could almost make out a hint of blush forming on his pale Russian cheeks.
“Alright well if everyone is paired up, who am I going to be with?” the once again oblivious Bobby asked me.
“You’re going to be with me,” I said simply. His blonde eyebrows immediately shot up at that.
“You?” he asked in near shock.
“Yes, I believe you to be at this moment, the biggest liability to this team,” said I. It was then that I heard the snickering coming from the dastardly do-o John and Jubilee. I shot them a look and they both settled back down quickly.
“What!?” said he.
“Yes, you didn’t for the entire session today pay attention to your partner. She was defending you while you made reckless and careless mistakes. You are too hesitant and usually choose the wrong course of action. You need all the help you can get,” I concluded for him.
Everyone was quite as Bobby just stared at me with an open mouth at the truth to my words. He looked at around at his team members; none of them seemed inclined to back him up. It was obvious that Bobby’s continuous mistakes and hesitance was becoming a major problem. After this I began to stand, both Bobby and Kitty shooting me dirty looks as I began to move towards the exit.
“Hey Rogue like wait up,” Jubilee called out to me. She quickly caught up with me and together we walked up to our room.
“I know what you are trying to do,” she said to me. I just looked over at her with a cocked eyebrow at her in question.
“I think what your trying to do is good. I’ve been trying for years to convince her to let go of the idea of her and Bobby and to go for Pete. I mean it’s like been so obvious for years that he loves her. And your right about Storm and the other teachers, they’re all over worked. There’s just to many of us like you know?” she told me with a pop of her bubble gum as we got off the stairs and began to make our way to our room.
“Yes, I’ve noticed that. The student teacher ratio is to great, I think its time the Professor either hired some new faces or starts using some of the ones he has now,” I said to her.
“What do you mean?” she asked as we continued to stroll down the wood paneled hallway.
“Maybe start a teacher-student work program,” said I.
“Like a teachers aid?” she asked.
“Yes, and maybe start getting some of you certified for teaching. This is your last semester in High School is it not?”
“Yes, but do you really think the Professor will go for it?”
“What choice does he have?” I asked her as we finally entered our room. She just smiled that bright smile at me again as we began to start getting ready for dinner.
Dinner arrived at seven, children of all ages moved about the various hallways and the staircase. Jubilee walked arm and arm with as we descended the heavily handcrafted wooden stairs.
“Yea I really think that you and Pete and maybe even Kitty would be great teacher aid’s. You more so than the rest, actually have you ever thought of like being Xavier’s assistant? You know with helping with registering the new students, helping create next semester schedules, planning the dorm rooms, extra circular activities and maybe even some P.R. work. Things like that, I think it would really help organize the school and take some of the load off a few of the teachers and Xavier,” said I.
“You know I never really thought about it, but now that I am it like sounds totally like what I am interested in,” she said excitedly.
We finally made it down the stairs and eventually entered the dinning room. The table was abnormally long and adorned with a feast for kings. Children started to find their places, filling their plates with various culinary foods and garnishes. Jubilee and I sat closer to the head of the table where the Junior Team and the X-Men sat.
It was when Xavier entered the room that my happy attitude and discussion with Jubilee took a turn for the worst. Logan entered the room with that carefree, uncaring attitude that left my heart in race against what I am not sure.
“Wow…look at that,” Jubilee leaned down to whisper to me and I just nodded unable to take my green eyes off of him.
“Ain’t he something?” Jubilee continued as the man in question sat down in the only available seat, the one right next to me.
“Hey,” he said as he pulled the chair back, sitting down with the never forgotten heavy thump I had become so accustomed too and as remembered he waited patiently for some of the food to be passed down his way. I didn’t say anything for fear of saying the wrong thing and just nodded a hello and diverted my eyes.
Eventually I passed him the turkey, the rolls, mashed potatoes, the gravy and just passed the peas over to Xavier. I didn’t even realize my mistake until Xavier made a comment about Logan wanting peas.
