A/N: I'm back! Thanks for the reviews and Logan is temporarily unavailable as Marie is re-establishing her life.

Marie watched the cut on her hand slowly fade and wiped the blood away. She'd been at the mansion for a week now. Everything was going okay and slowly she was adjusting to her new life. The only problem being those small moments when thoughts of Logan would creep up on her. Sighing, she pulled on her peach dress and let loose her hair. Sometimes she missed the two platinum streaks that made her the Rogue. But she was not that person anymore. She had to remember that. A knock on the door broke her from her thoughts.

"Come in!" she called.

The door opened and Bobby walked in, followed by a girl with jet black hair and familiar brown eyes.

"Hey Anna. Kitty and I are leaving for Italy in an hour. We wondered... since she was meant to go to you-r... your aunt Marie I mean, anyway... we can't take her with..."

Marie ignored Bobby's babbling and walked over to the girl, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"What your name?"

"Emma."

"That's a beautiful name."

"Thanks."

"I'm Anna."

"Nice ta meet ya."

Marie smiled and looked up at Bobby who had now shut up and was looking down at the girl in sadness. He nodded at the window and Emma walked over to it. Bobby stepped outside and Marie followed.

"Jubes died while giving birth. Emma never even met her. Then her dad left because he was afraid she'd be a mutant. Then-"

"Then I wouldn't take her." whispered Marie.

Bobby nodded.

"She never talks to anyone. She's sixteen on the outside but inside she's still a little girl."

"I'm sorry Bobby, I should have been here."

"That's okay... it's the past now. Just... look after her."

"I promise."

"Thanks. Her room is on the third floor. She shares with two others. She's allergic to shellfish and like her mother, is drawn to the color yellow."

"Aye, aye captain. Have a pleasant retirement."

Bobby nodded, kissed her on the cheek and then left. Marie took a deep breath before re-entering the room. Emma was standing beside her bed, glancing at the tags that lay there. Marie walked beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?"

Emma nodded looking away from the tags and at a picture on the bedside. It was an old picture of the first year Marie had been here. It was taken on her birthday. It was her sitting on the hood of Scott's car, Jubilee and Kitty on either side. Emma reached out and stroked the picture of her mother.

"Did you know her?" asked the girl.

"No, but my aunt used to always tell me about her."

"What did she say?"

"That your mom was beautiful, intelligent and had the kindest heart."

"Do I look like her?"

"Your hairs longer than hers but you both have those beautiful brown eyes."

Emma smiled and then reached forward to hug to her. Marie hugged the girl back before patting her head.

"You hungry?"

"I just ate."

"Anything you want to do?"

"Actually..."

"What?" Marie prompted.

"Will is taking on us to the cinema today. You could come with then he'd have a partner."

"A partner?"

"Another teacher to go with him. None of the other's ever want to go with. Please will you, please?"

Marie sighed before nodding. Emma smiled and hurried towards the door.

"We leave in a hour." she called over her shoulder.

Marie sat in the cinema, watching a movie about true love and happy endings, feeling sick. She'd spent the whole ride talking to Emma and learning more about her charge. She felt sad that Jubilee never got to know her own child. She must have looked sad because someone squeezed her hand. Looking to her left she smiled at Will who was holding her hand. As he leant over to whisper in her ear, a shiver ran down her spine.

"You okay?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded shyly. He smiled back, pointed at the screen, before faking a yawn. She stifled a giggle and nodded. He smirked before leaning forward towards one of the girls from their group and blew on her neck. The girl squeaked before put her finger on her lips. Will chuckled loudly but stopped when the entire cinema shushed him. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged at Marie who stood up and gestured for him to follow. As she neared the back, she leant over to Emma who was sitting in the last row on the end.

"We're just going outside for some fresh air."

Emma nodded without looking away. Marie kissed the top of her head before leaving. Once she was outside she let out a huge sigh of relief. Will chuckled behind her and rested an arm around her shoulder.

"Sorry."

She frowned, turning in his half embrace to look at him.

"For what?" she asked.

"The movie... I should've asked what you wanted to watch."

"No, it was the girls choice and this trip is for them not for me."

"You have no idea how good it is to have company."

"Why don't the others come with you?"

Will chuckled and sat down on one of the seats. Marie smiled and sat next to him.

"Simona hates crowds and refuses point blank to go. James spends most of the time making people falling in love with him which annoys the girls. The other guys hate seeing chick flicks so they rather take the boys to watch any new action movie. Bree never goes anywhere without Justin even though she really likes romance movies and the seniors of the school are too busy to take a bunch of giggling girls to the movies."

Marie giggled and shook her head.

"Well Will, you just got yourself a cinema partner."

"You don't have to feel obligated Anna-"

"I don't. I mean, romance movies aren't my favourite but if it makes the girls happy, well then sign me up."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

She patted his hand and leaned back on the headrest. She smiled as one of the girls walked out and approached them slowly.

