‘Any kind of love, kitten, is made of pleasure, pain and sacrifice. An equal, or requited love is two parts of each. No relationship is kittens and rainbows, but there are the odd few inherently more precious.’

The words of a woman who looked oddly like Logan- perhaps her hair was a little darker, her eyes a little lighter- and the sense of other, feline. Jean was caught up in the telepathic markers in Rogue’s mind.

Rogue had made the decision to take her place, and the
woman- Victoria Creed- had ensured that her decision would be taken seriously.

Logan looked stunned, a little angry. Bobby and the others were freaked out. Rogue was unconsciously transmitting more memories, holding them in place as she went through with Jean’s plan.

‘You’ve heard of Scheherazade, yes? Good. The Queen Scheherazade, as she has been called, was one of several virgins the king of Persia took to bed. The first queen had been unfaithful, so the king executed her and took a succession of virgins to his bed, killing them come dawn. Scheherazade, an advisors daughter, agreed to a night in the kings’ bed against her fathers’ wishes. Being a learned woman, when the time came, she told him story after story, always stopping halfway through at dawn, and because she fascinated him with those tales, he held off killing her until he fell in love with her. However, the title of Scheherazade, passed down through my mothers’ family from the same, means something a little different. Use your cunning, everything you are, to protect what you hold dear, kitten. Then, whether I am there to say it, you are Scheherazade.’

Rogue chuckled humourlessly, unaware her thoughts were being fed into the minds of her people.

‘Victoria, I know you never meant for me to be Scheherazade in any way for another decade, but it is worth it. Xavier’s and her people have given me time to recover my equilibrium, to learn and extend my trust. Logan…he’s given me more than I ever hoped for, after leaving that place that was my home once. Safety, care, and as you said once, love of any kind is pleasure, pain and sacrifice, all of which I saw atop Liberty. Maybe the others misinterpret the way I see him. So be it.’

Exhalation.

‘What was it you said to me? “Break my bones, shatter my heart, rip apart my soul, but do not take from me that which I hold most dear.” Beautiful, bloody words, but now I face the biggest hurdle yet.’

‘You’ll make it.’

‘Victoria?’

‘Yes, kitten. Never fear, if you can’t make it out of
the deluge, I’ll direct brother dear in fishing you out before he goes berserk.’ The attempt at levity, in the
kindly stern mental voice does the trick. Rogue’s muscles ease, and with someone sharing the load of concentration, Jean’s harebrained scheme is pulled off,

Rogue doing a weird jump thing that means Kurt can teleport to get to the girl.
Sitting on the floor of the jet, Rogue broadcasts again.

‘Victoria? You broadcasted for me, didn’t you? You’re still doing it!’

Catlike smugness, a tang of sass and earthen fire in her reply

‘Combat telepath, kitten. Mom, mate, sister, mentor, and a hundred years of learning. Besides, you do not need to be made uncomfortable about desiring the presence of your Pride mate.’

‘His name is Wolverine, so where does pride come into it?’

‘Foolish kitten. I am a cat, so I say Pride, my mate and our son are wolves, so they say Pack, brother is a rodent, like a weasel. That means a Sneak. Besides, the human heart and the animal have to find a balance, which is why, despite being a solitary animal, I can mate. You, little one, are ours. The ferals, no matter what we call ourselves. So yes, please, break it off with that ice cub. He’s terrible mate material for you.’

‘Victoria!’

‘Don’t “Victoria!” me, cublet. It’s only common sense. I told you, your mutation will shut down when you’re ready, not before. Besides, not only has your mutation aged you, but you’ll outlive all but my people. Before you protest, think about it. Brother brought you into the Pride because you needed my help. I’ve given you Scheherazade. With your mutation, and the fact that we all have healing factors, the only end you’ll have is a bloody one when we’re gone.’

Everyone was staring at her now, flicking glances at a stone faced Logan. Rogue blushed deep red, and snarled along the telepathic channel

‘Can you stop, Victoria? I get it, okay. Yes, Bobby is not a good choice for me, because of what you just pointed out, but still, did you have to blast it into his brain?’

‘Hmph. Cubs need punishing, and embarrassment is yours for choosing to become Scheherazade far too early. And I’m sure my brother will take great pleasure in making you scream for terrifying him.’

A pause, then

‘Be sure to return to the sanctuary, kitten. You need more telepathy training. While I don’t doubt the telepaths over there are powerful, they’re also “pure” telepaths. You need combat telepathy to help your control.’

The line went dead, figuratively speaking, and Rogue crawled to Logan, flopping in his lap and muttering

“I am sleeping. Make everyone piss off.”

Rogue knew when Victoria told her gleefully that Logan would take great pleasure in making her scream for terrifying him, it would not be sexual. Now, though, she was wishing that threat had been as sensual as it sounded.

Because the bastard was making her skydive.

Now, Rogue isn’t scared of heights, per se, but jumping out of a plane at however many miles can terrify anyone. So, here she was, strapped to his chest, his arm around her waist, falling at light speed, and she was screaming like a baby.

Her only solace was that his supersensitive hearing was giving him an earful, and he knew what he was doing. Damn him anyway.

Logan felt out of his depth. Marie was so powerful, and so afraid, that while he was sure Xavier could help her, he needed to be sure she could be helped.
Which was why, although she was looking at him strange, he drove the kid first to the home of his sister Victoria. Thankfully, when they got to the boundary of Vic’s general telepathic radius, she put the kid to sleep.

Carrying her over his shoulder felt creepy but he needed a hand free to use his claws to hack at overgrown parts of the trail. It took hours, but when he felt the gentle tug of his sister’s gift, he knew he was going in the right direction.

His arrival at the stone building was pretty anticlimactic. Victoria wasn’t even out front to greet him. But then, this glade in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains was protected by traps, telepathic illusions and dead end trails.

‘Vic?’

‘Logan. Put her inside, I’m not far. Food should be
there somewhere, I’ll be back soon.’

‘You’ve read my mind?’

‘Of course. We were both combatants, once. Surely you remember how cautious we had to be?’

‘Yeah. So? Can you help her?’

‘I haven’t looked in her mind, I just wrapped her in the illusion of comfort to get her to sleep. From what your memories tell me, the poor thing’s been starved and abused. I can probably help her, but I can only do so much, Logan. My mind is programmed for combat.’

‘Thank you.’

‘You’re my brother, thanks are unnecessary.’

As he’d lain the kid down in the hammock in the foyer of the small stone house, he had carried on the conversation as he poked around his sisters’ old fashioned kitchen.

He wasn’t at all surprised when a short, lithe female in cargo pants and a worn long sleeve tee tiptoed through the back door, scuffed combat boots soundless on the decades old flagstone floor. With her dark hair pulled back in a long, low tail by a strip of leather, her brown eyes dancing, Victoria Creed Russell looked little older than Marie.

Yet, he knew better, though he couldn’t tell you how old she truly was. No one moved that gracefully, had that much control without a long lifetime of learning it. A quick hug before he bussed her cheek, with her pushing him away so she could inspect the girl in her front room.

He heard a rustle of fabric and the creak of old string before Marie’s voice, blearily questioning her whereabouts. Victoria replied

“It’s alright, kitten, you’re safe, that I promise you. My brother told me your name is Marie, and mine is Victoria, but please, call me Ria.”

More mumbling. Rolling his eyes, Logan exited his sister’s home, pulling out a cigar and considering what to do next.

AULD LANG SYNE

‘Rogue’ looked steadily at the woman in front of her. Not old, but not young either, if she was going to insist on the whole ‘kitten’ thing. Which, she mused, wasn’t that bad. Logan called her ‘kid’ because she was that to him. Victoria had used ‘kitten’ similarly- as an endearment.

