Logan felt someone puncturing a needle into his skin. He sat up immediately and jumped to his feet. The doctor next to him backed away but he was faster. He grabbed her and put his hand around her neck, nearly suffocating her.
He glanced around realizing no one around he dropped her to the ground and ran.
The place he was in had metallic walls. There was no artwork, there was nothing on them. The first disturbance in the perfection was a large cabinet with several uniforms displayed. In a drawer was some other wardrobe pieces. He grabbed a sweater and kept moving.
That was when he heard the voices.
Where are you going?
He flinched, slamming himself into the wall to hide. But no one was there. Logan. It whispered.
A door opened. He went inside. It was an elevator, the door closed before he had a chance to get out.
When it opened it revealed a corridor type of place. It was very large. Everything made of silky wood and marble floors. He continued walking looking around. There was no sign of anyone, but he wasn’t alone. The voice continued to speak as he walked.
Where are you going? It hissed.
There was another door that suddenly opened and rushed inside, closing the door behind him. When he turned around he realized there was a room full of people. It looked like a class. “Good morning Logan.” The man said. He spoke to the students “I’d like your definition of weak and strong athrobic principles on my desk on Wednesday. That’ll be all.”
The rest of the class left slowly, one student straying behind disappeared through a wall as she left. He picked up a book on his desk and said “Physics.” He murmured smiling. “I’m Charles Xavier. Would you like some breakfast?” He asked. He came out from behind his desk and Logan realized he was in a wheelchair.
“Where am I?” Logan questioned, glancing around.
“Westchester, New York. You were attacked; my people brought you here for medical attention.” He answered quiet but certain.
“I don’t need medical attention.” Logan hissed.
“Yes, of course.” Charles nodded with a slight smile of amusement.
“Where’s the girl?” Logan demanded.
“Rogue?” he murmured “She’s here. She’s fine.”
Logan’s eyes narrowed. “Really?”
Just then the door behind him opened revealing three others. “Ah, Logan. I’d like you to meet Ororo Monroe, also called Storm. This is Scott Summers, also called Cyclops.” He continued. Scott put his hand out as a gesture to shake his hand but Logan just glared at him. “They saved your life.” He murmured as Logan gave them both glares. “I believe you’ve already met Dr. Jean Grey.” He murmured as she walked past him. “You are in my school for gifted Mutants. You’ll be safe here from Magneto.”
Logan raised an eyebrow. “What’s a Magneto?”
“A very powerful mutant.” He answered. “He believes that a war is brewing between mutants and the rest of humanity. I’ve been following his activities for some time. The man who attacked you is an associate of his called Sabertooth.”
“Sabertooth.” Logan raised an eyebrow. “Storm.” He said, amused. “and Cyclops.” He echoed. “What do they call you, Wheels?” he laughed. “This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” He shook his head laughing before he headed towards the door. Scott was in his way. Logan glared at him. “Cyclops right? Want to get out of my way?” Scott peered around Logan towards the professor.
“Logan, it’s been fifteen years hasn’t it? Living from day to day, moving from place to place, no memory of what you are?”
“Shut up.” He hissed darkly.
“Logan, give me a chance. I may be able to help you find some answers.” Professor Xavier murmured.
“How do you know?” He whispered.
You’re not the only one with gifts. The professor’s voice echoed through his mind suddenly and Logan glanced around in surprise.
Logan gave him a nearly roguish grin without fully taking him seriously. He raised one eyebrow with an amused expression on his face. “What is this place?”
***************
(Song- Time is running out by Muse)
It was late at night. Rogue opened her eyes, turning onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Nothing had happened and nothing was wrong, everything was perfect. But her heart felt concave and hollow. Pain was drilling into her faintly, second hand horror.
A name flashed through her mind. Logan.
Rogue knew she didn’t have to touch to take. By being around being their simple essence drove deep into her soul. Their personalities didn’t join without touch, but she could feel his fear, his pain, the nightmare’s he was having.
What could she do? She had no idea where his room was, where he was staying.
But she couldn’t leave him. Not if what she was feeling had been even a tenth of his emotions. It was too horrible. It was too much to handle. She had to go to him.
Rogue swung her legs off of her bed, her bare feet touching the cold floor. Worrisome, she slipped carefully through the corridor without knowing fully where she was going. She felt the instinct.
The first doorknob her hand gripped was the room he resigned. She turned to knob, with a click it opened. Amused, she raised an eyebrow. Not afraid of sleeping with the door unlocked?
Logan was there when she approached, he was almost shaking. She could see his veins under the pale surface of his skin when his muscles tightened. “Logan.” She whispered.
He didn’t stir as she made her way closer, even as she sank onto the bed beside him he did not wake. For a moment she couldn’t do anything but stare. Although he did not sleep soundly he still had the charming charisma that his personality maintained.
As he lay there sleeping his hair was messily in front of his face. She glanced towards the door before she reached forward and brushed it out of his eyes. Accidently, he skin brushed against his.
Nothing happened.
