There wasn't anyone waiting to greet them when they finally parked the truck in the garage, her heart was steady as was Logans own as they unpacked what they needed out of the truck. Making their way through the quiet halls they didn't meet anything unusual, not even a rugrat running through the halls.
Logan took them direct to Xaviers ofice, knocking on the door he opened it without waiting for an answer. The desk was empty but a familiar tickle at the back of his mind directed him to the lower levels. Shrugging they left their bags at the stairs and Marie followed Logan downstairs to the lower levels. He didn't take the lift if he didn't need to, a metal box in a metal shaft wasn't his idea of pleasant comfort. When they got to the level they required they both just went down toward the room they knew Xavier would be in. The operations room was simple in design, it showed several screens linked up to vital sign monitors. The team were out on a mission, there were eight screens showing team members, Scott, Storm, Jean, Peiter, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty and Kurt, all of them were showing signs of stress. Com traffic was showing up by the red lights on the recorders but there was nothing playing in the room they were in. Xavier was seated behind his usual control panel, Logan's face was utterly neutral as he turned his aged gaze toward Logan's own.
"Nice to have you home at last Logan," the scent they were both picking up on was stressed, something wasn't going well with the mission and he was trying not to let it show. He turned his gaze to Marie, his eyes roving over the new shape she'd aquired over the winter away. It was all she could do to keep her stomach still as she smelled his satisfaction. "I hope your time away from us hasn't been too painful for you Rogue. I'm sorry about the way I had to get you both away but it was the easiest way at the time. The team is doing some clean up work at the moment," his hand waved at the screens. "A safe house for mutants has been attacked by a militant group, we beleive it's linked to the Friends Of Humanity but we can't be sure." Marie smiled in the right places but even she sensed the lie in the information he was giving them.
He wanted them out of there quickly and he turned his attention back to the screens, "If you'll excuse me I do have to monitor progress...."
"Sure Chuck, look we'll be takin the cabin by the lake. We still have trainin to do and both of us aren't exactly 'safe' at the moment." That got Xaivers attention and he turned to face them both fully, his eyes suddenly full of curiousity.
A tingle filled her mind and she filled it with the fight from earlier, her killing a man with her feet, the rage she felt as she did it, the anger and hatred that filled her being as she enjoyed the feeling of killing. The pain of torture at the hands of men, the dreams she'd endured, the pain she'd taken from Logan as he'd trained her hard.
Everything she pushed into the front of her mind and she saw Xaviers eyes widen as he took it all in. She even added a picture of her killing Jean for looking at Logan, for her smiling at him as she bandaged him up. Taking her perfect throat in her hands and squeezing her life away, a smile entering her face as she let the thought go through her. Xavier backed himself away from her slightly and coughed lightly to cover his fear.
"I see what you mean, yes of course I'll advise students to leave you alone out there but I insist you come into the house for main meals. There are people here who need to know Rogue is safe and cared for." Logan didn't smile but his stance had changed, more relaxed and confident.
"Sure Chuck, not a problem. We had a bit of a run in on the way in but it's been dealt with." Xavier looked at Logan and saw the truth staring out at him, it had been dealt with and Marie had finished it.
"Now if you don't mind I'd like to get back to the team."
"Sure Chuck, I'm sure she'll be fine in about a week, just enough for my influence to wear out of her. Can't have her killin' willy nilly can we?" He left the words hanging out in the air, telling Xavier that she was under his control, but it was tenious at the moment. She was the only one who could put him down permanently and she was a little 'disturbed' at the moment. Hence not safe to be around children who may 'annoy' her in the wrong way making her act without thinking.
Xavier let them leave and they both high tailed it out of the main house, taking the truck out to the small lake house.
When they'd pulled up to the house Marie let herself feel the things she'd been squashing, her anger at the man who had not only her life in his hands but those of the children who lived under his roof. He'd been inside her head without her permission, he'd scanned her lightly and found her ready for him. She's shown him what she was capable of and the fear he'd shown of her had made up for the intrusion. She was something he *feared*, he'd made her into what he'd wanted, a weapon but one that Logan seemed to control and now it had to be seen how much control he had over Logan. Looking over at him she could see him thinking his eyes on the upstairs windows, knowing he was thinking how easily he could gain entrance and kill their mutual problem.
"He'd feel you comin' sugar." Logan grunted and moved their things into the house, the lights spilling onto the surface of the lake. Logan might be planning it but she had the dream of how to do it slowly, piece by piece, taking everything he ever loved away from him. Destroying him from the inside until there was nothing left but the bitterness he'd put there in her heart.
A shadow came out of the darkness, a blending of the night with the skin of the Blackbird, the light from the engines the only give away. Her eyes followed the craft as it sank into the basketball court, knowing the people on board would have seen the lights on the lake. They'd have visitors tomorrow and she had to be ready for them, following Logan inside she made her peace with the night around them. She had a safe place for the night, Xavier wouldn't let them be disturbed right now, no matter how much they wanted to find out about them both. After what he'd seen in her head he had to be sure she was safe to be around. It gave them time to get their feet under them, to sound out the ground before they started their own work of dismantling everything Xavier held dear.
Going inside she went directly to Logan's arms, letting his bulk soothe her against the people outside their door. Tomorrow would be the first test of their resolve, how and who would they use to get the results they needed. And who could be told about the truth safely, if anyone at all? Tomorrow could wait, they'd had a rough day as it was and she doubted she'd be getting any decent sleep here as it was.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
They're back and the game begins....