Sometimes I hate staying in a mansion where everyone knows what’s going on in your life. For example - Logan left last night. Not anything new about that, he’s been doing it on and off for the entirety of our association - what was new though was how he did it, and how fast everyone knew he’d left.

See him and I had just gotten back from this awesome dinner and a movie and Scott jumped on him. He accused Logan of misusing his role as a teacher here to show me special treatment. Hell why didn’t he just say Logan was trying to get into my pants? Which I wouldn’t have objected to - I mean have you seen Logan’s bod? Anyway Logan and Scott got into a fight, Logan hit Scott knocking him for a loop and stormed off to his room with me in hot pursuit.

I tried to get him to calm down but he wouldn’t listen. Next thing I know he’s pulling me into a tight hug and dropping kisses on my hair. I knew something was up from the slight tremble in his grip, from the way he clung to me.

“Enough is enough Marie,” Logan whispered softly, fury still in his voice. “I’m never gonna be able to stay here. Ever since Jean kissed me..”

I know what he means. See about three months ago, Jean had been drinking and she hauled off and kissed Logan. Problem was Scott saw it and thought it was something else and ever since Logan hasn’t had a moment’s peace.

“Look kid, if you ever need anything, need to get a hold of me,” Logan paused and stared into my eyes with a slight smile. “Go here, you’ll be safe and they’ll be able to get word to me.” He said handing over a slip of paper with an address on it.

I stared at it for a few seconds before turning to him, “Are you gonna keep in touch?”

“Yeah, I’ll call regularly,” He promised me and within an hour he was gone. And I was alone again, alone, and cold surrounded by sheets that smelled of him, and memories that I would treasure and a low burning anger directed at Jean and Scott.



That was nine months ago, and things haven’t gotten any clearer, any easier for me. I wake up in the morning and instantly my mind races to where Logan is, to what he’s doing and my heart breaks a little more. It doesn’t help that everyone looks at me with this pitying look like I should be locked up for wallowing in my misery. And I know he said he’d call but he hasn’t, not once in the last seven months and its worrying me because when Logan promises something he does it.

Still I rise from the tangled sheets, pull on one of Logan’s t-shirts under my clothes and head down for breakfast, not knowing that today is going to be the day that I will remember for the rest of my life and not in a happy way either. See today I’m gonna get the phone call from hell!

I was blissfully unaware of what was happening as I started down the hallway for my first class, my books clutched tightly to my chest as I spotted Scott Summers ahead of me. I could feel the anger bubbling but ignored it as best I could only to halt when I heard someone call my name.

Turning I stared at Storm as she hurries toward me, curious I wait for her to approach me.

“Rogue,” as usual her greeting is warm, her voice soft and kind and I smile.

“Yeah?” I reply softly, something about Storm always gets me to like her. No matter how mad I am at those around me, Storm is the one person I never get mad at or want to hurt.

“There’s a phone call for you.”

“Me? Is it Logan?” I can barely keep the excitement, the hope from my voice and I’m reminded of how pathetic I seem to everyone.

“No, a woman,”the thread of apology in her voice is enough to convince me she had hoped as well as I.

With a frown I hurried down the hall and into the first room with a phone. Picking it up I hold it to my ear, “Hello?”

“Rogue?” The voice is strangely comforting, like an old friend that you hadn’t seen in years suddenly calling you up to say hello.

“Yeah, this is she,” Despite the relaxed tone, I’m on edge, my mind screaming out with worry, with pain as I wait anxiously for her to speak again. I’m desperately hoping that she isn’t calling me to tell me she’s marrying Logan cause if she is...

“Uh, I’m calling about Wolverine..”

“What happened?” I pale, sinking into the nearest chair my grip on the phone tightening painfully, my knuckles going white with the strain upon them her tone telling me that its bad. “Where is he? He’s okay isn’t he?”

“Well that’s what I wanted to talk to you about..”

“Please..”


“Look I’ve sent a driver for you. She’ll be there shortly, her name is Trish and she’s..”