Despite the watchful eyes, Victoria didn’t waver. Like her brother, she had an adamantine spine and steel will. For her, however, the first was figurative, not literal. Thick lashes swept down over brown eyes before flashing back up. For a moment, Rogue envied the other female her precise poise, then she tilted her head, just a little and said kindly

“You’re projecting, and rather loudly, kitten. The only reason I am so poised, as you believe, is that I’ve had a century to perfect my physical and emotional control, while retaining the body of someone in their prime.”

Agape, Rogue could only stare. With a chuckle, Victoria patted her clothed knee and turned to leave, calling over her shoulder

“Come on, dinner will be soon, and then, if you don’t mind a telepath poking around, we’ll see if you can’t gain a little control over your skin.”

Rogue stared for a moment, watching the easy slide of booted feet and the slightest swish of hips as Victoria walked through the doorway, laughing at something.

AULD LANG SYNE

Two Days Later
Logan sat down beside Rogue after a hard days training, a little amused at the shellshock on the girl’s face.
“She’s not perfect, kid. She would be the first person to tell you that. Vic has a nasty temper once you get it going, and she’s got a feud going with Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. because he wouldn’t permit her to go on a mission with her husband. She went anyway, was the only reason the squad made it back, Fury was an ass about it, and she left.” Rogue processed that for a few minutes. Victoria was too short to be a model, too tough to be a girly girl, but she made it work. Part of Rogue wished she could be like that, but a larger part doubted it was possible.

Sighing, Logan started in again
“Time out of mind, my sister has been a beautiful woman other women envied and men lusted after. Her mutations are simple- fangs and combative telepathy- but powerful. She’s never let it go to her head, though. She’ll help you reach that place, if you let her.” Shaking her head, Rogue answered quietly

“But how? She’s amazing, and I’m…me.” A female chuckle, not gentle, but not unkind either, drifted to their ears as Victoria prowled out of the house.

“Oh kitten, I told you, a century hones you. Yes, it will be difficult for you to walk this road, but it’ll be worth it, I promise.” She knelt behind Rogue, pulling the girl into a hug.

“Once we’ve got a good grasp on what controls your mutation, Logan and I’ll discuss the next step. I want to train you here, but you need to be socialized and he knows a good school you can go to.” When the girl stiffens against the woman who has come to be something like a fiercely maternal older sister, Victoria reassures her

“There, there, shhh, I’ll go with you, and Logan will make sure we get there alright, and settled in before he goes back to work.”

Finally relaxing, Rogue starts in on the disciplines Victoria has deemed necessary for her to master. It takes a few false starts, and nearly a year since she met Logan, but she learns. She learns that in some areas, like mental combat, she is naturally gifted, but in others, like the hand to hand that makes up her morning routine, she must work hard.

For the first month or so, it is just Rogue, Wolverine and Scheherazade, the two elder mutants teaching the youngest everything they can. Tracking, hunting, survival skills, hand to hand, mental combat, all is poured into an eager recipient. After that first month, Logan’s former squad- Victoria’s too, Rogue learns at some point- turns up, two friends in tow.

Which is how Anna Marie D’Ancanto meets Jacob ‘Jack’ Russell (otherwise known as Werewolf by Night), N’Kantu the Living Mummy, Man Thing, Frankenstein’s Monster, Jackson Russell (Victoria and Jack’s son, a.k.a. Wolfman) and their allies: Deadpool and Gambit. Deadpool is Wade Wilson, who, upon discovering that the sight of his disfigured flesh doesn’t make the women squeak in terror, leaves the mask off entirely. Gambit is the younger ally of the Howling Commandoes, younger even than fresh faced Jackson, but he doesn’t hesitate to inform Rogue that his name is Remy Lebeau.

Logan, of course, informs Remy that flirting with his charge is a Bad Idea. Remy takes it with good grace, promising to ‘keep ‘is ‘ands off, Remy will’. Then Rogue is expected to take part in the Commandoes ‘relaxed’ training. Victoria comments with a smirk

“Well, Rogue, at least you’ll be able to help me stay in fighting fit once we’re at school.” Rogue laughs, neatly dodging a missile from Remy before tackling Jackson, using her newly discovered (and microscopic) telepathic reach to confuse him.

Of course, all good things must come to an end, she knows. So she packs up what little she has when Victoria says it’s time, hauling them all to a mall to outfit them both accordingly. Jackson surprises the others by volunteering as Rogue’s guard and training partner, but receives nods of approval, so he too, must be equipped properly.

Like Victoria, Rogue selects both functional, dark pants- loose jeans, cargoes- and fitted tanks, a few floaty dresses that get her a look from Logan and unlike Victoria, a few sets of gloves. Jackson, on strict orders from his mother, chooses not the militaristic look the entire family favours for civilian wear, but workout clothing, a few pairs of hard wearing jeans, with hiking boots and sports sneakers in place of his beloved combat boots. At Logan and Jacks’ urging, Victoria relents when Jackson points out the pros of leather jackets.

Jacksons’ is a biker jacket, with a pair of motorcycle boots and a motorcycle chipped in for ‘the cause’ when Gambit and Deadpool decide their ‘little buddy’ needs to make road patrols. Rogue glances at Victoria, aware she doesn’t want her baby to be hurt. The other woman shakes her head and walks off to select a knee length leather duster that sits snugly on her frame.

Snickering, Rogue finds one for herself, a nicely cut hip length leather jacket.

Within a week, Jackson’s motorcycle saddlebags are loaded, and Rogue and Victoria are packed into cherry red convertible sports car. Logan, after making a deal with his sister, has reclaimed his past and decided a motorcycle of his own is a good idea. He doesn’t show it, but when the others ply him with booze to celebrate, and Victoria and Marie outfit him and his
new bike, his heart hurts a little from feeling full.

Even though, technically, they are ready to go, by unspoken agreement, they wait until the Commandoes are called out again, Gambit and Deadpool don’t have jobs, not yet, so when the Russells have said their good byes, and the Commandoes are gone, they turn their own bikes to Xaviers’. Neither intends to stay, but do agree a motorcade escort for the two women is a good idea.

Many, many people stare at the procession, two bikes in tandem screaming in front, the sports car with two hot women whipping by at blazing speed, and followed by another two bikes, also in tandem.

It certainly surprises Xavier and his students when the Wolverine, a young man with a little resemblance and a red car pull in. Two motorcycles shoot past the mansion, acknowledged by the honk of a horn. Logan climbs off the first bike, a black beast with three silver lines on each side of the fuel tank, shaking his head and resettling his battered bike jacket.

Jackson has the female students swooning when he stands up, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. Stripping off his own jacket, he called

“I take it you’re Xavier, then? Uncle has spoken of you.” A catlike full body stretch, and the young man grinned, the trace of his fathers’ accent obvious. With a snort, Victoria exited the drivers side of the vehicle, and began her own series of stretches.

Rogue shook herself awake, drawling out the Southern twang when she asked
“Logan, sugar, you sure this is the place? They are staring at us like animals in a zoo.”

A roll of muscled shoulders and Logan finally spoke
“Well, Chuck, since you can’t read my mind, I’ll introduce you to the lovely people with me.” Flipping his thumb in the right direction, he explained

“My nephew, Jackson Russell, goes by Wolfman.” The son of ‘the best man to come out of Transylvania’ as Victoria has proclaimed her mate, cracks a grin and says politely, emphasizing his accent
“Tâmpiților.”
Victoria snickers, which means Logan points to her next

”My sister, Victoria Russell, who’s eighty years older than her son but doesn’t act like it.” A raspberry is all the answer she gives to her introduction. Ignoring her, he waves at Rogue and says with a threat implicit in his tone

”This is Vic’s protegee, Anna D’Ancanto, she mostly goes by Rogue.” And you will watch your step with her. The threat he implies is simple, but he knows the younger boys won’t listen. Fine by him. He and Jackson can handle anyone Marie can’t rebuff herself.

