Hungry Like the Wolf
by
Misty
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them. So there.
DISTRIBUTION: Reality is Nothing But a Collective Hunch: www.geocities.com/mistiec_reality. A Rare Thing, when we get it up, and the various list archives. Everyone else, please ask.
NOTES:
~I'm working on two other stories, The Splintering Touch and The Purest of Pain, both kinda long, but Diebin wanted Logan/Rogue hotness now. I'm trying to provide. It's what I do for my fellow Angst Grrls.
~ I'm perfectly aware that a wolf and a wolverine are two different things. But dammit. It worked. ;-)
~Oh yeah. When the Purest of Pain comes out, remember that I wrote this and please don't kill me. Thank you.
DEDICATION:
For Diebin, who wanted a Logan/Rogue piece now. For Kawcrow, who pointed out all the little beta sniffles.
My girls Nancy and Nickle and of course the rest of my fellow Angst Grrls, 'cause you know I love ya. ;-)
Hungry like the wolf
by Duran Duran
Dark in the city, night is a wire
Steam in the subway, earth is afire
Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do
Woman you want me, give me a sign
And catch my breathing even closer behind
Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do
In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
Smell like I sound, I'm lost in a crowd
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Straddle the line, in discord and rhyme
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
Mouth is alive, with juices like wine
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Stalked in the forest, too close to hide
I'll be upon you by the moonlight side
Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do
High blood drumming on your skin, it's so tight
You feel my heart, I'm just a moment behind
Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do
In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme
I howl and I whine, I'm after you
Mouth is alive, all running inside
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Hungry like the wolf
Hungry like the wolf
Hungry like the wolf
Burning the ground, I break from the crowd
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
I smell like I sound, I'm lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
Mouth is alive with juices like wine
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Burning the ground, I break from the crowd
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Strut on a line it's discord and rhyme
I howl and I whine, I'm after you
Mouth is alive, all running inside
And I'm hungry like the wolf
~*~
She shifted in her chair, the new leather outfit still tight, still not quite worn in yet. Her heart pounded, and for a brief moment, Marie wondered if she was actually ready for this yet. She had been through her share of trials, that was true, but this was different. This time she was wearing the X that she had come to regard as sacred.
Was she ready to be an X-men? Really ready?
As if sensing her nervous agitation, Jean Grey, looking perfectly at home in a similar leather outfit that she had worn for years, flashed a supportive smile her way. Rogue smiled back, biting her lip, and crossing her arms, before looking up to her leader, Scott Summers, as he explained where they were going.
It was the first attempted rescue mission of it's kind. Although Rogue had heard of such places, mutant testing facilities that were used to hold their kind were something akin to urban legends around Xavier's school, the X-men had never made an attempt to break into one. But as the tensions increased between the mutants and the humans, and the stories became gorier, they could watch no longer.
They were going in.
And it would be her first mission. Her first true testament to Xavier, her first chance to prove to the rest of her colleagues, her friends, that the X-men had made a right choice in taking her in so young. There had been eyebrows raised at her naming, and at her accepting it. Rogue knew many wondered how she, such a "hot head", so splintered in soul and in spirit, such a dangerous mutant, could have been chosen in such a band for a elite. She had taken Storm's advice and ignored the talk. In her past three years at the Academy, she had held an innate knowlege of a self evident truth, that she was little equipped for anything else.
This was her chance to prove herself. To prove them all wrong, and to prove her teachers right.
"Rogue?"
Started out of her thoughts, her eyes snapped up to Scott, who was regarding her with a raised eyebrow. With a tight smile, she quickly nodded.
"You with us?"
"Completely," she said, and then proceeded to scramble through her mind for what he had just said. There was a squeeze of her elbow on the other side of her, and Ororo leaned in, whispering in her ear.
"I'll fill you in on the jet."
Rogue blushed, and nodded as the earth Goddess winked, and then stood, following everyone else's lead as they pushed the chairs away from the table and began walking towards the jet.
When she saw the huge machine, her heart began to beat, and for the first time, she was thankful she was wearing gloves, if only for the fact that her sweaty palms would not betray her green worry.
It was ironic, in a way. She knew the talk that surrounded her. It was bound to happen to some as "tragic" as her, but many thought that perhaps the most horrifying time in her life was when she had absorbed another mutant, permanently. And honestly, it had been a horrifying time. She had battled with her own mind, her own guilt, and eventually, emerged the victor with her sanity, and her own sense of peace, almost restored.
In that event she had gained even more memories, and it was then that she realized they were wrong. That wasn't the most horrifying experience in her life.
It was the memories that came with it that were nearly unbearable. She had gained the gift of strength, of flying, and she had gained the memories of another woman's lovemaking. Another woman's view of kisses, things she had never experienced before. Things that were suddenly flooding through her were vivid, strong, and so colorful.
She had no idea why the image of Logan always shot through her when she was experiencing the hot flashes of turmoil, of pain, of knowing she would never truly feel that way. He had become almost a dream to her. She had only known him for four or five days at the most, and for the past year even she began to question her own beliefs that he would return some day. And if he did, she knew it would certainly not be for her. Rogue was a dreamer, but she wasn't a fool. Logan had taken her in because he had to. Because she was alone and scared, and a kid, and that was all.
He was a kindred spirit. And in her past. Her future was with the X-men. Learning, growin'. Why Logan continued to pop up in her mind, in her thoughts, was beyond her.
It shook her, irratated her, almost, confused her. The continued feel of primal urgency that continued to feed through her, made her think that somehow he was nearer, calling to her.
That was the oddest and most frustrating thing of all.
Rogue sighed, stepped into the plane, and immediately slid to the back, her mind concentrating, as Xavier' taught her, to push aside her anxiety, her other memories, and focus purely on her own.
Logan coming up in her head at this moment was not a good thing. He shook her. And she didn't need to be shaken up on this first mission.
Didn't need it at all.
~*~
He was strapped to the table, as he had always been, and he was growling, non stop it seemed, as he always did.
He growled for pain, and in the vestiges of him that still seemed human, Logan remembered only one thing.
He had a name.
Everything else seemed to be gone, and he growled for it. He growled and he snarled, and he pulled against the straps that held him. Like the animal they had driven him into, he would have tried to gnaw at the straps, had he been able to reach them, and had they not been metal.
The mental anguish that had slipped into his mind was routine now, and he scarcely remembered being any other way.
This was what he knew. This was what he had been trained into. He was still human enough to remember that.
He had been deemed a hostile, and that meant he was forced into seclusion, confinement. He never saw nor spoke to nor made contact with any human soul.
The white suits came with prods; prods that electrocuted and made him howl in anger and gnash his teeth and eventually stay away. The electrical currents would surge through his body and he would cry out in pain as the shocks slid along his metal frame. It was unbearable.
And so he stayed as far away from them as he could.
He was a trained animal.
That much he knew.
But he had a name. And as long as he didn't forget his name, he was still human.
He was Logan.
That was all that he had. He was Logan.
And he would never lose that. They would kill him first.
Time had no sense here. He had lost track of it long ago, and he wasn't sure how long it had been since he had been thrown into the white cage, with the lights, never darkness, never softness, just white glaring lights.
There was the smell of fear in the air, and he could hear howling, anger, sadness, torture. He could smell it.
He huddled in his corner and he watched with hooded eyes.
And he howled himself. He howled for the memories, for what he had become.
He howled for something softer. Something he knew was out there and just out of his reach.
