While entering the diner her eyes fell upon a young woman wearing a tight wine red sleeveless t-shirt and a black miniskirt sitting on the far end of the room. Her long brunette hair was captured to a ponytail only her snow white streaks fell freely down her cheeks while she smiled cheerfully, somewhat lovingly at a middle-aged man sitting across from her at the table. Mrs. D’Ancanto watched the young woman beat the man’s hand playfully when he sneaked a fry from her plate. Bare skin touching bare skin. This can’t be! It’s not her! But she just looks like mah Marie! She even has the right age! The elderly woman debated with herself. It’s not her! But this brunette looked still too much like her little girl, she couldn’t take her eyes off of her just yet.

Her son must also have noticed the young woman’s resemblance to his sister. “Is that Marie?” Eventually getting his father’s attention to center on the couple.

Without further thought Mrs. D’Ancanto approached the table her husband and son in tow, earning a wary gaze from the man at her destination. “Marie?!” The young woman looked up from her meal startled.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Rogue was like frozen. She’d talked Logan into spending some time in the little vacation town she’d often visited with her family – not that she’d a hard time persuading him – he would go anywhere she wanted. The small lake with its ducks and fishes and the green meadows beyond had always given her the feeling of vacation, being finally able to relax. The young woman wanted to share this with Logan. She never intended to run into her family.

Logan immediately noticed the state of shock his Rogue was in and his protector instincts kicked in. Carefully he grasped her hand rubbing its back with his thumb.

This brought the brunette back to the present and she squeezed his fingers lightly then broke their physical contact. Her voice was shacking a little when she rose from her seat. “Mommy?”

“It’s really ya, Marie!” The honey blond woman made an attempt to hug her long lost daughter but stopped in her motion just before they touched.

Sadness flashed up in Rogue’s eyes the moment she saw her mother’s old fears of her. “It’s fine. Ah’m not deadly anymore.” This sentence held a bitter sweetness in it.

Rogue trembled slightly when her mother pulled her into a tight embrace which was soon joined by her father. After a small eternity they broke away and took a good look on their daughter. “Ya’ve grown up, Marie.” Her father finally said.

The young woman smiled, her parents weren’t afraid anymore, they had finally touched her. “Ah grew?! Joshie is the one two heads taller now!” She quickly hugged her younger brother.

“Of course Ah am. Ah was twelve, when ya left.” He grinned finally being on eye-level with his sister. “This skunk-streak looks cool.”

“Stunk-streak?! We weren’t even talking two sentences and ya already tease me?” This was her little brother, no doubt.

Suddenly Rogue noticed her parents stare on something or someone behind her. For a split second she’d indeed forgotten about Logan. Smiling she walked the small distance to Wolverine, who rose from his seat placing his left arm around her shoulders. “Mom, Dad, this is Logan.”

Both parties examined each other while shaking hands. “You can join us if you like.” Logan offered as Rogue already took the free seat next to his own.

When everybody was seated Rogue and Logan on one side of the table, her parents on the other side facing them while Josh occupied the spot between his mother and sister, the waitress came taking the order.

An uncomfortable silence settled down on them while they waited for their meal. “Ya look good, Marie.” Her mother finally said.

“Thanks. So do ya.” It was bizarre.

Her mother tried to stir up a conversation. “What are ya two doing here?”

“Ah think the same as ya. Vacation.” Answered Rogue when the waitress returned with the food and silence dreaded to come up again.

Mr. D’Ancanto’s eyes had never left the other man. “So, Logan, you are Marie’s… ehm…” Her father didn’t dare to say the boyfriend-word to someone, who was doubled the age of his daughter.

“Friend.” Logan finished grinning about the uneasiness of the other man.

A sigh of relief escaped both her parents, but still he didn’t like the way this guy touched his little daughter. “Are ya two… sleeping together?”

“Dad!” Rogue threw an evil glare towards Logan, who chuckled with a wicked smirk about her embarrassment. “No, we are not!”

“So ya are still… innocent?” This time her mother inquired.

“Mom! That’s exactly the kind of conversation Ah never wanted to have!” She avoided the subject, her cheeks glowing red.

“I think she is.” Logan answered, inwardly hoping it’s the truth. On the quizzically expressions of her parents he continued. “Before her ‘changes’ appeared she could hardly have had sex, since her first kiss had triggered her skin problem. Afterwards it was pretty much impossible and the last few months I had an eye on her.”

“Ah never gonna tell ya anything again!” Rogue hoped the earth would rip apart beyond her feet and swallow her. But to her dismay Logan continued. “There are still those three months I was away and you had already taken the cure…” He fixed her embarrassed features with his brown eyes, expecting an answer.

“Logan!” Now she was hyperventilating. “That’s the worst evening in mah life!”

Wolverine cupped her red cheek with his large hand. “You’re really hot, darlin’. If it wouldn’t be for this conversation I'd think you have a fever.” On her twentieth birthday some weeks ago, he thought it to be the right time to stop calling her ‘kid’ and gave a little in his feelings for the beautiful brunette.

“Ah can’t believe Ah’m having this discussion with ya and mah parents while mah little bro is listening!”

He removed his hand, not letting her off the hook. “You still didn’t answer.”

“Ah’m still a virgin.” Rogue hissed between gritted teeth. “Happy?! Ya really wanted to know, Logan, didn’t ya?”

“Yup.” Somehow Wolverine was relieved about her answer.

The young woman was cooling her body with half a glass coke before an idea dawned. “Ah also have a question for ya, Logan? Did ya sleep with Dr. Grey?”

That one was unexpected and Logan almost choked on the fry he’d stolen from Rogue’s plate. “Interesting question. Why do you wanna know?”

“Why did ya wanna know, if Ah’m still innocent?”

“Just so.”

“Already embarrassed?”

“No.”

“Yeah and. Ah’m waiting for your answer.”

“That was my answer. Nothing ever happened between Jean and me.” It felt somewhat weird, but he could talk about Jean now. “’K, there was this one kiss, but nothing more.” Logan emptied his beer. “Do you have other questions about my sex-life? Or was it just an attempt to frame me?”

It hadn’t worked. At least the brunette now knew how far his relationship with Jean had gone. “Could we change the topic now?!”

“Always, darlin’. What other embarrassing topics do we have left?” Logan smirked evilly; he loved this innocent and girlish side of her.

“Jerk!”

“Who’s this Dr. Grey, if Ah may ask? Ah’ve heard the name before.” Her father tried to join in the discussion.

“She was a teacher at the school Ah was.”

“Was?”

“She died a few months ago.” Rogue felt the conversation run down a wrong path. Logan took a deep breath when pictures of his last moments with Jean flashed up in his mind. Abruptly he stood up, empty bottle in hand and walked away. When he heard Rogue’s voice calling him, he lifted the bottle up, signaling her he would just fetch a new beer. He needed a moment alone.

Puzzled Mr. D’Ancanto watched the other man approach the counter. “What’s wrong with him?”

Rogue felt a knot tighten in her stomach. “He loved Jean and was there when she died. Ah’ve hurt him.” She slowly rose and met Logan on his way back to their table. Their gazes met and she could clearly see the hurt in his deep brown eyes. “Ah’m sorry, Ah shouldn’t have started talking ‘bout her.”

Sighing a small smile found its way to Wolverine’s face. He knew his Rogue didn’t intend to hurt his feelings and saw her misery. Hugging her he planted a quick kiss on her dark hair. “No, it’s fine.”

Her parents watched the close scene between the pair with mixed feelings, praying the two didn’t lie to them about the depth of their friendship. “So ya went to school?”

“Yeah.”

“Wasn’t that dangerous?” Rogue knew her mother wasn’t worried about her but about the other students.

“They knew.”

“It’s a school for special kids. ‘Gifted’ children.” Logan underlined the meaning by raising his eyebrow.

“Something like that exists?”

Josh finally joined in the conversation. “And how is such a school?”

Rogue shrugged. “Like any other school…. just with ‘gifted’ kids. Ok, it’s more like a boarding school.”

Her brother became curious. “Only” he lowered his voice “mutants?”

“Yes, Josh. Is this so unbelievable?” Rogue smiled. “Nobody has to hide their abilities.”

“Did they kick ya out ‘cause ya’re normal now?”

“No. Ah left.” Sadness was evident in her eyes. “Ah- Ah didn’t fit in anymore.” A sigh escaped her lips and Logan slung his arm around her shoulders.

Her mother felt sorry for her little girl, something she wasn’t able when her daughter still had her mutation; her fear of her was too great, but now… she clasped her little girl’s hand that lay next to the half empty plate. “Ah’m sorry, honey.”

Logan didn’t want her parents to think that this school was indeed only for mutants. “It isn’t like Marie isn’t welcomed. The headmaster said that Marie can always come back.”

“But the other eer- children will pick on her.” Mrs. D’Ancanto countered.

“That wouldn’t be a problem; I'll make sure of that.”

Mr. D’Ancanto got curious. “Are ya a teacher, Logan?”

“More a substitute teacher.” Logan sipped on his beer.

Mrs. D’Ancanto wondered from the beginning that this man seemed to know about Marie’s former condition. “So ya are one of them?”

Logan’s chin tightened and he narrowed his eyes. “What if I would be one of them?”

Feeling the tensed atmosphere Rogue interfered. “He is, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a wonderful man, who would never harm innocent people.”

Josh took a bite from his burger. Even when Marie was still at home their parents would never really talk about her condition. That was it what they’ve called it. “Did ya also take the cure?”

“There is nothing to cure.” Was Logan’s curt statement and Rogue inwardly prayed for this topic to be closed and buried.

But to her dismay the TV hanging from the ceiling showed a news footage about the latest incidences concerning the two massacres carried out by mutants, who regained their powers due to the failure of the cure. The concern of the people rose anew at an alarming rate with every little piece of news centering on the topic ‘mutants’. Some voices started to demand not only the registration of all mutants, but also of everybody who has taken the cure.

The D’Ancantos saw the concern about the broadcast in Marie’s and Logan’s features and they finally understood that the curse was not over for their daughter. The moment she had hugged her normal human girl, Mrs. D’Ancanto made plans on taking her home with them and start their family life at the point in time, before that baleful kiss had taken place. But even if her powers would never return, everybody knew she were once a mutant and still held sympathy for them.

That was again a part of the forbidden topics and Josh saw his chance to finally get some answers. “Why is this registration-law so bad? If ya knew that someone else in your neighborhood would also be mutant, ya could become friends.”

“And what then?” Logan was annoyed about the boy’s ignorance.

Rogue knew that this was an unspoken topic in her family. “Most mutants, who came out, were shunned by society; they even lost their families and jobs. Some vanished suddenly and that sure enough not voluntarily.” She explained holding her voice low.

“Aren’t ya exaggerating? Who should take them away? The government?” Her father didn’t like these conspiracy ideas.

“Ah don’t say it was a direct order from the president, but there are other sections that have the means to do that.”

They would never understand. Logan shook his head clearing it. “It’s fine, darlin’. You should talk about other stuff than this.” He retrieved his wallet and placed a 20 Dollar note on the table. “I’m gonna get some food in the supermarket. Stay here ‘n catch up with your family. I’ll pick you up later.” With that said he slipped into his battered leather jacket.

“Ok. Oh, would ya get me some PopTarts? But no-”

“No strawberry, I know. How about your beloved Oreos?”

Rogue’s eyes lighted up. “Yes, and chocolate!”

“Your teeth will thank you.”

“They’re only a little sensitive!” Rogue defended herself. “Ah still have the other side to chew sweets on.” She added a little annoyed; Logan wouldn’t let that topic slip.

“The day will come you have to see a dentist.”

“Then it should pay off.” A sweet smile appeared on her lips.

“Whatever, you are old enough.” Logan turned to leave. “Bye, everyone.”

“Bye.” The D’Ancantos watched Logan get into a silver Jeep and speed off.

A moment past and Rogue thought about some neutral subject to talk about, but her father was faster. “What’s Logan doing? Ah mean what’s his job?” He didn’t really believe him to be a teacher.

“He isn’t doing something illegal.” Rogue wondered if cage-fights were legal, but it was better her parents didn’t learn about Logan’s hobby. “He already told ya he’s a teacher.” She decided to stick with that lie, though it was true to some degree even if his teachings restricted to the danger-room. A little nervous she fiddled about her bracelet.

“That’s a nice wristlet, Marie.” Her mother saw the need for a more pleasant topic.

The brunette smiled. “Yeah it is. Logan gave it to me for mah twentieth birthday. Every pendant is from one of the cities or states we visited in the last few months. The apple from New York City, the deer from Ohio, the dogwood from North Carolina and so on. He’d planned mah birthday present months before.”

“That’s nice.” Her mother noticed the joy in her eyes, when Marie spoke about that man. “Ya like him.”

“It’s just easy being around him.” Rogue simply stated with a smile.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

The next half an hour was spent with stories about her family and the last years. Her brother having his first girlfriend, her cousin getting married and other things Rogue had missed. Then suddenly the brunette’s face lit up.

“What is it, Marie?”

“Nothing. Only Logan returning.” Rogue stood up smiling and walked out of the diner, her family on her heels.

“He's nowhere to be seen.” Her little brother argued the moment the silver Jeep turned around the bend of the road. “How the hell did ya know that?!” The boy and his parents were perplexed.

“Ah just do.” Rogue shrugged and approached the vehicle.

She had told Logan – and even herself – that his faint presence in her mind was a remainder of her former powers, but in truth and that she knew deep down, it was the first sign of her reawakening mutation.

“Already missed me that bad, darlin’?” A smug grin was on his lips as Logan leaned outside the driver window.

“Ah never miss ya, sugar. But why should Ah wait inside, when Ah know the point in time ya’ll return.” This was a lie, but only a small. There were those four months after the cure she was completely cut off of Logan’s presence and the others she’d once absorbed. In those first few weeks of their mutual travel, she had missed him every moment they were apart. Luckily it was only ‘him’ returning to her mind or - and this she feared the most - she’d absorbed his presence anew.

“True.” He smiled at her. “So. C’mon in or you prefer your parents’ car?”

Rogue swiftly turned around to her family hugging everyone quickly. “We’ll see us at the summer cottage. Ah’ll drop by and say g’night. Bye. “

“Bye, honey.”

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Logan drove rather slow giving the D’Ancanto the opportunity to catch up having the same way. “So.” He eventually broke the silence. “Your parents and lil’ bro?!”

“Yeah.” Rogue searched for the reflection of his eyes in the car mirror. “Logan, ya have to believe me, Ah didn’t intend to meet them here. Ah only wanted to share a few days with ya in the place Ah loved as child.”

This gesture warmed Wolverine’s heart, he also wanted to share his past with her but there wasn’t much he knew about himself. “I know, darlin’. How are you?”

“Fine, Ah think. It was really weird.” Rogue thought a moment about their meeting. “And so embarrassing!” Blushing again she covered her face with her hands causing Logan to chuckle.

“It seemed they missed you.”

“Maybe.” A sigh escaped her lips. “They didn’t kick me out after the incident with Cody, but they treated me like a monster, walking on eggshells around me. As if Ah would hurt them when they say a wrong word. Mom was terrified Ah would harm someone at school and soon she took me out.” A single tear run down her cheek. “After Cody woke up from the coma it wasn’t a secret anymore and even the phone calls of mah best friend stopped. It was as if Ah was sick with a highly infectious and deadly virus.” Logan slung his arm over her shoulders and stroked her back soothingly. “At least the virus is cured for the time being.” Rogue whispered.

Logan suddenly stopped the car, Mr. D’Ancanto doing the same preventing a crash in the last second. “Don’t say such stupid things!” He was about to lecture her when he noticed her tear streamed face. “You are perfect, Marie. You always were and always will be. Your mutation is nothing you should feel ashamed 'bout.” Gently Logan wiped her tears away.

“But Ah hurt people. Ah even hurt ya!” New tears welled up in her hazel eyes.

“Marie darlin’, you don’t do it on purpose. For me it doesn’t matter if you have your powers or not.” He paused searching for the right words. “I was never afraid of you! Only for you!” He knew her greatest fear. “Nothing will change when your powers return.” Logan slung his arms around her slender form holding her a moment, as she began crying harder. “You are so strong, Marie. You will learn to control your powers! I know that for sure!” He felt her calm down and her hands on his chest gently pushing their bodies apart.

“Thanks, Logan.” Rogue bent forward kissing his cheek before settling back into the passenger seat.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

“Why did he stop?!” Rogue’s father’s heart was still racing from the almost crash.

The family had a relative good view on the two people in the Jeep. “They seem to talk.”

“Can’t they do that while driving?” Josh was annoyed while his mother became worried. “Is Marie crying?”

“Woah, they don’t have something going on at all!” Josh remarked when he and his parents watched the pair in the other car embrace and Marie kissing Logan on the cheek. Mrs. D’Ancanto was about to open the car door and check on her girl when the Jeep resumed its way down the road.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

When the silver Jeep finally arrived at the small cottage and came to a halt the other car also stopped and Rogue’s mother rushed over to her daughter. “Is everything alright, Marie? Ya cried.”

“It’s fine now. Ah already talked with Logan 'bout it.” The brunette helped Logan take the grocery bags out of the car.

“Ya can always talk to me.”

“Don’t take it personally, Mom, but there are things ya'll never understand.” Rogue saw the hurt in her mother’s eyes. “A lot happened in the last three, almost four years. Ah may be a normal human now, but there are certain topics only one of mah kind can understand.” Unconsciously she called herself still a mutant. “Ah’m sorry, Mom.”

Logan listened to the conversation with ease already carrying two of the three bags into their hut.

Rogue locked the car and held the brown paper bag in her arm. “Ah’m tired and wanna take a shower before bed. We’ll see us tomorrow. Good night.” She looked at the two men in the car. “Good night, Dad. Josh.”

Closing the door behind her, she already heard Logan’s voice. “It’s barely 6:30 pm, Marie.”

“Ah know, but it was a little much for one day.”

“I just finish putting the groceries away and will do a little exploring of the neighborhood. You need time alone to recharge.”

“Ya don’t have to go, sugah. Ah’m always comfortable around ya.” A shy smile appeared on her lips. “Your presence is always with me. Ah’m used to have ya always with me for the last years. If that would change, a part of me would be amiss.”

Logan thought it a good thing that Rogue stood on the other side of their kitchen-living room combination and soon left to get her shower. Sometimes it was almost impossible for him being around her without kissing her. But he was able to resist the temptation - yet.

It was already late in the morning and their planned breakfast turned into an ample brunch. Rogue sat at the wooden table in front of their cottage in the bright sun, the warm rays drying her bikini while she wrote some notes into her book from her laptop. Most of the subject matters of her final year at school were already saved to her laptop when she had left the mansion and now Rogue studied on her own, with a little pressure from Wolverine.

Logan leaned back on the bench across from her taking a bite from his scrambled eggs. “We get guests, darlin’.” He folded the newspaper back together.

Chewing down her sweet breakfast Rogue set her pencil down and turned her head towards the direction Logan was indicating. Her family walked down the lakeside her parents smiling at them while Josh waved. “Hi.” The young woman smiled back.

“Morning.” Logan took a drag from his cigar inhaling the tobacco earning a disapproving frown from Mr. D’Ancanto.

Her mother hoped her husband wouldn’t stir up an argument about lung cancer. “Good morning. Ya were already swimming, Marie?”

“Yup. Ah couldn’t resist.”

Josh bent forward looking into Rogue’s notes making a face. “Ya’re doing homework? Thought ya’re on vacation.”

“Ah’m not as lazy as ya, Josh.”

“Ya should take a leaf out of your sister’s book, mah son.” Their father was impressed, Marie was always good at school, but after she had to stay at home, she hardly read anything.

Logan exhaled. “She wouldn’t start on her own if I wouldn’t bring her the laptop and her notebook.”

“Ah would.” The brunette defended herself.

Logan lifted his brow. “Sure. And pigs fly.”

“Genetically enhanced pigs surly could do that.”

Mr. D’Ancanto was as startled as was his wife. “Ya want her to study?” Maybe this man was a teacher after all.

The instance they saw him Logan knew her parents had labelled him as the bad guy, who would exploited their sweet little daughter – the smoking in the morning didn’t help. “She’s a bright head. I want her to have at least a high-school graduation.”

Sighing Rogue closed her book. “Logan had already talked with the professor so Ah can do the exams when we return.”

“Professor?”

“Professor Charles Xavier. The founder and principal of the school Ah was.” The brunette stuffed her computer back into its bag.

Disbelieving her father locked eyes with the other man. “Ya really did this for Marie?”

Logan shrugged. “I may be the bad guy but I promised to take care of her. And I’m not gonna break this promise.”

“Ya aren’t half as bad as people say, sugar.” She got a doubtful view from Wolverine. “Ah had ya in mah head for years and we travel together for months. Ah know your quirks, Logan.” Rogue stacked her empty plate and her still full and hot cup of coffee onto her book and laptop, eventually lifting the heap up into her arms. “Ah’ll be back in a minute. Gonna get dressed.” Balancing the items she rose from the bench and made her way to the hut. Suddenly a scream and glass crushing startled everyone.

Reacting on his instincts Logan was already by Marie’s side, who were putting down her notebook bag on the grass. Immediately Logan kneed down inspecting her feet for burns or scratches of the hot coffee or the glass. “Are you hurt?”

“No. It was just the shock.” Rogue shook her head and watched her friend rise to his feet. Logan offered her his hand and with hesitation the brunette took it, entangling their fingers. Praying she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

They waited a moment in silence, just standing there, their bare hands linked while her family observed them. Finally Logan squeezed her fingers. “Nothing.” She opened her eyes again meeting his worried gaze. “Be more careful, darlin’. This could have triggered your mutation.”

They let go of their hands and Rogue crossed her arms before her chest. “Ah know. It isn’t like Ah don’t wanna retard it.”

“Maybe it won’t come back.” Her mother wanted to help and approached the two.

This earned her an evil glare from the mutant. “It will eventually. Making her false hopes is not helpin'.”

“But-“

Rogue gathered the bits of broken glass onto the plate and lifted the new heap up again. “He's right, Mom. It’s just a matter of time. And until then Ah have to make the best out of the time Ah've left.”

A frown appeared on the older woman’s face. “That almost sounds as if ya’re gonna die.”

“Don’t be ridicules.” Rogue smiled but her eyes betrayed her. She saw Logan’s worried features and walked up to him the two steps. “How about we get finally going? Ah want mah pendant ya’d promised.”

He knew she wanted to detract from her feelings about her mutation. “Everything your heart desires, Marie.” Logan eventually answered. Then he threw a glance towards the D’Ancantos. “We’ll go to the mall. If you don’t have any other plans, you could join us. I’m sure Marie would enjoy spending some time with her family.”

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Two hours later Logan leaned against the counter of the jeweler watching Marie and her mother contemplating which pendant was prettier. Josh was yawning for the nth time since they’d set foot into that shop. “How long can it take to buy some stupid stone? Ooh, look the dolphin is so cute, ooh but it’s making such a sad face! How can a fish look sad anyway?” The boy rolled his eyes.

“Josh, behave!” His father hissed suppressing a yawn.

Rogue walked up to the three men. “Dolphins are mammalians no fishes.”

“Whatever. Are ya finished?”

She smiled up to Logan. “Ah picked one.”

Wolverine returned her smile and retrieved his wallet. “Which one?”

“The duck.”

“’Cause of the obtrusive brute today in the mornin' that was doggin' you while swimmin'?!” Logan chuckled remembering the picture.

The brunette laughed. “Ya watched? Ah thought it would follow me even to the land.”

“It was just too funny.”

“The duck was startled ‘cause skunks normally don’t swim in its lake.” Josh was laughing he had missed teasing his sister, but to his dismay she ignored him.

The salesclerk gave the change back to Logan. “Shall I wrap it?”

“Nah, not necessary.” Wolverine took the animal shaped pendant from the counter and hung it onto a free place on Rogue's wristlet she was holding out to him while smiling happily. “There you go, darlin’.”

Her features glowed out of joy when she bent forward kissing Logan on the cheek. “Thanks, sugar.”

“Hey, it’s still a part of your birthday present.” He slung his arm around her shoulders and they went out, her mother and Josh on their heels.

Just Mr. D’Ancanto took a moment longer, watching his little daughter and this stranger with a wary look. The salesclerk must have seen this. “I'd also worry when my little girl’s boyfriend could be her father.”

He met the eyes of the other man. “They say they are only friends.” He slowly left the shop and followed the others down the hallway.

“Ah’m hungry.” Josh complained.

Mrs. D’Ancanto was puzzled. “Already? Breakfast isn’t that long ago.”

“The” the boy looked onto his watch “quarter hour seems to me like a whole day.”

“We got it, Joshie. It bored ya to death.” Rogue stopped and faced everybody. “Where should we go next?”

“No girly stuff, k.”

Wolverine shot the boy a glare. “How long did you have your girlfriend?”

“Two weeks.” Josh didn’t see the point in the mutant’s question. He wondered whence the man knew about this – his sister must have told him.

“Really that long?!” Logan smirked. “Were you hanging out with her in the mall?”

“Yeah, almost every day.”

“Let me guess. Most of the time you were in game stores?” An eyebrow went up.

“Yes, and?”

Rogue couldn’t hold in her laughter. “Give it up, Logan! He’s so clueless!”

“It could have been three weeks, if you had taken her to some girly stores from time to time.” Logan was also laughing about the puzzled face of the boy.

“Ya think so?!”

Suddenly Logan lifted his hand into the air. “Shh!” He listened harder.

Rogue got a little scared. She had learned early in their friendship to trust into Logan’s instincts. “What’s wrong, L-“ Her words were swallowed by the noise of the fire doors sliding shut and the lights went out.

Logan analyzed the situation. There was something terrible wrong. No fire alarm was to hear. He noticed the startled and scared faces of the few other people in the corridor. “They are here!” He finally said and grasped Rogue by the wrist. “We've to get outta here!”

“Who’s here?” Josh asked but was pulled by the arm by his sister.

When they reached the fire escape, two security guards were already opening the door to the staircase while a third gathered the people of the floor together.

“What’s going on?” someone questioned but never got an answer.

Logan was the first to hear the heavy boots that moved slowly down the hallways. He was already on the stairs when he stopped in his track. “Get the people outta here!” his voice was directed to Rogue.

“What’s with ya?” Mrs. D’Ancanto asked fear apparent in her features.

“Gonna buy time!”

Rogue encircled Logan’s hand before his claws had a chance to emerge. “Logan, we need ya! We don’t know what’s ahead!” Her brown eyes pleaded with him.

“You’re right.” He grasped her hand in a firm grip racing down the stairs with her. The group arrived at the first floor and two of the guards checked carefully the hallway. “Ok, go right it’s the shortest way.”

Logan listened hard. “No, this way! They're already behind that corner!”

One of the guards wanted to object when three shoots echoed through the hallway freezing everybody in their tracks.

A teenage girl finally asked. “What’s happening? A robbery?”

“Don’t think so!” Logan pulled Rogue behind him, everybody following them down the corridor.

“Terrorists? Mutants?” The business man was shaking and pressed his notebook-bag to his chest.

Logan rolled his eyes. “That was M4 riffle fire. Mutants would use their powers.”

The blond security guard was astonished. “Were you in the Army?”

“Dunno. Somethin' like that.”

“They jammed communications, I can’t order backup.” The small watchman held his walkie-talkie and cell phone in his hands sounding despaired.

Eventually the group reached a hall with escalators leading two stories upwards. Rogue was about to run down another hallway, when the fire door rolled down from above capturing the group in the hall. Logan pulled her back behind him listening to the approaching footfalls. “They're here.”

“You know how to fight?”

“You bet!” Logan saw the skinny guard retrieve a spare gun from his leg. “No thanks. Got my own weapons.” With that said his sharp adamantium claws slid from the flesh between his knuckles making everybody but Rogue jump.

“He’s a mutant!” Some of the people shouted and the guards immediately pointed their guns on him.

‘Humans!’Logan was annoyed. “Hey, do I shoot at you or they do? I’m here to help you!” Slowly they lowered their weapons and Logan faced the adults in the group. “Take the kids to the back! Stay close together!” He had just finished when a shoot ran through the hall and the blond security guard fell to the ground. “Shit!” Logan saw Rogue ran towards the wounded man pressing her scarf on the bleeding. “What do you think you are doin', Marie?! Stay in the back, damnit!” Wolverine hissed while graping the man by the uniform pulling him to the wall everybody stood. “Get down!” Logan screamed to the scared people and then faced Rogue. “You stay here! I’m serious!” Before the young woman could answer he was already gone to the front.

Three soldiers heavily armed came down the escalator while at least a dozen others came from the two unclosed corridors pointing their riffles on the crowd ready to fire. Suddenly a dark laugh resounded from the walls and the soldiers stopped.

Startled Logan looked up to the source of the sound.

“Long time no seen, Wolverine!”

“Sabretooth!” Logan bared his claws stepping closer to Victor who crouched on the balustrade of the second floor smiling down on him. “What’s the cause for this massacre?”

“Oh, don’t you read the newspaper, Jimmy? All those cured mutants get their powers back and run amok. Killin' innocent people. Someone has to stop them.”

‘Jimmy?’ Logan was confused but pushed this thought in the back of his mind, there were more important things at hand. “You're the aggressors!”

A cat-like grin plastered Victor’s features. “Oh really? The news said something else.”

“We just made the first steps to live in freedom and peace with mankind! You won’t destroy what we've achieved!” Logan watched the other mutant jump down the five meters landing with ease.

Smirking Victor rose to a standing position, his nails growing longer. “The war will come, runt. It’s inevitable.” He sounded excited.

“I won’t let this happen! Their deaths would be in vain!” Both men dashed forward meeting half way, their claws ripped through the flesh of the other. Logan let himself fall to the back using the momentum to throw Creed a few meters away, but his enemy landed on his feet continuing his attack immediately. Five nails came down on Wolverine when he rolled to the side in the last second knocking Creed the legs to the side. His adamantium claws found their way into Sabretooth’s chest, but his own shoulder was pierced by the other man’s weapons.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Rogue watched helplessly as Logan was thrown into a shop window, the glass cracked into hundreds of sharp splinters. Meanwhile the soldiers had encircled them, having disarmed and knocked the two guards unconscious. It seemed like the soldiers were waiting for new orders and also watched in awe the mutants’ fight.

“What the hell are those monsters?!” said the business man when a large gash on Wolverine’s head healed within seconds, hiding the metal under skin again.

Rogue looked around seeing the same fear in the faces of the other hostages. It seemed they were more afraid of the two mutants than of the soldiers in front of them with their guns aimed. “Logan is no monster! He's fighting here for all of us!”

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Eventually Logan was able to knock Creed unconscious and readied himself for the final blow when a high pitched scream drew his attention to a small girl crying and a soldier picking her up and shaking her angrily. “I told you to shut the hell up!”

Her mother pleaded. “Please! Give her back! I will calm her!”

The man only smirked. “Doesn’t matter when she dies! But the sooner the better for my nerves!”

Before he could pull the trigger his riffle fell into five pieces and he felt cold metal against his neck.

“You gonna kill innocent people, lil' children? Your own kind?!” Logan slowly pulled the girl into his free arm her small hands immediately gripped the collar of his torn and blood splattered shirt.

The disarmed soldier saw his comrades aim their guns on Wolverine. “We just follow orders! Every war inflicts casualties!”

“Following orders like brainless puppets?!” He hissed knowing he was surrounded. With a gentler voice he locked eyes with the child in his arm. “Close your eyes, kid, and whatever happens don’t look!” The blond girl obeyed closing her blue eyes.

Less that a second later adamantium claws tore the soldier’s throat open. His blood rained down while a salvo of bullets hit Logan in the back. Unimpressed the mutant simply turned around ripping two more soldiers apart, the other men stepped back a little avoiding his claws. Logan threw them a dark glance while carrying the child to her mother, placing her into her waiting arms. “Thank you!” She even smiled at him.

“Get back down.” Logan barked when a new bullet found its way to his body, this time to his head. Like in slow motion his legs slipped away and he fell to the ground out cold.

Sabretooth threw the riffle back to one of his men, hitting Logan in the gut with his boot. “I really wanna kill you, Jimmy, but first things first.” Creed approached the humans, the three security guards disarmed and wounded, his own men aiming at the hostages waiting for Creed’s order.

Rogue watched the mutant muster the crowd fearing he would recognize her.

Suddenly he stopped in his tracks. “If this isn’t the little sponge? You grew up, got a new hairstyle… Oh yeah, and as my orders say, you took the cure voluntarily!” His sing-song speech ended in a disgusted and with hatred filled tone. “You should have died three years ago; it’s time we make up for it.”

Marie stepped back helplessly looking to Logan’s fallen form. “He's out for the next minute. A bullet to the brain needs time to heal.” The girl knew he was right; she needed to buy time till Logan was well again. Without further thinking she landed a kick to his stomach.

“Should that hurt?” Victor grasped her fist that was aimed to his middle and dug his nails into her flesh. Marie’s scream became more intense when he broke her arm with ease. “Already missin' your powers, fuckin' traitor?” She fell to the floor holding her smashed arm when he let go off her.

“Leave mah sister alone!” Josh screamed causing a soldier to aim his riffle at him.

“Shut up, boy. You’ll be next.” The man approached Josh holding his weapon in front of the kid’s face. Mr. D’Ancanto grasped his son by the shirt and pulled him behind himself.

Victor readied his nails when a scream of one of his soldiers startled him and a moment later the man’s bleeding body crashed into his own frame with so much impact that he was thrown into the next glass window.

Logan made his way towards Sabretooth stabbing two more soldiers on his way. His eyes fell on Rogue. The young woman winced in pain, but whispered “Ah’m fine.” knowing Wolverine’s enhanced hearing would catch her words.

“You are not, darlin’. I’m gonna hurry up.” Logan was about to run towards Creed when the soldier aiming his gun at Rogue’s father and brother stepped forward, ready to fire. Wolverine changed his direction but doubt he would reach the man in time.

