When the battle was done, he didn't leave.
Not that he wasn't welcome, far from it... Well, by most, at least. But it had sort of been an unsaid assumption by the majority that he would disappear as soon as they'd emerged victorious. And they had.
In fact, several eyes had turned to him in the midst of the battlefield, wanting to witness what they thought would be his final moments of existence, several of their hearts heavy with regret that with their success came the loss of someone they had come to care for...
...Except that it hadn't. And as the moments passed, that fact became continuously clearer until relief was mixed with puzzlement and just the faint hint of dread graced their collective expressions.
When he noticed, he laughed.
"You've all seen too many movies." He said simply as he lead them back towards the Blackbird, and Rogue could only shake her head as she followed the crowd back on to the jet, marveling for the umpteenth time in the past 72hrs how much this man resembled the Wolverine.
Of course, being that Hue was Logan's son, it was only natural.
He had appeared a mere three days ago, speaking of an impending pivotal battle - the battle they had just won. He was to instruct and prepare them for what they were going to face, however a glitch in his arrival had caused him to appear not three weeks beforehand as he'd planned, but mere days. To that end, nearly all questioning on the future of the X-Men had been put on hold while they prepared - a restraint that had fortunately paid off in triumph.
But now, Rogue had some curiosities to satisfy.
The group filed off the Blackbird after it had landed, most of the team heading towards the locker rooms while Hue left to give the Professor a full mission report.
Last off the plane, Rogue jogged a few steps to catch up with the departing crowd, smiling in greeting as one figure hung back to meet her.
"Hey," She drawled as she caught up to his side, her smile fading slightly at the many burns and tears in his uniform, "You sure you're all okay, sugar?" She asked worriedly, "You took quite a beating."
"We all did," Logan said gruffly, reaching out and pressing his hand to her back in order to urge her along. He definitely wanted out of what was left of the black leather. "You did good, Marie," He added after a moment, patting her back absently before letting his hand drop, "You gonna be around later?"
Already starting to fidget with the zipper at the back of her neck, Rogue nodded awkwardly as they stood outside the locker rooms, "Should be," She said slowly as she watched him push the door open. She wasn't really sure how he'd take her next words. "I wanted... I wanted to talk to Hue a bit before he... left, y'know? Unless you wanted to." She said, adding the last part quickly, as she gave Logan a questioning look. Things between father and son hadn't exactly been harmonious these past few days, but maybe Logan wanted a word with him before he left. Maybe Logan wanted to ask some questions of his own.
"Naw, I'll seeya later, darlin'." Was all he said as he headed into the locker room. Rogue frowned a little at his abrupt exit, turning to head towards the women's lockers for a sorely deserved shower.
"You really should just tell her already." Scott said as Logan entered the room.
"Dunno what you're talking 'bout, Summers." Came the haggard response, and Scott could only sigh.
"Logan, you've been circling each other since you came back. It's only gotten worse these past few days, and frankly, it's getting old. You want her, she wants you, Jean wants to stop having tension headaches and I want to not be having this conversation. Do us *all* a favour, okay?" He asked as he grabbed his towel and headed for the showers, leaving the Wolverine with a thoughtful look on his face.
It was a little while later that Rogue found Hue loading up his plane.
"Leaving so soon?" She asked softly, leaning back against a nearby tree. Hue turned at the sound of her voice, regarding her with only a shadow of surprise in his intense expression.
"Seems so," He mumbled non-committedly, throwing another bag into the cockpit, "Nothing left here for me really..." He added with what Rogue thought was a hint of sadness. Leaving her comfortable perch, she approached him slowly, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"What do you mean?" She asked, "No one's forcing you to leave. I'm sure if you talked to your... your dad..." She continued, stumbling slightly at the title, only to stop all together at Hue's humourless laugh, "What's wrong?"
"Nothin'," He murmured, turning to face her, "It's just so strange to hear you defending him."
That gave Rogue another pause and she frowned at the thought, "What do I usually do with him?" She asked cautiously, and Hue shrugged.
