Finding A Way Around Pride

Lady Serpentina – Thank you! I’m glad you love it! We’re about to find out when Logan realizes Rogue is gone. How will he react, I wonder??

I haven’t been active concerning this story in a while – I’m getting ready to join the Air Force so I’ve been busy with that and school. The semester is almost over, though, so I’m gaining more and more free time!
-Emaree

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“Professor, the end of the week has come and Rogue has not returned.” The pale haired X-Man said, knowing she was stating the obvious.

“Yes, Storm, I am aware of that. It seems her friends have become concerned enough to come speak to me about it. I have already connected to Cerebro and located her.” He explained to her, “She’s relocated to central Philadelphia. I do not know how long she plans to be there, but I did not sense a great hurry in her.”

Storm took the piece of paper he handed to her: there was an address on it.

“I don’t suggest taking too many X-Men with you.” He offered and she shook her head.

“I will go myself.” She agreed then changed the subject of her visit, “Professor…There are…issues, presenting themselves concerning Jean’s appearance. I have been watching her these past few days and I don’t recognize the woman that we brought home.”

“Yes, I have seen it myself and do not disagree with you. I assume you are referring to the growing hostility between Logan and Scott? Indeed. Have you any ideas as to how we might manage the situation?” he wondered.

Ororo shook her head. “Apart from sending Jean and Scott away? Well, that in itself will not work. Logan would be sure to follow and we need them here in case anything concerning the Brotherhood arises. I have no ideas.” She said in a heavy voice.

“I am having the same difficulty. We cannot send Logan away – he would just return. We similarly cannot send Scott and Jean away. I do not see a solution to our problem as of yet. Something will reveal itself. Until then we can only mediate and hope for the best.” He murmured.

“What about Jean? She is not herself…” Ororo told him and his face looked old and tired.

“What can we do? She is undeniably Jean Grey in body, though in mind I cannot be sure. Again, we are left without a solution. Watching and waiting is our only reasonable course of action at this point.” He conceded, though he looked unhappy to say so.

Ororo could imagine how heavy his heart must feel. Jean had been with the X-Men from their conception. Her powers had given them a connection and she had grown on him like a daughter. To see your loved one come home a shadow of themselves must be a dagger to the heart. Seeing her shadow so tainted compared to the woman they had lost was like twisting the dagger. They could do nothing about her actions towards their fellow X-Men without causing an uproar of protest. An important part of the team was being infiltrated by jealous rage and lust and knowing that the cause was their beloved Jean Grey mixed hurt confusion into the whole miasma. If Magneto decided to strike soon they would be crippled. Ororo wished there were some way to separate the feuding love triangle, at least for a minute period of time.

“Professor I believe I will bring Logan with me to get Rogue.” Ororo said suddenly. The Professor seemed to be following her line of thought.

“An excellent idea. They are very close, though with everything that has been going on I do not believe he knows of her departure.” He mused sadly.

She agreed. Even though Logan did not reciprocate young Rogue’s feelings, everyone knew he cared for her as if she were his sister. It made most think twice about doing wrong by her – even when the threat of her skin did a good job of that on its own. Ororo knew how far the situation between Jean, Scott and Logan had escalated when she realized the Logan did not know Rogue was gone. Otherwise he would have come barreling into Professor X’s office demanding he find her, if he had not done so himself first.

“It is still early in the day. We will go while the students are in still in class to keep a scene from presenting itself.” She told him and left with his good wishes.

All she had to do was find the Wolverine first. So when she began her search she included Scott and Jean in it. Where Jean went, Logan was sure to already be there or follow. She finally came upon him and his beer in the living room, enjoying the television children-free while it still lasted. He didn’t look away when she sat beside him but muttered ‘Storm’ in greeting.

“Logan, we’re leaving for Philadelphia.” She simply stated. That got his attention enough to turn her way.

“What’s goin’ on? We who?” he asked without much interest. He raised an eyebrow at her frown.

“Haven’t you noticed that you’ve not seen Rogue at all since Saturday?” she asked him and her eyes narrowed at his shrug.

“Yeah, I have. She’s probably just bummed about Bobby. She’s a big kid.” He nonchalantly stated, apparently without worry. He turned back to the big screen.