Breathing fast Josh encircled the barrel with his hand, sending a pulse along the metal into the soldier’s body. The man fell down to the floor out cold.

Logan’s brow moved upwards in surprise. “Nice, Pikachu.”

Sabretooth was already on his feet walking towards the other mutant pulling glass from his upper arm. “You always have to interfere with my fun, haven’t you?” Suddenly he bent down on his hands and began to run on all fours towards Logan. He sprang to his enemy with catlike grace bearing his nails and digging them into Logan’s chest, making both of them fall to the floor. His fast reflects helped Wolverine to hit his foot into Victor’s stomach flapping them over while his claws ripped through the other man’s arm. Their struggle began anew with both of them inflicting damage to the other man’s body that healed immediately.

“Could do this for all fuckin' eternity. Too bad I got my orders!” Creed pinned Logan down on the floor slipping a dagger from his back to his hand and stabbed it right through Wolverine’s stomach. Smiling he looked up towards his men. “End it now. Start with the traitor!”

Logan pulled the knife from his body, his pulse throbbed in his ears, hardly comprehending Victor’s words. Gathering his strength again, he jabbed the knife in Sabretooth’s leg rolling his own body to the side and jumping to his feet. In this moment a lone shot echoed through the hall and Logan saw a body crumble to the floor. His heart skipped a beat when his eyes fell on Rogue’s lifeless form, blood coloring her white streaks red. “Mariiiiiieeeee!” Everything forgotten Wolverine dashed forward toward the young woman, but five sharp claws in his chest stopped him.

“Oh, no. You stay here!” Victor immediately threw his fist to his opponent’s face and his nails dug into Logan’s shoulder.

Wolverine’s eyes never left Rogue’s body, her mother trying to stop the bleeding. His wounds began healing faster as he removed Sabretooth’s nails. Holding the other man’s hand he crushed his bones with ease blocking the fist that was aimed for his face. Adamatium claws tore into Victor’s chest lifting his body up into the air. Ignoring Creed’s screams Wolverine threw his frame towards an already broken pipe, piercing the metal through Sabretooth’s stomach.

Shocked the soldiers watched their invincible leader fell unconscious being pinned on the wall. Logan tightened his chin, his cold glance fell upon the four soldiers that made the mistake to come his way. Their riffles ready they shot each a salvo hitting Wolverine in his chest. But this didn’t stop him, his rage grew with every strike. Immediately the bullets were pushed out of the flesh when his body kept regenerating. Blood dripped from silver claws while the soldiers fell screaming to the ground one after one. Most of their comrades backed a little off, trying to avoid the enraged animal that tore one soldier after the other bloody. Logan scanned the surroundings he was about to attack the next man when he caught sight of the lifeless body of his secret love. Slowly his mind calmed from the fury.

Logan staggered forward tears welled up in his eyes. Carefully he lifted the young woman’s bleeding and limp form, ignoring her parents’ objections. He held her firm against his body wiping her red-white strain out of her face. “Marie! Please come back! Marie!” He pressed her face against his own one – skin to skin. “No! Oh God! Not her too!” He maneuvered his hands to her bare upper arms amplifying their skin contact while he prayed for a wonder - for her mutation to return - to save her as it did years ago. But her body remained limp in his arms, not the usually pull, no sign of her powers. “Please! Marie! Don’t die on me!”

All eyes were on Wolverine grieving for the girl in his arms. They watched as he eventually kissed her forehead whispering between sobs “You can’t be gone, darling. This can’t be true.” slowly accepting the young woman’s death. Marie’s mother cried while her husband hugged her.

Crying Logan carefully lay Marie’s body on the cold ground placing her hands folded on her stomach. His finger traced along her cheek memorizing every inch of her beautiful face. He frowned suddenly when he felt a weak pull on his fingertip. New hope dawned when he placed his hand on her forehead and the pull intensified. “Marie?” Logan lifted her body up into his arms pressing their cheeks together. “Please Marie!” Slowly his life-force was absorbed by her body, their skin contracting so their veins became clearly visible. He felt her heartbeat return, her lungs resuming their work… and everything going black.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

“Noooooooooo!” Rogue pushed Wolverine’s unconscious frame away from her body, finally breaking their skin contact. Shaking she took some deep breaths, calming herself while her mind tried to grasp what just happened. Her eyes were glued to Logan’s lifeless form, blood dripping from various reopened wounds while she whispered his name.

In the meantime Victor’s injuries had healed and he approached Logan, a cat-like smirk plastered on his face. “Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy… You and the girls! Always wondered what happens when I cut your head off!” Victor’s nails grew even more and he struck out – Logan’s neck his destination. Suddenly a sharp pain ripped through his hands as two pair bone claws dug their way through his flesh. Loosing his balance when something pulled him to the side, he fell to the floor only to jump back to his feet again.

Sabretooth looked up to his attacker standing confident before him. “Ooh cute, lil' Marie got claws! Do you wanna tickle me?”

“Ah am Rogue!” With that the brunette dashed forward baring her bone claws. Her opponent expected her to simply stab him, but unanticipated she stopped her attack a moment before her claws reached Victor and landed a roundhouse-kick to his ribcage, sending him flying a few feet away. Without delay she jumped to his new position scratching his arm while he rolled to the side avoiding her attack. As her claws ripped in the now empty pavement he brought his own weapons down on her just to be blocked in the last second.

“You got some nice tricks, kid! But they won’t save you!” Victor kicked her hard in the stomach sending her flying against the wall, her bones breaking on the impact. Immediately she stumbled to her feet stretching to bring her healing rips into the right positions. Rogue blocked his next swing launching a counter attack only to be blocked by Victor in turn. He brought his nails down on her head, his palms suddenly being pierced by the other mutant’s claws. “Whadya think you can do, whitey-locks?”

“This!” Rogue withdrew the claws of her right hand and grasped Victor’s wrist holding it with all her might.

“Shit!” his eyes widened in understanding. He had made a big mistake to underestimate her.

Rogue felt her enemy's life-force flow into her body, his enhanced healing added to Logan’s abilities and sped up the closing of her wounds. Pictures of his life floated into her mind: Memories of Magneto and the Statue of Liberty, of wars that took place over a century ago, the massacres he enjoyed under Stryker’s command decades ago, a promise he made with his younger brother to always protect each other, the bond he shared with one of his comrades… his brother, they were always side by side on the front-lines, fighting back to back in all big wars of the last 150 years protecting each other as promised. “Ya are…” Rogue recognized Victor’s younger brother immediately. Shocked, she let go of his wrist and bent down to his unconscious body. Knowing exactly where to search the young mutant retrieved a set of dog-tags from his front pocket. “Those don’t belong to ya.”

The soldiers panicked when they saw their invincible commander being defeated by a young woman. “Creed’s down! Mission failed! We have to retreat, sir!”

“The mission is not yet over, Lieutenant! We must not leave any witnesses behind!”

Rogue cut the riffle in two stabbing her other claw in the Captain’s stomach. “Ya think so.” While his senior officer fell bleeding to the ground the younger Lieutenant ordered his few, still capable of walking soldiers to take Victor and back out.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

The ambulance and police arrived only minutes after the emergency call was send out.

Two paramedics approached the young woman that was shoved away by their colleagues from the bad injured man on the floor. “We'll take a look on you, k?”

“Don’t touch me!”

“You’re covered with blood. I have to check on you.” The man carefully held his hand out to her.

“Ah told ya to not touch me!” Claws breaking through the young woman’s knuckles made the paramedics froze.

The blond woman recovered a little faster than her partner. “It’s fine. We won’t touch you.” After hearing this, the mutant withdrew her weapons and kneed down next to the bad injured man, who was already checked by another paramedic team. “Ya have to save him! Please!” Tears ran down her cheeks.

“The pulse is faint. He’s loosing a lot of blood through the wound on the stomach.” The ambulance man removed the makeshift bandage. “There's some kind of metal piece sticking in his chest!”

The mutant woman watched an IV be attached to her friend’s arm. “Ya can’t remove that metal from him! It’s on his bones!” She said between sobs. “Please! He’s a mutant, but he saved these people here! Please help him!” Fear for her friend was evident on her features.

Two of the security guards came closer. “This man and this young woman fought alone against our attackers. They saved us.”

The aides swiftly looked on the torn bodies of the soldiers. Finally understanding that something else must have happened and the military wasn’t there to help. “Bring a stretcher! He needs a surgery!” One of the paramedics finally called.

While they wheeled the stretcher with patient to the car, the younger mutant never left their side. “May Ah come with ya?”

The female paramedic traded a view with her colleague, then she nodded.

The ambulance car finally arrived at the hospital and the waiting doctors rushed towards them. She stepped out off the car and scanned the busy emergency room, noting the security guards’ laceration being stitched up. A doctor led her towards a bed. “You seem unharmed but I will do a fast check up. There are two FBI agents who will question you later.” She simply nodded while a flashlight shone into her eyes checking her pupils.

“Where’s Marie?” She heard Josh asked and her view traveled through the room anew, becoming worried. She looked up to her doctor. “Where is the girl with the white strains in her hair? She accompanied a really bad injured man.”

“Oh, you mean the hysterically crying mutant?! She should be in the waiting area, the other mutant is in surgery right now.” The bald man answered.

The woman with the little girl Logan had saved walked up to the D’Ancantos holding her daughter in the arms. “I can show you where she is. She’s your daughter, isn’t she?”

Unsure if she could trust the strange woman she finally nodded. “Yeah.”

The other mother smiled. “I’m Amber Wilson. Your girl was really brave back then.”

Mrs. D’Ancanto returned the smile when her husband neared the two women. “She had grown up.”

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Pulling the blanket closer around her body Rogue looked at the small device in her hand eventually pushing a button. The LCD-display showed ‘rec complete’. She encircled the mp3-player with her blood covered hands holding onto it. A few nurses walked past her giving her frightened stares. She was already sitting for an hour in front of the room praying for Logan to make it when her parents lead by the woman with the little girl approached her.

Her mother bent down before her a metre separating them. “Marie? Are ya alright?”

Rogue met her gaze, tears welling up in her brown orbs. “Ya fear me again. Ah can see it in your eyes.” ‘And smell it.’ She added in her mind.

“Marie.” Her father didn’t know what to say.

“It’s fine. As soon as Logan is well again Ah'll be gone for good.” Her voice sounded sad and her words had a ring to them that made her parents shiver.

The D’Ancantos traded a worried view, her mother eventually took a deep breath before responding. “We never wanted ya to go.”

“It’s better for all of us when Ah’m finally gone.” Rogue’s eyes traveled over to the closed doors. “Ah just hope they will treat him like any other patient.”

The woman set her child down. “The doctor will do his best. Your friend saved his daughter after all.”

Rogue’s features relaxed slightly hearing this. “The doctor is your husband.” The woman seemed to be honest; her face didn’t hold the same fear her parents’ did. “Thank ya.”

The little girl climbed into the seat next to Rogue pulling on the blanket. “Hi, I’m Melissa. The claw-man gave you his superpowers.” Rogue met the child’s view. “Can’t you give it back to him? So he will heal.”

“Believe me. Ah wouldn’t hesitate a moment if that would be possible.”

“That’s stupid!” Melissa blew up her cheeks.

“Yeah, it really is.” Rogue had to smile, tears still running down her face. “It is up to your daddy to save him.”

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

The group sat in silence for the next half hour in the waiting area, her mother had brought Rogue a coffee, but the young woman was sure her stomach couldn’t hold it in. The brunette felt suddenly a part of Logan’s presence moving further away from her. It was similar to the feeling when he would physically leave her side for a little while. Just yet it was still different. Rogue concentrated harder but her love’s presence was pulled from her leaving only a shallow copy of Logan in her mind.

“Noooooo!” Rogue looked up from her knees her eyes wide as saucers starring towards the closed doors of the surgery. Frozen only tears moved down her cheeks while she held her breath. Seconds seemed to stretch into hours until the young woman leaned back relieved about feeling Logan return.

“What happened, Marie?” Josh asked the question everybody held, but his sister never answered, she only kept staring to the ceiling.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Dr. Wilson approached the young woman, only a brown blanket hid her blood drenched clothes. She immediately stood up and met him half way, an elderly couple and a teenage boy followed her but kept their distance. “I was told you know the … mutant.”

The brunette’s eyes were red from crying when their gazes met. “How is Logan?”

“So Logan… Are you a family member of his?”

For a moment the thought of lying crossed her mind. “No.”

“Then do you know any contact infor-“ He saw the torment in her features.

A tear run down from Rogue’s chocolate eyes. “People like us hardly have a family. Ah am his only family.”

A sigh escaped his lips, the patient was weird enough and he wanted his curiosity being satisfied. As far as he knew this younger mutant had also saved the people at the mall and she seemed to be sincere. “Fine. I'll tell you. His condition is critical but he’s stable at the moment.”

“He… was dead, wasn’t he?” Her voice cracked.

“How do you know? … His heart stopped due to the extensive blood loss. We could bring him back.” He led her over to the chairs. “Please have a seat. … But I won’t give cause for false hopes. He got a bullet to the head and his brain suffered oxygen deficit during surgery. Even if he survives the next 24 hours, I doubt he will ever wake up again.”

“He will.” There was hope shining in her eyes suddenly. “May Ah see him?”

“This way.” He led her towards the elevators. “May I have your name, miss?”

“Rogue. It’s just Rogue.” Startling her family nearby extremely with this revelation.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

The D’Ancantos had asked their way to Logan’s room, being unable to turn their backs to their daughter. Mrs. D’Ancanto saw trough the large windows into the room the young woman sitting in a chair next to the bed. When her knock to the door remained unanswered she entered followed by her two men. “Marie?” No reaction. Her eyes wandered to Logan, from whose body various cables and tubes ran to monitors and other devices that kept him alive. “How is he?” Again no reaction. Her mother approached her. “Can we do anything for ya, honey?” She tried to jump beyond her shadow to make her daughter better. “Shall we get ya something to change?” The brunette kept staring on the other mutant, her eyes empty. Tentatively her mother moved her hand to the blanket covered shoulder making her flinch. “Don’t touch me!” Rogue screamed hysterically and her mother stepped away immediately.

“Ah’m sorry.” She took a deep breath. “Ya didn’t react. Did ya hear me?”

Rogue’s empty eyes never left Logan’s form. “In our car… there is a duffel bag in the trunk with mah old clothes. There should also be a shirt and trouser of Logan.”

Her father finally stepped closer. “Ah will bring the car here. Ya have to give me the keys.”

Suddenly her view broke away and wandered to her father’s face. Slowly she got up and walked over to the torn clothes that hung over another chair. She lifted the jeans up and retrieved the car keys and Logan’s wallet from the pockets. Then she placed the keys on the small table and returned to her former spot. “On the backseat there is mah laptop. Would please bring it, too?”

“Sure.” He picked the keys up and left the room trading an unreadable view with his wife.

Josh walked over to the unoccupied chairs and sunk down on one. “We will stay, ok, Marie?” A barely visible nod was her answer.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

An hour later her father had returned with the requested things placing the duffel bag next to his daughter on the ground. “Thanks.” Was all Rogue said when she opened the bag and fetched a long sleeved dark blue shirt, black trousers, fresh underwear and a pair of forest-green gloves. Without a word she entered the bathroom closing the door behind her.

Tears welled up again when Rogue striped out of her torn tank top. Turning the shower on, she stepped under the cold water. Her fists clenched, she hit the tiles crying again. A desperate scream escaped her lips when her legs gave away and she slid down to the floor. Hugging her legs she sobbed hysterically while the water ran down her body washing the dried blood from her skin. She heard a faint knock and her mother’s voice. “Leave me alone!”

Her skin was icy by the time she’d calmed and climbed to her feet again. Turning the water off she took one of the towels. After getting dressed she slowly opened the door and placed her blood drenched clothes on top of Logan’s old ones on the chair. She slipped a pair new socks on and opened her notebook.

Hesitating a little her mother approached the young woman, who just settled down on her chair next to Logan. “Marie? Is everything ok?”

“It will never be ok again, mom.” Her voice was calm, almost emotionless.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

The sun was already setting and Rogue listened to her mp3-player while typing on her laptop. Her parents and brother were still sitting on the other end of the room hoping that their presence would make their Marie better.

After a quick knock, the door opened and Dr. Wilson entered the room with a nurse. He smiled encouraging and checked the monitors. “You look a little better, Rogue.” This made the brunette close her notebook. “He’s stable, but his brain activity is disturbing.”

“He just needs time. In a few days he’ll be as good as new.” Rogue was calmer now.

Dr. Wilson instructed the nurse to get a new IV-bottle then he turned to the young woman. “You are quite sure about that. He is practically brain-dead.”

Rogue wondered about her mutation. She’d always thought to absorb a copy of other people’s personality, but it was something else with Logan. Maybe because she’d absorbed him so often. It was like an invisible bond she shared with him. It became stronger the closer they were. “Ah know him. He’s already a lot better.” She could really tell.

“I would argue if it wasn’t for his MRT.” The doctor moved a chair in front of Rogue and took a seat on it facing her. “How came that metal into his body? He may be a mutant but that metal didn’t fuse on any natural way with his bones.”

The brunette threw a gaze to her family, who was listening as well. “The government… the military perform experiments on mutants.” Rogue contemplated her next words. “Logan should become the perfect soldier….” She spoke slowly. “But he soon learned that the military section’s objective wasn’t to serve the country. He fought against them and freed the other test subjects. Nobody should ever learn of their experiment and so they erased his memories since they were unable to kill him.” She summed the story of his life up.

Wilson frowned doubting her words a little. “He can’t remember, but you seem to know a lot.”

“Except for some scraps of memories in nightmares, he can’t remember who he was.” Rogue’s eyes became sad. “For almost the past 20 years he is on the search for clues about his identity.”

Now he was curious. “So he found what he was looking for?”

“No, but the men who attacked the mall… the other mutant … he also belonged to that section.” She frowned shortly. ”Ah think he still does.”

As far as he knew those two were the first mutants he ever had met, he was indeed fascinated. “Whence do you know so much?”

“Mah mutation is to absorb other people’s life-force, mutant ability and memories.” The brunette just stared into the space before her. “Ah assimilated the enemy.”

A minute went by till Josh piped up from his spot. “So ya now have the answers, he's looking for?”

“Yeah, at least Ah now know where we should look next.”

An uncomfortable silence settled on the group. “Whats Logan’s power?” Dr. Wilson finally asked.

“Regeneration, enhanced healing.”

“I thought something like that.” After a moment he continued. “He is older than he looks, isn’t he?”

Rogue nodded. “A lot older.”

“You also absorbed him.” It was a statement not a question.

Her eyes wandered to Logan’s face. “Ah didn’t want to. He gave his life to me. He took my place. Ah should have died today.”

The physician rose from his seat. “You must mean a lot to him.” The young woman kept staring at her friend. “Anyway, you should get some rest.” He looked over to the brunette’s family as he was told from his wife. “You too.”

“May Ah stay here?” Rogue got a short nod as an answer.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

The next day already turned to its end and Rogue had hardly left Logan’s side. The food a nurse brought her on Dr. Wilson’s request was still untouched. Her family returned in the morning and was sitting since then on the other side of the room, waiting with her for Logan to wake up. To almost everybody’s surprise the monitor already showed brain activity and some of his smaller scars had already vanished.

Everybody of the survivors of the massacre was by now questioned by the FBI the evening before, all but the two mutants. On Dr. Wilson’s advice the agents waited with their interrogation of Rogue, giving her emotional state more time to stabilize.

Dr. Wilson was still not sure if the girl was in the state of mind to relive the traumatic moments of the former day, but the two agents were insisting to finally speak with her. “Rogue, there are some agents from the FBI here. They question everybody from the incident. They also want your giving of evidence.” He led the FBI into Logan’s room.

Rogue knew she was the only one left, not counting Logan, who wasn’t spoken to. “Sure.”

“Hello, we’re special agents Hood and O’Neill.” The red haired woman introduced them holding her identification. Rogue noted that she was O’Neill.

Her partner set down next to her and Rogue immediately pushed herself back into the seat. “It’s fine. We won’t harm you.”

“Ya don’t understand. Ah don’t wanna harm ya.” A frown appeared on the man’s face. “Ah did that to him.” Rogue motioned her chin in Logan’s direction. “Just by touching.”

At once Hood rose again bringing a save distance between him and the mutant. “We just have a few questions. We’re investigation all three of these incidences.”

“We have already talked with all the other survivors. They said you and that man fought alone against all those soldiers.” O’Neill continued in a firm voice.

Rogue looked up and contemplated her answer. This was a number too big for her to handle alone. “Ah want Dr. Henry McCoy to be here during my interrogation.”

“McCoy? The UN ambassador?” Hood was surprised.

“Yes.”

The agent was sure that an ambassador was hardly fitted to be of any help. “I don’t know. He might have other stuff to do.”

“Tell him, Wolverine was involved. He will come.” Rogue’s resolved eyes locked with Hood’s. “This is too grave for ya to handle on your own.” Her view wandered to the other agent. “Ah doubt ya know the background to all those massacres.” The two agents trade a short glance. “Ah won’t run away. It is too much at stake.”

Hood took a deep breath. “Fine. I'll call the embassy, but if Dr. McCoy isn’t willed to come, you will have to talk with us without him.”

Rogue nodded. “Just tell him that Wolverine was involved in the massacre at the mall.”

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Hank was more than surprised about the call from the FBI and his interest was caught by the revelation that Wolverine was somehow involved in that massacre. He might be UN ambassador now, but he still was a strong voice for the rights of the mutants and he knew the situation was heating up due to those incidents. The next morning he sat in the jet with his assistant Helen on their way to the small town.

When they arrived at the hospital the FBI was already awaiting them and led them to Logan’s room. Hank’s eyes scanned the room, noting the bad condition Wolverine was in and the elderly couple, the boy and the doctor, who were quite startled about his appearance. Eventually his eyes fell upon the young woman sitting in a chair near Logan. “Rogue, wasn’t it?”

The brunette looked up, a small smile on her lips. “Thank ya for coming, Furball.” It already slipped past Rogue’s lips, when she registered her own words. “Sorry.”

Hank saw the shocked expression on everybody’s faces and chuckled. “So you got your ability back. And have Wolverine absorbed obviously.”

Her features were troubled. “It just happened. Ah didn’t want to hurt him.”

Hank sighed. “I spoke with the professor. He already told me about you also assimilating other people’s personality.” He sat down next to her. “How are you? Is he bugging you?” Meaning Logan.

“Logan behaves. Ah indeed missed his presence in mah mind.” His voice was finally back in her mind completing her.

“You already absorbed him once?” Hank’s conversation with Charles was short and didn’t go that deep.

“Twice.” Rogue saw her mother’s hand wander to her mouth in shock. “The first time was an accident. And at the two others Logan saved mah life. He knew what would happen, but he didn’t care if it would only save me.” A lone tear ran down her cheek.

The blue giant looked over to the unconscious man. “So you tamed the animal Wolverine.”

“He has the animal under check. Logan despise killin'. He’s just good at it.” Rogue shrugged noticing the startled faces of all humans in the room. Knowing the other mutant, Hank wasn’t surprised at all and wanted to comfort the girl, but as soon as he moved his hand Rogue pulled back. “Don’t touch me!”

Hank saw the terror in the young woman’s features and remembered their first meeting and her excitement about the cure. “Poor child.”

“It’s a curse.” Tears welled up in her brown eyes. “Why didn’t the cure last?” Rogue sobbed and searched for an answer in the other mutant’s eyes.

He felt sympathy for the traumatized brunette. “It was only an illusion, but don’t give up. There are people who depend on you, love you. A place where you belong.” He gave his words a moment to sink in. “You should return there. They can help you handle your mutation.”

But to his dismay Rogue only cried harder. “Ah know they are my family, but that won’t change the fact Ah'll never be able to feel a touch again.”

“Don’t say something like that. Life turns around eventually. Didn’t it happen already for you once?” Rogue met his kind eyes. “When you and Wolverine came to the mansion.”

“Yeah. It already got better when Ah met Logan.” A small smile found its way onto her lips.

“See.”

Rogue needed a moment till she was calmed down and wiped her tears away. She noticed the eyes of the two agents on Logan’s still form. “He’ll wake up soon. Ya may also talk to him then, but maybe this will answer all your questions.” Rogue retrieved two CDs and two sheets of paper from the small table on which she had put Logan’s clothes and handed one exemplar to Hank, the other to O’Neill. “This is too crucial to get into the wrong hands. It may be able to forestall the war.”

Both agents frowned. “War?”

Most humans were so ignorant about the tensed situation between mutants and their kind. Hank began reading the paper. “What is this?”

“An audio file of the whole incident.” Rogue crossed her arms before her chest. “Ah recorded it with mah mp3-player when the first shoots fell. Ah transcripted the important parts, so it’s easier for ya to tell the voices apart.” Her eyes settled on the blue furred man. “Ah have copies and Ah’m gonna load one up to the mansion’s mainframe.”

“Do that, girl. They have to know.” Hank turned the sheet to read its back, his face worried.

“So we finally have some evidence.” The FBI agent leafed through one of his notes of the former incidents. “The surveillance cameras always were turned off or damaged, we never had any evidence of what occurred. We only had those reports of this special military team that took care of the mutants.” Hood frowned. “Some of the dead soldiers in the mall belonged to that unit.”

“Their files were classified.” O’Neill also started reading through the paper. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“On the contrary, Miss O’Neill. It makes perfect sense.” Hank met the confused view of the two agents and noticed that the doctor and the elderly couple that was sitting at the other end of the room the whole time had approached them. “That’s indeed bad.” His eyes met Rogue’s worried gaze. “Does anyone else know?”

“No, Ah wanted one of ya being here. Someone who knows what had happened in the past.” In truth it was Logan’s voice, who had told her to get someone whose words had some meaning in the media and the politics.

“That was the right thing to do, Rogue. Hopefully this will calm those supporters of that damn registration law and prevent the war.”

“What war? Would you mind to explain, Ambassador?” O’Neill gave the paper to her partner.

Hank traded a glance with Rogue. “There are certain groups on both sides, human and mutant, that think a peaceful co-existence is impossible and a war is inevitable.”

“But those soldiers, who attacked the mall, as you described it, were normal humans and only their CO was a mutant.” Hood faced Rogue with a puzzled view.

But it was Hank who answered. “Their common goal is to provoke a war.”

Rogue saw the need to explain this. “Victor is wherever he sees his chance to massacre innocents.” She paused a moment. “For him, war is a great thing he enjoys.”

Hank became worried about the way she talked, calling Sabretooth by his real name. “Rogue?”

Fear was evident in the brunette’s eyes. “Ah also absorbed Victor.”

“Oh God! He's in your mind?” Hank was shocked, he had heard about the other regenerating mutant and if the reports called Wolverine an animal, then Sabretooth was a sadistic monster.

She took a breath steadying herself. “Yeah, but it’s like Logan’s presence is beating him up, so he would shut up and give me a break.”

Hood frowned. “What does that mean? You absorbed him? Is he in your mind?”

“Something like that. Like a copy of him being in mah head.” Rogue was confused. It was always hard enough with those different voices in her head, with all those pictures, emotions and memories, but those were separated, different personalities. But with Victor it was more confusing. It was like his memories influenced Logan’s memories. Like a riddle unlocking itself. Their past was so similar, the pictures in her mind merged, till she could hardly tell Logan’s and Victor’s memories apart.

“So you know for whom he works?” O’Neill saw her chance of solving this case.

“Ah’m not sure. There are so many pictures, emotions of so many decades. So much information. It’s a chaos.” Rogue rubbed her temples. “But Ah think he got back to his old division. Victor worked for a military scientist named William Stryker.”

“Who is that man?”

“Was. He died at least Ah hope he’s dead.” More memories welled up before her mind’s eye. Slowly she understood this was Logan’s lost past. His presence in her mind began to remember. “He kidnapped mutants and performed terrible experiments on them to create the perfect weapon for the upcoming war.” More memory fragments fell into place. “He was the one, who put that metal in Logan’s body! Logan even died through that procedure! And it was him who took his memories away!” Rogue was almost freaking out when she relived the moment Stryker shot those bullets into Logan’s brain.

Her hands covered her face for a moment and all adults traded worried gazes. “Rogue? What just happened?” Hank was concerned.

It took a minute till the young woman removed her hands from her face, her eyes still closed. “Logan. He remembered.”

“The Logan in your mind? You have flashbacks?” Dr. Wilson became worried.

“Yeah.”

“Did this happen before?”

“No, not like this.” She finally opened her eyes. “It’s Victor. They were in the same division. His memories unlock Logan’s.” Her eyes fell upon her friend’s unconscious form. “They have done terrible things to him.”

Hank thought about the possibilities if Wolverine would remember. “So it’s better he don’t remember?”

The brunette met his eyes. “Maybe. But he has a right to know.”

O’Neill saw the curiosity in her partner’s features, but this was not the topic they were here for. “Rogue, if this man Stryker is dead, who is in control now? From whom gets” She read the name in Rogue’s paper. “Victor Creed his orders?”

The young mutant tried to concentrate on Victor’s voice shutting out everything else around her.

“Can you tell me where their base is?” The agent stepped a little closer to the girl.

The brunette’s eyes suddenly held a sinister twinkle in them and her lips curled up into a cat-like smirk. “Maybe if I get a scream of you, red.” Suddenly the nails on her right hand began to grow, ripping through the thin fabric of the gloves and nearing dangerously the agent’s face.

Only a second later the mutant’s eyes widened in horror as she stared on five sharp claws at the ends of her fingers. “What happened?” Rogue withdrew the weapons holding her right hand with her left one. Scared she looked up to the shocked faces of the humans and Hank. “Ah can’t remember!”

Hank tried to grasp what just happened. “I think Victor took control of you.”

The brunette sank down on her chair shaking. “It’s worse than ever before!” Rogue buried her face in her hands and began to cry.

“I could prescribe you some medies for schizophrenia.” Wilson thought this to be too early for the girl to talk about the incident to begin with.

She cried harder shaking her head. “That won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“Ah have Logan’s and Victor’s abilities. They are immune to virtually all kinds of drugs.” More tears welled up.

Hank faced the agents. “It’s best we stop here. Rogue is not fit for further interrogation.” He lifted the CD up. “You should have your evidences.”

“You are right.” Hood looked down on the female mutant. “Thank you for your help.”

Rogue met his gaze, fear obvious in her eyes. “What’s going to happen to Logan and me?”

“We have to listen to your file first and new questions might come up.” The agent answered.

“Ah won’t run away, but Ah wanna stay here until he wakes up.” She met the other woman’s view. “We acted in self-defence and to protect the people.”

O’Neill smiled though still being a little shaken by the sudden change in personality of the mutant. “For the time being you are not a suspect. Just a witness.”

Hank watched the FBI leave the room and then he bent down to Rogue. “I have to make some calls. Will you be ok, dear?”

She nodded slowly. “Ah don’t think it will happen again.” On his puzzled view she continued. “Logan has Victor under control.”

“I will return later. I also wanna talk to Wolverine when he wakes up.” He rose to his full high and approached his assistant who was waiting at the door the whole time. Before he left the room he faced the young mutant smiling. “You truly are a X-Men…eer X-Woman.”

After Hank had left, Rogue’s former catatonic condition resumed. Her empty eyes kept staring on Logan ignoring everything around her. The questions her brother asked still hang in the air, when Dr. Wilson returned to check onto his two favorite patients.

He saw Rogue also as his patient – she was everything else than fine in his eyes. A moment he thought about speaking with her parents, but those two seemed to have lost the bond with their daughter long ago. He noted the still untouched lunch that stood on the table. Wilson wondered if it wasn’t necessary for her to eat due to her or more her borrowed regeneration ability or if her condition was already so serious that she didn’t want to eat.

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Mrs. D’Ancanto watched her daughter more afraid of her than ever before; fearing the other personalities would take over any moment. She almost jumped when Rogue suddenly stood up and moved over to Logan. But to her surprise her daughter said a gentle “Hey.”

Rogue felt Wolverine finally wake up. “How are ya?”

Logan slowly opened his eyes getting used to the light. “You got me pretty hard, darlin’.” Holding his head he carefully sat up in his bed and noticed her troubled features. “You know I’m fine.” He was so glad to see her stand before him alive. “The question is: How are you?” He asked tentatively knowing her nightmare came to reality.

Big tears welled up in her eyes and made their way down her flushed cheeks. “Ya should have let me die than to allow this curse to return!” It suddenly broke out off her.

“Don’t say such stupid things, Marie!” His hand moved towards hers.

“No!” She stepped back. “Stay away from me!” Her scream startled a few nurses, Dr. Wilson and the FBI agents in the hallway. Logan swung his legs over the edge of his bed and remained a moment in this position shaking the dizziness from his head and removing the IV from his arm. Then he slowly stood up and approached the traumatized girl that was curled up to a ball on the floor, arms hugging her legs to her chest. Wolverine noted the long sleeved shirt and the gloves his Rogue wore, hiding her skin from the world. Tentatively he held his hand towards her. “Don’t dare to touch me!” Rogue looked up from her knees, her eyes red from crying. Logan’s heart broke at this view. He had to hold her, lessen her misery. “Noooooo!” she screamed as he slung his arms around her small fragile frame and carefully pulled her body onto his lap.

“Let go off me!” Sobbing hysterically Rogue struggled in vain against his touch. “Ah don’t wanna hurt ya again!”

He held her close to his chest, not letting go. “You did nothing wrong! You didn’t hurt me!”

“Bullshit! Ya were in a coma for two days!”

“And?! It was my decision, damnit!” Logan swallowed hard before he continued in a more gentle tone, squeezing her body lightly. “I’m so sorry, Marie. It’s my fault. I couldn’t loose you. I prayed for your mutation to come back…. Despite the knowledge how much you would suffer. I’m so sorry. I just couldn’t let you die there.” He made her look up from his chest, their gazes locked. “I’m so sorry. You have to believe me, Marie!”