“What’s she driving?” I interrupt suddenly, my gaze drawn to the window in the vain hope that this woman I’ve never met is already pulling into the driveway.

“A late model chevy pickup, black and white in color. Canadian plates on it.”

“How long till..”

“She should be there no later than dinner time. She’ll give you any answers she can, but its not good. They got him.”

“Okay.” I sat in stunned silence for a half a minute after the phone had disconnected before rising and walking to the front door and slipping outside.

I have no idea how long I sat there, but I do know that nobody came looking for me. I know, cause I had one ear tuned to the mansion and the other to the highway. The minute a two toned chevy pulled up to the gates I was down that driveway like a shot. Didn’t change, didn’t even look back. Something had happened to Logan and that was enough for me.

I slid into the passenger seat and smiled at the driver, a slim, boyish looking brunette with blue eyes and a kind smile. “Trish?”

“Hey Rogue, we’ve got a long drive. Figure we should get back sometime tomorrow night.”

“How is he?”

“Well he’s not human anymore that’s for damn sure.”

“What do you mean?”

“The lab that caught him figured out that he was hostile. Meaning he likes to put up a fight, so they ‘trained’ him to be a gladiator of sorts, used drugs to keep him in highly aggressive state. Pitted him against other mutants, criminals just to see who would come out on top, made it into a blood sport.”

“He won?”

“Every round. Why he’s alive if you can call it that.”

“What did they do to him exactly?” I whispered painfully, the need to know clawing at me. “I mean other than turn him into a fighter.”


“According to the records we got they’ve used him as an organ donor as well. Seems he grows any organ back if it’s removed. Probably why they kept him alive so long - even gladiators aren’t kept around very long before being shuffled off. There was some mention of several new psychological experiments done as well with limited success. Seems Logan’s mind isn’t really good for brainwashing. His brain refuses to accept it, even if they use drugs, but the damage was done. Healing factor can only do so much. My theory is that in this session of brainwashing they’ve awakened memories from before.”

Swallowing I nod and look down at my hands clenched tightly in my lap, “Does he talk?”

“Nope, just growls, snarls, and such. Pretty freaky if you ask me. Everyone on the sector is terrified of him. That’s the only reason he’s on lock down.”

“He’s gonna be okay though? I mean he won’t..”

“He’s alive Rogue, and he’s gonna stay that way.”

“Why did you and your associates save him? Why would you do that?” I wanted to know the answer, wanted it as much as I wanted to know what had happened to my Logan.

“Cause one of the mutants that was in that lab belongs to us.”

“You own mutants?” I could feel my stomach dropping out of my body at the thought.

“No,” Trish merely smiled softly and shrugged. “He’s my brother, and he’s the boss’s husband. Gabriel is a nice guy, too nice to have to suffer in a lab.”

“Oh God,” I moaned feeling sick at my stomach.

“My sentiments exactly.”


I settled in for the drive, my mind racing, my heart pounding even as we sped through the night. The arrival of dawn showed little difference other than we were somewhere other than New York. A glance at the woman showed her bright eyed and fully alert, it also showed that there was snow on the mountain peaks, and the leaves were starting to change color much the same as back at Salem Center.

“Where are we?”

“Ontario, Canada.” Trish explained. “We’re stationed a few hours north of here. Why don’t you try to get some rest, I’ll wake you when we get there.”

With a nod I slid down into my seat, my head resting on the cold window as I struggled with my own exhaustion. Uncaring of the tears that streaked my face, of the pounding in my head I sat there until I finally fell asleep.


How long we drove for I don’t really know, all I remember was waking up to shudder as I realized we were sitting parked at a small cabin next to a graveyard. Climbing out of the truck I shook off my stunned look and followed Trish as she led me away from the cabin and deeper into the stones that lined the graves.

“Well, we’re here Rogue. Don’t worry, this is only the cover. Come on, we’ll see how things are going down there.”

“Are all of these graves real?” I croaked out and glanced at the woman waiting an answer. Even knowing that Logan was alive, that he wouldn’t die I couldn’t help but think of this place as the final resting place for the man I loved. That thought alone was enough to terrify me into a tangled mess of emotion.