It was the same pattern every day.
He lived and barely that.
But he remembered his name. He would never forget his name.
~*~
The security was tight, but not as tight as he expected.
Scott remembered with a grimace something he had told Logan long before. If they could sense them they deserved to get caught.
These people were the last people he'd want to catch one of them.
Taking a shuddering breath, he turned, making sure Ororo was all right before clamping his jaw and looking away. Of all the people on the jet, she had experienced the worst, the brunt of the anger against mutants. She had hated humans for a long time, and it was because of her good heart and Xavier's influence that she had pulled back, become the gentle soul that had always simmered underneath.
What he had experienced was nothing, but even he was filled with rage at the sight of the building. At the callous house of horrors.
God. Had these humans learned nothing?
"Taking her down," he whispered, his landing fluid, efficient, the years of practice benefiting them all as the jet slid into the cove.
He paused, and then looked around at his teammates. "You know what to do. Be careful, and good luck."
Immediately the doors were opened and the X-men filed out.
Rogue and Storm slid into the skies, staying in the treetops to avoid detection, and he took the rest of the group with him, leading them down deeper.
~*~
Beside her, she could sense the rage that was barely contained in Ororo's eyes. Rogue had learned a long time ago that one simply did not get Storm angry. For as passive and as beautiful as the Storm Goddess was, when she was angry, she was lethal, and quite possibly one of the most dangerous mutants alive.
Her eyes were white, and Rogue didn't say a word about the crashing thunder and darkened skies. Instead, she kept her eyes on the window, and turning to her teammate, she waited for the signal.
//NOW!//
The thought came crashing into her mind, and Rogue immediately clicked into action, leaving Storm to deal with the chaos outside, crashing into the window in the top story, her strength making the break-in easily.
Alarms sounded, people began to yell.
And true to the plan, all hell broke loose.
~*~
Something was different.
He rose from his haunches. His eyes narrowed, his nostrils flaring. His hands were balled into fists and immediately, the alloy slid from his knuckles, sharp and at attention.
The field in front of him was sparkling, and it never sparkled. It sparked, and it fried, but it never sparkled.
He growled low, coming forward, his fingers outstretched slowly.
And jumped back when lasers burst in front of him, in front of the clear prison.
He growled, louder, hearing the howls of the others, watching, always watching.
The bursts came again, and this time there was shouting, and the lights flickered, and he felt his heart jump, the excitement in his veins.
And in front of him, the field shorted, sparkling so brightly he had to shield his eyes.
And suddenly there was no crackling.
He came forward warily, and one finger outstretched, checked the field.
Nothing.
There was no spark. No pain. It was down.
Bewildered, Logan sniffed the air, smelled the smoke, the fear, the panic.
And the burst narrowly missed him again.
He growled, his eyes narrowing as he slid out of the cage that held him, the claws outstretched.
A person in black slid in front of him, a hand on a visor that covered his face. He was the laser maker.
He growled, grabbing the shirt and pulling, throwing him against the wall.
"What the- LOGAN?!"
His name. He said his name.
Logan paused, seconds before the claws slid into the throat of the man he held. Logan's eyes were wide, searching the face, sniffing the body.
"JEAN!" The man in black called out, and Logan growled, holding him against the wall.
He jerked his head, the claws again outstretched as another person in black came forward, a female, her eyes wide with concern and he could smell the fear, the surprise on her.
"LOGAN!"
Shock once again flitted through him. He paused, stumbling back. His claws slid out, not letting them near.
They knew his name.
His breathing came rapidly, chest heaving with quick, indrawn breathsas he continued backwards, warding them away from him with his claws.
"God... Logan..." she whispered.
He closed his eyes, the panic rising in him. With a growl of warning he turned and ran.
"LOGAN!"
~*~
//ROGUE!//
The mental hail broke through her mentality, and she froze, rolling her eyes at the bad timing. She ducked away from a guard, kicking him in the gut before sliding into a corner, answering the mental call.
//Ah'm here, Jean.//
There was a pause, and suddenly the flash was in her brain again.
//Rogue, Logan's here.//
"WHAT?!" The words were spoken out loud, and she immediately regretted the outburst when bullets ricocheted off the wall, forcing her to move further back into the corner.
//Logan's here?!//
//He was one of the mutants in the cages in the level four. That means he's a hostile, Rogue. And he's headed your way.//
She closed her eyes, her throat gone dry. God, Logan. Logan was here. Logan was one of the test mutants.
God damn.
//What do you want me do?//
//I'm not sure. He's dangerous and he didn't recognize Scott or me. I don't know what he'll do with you. But if you can find him. Try to stay with him. Don't let him out of your sight.//
God. Logan was here. Logan was here and he must have been pretty fucked up in the head if he didn't recognize them. Oh, God.
She took a shuddering breath.
//Okay.//
//Rogue.//
//Yeah.//
//Be careful. Call him by his name. He seemed to respond to that. And don't get near him. Just watch him.//
//Alraght.//
She swallowed, and then floated up, darting around the corner and diving into the man who had been shooting.
He was out in a minute. Rogue stood, her eyes warily scanning the corridors, her heart racing.
She needed to find Logan.
The halls were silent and dark. She stood, her breathing hard with worry, and slowly, she advanced, watching, trying to make her way through the corridors that seemed like a maze.
If they were claustrophobic to her, what about him?
God... what happened to Logan?
Her back was to the wall as her steps faltered, arriving at a crosspoint. The place was eerily quiet, and that did not with well with her at all.
"Logan?" she whispered, the darkness surrounding her.
A growl behind her made her jump and she shrieked when a large body dove her, throwing her off balance and landing on top of her.
She was absolutely still, the fluorescent lights flickering above her allowing her to catch a glimpse of the hard, heavy figure that held her down.
Her eyes watered, and suddenly her fear was gone as she witnessed the state of the face she hadn't seen in so long.
"Oh mah God. Logan."
The wild eyes peered down at her, his hands held hers to the ground, his bare chest heaving against her own, his thighs trapping hers down. She didn't move, not when he snarled, not when he growled.
Instead she only repeated his name, her voice soft, filled with heartbreak. "Logan."
He froze. His fingers suddenly wrapped around hers, entwining, holding her hand tightly. A low growl rolled through him as his eyes locked with hers, possessed with blank, wild fear.
There was pain in his face, as he studied her face, sniffed at the tears. She could see his confusion, see his eyes narrowing as he tried to place her.
His whiskers hadn't been shaved. They were bushy and his hair was longer. He looked animal, and she strongly suspected, that deep down, he was close to believing it himself.
"Logan, it's Marie," she whispered softly. "Marie, Logan. It's me. You saved mah life once."
He voice rumbled once more, as if in warning, holding her down with his body, but he let one hand down to reach toward her face, and she felt her heart leap in panic.
"NO!"
He growled, but her hand was quicker, grabbing his and gently pulling it down, away from her skin. Instead, her own gloved hand reached for his, as Marie, in wonder, moved her fingers to his face.
His eyes watched her movement, and she heard a low snarl that told her he was warning her not to touch him. She felt her heart skip a beat and took her chances. With a trembling hand, her glove touched his face, sliding her finger gently down his cheek.
He froze against the touch, almost pulled away, but she merely whispered, "Logan," and he stilled. She could feel his muscles tense against her, but he continued to let her touch him, his breath ragged as her fingers traveled their course.
Her heart almost broke when he let a soft whine emerge from his throat.
