"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"
"Sarah, Ah'll be fine here."Rogue answered. Smiling slightly, she turned to face her sister. "Besides, Ah think that Bobby would like to go on a date with you for once without my taggin' along."
"Bobby doesn't mind." Sarah argued.
"He might not but Ah am sure that he would like to be able to kiss you without my being there watchin'." Rogue grabbed Sarah's purse and handed it to her. "Now go. Have fun. You can tell me all about it when you get back."
A voice called out from outside their door. "Sarah? You ready?" Bobby said as he knocked.
"Ah'm comin' Bobby." Sarah answered before giving Rogue a quick hug and rushing out the door.
Rogue went back to the window to watch them leave. Watching the care leave, she suddenly shivered. She had a bad feeling about the whole thing but she hadn't said anything to anyone. Shaking her head, she turned from the window. "Ah'm probably just being silly 'cause this is the first time Sarah and Ah are going to be apart since she came here."
Leaving her room, Rogue walked down to the games room. Seeing Logan walking through the entryway, she felt her heart flip-flop. She still couldn't believe that he loved her. That he wanted to be with her, even with her mutation. Smiling broadly, she started to walk down the hall, trying to be quiet so to surprise him.
Logan, catching her scent, smiled. Not turning around he greeted her. "Hey there, Marie."
"Damn Logan! Ah can't ever surprise you!"
Logan turned quickly and picked her up, smiling wide at her little squeal of surprise. "Yes you do. You surprise me everyday when I see you look at me like that."
"Like what, Logan?"
"Like I can't do anything wrong. Like I am something wonderful, when it is you that is wonderful. Wonderful for loving an animal like me."
"You are NOT an animal!" she argued. Suddenly looking shy at her outburst, Rogue said softly. "Ah love you, Logan. Ah just wish that I could show you how much."
Placing a soft kiss on her hair, Logan hugged her tighter. "But you already do. Everyday. As for the rest...Well, that don't matter that much anyway."
Tears filled Rogue's eyes at his tenderness and she quickly leaned forward, kissing him on his cheek, where it was covered by his beard.
Lowering her, Logan smiled and took her hand. "Let's go outside. The sun is shining and we shouldn't waste it."
Smiling, hand in hand, they walked out into the sunshine.
Jean came running as they were heading back. Sensing her worry, Logan growled low in his throat. 'So much for a quiet day' he thought.
"Logan, Rogue, I'm so glad I found you!"
"What is it Jean?" Rogue asked, giving Logan's hand a squeeze.
Jean looked at Logan quickly before answering Rogue. "We just got a call from Bobby. Something's happened Rogue."
All blood drained from Rogue's face. "Sarah? Is she ok?" Logan, noticing her pale face, quickly wrapped an arm around her.
"She's going to be fine. But...Rogue...her mutation...she hurt someone."
"What do you mean? Someone attacked her?" Logan growled.
Jean couldn't look at Rogue, so she answered Logan. "No, she just bumped into someone. The man reached out a hand to steady her, when suddenly Bobby says there was a flash and the man dropped to the ground." Finally looking at Rogue, Jean said, "All he did was touch her skin. Bobby says that Sarah just keeps saying that she didn't mean to do it. She won't let Bobby near her, won't let anyone near her. I need you to come with me Rogue. We need to go get her."
Pulling away from Logan, Rogue started running for the garage.
"Rogue!!" Logan and Jean cried after her.
"Ah have ta get ta Sarah!!" She yelled before disappearing into the building. Moments later, the garage door opened. Logan and Jean, who were still running toward it, saw Rogue come peeling out of the building.
Jean, shocked by the sight of Rogue on a motorcycle, barely heard Logan's curse and laugh.
"Guess there is still part of me with her. One-Eye ain't gonna like that his bike got 'borrowed' again." Picking up the sound of Rogue accelerating after leaving the gates, "Or that she pushed the red button."
Rogue turned into the mall parking lot. Quickly pulling to a stop and getting off the bike she ran into the mall. Her eyes scanned for Sarah. Seeing a group of people at the far end, she headed toward them. She could hear people talking and she didn't like what she heard.
"Did you see what that freak did?" one man's voice drifted toward Rogue. Turning to see where it was coming from she heard another answer him.
"Yeah, damn freaks are dangerous. They should all be locked up."
Rogue headed toward them intent on giving them a good scare. Lifting a gloved hand she light tapped the first man's shoulder. "Excuse me, can I get through?"
The men turned toward her. Upon seeing her, their eyes seemed to almost bug out of their heads. Moving quickly to get away from her, they separated.
"Thanks" Rogue said with a smile as she walked by them.
