“You ain’t got anything better to do than follow me around?” he asked, turning on the man who had trailed him since being forced from the infirmary.
“We’ve all been assigned someone to babysit. I got you. Lucky me,” the other man replied slowly, his eyes showing exactly how pleased he was.
“God, you even talk like that prick,” John said with a disgusted laugh as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Did you raid his closet after he died, too?”
Bobby felt his temperature drop as his hands became encased in ice. Although John noticed this, he really couldn’t care less. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Language, Bobby. You don’t want one of the kids picking up such bad manners. Especially not from you,” John replied, getting a kick out of the anger he knew was building inside his one-time friend. “I’m talking about Scott, our fearless leader? The man who you are trying so hard to be like; you’re even dressing like him, now. Tell me, did you steal his underwear, too? Boxers or briefs?”
Bobby glared at him coldly, not wanting to be pulled into the verbal trap. “I don’t like this little assignment any more than you do, so can we please just get through this as civilly as possible?”
“I am being civil, Ice Princess. Can’t you tell?” John smirked again, turning to walk away. Bobby followed close behind as they made their way to the top floor of the east wing. Completely off limits to the students, these rooms were used solely for diplomatic and government guests. Since John was the only other member of Rogue’s team who had proven he could not be trusted, Bobby would have to share the room with him.
But it could be worse; he could be down in the holding tank like Logan, bunking with Sabretooth. Bobby shuddered at the idea as he unlocked the door to the room.
“What about the others? Are they going to have sleeping buddies, too?” John asked, snorting at the thought.
“Nope. Just babysitters. They haven’t shown any reason why they can’t be trusted. The rest of the team will be moving up here, though, so try to keep yourself in control.”
Just as they reached the door to the room they would be sharing, they heard approaching footsteps and laughter. John saw them coming first, and couldn’t hide the amusement that lit his face. Bobby turned to see what he was smirking at, his face flushing at the sight that met him.
“Bobby,” Kitty said excitedly, spotting the two men. If she noticed the scowl that crossed her boyfriend’s face, she gave no indication. “You’ve met Havok, right?”
John worked hard not to giggle. This was the first time he found himself happy to be back under this roof. There was no denying the jealousy in his former friend’s eyes, and he almost felt himself feeling sorry for the boy. Almost.
“Yeah, we’ve met,” Bobby replied as he pushed the door open and walked in.
John smiled again. He leaned against the doorframe, ready to increase the tension even more. “Looking good, Kitty. How have you been?”
“I don’t think I have anything to say to you, Pyro,” Kitty replied earnestly, moving to walk around him.
“Oh, come on, Kitten. I remember when you used to say all kinds of things to me.” Her face grew red at his words. He moved to stand behind her even as Havok moved to the side. Gently gliding a hand across her stomach as he pressed his pelvis against her rear-end, he whispered into her ear, “We used to have some great times together, remember, Kitty? You used to purr for me.”
Phasing through his arm, she quickly walked away from him, her face flushed and her temper heated. “That was a long time ago, Pyro. Things change.”
John smirked as he turned back to the door and found himself staring into the eyes of a rather angry Bobby. “What?”
“She’s off limits, Pyro. You’re not going to be around that long so leave her alone.” Bobby was seething and John was wondering how much further he could push the other man. “I didn’t even know you two had a thing together.”
“Yeah, well, after you and Rogue hooked up, we weren’t hanging out that much anymore, so I needed to find something to occupy my time. Besides, Rogue’s back now. You two can patch things up and get married and have little mutant babies. Just like you always wanted. Unless… you and Kitty don’t have a thing going on, do you? …But what will Rogue say?”
Bobby snorted at John’s mock surprise as he closed the door behind them. “Rogue said everything when she left to take the cure,” he replied darkly. He wasn’t sure why he was willing to talk about any of this with the man before him. True, they had been best friends once upon a time, but then John had turned on him and everyone else. He had joined Magneto and fought against the X-Men at a time when they needed him most.
