'Crap! Nothing's fine.' Logan was glad his obvious arousal was gone as he returned to the now closed door of the bathroom, knocking lightly. "Marie." He paused a moment searching for the right words. "I know you are crying." A minute passed by till the door opened and Rogue stepped onto the threshold. Her gaze was glued to the floor, but her red eyes were hard to miss. "I'm sorry, Marie. I shouldn't have done that... Dunno what I thought."

Shaking her head she slowly looked up. "Ya just surprised me, Logan."

He wanted to touch her, place a hand on her shoulder, but he thought better of it. "I scared you. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, Marie." He hadn't thought he could feel even more miserable that day. The Wolverine normally didn't apology or ask for forgiveness, but when it came down to Marie the rules changed.

"There is nothing to forgive, sugah." A sob escaped her throat and she approached Logan sensing his insecurity. "It's me. Something's wrong with me."

"Marie?" Now she was scaring him. "Are you hurt?" He could be so dense sometimes.

"No. Dunno." New tears welled up in her hazel eyes. "Ah'm so confused… It was the same when…" She fell silent. Can she talk with him about it, when even her inner Logan kept silent? But he probably thought now she wouldn't want him that way.

"What, darlin'?" His puppy dog gaze was pleading with her to talk to him.

Suddenly she closed the distance between them and threw her arms around his chest, burying her face in his shirt. "… when Bobby tried to kiss me for the first time. Ah mean Ah always wanted it, but the closer he came the more afraid Ah got… God, then Ah felt ya return and Ah ran to ya. It was the only thing that felt right in that moment. The kiss… Ah…" She choked on her words.

Logan rubbed her back as he always did when she cried. A few years ago he had been at a loss what to do when a woman would cry before him, but now he had learned following his instincts was the best solution. "You weren't ready." He finally understood.

"For a kiss! How can that be? Ah'm twenty now, damnit!" She looked up at him with angry tears welling up in her hazel eyes.

"Well, your first kiss was a disaster." He heard her snort in respond.

"Ah'm pathetic."

"You're not." 'Christ, she's so insecure.' His hand moved to stroke the back of her head. "Don't push yourself, darlin'."

They stood there a while just holding each other as her tears slowly subsided. "Thanks, Logan." She pulled away and felt his hands leave her body immediately. 'Ah might have pushed him away.' "Ya did nothing wrong. And Ah want my hickey ya promised me." Suddenly she felt brave and placed a kiss on Logan's lips. It was just a peck and she swiftly grasped his hand pulling him firmly behind her to the bed. Catching a glimpse of his stunned face she hid her satisfied grin. "Let's watch the rest. Wanna know who the murderer is."

X X X X X X X X

They were back snuggling together on Logan's bed, but the awkward atmosphere still lingered between them. The older mutant was never a fan of small talk, though he was a pro at flirting, but he tried to ease the tension and his confusion – usually he would take one look at the girl and would know what was wrong, but sometimes they could talk to each other for hours and he would only become more confused about her. "It's weird you still have my healin', Marie." Her head shifted and she met his gaze. "It's several days since the mall."

Rogue shrugged her shoulders. "The healing factor is fading, but much slower than the other times."

"Well, you absorbed me a few times already." Logan mused aloud.

"Maybe… but Ah think it's due to also touching Victor." She contemplated a moment. "Ah sucked both of ya nearly dead. Your healing factors kinda added up… Ya have almost the same mutation after all."

"Makes sense." And silence befell them again as both their views wandered back to the screen.

X X X X X X

Rogue stifled a yawn and tried to keep her heavy eyelids from dropping close, but it was no use when she was dozing off for a few minutes. Waking up with a start she eventually decided it was time to retire for the night. With a sigh she pushed away from Logan's chest.

He hoped intently his request won't scare her further, but he was too worn out for her to sleep away from him. "Stay with me." This was the first time he spoke this request out loud. "I won't be able to sleep tonight. Have too much runnin' in my mind… I need you close to me tonight, Marie." His voice was only a whisper and he watched her expectantly.

A small smile formed on her lips. "Of course." Her eyes wandered to her bare arms before she slid from his body.

"No, don't." Logan stopped her before she could leave the bed and he fished his red button up from the floor holding it out to her. She slipped in with a grin and threw a glance at her naked legs then his jeans and sock covered ones.

Deciding they were both protected enough Rogue lifted the thin blanket, crawled on the mattress so her weight wouldn't push the sheet down anymore and finally pulled on the fabric. "Up, Logan." She ordered and he obeyed with a tired grin. Freeing the blanket from the mutant's body she threw it over his legs and stomach while he fluffed his pillow up. At last Rogue slid under the cover, curling up to Logan, her head snuggling onto his shoulder with a sad smile as he turned the T.V. off with the remote.

