The eight-year-old threw the stuffed bear onto the couch and clicked the television off. Nothing was on. Nothing ever was during the middle of the day. She walked down the hallway towards her mother's room.
"Miss Sabine ya'll should be in bed. Ya'll's jus' gonna git sicker," she heard from behind her.
She turned around to see a chubby, black woman standing at the end of the hallway. "Ah wanna see momma."
"She's busy raght now chile."
"Ah wanna see momma!" The eight year old ran passe the old woman and into the lounge room. Her mother sat there talking to a woman. The two looked at her in surprise. "Sabine," her mother said.
"Sorry momma, ah didn't know ya'll had company." She shifted uncomfortably in her pajamas. The woman her mother was talking to be obviously rich, she was wearing an expensive suit and a diamond necklace.
"Annabelle, I'd like you to meet my daughter Sabine. Sabine, this is Ms. Annabelle. She's going to help us."
"Help us wit' whaht?"
"Help us with what," her mother corrected her pronunciation. "Ah'll explain it later Sabine. Go and get some sleep. You need your rest to get better."
X-MANSION
The sun's rays filtered through the white curtains and onto Rogue's sleeping form. "Go 'way," she grumbled unhappily at the light on her eyes. "Not mornin' yet. Can't be." Her eyes half opened and she gazed at the alarm clock that rested on the table beside the bed. 9:23. Dam it ah got a Danger Room Session in seven minutes.
Rogue sat up in her bed and groaned unapprovingly at the headache that followed. An uneasy motion in her stomach followed it. The covers were quickly thrown off and Rogue flew into the bathroom and landed hunched over the toilet.
"Morning sickness. It will pass."
"Mornin' ta ya too momma." Rogue flushed the toilet and turned to look at her. Mystique stood in the doorway and handed her a towel. "Did ya'll know mah momma?"
Mystique gripped the bathroom doorway to keep from falling over. It took a lot to surprise her these days, especially when it came from one of her children, even more so from this one. "How--why do you ask?" Mystique tried to regain her composure.
Rogue took the towel and wiped her mouth. "Ah had a dream last night and ya'll was in it. Well the you in yoah Annabelle Connor form. Ya'll was talkin' 'bout somethin' when Ah came in. Rogue looked up at Mystique. "Momma what's goin' on. What are ya'll hidin' from me?"
"It's none of your concern--"
"Bull! It's mah past."
"Your past. Correct. It doesn't concern your present."
"But you told the Professor that people'd kill me for what Ah know."
Mystique looked down at Rogue, her yellow eyes narrowing. "I'll kill him." She turned around and abruptly walked towards the door.
"Momma! Stop, Ah--Unf," Rogue turned back towards the toilet. As she flushed the toilet again, she felt a hand clasp her shoulder. "Momma, what's wrong with me?"
"Rogue it's natural to have morning sickness when --"
"It's not that. Why can't Ah remember anythin' 'bout when ah was younger?" Rogue slammed her fists onto the bathroom floor. "An' why won't you tell me?"
"Acting like a child won't help you any. Throwing tantrums won't either." Mystique snapped angrily.
"An' exactly how can Ah get ya ta tell me anythin'?"
"You can't and you never will. Hush," Mystique placed to gloves on her mouth to silence her. "Xavier told you that I was afraid that people would come after you to kill you. I'm not afraid they will. I know they will. Rogue, there are parts of your past that are shrouded in mystery even to me. You witnessed things a child never should witness. Much as I did when I was a child."
"Momma?" Mystique silenced her again.
"Rogue--"
Rogue?" Wolverine's voice came over the intercom.
Rogue pushed the intercom button on her bathroom wall. "can ya give me a couple of minutes Wolvie?"
"Your lucky Scott's not here. Ten minutes darlin'."
"Thanks Wolvie," She turned the intercom off. "Ah gotta get goin'."
"Well talk later." Mystique left.
