Rogue knew by the time they reached the mansion. He was different; something had changed. There was a remoteness in his eyes when he looked at her. The casual way he walked off the Blackbird didn't help. He was too calm.

He should be yelling at her. Telling her what a stupid kid she was. How she didn't know her ass from a hole in the ground. Asking her what the hell she thought she was doing. But he didn't. His coolness toward her made her uncomfortable.

She thought that their friendship was solid. He was always there for her. Lately, she found that she wanted more than his friendship. After last week, she was sure that he was finally seeing her as more than a kid. She tried hard to make her interest in him apparent, but he ignored all of her attempts at flirting.

Logan stood under the hard spray of the showerhead, letting it run in rivers down his back. He would have finished before the others, but he stayed, trying to let the water wash away the need. The need to stay calm, to be focused. The need to show her it didn't matter.

That wasn't right. If he let that run down the drain, he would still be left with a different need. The need to touch her, to be with her. The need to show her how much it did matter.

He had watched for two years as she pushed hard to gain control of her mutation. They were friends, and he'd coached her through setbacks, disappointments and failures, while she learned. The past month she had an amazing string of breakthroughs, resulting in last week's final success.

She'd come running into the garage and flung herself at him, all smiles and happy tears. He'd scarcely understood a word she said as the explanation came out in a rush. He found that he enjoyed the feel of her supple body pressed against him. Caught up in the moment, he kissed her, a slight brushing of lips.

It was his undoing. The desire in her eyes and his own body's rising demands forced him to pull back and call her "kid." He congratulated her and took her out for dinner, kicking himself the entire time for wanting to take advantage of her happiness.

He worked hard all week to quash the lust that the sight of her brought boiling to the surface. Every small gesture, every touch, no matter how insignificant, made him want her. She was his friend, and he wouldn't ruin that because he couldn't control his raging libido.

He thought he had it under control. Until earlier this evening, when she followed him into that building. His need for her mutated and twisted into something new.

She'd done it before, followed him into dangerous situations. She was trained to do it, but didn't yet have enough experience to carry it out. Each time, the seasoned warrior berated the green recruit for foolish actions.

This time, however, there was a difference. It wasn't a simple matter of the veteran looking after the inexperienced. He let it become something more. He wasn't stupid, not by a long shot, he knew what it was. He had allowed himself to fall hard and fast for Marie.

He made a decision by the time he shoved her into the jet. He would not allow his feelings to get her hurt or worse. In his mind the best way to do that was to cut any attachments for her.

If he could make it the next couple of days.... If not he might need to leave....

Damn it, didn't the hot water in this place ever run out, Rogue wondered. She'd spent the last half an hour pretending to clean her locker while waiting for Logan. He had to walk past the door on his way to the elevator. She only knew of one other way to get there.

Sticking her head out to check, she saw him take the first step onto the waiting elevator. She made a run for it, barely dodging the doors. The second they closed she began her apology.

"I'm so sorry. I should know better by now. I've been on enough missions. You can take care of yourself. You don't need me to go rushin' in after you. I swear I will do better next time."

She expected at least a grunt in response to her admission, but instead received a chilly gaze and a growl. It didn't alarm her that he growled--he growled at everybody. It was the tone that bothered her. This wasn't the tolerant sound she always got, but the warning shot he gave strangers. That worried her. What if she was wrong about his change of feelings for her?

She trailed after him, through the kitchen as he retrieved a beer on his way to the patio. He ignored her as he sat down, propping his feet on another chair and taking a swig of beer.

"So is our friendship over? Did I fuck up one too many times?"

"Look, Rogue, I don't care what you do. You've been trained. You're an X-Man."

That was not a good sign. He never called her Rogue, not when they were alone. At this rate he would be challenging Bobby for the title of Iceman. It took her a minute to form a response.

"Tell me how you do that. Maybe you can teach me?"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Maybe you can give me lessons on how to be insensitive."

She saw it then, just a flicker in his mask. That passion-filled glance gave her the opening. He wanted her. She studied him a moment longer before stepping forward.

Logan was startled when she swung a leg over his, straddling his hips. Her suddenness made him spill a little of his second drink of beer on his chin. Setting the bottle down, he grabbed her hips to lift her off of him.

Her hand was already threaded through his hair, pulling his head back until he was staring up at the heavens. He felt her warm, moist breath on his neck. In a painfully slow move, she traced the trickle of beer up his neck to his chin with her tongue. His hands tightened around her hips when she began to carefully suck any residue of the amber liquid from his lower lip.

"Mmmm....Logan and Molson, always an intoxicating mixture. Good enough to make a girl come."

His facade of indifference slipped away, and he let his body respond as she purred into his ear. He ground her down onto his erection, listening to her whisperings of want, need, and love. Her soft voice turned to hot breathy moans and pants captured against the tender skin under his ear.

The hand on his shoulder and the one on the back of his head tightened demandingly. He was immersed in her scent when she leaned in to let her breasts rub against his chest. He needed her, needed inside her more than he had needed anything in the last eighteen years.

She was rocking into his hips, making his cock throb and ache. He couldn't tell any longer if that was the sound of her blood pounding in his ears or his own. Unfortunately for him, she chose that moment to slide her teeth along the jugular vein in his neck, sending him over the edge.

He watched in a daze as the stars plunged across the sky. Gritting his teeth, he pushed his hips up to meet her body. His hoarse grunt was met with her loud moan. He held her tight as her body trembled and then stilled.

Resting his cheek on her head, he marveled at the young woman that made him act like a novice. A two minute novice at that. He laughed softly into her hair.

"What's so funny, sugar?"

"Not acting so insensitive now, huh darlin'?" He could feel her smile against his shoulder.

"Nope, not at all." She pulled back to look at him. "Now, what are we going to do about us?"

He was struck by how beautiful she was, still flushed from her exertion. Not to mention how coyly she hid behind her hair after her domineering performance.

"I think we might be able to work out a compromise upstairs." He moved to cradle her, then stood up and headed back inside. "And Marie, no more following me into fights."

"Well, sugar, you are going to have to do a lot of persuading. I hope you're prepared for that."

~*~