Somehow, Rogue had dressed herself in her nightwear. Somehow, she had got herself into double bed neither of them specifically asked for. And somehow she had fallen asleep after her crying wore her out completely. She had awoken to an empty room, no sleeping Logan besides her, the room left exactly as it was from the night before. Rogue let out a soft sigh as she rolled onto her back, blinking her freshly opened eyes at the sunlit ceiling. It was well into the morning, Logan was an early riser. He could have come and gone.
“Oh, don’t kid yourself,” she muttered aloud, rubbing her face with her hands. She had no plan of action as to what to do next. She didn’t want to do anything without Logan. The Wolverine inside of her urged her reckless thoughts of getting up and finding him, whilst her common sense wrestled with that notion, for it was simply too dangerous. Not only was she alone, she had nowhere to go, for she didn’t know how to drive. And she was still trying to keep her head down because of the Brotherhood. Allowing herself to brood over her thoughts some more, Rogue pushed herself out of bed and began to dress herself for the day – even if she didn’t have anywhere to be.
Just as she was slipping her boots on, there was a sudden knock at the door. Rogue’s head flew up as she stared at the white painted door. She heard his gruff voice sound through, “Rogue?” He had gone back to using her codename, but she didn’t care. Logan had come back, that was the important thing. She hurried over to the door, quickly unlocking the catch and pulling it open to stare up at him.
“I was worried you wouldn’t come back!” she told him, resisting the longing to embrace him tightly. Her smile quickly faded however, for he looked anxious.
“We gotta go,” he said abruptly his gloved hand grabbing her wrist and pulling her along with him as he began running down the corridor.
Rogue stumbled on out after him, eyes wide. “Is it Magneto?” she asked him.
He made a stern nod as he threw himself down the staircase, leaping down three at a time. Rogue struggled to keep up, but his hold was tight and unwavering. He sped across the entrance hall, still dragging her along as he forcefully pushed past a group of people exiting the hotel bar. He barged out through the double doors, continuing his high speed across the road and towards a small quiet dirt track that led out of the small village. Here, he staggered to a halt, panting as he pushed them both into the shadows. Rogue felt her back roughly hit the wall of the building behind her, and Logan’s body press rather intimately close to hers as he kept her tight against the wall. He was glancing up and down the small road swiftly, eyes searching everywhere.
“Logan..” she whispered quietly, summoning his attention back upon her. His dark eyes snapped back to hers, the shadows around the pair not disguising the distinct flash of amber in their depths.
Rogue gave a horrified gasp and the hold on her wrist tightened. He leant in closer to her, whispering in low tones that chilled her. Chilled her because it was his voice, his brutality that came through. “Don’t struggle.” Rogue gritted her teeth as she glared at the figure before her. She could feel anger swirling through her as the dark pit in the back of her mind that was Wolverine sensed the threatening situation. The same feral rage she had experienced back in the medical lab was fuelling her thoughts, her instincts. With a furious yell her head burst from the wall and she head butted the figure in front of her. With no adamantium skull to offer protection, the imitation of Logan stumbled backwards, the hold on Rogue loosening. The minute she felt the fingers leaving her wrist, Rogue put forth a brutal strike with her fists, smacking across the face of Logan in quick succession before a kick to the stomach sent him hurtling back. His figure hit the opposite wall with a groan, the disguise of his eyes now a full blazing yellow.
They glared at her fiercely as the weathered skin of Logan’s face began to crack and peel away to reveal the blue skinned metamorph of the Brotherhood, Mystique. Rogue clenched her fists tightly, panting heavily through gritted teeth. The momentary touch of their skin hadn’t done any damage to either of them, for it had been brief. Mystique straightened from the wall, flexing her naked form. “You think you can fight me?” she asked, a disdainful chuckle following her words. But her expression was still cautious, for Rogue had delivered an exemplary defence so far.
“I know I can,” growled Rogue, who had no real fighting experience. But the Wolverine in her head was bellowing in its bloodlust. Instead of waiting for Mystique, she leapt forward, her nearer distance enabling her to perform a swift pirouetted kick towards Mystique. But the woman was prepared, for her hands grabbed Rogue’s oncoming foot, and promptly swung her into the wall besides her.
