Part I: The Battle Approaches

[Rogue]

Even when David started dying under my kiss, even during my months on the road, even when I was strapped to Magneto's machine on the Statue of Liberty, I'd never been this scared. We're about to be attacked. Friends of Humanity, or some new even scarier mutant-fascist hybrid, had found us.

The little kids got been packed up and sent to "camp" - a remote location far from the mansion. We'd kept our tone light, as we explained that this was a special surprise for them, and they'd be back before they knew it. Jubes and Kitty and I had always tried to be big sisters to the kids, and it was so hard watching them pack excitedly and talk about catching frogs or other strange things they associated with the idea of summer camp.

I couldn't believe that little Stella, who could glow in the dark, Tracey, with her tentacles instead of fingers, Ayesha who could turn invisible, and Evan with his ability to teleport, all these fantastic kids were potential targets of FOH's rage.

It was hot that day, and Bobby had created little ice animals for the kids to play with on the bus. Scott had administered stern warnings against chucking the ice at each other, but the little boys had already been sliding pieces down the girls' backs. Finally, the big school bus was packed and ready to go. Storm was going with them, as chaperone and bodyguard. Some of the older kids, not yet ready to join the team, were flanking her, looking scared. I watched her climb aboard, and wondered if I'd ever see her again. My eyes stung.

"Lighten up, Rogue. It's not like we haven't faced evil doers," Jubes waggled her eyebrows in an exaggerated super villain way, "before. This is why we're training to be X-Men, after all."

I kept silent. Jubes could treat this like just another mission, but I knew better. Professor Xavier's normally imperturbable face looked strained. Jean's chilly exterior had been cracked open as she hugged the kids as they were boarding the bus. The unseasonable hail dropping from the sky, making the steps slippery, betrayed Storm's mood.

---

[Scott]

This is it. I hope these kids are ready. I wish we had more back-up, but Xavier says that FOH could be striking more targets than just the mansion, and our friends and allies need to be guarding their own homes.

Once Xavier had learned that the "Friends of Humanity" had grown stronger than we'd dreamed, we'd taken all measures necessary. We'd fortified our security, packed away the beautiful antiques, and dropped lessons for intensive military training.

I'm so proud of my team. In the past six months, even the junior team has been working hard and performing like I never thought possible. Crazy, prankster Jubilee has become a deadly weapon, Rogue has become a technical whiz and skilled at hand-to-hand combat, even Kitty, once scared of her own shadow, has become a soldier I can count on.

I just wish they could be kids and not soldiers. Maybe if we beat FOH, they'll have a chance.

---

[Logan]

I think about her all the time. Her lips, so cold when I touched them at the Statue of Liberty. Her eyes, watching me through the smoke of the dive bar in Laughlin City. Her voice, Southern honey and spice. It's becoming an obsession - I make love to her every night in my dreams, and wake up reminding myself that she's just a kid. But she's 18 now, and God, I miss her. I think I better go back. Besides, I keep seeing the X-Men on TV, and Scooter might need my help. I hate to miss a good brawl. And God knows, he better not even THINK about letting Marie join the team, I left her there so she can finish bein' a kid. I better go back and check on them.

---

[Rogue]

Jubilee and Bobby and St. John and Kitty were all excited as Scott gave us the battle plan, and showed us the weapons. But I had seen Beast stocking up on bandages. In the pit of my stomach I knew nothing would be the same.

My new uniform, never worn before, gave me a little boost of confidence. It was sleek and black and had handy little knives and lights and other things zipped into the pockets. My fingers gripped Logan's tags around my neck, and with a sudden burst of anger I yanked on the chain and tore them off. Where was he when we needed him? A year of sporadic postcards and no forwarding address were no substitute for having him on our side, as we battled for our lives. Unwilling to actually be separated from the tags, I zipped them into an inner pocket, where they pressed against my chest.

---

[Xavier]

I thought that I could protect us forever, but I am older than I once was, and my powers have been weakened.

I had known anti-mutant feeling was growing, and that as the X-Men foiled more and more of the renegade group's destructive schemes we would draw attention, but until my network of sources started reporting rumors of a school camouflaging the X-Men, I never thought the battle would come to us. I know that FOH is a front for some powerful mutants, for them to have risen so quickly in power and numbers.

Even my old friend and nemesis Eric has been sending me warnings from prison, though he's been gone too long to recognize which mutants might be making trouble. I hope my X-Men will be strong enough.

They are all my children. Jean, Scott and Ororo came first perhaps, but I love each one. But the hatred around us has surpassed my ability to protect them. And now the time has come for my children to fight back.

---

[Rogue]

"You ready, cher?" Remy and I were going to be guarding the back entrance, keeping FOH from entering our labs. I had grown closer to the Cajun thief in recent weeks. We had gotten comfortable with each other; when he spoke to me he dropped his theatrical Cajun accent, and the overt come-ons. Sometimes his subtle sexiness was even more attractive, though of course he was no Logan. But then again, he was actually around, so the point was moot. He was also a hell of a good fighter, and I knew Scott had paired us well.

"Sure, Sugar."

I felt the warrior Logan coming to life in the back of my mind, psychic residue from the times I'd sucked his soul. Warrior Logan was pissed that we were in danger, but looking forward to the fight. I felt my instincts elevate, my ears prick up, my nose signaling the scent of approaching danger. "Let's kick some ass."

Suddenly the air smelled of smoke, and I saw that the roof of the garage had caught fire. The chick-chick-chick of oncoming helicopters came from all directions. Shouldering our weapons, Remy and I ran.

---

Part II: The Battle

[Jubilee]

A squad of creepy looking rednecks was coming down the drive. Their green SUVs flipped as they tripped one of my mines. I tried frying them as they slithered out of the car, but I could only get two. They took cover in the trees.

Suddenly, the rock I was hiding behind exploded. A helicopter had hit it with some kind of missile. I was flung back, and got a mouthful of dirt. Ick. It's all fun and games until someone makes me eat mud. Now I was pissed. I sent a jet of plasma into the sky, and the helicopter exploded like the Fourth of July.

