fateandfortune | Just two vampires, traveling the galaxy... [For Todd the Wraith]

So that's what the drones had looked like under the mask. She didn't even consider the possibility that it might try and harm her as had once been the worry - her trust in Todd and his intention of keeping her safe was that absolute.

We will fix it. As they flew back to the hive, those words echoed in her mind and she wondered if it could really happen. She leaned her head against Todd's shoulder, a deep exhaustion settling over her now that she was finally able to really relax for the first time in... so very long. Could they fix it? Could she regain the control that had let her live almost as a normal person?

Did she have the right to even try? After everything she'd done, and with the risk it would pose to him, maybe it was for the best that they not cross that bridge.

The ride was quiet the whole way, Todd more than welcoming her to lean against him. He stroked her arm through the material of her strange outfit to keep her calm. What hell had she been through?...and could they indeed flip her powers off like before? Did she even want to?

Soon enough, the ship settled on solid ground and the hatch opened up to reveal the dart bay, and a small group. Several wraith, all familiar faces, including Cody, had come to greet their long lost sister, but Todd warned them silently not to touch her skin as her ability was back in full force.

When they parted, the queen was revealed. She looked more regal than ever. She inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement that she was welcome aboard once again, Todd leading Rogue along the catwalk, not wanting her to be overwhelmed-physically or mentally-by the crew.

She was indeed calm during the trip to the hive, Todd's very presence permeating her being in a way that was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. He didn't demand anything of her, didn't pester her with questions or worry, he just let her be for the moment, and she was so very grateful for it.

The sight of so many wraith who she had known and worked with did wonders. She felt lighter as she saw them, accepted and welcome and safe. And the queen - she looked amazing, and Rogue was so relieved to see that she was indeed well and flourishing in her role.

There was so much Rogue wanted to ask them all, so much she wanted to know about how things had developed while she was gone, but all of it could wait. She was still weak, and they would have their own questions, so it was best to leave it all for later. But still, she managed to give them all a small smile so they would know how glad she was to be home.

After hellos were said-and unsaid-Todd took her to a set of familiar quarters, not changed in the slightest since her departure.

In fact, he'd hardly used them since Rogue left, tending to stay with the queen or at least in her quarters when need be.

"Want a bath?" he asked, taking things one step at a time.

His quarters hadn't changed. All that time, and it was like it had been the day they'd left for Atlantis, when she'd thought she would see it again a few days, perhaps a few weeks later, but not years.

Her clothes were wet, and with the cooler temperature of the hive and her severe lack of body fat, she was beginning to feel chilled. A shiver ran through her only a second after his suggestion, and she nodded quickly. More than the desire to get warm, she was also desperate to wash off the feeling of the hospital and even the lab. She'd been too out of it to wash up properly back on Atlantis, just enough to make herself presentable, but it hadn't been nearly enough to make her feel clean.

He steered her into the bathroom and turned on the faucet to fill the tub. He helped her undress, letting her lean against him before doing the same, hanging their clothes to be cleaned and dried, though he'd do his best to see she got some proper attire not...whatever that was.

The water was perfectly warm and after the damp, the rain, the stress and the excitement, it felt wonderful.

He couldn't touch her, but he stayed near her nonetheless.

They had many questions for one another without a doubt.

He answered a few as they soaked and slowly began to wash up.

"Our war is over. A year ago last month the final bunch of Wraith set in their ways surrendered. Many submitted to taking the therapy over death, but just as many preferred to die as they were." he said, lathering up the sponge and giving it to her. "Every wraith is now on a regular diet...For the queens the process is far more jarring as we found out with Victoria..." He smiled at her at that. The queen had taken the name Rogue suggested.

It was good that he helped her undress, because the uniform was complex in construction, a number of zippers and seams placed to expose only certain parts of her skin while leaving the rest safely covered. The scientists had been pleased with its construction, and while she hated the article of clothing more than she'd hated most anything else in her life, it had been the safest thing to wear on Atlantis for the protection it offered those around her. Still, she'd gladly see it burn if she could find something else to wear.

