Wounds
By Nadja Lee 18/04/02
English is not my native language. Please forgive me my mistakes.
Disclaimer: "X-men" and all the characters here belong to Marvel, 20 Century Fox and I intend no infringement, this is a piece of amateur fan fiction, and I make no money of it.
Only the original idea contained within this work is the property of the author. Please do not copy this story to any website or archive without permission of the author.
Timeline: Set in the movie universe. After the movie.
Universe: Set in the movie universe. Only movie; not that awful book that goes with it!
Romance: Rogue/Logan, Kitty/Magneto, others
Summary: The war Magneto predicted has come. What do the X-men do?
Archiving: Want, ASK, take, have.
Feedback: Yes, please. My e-mail address is [email protected]
Rating: R
Sequel/series: Maybe *G*
Warning: Very dark.
Special thanks to Joanne and Estelle for the Beta and kind encouragement. Thanks so much, lov.
* * *
"Rogue, quickly. The camp left of here was attacked last night. We have several wounded coming in," Ororo stuck her head through the door to the small barrack Logan and Rogue shared. It was still dark outside but she quickly got up and dressed.
"I'm here," she answered and went out still buttoning her blouse. The camp was alive with people even at this hour. Her barrack was in the centre besides Scott and Magneto's. The other former X-men had barracks with the other soldiers in the east end.
She ran through the camp and towards the wounded, her heart still breaking every time she saw such death and destruction; men, women and children bleeding, laying wounded, their screams of pain filling the air. She began tending the injured, issuing orders on who to take where and who's too far gone to save and must be left to their fate. As she did this her heart was in her throat because she always feared one of the wounded might be Logan though she knew he'll probably outlive them all by ages. After she had gone through the wounded her heart stopped beating in fear as she saw that none of her closest friends was among the wounded or dead.
"Who reported this?" she asked someone and no one as she began dressing a man's leg wound.
"I was flying my patrol round and saw the camp engaged in minor battle," Ororo explained as she tried to be as gentle as possible as she put a woman's torn shoulder back in place.
"Is Scott back yet?" she asked worried. He went out with his group on a mission to destroy the Government's weapon deport in the west end of town almost seven days ago.
"No but I think I saw Bobby somewhere," Ororo said as she let her eyes quickly scan the area but didn't see him so she returned to try to stop the bleeding in a child's stomach, her hands practically covered in the child's guts. Her hands were red with blood and Rogue could see she would lose her young patient.
"'Ro…….let her go," Rogue softly said, going to her and holding her hands away from the child who was now still, her body frozen in agony in her moment of death. It was at times like these she was actually happy that she and Logan had no kids and due to her mutation couldn't have any.
"No, I have to save her. I have to," Ororo denied, trying to escape her hands. She shook her head. This life was never for Ororo. She cared too much; this was killing her ever so slowly.
"Please, 'Ro…let her go," she pleaded softly, hugging her close. Reluctantly Ororo drew back and almost fell into her arms. She held her close.
"So much death…..so much. Too much, too much," Ororo mumbled. Rogue gently stroked her hair back. Ever since she lost her child and husband, Remy, she hadn't been herself. Rogue feared it wouldn't be long before she joined them. Maybe that was for the best.
"Shh. Don't think about it. Don't think," she whispered softly. Suddenly Ororo stiffened in her arms.
"Choppers are here. Circling the area above the camp. I'll take care of them," she released herself from Rogue's embrace and flew to the sky. She quickly disappeared from sight in the big dark sky she had created around this, their main base, and around as many bases as her
control allowed her. To keep the camps clouded she could never rest or be at ease. Even in sleep she had to concentrate on keeping the shield up. That too Rogue knew that it was tearing her down but it was the best shield they had had to date.
"Rogue, Rogue!" Someone yelled and she turned around, looking for whoever called. She saw Bobby coming running towards her. So changed he was from the boy who had given her an ice rose. He was much older now, his face and body scarred from battle as are almost everyone's here. He wore the Rebel uniform and in a belt he carried several guns and knives.
"Yes? What is it?" she asked and talked while she returned her attention to the wounded, telling the others what to do. The mutants with the least useful powers acted as doctors or nurses. Her power never developed or was never controllable. On Logan's request and Scott's orders Rogue led the doctor team here. Jean had taught her well and sometimes Rogue wished she was there. But Jean had been one of the first to die, leaving Scott heartbroken. She knew she shouldn't wish anything because wishing only brought heartache and a longing for what would never be but there was always need for more doctors. Several of the people Rogue trained to be doctors or nurses were nothing more than kids…. or old men and women.
"My lady, I must see Commander Magneto at once," Bobby said, his breathing hard and a fresh wound on his shoulder.