The rednecks kept coming. They only had rifles, and Bobby started picking them off with our laser-sighted weapons. A couple of them fell into the decorative lake, and Bobby froze them there. A few of our ducks got frozen too, but I thawed them out quick.

"Bobby! The mansion's on fire! You see if you can't freeze it out or something. I'll protect the driveway!"

"But Scott said not to split up!"

"You gotta go! It's spreading!" Bobby tossed me his flame-thrower, and started to run. I covered him, torching one of Ororo's favorite rose bushes by mistake. Oops.

I turned my attention to the driveway. There was only one redneck left, and he thought I didn't see him as he snaked towards me on his stomach.

I set my weapon on stun (one of Jean's clever inventions, I swear she watches too much Star Trek, but I'm not complaining), cuz even rednecks are people, and I can't kill someone once I see their face. Besides, Scott had said we should try to capture some and figure out who was funding them.

I blasted him, but he kept crawling. OK, fine. I switched my weapon back to full blast, and hit him again. Still crawling and now he looked pissed. It dawned on me that maybe I wasn't dealing with your typical redneck. Then he raised his hand and hit me with some kind of dart thingy. Everything went black.

---

[Jean]

Some of them are mutants. Oh God, I hope we can beat them. The professor and I are trying to work our way into their minds, but some of them are blocking us out. And the effort is exhausting, we're both sweating and weak. I've never felt anything like this before. I've managed to get a few of them to turn away, but there are so many of them, and I am so tired.

---

[Scott]

We have taken out at least two squadrons, but there are at least three to go.

Jubilee and Pyro are down, but not dead. Hank is trying to tend to them, and has picked off the few soldiers who actually entered the building.

Rogue and Gambit are working on the third squadron.

That leaves me and Jean to get the last two.

God help us.

---

[Logan]

There's smoke rising over the mansion. Oh my God. Marie.

---

[Remy]

Rogue is fighting like a wild woman. She's unstoppable. They keep coming over the rise, and some of them are far too hard to kill to be human. I cut one of them in half with my knife, and the halves kept crawling until they died.

I've been hit in the arm, but I'm still going. We have to beat them. We have to.

---

[Rogue]

This is my home. The only place for people like me. I'll keep 'em out or die trying. Beating them is the only thing that matters.

---

[Scott]

Fire contained. Kitty's wounded. Jean's about to faint. What the hell are they doing to her mind? I begged her to stop trying to probe them, but damn she's stubborn. How can we keep fighting what we don't understand?

I've killed at least 20, but there still seem to be more. Beast is fixing up Bobby, and working on Jubilee. Damn, how many FOH soldiers can there be?

Suddenly, the soldier I'm fighting is impaled from behind. I'd recognize those claws anywhere. The Wolverine himself is almost unrecognizable, with the rage and bloodlust in his eyes, and from the dying soldiers in his wake, I'd say the odds have tilted in our favor.

"Marie?" He growls.

"In back." He starts to run, I'm right behind him. We catch sight of Rogue, bleeding from the head, engaging a huge, hairy man in hand-to-hand combat. The Wolverine roars, penetrating the yelling and the sound of gunfire. For a moment, Rogue is distracted and looks at Wolverine. The man she's fighting takes the opportunity to slash her shoulder with his knife.

Wolverine is on him in a second, and slits his throat. Rogue is clutching her shoulder, looking dazed. Remy is lying on the ground behind her, trying feebly to hit some of the soldiers heading toward them. I blast one helicopter out of the sky. Remy takes out a straggler. Wolverine knocks out a third. Suddenly, all is quiet.

---

Part III: Aftermath

[Jean]

It's quiet now. I can't find any of those soldiers with my mind. The ones who aren't dead are unconscious, and Scott has locked the unconscious ones in a secure room underground. From the bodies, I can't tell what kind of mutants these are.

I bandaged Scott's arm myself. My fingers were shaking so hard I could barely clean his wounds.

"Shhh, it's OK." He took me in his arms. I started to cry. "Scott, I was so scared for you. For all of us." He squeezed me tight. "It's all over now. We're safe."

"For now" hung in the air, unspoken. I taped up his cracked ribs, and went to check on Jubilee and Rogue.

---

[Scott]

It's so like Jean, to be so strong and tough during battle, and only fall apart after it's all done, where no one but me can see her.

She's barely even noticed Logan's back. Not that I was worried, but still.

He only seems to have eyes for Rogue, who hasn't said two words to him since he got here.

Beast stitched up her shoulder and is setting her leg, which somehow got broken, she doesn't remember how. Remy says she was amazing, and I have to say I'm not surprised.

She's come such a long way since that shy, scared girl arrived with Logan. When he left she was wan and watchful, waiting for him to return. Slowly, she got involved with her training, and her friends, and grew strong again. He better not set her back. We need Rogue.

---

[Rogue]

Everything hurts. My leg, my head, my shoulder, my heart. Logan came back, and I can barely care.

Jubilee's lying unconscious. Kitty's limping and got a concussion. Bobby's all beaten up. Jean and the Professor look worse than I've ever seen them, ashen and exhausted. Pyro just woke up, he's got a concussion too.

Remy is trying to distract me as Hang sets my leg, and Logan's leaning against the door, his eyes unreadable. I'm so tired.

I gasp as Hank resettles the bones,

"Why won't you let me touch you?" Logan asks. He tried, there in the garden-turned-battlefield, as the cut in my shoulder started bleeding all over me. I twisted out of his hands, and almost fainted.

"No. Don't touch." I rasped. He picked me up and carried me down to the med lab. Even through the pain, and the shock, I still got a little tingle from seeing him and smelling him. Which just made me more angry.

With a suspicious look at Dr. Hank, our blue furry Beast, Logan begrudgingly let him stitch the wound closed. I love Hank, he wasn't even fearful as he touched my skin. My beautiful new uniform was in tatters, soaked with blood, and a whole leg cut off to fit the cast.

Looking from Logan to me, Remy got to his feet.

"Cher, I am supposed to go help Scott survey the damage, but I can stay if you want?" He looked meaningfully at Logan, who didn't take that too well at all. His claws unsheathed and he took a menacing step in Remy's direction.

