Title: Going Home
Author: Bani
Email: banime78@aol.com  
Series: Cutting Loose # 3
Summary: Scott and Rogue arrive at her Parents but
are they Welcome there.
Rating: PG-15? for violence
Genre: S/R
Author's Note: I know I titled this series Cutting
Loose and it's supposed to be Scott and Rogue
having fun but well it isn't turning out that way. Oh
well, maybe next chapter huh.
Archive: Just ask and I will say yes.
Disclaimer: Marvel and Fox own all recognizable
characters. But I own the idea for this story and they
can't have it (maniacal laughter).
Feedback: Is much appreciated by my Muse and
me.
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Rogue was having the most wonderful
dream. It featured her and Scott getting down and
dirty in her old bedroom. She was just starting to
get to a good part; Scott was unzipping his pants
and she was gonna see him in all his naked glory,
when she was rudely woken up.

"Uh, wha.." She mumbled sleepily.

"We're here Marie. It's 9:00 o'clock is that
to late to pay your parents a visit?" Scott asked.

"Um, no. They'd be mad if Ah waited until
morning to see them." She replied still trying to
wake all the way up.

"Well you have to give me directions honey.
Otherwise we're going to just have to sit here."
Here turned out to be the side of the road in front of
a big sign that read Welcome to Meridian,
Mississippi/ Pop.456.

She was kinda surprised to see they hadn't
fixed the Population number. The Mayor was
usually right on top of things like that. Being such a
small town everybody knew everyone else. So when
somebody left the Pop. Number was usually fixed
the same day.

Well, someone could have moved to town
after she left. But that was doubtful since no one
had ever moved there in all the years she had been
here. You never knew though, stranger things had
happened. Like her being taken in by a bunch of
leather clad Super Heroes.

Was a bunch even the correct way to group
them, or were they a flock, or maybe a pack. She
giggled at her silly thoughts. Scott cleared his throat
and she remembered she had not answered him.

"It's not that hard ta find. Ya just go up
Main Street here and take a left at the second
stoplight. Mah house is the third one on the right."
She refrained from saying 'ya can't miss it' that was
to cliché.

Scott restarted the car and pulled back on to
the road. He followed her directions exactly and as
they drew closer to her house, she could feel her
heart beat speed up. She was suddenly very
nervous. What was she going to say to her parents?
'Gee Mom and Dad so sorry Ah didn't let ya know
Ah was o.k. and alive all this time. But hey here Ah
am now.'

Oh yeah that would go down real well with
her parents. Especially her Father. She wasn't at all
sure how he would react to seeing her again. After
her mutation had manifested things had become
strained between them.

It didn't help that her Father had been an
avid supporter of the Mutant Registration Act. She
guessed having a mutant for a daughter had kinda
thrown him for a loop. Not to mention he'd been
more than a little freaked over what had happened
with David. Not that she could blame him. If he had
been the one to put someone in a coma for three
weeks with a simple kiss, she would probably have
been afraid of him also.

But weren't parents supposed to love you no
matter what? She was pulled away from her
thoughts when Scott stopped the car and she saw
they were finally there. The house looked the same
as when she had left it. She didn't know why she
thought it would have changed. It was kinda
egotistical of her to assume things would change
just because she was no longer around.

Scott put his hand on her shoulder startling
her. "Are you okay Marie?" He asked her, voice full
of concern.

"Yeah sugah, Ah'm okay just a little
nervous about seeing mah parents after so long."
She put her hand over his on her shoulder squeezing
lightly.

"It's perfectly natural to be nervous. But you
look more than nervous Marie. You look almost
scared. Is there any reason for you to be scared?"
Scott asked in his fearless leader tone.

Sighing she answered. "There are some
things Ah didn't tell ya about why Ah ran away. Ya
see the thing is this here town is full of FOH'rs and
racists. Ah was the first mutant this town had ever
seen. And the fact that Ah put the star quarterback
in a coma on top of mah being a mutant, well lets
just say it didn't win me any friends." Pausing she
looked at him trying to gauge his reaction.

