I. WAIT

Rogue sat on the floor outside the gym entrance smoking a cigarette thoughtfully. Dressed in a black training unitard and sneakers, she idly flicked a precariously long string of ash into the potted fern next to her. Noticing her pale skin peeking through the stretch fabric around her knees, she brought them up to her chest and picked at the thinning material. Alice In Chains blasted into her headphones and she silently mouthed the words to 'Would' with unconscious effort. Taking a long drag that melted the cigarette down to the white band, Rogue absentmindedly fiddled with her Diskman while dissecting the conversation she had just had.

Heading down to the gym moments ago, she had heard the phone ringing. Xavier and Storm were out on a date somewhere, and Logan never answered the phone, so she picked it up. It was Jean. She was calling to tell Storm that she would be late for dinner. There was a play in school that she was catching and it would be hard to make it up to Westchester County before seven. It was a friendly and brief exchange, but the awkwardness was definitely there.

Jean didn't mention Scott's name, but it was pretty obvious that they were both together and that the call was meant as an excuse for the two of them. Rogue took the message and quietly said good-bye. Squelching the old feeling of rejection that rose in her when she thought about Scott, Rogue walked the short distance back to her room to fetch her cigarettes before descending to the lower levels.

She was drug free for over a month now, but smoking was a habit Rogue was unwilling to let go of just yet. Despite the patch she wore on her shoulder, under her clothes, and the gum she chewed on occasionally, there was something magically soothing about a cigarette dangling effortlessly between her fingers that was undeniable and therefor unavoidable. Rogue wanted to please everyone by quitting, but anxious moments begged for release. And smoking sure beat waking up face down in some dive.

Reaching the gym just as she polished off her third chain-smoked Camel, Rogue slumped down to the floor and wondered exactly what was bothering her. She was pretty sure she was over Scott and she was getting along fine at Xavier's, but something still bothered her. Pulling out another cigarette from the box in her sweatshirt pocket, Rogue used the butt of her dwindling stub to light her fourth cigarette in as many minutes. She needed to speak to Storm. It always helped.

Feeling the warm smoke fill her lungs, Rogue noted a soft chiming in the quiet Mansion halls. When everyone was gone, the giant house was so silent, you could hear the old clock in the foyer softly echo every hour. Tired of self-analysis, Rogue counted along with it.

"One. Two. Three. Four."

Eyes closed and breathing deeply, Rogue savored the silent intermission before pursing her lips and counting out loud with the clock again.

"One. Two. Three. Four."

Smiling at her perfect timing, Rogue moved to stand up. She was antsy and it was finally four o'clock. Logan was never late and as much as she hated to admit it, she lived for the two hours they spent working out. Simply told, there was no better excuse to touch that body of his than sparring. Slightly frustrated at herself, Rogue bent over, put her Diskman away, and tied her sweatshirt around her waist. She was about to count the final four chimes, but looking up she quickly removed the cigarette from her mouth instead.

"Hi theah Logan."

Logan uncrossed his arms from where he was leaning against the stair banister about twenty feet away and smiled at the coy way the girl before him averted her eyes. Despite her harsh, sometimes unforgiving exterior, it made him smile to see that she was still so honest and unaffected at times.

"Hey Kid."

Slightly embarrassed to having been watched without knowing, Rogue exhaled the smoke still lingering in her lungs with a quirky smile and quickly ground out the cigarette in the receptacle by the gym entrance. Pulling the doors open, she walked in, busily gathering her hair into a ponytail.

"How long ya been theah?"

Logan followed closely behind, awed at how deftly she looped her shoulder-length hair into a small pink band. A definite female-only skill.

"Long enough."

Rogue hurried over to the center mat, suddenly conscious of her elevated breathing. Annoyed that she could be such a girl, Rogue purposely slowed down as she untied the sweatshirt around her waist and tossed it to the wayside. Still she didn't turn to look at him.

"It's not that easy, Logan. Ah'm trying my best, an' it's not like you don't do it either."

Logan unzipped his own sweatshirt and pulled on his gloves in silence - but not in disappointment. It was pretty obvious she was having a bad day, and the last thing he wanted was to upset her more. Plus, he was mesmerized by the loose tendrils of hair trailing down her neck. Details like that always made it hard to think.

"Agreed."

Hearing Logan's calm, unjudging response, Rogue instantly felt guilty. She hated disappointing the people she had come to admire so much in the past six weeks and Logan was the last person that deserved to get snapped at. She was about to apologize, when out of nowhere, she felt his arms embrace her.

Her breath caught in her throat, Rogue closed her eyes when she felt a soft, careful kiss planted on her neck. Savoring the unexpected contact, Rogue leaned into Logan, enjoying the feel of his chest rise and fall against her back. Not knowing what else to do, Rogue let her gloved hands settle over the sizable forearms crossed at her mid-section. Their touching had gotten more intimate in the last few weeks, and suppressing a shudder, Rogue wondered how much longer she could convince herself that she was not in a relationship.

"Ah didn't mean ta be bitchy Logan."

His face pressed against auburn hair, Logan let an amused rumble escape him.

"But you're beautiful when you're angry."

Sucking her teeth in disbelief, Rogue broke the embrace and turned to face her instructor. Feeling her body shift under him, Logan slowly dropped his arms to his side, tracing the contours of her hips along the way.

"Yer so full of it."

Looking straight into the green eyes heavily outlined in black, peeking out from behind long white bangs, Logan smiled wanly at Rogue's uncertain and embarrassed expression. It saddened him to think that she never believed him when he told her how beautiful she was. He secretly cursed everyone that had ever made her feel otherwise.

"You know it's the truth, darling."

Swallowing hard, Rogue averted her gaze again. As much as she loved the closeness that they shared, she couldn't help but feel woefully inadequate whenever Logan looked at her with so much intensity and devotion in his eyes. No matter how much she reasoned it, she just couldn't understand why he bothered with her.

"How 'bout we get going? We hafta do grips today."

Remembering the furlong expression she had earlier in the hallway floor, Logan nodded in agreement and moved into position. Watching Rogue stretch in preparation for the lesson, he thought about the first time he really kissed her like he so often dreamed of. That was weeks ago, but he was determined if nothing else. He loved this girl and although she wouldn't allow herself to be that vulnerable yet, he was sure that she loved him back. For the second time in a two minute span, Logan cursed the life that had scarred her so badly.

---

II. FEAR

Kurt and Kitty had been at the Mansion from their summer jobs, for close to an hour, helping Xavier and Storm prepare a late dinner. Drafted by the weather goddess to setting the table, Rogue carried out her duty in silent reflection. She could feel Logan's dark eyes on her and half-scared, half-flattered, she purposely avoided them while setting the expensive china in it's designated spots.

Although they had come a long way since Logan dumped her in a freezing shower, Rogue still felt a little awkward around the older man. There was an intensity about him underneath the calm and controlled exterior that she had only glimpsed twice. It was a mix of volatile danger and unpredictability that she recognized in herself and Rogue was drawn to him for it. As the weeks rolled by, she was torn between running from him and surrendering herself completely. Ironically it was the second option that terrified her the most.

Sitting in her place next to Kurt, Rogue politely nodded through the conversation Kitty was hell bent on starting up. Against her hardest efforts, Rogue found herself liking the petite chatterbox more and more each day. Chuckling despite herself at Kitty's animated ranting about the injustice of MTV being allowed to make movies, Rogue eased up a little, finally looking up to meet Logan's gaze across the table. Quietly offering a smile, Rogue seemed content, that is until Scott and Jean walked in.

Jean and Scott had spent the last two weeks, taking freshman summer prep courses at Columbia University in the city. They were attending together in the fall. Jean was pre-med and Scott, always the overachiever, had a double major in history and mathematics. Predictably, the conversation revolved around their experiences, and by the time the dishes were done later on that night, Rogue had heard all she could and escaped to the patio with a beer.

"You're missing out on all the pre-game strutting."

Rogue startled at the sound of Storm's serene voice and smirked.

"Is that ah ploy ta get me inside?"

The older woman leaned into the railing and looked over the darkening sky. Although it was a far cry from the outright hostility Rogue emitted when she first joined the X-Men, Storm picked up the change in her right away when Scott and Jean showed up. Catching Logan's slight frown across the table, Storm sighed deeply and resolved to speak to Rogue alone when the opportunity arose.

"Will it work?"

Rogue looked down at her gloved hands. She hadn't wanted anybody to notice her absence.

"Yeah, just needed some air, Ah s'pose."

Storm let her statement fill the lengthening silence. After a while, she looked at her friend.

"Perhaps you should explain to him how you feel."

Rogue met Storm's bewitching eyes with a familiar tinge of shame. She hadn't cried in weeks, but the tears suddenly threatened to rim over with the slightest blink. She was over him, but seeing Scott and Jean together always managed to twist her up inside. They had something that she envied so badly. Something Kitty and Kurt and also Xavier and Storm had. It was something she couldn't give Logan. A trust that would leave her vulnerable to the hurt that always accompanied her liaisons with men. Rogue opened her mouth to explain this to the goddess, but it was hard to form the words that haunted her. Feeling the self-doubt that filled her younger friend at times, Storm placed a hand on Rogue's and smiled.

"Things will get easier child."

Rogue nodded and blinked rapidly, transfixed by the truth in the Storm's soft, comforting words. She owed him as much. She couldn't hide behind her uncertainty forever. Conveying that statement in total silence with just a look, Rogue wiped at her face and downed the rest of the beer. Storm understood the raincheck fully and turned back into the house arm in arm with the younger woman. Giving her a final squeeze, Storm went to Xavier's side, where a game of poker was being set up, leaving Rogue at the door to ponder her next move.