Rogue starred long in his hazel eyes, seeing the guilt and fear in them. Fear for her. She also didn’t want to loose him. In her mind she could feel his fear for her. He was so afraid to loose her back then. Slowly the young woman lifted her gloved hand to cup his bearded cheek. “Ah know, sugar.” She snuggled her face back into his chest, the light blue hospital cloth separating them.

They sat together on the cold hospital floor, the audience in the corridor before the room and her family behind them didn’t dare to disturb the couple. A few tears still found their way to Rogue’s bright eyes and down her cheeks while Logan stroke her back gently.

After an eternity the young mutant whispered under her breath. “Just why did that fucking cure not last?” She looked up once more searching for answers in her friend’s face, but she only found an angry frown.

“’Cause there is nothin' to cure! It is how we are! Maybe we are jokes of nature, but that is just what we are. That’s no sickness that needs to be cured!” Logan yelled down on her sounding a little like Magneto.

“Ya don’t understand me! Nobody does! Mah mutation is a curse! Mah powers are deadly to the ones Ah love!” A sob escaped her throat. “Ah just want a normal life! So badly!”

“I don’t say I would understand how you feel, darlin’, but it doesn’t matter if you have your powers or not. You are you. You are my Marie.” Carefully he placed a kiss on the top of her head remembering Ororo’s name for their powers. “We’ll find a way to cope with your gift. I promise, we will.”

“How?” A spark of hope flickered in her chocolate eyes.

A minute passed by and Wolverine considered their options. “Best is we return to the mansion.” Immediately he felt her muscles tense.

“No. Ah can’t go back there! They despise me!” Terror was evident in her features.

“Calm down, Marie! If you don’t want then we won’t go. ‘K?” He felt her nod against his broad chest. “I will think of something else then.” For the second time silence fell upon them and when Rogue had finally stopped crying and broke their embrace, both mutants stood up and moved over to the bed.

“Fuck! Does privacy say something to you!” growled Wolverine eventually noticing the people gathered up before the large windows to his room. Unconsciously he clenched his fists and moved in a protective position before Rogue when he caught sight of the two nurses and a doctor entering the room.

Immediately the young woman saw this change and rushed over to his side grasping his large fist with her small hands, calming him at once. “It’s fine. Dr. Wilson was so kind to treat ya.”

Logan traded a short gaze with his Marie relaxing his tensed muscles. “Thanks, doc.” He then growled in a more friendly way.

“You are quite an interesting patient.” The physician gestured the tall man to take a seat on the bed.

“Oh, really?!” Chuckling sarcastically Logan followed the order. “Were it my fast healin' or the X-ray scans?!”

“Both. … Would you please remove your shirt? I wanna check on your wounds.”

“I’m fine, doc.” Shaking his head, Logan unbuttoned the shirt and began to remove the bandages from his torso. Amazement was evident on the nurses’ and the doctor’s faces when the blood soaked fabric revealed not even a single scratch or scar on his skin. “See, I’m fin- What the fuck?! You stitched me up!” His eyes remained disbelieving on a black yarn adhered with his skin.

“Told ya he wouldn’t be thrilled.” Rogue stated matter of fact watching Logan’s gaze travel through the room. Unable to find what he’d desired he slit one of his razor sharp adamatium claws on his right hand out and pierced his abdomen along the stitches pulling the yarn out before the fresh wound could close. “Shit!” he hissed trying to ignore the stinging pain.

“Ya had to do this, Logan?” Rogue lifted one eye brow unconsciously copying his trademark.

Having finished his surgery he wiped the blood off. “Yeah, I had to.”

“Bullshit! Ya’re such a jerk!”

“Watch your mouth, Rogue!” An eyebrow went up. “I really rub off on you!?”

“Your charming personality just comes along with the healing.” Rogue smiled evilly.

Slipping down from the bed the mutant went to the trash bin disposing the bandages before graping his jeans and shirt that lay neatly folded on a table. “True. Jean said something like that once.” With that said Logan vanished in the bathroom.

Their audience was still startled about the surgery. Wilson neared Rogue noting her positive change in mood. “Seems like your friend is fine. I’ll get the FBI, so they can finish their investigation.”

“Thank ya, doc.”

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Sadness and guild welled up in Marie’s mother’s stomach, when she watched a complete stranger, a mutant, an animal in human form, comforting lovingly her little girl without hesitation. It was her duty as a mother to calm the hysterically cries of her eldest child, but her fear of her daughter was much greater than the fear for her. So she just watched the scene finally noting and beginning to understand that her girl suffered under her mutation and just wanted to be loved.

That man was right: Marie was Marie, her soul hadn’t changed. She was still the sweet girl that dreamed of a city travel through Canada. On the other hand her mother saw a matured young woman who led a complete different life than her baby girl had. She learned that when they first met after all those years. Marie had grown up, she had seen that in the young woman’s eyes.

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When Logan left the bathroom a shower later, wearing his white t-shirt and blue jeans, two new faces were already waiting for him. Before he walked over to Rogue, his eyes fell upon the cold and untouched lunch on the table. He stopped next to her mustering the red haired woman and her partner. “FBI? CIA? Or even Homeland Security?”

“FBI.” Answered the man. “I’m special agent Hood and this is special agent O’Neill. We already spoke with all other witnesses including Rogue.”

By now O’Neill had listened to the recording. “She already handed over some very interesting evidences. Your questioning should be a mere formality.”

“Good to hear.” Logan frowned. “What evidences?!” He was quite startled. “What happened after I was down?” The danger he had left the people in finally dawned on him. “How did we get out?”

The agents knew the mutant had been woken up not even half an hour ago and there was no chance for him to catch up. Hood eventually answered looking to the young woman. “Your friend here, Rogue, defeated Victor Creed.”

Logan faced the brunette visibly stunned. “You?! Sabretooth?! On your own?!” His first emotion was shock, then fear for his Marie and then pride welled up in his heart.

A shy smile formed on her lips when she saw his proud gaze. “Ya teaching me some self-defense did help a little.” He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and squeezed her lightly against his chest. “Your claws also helped.”

“Claws?” Startled Logan let go off her and stared down on her. “You even got my claws? But…”

Rogue saw his confusion. “Yeah, bone claws.”

“Bone?” Logan frowned. “I thought the claws were a part of the experiment.”

Rogue shook her head. “No. Ya always had your claws. They just weren’t that unbreakable as they’re now.” She saw the disbelief in his eyes and slipped her left hand out of the glove. Holding her fist in front of Logan three claws ripped through the skin on her knuckles. “See.”

Wolverine’s eyes widened as he inspected her hand running his fingertips over the bones. He had no recollection about the time before the adamatium was injected into his body, and afterwards he was almost sure that those weapons were implanted into his hands. This brought a complete new light on his abilities. He noted the fascinated faces of the two agents, the doctor and Josh whereas Rogue’s parents were everything else than thrilled about seeing bone claws on their daughter’s hands. “You shouldn’t do this, Marie. It hurts.”

The young woman simply shrugged. “Ya do it yourself all the time.” Somehow she was happy to be able to control her borrowed abilities, if it weren’t for her own ones.

Logan’s eyebrow moved up not liking her attitude. “If I jump from a tower would you do that, too?!”

“Depends.” Rogue finally withdrew her claws the small wounds healed immediately without leaving a scar. “At the moment it wouldn’t be a problem.”

Horror was written all over Wolverine’s face. “First off: something like that does hurt like hell! Second: Are you nuts?!” He narrowed his eyes.

She withstood his piercing stare. “Me? Ya obviously have done that?”

“It’s nothing I wanna repeat.” Both mutants kept staring onto each other. “How long does it usually take till you loose my abilities?” Logan eventually wondered.

“Are ya already tired of mah new temperament?”

Logan simply shook his head and moved his hand to his pocket finding it empty. He looked around the room finally discovering his wallet in Rogue’s pocket on the back of her trousers. Rolling his eyes he slipped his fingers in her pocket making her jump. “Hey!” After retrieving his wallet he held his open palm before her face. Without a word Rogue fetched the car keys from her front pocket and placed them in his waiting hand. Logan took a bill and offered it the brunette. “Here.”

“Why?”

Logan faced the boy for a moment. “Josh, go with your sister to the cafeteria.”

“Why? She can go on her own!” The teenager remained on his spot.

But Wolverine already spoke to his sister. “You’ll buy something tasty, Marie. And you bring it here and you’ll eat it before my eyes.”

“What the?!” Her eyes widened in disbelief. What was he thinking?!

Before curses could leave her mouth Logan fixed her with his brown eyes. “You didn’t eat one bit in the last days, did you?”

She was almost gapping at him. He knew her too well. “Ah did!” She crossed her arms before her chest.

“Now you lie into my face?!” He could smell the lie and heard her heartbeat speed up.

A light growl escaped Rogue’s throat and her eyes widened in embarrassment while Logan’s brow went up.

“You have the choice: The cafeteria or I’ll plug that IV in your arm.” Her eyes followed his to the IV tube.

“Fine.” Annoyed she took the money and stormed out of the room.

He sighed. “Hopefully it won’t be that long till she looses my abilities and my… charm.”

“Ah heard that!” came her voice from the corridor making Logan roll his eyes – he’d forgotten that she would also have his enhanced senses. Wolverine motioned Josh to follow his sister; he didn’t want her to be all by herself. The boy made a face and was about to object, when Logan moved his chin in the direction of the door, his face serious.

When both siblings were finally out of earshot Logan faced the three humans. “Normally she isn’t like that.” It was almost an apology.

“Rogue is in a terrible condition. I already suggested talking to a psychologist, but she didn’t want.” Dr. Wilson approached the mutant. “That incident at the mall traumatized her deeply.”

Logan saw real sympathy in the other man’s features. “She had seen horrible things the last years. It’s not the massacre that traumatized her, but the return of her own mutation.” He took a deep breath remembering the evening before she left the mansion. “I should have talked her out of that stupid idea back then. Fuckin' cure.”

Mrs. D’Ancanto was startled about this revelation. “She’d talked with ya before she took the cure?” This man was her daughter’s confidant, she finally realized.

Wolverine locked eyes with the woman. “Of course. It was a too grave decision to take it for the wrong reasons. I always feared she would regret it one day.”

Her father didn’t like the idea that this stranger, this mutant would have convinced his little girl to willingly remain a mutant. “At least she had a few months without it.”

“Don’t you understand your own daughter?!” Logan couldn’t comprehend how parents could close their eyes before their children’s problems. And this comment had nothing to do with optimism. “Her emotional state is worse than ever before. The day I met her she was a scared and lone girl that was desperately searching for someone who would treat her like a human being. She was sad then, but she hadn’t lost hope. Now there is nothing left, at least that’s what she thinks.” He stepped closer to Rogue’s father. “And talking it nice won’t help her. Just as much as your forced support.” He looked the other man in the eye. “I can smell your fear of her. You both are more afraid of her than the doctor or the FBI. She is not the one that changed when her mutation returned.”

“It is easy for ya to say. She can’t harm ya.”

“Marie is one of the few people on this planet, maybe even the only one that could kill me. Her touch hurts me the same way it does anybody, only difference is I recover faster.” Logan was glad he had sent the siblings away. “Marie was a terrified kid when she found out what she was. She had needed the support of her family.” He took a deep breath calming himself. “To be honest you screwed up with Marie back then when you hid her from the world, but you got a second chance with your son.” Wolverine turned his back on the couple. “Don’t throw it away.”

Logan approached the agents. “Sorry 'bout that. You had questions?”

Rogue was surprised to find her parents had left Logan’s room and were deeply wrapped up into a conversation in the empty waiting area not far away. Thinking a moment about walking over to them she then decided to take her brother by the arm pulling him away from their parents and into Logan’s room. There were only Logan and Dr. Wilson, both worried expressions on their features, also talking. With a frown she approached the two men taking a bite from her donut. “Did something happen?” She looked up to Logan. “Why are mah parents out there?”

“Dunno. Nothin' happened.” Logan hoped she didn’t realize his lie the way he did with her. “So the sweets got you again?!”

Smiling she licked the raspberry jelly from her lips. “Ya know what’s the best?” He remained quiet waiting for her to continue. “Mah teeth aren’t sensitive anymore.”

Logan grimaced. “You cheated.”

“Ya are one to say. Ya never saw a dentist practice from the inside.” Laughing she chewed on the donut.

Logan smirked. “Yeah, yeah, darlin’. You’re already working on new caries.”

“Complaining? Ya told me to get something to eat. Ya didn’t say what.” Since she took her first bite it had hit her how hungry she actually was. “The FBI already gone?”

“Yup. Was a bright idea to tape it.”

“Ya proud on me?” A shy smile plastered her lips and her brown orbs traveled over his features.

“A little.” Logan grinned down on her, his expression betrayed his words, everybody could tell how proud he in truth was. “Gave them our torn clothes don’t think you would mind?!”

Rogue shook her head. “Nah. Ah wanted to give those to them with the other evidences. Ah completely forgot.”

“Not the world’s end, darlin’.” Logan chuckled and faced her once more. “You know, that Hood guy indeed asked if you’re my girlfriend.” On her amused expression he continued. “Wonder how he got that idea.”

Rogue plopped down on Logan’s bed still eating with an amused frown. “That people can’t imagine a man and a woman are just best friends without any ulterior motives?!”

Josh couldn’t hold in his laugher. “Ya really wonder?! With that ‘oh, sugah!’ and ‘everything ya like, darlin’!’ It’s worse than watching Titanic!” Logan’s death glare hushed the boy at once.

“We are close. That was kinda from the first moment we met. We simply understand one another.” Rogue’s face grew serious. “When ya’re in real trouble, real danger then life’ll show ya who a true friend is and who not.”

“That’s quite profound, Rogue.” Dr. Wilson remarked.

Now the boy was curious. “What trouble where ya in, Marie? Worse than at the mall?”

The brunette thought a moment. “Kinda the same.”

Logan saw her sombre expression and approached her his fingers running through her white strains. “This skunk-streak is not bleached, it’s real.”

Josh’s eyes widened. “How real? Your hair grows white?!”

“Yeah, it turned white while Ah died the first time.”

Every time Wilson thought those two mutants couldn’t astonish him more they came up with something like that, speaking about it, like it were the most normal thing in the world. “Dead?”

“Dead dead.” Logan confirmed as his hand was captured by her gloved one and their gazes met.

“That guy, this Victor said ya should have stayed dead, did he kill ya back then?” Josh shuddered at the memory of his big sister laying in her own blood.

“He was involved, but no.” Rogue squeezed Logan’s hand their gazes still locked. “Logan saved me, revived me the same way like this time.” Her eyes became fearful when memories of his bleeding and lifeless body flashed before her mind’s eye. “Ah thought Ah had killed ya.”

“I’m tough.” Wolverine pulled her into an embrace, her face pressed against his chest. “I’m still here by your side and I always will be. Promised to take care of you.”

Her brother rolled his eyes and grimaced. “And then they wonder why everybody thinks they have something going on…”

The two mutants gently pushed away from each other. “Joshie, when ya won’t get a little more sensitive, Ah’ll never have a sister-in-law not to mention nieces or nephews.” Rogue and Logan faced the boy, both having one eyebrow lifted causing Wilson to suppress his grin.

The doctor noticed Rogue’s parents walk towards them and decided to give them some privacy, though his curiosity would kill him. “I’ll fetch the discharge papers.”

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

In all that confusion they had forgotten about what their son had done during the attack, forgotten he also turned out to be a mutant. But then again this guy Logan was right, it was easy to oversee for them since Josh’s behavior didn’t change one bit. He wasn’t crying hysterically or hiding in a corner terrified like his sister always did. He didn’t desperately crave for love and support of his parents as Marie did from the moment she changed. Was their boy stronger, or was it something else? Their son still appeared to be their normal human boy and in their conversation they decided it should stay this way and that this stranger was right, they had made a big mistake with their little girl.

Mrs. D’Ancanto agreed with her husband that this mutant, this man tried his best to make their Marie happy, something they had forgotten about when their daughter’s mutation appeared. But still they also agreed that they didn’t like this man, but at the moment they had lost their right to meddle in the life of their Marie. They couldn’t put their finger on it, but their feelings told them that this Logan was no good company for a young woman. He hid something from them and their Marie knew her parents wouldn’t like it. But then again it was too late to reason with their child, they were the strangers to her not that man.

Having still the feelings of a mother for her firstborn child, she refused to believe that they will leave this hospital and will never ever hear a word from their daughter. It was true: they got just a second chance, but not only concerning their son but also their daughter, and they won’t let it slip through their fingers.

As soon as the couple entered the room Rogue and Logan faced them their expressions unreadable. The D’Ancantos smiled at them tentatively and walked over to their son hugging and holding their boy.

Being embraced like a four-year-old by his parents Josh got a weird feeling. “What’s wrong? Is someone gonna die?” He felt his parents pull away slightly and they smiled down on him.

His mother stroked his dark blond head. “No, can’t we hug our beloved son?”

“Ok, now ya’re scaring me!” Josh felt like in a bad movie and wondered if they’re going to tell him that they’re going to get divorced or something like that – not that he would knew of any marriage problems of his parents – but there were not many options left if nobody is dieing… But instead of breaking some terrible news to him his parents turned around after a reassuring pat on the shoulder by his father and faced their daughter.

Slowly they approached her, noting that Logan took a step backwards giving them more private space. Her mother carefully grasped Rogue’s gloved hand holding it lightly and soon her father covered his daughter’s hand from above trembling slightly.

Unsure what to expect the brunette met her mother’s gaze. “Marie, honey, we know we have made grave mistakes back then and this time. And ya lead your own life now.”

“We’re not expecting ya to forgive us, but we would be happy if ya could give us a second chance to get to know our adult daughter.” Mr. D’Ancanto continued his voice shaking. “Maybe ya could call or come for a visit from time to time.”

“Okay…” Rogue was taken aback about the sudden change of heart and the fact that her parents actually touched her, though their grip on her wasn’t tight and their hands were trembling, but this was more than the young woman ever hoped to expect. She frowned and contemplated a moment what just happened. Then it hit her and she whirled around, letting go of her parents’ hands. “What have ya done, Logan?!” Rogue snapped at Wolverine accusingly.

Her brown eyes bore into him and her sudden outburst took him by surprise. “Maybe I said something to arouse their conscience a little.” He finally admitted.

Her eyes widened. “Ya threatened them?!”

“No, I just spoke my mind.” He saw her eyebrow move upwards. “I behaved and I think I didn’t even curse.” She stared a moment into his hazel eyes before her features relaxed into a small smile and she bent forward kissing his cheek.

Rogue then faced her parents again a warm smile on her lips. “If ya’re sure, Ah would call from time to time.”

“That would be nice.” Her mother returned her smile.

Silence fell upon the group and Logan used this chance to reassure the D’Ancantos, that their decision was the right one. “How long do you know, Pikachu?” His eyes rested on the boy’s face. “You didn’t discover your powers back then at the mall. You knew exactly what you did.”

“Josh?!” His parents had thought him to have just found out about his ability.

Rogue remembered the moment her little brother took out that soldier with an electric pulse. She was quite surprised back then. “That’s true, Joshie.”

Fear welled up in Josh and he looked down on the cold hospital floor. “Two years ago.” He heard his mother gasp. “When Ah fried mah computer and told ya it just overheated.”

Rogue was almost laughing imagining her little brother accidentally destroying his beloved pc. “Did ya watch porn or what did ya got so worked up to trigger your mutation?” She noted the small smile on Logan’s features.

Josh met her gaze wide eyed. “Ah was playing World of Warcraft! Stupid chick!”

“A computer game triggered your mutation!” Logan couldn’t hold in his laughter. “The kids today…”

Josh’s fear gave way to embarrassment and anger. “Ya have to talk, Marie! Just a little kiss was it with ya!” He glared at the two other mutants. “Stop laughing!”

His parents were everything else than laughing. “Two years. Why didn’t ya tell us?”

The boy eventually faced his parents new fear welled up inside him. “Tell ya, so ya would look at me like at a monster?! Luckily Ah have no problem hiding mah –“ The boy contemplated a moment. “mutation.” This was the first time he called himself a mutant. It was weird and frightening, but somehow freeing to finally stop hiding.

“Why should we?” his mother started a little hurt, but the reason dawned on her before her son spoke it out.

“Ya ask why? Then ask Marie!” His eyes were full of anger now. “Back then ya two told me to stay away from mah sister! Ya were so afraid of her and ya scared the hell out of me!” Josh then lifted his hand and grasped his sister by the gloved wrist. “Ah didn’t dare to speak with her thinking it would kill me.” He pulled her arm up demonstrating his parents he was still touching Marie firmly. “But nothing happens!”

Their mistake was even graver than the parents thought a minute ago and their expressions grew guilty.

Josh let finally go of his sister’s wrist but his eyes never left his parents’ faces. “Ah knew nothing would change as long as ya two didn’t get wind of it. Why should Ah tell ya? Ya would only freak out.” Angry the boy crossed his arms before his chest and glared at his parents.

Tears sprang to his mother’s eyes when she and her husband finally grasped what burden their son had to carry around all that time. Carefully she stepped forward and embraced her boy. “Joshie.” While her husband patted his son’s shoulder and whispered “Ah’m sorry.”

Slowly Josh’s anger subsided and gave way to relief. After a half eternity he lifted his arms and returned his mother’s hug.

Rogue watched her family feeling happy for her brother, though a small part of her envied him. Suddenly she felt Logan’s hand in hers squeezing it lightly and her chocolate orbs met his. She saw the worry for her in his features, the fear that she felt left out, might feel alone. A warm smile crept on her lips and she also pressed his hand, signaling him she knew he would always be there for her.

When Josh let finally go of his mother, Rogue approached her brother a smirk on her face. “So, ya can control your gift, huh?”

Still unsure about this whole being-a-mutant-thing Josh first observed his parents’ features, before he returned her grin. “Yup.” Opening his palm he held his open hand before his family and Logan and without effort blue lightening crackled on his skin, jumping from one finger to the next.

Rogue looked up to Logan. “Just like Jubes.”

“Yup, another firecracker.” Logan met the D’Ancantos’ unsure, but still fascinated views. “The boy can come in handy. Just thinking about a jump start.”

Josh smiled about this practical use of his power. “Yeah or Ah can do this.” Grinning evilly the boy shut down his flashes and moved his charged hand a few inches over his sister’s head, making her hair stick out.

Rogue narrowed her eyes and flattened her hair back down. “Great, Joshie.”

Suddenly the group was startled by a knock and the door opening. “I see you’re back up on your feet, Wolverine.” Hank smiled at Rogue before his eyes rested on Wolverine. “May I have a word with you, boy?”

Logan’s head snapped in the direction of the other X-Men. “Boy?!” Slowly he moved forward like a wolf to its prey his fist clenched. “Listen, Fureball, the next time you call me ‘boy’ I’ll kick your blue ass!”

“See you’re as good-humored as ever.” Hank seemed to be unimpressed by the threatening and shifted his head towards the hallway. “On a word?” With a growl Logan followed the ambassador out the door and down the hall leaving Rogue with her family.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

When Hank was sure to be out of Rogue’s earshot, calculating the enhanced senses in, he faced the grumpy Logan. “I contacted Charles and brought him up to date. He will try to locate Sabretooth, but Cerebro is no option at the moment.” On the other man’s questioning gaze he explained. “Charles’ new body doesn't have the X Factor thus no abilities. He's in contact with one of his former students. She might be strong enough to use Cerebro with the right training.” Logan simply growled. “Sabretooth might come for revenge.”

“That’s no news, Hank.” Logan saw the worry. “What's wrong?”

Hank lowered his voice just in case. “It’s Rogue.” A moment past by in which he observed Wolverine’s expression. “She’s unstable. I’m worried about her state of mind.”

Logan’s features tensed. “So am I.”

“She thinks her life stopped when her mutation returned.”

Shaking his head Wolverine’s lips escaped a heavy sigh. “I feared that day as she did. Feared her reaction that she would do something stupid.”

Their eyes locked. “She looks up to you.”

“I will never let her down for nothing in this world.”

With a curt nod Hank acknowledged the other mutant’s sincerity. “She deserves that much.”

X X X X X X X X X X X X

When Logan returned to his room his thoughts were still centered on his conversation with Hank. Inwardly he was beating himself up for not being there for his Marie from the first moment her powers had returned, but then again he knew he nearly had died and it wasn’t his fault that he was in coma for two days and unable to take care of her. Not that he would blame her for his near death – he would have happily died if only Marie could live on.

Upon entering his room he noted Rogue’s position on the sill next to her was the window wide open. “You know, when you jump I’m gonna follow you.” He stepped closer to her his face serious when she looked up somewhat startled. “Don’t think about lying to me.”

She held his gaze a moment and swallowed hard. “It’s futile at the moment. Ah would heal on my own.”

“Marie!” Her parents were shocked to hear their child was thinking about something like that.

Carefully Logan sank down onto the sill next to his Marie. “Darlin’, do you trust me?” His hazel eyes never left hers.

There was no hesitation in her features, nor a moment to think about his question. “With mah life.”

Sadness and fear were evident in his eyes. “It isn’t much worth to you at the moment.” His hands squeezed her gloved ones firmly, signaling her that he was serious. “I beg you to give me a little more time.”

Tears glittered in her brown orbs and a strangled sob escaped her throat. “It’s hurting so much.”

“And it’s hurting me to see you suffer every minute, but I need you. I refuse to believe that life can be so cruel. There has to be a way.” His hand cupped Rogue’s warm cheek and he felt her lean into his touch for a split second before pulling back. “Don’t give up. Give me a chance.” He tugged her white strain behind her ear.

“Ya wouldn’t let me go that easily.” A small smile appeared on her face.

“Hardly.” Logan closed his eyes for a moment when a mixture of guilt and remorse washed over his features. “God, I wish I could turn back time I would stop you from taking that damn cure.”

Rogue shook her head and happiness shone in her eyes for a split second. “Ah love the last months we spent together.” Gently she enclosed his hand with hers. “Ah would have stayed at the mansion and waited for ya to return, only seeing ya for a few weeks before ya would leave again. Ya’d have never taken me with ya.”

He stroked her head with his free hand. “That’s not true. I wanted to take you with me the first time I left back then. But it would have been too selfish.”

Her eyes were sparkling now. “Ah told ya Ah didn’t want ya to leave me. Ah wouldn’t have hesitated a moment if ya would have asked me.”

Wolverine smiled. “I know, but if you had been with me, I could have never wondered to what beautiful woman you would have grown up when I would return.” Now a bright beam was on her features; he’d just called her beautiful and a woman. Logan squeezed her hand to bring her back from the dreamland, she dared to drift to. “It is how it is. And it was a good thing you stayed at the mansion and went to school.”

Rogue titled her head to one side never breaking their eye contact. “So ya would just change that Ah would never take the cure.”

“I would change that whole cursed day.” His voice cracked.

She saw the sadness on his face. “Ah know, Ah’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. There is nothing else I could have done to save her.” He shook his head.

“But Ah would have been there. Maybe there would have been something Ah could have helped ya with.” She paused a moment. “Ah thought about this. Often. Ah could have touched her.”

“She would have been in your mind. Then I would have lost both of ya. No. Never.” He swallowed hard. “There was nothing anybody could have done to save Jean.”

Her fingers traveled carefully over his bearded cheek. “Ya know that is the truth, sugah, but it won’t lessen your guilt about what ya had to do and Ah see it in your eyes every time we speak 'bout her.”

Logan captured her hand next to his face with his. “It will become less painful with time – at least I hope so.” Gently he caressed her palm with his thumb. “I can’t handle to lose you now, my darlin'. So I beg you to stay by my side and give me the time to find a way to lessen your pain.”

Rogue observed his hurt features marveling that he calls himself a man who is not good with words. “Okay.”

“Promise?”

She slung her arms around his neck feeling him return the embrace, his arms encircling her back. “Yeah, Ah promise to stay by your side a little longer.” They’d switched their places from years ago.

X X X X X X X X X X X X

They were finally alone, though her family and the good doctor were probably waiting for them in the hallway. Rogue contemplated how and when was the right time to finally tell Logan about his long lost past. The last thing in the world was to hurt the man she loved – more than she already had done, but his voice in her mind supported her decision that he could handle his dark past better than to suffer further with the lack of knowledge his life consisted of.

All the places they’d visited in the last months, he’d always desperately searched for something familiar, something that might trigger a memory - a place, a smell – but nothing. Every time he thought a memory fragment was within his grasp, he tried to remember, concentrated harder, but in vain. She didn’t have to ask if he believed to have finally found something familiar, she saw the faint hope in his features and then every time Rogue noticed this deep sadness in his hazel eyes, the torment of his soul, when his memories remained a mystery.

She had to tell him, at least a small part, so he could decide on his own. The brunette sat still on the bed watching him close the duffel bag. “Ah also have Victor in mah head.” She whispered suddenly knowing his ears would catch her light words. Abruptly his steps neared her and she looked up from her lap, meeting his concerned gaze.

Immediately Logan was by his Marie’s side sinking down on the free spot next to her. Gasping for air he squeezed his eyes shut while he pulled her into a tight embrace. “Victor? … No. Please not that monster! It’s worse enough you have me floating in your mind.” This was what Wilson had tried to tell him when Rogue had returned from the cafeteria. It wasn’t him who got control of her, but that monster. After a moment just holding her he felt her hands on his chest gently pushing them apart. To his surprise there were no tears and no torment in her eyes – at least not in that moment – but to his confusion he found happiness reflected in her brown orbs. “How are you, darlin’?”

“He's not a monster.” She caught sight of his startled expression. “Ah mean he is a monster, but there is more. He’s … sad. Sadness about the betrayal and the loneliness.” Suddenly a wave of emotions and memories washed over her when she tried to access Victor’s memories without his presence taking over her again. “Ah think he’s afraid of being alone. It was never easy for him to trust anybody, except ya. Everybody around him is dying, why should he form ties to people he knows he would outlive easily. The only constant in his life was always ya and then ya turned your back on him and choose to lead a normal life, forming bonds with people ya would see eventually die; a life in which there was no place for him.” She locked her eyes with his. “Ah think ya know how he feels. It was the same reason for ya. Ya simply wanted to protect your heart from further scars, that’s why ya decided to don’t form any ties.”

Logan frowned, becoming more and more concerned about Rogue’s state of mind. “Marie? What the fuck are you talkin' 'bout?”

A bright smile appeared on her lips, she was really exited, he could tell. “Logan, he is the key!” She still sorted out the multiple memory fragments and emotions.

“The Key?” Now she had lost him.

“To your past!” If she didn’t have his attention she had it now. Rogue remembered a nightmare Logan had told her about one night. “Logan, the dark haired boy in your dreams about your childhood was Victor.” She paused a moment giving him time to let the information sink in. “The two of you had spent 150 years together. He's angry on ya, ‘cause ya left him all alone. Ya moved on with your life.”

“Together?!” A eyebrow rose in disbelief.

She chuckled when she got his path of thinking. “Victor is your older brother, sugah!” She saw the mixture of surprise and disbelief on his features. “It makes all sense now. Ya two having the same abilities ‘n all!”

“My brother?!” His eyes moved fast as he tried to remember, to verify this information.

“Yes.” Rogue watched him, praying for him to finally gain a part of his lost past. But after a minute he closed his eyes in the all too familiar manner, misery in his expression. With her smile the excitement vanished from her face. “Nothing?” The sadness in his brown orbs was breaking her heart. “Ah’m sorry, sugah.”

X X X X X X X X X X X X

Logan readjusted the strap of the duffel bag on his shoulder and a small smile tugged on his lips. “Thanks, doc. It’s rare for my kind to be treated decently by normal people.”

Dr. Wilson smiled. “It was the least I could do. You saved my daughter and my wife.” A frown appeared on Logan’s forehead and he followed Wilson and Rogue to the waiting area next to the elevators, where the D’Ancantos were talking with the woman and her daughter from the mall.

When they neared the group Mrs. Wilson was smiling up at them. “I just wanted to thank you two, before you leave. Things'd have turned out like at the other… incidences when you hadn’t reacted.”

He nodded unsure what to say. Logan wasn’t used to being thanked for for killing a bunch of people and what confused him even more was that he couldn’t smell fear from the woman or her kid, though both had witnessed the Wolverine taking over, massacre the soldiers one after one. Maybe Wilson should talk his wife into seeing a shrink.

The small girl Logan had saved from Sabretooth’s men a few days ago pulled on his jeans signaling the tall man to bend down. Curious what the child would want from him he crouched down being on eye-level with her. “What is it, kid?”

The girl smiled at him, revealing one of her baby teeth was missing. “Can I see your claws again?”

“You aren’t scared?” Melissa shook her head her blond pigtails swinging from one side to the other. Logan saw the expectation in her small face; her puppy dog eyes pleading. Sighting he slid very slowly his claws from his right hand, hoping no one else of the nurses would watch.

“Ooh shiny!” The girl giggled, but her exclamation brought a flashback up in Logan’s mind.

“What’s wrong?” “Logan?” Wilson and Rogue asked when the mutant stared a little lost into the space before him.

A moment later the flashback was over and Wolverine back in the present. “I remembered… My brother said the same.”

The child was fascinated by the glittering metal. “Does your brother have also claws?”

Logan was uncertain about his new memory and the question about Victor. “He has a different kind.” A moment later he added. “He ain’t a nice guy, you know.”

“Why?”

Rogue bent down a little. “He’s jealous about Logan’s shiny claws.”

“Oh… They are sooooo cool!” Melissa bent forward and kissed Logan’s cheek. “Thank you!” she said and ran off to her father’s office leaving a perplexed man behind.

“Wow. Ya are a womanizer! Ah’ll open up a fanclub for ya.” Rogue chuckled.

Logan’s brow was lifted sliding his claws back in as he watched the girl enter an office. “Yeah, for girls from 5 to 17 years, huh?!”

“What does that mean?!” Rogue blushed a little.

