"What the hell do you mean, she joined the Brotherhood?"
Professor Charles Xavier and his team of X-Men flinched at the loud, angrily growled question, not that they had excepted anything else.
"It means just that," Cyclopes retorted sharply. "She left us for them."
Wolverine's eyes narrowed and he managed to take two steps toward the other man before Jean stepped in between them. "That's enough, both of you," she snapped glaring at them each in turn. "Logan, I know this isn't what you expected for a homecoming and I'm sorry."
Logan fought the urge to skin out his claws and settled on a scowl. He'd been back at the mansion a total of five minutes and his life was in shambles. Instead of reuniting with the young woman who'd shared his memories and occupied his thoughts for the last three years, he found that she'd run again. Not that he could blame her. Three years ago he'd left to find his past and hadn't seen, spoken to, or written to her in all that time. Still he was surprised that she was gone and shocked that she'd gone over to the other side.
Visions of Rogue's life slipping away, into that mechanical abomination of Magneto's, threatened to overwhelm him. After what they'd done to her how could she join them?
"This was all she left," Professor X stated breaking into Logan's thoughts.
Looking up to see what the professor was referring to, Wolverine's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at his own dog tag.
"There was no note or anything," Ororo added, "just that laying on the floor in her room."
For a moment Logan felt as though he may be sick. He'd stayed away for three years to give Marie time to grow and mature, to complete school and conquer her powers. It had torn him apart everyday but he felt it was what was best for her. Had he been so wrong? Had the torture he caused himself and her pushed her to the side of evil? "Why?" he finally managed to utter weakly.
"We're not sure," Scott Summers told him. "We think her loneliness drove her over the edge."
"You THINK?" Wolverine shouted his claws slashing through the skin of his hands. He was angry as hell but only at himself. It was his fault that Marie was gone, none of them had said it but it was there, in their eyes. If he'd come back and fulfilled his promise, Rogue would still be at the school.
Swallowing hard and retracting his claws, Logan looked up and met Scott's ruby gaze. "I'm sorry," he apologized much to everyone's surprise.
"We don't really know why she left, Logan," Jean assured him trying to ease his obvious guilt.
"We have to go get her," Wolverine said in no uncertain terms. "We have to go in there and bring her home before they hurt her."
"There's something else you should know, Logan," Xavier started slowly. "Rogue is no longer the young woman you remember. She's become dark and bitter . and very dangerous."
"All the more reason we should bring her back here before they get their claws in too deep."
Scott was watching the exchange between the two men his concentration focused on Logan. It was pretty clear that he was worried about Rogue now and it angered Scott seeing as though he hadn't so much as written in the three years he was gone.
"The four of you should get ready while I try to locate her," the professor ordered. "I'll meet you in the briefing room in half an hour."
Wolverine was on his way to the door in an instant. He didn't need to prepare and he didn't need to wait for the professor to tell him where Rogue was. He could find her on his own and bring her back where she belonged.
"Logan," Xavier called over his shoulder making him stop. "Don't you want this?" he asked waving the chain and tag.
Gritting his teeth and working to clear his mind, Logan stalked back to the professor's side and snatched the necklace before storming out.
"That went well," Scott stated sarcastically just after Wolverine slammed the door shut behind him.
"Maybe we should have done this without him," Jean said softly her concern plain.
"He worked as part of the team three years ago to save Rogue from Magneto," Storm reminded them. "If it means saving her again I'm sure he'll cooperate."
"We'll see," Scott replied cynically.
Half an hour later the team regrouped in the lower levels of the mansion. Cyclopes, Jean and Storm waited for the others to join them. As the door slid open across the room they were expecting to see Logan but instead the professor entered with a hallow expression on his face.
"Professor?" Jean questioned sensing something was wrong even before she noticed his face.
"Did you not find Rogue?" Storm asked.
"I found her," Xavier informed them, "just after Logan did."
