Title: Living Nightmare
Author: Peachy
Email: kkeene@bradley.eduTeaser: Rogue experiences touch but from someone she doesn't want
Rating: Strong R
Genre: extreme violence, drama, angst
Notes: Next in series after Just Like Frankenstein
-----------------------------Rogue was exhausted from her long day's work and looked forward to sleep.
While Magneto started his little experiment that night in the lap with Vamp, Shadow began one of his own.
He stood again in the corner of the girl's dorm room, watching. This woman, could he touch her in this form and not be hurt? This question had racked his mind. All the nights of watching, just watching, were wearing him thin. He would try, he would see if he alone could touch the untouchable. He slithered out from the corner running along the dark shadows in the room unnoticed. Her ankles and feet were bare. Just a brush he thought and waved himself across the back of her ankles. Nothing as he sat there feeling her skin. Nothing.
Rogue's noticed a shiver run through her as her body got cold. Her feet especially. She jumped on into bed and under the covers to get warm. Katherine opened the window a bit before bed she loved fresh air.
"It's cold in here and your opening a window."
"Here just use another blanket," she tosses one over and she piles it up on herself. "Just hope your not getting sick again."
"Don't even say such things." She didn't want to ever live through that again.
Finally the two settled in and drifted off to sleep.
Shadow stood waiting. What should he do? He dispersed himself into two and one small dark shadow slid to Katherine's bed. The other went over to Rogue's. This would be a whole lot of fun...
****************
Rogue's sleep was anything but peaceful. She had a dream yet it felt so vivid and real. A man, faceless stood above her and then he was on top of her, pinning her down so she couldn't move. She couldn't see him, his features a blur of darkness. He placed a large, strong hand around her throat and squeezed, cutting off any sound she could possibly make. She tried hard to push him off of her as he got closer. Her hands were useless. She could feel him; his hands, weight, body heat but her hands just went through him, like he was air, a haunting ghost. She was terrified now. Shaking and wanting to break free. This man was touching her and nothing was happening to him. She wanted touch but not this way, not by this man. She tried to scream but he only drove his hand tighter around her neck.
He then assaulted her.
His hands and mouth were anything but gentle on her body. She felt his body heat smother her and cover her. She wanted to wash it off. His lips traced her neck eventually finding her own lips and taking them by force. This was her first kiss since Cody. It was nothing that she wanted. He shoved his tongue into her mouth and back as far possible into her throat and all around. She felt like she was being gagged. She hated the slimy feeling he left when he was finished.
Again he squeezed her neck as she kept clawing at his hand to breathe. Her ears pounded and she became a jumble of thoughts and feeling. Tears started flowing and she was trembling. She needed help, but nothing could come from her lips but sobs.
He ripped open her shirt and touched her exposed flesh. The cold air blew on her causing her body to shiver. His hands were callused and rough. His nails scraping her delicate skin, so hard, leaving red marks against her pale skin. He squeezed and pinched her flesh and breasts. Pounding them, kneading them so harshly. She felt so sick to her stomach. He was like an octopus; hands and mouth everywhere at once on her body causing her to be in pain, to ache and strain. She couldn't stop his hands.
Then she felt his mouth on her breasts. It was a disgusting feeling as he used his tongue to graze over them and bit hard into her with his teeth. She wanted to scream and again he squeezed her throat. He continually sucked on them and bit down hard. She wanted this all to stop. Every now and then it felt like he was eating her flesh off. Her body never hurt so much before. His hands feeling all over, sending chills down her spin while it made her flesh feel like it was on fire. She tried again to push him off of her but it was no use.
His hands showed her no mercy. She was trying to gasp for air as her crying made it even worse to breathe. She never was this scared in all her life. Never had she wanted touch so badly to stop. She finally was able to whisper out a please. The man's "face" returned to hers.
"More?" he sounded like a devil, Satan himself.
"No..." was all she could get out but he kissed her again and squeezed around her neck. His weight pinning her down. He felt so heavy on her, crushing her ribs and pressing into her stomach, making it hard to get air into her lungs. She shook her head back and forth she wanted to beg him but no more words could come.
His hands and teeth went to her stomach. Nibbling her and licking her body. He sank his teeth into her tender flesh to the point she thought he had drawn blood and could feel it running down her side. She couldn't even scream from the pain.