"You go help 'em out, Sugar. And thanks for saving my life today." At this, Logan's claws popped back in, and he took a step back. Remy smiled at me.

"Right back at you. Rogue, you were amazing." I flushed, a little proud.

"Thanks." With that, Remy left the room. Hank continued to set my leg, wrapping it in cool plaster.

"Why won't you let me touch you?" Logan repeated. The anger flared again, cutting through my exhaustion, and distracting me from the pain.

"Nice to see you too Logan. Hey, how've you been? You know, for the *last year*. I've been great, thanks for asking. I got legally emancipated from my parents, then my mother died of cancer. I never got to say goodbye, because they didn't want to see me, since I'm, you know, a mutant. I'm doing well in all my classes, and, oh yeah, fighting off an evil army of mutant haters."

My voice broke, and to my horror, tears started streaming down my face. Hank handed me a tissue, and, after wrapping the last length of plaster around my cast, left the room silently.

"Marie, I'm so sorry for staying away so long --" Logan's rumbly voice still gives me stomach flutters.

"Don't you call me Marie. My name is Rogue. I'm an X-Man now."

"The hell you are. You almost got killed! You have no business joining their little army! Why is this your fight?"

"Are you kidding? This is all of our fight. I'm fighting for you too, dammit. You don't know anything about it. You don't know anything about me!"

I reached into my tattered uniform, and pulled out his tags, now sticky with my drying blood, and hurled them at him. He caught them without even looking.

"I'm a damn good fighter now, and sometimes soldiers get hurt. Even I heal, Logan, just not as fast as you. You can't just waltz back in here and kiss it and make it better." He looked stricken. Then he looked furious.

"Just let me heal you!" He yelled.

"Right Logan, like I need more of you in my head."

He looked confused at that. Suddenly exhausted, I dropped back against my cot and closed my eyes.

"Besides, the team can't afford having you in a coma. We need you ready to fight in case they come back."

I reached for the water and pills Hank at left me, and swallowed two painkillers. "Get out of here."

I closed my eyes again, but I didn't hear him leave. After a silent prayer for Jubilee, I let consciousness go.

---

[Logan]

Soon I could tell by her breathing that Marie was asleep. The lines smoothed out of her face, and I was grateful she wasn't in so much pain. Her face was covered in bruises. I wished I could touch her, both to heal her and so she would know I wasn't leaving again. But that was selfish, and she was right.

I almost died when I saw her there, beating the crap out of some FOH thug. When he cut her, because I distracted her, I literally lost my mind.

I don't know what I expected. I guess I thought that I would show up, check in on Marie, make sure the other kids were treating her well, you know, usual stuff. Then I would leave again, and come back when she was older and I could not feel like a dirty old man every time I fantasized about us together naked.

I didn't expect to find this woman in Marie's place. She's still young, but her eyes are old, and it makes me want to kill someone. Like Scooter, just for old time's sake. I gotta wait until she heals, then take her someplace safe.

I looked at the bloody tags in my hand. I walked over to the sink and rinsed them off. I made a knot in the chain, then slipped them around Marie's neck. She shifted a little, but didn't wake up. I went back to watching over her. I wasn't ever going to leave again.

---

[Jean]

Jubilee's been injected with some kind of toxin. Her vitals are steady, but we can't wake her up. Hank is working on figuring out what it is, in case it gives us some leads on who was really behind the attack, and so we can work out an antidote. Bobby and Kitty were looming over her bed anxiously until I sent them out to help rebuild the mansion and the security system.

I went into Rogue's room to check on her, and found her asleep. Logan was haunting her room. In all the excitement, I had forgotten that he was back.

"Jeannie!"

I shushed him, and beckoned him out of the room. He stayed where he could see Rogue through the glass door. Inwardly I smiled at seeing big bad Wolverine hovering like a nervous boyfriend.

"Yes Logan?"

"How could you let her join the team? She's just a kid!"

"Logan, it's a war now. We need everyone on board, or none of us is safe. And Rogue really wanted to do it. And she has, as you clearly noticed, grown up." Logan flushed guiltily.

"But she got hurt." He said stubbornly.

"That happens. Well, OK, maybe not to you. But it's a risk that heroes take. And today Logan, Rogue was a hero. You should be proud of her."

"I am, Jeannie, I always was. It's just, you know." His voice trailed off. I put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"I do know. It's hard watching the ones you love in danger." I thought of Scott, and watching him in battle, fearing for his life. My stomach heaved at the thought, and the weakness from earlier surged over me. "It's not going to be easy."

"You knew I loved her?"

"Well, duh, Logan. Give me a little credit here. Not only am I telepathic, but I'm not exactly stupid. Unlike some people. So are you going to run away again, or stand and fight, with Rogue and with all of us?

Logan nodded. "OK, I'm in. We're gonna put these FOH freaks down for good, and then Marie will be safe. Let's go tell Chuck."

---

[Scott]

I got the kids to work, trying to repair the mansion. Most of the damage is to the grounds, the fire barely got a chance to spread before Bobby put it out.

After a few hours of work we had the rubble cleared out of the inside. Xavier made arrangements for a grounds crew to come in and repair the outside. Then he called a meeting.

I wasn't surprised to see Logan there, scowling. I had a hunch he'd figure out that Rogue wasn't going anywhere, and that we needed his help. Xavier cleared his throat.

"You have all done very well. I am quite proud of each and every one of you."

As Xavier's eyes traveled the room, I could see each young X-Man straighten up and square their shoulders. They'd grown up so much in just the last day. It physically hurt to see Storm, Rogue, and Jubilee missing. Annoying as the wise-cracking, daredevil Jubilee could be to have in class, she'd fought well today and I hoped Hank was making progress finding the antidote.

"As you know, FOH has somehow recruited mutants. After consulting with Hank, I believe the source of the poison that has harmed Jubilee came from a mutant called "Rigor Mortis", a kind of reptilian mutant with poison-laden quills, like a porcupine. Hank has read of this mutant, who previously was involved in a political take-over in Guatemala.

