1/17 Instance: Doctor Roguey

[Slarti]

Timelined the day after Crazy Ice, probably after Delirium Tremens too.

Rogue: Rogue took a shuddering breath as she stepped into the medlab. Vic had come and talked to her after he'd seen him, but she still had to see him with her own eyes. "Dr. McCoy?"

DrMcCoy: Hank paused in mid-sip of tepid coffee. "Oh, Miss...Rogue." He smiled, hurredly gathering the papers spread on the long lab table. "What can I do for you? Coffee? I'm afraid it's a little cold, but I can put on a fresh pot."

Rogue: She smiled at him, the warmest smile she'd shared with anyone in days. "No thank ya, Ah'm alright. Ah just.. Ah wanted ta see if Ah could visit Bobby. Please?"

DrMcCoy: "Ah, yes, so I assumed.... however, you must understand he needs rest." Hank had completed his battery of tests, and the boy had remained uncooperative throughout. He had even considered sedation.

Rogue: Rogue's hands twisted into a knot in front of her as she wrung her fingers, "Ah know it... But.. Please? At least lemme tell him he's a grampa?" She tried for the sentimental side. He really was... Rae-Rae had her babies. "Ah just.. Ah gotta see him with mah own eyes. It was mah fault he got stuck, please..."

DrMcCoy: "A grandpa?" His eyebrows lifted straight up. "That would be a most impressive ability, to bypass fatherhood and go straight to playing horseshoes with the grandkids."

Rogue: Rogue chuckled. "No, ya see, one of his mice had her babies. Ah'm sorry. Ah shoulda been more clear on that."

DrMcCoy: "Ahhh, I see." Hank smiled. "Well, as important as that happy news is, perhaps I could pass the message along... and Rogue, it is important you all know this is not your fault. None of this is due to any of your actions."

DrMcCoy: "I let Victor in last night so he could tell the rest of you of Robert's condition. That shall have to suffice."

Bobby: Bobby pulled the t-shirt over his head and ran a hand through his wet hair. Thank God McCoy had finally relented and let him shower alone. Shaving would have to wait however.

Bobby: He heard a familiar voice and padded on bare feet to the main lab. "Rogue?"

Rogue: Rogue looked over at Bobby and beamed. He looked like crap, but he was home. And alive! She ran over to him but stopped right in front of him, not sure how up to a hug he'd feel, "Bobby! Ya alive! How ya feelin'?"

Rogue: She turned back to McCoy. "Since he's up, can Ah stay? Please? Just f' a lil while?"

DrMcCoy: Hank stood and sighed. The boy was stubborn, he'd give him that. "Oh, very well. Robert, I would like to keep you in the lab today, for observation. You must tell me if your ... symptoms continue or increase."

Bobby: "Oh, yeah... I'm alive all right." Every person he saw, it was getting easier to remember. McCoy had said all his tests were normal. Normal. Ha! "I've been under enough observation. Sick of being a rat."

Rogue: "Ah'm so sorry. Ah nevah shoulda left ya..." She gave him a small smile, "Would ya care if Ah hugged ya... Bugsy?" she couldn't help but smile as she let his nickname be voiced for the first time in what felt like ages.

Bobby: Bobby smiled a little. "Sure, Dollface." He moved to hug her, holding on a little. It was nice... but she sounded so guilty. So had Vic. "It wasn't your fault."

Rogue: Rogue felt a few tears running down her cheeks. Not sad tears for once. "Ah'm so glad ya ok." She pulled back and looked him over, ignoring that he said it wasn't her fault. No matter what either of them said, it wouldn't change how either of them felt. "Ya don't look so good, sugah. What happened to ya there? Where's everybody else?"

Bobby: "I'm fine..." He hated to see the tears. "Saw too many tears lately. Don't want to see more women cry."

Rogue: She smiled sadly at him, "They're happy tears, sugah. Ah'm just glad ya safe now." Her face lit up slightly as she remembered her excuse that she told McCoy, "Rae-Rae had her babies. They're real cute."

Rogue: Rogue wiped her eyes and forced herself to stop the tears, she didn't want him upset.

Bobby: "Not over me, for sure... Rae?" You are my sunshine... He backed up a couple steps, shaking his head sharply. Dammit! McCoy said that would stop! "Fucking liar."

Rogue: Rogue stepped toward him and put her hand on his arm, lightly, "Ya wanna sit down, sugah? An'... Ah meant ya mice. Ah ain't lyin'. Promise, Ah'm not."

Bobby: Bobby jerked a little at the contact, then looked up at her wide-eyed. "Not you! I didn't mean..."

Bobby: "Mice." Rachel was a mouse, just like Lorna's mouse Peepiceek. "Rae wasn't pregnant, thank God... I wasn't sure until right before we went... I thought she was, and God if he'd have done that to her then..."

Rogue: Rogue pulled her arm back, "Sorry, sugah. Didn't mean ta make ya jump." She narrowed her eyes. "Done what to her?" Her heart beat a bit faster, hoping and praying that Rachel was still alive.

