Rogue stood at the window of her room searching the street. Logan said he would pick her up at eight sharp. Even though she had time to sleep in, it was hard to stay in bed after she heard his door shut when he left. She tried not to rush getting ready, but it was difficult. It wasn't like this was a date; they'd made that clear at the outset, but her stomach was filled with butterflies

So there she stood for the last twenty minutes sure that she had missed his arrival. Would Persephone have waited for Hades if she knew he was coming to get her?

Rogue let her mind wander back to that first conversation with Logan in the diner, when he made the reference to Persephone, the Greek goddess who was abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld to be his bride. She smiled at his attempt to convince her that he wasn't a bad guy looking to kidnap her to hell and steal her virtue. She always thought that Hades got a bad rap in that story; what he did was wrong, to be sure, but he couldn't have been all that bad if Persephone eventually learned to love him and embrace her role as his Queen.

At a little before eight she watched a motorcycle pull up in front of the motel. The rider got off and leaned against the bike. Rogue scanned back down the street. He still had a few minutes.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the motorcycle rider light a cigar. Her eyes flew back to the rider, to Logan staring up at her. Her heart stopped, and she was frozen in place. He lifted a hand and she grabbed her jacket and ran out the door.

Skipping the elevator, which would take too long; she pushed open the door for the stairs. She resisted the urge to rundown the stairs; she didn't trust herself to not trip and break an appendage. Despite pacing herself, she ended up standing in front of Logan out of breath.

He smirked at her as if he could hear how hard her heart was beating in her chest. Rogue took a moment to regain her equilibrium by walking around the motorcycle.

"A teacher?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you Indiana Jones?"

Taking the cigar from his mouth, he said, "Darlin', Professor Jones is a wuss." He tossed Rogue a helmet, put out his cigar, and they were off.

It was a weird feeling at first, wrapping her arms around him, but after awhile there was an odd comfort in it. Logan put his hand briefly over hers at one point, and she realized a second later it had been a warning that he was about to accelerate.

One with the machine is what came to Rogue's mind. Logan was obviously an experienced rider, moving with the bike. The speed concerned her in the beginning. As a kid she'd ridden on the back of her cousin's moped, but they had only slowly putted down the block and back.

This was nothing like that. The roar of the bike under her and the solid wall of Logan in front of her was one of those experiences she couldn't easily put into words. She took a deep breath and imagined herself melting into his back. It was easier if she didn't think about what to do, but just moved with him trying to keep pace.

As soon as she thought she'd gotten the hang of it, he touched her hand again. She knew at this speed he probably had a large grin on his face. For her part, she wished that the helmets weren't required. She wanted to press the side of her face into his back. A little voice told her the experience would be so much more that way.

When they arrived at their destination, she dismounted the bike and stood on the sidewalk. Her whole body was humming; she wanted to do a little dance like a kid with a new toy. Looking at Logan, a huge smile spread across her face, and she saw the same thing reflected in his eyes.

The motorcycle ride itself was worth taking the day off for.

After securing the helmets he escorted her into the small storefront restaurant. At this point she was starving and supposed any diner would do. It was only after she looked at the menu board that she realized where he'd brought her. Grits, fried chicken, catfish, buckwheat waffles…the list went on.

"People keep telling me this is the best Southern food in the North." Rogue wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him silly.

"Order the grits and let's find out." She could tell he was trying not to smile at her excitement.

Since this was a friend's day out, she sufficed with a playful hip bump. "Look, they have Southern fried chicken."

"We'll get some to go. For lunch." He did smile this time.

"Oh! A real boxed lunch." She couldn't stand still and started bouncing slightly as they waited their turn. Logan didn't exactly laugh, but she could see the amusement in his eyes.

Some time later, Rogue stood on the sidewalk beside the motorcycle, boxed lunch in a bag on her wrist. "That was pretty good. My Nana does better, but not bad for the North."

She looked at the bike glumly. Logan glanced at her, "What's wrong?"