---

III. SWEET SURRENDER

Logan never really joined in activities, he just sort of lingered in the background and watched a game on television or read instead. He was smoking a cigar and relaxing with the Rangers when the unexpected happened. Spotting Logan sitting alone in the far side sofa, Rogue gathered her courage and meandered over to him. He cocked an eyebrow in surprise, but then just smiled and placed an arm around the girl that settled next to him. They had always kept things quiet, but it was obvious she was ready for a little more. He made a mental note to thank Storm later on.

As expected, all four teenagers at the card table looked up in confusion. Storm and Xavier exchanged approving smiles and kept talking, while the younger X-men eventually let out a collective shrug and followed suit. It was no secret that Rogue and Logan were close, but the younger X-Men had never considered anything more intimate between the two other than friendship. Calling up a well-honed sense of 'I don't give a shit' attitude, Rogue leaned her head into Logan's shoulder and tucked her feet under her. At the table, Kitty was the first to find her voice again and resumed her rant about why Harrison Ford desperately needed to be in Episode Two.

The game ended two hours later and for once, Scott had lost. Kurt claimed a boisterous victory, which served to annoy Scott even more. His concentration was nowhere near the game, instead his thoughts dwelled on the quiet couple resting on the sofa. Their silence spoke volumes and Scott was more than baffled to not have known anything about the obvious relationship sooner. Rogue and him spoke regularly, but not once had she mentioned anything about Logan, other than complaints about his rigorous training.

When everyone said goodnight and retired for the evening, he ambled behind the others until there was no possible reason to hang around any longer. Rogue and Logan had said their goodnights to everyone, but had not moved an inch. Finally leaving the two alone, Scott retired as well, his uncertainty and apprehension not lost on neither Rogue nor Logan.

---

Logan picked up on the correlating anxiety from Rogue and Scott but said nothing. He stared straight ahead at the game until Rogue straightened up and regarded him nervously. She could sense his tension by the way he rubbed his knuckles. He could sense hers by the way she fiddled with her rings. Grabbing the remote by her boots on the floor, Rogue turned off the television set and took a deep breath. The darkness settled around them and static crackled on the fading screen.

"It's not what ya think."

Logan didn't remove his gaze from the screen. His voice was a notch above a whisper.

"And what is that."

Rogue shifted slightly. She hated being on the spot. Logan was usually very understanding with her, but it was obvious he had picked up her anxiety. She needed to come clean. She owed him as much.

"You know... that Ah, umm, still have...feelins' fer Scott."

Logan snapped his head over to meet Rogue's pale face. The stud in her nose twinkled brightly in the dim light. He had to give her points for directness. She really didn't waste words. He opened his mouth to say something, but Rogue cut him off.

"An' it's not that. Ah did, fer ah while at least, but that's..." Rogue wracked her brain for the right word, "past."

Logan sighed despite himself. The Scott thing was something she never mentioned, but both knew it was what stopped them from taking things further between them. For weeks they had circled each other. He sought her out and she responded to him, but he didn't push the issue. In all honesty, he had resigned himself to fleeting touches and stolen kisses rather than go too far like he had done that night in June.

Chewing her blood-red bottom lip ferociously, Rogue looked down so that her chin-length white bangs veiled her face. It was an old habit she resorted to whenever she wanted to hide from the world. Sensing she had more to say, Logan held back his comment, choosing to cup her face with his right hand instead. It was something he had secretly waited for, but watching Rogue's face while she said it, he could clearly see the enormous effort it took to get out.

"Ah just needed ta clear things up with you Logan."

Her voice dropped even lower.

"Ah want you, only you, but...Ah don't think you...Ah've..."

Pausing his breathing for a moment, Logan listened closely to Rogue's heartbeat. It was painfully quick and her expectant eyes shifted back and forth under heavy eyelashes. Carefully removing a strand of white hair away from her face, Logan considered carefully what she had just said and placed a finger on her lip to stop her from finishing. He figured as much, but it never bothered him like it obviously bothered her.

"You don't need to explain anything. It's not important."

Rogue slowly looked up at the feel of his warm finger pressed on her lips. What she saw, terrified her. He had kissed her once before, but it was still too much of a gamble. Wanting to pull back, she frowned slightly when her body refused to cooperate. Logan was going to kiss her and she was powerless to stop him. She had been kissed only twice since her mutation manifested and one almost led to tragedy, but the smell of him overwhelmed and enticed her. Aromatic tobacco, aftershave and a hint of an afterdinner drink she didn't see him take. Against better judgement, Rogue met him halfway.

Logan brushed Rogue's lips lightly with his own. Careful to just make contact with the creamy red lipstick and nothing else, he leaned in a little closer and shared Rogue's shaky breath. Eventually she opened her mouth and the hand that cupped her cheek, migrated to the back of her head, where Logan drew her in even more. The passionate kiss held for another minute until Rogue moaned slightly into his mouth and Logan pressed down harder. In an instant, the connection opened and threatened to overwhelm them both. Rogue pulled back quickly, pushing Logan down to the sofa. In a panic, she slapped her hand over her still burning lips and watched a web of veins erupt on the semi-conscious man.

Mind temporarily flooded, Rogue fell to her knees by the prone form and shook Logan frantically as the blue lines and creases miraculously faded from his face. She was chanting his name over and over in increasing desperation, when his hand shot up and held her arm. Rogue ceased the chanting instantly and watched Logan's eyes flutter, squeeze tight, and then finally open.

"L-l-logan."

To her surprise, he grinned at her.

"I'm fine, just got a little carried away."

Rogue's expression turned incredulous. She had almost relived her greatest nightmare and he was making jokes. She muttered a 'fuck you' under her breath and turned to leave when Logan tightened the grip around her forearm and brought Rogue down on top of him. More than a little indignant and afraid to do further damage, Rogue scrambled to get up, but was quickly stilled when Logan tangled a hand in her hair again and pressed the other to the small of her back.

"You're not going to hurt me. Quit running."

Instantly pliable in his arms, Rogue ceased her fussing. Her mind tried to wrap around the statement because it was the single overwhelming thought that pervaded Logan's mind when she glimpsed into it. Deciding to take the plunge once and for all, she settled her legs on either side of him and slowly ran her gloved hands into his sideburns. Eyes closed and eyelashes wet at the prospect of another transfer, Rogue rested her head on Logan's chest and kissed the spot above his heart.

"Rogue, you don't need to prove anything."

The words rumbled from his chest and Rogue smiled in the vibration before looking up to Logan's face again. His already coal-black eyes looked several shades darker. Bringing her knees up to straddle his waist, Rogue added softly,

"Ah know, just...be careful."

Growling again at the sight of Rogue's long legs encircling him and her skirt hitched up around her thighs, Logan willed his hands to move over them. Feeling his way up her nylon covered thighs to find that she wore nothing under her stockings, he let out an impish grin. He should have known. Mirroring his smile, Rogue started to unbutton Logan's shirt.

"Underweah is overrated."

Lost in the feel of his hands tracing her skin, Rogue descended on Logan's chest, kissing trails over the white T-shirt he wore underneath. Still running circles into his sideburns, Rogue gasped when he pulled her back suddenly, snapping her out of her revelry.

"Darling, it's kinda hard to get lipstick out of clothes."

Taking a moment to savor the feel of his hands move to softly knead her breasts over the black bustier she wore under her favorite see-thru green blouse, Rogue smirked.

"Ah'll get you ah new one."

To help erase the smug look on his face, Rogue brought her hands up to cover his over the blouse and ground down into the bulge growing under her. Growling in delicious agony, Logan decided to even the score. With a swift tug, he tore open the bustier down the middle, snapping most of the tiny little silver hooks off their anchoring. With a startled squeak, Rogue opened her eyes and steadied herself by gripping his forearms. He pulled the garment off completely, tossing it to the wayside and leaving her unencumbered under the sheer green blouse. Taking in the sight, it was Logan's turn to be assuming.

"I'll get you a new one."

Rogue was about to protest, but Logan sat up, bringing her up with him. He brought his hands up to her breasts again, increasing the pressure and eliciting a soft moan. The torn bustier forgotten, Rogue settled for grabbing his hair roughly, as his hands moved over her pale skin fervently, and his mouth worshipped her completely. At one point, his caressing came to a sudden stop.

"Exactly how many tattoos do you have?"

Rogue smiled at his hitched breathing with equal parts precociousness and bashfulness. Enthralled by the dark blue butterfly, Logan ran a thumb carefully over the tiny design on the inner curve of her right breast through the flimsy green fabric and looked up. It matched the one on the small of her back perfectly.

"Just one more ya haven't seen yet."

Pressing her tightly to his chest so that her breasts flattened against him, Logan grinned at her.

"Yet?"

"Yet."

With a glint in her eye, Rogue pushed Logan's head back. Starting at his shoulder, she feathered kisses over the T-shirt, across his collarbone until she reached his neck. Suckling it softly, she slipped her hands into Logan's jeans for a feel of what was throbbing under her. Not one to be idle, Logan reiterated the interest by slowly encircling the flesh at the apex between Rogue's legs with his fingers. Rhythmically stroking his member, Rogue bit her bottom lip when she felt a tear being ripped in her pantyhose. Soft suede brushed her moistening core, as the scent of their intermingled arousal filled the air.

Lost in the complete sensation of each other, the couple barely registered the solitary chime that wafted through the room. But Rogue pulled back and considered their situation. It was one in the morning and they were in the great room where they could easily be discovered. Running a shaky hand through her choppy hair, she regarded Logan from under thickened black lashes.

"We should go on upstahrs."

Catching the not too subtle meaning, the normally ambivalent Logan, beamed. In the hallway, the old clock chimed for the third time, but it remained unnoticed as Logan and Rogue made their way upstairs to test the extent of their creativity and finally finish what they had started.