Bobby: 'I can't change back.' Glowing. Burning. "He broke her. Broke us all, 'cept I don't break." He wasn't looking at her anymore, just backing up and babbling. He hadn't been able to tell Vic. Why? "Well, I do, but I don't stay broke..."

Rogue: Rogue clenched her jaw tight, forcing herself to not get angry. She didn't want him thinking she was mad at him. She stayed where she was, not wanting to startle him again, "Broke her? She's alive right?"

Rogue: Broke us all... wait...Literally? "Bugsy, when ya say, broke you, did ya mean literally?"

Bobby: "Alive?" It was kind of a relative question. "Broke. He broke our powers. Me, Rae, Jackie... it took her to break me. I didn't know she was still in there." Why couldn't he stop babbling? "I hit her. Oh God, I almost killed her!"

Rogue: Rogue was getting a bit confused, "Ya hit Jackie? How did Jackie break ya, darlin'?" She took a small step towards him and reached out with a gentle hand, "C'mere, sugah."

Bobby: "What? Not Jackie..." He looked at her hand warily, confused now himself. "Roguey?"
Bobby shook his head again. You knew she was here, Drake. "Goddammit! He said this would stop! There's nothing wrong with me!"

Rogue: Rogue nodded, a small smile on her face, "That's me." She took another step towards him, her hand still out, like you would hold it for a stray dog to let you know you didn't mean it harm. "Bobby, it's ok. Who said what would stop? Talk ta me, sugah. Ya know ya can." She smiled, remembering the first time he'd confided in her. It had been about Lorna.

Rogue: Lorna... Why wasn't she with him? She pushed it aside to focus on him for now, "C'mon, sugah. Ah'll listen ta whatevah ya wanna tell me. Anythin' in tha world. Won't tell a soul, neither."

Bobby: Bobby squeezed his eyes closed, speaking more slowly. Focus. "McCoy. He said my tests were normal. There's no brain damage. I just have to... wait this out."

Bobby: "I'm sorry," he said, opening his eyes and straightening up a little. "I uh... Rachel's alive the last I saw her."

Rogue: She lowered her hand to her side, "Well, even if ya tests are normal, ya still got some shock. Ah'd guess it's kinda like those guys who come back from a war an' are all traumatized..." Rogue gave him a smile, "Don't be sorry, sugah." Her smile widened when she heard that Rae was alive.

Rogue: "Ain't got nothin' ta be sorry 'bout, anyhow. Not ya fault, darlin'."

Bobby: Crazy people get shock treatments. "Yeah." Bobby cleared his throat. "It's not your fault either," he said, finally remembering what she had said earlier and looking her in the eye for the first time.

Bobby: "Um..." She'd asked him questions, and it really was important he try to answer. McCoy had already asked him, then other teachers... but... "Essex... he experimented on us. Fucked with our powers. Rachel, me, Jackie... we couldn't change back."

Rogue: Rogue averted her eyes when he said that, "Yeah. It is." After a moment, she looked back up, "Ok... Ah get you... You'd be in ya ice-form. Jackie'd be... What exactly? Ah know she's a shifter, so he changed her inta somethin'? An'... Rae? Rae doesn't have any kinda shifty-type power... "

Bobby: "Yeah..." He really didn't want to explain Jackie. "I guess she did... the last time I saw her she looked like... charcoal. Kinda black on the surface, but on fire underneath..."

Bobby: Fire and ice. He shut his eyes tight for a moment until he could focus again.

Bobby: "No. It's not. It's nobody's fault, but that Essex fucker..." Don't have to be so, so sorry. "And fucking traitor LeBeau."

Rogue: "What?! Is she.. Is she ok? It's not hurtin' her ta be like that is it?" She waited for him to speak again, slowly taking his hand in hers and giving it a small, reassuring, squeeze. Rogue looked at him, shocked, "How can ya say such a thing 'bout Remy?"

Bobby: "I don't think it did her any good..." He squeezed her hand, working hard to keep it together. "Rogue... I know you're close to him... I know... but, you gotta believe me... he made a deal with Essex. He sold us out."

Rogue: "What are ya talkin' 'bout, sugah. Ya cain't be serious. Remy wouldn't do that..." She didn't want to believe him, but the way he said it.. His tone... She didn't think he was lying either. A frown creased her forehead and she put her other hand up to rub it, "Even if he did... Why? Did he say why?"

Bobby: "Rogue...." Bobby licked his lips, hoping he was being coherent. "We all wore collars in there, to stop our powers from working. We were locked up in prison cells. Remy... he was free. His door was left open. He didn't have a collar."

Rogue: "Why? What happened? How did he..." Rogue couldn't pick the right question to ask it seemed. Her mind was racing. Remy wouldn't do that. He wouldn't. She took her hand gently from Bobby and went to sit down in a chair, "No. That cain't... Ya cain't be serious. Ah don't understand."

