Logan stared out the window of the dark blue sedan, watching the wooded landscape of northern Vermont slide by at an agonizingly slow pace.

"I still don't know why we couldn't just fly up here," he muttered irritably, fidgeting in his seat and wishing he were anywhere but in this car. Kicking himself for giving in to those damn 'noble urges' that had brought him back to the X-Men a year after the incident with Magneto, that had convinced him to sign on for the duration... That's not the only reason you came back, a tiny voice whispered inside him and he shoved it back down ruthlessly. Best not to start thinking about that, not with her sitting only inches away. Not with the fresh, clean scent of her hanging so heavily in the air of the back seat...

"I've told you already, Logan," Cyclops' voice interrupted Logan's thoughts, and with a sigh of relief, he turned his attention back to the driver of the car. And away from the slim figure of the young woman who sat sleeping next to him, her head resting on the back of the car seat, nylon gloved hands tucked demurely into her lap... "The Professor got a report of possible Brotherhood activity in the area and he wanted us to check it out, without being obvious about it. So, we drive, while the jet gets a complete systems check. Besides, I thought you'd be happy about this - you hate flying and since we're trying to avoid attracting attention, you don't even have to wear the uniform."

"Still not worth having to sit in a car with you for eight goddamn hours..." Logan growled out, patting down his pockets for a fresh cigar to at least chew on, even if Jean wouldn't let him light it. Scott started to turn his head, an angry retort on his lips, when the red headed woman in the front seat next to him interrupted.

"Scott, honey, just ignore him and keep your eyes on the road, please?" Jean's voice was soft and patient, and Logan bit back a smile as he watched the bunched muscles of Cyke's neck begin to relax. They'd been married for three months now and, if anything, were more sickeningly devoted to each other than ever before. Just made those moments when he managed to get a rise out of Cyclops all the more enjoyable.

"Well, at least change the radio station - if I hear one more damn NSync song, I don't care who's car it is, it's gonna have a radio-size hole in the dashboard..." he muttered, sliding the claws of one hand out to emphasize his point. Scott ignored him, but Jean laughed.

"Logan, they don't get many stations up here. This is the best we can do."

"Great. Just my luck - to be stuck in a car with him and that shit they call music..."

"Logan, language..." Jean said, raising an eyebrow towards Rogue's sleeping form as she turned in her seat to face him.

"Oh give me a break - she's eighteen, for christ's sake! She's heard a lot worse, I'm sure," he muttered, eyes focused on the passing scenery and avoiding looking at the figure in question. He could see Jean's eyes narrow in the reflection on the glass.

"Logan..."

"Alright, alright..."

"Thank you." The only reply he gave was a grunt and Jean soon turned back around in her seat. Leaving him alone with his thoughts...

He's stayed away from the X-Men for a little over a year, travelling around the frozen wastelands of northern Canada in his search for clues to his past. Saying goodbye to Rogue that sunny afternoon had been one of the hardest things he'd had to do - seeing those warm, chocolate brown eyes looking up into his with desparation. I don't want you to go she'd said, and those words had done things to his insides that had frightened him. That had convinced him that, more than anything, he'd made the right decision to leave. She was young, she was innocent, and damnit, he wasn't the sort of man she deserved. Even if they could've touched, he was too rough, too damaged for the likes of her. Better to just get out before he lost control of himself and did something they'd both regret...

It had worked for all of four months. He patted himself on the back, told himself he'd done the 'right thing'. Then, one afternoon, he'd been sitting on the bike. Just sitting and staring out over a mountain meadow that was still full of the blooms of late summer. And he'd found himself thinking, ~Wish Marie could see this...~ And the resulting emotions that the thought had stirred up inside him sent him right into the nearest bar. Where he'd spent the night getting royally shitfaced drunk and into more than one fight with the locals. Despite all the alcohol that he'd consumed - enough to kill a normal man - that night, as he lay on the ground staring up at the stars through the overhanging pine branches, the thought of her was still clear in his mind. That slight, self conscious smile of hers everytime he'd said something that amused her... It made his heart ache just thinking about it. That's when the thought slammed home that she'd gotten past his carefully erected walls, past the gruff exterior, deep into the soul of him. He'd lain awake for the rest of the night, as the effects of the alcohol wore off, just staring up at the stars and thinking of her face...

