Memories

Chapter Twenty-Eight

It had been two weeks, and Charles's family had finally stopped questioning him. Erik's team had taken to using the training grounds, and Emma enjoyed practicing her powers on the others. Though the two teams had made an uneasy truce, both teams still wanted to keep their powers honed and ready for a fight.

Erik had also taken to wooing Charles and training, all the while becoming close with his children. Charles was learning to trust Erik, though he was still a bit wary at times of Erik's team.

Raven still hid away from the boys, her ex-teammates, but she had begun spending time with the young ones, as she did now. Raven was currently sitting on the couch with a fidgety Marie, trying to coach her on her powers.

"Rogue, I know they scare you, but you'll have to gain control of them."

Within these past two weeks, Rogue had developed her powers. She'd seen Magneto leaning over Charles, and she'd thought Erik was threatening him. She hadn't been wearing her gloves, the twins having hidden them from her, and she had shoved him away from Charles in a fit of protective rage.

Her bare hands had touched Erik's bare forearm, and Erik suddenly passed out. They'd been near the kitchen, and metal silverware began flying all around. Marie was screaming in pain at the exertion of her powers, and Charles made her fall asleep. The silverware dropped to the floor, and they figured out that she had the ability to absorb other people's powers and memories.

They'd discovered the memories part when she'd woken up, screaming about Shaw killing her mother. With a little telepathic help, Charles got her mind to realize what memories were her own verses Erik's, and she calmed down, but began sobbing at the emotional turmoil Erik was in.

Now, everyone was walking on eggshells around her, and she kept her gloves on at all times. Bobby was trying to treat her normally, but Marie wouldn't let him. The twins and Kitty didn't even understand what was going on, but the adults were subconsciously keeping them away from Marie. Raven and Logan were the only ones that really understood the horribleness of her powers and didn't treat her like she was a freak. Even Charles wasn't exactly sure how to act around her, but he still treated her with kindness.

Emma was running over ways to use the girl as a weapon, much to Raven's anger and disapproval. No one else knew of Emma's train of thought. Raven knew it wasn't that Emma was a bad person necessarily, but Shaw had warped her mind, turning her into a machine that only processed war strategies. Emma Frost had been broken, and Mystique was still trying to piece her friend back together.

"Not if I don't take off my gloves," Rogue replied, her hands fisted in her black skirt. Raven went to touch Rogue's forearm, but she jerked away, eyes wide and fearful. Raven sighed. "You don't have to be afraid. You won't hurt me," Mystique said gently. "How do you know? I hurt him... Why wouldn't I hurt you?" She was staring down at her hands as if they were dripping with blood. Her eyes were filled with such hatred for herself that Raven's heart broke, and she was reminded of herself.

"Listen to me- you're not a freak. You were gifted with these powers for a reason," Raven said firmly, and Rogue looked up at her, her eyes shining with disbelief. "My power isn't a gift- it's a curse." Rogue's voice was venomous and hateful- towards herself.

"Hey, kid," a deep voice said from across the room, and the girls looked up and saw Logan standing there. Raven was surprised, and her form almost wavered, but she kept the cute girl's form firmly in place. She still wasn't completely comfortable in her natural blue skin.

Logan gave her a look, and she nodded, leaving him alone with the pale little girl. Perhaps he would have better luck with her.

Logan sat in the spot Mystique just vacated, staring forward instead of at Rogue. Marie watched him warily, wondering what Wolverine was planning on saying to her.

"So your powers can hurt people," Logan stated matter-of-factly. "Yeah," Marie replied simply, her voice sad and lonely.

"Alex's can too. So can Angel's, Janos's, Azazel's, Emma's, Ororo's, Jean's, Scott's, Hank's, Bobby's, Erik's mine, and even the Professor's can. You know what keeps us from hurting the people we love?" Logan asked, looking at her now.

"What?" She asked after a moment, her voice hesitant. "Practice. Control." Marie seemed to deflate at that. She didn't want to practice- practice meant hurting people.

Logan was hesitant to offer, but he knew she should practice on him. He had the best healing ability, and he was tough enough to take it. The problem was his memories- she was too young to relive the horrors of the experimentation he went through; the memories that he got in short spurts. Though, Charles could easily wipe her mind of any lasting impression that his memories might leave on her.

"You can practice on me," he finally stated, and Marie looked up at him with eyes as wide as saucers. "What if I hurt you?" She asked in the quietest, meekest voice he'd ever heard. "Don't worry about me, kid. I'm as tough as nails," Logan replied gently, hoping he was right.

He had to remember to ask Hank to make a medical facility or something.

Rogue giggled, hugging Logan tightly suddenly, still careful to not allow for skin-to-skin contact. Logan smiled slightly, hugging her back. "Okay, kid, now go have fun. Be a kid." Logan released her from his hold. Marie jumped up and ran off, feeling lighter than she ever had since her powers manifested.

"Thank you," Raven said from the doorway, her arms crossed across her chest as she leaned against the wall.

"Don't thank me. I didn't do it for you- I did it for her," Logan growled, anger and resentment clear in his eyes. Logan stood up abruptly and walked out. She sighed, leaning her head against the wall and shutting her eyes to the bitter world around her.