Rogue woke up abruptly. As her mind adjusted and came back into focus she realised there was only one reason she should wake from her peaceful sleep. Logan.

She padded barefooted across her room, slipping on a robe as she went to protect her from the cool Summer night's air. She picked up her gloves, silently slipped out of the dorm and made her way down the empty corridor.

As she approached his bedroom door Rogue hesitated, remembering painfully the last time she had visited Logan in the dead of night. Absentmindedly her hand touched her shoulder as if to feel for the non-existant scar. She tapped on the door lightly - no reply. It had been left slightly ajar so, tentively, Rogue ventured passed it.

What litle illumination there was in the room came from the clear moonlight that struggled to break it's way around the heavy curtains that were lazily pulled shut. Rogue's gaze fell upon Logan's silhoette. He was sitting on the bed with his back to her, leaning forward with his head in his hands, shards of light accentuating his well defined back. Rogue bit her lip, unsure whether she was right to intrude.

"Logan?" She whipsered cautiously.

Hearing her presence for the first time he looked up and drifted from his deep concentration. He visibly relaxed, Logan was relieved to see a friendly face - especially hers.

"You OK?"

"Yeah, I'm OK Kid," he replied with a fading growl. He glanced up at her to see a faint frown crease her brow. Logan sighed, realised his lingering gruffness and continued in a softer tone. "It's just another of those damn dreams. I hoped that after everything at Alkali Lake all this would have come to an end. I need even more answers now." He looked up at Rogues concerned face and deep into her brown eyes. The intensity of his stare made Rogue feel as if he was looking deep within her soul. "It's something I need to go through on me own," Logan said finally. He closed his eyes and turned away from her gentle gaze. He didn't deserve such kindness and loyalty from her, from anyone.

Rogue watched as Logan's strong fists clenched tightly. Random twitches from the muscles across his arms and chest suggested to her that it as taking every ounce of his strength to keep his rage under control. She knew that all he really wanted to do was to lash out at something...or someone.

He has so much anger bottled up inside. Rogue felt so helpless. She wished there was a way to soothe away his pain, wished there were words that could make everything better. Logan's ability to heal took care of his physical condition, but his fragile mind was vulnerable and bore the scars of his turbulent past.

The wound that never heals

Rogue sat herself down next to him and stared into the darkness in front of her, deep in quiet thought. After a few moments she broke the silence, and careful not to catch Logan's eye she spoke;

"Fear choked the breath from your body. Terror turns your blood cold. You panic, you feel trapped and helpless. your heart pounds, your body is drenched with sweat and your survival instincts are screaming at you to run. And the pain..." Rogue's body involuntarily shuddered and tensed, "there are no words that even begin to describe the pain..." Rogue's voice trailed off and her eyes flicked up to guage his reaction.

Logan had his head tipped to one side and his brow was deeply furrowed. He looked at her for what seemed to Rogue to be a very long time. He felt numb. As he raised a cuious eyebrow he questioned "how do you...?"

"I've had them too," she offered. "After you saved my life part of you was left with me, including your dreams. I had them for a few weeks. I-I wanted to tell you but I could never find the right time. No-one else knows, I just wouldn't have felt right telling anyone else about them." Logan nodded in acceptance and wordless thanks - Rogue understood.

"Now though, I can always sense when you're having another," Rogue paused,"that's why I'm here. You don't have to be alone." She galnced up and looked sideways at him.

Logan couldn't seem to settle on one emotion. He was visibly relieved that this huge burden was no longer his alone, but guilty that such dark thoughts were shared with a young mind such as hers; but he was also happy that it was Rogue that he shared this tender part of his life with. Logan wanted to say something, but the right words wouldn't come.

"I'm so sorry Marie."

Rogue reached out and lightly placed her gloved han on his shoulder in reassurance. He shouldn't feel guilty, it's not his fault.

"What Stryker said to me keeps going around in my head. He told me that I was nothing more than an animal. What kind of person was I before...this happened? What kind of creature was I?"

Moving her hand up to his tensing jawline, Rogue forced Logan to look straight at her.

"Hey, in spite of what Stryker did to you, and whatever he had planned for your future, you escaped. You knew even then that what he was doing was wrong. You made your choice and took control. That ought to tell you something Logan."

He studied her face carefully, absorbing and considering evey word she said.

Rogue continued. "You're a good man Logan. You care about what's right and wrong, even when you pretend you don't." Her voice faltered slightly, she hoped he hadn't noticed. "I've never met anyone as courageous as you Sugah. Just look at the way you defended this place, those weren't the actions of a bad guy."

A half smile appeared on Logan's lips, "how did you get so smart?"

Rogue smiled back, "I just see things how they really are."

Logan drew Rogue nearer to him, wrapping his arms around her body and resting his head on her shoulder. He breathed in the scent of her soft hair, the hint of delicate flowers described her well. Being this close to Rogue made Logan's soul feel complete. He no longer wanted to run.

Rogue softly added, "even if you never find out what you were, just look at who you are now. You're a hero Logan," her voice lowered, "my hero." She started stroking the hair on the nape of his neck. Logan gave out a contented growl.