When she reached the center of the circle of people she saw Sarah crouched against the wall. Bobby was standing in front of her, almost like he was daring anyone to try to touch her. The look in his eye left little doubt in Rogue's mind that he would freeze anyone that tried to hurt Sarah.
Reaching out a hand, Rogue stepped out of the crowd and into the center. "Sarah? It's me Marie. Ah'm here."
A woman's voice floated out of the crowd, panic evident in her tone. "Oh God! There's two of them!"
Rogue threw a disgusted look her way before continuing to make her way to Sarah.
Bobby's eyes showed that he was glad to see her. "I don't know what happened. Everything was fine and then everything was bright and the man was on the ground."
"Where is he, Bobby? Is he ok?" Rogue asked softly so that Sarah wouldn't hear her.
"Yeah. He seems fine now. He got up after a couple of minutes. Seemed a bit stunned but he walked away."
"We got to get her out of here." Rogue said before kneeling infront of Sarah. "Sarah, honey, it's Marie. Come on now. Ah'm gonna take you home."
Sarah lifted lifeless eyes to Rogue's face. "I didn't mean to do it." She said flatly.
"I know Sarah. It's ok. Let's go home."
Sarah just continued to repeat that she didn't mean to do it. Rogue could tell that she was in shock. She needed time but they didn't have time. Rogue sent a prayer that Sarah would forgive her for what she was about to do. Raising her hand, she quickly slapped Sarah across her face.
Sarah lifted a hand to her cheek. Her eyes had a little more life in them. "Why did you do that?"
"'Cause you were acting Loony Toons and we don't have time for you to fall apart." Hearing the crowd getting restless, Rogue gripped Sarah's arm, forcing her to stand. "We have to go Sarah. These people are getting rowdy and I don't think that we can handle them"
Sarah looked around, finally noticing the crowd and the angered state of some of the people. Words made their way to her. "Freak", "Mutie" were just some of the things said. Rogue was right. They had to leave.
Rogue turned to Bobby. "If anyone trys to stop us, freeze their feet. Just their feet."
"Got it" Bobby said. Rogue took the lead with Sarah behind her. Bobby followed behind them to make sure that no one tried to get them from behind.
"Get out of my way!" Rogue said forcefully to the crowd.
People parted but some were obviously looking to cause trouble. A couple of guys refused to move.
"Outta mah way!" Rogue ordered, her voice slipping into her drawl out of nervousness. She started to pull off her gloves.
A voice broke across the crowd's noise. "You heard the lady. MOVE!!
Logan had made his way into the crowd and now stood infront of Rogue.
"Mister we ain't lettin' them freaks out of here. Their dangerous!" one of the men yelled.
Rogue heard Bobby say under his breath, "Guy has a death wish." She agreed completely.
"Their dangerous?" Logan said quietly. "I'll show you dangerous." The sound of his claws sliding out seemed loud in the suddenly quiet crowd. "Now like the lady said. MOVE!!"
The crowd quickly parted in the face of Logan's determination. The claws certainly helped to speed them along.
Finally clearing the crowd, they made their way to the exit. Jean waited for them with their getaway car. Logan was going to bring the bike back. Rogue got Sarah into the back of the SUV, leaving Bobby to sit up front. Wrapping her arms around Sarah, she rocked her as Sarah finally gave in and cried. Whispering soothing words, Rogue just held her as she broke down.
"Jean, what happened? What caused her mutation to suddenly activate again?" Logan's voice growled. Rogue could hear them talking from her place my Sarah's side. Sarah had finally calmed down and was resting. Taking her hand from Sarah's, she stood and walked over to where Logan was giving Jean the third degree.
"Logan, I have no idea. She wasn't in danger so it wasn't a survival reaction, nor was she using it on purpose. I have to admit that I am stumped. There is no change to her vitals to before it happened. Neither is there anything different in her blood. As far as I can tell, there is no reason for this to have happened." Jean said quietly.
"Jean, that isn't good enough! What...." Rogue interupted Logan's tirade.
"Logan, Jean is doing her best. Leave her be. If it is anyone's fault that this happened it is mine. Ah had a bad feeling when she left but Ah ignored it thinking that it was only because this would be the first time we were apart since she came here."
Jean's face took on a thoughtful look before she turned away and went over to her desk, leaving Logan and Rogue to talk.
"Marie, you couldn't have known what was going to happen. No one could have known." Raising a hand he stroked the white streak in her hair. "Don't blame yourself."
Rogue started to say something when she heard a sound coming from the exam bed that Sarah was resting on. Making her way quickly over to her sister, she barely noticed that Logan followed. Reaching out and taking Sarah's hand, she softly spoke. "Hey sleephead. About time you woke up."
"Marie? What happened? Where is Bobby?" Sarah asked disorientedly.
"Don't you remember? There was a problem at the mall...." Rogue stopped as she noticed that Sarah remembered.