"Mr Gates?"

"Yes Tia?"

"Can we stop for ice-cream after wards?"

"Sure."

Tia whooped and jumped up and down. Will shushed her and she stopped. She stuck her tongue out at him before turning to Marie.

"Miss Robinson?"

"Call me Miss Anna sweetheart."

"Okay, Miss Anna... the other girls and I wanted to tell you you're really pretty."

"Thank you."

Tia smiled and skipped back in to the movie. Marie laughed at how cute the girls were and how wonderful it felt to be a teacher.

"Anna?"

"Yeah Will?"

"I was wondering..."

He stopped and shook his head. Marie frowned and gently touched his hand. He sighed and looked away from her.

"Do you want to... would you like to go out tonight?"

Marie frowned and closed her eyes.

"Like a date?"

"Yeah."

Marie wanted to say no but the image of Logan and that girl crept into her mind and she decided she needed to move on.

"Sure." she whispered.

"Really?"

"Yup. I'd love to go out tonight."

"Okay then. Meet me by the entrance hall at about eight."

"It's a date then."

Marie stood in front of her mirror, suddenly realizing that she'd made the biggest mistake of her life. Her day had been wonderful, sitting with Will outside the movies waiting for the girls, going for ice-cream and then the drive home. Everything had been great until she arrived back in her room to change and realized she had never been on a date. When she started at this school forty three years ago, she was seventeen and scared to touch. She had hung out with Bobby but after Logan returned a year after being gone, she'd gone straight to him and he had claimed her as his own. She and Logan never dated. They hung out, made-out and when she was twenty and the professor helped her control her powers, she married Logan. And married couples never dated. Sure sometimes they'd go to the movies or eat out but they never talked in public. It was more a game of how long they could hold out before another sex-o-thon broke out. They soon got jobs as they weren't living at the mansion anymore and that made less time for going out as all their spare time in between was for sleep and sex. Now, she realized that maybe she should have at least had one date with him. Letting out a groan, she flopped down onto the floor, putting her head in hands. The door flying open broke her from her misery.

"Hey Annie."

Marie smiled halfheartedly at Simona as she entered. James followed her in and closed the door.

"Hey Mona, Hi James."

"Hi Anna. Justin sensed you were in pain. We're here to investigate." Explained James.

"Will asked me out. And I said yes."

"And you're panicking because..."

Marie looked at James and bit her lip.

"I've never been on a date." She muttered.

"So? Neither has James or Noah or Will as a matter of fact." Said Simona.

"Really?"

"Yeah Annie, you're the first girl Will ever took an interest in."

"We all thought he was gay." Laughed James

"No Jamie, you hoped he was gay." Sighed Simona.

James rolled his eyes before skipping over to her wardrobe. She winced as she watched his expression drop as he looked in. Marie hadn't had much when she came here and was given all the hand-me-downs of the mansion. Most from Kitty's old clothes and accessories. Simona followed James and tutted.

"Dios mio." she sighed.

Marie smiled sheepishly and watched as Simona walked out of her room.

"I truly have never dated... well never dated anyone who wasn't under my spell-"

"I hope this is going to make me feel better James."

"It will... anyway, all you have to do is act like you normally do."

"It's that simple?"

"From what I've heard, yes."

Simona returned within minutes, a white dress draped on her arm.

"Here, wear this."

Marie stood up and took the dress. It was knee length and strapless. She hurried into the bathroom to change. It fit like a glove. Simona entered the bathroom and smirked.

"I am brilliante'."

"Thanks Mona."

Simona nodded and began playing with Marie's hair. Marie was staring at her reflection, wondering what Logan would say if he saw her now. Blonde hair hanging down in waves, beautiful white dress, light natural make-up that hadn't smudged a bit since she put it on this morning. She suddenly wondered if she was ever this beautiful. Blushing a bit, she turned and hugged Simona.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"You're welcome." Laughed Simona, pulling back slightly.

Marie moved back, not meaning to jump in the other girl's personal space. James walked in and handed her her purse and shoes.

"Good luck little Anna. "

She smiled and rushed downstairs. She stopped as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Will stood there in a blue shirt and dark jeans. Marie smiled and clutched her purse tightly. Remembering she still had her shoes in one hand, she bent down to attempt to slip them on.

"Let me."

She looked up to find Will standing in front of her. He knelt down and carefully took her one shoes, slipped it on and buckled the strap. Then did the same with the other. Then he stood up and kissed her cheek.

"You look beautiful." He whispered.

She wobbled slightly and blamed it on the wedged heels she was now wearing but inside she knew it had nothing to do with her high shoes and everything to do with the man in front of her. He took her hand and wrapped her arm around his and led her to the doors.