4 Months Later
It was a bright day in the park. Shadows darting across the ground rippled through the lush trees trying in vain to grow but the sky was all to welcoming to the dazzling light. The greenery was lush and the birds that could be heard were succumbing to its wonderful depths. The place was almost serene. As serene as it was one lone black cloud hung where a building storm could be felt. The lone figure in his grey trench coat was oblivious to the effect he had.
“Hello, Eric,” Rogue spoke as she slid into the seat across from the older man. He sat back in surprise but Rogue paid no attention, her eyes gazing around the secluded park. Two older men were playing a game of chess a few feet away.
Appearing relaxed in the seat across from Eric, she allowed him a moment to accept the fact she’d just so blatantly sat down across from him, she moved one of the chess pieces forward.
“Rogue,” he gasped and then suddenly got his bearings.
“My dear,” he added more sophisticatedly.
She smirked at him. “Surprised to see me?”
“I think in any circumstance I would be surprised to see an X-men whether former or not in my presence so freely.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of the fact that last you heard I was dead and you were so rudely chasing my body down.”
He smiled at her.
“Where would you get such an idea, my child?”
She indicated the board in front of them and he made his move. “Your children.”
His hand faltered as he secured the chess piece.
“Ah,” he responded. “Well I can see you’re not dead.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re intelligent enough to see that.”
His smile faded by a degree.
“I’m no longer a child, Eric,” she began coolly, moving another piece across the board. “You like to think everyone no matter age is below you. Surprising, considering the life you experienced so young.”
His eyes turned dark but before he spoke she could tell he’d spotted the figure a few feet behind her that had revealed himself. Logan leant against a far tree, his eyes narrowed on Magneto with a glare.
“I was about to say how wilful you’ve become Rogue but I see you still have need of a protector.”
She smiled. “Is it really such a weakness to you to depend on other people? I know that was not always so, Eric. I know your loves and your losses.”
“You speak of nonsense.”
He moved another piece on the board.
“I don’t think you fully understood the extent of my power when you forced me to drain you, because I didn’t just get your power, Eric,” she stressed his name. “I got your memories.”
Leaning in, she was aware of Logan standing straight up at the movement but she wasn’t afraid.
“I know far more about you then anyone on this Earth, perhaps even Charles. I do not fear you, I pity you.”
She felt the magnetic pull as he abruptly pulled Logan forward and had him on his knees before their table. The two men playing chess gasped in surprise and ran. Logan growled dangerously but Rogue sat still as Eric smirked at her.
“I really thought you two were smarter than this, to take me on knowing what I can do to your lover here.”
Rogue’s eyes did flare at that and Magneto smiled.
“Ah, so I am right to assume that Wolverine has taken you as his lover again.”
“How poetic,” he spat and the pull on Logan tightened as Magneto made his claws shoot out. Logan snarled.
“Stop it,” Rogue commanded and suddenly Magneto found himself being thrown back into his chair, the metallic ornaments on it lengthening and flaring out as they wrapped around him like rope, trapping him.
Logan stood up with a smirk, as he shook himself, his claws receding back under his own power.
Magneto’s eyes were wide in surprise and she could sense even fear, she tried not to smile.
“That’s not possible,” he gasped stubbornly.
“It sure as hell is, old man,” Logan snapped triumphantly.
“You have no idea what you did when you made me drain you, Eric and you will forever be concerned of the consequences.”
She felt the magnetic pull in the air and shot her own hand out beside her, sensing the metallic tables Eric had sent her way. She batted them away like flies.
“Time has made you weary, Eric. I do not fall prey to the passage of time; your power runs through me filled with youthful abundance. Would you really like to test the limits of my powers, all of my powers?”
His fear jumped up a notch and a feral smirk appeared on Logan’s face as his nostrils flared.
“You would have eventually learned that I was not dead and I know you’re still curious about whatever tip you got about the weapon I acquired. But here’s how it’s going to be Eric,” she paused and tightened the metallic ropes as he struggled. “You have seen just a fraction of what I can do, so this is a well placed warning, do not get in our way, do not try to hunt us down again and whatever you know, it will be best you forget it.”
“I think you’ve gotten through to him, darlin’,” Logan remarked as Magneto’s eyes remained wide.
“I’d like to hear him agree,” she responded coldly.
After a moment Eric struggled again and she could sense him trying to battle her own magnetic control with his but he failed.
Gasping, he stopped struggling and glanced up at her in defeat. “I understand.”
“Good,” Logan snarled and stepped back.
“By the way Eric,” she spoke up as she moved another piece on the board. “I win.”
“You, sure do darlin’.” Logan smirked as he draped his arm around her and proceeded to direct them away.
Smiling at him she grabbed his hand and kissed his knuckles as she rubbed them tenderly.
“Wait!” Magneto called behind them. “Let me go.”
