The door opened in a swirl of snow and she stepped into the dingy little bar in the middle of nowhere. The first thing Logan noticed was the rundown heels on a once expensive pair of boots. Her clothes weren't threadbare, but they'd seen better days. The army duffle bag she carried made her look like she was playing dress-up with her daddy's old gear.

Logan could smell the endless miles and sleepless nights on her. Even so, she was like a breath of fresh air in the stuffy bar that reeked of stale beer and old cigarettes. She was young, he could tell by the way she was approaching him, he also knew she hadn't been on the road as long as she wanted everyone to believe. Life on the road had a way of turning you old real fast and that used look hadn't reached her eyes yet.

Rogue scanned the scattered patrons. She'd spent the last half hour walking through the light snow after her last ride exited the main road. Her gaze settled back on the man at the bar in the leather jacket. He had that dangerous edge to him that would've made her mama cross the street to avoid him. Definitely not a local. Probably her best bet for a ride out of there.

"Excuse me, sir." At least her mama would still be proud of her manners if nothing else. "I was wondering if you could give me a lift."

"No." He blew the cigar smoke away from her; no reason to be intentionally rude.

"I won't be any trouble, just want a ride to the next town." More flies with honey Rogue reminded herself. She held the smile even though he wasn't looking at her.

He should've blown the smoke in her face; she might have taken the hint. "Going to pay for gas?"

"Uhm."

At her hesitation, he turned to get a better look. Her smile had faltered some, but she was still full of hope and not much else. If he pushed now she just might leave him alone.

He let his eyes travel down her body, stopping briefly at the cleavage peeking out from under the too small coat. Then followed her curves the rest of the way. Logan liked what he saw, but didn't want to charm her. Not this time.

When he again held her gaze, he made sure his smile was as far from charming as he could muster. "Maybe you can pay another way."

Now that he was turned toward her, Rogue got a good look at him for the first time. She had noticed his unkempt hair hanging down over his collar from behind and he had muttonchops to match. However, the week's worth of stubble told her that he was running from something. Or maybe it was the snide, lecherous smile that didn't sit well on his face. Either way, the comment didn't sound sincere.

She turned up her smile, placed a hand on her hip and batted her eyelashes. Two could play this game. "Mister, you're not man enough to handle me."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, surprised at how easily that rolled off her tongue. Damn it, this was turning sideways on him and damned if she didn't push all the right buttons with the sassy attitude. He chuckled, something he hadn't done in ages, but she seemed intent on staring him down. "Look darlin'." He needed to end this and flexed his hand under the bar counter. As his claws slid out he continued, "I'm not the kind of guy you want to mess with."

For a moment Logan felt sorry. He'd become surly, bad company in general. He watched her eyes go wide and thought he'd driven home his point, that was until she stepped closer.

Her hand shot out as if to touch his claws and he retracted them even faster. What the hell? Any person in their right mind would have high tailed it out of there the moment he popped the claws. She was doing the exact opposite, and the interest she showed unnerved him. She ran a gloved fingertip over the spot between his knuckles.

At a low growl, Rogue reluctantly withdrew her hand. It wasn't clear if he was warning her off, like a dog before it bites; but somehow she didn't think so. The growl had been almost sensual, calling to something primal deep inside her. Every instinct was telling her that he was different, that he wasn't like other men.

Covering her turmoil, she casually shrugged a shoulder. "So we're both deadly."

Logan scoffed in disbelieve and she leaned in. He stood his ground as she placed her lips against his. She was soft and yielding and her mouth opened readily to his tongue. He'd forgotten what it was like to want someone, to feel the draw towards another. The synapses in his brain were sparking, then misfiring.

Pulling away, he felt the tingle from the draw on his energy, even as insignificant as it was. He could sense that she'd expected something more to happen to him. But her interest was piqued and her smell was shifting.

Rogue put her fingers to her lips. He was still sitting upright and looked better than before if that was possible. If she felt the pull, then he had too, but he was showing no sign of ill effects. Though, his thoughts swirled in her head; healing factor and an awareness of the drain of energy.

She whispered in astonishment, "You're okay."

He raised an eyebrow, "Expecting something else?"

She nodded; her hand had left her lips and traveled toward his chest. The need to touch him was overwhelming and suddenly she was aware of her surroundings. Her hand dropped from embarrassment at her brash behavior. "Convulsions, coma, maybe even death."

He eyed her again at the mention of death. Could this woman, barely more than a girl, give him a taste of the death he dealt out to others? Here he'd been wallowing in the self-pity of going on after killing someone he cared for and the woman in front of him might provide the answer. He socked that bit of knowledge away for another day.

She was so close that he could see the want written plainly on her face. He hadn't been looking for sex tonight, hadn't sought out a woman in a couple of months. But now with her so close and her scent tickling his nose, he was seriously considering taking her back to his motel room for the night.

Reaching out Logan tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear; she closed her eyes and angled her head to prolong the contact. Cupping her cheek for a moment he asked, "Do you have control?"

"Not enough." Rogue hesitated, making up her mind about this man in front of her. "But with you, maybe."

Letting his hand drop, he studied her a moment more. He could definitely use the distraction she would provide, but he didn't need to be the one to set her on the wrong path. He was guilty enough of doing the wrong thing, no need to add to his sins.

Tossing a twenty on the bar, he stood to leave. If he left her, someone else would take advantage of her. "Ride's yours, no strings."

Rogue tried not to let her disappointment show. True she hadn't come into the bar seeking a one night stand, however, she would swear something had passed between them. Some understanding. Not to mention finding a man willing to touch her deadly skin didn't happen every day.

As she followed him out of the bar and across the parking lot, she had a chance to study him a little more. His clothing was not quite disheveled but gave the impression of a man beaten down by life. Most people would miss the ease with which he moved. It reminded her of her uncle Eddie, he'd been in the military and had been a fighter with confidence in his abilities. The man before her had that same type of carriage, although something had taken the fight out of him.

He led them to the eight-room motel across from the bar and for a second she thought he'd changed his mind about payment.

Unlocking the door, he said, "Leave in the morning. Bed on the far side's yours."

Tossing the keys on the small table and his jacket on a chair he proceeded to ignore her and sit on the bed to unlace his boots. She put her duffle on the short dresser next to the old TV. Struggling out of her coat she laid it with her duffle and walked toward the bathroom.

Tomorrow she would take a shower, tonight she only wanted to freshen up and go to sleep in a real bed. She pondered her situation. "Hey, uhm..."

"Logan," he supplied from the other room.

"Thanks." She'd swear he grunted as a reply. "I'm Rogue," she added peeking around the corner of the door.

He didn't look her direction or make any indication he thought Rogue was an odd name to have. Most people gave her a funny look, something she'd never get if she told them her given name. But Marie was the gentle, loving person she'd abandoned in Mississippi.

Back in the room she pulled off her boots and checked the soles. They weren't going to last much longer, definitely not to Alaska. Setting them at the end of the bed she sighed, she didn't have the cash for new shoes or even used for that matter. If she could go without eating tomorrow her money might last the rest of the week. At least she had a ride.

"How far are you going tomorrow?" She needed to calculate how long it would take her to get to Alaska. At the rate, she'd been moving it might be Spring before she arrived. Her money wouldn't last that long.

Logan shrugged, "Don't know. Headed for the Yukon." He saw the hope rush into her eyes and he felt like he'd made a mistake. It was on the tip of his tongue to say she could come, but it would be wrong to subject anyone to his self-loathing.

"I won't be any trouble, and I can help drive." Rogue could see him thinking something over.

He shook his head no, but there was amusement on his features. "Girl from the South driving on snowy mountain roads, no thanks."

She was drawing a blank on what else she could offer until she came back to the obvious. "I can pay for the ride in other ways." Standing up, she closed the space between them.

He looked up at her, letting his eyes roam over her body again. He dug his hands into the edge of the bed in an effort to keep from reaching out to her. Her scent tickled his nose again and his blood began to pound in his ears. She stopped at his knees and he could see her uncertainty.

Standing abruptly, he caught her off guard and she stumbled backward. Faster than she thought should be possible for anyone to move, he supported her with a hand at her waist. His grip was firm, a reassuring, knowing hand and his eyes darkened with desire.

"You might get more than you bargained for little girl." His voice was husky and full of need.

"I'm up to the challenge if you are?" She couldn't believe the way she talked to him. Something about Logan drew the sass out of her, she couldn't help herself.

"Always," was his simple answer before he leaned in for a kiss.

Rogue tried to quash the nervousness rising up. The only real kiss she'd had before that evening had ended in disaster. But the expertise with which he slid his tongue across hers kept her from backing away. She missed the warning signs of her mutation, but he didn't and when he pulled away her body was buzzing.

Vague ideas of sex, desire and how good he thought she smelled, dance in her head. He knew how turned on she was, how fast her heart was beating and he liked the little moan she made.

When he'd steadied her and dropped his hands away, she was confused. He wanted this as much as she did and she knew it wasn't the possible dangers of her skin that held him back. She hadn't received a big enough dose of him to know how to get him to re-engage, that left her with the one thing she knew got at him.

Putting on a sympathetic pout, she pinched his cheek like her grandma used to do. "Aw, maybe you're not man enough. Or you're chicken."

Logan snorted at her claim. "What are we twelve?"

She shrugged a shoulder and trailed a hand down his chest. "Do I need to double dog dare you?"

Letting the growl rumble through his chest, he thought of staring her down. It had been so long since... anything really. He hadn't felt anything for months outside of anger and numbness. Though apparently the right attitude and a Southern accent were making him want to lose himself in something altogether different.

They'd need a few items. He stepped around her, reaching for his jacket. There should be a couple condoms still left in the inside pocket and his gloves. He heard her small huff of frustration before he turned back around to see her wet her lips at the sight of what he'd retrieved.

Advancing on her, he slowly walked her back between the beds. "If I remember right, you don't mess with a double dog dare."