"We are not yet certain why he chose to exploit the bigots of Friends of Humanity for his attack on the mansion, but we are looking into it. In any event, your heroic defense of the mansion has decimated their forces, so while we cannot be overconfident, it is safe to say that for the moment, Friends of Humanity and their mutant infiltrators will need time to recuperate.

"Meanwhile, we will leave our youngest students where they are safe, though Storm may come and join us. Our most pressing task is to research how or why Rigor Mortis came into contact with FOH, and most importantly, how they came to know of the school here."

"Professor Xavier, I can go online and look into the FOH chat rooms." Kitty volunteered.

"Excellent. That would be very helpful."

"Professor, I can take a team into the city and case the mutant bars, see if anyone has heard anything about this guy." I volunteered. I was relieved that I could think of something useful to do, I couldn't stand to wait around for FOH to regenerate and come after the mansion again.

"Good. Scott, why don't you take Bobby and Pyro." They were young, but they had good judgment. I accepted with a nod.

"Chuck, how can I help you out?" Logan asked. I was surprised that the Wolverine hadn't just decided to go kick ass wherever he could find someone to fight. Asking for guidance wasn't his style.

"Actually, Logan, I need to go to Boston and consult with some of my sources. I would like you to stay here and protect the mansion, while Jubilee and Rogue are indisposed and Jean and Hank are working on Jubilee's antidote." Logan didn't fight staying home the way I thought he might. I started to take his infatuation with Rogue a little more seriously.

"What about me, professor?" Remy asked. I noticed Logan giving the Cajun the evil eye, and smiled to myself. Remy had grown close to Rogue, and while I had seen him checking out Storm, I also thought he and Rogue would make a good match. About time someone gave Logan a run for his money, I thought.

"Gambit, I would like you to go down South, where FOH has its headquarters, and work your connections there." The Cajun nodded.

"OK, team, please report to me each day, and let me know as soon as you have found out more about Rigor Mortis and his plans." Xavier looked drawn, but energized, as he wheeled himself out of the room. Everyone dispersed.

"Hey, Logan." I kept the Wolverine behind. "Keep an eye on Jeannie for me." He smiled.

"Aren't you worried I'm gonna move in on your girl, Scooter?"

"I think you're gonna have your hands full with your own girl, Wolverine." I smiled. He looked disconcerted. I whistled a happy tune as I left the room.

---

[Rogue]

When I woke up the next morning in the med lab, I regretted it. My leg ached, my shoulder ached, my head ached.

I thought of Jubilee, and Logan, and those strange mutant soldiers. I sighed.

"Hey kid, how're ya feeling?" Logan looked like he'd spent the night in the chair beside my bed. Even his stubble was sexy. I tried to remember why I was mad at him. Oh yeah.

"I'm not a kid."

"Whatever. I'm on the team now too."

"About time." I said, not willing to give an inch.

"Yeah, well." He seemed at a loss.

"Jubilee wake up yet?"

"Nah. But Jean and Hank are working on finding an antidote, and Scott and the Professor, and your friend the Cajun are tryin' to find out who was behind the FOH attack."

"What should I be doing? Where should I go?" I tried to sit up and my head pounded.

"You need to rest."

"Look, Logan, I'm sick of your opposition to my participation with the team. Whether you can see it or not, I'm a good fighter. Stop trying to keep me a little girl, it's way too late for that, and anyway, you don't have the right."

"OK, OK. Relax, kid. I know, you did real good and everyone's real proud of you, like I've always been. But like you said to me, the team needs you healthy, so you gotta rest until you're stronger." I so didn't want him to be right, but he had a point. At this point, I wasn't sure if I could get out of bed, let alone kick some FOH ass. But it still rankled, coming from him. And what gave him the right to be so sexy, anyway?

"Do they have any leads at all?"

"Well, Chuck thinks it's a mutant by the name Rigor Mortis, and they're all searching as hard as they can to see where he came from, what he wants, and how to kill him."

Seemed like a good plan to me. I pushed my hair over my shoulders, and my fingers brushed a familiar chain.

"Hey." I fingered his dogtags. He had the grace to look embarrassed.

"Yeah, I put those back. They look better on you than they do on me anyways, and I figure, I ain't earned them back yet."

"You got that right." I didn't really want to give back the tags, they reminded me of the days when I thought the Wolverine and I were gonna live happily ever after. He grinned crookedly.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed. My cast went all the way up my leg. It wasn't bending, and it hurt like hell. I took a deep breath, trying to get the strength to stand on it. Logan was by my side in an instant. Before I could stop him, he was holding me in his arms, avoiding touching my bare, poisonous skin. Against my better judgment, I relaxed against him.

"Where to?" He asked.

"I need a shower." The dried blood was beginning to itch, and I needed to wash the dirt of yesterday off my body. "Can you give me a lift to my room?"

Without a word, he carried me out of the room, cradling me gently in his arms. We passed Jubilee's cot.

"Wait." I said.

From Logan's arms, I reached down and touched Jube's cheek with my gloved fingers. Suddenly tears started in my eyes. I pressed my face against his chest, forgetting that I was angry with him, greedily taking the comfort he had to give.

"She's my best friend, you know? We're family." I mumbled.

"Hey, Marie." I looked up at him.

"We're gonna get whatever she needs, she's gonna be OK." I wished I could believe his promises, but he had promised to protect me once, and look at me now, broken and concussed with my best friend in the world unconscious.

I closed my eyes, and sagged against him. He pressed his lips against my hair, and I chastised myself for the shivers that went through my body.

He took me upstairs, taking me to my room without having to ask directions. I scolded myself for being touched. He laid me gently down on my bed.

"Um, I think I need a little help." I was forced to say.

"Whatever you need."

"I need to shower."

"Well, I don't think we can get your cast wet."

"Can I take a bath? I'll keep my leg out of the side of the tub, we can wrap it up in plastic wrap or something." He looked doubtful. "Logan, I'm disgusting. I have dried blood everywhere and I need to be clean!" I hated having to ask his help, but there was no way I could do this myself.

