As The World Turns Cold

Made of Glass

Rogue's hard edge melted upon hearing those words.  His demeanor changed exponentially and Mercy saw the anguish that appeared in his eyes.  He looked at her as if he were in a world of pain and the only answer lie with her.

His hand released the seatbelt with a slow ease and he glanced away.  The nerves in his hands twitched as he gripped them tightly.  Minutes passed before he was able to look at her again.  And the look she saw in his eyes reflected her own expression of longing and acceptance.  "I can't say no to you, Mercy.  Not when you say those words."

Butterflies formed in the pit of her stomach and she had the fleeting urge to reach out and hug him.  To have some kind of contact with him to know that he was real and not a figment of her dreams.  He was all too perfect to be real.  Wish she needed him most, she knew he'd be right there beside her.

Mercy climbed out of the car, momentarily boggled by the sudden shakiness that came with sitting in a car for several hours at a time. 

Rogue came around to her side, stopping on the paved road in front of the curb she was standing on.  His hands reached out, gripping her waist tightly.  He leaned towards her.  "Got a little jet lag?"

Mercy grinned.  "It's been a while since I've felt like this.   My life may not be easy, but with you helping me escape, getting us out of there, I've been able to experience things I'd long forgotten about."

She hesitated for a second, trying to make up her mind if she should really reach out to him.  The words were so little and non-significant to express her thanks to him but she knew they would be enough. She moved towards him, her arms wrapping around his hips as she buried her head on his chest.

He stumbled back a step at the unexpected contact and for a second he seemed frozen.  As if he wasn't quite sure how to handle her.  And then when she was about to pull away in embarrassment, his arms moved from her hips to wrap around her waist and pull her close.

His grip tightened and he lowered his head, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke.  "Stick with me, Tiger, and I'll give you more emotions and memories than you know what to do with."

      Rogue's voice so close to her ear made her shiver.  She could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest and it still made her a little terrified.  Maybe it was the fact that he'd been the first person to actually care about her and help her when she needed it or maybe it was Rogue, in all his quirky behavior that made her heart ache for something more than simple help and camaraderie.  All she was certain of was that this boy could be the very thing to make her believe in hope again.

    She stepped out of the embrace, flustered and embarrassed.  Mercy ran a hand through her hair, letting it fall in front of her face; a nervous tick she had developed.  Clearing her throat, she began to move forward.  "Think they're home?"

    Rogue grinned at her nervous behavior and moved to walk beside her.  "I'm not sure, but we're about to find out."

    They reached the two-story house and Mercy began to regret the trip to get there.   Her intense conversation with Rogue had made her momentarily forget how much she was questioning doing this.  Her nerves took an abrupt turn skyward and she remembered all of her worries.  What if her parents shut her out or had forgotten her?  What if this place was a ruse set up to make her think they were okay.  This trip could very well be a trap and there could be agents waiting to capture them inside. 

    Seeing her hesitation, Rogue reached out and rang the bell.  He glanced at her and gave her a slight smile as if to say that there was no turning back now; that they'd get through whatever happened next together.  That's why she had wanted Rogue to be there with her in this foreign place.  If her parents were inside there was no guarantee they'd be anything like what she had remembered.