“V-Very well, Logan. Shall we?” Rogue shoots a look at Victoria, an invitation to initiate a telepathic channel. Easily, Scheherazade asks

‘Kitten?’

‘Is it just me, or has Logan completely knocked that
old guy for a loop?’

‘Heh, no, cub. That’s not you. Look sharp, blondie-
boy’s already moon eying you.’

A glance in the direction of said male

‘Blandie-boy, you mean. Logan and the Commandoes have completely ruined me for the male of the species.’

‘Prime jerk off material, though. All that muscle? Hmm, yum. Especially my Jack. Just don’t tell him I find Deadpool’s flexibility and Gambit’s acrobatic prowess interesting. He’s jealous like that.’

‘Good thing I’m just after Logan, or I’d have competition.’

‘Nah. Anyone who thought they could horn in on me would have to face Jack, Logan, and Jackson. You, though, my sweet chickadee, could have even that scrawny Visorhead eating out of the palm of your hand.’

‘Mmm, interesting thought, but still only want one man.’

‘That’s mating for you. When I realized how bad I needed Jack, I just about tore this one slut’s face off. It was amazing! I felt so powerful.’

‘Oh, ah, that’s…interesting but creepy. Hey, Logan’s back!’

‘Hmm? Oh, that, yeah, we got our room assignments. Let’s rock this!’

‘Hell yeah!’

Charles Francis Xavier was in a bit of a quandary. One of his students, Rogue, was practising hand to hand combat with another student, Wolfman, while a third person, not really a student, but not truly faculty ‘supervised’. By which he meant Victoria Russell, reportedly Wolfman’s mother and who went by the name
Scheherazade instructed them in better technique.

While the practise was not bad, the facts were thus: he had not approved Victoria, Scott was flipping out about inapproppriate instructors and other students wanted to join in. So far, only Piotr Rasputin had been allowed to join them. Not surprising since Rogue and the Russells ran several kilometres a day, and the Russian had the muscle to keep up.

All of this meant he had to try to cajole Victoria into including other students in the time she coached her three current students. To that end, he had scheduled an appointment with his fellow telepath, though they could easily have done this via telepathy. Charles had chosen to abstain from telepathic contact with Victoria since she found out Jean had been doing periodic sweeps of students’ minds.

The woman in question had gone absolutely postal, lunging across the dining room to tackle the taller woman, fangs descending in a feral snarl as she both physically and telepathically strangled the daylights out of the terrified Jean. Wolfman and Rogue had both reacted, Jackson restraining his mother while Marie ripped away the sobbing redhead.
Victoria had ‘pathed the information to her son, who had whipped around to roar at Jean

“How dare you! Telepathic sweeps of non-combatants who have put their trust in you? Where are your precious ethics? Where did you throw your honor? La dracu, you are a spoiled bitch!”

Rogue thrust the redhead away from her and spoke calmly, relieved Victoria had stopped thrashing

“Now, Jackson, no need to be brash. I’m sure Dr. Grey didn’t realize her control was slipping, and Professor Xavier will undertake harsh disciplinary action, won’t you, Professah?” The girl had spoken stonily, purring the last word in a perverse twist of her Southern Twang.

Shuddering, Xavier considered the points he needed to make. Victoria was the worst kind of vicious when it came to her charges, and he hadn’t needed to read her mind to know she would’ve ripped Jean’s throat out with her teeth if those same charges hadn’t stopped her.

A knock on his door jolted him out of his reverie.
“Come in.” He called, aware that it was probably Victoria, and that communicating verbally was probably for the best.

She sauntered in, leather halter top tucked into ass hugging jeans. It should have looked horrid, tucking a halter top of all things into the waistband of high-waisted jeans. But on her, it all looked like painted on window dressing. Like her students and brother, the woman was all muscle, and all kinds of delicious.

Using his arms, Xavier adjusted himself in his chair, wishing, for once in his life, that his paralysis prevented him getting such things as ‘boners’. Victoria’s smirk, knowing to the extreme, just discomfited him all the more.

Clearing his throat, the professor began
“Ah, yes, Victoria. Would you be willing to teach a hand to hand class? Self defense, perhaps?”
Eyebrow raised in an echo of her roguish older brother, she stated pleasantly

“I’ll teach whatever you want, within my skillset, so long as I get to pound telepathic ethics into every single person on campus.” He goggled at her.

“Every single one?” She smiled, a trace of malice in her eyes

“Oh yes, even you, Xavier. You see, as I have walked this planet for a hundred years, I have picked up something about telepaths, being one myself. I’ll just need to call someone for assistance in my Tp Ethics 101 seminar, then I’ll start training the rest of your runts. Ta.” She sauntered back out, grinning when she realized Rogue and Wolfman were already warming up, Colossus only a beat behind them.

AULD LANG SYNE

Having contacted her older brother, Victoria gathered her charges after dinner and sat them down for a Talk. Rogue sat straight, looking at her intently, while Colossus and Wolfman were both leaning forward on their elbows. Victoria smiled, tapping a hand to her temple, and receiving three nods, opened a telepathic channel that included all four of them.

‘Well, Xavier wants me to teach self defense. My condition on that is pounding telepathic ethics into everyone here. Anyone tell me why?’

Piotr tapped the table and broadcast tentatively
‘You want to punish Dr. Grey, for neglecting her oath, and you want to make both her and Xavier aware of the damage they can do. By doing it publically, it looks like you’re simply educating everyone on campus, but there’s a reason you want to humiliate them, especially Jean’ Victoria nodded, tilting her head when Rogue tapped the table

‘The humiliation will ensure this is set in their memories, but you want to humiliate Jean for another reason. What is it?’ Jackson snorted, not bothering to signal his intent, simply burst out

‘That bitch cock teased Uncle last time he was here!’ His mother shot him a look of acid reproach, reprimanding him sharply

‘Jackson, don’t make me pull your father off duty to teach you simple discipline. You know there are rules to telepathy for a reason.’ Nodding sheepishly, Jackson quietly listened as his mother outlined the plan for the telepathy seminar and hand to hand lessons.

Rogue was told to handle the boys reconditioning, Piotr to handle the girls, and Jackson was assigned an extra week of patrols for time to reflect on his discipline. When he was ready to be the man he was, not the boy he’d been, his mother assured him, he would assist in the training.

AULD LANG SYNE

Rogue hated this part of being Victoria’s protégée. All the other woman had to do was cast big brown eyes at her- Logan’s eyes- and say in that piteous mewl
“…but kitten…” and then Rogue would do whatever she wanted.

So, that was how she ended up training the boys who wanted to know about hand to hand in how to optimize their bodies. Had she ever been that out of shape? Shaking her head, Rogue had to admit, Vic’s idea was genius. The boys wanted to impress her, and after Piotr’s offhand comment about how sexy a woman who could defend herself was, the girls were falling all over themselves to improve.

Surprisingly, or maybe not, Kitty Pryde was making eyes at more than a few boys. Oh, the other girls were too, but the main few for Kitty were Scott, Blandie (who, Rogue had learned, was actually Bobby), which, by the way, ew. Scott was with the bimbo telepath with octopus hands for control and Blandie was an ice maker straight out of some teen drama (as the quarterback or some such bull). The only one Kitty was making eyes at that Rogue even came close to approving was Piotr. Sweet, sensitive, protective Piotr. Muscular Piotr. Not that she’d tell Logan that she thought Piotr was hot (he is, but she’s more attracted to lean, hard won muscle and hazel eyes).

Anyway, Rogue had finished her Saturday morning run, had showered, ate and braided her hair, was now relaxing in the communal lounge, eyes closed as she listened to the others in her age group babble uselessly.