She was nervous being so uncovered with him. Not for the lack of clothing or the danger that posed - they both knew how to be careful and lord knew he'd seen her naked before - but for the fact that he could see what had been done to her. The tattoo on her arm, her near-emaciated state, and wounds on her back from where they'd "harvested" strips of her skin, like a skin graft left unfinished. Those were the only marks remaining from her torture, though; everything they had done that left physical damage had been healed by forcing her to absorb one of the many mutants with healing factors who had been kept on site for that very purpose.

The heat felt nice but the water also stung at the raw, new skin on her back and she couldn't lean back against the edge of the tub. Her slight discomfort didn't temper her relief at his words in the slightest, she still smiled softly at the news. "I'm glad your war has ended," she told him in a hushed voice. "And that everything seems to have worked out for the best."

She was also glad the queen had taken the name Victoria. It was how Rogue had thought of her all these years, it would have been difficult to use any other name for her at this point. Reaching out, she took the sponge from him and slowly began to wash her torso, purposefully not looking at the tattoo as she scrubbed the sponge over it. M4827. Even if she wasn't looking at it, she could see it clearly in her mind.

She was so marked up, and not in the interesting battle-scarred way anymore. He didn't even think that the enzyme could work to at least fix her skinned back. But he offered anyway.

"We can try injecting you with enzyme to heal you." he said "Never removed a tattoo before but perhaps someone on Atlantis could upon our eventual return."

While the war was over, there seemed to end to the work that needed doing. Farming had taken off well, even better when they had a large quantity of drones to do most of the hard work. Machines were suggested time and again but their crops had yet to grow big enough to warrant them. Besides, most ran on gas or diesel so they'd be dependent on Atlantis for that, which they were trying to avoid. Their best chance of making the work even easier was to change the dart's beaming technology to pick up mature crops. They promised they'd share this technology to Atlantis too upon getting it to work as it would improve their harvesting means as well.

They planned to return to Atlantis about two months from now to debrief them on all they'd accomplished. By then they'll have finished with the harvest and the territory division negotiations with the other hives will be complete.

With many hives gone, their territories were up for grabs. Though instead of hunting grounds, the systems would be scoured for prime farming land and even facilities and bases. Humans with small populations in poor conditions would be relocated to other planets to join up with better thriving populations. This would help the gene pools as well as help them get enough to eat. No one was being forced of course, and Atlantis was in charge of such matters, but thanks to the war, many planets only sported a few hundred. Once they got back on their feet, they could always return if they wished.

"Once you've eaten, rested, and we've caught one another up on the last few years, then we'll work on subduing your power again." he said. Only then he figured would she be settled in enough to even try.

She rinsed the soap from her skin before handing the sponge back to him, thinking over his words as she wet her hair. It needed washing far more than anything else had, the smell of medicine and disinfectant clinging to the strands like some twisted perfume.

Subduing her power. Was that really something she could do? She didn't deserve to be able to touch him again, to have that level of comfort after everything she'd done, all the lives she had taken. But not having control over her power would be dangerous for him. With all the experimentation done to her over the years, her powers were unpredictable now, at times spiking even worse than they had in the past dependent on her emotional state. If she didn't regain the level of control she'd had before, there was no way she could allow herself to be close to Todd or the crew again, and certainly not the queen, and that thought made her heartsick. And despite her own dark thoughts, the psyches of her loved ones, of Remy and Erik and Logan and Charles, they all protested that line of thinking, urging her to accept comfort and aid and live her life to the best of her ability.

If only it were that easy to listen to them.

Instead of addressing that particular matter, she went back to something else he'd said. "My back will heal on its own, it'll just take time," she said softly, her gaze falling to the inside of her left arm and the inked numbers there. "And I need to keep this. I need to remember what happened, because no one else will." She was a survivor of an atrocity, and she couldn't run away from that.

She couldn't run away from this either, though. Sighing, she hesitantly added, "As for my powers... Maybe in a few days. I was on a lot of medication until recently, and I had to be sedated on Atlantis. A few more days will help make sure it's all out of my system."

That was her choice to let her heal on her own without aid. And while the tattoo irritated him, that too was her choice to keep in memory of those gone.

If necessary, like in times past, he'd remind her that she did what she was forced to do and needed to do at the time, and deserved to live out the rest of her days in peace and comfort just as much as any veteran wraith.

Todd agreed to waiting as he too thought that best. "I'm sure Victoria will be able to help even more than I did." he added. Her telepathic abilities and strength were far greater than his own and thus would be able to handle helping her better. Though he'd remain with her during their sessions.

