Uncanny X-Men (6th series) #5

(Six months ago)

Buffalo, New York, where inside a glass building, a woman asks 'Again, Mrs LeBeau. Once more for me, please'. Anna-Marie LeBeau a.k.a. the X-Man called Rogue, sits in a chair and reads from a small book. 'Shug - “Sugar”' she corrects herself. 'That very good. That's excellent' the speech therapist sitting opposite Rogue remarks, before asking her to repeat the highlighted sonnet. 'Can you -' the therapist asks, to which Rogue declares 'Ah can read. It's not that. Ah read jes' fine. Better 'n most'. The therapist corrects her: “I can read just fine” and tells Mrs LeBeau to remember the roundness of the vowel sounds. “Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye” Rogue reads from the book, before asking 'Who talks like this? No one talks like this'. The therapist tells her that she understands, before suggesting that she should try anyway. 'Ah can't' Rogue responds. “I cannot” the therapist corrects her. “I. Cannot” Rogue utters, before remarking that it hurts so bad. 'Excuse me?' the therapist asks. 'I only. It hurts. So bad' Rogue responds. The therapist looks concerned and asks her if she is all right.

(Now)

Rogue is wearing her costume. She is sprawled on the ground. One of her hands and arms is drenched in blood. She only knows she isn't dead because it hurts so much. That monster – Sarah Gaunt. 'She took out two of us. Like we was... like was nothin'. She broke us like the neck of a cookin' hen' Rogue thinks, before telling herself to get up – as everyone is counting on her. 'Get up. Get up' Rogue repeats again, struggling to sit up in the forest. 'Cain't. Can't, I mean. Dammit. I. Cannot...' Rogue declares, before she goes wide-eyed, as she sees Sarah Gaunt – the Hag – looming over her.

The frightening woman raises one of her long claws towards Rogue's face, and greets her. 'Had a nice rest?' she asks, before announcing that she has a nice idea. She presses the tip of her claw to Rogue's forehead and informs Rogue that she thought she would take her hair – her beautiful hair. 'Of course, that means I'll have to take the flesh underneath as well. Would you mind very much? It may sting a bit' the Hag declares. Blood begins to trickle down Rogue's face, and the Hag tells her that it is a line – a flat line – like the boy in the hospital, the one Rogue watched die. 'How amusing' the Hag notes. Rogue closes her eyes, and tells herself to get up – but she cannot. Suddenly, a voice calls out to her: 'Rogue. Rogue. Can I help?' the voice asks, and Rogue goes wide-eyed.

Meanwhile, at Haven House in Louisiana, Logan a.k.a. Wolverine is blindfolded, but he announces that he can smell them – there is a hundred – a hundred and four maybe – and three of them have the same S.T.D. 'Well now, dat's real helpful, Logan' Remy LeBeau a.k.a. Gambit responds, to which Logan tells him that he hopes he has an extra deck of cards. Gambit holds up a box and announces that he had a think about that – and Marcus' little girl, Chelsea, has a whole murder of cards with the little cartoon monsters on them. 'Do we tell him that they are valuable Brute Force collectible cards, do you think?' the young mutant called Hotoru a.k.a. Deathdream, asks. 'Mmmmaybe laterrr' Sofia Yong a.k.a. Jitter suggests, pointing out that, right now, Logan has other worries.

Indeed, Wolverine pops his claws as he is crouched, ready for battle, while Gambit stands behind him. Jubilee is at Gambit's side, and creates some plasma explosives, while Kurt Wagner a.k.a. Nightcrawler teleports behind them. Jitter and Deathdream are joined by Valentin Correa a.k.a. Ransom and Becca Simon-Pinette a.k.a. Calico, who is on her horse, Ember. Surrounding the group of mutants is the Hag's army of soldiers, and a transformed mutant called Fawn. Wolverine tells the kids to stay back when the army comes close, and asks Gambit to say the word. 'You scarin' my friends, shadow steps. You best go. Or you gon' get hurt. Las' chance!' Gambit calls out.

Jubilee frowns as she thinks to herself that she didn't want this – she recalls how she came in as a mall rat, and ended up a soldier. But what she really wants to do, what she really loves, is to dance. And sing. Be with her friends and make rainbows in the sky. But she knows if she wants those things for her and others like her, she has to fight. She knows it is worth it – for her friends. She would follow these friends into battle, and straight to Hell, if necessary. The young mutants stand ready, as Gambit tells the army that he is going to count to three. 'One' he calls out, while Jitter asks if anyone else is scared. 'Two!' Gambit declares. 'We got this, sister. Stay close' Ransom responds as he takes her hand. 'Mama said there'd be goblins' Deathdream utters, as Gambit announces 'Three'. He then leads the mutants forward to the army: 'And that's all. Bust that line, X-Men! GO!'

