4:00 a.m.
‘Ro and I had just stepped into the foyer, headed on our way upstairs towards my room when the Professor’s calm voice rang inside my mind, startling me.
Will you meet me in my office? I’m on my way there now.
“Jesus Christ,” I jumped back a bit, turning to look at Ororo. She had an amused look about her. “That’s gonna take a while getting’ used to,” I add as I place a hand on my heart as if to settle it.
Ororo led me down the hall and to the Professor’s office. From behind the door I could hear the shuffling of feet and the sound of a chair creaking under the man’s weight.
Come in, he rings in my head again.
I place my hand on the doorknob and push the door wide open, not sure what to expect. I noticed the lights aren’t on and that the only light in the room is seeping through thin, gold curtains covering the large windows. For a moment the image reminds me of Christmas morning.
At the sight of me, hesitant to enter his office, the Professor rises from his chair and comes over to greet me in a gentle bug. Despite it all, he still looks like the same good man I met more than three years ago, except this time he’s walking.
“Oh mah Gawd,” I don’t hide the surprise.
“It’s alright, Rogue. None of the other students have gotten used to see me walking yet,” he says as he pulls away to get a better look at me. He smiles.
“But please, take a seat. There’s much to discuss. I imagine you have questions,” he offers with a wave of his hand towards me as I move forward and take a seat in front of him. He does the same. Behind us Ororo silently closes the door.
“Ah…Ah do, Professor. Ah’m just confused. But it’s so good to know that y’er back. The school wasn’t the same without you. How…how’s Mr. Summers,” I ask quietly.
“Why don’t you ask him yourself,” he motions towards the door just at the same time as a sleepy and groggy Scott let’s himself in. Leave it to the Professor to conduct two conversations at the same time. The tall, slender but muscular man is wearing a white t-shirt, slippers, and dark pajama pants. The lighting of the room reflects on his ruby quartz glasses, casting a reddish glow in the room. Slowly as he continues to take the remaining steps to stand behind the empty chair, I jump up and into his arms.
“Mr. Summers,” I hear myself say, breathlessly.
“Rogue,” he asks. The Professor had woken him up just for me. I feel his strong arms go around my waist, lifting me up a few inches off the floor and then he sets me down.
“Where have you been? We’ve been looking everywhere for you. You had us all worried,” he says sounding like the man I know; fearless leader Cyclops. In the background I can hear the Professor chuckle and it startles me. I’ve never heard him do that. I turn to look at him and he flashes me a reassuring smile.
I try to make you see my side
Always try to stay in line
But your eyes see right through me
That’s all they do
“Rogue,” the Professor calls my attention and I turn to look at him, dazed, as if I’d been off my feet for a long time, like I’m just learning how to walk again.
“Sorry,” I apologize. “Ah’ve been doin’ that fer a while now,” I turn to look back at Scott. Scott moves to take the empty seat next to me and I know he wants to know everything too.
“So where you been? Logan’s been going nuts looking for you,” Scott says as he shares a look with the Professor. “Does he know you’re here?”
“Ah was travelin’. Doin some work fer’ Mystique,” I say as I look away from Scott. “Nothin’ too bad, just hackin’ the government an’ stuff,” I continue, flinching every time they mention Logan’s name.
“Damn it, Rogue,” Scott cusses and rises from his chair to pace around the room. The Professor hasn’t stopped looking at me and I can feel him trying to get into my mind, I shake my head.
Not now, Professor. Ah promise y’all have unlimited access any time ya want…just not here with Scooter, I tell him in my head. As a response he nods his head and turns to look at Scott.
“I thought we taught you better than to flip on us,” he mumbles as he runs his hands through his hair making it stand at awkward angles.
“It’s not like that, Mr. Summers. Ah just did work fer ‘em, that’s all. Nothin’ illegal. Ah backed-up every file I unencrypted for ‘em, Ah’ll show ya. Mah loyalty is to the X-Men. But Ah perfectly understand if y’all don’t trust meh,” I quickly tell them.
“So why’d you leave,” Scott asks as he comes to stand beside me, looking down at me while I’m sitting. I don’t like that, so I rise from my chair and meet his glasses as I answer.
“Ah needed some time away from all the pain you’re deaths left and ‘cause the cure failed and Ah needed to deal with my last hope being shattered. Ah wasn’t no good to no one moppin’ ‘round the mansion,” I responded quietly.
“So what happened with Kitty,” he asked. I turned an apologetic smile to the Professor before I answered, then I turned to look back at Scott. “Heard you introduced her to all shades of black.”
“Ah know there’s no excuse fer mah behavior but Ah lost it.”
“Rogue,” the Professor shakes his head disapprovingly. “Violence is never the answer.”
I shake my head too, hopping I could push the memory away but I fail, so I tell them. “It hit home, alright. Ah caught Bobby cheatin’ on meh with Kitty. Ah swear Ah understand now but…but it hurt. Ah know he loved me but…but he was touchin’ her,” I pointed out. “He knew Ah was safe to touch an’ he still wanted her,” I said in a choked voice, sounding like a petulant and reprimanded child but they wanted to know.
“Is that why you took the cure,” asked Scott in a softer voice. “Is that why you left? Because he didn’t want you?” I turned to look at the Professor with tears in my eyes refusing to let them fall. Fortunately the Professor understood and I didn’t have to answer that. I’m sure the Professor knows there more to my pain, to my good front. I wonder if he can see the guilt?
“Why don’t you go get settled in, Rogue? I’m sure later on today we can continue this,” he says as he rises from his desk.
“Of course, Professor,” Scott and I reply.
“Scott,” the Professor asks. “Will you take her to the west wing? I’m afraid your old room is currently being occupied by a new student so you’re new room will be in the same wing as the rest of the staff. I urge you to seek the child out, Rogue. I’m sure the both of you will have very much in common.” With that being his last word, he disappeared behind another door.
4: 39 a.m.
Storm lied.
Yeah the White Witch lied about my room still being unoccupied. There was a new student staying there. Scott says it’s a cute little eight year old who can mind read like Jean and the Professor through touch. He said I was gonna like the little booger, and I believe him. Said his name’s Adam.
So now, instead of staying in the student wing, I have my own room in the Professor wing. The bedroom is much bigger, the closet’s larger, there’s more space and I have my own bathroom. No more sharing with Kitty and Jubilee.
Thank Gawd, I say to myself.
All that damn giggling in the middle of the night when I was trying to study or all the gossiping about the boys was finally going to end. Not that I’d shared a room with anyone while I was away. I was too busy trying to find a medication to get me to sleep, but nothing worked. I was gonna have to talk to Hank about that as soon as I saw him.
So Scott’s room is right across the hall from me and my bedroom is right next door to Logan’s. Some funny shit from Fate there, if you ask me. Not that I’ll be complaining.
“Fan-fucking-tastic.” I mumble under my breath as I set my duffle bag on the bed. Storm was kind enough to drive my car inside and into the garage and to retrieve my bag from the trunk while I spoke with Scott and the Professor.
But something was bothering me.
Logan still hadn’t come looking for me. I know he was still wake. He’d probably even been listening to my conversation with Scott and the Professor, but I wouldn’t expect anything less. Logan has not tact. He’s a straightforward as they come and he expects the same courtesy, as if.
So I don’t let it bother me, instead I remove my gloves and close the door before I begin unpacking. I know he’ll come looking for me when he’s ready. Maybe after he’s forgiven me, I tell myself.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Every chapter includes song lyrics. Let'em know if you guys want the titles. Enjoy!