---

IV. WITNESS

The next day was Saturday. Waking up early enough to sneak unnoticed back to her own room, Rogue blasted Nine Inch Nails as a pick me up and took a quick shower before heading downstairs for brunch with the others. Everyone pretty much came and went around the Mansion, but the one thing Xavier insisted was that they all eat together as a family.

So Rogue scrubbed furiously and tried not to think too much about what had happened the night before. But it was a futile effort. She had done what she thought was impossible and that was to have woken up in someone's arm. True, she was completely wrapped in a blanket, but the feeling was the same. Adding gel to her wet hair and then musing it to it's typical state, Rogue stopped for a minute to contemplate her reflection in the bathroom mirror. There was a time when she did this all day long, looking and longing, but that was a lifetime ago. When she became Rogue she quit fussing with mirrors. It hurt too much to see what she had become, but she paused in front of it this morning and slowly scanned her body for something anything that might be different.

She was always on the skinny side with nervous, clouded eyes. But time at the Mansion had softened her: rounded out her curves, faded the tell-tale circles under her eyes, and added muscle to her body. Closing her eyes to her image, Rogue admitted to herself that she was different. Before they called her the Goth freak, now they called her darling. What's more, Logan thought she was beautiful.

He had told her right before they came with such excruciating force that she screamed out his name, forgetting the fact that only a few walls separated them and their teammates, and he popped his claws into the mattress on either sides of her. The word caused her breath to catch and her heart to flip over like it always did, but unlike other times, Rogue couldn't change the subject or turn away. Logan was looming over her, lips slightly tinted with her lipstick, hair sticking to his forehead, a look of total intensity over his features. With sweat beaded over his chest, and muscles tensed to the breaking point, he told her and she could do nothing else but recognize the truth and love behind the statement.

She was a long country mile from being a blushing virgin, but the night with Logan had taught her that making love was a world apart from having sex. He was very rough at times. The finger shaped bruises on her thighs attested to that, but the way he smoothed her hair back, kissed her belly and held her hands with his, meant so much more. Opening her eyes, Rogue allowed the memory of his intense eyes fill her. She was loved and needed. Those two very basic needs.

Behind her in the room, Trent Reznor wailed beautifully, 'we're in this together now' Taking the hardly ever used brush on the sink and pulling her hair back into a loose chignon, Rogue parted the long bangs that always veiled her face and tucked them to the side. Satisfied at the improvement, she threw on the clothes laid out on her bed and headed downstairs to face the world infinitely stronger than the day before.

Making a concerted effort to hide her bubbling smile, Rogue barreled down the stairs, skidding to a stop when she saw Scott leaning against the open front door. He was lost in thought, because he obviously didn't hear her, so Rogue walked up and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Mornin'."

Caught off guard, Scott quickly shoved his hands into his short pockets and smiled stiffly.

"Morning, Rogue."

The greeting was far from chilly, but it's slightly off tone didn't escape Rogue. She looked out to the front grounds and shoved her hands into her pocket as well. She knew he was disappointed for her not confiding in him about Logan, but she had her reasons.

"Look Scott, about last night, Ah really wasn't thinkin, ya know? You've been gone an ah just didn't know how ta..."

Scott turned and smiled his glorious smile. The one that lit a room. Rogue just stared at the reddish highlights he threw back with one hand and realized Scott was more than confused, he was hurt.

"You don't owe me an explanation Rogue, I simply want to see you happy."

She blinked and searched for the truth. The last thing she needed was to lose the first person that had cared enough to befriend her.

"Ah just wanted ta keep it ta myself till it... made sense in my head."

Scott nodded grimly.

"It's cool Rogue just ... unexpected."

Rogue admitted as much. She struggled with the very same doubts at first. She fiddled with her rings and added with a smirk,

"He's not that much older than us."

Scott flipped his hair again and smiled genuinely. When it was real, his was a perfect smile.

"Keep telling yourself that, Roguey, he's older than Xavier."

Rogue rolled her eyes in mock defeat.

"Whatevah." A few seconds later, she added, "And he's good ta me."

Scott appraised his friend's statement and the odd look returned to his face. She was happier than he had ever seen her before. It was Logan that had done this. He had brought Rogue back from the self-destructive life she was drowning in only months ago. The image of Rogue blue and dying on the Hutchinson Pass Bridge ran through his mind. If not for Logan, she would have died there for sure.

"Yeah, that he is."

Behind them, Rogue heard Kurt and Kitty racing down the stairs. Not knowing what else to make of Scott's behavior, she smiled awkwardly and then backed into the foyer. They had said what was needed and she was glad for it.

"We're still ahll headed for tha town festival tonight, raght?"

"Yeah, should be pretty cool."

With that, Rogue turned and walked into the kitchen. Scott looked back out over the lawns once more before doing the same. Letting the smile fall from his face, he brought the fist he had clenched into his pockets up to the light. Opening his hand slowly he looked down at the tiny metal fasteners that he had found scattered in the great room rug earlier that morning.

---

V. BUILDING A MYSTERY

The X-women conveyed after brunch for a day out in Salem Center Mall. It was something they did whenever they were all together on Saturdays. Jean and Kitty were still perusing the racks of Macy's while Storm and Rogue waited on line. After a quick survey of the things they had, Storm remembered something.

"Oh, I forgot to take the shirt I got in blue. I'll be right back."

Rogue smiled and took the garments from Storm's hand. She was not much of a shopper, but she waited patiently, ignoring the curious whispering from the group of girls behind her. Even in eighty degree weather, she needed long sleeves and gloves. The feeling of serenity she had felt all morning slowly ebbed away with the whispering. Annoyed, Rogue fished out the crumpled box of Nicorette gum from her bag. Popping two squares into her mouth, she gave the twittering girls behind her a murderous look before glancing through the boutique's glass entrance.

Dropping the bundle of clothes she was holding just as the cashier called her forward, Rogue ran to the store front and quickly scanned the crowd of shoppers outside for the tall frame. Jean came up first behind her, placing a slender hand on Rogue's arm, she softly asked her what was wrong. Suddenly aware of the gathering crowd, Rogue stopped searching and turned to look at Jean. She was scared and pleading in a concerned voice.

"Uhh, It's nothin' Red, Ah thought Ah saw someone."

Turning around with downcast eyes, Rogue walked back to the store to meet Storm and Kitty's equally concerned faces. Still a little shaken, Rogue chuckled and quickly offered an explanation to the people still warily looking at her.

"Thought Ah saw an old friend."

The story worked well enough, so the X-women charged the purchases on Xavier's card and hurried back to the car. On the way home, Storm asked Rogue what had spooked her, but the girl insisted it was a mistaken identity. Knowing that Rogue only spoke when she wanted to, Storm let her be and focused on the chattering girls in the backseat. They were talking about college in the fall and like always, Rogue just stood silent.

---

When the women arrived at the Mansion, the men were still working on the lawns outside. At Storm's suggestion, they were adding a raised flowerbed by the steps. All stopped in mid shovel, when Storm's convertible showed up. In a streak of inspiration, Kurt materialized into the car in the space between Jean and Kitty. Sweaty and dirty, he gave each of the horrified girls a sloppy kiss before poufing away to safety. The chase was on, but Rogue didn't follow.

Grabbing the bags from the trunk, she made her way to the front door, where Logan was waiting on an impromptu break. Shirtless and looking incredibly sexy, Rogue couldn't help but feel better. Pushing the incident at the mall to the back of her mind, she settled down next to him and laughed as a sudden gust of wind sent Kurt careening into the hedges. Thank god Storm's upholstery was leather.

---

Hours later, when brightly hued impatients were finally resting in neat rows in their new flowerbed, the X-Men parted ways to clean up for the festival. Completely caked in mud from the requisite mud fight whenever lawn work was to be done, Rogue went straight to her bathroom for her second shower of the day. Slipping into her newly 'modified' stockings, new jeans and halter top in near giddy anticipation, she failed to see the envelope that lay waiting on her desk.

Adding numerous silver rings to her fingers, Rogue grabbed her keys and jacket and headed downstairs. Predictably, only Logan was there. No matter what, the man could get ready in ten minutes flat. Rogue noticed with a smirk that he was fiddling with his keys. Before he had the chance to say anything, she fished out a little foil square from her front jean pocket and tossed it to Logan's lap.

"Wanna go help me get ma bike?"

Shaking his head in disbelief, Logan shoved his keys back into his pocket. It was a regular argument with them to fight over who's bike they were taking, but looking at Rogue's rakish smile, he knew that it was in his best interest to just go along this time. Silently following her to the garage house, they perfected the fine skills involved in having sex on a bike seat in time to catch their colleagues assembling in the foyer.

---

Arriving at the Salem Center Park before the others, Rogue parked her bike and snuggled with Logan until an ice cream vendor caught their eye. Logan went to buy one, leaving Rogue to take off her gloves and stuff them into her jean jacket pocket. It was almost dark, so at least Rogue didn't look odd in it. Summer nights in Westchester tended to run around the sixties, and so almost everyone had a jacket on. The only stares were probably due to the age difference. But neither cared as they shared an ice cream and laughed at private jokes. Across the parking lot, a figure from Rogue's past eyed the couple in thinly veiled contempt and waited for the right time to make his move.

---

When the others arrived, all eight X-Men trampled over to the great lawn where the residents of Salem Center were all scattered on picnic blankets and folding chairs. Settling by an old tree, the girls spread out two checkered sheets just as the local community jazz band started to play. Content to have missed the first round of political speeches, Logan leaned back in his beach chair and smiled at Rogue sprawled out on a blanket, munching on grapes. Most of the concert-goers had brought camping lanterns, giving the park a beautiful glow as dusk approached.

