Title: Ever Since

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I'm poor. Don't sue me.

Rating: T

Pairing: Rogue/Warren

Setting/Spoilers: Post The Last Stand.

Summary: When Warren invites Rogue to a movie premier, he doesn't realize what can happen with one innocent date.

Distribution: Want. Take. Have. Just ask first.

Review: Please… I love reviews they make me happy.

A/N: Damn plot bunnies… They nest in my head and then turn into full blown stories… Plus there aren't enough Rogue/Warren stories out there…

Ever since the Alcatraz Island incident, life in the mansion had become increasingly boring. With the deaths of the Professor, Jean Grey, and Scott Summers still fresh on everyone's minds, Storm had sent all the children, who still had homes to go back to, home for the summer holiday. This left very few people staying at the mansion for the summer. Not that Warren Worthington III had an objections to fewer people staring at his wings, it was just that no people around meant no one to talk to.

Warren figured that he could always return to California and help his father destroy everything having to do with the 'cure,' but he wanted nothing to do with his old life. That was the life where he had to hide who he truly was, and that wasn't him any more. Now, he was who he was—the Angel. It had a nice ring to it, but he didn't truly agree with such a codename. But such was the life of being an X-Man. Not that he was one yet. Storm had offered him that position, along with that of English teacher, but he hadn't given her an answer yet. After all, this was his chance at a new life.

Sighing, he left his room and began to wander around the mansion, hoping to find someone—anyone to talk to. Lazily, he walked to the kitchen, and paused in the doorframe.

It was her.

Since coming to the mansion, Warren had heard whispers of a 'Rogue.' But he'd never seen her. He'd heard countless rumors about her—murder, revenge, the white stripes in her hair, even the ridiculous idea that she was on Magneto's team for a while. But he didn't believe any of it. The only rumor he believed was that she'd taken the 'cure.' For that one though, he had a reason. His room was near hers, and sometimes he could hear her moaning in her sleep about needles.

Still, this was the first time he'd ever seen her. Normally, she locked herself in her room and would not come out. From what he heard about her, the results of taking the 'cure' weren't what she expected and now she regretted her decision. Jubilee, who was the mansion's gossip, had told him that Rogue took the 'cure' for her boyfriend, and now she was no longer dating him. Now, she just haunted the mansion. Meals were left outside her door, and no one saw her, except that man Warren had been introduced to as the Wolverine.

Not wanting to bother her, Warren turned away from the doorframe and went off to find someone else to entertain him.

"I won't hurt ya if you come in, sugah." Her soft voice called out to him, stopping Warren in his tracks. "I mean, I'm human now. Not much I can do. No death skin."

Nervous now, Warren turned around and walked back into the kitchen. "I didn't think you would." He said sitting down at the table across from her, stretching out his wings slightly. "Even if you had your… death skin, as you called it. I've just never seen you before. I'm-"

"I know who you are." Rogue said, cutting him off. "Everyone does. Warren Worthington the third. America's favorite bachelor. How many actresses are you dating now?"

Warren rolled his eyes at her comment. "No, no, no. You got it all wrong. Don't insult me. It's models I date. And I think the article in Star said three."

Rogue stared at him for a moment, as though to see if he was serious or not, before bursting into laughter. "I'm sorry." She said with a slight blush. "I guess you must get that a lot. I'm--"

"Rogue."

She shook her head. "No, not any more. I'm Marie."

Marie. The name rolled around Warren's head as he looked at her, taking in her beauty. Why a girl like this would take the 'cure' to make her boyfriend like her more, he didn't know, but he knew better than to bring it up. Instead he stared at her, not sure of what to say now. He didn't want to make it seem like he felt sorry for her or anything else along those lines.

"I'm sorry." Rogue suddenly blurted out after a couple more minutes of silence.

Warren looked at her. "For what?" He asked in confusion.

She blushed again. "For not having anything interesting to say to a celebrity." After her confession, she ducked her head shyly, slightly embarrassed.

Laughing, Warren looked at her again. "I'm not a celebrity, Marie. Just an heir with way too much attention from the public. I think it comes with being a mutant heir to a multi-billion dollar corporation."

Rogue stared at him. "But you're in all those gossip magazines hanging out with all those famous people."

He shrugged. "They're just people. I grew up with half of them."

"Oh." Rogue said, looking away from him.

Warren sighed, and suddenly had this strange need to not loose Rogue's attention. It was refreshing to have someone talking to him. Even if it just was that he was famous. For some reason he couldn't explain, Rogue's attention was like a drug. It made him feel better about himself, and suddenly all he wanted was her attention back. "I could introduce you to some of them."

Suddenly Rogue's head whipped around and she stared at him in surprise. "What?" She breathed, her voice so low Warren barely heard her.

"I have to go to this movie premier in NYC on Saturday. Dates are encouraged. Or says my father." He looked at Rogue again. "Want to be my date?"

Slowly, Rogue nodded her head, her cheeks flushing again. "I don't know what to say…"

"'Yes' would be nice." Warren said with a smile as he stood up from the table, and stretched out his wings again. "I'll meet you Saturday night at 6 in the foyer."

"But I have nothin' to wear!" Rogue blurted out.

Warren smiled. "We'll figure something out." He said before leaving Rogue in the kitchen and going back to his room.

And ever since he left her there, he couldn't help but feel that he just started something that would change his life forever.

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