Rogue shouldn't have been surprised when she opened her apartment door to find the Wolverine with her Chinese delivery in his hand. He'd become her constant companion the past week as she went about her daily activities. She'd first spotted him on Monday when she stopped by her favorite coffee shop for a latte. Then on Tuesday he was across the street when she came out of the cleaners with her laundry.
At first she thought it was a coincidence; New York City was a large place, but it wasn't so large that she hadn't seen an X-Man or two in the crowds over the years. On Wednesday afternoon she knew for sure it wasn't an accidental sighting. The Wolverine was letting her know he was following her and more than likely he'd been trailing her for longer than a week.
She was pissed with herself for not noticing. She'd become complacent, and in her line of work that was not a good thing. Rogue contemplated leaving her little studio apartment, but she'd grown attached to it and was reluctant to leave. It was the first thing she had done completely on her own, making every decision by herself down to the last detail.
Rogue had no trouble identifying Wolverine from her early years with the Brotherhood, but she'd never seen him up close and personal. The second time he was at the coffee shop, their eyes met and she couldn't look away. Deep inside her something splashed like a drop of coloring added to water that slowly blossomed until it filled her entire body.
She'd always dismissed the romantic notion of eyes meeting across the room as pure foolishness for the gullible, yet she couldn't deny something passed between them. If the smile that crossed Wolverine's face was anything to go by, he'd felt it. She hurriedly turned away only to see him smirk when she looked back over her shoulder. He knew she'd felt it too.
After giving the situation some thought she decided to make plans for a quick departure if Wolverine or the X-Men made a move against her. For the time being she'd cleared her calendar and waited for the game to unfold.
Rogue turned her attention back to the man in front of her; her gaze wondered up his body from his cowboy boots, to his faded blue jeans, topped off with a t-shirt that only emphasized his muscular build. She tried to hide the fire blossoming again; she didn't do one-night stands, but she could see herself reevaluating that policy for him. "I hope you tipped him well. He's a good delivery boy."
Logan looked her over; she was wearing lounge pants and a cami that accentuated her curves. She was the same young woman he'd left behind to change the future, and his fingers itched at the thought of resting a hand on the swell of her hip. He reined in his desire before he gave himself away. "It better be worth it."
She smiled at him this time, relaxing a little. "Well, come on in and find out." Rogue purposely turned her back on him and walked toward the kitchen area letting him close the door behind him.
Logan surveyed the apartment as he took the few steps to the kitchenette. The couch that ran the full length of her brick wall that even he would be able to stretch out on amused him. A television was across the room next to a small, wood desk and the bed was barely visible in the corner behind a bookcase and a ceiling to floor curtain.
She pointed at the counter top that doubled as a dinette, for him to put the bag down on. Rogue began to unload the food when he took a seat on one of the stools. "Lot of food for one person," he commented.
"I like leftovers, and a person never knows when they might have unexpected company." She turned to the cabinets for plates. "Besides, leftovers are easier to deal with when I'm not around much."
"So I've read." Logan had made it a priority to go through her file with a fine-toothcomb before talking with her.
She smiled over her shoulder. "I bet that file is thicker than the average beach read."
He gave a short laugh. "Not exactly light reading."
"Curiosity killed the cat," she said as she dished out food. Although Rogue was interested to hear what the X-Men knew about her, surely he hadn't tracked her down to discuss her file.
Logan took the hint and filled her in, between bites. "Raised by Mystique during your teens. Parted ways with the Brotherhood at seventeen. Dropped off the radar for a few years, though your name's been linked to a mutant named Gambit during that time. You started out with petty thefts and heists and in the last couple of years have graduated to espionage and freelance work suited to your particular skill set."
"Not too bad." She fished the last beer from the fridge and offered it to him, getting a bottle of water for herself. Rogue should have known you couldn't keep everything from the X-Men. They'd made it their business to keep an eye on any high profile mutants. Having been involved with Mystique would put her high on their list. "Anything else worth remembering."
"Assassination." That paper had made it's way into Rogue's file; but after reading the details, it didn't sound like her M.O. and Logan had shuffled it into Mystique's file with a few added notes.
Rogue shook herself from her momentary paralysis. She cursed under her breath. Since leaving the Brotherhood, and later Gambit, she'd been very careful in her selection of work. Glancing at Wolverine and his questioning stare hurt, and it irritated her even more that she cared what he thought. Damn it, why did his opinion of her matter at all?
She feigned a smile. "That's new. I don't remember taking a job like that."
Logan gave a small nod. "Didn't figure it was you," he said, before he went back to eating. He was glad to know Marie's life in this timeline hadn't turned down that road.