Lifting a shoulder, she answered a little perkier than she felt. "Just letting myself wander too far down memory lane, again." Rogue sighed happily. "You know, I think my day would be complete if I got a ride back to the motel. I'm stuffed. I need to flop on the bed and undo my pants."

Logan shifted uncomfortably on the bike before starting it and she was suddenly embarrassed. Her mama would've said the last part to her daddy and she'd heard her aunts talk that way often, but this was Logan and she'd only known him less than a month.

So far Logan had refused to tell her the plans for the day. Only saying, "in case things change". But she thought it had more to do with him wanting to surprise her. What an old fashioned first date idea. Rogue didn't care if they weren't on a date, she could pretend on her one day off if she wanted. Tomorrow reality would be unavoidable, but that was tomorrow.

Their next stop was along the waterfront. Logan secured the bike and she gawked toward Liberty Island.

"Wait, you're taking me to see the Statue of Liberty?" This time she launched herself at him, dropping the boxed lunch as she hugged him.

He was tense for a moment before he returned the hug. She would have sworn he sniffed at her and she remembered him saying something about heightened sense. Quickly she let go and stepped back. Exactly what could he tell from smelling her?

What if he could tell when she was sexually aroused? Like when she'd held onto him on the motorcycle? Or how badly she wanted to kiss him right now?

Rogue dared a peek at his face and saw the desire in his eyes flicker briefly. They both turned awkwardly to look down toward the ferries docked at Battery Park.

Eager to put the discomfort behind them, she commented. "The lines are awfully long."

"Yeah, better get a move on." He picked up the dropped lunch bag and they walked to the parking garage exit.

They made their way down to the ticket booth in Battery Park. Rogue tried to keep her bouncing to a minimum when the tickets for the crown tour were placed in her hand.

They were allowed to bypass most of the lines. Logan took the metal detectors in stride. Although on the third wanding and explanation of his 'medical condition', she would swear he growled. The growl prodded her brain into a sexual direction, which she had to tamp down on quickly. They didn't need a repeat of the earlier awkwardness among a crowd of security personnel.

She was beginning to fear they would miss the ferry and have to wait a half hour more, when security finally cleared him. Grabbing his hand, she jogged to the gangway. He had a tight hold on her hand and glancing over at him, he had an odd expression on his face she couldn't decipher. By the time they boarded he was back to his schooled indifference.

Rogue spent the ride trying not to sound too excited, but her cheeks were staring to ache from all the smiling. Logan stayed close, almost in a protective mode. She was thankful because the crowd was pressing in from all sides.

The men, mostly tourist types, gave Logan extra space. The women were a different story. They all gave him a second look that made Rogue feel a bit of pride in the fact that he was with her. She wished she could lean into him or sling an arm around him, but she didn't want to cause him to be uneasy. Not when everything was going so well.

After disembarking at Liberty Island, they found a place away from the crowds to eat the boxed lunch. Despite being stuffed after breakfast Rogue was hungry again.

"Why don't you carry one of those medical cards for security purposes?" she asked, while they ate cold fried chicken.

"I got one, just not to go with this I.D." His reply was too straightforward to doubt.

Finishing off her piece of chicken, she asked, "So your name's not Logan?"

He fished out a second piece for them both. "I've gone by Logan as far back as I can remember. The officials like two names on I.D. cards." Pausing before taking a bite, he added, "I'm pretty sure yours doesn't say only Rogue."

She gave a small laugh. "No, it doesn't." She didn't bother to ask about his other I.D.s. From their previous conversations she knew he'd traveled widely in the past and he also didn't deny being a mercenary. So what were a few extra I.D.s?

When they finished the chicken off, he handed her a small container and a fork. Rogue have him a sideways glance. Inside were two pieces of pecan pie sitting side by side.

"You didn't tell me you got pie."

He was staring at something in the distance. "Plans change."

One impulse she leaned over and kissed Logan on the cheek. He turned away from her rubbing his neck. She knew she'd embarrassed him, but she didn't care; because he'd thought about pie in connection with her.

This was the best date she'd ever been on, even if it was the only date she'd ever been on. Even if it was officially not a date.