"Ah hurt someone! Ah didn't mean to do it! Ah didn't, Ah swear!" Sarah said quickly, an edge of panic in her voice.
Rogue reached out and wrapped her arms around her. "We know. It was an accident. Jean is trying to figure out what happened. It's gonna be ok. We'll get by this." She said softly, trying to soothe her sister.
Logan's voice cut in. "That's right, kid. Everyone knows it was an accident. And Bobby is waitin' outside. He won't leave until he sees you."
"Yeah. He loves you Sarah and he knows that this wasn't your fault. You know when I got to you at the mall, he was standing up to an entire crowd, determined to keep you safe?" Rogue added.
"I remember him standing, keeping the people back after it first happened. He really waiting to see me?" uncertainty filling her voice.
Rogue signalled for Logan to go get Bobby. "Of course he is."
Bobby's head appeared around the infirmary door. "How is my girl?" he said as he came into the room.
Sarah's face brightened up as soon as she saw him. Rogue quietly left the two of them alone. Walking over to where Jean was working away on her computer, she spoke softly not to startle the doctor. "So have you found anything?"
"I think I might have an idea but I am not sure. I don't want to say anything until I am sure though." Jean answered
"Ok. I am going upstairs to get something to eat. Let me know as soon as you have something." Rogue said before turning and walking out.
She never heard Jean speak as she left. If she had she wouldn't have been able to eat. She would have been to excited to eat. But she didn't hear the soft words that were spoken. The words that could possibly change everything she knew. "If what I think is right, Sarah won't be the only one who can touch."
Rogue headed back down to the infirmary in response to Jean's summons. Something was up. She could tell by the excited nature of Jean's telepathic call.
Opening the door to the infirmary, she noticed that the Professor, Storm and Scott were there too, along with Logan and Bobby. Moving to stand by Sarah's bed she surveyed the room. "Must be big if Jean called all of you here to."
The Professor spoke for the group. "Jean hasn't told us why she wanted us here to, only that she thought that we would like to hear what she had to say too." Rogue noticed that Storm and Scott both nodded at what the Professor said.
"Well, the curiousity is driving me crazy. Where is Jean?" Rogue said as she tooked Sarah's hand to hold, trying to anchor her thoughts by touching her twin.
"Sorry I kept you waiting but I just wanted to double check a few things before we started." Jean said as she breezed into the room.
"So what is the big news, doc?" Logan growled. The waiting was getting to him. He cared for Sarah almost as much as he did for Marie. He didn't like the idea that she was going to be an outsider, unable to touch, like Marie. He knew how much it hurt Marie and that she was happy that Sarah was able to touch. For Sarah to lose that, he knew would hurt both her and Marie.
"Well, I think that the only way to start is to test out my theory. Logan, would you mind being a guinea pig for us again? " Jean said quickly. It was obvious that whatever she had figured out was making her excited.
Logan shrugged. "Why not? What do you want me to do?"
"Reach out and touch Sarah."
"Wait a second!" both Rogue and Sarah argued.
"Trust me. I wouldn't have him do this if I wasn't sure it was ok." Jean soothed
"Ah don't want to hurt him." Sarah said softly.
Logan smiled that slight smile he had. "Kid, it would take more then what you got to hurt me. I survived touching your sister twice. I think I can handle what you dish out."
A small smile flashed on Sarah's face before she nodded slightly, indicating for Logan to proceed.
Everyone held their breath as Logan's hand reached out and brushed her hair back, gently stroking her cheek at the same time.
Nothing happened.
Rogue turned to Jean. "But why did it go off at the mall and not here?"
"I think that it has to do with you." Jean answered.
"Me?!"
"Yes. You said it yourself earlier and that was what got me thinking. Sarah's trip to the mall was the first time you had been separated since she got here. I think it is her proximity to you that allows her to control her mutation. You said once that Sarah told you that you were immune to each other. That you could always touch each other without worries of hurting one another. I think that it goes further then that. Simply put, you cancel out each other. There's more." Reaching out, Jean took Logan's hand and placed it on Rogue's cheek before either could react.
Rogue waited for the drain to start.
Nothing happened.
Tears filled her eyes as she realised what was happening. Logan was touching her. He was touching her! The wonder that filled his eyes as he looked down at his hand resting, unharmed, on her cheek was enough to make even Scott smile at his joy. Logan was touching Rogue. A miracle that had been prayed for but never thought possible.
Logan and Rogue never noticed the Professor telling the others that they should leave. After everyone left and they were alone in the infirmary, they still stood, unmoved. Logan's hand still on her cheek, stroking it lovingly, and Rogue standing there, with tears running down her cheeks at the feel of Logan's, her love's, hand on her cheek.
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