Lost Soul

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men...

Summary: AU Vampire fic...Rogue feels her existence isn't meaningful because she's trapped in a place she can't get out of. That is, until late one night she meets someone that offers her the world...but will that person betray his own existence to be with her? ROMY

XXXXXXXxxxxxxxxx

Chapter 1, Silent Sadness

XXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxx

Anna-Marie's life was spent in darkness and never was she to see the sun. It was the way her owners kept her, made her suffer. Sighing she let tears roll down her cheeks. A slave from birth and at five years old she watched her mother die. She'd never forget that day that her life was ended too. They said that they'd give her a home, but no. What she lived in was no home, what she lived in was lonely darkness. The only thing they ever did right was feed her. Erik was her keeper's name, he had taken a wife named Raven. Together they lived above with their son Kurt. Even so it was a life she wished she'd had instead of this one.

Every morning was the same routine around her basement den. Get up at four, feed the pets, do the laundry, ring the bell at seven to wake up the house members. She'd always be around there, and she wasn't to sleep till midnight. Making sure the furnace was always turned on. It was cruel. Never to see the sun...never to feel the wind on her face. Crawling onto her mattress, she curled into a ball at a little after twelve and cried herself to sleep. Her only light was a single candle that she carried with her everywhere and was replaced once a week.

After a few moments she rolled over to the window that had been boarded up and sighed. How she longed to see the stars shine, see the moonlight. She'd only read such things in the books and wondered what they were. The sun, the moon, the stars. Kurt was the only one who cared about her. Sneaking her extra matches, talking to her at night when his parents were asleep. It was nice to have at least someone who cared, but the sadness still wouldn't end. After a few moments she heard footsteps. Anna turned to her candle and lit it...illuminating only a small portion of the room. Truthfully she'd never seen the families son that well, only a faint dull outline.

From what she saw of him, he was a nice looking man...of only twenty. His mouth was always upturned in a smile, and his dark hair was back-length and wavy. Kurt's clothes were mainly varying shades of blue...she'd only noticed when he'd help her read books when she was younger. In essence they'd grown up together. He was like a brother to her.

"How are you mein schwester?" He asked...his accent thick. He was German...son of Raven from her first marriage.

"Ah don' know anymore Kurt. Ah want outta here." She sighed.

"If I could help you, you know zat I vould. But mot'er would find out about zis." Kurt ran a hand down his face. "I wish mot'er and fat'er vould let you be. But zey von't."

"Ah know ya'd help. Thaht's tha way yah are." Anna sighed. "Can yah at least un-board mah window?"

He nodded and walked toward the window. "Juz don't tell mot'er I did zis for you."

She watched as he pulled the boards off one by one. He was taller than her by a good few inches and was the only one out of the two who could reach the window. Anna was fascinated by the light ivory glow that now shined in her room. "It's beautiful." She smiled.

"Yes it iz." He sighed and sat next to her. "Maybe someday I let you out at night so you can see zis beautiful feat better."

Anna-Marie nodded and looked at Kurt. "Yah should get back ta bed. If motha finds out she'll punish yah."

Nodding he walked away. "Yes, I know she will Mein Schwester."

The last sound she heard was the door shut quietly, and she looked towards the sky through her window.

XXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning wasn't much of a morning because Kurt had closed her window while she was asleep. She knew it was him because no one else came down here except him. She hardly saw Raven or Erik. Sighing she turned to feed the pets that lived with her. A couple dogs that would come in occasionally, and a cat. Like every morning, she fed each one and turned to the small clock on her beside table. 7:00...time to ring the bells.

Looking up she wished she could see the sun. Just once...know what the sun really was and be out of this darkness. She then heard footsteps and she turned to see Kurt behind her. "Good morning mein schwester. I'm sorry about ze window."

"Ah know." She stated as he moved towards it and moved a plank.

"Watch ze sunrise." He smiled and sat on the bed in front of the window. "It's beautiful."

She obeyed and looked to see the colors shifting.

"I am going to make you a deal. I will let you out once a night through zis window. You'll be home by three." He turned to her. "You'll be able to see outside."

"But what about..." She was stopped by his fingertips.

"I vill take care of mot'er. You just think about vhat you are going to see." Kurt added.

"Okah."

"It starts tonight." He stated. "Be ready at ten."

Anna-Marie only nodded.