“Yes, they all belong to mutants we’ve taken from labs, some were dead when we got there, others..” she paused and sighed sadly. “Others died after they were released. Figured they might as well be buried amongst their own.”

Following soundlessly, wordlessly I could feel my heart pounding as I moved along. Suddenly we stopped next to a stone door and it opened with a mild creak to reveal several people sitting at computers, several more walking around, and a tall, stately woman standing reading a file.

She glanced up at us and smiled before nodding and Trish led me down the corridor to another door. Raising up on my toes I peaked in through the window and swallowed hard the acrid taste of bile in my throat choking me.

Sitting half naked in a darkened cell amid shredded blankets, looking entirely too wild was a man I’d known forever, and loved a whole lot longer. Logan was gone in his place was Wolverine, the fierce fighter I’d glimpsed at the Statue of Liberty, the wild, untamed man I saw in that cage fight and I wondered if I could get through to him. Make him see that he was human, that we were a team.

Regardless of the outcome I knew the moment his eyes raised up to mine that I had to try. With a smile at me, Trish moved off to answer some summons and I turned the door knob and slipped soundlessly into the cell Logan sat in.

The lock clicking into place behind me made me jump and I leaned heavily against the door as Logan rose to his imposing height and snarled at me. I could feel my heart pounding, my breath coming in gasps but I wasn’t frightened. Wasn’t terrified either - instead I was pissed and appalled. The man staring snarling at me looked like my Logan, but there was no way in hell he was. I mean I could clearly see the lights were on but nobody was home!


I stood rooted to the spot as I waited for him to attack, knowing that I was defenseless but not caring. If I showed him no fear then he wouldn’t kill me. At least until he did get the fear. My thoughts were interrupted when he picked me up and slammed me back against the wall, one hand wrapped around my throat the other brushing over my body with careless familiarity. I realized that the lab had probably tossed women in to reward him for his exploits in the ring, and he figured I was one of the ‘rewards’, so I just ignored the shudder that raced through me at his touch.

I smothered the shocked outcry and just stared at him patiently, waiting, watching. I could feel my hands tremble as he moved in closer to me, his body pressing against mine as his claws came out and I stared at him steadily. I couldn’t stop the jerk of my body when he struck the wall, effectively locking me in with him as I realized he’d pierced the mechanisms for the lock. Until it was fixed, I was his to play with. With him so close to me I could feel my heart begin to pound, my mouth go dry, and my entire body started to get a lot warmer. Even with the animal in full control I still desired him, still wanted him and I knew it.

“Logan?” I whispered softly, soothingly. “Logan do you know me?”

A low snarl and a flash of white teeth was the only response I got but I was undaunted. This was Logan - my hero, friend, and someday, someday he and I would be lovers. I knew it, everyone knew it. I had him in my head I knew how he looked at me, knew how he looked at Dr. Grey as well and it didn’t bother me that he flirted. He might fuck her but he’d come back to me no matter what because I was the only one he’d ever give a claim to.

“Logan, its Marie. I’m here now, I’ll make it better,” I whispered softly, being careful not to reach out to him. After all I didn’t want him to think I was attacking him - let him come to me.

“You know me Logan,” I continued. “I’m not scared of you. I’m not scared of what you’ll do or what you’re gonna say. I know what you’ll do. I know you won’t hurt me, won’t let anyone else hurt me either. I remember what you thought that night on the Statue of Liberty. I remember what you were feeling when you left that day, the way you clasped my hand around your tags. I know you Logan, I know how you think, how you feel, how you act. I know deep down that you need to be in control of things just to feel human. Above all I know who *you* are Logan, and you don’t scare me.”

On and on I prattled, desperate to get through to him, to let him know he was mine. I rambled about what had happened at the school, what missions I’d been on, my new boots, everything I could think of and yet he still didn’t let me go. But he didn’t stab me either, didn’t gut me, draw blood in any fashion. Instead he stared at me in this cautious look like he was trying to read me.

