DISCLAIMER: The rights to all X-Men characters are property of Stan Lee

A/N: Messing with the story line, you'll understand as you read. Takes place after X-Men 1, Rogue is 19, yet she already absorbed Mrs. Marvel.

PROLOUGE

--8 Months Ago--

Marie shuddered as Logan dropped a long metal chain into her hand, a small smile gracing her face.

"I'll be back for these," he whispered.

Marie's smile fell. He'd come back for dog tags, he'd come back to protect the little girl with a sad smile and white streaks in her hair. He'd come back to fulfill a promise. He'd come back to love Jean, not her.

Marie was brought out of her musings by a gentle hand on her shoulder. Forcing herself to match his smile, she kept her body rigid as she watched him walk away. She stood in that doorway until the rough engine of the motorcycle disappeared out of hearing range.

With vengeful eyes and a heavy heart she made her way back to her room, destroying everything in her wake. Not a vase was left unbroken nor a picture left hanging by the time she made it to the room she shared with Kitty and Jubilee. Tags still in hand she punched the wall, leaving a fist size hole in her wake.

It was as she sunk to the floor, tears streaming down her face and blood pooling around her broken hand, that she vowed never to be the damsel in distress again. She could look out for herself and rid Logan of the burden of protecting her.

CHAPTER 1

--Present--

The mass of students in the hallways separated as Rogue made her way down to the Danger Room. Clad in tight black leather and long black gloves, she held her head high despite the scared eyes looking her way. Laughing to herself when Bobby almost tripped over his own feet trying to get distance between them.

Cracking her neck and knuckles she opened the heavy door to the Danger Room. She quickly punched a number into the panel near the door, smirking as the program started. Shiny silver walls transformed into the remaining burning rubble that used to be glorious building, the empty space before her shimmered as a large man with shiny claws appeared.

"You ready for this, sugar?" she whispered.

Rogue tucked a long, silver chain into her leather jumpsuit and threw herself into the fight.

"You aren't welcome here, Wolverine," Scott spat as Logan stepped off his bike.

Logan merely snorted, glared, and headed for the door. He was stopped dead in his tracks as a sharp, red laser cut through the air an inch away from his outstretched hand.

"I won't let you hurt her," Scott stated like it was the simplest fact in the world.

"Ain't plannin' on hurtin' her Scooter," Logan retorted.

"You already have," Scott argued, getting him a questioning look from Logan. "You left and she fell apart. The only one she trusted abandoned her. The only person she felt comfortable around, the only one she took he gloves off with, and you left. She cut herself off from us, terrified of any contact whatsoever, not even physical skin-on-skin. She shakes, always afraid, always furious, unable to relax. Nightmares, God Logan, horrible nightmares. Your nightmares, every night. Every night I hear her cry herself back to sleep. You have no idea what you did to her. The girl is nearly twenty and she's horrified to trust anyone, to get to know anyone. Because of you. I won't let you hurt her anymore."

Logan's eyes narrowed and his claws inched their way out of his knuckles.

"Let me see her," he growled.

Scott answered with another black, close to Wolverine's head.

"I fucked her up, let me try to fix her," he all but yelled.

"It's not that simple. Not even you could help her, not anymore," Scoot replied sullenly.

"What makes you say that?" Logan questioned.

"Jean, Xavier, they've both tried to get into her head, to help her sort things out. She's touched another one Logan. Carol Danvers, called herself Mrs. Marvel. Super strength and flight, her powers are now Rogue's. Along with the ability to erect mental barriers. The only thing they've ever been able to extract from her mind is her hatred. Her hatred towards you."

Logan's world crumbled.

The pain flashing through the man's eyes was evident, even to the virtually blind Cyclops. With a soft sign Scott walked up to the door, punched in a 3-number code and walked inside, leaving the door open behind him as an unspoken invitation to the broken man on the driveway.

'Incoming Jean, Wolverine's back,' Scott threw out a mental warning to his wife.

'I already know Scott,' she replied.

'He touches you…'

'And I'll kill him myself, Scott. But something tells me it's not me he's after this time,'

'Should we tell Rogue?' Scott asked.

'She'll find out soon enough,' Jean replied, closing the telepathic connection.

With a heavy sigh and a silent prayer Scott walked back to his classroom to prepare for his afternoon class.