Chuckling Logan stood up full aware of his Marie’s flushed cheeks. “Everybody at the mansion knew you had a crush on me back when we first met!”

Rogue’s eyes widened and her cheeks burned fire red. “Ya knew?! Asshole!” Swiftly she slipped her gloved hand in Logan’s trouser-pocket retrieving the car keys. “Ah’ll fetch the car. Ya can come when ya’re done flirting!” She strode away boiling inwardly.

“You can still be the fanclub’s chief!” He called after her when she pushed the close button on the elevator doors and the doors slit shut. “Just hope she won’t drive off without me.”

Running. Running and avoiding the bullets. Those were her only thoughts at the moment. Both essential to keep her from hurting any more and both essential to fulfill her objective. The stench of burned flesh, fresh blood and gunpowder kept invading her nostrils making her lungs burn even more than the loss of oxygen from running. Flashes illuminated the night sky and the bangs of shoots growled through the valley. She kept running towards the hostile lines her machine-gun in a hard grasp ready to shoot. Suddenly a sharp pain exploded in her chest, expanding into her entire body making her legs unsteady. Gasping for air the muddy soil came her way when her feet refused to move.

Blood. She could taste her own blood in her mouth as she tried to push herself up again. But suddenly there was a not so gentle hand at the back of her uniform's collar, pulling her body rather effortless back to her feet. As fast as the support came as fast her helper was already a few feet in front of her continuing their way towards the enemy. The stinging pain in her chest subsided as her body began to move again. Bullets rained from the sky like hailstones. One after one of her comrades screamed in agony doubling over unable to continue their assault. She felt new pain but kept moving. It would lighten as it always did; just to be replaced by new ache. After a few seconds the only two soldiers to finally reach the opponents were she and her former helper. Everyone else, everyone of her comrades she had joked or talked a few hours before were gone. It was only her and her brother. As always. Then all of a sudden something exploded next to her and a new wave of sharp agony rushed through her entire body.

With a start Rogue woke from her horrible dream. Sitting up in her bed her still clouded gaze met Logan's concerned eyes when he wrapped his warm arms about her shivering frame holding her in a safe embrace. Cold sweat glued her nighty to her back and her ears were still filled with the noise of bullets being fired and the screams of dieing men when a faint voice in the distance called her name.

X X X X X X X X X X

Logan cradled Marie in his arms rocking her back and forth while stroking her sweaty hair and her back. "Shh. Marie. It's fine now, darlin'. It was just a bad dream." He kept repeating his mantra till he felt her finally slump against his chest. Sobbing she buried her face in his shirt and he continued to rub her back in gentle circles. "You're not alone, Marie. I'm here, my darlin'."

Her desperate cries had pulled him from his sleep and his heart broke at her fearful features when she turned and tossed in her bed. He'd carefully caressed her cheek, her dark hair protecting him from her deadly skin and called her name.

Now after holding her for long minutes her tears subsided slowly and the brunette pushed gently a few inches away so his worried expression could meet her tear streamed features. Lovingly he removed his hand from her back and lifted it up to her huge brown eyes wiping a salty tear away, carefully to keep the touch of bare skin brief.

Tentatively Rogue placed her slightly shaking and glove covered fingers on his sideburns caressing his jaw-bone with her thumb, still taking staggered breaths as she calmed down. "Logan." The word was just a whisper. A small smile made its way on her lips when her breathing and her heartbeat rate returned to normal. "Thank ya, sugah."

Logan felt her completely push away from his chest and he ran his hands up and down her covered arms. A loving smile plastered his features and he looked deep into her brown eyes. "It's been a while since your last nightmare, darlin'." His eyes grew sad. "I'm sorry, Marie."

Rogue knew he meant his nightmares she was having now once again. "Don't be, sugah." She slid a little farther away from him on her bed and lifted the blanket. Out of habit he grasped his long-sleeved shirt throwing it on. Without further thought or hesitation Logan slipped under the waiting cover and slung his arm around her waist, his hand resting protectively on her stomach while the brunette snuggled her back into his chest. His chin rested on her head and her gloved hand wandered down to his, their fingers entangling.

They lay there a half eternity relaxing in the other's touch and presence. "Ya're right it's a while since ya had to climb into mah bed." A soft grin made its way on her lips. "Normally Ah have to comfort the Wolverine." She felt his growl built in his chest before it could reach his lips and his index finger poked into her stomach – playfully.

Though that with the beds was rather a new thing. Back at the mansion Rogue got the habit of sneaking into his room when she had had a bad dream. He always wondered that the girl hadn't learned to stay away from him the first night she had walked up on him during one of his nightmares and had ended on the other end of his claws. That was one of his newer nightmares, together with the events of the following night and he was sure that her bleeding body at the mall would hunt him sooner or later in his dreams.

Somehow, maybe with the help of his presence in her mind, she seemed to could tell when he was caught in one of his bizarre dreams and would wait within a save distance for him to rudely awake form his torment. Then she would embrace and hold him for a little while till the shadows of his nightmare would have left his hazel eyes. Afterwards they would snuggle together on his bed and one of them remained awake watching over the other's sleeping form. At the Institute he would wake Rogue around four in the morning or the brunette would carefully leave her sleeping Logan on her own and silently sneak back into her room she shared with Jubilee and Kitty.

Logan liked the feeling of her being there for him taking care for him; he had never thought that sharing his weakness with anybody would make him feel well, complete. But after all Marie wasn't anybody to him, she was his Marie.

The thing with the bed had changed during their journey. She would still climb into his bed after one of his terrible dreams, but the two times her demons had hunted her at night Logan had moved over to her bed. He could tell that she enjoyed waking up next to each other without having to sneak away in the middle of the night as much as he did.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

There was that persistent knock again, but Marie didn't seem to mind. With a content smile on her lips she lay fast asleep next to Logan, her head using his arm as pillow and her gloved hands held his fingers in a firm grip. "Marie? Wake up, my darlin'." It was no use. The same went for his attempt to pull his arm from under her head, she just deepened her grip on him.

And that knock sounded again through their cottage. Logan finally rolled his eyes. "It's open!"

"What are ya screaming, sugah?!" The brunette eventually mumbled and moved from laying on her side to a position on her flat stomach.

Logan saw the D'Ancantos enter and he wasn't surprised about the gasps he heard as soon as the visitors' eyes caught sight of the couple in the bed. "Would you let go of my arm, Marie?"

"No, still … so… tired." She snuggled deeper into him. "Get up, Logan… Ah wanna sleep." Her free hand, that one that didn't hold his arm, smacked him on the chest before resting there.

Wolverine sighed and he could swear her parents were close to a heart attack. "That's what I try for the last half an hour. But to do so, I need my arm." Smelling the anger and shock of her family brought a smug grin on his face. "Marie, get up."

Her answer was a disapproving growl.

"Okay, you wanted it this way." He placed his free hand on the small of her back and pushed her body towards the edge, securing her upper body with his arm she still clutched. With a thud her legs and butt landed on the wooden floor next to her bed and a yelp escaped her lips on the impact.

Her grip tightened on him preventing her from sliding completely down to the floor when she felt his other arm wrap around her chest pressing directly onto her breasts as he pulled her up to her feet. Sleepy she stood there a moment her eyes barely open and her mind still clouded from the lack of sleep the previous nights. Yawning she took in the shocked faces of her family and wondered slightly why they were in their cottage. "Mornin'." She managed when she heard Logan's feet padding on the wooden floor.

Mr. D'Ancanto finally found his ability to speak anger boiled inside him. "What's going on here?!"

The brunette walked a few steps still drowsy and let herself fall upon Logan's empty bed hugging his pillow to her chest and falling back to sleep. An eyebrow arched Logan ignored the other man with a smug grin as he watched Rogue breathing in his scent from his cushion with a faint smile on her lips. He saw her father step closer to him but managed to control the urge to shot some remark back that would sure make the other man rush at him, not that Wolverine had any reason to fear the human – it was more for Marie's sake and her re-building relationship with her family. The growing dislike of each other was mutual but Logan thought better than to hurt his love, her emotional state was bad enough and she needed as much ties as possible. "Mornin'." Logan finally greeted startling her family further when he retrieved his red button up from the chair his and Rogue's clothes lay in a neatly folded heap together and walked over to the small bathroom.

Mrs. D'Ancanto heard the shower being turned on and finally stepped forward and took a seat next to her daughter on the bed. She saw the anger in her husband's features and prayed he wouldn't do something stupid to enrage that animal the blue mutant had called Wolverine. "Marie?" She asked placing her hand tentatively on the brunette's head stroking her hair. "Marie, would ya mind to explain?" But her daughter only buried her face deeper into the pillow and growled lightly making her remove her hand.

Barely ten minutes later Logan stepped out of the bathroom dressed in his red button up over his white t-shirt, his hair still damp but his trademark spikes were already in their place. He slipped on his socks and then in his boots always aware that Marie's family was watching his every move from over the small table they were all seated around. Ignoring them he walked over to his bed. "The bathroom is waiting for you, darlin'." He bent down and carefully stroked a white strain from her cheek. "Marie, c'mon. You can sleep in the car." The only reaction was a low growl. His voice held a hint of annoyance now. "Darlin', wake up. Or I have to bring a bucket of water to help you." He knew bucket was exaggerated but a glass would do the trick.

"No, not again. Ah'm awake." Rogue crawled a few inches till the edge of the bed, but then she was back in dreamland again. Upon hearing the ripple of water her head shoot up and she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Ah'm awake! Ah'm awake, Logan!" Finally she took in her surroundings and her family sitting at the table. 'That wasn't a dream after all… No wonder dad looks so pissed.'

Josh couldn't stop himself from laughing. "Oh, too bad! C'mon, Marie go back to sleep! Ah wanna see this!" But Logan's pillow crashed already in his face, his sister obviously proud on her good throw.

Her mother shot her son a disapproving view when he threw the pillow back at his sister, then glanced at Logan. "Ya wouldn't really do that, would ya?"

"My threats are never empty." Wolverine picked Rogue's clothes up from the chair and watched her crawl out of his bed finally wide awake.

The brunette smirked at her best friend and took her clothes from him. "Course he would. He had already done that twice!"

Logan returned her grin and placed a strain behind her ear. "But only speaking about it works wonders now, darlin'."

"Funny that ya never learned it." On his puzzled expression she continued chuckling before entering the bathroom. "Victor used to wake ya that way. Even had to do that during your time fighting in the Civil War." It was weird how some of their memories popped up in her mind. She could hardly tell if this memory was from Victor or Logan, but she guessed Victor since she felt amusement about Logan's wet and astonished face.

"Civil War?! Now I feel old." Logan arched a brow remembering the afternoon before when she told him about his brother and his age going towards 180.

"Civil War? The American Civil War?!" Her father's eyes widened. "The one taking place in the middle of the 19th century?!"

Logan was chuckling when he saw the dumb folded expressions of the D'Ancantos. "Was there more than one? Yeah, I think we're speaking of the same." He walked over to his bed, shaking the blanket out and folding it onto the mattress, before doing the same with Rogue's bed. Afterwards he fetched his black Motorola cell-phone from the nightstand and shoved it into his jeans pocket scanning the room for any of their belongings.

They had packed everything the evening before and stowed their bags in their car ready to leave in the morning. Shortly after arriving at their cottage from the hospital they had learned that the D'Ancantos also intended to leave in the next morning and they would share a two hours long drive – though not in the same car. For Marie's sake Logan had suggested to have a last meal together before their ways would part.

A few minutes later the bathroom door opened and Rogue stepped into the room carrying a duty bag and her pyjamas while brushing her hair. "There's nothing of us left in there, Logan. Ah packed your stuff into mah bag." She bent down and opened the zipper of the duffel bag on the floor putting in it their remaining belongings.

"Thanks, darlin'." Logan retrieved a paper bag with sandwiches from the fridge, Rogue had made for their breakfast in the car the evening before and offered the brunette one.

Taking a bite from her peanut butter sandwich Rogue fetched her dark green Motorola cell phone glazing on the small outer screen. Her eyes widened. "It's almost noon!"

Logan only smirked. "We wanted to be half way to Canada by now, darlin'."

"Ya could have waked me!"

"Nah, that would have been too cruel. And impossible." That earned him a playful slap on the chest.

Her father didn't like it one bit what he saw: his daughter sharing one bag with that man, giving each other pet names, touching each other and on top of all they share the bed! "Would ya finally tell us, why ya two slept in one bed?!" He approached his daughter, who still had her hand on Logan's chest.

Rogue saw the anger in her father's eyes and quickly searched her mother's features for another kind of emotion but only found the same. 'Boy, they are prude!' Shrugging she removed her hand from Logan and faced her father. "Ah had a nightmare." She answered as if this would explain why she slept curled up to Logan.

Wolverine noticed the building tension in the other man's features. "She hadn't slept quite well the last nights at the hospital. Had always nightmares."

"When Logan's with me, Ah feel safe and can finally close mah eyes without those terrible pictures returning."

This brought a smile on Logan's face and warmth to his heart. He knew she felt save with him, but to hear it was a great thing though.

Rogue rolled her eyes when she saw her parents' expression remaining the same. "We talked the half night." She could see the silent question of her mother and widened her eyes in disbelief and annoyance. "We could hardly have done anything?!" A beat later she saw the need to clarify her words. "Mah mutation forgotten?!" Somehow this didn't work either to bring her parents to their senses. "Stop looking like that! If he would want to take advantage of the situation he would have done so long ago during one of the nth moments we shared the same bed and Ah was cured!" Her temper – a little shortened by the presences of the two feral brothers in her mind and the lack of sleep - got the better of her and she gripped the strap of the duffel bag firmly and slung it up onto her shoulder.

Logan saw new horror in her parents' features. "You know that doesn't make it any better, Marie?!" Somehow their features amused the Wolverine.

Rogue made a few strides towards the front door before she turned around once more. "Even if something had happened, Ah'm an adult and can sleep with anybody Ah want! But don't worry: Ah'm all untouchable girl again and will remain that way till the day Ah die!" With those bitter words she stormed out the cottage and down the few steps to the car.

"Great! Now she goes down that road again! Her night was horrible enough without your senseless accuses!" Logan growled in his gruff voice as new fear for his Marie encircled his heart. With an angry glare he ushered the D'Ancantos out of the hut. Before he locked the door Logan's piercing eyes dug into the parents. "And for once and for all. Nothing ever happened between your daughter and me! I'm neither her boyfriend, nor her lover! I'm only Marie's friend!" He took a deep breath. "Despite her young looks, Marie is much more mature than other girls her age. If she were that hormone driven kid you think she is she would have jumped into bed with the first boy she crossed ways the day she had taken the cure!" His temper cooled a little and Logan wanted her parents to finally understand what person their daughter is. "A simple touch is something sacred to Marie. She would never give into the temptation to have sex if she hadn't thought about it long before and her heart wouldn't be behind her decision." He slipped the keys into his pants pocket and turned to walk to his car. "Hope this topic is closed now."

Logan smirked when he saw his Marie sitting in the passenger seat, the door still open, but the brunette was already fast asleep while the raspberry jelly dropped down from her toast onto her jeans.

On her mother's face suddenly wandered a mixture of worry and sympathy. "Poor girl, she is really tired."

Logan was about to approach Rogue when his ears caught a distressed whimper and her forehead wrinkled into a troubled frown. Without delay he covered the short distance between them and cupped her pale cheek with his hand, her brown hair separating them. "Shh, it's just a dream, Marie. I'm here with you." Her features immediately relaxed and her breathing slowed when her mind left the unpleasant pictures.

Her mother watched in awe the mutant stroke her girl's head gently. "Amazing." Then her motherly worry returned to the front of her mind. "How often does she have those nightmares?"

"Every night." Logan simply stated and removed his hand from her face and fastened the seatbelt on Rogue. "Her nightmares were almost gone the last months. Now they're back as bad as they were in the beginning after we'd met. Will be a long way till she can sleep through the night again all by herself." Before closing the car door Logan took the sandwich from her gloved hand and wiped the jelly from her pants before licking the yam from his finger and took a bite from her breakfast. Facing her parents' one last time before walking over to the driver side of the Jeep Logan observed them. "I still have to pay and return the keys. My offer to spend a last meal together is still up. A chance to say goodbye without screaming at each others would surly be in Marie's interest."

Mr. D'Ancanto traded a view with his wife then he answered with a small smile. "There is this place on our way. We never were in there, but it should be the last chance to get something to eat before our ways part."

"Fine. You lead." Logan slid into the driver seat and started the engine.

A smile tugged at Logan's lips when he saw the bar in the middle of nowhere and took in the scents around him. Rogue knew that face and noticed the excitement in his dark eyes, but then he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed her closer to his chest. "Don't worry I won't let the Wolverine out to play."

The brunette smiled in thanks. She didn't want to give her parents more reasons to dislike her secret love than there already were. They walked up the pebble covered ground towards the D'Ancantos, who had parked their car a little closer to the entrance and were waiting for them.

To Logan's annoyance the planned two hours – a period measured by Logan's driving; meaning much, much too fast, but still save enough for Marie - turned into almost the double since Marie's father decided to drive not even close to the speed limit. At least the long ride gave Rogue the opportunity to get some needed sleep.

The bar was obviously a resting place for truckers on their long trips throughout the country – the most part of the parking lot was covered with the monstrous vehicles and Rogue wondered if her parents ever were in this kind of places. Across from the bar was a shady little motel whose customers would pay per hour rather than for a full night, at least that was Rogue's impression of it.

The brunette suppressed her grin when she saw the doubtful faces of her family as Logan opened the door to the smoky bar and the loud voices of cheering men sounded from within. Feeling confident in such places Rogue walked past Wolverine, who held the door open for her. "Thanks, sugah." With amusement the young woman watched her family slip into the bar close behind Logan. She could tell her mother would voice any minute her wish to leave this place.

"Ya sure, they serve here hot meals?" Rogue had to give it to her mother this was a rather subtle method to leave this bar.

Logan smirked and eyed the fighting ring in the far end of the room. "They do."

Curious yet afraid Josh observed the room with the loud and gruff looking truckers as he moved closer to his older sister, who led the little group together with the other mutant towards the tables in the adjoining room.

Rogue grinned as her brother gripped her sleeve when he watched wide eyed one cage fighter punch his already staggering opponent in the guts and then in the back of the neck sending him unconscious to the ground. "They won't bite ya. Just don't stare at them. 'K?" She whispered to Josh and saw the boy and her parents nod in affirmation.

A few steps later and a few steps nearer to the fighting ring the winner whipped the sweat from his forehead together with some blood from a gash and Rogue felt his eyes on her. And it just happened what she was already used to in such a place and her wearing tight jeans and shirts. He whistled. "Hey, honey, hot curves! How about a cool drink?!" But Rogue ignored the nasty man in the cage. "Hey, I'm talking to you, silver-locks!" Then after a moment. "Are you deaf?"

Finally Rogue turned on her heel and faced the annoying guy her head slightly titled to the side and her gloved hands on her hips. "Didn't want to rebuff ya in front of your friends, but ya gave me no other choice. No, thanks. Ya're not mah type." She simply shrugged her shoulders and continued her way while the other men in the audience chuckled.

The guy eyed the brunette and the boy that clutched her sleeve. "Oh, you like baby faces! You need a real man than a kid, babe!"

Logan's knuckles itched, but he suppressed the urge to let his claws on the fresh air. Taking a deep breath he slung his arm over Marie's shoulders protectively before addressing the cage fighter. "What's your problem, bub? She said no!"

The other man's gaze traveled to Logan. "Think your daddy has a chance against me!?"

"I'm not her father!" Wolverine snarled back and pulled Rogue away from the cage.

"Huh, she has a thing for old guys, no wonder she already has grey hair!"

Rogue growled from deep within her chest and locked her chocolate eyes with her Wolverine. "You sure?" Logan could hardly hide his excitement and the smirk that formed on his lips.

"Go." The brunette hissed her eyes burning into the opponent. "That jerk doesn't want it any other way, sugah."

That was all that Wolverine needed to come to the surface and he walked with a grim expression towards the open door of the ring, Rogue never left his side and her family decided to stay close was saver than staying in the background all by themselves.

The opponent watched his challenger remove his cloths from his torso. "Don't think I will go easy on your old man!"

"Will ya finally shut your mouth? There only comes shit out!" Rogue hissed back and made the crowd laugh once more.

Logan loved the naughty side of his Marie. Smirking he handed his jacket, red flannel shirt, white wife beater and wallet to the young woman after taking a cigar and his lighter from the inner pocket of his worn jacket. "What's your name?"

Rogue smirked at the emcee. "He's the Wolverine." Pressing his clothes to her chest the brunette traded a last gaze with her Logan as he entered the cage, in both their eyes danced pleasure and anticipation.

"Have fun, sugah." Rogue shouted after Logan when the door was closed between them and the two rivals were announced. She heard Wolverine only grunt in respond and then she walked grinning into the first row of the audience. How she loved that moment before the fight; before everyone saw Wolverine step into action.

Though all the violence and the feral expression in his dark eyes and his harsh features that sent chills through even the toughest of men, Marie saw the man Logan beneath the hard shell of the animal Wolverine, who despite the burning desire to completely crush his opponent, held back – at least so much as to not kill his rival or inflict so serious wounds that his life would be at risk.

Her family stayed glued to her side. After a moment her father asked watching the emcee give his ok for the start of the fight. "Does he know the rules?"

"Yeah. There are almost none." Rogue saw her Logan eye his opponent and both men circled each other for a few moments.

"That's unfair. Ah mean his…" Josh whispered but was silenced by the first punch Logan took to the gut.

"Today it's fairer than ever. His healing still isn't up to normal." Rogue whispered to her family watching her mother cover her eyes when Logan broke the other man's nose, blood splattering on the floor.

A young man approached Rogue and came to a stop next to her, his eyes never leaving the fight. "That's Wolverine?! The cage fighter Wolverine?!"

"Ya heard of him?" Lifting an eyebrow Rogue turned her gaze slightly to the guy.

"Yup, they still tell in Phili he won 16 KOs in row!" The chatty man saw the eyes of the teenage boy and the elderly couple, who didn't fit into the ranks of the audience at all, widen in awe - or was it shock.

Rogue only smiled knowing her family was listening. The cat was already out of the bag, no need to play Logan's hobby down. "He had a bad day back then. Would have been more KOs if there were any challengers left."

"I really wanna fight him!"

"Experience?"

"Not really, but I was with the Marines."

"Could become interesting." Not really meaning it though, when Rogue checked the guy next to her out. He was build well and quite tall, but no match for her Wolverine.

Meanwhile Logan placed a punching combo to the man's chest and gut, knowing the fight was over when he heard ribs crack and the man spitted blood, before sinking to the ground. The emcee was still counting out as Logan lightened his cigar and took a deep drag sure that his opponent wouldn't wake up so soon.

"Ya still wanna fight? Ah can tell him to go easy on ya." Rogue smirked cutely at the guy next to her who was staring at the two men that pulled the unconscious jerk over the dirty floor out of the ring and to a few chairs in a far corner. The fight was over in far less than 60 seconds.

"You his girl?"

"Yep." She saw faint doubt in the man's eyes as he still observed the many open wounds on the loser.

Then he eyed Wolverine's harsh expression and the feral look in his eyes as he paced the small space of the cage. "Nah, I want an all out fight. Don't think I get this chance again."

"'K." Rogue watched Logan approach her side of the cage his face still grim, but she could tell he was enjoying his time. She smiled up to her Wolverine. "Sugah, this newbie wanna challenge ya! Said if he wins Ah have to kiss him! With tongue!" Abruptly Logan's eyes narrowed on the man next to his love and his expression became even darker than before.

"I didn't! Are you nuts?!" The former soldier hissed noting the murderous look in the other man's eyes.

Smiling sweetly the brunette whispered. "Ya wanted an all out fight. Now ya get one."

The man entered the cage and faced Rogue the moment the door was closed. "Hey, if I win I want the kiss, hon!"

"Believe me ya don't want. And ya won't win either." She faced Logan with a wink. "Ah'll order food, sugah." She caught from the corner of her eyes Logan's opponent's startled expression, when he heard she wouldn't even watch the fight.

Taking a last draw from his cigar before placing it down on the small sideboard Wolverine's dark gaze met hers. "Do that, darlin'! I'll take care of that punk!" In his gloomy features was a small smile hidden that only belonged to his Marie. He readied himself for the next fight, cracked his neck from side to side and walked to the center of the cage.

Lust rouse every time she watched her Logan fight. A primal urge. Desire. Her knees would grow week as he locked his heated gaze with her hazel eyes, him panting heavily while sweat glittered on his bare chest. 'You know, he smells you goin' all wet about him, runt?!'

This voice in her head snapped her out of her staring. 'Shut the fucking hell up, Victor!'

'Wonder why he didn't already tear those awfully thigh pants from you and didn't take you hard and-'

'Watch it, Victor!'

'Oh you still there, Jimmy? Haven't heard from you in a while.' Victor knew how to tease his little brother.

'Victor, will ya stop it?! Ah can't have ya two get into another screaming match at the moment!'

'Right, you have to ogle Jimmy and mentally strip him.'

'Victor!' Logan's voice and Rogue yelled back at the third presence.

'What? I just state the obvious! It isn't like Jimmy wouldn't want to fuck you!

'Kuso. Will you finally mind your own damn business and shut the fuckin' hell up?!' Logan growled back in a low and threatening tone, that would everyone else intimidate except his dear brother.

But Victor continued unimpressed and finally addressed his brother's presence directly on that topic. 'Why didn't you already claim her as yours?! That lovey-dovey crap of the two of you is terrible! It's damn obvious to everybody that you love her! Even that brain dead FBI agent got that! She IS practically already yours!'

Wolverine's growling had abruptly stopped by the word 'love' and after Victor's rant was over it became awfully silent in her head. Tentatively she called out for her love in her mind. 'Logan?' No reaction. 'What's wrong, Logan?'

'He's probably sulking 'cause I broke it to you!'

'Urusai! Baka no Aniki!'

Rogue thought it funny that she suddenly understood Logan telling his 'idiot brother' in Japanese to 'shut up'. 'Speaking with your brother in Japanese so Ah wouldn't understand isn't nice of ya at all Logan! By the way Ah understood every word!'

'Kuso!' (meaning 'shit')

'Would ya stop cursing and tell me what's up?!' She only heard him growl. 'Is Victor telling the truth?' The growling stopped again and silence followed.

'Course. Even I tell sometimes the truth, runt!'

Suddenly Rogue was ripped from her inner conversation by her brother's voice.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

"Wow, that was mean, Marie!" Josh remarked when he saw his sister snap out of her thoughts and a wide grin plastered her face – though she wasn't grinning about the poor former Marine as her family thought she was.

"Why did ya tell the man ya are Logan's girlfriend?" Her father inquired with a stern glare.

'Cause you are!' growled Victor in annoyance and made Rogue blush slightly.

'Would ya please shut up, Victor!' She told the voice in her head in a firm tone, hoping he would give her finally a break since she couldn't count on her inner Logan at the moment to take care of his brother. 'Ewww, my headache is returning…' "Logan said it's saver for me to tell Ah'm his girlfriend while he's fighting and Ah'm standing in the crowd." The family finally entered the adjoining room and took a seat at one of the tables. "The guys won't be so stupid to do any approaches when Logan knocks out one after one of guys that look much stronger." Rogue placed Logan's clothes over the back of the chair next to hers and eyed the piece of paper that was the menu card.

All color drained from Mrs. D'Ancanto's face. "So he takes ya more often into this kind of places, where he fights?" Her mother finally knew why she didn't like that apparently violent man. He indeed fitted into this kind of bars and he brought her little daughter in such terrible places.

"It's like he has a built-in radar for cage fights. Funny that it was ya to decide we take a stop here, Dad." She saw the waitress, a young woman about her age, approach and she told her Logan's and her orders and waited for her family to make up their mind.

After the waitress was gone her father had an angry scowl on his features. "That with the teacher was a lie after all."

"No. He has classes when he's at the mansion. Cage fights are only his hobby."

"And ya can watch this barbaric… sport?" Her mother was almost at a loss of words, remembering the violent fight with all that blood, she wasn't sure she could eat one bite.

"He's having his fun and Ah don't have to worry about him becoming seriously injured anyway." Rogue grinned. "Ah like seeing the shocked faces of his opponents and their women, when they finally get that they are beyond him."

Scowling her father narrowed his eyes on his daughter. "How did he break this hobby to ya, Marie?"

"Didn't have to. That's how we met." On the shocked and puzzled expressions of her family Rogue continued. "Ah hitched a ride and ended up in a place similar to this one and there Ah saw him fight. Ah felt he was different." A smile plastered her lips when she remembered the moment she laid first her eyes on him. "Ah then hid in his trailer, but he soon smelled me and chucked me out."

"On the street?" Her mother wasn't certain what to say on that.

"But his conscience kicked in and he gave me the ride."

"And then? He took ya with him?"

"Nah. We talked a while and Ah think Ah grew on him. But then we had an accident." She remembered that day as if it was yesterday. "Ironic, it was also Victor who attacked us back then."

Her mother's eyes widened. "That monster from the mall?!"

"Back then his orders were to get me alive, but Logan fought him and then help arrived and we ended up in the Institute – the school."

"Romantic!" Her brother remarked sarcastically.

"Ah know not the normal meeting in a pub thing, but we're both not average." Rogue shrugged and gave the waitress a thanking smile when she placed a cocktail in front of her and a bottle of beer to her left, where Logan's seat was.

"Hey, chica, do you see whom I see?" She placed her hand on her friends arm and motioned to a table near the door to the adjoining booze-and-fight-room as she called it.

The slim brunette almost gapped at the sight of the all too familiar skunk-stripes of the young woman, the Asian girl was pointing. "That can't be!"

"Mer, mind if Molly 'n I wait on your table?"

"Why?" Meredith frowned a moment and placed the ordered food down on the counter. "Both of you?"

"An old friend sits at that table. Wanna surprise her."

"I don't mind."

"Thanks, chica!" The black haired girl beamed at her while taking the plates from her hands and watched Molly do the same with the order on the counter. They approached the young woman from behind each a grin on their faces. "Bet the chicken nuggets with fries is for Stripes, isn't it, chica?"

"Ehh, yes?!" Startled Rogue snapped her head in the direction of the quite familiar voice that used her old nickname. Her eyes widened in joy and surprise at the sight of Jubilee standing smiling next to her and she jumped from her chair and almost launched herself at her best friend. "Jubes!" Behind the Asian was another known face. "Molly!" Rogue watched both girls place the plates on the table before Jubilee hugged her close. "Hey, Rogue! It's been an eternity!"

"Hi!" piped Molly from behind the firecracker.

'What the fuck are the kids doing here?!' But Rogue decided to ignore her inner Logan for once and was happy to see her friends again.

When they finally broke away Jubilee's hand nudged against Rogue's long gloves and carefully the younger girl grasped her friend's gloved hand with a sad expression. "Oh, Roguey. It's back?" A short nod was her answer. "I'm sorry."

"Since when?" the other girl was curious.

Rogue felt Jubilee squeeze her hand. "A few days. Ya heard of the mall massacre?"

The eyes of both girls widened and Jubilee whispered in disbelief. "You were there?!"

Molly gaped at the brunette for a moment. "They said in the news that mutants saved the people. Did you?"

On Rogue's affirmation the Asian girl's face showed even more surprise. "Wow. Then you can skip danger-room-classes!"

"Don't think so, Ah had a lot of help and luck." Rogue giggled, the faces of her friends were just too funny.

From the first moment Jubilee was curious about the other people at the table and was now raising an eyebrow at them. "So, chica, had expected to find you in the company of a certain grouchy and overprotective Mr. Sexy?! Seems I was wrong with that."

A frown crossed Rogue's face for a short moment, when she realized that Logan was still fighting and it was her family her friend was looking at. "Oh, these are mah parents and mah little brother Josh." The young woman smiled at her family while introducing. "Mah schoolmates Jubilee and Molly. Ya know from the school Ah told ya."

"Hi!" chorused the two girls and Rogue saw her brother smile at her friends, especially the barely dressed Molly.

Suddenly she faced her friends with a frown. "Why are ya here? Shouldn't ya be at the mansion?"

"We have vacation."

"Still that doesn't explain why ya are here working in this bar?!"

"We're earning a little extra cash, Rogue."

Rolling her eyes Marie already knew for what purpose Jubes would need the money: Shopping, shopping and even more shopping. "Don't they miss ya?"

The firecracker just smirked. "They think we are with Kitty. Visiting her family."

"Does Kitty know?"

"Not really." There was that evil smirk of the firecracker again and Rogue knew better than to get caught in one of her little schemes. So better don't dig any further.

Molly seemed to know this wasn't the best topic to speak about, especially with adults present and so she changed the topic. "Will you come back? It wasn't all peachy, but we really miss you, Rogue." She smiled at the other brunette with sympathy.

"Your bed in our room is still waiting for you to return. Storm said everything should be at its place when you would come home." Jubilee chirped in sincerely hoping her friend would return.

This revelation lifted a lump as heavy as a mountain from Rogue's heart. She contemplated a moment remembering the mansion, the people there, it felt like home. "Ah think Ah will eventually. But not so soon." But these words were enough to make her friends beam at her like stupid.

"That would be great, Roguey."

Rogue's father kind of liked the thought of his daughter returning to this mutant school – almost everything was better than his little Marie traveling through the country or more from bar to bar with this violent no-good Logan. But then again what did that talk active girl just say a moment before? "May Ah asked, who this Mr. Sexy is?"

'Uhu, let me guess: He's dark haired with a thing for beer, cigars and cage fights?'

'Shut it, Victor!'

The Asian waved her hand in front of her as if this was common knowledge. "Oh, just someone at our school Roguey had an eye on."

"That's not true, Jubes!" The brunette's cheeks flushed.

'Totally not, runt! Bet you're blushing right now!' She heard Victor's annoying sing-song voice ring in her head, hoping that ignoring the older feral would make him shut up, since her other options hadn't worked.