Maybe that connection they had shared once still existed, at least a small part of it. “She didn’t have to go. Nobody forced her. Nobody asked her. She just disappeared the night of Xavier’s funeral.”
John shook his head, understanding dawning on him. “Where were you when she left if you weren’t with her?”
“I was with Kitty,” Bobby replied slowly, his guilt making his voice low and tired. “She didn’t have anyone. She needed a friend.”
“And Rogue didn’t?” John couldn’t believe that he was sticking up for the woman lying comatose downstairs, but it seemed disheartening even to him.
Bobby shrugged his shoulders, turning his gaze out of the window. “She had started pushing me away weeks before that. Saying what was the point when we couldn’t touch anyway. I went where I felt I was needed.”
“You went where you wanted to be,” John snorted. “You know, I don’t agree with Rogue’s decision, either, but at least I understand. It ain’t easy being physically untouchable.”
“That doesn’t make it okay to turn her back on her own kind,” Bobby spat back, his anger gripping him again.
“You know what the difference between you and me is?” John asked, his own temper rising.
“I’m one of the good guys?”
“You’re a fucking hypocrite. At least I stand by what I believe in. I left because I knew my ideas wouldn’t be welcome here. But you; you’re a fucking X-Man. You are supposed to promote peace between everyone, acceptance. And your girlfriend decides she is going to go get ‘cured’,” his face soured with disgust, “for you, to save your relationship, and you turn your back on her. Grow the fuck up, Bobby.”
The man made of ice felt his face grow red with heat. He was caught in an embarrassing situation, exposed for something he felt that he hadn’t even realized until this very moment. He hated the woman who had stolen his heart with her innocence, hated her for wanting a better life because of what it would cost her, because it would be one more wedge, one more difference between them. It didn’t matter that her giving up her mutation would remove the most significant barrier to their relationship. It would still make her human, different than him.
“Well, I guess you don’t have to worry about it anymore,” John said with a shrug, his voice losing its defensive edge. “She’s still a mutant who can’t touch. Besides, it’s not like she didn’t move on, too.”
“What are you talking about?” Bobby asked, not really caring. His new insight didn’t change anything. Rogue had still gone for the cure and turned her back on all of them.
“Your girlfriend’s new friend,” John remarked slowly, flashing a deviant smile. “He and Rogue, well, they kinda hooked up a couple of nights ago. From the way I understand it, it was pretty fun time, too. Wonder why you never did that for her?”
“It’s fucking impossible,” Bobby replied, not believing him. “Too much fucking work and too many things that could go wrong.”
“You have no imagination. Either way, I’d be watching Havok a little closer. You know, seeing as how he’s already had the ex, he might be ready to move on to the current girl. Wouldn’t it be ironic if he moved in here and not only took your girl, but took your position as team leader as well?”
“That’s never going to happen. Kitty wouldn’t leave me for that prick. And everyone knows that I’m the perfect candidate for team leader.” Bobby shook his head, wondering why John thought it was so necessary to feed him so much bullshit. “That fucker has no claim to the position.”
“You may be right. Alex Summers is just a little too laid back to take something like this so seriously.”
“Excuse me?” Bobby looked at John questioningly, unsure if he heard him correctly.
“Alex Summers is a laid back little shit. He doesn’t really take anything all that seriously. Of course, seeing as how he’s Scott’s little brother, he just might find enough incentive here to actually do something. Then, who knows what he could be capable of…?”
John watched as Bobby’s eyes darkened and wanted to laugh at the insecurity of his one time friend, but held back. He figured that if he was going to be stuck in the mansion again, he might as well have some fun and stir up trouble at the same time.
“Would you please shut the fuck up?” Logan growled for the umpteenth time as he threw a cold look towards the holding tank he was currently guarding.
