The Soul Feels What the Mind Can't Understand

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. This chapter is entering present time. In this fic, Rogue recently turned 18- I want her legal.

CHAPTER 2

3 Months Later

Rogue was doing backstrokes in the pool outside of the mansion. It was two in the morning and she was the only student outside of the mansion, let alone in the pool area.

This was the first summer that Rogue was able swim outside by herself. Last summer, she had asked the professor if she could swim at night in order to avoid hurting someone with her skin. The professor had denied her request because it was too dangerous for her to go swimming alone. If something was to go wrong and she drowned, no one would be there to save her.

This summer was different, however. This summer Rogue had new abilities that would ensure her safety in the water alone. When she had approached the professor last week with the same question, Charles had no choice but to allow her this. Besides, the professor knew that it would take a hell of a lot to harm her at all.

Rogue had gained her independence. She had been out swimming late at night for every other night in the past week. Summer had just begun, and she was enjoying every minute of it. Granted, it was not summer break yet, so school was still in session, but she was swimming again—that was all that mattered. This was the first time she'd been swimming in years because of that stupid skin.

Rogue, with the help of Professor Xavier, had managed to control all of her abilities- all except for that annoying poisonous skin. All that the poor girl wanted was an off and on switch for her skin. But now was not the time to sulk. Now was the time to swim.

In this past week, Rogue had come to realize just how therapeutic swimming can be. It was the essence of relaxation for her. As she waded in the water, she let the cool water envelope her bikini-clad body. It was a refreshing experience that put her mind at ease, if only for a short while, but it was worth it.

Rogue would give anything for a moments worth of peace of mind. Since she has been swimming outside, she has been able to wear the least amount of clothes that she has in years outside of the confinements of her dorm bathroom. Rogue was swimming in a simple black, string bikini. Some may say 'it is just a bathing suit, it's no big deal,' but it was a big deal. It wasn't just a bathing suit; it was Rogue's freedom—freedom from her skin. Her skin was still dangerous, but when she swam in the pool in such a revealing state, she almost felt normal for once, as if her skin bore no threat.

Rogue's freedom of her bathing suit has never exactly been shared with anyone else. No one ever really had the chance to see her in the little, black string bikini. Rogue never had body issues; she was just never one to flaunt her God-given assets. When not inside the gate-enclosed pool, she wore a robe to get to and from the pool. She didn't mind walking around in her bikini; it was her freedom after all, but safety first, right?

There was always the potential that while walking to the pool, Rogue could turn a corridor and run straight into a student who was awake in search of a midnight snack. Little did they know that they would run into 'Rogue's skin of death.' No. Rogue could never risk that. Her freedom would have to be restricted to the confinements of the pool for the safety of those around her.

So, Rogue continued to swim in peace, enjoying the calming waters while embracing her freedom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan put Scott's car into park outside of the mansion. He probably should have pulled the car into the basement garage of the mansion where it belongs, but Logan felt like using the front door. It was quickest route to his room.

For almost the past week and a half, Logan had been on assignment doing recon on the Brotherhood. He was using different leads provided by the professor, in order to locate where Magneto ran off to after escaping the prison he broke out of. Charles knew that Magneto was planning something, but he could not uncover that plan.

The Brotherhood was being quiet, too quiet. There has barely been any activity from them that warranted back up from the X-Men. Something was definitely up with them, and Logan was sent out to do some digging. After a week and a half of fruitless searching, the professor told Logan to come back to the mansion. The X-Men needed a new game plan in handling Magneto and the Brotherhood.

Logan was getting out of his car and walking towards the gates of the mansion entrance when his heightened senses picked up on something. He felt that someone was outside of the mansion. Then, he heard it. Logan heard the faint sounds of splashing. He started off towards the pool. If Logan caught Pyro skinning dipping in there with some of the other teen girls again, he would be forced to claw him to death.

As Logan got closer, he could see that there was only one person in the pool, one female person. The girl in the pool was swimming laps. Why the hell would someone be swimming all by themselves at two in the fucking morning?

Logan finally made it to the pool entrance. Before pulling the gate open to allow himself access, Logan noticed a sign on it. The sign read 'ROGUE IS SWIMMING. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. PS- THE DEADLY SKIN IS VERY EXPOSED.' He chuckled at the sign and opened the gate. He walked straight through the entrance, heading towards one of the loungers near where Rogue left her flip flops, towel, and robe. He sat down on the lounger and made himself comfortable as he waited for Rogue to notice his presence.