"You know, Logan is sick with worry about you." On Molly's words it hit her mother that Mr. Sexy was indeed Logan as she had dreaded it to be.

Jubilee's smile gave way to concern. "He was so pissed when he returned and you were gone. Almost thought he would gut Bobby for breaking your heart!"

"He didn't do anything to Bobby?" Rogue got a really bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew how protective Logan was when it came to her and it was no secret that he never liked Bobby and was only 'civil' to the boy because of her.

"Luckily, Iceman was at the stables and Wolvie just borrowed a car from the garage and hit the rode again." Jubilee's eyes held a sparkle while her fingers made speech marks at the word 'borrowed'. "He is looking for you, Rogue!"

The brunette sank down on her chair again shaking her head. "No, he isn't."

Both girls looked excited. "He is!"

"Nah, can't be." A grin creped onto the brunette's features. "He already found me." Her gin widened when she saw the faces of her friends.

"Where is he? Can hardly believe he would let you go again." Jubilee's eyes were wide as she swept her gaze through the room quickly in search of the grumpy hairy mutant.

"He's having a little fun!" Rogue's eyes wandered to the adjoining room where loud cheering from men could be heard and both girls rushed to the near door peaking into the room.

Jubilee shouted thrilled. "I always wanted to see Wolvie fight!"

Molly squealed high pitched and faced Rogue for a moment. "He fights with bare chest!"

Rogue watched her two friends with a cocked eyebrow and smiled about their girly behavior. "He always does."

"He is hot!" Not that Jubilee had another opinion before; it was just a confirmation for herself and everybody else in the room.

"Yeah." Molly's expression was completely dreamy now.

Rogue shook her head chuckling. "And a new member for the fanclub."

When the two girls returned to their table Mr. D'Ancanto saw his chance to get some real answers no lies or half truths as he assumed he got from his daughter. "So ya two know Logan?"

Without further thinking Jubilee chirped her answer. "Sure, when he's at the mansion Wolvie is our PE teacher." The black haired girl frowned. "Why shouldn't we know him?"

"They don't believe me that Logan is a teacher."

Molly's thoughts were obviously still in the other room with her hot teacher. "It's too bad Mr. Logan wasn't teaching the past year. I really hope you two will return."

"Hehe, that's the reason ya want me to come back, so Logan would stick around as well." Rogue smirked and took a sip of her cocktail in amusement.

"Nah, we really miss you, chica. But you were his only reason to return to the mansion."

"That's why?" Mr. D'Ancanto asked aware that the Asian girl was speaking before thinking and so something interesting could slip.

The firecracker shrugged with her shoulders and made again a face that told them this was common knowledge. "Rogue's kinda his only family."

"At first we thought the two of you were siblings or father and daughter." The younger mutant piped and earned a quite puzzled glare from Marie.

"Why that?!"

Again Jubilee only shrugged. "Everyone jumped to that conclusion after the first night you sneaked into Wolvie's room and you'd touched him."

Molly continued a little excited about the fact that Rogue hadn't gotten wind of that piece of gossip back in her first few days at the mansion. "And when he woke up he wasn't angry but worried 'bout you." Her face went all dreamy again. "Hard to believe you two met only a few hours before you came to our place."

Mrs. D'Ancanto almost choked on her fizzy water. "Ya went into his room in the middle of the night?! The room of a complete stranger?!"

Rogue glared daggers at the other brunette, who now looked sheepish back at her. "Ah wanted to talk to him. We both hadn't had a chance to have a real conversation since we suddenly found ourselves in that school. Ah wanted to hear his opinion."

An uncomfortable silence dreaded to befall the group, but Jubilee was too curious to stay quiet. After all she was Rogue's best friend and knew that the former crush on the feral man had grown into love. "And?"

"And what?"

"You know. You and Wolvie all alone. You cured."

Rogue wondered if Jubilee was her friend after all… Did the chick in all her excitement forget that her parents were sitting at the table listening – they weren't in their room at Xavier's having a girl talk. "We're just friends, Jubes!" Rogue blushed slightly, remembering that everybody knew about her crush on Logan. "Ah think Ah'm still a little girl in his eyes." She saw the doubtful views of her friends. "Maybe not so little anymore he stopped calling me kid at least." She had a hard time ignoring Logan's voice in her mind that told her otherwise – that he saw her as his woman, not his little girl. So he had finally made up his mind in her mind. The blush intensified ten-fold.

"Hard to believe that he didn't try anything with you sticking around 24/7!" Molly chirped and just spoke what Mrs. D'Ancanto'd thought from the first moment she had seen that man.

"He may be the big bad guy, but he has his principles and as soon as he notices ya two, ya'll know what Ah mean."

The girls frowned.

Rogue smiled knowingly. "Ya should ask to pay as fast as ya can."

"Ooookaaaay… See you later, Rogue." Still frowning the girls traded a short view, before walking away and back to their work.

Rogue rubbed her temples, her inner Logan was already furious with the stupidity of the two girls. She had a hard time to not snap at her friends from the first sight she got on the hardly dressed Molly and the after alcohol smelling Jubes. 'Did the kid fell in a barrel with vodka?' The inner Logan was now screaming at her to tell her friends to get properly dressed and back home. To her surprise her inner Victor used his chance to anger his brother even more with comments about to stop to be such a moralizer and that those two would already be married and have kids if they would still live in the 19th century, causing the inner Logan to re-center his anger on Victor. Now both feral brothers were fighting – at least verbally – with each other in her head. She wasn't sure if she liked it better to have those two screaming at each other or one of them to scream at her. In the end it didn't really matter: her head felt like exploding.

Rogue got the urge to hit her forehead against the brick wall next to her but thought better of it. Then her eyes fell upon Logan's beer she'd ordered and lifted the bottle without a further thought.

"Is everything alright?" Her father asked noting his daughter's expression and her emptying the half bottle of beer in a few gulps.

The brunette swallowed the last sip of cool malt down and placed the bottle on the table. "Just a headache."

"Why does everybody calls ya Rogue?" Josh wondered this since his sister had told Dr. Wilson her name was Rogue.

"Ah decided it to be mah name after Ah left. Logan is the only one Ah ever told mah real name."

Rogue suddenly leaped up and her mother wondered what the matter was. "Where are ya going, honey?"

"Damage control." The brunette stated before walking away. "Ah'll be back in a minute or two."

Logan stepped out of the cage, Marie was nowhere in sight. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, savoring the sweet smell of his Marie, laced undeniably with her arousal. The Wolverine reacted instantly, almost grateful for her absence while he regained control, she couldn't possibly know the effect her scent alone had on him.

The past few months it had been nearly impossible for him to not notice her body's reaction to him, especially when he was in the cage. The man tried to reason with the animal, who wanted nothing more than to claim her as his own, telling the Wolverine it was just her body reacting and nothing else. Marie was his reason for breathing; and she only loved him as a friend, for the man in him this was better than nothing, to ask for anything more would endanger the bond they shared, something he wasn't willing to do. But he couldn't argue with the fact that everyone around him seemed to think her affection wasn't only platonic anymore, hell even her old man thought so.

As he walked up to the table he saw Rogue turn her head in his direction, a warm smile on her lips greeting him. "Already done?"

With a light growl Logan lifted his clothes up and put them onto his still sweaty torso. "Ain't nobody left to fight, darlin'." His face was gruff as he handed over the small roll of bills to her and sank into his chair.

The brunette retrieved his wallet from her jeans and stuffed the money in before giving the tattered leather fold back to the Canadian. "Ya look happy, sugah" To everyone else he must look grumpy, but Rogue saw the small changes in his features, the signs of a contented Wolverine.

"Was fun. Too bad it's too early for the good fighters." He smirked, noticing the faces of Marie's family as she sipped on her drink. "I see you played the Wolverine-is-my-boyfriend-and-you-don't-wanna-mess-with-him-card again, darlin'." Logan lifted his dark eyebrow and observed her father's reactions from the corner of his eyes. "It's a little early for booze, don't you think?"

"Ya had your fun, don't ya go and ruin mine," she teased. "Ya know very well Ah can chug-a-lug a bottle whiskey without getting drunk."

"Yeah, well we won't be testing out that theory, darlin'."

The brunette grinned at him, knowing she'd get as many as she wanted from her Wolverine. "Never intended more." She answered innocently.

He finally lifted up the bottle of Beck's and sniffed at it – like usual, but this time he furrowed his forehead and eyed the half empty beer bottle, smelling Marie's sweet scent on the glass. "Thought you don't like beer, darlin'?"

"Usually not, but Ah got that urge when Ah saw the bottle," she shrugged, "Surprisingly, it's not as bad as Ah thought." Rogue smiled cutely knowing she was the only one coming away with drinking from Wolverine's beer.

Growling he shook his head. "Must be the part of me inside your head."

"Yup, sugah."

"Hope that will also fade with time."

"Fearing for your booze?" Rogue chuckled and playfully smacked his arm. "Would be willing to share mah cocktail with ya, sugah."

Logan's brow moved upwards when his eyes inspected the pink liquid in front of the brunette and he inhaled a sweet fruity scent. "Strawberry?!"

"Yep, ya and Victor don't mind and at the moment Ah like the taste."

This seemed to be the last straw and Mr. D'Ancanto finally gathered up enough courage and anger to voice his concern. "Ya'll allow her to drink alcohol?"

Shrugging Logan only smirked at the other man. "Ain't her father, just her friend." The sudden pang of hurt in the human's eyes was hard to miss. "She would do it anyway," he shrugged, "better she gets wrecked with me around than endin' up in the back of an alley or even worse."

Rogue saw this coming a mile away. Logan was the adult and should parent the little girl that was her. She wasn't a fan of the idea of being Logan's responsibility, but her family's impression of her secret love shouldn't become any worse. So she played along. "In bars Ah'm not allowed to leave his field of vision."

"I never said that, darlin'."

"But that's our silent agreement, sugah." Marie added frustrated Logan didn't seem to be getting the point. Why would he argue against her attempts to show her parents that he was taking good care of her?

"True." Logan agreed finally seeing what Marie was getting at.

"And no more than two," She narrowed her chocolate eyes. "Though Ah could put away more."

Rogue was a mature young woman, who could make her own decisions; Logan knew this and was proud on her level of maturity. Her parents needed to understand this. "That's your own limitation, Marie." Logan chuckled, "The only time you had three drinks you ended up pukin' half the night."

"Ah blame that on the spoiled meat on the pizza, it didn't bother ya of course." She shot back, slightly annoyed by his amusement. Did he indeed think she was a little girl that needed his guidance? Why was her inner Logan telling her the opposite? "And it isn't true; Ah tasted mah way through the half cocktail menu on mah 19th birthday." Her eyes were glued to Logan's face. "Had 14 different drinks."

"I counted 16. But you were already so crocked, that you don't remember the last two. The same goes for you're growling and bitching, 'cause I forbade you more alcohol that night." A smile tucked on his lips, "I think it was a bit of your inner me that answered back after that."

She inwardly groaned. He'd always taken good care of her and back then was no exception. "Yip, he wanted to protect me from the others in mah head," she explained to her parents and brother, "he was worried me being so drunk would give one of them a chance to take over."

Both her parents were gapping at the young woman in horror. Her mother was first to regain the ability to speak. "God, Marie, 16 cocktails and ya had a mind lapse."

The Wolverine found the shocked expressions on the D'Ancantos' faces highly amusing and so he decided to continue, "When I told the waitress it was enough, Marie decided to go to the bar and fetch her drink herself," he smirked, "too bad your legs didn't move the way you wanted, darlin'." Logan chuckled looking at Rogue, who was laughing herself at the memory. "And that you fell unconscious before you'd even left our table."

Maybe it was the way his piercing hazel eyes dug into her or the hidden chuckle in his tone when he spoke, but Rogue couldn't get a hold of herself and continued to laugh hard as small tears found their way to her eyes.

Without a second thought Logan ran his fingers through her white and auburn hair, tugging the soft strains back behind her ear, so he had a better view of her happy face. "Told you, the day would come you would laugh about it."

"Ya went out with your teacher on your birthday?" The emphasis was on 'teacher', but Mr. D'Ancanto was interrupted by his son.

"Weren't ya in trouble, Marie? Or is drinking allowed at that school?"

"H- hardly." Rogue somehow managed to calm down and she recalled the following morning, still giggling like mad. "Ms. Munroe was so pissed when Jubes and Kitty came to her that morning to inform her about mah absence and that mah bed was still untouched."

Logan finally gave in and continued the tale while a few chuckles escaped his lips. "Didn't help when they finally thought to ask me if I knew where you were, they found you with a giant hangover half asleep in my bed." The D'Ancantos' faces were priceless.

"Ah just remember a lot of screaming and a truck load of headache!" Rogue groaned.

"We didn't really yell, darlin'." How he loved to see his Marie laugh, to see this real joy that reached her sparkling eyes and her wounded soul, forgetting her depressing thoughts for a few minutes of peace. "'K, 'Ro was shoutin' that you were my responsibility and my behavior couldn't have been any more irresponsible than it already was." Shrugging he sipped on his cool beer.

"She was so angry on ya. And your answer made it even worse." Rogue couldn't stop laughing even when she could only remember parts of the conversation.

"What did ya say?" Josh inquired with a grin.

The Canadian only snickered. "The truth: I asked Marie what she wanted to do for her birthday and she said she wanted to get really boozed up for the first time."

The brunette was almost falling from her chair now. "B-but that wasn't what put her on edge."

"I told 'Ro that I took very good care of Marie and that I could have acted much more irresponsible." His face was completely serious now, but this made it even harder for Rogue to regain her composure.

"Your list was hilarious, Logan!" She leaned her head against his shoulder and snuggled even closer when she felt his strong arm wrap around her shoulders.

Logan suppressed the content grin that was tugging on his lips caused by their comfortable closeness and he noticed the expectant gaze of the boy across the table. "I could have taken her on the bike to the bar instead of the car. The way back would have been impossible."

Rogue was laughing even harder. "Ya still owe me that ride on Scott's bike. Promised me for the following day."

"I would have kept my promise if you would have been in the condition to enjoy the ride." Gently he stroked a white strain from her beautiful features, resisting the urge to plant a kiss on those red lips of hers.

"Ya wanna ride on a motorcycle, Marie?!" Her mother was shocked about this revelation.

"Yep, Ah already have." Rogue saw a new negative entry appear on her parent's imaginary list about Logan.

"Back to my reasons: I could have left her alone there when she didn't want to go home yet. With all the guys that had their eyes on her – deathly skin or not, a lot coulda happened, didn't know yet if drinkin' effected her power any." That thought indeed scared him. The Wolverine in him was purring in joy that nobody could touch his Marie again, though the downside was that nobody also included him and that she was so depressed about her inability to touch – this made the Wolverine whine in anguish.

"Not that they would have dared to even speak with me after ya threw them your Just-think-about-it-and-I-will-kill-ya-glares all evenin'." Rogue locked her gaze with his, joy sparkling in her brown orbs.

"Could have let her drink all cocktails from N to Z though she was already sloshed, but was still insistin' on the rest." Her parents' features became paler with every word. "I could have placed her unconscious body into her bed at home, coulda happened that she choked durin' night." Logan looked over to his Marie, who was holding her middle laughing. "Hey, I'm serious here, kid."

Rogue's laughter died to a chuckle when she heard her old nickname and she patted Logan's chest with her gloved hand. "Ah know, sugah, but Ah knew ya would take good care of me. That's why Ah asked ya in the first place and no one else."

"And 'cause I wouldn't say no to you." A smirk plastered his face. Marie's unconditional trust never ceased to amaze him, the question of why this innocent and pure girl would trust him so inexplicably was one he had never been able to answer.

Josh was also laughing, unlike his parents his impression of the other mutant got better with every passing minute. "But weren't ya in trouble?!"

The brunette shrugged with a smile. "Ah got stable duty for a week, but it was worth it!"

"It wasn't like we snuck out in secret. I even left a note." Logan stated innocently, causing a renewed fit of laughter.

"A- Ah al- always wondered what that paper said Ms. Munroe had with her and was so furious about."

Logan grinned down evilly at his beloved Marie. "It was a note. Saying pretty much that I was really sorry that Rogue would not be able to attend classes the following day, since she'd thrown up all night and had a helluva headache now."

"Why the following day?!" The boy giggled, that school must be so much fun! Especially with Logan around!

"I wrote the note shortly before we left for the bar and placed it on Ro's desk."

"Ya're so mean, sugah. No wonder Ms. Munroe gave ya the death glare for the next week." Rogue was laughing again and slid her head from his shoulder to his chest, leaning completely against his warm body.

"I always expected to be struck by a lightening." Unconsciously Logan's hand wandered down to the brunette's waist and his fingers slipped under the hem of her shirt rubbing small circles onto the thin layer of fabric that separated him and her deathly skin.

Some minutes past by till Rogue got a hold of herself. "God, Ah felt like shit that morning." Suddenly acutely aware of where Logan's hand was, she was glad her cheeks were already red from laughing, so her blush wouldn't be noticed.

'Since when does he hold me by the waist? Not to mention stroking me like this in public?' Snuggling together on the couch while watching hockey, then it would be normal he would stroke her arms and rub her back. But the waist?! That was a new spot and what surprised her the most was that his fingers had wandered under her top layers of clothing. His hands always stayed on top of her clothes even when she was cured or he fell asleep next to her after a nightmare. Sure, his hands rested on some intimate spots on her body while he was in dreamland, but even then he was all gentlemen and never touched her bare skin or tried to sneak his way under her layers of clothes.

'You complainin', runt?'

'Of course not!' She mentally snapped back. 'Shut up Victor, will ya?!'

"You swore to never ever drink a drop of alcohol again." Logan joked, unaware of her inner conversation.

'Don't think about his touches! Mom and Dad are watching!' Boy, she must be blushing now. 'What did Logan just say?'

'You - no - alcohol - ever – again…'

'Oh, yeah, thanks, Victor. And now shut up!' At least she wasn't laughing any more and noticed the scowls of her parents. "That was exaggerated, but honestly Ah will never again lose control. Not that Ah really wanted to back then, just wanted to have some fun and find out what bein' drunk was all about."

"So ya ask Logan to get ya drunk?!" The vein on her father's forehead was pulsing dangerously.

"Ah trust Logan. If Ah had done that with one of the girls Ah would have ended up with at least one tattoo." She joked trying to ease the tension.

"Or alcoholic poisoning." Logan sighed remembering a certain friend of his Marie's that had come close to getting her stomach pumped on more than one occasion.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Jubilee had watched her friend snuggle as close to Logan as their touching chairs would allow while she laughed her head off. If she got any closer the brunette would be sitting on his lap, she thought with a snort. Wolvie seemed to be having a pretty good time himself, she'd never heard the man string together more than a few words with a grunt thrown in unless he was givin' orders.

Popping her strawberry bubblegum the Asian fetched a fresh bottle of beer and headed towards her friends. Her curiosity was killing her – what the hell was so damn funny that even Logan had the faintest of smiles on his lips?

She was still a few feet away when she saw Logan's nostrils draw in the smoky air surrounding him. Abruptly his hand left Rogue's waist and his head snapped up, his gaze landing directly where she stood, the smile already replaced by a cold stare. Irritated the black haired girl crossed the small distance, a sly grin on her face as she placed the bottle on the table. "Thought Wolvie needed a fresh supply."

Only a heartbeat past by, in which Logan took in the girl and her familiar strawberry gum scent mixed with vodka, Rogue had long before broken away from his chest and was now nibbling on her food her face serious. Snarling the Canadian jumped to his feet, his dark glare never left the girl before him when he saw the stupid grin flee from her features and panic rise in her eyes. "Jesus, what the fuck are you doing here, kid?!"

His harsh gaze made her squirm and those three lines that found their place between his eyes confirmed the girl's opinion that approaching her former teacher had been one of her most stupid ideas ever.

Logan didn't wait for an answer, neither did he for his next question. "Anyone else here I should know of?" He sniffed the air catching a not so unfamiliar scent. Turning in its direction he spotted a very lightly dressed Molly flirting with a guy his age – well the age he looked anyway. Wolverine didn't believe his eyes; that bastard had his dirty hand on her ass and tried to steal a kiss from her for a higher tip.

His heavy boots clacked loudly on the floor as he stormed over and gripped the girl's wrist firmly, yanking her rudely away from her customer. "Hands off, pervert! She's only 16!"

Startled Molly tried to break away from Wolverine's hold on her, still not aware of her teacher's fury when she dared to snap at him. "Hey, 17! My birthday was last week!"

"Congrats, kid! Now get lost!" His blazing eyes narrowed on her and she gulped before scurrying away, wisely deciding to keep her mouth shut.

"Sonofabitch!" The trucker's eyes wandered from the girl's butt to the stranger, who was stepping closer to him. "Are ya her father or what?!"

"You can be happy, I'm only her teacher!" The mutant didn't give the other man the opportunity to stand up as he invaded his personal space, bending slightly down – face to face.

"What history?!" The guy snickered, not seeing Logan's Adamantium fist coming his way.

"Close quarters combat!" Breaking the guy's nose wasn't enough to satisfy the Wolverine so he took a mass of the man's greasily hair and pulled his head back a little before slamming it full force onto the tabletop.

The bartender held his cell phone in the one hand and his rifle in the other watching in horror as one of his customers passed out in a bloody heap on the table. "Stop it, pal, or I'll call the cops!"

With a deep and threatening growl Logan's intimidating eyes met the bartender's as he approached Molly, whose nails was digging into the old wood of the counter. "This kid here is underage and the one that reeks like a bottle vodka over there is only 18!" His thumb pointed on a slightly shaken Jubilee, before he enclosed Molly's wrist with his large hand once again. "You can be happy that I won't call the cops, bub!" Logan shot one of his darkest glares towards the bartender and the five remaining customers, who immediately hurried to the next room with the cage in it giving Logan his space.

Pulling a traumatized brunette behind him to his table he pushed her down onto his former chair next to the standing firecracker. "What the hell are you two doing here?!"

Jubilee saw Logan take a few deep breaths and decided answering his questions might be a good way to further calm the animal. "Working. The drunken guys give good tips. You earn more in an hour with tips than with serving drinks."

"Whose glorious idea was this?" The two girls held their tongue and Rogue begun to chew on the straw sheepishly. "Rogue!" He faced his Marie. "Fuck! You're a senior! You should know better than to give the younger kids stupid ideas!"

"That was more than two years ago, Logan!" His eyes bore into her and she gulped hard looking as guilty as she could. "It was only talking."

"Don't say you didn't mean it!" His face held the usual grim expression, but Rogue knew her Wolverine too good to not notice the new rage that was building up in his body.

"We already had this discussion, Logan! And ya made your point clear!" She heard a deep growl coming from his throat, which translated into submit. He was so pissed at her. 'Damn, Ah know he's just worried 'bout me.' Her chocolate eyes never wavered when she stared into his blazing eyes. "Believe me after the show ya pulled back then and today Ah will never ever even think about working in a bar again!"

"Then it's fine!" It was barely a hiss.

Her father's heart was still running a marathon. God, that mutant had changed from a laughing and calm man to the bloodthirsty animal in less than a split second. "Ya also worked in such a … place, Marie?" His startled gaze centered on his daughter.

"Ooh, it slipped! Too bad, darlin'." Logan's face told her otherwise. He was now in full protection mode, too bad he had to protect the girls from themselves. "The one Marie worked didn't have a cage but if possible its customers were worse than the dirt bags in here, and that was after she took the cure!"

Rogue narrowed her eyes on her friend. "Sometimes Ah could strangle ya, Logan!" At least his vocabulary seemed to have vanished from her mind.

Her mother was about to cry over this new information. "Marie, what were ya thinkin' sweetheart? Ah don't wanna imagine if such a drunken man would have… god…"

Logan continued as the two younger girls squirmed under his piercing glare. "… taken advantage of you, to say it nice."

Jubilee was glaring back at her mentor. "We can protect ourselves!"

"Yeah, great! If you could do anything when such a son of a bitch had you sloshed and willingly, or even unconscious!"

"We can do with our bodies what we want!" Now an angry spark flickered up in Jubilee's eyes.

"You're still kids, damnit!" He ran his fingers through his dark hair. "God, I don't even wanna know what you've already done."

"Funny, he wanted to know, if Ah had…" Rogue murmured annoyed and sipped at her cocktail.

The firecracker held his gaze - she was just as hard-headed as Logan - and growled at him. Except Marie, she was the only one that dared to growl at the Wolverine.

"What the fuck! You were the one that took Roguey, Kitty and me to the bars in town and let us drink – real hard stuff by the way - and let us hunt for men and flirt, never bothered you before! And now you play the you're-all-innocent-little-girls-card, Logan?! You know I'm no virgin since argh… since god knows when! And if I remember correctly you were the one to secretly slip condoms into my pocket!"

Logan stepped closer to the rebellious teen, his chin tightening before he spoke. "Rogue and Kitty are too mature or at least not stupid enough to get themselves screwed by the first jerk they come across! You on the other hand-"

She interrupted him wide eyed. "What?! Are you calling me a slut now?!"

He would never call one of his girls that, even if it was true. Inhaling the smoky air around him he tried to calm his nerves. His eyes were still burning into the Asian, but now they had somehow softened, though Rogue was the only one to notice the change. "I don't want you to throw your life away, Jubes! The reason I gave you condoms was that I knew nothing I said could stop you, wasn't supportin' you, just doin' damage control! You might have heard of AIDS or other diseases?! Or the possibility of getting pregnant?!" He saw in her eyes that his reasoning seemed to finally take fruit and she was contemplating his words; for once not arguing back.

Logan ranted and raved about the stupidity of the girls, his voice now lowering. "Do you even know how stupid it would be to use your powers!? The situation is messed up enough without two dull brats showin' off their little tricks!"

Through the whole speech Molly's eyes were cast down on her lap. "Sorry, Mr. Logan."

Her apology earned her the Wolverine's full attention, getting Jubilee off the hook. "Get that paint off your face! You look like a slut, kid!" Tears sprang to her eyes and she looked up her bottom lip quivering. "That won't work, kid!"

When he was about to leave for the car, Rogue held the X-Men cell phone up to him, which she had fetched earlier from their car. Their gazes met and Wolverine calmed a little, realizing that his Marie knew her friends had screwed up and she was on his side. He grasped the device and smirked down on her. "You know me too well, darlin'."

Jubilee's eyes widened in new fear as she watched the phone slide apart and Logan push a button to activate it. "I always thought you're cool, Wolvie!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, kid, you can bitch about how uncool Wolvie is back at the mansion." The Canadian finally heard the free sign on Storm's line and began to pace the space before the three mutant girls.

Molly was really scared now. "Can't we keep that for us? We'll take the next bus home."

"Too late, kid." Logan hissed just in time to hear the weather witch's calm voice.

"Hi, it's me." There was a small pause. "Yeah, I know, I know…" He rolled his eyes about Storm's lecture he should call in more often (or better: at all). "Yeah, I found her." His eyes fell onto his Marie. "Yeah, she is safe and sound… No, you can't speak with her 'cause I'm callin' concernin' some of your other students." Now an evil smirk crossed his face. "Do you know where all of the kids are, especially the permanent residents?"

"You sure, 'Ro?" Snickering Logan stopped in his tracks and eyed the two runaways. "Funny thing, here is a walkin' bottle of vodka and a little Lolita standing in front of me that look just like Jubilation Lee and Molly."

Holding the small phone away from his sensitive ears Logan gave the woman a moment to scream her shock out before reattaching the device to his ear. "Don't freak out, Storm. The kids seem fine…. No, Jubilee only stinks like booze, she looks sober. …Ya damnit, she is sober, I know how she is when she's drunk."

He drew in the smoky air of the bar, looking for another familiar scent, in response to Storm's next question. "No, Kitty's not here, but you should call her parents to be on the safe side." He thought a moment. "Just call all the parents of the kids that should be at home." With satisfaction he noted the troubled features of the two girls – their schoolmates will thank them for those calls. "You have my position?"

"Fine. Half an hour then."

Disconnecting the line Logan faced Molly signaling her with a whistle to get off his chair immediately while Jubilee only shook her head in utter disbelieve. "I can't believe this is really happening!"

Unimpressed by Logan's behavior Rogue plopped a fry into her mouth. "Ah told ya he is strict when it comes to his principles." Her inner Logan was clapping his hands in victory while Victor was addressing Jimmy now with 'uncool Wolvie', trying to tempt him into another screaming match, but to his distress Logan ignored the bait as did Rogue.

Shoving the communication device into the back pocket of his jeans Logan eyed the two young mutants with his grim expression. "You have 20 minutes! Get changed and fetch your stuff!" He saw Molly jump and could smell the fear in her scent when he growled his orders. Then his glare dug into the firecracker, who finally overcame her shock and was now chewing on her gum. "Don't think about running. I'll track you down 'fore you hit the pavement!"

With a last snarl he shooed the girls away and sunk down onto his stool finally taking in the baffled faces of the D'Ancantos – he had just turned their world upside down – one moment the irresponsible jerk, the next the violent sap and then again the worried and responsible parent/teacher/adult.

Only his Marie nibbled on her food as if those personality changes had never happened.

Shaking the remains of his anger out of his head Logan took a last glance towards the door the girls had used to flee from him. "What in the hell is wrong with her?!" Raising a dark brow he knew there was no need to specify about whom he was talking. "How did you end up being friends with her again, darlin'?"

"Think they hoped Kitty and me would have a good influence on her when they stick us together as roomies," Rogue shrugged.

Eventually the Canadian took a big bite from his burger. "Was more the other way around… Never crossed their minds that she might have a bad influence on the two of you?! Huh?!"

"Maybe they knew ya would also babysit Jubes when Ah became friends with her. At least she listens to ya, sugah." There was that sweet smile again on her lips.

"Yup, but I know my speech doesn't have the same effect on her it had on you, Marie. Tomorrow it'll be like she never heard it." He shook his head in defeat and a sigh escaped his lips. "She's the devil with an angel's face."

"She's just as bad ass as ya are, Logan. That's the reason ya can handle her quite well."

"A chatty hyper bad ass, I say. How can you stand her hyperactive behavior all the time, darlin'? Not to mention her attitude when she's drunk. Can take her only in small doses a day."

Chuckling Rogue emptied her cocktail. "Ah shared a room with her for years."

"Wonder that you didn't go nuts with her ranting, jumping and squealing all day."

"Ah'm used to have different voices in my head that try to drive me crazy. Ignoring one more voice that is actually outside mah head isn't that hard."

Now his eyebrow was cocked again in interest. "So you just tune her out?!"

"From time to time." The brunette's features were almost sheepish when she whispered those words.

"So ya're also mutants?" Josh smiled at the two older girls, who sat next to him and his sister on the wooden bench. "What can ya do?"

Jubilee smirked at the boy and opened her palm. Blue flashes immediately skipped from one finger to the others and Josh grinned as he carefully placed his hand next to hers and suddenly the spark jumped from her finger to his resuming its dance. The Asian girl gapped at him. "You have the same ability as I!"

"Would you stop to show off your powers, before anyone'll notice?!" Wolverine hissed at the children and swiftly took in the surroundings. Good thing they were so far away from the bar entrance and there were so many trucks in the parking lot hiding them from curious views. He watched the two young mutants giggle at each other when Josh let the spark vanish in his palm. "Uhu great, Firecracker and Pikachu have found each other!" Logan's eyes went from one teen to the other and back, noting Jubilee's beloved yellow clothing. "Isn't that brute yellow?!" He didn't even wait for confirmation and Jubilee's eyes widened when she got his train of thought. "Think switchin' your nicknames is indicated. Jubes you're Pikachu from now on."

The girl jumped to her feet protesting. "C'mon, Wolvie! That's unfair! I was always the Firecracker! I can also live with 'mall rat'! But not Pikachu!" She saw Rogue, Molly and Josh laughing hard about her outburst.

"You're rather called rat than mouse?" Logan's eyebrow hitched.

Smirking the black haired crossed her arms before her chest staring back at the mutant. "I trade Wolvie for Pikachu."

Taking a draw from his cigar – how he needed nicotine to calm his nerves to handle Jubilee – the mutant smirked unimpressed. "Nah, you couldn't stop callin' me that if your life depends on it."

"I'll never play a prank on you again, LOGAN!"

"Who said I'd return to the mansion?"

Now it was Jubilee's turn to grin in victory. "Roguey said she'll come home eventually. It's an open secret that you'll return when Rogue's waiting for you."

His brow hitched Logan faced his Marie completely surprised of her sudden change of heart. "Mar- Rogue?"

"Ah had a little time to think about things…" Their eyes locked and the brunette's lips held a shy smile.

"Good to hear, darlin'." He knew that sooner or later he'd have had to break this issue to her. Despite all the despair and hurt that school had brought to him in the last years, he knew deep down that it had been the right decision to leave his little Rogue there to grow up under their kind without the need to hide what she was. Though he didn't agree with all their ideals or methods, it was the best place out there for young mutants to get a chance for a normal life.

His time teaching at the mansion had provided his sad and meaningless existence a purpose to use his Wolverine for the good cause – for once – and somehow some of the geeks had even grown on him. Nonetheless he could still live a good life without retuning there as long as a certain Southern Belle was with him, but for said young woman it was the best to lead a steady life that their road trips couldn't provide in the long run. Not to mention that one day she would regret not having finished school when she has to work hard in a lowly paid job due to her lack of education. She meant the world to him and she deserved so much more and if it meant he'd have to stay in that school and teach hormone driven teenagers, then he wouldn't argue.

Logan's grim gaze traveled over to Jubilee when he finally stated. "'K, Pikachu for no more pranks on me AND Ma- eer Rogue."

The girl was jumping up and down now. "Yay!!!"

Shaking his head about Jubilee's antics Logan resumed smoking his treasured cigar. "How did you end up here, anyway? There is no mall for the next 50 miles?", he remarked after a moment watching the raven haired girl sink down between Josh and his sister.

