She padded off to class equal parts hopeful for its new direction and pensive that going outdoors wouldn't be approved.

When she got to self-defense class and saw him outside the doorway arms folded she Instantly thought of canada. He was wearing a black shirt and leaning back leisurely against the post, the only thing missing was a cigar in his mouth.

He looked at Rogue, and beckoned her to follow with a nod as he pushed off from the door frame.

Hope surged within her.

Suddenly Logan's expression turned sour.

Rogue froze midstep, it was than that she realized he was looking past her.

As Bobby moved out from behind her, Wolverine leveled him with a glare that promised pain and suffering, causing him to just about shrink as he walked past into the classroom.

Once he was out of sight Logan started walking and brushed right past Kitty knocking her shoulders as if she wasn't there at all.

The other a students gave Rogue a wide berth as she moved to follow him. After two minutes of following him silently in the opposite direction as the main entrance, she began thinking they weren't going outside after all.

Of course it wasn't okay for the pair with dangerous claws and dangerous skin to be outside unmonitored.

They might frighten a passing refugee mutant, or hopeful parents looking to hand off their 'Gifted' children.

Perhaps they were going to another room inside the mansion to train away from the others.

'Great, deeper into the building with no eacape' she thought.

Her face fell, she was obviously crushed to have her chance taken away so quickly.

Being away from the class was still progress but she was looking forward to the outdoors since it was 70 and sunny.

Oh well.

At some point he had started walking faster and then jogging. Without looking behind him he quipped: 'Better keep up, you need to be In fighting shape Kid'.

Too bad he couldn't see her Rolling her eyes at the 'Kid' Comment.

Slowing down as they approached a door at the end of yet another hallway she figured that was the room they would be training in.

She took a moment to brace herself for disappointment, schooling her features because she didn't want to seem ungrateful.

But as he opened the door, bright light streamed through and she realized that this must be some back garden of the mansion.

He turned over his shoulder to give her a crooked grin, and raised an eyebrow. Taking in the veiw he said: 'We good Kid' it was half statement, half question. As she beamed and followed after him into the sunlight she thought 'yeah we are good, definitely good, even if he's still calling me kid.'

As soon as they got out, he got to work.

'First off, your punches suck. let me show you how to do this'.

Modeling how to throw a punch for her again, he than told her to put both hands up palms facing him so he could hit her hands.

She was startled to hear him say 'Lose the gloves'.

When she didn't remit immediately, he chided : ' We're burning daylight here'.

Removing her gloves he threw a few quick punches to her palms. He made sure not to hit hard enough to do lasting damage, but enough to make the training real.

It was crazy how fast he was, her skin couldn't draw off him when he pulled his hands back that quickly.

Once he had stopped, she was still marveling at the somewhat intimate contact (to her anyways) and was srprised he smacked her hands down a bit.

Standing from the half crouch he had been in while punching he mimicked her former posture with hands up saying: 'Your turn, now gimme your best shot'.

Gulping audibly, she threw a weak punch. Being not nearly as fast as he was she started to pull his energy. She flinched away and didn't go for another. Shaking his head he seemed disappointed. Grabbing her sleeved covered wrists he said: 'Make a fist, keep your wrist strong, when you hit fast you hit hard, and you need to pull your fist back faster.'

Getting back Into position he nodded for her to try again.

She was quicker this time but still drawing on him.

'Again!' He shouted

'Faster'

He taught her a few more things, how to stand, lean into a punch, to duck, keep your hands up to protect the face. ect.

Sparring outside was great and lovely and everything she wished it wasn't.

After seventeen minutes her clothes were too heavy, she was sweating, hair was blowing into her mouth and the sun seemed to always be directly in her eyes. Suddenly she wished she about a had a gallon of cold water, a hair tie and sunglasses.

'70 and sunny seems so much better from indoors' she mused, She wasn't complaining just explaining.

It was great to be outside but now she was getting dizzy and starting to swoon from the exertion. She must've looked miserable because Logan suddenly stopped mid swing and barked at her to 'Hold her arms out'. As soon as she had, he grabbed her by the sleeve, pulled out a claw and slit all the way up to her shoulder lightning quick, before rounding on her and cutting the sleeve off at the armpit as she raised her arm up and away in protest.

Raising a Brow he asked 'You planning on sweating to death out here as a protest to this class? Because I'm not planning on watching that happen'.

'But my skin!' she shrieked as she recoiled.

'You have to learn sometime' he grumbled to himself as he shook his head. Snapping his head up and looking her in the eye he reasoned: 'Look Kid, you're going to have to learn to avoid skin contact at some point, and you're also going to have to learn that I'm pretty much immune to you'.

Now It was her turn to raise an eyebrow and give him a questioning glare. Apparently someone forgot the statue of liberty incident. ' The names Marie, stop always calling me kid, I'm fixin to be 18 in 3 months time.'

He quickly recovered as he stepped Into her space saying 'Besides BRIEF contact doesn't bother me, or hurt me' reminding her of sparring earlier with no gloves.

Extending his hand he demanded : 'Now give me your other arm so we can really start training'.

Making quick work of her other shirt sleeve he asked her if she felt a little better.

She settled on nodding, she didn't trust her voice for some reason. Maybe it was just the Sun but she felt a blush rising to her cheeks.

They had a couple of slips, she got him dizzy a few times. He would never tell, but when he shook his head like a confused animal regaining his bearings briefly before he came for her again, or after resetting her fighting stance because he had his hand on her shoulders or back, she knew.

All in all he didn't seem too shaken up maybe a little winded by the end of class. But it did amazing things for her ego to realize she hadn't killed him and for once she learned a few things because she could really focus. She definitely felt more accomplished after class and was looking forward to tomorrow.

However she was NOT looking forward to getting through the hallways with no sleeves on her shirt thanks to one James Logan Howlett. He noticed her obvious discomfort as they started to walk the halls to her next class. As she contemplated running up to her room to get a change of shirt he told her he would give her a pass for the next class since they had been outside after all. She was pretty sure 'a pass' meant a verbal threat to the teacher since he seemed to be escorting her to her room.

He tried joking: 'Wear appropriate fighting gear, and you won't get cut' to which she said she 'keep cutting my sleeves off and every everyone in the Institute is going to be really shocked', and I mean pun intended.' She could tell dad jokes too.

He didn't comment, just rolled his eyes instead.

Silence followed them to her room. The other students were already in their classes, Save for the one terrified student who probably had a real hall pass in his hands as he tried his best to shrink against a locker to avoid them.

They were really late.

'You might have to skip that class to get to the next one on time,' he warned, 'Your room is farther than I had imagined.'

'Were you imagining it closer to my last class, or closer to your room.' She joked, before she realized the connotation.

Glad she couldn't see his expression she didn't turn around as she walked into her room alone. Without another word she moves to push the door closed behind her. stopping the door with his hand, he said : 'Bring appropriate clothes to class. I don't imagine you'll be getting a fancy escort next time.'

She nodded without turning around, glad that he hadn't teased her or totally let her comment drop. He than leaned into her doorway and he asked for confirmation 'We good? Marie?' she said 'Of course sugar' as he just smiled and walked away

Yes she was definitely looking forward to tomorrow's class.