“I am still having great difficulties believing Logan’s control thus far,” Hank rumbled as he walked back into the rec room where the rest of the mansion’s inhabitants were gathered watching the interview.
The professor nodded absently, a look of intense concentration on his face. He had been monitoring as much of the interview as he could telepathically.
“I can understand your surprise, Hank, but do not underestimate the depth of Logan’s feelings for Rogue. He knows that any rash behavior on his part may impact her for the rest of her life – may put her in constant danger. He would never risk that.”
“But professor!” Scott protested. “The rabbits? I wouldn’t have been able to hold back after that one, and just this once, I would have backed Logan completely if he had skewered that son of a bitch. That Phil person’s job is to allow mutants a voice, a chance to tell the human world what life is like for us, but instead he’s turning it into a freak show.”
“Not intentionally, Scott,” Xavier murmured, mindful of the dozens of little ears listening in on the conversation. His brow furrowed as he concentrated just a tad more. “Phil truly does not see the harm he is doing. He doesn’t think that mutants should have to hide, and harbors no ill will toward Logan and Rogue. He has just lost his perspective on the big picture I suppose you could say.”
“What do you mean?” Ororo asked without taking her eyes off the TV.
The professor sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. “He’s been interviewing people for so long that he instinctively goes after the things the interviewees don’t want to talk about. Logan realized that quite early in the broadcast, and I think that has been helping him control his temper. Likewise, Rogue picked up on it, albeit somewhat later than Logan did.” Xavier chuckled a bit, although the sound was unhappy when he caught Rogue’s thoughts about Monique. “At this point, I am actually more worried about Rogue’s temper than Logan’s.”
A wisp of a stray thought floated to him and the professor looked toward the source. A small girl with lavender-colored hair was watching him intently, unlike her friends who had their eyes glued to the television.
No, child, I am not worried that Rogue would intentionally hurt anyone, Xavier soothed the girl. I’m worried that her temper will lead her to say something she shouldn’t.
The feeling of guilt he read in the girl’s mind confused him, but as she turned back toward the television, Ororo asked another question.
“Was that Monique girl serious, professor? Will they really have to leave the school?”
“I would welcome them back in a heartbeat should they return here after the interview, Ororo. But they were both firm in their decision to protect us and the students by leaving. Perhaps in the future they will come back. Neither of them was thinking that it would be a permanent exile.”
“Where will they go?” Scott asked.
Xavier pursed his lips and rubbed his temples again. The strain of listening in to Rogue’s and Logan’s thoughts at this distance was taking a toll on him. Perhaps I should have a television installed in Cerebro, he thought. Phil’s thoughts presented no problem; the man had no mental barrier whatsoever.
“I don’t know, Scott. I can make an educated guess, but I was not able to glean any details from either Rogue or Logan. They are both quite adept at keeping their thoughts private when they want to.”
“They know you’re listening?” Hank asked in surprise.
“Well, no, they have no idea. It’s just that they’re both private people and shielding their thoughts and feelings is instinctive. And ironically, that instinctive blocking combined with the odd construction of their minds makes their thoughts almost as impenetrable as Magneto’s helmet.”
The adults in the room wore looks of mild disbelief. Their expressions changed immediately to concern, however, when the professor hissed and rubbed his temples yet again.
“Except, of course, when they are focusing ruthlessly on a particular matter,” the professor explained as Rogue lambasted the woman who had called to insult Logan.
“Was that woman serious?” Scott asked, wondering how anyone could focus on something so trivial as an imagined relationship in light of the other topics discussed during the interview.
Xavier ground his teeth together and traced the woman’s mind as best he could. She was physically quite far away, but he was able to follow her train of thoughts enough that he could determine her motivation and reasoning for calling to abuse Logan. As he released his light hold on her mind, the professor slumped tiredly against the back of his wheelchair.
“She was serious in a way, Scott. Her daughter ran off more than ten years ago with an older man. It did not turn out well.” He offered no more explanation than that, feeling guilty for prying into the woman’s personal life, but knowing that it was necessary this time.
