~Chapter 4~
Coming out of her trance, the pink eyed female gasped. "Anna?"
Running towards her and enveloping her in her arms, both fell to their knees. Closing her eyes, tears coated her cheeks once more.
Stepping into the jet and eyeing the duo, Logan raised an eyebrow.
Jubilee gave a sad smile. "I think their friends and..."
"Ah'm so sorry Ah ran." She mumbled, as they eyed the other. "Ah tried to find ya' and the other's, Ah swear. But Ah was almost killed and..."
"Shh! I know. They kept you on the top floor and me and my brothers in the basement. They knew the damage we could do, after our last try out. I don't blame you." Running a hand through her hair, she smirked. "You always said the skunk facinated you and..."
"I'm sorry for interupting, but when you say your brothers were kept in the basement, does that mean they held the other elements?" Jean voiced, cleaning the slumbering boy's face.
Clara nodded. "Why do you ask?"
John rubbed his neck. "Well...ya' brother who had water kind of...nothing was left of him, except for ashes." He lowly finished.
Eyes going wide and feeling tears weld up, she felt sufficated.
Staring at her friend who shared such rough times with her and gave her the strength to continue when she was on the brink of welcoming death, Rogue placed a hand on her shoulder. "When Ah went in the cell marked for earth, there was nothing..."
"Lance lives."
Turning, all found the pale boy sitting up. "They...conned him...to work...for...them, sister." He weezed, almost falling over.
Quickly catching him, she clutched him to her. "And Joey?"
"He asked...me to...end...him."
Pushing him away, her eyes began to glow.
Feeling the wind materialize within the jet, Rogue quickly stood between them. "Don't Clara. You don't want to..."
"He killed our baby brother!" She yelled. "You more than anybody should know what that's like and..."
"Ah do, but geting revenge is not going to make you feel better. Trust me."
Blinking, all became calm again. "You killed Angela?"
Looking away, she gave a small nod. "That was the first thing Ah did, when Ah was free. And that haunts me to this day." Facing her, she frowned. "Did Ah ever tell you my mutation?"
She shook her head.
"A simple touch and Ah drain a person's life force...or in Angela's case, her mutation. And it don't stop there. Ah have a piece of them in my head and Ah see everything they ever did, as well as felt." Blinking, a tear fell. "Taking her life, didn't make me stop mourning the lose of my cousin, nor the fact that it was 'her' who helped put me in there. Knowing what Ah do now, Ah see she was being forced, because her baby was 'born' a mutant. It was either him or me. Ah can't get mad now, but Ah'm to blame for leaving that infant motherless. Ah even contacted my own mother and she and papa took him in....What Ah'm saying is, killing Mike won't lessen what you're feeling. But answer me this, do you honestly want to add the death of your own brother to your list?"
Staring in his brown hues, she shook her head. "What did...Why did Joey want to die?"
"The chemicals...they were already killing...him. It was painful, Clara...I hear him screaming and...begging for help. The...Guards only laughed. He asked me to...grant him that...last wish and I could...not say no. I'm sorry, sister."
Falling to her knees and hugging him, she eyed Rogue. "Didn't they pump the same chemicals in you?"
Hugging the jacket closer, she nodded.
"How are you still..."
"During my escape, Ah killed a few guards and ridded myself of them. But Ah was out of it for a week or two halucinating in the forest." She replied, motioning towards the jet's windsheild that revealed such lush greenery. " Then Ah met an old couple who found me and helped me get back on my feet."
"Can we find Lance?" Mike voiced, as his sister wrapped a blanket around him and helped him into a seat. "He is naive...but he is our brother. We need him."
Motioning for all to take a seat, Jean accompanied Scott to the front. "We will, but first we need to get you two back to the mansion and help you recover."
Pleased with her answer, both siblings held hands and said a prey for their lost brother.
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Watching as they were escorted by Beast to the medical bay, she sighed and entered the briefing room. Spotting two empty seats -since Jean had of yet to arrive- she opted for the one next to Logan and Scott. Ignoring everyone's questioning gaze and a now nervous Bobby, she foucused on the professer.
"I know that we came back short handed, but I am still proud of you all." Pausing, he locked gazes with saddened brown. "I am understood that you helped and even led the majority of the mission?"
Looking down into her lap, Rogue nodded. "Ah had...uh been one of the mutants held there, a while ago."
"May I ask, how long ago?"
"Five months."
"And how long were you in there?"
"Almost four years."
Gasping, the entire room eyed her and began to whisper.
Thinking over his next words, Xavier cringed at what must be done. "I would like to ask you, if you would allow Beast to check and see if..."
