The motorcycle sputtered to a stop on the deserted Canadian road. The hairy man on it swore, using extremely explicit language.

"Outta gas, again?" he muttered, growling. "I swear, Cyke cursed the damn thing." The man known sometimes as Logan, sometimes as Wolverine, contemplated his situation. He had left civilized towns and gas stations behind at least four hours ago, and it would take him all night to get back by foot. He didn't know what lay farther down the road, but he was willing to bet that civilization was even farther that way. With a growl, he got of the bike and began to wheel it back the way he'd came. As he walked, his thoughts wandered. He thought about a recent battle--a battle won, but had nearly lost him a dear friend. His thoughts turned sour, as they always did, when he thought of her. He remembered the battle, clear as day, and when he had touched her face...and nothing happened...he'd wanted to die. Because she was gone, his promise broken. And when he'd felt the familiar draining sensation, his first thoughts were of relieif, and joy...and then, How the hell is she gonna stop it!? Luckily, Rogue had managed to push him away, where blackness took him. He had left her, and the X-Men, after that. He'd needed some time to help him gather the peices of his past. He felt bad about leaving her alone with those geeks, even if she did seem to be fitting in okay.

Honk honk-- a truck passed by, slowing down and stopping.

"Hey, pal, y'need a ride?" called a heavily accented voice. Logan turned to look at the driver of the truck. A young woman, blonde, with sparkling blue eyes was leaning out of the truck window.

"Sure, why not?" he called.

"Alright." she turned the truck off and got out. "Wheel yer bike 'round back." She walked over to the back of the truck and opened the back door. She lowered a ramp and helped Logan wheel his bike up.

"Thanks," he said grouchily. She didn't notice his tone.

"'S fine." She got back into the cab of the truck, and he got into the passenger seat. "I'm Hanna," she said, holding out her hand. Logan took it, not wanting to offend his ride.

Hanna put the truck into gear and started driving. Remembering his first encounter with a young mutant called Rogue, Logan put his seat belt on, grinning to himself.

---

The girl, Rogue, runs through the mall. All around her debris fall, and she covers her head with her hands to ward off the smaller peices.

"Jean!" she yells. "Jean!"

Rogue, you shouldn't be here-but you're the only one close to the Professor. Keep him safe!

"Gotcha." Rogue runs around a corner, and spots the professor lying on the ground, his wheelchair not in sight. "Professor!" He looks startled, and turns to look at her.

"Rogue! I-I didn't know you were here!"

"Jean told me t'keep ya safe, Professor. Where's your wheelchair?" Rogue eyes move to the fight that's moving towards them. Sabretooth, a bloodthirsty mutant, is destroying the mall, and policemen are fighting a losing battle.

"I don't- DUCK!" Rogue ducked as a black-clad figure hurls over her head and slams into Sabretooth. "Rogue, that's Ms. Marvel, the worst of all the Brotherhood! You must stop her!"

"How, Professor? I don't wanna touch her-"

"You must! The others are too far away, you must drain her! And no matter what happens, hold on!"

"Ah don't think thats such a good idea..."

"Trust me, Rogue." Professor Xavier looks at her confidently, and she nods, trusting his judgement. As Rogue inches away towards the black clad super-villain, Professor Xavier's eyes flash yellow...

Rogue creeps up on Ms. Marvel, who is sorting through the debris. Rogue quietly removes her gloves, and sneaks up on her. Ms. Marvel is too busy looking through the rubbish, she doesn't hear Rogue...

Rogue grabs the woman's face, and Ms. Marvel's skin turns sickly. The veins push out, and the pale color turns slightly green. Rogue's skin does the same thing, and her eyes widen.

"Hold on, Rogue! Don't let go!" The Professor's voice rings in Rogue's ears.

"Something's wrong, Professor! Something's really wrong--" Rogue is cut off as Ms. Marvel screams, trying to pull Rogue off. She flies into the air, bursting through the ceiling of the mall, and into the daytime sky.

"Why--are--you--doing--this--to me?" gasps Ms. Marvel.

