“Logan,” Magneto chuckled, taking his time to turn around and face him. “I had nearly forgotten your silly infatuation for her.” He shook his head mildly. “I’ll give you one opportunity to leave.”
He didn’t move.
A lump grew in my throat as I realized. Logan had no chance. The adamantium that laced his bones made it too easy for Erik to kill him. I forced myself to take a breath so my voice had a chance of being stern. “Please Logan,” I whispered, disappointed I couldn’t sound stronger when my voice wavered. “Go.”
There was silence as Erik turned to me, his eyes widening with pure surprise. “A mutual passion is it?” His smile widened as he mocked sympathy as he turned back to The Wolverine, who hardly looked at me as he shook his head. “That might make this hard to watch.” He flexed his fingers in one swift movement, leaving Logan outstretched.
“No!” I screamed automatically.
Magneto’s head tilted to the side slightly. “Ooh yes. This will definitely be fun.” Then he turned away from me, and I knew what he was doing. He was beginning to bend his bones, and all I could see was Logan’s face. He had closed his eyes in defeat and acceptance. The pain was clear in his expression, but he let forth no sound, just suffered in complete silence. “Stop!” I cried desperately, my voice an octave I had never heard.
“PLEASE!” I begged, knowing it was the only thing I could do. Beg for mercy, and pray that he would let Logan go. “Just kill me,” I pleaded “Just kill me and let him go.” The tears found their way into my voice now, the pure misery of what was happening to my emotions was becoming too much for him to handle anymore.
So he began to stretch Logan’s limbs apart, further and further out of place. My scream echoed through the hall, an insufferable sound, as everyone could do nothing but watch. And he put Logan through more and more pain without even bothering to spare a glance in my direction as I offered up everything I had.
But then, somehow I had a moment of déjà vu. That moment of knowing that I don’t care what happens to me, as long as Logan is safe. Because it doesn’t matter, dying would never have anywhere near the same affect on me as living in a world Logan didn’t. For a brief moment I could see it, the darkness that had become my life, and the everlasting time without him. And as the fear and agony coursed through my veins and through my heart, so did something else.
The mutants holding onto my arms fell to the floor, unconscious.
Probably in comas. And I felt myself again. I felt whole.
And the ‘strong’ mutant that stood before me, torturing the man I loved had yet to turn or even classify me as a threat. But I was unaware of what I was doing, watching everything from a distance in the back of my mind as I jumped onto Erik’s back and wrapped my bare hands around his neck, soaking up everything I could possibly take before I was pulled off him by the brotherhood.
As I caught bits and pieces of his plan for tonight I noticed a small detail in the ones who were trying to restrain me. They were gloved, all of them, not an inch of skin available. They had expected me to do this.
Erik had wanted me to do this.
He was on the ground still on his hands and knees, trying to catch his breath after I had stolen a part of him. I was surprised he wasn’t out like a light, such an old man shouldn’t be able to handle what I had just put him through. But I had focussed on taking his power alone, and less of his strength, so that he wouldn’t be able to hurt Logan again.
“You see,” Erik grunted darkly, his tone was satisfied despite how much I had weakened him. As he continued to speak, his voice grew stronger and more angry. Every trace of humour was gone. “You cannot escape what evolution has made you!”
My legs thrashed around as I desperately tried to escape the mutants holding on to me. Their steel grip on my arms was unbreakable, but it didn’t stop me from violently trying to pull free with every bit of strength I had in me.
Magneto, hunched over pulled on his gloves as he dragged himself to his feet. He was pale as he took the steps towards me, and they looked hard for him, but I could see that he was beginning to regain his strength. Logan was on the ground, still not moving. And all I wanted to do was go to him and hold him in my arms to make sure he was okay. Instead, I was being held here as Erik made his way towards me.
He straightened himself up, and I regretted not taking more of his strength, but I knew for certain he was too weak to use his power, and that was enough to calm me, for the moment. He raised one eyebrow. “I had expected to use Gambit for this.” He murmured, glancing back at Logan who laid there still.
My gaze flickered to where Remy stood, no longer held on to by the guards, his hands in front of him in some form of cuffs that he obviously couldn’t charge. His expression was dark, and he wasn’t looking at me. I knew he felt my eyes on him, but nothing I did could make him forgive me now.
Erik stood in front of me now. “All that cure does is suppress the mutant gene till you’re under any form of emotional stress again.” He shook his head slowly. “I chose you Rogue, because you are stronger than all of us, and you’re on the wrong side.”
I glared at him. “Then why kill me.” He smiled, and I closed my eyes as I realized. “It was a test.” I said quietly. “To find someone who cared about me.”
“At first I assumed that The Wolverine was simply being an X-Man, trying to save the day.” He began to pace. “And then you spoke up. It all became very clear then.” When I didn’t answer him he folded his arms across his chest. “Now, Rogue, you have an opportunity.” He gestured around to the members of the brotherhood. “You can join.”
“I’ll stick with the X-Men, thanks.” His face curled into an agonizing glare, darkening his eyes into a fury I’d never seen before.With a quick blunt gesture someone came forward to kill me. “As you wish.” Is all Erik said. But suddenly, the sounds of glass shattering echoed through the hall, and Storm came rushing in, followed by Emma, Jean, Bobby, Kitty and Scott. Each one of them automatically ready to fight as the brotherhood charged towards them.
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