“Ya little whore.”
The tinny words echoed clearly from the television and Ororo gasped. Xavier focused quickly on the screen and saw the way Logan was gripping Rogue’s hand, jostling it slightly to get her attention. He saw the stillness of Rogue’s body as she turned her head until she seemed to be looking directly at him. He saw the mix of fear and disbelief in her eyes, and something else that he thought might be resignation. ”Daddy? Without thinking it through, Xavier launched himself after the malicious trail of thought he had picked up from the caller.
A piercing pain stabbed through his temples as he saw a hazy image of a man standing in a kitchen, an old rotary phone dangling from the fingers of one hand while the other held the receiver up to his ear. There was a small black and white television on the counter, and in front of it, a large cutting board with a bowl of peeled apples resting next to it. Several apple slices trailed across the counter and littered the floor, along with a large knife. As his eyes followed the pieces across the floor, he saw an overturned chair and a woman’s ankle. Sprawled on the floor, half under the table, was a softly rounded woman propped up on one hand and holding the other to a reddened cheek. She was shaking her head and saying something to the man, but he didn’t hear her. As Xavier focused more, he picked out the one line of coherent thought in the man’s head.
That’s not Marie, it’s not. That’s a mutant whore, not mah little girl. Not Marie. Not Marie.
“Professor? Professor?” Xavier shook his head slightly as he came back to himself. He looked up into Ororo’s concerned eyes and saw Hank and Scott hovering uncertainly over her shoulders.
“Is it really her father?” Scott asked.
Xavier nodded, unable to speak, as he shifted his gaze back to the television. He focused on Rogue again and gasped as he touched her mind. She wasn’t aware of it yet, but her subconscious had become dangerously fixated on what her father had said.
* * *
Logan stilled abruptly at Rogue’s heartbroken query, feeling like he had been punched hard under the ribs. Shit! he thought. Shit, shit, shit! Wolverine growled an agreement. He shook Rogue’s hand a bit, but she didn’t seem to notice as she continued to stare blankly into the cameras.
It’s just like she’s wounded, Wolverine snarled. Give her a chance to snap out of it, but don’t let them see. Don’t let them know she’s hurt.
Logan bounded out of his chair and moved slightly in front of Rogue, blocking the cameras’ view. He kept his grip on her hand, though, and held it slightly behind him against his belt. Her fingers were trembling so hard he expected them to snap right out of his grip at any second.
“Who the hell are you?” he roared at the cameras.
“Who the hell are ya?” came the angry response.
“I asked first, bub.”
“Ya heard the little whore. Ah used to be her father, and that means ya got no business interferin’ in this conversation.”
“Like hell I don’t!” Rogue’s hand was slightly steadier in his grasp, and he could feel her sliding a finger into his belt loop. “You kicked her out years ago and I’ve been takin’ care of her ever since. Seems to me that you’re the one with no business here.”
A firm tug at his waistline had him looking over his shoulder at Rogue. Her face was pale and her lips were trembling, but the eyes she lifted to his face were clear.
“It’s all right, Logan,” she whispered, so low that not even Phil heard her. Louder she said, “Sit back down, sugar, ye’re blockin’ mah view.”
She recovers fast, Wolverine whispered approvingly as Logan sank into his chair. He kept his grip on Rogue’s hand and pulled it onto his left leg. He laced their fingers together so that the back of her hand rested against the tense muscles of his thigh. She gave his hand a tight squeeze of gratitude and focused once again on the camera.
“He’s right, Daddy. He’s taken care o’ me since the day we met, so anythin’ ya have to say to me involves him too.”
“Oh Ah bet Ah know how he’s taken care o’ ya. Him and who knows who else. Ya only had a few hundred dollars with ya when ya left. Don’t imagine that got ya too far ‘fore ya had to whore yerself fer rides.”
Rogue flinched violently.
“You son of a bitch!” Logan snarled. “She didn’t do anythin’ like that.”
