2/12 Instance: Enjoy the View

[fourpawsonthefloor]

Timeline: After Knife Blood Nightmare

Rogue: Rogue rolled over in her sleep for probably close to the fiftieth time in the past few hours. Finally, her eyelids fluttered open and she rolled to stare at the ceiling. Not mah memories. Shouldn't bother me. Stay calm. She tossed her right arm over her eyes with a small grunt to try and force herself back to sleep.

rachel: "No, I'm really fine," Rachel called through the door, her throat hurt. Apparently, she'd been screaming in her sleep. "It was just a nightmare, Dad." She didn't hear what his reply was and didn't really care as she pulled her tank top over her head, looking at her back in the bathroom mirror. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she flipped through the contacts and clicked on Rogue's.

Rogue: Rogue frowned as a light buzzing rattled her bedside table. She quickly glanced at Tessa to make sure it didn't disturb her as the buzzing kept on and started ringing out the chorus of Miracle by Paramore. I'm not going 'cause I've been waiting for a miracle. And I'm not leaving. I won't let you give up on a miracle when it might save you.

Rogue: Rogue sat up quickly and turned to her nightstand, pulling open the drawer and yanking the charge cord out. She fumbled with the buttons for a moment, "Damnit, shut up!" Finally, her thumb hit the right one and she put it to her ear, "Rae? What's wrong?"

rachel: She clicked the phone onto speaker and set it down by the sink, sucking in a breath as she pulled a shard of glass out of her palm. She wasn't sure how she was going to get it out of her back. "Rogue...you're alive!" Didn't mean to.

Rogue: Rogue pushed herself back to lean against her headboard, and arched an eyebrow at the odd statement, "Um.. Yes? Why wouldn't Ah be, sugah? Ya ok?"

rachel: Rachel sucked another breath in... Just like when Tess had pulled all the glass out of her hand. Wait...Tess pulled glass out of her hand? Why? She shook her head. She'd worry about that later. Her stomach heaved as she caught her reflection, "I'm fine," she choked out. Blood, burning, death...You killed them.

Rogue: "Ah'm gonna go ahead and call bullshit on that one, Rachel." Tessa stirred in the bed next to hers and she softened her voice as she got up and walked out of the room to sit in the hallway right outside their door. "Ya ain't fine. Ah know that line. Bobby an' Ah patented it." She picked at the carpet for a minute, "What happened? Why ya sound like ya in pain?”

rachel: No. Didn't kill them. Couldn't have. She forced herself to relax, picking at a piece that wouldn't come out, "...Because I'm picking glass out of my hands and arms. I had a nightmare." She forced all her attention to the glass instead of the mirror. Black and glowing.

Rogue: "Glass? What'd ya do? How'd ya get glass in ya hands an' arms from a nightmare?" Rogue frowned trying to make sense of it.

rachel: "Trashed my whole room. Broke a mirror, a few glasses, picture frames, stuff like that." She moved on to her other arm, still dreading getting it all out of her stomach and back. After glass and call, a shower was in order.

Rogue: "Oh. Ya telekinesis? Ya ok? Need me ta come help ya? Hell, even if ya just need company.. Ain't that far ta fly." Rogue bit her lip, worried about her friend, "What... what happened in ya nightmare, sugah?"

rachel: "Yeah, teke's a bitch. And no, my dad's here...and awake now." Rachel sat down on the floor, ignoring the stinging it caused. She stared at the tiled floor, falling silent. Should she tell? She could avoid it for now. "...Is Josh okay? Ben? Everyone?" Didn't kill them. Couldn't have.

Rogue: "As far as Ah know, darlin', every body's in bed. Pretty quiet 'round tha mansion tanight. Why? Ya didn't tell me what happened. Ah ain't one ta pry when ya don't wanna talk, but ya got me all worried." She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on it, "Talk ta me, sugah."

rachel: She rubbed at her face, shuddering at the blood that was drying. "...My n-nightmare...I-I...killed everyone...." Not going to burn. Wasn't supposed to burn. "Fire...and...tombstones. I...Josh...killed him...and you...and Liz..." she winced when her voice cracked.

Rogue: Oh. Wow. Rogue scrubbed her eyes with her palm. "Well, don't worry, sugah. Ain't nobody dead 'round here. No fires, no tombstones." She paused for a moment. "Ya think ya subconscious was tryin' ta tell ya somethin'?"

rachel: Rachel balled her hands into fists to stop them from trembling, "I don't know. There...was this guy...told me I needed to...figure something out..." Didn't kill them.

Rogue: "Figure somethin' out... What guy? Did he give ya any hints?" She ran a hand through her hair, tousling it so the curls wouldn't tangle. Rogue bit her lip as she tried to think of things to say that might help, but she couldn't do much without knowing more.

rachel: "I don't know. Not really..." Rachel pulled the few shards from her stomach and closed to her eyes. She'd have to get the ones out of her back with her teke, which she wasn't sure she wanted to use.