Rogue let out a surprised cry as she came into collision with the wall, feeling her head thunder in its pain at the strike. Mystique turned towards her, grabbing her by the back of her clothes and yanking her off the floor. “It’s a shame Erik wants you alive,” she whispered. Rogue threw up a leg to hit Mystique in the gut, but the blue mutant merely slammed her up against the wall, holding her by the neck of her shirt. “I don’t think he minds about you being unconscious, though.”
With a fierce snarl Rogue, aimed a hand to slap Mystique, but her wrist was swiftly caught. However, Mystique’s eyes hardened as she glanced at the contact. She attempted to wrench her fingers away, but Rogue’s mutation was sucking her in. Rogue let out a gasp as her eyes widened, their soft green being devoured by blazing amber. With a huge effort, Mystique threw herself backwards, panting harshly as she allowed herself to recover. Their hold hadn’t been that long, but it was enough to change Rogue. Mystique stared at Rogue as she began changing; blue skin was covering her, her entire form shifting until an exact replica of Mystique herself stood staring down at new naked self in alarm.
Mystique then abruptly changed herself into Rogue’s form, leaving the real Rogue looking immensely confused. But then she heard a crunch of dirt, and she looked round to see Logan advancing towards them.
“Help me!” Mystique cried, looking every bit the frightened young girl.
Rogue spun her eyes upon Logan, whose face was burning with fierce anger for the one who had tried to hurt Marie. “No!” she cried in panic, but her voice came out as Mystique’s low, alluring tone. Logan sped into a run, extending his hands as his claws shot out of either knuckle. Rogue’s screams were choked as he grabbed her by the neck, furiously throwing her up against the wall behind them. He pinned her there tightly, his claws pointed at her neck in wait.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t slice your throat,” he snarled lowly. His eyes were heaving with the feral rage Rogue had experienced herself moments ago.
“Logan, please, listen to me!” she cried, fighting to revert her voice back to normal. “It’s me! Mystique is imitating – “ her words were silenced as his knuckle pressed up against her throat, but his claws had luckily gone back into his forearm. She gasped and choked as his fist continued to be harshly pressed against her windpipe. She fought for breath, her cries weak. The touch she had with Mystique wore off, and the crackling of her skin returned as the blue scales peeled away to reveal a bruised Rogue.
Logan leant in with narrowed eyes. “Like I’m gonna fall for that.”
Rogue’s frightened eyes stared at Logan, then noticing her copy advance behind him. An uncharacteristic smirk was on her Rogue lips as Mystique abruptly spun a well-aimed kick to Logan’s back. Hitting one of his weaker points, Logan stumbled forward against Rogue, his heavy chest pinning her tightly against the wall. His knuckle left her neck so he could stop his fall and Rogue hungrily gasped in the cold air. Logan hurriedly pushed himself up, his searching eyes staring fearfully into Rogue’s.
“Now do you believe me?” Rogue asked him weakly.
Another kick hit Logan, this one summoning him to spin round with a growl. His claws were ejected from his knuckles with a familiar ‘snikt’ before he leapt at Mystique’s Rogue-looking form with a bloodthirsty roar. Rogue sunk down from the wall with pained coughs, her pants heavy as she fought to return the air to her lungs and regain her regular breathing rate. She glanced back at the fight that had ensued, then quickly scrambling against the dirt to get away from the battle. She sunk down against the wall once she had moved a few feet, coughs still coming every now and then.
With an angry shriek, Mystique was thrown to the floor, her form returning to its naked blue state to reveal bloodied slashes. After her fight with Rogue, and the drain of her energy she was noticeably weaker than normal. She seemed to realise this herself, for she shot Logan a dark look before she leapt to her feet and ran off down the road, disappearing into the distant forest. Panting angrily, Logan stood stiffly as he glared at the spot where she had disappeared. His bloodied claws slowly rose back into his knuckles, where the slits healed up almost instantly.