When the free concert ended, several town notables took the stage to officially declare Salem Center's 138th birthday. Taking the opportunity to head to the restrooms while Kitty hit the concession stands for some cotton candy, Rogue left Logan with a kiss and walked off with the eternally chatty girl. Giving Kitty money for some cotton candy, Rogue waved at her friend and made her way to the restroom line. Hearing the roar of laughter from the crowd on the lawn, Rogue turned and looked to the brightly lit stage just as the mayor's dog ran across it. Giggling herself, Rogue almost choked when a familiar face caught her eye and made her blood run cold.

Losing him among the shuffle of people, Rogue regained the ability to move and took off. Cutting through the thick crowd surrounding the hot dog venders, her mind raced at the possibility that it was all part of an overactive imagination. Having lost sight of her moving target, Rogue twirled around and around in the surreal summer night lighting. Still deciding whether or not to head back, Rogue rubbed her temple with a gloved hand in defeat. But just then, the tall frame appeared to her right.

Positive that it wasn't an illusion, Rogue blindly ran after him until she found herself in the dark space behind the tented concession area. Squinting in the sudden darkness, she slowed down considerably, feeling along taught tent ropes to avoid from tripping. Her eyes still unaccustomed to the light, Rogue walked right into a tent spike jutting out of the ground and snubbed her toe.

"Shit!!"

Behind her a voice chuckled.

"Language, language, what would your new friends think?"

Rogue twirled around, almost losing her balance in the process. Her eyes narrowed even further.

"What the hell ahre you doin' heah?"

Avalanche took a few steps forward, walking into a sliver of light from in between two concession stands. Behind them, hundreds of people could be heard milling around, blind to the two sizing each other up in the darkness.

"Well, well, don't we look like something out of fucking J Crew. How's Dawson doing, Joey?"

Avalanche smiled craftily as he motioned to Rogue's jacket. Still unsure about what to do, Rogue stared at him suspiciously. The pain in her right toe and the need to pee now long forgotten.

"Shouldn't you be enjoying social hour at Sing Sing right now?"

The taller man ignored the jab and fingered Rogue's jacket collar in feigned interest.

"What happened to the leather? I kinda liked you all slutty."

Rogue refused to cringe at his proximity. She answered in an overtly sugary voice.

"Answer the question Lance honey, did they finally get tired of your stupid ass or did you crawl out of the sewers?"

Avalanche's lips visibly tightened and Rogue was pleased to know she could still bullshit better than him. But he had a purpose and calm washed over his features again in no time. With a malicious smile, he tugged Rogue's jacket open. Rogue smacked his hand away but failed to connect again, opting to yank the jacket closed instead. Avalanche chuckled mischievously and wisely stepped out of range.

"Oh there it is, I knew you couldn't get rid of it completely." He wagged a finger at her. "Once white trash, always white trash."

Rogue clenched her fists in bubbling anger.

"The last time you tried ta manhandle me Avalanche, you almost got your nuts ripped off. I'll be more than happy ta finish tha job now, so tell me what the fuck it is that you want!"

Losing the smarmy look on his face, Avalanche spit at the ground. Playtime was obviously over. A troubled look fell over his face.

"It's real simply Roguey. I need a favor and shit, you gotta help me."

Completely baffled, Rogue knitted her eyebrows together. The encounter had gone from surreal to unbelievable in the span of a sentence.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Avalanche suddenly looked shifty, checking around him to make sure no-one was looking. This served to agitate Rogue even more. She knew him well enough to know it had to be big. Unconsciously reaching up to her front chest pocket to find nothing, she took a step back when Avalanche withdrew a cigarette from his and offered it to her.

Looking at it for a moment, Rogue accepted it with cold fingers. He shoved one into his own mouth and lit a flame to it. Reaching over with cupped hands to Rogue, Avalanche waited for her to slowly approach and take a puff before snapping the lighter back into his back pocket. Where he kept his knife, Rogue thought to herself. Wondering how she could walk into such a trap – again – Rogue eyed Avalanche nervously work up the gumption to say what he had to.

"I'm in a shit load of trouble Roguey, The fucking mob is after me." He took a thoughtful puff, " Which is why I'm trying to lay low."

Rogue digested this information slowly. She was suddenly concern for the big lug.

"What did ya do?"

Avalanche shifted feet and looked around again. For the first time, Rogue noticed his hole-y T-shirt and thin frame. Thinking back to the two hundred plus dollars she spent on her outfit that morning, Rogue suppressed a pang of guilt for her old pal and tried to ignore the slightly stale taste of the cigarette he gave her.

"I, uhh, I took a cut from a shipment I was supposed to deliver."

Rogue rolled her eyes and threw the butt of her cigarette to the dark ground. It was worse than she thought.

"Shit, Avalanche, what the fuck were you thinking!"

He produced two more cigarettes, and this time Rogue took one without hesitation.

"I know, I know, stupid. I didn't think they'd notice so quick, but when they did, I made sure I landed in the slammer quick. Up in Sing Sing they didn't know I was a mutant, so I managed to bust out easily." He took another pause. "I need to gather the money before the mob notices...$600,000."

Rogue snorted in disbelief. It made sense now.

"So you think you can hit me up fer money? Ah don't have tha kinda cash you're talking, an' even if Ah did, that's your mess, not mine."

Avalanche moved forward again and grabbed Rogue by the arm. She squirmed out of his reach, but he didn't back away this time. His eyes held more anger and conviction than she had ever seen before.

"You think you're something else just because you live in that fucking cripple's big house and spend his money! You must've forgotten who the fuck kept your ass outa the sling when you were still a hick, bleeding, and with no place to go."

Rogue gasped in anger and pointed at him with the cigarette she was holding. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"You've made your choices, Ah've made mine, so fuck you an' whatever fuckin' plan ya got Avalanche! Ah don't need this!"

Rogue tossed her cigarette in disgust and turned to leave through the weave of tent ropes, but Avalanche's voice stopped her cold.

"You owe me!!"

Rogue stopped cold. She noted the light breeze while hearing his footsteps come closer. Unconsciously, her hands moved to finger the small X that was tucked into her shirt. For the first time since seeing Avalanche, she was terrified. He walked around to face her. His words were deliberately slow.

"You owe me and I don't think you want these people you're with to know exactly what I know."

Still looking to the ground and fingering the X around her neck, Rogue cursed the past she tried so hard to forget. Knowing he hit the biggest nerve she had, Avalanche softened tactics to avoid spooking her. Deep down inside, he understood her hurt because he had lived it with her. Besides, he needed her full cooperation because his life was literally on the line.

"Look Roguey, I didn't want to bring it up, but you know it's true. Help me do this one hit. Toad is gathering what we'll need. Help me and then you'll never have to deal with me again. Shit, I'll leave the country and you can live happily ever after with the old man."

At the mention of Logan, Rogue looked up. Surely by now, her absence was going to be noticed. She just wanted to get away from Avalanche and go back to the normalcy she felt just moments ago listening to music on that checkered blanket. Rogue dropped the gold X down her shirt and pushed pass Avalanche, to make her way back towards the light and noise. Behind her, Avalanche called out with as much hope as he could muster.

"Then you'll help me?"

Rogue muttered under her breath, "Ah'll think about it."

Knowing that was as close to a yes as he'd get, Avalanche breathed a sigh of relief and gave his final yell across the dark, tangled landscape.

"Rhode's Bar, tomorrow at midnight."

Throwing on his Yankees baseball cap, Avalanche ran off as Rogue numbly weaved back to civilization. Just as she reached the crowds, the sky exploded in bright sprays of color. Rogue jumped at the explosion that followed. All around her, people clapped and ahhh'd at the festival's grand finale while she worked up the courage to simply smile.

Muttering something about long lines, Rogue dropped by Logan's feet and prayed that he wouldn't pick up Avalanche's scent under the cigarette smell. Kitty handed her a huge puff of cotton candy, and for lack of something to do, she forced it into her mouth and down her throat. That night, Rogue threw up several times. Every single time, it was tinged with the insanely bright pink color of cotton candy.

---

VI. POSSESION

It was almost seven on Sunday night and Rogue was no closer to making a decision than she had been the previous night at the Salem Center festival. Sitting in her room's window seat, she slowly went over her nail polish with a final clear coat. Fragments of her conversation with Avalanche played over and over in her head. She had thought herself lucky for having escaped that life, but running away from her past had proved harder than she thought. Feeling her abdomen ache in remembrance, Rogue sighed deeply.

Logan knocked at Rogue's door twice before letting himself in. He knew that something was wrong, but like everyone else at the Mansion, he learned that Rogue opened up at her own terms. She had gone to work in the library until dinner and hardly spoke a word to anyone since. That in itself wasn't troubling, but the fact that she hadn't spent a minute alone with him all day, was.

Seeing her doubled over by the window, he stopped to admire Rogue's lithe form in a short nightgown before muttering to himself 'another female-only skill' and walking over to her. Looking up when a shadow clouded her careful handiwork, Rogue offered Logan a wary smile. Apparently she was easier to read than she had thought. She tugged at the headphones around her head and gingerly turned the Discman off.

"You avoiding me?"

Rogue swallowed and looked down.

"No."

"Regrets?"

Rogue stopped fanning her nails and looked up at Logan leaning against her window frame. The last thing she wanted was to give him that impression.

"You?"

Logan shuffled nonchalantly over to where Rogue sat wide-eyed and expectant. He pulled her up to her feet effortlessly and rested his hands on her hips.

"Never."

More relieved than she cared to admit, Rogue smiled thinly and stuck her light blue nails under his nose.

"My nails are wet. Ah can't move."

Logan nodded thoughtfully and then irreverently lifted her over his shoulder. Rogue screamed and kept her fingers and toes spread out, but it was too late. She bounced hard when she hit the mattress. A quick survey followed, where she held up a forefinger and mumbled,

"Shit Logan! You smugged one."

Logan ignored her protest, pulled his gloves on and went to lock the door. Rogue was still blowing at her nails when he lay down next to her.