And then when I was beginning to think I’d ran out of things to say he did something completely unimaginable. He let go. Stepped back, sheathed his claws and stood and watched me with this half expectant look upon his face. Never said a word, never made a sound just stared at me and I knew then that on some level I’d managed to reach him.

I smiled easily at him, shaky hands clenched at my sides to prevent me from reaching out for him. The need to touch him, to hold him was unbearable and yet I held myself steady, even as his gaze raced over my body, heating my blood with that look. Closing my eyes I gave a shuddery sigh and leaned against the wall even as I blinked and stood there looking at him.

“I’m so sorry Logan,” I whispered softly, a sad little smile on my face as I watched him. “I’m gonna make it better, I promise.”

“Rogue!” the sound of an unfamiliar voice hollering through the door drew my attention sharply, and I raised a hand to stop Logan’s advancement on the intrusion.

“I’m fine. Leave us alone,” I hollered back.

“He’s too dangerous, unpredictable. We’ll get you out soon. The lock’s been fried, the wiring’s shot, looks like its been sliced and diced..”

“Logan won’t hurt me,” I said clearly, although I wasn’t too sure just how badly he’d react to my being in the same room as time wore on, I felt no fear of the man in front of me. Unlike these do-gooders I saw the man, not the monster he’d been made into.

“You can’t be sure,” Trish’s voice came through the speaker and I smiled suddenly before pushing away from the wall and walking over to Logan. Reaching out I rested one hand on his chest, feeling his heart pounding, and welcoming the thumping.

“Yes I can,” I whispered softly. “Because no matter what he does, Logan can’t hurt me.”

“Logan?” the soft growl had me jumping slightly and I looked at Logan through eyes widened by shock. “Logan?”

“Yes baby, you’re Logan,” I smiled at him then squeaked out a protest when he jerked me up against him, his hands tightening painfully around my waist. “You’re my Logan,” I whispered clinging to him and knowing that deep down he was beginning to realize that he didn’t have to fight, or at least he didn’t have to fight me.

“The lock’s nearly fixed,” Trish spoke calmly through the speaker, “you’ll be outta there shortly.”

“No I won’t,” I realized with painful clarity. Regardless of whether that door was locked or not, no one was going to be making me leave and I would be hard pressed to leave willingly. Anyone trying to force me from the room with have to deal with six foot long adamantium claws and my skin. Logan had claimed this room as his territory and as such he would be staying there - with me! “Look just back off, give me some time. I trust Logan not to hurt me.”

“If you need anything, just push the red button by the door. It’ll summon someone to help you.” Trish said quickly, sensing perhaps that I was in no danger, and that I was the only one who had a chance in hell of reaching the man they’d caged. Or maybe she just remembered what I’d told her on the way here.

How long we stood there I don’t rightly know. Could have been hours, could have been mere minutes. All I know is that suddenly Logan had shifted, lifting me a little higher against him and rocking back and forth a soft keening growl growing in his chest.


The clank of metal had both of us tensing and I glanced at the door to see a platter with several bowls covering plates sitting by the bottom of the door. Looked like dinner was served and I wiggled free of Logan’s grip and grabbed the food. Taking it back I sat on the floor and waited, looking pointedly at him until he dropped down onto the floor and sat cross legged like me before lifting the lids off the plates.

If there’s an experience I would not recommend its watching Logan eat with his claws. The time he’d spent in the lab had made him territorial and even more so over food. The plates were scratched, the food mangled and I was suddenly glad that I’d grabbed one plate for myself. After dinner had been devoured - I hesitate to say eaten cause Logan wasn’t just eating he was devouring it before it could be taken away - I set about exploring the room.

A sink sat in a dimly lit corner with both hot and cold water, towels were hung on racks by the sink, obviously untouched and unused. A bar of unused soap sat in its dish, and a small metallic door opened to reveal the basic toiletries a man needs, shaving cream, razor- what are they insane?-, brush, comb, shampoo and conditioner in one. I grinned and waved to Logan who had followed me. Pushing him down on the toilet I ran a sink full of warm water and began digging for a wash cloth.