Rogue finally stopped swimming laps and immediately went to floating (water floating, not air floating) on her back in the middle of the pool. She stared up into the night's sky. The stars were shining bright as the chirping of the crickets became the soundtrack to her serenity, a serenity that was quickly ripped away from her with six simple words.

"Isn't it past your bedtime, darlin'?" The gruff voice was familiar, but startled her nevertheless because she squealed just before losing balance, sinking into the water before popping up seconds later with anger evident in her green eyes.

"Ya' couldn't have made your presence known in a way that didn't involve scaring me half ta' death?" Rogue was fuming as she was now facing a grinning Logan while treading water in the pool.

"Now, where would be the fun in that?" Logan continued with the grinning and it sent Rogue over the edge. She was training to be an X-Man and Logan ended up making her look like a scared little girl. No, Rogue will not have any of that.

She swam up towards the side of the pool, the side near where Logan was lounging, and she splashed him with the water. "That is for trying to sneak up on me."

Logan jumped up as soon as the water touched him. He looked like a little kitten afraid of the water. So much for the big, bad Wolverine. She snickered at the thought.

Logan grabbed her towel to use as a shield. "Hey, that's not far. I'm not wearing a bathing suit."

Rogue shrugged. "Well, too bad. Life's not fair, kid." She chuckled at his dumbfounded expression.

Mouth hanging agape, Logan managed to say, "Did you just call me 'kid'?"

"You call me 'kid' all of the time. I figured it was only just." Rogue swam towards the ladder in front of Logan to get out of the pool.

Logan arched his eyebrows amused, "That is completely different because you are, in fact, a ki-" Rogue grabbed onto the handled bars and walked up the ladder so she was now standing in front of Logan. Logan could not even finish his statement on account of what was standing before him.

His little Rogue was standing in front of him dripping wet from head to toe. She was wearing a little, black bikini that seemed to get smaller by the second. Droplets of water appeared to dance on her toned, flat belly. Her creamy skin glowed under the moonlight. But then something very interesting caught Logan's eye; she was cold, very cold.

Logan thought to himself When the hell did she get a body? I haven't even been gone two weeks, do they really grow that fast?

The Wolverine inside of Logan practically purred at the sight of her.

Logan did his best to ignore that part of himself. Jean, Jean, Jean he thought. Jean in nothing but a lab coat, her glasses, oh! and some stilettos.

Wolverine growled a sound in his head, ate. The Wolverine was never good with words.

Logan rolled his shoulders and took three deep breaths. He refused to let the animal inside him try to take over.

Obliviously to Logan's struggles, Rogue groaned. "Ugh, when are ya' ever gonna notice I'm not a little kid anymore? I'm old enough to vote, smoke, and legally drink in Canada."

Logan decided he had reigned in the Wolverine, and could go back to properly bugging Rogue. "You cold?" He sported a sly, little grin to show he was joking about something.

Rogue was frowning in confusion. "Logan, it's like eighty degrees out here why would I be-" Realization of the meaning in his words hit Rogue like a ton of bricks. She looked down to see her erect nipples visible through her bathing suit. Then, she brought her gaze up to narrow her eyes at a smug-looking Logan. "I hate you."

Logan laughed. "Come on. I was just making an observation."

She glared at him. "Oh, you think this is funny, do you? It won't be very funny when I give you a big hug with all this exposed skin that might touch you."

Logan managed to control his laughter and hold out his towel to her. "I was just messin' with you, ki-Marie. I come in peace. I missed you while I was gone, darlin'."

Rogue graciously accepted the piece offering and her lips quirked into a half smile. "I missed ya' too, sugah. It's never the same around here without you." Rogue dried herself and then put on her robe and flip flops. Gesturing towards the exit, Rogue addressed Logan. "Shall we?"

Logan placed his arm around her shoulders and began to guide them out of the pool. They passed the entrance gate, and Logan turned his head to face Rogue. "You know, I really like that nice little welcome sign you put out there. I bet people are just itching to hang out in there with you."

Rogue shrugged, "Only one person would be brave enough to go near my skin when it's exposed, anyway, with or without a warning sign. Lucky me that he happens to be my best friend."

Okay, so she could be a cheeseball too. It was how they worked! Sass, sass, sass, sweetness, sass.

End of CHAPTER 2

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