The Worst Shade of Green

Hank smiled as he handed Callie back her clothes. "Told you it would be over soon." He said smiling and pulling the curtain shut once again so she could change.

Callie looked down to her clothes, holding them tenderly in her hands. She felt much better but still a bit violated at the same time. Sighing she removed her hospital gown and redressed herself into her old clothes.

"We should have your results for your tests in a few days. As for injury's you have a hair line crack on your ribs. You're shoulder is injured but it should heal on it's own. It may just be sore for a few days." He said.

She blinked and stared in confusion at him. She didn't know what any of that meant but none the less nodded in reply. "Can I see him now?"

Hank sighed knowing she was going to ask that question. "Let me call down there first. See if it's safe." He said.

She nodded slowly as her heart began to beat faster. She was worried for him, worried he could be dead or worse.

Hank entered his small office area and made the call. He came back out and shrugged.

"Rogue will be here a moment to take you down there."

She nodded slowly and sat back on the hospital bed.

Rogue appeared a few minutes later and rested her hands on Callies shoulders. "Lets go sugar." She smiled and lead Callie to the containment cell.


---

"You're going to fix it?" Logan asked shocked.

"Why not? I mean it could... Oh Hi...." Forge said looking as Callie walked into the room.

She nodded to him as she past and put her hands onto the glass. She stared down at him sadly then looked to Logan. "Can I go in there and see him?"

Logan raised an eyebrow at her. "No." He said simply.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Cause it's not safe." Logan said simply. Forge looked between the two.

"I'll get started on the uh..... yeah..." He said awkwardly before leaving the room.

"He's already tied up with, most likely, a huge concussion what more do you want?" She mumbled and stared back to her master.

"I want you..." Logan said said as he picked up a hand held scanner from the table. "To forget about him." He ran the scanner over her thin collar. It beeped and snapped open. "And go upstairs and rest." He said putting the scanner back down. "Once you're well, you can go. You're free."

She felt the collar fall from her neck and collide with the floor. The sound echoing in her ears as she slowly fingered her neck. She had forgotten what it was like to not have it on, it had become a part of her, and she felt lost with out it.

"I don't want to be free..." She whispered. "I'll never be free." She said. "I leave here I'll be hunted. I want to be with him." She said picking up the collar again. She looked to Toad who tears pricking her eyes.

"I don't get you kid." Logan said softly. "Why do you want to be with him?"

"Because I love him." She replied as she tightened her grip upon the collar. "He doesn't mean to be acting the way he is...he's a good man underneath."

Logan sighed. "Callie, we found out what his machine does." He said. "Because of his mutation he has a type of chemical in his blood that affects his brain. It makes him... unstable. That machine he has stabilizes it. This..." He said pointing at Toad. "And this...." He said pointing to her injured arm. "This is him."

"And it's not like he asked become a mutant in the first place." She countered then walked to the door.

"No.... it's not." Logan said. "It's no ones fault. But that's who he is Callie." He said. "If Forge can't fix that machine, he's going to stay the same. Or even if he does fix it, and it brakes again and it can't be repaired. Then what?" He asked. "You're just going to put up with the abuse?"

She stopped in the doorway and looked back over her shoulder at him, her hand against the door frame. "Haven't you had someone that you care for so much that it didn't matter what monster they turned into? You still love them and still continue to help them even though you know its in vain?"

Logan closed his eyes a moment before looking at him. "Yeah." He said simply.

She fell silent, feeling no more words were needed as she disappeared up the stairs.

"Suger?" Rogue asked coming out the room and coming to the stairs. "Can I speak with you a moment. In private?"

"...why?" She asked with a hint nervousness in her voice.

"Just want to talk. Nice having another girl here for once."

"...Your the only woman here?" She blinked as her eyes slowly widened.

"I am now." He said. "There's just me Logan, Forge and Gambit left." She said. "There used to be a lot more of us but..."

"...it must be hard to fend them off everyday right?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her stomach.

"What do you mean fend them off?" Rogue asked confused.

"...They don't...come onto you?" She asked also confused.

Rogue laughed finally understanding. "Well... Gambit tries too... but because of my mutation I can't touch other people's skin. I can't make any kind of physical contact."

"Oh..." She blinked and looked down to the ground sadly. "...I feel bad for a lot of you...robbed of simple pleasures because of a mutation...it's not fair..."

"Most of us look at it as more of a gift." She said. "It's how we deal with it."

"What did you want to talk about?" She asked.

"Nothing in particular." She said. "Just thought you'd be needing a friend right about now."

"I just want Mort back..." She replied.

"I know." She said sympathetically.

She looked sad then rested her hand upon her stomach. "And our baby..."

"You're.... You're pregnant?" She asked misunderstanding the statement.

"...was...lost it when I fell..." She mumbled and sat down on the nearest chair.

Rogue watched her a moment. "You didn't really fall down stairs did you?" It was more of a statement than a question. "Is it because of Toad you lost it?" She asked.

