It was a morning unlike any other. Weak dawn sunlight filtered in through the blinds, casting strips of golden sunlight across the double bed Rogue currently laid entwined in. The only difference was, instead of sticking to her own side of the bed, she was in the middle, sharing the space with Logan. So tightly intertwined, it was clear that had not parted since falling asleep, which meant nightmares had not disturbed either of them. It was a reassuring thought to wake up to, Rogue’s eyes slowly lifting to gaze at the window ahead of her. Gaze scanned the morning sunlight that shone through, content to lay so warmly wrapped in the strong hold that currently encircled her abdomen.
There was a slight motion behind her, a smile soon crossing her face as she felt him slowly nuzzle against the back of her neck. “Mornin’,” he breathed quietly against her nape, sending a shiver through her.
“Mornin’,” came the murmured response. Glancing back over her shoulder, Rogue carefully rolled towards him, settling onto her back so she could watch him. His hold adapted to accommodate her change in position, but soon tightened as she fell still, pulling her towards his chest like he couldn’t bear to let her go. “You sleep good?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Mmhm,” she sounded softly, kissing against his cheek. “No nightmares.”
Logan nuzzled contently into the kiss. “No nightmares,” he repeated.
Rogue had to admit; her head felt clearer than it had done in days. It seemed sating Wolverine’s desires had pushed the creature into the back of her mind, where it would rest until it next seeked control.
“So, where we goin’ today?” Rogue asked, smiling as she lay watching him.
Logan considered her question, lazily stroking circles against her abdomen. “Still got no real plan in mind.. probably just keep goin’ for now.”
“That works,” she replied with a grin, leaning in so she could kiss him again. But this time Logan turned his head to take full advantage of her offered lips. “So,” she repeated as she pulled back after their kiss, “are we goin’ to get breakfast.”
“Sure.. you wanna go somewhere else though?”
“No,” replied Rogue quickly, shaking her head in dismissal, “Here’s fine.”
But Logan gave a shrewd smile, nosing her temple affectionately. “Not lookin’ for trouble with Susie are you?”
“Me? Trouble?” answered Rogue, a playfully affronted expression crossing her face. “Not at all, Logan!”
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Maybe it was the way Rogue sent endearing smiles over the breakfast table, or the way Logan couldn’t take his eyes off of Rogue as he ate. Regardless, it happened right in front of Susan’s nose, who stared daggers as she sat smoking threw a packet of cigarettes without any breakfast before her. The pair could have been shouting it from the rooftops, but it wouldn’t have been any more noticeable than the silent exchanges they shared.
“You’re disgustin’, do y’know that?” muttered Susan as she flicked ashes into the nearby tray.
Albert, who seemed to have been waiting for some comment to be thrown, groaned into a hand. “Susie, please..”
Rogue’s eyes slowly travelled off of Logan and instead onto the crystalline blue gaze of Susan. “I’m disgustin’?”
“Both of you are.”
“Well, look who’s talkin’,” replied Rogue sharply, Southern accent trickling in a little stronger as she geared up for an argument. She stood abruptly, moving to clear her empty plate and carry it into the kitchen. She was stopped as Susan spoke again.
“I ain’t petty enough to sleep with a man just to try and prove a point, darlin’.”
The plate was slammed down besides Susan as Rogue came up behind her chair. “No, but any other reason would suit you just fine, huh?”
“Marie,” said Logan warningly, standing to his feet now.
Albert just sighed, taking a long sip from his coffee.
Susan’s eyed narrowed as she rose from her seat. “You ought to watch that mouth of yours, or else it’s gonna be landin’ you in trouble real quick, lady.”
Rogue made a sudden motion with her hand, action caught mid-way as Susan grabbed onto her forearm. Having being going to heed Logan’s words and take her empty plate into the kitchen, Rogue started in surprise as she felt Susan’s fingers coil about her. Having mistaken the movement as offensive, Susan had quickly reacted and now tried to push Rogue back a little and out of her space. It would have been a harmless motion, if she hadn’t just discovered that despite her attempts, she couldn’t pull her hand back from the bare skin of Rogue’s arm.
