Title: Homecoming
Series: Last Call
Rating: PG 13
Verse: Post X3
Summary: Logan's dealing with Jean's death and Marie is the one he turns to.
Genre: Angst, Foof
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men, Marvel does.
Previous Chapters
The car made me sick. It had started the last two days we’d been on the road, but it had become so bad that I couldn’t eat anything and we had to stop every few hours for me to vomit and spend a half an hour calming down. I felt terrible. Sleeping helped. I sat there with my eyes closed, attempting to slow down the nausea. We were almost there. Logan told me another half an hour and we’d be at the Mansion. The Mansion.
That fateful morning, Logan and I went into town and bought a few pregnancy tests. He said we only needed one, but I bought three. I took one every morning before I agreed to go back and see the Professor and Hank. He was worried about how my body was reacting and what it meant for my emerging powers. I feel like I want to gag again. We were still in the Jeep and it was all packed up. I hadn’t brought everything this time. We’d left a lot at the cabin, because we intended to return there. Soon hopefully, it all depended on the go ahead from Hank.
I could feel us getting closer to the Mansion grounds, as if it were a beacon of light calling the prodigal children home. I might not have had much faith in God anymore, but that didn’t make the stories any less prominent in my brain. The gates opened upon our arrival. Except it wasn’t the Professor’s doing anymore. They’d installed this high-tech facial recognition system when he died. Even during that painful time, certain things had to be seen to. I fought another wave of nausea as Logan pulled into the curving drive and slowed to a stop.
“You ready?” he was concerned and worried for me and neither of us knew what to expect when we got in. We hadn’t called anyone. I found myself wondering who would be greeting us at the door. I hoped it wasn’t Kitty. Logan opened his door and walked around to my side. He’d been helping me do everything, and if I wasn’t so sick all the time I might’ve been annoyed, instead I was only grateful I didn’t have to carry the bags. And I was exhausted all the time. I clutched my purse as we walked up the steps, a brand new ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ paperback hidden in its depths. It said I might be nauseous and tired, and that it could range from no symptoms at all, to extreme. I assumed I was so tired because I couldn’t keep anything down besides Ginger Ale and two Flintstones vitamins. Even that was a struggle.
He took my elbow and grabbed our quick bags from behind my seat. When we made our way to the top of the steps, the door opened and I didn’t even make the effort to silence my groan. Kitty. Why did it have to be Kitty, she’ll know right away and I’d have to be nice, is this is a good or bad thing. A quick decision and a bout of nausea decided that it was good on some level, because she was just getting out of this. I’d read ahead to where Kitty is, she should be at the end of her first trimester and getting out of the place I’m in. She can be my beacon of hope?
She smiled wide, first at me then at Logan, and got a look on her face like she was thinking really hard. She’s sending out a mental note. I was aggravated that she was telling Emma we were back and I could practically see that amused smile crossing her face. My gut wrenched. Whether from morning sickness or from the prospect of Emma Frost I wasn’t sure, but it had me tearing off down the hall toward the nearest bathroom and dry heaving into the nearest open receptacle. Luckily it was the sink. I hated vomiting in toilets. Something about place where people do their business made it worse.
I was surprised when it wasn’t Logan who followed me in, but Kitty and I was happy with my decision now.
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks, although I think I’d rather die.” My voice sounded funny echoing out of the sink accompanied by the running water. I rinsed out my mouth, not drinking any because I know that’s dangerous. We sat in silence while I brushed my teeth and gargled with mouth wash. I’d perfected the art of doing it without gagging. When I finished Kitty was looking at me with eyes that apologized and offered the comfort of someone sharing the same pain.
“I gotta do it every time,” I motioned to the mouthwash. “It smells especially terrible to me right now. Senses and all.” I paused and looked at her. “Kitty, have your tried… how are you powers?”
“I can phase lots of things now. Really big stuff, objects that are touching objects that are touching me. We’re afraid to try it out too much right now, with the baby and all, But I phased me and Bobby and the bed all the way down to the Danger Room one night.” She giggled, and it lifted a huge weight off my shoulders to hear her. “I’m not gonna say anything else though. You know how Hank gets if you steal his thunder. Come on, Emma and the Professor are waiting with Logan.”
Which explains why he hadn’t followed me. I tucked my things back into my bag and steeled myself for a meeting with the Professor and Emma Frost.
I felt surprisingly better after my talk with Kitty. Maybe my worries were compounding my nausea and exhaustion. Another wave of nausea washed over me and I slowed my breathing and closed my eyes. It went away.
“Rogue my dear, are you ok?” It was still weird being around the Professor. He looked different, with his thick dark hair, and squared jaw. His voice was gruffer than it had used to be, and his eyes were brown like mine. Gone was his serene expression, replaced by that of a man who now had to figure out what people were saying by body language and tone. He was still really good at it, his years of pairing facial expressions and posture with thoughts giving him an instinctual knowledge of people. He wasn’t a mutant anymore. The body he acquired had human DNA. He’d been able to use his powers to place his brain into the large laborer’s body, but the mutant gene was gone. That’s why Emma was here.
I focused on him and smiled. “Fine, just a bit sick. It comes and goes.” He nodded, that way men do when they think they know what you’re talking about but really have no idea. The hardest thing to get used to was hearing his distinctive English speech patterns coming from the man standing in front of the windowsill. Watching him write, and seeing the familiar flowing script scrawl across the paper. His body language was exactly the same, his posture perfect and remembered. Yet, he was so different. Life filled him again, more than I ever saw in him when he was confined to the wheelchair.