Rogue continued also curious, she knew her friend too well. "And that motel over there doesn't look like your standards, Jubes."

"Well, we opened a map on the floor and threw a pencil on it. Happened to mark a spot near the highway. When we googled the location we came upon this bar."

"You aren't serious, kid, are you?" Her expression told him this was how the girls had come upon this place. Grunting in annoyance Logan walked further away from the group; this had been a little too much Jubilee for his liking.

"How are things at home?" Rogue finally asked, though she wanted to know something else.

Her parents traded a view at the word 'home' their daughter used. There was no doubt that she referred to that mutant school as her home.

"As always, I think. Only that Pete, Kitty and Bobby are no longer students but started to teach classes under Ms. Monroe's guidance."

"Really?!"

Molly bent forward, so her gaze fell upon the other brunette throwing her two cents in. "Pete and Kitty are now officially a couple."

"Ya mean Bobby and Kitty?!" Rogue corrected startled, after all that jerk had left her for her friend.

"Bobby? No Colossus and Shadowcat." The younger mutant frowned in confusion. "Why do you think Kitty wanted Bobby?"

Rogue fiddled about her bracelet nervously. "Thought they had a thing going on, back when he… broke up." She whispered the last words and she could see Logan's muscles tense under his shirt and jacket.

"Iceman wanted something from Kitty, but after you had left and his intentions became obvious, Kitty told him in front of half the school that he was a stupid bastard to treat you like that. And that she would look down on him that he put her into the position of cheating on a good friend – she meant you, Rogue – without even knowing any of it. 'fore storming into her room she hit him hard in the face. Almost broke his nose." Jubilee was laughing at the memory. "Pete and she were already secretly dating at that time."

"Kitty and Bobby had never something going on?" Rogue had done Kitty a great wrong. She had hated the other girl all those past months.

Jubilee snickered with an evil glint in her eyes. "He might have imagined something but for Kitty he was just a friend and she was already involved with Pete."

Logan had listened to the whole conversation and approached the group curiously. "Colossus and Kitty?!" He moved his hand from over his head at speaking Pete's name to down in front of his chest. "The giant and the kitten?!" He was almost speechless. "Didn't see that coming."

"No one has." Molly nodded in understanding.

Logan grinned with satisfaction. "And Icicle got punched."

"Not only that." Jubilee locked eyes with Rogue. "After that incident, in the evening, that jackass had the guts to ask Steph during dinner, if she wanted to go with him to the lake the next day." A satisfied smile appeared on her features. "Steph yelled into his face in front of the whole student and teacher body that she would never date such a disloyal jerk like him."

Logan was grinning like stupid. "You didn't tape that by chance?!"

"Sadly, no." Molly laughed. "Bobby had higher chances of getting a kiss when he was together with you, Rogue, than now. Every girl shuns him." The teenager was rolling on her back laughing out loud and fell almost from the wooden bench she laid on top.

Jubilee smiled smug when she placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "You deserve better than that jerk, Roguey."

"My words, darlin'."

The brunette rolled her hazel eyes on her friend. "Ya wanna hear now ya were right to begin with, sugah?!"

"Your allowance to gut him a little would be enough, darlin'."

Wide eyed Rogue leaped up staring the Canadian straight in the eyes. "Logan! Ah think he suffers enough."

"You are too forgivin', darlin'." His predator glint was still twinkling in his eyes. "Not much. One claw would be more than enough. Just showing the punk his place. No one treats my Marie like that." Unwittingly by the pair, Jubilee and Molly traded gazes about Logan's slip of the tongue.

"No, Logan. Ah told ya Ah don't like it when ya threaten to gut, skin, stab or behead somebody 'cause they weren't nice to me. Usually ya're glaring and snarling frightens them enough."

Logan grimaced and the brunette thought she saw him pout for a moment. "You're exaggeratin', darlin'. That jerk in the bar wasn't nice to you yet I never threatened to kill him. Just broke some rips as I always do." He contemplated a second. "But if that bastard that made a pass at Molly had tried the same with you, then he could search for his head now."

Molly was laughing taking the conversation as a joke and earned a glare from Logan and Rogue only sighed in annoyance. "Molly, we are not jokin'!" The laughter stopped immediately and her eyes widened while she swallowed hard. "Logan Ah'm serious! Ya can't beat everybody to a gimp. Ah know your instincts tell ya to protect, but ya're exaggeratin' sometimes. It's a difference if ya beat somebody up in a cage fight or on the street."

Taking in the shocked faces of her family Rogue took a deep breath when she heard Logan growl in respond. "When we return home ya'll stay a way from Bobby."

Logan snickered and a sly grin plastered his lips. "That will be impossible since I'll teach him in the danger room, darlin'. Student or not, he's still a X-Men in training."

The brunette stared the Canadian straight in the dark eyes not backing down an inch by his intimidating gaze. "But ya'll not physically hurt him, Logan!" His answer was an annoyed grumble as he put his cigar back between his lips and Rogue smiled at that, knowing this was his way to concur.

X X X X X X X

A few minutes later, Logan was still cooling down with the help of his second cigar; Jubilee couldn't bear it any longer and approached her mentor. The girl saw his stern gaze settle down on her conscience-stricken features and took a deep breath before she could manage to get out what was nagging on her. "Are we cool again?"

His eyes rested on the firecracker for a tiny eternity, his sensitive nose picked up the sadness and insecurity in her scent and the fear she held to lose their friendship. The usual spiteful girl suffered like a beaten puppy under his silence and he sighed eventually. "Sure. Why shouldn't we, kid?"

A sigh of relief left Jubilee's lips and her confidence returned to her face together with a soft smile. "You just acted like a father scowlin' his disobedient daughter on me. Different than the other times I screwed up."

"Had to. This time you fuckin' crossed the line and went too far, kid. Had t' show you." He breathed out the smoke and his eyes got a sudden glint of seriousness. "Don't think it's all peachy now. I'll think of somethin' when I return to the mansion."

Jubilee almost swallowed her chewing gum in disbelief. "You gonna punish me?!"

Logan saw the rebellious spark in her eyes flicker to life and decided to extinguish it before she threw a tantrum at him. "Yep, as I said before you've gone too far with sneakin' away and let everyone believe you're save at Kitty's. And on top of it you got a younger student into danger. I know this was your plan, kid." The spark had vanished and was replaced by guilt and sadness. Shaking his head in defeat he lifted his arm and placed his large hand onto the girl's head ruffling her black mane. "Just try to stay out of trouble, Jubes."

The smile was back on her lips when she rushed forward and slung her arms around him pressing her face into his chest. Logan was surprised about the apparent importance of his role in the life of this young woman and her fear of being on bad terms with him. Slowly he brought his hand from her head down to her back while his free hand held his cigar a safe distance away from the girl's clothing. "I know it's kinda stupid this comes from me, but you have to think 'bout the consequences of your doings, Yellow." He felt her nod against his chest before she pushed away, a bright smile on her features when she saw the hint of a grin tug on his lips.

"You know, Wolvie, almost thought you would call me 'young lady'." Jubilee giggled and watched him take another drag of nicotine.

His smug smirk accompanied his raised eyebrow. "That thought would never cross my mind, kid. You're everything else than a lady."

A moment later, the atmosphere finally relaxed between those two, the Asian changed the topic. "Are you fine with Pete being with Kitty? Or do I have to warn him to stay away from you?"

Logan noticed the curious gaze of Rogue on this question. "Nah. Piotr is fine. He isn't a show-off. He's smart 'n has manners. As long as he doesn't make the Kitten cry, there's no reason for him t' fear me."

Rogue was almost gapping at her best friends. "They just got the fuckin' blessing from the Wolverine?! Can't believe this!"

"Me neither, Roguey!" Jubilee stared wide eyed at Logan.

With feign concern and blame the brunette approached the firecracker placing her gloved hands onto the other girl's shoulders facing her. "Ya broke Logan, Jubes! Ya just used up all his parenting and protectiveness!" There was panic in her voice.

Jubilee held the same distressed and worried gaze as Rogue did and grasped the older girl's arms in a pretended attempt to ground herself. "You're right, chica. That was too much for Papa Wolverine to handle!"

Logan interrupted their little game with a snort and a cloud of smoke he exhaled in their direction. "Funny, kids… Pete can protect Kitty and knows how to treat a girl. That's why Papa Wolverine is fine with the Kitten's choice."

The firecracker hooked her arm with Rogue's after both girls let go off each other and faced Logan with real seriousness. "You know, they already made out right under your nose, Wolvie."

"You have t' shove that into my face, Jubes, haven't you?!" The Canadian glared at her, one dark eyebrow hitched. "Always had known Kitty sneaked out at night. Couldn't figure out where her destination was though 'cuz the Half-Pint phased her way through half the boys and girls wings."

The black haired girl was baffled. "What? You let her slip under your radar?!"

Logan only shrugged. "She was clever enough to set me on the wrong track and always was in her bed when I checked your room."

"Thought the three of us were under special surveillance?"

"Yep." Having his cigar finished the mutant threw the remains on the ground and put it out with his boot.

Rogue was confused. "But ya had always let Bobby stay in mah room?"

"As long as he was gone by my second round, it was fine with me though I never liked it, but then again you were happy, darlin'." Logan observed the anxious faces of her parents. "Isn't like the kids could have done anything. If the Icicle had tried anything he'd have ended up in the infirmary anyway." He stated to the D'Ancantos.

Rogue narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to her friend. "Ya let mah skin do your job, Logan?!"

"Nah, my claws would have taught him a lesson after he'd have woken up from the coma."

Mr. D'Ancanto was completely stunned. "Ya were the chaperon?"

"The other teachers thought it a great idea. With my enhanced senses 'n all."

"Not to forget your bad temper." Rogue grinned and freed herself from Jubilee's grasp.

An evil smirk found its way onto the Asian's features. "Nobody dares to take on Wolvie."

"Yep, 'cept you and Rogue. Even Kitty tried."

Rogue closed the distance between Logan and her and felt immediately his arm wrap around her shoulders when she leaned into his side. "Special rules applied for us." She retorted with a smile happy to reminisce about their time together at the mansion.

"Rogue, Kitty and I were the bad ass Logan's angels." Jubilee finally explained to Rogue's family, who looked quite puzzled.

"Two angels and the devil's sidekick." Logan corrected ruffling Jubilee's hair again.

Josh laughed about the firecracker's annoyed face. "Why that?"

Logan simply shrugged. "Had to see that those two wouldn't corrupt my Rogue. Had promised to take care of her. Turned out I had to look after two additional runts." He slung his free arm around Jubilee's shoulder.

"You like us, Wolvie." The girl looked up with a smile to see his expression.

"My two angels yes, but you… depends on what you are schemin'." Logan's gaze wandered to the other runaway a hint of curiosity hidden in it. "Molly, how did you end up hanging out with Jubes?"

"I'm her roommate."

"What the fuck?!" The Canadian let go of Jubilee, his eyes seized her demanding further explanation.

"After Rogue had left and soon Kitty graduated and moved in her own room in the teacher's wing I was all alone."

"And they thought it wise to provide you with someone new to corrupt?" He then looked at Molly. "Maybe you should have an eye on her than to get caught in her stupid plans."

"We're roommates now?!" Rogue didn't know what to think about this new situation.

"Nah, forget that, darlin'. Molly is already a rotten apple. Two devils can taint the most innocent angel." Logan squeezed Marie signalling her and everybody else that he didn't like that idea and will find a solution.

"Thought I was the devil's sidekick." Jubilee complaint sinking down onto the bench next to Molly.

"You got a promotion, kid."

Forty minutes had past since his call and Logan began to wonder where the x-geeks were. Wishing for another cigar he paced impatiently back and forth in front of the wooden bench and finally decided to contact the weather witch again. He was about to push the connecting button when Logan watched a thick fog coat the road, bar and the near woods. "It's taken care of itself." Logan slid the cell phone back together.

Startled the D'Ancantos took in the white mist enclose everything within sight as Josh voiced his bewilderment. "Where does that fog come from so suddenly?" But this question remained unanswered.

A few minutes later, the haze was still thick and obscure as before, Rogue's heightened senses picked up onto footsteps approaching from the woods nearby and a lavender aroma lingering in the air. Next to her stood Logan, his nostrils flared and his moody expression softened somewhat when he recognised the arrivals.

Logan sensed the brunette's rising nervousness and placed a hand onto the small of her back in a soothing gesture and their eyes locked for a moment.

"Sorry we're late.", stated a female voice and a second later the slender frame of a white haired woman wearing a short-sleeved blue tank top and dark pants appeared in the mist, her blue eyes locked immediately with Wolverine's then travelled over to Rogue's. A warm smile radiated from her lips as she stepped closer to the young brunette and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, honey, I wasn't there for you."

"It's fine." Relief washed over Rogue due to the hearty greeting.

Logan stood next to the two women and watched them pull apart while Ororo's voice held that motherly tone as she asked anxiously. "Rogue, how are you? We were so worried. You just left."

The younger mutant noted the honest concern in Storm's face, a sick feeling of guilt was growing in her stomach. "Ah left a note."

"But that isn't enough, Rogue." A man in a brown jacket walked towards the group, a smile on his face. A large scar run down from his forehead to his left cheek, being hardly covered by the red sunglasses he wore.

"Scott!?" Logan and Rogue exclaimed his name at the same time completely shocked.

"You look as if you had seen a ghost." Cyclops grinned from ear to ear and stopped his approach next to Storm.

With wide brown eyes took Rogue in the familiar face of the fearless X-Men leader. "Ah… Ah thought ya were dead.", stuttered the brunette and immediately hugged her former teacher not letting go.

"We looked for you." Logan was perplexed and his dark brow rose. "What happened?"

Scott struggled a little in the tight and strong embrace of the young woman and his gaze, though blocked by his glasses, met Logan's. "Jean. The small part that was still Jean saved me back then."

Logan nodded in acknowledgement before hugging Ororo. "Good to see you're fine." Of all the geeks at the mansion Storm was the one he liked the most, even though they had their fights and differences, but then again she knew how to reason with him.

"Thanks." She smiled at him. "We missed the both of you."

The smug grin on Logan's features almost softened into a smile and he let go of the weather witch as his eyes roamed over the thick fog that still swallowed almost everything in the vicinity. "You think that's less conspicuous than the blackbird flying over town, 'Ro?"

"Maybe I overdid a little." Ororo's eyes began to drown in complete whiteness as the fog cleared to some extend. A moment past till her eyes have returned to their natural color and the woman fixed her two long lost friends with a serious glower. "We're family, Rogue. You could have called. That also goes for you, Logan."

"Just called you." With a smug grin he held the X-Men-cell up in the air.

An irritated sigh escaped Ororo's lips while glaring at her fellow X-Men. "I'm serious. We didn't know if you had found her." Ororo looked back to the brunette. "God knows what could have happened, honey."

Now it was Rogue's turn to sigh and she almost rolled her eyes at her former teacher. "Ah know. Ah know. Logan already gave me that speech."

Scott noted the annoyed tone in her voice and decided he would save that speech for the other two runaways. His hidden gaze switched from Logan to Rogue and back. "Well… you two hang out together all those months?"

Logan frowned, not liking the tone in the other man's voice and he got back to his teaching: Offensive is the best defensive. "At least I'm not losing her."

"What do you mean!?"

The Canadian's arrogant grin was back on his features when he saw Cyclops' anger boil under his glasses. "You guys lost her twice. And I found her every time." 'Score for me, pansy boy.'

"And she ends up nearly dead." Scott spat back noticing from his peripheral sight Storm shake her head in annoyance.

A growl rumbled in Logan's throat as he stepped towards the younger man, his fury blazing in his dark eyes. "Hey, watch it! I would never bring her in danger on purpose."

"They were after me, both times. Logan saved me. Watch it, One-eye." Everybody shot the young woman a glare. "Sorry." She answered sheepishly.

Ororo couldn't suppress the chuckle that had built in her throat. "She just got your charming traits again, Logan."

Wolverine was proud on his Marie for talking back to Summers and his temper cooled down. "Better than her being dead." He encircled Rogue's shoulders with his arm while planting a kiss on her hair.

Scott didn't like the way Logan touched the girl, it wasn't that he was in love with Rogue, but he didn't like it. "By the way, we left you alone with the kids for only one night and you lost six of them!"

"What!" There was his flaring anger again and his arm dropped from Rogue's shoulders. "Yeah, I lost only six of them! But we got them back unharmed!"

The fearless X-Men leader stood his ground, not getting intimidated by the feral man as he retorted in a calm but smug tone. "Maybe, but you lost six within a few hours."

Logan was now face to face with Scott. "Oh sorry, but a whole army overran our place! I protected what… 150 kids and lost only six. You failed to protect the professor, only one man! And now you lost at least two more students without even knowin' it!" 'Another score for me.'

"But lucky you." Logan pointed his thumb towards the two girls sitting guiltily at a bench near them. "Look what I found." His smirk intensified when he caught Scott's jaw tense in defeat.

The four walked over to the two students, who rose from their seats. Molly let her head hang and stared at her feet while Jubilee looked rather sheepish chewing on her strawberry bubble gum. Before one of the kids could voice some kind of apology, Storm glowered at them. "We'll talk about this at the Institute." Her voice was stern and left no room for arguing. "Go to the jet."

"Bye, Rogue." Molly waved solemnly at the older girl, but Jubilee took the suspended lecture as a sign for relief and was already smiling back at her best friend. "See you, chica! We'll go shopping when you're back!"

Logan growled at that and Molly saw the angry expressions of her teachers. "Only if we aren't grounded till graduation." She shrunk even more, hoping the firecracker would keep her mouth shut, so she couldn't anger their teachers any further.

"That's one of the punishments we had in mind."

"What?!" Jubilee stared wide eyed at Scott. "We are punished for being one week away and Rogue gets for I don't know how many months a hug and a 'we missed you'!?"

Authority sounded clearly in Storm's voice when she glared down on the Asian. "You two lied to us about your whereabouts! If something had happened to you we wouldn't have had the slightest idea about it." She saw Jubilee jump and swallow hard – maybe even her smelling gum. "And concerning Rogue: She left a note and she had her reasons for leaving. This doesn't mean I would tolerate her behaviour. But Rogue is Logan's responsibility and I'm sure he made it clear that this is a no go." Ororo made a sideward glance towards the brunette.

"Crystal." Rogue answered though she winced at 'being Logan's responsibility'. She wasn't a child anymore.

Jubilee was finally quiet and the younger girl pulled her towards the woods where the jet was waiting.

"Jesus, you send them to the jet alone?!" Agitated Logan pointed his finger at Marie. "Already forgotten what she had done the last time you left the kids alone on the plane?!"

"Hey, Ah just wanted to help!" Rogue spat back at him her arms crossed before her chest.

Half growling Logan faced his Marie, their eyes burning into each other when his protection mode kicked in. "I still wonder how you could even step on a plane again after you were sucked out of a hole and were fallin' to your save death, not to mention to fly one!"

"Just because ya hate flying, Logan, Ah don't have to!"

"We made precautions after that incident." Storm knew Logan was only worried about the kids, especially Rogue. "The main systems are locked by a biometric sensor now."

Scott grinned at the obvious dislike of flying vehicles of the other mutant. "We still need to put in your data, so you'll be allowed to use the jet."

Snorting Logan narrowed his eyes. "Never. The only reason I'll come ever near the controls is to repair the plane when it is standing safe on the earth's surface."

Cyclops' grin widened in triumph. "You really hate flying, Logan, don't you?!"

"If we were meant to fly, we'd grown wings." Alone talking about flying made Logan's stomach clench. "I prefer the road."

"Uhu…" Scott smirked and his gaze travelled to the silver X-Jeep in the parking lot. "That's the right subject to dwell on." His hidden blue eyes switched to the feral man and dug into him. "The garage is full with cars. How does it come you always take mine!?"

"We have the same taste in cars." The Canadian shrugged with a sly gleam in his chocolate eyes.

"And women." Storm and Rogue whispered under their breaths earning a death glare from Logan.

"I love your bike, but the car was the better choice for taking Marie with me."

Scott hitched both his brows behind his sunglasses. "So it's Marie now?"

Logan could smack himself. Back at Xavier's he was used to switch between 'Rogue' around others and 'Marie' in privacy, but now he's calling her only by her real name for months of mutual travel and it stuck with him. "What's wrong with you, Summers? Who do you think I am?" He stepped closer to the other mutant.

Sighing Ororo rolled her eyes at the scene. "There we go again…"

Rogue had always known that Scott and Logan were on bad terms and they could torture each other about virtually every subject. The close friendship between her and the much much older man was a thorn in Cyclops' flesh to begin with and was no exception to their fighting topics. "Ah'm not havin' that conversation with ya! It was bad enough to talk about it with mah parents!"

"It?" Scott almost lost his cool.

Meanwhile Logan's temper didn't even know what calm or cool meant any more. "Did I miss something? That's none of your fucking business!" He clutched the other man's leather jacket in both his fists and pulled him with a yank towards his body – their faces were only mere inches apart.

"Will you stop?! Nothing happened!" Rogue approached the two men her fists clenched and bone claws ready. "We are just best friends!" It hurt Rogue a little to say that, she wished for more and if her inner Victor didn't lie to her Logan also wanted more than just being friends.

"Before blood is shed all of you should calm down!" Storm stepped between the trio throwing the elderly couple and the boy a swift glance. To her surprise these three didn't seemed shocked about Rogue's claws.

With a last snarl Logan let go of the other X-Men and turned his back to him to face Rogue. "You need new gloves, darlin'." Carefully he grasped one of her clawed hands.

"Oops." Slowly she withdrew her weapons wincing somewhat at the stinging pain. "It just happened."

Meanwhile Scott was also aware of the presence of the three people near them and their apparent lack of fear. He recalled the teenage boy sitting together with the two runaways on the bench, obviously they had chatted with each other, while his parents – so he assumed – remained next to the children.

Storm shared a view with her old friend and decided to clear her throat, ripping Logan's attention away from the torn gloves. He, as did the brunette a moment later, followed her gaze towards the three bystanders.

Immediately Rogue's face held a trace of embarrassment and she gestured for her family to come over so she could finally make the introducing. "Storm, Scott, these are mah parents Josef and Kathleen D'Ancanto and mah little brother Josh." She held a gentle smile, as she turned towards her family. "Mom, Dad, these are Ororo Munro and Scott Summers. Mah teachers at the school Ah was."

"Nice t' meet ya." Rogue's father was pleasantly surprised. Fine the colored woman had white hair and blue eyes, but this combination made her more exotic looking than freaky and she held an aura of authority and genuine care. Just like her colleague she seemed like a teacher and someone to entrust children with.

"Will ya take me home with ya?" Rogue asked a little worried after the hand shaking was done.

Storm smiled warmly at the girl. "Only if you want, honey."

"Ah do want, but it's too early. And we finally have a clue on Logan's past. We have to go there first."

Scott's voice held surprise when he inquired hastily. "You have? You remember, Logan?"

"Nope." The Canadian's concerned gaze moved to Rogue. "Seems I wasn't the only one she absorbed recently."

The young woman saw the shock rise to her friends' features. "Ah had to. There was no other chance to defeat him." It wasn't like she had wanted him in her head.

"Sabretooth?!" The X-Men had had a short emergency meeting right after Hank had contacted the professor and informed him about the mall incident. But this part her mentor had left out. "Oh, honey. That sadist!" Ororo placed a hand onto the brunette's shoulder; worry was evident in her tone. "How are you?"

"Fine, Ah think. Logan holds him in check." Rogue pointed to her head.

Scott was baffled by this revelation and fixed the other man with his glare. "And Sabretooth knows you, Logan? From back then?"

Wolverine looked up in the sky sighing while Rogue decided to answer. "Victor is Logan's older brother."

"Come again?!", blurted the laser shooting mutant out. She did say brother, didn't she?

X X X X X X X X X

An awkward silence had followed, in which the two X-Men kept staring at the feral man their mouths hung open in bewilderment. Rogue had absorbed a great part of Victor and his memories, however the healing mutant had led a very long life and thus had gathered the amount of recollections of at least three lifetimes, so a lot of his past was still unknown to the brunette while the rest lay within her grasp, but was too blurred and twisted to make much sense. But there was this one decisive day that had changed everything for the older feral and if the memory fragments were anything to go by, there was at least one other person she knew, who could shed some light into the darkness of Logan's past. "Scott, there is something Ah wanna know."

"Rogue?"

"Victor kidnapped you." On his silent answer she continued. "Ya were at school and he attacked ya, didn't he?"

The man only wrinkled his forehead in confusion. "Yeah, I was still a kid then."

"He brought you to an island, a hidden lab or somethin'."

Scott tried to remember. "Could be. They experimented on me, but I dunno… I was blindfolded the whole time." Puzzled he wondered how the young brunette did even know about his captivity. It was an unspoken rule that you don't ask a fellow mutant about their previous lives and the only person he had ever told about this was Jean. "It wasn't that long… someone came and burned the whole complex down."

Rogue was aware she was trespassing Scott's privacy and her friends didn't understand her reason for those questions, but she had to bring those memories – Victor's memories - into the right order and Scott may be able to fill some gaps. She owed Logan the truth. "How did you and the others escape?"

"The professor guided us to the outside and was picking us up." He saw in the brunette's eyes seriousness and this was enough to trust her. She wouldn't ask if there was no good reason behind it.

Carefully Rogue's resolved gaze settled on her Wolverine. She was stepping onto sacred territory. "What is your first memory, Logan?" Both of them knew that she already knew the answer to that particular question, though they had never talked about it, but now she needed, no Logan needed to hear those words coming from his lips.

His chin tightened when his eyes searched Marie's face for a hint why she would bring his torment up especially in front of Scooter. But Marie trusted him and he trusted her, even the Wolverine in him trusted the young woman and she would never betray him – that was as certain as the sun rises in the East. This was the reason why he hadn't pressed about his past until now – she would tell him eventually like she had done in the hospital. "An island, debris, a dead woman not far from me…

"The day you fled, Scott." Her gaze travelled from one man to the more feral one. "Ah think that was the day, Stryker took your memory, Logan." Rogue saw Logan's chocolate eyes move fast while he processed this new information and everything that was attached to it. She wasn't surprised by the heartbreaking hurt and betrayal that suddenly flickered in his orbs and soon turned to rage as his eyes darkened and his Adamantium fist connected hard with the brick wall of the bar.

"That bastard!" The growl made everybody jump, but Rogue, who simply watched the Wolverine take out his furry on the building next to him. "Chuck knew from the beginning!"

Panting heavily Logan's fists finally remained pressed into the newly created hole in the stone wall, his view still clouded with anger but the animal was calming down as he leaned his forehead against the cool brick wall. A few staggered breaths later he pushed away and his tormented gaze immediately searched for Rogue's, finding understanding in her features and the same feeling of betrayal he knew his eyes held at the moment.

"Chuck knew who I was." It was merely a whisper and Rogue feared he would break apart any minute. Slowly she retrieved a tissue from her pocket and picked one of his balled fists up with her small gloved hands. At once the tension in his muscles subsided and his fist opened slipping into Rogue's palm. Squeezing his fingers she lifted the tissue to his knuckles and wiped the blood of his already healed wounds away. "Ah know sugah." She breathed after cleaning his other hand and she finally led him to the near bench sinking down beside him on the old wood.

Storm watched her friends before her, her mind still processing this information about her mentor. A part of her – the part that loved the professor like a father – was denying the truth vehemently telling her the old man was a saint, but the more rational part of her began to question all the decisions Xavier had made over the many years and if those were truly in the best interest of everybody concerned. "The professor always said it'd be the best you would remember on your own."

The weather witch immediately regretted those words when Logan's blazing eyes pierced into her. "You also knew?"

"No. I had no idea." She shook her head and prayed she hadn't just stomped onto his trust and friendship. Carefully she neared the pair on the bench and tentatively reached out to Logan's shoulder, but her hand dropped back to her side as soon as she saw Rogue's glare. "I didn't mean to… I'm sorry, Logan."

The Canadian only starred into the space before him while Rogue held onto his hand running her fingertips over his knuckles. His free hand was placed onto her knee. A few minutes past by till Scott approached his team mates and broke the silence. "Rogue, what happened there? The professor only told me some mutant had crushed that place." He watched both of them cringe at the mention of Xavier, but it was a legitimate question, after all he also was one of the test subjects back then.

Sighing Rogue felt an encouraging squeeze on her knee before Logan removed his hands and broke their physical connection while his eyes locked onto her features asking her to tell him more about that fateful day. Her right hand went to her temple rubbing small circles on her soft skin. "All the pictures are so confusin'. They tricked ya. Ah think both of ya, Logan. Ya and Victor." All eyes rested on her with expectation but her own gaze was centered on Logan and him alone. "Ah'm really not sure if Ah get all this right, 'k?" She felt his fingers tug her white lock behind her ear.

Logan grasped her small hands in his. "Go on, darlin'. Maybe you'll trigger some flashbacks. Who tricked us?"

"Stryker." Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment she tried to sort out the pictures in her mind not counting on the two brother's voices to help her. Her inner Logan was almost as clueless as the real one and for Victor this was a too important topic to discuss it with the runt as he had put it. Somehow she got the impression he was afraid of the reaction of his little brother about his past, their past. But to her astonishment the older feral gave her full access to his memories. "There was this woman… she was dead… murdered by Victor… then again she was still alive. It doesn't make any sense."

Logan tried to verify this information, but nothing came to his mind. "What's so special about that woman?" He saw it in her features and heard it in her tone: this woman was also a key to his former life.

The brunette swallowed hard before she looked deep into her friend's hazel eyes, finding hope there. This was too paramount for him, for his past to further remain in the dark. "Ah think she was your … wife or somethin' alike."

"Woah! Didn't see that coming!" Scott received a death glare from Storm.

"Okay."

Slightly gapping Rogue watched Logan's expression for a moment, but his features remained the same. 'Didn't he listen? Ah just told him he was... maybe still is married!' Her puzzlement was clearly audible in her voice. "That's all you say, Logan?"

The man in question only let a sigh escape his lips. "There always was this possibility." He saw her nod in understanding and pinched her hands encouragingly. "Go on, Marie."

With a small smile Rogue tried to concentrate harder on the picture of that woman in her mind and finally she continued. "Ah'm not sure what really happened. But Ah do know that she was killed by Victor and then again Ah'm sure he would have never crossed that line."

"What line?"

"To kill his brother's wife." She simply stated.

Logan's face was completely blank now and both his dark eyebrows were hitched in bewilderment. "But killing his brother on a daily basis is fine?"

"Ah already told ya, he's hurt. He was so proud to be your big brother. He would have done anything for ya!"

Chuckling in disbelieve Logan lifted one of his hands from hers and dragged his fingers through his dark mane. "And what happened? Did I do somethin'?"

More pictures popped up before her mind's eye, scenes that were freaking familiar by now. "Nah, Ah think it wasn't ya. All those wars ya two were in. So much death and killing…" The horrible dream from the night before came back to life in her head and for once she felt herself being pulled into the life of someone else.

His love remained quiet for a few seconds, but when the sparkle of life threatened to die from her bright hazel eyes, he finally grasped that she wasn't sorting out memories. "Marie? Stay here with me." Logan grasped her by the shoulders squeezing her lightly worry evident in his raspy voice.

Her eyes refocused on Wolverine's face noting the concern for her in his brown orbs. "Ah'm fine."

A breath of relief left Logan's lips his concern still graved into his features. "It's too much for you, darlin'. We'll stop here."

Her compassionate eyes pleaded with him as he placed his hand onto hers. "But ya are searchin' for your past all this time. Now it's so close."

"I don't want you drown in that darkness!" His darkness.

"It's fine, sugah." Rogue took a deep breath. "Sometime during the Vietnam War, maybe even earlier, Victor began to enjoy killin' and hurtin' people. Innocent civilians." She swallowed hard. "The animal took over."

Storm frowned while listening intently to the story. "Where was Logan at that time?"

"They were always together." She centred her focus back on Logan's face. "Ya saw his change and tried to stop him, but he got in trouble with his commander and ya helped him, endin' with both of ya gettin' executed. That was the moment Stryker laid his eyes on ya."

Rogue paused to gather her thoughts. "Ah think ya were torn. Ya tried to save his soul by stayin' with him. Holdin' the animal under check. Ah believe ya thought him lost by the time ya left the unit, but ya were still his only tie to humanity. And then ya were gone… He felt betrayed by the only family he had ever trusted." She felt more emotions wash over her and encircle her heart till it ached for the older feral. "And to make it even worse for him ya didn't even remember being his little brother for the last two decades. All ties between ya two have been broken. That just added to his hurt feelings."

"And why does he beat the shit out of me every time we meet?"

"It's his twisted brotherly love for ya, Ah think." Rogue shrugged. This was the best answer she could come up with.

Scott shook his head in disgust. "I don't understand how you can speak like this about that monster!?"

"He's in my head!" Rogue's eyes wandered to Logan's unreadable face. "Ah have both of ya spinnin' in mah mind."

"Great, we are fighting in your mind!"

"Nah, it's like your voice tries to calm him so he wouldn't bother me."

"So I'm the louder one in there." Worried Logan stroked her head gently. He had never liked the burden he had put onto this innocent young girl years ago. Nobody should have to deal with his vicious personality and the animal within and his petrifying past.

"Nah, not really. Ah had your presence in mah mind for the last few years. Ya usually behave." She smiled softly. "Always watching over me."

"Rogue, you wanted to tell us what happened back then, when Logan lost his memories?" Storm tried to get back to the story.

"Yeah, right." The brunette took a deep breath before continuing. "Victor helped Stryker 'cause he was promised to also get the Adamantium, when he would assure that you would take part in the experiment on your own free will. Victor's bonus would have been that ya would finally be back."

"Why would Logan be a guinea pig voluntarily?" This didn't make any sense to Scott.

Logan frowned as images flashed before his mind's eye. "Kayla." It was a mere whisper.