Ororo didn’t know what to think – except that he must really be preoccupied with Jean. Even so, this was strange for him. When Jean was first alive he still gave Rogue the time of day between fighting with Scott and (failing) at wooing Jean. This was getting out of hand. Really – Jean was acting strangely but she was still just the same physically. Why all of the sudden preoccupation with her?

“She’s gone to Philadelphia.” She snapped at him and was satisfied at the spark of surprise in his eyes, whether it was due to her lack of usual calm or the news that Rogue was not simply pouting over her ex-boyfriend. “You and I are going to pick her up before school lets out.”

“Damn kid, goin’ all the way to Philly without at least tellin’ me.” He muttered and, with beer in hand, accompanied Ororo to the hangar.

They touched down on an abandoned empty lot on the outskirts of Philadelphia near where the Professor had said Rogue was residing. Wolverine seemed to be acting more himself now that they were out of the oppressive atmosphere of the mansion. This entailed much grumbling about ‘kids’ and their ‘damned impulsiveness’. Instead of walking they chose to take a taxi into the city, figuring it was easiest to let the knowledgeable cabbie assist them instead of searching.

“When did you realize she was gone?” Wolverine asked on the ride there.

“Monday.” She answered and fearlessly met the angry look in his eyes, “The Professor advised that we wait a week for her to return on her own.”

“A week! He let her run around the country by herself for a damned week?” he snarled, clearly in disagreement with Professor Xavier’s decision.

“Do not be so quick to judge the Professor, Logan. Not three hours ago you were completely unconcerned because she was a ‘big girl who could take care of herself’.” She challenged but he would give up so easily.

“That was before I knew she left the state.” He defended.

“You know of Rogue’s way of leaving home without a second thought. You are the one who picked her up in Canada and on the train. Logan, you have no excuses to your behavior. If you hadn’t been so caught up with Jean and your goals concerning her you would have noticed!” Storm stated truthfully, expressing her feelings toward his actions as of late.

She would not have been surprised if she heard the click of his claws unsheathing. The look on his face clearly informed her that his temper was near to snapping. His lip pulled back from his teeth in a silent warning and he turned away, giving everything he had to keep himself from losing himself to the rage. What was this? No, the rage or speed of its onset was not something new to him. But towards Storm? What she said made him madder than hell but never would he have reacted to the sage weather witch this way. His lack of knowledge concerning himself was not uncommon either, but this was different and it fueled his anger, leaving him seething the rest of the ride. The taxi driver frequently looked in the rear view mirror, ready to abandon the car if a fight ensued. Both mutants sat quietly the rest of the way – one relieved and not a bit remorseful. The other smothered in the heat of anger.

Finally, after what seemed a lifetime to the frightened human cabbie, the taxi pulled up to the edge of a dirty city sidewalk and stopped. Storm was appalled at the state of the apartment building before them and thought that the man had taken them to the wrong address. He assured her that it was correct, however, and took the cash she handed over before making a hasty retreat.

“What a dump.” Wolverine said, breaking the his twenty minute silence.

She couldn’t disagree and climbed the few steps leading to the ugly, scratched entrance. Upon entering they were further disgusted – dirty, peeling linoleum covered the room, stopping at a welcome desk that was unoccupied and unsafe looking stairs leading up into the apartment building.

“Let’s make this as quick as possible.” She suggested and climbed two flights of steps.

Wolverine took in a big lungful of air through his nose and his chest rumbled with a soft growl. “I smell ‘er. Its different though…” he said and followed it straight to the door listed on their paper. Storm thought the door would splinter under his fist as he banged on it.

“Comin’!” came the soft southern drawl that they recognized to be Rogue’s voice. They did not, however, recognize the young woman who answered the door.

Rogue stood before them in shorts, a tee-shirt and flip flops. Her hair was piled on top of her head, exposing a tanned neck, shoulder and back. This was not as surprising to them though, as was the way she held herself. She positively glowed with happiness and good health. This was not the pale, unhappy girl fighting to put on a brave front. There was a weight lifted that left her standing taller, with a lifted chin and happy eyes. At the sight of her fellow X-Men, the happiness vanished.

“What are you doin’ here?” she asked without breath.