A.N. I don't own the Xmen or anything, person, place, I use while creating a story I hope someone will enjoy. If someone's read my other story Hard Enough Life? which is a Hana Yori Dango, I do plan to continue I just have gotten so crunched with school… I'm trying to graduate this semester. Sorry… only reason I'm posting this is because I already typed it before I was bogged down. Please read and review… I know this is just setting up her past not much yet but as I stated before I plan to continue these stories.

In The Time It Takes For A Kiss

Chapter 1: Skedaddle

The brilliant color kissed sky let the young 13 year old Anna-Marie know that she had been sitting on the roof of her garage for several hours now. She was attempting to get answers out of a very silent God. Her hands were palm up in her lap as if covered in a foul substance that was absolutely repulsive to her. The truth however was that her skin had earlier that day taken on a new deadly presence. She had hurt her best friend Cody Robbins, and had killed Mrs. Thorsen's yappy little dog named Jack. Her life had changed forever for the worst.

"Everyth'n was so normal…" Marie groaned as she tore her eyes from her hands to look once again at the darkening sky. "Why God?... Why me?"

Just like the hours before no answer was heard, just the distant sounds of birds settling in for the night.

Flash Back

Cody had been holding Marie's hand as they walked Jack down by the mighty Mississippi river. Caldecott County was a very peaceful place to live but not much in the way of excitement for two young teens so they made traditions out of the weekends and 'Jack walking' was one of them. Mrs. Thorsen had trouble getting around as much as she use to and was delighted to let the teenagers take him off her hands for a few hours every Saturday.

Today however Jack had just ran off from the young teens caught up in the hot pursuit of some young armadillo.

"Jack! Jack yah git back here, ya hear mah! Jack!" Cody and Marie sprinted off in trail of the little pup. Jack finally gave up his quest and ran back to them. He pounced up into the waiting arms of the carefree girl.

"Ah swear, yah give mah so much trouble for a fluff-ball." She giggled as she buried her face into his fur. Cody chuckled at her for Marie could never stay mad at something so cute.

Before either one knew what was happening Jack was convulsing and drew stiff in Marie's hands. Marie was screaming and Cody snatched Jack from her.

"Holy-shit, Marie, I think he's dead."

"Omagod, omagod… Cody what happened!" Marie was in hysterics by now. Her tears were blurring her vision of Cody and Jack.

"Looked like some sort of seizure. Come on, we need to get some help." Cody carrying Jack turned up the road towards his own home.

Mrs. Robbins was in the yard as she sees her son and Marie running up the drive. Cody was cradling a brown bundle in his arms with a look of fear on his face.

"Cody! What's wrong honey?"

"Jack, he died. What do we do mama? He just shook in Marie's arms and died."

"Wait here I'll call Mrs. Thorsen." With that she disappeared into the house.

"It's ok Marie."

"How can it possible be ok, when Jack just died?" She sobbed.

"These things happen." Cody laid the pup down on the porch and turned to the crying girl. "Shh… his number just came up early that's all."

Nodding slowly but still tearing up Marie tried to agree with him.

"Ain't fair." She mumbled.

"That's true, but it's just how it goes sometimes." Pulling her into his arms Cody tried once again to calm Marie. He could feel her shaking from unheard sobs.

"Girl don't fret none. Jack was a good dog so he had noth'n to fear in the end." Marie didn't respond verbally, because her throat was choked up but she managed to nod and Cody could feel the movement. Cody pulled her back a bit and without a second thought placed a kiss on her forehead.

There was a warm sensation that spread throughout Marie. She could feel a pull and an instant connection to Cody. At that moment, with such a little gesture of comfort, they became as one. His thoughts became hers, his feelings coursed through her. She could feel his strength, his fears, his love, his power. Everything that was Cody was now Marie's. He stiffened in the embrace and Marie's first knowledge of her surroundings came from Cody's mother who had just started screaming.

Marie pulled back and Cody Robbins fell to the ground next to Jack. He was pale and twitching in the same manner Jack had. Reality had slipped away. Marie couldn't stop starring at the sight before her. Horror filled her as she took it all in. Even as time seemed to stop Mrs. Robbins did not, she grabbed her broom and came at the girl.

"Devil Child! Git!... Mah baby, ya killed mah baby boy!" Mrs. Robbins landed some sound blows on Marie while cussing her into damnation.

Marie had turned from the porch and began blindly running as natural flight instincts took over her body. Her mind was still so numb. There were pictures of Cody's childhood flashing through her mind. She remembered going out for most of the school's sporting events. There was also marshal arts classes and even a memory of breaking the green vase on the mantel above the Robbins' fireplace when she wrestled with her brother last week. But those weren't her memories they were Cody's playing in her head as real as if she had lived them herself.

She had run till the sounds, voices, and images stopped plaguing her. By the time her wits returned she stood at the banks of the Mississippi. Its beauty held none of its normal joy for the girl. Eventually she made her way home knowing that the events of the day could not be wished away. Police lights could be seen blocks off and Marie knew her life had changed forever in a moment; in the time it takes for a kiss.

End Flashback

Here she was sitting on the roof of the garage. She had out waited the sheriff. He had talked to Mathew, Marie's foster father, about the incident report. She knows that this is no longer her home.

The sun sets as Marie slips off the roof and into her bedroom. Gathering her backpack and a duffle she quickly slips in clothes, money, and some knickknacks she might need on the road. She discreetly slithers down the hall a bit to the closet and snatches Mathew's trench coat and a few gloves off the shelf. She manages to sneak back to her room unseen by Mathew and now Irene who had just returned home and was being briefed by Mathew in the living room. Her foster parents didn't know she was in the house and soon she wouldn't be. Flinging on her bags she heads to the window with a silent prayer to that ever silent God she slips back out into the night.

Marie knew everyone would expect her to travel east. She had been toying with the idea of traveling that way for years. That's why west river was the direction her feet headed.

Truck stop after truck stop she began to learn the ways of the loner. She was finding her rhythm in whom and how to approach people for rides. Marie was well on her way to becoming a little beggar girl. A rogue's life was appealing for a runaway; someone who was dishonest, but nevertheless likable. She'd tell nice tales about needing to find her family in California or how she had been conned out of her money and had no way home. Her stories were always things that people who were susceptible to and would take pity on her for. A rogue was what she had really become. She made the transition from her old life to this new one in a rather smooth way. Perhaps it was a bit too smooth but every night she had said a prayer for Mathew and Irene Adler while looking at Mathew's driver's license. His wallet had been inside his trench coat and she kept it close for comfort during the first few weeks of running. But in Phoenix Arizona she pitched it in a bathroom garbage can effectively letting go. Being caught with his license would be a direct link back to the place she could no longer call home, a risk she couldn't afford. So she kept his wore out brown leather wallet as her own now with nothing inside that would tell tales to a stranger. She was no longer Anna-Marie at that point she was now Rogue and she effectively knew what it means to say Phoenix Arizona. Out of the ashes came a new.