When word spread that old Sabertooth had met his match on some sort of recruiting mission for Magneto, I had to admit I was curious as to just what kind of mutant could be powerful enough to take out mangy ass, when he had the same healing and even more strength than me. I wasn’t worried about myself, exactly, I was just wondering how it had all went down and Chuck, he told me he was looking into it, cause he always got a gleam in his eye whenever he thought a new mutant might be out there, just waiting to be brought into the X-Men fold. I sometimes teased him about looking like some over, hyped up kid in a candy store when he heard about a possible new team member, but this time, I couldn’t blame him cause this mutant obviously had some fairly serious powers just to be able to take down Sabs, so I had a hard time hiding my shock when Chuck finally told he had found out that a twenty one year old girl that called herself Rogue had been the one to send Sabs off to meet his maker.
Don’t get me wrong, I live in a house with Ro and Jeannie, so I know there are a hell of a lot of powerful ass female mutants and I can tell you, I got some serious respect for what Ro and Jeannie and even old Mystique could do when they set their minds to it, but somehow, I just didn’t really expect a *girl* to have been responsible for killing off old Sabs. I mean, I had tried it many times myself, me and mangy had went head on, in battle, more times than I could recall, and every time I hacked off a piece of him or got in a good blow, he healed up as quickly as I did, so me and Sabs just did the same old song and dance for years. I guess I never expected him to be taken out of the game for good, and while I sure as hell didn’t miss him, I was all the more curious so I listened close as Chuck told me that Rogue was a mutant that possessed some kind of skin that could drain life and energy and memories with a touch.
“From what I have gathered, a ‘piece’ of anyone she touches ends up lodged in her head and in the cause of mutants, such as our old friend Sabertooth, should she kill them, she gets their powers permanently.”
“So what do you think happened with Sabs?”
“I think Eric sent him to retrieve the girl and she had no interest in being retrieved.”
“So she defended herself.” Made sense to me. “And Sabs got the surprise of his life.”
“The last surprise.” Scott, to my surprise, sounded almost impressed.
“I am sure he was not expecting to encounter the one mutant capable of killing him, but I am more concerned for the girl.” Ro frowned as she stood beside Chuck.
“If Rogue, gets a ‘piece’ of the person she touches in her head, then I imagine she is having some difficulty with whatever she received from Sabertooth.”
“I agree.” Jean spoke up, from where she set on the sofa, beside Scott.
“We all know Sabertooth wasn’t the most mentally stable mutant around.” It was kind of common knowledge that he had been just about crazy, and Scott was frowning as he made the observation. “Added to that, if Magneto sent Sabertooth after her, I would be willing to guess he still wants her, which means she could be in danger, so we should see if we can offer her some help.”
“I agree.” No surprise there, coming from Chuck.
“Do you know where she is?” Ro asked.
“Actually, I do. She is in Canada. In a town called Laughlin City.”
“Laughlin City.” I near about choked. “Shit.”
“You know the place, Logan?” Ro almost smiled.
“It ain’t a place for a twenty one year old kid, killer skin or no killer skin.”
“What’s there?”
“Nothing but a bar, some run down buildings and truckers.”
“Rogue seems to be working at the bar.” Chuck explained. “But we should likely go and get her, or at least talk to her soon.”
“I’ll go.” I heard myself volunteer before I thought it through and Jean frowned.
“Is that such a good idea, Logan? I mean, if she killed Sabertooth…”
“My guess is she killed him defending herself.”
“Maybe. Or maybe she is unstable.” Jean suggested, but I shook my head.
“I don’t think so.”
“I agree with Logan.” Good for you Chuck. “I think he and Scott should go.”
“We can leave right away.” Scott said.
“Do that. Just be careful, and don’t push her. Just offer her a safe place.”
“Will do.” I stood and looked at Scott. “Let’s go, Scooter.”
He smiled as he stood. “Aren’t we eager to save the damsel in distress.”
“Fuck you.”
For the moment, that was all I had to say on the subject.
****************************************************************************************************
Laughlin City was just as a remembered, a shit hole in the middle of nowhere, overrun by rednecks and truckers and men looking for a good cage fight, the kind I use to take part in, before Chuck got me to join the team.
Once, they had called me The King Of The Cage, and looking at the pitiful ass men all lined up to prove themselves, I was sure I still had it. Told Scooter I’d take him on, he just had to say the word, but he just frowned and said we were there on business, which I had no problem recalling, cause even before I turned to see her coming from one of the storage rooms at the back of the bar, I could smell her unique scent that seemed like some combination of vanilla and innocents.
She smelled pure and young.
And she looked damn beautiful.