He'd lasted another four months before he called the mansion. Four months of searching during the day, and drinking himself into a stupor at night... Jean had answered the phone, and it had taken him several seconds before he could speak past the sudden tightening in his throat.

"Hey, Jeannie."

"Logan! How are you?" She'd sounded both surprised, and delighted to hear from him, and he'd smiled for the first time in months.

"I'm fine. Just thought I'd let you all know I'm still alive up here..." His voice had trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

"We were worried about you, Logan. All of us." Jean's voice was soft and full of compassion as she spoke.

"I'm fine. How's.... how's Marie?" The words came out almost strangled, in a rush, and there was a pause before Jean responded.

"She's... she's okay. She's fitting in well here, gets along alright with the other kids, studies hard..." There was something in her voice though, something hesitant, that worried him.

"But?" he prompted, all attention focused on the sound of silence at the other end of the phone.

"Well... she's just... lonely, I guess. She keeps to herself alot, doesn't even date any of the boys. Bobby asked her to a dance, and she said no. I'm worried that she still feels alienated by her mutation and won't let anyone get close to her. I tried talking to her about it and she insists that she's fine. That she likes spending time alone." There was another pause, and Logan was about to prompt her again when she finally spoke. "The only time she shows any interest in things is when the mail comes... I think she misses you, Logan." Those words were softly spoken, but full of meaning. In her own kind, gently way, Jean was letting him know that Rogue's feelings for him had not gone away with his absence. Had in fact, strengthened... He bit back a curse and thanked Jean.

"Will you be coming home soon, Logan?"

"Not yet.... not yet, Jeannie..." Before she could ask when, he'd broken the connection. Gone back into the bar the phone booth stood in front of, and stared into his beer the rest of the night...

Two more months before he couldn't take it anymore. Before he convinced himself that he was only going back because he hadn't found anything searching the wilds of Canada, and they could probably use his help. When he'd come roaring up the road to the mansion on Cyke's 'borrowed' motorcycle, and Rogue had come running out the front door, as if she'd known it was him, his mind had gone blank. Couldn't even think of any words to say, accept 'Hey, kid. Missed you.' Had wanted to kick himself for the look of pain that flitted across her face before she threw her arms around him and hugged him so tightly he couldn't breath. Had whispered in his ear, 'I missed you too...' And suddenly, coming back didn't seem like such a bad idea at all... Hadn't, in fact, until this damn mission two months later, that had landed him trapped in a car driven by Cyclops (who, in his opinion, drove like a seventy year old), and sitting less than a foot away from the one person he should've stayed away from. The one person he wanted most, and couldn't have...

---

Almost as if she'd heard his thoughts, Marie made a soft noise in her throat and shifted in her sleep until her hooded head came to rest directly on Logan's shoulder. Every muscle in his body sang in sudden tension and only the aching pain in his lungs reminded him to keep breathing.

~Jesus Christ, Marie, why'd you have to do that...~ Just as he prepared to move himself even further into the corner of the back seat, to get away from the bittersweet feeling of the warm body curled up against him, he heard it. Heard her sigh softly, felt her cheeks lift in a sleepy smile, and then her breathing deepened and she was deep asleep again. While the instincts inside him, that had kept him sane and safe inside his aloofness screamed at him to move away from her, his heart ached with a feeling he didn't even want to identify. One he wasn't ready to just yet... ~Well, she looks so tired~ he thought to himself. ~Guess it wouldn't hurt for a little while...~ With a quick glance at the front seat, one that reassured him that both Jean and Scott were oblivious to the position he'd found himself in, he let his own head fall back against the head rest and closed his eyes. Let his mind drift, as all his senses reveled in the sound of Marie's slow, even breathing. Found his own eyes sliding shut and gave in to sleep...