"You doing okay?"

His eyes fixed on the glimmering X over Rogue's heart. Realizing what he was staring at, Rogue ceased her frantic fanning.

"Just needed time ta think."

Logan nodded as he traced the chain with his finger down to the space between her breasts in quiet remembrance. He stared at the medal for a long minute before speaking.

"It's what made you stay."

Rogue looked down at the X and then over at the man that held it.

"No, it was you that made me stay."

In her mind, Rogue completed the sentence she was too afraid to say out loud --Because Ah love you--

Neglecting the drying nail polish completely, Rogue bent over and ran her hands through Logan's dark hair It was fast becoming one of her favorite things to do. Logan's senses perked up at the feel of her hands because even without gloves, he trusted her implicitly. Nestling his head to the warm spot under her breasts, Logan began kissing a trail to Rogue's body, where he pressed on in perfect synch with the hands running circles down his back.

Lust reawakening in him, Logan fell to his back and encircled Rogue's waist with his hands. Hoisting her up over him, he settled on his elbows to watch Rogue intently. Straddling him with her thighs, Rogue wasted no time opening the front of his pants, unbuttoning his shorts halfway, and carefully slipping a condom snuggly over his burgeoning erection. Equally desperate and wanting to see her move completely naked above him, Logan pulled Rogue's nightgown over her head and flung it to the far side of the room. Grasping her hips firmly, he guided her down over him while Rogue shut her eyes and threw her head back in pleasure.

Their frantic lovemaking underway, Rogue had only one lucid thought in her brain, she would do anything to keep what she had. Her mind made up, she threw herself at the mercy of her feelings and surrendered completely. After Logan fell asleep some hours later, Rogue quietly slipped on her clothes, grabbed the envelope on her desk and ran off to meet her precarious new situation head on.

---

VII. ELSEWHERE

Rogue gunned the engine of her bike one last time before retracting her keys and kicking the stand out from under it. Flexing her calf to make sure her knife hadn't shifted during the ride, she cursed herself for being nervous. Rhodes Bar was a place she had frequented often, but waltzing in completely sober was something she had never done before. Withdrawing a cigarette from her front jacket pocket, she took a second to light it before sauntering in slowly.

Like expected, her arrival was greeted with several nods of hazy recognition from the regulars and a few curious looks from the newbies. Led Zeppelin was wafting from the massive jukebox in the corner. Stopping by the bar to grab an awaiting bottle of Jaggermeister and a shot glass from her bartender friend, Rogue dropped two twenty dollar bills and meandered over to the far corner table where Toad and Avalanche were trying to look discrete.

Setting the bottle on the shaky table, Rogue twisted it open and poured herself a double before looking at the two men before her. Avalanche spoke anxiously through his haze of stale cigarette smoke first. He looked considerably more sober than Toad.

"It's about fucking time you showed. It's almost one and I was starting to wonder."

Toad showed all of his yellowing teeth in a broad grin.

"I told you she'd show." He clapped his hands in gleeful excitement. Already drunk, his words slurred into one giant word.

"Shit, this'll be like old times. You, me, and little miss attitude here. Shit, Rogue, is that a bite mark on your neck?"

Completely ignoring Toad with an annoyed look, Rogue wasted no time in setting down her ground rules.

"No killing, no hostages, Ah want ta know exactly what's going on at all times, and no - Ah don't want any of it in return."

Eyes comically wide in surprise, Toad drained his beer mug and looked expectantly at Avalanche.

"Shit, that works for me, huh dude?"

But Avalanche didn't look convinced.

"Why?"

Rogue poured some of her liquor into Toad's mug. He was about to ask anyway.

"Very simple, Lance sugah. This whole thing stinks ta high heaven an'..."

Looking over at Toad gulping down his Jaggermeister way too quickly, Rogue discerned he was too drunk to remember what she was going to say. But she lowered her voice just in case.

"An' like you said before, Ah owe you. This'll set the books straight between us but tha last thing ah want is ah cut of yoah filthy money."

Slowly exhaling, Lance looked gingerly at Rogue. Toad had finished his drink and was looking around with a silly grin. Mentally recalculating his cut of the profits, Lance stuck his hand out. It was the last thing he expected, but understanding Rogue was never his strong suit.

"Deal."

Rogue shook his hand with a ton more certainty than she truly felt. Pouring herself and Avalanche a shot, she took off her jacket and produced another cigarette. To their right, Toad perked up again. Rogue silently poured him a bit more. He downed it in a gulp and then slumped back into his chair. Shaking her head sadly, Rogue extracted the cigarette dangling from Toad's hand and ground it out on the overflowing ashtray in the center of the wobbly table. Looking back over to Avalanche, she caught him staring at her chest. He smirked and raised his eyebrows.

"The old man really gets frisky, don't he?."

Realizing too late that a lace turtleneck was a real bad choice for post rough sex attire, Rogue flicked her cigarette and tossed the empty carton at Avalanche's head. It bounced off him and scattered the remains in the ashtray between them.

"Ah'm not heah ta discuss my sex life asshole, start talking or Ah'll leave."

Smirk getting wider, Avalanche took a last paranoid look around before leaning in and detailing his plan. An hour later, Rogue was whipping through the streets of Salem Center on her bike, going over the plan again and again in her mind. To her genuine surprise, it was actually well thought out. With only a few suggestions, they hammered it away to something that might actually work.

---

VIII. BLACK AND WHITE

Mind buzzing with unprocessed alcohol, Rogue wrestled with the logistics of it all, not willing to ponder the moral implications whatsoever. If she did, she would certainly not go, and it was something she had promised to do no matter what.

The buzz in her head threatening to turn into a full-blown headache, Rogue pushed the whole matter out of her head and focused on the wind in her hair. Aside from the speed, it was the biggest reason she loved her bike so much. Everyone got on her case about never wearing a helmet, but some of Rogue's self-destructive tendencies were well ingrained, to the point that they were nearly impossible to undo.

Purposefully ignoring her guilty conscience, Rogue made her way home. Walking her bike the last half mile, she staggered up the front porch steps, both physically and emotionally drained. Spotting the swing bench to the right, she decided to gather her thoughts before going in. Slumping down to the slatted bench, she carefully considered what was at stake.

If she didn't help Avalanche she would be handing the guy that helped her through the hardest time in her life straight to the mob. And they killed for a lot less than what he owed. It would forever settle the score. Conversely, Avalanche might blackmail her and ruin what she had with Logan and the X-Men. However, if her involvement was figured out, she would lose them anyway.

Still feeling like shit, Rogue felt along her side for a cigarette. Remembering that she had finished the pack, she went to withdraw her hand, when she felt the envelope that she found on her desk. Unfolding it reverently, she withdrew the solitary business card tucked inside.

The Destination Motel ~ Where service comes with a smile

237 Turlington Rd ~ Yonkers, New York

Shoving it back into her pocket with a heavy heart, Rogue stood up and went to the keypad by the door. Punching in the four digit access code, she slipped inside and snuck back to her room. Numbly realizing Logan was gone, she stripped down and crawled into her bed with the throbbing headache that finally tore into her at full force.

---

Rogue squinted at the bright haze of light that filtered through her window and settled on her face. Sensing she was not alone, she decided to grab the bull by the horns. Sitting up, she rubbed her already raccoony eyes. Logan sat by the window. Not prepared to face him just yet, Rogue threw her legs over the side and rubbed her forehead. She was still wearing the lace bodysuit. Taking a few minutes to recall the lie, she finally spoke up.

"Ah hafta leave for ah few days."

Logan figured as much. He watched closely as Rogue picked up her leather pants off the floor and took out an envelope.

"My friend Chastity from down south just lost her parents in an accid'nt. She wants me ta go for tha funeral. She doesn't sound too good."

Rogue finally looked up to see Logan's unreadable expression. She held up the creased envelope as proof.

"She needs me."

Unexpectedly, Logan came up to Rogue and kissed her on the head.

"Go tell Xavier, see me before you leave."

Rogue nodded and sighed deeply once he was gone. Phase one complete, she changed and went to tell Xavier that she needed to go. Depending solely on his iron clad rule of never willingly peering into somebody's thoughts, Rogue tried to make her story as seamless as possible. Armed with a hastily packed duffel, Rogue asked Logan to take her to the train station a half hour later.

On the way, she rested her head on his back and slowly wondered if she was doing the right thing. No-one had questioned her story at the Mansion. On the contrary, they took her little drunken escapade as a sure sign of grief and gave her their blessings to boot. Not able to feel lousier, Rogue hugged Logan ferociously before disappearing behind the enormous train station doors. Not wanting him to see her puffy eyes, she put on her shades and kissed his sideburns goodbye. Logan gave her his dogtags for comfort and left with ten haunting words.

"If anything happens, just call me and I'll be there."

Once inside the Salem Center station, Rogue threw out her electronic ticket to Mississippi and bought one into New York City. Boarding her train almost at noon, she arrived at the rendezvous point early that afternoon.

---

IX. DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

Rogue checked her watch for the dozenth time before finally straightening out her wig and heading downstairs to the grand ballroom. The dress she was wearing was two sizes too small and pinched, but that's what she got for trusting Avalanche to buy it. The guy would hit on a nun.

In her small matching purse was a pass that Toad had lifted from some press guy in the bathroom. Thankfully, the person hadn't noticed since Toad was glued to the ceiling at the time. Flashing the pass to the three security guards posted at the door, Rogue waltzed in with a haughty smile to hide the anxiety she felt at not having gloves on. Teetering over to the wet bar for a martini in her ridiculously high heels, she turned to locate her target.

He was talking to some of his cronies on the far side of the room. The fundraising had been an enormous success. With several notable right wing supporters from Washington making a contribution to his campaign, Senator Kelly had gathered over two million dollars for his re-election to the senate. His platform primarily anti-mutant, Rogue had reasoned with herself that what she was doing was not only for Avalanche and Toad, but for the benefit of mutants everywhere.