"Logan, it's me. Please remember me. You're one of the best memories Ah have. Please don't say you're forgotten me."
He was still, his eyes locked with her own. His fingers rose, pressed against the digits on his face, and turning his face, his tongue flicked out, licking the glove.
She felt herself tremble, and she suddenly smiled through her tears.
"Please say you remember me, Logan."
He growled again, but it was a different growl, softer somehow and his gaze never left hers, as the fingers entangled around hers even tighter. His nostrils flared, and for a second, Rogue thought she could see a bit human familiarity in his wild eyes.
"ROGUE!"
The outburst made them both jump, and Rogue's eyes widened when he scrambled off of her, jumping away.
"NO!" she cried, hands out to stop the X-men as they advanced. Her head jerked back to Logan, as she rose to her knees, eyes pleading with him. "Logan, please."
He paused, watching her, his eyes softening slightly, but someone moved behind her, and the mistrust beat her voice, and he jerked his body away from hers.
The minute she lost eye contact, she knew it was over.
She could only watch in helpless silence as he ran into the darkness of the corridor.
Hands were soon at her shoulders, pulling her up, and she barely glanced at the team behind her.
"Are you okay?"
Rogue's eyes flickered to Jubilee's worried ones, and she swallowed hard, shaking her head slightly. "No."
~*~
It had taken hours to find the remaining mutants, and even longer to try to take them to the safehouse that Charles had arranged.
The minds of the mutant X-men were heavy, for as hard as it was to see the broken men and woman they led out of the damaged facility, it was twice as hard knowing they had lost one of their own to this tormented psychological torture.
Logan was never found.
Storm, because of her acute claustrophobia, had opted to stay outside, and she and Rogue had searched the surrounding woods, but to no avail.
Jean had tried to locate him telepathically, but with the panic in the minds of the others, she had had to give that up almost immediately. There was simply too much to do.
That night, Scott and Jean had taken two of the other X-men and flown the jet back to the mansion. It had been decided earlier that Rogue, Storm, Bobby and Jubilee stay behind an extra night, in case something happened that couldn't be handled in one task force, and Rogue was glad they had.
Because there was no way she was leaving without Logan.
The mutants had built a camp about a mile from the site, and while she tried to work, her mind was distracted, haunted with images of Logan in the state he had ran in.
And God, it struck her deep down inside.
She crossed her arms, eyes searching the woods, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
Storm, her eyes back to their normal dark color, stood next to her, her white hair blowing slightly in the breeze. "You okay?"
Rogue shrugged, massaging at her neck as her eyes continued to wander over the trees. "He's still out there, Ororo. Ah can feel it. Ah know he is."
"What exactly happened between he and you, Rogue, in that corridor?"
There was a pause, and Rogue pursed her lips, cocking her head as she looked at the older woman. "Ah don't think Ah even know myself. But he knew me, Storm. Ah know that much. He knew who Ah was. Just for a second."
Storm took a breath, studying the younger mutant with wise eyes. "You care very much for him."
"Ah think Ah should," came the shaky reply. "He was the first person who gave a shit about me when Ah became what Ah am. And he didn't have to."
"There's hope, Rogue. We'll find him. That I promise you." Rogue gave Storm a tight smile, and she smiled back, squeezing her once lightly before letting go.
"Come on. You have the four am shift. You better get some sleep now."
"Ah'll go to bed in a minute."
Storm nodded, and patting her once more, walked back towards the camp.
Rogue looked around the camp and without another word, stepped into the woods.
~*~
It was her scent. There was something haunting familiar about her scent. Her body had been soft under him, and her scent...
He knew her.
He knew he knew her.
And she had known his name.
His body was low to the ground as he watched her, with the group of people that also knew his name.
He didn't care about them. He didn't trust them.
He knew her. She was all he cared about.
He had hunted, staying out of sight, in the woods, her scent alone guiding him.
Her body under his had made him feel human. Her hand on his face told him he was.
And she knew his name.
Her eyes were seeking, and he stayed away, watching as the one with the white hair moved away, while his moved in the woods, towards him.
She walked deeper, finally settling down on a rock, her hands burying in her hair, the white streak suddenly so vivid.
He felt himself growl involuntarily.
Her head snapped up, her eyes suddenly wide, and Logan swallowed, moving backwards, trying to stay out of sight.
She stood, her chest heaving up and down, her eyes looking all around her.
"Logan?" she called out.
She knew his name.
He felt himself suck in his breath, her movements slow, coming forward.
His breathing came rapidly, his eyes hooded as he watched her in the moonlight.
There was something different about her. But her scent was so familiar.
Her scent smelled like home.
Her scent smelled of freedom.
Her scent smelled of peace.
He looked back towards the camp, but all was quiet. Feeling slightly secure, Logan turned back to the woman who had called him by his name, and he crept forward, unnoticed by her.
With a light growl, he dropped to the ground right behind her.
She gasped, turning, and then she froze when she saw him.
"Logan," she breathed.
He stood, his face curious as he stared at her. Her face was soft, her eyes bright, and her chest heaving. He felt himself swallow, searching his mind for a clue. He had seen those hands before, shrouded in gloves. He was sure of it. He had heard that voice.
"Oh, Logan, thank God." He stiffened when she came forward, and she immediately froze, looking warily down at his hands, where the claws had slid out involuntarily.
He looked down at them in surprise, and then at the fear in her face, and he growled at himself in anger, forcing them back in. He could smell her fear, and he didn't want that. He didn't want her afraid of him.
Because he wasn't afraid of her. She was the only thing he didn't fear.
He stood still as she came forward, one hand outstretched, her hands trembling slightly. His gaze slid to her hands, and immediately he reached forward, entangling their fingers.
The action made her gasp, and he looked up, alarmed when tears suddenly sprang into her eyes.
"Oh, Logan," she whispered. "Dammit, what the hell did they do to you?"
The pain in her face made him breathe harder, and there was a low whine in the back of his throat as he reached for her face. She immediately snapped her head back, and his eyes narrowed, anger darkening the orbs. He wanted to touch her.
She shook her head as he reached for her again, and when he growled she merely smiled grimly, before coming forward gently and taking her hand with his.
Without another word she pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around him as she leaned her head on his chest.
The sensation of her soft warmth against his cold body shocked him, and for a second Logan was unsure of what to do. It had been so long since he had touched anyone, since he had trusted anyone, and yet this ... girl... this woman who he felt he knew and felt drawn to, was holding him, and there were tears on her face, and she knew his name.
Her skin. She didn't want him to touch her skin. He wasn't sure how the revelation came to him, but it did, and the thought seemed to wrench his sould, as his hands suddenly wrapped around her leather clad form, holding her to him.
He was human. THIS was human.
"Logan," she whispered, and he felt another involuntarily whine emerge as she pulled back, regarding him. "Kin you see me, Logan? Really see me?"
He swallowed, his hands suddenly moving to her shoulders, sliding down to her arms, to her hands. She was quiet, his eyes intense at the sensation of the smooth leather slid over his palms, the curves of her body underneath his wandering touch. His exploration continued, letting his digits slide down the curves of her fingers, and then back up her arms. She seemed to choke a little, and when he looked up, she merely shook her head slightly and bit her lip. He regarded her for a minute, and then continued, hands sliding to her shoulders, to her waist, and when they settled there, he felt the urge to feel her near him again.
