I'm usually not in to westerns but this seems more of as period romance than a straight up western, of course i could be wrong, since I have little knowledge of westerns.

Like a good period drama the story starts with a tragedy, it is a great way to emphasis the isolation Marie feels bot emotionally now that she lots her parents and geographically.

While her circumstance seems dire I like that Marie is strong willed and willing to continue to live on, and enjoy what she has.

I like that Logan's arrival both brought a sense of danger as well as relief to Marie, and how proper she is been despite that they are probably the only two people for days.

And her nursing him to health is just wonderful, I believe there is a term for Nurse and patient falling in love with each other, can't think of it right now but I doesn't feel rushed. It felt like they through share experiences came to appreciate each others company.

Best scene for me is when Logan is stranded out in the snow and the thing he is worried about is that if he doesn't make it back, Marie will think he abandoned her.

Short but sweet story, I feel another paragraph or two on solving Logan's problems or better yet an epilogue of sorts where Marie's Ranch is now filled with warmth children and laughter would have rounded out the story nicely.

Author's Response: Sure, sure call me out on my period romance tagging. Just kidding it is a romance set in the west. :)

I\'m sure a life alone on the frontier could be done, but it would be hard and take a certain mentality.

Logan couldn\'t have arrived any other way. *runs off to search* Huh, Florence Nightingale effect, interesting. And after all Marie had done for him, he wouldn\'t abandon her.

I have entertained adding to this, but with all my other works in progress I\'m afraid putting it on the list means it is a long way off. :) Thanks!

Damn Marie is in a pretty dead end situation, Obviously barely making enough money to stay alive, if that.
Love how subtle and thorough this Logan is. Defiantly doing his homework before making his moves, but the breaking and entering could end up biting him in the ass.
Is Logan fight for fun and stress relief at this point? Since 50 some years working for Xavier should mean a whole lot cash.
And that asshole of a motel manager
Logan should have knock out some of his teeth.

This scenario is great, enjoying it a lot.

Author's Response: Rogue definitely is not having the life she hoped for when she left home.

Logan is trying to be careful this time round. About the breaking and entering, well Logan can be very stealthy when he wants.

Logan is fighting for fun. The cash is for pocket change, it would pay for day to day needs without having to draw off savings. In the comics, there are some hints that Logan is rich, he just never lets on.

I\'m glad your enjoying it. And Logan is trying to keep his distance from Rogue, I didn\'t want her to become the damsel in distress that needed rescuing from her own life. When she needs rescuing it will be for other reasons.

Another sweet chapter, liked it a lot. Its great seeing there chemistry working to bring them together, but the best part of the chapter has to be the dialogue.
The conversation flow naturally, I love how it flows smoothly from serious subjects to idle chatter, Persephone line is great. But the way Logan made the casual remark about Marie hiding in his truck and eating his jerky was the best, combine with the prologue story, there is a lot to read between the lines in.

Great read.

Author's Response:

Thank you!  My beta is to be thanked for making sure it flowed as smoothly as it did and that it wasn\'t pure dialogue. :) I definitely struggled with Logan wanting to out right spill their history and letting him finally hint at it instead. This story wasn\'t strickly meant to go with the prologue, but there is a lot of reading between the lines with what Logan knows. Thanks again.

Character interactions are great in this chapter, and the dialogue take the cake again. The pace of the chapter is wonderful. I loved seeing the more in depth character interactions, and following along with Marie's thoughts as she tries to puzzel Logan out.

Finally wonderful to see Logan put so much effort in planning out the date. Going to the fights should be interesting, since I'm sure that was not on the itinerary.

Author's Response: Thank you! I love me some chatty characters when it flows well. :) This chapter does give Marie a lot to think over about Logan and what kind of man he is.

Logan did seem to want to impress her. The fights are a mixed bag for Logan.

Wow this was an unexpected turn of events, Logan getting shot and in the back too, could it be a targeted attempt? I hope this is not a portent of things to come.

The Drops medication is interesting, I've always wonder how the cure would work when it comes to Logan and his healing.

It's awesome to see Logan acting so nonchalant despite being full of lead, even has enough energy to flirts. And Marie for being so calm and level minded, even though far enough not to get her uniform bloody, has she been in this kind of situation before?