Carefully sipping on her drink, Rogue tugged on her left earring and settled down at a pre-determined table, partially secluded from the crowd. Reading the signal, Avalanche weaved his way towards the target and tapped him on the shoulder. John Thompson, Senator Kelly's campaign manager, looked at the waiter with disdain, but Avalanche discretely muttered under his breath.

"Sir, a drink from the lady."

Instantly interested, Thompson excused himself from the conversation with the supporters and ushered Avalanche to the wayside.

"And what lady might this be, son?"

Avalanche resisted the urge to smile and motioned across the room. Things were going easier than he had anticipated.

"The brunette in the blue dress sir."

Spotting Rogue across the room, Thompson grinned, took the champagne glass and stuffed a bill into Avalanche's hand before hurrying off.

"Thank you, son. Make sure you vote Kelly in November."

Cramming the dollar into his tux jacket, Avalanche smirked. Only a few million to go.

---

Rogue held her breath as Thompson took a seat by her. He seemed on the verge of touching her, but in a room full of uptight conservative media types, she prayed his better judgement told him not to. Without raising his eyes past her neck, he introduced himself in two quick sentences, like only politicians can.

Flipping her long black hair, and lighting a cigarette, Rogue introduced herself as a fan of Kelly's anti-mutant proposals. Incredibly pleased to have a private audience, Thompson went through his entire spiel before asking Rogue to dance. The crowd had thinned considerably, but he was reluctant to let this one get away. Leaning forward, Rogue lowered her voice to it's sultriest level.

"Ah would much rather you join me in my room, sugah."

Jarred by the blatant come on, Thompson looked around before answering under his breath.

"Is this some kind of trick? Did Smith's people send you?"

Giggling brightly, Rogue exaggerated her Scarlet accent and batted her eyelashes. Placing a hand on his arm, she assure him,

"Don't be silly! Can't ah girl just want ta have ah good time?"

Sipping on her drink again, Rogue pulled back her dress hem to reveal a key card in her garter. Speechless, Thompson swallowed hard as she withdrew it and placed it in front of him.

"Room 819, sugah. Finish your shmoozing an' drop by latah."

Releasing his arm, Rogue got up and swayed dramatically out of the ballroom. Taking a few minutes to gather enough brainpower to move, Thompson began making his rounds to the remaining supporters. Avalanche monitored his every move while sneaking appetizers from afar.

---

Toad was already waiting for Rogue when she got upstairs to the suite they had rented. Quickly slipping out of her dress and into a black burglar's suit like the one Toad was wearing, she checked on Avalanche through the communicator. Thompson was still shaking hands and networking, so Rogue snapped on her gloves and went to help Toad double check the equipment in each of three waistpacks. Realizing he was truly sober for the first time, Rogue ventured a conversation with her ex-roomie.

"Tolansky, why exactly are you doing this?"

Toad dropped a flashlight and looked over at Rogue with an unbelieving expression.

"You mean beside the insane amount of money?" He smirked and continued working. "Shit, you probably think a mil is chump change, but it's a fucking pension for me. A good investment is what this is."

Rogue looked over in annoyance. She had taken off the high heels immediately, but her toes still ached.

"Ah now exactly what a mil is, just thought it was odd that Lance brought you in on it."

Toad regarded her nervously.

"You think he's planning to cut me out? What did he tell you?"

Rogue rolled her eyes. Toad was a lot easier going when he was blasted.

"No, he seems legit. It's just that Ah figured..." Rogue yawned. Her little bike ride the night before had seriously cut into her sleep. "Ah dunno, this whole thang just doesn't seem his style."

Toad zipped up the final waistpack and contemplated Rogue carefully.

"So why are you doing this. What's the big secret anyway?"

Rogue shifted in her seat. Toad was never this good at turning the tables.

"That's between Lance an' me."

Toad was about to insist, when the communicator resting on the table cackled to life.

"Thompson just left, get ready."

---

John Thompson exited the elevator and went left with a spring in his step. After realizing, he was going the wrong way, he doubled back and started counting down the suite numbers.

"816, 817, 818, 819, Bingo."

Adjusting his toupee, and checking his breath one last time, Thompson withdrew the key card he was given and slipped it into it's base. When the little light turned green, he breathed a sigh of relief and stepped in. Taking a moment to adjust to the darkness, he took three steps in, where he was tackled, knocked out, and restrained before he even knew what hit him.

---

By the time Toad and Rogue were done tying Thompson to the bed, Avalanche had arrived and locked the door behind him. Ripping off his fake moustache, he looked over at Toad who was still huffing from the exertion of having lifted the man onto the bed.

"Well?"

"Well, wait! Just finished moving his fat ass."

Rogue ignored the squabbling and searched through the Thompson's pockets before looking up triumphantly.

"Got it!"

Snatching the disk out of Rogue's hands, Toad moved over to the portable notebook computer resting on the desk. Everyone held their breath for a few seconds, before Toad grinned.

"It's here."

Avalanche tore his uniform off with gusto.

"Shit yes! Now we're in business."

Throwing Avalanche a matching catsuit, Rogue grabbed her gear and checked her watch.

"That means we have thirty-five minutes before the armored truck rolls around. Let's get going."

---

X. LAST DANCE

Having made it as far as the ground level special access sub-parking lot together, Rogue and Avalanche split up to wait in their respective places. They were waiting to accost the five armed security guards and one official carrier that came out of the ballroom with Kelly's campaign money. In a huge barrel made of clear lucite plastic, the money had sat on the stage in the ballroom like a shrine. Almost full to the top with contributor money, it was placed on a stand and displayed prominently as the surest was of keeping mutant legislation on the right track. The code that Thompson carried would open the time release lock.

Watching the six men wheel the money into the freight elevator after the party disbanded in the ballroom, Toad disabled the elevator controls halfway to the sub basement. In a moment of sheer panic, one of the carriers pressed the help button on the elevator panel, but it to was disabled. Temporarily overriding all the freight's systems, Toad checked his watch and counted down one minute.

Acting quickly, Rogue descended on her cable on top of the elevator, careful not to make a single sound. Aiming at the grill that served as the vent, she fired a gas grenade that consumed the square metal box in seconds. The minute up, Toad reactivated the elevator and it lurched twice before completing it's journey to the sub-parking lot. Opening the doors remotely, he gathered his equipment to go join the others downstairs.

Charging into the elevator with a mask on, Avalanche quickly grabbed the money barrel while the six men gasped and fainted around him. Unhooking the tension wire that held her, Rogue put on her mask and pried open the elevator's escape hatch. Jumping down into the smoky elevator, she joined Avalanche who was still dragging the barrel to the waiting van. Halfway there, Rogue tore her mask off and called Toad on the communicator.

"Tha target is secure, get down heah quick!"

Reaching the van, Rogue and Avalanche heaved the box of loot in and slammed the van doors shut. Checking her watch again, Rogue regarded the ecstatic Avalanche with worry.

"Only ten minutes before tha armored truck shows, get tha cameras in tha elevator and Ah'll get tha two in on tha west wall."

Giving Rogue an excited kiss on the head, Avalanche whooped loudly before running off. Rogue went to the two cameras watching the exit and entrance doors and blasted them with a nine that was tucked into her waist. Task completed, she ran over to Avalanche who had just done the same to the cameras in the elevator. Running to meet her halfway, he looked down at his watch.

"Where the fuck is Toad, he should have been here by..."

Before he completed the sentence, the second freight elevator opened and Toad walked out with the computer under his arm. Both Rogue and Avalanche had aimed at the unexpected movement, but quickly but down their weapons when they saw their partner emerge. Rogue put a hand over her thumping heart.

"Shit Toad, ya scared us!"

Relieved, Avalanche picked the van keys from his waistpack and started to back up.

"Enough wasting time, let's go!"

Turning to follow Avalanche, Rogue stopped and fell down to her knees when she felt a gunshot wizz by her head. It hit Avalanche on the shoulder, shattering it and making him stagger and fall on his back. Blood immediately soaked through his black uniform. Rogue screamed and lurched forward, but stopped when she saw the gun pointed to her.

"Uh-uh, move one inch and I'll blast your head off!"

Frozen in horror, Avalanche and Rogue watched as Toad shimmered blue and lengthened into the shape of Mystique.

"What the..."

Avalanche's shocked words were cut off by another bullet. This one was to the space between his legs. He had his hand halfway to his gun, but wasn't stupid enough to reach for it any further.

"I suggest you two kids slowly unbuckle your waistpacks and get up. If you so much as breath wrong, I'll kill you both."

Numbly wondering if Toad was dead, Rogue did what she was told and threw her waistpack forward. The yellow eyes watched her carefully. Clutching his wound, Avalanche was barely able to comply. Impatiently, Mystique moved forward to urge him on.

"They'll be here any second, move!!"

Finally freeing the buckle, Avalanche tossed the pack and turned to face Rogue for help. Closing his eyes, he tried to summon his power to demolish, but he was already sickly pale and weak at the blood loss. Throwing her two pairs of handcuffs, Mystique ordered Rogue to secure their hands. Doing as she was told, Rogue wearily stared at the woman before her.

"Why are ya doin' this?"

Mystique ignored the question and moved to the elevator. A second later two of her guys stepped out. One bent over and snatched the van keys that Avalanche had dropped. The other moved went to help him unload the money they had just stored away. Moving around to the left, Mystique eyed the two on the floor.

"Sorry to have to do this, but I gotta make a profit too, kiddies." She turned to her two assistants, "Get them over there, now!!"