An hour later I stood back and appraised Logan easily. I’d given him a sponge bath, combed out his hair, and he looked a lot better. “Much better Logan.”

A soft growl was my only response and I hid a smile. So far Logan had done nothing to prove I wasn’t safe with him and yet I knew that the night would be different. I wasn’t so foolish to believe that he would leave me alone, or that things would go easily. When you’ve got a man whose thinking is so close to instinctual like Logan you gotta figure on him wanting to do more than look.

So I waited, refusing to give into the fear that the night wouldn’t go anything like I thought it would. I don’t know if was my own pride, instinct or what but I knew that once Logan touched me, once he’d taken me there would be no going back. I wouldn’t be going back to New York, wouldn’t see those people I had left behind - at least not any time soon and definitely not to stay. My life would become Logan; what he felt, what he did, what he saw, what he claimed.

The opening of the door drew a snarl and the familiar sound of claws being extended and I turned sharply to see who had invaded our space. Noting Trish I glanced at Logan who was on full alert, his claws fully extended, his arms by his sides, an open challenge in his gaze as she moved further into the room and dumped several blankets on the floor before glancing at me and all but running from the room.

I stood waiting, watching as she disappeared, the door closing with a click. A moment later I was diving for the blankets that Logan was looking to shred. I knew it had more to do with the fact that their scent was on them than it did with the actual blankets.


“Logan no! We need those!” I scrambled to get them away from him, and glared at him pointedly. When he growled at me I smiled and moved off to make a bed, finally spotting the battered frame of a twin in the corner with a mattress on the floor.

With a grin I hurried to drag it away from the frame before making it up quickly and plunking my ass down on it. “Well guess it’s gonna have to do. Means we’re gonna be sleeping in pretty tight confines, unless you plan on sleepin’ on the ground,” I said merely to hear myself talk, I knew he would be sleeping wrapped around me; that’s just a given for us.

“Marie,” the low grunt had me freezing and glancing up at him sharply, his hazel eyes fastened on me with firm resolution.

“Yes?”

“That’s your name,” Logan snarled walking toward me with a frown on his face. “Mine,” he drawled dragging a hand down my arm, snagging my wrist and holding it tightly, possessiveness in his eyes, in his grip.

“Yes, yours,” Okay I know that anyone whose a feminist would have kittens at that asseverate but I couldn’t care less. I did belong to Logan, just as he belonged to me. I mean come on folks, you don’t crawl into a truck with a clawed mutant and expect to just walk away at the end of the ride do you? And even if you did and he let you - when he saves your life not once but twice without a second thought you kinda owe him something!

“Rogue, if you need anything..”

“No, we’re fine. Goodnight!” I called out to the person on the other side of that door. It didn’t matter who was out there, because out there was another world, another lifetime. All that mattered to me was what was in this room, the man with me and the slow building fire that was growing within me.

With his warmth curled around me we lay on that bed, exhaustion pulling at me, making my mind hazy with the need for sleep. Sighing softly, I snuggled deeper into him and smiled as my eyes drifted closed; I was where I was supposed to be in Logan’s arms.


I don’t know exactly what it was that woke me up but my eyes flew open and I stared at the grey wall before me my heart pounding, my ears cocked for any sounds. Laying there as still as I could get, my entire body ached with the tension in my muscles until it became aware of what was going on.

Logan must have woken during the night because he was rubbing against my backside, his erection pressing against me. I could hear the soft grunts from him, feel the way his hands were racing over my body, wringing a response from me. His hot breath was racing over my neck, followed by the little stings of ‘love bites’, and the low purring growl that he had going.

To say I was a little shocked when his hand squeezed my breasts, his fingers rubbing against my nipples making them hard is an understatement. I could feel his heat right though my clothes, and the way his hands were creeping under my shirt to where my body stocking covered me was enough to make me moan. When he pinched my already hard nipple I jumped, moaning softly as desire flooded my body making me shift against him longingly.

