Turning away from the window once Logan had faded from sight completely, Marie looked down at the unconscious woman on the floor.
It was her! Marie couldn’t believe it. It was her. The girl who had started it all. The one responsible for Logan losing his memory.
Carol Danvers.
The teenager from Lakeshore who had exploded the casino and cost Logan his memory.
“Ah don’t fuckin’ believe it,” Marie mumbled, flopping down on the couch once again. She was unable to keep her eyes off the fallen woman. His “wife.” Pressing the heels of her palms against her eyes, Marie began to breath in and out deeply in an attempt to calm herself. “Yer dead. Ah know it. Ya died in the explosion. Ah pushed ya off o’ Logan’s body mahself.”
Carol’s thoughts were still too confusing for Marie to pull an exact information out from the maelstrom. Not that it really mattered. Not then. All that Marie could think about was Logan and the fact that she had been so close to making him remember her. So close. Marie could almost see the recognition in his eyes after she had kissed him on the top of the head. Behind the tears there had been a spark. For a brief moment she had seen her Logan.
Professor, Ah think that ya should get up here now.
There was a moment of silence before Xavier’s response. What is it, Rogue?
It’s Logan! He was here, Professor! He just jumped out the window!
Again there was silence. Flustered and on edge, Marie jumped to her feet and began to pace around the room. She kept her eyes on Carol at all times. The girl wasn’t dead, but she was pretty close to it.
“How the fuck did ya get Logan t’ believe that ya were his wife?” Marie demanded of the unconscious woman. “It’s not like Logan’s the most trustin’ person there is. Ah don’t even wanna think how much worse he is when he can’t remember anythin’. So how did ya get him t’ believe ya?”
Rogue, what happened in your room? Xavier demanded suddenly.
Marie jumped at the interruption in her thoughts. Get everyone inta mah room now an’ have someone bring restraints.
Are you or the twins in any danger?
We’re fine, Professor. Just get up here now ‘fore Ah do somethin’ Ah’ll regret.
Greeted with the sight of the woman who had caused her family so much pain, Marie was hard pressed to keep from hurting her in some way. Carol was the perfect target for all her aggressions. The more rational part of her mind reminded her of the fact that it would be wrong to attack someone who couldn’t defend themself. Marie didn’t think that the Professor would appreciate it much.
Besides, Marie wanted answers.
Under normal circumstances, Marie would have simply meditated to sort out the images and memories that she had gotten from Carol to figure out what was going on. Marie wasn’t going to take that chance at that moment. Meditating meant making herself vulnerable. She would be completely unaware of anything that was going on around her and with her two little boys in the next room, Marie wasn’t going to take that chance.
“Yer gonna tell me everythin’ that ya did t’ Logan,” Marie informed the other woman as she crouched down in front of her. “Logan is mah husband an’ Ah’m not gonna let ya hurt him in any way.”
By the time the others came rushing in a few minutes later, Marie was sitting cross-legged in front of Carol. She didn’t even want to think about what she looked like. Her hair wet, eyes wild and the white robe she was wearing revealing quite a bit more pale skin than they were used to.
There was a moment of shocked silence before anyone spoke.
Scott was the first one to say anything. “Rogue, is that....”
“Carol Danvers,” Marie confirmed, her eyes never leaving the body on the floor. “The bitch who exploded Windsor Casino with Logan inside. The slut who somehow survived the explosion. The whore that took advantage o’ Logan’s memory loss an’ convinced him that she’s his wife.”
The others could only stand there, their wide eyes unblinking.
Rising to her feet suddenly, Marie finally took her eyes off of Carol and looked at the others. “Someone get her down t’ detention room in the lower levels. Don’t let her leave. Keep her down there till Ah get back with Logan. Kitty, can ya stay with Hunter an’ Chase?”
“Sure, Rogue. No problem.”
That taken care of, Marie rushed into her bedroom and quickly changed into a pair of jeans, white t-shirt and a pair of black boots. Once she was dressed, Marie sat down on the bed, crossing her legs as she tried to relax herself enough to sort through Carol’s memories. Marie was quite surprised when she discovered Carol’s real powers. Xavier had gotten it wrong. The sonic boom screams weren’t her actual power. She had a loud voice, true enough, but the destruction had been a result of strategically placed explosives that were all controlled by a tiny detonator that she had held in her hand. Someone had helped her set it all up. Who, was still a mystery, but it didn’t matter. Not after Marie figured out what Carol’s real power was.
The redhead could fly.
Armed with that knowledge, Marie jumped off the bed and headed for the door. As she exited her room, Marie was in the process of pulling her wet hair into a ponytail. Everyone except for Kitty and Jean were gone, the latter of which was cleaning up the broken glass with her telekinetic powers.
MARIE!! Help me!
Logan’s scream in her mind nearly sent Marie crashing to her knees. She staggered and stumbled into a table, barely able to catch herself before she fell.
“Rogue, are you all right?” Jean asked, turning away from her work.
Marie waved a hand in Jean’s direction and straightened herself up. “Don’t worry ‘bout it, Jeanie. Ah’m all right.”
As soon as the other woman turned her back to her, Marie took off at a run for the open window. She dove through, praying that what she had seen was right and that Carol really could fly.
“Rogue!” Jean and Kitty screamed together, but it was too late,
Marie was already airborne.
“Oh mah gawd,” Marie gasped as she watched the ground pass below her. Logan’s fear and panic hit here again and all sense of wonder faded from Marie’s mind. “Ah’m comin’, sugah. Just hold on a little longer.”
Marie glided through the air in the direction of the forest that Logan had disappeared into. Instinctually he had gone back to his territory. Logan knew those woods like the back of his hand. Marie knew them enough to get around, but nowhere near as well as Logan. If he wanted to, Logan could stay hidden in there for a very long time.
When she reached the forest, Marie was forced to land. There was no way that she would be able to make her way through the forest on air. There were too many branches that she could crash into while in the air.
“Logan!” Marie shouted as she took off running through the dense forest. She kept her eyes constantly moving as she searched for a trail of some sort. Not that she actually expected to find one. Logan never left a trail. It was the hunter in him. He could hide with the best of them. “Just once, Logan, can’t ya leave me a trail t’ follow. Ah’m not as good at huntin’ as ya are.”
Blood began to trickle down her arm after she cut it on a branch. Marie ignored it and continued jogging through the forest in search of Logan. She was constantly calling his name, hoping that he would answer her in some way. Even if it was just in her head.
But Logan was completely silent.
Suddenly, Marie came to a dead stop, scanning the area with her eyes. “Now what’s around here that Logan can get himself in trouble in...? Shit! The river!”
Cursing loudly, Marie charged through the underbrush. She jumped over logs and shoved errant branches to the side in her rush to get to the river. Logan couldn’t swim. His metal skeleton made it impossible for him to swim. His skeleton made him highly prone to sinking. Marie continually screamed Logan’s name, hoping against hope that he would somehow answer her. She didn’t expect it, though. But that didn’t mean she worried any less.
“Logan!” Marie screamed as she burst onto the river bank. She scanned the area with her eyes, searching for Logan. “Logan, where are ya? Answer me!”
Giving up hope that Logan wasn’t in the water, Marie made her way to the very edge of the river. She peered into the crystal depths, her eyes locking on Logan almost instantly. Uncaring of the temperature, Marie dove into the water. She swam to Logan, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him to the surface. Struggling backwards, Marie eventually got them to the shore. She gently laid Logan down, trying to get him comfortable. Not that it really mattered since he wasn’t breathing.