"'Cause your an evil mutant, lady!" says Rogue. Her mind is being flooded by memories, by new sensations...and a memory of joining the Avengers...

"But I thought the Avengers were good guys..." Rogue thinks, as Ms. Marvel passes out in her hands.

"Huh?" says Rogue. "How did I get...here...that girl was sucking the life outta me--oh, no!!!!!" Rogue sees the body in her hands. "But..but thats me! Where am I?" She flies through the hole in the mall and sets Ms. Marvel down gently. "But if thats my body...but I'm here...I don't understand!"

"Rogue!" Ms. Marvel, in Rogue's body, turns, to see Jean Grey, Storm and Cyclops heading towards her. "Rogue, are you alright? Where's the Professor? What happened to--Ms. Marvel?" Jean sees the body lying at Rogue's feet, and the girl's bare hands. "Rogue, what is going on here!?"

"Rogue?" Ms. Marvel in Rogue's body asks, bewildered. "Who's--Arghhhhhh!!!!" Rogue/Ms. Marvel doubles over, clutching her head.

"Rogue! What's wrong?!" says Storm. Jean closes her eyes and looks inside Rogue's head.

Inside Rogue's head, it's extremely hard to find Rogue. There's so many other people trapped in here-Wolverine, a boy Jean doesn't know, Magneto...

"Rogue!" Jean calls, searching through the many personalities that lie dormant in Rogue's mind.

"Jean! Here!" Jean turns to find Rogue wrestling with--

"Ms Marvel?" Jean whispers. "Rogue, did you absorb her?!"

"The Professor said she was a member of the Brotherhood!" Rogue pins the spirit Ms. Marvel to the 'floor' of her mind. "Jean, ah need to take control o'my body! She's taking it away!" Jean floats over, and grabs Ms. Marvel. She creates a psychic cage, and imprisons the woman.

"No!! Jean, I thought we were allies! Let me kill this little bitch!"

"Shut up, you disgusting--"

"Stoppit!" yells Jean. "Rogue, sort through Ms. Marvel's memories, you'll see the truth." Rogue frowns, and Ms. Marvel cries out.

"Stop taking them away from me!" she cries, clutching her head. Rogue raises her head.

"She-she's not evil." Jean nods. "B-but the P-professor said she was a member of the Brotherhood, that she was evil! He lied t'me!"

"I don't know what he was thinking, either," admits Jean. "Look, she'll stay here. You take control. She won't go anywhere." Ms. Marvel screams and pounds on the bars of her mental cage.

Jean opens her eyes, free from Rogue's mind. Rogue lies on the floor, clutching her head. She opens her eyes, and gets up. There are tears in her eyes, but her eyes are angry.

"Professor!" she yells. "Why didja lie t'me?" She runs over to where she last saw the Professor. He's on his feet, helping Toad to his. "Professor!" Xavier looks back, and his eyes are yellow. "Mystique!" Jean closes her eyes again and scans the "Professor"'s mind.

"It's definatly Mystique," replies Jean. Cyclops fires an optic blast at her, which she dodges with ease. Toad grabs her and hops away.

"Dammit!" Cyclops curses. Rogue glares.

"She's lucky ah'm a lady. Else ah'd say somethin' real rude." Rogue curses anyway, and Cyclops looks at her.

"Where'd you pick those up?"

"Logan," she says, grinning and tapping her head.

"Uh, Cyclops," says Storm, flying above them. "We have company." The three others turn to find Sabretooth, Mystique and Toad standing behind them. Storm fires lightning bolts, which the three dodge. Rogue frowns, and runs at Toad. To her surprise, she flies into the air and slams into Toad. He goes flying and goes straight through a wall.

"What the-!?" Rogue says.

"You've got Ms. Marvel's powers!" says Jean, holding Mystique off telekinetically. "She's super strong, and can fly!"

"Really?" Rogue launches herself at Sabretooth, punching him in the face. He flies back through a wall too. "Cool!" She punches at Mystique, who dodges the blow and whips out a knife.

"Rogue!" yells Cyclops. But it's too late. Mystique, with an evil grin, stabs Rogue in the back...and the knife bounces off her skin.

