Stopping in front of the solid door Rogue waited, the professor would call her in when he was ready. In the meantime, she would busy herself by pretending to study the grain on its surface while contemplating just why this was her most hated door in the mansion.

When she had first come to the school it had been comforting to come see the Professor, she spent a lot of time in that room talking with him about various things. From ways she could possibly learn to control her mutation, to how best to contain the personalities she had since absorbed, mainly Logan. Who was also her main reason for now hating this door.

His presence in her mind was comforting, it had been from the start just like his presence in her life, which is why she found it so hard to ‘lock him away’ as she had done with Magneto. She knew how much, and why, Logan hated being confined in any way, so tended to give him a lot of freedom. She was always in control of her own mind, though her teachers and fellow students may not always agree, but Logan did have a way of influencing her behaviour.

Examples of just how much of an influence he was to her had resulted in many lost ‘privileges’ and numerous ‘chores’ as punishments for the displays that were so “obviously Logan” as Jean had said, that she had contributed to the daily life at ‘Mutant High’.

She just hoped it wasn’t for her latest stunt that she was being called up for now, though she didn’t think Scott would have found the evidence linking her just yet, and if he had the other troublemakers would be here too, right? It wasn’t like this one was all her idea and…

Just then the office door opened behind her breaking her train of thought.
“You can come in now Rogue,” Jean said sweetly.

(“Uh-oh, maybe a little too sweetly,”) Logan spoke up, from somewhere back inside her maze of a mind. (“I think you’re busted kid.”)

(“Who me, nah, they’ll just blame you again.”) Rogue thought back with a grin. No one ever suspected that most of the ideas for her little pranks actually came from the sweet southern belle herself, Logan just gave her the guts to get up and do them.

Stepping into the room Rogue noticed that the Professor, and Jean, weren’t the only ones there. “Um, just wondering … am I in trouble, or is this a purely social call?”

“Rogue, there is a very serious matter that has come to our attention that we believe must be dealt with immediately…” the Professor started.

“So, I’m in trouble,” Rogue groaned, resigning herself to another week of washing dishes in the mansion’s enormous kitchen.

“No, you’re not in trouble,” Jean replied, seating herself in one of two chairs located in front of the large desk in the middle of the room.

“Please, sit and I will explain,” the Professor continued.

Turning to the other chair Rogue seated herself lightly on the arm, she knew the professor didn’t like it but hey, if he was going to call her here, he’d just have to put up with how she chose to sit on the furniture. Catching his less than pleased gaze she quite loudly projected her next thought. (“I could lay on the floor like I used to do when I was little, if you prefer?”)

“That won’t be necessary thank you Rogue,” the Professor replied, while Jean tried to stifle her snigger.

“Now to get down to the business at hand,” the Professor continued when silence fell once again. “How long have you been in contact with Logan?”

“Logan? What does this have to do with him?” Rogue asked, slightly annoyed.

“Quite a lot actually, how long have you been in contact with him?” the Professor enquired again.

“I haven’t exactly been in contact; he calls occasionally to check up on me and stuff.”

“Have you informed him of all the problems he’s started here since he left?” Scott asked from the other side of the room, his piercing gaze, even through those damned red shades, was really starting to get to her.

“No, I haven’t,” Rogue replied, anger seeping into her voice. “Cause then ah would have to tell him why ah did what ah did and he’d probably come right back here and kick your sorry ass all the way back to Alaska.”

At her outburst Scott coloured slightly, it was true, he knew it, that the first few incidents had been entirely his fault after he had grounded Rogue unfairly, though he‘d figured they would stop after he apologized to her.

“Enough both of you, we are not here to discuss past issues, though I would appreciate it if you could ask Logan to call me next time he contact’s you please,” the Professor interrupted them.

“I’ll tell him, doubt he’ll call though.”

“Who, you or the Professor?” Storm asked.

“Professor, long distance calls from the middle of nowhere are hard to come-by and they cost a bomb.”

“That may be the case, is there a chance you may be able to get a number so I can call him?”