With a low, feral grown he pulled her to him, hands rising to nestle in her hair, the silky strands dividing under his fingertips.
He frowned concentrating on her face, and he breathed inward, taking her scent with him. He had held her before like this, he was sure of it. There was a jingling at her chest, and the attention distracted him, made him look down, and in wonder, he picked up two pieces of metal that were resting on a chain on her chest.
She was absolutely still as he studied them, but the tags meant nothing to him, because he soon lost interest and instead looked back to her face.
He frowned, concentrating. "Logan," he whispered.
Her eyes widened, and she almost smiled, her hands reaching up to cradle his face lovingly. "Yes, sugar. You're name is Logan."
He nodded, his throat full, and then he pulled her to him again. She didn't resist, and he was glad. There was no resistance here, no fear. This was home.
The shouting brought the serenity to a halt.
"ROGUE!" The woman in his arms jolted back, away from him, and he froze, his eyes widening suddenly in panic as he reached for her again.
"Dammit, that's Storm!" she muttered. "Shit, they're in trouble."
She tried to pull away, but Logan held tightly, a growl sliding from his throat as he looked at her pleadingly.
She paused, suddenly stricken, and with a tormented grunt, pulled her hand away. "Logan Ah have to go. Just... don't... go anywhere. Please."
He watched with wild eyes as she suddenly slid into the air and flew back the way she came. With a growl, he kept his eyes on her form and ran, following her.
~*~
If she hadn't seen what they had done to her fellow mutants, she would have perhaps tried a little harder not to hurt them.
If she hadn't seen the eyes of Marie when she talked about what had been done to Logan, Jubilee might have been more careful that her sparks didn't burn them just a bit.
But they had.
Storm's eyes were white with anger as she floated above the treetops, her bolts hitting treetops, carefully to make sure she didn't crush anyone that didn't deserve the crushing.
Bobby and Jubliee were fending off the ground patrol easily, the ice and the sparks keeping them away, the X-men careful to keep their X's hidden and their faces covered with the masks.
When Rogue burst into a clearing, she discovered a mad house.
It was clear what had happened. The reinforcements had arrived, and they had encountered the X-men who had been left behind.
And they seemed to be rather pissed.
As she fought against the men who slid by with their guns and their weapons, she never noticed the man lurking in the shadows, watching her every move, the growls that came from his mouth covered by the yells and noises.
Charles, who had been monitoring their behavior via Cerebro, promised to send the jet immediately, but that meant the four of them had to fend them off until then.
A task that would have been easier had there not been tanks and guns.
Of course there was one good thing. The humans were scared.
Storm was an amazing sight, the lightning covering the air and the thunder clapping, swirling around her causing many to run in panic. The ice sheets that barred many from entering the camp had left them baffled, and the sparks that came immediately after had confused even the most stoic.
But when Rogue slipped through their defenses and turned over even their heaviest tanks, they all knew it was pretty much over.
The X-men worked as a formidable unit, and Rogue had no problem taking them out at the last leg of the defenses.
Until they discovered Logan.
It had happened so quickly. One of them, running from Rogue had managed to hear a growl and then without thinking shot and suddenly there was a howl and a whine, and he fell out of the tree on the ground.
She watched it all frozen, stilling when she saw the men surround him, in their hand those prods that he seemed so afraid of.
And without thinking she had shouted to Storm and slid down, knocking two down and scooping Logan up.
She had forgotten about the bullets.
When one pierced her arm, she grimaced. When another pierced her stomach, her flight was halted.
There was a groan, and Logan's eyes were wide as suddenly she crashed to the ground. He paused, barely shaken, looking at her, cradling her groaning body to him.
"LOGAN!"
His eyes widened as he looked up to see a white haired Goddess hovering above them.
"Is she okay?"
He froze, swallowing hard, looking back at the men in the suits that were coming with those prods that would sear through his metal body, making him writhe in pain. And they would take his Marie from him. They would take her from him and they would hurt her.
He growled in anger, his wordless sounds a very real threat, holding her to him, feeling her shudder in his arms. "Logan," she whispered, and he whined, looking down at the blood that was seeping from her wound.
"Marr...." he breathed hard, looking up again at the men. The claws slid from his hands, and he stood, prepared to run with her, find a place, keep her safe from them.
But the ice that came from behind kept them from coming closer. A huge sleet of icy wall slid up between them, ten feet high. The sparks and a girl yelling from behind kept them from the ice, and the lightening that shorted out the tanks and kept from their guns kept them away, made them run.
He turned, his heart beating rapidy, to face the three people who now stood just ten feet away, watching him warily.
Storm could see the fear in his eyes. She could see the way he clutched her wounded friend protectively against him, as if she was his and his only to care for. She swallowed when she saw the blankness in his face. He didn't know them. He didn't trust them. He only knew Rogue. And Rogue was wounded.
Oh, Gods. How did she get Rogue away from him?
"Logan," her voice was soft, gentle, as she came forward, her eyes now normal, the skies above her clear. She walked closely, hesitating when she saw the way he held Rogue closer, growling in warning. "Logan its me. It's Storm. We have to help her, Logan. Let us help Rogue."
She wasn't sure if he understood her, because he merely slid the claws out of his knuckles, pulling Rogue closer, cradling her with one hand and extending the other, stumbling back.
Bobby stepped forward, and Storm caught his arm. "NO. If he goes into the woods and we lose him, we lose Rogue."
"We can't hurt him," Jubilee breathed. "He's only trying to protect her."
"FROM US?!" Bobby hissed, his anger evident on his face. "Doesn't he realize the longer he keeps us away the longer she goes with that bullet in her?"
"No," Storm said softly. "Of course not. He's worried and he's panicked and he doesn't trust us. That's all he knows."
Jubilee tried to come forward, and he growled again, Rogue groaning when he shifted her weight. She stopped.
"Well, shit to all tarnation," was her expletive.
Bobby gave her a confused look. "What did you just say?"
"Nothing," she muttered. Storm didn't take her eyes off of Logan, and sighed.
"Alright," she whispered. "It's obvious he doesn't or won't or can't understand us. We are going to have to separate them, and we're going to have to hurt Logan."
"We can't do that. Rogue will kill us!" Jubilee hissed.
"He heals fast. Iceman, ice his feet, make him slip. Jubilee, aim for his chest. Do NOT HIT ROGUE. Do you hear me? I'll distract him." And with that her eyes glazed over, and the goddess of the Winds rose above them.
Logan crouched down, keeping Rogue away from them, as he watched with narrowed eyes Storm's ascent into the sky.
There was a flash of lightening, and when he growled, extending another hand, she shouted, "NOW!"
There was a yelp of pain as Logan flew, slid back on the ice, dropping Marie. He was still for a second, and then the panic on his face made Storm freeze.
"BOBBY! GET TO HER NOW!" Bobby ran forward, the ice sliding under him, as Logan ran, not even looking at the healing wound that on his chest. It was a race towards the fallen Rogue, and only when Jubilee sent another flurry of sparks that sent Logan back did Bobby manage to slide into Rogue, picking her up and pulling her back.
"SHIT. We pissed him off," Jubilee said, walking backwards, arms outstretched as Logan howled in anger, limping forward, eyes blazing.
"Well duh, he's pissed. It's like we got his mate or somethin'." Bobby said, clutching Rogue as he walked slowly backwards.
