Chapter 57: A Cure for Everything But Trust

The silence after Ben's breakdown was fragile as glass. Jay could feel tension crackling through the room, everyone processing what they'd witnessed, betrayal and redemption in the same package.

But he wasn't done yet. And judging by the looks on their faces, this was about to get worse.

Jay's eyes found Rogue across the room. She stood rigid against the far wall, trying to physically distance herself from whatever was coming. The look in her green eyes wasn't anger—it was something colder and final.

"Rouge," he said quietly, taking a step toward her.

"No." The word cut across the room like a whip crack. Her Mississippi drawl was thick with pain and fury. "Don't you dare come near me with those sugar-sweet lies, Jay."

Her tone stopped him in his tracks.

"Rouge, please, let me explain—"

"Explain what?" She pushed off from the wall, stalking toward him. "How you've been manipulatin' me since day one? How every single word outta your mouth was calculated to get me right where you wanted me?"

Jay felt his heart hammering. "That's not—"

"Oh, it ain't?" Rogue's laugh was bitter. "You targeted me specifically 'cause of my powers, didn't ya? Knew exactly what buttons to push to get poor little untouchable Rouge all dependent on the one man who could make her feel normal again."

The accusation hit too close to home. Jay's silence was answer enough.

"Every caring word," she continued, voice rising, "every gentle touch, every promise you made about findin' a way to help me—all of it was just part of your some grand plan!"

"Rogue, that's not—" Jay tried, but she was on a roll now, months of buried hurt pouring out.

"Save it, sugah. I know manipulation when I see it. Hell, I lived it for years. At least they had the decency to be honest about usin' me." Rogue's voice cracked. "But you? You made me think... you made me hope..."

She trailed off, wrapping her arms around herself.

Jay wanted to tell her the truth—that the feelings to help her were real, even if the foundation was rotten. But looking at the devastation in her eyes, he realized the truth would only make it worse.

Sometimes the kindest lie was letting someone hate the villain instead of mourning the hero.

Jay's hands trembled as he opened his mouth to defend himself, but the words died in his throat. His jaw worked soundlessly for a moment before he forced out, "So what?" His voice came out hoarse. "Maybe I was. Maybe that's all it ever was."

The hurt that flashed across Rogue's face made his knees nearly buckle, and his chest felt like it was being crushed from the inside. Better she hate Power Broker Jay than pine for a misunderstood version.

"I told you I'd find a way to make you normal," he continued, voice steady despite his chest caving in. "I kept my word. Now you can find warmth in other people. Just... get yourself treated and move on."

"Don't you dare talk to me like this is some kinda favor!" Rogue screamed, "I don't want your pity cure! I don't want anything from you!"

"Rogue—" Scott started forward, but she rounded on him.

"And don't y'all even think about takin' his side!"

Jay looked desperately to the others for support, but found only disgust staring back. Scott's jaw was set in judgment. Johnny's flames flickered with hostility. Even Reed looked at him like something unpleasant.

Jay looked around the room, hoping to find someone who didn't hate his guts.

 Scott stood there with his arms crossed, that red visor making it impossible to read his face—but his clenched jaw said enough.

 Johnny kept lighting up and snuffing out small flames around his fists, like he couldn't decide if he wanted to torch the place or just torch Jay.

 Reed had gone full scientist mode, studying Jay like he was some kind of disease under a microscope.

Sue wouldn't even look at him—she'd turned to face the window instead.

And Ben? Ben just sat there flexing his new fingers, refusing to meet Jay's eyes even though Jay had just given him everything he'd ever wanted.

"Jean," Jay tried, "you guys know me. You know I wouldn't—"

"Do we?" Jean's voice was cold. "Because the man we thought we knew wouldn't have lied to our faces for months. Wouldn't have manipulated a traumatized woman."

Xavier finally spoke, his calm voice carrying profound disappointment. "Jay, Rogue is clearly not in the right emotional state to process this revelation. Perhaps now is not the appropriate time—"

"If I what?" Jay's temper flared. "Left? Made it easy for everyone to forget that sometimes doing the right thing requires hard choices?"

"Hard choices?" Johnny's flames roared. "You call lying to people who trusted you a hard choice?"

"I call getting Rogue the help she needed, whatever it took!" Jay shot back. "I call giving Ben his humanity back worth it!"

The argument spiraled, voices rising and powers flaring, when Hank's voice rang with an electronic trill that cut through the chaos.

Beast's voice came through clearly. "You're not forgetting about your promise to me are, are you?"

"Never," Jay repeated, his voice now tired of all the argument and wanting to get it over with.

"I have to ask," Jay continued, "don't you harbor any resentment? For stealing Sage's abilities, for the deceptions, for the spectacular confrontation with X-Men and the Morlocks?"

Hank was quiet for a moment, aware of every eye watching. Finally, he shrugged. "I can't speak for Sage. But I think you've got a better chance of doing good with enhanced abilities than harm. And after getting a taste of what normal feels like..." He glanced at Ben. "I figure I deserve the same choice."

Without asking permission, Jay reached out and placed his hand on Beast's shoulder. The same genetic restructuring he'd performed on Ben flowed through his abilities, but working with mutation rather than cosmic radiation.

The change was less dramatic but no less profound. Beast's blue fur shed, his excessive bulk diminished to human proportions. The animalistic features softened, becoming distinguished rather than monstrous. His fangs receded, though he retained enhanced musculature and longer blue hair.

Beast looked like what he'd originally been—a brilliant scientist, rather than a creature struggling with humanity.

"My word," Beast breathed, examining his hands. "The cellular restructuring is remarkable. I retain enhanced physicality but with voluntary control over the more... pronounced aspects."

He looked up at Jay with wonder. "I must confess, I've always preferred 'Doctor' to 'Beast.' The latter always seemed rather tactless."

Despite everything, Jay grinned. "Yeah? I thought it really suited you."

The moment died quickly as Jay turned back to face the room full of people who used to trust him. The weight of their disappointment settled on his shoulders.

"Well," he said quietly, "I guess that's that."

He was planning to leave when Bobby's voice cut through the tension.

"Uh, Doc? You might wanna look down there."

Jay glanced down and realized he was still in his boxers—same as when he went in the tank for the procedure.

The absurdity broke through his composure. A laugh bubbled up in hysteria when everything falls apart at once.

"Right," he said, grabbing his tattered jeans from the non-salvageable closet. "The big dramatic revelation scene, and I'm in my underwear."

Bobby shrugged out of his coat and tossed it over. "Here, kid. You're gonna catch your death."

As Jay struggled into his jeans, he caught sight of Steve and Tony. He asked Bobby something who pulled a card from his back pocket and handed it to Jay. "Give this to Tony."

"What's it for?" Tony called out.

Jay met his eyes directly. "To get your poisoning checked out. The arc reactor's been leaking palladium into your bloodstream for months now, isn’t it?"

The color drained from Tony's face. His most carefully guarded secret was apparently an open book.

Xavier looked at Tony with pity. "First time?"

Tony's mouth opened and closed soundlessly.

But Jay was already walking away, Bobby's coat over his shoulders, leaving everyone to deal with the aftermath.