“Where do you think yer goin’?”

Logan’s voice was rough, gravelly from sleep. He threw one heavy, muscled arm around her waist causing her to collapse back into the bed. Rogue let out a sigh of contentment as she pushed back against him. “I was gonna go get some water,” she said, her own voice hoarse from both disuse and overuse.

“No,” he muttered into the skin at her neck. “Don’t wanna let you outta my sight.”

His hand didn’t stay put, but began to wander up over her hip in a slow slide to cup her breast. His grip was gentle, and he was clearly being mindful of how sensitive she might be after the night they’d had. After Rogue had drifted off after the first time, he’d woken her up not too long afterward with a slow, slick thrust. He had growled into her throat as he moved, muttering how he didn’t ever want to let her go, that he needed her. And Rogue had rocked her hips back, answering his need with her own.

Then later, a very, very long shower. The warm spray of water had slid down her body as Logan had knelt to taste her, holding her up when her knees had given way as she’d come hard against his mouth. He had gripped her hands against the warm shower wall as he’d pounded into her hard from behind, their shouts echoing off the tiles. She hadn’t been able to walk after that one, and he’d carried her back to her bed, curling up behind her as she slept again.

But now, she found the needs of biology overtaking her need for Logan and groaned as she pushed up from her bed. “I’ve got to get some water, Logan. Not all of us can go for hours on end without hydration.” He trailed one hand along her back skirting over her butt and gave it a playful smack. Rogue let out a small shriek at the sting and smiled as she stalked over to pull on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.

“Mmm hmm,” Logan groaned as he turned over onto his back. “Yer loss, kid. I’ve got stamina enough for the both of us.”

Rogue raised one eyebrow at him, taking a sort of deep satisfaction at the nickname. While at first it had felt like an insult, something that made her feel inadequate and lacking, now there was something about it that just felt right. She combed her fingers through her hair, trying to tame the worst of her bed head and smiled at Logan. “I’m gonna need to sleep some time.”

He gave a short grunt and Rogue took that as an acknowledgment that she would get some sleep. Eventually.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she said closing the door behind her.

She couldn’t manage to wipe the smile from her face as she headed down the hall to the bathroom. No matter what happened now, she knew that she belonged here. She knew she belonged with Logan. The sight of a beard burn on her neck had her grinning back at her reflection in the mirror. She tilted her head to the side to see several overlapping bruised teeth marks from where Wolverine had marked her. The stain of a blush spread across her cheeks as she remembered how they’d grabbed at each other, frantic, desperate to get as close as possible.

Rogue splashed some water from the sink on her face, gasping at the cold shock of it against her skin. She’d noticed the slowly melting snows in the early morning light as Logan had held her up against the wall of her bedroom, running a hand up her stomach to cup one breast while his mouth and tongue gorged themselves between her thighs. She’d cried out her pleasure to the soft dawn sun, greeting the first day of her new life with a fullness she’d never experienced, and a calmness she relished.

She gulped down several glasses of water hurriedly, impatient to get back to Logan and the warmth of her bed. Even if spring was on its way, winter was far from over this high in the mountains, and the bathroom tile was chilly against her bare feet.

As she padded down the hallway back toward her room, she was surprised by the creak of a door opening to her left and twisted back around to see who else was awake this early.

“Rogue!” Kitty exclaimed in a bright excited voice. “I thought you’d be gone by now. Are you okay? I was so scared for you when that guard came in.”

Rogue let out a sigh of relief at the sight of her friend, whole and unharmed. She gave Kitty a warm smile as she nodded. “Yeah, Kitty. I’m okay. But what about you?”

Kitty waved off Rogue’s concern with a flick of her wrist. “Bitch of a headache when I woke up, but otherwise I’m a-ok. But don’t think that just because we both got shot by that nasty tranq that you can avoid my question.”