Rogue’s eyes whirled down upon the contacting skin, giving a mingled cry of pain and fear. Albert lowered his coffee to peer towards them, mouth hung open a little. A painstakingly long second was spent with everyone staring at the grip Susan had on Rogue. Accumulating panic caused Rogue to throw her head back. “Get off me!” Rogue screamed, desperately trying to wrench her arm free as she felt her powers beginning to hook onto the energy Susan embodied.
The last time Rogue had touched a human like this, she had left them in a coma for three weeks. She had almost killed them.
“Susan!” exclaimed Albert as he jumped to his feet, staring as the woman’s pretty face contorted with confusion and agony. Logan quickly burst into action, knocking a chair over in his haste to reach the pair. His hands snatched up either limb and wrenched them apart with a strained grunt. It was like trying to break a welded seal. As the contact vanished, Rogue took in a great breath of air as she sunk against the wall, cradling her arm as though burnt. Albert caught the weakened Susan as she stumbled backwards, quick to lower her into her seat before she lost the strength in her legs.
There had been no lasting damage, but Susan certainly looked a little shaken by the bizarre experience. Logan carefully looked towards Rogue, but it seemed the hold hadn’t been long enough to permeate her with Susan’s thoughts too much. She just seemed a little shocked as she stood trying to regain her normal breathing rate.
“We should leave now,” said Logan quietly as he pulled Rogue from the wall, glancing anxiously towards Albert and Susan.
“What did she do?” asked Albert, his normally smiling face darkened by fear and suspicion. Eyes were locked on Logan. But neither of them responded. Logan was too busy on trying to help Rogue leave, for the girl looked scared and badly shaken by what had happened. “What did she do?” he suddenly shouted, demanding.
At this, Rogue stopped, glancing up at Logan before she looked round to see Susan staring down at her hand, of which was unblemished. “I can’t touch people..” said Rogue weakly in explanation. “But.. when someone makes contact with my skin for too long, it begins to take their energy.” She stammered as she stepped forward, staring down at Susan. “I didn’t know you would grab me! I-It was an accident. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” But Susan looked far from comforted, and swiftly leant back from Rogue as though the girl may grab hold of her.
“Marie..” said Logan softly, coming up behind Rogue and placing a hand on her shoulder in a bid to be reassuring.
“You’re one of those.. mutants?” asked Albert, eyes entranced on Rogue. When Rogue made a weak nod, Albert quickly looked towards Logan. “Did you know about this?”
Logan slowly nodded in response, “Yeah, I did,” he said, tone holding small challenge as he watched Albert. “I’m a mutant too.”
Susan made a frightened noise and Albert’s jaw dropped some more. “You never told us!”
“You never asked,” replied Logan coolly.
“I’m sorry,” said Rogue meekly, a gentle tear now trickling from the corner of her eyelid as she watched Susan. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I j-just can’t.. control it..”
“She’s dangerous,” declared Susan quietly, standing to her feet as though she couldn’t bear to be in the same room much longer. “B-but you.. ” her eyes stared at Logan, words drifting out as she was unable to express the multitude of emotions in her head.
Rogue shook her head weakly. “No..” she moaned, her hands lifting to hold her face.
Albert gently placed a hand on Susan’s shoulder. “Alright, Susie.. c’mon..” he slowly glanced towards Logan, noticeably surprised but appeared accepting of the news.
Rogue stared up at Logan, his gaze belatedly turning upon hers to see the despairing tears trickling down her face. He shook his head slowly, turning his back on his old friends and ushering Rogue out the door. “We gotta go,” he said softly, glancing back at Albert and Susan one last time before he closed the door and led Rogue through the deserted bar.
