Chapter 1: The Return of the Wolverine
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
December
It began as a tingling sensation in the back of her head. It wasn't a headache; just a persistent feeling echoing throughout her mind that something was going to happen. At first she was afraid that even though months had passed, she was just now showing signs of yet another 'gift' bestowed upon her by the late Carol Danvers. She and the Professor had sat closeted in his room for over an hour while he probed her mind, trying to discover the source of the feeling. He had found nothing, other than the fact that no trace of the mutant remained within her mind.
By the next day, Rogue was almost used to the constant buzz that seemed to overlay her every thought and action. There was an excitement that seemed to dance within her blood, an anticipation for something that she could not name and it grew stronger every day. In retrospect, it was obvious that only one thing ... one person could have caused such a reaction within her.
Logan. The Wolverine.
Still, it wasn't until almost a week later, while debriefing in the Professor's office, that she finally understood the source of the buzzing feeling. It came to her with sudden clarity just as the meeting concluded and she couldn't control the smile that spread across her face. Ororo caught her eye with a questioning look and Rogue murmured Logan's name softly, her accent thicker than normal. The Professor and Jean both stared at her and Scott looked on in confusion as her smile widened; she met the Professor's gaze. "Logan's comin' home."
Naturally, they didn't believe her and Jean actually looked hurt, as if Rogue had betrayed her somehow by still caring. The telepath had been convinced that Rogue was over her 'crush,' never mind that she had never agreed with the good doctor's estimation that a crush is all she had ever felt for Logan. The Professor - giving her the benefit of the doubt -- paused briefly and searched for Logan's presence. After a few moments, he focused his gaze on Rogue and assured her in his calming, dulcet tones that were the powerful mutant anywhere nearby he would be sensing him by now. Xavier smiled, and if it was not exactly patronizing - it was close enough to rankle the Logan that still remained within her mind two and a half years after he'd almost given up his life to save hers.
Biting back Logan's colorful retort, she continued, the thickness of her accent heightened by the barely-suppressed excitement of her certainty that soon he would be home. "I'm not sayin' that I sense him, Charles," and there was Eric, much more faded than her Logan, but still there as well. There was only the scantest reaction from those in the room, used to the presence of Eric seeping from Rogue during discussion between she and the Professor. She noticed the slight sigh that came from Xavier, aware that the remnant of Eric within her made the loss of his friend that much harder to take.
Her voice softened as she suppressed Magneto as best she could. "I'm just sayin' that I know he's comin' home. I can't say why ... but he is. I just know it." She gazed around the room, noting the less-than-convinced expressions of the faces of everyone in the room. With a shake of her head, she pushed her chair back. "Never mind, what do I know?" She stood up and directed a look Jean's way. "I'm just a silly girl with a crush."
"Rogue - I didn't ... I'm sorry."
The young woman turned to face Jean, a soft smile on her lips. Sighing quietly, she sent a look the doctor's way of infinite patience at her lack of understanding. "It's okay, Jean. I know it and that's enough for me." Glancing over at the Professor, she raised an eyebrow - one of Logan's traits. "The debriefing is over?" At his nod, she smiled again, shaking her head slightly and stepped out of the room. Once outside the door, the smile on her face burst into a radiant beam.
Logan was coming home.
He vaguely recognized the kid who opened the door; the kid certainly recognized him - his eyes widening and fastening on his leather-clad hands. Growling slightly, he pushed past the gaping adolescent and stepped once more into the foyer of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Glancing back at the still-slack-jawed kid he wryly thought, 'Wheels might want to change the name of his school.'
Speaking of Wheels ... "Logan, welcome home," the Professor warmly greeted the returning X-Man. "How are you?" Logan offered a brief smile and a nod to the older man, his glance flitting about the room, resting on Jean and Scott for a moment before returning to Xavier. Frowning, he sent another quick look around the room, but saw no trace of Marie.
He looked back at the Professor, responding to the other's query, "Fine. This place's still standing ... good." He set his duffle bag on the floor and turned his attention back to the happy couple. "Jeannie." His gaze was on her, but the nickname was purely for Scooter's benefit ... sure enough, the Fearless Leader stiffened slightly and Logan couldn't suppress the grin that both the Professor and the lovely doctor read correctly.
With a small squeeze of Scott's hand, Jean stepped forward, a smile on her face. "Welcome home, Logan," she murmured and gave Logan a quick hug. His grin faded slightly, 'Home.' That was twice. Home. Was he home? He looked around the room again.