At that moment, Rogue shields her eyes from a blinding light, as a voice calls out to her. Rogue thinks that one can't be an X-Man as long as her and not know there are other planes and networks – other ways to understand. But she didn't anticipate getting a wake-up call from a child who died not fifteen geet from her while she was a weeping mess. 'Harvey?' Rogue gasps as she looks over and sees the child standing before her. 'Hello, Rogue. Sorry if I scared you' Harvey remarks. 'I know what this means' Rogue remarks. 'You do?' Harvey asks her. 'Means I'm deceased, yeah? Passed on. You're welcoming me to whichever place I'm fixin' to go. I'm dead' Rogue responds. 'Yes. You're dead' Harvey confirms, before telling Rogue that she needs to listen to him – if she doesn't, then everyone is dead.

Back in Louisiana, the battle rages, as one of the soldiers shouts 'All hail, mother! Sainted Sarah, mother to us all!' Gambit tosses several kinetically-charged playing cards and remarks to Logan 'Don' slice me up none, my friend'. Logan is slashing his way through the army and assures Gambit that he has his scent, so he is safe, before remarking that maybe they should all make a little hoot owl noise or whistle once in a while. 'Noted' Jubilee responds as she knocks one of the soldiers backwards. She thinks to herself that it is no secret that she loves Wolverine, he saved her life a dozen times – and holy hell, woe betide anyone who tries to hurt his hairy behind. Jubilee vows to show them rainbows they won't like at all, as she knocks back several soldiers who approach Wolverine from behind.

Nightcrawler turns to the children and tells them that if this goes bad, and the first of the X-Men goes down, they are to run. 'That is an order' he adds, to which Ransom asks 'Hey, don't you normally use, like, a pirate sword or some such thing?' one of the Hag's army rushes forward, sword ready to strike, when Nightcrawler kicks backwards, knocking the sword out of the soldier's hand. 'I'm not a killer, Ransom. I thought I was. I was wrong' Nightcrawler declares. Ransom turns to his companions and remarks 'Like the man said, last chance. Are we still a go on this?' to which Jitter exclaims that they can't leave the people in Haven House to this trash. 'I am dead half the time already' Deathdream responds matter-of-factly. 'Okkkkay' Jitter remarks, before turning to the army and calling out 'Alllll right, ugly you. You stare, what stare? Jeet kune do!' Calico calls out to her horse, Ember, and shouts 'Juggernaut!' and both Calico and Ember find themselves in a glowing Juggernaut-like armor. Ransom mutters that he needs to get a cool battle phrase.

As Calico and Ember charge through the Hag's army, while the Hag's voice can be heard communicating with Fawn. 'Yes, Mother Gaunt?' Fawn asks. 'The one on the horse. I want you to take her out yourself. Loudly. Messily' the Hag orders. 'Yes, Mother' the transformed Fawn responds. 'Good girl. Good girl. Mommy loves you' the Hag utters. Sarah Gaunt tells her that she will be there soon, that she is just having her face fixed, and getting her hair done at the moment. 'Yes, Mother' Fawn responds as she rushes forward. Nearby, Ransom stands his ground as sword-carrying men move towards him. 'All right, cultists. Come at me, y'hear? Kill me!' Ransom shouts. 'As you request, disbeliever. Blessed be the blood' one of the soldiers responds as two swords are shoved into Ransom's chest. 'Yes. That's exactly the spot' Ransom responds as his black-hole heart responds by providing Ransom with a surge of energy, which he casts back at the soldiers. 'Oh, and also? Tell Mother I said to kiss my -' Ransom shouts as the soldiers are knocked out.

Meantime, Rogue rubs her head, she thinks that whatever is happening to her body, her physical form feels so far away right now. 'But Nightcrawler said...he said you were -' Rogue begins, as Harvey interrupts: 'Really low on the power scale. I know, I kinda sorta lied about that. Little bit...' Harvey's voice trails off before he explains that his body was trapped in a hospital gown and slippers, slowly eating itself – but his mind – he could see so far ahead. Harvey X raises his arms and several visions appear – Nightcrawler with additional arms, Professor X with Magneto's helmeet on his head. Colossus in a pool of blood with several robotic hounds looming over him. And Rogue, wearing an old X-Men training costume, with a visor over her eyes, which glows. Another vision – the four youngsters and the horse – their skeletons, propped up against grave stones. 'I saw Sarah coming. For mutants without protection. Easy prey. I called them to the door I knew you would be at' he reveals.

