Disclaimers: I do not own the X-Men or any of the characters from the movies and/or comic books.

Prologue: Apologies and Curiosity

Cyclops knocked on the closed door gently, then more forcefully. When he got no answer, he knocked again.

"Go away," came an irritated voice from within.

"Logan, it's me," said Cyclops. "Scott. May I come in?"

There was a heavy sigh, then the door opened, revealing a rumpled Wolverine. "No," he said.

"I need to talk to you."

"Why?"

"Please?"

Logan sighed again. "I'll no peace until you do, right, sport?" He stepped back to let Scott in.

Cyclops whistled in amazement. "Got a printing press down here?" he asked, looking around at the stacks of paper that filled the room.

"No," said Logan. He moved an open sketchbook off the bed and tossed it to the floor so they could sit down. "Now what do you want?"

"I guess I owe you an apology," said Cyclops uncomfortably.

Logan waited.

"For not believing you about Sabretooth and nearly getting us all killed," said Scott in a rush. "I'm really sorry."

Wolverine looked out the window, not replying for a minute. Then he said, "Doesn't matter."

"But-"

"Scott, you apologized, okay. Now please, go away. I just want to be alone right now." Logan rolled off the bed and reached for his sketchbook.

Cyclops picked it up to hand it to him, and froze. "What the..." He stared at the half-finished drawing in shock.

It was a perfect rendition of the final fight, with Sabretooth crouched over Rogue's motionless body and Cyclops lunging towards the man with fury in his gaze. Storm lay in the corner, slumped over a broken chair and Jean was trying unsuccessfully to wake her. There was no sign of Wolverine.

"Where are you?" asked Scott as Logan took back his sketchbook.

"Watching," said Logan. "Waiting for someone to untie me."

"Oh, right." Cyclops stood, feeling like he was intruding. "I'd better leave, then."

Logan didn't reply, just started digging through the piles of paper for his pencil.

Scott slipped out the door and closed it quietly behind him.

Xx

Rogue ran down the hallway, tripping and falling, arms flailing, to the shiny surface. In a moment she was on her feet again and racing down the hall.

"Yeesh!" Cyclops jumped out of the way, barely missing her flying fingers. "Take it easy, Rogue!"

Rogue skidded to a stop, panting. "Have you seen Logan?" she asked between breaths.

"He's in his room," said Scott, jerking his thumb back the way he'd come. "I wouldn't bother him if I were you; he's not in a good mood."

"Oh," said Rogue, crestfallen. "I was going to show him something. But I guess it can wait." She trudged back up the hall, shoulders slumped.

Cyclops watched her go, scratching his head. Why on earth was Rogue so interested in Wolverine...?

"Young love," purred a voice behind him, and he spun around.

Jean laughed at the look on his face. "Don't you see? She's completely smitten."

"Rogue?! You gotta be kidding me."

"I'm not. Every few minutes she starts talking about him... then blushes and shuts her mouth. It'd be almost funny... if it didn't hurt her so much. She knows there's something going on with Logan that makes him unreachable, untouchable, but she's not about to give up."

Cyclops gave a snort of disbelief. "Pardon me if I miss your point," he said. "That's impossible! Isn't she going out with Iceman?"

"She dropped him like a hot potato three weeks ago," said Jean with a grin. "I've never seen a girl kick ass like that! He was red in the face when she finished railing on him... wonder what got her so upset."

Cyclops started up the hall to the gym. "Well, whatever it is, he's up to revenge. It's never been this cold inside before... You can almost see the ice creeping up the walls."

"I know. Race you?" Jean darted up the hall, leaving a laughing Scott to hurry after her.

Xx

Rogue stepped high through the snow, wishing she had wings so she could fly over the icy whiteness. Something other than her stupid gift... more like a curse.

Her toes were freezing and her fingers were getting stiff with cold, but she trudged to the gate and slipped out. Right now she felt like being alone...

It didn't take her long to realize she wasn't the only one who had left. Deep footprints led straight into the woods, and she hesitated at the forest edge. It wasn't any of her business...

But her curiosity was piqued. So Rogue jammed her fingers into her armpits in an effort to keep warm and hurried into the darkening woods.