"Usually don't say much of anythin' to him," He said, tossing one more bag in before locking his gaze on her, "Do you want me to stay, Rogue?"
"I- Well, yeah," Rogue answered, caught slightly off guard by the seeming importance in his tone, "Of course I do. I mean, I'd love to get the chance to talk to you about things... I mean, who wouldn't want to know about their future?" She asked with a sweet smile. He seemed to slump at that and she hurried to correct herself, "Oh! I mean, Hue, I'd like to talk to you for other reasons too, y'know. I mean, I'd like to know you too..."
"You would?" He asked cautiously, his eyes boring into hers.
"Of course I would," She assured him quickly, "I mean, you're Logan's son, of course I-"
"-That's the only reason?" He interrupted, and Rogue found herself once again at a loss. She wasn't quite sure where this was going, since it had obviously taken a detour from where she had originally intended.
"Well, uh, you seem nice and all..." She said nervously, reaching up to fidget with the tags she always wore around her neck. Hue's eyes immediately zeroed in on the object in her grasp and he was directly in front of her before she could take another breath.
"Why do you have that?" He demanded, "Those are his, he always wears'em."
"He does?" Rogue asked weakly, fingers tightening almost protectively around the tags, "He gave them to me, to keep for him. I keep them safe..."
Hue only grunted at that, silently appraising her for another moment. "You're not my mother." He finally said, and Rogue let her gaze fall to the ground.
"I, I know. Charles, he explained the circumstances..." She said, trailing off at the reference to one of the few details they'd gotten from their visitor before battle.
"You've never been a part of my life in any familial way." He said quietly, and Rogue frowned at that piece of information. Surely, even if she hadn't been part of the process that had resulted in Hue's existence... surely she would have assumed some sort role with him... Surely Logan would've...
"Why not?" She asked, "Logan and I... We're... close." She murmured, blushing slightly. They were close, and she could only hope that one day they'd be closer. But... what was Hue saying? "Aren't we still? In the future?" She asked, worrying her lip nervously.
"You and my father don't talk in the future. You're not 'close'. You barely even look at each other." Hue said flatly, and Rogue felt her heart plummet at his words.
"Wh-why? What happened?" She asked anxiously, already trying to formulate a plan of prevention against the one thing she dreaded most. But Hue only shrugged, a familiar confusion entering his expression.
"Dunno. Asked the both of you once. He told me to fuck off - in so many words. You just looked sad and said to ask him. Finally asked 'Ro, she just said he'd gone on one of his searches and when he got back he was just... different. Never did figure it out."
Rogue was speechless. What could have happened to break the one thing she considered unbreakable? "I-" She started, only to be interrupted as Hue grabbed her gloved hands in his.
"Do you want me to stay?" He asked quickly, renewed tension leaking from every pore. Rogue stared dumbly up at the man in front of her, her confusion nearly overwhelming now. He was looking at her like... And he... Why was her answer so important to...
Oh. *Oh*.
"Hue..." She breathed, finally understanding.
Logan rubbed the towel through his wet hair, throwing it away once he was satisfied with its use. Buttoning up his shirt, he grabbed his jacket and set out to find Marie.
Though he'd never admit it to the man, maybe Scooter had a point. Maybe he was even right. Logan knew Marie was special, and what they had was different than just about anything he'd ever had with anyone before. Maybe it was time to see what she thought, and see if Scooter was right about that too.
"Hue..." Rogue tried again, sure she had gotten it wrong and trying to figure out a delicate way to ask the question, "Do you have... feeli-"
"I love you, Rogue." He interrupted quickly, his eyes lit and animated in a way she hadn't seen on either father or son before, "I've loved you since I discovered what love was. But you only saw me as a kid before..." He explained, his hands still holding hers tightly, "You don't now though, do you?" He asked her, and Rogue found herself nearly speechless all over again by the sight of him practically holding his breath.
"N-no... I don't see you as a kid..." She started hesitantly, desperately trying to focus on the conversation at hand and not the first bombshell he'd dropped.