“I just don’t think it’s all that hospitable of you X-Men to keep me down here like some prisoner when I haven’t done anything to you. The rest of the team’s upstairs, why ain’t I allowed to be?” Victor whined, perfectly mimicking a toddler.
“Do you really need an answer to that?” Both men had acknowledged her scent as she walked into the room, but neither had greeted her.
“What’s up, Storm?” Logan asked, directing his attention away from the other feral mutant.
She glanced from one man to the other, knowing this conversation would be fruitless. “Is it really necessary that you stay with him down here, Logan? It’s already five in the morning. The students will be waking up soon, and with the others upstairs, there is going to be some talk. Plus, with the young psychics we have staying with us, I doubt you will be able to keep his presence a secret for long. Why don’t you go get some breakfast?”
“That does sound good,” Victor replied slowly, his mouth twisting into what Storm decided had to be a smile, although one she doubted even his mother could love. “Why don’t you bring me back a nice thick steak with some eggs on the side? Maybe a jug of orange juice to wash it down with. You remember how I like them scrambled, don’t you, Jimmy?”
“You can survive on your own shit for all I care,” Logan growled, growing weary of the other man’s taunts. “And quit calling me that.”
“Logan, go get our guest something to eat,” Storm interjected slowly. Although she was speaking to her friend, her eyes never left the man caged in the holding tank. “It’s the least we can do since we can’t afford him more… comfortable accommodations.”
Logan growled again, pushing himself away from the wall he was currently leaning against. “If he tries anything stupid, I will gut him, Storm. I don’t care who he’s supposed to be friends with.”
Storm watched him slowly walk away, his shoulders hunched in irritation. She could hear the chuckling coming from the other man as he too watched, the sound irritating her every nerve.
Turning her gaze back to the man currently locked away for the safety of those she presided over, Storm stopped trying to mask her feelings. She didn’t need Logan to know exactly how upset she was with this entire situation, it would be like throwing fuel on the flames. But she also would not allow the man before her to believe that he was locked away only for Logan’s sake.
“Regardless of the circumstances, you are here because I have allowed it, but I will not allow you to continue to goad my people as you have been. You will act like a decent human being,” she said sternly, her voice low and hostile.
The smile left his face quickly, only to be replaced by a mask of hate and rage. “Maybe it would be easier to act a little more human if you didn’t have me locked away like an animal.”
“You have given us no reason to trust you,” Storm said quickly, giving her words some validation.
“I’ve given you no reason not to trust me. If I had wanted to hurt anyone, I would have done it to your little friends when they first showed up. As it was, your man attacked me and acted as the catalyst to this entire mess,” Victor replied with a growl, not missing the surprise that crossed the woman’s face as he spoke. “I’m not an idiot, Storm. I know how to piece a puzzle together just as well as you do. I have done nothing to harm anyone. I have done nothing to warrant my incarceration.”
“Maybe not this time, but your past actions have proven otherwise. As such, you will remain locked in here until such time as you are needed,” she replied briskly. Her anger was rising steadily, and she only hoped that the weather outside was not mirroring her rage at the beast before her.
“If you want to condemn me for my past, then maybe you should throw your little friend in here with me,” Victor snarled back, his muscles tensing.
Storm’s eyes narrowed, feeling personally assaulted by the accusations in the feral man’s voice regarding her friend. “Logan has done nothing to warrant such treatment, unlike yourself.”
“Lady, if you knew the Wolverine I know, you wouldn’t think even this damn prison was good enough for him,” Victor replied briskly, wishing that he could crush the woman before him. “Maybe you should be more careful about what kind of animal you make friends with.”
“Maybe I should give that same advice to Rogue,” Storm replied with a scowl. She knew she hit a nerve as the man’s eyes grew dark and the claws at his fingertips began to lengthen. The growl that erupted from him was menacing and Storm had a hard time controlling her fear. She turned to walk away, knowing that the man would not be going anywhere while waiting for Logan to return.