She stared at her for a moment then shook her head. "He wasn't home when it happened...it was another mutant... he broke in..."

"Toad just left you home alone?" She asked.

"He has a name." She said annoyed. "It's Mortimer Toynbee, not Toad."

"I know... but we have history Toad and us X-Men.... To us it's no different than him calling me Rogue."

She looked a little more annoyed but kept her mouth shut.

Rogue sighed. "Look sugah why don't you get some rest and we'll see how the day goes tomorrow. You can take any of the rooms upstairs on the second floor except for the first two on the left side." Callie nodded and silent crept up the stairs. She poked her head into one of the rooms. It looked like it hadn't been used in months. She sat down on the bed cross legged and stared down at the thin metal collar in her hands. She put it back around her neck and tried to click it back in place but the electronic lock was shot. It was broken. She no longer belonged to Mort anymore. She held it in her lap once more and stared at the device.

She felt tears coming to her eyes as she tried once more to place the collar around her neck, still it did not lock. She lowered the collar and then set it on the nightstand, her other hand whipping her eyes as she laid down against the bed.

She looked up at the collar, the slight glimpse of the moon shinning off the silver metal a moment before she grabbed it off the nightstand and held it tightly.

Sitting up again she moved to the window and pushed the drapes farther back. She stared out onto the grounds of the school, a light fog drifting over the grass.

Turning quickly she left her room and walked through the halls until finding a door leading outside. Once the door was opened and she stood out in the chill she felt relieved.

It was almost like Mortimer's back yard only much much bigger. Smiling softly she stepped out onto the dew covered grass.

She sat on the fountain. "What am I going to do?" She sighed to herself.

She stared down into the crystal water, watching her gloomy reflection staring back at her. The water seemed to still itself the longer she stared. then she blinked and slapped the threshold of the water, rippling her reflection and turned away.

She slid off the fountain as she lost control. Tears flowed down her cheeks her whole body wracked with sobs as she buried her face in her knees hugging them to her chest.

Gambit came to a halt as he spied the little redhead through the bushes, smirking widely as he strolled over. "Bonjour Cher...why are you cryin?" He asked in a smooth tone and knelt down next to her.

Callie gasped and looked up, jumping away form him slightly.

"Go away." She said. "Leave me alone." She hugged the collar closer to her as if it would make her safe.

"C'mon now Cher...I won't hurt you." Gambit replied smoothly as he cupped her chin.

Callie made a high pitched sound as she slapped him.

"I said get away from me!" She yelled again.

"Whohoho. No need to shout Cher." Gambit rubbed his cheek softly and cocked his head as he moved closer. "My names Gambit...what's yours Mademoiselle?" He asked as he kissed her hand quickly.

Callie blinked and yanked her hand away. 'What is he stupid?' She though as she looked around quickly for someone to help her.

"Stop flirting with me." She said. "Leave me alone."

"Come now Cher, I just want to know why such a beautiful girl is out here cryin all by herself." He replied.

"You really don't give up do you?" She asked playing with the collar in her hands.

Gambit chuckled as he stood up and offered his hand to her. "Come with me Cher, Gamibt will make it all better."

"I'd rather not." She said looking away from him. Gambit sat on the edge of the fountain.

"You be the one with the frog man non?" He asked.

"Yes..." She replied timidly.

"Why are you so worried about him cher?" Gambit asked. "If he did this too you?" He asked running a hand lightly over the bruise on her face, not enough to hurt her.

She shyed away from his touch. "Because it's not his fault."

"Ah... a man gets violent and it's not his fault." Gambit said as if that made everything better.

"It's is Mutation...it drove him crazy..." She mumbled shamefully, feeling somehow guilty for trying to protect her master.

"That is still no excuse." Gambit said. "You deserve better than that mon cher."

"...no...I don't..." She replied.

"Why not?" He asked. "You are a beautiful girl." Remi said.

"Beauty...is a curse...being human ...is a death sentence. Being both...well...why should I deserve better? I'm just going to get killed one day anyway." She shrugged.

"Don't think like that. You are a person. You are no different than me or anyone else. You should not be treated any differently.

"...your weird." She mumbled, pulling her knees to her chest and lying her forehead upon them.

"Think what you want cher...." He said standing up. "I'll talk to Logan about you seeing him."

"Good luck." She mumbled.

---

"Hows the machine coming along?" Logan asked as Forge came into the room.

"Well... I found out what's wrong with it." He said. "It's a matter of being able to fix it. I don't think I'll be able too."

"What do you mean you can't fix it?" Logan asked, his brow furrowed.

"I mean I can't fix it." Forge said again. He jumped as Toad jumped against the window falling back again. He had broken through his binds the only thing keeping him contained now was his cell.

Logan took a long suck from his cigar and exhaled the smoke slowly as he stared through the glass at Toad. "I know someone who can. He can make bombs out of stick of chewing gum if he wanted."

There was another thud as Toad kicked at the window. Forge looked at him.

"Yeah but this isn't a bomb it's a very complex high tech machine."