His hands traveled down to her legs, running up and down in circles on the outside of her thighs. Finally the inside of her thighs. His mouth found hers again and she couldn't breath. She began to see light sparks from lack of oxygen. She wanted to pass out wanted not to feel him any more but was afraid of what he'd do her when she was in blackness.
This was a dream but it felt too real; she was wearing her nightgown, in her room. This couldn't have been a dream. She wanted Logan so badly to help her. She wanted to scream out to him, call his name so he could rush in to help her. He'd kill this man.
Her attacker wasn't done yet. His lips engulf her breast as his hand slid between her legs and explored. Rogue gasped in shock. This was the first time a man has touched her there. It felt weird, she knew she didn't like it and wanted him to stop. It churned her stomach and she wanted to throw up. She was so scared. She closed her eye wanting to be somewhere else, anywhere but here. If it was a dream, she begged God to let her wake up.
She could do nothing as he bit down harder on her breast and slid his fingers inside of her. His fingers wiggled, nails scraping the tender flesh, rubbing, pounding into her and pinching. It made her whole body ache in pain and her legs shake. After a few moments, but it felt like an eternity, of feeling him and his fingers inside her body... it vanished. She woke up screaming gaping for air, uncontrollably shaking.
*****************
Shadow rolled himself over her body gliding up and down. Her skin was so soft, smelled so sweet. It was wrong she couldn't be touched. He wanted to touch her so badly, taste her, feel her every move. Her figure was so perfect. He didn't want her to scream so he pressed a part of himself down over her neck. Would she feel him and wake up? He didn't care right now. He watched for too long, he traced her with his - well it was an odd sensation being air. Every molecule was your entire body. You touched her everywhere and felt her everywhere; it was an amazing sensation. Every molecule he placed on her body was his hands, lips, eyes, and body taking everything in. It excited him. He had never done this before and it was driving his mind and body over the edge.
He drank her with his "lips" touched her with his "hands". He got a bit rough but he was over powered with this adrenaline. The more he touched he more he wanted everything. He couldn't stop. He was exhilarated by the way she would move under his touch, straining, trying to wiggle free. Her face, in some dreams that showed pain, a bad dream causing her to whimper. He squeezed a bit harder around her neck to quiet her and she moved even more under his touch. He just didn't want her to wake anyone else up, for he might be discovered.
He was touching Katherine as well. He didn't put as much concentration towards it though. Katherine was beautiful too. Her body and Rogue's at the same time... he felt them. Over powering him.
He started to fear that he would lose his focus and slip back into human form. There he could be hurt, destroyed, spotted and killed by touching this one woman beneath him. She was poison and flirting with danger was exciting for him. He had never felt this loss of control before but his senses were being over loaded and he was loosing his ability to concentrate and think about anything. No one has created this much pleasure in him before.
Finally he just had to let go and quickly retire under the bed gathering himself together and calming his mind to focus on being the shadow. When he did this, that's when they woke up screaming.
**************
Katherine was not much of a dreamer and remembered very few. This was one she felt was so real; it couldn't have been a dream. She felt a man, push her down pinning her body to the bed. She tried to get up but was unable. She tried to shove his attacking hands away but they had no effect on him. She was terrified of what this man wanted from her. She looked at him and saw no face, which haunted her even more.
His body pinned hers down as his mouth and tongue found her neck all too pleasing. She tried to yell for help but a tight grasp around her neck prevented anything from escaping. She clawed at his hands trying to breathe. It was useless. He sucked on her tender skin on her collarbone, biting down every now and then like a vampire out for blood. His hands explored the rest of her. Digging in his nails on her stomach; pinching her breasts and squeezing them. His hands got more violent scrapping and rubbing deep into her skin; he choked her even more. Just as she was about to pass out seeing stars from lack of oxygen, it vanished and she woke up gasping for air, screaming.
***************
Rogue looked at Katherine and they started at each other for a fraction of a second. Both having nightmares and realizing it was probably the same. Both had scratch marks on their necks from where their own hands had clawed to breathe, some even bleeding. Rogue couldn't stay here; she was in a state of confusion, mind swirling with emotions, as the world just seems to be spinning all around her. She couldn't stop crying and shaking. She was so scared. She ran from the room, not want to be in there where it happened, where it might be.