Sinister's base
Sinister placed the sleeping three-year-old on the table. He strapped his body to it and put a mask over his mouth and nose. Sinister smiled and entered Liam's mind. As soon as he did a thick wall arose around him. Telapathic barriers already. Intriguing. Sinister pushed the walls down and began to wander through Liam's memories erecting the necessary barriers for them to become inaccessible.
In the laboratory a painful whimper could be heard and then a dull, unbreakable silence. Sinister looked down at Liam and smiled. He turned as the doors swooshed open. Vivien stood in the doorway dressed in a blue cat suit, eyes narrowed. "You wanted to see me."
"Ah yes, come." Sinister removed the mask from Liam's face and left the lab.
At the sound of the doors shutting Liam's eyes snapped open. He couldn't move his hands or his feet. Tears streamed down his face. Where am I?The tears stopped as he heard a voice whispering. It was full of so much sorrow and regret. "Give me my son Nathan. Remy. Where's my son?"
Remy LeBeau pointed the remote control at the television and aimlessly flicked through the channels. It was ten o'clock on his day off. Normally he'd sleep in but all he dreamed about was becoming a nightmare. Storm was in her garden and would kill him if he disturbed her. Rogue was in a Danger Room session and Mystique was in the kitchen, so he'd lost his appetite. Now dere be not'in' t'watch either.
He threw the remote control onto the table and stretched as he rose. He strode towards the front door. It opened before her touched the doorknob. Scott stood on the other side. "Scuze me," he muttered as he stepped aside.
"Where do you think your going?" Scott asked angrily.
"Ride m'Harley."
"I don't think so Gambit. You're on probation. You can't leave the house without another X-man."
"Dat not in de rules."
"It is now."
"So y'can just go makin' up rules now, mon frere?"
"I'm the leader of the X-Men. Do as I say or go back to Sinister."
Gambit took a deep breath and mentally counted to three. "When are y'gonna understand dat I not work f'him anymore. De prof gave me another chance. I'm an X-Man."
"Not for another two weeks. Your on probation and I promise you that you won't be an X-Man then. You worked for Sinister, you're nothing but a monster--"
"Shut the hell up Scott," Rogue screamed from the elevator door.
"Non Rogue, Scott be right. I be exactly like . . . my father." He hiccuped and ran from the house as fast as he could.
"Remy!" Rogue flew after him but skidded to a halt as the door closed in front of her. "What'd'ja do that for?"
"Let him go Rogue. You can do so much--" Scott gasped as Rogue lifted him from the floor.
"I oughtta knock you out right now but Remy needs me," Rogue dropped him on the ground and flew through the door.
Scott shook his head and stood up. Scott in my office now. He heard the professor say.
Remy ran through the woods, tears blurring his vision. Scott be right, I a monster, just like him . . .oh god . . . He fell to his knees and clutched his stomach, a knawing pain eating away at his insides.
"Remy!" Rogue . . .oh god not now. Please go 'way chere. "Remy there ya are sugah. Ah--Remy?"
"Go 'way Rogue."
"Remy--?"
Go Away!"
Rogue bit her lip. "No."
"G away Rogue. I leavin' an' I ain't commin' back. Ever."
"I'm commin' with ya."
"No you not girl. Y'stayin' here. I goin' back t'de mansion getting' m'clothes an' leavin'."
"Remy--"
"Rogue, I have t'leave. Scott be right. I am a monster."
"Remy--"
He looked up at her and saw that she was hunched in a ball, hands wrapped around her stomach. "Remy . . ." she looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.
"Rogue--" Remy scooped her up into his arms and sprinted back to the house. "HENRY!!!"
Beast popped his head around the doorway and immediately evaluated the situation. "Infirmary, now!"
Remy complied and in a matter of seconds Rogue lay, sedated, on an infirmary bed. "What's wrong wit' her?"
"I don't know yet. Out of the room Remy."
Remy nodded and left the room, sitting in a chair just outside of it. Mystique and Xavier were coming down the hallway. "What did you do to her!" Mystique demanded.
"Not'in' . . . oh god . . ." Remy choked back tears.
About an hour later Beast came out to him. "You can go in now."
Remy and Mystique walked in while Xavier stayed outside.