Bobby gazed at Rogue, as besotted as he had been since she got here. She was hot, her control on her skin erratic enough she usually wore gloves, and her strength burned in her eyes. He leaned over, and when he noticed her eyes were slitted, he bent in, hoping to kiss her, or talk to her, when he heard it. The rumble of an engine. Rogue’s eyes popped open, and she rolled to her feet, darting for the door. Curious, Bobby headed after her, hardly noting that the other occupants of the room had also followed.

The man he knew only as Wolverine strided in the door, opening his arms when Rogue hurtled toward him, holding her close as she carelessly wrapped her arms around him, giggling (Rogue! She never giggled with them) as he spun on his heel, hitching her up a little further into his arms.

AULD LANG SYNE

Bobby wasn’t the only one watching Rogue’s overjoyed welcome for the Wolverine. Jean was watching too, fascinated that Logan could be so gentle with the girl. In fact, she noted with interest, Rogue wrapped her arms around Logan’s waist when he set her down, which he did only when Victoria swept forward, claiming a hug from her brother on the side opposite Rogue. Wolfman and Colossus shared smirks and handshakes with the other man.

She was jealous, Jean realized. Rogue didn’t care what anyone thought, wearing tank tops that bared enough of her chest for Logan’s dog tags to gleam against pale skin, was so open in her happiness that he was around.

And then, in a story book moment, a man of Slavic descent walked through the door, causing Victoria to shriek in surprise, leaping away from her brother to enfold the new man with Jackson’s face and hair and build in her arms. With a laugh, the man lifted her up for a sensual kiss, hands under her butt, breaking apart a few moments later so Jackson could step in to hug his parents. Laughing himself, Jackson gestured his father upstairs, obviously so they could carry on their reunion, Jack kissing Victoria’s temple before whisking
her away, giggles trailing them.

Rogue kissed Logan’s cheek, giggling herself when met with stubble.

“Come on Sugar, I bet you’re starved.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she burst out laughing, retorting

“For food, you goof!” Logan smiled a little, himself, but paid more attention to tucking her against his side than Jean, Scott, Ororo, Hank, or the students.
Jackson and Piotr ambled after the bantering pair, sniggering when Rogue bossed Logan a bit.
Shaking her head, Jean went down to the labs, sure that while Victoria wouldn’t ‘leak’ thoughts, Jack would.

AULD LANG SYNE

Drifting between sleeping and waking, Marie in his arms, his past squared away and belly full, Logan was contented in a way he hadn’t been in a long time. It certainly helped that his armful of Southern Belle was cuddling against him.

A scent hit his nose. Damn, his nephew had bad timing. Opening an eye, he grunted.
Jackson shrugged

“Which order do you want this? Patrol, sitrep, training, or…” He trailed off, nodding when Logan closed his eyes and grumped

“Sitrep, train, patrol.” Clearing his throat, Jackson began, in a subvocal tone only Logan would catch

“Reporting, Jackson James Russell, codename Wolfman. Time since last report: seventy one point three hours. Item one: Piotr Nikolaivich Rasputin, codename Colossus, has completed the necessary protocols to patrol alone, as has Anna Marie D’Ancanto, codename Rogue. Item two: follow up to incident report. Victoria Grace Russell, Codename Scheherazade has decreed full psionic lessons for all.” When Logan just grunted, Jackson smirked and saluted, walking away with a spring in his step.

AULD LANG SYNE

The largest gathering area had been utilized for what promised to be a quick, simple telepathy lesson, complete with a Jean smackdown of epic proportions. Rogue was quite looking forward to Victoria tearing a strip off the cocky telepath, having had to endure assurances Logan was gone for good, for months on end.
Jackson was just interested in watching his Mom be amazing. Although, he thought with a grimace, being able to smell his fathers’ arousal was kind of embarrassing.

As the students chattered, Victoria walked into the room, taking center stage with ease, her silky purple caftan lending her an air of mystery. Once at the front of the room, she faced the assemblage and snarled so loudly all three of her family members winced.
Smile poison sweet, Victoria began

“Some of you, are simply ordinary people able to do extraordinary things. Others will stand and fight when they must. Still more are programmed, shaped into specific things. I-” She paused, glaring at them all suspiciously, continuing after a moment

“Am a child of violence, trained for combat decades
before any of you were born, before your beloved professor was even knee high to grasshopper. My mutations are saber teeth, inherited from my father, and Alpha level combat telepathy, inherited from my mother. I can teach you martial control, how to use your psychic power, I can even teach you to fight. Unlike Professor Xavier or Dr. Grey, I refuse to teach sniveling, dishonorable idiots.” Sneered, the titles sounded more like epithets. Victoria’s eyes were a little bit mad. She hissed

“The very definition of pure is this: without extraneous and unnecessary elements. Grey and Xavier are pure telepaths, have never willing used their power to kill. I have, and that is why I am a combat telepath: I will use my power to take action to reduce, destroy or prevent an undesirable outcome. The difference, is that while I will use it for combat, I do not, will not, use my telepathy without individual permission. Every telepathic ‘switch’, ‘trigger’ and ‘trapdoor’ I have EVER inserted into anyone, was inserted with their consent.” Glaring at Xavier, she snapped one last sally at him

“Even a psychic rewrite, I would not take without consent of the person being rewritten, no matter their age.” Shots spent, she whirled on Jean.

“Grey! What possible purpose did scanning the students have?” She waited a beat, leaning into the other womans’ face, snarling

“Absolutely none! You betrayed their trust, essentially raped the minds of dozens, for what? Your ego?” Chest heaving, the small, feral female whispered

“You are very lucky I am a principled combatant, Jean Grey, or I would return to you your harm a hundredfold.”

Rolling her shoulders, Victoria barked

“There is a pile of reading material on the chair by the door. Read it, think about the contents, and if you want me to train you, be outside at dawn in seven days.” Spinning on her heel, she marched out of the room, Jack on her tail.

Turning to Logan, Rogue murmured

“She’s still pissed about the Jean thing. But she’s right. I know she planted telepathic junk up in my head, she asked me, explained what it was for.” He nodded, squeezing her close before replying

“I know, she did the same before the adamantium stuff, but it hid itself because I was in so much pain.”
Shivering, Marie slipped beneath Logan’s jacket, so that the only thing between her and his chest was his wifebeater. His arms tightened, her shields slipping enough that he picked up her distress.

‘There, sweetheart, I’m alright now.’ The mental caress
was all she needed to relax, even though she took the opportunity to curl deeper into his chest.

AULD LANG SYNE

Xavier studied Rogue and Logan, was surprised to see a moment of telepathy pass between them. Somehow, he’d thought quiet, confident Rogue would end up with Wolfman or Colossus, hoped it’d be Bobby, not Wolverine. Yet… if he was reading this correctly, she was happier this past day or so than she’d been previously.

Obviously, he had some thinking to do. Scott would not be happy about this.

A/N: I'M BASING THE MATING BOND TALKED ABOUT IN THIS CHAPTER OFF of NALINI SINGH'S PSY-CHANGELING SERIES (sort of). POOR JEAN WILL RECEIVE MORE ABUSE.

Rogue was sweaty, tired and ready for bed. She was in no mood for Dr. Jean Grey to corner her after a three hour foot patrol, especially since she had another one in eight hours. However, Jean was not to be deterred.

"Rogue, can you explain your relationship with Logan for me?" Scowling, Rogue straightened her ponytail and said in a clipped voice

"In private, yes." Silently, she stalked behind the 'good doctor' to her office in the lab. With Logan and Jack both back with the Commandoes, it left Rogue, Colossus, Wolfman and Scheherazade somewhat shorthanded for patrols.

