A.N.: Several people have asked for a Ryro so here it is… My thanks to those of you who've inspired this tale. I'd love to read your comments, so please share your thoughts. No flames, please. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just having fun with the possibilities they hold.

He was sitting at the table enjoying the quiet of the early morning. Being Saturday, everyone else was enjoying the chance to sleep in. He heard a noise just outside the door and turned his attention that direction to see who was about to join him. Her hair was slightly mussed. While it was clear she hadn't taken much time getting dressed and had paid almost no attention to her appearance, he still thought she looked pretty.

He didn't think she even noticed him sitting there as she staggered across the room, her bleary eyes barely opened. Peering through the unfocused slits, she reached out for a mug while her other hand groped blindly for the coffee pot. Stifling a chuckle at her expense, he got up and came to her rescue. "Morning, Rogue. Why don't you sit down before you hurt yourself? I'll get your coffee."

"Huh?" she questioned, not up to that much conversation yet. He did chuckle now and simply led her to the table and pressed her down into a seat. She sat and immediately lowered her forehead to the tabletop only to lie there immobile. When he set the mug down in front of her, she didn't even flinch.

Shaking his head with a smile, he led her hands to it and wrapped her fingers around the ceramic. He heard her sniff and then slowly rise, sliding the mug towards herself. She lowered her mouth to the rim and sucked some of the brew without lifting the mug at all. After two more drinks this way, her eyes opened just a little more and she groaned. The next drink actually saw her bringing the mug up to meet her mouth in a more normal fashion. "Oooh…. That's really good."

She finally registered who was sitting across from her and smiled a little before looking into her mug, a slight blush rising on her cheeks. "Thanks. I really needed this."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that out." She giggled lightly at his jest and he found the sound of it lifted his spirits and made him hope for more of her laughter. "Rough night? Usually I'm the only student up this early on the weekend."

"Since, uh, well… I've been having a lot of nightmares lately. I don't sleep a whole lot these days."

Knowing that between the thing with Wolverine and then all that crap on Liberty Island she probably was having some pretty intense bad dreams, he wasn't surprised she wasn't sleeping very well. He cast around his mind for something more to say, but then saw that she was more than content to sit quietly with him and stare out the window as some birds landed on the ground to look for food.

He rose to get another cup of coffee and she grunted with discontent seeing the coffee maker was now empty. "I'll make you more if you come up with something to give me in return," he offered flirtatiously. From the first moment he'd seen her in class he'd wanted to find a way to get to know her better. This was his chance. No one was here to interrupt or mess things up for him this time.

She cocked one eyebrow in a way that he already recognized as belonging to the man who'd arrived with her. She may not even know it, but her inner Wolverine was showing. "How 'bout coffee for information?" she finally responded with a charmingly mischievous glint in her eye.

He turned to face her, crossing his arms over his chest waiting to hear what she meant. "What kind of information?"

She smirked and leaned her head against one hand. "You'd be surprised what kinds of things people say and do in front of the new kid. I guess they figure I don't know enough to pay much attention yet or something."

He had a feeling this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. He efficiently got another pot started before rejoining her. "So tell me, Rogue," he said with a deepened voice, "What kinds of things do happen in front of the new kid?"

When she giggled again, he let it vibrate through him and felt pleased at earning it again so soon. "Well," she began leaning forward slightly, "things like that really big guy…"

"Pete," he filled in for her.

She shrugged, nodded, and continued, "You know he draws, right?" His only reply was a look that clearly told her this was hardly coffee-worthy news. "Did you know he draws pictures of Jubilee? I mean like at least three or four drawings of her every day?"

"Peter and Jubilee?" he asked in surprise.

"Not really, but I think he sure wishes they were going out."

"I wouldn't have pegged her as being his type at all!"

There was that cute little giggle again. "Yeah, I know. But I guess she is 'cause he sketches her at least that many times a day. It's really kind of sweet," she mused before refilling her mug, adding some sugar, and sitting back down. "He's a good artist."

"Yeah, he is." The two continued quietly talking about her observations of life at the institute until other people started coming in. That's when they fell quiet again. When someone they'd discussed entered, they'd just share secretive smiles before both looking into their mugs and avoiding looking at one another for fear of laughing and inviting questions they didn't want to answer. When Bobby came in after a bit, he sat at the end of the table and looked from one to the other.

"What are you guys doing?" Rogue gave John a special smile, letting him know how much she'd enjoyed their morning together, and sat back while he answered his friend. After hanging out for a little while, Rogue got to her feet. "I guess I'd better go clean up a bit." The guys decided to leave at the same time. As he passed her in the hall, John muttered in Rogue's ear, "Same time, same place?"

She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Tomorrow?" she whispered back.

He tweaked her waist where no one would see agreeing in low tones, "Tommorrow." Her breathy giggle haunted him the rest of the day.