"You're not disgusting." He gave me a long look that I felt in every erogenous zone. "But I'll see what I can do. Wait here." He covered me with a quilt, and caressed my cheek with his gloved hand. I fought the urge to cry. He left the room. I was so exhausted I dozed off for a while.

"Marie?"

"Yeah, I'm awake!" I started. He grinned.

"I think I figured it out. I need to take off your uniform, and wrap your cast in this" he was holding a large black trash bag "and Hank says it's OK for you to have a bath. Of course, he says it would be better to have a sponge bath" I rolled my eyes "but I figured you'd rather have the real thing."

"Yes. Thank you."

"OK, we gotta get your uniform off." I blushed. Logan matter-of-factly unzipped my tattered, bloodstained uniform. I had plain, black cotton panties and a black lace bra on. I squirmed under his gaze. It's just as much cover as a bikini, I told myself. Except I don't wear bikinis. Still.

"You're beautiful." His voice was thick. Then he shook his head, as if to clear it, and quickly wrapped my leg in the plastic bag. I shivered under his gaze, and felt myself go wet between my legs. He inhaled deeply, and knowing that he could smell my arousal I blushed bright red.

"Here." He lifted my body, with so much exposed dangerous skin, into his arms once more. He walked us through the empty halls and arrived at the room that had once been his. In the attached bathroom, the large bathtub had been filled with water and fragrant bubbles. I wondered where the Wolverine had gotten anything as girly as bubble bath? Without removing my underwear, Logan gently lowered me into the water, keeping my plastic-clad cast hanging over the edge.

I sighed as the warm water covered me. He handed me the soap and I scrubbed the dried blood off of my stomach and throat. The stitches in my shoulder, though bandaged, stung in the hot water but it was worth it. The thick bubbles gave me a cover of modesty that had been missing. I leaned back in the bath, and quickly drifted off to sleep.

"Marie." I felt his gloved hands on me. "Time to go. Are you all clean?" He asked. His eyes were hot and I squirmed under his gaze.

"Actually, I think I need help with my hair. Is that OK?" I was so afraid he was going to disappear again, fighting the attraction I could feel he had to me, and abandon me helpless in the bubble bath.

"Sure. Lean back."

Letting his strong hands support my head, I leaned back. Slowly, he worked the shampoo through my brown and white striped, freakish hair. He was so careful to keep the soap out of my eyes. Then he rinsed the hair clean, and added conditioner. He massaged my scalp, and I got so turned on I almost came, right there in the tub. He carefully rinsed my hair again. I sighed, happily.

"Do you like that?" He asked thickly. I knew he was as turned on as I was, and a quick glance at his crotch confirmed it. I blushed, and nodded.

"You blush all over." He observed. I looked down, and saw that my shoulders and the tops of my breasts were indeed pink, and of course just blushed harder.

"OK, time to get out." Logan lifted me out of the tub, dripping wet, and managed to wrap me in a huge towel. My cast stayed dry. He picked me up again. I was glad I still had my underwear on, it enabled me to pretend that I wasn't just one kiss away from making love to him. He walked me back to my room, and laid me tenderly on the bed.

"I need a nightgown." I said softly.

He rummaged in my drawers, spending an unseemly amount of time fingering my panties, before he found a long silky nightgown Ororo had given me for my last birthday. It was the color of new leaves, and had long sleeves and a high neck to cover me, but also had lace panels revealing long strips of my skin. I am embarrassed to say that I was pleased, and did not steer him toward my flannel granny nighties. Some warrior I was. He handed it to me and I struggled into it. Silently, he reached over and lifted me up so I could slide the silky material over my leg and cast. He pulled the quilt up over me. He shifted me over, and then lay down beside me.

"Logan, it's the middle of the day. I'm not even tired." The yawn that took over belied my words.

"Well, I've been up all night, and I need a nap. Try not to snore." He shifted so that we were spooning, and crossed his arms over my chest. I could feel his arousal against my ass, and shifted my hips tentatively.

"Marie!" He growled, and held my hips still. I hid my smile in my pillow. "That's not how you take a nap." Carefully, he skimmed a gloved hand over my breasts and down my body. I gasped. "Now settle down and get some rest."

Luckily, I was so tired and felt so relaxed that I did.

---

[Logan]

She was going to kill me. I just wanted to help her and I almost wound up fucking her right there in the hospital bed. Then, when she needed a bath, and I had her naked up to her neck in sweet-smelling, sudsy water, I was this close to letting my fingers explore her everywhere, just so she knew she was mine.

I almost got carried away with my fantasies when I curled up in bed beside her, and it took every ounce of will power I had not to stroke her and put one finger inside her and make her come into my hands. But this was Marie, and Marie is special. I couldn't risk taking advantage of a moment of weakness, and having her hate me after. So I held her, rock hard and dying to touch her all over, for hours, letting her sleep and trying to let her poor weakened body recover.

When she woke, I got her food from the kitchen and fed her. She pretended to be impatient, but I could tell by the sparkle in her eyes and the flush in her cheeks that she liked being tended to. God knows she hasn't had enough of it before now, and I have to live with the fact that I only made it harder by staying away. She fell asleep again. Hank said the blood loss and the shock and the pain would tire her out. Even though she had a concussion, he said it was mild, and OK for her to sleep.

It's not just the cast and the stitches. She's covered in bruises. I know she's a soldier now, an X-Man, but it kills me that someone hit her, and I just want to kill that guy all over again. More slowly this time. Gently, I untangled myself from Marie, and got out of bed. She frowned, and shifted in her sleep. God, she's beautiful.

---

[Scott]

This is not good. Each bar we hit comes up with nothing, until Bobby starts talking to some girl who says she slept with Rigor, or the porcupine, as she calls him. She's a working girl, and it would be funny to see Bobby's eyes so wide if what she was saying wasn't so damn scary.

"He was obsessed. He said that mutants were dirty, dangerous, evil. He'd been an assassin, he said, I don't know that I believed him." She shifted her eyes away, with their rings of smudged eyeliner.