Once in the office, Rogue swung the visitors chair around to straddle it, crossing her arms. Staring at the redhead with open hostility. Choosing her words carefully to maximise precision, Rogue asked

"What do you wish to know, Dr. Grey?" Although she couldn't sneer as well as Victoria, the implication of distaste came across loud and damn clear.

Jean cleared her throat and asked

"Are you sexually active, Rogue?" Incredulous, Rogue stared at Jean until the older woman blushed. Weighing her words again, Rogue bit out

"I am mated to the Wolverine, telepath. That means we have a tele-empathic bond, and if I want to fuck my mate, I will. However, since he has more honor in a single claw than you have in your whole body, we will abide human law."

Eyes wide, Jean sputtered, only for Rogue to interrupt her with harsh words

"I know you are engaged to Scott, but both Jackson and I have noticed you act flirtatiously with Logan and Jack arouses you when you see him. You will keep your hands to yourself, or I will pummel you, and without powers. Are we clear?"

With a nod from Jean, Rogue shifted off the chair and walked out, just a little bit pissy.

Later that night, Rogue was reclining on the roof, a simple flip phone held to her ear as she spoke to Logan, sounding slightly distressed but more from tension and exhaustion than anything else.

"She just came out and asked me if I was fucking anyone. I wanted to strangle her." Running a hand through dark hair with a single grey stripe, she sighed and continued

"Vic said we can ease off patrols pretty soon, once Piotr and I catch up on our psionics and can use telepathic scans instead of hiking all over the perimeter, and Jackson's upping my physical training to compensate for the increased psychic overload."

She listened to what her mate was saying, wishing, not for the first time that their telepathic reach was long enough that they no longer needed the phone.

Saying goodbye, Rogue headed in, ready to hit the sack. She had patrol in the morning, after all.

Oh gods, but this was pathetic, Rogue mused. Surely, she had only been half as sappy when Logan first left? Well, the girl conceded, she’d also had Victoria and Jackson and later, Piotr to keep her head from exploding. Katherine Elaine Pryde, however, did not.
Nope, that girl was mooning over Colossus, her long ago crush on Iceman and infatuation with Cyclops dropped by the wayside in the wake of Piotr rescuing a group of them from a pervert simply by growling a threat at him.

Now, that, Rogue admitted to herself, if somewhat smugly, was something her mate had taught the Russian farm boy turned student cum operative. Well, he and his nephew. Jackson had been here longer than Logan.

James Logan Howlett. The Wolverine. Her mate, but not
her lover. Yet.

Shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts, she approached Kitty, saying quietly

“I think we need to talk.” Kitty’s eyes were wide as saucers, and she meekly submitted to the blooded X-man in front of her. Striding away, Rogue listened as Kitty followed, considered the words that needed to be said. Because there were words, there were actions, and then there was listening.

The last was what she needed from Kitty today, just as Victoria had needed it from her. Despite the ache in her chest at the thought of her mentor, Rogue was confident she could handle this. After all, this was just the road she’d walked, not so long ago. Was still walking it in some ways.

“Since I’m a low grade combat telepath, I haven’t scanned your mind, but you should start training if you want Piotr to take you seriously.” Pausing, seeing that Kitty was staring at her incredulously, Rogue added indifferently

“Not that I really care if you’re infatuated with a member of my Sneak, but if you want a man like that to love you, you have a lot of hard work ahead of you. Victoria taught the beginnings of telepathy, yes, but that was about control.” Rogue forced herself to stare down Kitty. She really wasn’t a bad kid, but this was serious.

“I can train you. We’ll have to go to Victoria for assessment, but I should be able to get you started on the more serious things. Piotr is leaving soon to take a post with Logan’s unit, so having someone to patrol with me would be a blessing.”

MAGISTER

Kitty considered all this. What did she feel for Piotr? Was he worth changing herself for?
When she voiced this to Rogue, the other girl shrugged, before explaining

“When I asked Victoria the same question, she told me I had a choice. I could become the best woman, the best mutant, I could be, so I could be trusted to take care of myself, or I could be the weakness, the liability, the kid that Logan saw me as, then.”

When Kitty asked why Rogue chose that, to be hardened, she shrugged again, her voice a little absent when she said

“I wanted Logan even then. I wanted to control my skin so I could fuck his brains out. She said she could teach me the way she’d been taught, the way she knew best, before I came to Xaviers’, or she could teach me the ‘pure’ way.” Eyes clearer, Rogue shook her head and said with conviction

“Purity is wasted on me. If I ever wanted a chance with Logan, I knew, I had to understand combat intimately. Just my luck my teacher knew what I needed to know.” When Kitty would have spoken, Rogue overrode her

“Piotr chose to train as a soldier because that is what his strength is best for. If you want to be anything resembling good for him, you’ll endeavour to understand his choices, Katherine. Maybe you won’t train as a combatant, but you should. If only so that you aren’t cold comfort beside him when he has nightmares or a panic attack. And he will. Combat is brutal, bloody and all around terrifying. Think on it, we’ll head for the Sanctuary over break if you really want to do this.”
With those harsh, wise words, Rogue slipped away, on silent feet with a feline grace that Kitty had no doubt came from her training.

MAGISTER

Even as she slipped away from Kitty, she pulled out a cellphone, a smirk nearly blooming across her face as she picked up on the fact Jean was close enough to hear this call. So was Scott, and the Professor.

Keeping in mind her voice should be modulated in the unaccented tones Victoria had instructed her to use on any traceable device, she waited for Logan to pick up before beginning

“Logan? Mmm, yes, I’m well, better, actually, since I didn’t have to leave a message. Anyway, looks like I’ll be spending spring break at Victoria’s, Kitty wants to learn some of her skillset, and I could use a break from the monotony. No, you don’t need to drop everything, but if we could get an escort- maybe Deadpool or Gambit, if they aren’t busy?- I’d appreciate it. I mean, I got the car and all, but I always feel so much better with a Commando escort. Mhmm, I will do. Right. You too.” Signing off, she swung her hips in glee as she walked past the dining hall, half forgetting the men inside had not only heard her side of the conversation, but could see her ass as she walked away, almost quivering with glee.

She’d get to see her mate for spring break, as he would undoubtedly assign himself and Piotr to escort duty, and she’d get to visit one of the few friends who saw all of her without flinching. Victoria already knew they were coming, as she’d predicted it months ago, and Jackson had promised to pass the message on when he heard Logan on the phone with her. Would, Rogue wondered, Logan and Jack agree the Commandoes needed another break, integrating Kitty into the training, as they’d done with her?

That would be nice, especially if she get Kitty just a bit more than physically fit. She could train her ass off against the others without looking like an idiot. Hmm. Maybe she could convince Logan that consummation was a good idea. Or… if she waited till summer break, she could leave the team, drag his ass to one of the other sanctuaries and fuck his brains out before propositioning Fury about working with Vic in an all-female unit. Raising her brows at herself, Rogue decided that had definite possibilities.

Happy now, she headed for the shower. Perhaps she would have to make due with fantasies for a few more months, but she was sure it would be more than well worth it.

The first time she met Wade’s ‘teammates’ after their reunion, Vanessa wasn’t sure what to make of them.

First, there was the three more ‘monstrous’ team members, N’Kantu, Man Thing and Frankenstein’s Monster, who were shudder worthy alone. Then there was suave Gambit, urbane Werewolf by Night (when in human form) and the rough and tumble Wolverine. Even Wolfman, the baby of the team, gave her pause.

But then she met their ‘girls’. Proud, kind Victoria, controlled but sweet Marie (Rogue around the X-men), Katya, the beloved of the newest trainee Piotr, and Daniella, Gambit’s ‘chere’. Unlike her and Dani, both Victoria and Marie were combatants to the nth degree, and when Katya Pryde displayed combat knowledge, it was hard. Hard not to feel inadequate, when Victoria and Rogue and even Katya challenged their men, going head to head in every arena.

