Time was creeping along slowly as Marie waited for Logan to speak. He watched her without a word, as if trying to decide what he wanted to say. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He held her gloved hand to his chest. She had been checking his wounds, moving her hands from one spot to the other, but now they were covered in is firm but gentle grasp.

“That tickles,” he said hoarsely squeezing her hand.

Marie steadied her breathing as she smiled at him. Listening with her enhanced hearing that she had picked up from Logan, her heart was about to puncture her ear drums it was so loud. She knew that he could also hear it as well.

“That was a brave thing you did Logan,” she whispered. Trying to talk any higher than a whisper, would be impossible for her. Marie didn’t know what reaction to expect from Logan. She had almost killed him and she didn’t think that he would take too well to that.

Slowly, Marie withdrew her hand from his. She watched the confusion play over his face and she wondered what it was about. He recovered before she could even ask. “Glad to see it worked darlin’,” he said.

Taking a few steps back, Marie smiled sorrowfully . She thought that maybe he needed a little space from her toxic skin after what he had been through. “Yeah, well I took on some of your more charming personality traits.”

She heard Logan snort as he laughed, and it made her smile widen. He didn’t seem so scared of her did he? Maybe it would be okay. Maybe Logan wouldn’t be afraid to be near her. She watched him looking around the med lab as if looking for something.

“I’m surprised that Jean isn’t in here checking up on me. You didn’t…do…anything to her…did you?” he said half joking.

Marie gave him a crooked smile that mirrored his own “Naw sugar. All I did to the red head was growl, bare my teeth and lunge for her…good thing for her Scott was standing beside me. I think that woman is a little taken with you,” Marie said laughing.

She watched as Logan’s face turned from joking to serious in a heart beat as he spoke. The sincerity of his words caught her by surprise. The deep emotion in them washed over her as her heart leapt from her chest. “Well, you can tell her my heart belongs to someone else,” he whispered.

Logan and Marie stared at one another for what seemed like forever. Did he have any idea what he was saying? Did he understand that she could never really touch him? He could never really feel her skin under his. He could never be physical in a way that only Logan had known. There would always be a barrier between them and Marie knew that one day he would get tired of it.

Looking away from him, she whispered, “You have no idea what you’re saying Logan.”

She heard Logan slowly start to sit up. Closing her eyes, Marie counted the sound of his footsteps coming closer to her. The slow speed at which he was moving did not go unnoticed. She realized that he was not fully recovered yet and it made her feel all the more worse.

Marie was suddenly surrounded by Logan’s body heat as he stood mere inches from her. So close yet forever separated, that was the kind of life she would have and she couldn’t bear to ask him to live the same way. “Logan, you should detest me for what I did to you. I came so close to killing you, how could you be this close to me?” Marie asked softly.

Hands wound their way into her hair and across her face as Logan brought her to look at him. “Because, for the first time in as long as I can remember…I was willing to give my life for someone else. That’s a rare thing for someone like me darlin’, yet you managed it in just a couple of weeks.” Marie was blown away by the emotion in his voice. She stood as still as possible as he watched her intensely. Marie wished with everything she had that she could just touch him one time.

“I guess it’s really selfish of me to throw all of this on you when you don’t know a thing about my past or who I can really be. I’m afraid that if you really knew me, I wouldn’t have a chance in hell,” Logan said.

Marie’s vision was blinded by the cursed tears that now filled her eyes. What Logan didn’t know is that she knew his past. Every ugly and horrible detail of what Logan had been through in the past fifteen years was now burned inside her head. Not one memory or secret of his made her want to turn away…it made her want to care for him more.

Slowly she reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist. Using her hair as a barrier, she laid her head against his chest. His heart was beating as rapidly as hers and she took comfort in knowing he was just as nervous as she was. Marie thought it was odd how the Wolverine in her head had been so deafening the past few days, yet at this moment he was completely silent.

Before they could say anything else, the med lab door opened as Xavier, Dr. McCoy and Scott walked in. The look of concern on their faces washed away as they took in Logan and Marie. Xavier smiled at the two mutants as they unwrapped themselves from each other.

“Logan, it’s so good to see you awake. How are you feeling?” Xavier asked.

“I…I’m not sure,” Logan said looking at Marie.

Marie looked at Xavier, pleading with her eyes that he not mention her struggle with Wolverine. Right now was not the time. Logan was dealing with enough. She wasn’t really sure how he would take knowing his animal side almost overcame her.

“If you wouldn’t mind Logan, I would like to examine you,” Dr. McCoy spoke.

“I’m fine. I don’t need an examination,” Logan growled.

“Yes, well as your doctor, I’m asking you to just let me make sure of that. It will only take a moment,” he said unsure.