Rogue nodded, she couldn't believe this was going to actually happen. She thought she should be way more nervous than she was. Instead, she wanted to drown herself in his kisses and pulled him down on the bed with her.

His muscular thigh was between her legs and she rubbed herself shamelessly against him. His hot mouth was leaving a trail of fire down her neck. She captured his mouth again and was glad that he understood the timing of her skin because she knew that task shouldn't be left up to her at that moment.

Her hands were full of his t-shirt and she wished she'd thought to leave her gloves on so she could pull his shirt off and watch the play of muscles on his chest. He'd unfastened the button on her pants and swept his hand low across her belly. Only a tease really, but she was already coming, grinding onto his thigh.

When she opened her eyes, he was watching her, his hazel eyes unreadable. "Kiss me," she begged.

He'd made her feel good about her skin for the first time in a long time and she didn't want him to stop just because she couldn't hold herself together for the full ride. They'd shifted positions as he continued to kiss her, his erection hard along her hip. She realized he was going to play the 'gentleman' and not require anything more of her now.

Breaking away to catch her breath, she started to shimmy out of her pants. She glanced at him and handed him one of the condoms from the nightstand. "It was a double dog dare."

"Of course," he said with a smirk as she kicked her jeans off the bed.

After rolling on the condom, he carefully arranged his boxers and jeans to give the most protection from skin to skin contact. He kneeled between her thighs and slowly sank into her. He'd never been with someone that he wanted to observe as much as her. He told himself that he needed to stay vigilant because of her skin, yet he knew that wasn't the complete truth.

Her warm brown eyes were wide, but he didn't sense any pain from her and started a slow rhythm. Her eyes slid closed and Logan marveled at the paleness of her face framed by her dark hair. Kissing her, he paused telling himself it was the little draws on his mutation that were leaving him lightheaded and susceptible to romanticizing this.

The way she touched him was different than any other woman and he justified it again. It was the childish way this night began, her inexperience, his desire to escape his painful past or possibly that they'd struck a sort of bargain. Then as if reading his mind she bared her neck to him, panting his name between thrusts and pulling him closer with her hands twined in his flannel shirt.

He knew she was on the edge again. Her body tensing, spasming drawing him deeper with each breathless moan. She pulled him down for a kiss, riding the last of her orgasm and the first of his. Their connection pulled at him, his mutation sparking at the same time, making for an experience like none he could remember.

~*~

Logan leaned against the headboard, a fifth of whiskey in his hand. He studied her as she lay curled up next to him asleep. Pushing her hair away from her face, he was struck again by how young she was. How if Rogue stayed with him he would only sully her, jade her to life.

Despite that he couldn't find it in himself to let her go, after all, they'd made a deal and he was to give her a ride to the Yukon. It wasn't far and he knew how to keep his hands to himself, there was no need for this to go any further than it already had. He took another swig, it was a plan he could work with.

A diversion was all this was about, he twirled a lock of her hair between his fingers. It had helped him sleep a few hours so that he didn't envy her peaceful slumber. He skimmed a finger across her cheek, not as lightly as he intended. She blinked sleepily at him and a shy smile crept onto her face.

Rogue stretched, pulling her sleeve down over her hand before resting it on his abdomen. She didn't need to be so careful, he was fully clothed, though his jeans were still undone. When she laid her head on his chest, he settled his bottle on his thigh and smoothed her hair down with his other hand.

She flushed with thoughts of earlier that evening. It was nothing like what she ever expected for her first time. In school, she'd thought she would fall in love with some boy and there would be fumbling in the backseat of a vehicle. Then after her mutation made itself known, she thought the only sexual gratification she would ever have would be at her own hands.

This encounter had seemed an impossibility. And that it would come about in the way it did and with who it did. She felt a slight buzz left over from picking up on his mutation and she suspected that made her experience more than it would have been otherwise.

"Is it always like that for you?" she asked. He stopped stroking her hair and she peeked up at him. He'd been caught off guard by the question. "I mean with your mutation?"

Maybe he should have asked what that draw did to her? What the transfer of energy gave her? "Absorb mutations?"

"Yeah," she admitted. He didn't seem disturbed by that knowledge, but she didn't want it to develop into an issue. "It's just... my senses are working better."

Logan nodded, that was logical enough, probably picked up some healing also. "Permanent?"

"Don't think so. Never held on that long." She sat up, facing him. "It'll fade soon."

She leaned in, pressing her lips to his. He returned the kiss, though not as enthusiastically as before. She'd already used her double dog dare. But she was feeling surprisingly good and had extra energy to burn off.

Sitting back on her heels, she traced patterns, closing her eyes she cocked her head as if listening to something. Using both hands she pushed his flannel shirt off his shoulders. "The soft sound of fabric on fabric, the huff you do when I touch you..." she inhaled and continued on, "Leather, cigars, whiskey, sweat dried on your skin." Rogue opened her eyes, "Me on you."

He set the bottle on the nightstand and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. Drawing a line with his finger down between her breasts, he could feel his resolve melting away. Morning wasn't here yet, they had time.

Logan's voice was quiet but seemed to fill up the entire room. "The beat of your heart." Lifting the edge of her shirt he started in earnest, "Rasp of fabric on skin, intake of breath.." Pulling it over her head, "Quickening heartbeat, rush of wetness..."

Her bra was next, "Flush of skin, goosebumps starting to form," He rolled on a condom and she sank down on him. He continued talking to her in the same hushed tones as she rode him. They only paused long enough for him to slip on his gloves so he didn't have to stop touching her every time her mutation pulled at him.

Rogue knew this was testing his stamina. His moments of hesitation were longer even though he continued to murmur to her as he licked and nipped at her breasts. She could feel him examining her, even as she averted her eyes. He whispered his approval in her ear when she convulsed around him, his hands holding her hips as he thrust up into her a final time.

Afterward, when she couldn't find her shirt in the sheets he offered his flannel one to wear. She inhaled his scent as she buttoned it up. It fit him well, but for her, it was like a tent. There was plenty of room and she wished she wouldn't have to give it back in the morning.

She drifted off to sleep enveloped in his scent and thinking she'd made a good bargain. The trip should take a week and she needed to be careful to not be bothersome. Otherwise, there might be no more double dog dares.

---

Logan scrutinized the situation he'd found himself in as he packed his bag. He'd gotten a couple hours of good, hard dreamless sleep before dawn, unusual for him. At the least, it was a change in his current luck of getting a good night's rest. There were worse good luck charms.

He pushed that thought aside, it was useless to delude himself. His life was on a predetermined path and any fool stupid enough to look to him for anything would end their lives in an unnatural death at the end of his claws. No exceptions had ever been granted to those he cared about.

He should probably wake her and let her get cleaned up for the day. Then while she showered he could walk over to the little cafe and pick up some breakfast for them. Her clothes told the story of lean times, so it only logically followed that she wasn't eating three square meals. That was something he could easily take care of.

Standing over her, he played with a strand of her hair. What was he even thinking? He should cut her loose, let her make her own way. He couldn't take care of her, he was barely taking care of himself. At this rate, he would end up on the side of a mountain playing reclusive hermit.

She stirred, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Morning," was her quiet greeting as she glanced everywhere but at him.

He let the hair slip from his fingers. "Leaving soon, best hurry."

"Oh," Rogue scrambled from the bed, stealing a glance at the clock. It was almost seven in the morning, he really had meant they would be leaving early. She grabbed her last set of fresh clothes from her duffle, best make it quick she didn't want to start the day off on the wrong foot.

She hung his flannel shirt on the doorknob of the bathroom so that he could pack it with his things. Jumping into the shower, she cursed under her breath at the not yet hot water. There was enough shampoo and soap left in the little bottles to get her good and clean.

Grabbing his shirt, he stuffed it in his bag once again annoyed with himself. He didn't care how good she looked in his shirt, his entire bag would smell like her and sex. What the fuck was he doing? He snatched his bag off the table and jerked open the door, he was going against his instincts and that was never a good idea.

Hopping out of the shower, she hurriedly dried herself off. She hated struggling with jeans when her legs were still damp, but she felt she had no choice. Stepping out of the bathroom she looked at the clock, under fifteen minutes, not bad. "Give me a sec..." but she didn't finish telling him.

An emptiness settled into her belly. He wasn't in the room and all of his stuff was gone. Rogue could feel the tears start to well up and she forced them down. "Shit, shit, shit!" she yelled stomping into her boots, wet hair beginning to soak her shirt.

What the hell was she going to do? She didn't even know what his vehicle looked like, there would only be a handful in the parking lot but that didn't help. And if he left already...then what, bitch to anyone that would listen about how her ride ditched her? Yeah, right. Fucking great.

Stuffing the last of her things in her duffle, she yanked it off the dresser. Opening the door, she could only stare. There stood Logan, styrofoam containers and coffee balanced in one hand, fumbling the room keys in the other.

He looked her over from dripping hair to death grip on her bag. Huffing he pushed passed her, dumping the food on the table. "We had a deal," he grumbled more to himself than her.

"I..a...thought you were waiting for me," she stumbled around to make her jumping to conclusions not look so bad.

So this was how far he'd already fallen. His word had always been trusted, backed with a conviction that no one questioned. He had used her and left her unsure of his sincerity. It was a good thing that this wasn't a permanent arrangement because distrust was not a good foundation to start off with.

He smelled the lie on her but didn't call her on it, no need to make the situation more awkward than it was already. She putted around getting a towel and drying her hair better, doing what she could to avoid him. When he finally caught her eye he pushed the other container toward her as he took a drink of coffee.

She squirmed underneath his gaze and he immediately knew it was about the money. "Couldn't decide what to get, so it's on me."

Opening her mouth to say something, Rogue quickly closed it. She got a distinct feeling that if she brought up the money he was not going to be happy. The odd thing was she didn't think he would be upset with her but with himself.

Sitting down, she opened both containers as he pulled a handful of creamers and sugar packets from his pocket and set them in front of her. She smiled at him, he was good at reading people apparently. Coffee was only tolerable with a bunch of cream and sugar and of course from his other pocket appeared all the syrup she would need to drown her pancakes properly.