Wolverine followed Rogue's scent to an abandoned building not all that far from the school. As he entered he was fully aware of the other scents mingling with hers. Sabertooth, Toad, Mystique and Magneto, they were all there with her. Moving carefully he scanned the room with his eyes as well as his nose searching for the only one of them that mattered.
"Ah told ya he'd come alone," Rogue's voice reached his ears and he turned abruptly to find her standing beside Magneto and the others.
"And so you did, dear," Magneto agreed. "You're insights have proven very valuable."
"Marie," Logan called to her using her given name in the hopes that she'd respond to him. She didn't look much different, at least not with her cloak concealing her body and most of her face. The one feature he could see in the darkened building that hadn't changed was the streak of white in her hair.
"Marie's dead," she spat venomously, her sweetly southern accent dying almost completely. "She died very slowly over a long period of time."
Logan closed his eyes knowing that he'd caused that death. He wasn't giving up hope though maybe there was still a way to save Marie. He wouldn't give up; he had to try. "I don't believe she's dead," he told her tenderly.
"She's as dead as you'll be when Ah get done with ya," Rogue responded with malice.
"We must move," Magneto ordered watching as his band started away. Rogue stayed behind with him as he flicked a hand in Wolverine's direction. "Oh, you too."
Logan lost his breath as Magneto manipulated the metal running through his body. Glancing at Rogue he was shocked to see a malicious grin on her face before she turned and walked away. Every part of his body ached as Magneto pulled his skeleton, and the rest of him, along behind his henchmen. After a few minutes of that excruciating pain, Logan lost consciousness.
A cold splash of water on his face brought Logan back to his senses. The first thing he noticed was that he was restrained, his arms chained over his head high enough that the tips of his toes barely reached the ground. Opening his eyes he found Rogue glaring at him with a sadistic smile on her gorgeous features. She'd changed more than he'd realized in the darkness of the warehouse. Here, in the almost too bright cage he occupied, he had a much better view of her.
Rogue was no longer a little girl that was painfully obvious as Logan fought with his body for control. Her face had thinned out slightly since the last time he'd seen her. Her lips seemed a little fuller making them all the more inviting. The major change, the one that was making him feel like a love-struck schoolboy, was the difference in her curves. Even as a teen Marie had a nice figure, now it was something men would kill for. In short, she was perfect and the skimpy outfit she was wearing didn't leave much to the imagination.
The short, short, skin-tight shorts she wore revealed a pair of legs that wouldn't stop and the heeled sandals she was wearing made her legs appear even longer. The short, clingy crop-top she wore left her mid drift bare as well, not to mention her arms. Gulping at the sight of her, Logan couldn't help but notice her overabundance of extra pale skin, including that of her ungloved hands.
"Marie," he began hoping that he could get to her while she was alone.
Rogue's anger flared in her eyes as she stormed forward and slapped him firmly across the face.
Logan blinked at not only the sizzle of power transferring between them but also from the force of the blow.
"Ah told ya not to call me that," Rogue shouted glaring at him with more malice than he would have ever thought possible. "Ya killed her with yer lies just as Ah'm going to kill ya with my touch."
Wolverine saw her lift her chin toward the corner and a menacing growl followed quickly.
Sabertooth stepped from the shadows walking straight at Logan. As he got close the giant raised his clawed hand to strike.
"Sabertooth," Rogue shouted the threat clean in her tone. "Don't damage him too much."
The mammoth turned to her with a grunt before focusing again on Wolverine. Without a word he reached out and slashed at his clothing tearing them to shreds. Logan clamped his teeth together to keep from crying out as claws ripped into his flesh as well. Concentrating on the sadistic smile on Rogue's face just visible past Sabertooth, Logan began to worry. A moment later, the gargantuan man stopped his assault and stepped back leaving Wolverine as naked as the day he was born.
Rogue moved from her position a short distance away to stand between the two animalistic men. "You can go now," she quickly dismissed Sabertooth.