"Here," instinctively she gave him a bandage for the shoulder wound. Bobby had been on a mission with Scott and she tried to see if she could see him somewhere but couldn't. "Magneto is in his tent looking over the strategies Scott left him for tomorrow's battle. We're attacking the medical convey," she explained and he nodded his thanks and hurried to Magneto's tent. There was a special bond between those of them who had known and remembered Xavier; in short the former X-men. Xavier's murder had been the beginning to the war. It had all gone down hill from
there. Mutant registration, KZ-camps……mass killings. Times were desperate and a civil war had broken out; the government vs. the rebels.
The rebels were mostly mutants but some humans had joined as well. The humans were, by Scott's orders, given lighter duties unless they had had battle training or he chose to have them trained. They were a great addition to the fight as they could move freely about in the cities. The cities had mutant detectors these days that made frontal assaults difficult. At the beginning of the war Scott had quickly realized that divided the mutant race would fall so he joined with Magneto and every other mutant group in the country, founding the rebellion. Scott stood as leader and a symbol for the rebellion and Magneto was his right hand man who worried constantly because Scott insisted on leading his missions himself. Such courage, or stupidity as Erik called it, had cost him the use of one eye and his right hand. But it was also his courage that made his soldiers love and respect him. It's what made them willing to follow him to the death…. and it's what made Logan follow him.
"Commander. I must speak with you," Bobby asked as he stood outside Magneto's tent.
"Come in," Magneto granted and Bobby went inside as Kitty went out.
"My Queen," Bobby smiled at her and she smiled back.
"Silly head," she grinned but accepted the name the soldiers and the camp had given her as she moved towards Rogue.
"Can I help?" she asked and Rogue nodded.
"Those two over there…" she pointed to a young woman and an old man. "...won't make it. Maybe you can stay with them?"
"Of course," Kitty promised and went to them, taking each their hands and speaking softly to them. In her long white dress she remained a symbol of hope and peace; the chance for a better future. Through all this she had never lost her innocence or her compassion and that was a rare thing.
She had married Magneto with Scott's approval to bring the former X-men and Brotherhood closer together. She had been twenty-one and Erik 75 though thanks to his mutation he had looked fifty. Their friendship had drifted into love as his cynicism was matched with her gentleness, his hate to her love and his desire for revenge to her forgiveness. They were perfect for each other and remained a strong symbol for the fight. They had now been married for ten years and Kitty had given birth to two children, which in itself was rare as many kids died before they were born due to the vulnerability they brought upon their mothers. Erik, however, had done everything in his power to protect her and with Scott and Logan's help…..she had pulled through. Both her children lived still and showed signs to become powerful mutants. Their oldest, Pietro….so like his father in his rage and temperament. He possessed the mutant power of super-speed. Their youngest, Wanda, possessed the mutant power of luck so to speak. She had the powers of a witch; she could bend the future to her favour and that had saved a lot of people over the years even when she was too young to know it.
"Katherine," Erik called to her and she turned her head towards him, having just lost her two patients, as Marie knew she would. She saw he was dressed in battle gear. He hadn't changed it over the years and he was one of the few mutants who refused to carry any kind of weapon save his mutant powers. He was one of the strongest mutants but still the government had special guns which could neutralize mutant powers and that was why on Scott's order all soldiers carried guns and other weapons to be able to defend themselves if they were hit by these M-guns.
"You're going into battle," she said as she went to him; it was a statement, not a question.
"I have to. Bobby just told me that Scott's team has been defeated," there was great worry in his voice as he said it.
"Is he alright?" Kitty and Rogue asked simultaneously.
"We don't know. He divided his team in half so one half could get away and the other half would provide cover fire."
"And he stayed behind," Rogue guessed and Erik nodded. So like him. Crazy bastard. Crazy and brave. And maybe dead too. God damn you, Scott, she thought furiously and sadly. You're like a brother to me, don't put me through this. Don't let me bury you. Please don't.
"Yes," Erik nodded grimly.
"Is he…dead?" Kitty asked worried, the tears she had shed for her two patients still on her cheeks as her eyes welled up again.
"I don't think so. Betsy says she can telepathically feel him though he's weak. They have most likely taken him in for questioning in Alton's Jail," hate was in Erik's voice now. Hate and cold determination. Scott had come to be like a son to him and he'll see to it that he was either rescued or avenged.
"Oh, God," Kitty put her hand over her mouth and Erik drew her into his embrace. They all knew what questioning meant; torture. Devilish torture on body and mind.
"He won't break. He won't," Rogue said strongly, having every faith in him.
"Don't be a fool. Everyone breaks after the sixth day," Erik warned, stroking his wife's hair ever so softly.
"Oh, Scott," Kitty sniffed against Erik's shoulder.
