In The Shadows | Loki

TAKE A BREAK

"This isn't working." Rogue sighs, and I frown. I glance towards Logan, who is taking a few deep breaths, trying to collect his thoughts, I assumed.
        "Logan, you should probably take a break." I say quietly, and he shakes his head, standing up. "You're stubborn. I get it. Now go lay down on the couch or something before I make you." I say louder, glaring. Logan huffs, muttering something not so nice about me under his breath. I just smile.
        "This is useless." Rogue lets herself collapse onto the bed. "We've been doing this for a week straight, and we've still gotten nothing." I bite my lip, thinking. She wasn't wrong. We hadn't really gotten anywhere, and I think Logan was tired of being used as a test subject.
        "Stay here, take a minute." I murmur, walking out. I shut her door behind me before letting out a long, frustrated breath. I run a hand through my hair, glancing around the empty manor. I needed something to push Rogue over the edge. To convince her that she had to control her powers. She thought that was the state of mind she was already in, but it wasn't. Something needed to break.
        I wander towards the classrooms, searching for a particular one. Xavier had convinced Steve to teach a few art classes. Until this week, I hadn't known Steve had gone to art school in the forties. I guess you learned something new about someone every day. I reach the right class, slipping inside without a sound. Steve doesn't notice me at first. He's wandering the classroom, giving small tips to kids as they paint the vase of flowers sitting at the front of the room.
        One of the students notice me, and instead of disturbing the comfortable quiet of the room simply get Steve's attention and point my direction. Steve glances at me, confused, and I motion for him to come over. "What's up?" He asks, keeping his voice quiet.
        "I need to borrow you after your class." I murmur. "You and Bobby." Bobby was on the other side of the room, surprisingly focused.
        "What for?"
        "I need you both to be test subjects for a possibly harmful experiment to get Rogue to focus." He nods, frowning.
        "I understand me, I heal quickly. Why Bobby though?"
        "I've seen the way those two look at each other. If anything might push her over the edge, it's him." Steve nods, observing the room. "Just to let you know, you're doing well. You adapted to the whole mutant thing pretty quickly."
        "I've got to learn to live in this century, you know?" He replies after a moment. "Okay class, we'll finish up and focus on details tomorrow. Pack up." The kids listen, and chatter immediately fills the room as they go to clean brushes. "Bobby? A word?" Bobby looks up, confused, but he nods and hands his brushes to  student I wasn't familiar with.
        "What's up?" He asks, and I quickly explain my idea.
        "I don't think you'll get hurt-"
        "I've felt her power before." He cuts me off. "It'll be fine. Are we doing this now?" He asks, and I nod. Then, I curse under my breath.
        "I need to check with Xavier first. Especially since I'm possibly putting you in a lot of pain." I say. "Give me five minutes. I'll be back." I disappear out the door, quickly making my way to Xavier's office. I get his permission pretty quickly, seeing as he can instantly see what I'm planning. He also knows I can stop it if it goes too far.
        I get back to Bobby and Steve, and the three of us head up to Rogue's room. I step in first, motioning for the guys to stay back in the hallway. When I walk in, she's sitting on her bed, frowning down at her hands. "You're not Scott. No matter how hard you stare at your hands, you won't be able to blast them off." She jumps at the sound of my voice, looking up at me with wide eyes.
        "You were gone a while." She observes. I shrug.
        "New idea." I poke my head out the door, motioning for Steve to come in. "We've got to give Logan a break. We're trying Steve."
        "What? No!" She exclaims. "Logan can heal almost instantly. If I hurt him-"
        "It will be fine." I try to reassure her. "Steve's a big boy. He can take care of himself." I say, putting a hand on Steve's shoulder, and he gives me a look. "Besides, He wouldn't be here if he and I thought he couldn't handle it." Rogue still looks reluctant. "Plus, he's Captain America. That's got to mean something, right?" I ask, and Steve shoots me an offended look, making Rogue giggle a little. "Just try. If this doesn't work, I've got one more plan up my sleeve."
        "I... I don't...." She hesitates.
        "It's alright." Steve says quietly. "I'll be fine." She hesitates again before nodding slowly.
        "Okay." She whispers. Steve rolls up one of his sleeves, ready to go.
        "Rogue, focus. You can do this. You can control your powers. They are yours, and yours alone." She nods, taking in a shaky breath. She reaches out, carefully laying her hand on his bare arm. I'm surprised that for a few seconds, nothing happens. Then, it's just like every other time. I can see her sucking the life out of him. His veins bulge, and Rogue rips her hand away. Steve sucks in a deep breath, scrambling for something to grab ahold of. I quickly help him, steadying him.
        "I told you. I told you it wouldn't work." Rogue says quickly, looking pained.
        "Okay. Backup plan it is then." I murmur, lowering Steve into a chair. He's got his eyes closed, and I think he's trying stop the room from spinning.
        "What is your backup plan? Nothing is going to help." I ignore her for a moment, sticking my head out into the hall and motioning for Bobby to come in. "No." Is Rogue's only response when she sees Bobby. "No. This isn't happening."
        "I'm assuming you don't want to hurt him in any way." I begin ignoring her frantic denial. "So this is our best option."
        "You're insane."
        "That is not the first time someone has told me that." I reply without missing a beat. "And it won't be the last. So, lets do this again." Rogue sends me an incredulous look.
        "I'm focusing, but it isn't working." Rogue shoots back at me.
        "Then..." I hesitate, thinking. "Fine. Don't focus on your power. Where is your power?"
        "What?" She asks, confused.
        "Where is your power?" I ask again, willing her to think.