“Hank, what part of…” Logan began but quickly stopped as Marie gently laid her hand on his arm.

“Logan, it wouldn’t hurt to just let him make sure everything’s fine. We can talk later okay?” Marie said softly.

Logan hesitated a moment and then finally nodded his okay. He walked over to the bed and sat down heavily. Marie gave him a smile of assurance and walked over to Xavier and Scott.

Turning to face Logan again, she heard him say, “We got a lot to talk about. Don’t go too far.” She told him she would be just right outside as she made her way out the door.

Coming to a stop out in the hall, Marie leaned her head against the wall in exhaustion. She hadn’t rested in days. She was too overcome by worry to do anything else but watch Logan as he fought for his life. It had been a close call for both of them. That knowledge was just another example of how dangerous her skin really was.

“Rogue, you haven’t told him have you?” Xavier questioned softly.

Turning to look at him, she shook her head no. “I have no idea how to tell him that I know about all of the horrible things that happened to him. How do you tell someone that? Their most personal memories and secrets are now in the head of someone else…it’s not fair to him.” Marie let a few tears fall before angrily swiping them away. This was not the time to lose control of her emotions.

“That may be so Rogue, but it also may be that it will ease some of Logan’s burden to know that he has someone that understands what it was like. Though it didn’t happen to you, it still has scared you just the same,” Xavier said sympathetically.

Looking at the man that was steadily becoming like a father to her, Marie thought about the words he had just spoken. He had a very good point that she hadn’t even thought of. Could it be that Logan would feel the way Xavier had just pointed out?

“You will have to tell him sooner or later Rogue. Don’t let him find out from someone else.”

Logan and Hank walked out of the med lab. Logan had changed into some clothing that Scott had brought down for him. He looked as if he were still a little weak as he walked, but he tried to hide it. She watched him walk towards her as Hank spoke. “Logan is recovering nicely. He is not one hundred percent, but he is okay enough to be released. His healing ability should be fully restored by tomorrow, and he has promised to take it easy until then. Of course we all know how sincere he is about that,” Hank said smiling. Logan just rolled his eyes at the blue giant.

“That is good news Hank, thank you,” Xavier said. “Well, now that we know everyone is making a swift recovery maybe we can all get back to a little normalcy.” Everyone agreed with the Professor.

Logan leaned over to whisper in Marie’s ear, “Take a walk with me.” Marie agreed and turned to say her goodbyes to Xavier, Hank and Scott. Neither of them said a word as they waited for the elevator to take them to the top floor.

The mansion was eerily quiet to be a Friday afternoon. Marie assumed that everyone was either in class or relaxing in their rooms.

Logan led Marie to the oak tree that had become their favorite place at the mansion. The afternoon had turned into a beautiful one, and for a moment Marie looked around to see if the weather goddess had anything to do with it. Storm was no where to be seen so Marie chalked it up to good timing.

As they sat against the tree, neither one started the conversation. Both were too wrapped up in enjoying the breeze that had started to blow. Marie desperately tried to find the words to tell Logan about her newly required memories but her words let her down.

As if Logan could hear the battle in her head, he spoke first. “So, why don’t you tell me how you really are? I can tell there is something that you want to tell me Marie.”

Taking a deep breath, Marie looked over to see Logan giving her his undivided attention. Still the words wouldn’t come to her. “Hey, it’s okay. Just talk to me,” Logan said whispering.

“Logan, do you know how my mutation works?” Marie asked.

He thought about her question for a few moments and then answered. “To tell you the truth Marie, I don’t. All I know is that you can’t touch a person through skin to skin contact. I had some theories, ones that actually were proven correct when I touched you, so that’s about all I know.” He gave her an apologetic smile for not really knowing the answer to her question.

“Logan, when I touch a person, I take their life force…in the case of mutants I take their abilities.” Marie stopped for a moment to let that sink in. This part was pretty well known to Logan after what had just happened, so his face remained smooth. “I take something else as well,” she said faintly.

The words were gone from her again and she looked away frustrated. Taking out her anger around her, Marie started roughly pulling up grass and throwing them. She felt Logan’s hands stop her movements as he held them tightly.

“Marie, just tell me…trust me,” he said quietly.

The assurance of his voice gave Marie the strength to tell him the truth. Taking a deep breath, she whispered, “The first boy I ever kissed wound up in a coma for three weeks. I can still feel him in my head…and it’s the same with you. Not only do the people I touch get inside my head but their memories are there as well.”

She watched as the horrible realization of what she was saying sunk in. All of the color in Logan’s face vanished in an instant.