"Trust me." He replied and walked to the window, blowing smoke onto it as he stared at Toad. "What do you want?"

"Let me out!" Toad yelled.

"Not gonna happen." He replied and turned away. "I'll be back in a minute." He said to Forge as he moved up the stairs.

Callie moved down as Logan was moving up and entered into the room slowly, seeing Toad she walked to the window and put her hands against the glass.

"No funny business kid." Logan called down as he stepped into the hall.

She flinched from him as he jumped against the window again.

"Stop it...your going to hurt yourself." She called as she pressed herself to the glass again.

Toad jumped into the glass again. It cracked slightly.

She jumped back, staring wide eyed at him then looked at Forge.

Toad fell back on the floor blood dripping off his forehead.

"Oh no... go get Hank." She said to Forge and moved to the glass again.

Toad got up and crouched on the floor looking like a caged animal.

"Baby? Are you alright?" She asked.

He glared at her a moment before hopping over to the corner of his cell. He stayed there mumbling something to himself though the words to her where incohearant.

She looked down slowly and shook her head. "Fine..." She mumbled and turned. She walked to the stairs and stopped looking over her shoulder one last time before moving up them.

"Callie!" She paused as she heard him yell her name. She came back into the room to see him jump at the glass again.

"...what?" She mumbled, not looking at him as she stood inches from the glass.

He looked at her with both of his hands on the glass and sank to the floor. "Don't leave..." He said. "Don't leave me..." His voice was so quiet no one but her heard him.

She knelt down slowly and pressed her hands to the glass where his were on the other side. "...I won't..." She replied staring at him.

She turned to Logan. "Can you let me in. Please." She begged.

Logan glared at the crack in the glass then looked down at her. "No kid. To dangerous."

"Please Logan." Callie begged. "I'm all he has. He's scared being locked up by himself.... Please." She felt tears pricking her eyes and she bit her lip.

"Ah c'mon don't start crying..." He mumbled and rolled his eyes. "Fine. But I go in with you in case he starts up." He added then moved to the door.

Callie smiled and stood up and walked to his side. "Thank you."

"Step away from the glass bub." Logan said to Toad. Toad didn't move as he stared at the glass running his hand over it.

"Move back Mort." Callie called.

Toad didn't respond for many moments before he sat down on the floor and slid back using his hands to push him back.

Logan mumbled under his breath as he punched in the code, not noticing Callie watch him do it. The door slid open and she moved in quickly, dropping down at his side and wrapping her arms tightly around him.

Logan rolled his eyes and shut the door behind him and leaned against it.

Toad hugged her but didn't look up at her. He was scared that if he did she wouldn't really be there. That it would have been all a figment of his imagination.

"It's ok, I'm here." She whispered softly to him as she petted his hair slowly.

Toad shivered slightly. He sat on the floor wearing nothing but a pair of black sweats. "I'm sorry." He said so that only she could hear him.

"It's ok...they're going to make you better soon. Then we can go back home." She replied.

"No..." He said. "No you can't... you can't come back with me." He said. "I'll... you'll...."

"No you won't." She replied and pressed her finger to his lips.

Toad pulled away from her and curled in on himself. He shook his head his hands over his head as if trying to protect himself from an unseen foe.

"Mort?" She called and crawled closer to him.

Toad didn't move this time nor did he react to her.

Logan moved over quickly and pulled her up to her feet easily.

"Let go!!" She cried.

"No." He replied and drug her out form the cage and shut the door after them.

"He hasn't done anything wrong!" Callie cried. "Why did you drag me out!"

"Because he's not to be trusted, now get outta here." He pushed her towards the stairs.

Callie shot him a look of daggers and ran up the stairs again.

"That was mean Logan" Forge said. "She was right he didn't do anything to harm anyone." He looked into the cell where Toad sat still as a statue still covering his head.

"I know him." Logan grumbled and took another suck on his cigar. "He's not to be trusted."

"Do you know him Logan?" Forge asked. "Or the man he followed. The man he thought cared about him?"

Logan stared at him. "You looking for a fight Forge?" He growled.

"No." Forge said. "But you're being unfair. To both of them."

"Yeah well not everyone can get what they want." He replied and sat down in his chair once more.

"Are you doing this because he is unsafe. Or because you are taking out your pain on them because of Jean?" He asked.

Logan didn't reply.

------

Callie laid in her room, face down on her bed with her collar tight in her grasp.

"I heard they let you go see him." Morna said stepping into her room. "Is he doing better?"

"No. He's getting worse." She heard her mumbled into the pillow in an un-happy tone. "He was calm though. It might have been the sedatives they gave him though. He seemed so sad."

Morna nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed. "You still have your collar? I threw mine away already."

"I'm keeping it..." Callie said quickly and pulled it under her body protectively.

"You feel like it's the only thing keeping you connected to him." Morna said more than asked.

Callie moved up and turned to lie on her side with the Collar pressed to her chest. "I feel incomplete with out it." She replied.

"It'll all work out for the best." Morna said. "I'm sure it will."