"I don't have anything against mutants, you know." She looked nervously at my visor. "I mean, hell, I was sleepin' with him, and he had all these, um, quills or something. But he hated mutants. It was like he didn't know he was one of 'em. You never mentioned it to him, or he'd go crazy. He hit my friend Nancy one time" here, she gestured to the pretty Latina girl chatting up what I could tell was an undercover cop. The girl had wings, like dragonfly wings, sprouting from her back. "He called her a freak, and almost broke her jaw. I tried to leave him after that, I could see he wasn't quite right in the head. He said he was gonna wipe out all the mutants soon. It was scary." She looked down. "I really don't wanna talk about him anymore."

"Did he have any other abilities? Did he ever touch your mind?"

"Well, sometimes when we were fighting I would get these headaches, but I thought it was just the stress."

"Did he ever talk about poison?"

"Well, you know, he could throw his quills, like darts, and then whoever he hit would pass out, and never wake up." Cold fear slithered in my gut.

"Never?"

"Well, one time he knocked out a friend of his, big redneck lookin' guy, but then he needed him to open a safe, so he jabbed him with a quill again and the guy woke up."

"Look, we really need to find him." She shook her head.

"He'll kill me. He'll know it was me, and I'll be dead."

"We're going to kill him first." She looked at the three of them appraisingly, then nodded.

"He lives just outside of Westchester, in a hotel called Sphinx." My pulse started to race. Jean and the others were in serious danger. The team never should have split up.

"Thanks." I quickly peeled off a few hundred dollar bills and gave them to her. "Tell your friend that guy's a cop."

"Thanks." She turned to Bobby. "You come back soon, I'll give you a discount." Bobby blushed, and Pyro and I steered him out of the bar. We ran for the car, and called the Professor and Remy.

---

[Remy]

These Friend of Humanity losers had been funded by some strange fanatic who they hadn't even met until he showed up the day of the attack. They said they didn't think he was a mutant, but since they couldn't tell that I was a mutant and never seemed to wonder why I was wearing sunglasses indoors, I didn't take that to mean much. They weren't exactly smart.

"He had a coupla his own guys from back where he was from." The big no-neck eagerly drank up the liquor I was paying for. I gestured to the waitress for another.

"Did he come to you in N'awlins, or did you meet up later?"

"He met us right before we hit the mansion. Can't pay me enough to head back there though, I mean those mutants were scary, but there weren't hardly any of 'em, it was a school for chrissakes. Nah, we've got our hands full just stamping out the mutie freaks in our own neighborhood. But I guess, since he lives up there, that was his neighborhood."

"He lives there? Where?"

"He lives right there in Westchester."

I through some bills on the table and ran out of the bar. We'd left the mansion exposed.

---

[Logan]

Scooter called and for the first time I heard fear in his voice.

"He's in town Logan. We're on our way back but you've got to take cover. He sounds crazy and deluded, and he could be on his way back there. Listen, he's a mutant with quills. We need those quills to heal Jubilee."

"Got it." I threw down the phone.

I grabbed Kitty from the computer lab and sent her down to the med lab to prepare Hank and Jean, and guard Jubilee. She grabbed a few grenades and other weapons, and phased her way down there.

I ran up to Marie's bedroom.

"What is it?" She struggled to sit up. "What's going on?"

"Well, I don't know exactly, but it looks like that guy might be closer than we thought."

"Where?"

"Here in town. I'm gonna get you down to the med lab, and then we're all gonna hole up together, OK?"

She looked scared, but tough. That's my girl. I picked her up, and started down the stairs. Suddenly I stopped. Something just didn't smell right. Marie lay perfectly still in my arms. I crept down the stairs, and could hear unfamiliar voices. I was torn between wanting to get Marie safe, and wanting to kill these bastards.

"Listen, Logan." She whispered in my ear. "Get me to the alcove. There's a weapons cache there in the armoire, and I can lie behind the couch and try to pick them off. We need to keep them away from the med lab, no matter what it takes, OK?" Her eyes were serious.

I didn't like it, but I nodded. We both heard the voices. One, lightly accented, seemed to be in charge. Adrenaline surged. Silently I crept into the alcove and lay Marie down behind the couch. She settled a pillow under her cast, and then started pulling some of the deadliest-looking weapons I had ever seen out of this frou-frou little cabinet. She strapped a knife holster around her cast and tossed me a pistol.

"Logan, drive them toward me if you can, and I'll take them out." Like hell I would, but I nodded. I put the pistol in the waistband of my jeans and popped my claws. She looked so fierce and beautiful, in her shiny green nightgown, her bruised up face and a huge gadget-laden rifle propped up beside her. She winked at me. I smiled. How had I ever thought this beautiful, bad-ass woman was a kid?

A lone soldier strode arrogantly into the room. I slashed his throat with my claws before he had a chance to even notice us. Marie reached out a hand and dragged his body out of the way. She pushed a fancy rug over, to soak up the blood. I nodded. Scooter had trained her well.

"Where is Pedro?" A whiny voice came from the drawing room.

"He went to explore. Boss, there don't seem to be any weapons or anything. I thought you said this is where the X-Men were? It looks like a damn school to me. There's classrooms and kids' toys and all kinds of school stuff."

"Were you not here yesterday? Did you not get your asses kicked? Did we not lose almost all of our army?" The whiner hissed.

"Well, yeah, but all that means is that the X-Men were onto us, not that they live here. And if they do live here, I don't think it's so smart to be back here so quick, with only a few guys."

"Idiot! When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you! We must strike now, when they least expect it. Once we find their weapons, you'll see. This place is deserted. We'll be safe."

Another soldier walked through the arched doorway. This time Marie picked him off before I got a chance. Her weapon had some kind of silencer on it, cuz he went down without a sound. I tossed his body over with his friend's.

Slowly I entered the drawing room.

The "boss" was a smallish man, with a greenish tinge to his skin. I couldn't believe these stupid FOH soldiers couldn't identify an obvious mutant in their midst. I didn't see any quills, but he was wearing some kind of heavy coat.