"You missed the wedding." Scott's almost-smug voice caught his attention and Logan glanced down at Jean's hand. Shrugging slightly, he noted the ring and turned to Scott.
"Well, I guess my invitation got lost in the mail." Logan glanced over at Scott and smirked, noting the surprise and then relief written all over the man. Didn't take a telepath to read that Slim was pleased that he'd apparently lost interest in his girl. As the tension seeped from the other man's form, Logan sighed with disappointment - he'd have to find some other way to rankle the Fearless Leader. Glancing towards the open doorway, he reasoned that his interest in Marie might send Scott's blood pressure rising. That thought was enough to bring another grin to his face.
Jean voice broke into the silence. "We would have invited you but--"
"You were afraid I'd skewer the groom?" Logan interrupted and felt a dash of satisfaction when the stiffness returned to Scott's frame, Jean's smile widened and the Professor chuckled softly.
"No, no. Knowing your travel plans - or lack thereof - we knew that if you even did receive the invitation, you would most likely miss the date." Pausing, she rushed on, "Scott and I would have loved to have you there." With a grunt, Logan barely acknowledged her response, not bothering to dispute the obvious lie, his gaze once more looking about the room.
Xavier spoke in the silence smoothly. "Rogue is upstairs, but I've no doubt she'll be down here momentarily." Logan's gaze swung back to the Professor with a glare; about time the old man was ready to put him out of his misery - but still he didn't need to broadcast it. Xavier simply smiled, misreading the glare. "I don't need to be psychic to know that you were looking for her."
A light growl rumbled from Wolverine, but abruptly it broke off as the object of their discussion - or rather, the Professor's discussion - entered the room, her face glowing with joy. Logan's mouth opened slightly, the less than polite retort forgotten at the sight of his Marie ... all grown up.
"Well, fuck me," he whispered softly as he took in the tight, white angora sweater with the delicate pearl buttons he had an urge to tear off with his teeth, the long, long legs encased in black jeans so tight they fit those long, long legs like a second skin. Her hair fell down her back, the soft, white streak nearly luminescent amidst the glossy waves of dark chestnut and he could just feel those thick strands between his fingers, those magnificent locks sweeping across his body as she rose ...
"Ahem." Jean's none-too-subtle cough broke into Logan's none-too-subtle thoughts and he spared her a glance, noting her red face and Scott's stiffening form. The professor merely offered a serene smile. Marie took another step forward, the scent of her swirling in the air and he forgot why he'd looked away in the first place as he found his eyes drawn back to the luscious picture she presented. Her gaze was locked on him and he could smell the heat coming off of her in waves. And then his eyes dropped to her hands, her arms and those gloves - thin, black silk and his jeans suddenly felt a bit more snug, and Jean coughed again and the Professor murmured something about Wolverine settling in and that he would speak to him later.
Logan barely heard them - it was all background noise - as Marie walked to him, a smile wide across her beautiful face. Goddamn, he thought, when did she get so fucking beautiful? And then she was before him and he pulled her into a tight hug, the scent of her for the moment subduing his lust as her familiar presence absolutely filled the aching loneliness that had been his constant companion for the last two years.
She knew that she was in love with him. It really didn't matter that they had spent exactly four days, give or take, in each other's physical presence. It didn't matter that she hadn't seen him in two years, five months, six days and some odd minutes (But who was counting, other than her heart?). It didn't matter that she was nineteen and he was, Lord knew, but certainly no spring chicken. She loved him. Completely. There was no doubt ... but still, if there had been any, even the slightest bit, this moment would have erased that doubt forever.
Without a thought, without hesitation this man that she loved had pulled her into his arms. It had been two years, five months, six days and some odd minutes since anyone had touched her in any way without at least a slight pause, whether she'd been swathed in clothes from head to toe or naked as the day she was born. And now here she was in his arms as if it was the most natural thing in the world to hold the girl with the deadly skin.
A sense of peace seemed to emanate from him and fill her up, mingling with her own serenity. She breathed in the scent of him, glorying in the feel of his body tight against hers and ... oh my GOD! he was happy to see her. Pulling back slightly, she cast her gaze downward, but he, clearly unaware of where her thoughts lay, simply lifted her chin up so that their gazes met. And he did look genuinely happy to see her so she forgot about his little (Not so little, her mind saucily added) problem. "Hey, kid." She almost melted at the completely incongruous nickname that she didn't realize she missed so much because only Logan ever called her 'kid,' and now the husky tenor of his voice added a delicious thrill to the pet name.