After a short pause, he turned, his eyes seeking Rogue’s form. She was curled up against the wall, alive, but shaken by the whole experience. He shook his head, looking thoroughly sickened with himself. “Marie, I’m sorry.. I didn’t realise. You – “
“It’s ok,” she said softly, slowly turning her eyes upon him. “It’s not your fault.”
He stepped towards her, scooping her up in his arms as he helped her to her feet. “I could’ve killed you,” he whispered as he stared at her intently, his eyes frightened by the outcome he could have delivered.
“Logan, it’s ok,” Rogue repeated as she gazed up at him. “She’s gone now.”
Logan frowned as he settled his arms around her upper torso, pulling her in against his chest in a warm embrace. His chin rested on her head, form slowly rocking her. “I shouldn’t have left you last night,” he said softly. Rogue could hear the faint tears in his words. Clearly, the near fatality had hit him hard.
“You had your reasons,” she replied softly, keeping her cheek comfortably buried against his chest.
“My reasons aren’t important,” a hand lightly stroked her hair gently. “I promised I’d take care of you, and I leave an opportunity for the Brotherhood to get you.” He stopped rocking, and settled to simply holding her tightly like she would slip away. “I could’ve killed you,” he repeated weakly, battling with his guilt.
Rogue gently pulled back from his embrace to stare up at him. She could feel her own eyes tearing up as she was reminded of the previous night. “Logan, everything’s alright. I’m safe now.”
He nodded gently as he stared down at her, lightly brushing hair from her face that had been messed up in his cuddle. They regarded each other in silence, before their moment was disturbed by the distinct sound of a mobile ring tone. Logan blinked before he slipped a hand inside his coat and retrieved the silver phone Charles had provided him with. Connected to Cerebro, it ensured that all calls between the X-Men were private and not tapped by any outside force. He stared down at the gleaming silver ‘X’ that was emblazoned on the front in hesitation.
“Answer it,” urged Rogue as she watched him.
Logan glanced at her before he flipped open the top and brought it to his ear warily. “Hello?”
“I gather there had been an attempted attack from the Brotherhood. Whilst I know there has been no fatalities, I am contacting to ask of your well being.” Charles Xavier’s eloquent voice sounded through from his link in Cerebro.
“We’re fine,” Logan replied as he watched Rogue. “Things got a lil’ outta hand, but I was unprepared. It won’t happen again.”
“I hope not,” came the reply. “However, I have news. I’ve found a distinct connection in Canada at a military base called Alkali Lake. It’s not far from where you’re currently located. You may find some answers about your past there.” There was a pause before he continued, “It’s up to you whether or not you choose to chase this lead.” With that, the connection shut off with a quiet beep. Logan lowered the phone with a frown, shutting the flip top.
“What is it?” asked Rogue, looking intrigued.
Logan pocketed the phone slowly, eventually returning his gaze upon Rogue. “The Professor’s found a link about my past,” he told her quietly. “Alkali Lake. Apparently it’s not far away from here..” he faded out and looked down.
“Are you goin’?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Why?” asked Rogue, sounding genuinely surprised.
Logan sighed quietly, “I’m not leavin’ you. Not again.”
But Rogue shook her head. “No, Logan. This is what you came here for. You should go and check it out.”
“But I don’t want – “
“Logan, I’ll be fine. I’ll stay in the hotel.”
Logan appeared to be considering this now, for he was watching her intently. “As long as you won’t leave the hotel under any circumstances. Even if it’s me. I’ll ring your phone when I’m on my way back, then you’ll know it’s me and not Mystique.”
Rogue turned and began walking out of the alleyway, Logan followed her, helping her across the road as they headed back to the hotel entrance. “Be careful, ok?”
He nodded as he came to a halt outside the hotel. “You too. I shouldn’t be gone long. I’ll be as quick as I can.” Logan leant towards her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before he allowed his arms to drop from her. “See you soon, kid,” he gave her a smirk before he turned and headed off across the road and towards the distant dirt track that led into the woods.
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