Which reminded him...they couldn't sleep near one another until her ability to control her power was regained. A shame, he so missed laying beside her. Sleeping with Victoria, while not unpleasant, was very different. While she welcomed him to sleep beside her, she didn't allow him to curl up with her, preferring only the covers touching her.

Victoria being able to help hadn't occurred to Rogue, but now that she thought about it, she did remember their discussions over the strength and abilities usually possessed by queens. Her help would be invaluable, even if Rogue wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea. If Todd were there though, perhaps that would make things a little easier.

Her thoughts were following the same line as his, pondering where she would be able to sleep. She'd missed being beside him, having the comfort of his embrace or just the reassurance that he was there. But there was too much risk involved with her staying with him now, and she couldn't bear the idea of possibly hurting him.

She soaped and rinsed her hair before carefully asking, "Where will I be staying? It's been so long, are the old worshipper quarters still empty?"

"You can stay here. I'll take the chair, like before." He'd remain in the same room with her for a couple nights in order to help her settle in again before returning to his queen's bed, giving his room to her until, perhaps someday soon, they could sleep together again.

"The worshiper quarters are gone, we renovated that entire section of the hive. It's one large kitchen and dining area now." he told her.

She hated the idea of him having to sleep in the chair, she remembered how uncomfortable it was for him, but if the worshipper quarters were gone, then there wasn't anywhere else for her to go.

"It's a better use of the space," she commented with a tiny smile. The kitchen had been a very cozy workspace with all the hands needed at mealtime, so an expansion must have made things much easier for everyone. "I look forward to seeing it."

Something occurred to her at that thought and she looked away, frowning. "I'm not going to be of much use to anyone here now. You don't need a cook anymore, and there wasn't anything else I could do that really contributed. Are you sure it's alright that I'm here?" There was real fear in her voice as she asked the question, because she wanted so badly to stay.

"You're part of the crew." he reminded her. "I didn't bring you back because you cook well or the like. I brought you back because you belong here. Because you made this your home"

Finished washing, he got out and retrieved towels and robes for them both.

"Finding something to do with yourself when you've recovered enough however would be best." Otherwise she might grow bored and actually want off the hive. "But no need to think on it for awhile. Its your first day back, and you've been through a lot."

Rogue would never want to leave the hive. So long as he was there, it would be her home, the only place she felt she belonged now. It didn't matter how bored she got, or how monotonous life could be, it would always be home and her value of that concept had changed a great deal during recent years.

It was true, though; she had been through a lot.

She wrung out her hair before climbing out as well, taking a towel and robe from him and drying off as best she could. It was difficult to get her back, as moving too much stretched the sensitive skin, but she did what she could before slipping on the robe.

"Tell me something else good that's happened here," she requested, steering them away from the darker topics like her own insecurity over still having a place among the crew.

Securing her anxiety down again was going to take time. But, like before, she eventually found her place. Even if they didn't find her something particular to occupy her with, she'd not be kicked off...he hoped...to never lose her again.

For now, Todd hoped she'd understand that her main focus should be on healing, mentally and physically, and less about making herself useful.

Todd rubbed his hair dry, thinking on what might cheer her up. Then grinned and looked to her. "We have seven new crew members" he said.

It was going to take a lot of work to get past the need to feel useful and just focus on herself, but it was a sentiment that was being pushed on her by Remy especially, a constant reminder at the back of her mind to take care of herself first. Everything else could wait for later.

With the robe in place, she concentrated on drying her hair as well, but she went still at his words. "Seven?" she breathed in stunned awe, a smile curling up the corners of her lips. "That's fantastic. What are they like?"

"Oh, young...ambitious..." he cocked his head, "Want to meet them?"

It was getting late and she likely needed rest, maybe a meal, but this might perk her up. And they could grab something to eat on the way back.

He adjusted his robe and finished putting in the last braid in his hair-hers. "Won't take long, then we can eat and rest."

She looked at him suspiciously for a moment, sensing that there was something up with all of this, but willing to play along. If they were young wraith, then they must be like Cody, perhaps even younger, and she had always enjoyed his company. Hopefully she would be able to say the same about these new seven.