"Oh, yeah. Ms. Marvel's invulnerable, too," says Jean. Rogue turns and kicks Mystique in the stomach, sending her through a different wall than the other two.

"All in a day's work," she says, landing. She dusts off her gloves, which she has put back on.

"Mes breves, watch out!" a brown-haired teen throws something glowing pink behind them, and it explodes. They all go flying, landing at the teen's feet. Sabretooth is lying in a crater behind where they were just standing. The teen offers a hand to Rogue, to help her up.

"May ah help ya up?" he asks gallantly. She frowns, and gets up without his help. He shrugs, takes out a deck of cards and begins to shuffle them.

"Yer a mutant too, ah presume?" says Rogue, brushing off her coat.

"Remy LeBeau at y'service," he says, bowing gallantly.

"Hmph," Rogue replies. She looks at Jean, who probes his mind gently.

His thoughts are like quicksilver! It's almost impossible to read them., says Jean telepathically into everyone's head.

Oh, well, we can always do this the hard way, thinks Rogue. She turns to him and places her hands on her hips.

"Listen, we here are th' X-Men. We're good guys. Now, yer either on our side, r' yer not. Which is it?" Remy opens his mouth, almost speechless. Then he chuckles.

"Wit' you all de way, chere," he says.

Hmm...that's a genuine Cajun accent if ah ever heard one. Rare, t'find a Cajun 'round here. They usually stick t'swamps.

"Ah, chere, d'y'know dis man?" Remy points over to a pile of debris. Sticking out is an arm, and the top of a bald head.

"Professor!" says Rogue, running over to him. Jean and the rest see him a second after her, and they hurry over, Remy following. Rogue picks up a huge metal support beam in one hand, tossing it over her shoulder. It's about to land on the other X-Men, when Jean moves it with her mind. Remy looks impressed.

"Professor!" Rogue picks him up, carefully. She seems to be adapting to her new strength well. "D'you see his wheelchair anywhere?"

"Here it is," says Storm, poking a metal wheel with her boot. "Well, some of it."

"Ah think we better get back t'the mansion," says Rogue. "He ain't lookin too good."

"I agree. Jean, you go with Rogue. Storm, you come with me, we're going to search for injured. Uh, Remy, I think you should go with Rogue and Jean."

"Sure t'ing, homme," says Remy. "Eh, which one o'you is Jean?"

"I am," says Jean, holding out her hand. "Dr. Jean Grey." Remy takes her hand and kisses it.

"Remy LeBeau. Now, chere, what say you t'going t'dis mansion o'yours?" Rogue gives an unladylike snort.

"A real cajun gentleman," she says. "Jean, y'can take th'pretty boy, ah'll meet y'all at the mansion." With Xavier in her arms, she flies through the hole in the ceiling Ms. Marvel made. Remy stares up at her, and Jean surpresses a smile.

"Come on, Mr. LeBeau, we'll take Cyclops' bike," she says, grabbing Remy's hand and running off before Cyclops can protest.

"Oh well," says Cyclops. "We can always fly home."

---

Rogue lands on the mansion grounds and hurries in. Classes are going on, and she sneaks down into the cold metallic lower levels. She places Xavier on a table and waits for Jean, nervous. Soon after, Jean comes running in, followed by Remy. She wheels the Professor into another room.

"Rogue, why don't you show Remy upstairs. He thinks he'd like to stay with us." Rogue looks at Remy, blushing slightly.

"Sure, j-just what ah need, some Cajun tellin' me what t'do." Jean notices the direction her thoughts are taking and ducks out of the room, smiling maliciously.

"Uh, mmm, come on, uh, Remy," Rogue says, leading him out of the room. "Students aren't supposed t'know 'bout the lower levels, so don' mention it t'any of the others."

"Sure, darlin'. Never did catch yer name," Remy says smoothly.

"'S Rogue." She leads him up the elevator, which opens into a plush hallway. "This is the first floor. Most of our classes are around here...ow!" Rogue bends down, clutching her head. "Marvel--stay put!"