“Logan, no!” I whispered knowing he wouldn’t stop anyway - and it wasn’t really like I wanted him to. You can’t say no and arch back into a thrust and expect it to have any meaning. Nope, what I was protesting was the way his hand was creeping under my jeans, undoing buttons and pushing them down - exposing the stocking underneath. “Logan my skin,” I whispered trembling as he brushed against that spot between my legs.

The only response I got was a growl, and my jeans going sailing through the air to land on the floor a short distance away. Closing my eyes I leaned heavily against him as he continued his ministrations a feat I’m still not sure of considering we were both laying down.

I could feel his fingers pressing against me intimately, making me squirm as my body betrayed my control, my common sense and said to hell with it! I knew with some chagrin that my underwear was soaked, that Logan would be able to feel how turned on I was by his touch.

Knowing his heightened senses I just knew that he could smell my response to him as well, I mean we were in a rather small room with very little ventilation so the smell of my desire was soaking the air. I whimpered as he tugged at the hem of my blouse, his teeth racing over the cotton to latch onto a breast as he shifted closer to me.

I gave a startled gasp when he rolled suddenly, his claws coming out to remove my blouse before tossing it aside and pulling me down on top of him. Dressed in my body stocking, a pair of lacy panties and my bra straddling the hottest man this side of forever does not a clear mind make.

I could feel his grip tightened as he pulled me down onto him, brushing against my aching dampness, his groan filling my ears as I tossed my head back. The soft whimper that left me had little to do with the near painful pressure of his grip on my hips, instead it had more to do with the feel of his damp penis pressing against my clit.

“Logan,” I moaned softly arching against him, pushing myself down onto him harder. I grabbed hold of his wrists and moved against him, trying to keep myself grounded with little to no success.

The sound of his claws coming out echoed in my head, adding an element of danger to what we were doing that I found extremely exciting. So exciting in fact that I came hard, barely aware of Logan cutting my panties from my body leaving me in a body suit that was getting cuts in it from his claws as he bared my secret woman’s places to his touch.


I have only one thing to say about Logan’s hands during sex - they are magic! By the time I was even aware of what was going on he’d used them to bring me to another climax, and the feel of them buried deeply within me only prolonged the pleasure. Combine that with his mouth hot and wet on my breasts and you’ve got a very pleasurable experience.

Needless to say I do not remember much beyond the sensations of my first sexual experience. I still ain’t figured out how Logan managed to get inside me without me draining him completely but he did it. Afterward he just pulled me closer to him, nuzzled into my hair and held me long after my heart had returned to normal, the sweat on my body had dried, and my mind had cleared enough to realize it was exhausted.

That was last night, this morning - and I know it is cause I can hear someone moving around outside our door - I’m laying here watching Logan sleeping. The soft sound of a door opening had Logan tensing in his sleep and I shifted, pressing against him tightly as the claws came out with a sickening screech - I can still feel them within my body at times and am in no way, no shape, or form ready to feel them again thank you!

“Morning,” Trish’s soft voice and the soft clank of a tray being set down on the floor. “Breakfast.”

I glance at her and note the way her eyes land on my shredded blouse, and the jeans that are laying in a pool of denim over by the middle of the room. My socks had gone that way as well, alone with my panties leaving me clad in my bra and body stocking. A body stocking that would need to be replaced cause there were more holes than Swiss cheese - the biggest being the lack of a crotch but I didn’t care.

“Morning,” I replied firmly and raise an eyebrow in a perfect replica of Logan’s expression. Trish merely smiled and dropped several pieces of clothes on the floor next to the tray before leaving again.

The soft sound of Logan’s growl only made me grin as I shifted, wincing at the pull of muscles I’ve never used, and I pushed the blankets off me and exhale sharply. “Well looks like I need a bath,” I mutter glancing down and noting for the first time the bruises that cover me. I’ve got hickeys on my neck, breasts, and a perfect set of hand prints on my hips but I don’t care.

“Bath?” Logan ground out staring at me with possession in his eyes as they raked over my body.

