A lone figure stalked down the darkened hallway on the third floor of the mansion, which housed Professor Charles Xavier's school for mutants. Due to the lateness of the hour the corridor was deserted so there was no need to even bother to keep to the shadows. Even in the light of day it wouldn't have been necessary since the figure was easily recognizable, she hadn't changed that much. No one would have questioned her presence. They would simply nod or pretend that she wasn't there.

The woman slowed her pace as she approached her destination, her hand splaying out against the thick wood of the bedroom door. With a quick glance in each direction down the hallway, she grabbed the doorknob and turned it slowly.

Stepping inside, she quietly closed the door behind her then turned her attention to the sleeping figure across the room. Adjusting the bag on her shoulder, the woman started forward, her eyes locked on the sleeping young woman. She had almost forgotten how young she'd once been.

The visitor stopped at Rogue's side and just stared down at the exposed skin of her arms, shoulders and chest. Slowly she lowered herself to sit beside her, a hand reaching toward one silky smooth shoulder.

As though sensing the impending touch, Rogue shifted in her sleep, rolling onto her back away from the person beside her.

Her visitor growled lightly and reached toward her again, this time making contact with her face.

Rogue's eyes popped open at the unexpected touch. She was shocked to find familiar yet unexpected eyes staring back at her. Sleep quickly turned to fright and she rolled swiftly off the bed and away from the person.

"It's all right, sugah, I won't hurt ya," the woman assured Rogue softly as she lowered the large hood shrouding her head and concealing most of her face.

The voice was recognizable even without the thick honey accent; Rogue would always recognize her own voice. The face however was a little different, a little thinner and more mature but it was impossible to mistake the resemblance. Still Rogue was skeptical until her likeness fully removed her coat and the light from the moon reflected off a familiar piece of metal hanging around the woman's neck.

From her seat on the bed, Marie reached over and switched on the lamp then turned her attention to the bag beside her.

In the now brighter light, Rogue could see the woman more clearly and there was no doubt in her mind who she was. Even with Mystique still running around, she knew that the woman sitting before her was some older version of herself. "What're ya doin' here?" she asked softly.

Marie stopped rummaging through her bag instantly and looked up at Rogue with a mischievous grin. "I'm here to give ya a few pointers on how t' wrangle yourself the man a your dreams."

Well that was certainly direct not to mention a complete surprise. "Wha' d'ya mean?"

"Sugah, you are about to benefit from years of research. Welcome to: Getting Logan 101 - A Lesson in Seduction," Marie introduced the class with an arched brow and a glint in her eye. "What I have right here in this bag is the best of the tried and true techniques to catch the attention of one wild man. Trust me, sugah, you use these and you will get your man and in a lot less time than it took me."

"Ya mean you and Logan are tagether?" Rogue asked trying to get things clear in her mind.

"Have been for years," Marie nodded happily. "I just don't see any reason why it couldn't have been a few more."

"But what about..."

Marie rose from her place on the bed and moved over to stand beside the younger version of herself. "Our mutation?" she finished the question. "It doesn't matter, Rogue."

Rogue released a heavy sigh. "But how do ya..."

Wrapping her arm around the younger woman, Marie gave her a little squeeze. "Ya know for a long time I worried about that too and I let it stop me from getting what I wanted. There are ways around it, sugah," Marie assured her, a smile growing on her features, "some very interesting and imaginative ways. Logan really does have a brilliantly dirty mind and he ain't afraid t' use it."

"But Logan ain't even here," Rogue protested, "he's still out lookin' fer his past."

Patting Rogue on the shoulder, Marie nodded. "Trust me, sugah, he won't be gone much longer. Now, no more buts, lets get this lesson under way." With that she led Rogue back to the bed and they sat on either side of the duffel bag Marie had brought. "Okay, lesson number one, pet names. I know what you're thinkin' but just trust me," she said with a wink. "From now on, you should refer to Logan as 'sugah' as much as possible, he can't resist that. Now you try it."

Rogue stifled a giggle but completed the task. "Sugah," she repeated putting the emphasis on the last syllable like her counterpart had.