He had his perfect listener face on so she
continued. "Mah Father was a strong supporter of
the MRA. So when Ah manifested and he realized
what Ah had done ta David, he called the police,
and Ah was thrown in jail." She had to stop then or
else she was going to start crying. Scott pulled her
into a hug and she buried her face in his shoulder.

"That's awful Marie. How could he do that
to his own daughter? Are you sure you even want to
see him after he did that to you?" He sounded like
he would've liked to pound her Father, which made
her feel a little better.

Pulling away from him a bit, she gave him a
small weak smile. "It's okay Scott. Really, it's just
the way he is. He was raised that way Ah don't hold
it against him." She gave him a quick peck on the
cheek, which made him smile.

Then she continued with her explanation.
"Ah was only in jail for one day before mah
Momma talked my Father into getting me out. But
when Ah got home that's when the real trouble
started. Mah father's friends didn't take kindly ta
him getting me outta jail like that. We started
getting threatening phone calls and some teenagers
spray painted 'Mutie Lovers' on the house. It was
just to much for mah Father ta take he stopped
talking ta me and he just ignored me like Ah wasn't
even there." She sobbed then. Brushing away the
angry tears that flooded her eyes. Scott tried to hug
her again but she stopped him.

"No, Ah'm alright." She told him so as to
not hurt his feelings. "But that wasn't the worst of
it. The worst came the day David woke up. He
couldn't remember who he was Scott. He couldn't
even remember how ta talk or eat. For God's sake
Scott he didn't even know how ta go ta the
bathroom by himself. Ah did that to him. Ah took
away everything that was him and left an empty
shell." She swiped angrily at her eyes as more tears
streamed from them.

"It wasn't your fault Marie. There is no way
to tell when someone is going to manifest. What
happened to David is unfortunate but you did not do
it on purpose." Scott tried to console her.

"It doesn't matter if it was mah fault or not
Scott. Ah was still the one who hurt him. Ah'll
never be able to forget that. Ah just wish that Ah
could turn back time and make it so it never
happened. But Ah can't and even if Ah could it
wouldn't change the fact that Ah had to leave." She
finished with a frustrated exhalation of breath.
Trying to remember where she had left off.

"You were saying it got worse when David
woke up." Scott reminded her gently.

Taking a deep breath, she continued. "Yeah
that seemed ta be the spark that lit the fuse for
everyone. When they found out that David had
brain damage, they just went crazy. They trashed
mah Fathers car and started throwing stuff at mah
momma when she went ta the store. They did other
stuff too but that was the worst until the night
before Ah ran away. That's when everything
seemed ta come to a head." She stopped then, as she
was suddenly flooded with memories of that night.

"A bunch of the town's folk started
gathering on our lawn and chanting 'The Mutie has
ta go'. There was only a couple at first and mah
Father went out and told 'em ta leave. But they
didn't and the police wouldn't make 'em. The
crowd grew and as it did, they got bolder. They
started throwing things at the house and then they
started breaking windows. And suddenly all hell
broke loose." She shivered in remembrance.

"Someone went around back and lit the back
porch on fire. Only we didn't know it until the
smoke began ta pour in the back door. Papa was
able to put the fire out thank God but that was the
last straw for him Ah guess. Because he started
yelling at me, he raised his hand, and Ah thought he
was gonna hit me but he just stormed out of the
house. Momma tried ta tell me he didn't mean the
things he said but Ah knew Ah had to leave." She
paused to take another breath before continuing.

"Ah went up to mah room packed my bag,
then waited for everyone ta leave and momma ta go
ta sleep. Ah didn't even leave 'em a note Ah just
left. Ya pretty much know the rest." She finished
with another sigh.

Scott was silent for a moment before he
spoke. "After all that was done to you here why
would you want to come back?" He sounded
confused.

"Ah guess Ah just need some closure ya
know. Like Ah said Ah didn't leave them a note
saying Ah was leaving. And Ah haven't tried to
make contact with them in all the time Ah've been
gone. So Ah need ta see them and like Ah said
before Ah would like ta tell them that Ah'm okay
and happy." She gave him a watery smile.

"Are you sure you want to do this Marie?
We could just leave now. You do not need to put
yourself through hell like this just to get closure."
Scott tried to persuade her.