Bobby: Bobby followed her, crouching in front of her chair. "I'm sorry... but, he did. He had to have. He was free and he wouldn't help us... he wouldn't..." His voice hitched. "Lorna was poisoned. I-I think she's dying... but he wouldn't do anything."

Bobby: "Look... I know I'm still, um, off. I know. But I'm not crazy. Essex shocked me... but I still know what I saw."

Rogue: Rogue looked him in the eyes, "Did he tell ya why, at least? Ah'm sure he had a good reason... Remy wouldn't..." Everything else he said sunk in finally, "Lorna what?! Essex shocked you?" She took a few deep breaths. Bobby wouldn't need her to be so upset, he had to deal with that enough on his own.

Bobby: 'You wouldn't understand.' He blinked, trying to remember. "He said you'd be back for us, but he couldn't help us. Lorna was dying..." Don't have to be so so sorry. "I tried to kill him."

Rogue: "What do ya mean, was? That mean she's ok now?" She just stared at him for a moment, "You tried ta kill him?" She forced a smile to try to lighten the mood, "If Ah couldn't kill that damned harpoon guy, y'all cain't kill Remy. That just ain't fair."

Bobby: Bobby pressed his thumb and forefinger into the corners of his eyes. "I-i don't know... she has to still be, because it's mercury." Realizing he was babbling again he took a deep breath.

Bobby: "Essex shot her up with mercury. We have to be careful when we get her. I should have told Vic that. Remember Alice in Wonderland? Mercury makes you crazy. She's dangerous."

Bobby: "I'm sorry, but Remy is too." He didn't smile.

Rogue: "Mercury?!" She shook her head in disbelief. "That guy's worse than Ah thought.. Don't worry, sugah. Ah'll tell 'em. How is Remy dangerous? He wouldn't hurt us. Not if he could help it. An'.. he couldn't hurt me besides," she grinned. "Harder 'en fuck ta hurt me. We'll get 'em all home an' safe. Ah promise."

Rogue: She frowned, "Wait.. Ya nevah told me why he couldn't help.. Did he even tell y'all?"

Bobby: "Worse. You could say that." Bobby laughed bitterly. "Wouldn't hurt us? He burned all the skin off my hands, Rogue. The only thing saved me? Lorna broke my fucking collar before she killed me. The ice came back."

Rogue: Rogue shook her head violently, "Why? Why would he do that? He wouldn't... No way. He wouldn't hurt ya on purpose.. Wait.. How did he do that? He cain't charge people." This was a lot to take in to try and make sense of. But she would take whatever he told her. "Lorna...killed...you? That...damn. Ah'm sorry, honey."

Rogue: She leaned over and hugged him carefully, "Ah'm sorry ya had ta deal with all of it."

Bobby: "I dunno.... all I know is he did." This time Bobby held onto her, the tears coming again finally. "She's not... she's not herself. She's sick. She hit me, I hit her back...."

Bobby: "God, Rogue, I hit Lorna. Never wanted to hurt her, but she broke my collar. I couldn't stop the ice, and she blew me apart.... I didn't die. Used to be scared I was already dead, but I think I just can't die."

Rogue: Rogue rubbed his back, "Sugah, it's ok. We'll help her ta get better when we get her home. You'll see. Ah promise." She paused, "She blew ya apart? How'd ya get back tagether?"

Bobby: "Yeeeah. I promised her that too." His teeth were chattering again now despite her warmth. "I dunno... I just did. How do ya think I ended up back here? She thinks she killed me, she didn't. Got outside. Got away."

Rogue: "Well, maybe she meant ta then? Maybe she thought 'bout it an' figured ya could, so she did it so you could get away an' help?" She stroked his hair impulsively, "Ah'm glad ya safe now, Bugsy."

Bobby: Bobby closed his eyes, knowing better. But it felt good, her slim fingers in his hair. Lorna had always played with his hair. Even before they were really together, she'd always found a reason to ruffle his hair and giggle. I miss you, Dee.

Bobby: He smiled a little. "Thanks, Roguey. It's good to be back."

Rogue: "Good ta hear that name again." She squeezed him a bit tighter, then pulled back, "Ya need ya rest, sugah. If ya want me, send McCoy f' me. Ah'll be in mah room. Gonna check on ya mice first though. Love ya, ya looney." She smiled at him and touched her finger to his nose.

Bobby: Rest. He resisted rolling his eyes. Everybody wanted him to rest. "Okay, Doctor Rogue. I'll take two and call you in the morning." He wrinkled his nose. "Love ya too. Kiss my mice goodnight for me." Looney.

[Ferguson]

D'awww. And hee, looney. Got to love the awkward choice of words.

[steyn]

I do like the looney talk.

[fourpawsonthefloor]

Wow that was great. But nutty nutso. I think Bobby left Rogue with more questions than she had before.

Paws

[Esynthia]

that is very true, Paws.

[JSherlock]

Very awesome. Great jobs, you two. I agree- Rogue is more confused than ever.