"What?" The younger man asked confused by this single word.

"Her name was Kayla." Logan's eyes moved fast while he tried to bring the pictures in the right order.

Rogue was exited and smiled brightly. "Ya remembered!"

The frown was still graved onto Logan's forehead, when the picture of a blood covered brunette woman appeared in his mind. "They made me think Victor had killed her." He concentrated harder and more fragments of his lost past came back to him. "You're right he didn't kill her." His features became grim. "I wanted revenge, but Victor was too strong."

"So you turned to Stryker?!" Storm began to get the picture slowly.

"But that was their fucking plan to begin with." Logan spat in loathing.

Rogue squeezed his hand and ran her thumb over his knuckles. "Ya'd have been the perfect weapon, just your conscience was in Stryker's way."

Flashes of his nightmare made him cringe as the Adamantium bonding became clearer than ever before. "He was about to erase my memory. But I escaped." Logan remembered the moment he broke free from the tank and drove his new claws into the metal casing – those three marks he had found two years ago at Alkali Lake.

Immediately Rogue held his large hand more firmly and continued, so her love wouldn't dwell too long on this nightmare. "Stryker double crossed the both of ya. He told Victor his test results weren't good enough. That he wouldn't survive the procedure." Wolverine's tormented gaze met hers. "Ah believe that was a lie. Victor was… is too dangerous."

"Was that on the island?" Storm was a little confused.

"No." Logan contemplated a moment. "They hunted me. I finally understood that Victor had worked for Stryker all the time." He shook his head. "Nothing. I can't remember." Logan felt Rogue's free gloved hand grasping his. "You have to continue, darlin'."

"Ya somehow managed to find that secret lab on the island. Stryker constructed his newest soldier – Weapon XI, Deadpool." The young woman frowned. "Ya were Weapon X, Logan." She frowned again. "Kayla was also there, alive?!" She squeezed her eyes shut and felt Victor's hatred for the woman in that very moment almost 20 years ago, who had only played with his little brother and leveraged him. "She'd worked for Stryker. He studied her sister." Sabretooth's emotions were coming back to life alongside his memories. In that minute back at Three-Mile-Island, he had seen his brother broken by the betrayal of that bitch, something snapped in him and when Logan had left hurt, Victor knew this woman wasn't his brother's anymore and she became instantly his prey. She should pay for deceiving his family.

"She just used you? I'm sorry, Logan." Storm held sympathy in her blue eyes.

Suddenly new memory fragments came up in Logan's head. "Didn't know she was also a mutant." He shook his head to clear it from these painful feelings. "I helped her free her sister and the kids." The Canadian looked up to Scott. "There was that boy. You were there, one of the kids … but Deadpool interfered."

Rogue had listened to the part Sabretooth held no recollections about and picked his story up at the point both feral men faced Deadpool. "Victor helped ya. Both of ya fought together against Weapon XI."

"Brothers protect each other." Logan saw the startled faces of his friends. "Victor used to say that. After we had defeated Wade Victor left."

"Wade?"

"Weapon XI. He was also in Team X." More memories appeared. "Kayla came back, but… she was shot… it was her." Logan's voice cracked. He could almost feel the bleeding body of the brunette lay in his arms as he tried to bring her away. "I remember now. She died there, while Stryker shot me in the head." Unshed tears glittered in his brown eyes when he found himself embraced by Rogue. The grief soon lightened by the knowledge of having at least regained his memories of her and being held by his Marie.

The beautiful brunette with the white stripes was his present and his future. Even the animal within him knew the young woman would never betray him deliberately. She was his anchor in this savage motion of the sea that was his life.

Logan breathed in and closed his eyes to gather himself before he broke their hug and gave Rogue a reassuring nod. He pulled her with him to her feet as he stood up and faced the other X-Men. "It's late. You should look that the kids haven't taken off without you." His arm sneaked around Marie's waist and his hand rested on her hip. "We should get going, darlin'." Logan had to get away from all those people. It was as if they were draining his energy from his body due to their mere presence. He felt weaker by the moment; then again his anger at his past concentrated in his gut and the rage kept growing, giving him the strength to rip his claws through the large truck a few feet away. He needed to get away before he'd slice something apart.

Rogue saw his struggle and faced Storm with an encouraging smile while pressing her body against Logan's side. "We'll come home. Promise."

"Just tying a few lose ends." The Canadian added.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

An hour later Rogue was slightly startled when their Jeep suddenly left the interstate and approached a town. "Logan?"

Usually Logan would drive fast for hours or even days to clear his mind and come to terms with the crap life kept throwing at him, but now, after reliving through so many emotions and memories, he had longed for, he was exhaust mentally and physically. "This was all a bit much for me today. Canada can wait a day or two. What you think, darlin'?"

"Sure. It's your decision, sugah." She felt so bad for causing him so much pain. "Ah'm sorry to load so much on ya at once."

"Nah. I want to know my past." He saw her sadness and concern for him sparkle in her hazel eyes. "I can cope with my past, Marie. Just need a little time to let all that crap sink in."

"Ah'm here for ya, Logan." Rogue knew better than to push the Wolverine into talking about his feelings.

"I know, darlin'." A small smile tugged on his lips. "Were too much people for my likin' the last few days."

"Know what ya mean." Neither of them liked crowds. Even at the mansion Rogue needed her few hours daily alone in her room reading and thinking or just watching Hockey with Logan.

"Just need some time alone. Only the two of us. … Watchin' TV, chewin' unhealthy fast food and not leavin' our room." He only needed her close to him to make him better, to give him strength.

The brunette smirked at her friend. "Need vacation from the vacation, sugah?"

"Hell yes!" He chuckled, but the worn expression never left his face.

"Me, too. Don't think Ah could put up with my family a day longer."

He pulled into the parking lot of a huge supermarket. "Let's get some groceries done and look for a not too shitty motel for us, darlin'."

"Get those fuckin' jeans off, Marie." Logan's hand swiftly opened the button of the blue fabric while his other hand pressed against her stomach pushing her back against his chest firmly. "Now!" He growled almost frustrated and loosened his grip on her middle as his hand sneaked more south, pushing the zipper down.

"No!" The brunette used this moment to flee from his tight embrace and adjusted the small holder of her thin top on her bare shoulder. "Ya already got me out of mah shirt! That's enough for now!"

Before she could bring more space between them Logan caught her gloved wrist and pulled her swiftly back to him. Their bodies pressed together once more; her breasts buried against his broad chest. "Don't play hard to get, darlin'! I know you want it." His arms encircled her back holding her in place and his fingers fiddled about the back of her jeans pushing the cloth slowly down her butt.

She relaxed a moment drowning in his deep hazel eyes that were firmly locked with hers. "Yeah, but…"

"It's just the two of us, Marie." Logan breathed his face only inches apart from hers.

Suddenly she felt her pants being almost down by her tights and she managed to push herself away from his chest. "Ah don't wanna hurt ya, sugah."

"You won't." Logan tried to grasp her hand once again, but this time she was faster and brought a few feet between them while pulling her trousers back up. "And you won't get onto my bed with those on either."

She faced him with a naughty expression. "Have mah own bed. Ah don't need ya to have mah fun, sugah." Her eyebrow raised and their eyes locked.

"But twosome is more comfy." Logan let himself fall onto his bed, his head leaned against the headboard while his hand patted the free space next to him on the comforter his brow hitching suggestively at her.

But the beautiful hardhead plopped down on the second bed her legs crossed Indian style zipping her trousers back up. "Ya could always come over to me, sugah." She retorted with a mischievous grin.

"Not when ya keep wearing those damn pants." He snuggled his back into the pillow and turned the TV on with the remote control. "My bed is better for our night activity."

"Why?"

"It's closer to the TV, I have the remote, the chips and your Oreos." A devilish smirk plastered his features when he saw her sigh in defeat. "Maybe chewin' your nails is fun for you, darlin'."

She kept staring at him for a long moment. "Fine. Ya won." Rogue stumbled to her feet annoyed and retrieved the long-sleeved shirt from the floor, Logan had almost ripped from her body along with the thin forest green jacket she had worn. With a grunt she unbuttoned her blue jeans and slipped out of them revealing her black silk panties. The shy and insecure girl had lost a great part of her shame in the past few months much to Logan's pleasure and now she had no problem with him seeing her in only her lingerie. After all he had seen her in a bikini – panties and bra aren't that much more or less of fabric for that matter.

A lustful smile was on his lips as he watched her perfect butt move under the thin cloth when she bent down to fetch her mini skirt from their duffle bag.

"You don't have to wear three layers of shirts and long pants around me, Marie." He won't let her get back to be dressed like for the deepest of winters as she had done at the mansion the whole year. "It's summer. I don't mind you runnin' around in just a bikini." 'Or underwear.' He added in his mind and suppressed his lustful smirk.

She whirled around, her skirt flew up somewhat, and her chocolate eyes met his as she smiled knowingly at him. "Ah believe ya have no problem in watchin' me in almost nothin'."

"Can't deny that. It's a sin to hide that gorgeous body of yours." His predatory eyes moved from her long legs up over her curvy hips, the waistline and lingered a moment on her sturdy breasts before his gaze finally reached her face – her cheeks flushed in a deep shade of red. 'Christ, she's so adorable when she's embarrassed.' A chuckle escaped his lips. "Stop the blushin' and c'mere, Marie. The movie starts any minute."

The brunette was on cloud nine: The man she loved had just called her gorgeous and checked her body out with a shameless gaze that made her heart skip a beat. Slowly she returned to the here and now and fetched her pillow before crawling onto the bed next to him.

His view was already centered on the small television when he felt a peck onto the cheek and faced her startled. "What was that for?"

"For complementing me." She was almost glowing with happiness.

Logan knew how insecure the young woman was and all the years of hiding her skin and being cautious about touches weren't good for her self-confidence either. Like most girls she wasn't comfortable in her own body - he had overheard a few girls talks at the mansion – but her mutation put her over the edge – almost hating her skin and body. Stroking a white lock behind her ear he returned her smile. "You have a great body, darlin'. You got curves in all the right places. Don't be shy 'bout it."

Rogue's cheeks were on fire and she had to look away. Tugging her pillow behind her back she rested her head next Logan on the headboard. "But ya don't like it when other guys check me out."

His sleeve covered arm moved over to the brunette and she leaned forward immediately to allow his arm to wrap around her shoulders. "Why should I?", was his reply and his eyes wandered to the T.V. screen. "The movie starts, Marie."

X X X X X X X X

Rogue tried to concentrate on the rerun of a CSI episode, but she couldn't keep focused onto the screen for long without glancing at Logan's haunted expression. After all those missions, after all the cage fights, even after waking up from a coma the man had never looked so exhausted as he did now. It made her heart ache.

Like all those restless nights in which one of them was haunted by their nightmares, she just needed to touch him to lessen his misery, maybe absorbing his sadness in a way her skin couldn't. She slipped down from the headboard and snuggled closer to him; her head resting onto his shoulder and her fingertips begun to draw lazy circles on his chest. Without delay to her movement, Logan's arm slid down her pillow and her back as his large hand found its place on her hip, the spot where her sleeveless top met the skirt and hardly covered her delicate skin.

After a moment just laying there the brunette felt a kiss be placed onto her head and his face buried in her auburn hair, his nose nuzzling her. A soft giggle ran from her pink lips in response to his caress and she lifted her hand from his warm chest to his face, where her gloved fingertips stroked his sideburns gently.

While fastening his hold on her hip Logan pressed her body tighter against his own one feeling her calming warmth seep through the fabric of his long-sleeved shirt. With every breath of her mesmerizing scent, the sadness and fatigue that clouded his body and soul slowly began to lighten. Soon he found himself relax into her small palm, her natural sweet aroma all around him and an almost inaudible purr began to rumble in his chest.

His eyes had long ago left the flickering T.V. screen and were only focused on the beauty in his arms when his chocolate orbs suddenly locked with mischievously shimmering ones. Her lips held a similar expression. "Ya like that, sugah." This was not a question.

Their gazes didn't leave each other as his hand holding a beer placed the bottle onto the nightstand and picked her smaller hand up from his cheek. His grasp was gentle and light as were the small kisses he placed on every fingertip, then the palm and finally onto her bare forehead. Afterwards he guided her fingers back to his sideburns while his other hand carefully pushed her body, so their stomachs and chests eventually laid pressed together.

When Rogue shifted in his embrace, Logan feared he went too far and loosened his grip immediately. But to his surprise and relief the young woman only snuggled away from his shoulder and further onto his chest, her eyes returning to the screen as a content sigh left her lips.

Maybe he would take a little advantage of her tonight, holding her a little closer than usually, inhaling her sweet and unique scent while placing a few more kisses onto her forehead and hair, if it wasn't for the lips he so desperately longed for to taste, then those have to be enough.

X X X X X X X X

The show was almost over and Rogue listened contently to Logan's rhythmic heartbeat beneath her ear, her only movement consisted of snatching a chip from time to time from the bag and crumbling slightly on the other mutant's chest. But he didn't seem to mind.

She was so relaxed in his tight embrace while his fingers ran smoothly up and down her upper arm, only suspending the touch for the blink of a second. How she always loved his bare hands stroking her uncovered skin while watching television…

"Logan!" Terror was blazing brightly in her wide brown eyes as she backed away from her friend's hands as if his touch had burned her. She slid further to the edge of the mattress when Logan leapt into a sitting position and tried to get a hold of the terrified woman. "Don't. Ah'm gonna hurt ya, Logan." Tears were shimmering in her eyes and threatened to fall.

"You won't." Carefully he placed his hands onto her waistline – her shoulders were out of option since nothing covered her deadly skin. His hazel eyes firmly locked on hers, silently pleading with her to calm down. "I have a few seconds 'fore your skin registers my touch." He pulled her slowly back into his embrace and whispered a hardly audible "Trust me.".

And she did. Though it took a few minutes till the brunette completely relaxed against Logan's chest, his bare hands didn't dare to leave her covered back. She heard him sigh while he kissed her crown, his wild heartbeat slowing down beneath her ears while his breathing became calmer.

Suddenly realization dawned on Rogue. He wasn't caressing her bare skin for her comfort, but he needed this contact to cool his troubled nerves. Cautiously so he wouldn't notice, her gaze wandered to his face while her head shifted slightly the position to allow her a better view of his haunted features, his tired eyes trained on the T.V..

A quarter hour later Logan finally resumed with stroking the poisonous skin of her arms. He furrowed his brows in puzzlement when he felt the accustomed tug after only one good second. After breaking the contact before the absorption could start, he tried again, but came to the same confusing conclusion. 'Was her skin just turned down?!' He could swear that their touch had lasted longer than three seconds, before she had gotten even wind of his bare hands on her. He assumed the reason for this change was that she was now aware of his touch.

Pondering on this theory he removed his hand from her skin and fetched his beer from the nightstand taking a few gulps. Logan was about to put it back when Rogue's slender fingers slung around the bottleneck and led the bottle opening to her waiting lips, empting the rest of the beer like a pro. An astonished smirk plastered the Canadian's lips. "Need to buy more beer, darlin', huh?"

Biting slightly onto her lower lip as in a picture of innocence, Rogue met his gaze. "Seems so. Ah have the two of ya up here." Her finger pointed to her forehead with a sly grin. "Beer and tobacco must be in your genes, sugah."

Chuckling he fetched another beer and opened it with his teeth, spitting the cap onto the nightstand. "Don't mind sharing my booze with you but hands off my cigars!"

"Ah know. The big bad Wolverine tries to save the little Rogue from lung cancer." Laughing the brunette snuggled back into his chest, her fingers rubbing circles on his stomach.

X X X X X X X X

A little later that evening, Rogue was just returning from the bathroom, her eyes immediately feel upon her friend's exhausted face, noting the small smile that tugged on his lips as he saw her approach. "How are ya, Logan?"

"Better." His hands moved to her hips as soon as she had crawled back onto the bed and was now kneeing next to him.

A soft smile was on her features as her hand pushed the few dark strains gently from his forehead. "Well enough for a tiny keepsake?"

"It's something good?" The day was already stressful enough and Logan wasn't sure he could cope with more traumatic events from his past at the moment.

"Yep."

But he trusted Rogue's estimation. "Then I'm ready."

"Ah have something. Close your eyes, sugah." He complied with her order and Rogue carefully removed a chain with two dogtags from under her glove.

Logan felt her covered fingers move carefully around his neck, stroking over his skin as he waited anxiously for her to finish.

"Okay, ya can look now." With a proud smile she watched Wolverine open his chocolate eyes slowly, his gaze fell immediately onto her hand that held two dogtags in front of his stunned face. "Those belong to ya, James Howlett."

Taken aback Logan starred onto the two words graved onto the metal pieces. With the greatest care, as if his touch might damage the tags, he moved his index finger over letter after letter repeating the name in his mind. 'James Howlett… of course! Victor called me Jimmy… James.' Like in trance he picked his old tags from Rogue's hand and observed them more closely, taking in the long identification number beneath his name. Flipping the metal over five familiar letters greeted the Canadian. 'Logan.' Memories of Kayla calling him came back to his mind. 'Everybody called me Logan, 'cept Victor.'

His large hand wrapped around the tags, the old metal pressed into his palm as he finally lifted his amazed gaze to Rogue's still smiling features. "How?... Where did y-" He stammered and tried to remember where he had last seen those small identification plates. Lagos… he threw them away onto the soil… no, Stryker had them before the Adamantium bonding… then he was asking for new ones. It slowly came back to him.

Cupping his bearded cheek Rogue interrupted his questions. "Victor had them all those years. He will be royally pissed off when he finds out they're gone." Her warm smile turned into a sly grin.

"He had them?" This revelation struck Logan and he opened his palm, seeing the tags in a complete new light.

"Yep. But thought it was time ya get them back, sugah." His hardened and worn out expression, the lifeless and tired eyes had lightened up somewhat. Rogue was glad she finally provided a positive part of his lost past and identity and lessened his torment for a little while.

Eventually the mutant let go of his dogtags and returned Marie's smile, pulling her into a warm and tight hug. "Thank you, Marie." This was the best gift she had ever given to him.

"Ya're welcome, Logan."

X X X X X X X X

They were both caught up into the rerun of 'Bones', finally an episode neither of them knew, when the commercials cut into the show. Sighting Rogue tore her eyes from the television and lifted her head from her living pillow, looking her friend straight in the eyes. "Do ya want to return, Logan?"

This question came out of the blue. The Canadian didn't know what to answer, how to answer when he recalled the self-righteous bastard and his false hope he had offered him all those years ago. Logan had always known that Xavier wasn't as altruistic as most, if not all of the Institute's residents believed him to be, but the man's only hidden agenda seemed to be the recruiting of useful mutants for his cause to successfully integrate the mutant community into the human society. For the loner and hunted prey in Logan, these ideals seemed to be too good to be true, but worth a try. So he became willingly a part of Xavier's precious X-Men in exchange for hints to his past and a save place for his little Marie to grow up.

Most people may think the Wolverine a stupid instinct ridden animal, but he had immediately grasped that the only reason Xavier had taken Rogue in, was his own curiosity about her mutation and what she might be capable of. And he knew that Xavier knew that Rogue was also aware that the students were only his recruits – that was thanks to Magneto being a part of her mind. But both of them could live with this unspoken knowledge in the safety and peace that was provided by the mansion and their friends there.

A frustrated growl rumbled in his chest and up his throat.

"Ah'm not really keen myself." The brunette gave him a half-smile and saw him sighed eventually.

"Well, it was nice to see Storm again. Even Jubes… and I wonder how Kitty is doing." His large fingers ran through her white and brown hair, their faces only inches apart. "Didn't think that returning to the same place or even staying there for months on stretch could make me feel good…"

"Wanted." Rogue put in.

"A part of something."

"It was home." The brunette concluded with a wistful smile.

"Yeah… but only with you waiting there for me."

"Ya're sweet." A small blush crept on her cheeks as she smiled back at him. "Ah feel the same way. Doesn't matter where Ah am as long as ya're with me. Ya are my family, Logan." She could feel her heart running a marathon in her chest when the man beneath her gave her one of his rare hearty smiles, the ones she could lose herself in. "Though a part of me misses my friends back there." Her eyes became a little bit sad at this statement.

"We can go wherever we want, darlin'." He dragged his hand once more through her mane. "But if we return I don't want you far away from me, Marie."

This announcement confused the brunette and she frowned at him. "What ya mean?"

His hand suddenly stopped its motion and rested on her cheek. "Goin' back in your old room is not an option for me, so I thought… well…" Great, now he was stuttering. "I give shit 'bout what the geeks may say, but maybe… you could come to my room… permanently, Marie. That is if you want me as a roommate." He was holding his breath now.

Rogue's mouth was hanging open as she stared at her secret love completely stunned. 'Did he really ask that?' But before Victor could put in his two cents, she gathered herself noting the apprehension in Logan's face. "Yes, yes, yes!" Smiling with true happiness she pushed her body up slightly just to slide a little more up, so her gloved hands could slip around his neck – her hands pressing into the soft pillow below. With pure delight she bent down to place an enthusiastic kiss onto his cheek, quite near his lips, then snuggled her face into his sideburn, his soft brown hair protecting him from her mutation. "But don't think Ah'll collect your clothes from the floor, Mister."

Letting the breath he was holding escape in a chuckle, Logan pulled a little away so he could place a peck onto her forehead. "Marie, my darlin', you try for months, no for years to make me stop droppin' my clothes where I stand." He kissed her again, this time on the tip of her nose. "I'd gather 'em eventually, but you're faster."

His chuckle vibrated in his chest below her. "Logan, sugah, if Ah would wait till you move your lazy Adamantium butt, the floor would be covered in fabric." She was giggling now and her fingers caressed the back of his neck.

"And?" He looked completely innocently with his dark eyebrow hitched and the few persistent strains that always found their way onto his forehead.

"Ya ask, my dear Wolverine?" Rogue was teasing him with his codename, which earned her a playful growl and sharp look. "Remember the mess your camper was." Her eyebrow rose at him.

"Thought you called it cosy, my dear Rogue." His eyes darkened when the Wolverine in him climbed further to the surface. She was so damn close. "You know that lie deserves punishment." His predator eyes locked onto the sensitive skin of her neck, but the rational part in him made his glare wander down to her shoulder, choosing there a spot of delicate flesh. He felt her muscles tense a moment when his mouth met her poisonous skin, his hot breath tickling the young woman as he parted his lips.

'What's he doing?' Marie wondered her body stiffened involuntarily under his touch. She became more nervous as his teeth grazed over her skin. This was not fear of the animal she saw was taking over her secret love, but fear of her own body's reaction to this unfamiliar touch. "Be careful, Logan." She gasped while he broke away for the nth time only to resume his work on her shoulder immediately. This felt so wonderful. 'Don't stop.'

His hot tongue licked her, finally tasting her. She was so sweet. "I am." He grunted into her delicate skin nipping and sucking at it, his need raising as he smelled her arousal. "Just relax." God, she tasted like heaven. The man in him calmed the animal holding it under check. Otherwise his teeth were already sunken deep in her skin marking her as his while his erection would be buried deep within this untouched beauty. He wanted to claim her as his so desperately. But not like this and not now. Fear tingled in her intoxicating scent. With a last lick of his tongue he finally pulled back, finished with his work. His eyes were still dark and clouded with rising desire as their gazes met.

Rogue was shocked about the pure lust in Wolverine's gaze as his eyes switched between her lips and her eyes. Suddenly her chest tightened in fear and she became more uncomfortable under his glare and in his embrace. 'What's wrong with me? Ah always wanted this!' Staring like mesmerized at his face she lifted her gloved hand to her shoulder and she finally understood. "Did ya just make me a hickey?!" Her eyes widened.

Suddenly Logan became unsure and caged the animal back in. "Don't say it was your first?" But of course it was her first. In horror he watched her slime frame slip away from his grasp, leap from his bed and rush into the small bathroom. 'Fuckin' idiot!' His chest began to ache and a sick feeling was growing in his stomach. 'Christ, I scared her away!' Logan sprang to his feet and stormed after her ignoring the bulge in his jeans. 'I hurt her.'

He was about to enter the adjoining room as he whispered, pain and guilt in his still hoarse voice. "Marie. Darlin', I didn-" The Canadian immediately fell silent, when his eyes caught the young woman's reflection as she stood in front of the mirror inspecting the fading red spot on her shoulder. Her smile grew every time her fingertip ran over the love bite and it finally hit Logan: Marie wasn't angry. She just wanted to see her first hickey.

Wolverine watched her a moment chuckling about the awe on her features. "Want to take a picture, darlin'?"

His teasing words made Rogue spun around and stride over to the man leaning in the doorframe with a grin. Tip-toeing the brunette placed a kiss on his cheek, before her lips twisted into a pout. "It's already vanishing."

"Tell you what, Marie, gonna make you a real big and dark one when the healing factor has worn off."

"Really?" 'Crap! I sound like a kid in a candy store getting a load of her favourite sweets.'

A smirk was on his features. "Then all those scarves will finally come in handy."

She wrinkled her nose on that thought. "Nah, won't cover your love bite." Blushing she pushed slightly away as she became aware of the swell that pressed against her tight. The lump in her chest reformed. "Would ya mind, sugah? The beer wants back out." She retreated to the bathroom and closed the door when Logan left his place in the frame.

Taking a few deep breaths she walked up to the mirror staring into it. 'What's wrong with me? Ah finally have him where Ah always wanted him and now Ah'm scared as hell!' She turned on the water and splashed some onto her face. 'But then again we can't do anything thanks to mah skin… Mah skin…' A snort escaped her lips. 'Ah can't believe Ah'm glad about mah fuckin' mutation! Ah'm such a coward!' A tear fell from her eyes and rolled down her warm cheek.

'It ain't like Ah could have sex with the man Ah love. Though Ah want it… and at the same time Ah don't. What's friggin' wrong with me?' Her watery gaze fell upon the hardly visible hickey. 'Logan made me this. He found a way around mah mutation…' Fear and relief welled up inside her body and struggled against each other. 'Maybe… No… there is no way.' More tears streamed down her face.

'Why are the two suddenly so silent? Logan? Victor?' She called out into her mind desperately longing for someone to lighten her confusion. 'Great! Maybe Ah should absorb a woman…'

'Crap! Nothing's fine.' Logan was glad his obvious arousal was gone as he returned to the now closed door of the bathroom, knocking lightly. "Marie." He paused a moment searching for the right words. "I know you are crying." A minute passed by till the door opened and Rogue stepped onto the threshold. Her gaze was glued to the floor, but her red eyes were hard to miss. "I'm sorry, Marie. I shouldn't have done that... Dunno what I thought."

Shaking her head she slowly looked up. "Ya just surprised me, Logan."

He wanted to touch her, place a hand on her shoulder, but he thought better of it. "I scared you. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, Marie." He hadn't thought he could feel even more miserable that day. The Wolverine normally didn't apology or ask for forgiveness, but when it came down to Marie the rules changed.

"There is nothing to forgive, sugah." A sob escaped her throat and she approached Logan sensing his insecurity. "It's me. Something's wrong with me."

"Marie?" Now she was scaring him. "Are you hurt?" He could be so dense sometimes.

"No. Dunno." New tears welled up in her hazel eyes. "Ah'm so confused… It was the same when…" She fell silent. Can she talk with him about it, when even her inner Logan kept silent? But he probably thought now she wouldn't want him that way.

"What, darlin'?" His puppy dog gaze was pleading with her to talk to him.

Suddenly she closed the distance between them and threw her arms around his chest, burying her face in his shirt. "… when Bobby tried to kiss me for the first time. Ah mean Ah always wanted it, but the closer he came the more afraid Ah got… God, then Ah felt ya return and Ah ran to ya. It was the only thing that felt right in that moment. The kiss… Ah…" She choked on her words.

Logan rubbed her back as he always did when she cried. A few years ago he had been at a loss what to do when a woman would cry before him, but now he had learned following his instincts was the best solution. "You weren't ready." He finally understood.

"For a kiss! How can that be? Ah'm twenty now, damnit!" She looked up at him with angry tears welling up in her hazel eyes.

"Well, your first kiss was a disaster." He heard her snort in respond.

"Ah'm pathetic."

"You're not." 'Christ, she's so insecure.' His hand moved to stroke the back of her head. "Don't push yourself, darlin'."

They stood there a while just holding each other as her tears slowly subsided. "Thanks, Logan." She pulled away and felt his hands leave her body immediately. 'Ah might have pushed him away.' "Ya did nothing wrong. And Ah want my hickey ya promised me." Suddenly she felt brave and placed a kiss on Logan's lips. It was just a peck and she swiftly grasped his hand pulling him firmly behind her to the bed. Catching a glimpse of his stunned face she hid her satisfied grin. "Let's watch the rest. Wanna know who the murderer is."

X X X X X X X X

They were back snuggling together on Logan's bed, but the awkward atmosphere still lingered between them. The older mutant was never a fan of small talk, though he was a pro at flirting, but he tried to ease the tension and his confusion – usually he would take one look at the girl and would know what was wrong, but sometimes they could talk to each other for hours and he would only become more confused about her. "It's weird you still have my healin', Marie." Her head shifted and she met his gaze. "It's several days since the mall."

Rogue shrugged her shoulders. "The healing factor is fading, but much slower than the other times."

"Well, you absorbed me a few times already." Logan mused aloud.

"Maybe… but Ah think it's due to also touching Victor." She contemplated a moment. "Ah sucked both of ya nearly dead. Your healing factors kinda added up… Ya have almost the same mutation after all."

"Makes sense." And silence befell them again as both their views wandered back to the screen.

X X X X X X

Rogue stifled a yawn and tried to keep her heavy eyelids from dropping close, but it was no use when she was dozing off for a few minutes. Waking up with a start she eventually decided it was time to retire for the night. With a sigh she pushed away from Logan's chest.

He hoped intently his request won't scare her further, but he was too worn out for her to sleep away from him. "Stay with me." This was the first time he spoke this request out loud. "I won't be able to sleep tonight. Have too much runnin' in my mind… I need you close to me tonight, Marie." His voice was only a whisper and he watched her expectantly.

A small smile formed on her lips. "Of course." Her eyes wandered to her bare arms before she slid from his body.

"No, don't." Logan stopped her before she could leave the bed and he fished his red button up from the floor holding it out to her. She slipped in with a grin and threw a glance at her naked legs then his jeans and sock covered ones.

Deciding they were both protected enough Rogue lifted the thin blanket, crawled on the mattress so her weight wouldn't push the sheet down anymore and finally pulled on the fabric. "Up, Logan." She ordered and he obeyed with a tired grin. Freeing the blanket from the mutant's body she threw it over his legs and stomach while he fluffed his pillow up. At last Rogue slid under the cover, curling up to Logan, her head snuggling onto his shoulder with a sad smile as he turned the T.V. off with the remote.

"Ah'm sorry, Logan." Her hand wandered over his chest. "It was too much at once… but Ah didn't know where to stop…"

"No, it's fine. I just need time to think." He wrapped his arms around her back. "Go to sleep, Marie."

Her eyes were heavy, but she struggled against the temptation to close them and drift to sleep. "Logan?"

"Mhm.", was the murmured answer accompanied by a light kiss onto her dark crown.

This issue was burning on her soul all along and was just intensifying due to Logan's suggestive remarks and his obvious need to touch her the past few hours. "Am Ah still a kid to ya?" She needed to hear his answer.

This question took Logan by surprise. His face wore still the exhausted expression, but his eyes held a sudden spark when his gaze swept down to her sleepy features observing her intently. "Hardly." His arms enclosed her more tightly as a soft smile crept onto her lips. "Sleep now."

X X X X X X X

It was long past midnight and Logan watched the slender beauty in his embrace sleep, her breathing deep and even. Taking a drag of her scent he smiled down on her serene face. 'I'm not good for her. She deserves so much better.' Sighing his hand wandered absently through Rogue's hair. 'It's bad enough she has me and Sabretooth in her head. A relationship with me would definitely ruin her life. What can I offer her anyway? Nothing 'cept a truckload of anger and problems.'

Her fingers clasped his shirt and held the fabric tight in her fist. 'But then again, she has me in her mind and is still here with me – even said that she feels complete again now. Why won't my life, my fucked-up personality scare the hell outa her, like it does everyone else who doesn't know me as good as she does?'

'She's still here with me. Voluntarily laying in my arms. Sharing her life with me for so many months now… Everyone thinks us a couple… But I'm no good for her, even if she loves me.' He removed one hand from the sleeping body of his Marie and grasped one of his tags lifting it up. 'And now with my past so close, everything becomes more complicated.' His gaze inspected the words on the metal while his fingers fiddled with the piece.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

The sun was shining brightly through the half closed curtains onto the bed and its two occupants, warming Rogue's back. Nuzzling Logan's chest she breathed in his unique mix of leather, tobacco and wood. "Mornin'." She stretched a little and found her whole body on top of Logan's, one of her legs draped over his, the other resting between his legs. She blushed and wondered how long they were curled up like that.

"Mornin', darlin'." He placed a kiss on the top of her head and ran his fingertips up and down her spine. "Slept well?"

In the same rhythm as he she began rubbing his chest. "Very well. No nightmares." She pressed her face into his shirt to hide her yawn.

"Still tired?"

His brow was hitched at her. "Nah, Ah just enjoy laying here with ya, sugah." She smiled at him lovingly and felt his arm from under his head move around her waist, his hand meeting his other one on the small of her back. Snuggling her face into his chest the brunette let out a content sigh. "Your body is so wonderful warm." A blush crept onto her cheeks when she grasped she had indeed spoken aloud and she buried her face deeper into his shirt.

His chest rumbled beneath her when he chuckled about her uneasiness. "Well… You know, we have a hot summer this year?!"

She smacked him, but when she met his gaze a bright smile was on her lips. "Ya look better today."

His face was more relaxed, his eyes held their usual spark when she would wake up next to him. "I do feel better. A lot." There it was again: his rare true smile radiating happiness.

