The day whirled by in lecturing, being lectured to, and preparing lectures for future classes. It all made Rogue’s head hurt. That, coupled with the lack of sleep and her over-all stress level, made her surly as a bear by dinner. Bobby jogged through the foyer to meet her on the way into the dining hall. “Sit with me?” He practically beamed at her.
“Sure, but don’t expect sparkling conversation. I’m in full-bore bitch mode tonight.”
“I’m duly warned, then,” he reached for her hand just as they passed through the double doorway and practically crashed into Logan on his way out. Marie actually did bounce off his muscled, adamantium-laden frame with an ‘oof’ sound, losing her balance for a moment before Logan scooped one arm around her waist to steady her before Bobby even realized what happened. They stood there momentarily in an awkward triangle, Logan’s arm around Rogue's waist and her hand in Bobby’s. Logan spoke first.
“You okay, ki... ummm,” he stopped before he could finish the word, grinning at her, then finishing his sentence, “Marie?” She felt Bobby’s hand go possessively against her shoulder.
“Yep, just fine, thanks. You out of here so early? The menu must be really bad tonight.” She wrinkled her nose at the scents wafting from the kitchen. They were surprisingly good, as usual.
“Yeah, stuff to do.” He eyed Drake with no expression of any kind showing on his face. “You two enjoy yourselves.” Logan slipped his arm from her waist and moved on through the door, turning at the last moment to speak directly to Marie, “Don’t forget we’re making that run with Pete into the city tomorrow for supplies. Be in the garage and ready to go at one, sharp.”
Rogue groaned, “I’d forgotten, but yeah, I’ll be there. Don’t know why you need me to go to the hardware store, but it’s a date.”
“It’s more than a hardware store run. See ya,” he nodded perfunctorily at Drake, then walked off.
Grabbing food and seats, they tried chit-chatting over their plates but it was awkward and non-productive. Bobby’s bouncy joy had been squashed by their encounter with his rival and he now concentrated on chewing, silent and nonintrusive, which suited Rogue just fine. Taking their plates to the kitchen, Bobby returned to her side.
“Want to go out somewhere? Maybe a movie, or a club for some music?” His mood had lightened somewhat.
“Any other time I’d say yes, but I’m whipped from this week. It’s been long and rough. I’d just as soon stay in...” Before she could finish her statement that she wanted some rest and quiet, Bobby jumped in with his own suggestion.
“We can go to your room since you’re on the teacher’s floor now. It’s quieter and you don’t have roommates to bug us. We can just hang out, you know? Music, tube, talk, whatever.”
Not wanting to ditch him the very night they’d just made up, she agreed and soon they were flopped on her bed watching “Casablanca.” When the credits rolled, Bobby slid closer and slipped his arms around her waist where she laid on the bed beside him, and drew her closer.
“Still seems weird, doesn’t it, not having to worry about getting zapped by my mutation?” She gave him an innocent smile.
“Yeah, but like all things, we’ll adjust somehow,” Bobby grinned at her, then nuzzling closer, he started kissing her again as she eased into his embrace, letting him take the lead. In moments they were wrapped around each other and kissing fully. Marie felt Bobby’s hand start roaming over her clothed body. She didn’t mean to, but she tensed, and he felt it.
“Are you okay?” He broke away from the kiss and looked straight into her eyes, “Did I do something wrong?”
“Yeah... no! No, it’s okay, I’m just... I dunno.” The sigh she gave made him go tight inside. She was struggling, and it was obvious. “It’s just.... well, twenty-four hours ago we were screaming at each other, making accusations, taking score of our wandering intentions, and now we’re here, making out on my bed. It’s... it’s... unsettling, somehow.”
“Are you still upset about me and Kitty?” His eyes were guarded, nothing revealed in their blue depths.
“Sorta, I guess.... it’s just that everything’s so weird now, and I do mean everything. It’s like all that I’d finally accepted as part of my life has suddenly changed, and while I thought it would be for the better, some of it isn’t.” Rogue looked him straight in the eyes, “Are you still angry that I kissed Logan?”
