X-men Evolution Fan Fiction ❯ Taunting Repartee ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Taunting Repartee

Chapter Two

Rogue was awoken by the annoying sound of her alarm clock. She turned over in bed with a sigh as she pressed the snooze button. She glanced at the time. It was 6:00am.

'Why am I up so early?' she thought. She heard the Professor's voice ring in her head.

'X-Men, please report to the danger room in fifteen minutes.' It caused her to wake up fully.

'Oh, yeah,' she thought as she got up. 'That's why.'

An hour later Rogue and the rest of the X-Men where standing in the danger room, their exercise complete. Professor Xavier and Logan were in the monitor room above, giving their critiques.

"Spike, how about next time you aim for the guns,and not the monitor room?" Logan suggested.

"I was." Evan screamed out in protest.

"Huh?" Logan looked at the three bones lodged in the window in front of him. "Well, that needs work," he said under his breath.

"Well done all of you." Professor Xavier said. "Now, I suggest you all get ready. None of you wish to be late for school."

"Yes Professor." Scott said.

"Oh, and Rogue, come to office right after school." The Professor added.

"Okay," she said with a nod. They walked into the elevator.

"Rogue, like, why do you need to talk to the Professor?" Kitty asked.

"Is everything alright?" Kurt asked.

"It's about something that happened yesterday. I really don't wanna talk about it." Kitty took the hint and left her alone. Kurt, however, pressed the matter further.

"Are you okay? What happened?" he asked alarmed as they stepped out of the elevator and walked towards their rooms.

"I'm fine," she assured him, trying to keep her annoyance out of her voice. She was going to have to answer enough of the Professor's questions after school. She didn't want to go over it a million times. She sighed. 'There are just some things I don't want everyone to know,' she thought.

"We're back to this now?" she asked softy. Her anger slipping away as she felt his skin against hers. He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers.

"Indeed." He closed the very small gap that was between their lips. She leaned into him as she kissed back. His other hand went around waist pulling her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the texture of his hair. His hand left her cheek and transfered down her body. He broke the kiss. She started to protest until he started to kiss to neck. She gasped in delight at the new sensations.

She pushed the image out of her mind. Now was not the time to relive that memory. She watched Kurt walk down the hall. She could see the look of concern had not left his face.

"Really, Kurt, I'm fine. I'll tell you about it later. Just not today." Kurt twisted his neck to look at her.

"Okay," he said with a smile as he walked away. Rogue sighed as she walked into her room. The danger room session left her tired, as usual. She changed out of her uniform and into her civilian clothes.

"Rogue?" Kitty asked. "What happened to your neck? If I didn't know better I would, like, think you had hickeys." she said with a giggle.

'He didn't' she thought as she ran over to the mirror. 'He wouldn't dare.' she screamed in her mind. She looked at her neck and sure enough their were several black and blues. 'He did!' She quickly pulled out her makeup and started to apply cover up to her neck. 'How did I not see these yesterday?' she asked herself as she rushed to cover up the marks.

"You are far more attractive without all that paint on." She replayed his words in her mind.

'Then don't give me a reason to put more on ass-hole.' she yelled in her head. She looked at herself in the mirror, realizing she had to put more make up on her face. It was to match the, now, paler color of her neck.

"Rogue, come on we're going to be late for school." Kitty said in an attempt to hurry her. She looked herself over once more before she was sure that no one would be able to see the bruises on her neck.

''Now, I just have to go to school, come home, and face the Professor. Yeah, today is gonna be great.' she thought sarcastically as she picked up her bag and followed Kitty out of the room.

Several hours later, Rogued raced out of the school building clearly annoyed. Why Miss Ginos had chosen today to discuss her report was beyond her.

'It ain't due for another two weeks,' she thought as she rolled her eyes. Rogue marched to the spot that Scott had parked in. 'You have got to be kidding me.' It was gone. 'They left me here!' she screamed in her head. 'I can't believe they left me here.' She heard a car pull up behind her. 'Good, I just want to go home,'

"Hello, Anna." She whipped around.

"Eric?" she yelped in surprise. There he was sitting in the drivers seat of a new Lexus. Watching her through the open passenger's side window. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I wished to speak with you. We can drive somewhere and have another one of our conversations," he said with a grin. "I sure you have questions." The car door opened. "Join me?"

"Right?" she laughed. "Because, I'm going to get into that large metal cage with you." He chuckled, as the door closed. She watched as he parked the car, and got out.