She wasn’t tall, she was kind of a small girl with big brown eyes and full lips and long dark hair highlighted by two vivid white streaks that framed her face.
“Shit.”
“You can say that again.”
I could hear the obvious admiration in Scooter’s voice and for some reason, it made my blood boil.
“Watch One Eye. You got Jeannie at home.”
“Well, at least you are finally facing the fact that she’s my girl.”
I huffed, but said nothing, cause in that moment, I couldn’t even recall what Jeannie looked like and I sure as hell couldn’t remember why I had flirted with her so often and for so long, cause the girl I was looking at in that moment was by far the most perfect, the most beautiful I had ever seen.
The girl I was looking at in that moment was *mine*, plain and simple, the man and the animal in me knew it, deep in our gut and when she glanced over, to find me staring at her, something in her _expression told me she felt something as well…something in her _expression told me she knew something was happening that was gonna change both of us forever.
“Logan…”
I heard Scott, but I had nothing to say to him as I stood and walked to the bar, aware of the girl watching me.
“Wolverine.”
“Rogue.”
She pulled her bottom lip through her teeth, in a nervous gesture as I leaned against the bar and she glanced around, seeing Scott, before looking at me again.
“You are both X-Men.” Her voice was soft, laced with a southern accent.
“Yeah, we are.”
“I got it from him…from Sabertooth.”
“From what gets inside your head?”
She nodded. “Yeah. He knew a lot about all of you, and he figured that it would be just a matter of time, before you all came looking for me when you found out that his boss, Magneto, wanted me.”
“We’re not like Sabertooth and Magneto.”
“I know. I got that to.”
She seemed calm, so I set down on one of the stools. “Look, we came her to talk to you, to help you.”
“I know that you work for a man named Charles, that you fight this Magneto often, because he has different ideas about how to advance the cause of mutants.”
“Do you know why he wanted you?”
“He has a machine that can change humans into mutants, but it just about kills him to operate it, so he wants to transfer his powers to me, so I can do it for him.”
“Shit.” I needed to get that information to Chuck. “Listen, kid…”
“Is this where I get the speech about why I should go with you?”
“I ain’t much good at speeches, kid.”
“You think Magneto is gonna send someone else after me?”
“What do you think?”
“I think he will. I think he won’t give up. Especially now that I have healing.”
“Then I think you should listen to your gut.”
She looked away at that and I could tell she was thinking.
“Listen, I know what it’s like, to be alone and confused, Rogue.”
“Really?” Her eyes came back to mine and I nodded, falling into those eyes.
“Fifteen years ago, I woke up naked in the snow, with no memories expect some nasty nightmares about some time I spent inside a lab where I got retractable claws and metal on my bones.”
“My God…” I could see her shock and horror.
“Yeah. So I…I understand what you’re feeling, and so does Chuck.”
“Chuck?”
“Charles. The Professor. He’s someone that can help you.”
“Do you think so?”
I nodded slowly. “I do.” But she still seemed to hesitate. “Come on. I’ll take care of you.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I promise.”
It was the first promise I had ever made, but it was a promise I intended to keep, as she smiled and nodded and once again, I knew I’d do whatever it took to protect her and keep her safe because she was mine.
And no one messed with what belonged to The Wolverine.
On the flight back to the mansion, I set in the back of the jet with Rogue, while Scooter flew and she opened up to me a little more, telling that she was from Mississippi, but she had been kicked out by her parents when her mutation put her first boyfriend in a three week coma. They hadn’t wanted her around after that, so she had been on her own, for that most part, since just before she turned eighteen and it amazed me that she had managed to survive for so long. I knew she had some serious powers, but she was young and innocent and she admitted that her run in with Sabertooth wasn’t the first less than pleasant encounter she’d had, but it had certainly been the worse, because he had proven a hard voice to get settle in her head.
“He had some vile thoughts, about…” She turned red and looked at the floor.
“I can imagine.” I wanted to pull her into my arms, tell her it was okay.
“I’ve got him pretty settled in there now.”
“Good. If you need any help, Chuck can give it to you.”
She smiled at that. “Thanks, Logan.”
I loved how she said my name, soft and sensual.
“You’re welcome, Rogue.”
“Actually…my real name is Marie, but I don’t want anyone else to know that.”
“It’ll be our secrete.”
“Thanks.”
“But when we are alone, can I call you that?”
“Do you think we’ll be alone a lot?” Her eyes locked on mine and I nodded.
“I hope so.”
It went real quite between us then, I could see her flush, but not in a bad way, and I could easily smell the arousal rolling off her.
“Logan…”
“We’re about to land.”