“Logan hates peas,” said I and I cringed inwardly at my mistake.
I looked up at Logan sheepishly and all I received was a cocked eyebrow and a curious look.
“How would you know?” Jubilee asked and I started to fumble around a bit till Scott intervened to my rescue.
“Rogue must have touched him, right Rogue?” Scott said to me and I just nodded.
“What do you mean?” Logan asked.
“When Rogue touches another human being she absorbs their life source and memories and in the case of a mutant, their powers as well,” Xavier concluded as he took a sip of his water. His blue eyes staring me down as I ate some of my mashed potatoes.
“Interesting,” was all Logan said as he dug into his dinner and I immediately let out a sigh of relief.
Luckily for me the rest of dinner went without incident and when it was over I was more than willing to leave.
Rushing through dinner I excused myself politely and exited the dinning room with so much earnest I thought I might explode from it all. But once I had safely escaped Logan’s presence I slowed my pace and walked as usual up the hand carved wooden staircase towards my bedroom.
I walked almost sluggishly down the wooden-paneled hallway. Not really paying attention to my surroundings as I made my way to my new room. Thoughts of Logan seemed to fill inside my head as I covered the small distance that was left to my room.
“So you can see anyone’s memories?” the strong, deep voice that I had dreamt about for many nights in the last fifteen or so years. I hadn’t even heard him come up behind me and in my fright I had jumped quit a few inches off of the floor.
“Sorry,” he said to me with that sheepish grin I know to be a telltale sign that he really wasn’t.
“It’s alright,” I say as I slowly calm myself down.
“So can you?” he asks me again and I am confused at first but then I remember,
“Yes I can see memories, thought, dreams everything really. And as Slim said earlier I also retain mutant abilities for a short while as well. However,” I continue figuring since he is unknowledgeable about everything pertaining to me that I might as well fill him in, “I can not control it and if I or someone else hangs on for to long I can kill them.”
“I’m kind of hard to kill,” he said and I couldn’t help but snort at his arrogance.
“I’ve killed stronger, fast and a lot more invincible than even you Wolverine. I probably the only person in this world who could take you out with just the tip of my finger,” I said slightly agitated that he would assume that I wasn’t as strong as I was known to be.
“What ever you say darlin,’” he said to me non-believing. His eyebrows cocked in such the usual manner that a great pain resonated deep within the creases of my heart.
“Humph, even Sabertooth couldn’t even defeat me and I know for a fact his healing factor is ten time faster than yours,” I countered back. Pressing my luck as I usually did when I was around him. But I know him better than he knows himself and I know when enough is enough. I know exactly what buttons to push to make him want me all over again.
“Ha! That over grown cat? He ain’t got nothin’ on me princess,” he said leaning into me a little. The man really was just too predictable.
“Ah come on Logan don’t be jealous. He didn’t touch me for that long,” I purred back to him as I leaned forward myself. I almost extremely pleased with the out come, for he gave me a wicked kind of smile that sent shivers down my arms.
“I don’t get jealous and personally I think you’re just a little scared,” said he to me.
“Scared? Scared of what? Of you? A man I can kill with just a brush of my fingers on your skin,” I asked crossing my arms. Knowing I was pulling him like the prey he was.
“No darlin’ I know you ain’t scared of me. I think you’re scared of what you’ll see,” he said darkly.
“Logan trust me theirs nothing you’ve seen, experiences or dreamt about that I myself haven’t already seen first hand. I might be young but I’m not that young. You’re deep I’ll give you that, but your not deep enough to scare me,” I said before turning around and walking the rest of the way to my bed room. A happy smile playing on my face as I left Logan standing alone in the hallway.
I sat in my room later that, Jubilee and Kitty already asleep in the darkness of the room, and replayed the conformation over and over again in my mind. I couldn’t help but smile at knowing he was safe again and oh so near me. It left a warm feeling in me that I dared to leave me.