“Yeah darlin’,” I replied softly. “Can’t go around all day smelling like sex. Bad taste..” I squeaked when he merely rolled, pinning me beneath him and bending his head. Whoa, Logan in full possession mode can get pretty hot!

Slowly a pattern established itself in the coming days as we built a steady connection. As time passed broken intermittently by the arrival of food, clothes, blankets, I began to notice little changes in the man I was with.

The way he stopped showing the claws to everyone who came to the door, the way his pacing and growling grew less and less a part of his day. The biggest was the way he suddenly seemed to think I needed to be cared for.

It started off with little things, allowing me to have more of the food rations, more space on the bed. Even our cell became a way to pamper me, I’d wake to find him clearing it of debris, of the effects of the night before. I don’t think he even realized that what he was doing was so monumental - I mean most guys have no qualms about flushing a used condom down the toilet but when you’re recovering from countless weeks in a lab to suddenly start doing it can be a major step.

Then of course there were the other things. The hours and hours of grooming he’d decided I needed. The way he seemed to suddenly figure we needed to nest, blankets, clothes, would suddenly appear for me, along with toiletries that I’m not sure about. One morning I woke up to find a box of tampons sitting on the edge of the sink and Logan smirking at me from beside our bed. Talk about the royal treatment.

Trish had brought me some history books - I’d discovered that both Logan and I love history - and I was sitting on our bed reading one about Ancient Egypt aloud as Logan moved around in our room when I noticed he’d stopped moving.

I glanced at him, noting he was standing by the sink and smiled before turning back to our story. I read steadily, not really paying too much attention to what he was doing over there - small quarters you learn how to ignore things like using the toilet, bath times that sorta thing. Anyway, I was sitting there crossed legged, up to my eyes in a story about Cleopatra when I felt it.

The bed dipped beneath me and Logan lifted me up, pulling me into his lap, a soft thud echoing in the room as I glanced down to see the hair brush on the bed beside us. Not wanting to make an issue of it, I merely sighed and continued reading. The softest touches from Logan’s hands as they finger combed my hair had me sighing, and I paused for a moment.

Sitting there I simply let the sensations wash over me as Logan’s fingers massaged my scalp for a while before he picked up the hairbrush and started brushing my hair. The steady purr coming from behind me had me smiling, and I returned my attention to the book not wanting him to stop.

“Good?” Logan’s soft whisper in my ear drew a shudder and I nodded gasping as my body responded to both the tone and the touch.

“Very,” I whispered softly. “Please don’t stop.”

With a slight chuckle, Logan continued counting under his breath as he ran the brush through my hair. This was something I noticed as well, he was learning or should I say relearning things like his numbers, alphabet, vocabulary. All those things I take for granted, he was relearning them, refamiliarizing himself with them.


The process was slow and painful, and often spilled over into the night when the nightmares would get too bad. Just cause I was there didn’t stop ‘em and some nights he’d wake me up screaming, clawing at the air as the demons in his mind tore at him. Afterwards he’d touch me, and take me higher than ever before like he needed the sex to compensate for the abuse he’d suffered not that I ever complained. I mean who cared if I had a bruise on my hip, or if my body ached in the morning? I didn’t.

So I sat there reading about Cleopatra’s affair with Caesar while Logan brushed my hair out, each stroke gentle, loving. How long we sat there I don’t rightly know but the opening of the door drew an angry snarl from Logan and a dark look from me.

“Something you wanted?” I growled out as Trish stood there. For some reason she was the only one who would fully enter the room, although others came and brought food, and supplies. I’d noticed she’d taken to leaving the door slightly ajar lately as well. Something that actually encouraged Logan and I to go for strolls through the facility after everyone else had gone to bed because that was the only time I could get him to leave the room.

“Yeah, there’s several people here looking for you,” Trish said apologetically before glancing out into the hallway and smiling sadly. “You want them to come here?”

“What do you think?” Logan snarled angrily, the claws coming out of his hands as he sat there glaring at her.