Katherine followed suit and ran outside as well. She hit the wall and turned staring at the door. She slowly slid down the wall her knees to week to hold her.
Rogue was already on the floor curling into a ball trying to hide herself.
***************
Logan jump-started from his bed when he heard the screams. They were Katherine's and his Marie's. He ran without thought of covering up and ran to her. Scared about what was happening.
He got there first to see a Katherine to stunned to cry and Rogue a virtual mess on the floor. He was terrified, both had blood running down their neck. Someone had hurt them and who ever it was would pay. He wanted to comfort Rogue but ran inside first to see who was there. Claws fully extended.
The room was dark. Nothing. He focused on listening and smelling. Nothing. A bit musty but... he felt a breeze. The room shouldn't smell musty with the window open. For some reason that struck him as odd. He never though of this before but now took it in. Living room musty, office musty, basement room musty, where we planned out attack, musty, they knew we were coming. He put it together and it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
Someone was in here; a mutant and he couldn't really smell him. He was invisible. He heard a scream from the hall, Marie yell at Scott, "Don't touch me!" and he backed off. Logan shut the window grabbed a blanket and went out to find out what happened.
****************
Jean, Xavier and rest woke up as well. Xavier got most of the kids back off to bed. Bobby came over and comforted Katherine, who willingly accepted his arms. Jean checked out her neck as well and talk to Katherine, she was more coherent then Rogue at this point. St. John, Gambit and Jubilee could only look at their friends in fear. Wanting to help but knowing there was nothing they could do.
Scott tried to calm Rogue down and see what had happened, she had blood on her neck and scratches. She flew out at him and shoved him away from her.
****************
Logan came back and wrapped the blanket around her and held her in his arms. She was out of it; not knowing who was holding her. She protested shouting "let go of me", "get away please", then "get him off me" and "don't touch me." Finally she was too tired and gave up pounding her fists into Logan's resistant chest.
Her punches hurt but with his healing factor the pain dulled rather quickly. He didn't care. He wanted her to lash out, even if it was at him. It's better then not doing anything and keeping it all inside. It tore him on the inside to have her like this.
He wanted to know what happened, who had hurt his Marie. Then she said, nuzzling in his chest and wrapping her arms around him... "please... don't leave me..."
"I'm not going anywhere." He whispered.
Jean turned to Katherine, who tears started to now flow. "What happened?"
"I just thought it was a dream but it felt so real. When we both woke up, I thought maybe it wasn't a dream." Bobby held her even closer to him. She didn't complain as he brushed the brown hair from her face.
"He... he pinned me down, was choking me and I couldn't breathe." She began scratching at her already sore neck and Jean took one hand and Bobby the other and gentle brushed them down so she wouldn't keep hurting herself.
"It's ok," he whispered in her ear.
"He just kept touching me everywhere. It hurt - it hurt - then I woke up."
Jean turned to face Scott and Logan. Scott cared about these two girls and his anger showed in his face. He tried not to let the rage control him and calmed himself to think rationally. He wanted a punching bag to violently beat into to let his rage escape. He felt like Logan, an animal ready to attack. He didn't let it show though, he couldn't, because what good would do it for the girls. They didn't need two uncontrollable hot heads.
Jean looked into Logan's eyes and saw something that was never there before. He was a mix of rage, fury, worry, caring, guilt and sadness. He didn't keep these thoughts from her mind at all. He held Rogue so tight and tears even came to his eyes. He felt at first he let her down. He wasn't there to protect her, then felt terrible for what happened to her, wanting to take it all away and feeling so helpless in doing anything. Finally came the rage he wanted to kill this mutant. Wanted to watch him die and wouldn't think twice about it. Jean looked from his tears to his hands, claws out about an inch, trying so hard to contain himself so he won't hurt the women he cared about in his arms.
Logan knew Jean was feeling his emotions and mind so he sent her a mental thought or two - 'Jean, there's someone in that room.'
'What?'
'I can't explain it now. Trust me...'
"Scott could you just check the room over for me please. "
'Won't do any good.' he told Jean.
She gave him a please, just appease me look. Scott went in and searched. He came up empty handed.