I lay there for hours in the darkness of my room, listening to the nights little sounds. The small creeks in the floorboards as someone crept across the hallways on there way back to bed or going to the kitchen for a midnight snack. The slow hum of music playing softly not three doors down in John’s room. The giddy laughter of the younger girls across the hall could not be mistaken. Yes when all is supposed to be quite and dark in the hallways of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters it seems to be quit the opposite.
It was during the symphony that I was listening to that I heard the first sounds of distress come not five doors down. The loud moaning that only an avid listener could foretell. In plain curiosity I pulled back my bedclothes and stepped upon the cold hard wood floor of my bedroom. Quietly I made my way up that creaking hallway towards the room that the pain-filled moaning was coming from.
It took me only a few moments to realize whose room I was standing outside of. I should have known he would be the one calling out in his sleep. That the horrors he faced while captive with my father would eventually leak over into his dreams. With great caution I opened his door with a steady hand. The light from the hallway filtered through the small crack I had made. I could see the sheets twisted about his legs as he fought against an unknown assailant. His moaning had become ragged now as he thrashed about.
“Logan?” I called out from the doorway as pushed the door open further. He didn’t respond, he just kept moaning.
I walked into the room calling his name out every few feet or so. He never once acknowledged my presence or that he could even hear me at all. Finally I had reached the edge of his bed. He seemed to be fighting a losing battle as the words no…no…no echoed from deep within his throat as his nightmare reigned on. This time I leaned close to his ear; I wasn’t wearing my gloves so I let my hands hover above his naked torso.
“Logan,” I whispered. Nothing.
“Logan?” I whispered again louder this time. Still nothing.
“Logan!” I nearly screamed out and this time with a shot of such fury he rose up from the bed, claws drawn and with a fierce roar struck me head on in the chest. I felt nothing as the knives sliced through my pale skin and embedded themselves deep with in me.
I tried to say something as recognition slowly formed on his facial features. But all that came out was a gasp and a small trickle of blood. A lung. Damn. He had pierced my left lung right below my heart.
“Rogue?” he said in dreadfulness as he looked from my aghast face to my chest. I followed his line of viewing. Noticing the red bloom of blood as it stained my lavender nightgown. It was my favorite. Damn.
“Oh God…oh God,” was all he said as I slowly started to feel my heart slow down. No beating, no rhythm as the blood slowly drained from wounds and my lung began to deflate and I lost the ability to breath.
“HELP!” he screamed, “Some body help me!”
At that he released his metal claws from chest. I was able to stand almost properly for a few minutes until I began to sway. I heard the door bang open behind me as people filled in the time space. I could hear more than a few mumbled voices at what they were witnessing.
He looked at me with regret. Regret for what I know he will never know. But still I smiled slightly and gently stroked my bare hand against the stubble of his cheek. Oh to feel that against my flesh once again was heaven on Earth. It was a happy ending to what could have been a disaster.
Nevertheless I began to feel it, the inevitable pull that I most dreaded in this world. I felt as my skin started to knit together in that familiar way. I watched as the blue lines began to form along Logan’s face and neck. I watched as his eyes rolled back into his head and he slowly gasped for breath. As soon as the last of my wounds were healed I let go. I watched the man I love fall to the floor in a twitching heap.
It was then that I noticed all the people. All of my colleagues, roommates, friends, family and teammates all were staring at me.
“I’m sorry. It was an accident,” I said as I watched Slim and Jean try to figure out what would be best for their wounded guest.
No one said any thing to me as I repeated what I had jus said. No one even went to touch to me. No one wanted to.
I realized what had occurred. What I had done. I immediately set about leaving the room. Leaving behind the man I loved to be helped by people he barely knew. Who don’t know him. But I did. The small crowd that had gathered spread like the red sea as I walked between them. No one followed me. No one tried to stop me either as I disappeared around the nearest corner.
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