Marie's smile grew as she nodded her head appreciatively. "Just like that, see you're a natural. Okay, now, when he's being a pain or you wanna be playful, you call 'im 'Wolvie'."

This time Rogue laughed out loud and clear.

"Shh," Marie scolded sharply.

"Sorry," Rogue whispered, "but ... he really likes that?"

"Coming from you, absolutely, especially when it's just the two of ya."

"Okay, Wolvie it is," she said still chuckling.

"Good, now on to lesson number two. This is also a form of communication and if ya wanna get Logan's attention, it's a key lesson," Marie assured her. "I'm gonna teach ya how to growl."

"Growl?"

"Yep, growl. Now the key to this is to make it low and sexy, you wanna have it rumble up from the pit of your stomach and just sorta roll off your tongue." Marie took the opportunity to demonstrate and an incredible imitation of Logan filled the room. "Now you give it a try."

Rogue did as requested but the sound that emerged was nothing like what she was going for.

"That's all right, sugah, it's harder than ya might think. Try it again and this time just concentrate on the end result not how to get there, if that makes sense."

It took several more attempt before a near prefect growl issued from her lips. Rogue smiled triumphantly and tried it again with even better success.

"That's it, you got it, now just keep practicing so that it's second nature," Marie instructed. "Okay, onward and upward. Lesson number three, perfume." Digging in her bag, Marie pulled out a perfume bottle and handed it to Rogue.

The younger woman quickly opened the vial and took a whiff, her nose immediately wrinkling in disgust. "This smells like ... well like..."

"Beer," the older woman supplied, "it's his favorite."

"Ya wan' me t' wear beer fer perfume?" Rogue asked incredulously.

Marie nodded seriously. "Yeah, you wanna wear that most of the time but once in a while, just to mix things up, you'll wanna wear some of this instead," she continued handing over another bottle.

Rogue was almost afraid to open it but she did, only to find that it was worse than the beer.

"Bourbon," Marie supplied without invitation before continuing. "Now the key to 'perfume' is the placement. You wanna dab a little bit of that everywhere ya might wan' 'im to put his nose. For you for right now, I'd say just stick to a little behind each ear and of course a dab somewhere down around where that tag of his rests."

"Rahght," Rogue acknowledged filing that away with the rest of her lessons.

"All right then, moving right along, lesson number four, clothes for Wolvie catching."

Chewing on her bottom lips nervously, Rogue watched as Marie dug again in the bag.

"The trick here is to be as revealing as possible WITHOUT revealing anything. I brought ya a few things that I don't have use for anymore but should fit ya just fine," Marie told her as she started pulling things out of the bag.

Rogue inspected each of the items as they were unpacked. First there was a pair of black leather pants that, judging from the size, would be quite tight but then that was the point. Likewise there was a short leather skirt, red in color, that was sure to catch the eye of every man on the premises. Next there were three tight, low cut tops, Rogue held up each one to get a good look at it before setting it aside. They all looked comfortable and sexy but it was the third one that really caught her eye, that mostly because it was torn to shreds. "Ah'm s'posed t' wear this?"

Marie looked up from the bag to see what Rogue was referring to and turned a bright shade of crimson. "Oops, that shouldn't have been in there," she informed her with a brilliant flush. "I thought I threw that away. As you can see the right combination does wonders."

Now it was Rogue's turn to blush as she realized what the cuts must have been made by.

"This is the last of it," Marie continued handing over another two tops.

"Ah ain't gonna wear a tube top," Rogue objected holding up the article in question.

Marie smiled at her coyly, laughing lightly. "That ain't a tube top, sugah, that's a skirt and don't worry, you won't have to wear it long. As soon as he sees you in that thing he'll march you right back to your room to change. If you're lucky he might even help ya."

Rogue's eyes widened at the suggestion but she refrained from voicing her doubt.

"Okay, now for the most important lesson, lesson number five, making him realize that you're there. Most men will realize this if ya just sit beside 'em and talk to 'em but Logan needs a little more than that.