“An’ how would ya know that, boy? Were ya with her the whole time she was on the road? Ya don’t have any idea what she might’ve done. Same as me – didn’t know mah daughter was a mutie whore ‘til she damn near sucked the life out o’ David.”
He’s got a point, Logan thought, feeling so sick to his stomach that he didn’t even notice that he’d been called ‘boy.’ I don’t know what she had to do ‘fore we met up.
We do too, Wolverine snarled. Would’ve been able to smell a man on her.
Yeah, but not if it had been more than a few days…
The rage in the Wolverine’s growl sent a stab of pain through Logan’s head.
And so what? he roared. Whatever she might have done, she was just doin’ it to survive. You gonna hold survivin’ against her?
“That was an accident, Daddy,” Rogue interrupted before Logan could get a response out. Her voice trembled a bit, but she firmed her jaw and continued. “Ah barely even touched David, an’ ya know it.”
“All Ah know is what ya said happened. Convenient fer ya that David doesn’t remember anythin’ from that day, isn’t it?”
Logan quirked an eyebrow at Rogue. “He doesn’t remember?”
Rogue shook her head.
“If I may,” Phil interjected smoothly. “You are talking about the time you first became aware of your mutation, yes?”
Rogue nodded cautiously. Please don’t ask fer details, she begged fervently. It’s embarrassin’ enough that no man’ll ever want to touch me if he has a choice. Ah don’t wanna have to admit that that was mah first kiss.
“So in addition to killing, you cause amnesia.”
“No.” Rogue frowned. “At least, Ah don’t think so.” Ah really don’t know what happens to the other person, she thought. Ah have their thoughts an’ their feelin’s right up until Ah pull ‘em into mah head, but Ah never thought to ask Logan what happens to him after that. Does it make a difference if they’re mutant or human?
She looked at Logan who shook his head. “No,” she confirmed.
Phil was watching their interaction carefully. “Are you saying that you have used your ability on Wolverine?”
“Course she has,” her father bellowed. “They’ve obviously been shackin’ up together.”
“That’s not true!” Rogue denied, anger coloring her voice. Would it be so wrong even if we were? The thought ghosted through Rogue’s mind before she could stop it.
“Like hell it isn’t! No man takes care of a woman for five years without getting’ somethin’ in return.”
“Maybe that’s the way you think,” Logan returned evenly, “but I’ve never once expected anythin’ from Rogue.”
That’s right. He’s never expected anythin’ from me ‘cause he’s always seen me as a child, Rogue thought. Sure, he flirts with me, but it’s just a game. But he doesn’t mean it, not like—
“People, please,” Phil interjected. “I think we’re straying from the subject. The question was, Rogue, have you used your mutation on Wolverine?”
Rogue stared at Phil for a moment and then turned hopelessly to Logan. He squeezed her hand lightly.
“She’s only ever used it on me when it was an emergency.”
“An emergency? Like what? And for that matter, how would absorbing energy help her?”
Shit! Logan thought desperately. I didn’t want anybody to know that Marie absorbs mutations. Hell, every research facility in the country, legitimate and otherwise, will want to get their hands on her.
So lie, Wolverine growled.
“Only way he’d know he can touch her is if he did!” Rogue’s father said. “Only question is, how long’s it been goin’ on?”
Logan clenched his jaw. Lyin’ might work, but what the hell can I say?
Only thing you can do is make it about your mutation and not hers.
Logan almost nodded in agreement, but caught himself at the last moment.
“It’s a quirk with the way my mutation works,” he grunted suddenly. “I heal from anythin’, and that includes healin’ from Rogue’s touch.”
“Sugar, what are ya doin’?” Rogue asked quietly. He shook his head at her almost imperceptibly.
“See!” her father jumped in. “That just proves that they’ve been carryin’ on together.”
“Will you stop already?” Logan roared. “She was just a kid when I met her, and I damn well wouldn’t touch a kid. But guess what, bub? She’s an adult now, so if I want to touch her, it’s none o’ your damn business!”