"If you want me to stay - or you could come with me! If you wanted that, no matter what, it would be okay with me. We could be together, Rogue. What do you think?"
"I..." She started, searching desperately for the answer.
Her scent hadn't faded from the area, and Logan found it easy to trace the path Rogue had followed to find his son.
His son. It was still a mystery to him. He'd never considered having children and all of a sudden, there was one full grown family member in front of him, leading them all into battle.
One full grown family member who paid far too much attention to Rogue for his liking.
He knew Marie didn't see it, and was greatful for that at least. Though how she could miss the obvious admiration was anyone's guess. It had certainly raised Logan's hackles however, and he found himself unable to identify Hue as his son in that moment. All he was, was a rival for Marie's affections, and it had seemed that Hue had felt the same about him in return. Though no one else had seemed to notice the cause of the animosity between the men.
Not that there had been much time for rivalry in the past few days. Though both Logan and Hue had seemed to make time for it on rare occasions. But the battle was over now, and Hue was going back to wherever - or whenever - he had come from, and Logan was tired of waging a war over someone who didn't know they were being fought over.
The sound of voices made him stop where he was as he recognized them, their words forcing him to stifle a growl that fought to rose from his throat.
"N-no... I don't see you as a kid..." Marie was saying, and Logan felt his knuckles itch at his son's reply.
"If you want me to stay - or you could come with me! If you wanted that, no matter what, it would be okay with me. We could be together, Rogue. What do you think?"
He almost started forwards at that, but something held him back. He wanted to hear her answer. Wanted to know for sure before he offered himself to her, only to have her refuse.
So he waited.
"I..." Rogue repeated, wavering under Hue's intense gaze. She suddenly didn't know what she wanted, and she couldn't help recalling her friends' voices as they repeatedly told her to get over her helpless crush. That Logan was never going to come around. That she should move on, find someone else, get on with her life. She'd always told them she didn't want anyone else, that no one else could come close to what she saw in the man who'd risked his life repeatedly to save hers.
But in the future, they wouldn't talk.
And here was Hue. Hue, who was so much like the Wolverine in every way... except he *wanted* her. Wanted to be with her, in a way she knew now Logan never would. He was a carbon copy of the man she adored, and he wanted her just as much.
And suddenly, Rogue knew what to say.
"I... I can't, Hue. I'm sorry." She whispered, extricating her hands from his grasp and taking a step back.
Hue seemed to deflate at her answer. His stubborn side however, which had served him well in battle, now called on him to question her decision. "Why not?" He asked softly, and Rogue could only shake her head.
"I just can't, Hue. Please, I can't." She whispered, watching the helplessness leak into his gaze and suddenly wondering if her older self had ever made vague 'if only I were younger' comments to him.
"Why, Rogue? Can I just know why?" He asked again, as if his whole being existed for her answer.
"Hue, I-" She started, not wanting to hurt him any further.
"Please?" He asked, undeterred.
"I-"
"*Please*?"
"You look like Logan!" She cried helplessly, unable to keep from voicing her heart any longer.
And then there was silence.
"You look like Logan!" He heard her yell, and felt sick to his stomach as the blinding self hatred rose in his throat.
So that was the reason? Not that he had wanted her to say yes to his son... but that was the reason?
Because Hue looked like him. Because Hue looked like him, Rogue couldn't be with him. As if the mere thought of him was enough to put her off someone else completely. As if she couldn't stand to be with someone who even vaguely reminded her of him.
Turning abruptly in the following silence, Logan stalked towards the mansion without making a sound, suddenly glad he hadn't taken the chance to talk to her before.
"You really love him, don't you?" Hue asked quietly, his voice finally breaking the endless silence that had stretched out between them in the wake of her impassioned words.
"Yes. I do." She whispered in reply, finding herself unable to meet his eyes.
"I... Well... It makes sense." He said with a small shake of his head, and Rogue finally looked up.
"What do you mean?" She asked, not sure anymore that she wanted to know the answer.
