Chapter 3
Rogue looked over to where Logan nodded his head to see a battered older model blue truck decorated with rust here and there. Attached to the truck was one of those oblong dome looking silver campers. It looked about as battered as the truck, just not as rusty which relieved Rogue. ‘Cozy.’ Rogue thought sarcastically to herself before looking back at Logan.
"Alright, but I need to make a few stops. Nate and Sally need some clothes, and I need to stop by the bank, and one more place before we go." Rogue stated going over everything she needed to do before they could go. "Plus, like I said, I need to get them something to eat." Rogue stated with a concerned frown, knowing the kids had to be starving by now.
"You got a place around here somewhere?" Logan asked thinking all three of them needed a bath before doing anything else. Now wasn’t the time to talk about it, but he wanted to know why she was dressed in fatigues, and smelt of a lab, blood, fuel, and smoke.
"I use to, but I haven’t been around for a while, so I’m sure the manager rented my apartment out to someone else." Rogue stated knowing after being gone for six months, none of her stuff in her apartment would still be there. She was sure that Mick would sell her stuff as soon as he thought he could get by with it.
"Is there a motel or something nearby here?" Logan asked glancing around the small town, not seeing much but the highway, although they were on the outskirts of town.
"Yes, there’s one about ten minutes from here, why?" Rogue narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.
"Here’s what we’re going to do. We’ll get a room, so you and the kids can get cleaned up. While you’re doing that, I’ll go grab us all something to eat. After that we’ll stop and get you and the kids some clothes before making whatever stops you need." Logan stated his plan, not that he cared if she agreed or not.
"Alright, but I need to get rid of the jeep first." Rogue said glancing at vehicle.
At Rogue comment, and tone, Logan knew that she had to have stolen it. "I’ll handle it, go ahead and get whatever you need out of it, then go get the kids settled in the camper." Logan instructed wanting to get on the way.
"Alright. I had the attendant put thirty dollars worth of gas in it." Rogue informed him, and then started for the jeep.
“I’ll take care of it.” Logan grunted out then walked over to his truck to get two empty gas cans from out of the back. While Rogue was getting the kids settle in the camper, Logan moved the jeep up along side his truck and out of sight of the gas attendant and anyone passing by. Finding an old hose in the back of his truck, Logan used it to siphon most of the gas into the two gas cans. Once finished with filling the tanks, he stowed everything back into his truck, before climbing in behind the wheel of the jeep and drove down the road a bit until he came up onto a small bridge. Thankful for the empty road, since it was still early in the morning, he jammed the gas petal, and jumped from the jeep right before it went over the low guard rails and into the raging water below.
Pulling himself up, Logan gritted his teeth at the brief pain his body felt from the impact of his body slamming into the pavement from jumping from a vehicle going sixty miles per hour. Cracking his neck, he started walking back toward where he left his truck and his cargo. Logan barely tolerated the kids at the mansion, he didn’t know how he was going to tolerate being in close quarters with two rugrats along with this Rogue woman for the days it was going to take to reach Chuck’s.
He was thankful that Rogue decided to ride in the back with the kids on the way to the motel. He didn’t think he could stand to be closed in with all the stench coming off of her.
After paying for a room, Logan came back to the camper. He opened the door to find Rogue sitting on the floor with a sleeping Sally in her arms, and a dozing Nate leaning against her. Logan surprised himself with a small smirk at the cute picture the three made. He was even more surprised at the tenderness he felt at the scene. ‘Hanging out at Chuck’s is making me soft.’ Logan groused to himself, before pushing down the tenderness, and getting himself under control.
"That didn’t take them long? We were only riding for a few minutes." Logan stated wondering if that was normal for young kids to fall asleep that fast while riding.
"Yeah." Was all Rogue said, but the deep frown and serious look that came into her eyes, reminded Logan that there were things that still didn’t add up, and he planned on getting his answers once they were on their way. He watched as Rogue gently started waking the pair up.
"Hey guys, wake up, we’re here at the motel. You guys can go back to sleep after you’ve cleaned up, and gotten something more to eat. Come on, wake up." Rogue encouraged, rubbing their small backs.