"Mutant!" He cried, spotting me. Well, I guess my claws are kinda hard to miss. The soldiers drew their weapons, but I batted them away. I knocked one out, and pinned the other one to the wall with a chair. It was just him and me. I was getting some kind of headache, and I knew that his quills weren't his only mutant power. I tried to shrug it off.

"So what's your deal, bub?" I asked him. I wanted to keep him talking while I figured out how to get his quills. I would have liked to have just killed him, but we didn't know if the quills would help Jubilee after he was dead, and I wasn't taking any chances with Marie's best friend. "I mean, you're a mutant, I'm a mutant, what's the big deal?"

"I. Am. Not. A. Mutant." He hissed. He shifted into a martial arts pose I recognized. He'd been trained as well. He feinted one way, and then hit me with his other fist. He was much stronger than I had anticipated. I started whaling on him, trying to beat him unconscious, but his hatred and his craziness seemed to lend him strength. Even with my healing factor, this was tougher than any cage fight I'd ever been in. I dodged and weaved. If he wouldn't go down I was just going to have to kill him, I couldn't risk him getting to my Marie.

Suddenly, the smell of Marie distracted me, and I noticed that she had crawled across the floor and was lying on her belly in the doorway. The nasty little mutant took advantage of my glance at her and pulled a weapon. He aimed it at her.

I hit him as hard as I could and his shot went wide. He turned back to me and fired a few more times. The shots stung like hell but there was no way I was going down.

I saw Marie lifting her weapon.

"Don't kill him, Marie. We need his quills for Jubilee." She lowered her rifle, but there was hell in her eyes. For a moment I felt sorry for the little mutant, because I knew Marie was going to kill him, sooner or later.

He started looking panicked then, and struggled harder. He raised a hand toward me, with some kind of dart looking thing in it. Idly, I wondered if my healing factor could fight off mutie poison. *Thwack*

His hand was pinned to the wall with a well-thrown knife. He howled in pain as I spared a proud glance at Marie. Summoning all my strength, I hit him in the temple and he slumped over, finally.

Scooter sprinted into the room, nearly tripping over Marie. I rushed over to Marie, and picked her up again. I could tell she was exhausted, as I was, her face was pale under the bruises. I cradled her in my arms.

Scooter stripped off the mutant's coat and pulled some quills out of his back. Bobby and Pyro entered, pried the knife out of the wall and tossed it to the ground. They wrapped the unconscious mutant in some kind of straight-jacket thing and chained up his arms and his legs. Scooter left, to go see Jean and give her the quills. Bobby and Pyro dragged the mutant out of the room. I just held my Marie.

---

[Rogue]

It was awful, there in the end.

That crazy mutant had tried to force his way into my head. His telepathic touch on my mind was dirty, slimy. He was filled with self-hate, and hatred for me. He didn't know who he was messing with, though. I had dealt with enough strangers up there, and they weren't going to let anyone else muscle in, especially not the Logan in my mind. Then I saw him with that dart, and for a moment I thought I was going to lose Logan just like I'd lost Jubilee.

Then, it was over, and I was in Logan's arms again. He was bloody and exhausted, but safe.

"You OK, kid?" He asked gruffly. I giggled. It just seemed so absurd.

"I'm not a kid." I smiled at him. He nuzzled my hair.

"Marie. Are you OK?" He repeated.

"Sure. A little sore, but OK. Are those quills gonna help Jubes?"

"Scooter thinks so, and he's a pretty smart guy, for an uptight boy scout."

"Thank God."

"How's your head? Did he try to getcha?"

"Yeah, but I'm tough. I've had scarier guys than him in my head." Logan brushed my hair away from face. Even his gloves were sexy.

"Am I still in there?" He asked.

"A little. Impressions. Thoughts, memories. You give me strength, especially when I'm fighting." I suddenly felt very vulnerable, lying in his arms in a slinky nightgown, clutching a rifle, all bandaged up with my plaster-encased leg sticking straight out in front of me.

"Seems fair. You do the same for me." His gaze was intense, hot, and unwavering.

"Really?"

"Yep. That's why I'm here for good. No more running." Some little niggling fear I didn't even know was in me melted away.

"You gonna give me trouble about being on the team, Sugar?" I stretched lazily, mainly to hear that sexy growl from deep in his throat.

"Maybe." I grinned, and nipped his neck gently, careful not to touch his skin with my lips.

"Marie!" He groaned.

"Yeah?"

"You gonna use sex to get your way?"

"Hmmmm. I never even thought of that." I lied, stroking his chest. "Think it'll work?"

"Oh yeah." Logan pulled the full silk sleeve of my nightgown over my mouth and kissed me. I thought I was going to melt into a puddle right there.

"Ahem." Our fearless leader stood in the doorway, and cocked an eyebrow at us. I hid my face in Logan's chest. I know I'm a soldier and all, but I didn't want Scott to catch me making out with Logan!

"What, Scooter?" Logan growled. "Can't you see I'm busy here?"

"I thought Rogue might want to know that Jubilee's awake." Scott grinned. I could tell he didn't feel a bit sorry for interrupting. Relief flooded through me.

"Thank God! Logan, to the med lab!" I slapped his shoulder, like he was a pony. He rolled his eyes and grinned.

"Rogue! What are you wearing!" Scott looked stunned. I looked down, Ororo's gift was definitely showing off my, um, assets. The nightie had hitched up around my cast, leaving my other leg exposed. And damn, suddenly I had cleavage.

"It's a nightgown, Scott. Ah wasn't exactly dressed for company." My accent always comes back when I'm embarrassed. "'Sides, my new uniform got all ripped up." I turned my big puppy-dog eyes on him. He still looked stunned.

"Well, we'll get you a new one right away." He looked away. Logan looked annoyed. I could tell he didn't like Scott noticing my nightgown. Or lack thereof. He strode over to the couch and grabbed a blanket and tucked it around me. I grinned. How can you not love a man like that? Oops, did I think "love"? No time for that.

"Logan. I gotta go see Jubes." He sighed.

"She's not goin' anywhere, darlin'. Don't you wanna get some rest first?"