Shit, Scooter cut off whatever she had wanted to say and I sighed, glancing back at Marie with a smile.
“Better fasten your seat belt, darlin’, he can’t land this thing worth a damn.”
****************************************************************************************************
She got a little shy around Chuck and the others, but I had expected that, she had been through a lot and I got the feeling she was still dealing with it all, but Chuck, he said she’d be safe at the mansion. He said he’d find out where Mags stood in his plans, to mutate humans, which sounded totally insane to me, but Jeannie and Chuck said it sounded like the kind of over the top shit Magneto would try, just to get attention, if nothing else.
“I think he will send someone else after me.” She didn’t sound afraid, just serious, as she said it and I put my arm around her shoulders, which earned me a brief smile from Marie and a frown from Jeannie, but I ignored it.
“I must say I agree with you, Rogue, but I assure you, we will protect you.”
“And in any case, it seems you are quite capable of protecting yourself, should the need arise.” Jean said it like she was offering a compliment of some kind, but I saw that was not the case and Marie sensed it.
“I don’t like using my skin on anyone. I don’t like the voices in my head.”
“So you hear ‘voice’?” Trying to imply Marie was unstable with that question.
“Don’t you?” Marie fired back.
“Yes, well, *I’m* a telepath.”
And a bitch, I thought, wondering why I hadn’t noticed the nasty streak in her before.
“I think that’s enough for now.” There’s Chuck, sensing the tension. “I’m sure Rogue must be tired.”
“Actually, I am.”
“I shall show you to a guest room.” Jeannie stood, as she spoke, making sure she got the word ‘guest’ across to Marie good and clear.
“Actually, I’ll handle that.” Back off Jeannie. I know she was getting thoughts from me.
“I would rather Logan show me to a room, please.”
Chuck nodded at that and raised an eyebrow at me, but I sent him a clear message, telling him to stay the fuck out of my head and he smiled.
Standing, I took Marie’s hand and guided her from the room, aware of Jean glaring at us every step of the way, but Marie didn’t speak until we began climbing the stairs.
“Are you and Jean involved?” She whispered the question.
“No. Never.”
“Well, she doesn’t seem to like me much and I have a feeling it has to do with you.”
Smart girl, my Marie.
“She and I’ve always flirted a bit, even though she’s with Scooter, so I think it pisses her off to see me paying attention to someone else.”
“Oh.”
That sounded quite and thoughtful, so I stopped there and the stairs and looked down at her big brown eyes.
“I’m more than paying attention or flirting with you, Marie.”
“You are?”
“Hell yeah.”
“Logan…”
“You felt it, too. Back in the bar. You felt it just like I did, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” She didn’t hesitate a second and I smiled.
“I’ve never had that happen before. It means something.”
“What does it mean?”
“I’m sure it means you and me belong to one another.” I knew I was really laying it all on the line, saying that, but it was what I felt and her smile eased any nervousness I might have been feeling.
“That’s what I felt. What I feel.”
“Good.” God, I wanted to kiss her so bad, but I hesitated, worried about her skin.
“Can I tell you another secrete, Logan?”
I flashed a smile. “Always, darlin’.”
“I learned how to control my skin not long after my run in with Sabertooth.”
“What?” Thank you God.
“I didn’t tell the others, and I still wear the gloves and all, cause I don’t really want just anyone feeling like that can walk up and touch me…”
“I understand.” Perfectly. Her skin had been her only defense for a long time.
“But I…” She blushed a bright red and looked at the floor. “I wouldn’t mind if you…”
I got what she was trying to say, (all parts of my body got what she was trying to say) and I smiled and tugged at her gloved hand I was still holding.
“Come on, darlin’, we’re gonna forgo the guest room.”
“Where are we going then?”
I looked down at her and winked. “My room.”
****************************************************************************************************
After that, my room is officially become *our* room, provided that Chuck don’t move us to the other end of the mansion cause I have a feeling we might have just taught the kiddies around here a few sounds they don’t need to know. But I can’t say I care, cause God, I ain’t never met a woman like my Marie, the perfect combination of innocents and seduction and beauty that will easily hold my attention for the rest of my life and hers, which for us, will be a hell of a long time.
The healing factor she got is one good thing about her encounter with Sabs.
Well, that and her ability to control her skin, which I found myself damn glad I could do as we laid there, her head on my chest while I trailed my fingers through her hair, loving how it felt to hold her, to be near her.
To know she was mine.
Forever.
“Logan?”
“Yeah, baby?”
She eased up on one elbow so she could look down at me. “About this Magneto…”
“Don’t worry about him. Like Chuck said, you’re safe here.”
“I’m not worried about me. It’s you. I know that Magneto can control metal so my guess is he’s the one person that can hurt you.”