"Who, Rogue? What's wrong, chere?" Remy bends down and moves to take her face in his hands. She jerks away.

"Don't touch me!"

"Shh, chere, 's okay, Remy's not gon' touch you. C'mere." He pulls her up and puts her arm around his shoulder, and supports her with his arm. "Chere, where's your room?"

"Up...stairs..." Rogue clutches her temple with her free hand, leaning weakly on Remy. "She's...tryin'...t'get out..."

"Shh, 's okay. C'mon, one foot in front o'de other..." Remy supports her as they stumble towards the normal elevator.

"Bobby!" Rogue exclaims through her pain, as Bobby Drake bumps into them after stepping out of a classroom. He springs up and shuts the door.

"Rogue, what's wrong? Who's this?" Bobby eyes Remy suspisiously.

"'S Remy, Bobby...Bobby, Remy..." Rogue takes Remy's hand, and he pulls her up, supporting her. "Jus'...mah head. Gotta real bad headache."

"Here, lean on me," says Bobby, concerned. Rogue nods slightly, and throws her arm around Bobby's shoulders. The two boys carry her to the elevator and manage to get in. Bobby presses the button, and they head up. Rogue doubles over again, clutching her head.

"Rogue, chere, hang on, we're almost dere-" The doors open, and the three stumble out. Bobby points in the direction of her room, and Remy nods. "C'mon, chere, jus'a lil' farther..." they make it to her room, where Rogue collapses onto her bed.

"What's wrong, Rogue?" asks Bobby.

"'S, nothing, ah tol' ya," she says, smiling weakly. "Migrane."

The lights in the room go out, and Bobby whirls around, ready to find someone threatening him with a gun. It's just Remy, but...his eyes...are glowing.

"Whoa, what kinda mutation to you have?" asks Bobby, amazed. Remy ignores him, going over to Rogue.

"Dat better?" She nods, smiling.

"Bobby, y'go back t'class. Remy here'll take care o'me fine." Bobby glares at Remy, who glares back. With his glowing red eyes, Remy wins the unspoken contest hands down.

"You sure, Rogue? It's no problem, I'm sure my teacher'll let me stay-"

"Bobby, it's fine," Rogue says, her voice pained. "Jus', go back t'class now." She winces. Bobby glares at Remy once last time, and leaves.

"Chere, dis ain't no migraine," says Remy. "What really wrong?"

"Ah'll...tell ya later, Remy," Rogue says, closing her eyes. "Ah need t'make sure ah'm around t' tell ya."

Ms. Marvel pounds on the bars of her cage, grabbing dormant personalities and stirring them to life inside Rogue's mind. They attack, wrestling her to the ground, trying to gain control of that desperatly craved body. With her new strength, Rogue fights most of them off, and there aren't that many strong psyches in her mind. Rogue knocks Magneto's psyche dormant, and turns to face--Wolverine.

"Logan!" she says, wiping a speck of blood off her lip. "Are...am ah gonna fight ya too?"

"You absorded her? Ms. Marvel?" Logan's voice is deadly. His eyes are narrowed.

"Ah...ah thought...the Professor said she was...evil. Logan, ah didn't know!"

"She's my friend, bub, one o'the only ones I have. And you hurt her."

"Logan, you've got friends! You've got Jean! An' Storm, an' Cyclops, an' th' Professor...an'...y'got...me."

"You don't understand, kid, she's an old friend. And you desroyed her. Ya gotta pay." In one smooth move Wolverine pops his claws and lunges at Rogue. She flies up, and he flies past her, smashing into Ms. Marvel's cage.

"Logan, lemme out! I can help you defeat her!" Wolverine glares at Rogue, and begins slashing at the cage with his claws.

"Wolverine, no!" Rogue flies into him, throwing him away from the cage. "Wolverine, ya gotta understand...ah didn't mean to!"

"Ya gotta understand, kid...I DON'T CARE!" Wolverine lunges at her, all six of his claws burying themselves in her chest. Rogue screams. She leans forward, and kisses Wolverine on the lips.

