"A Hero's Tale"
by Darnell

The room's walls are covered with wallpaper put up less then five months ago, yet with him in the room the feel so old and...cold. She silently fidgets in her chair as he closes the door, the rush of air that entered when she walked in almost seems to creep out. She tied her hair back this morning because last night when the professor called her to his study he spoke in his serious tone. It's a beautiful day, she should be out with the others but he had to speak with her, his exact words "Rogue, I've neglected this issue with you for far too long, tomorrow morning we deal with it." She's not sure what he was talking about but it still scared the heck out of her.

"Professor, if Ah did somethin' just tell me flat out." Rogue asks this in a semi-calm and confident voice.

Xavier moves in closer to her with his wheelchair, "Rogue, dear, you didn't do anything wrong. I simply have something important to discuss with you."

He's always intimidated her, he's such a great man, he gives off respect. She loves him like a father, she wonders if she was ever this scared to talk to her father.

"And what's that?"

"It's about you and your power. Now, Rogue, I know we've talked of the problem you have with your powers but we've never really had an in depth discussion about them. I know see, after all that's happened this past year, that you need my help and believe me I intend to give it to you."

She gulps, what help does he mean? She hates dealing with her powers, she hates talking about them because it only comes out like she's complaining.

"Ah don't understand...Ah'm happier with them now, I like having 'em now. Ah told ya this when we came home after we dropped off the Brotherhood at Muir Isle. " she answers with a twinge of fear about his response.

"If you were truly happy with your powers they wouldn't be uncontrollable." he says this with a bit of a smirk.

He reaches over and touches Rogue's gloved hand, he then look back up at her.

"I know your real name, I've been in your mind and I know. I also know why your powers aren't--" He is stopped in midsentence.

She rips her hand from his and quickly stands. "Ya had no right! Why do you think ya are? Going about in a body's mind and finding out things they didn't want ya to know! There is a reason why I never told--" He grabs her hand and looks her in the face.

"I didn't read your mind directly, when you touched me, with your bare skin, shortly after you joined the X-Men. Somehow my powers counter acted with yours and I was given free reign of your mind. That was one of the many things I picked up from your mind."

Rogue again rips away her hand. "Leave me be! Ah am fine! I don't need ya help, I can deal with mah powers!" Tears begin to run down her face, she wipes them off as she rushes out of the room. Xavier sits in utter shock.

She runs to the kitchen, her breath huffing. The tears roll her face more and more until they dry up when Remy walks in.

"Hey Chere, don't mind me, just coming in for some lemonade. Man! We're working having a great baseball game out dere."

Rogue suddenly turns to him as her voice changes to a husky male one, she picks up a knife from the counter.

"Shut up, Cajun! I'll gut you like a fish! See these claws--Remy why'd ya do it, why?--these here claws have done some stuff--Ah loved you, you son of--in their time, oh yeah and now they can do some stuff to you--Ah loved you!" She let's out a death churning scream as she runs through the door, breaking it in the process.

Remy LeBeau falls to the ground as he grabs his...bleeding neck.

To Be Continued