remix_redux | Fic: They All Fall Down (Ashes, Ashes Remix) [X-Men movieverse; Scott Summers, Erik Lehnsherr; PG13] (Reply)

Title: They All Fall Down (Ashes, Ashes Remix)
Author:

renata_kedavra
Summary: Scott Summers tries to fight the voices in his head; they fight back. Powerswap universe.
Fandom: X-Men movieverse
Character(s): Rogue, Scott Summers, Erik Lehnsherr
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Property of Marvel.
Original story: They All Fall Down by

roguewords (formerly "just_like_rogue")
Notes: Thanks very much to my lovely beta,

melayneseahawk!

Erik sits patiently in the corner of Scott's mind. It's crowded here, but he's been through worse. This time, he supposes he brought it upon himself. Of course, when he had touched the boy, he had no idea that this could happen, that some... shadow-self could exist independently, and for so long. He is not sure how long he had been here, here in Scott's mind, but he thinks perhaps it has been years.

He wishes he could find Mystique, she surely could reach into Scott's mind and free Erik. He wonders that she hasn't found him already, with Cerebro--but then, why would she? Who would suspect that this skinny street boy contained within him the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants?

Jean, the loud redhead, screams something. Scott sighs, and is quiet. He always seems tired. He's not used to waiting, not the way Erik is. Erik is good at waiting.

Erik hears footsteps coming; they all hear footsteps coming. Scott doesn't really care, but Erik is interested. So, it seems, is Logan, once the pretty young woman enters the room.

"Hello, I'm Rogue. I'm a doctor here," she says. Erik smirks at that; what kind of a name is that for a doctor? Why does she not, at the very least, refer to herself as Dr. Rogue? He considers making himself heard, but instead he is mildly surprised to find another voice fighting its way to the top of Scott's consciousness.

"Hey Marie. How's it been?"

The doctor--if indeed she was a doctor--dropped her clipboard. An interesting development, Erik thought.

"Lo--Logan? Is that you? But the paperwork says that your name is Scott Summers."

"That's the body. Kinda got sucked into his head a few years ago. Not all of me, I'm still up and running somewhere. Kid had to spoil my fun one day. Then I got stuck in here."

"So that's his mutation?"

"Yeah, kinda sucks the lives out of people. With mutants though, he just gets powers and a little bit of the person."

"How many people are in his mind?"

"Don't know, Marie. I'm up here. That's all I know. He's been really careful about touching people."

"Do you think I could talk to Scott?"

"Yeah, just wanted to say hey. Scooter'll be up in a few."

Interesting, Erik thought. Very interesting. This... Marie... seemed quite willing to help Logan get out of this place. Useful.

"Hello, Scott. My name is Rogue, and I'm a doctor here."

"So you know Logan, huh?" Scott says. Rogue tilts her head slightly, surprised, and Scott explains, "I'm still conscious whenever one of them takes over. So I heard everything you two talked about. I've tried to get Logan to stop calling me Scooter, but it never works."

"He is very... stuck in his ways." She smiles wryly, then continues, "Scott, can I do something? I want to try and have a look in your mind. See, I'm a mutant too. I'm a telekinetic with some telepathy. I want to see if I can figure out why you're here, and what I can do to get you out of here."

Erik was listening closely, very closely. He doubts this woman is as powerful as Mystique, but still, she could be helpful.

"Can I ask you a question first?"

"Sure. What do you want to know?"

"How do you know Logan?"

"Ah," Rogue blushes. "Shoulda thought that'd be what you'd ask. Logan was my first patient."

"But he doesn't like doctors."

"He liked me. And I liked him. I helped him get his power under control and he showed me other things."

"Oh. But isn't that against some rule or something?"

"Yeah, it is. Which is why I now work at a state mental facility instead of having a private practice with my father."

Ridiculous, Erik thinks. He was pleased that his suspicions had been accurate; this woman was no real psychologist. Not the way his old friend Charles had been, Charles with the wise eyes and the power of the wind and the rain.

"Wow. I didn't know."

"It's okay. So he's okay?"

"Yeah. In fact, if you can get me out of here, I can show you where he is."

"Sounds like a plan. One more question, and then we'll get started, okay? How many people are in your head, Scott?"

"I'm not certain. I know Logan is there. So is Jean, she was my first kiss. That's when my mutation developed. Those are the only two I know of. But something happened, and every now and then I'll black out for a while. That's why I'm here, I guess."

The "something" that happened was Erik's attempt to liberate mutantkind; Scott's failed attempt to power Erik's machine had had unexpected and unfortunate consequences.

Erik temporarily retreats; he feels Rogue poking about Scott's mind. She is nowhere near as powerful as Mystique, and it is no difficult thing to hide from her.

"So Scott, you only know of two people, is that what you said?"

"Yeah?"

"Neither of them have been through a war, have they?"

"No. Why?"

"Because I kept seeing images from a war. Second World War, if I had to guess."

"That's odd."

"Yes."

Erik frowns. He had rather thought he had kept himself well-contained within the boy's mind; but then, the subconscious was a funny place. Yet it made sense--since he'd taken up residence here, his nightmares had ceased. Of course, he had also ceased sleeping independently. Scott's mutation did work so curiously.