"Would you be willing to have a conversation on a park bench? In public, clearly within view of countless strangers?" He pointed to a bench a few feet away from them. She eyed the bench with uncertainty.

"I should go inside, and call Scott."

"Perhaps, but do you want to?" They stood in silence.

'Yes.......no. I could go over there," she considered. 'Screw that.' she thought in anger. 'I ain't playing by his rules.'

"Why did you let me go?" she asked determined to get her answer there and then. A grin spread across his face.

"Come, sit with me, and I will be more than willing to enlighten you." He strolled over to the bench and sat down.

'God damn it,' she yelled in frustration.'I can leave this time,' she assured herself.'Anytime I want. He can't keep me here.' She glanced over to the bench. Magneto stared back at her from his seat, waiting for her to accompany him. 'I should go call Scott.' she reasoned.'But, I want to talk to him. I want an answer,' she thought determined.She took a deep breath. 'Five minutes then I call Scott.' The compromise seemed like a good one. It made sense in her mind. 'What can happen in five minutes?' She looked over to could see the smirk on his face. 'Stop reading my mind, old man,' she thought as she reluctantly walked over. She put her bag on the floor.

"No," he answered dryly. She huffed as she sat down as far away from him as possible.

"So, why did you let me go?" He turned to look at her.

"You never contemplated the possibly that you might have successfully escaped on your own?" he asked. She sighed.

"No. The lights turned on, the door opened by itself. I didn't do that."

"You assumed I must have?"

"Yeah." She glanced up at him. "If you're just gonna keep asking me questions I'm gonna leave. I came over here cause you said you were gonna answer mine."

"Yesterday, at the standstill, you asked me what we were going to do. What answer did I give you?" Rogue stood up, and started to walk away. She felt a hand on her arm. She turned to face Magneto as she tried to put her arm out of his grasp. His grip only tightened.

"Let go of me," she demanded.

"No." Her eyes narrowed in anger. "Yesterday, when you asked me what we were going to do. What answer did I give you?" he repeated. She didn't reply. "This answer is relevant to your question, my dear."

"'We talk until one of us changes the other's mind,'" she quoted. Her eyes widened. "I changed your mind?" she asked in disbelief.

"Correct."

"How?" He released her arm, and sat back down.

"Have a seat, Rogue."

'You always have to have control over the situation, don't you?' He only smiled. 'Why am I putting up with this?' she thought in anger as she sat down next to him. He turned to face her again.

"Because I interest you." Their made eyes contact. "Just as much as you interest me," he said as his bare hand gently stroked her cheek. She blushed.

"I'm gonna go, now," she said softly. His other hand found hers. He took off her glove. Their fingers intertwined. He flashed her a knowing smile.

"You have to stand in order to leave, Anna."

"I know," she said breathlessly.

"Do you want to leave?" She weakly shook her head no. "Whatever could be the reason?" He looked down at their hands. He rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand. She sucked in a breath. "You don't want this feeling to end?" He gazed into the eyes again. "Do you?"

"No," she said quietly as she stared into his eyes. Unable to look anywhere else.

"It does not have to. You, and I can enjoy countless moments just like this one."

"That would mean joining you?"

"Yes."

"I can't betray them." The conflict she was feeling was clearly showing on her face.

"Can't?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I can't betray them," she strongly insisted.

"You can't betray your family? This is the same family who couldn't remember that you were in need of a ride home?" She broke away from him. Her lust momentary being over powered by anger. Anger which was not directed at him. At least not all of it. She stood up, folded her arms against her chest, and turned her back to him. "This is the same family who left you here because you weren't outside the moment the last bell rung?" He stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. "They take you presences for granted, Rogue. Why else would none of them notice you were not in the car? They assume you have no where else to go. They could not be more mistaken."

"They don't think that. They don't take me for granted," she argued.

"They do, and you are fully aware of this fact." he persisted inflamed. "Self-induced ignorance does not become you, Rogue. You are far more insightful than you allow them to see. I fully comprehend what you are capable of. Do they?" he asked as his grip on her shoulders tightened. She winced in pain. Both from his hold, and his words. "Does Cyclops know that you have nightmares of a plane crash you were never present at? Does Strom comprehend that you understand her many fears? Is Nightcrawler aware that he is your brother? Has any member of your family taking the time and effort to fathom who you are?" His grip tightened once more. She gasped in pain.

"First you leave bruises on my neck. Now my shoulders?" she accused infuriated. He freed her arms. She took a step away from him, as she rubbed the soreness out of her shoulders.