"Ah'm fine. Never been better." She snappily replied.
Bobby frowned. "But your back? You have all them..."
"Scars." She finished coming to her feet and removing the jacket. Ripping the remaining of her tattered shirt off and being left in a black lacey bra, she narrowed her eyes. "As you all can see, Ah have marks everywhere. Not just my back. The only place they refused to not slice open or inject chemicals in, was my face." Yanking the scarf off her neck, she revealed a burn patch. "Oh, did Ah forget to mention they often burned me with fire if Ah refused to do something for them?"
Scott stood and took a few steps back, as he eyed the intricate markings on her. On the other hand, Logan simply found himself speechless.
"Child...The two times you absorbed Wolverine's healing, why didn't they go away?" Xavier lowly replied, tracing the scars with his eyes and applying them to memory for later.
"Ah don't know, but Ah would guess it would have to deal with that last injection they gave me." Looking down, she could still see the needle. "It was different and...new. They often tested things on me and...Whatever it was, it was black and the moment it entered me, Ah felt drained and deprived of air. Ah guess it was payback for killing the guards the day before, when we tried to escape...Ah was paralyzed and couldn't move. Once they noticed, that's when they started to cut into me and take samples and search for the 'defect'." Raising her eyes and viewing everyone's horrified faces, she grabbed the jacket and ran out.
"She has seen more than that." Jean stated, entering.
Fixing her teary face, Storm eyed her. "What are you talking about?"
"From what I gathered from the ones below, it was her very own 'uncle' who paid and even participated in the experiments done to her."
Growling, Logan heard enough. He needed some air. Coming to his feet and ignoring his chair going flying into the wall, he stormed out.
Scott shook his head. "Give you one guess where he's going?"
"Rogue." Jubilee lowly voiced, worrying for her friend.
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Slamming her bedroom door closed behind her and heading into her private bathroom with clothes in hand, she quickly stripped and stepped into the shower. Finally free of all the stares, she let the tears fall.
Why the hell did she tell them all that? More less, show them the scars. The one thing that she was ashamed of the most. What's wrong with her? Living with them for five months and she was already confiding in people and look where it got her? They all sported the same look.
Disgust and horror.
Looking down and touching the triangle mark that curved the underside of her left breast, she frowned. She was disgusting and a walking horror creature out of a movie. Hell, she even killed! If that didn't make her anymore of a monster, she didn't know what was.
And if she told them about all the people who she left in a comma for months at a time, she was sure ass hell they would kick her out. They might be nice and giving her an education, bed, clothes, money, food, and help to control her mutation, but how much would be too much? She couldn't help but wonder. She knew they weren't like that, but that one mutant Xavier banned from the school had murdered multiple people, got her thinking.
Shaking her head and staring at the wall, she gave a whimper as a face stared back and fell flat on her ass. Jerking back up with a bottle of conditioner, she frowned.
"Ah just saw....."
Sighing and quickly washing her body and hair, she exited the tub. Lotioning up and ignoring the feeling of the scars under her hands, she slid into her bra, panties and jeans. Gathering her dirty clothes off the floor and entering her room, she deposited them in the hamper. Turning and taking a step, she about screamed.
"Lo...Logan?"
Smirking, he stood and slowly walked over. Keeping eye contact and not looking anywhere else, he sighed. "Hope I'm not disturbing you, darling?"
Smiling, she shook her head. "Naw, ya' can never disturb me." She voiced, turning and heading for her dresser. Before she could take three steps, she found a hand on her hip. Glimpsing him over her shoulder, she blushed. "Did ya' uh, want something?" She stuttered and wanted to slap herself for it.
"I wanted to see how you were holding up." He replied, dropping his hand.
Pulling over the black cami and purple laced long sleeved shirt, she faced him. "Ah'm fine, really. Ah just..."
"We know about your uncle, Marie."
Eyes going wide, she looked away. "How?" Slipping on gloves, she frowned.
"Clara and Mike let it slip...Tell me what happened. All of it."
Blinking back tears and shaking her head, she hugged herself. "It's nothing to tell. You heard it all and..."
"I know about Angela, but how does he fit into it?" Seeing she remained mute, Logan frowned. Closing the distance and going with his instincts, he wrapped his arms around her. With her back to his chest and uncurling her hands and intwining his with hers, he sighed. "I can't imagine what happened, but I know it helps to get it off of your chest, darling. What I said back in the building, still stands. I would help you any way I could and..."
"Why is that?" She challenged, tilting her head and staring up in his eyes. "Up until a month ago, ya' woud've been happy to live in bliss. My life isn't all that glamorous and..."