"No. Jubilee." I know I was acting like a child, dammit, but I was tired and cranky. He rolled his eyes.

Down in the med lab, Jubes was sitting up, looking wan but excited.

"Roguey! Look at you! Your poor leg! And my, my, Wolvie." Logan looked uncomfortable under Jube's close scrutiny.

"Better be careful with my girl, there. Don't drop her." Jubes narrowed her eyes, and Logan looked taken aback from all the attitude roiling off of this tiny girl.

"Jubes, I was so worried. How are you feeling?"

"Just fine and dandy, baby. I'm a little nauseous, but Hank and Dr. Grey say I'm gonna be just fine." Suddenly the tears started again. Logan sat down on the cot next to Jubes, and rocked me gently back and forth, stroking my hair.

"Rogue! It's OK, I'm all good. Don't cry."

"I know." I sniffed. "It's just, it was so scary, and I didn't know what was gonna happen and I killed all these soldiers, and Logan got hurt, and Kitty and Remy and everyone was all banged up and…and" I started crying again.

"OK guys, we need to run some more tests on Jubilee. Rogue, do you want to stay in the med lab or your room? Because from now on you need total bed rest, I don't want you jostling your leg anymore, and we need to give your concussion time to heal." Jean looked firm and doctorly and somehow I felt better.

"My room, please." And the fact that there might be more kissing of Logan there never crossed my mind. Kinda.

"Oh, Rogue, are you sure you don't want to stay down here with me? I might get lonely." Jubilee asked, grinning wickedly. I swear, was everyone a telepath these days? I looked fiercely at her and she giggled.

"Never mind, you'd probably just distract me anyway." She struck a dramatic pose, throwing a hand to her forehead. "I need my rest, people. Be gone!" Everyone shuffled out of the room. Jean gave me more painkillers, and checked my stitches. They hadn't torn, not even with all the killing of mutant soldiers I'd been doing.

"Don't I need crutches, Jean?"

"Rogue, you're not to get out of bed! When you're ready, I think a wheelchair would be better. You shouldn't be standing on that leg at all."

"You and Chuck can have races." Logan offered.

"No fair, he's tricky. He's been doing this way longer. I'll need to practice."

"OK. Go. Logan, please take her upstairs. Make sure she takes one pill every two hours, with lots of water, unless she's sleeping. Call me if anything changes. She should be eating as well, she lost a lot of blood. Do not let her move around!"

"Hello, I'm right here."

"C'mon Roguey, let Wolvie take care of you." Jubes piped up.

Logan nodded at Jean, growled at Jubilee, and whisked me upstairs.

He put me down on his bed.

"This is bigger, and you're gonna be in bed for a while, plus it's nearer to the bathroom…." I remembered his hands on me in the bath and I squirmed. In a good way.

"But where are you going to sleep?"

"Right here." He lay down beside me, looking into my eyes. "That OK with you?"

"Yes." I whispered.

"Marie." He groaned. Then he had laid a square of gauzy material over my lips. Where had he gotten that? It looked like an old scarf of mine… then he was kissing me so hard I forgot to think. He kissed my breasts through the silk of my nightgown. I stroked his hard abs with my gloved fingers. I started fumbling with his belt buckle. Suddenly, his cock was in my hands. It was huge, and warm, and -

"Marie!" He shouted. Gently he moved my hand away. "We gotta go slow. We've got all the time we need and you're hurt."

"But Logan, I want you. You make me feel so good. I love you." He stilled. I hoped I hadn't scared him away. My body felt stiff and cold with fear.

"I love you too, baby." I relaxed. I kissed him hard, stroking his tongue with mine through the damp silk. He slid a hand between my legs.

"Oh GAWD Logan!" I cried. He grinned wolfishly. Slowly he moved his hand, faster, and faster, and faster still, until I felt my whole body contract and squeeze against him. I saw stars.

He caressed me gently as my breathing slowed.

"What about you?" I asked. I mean, I may not be so experienced, or, well, experienced at all besides today, but I had a general idea of how things worked. I'd read romance novels.

"Later for me. Right now I just want to touch you."

"Uh uh, Logan. That's not fair. I wanna hear you moan."

"But baby, your leg, your shoulder…."

"Do you hear me complaining?" I looked into his eyes. "Logan, I want you inside me. Please." Boy that man can move. In just a minute he had slid into long johns, I guess to get around the whole skin issue, and had a condom in his hands.

"You sure Marie? I mean, I know this is new for you."

"Yeah, yeah, so I'm a virgin. Logan, fuck me please!!" I said plaintively.

He choked. I laughed. He growled. Then, oh god, it was amazing. He had to be kind of gentle, what with the cast and the stitches, but he was kissing me, then he was inside of me, and I lost my mind. As he pushed into me the first time I gasped, not with pain, but with the newness of it all. He stroked my hair. He kissed my neck. I gasped again. He started moving. I could feel the muscles in his back flexing, and his breathing got raspy. I loved knowing that I could affect this man this way. It was like a fire building between us then everything exploded.

"Marie!" He shouted again. I loved hearing my true name on his lips. Then I came again, then he came again, and collapsed. Adamantium is heavy. He rolled off me, and looked into my eyes in that steady way he has.

"You OK?"

"Better than OK. I feel wonderful."

"You were wonderful." I blushed again. God, I had blushed more in the last 24 hours than in my whole life.

"You're not so bad yourself, sugar."

Logan grabbed a bottle of water from the bed stand and gave me a pill. Then he settled me in bed, and lay down next to me. I felt so protected, and so loved. I closed my eyes, and went to sleep, safe in the knowledge that my home was safe once again, and Logan was mine.

---

[Logan]

I traced the white in her hair as I listened to the slow sound of her breathing. Making love to her was better than any fantasy I could have ever cooked up. She was strong, she was sexy, she was funny, she was brave, she was goofy, she was my Marie. I couldn't believe she was in love with me. I was going to be what she deserved, I had no choice. At that moment, I gave up the notion of looking for my past. My future, and hers, were all that mattered now. With my hand pressed against her breast, with the dogtags between us, I fell asleep. Marie was mine.