Part One - Introductions
Rogue heard the low hum of it's engine as he pulled into the driveway late that night. She rolled over with a heavy sigh as she covered her ears with the pillow that cradled her head. She didn't care that he was back and she didn't care if he would have ever come back. She had moved on; forgot about him completely. She stopped wearing the tags and they were now buried somewhere in her jewelry box. He was no longer in her head and it surprised her when she hadn't even noticed it at first. And she was glad for it. She had also changed. Everyone around her said it was for the worst but she didn't think so. She liked who she had become. She had friends outside of the school who weren't mutants but still accepted her for who she was. They even had told her they envied her. At first she figured they were just mutant groupies, but once she got to know them; it came to mind that they weren't groupies but respectful. And she was happy to be called their friend and them hers. As her thoughts carried deeper into her mind she drifted off into sleep with a smile on her face. She couldn't wait to see Logan's reaction upon seeing her. The new her.
"Hey girl. Get up. You've got a phone call." Rogue heard Jubilee's voice as she was shaken forcefully by her friend.
"Ugh. Who is it?" Rogue asked as she rolled over to face Jubilee with squinty eyes.
"One of your goth friends." Jubilee answered with disgust.
"There's nothing wrong with being goth." Rogue replied upon hearing the sound in Jubilee's voice.
"Right. Tell me that again when you get into real trouble with them." She retorted with a snort and an eyeroll.
"Whatever, Jubes." Rogue responded walking out of the door wearing her black tank top and black pajama pants; her feet bare.
Rogue scuffed her feet across the cold wooden hallway floor to the phone resting on a small table next to a plant; which Rogue noted needed a little water. She shrugged that thought off as she picked up the off white receiver and lifted it to her ear.
"Hello." Rogue spoke as she sat in the chair placed next to the table.
"Hey, Marie!" She heard a female voice say.
"Casey!! Hey!" Rogue replied with a wide grin on her face.
"How've you been?" Casey asked with a hint of laughter in her voice.
"Been good. You?" Rogue replied as she wiped sleep from her eyes.
"Been better. Just got back from that awful trip with my parents." She replied.
"Ugh. How awful was it?" Rogue asked.
"Let's just say everone was happy, happy, happy. I wished I had a gun to shoot their sorry asses." Casey replied and Rogue could hear her eyes roll at her last remark.
"I'm sorry, girl. I wish I was there to feel your pain." Rogue replied apologetically.
"Oh, no you don't. Sorry, girl. I wouldn't even think about putting you through that kind of torture."
"Aww, how sweet of you to say." Rogue replied.
"Yeah, well, what are friends for."
"There for comfort mostly and I could've comforted you during that horrible nightmare." Rogue replied.
"Marie. Are you gettin' soft on me?" Casey asked with a hint of laughter in her voice.
"What!! No! Never!" Rogue said with shock.
"I'm just pickin' on ya girl. Say, listen I gotta run but do you wanna do somethin' tonight?"
"Yeah, I'd love to!! Haven't seen you for a couple weeks." Rogue replied.
"Great. I'll pick ya up at about, oh, seven?"
"Seven sounds great. See ya then." Rogue replied then hung up the phone. She quickly turned on her heal; ecstatic about seeing one of her best friends again, and ran right into Jubilee.
"Excuse me, Jubes, I'd like to get by now." Rogue said with a glare.
"Those people are going to get you into nothing but trouble." Jubilee stated, ignoring Rogue's comment.
"What are you? My mother?" Rogue asked rudely.
"No. I'm your friend and I care about you."
"Ah, well. I don't really remember calling you my friend." Rogue replied.
"What has gotten into you? You didn't always act like this. You used to be sweet and kind."
"Yeah, and look where that got me. No fucking where!!" Rogue exclaimed before rushing past Jubilee, bumping into her in the process. It was a good thing Rogue's powers were under control, otherwise Jubilee would've been feeling a little light headed.