“Xavier has been working with me a little to get control of the memories and put them into the back of my mind, but your presence there is very powerful. You know, Wolverine can be really annoying sometimes. I’ve had a taste for cigars and beer for the past week and I’ve even caught myself trying to sneak out for them,” Marie said trying to lighten the mood.

To her saddened comprehension, it wasn’t working. Logan still looked as white as a ghost. “Come on Logan, say something….please,” she begged.

Finally, he turned his pain filled eyes upon her as he spoke. “You…know about my past? What exactly have you seen?” Marie was caught off guard by the total defeat in Logan’s voice. He was like a man that was told he only had a few weeks left to live.

“Everything Logan,” Marie said gently.

Logan jumped to his feet and started pacing in front of her. He was tightening his hands into fists and releasing them in an attempt to keep the claws at bay. She was afraid he would be angry with her and her worst fear was now proven correct.

“Logan, I am so sorry. I never wanted to invade your personal memories like that. When I touch someone, I have no control,” Marie said miserably.

His pacing stopped abruptly as he fell to his knees before her. Grabbing her hands he spoke so low she had to strain to him. “Marie, I am not angry with you. It’s just…my God; it shouldn’t be your burden to carry those nightmarish memories. I‘m the one that‘s sorry darlin‘!”

“Don’t you do that Logan. Don’t you dare blame yourself. You saved my life and that was bound to have consequences. If this is my penance for cheating death then I accept it.” She watched him look at her in awe.

“You know everything and yet you still sit before me? I would have thought anyone that knew what I was would run screaming,” Logan said dejectedly.

“You’re a survivor Logan. You are a person who had some horrible things done to him and lived to tell about it. You dealt with your situation in the only way a person could have.” she said with fervor.

The color started to slowly seep back into Logan’s face as he gave her a small smile. “You’re an amazing woman do you know that?” he whispered.

Marie just shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t feel amazing. The thought of turning away form Logan because of his past never entered her mind. Logan sat back down beside her and rested his head back against the oak tree. He looked as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders as he breathed deeply for a moment.

“How…hard was it to have Wolverine in your head?” His soft voice broke the silence around them.

Marie wanted to lie. She was afraid this part would be even harder for him to hear than the part about the memories but she owed it to him to be honest. “It was a rough go at first. He almost took control of my mind but Xavier was there to help…and so were you. It’s weird how you and Wolverine are two separate entities in my mind, yet you are one in the same. You’re voice was there to help pull me through.”

She watch Logan take this information in. “Well at least I did something right huh?” he said jokingly.

Marie couldn’t stop the laughter that rang out. To hear Logan joking was music to her ears. For the first time since this conversation started, she felt that maybe things would be okay. Maybe they would be okay.

They sat in silence for a while trying to digest their situation. Neither Marie nor Logan felt that words were necessary at the moment. Marie raised her face up to the gentle breeze that was blow. She felt the wind kissing her skin and she reveled in its touch.

Opening her eyes, she looked over to see Logan with his eyes closed enjoying the breeze as well. He looked more relaxed, which she was thankful for. Moving her eyes down to his hands, she noticed the pinkish, red area where his claws came out of. His hands were flawless except for that one area.

“Something wrong?” his low voice spoke.

Looking back up at him, she gave him a remorseful smile. “I just had a thought that’s all.”

He waited patiently for her to go on, but when she didn’t he asked her what it was. “I…well, I was wondering…and you can say no if you want…but I was wondering if you would let me see the claws?” she asked in a meek voice.

He stared at her for a moment, not sure as to why she wanted such a thing. Marie wondered if she had gone too far asking for this, but she wanted to see them. Finally, with a long deep breath, Logan raised his hand up as the adamantium claws broke through his skin. She watched in fascination as they extended to their full length. What Logan found to be a curse, Marie found to be extraordinary.

Reaching down, she slipped the glove off of her hand and brought it up to touch the metal. She prayed that it wouldn’t have the same effect that skin had. She felt Logan tense and turned to look at him. He was looking at her out of concern as he spoke. “Marie, they are razor sharp, be careful.” She gave him a nod of her head and proceeded to touch her intended target.

The surface of the admantium claws shocked her. She was expecting hard, cold steel, but what she felt was the total opposite. Warm, smooth texture greeted her bare hand as she explored Logan’s curse. Marie gently started at the tip of the claw and work her way down to just above his knuckles. She could have sworn the whole time neither of them breathed. For the first time since her mutation manifested, Marie was able to touch a part of another’s body without any form of barrier.

Reluctantly she lowered her hand and put her gloves back on. She looked back up at Logan and smiled gently at him. “Thank you for that.” she said tenderly.

He wrapped his arms around her and brought her to his chest. “Anytime darlin’, anytime.”