"Ah'm sorry, Logan." Her hand wandered over his chest. "It was too much at once… but Ah didn't know where to stop…"

"No, it's fine. I just need time to think." He wrapped his arms around her back. "Go to sleep, Marie."

Her eyes were heavy, but she struggled against the temptation to close them and drift to sleep. "Logan?"

"Mhm.", was the murmured answer accompanied by a light kiss onto her dark crown.

This issue was burning on her soul all along and was just intensifying due to Logan's suggestive remarks and his obvious need to touch her the past few hours. "Am Ah still a kid to ya?" She needed to hear his answer.

This question took Logan by surprise. His face wore still the exhausted expression, but his eyes held a sudden spark when his gaze swept down to her sleepy features observing her intently. "Hardly." His arms enclosed her more tightly as a soft smile crept onto her lips. "Sleep now."

X X X X X X X

It was long past midnight and Logan watched the slender beauty in his embrace sleep, her breathing deep and even. Taking a drag of her scent he smiled down on her serene face. 'I'm not good for her. She deserves so much better.' Sighing his hand wandered absently through Rogue's hair. 'It's bad enough she has me and Sabretooth in her head. A relationship with me would definitely ruin her life. What can I offer her anyway? Nothing 'cept a truckload of anger and problems.'

Her fingers clasped his shirt and held the fabric tight in her fist. 'But then again, she has me in her mind and is still here with me – even said that she feels complete again now. Why won't my life, my fucked-up personality scare the hell outa her, like it does everyone else who doesn't know me as good as she does?'

'She's still here with me. Voluntarily laying in my arms. Sharing her life with me for so many months now… Everyone thinks us a couple… But I'm no good for her, even if she loves me.' He removed one hand from the sleeping body of his Marie and grasped one of his tags lifting it up. 'And now with my past so close, everything becomes more complicated.' His gaze inspected the words on the metal while his fingers fiddled with the piece.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

The sun was shining brightly through the half closed curtains onto the bed and its two occupants, warming Rogue's back. Nuzzling Logan's chest she breathed in his unique mix of leather, tobacco and wood. "Mornin'." She stretched a little and found her whole body on top of Logan's, one of her legs draped over his, the other resting between his legs. She blushed and wondered how long they were curled up like that.

"Mornin', darlin'." He placed a kiss on the top of her head and ran his fingertips up and down her spine. "Slept well?"

In the same rhythm as he she began rubbing his chest. "Very well. No nightmares." She pressed her face into his shirt to hide her yawn.

"Still tired?"

His brow was hitched at her. "Nah, Ah just enjoy laying here with ya, sugah." She smiled at him lovingly and felt his arm from under his head move around her waist, his hand meeting his other one on the small of her back. Snuggling her face into his chest the brunette let out a content sigh. "Your body is so wonderful warm." A blush crept onto her cheeks when she grasped she had indeed spoken aloud and she buried her face deeper into his shirt.

His chest rumbled beneath her when he chuckled about her uneasiness. "Well… You know, we have a hot summer this year?!"

She smacked him, but when she met his gaze a bright smile was on her lips. "Ya look better today."

His face was more relaxed, his eyes held their usual spark when she would wake up next to him. "I do feel better. A lot." There it was again: his rare true smile radiating happiness.

'God, Ah love him so much.'

'Eww, gonna gag! Already this lovey-dovey crap in the early mornin'. … Then for heaven's sake tell him!'

'Good mornin' to ya, too, Victor!' she told the older feral in her mind sarcastically.

'Do all of us a fuckin' favour, runt, and finally kiss that dense brother of mine.'

'Shut up, will ya?'

'No.'

'Ya fuckin' will!'

'Nah.'

'Argh!' The brunette pressed her face frustrated against Logan's chest.

Logan furrowed his brows in concern picking up her change in smell. "What is it, Marie?"

Almost growling she looked up at him. "Headache." Rogue saw the worry in his features. "Victor won't shut up."

Realization replaced the concern in his expression. "He can be quite talk-active and persistent when he has found a topic to bug you 'bout."

This statement caught Rogue's attention. "So ya remember more."

"Not much." He took a deep breath. "Nothing specific, only that Victor teased me about some crap for months."

X X X X X

Logan broke the comfortable silence that stretched on for a few minutes. After the night spent alone with his thoughts he wondered how Marie was coping with the events of the last week. "Think your old man ain't happy that his pure little angel lives together with a violent sap like me." 'And lays in his arms in the same bed right now.'