There was enough food in one of the containers to feed her for the day. He really had gotten it all; hash browns, sausages, eggs, bacon, and pancakes. She had no idea how they fit it all in one container.

She dug into hers then after the first few bites decided she'd better pace herself. Making this last all day would help stretch her money even further, so she concentrated on eating the things that wouldn't keep as well. That's when she noticed that he'd barely touched his food. She suspected that there was more than just coffee in his cup, and it had nothing to do with the sugar and cream he'd brought back.

The man had had quite a number of shot glasses lined up at the bar last night. He'd also had a bottle out drinking from it in the middle of the night. Rogue reminded herself that this was temporary and she could make it work. She'd done it before.

"So the Yukon?" she asked trying to get things off on the right foot after botching it earlier.

Grunting, he took another drink of coffee. "Alaska?"

Nodding, she finished her bite of pancakes. "My uncle Eddie wasn't much older than me and we kinda grew up together. When my parents threw me out, he and Savannah let me stay with them. We all used to talk about going to Alaska after his last tour of duty." She sucked in a hard breath, she didn't realize that it still affected her so much.

Logan looked over and noted the tears building in her eyes. Maybe they had more in common than he thought. "Didn't make it back?"

She shook her head no and gave him a weak smile. "Just want a fresh start and see if it was what we thought." With a sigh, she put her fork on the food and closed the container. "You finished?" she asked changing the subject.

"Yeah, you can take it along too." He gave her a few minutes to truly get ready to leave this time before he hefted her bag over his shoulder and followed her out the door of the motel room.

~*~

Three days they'd been on the road and Rogue could feel the tension building. If it had been sexual tension she would have offered to do something about it, but he hadn't touched her since the first night. No, this was different and with his complete indifference to everything she was pretty sure it was her.

They mostly rode in silence. If she started a conversation, Logan might answer or ignore the subject if it wasn't something he wanted to talk about. Occasionally he made comments, even let her drive for a spell but that made him antsy; she suspected it was the lack of anything to do. Most of their communication was along the lines of 'you best take a leak, won't be another bathroom for hours'. She smiled at that because it showed he at least gave her comfort a passing thought.

If it weren't for miscommunication they wouldn't have much communication at all. They'd had a few more misunderstandings, nothing severe but enough to leave him grumpier and her full of regret. She knew it all stemmed from the fact that they didn't really talk about what they were doing. He was content to sulk and she was too apprehensive about being bothersome.

There were two things roosting in her mind. First was his drinking. She knew he had a healing factor that probably dealt with it, but it reminded her of Savannah after Eddie died. Rogue knew from that experience all the signs and also knew there wasn't much she could do.

The second, she could do something about. He paid for everything from their meals, when they did stop, to motel rooms each night. They hadn't stopped for food the first day as he claimed he wasn't hungry (she was sure he was drinking his meals) and she'd happily eaten through both their breakfasts.

At the motel that night, she'd anticipated needing to 'pay' in full. Not that she minded the thought of paying for her share of the room; in fact, she had actually been looking forward to it. However, they went to sleep in separate beds that night and the next without even a hint of sex.

Now they were pulling into a diner for lunch and she thought it best to say something. "Let me grab my wallet so I can pay," she said as he shut off the engine.

"You old enough to buy my beer?" he asked.

Rogue hesitated, stuck between saying it was too early for beer and having no clue about Canadian liquor laws. In the States that was a definite no, but here no one had even carded Logan. Not that she would blame them for keeping interactions with him to a minimum. He was becoming more sullen the further they traveled.

"Save your cash," he said, shutting the door on any argument.

During lunch, which he barely ate, he continued to look out the window at the cloudy sky. When the snow started he knew it was time. "Need to get going," he commented finally pushing his plate away.

She peered out the window and stuffed the last of her fries into her mouth. He had to give her props for eating no matter what was put in front of her, he hadn't been able to stomach anything lately, at least most of these restaurants had decent beer. She was also very good at not asking questions and letting the subject drop if he didn't want to talk.

Logan would have preferred to be alone on this drive, but he could have had worse companions. The only thing that continued to bother him was her smell. It surrounded him every day all day long and there was no reprieve from it at night. When he did sleep, if it wasn't a nightmare plaguing him, it was sensual dreams of her.

Rogue was surprised when he turned on the radio, as they hadn't had it on the entire three days. However, she held her tongue as he found the weather report. After several minutes of watching large snowflakes fall, she asked, "Three centimeters, how many inches is that?"

"About an inch." He caught her pout and added, "Not enough for you?"

"I love the snow, well maybe not walking through lots of it, but it's so pretty coming down." Rogue gave him a big wistful smile.

"We'll see how much you like you like it tonight."

"You think there will be more than an inch?" her voice hopeful. Up until now most of the snow came quickly, just enough to cover the ground and melt away as soon as the morning sun popped out. It would be nice to see the mountains covered in a blanket of snow all pristine and sparkly.

Logan nodded. "A lot more, something in the air."

There wasn't anything different that she could feel, but she guessed that it was like her grandpa knowing when it was going to storm. Maybe after a few years in Alaska, she would know that 'something in the air' feeling.

An hour later they stopped to refuel at a small truck stop. Rogue had to admit the snow had piled up much quicker than she expected and she could feel the cold through the burgeoning holes in her boots. She'd seen the sign indicating that Regina was somewhere ahead, but even here the snow was so thick she couldn't see much beyond the parking lot.

Inside she wandered around looking at miscellaneous items for sale. She could hear the man behind the counter talking about the weather with Logan, promising this storm would be a doozy. Moving further back to the clothing section, a pair of leather boots with thick soles caught her eye. On impulse, she yanked off her worn boots and pulled on the other pair.

"Mukluks. Good choice," Logan's voice made her jump. "Looks like they were made for you."

Wiggling her toes, she glanced up at him. "Mukluks...they're comfy."

Turning around he got one of the down coats off the high wall. "Try that on."

Rogue handed him her old coat and slipped on the new full length one and a pair of mittens he gave her. It had been a long time since she'd tried on clothes and never with a man. It felt good to play dress up in something she couldn't afford. It brought back memories of trying on Prom dresses she would never buy with Savannah.

"What ya' think?" she asked, giving a little spin.

"You might survive the cold," he stated with finality, as he headed to the front with her old coat and boots.

"Logan, wait." She trailed him to the counter where he had a debit card out paying for her outfit and a couple sacks of groceries.

He didn't mind buying her a good coat, he had the money and wasn't using it. Besides he didn't need her getting frostbite or hypothermia before they parted ways. This might also ease his mind that neither of those things would happen to her after she left him.

There was always the possibility of taking her on to Alaska himself. Yet he dismissed that just as quickly as it came to mind. He'd already grown too attached to her in the couple of days she'd been with him. If he took her on the whole way he might not want to let her go and that wouldn't be good for her. He glanced over at her, his attitude towards the world might rub off on her and he'd hate to see her change. No, it was best to set her up well and send her on her way.

Back in the SUV, she fidgeted with the coat; it actually might be too warm for the vehicle. Rogue was unsure of what to say, this would be beyond one night of sex to pay for. Not that she minded being a kept woman so to speak, but she was confident that they were not headed in that direction.

Once again he seemed agitated with himself. Whatever it was that he was running from was eating him up inside. He was becoming a shell of whoever he'd once been. The scruffy, unkempt appearance he was trying to cultivate didn't sit well on him.

Logan gripped the steering wheel tightly; he knew she would want to thank him for the coat and boots. Even just thinking about her saying thank you grated on his nerves. He didn't deserve whatever kindness she thought he was worthy of.

None of this was going well, he should have left her back at the bar that first night. She'd tried for three days to act like he wasn't the kind of man that killed people, not that she knew what he'd done, but she knew he was drinking heavily and said nothing. She chatted happily, ignored his sour mood and pretended that he was a gentleman.

To top it all off she wanted him. He remembered her soft touches and whispered words… he'd almost forgotten that he'd put yet another person he cared deeply for to death at the end of his claws. Rogue also made him forget about, if only for a few hours, that he couldn't even live up to his own code of conduct. She deserved more than to be used by the likes of him.

The growl was unmistakable when she opened her mouth to thank him; he was warning her that he would bite. The way his knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel harder had little to do with the driving conditions. She left her thanks unsaid, as she didn't want him to add that to his list of reasons to open the bottle.

Harmless chatter about the weather would be a safer bet right now. "Are we going to get far?" she asked, noticing that he had slowed considerably the last few miles.

"Be lucky to make Moose Jaw before dark." He'd relaxed his hold on the wheel some and was paying close attention to the road ahead.

Rogue had to trust him that they were still on the road, that and the occasional road sign that she could make out. The further they traveled the less traffic there was until they were the only vehicle left. "Do we have a plan?" she asked.

"Yep." He heard her sigh and added, "Place just west of here." There was a guy, not quite a buddy but someone Logan trusted, that owed him several favors. He'd always talked about his cabin in Saskatchewan and when Logan called him back at the truck stop, the guy assured him that it was stocked up and they could ride out the storm for a few days there.

The wind was starting to pick up when they turned off the main highway onto a small side road. The SUV's four-wheel drive easily took the snowdrifts that had only just started to build along the road. It even did well at the beginning of the tree-lined drive that led to the cabin. As the snowfall ebbed and the sun poked out as it set, the SUV had gone as far as it could.

In the distance, they could make out the cabin less than a mile away past the drift that was halfway up the vehicle's grill. Logan repacked the groceries into their bags for easy carrying. "Enough snow for you?" he asked handing her duffle to her.

"It is pretty," she commented getting out and putting the duffle across her back.

"Stay in my tracks," he said as they left the SUV and walked through the first of the thigh-high snowdrifts.

Rogue had no choice but to stay in his tracks. If she had ventured to the side she would have never made it through the snow. It seemed to take forever to trek the short distance to the cabin and she was glad for the new outerwear that he had bought her. Her cheeks and nose were cold but the rest of her remained toasty.