Rogue noted the hint of anxiousness in Kitty’s voice and saw for the first time that she was dressed for their usual training session. She frowned and checked her wrist reflexively for a watch she wasn’t wearing.

“Damn,” she muttered, “Are we late for training?”

“We?” Kitty asked, her voice raising several octaves. “Are you - ? And Logan - ? But - what about Rift? You’re staying?” If Kitty’s eyebrows were any higher up, they’d be halfway down the back of her head. She was grinning too, and the sight of that obvious bit of acceptance had Rogue letting go of the last bit of tension she didn’t know she’d been carrying. She wanted Kitty and the others to want her here as much as Logan did. She wanted to feel like she was really a part of the team. She wanted to belong. And she finally felt like she did.

Rogue grinned back at the astonished look on Kitty’s face and nodded again. “Yes. I’m staying.”

She was unprepared for the explosion of movement from Kitty as she wrapped Rogue in a fierce hug. She swallowed back a sudden lump in her throat and squeezed back, just as hard.

“You two done?” A low gravelly voice from behind Rogue announced Logan’s arrival and the two women broke apart as they turned to face him. He was decked out in his standard workout gear. Those black tactical pants, combat boots, and tight black t-shirt. Her mouth watered at the sight of him, imagining herself rolling the black shirt up to expose the firm line of his obliques.

“Got a training to get to, don’t ya?”

“You sure, Logan?” Kitty asked. “Thought you two might wanna sleep in this morning, given how little you both slept last night.” There was that shit-eating grin again. Kitty winked at Rogue as she turned on her heel toward the downstairs.

“Hell,” Rogue muttered. “We weren’t that loud, were we?”

Logan merely raised one eyebrow as he strode closer to her and looked her up and down. “Yer gonna need somethin’ else to wear,” he growled as he cupped one breast through the thin cotton tshirt she’d thrown on. It was a call back to his same statement all those months ago, after her first night in this world. And hearing those same words with such a different outcome gave her a thrill.

She couldn’t help the low groan that issued from her throat as a flicker of sensation worked its way from her breast to her core. She saw his nostrils flare and his eyes darken as he took in the hardening peak of her nipple.

For several moments, neither of them moved. But then at the not so subtle cough that echoed from downstairs, Logan stepped away from her with a feral grin. “We’ll finish this later,” and he stalked down stairs, the thud of his heavy frame magnified by the combat boots he wore.

Unable to suppress a smile at the sight of his retreating form, she couldn’t help but admire the heavily muscled legs, the tightly coiled strength and raw physicality that exuded from him.

A raw growl echoed inside her mind and Rogue couldn’t help but laugh.

You’re jealous? Of yourself?

There was no answer, and she felt Wolverine retreat into a quiet corner of her mind as she headed back to her room to dress for training.

_____________


Rogue couldn’t concentrate. They were an hour into training and dammit if she could remember any of the new series of jiu-jitsu moves that Logan was demonstrating. She didn’t know how Logan was doing it; barking out instructions, demonstrating proper technique, yelling at Bobby to move his ass. She couldn’t stop looking at him. Thinking about him. Reliving last night in her mind. She’d been careless, too busy reliving the moment when she’d knelt down in front of him, pressed him against the wall, and tested the strength in his legs. As a result, she’d been caught unaware twice as both Ellie and Piotr had easily thrown her to the mat. She hadn’t even minded since the perspective allowed her to take in a new and interesting angle of Logan’s ass as he demonstrated a complicated series of movements to the other half of the team. She absentmindedly rubbed the spot on her elbow that had made sudden contact with the mat as she watched the hard muscles of his quadriceps bunch and flex, the black combat pants he was wearing easily showcasing the lines of his muscles as he moved.

“Goddammit, Rogue,” Logan barked suddenly causing an abrupt halt to training.” Get yer ass up and over here!” He’d stopped his instruction and whipped around to where she was still splayed out on the floor, his arms crossed as his chest, jaw clenching furiously.