"Ah ain't an angel, Logan. And Dad can be glad that this violent sap protects me and makes me happy."

"I do?" Logan's brow hitched upwards.

Their eyes met and she didn't miss the grin on his lips. "Of course, ya do make me very happy an' ya know it."

"Yep, but it's nice to hear." He was glad she placed her head back on his chest, so she couldn't see his smug grin.

Expectantly Rogue waited for him to continue, but after a minute of silence she gently pushed herself up from his chest to get a good look onto his face – or more onto the cocky smirk on it. "Idiot!" Annoyed she slapped her hand on his chest and tried to pull away from his embrace, but his strong arms tightened their grip on her small frame and held her in place.

Slowly his grin changed into a gentle smile and his hand slid up her back and finally rested on the back of her head pulling her face towards his. For a moment Rogue thought he would kiss her and her breath caught in her throat. But then his lips brushed tenderly against the bare skin on her forehead while his hand wandered down to her cheek cupping it with her brown mane as protection. "You make this violent old sap very happy, Marie." Their eyes locked, his softening. "Hey, I can relax near you. That's a feeling I didn't know for almost 20 years."

Her anger vanished as she noticed the sincerity in his voice and the pure emotion shining in his eyes. With a gentle smile she leaned forward and kissed the beardless spot near his lips before returning to her favourite place on his chest.

The following few minutes were spent in holding each other close and savouring the other's warm touch and comforting scent. Suddenly moans and the sound of a creaking mattress invaded Rogue's sensitive ears and she perked her head up. "Uhu? The guys next to us are quite needy this early in the morning." A small blush was on her cheeks.

Logan snickered, still unused to her enhanced senses. "It isn't early, Marie. It's past 9:30 am."

"It is early for us, sleepyhead."

Logan chuckled involuntarily. "They aren't next to us, but two rooms further away."

"Oh." The brunette's eyes widened, finally grasping she had unconsciously used her borrowed hearing. "No wonder ya have sleep disturbance at Xavier's. Ya must eavesdrop on every nightly talk on a four room radius."

"More like five or six rooms." He corrected and felt her snuggle her head back into his chest as a sudden sadness came in waves from her. His hand wandered to her dark hair in a comforting gesture while he could smell her struggle against the tears that threatened to fall. "Marie?"

The knot in her chest from the night before had returned, just this time it was accompanied with melancholy and not fear. Her lower lip quivered when she began to voice her stinging pain in her heart. "Ah'm never gonna experience that."

Wrinkling his forehead Logan put his index finger under her chin and made her meet his disapproving gaze. "You regret you didn't fuck some stranger, so ya can tell ya have done the deed?"

A strangled sob left her lips as she stared annoyed at him. "No… My first time should have been special… with someone special." A tear finally won the struggle and rolled down her cheek in a sad triumph before it was wiped away by Logan's finger.

He wore now the same reassuring and kind expression he had back at the train so long ago. "Don't speak in past tense. You will have sex."

Rogue eventually lost the fight and her tears streamed freely from her miserable gaze. "Not in this life."

"Where there is a will, there is a way, Marie." Stroking her head he let her in on the solution he had come up with years ago. "A condom and keeping as much covered as possible, darlin'."

Her blurred view searched his face for the hint of a joke or boneless reassurance her parents would provide – though surely not on this topic, but found only grave but tender eyes. "Ya're serious."

"'Course I am. You can have sex. That jerk just has to cover his dick an' balls." Her tears stopped immediately and her expression became dreamy. "Whom do you imagine, Marie?" His smug grin was back at his face.

This question tore her from her thoughts about him with a flush of her cheeks. "Can we change the topic?"

"You started it, darlin'."

Her head settled back onto his broad chest and after a moment of silence a content smile tugged on her pink lips when she whispered a hardly audible "Thank ya.".

Logan placed a kiss onto her dark hair glad to have given her new hope. "You're welcome, Marie."

X X X X X X

More than ten minutes later, they hadn't moved one inch from their curled up position, Rogue lifted her head and patted her friend's chest gently. "Let's get going, Logan."

An upset growl escaped his lips. "Another five minutes, darlin'. It's so comfortable now." His strong arms wrapped tighter about the young woman's frame, giving her no chance to escape.

Rogue hitched her eyebrow at him with a sly grin. "Uhu, the big bad Wolverine likes cuddling!?!"

With a playful growl Logan flipped them over, supporting his weight with his hands on the mattress, so he wouldn't crush the beauty beneath him, and bent down his predatory eyes pinning her down on the bed while he inhaled her scent deeply. "Come again?!"