---

The cessation of movement and the sound of opening and closing car doors slowly roused Logan from sleep. As his mind struggled towards full consciousness, he was dimly aware of Marie moving away from him, of her soft drawl, "Logan, I'm gonna get out and stretch my legs while Scott helps that nice woman change her tire..." Change her tire? What the... The door opened and shut and Marie was gone into a swirl of frigid air. Air that brought with it a tantalizingly familiar scent... A minute passed, then Logan's eyes snapped wide open. Mystique... That shapeshifting bitch was so close, her scent was so strong, he could taste it on the roof of his mouth. And he was in the car. And the rest of the team was out there... Marie was out there... With a snarl of rage, he shot upright in the car and struggled with his locked door. Eyes darted to look out the frosted window, to see Scott, Jean and Marie standing on a small bridge. The bridge spanned a river whose currents moved so slowly that it was already covered in ice. They were all bending over next to what looked like a harmless elderly woman whose blue Ford had developed a flat tire. In the blink of an eye, the tableau changed. For a moment, Logan thought he was seeing things - something, no, someone was moving behind Scott. Someone who seemed to absorb the light and surrounding landscape, blending in like a chameleon until they moved. Colours shifted and shimmered and Logan had to fight to stay focused on the shape as he screamed out a warning, still struggling with the frozen door.

"Cyke! Behind you!" His voice was muffled, but Scott heard him yelling and turned, a questioning look dying on his face as he laid eyes on the shifting form behind him. A blur of motion and Scott was sailing through the air to land against a tree with a sickening thud. Jean had turned at the same instant as her husband, and Mystique took that opportunity to grab the taller woman by the hair and slam her head first into the top of the car. A dazed, but still conscious Jean fell to the snow at the shapeshifter's feet, and a horrified Logan watched as both mutants turned on a terrified Marie. A terrified Marie, who despite ever urge to run, was pulling off her gloves with shaking hands... A roaring sound drowned out all thought as Logan's world turned red. He was dimly aware of the claws shooting out of his hands. Of those claws smashing through glass... Of glass cutting his hands, his chest, his legs, as he hurled himself through the broken window of the car. Rolled in the snow to land on his feet, arms flung wide, a snarl of rage on his face. Just in time to see the lightshow freak grab Marie around the neck... to see Marie's hands come up to grasp the other's face. Light like a small solar burst flared and Logan had to fling a hand over his eyes to keep from being blinded. As his vision returned, he saw a startled Marie stumbling backwards, legs tangling as they hit the low guardrail of the bridge. Watched as they both disappeared over the side...

An anguished scream tore itself from his throat and he started to run for the side of the bridge. Only to realize at the last moment that he'd forgotten about Mystique, just as her foot slammed into the side of his head... He stumbled and fell to one knee, before shaking his head and spinning to face her. The bitch had shifted back to her normal form and amused yellow eyes stared back at him from five feet away.

"Well, Prism may have failed to capture your little friend, but at least he took her with him. You know she'll never survive that river long, such a slight little thing..." Mystique's mouth lifted in a twisted smile. "Looks like you X-Men aren't invincible after all." Whatever Mystique saw in Logan's face, it drained the smile from her own. Fear replaced sick mirth in her eyes, and she began to back away. Scaled blue skin shifted and twisted until a large dog stood before Logan. One that quickly turned and sped off into the woods that bordered the road. A loud groan behind him, and Logan's eyes snapped around. Jean was helping an unsteady Scott to lean against the car. Both of them were bleeding steadily from head wounds, but they were alive. Marie... Only a few minutes could have passed since she'd gone over the side - there was still time. As Jean and Scott stared at him in shock, he pulled his jacket off and kicked off his boots.

"Logan?" came Jean's shaky question.

"Rogue - she went over the side into the river..." he managed to growl out, just as he dove off the bridge. The icy water hit him like a brick. Burning cold threatened to steal the air from his lungs, the warmth from his flesh, and only concentrated effort kept him from struggling for the surface. Eyes darted back and forth, trying desperately to make out something in the murky water. Hands searched from side to side blindly... There... a brush of fabric... God help him if it's that freak... He grabbed hold and pulled the limp figure closer to him, as he kicked for the surface. Lungs sucked in air as he broke through the ice again, a motionless Rogue clutched to his chest. Oh god, he thought as he stared down at a slack face. Oh god...