Rogue looked down at Avalanche who was almost unconscious. Her vision blurred with tears, she gingerly held his hand before being shoved towards the van. One of the men had grabbed avalanche's unhurt arm and dragged him away. She could see that the exertion was causing the wound on his shoulder to rip and bleed again, but wisely kept her mouth shut. Over at the parking lot gate, a truck honked twice before rolling in. Looking up with a grin, Mystique chimed,

"It's here."

Morphing into a security officer, she held her gun behind her back. Torn between charging the guys watching her and staying by Avalanche, Rogue watched in silent horror as she realized what Mystique was planning. In slow motion, the metal gates opened and the armored truck rolled in. From the vantage point of being next to the driver side window, Mystique walked up and said hello to the armored guards. They were in the middle of a response, when she fired three shots into the truck window, killing both the driver and his partner instantly.

Jumping up at the sound, Rogue kicked at the guy looming over her and rolled underneath the van. Emerging on the opposite side, she made a dash for the still operable elevator, but the blue skinned mutant twirled around fast. Diving behind a car, Rogue looked around frantically for a way to escape. There was a security booth with a phone in the far side of the lot she could make it to, but before she could attempt it, Mystique called to her where she hovered over Avalanche's body.

"Don't be stupid Rogue! Come out now, or Avalanche here gets one between the eyes!"

Banging her head with her fist, Rogue squeezed her eyes tight before slowly straightening out. She had just seen a double murder at point blank, and doubted that Mystique wouldn't do the same to her and Avalanche in a heartbeat. The fact that they were still alive attested to the fact that she somehow needed them.

"Why?"

Mystique flashed an ugly grin. Her henchmen were unlatching the back of the armored truck and securing the gates closed again.

"You never quite knew when to keep your mouth shut, did you? Get your ass over here and help me move this truck!"

Feeling her eyelashes moisten again at the sight of the splattered blood, Rogue walked over to the armored truck. Mystique nudged her forward with the gun to her back.

"Open it, push him over and get the keys. Quick!"

Rogue stepped up to the door wide-eyed and slowly opened it. A guy that looked a lot like Kurt lay slouched over with his brains scattered in an arc behind him. Swallowing the wave of nausea that hit her, Rogue inched to the ignition. Turning the key slowly, she noted the shotgun that the man's partner had next to him. Mystique spoke up behind her.

"Do it and you'll die. Hand over the keys!"

Defeated, Rogue did as she was told.

"Why?"

Mystique looked at the smaller woman in contempt. With a single, unexpected blow to her forehead with the cock of her gun, Mystique brought Rogue down to her feet.

---

XI. HOLD ON

Rogue woke up to a throbbing on her face. Bringing her hand up to her cheek, she remembered the foiled robbery and bolted upright. The sudden movement made her head spin, but too panicked to care, Rogue scrambled to the figure that lay not too far from her. Bringing her hand up to his neck, Rogue heard the faint thump of Avalanche's heartbeat.

Muttering a silent thank you to whatever gods were listening, she moved down to assess the damage to his shoulder. The flesh was still spongy to the touch and fragments of bone littered the wound, but at least it had stopped bleeding. Ripping a piece of cloth, from the cargo pockets on her suit, Rogue molded a bandage for the arm.

Somewhat stabilized, Rogue looked at her surroundings next. It was dim, but she could tell right away that they were in the back of the armored truck. She could still hear Mystique barking orders outside. The barrel of money that they had taken from Kelly was in one corner of the truck. Two bulky objects were in the other, and Rogue didn't need much of an imagination to know that they were the two guards that Mystique had killed moments earlier. They were wrapped in white sheets, but the shapes molding them were undeniable.

Feeling nauseous again, Rogue reached down to feel her wrists. The cuffs were still in place and her watch was gone. Feeling more desperate by the moment she teetered to the back door, but it was bolted shut. Knowing the metal that surrounded her was at least a foot thick, Rogue quickly gave up and slumped down. She wanted to scream for all it was worth, but the thought that someone might silence her, kept that course of action at bay. Mystique was a certifiable psycho, but an intelligent and resourceful psycho.

"Ro..."

"Ah'm right here."

Looking at Avalanche stretched out next to her – dying, Rogue sobbed softly. They had been so close. She slid her lap under his head carefully to not disturb his shoulder. He coughed once and she could see the effort it was taking for him to breathe. Putting a hand on his lips to prevent him from talking, Rogue looked around frantically. Cleaning his face with her sleeve, she felt her tears well up again because there was nothing she could do for him. Avalanche slipped back into unconsciousness.

Rogue was close behind him. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep her heavy lids open. She had a bad concussion thanks to Mystique and like it or not, Rogue knew she was going to slip away at any moment. Finally giving up to the lulling in her head, Rogue clasped Avalanche's hand and thought back to the last time they were in such dire straits.

---

XII. ANGEL

A boy. Deep in her heart Marie knew it had to be a boy. In the back of her mind there was an image of him and he was gloriously perfect. When she had first found out, she did the only thing she could think of, she called David. It was not like she blamed him, sex was a two-way thing anyway, but at the time, it seemed like the right thing to do. He denied it of course. He was a jerk and she expected as much, but his reaction was something she needed. In the back of her mind, she knew it was hers alone. Her baby. A little boy. Someone to love her unconditionally. Telling David had been a means of confirming that. If he said the kid wasn't his, it made it all the more hers. Hanging up the phone, Marie took out a cigarette and then thought twice. With a grin, she slid it behind her ear again. A small price to pay. It was only nine months and her baby deserved as much.

Pleased with her newfound resolve, Marie went outside to watch the fireflies dance in the heavy, humid Mississippi air. Patting her still flat stomach, she wondered what it would be like to have someone love her so much. Love her more than anything in the entire world. She would be a good mother of course. It might be hard at first. Her foster mother Irene would have a fit, maybe ask her to get rid of it, but Marie was stronger than that. Babies were never accidents. She would have hers, even if meant running away. She had been alone for a while after her mother left, she could do it again. Except this time she wouldn't be alone. She would have her baby. Someone she could love like her mother couldn't love her.

So Marie planned and waited. She needed money before she split, so she continued to go to school, robbing wallets left in lockers, purses left in bathrooms, and even worked as a waitress afterschool. Almost everyone around her noticed the change in behavior right away. Marie listened quietly as they commended her about no longer drinking, or smoking, or hanging out with boys that were no good. Marie had found purpose but she shared it with no-one.

So Marie waited. At the two month mark, she stared at her stomach every night, looking for proof that life had started inside her. But she was a scrawny thing. Slightly disappointed, Marie would try and eat more, and planned on the places she would travel to. Her baby would see the world with her. She smiled at the fact that she didn't even have morning sickness. She took it as proof. Proof from God himself that her little boy was the best thing that would ever happen to her.

Unfortunately, Marie's womb wasn't the only part of her body undergoing the enormous process of change. Every cell in her body was giving birth to something new. Just after she turned sixteen and was seven weeks pregnant, her mutation manifested in a major way. Those days were a blur. She accidentally absorbed a boy at a dance, Irene disappeared, and she learned that people were following her. Lost and confused, Marie packed a few things that Friday and headed out of Mississippi for good.

With four hundred and sixteen dollars crumpled in her jean pockets, she headed north. A third of her money spent, Marie made it as far as Pennsylvania when she met Raven. A mutant herself, she offered to take Rogue to a shelter for kids like her. Inherently untrustful of anyone and everyone, Marie agreed only because of her baby. She needed more money and eight weeks along, she knew that time was running out.

Raven took her to Guardian, a disgusting little man who seemed hell bent on pursuing Marie despite her mutation. In the house were also two other boys. Marie avoided them completely. Even school was a distant priority. Although she attended, her main reason for existence was her baby. Eventually she started messing with Guardian. She had never done it for money before, only drugs and maybe liquor, but desperate times called for desperate methods. Guardian disgusted her, plain and simple, but she was finally beginning to show and needed to head north soon. So Marie earned her money on her knees, and silently bided for time to run again.

When Marie hit the four grand mark, she was at twelve weeks. Planning to leave that Saturday when the boys were off defacing public property and Guardian was hitting all the local strip joints, Marie had secretly packed her things and bought a bike from a chop shop. It would be cheaper than trains and buses, but two days before her scheduled departure, the unexpected happened.

Marie was fixing herself a macaroni and cheese breakfast when a pain clutched her abdomen. Falling to the floor, she grimaced when a second sharp stab bolted through her body. In a panicked state, Marie realized that they were contractions. Bracing for the third, Marie whimpered as the pain threatened to envelope her completely. On the stove, the mac and cheese was burning, setting the fire detectors off. The piercing sound brought Avalanche from his room. It was nine thirty in the morning, but since he had given up on school, he was the only one still in the house.

Normally belligerent with the girl, Avalanche frowned when he saw Marie writhing on the floor. Between pangs, Marie explained to him that she was pregnant and had to get away. Promising him the money that was under her mattress, Marie begged to be taken away before Guardian came home. Figuring it was his, Avalanche did the most selfless thing in his life and carried Marie to his beat up van. Knowing that a hospital would ask too many questions, he took her to The Destination Motel in Yonkers. The place was a dive, but nobody cared who came or went. He paid with Marie's money and left her alone and screaming on a bed while he fetched a prostitute he knew in the area.

The prostitute's name was Martha, sometimes called Trixie. She was an experienced and compassionate woman who knew from the start that Rogue would miscarry no matter what anyone tried to do for her. That night Marie had her baby, a tiny mass that was already loved more than anything in his mother's entire world. Trixie kept her from hemorrhaging and cleaned her up as best she could with an old set of dentist's tools disinfected with vodka. Leaving the next morning with $500 and a garbage bag containing stained sheets and human tissue, she left Avalanche to look after the muttering, feverish girl with white streaks in her hair.

