Tate and Rogue
Tate was happily sewing away with Becky and Martha again when Rogue entered the room. Tate looked at Rogue curiously, remembering the last time they met, but there was something else this time.
Rogue ignored the girls and went on with her own business.
Tate got up and walked over.
"Hey," she said cheerfully.
Rogue eyed her warily.
"Hey..."
There was quiet for a moment.
"I can help you," Tate said.
"Help me? What are you -" then she saw Tate's hand headed for her face, "No! Don't!"
But it was too late. Even though Rogue attempted to deflect her hand, Tate touched her skin, and was absorbed.
Two things happened at once. Rogue clamped her hands to her ears and yelled "Get out of my head!" then suddenly stopped, looked around and asked, "Goodness me, wherever did Ah put my needle?"
Tate, on the other hand, was crumpled on the floor in a little ball, crying and whimpering and begging for the silence to go away and the voices to come back.
Rogue wandered over to Becky and Martha, and picked up the needle Tate had been using. Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Rogue frowned at the needle in confusion.
Tate breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.
"My goodness," she said. "I never want to go through that again! But it was worth it if it helped you, Rogue."
Rogue turned and stared at the girls.
"What... what... happened?" she frowned. "I... I can barely feel you... or any of the others in my head..."
Tate was all smiles.
"Then it did work! Oh joy! You see, Rogue, pathic shifters become what people want them to become, but at the same time, we constantly have to sift through thoughts and emotions and the like. I was born knowing how to do this. However, while your power accumluates voices so, it does not neccesarily teach you how to deal with them. But by you absorbing me, you know have my experience."
Rogue gazed at Tate for a moment.
"But... but it's more than that..." she said softly. "If... if someone wants you to be a protector, you're a protector... and I think that's what you're doing in my head... protecting me from... from the others."
Tate's smile grew wider.
"Then it worked better than I thought it would. Just think of me as your own guardian angel."
Rogue was grinning now.
"I will," she said happily. "Oh yes I will. Thank you so much, Tate! My head has never felt so... so... so clear before."
"It was my pleasure."
Becky and Martha
Becky smiled. "I was praying for help for you, Rogue. I've been prayng for you every night and every morning, that you'd be able to handle it all. Now I see my prayers have been answered. Oh bbut this si a remarkable place, now isn't it?" Becky said, continuing her stitching.
"Aye, but it is," Martha agreed, her knitting needles never slowing. "I believe we will see many wondrous things while we are here."