"Alright," she agreed with a nod, her eyes lingering on the braid she had given him so long ago. She tightened her own robe a little, having to account for the way it nearly drowned her thin form. "Let's go."

Todd led the way, contently barefooted with her through the halls of the hive. They were both quiet, but it was a pleasant quiet. He once contemplated all the things he'd ask her and what she might ask him. But since he first saw her stepping out of the gate, he knew such questions and answers needed time.

The walk wasn't too long of one, still within the section of the ship that were devoted to quarters.

He stopped at a door and opened it up. The place was twice the size of his own, the walls lined with shelves of books of a variety of titles, many of them new and not the ratty dusty tomes of Todd's personal library. Seven large bean-bag like blobs were settled around the room. And on top of each of them was a young wraith. Very young. Five years physically. Four were asleep, the other three were awake and sat up when the commander entered. Six males, one female with short red hair.

"Commander!" the female said, getting off her "bed" and shaking the other boys awake.

"Evening sir." greeted one of the males, "Something wrong?"

"No, not at all." Todd shook his head. Once they were all awake he addressed them, "Young ones, this is Rogue, the human you were told about."

Had they been absolutely anywhere else, Rogue would have been uncomfortable and wary of having so much skin uncovered - her hands, feet, and neck. But the crew would be careful, and this was her home; if she couldn't have a little peace here, where could she?

The sight that greeted them on the other side of the door absolutely took her breath away. Children. The young and ambitious wraith he'd told her about her were children. Was this their room then? The large space was filled with books and she...

It took two tries before Rogue could find her voice to speak. "You have no idea how pleased I am to meet all of you," she told them, and even though she wore a bright smile, tears pooled in her eyes. Happy tears, but still ones that she refused to allow to fall while she was in front of the young ones.

"Unfortunately Rogue's powers have returned so be careful around her." Todd said. Communicating mentally with youngsters was hard, otherwise he would have relayed that info to them as such. Like learning to walk, they had to learn to use their telepathy.

The female and one of her brothers stepped forward regardless of the danger, but still, the others didn't back away at the news.

"Will you be able to control your powers again?" asked the female, curiously. Despite their physical age, they spoke as eloquently as Torren would at his age.

One of the other males came over and handed Todd a small portable tablet, he proceeded to sit down and look over the information, the youngster looking over his arm but also glancing over to Rogue when the female asked her question.

They really had been told about her. Clearly they knew about her powers if they understood the warning Todd had given, but what else did they know? There was an almost burning curiosity in Rogue to find out, but also a churning dread at the pit of her stomach.

"I hope so," she answered the young female, her words sincere where they wouldn't have been even five minutes earlier. "I'm certainly going to try."

The female's curiosity was apparently not sated by that and she asked another question. "How did you lose control of your powers?"

There was such innocence in those words that all Rogue could do was fumble her way to an answer that was truthful but wouldn't have an ill effect on the young minds forming. "To be able to control them, I have to feel safe," she explained carefully. "Until a few days ago, I was in a bad place where I was never safe."

Several of them looked at one another. In a place that was never safe? It sounded too horrible to be true.

"Couldn't you have just used your powers to kill those who made you unsafe?" asked the male getting help from the commander with his homework.

"Doing so would require taking them into her head" Todd answered. "And that's very unpleasant to do when those around you are doing cruel things to you that are unpleasant."

"Like eating broccoli? That's unpleasant" said another male.

Todd chuckled at that. "Worse." The little male pulled a face at that.

All of them were quite young, but even when they eventually matured to the age they'd typically start to feed, they'd never know what it's like to feed on humans. Or so that was the hope, that the gene therapy would be passed down. If not, they'd have to produce the serum forever.

If only that had been the reason she'd been unable to escape. Rogue was grateful when the young one working with Todd brought up the much easier subject of broccoli, because she honestly didn't know that she could have handled things continuing down the path they'd been on.

"I never liked broccoli much either when I was young," she told the one who had made a face. "But your tastes will probably change as you get older. What tastes bad now may taste good to you in a few years."

Lord, she'd missed this. Talking with children. She'd best enjoyed working with the younger ones back at the school, and it had been so very long since she'd been a teacher. They'd tried their best to always keep the students safe, to give them a brighter, safer future, but eventually...

Her smile faltered and she shifted uncomfortably, trying her best to hide it from the children.

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