“It’s not something that thrills me. In a way I understand it, but I don’t like it, and it makes me feel....” his voice trailed off as his gaze dropped. “Look, we ought to be able to be honest with each other by now. You know, I see the way you look at him; actually, the way most of the women here look at him, and I know that I can’t compete on that level.”
Rogue stopped him short, “Bobby, no one ever said either of us had to compete with anyone. Do you think I don’t see how ‘perfect’ you look with Kitty, like you were voted ‘cutest couple’ at a school dance?”
“So, what do you want us to do? See other people? Start over with dating each other?” He paused for a few seconds, “Have sex, and see how we are together?”
“No.” She spoke the word hard and flat, not to be argued with, harsher than she’d intended. But it was done. With a sigh, she elaborated, “We’re not even comfortable going past kissing yet, so I think we need to breathe, and think, and try starting over again, maybe. How about you?”
“I can live with that. We’ll start fresh, then?”
Marie nodded, giving him a little smile. Bobby play-acted tipping his hat to her, “Miss Rogue, would you do me the great honor of accompanying me to dinner some evening?”
Rogue worked her Mississippi accent for all it was worth, “Why, sir, I’d be flattered. You can call on me one evening perhaps next week.” She fluttered her hand beneath her chin like a fan. “‘Cause right now, sugar, I’m whipped. Let’s call it a night, okay?”
“Okay.”
“You going on that run into town tomorrow?”
“Uh, I wasn’t invited; and I’m on Blackbird maintenance duty tomorrow with Storm, all day.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you later tomorrow, then. ‘Night, Bobby.”
“‘Night, Rogue.” He leaned in and kissed her gently before slipping off the bed and leaving.
Clicking the latch shut behind him, Rogue leaned her forehead against the door, her head whirling in frustration and indecision. She was sure as hell ‘not’ going to lose her virginity as a test of her compatibility with Bobby. It was true; she was ready to make the plunge into a sexual relationship, but not on a whim, and not....
The thought that crossed her mind shook her to the core.
Not with Bobby.
Shelly Hanson sat in an internet café, sipping an almond steamer and watching the laptop for the IM that would be her cue. She nibbled half-heartedly on the muffin she’d ordered, not even tasting it.
A half-hour later, the laptop beeped and the IM window opened. She downed her cooled steamer, slammed shut the laptop, and left the muffin’s remains sit on the table. Once inside her car, she drove exactly eleven blocks away in an erratic pattern to be sure she wasn’t being followed. Parking along the curb by a city park directly across the street from a hardware store, she dragged her cellphone out of her purse, punched in the numbers, and waited while the call connected.
“My dear,” Magneto’s voice oozed over the connection, “are you somewhere safe, that we can talk?”
“Yes, sir. I’m sitting outside the store in question. I’ve been monitoring conversations all day at every opportunity, and I have the details, the time frame, and I’m checking out the location right now. It should be easy. I’ve even lapped the block and located the tavern which the target mentioned. If you can get ‘him’ out here as soon as possible, we can do a walk-through and be ready for tomorrow.”
“‘He’ will be there in approximately forty minutes. I suggest you park in a well-lighted area for your own safety, and you know what car to watch for, do you not?”
“I do, sir, and this area is fairly well-lit. I’ll drive around for about a half-hour, then return here and wait for ‘him’ to do the walk-through.”
Thirty minutes later, Shelly was again parked in front of the hardware store as a black Mercedes pulled up behind her and Toad got out, coming to her driver’s window. Chattiness could wait - they were on the job now.
“Where’s that pub you told us about, love?”
“Walk me around the block, and I’ll show you. Then we can cut directly through the park to get back to the cars. If everything goes as I overheard, you’ll be able to take him in the park tomorrow afternoon.”
Pulling her car door open, Toad offered the blonde girl his arm, and gallantly escorted her down the darkened, deserted street.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Rogue has second thoughts, and the Brotherhood spins a web to catch a Wolverine.