Stepping out into the cold wind he gathered her in his arms, ears still picking up her soft tears through the blizzard. He helped her into the car, for she was still a little shaky from touching Susan, the experience having left her shocked. It had been a long time since she had come close to such a dangerous experience with her mutation and she suddenly felt very naked without her usual wraps of clothing.
She didn’t look up as Logan got in the car besides her, staring down at her hands. So bare, looking so innocent, but she knew what murderous powers they possessed. She quickly coiled her fingers into fists, burying them under the long sleeves of her shirt. A sigh was exhaled as she looked up out of the window, seeing them rejoin the wintry roads of Canada. “I’m sorry,” she whispered to Logan.
“What for?”
She glanced towards him. “I’ve probably just cost you some very close friends.”
Logan shook his head slowly. “I see ‘em about once a year. I ain’t missin’ much. It’s you I’m worried about. Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Rogue assured, wiping the remnants of tears off her cheeks. “It just freaked me out a lil’.”
“We got a long drive now, so you get your head down for a bit. Get some sleep.”
Rogue gave a weak smile. “It’s not me who’s needin’ a rest. I got a boost from Susan.”
“You know what I mean,” replied Logan with a small shake of his head.
Rogue watched him for a moment before she turned her head to gaze out of her window, watching the snow-tipped firs race by in a blur. She rested her head against the cool glass, the touch soothing to the light headache that throbbed just behind her temple. Her hands, still curled tight, remained hidden from view, despite there being no one around at the moment to cause injury to. Rogue was unaware of how long she sat staring at the passing roadside, drifting in and out of daydreams and other mindless contemplations.
Her attention was only caught when she felt the car noticeably speed up and glanced over to see Logan jamming the gear stick higher. She peered out of the windscreen cautiously before back to him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothin’,” came his low reply, but he wasn’t easing off the accelerator.
They were swiftly advancing to high speeds thanks to the car’s superior engine and Rogue clutched into the door handle besides her as she felt her gut writhe in discomfort. “Logan, c’mon, you don’t need to drive so fast.”
“Not scared, are you?” he asked, slowly looking towards her, a maniacal grin crossing his lips. His foot pressed down further, the acceleration pinning Rogue back against her seat as they raced off across the roads. She fearfully glanced towards him, noticing with a sickening jolt the unnatural burn of black in his vision.
“Logan, slow this car down!” she demanded shakily, her fingernails digging into the upholstery as they hurtled around a winding curve at eye-watering speeds. He was ignoring her, pushing the car faster and faster along the dangerously icy roads, uncaring to the sharp bend that approached them. “Logan,” she screamed above the roar of the engine, staring at the road ahead of them. They wouldn’t make it. “Logan, stop it!” She cried out as she dived towards him, grabbing his arm in a bid to wrench him off the steering wheel, desperate to stop him.
She could only glance back to the windscreen to see the large breadth of a sturdy tree trunk come racing towards her.
The impact shocked her, her eyes flew open to find the car still travelling and at a much safer speed. She was panting with coursing adrenaline, wide-eyed and fearful. She shakily uncurled her clutched hands to find her nails had cut into her skin. “You ok?” asked Logan as he glanced towards her, looking concerned. Rogue quickly looked towards him, noticing no disturbance in his features.
“Y-yeah..” she whispered, finding her voice trembling. “I must’ve fell asleep..”
“Yeah, you’ve been out for a few hours.”
Rogue rubbed her forehead with the back of a shaking hand. “I had another nightmare..”
There was a soft sigh from Logan. “I’m sorry..” he murmured.
Trying to slow down her panicked breaths, Rogue shook her head. “I’m fine.. we’re fine,” she whispered quickly. However, the strange lurch of déjà vu hit her writhing stomach as she felt the car speed up suddenly. “What are you doin’?!” she quickly demanded, words tumbling out in a panic.
Logan’s eyes were upon the rear-view mirror. “We got a tail.”
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