(One year earlier)
"Ah just came to say goodbye, Logan." He awoke in the middle of the night to find her standing in his doorway. She had been crying. He could smell the sadness on her, and he wasn't sure if she had been able to wipe the tears completely away.
He wanted to get up and go to her, to be the friend she needed, but his lack of clothing stopped him. "What's the matter kid? What happened?" Logan had known that she had returned, known that she had taken the cure. He was prepared to stick by her, what ever decision she made. He just wasn't sure how the others would feel. Would they understand why she had done it? Would they realize that she needed to be touched that she yearned for it more than food or air? He now had his answer.
"Ah'm leaving, Logan. For good this time. Ah'm not wanted here anymore." She smiled her sad smile, the same one she had flashed him in his truck the first day they met, all those years ago. "It's kind of ironic, ya know. The school meant to teach tolerance and peace wont accept anyone not a mutant."
"Did they tell you to leave?" He could feel his muscles tense at the thought of Storm telling her to leave. He had known that Ororo wouldn't have been happy about it, but he hadn't thought that she would kick someone out over it.
"Not in so many words, but it ain't a secret that Ah'm not really welcome here anymore." Rogue replied softly as she let herself into the room. Closing the door behind her, she let out a sigh that anyone other than Logan would have never heard. She slowly made her way across the room, sitting down on the chair next to his bed. Logan reached over and turned on the light, the brightness chasing away the darkness for the time being. "No one has come out and said it, but actions speak louder than words."
"I'm sorry, Marie. I should have been paying more attention. I should have done something to keep this from happening." He hadn't been paying enough attention. He knew it wasn't possible to fix things now, but maybe she'd consider staying, if only he could do something.
"Ah'm not a child anymore, Logan, and Ah won't live like this. Ah don't want to spend the rest of my life in hiding. That's why Ah took the damn cure." She was beginning to get riled up, and he knew the others had really gotten to her. "Bobby has been avoiding me since Ah got back a month ago. He won't even sit with me at meal times. It's as if he doesn't want anything to do with me now that Ah'm not a mutant. Ororo has singled me out. It's like everything Ah do is wrong. She won't even let me train in the danger room anymore, claiming that since Ah gave up my abilities, then Ah won't be as good as Ah was before. Ah'm a fighter, Logan. Ya know that. Ya're the one that trained me. My abilities had nothing to do with fighting. Hell, Ah wasn't even able to use my abilities while training. And just because the cure took away any power that Ah had doesn't mean that Ah don't have other's memories. Hell Ah still hear all of ya. Everyone that Ah've touched has a voice in my head, telling me what to do. Ah got to get out of here, Logan. It's time for me to go. Maybe when the people here learn what Xavier's true mission was, Ah'll come back, but not now. Ah need to go where Ah can be accepted for who Ah am."
He stared at her, wondering what his voice was whispering to her, wondering if this meant she still had his nightmares. He understood what she was saying. It wasn't that she wasn't strong enough to endure it, she felt she didn't have to. "Take the jeep. I'll clear it with Storm when she gets up in the morning. If you need me for anything, I'll be here. Someone needs to teach these kids how to fight, hand to hand. As good as Storm is, she wouldn't be able to help anyone if it came to hand to hand."
Before he realized what was happening, she had leaned in and kissed him softly, just once. His lips tingled when she pulled back. If the Wolverine hadn't awakened yet, he was now. Only he wasn't calling for blood.
Rogue stood slowly, turning toward the door. She slowly opened the door, and he could barely hear her whisper one last message before she walked out one last time. "Ah love ya, Logan."
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Author's Chapter Notes:
What made her leave in the forst place.