Hello! This is a total Rogan, but I just wanted to remind you guys that this isn't going to follow the same plot line as the film. It's MY version of how I picture it in my mind (a very devious mind). So there are no mistakes! They are only personal changes! (Unless they are grammar mistakes, and in that case, please point them out to me). Thank you!

Disclaimer: I have come to terms with the fact that Wolverine and Rogue will never be mine.

"Do ya want another water, miss?"

Rogue flinched back into reality as the face of the bar tender hovered near hers, his stench of sweat and alcohol wafting around her face. She glanced at the full water she'd ordered two hours ago and carefully shook her head, continuing to listen to the fight going on behind her in the metal cage. From the sounds of it, she'd guess that only one man was taking the beating, while the remaining champion was, well, remaining a champion.

The bar tender shrugged and turned toward the other side of the bar, wash rag in hand, and started cleaning up. Rogue glanced out the windows and was surprised to see the shine of the moon, not the sun, illuminate some of the floorboards.

She sighed and lowered her face into her hands, praying to God that the weather wasn't too cold tonight. She really hated sleeping in the cold.

I also really hate when people steal all my money, she grumbled in her head, sipping some of her water through a straw.

Five more minutes dragged by before the gate of the cage slammed shut, and Rogue saw a broken man limp out the door out of the corner of her eye. He slammed that door shut, too.

Talk about a sore loser.

"I'll take a beer."

Rogue almost jumped out of her seat, surprised to see a man sitting two stools down from her. She hadn't even heard him move! She looked at his face and recognized it; the champion from the cage.

The man threw her a curious glance -Probably wondering why I'm here- she thought, before turning his attention to the beer in front of him. He took a long pull from the top and set it down, running his finger around the rim of the bottle. Rogue continued taking fleeting glances in his direction, trying to figure out if he was safe enough to sit by. His wife beater and leather jacket ensemble didn't help, but his attitude seemed just fine. He seemed…almost normal.

As she was taking in his appearance, he looked at her again. She held his brown-eyed gaze for two seconds, tops, but it felt like forever. Her cheeks warmed in embarrassment, and she lowered her gaze to her water.

Really, Marie? Already tryin' to stare down a boxing champ at a bar? How dumb can ya get?

While she was scolding herself silently, Rogue felt the air around her grow thick with tension, the room becoming as silent as the grave. She looked up and saw two men approaching from outside, heading straight for the man next to her. He paid no attention. When they reached a four foot distance from him, one of the two men pulled out a knife so polished that Rogue could see her shocked expression in it. Right as the man raised the knife, Rogue let out a scream of warning. The man next to her shot up out of his chair and met the armed man with his own weapons.

Claws. Shiny, metal claws.

They slowly slid out of his knuckles, it seemed, until they almost reached the knifed man's nose, pinning him to the back wall. The look in the clawed man's face was one anger and annoyance.

"Now listen here, bub." The feral man snarled, putting his face close up to the other's face. "I didn't want no trouble here, so-"

"We don't want no trouble here, either, mister." The bar tender jumped in nervously, holding a shot gun at the champion's head. Rogue hadn't noticed him sneak up, either. The bar tender's hands shook slightly, making the gun quiver. He swallowed. "Now get back in your trailer truck out there, mutant. We don't want your kind lurkin' around these parts."

Rogue watched in fascination as the mutant man rolled his eyes to the ceiling before spinning around and slicing the bar tender's gun in half with his other armed hand. All four men stood silently, staring at one another, trying not to make a move. Not focused on her, Rogue slowly backed up till she reached the back door. Feeling the handle with her gloved hands, she twisted and pushed the knob as quietly as she could, and backed out into a dark and cold alley. She watched the door click shut before making her way to the parking lot out in front.

Rogue let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in and felt her pulse return drop down to normal, feeling lucky that nothing had happened to her. She took in her surroundings before abruptly halting in the middle of the lot. She almost slapped her face in annoyance. "Great," she muttered quietly, seeing her breath in the frigid air. "Where am I supposed to go now? I got no money, no bags, and, it's cold." As if on cue, a gust of wind seeped into her green winter coat, chilling her bones as it made its way through.

She pulled her coat around her more tightly and considered going back into the warm bar. Just as she took her first step back, the bar tender's voice came back to her in her mind. "…get back in your trailer truck..." She stopped moving towards the bar as an idea popped into her mind. Before her brain caught up to her body, she started searching for his truck.

Why am I doing this. Why the HELL am I doing this? Rogue thought as her eyes scanned the near empty lot for the trailer truck, and with only one light post, it was a little difficult. Soon, she spotted a beat up looking truck with a tiny trailer home 50 yards away and speed walked towards it, keeping her ears open for any noises. None. Right before she climbed into the bed of the truck, she stopped and repeated her question out loud, whispering each word.

"Why am I doing this?"

Rogue faltered and took a step back, mentally and physically.

"Why am I doing this?"

Because…well, I don't know! Because I'd want him on my side in a fight…right?

Right!

Rogue nodded to herself for conviction and hauled herself into the bed. She pulled a piece of tarp over her body and laid there on the frozen metal for what seemed like an eternity, but couldn't have been more than three minutes, before she heard footsteps approach the car. She stopped breathing, and a few seconds later, she felt the car rumble to life. She let out a sigh of relief and curled herself into a ball, trying to stay warm. Before she knew it, she fell asleep.

Sooooo, what do you think? Next chapter will be up sometime in the upcoming future. R and R please .