Rogue: "Ok, so basically, ya killed everybody at tha school an' there was a fire an' tombstones an' some guy tellin' ya that ya needed ta figure somethin' out an' that was it?"

rachel: She nodded before realizing that Rogue couldn't see her. "...It started with Ben and the DR. The guy...told me to kill Ben or he would. Then, he showed me everyone and school...."

Rogue: "Kill Ben or he would? What kinda crack-pots ya got in ya dreams?" She tried a small laugh, but it sounded forced to her. "Ya think ya scared of ya new powers so much that ya afraid ya gonna kill everybody with 'em?"

rachel: "I think it's the pizza I ate at work," Rachel tried to joke back, slowly taking a piece out of her back with another quick intake of air. "Wouldn't be surprised if I did after what happened to Ben,' she said bitterly, stopping as she realized she'd said it aloud this time instead of just thinking it.

Rogue: Rogue frowned, "Sugah. What happened ta Ben ain't ya fault. Ah didn't even get mad at ya. Neither did he. Nobody's upset with ya 'bout it. It's part of learnin' ta control ya new power. He's fine. Ah know, Ah know... What if, could have, might have, yadda
yadda..." She took a small breath, "But ya didn't. Cain't live in tha what if's, darlin'. That's also why Ah made ya fight me. So ya can learn ta control it. Ain't gonna kill me or knock me inta a coma just by smackin' me hard against a wall."

rachel: "It is my fault. I shouldn't have agreed to spar with him in the first place." She raked her hand through her hair, focusing on all the pieces and pulling them out at once, "Fucking hell. Damn glass."

Rogue: "Ya ok? That doesn't sound good... Don't step in it..." Rogue took a deep breath and shook her head softly. "Ain't ya fault, darlin'. He asked ya ta do it. He told ya to." She cracked a grin, "Ain't his fault he ain't a brick house like me."

rachel: "Yeah. Just took all the glass out of my back at once..." Rachel dumped it in the trash, grabbing the phone as she made her way back into her room. She pulled on a clean shirt and slipped some shoes on, looking around again now that she had the light on.

rachel: She sighed, "So, how are you?"

Rogue: "Ah'm ok... Worried 'bout y'all. Ain't been sleepin' too good lately, but other than those things, Ah'm ok. Ya never told me where ya got a job..." Rogue tried to change the subject so she could think of ways to help Rachel later when they were both more coherent.

rachel: "Oh, right, job. I'm a hostess at...Chuck E Cheese..." she pushed the window up and carefully climbed out onto the roof, taking a seat with her knees pulled up.

Rogue: "Chuck E Cheese? Really? Wow, Rae." She couldn't help but chuckle at the ironicness of that, "That's totally opposite of somethin' Ah'd figure ya'd do. Thats... That's a stretch f' even mah imagination ta see ya workin' there. Ya know Ah need pictures."

Rogue: She sobered a bit, "So, this is only a temp thing right? Ya just fillin' in until someone comes back from vacation or somethin', then ya gonna come home... Right?"

rachel: "Oh. Ha, ha. Honestly, hostess is just a fancy way of saying I'm a waiter," she rolled her eyes. "It's not all that great. Screaming children and parents are just how I want to spend my weekend."

rachel: "...Nope. It's my job. Not filling for anyone. I still don't know if I'm coming home. I was okay for a bit. ...This is like a huge step back."

Rogue: "Rachel... Ya gotta come back. Ya even just called this place home... Means ya
ain't happy." Rogue's face fell a bit, "So come back. Where ya belong... Ya ain't gonna hurt us... 'Sides, that's what we're here f', right? Ta help ya learn ta control ya powers. So, truthfully now.. When ya comin' home?"

rachel: "Not anytime soon. I'm looking for another job and an apartment or something, really." She looked around, "And no, I'm not happy. Wasn't happy at school either."

Rogue: "Rae... Ya cain't be serious. Ya really gonna stay gone? Why? Just 'cause ya powers went wonky? Just 'cause ya sparred with Ben? Ah ain't findin' one good reason in the teeny list Ah can come up with. So lay it out f' me an' Ah might not have ta drag ya ass back here mahself."

rachel: "I don't know, and if I want to stay, I will," she squeezed her eyes shut, resting her head on her knees, "It's not just my powers. Issues with Josh, the being insane thing. I wasn't getting better there, I was just covering it up." Should've told him.

Rogue: "Well it ain't gonna help ya none ta run from it either. So ya tried ta ask Josh back out. Did ya tell him ya love him yet? 'Cause, darlin', ya know damn well that boy loves you. Whether he wants ta admit it or not, he does. Tessa even said so." She took another deep breath, "Life ain't worth livin' 'less ya willin' ta put all ya cards on tha table at one point or another. An' what better time ta do that than with love?"

rachel: "No, I...I haven't talked to him since I got home. Not sure if I can tell him." Should tell him, but look what happened last time you told a guy that. Yeah, she wasn't getting into that with Rogue. Josh was the only one that knew.