He feels Rogue prowling methodically through the pathways of Scott's mind and decides to introduce himself. Scott is easily disabled, as usual. He has largely lost his will to fight, and anyway, Erik's determination is difficult to argue with. "Hello, Rogue."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Erik."

"You're the one who I got the images from."

"Yes, that's right."

"Why doesn't Scott know about you?"

"Because I don't want him to. I have more control over this boy than he has over himself."

"Why is that?"

"Because I am simply stronger than he is." It doesn't hurt that Scott would greatly like to forget about meeting Erik in the first place, but Erik doesn't say this.

"Is that why he blacks out?"

"Yes. And now if you'll excuse me, Doctor." He reaches up and touches her face. Scott protests, a little, but he also notices how smooth her skin is, how nice it is to feel that, even briefly. Erik mostly notices the power flowing into him, and smiles. Rogue collapses on the floor, drained of energy. Erik bends over and takes her ID card, her keys, and her wallet. He takes a moment to adjust to the new power coursing through Scott's head--through their head--and he opens the door and walks confidently out of the hospital. The state-funded facility is understaffed and he runs into only a few people in the hallway; thanks to Rogue's gift, they don't even notice him.

He finds Rogue's car in the parking lot and drives. It's been some time since he has done this, but it returns to him easily.

"Where are you going?" Scott asks. His tone is disinterested.

"Home," Erik says. He tries to figure out where Mystique is likely to be staying these days... it has been so long. There's always Charles's school. That could well be a good starting point for tracking down Mystique.

In the back of Scott's head, Rogue wakes up. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Hey Marie, it's okay. Calm down." Logan was holding her, Erik was amused to note.

"Where, where am I?"

"You're in his head. I don't know why Scott did that."

"It wasn't Scott. Someone named Erik."

"Shit."

He ignores them and keeps driving. As luck would have it, Scott Summers had been put hospitalized only a few hours drive from Westchester County. It's still daytime, a calm, sunny day, when he pulls the car up the long driveway.

A beautiful black woman wearing strange sunglasses greets him at the door. He realizes he must look a strange sight, still in his state-issued outfit, but he smiles and says he is here to see Charles Xavier, and she smiles back, graciously, and ushers him inside. He guesses the school is used to stranger things.

Charles is sitting at his desk, his wheelchair hidden behind the heavy mahagony. He looks confused at the boy's entrance, but he masks it well.

"Hello," he says, "I'm Charles Xavier."

"I know."

Charles starts; outside, the wind picks up. "Erik?" he whispers.

"Hello, old friend."

"What have you done?"

Scott-Erik shrugs. "Just sharing headspace with a new friend. I... I was rather hoping you could help me."

"Erik. You're in prison right now for attempted mass murder."

Now Erik is startled. "What?"

"Surely you must remember what happened at Liberty Island."

He doesn't, not really. Scott was rather incapacitated and hadn't woken until days later, and of course he only had Erik's memories up until the time he had set the machine in motion.

Charles sees his confused look. "You tried to mutate all of the world's leaders, only your machine was flawed. Some of my students stopped you, and you were imprisoned in a specially-made plastic cell. You are still there. I visited you three days ago."

"And Mystique?"

Charles' mouth twists. "Curiously, no one remembers seeing her that night."

Erik nods, once. As long as Mystique is free, there is hope. There is always hope, he reminds himself, but hope certainly has better odds with Mystique on its side.

"Now I want some answers," Charles says. "Who is this boy? Are you controlling his mind?"

"He was living on the streets and he tried to rob me. He was unsuccessful, but I discovered his... unique talents. He absorbs all who touch him. I persuaded him to join the Brotherhood. Later he... got rather a larger dose of my personality, and now I appear to be the dominant persona in his head."

"Erik," Charles admonishes. Dark clouds start gathering.

"You have no idea what it's like, being trapped in here. I have simply been trying to find Mystique so I can be banished from this place."

Charles' expression softens. "Well. I am not certain where she is, but I do have a few... connections. Perhaps I could be of some assistance."

"Perhaps." Erik rather doubts anyone could find Mystique if she does not wish to be found; but perhaps she will hear that someone is looking for her, perhaps she will seek him out. He nods his thanks.

"In the meantime, you are welcome to stay here."

Erik takes a brief moment to consider, but he doesn't really have anywhere else to go. And anyway, staying with Charles would not be unpleasant. Only for a little while, he thinks. Only while I regroup.

"Thank you, my friend," he says. "I would greatly appreciate your hospitality."

Charles smiles. "Would you care for a game of chess?"

"Always," Erik says.

Outside, it is once more a sunny day, although the wind still rattles the trees.

Inside, Scott sleeps. Logan and Marie speak amongst themselves, quietly. Jean stares through the eyes they share, greedily soaking up the sky. And Erik waits. He is good at waiting.

Note: As in the original story, the powers swapped are: Scott has Rogue's, Rogue has Jean's, Jean has Kitty's, Logan has John's, and Erik has his own. I've added Charles with Ororo's and Mystique with Charles's.