"That's exactly what we have," Storm whispered, her eyes widening in realization. "LOGAN, NO!" Storm settled on the ground again, her eyes still shockingly white. The vision was enough to give him pause, and his fists clenched, a cry of anger emerging from his lips, his eyes darting back to Rogue. "Logan," she said again, and she saw him flinch, her heart jumping slightly. "Logan, let us help her. Let us help her please. Don't..."
"He's not going to let us go until we give her to him," Bobby murmured, seeing the claws extend.
A whiz above them made them all look up, and at the sight of the monstrous jet, Jubilee's eyes lit up in relief. "Thank God. It's the mothership."
The sight of the X-men jet seemed to have propelled Logan into panic, because a mangled cry emerged from his throat and suddenly he scrambled back.
"Logan, NO! PLEASE!" Storm started forward, and then felt her steps falter when she heard Rogue's groan.
The jet touched the ground, the doors sliding open long enough for Jean to emerge, hands out to receive Rogue as Bobby and Jubilee slid into the pit.
"She's hurt bad," Jean whispered, pulling her into the cabin. "Scott, I need a steady flight. The bullets been embedded further. Moving her was a bad idea."
'We didn't have much of a choice," Jubilee muttered. "Logan went Tarzan on us."
Jean's face shot up, her eyes locking with hers. "What?"
"He shot out of the woods, grabbed her, wouldn't let us get to her. Jean, he's lost his mind. He thought we were going to hurt her."
The Doctor's face slid to Ororo, but the mutant was still outside, her white hair whipping around her.
"LOGAN!" Storm turned, shrugging helplessly. "He won't come out. We'll have to search for him."
"He's out there," Jean breathed, and Scott swallowed, coming down, landing gently.
"How's Rogue?"
"I need her at the lab and soon," she answered.
There was silence as Scott and Jean stared at each other, haunting agony in their faces. The others were quiet, as the two leaders had a silent conversation that would decide one mutant's fate.
Jean turned away, her face purposely hidden, as Scott lifted the jet. "Ororo, in the jet now!"
"Scott, no!" Storm grabbed his hand, eyes wide as she held the door open. "We can't just leave him!"
"Storm, we have to! Those guys will come any minute and..." he swallowed, and then looked down. "Look, we'll get Rogue back to the mansion and then I'll come back and find him myself. Okay? He's a teammate. I'll find him."
The promise was spoken with a sincerity that Ororo could not doubt,and she swallowed, looking back at the woods that held their wild friend.
"Let's go," she whispered, and the doors slid shut.
~*~
They had sent everyone to come and try to talk to her. From the professor to Kitty, to Remy, everyone had come and tried to talk to Rogue in an attempt to bring her out of her shell.
It had been two very long weeks for her, and no one could blame her. She had lost one of her very best friends, lost him again, and worst of all, she knew he was still out there, still lost, still an animal.
They kept a very close watch on her, because although Xavier had forbid her to leave to the mansion, everyone knew that at that moment Rogue didn't give a damn about rules. She was like that with any friend, willing to risk it all in order to save them, and that intensity was carried a step further with Logan.
She had been furious when she found out that he had been left behind. The livid intensity in her eyes had made even Scott wince twice, as she yell as hard as her punctured lungs would let her that all they had done was make him hate them, make him fear them, and Scott knew her logic. He had spent hours looking for Logan, combing the forests with as much equipment that he had and found nothing.
It was rare that Rogue could actually have time alone, yet by some miracle she had managed to find herself alone in the woods outside Xavier's mansion, her eyes wide and sad, her body still not fully healed from the bullets that had taken her body on her first mission.
She sat by herself by the stream, her hair loose and abandoned, the curls tumbling down her back as she shivered in her sweater, thankful for the long jacket that made the long winters a bit more bearable.
It was on her mind every day, every minute, the fact that Logan was out there, in some unknown place, where he didn't even know his own mind. The only thing he had was a name. And honestly, what good would that do him out there?
It would have been foolish to just take off, she knew that. Storm had been able to talk her out of it, citing many logical reasons why she shouldn't go. Rogue had told her each one of those could go to hell. Storm finally stopped her with one single sentence.
"Rogue he was ready to die when he saw you in trouble. You could see it in his eyes. If we find him and you're not here it's going to kill him."
That had been enough. She had stayed. And despite the fact she knew that many suspected she would still take off, she knew better now.
She trusted her leaders, despite the severe beating her impression of them had taken. She knew now they were only trying to protect her.
But God Damn. Logan was still out there.
She took a ragged breath, the tears slipping down her face, and she bit her lip, stuffing a fist in her mouth to keep herself from sobbing out right. She had tried so hard to keep the tears away, because she knew the moment she would start then she would never stop. Losing that last bit of control scared the hell out of her.
And she couldn't do it again.
A howl piercing the air made her freeze, jerk her hands from her face.
The stillness that followed made her think she was crazy, and wiping the tears from her face, she stood, her breath shaky, her eyes searching the trees around her.
A snap directly to her right made her jerk her head, and Marie's eyes widened, her heart beating frantically.
"Who's there?" she asked, her voice even, steady, even as her body was trembling.
There was no sound, and suddenly the lightest touch behind her followed by a small whine made her eyes water as she turned immediately.
"Oh mah God," she whispered, her hands suddenly coming up to cover her mouth in shock. "Logan."
At the sound of his name, Logan came forward, sniffing the air, as if to make sure it was really her, before suddenly whining again and pulling her towards him.
As his arms slipped around her, his trembling hands caressing her body, she suddenly felt herself sob, the tears sliding down her cheeks freely as she realized exactly what he had done.
God, he had followed her home.
Her arms slipped around him, her warm body pressed tightly against the layers of clothing, against his own body, clutching desperately, the relief so evident in the tears on her face, in her eyes, in her smile.
"Oh, God. You're freezing." She shrugged off her jacket quickly, wrapping it around his larger torso, thankful he was only bare chested, and not bare foot or without... pants.
She sucked in her breath, and smiled tightly, looking up at him as he stared intensely at her, his hands sliding down her arms and her shoulders, holding on as if he were not capable of letting go.
"We gotta get you inside, Logan," she whispered. "The cold will kill you."
He was silent, his eyes still looked on her as the icy fingers once again started reaching for her face. She swallowed when his hands instead landed on her hair, now focusing on the white streak that lay interwoven with the rest of her curls. He seemed to mind nothing but her, and she shuddered when he leaned forward, pulling her against his hard body tighter, molding her against him, burying his head in her hair, in her neck, whining softly.
"Oh, God, Logan." She shuddered, her eyes drifting closed as her body reacted in a way it should NOT have reacted at this moment. This was Logan. He was in trouble. He was irrational.
And God, he was almost rubbing up against her.
"Logan," she pushed him away, and then immediately regretted it when she saw the wounded look in his face. With a swallow, she came forward, cupping her hands gently to his face. "Logan, we need to get you to the mansion. You need help. Do you understand me?"
He was silent for a moment, his teeth chattering slightly, as his hands slid up to cover her own. "Marie," he said, so distinct and perfect that the tears that had welled in her eyes spilled free yet again.
"Yes. Marie," she drawled huskily. "Come on." She brought his hand down, taking it in hers, and began to lead him through the forest. He went willingly, and she was thankful, thinking it would be easy as that, until they came in sight of the mansion.
He froze, and the whine that followed made her turn, swallow. His eyes were wide with panic at the sight of the building, and he began to pull away, shaking his head.
"Logan, no. It's okay, Logan. It's... it's okay."