So she was sitting, feeling just a little sorry for herself, when Marie flopped down beside and said softly

“It’s okay.” Vanessa shot her a look, relieved when the girl added

“I can recognize combat envy, it’s not that hard, having sat through it myself.”

They sat in silence, and then Rogue asked

“Did you fall in love with Deadpool, or Wade?” Vanessa
was outraged

“Wade, of course!” Marie smiled wistfully, beginning a story that intrigued Vanessa

“I met Logan when he was just cage fighting as Wolverine, and that’s who I fell in love with first. The fighter who didn’t let anyone keep him down. Katya fell in love with the farm boy who chose to train as a soldier. Victoria was a soldier, who fell in love with a man from her platoon, before he was Werewolf by Night. Daniella’s a jazz dancer and bartender from New Orleans, and the part of Gambit she started falling for was the man who walked her home when he could.” She paused, sipping from a bottle before proceeding

“That’s why Victoria pushed me to consider training in combat. Logan, Jack and Piotr all chose it. Gambit and Deadpool, they chose this out of necessity. For them, feeling like they’ve kept you away from the fighting was, to my best guess, what they needed. I chose to train as a soldier, because I believed Logan needed me to understand combat, to understand the choices he had to make.”

Marie snickered under her breath, explaining
“I knew from the start Logan would be a lot to handle. That in order to handle him, I would need everything Vic could give me. But I was also a hell of a lot younger than you. I didn’t have the experience.” She paused again, speaking much more quietly when she proceeded

“Victoria can train you in Psionics, you know. Telepathy, especially combat style, is her specialty. She taught me, and Katya the finer points to control our mutations. She’ll train you to protect yourself, especially since you can act as Wade’s backup once you’ve mastered it.”

Rising fluidly, silently thanking Victoria for all the stretching and yoga that had accompanied her Psionic training (which in turn kept her limber) Marie walked through the compound that was the Mexican sanctuary, a square of a dozen or so run down adobe huts on an isolated farm, to the building she shared with Logan.

Stepping through the door, she was met with the sight of her sleeping mate, cuddled with her pillow in a patch of sunshine. Shaking her head, Rogue went through the motions of self-care, eyes and mind more on her mate, who’d had a night terror early that morning.

But she’d needed to talk to Vanessa, before Deadpool deployed again. If Vic was to have a new student, especially one that would train as a Psion, she would undoubtedly move to a different sanctuary. Victoria was like that, moving around for no other reason than it pleased her when Jack wasn’t around.

Sighing, the former X-man, soon to be a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. s latest all female unit, the Roaring Wildcats, slipped into bed snuggling against her warm mate. Who turned to her and said sleepily

“Didja talk to ‘er?” Hmming, Rogue burrowed deeper into the blankets, falling asleep as her mate cradled her close,

This was it. Do or die. She knew it, he knew it, and they all knew it. Rogue studied the other women at the table. The ‘Roaring Wildcats’ affectionately nicknamed the Married Ladies Club of S.H.I.E.L.D., were at that critical point. Other than Nick Fury, every person at the table was a woman. Behind them stood their S.H.I.E.L.D. husbands. Behind Nick was a nervous looking black woman. To his right, sat Victoria Creed Russell (Scheherazade), Anna Marie D’Ancanto (Rogue) and Katherine Pryde (Shadowcat). To his left sat Vanessa Desharm (the as yet unchristened Mrs. Deadpool), Daniella du Lac (also unnamed, other than as ‘Mrs. Gambit’) and Ava Ayala (White Tiger). Of the men standing sentinel near the wall, Marie noticed, only Daniel Rand (Iron Fist) seemed nervous, resting his hands on Ava’s shoulders.

Logan was leaning against the wall behind her, between his brother-in-law Jack, and their shared protégé, Piotr Rasputin. No one, she noted with a touch of relief, was being grouchy about the fact that Danny was hovering over Ava. The women, she surmised, were already making allowances for the ‘baby’ of their squad, and the men approved of the fact Danny obviously trusted Ava, but didn’t want her hurt, either.

Turning her attention back to Fury, she tensed when Logan moved to hover over HER. Tamping down her desire to kick him, she listened to Fury go on about being part of S.H.I.E.L.D., about identities. Casting her gaze about, Rogue mentally noted to give Logan an especially sweet time tonight. He might be on edge, but at least he was just standing close. Jack had clasped Vic's nape with one large hand, Piotr had scooped Kitty into his lap, and Deadpool had leaned over Vanessa's back to drape himself over her shoulders. Gambit, interestingly enough, had crawled under the table to rest his face in Dani's stomach, arms tight around her midsection.

Even Jackson, notorious for keeping an even keel, was nervous. Rogue wasn't surprised though, that he kept his mother in sight at all times. He'd grown up knowing his mother was a soldier, watched her train endlessly, and he had helped test her own trainees. But now? The time was at hand to decide: should the Roaring Wildcats become a reality?

Gods, but Rogue wanted this. Wanted the chance to make a name for herself, not as an X-man, but as a soldier in her own right. She knew Victoria was itching for action, that Dani and Vanessa wanted to try, knew Ava and Kitty were raring for the same chance she was. But, see, each and every woman, ready to suit up, ready to fight, who sat at that table was loved. Totally, completely loved. Clearing her throat, Victoria interrupted Fury

“I know myself, as do my former disciples. My name is Victoria Grace Russell, my code name is Scheherazade.” Neither Rogue nor Kitty disputed her right to the title they’d both earned, in sweat and blood, after all, this was the woman who’d given it to them. Knowing her turn was next, Rogue shifted and declared

“As one of Vic’s former disciples, I, too, know myself. Marie Scheherazade Howlett, codename Rogue.”
Kitty cleared her throat, looking firm even as she
gripped Piotr’s hand. She declared fiercely

“Katya Scheherazade Rasputina. Shadowdance.” Across from Katya, Ava smiled, resting a hand on Danny’s paler one, speaking clearly

“Ava Awilda Rand, White Tiger.” Dani smirked, carding her fingers through a tense Gambits’ hair before drawling

“Daniella Lebeau. Scheme.” Vic nodded, as did Rogue. It was a fitting name for the natural tactician. That just left…

“Vanessa Wilson. Radio.” More nods, a good name indeed for a communication telepath.

Matters settled, they waited for Fury to give them their first assignment. He cleared his throat, gazing uneasily at the men before explaining.

“In order to establish your credibility as heroes, or soldiers of S.H.I.E.L.D., if you prefer, we have contacted the Justice League to have our finest women square off against theirs. Black Widow will join you, as she will work with you on occasion.” Nodding, Victoria asked calmly

“So, will she be our Captain?” Fury shook his head

“No, she’ll be an ally, like Gambit and Deadpool to the Howling Commandoes. Unless there are objections, Scheherazade will Captain, and choose her own second. I have no doubt, however, about her competence.” Nodding, the other women turned to their men, eager to hear their view.

Rogue
She twisted around, grinning when she saw the conflict of pride and worry in Logan’s features. He didn’t doubt her, she knew. But he was her mate and he loved her and a variation of this was playing out all along the table, the men freaking that their women were in a rush to get hurt. Not that they were, she consoled herself easily, but even the hesitant to be violent Daniella had taken Vic’s harsh advice: learn the choices he has to make. Understand him without losing yourself. He loves you, so don’t be afraid to ask him for help. Learn to ask for his help and support, because chances are he doesn’t know how to give it. Be specific. Love him with all you’ve got. In the process, they’d learned, they had a natural skillset that complemented the others, had learned to work together. Now they would be a team.