"Logan!" He twisted in the water to see Jean standing on the bank of the river, a rope in hand. Kicked out with powerful legs to propel them both towards where the rope lay on the surface of the ice. Grabbed it with numb fingers and struggled to wrap it around his wrist, while his other arm held onto Marie with a death's grip. The moment he had the rope securely around his arm, Jean began to pull. He could see her eyes closing in concentration, past a grimace of pain, and he knew she was using her telekinesis to help her. They hit the edge of the ice and he managed to lift Marie's frozen body up onto the stronger surface, before scrabbling for purchase himself. Keeping them both flat against the ice, to spread their weight out over the greatest surface area, he let Jean reel them in and just concentrated on holding on to Marie. Trying desperately not to think about the possibility that this could all be in vain...

Jean grabbed hold of his sodden shirt once they were close enough, and managed to get both of them on the shore. As Logan lay in the snow, shivering and gasping for air, he watched Jean bend quickly to lay a gloved hand against Marie's neck. Watched as she bent her ear close to Marie's lips. Saw her give a small sigh when a slight puff of air issued from those lungs. Then watched as those tiny puffs of air grew fainter, shallower, further apart... Jean bent over Marie, frantically checking her pulse again, pulling back an eyelid. He watched Jean climb to her feet and face him with tear filled eyes.

"Logan... I'm sorry... the hypothermia's too far gone... there's nothing we can do..." No. No....

"No...." It came out as an agonized moan, and he struggled to his knees, dragging himself to Marie's side. The tears in Jean's eyes spilled over, as Logan's hand wrapped around Marie's covered wrist and looked up at her with eyes filled with such horrible pain. "No, there has to be something, Jeannie... Please..."

"Logan, we have no way of getting her body temperature up quickly enough. Not without risking...." Jean's trembling voice broke off as a fire began to burn in Logan's eyes.

"Risking what, Jean?" Gone was the nickname, replaced by a fierceness that made her shiver.

"Body-to-body contact is the only thing we could do, Logan, and with Rogue... it's just not possible." The growl that rumbled up from the depths of Logan's chest forced Jean to take a step back.

"Fuck 'possible', Jean - you mean you're not 'willing' to risk it. For all you people's endless rantings about helping one another, you're still not willing to do whatever it takes to help her. Well, I am," he snarled. "I am." He turned his eyes back to the motionless figure laying before him. Prepared himself to make the ultimate sacrifice - one life for another. Looking down at her, there was no question. His life was nothing, hers was everything. Whispered under his breath, "Forgive me, darling, but it was the only way..." He began to pull her shirt out from the waist of her pants and heard Jean gasp behind him as she realized what he was going to do.

"Logan!" she shouted, starting forward only to be stopped by the tips of three razor sharp metal claws.

"No, Jean. Don't stop me." Then the shirt was free from her pants and Logan was sliding it up, over her chest, until the length of her abdomen was bare to the cold air. Raised shaking hands to pull his own shirt over his head, and then bent until his face was a hair's breadth from Marie's. "Forgive me..." Her lips were cold beneath his, and he could feel his heart threatening to shatter into pieces. He leaned in until his body was covering hers, the fabric of her bra tickling his chest as he ran his hands briskly up and down her sides. Trying in vain to transfer some of the returning heat of his body to hers. Feeling tears spilling unheeded down his cheeks as the pulling sensation that heralded her gift failed to kick in. No... no.... no... Pressed his cheek to hers, letting the tears run down into her hair, wishing to god he'd never left her. Wishing that he'd told her about how he'd felt... An almost unnoticeable puff of warm air washed over his cheek and he froze all movement. There was no pull coming from her, no drain of his energy, but yet she was alive. How the hell...