Everybody was silent for several seconds and Rogue held her breath as she stared at Logan.
What’s he sayin’? Rogue thought desperately. Does he really mean what he’s sayin’, or is it just to piss Daddy off?
Phil cleared his throat. “Does that mean that you do want to touch Rogue?”
“Of course it does!” Logan tipped his head up to glare at the speakers above him. He was getting sick of arguing with somebody he couldn’t see. “He’s nothin’ more than an animal the way Ah see it, an’ all animals think about is eatin’ and ruttin’.”
“That’s bullshit!” Logan yelled, coming to his feet. Rogue latched on to his forearm with both hands and tried to tug him back.
“You haven’t answered the question, Wolverine,” Phil reminded him.
“I don’t have to answer your damned question!”
Phil nodded thoughtfully. “I can see that you might not owe me an answer,” he said silkily, “but you most certainly owe Rogue an answer, don’t you think?”
“I—” Logan began, but stopped and looked uncertainly at Rogue. She wasn’t meeting his eyes. Instead, she was looking down at her knees, letting her hair fall forward over her face.
This might be a good thing, Wolverine mused.
How the hell do you figure?
You keep bitchin’ that our girl only wants us physically, that her mind’s not ready. This would be a good time to plant the idea. Let her think about it a bit. Pretty soon, she’ll be thinkin’ about it as often as we do, and eventually she’s bound to be thinkin’ about it at the same time her body’s noticin’ us.
But it’s makin’ her uncomfortable, Logan argued feebly.
Wolverine snorted. She’ll get over it.
“Well, Rogue? Don’t you want to know the answer?” Phil asked her.
Rogue slowly lifted her head up to look at Logan. He was surprised at her paleness. Suddenly he could hear her pulse rushing in her veins and her scent betrayed her nerves.
“Ah…Even if Ah wanted to know, an’ Ah’m not sayin’ Ah do, that isn’t somethin’ a person should be bullied into answerin’.” She dropped her gaze again and let go of his arm. Ah…was that all right? Ah mean, Ah don’t want to make him angry, and Ah don’t want him to feel pressured into givin’ an answer here. It’d be just like him to say somethin’ foolish just to salvage what’s left o’ mah pride. An’ his stubborn pride wouldn’t let him take it back later. Oh, Lord. Don’t answer, Logan. Please.
Logan felt strangely bereft. He hadn’t realized how much Rogue’s touch was anchoring him, not only physically, but emotionally. Now that he was standing alone with no physical contact with her, he felt out of place. Not knowing what else to do, he sat down beside her, but didn’t dare reach for her hand again.
“Wolverine?” Phil asked. “Do you feel bullied?”
The absurdity of the question made him laugh, and he was relieved to hear Rogue’s startled chuckle. He leaned back in his chair and turned his head to look at her.
“What do you think, darlin’? Am I bein’ bullied?”
Rogue gave him a smile and shook her head. He didn’t answer! Her thought was an exultant crowing.
“Enough o’ this nonsense!” her father yelled. “Ya’ll keep dodgin’ the question, an’ now the girl’s backin’ up whatever ya say. Just like a good little whore would do.”
Why does he keep sayin’ that? The happiness in Rogue’s thoughts suddenly darkened. He’s wrong. He’s got to be. Ah only kissed David, there was nothin’ wrong with that. That’s all he knows about, isn’t it? He doesn’t know about anythin’ else. There’s no way. He can’t know, he can’t. Can he?
“Ah’m not a whore!” Rogue finally screeched. She stared accusingly into the cameras and jabbed her forefinger for emphasis as she spoke. “Ah don’t care what ya think anymore, Daddy! Ah knew what ya thought o’ me after what happened with David, an’ Ah knew ya were afraid o’ me.”
“Ah wasn’t afraid!”