Rogue: "Yes ya can. Or would ya rather it be done by me, then Ah ruin tha beautiful moment tha two of ya could have." Rogue felt her face go to it's 'ya know Ah'm right so do it or Ah ain't lyin' that Ah will' that was standard for Rachel conversations. She couldn't help the grin, "Sugah, Ah wish ya could see mah face right now."

rachel: "Pfffft. Whatever," she muttered, "I already asked him out, and he said no. I should be getting over him. Plus, Tess already told me apparently, and it's not like both of us haven't heard everyone else saying we should be together."

rachel: "And, if I do tell him, how would I? It's not exactly something I want to tell him over the phone. Not that it matters 'cause I'm not going to tell him. I'm sick of trying to get our shit together. He wants to be with me, fine. He can start trying for once."

AnnaMarie: "Ya ever thought that maybe he thinks ya need time ta kinda catch ya breath? Ah mean, that's why ya left basically right?" She shrugged, "But hey, Ah don't mind spillin' ya guts f' ya. Ain't got no qualms 'bout it."

rachel: "I don't want time. I'm sick of waiting. He said that when we broke up, after I kissed him when I got back, when I asked him back out. That excuse is getting old."

rachel: Rachel took a breath. No crying. "I just want everything back to how it was, and it was like that while he helped me pack. I didn't want to ruin that by telling him."

AnnaMarie: "Ya don't think that mighta made it better?" She looked down at the carpet again, "Just... try it. Or Ah'm gonna drop hints. If ya piss me off enough 'bout it, Ah'll tell him outright, but not otherwise."

AnnaMarie: "Rae, ya owe it ta yaself. Ain't never gonna start ta get over him, if that's what ya want, if ya cain't admit that to him first..."

rachel: "No. Then, we'd have to go through everything again, and it'd turn into an argument. And, I can't try it if I don't talk to him. It's not something to tell him over the phone." She leaned back, wincing as pain shot through her back. "...I don't want to be over him. I just don't want to get fucked over again."

AnnaMarie: "So ya just gonna pine over him f' tha rest of ya natural life? Yeah. That sounds like a marvelous plan, sugah. Try again."

rachel: She let out a frustrated breath. "And why are telling me this? Why not him?"

AnnaMarie: "Ya want me ta tell him? Ah can do that. Ain't no skin off mah nose." Rogue shrugged, "Hell, Ah'll go tell him right now. Ah'm awake enough an' mah mind's on it."

rachel: "You think you were the first person I was going to call? I didn't want to bother him, that's why I called you." She frowned as she looked out over the street. Brings up some bad memories... "Not like we can do anything about if you tell him since I'm not even at school."

AnnaMarie: Rogue rolled her eyes, "Ain't like ya live that far away, darlin'. Can easily still have somethin' 'tween y'all." She stood up and stretched her body against the wall with a small yawn, "Rae. Either risk gettin' turned down again, or risk more what-if's. Either way, it's a risk. An' if Ah were you? Gamblin' tha whole pot's better'n stayin' safe. Least this hand... Ya been dealt a good one, darlin'. Ya already knows he loves ya. He just ain't said it yet."

rachel: Rachel shook her head, the familar aching in her chest was coming back, "Yeah, I can tell how much he cares. It really showed when he turned me down." Listen to Rogue, you know she's right. No. Can't do it. Don't want to get hurt again.

AnnaMarie: Rogue huffed, "Ah cain't force ya ta do anythin', sugah. But ya know what Ah think at least. Just think 'bout it ok? At least give yaself that..."

rachel: Rachel bit back a remark about how she already thought about him all the time, "Yeah, sure." Rachel was sick of thinking about it. She knew she should've told him, knew that Rogue was right.

rachel: She chewed on her lip, "I have to go..." she tried to think of an excuse, "...clean my room, some cuts. I'll talk to you later, Rogue."

AnnaMarie: Rogue frowned, that hadn't been taken like she'd hoped. "Call me any time if ya need ta talk. Hell, offer still stands ta help ya clean up if ya want me ta fly over. Get some sleep, sugah. G'nite."

rachel: "Yeah. Night." Flipping her phone shut, she tossed it off the roof, which brought pain to her bruised shoulder and all down through her back. Fuck it. She could go find it later. Rachel leaned back and stared up at the sky.

AnnaMarie: Rogue hit the end button on her phone and wrapped her arms around her knees as she stared at the floor in front of her, not focusing on anything imparticular. She was worried about Rachel. But she wasn't quite sure what to do about it. She said a silent prayer asking for help then went back into her room quietly and lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling again.