Mystique looked at her daughter with a mixture of sympathy and confusion. She knew Rogue was in pain, but did not know how to help her. "Rogue I know that your pain is caused by your powers, but I assure you that we will find a way to help you."
"Mama ya tell me that everyday. But Ah don't think that ya do understand. She is driving me insane. Ah don't know which thoughts are mine and which ones are hers! Ah keep trying ta make ya understand...mama."
Mystique felt herself becoming frustrated as she often did during these conversations. Her daughter kept looking at her like she should be able to do something, yet Mystique had the feeling she was failing the girl miserably. She watched the tears course down Rogue's face, and a surge of anger began to overwhelm her. Mystique hated it when anyone acted weak around her. So she lashed out in kind.
"Rogue I promised you that we would find a way to help you. Now listen. I am tired of you whining about it each and everyday. You are acting like a child. It is your fault that you attacked Carol Danvers. It is your fault that you are stuck with her." With that Mystique turned on her heels and started to leave the room, but Rogue's voice stopped her.
"No momma it is not mah fault! Ya told me to go aftah her! Ya told me ta follow mah hatred and Ah did! Now she is dead and Ah am haunted. Do Ah mean so very little to you that you would turn away from me now?" Rogue's words pleaded with her foster mother.
Mystique turned around slowly and stared at her young daughter. She didn't know what to say, so she left the room instead.
Gambit came to me and said that no matter how I felt about him he could never leave. He said that he would forever hate the things he had done as a youth, but he knew that together we could grow past them. He told me that for the first time in his life he has found someone to love more than himself and that if that is not worth living for then nothing is.
I couldn't think of anything to say so I threw myself into his arms instead. I wanted to kiss him, but some things need restraint. That doesn't matter though. Remy and I are discovering that love is something more than sex. I only wish everyone could realize such.
Joseph seems happy for me. His mood darkens daily, but I have a feeling that I am not the cause. He notices the injustices in life and they are tearing him apart. He is so scared of becoming the man he was without even knowing who he was. I want to tell him about his past, but Cyclops stands against the idea. So everyday we watch this man slowly fall into a role he seems destined for. Magneto.
"What should I do Irene? I am at a loss here! I have run out of words for the girl."
"Prehaps words are not what she needs."
"What do you mean? How may I help her?"
"Raven, you need to show her how you feel. Let her know that you love her. You claim her as your daughter. Let her feel like your daughter also."
Mystique thought on those words for several minutes before speaking again. "Irene, my dearest friend, tell me is she to be stuck with this curse forever?"
"I know of two things that pertain to this situation. I know that Rogue will seek help outside of you, and that eventually she will have to battle Danvers for control. In the latter I know not the victor." Destiny seemed sad after her short speech.
"Who? Who will she go to Irene? I must know!"
"It seems Raven that you would be more concerned with whether or not the girl survives and not with who helps her. Rogue's future is one filled with pain. And I must confess one that I can see clearly. Yet Raven I know you so well. I don't wish you to stop the girl for I am afraid that you would kill her out of hatred for your enemies."
"What are you saying Irene? I would never hurt Rogue!" Mystique's voice sounded surprised. "Who is this enemy that you are saying Rogue is going to run to?"
"What you don't understand Raven is that Rogue is already gone..."
In a matter of moments we are all covered in mud, except for Jean who always somehow manages to stay clean during these things. Amazing.
Remy is on the other team which suits me fine cause there in no one else I would rather tackle. I laugh. We are all having a wonderful time. It almost makes up for the all of the bad days.
"Shut up Blob. It was her choice. She is a grown woman." Mystique words were laced with ice.
"Well it seems to me mates that the young one has turned on us. Now what do ya think o' that?" Pyro spoke slowly while having his gaze settled on Mystique.
Raven knew they were testing her. They thought that if she could not control her own daughter then she obviously was not as strong as she made herself out to be. They obviously did not know her as well as they thought. She smiled. "Look boys, Rogue has made her choice. That is fine by me. Prehaps Xavier can help her condition. I do not wish to speak of this again."
The two men watched their leader leave the room and they shook their heads. Prehaps, they thought, maybe they had misjudged her.
As Raven walked towards Irene's room she tried to calm the anger that threatened to take over. Her friend would explain why Rogue went to Xavier. And then prehaps she would explain how she knew that Rogue would not come back. Mystique opened the door to her friends room.
"Raven I knew that you would be coming." Irene's voice was weak and filled with pain.
Alarm came over Mystique. "Irene what is wrong dear friend? Hurry tell me."
"I was injured in the battle with the X-Men. Oh don't fret Raven it is nothing more than a scratch."
Mystique ignored her friend as she left to get some medical supplies and returned momentarily. Raven's heart filled with dread as she looked upon the wound that plagued Irene's side. She began to remove unnecessary clothing from the older woman as she prepared to dress the wound.
Irene noted her concern and knew she would have to lay Mystique's fears to rest. "You have no need to worry Raven. I have seen my death and this is not it."
Mystique did not seem to acknowledge the words, but she did visible calm down.
Irene spoke again. "Raven I did know who she would run to and why. Yet I could not tell you because I feared you would not let her go. Prehaps the only person in this world who can help your daughter is Xavier. Is your hatred so intense that you would deny her that?"
"No dear friend. I would not. You knew that she would not return here this day."
Irene's voice seemed weak as did her body. "Yes Raven I knew. I also knew that you would not listen to me had I told you."
"Prehaps..." She was cut off.
"No Raven. You would have went to see Rogue anyways."
"I love her Irene. You must know that."
Irene looked to her friend in pity. Yes she knew Mystique loved Rogue, but that had not stopped her from using the girl. Now Rogue had suffered for it. She felt relief in knowing that only one of Mystique's children has had to suffer so. Kurt Wagner had been given the life that until now was denied to Rogue.
"Yes Raven I know that you love her."
The play starts. Joseph goes back and I go forward. Suddenly he passes the ball straight to me. Wow this guy can really throw! I look around but all of the X-Men are down the field. I am yelling victory when suddenly the only thing standing between me and the goalpost is Gambit. We smile at each other as I start race down the field towards him.
"Thankyou for meeting me here Rogue."
"Sure thing momma. What is it ya need?"
Rogue's coldness pained Mystique, but she knew she would have to win the girls trust back.
"Rogue I did not ask you to come here to hurt you. I just want to talk."
Rogue let some of her walls down and smiled at her foster mother. "Sure momma I know."
Mystique smiled back. "Rogue I feel I have been remiss as a mother towards you. I know I have my flaws, but I accept them. Well most of them. I really asked you to come her for one reason today."
"What is it momma?"
"To tell you I love you."
Rogue threw herself into her mother's arms and wept with a newfound joy. For a woman who tried to live her life in coldness, Mystique also surprised many people with her warmth.
Gambit did manage to tackle me and land right smacking on top of me. And before I could realize his intention or purpose he kissed me. And now he is asking how I feel. I don't think words could express my emotions accurately at the moment so I push him off me and look around at my friends. They are all smiling. Grinning from ear to ear actually. Remy puts his arms around me and tells me to thank Joseph. It was his idea. Remy tries to explain what happened as he shows me a special bracelet that he is wearing, but I can't listen. For joy overwhelms anything he is trying to say.
In a matter of seconds I grab Remy and suddenly we are miles away soaring through the clouds. He tries to protest, but I will have none of that. So there we stand in the sky. I find it amazing that somehow we have been given this gift yet the first thing we choose to do when we are alone is just hold each other. I have never been more in love.
Whew...Happy Ending or what? :) Well E-Mail me at ShardNAtl@aol.com with any comments, questions, or concerns.
Shard