But he continued to pull, and when she saw the fear in his face painted so vividly, she had no choice but to ignore her splintering heart and sigh in resignation.
He wasn't ready. As far as he was concerned, they had taken her from him, blasted him, and then left him. No wonder he didn't want to go in.
She bit her lip, pausing, and then sighed, pulling him.
"Come on." She turned back into the woods, leading him to the driving and shooting range, a place that would not be used in the winter due to the snow.
Thankful for her strength, it didn't take much to break the lock to the wooden shed that doubled as a supply room. She brought him inside, and then took a ragged breath, looking around until she saw the old saddle blankets they had used before.
"Allraht, it's no Hilton, but it'll have to do."
Logan sniffed the air, and Marie almost smiled at the action, turning him and sitting him on the bench, kneeling down in front of him.
"Logan, look at me, sugar." He looked up at her,his hands reaching for her hair again, but she shook her head firmly, cradling his face down with her palms to keep his eyes in contact with hers. "Listen to me, Logan. You're gonna hafta stay here. Until I find a way to get you into that mansion. Until you learn to trust... me. Enough to get you in that house." He stared at her, and she bit her lip. "Logan did you get any of that?"
"Marie," was his hoarse reply, and her eyes grew dangerously moist yet again as she pulled him to her in a fierce hug.
Letting go, she took a shaky breath, and then turned to the shack door, testing the weight of it. "It's warm enough," she mused out loud. "Ah'm going to have to get you food and water and clothes and-" her voice was suddenly hoarsely cut off with a gasp as she felt his broad hands on each side of her hips, pulling her back against him, putting her in direct contact with... it. "Oh, damn," she breathed, and then slid around, her back suddenly connecting with the hard wood of the door, and then she was even worse off than before because she was trapped both ways, as he leaned forward, his hands still possessively on her hips. Okay, THIS never happened the last time he was here. Oh God, Oh God, Oh God.
She wasn't even aware she was saying it out loud until he frowned, cocking his head.
"God?"
She smiled tightly, shutting herself up. "Umm... Logan, sugah. This animal thing? Really a turn on. But you're not...umm... yourself raht now, and I know you're feelin' kinda attached to me, and Ah have no idea whay but umm this wouldn't be the best OH GOD DON'T TOUCH THERE!" Her hand reached up to pull his questing hand from her breast, holding it to her side firmly. "You don't care one whit, do you?" She took a ragged breath, and then firmly pushed him away. "Okay, sugah. I'm going to go get some stuff. You stay here. You hear me, Logan? You STAY." She felt herself blush at the image she was presenting, but she swallowed, and then patted his head. "Okay. Good... erm... Logan."
His eyes narrowed, standing when she reached for the door. "No, Logan stay!" Her hands motioned to him, and warily, he obeyed. She smiled, and then shut the door behind her, leaning against it, thankful for the frigid wind.
"Mah God," she whispered to herself, and then shaking herself, she rose in the air, flying towards the mansion rapidly.
~*~
It was official.
Rogue had completely flipped.
Storm narrowed her eyes as she saw the young mutant X-men again slide into the kitchen.
Ororo rarely took the nightwatch, but after the unusual behavior Rogue had been exhibiting the last couple days, she had gone to Xavier, asking him if he knew anything.
The professor had merely smiled a certain secret smile that told her he knew exactly what was wrong with Rogue and she would merely have to find out for herself.
So she made a point of it.
It started after Rogue had had a long, two hour conference with the Professor, that had ended with him announcing that the driving range was now off limits to everyone.
Except Rogue, who appeared to go there every night at midnight loaded with things.
Things got weirder after the search for Logan was halted and postponed for one reason for another, a decision that Rogue never fought.
Storm had been disturbed, but Rogue had merely shrugged, said oh well, and then continued to be jumpy and nervous about everything.
There were long conferences with the Professor everyday now, and Storm was more and more curious, and more and more disturbed.
Something was definitely happening, something no one knew about, and it was going to drive her insane.
She ambushed Rogue during her late night kitchen run. Going as slowly as she could, Storm halted in the doorway, watching as Rogue took a piece of leftover beef that was entirely too big for her to eat, along with what appeared to be a whole pie.
"Late night snack?" she asked simply.
"AUGH!" Rogue jumped, and immediately began to scramble, trying to juggle the food that was now dangerously toppling. "SHIT. You scared the hell outta me, Storm!"
Storm merely raised an eyebrow, and smiled. "I'm sorry. Just not used to you eating... what appears to be a side of beef before."
"Well um... yeah." Rogue looked down, and blushed, one hand picking up to nervously slide across the her white streak in her hair. "Ah got hungry is all."
"You hate apple pie."
"Not um... all the time."
Storm raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Rogue stop it. What's going on?"
The question was frank, and at the pointed look, Rogue seemed to deflate, sighing and putting her various items on the table.
"Allraht. Ah have to tell someone." She motioned toward the beef, and then slid out the door. "Come on."
Storm cocked an eyebrow, but picked up the beef and followed Rogue out the kitchen, and eventually out of the mansion.
Rogue was quiet as she slid up into the winds, and Storm had no problem following her, for some reason not surprised at all when they landed in front of the driving range.
Rogue hesitated, and then turned, regarding the ebony skinned woman carefully. "Look. Just stay out here until I tell you it's okay to come in. I'm not sure how he'll react."
"How WHO will react?"
Rogue bit her lip, and then shrugged. "Logan."
~*~
He was waiting by the door as soon as she opened it, and as always, Logan barely looked at the food. The first thing he dove for was her waist.
Rogue shuddered as he nuzzled her, always so glad to see her, pulling her tightly against him and pulling her into his lap.
GOD.
She had to admit, coming here, with Logan nuzzling her and looking damn good the way he did, she had the self control of a monk. Or a nun. Or whatever she was. Perhaps it was the years of no physical contact whatsoever, but so far she had managed to find some way of dissuading Logan from the notion that she was his... mate or whatever he thought.
It wasn't always him pawing and her defending. After he got over the initial relief of seeing her again, he would calm down, and she would be able to get him to eat. It was a routine that they had been following for the past week. She would let him hold her, get used to her, and then she would talk to him, always repeating his name, always trying to get him to respond. She would comb his hair, gently, always gently.
And she had been gaining progress. She knew she had gained his complete trust the day he let her trim his beard. It had grown wild, and when she had softly explained how he had had it trimmed before, he had sat still, his hands on her waist as she stood between his legs, the scissors gently snipping away, on her face a half smile of affection as she spoke to him.
It nearly gave her a heart attack when he finally spoke back.
It was a simple sentence, little more than a growl really, when she was snipping gently. It had come out hoarse. "Not that close."
That was all he said, but she had frozen stiff, the scissors almost shaking as she stared at him, wide eyed. And then he smiled, and turned his head, waiting for the other side to be trimmed.
The other side was not trimmed that night. She was too busy holding him and laughing and crying and he was too busy letting her practically jump in his lap to care.
The sentences were small at first, as his vocabulary slowly was building itself back up, but he had begun to understand, and even though he still had no recollection of the X-men, or really anything but a dim remembrance of hers, she had somehow gotten him to understand the X-men were not the bad guys.
He still refused to go to them, and when he had grunted and said no, and then finally whined in a way she suspected he was perfectly aware made her melt, she merely hugged him carefully and told him it was fine. That there was time.
