Jean and Scott returned from their honeymoon yesterday. It's good to have them back. I didn't realize I'd miss Jean as much as I did. I guess that you kinda want your family to be around you when something bad happens. If Jean'd known, she woulda come, but I wouldn't let them tell her 'cuz I didn't want to ruin her time alone with her husband. Besides, I had Charles and Ororo, and of course Logan. What I'd do without him, I dunno.

Well, I should be getting downstairs I suppose. Logan's waiting for me there. He's takin' me to the dinner we're all going to to welcome back the Summers. How the hell are Kitty and Jubes gonna be ready in time, they never are. Oh well, I'm outta here.

---

She walked out of her room and down the stairs to the foyer. There she met up with Jean who was awaiting the other two girls. The older woman rolled her eyes and Rogue smiled.

"I missed you Rogue, gawd, who'd have thought I'd get bored of being with only Scott for so long. Don't tell him that though honey. I can't afford to damage his precious male ego." She smiled and waved her hand in the air in defeat of waiting for Jubilee and Kitty. "Let's go. I think they're riding with Bobby and St. John, right? Then they can wait for those two." Marie and Jean laughed as they walked outside together.

The night was crisp and clear and the stars were shining brightly. Scott stood apart from the group, staring up at them with a dreamy kind of look in his eyes. Jean slipped away with a smile from Rogue, went up beside him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Marie walked over to her friends who were standing beside the jeep they were driving to the restaurant. Ororo was with Remy. She was dressed in a cream colored dress that went to her calves. It trailed out behind her some and was dramatic just like everything she wore. Remy was wearing his trench coat and a suit, more of a punk suit, but still a suit. The professor was dressed in a classic black and white suit and was getting settled inside the jeep.

Logan was talking to 'Ro and Remy while he waited for her. He didn't really like Remy, but had decided he was better than Scott, Kitty, and the other kids. He was dressed up for once and Rogue caught her breath at the sight of him in his black suit and maroon dress shirt under the jacket. She smiled and walked forward more and joined her friends.

"Jean said thet weh were gonna go on ahead without the othahs. They could beh gettin' ready fer a while. Bobby and John are takin' 'em anyway, so we're all set." 'Ro and Remy nodded and headed to the jeep to join Xavier. Logan stayed with her a moment before taking her arm in his.

Her dress was a dark red color that was accented by his dress shirt beautifully. It was ankle length and fit snugly around her body until it flared gracefully at her hips. It came down lower than in the front than things she normally wore and the sleeves were capped sleeves. Long black opera gloves finished the outfit while her hair hung about her shoulders sexily.

"You look amazing Darlin'." Logan trailed a black gloved finger down her chin gently before helping her into the car. The he sat beside her and held her hand tightly in his own. Marie looked at him with uncertain, but deeply loving eyes. He smiled and lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it before settling in for the ride there.

They arrived quickly and sat down at their reserved table. The conversation was lively, noticeably more so when the second group of them arrived at last. They were just a bit tiffed at the others for having left them, but they were laughed off easily.

"But I said I'd be just a minute!! When I said that I meant I'd be just a minute!! But then you all just get it in your damn heads to up and leave us!! Just a minute means just a minute people!!"

Rogue laughed with the others and commented, "And John, Bobby, how long 'zactly were yah'll waitin' durin' this minute?"

Bobby smirked and held Kitty's hand as he sat down beside her. St. John pulled Jubilee down beside him to quiet her, then he answered, "Oh, I dunno Rogue, maybe say twenty minutes. Nice round number
there for a single minute, huh?" That got him a slap on the shoulder, then a kiss in apology from his girlfriend. The whole table laughed and returned to their dinners while the four ordered.

Marie had ordered the shrimp classic and was pleased with it, but not nearly as pleased with it as Logan was with his steak. She rolled her eyes at 'Ro and continued with her own food.

When they were done with their main courses, they sat talking and laughing while they had their drinks. Rogue was chattering with Ororo about the garden and their classes. She was unaware of the gaze she was being watched with by the man next to her, talking to Xavier and Remy.

During her conversation with the woman on her left, her foot touched Logan's and absently, and quite naturally, she rubbed his lower calf with her heels. He was well aware of the action though and put a stop to it suddenly when he found himself enjoying it. That was a danger to their safe friendship.

However, Rogue didn't seem to notice or take his ending her movements as any sort of a hint. She let her hand travel to his and she took to rubbing between his knuckles. He smiled at that and somehow couldn't stop her from doing that. He couldn't make himself, for reasons he didn't want to deal with at the dinner table surrounded by his teammates.

As the sun came up and they departed, Rogue's face was lit up with a new kind of light. Logan smiled, truly smiled, and walked her to her bedroom. Maybe...just maybe it would be okay...maybe this really could be...

His thoughts were interrupted by Marie's voice. "Thank yah Logan. Ah think Ah'll beh fahne here now." She smirked at him from where she stood beside him as they stood in front of her room. Even still, she was intrigued by the look on his face. It was one that really gave her hope for maybe finally chasing all the grey clouds away. Maybe with his help she could, maybe they could together. Both of their grey clouds. Gone...driven out by...by what...

They both stood there kind of awkwardly for a moment. Rogue rubbed her gloved hands together before raising her eyes to Logan's hazel ones. She knew her eyes were heavy, not just from sleep, and she ended up looking past him at the wall behind him.

Logan took in her beautiful features and felt the longing he'd had for a long time. When she lifted her eyes to his, he knew what he saw there. He also knew that if she was to look again, she would see that his eyes contained the same feelings. He sighed, then made his decision. He wasn't sure it was the right decision, but it was one that needed to be made, so he did. He followed his instincts, and as he was being completely honest with himself for the first time, his heart too.

Suddenly Rogue's eyes snapped wide open as his lips pressed down on hers through the thinnest silk scarf she'd ever felt. Her surprise was shaken by the intense emotion she felt and the deeper meaning she knew that his kiss meant.

When he finally pulled away from her, she kept her eyes closed a moment and held onto the ghost of a touch he had felt. He was staring down at her, his emotions deep and clear in his eyes, when she opened her eyes again. He leaned over her down to her ear and whispered, "Goodnight Marie. I'll see you tomorrow Darlin'."

He smiled almost ferally at her and Rogue grinned. Then he traced her chin with his finger. Softly caressing her lips with the tip of his finger, he turned away and walked down the hall.

Yeah...yeah...the grey clouds were definitely fading fast now...