That would prove the most daunting task yet. Delirious, depressed, and in pain, Marie lay in a fevered state for three days. Putting ice by her abdomen and head, just as Trixie instructed, Avalanche kept watch. The little compassion he had in his heart and the money in his pocket made for an odd combination of duty that allowed him to stay.

Eventually Marie woke up, lucid and dangerously thin. She asked Avalanche to bring her some food. Worried that she might hurt herself, he refused, but she insisted. Eventually he did, and Marie peeled of her stained nightgown and stepped into her first shower in days. She sat in a fetal position in the warm water and for the first time in her entire life, she prayed out to God.

She was no longer the same insensible girl that walked into Guardian's house. She was in the process of change. In her pain and suffering, she had come to realize a very simple truth - she was not ready to have a child. She had clung to notion of him for dear life, but it was all a dream and he was taken from her before he could love her back. In a run down bathroom at The Destination Motel, Marie said goodbye to her son, Angel.

When Avalanche came back that day, he found someone else in Marie's place. Her name was Rogue and although she reached resolution and forgiveness with God over her son, she was just beginning to turn her hatred and loathing inwards. That was a journey that took two years to unwind and ended with Guardian dead and an X over her heart. It was prompted by a boy that befriended her despite her hostility, a gentleman that opened his home to her without condition, a beauty that listened without prejudice, and a man that refused to believe she was wasted and disposable at eighteen.

---

XIII. CIRCLE

Rogue woke up with an ache in her abdomen and a throbbing in her head. Looking over at Avalanche stretched out next to her, something deep inside of Rogue turned over. Although she could not remember the dream she just had, Rogue knew what is was about. The pain in her stomach was always the aftereffect. Knowing that Avalanche would die without her help, Rogue got up and walked over to the two bodies in the corner. There was no way they were going to die at the hands of someone like Mystique.

Rogue riffled through pockets until she found what she was looking for. Taking out the driver's wallet, she extracted a long slender file and a credit card. Mystique had taken their keys and guns, but she had not thought about their wallets. Moving to the front side of the box, Rogue pushed the money barrel with all her might. Inching slowly, she stopped when it was directly under the small access window leading to the front driver's seat.

Climbing over it, she took out the file and popped the plastic coverings that supposedly disguised the screw heads. That done, she unscrewed them with the credit card edge. After all twelve were done, she tried to pull the panel, but it was too heavy. Taking a minute to think, she went to the guards and removed their shoelaces. She tied one end securely to the panel and the other to the lock on the barrel of money. Wedging in between the wall and the barrel, she pushed at it with her legs as hard as she could. The huge plastic case eventually tipped over, taking the panel leading to the cab with it in a loud crash.

Marie carefully squeezed through the access window to the front of the truck and silently thanked Logan for all the yoga lessons this past summer. Falling into the front seat, she opened the passenger side door and let herself out. Thinking better, she took The Club that was resting at the floor with her.

Spotting the security booth at the far side of the corner, Rogue made a dash to the phone. Looking at the clock, she noted that she had been out for about a half hour. Still dialing, she was caught off guard when the freight elevators opened and Mystique and her two henchmen poured out. Crouching to the floor, Rogue put the receiver back in it's place and hid behind a desk.

Mystique's men were pulling a body partially wrapped in a sheet behind them. To Rogue's complete surprise, she noticed that it was Senator Kelly himself. Suddenly the whole thing made sense. Mystique had posed as Toad all along. She made sure Avalanche's plan coincided with hers so that she could take down Kelly and make it look like two crazy mutant kids were responsible for both the theft and the assassination.

Rogue watched with her heart in her throat as Mystique ordered the body to be put in the armored truck also. The men did as they were told and brought the body around. Taking the chance to surprise them both, Rogue snuck from car to car until she was directly behind them. Just as one unlocked the truck door, Rogue thwacked the other over the head with The Club. He went down with a scream and his partner went for his gun. Rogue drove the piece of metal into his gut first. Hearing Mystique come running around the armored truck, Rogue grabbed the waistpack one of the henchmen were holding and scrambled to the other side. As she was doing so, she felt the whiz of bullets graze the air around her. Mystique was fuming.

"Very, clever! Come out and we'll test how clever you really are!!"

Hunched behind a huge wheel, Rogue took out her nine from the pack and checked if it was loaded. Only six shots remained. Her hands were still cuffed together, but she had no time to look for the key. She wasn't able to call for help, so she was all alone. The only thing to do was try to buy some time.

"Tha armored truck company expects ah report in ten minutes. When they don't get one, you're fucked!"

Mystique slowly circled the truck, careful not to let Rogue sneak up behind her.

"You and Avalanche here, are all they'll find. It seems you turned against each other in the last minute. I'll play the guard that witnessed it all."

Rogue digested the statement. Hunched behind a wheel, she heard a shot go over her head. Returning the fire, she was rewarded with laughter.

"I see you're not afraid to shot, good girl. Guardian was right."

Sickened at the mention of his name, Rogue fired two more shoots over the side. This was getting her nowhere quick.

"That sick fuck got what was coming, and so will you!"

Mystique peered below the truck. She spotted Rogue's feet by the front passenger side wheel. Stretching her limbs, she reached up and slowly climbed to the top of the truck. From where she was hunched, Rogue heard a click above her. Looking up with a gasp, she heard a blast reverberate through the underground lot. For a split second she though she had been shot, but it was Mystique that tipped over and fell from the truck cab to the ground next to her. A pool of red grew under her leg.

"What a bitch."

Rogue looked over and saw Avalanche leaning against the truck for support. He had the gun that Mystique's henchmen had almost shot her with. Amazed to be alive, Rogue ran up to the lanky man before he crumbled to the ground.

"Shit Avalanche, ya saved my life."

Her smiled faintly.

"'Member that."

Still awed, Rogue balanced his weight on her shoulder and headed to the van they had rented that morning.

"How could Ah, Lance honey, how could Ah?."

---

XIV. GOOD ENOUGH

Five hours later, Avalanche was resting comfortably in a motel room. Toad was listening attentively to the story that Rogue was telling. It turns out that the real Toad had heard that Avalanche had busted out of Sing Sing the previous week and was still waiting for Avalanche to contact him. He had come when Rogue called him with an underground surgeon. Two hours later, Avalanche was put together nicely and waking up soon afterwards, had asked for some food. To everyone's amazement and against doctor's orders, he was happily munching on a foot long hoagie and watching Jerry Springer on the set.

"I hope Mystique gets the book for this one."

Avalanche nodded in agreement between mouthfuls.

"Hell yeah, fucking deserves it. I have to wear this sling for a few weeks. Fucking hurts."

Rogue looked down at her smugged nail. She was positive that the X-Men already knew that she had something to do with what happened to Kelly. It was all over the news on the television. Avalanche noticed the furlong expression on her face.

"Hey Roguey, cheer up. You can come with us if you want."

Rogue smiled sadly.

"Thanks sugah, but ah can't."

Toad and Avalanche exchanged chagrined looks.

"She's got it bad."

Rogue threw a coke can at Toad. He caught it with his tongue and resumed to look at the hot rod magazine he was sifting through. Rogue remembered fondly how nuts he was about fast cars.

"Just make sure you don't blow it all on bullshit. They know the money is missing and they'll start to ask around."

Avalanche rolled his eyes and stuffed half a Twinkie into his mouth with his free hand.

"Yeah, we know, we're heading out to the Caribbean for a while. Lay low. Make a fresh start. Maybe open a business."

Rogue nodded and continued to pick at her nailpolish. It was a dream of theirs to own a surf shop. Although for the life of her, she couldn't imagine Toad in a Hawaiian shirt. The mob had sent a courier just a few hours ago. They had managed to come away clean. Looking at the bandaged shoulder, Rogue corrected herself - almost clean.

Still lost in thought she got up and walked over to the table where Toad had his feet propped up. Gathering a cigarette, she lit it carefully before looking out the window to the road. Letting the tendrils slowly waft from her lips, she looked over at Avalanche.

Avalanche dropped the remnants of his monster sandwich and Rogue walked over and sat by his bed. She quietly stuffed a cigarette to his lips and lit it. He was gonna ask anyway. She stared down at her hands and to her surprise he put a hand over them. For the third time in her life, Rogue caught a glimpse of the enormous compassion that Avalanche possessed. Toad looked up from the magazine he was holding.

"Thanks."

Rogue turned her hand over to grasp his.

"That's what family is for, sugah."

Putting the cigarette back into her mouth, she got up and walked back to the window. Ten minutes later, Logan roared into the motel parking lot on his bike. Rogue said goodbye to the two men she considered her brothers.

---

Tossing her cigarette, Rogue smiled at Logan who didn't blink twice at seeing her dressed in a burglar's suit. Wordlessly grabbing her by the waist, he planted a lingering kiss by her neck before she got on behind him. She was grateful that he didn't ask questions and just drove. Tired and drained, she savored the feel of the wind through her hair and held onto his back tightly all the way back home. When they pulled into the Mansion, she was asleep.

---

A month later, Rogue received a postcard from Avalanche and Toad in Aruba.

Dear Sis,

The beaches here are fucking unbelievable!
We're opening our shop in three weeks. Please come.
You can bring the old man if you want.

- T&A (get it?)

Smiling to herself, Rogue shook her head and stuffed the postcard between the pages of her philosophy textbook. To everyone's great delight, she had started taking courses at the local community college. Looking over to where Logan was working on her bike, a thought occurred to her.

"Ever been to tha Islands, hon?"

Logan dropped one of the two wrenches he was comparing.

"If I ever did, I don't recall."

Logan stopped what he was doing for a moment and Rogue flashed him a huge smile. He smiled too because it was the kind of smile that usually preceded something big. It was the same smile she had when she convinced him to get matching tattoos the week before. The same smile she had on when she finally told him she loved him. It's what made him feel loved and wanted. Those two very basic needs.