“Rogue I really recommend that you let me take a look at you first,” Hank voiced, his eyes watching her over his glasses.
Rogue sighed as she moved around the operating room, her hand trailing along the sterile counter top. Looking up she spotted Logan’s blurry reflection in the steel cupboards as he leant against the far wall with his arms crossed. He’d been silent since Stacy X had left. He’d merely greeted Hank with a grunt and a rough handshake. Hank from past experiences picked up on Logan’s agitation and merely raised an eyebrow in her direction but when she’d immediately told him about Stacy X and the agreement he smartly realized it wasn’t a time for pleasantries.
“That be nice and all doc,” Rogue started and turned to flash Hank a small smile as he stood in the middle of the room by the table. “But Stacy X will be here any minute. She doesn’t have much of a timeline.”
She drifted closer towards the table and glanced down at the clean floor. Hank eyed her gravely and slowly moved his gaze to glance at Logan wearily.
Coughing once he lowered his head and eyed Rogue discreetly. “Neither do you,” he whispered, but even he knew it was futile.
Logan’s head snapped up instantaneously.
Slowly, Rogue matched Hank’s gaze. “Don’t over-exaggerate,” she remarked off-hand. Her voice was far to calm.
“What?” Logan bellowed across the room. Glaring, his gaze narrowed on the two of them as he stalked forward.
Hank sighed but he kept his eyes on Rogue and she in return ignored both of them.
Logan, however, did not take kindly to the sudden silence between them.
“What do you mean she has a timeline?” he asked Hank firmly.
Pushing his glasses back up his nose Hank glanced once more at Rogue before facing Logan.
“It means,” he began slowly.
“Doctor,” Rogue interrupted tightly. “Don’t forget your Hippocratic Oath.”
Hank stuttered and frowned at Logan.
“Fuck this,” Logan spat after Hank grew silent again.
Stalking over to Rogue he swung her around to face him.
“Do you suddenly get off on keeping every little thing a secret?” he yelled but her face remained emotionless. “Or is that just some new power you picked up along the way, gotta make everything one damn mystery after another.”
She wouldn’t make eye contact with him and she could feel his hot breath on her skin as he huffed in anger.
Leaning in close to her ear he whispered, “You know what I think, Rogue,” he dragged her name out harshly. “I think it’s just your way of being in control. Gotta hold all the cards in the deck don’tcha darlin’.”
Slowly, her eyes flashed and moved to match his gaze, a small smirk danced across her face in warning. “You’re one to talk. I think you’re just unable to accept the fact that you don’t have control of my life.”
His eyes widened immediately, his nostrils flaring but before she could focus on the fluid of emotions that passed through his eyes he turned with a snarl and went back to his spot by the wall.
Passing Hank with a short glare he spat, “I wouldn’t waste your time doc, seems to me she has a death wish anyways.”
“Logan,” Hank began. “I hardly think that is an appropriate thing to say…”
“Can it furball,” he responded. “She left out the part in the story where I’d found her dead as a door nail in a coffin. Then a few days later she’s healed again but still just as dumb.”
“Fuck you, Logan,” Rogue hissed across the room, her back facing him as she tried to ignore the sting of tears in her eyes.
“What?” Hank gasped. “Remarkable,” he gushed as he walked around to Rogue. “Your body was able to draw on Logan’s power and heal, even after all that time.”
“Stop looking at me like I’m going to be your next test tube, Hank.”
Hank opened his mouth, a bit taken back but then a sturdy glare formed on his face. “Whatever has taken place between you two, this is hardly the time to drag it back in. If what Logan says is true, Rogue and since he is already here, he is already a part of this.”
He was met with silence but he carried on. “Logan, what I meant before was that if Rogue does not learn control soon, if she is not able to fully adapt her body to the changes, it is quite possible she won’t survive.”
Slowly, Logan turned his head. “Well what you goin’ to do about it furball?”
“I need to do some more tests,” he responded strictly. “If what you say is true, that Rogue was able to heal back from supposed death then perhaps her body has slowly begun to adapt to her resource of powers, learning to draw on the ones when needed. We must begin immediately…”
“I’m I interrupting?” a slick feminine voice called from the door way of Hank’s private lab.
Logan grumbled low and glared at the smiling Stacy X. “I can see you’re still in a good mood,” she retorted.
“Obviously you two didn’t heed my advice.”
“You must be Stacy X,” Hank spoke politely. “I’m…”
“Doctor Hank McCoy,” she finished. “Yes, I saw your name on the door but I’ve also heard of your reputation which is why I’m here.”
“You did good,” she remarked as she glanced at Rogue and Logan. “A very first-rate contact indeed.”
Rogue glared at her and moved to sit in one of the far chairs.
“Good to see you too, Rogue,” she called sweetly. “You’ll be glad to know I contacted my superiors and you’re off their grid. I think they classified you as dust in the wind.”
“Cute,” Rogue responded with a sneer.
“Be nice,” Stacy countered as she slid her jacket off. “You still have your end of the deal to up hold and I’m supposed to be on my way out of the state so we don’t have long.”
“Then I’ll hold my breath,” Rogue remarked dryly.
Logan glared at her but she ignored him.
“Are you prepared to begin immediately?” Hank asked.
“Can I trust you doctor?”
Logan snorted. “He’s got a Hippocratic Oath and everything.”
Hank frowned slightly in Logan’s direction.
“I’d like to start with some X-rays first but from what information I’ve gathered from Rogue and Logan it appears you already know the dangers involved but I have heard of such technologies before and feel I am prepared as any doctor can be in these present circumstances.”
“Well if that isn’t confidence I don’t know what is,” she smirked.
“Rogue, Logan if you could please excuse us.”
“You want to be alone with her, Hank?” Logan asked strongly.
“Your presence will only complicate matters during the procedure.”
Logan fixed his standard glare on the smiling Stacy X.
“Please, Logan I do not think she is here to try anything. You yourself said she was not lying.”
“Fine,” Logan grunted. “We’ll be right outside.”
Leaving slowly, Rogue got up and followed him.
“Where’s the rest of your band of merry mutants?” Stacy X asked with a smile but Rogue could make out the tiny amount of anxiety in her dark eyes. She was nervous and perhaps she didn’t blame her.
“They’re kind of pissed about the whole net thing last time and the guns; they’d rather not be here trying to save your life.”
Stacy X tilted her head in sly amusement. “Fair enough.”
Rogue nodded and drifted out of the room. “Good Luck.”
“Shall we begin,” Hank motioned.
“As long as it’s not the beginning of the end.”
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