After digging around in the snow piled up along the porch, Logan finally came up with the key. The front door led into a small sunroom where she hung up her coat while he punched a code into a hidden panel. "Security way out here?" she asked taking his coat to hang up.

"Don't go to a security company." He huffed in appreciation; he'd spotted the cameras outside even though they were hidden.

Rogue was a little puzzled by the idea but didn't press for details. They were out of the snow and the cabin was warm. It was a little dated in decor but looked comfortable. There was one large room with a couch and two overstuffed chairs, a small eating area and a tiny, serviceable kitchen with a large pantry.

There was only one bedroom with a king size bed and the adjoining bathroom. She had to laugh at the old glass block shower area that didn't fit with the rest of the cabin. All in all, it was better than the motels they'd been staying in and at least they wouldn't be sleeping in a freezing vehicle.

From the outside, she would have sworn the cabin was just a little larger. However, it had been dark and looks could be deceiving, really how much more did the two of them need. It was plenty big for the night, or more as Logan seemed to think the storm was just getting started.

After unpacking the groceries, they ate a quick meal. It was still early evening, but the struggle through the snow had tuckered her out. Without a TV to vegetate in front of she ambled off to bed, shortly after he lay down next to her still fully clothed.

~*~

"Logan?' Rogue had heard talking; enough to wake her but there was no one else in the room besides the two of them. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You're here," he said though his voice sounded distant like he wasn't really speaking to her. "Stay."

"Yeah, of course," she answered crawling across the bed to kneel down next to him. She was a little confused by this change in wanting her with him but she wasn't going to question him, not right now.

He turned toward her, running his hand through her hair. Logan's hand skimmed her cheek, caressing it, whispering to her. There was a faraway look in his eyes and the name he said wasn't hers.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Okay," Rogue responded. Could he even hear her or was he having a 'conversation' with someone he was dreaming about? It reminded her of a cousin that used to sleepwalk. Maybe it was best to just talk him through it.

"I made a vow." He moved his hand further down her body.

"A vow?" She jumped at a sudden snikt sound and felt a sharp pain splintering her in two.

Why wasn't she screaming? She should be screaming but she was too stunned. Was this what if felt like when she sucked the life out of someone else? All the energy draining from her and pooling in her lap?

Slumping forward on him, her lips brushed past his ear. "Logan?" her voice was barely audible and her mind was unusually calm.

Logan blinked. He'd been talking to Jean, but that was impossible, she was dead. Yet Jean told him he was too late. Too late for what?

There was something wet and thick on his hand, everything smelled wrong. Looking down, he inspected his hand. Blood, so much blood.

"No." It wasn't a dream, it was real. He retracted his claws only to have more blood pour out. Futilely he put his hand on Rogue's stomach to stem the flow. "No! No! No! Please!"

Rogue felt oddly peaceful and reached out to him, "Shh..." He scooped an arm around her shoulders, cradling her to him. A serene smile formed on her lips, "You didn't mean to."

She hadn't expected to die this way, though given her mutation she didn't figure she would live to old age. The pain was gone and numbness had set in but she was worrying over the distress in Logan's eyes. He'd been nothing but good to her and she didn't want to leave him in such misery.

"I wish..." She placed a hand on his bearded cheek, "...known you before..."

Logan rested his forehead on hers, listening to her fading heartbeat. "I'm so sorry, Rogue."

"M...Marie."

He held her hand to his face, his mind finally kicking into gear, wondering why her mutation hadn't pulled at him yet. Pressing a kiss to her still warm lips, he silently begged whatever deity might be watching them to help her.

The dizziness was odd; death never affected him that way. When he realized it was the pull of her skin, he smiled with relief and gratitude. A bright white halo formed around the edges of his vision and he eagerly greeted the embrace of death if it meant she could live.

---

"Wake up...wake up!"

"Jean?" Logan's head was foggy and it was hard to move his body. He was on the floor, trying to put his hand to his face but it was covered in red.

"That's a lot of blood." Jean tapped the bedcover.

"She was going to die." He lifted his head to look for Rogue...Marie.

Jean stared down at him from her perch on the bed and shrugged, "I thought you were done being the hero."

"I couldn't let her die, I..."

"You what?" She smiled at him.

"I need to make sure she's okay," he said struggling to move.

"Let her go, it's not hard to die." Jean reached out, "This is what you wanted."

"I can't stay, Jean."

"This isn't going to end well. Everyone you love dies," she reminded him.

"Not anymore," he told her before she faded.

---

Logan rolled to his side and pushed off the floor. There wasn't quite as much blood as he thought, though it almost was enough for someone to be dead. He made his way to the bathroom where he could hear the shower running.

Walking around the wall of the shower, she was standing with her back to him. "Marie?"

"Huh." She continued to lean, both hands on the wall.

"Are you..."

"I'm okay. There was just a lot of blood." Her pj's were discarded in a wet heap in the corner.

He lifted a hand to touch her but stopped mid-action. Then he made the briefest of touches on her shoulder, he didn't know how to apologize. Not for what he'd done.

Finally, she straightened and squeezed the water from her hair, turned to face him. There was a streak of white in her hair and he wrapped it around a finger.

"It's a fair bargain." Rogue knew she wasn't making any sense when he raised an eyebrow at her. "I've never been able to control it." She stepped closer and pulled off his bloody t-shirt and tossed it over by hers. She then placed a hand on his bare chest, "You fixed that."

Logan cupped her cheek and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. When he didn't reciprocate, she backed away studying his face. "I'm alive, that's all that matters," she reassured him. Taking his hand she placed it on her bare stomach, "Not even a scratch."

Rogue's eyes slid closed as his hand moved across her stomach. It had been so long since someone had touched her bare skin for any length of time. The memory of how he touched her the first night when he shouldn't have, made her head spin with ideas of what he might do when touching wasn't an issue.

He wanted to explain. She needed to know what had happened, he needed her to understand he hadn't meant to hurt her. That the adrenaline she was hopped up on wasn't letting her think clearly. That her arousal wasn't letting him think clearly. That a near death experience probably wasn't the best time for sex.

Pulling away, he tried to gain some perspective. Her dark eyes opened, scrutinizing him and he suddenly knew he had few secrets from her. Somehow she knew him, knew what he'd done and still wanted him.

The vapor from the water was heavy with her scent, with her desire. It seeped into his pores, clogging his senses and calling to his feral side. He refused to rationalize this like the first night, to lose himself in lust.

"Marie..."

"Don't worry, I'm not confused. It's all clear in my head." A wicked smile crept onto her lips. "You want this as much as I do. I can smell it." She leaned in and licked his neck. "I can taste it."

Rogue could see that he was trying to remain resolute, even as his eyes darkened with hunger, sticking to some new code he'd needlessly put into place. She also knew his next objection; she was fertile and she knew it had been calling to him for the last three days.

Taking his hand she brought it back to her stomach. "There are ways around that." She watched as his nostrils flared and he nodded in agreement. Calmly she moved his hand to her breast. "I just need you to touch me."

Logan knew this tension had to be taken care of, the need set to rest. Otherwise, it would build until it became a real problem. Placing a hand on her waist, he guided her to the wall. It would be required for support.

Cupping her breast, he leaned down to suck at it before turning his attention to the other one. Taking his time, he licked and kissed his way down her body. He dropped to his knees, grazing her belly with his facial hair. Skimming his hands over her hips and thighs, he was careful to keep as much skin on skin contact as he could.

Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he nipped at her hip. He pushed her knee out and she leaned heavily on the wall. His tongue swept over her sensitive flesh, she gasped and his tongue darted out again.

Rogue was already trembling as he held her hips steady. His tongue continued to work her clit and she scraped her fingernails along his scalp. She listened to his heartbeat racing just as wildly as hers, and the sound of his ragged breathing pushed her over the edge.

He rode out her orgasm with his tongue firmly on her clit, clutching at her hips. Standing up, the taste of her still in his mouth, she pulled him in for a kiss. Eagerly she freed his hardened cock from his pants as the lingering taste of her only intensified his need to fill her.

Logan lifted her so her body cradled his and entered her in one swift thrust. She was touching him everywhere, urgent needy touches. His wet jeans sagged to his knees as he drove into her, instinct taking over.

His blood was pounding in his ears, heart racing in his chest almost drowned out by the sound of hers. She was shaking in his arms, convulsing around him, moaning his name. Grinding into her heat a final time, he remembered at the last moment to withdraw before filling her.

~*~

Rogue stretched, taking in the smell of coffee and bacon. She wondered if that was the remnants of his mutation making breakfast smell too intense or if it was her hunger and the smallness of the cabin. Either way, she was starving and thought she best get a move on.

Throwing off the blanket she'd wrapped herself into, she took in the state of the bed. It looked no worse for wear; most of the blood had been in the comforter and the sheets. Logan had stripped and washed those last night before she lay down.

In a chair next to the bed, the sheets waited all neatly folded to be put back on. For a man that she was beginning to think was trying to go full on mountain man, he sure did know how to fold laundry.

Who was she to pick on looks anyway? She now stood out with the white streaks in her hair. With his beard an even length, he fit in better with some of the men she had seen up this way. His hair would always be wild no matter the length. None of that was why she loved him.

There it was. She stood in the doorway watching him cook and knew that in less than a week she'd fallen in love. Not with the man that bought her things and paid her way, but with the gruff man she glimpsed beneath it all. The man she'd seen in his memories last night.

Sadly, she already knew it wasn't meant to be. He was on a downward spiral and she was floating aimlessly looking for meaning in her life. She decided then and there to make the best of it until they parted ways.

Logan could feel her staring, and for the first time he could remember, he was self-conscious. He still couldn't shake the feeling that she saw right through him. "Eggs are almost done," he said gesturing to the bacon.