She bit her lip. Don’t push it. But she couldn’t help herself. Maybe she was able to control it. Briefly, she brushed her fingertips along the side of his face. Her heart beat calmly at a steady pace. As long as she remained this way, for now nothing would happen. She smiled. She could control it. But it was when she pulled he hand away that something happened.
Suddenly she felt the dream go darker with anger and fear and Logan shot upright and without a moment’s hesitation, in the blink of an eye his claws extended into Rogue’s chest.
For the first time he looked at her, fully conscious. He was confused; disoriented, unsure of what to do. When her eyes widened as they stared into his he almost relaxed, his claws flexing back into his arms. “Help,” he called out suddenly. Her eyes, they stared, not fully comprehending as the pain coursed through her. “SOMEBODY HELP ME!” He screamed.
There was nothing he could do by this point. There were no medics that could stitch up her heart in time. His claws had punctured three holes right through it. She raised one hand but hesitated. No, she had seen what her powers had done to everyone else. And she knew what everyone else had done to her. Did she want his thoughts in her mind? Maybe this wasn’t something he could heal from.
But this wasn’t something she’d survive without his help.
Slowly, she began to reach forward, her hand inches from his face. But then she laid her palm on his cheek and he began to feel weak.
It strained him completely. His energy was gone as he stared at her, but in the pain there was also happiness. Contact. She wasn’t afraid of him, but she wanted him to be afraid of her. He hadn’t been aware of her full strength and ability till he felt the drain.
Their thoughts flowed into each other unwillingly. There was nothing they could do about it. The only thing that was repeated through her mind was his voice. “Don’t die. Please no.” If Rogue wanted to live she had to hold on. What could she do? Even as she felt the very emotion of his dreams and the strong engaging arousal of his thoughts she couldn’t let go.
That was when he realized what she was doing. He saw the crusted blood on the surface of her skin beginning to disappear. She was healing. It was almost gone. But all the while her memories flowed into him. He saw what had happened. He heard what her first impression of him fighting had been. The fear she had felt when she nearly watched him be stabbed. He saw the boy who had introduced herself to her—which annoyed him. At the same time he was feeling weaker and weaker. It was when the scars had disappeared he realized they had an audience. She finally let go. The last memory that he saw of hers was the kiss with the boy when she first discovered her power.
In the doorway a group had gathered. Rogue nearly collapsed from the strength she felt. There was a sudden adrenaline rush. But there was also the anger. An agony that coursed through her with determination to be alone. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. When Storm appeared beside her, her expression was demanding an explanation.
Rogue shot her a glare and with a last glance at Logan, unconscious on the bed before she pushed her way through the crowd in the doorway and ran to her room.
She knew it hadn’t happened before. But not like this. Not to the extent that she had his thoughts coursing through her. Rogue felt what he felt. She wanted what he wanted. She sat on her bed, rubbing her forehead. It’ll go away in a little while.
The next morning she was sitting outside staring at the ground. It had yet to go away, but she felt angry. She was annoyed at almost the smallest of comments. The park bench was just in front of a forest, it was quiet, until she heard someone. “Rogue?”
She glanced back at him. It wasn’t who she had expected. But she remembered him. His name was Bobby, he had been in one of her first classes at Mutant High. “Bobby” She muttered.
“Rogue what did you do? They’re saying you’re stealing other mutant’s powers...” he murmured. His voice was quiet, unsure.
“No, no.” She argued, “I borrowed his powers.”
His eyes grew serious. “You never use you powers against another mutant.”
“I had no choice.” She tried to justify herself, “No you have to understand...”
“If I were you I’d get myself out of here.” He interrupted darkly.
Her heart stopped short and pain shot through her veins. “What do you mean?” Rogue whispered.
“Listen,” he began. “The students are freaked. Professor Xavier is furious...” He closed his eyes briefly and then looked at her straight on. “I don’t know what he’ll do with you. I think it’ll be easier on your own.” He paused for a long moment.
Her jaw tensed as she tried to force away the lump in her throat. They hate me. The statement repeated through her mind. They don’t want me here. Nobody wants me here. I nearly killed the one person who might have, and now he hates me too.
“You should go.” He added darkly.
Rogue pushed herself onto her feet, dragging herself away from the bench. She paused and glanced back at him, he gave her a half smile, his eyes smouldering. She turned and left. Just after she turned away, Bobby turned into Mystique. Magneto would be pleased.
When Logan woke up he felt weak. An absence of energy, or perhaps just an absence in him. Something was missing; a piece of him had disappeared.
Memory shot through him like a lightning bolt. What had happened last night? It all seemed like just a dream. Or something that he wanted to forget. He couldn’t. The last thing he remembered was her expression before he blacked out. Rogue.
He rushed up the stairs passing some of the other students who whispered. He could have easily tuned in to what they were saying but ignored them. He was focused. When he arrived at her door he knocked first. “Rogue?” he called. As his fist tapped against the door it swung open slightly.
The room itself was empty, the drawers messily swung out as though they had been pulled in a rush. The closet was open. The bed still made, it hadn’t been slept in.
He was beside Professor X within minutes. “Where is she?” he demanded.