"You're going to get hurt if you keep doing this!" Jubilee yelled after her, but all she got in response was the slamming of a bedroom door, slightly shaking the pictures that hung on the hallway walls.
Rogue stared at herself in the mirror; pleased with her look. She wore a small, black tank top that showed off her stomache, a vinyl mini skirt with a slit in the right side with black nylons and knee high boots. She walked over to her dresser and pulled out the bottom drawer of her jewelry box and pulled out a few things of body jewelry.
She leaned in close to the mirror and stuck her tongue out, placed the tiny rod with a ball at the end in the hole of her tongue, and clasped it into place. She played with it for a little while with her teeth to get the feel of it in her tongue. She then took three small round rings and placed one in her eyebrow, another one in her nose, and the last one in her belly button.
She grabbed her black eyeliner and drew a black line around her eyes and placed dark eye shadow on her eyelids. She took the deep purple lipstick and smeared it on her full pink lips, giving her face a darker look to it.
She then pulled the ponytail ontop of her head a tight pull and fluffed it up into place. Giving her hair a messy feel to it to complete the look. She gave her reflection one last glance before she grabbed her tight, leather jacket and rushed out the door as she heard Casey's car pulling into the driveway.
"Mmm... hey handsome. Mind lettin' me in?" Rogue heard Casey say and she knew right away who she was talking to. Logan. She couldn't help but smirk at his reaction towards her.
"Um... yeah... I would." Logan replied as he looked her up and down. Her whole attire was black as was her hair and the makeup around her eyes.
"Yeah, well, ya see. I'm here pickin' up a friend. We're goin' out." Casey replied with a devilsh grin as she smacked the gum in her mouth.
"Who would..." Logan started but was interrupted by a familiar voice behind him.
"Casey! It's so great to see you." Rogue interjected as she rushed to her friend.
Casey pushed Logan out of her way, much to his demise, and wrapped Rogue into a tight hug. Logan's eyes practically bulged out of his sockets at the sight of his Marie. She showed off way too much skin, and not because he thought it dangerous, though he had no idea it was under control until the girls gripped one another's hand, but because she was Marie. His Marie. The kid he left four years ago. But it was apparent she wasn't a kid anymore. But what had she done with herself? In his eyes she looked slutty. And she seemed proud of it.
"Oh, hey Logan. This is my best friend, Casey. Casey this is Logan." Rogue introduced, showing absolutely no interest in the expression on his face.
"Ahhhh, yeah.Marie here has told me so much about you. You're right, girl. He is all sex." Casey replied as she ran a hand down Logan's arm; receiving a threatening growl in response; not for the just the physical touch from her but because he noticed she called Rogue by the name he thought only he had the privilage at calling her. Marie.
"And you didn't believe me." Rogue replied with a slight laugh, not at all embarassed by her friend's comment.
"Yeah, well, ya know. When you're infatuated with some guy of course he's gonna look good to you. But to someone else he could look like a complete dog. But not him." Casey replied with a wink to Logan.
"Anyway," Rogue started, changing the subject, "we should probably go."
"Right. We're gonna be late. I'm sure the others are already waitin' for us." Casey said as she turned towards the door.
"Marie wait." Logan said as he grabbed Rogue's left arm; noticing for the first time the tattoo she bared on her upper arm. It was a sort of symbol that wrapped itself around her arm.
"I'm sorry. Who are ya talkin' to?" Rogue asked as she furrowed her brow in confusion.
"Don't give me that crap, Marie. You are not going out. Especially like that." Logan said roughly.
"Well, that's not really up to you now is it?" Rogue replied as she tore her arm out of his grasp.
"Marie..." Logan growled low as he pierced her eyes with his, but it didn't faze her any.
"Sorry, Logan. Gotta go." Rogue replied, ignoring him as she walked out the door.
Logan stood where she had left him, his mouth agap at what he had just seen. He couldn't believe this had happened to her. And he had realized she wasn't wearing his tags. And the thought of that pierced his heart more than he would have expected. His Marie was gone. Disappeared. And he was deteremined to get her back. No matter what it took.