Logan raised an eyebrow at her. “You still controlling it?”
“I’ll let him go once we get to the parking lot.”
“That’s just plain mean, darlin’.” He laughed.
She pouted. “He hurt you.”
“Only a little,” he responded puffing his chest out a little.
She laughed warmly. “Come on sugah, let’s go.”
***
Rogue grazed her hand across the dashboard that was warmed by the bright sun.
“You picked a nice truck,” she announced to Logan as he drove. Turning she glanced over her shoulder at his bike in the back of the bed.
Taking the cigar out of his mouth he smiled at her.
“I’d take anything as long as it’s not a van.”
She laughed lightly. “Can’t have been that bad.”
“I’m not going to miss Jaime drooling on me every time he fell asleep.”
“I guess that’s true,” she smirked. “Although the truck doesn’t give you that soccer mom edge you had with the van.”
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as he narrowed his eyes at her.
“So where to?” she asked curiously.
“I thought I’d take you to Alaska.”
“Really?” she asked delighted.
Logan couldn’t fight the smile that formed on his face.
“Really.”
“Besides you deserve a vacation after all that work with Hank.”
Shifting over she nestled against him. “I think Hank’s going to miss you, he sure got use to you always being in the way.”
“Hey, I wasn’t in the way...” he began but smirked at the look on her face knowing she was sassing him.
“Besides I told him we’d be back, it’s Laura’s birthday in a bit.”
“She really hated it when you told her she had to pick a date and explained it was to celebrate her.”
He shrugged. “Part of the world.”
“It kind of reminded me of when I made you pick a date. In fact I think the conversation may have been word for word.”
“You enjoy it far too much that I have to deal with her stubbornness.”
“Oh yes,” she laughed. “Poor Hank though.”
“What?” he asked surprised. “Laura and Hank get along great.”
“They did until she learned your nickname for him. She always calls him furball now. I think she even started referring to him as simply ‘fuzz’ all on her own.”
Logan chuckled.
“You’re terrible,” she teased.
“Hold this for a moment, darlin’,” he asked as he passed her his cigar. Leaning across he flipped open a compartment and took out a map.
Shifting back up in his seat he smiled as Rogue took a puff on the cigar and passed it back to him.
Putting it in his mouth he rolled it back and forth as he tasted her on it and draped his arm around her.
It was a half n hour into the drive after Logan had figured out the route they would take that she decided to approach a certain topic.
“Logan, I know we’ve talked about most of the big stuff and set things straight but what about going back to the X-Men?”
She noticed he gripped the steering wheel tightly but the arm draped around her snuggled deeper against her.
“What about it?”
“Well are we ever going to go back? Going to talk to them?”
“Why?”
“Why?” she gasped. “I dunno, maybe because I’d like to fix the last perception they have of me.”
“They do care about you, Marie, for the most part.”
“ They were my friends.”
“Would you rather I change course?” he asked abruptly, his voice was clipped.
“No.”
Leaning in she ran her hand across his chest. “I don’t mean any time soon. I’m just wondering how you feel about it all. I want to spend the rest of my life with you Logan. I know what that means. But now that I have control of my powers, I could do a lot of good with them.”
Logan was quiet as he kept driving, she could tell he was thinking hard.
“We’ll go back eventually but I don’t know in what capacity.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means I understand they are our friends, but I don’t want you fighting Xavier’s cause.”
“Logan,” she gasped in disbelief.
“I’m serious,” he responded not caring at her shock. “I’m not trying to tell you want to do, but I want you to think about it. You almost didn’t come through the growth of your powers, adding more to them no matter how much control you have now, even knowing Hank cleared you would make me worry. How do you think Xavier would react to the fact that you can now keep powers?”
“Logan, Xavier is...”
“A good man,” he finished. “I know that but even he becomes blind to his own agenda. When we go back it will be on our own terms. I’m not saying we’re not going to help out when we can; I just think it’s time to live our own lives.”
Listening to him, she rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’m a selfish bastard, I know,” he muttered.
“No,” she whispered back. “You’re a smart bastard.”
He chuckled. Glancing up she grazed his sideburns. “You know I love you, right?”
“Yes,” he answered with a knowing smile. “I love you.”
Cradling his chin she gave him a quick kiss.
“Just so you know,” she began. “We’re going to have to send postcards to Wanda, Pietro and Jaime when we get to Alaska.”
Shaking his head side to side Logan groaned and Rogue laughed in delight as the bright sun marked the road ahead of them. Rogue’s beaming smile danced in the rays of light, the warmth spreading out from her and marching forward into the horizon. A small reserved smile on Logan’s face matched hers in the welcoming day and although each of their eyes held a darkness reserved for regret and pain in their orbs, the small touch of his fingers brushing along her white bangs as his arm draped across her was enough of a subtle touch to know that second chances may be hard to come by but not out of reach.
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