"Number one, whenever you happen to be in the same room, make sure you're either sittin' beside him or else you're where he can see ya," Marie began. "If you're sitting away from him, make sure there is another hot guy sitting beside, preferable someone Logan can't stand. In that situation you want to flirt with the man beside ya as much as possible."

"How's that gonna help me get Logan?" Rogue wondered.

Marie laughed. "Logan will not be outdone by any man. If he thinks you're having fun with someone else, that'll piss him right off and get his gorgeous ass in gear. In that situation you can count on one of two things, he will either leave the room, in which case you leave too, or he'll come over to where you're sittin' and chase your friend away. At that point you're where you would have been if you'd been able to sit beside him in the first place. The key there is touch. You don't wanna be obvious but shift around in your seat and make sure you rub against him when you do, be it thigh to thigh, arm to arm, shoulder to shoulder or any combination thereof. If you're watching a movie and something funny or scary happens, drop your hand onto his thigh. If he hands you something, or vice versa, make sure that your fingers brush his, it doesn't have to be much, in fact the more fleeting the better."

Rogue nodded her understanding even as Marie continued.

"Number two, anytime you happen to be outside and the wind is blowing or Logan's been rolling around on the ground or runnin' through the forest, pretend he has something in his hair and pick it out. The key here is to run your fingers through his hair as much as possible. Mind you it doesn't matter if he really has anything in his hair or not 'cause he can't tell. What ya wanna do is pick a spot near the back of his head that ya can't quite reach then ya tilt his head forward so he has a nice view of your cleavage to look at while ya run your fingers through his hair."

"Awl rahght," Rogue agreed with a knowing smile, the Logan in her head certainly liked feminine fingers in his hair, not to mention the view down the front of women's shirts.

"I guess I'm up to number three now, right?" At Rogue's mute nod, Marie proceeded with a grin. "This is one of my personal favorites. If for any reason you happen to be behind Logan or beside him or in front of him, it doesn't really matter, you want to press yourself against him as much as possible. The absolute best, believe it or not, is if you're behind him and you crush your chest to his amazing back, drives him absolutely wild," she concluded fondly. "I guess this really goes up there with number one but just remember, God gave you a chest for a reason, use it to it's fullest advantage 'cause with Logan it speaks louder than words. I'd call him a breast man but then there are some other places he likes just as much, 'specially if they're attached to us."

Rogue blushed at the comment and the saucy wink from her older teacher but she nodded her understanding since she figured the woman knew what she was talking about.

"Okay, number four," Marie continued ticking off the points to her younger self, "when Logan gets back he will take it upon himself to train you."

"But Scott..."

Marie cut her off with a pointed look, "You know what Logan thinks of the boy wonder, he will not be satisfied with your ability to protect yourself unless he trains you himself."

After a short moment's consideration, Rogue realized she was right. If Logan was around and she was in training, he would make sure that she knew how to defend herself.

"Number four is another personal favorite," Marie informed her, her gaze distant as though she was remembering something. "You'll spend a lot of time sparring with Logan as part of your training, in fact that's about all Logan will teach you since to him it's the most important thing. Anyway, when you spar, remember rules one and three but also employ number four as much as possible and here it is. At every opportunity, while you're rolling around on the mat with him, you need to position your knee between his legs. Not too hard mind you, at least not at first, you want to pretend it's an accident. Then, when he gets more excited you wanna apply a little more pressure until you're grinding your knee into his groin. When he starts growling and his eyes roll back in his head, you know you're doin' it right."

"But how will Ah know if it's too much?" Rogue wanted to know. "Ah don' wanna hurt him."

"Sugah, there is nothing wrong with a little pain," Marie assured her. "'Sides, you'd have to pretty much be swinging that knee to make contact hard enough to hurt Logan."

Rogue shrugged, once again deferring to Marie's experience.

With a smile, the older woman went on. "Well then, lastly, number five. I think this one will be the hardest for you 'cause it is pretty direct but it's also a sure fire way to get him to notice you. Just grab his ass once in a while, he loves that!"

