Disclaimer note: I do not own anything accept the ocean. MUhahahah! No wait, I don't own the ocean either. Dam!

Post X1 and AU from then on. Coolness? Spoilers for Practical magic if you haven't watched the movie. But it's a old movie, so I'm assumming if you haven't seen it by now you don't want to.

Rogue stood by the ocean, the water lapping over her feet. She sighed and stepped deeper allowing the water to reach her knees. She felt at peace, one with the world. It was a great contrast to the pain in her heart. Seven months ago she'd have never thought that any force was strong enough to drive her from her home. She was wrong, of course. So wrong indeed.

Seven months ago, on the eve of her twentieth birthday, a change of events occurred that changed her life for good. First thing, she made the mistake of going out with Logan to a bar. Secondly she made the mistake of letting him cage fight. He received a bad blow to the head. Among other injuries. She'd got him to the backseat of her car. His healing factor was trying to cope with his more serious injuries so he was drunk from the seventeen beers he'd downed. She was beyond plastered that evening from all the drinks from her party and the beers she downed at the bar. They both lay in the back of her jeep until one thing led to another. She woke up in the morning, naked and shivering. He was naked too. Luckily he was asleep. Acting fast she'd covered him with his clothes, put her own on and drove home.

She never brought it up for two days. She just avoided him, broke up with Bobby and spent more sessions with the professor. They were trying to figure out how to switch her power on now that they'd turned it off. It had been a hard road but her love for Logan had driven her to succeed. She was sick of the solitude that came with her curse of a mutation. During those few sessions she realised she should talk to him. Finally she confronted him, asking if he remembered anything from that night. His words were, 'it was a mistake kid.', to be exact. She took a deep breath and walked away. What did she expect? He loved Jean. He used to tell her that. They used to talk a lot. She about Bobby, school and her powers and he talked about his past and Jean. All those times she wanted to admit that she loved him. But it was never that easy.

So about three weeks later he gives her a funny look and says, 'you're pregnant.'. She panicked and mumbled something about it being some guys. Then she ran to the professor and told him to get her as far away from here as he can. He took a quick scan of her mind and probably sensed the emotional turmoil in there before making a phone call. So now she was here, on muir island, working for an old friend of the professor, Dr Moira Mctaggart. She helped with research and filing. Trivial stuff that didn't put strain on her or the baby.

She sighed and closed her eyes, taking in the salty air. So here was seven months later. Stuck in eternal solitude. Yet her mutation was under complete control. She never saw any one again. Accept her best friend Jubilee who she kept in contact via e-mail. She sometimes missed the noise of the school. But she didn't miss watching the drama of the school love triangle. Jean/Logan/Scott, the school's source of gossip. She didn't want her child to grow up in that environment. Things seemed to get worse when Logan came back from his search for the past. Jean actually heightened her flirting, Scott became less aware and Logan, well, he wanted to be the good guy. Yay for Jean. She snarled and blew a stray piece of hair from her eyes. The hair floated up and then landed back in front of her eyes.

She felt pathetic. Like she was still a little kid in Logan's eyes. She was sick of the looks of pity she received from people. It was because they knew how one-sided her relationship was with him. She was poor little Rogue who constantly stood by someone who looked straight through her. Everyone seemed to leave her at some point. If they cared they could have called. She didn't tell them not to. She actually wanted people to call but it was only Jubilee who still kept in contact. Everyone had abandoned her. Although it felt like that before she left. Before she gained control. People always forgot her, left her behind.

Kinda ironic how in the end she left them all behind. Abandoned the only family she has. Had. The only family she had now was inside her. She smiled and carefully rubbed her round belly.

'Just you and me kid.' she whispered.

Her smiled grew as she felt a thump against her hand.

'Marie!'

Rogue chuckled and turned to the source of the sound. Standing by the shore was the good doc herself. She waddled over, dress swishing in the water.

'Morning Moira.'

'Marie, dear, what have I told you about wading so deeply into the water.'

'Not to go in because the current is really strong. But honestly Moira, I'm the size of a whale, I can't be carried away so easily.'

'You'd be surprised. Now come inside.'

'I'll come in when the sun goes. We haven't had sunshine on this island for a long time and I want to enjoy every minute of it.'

'Stubborn as always. Very well, stay here.'

Rogue smiled at the doctor before sitting on the sand, stretching out her legs in the sunshine.

'You have a visitor, pet.'

Rogue frowned and turned her head towards the doctor.

'I…'she stuttered.

Moira offered a sympathetic smile before heading back towards the mainland.

'I'll send him here, shall I?'

Rogue nodded, suddenly very interested with the hem of her dress. After twenty minutes she could hear footsteps coming from behind her. Then there was a shadow next to her. She knew that shadow.

'Hey Logan.'

'Rogue.'

'So…I'll get right to the point. Why are you here?'

'Because I missed you. Haven't heard from you in seven months.'

'I've been busy.'

'I see.'

She stopped playing with the hem of her dress and patted the spot next to her. He sat down, his warm body pressed against her. She noticed he was gazing at her stomach.

'Any reason it's taken you seven months to find me.'

'I didn't know you wanted to be found.'

'What did the professor tell you?'

'He said that you needed to be by yourself for awhile. That's why I didn't come after you straight away.'

'But…'

'But I'm tired of having to live in that mansion without you.'

'I'm not coming back. Yet.'

'The father, of your child, does he want anything to do with this kid?'

'Never really asked, I just assumed. What does it matter? I can raise this baby on my own.'