The rest of their time at the statue went like any tour would. Lots of talking from the tour guide with the usual lame jokes tossed in. Then there were the stairs to the crown. Rogue decided it was a good thing she worked on her feet or she may not have made the climb.

This was the only place on the entire tour Logan showed any real interest. Although he wasn't listening to the guide, it was as if he was inspecting the crown room for some sign of…damage or flaws. He then turned his attention to the torch, his expression turning bittersweet.

Rogue reached for his hand, feeling the need to "comfort" him. He readily took her hand and even gave it a reassuring squeeze. She spent the next few minutes paying very little attention, but it was near impossible with Logan still holding her hand. The heat his body radiated was a huge distraction as well.

The ferry ride back to Battery Park was uneventful. There was a distinct lack of handholding, which was a disappointment. She consoled herself with the thought that there was still a motorcycle ride in which she would be required to hold onto him tightly.




When Logan and Rogue finally made it back to the parking garage and the motorcycle the afternoon was already gone. "Where to?" he asked.

"Are you going to the fights tonight?" Rogue wanted to know, taking her helmet. She smiled at the thought of 'her helmet', at least for a little longer. "Because if you are, we can grab something quick or you can simply take me back to the motel."

"Fights start at ten, so supper it is." Logan let her settle on the bike before he asked. "What would you like?"

"I haven't had pizza in a long time." She said, wrapping her arms around him.

"I know a place in Brooklyn."

The place in Brooklyn turned out to be one she'd heard people talk about. "Go early to get a seat, because everyone comes from miles around for their woodstove pizza." Or at least that is what she'd been told.

Rogue couldn't remember what he ordered for them, but it came with meat and beer. She sipped at her beer, not wanting to make a pit stop to pee on the ride south; Logan was more than willing to finish it after emptying his glass.

Next he took them further North to Astoria Park. They stopped along the East River as the sun was setting. She got off, giving him 'her helmet'. She wondered what else he had in store for her when he leaned back against the bike. "They tell me this is one of the best places to see the sunset in New York."

"You've had this whole day planned out, sunrise to sunset?" she asked, leaning back beside him.

"Always good to have a plan." She knew he was being honest, probably even liked planning; but she didn't believe for one second that his life had ever been lived that way. In fact, she believed most of Logan's life veered from any plan ever laid out.

It was quiet there, as quiet as it ever got in the city, and certainly quieter that it had been for them all day. She let out a content sigh and he slung an arm over her shoulders. She froze, but what was this to the little kiss she'd placed on his cheek or holding his hand earlier today. Rogue gave into the moment and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Yep, a perfect not-a-date date.

"Take me to the fights with you." She looked up in time to see him working his jaw. "I'll stay out of the way."

Logan was staring out at the multicolored sky. "We'll need to leave now."

She stood up and leaned in to place a kiss on his sideburn. He turned toward her and her lips crashed into his. It would have been a disaster of a kiss, but he didn't seem to notice. Instead he drew her in, correcting their positions and let her have a second chance.

Rogue angled away to look him in the eye. "I've put a boy in a coma before."

A wolfish grin appeared. "I'm not a boy."

"No. No, you're not." She quit contemplating, closed her eyes and let it happen.

It was a light touch at first with her lips slightly parted, lasting only a second or two. She lingered there, and then placed another soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. Her hand moved to touch his cheek. She gazed into his eyes, seeing heat there, before his attention turned back to her lips.

His hand at her neck pulled her in again and he carefully licked her lower lip, sending shivers down her spine. She parted her lips letting him sweep his tongue gently between them. He backed away, staying close enough to inhale her warm breath.

She saw him working his jaw again. Decision time. "We should probably get going," she said, hoping to break the mounting tension. He gave her a tight smile and nodded.

They left the motorcycle at a parking garage near Penn Station and rode the light rail back down to Jersey. Rogue was beginning to believe Logan was more of a mystery than she would ever be able to unravel. He parked his motorcycle in a garage surrounded by luxury cars and yet spent his nights in a cheap motel. He also supposedly taught history Upstate, but fought in the underground rings on the weekend.

~*~
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