"Yes, Ah'm sure sugah. It's not all that bad.
It was just remembering all that stuff made me a
little emotional. It'll be okay really. It's real sweet
of ya trying to protect me from getting hurt like that
but Ah need ta do this."

She looked over at her old house then and
saw the porch light had come on. So they know
someone's here she thought. Turning back towards
Scott she started to tell him they had better go in
before they drew any more attention to themselves,
but was interrupted by his mouth as he kissed her. It
was a quick hard kiss not even long enough for her
skin to react but she was left breathless.

Opening eyes she hadn't even realized she
had closed she was treated to one of Scott's rare
grins. "We'd better go in before we draw anymore
attention to ourselves." He said echoing her
thoughts exactly. Which made her grin back at him.

Scott got out of the car and made his way to
her side. He opened up her door for her bowing
deeply like some later day Sir Galahad. It made her
giggle. She knew he was just trying to lighten her
mood and make this all easier for her and she loved
him even more for that.

He held out his hand to her and she took it
gladly. After he shut the door, he wrapped his arm
around her waist and walked her to the door. Her
palms started sweating and she felt as if her heart
would explode from her chest any moment. As they
approached, the door was thrown open and in the
light she could see her momma standing there her
hands covering her mouth. Breaking away from
Scott, she ran forward and was enveloped in her
mother's arms.

"Oh Marie honey ya shouldn't have come
back here." Her Momma said her voice choked with
tears.

Rogue pulled back from her momma and
looked at the familiar plump face she had always
loved. However, the face was not exactly as she
remembered there were new wrinkles and there was
a tiredness that set on her face like a mask. Had she
done that to her momma Marie wondered.

"Come in ta the house before someone sees
ya and makes trouble." She motioned to Scott
letting him know he was included in the invitation,
before she went back inside. Rogue took Scott's
hand before following her momma inside. Scott
closed the door behind them.

They found her momma in the living room
twisting a corner of her robe around in her fingers.
She looked up as they came in and she looked
scared. It was then that Rogue realized her momma
was shivering even though it was near 80 degrees
outside.

"Why shouldn't Ah have come back
momma? Aren't ya glad ta see me." Rogue asked,
as she and Scott sat on the couch.

"Marie honey it's not that Ah'm not glad
yah here. But things were just starting to settle
down. If anyone finds out yah here it's all gonna
start over." She sounded so tired. It tore at Rogue's
heart to hear her momma sound like that.

"Ah just came back to let ya know that
Ah'm okay and that Ah found somewhere were
Ah'm welcome and happy." Tears burned at the
backs of her eyes but she refused to shed them in
front of her momma. "Ah wanted to come and tell
ya in person so ya could see for yahself. And so's
Ah could see ya again." She swallowed hard when
she saw the tears in her momma's eyes.

"Oh Marie. Ah knew ya was alright honey.
A smart girl like ya knows how to stay out of
trouble. 'Sides Ah'm yah momma and Ah knew in
mah heart ya was okay. Ah'm real happy ya found
somewhere ya fit and even happier to hear that yah
happy there. Now are ya gonna introduce me ta this
gentleman ya have with ya or are ya gonna continue
being rude." Rogue couldn't contain the laugh that
welled up at her momma's comment.

"Momma Ah'd like ya ta meet Scott. Scott
this here's my momma Anna Beth." Rogue made
the introductions and watched as Scott got up and
extended his hand to her momma.

"It's a pleasure to meet you mame." Scott
said as he kissed her momma's hand.

Her momma blushed prettily. "Oh ya are
quite the charmer aren't ya." Scott just grinned.

"Where's Daddy? He asleep still?" Marie
asked.

"No, honey. Yah Daddy is at the bar getting
hisself drunk. He does that a lot lately." She sighed.

"Daddy never used to drink. Is it 'cause of
me?" Rogue questioned her momma.

"It's not entirely 'cause of ya honey. It's got
a lot ta do with those damn men he's been
associating with. They're those Friends of
Humanity idiots. They've got ya Daddy thinking
that yah an abomination. Ah ain't gonna get inta it.
And Ah don't think it would be wise for ya ta stay
much longer honey. If'n they catch ya here Ah
don't know what they'd do." She looked at the door
as if expecting someone to barge in any minute.