“He is rather spry isn’t he?” Emma said from across the room. Her attire was still blindingly white, but at least she’s not running around half naked while not out on missions anymore. The skirt suit fit her rather well though. A short pencil skirt, jacket, corset, and strappy heels. I rolled my eyes, lifted a hand to my temple.
“Stay out of my head Emma, taking the cure cleaned it out for me, I’d rather it not get dirty again.” She glared daggers at me. The Professor shook his head and continued to stare out the window.
“I think it is time you saw Hank, Rogue. With you taking the cure, I wish to be certain that you are quite safe. He has some very specific ideas on how that might affect you. As for you and Logan…” he paused waiting until he had our attention. “You are adults, and free to conduct yourselves however you see fit. Solve whatever issues you may still have, but please remember that this is a school and there are impressionable students about.”
He turned his gaze directly on Logan, “And try to keep the damage to a minimum.”
Seemingly very quick to anger these days, I shot off at the mouth. “If anyone’s going to be damaging anything, it’s going to be me.” The Professor turned a confused eye on me.
“I was referring to the more, eh, less easily corrected damage.” He replied in an effort to soothe my temper.
It didn’t really work. What, just because I can’t suck the life outta people anymore, I’m harmless? Emma shot me a look right before I opened my mouth. “Logan hasn’t ever, ever, threatened me. Not during one of my emotional outbursts, not before or after I left the mansion. Not even when I tossed him across a clearing and into a great big oak tree.” Fuming anger was a familiar emotion of late, and I much preferred it over the others because I completely forgot how hungry and nauseous and tired I was. I could smell Logan’s anger permeated the air, and it only fed me on. I flashed an image of that night across my mind just for Emma’s sake.
“What-” “Oh My God!” the Professor and Emma exclaimed respectively and simultaneously. They connected eyes and I could practically see their silent conversation.
“Oh for crying out loud, you could just ask me.” The flame of the sandalwood candle that I’d been eying with some trepidation throughout the last few minutes suddenly burst to life, dancing and leaping on its own little stage, growing in direct proportion to my anger. They continued to stare at me, amazed. Every now and then their eyes would flicker to the ever growing puddle of wax. Now that I knew what was happening to me, the fires seemed to get larger and more dangerous quicker. I lifted the hand back to my temple and concentrated, nothing happened until Logan placed a hand on my back and started rubbing in soothing circles.
I leaned toward him and rested my head on his shoulder. His hand continued its caress and I inhaled his scent, the combination going a long way to calm me. The fire died back down to its normal size (now nothing but a wick in the middle of a big pile of wax), quickly the Professor moved to blow it out. With my roller coaster of emotions I was struggling with the powers and draining lots of energy. I was near exhaustion and unable to eat and Logan was getting really worried about me. Being pregnant sucks.
“What are your other powers?” the Professor asked me. It seems he’s having trouble remembering everyone I’ve touched.
“Pyro’s, Bobby’s, Magneto’s, Logan’s, and although I haven’t shifted yet, I’m fairly certain I’ve got Pitor’s too.” I sighed and turned my face into Logan’s shoulder. He stopped his ministrations and wrapped his arms tight around me.
“Look Chuck,” he said, his voice thick, and a little angry. “First tell your little witch to get outta my head, all she’s gonna get is scared.” He glared at Emma before turning back to the Professor. “Rouge,” I heard him stumble over my name, not having used it in a while, “she’s having a hard time with these powers, each one picking different times to go haywire when her emotions get a little… off. Plus, she can’t eat anything, and she’s tired all the time. We can save this stuff for later. Right now, we need to see Hank.”
The Professor nodded at Logan. “He’s downstairs, I’ve had him prepare the Med Bay for your visit.”
When there really isn’t anything wrong with you, a healing mutation ain’t worth shit. I sat on the hard metal table while Hank looked me over. He’d drawn a few vials of blood and was labeling them and setting them aside for thorough tests later.
Logan stood behind me, his arms wrapped around my torso, keeping me upright. As soon as Hank got one look at me, and after a quick explanation from Logan, he’d given me a shot of vitamins and another type of medication that stopped me from being sick all the time. We weren’t sure if it would work. After my body getting a direct shot of the vitamins it needed, it was on the search for sleep, but Hank said there were some important tests that he wanted to run first.
At a nod from Hank, Logan let me lean backward to get more comfortable Hank spoke in soft soothing tones. Everything began to blur together. Hank told me it would be cold, and put some goo on my tummy. The picture on the screen was a little blob and didn’t do much to associate the word ‘baby’ with my body. He wiped the goo off and after printing out the pictures and making lots of notes he stuck all that into a folder and slipped Logan one of the flimsy pieces of paper.
Then he put on his stethoscope and listened to my tummy, his face was impassive, a doctor through and through. I’d listened to random gossip from when Kitty found out she was pregnant and knew that, because of the genius that was Hank, and the high-techiness that was the X-lab that he found things out much sooner than other doctors. I wasn’t sure how, but he did. He made a few more notes, while I fought sleep before he walked away for a moment.
When he came back he was holding a stethoscope that had two sets of listening buds attached to it. He stuck one bud in his ear and noted the position cold metal circle over the correct spot before handing the other end to Logan.
“This usually doesn’t work this early, but with your hearing it should.” He said just before Logan slipped the buds first into my ears then his own.
I felt the metal against my skin once more just before the rapid heartbeat hit my sensitive ear drums. Logan golden eyes locked onto mine and we stared silently at each other for a long moment. We were hearing out child’s heartbeat. Love blossomed within me and I saw it reflected in Logan’s eyes.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Author's Note: I want to thank Meg, my wonderful beta! All my reviewers! You’ve been great! Here’s Chapter 7!
Chapter End Notes:
WEll, who's excited! Tell me what you're thinking of the developments!