"Katherine, Rogue, I need to get you check out down stairs ok." Katherine nodded but Rogue was resistant.
"No! Please..." she was crying.
Logan just brushed her hair away using the blanket as protection; "It's ok now. You're bleeding. It won't hurt, I promise."
"No..." was her weak retort.
Jean started to take Katherine down stairs and Logan assured her "We'll be down in a minute."
'Talk to her Logan... she needs you'she replied mentally.
Everyone left leaving Rogue and Logan sitting on the floor in the hallway. She was still shaking. He looked down at her face, which couldn't meet his own gaze. He forced her to look up at him.
"What happened to you?" He knew why the event effected her more. She wasn't use to touch at all, then someone forces it on her. He had no clue what that could do to a person like Marie. She didn't deserve this. He was gonna see she made it out ok.
She looked at him but then put her head down. He knew there was more. Whether Katherine told the whole story or not was one thing, he knew there was more she wasn't telling him.
"Please, Marie. I need you, don't shut me out." She cried for a bit longer then gathered strength to talk to him.
"He touched me... with his hands and mouth. They hurt. I just felt him on me, his hands scrapping me. It hurt." He held her closer to his body trying to ease the shaking.
"He... he put his hand... inside of me. God! I still feel him, get him off me please!" she cried and so did Logan.
He couldn't do anything and felt helpless. So helpless. His claws started to peak out of his hands again trying to maintain control. Finally they slide back in.
"Let's get you checked out ok."
She nodded and he carried her down to the basement to see Jean. She never let go of him. He didn't care; he didn't want her to ever let go.
****************
She wouldn't let him leave and he had to turn around while Jean checked Rogue out, still grasping her hand in his. Her fist clenched around his when Jean put alcohol on the cuts on her neck from her own fingernails. After Jean looked them both over, they were fine. Not on mark on them, except where they hurt themselves. She bandaged up the scratches and sent them back to bed, but not without a sedative to help them sleep. They both needed it.
Neither wanted to return to their room and Xavier deemed it ok for them to sleep else where under the circumstances. Katherine stayed in Bobby's room with St. John and Gambit. She got Bobby's bed and he got the floor.
Rogue slept in Logan's room. He wasn't going to let her out of his sight. Rogue first changed into a different nightgown, one that covered her from head to toe, gloves and all. Logan stayed with her that night, lying next to her, holding her in his arms until she fell asleep.
He couldn't believe this was a dream. The thought of any man coming in and violating her. How could he have let something like this happen to her? Why didn't he see it, sense it? He wanted... he wanted to be the one to touch her, show her how wonderful it could be what it was all about. Someone now poisoned that for her.
He couldn't believe this was possible, the kids were suppose to have this place as a safe haven, not some place to be afraid of.
He found his own emotions, every emotion, flowing through him, flooding his body causing him to shake even. Anger, scared, worried, loving... and more. He felt so guilty for the incident. He broke his promise to protect her. She was hurt and these scars would take a long, long time to heal, if ever. He wanted to run himself through and not heal. Finally through his own powers, his nerves lessened and he found sleep as well.
******************
Logan was thrust from bed as Rogue woke up screaming. Tears came to her eyes as terror shot through her body. She knew it was a dream this time, recapping her earlier nightmare. She fell into Logan's arms and told him everything that happened. The way he choked her, touched her, his mouth biting her, and being inside of her. She went on to tell him she wanted touch so badly but not from him, not wanted it to hurt that much, not like that.
Logan held her, not knowing what words to say to take it all way from her. She felt just him holding her was enough to make her feel safe and protected.
"I won't let him hurt you again. Ssssshhhhh." He tried to quiet her sobs as he brushed her hair away from her face gently.
He laid her back down on the bed holding her tight; she returned the gesture, not wanting to let go. She finally went back to sleep and didn't wake till morning.
Logan needed to vent his animal rage out at the bars or on some poor tree but knew he couldn't leave the woman by his side, knowing he needed to be there if she ever woke up again that night and not leave her alone.
****************
Finally Logan was awakened by Xavier for a meeting. He slipped out leaving Rogue still asleep. She'd be ok now; she slept the rest of the night just fine. Morning had come. They discussed the events of last evening.