The stunned expression on Rogue's face made Marie laugh aloud as the teen voiced her hesitation at the prospect. "Ah don't think Ah can just grab him, it doesn't seem ... rahght."

Marie nodded. "Sugah, I know it sounds a little brazen but once he starts to notice you, you'll be surprised how easy it is and how quickly it works."

Rogue still looked a little unconvinced but she agreed with a shrug and a small nod. "Okay."

"That's a good girl," Marie said with an encouraging smile before releasing a heavy sigh. "Well, I guess that about covers everything. You have any questions?"

Quickly Rogue searched through her mental notes to see if there was anything she wanted clarification on but it all seemed pretty straightforward. "Ah don' think so."

Her smile growing broader, Marie rose from the bed and looked down at the young woman she had once been. "You'll do fine, sugah, I guarantee it. Just be yourself and implement what I've told you and you'll be happier than you ever imagined in no time at all."

Rogue stood as well, standing in front of the other woman with a thoughtful expression. "Can Ah ask ya somethin'?"

"Of course," Marie returned patiently.

Nervously Rogue chewed on her lower lip as she worked up the courage to ask her question. It was something that was always on her mind and while it might be hard to hear the answer, she still wanted to know. "Have ya ever learned t' control it?"

No at all surprised by the query, Marie offered her a sympathetic smile. "There are some things better left unknown, sugah," she returned softly.

Sadly, Rogue nodded. It wasn't what she wanted to hear but she wasn't surprised either.

Marie stepped forward, closing the distance between them and quickly wrapped Rogue in a firm embrace. "It really doesn't matter one way or the other, sugah, remember that."

Rogue held on tightly for a long time before she finally pulled back. Marie studied her face for a moment before gently wiping away the series of big tears marring Rogue's face. Closing her eyes, the younger woman took a deep breath and pushed the pain aside, she had more important things to think about now. When she opened her eyes again, Marie was smiling at her with a knowing expression.

"You're gonna do fine, sugah. Now listen, just for practice I want ya to get up tomorrow and put on one of these outfits I brought ya, try on some of your new 'perfume', practice your growling and remember your five key points."

"Ah will," Rogue assured her with a grin. "Thank ya fer ever'thin'."

Marie winked. "Don't thank me, sugah, thank yourself."

Rogue watched as the woman she would become moved across the room and disappeared out the door. Turing back to the bed, she cleared it off, deciding right then on an outfit and putting the rest away. Slowly, Rogue climbed into her bed and turned off the light but her mind was so busy processing everything she'd been told that it was several hours before she managed to drift off to sleep.

---

The next morning, Rogue spent a good deal of time standing in front of her mirror trying to convince herself that she should actually leave her room looking like she did. The blouse she'd chosen the night before was a long sleeve black number that was almost too tight to be presentable, which of course was the point as it drew attention to her ample chest. The fact that the top was extremely low cut wasn't really an issue considering the sheer fabric from which it was cut. The blouse was so thin that it was practically see-through and for someone with better than average eyesight, it would be. The pants from her ensemble were something else as well. Again the black leather was tighter than she would have chosen for herself but they weren't uncomfortable and they greatly enhanced her curves.

Rogue shook her head and a for the tenth time thought about waiting at least until Logan returned before leaving her room looking as she did but she had promised Marie that she would test things out so she forced the thought aside once more. Shifting her gaze from the mirror, she turned her attention to the two small bottles on the vanity. After only a moment's hesitation, Rogue picked one up and opened it, dabbing a little on her finger before swiping it behind each ear. With an amused snort she repeated the process, this time rubbing her damp finger down between her breasts.

Returning the "perfume" to its place with the rest, she took a deep breath and released it slowly before turning on her heel and heading for the door. Rogue wanted to leave before the second thoughts returned.

The hallway was surprising quiet for a Saturday morning but then she had slept in later than usual. As she made her way toward the stairs, Rogue practiced a couple of growls and went through the list of techniques she'd learned the night before. It was hard to believe that last night hadn't been a dream but the fact she found the new clothes waiting for her this morning convinced her that it hadn't been.

