In the heart of every storm, there is a calm that anchors. For Scott Summers, that calm is Rory Nicks. She is his guiding light, the one who brings clarity to his often chaotic world. With every glance and every touch, she weaves a tapestry of hope...
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ROUGE
The mansion was quiet in the late hours of the night, the only sounds being the occasional creak of the old building. Rogue, unable to sleep, found herself wandering the corridors, her mind racing with thoughts from the day. She was drawn to Logan's quarters, having heard he sometimes struggled with nightmares. Curiosity got the better of her, and she approached his door with a soft knock before pushing it open.
Inside, the room was in disarray. Logan was thrashing on his bed, sweat glistening on his forehead, murmuring incoherently. The intensity of his nightmare was palpable. Rogue hesitated in the doorway, unsure how to approach him.
"Logan?" she called softly, hoping to wake him gently.
In a sudden, violent motion, Logan's claws extended, slicing through the air with a dangerous precision. Rogue gasped as one of the claws caught her abdomen, leaving a deep, painful gash. She stumbled back, her heart racing.
Logan's eyes flew open, focusing on her with a mixture of confusion and horror. "Rogue! I'm sorry—I didn't mean to... Somebody help!"
Rogue reached out, touching Logan's face to drain his life force and heal her wound. Jean rushed in, immediately assessing the situation. "Scott, grab a pillow!"
Scott moved quickly, his face etched with concern. Rogue mumbled, "It was an accident," before retreating from the room, the pain and guilt mingling in her expression.
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The next morning, the mansion was abuzz with concern. In the Professor's office, Xavier, Scott, Rory, and a few others gathered to discuss the troubling events.
"It's strange," Xavier mused, his brow furrowed in thought. "There are more powerful mutants out there. Why should this one be so important to him?"
"Maybe it's his way with people," Scott suggested, skepticism edging his tone. His eyes were still wary, reflecting his discomfort with Logan's presence.
Rory glanced at Scott, noting the tension in his voice. Despite her own reservations about Logan after last night, she understood Scott's unease.
"You don't like him," the Professor stated, his tone perceptive.
"How could you tell?" Scott replied, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
"Well, I am a psychic after all," Xavier said with a hint of amusement.
Before they could delve deeper into the conversation, the lab doors swung open with a loud bang. Logan and Storm entered, their faces a mix of urgency and agitation.
"Where is she?" Logan demanded, his voice taut with worry.
"Who?" Xavier asked, his attention immediately sharpening.
"It's Rogue," Logan said, his voice tight. "She's missing."
"Missing?" Rory's voice rose with concern as she exchanged worried glances with the Professor.
Xavier's mind reached out, locating Rogue amidst the throngs of people at a busy train station. His expression hardened with resolve. "Scott, Storm, Rory—you need to bring her back. Who knows what Erik will do if he gets ahold of her."
With urgency driving them, the trio headed to the garage. As they approached one of the cars, Scott stopped suddenly, a look of shock on his face.
"Where the hell is my bike?" he blurted out, scanning the garage.
"Doesn't matter," Rory said, her tone clipped. "We need to go."
The drive to the train station was tense. The weight of the unknown pressed heavily on them. Each was lost in their own thoughts, trying to piece together what could have driven Rogue to flee. When they arrived, Storm took charge immediately. "You two search the area. I'll speak with the station staff."
Scott and Rory moved swiftly through the bustling station, their eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of Rogue. The harsh fluorescent lights cast sharp shadows, adding to the uneasy atmosphere.
Suddenly, a loud crash erupted behind them. They turned to see Storm under attack. A massive, hulking figure had his hands wrapped around her throat, and the station erupted into chaos as people fled in panic.
Scott and Rory pushed through the panicked crowd, desperation driving them to reach Storm. As they closed in, Scott's visor was suddenly ripped from his face by an invisible force. Uncontrolled red energy beams shot from his eyes, tearing into the ceiling. The station shook as debris rained down.
"Scott!" Rory shouted, her heart pounding. "Keep your eyes shut tight. I'm right here. Just trust me."
Scott squeezed his eyes shut, reaching out for Rory as she guided him through the turmoil. Rory's grip was firm and reassuring, leading him away from the immediate danger.
As the chaos subsided and the dust began to settle, Rory remained focused on Scott, her resolve unshaken. The devastation around them was overwhelming, but one thing was clear: she was committed to standing by him, no matter what challenges lay ahead.
