Memories - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Lori McDonald
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 1

She still missed him. Even after 50 years.

Feeling her age more than usual, Rogue walked slowly out of the mansion, squinting into the sun, leaning heavily on her cane. A stream of young mutants passed around her on their way in and out, all students headed for their various classes. Rogue smiled at their enthusiasm gently. Since the writing of the mutant civil right laws, the student body had swelled in time to 50,000 students. The institute itself had grown as well, spreading out over the grounds into a full-sized university. The mansion was still there, though. A little battered around the edges but still the heart of the institute.

"Good morning, Rogue."

Rogue looked up to see the headmaster of the school coming towards her. Still beautiful well into her sixties, Jubilee gave her a quick hug.

"I know I have to be up, but what wakes you at this ungodly hour?"

"Ah couldn't sleep. Feelin' these old bones, ah guess. Ah thought ah'd go visit Remy."

Jubilee tsked, stepping aside as a huge mutant, armoured and at least ten feet tall, walked by, too busy reading a book to notice them.

"All that way? Why don't I get Clarise to teleport you?"

Rogue just shook her cane under her nose. "You tryin' ta tell me I'm too old, gal? Well, ah'm still strong enough ta turn you over mah knee." Jubilee put her hands up in mock defense and they both laughed.

"All right," Jubilee relented. "I'll stop playing mother to you. Lord knows I have enough grandchildren to focus on instead."

"How many is it now?"

"Fourteen," the woman answered proudly. "And little Everett III is about to make me a great-grandmother."

"What? No! The last time ah saw him, he was playin' in the dirt and sayin' girls were gross."

Jubilee shook her head, her eyes twinkling. "Not anymore. He's 21 now and quite established on X-Factor. He must be. He never seems to have time to call his grandmother." She sniffed.

Rogue laughed. "Poor gal. Ah wish ah had such problems." She looked away.

Jubilee's eyes turned sad. "Are you sure you don't need company? I could send Logan along."

"An' interrupt his mornin' katas? Ah don't think so." She sighed. "Ah guess ah'm just feelin' mah years t'day. With all these babies around, ah guess we all feel old, those of us who're still alive."

"Except for Wolvie."

"True." Rogue heard a bell sound. "He doesn't look a day older than when ah first saw him. Ah used ta envy him that, but now ah feel sorry for him. It's a terrible thing ta outlive ya loved ones."

"Rogue..."

"Tsk." Rogue patted her arm. "It's just th' years talkin'. Ah heard th' bell. Ya better get ta class."

Jubilee hesitated, then hugged her. "Have dinner with us tonight. Promise?"

"O' course, sugah."

Jubilee headed inside as the grounds cleared of students. Alone, Rogue rose unsteadily into the air and began to fly, carefully. Her control wasn't what it used to be.

It was a beautiful day, though a touch chilly to her as she flew. Rogue shivered, pulling her jacket closed while she remembered.

She'd had no idea how it would turn out when she first joined the X-Men and fought for the dream. That so much death and destruction could lead to such a utopia. Sometimes, she wondered if such a foundation could support the Dream. Could even heaven last when built upon the backs of the dead?

Rogue sighed again as the forest passed by below her. She had to believe it was worth it. The Dream was alive, and people were already calling this the Age of Xavier, though he'd died almost twenty years before.

So much death. She was sick of it. Most of her friends were dead, and the majority of them hadn't died in combat, when they'd be expecting it and defending themselves. Ororo, shot by a sniper outside a movie theatre. Jean, poisoned in a restaurant. Bobby from a heart attack. Betsy from cancer. Xavier, Peter, Kurt, Scott, Nathan and Sean from old age. And Remy, her beautiful Remy. Hit by a car in a snowstorm when he didn't see it coming and the flakes messed with his awareness enough that he couldn't sense it.

The graveyard was beginning to appear below her, much larger than it was before. It was a mark of honour to be buried here. To her, it was an abomination. Gently, she landed before one grave in particular, eyes studying the name on the tombstone that was getting weathered with time, but still remained clear, thanks to the care she gave it.

Remy Etienne LeBeau.

What was the point, she had to ask herself. They had the Dream, but the people who fought for it would never know. Remy would never know. There was no reward for them. Just a cold grave and darkness without end.

Her lip trembling, and her heart clenching with pain, Rogue knelt before the tombstone. There were a few weeds growing there, so she pulled them out and cast them aside, wishing she'd brought some flowers. The rich lush grass would have to do though.

"It wasn't worth it without ya, sugah," she whispered. A tear in her eye, Rogue kissed her fingers and touched them to the name on the stone. "Ah still miss ya. You know that." She sighed and closed her eyes. She'd never been so tired.

A soft step woke her as someone knelt behind her, warm arms coming around her body.

"Whatcha doin', chere?" Remy asked.

Rogue spun around with an agility she hadn't possessed in years. "Remy!" she gasped. "You're-"

He grinned. "I know. Been waitin' for you."

Rogue started to cry, tears of joy and gratitude as she stood up with him and away from herself, holding him close to her forever.