She padded over and chewed on a piece of bacon. He glanced at her leaning against the counter. She hadn't changed out of his t-shirt she'd slept in. He had to admit she looked real good and he'd take a side of that with his breakfast.

He shook his head; he had to stop thinking that way. The snow hadn't let up yet and at this rate, they would be there a solid three days or more. She didn't need some lecherous old man taking advantage of her, despite the fact that he was beginning to care for her.

They stood together at the counter eating their breakfast. He tried to think of a way to explain what had happened, but he felt it sounded too "out there". At worst she would think he was delusional, at best that he was a drunk. Why the hell did her opinion matter anyway? He never cared what anyone thought and yet he didn't want her to think badly of him.

The longer they stood in silence, the guiltier Rogue felt. She had seen him start to say something several times, only to huff in frustration and close his mouth. From his memories and his demeanor earlier this week she knew he was a man of few words and not given to long explanations.

It might help if she started. "I don't blame you for last night." Staring at their feet next to each other she knew they were just two people lost in the world. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it lightly; maybe they weren't so alone after all. "It just happened."

He was shaking his head at her, "I tried to kill you."

She snorted at his assertion. "No," she began. He needed to know that she had seen who he was and she was okay with it. "My mutation takes memories too. I know you don't go around killing indiscriminately."

Great. He scrubbed his hands over his face. He'd been wrong, there was a worse case scenario. She saw through him because she knew exactly what he'd done in the past. "You're wrong," he said weakly. "I've done it before."

Sighing, she pushed away from the counter and left him in the kitchen. There was no arguing this until he saw his own way through. "You are the only one blaming you for what happened to her," she tossed over her shoulder as she walked out.

Making the bed helped ease her mood; Rogue could hear him doing the same thing by clanging plates and pans around. Weren't they a pair, having their first argument. That thought took all the wind out of her sails. They were not a couple and nothing was going to happen after the Yukon.

Laundry awaited her and she spent the next couple of hours washing everything in her bag. Her old coat and the duffle bag itself got a wash for good measure. There wasn't much more she could do so it was time to quit avoiding him.

Logan had turned on the radio and finally found a staticky station that gave weather updates in between country and western songs. One of the cabinets had some liquor and he poured himself a whiskey. By the time she approached him again, he'd taken over the couch, empty glass on the floor beside him.

She sat next to him, having yet to change out of his t-shirt. "Washer's all yours," she said, trying to break the ice.

He merely grunted, keeping his eyes closed pretending to relax.

"So a few more days?" She was persistent.

"After the snow stops," he confirmed.

"Tonight like the weatherman says?" she asked.

He got a distinct feeling. since she wasn't giving up on talking, that she was leading up to something. "Probably."

"Hmm, then I guess I better get comfy," she said, laying down on top of him and resting her head on his chest.

"There are chairs," he said gruffly.

"Yeah, but this is the comfy spot," she retorted. Then waved a hand toward one of the chairs. "Those look like they've never been used."

He refused to concede the point even though she was right; the couch had been broken in while the chairs were pristine. She didn't seem inclined to move and he let her be. It would be a nice gesture to make up for earlier, he reasoned.

"This is nice," she commented picking up her head.

Lifting his head, he looked at her and raised a questioning eyebrow.

Marie gave him a lazy smile. "You. Me. Out here all alone. The world and its problems far away."

He returned her smile, the first time he'd done so, before laying his head back down. Sighing to himself, he had to admit she was right once more. He wouldn't mind staying here and letting the world pass them by. However, they were living in borrowed space so that wasn't a possibility.

"Should get some lunch," she suggested sleepily.

After he agreed, they both stayed put. Sometime later he moved enough to relieve an arm that kept trying to fall asleep. He glanced at her, breathing lightly as she slept, her hair spread out across his chest.

The next time he opened his eyes, Marie was trying to snuggle into him more. The room had taken on a chill and he realized the electricity that had been flickering some during the morning had finally gone off, along with the most of the afternoon.

"Hey, Marie," he moved underneath her. "Need to get the fireplace going."

"You do that," she mumbled burrowing into him further.

Chuckling, Logan carefully moved out from under her. He did hate to leave the peace of the couch, but he could only do so much to keep her warm on his own. She harrumphed at him as he worked to get the pilot light on the gas insert lit.

Rogue drug herself from the couch and into the bedroom. Pulling on a pair of sweats and an extra shirt, she walked back toward the kitchen.

"I'm starving," she stated, bypassing the fridge for the pantry. She knew from experience that it was best to make something quick and easy in a power outage. "How about stew from a can and crackers?"

"Sounds fine," Logan answered, turning the fireplace's thermostat to a reasonable level. He handed over the matches for the stove before getting out a few more blankets for later.

They sat at the table, the late afternoon light and the fireplace providing enough light to eat by. As they finished he needed to know, "How much?"

"Huh?" was all she could manage around her mouthful of cracker.

"Memories," he clarified. With the way she looked at and treated him, she must not have gotten as big a dose as she hinted at.

Rogue had hoped they wouldn't have this conversation. People didn't like others knowing their private thoughts. She knew he was even more sensitive to his privacy than others. "Enough?" she answered hoping to placate him.

A stony stare met her. Sighing heavily she took their bowls to the sink and busied herself heating water. "You're one of those elusive X-Men. Been with them since..." Hesitating, she searched for the right idea. That period of time had something to do with his claws; there was no solid picture of that or before. "A long time."

It was the best she could do; from the way he nodded it was enough of a description. "You run around saving people, fighting bad guys and you're," she blushed. At his quirked eyebrow, she cleared her throat, "not celibate."

He grunted at that. Not that he was embarrassed by that, but he liked that she blushed at the thought. Above all, she was painting a rosy picture of his life, about as far from reality as one could get.

"Anyway, I have a better idea of that freak accident at Alcatraz last year being more about you saving the whole lot of us. Not some rare explosion story that gets passed around."

Logan stared out the window, the snow had finally stopped. The clouds hadn't dispersed yet but hung low in the sky. "Not a hero."

"Okay," her voice held a dismissive quality that let him know he wouldn't be changing her mind.

He could really use a drink right now. This trip was started so he could sort things out and before he picked her up he was sure that he was the lowest of human life. It hadn't mattered what any of them said. The Professor, Storm, even Scott were just glad to be alive. They didn't have to live with slicing Jean open and having her die in their arms.

Rogue finished what little clean up she could in the kitchen and walked over to where he still sat at the dining table. Hugging him from behind, she rested her chin on his head. "Wish I had words of wisdom for you."

He huffed a little but didn't send her away. Her touch brought him a measure of calm.

"I used to think if I held onto something tight enough it wouldn't slip through my fingers." She had tried that with her parents, Eddie, and Savannah; it hadn't helped.

She kissed him on the top of the head and walked toward the bedroom. "You come up with any sage advice, you let me know."

In the bedroom, she looked through her socks for the thickest pair. About the time she decided to borrow some of Logan's, she heard him go outside. Pulling on the extra socks, she went to peek out the front window.

She couldn't make out much except the glow of his cigar as he stood on the porch. It all seemed futile; if only she could help but she knew that wasn't possible. Rogue had left before Savannah had hit bottom. There was no magically fixing someone else's problems and she wasn't willing to watch a person self-destruct.

Walking into the panty, she fumbled around for the battery run lantern she'd spied earlier. With it, a blanket, and a handful of magazines she'd found she settled herself on the couch. It had been a long time since she'd been able to sit and read.

Sometime later she heard Logan at the door and the cold air made it's way to her. It struck her at how quiet he was. Most people went around making as much noise as they could, but not him. She knew he was hanging up his coat and taking off his boots but there was barely a whisper of sound from him. There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask about his life, as a second-hand view didn't always give a full picture.

Logan could see that Marie had found that little lantern and had moved an end table to the back of the couch so she could read. The cold evening air had done him wonders. He'd been so wrapped up in life at the mansion for too long, he couldn't remember the last time he'd taken a break with no obligations hanging over his head.

Or maybe it was the fact that when he entered the cabin Marie's smell greeted him. Warm, inviting, calling to him. He could envision himself waking up to this, no to her every morning. Opening the door every evening and feeling instantly at home.

Studying her in the dim light, he was already trying to put aside the thought that by the end of the week she would be gone. She looked up, beaming him a smile. When she drew her feet up for him to join her, he could see the other blanket she'd brought out for him. For the second time, that day he returned her smile and life seemed to fall into place.

That night under a truckload of blankets, way too many for him, she snuggled into him and slept. He woke up several times, turning over to find her glued to him. Finally, he gave up trying to untwine himself and curled around her smaller form and wondered why he hadn't done this sooner.

During breakfast, the electricity surged back to life. After so much silence the soft noise of the radio was especially loud. Rogue looked across the table, "That's a good sign, right?"

"Yeah." Logan thought he did a reasonable job of keeping the gloom out of his voice. "Time to go push snow."

"Shovels out in the shed?" she asked clearing the plates from the table.

"Something like that," he called over his shoulder as he retrieved his boots.

"Hold on a sec and I'll come." She hurried to pull on her mukluks and coat as he finished tightening his laces.

"You know how to run a shovel?" he asked as they stepped out on the porch.

"No, but I can always enjoy watching you work," she answered.

Logan snorted and started wading through the snow to the shed out back. He didn't hear her plodding along behind him and he turned to check on her. She'd barely made it off the porch and was staring mouth open, at the snowy landscape.

"Like it?" he asked with amusement.

Rogue nodded, it wasn't the mountains but it was still sparkly. "It's...it's..." She frowned slightly. "So dang bright."

She heard him chuckle as he began moving again, it was a nice sound. Trudging behind him, she wondered how long it would take the two of them to dig the vehicle out and get back to the highway. "A lot of snow," she commented.

"Nah, should've been here in '47."

Looking around again, Rogue let his comment sink in. Did he realize he just admitted to being almost a century old? This memory had been lazing around somewhere in his brain unused until now. She was positive he didn't have a clue that these old memories surfaced like this now and again. She added it to the growing list of questions.