Justice League
Batman was staring out at the young vigilantes, feeling a little bit smug. He knew this ‘Glamour Slam’ Fury had suggested would get his females asses kicked, but that was growth. Most of Fury’s women were ruthless, beloved of hard edged men, broken men. Like his Selina, smart and motivated and strong. He wouldn’t put Selina in the battle. Not that it would risk her- she sparred with Vic Russell often enough to survive anything S.H.I.E.L.D. threw at her- but Fury liked Selina, liked her enough to want to poach her to his team. But Bruce was just as ruthlessly possessive as Jack and his brother Logan, so Selina would come, cheer on the girls she liked, but neither she nor Babs or Adalanta or his daughters would take part.

Halting on a platform above them, he called
“Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Vixen, Miss Martian, Zatanna, Artemis and Black Canary, please report to the meeting room.”

He walked away, sinking into his chair at the head of the table to brief them once they were seated.
“Nick Fury phoned me. Apparently he’s launching an all-female team, and to establish what they can do, he wants a glamour tournament against League women. It will be in two weeks, Diana, Vixen, you’ll train together, most likely you’re facing Black Widow and Scheherazade respectively. Miss Martian, Zatanna, you’ll train together, and most likely you’ll be facing Rogue and Shadowdance. Artemis, Black Canary, you’ll train together and you’ll probably face Scheme and Radio.” He paused, turning to the woman who was watching him warily from her rightful place. Gentling his tone, Bruce instructed

“You’ll likely be facing White Tiger, Shayera, so Selina will train with you. Addy and the girls promised to cooperate fully, so we’d like you to be our guest at the Cave.” He doesn’t miss the jealousy in Diana, the envy in the younger girls’ eyes at the offer of better training, but he ignores it. Both he and Selina like Shayera, as does Addy, and after she saved Jason, saved Wally, there is little Bruce won’t do for his daughter in law.

Two Weeks Later, ‘Glamour Slam’
Rogue couldn’t believe it. The Roaring Wildcats had won every round, Black Widow taking out Vixen as Scheherazade slammed Wonder Woman sideways, Black Canary and Artemis holding their own but still falling to Scheme and Radio, herself and Shadowdance serving up a nice cold dish of humiliation for the overconfident Martian/Magician pair. White Tiger was facing Hawkgirl now, and from the looks of it, this match would end in a draw. Not bad for rookies at a charity event.

Once it was over, Rogue was pulled over to meet Selina Kyle Wayne, her family and Hawkgirl. Ava was probably boiling in her mask, so when Danny wrapped an arm around her and dragged her away, the RWs just giggled and waved.

A warm, solid arm came around her then, a feather light touch at the very edge of her mind. Knowing both were Logan, checking just to be sure, she simply melted into him, body and mind.

Did it still surprise him, she wondered, how easily, warmly she welcomed him? Silly man, she thought fondly.

The semester before Victoria has said she will be leaving, she pulls Kitty and Rogue out of their health class and begins teaching them one on two, and it angers Jean. It angers her because the girls giggle about what the other woman teaches them. They whisper and gossip and turn every man's head.

It burns, that even Scott stares when Victoria forces the girls to walk around in skimpy outfits and take stock of the looks they get. When they sit and continue the gossip, ignoring the heated looks when they go back to their normal attire, there is more amazement to go around.

She feels a little smug, when Bobby hits on Rogue. Jean had believed he'd entice the girl while Logan was away- and she was wrong. Rogue had turned him down flat and told him to lay off or her mate would claw him to pieces. Kitty had smiled sweetly and informed him that Piotr- and Jean had been surprised at the way the Pryde girl's voice had become accented- would beat him to a bloody pulp if he tried hitting on her.

So Jean fumes, the boys lust, and the girls stew. Rogue and Kitty are high on life, learning about sex, reproduction and how to be safe while enjoying themselves. Victoria enjoys herself immensely, 'pathing her husband when the girls make comments she enjoys.

Jackson handles patrols by riding and running constantly, helped occasionally by Gambit or Deadpool, on their way through for jobs.

However....

Well, Jean is a beautiful, educated woman. She was raised by a rich family and has never been denied much, if anything. So when she tries to flirt with Logan while he and Piotr put their feet up after a string of intense missions for S.H.I.E.L.D..... heh, heh, Rogue is a Very Not Happy Camper. When Jean's protege, the twenty year old Ashley Camden with a skin mutation, tries to horn in on Piotr..... Uh, Kitty chose to be Katya Rasputina long before Nick Fury asked who she would be.

So lessons must be learned.

Ashley Camden, raised much the same as Jean, can form colours and designs on her skin. Katya, trained and focused and disciplined, makes mincemeat of the older girl. It does not take long to to utter threats and walk over to her friend, stand at her back as Rogue sizes up Jean.

They both know this will be satisfying, and so, with a telepathic volley of suggestions, commence the ass kicking. Dr. Jean Grey learns that facing off against a furious Rogue who has trained as a boxer and runner is a bad idea. Especially when she is backed by a swimmer and martial artist training to use Psionic blows.

What Jean soon realizes, is that she is very lucky neither has gone into her mind and dropped a Psionic bomb, or worse, keyed a psychic blast to her energy signature. So she rides out the torment, rolling with the punches when she can. Because Kitty is more precise than Rogue, but Rogue puts more muscle behind every strike.

It takes a minute, but the bystanders realize Logan is very much seduced by the fact Rogue will whale on someone else. But... It takes a lecture from Victoria to sink into multiple thick skulls what it means to be precious to someone else. Rogue or even Kitty could deliver the speech, Victoria supposes, but it sounds less manipulative, coming from her.
Which means she interrupts Jean's health class to explain

"Alright kiddies-" She won't call them 'kitten', that's for Rogue, and 'baby' is Jackson, while 'Sweetpea' is Katya "I'm going to tell you a little bit about sex."
Bobby and John stare at her. She grins and ticks off on her fingers

"First, no matter what you call it, be it sex, intercourse, fucking, love making, it only has the importance you put on it. Second, boys and girls, it is damn messy, sweaty and awkward the first time. Third, there should only be pain if you like that kind of thing. Last'" Her grin is distinctly lascivious now

"Do not ever let someone pressure you into a fuck. You'll feel like cheap trash for a long time." Walking away, Victoria sniggers as she hears the exclamations, well aware her little minions were being rolled quite thoroughly in the hay.

"Piotr and Logan will take care of them. Then maybe Jack can take care of me!"

Rogue
Control of her skin was a beautiful thing, she thought dazedly, as Logan devoured her completely, both of them naked and sweaty and trembling.

It is strange, Charles muses. Raven has returned to him, as has Logan to Rogue, and Piotr to Kitty. But it is not a bad strange, this once. His Raven sits with him, holds his hand or slings an arm around his waist in their shared bed, and it isn’t enough.

Not when Logan drives Rogue to screaming climax within perhaps a half hour of shutting their door. Not when Piotr races around the mansion, Kitty giggling on his shoulders. Not when Jack spars with Victoria, winning smiles and full body laughter easily.

Truly, for Charles, watching multiple courtships progress, seeing relationships like that of Victoria and Jack, or Storm and Hank, it is a torture he wouldn’t wish on anyone. He can’t forget that he was young once, too. That Raven did love him as more than her brother. But that was when he was a virile young man, before his mutation claimed his hair and treachery his legs.

The ache lives constantly in his breastbone, knowing as he does that men like Logan and Jack have forever to love their women completely. He even envies Piotr his youth, the Russian not yet having experienced the pain of losing something as definitively as he has.

Too, he envies all of them- even his old friend, Hank- the steadfast devotion of the women they’ve given themselves to. He has no doubt that even at his worst, Logan knows Rogue will be there, solidly supporting him.

And why wouldn’t he? Charles’ mind asks bitterly. Victoria taught the younger women well. But… there was no one to help him teach Raven that she needed to hide for her own safety, not from harm, but his lust.