'What about money, a place to live. Life isn't free.'

'You think I work here for free? I get paid for the work I do. And then I save that money to pay the professor for the house he bought about ten minutes drive from the mansion. I've always been studying so that I can be the school's new history teacher. So, actually Logan I know what I'm doing.'

'Your child still needs a father.'

'Says who? I got by without any parents. I had family.'

'Not when you were young.'

She shrugged and put her head on his shoulder. She couldn't help it. She'd always been so close to him and part of her found it hard to hate someone she loved so much.

'How's Jean?'

'Married to Scott.'

'Ouch. Bet that hurt.'

'Surprisingly, no.'

'Really?'

'You sound surprised.'

'I just thought…wow, maybe sometimes people do follow their heart.'

'You're weird.'

'And you're a dense idiot.' she mumbled.

'What?'

She didn't reply. Just stood up and waded back into the water. Clouds were forming in the sky, blocking out most of the sun. She heard the water move as he stood next to her.

'You ever see the movie Practical Magic?'

Logan shook his head.

'Well there's this scene in the beginning. Where the narrator is explaining the origin of the curse. There's this moment where the woman, their ancestor, is standing on an island. She's pregnant and just standing there watching the water. You know why she's there?'

Logan shook his head again.

'She's waiting, for the father of her child. But he doesn't come and it's heartbreaking watching her stand there and cry her heart out.'

'Marie…' he turned her head so that their eyes met, 'I want you to know that I'm going to be here for you and your child.'

'But, it's not yours, doesn't that matter?'

'What matters is that I love you and I'm going to be here for both of you.'

She took a deep breath and moved out of his grasp. She knew deep inside it must of taken a lot for Logan just to admit that. Then there was the fact that he even wanted to look after a kid that wasn't even his. She laughed, waddling back to the shore.

'It's a dream, all a dream.'

'Marie?'

She turned shaking the head at the ocean before everything was dark.

-xXx-

'Marie? Marie?'

She opened her eyes. White lights blinded her. Someone was holding her legs up, arms hooked under her knees to keep them up, while cold hands probed around down there. She hissed then winced as pain shot through her body.

'Marie, it's Moira. The baby's coming. You need to start pushing.'

Rogue nodded vaguely. Her eyes flickered to her side where Logan held her one leg, using his other hand to wipe the sweat off her brow. She pushed with all she could, and it hurt. She glared at Logan, anger boiling inside her. She didn't know if it was the drugs or the pain of labour or both but she felt like her brain and her mouth were not connecting.

'You.' she growled at Logan.

'Marie…'

'You did this to me.'

'What?'

'The…urgh…the night at the bar…on…on…'

'On your birthday.' he whispered.

She saw realisation dawn on his face.

'Marie, keep pushing.' called Moira.

'Why didn't you tell me?' asked Logan.

'It. Was. A. Mistake.' she spat.

He opened his mouth but she screamed as she gave on last push. First there was silence but in seconds it was pierced by the screaming cries of a little baby.

'It's a boy.' whispered Moira.

Rogue smiled and let her head rest again. Logan and the nurse let go of her legs. A blanket was put over her and she suddenly felt really tired. It was like the darkness was pulling around her for awhile.

'Marie?'

'I need to put my powers on for awhile. Give me an hour.'

'Okay.'

She closed her eyes and flipped the switch allowing her powers to flow around. Her skin let out small tingles and her psyches stretched having been suppressed for so long. It felt like waking up. She felt free for a few seconds. She must have fallen asleep because she was not aware of her surroundings any more.

Marie?

She smiled at Logan's psyche.

Yeah.

He needs you.

She nodded and opened her eyes. She'd been moved to her own room. How long was she out? In the corner of her room on the rocking chair she'd bought, was Logan. And in his arms was a blue blanket. He looked up and walked over to her. She reached out, powers already turned off, and took a look at her son. Their son. He was beautiful. Little eyes half closed, amber eyes barely peeking through. He already had soft black hair.

'Logan, I'm sorry. About what I said and about not telling you.'

'It's okay Marie. I'm still not leaving you. As soon as your ready we can go live in that house.'

'I'd like that.'

'So, do you have a name?'

'James.'

'James. You sure?'

'You really don't remember?'

'What?'

'Your name. It's James Logan Howlette. I assumed since your psyche in my head knew, that deep down you knew.'

Logan looked stunned, then his face softened.

'That's why I love you. You know me better than I know myself. James is perfect. And that night wasn't a mistake.'

'Then why did you say it was?'

'I felt guilty that we were both out of it. Especially during your first time.'

'You are dense.'

Logan growled and she just rolled her eyes. Then she gazed down.

'James Scott Howlette.'

'No.'

'I like Scott.'

'I don't.'

'Fine, you pick a middle name.'

'Can't really think of any.'

'Scott it is.'

'Marie!'

'You can name the next one.'

'Next one?'

'My uterus didn't break sugar.' she drawled.

He smirked shaking his head.

'I like the sound of Mrs Marie Howlette.'

He lifted her hand and placed a gold ring on. Her eyes widened and she nodded.

'I like the sound of that too.'

He kissed her gently on the lips. She smiled and held little James closer. Logan sat on the edge of her bed.

'Hey Marie?'

'Yeah?'

'What happened at the end of that movie?'

'The curse was lifted. And everybody ended up happy…well the ones that deserved to.'

'How did they break the curse?'

'Same way my curse was broken. Love.'

-xXx-