Rogue is shocked at the revelation that Harvey saw all of this while he died, at only 12 years old. 'Harvey. What did you do?' Rogue asks, putting her hands on Harvey's face. 'I had to protect them. That's what an X-Man would do, right?' Harvey asks. 'I touched your hand, Anna' Harvey reminds Rogue. 'I made you absorb my powers' he reveals. Rogue looks at her hands, 'No. How did you -' she begins, to which Harvey asks her if she felt it – little insights into people that she couldn't possibly know – like tasting ice cream while it's still in the freezer. 'Harvey. Why didn't you tell us?' Rogue asks. 'Don't you know? Because I saw my future, Anna. I saw my parents at my funeral. And you never would have let me make the sacrifice that had to be made' Harvey points out.

At that moment, 'Anna Marie LeBeau, where did you go? Is someone in there with you?' the Hag snarls as she looms over Rogue.

Back in Louisiana, 'And one for you. Can't forget you, ja? And a special one for you' Nightcrawler calls out as he teleports from one soldier to another, taking each of them out. Jubilee looks over to where Deathdream has transformed into a cloud-like form and trapped a soldier, while Jitter kicks several soldiers backwards. Jubilee notes that the two of them seem to automatically have each other's backs. 'Good. We might win this thing. If our luck holds' Jubilee tells herself – but suddenly, there is the realization that the luck will not hold. Fawn slams into Ember, knocking Calico from her steed. Her “armor” gone, Calico falls to the ground, and several soldiers close in around her, swords at the ready. Jubilee knows that she can't reach her in time, and that this could be all of them soon.

Suddenly, Wolverine appears behind the soldiers. The soldiers turn their attention from Calico to Wolverine, who asks them to stay put for a minute. 'Don't hurt the girl none either' he warns them. The soldiers don't move, which is perfect for Wolverine, who begins to slash his way through them, severing limbs and sending blood flying everywhere. 'Mighty grateful to you. You sorry cult bastards' Wolverine snarls. Jubilee uses this moment to rush over to Fawn and blinds her with a flash of plasma energy. 'We're barely holding our own, and half those robed freaks aren't even down the hill yet' Jubilee thinks to herself, before deciding that she is wrong – that they are losing – and fast, as several soldiers grab Jitter, and Deathdream is shoved to the ground.

Jubilee calls out to Gambit, who tells her 'I know'. Jubilee suggests that they don't have a choice, and once again Gambit tells her that he knows. He pulls the Eye of Power from his jacket. 'I don't know how to use you. Please save my friends' Gambit utters. 'Even if it kills me' he adds as he unleashes the Eye, which blasts a wave of green energy across the battlefield. 'For my Rogue. I love you forever, wife' Gambit remarks.

Back in the other plane of existence, Rogue hangs her head and asks Harvey why he is telling her this. 'I can't beat her. I can't fight magic' she points out. Harvey smiles and tells Rogue that the things is, he can, and that all he ever wanted was to be an X-Man – and now is his chance.

'Wake up, little belle. Wake up, or I'll skin your everything' the Hag warns Rogue as she continues to loom over her.

Harvey tells Rogue that he will hold the Hag back, the best he can. 'And you kick her skinny pale ass for her!' Harvey exclaims. Rogue rubs her hand, and tells Harvey that she cracked her wrist open. 'I can't fight like that' she remarks. 'Yes. Okay. I've been keeping another secret. Sorry' Harvey responds, before revealing that he has a bit of a healing power, too, that it kept him alive. 'Down to my last li'l bit. Been saving it for you' he explains, as Rogue's wrist begins to reconstitute itself. 'Last chance, little leech girl. Wake up, or Mommy spank!' the Hag snarls. The bones in Rogue's wrist crack back into place, and Rogue thinks to herself 'Well, well, well. Roger all that, Harvey. I hear you. And ain't it just a peach'.