Very intriguing chapter can't wait for more. Oh one last thing loving the Greek mythology references.

Author's Response: Logan getting himself into trouble, say it isn\'t so. Unfortunately the reason he was in New Jersey, that he can\'t remember, just caught up with him.

I\'m thinking here it doesn\'t stop his mutation, but slows it down considerably. And I don\'t think Rogue has been in this situation before, but she feels that she has no choice here but to help him.

Thanks. I\'m not good with Greek mythology so I hope I\'m not screwing it up too bad.

I came to this form Pieces of Me, definitely put a lot of things in perspective. And speaking of perspectives 3rd person, yay!

Not too much exposition, enough to let me know the differences from the Movie, and good job in establishing a believable preexisting relationship.

Its clear what both persons want/need from this relationship and what both persons brought into the relationship, beside the usual combo of mutual attraction,lust,desire and passion. Not that its not there, just nice to see that they are more than their libido.

I'm looking forward to other alternate universes in this series

Author's Response: Yeah, this one does help in understanding Logan\'s motivations when it comes to Marie in the other story. I think you can tell that third person is my default pov.

I glad to know it came off well and I hoped it carried nicely into the series. Which the only other story published in this series is Lay Down My Heart. And it is in 3rd person also.

A lot of nice developments in the relationship. I love how they seem to just settle in to a routine with each other, Marie might be in denial right now but the connection the two have is very much on display.

The dynamics between the couple is great. It great seem Logan on thr offensive trying is best to show that he cares without coming on too strong.

The jealousy discussion is wonderful, Logan might be possessive, but given his own history, it would be weird for him to be jealousy of Marie's past relationships. Not that emotions are always rational, but I think her rather cold tone when discussing Gambit helped to taper any rash reactions.

Maries struggles wirh her natural/instinctive reactions to Logan is fun to read. I like the tug of war between Marie's rational side and her emotional side, she obviously has some trust issues but she gets just so comfortable with Logan that she kinda has to startle her self awake to get a grip on the situation.

Author's Response: Rogue is going to take some time to get over the denial. Logan does have a tendency to go full bore when he had decided on a plan of action, so he is trying to find that balance here.

You\'re right. Logan isn\'t naturally one to harbor jealousy. I could see a possible fleeting glimpse, but nothing long term. And in this case Gambit was more of an acquaintance with benefits, nothing more.

Rogue did get comfortable with Logan, more than she had planned on. Her trust issues and emotional baggage she would prefer not to think about bite her in the behind at every turn.

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments.

I didn't comment on Marie's peeking into Logan's head in the last chapter because I expected this chapter would be about her dealing with those memories.

But this is better, Marie obviously is sticking to her guns about no emotional attachments, and looks like Logan is finally realizing that.

Loving the way this Marie is willing to use all sort of tricks to get Logan in bed, and that line near the end, where she patted Logan's leg is just wonderful.

The way this chapter is structured, has a simple elegance to it. A limited geographical area, (well inside a SUV really) a brief time frame, and great character interactions.

Enjoyed it very much.

Author's Response: When I wrote this, I had a clear vision that Rogue thought she would take Logan\'s memories like everyone else’s. Take a peek, sort through it, find what she needed and discard the rest. She wasn\'t prepared to deal with all his feelings/thoughts about her, therefore when she saw how much he cared she didn\'t want to deal with it.

On the other hand, it took Logan some time to realize she wasn\'t going to come around. In the beginning he concentrated on the things that made the two Marie\'s the same person to him and found out that there was one profound difference that he wasn\'t prepared to deal with.

*blushes* Thank you, I\'m glad you enjoyed it.

Yikes, It was kinda hard for me to read this chapter in a emotionally affected kinda way.
I'm not a fan of angst, but I understand many time some angst is a necessary part of a good relationship drama.
Luckily, of all the angst ridden stuff, the type in the chapter is among the once I dislike the least.
Logan seems to be more angry at his inability to "fix" this relationship/timeline rather than Marie's stubbornness about emotional attachment.
That he takes is promise to her, which for all intents and purposes was never made so seriously, is very endearing. Fits his character very well.
On Marie's part id mostly a self inflicted wound, she did get into the relationship with different expectation that Logan, she is not accepting that she want more.
Very intense, I am looking forward to see who reaches out to who and what compromise they eventually come to.