“Bullshit! Ya were too afraid. Why else would ya’ve called the cops on me, Daddy? Ya knew that Ah’d stay as long as Mama wanted me to, an’ ya knew that no matter how much ya bullied Mama, she wouldn’t tell me to get out. Ya were just too scared to tell me to get out yerself!”
“Don’t drag yer mother into this! Ye’re dead to her, same as ya are to me, ya no good little whore!”
Whore. There it is again. Whore. Ye’re never gonna be able to get away from that, are ya, Marie?
“Then why’d ya call, Daddy? If Ah’m dead to ya, what are ya doin’ talkin’ to me? Huh?”
“So ya can reflect on the error o’ yer ways! It’s yer fault ye’re a mutant! Ya knew ya weren’t supposed to have David in yer room, but ya did it anyway. An’ look what happened? An’ ‘cause of that one whorish act, now ye’ll be stuck whorin’ yerself to that man fer the rest o’ yer miserable life!”
He’s wrong. He’s wrong; it’s not true. He’s talkin’ about Logan, so there’s no way that’ll be true.
“Ye’re wrong, Daddy. Ya don’t know anythin’ ‘bout me now. An’ ye’ll never know anythin’ ‘bout Wolverine. So ya got no right – no right– to say anythin’ ‘bout the two o’ us together, no matter what our relationship is. Ah hope ye’ll tell Mama Ah love her, Daddy, an’ that Ah miss her. But ya…Ah don’t ever wanna talk to ya again.”
Rogue reached for Logan’s hand again as she listened to her father’s incoherent sputtering. She was terrified that Logan wouldn’t want to touch her now, so when he willingly laced his fingers through hers, she couldn’t hold back a sigh of relief. She shook her head at his questioning look and turned to Phil.
“Ah’m done talkin’ to him, Phil. Next caller, please.”
Phil frowned, but nodded to a crew member wearing a headset. The man spoke into the mouthpiece briefly, giving the order to cut the call. The last word out of her father’s mouth before the dial tone cut him off was “whore.”
* * *
The rest of the interview was anticlimactic, to say the least. There were no more threats, no more raised voices. Logan wondered if the phone operators were screening for content and refusing to patch the more abusive callers through. From the increasingly disappointed look on Phil’s face, he somehow doubted that was the case. The man had even been trying to steer completely innocent questions toward something more lurid. The most sensational question had been from a female caller who just had to know whether Logan had metal in all his appendages. He was vaguely bemused by that one, and felt the blush covering his face for several minutes after her call.
Logan kept sneaking glances at Rogue as he fielded most of the questions from Phil and the callers. She was unusually quiet, and he was becoming more worried with every question she ignored. She had been completely unresponsive for almost a half hour now.
* * *
Whore. Nothin’ but a whore. The thought wouldn’t leave her alone. At first it had been her father’s voice, but soon enough, it became hers. And then the professor’s. Scott’s. Ororo’s. Bobby’s. And now it was Logan’s. She had argued at first, had imagined curling into a corner and covering her ears tight with her hands as she shook her head. But it hadn’t helped. The voice had just grown louder until she couldn’t hear her own thoughts, and the only thing she was aware of anymore was Logan’s hand squeezing hers.
She wasn’t aware of the end of the interview, of the platitudes Phil offered to them and the viewers. She wasn’t aware of the stage hands unclipping the microphone from her collar or removing the rest of the sound pack from the back of her shirt, nor was she aware of walking out to the parking lot with Logan.
The only thing that brought her back to herself was Logan disentangling himself from her fingers and closing the door behind her. In the short time it took him to walk around the front of the Explorer and climb into the driver’s seat, though, she once more became lost to everything. She didn’t hear the questions Logan asked her, didn’t notice the sky growing darker or the signs they drove past. All she noticed was the rhythmic thrumming of the tires on the pavement keeping time with the accusing voice in her head whispering, Whore. Whore. Whore. Nothing but a whore.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the last part of the interview, and things start to take a darker turn.
Chapter End Notes:
Next chapter: Logan finds out what's going on with Rogue.