With a little bit of shoveling, they were able to open the shed doors. Inside was an old pickup with a snow blade on the front, as promised. A couple hours work and a little more shoveling around the SUV and they'd be ready to go. Though Logan knew he'd better reserve that opinion until they got down to the main road.

Marie sat beside him the whole time, a large grin on her face. He would call her giddy if she weren't examining the process so intently. He was backing up to take a second swipe down the drive to the cabin when she finally broke her silence.

"You've done this before." It wasn't really a question, more of a statement.

"Sure, drove us up here." He couldn't help but poke at her, it seemed as if her upbeat attitude was contagious.

"Haha," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, I've cleared snow a time or two. Even helped out a few times at the mansion." Manual work had always been a way to clear his mind, that and fighting. However, this was the first time in months that he'd found any attraction in either.

Glancing over at Marie, he wondered what quality she possessed that brought him out of his forlorn attitude. Living in a mansion full of people had done nothing for him, but this one girl held a surprising amount of sway over him. He suspected she had no idea of the extent of her power.

When the blade was back down and they were moving forward again she commented, "Eddie and then Savannah both tried to teach me to put a boat down the ramp. Never got the hang of backing the truck up with the trailer."

"It takes practice. Could help you sometime." Logan clamped his mouth shut as he realized he'd made a long-term promise to her he couldn't keep. Thankfully she was polite enough not to call him on it.

They rode the rest of the time in silence. Stopping on the way back to the cabin, they used shovels to dig the SUV out of the snowdrift. Rogue puffed up with prided when he deemed her one dug out tire passable.

He turned the SUV over to her and he followed her back to the cabin. After parking, she walked to the shed to help close the doors, but he was almost done when she got there. Another idea struck her and she called out, "Hey, Logan!"

She'd always been good at softball and no sooner had he turned around than a snowball splattered smack dab in the middle of his chest. "Oh, that was excellent for my first snowball!"

Logan looked at his chest where snow still clung then glanced up at her. Her smile started to fade and he could see the apology forming on her lips. That was until he bent down and grabbed a handful of snow.

Taking a step toward her, he began working the snow into shape. Her eyes widened in understanding and she took off running for the cabin on the path they'd created earlier. His first snowball hit her on the ass and brought forth peals of laughter.

That sweet sound rang in the silence of the outdoors. It was the best sound he'd ever heard and he wanted to spend the rest of his life hearing her happy like this. But first things first, scooping up more snow he jogged after her.

She peered back over her shoulder, laughing again and stumbled off the path. He caught up to her, spun her around and they both went down in a heap in a snowdrift. Glancing up at him, she tried to control her giggling.

He brought the snowball up to her face. "You wouldn't," Rogue huffed. "Would you?"

There was a smile lifting the corner of his mouth and he growled at her playfully. The vibration of it resounded through her even with the heavy coats between them. She held her breath because she'd swear that look was the same one Eddie used to give Savannah. Rogue's heart flip-flopped as he leaned in for a kiss.

His mouth was hard and demanding. She knew it had something to do with the fact that she'd attacked and ran. It brought up Logan's feral tendencies; she could feel the tension in his body from it.

Pulling back as best she could for a breath, she watched the emotions on his face. There was longing in his eyes, but the way he worked his jaw she knew he was fighting it down. He'd ignited a fire low in her belly with the kiss, but he was trying to dowse any lust he was feeling.

Helping her stand, he began brushing the snow off her and she developed a plan. Rogue was not a planner, one look at this trip and how she tackled every aspect of it would tell anyone that. Planning was something Logan excelled at but she would use his knowledge to her advantage.

Taking hold of his shoulder, pretending to balance herself, she dropped a mitten. When he bent down to retrieve the fallen article she stuck a handful of snow down his collar. His hair was long, but it had been a lot of snow and his hair wouldn't afford much protection.

She'd already calculated the distance to the cabin and would make it to the door slightly ahead of him. He froze and she heard the growl even though she was running again. The rumbling sound closing in behind her lacked some of the playfulness from earlier but it was a promising sound nonetheless.

Rushing in the cabin seconds before him, she had her coat unzipped when he entered. Trying to stifle another laugh, she pounced on him. She wasn't under the illusion that she could ever move him if he refused, but he seemed to be playing along and wobbled around like he'd been knocked off balance. Her lips crashed into his and his mouth opened readily.

Logan let her take the lead to see how far she was taking this. Backing into the wall, he managed to get the door shut with one hand and hold her secure to him with the other. Shedding her own coat, he let her work the zipper of his while he explored her mouth. She broke the kiss and began nipping at his neck.

"Marie?" Maybe he should find out what she had in mind.

"Hmm," she answered. However, he didn't press further as her hands were already in his jeans, it was obvious how far she wanted this to go.

She was making it difficult to think straight as her hands wrapped around his hardening member. She bit the corded muscle on the side of his neck and was rewarded with a small thrust of his hips. Sinking down to her knees, she freed him from the denim.

Her plan almost fell apart; she hadn't thought this part over. The mechanics were obvious yet she hadn't done this in the week they'd been together. "I don't..." What if she didn't do this properly?

Logan sucked in a hard breath as she took the head of his cock into her mouth. "That'll do."

Venturing a look down, he could see how serious she was about making this good for him. He ran his fingers through her hair in what he hoped was a soothing motion. The smell of her desire assaulted him as he continued to smooth her hair. Her mitten was still tightly clutched in his other hand and he could feel the melting snow running down his back. If he concentrated on those two things maybe he wouldn't succumb to what she was doing to him.

When his hips began to move with her, Rogue stopped. He gave a small noise of disappointment but she had a plan to follow. She left him there leaning heavily on the wall, panting.

After a moment, he pulled his pants up and took off his boots doing his best to calm down. He could hear her doing something in the bedroom and he wanted nothing more than to stalk her down and have his way with her. He needed to get a grip on his lust; taking a deep breath he followed her trail of clothes. She emerged from the bedroom with a blanket and something in her hand.

"I bought these at the truck stop," she said coyly handing him a stack of foil packets.

Logan stared at the condoms in his hand then at her pert breasts and finally at her hopeful expression. Should he be offended that he was expected to perform? Or should he simply give into what they both wanted?

They'd be gone by this time tomorrow and back to the reality of their bargain. He hadn't sorted a damn thing out, yet he wanted to get lost in Marie's arms. Just a minute ago he'd been all too willing to let it happen before she'd given him time to cool off and think.

"Do I need to double dog dare you?" she asked, a hand on her hip.

He gave her a wolfish grin, he knew exactly what that would lead to with the thrill of the chase still coursing through his veins. It spoke to his animalistic nature and he wanted to show her exactly what it did to him. Taking her hard and fast would alleviate the drive to claim her and he knew she would be willing.

He was beginning to tell himself they had plenty of time before they went their separate ways. They could spend the rest of the day having sex then four days to the Yukon with some self-control exercised. It would be fine.

Rogue didn't know what to make of his hesitation. The smile was a good sign but he had yet to move. She glanced over at the sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace; she had hoped to entice him into something slightly more romantic. If she wanted this happen she would have to pull something irresistible from his playbook to tempt him.

Arranging the blanket over the back of the couch, she bent over and spread her legs slightly. She smiled at the growl that emanated from behind her. Obviously, this had been the right position to take.

Logan stepped up behind her and ghosted his fingers up her thigh. She shivered when his fingers touched her moist folds. This was a position he knew well, one that never failed to satisfy him.

He slid a finger down circling her clit; she squirmed a little though she made no sound. She was wet but how ready? Slipping a finger into her, he felt her tense then relax as he slid his finger back out and circled her clit again. Laying down the condoms he placed a hand on her hip and repeated the motion.

She gave a little moan that made his cock throb. Pressing his erection into her butt cheek, he lifted his finger to his mouth to taste her. He could feel the need rise and surge in him. A few minutes in her heat was all it would take, a release that would calm the feral impulse.

But what about her? He'd seen that wistful look toward the fireplace. Marie was giving up what she wanted so that he would feel good. He was a self-serving bastard. She deserved better than to be used.

This was something he could easily fix. She'd been deprived of touch for long enough that he'd noticed she'd been less carefully since gaining control. If she would let him he would spend the rest of the day touching her.

He stepped back and Rogue peered at him over her shoulder. His sudden change of purpose confused her. Picking up the foil packets he took her hand and gently tugged. "Come on."

She grabbed the blanket and let him lead her around the couch toward the fireplace. When they stopped he tossed the condoms down on the rug. Turning to her, he stared at her a moment and she could tell he was regearing. She wondered what interesting information his senses were giving him.

Under his scrutiny, she began to fidget. After she'd absorbed him the other night, his life had been laid bare before her. Now she got the feeling that he knew all her secrets. Maybe not her life in detail before meeting him, but he knew exactly what she wanted right then, what she desired and he was going to try to give it to her.

Quickly he undressed and pulled her down on the rug with him. He started with light touches, smoothing his hands across her body everywhere he could. Soon he had to draw back and slow down, as his touches were becoming hard and needy.

She watched him through half closed eyes. Starting again, he paid attention to her reaction using a mix of hard and soft touches to elicit little moans from her. Kissing her full lips as she squirmed under his hands, he pushed his hardened flesh into her hip. Pressing a condom into his hand she simply asked, "Please?"

She'd lost some of her brashness from earlier but watched him with interest as he rolled the condom down his length. She moved to lay back; he had different ideas and instead coaxed her to sit up. "I want to touch you."

Rogue blushed but obliged and mounted him. They'd done this the first night at the motel, however, this time was different. There was no need for them to pause because her mutation wasn't interfering.

His hands skimming over her skin, his mouth continually on her breast, it was all too much. She wanted this, needed this and couldn't have stopped if she wanted to when her body began to tremble. Riding the wave, she felt his hands on her hips helping her stay in motion.

When she was finally able to look at him, he was smiling up at her. He appeared a little too smug and she wanted to replace the look on his face with one of need. Sitting upright, she levered her body upward testing this position.