There was a hint of trust in his gaze and she was unsure of what she had done to earn it. Every time she looked at him there was a connection that she couldn't define, and her attraction to him wasn't just physical. When he focused on her, she felt a deeper emotional association that made her uncomfortable.
Rogue sat down and stabbed at a piece of broccoli. What on earth was this man doing to her? He was sitting in her kitchen like they got together a few times a week and had supper. Why did she like that idea? That thought was almost as perturbing as the relief that flooded her when he took her word about the assassination without batting an eye.
She rested her chin in her hand, watching Wolverine eat her take out and drink her beer like they were an old married couple. He looked pleased - well as pleased as Wolverine allowed himself to appear. She couldn't remember the last time someone trusted her and had the ability to put her at ease. In fact he was so at ease with her that her mind was racing with naughty thoughts. Rogue bit her lip; she was positive with him, she would regret none of it.
She caught the contented sigh before it could escape her lips. What did she think, this was some damn romantic movie and she'd gotten to the good part where she finds her soul mate? She hadn't been the starry-eyed in... well, ever. Not even Gambit had done this to her. Their relationship had been a simple, mutually beneficial, working partnership.
"Is this the yearly file update or some whacky new recruiting program?" She still had no answer as to why he was even there.
Logan gave a snort and almost smiled; she still had a sense of humor. The circumstances of her file might have been different this time around, but underneath it all she was turning out to be his Marie. He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "You want a lie or the unbelievable truth?"
Rogue had to concentrate on his question, because the alternative was something else entirely. What was it about the set of his jaw that made her want to place kisses up the length of his neck? That made her wonder if his jaw would still be set like that as she sucked on his… Answer the question Rogue! She cleared her throat; ignoring the funny look he gave her.
"I hear enough lies in my line of work. Let's try the truth first." Seeing what she and Wolverine did with their lives on a daily basis, the truth must be far fetched for him to call it unbelievable.
He took a moment and guessed the cliff note version would be better in this situation than the master's thesis. Marie had never had the patience for long, drawn out explanations. "Three months ago I was in an alternate timeline." When her eyebrows shot up, he added, "If you want I can get Hank...Beast to send over some research on the Quantum Theory of it all."
Rogue scrunched her face up in disgust. "No, that's okay, I'll take your word for it."
This time he did smile, because Marie kept showing through this Rogue in little ways. "Anyway, in that timeline you were an X-Man and we were...friends. When I discovered you weren't one of us in this timeline, I wanted to check up on you."
"What made you switch timelines?" When Rogue was young, Mystique had spun a tale that at the time she'd thought was for entertainment, but now...
"Did an odd sort of time travel to put an end to the Sentinels before they devastated the world. When the past changed I woke up with no memory of the past fifty years that everyone else remembers." He studied her; she seemed to be accepting it. They were off to a good start. He was hopeful that she was as accepting of the rest of his story when the time came.
She furrowed her brow. "Does this have to do with that mess of Magneto's back in the early seventies?"
He nodded, taking a swig of beer.
Why not she thought? She knew Mystique had once been Xavier's "sister" and grew up in the mansion with him. Was Wolverine's story any crazier?
Rogue watched him; he didn't give any hint of back pedaling under her scrutiny. But there was something off about what he'd said. Was he tracking down all the people that weren't with the X-Men in this timeline?
She closed her eyes in concentration. What had he said? "Friends? Are you looking up all your old friends and eating supper with them?"
"No," he laughed a little. "I haven't."
"Why not? Why am I so special?" Rogue curiosity was really piqued now. Why had she been singled out? What was between Wolverine and her that he made a point of reading her entire file and finding her within three months?
He lifted an eyebrow at her question.
Unless... "Next you'll be telling me we were lovers."
He didn't laugh. The whole time he'd kept tight control of his emotions, but now she caught a twitch at the corner of his mouth. She was on the right track. "We were lovers!"
Rogue wasn't asking this time; she saw the desire flare up in his eyes at her declaration. She was confident that they had been lovers in this other timeline of his. She got a small thrill out of the thought that he was at her apartment to try and seduce her.
"Are you here to seduce me? Time traveling for a booty call?" She gave him a satisfied smirk when he choked on his beer. Here was the unflappable Wolverine; from the stories she'd heard, trying not to do a spit take in her kitchen.
The choking dissolved into a laugh. "It's not like that," he insisted.
"Sure," she said, nodding slowly. "Then tell me Wolverine, why are you here?"
Logan was caught. He couldn't explain that she'd been his everything; best friend, confidant, and general reason for living. Being her lover had been a privilege, something he hadn't expected, but could no longer separate out from how he saw Marie. Friends or lovers, he needed her in his life in some capacity, and he wasn't going to get anywhere by staring her down.