"We could carry them in." Logan suggested hesitantly.
"No need, they’re awake." Rogue said as she watched Nate’s eyes come fully open. Nate shook Sally’s leg that he was holding. Logan watched interested as the little girl lifted her head, turning it so she could see Logan. Logan could still see fear and distrust in the little girl’s eyes as she stared at him. Usually he didn’t care if kids like him or not. He had rather they stayed far away from him, but there was something about the little girl, the little boy too, that he wanted to assure them that he wouldn’t hurt them. He didn’t want them scared of him. He could tell they had already been through a lot; he didn’t want to be the cause of anymore stress.
"You can relax kid; I’m not going to hurt you or Nate."
"Rogue,” Sally questioned hesitantly, her small voice barely a whisper.
"Her either. All of you are safe; I’m not going to hurt any of you." Logan assured the little girl giving her a small smile. One of the rare ones very few ever witnessed.
Sally turned to look at her brother, who in turned, looked over at Logan. After a few silent moments, where Logan let the boy gauge him, Nate looked back to Sally.
"I think we can trust him, there’s more white now, than before." Nate replied softly to Sally’s unasked question.
"Okay." Sally said seemingly to accept her brother’s assurance and climbed from Rogue’s lap. As soon as Rogue had climbed to her feet, Sally took her hand, and followed her out of the camper.
Rogue smiled up at Logan, "Looks like you’re okay." She drawled smirking.
"Gee thanks." Logan smarted back, once again smirking pleased as well, relieved that the kids seemed to give their seal of approval. He didn’t want the kid’s being scared of him. Feeling weird at all the new and uncomfortable feeling surging through him, he tried to focus on the task at hand.
Once settled in the small but clean motel room, Logan looked to his three traveling companions. "So what exactly do you guys want to eat?"
He noticed how both kids looked unsure of what to do or say, so they looked to Rogue.
"Since it’s so early, what do you guys think about breakfast?" Rogue asked smiling at Nate and Sally who were sitting on the foot of the bed holding hands.
"Okay." Nate answered nervously, but assured by Rogue’s smiling face.
"Okay, do you guys like pancakes and eggs?" Rogue asked trying to get a little more information.
"Yeah!" Sally announced quickly, but Nate frowned at her and shushed her. Then he looked back at Rogue. "Whatever you give us will be fine." Nate answered his voice quiet.
Rogue knew that voice, and what Nate was doing. You learned quickly to take what you could get when it came to food from the doctors, or soldiers. You didn’t complain or you didn’t get anything. Rogue forced herself to relax and stay calm, a bright smile on her face, so the kids would see she wasn’t going to treat them how they where use to. "I think pancakes and eggs sound good myself." She said then looked up at Logan. "There is a small diner about fifteen minutes from here called Marty’s Diner. We’ll take three number threes.” Rogue said as she pulled out a wad of cash from her front pocket, pulling out a twenty and ten, holding it out to Logan.
"Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it covered." Logan said noticing how Nate had quickly shushed the little girl, then coward down, willing to take whatever they would give them. He knew the signs of abuse, and both kids, but especially Nate screamed of it. He smelt Rogue’s sadness, but he was glad when she smiled brightly at the kids, showing they didn’t have anything to worry about and agreed that pancakes and eggs, sounded good to her to. Right then, Logan found he was willing to drive all the way across town to get the kids whatever they wanted. He was thankful that Rogue knew how to handle the situation; because he knew most likely he would only frighten the kids more, with his anger at knowing they had been abused by someone, and by the look and smells coming off of the three of them it was one of those experimental labs the government was so fawned of.
“Alright, I’ll be back soon, make sure to keep the doors lock, and don’t answer it for anyone except me." Logan ordered firmly, eyeing Rogue intently.
"We’ll be fine on our own until you get back. Be careful yourself." Rogue said walking him to the door so she could lock it behind him.
