Logan had brought her to the institute 3 months and 4 days ago. Since then Rogue had met many new people. Now that she had adjusted to her new life style, she had never felt so alone.
That morning she had woken up earlier than most of the other students. Her body rejected the sleep that she had wanted to receive. Sighing deeply she had pushed herself from bed and forced herself to dress. Layers. That was all that she would allow herself to wear. It was bad enough to have her own thoughts running through her head, she didn't need anyone touching her by accident so that they too could invade her mind. After pulling on her black jeans, buckling her belt, and putting on an undershirt with a soft black long sleeve over it she went to her dresser to pull out a pair of white socks. Rogue straightened her back as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.
"Why d' Ah look like the livin' dead ever' damn mornin'?"
She shook her head, balanced on one leg and slid on a sock before doing the same to her other foot. Her feet slid into a pair of black boots before she looked outside. As she clasped the buckles, she noticed the fountain surrounded by grass a hundred yards away from the mansion. It was barely visible from beyond the trees. In her mind, Rogue established where she would go to think. Grabbing a brush she went to the mirror again to give herself a little pep talk.
"If ya gunna go outside Marie, Ya might as well not look like a crazy homeless person."
She brushed her long brunette hair until it shined. The lengthy strip of pure white hair framed her face. She wasn't a bad looking girl, to say the least, she was very pretty. Yet in her own eyes all she saw was the pain of her past. The pain of her family's rejecting her because she is a mutant, the pain she felt when she thought about what she did to Cody, the pain that struck her every time Magneto flowed through her head and nothing was worse than the pain that no one understood what she was going through. Sure they could empathize as much as they wanted. The Geeks at this place would never have to know what it is like to have so many people running through their heads, taking over who they are little by little. She stepped away from the mirror to grab a pair of gloves and go downstairs. Rogue saw A various array of colorful Autumn leaves blow by through the window and she instinctively put on her huge hunter green coat. As she walked outside the end of the coat brushed against her calves lightly.
Within 7 minutes Rogue found herself standing in front of the fountain. For several minutes she observed the beauty of it before finally sitting on a small portion of the stone bench attached to it. Leaning sideways she watched as the water flowed over the coins at the bottom. If she had one wish... If she had one hope, it would be for her to have someone who could be with her. Although she could never physically touch them, she wanted a man to be with. Someone who would calm her down when she was angry, stroke her hair when she was tired, someone that she could talk to for hours on end, someone to laugh with, dance with, and hold on to when it felt like she was going to slip away. Pssh... that ain't gunna happen. But a gal can dream can't she?
"She's been out there since I woke up this morning." Storm told Logan as she sipped her tea in the kitchen. "Apparently Piotr and Kurt were playing football this afternoon when they spotted her. Rogue gave them quite a tongue lashing." 'Ro couldn't help but smirk a little when she saw Logan's eyebrow rise. "A few hours later Kitty went to see if she needed anything and she all but smacked her."
Logan gulped down the rest of his coffee and walked to the sink to rinse the cup out. "Sounds like the kid needs someone to talk to. If anyone is capable of gettin' the girl to talk, it's me." His eyes flashed to the clock on the wall. 5:37.
"You can be very persuasive Logan." 'Ro grinned, teasing him slightly.
The only response she got was a low growl before he turned and walking out a door to the wide expanse of land that kept him from his Marie.
When he got to the fountain she had her face turned away from him, her arms wrapped around her legs as her face rested on her raised knees. Ever since the incident with Magneto, Logan couldn't help but feel unbelievably protective of her. He had grown close to this girl, it had been a very long time since someone had gotten close to his heart. In the last few weeks Logan hadn't been around. He had a few things to take care of in Canada and then Chuck had called him for an errand in Alaska before he returned. The night that he did come back flashed before his eyes. He had knocked on Rogue's door to see if she was alright and she had been sleeping soundly. Logan couldn't stop himself from staying in the doorway watching her sleep. She had been so peaceful. There was no one tormenting her in her head. No reason to feel so on guard because of the geeks at this school. It was an image of her he did not want to forget.
"Hey kid. Ya got some people mighty worried about you."
"Ah'm fine Logan."
"By the looks of it, ya don't look it."
Rogue turned her head around to look at him. Why did Logan have to be so damn handsome? He radiated masculinity. Tight faded jeans, a brown belt that matched his boots, a white undershirt, red flannel, and a leather jacket with the zipper down. Damn.
"Ah'm fine." She repeated.
Logan, being the stubborn ass that he could be, slowly walked over and took a seat near her feet.
"Ya know that if you ever needed me... I'd be here to help, right?"
She nodded, staying silent.
"If you need to talk Kid, I'm right here."
Her eyes drifted back to the water in the fountain without response.
"Okay then..." Logan got up and started to leave when he felt something enclose over his wrist. Looking down he noticed that it was Rogue's gloved hand.
"No. Stay with me Logan."
The look in her eyes would have been enough to keep him by her side every second that she wanted him to. He watched as her knees straightened and her legs swung over the edge of the stone. Instantly she stood and wrapped her arms between his leather jacket and his shirt. Pressing her face into the fabric of his shirt she started to let the tears fall. It had caught him off guard, but then his arms wrapped around her in a gentle embrace.
"Awe come on Darlin', tell me what's wrong."
Between sobs she spoke. "Ah.. Ah ain't like them Logan. Ah can't live like this. No one under-understandss what Ah... What ah hafta go through. They ain't nevah gunna hafta face wwhat Ah ffface." Her cries grew louder as one of his hands gently stroked her hair, a small way of trying to get her to calm down. Along with the work of his hand Logan was making soft 'sshhh'ing noises.
"It'll be alright Darlin'. I'm here. That's all that matters. They may not understand ya much 'cause their just kids but someday they will see just how hard life can be."
10 minutes later Rogue removed her hands that were caressing his back and lowered them to her sides. Her big emerald eyes were rimmed with violently red eyes.
"Ya feel bettah Rogue?"
"Now that Ah got that outta mah system, yes." She nodded as he left a small kiss to the top of her head.
"Ya wanna head back up t' the mansion? Face all them kids ya yelled at today?"
Rogue's eyes widened in realization of how badly she had snapped at Kurt, Piotr, and Kitty. She was going to have to apologize for that later. Logan just laughed at her reaction to his questions, the funny expression burning into his very soul. This girl didn't just get close to his heart, she had made a permanent place there. When she had nodded they started to walk up to the mansion her gloved hand in his bare one.
"Ya know I never did get to respond to your request..."
"What?"
"'Stay with me Logan.'"
"Oh! Well then what didcha have in mind?"
Logan stopped walking and turned to her. "When ya asked me to stay, I just wanted ya to know that I'm not goin' anywhere Darlin'. I'll always be here fer ya, no matteh what ya need."
"Thanks Logan, it means a lot."
She smiled and as they reached the mansion, their hands broke apart from each other as the sun started to set on the horizon.
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