“Sorry, he doesn’t have a cell-phone and he usually calls me just before he leaves whatever stop he’s at.”

“Very well, if you could please still make the request I would be very appreciative,” the Professor answered.

“Sure, is that all?” Rogue asked after a few seconds silence.

“No, we’re just not quite sure what to … how to ask you …”

“Spit it out Jean,” Rogue sighed impatiently.

“What we want to know child is what sort of relationship you and Logan have?” Storm stated getting right to the point.

“What?” Rogue asked, in obvious surprise and confusion.

“How long had you been with Logan before we found you?” Scott asked.

“One question at a time guys, Rogue, could you please tell us … how would you describe your relationship with Logan?” Jean asked softly resting her hand on Rogue’s gloved one.

“Umm … we’re, friends,” Rogue stated still slightly shocked, what did her ‘relationship with Logan’ have to do with anything?

“Just friends?” Storm asked moving across the room to stand beside her.

“Yeah, friends, that’s all,” Rogue answered after a brief pause.

“Nothing more?” Scott pressed.

“Nothing more, nothing less, just friends.”

“Has Logan ever suggested that you … that you take your relationship further?” Jean asked.

“No, look we had only just met each other a couple of hours before Sabretooth dropped that damn tree in front of us and totalled Logan’s ... ”

“That’s another thing, you’ve never actually told anyone where you and Logan met, I’ve heard lots of rumour’s but so far no one’s proved any of them, so where did you meet him?” Scott demanded.

“It’s none of your damn business where we met,” Rogue yelled back at him. “And I don’t have to tell any of you anything if I don’t want to.”

“Rogue calm down we’re just curious as to where you met him, we were hoping it would--” Jean started, only to be interrupted by a furious Rogue.

“Well you can take your curiosity and stick it--”

“Rogue please, we are just trying to help you,” the Professor interrupted.

“How the hell, is it helping me any by pissing me off, and just what exactly were you implying Ms Grey, when you asked if Logan had ever suggested we ‘took our relationship further’?” Rogue asked, still visibly angry but trying hard to reign it in.

Silence greeted her words and everyone seemed to move away from her, (“Or was that just my imagination?”).

“Rogue … someone taped your last call from Logan and--” Scott started.

“What!! How dare--" Rogue exploded only to be interrupted by the Professor’s calm voice.

“We don’t know who it was who recorded the tape, it was found lying here on the desk, it had no identifying markings, we played the tape to find out what it was, as I’m sure you would realise we had to make sure it wasn’t possibly left by the brotherhood or some such other individual as it had obviously been left for us to find.”

“So, you want to return the tape to me and apologize for invading not only mine but Logan’s privacy, right?!” Rogue asked sarcastically.

“Actually, the tape is what caused all our questions, we were wondering if you would listen to it here first, hopefully you could clear up some issues.” Jean said from her seat beside her.

“Where is it?” Rogue snapped back, not in the least surprised they weren’t willing to return it, though what on earth did her last conversation with Logan have to do with their relationship.

“It’s right here, would you like me to play it?” Storm said indicating towards a small black box sitting of to the side.

Rogue sighed heavily as she retook her seat. “…Sure, go ahead, it’s not like we’ve got anything to hide, anyway, how the hell could Logan telling me he’s coming back make you think … oh forget it, just play the damn thing.”

The words could be heard clearly throughout the room when Storm hit play.

“… Look, I’ll be back by Christmas at the latest alright?”

“You promise?”

“I promise kid.”

“ … ”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

“Well you did say last time you called that you’d be back by Thanksgiving.”

“But I didn’t promise that time, I have this time and have I ever broken any of my promises?”

“Weeellll …”

“Well what?”

“No, you haven’t broken any of your promises, so I guess I’ll see you at Christmas?”

“I’ll guarantee it … I got to go; I might call later, maybe.”

“Okay, love you, bye.”

“ … ”

Click...

“… [sigh] Love you too Marie … guess I‘d better tell you soon.”

Click...