Her heart thudding, Rogue slowly and purposefully rose from the mat put her hands on her hips as she raised one eyebrow back at Logan’s command. She wasn’t going to put up with him calling her out like that in front of the entire team.

“Um. Guys? I think training is over for today.”

Rogue barely recognized that Kitty was speaking. She was locked onto the golden eyes staring her down.

“Get out,” Logan growled to the others while never breaking eye contact with Rogue. She vaguely noted the others hurrying toward the upstairs, but her focus swiftly returned to Logan. She felt another dark shiver of anticipation run through her at that look. That goddamn look. She was beginning to associate it with good things. Very good things. Things that made her scream as her senses were bombarded by this man. This incredible, dark, hungry, strong, wild, man. And he was all hers.

She heard the sound of the rest of the team making a swift exit toward the upstairs, rather than the locker rooms as was the standard post-workout routine.

Good. Don’t want an audience.

Rogue wasn’t sure who’d voiced the thought; her or her inner Wolverine. It didn’t matter. It was true.

She couldn’t help the slight lift of the corner of her mouth as she felt her body go warm in an entirely different way than the exertion from training. A tingle of anticipation began to run through her and she suddenly recalled the fleeting thoughts she’d had months ago of her and Wolverine in this very spot. She’d imagined this, wanted this. Imagined him breathing heavily beneath her as they wrestled to the ground and she tasted the salt of his skin while she rocked her hips against his, aching, needing to feel him inside her.

Rogue saw Logan’s nostrils flare as he took in the change in her scent. The awareness of her arousal that she knew he could detect.

“You,” he rumbled. “Needta pay more attention in class.” He dropped his arms from his chest, but left his hands curled in fists at his sides.

She shrugged. A movement which she was sure would annoy him. “I was playin’ plenty of attention.”

“You were sloppy,” He took one slow, calculated step closer to her.

“Mmm,” her breathing became slightly shallow as she felt her hands twitch with the desire to touch him, with the urge to trail her fingers against all that warm skin. But she also knew there was an undercurrent to his behavior. Something - different. Something raw. Wolverine. Excitement flooded her as she watched him take another step closer to her. Then another.

And another.

“Too busy ogling my ass to prevent yerself from being thrown.” His body was changing in subtle ways. Ways in which most people wouldn’t be able to identify. His movements were becoming more graceful, more animalistic. Every move was calculated and charged with intent.

Rogue didn’t respond to his words. Not verbally. She just curled up the other corner of her mouth and waited. She knew that whatever was about to happen was going to be something new for both of them. She’d started them down the path last night. Told him he could be himself around her. With her.

She wanted it. Wanted all of him. The man, and the darkness of the animal inside him.

“I didn’t mind,” she said finally while continuing to stare at him. “I can do that move, no problem.”

“Show me,” he growled.

“Fine. Then come over here and let me practice on you.”

His eyes narrowed on her as he continued to slowly stalk her. “Don’t - play.”

Rogue saw the physical shudder of restraint run through him and couldn’t help but push him over the precipice he was forcing himself to stay balanced on. When he was close enough she leaned in and bit the taut tendon of his neck before he could stop her. Tasted salt and heat and moaned when he growled and ripped himself away from her before slamming her up against the wall, snarling with lust as he did so. He pinned both of her hands in his and the weight of his adamantium frame held her in place. His chest heaved against her as he inhaled deeply, starting at the crown of her head and working his way down to her neck.

“You smell like me,” he muttered as he flicked his tongue out to taste the pulse point at her neck.

Rogue’s body shook against his as he spoke. He was showing her the other side to himself. And she felt herself responding. She wanted to encourage more of it. She tiled her neck in submission, offering up her delicate skin to the threat of vulnerability.

“But not enough,” he growled again. “Never enough like me.”

He rubbed the stubble of his beard against her cheek and moved his mouth over hers, taking her lips in a savage kiss. She felt the prick of teeth against her lip and sucked in a breath as she tried to get closer.