As he left with a growl, Rogue continued her appraisal of Logan's body. She immediately noticed the bleeding wounds her henchman had caused and watched as they healed before her eyes. Her gaze followed the sinewy lines of his body drinking in his masculine form. Focusing on his manhood, she snickered. "Ah must say Ah'm a little disappointed," she informed him spitefully, despite what she saw.
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Marie," he tried again, honestly disappointed by her opinion.
Faster than he would have thought possible, Rogue closed the distance between them and roughly grabbed his cock.
"I told ya not to call me that," Rogue snapped as she felt his power shift to her.
Logan fought against the drain of energy and the pain. "I'm sorry, . Rogue," he managed through clinched teeth.
Releasing him she stepped back with a satisfied smile. "That's betta. Ah suggest ya don't provoke me again, Wolverine. Yer end will come soon enough."
Recovering slowly from the woman's deadly touch, he tried another tactic, one he hoped would garner better results. "You used to call me Logan."
"That was a long time ago," Rogue reminded him. "Besides, that was Marie, not me."
Not sure what to try next, Logan remained silent hoping she'd provide a clue.
Rogue moved a short distance away from him to a table and busied herself there for a moment. Turning when she was through, she made her way back to stand in front of him. "Ya want a drink? Whiskey," she informed him. "It's hard to get a decent beer here."
Slowly Rogue raised the glass toward his lips tilting it as she went along until a portion of the liquor spilled from the glass onto his chest. "Oops," she cried with mock surprise. "Here, let me get that." With seductive ease she leaned in and licked the booze off his chiseled torso.
Once again her touch was painful yet at the same time arousing. Logan had dreamed of Rogue over the years doing things like this only without the pain.
Her intent was to cause him as much pain as she possibly could before killing him yet Rogue was at odds with herself. Half of her was pleased with the agony she was producing but the other half wanted to do more or less the same things only without causing him pain. Deciding to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, Rogue decided she would touch him like she always wanted with the added pleasure of killing him in the process.
Finally coming to his senses after Rogue's erotic display, Logan felt fear for the first time in his life. He knew what Marie was capable of, hell he'd experienced it twice, but he still had a hard time believing that she would do it on purpose. Watching her down the rest of the whiskey in a single gulp he was unable to figure it in his muddled mind so he asked her. "Why are you doing this?"
"'Cause Ah can," Rogue replied bitterly. "And `cause ya deserve it."
"What did I do?"
Rogue's eye stabbed at him with malicious hatred. "What did ya do? Ya really don't have a clue, do ya?"
Logan remained silent hoping that she would continue and in the process perhaps change her mind.
"Ya made me promises, Wolverine," she spat his name, "and ya broke every damn one. Ya lied to me then ya left me. No," she shouted, "ya not only left me but ya left me with thoughts and feelings that weren't my own, one's Ah didn't know how to deal with. Ya left me with nightmares of things beyond belief with no hope of understandin' `em. Ya left me more alone than Ah had ever been."
The guilt he was feeling contorted his face. "I'm sorry, Rogue," he offered softly. "I thought I was doing what was best for you."
Momentarily caught off guard by the tenderness in his voice, Rogue stepped back into range. "Ya did what ya thought was best for you," she snarled stabbing him hard in the chest with her finger. "Ya didn't even think about me."
Logan realized that nothing he could say would make a difference now but he wasn't going to die without telling her everything. "I thought about you every day," he told her, his voice shaking with strain, as he looked deep into the eyes of the stranger before him. "Every hour. I thought about the beautiful young woman who'd watched my back in a Canadian bar then stowed away in my trailer. I thought about how much she was like me, and how much I wanted to make her life easier. I thought about how I could make a young thing like her feel for me what I felt for her." Logan continued watching Rogue's stoic features trying to determine if he was getting through to her. She could kill him, hell he wanted to die for the pain he'd caused her but he wanted her to know the truth first. "I dreamed of you every night, Rogue. Imagining you being with me, imagining me holding you, kissing you, touching you, making love to you the way I've always wanted."