"So what happened Logan?" Jean asked. She thought he knew more then the rest of them. "Who was in there?" she asked.
Logan sniffed the air once over honing in his senses. No sign of the guy; he figured after last night their mystery guest was most likely in hiding somewhere.
"I didn't figure it out until last night. There's a new mutant on campus."
"What?' Scott was confused he didn't see anything. Wouldn't they have picked up something?
"I don't know if he changes into air or what. I can't smell him, hear him or see him."
"Then how do you know it wasn't just a dream?" Jean asked.
"There is a very faint smell, but it's just like musty old air. Too faint for any of you to pick up but I can. I smelled it first in the living room at Christmas that triggered me as something was different but I ignored it. During our meetings it was there and I thought it was just an AC problem I would have to fix but last night in the room, the girls had their window open. It doesn't smell musty when a breeze is blowing. The hair stood on the back of my neck if you know what I mean, something wasn't right again but I couldn't really detect anything but that musty smell."
"Having him be air or a shadow would make sense for Katherine's faceless man." Storm added.
"Why didn't I feel his mind?" Jean wondered. They had checked over and over again to make sure everything was safe, but...
"We weren't really looking for him," Xavier finished her thought," and if he could block our minds, we wouldn't have known unless we targeted for him specifically."
"I can't believe it! He's been in this house for over two months and we didn't see him!" Scott couldn't believe how vulnerable and how unprotected the school really was.
"So how do we catch this guy?" Storm wanted to know as Bobby and St. John came in to the meeting. They weren't being left out of this one; that's for sure.
**********************
Rogue woke up minus a Logan and it startled her to full consciousness. She got scared and then settled herself down. The realization of last night set in. She still felt him on her like a film covering her body and she wanted to get rid of it. She ran to take a shower in Logan's room.
She spent a long time in the shower, scalding water and she kept scrubbing her body till it was beat red. It wasn't going away. She still felt disgusting. With the water still running and her knees weak, she slid to the shower floor wrapping her knees to her chest and the tears blended with the water pouring down on her face and body. She placed her head in her hands and cried. She didn't want this to bother her as much as it did. She just wanted it to all go away.
***********************
"I say we find him and freeze him." Bobby suggested.
"Burn him," was St. John's choice.
Logan had his own vengeful desires, "I want to get my claws into him!" and he slashed the claws out of his hands not hiding any anger that flowed through him.
That sounded like a good plan.
"Let's just keep a level head in all of this. I don't want to screw this up." Scott added.
"I'll find him, hopefully without him noticing me and then you guys can work together."
Jean reached out searching the halls of the school until she finally found one mind, it was different, scattered in tiny fractions all over the place, no one entity but a concentration, that had to be him. It was a first for her mind to reach individual molecules. She got different mental images all over the place. It was a unique experience. They were faint though and that's why they probably didn't pick up on it before hand. When a single mind is spread out all over the place, one doesn't notice it - unless you're looking for it. Logan was right, he was air of some sorts, a vapor.
"He's in the library." And with that the four guys left to surprise their mystery guest.
*****************
Logan went in first and he smelled him. Only way out was through them. The window was closed - good. Bobby started down on side and St. John the other. One freezing the air from every crack and open space. He couldn't freeze air but his molecules would be close to it. St. John sent out flames in the main area, couldn't exactly get into the cracks with his blow torch hands or else he'd burn the place down. Scott stood by, visor ready to zap him if he changed forms. They all wanted to kill the SOB. Logan stood there ready to lunge, claws fully extended.
Shadow stood there in the corner, hiding himself from their line of attack. Hopefully the two punks will go right by him. They knew he was here now and Magneto would not like this. He had to stay clear. He needed to get past them and slide out the door and out of the mansion. Finally the cold hit him. He was fine with it but then it got colder and colder. He couldn't take much more of this without going back to his normal form.
He moved away in the shadows from the cold only to be bombarded with heat, intense heat. It burned him and when he reshaped you'd see one or two blisters. The cold was better so he shifted back. Couldn't take much more. He re-condensed his molecules a bit more to back away from both attacks. Finally he had a plan. Re-vaporize for a second, gathered himself, dodge what ever they throw at him and slide out the door above them; this wouldn't work, but he had no other choice. Finally he unvaporized before them.