Today she was sorely testing him, and she truly hoped he trusted her enough to bring one of her trusted friends to meet him.
His hand slid her close and she felt herself shudder softly when her body pressed tightly against his. Her arms slid around him and she smiled, her hands gently smoothing down the long hair on his head and then pulling back.
"Hey."
"Marie," he whispered gruffly, on a face a smile that took her breath away. "You're... late."
"Ah'm sorry." She winked, and then held up the bag of food. "Ah got held up."
He growled softly, taking the bag and tossing it on a dresser. "Come 'ere."
His hands slid around her waist again and he pulled her off the ground and onto his lap, his hand traveling up through the strands of her hair. He was silent for one long moment, and she gazed at him tenderly, the affection dancing across her eyes, offering him a tight grin as she pulled out the comb in her pocket and gently ran it through his hair, thankful she had finally trimmed it.
"And wha'd you do all day?"
"Bored as hell," he grunted, a grimace stealing over his features. She cocked an eyebrow as his hand slid to her hip. "It's hell waiting for you Marie."
"Well you know if you evah come up to the mansion you'd see me all the tahm." He froze, and she swallowed, sighing. "Sorry. Didn't mean to pry." He didn't say a word, merely smiled tightly as she slid off of his lap. "You gonna eat?"
He nodded, and she reached for the bag, opening it for him. She paused, and then swallowed. "Logan you trust me, right?"
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded immediately.
She licked her lips and continued. "And you know that I wouldn't do anything to hurt or harm you, right?"
Again a nod.
She swallowed. "Then trust me now." And then she turned toward the door, and called out, "Come in Ororo."
The door opened and Storm appeared.
Logan suddenly growled, a low growl of anger as he stumbled back, dropping things as Storm jumped at his reaction.
"LOGAN!" Marie swallowed, and immediately ran to him, hands on his face, smoothing palms down his chest, in her attempt to soothe him. "It's okay."
"She... she... shot... she.."
"Logan, shhhh..." Marie wrapped her arms around his rigid body, aware that his hawk like eyes were on Storm, aware at his claws had extended and were now pointing in her direction. "Logan, she's mah friend. She saved my life. She did her damnedest to try and save yours."
He swallowed hard, his voice hoarse. "Marie-"
Storm's eyes were wide, her body frozen at the scene, and at the tears in Rogue's eyes, she suddenly seemed to shake herself out of it, because her hands gently extended. "Logan, please. I'm your friend. I mean you no harm-"
"You're not my friend!" he spat, the growl again coming from his throat.
"LOGAN." Marie's voice was firm, but somehow pleading forcing him to look at her tearstained eyes. "Logan you said you trusted me. I trust her. With my life."
He was silent, his chest heaving up and down, eyes darting back to Storm, who was stock still.
"You took her from me," he growled, his hands suddenly possesively around Marie, pulling her in closer.
"She was hurt Logan. I needed to take her to get help. I tried to make you understand but you were too worried. She would have died if I hadn't done what I did. If there had been any other way-"
She was again interrupted by another growl, but this was lower, seemed more bluster than anything, because the claws suddenly slid back in, and he looked back at Marie, and he took a breath.
"I..." he looked away then, and then back up at Storm. Marie pulled away, crossing her arms, watching him, and he seemed to think for a minute. Without another word he came forward, and his hand suddenly extended. "Logan."
Storm stared down at his hand in surprise, and then looked to Marie, who looked as shocked as she was.
Gently, Storm slid her hand into his own, shaking it slightly. "Ororo. Storm."
"Storm," he repeated, his voice gruff. "We're eating. Are you hungry?"
Marie's hand rose to her mouth to cover her smile, but Storm's own grin was unhidden, as she nodded, her eyes brilliantly bright. "Yes I am. Thank you."
~*~
It had taken Rogue a minute or two, or four or five, to come out after Storm had, and when she did, she found a sight she had never really expected to see.
Storm was sitting in the middle of the snow, on her face a look of blank shock.
Marie smiled, wrapping her arms around her chest, and sliding down beside her. "You okay?"
Storm swallowed, and then turned to Marie. "That was Logan."
Rogue nodded. "Yes it was."
"You've had Logan here all along?"
"Not... all along. He... he's in bad shape, Ororo. Whatevah those bastards did to him... Ah... Ah don't know. He ... hated y'all. Thought you had kidnapped me or somethin'-"
"It was a bad scene," Storm agreed, blowing her breath out and nodding. "How did he get here? How did he-"
Marie shrugged. "Ah don't know. Ah mean, I guess he must have some sorta sixth sense cause he-"
"Followed you home." Storm suddenly smiled, and then began to chuckle, a grim, ironic chuckle that made Rogue's eyebrow rise. "Oh Rogue. You have no idea how glad I am to see him here. I was so worried."
"Ah know you were."
They were silent for a minute, and then Storm suddenly spoke up. "He's... clingy, is he not?"
Rogue gave her a look of shock, and suddenly they both cracked up, the tension breaking between the two woman.
"That he is," she agreed.
Storm laughed slightly, and then was silent for a minute, before turning to regard the younger woman seriously. "You know he believes you belong to him."
"Ah know." Rogue sighed, blowing her breath out and shivering slightly. "But hell, Storm. Maybe Ah do. Ah mean... all Ah care about right now is helpin' him get better."
"And the professor knows?"
"Not the umm... details of how Logan acts, but he gets the picture. He... agreed that Logan needed to come back to us at his own pace."
"So why the secret?"
"Just seemed easier somehow. Ah mean... the look you gave me when Logan sat me on his lap..."
"Ahh. Yes. That does make sense... He is getting better."
"Yeah he is."
There was some more silence, and then Storm swallowed. "I have an idea of how to get him back into the house."
Rogue looked at her, surprise on her features. "You do?"
Storm nodded, and then her eyes darkened slighting as Rogue's teeth chattered. "Oh, Rogue I'm sorry. I forgot about the weather. You must be freezing." Gently she helped the younger girl up, and both woman rose in the air, back to the mansion. "Come on, I'll tell you when we get inside."
~*~
As it turned out, they didn't need Storm's well thought out plan after all, because in the early dawn, Rogue awoke with a shriek to find Logan in her own room.
"Good GOD!" She had scrambled back on the bed, her hand to her heaving heart, when she finally recognized him, sitting on the edge of her bed. "LOGAN?!"
He was still, just gazing at her, and then slowly, he climbed up on the bed, coming toward her. "You sleep here?"
"MMmhmmm... well 'cept when I'm awoken by peeping Tom's." He was quiet, and then bounced on the bed, making the coils squeak. She was still trying to catch her breath, regarding him as he slid off the bed and then began to go through her dresser. "Umm... Logan... what're you doin' in my room?" He shrugged, digging into her top drawer.
"I wanted to see you. No one saw me come in." He pulled out a rather delicate piece of underwear. "How do you wear this?"
"GIVE ME THAT!" she hissed, sliding off the bed and snatching it back from him. "Logan, stay away from my unmentionables!"
He gave her a confused look. "You don't want me here?"
Good God, there he went again with that whine.
She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Of course Ah do. But Ah thought you didn't want to come in the house."
He swallowed, pulling off his jacket, and then sitting back on the bed. "You said I would see you a lot more if I came right?"
"Ummm... yeah."
"Storm was nice."
"Yeah she is," she acknowledged, crossing her arms as she leaned back against the dresser, eyes widening when he pulled a boot off.
"They're friends."