"Bullshit," Rogue retorted angrily. "Do ya really think Ah'm going to buy any more of your fuckin' lies?"
"They're not lies, Marie," Logan stated once again emphasizing her name. "And don't talk like that."
"Ah'll talk any fuckin' way Ah please," she shouted bringing both hands up to rest on his exposed chest. "'Sides it shouldn't offend ya too much, after all Ah learned the language from ya. And Ah warned you not to call me that."
Logan tried to concentrate on the young woman he'd left and the one that dominated his thoughts and dreams for the last three years as Rogue's deadly hands touched him again. He wanted her to know and feel that he wasn't lying to her that he could never lie to her.
Rogue splayed her fingers out across Wolverine's chest, feeling the muscles there as she sucked in his powers, his very life. She let her hand slip lower, down over his abdomen then even further. Over the years she had learned a little control and she eased off, slowing the transfer between them. She wasn't done exploring and she wanted him alive until she was.
Despite the pain, which was strangely easing, Logan's body quickly responded to the silky caress of Rogue's small, smooth hands. He could not stifle the moan that escaped his lips as she wrapped one hand around his penis.
Holding the organ loosely in her hand, skimming her thumb across the soft skin, Rogue was surprised to feel it grow and pulse with her touch. As she tightened her grip slightly, Logan shifted his hips, pushing himself closer to her, his face a mixture of pleasure and torture. Rogue stared into the face of the man she had once loved with all her soul and felt her anger start to fade. He hadn't lied to her, she knew that now, it was all there, in her head with the rest of him.
Releasing him quickly before she hurt him even more, Rogue stepped back slightly her eyes filling with tears. "Logan?" she called softly her voice trembling with guilt and pain.
Logan's head was hanging, his chin resting on his chest but he was breathing. He was still alive.
Rogue wiped at her tears with the back of her hand before moving across the room where she donned her cloak and gloves. Grabbing the blankets off her bed, she walked slowly back to where Logan was hanging and carefully released his wrists one at a time while working to hold him up. Once he was free, she lowered him onto the blanket she'd laid out before covering him with another. Ashamed by what she'd done and drained from the experience, Rogue walked back to the bare bed and curled up on her side. Within minutes she fell into a restless asleep.
"I hate all this waiting," Scott snapped into the silence that filled the room.
"Unfortunately it's our only option at the moment," Professor X reminded him. "I can't find any trace of Logan or Rogue."
"He should have waited for us," Jean muttered softly shaking her head. "Now they have him too."
"We don't know that for sure," Ororo interrupted being the voice of hope.
"Why else wouldn't the professor be able to pick him up?" Scott asked her pointedly. "Either he's at Magneto's hideout with them or." The truth was he didn't know that there was another option. Even if Logan were dead wouldn't the professor be able to find him?
"I'll keep looking but I'm afraid until I find something all we can do is wait," Xavier stated before putting his motorized wheelchair into motion.
Logan woke with a slight jerk, sitting up quickly. He was surprised to be alive. Hell, he was surprised by a lot of things. He was surprised that he was no longer chained. He was surprised he'd been wrapped tightly with blankets. He was surprised that there didn't appear to be anyone guarding him.
Surveying the room slowly, Logan soon realized that he wasn't alone. The far corner of the room held a small bed, a single figure sleeping restlessly atop it. Rogue had covered her body with her cloak but Logan could see her trembling against the cool air in the room. Rising slowly he wrapped the blankets around his own naked body and started in her direction.
Rogue was tossing and turning, her mind wrapped in a nightmare Logan could only imagine. Dropping the blankets down on the bed he carefully covered her with them before slipping in underneath with her. Logan inched his way closer to her sleeping form until his chest was pressed firmly against her back then he wrapped his arms around her, careful to touch her only where the cloak covered her bare skin.
"Shh," Logan whispered lovingly his mouth mere centimeters from her ear. "I'm here, Marie. Everything's going to be all right."