They both fall to the 'ground' in Rogue's mind. Logan's eyes are wide, not expecting this from her. His psyche begins to go dormant again, and his claws retreat into his knuckes. The holes in Rogue's chest close, and part of Wolverine's psyche goes dorment as the other...merges with Rogue's. Ms. Marvel howls, screaming her rage. Rogue flies over to her cage, and stirs up Magneto's psyche. She absorbs him, too, and melds the bars of the cage together, so there are only small openings near the top. Ms. Marvel yells and pounds on the cage, tears streaming down her face.

"I'll get you for this, Rogue!"

Rogue opens her eyes. Wolverine's first instinct is to punch out the person sitting by the bed, and Magneto's is much the same. Rogue fights their tendancies and sits up, rubbing her head.

"Chere?" asks Remy quietly. "Ya okay?"

"Fine," says Rogue shortly. "Look, ah gotta...be alone...for a lil' bit. Could ya..."

"Sure, chere," says Remy. "Ah'll be waitin' fer ya right outside, so ya need anyt'in', jus' call." Rogue nods, and Remy leaves.

Rogue rolls over, tears in her eyes. Why did Wolverine's psyche try to kill her?

He's like my father. And he hurt me. Rogue wiped away a couple of tears. Ah didn't mean t'absorb Ms. Marvel. It shoulda worn off by now, but...somethin's wrong. She's still in mah head, an' ah still have her powers. An' memories...in me. Don' know whats mine anymore. Is the deep affection ah feel for Wolverine...mine...or hers? Or both? One things fer sure, all th' feelin's fer th'cajun are mine. Don' think she knew 'im.

How do ah feel 'bout Remy? He's han'some, an' he seems real sweet, but...how can anyone love me...knowin' they can''t touch me?

Ah jus' have t'tell 'im, and that'll be th'end o'that. He won't even try t'get close. An' it's for th' best.

Rogue gets up, locks her door, and slides into something not quite so torn up. She notices six holes in her shirt, on her chest...and rips it off, tossing it in her garbage. She puts on a black tank top and a see-through green long-sleeved shirt. She pulls on a pair of black leather pants and platform leather shoes. She slips a black leather choker on, careful not to poke herself with the spikes. She pulls on leather biker gloves and a studded bracelet.(1) Rogue looks at the dog tags hanging on her mirror. She had taken them off before sneaking to the mall--they jangled, and would have given her away in a fight. She smiles, and slips the chain over her head.

Remy whistles.

"Lookin' good, chere," he says as she leaves her room. She blushes, then glares at him.

"Better'n' you," she says. He raises an eyebrow.

"Uh, Remy, she says, looking at him. "What...what's your power?"

"Ah can charge up objects, causin' dem to blow up." Remy looks at her, his eyes burning into hers. "Dunno what up wit' my eyes." Rogue nods, unable to look away.

"When ah touch someone, ah absorb their personality. If it's a mutant, ah absorb their powers, too. Ah can't control it. Even if ah don't want to, ah absorb them." She looks at him, to see if he understands.

Remy nods, and offers her his arm.

"Shall we go down t'dinner, chere?" Rogue snorts, but takes his arm. They descend the stairs. Wolverine's personality begins to wear off, and Rogue blushes as people stare at them. They do present a strange sight...a strikingly handsome cajun with burning red-on-black eyes, and a beautiful southern belle with a white streak in her brown hair.

"It 'pears we're de spotlight o'de evenin', huh chere?" says Remy into her ear. Rogue giggles and slaps his arm lightly.

"Ow!"

"Oops...sorry, ah just got th'super strength t'day, not used t' it..." she smiles sweetly.

"'S okay, chere," Remy grins back. She turns her head away, smiling.

Ding-dong... The doorbell of the mansion rings. Rogue takes her hand from Remy to go answer the door.

"Ah got it!" she calls, and opens the door. Her eyes widen as she sees who's standing there...

"L-Logan?" she whispers, her eyes wide as saucers. Sure enough, Logan stands there, looking exactly as he did when he left three years ago.

"Hey kid."