Satisfied with the movement, she drew her feet up by his hips for better control. She caught the dark desire in his eyes and all trace of a smile was gone from his lips. Trying the action again, she made sure to take it slow to draw it out for him.

Logan watched her move up and down on his cock. Jaw clenched tightly, he closed his eyes trying to prolong their time by not adding a visual display. It didn't matter, he heard the soft sounds of his cock entering her body then withdrawing from her wetness. Her tight heat penetrated him to the core, her arousal building again as she strained to continue.

Glancing at her, he put his hands between their bodies to support her and assist her movements. She peered down at him and her beauty; her desire for him took his breath away. Her legs began to shake with the effort and he moved a hand so that he could apply friction to her clit.

She convulsed around him, calling out his name and his hips rose up to meet her as he growled in his own release. He kept her moving until she collapsed onto his chest, both of them quiet in the aftermath.

~*~

Logan examined himself in the brightly lit mirror of the bathroom. It had been a long time since he'd given any thought to his appearance. At this point, he might fit into a line up of Duck Dynasty.

Taking a second look at his hair, he reassessed that. He looked more like a crazy cousin. Well, there was something he could do about that. How in the world had Marie even put up with this for so long? Impeccable manners, that's how. That and a temporary arrangement.

Parting ways was something he'd tried not to think of. Until recently his life had fallen into a pattern. As far back as he could remember, back when the Hudsons found him newly escaped from Weapon X, death and destruction surrounded him. It wasn't just Jean, though her death was the final straw as would any of the X-Men family have been. He suspected death had been a part of his life since the beginning. Only with Marie had the pattern been broken.

Logan had always focused on survival, soldiering on through whatever life threw at him. Little time was left for grieving for a fallen comrade. With Jean it hit home; he'd built himself a family of sorts in the X-Men, even if her death saved other lives. Seeing how it affected everyone and knowing he was the one that brought that pain... It was best to drift rather than be met with the overwhelming weight of what he'd done.

Yet leaving hadn't changed what he felt and alone he couldn't find a way past it. Marie held the key to moving on. He didn't know if it was because her life had been touched by grief too. Or just that she showed him that life still held meaning and that he'd best pick up his sorry ass and get back to living. Either way, he only had a few more days with her and he wanted to put his best foot forward.

Finishing in the bathroom, he stood at the edge of the bed, hesitating to wake her. Not only because they hadn't actually slept until late in the night but he'd found himself watching her more and more. Logan wasn't sure he wanted to part ways with her, yet he didn't think it was a good idea to ask more of her.

"Hey," he said quietly. "Your turn."

He was out of the bedroom before he thought better of it and called back to her. "Taking a couple of things out to the SUV, then I'll fix breakfast." With a little effort, maybe they could make the rest of the trip without a preponderance of misunderstandings.

When he came back coffee was brewing and he could hear the shower running. They'd be able to eat and be on the road in close to an hour. He heard her packing just as he finished cooking breakfast.

Rogue dropped her duffle by the couch and almost tripped over her feet when she caught sight of him. It was quite the change. She hoped she'd recovered nicely by the time she sat down at the table to eat.

Logan had shaved and cut his hair, a completely different look than he was sporting last night. His hair definitely did its own wild thing, even short. The beard was gone, replaced with carefully sculpted sideburns. The other look wasn't terrible, but this was a unique look that he wore well. The touch of gray at his temples added to the overall image and she couldn't stop smiling

"What?" he asked before finishing off his eggs.

"I like it. It's," she paused, indicating his hair and felt the heat burn her face. "Sexy."

He returned her smile. It was nice to know that she could still blush after all the sex they'd had yesterday.

The smile he gave her reached his eyes and she couldn't resist the urge to tease him, "Before you know it you'll be smiling all the time."

Snorting, he cleared the table and started the dishes. She joined him, drying and putting things away. Once again he was wondering about their long-term compatibility. Even though they stood there working well together Marie didn't need to be tied to an old cuss like him. On his best days, he was still too jaded for the likes of her.

When they were finished they both took a quick tour around, making sure that everything was put back where they found it. Logan finally turned to her, "Ready?"

Rogue looked at the couch where they'd napped together, then at the rug in front of the fireplace. Someday she would save up enough money to get a rug exactly like it. She'd stepped into this cabin days ago dead set on her goal of Alaska, with a man unsure of his future. Now they were leaving, Logan seemed to have found his footing and she'd been set adrift in uncertainty.

She knew what she wanted, to stay here in this cabin; just the two of them. Yet that was an impossibility and selfish thinking of the girl she used to be. People can't be bent to her will and if she wanted to be an adult she needed to face those facts. "Yeah," she sighed.

Logan followed her to the door. He reset the alarm and closed the door securely. At the vehicle, he stared back at the little cabin with some regret. Shaking his head free of nostalgia, he climbed into the SUV to fulfill his part of their bargain.

---

The last four days had been spent back on the road and that evening they'd be in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. The bumps in their relationship (and there she was again calling it something it wasn't) had smoothed out. Besides her wanting him something fierce, outside of the one act she did a couple hours ago, he'd kept his hands to himself once again.

It was the one thing about him she couldn't figure out. The most she could come up with was he wanted to make their separation as easy as possible. Back when he drank his meals and played at grieving hermit she knew she would have to move on. But with each passing day, she saw more and more of the man he used to be and her heart was being torn in two.

The best thing to do was work on collecting all the memories she could. The feel of his firm sure grip as he held her, the differing growls he used, even memorizing his profile as he drove. She'd also determined that she would try to get a few questions answered to straighten out his memories that lingered. Possibly help her keep that little spark of him in her mind alive forever.

"Logan, can I ask you something?"

"Just did," he answered with a smirk.

Rogue smiled, she was going to miss the teasing that he'd taken to. "Actually, I have a few questions."

"Questions?" He was slightly uncomfortable with the idea. It would end up being an awful game of twenty questions that left them both on edge.

She shrugged, assessing his willingness and offered an alternative. "Or we can take turns asking questions. You can even go first."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "What kinda questions?"

"Uhm..." She cleared her throat and tried to use a deep voice, "So, Rogue-"

"Marie," he corrected her.

"Right." She nodded and started again, "So, Marie-"

"I don't sound like that," he said trying to act offended.

Laughing, she continued, "What part of the South? Then I'd tell ya', Mississippi. Too hot in the summer, and only remember seeing snow once."

He nodded, not necessarily what he would ask as he'd never been one to set store by where people came from. Waiting he wondered what about him she didn't have answers to.

"Ninjas?" There was a piece of a dream that completely puzzled her.

"Hate'm. Undead ones are the worst," his voice held a lot of conviction and signaled that was all there was to that subject.

They sat in silence for a minute before she prompted, "Your turn."

He went with the first thing that popped into his head, "Had enough snow yet?"

Rogue laughed, "I suppose I should've but there's something about it that makes me think in the middle of the summer I'll be looking forward to it again."

He nodded in agreement and she asked her next question. "What's in Japan that you like so much?"

"Nothing anymore." When she drew her eyebrows together in consternation, he elaborated, "It's orderly and polite. The country has a beauty all it's own. Except the Ninjas."

"Of course," she said with a smile at his dislike of Ninjas.

"What happened with Eddie's wife?" Logan noticed she talked about them, but nothing about the wife after Eddie died.

"Savannah." She swallowed down the large lump forming in her throat. "After the funeral, she took to drinking." Rogue felt the tears sting her eyes. "It got bad and I couldn't help her. I..." With a sigh, she swiped at a tear. She'd gone to Savannah's pastor before she took to the road, hoping he could look after her. There was too much there to talk about and she was glad Logan didn't press the issue.

He didn't say anything and it surprised him even more that she stuck with him after the obvious feelings she had. It was her turn to ask a question and he waited until she was ready.

"Redheads?" she asked after composing herself.

He grunted then smiled, "Old story."

"If you don't..."

"No, it's fine," he said. It would be no more uncomfortable than her talking about Eddie and Savannah. "After Weapon X, this couple found me. Mostly feral. Heather, she saw the man underneath it all even when others didn't. When I first joined the X-Men, Jeannie was the same way."

"Oh," Rogue blinked, that explained a lot. "Both redheads."

"Yep," he confirmed.

"So why me?" There had been vague images in his memories of both women; she definitely didn't fit that type.

"That's two questions," he reminded her.

She rolled her eyes, "Like you're a stickler for rules." One thing she'd seen in his memories was that rules were more of a guideline than something to live by.

Logan shrugged, "Guess it's not just redheads." Another pattern Marie had broken for him. The next question was his, "The blowjob earlier, why?"

Her face turned scarlet, eyes widening as she stared out the windshield. Out of the blue, she'd persuaded him into letting her do that for him while he drove. Well, it was supposed to be while he drove but he'd had to pull over so he could watch her; that and she was distracting him from driving. He'd never worried about that in the past. She might be embarrassed now, however, he was getting hard just thinking about it.

Rogue noticed him adjust himself and her embarrassment faded. "Cause you enjoy it," she said looking him in the eye. While they were on the subject, "Why haven't you touched me since the cabin?"

"You don't have to pay for the ride," he stated firmly. He meant it; she shouldn't feel like she owed him anything even if he did like to have her touching him.

"Was I?" She was genuinely curious about why he thought they were having sex. Rogue, herself thought it was because it felt good. There were other reasons but she didn't want to think about those that would only complicate the bargain.

"No."

"Then tonight..."

"Yes," he said to establish the fact that they would be engaging in sex if she wanted to. He was relieved that they had gotten that discussion out of the way and was already thinking about getting to a motel. Silence reigned once again as they both became lost in their own thoughts.

~*~

"Is it always this cold?" Rogue asked, as she stood wrapped in a blanket, staring out the hotel window. Just looking at a snow-covered Anchorage sent a shiver through her.

Logan chuckled from the bed, "It doesn't get cold for another month."