"Momma are ya trying to tell me
something?" Rogue had barely asked the question
when they heard the squealing of tires outside. Scott
jumped to his feet and looked out the window by
the door.

"Momma what's going on?" Rogue was not
sure she wanted to know but asked anyway. Scott
turned back from the window and he had his 'The
Bad Guys are here and I'm going to protect you'
face on.

Rogue got up from the couch and rounded
the coffee table. "Momma what have ya done?"
When her momma just started crying Rogue knew.

"Ya called them didn't ya. Why'd ya do it
momma? Were ya just talking ta us ta keep us
here?" Rogue felt as if she might be sick.

"Marie we have to go now." Scott said.

Rogue looked down at her Mother and
realized that the woman was no longer her momma.
Because her momma would never have done this to
her.

"Ah hope ya 'kin live with yahself knowing
that yah hurting yah own flesh and blood." Rogue
turned to lead Scott to the back door when her
mother answered her.

"Ah had to Marie. Ya don't know what they
would have done ta me if Ah hadn't let them know
ya was here. If'n they found out later that ya was
here Ah would have been punished." She sounded
so alone that Rogue felt sorry for her.

"Ya could come with us." Rogue said.

"Mah place is here with yah Father. It
always has been. Ah can't leave." She'd barely
finished talking when the people outside started
pounding on the door demanding that they open up.

"Good-bye Momma." Her momma reached
out for her but Rogue just grabbed Scott's hand and
ran for the back door.

They had just gotten out the door when two
men rounded the corner of the house. "Hey you
Mutie stop right there. Ain't now way yer gettin'
away from us this time." One of them shouted.

Scott shoved her behind him and reached for
his glasses. "Scott no!" She shouted but was to late.
He lifted his glasses and let out an uncontrolled
burst of energy. He had aimed for a place just to the
left of the two men. That was what she had been
afraid of.

"Down now!" She shouted. Just as the
energy burst hit the now visible propane tank. Scott
only had time to turn around and grab her before the
explosion sent them both flying. He rolled in midair
so that when they hit the ground he was underneath
her. The impact was enough to drive the breath
from her lungs.

"Scott!" She screamed her ears ringing from
the blast. "Oh please answer me sugah. Are ya
alright?" She ran her hands over him frantically
trying to see if he was injured.

"I don't think this is the time or place for
you to be groping me babe." Scott said coughing.
"And as much as I like our current position, I think
it might be better if we were to get up and run away
while they're still recovering." Rogue punched his
shoulder causing him to wince.

"Ya idiot. Ah thought ya were hurt. But if ya
can crack jokes ya must be alright." She got up off
him and helped him get up. "Are ya really alright?"
She asked anxiously.

"Yes. Now let's go before they catch us."
He grabbed her hand and dragged her behind him as
he ran around the other side of the house. They
could hear the sound of the fire truck sirens in the
distance. And as they came back around to the front
of the house, they heard the shouting of the men as
they tried to put out the fire.

They snuck to the car and were getting in
when the men saw them. "Hey, there they are stop
them!" Rogue barely had time to shut her door
before Scott peeled out.

The others followed them but as soon as
they got on the highway Scott left them in his dust.
After several minutes of tense silence in which they
both watched their side view mirrors, Scott spoke.
"I'm sorry that things turned out the way they did. I
don't know what to say. I'm just sorry."

"Ya don't need ta be sorry sugah. It was
stupid ta go back. Ah should've known that it would
just cause trouble. It was stupid of me ta think that
things had blown over." She stared out her window
watching as the tree's sped by.

"You said yourself that you needed closure.
It wasn't stupid to want to see your parents again.
And there was no way for you to know that things
would go down like they did." He reached over and
squeezed her knee.

"What did Ah do right ta deserve such a
great guy like ya?" Rogue asked.

"You're just lucky I guess." Scott said
grinning.

They both laughed as they speed off into the
night. All their dark thoughts chased away by their
happiness in just being alive and together.
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