Rogue was almost to the bottom of the grand staircase when she heard something that sent her heart fluttering. She looked up in shock to find Logan's broad back facing her as he spoke with the professor. Seeing him was shock enough but hearing him asking about her sent a bolt of electricity straight through her. Wobbling on less than steady legs, Rogue descended the last few steps and stopped.

"Why don't you see for yourself, Logan," she heard Charles Xavier say, seeing him gesture with his chin toward her position.

Ever so slowly Logan turned to face her, his eyes widening and darkening as they raked over her body. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed the lengthy pause his eyes executed in order to stare at her chest.

Slowly Logan licked his lips then cleared his throat before speaking. "Hey, kid," he managed to mutter, his eyes once again taking inventory of her ample curves, curves which hadn't been so noticeable all that long ago.

Her confidence bolstered by Logan's reaction thus far, Rogue smiled seductively, a fiery glint in her eye. "Hey yaself, sugah," she greeted as she started a slow, sensual stride toward his position.

"Well..." Professor Xavier started with a slight smirk, "I'll just leave you two to get reacquainted."

Logan was too engrossed in the sway of Rogue's hips to hear Charles and Rogue was too distracted by her frantic mind to hear him either.

"So..." Logan began swallowing hard after a long pause, "how are you, Marie?"

"Ah'm good," she responded confidently. "What 'bout you?"

His eyes once again drifting down her long neck to her chest, Logan nodded. "I'm good."

Remembering her lessons like the outstanding student that she was, Rogue stepped forward without pause and wrapped her arms around Logan's neck, pulling him into a tight hug and of course arching her back so as to force her breasts firmly against his hard chest. "Welcome home, sugah."

Almost immediately Logan's arms went around her waist pulling her even closer as his head dropped to her shoulder. His nostrils flared at the scent assaulting him but it couldn't be what he thought it was and at the moment he didn't care enough to ask.

Rogue could hear Logan sniffing her and she knew the "perfume" was working. She shifted slightly, her breasts grazing his and was instantly rewarded with a low growl. Smiling to herself, Rogue realized that maybe this wasn't going to be as much work as she thought it would.

---

EPILOGUE

Marie was quite pleased with herself as she made her way down the darkened hallway on the third floor of the mansion, which housed Professor Charles Xavier's school for mutants. Due to the lateness of the hour the corridor was deserted, which saved her a lot of time as she walked toward her bedroom.

She slowed her pace as she approached her destination; one hand splaying out against the thick wood of the bedroom door as the other slowly turned the knob. Marie quietly closed the door behind her then turned her attention to the sleeping figure across the room. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of Logan's shirtless body sprawled out across the bed.

Making her way across the room quietly, she stopped at Logan's side and just stared down at the exposed skin of his arms, shoulders and chest. Slowly Marie lowered herself to sit beside him, her hand reaching toward his solid shoulder.

As though sensing the impending touch, Logan's hand shot up from his side and grabbed her wrist in mid-motion. He opened his eyes slowly and met her heated gaze with a perturbed expression. "Where the hell have you been, Marie?"

"Sorry, sugah," she said with a wink, "had something I needed to take care of."

"You still have something you need to take of," Logan insisted firmly. In one quick movement he pulled Marie onto the bed and rolled on top of her, his mouth quickly descending on hers.

Marie met the kiss hungrily, her tongue snaking out to lick across his lips as her hands went to work, one raking across his back while the other tangled in his hair.

Pulling back, Logan stared down at her, an arousing smile curling the corners of his mouth. "So, you gonna tell me what it was you had to take care of, darlin'?"

Shaking her head demurely, Marie's right hand snaked around his shoulder and began tracing the muscular lines of his chest with a gloved finger.

Logan's brow furrowed in confusion as he caught her hand again and pulled it from his body. "What's with the gloves?" he asked, his forehead smoothing out before his left brow quirked in a high arch.

"Nothin'," Marie returned with a grin as she slowly started to pull the silk gloves from her hands.

Once again Logan's hand on her wrist stopped her. "Leave them on," he said with a husky growl, "for old times sake."