"Logan," she sighed softly in her sleep as her gloved hands slid slowly up and down his arm.
Logan closed his eyes remembering the sweet torture of her earlier assault. "I love you, Marie," he said tenderly finally admitting what he couldn't before.
Rogue woke to the words she'd longed to hear and the feel of strong arms and a warm body wrapped around her. She didn't dare to hope that it was really Logan, how could it be after what she'd done to him.
Not knowing that Rogue was awake, Logan let his hands explore the contours of her body. Again his body started to respond but he didn't stop until he felt her stiffen. "Marie?" he called softly.
Not sure what she should do, Rogue scrambled from his arms and out of bed. All she could do was stand there staring at him like he was crazy.
"What's wrong, Marie?" Logan questioned as he sat up, the covers falling down around his waist.
Marie tried not to look at his perfect torso or the tender look on his face. "This is wrong," she uttered quickly.
Logan shook his head vigorously. "This is finally right, Marie. This is where I want to be, it's where I've wanted to be for years."
"But Ah almost killed ya a few hours ago," Rogue reminded him. "Ah know that's not what ya want."
"You're what I want, Marie," Logan responded in the gruff voice she remembered. She could see the frustration on his features fade, as his tone once again became soft and gentle. "I love you."
Rogue shook her head as the tears started to fall. "How can ya?"
"Come here," he ordered holding up the blankets in invitation.
Instead Marie stepped back, shaking her head more forcefully.
Logan let the covers drop briefly before throwing them off and rolling to the side of the bed where Rogue was standing. He started toward her quickly, blocking her escape as she tried to sidestep him. "I said come here," he repeated louder.
Rogue backed away from him, trapping herself against the cold stone wall. Her heart was pounding wildly, as Logan planted his hands on either side of her shoulders, but not from fear.
"I . love . you," Logan said again emphasizing each word. "It doesn't matter how, why or anything else. I love you, Marie. The only thing that matters now is what you feel."
Shifting her gaze away from him, Rogue wondered how to answer. No matter what she said she'd be hurting them both. If she said she didn't love him she'd be lying and if she admitted that she did love him she'd be sentencing them both to a life together without touch.
"Look at me!" Logan growled deep in his throat. A demand like that was hard to ignore even if she knew he'd never back it up.
Still Marie obeyed and turned her eyes back to his.
"Do you love me?" he asked more calmly.
Rogue stared into his hazel eyes seeing there all her hopes and dreams echoed. "Since the first moment Ah saw ya."
Logan smiled then, his fear melting away. "Say it," he told her.
"Ah love ya, Logan," she said without hesitation.
Closing the space between them, Logan leaned in and pulled Marie to his chest. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity just clinging to each other. Finally he released her and stepped back slightly, his hands resting on her shoulders. "You've learned some control," he stated. "Before, I felt you start to pull back."
Rogue nodded, dropping her gaze again at the mention of her abuse. "A little," she whispered sadly. /Not enough to let me be with you/she thought. "We should get outta here before Magneto or someone comes to check."
Knowing that she was right, Logan nodded. There would plenty of time later to sort things out. "How well do you know this place?"
"Well enough to get us out," Rogue responded taking one of the blankets off the bed and tearing it in two. "Sorry Ah can't find ya somethin' more flatterin' to wear but we're a little short on tahm."
"I'll survive," Logan assured her wrapping the tattered blanket around his waist.
"Let's go," Rogue ordered reaching out to take his hand.
Logan took her hand with a smile. "Lead the way, Darlin'."
{{I've found them}}
Three people, in three different rooms of the mansion, all looked up at the voice in their heads. Scott, Jean and Ororo dropped what they were doing and ran for the briefing room knowing that's where they would find the professor.
"I'll keep you informed of their progress," Xavier assured them as they headed for the door. "Watch yourselves, Magneto and the rest of the brotherhood will be close."
Cyclopes turned and nodded to his mentor before following Jean and Storm down the corridor. Within minutes they were changed and ready to take off.