"Shh, ukochana[1]. All will be alright. I'll see him safe," Erik comforted and drew back. He lifted her head up with a finger under her chin. "Look at me, Kitten," he asked softly, strength in his voice. She did so, tears on her cheeks. Erik gently wiped them away. "I will see him safely home, one way or another. I give you my word."
"I know you will," Kitty said and forced a smile. " I love you," she kissed him and he drew her close.
"I love you too," he mumbled against her hair and kissed the top of her head.
"Let me come with you," Kitty asked as she drew back.
"No, you know you can't," he denied.
"I'm tired of being a symbol, Erik. Let me help you," she pressed.
"No. Don't ask me to take you out there," with a hand he indicated the battle torn landscape outside the base. "Don't. Be here, be safe," he said as he saw she was about to protest. "Please?" he added softly.
"Okay. I'll stay," she promised and he smiled and gave her a quick kiss and hug before he turned to go.
"Take care of everything, Rogue," he ordered as he went past Rogue. Bobby, who had kept a respectful distance, went behind him and then came the soldiers he would take with him. Rogue saw Blink and Sabretooth there too. Blink was the sweetest young woman Rogue had ever met. Sabretooth had rescued her some years ago when he was on a raid in town with Logan and had taken care of her. When she had turned 17 they had married. Blink was a valued member of the group, as she possessed the power of 'blinking', meaning she could make small holes in space through which she could take a limited number of people. They'll walk through the hole in one end of town and could end up in the other. But her powers were limited and would disappear for some days if she had tried to overuse them.
Rogue looked around to see if she could find Logan. Scott had sent him on a rescue mission in town after a mutant of German origin named Kurt. He was also a Catholic priest so Scott had figured having him would boost morale.
"Rogue!" Logan yelled as he saw her walking across the camp.
"Logan," she lit up in a smile and ran into his arms and he spun her around and kissed her again and again on her hair, her gloves or so quick and light kisses on her lips that her powers didn't have time to register it.
"You're all right," she said relieved, hugging him close.
"Yeah but I lost two members of my team," Logan told her darkly. "Damn human bastards!"
"Who did you lose?"
"Naria and Paul."
Against her will Rogue was relieved to hear it wasn't anyone she knew.
"Did you get him?"
"Of course. It's me," Logan said with forced cheer, trying to remake a moment of carefreeness for her. She smiled and hugged him.
"He's there," Logan pointed to his left and Rogue saw a blue man in a priest robe. He had pointy ears and a tail but friendly eyes and face. Already several people were gathered around him. In this time faith was everything and she could see that Scott had been right; it would
boost morale to have him here. It was strange how so many pretty things had drifted out of their lives as meaningless. When Bobby and St. John had married no one had apposed it. There were much more at stake here than pretty prejudices. In this day and age it was all about survival; there was no room for old hates, jealousies or prejudices within the group. If this war was good for something it was teaching them that their own prejudices were stupid and meaningless as both Erik and Kitty's and Bobby and St. John's marriages had proven. If they won this war she hoped they could let their prejudices die with the fighting.
"Good," she mumbled.
"You sound sad," Logan asked concerned, searching her for signs of injuries. To his relief she was unharmed.
"Scott has been taken. Magneto is moving out with a rescue party," Rogue told him.
"To rescue him…..or confirm his death," Logan mumbled. Everyone who was captured was a security risk. They had to either free them or confirm they were dead…maybe even kill them themselves. In Scott's case though they needed him back alive badly. He was the strategic and he was good at it. Also Logan feared the Rebels would fall apart without him to bind them together. He doubted Magneto and Kitty, despite their popularity, could do it alone. The sheer loss in moral to know their leader was dead would be fatal.
"I'll go with him," Logan decided.
"I knew you would. Be careful," she urged and kissed him through her scarf. She had long since learned that begging him to stay where it was safe was useless. Logan was a man of action and that was one of the reasons why she loved him so much.
"I will," he promised and hugged her close. Above Rogue's head he saw Magneto fly up and generate a magnetic field around his soldiers.
"I love you," Rogue said warmly and stroked his cheek with her gloved hand, leaving a trace of another's blood on his face.
"I love you too, darlin'. Be safe," he kissed the top of her head before he reluctantly let her go.
"Come back to me," she whispered as he ran towards Magneto to catch him before they left.
"Hey, Mags. I'm coming too," Logan yelled and Rogue couldn't help smiling. Only Logan could get away with still being so informal towards both Magneto and Scott who he called Mags and Scooter. It was nice to see that some things didn't change after all.
Blink created a portal and Magneto began letting them fly through. They'd probably land inside the jail somewhere. Rogue looked after them as long as she could until all were through and Blink's portal disappeared.
"Please……….come back to me. All of you……please come back to me," Rogue whispered softly.
Please…..come back
The End……….or to be continued? Up to you
[1] Polish for 'beloved'