“I suppose he could.”
“Then being around me could be dangerous for you.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that, cause there ain’t a lot of people that have ever been worried about me in this life.
“Darlin’, danger is something I’m use to.”
“Maybe. But you heal from most anything, expect what this guy could do.”
“I’m not worried, Marie.”
“Logan…”
Leaning up, I brushed my lips over hers. “Trust me. Chuck knows how to handle Mags, or Eric, as he calls him, cause they use to be friends and while I wouldn’t normally admit this to anyone, Scooter’s got some kick ass security in this place.”
“So does that mean you actually like Scott?” I could see she was teasing me.
“Didn’t say that.”
“I think you do. I think you really like it here.”
“I suppose. There are worse places.”
“Like Laughlin City.”
“Yeah. Like Laughlin City. But I do wonder, do you think you could be happy here.”
“Are you asking me to stay?”
“I’d like to demand that you stay, but I figure you should get a choice.”
“You don’t think The Professor will mind?”
“Hardly. He’s gonna likely try and recruit you to the team, but if you don’t want to join, I bet he can get you a teaching job, or both.”
“Sounds interesting, though I don’t think Jean will be happy. She seemed to want me to understand that I was just a ‘guest’.”
“Yeah, well, Jean’s a bitch and she don’t get a vote.”
She laughed at that and kissed me. “Good to know.”
I pulled her down, locking my lips on hers, when a loud knock sounded on the door and I growled.
“What the fuck do you want, Scooter?” I shouted, still holding to Marie.
“How’d you know it’s him?” Marie frowned.
“Smell.”
She nodded at that.
“I got news.” Scott called through the door. “We drew straws to see who would have to come up here and obviously, I lost.”
“What’s the fucking news?” I wasn’t getting up from the bed, no sir.
“Magneto and Mystique were arrested about an hour ago, after they abducted Senator Kelly.”
“Shit. So we’re in the clear?”
“We are.”
“Thanks, Scott.” Marie was grinning at me.
“No problem, Rogue.”
“Yeah, thanks One Eye.”
“Whatever, Logan.”
I could hear him laughing as he walked off and Marie was still smiling at me.
“That’s it? No big battle? No fight? No chance to kick ass?”
“You like kicking ass, darlin’?”
“I think it’s from Sabertooth. I was never really blood thirsty before him.”
“Well, don’t worry, if you join up, you’ll get the chance to kick a lot of ass.”
“Really?”
“All the time. And when we’re not kicking ass, I can think of a few things we can do, to keep ourselves entertained.”
“Such as?” She was all innocent seduction again. God, she was perfect.
“Oh, I think I’d rather show than tell.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
****************************************************************************************************
“I swear to God, Logan, enough is fucking enough.”
She looks like she’s ready to explode, pacing the med lab, her leather uniform torn, her hair a mess.
“I heal, darlin’. You know that.”
“Yeah, I know that, but seeing that fucking blade go in your chest…” She paused and looked at me. “Look, you know I love the ass kicking as much as you do, but I’ve been here five years and you’ve been here longer and I think we’ve done our part in making the world a better place.”
“I agree.”
“So I think it’s time for a change.” She planted her hands on her hips.
“I agree.”
“Stop saying you agree just to shut me up.”
I laughed, despite the pain that it flared. “I’m agreeing cause I agree with you, and I’m ready for a change.”
“Really?”
“Very much. Especially since you have some news you want to share.”
“How do you…” She sighed. “You sensed it, smelled it, just like I did.”
“About a month along, if I’m right.”
She grinned, walking over to me. “About a month. Sounds good. Strong heart beat.”
“I think it’s a boy.”
“Do you now?”
Pushing myself up from the so called bed, I nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”
“So do you maybe want to quit this saving the day shit and build a normal like life for me you and the kid?” Her eyes were shinning with all she felt as she wrapped her arms around my neck.
“Hell yeah. I’m think a nice, quite place in Canada.”
“When do you want to leave?”
“How quick can you pack?”
She laughed. “In about five minutes, but I think we need to give Charles a warning.”
“Maybe. But he doesn’t get no two weeks.”
“Agreed.”
I dropped a kiss on her mouth, the pain in my chest gone, the wounds healed over completely.
“We’re gonna have a good life, Marie. Me and you and our kids.”
“Kids?”
“Why stop with one?”
“Why indeed.”
“I love you, Marie.”
“I love you too, Logan.”
God, I knew I would never grow tired of hearing that.
“Smoothing sailing from here on out, darlin’.”
She got that flirty look in her eyes. “Promise?”
“Always, darlin’. Always.”
The End
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