Touch and Go
"Somebody help!"
The voice cut through my sleep. I sat bolt upright, although my brain was a few seconds behind my body in the whole waking-up department.
"Flying monkeys?"
I blinked a couple of times, and then I remembered where I was, and why I had woken up.
Who had screamed?
The voice had been male, deep, unfamiliar. . . and full of panic.
Logan!
I threw back the covers, and ran out of the room, nearly crashing into Bobby as he ran past. "You heard it, too?" I asked, running beside him.
He nodded. "Yeah. It sounded like Logan."
"I thought there was something not quite right about that guy."
A figured leapt out through the wall ahead of us. "Come on!" called Kitty, not stopping for a moment. "His room�s this way!"
"And how do you know that?" I asked her as we ran.
She grinned at me, but said nothing.
"Now is not the time for that," reminded Bobby.
"You�re right," I replied, but when he looked away, I grinned back at Kitty.
By the time we got to Logan�s room, a crowd had gathered, including Dr Grey and Mr Summers. Rogue was standing with her back to Logan, who was sitting on his bed. She had her hand outstretched, and was touching his face. Her night-gown was torn, revealing three ugly stab wounds.
My hand flew to my mouth.
But that was not what was making me gasp. The wounds were healing, but it seemed to be killing Logan at the same time. His eyes were wide with what I took to be terror.
Suddenly Rogue broke the contact between her and Logan. He fell down, and began shaking, as if he was having a fit, or something like that.
�Scott, grab a pillow,� ordered Dr Grey, and he did so.
Rogue turned to Storm. �It was an accident.�
Accident? I thought. What did she do?
Storm just looked at her, as Logan continued to convulse.
Then Rogue ran out of the room, and all of us standing in the doorway got out of her way.
All eyes were on the scene in the bedroom, so I was not sure if anyone saw the way Bobby�s eyes were following Rogue.
But I know I saw it.
*
The next day, I was sitting outside under a tree reading a book, trying to forget the previous night�s events. Rogue was seated on a bench, not too far from where I was. I was debating whether or not to approach her, and if I were to approach her, what I was going to say. I doubted that, So, you have this freaky power, which seems to knock even the strongest men out and put them in comas. What�s that like? would cut it.
That was when Bobby showed up.
�Rogue.�
�Bobby.�
From my position at the base of the tree I could hear their conversation. I pretended to go back to my book.
�Rogue, what did you do?� Bobby asked. �They say you�re stealing other mutants� powers.�
Stealing other mutants� powers? I thought. No way!
�No, no. I. . . I. . . I borrowed his powers,� replied Rogue.
�You never use your power against another mutant,� replied Bobby.
Now that�s not right, I thought. Since when does Bobby think that? Even Professor Xavier believes that you can use your powers against a mutant, but only as a last resort. I think being about to die counts.
�I had no choice. . . No, you. . . you have to understand me. . .� replied Rogue.
�If I were you, I�d get myself out of here,� insisted Bobby.
[Insert words I cannot repeat here.]
�What do you mean?� asked Rogue.
�Listen,� said Bobby. �The students are freaked.� What? �Professor Xavier�s furious.� Since when does he get mad? �I don�t know what he�ll do with you.�
Rogue let all of this sink in.
�I think it�ll be easier on your own,� continued Bobby. Rogue tried to hold back the tears that I was close enough to see welling up. �You should go,� he finished.
[Enter the blushing sailors.]
Rogue looked at him, got up, and then began to leave. After a short distance, she turned back, looked at Bobby, then ran. As she ran, I could definitely see she was upset. I looked at Bobby, and he showed no remorse for his actions.
*
Later that day, after the adults had all gone with a whole lot of fuss on some mission they wouldn�t tell us about, I got my chance to talk to Bobby about what I had seen.
�Hey, Nicki!� called Bobby, noticing me go past him in the hallway. �Wait up!�
I slowed down as he raced to catch up. �What?� I asked.
�Have you seen Rogue? She was supposed to meet me for lunch.�
My eyebrows shot up. �You�re kidding, right?�
�No. Why?�
I stopped, and placed my hands on my hips. �I don't believe you!� Seeing the looks the other students were giving us, I lowered my voice. �I saw the way Rogue looked after you spoke to her earlier. She was upset! Is there something wrong with you in particular, or is it a problem with all men?�
A voice at my ear made me jump. �It�s something we all suffer from.�
�John!� I managed to keep myself from knocking out his front teeth - or worse, drowning him with a Kiss. Turning back to Bobby I saw a look of confusion on his face. �Don't tell me you�ve forgotten already!�
�Forgotten what? I haven�t seen her since last night.�
�Bull,� I said, folding my arms across my chest. � I saw you two this morning. Outside. That was when she ran off, almost in tears.�
�I swear, I haven�t talked to her.� Bobby sounded so sincere I felt I had to believe him. He wasn�t that great at the whole lying thing, especially now that he was living with two people who could read his mind to find out the truth.
�Then who did? I saw someone talking to her. I wasn't that close, but there was definitely someone with her, and it was a guy.�
�Maybe you were mistaken,� suggested John.
�Maybe,� I replied, but my voice revealed that I thought otherwise.
You were close enough to see that Rogue was upset, but far enough to not be sure that it was Bobby,� mused John, echoing my own thoughts.
I shrugged my shoulders. �None of us are perfect. We�re the same as everybody else.�
John�s dark eyes flashed. �We�re mutants. We�re not the same as everybody else.�
�Thanks for reminding me, John,� I said sarcastically. �I�d plum forgotten that I was a freak.�
�Plum?�
�Oh, shut up!�
�What are you going to, Kiss me?�
�Don�t tempt me, Flame-Boy!�
�Could you two stop fighting for a minute?� interrupted Bobby. �I have to find Rogue.�
�Sorry, Bobby,� I said reluctantly, while on the inside muttering, He started it. �I wish I could help, but. . .� I trailed off when Jubilee approached. �Hey, Jubes.�
�Nicki,� she replied briefly.
�Have you seen Rogue?� Bobby asked.
�Um, guys?� I interrupted with. �As much as I would like to stay and repeat the conversation we just had, I have to go find Peter, as he promised me he�d help me with my art assignment. Evolution may have seen fit to make me a mutant and give me these really cool powers, but Mother Nature decided also to give me the ability to draw the worst stick figures ever. See you guys later.�
As I walked off, I heard Jubilee say, �That�s what I came to talk to you about. The adults have gone to look for her. Some of the other students are saying that she left the school because of what happened last night.�
Oh. The light dawned. Oh.