Author's Response: I\'m right there with you on my limits with angst, especially when I have to write it. *nods along* I like light and fluffy so this was definitely a change of pace for me. I always have to stick in a happy ending.

You\'re right that Logan\'s anger was focused at himself. He did take his promise seriously and I could see him getting into unnecessary brawls off screen while he was \"working something out\".

In the end, I think to fix this the reaching out had to be mutual to an extent. Rogue might have to do most of the heavy lifting, but Logan will always be there for her.

Warm and happy chapter, Marie leaving her apartment behind is a nice symbolism for her leaving her past behind.

Some great scenes in the chapter and the reunion is tinged with a philosophical look on taking a chance with love. Marie's hesitance between wanting to be loved vs a uncertain future is a great theme, coupled with the fact that she's never really loved till not is wonderful.

Also knowing is not believing theme, Marie knows that Logan love her from his memories but she kinda don't believe its possible.

The best scene is where she points out Logan's tells on saying he loved her. I actually went back and reread the chapters and she did notices rather early in their relationship. A very nice detail I did not pick up on the first time through.

For a moment I though the secretary would be Emma, since Jean is a doctor and all, don't think she be happy to just answer phones, But it think its Jean after all. Great reference to Erik and Raven knowing the floor plans of the mansion.

Great chapter.

Author's Response:

Thanks! Marie had to make the tough cut with the past, I didn\'t see it working if she thought there was something to go back to. Her life to this point has been rough and she really doesn\'t know how to deal with the feelings Logan has brought to the surface.

Logan has a great poker face, except where Marie is concerned. She was more observant that he thought.

Ah, the secretary. I tried to do a quick search to see if Xavier\'s Institute had a secretary in comic verse that I could use. No luck, but I thought one that was telepathic would be best. I don\'t think either Emma or Jean would be happy in that role, maybe one of them was filling in. :)

Thanks again.

A interesting start the story, Lot happened this chapter, Marie's torture and her new powers, Logan's new discovery on his feeling, I hope. I noticed Marie called kitty her former friend, are they still angry with each other over Bobby? quite a few things to get me interest.

I also have some issue with how DOFP treated Rogue, that Rogue cut didn't address. And I'm looking forward to see your take on this.

Battery Reviewer: Nebelwerfer42 Signed
Great start though first person is not my perfered perspective, but its nice to see that you address what I always found weird in DOFP Rogue Cut. Leaving Rogue in captivity for 10 years in the school. Of all the place that it would have been diffcult for the X Men to attack the school is not one them. Bobby's excuse is very suspect.

I find mid chapter time skips a bit jarring, but given the perspective it works.

Looking forward to where this is going.

Author's Response:

I had a hard time liking Bobby after watching DOFP.  I started writing this story as a kind of therapeutic exercise, because there were some things that just didn\'t sit well with me.  I felt like Rogue needed to have her say, and that she deserved a happy ending.  Thanks for commenting!

It was odd that Magneto is the one to come and comfort Rogue and not Xavier, given the liberty torch incident.

But it did offer some nice insight into the two characters.

I like that you did not gloss over the fact Rogue was in captivity and experimented on for 10 years.

It was kinda weird that they all just suddenly started working together with no hard feelings.

Very insightful expansion for the movie lore.

Author's Response:

It was odd that Magneto was the one to comfort Rogue; at that point, Rogue was feeling kind of betrayed/abandoned by the x-men, and I think Xavier probably sensed that, especially when she got upset with him for trying to read her mind.  And I always wondered what Rogue and Magneto would say to each other if they were ever put in a room together.  I definitely had to address the fact that Rogue was in captivity and experimented on; for one, they never acknowledged in the Rogue Cut the fact that the sentinels could absorb mutant powers.  They certainly didn\'t get that from Mystique, but they glossed over that fact, so I wanted to put that out there.  And two, Rogue\'s captivity and resulting sense of abandonment is a major theme that underlies everything that she does and feels in the entire story.  It is weird that Rogue started working with Magneto so suddenly; she\'s not really all that enthusiastic about it, but in the end, she does it for Logan\'s sake.  Thanks for the great comment!