Lori McDonald
April 1997
"Magnus, ah'm pleadin' wi' ye. Doon't hurt him!"
"YOU seek to plead with ME, McTaggert? Don't make me
laugh."
"Please, he's nae a threat tae ye. He's just a patient
here. He's harmless!"
"A patient under your tender loving care, is that it,
McTaggert? The same care you gave me? Perhaps I'll kill
him just to spare him from you."
"You kill th' Cajun, bub, and we'll hunt you down like a
dog."
"I've heard your threats before, Logan. They have never
frightened me. I could turn you inside out if I so chose."
"Not wi' that collar on, yer bloody soddin'
freak."
#Remy.#
"Magnus, you're not getting out of here. You're outnumbered, at half strength, and if you don't get help for that wound, you could bleed to death."
#Remy, wake up.#
"I think not, Summers. I think you will instead toss me the key to this collar, or I will strip every ounce of iron out of your companion's blood and crush his heart with it."
#Remy, answer me!#
Faintly, he responded, his thoughts slow and sluggish. #...jean...?#
#Oh, thank God!#
"Eric, please, ya cain't!"
#...what happened...?#
#Magneto controlled the iron in your blood to knock you out. He's got you with him in a protective bubble. We can't get to either of you.#
"Such concern in your voice, Rogue. You sounded that way about me once, while we were together in the Savage Land."
#Remy, you've got to get Magneto to drop his shield.#
#...how...?#
#I... don't know.#
"Please, Magnus, let him go. Ah'll be ya hostage instead
if ya want."
"Why would you do such a thing? What is this 'patient' to
you?"
"...mah lover..."
"WHAT?!"
Rogue's dimly heard words sent a surge of joy through him and his eyes opened. He was lying sprawled on his side on the ground, Magneto standing directly over him and the sheen of an energy bubble around them. The X-Men and Excalibur were arranged in battle stance around them, ready to attack in an instant. A look of surprise on his face, Magnus was staring at Rogue.
Before Magneto could see he was awake, he attacked. Rolling over, he grabbed his cloak and charged it.
Magneto looked down. "Wha-?"
The cloak exploded, throwing Magnus one way and him the other. The shield went down as Magneto hit the tarmac, stunned. A moment later, he couldn't be seen from the number of mutants who piled on top of him. Moira hurried up with a hypodermic needle and he got the distinct impression that the battle was over.
Rogue landed before him as he sat up dizzily. "Are ya okay, sugah?"
"I t'ink so."
Magneto now safely sedated, Logan wandered over. "Good work, Gumbo. And you too, Rogue." He grinned. "Just how accurate WAS that 'lover' comment?"
Pete laughed. "From th' way she were screamin' 'is name 'til two am last night, I'd say pretty high."
"Pete!" Kitty protested.
Rogue turned beat red and flew away.
He sighed. He'd been right after all. He was never going to get her out of her room again.
~~~~~~~~~~End of Part Three~~~~~~~~~~