Rogue pouted, "Tall, dark, and silent; huh?" Winking at him, she set down her half eaten spring roll, wiped her hands on her pants, and walked to the middle of the living area. "I'll make it easy on the both of us." She placed a hand on her hip and gave him a saucy grin. The way he looked at her put fire in her veins, she wanted to know if he could back that look up. "Come on, you know what I like. Show me what you got, cowboy."
Logan started to say something, but she'd already put all the pieces together. Marie was as sharp as ever. He wasn't sure what he expected to happen by showing up at her apartment, he had planned on taking his time and work on getting her to fall in love with him all over again. Yet there she stood challenging him, and he was reluctant to not show her.
"No, don't deny it." She lifted her arms away from her body in a non-threatening manner. "Come on, or are you all bluster?"
She would be a good poker player, she was raising the bet and it was his turn to ante up. His body was not oblivious to her challenge and he was working to control his libido. All he needed to do was display his understanding of her body, a simple touch here and there; and then they could go back to eating.
He raised an eyebrow and strode over to stand in front of her. His mind drifted back over the years, looking for the exact touches he wanted to use to elicit the response he wanted. This play was best done with subtlety.
Her lips curled up in a seductive smile, teasingly she asked, "Is there a name you want me to scream, or is Wolverine fine?"
A wolfish grin spread across his face and he began to move around her, making sure to let his knuckles brush against her outstretched fingertips. Marie used to be fascinated with his hands and he'd always gotten a bit of a thrill when she touched them. He smiled to himself. The first touch had been for selfish reasons; the rest would be about what Marie enjoyed.
Rogue felt an electric jolt shoot through her body at the slightest touch of his hand and an intense heat spread out from her abdomen. She told herself it was because it had been so long since she'd been intimate with anyone. It had been five years since Gambit and he was the last person she'd allowed to get this close to her. It had nothing to do with the fact that Wolverine sent a tingle up her spine every time he looked at her. She refused to admit he had slowly become a permanent part of her fantasies.
Logan ghosted his fingers up the underside of her arm, starting at her wrist. At the same time he inhaled her scent as he came to stand behind her; he could tell those little touches were already working their magic. His body ached from the smell of her arousal, and she was so close he wanted to pull her to him and show her what a good fit they were. Instead he whispered in her ear. "Wolverine will do, but I prefer Logan."
Her legs were trembling and she didn't think they would hold her upright much longer. He'd barely touched her, but his hot breath caressing her shoulder and then her neck had made her wet for him. She leaned back, rubbing her body into his. He was driving her toward the edge and she didn't want to waste this chance.
He placed a firm hand on her hip, letting the other hand cup her breast with his thumb slowly circling her erect nipple. She rewarded him with a small moan and he adjusted his movements to extract a second one.
Rogue suddenly turned around, not only was she pulling him down for a kiss; but she was pushing-dragging him onto the floor. She freed herself of her pants on the way down and she had his fly unzipped when they hit the floor.
Three months Logan had dreamed of this. Every night since waking up in this timeline, his body yearned for Marie. The last time he'd been able to touch her, a kiss was all they were allowed. Now she was above him, freeing his hardened cock and straddling him so he could feel how hot and wet she was. He grit his teeth as she dropped down on him, throwing her head back with a gasp.
Holy hell, it had been too long and his body was shaking with need for her. He wanted to hold back and take his time, but he could smell how close she was. Knew how far gone he was when he placed his unsteady hands on her hips.
She rose up trying to gain traction with a hand on his shoulder. He thrust upward as she ground down on him. Her fingernails dug into him when she began to moan. She was pulsing around him as he thrust into her a final time.
The white, hot explosion blinded him; setting off sparks up and down his spine. When he finally caught his breath, he was staring into her eyes.
Rogue was leaning over him, both hands on his chest for balance. She'd been surprised by the intensity of her orgasm, even now her legs shook and her thoughts were fuzzy. He had the most interesting color of hazel eyes, yet the depth of emotion there frightened her and she had to look away.
"I'm sorry." Logan brushed her hair way from her face and tucked it behind her ear.
Her brain snapped to, what the frell was he apologizing for? Then out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a light flush on his face from embarrassment.
"I didn't mean for everything to happen so quickly. I'd hoped we would take it slow."
"You'll have to show me some other time." She moved to get up, grabbing her pants from the floor as she headed for the bathroom. "And maybe next time you'll get to hear me scream your name."
Leaning back on an elbow he watched her walk away. The sway of her hips made him smile. Marie was as sexy as she had ever been; her sass still in place, added to the effect she had on him.