"Well?" She turned to face him.

"Do you always have to be this intense?" she yelled. "This confrontational?"

"Must you always avoid painful questions?" he screamed as he stood a step towards her.

"You're the one who avoids questions. Would it kill you to answer just one of mine?"she yelled up at him.

"Perhaps." he said as he took another step forward closing the gap between them.

"Perhaps?" she yelled.

"Yes." She screamed in frustration.

"You make me so angry," she informed him as she hit his chest.

"I can assure you, the felling is mutual."

"Why can't you just-" She was interrupted by his lips violently crashing onto hers. His arm was around her waist pulling her up against him other hand was on her cheek, holding her face close to his. Her hands went to his chest. His tongue demanded entire into her mouth. She allowed it. They stayed like that for a few minutes until he broke the kiss. They were both gasping for air. She clung onto his shirt as she was catching her breath. His hand went to her chin. He tilted her head up to look at him.

"Join me, Rogue, and you will neverfeel loneliness again." Silent tears ran down her face. He wiped them away gently.

"I can't." she screamed as she twisted her face slightly to gaze at the people walking past them. "Why is no one looking at us?" she asked panicked.

"That word, again," he referred to her first statement, ignoring the second. "Implying you have no will of your own." He turned her head roughly to face him. "You have a choice," he persisted "Or am I not the only one in Bayville who uses his telepathy?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, answering her question.

'The professor would never do that to me. To any of us,' she though as she pushed against his chest. His hold around her waist keep her from moving.

"Are you so sure?"

"Yes! Now, let go of me, Eric." She attempted to escape his hold.

"Not until you give me an answer." He pilled her against him once more.

"I already did."

"No, you gave me an invalid excuse. You believe you are free to leave the Xavier Institute at any time. You know what I have to offer. It is far more than a bed, and a rigorousness training schedule. Will you join me?" She took a deep breath.

"No." He released her. She walked several feet away from him.

"Here you stand, Anna Marie, with unwavering loyalty. I offer you everything you could ever want. Everything you could ever need, and say 'no' to me each and every time. Why? Because you are faithful to thethem. What have the X-Men done for you to earn such devotion?" In the distances she could see Scott's car driving in their direction.

"For started, they came to get me," she said with a grimace.

"How charming,"he said condescendingly, "you're content with being a second thought." Her eyes narrowed in anger.

"Go to hell." she said as she went to picked up her bag. She refused to look at him.

"I'm not the one you should be anger with, Anna." They watched as Scott, Kitty, and Kurt drove up to where they were standing. "They are." The door opened.

"Rogue!" Kitty rushed out of the car. "We are, like, so sorry."

"Yeah, we didn't mean to leave without you, we swear." Kurt added.

"Magneto?" Scott questioned in confusion. Both Kitty and Kurt drew their attention away from Rogue, to look at Magneto. Scott's hand flew to his glasses. The rims radiated red in a wordless threat.

"Mr. Summer, Ms. Pride, Mr. Wanger, please, do not be alarmed. I mean you no harm."

"I doubt that." Scott said with malice."Magneto, what are you doing here?" He demanded to know.

"I simply came to speak with Rogue. Surly you can not be against conversation, Mr. Summers," Magneto said.

"Rogue, are you alright?" Kitty asked.

"I'm fine. Let's just go home." she replied as she made her way towards the car.

"What do you want with Rogue?" Scott questioned.

"That is between Rogue and I. If you're honestly so intrigued I suggest you ask her." Scott turned to address her.

"Rogue?" Scott asked. She sighed.

"He wants me to join him." she said as she put her bag in the car.

"What?" Both Kitty and Kurt screamed at the same time.

"My answer's no. So, it doesn't mater. Let's just go home."

"But." Kurt said quietly. She motioned for the three of them to get into the car. Kitty and Kurt reluctantly got in. Scott stayed standing, ready to fight.

"We'll speak again soon, Rogue, I'm sure." Magneto said with a grin as he casually strolled towards his car.

"Rogue? Why are you wearing only one glove?" Kurt asked. She looked down at her hand.

"Eric, wait!" she screamed.

"Eric?" Scott repeated with a raised eyebrow. She ignored him and casted her attention to Magneto.

'One problem at a time,' she thought to herself. Magneto stopped and stared at her.

"My glove?" She waved her bare hand at him. Magneto chuckled as he pulled it out of his pocket. He held it out to her from where he was standing. A knowing smirk on his face. She rolled her eyes as she walked over to where he was. She snacked the glove out of his hand.