Despite the dark look he threw her way, Trish knew she didn’t have anything to worry about. Logan merely didn’t like it when someone bothered us, and he tolerated her in a way he didn’t anyone else. Trish was allowed to come and go, probably because she’s the one that started sneaking in the boxes of condoms, and the other toiletry items I needed or asked for.

A moment later I groaned softly as the door was pushed open and in filed none other than Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Storm. I felt Logan tense behind me and grabbed his thigh, my fingers digging in to keep him from getting up and gutting them. Okay, I know he’d gut Scott just cause he was a guy, but the other two I wasn’t sure of and while I knew Jean deserved it, Storm didn’t.

“Thank god you’re safe,” Jean said moving forward to check me over. I leaned back against Logan and shrugged but didn’t comment as she pulled on gloves and began to check me over.

The low rumbling growl I could feel Logan giving off had me smiling and I shifted against him, “You finished darlin’?” I asked softly and Logan took it as a sign that he needed to put everything away.

“You had us so worried,” Scott said eying me like I was a smear on a slide as Jean looked me over. “The Professor tried finding you several times but you’d always left where he sent us.”

“Well that’s cause I was on the road,” I replied shortly as Logan grabbed Jean’s wrist when she got a little too close to my throat, his angry growl echoing in the room along with Jean’s hiss of pain. I merely sat still waiting for her to back off, to move back that step or two that would pacify Logan’s territorial instincts.


“Let her go,” Scott ground out staring at Logan who stared back at him without an ounce of recognition.

The low growl that rumbled up through him had me grabbing his arm, my fingers splaying over his knuckles, the only way I knew to keep him from releasing the claws and maiming these people, “Darlin’ be nice,” I whisper low, so low I know he’s the only one who heard it.

I can feel him backing down, see it in his eyes as I shift, making to get up and pushing Jean back in the process, “Was there something you wanted?”

“Come on Rogue, we’ve come to take you home,” Scott said eying Logan who was glaring at him steadily. When the other man moved toward me, extending his hand Logan snarled and shifted, moving my hands easily and extending the claws on one hand as he pulled me back against him, one arm possessively resting on my stomach the other a clear threat to Scott.

“I don’t think I’m ready to go home just yet,” I said looking at Scott seriously, right about now I want to let Logan go nuts on Scott’s uptight ass. Let him know what it feels like to have your heart tore out and shredded. “I don’t want to go somewhere nobody understand that Logan and I are together.”

“Rogue you’re young, you don’t understand what..” Jean starts in.

“Since its nearly time for our lunch I’d suggest you go find somewhere else to be,” I ground out staring at them. “Because I am not leaving Logan behind.”

“If Logan comes to, would you come home?” Storm asks, breaking past both Scott and Jean to stand in front of me. I can see the worry in her eyes, the concern, the acceptance of how Logan’s holding onto me and I sigh.

I glance at Logan who’s still glaring at Scott and Jean and smile, “For now.” I reply without really giving them what they wanted. I noted Storm’s small smile, and the furious glance that Jean and Cyke shared but didn’t care. Instead I turned to Logan and tugged on his arm, “Come on darlin’ we need to get our things together.”

Logan’s low growl had me giggling softly and Jean and Scott glowering at us. It would be interesting to see how things went for the next few days, because neither Jean nor Scott would actually willingly allow us to be together if they could help it.


So we returned to the mansion and just as I knew that Logan wouldn’t let me outta his sight, neither has Jean or Scott. Both seem determined to watch over me like I need protecting. Funny considering that they can’t protect me from the one threat that exists to me - the threat that I could kill Logan or he could kill me accidently. I don’t want to be protected from Logan, I don’t need to be protected from him. I know I offer him stability, sanity, an identity aside from the one the lab forced upon him, and in exchange he offers me everything. With him I can see the world, see the darkness, the light, feel every dram of touch from the cold rain to the warm caress of skin.

I found Logan and saved him from his own mind, but he saved me from the prison of my skin long before that day in the cell. I’d say its an equal exchange..... Wouldn’t you?