'Hello, Sarah' Rogue smiles as she opens her eyes. 'What...how did you?' the Hag gasps, wide-eyed. 'Lady. I'ma need you to hush up for once in yer damn life!' Rogue declares as she kicks the Hag backwards, then flies up into the air after her. 'Now. Where were we?' Rogue asks, fists clenched and ready for battle. 'Oh yes. I 'member, Sugah' Rogue frowns as she wraps her hands around the Hag's throat and forces her backwards. 'Take her out! Hurry!' Harvey grins. Memories flood into Rogue's mind – not her own memories, but Sarah's. 'Oh. Oh, Sarah. The lies we tell' Rogue remarks as she shoves her knee into the Hag's face. 'No. Stop!' the Hag pleads, but Rogue suggests to her that they share, that it would be good for all of them. Rogue knows that the Hag is a murderer, a kidnapper and a genocider. But some part of her hates being this cruel.

(in memory)

Charles Xavier and Sarah Gaunt walk together past a lake, and Charles tells Sarah that he cares for her, but that there is no baby – she isn't pregnant. 'You're a liar, Charles! You can't – you can't know!' Sarah responds, to which Charles informs her that he has abilities, and that they can work through this.

(now)

The Hag pulls away from Rogue, horrified, 'But...but my son' she utters. 'Came later. Almost a year' Rogue informs her, adding that, for what it is worth, she was a good mother to him. Rogue knows that Sarah lost her son in the most horrific way she can think of – her son drowned, and Sarah blamed herself. 'Charles...he could have pretended. He could have pretended. But all he cared about was mutants' the Hag snarls, leering at Rogue, before she lunges at her, boasting that she will kill every one of them. 'You'll have no children. No baby freaks. I'll kill them in their cribs!' she screeches, while Rogue grabs the Hag by her wrists, holding her back, while knowing that the Hag's threats are real, and that she will just keep coming – unless she stops her for good. 'No, you won't, Sarah. I'm sorry' Rogue announces as she breaks both of the Hag's wrists. The Hag falls to the ground, sprawled out on the ground, her broken hands still in claw-like formation. Rogue stands over her. 'I'm so damned tired' she thinks to herself, before Harvey calls out to her, and tells her that he has to go now.

Rogue looks over to where Harvey's astral form is standing nearby. Rogue doesn't know what to say. She wonders how she can say anything without breaking down in tears – before realizing that there is one precious thing she can say. 'Harvey X. X-Man' Rogue calls out. 'The things he'll never get to do. I can't...I can't face it' Rogue utters. Harvey smiles and tells her not to be sad, and that when he is gone, his powers will leave, too. 'Don't forget about me, okay?' he asks. 'Never. Fly, blackbird. Fly' Rogue thinks as she looks out over the lake ahead of her towards the rising sun in the distance.

At Haven House, the St. Juniors family are still taking shelter in the basement. 'It's gone silent. They could all be... I have to go help' Marcus tells his wife and daughter. His wife begins to protest, when the basement door opens, and Gambit appears. 'It's all good, Marcus. Someway, we actually won. Y'all can come out – they gone' Gambit announces. Gambit and Marcus go out to the front porch, and Marcus asks 'Where are they?' to which Gambit informs him that they are gone, that Rogue beat the witch, and he told them to go home. Logan approaches Gambit and tells him that they won because of Rogue. 'She's been taking diction lessons. God knows why. I want you to ask her to stop. Tell her' Logan exclaims. 'Tell her she's perfect as is'.

Elsewhere, at a private airstrip outside Houma, Louisiana. Doctor Corina Ellis and Captain Ezra stand near a large cage, and an aircraft, ready to be loaded with the cage. Captain Ezra tells Dr. Ellis that he wished she had stayed at Graymalkin, as this one is dangerous, and this could be a trap. 'If she makes a move, shoot her, Captain' Dr. Ellis responds. Rogue descends down towards Corina Ellis. She hates this – even for Sarah – as it is a betrayal of what she has been fighting for. 'Ah'm here. Tell your man – if he makes a move? Ah'll wrap that plane around 'im like a cheap jacket' Rogue warns Corina Ellis. 'Understood, Ms. LeBeau' Dr. Ellis responds, looking up at Rogue, who carries the unmoving Sarah Gaunt in her arms.

Rogue places Sarah on the ground and points out that she has nowhere to hold Sarah. 'You seen to that. So I leave her with you' Rogue declares, before leaving Dr. Ellis with a message: 'You free her? You let her escape? You weaponize her in any way...? I'll rip your devil's island up and make you eat it' Rogue warns Corina. 'It was our home. Be a good houseguest. Because someday soon? We're gonna come to the gate... and take it all back' Rogue announces as she flies away before Dr. Ellis can respond.