"Logan.... what... what are you... oh my god!" Then he was being shoved aside by frantic hands. Small hands that pushed him away to roll into the snow, a crazed laugh breaking the silence as he felt a smile split his face. He righted himself to find Marie sitting upright, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Welcome back, darling..." She shook her head frantically, staring at her hands held out between them.

"I felt you... I felt you holding me... but... I didn't... I didn't drain you....how... I don't understand..." The more she spoke, the greater the panic in her eyes and Logan felt his chest tightening again. Before he could speak, Jean stepped in.

"Logan, let me. Rogue, do you remember what happened?" Jean said softly, as she crouched before the terror stricken girl. Marie stared up at her.

"I remember the other.. mutant. He grabbed me... The only thing I could think of was to grab him back... Then there was light and pain, and then we were falling into water... and it was cold. So very, very cold. That's all I remember..." Logan watched in silence, as Jean slowly leaned forward to take Marie's hand in hers. Marie froze and stared down at Jean's bare skin where it touched hers. Her eyes widened as, once again, her mutation failed to kick in. Jean nodded, as if confirming something to herself, and then shrugged out of her jacket, placing it gently around Marie's shaking shoulders. Then she stood and turned to face a dumbfounded Logan.

"I left Scott up near the car - he's suffered a nasty head injury and there's no way we're driving anywhere. I had him call the Professor while I was pulling you and Rogue from the river. He's sending Storm to pick us up with the jet. She should be here soon." She stopped and looked back at where Marie still sat in the snow, eyes wide. "As for what's happened with Rogue's mutation, I'll know more once we get back to the school and I can examine her in the medlab." Logan swallowed and managed to find his voice past the lump in his throat.

"But she can touch..." Jean stared at him with unreadable eyes before replying.

"Yes, she can. But we don't know how, or for how long, Logan. We still need to be careful. Will you be able to help her up to the car? I want to get back and make sure Scott's alright."

"Sure." Jean nodded again, and then she'd left the two of them alone. Painfully aware of the sharp cold that was penetrating down to his bones, Logan managed to unbend stiffened muscles and climbed to his feet. Moved slowly over to a Marie who looked like she was ready to run at any moment, and offered his hand. "Come on, Marie, we gotta get up to the cars." Marie stared at his hand for a long minute before finally slipping her own into it. Logan felt all of his breath leave his lungs in response to the sensation of her soft skin sliding over his roughened palm. Fought to keep his face neutral as he lifted her to her feet. The moment she was standing, Marie snatched her hand from his as if she'd been burned and his happiness instantly turned to confusion. It was almost as if she were afraid to touch him. Despite knowing that her mutation was, at least temporarily, out of order, she was terrified to touch him. He could smell her fear on the air and something else, something not so easily identifiable... She brushed quickly past him and was climbing up the slight hill to the road before he was even aware of it. He shook his head and followed slowly after her. He couldn't understand it. He would've thought she'd be happy to be able to touch, to be touched, like everyone else. He would never have predicted this... this blind panic he'd seen on her face. Mind preoccupied with a whirlwind of confusion and emotions, he barely even registered the cold ice and stones cutting into his bare feet as he climbed towards the car. He would've thought she'd be happy, damn it...

---

By the time Logan reached the cars, Jean had Scott stretched out in the back seat of the Ford, and was busy examining the wound on his head. Leaving Marie huddled in the back seat of their own car. Jean looked up his approach.

"Logan, you're soaked through - get in the car with Marie. I have the heat on full, so you both can warm up until the jet gets here." Logan bristled at the commanding tone of her voice.

"It's not like I'm gonna get sick, Jeannie..." he muttered, his eyes flicking up to catch Marie staring at him through the windshield. With that look of fear and something else in her eyes...

"Logan..."

"Alright, alright... I'm going..." On his way to the car, he'd picked up his jacket and boots and was in the process of pulling the jacket on when he reached the side of the sedan, his soaked shirt bunched in his hand. Something about the way Marie was looking at him through the glass made him move his hand from the door to the back to the door to the front seat. As he climbed in and slammed the door behind him, he felt the warm air from the heater wash over him and let out a tired sigh.