Folding his hands, uncomfortably aware of how confining his wheelchair is, Charles goes about his business, agrees readily when Victoria requests the grounds of Xavier’s for the ‘mating’ ceremony and festivities of Logan and Rogue. With a wink, the feline mutant promises it will edify without scarring anyone- mostly, she teases.

And then the video crew comes in, taping interviews with the ferals and those in their hierarchy. Rogue proudly tells a few tales of her time with them, Kitty (she goes by Katya now, but he forgets, sometimes) beams when asked how it was to train under the ‘legendary’ Scheherazade.

Finally, Midsummer rolls around, and at just before noon, Victoria has herded them all into place. In center, stands Logan (clad only in battered jeans), his sister and her family. Except for Rogue and her attendants, every attendee stands waiting.

Then the bell chimes. Once, twice, three times. A path clears, to reveal Rogue, pretty in a strapless green maxidress, flanked by Katya in a blue halter maxi and Piotr, attired as are Jack, Logan and Jackson- in simple, worn but clean pants- they walk with the young woman, grinning at each other when they step back, exchanging secretive smiles with the Commandoes and Wildcats.

Rogue steps up to Logan, no bouquet in her hands, instead a fine golden chain with tag is tangled in her left hand, and he pulls his hands out of his pockets to reveal an older set in silver in his own left hand.
Lifting their hands, they touch palms, communicating with their eyes. Victoria grins herself, proclaiming

“James Logan Howlett, speak now your vow to your mate!”

Ignoring the gasps at his full name, projecting his voice so everyone can hear, he begins

“Marie, darling. This, us, began so long ago, and that you still stand beside me damn near has me on my knees thanking the lord.” He sucks in a breath through his teeth, and says the words of binding, his own vow finally ready

“Anna Marie D’Ancanto, I do take you as my mate. For you, I will do all I must. Nothing will part us. I will only ever leave your side should you command it and I can persuade you differently. By the gods, Marie, so mote it be.”

Tears in Rogue- Marie’s eyes. She needs no prompting to begin

“Oh, Logan. Since the day we met, I’ve loved you. I do take you, James Logan Howlett, as my mate, mine to claim, mine to care for. I won’t leave you, I won’t order you from me. So mote it be.”

They kiss, briefly, before turning expectantly to Victoria and Jack. The man slung an arm around his mate and drawled

“As the eldest mated pair in the pack, we recognize your union.” Victoria piped up

“And now, you may exchange your marks and favours.”

THAT was when the witnesses learned WHY Logan was shirtless. Marie bit his neck, depositing the chain in her left hand into his right, arching her neck when he repeated the process. They kissed again, interrupted by Jackson clapping his hands in a quick pattern and declaring

“Let’s hear it for Marie and Logan Howlett, mated pair!”

Stunned, Xavier met Jean’s eyes and noted that she reflect the same emotions he did. Wistful envy. She had lost Scott only the year before, when, disillusioned and disheartened, he’d gone to train with Jack and
Victoria, and was now reportedly courting a woman who appreciated him. Jean had seen sense of course, but still, that she’d been blind long enough for Scott to
slip away….

Her bed remained cold. Sometimes by choice, sometimes because she couldn’t find anyone to warm it.

His didn’t remain cold. But he had Raven, and he was terrified she’d realize she’d come home to half a man and leave again. After he’d left Moira for Raven, his pride didn’t like the idea of crawling back to the intellectual.

With a sigh, Charles went to turn back to the house, when Raven came up behind him and started pushing his chair. She gently tapped his temple, the signal they’d created so he could communicate with her telepathically without intruding.

‘Raven?’

‘Victoria told me that ferals tend to get raunchy. So, I was hoping…’

‘Raven?’

‘I want you to hold me, Charles. Since this is a feral event, and you aren’t hosting, can I sit in your lap instead?’

Emotion surged through him, carefully kept from Raven, He answered softly

‘You may do anything you like, Raven. I never could deny you.’

She smiles, lighting up his world even as his chest constricts. Perhaps he had sex with Moira, but Raven’s held his heart in her hands since he was just a boy. And it kills him that he can’t make love to her properly.

Later that evening, after sitting through dinner, Charles is treated to the sight of his Raven dressing up, wearing a yellow gown that sets off her eyes.
He is further treated to the sight of Kitty (Katya, he reminds himself) perched in Piotr’s lap in a light, metallic grey gown. Victoria is similarly perched in her mate’s lap, decked out in gunmetal grey, both the men in black on black suits with ties that match their women’s gowns.

Logan and Rogue to, are dressed in much the same fashion, though they wear a deep gold that sets off Rogue’s dark eyes quite nicely. Scott, who has apparently been here all day is beside a woman wearing aqua, his tie reflecting her dress.

It doesn’t take long to realize that only Jack and Logan wear precisely the same shade as their mates. Scott and Piotr both wear darker ties, and later he learns they have committed but not had a ceremony. It is much the same for Daniel Rand and Remy Lebeau.

The more he learns, the more the hurt pulls and twists at his insides.

Mating is forever. When your mate swears their vow to you, they mean it.

Part of him wonders, what would have been different, if he had mated Raven a lifetime ago.

Rogue and Logan smile and congratulate Katya and Piotr when they decide that next year, they will do this themselves.

Only Rogue notices that Raven (no longer Mystique, the students call her ‘Mom’ these days) is melancholy.
Logan notices the same in Charles. They agree to do something about this.

Only, they never get the chance. Charles dies, and Raven is left grieving. They and all the others grieve with her, of course. But in the time she was there (the time she’s been home) the students call her Mom, Momma and even Madre because she isn’t their teacher. She’s the Professor’s beloved (sister, wife, friend- whatever you call it, the kids are not dumb) and when he was worn down, it was Raven who made him smile.

They are her children now, in a way. The very youngest ones tend to cling to her legs, tiny little Sarah Forrester sits in her lap for the service. As Charles had asked, Raven does not wear black. She wears white, her shoulders warmed by the blue and white Mexican lap blanket that a student had sent Charles years ago.

Rogue sits through the funeral huddled in Logan’s lap, clutching at his hands. Moira is there, too, and her feelings are turbulent enough to draw Jean from her own grief.

Because Moira is jealous of Raven. She was with Charles longer, fucked him until he came, but it is to Raven, once their enemy, whom the children flock to. Even Scott had embraced Raven and affectionately called her the school’s First Lady. Logan and Rogue and even Victoria’s family respect the intimacy of Raven’s bond to Charles, but they nearly dismissed Moira.

Jean exits, and intercepts Moira from confronting Raven. With his death, by feral law, Charles has left the welfare of his mate in the hands of the school. So it is her duty to her mentor to protect Raven from even this.

Raven kneels in front of the headstone, a letter in her grip, the blanket still tight around her shoulders.

Sarah had been gently pulled away by a sympathetic Logan so Raven could have her moment to grieve. She sat, in reality, for hours.

Charles Xavier, reborn into the body of a thirty-five year old, stood by to hear what she had to say, and was so floored, that if Logan and Jack hadn’t been there to catch him, he’d have fallen to his knees.

As it is, when Katya and Piotr, and Raven and Charles and many others announce their intention to bond using the feral ceremony, it does not surprise Rogue. No, she foresaw this the day Victoria told her, Katya and the other Wildcats about her own ceremony, many more years ago than even Charles can remember.

Happy as she is for her friends, Marie Scheherazade Howlett has a mate now. When someone asks her what it means to be a Scheherazade, to be mated to the man known as the Prime Feral, she asks them to listen to a song. When they do, and if they’ve focused on the lyrics, they finally get it.

Logan knows himself. He must, if he is to fight well. Knows what his mate means to him. So when he gets his hands on the lyrics of that song, it melts his heart- though he won’t show it.