        "In my cells. In my DNA. The Professor has explained-"
        "You're too specific." I say, and her frown grows more prominent.
        "My skin?" She finally replies, unsure. I nod.
        "Good. Don't focus on your power, focus on your skin. Focus on a small section of your skin, and will your power to leave it. Make that section of your skin powerless. Focus on your skin, not your power. Focus on not hurting Bobby." She sends me a desperate look, one that's begging me not to make her do this. I let out a long breath. "Try Rogue. You won't hurt him."
        "You've said that with every attempt, but it has yet to be true." She replies.
        "You know, I don't mind if you hate me. Especially if it gets the job done. Especially if you are no longer scared of your powers." He shoulders sag, and when I glance towards Steve, I see him looking at me, his gaze soft. I raise an eyebrow, and he shakes his head. "So we're going to do this."
        "C'mon Rogue. I trust you." Bobby holds out his hand.
        "I...."
        "You'll never know if you don't try." I say quietly. She hesitates again. "Focus on your skin, not your power."
        Rogue slowly reaches out, and places her fingertips on Bobby's hand. Like Steve, nothing happens for a few seconds. And then a minute passes, and there's nothing. Rogue's expression goes from one of fear, to one of surprise. Bobby smiles. Its completely silent in the room as Rogue slowly smiles. "I told you." I whisper.
        "I'm controlling my powers!" She exclaims. Then, her control and concentration slips. Bobby gasps, and Rogue stumbles backwards, letting go. "I'm sorry."
        "Don't be." Bobby and I speak at once.
        "Now, you're going to have to practice. A lot." I begin, and she shakes her head.
        "I don't care." She says quickly. "I can control my powers. I can be normal." I smile.
        "I'll let you celebrate. I need to talk to Storm anyway." I say, but she's distracted by Bobby. I slip out of the room, Steve quickly getting up and following me.
        "I didn't realize you were so good with kids." Steve says after a moment.
        "I could say the same." I reply, smiling at him. He keeps his eyes down to the floor. "I mean, the way you had those kids painting..." He chuckles.
        "I get it, I get it." He mutters. His phone starts ringing, and he pulls it out, frowning when he sees the caller ID. "I'll catch up to you in a minute." I nod, continuing to Storm's room. I knock on her door, opening after I hear her tell me to come in.
        "Hey Ophelia. Any luck?" She asks.
        "Yes, actually." She looks surprised. "I had to pull Bobby in, but it made some progress."
        "Ah, she's always had a weak spot for him." She replies. I nod. "So, you done for the day?" I nod again, sitting down in one of her chairs. "I heard from Xavier that you're living in Stark Tower now. Taking a break from your government agency?"
        "Kind of." I sigh. "I told Fury not to call me unless he needed me for a while. Knowing him though, every situation is one he's going to need me for." She lets out a laugh.
        "I know the feeling. When Xavier's gone, I'm the one everyone comes to."
        "Well, you're the mom of the group. Let's be honest." She sighs, nodding as she sits down on her bed.
        "Are you worried about your family?" Storm asks after a long silence. "I mean, after New York.... you're kind of everywhere." I grimace, looking down at my hands.
        "I really don't want to think about it if I'm being honest." I sigh.
        "They tried to make contact after Alcatraz. After they saw you on the news, figuring out a way to save Jean and everyone. You know they're going to try again." Storm continues.
        "I wish they wouldn't. If I wasn't good enough for them when I was younger, I'm really not good enough now."
        "Or you're too good for them. You really should consider that." Storm offers. "You've got to stop with the, "not good enough" crap." I shrug. "What are you going to do?"
        "Tell them to stop contacting me? I really don't know." There's a knock on the door, and Storm tells Steve to come in. Steve smiles at Storm before turning to me.
        "Fury wants us back by tomorrow." He says, and I immediately turn to Storm, pointing at Steve.
        "See? I told you so." Storm laughs, standing up. "What does he want us for?" I huff, standing as well.
        "He didn't say."
        "Of course he didn't." I mutter, running a hand through my hair. "Alright. Okay. I'll go talk to Xavier and Rogue, then pack up."
        "I'll call for a cab." Steve replies, and I knew he meant he was going to warn the airport that we were coming to take the quinjet as well. He quickly exits, and Storm sighs.
        "You're going to have to visit soon. With not so long of a break this time?" She offers, and I nod.
        "I have to check on Rogue." I reply, and she scowls. "Oh, I guess seeing all of you again is important as well." Storm just rolls her eyes and walks over, quickly enveloping me in a hug.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

        "I'm giving Rogue my number so she can contact me when she needs to, and I want you to contact me if she's struggling and doesn't contact me herself." Xavier nods. "I think that's just about everything." I murmur, standing. "I told Storm I'd visit soon, but I'm not sure what Fury needs me to do yet."
        "Ophelia." I look up at Xavier. "How are you doing?" I can see concern on his face, and I brush it off.
        "I'm fine." I reply instantly.
        "That's not what I meant." He says, and I sigh.
        "I'm doing alright. I'm controlling it." He gives me a look. "You know I can't afford to slip Xavier. You know I was showing off in that training room last week, and you and I both know I could've defeated the simulation in two seconds if I wanted."
        "I know." He agrees. "I also know you're dealing with more than you-"
        "Let on." I finish. "I get it. You see everything." Xavier sighs.
        "I just worry." He says, and I let out a long breath.
        "So do I."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

        Steve and I make it home just in time to meet Fury at Stark Tower. Fury takes one look at me before my mission comes out.
        "You're going to London to look after Jane Foster."