Rogue sat in stunned silence as the tape rolled to the end, Logan had never said anything like that to her ever before, never even hinted that he felt anything for her in that respect. So, when had things changed…?

“Well?” Scott’s voice interrupted her again.

“Well what?” Rogue asked with a shrug.

“What did you mean when you said you loved him?” Scott demanded.

“Oh, come on, I always say I love you, to everyone, what difference is there between saying it to Logan or to Jubes?” Rogue shrugged it off.

“Well Logan is obviously reading your comments the wrong way.” Jean stated.

“Or the right way,” Rogue whispered.

Silence fell through the room.

“What?” Rogue asked.

“You just said--” Scott began, startled.

“What? Maybe I do love Logan but that’s none of your business,” Rogue smartly informed him.

“Rogue, your welfare is our business,” the Professor stated.

“And you think Logan is somehow … what, bad for me?” Rogue queried dangerously.

“Well look what his presence in your mind has done, he’s wreaking havoc not only in the mansion but what is he doing to you in there?” Scott asked, concern in his voice, though he had nothing to worry about, at least now.

“Logan has done nothing but help and comfort me since we first met, even when he didn’t even know me,” looking around at the others in the room with her she noted their disbelieving looks.

“Let me tell you a story… it starts with a baby girl who nobody wanted, when this little girl was about five years old, after moving around the country to various homes, she finally found a family who was willing to accept her just as she was, or so she thought.
When a very strange and dangerous change took place inside her body, she found that again, nobody wanted her, so she ran away hoping, praying with every step she took that she would find the special place that was meant just for her. As time passed and she walked further, she began to wonder if there even was such a place for her, then she met a man who also had no place in this world, or so he too thought. They travelled together for a while until the girl, now a young woman was taken away to be a martyr among her kind.

“The man she had met followed and saved her, but this young woman decided, once and for all that there was no place for her so she decided to end her suffering in this world, as maybe, just maybe there was a place for her in the next. But this man, who had become one of her closest friends, would not let her go, he had been through so much pain in his life and he shared it with her, and suddenly this girls struggle didn’t look so hard, so she kept going, keeping an eye out all the while on her continued journey for the place where she belonged … ”

After her little story, no one moved, no one spoke as the shock at her obvious confession soaked in.

“You tried to … to kill yourself?” Scott asked quietly.

“Yes, several times, I tried everything from slitting my wrists to even jumping out my window,” Rogue confirmed. The guilt began to settle on the occupants of the suddenly small room, none of them had noticed what she had been dealing with after her traumatic ordeal.

“So, you … think you owe Logan for his gift that you had then?” Jean asked quietly.

“I know it sounds ungrateful but, no, I don’t owe him for that, it was his choice,” Rogue explained.

“Then why do you love him?” Scott asked, obviously confused.

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe I love him because of who he is?” Rogue stated, as if it were obvious.

“That’s what we can’t comprehend child, he’s so different from you, he’s far too old, and--” Storm started, she was always so direct.

“Now hold up right there, what makes you think he’s so much older than me?” Rogue demanded with a grin.

“Well just look at him for one.” Scott mumbled.

“Oh, so because his body is older … try looking at it this way, Logan has about fifteen years’ worth of memories, right? I have about … let’s say thirteen years, cause I can’t remember when I was a baby, so in life experience we are both about equal. Unless you count that I now also have David, Logan and Magneto upstairs and their combined life experience is about eighty, ninety, a hundred plus years. If you look at it that way, I’m older, and … well let’s just say there’s a lot you don’t know about Logan, we really aren’t so different,” Rogue finished with a laugh.

Silence was getting a bit old now, so Rogue stood up to leave. “I’ll have the tape if you don’t mind, I’d like to try to find out who recorded it.”

“Certainly,” the Professor replied, motioning for Storm to get it for her.

With the small black tape in her hand Rogue left the office, hopefully they wouldn’t bother her or Logan about their ‘relationship’ again.

Running up the stairs to her room Rogue didn’t see the shadowed figure watching her, and if what he had seen was anything to go by his plan hadn’t quite gone the way he wanted it to.