Canada.
It was colder than she had remembered.
"Hey kid," he said, looking over the snowy garden.
"Hey Logan." She said, tired. He put his cigar back in his mouth, frowning at her.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, it's cold." She murmured, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself. Logan pulled at his leather jacket and draped it around her shoulders.
"There," he said. "Better?" she nodded, smiling at him.
The truck in front of the bar and she yanked the key out of the stubborn ignition.
"Logan!" she shouted after him, he turned.
"Rogue?" he asked, a question lingering in the air.
"Don't go! Don't go!" she cried, tears pooling in her eyes. His brow twitched, hesitating.
"I have to, I can't stay." He murmured. She threw herself into his arms.
"You can stay here. Stay here with me." She pleaded. He shook his head and untangled himself.
It still smelt terrible; she opened the door, shivering against the bitter air that hit her like a punch in the gut.
Her foot hit and ice patch and she slide a bit, falling on her ass. Pain shot up her spine and she struggled to her feet, swearing loudly the whole way, ignoring the bemused looks from the truckers who were watching her.
"Hey sweetheart, ya look a little lost." One of them called to her as she slammed the door to the stupid truck shut.
"Fuck off." She hissed, passing them on her way inside.
"Where is she?" Logan asked Storm, entering the mansion. The woman shrugged.
"She's gone Logan she left right after you. Last I saw her was a week ago." She murmured. The Wolverine frowned and without another word, turned and walked out again.
The bar was smoky and she felt her eyes water from it. The crowd was thick as she pushed her was through, the man she was seeking the center of these people's attention.
"Oh ho folks! There's another one down! Do we have anymore takers tonight for this indestructible weapon?" the announcer said, waving his hands towards a shirtless figure.
The cage was in the middle of the room, everyone was screaming it was a wonder she got her voice out loud enough. "I'll do it!" she yelled.
Everything went dead quiet as the shirtless man inside the cage snapped his head around, searching for that voice's owner. The announcer seemed surprised.
"Little lady, we don't want you getting' hurt. This isn't a playpen here."
"I said I'll do it!" she said again. This time, the shirtless man found her and his eyes grew wide as she stepped forward delicately to enter the cage.
The Frank Sinatra song played on as they stared at each other. 'Strangers in the night… two lonely people…'
"Where did you go?" she asked, cocking her head at him.
"I had to get away." He murmured.
"You left. You're leaving again, I saw you packing your bags." She stated bluntly.
"Hey!" he snarled. "Don't give me that victim bullshit! You left me! I came back for you, you were gone." His words stung her.
"I was looking for you Logan." She replied evenly. His expression switched to righteous shame as he averted her gaze.
"I'm sorry Rogue."
"You're still leaving?" she asked. He knew that was the only way he could make it up to her, was to stay with her. He couldn't do it though.
"Yes." He replied, turning and shutting the door behind her.
'Little did we know love was just a glance away… a warm embracing dance away…' she threw something at the CD player and the song shut off as the stereo clattered in two pieces, to the ground.
She shed her coat, revealing a t-shirt and jeans. The man made no move against her, only stepping forward, sheathing his claws. "Rogue?"
"Hello Logan." She replied.
"Why are you here?" he asked warily. The audience was silent, straining to hear what they were saying.
"I'm looking for you."
"You found me." He said, spitting. "I'm not going to fight you."
"I know." She said, sighing.
Before he could do anything he found himself on the floor of the cage, pinned by her. He growled, looking at her face, which betrayed no emotion. "Get the fuck off me Marie." He snarled.
"Make me." Was the only words he heard over the roar of the crowd.
He shoved her off and she retaliated with a kick to the chest, knocking him over again.
Her breath was hot on his shoulder as he trailed his lips over her body. She shuddered at the contact and he growled his pleasure to her as she whispered his name into his ear.
To feel her shiver against him was enough, he closed his eyes as her figure was silhouetted against the moon shining through the window. She rocked against him, her hips keeping time with his.
Sweat dripped and mingled with their kisses. "I love you." She moaned into the dark. He tensed.
"What?" his tone was sharp.
"I-I love you, Logan." She repeated. He brushed her off of him, sitting up.
"No you don't." he stated. Shock and hurt at his words filled her face.
"Logan-," he was already dressed and out of the room.
"Stop it-," he couldn't finish as a kick to the face brought him down again.
"No."
"What do you want?" he snarled, looking at her, dodging and deflecting.
"I want you."
"So how is this helping?" he growled, pushing her fist away from his face.
"I'm getting five years of pent up fury out of my system." She replied, nailing him in the leg, brining him down to his knees so she could punch him in the face.
"Where are you going now?" Kitty asked as she looked up from packing.
"Out," was her curt reply.
"For him? Rogue he's not coming back." Her friend said.
"That's why I'm going to find him." I snapped. "Do you listen to anything?" Kitty shook her head sadly and left her room so she could finish.
"Another one please." She asked the bartender. He obeyed, eyeing her newly acquired bruises from the evening in the cage.
"Yes ma'am."
'Strangers in the night….' Her eyes snapped to the radio as nostalgia filled her system.
"Rogue," A voice said, she turned and there he was, his leather jacket and all.
"Logan," she said, draining the shot that the bartender had given to her.
"I'm sorry." Was all he cared to murmur. She cocked her head at him and got up from her barstool, walking towards him.
"All that time." She said faintly. "You ran, I tried to get you, and when I found you… you just fucked me like a cheap whore and ran again." Her honesty made him flinch but he held his head high.
"I couldn't stay." He said.
"That's bullshit." She scoffed. "You could've stayed, stayed with me. You chose to run. You came back when you needed money and free meals." He raised a hand to her cheek and she leaned into it. "I loved you." She said, a lone tear trickling down her cheek.
"You loved me?" he said, sounding wounded.
"You just… were so amazing, so caring towards me, you took care of me. Then I grew up and you were much more than that…" she straightened. "I learned my lesson of course." She said. He frowned and drew her into an embrace.
"I'm sorry." He repeated.
Love a was just a glance away a warm embracing dance away… ever since that night we've been together, lovers at first sight in love forever… it turned out so right for strangers in the night….