"I missed you," she all but whispered, her Southern accent shading the words thicker than they had in ages. Emotion always brought it out. "I missed you so much," she repeated, her voice breaking out in the sound of happy laughter. He grinned and pushed the lock of white hair falling over her face back, and then his leather-clad finger slid across the curve of her cheek and his grin faded. His voice was husky.
"I missed you, too." And when he spoke and when he looked at her that way, it was as if everyone else faded. It was just the two of them and for a moment, she thought longingly of how much she would like to kiss him. Touch him. Be with him. She actually swayed towards him, her mouth parting the slightest bit and his gaze dropped down to her lips and the air stilled around them. Logic and common sense did not exist.
"Maybe, you should get settled in your old room, Logan." Jean's voice was like a splash of cold water and Rogue stepped back suddenly, fear sliding through her veins. She had wanted to kiss him so badly, and Lord, he had wanted to kiss her back ... and if he had ... if he had. She wasn't thinking. How could she not think? And then she felt the soft pressure of leather upon her chin once more. Looking up at him, she met his gaze.
"I'm sorry --" she began, but his finger rose and pressed against her lips as his head shook back and forth slightly. A half-smile curved his lips and she felt her heart plummet and soar in a single moment.
"We'll work something out," and his voice was a promise and now it was her blood that soared ... dancing, singing through her body. The half-smile grew to a full-throttle grin as he took a deep breath and she wondered at the sudden darkening of his eyes. He pulled her close to him again and she stopped wondering.
"Logan ... " her voice trailed off as a light laugh escaped her, he merely held her gaze a moment longer before backing off himself. Taking a steadying breath, she stepped away from him and turned towards the doorway. "Walk you to your room?" There was the slight clearing of a throat across the room and they both glanced over at Scott. Logan's smile widened and she sighed inwardly: the Fearless Leader looked like someone had just stuck a hot rod up his ass. 'Oh fuck,' she thought - Logan's profanity rising up within her - 'there's gonna be trouble.' And clearly, Logan had no problem with that.
Shit-eating grin intact, he leaned down slightly to pick up his duffle bag, belatedly accepting her offer in a loud voice, "Sure, babe." He winked at Scott and then took her hand. She could almost feel Scooter glowering - 'Scooter?' She looked at Logan. 'Oh hell, I'm channeling him already.' Sending a warning glance his way, which he promptly ignored, she hid her own smile as he blithely also ignored Scott - 'Scott!' she repeated firmly in her mind - in his silent, seething ire.
And then Logan looked into her eyes and she forgot all about Scooter. And then the smile faded from his face and she felt her breath catch. And then his eyes warmed up and therein a softness filled them that she knew was reserved ... only for her. A breathy sigh escaped her.
And then he spoke - and this time his words were quiet ... only for her - "It's good to be back," and then he paused, his gaze locked on her still features, "...home."
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I do not know the comics, have never read the comics, probably never will read the comics unless they decide to send the Logan/Rogue relationship into the romance arena. Any reference to the comics is picked up from other fanfic I have read and comments from some comic book friends. Any liberties taken with the story or characters I just gotta put down to poetic license. I'm not exactly sure what the whole story is with Carol Danvers - I tried to find out, but apparently even the comics were confused on that one, contradictions, backtracks, etc. So, in this story, she's a mutant that Rogue killed to save herself and has her powers. Period. As for Gambit - Rogue's "traditional love interest," he is mentioned, he may even show up - but don't expect any romance of any kind between he and Rogue. Same goes for any "feelings" Logan has for Jean. This fic is based on the movie and according to the movie - in my point of view - I just didn't see anything between him and Jean, other than two teeny scenes of harmless flirting, and one utterly inexplicable, "what the fu …" line. I'm a Logan/Rogue 'Shipper all the way. Giving credit where it is due - the handling of a sexual relationship between Logan and Rogue - what did you expect? I'm a Logan/Rogue 'Shipper all the way - was taken from the idea of another writer whom I will name and bow down to the brilliance of the idea at the end of this story. I don't want to give it away just yet. This is not a songfic, but the title does come from a song - Smashing Pumpkins' "Stand Inside Your Love" - which was recommended as a perfect Rogan/Logue song in one of the many fanfics I've read. I agree. Finally, this is a fanfic, ain't real, no consequences, so STD's and unplanned pregnancies are not a problem, so don't expect any form of birth control used as birth control. Dedicated to Jenn and Sare Liz, who made this much, much better than it was originally.