But everything had happened in a flash, had been too brief. He remembered the 'promise' he'd made to himself in the alternate timeline. There was time now and he still wanted to relearn her curves. Since they had started down this road, why not continue?
He didn't want to let her get away, but instead build on the bond they shared. Last time he and Marie had friendship before a physical relationship. This time he would need to work it backwards.
Rogue stood for a second in the bathroom doorway putting her thoughts in order. She'd been right that she didn't regret sex with Wolverine. Logan, she reminded herself with a smile. Her only problem was how fleeting it had been. There was a promise of more than this brief encounter, yet she had no idea of how to prolong their time together without it sounding like she was begging.
Turning on her heel she gasped, stunned to find him right there. She put a hand on his chest to keep from falling into him. There had been stories of how silent he was on his feet, but she'd never believed them until now. She'd hate to be hunted by him, although that sexy smile and the uplifted eyebrow gave her the impression he was stalking her right now for a singular purpose. Maybe she wouldn't have to beg after all.
"Why wait?" he asked in a low, gravely voice with a serious edge that made her shiver in anticipation. His tone indicated that there would be nothing hurried this time. He lightly drug the flat of his nails down her spine, at the small of her back he applied a bit more pressure and scratched up the length of her back. Rogue stopped herself mid-purr and squinted at him in mock indignation.
Her mind raced for something smart and sassy, but all that came out was a small 'huh'. The desire was back in his eyes, the hard lines around them softened and a small smile creased his lips as descended for a kiss. She found that she couldn't keep eye contact with him too long, the passion there was still overwhelming. However he didn't seem to mind too much as she slowly stripped him of his clothing.
She had never been as glad as she was at the moment to have control of her mutation. Logan's hands were reverent, prayerful even, upon her heated flesh. She hadn't wanted to beg earlier; but now that he was attentive to her every moan and sigh, she had no problem sounding needy.
When he finally gave into her demand and settled between her thighs, it was all he could do to remain in control. He set his jaw and forced himself to hold a slow, steady pace. This time he was relieved Marie wouldn't meet his gaze; there was something in her eyes that would have finished him quickly.
The way she said his name, begging him for release was what ultimately did him in. He lost his rhythm as she climaxed, sending him over the edge after her.
Lying languidly beside him, Rogue idly wondered if this was simply a booty call or if Logan would want to make this a regular thing. She decided not to worry about it for the moment, as she was content to let it be for now.
Though when he shifted, untangling himself from her and began to locate his clothes; she tried not to show her disappointment. Teasingly she asked, "Had all you can handle, Sugar?"
"No," he chuckled, pulling on his pants. "I'm supposed to meet up with some people."
"You really didn't plan on this?" The other stories she'd heard about him didn't jive with this idea.
He leaned down for a quick kiss. "I thought we might talk, maybe eat together…" he trailed off shrugging and pulled his shirt over his head.
Rogue kneeled on the bed in front of him. She tugged on the hem of his t-shirt, straightening it out. "Didn't figure you'd get dessert, too?" she asked, pressing her full breasts into him as he tried to tuck his shirt in his waistband.
Stopping what he was doing, he put a finger under her chin and gently tilted her face. When their eyes met, he replied, "Marie, you've never been just dessert."
She gasped and he kissed her softly, before pulling back, sucking lightly on her bottom lip. An involuntary tremor traveled down her spine and she wanted to pull him back into bed, but he was already stamping into his boots. He left her there with a vow to be back on Sunday morning.
Sitting back, she pulled the sheet up around her. How did Logan know her name? His story had just enough truth to be real, but it hadn't mattered to her at the time. But her name, she'd never told that to anyone. She'd been young when her parents died and she ended up in a group home. While there she'd picked up the nickname, soon no one remembered her given name.
The day she walked away from the institutional family, as the staff pretended it to be, she took the name Rogue with her. Never during the six or so years with the Brotherhood did she ever tell anyone else; not even Mystique, or Gambit later on. Rogue knew that she must have trusted Logan, overly so, to tell him her name.
What was she doing? Was she dumb enough to consider a long-term relationship with someone she'd met only hours ago? Love, even content were not words she had ever associated with her life. She knew nothing of love, and contentment could lead to deadly complications in her career.
For the first time she could remember Rogue contemplated her future. She just as hastily discarded her train of thoughts as afterglow. She was a rogue. End of story.
~*~
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Story Notes:
Thanks to Margaret and Jamie for the beta. A huge thanks to Roguelotus for all the encouragement, tries in vain to to put the lid back on this can of worms.
Author's Chapter Notes:
In the prologue (Subcutaneous Severance), Logan kissed Rogue before going back in time, promising that he would find her and they would be together again. This story is only one of the many possibilities in the new timeline.