"You... you ok?" Marie's shaky voice brought his eyes sliding around to focus on her.

"Yeah, I'm ok. You?" She just nodded her head in reply. As the returning warmth of his body forced a shiver through him, her eyes narrowed.

"You're shivering." He would've smiled over the concern in her voice, if she hadn't looked so damn serious.

"Kid, when you've got a skeleton laced with metal, it takes a while for the cold to work its way out," he chuckled, trying to lighten the weight he could see in her eyes.

"Oh... yeah...." She shrank back into Jean's jacket and turned her head to look out the window. Logan could feel her pulling deeper into herself, and the stench of her fear and anxiety in the confined air of the car was more than he could take.

"Listen, you sure you're ok? I mean... I would've thought you'd be happy." Marie turned to face him again, her face carefully guarded.

"Happy? Why would I be happy?"

"It may have been scary how it happened, Marie, but you can touch now. You don't have that hanging over your head anymore." There was a flash of something in her eyes, something he'd almost managed to pin down before it was just as suddenly gone again. Replaced by a melancholy sadness.

"You heard Jean, Logan. For how long? I can't... I just..." Her voice had grown more unsteady and he could see her furiously blinking away tears.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. You don't have to think about it now - just relax and warm up. Jeannie'll look into it once we get back to the mansion." She nodded mutely at his words and went back to staring out the window. Logan leaned back in his seat and stared down at his rough, chapped hands.

~Way to go, asshole. She just got attacked and pulled into a frozen river, almost died, doesn't even know what the hell is going on, and you go and push her. Way to fucking go...~ he shook his head angrily, as he watched her reflection in the rearview mirror quietly wipe away the tears. "Asshole..."

"Did you say something, Logan?"

"Nah, nothing..." he muttered, not turning around to face her. He heard her weight shift on the back seat and then her voice was closer, directly behind him.

"You sure? I could swear..."

"It was nothing, kid." His own voice sounded rough and harsh, as he forced himself to keep breathing. The thought that she was so close to him, that she could be touched now, was not helping his state of mind... Not a damn bit... He heard her slide back in the seat again and he could've kicked himself for the wounded tone in her voice.

"Well, ok... if you're sure..." Before he could turn and apologize, the sound of the jet landing killed the words on his lips.

"Storm's here," Marie blurted and then she was out of the car and moving across the snow for the lowered ramp. Logan followed more slowly, uttering one last "asshole" for posterity...

---

The flight back was in silence - Jean was busy concentrating on stitching up the gash on Scott's forehead, and Storm concentrated on flying the jet. Marie stayed huddled in her seat across from Logan, and kept her eyes focused straight ahead of her. Not sure what to say, and not too thrilled about having an audience, Logan kept his mouth shut, only grunting once when Storm executed a less than perfect landing. Xavier was waiting for them and led the way to the lab. Jean walked with the Professor, explaining in detail what had happened to them. Storm had put her arm comfortingly around Marie's shoulder and was talking quietly to her, and Logan found himself saddled with helping a wobbly Scott navigate through the hallways. The periodic groans that escaped the younger man effectively silenced any smartass remarks he was tempted to make, and he helped him along as carefully as he could.

Once they were inside the lab, Storm led Marie over to a seat, while Jean took Scott from Logan and lay him down on the exam table for a head x-ray. When the films showed no skull fractures or permanent damage, she turned her attention to Marie.

"Rogue, I'd like to take a CT scan of your brain, to see if it shows us anything about what's happened to your mutation."

"I... I guess so. OK. Is it going to hurt?" Although the fear and uncertainty in Marie's voice made Logan bristle, he kept his mouth shut and continued to lean silently against the wall. He, maybe more than anyone else in that room, wanted to know what had happened to Marie. What had happened that had suddenly made her touchable... The other thoughts that followed on the heels of that one, he ruthlessly stuffed back down and refused to acknowledge. ~Bad enough the kid's frightened, she doesn't need you suddenly panting all over her like a dog in heat...~

"No, it won't hurt, Rogue. I promise. Now if you'll just come over here..." Jean helped Marie get comfortable on the table and then slid her into the machine. Joining the Professor at the computer screen, she began to press buttons and a multicolor image of Marie's brain appeared on the screen. A few more buttons and another image appeared next to the first. Although the two images were nearly identical, there was one noticeable difference. Even from a distance, Logan could see that the first image lacked an area of colour that was bright red in the second image.