"Let's go get `em," Scott ordered as he brought the jet to life. Easing the controls he lifted the plane from its hanger and set a course.
Each member of the team concentrated exclusively on his or her task as they flew in for the rescue.
"We're almost there," Storm announced double-checking her readings.
{{They're outside now}} Jean read the comment clearly in her head and looked to Scott and Ororo to see if they'd heard it too but neither showed any signs. "They made it outside," she reported.
"We should just about be on top of them," Cyclopes figured checking his ground radar. "There they are," he stated with a smile.
Jean and Ororo copied the expression.
Scott turned slightly in his seat to look at Jean. "Lower the harness, there's not enough room to land."
Dr. Grey nodded then went back to the cargo area to follow out the order. She waited patiently, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, as Logan and Rogue argued as to who should go first. After a couple of moments, she read Rogue's reluctant voice in her head. {{Ah'm ready}}
Less than a minute later Rogue was standing in the cargo bay of the enhanced aircraft used by the X-Men. Jean helped her out of the harness before promptly lowering it again for Logan.
{{Get me the hell outta here}} That was the gruff message that boomed in her head next. With a shake of her head, Jean hauled him up.
Logan swung himself into the plane sliding the door shut behind him. "Let's go," he shouted through the open door to the cockpit. As he stood to remove the harness a not so quietly concealed snicker drew his attention.
Jean was trying hard not to laugh at Logan's attire.
"Something amusing?" he grumbled knowing full well that it was.
Shaking her head, Jean tried to keep her face and voice steady. "Interesting fashion statement."
Logan's left eyebrow arched high into his forehead in warning.
"There are some clothes in the cabinet if you want to change," Jean offered taking the hint as she pointed out the storage cupboard. "I'll see you guys up front when you're done."
With a final glare at Jean's retreating back, Logan moved to the cabinet and pulled it opened. He found a couple pairs of sweats and took one for each of them. "Here," he said offering a set to Rogue before untying the sheet covering him.
Rogue took the garments but didn't move to change as Logan dropped the sheet. She watched him, the way his muscles moved beneath his skin as he pulled on the sweat pants.
Happy to have something more tangible on, Logan turned to Rogue only to find her staring at him with tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked tenderly covering the distance between them in two steps and dropping his hands onto her shoulders.
"Ah'm so sorry, Logan," she sobbed. "What Ah did to ya was unforgivable."
"What you did was give me a life worth living, Marie," he corrected her, a loving look deep in his eyes.
Rogue simply looked back at him her, body trembling with emotion and cold.
"Come on, Darlin', you need to get on something warmer," he told her taking the sweats from her hands and setting them aside before reaching for the tie of her cloak. Taking one end of the cord he pulled on it slowly until it came undone. Wrapping his fingers in the heavy fabric he pushed it back off her shoulders then slowly eased it down her arms before dropping it into a heap at her feet. There in the brighter light of the jet she was even more beautiful. Logan once again allowed his eyes to caress her body the way he wanted his hands to.
The pure passion in Logan's eyes made Marie sigh. Seconds later she started to shake.
"Here," he offered taking the large sweatshirt and pulling it on over her head. "I think I saw some socks in there too," Logan mentioned glancing down at the bare feet in the sandals.
"Yeah," Rogue responded. While Logan moved back to get the socks, she bent down and removed the sandals before pulling on the sweatpants.
Logan smiled at the sight of her in sweat that would have been big on him. "I guess I should have checked the size. Here're your socks," he offered holding out his hand.
Marie reached out and wrapped her gloved hand around not only the socks but his hand as well. "Thank ya," she replied with certain degree of huskiness to her tone.
"You're welcome," Logan returned.
"Ya should put your shirt on so we can get up there," Rogue suggested. "They're probably wonderin' what's keepin' us."
Not that he really gave a damn what any of them thought, Logan none the less pulled his sweatshirt over his head while Rogue picked up her cloak and put it back on pulling the hood up around her face.