Xavier thought for a moment, his eyes glazing over as he searched through the mutant community. “She’s gone.” He murmured under his breath.
They started towards the room where he could access them all; everyone’s thoughts; everyone’s mind; everyone’s life was in his hands in that room. He could find her there.
Logan went in with him. He didn’t care.
It took several moments for Xavier to locate her. They felt like centuries. What would he do if he couldn’t find her? He didn’t know. All he knew was that she was getting further away. He could feel it.
When Xavier opened his eyes his gaze turned directly to Logan and headed towards the door with him trailing behind demanding answers.
Waiting outside was Storm and Scott Summers. “Storm, Scott I need you to go find the girl.” He murmured. “She’s at the train station ten miles from here.”
“Wait no; I have to go with them.” Logan interrupted angrily. “I’m the reason she left.”
“No.” Charles disagreed. “You have to stay here. This is the exact situation Magneto is looking for.”
He glared at him but with a nod proceeded to walk away.
Scott and Storm were in the garage taking one of the schools cars to head towards the train station when Scott froze glancing around. Storm noticed. “What?” she asked.
He snorted. “My bike was here.” His jaw tensed. “He took my motorcycle.”
(song- Safe and Sound by Hawksley Workman)
Had someone asked, Logan couldn’t explain how he had found her. There was no explanation to be called upon. He hadn’t searched for long and he hadn’t asked who had seen her. Some might call it trusting your instinct, others might call it more than that.
All he knew was that when he saw her sitting facing towards the window on the Train he couldn’t have been more relieved.
“Hey kid.” He murmured quietly, sitting down in the seat next to her. Rogue opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself. His paused before he spoke. “I’m sorry about last night.”
“Me too.” She whispered.
“You running again?” he asked.
She almost smiled, but she closed her eyes focusing. “I heard the professor was mad at me.”
“Who told you that?” he asked.
“A boy at school,” she answered quietly. “You think I should go back.” She accused.
“No,” he disagreed. “I think you should follow your instincts.”
She paused, thoughtful. “The first boy I ever kissed ended up in a coma for three weeks. I can still feel him, inside my head.” Rogue opened her eyes looking into his. “And it’s the same with you.” She sucked in a ragged breath as she tried to stop the flow of tears, but it was unbearable. He leaned in, putting his arm around her. She set her head against him and closed her eyes.
Logan wasn’t sure what to say to that. But he wanted her to stay, so he said what was necessary. “There’s not many people that’ll understand what you’re going through. But I think this guy... Xavier, is one of them.” He took a deep breath. “He seems to genuinely want to help you. And that’s a rare thing for people like us.”
She opened her eyes as she straightened up and looked at him carefully.
“So what do you say,” he murmured smiling. “Give these geeks one more shot?” Rogue smiled slightly, but it didn’t touch her eyes. “Come on, I’ll take care of you.” He murmured to her quietly.
Rogue paused, smiled and raised one eyebrow. “You promise?”
“Yeah.” He smiled down at her. “Yeah I promise.” There was something changed within him. The pieces that were missing before were in his arms, and he never wanted to let her go. He would do anything not to.
She stared into his eyes for a long time. She felt herself leaning forward, but the restraint made her slower. He did too, hesitation made the moment stretch. Gently, his lips touched hers.
Exhilaration shot through him. There was no pain as he had thought there would be. He had planned to endure, just for this opportunity. He wanted it. Slowly, reluctantly he pulled away.
Her eyes remained closed. Trying still to understand.
“You can control—” he began.
(Turn the song off if it's still on)
The train suddenly stopped and a loud noise interrupted them. Both stood, Rogue jumped slightly as the screeching sound began. It was like metal clashing against metal, it hurt to hear.
Logan turned around in time to see the back of the train rip off exposing what was outside. Nothing was there for a moment, everything was engulfed in fog. But it was then that he emerged. There was something terrifying about seeing him there, standing on nothing but thin air. He was capable of so much with just the flick of his finger, and he had one hand raised to show that fact. Logan glanced over at Rogue who was sitting once more, tears streaming down her face before he looked back at Magneto. His claws shot out as his fists tensed.
“Ah,” he said in a nonchalant drawl. “You must be the Wolverine.” He was about to go forward before he realized something. He could no longer move. It felt like every limb was stiff. When he tried to move it hurt. Magneto smiled, “That remarkable metal doesn’t go through your entire body does it?” He flexed his fingers, lifting him into the air.
Logan had closed his eyes as he grunted in pain, completely enthralled in the agony. It was too much to handle. His claws; fully extended had begun to bend and he let out a gasp of pain as it crushed his internal muscle.
Rogue cried out the second she heard him. “Stop!” she screamed “Stop it!”
He tensed completely before he summoned barely enough strength to speak. “What. Do. You. Want. With. Me.” He said slowly, carefully framing each word.
Magneto’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “You?” he laughed amused. “My dear boy, who ever said you I wanted you?”
The realization shot resentment and anger through Logan’s entire body. His eyes shifted to the side, where he could see Rogue watching him with terror in her eyes. He barely had time to think before he was flying through the air, backwards and into the wall.
Then his eyes went black.
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