“You have no idea who that girl is. I would suggest you stop thinking of her like a student who needs to be disciplined and realize that she may just have a thing or two to teach you about Xavier’s dream,” Victor remarked as she paused by the door. Her back tensed with anger and frustration, but she would not retort. She would not continue this argument.
As she left the room, she did not miss the chuckle of the feral man locked away in his cage.
“Why don’t you want to continue?” the psychic asked as she delved deeper into the younger woman’s psyche. She wasn’t too wrapped up in her work to feel the mayhem being caused around her, but for the time being, the others would just have to endure. Her priorities were here. “I know you’re hiding, but why? We can all help you through this. You don’t have to stay on at Xavier’s. You can come back to Nevada with us. If you choose to stay, though, I will stay to help you. You don’t have to be so alone and in so much pain.”
“I don’t even remember what it feels like, you know? To not be in pain,” Rogue replied with a bitter laugh. They were watching that first memory over again; the first kiss, her first love and first absorption. “I’ve been in pain every day since this one. It’s even painful to think about the days before this because I can’t even distinguish if I really lived those memories or if they belong to someone else. I know it was Magneto who survived Auschwitz, but it’s so real for me, it’s as if I lived it. Do you have any idea what kind of hell this is?”
Psylocke didn’t respond. What kind of response could she give? Even her own pain at being forced to switch bodies and share her telepathic abilities and genetic makeup with the ninja Revanche couldn’t come close to the pain this woman dealt with daily. She had at least regained herself when Revanche died. Rogue would never completely know her own self again.
“My momma, when I was growing up, used to tell me that anything I did that was wrong would come back to me,” Rogue’s voiced resonated through her mind. “What did I do to deserve this curse for the rest of my life?”
“We can help you find a way to con…”
“It’s not about control,” Rogue snapped angrily. Somewhat more calmly, she continued, “This isn’t about control. Even with control, I will still have to live with this for the rest of my life. Do you honestly believe that I will be able to live a comfortable life knowing what my skin can do? Do you think that, even if I gain control, I will be able to live without using it? Didn’t Xavier have Jean Grey do that exact same thing? Look how well that turned out.”
Psylocke found herself at a loss for words. How was she to argue with the girl before her? She herself had once tried to suppress her own mutations, when they were still new and unfathomable to her. And, as with other mutants who had done the same, the consequences had been immense. She had nearly been driven mad by the pressure within her mind, it felt as if her brain was swelling. A mutant cannot live comfortably without exercising their abilities. How was a girl with untouchable skin supposed to exercise her mutation?
“I don’t want to turn into the monster Jean became. I don’t want to try to kill the people I care about because my mutation has destroyed my sanity.”
Psylocke sat at the large table, carefully eyeing both men. “She is afraid of what she will become.”
“So what are we supposed to do?” Victor asked as his eyes locked on the Asian woman. Logan sat not too far away, always ready for a fight. “What can we do?”
“I’ve made a call to a colleague of mine, Emma Frost of the Hellfire Club. She’s a fellow telepath; granted, not quite as powerful as Xavier or Jean, but she is on a much higher plane than myself,” Psylocke explained softly. “Between the two of us, we should be able to allow you both to enter Rogue’s psyche. She trusts you, Victor. She knows you will not lead her astray.”
“And she thinks I will?” Logan asked slowly, not believing the nonsense this woman was spouting.
“She loves you. At this point, that’s all she is certain of where you're concerned. I am hoping that with you there, the two of you can work together to give her a reason to come back to us. Maybe some hope,” Psylocke replied, her voice short and clipped. Her anger at the man was deeply imbued by the emotions she had gleaned from Rogue’s mind, but it was not without her own foundation of negative feelings. “She isn’t going to believe that you two have become the best of friends or even learned to tolerate each other, so don’t even pretend it. Logan, it would be most helpful if you admit to her how you really feel about her.”
“And how do I really feel?” Logan asked quickly, his temper flaring.
“That’s for you to decide.”