Holding out his hand, Rogue took it as he lead her out of the cargo bay. All three X-Men turned at the sound of the door opening and all noticed the couples fingers wound together.
"You all right?" Storm asked not directing the question to either of them exclusively.
"Couldn't be better," Logan informed her dropping into the free seat beside Jean and pulling Rogue down into his lap.
A ghost of a smile appeared on Storm's face before she turned her attention back to her controls.
"How about you, Rogue?" Jean asked.
"Ah'm okay now," she assured the other woman.
"It's good to have you back," Cyclopes stated. "Both of you," he added glancing over his shoulder.
Rogue and Logan exchanged a glance then she squirmed a little in his lap to get more comfortable. Finally she rested her head between his shoulder and neck, her cloak protecting his exposed skin. In turn Logan tilted his head against hers and closed his eyes. Finally he was where he belonged.
By the time Scott landed the Blackbird in the hanger at the mansion, Rogue was sleeping soundly in Logan's arms, her head resting on his shoulder.
Jean had spent a good deal of time on the trip back stealing glances at the couple. Now she turned toward them openly. "I should check the two of you over in the infirmary," she told Logan softly as he rose to his feet with Rogue still sleeping in his arms.
"We're fine," Logan insisted as he started toward the door.
"When did you get your medical license?" Jean retorted sharply.
Wolverine stopped and slowly turned to face Doctor Grey. "I don't need a medical license to know that now isn't the time to be poking and prodding her. I won't have you waking her up for that. You can look us over in the morning if you think it's absolutely necessary."
Jean watched unable to respond as Logan exited the plane without so much as a glance back.
Moving like a man with a purpose, Logan stalked down the smooth, metallic corridor of the lower levels heading for the elevator. Within minutes the lift had deposited them on the fourth floor, which housed the X-Men. Careful not to jolt Rogue around too much, he hurried toward his old room hoping that it was still his. Upon entering he realized that someone else had been occupying the room but the scent that invaded his nostrils was familiar and pleasant.
Logan walked easily to the bed and slowly lowered Rogue down into the mattress. He watched her for a moment as she shifted position, her arms reaching out as though she was searching for something. Realizing that she was and hoping he knew what it was, Logan carefully slid under the blankets with her. Immediately she moved against his body, her head lifting to rest on his chest, one small hand sliding across his torso until it rested over his heart. Lifting his hand to cover her glove-covered one, he closed his eyes and revealed in the fact that he was finally holding the woman he loved in his arms.
Rogue woke slowly her sleep-muddled brain having a hard time processing her surroundings. Her head seemed to be rising and falling slowly in a perfect rhythm. Her hand registered a regular, steady pulsing from underneath. Her body was pushed tightly against something warm and firm yet yielding. Then she noticed the hot breath puffing lightly into her hair. It was at that point that a familiar and comforting smell invaded her nose. A smile graced her full lips as she slowly opened her eyes.
Shifting slightly, Rogue looked up into the face of the man still sleeping beside her. The man whose heart beat beneath her hand, whose breath was bathing her in warmth and lifting her head with each inhalation, whose arms were holding her tightly to his side.
Logan reacted to her change in position by tightening his grip on her. One arm pulled her closer while his other hand slid from her waist down to her hip.
This has to be a dream, Rogue thought staring up at him. Surely he wasn't really there with her, like that. Then she noticed something that seemed to have escaped her attention earlier, that being that both her and Logan were clad in ill-fitting sweats. If she were really dreaming that was not what they'd be wearing in fact they wouldn't be wearing anything.
Suddenly the events of the prior night returned with a force like a blow. She recalled pulling on those same sweats in the back of the Blackbird as Logan did the same. She remembered his words and his admission of love for her, then the events that started it all returned to her mind. Logan hanging from chains. Sabertooth, clawing his clothing and flesh. Rogue, herself, torturing him with her touch. It was almost too much, she suddenly felt as though she couldn't breathe as she swiftly sat up in bed, tearing herself from Logan's arms.