Turning around, she pouted at him. In Whitehorse, they'd been greeted with Happy Holidays when they took the last room available. The next morning without a word Logan loaded up their stuff and made the thirteen hour drive to Anchorage.

He wouldn't give her a straight answer why. Instead, he acted as if this had been part of the bargain the entire time. She was beginning to hate this whole thing, this long drawn out goodbye. There was no regret for staying with him, but a quick, clean break wouldn't have left her heart in such turmoil.

What was supposed to have been another ride to get her a few miles further down the road had turned into something completely different. For instance, they'd spent the entire day in bed, the only time either of them put on clothes had been when she went down to pick up waffles and sausages for breakfast. Then around lunch, he'd pulled on a pair of jeans to pay for the Chinese takeout. Otherwise, they'd spent the day together in bed, naked.

Not that they'd had nothing but sex. There had been other activities like cuddling while watching old movies, feeding each other cold chow mein, and at some point, she'd taken a nap. All in all, this was the way she wanted to spend every Christmas from now on, and that was the problem. Their deal was already up and come tomorrow she'd need to start thinking about what she was going to do.

Logan extended a hand to her from where he lounged on the bed. God, she loved that about him. The fact that he was so completely uninhibited about his body. There wasn't an ounce of embarrassment in him. And he made her feel loved with the way he looked at her. The way he touched her left her feeling adored.

Rogue knew she wouldn't ever regret her time with him. She also knew her life would never be the same. There would never be another man that would make her feel this way again.

Logan sensed her hesitation and said, "Come on, I'll keep you warm."

He had to smile at the way she blushed and he detested himself for doing this to her. The urge to be with her was too strong. At first, he wanted to attribute it to the need to feel that he'd put recent events behind him. Yet he knew now he was falling in love with her, had probably been in love with her since Moose Jaw.

But he was being selfish. In Whitehorse, he'd made the decision to keep her with him for a little longer. He'd thought about telling Marie that she'd have a tough time getting a ride over the holidays. Or that she would run out of money waiting. When in actuality he was afraid that something would happen to her.

She was always looking at the bright side of things, making the most of what she was given. Logan sorely lacked that in his own life. Being with her, the drudgery of life didn't weigh quite so heavily on him. There was also the way she looked at him like he was capable of anything, that she loved him; that was too much to hope for, but he wanted that for himself for a little bit longer.

He saw the twinkle in her eyes build. "I don't know my blanket's pleasantly warm," she said. "What's in it for me?"

Leaning over, he grabbed at the edge of the blanket, pulling her closer. "What you got in mind?"

Rogue felt the heat on her cheeks. They hadn't exactly done missionary the entire time but she remembered the way he'd touched her when she'd bent over the couch. It was a different feeling, something almost animalistic, selfish. Logan had been very considerate up to this point during sex. Yet she'd glimpsed the wildness underneath, wanted to experience it.

Letting the blanket fall to the floor, she crawled up on the bed stopping in the middle. He smiled and spanked her ass lightly before trying to pull her up to him. She refused to budge.

"Nah-uh," she protested, shaking her head. In response, he growled deep in his chest. To some degree, he'd intentionally avoided this. He took pleasure in watching her revel in touching. This for him would be less about her and more about a feral need.

Turning, she placed herself in a direct line so all he would have to do was sidle up behind her. He could tell from the way she held herself and her smell how badly she wanted this. He was getting hard thinking about her softness and filling her.

Repositioning himself, he leaned forward and carefully bit her butt cheek. She squirmed a little and moaned. He let his hand drift down to her clit, circling it slowly until she jerked.

Logan rolled on a condom then bit her once more before slicking himself on her folds. Slowly he entered her until he was completely sheathed in her heat. His first instinct was to begin thrusting but he fought that down. Instead, he reached around and slide a finger against her clit.

Rogue sucked in a quick breath. His other hand squeezed her hip and she bucked back on him. "I like that," she hissed.

The 'mmm' he made, came out more as a growl and he started to move shallowly and she thought she might fall apart. His fingers were working magic on her and she didn't want it to end. Slumping down she grabbed a handful of sheets and locked her feet over his legs behind the knee. He growled again, thrusting faster.

The heat in her belly intensified, coiling tighter until it burst, leaving her shaky and gasping. Logan thrust a final time, bent over her raking his teeth down her spine.

"Damn," he mumbled, his voice a tad floaty before he could clear his throat. He moved to dispose of the condom before flopping down beside her. He ran a hand up her still sweaty back.

"Tamer than I expected," she mused. "Maybe later?" Rogue saw his eyes slide away, a guilty look on his face. It had been good, ranking up there with the top five orgasms he'd given her. She would even venture to say that might be a favorite position with a little more practice on her part. However, she had felt that he was holding back.

Logan sighed inwardly. He should've known he couldn't fool her. The orgasm had been intense but he was learning that was purely due to her responsiveness to him. She already knew the feral side of him, had seen the worst of him that night. Yet he found himself wanting to keep the feral side subdued. He didn't know if he could show her and have her walk away in a couple of days. It wouldn't break him, but it would wound him severely and she wouldn't be there to help him this time.

He trusted few people completely and he'd found he trusted her more than most, but he couldn't go handing over his heart and soul to her and never see her again. 'If you love someone set them free.' What a fucking asinine saying. He wasn't that stupid, if you truly loved someone, you were set free in a different way. Love liberated you to be a better person for the one you loved.

In loving Marie he couldn't confine her to being just what she was at the moment. If she had other dreams, he needed to help her achieve those. Even if he lost her in the process and in turn he could be happy that she was doing well.

He also knew he couldn't stay here in Alaska with her. He'd already been gone, on the flimsiest of excuses, for far too long. There was business back in New York he needed to attend to.

---

This was it. They'd been sitting in the parking lot of the job center for a good 10 minutes. Rogue still couldn't make herself get out of the vehicle. There would be no going back if she did.

She'd promised herself over the weekend that there would be no tears. Their bargain had long ago expired and everything else had merely been gravy. Logan still looked at her in a way that stole her breath away but this was real life. It wasn't always easy and she knew for a fact happy endings didn't happen.

The weekend had been spent driving around Anchorage. He said he wanted to make sure she knew her way around. She realized during that time that Alaska wasn't for her. It was beautiful, especially in the snow, an excellent place to visit but she couldn't see herself there year around.

Rogue thought he was trying to prolong their time together with the guided tour, though she knew that was wishful thinking on her part. Setting a personal deadline of Monday, she'd politely turned down any ideas that would make her reliant on him. The break needed to be clean and the longer they drew it out the worse it would hurt.

"I best be going," she said with a heavy sigh.

Logan got out to help her with her bag. Stubbornly she'd refused any other help from him; extra cash or even the hotel room for the week. She seemed dead set on this course of action and was leaving with the additional coat and boots he'd gotten her, nothing extra.

It was just as well, his life was erratic. He never stayed in one place long, even if he considered the mansion the closest thing to a home he'd ever had. There was little he could offer her.

Shouldering her duffle bag, she tried to think of how to proceed. A handshake was weird; a kiss would be awkward because she'd learned that led to other things with him. Saying goodbye seemed so final.

Ultimately, she settled on, "See ya'." It seemed to leave some space for the future.

He grunted, the smile not reaching his eyes. She could see he was feeling lost. No, she was the lost one. He looked miserable standing there with his wild hair and tough attitude.

Turning, she started to walk away. At that moment, as he watched the distance grow between them, something snapped inside. He was a dumbass; she fit into his life just fine. The past few weeks she'd carved a niche out for herself. If she could put up with him at his worst, they might have a chance of making it work. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

"Don't," he said. It held a hard pleading edge to his ears.

Spinning around, she stared at him. "What'd you say?"

"Ain't got no sage advice," he began. "But I love you and want you to stay with me."

"You do?" She blinked. This seemed to be turning around. Skepticism would be the best approach but she couldn't stomp down the hope rising in her chest.

Instead, she leaped the measly few steps she'd walked into his arms. He stumbled back as he caught her, scooping her up into an embrace.

"Me too!" She hugged him hard, afraid to let him go. "I mean, I love you too," she said letting her merriment show in her voice.

It was such a relief to get that off her mind. She'd been so scared to tell him, frightened that there was nothing beyond the bargain. Hearing him say it made her feel a little less adrift.

She wanted a kiss to go with the hug, but she wasn't ready for where that kiss would lead, in a parking lot of all places. Logan wouldn't have any qualms about sex right then and there; she, on the other hand, didn't want to give everyone a show. Pulling back, she settled for a quick kiss. There would be time to show him how he made her feel in a more private place later. "Now what?"

"I can't stay," he stated, reluctantly letting her go. He took her bag and threw it in the backseat. "Got responsibilities in New York."

Rogue nodded and smiled, "Never made it to New York like I wanted to."

"What about Alaska?"

Lifting a shoulder, she wrinkled her nose. "It kinda lost its appeal without you." She caught his knowing smile at the way she played it off, but she was being truthful.

On impulse, he pulled her back into his arms and covered her lips with his. He kissed her thoroughly until she made a little whimpering sound. The way she looked at him when he let her up for a breath filled his heart with hope, giving her a ride had turned sideways on him and he was glad it had.

Maybe if he'd opened up sooner they could have avoided this, then again maybe he needed this lesson. Having Marie in his life made a difference and now he would make sure to let her know more often so there wouldn't be any more misunderstandings. He opened the door for Marie to climb in; he wasn't taking a chance on her changing her mind. "We can easily make Tok and get one of those cabins for the night."

Reaching up, she pinched his cheek. "I might even give you a second chance to show me that feral side." The gleam in her eye was unmistakable, they needed to get going before this led to a free show for any passerby.

Logan swatted her ass as she pulled herself into the cab of the vehicle. To think he'd almost let all that sass slip through his fingers. He had the entire drive back to New York to show her how he really felt, and he didn't need to hide anything from her this time. Although with the way she was running her hand up his thigh and how she was talking, it wouldn't surprise him if they got lost somewhere along the way.

~*~