'God, Ah love him so much.'

'Eww, gonna gag! Already this lovey-dovey crap in the early mornin'. … Then for heaven's sake tell him!'

'Good mornin' to ya, too, Victor!' she told the older feral in her mind sarcastically.

'Do all of us a fuckin' favour, runt, and finally kiss that dense brother of mine.'

'Shut up, will ya?'

'No.'

'Ya fuckin' will!'

'Nah.'

'Argh!' The brunette pressed her face frustrated against Logan's chest.

Logan furrowed his brows in concern picking up her change in smell. "What is it, Marie?"

Almost growling she looked up at him. "Headache." Rogue saw the worry in his features. "Victor won't shut up."

Realization replaced the concern in his expression. "He can be quite talk-active and persistent when he has found a topic to bug you 'bout."

This statement caught Rogue's attention. "So ya remember more."

"Not much." He took a deep breath. "Nothing specific, only that Victor teased me about some crap for months."

X X X X X

Logan broke the comfortable silence that stretched on for a few minutes. After the night spent alone with his thoughts he wondered how Marie was coping with the events of the last week. "Think your old man ain't happy that his pure little angel lives together with a violent sap like me." 'And lays in his arms in the same bed right now.'

"Ah ain't an angel, Logan. And Dad can be glad that this violent sap protects me and makes me happy."

"I do?" Logan's brow hitched upwards.

Their eyes met and she didn't miss the grin on his lips. "Of course, ya do make me very happy an' ya know it."

"Yep, but it's nice to hear." He was glad she placed her head back on his chest, so she couldn't see his smug grin.

Expectantly Rogue waited for him to continue, but after a minute of silence she gently pushed herself up from his chest to get a good look onto his face – or more onto the cocky smirk on it. "Idiot!" Annoyed she slapped her hand on his chest and tried to pull away from his embrace, but his strong arms tightened their grip on her small frame and held her in place.

Slowly his grin changed into a gentle smile and his hand slid up her back and finally rested on the back of her head pulling her face towards his. For a moment Rogue thought he would kiss her and her breath caught in her throat. But then his lips brushed tenderly against the bare skin on her forehead while his hand wandered down to her cheek cupping it with her brown mane as protection. "You make this violent old sap very happy, Marie." Their eyes locked, his softening. "Hey, I can relax near you. That's a feeling I didn't know for almost 20 years."

Her anger vanished as she noticed the sincerity in his voice and the pure emotion shining in his eyes. With a gentle smile she leaned forward and kissed the beardless spot near his lips before returning to her favourite place on his chest.

The following few minutes were spent in holding each other close and savouring the other's warm touch and comforting scent. Suddenly moans and the sound of a creaking mattress invaded Rogue's sensitive ears and she perked her head up. "Uhu? The guys next to us are quite needy this early in the morning." A small blush was on her cheeks.

Logan snickered, still unused to her enhanced senses. "It isn't early, Marie. It's past 9:30 am."

"It is early for us, sleepyhead."

Logan chuckled involuntarily. "They aren't next to us, but two rooms further away."

"Oh." The brunette's eyes widened, finally grasping she had unconsciously used her borrowed hearing. "No wonder ya have sleep disturbance at Xavier's. Ya must eavesdrop on every nightly talk on a four room radius."

"More like five or six rooms." He corrected and felt her snuggle her head back into his chest as a sudden sadness came in waves from her. His hand wandered to her dark hair in a comforting gesture while he could smell her struggle against the tears that threatened to fall. "Marie?"

The knot in her chest from the night before had returned, just this time it was accompanied with melancholy and not fear. Her lower lip quivered when she began to voice her stinging pain in her heart. "Ah'm never gonna experience that."

Wrinkling his forehead Logan put his index finger under her chin and made her meet his disapproving gaze. "You regret you didn't fuck some stranger, so ya can tell ya have done the deed?"

A strangled sob left her lips as she stared annoyed at him. "No… My first time should have been special… with someone special." A tear finally won the struggle and rolled down her cheek in a sad triumph before it was wiped away by Logan's finger.

He wore now the same reassuring and kind expression he had back at the train so long ago. "Don't speak in past tense. You will have sex."

Rogue eventually lost the fight and her tears streamed freely from her miserable gaze. "Not in this life."

"Where there is a will, there is a way, Marie." Stroking her head he let her in on the solution he had come up with years ago. "A condom and keeping as much covered as possible, darlin'."

Her blurred view searched his face for the hint of a joke or boneless reassurance her parents would provide – though surely not on this topic, but found only grave but tender eyes. "Ya're serious."

"'Course I am. You can have sex. That jerk just has to cover his dick an' balls." Her tears stopped immediately and her expression became dreamy. "Whom do you imagine, Marie?" His smug grin was back at his face.

This question tore her from her thoughts about him with a flush of her cheeks. "Can we change the topic?"

"You started it, darlin'."

Her head settled back onto his broad chest and after a moment of silence a content smile tugged on her pink lips when she whispered a hardly audible "Thank ya.".

Logan placed a kiss onto her dark hair glad to have given her new hope. "You're welcome, Marie."

X X X X X X

More than ten minutes later, they hadn't moved one inch from their curled up position, Rogue lifted her head and patted her friend's chest gently. "Let's get going, Logan."

An upset growl escaped his lips. "Another five minutes, darlin'. It's so comfortable now." His strong arms wrapped tighter about the young woman's frame, giving her no chance to escape.

Rogue hitched her eyebrow at him with a sly grin. "Uhu, the big bad Wolverine likes cuddling!?!"

With a playful growl Logan flipped them over, supporting his weight with his hands on the mattress, so he wouldn't crush the beauty beneath him, and bent down his predatory eyes pinning her down on the bed while he inhaled her scent deeply. "Come again?!"

Not threatened in the slightest way Rogue lifted her hands, running both of them up his arms as she placed a peck onto the tip of his nose. "Just stated the obvious: Wolvie likes to cuddle." Her hands finally reached his shoulders and she slung them around his neck. Bad move.

An evil spark gleamed in Wolverine's eyes as he shifted his full weight onto his right hand and brought his now free hand to his prey's axle tickling her through the fabric. A squeal followed a high pitched scream as Marie grasped her unfortunate position and pulled her arms immediately close to her body minimizing Logan's attack surface. But this was no use as his fingers swiftly switched location to her stomach continuing their assault making her laugh like mad.

Rogue was always one of Logan's best students and so she took him by his teachings: Offence is the best defence. Pressing her upper arms against her body to shelter her axles, she moved her hands to her attacker's sides of his torso and began her own tickle maneuver. But this only intensified her friend's torture of her middle and she soon found herself gasp for air between her giggles and her attempt to roll onto her stomach. When she finally achieved her goal she was about to crawl away from his grasp, only to be tickled on her sides causing her to squeal again.

When the brunette's face was flushed in a deep shade of red and she was panting hard, Logan let go off her and rolled next to her onto his back with a bright smile. Catching her breath Rogue slumped down on the bed, her red face turned towards her friend and a grin plastered her lips. "That was mean, sugah."

He chuckled and grasped her gloved hand, bringing it to his mouth to place a kiss onto her palm. "You deserved it, darlin'." Logan was so glad the awkwardness from the last evening wasn't lingering between them any longer. It was like nothing had happened, though he couldn't shake his thoughts from during the night off.

Rogue's breathing and her face color had finally returned to normal and she slid off the edge of the bed giving Logan a stern glare. "Your five minutes are up. Get up." He was still clutching her hand firmly and she tried to pull him into a sitting position. "C'mon!"

"Hey, an old man hasn't so much energy left." He chuckled at her attempt to get him out off the bed.

Sighing the brunette let go of his hand. "Funny, Logan. Firstly: ya ain't old, but ancient. Secondly: Ya have stamina lasting for an entire army." She braced herself for a new tickle assault, but to her relief the other mutant began to laugh. Shaking her head, a smile on her lips, she went over to their duffle bag and dug two sets of clothes out before she placed Logan's onto her unused bed in a neat heap. A few strides later she stood in the doorframe of the bathroom and threw the Canadian a last gaze. "Hope ya'll be on your feet when Ah'm done showering."

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

An hour and a shower later Logan left the bathroom clad only in his jeans and approached his secret love standing in front of the single cooking plate their room possessed. Rogue might have changed into a fresh short-sleeved tee shirt and a pair of dark green cotton pants, but she still wore his red button-up from the night before. This brought a smile onto the Canadian's lips. Coming to a halt behind her he breathed in the smell of their breakfast. "Mmmmm." He purred into her ear.

"Made ya your beloved scrambled eggs with a load of bacon, sugah."

He leaned his bare chest against her back while his hand wandered between her hip and arm and snatched a slice of bacon from the hot pan.

Before he could pull his arm back, her delicate fingers were on the stolen food yanking on it and ripping it in two. "Can't ya wait, Mr. Howlett?" The greatest part of the bacon was hers and she returned it to the pan with a smile.

Logan retrieved the tiny piece of food and plopped it into his mouth contemplating her words. "Mr. Howlett…"

"It's your name, sugah."

"Kinda weird to hear it after so many years." Now his other hand was on a new prowl, but didn't come even close to its destination when Rogue hit his fingers with the back of her fork making him flinch away. "Will ya wait?"

Sulking slightly Logan's hands slid around her from both sides and rested on her middle as he leaned closer into her warm body placing his chin onto her head. "Just love your cooking so much."

Sighing she picked the torn slice of meat up and turned her upper body towards her best friend meeting his expectant grin – his arms still holding her firmly pushed against his bare chest. Concluding their cooking ritual, Rogue placed the beacon into his now opening mouth and watched him smile in triumph while chewing on his meat. She waited expectantly for the kiss on her forehead he would usually thank her with.

Logan's smile faded as he stared at his Marie like being struck by Storm's lightening. 'We are a damn couple!'

On Rogue's features crept a puzzled frown as she eyed his blank face intently. "What is it, sugah?"

A nervous chuckle rang from his lips before those brushed the expected kiss on Marie's temple. "Uhh, nothing… remembered something that Hood guy said."

She titled her head to one side and mustered his expression. "And what exactly was it?"

Should he tell her about his enlightenment? But this might scare the hell out of her. Suddenly his nostrils picked up on a new smell. "Umm… the bacon is burnin'."

"Oh crap!" Her eyes widened and she whirled around scooping the food on a plate, saving their breakfast.

They were in the middle of their meal and Logan couldn't keep his eyes and thoughts away from the beauty sitting next to him. For nothing in the world he would overstrain the young woman that meant everything to him, but he finally made his decision to show her she belonged to him and always would.

He placed his fork down on the scratched tabletop and retrieved his tags from under his shirt, aware that Rogue had also stopped eating and was observing his movements. Without hesitation he took the smaller chain with the second metal piece off and his gaze locked with hers.

"Logan." The brunette's breath caught in her throat.

Carefully the Canadian lifted her small hand with his and placed the short chain around her slender wrist. It fitted perfectly. "I want you to have one part of them." His voice was full of emotion as were his chocolate eyes.

She caught his hand just as he broke their contact holding him with her. "Ah can't take it. That's a too precious gift, Logan." She was near tears again.

Logan's gaze softened even more on her, his eyes shone in pure love down on her as he squeezed her fingers lightly in reassurance. "Marie, I know that you know what those tags mean to me. That's why I want to share them with you." Both his dark eyebrows hitched upwards to underline his next words. "You're my family."

'Holy crap! Jimmy is serious!'

'Victor!' Rogue was annoyed about the disturbance, but got curious. 'About what is he serious?'

'You honestly ask, runt?! He gives you his goddamn dog tags!'

'Victor?'

'He's serious 'bout you, you dense chick!'

'But…'

'Argh, kiss him, runt!' Victor growled frustrated. 'Damnit, if none of you make the first move, you'll just keep staring at him for the next fucking decades!'

'But…'

'Shit, runt! Jimmy is a coward. Always were.' The feral paused a moment. 'Why do you think our Jimmy here is so quiet every time we discuss this fuckin' topic? He's hidin' in your mind tail turned.'

'But why? He knows how Ah feel 'bout him?!'

'Coz he's a fucking idiot.'

'That's no answer, Victor.'

'He could speak for himself if he had the guts…'

'True.' Suddenly there was a threatening growl.

'We know you're listening, Jimmy!'

'Logan, do ya love me?' Again the growling stopped. 'Logan?'

'See… He's a damn coward!'

'But why?' Rogue was at a loss

'I can only guess, but maybe he thinks you deserve better that a vicious blood thirsty animal like him.'

'But Ah love him! Ah know him, know the Wolverine in him is cravin' for blood! He's in mah mind for years, damnit! Regardless he's the only one Ah always wanted, even when Ah was with Bobby!'

'Don't tell me, runt! Tell him! The real him!'

'But…'

A dark and low growl thundered through her mind. 'I have the urge to rip that lovesick heart of yours out off your chest and throw it before Jimmy's fuckin' feet!'

"Marie?" A hand on her bare cheek pulled her finally back to reality. "What is it?"

Startled she took in the worried gaze her friend gave her. "Logan…" She blinked at him pushing the cursing voice of the older feral further back into her mind, turning him down in volume.

"What's wrong, darlin'?" God, he was worried. He never liked it when she would space out like that, but in the past he knew she would be only caught up in a conversation with one of her psyches; now the situation had changed and he feared her own personality would be swallowed by the darkness he and his brother always lived with and had brought upon this innocent girl.

Victor was right; his little brother wouldn't give his tags to anyone like that. She closed her eyes a moment. When she opened them again, she locked her grave view with the man's before her. "I told ya, I have your … presence in my mind."

Logan sensed what her next words would be and decided to remain silent leaving the first step to her.

Seeing his intense brown eyes Rogue cast her gaze down onto her lap and fiddled with her cotton sleeves while her resolve slowly died.

'Bloody hell! What's fuckin' wrong with the two of you? I'm stuck with my coward brother in his coward wanna-be-girlfriend's mind for all fuckin' eternity!' Victor's temper flared. 'How can two people be so damn dense?' He wanted to jump her and drove his claws into her cursed skin, but cussing was the only way to vent his anger. 'Worst is I can't even skin someone alive! Cuz I ain't got no fuckin' claws! Oh yeah, fuckin' is the other subject that sucks! Cuz I ain't got n-'

'Victor! Stop it!' Can she blush in her mind? Is this even possible? If it is she would be as red as a tomato. 'Ah got it, ya hate to be locked up in mah head! Thought we were through with this issue?! Listen, ya won, 'k! Ah will tell Logan, but ya will keep your fucking mouth shut!'

'Deal, though I have no mouth.'

'Victor!'

'Yeah, got it, runt. But ladies first.'

Taking a deep breath Rogue gather her courage and finally met Logan's gaze. "Ya have feelings for me." He remained quiet. "More… than just the platonic love for a good friend." Rogue helplessly searched for the right words to continue but became more unsettled by Logan's silence. Was it wrong what the voices told her, is she just making a fool out of herself? "Ah… umm."

Eventually Logan gave in. With a shy smile he encircled her small gloved hands with his large ones. "I don't need to have you in my mind to know that you're returning my feelings, Marie."

A stone fell from Rogue's heart. She smiled and tears of joy glittered in her hazel eyes and little butterflies made her stomach flip in joy. "So ya do love me?"

"Yeah, with my heart an' soul." Her smile widened and her features lit up, while her face moved nearer to Logan's, her lips finally captured his. Her heart skipped a beat when he deepened her kiss, his tongue pushed lightly against her lower lip while his hand buried itself in her auburn hair.

Instinctively she opened her mouth slightly granting his hot tongue the long desired access. He slipped in, finally tasting her as their tongues met for the first time, his tugging on her inexperienced one. Moaning against his hungry mouth Rogue brought her covered hands up to his neck, dragging her fingers through his dark mane.

Logan was about to further explore her mouth, when his mind became cloudy and dizziness and exhaustion settled in his body. First he couldn't place those uncomfortable, but familiar sensations, his thoughts caught within the kiss. But then the pain came as his skin contracted and his veins stuck out from his cheeks.

This kiss was wonderful, more passionate than her first with Cody, yet gentler as the desperate one she had shared with Bobby. There were so many emotions put behind his lips brushing against hers, his burning love for her flowing right into her very soul only fuelling her own love for this man. She felt his worry for her mental state and his bone shaking fear of loosing her, his need for her simply being by his side pour into her and her heart skipped a beat as realisation struck Marie.

Without a second thought her hands untangled from his hair and pushed firmly, almost with brutal force, against her love's chest while her lips broke away from his mouth. Her eyes were wide and tears welled up as she watched Logan slump towards the tabletop steadying his heavy weight with his hands on the wood. "Ah'm sorry. Ah didn't want to." She sobbed pushing herself further into her chair as the other mutant shook his head to clear it and panted heavily.

It took Logan a minute to regain his former strength, but when his view wasn't blurred any more, he faced the crying brunette his still shaking hands reaching out for hers. "Shh." He cooed when he pulled the struggling girl to her feet and towards him. "C'mere, Marie." Carefully he pulled her body to his while he sat in his chair and eventually she sank down onto his lap straddling him. "It's fine. We'll find a way." He hugged her tight to his chest, his chin rested on her head as he rubbed her back.

A new flood of tears sprang to her eyes and rolled down her cheeks when she pushed her head from his shoulder and met his kind gaze. "This cannot work, Logan. A relationship with me will never work."

Usually he gave a damn about other peoples' opinions, but in this case the nosy guys might be right. "You know, Marie, we're already a couple … for quite some time now." He tugged her white strain behind her ear and watched her tears subside as she pondered on this new information. "It's the small things in a relationship that really count and make things work. With the ears of mine I'm aware that the kids today think a relationship mainly consists of sex, but knowing every inch of the other's body doesn't mean you indeed know each other or understand one another." He looked deep into her hazel eyes. "Do you get my point, darlin'?"

"So we were together without us knowin' it?" A small smile came to her lips. "No wonder everybody assumes we have a relationship other than friendship." 'Wait! Since when does he think of us as a couple?' Before she could voice that thought her inner Logan spoke up.

'Can't be long, Marie. That's new even for me.'

'Ooh, Jimmy crawled out of his hole and found his voice again!'

'Shut the fucking hell up, Victor, will ya!' Yup his cursing was rubbing off on Rogue.

'Vic, you had a deal with Marie!'

Victor snickered. 'Didn't break it! She didn't say for how long I should keep quiet.'

Logan and Marie were groaning on this. 'You have to be more precise, darlin'.'

'Ya don't say, Logan?!' She mentally rolled her eyes before becoming serious. 'That's important for me now! So please both of ya: shut up!'

X X X X X

Wiping her damp eyes with the back of her hand Rogue's curiosity got the better of her. "So we're a couple?!" She crocked her brow at him with an uncertain smile.

"Sure, Marie… We live together for months… share the bed… cook for each other…" After every example the Canadian had voiced, he placed a tender kiss on Marie's lips while his arms were firmly wrapped around her waist.

Her smile widened and her misery vanished from her eyes as her hands sneaked around his neck. "Love your steamed salmon, sugah." Continuing with his game, she placed a peck onto his lips.

It seemed to work. Her insecurity about a relationship decreased. "Thanks."

"Hey, we even cuddle." Rogue grinned at his pretended angry glare and appeased him with a kiss. "Don't worry, Ah won't tell." Logan growled at her and captured her lips in a more possessive, yet passionate kiss, sucking and nibbling on her sweet lips. On the first tug of her power he broke their contact and smirked at the flushed cheeks of the woman in his arms gasping for air.

He brushed a peck onto her forehead. He simply had to; she looked so damn cute. "We can go shopping for the other blindly." He remembered her glowing features when he had given her that forest green cell phone – he had searched for weeks to find a fitting cover in her favourite colour for the cell he had bought her. Or the other times when he presented her with a mini skirt or bikini in her size. He knew exactly what she liked and what not.

Rogue knew how he hates to buy new clothes – for himself that is – he was always more than willing to accompany her and watch her trying on new outfits. "Ya would still have only two t shirts, three flannel shirts and that one battered jeans, Logan."

He shook his head chuckling, she knew him so well. "You always take care of me." Her little presents she surprised him with from time to time came to his mind, especially the lighter with his name engraved. "Not to forget the little gifts you get me, darlin'." Again a little kiss to her lips.

"That shy little smile ya always hold unwrapping the present warms my heart, sugah."

"Should see your adorable face when I surprise you, my love."

She blushed slightly. "Never thought to hear a word like adorable coming from your lips."

"Nobody 'cept you will ever hear that and live long enough to tell 'bout it." Their lips met again, this time longer and with more passion till her mutation forced them apart. "Our first date lies a long time behind us, darlin'." He noticed her surprise and puzzlement. "How often were we in cinema and eating afterwards or having a drink in a not so shitty bar?"

"Wow, we were dating frequently while Ah was still with Bobby." She remembered their first time out in town in the small pizza restaurant after he had decided to stay after the raid. "Ya even touched me back then… more than my so called boyfriend had."

One of his hands left her waist and cupped her cheek, her hair separating their bare skins. "You yearned for touch. I was never afraid of hugging you or holding your hand."

"Ah know. Ya always treated me like a normal person." She could feel the tears sting at her eyes again.

Her sadness came from her in waves and hit his sensitive nose, making his heart ache. "Marie, you are a normal person. A breathtaking gorgeous young woman I might add." His eyes were serious, pleading with her to finally accept herself as the wonderful woman she was. He took a deep breath and his gaze became almost painful. "God, sometimes it was so fuckin' hard to not kiss you."

A smile tugged on her swollen lips. "Logan, Ah got now, in those past few minutes more kisses from ya than Ah had had before in mah life." Her mouth crushed on his, her own desire for the man driving her, but still having their time limit in the back of her mind.

When she pulled away it was Logan's turn to look a little dazed. "We share the love for hockey – though we don't cheer for the same teams…" This made Rogue smile even more and earned Logan a peck on the lips. "We like horror an' action movies…"

"… and gag on romantic movies." She finished with another quick kiss. "Joshie is right, Titanic is the worst… and Leonardo DiCaprio is a momma's boy." She made a face underlining her dislike.

"You're into real men, huh?"

"Ah have a real man." She corrected Logan with a sly grin and another peck. "Ah love to see the Wolverine fight, ya look so damn sexy." Their faces were hardly separated and while speaking her lips touched his.

Logan growled frustrated about her teasing touch. "Hard to miss that the cage fights turn you on, my darlin'." He closed the distance and nibbled on her lower lip.

"Not the cage fights, only ya and that feral expression." She cooed as he kissed her hungrily. Avoiding the pull of her mutation Rogue gave her Wolverine an once-over, her eyes blazing with lust. "Not to mention that body of yours."

An almost purring growl rumbled in Logan's throat, his hazel eyes darkened as the Wolverine left his confinement and claimed the fervent and possessive kiss that he had yearned for years to be his. His hands sneaked under his flannel shirt she was wearing, roaming over her skin-tight shirt till one of his hands found her breast.

She was like on fire; this heated kiss seemed to last forever while her mutation was humming in frustration about the presence of direct skin contact that was just broken in time to avoid the pull of life-force, but was continued so fast that Marie hardly noticed the loss of Logan's lips. She moaned against his mouth as he squeezed her breast hard and left her even more breathless than she were before. Suddenly Logan's lips didn't return to hers and she was about to whine when he began to trail kisses along her jar to her ear.

His mouth was nibbling the tip of her ear – at least he tried to do it, but then centred his attention onto the sensitive skin of her neck. Rogue could swear she heard him growl "damn earring" and bit down the giggle that threatened to escape her throat. Smiling she watched him kiss his way down her neck to her shoulder and then back up again, while her skin vibrated in frustration. "Ya're teasing mah skin, sugah." Her giggles finally broke free.

Squeezing her breast again Logan grunted between kisses. "Nobody… comes between the Wolverine… and what is his… Not even life-sucking skin."

"Ah'm yours, huh?" Marie feigned her surprise about this confession, her cheeks blushing.

He pulled away from her neck and his dark feral eyes locked with her hazel ones. "Always were." His lips captured hers in a heated kiss. "You know I'm a possessive bastard."

Marie's eyes sparkled with pure joy. "Yep Ah know… and ya're mah possessive bastard, Wolverine."

"Always were." Those words were sealed with a passionate kiss.

Panting heavily the brunette pulled away from her love's lips smiling at him. "We fit together quite well, sugah, don't we?"

Logan's hand on her back pushed her closer to his chest while his mouth went back to caress the tingling skin of her neck. "It's easy to be around each other… We can be ourselves through and through… No pretending… no holding back." With a last squeeze his fingers left her breast and wandered upwards to the hem of his flannel shirt, finally pushing the disturbing cloth down her shoulders, freeing her skin for his lips' exploration.

This action made Rogue tense and suddenly Logan's hands on her felt uncomfortable while her thoughts went back to their bed talk earlier. They could have sex…

Immediately the older mutant smelled her nervousness mixed with rising fear and broke their direct skin contact. Locking his gaze with hers, his eyes returned to their normal hazel color. "Don't worry, darlin'. Just tell me if I'm movin' too fast. Don't wanna make you uncomfortable."

He was looking sincere. Swallowing hard she gathered her courage to not look away. They had always been honest with each other… "Ah'm sorry. Ah'm not ready to have sex… yet."

Running his fingers through her white locks Logan chuckled about her innocence and inexperience; she was so cute, so pure. "Marie, I never intended to get you laid today. Just wanted to make a lil' out. Lookin' is nice, but I wanna finally touch certain spots." His hand slid down her back and groped her butt, making her squeal. "You said yourself, we cuddle… and we were foolin' around a little while ago and not to forget yesterday." He smirked as he felt her relax again in his touch.

One of her hands eventually left his neck and stroked along his sideburn. "Ah do want more, Logan… just at the same time Ah like what we have… had until now." She added anxiously.

"Neither do I want anything to change." He sighed and his features softened as was his voice. "We have something special goin' on."

Rogue's heart felt like bursting. He thought the same way as she did about their relationship.

Taking in her glowing features and inhaling her sweet scent Logan felt the animal in him purr in joy. Marie acknowledged both of them as her mate. Though there were still huge gaps in his memories Logan knew this was the first time a woman he loved would also be loved by the beast inside him, since the animal had been safely caged in the depths of his sub-consciousness until Kayla's supposed death.

Reluctantly his Wolverine would stay in the background for the time being, making only brief visits to his mate. His time would come, but now it was Logan's turn to take care of their Marie, reassuring her, leading her. Mate… wife… it felt right. Finally it made sense. "You know, you already are the perfect wife, Marie."

This came out of the blue for Rogue and she stared at him taken aback. "Wife?!?"

'Wife? Where does that come from?!'

She heard Victor groan in her mind. 'Jimmy means mate.'

'Why doesn't he call it that way then?'

'Don't wanna scare you, darlin'.' Her inner Logan explained.

'Callin' me wife shouldn't scare me then, huh?'

'Told you my brother is an idiot, runt.' Victor put in.

Smiling at her baffled features Logan ran his hand through her white-brown hair. "Thought the past months to wait a few years for you to grow up before I might make approaches, but now I get we already have a mature relationship goin' on." A disbelieving chuckle rang from his lips. "Never thought I would be relationship-material, but guess I was wrong."

She slowly got what her love tried to say. Shaking her head with a grin on her lips she retorted. "Ya're the perfect husband, Logan."

"Hardly perfect, darlin'."

The brunette saw the uncertainty in his hazel eyes, finding it funny that the same words he told her a moment ago to encourage her, brought doubt to him. "Ya're perfect for me, sugah. Hell, we both have a truckload of problems, but we complement one another." She kissed him quickly.

"True." Logan smiled at her. 'When did she become that wise?'

A comfortable silence settled on the two, but the Canadian wanted to set some things straight and thought it now the best opportunity. "Don't ever think you are second choice, you hear me, Marie?"

She wrinkled her forehead in confusion meeting his stern gaze. "What do ya mean?"

Drawing in a deep breath Logan cupped her cheek carefully to have a layer of her hair between them. "The first time I left you, I was in love with you, but you were still a kid, my feelings for you were wrong." He paused a moment and began to caress her cheek with his thumb.

"The reason why my trip took so long wasn't my search for my past … that of course was also a reason… but what I wanna say is… I hoped I could overcome my feelings for you, but all those months I couldn't stop thinking 'bout you." A shy smile appeared on Rogue's lips as her heartbeat sped up. "Then when I couldn't bear it any longer I finally returned and I was so… happy that you were already waiting for me with that wonderful smile of yours… happy that you have grown up to a breathtaking young woman…" He swallowed hard and his face turned sad. "It was a long time I was gone… I planed to make approaches to you, but…"

"… but I had Bobby."

He nodded slowly, never stopping to stroke her face. "My conscious told me it was the right thing for you, someone your age… And I had feelings for Jean, not as strong as for you, but I thought she was worth a try."

Rogue felt the tears sting at her eyes while her inner Logan granted her access to his memories and emotions from that time. He had waited for her. Gave her time to grow up. Why didn't she wait for him? "Ah could never forget 'bout ya, your presence were always there with me, but as ya said it was a long time… and it was really cute how Bobby courted me. Ah felt special… Someday Ah gave in, but ya were always in my mind, Logan. And Ah don't mean your presence Ah absorbed." A single tear rolled down her face and she was pulled against Logan's chest.

"Shh, we're together now, Marie." He whispered and rubbed her back gently.

After a while the young woman pushed slightly away and their eyes locked. "Listen, darlin', I really want this to work, but we will go slowly. One step after the other."

"Why? Thought we have a mature relationship. Is it the age? Even Jean would have been much, much too young for ya. Ah'm not underage anymore." 'Why am Ah arguing? Yesterday the hickey was too much for me…'

"That's true, but… You or more your mutation will give us the pace." Inwardly he feared she wouldn't love him when his memories would finally have returned. His personality might change; he wouldn't be the man she fell in love with. He didn't really know who he was – he may have his real name, know about his brother and some events of his 'previous' life, but he still didn't know who James Howlett really was. And neither did his Marie. And this made him nervous.

Until Marie, his sole purpose in life was to find out about his identity. He never had have ties in the past 18, almost 19 years, therefore nobody would have bothered if his returning memories would change the Logan of the present to the James/Logan of the past. Even with Marie being his best friend he began to worry about this new aspect the moment he had his first flashback at the hospital. Now everything became more complicated. He loved Marie and his Wolverine wanted to claim her as his, but he needed time to sort things out. The last thing he ever wanted to do is to hurt his beloved Marie.

"What if Ah won't learn to control my power? Will we keep sticking to this two seconds kisses till Ah'm old 'n grey?"

"No, we'll find a way. Believe me I do want more, especially when you wear this hot wine-red nighty." He contemplated a moment if he should tell her the idea he came up with years ago, when he became aware of his feeling for the young woman. "Darlin', I don't wanna raise your hopes, but there is the chance that my immune system gets used to your power. Like I have a higher tolerance by telepathic attacks." He noticed hope rise in her huge eyes.

"How?"

Logan smiled gently at her and placed a peck onto her lips. "By simply keeping in touch. My body needs time to adapt to your power."

"Ah shall drain ya from time to time?!" Disbelief was written all over Rogue's face and she stared at Logan as if he had grown a second head.

"I ain't saying you should send me back to dreamland, but little doses might do the trick. Can't promise that it'll work." He kissed her again.

She contemplated his words a moment. "But we might be able to touch each other, without anything happenin'?!"

"I hope that something else will happen when I can touch you the way I want." He saw her blush and her lips crushed onto his again.

"If this works then Ah'm not worried any longer if Ah may be able to control my mutation or not." Rogue smiled with true happiness and a knot in her chest lightened, she wasn't aware existed. She might be able to touch the man she loved without any barriers… Lead a normal life… Feel normal in her cursed skin.

"But if this works, then I'll be the only one who could touch you." He wanted to give her all facts.

She grinned like stupid. "Ah could live with only ya touchin' me." Another kiss, this one tender and loving. "Ah love ya."

"Love you, too." Logan brushed his lips against hers once again before he gently slapped her butt. "Our breakfast gets cold."

With a grin the brunette lifted her body from his lap and returned to her chair. Resuming eating both watched each other with soft eyes and a content grin. After a moment Rogue's face suddenly held a hint of concern. "Are ya well enough to get back on the road after breakfast, sugah?

"Think I am." He flashed her a smirk and swallowed the last bite of his bacon. "Where will you take me anyway, darlin'?"

Her eyes held a mysterious spark as she contemplated if she should answer or not. But knowing the Wolverine didn't like surprises – at least not this kind – she replied. "To your cabin."

"Cabin?" He slowly processed this information. Yeah, back then with Kayla, he lived in a small wooden house… "You know where it is?" He wondered eventually.

"Not yet. But Ah know it's somewhere in Alberta. Near the Rockies."

"Near the Rockies… that narrows it down." He muttered sarcastically.

Rogue narrowed her eyes in mock annoyance. "Hey, trust me! Ah'll eventually get the address."

"I do trust you, my love." He watched her down the remains of her coffee and when she placed the mug back onto the table he noticed a change in her features and frowned a little. Didn't she believe him? Of course he trusted her. "What is it, Marie?"

"Umm, nothing." She lied and saw his infamous eyebrow shoot up. With a sigh she gathered her courage and looked him straight in the eye. "But no other women."

'That it was…' He smirked at her again reassuringly. "Of course not, I now know how jealous you become when it comes to five year old admirer of mine."

Giggles of relief fleed from her pink lips. "Imagine how jealous Ah would be when your admirer is older."

"Don't worry." He chuckled. "Flirtin' is allowed?"

Rogue contemplated a moment. "Flirting is ok, but no touching, sugah. But the same goes for me."

With a cocky smile Logan slung his arms around her waist and pulled her slender frame onto his lap, pressing her tight against his chest. "As long as you're my girl I'm fine with it."

Relaxing into his touch Rogue snuggled her face into his shirt, breathing in his calming scent. She wouldn't tell Logan that his psychopath of brother was playing matchmaker…

THE END