"Of of curiosity, my dear," he asked in a slightly hushed voice. "How many of my memories have you looked through?"

"Most of them. Why?" she asked as she put her glove back on.

"Does Charles understand the full extent of your powers?" She glanced up at him.

"What ever happened to you answeringmy questions?"

"Today's agenda was altered as needed." She huffed.

"You never were going to, were you?" he smiled down at her.

"No, not today. Not unless you said yes." She sighed."Does Charles-"

"I heard you the first time you asked." she said annoyed. "I don't understand the full extent of my powers."

"A shame. You're capable of so much more than you think."

"Rogue?" She heard Scott call out from behind her.

"I have to go, now." She turned to go.

"But, you wish to continue?" She looked at him again.

"I like talking to you. You know, when you're not trying to hold me against my will." He laughed. She smiled. "You're interesting. There's a lot I could learn from you." He nodded.

"About nine years ago I brought a house only a few towns from here." She searched his memories.

"In Jericho?"

"Yes," he said with a smile. "You know the phone number?" She nodded. "Good. If you wish to speak that is where I will be staying. You are welcome there anytime."

"Thanks."

"Your welcome. I look forward to continuing this conversation."

'So, do I. From several miles away, over the phone, where I'm in no danger,' she thought. She could hear him chuckling behind her as she walked to the car.

"Rogue, what's going on?" Scott asked they both got into the front seats of his car. Scott started the car, and took off in the direction of the institute.

"The short version. Eric asked-"

"And, when did you start calling Magneto by his first name?" Scott asked.

"Yesterday, I called him Eric by accident. He said it was fine."

"Yesterday?" Scott asked.

"If you would stop asking me questions for five second I could explain." she yelled annoyed. The three of them went silent. "Like I was saying, Eric asked me to met him yesterday, to talk. I went, we spoke, and then I wanted to leave. At first he wouldn't let me, than something changed his mind. I was suppose to go over the memory with the Professor right after school, but ya all left me there."

"We are really sorry about that, Rogue." Kurt said.

"We don't even know how it happened. I, like, could have sworn you were in the car with us." A light turned on in Rogue's head.

"You thought I was in the car?"

"Yeah." Kurt said.

"When did you notice I wasn't here?" Rogue asked.

"About half way home." Scott said.

'About seven or eight miles. I gotta remember that.' Rogue thought to herself.

"It was like one minute you were in the back sitting next to me, and then you were gone." Kitty said. With her suspicions confirmed Rogue let out a sigh of relief. They hadn't forgotten her after all. "I know that sounds crazy-"

"Not to me, Kitty." she said with a smile. "Don't worry about it. It's not your fault."

"But we-" Kurt started.

"Thought I was in the car," Rogue finished, "and the second ya all realized I wasn't you turned 'round to get me."

"We didn't turn around the exact second." Kurt said with guilt in his voice. Rogue raised an eyebrow.

"The Professor called on the communicator. He told us to keep driving." Scott explained.

"We told him you weren't with us, but" Kitty said

"But he said he knew, and that you had to keep driving anyway. Until you were closer to the institute. At least ten miles from the school." Rogue guessed.

"Fifteen, but yeah that's what happen."Scott said as he pulled into the garage.

"When you got past fifteen miles, the Professor told you to pull over." Rogue said. They got out of the car.

"We were sitting there for over ten minutes, doing nothing." Kurt said.

"It wasn't for nothing, Kurt. The Professor was pulling up mental blocks in your minds." Rogue said.

"Why?" Scott asked as they walked into the institute.

"Magneto," Rogue said with a sigh as she walked ahead of them.

"What?" Kitty asked gasped.

"How?" Kurt asked panicked.

"Magneto isn't telepathic." Scott said. Rogue spun around.

"Actually, he is." Her comment was met with a round of gasps. "He can read minds as easily as Jean can. I think he can do more, but I don't know for sure."

"That's, like, so not good." Kitty said.

"Nope, that's about as bad as it gets. I gotta go talk to the Professor about this. Now, I have two conversations to go over. This is gonna take twice as long as I thought. I see ya all at dinner if we're done by then." Kitty nodded as she Kurt and Scott walked towards their rooms. Rogue watched them go before heading to the Professor's office. She walked up to his office, and brought her hand up to the door. Just as she was about to knock the Professor said.

"Rogue, please come in." She rolled her eyes as she opened the door.