"You're always alone." He said, looking at her with a sad smile, and Rogue closed her eyes tight. This was her future? What she had just fought so hard to save?
"I'm sorry, Hue." She said softly, opening her eyes and taking a step closer to him, "It just wouldn't be fair to you..." He only nodded a little, resignation clear in every movement.
"Guess not," He agreed, turning back to his plane. "Rogue?" He asked, casting a glance over his shoulder.
"Yeah, sugar?" She asked, wincing slightly as the endearment passed her lips. He faced the plane emotionlessly, not daring to turn back to look at her.
"I hope you can fix it for this time 'round." He mumbled, and grabbed the last bag to throw in.
"Thanks..." Rogue whispered, backing away from the man as he hopped into the cockpit to get settled. Minding his warning to stand clear of the launch site, Rogue turned with one last wave, and started back towards the house.
Logan was carrying a pack of his own when she came across him. In her eagerness, she didn't notice his expression right away, only remembering what Hue had told her. ~He'd gone on one of his searches and when he got back he was just... different...~ She thought to herself, deciding that the best course of action would be to let him know the situation as well. She knew he'd want to prevent it as much as she did.
"Logan!" She called, frowning slightly when he didn't slow his steps at the sound of her voice. She jogged to catch up with him, falling in step beside him as he walked over to Scooter's 'Logan' bike. It was the bike that Logan always took when he went out on trips and Rogue realized with a start that this could be the one Hue had been referring to. She didn't think it would happen so soon.
"Logan, did you hear me before? I need to talk to you, it's important." She said quickly, frowning even more as she finally caught the expression on his face, the cold set of his features.
"Can't. Going out." He mumbled, throwing his pack onto the back of the bike and securing it to the large machine.
"Please? It's really important, Logan..." She tried again, a sinking feeling entering her heart as she tried to figure out what was going on. He barely looked at her as he straddled the bike and turned on the ignition.
"Can't, Rogue. I'm going out now." He repeated, and Rogue started at his choice of name for her, and the tone of voice in which he said it. She'd never heard him so cold before. So unfamiliar.
So... different.
"Logan, wait! Please?" She cried, almost reaching out for him but grasping the chain around her neck at the last minute. "Do you want these back?" She asked numbly, voicing the question she asked every time he left on one of these missions even as Hue's words came back to haunt her. ~Why do you have that? Those are his, he always wears'em.~
Logan paused and finally turned to look at her, studying the tags around her neck with a blank expression before nodding briskly. "Give'em here." He said, holding out his hand.
With trembling fingers, Rogue unclasped the chain around her neck, dropping the treasured possession into Logan's palm and blinking away her panicked tears, suddenly understanding. Ororo wasn't around to see him go, but she would see him when he came back. She wouldn't know the change started before he even left.
But what had happened?
"Logan!" She cried again, her voice coming out in a heartbroken whisper, "Will you come back...?"
Slipping the chain over his neck, Logan only nodded, "Yeah." He said, turning away from her as he set the bike in motion, not letting her see the pain that entered his eyes as he tore down the driveway, headed for nowhere in particular, leaving her behind, without him, like she wanted.
A moment later, and with the blast of another engine, the son joined his father in flight towards the unknown. No one watched as Hue roared into nothingness, traveling back to a future that had yet to exist, still grumbling over the close call he'd had getting there.
The same close call he'd - unknowingly - had the last time he was there.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I was reading J. Marie's fic "Shades of Grey", and this scenario popped into my head. I was kinda afraid she'd go for it in her fic, but she didn't (thank goodness). Of course, then *I* couldn't get the sitch outta my head, so I asked her if I could write a take-off of her fic. She said yes and the rest is history. I don't suppose you *need* to read her fic before reading this one, but you probably won't understand most of mine unless you read hers first. And then come back and read this fic! ;) I hope you enjoy both. Dedicated and thanks to Heather, CJ and Taryn for all their wonderful feedback, J. Marie for permission to play in her world, and thank you to everyone who gave me such sweet feedback on "Where I Belong" as well.