She started to lose the ability to think, her mind was reduced to ash as she submitted to the fire consuming her.

She processed the shift in him and then the rip of fabric. The heavy sounds of their mingled breath. The feeling of his bare skin against her and the coolness of the mat on her knees and hands. The grunt of satisfaction, hers or his, she didn’t know, as he guided himself into her. The slick slide of their skin together. The press of her hips against his. The desperate snarl for more as he reached between her legs and slicked his fingers over her clit. The sudden crashing of her orgasm and the sound of claws being released into the concrete floor as he moved over her, roaring with his own release.

He cradled her against him as he eased them onto their sides, the scent of sex heavy in the air.

“Don’t think yer gonna be able to get outta slacking this easy next time,” he growled into her hair.

All she could do was snort into the hair that had fallen over her face.

She’d take that bet.

___________


Like any other morning before training, some of the team chose to have their breakfast in the large living room that was adjacent to the kitchen. With just two barstools at the counter, and a small square four-person table, there was limited room for those rare occasions in which the entire team was eating all at once. This particular Thursday found Rogue crammed between Ellie and Kitty on the over-stuffed couch in the living room, carefully trying to spoon cereal into her mouth without one of her elbows bumping into one of the girls and spilling the contents of her bowl all over her lap.

Bobby and Piotr were sitting next to her on the adjacent couch arguing about which channel to watch. Bobby wanted to catch the news on CBC television. He kept insisting the international news delivered by Harry Forestell was far superior to the international news delivered on the competing CTV news. Apparently, according to Bobby, the CTV news anchors based out of Edmonton didn’t take the mutant crisis as seriously as their CBC counterparts.

“Stop freezing the remote,” Piotr said to Bobby as he wrenched the device out of his hands.

“And just why am I the first person you accuse?” Bobby asked sheepishly.

“Give me a break. The thing is frozen solid,” He brandished the remote in his massive hands, little ice crystals flaking off and melting instantly.

RIft was laughing as he shoved cheerios into his mouth. Ellie just rolled her eyes as she reached over to grab the remote from Piotr. “We’re watching Harry,” she declared in a voice that brooked no further argument, switching the channel back to CBC.

Piotr held up his hands in defeat as Bobby smirked in triumph.

“Ain’t gonna matter who’s announcing the news,” Logan said from the doorway. “Training starts in five minutes.”

“Yes!” Rift exclaimed as he shoveled the last of his cereal into his mouth. He had taken to observing their sessions in the last week. And although Logan insisted he was too young still to participate, Rogue knew it would only be a matter of time before he consented to teaching Rift along with the rest of them. He had a real soft spot for the kid, which Rogue was quick to point out and Logan was just as quick to deny.

Rogue glanced back at Logan and smirked as Bobby mumbled something under his breath. She couldn’t make out what it was, but by the twitch in Logan’s jaw, she had no doubt that’d he’d taken in every word and would make Bobby pay for his comment with a little extra attention during today’s hand-to-hand combat practice.

Logan had continued with the rigorous training schedule, despite Rogue’s decision to stay. Practice always started at ten o’clock sharp, without question. And she had to admit she’d found it rather inconvenient on more than one morning. There were many mornings where Rogue wanted nothing more than to stay in bed, reveling in the warmth of Logan’s skin against hers. But no matter how hard she tried to convince him otherwise, his answer was always the same. “Needta stay sharp. Need ya to stay safe.”

She understood the relentless discipline that drove Logan to train and keep the team sharp. It was guilt. Sharp and unbreakable. Honed by a desire to never repeat the same mistakes again.

Still, as much as she wished he would stay beside her, Rogue couldn’t fault him for his actions; she’d experienced enough of this world to understand his motivation.