Logan looked at her as if she had a screw loose or something for a moment. She only stared back at him, her expression sincere. Instead of making some smart comment like he would normal have done to anyone else, he gave her a nod, feeling uncomfortable at the sensation he felt at someone worried about him. Needing some space and air he left them to get breakfast, and for them to get cleaned up.
Logan called Charles on his way to get breakfast, to tell him he was on his way to the school with more than just Rogue in tow.
"Hello Logan, have you been able to locate Rogue?" Charles asked hopeful.
"Yeah, I ran into her by coincidences this morning, or at least she claims to be this Rogue woman, but uh, Chuck, you should know that apparently some things have changed. This woman who claims she’s Rogue, claims that she was a student of yours about eight years ago, exactly how old is this Rogue person?" Logan asked curious. He had been expecting someone the same age as Scooter or Ro. Not that she was a kid, but she was definitely younger than he had expected.
"She is in her mid twenties. She was sixteen when she came to us." Charles answered, curious to what Logan meant by some things having changed.
"The age seems right, but this girl has got two white streaks down the front of her hair on either side of her face. I thought it was dyed at first, but it’s not, that’s her natural hair color, and too, she can touch."
"The time is correct, but are you sure that she is telling you the truth? Rogue’s hair is a chestnut color, she had no white in her hair when she left us, and she had no control over her mutation. This does not sound to be the same woman."
"I didn’t smell any lie on her, and she knew your name."
"Is she with you now, or did she refuse to return to the school with you?"
"She didn’t put up any type of resistance about not going, but I should warn you too, that she’s got two kids with her. Both are mutants, and both act like they’ve been abused by someone. I don’t think they’re hers, but she promised to take care of them."
"Hmm, how old are they, and do you know what the children’s mutations are?" Charles asked curious, but distressed at hearing the children had been at one time abused.
"The boy can’t be older than eight at the oldest, I’m not sure exactly their ages, but the little girl is younger by a least a year. The boy, Nate can see a person’s aura. The little girl’s name is Sally, and she can sense other’s emotions."
"They must have gone through some type of trauma to have manifested their mutations so early. Where are they now?"
"They’re back at the motel in town getting cleaned up. I’m doing a food run. There are some things that don’t add up Chuck, this Rogue woman doesn’t fit the person I was expecting, but she wasn’t lying about who she is, unless there is another Rogue out there somewhere. Plus when I found her she was driving a military jeep, and was wearing fatigues. She smelt highly of a medical lab, blood, fuel, and smoke. When I first saw her I thought she was kidnapping the kids, but she was too protective over them, and you could tell that the kids were more scared of me, than her. I think she must have rescued them from some lab or something. Both kids are underweight and were dirty. They smelt of the lab too, but at first I thought it was due to being around the woman."
"This is very distressing and confusing. If this woman is the same Rogue I sent you to find, then she has changed greatly. Do you believe that it is possible that Rogue herself was a prisoner of this lab?" Charles asked concerned afraid that he worst fear had happened.
"I don’t know Chuck, she’s hard to read. You can tell she worried about the kids, she goes out of her way to make them feel at ease, and provide for them, but she doesn’t show any emotions like a normal lab victim. I don’t know what she was like before, but this girl isn’t afraid to stand her ground, and you know as well as I do, that most women who have been at the mercy of any lab, is more easily frighten or quick to coward down."
"Rogue was always a strong person, but she kept mostly to herself, and away from others. She had a hard time making friends, due to her mutation. I think it might be best if I talk to her myself to make sure, once you have return to the motel, tell her I’d like to talk with her, and have her call me."
"Will do, later Chuck."
"Good-bye Logan, and again, thank you for finding her and bring her home."
"Sure thing, Chuck." Logan grunted then hung up. He pulled up in front of the diner Rogue had told him about, and then headed inside to get breakfast.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: All rights belong to Stan Lee, Marvel, Fox, and whomever else owns rights to the X-men. I have not, nor will I ever received compensation for this story.
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, and for telling me what you thought. I really do appreciate the encouragement and the feedback!
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, and for telling me what you thought. I really do appreciate the encouragement and the feedback!