"Interesting..." murmured Xavier. Jean pointed directly to the area of difference Logan had noticed.

"Yes, this is a CT I took of Rogue a few months ago," Jean said, as she pointed to the second image. "As you can see here, there's definite activity in this part of her brain." She pointed to the first image. "Activity which is completely lacking here."

"Yes, I see. It seems that part of her brain has simply shut down," the Professor responded, nodding.

"I wonder, Professor - Rogue said that there was pain and a bright flash of light. Is it possible that the other mutant's ability clashed with hers and... shorted it out, for lack of a better term?"

"It is possible. Whatever that ability was, it may have disrupted the flow of neurotransmitters across the synapses in the part of her brain that controls her mutation. Effectively rendering that part of her brain unable to function. Whether it's permanent or only temporary, we won't know until more tests are run..."

"Well, I think you oughtta run those tests some other time," Logan growled, pushing away from the wall. Both Jean and Xavier turned to face him.

"Logan," Jean began patiently, but he cut her off.

"No, some other time," he bit off the words. "I can smell the stench of her fear all the way over here - she's been sitting in that machine scared shitless while you pick over pictures of her brain. She comes out of there now." Jean's eyes had widened at his words and she hurried over to the CT machine.

"Logan, you have our apologies. We didn't mean to neglect poor Rogue - we only want to help her." Xavier's words were soothing, compassionate, but Logan shrugged them off angrily.

"Save your apologies for her, not me." By that time, Jean had helped a trembling Marie sit up on the table and, with a last glare at Xavier, Logan started over to them. Marie looked up at his approach and her eyes widened. She shrank back into Jean's arms, and Logan let the hand he'd started to raise drop back to his side, speechless. It was as if she was afraid... afraid of him... He watched in silence as Jean helped her off the table and told her to go to her room and rest, that they'd talk more tomorrow. Storm put her arm around Marie and gently led her from the room.

"Logan..."

"What, Jeannie?" he growled out, harsher than he'd intended, but he was still reeling from the look of panic on Marie's face when he'd reached out to touch her. She hadn't been afraid to let Jean touch her... or Storm... only him...

"Give her time, Logan. She's frightened and she doesn't know her own mind right now..."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" he snarled, turning to face her.

"It means that she needs time, Logan. Give it to her." Jean's eyes were unreadable, but her words were gentle, and Logan let his breath out in an explosive sigh.

"Yeah... alright. I'm going to get some rest. Jean?"

"Yes, Logan?"

"Thanks. For looking after her..." Whatever response Jean might've made was cut off by the lab doors as they slid shut behind him. Logan rubbed a tired hand across his face as he climbed the stairs to the second floor of the mansion. Tried not to think of Marie as he silently padded past her room, to his own at the far end of the hall. Tried not to think of her as he stood staring out his window at the darkening sky. Tried... and didn't even come close to succeeding.

---

It had been three hours since he'd left the medlab. Three hours since he'd walked through the halls with nothing else on his mind but the tiny slip of a woman currently locked behind her own door. Behind her own door and touchable...

"God damn it!" he cursed, sitting bolt upright in bed, tension singing through his body with all the images that thought brought surging through his mind. Images of a very naked Marie beneath his hands and mouth...

With a frustrated growl, Logan threw the sheets back and climbed out of bed. ~Way to look out for her, asshole.. She's upset, vulnerable and all you can think about is how good she'd feel...~ he thought, as he stalked into the bathroom. Wrenching the cold water knob on to full, Logan shed his sweatpants and quickly ducked into the spray. The ice cold water needling into his skin slowly brought the betrayal of his body under control, but did nothing for the knots in his muscles. Or the thoughts still worming their way into his brain...