"Mhmmm." Her eyes nearly pulled out of their sockets when the other boot was kicked off and his shirt came off next.
"My friends too, you said."
"Yes, Ah remember what Ah said- LOGAN FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!" She ran forward, hands on his, stopping his movement to his belt buckle. "What are you doin'?!"
He grinned, and it was suddenly so wolfish she felt her heart skip a beat. "I'm staying. Here."
GOOD LORD GOD ALL MIGHTY.
She felt a whine emerge from her own throat and she swallowed when he grinned at the sound. "Okay, Logan. See? Here's the thing. Ah would LOVE to have you stay in my room, and no, Logan, don't touch that, no, not that either," she trapped his roaming hands in hers, thankful she had remembered to pull on her gloves, taking a ragged breath. "But, you remember that thing we talked about? About me and mah skin?"
"Yeah. Almost killed me twice, you said." He growled when she continued to keep his hands in hers.
"Yes well that can be a problem."
"So we'll be careful."
"God, Logan, you're killin' me. Ah swear you'll be the death of me, and don't you go lookin' at me lahk that, mister-" Her hand clamped over her mouth. "And now you got me sounding like my mother."
He cocked his head, and then stepped back, crossing his arms. "You're scared." His eyes narrowed, and in that soulfull face was so much of the original Logan she remembered that she sighed, closing her eyes.
"Yeah, Logan. Ah'm scared. I'm scared for you. You don't even ... Ah mean... how do you know that-"
"I remembered you, Marie. I remembered you when I was in there. I remembered two things. I remembered my name and I remembered something else. That was you. I know that it was you." He stilled, and suddenly his body froze, and his hand suddenly shot forward, making her jump as he grabbed the tags at her chest. He leaned forward, inspecting them, and Logan swallowed. "This was me. Marie... this was me."
She was absolutely still, not saying a word.
His thumb traced the metal, and he continued hoarsely. "Fuck. This was me. This was me and... I gave them to you. Fuck, Marie I gave them to you because I ... because ...Shit I don't remember. Marie..." his voice broke then, and Marie felt herself suddenly slide forward as he slid down on the bed. His body shook uncontrollably, his arms wrapping around her waist, his head buried in her chest, holding her to him as she stood, her hands gently sliding down the nape of his neck, her cheek leaning against the top of his head, her heart beating gently above his head. "I don't remember Marie... I ... don't... remember."
His voice was barely above panic, gruff, low, soft, and she felt her throat tighten, the tears staining her eyes.
"Shh, Logan," she whispered, pressing her lips gently against his hair. "You will. Ah promise."
And he whimpered, his arms wrapping around her waist tighter, and Marie didn't complain, merely held his shaking body to her, her words soft, comforting, and full of tender promises and affections.
"Logan," she whispered finally, her lips floating above his ear. "Ah love you, Logan. And Ah'll never let you forget that."
~*~
The sunlight shone in her eyes, and she groaned, shutting them tightly, reaching blindly for a pillow and covering her eyes with them, swallowing hard as she growled, a trait she had picked up from habit of hearing it mostly.
Of course, she was surprised that that was the ONLY habit she had picked up after three months of living with Logan.
She sighed, throwing the pillow off when she realized that it was no use, she really was awake. Damn the mornings came so quickly.
With a sigh, she looked to the other side of the bed, not surprised to find it empty. Logan had taken to being an early riser. Dawn usually, and he was by trade not a quiet man. It had driven her crazy.
It had taken some getting used to, these new living arrangements. From the moment Logan had panicked in her arms, in this very room, Rogue's whole life had been trying to regain with Logan what he had lost. The X-men, who, after being shocked, and then vastly relieved, to find Logan had been under their noses for a while, had taken to the change well, mostly. A few didn't understand, and to those Rogue merely responded that at times neither did she, but that wasn't what mattered. Logan mattered. He was all that mattered.
And it was getting easier, every day. They had started with his name, and with Jean and Storm's help, had dug further. A lot of what they had discovered hadn't been pleasant. In order to get to what had happened to Logan before they had encountered him again, they had had to get through the memories of the facility that had taken his freedom and his sanity. Rogue had once asked Jean what had been done to him, and Jean had explained it so technically that Rogue's mind swum and she had been promptly sorry she asked.
Scott had never said what happened to that building, and Rogue thought it better not to ask. The mutant/human war was drawing near, and it was something she preferred not to think about, not when it filled her with as much anger as it did.
What she found grounded her, and Logan, the most was his humanity. He seemed to relish it now, the distinction between animal and human never quite defined, at least not in public, but with her there was a gentler side, a loving side, a human side.
She still wasn't sure when they had crossed the boundaries from friends to lovers, or if there ever really was a line to be crossed. It was something that had happened naturally, surprisingly easy for a tormented mutant with no memories and a woman with deadly skin to forge a loving relationship built on trust and love... and yes, the occasional lust.
But it was never something she questioned. It was supposed to happen, and she was glad it did.
She sat up, sliding off the bed, pulling on the robe and calling her lover's name.
"In here, Marie," was a gruff reply in the general direction of their small bathroom. She smiled, and padded over to the doorway, catching his back with the black T-shirt on as he stood in front of the mirror.
"Hey, isn't that my job?" she drawled, indicating to the razor.
He raised an eyebrow, and then leaned forward, swiping the razor down carefully and washing his face off. She waited patiently, and then promptly almost lost her footing when he turned.
"Oh... mah... God."
Logan had shaved. Completely shaved.
Her eyes widened, and her hands slid to her mouth. "Where'd your beard go?!" she whispered.
He looked back, and then pointed to the wastebasket. "Well I'm assuming it's in there somewhere." He smiled, rubbing his hands along the clean shaven chin. "What do you think?"
"Honestly?" she asked, as he came forward, sliding his hands around her waist.
"Hell yeah, Marie."
"Ah don't know whether to be horrified or thrilled," she chuckled, her fingers going up to run gently along the chin. He grinned, and gently kissed her glove covered palm, leaning his face against the hand.
"So? The verdict?"
"Ah think you're still Logan, and you're still gorgeous with or with out the scruffy beard. But um... why?"
He pursed his lips, keeping his hands around her as he lead her gently back into the bedroom. "I don't know Marie. Maybe... to create some memories. As Logan. And not the beast."
"Mmmm." She was quiet for a moment, and then gave him a soft smile. "Ah love you either way, Logan. And um... Ah kinda like the beast."
She winked slightly, and he stilled, and suddenly a growl rumbled up through his chest and she laughed when suddenly she was hoisted up on the bed, with her lover on top of her, holding her down.
"Still plenty of him inside me, Marie," he growled, low and heavy.
"Well, good," she answered with a laugh. She leaned her head back against the pillow, studying him gently. "Ah like it," she finally pronounced. "Cept you look kinda like Scott if I turn this way," she teased, cocking her head to the side.
His smile froze, and he looked seriously worried for a second. "I can grow it back."
"Don't you dare!" she said, laughing, and then her hands slid up and gently caressed his cheek. "I like seeing your face. It's a beautiful face."
He swallowed, and suddenly the smile drifted off of his face. "Marie?" he whispered huskily. She smiled at him, her eyes bright with emotion. "Thanks."
"For what, sugah?"
And he swallowed, "Thanks for the memories, kid."
And her heart stilled, and her eyes shone, and there had never been more love in her voice than the moment she answered, "Anytahm, sugah. Anytime."
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