There he was - the shadow man. He stood before them in front of the window. They looked at him for a split second and he had a cocky grin on his face that Logan and the rest wanted to permanently remove. Fire, ice and lasers piled at him, he maneuvered quickly and the three beams collided smashing the window behind Shadow. He took it as a blessing. Logan catching their misfortune, lunged and managed to get one good slice into him before he vaporized and slide out the window. Shadow knew he was hurt and couldn't remain in this shape forever. He floated out of there to safety, hoping he'd make it clear before returning back to human form.
He escaped. Logan was beyond rage and he slammed his claws and fist into the wall, creating a whole, screaming in frustration. How could they have been so stupid and let him escape? The three men behind Logan weren't much better. Each eating away at themselves for letting the mutant bastard go free with just one slice and nothing more.
Finally Logan stormed out going back to him room, back to Marie. He calmed himself down realizing Marie couldn't deal with an erratic Logan. He opened the door quietly, incase she was still asleep. She wasn't, he heard her in the bathroom crying. He couldn't venture in there to take the memories away from her. Helpless - it was the worst feeling in the world and it eats you inside.
********************
Rogue heard the door shut and realized Logan was back. She had to be strong for herself and him. She didn't want this to control her. She felt so tired, weak and sick. She finally mustered the strength to get up and out of the shower. She changed into clothes that covered her again from head to toe. She opened the door to find Logan lying on the bed. It had felt so wonderful in his arms, so safe and secure, helped her keep her sanity at this point. He sat up and looked at her. He saw fear and distance in her eyes.
He told her the events of the morning.
"We found him, but he got away..." he was furious but saw her scared and confused.
"Come here." She obeyed and sat next to him.
All her strength that she mustered failed. "What if he comes back?""I'm here, he won't - I'll kill him if he does." He held her close, her body shaking next to his. "You hungry?"
She nodded a no.
He wasn't going to take a no from her - she needed her strength - "Come on, you need something."
He wasn't going to let her hide from the world. He wouldn't let her give up on herself or let that Shadow kid control her life.
She let herself be dragged to breakfast and she tried to eat, not too hungry. Katherine was doing much better, at least she was downing her food. Still quiet.
Finally as breakfast ended and the girls were washing and putting away their dishes, Katherine came over to Rogue and gave her a hug.
"We'll do this together ok." Katherine said. Rogue agreed; they needed each other. The two spent time together talking about the living nightmares they experienced. Talking about it seemed to help Rogue a lot. She wasn't alone in this. They spend time with their friends that day, they did their best to cheer them up and let them know they were worried and cared about them. They weren't alone either; they were both loved.
Rogue meet Logan for dinner and he noticed that a day with her friends helped her a lot, this was important to him. As night approached there was a regression from both the girls. They refused to sleep in their room again. It was dark place they didn't want to be.
Katherine slept in the guy's room again and Rogue asked Logan.
She showed up in her long nightgown and knocked on his door. When he opened it he found the most beautiful pair of brown eyes. "Can... can I stay with you?"
He smiled; he couldn't say no to her, "yeah."
He opened the door for her to come in. She snuggled in next to him and the nightmare came back. He held her, every tear, every cry tore him apart. Finally she fell back asleep and slept soundly because he didn't wake again either till morning.
Over the week Rogue and Katherine got a lot better. Dreams faded a bit until finally one night she slept the whole way through without waking up. The shock of the events wore off but was replaced by a deep fear that he was still there that no one could see him or stop him. Xavier promised he wasn't and Logan as well couldn't sense him.
Despite getting back slowly to her old self, she did shelter her touches, especially with her guy friends. She subconsciously was doing it and Logan and Jean noticed, Rogue did too and it tore her apart. These were her friends and they wouldn't hurt her, why was she backing away? She and Katherine talked to Jean about everything and she said it was natural and would just take time.
Finally Katherine and Rogue decided to take the next step together and sleep back in their room, but only together. The room was a dark, violent stranger to them but they survived the first night.
Logan came in to check on them. Katherine was snoring a bit and Rogue was huddled tightly with Wolvie to protect and watch over her. He left and headed to his room for the night. They'd find Magneto and his hoard and end this once and for all. Shadow would be his.
The End