Logan was forced from sleep by the quick, panicked movement at his side. His eyes snapped opened his senses alert and prepared for a fight, the metal claws just beneath the surface of his knuckles poised for release. Then he remembered where he was and whom he was with and his fighting reflex faded to concern. "Marie?"
Rogue stiffened not really so much at the use of her name but more at the loving tenderness in his voice. How could he be so loving and caring towards her after what she'd tried to do?
Recognizing the same doubt in her eyes that he'd seen the night before in the cold, stone room in Magneto's lair, Logan shifted in the bed and placed a hand on either shoulder. "Look at me, Marie," he ordered softly but firmly. "Don't pull away from me."
"This ain't rahght, Logan," Rogue sobbed fighting to avoid his intense gaze. "Us bein' here like this ain't rahght."
"It is right, Marie," Logan insisted forcefully. "The only thing wrong about it is that I can't touch you the way I want to."
Rogue nodded sadly finally meeting his eyes. "That's mah point, Logan. Bein' here like this with ya and not bein' able to touch ya . or at least not bein' able to touch ya without causin' ya pain. This is torture fer both of us, maybe even worse than bein' apart."
"Don't say that," Logan shouted loudly a decidedly frantic quality to his tone. Then he lowered his voice and softened his tone. "Don't ever say that, Marie. I know we have a lot yet to conquer but just being here with you, like this, means more than you can possibly know. Please don't push me away."
"Ah don't wanna push ya away, Logan, but we hav'ta face this. Do ya really wanna waste yer life with someone ya can never touch, someone who can never touch ya? Don't feel obligated at stay with me because of what happened."
Logan reached toward Rogue's face, running his hands down her hair and gathering enough to use as a barrier between his hands and her face. Slowly he tilted her face up to look at him. "I won't give you up, Marie," he informed her leaving no room for doubt. "We've been in each other minds and that's more intimate than I ever have and ever will be with any other woman. You know things and understand things about me that no one else would. I love you, Marie. Besides, you've already learned some control, right?" he asked her pointedly, lifting his eyebrows in a silent demand for her to respond.
"Yeah," Rogue nodded weakly.
"How do you know that tomorrow you won't be able to turn it on and off like a light switch? Just because it isn't possible now doesn't mean that it will never be possible," Logan said encouragingly. "And I'd only be wasting my life if I left you until that happened. I won't do that. I can't do that. Please, don't ask me to."
Rogue just stared at him, the hair he held surrounding her face absorbing her silent tears. "I love ya so much, Logan," she sobbed closing her eyes as her body shook.
Logan gathered the trembling woman in his arms and pulled her tightly against his chest. He could feel her heart pounding through the layers of clothing that separated them. "I love you too, Darlin'," he echoed as his hands tenderly rubbed her back.
They stayed that way for a long time, holding each other. Logan wasn't about to let go until he was certain that she was all right. Finally he felt her heart rate return to normal and she stopped shaking. "You okay now?" he asked softly, his voice whispering through the dark auburn hair surrounding her ear.
"Yeah," she returned softly with a gentle nodding of her head.
Logan could still feel something wasn't right. "What is it?" he asked pulling back slightly to look at her, his hands once again on her shoulders.
Rogue shook her head willing the tears not to start. "Ah's thinkin' `bout all the things Ah need ta apologize ta the professor and the others about. Ah was pretty awful to `em there near the end, before Ah left."
"I don't think you have to worry about that," Logan assured her knowing how worried they were about her and that they understood what had happened. "Jean did want to run some tests on both of us this morning. She wanted to do them when we got back last night but I wasn't about to let her wake you just for that."
"My knight in shining adamantium," Rogue drawled sweetly.
Logan grinned despite himself. "I may be a little slow but I always keep my promises."
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Author's Chapter Notes:
A special thanks to Chris a little inspiration. {{means telepathy}}