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Diana: Hahahahaha *falls from chair*..isn't she(Vicks) a riot????? :o)

Hate Is An Understatement
by Diana Othman

Chapter 5

Gambit and Rogue walked down the brightly lit hallway of the hospital. She nervously glanced at the numbers that labeled each private ward. She arrived as soon as she found out that Cody had woken up from his coma, and Gambit had been kind enough to accompany her, throwing in a free ride on his Harley too.

"Room 475...room 475... Ohhhh, where IS it? Damn, did they really have ta switch wards?" Rogue squirmed as she fingered the sleeves of her baby blue cardigan.

Gambit linked his arm through hers reassuringly, at which she stiffened slightly at the gesture. She shrugged it off as soon as she spotted the room.

"There it is!!!" she hissed anxiously. She dashed across the hallways, tugging a staggering Remy along. Just as she was about to enter,a doctor emerged.

He stopped her and inquired, "Are you Mr Robbin's relation?"

"No..Ah'm a...close friend of his."

"Well then, I have something very important to tell you..I figured it would be better to tell you here face to face instead of over the phone." The doctor looked deadpan serious. Rogue's heart skipped.

Oh no, she thought.

"Good news as you knowby now is that Cody's out of the coma...."

Rogue heard a "but" coming on.

"But....Cody's not fully recovered...the incident that put him into a coma has disrupted his nervous system and as soon as his brain activity returned, he suffered a stroke." Rogue's hand flew to her mouth as she gasped, her blushed slugeyes bright with unshed tears. "I'm truly sorry...we did all we could for him. He's aware of his surroundings but he just lost control of his limbs, and we are unsure if he could ever regain control again."

The doctor patted Rogue's back, "You can go see him now...take your time..I know it's not easy to see a close friend in pain." Rogue winced. She was the one who placed him in such misery in the first place.

"Wan' me t'go in wit' ya chere?" Remy threaded his long fingers through hers.

Rogue blushed slightly at his concern and the easy intimacy and stuttered, "No..Ah..Ah haveta go through this by muhself."

Gambit stroked her hair affectionately, "Ok...I'll be out here if'n ya need me."

She opened the door gently and looked back at Remy nervously. Gambit mouthed the words, "Good luck", smiling encouragingly. Rogue took a deep breath, entered the ward and closed the door behind her. The room was dimmed but she could see Cody's back resting against a wheelchair, his head turned looking through the window.

"C...Cody..Ah..it's me," Rogue's heart sank as she prepared herself. The wheelchair turned around slowly to the command of a remote. She almost burst into tears. Cody was gone and in his place stood a skeleton of a young man. His cheeks were sunken, his face screwed uncontrollably into an awkward state, his arms were stiff as his elbows jutted out, his wrists twisted. His blue eyes flamed accusingly at Rogue.

"Y..yyyooowwuuu!!!! Yyyyoowwuu..d..deeeiiid..thhiiisss," He had to struggle so hard to say those simple words that stabbed Rogue right in the heart.

"Ah..Ah didn't mean to..Ah didn't know!!" Rogue rushed towards him, ready to go on her knees to beg for forgiveness. Cody recoiled, as if disgusted by her vey presence. Rogue stopped dead in her tracks, "Cody Ah...."

"Yyyouuuww ddiiiiid thhiisss t..ttoooooo mmnmmeeee!" Cody snorted and grunted, unable to control his nerves.

Rogue was lost for words, her eyes stung, she needed to cry but why did tears refuse to come; refuse to fall? Had it been so long? Rogue could not take it, the accusations, the realization of what she was capable of doing, the fact that she hurt her one time best friend and the one boy who she cared for and opened her heart to. She turned on her heel, suddenly unable to breathe and ran out of the door hearing a the pained cry of a man who had nothing left to live for.

"Giiiwwvvvee mmmnmmeeee m.mmmyaiyy liiiiife b..baaaack!!"

Continued in Chapter 6.

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