A string of muttered curses followed his exit from the shower and he ran a towel over his body with cursory abruptness. Yanking his sweats back on, he returned to the bedroom to stand once again in front of the window. Staring out at the inkblack sky, while he struggled with his conscience.

~You're no good for her.~

~I can take care of her.~

~Take care of her? Yeah, you've done a bang up job of that so far, asshole... First Magneto, then a nice swim in an icy lake...~

~Shut the fuck up... I got her out, didn't I?~

~Yeah, you did... and now she doesn't wanna be anywhere near you...~

~Shut up... just shut the fuck up!!~

The bitter voice inside finally falling silently, Logan turned from the window with his hands clenched. All this... this 'waiting' and 'giving her time' shit was driving him crazy. He'd thought coming to terms with the fact that he was attracted to her... that he cared for her in a decidedly non-brotherly way, had been difficult? Well, it didn't even hold a candle to knowing she could be touched and not being able to do a damn thing about it.

Another growl rumbling up from his chest, Logan dropped to the soft carpeted floor and began a series of rapid pushups, hoping that the physical activity would help stem some of the rampant frustrated energy boiling him up inside. After the first set of 50, still no improvement.

After the second set, a light glistening sweat breaking out over his skin, still no relief from thoughts of Marie. Everything in him was screaming at him to go down the hall, open that door and let her know just how he really felt about her. His self-control beginning to waver, a faint desparation shaded his movements as he flipped onto his back and began doing crunches. Exhaling through his nose with a soft grunt each time his abdominal muscles clenched and released...

"Shit..." he muttered, finally coming to an abrupt halt and running a shaky hand through damp hair. It wasn't working. Hell, nothing was working. She was rapidly becoming all he could think about and while the thought both terrified and thrilled him at the same time, he knew that pushing her would be the lowest thing he could do. And he hated himself enough already to want to add taking advantage of the only person he'd ever cared about to his long list of sins. "God, I need a drink..."

Logan climbed slowly to his feet and began to search his room for where he'd thrown his jeans and shirt. He had every intention of hopping on Cyke's bike, driving into town and getting so shitfaced drunk that, when he finally crawled back, all he'd be capable of would be sleep.

It was while he was bending down to pick up his jeans that he smelt her. Smelt Marie. Faint enough at first, that he thought it might've been lingering on his clothes from this afternoon. But as the scent grew steadily stronger, his heart began to pound in his chest. Eyes glittering in the dim light of his room, Logan turned to face the door. Marie. In the hallway and coming closer. His ears registered the gentle fall of bare feet on wooden floors, a sound that stopped right outside his own room. Lungs laboring to breath, he walked silently to the door and stood there. Waiting. His forehead leaning against the wood as he waited for her next move...

The first soft knock had barely faded and he was pulling the door open, to find a slackjawed Marie staring up at him, eyes wide. Eyes that slowly drifted down to stare at his sweaty and bare chest, and sent all of his blood migrating to certain parts of his anatomy. Noting the slight flush that was blossoming across her cheeks, he couldn't stop the low growl of pleasure that vibrated in his throat. At the sound, Marie's eyes snapped back up to his face and her blush grew worse as she began to stammer.

"Logan... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have... I hope I didn't wake you." A slow grin graced his lips as he shrugged.

"Nah, I was awake anyway. How're you feeling - something wrong?" Gone was the 'kid' that usually peppered most of his previous conversations with her and Marie tilted her head slightly in response.

"No... no, nothing wrong... I just thought... I wanted to talk to you and..." Her voice drifted off as she started to chew anxiously on her lower lip, her gaze dropping to the bare floor between them.

"Well don't just stand in the hallway, darlin', come on in. And I agree, we got a lot to talk about..." Marie looked up quickly at the unfamiliar endearment and he stepped aside, motioning for her to enter. With the slightest of hesitations, she slipped past him and he allowed himself a moment's revelry in the sweet scent of her so close to him, before he reached out and shut the door behind them.