Logan ran a hand over his scraggy jaw and glared at the two motionless forms lying on identical beds. One blond and one brunette, one slim and one curvy, one tan and the other still retaining some of the pallor of years covered from neck to toes. The only sign that either was alive was the rise and fall of their chests under the whit sheets.
“Do you have any ideas about what happened yet, Hank?” Logan heard Ororo ask. She sounded so calm. Logan didn’t know how she could react like that after seeing all the bruises on Rogue’s body. They made Logan’s fists clench. The anger raging inside of him was the first strong emotion he’d allowed himself to feel in over a month.
“The obvious signs force me to conclude that the ‘cure’ Rogue obtained was merely a temporary suppression of her mutation. I believe that the violence of her attack triggered a premature return of her mutation. For whatever reason, she then drained this other young woman. This is mostly speculation, of course,” Hank replied quietly.
Logan turned his glare towards the doctor. “Speculation?” he growled.
“Yes,” Hank said calmly, meeting Logan’s eyes with his own. “I am no longer able to pierce Rogue’s skin with a needle, so I cannot draw blood in an attempt to confirm my finding. I also have only a basic understanding of how the cure itself was supposed to work, therefore there is no way for me to confirm why it failed.”
Logan grunted and started to make a comment about doctors who needed to go back to medical school, but Ororo interrupted him.
“Does that mean that other mutants who have received the cure will eventually revert as well? I’m worried about Rogue, of course,” this in response to Logan’s glare being turned on her, “but we have enemies whom we need to keep an eye on if they are close to regaining their own powers.”
Logan’s grunt was the only acknowledgment he was willing to give as to the truth of that statement. He returned to staring at Rogue and the strange woman.
“I’m afraid that there is no way to predict whose cures will fail, or when. We must wait and see,” Hank replied behind him.
Ororo accepted this silently. Logan felt her eyes on his tensed back.
“And Rogue, was she…raped?” Ororo asked softly.
Logan felt his claws extend at the thought of Rogue raped. He’d seen the torn strap of that excuse for a shirt that she was wearing. Bruises covered her face and back, too. Logan could smell the scent of several males on her skin from across the room. It made his stomach clench at the thought of what they had done even as he memorized those scents. One day he would find them, he promised Rogue silently.
“That’s really a matter of doctor-patient privilege,” Hank began, but when Logan growled he added hastily, “but to relieve your minds, no. She was severely beaten, but that is all.”
Ororo walked over to the strange woman lying next to Rogue. “Perhaps she was the reason the attack didn’t progress that far,” she suggested.
Hank moved to join her. “You may be correct. We know that she has been affected by Rogue’s mutation by comparing her physical symptoms to the records of others she has touched. Since Rogue is demonstrating previously unseen abilities, it is logical to conclude that she obtained them from this woman. My only concern is that…” Hank hesitated.
“What?” Logan asked harshly, his eyes never leaving Rogue’s still face. Had he just seen a twitch?
“This woman’s reactions are not exactly the same as the records we have. I’m afraid that Rogue may have drained too much from her,” Hank said heavily.
“What will that mean?” Ororo asked with concern.
“This woman will probably never awaken from her coma, and Rogue will most likely retain her abilities and an unknown part of her psyche for the rest of her life. It will be completely unlike any of her other experiences with her mutation. She will probably need significant support in the next few days at the very least,” Hank told them. He looked sadly at the two still forms. “There is no way to predict how she will react to this news.”
Ororo sighed. “Well, it may be hours before Rogue, at least, wakes up. We should go reassure the others,” she suggested.
“I’m staying here,” Logan said shortly. He didn’t even bother looking at the other two, so he didn’t see Ororo nod resignedly.
“All right,” was all she said as she left. Hank followed her after making Logan promise to let him know when Rogue woke up.
Logan waited for a moment to make sure they were gone before he moved over to stand next to Rogue.
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000