She turned back to finish the last few spoonfuls of cereal and stood up to go put her bowl into the dishwasher when a few words from the broadcast pricked her interest. The rest of the team too turned silent as the volume was turned up.

“…Unexplained deaths of dozens of mutants near the Canadian border have officials in Ottawa baffled. Sources say the bodies of the deceased mutants all exhibited similar symptoms but were hesitant to point to a cause of death until the autopsies could be carried out. Meanwhile,The Public Health Agency of Canada is asking citizens to follow recommended guidelines for flu prevention until more information is known. Government officials are asking the public to remain alert and to report any suspicious activity to their local police precinct…”

Rogue felt the blood drain from her face as she processed the words of the newscaster. She knew what was causing those deaths. Knew it. Without a shred of doubt. Ice filled her veins as terror sank down on her, drowning her in guilt as she realized what she’d done. She couldn’t breathe. It was her fault. Hers. She was responsible for the deaths of those mutants. Her selfishness and desire to get home had led them down this path.

Her mind raced as she remembered the last few minutes of consciousness she’d had when they’d found Rift. She’d handed Kitty the sealed vial. Taken it from her pouch before she’d stepped closer to the portal. She knew she had. But, oh, jesus, what had happened to it? When she’d asked about what had happened that night, Logan had said they’d destroyed the samples of the weapon and all of the research. But what about what Rogue had taken from the production line upstairs? What had happened to that vial after the guard had tranquilized them?

“No training today.” Scott had appeared in the door frame next to Logan, his expression grim. “There’s news.”

“Bad news?” Rift asked, clearly disturbed by the quick change in the team’s demeanor.

Scott nodded but didn’t elaborate. “Suit up, team. Wheels up in ten minutes, we’ll brief on the way.”

“And me?” Rift asked hopefully. Rogue jerked her head reflexively at his question. No way he can come. He’s too important.

“Sorry, kid. Not this time.” It was Logan who’d answered. Rift looked hopefully back at Scott, but the terse jerking of his head was all the answer Rift needed. His shoulders dropped as he plopped back down on a now empty couch cushion and changed the channel away from the gruesome news broadcast.

The team quickly filtered out of the living room and made their way to the locker rooms to change, leaving Rogue and Logan behind.

She felt sick. Shaky. Terrified. She tried to put it into words, but all she could get out was a weak, “Logan. My fault-”

“No,” he growled as he met her eyes. “Mine.”

Scott had remained behind as the others headed past him. He was already in his uniform. “What the hell are you two talking about?”

Rogue glanced between Logan and Scott, not sure how to describe what had happened that day when she’d almost left this world for good. “I -” she started in a timid voice. “I had found a sample. When Kitty and I searched the labs on the second floor. I put it in the pouch at my belt,” her hand reflexively moved to where she’d placed the vial, and she relaxed her empty fist in frustration.

“We didn’t recover a vial,” Scott said looking at Logan, his voice tight with restrained anger.

“Yeah, it’s because I fuckin’ forgot it,” Logan growled in response. “I saw the goddamn thing when I went to retrieve Rogue and Kitty. And I didn’t fuckin’ pick it up!” He snarled the last few words and clenched his fists at his sides. “Jesus fuck!

Scott was silent for several seconds as Logan struggled to control his breathing and Rogue tried to prevent herself from throwing up.

“Get dressed,” he said finally. “We’re heading out.” He turned on his heel and strode off toward the basement.

Rogue swallowed hard, and called out after him. “Where?”

“The mansion. The FOH is attacking The Brotherhood.”

The icy tendrils of terror trickled down her chest into her stomach as she looked at Logan.

“Fuck.”
Chapter End Notes:
I swore I would never leave such a huge gap between chapters again, but damn. Shit has been busy...I hope you guys are still hanging on, because I promise this one is not going to go unfinished.

Big thanks to @englishmajor226 for the beta on this one, and if you haven't read her amazing dark masterpiece "Engines" go now and catch up.

Until next time, cheers
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