"The moment I said I was going take care of you on the train, I meant it. Believe it or not, I care about you and what happens, darling." He stated, pulling her closer to him if it was possible.
Tensing as she felt a certain part of him, Rogue couldn't move. Staring up at him and seeing as his face was steadily closing the distance between them, she frowned. "Don't. Ah don't wanna hurt ya'."
He merely smirked.
"Logan, Ah don't..."
"I'm not scared of ya' kid and I never will be."
Eyes going wide as his lips touched hers, she waited for her skin to react. When it didn't, she relaxed into it and reponded. Feeling his tongue on her lips and giving him access, she gave a contented sigh. Still locked in the intense kiss and allowing his strong hands on her hips to turn her around, she hesitantly allowed him. But the moment she did, she felt it. Pushing him back and watching as he released a strangled breath, she frowned.
"Logan, are ya'..."
"I'm fine, darling. Just forgot the punch ya' skin packs." Running a hand through his hair, he eyed her. "About that kiss, it..."
"Was a mistake." She finished, turning her back. "Ah get it, it was out of pity and..."
Hand locking on her wrist and twirling her to face him, his eyes hardened. "I do nothing out of pity and I sure as hell, don't regret that."
Opening her mouth to reply, a throat cleared. Turning, she frowned. "Bobby?"
"I uh...Clara was asking for you." He stated, eyeing Logan's hand. "You want me to walk you?"
Pulling free of him, Rogue sighed. Snatching the charm she found earlier, she walked out.
Smirking at the boy's facial expression, he resisted the urge to laugh. "What's wrong, popsicle, afraid she'll want a man and not a whoring boy?" He sneered, passing him.
Balling a fist, he slowly followed the duo.
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Changing her bandages and helping her to sit, Beast sighed. "He'll be fine." He stated, seeing her eyes once more land on her slumbering brother. "With a little food and healing, he'll be back to normal."
"What about the chemicals in his system?" Pulling her long blond tresses up and tying them, she frowned. "He said our younger brother was dying from them and I can't handle losing another..."
"You wont." A southern voice sounded, walking over.
Face instantly brightening, Clara smiled. "Anna."
Taking a seat on her bed and holding her hand, Rogue laughed. "You know Ah hate my name."
"Of course I do and that's what makes it all the sweeter to say."
Turning and watching as the other two men entered, Beast gave them a nod of the head.
"How the runts doing?" Logan voiced, eyeing the gleeful females.
"Good. Mike just needs time to bounce back and flush the chemicals out and..."
"Has he had any seizures yet?"
Looking towards Rogue who was now standing next to the boy who stared up at her with sad eyes.
"No. Not under my watch and..."
"Clara, do you know when they pumped him with the chemicals?"
Looking off into space, she gasped. "The day you left and twelve guards were pernounced dead."
"Twelve? You killed..."
"It was more than that, Bobby." Facing him, her eyes gave an earily glow. "Four Ah drained, six shot in between the eyes, and two Ah stabbed them down below and watched them bleed out."
Taking a step back and visibly shaking, he was paralyzed.
Beast cleared his throat.
Tilting her head, she eyed him.
"Why did you...I mean...the last two men, why would you..."
"My first year there, they attempted to rape me after Ah was pumped with chemicals." Looking off, she ran her hand up her right arm. "Usually afterwards, my mutation wouldn't act up for a while...they both came real close and the moment they tried to enter me...they dropped like a fly."
All went silent.
No one knew what to say. First they find out about her being in the lab, seeing the scars, learning that she had an all American good-girl life before her mutation, and add in her latest confessions; they were blown away.
"And Ah don't regret doing none of if." Reaching out and tracing Mike's wrist, she frowned. "You didn't remove the chip yet?"
Coming out of his stupor, Beast walked over. "What chip?"
"The doctors put special microchips under our skin to track our movemnet."
"I didn't know there was one." Facing the pale boy, he frowned. "I know that you have no wish to be under the knife again, but I can put you to sleep and numb the pain. It will be beneficial, if I do."
Looking towards his sister and seeing her pleading eyes, he gave a small nod.
Turning with the others, Rogue exited and entered the hall of the sub-basement. Reaching up and rubbing the patch of burned flesh, she sighed.
"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for not..."
"Oh go to hell, Bobby. Ah don't need ya' pity and Ah sure as hell don't need you. Go on and crawl back on top of Kitty and Ah hope ya' die there." Turning, she headed for the elevator.
Shaking his head, Logan smirked. "Well, at least I can say I tasted the forbidden fruit." Watching as popsicle mimiced a fish out of water, he followed his wild flower.
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