Not threatened in the slightest way Rogue lifted her hands, running both of them up his arms as she placed a peck onto the tip of his nose. "Just stated the obvious: Wolvie likes to cuddle." Her hands finally reached his shoulders and she slung them around his neck. Bad move.

An evil spark gleamed in Wolverine's eyes as he shifted his full weight onto his right hand and brought his now free hand to his prey's axle tickling her through the fabric. A squeal followed a high pitched scream as Marie grasped her unfortunate position and pulled her arms immediately close to her body minimizing Logan's attack surface. But this was no use as his fingers swiftly switched location to her stomach continuing their assault making her laugh like mad.

Rogue was always one of Logan's best students and so she took him by his teachings: Offence is the best defence. Pressing her upper arms against her body to shelter her axles, she moved her hands to her attacker's sides of his torso and began her own tickle maneuver. But this only intensified her friend's torture of her middle and she soon found herself gasp for air between her giggles and her attempt to roll onto her stomach. When she finally achieved her goal she was about to crawl away from his grasp, only to be tickled on her sides causing her to squeal again.

When the brunette's face was flushed in a deep shade of red and she was panting hard, Logan let go off her and rolled next to her onto his back with a bright smile. Catching her breath Rogue slumped down on the bed, her red face turned towards her friend and a grin plastered her lips. "That was mean, sugah."

He chuckled and grasped her gloved hand, bringing it to his mouth to place a kiss onto her palm. "You deserved it, darlin'." Logan was so glad the awkwardness from the last evening wasn't lingering between them any longer. It was like nothing had happened, though he couldn't shake his thoughts from during the night off.

Rogue's breathing and her face color had finally returned to normal and she slid off the edge of the bed giving Logan a stern glare. "Your five minutes are up. Get up." He was still clutching her hand firmly and she tried to pull him into a sitting position. "C'mon!"

"Hey, an old man hasn't so much energy left." He chuckled at her attempt to get him out off the bed.

Sighing the brunette let go of his hand. "Funny, Logan. Firstly: ya ain't old, but ancient. Secondly: Ya have stamina lasting for an entire army." She braced herself for a new tickle assault, but to her relief the other mutant began to laugh. Shaking her head, a smile on her lips, she went over to their duffle bag and dug two sets of clothes out before she placed Logan's onto her unused bed in a neat heap. A few strides later she stood in the doorframe of the bathroom and threw the Canadian a last gaze. "Hope ya'll be on your feet when Ah'm done showering."

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

An hour and a shower later Logan left the bathroom clad only in his jeans and approached his secret love standing in front of the single cooking plate their room possessed. Rogue might have changed into a fresh short-sleeved tee shirt and a pair of dark green cotton pants, but she still wore his red button-up from the night before. This brought a smile onto the Canadian's lips. Coming to a halt behind her he breathed in the smell of their breakfast. "Mmmmm." He purred into her ear.

"Made ya your beloved scrambled eggs with a load of bacon, sugah."

He leaned his bare chest against her back while his hand wandered between her hip and arm and snatched a slice of bacon from the hot pan.

Before he could pull his arm back, her delicate fingers were on the stolen food yanking on it and ripping it in two. "Can't ya wait, Mr. Howlett?" The greatest part of the bacon was hers and she returned it to the pan with a smile.

Logan retrieved the tiny piece of food and plopped it into his mouth contemplating her words. "Mr. Howlett…"

"It's your name, sugah."

"Kinda weird to hear it after so many years." Now his other hand was on a new prowl, but didn't come even close to its destination when Rogue hit his fingers with the back of her fork making him flinch away. "Will ya wait?"

Sulking slightly Logan's hands slid around her from both sides and rested on her middle as he leaned closer into her warm body placing his chin onto her head. "Just love your cooking so much."

Sighing she picked the torn slice of meat up and turned her upper body towards her best friend meeting his expectant grin – his arms still holding her firmly pushed against his bare chest. Concluding their cooking ritual, Rogue placed the beacon into his now opening mouth and watched him smile in triumph while chewing on his meat. She waited expectantly for the kiss on her forehead he would usually thank her with.

Logan's smile faded as he stared at his Marie like being struck by Storm's lightening. 'We are a damn couple!'

On Rogue's features crept a puzzled frown as she eyed his blank face intently. "What is it, sugah?"

A nervous chuckle rang from his lips before those brushed the expected kiss on Marie's temple. "Uhh, nothing… remembered something that Hood guy said."

She titled her head to one side and mustered his expression. "And what exactly was it?"

Should he tell her about his enlightenment? But this might scare the hell out of her. Suddenly his nostrils picked up on a new smell. "Umm… the bacon is burnin'."

"Oh crap!" Her eyes widened and she whirled around scooping the food on a plate, saving their breakfast.