AN: Sorry for the lateness. The one time I really want to update fast I get inundated with essays and prep AND THEN biology coursework starts to kick my arse. Also trampolining is slightly to blame... as I have a competition on Sunday I have SO many extra practises and am pushing myself harder than I probably should... Anyway this has made me more tired so less writing time etc etc...

In other words I'M SORRY!

I did expect more of an outcry at the cliffy though... Hmm. Oh well. Here's hoping you enjoy this. And don't worry – I will explore the relationship more and do remember that you are getting a one sided view.

Song: Dark BlueJack's Mannequin


As his hands came towards her, she closed her eyes and hoped that she would die quickly. Her last thoughts were of Remy.

That's why it was a surprise when she felt cool, gentle and decidedly feminine hands on her face.

Her eyes opened weakly and she came face to face with Mystique.

"Mama?" She asked groggily.

Mystique almost smiled "You haven't called me that in years. Now just stay still while I get you out of these restraints." She unclipped Rogue from the manacles and caught her as she fell sideways, unable to support her body. Mystique gently lowered her adopted daughter to the ground before standing up.

It was then that Logan burst in. He saw Mystique standing over, what appeared to be, Rogue's body.

He let loose a roar of pain and leapt for the blue mutant.

But found himself unable to go any further.

"Logan!" came a clipped English voice from behind him. "We do not attack allies. Especially those who give us valuable information!"

Suddenly Logan felt the pressure on his body drop as Emma rushed forward to Rogue. Crouching next to her friend, the blond telepath brushed the white streak out of her face and behind her ear before pressing two fingers to her temple. "She's alive. She's also barely conscious. We need to get her to the Blackbird now."

Logan moved forward to try and help but was ignored and Emma picked Rogue up herself.

Outside Piotr had wrenched the door off one of the vans and pulled the guards out. He was now sorting them into three categories: Stupid, unconscious and dead. The stupid ones quickly became unconscious and apart from the odd idiot who tried to punch him, and got a broken hand for their trouble, his job was almost peaceful.

Betsy was having a lot of fun. After having her powers off for a while it was great to use them again and she enjoyed the feel of her psionic katana in her hands.

Remy wasn't enjoying it at all. First reason was probably that everyone was sending him evil glares. Second was that he wasn't in the mood for violence, he was more worried about Rogue. And the third reason was that he couldn't get to Rogue. And he was worried about her.

Emma sent Logan to check that there were no guards hanging around, and if there were, to do what he did best. Thankfully they were all occupied with the other X-Men.

Logan nodded at Emma before stepping outside the van and standing to one side, like an honour guard. When Remy made to step forwards he was stopped by a growl from Logan.

Emma exited very carefully, cradling her burden. Remy spotted that the suppressing collar was still on and said "Aren't y' gon' take dat t'ing off her?"

Emma shook her head. "We don't know what they've done to her. Mystique wasn't allowed to see as she was too new. Some of it might react with her X Gene so if we keep it off then she's safe. Hank will monitor her on the flight back. Then we'll do a full check when we are in the med lab."

During her speech Mystique left the van and looked around warily. She was well acquainted with the fact that the X-Men thought of her as an enemy and she wasn't going to leave them any openings to attack her.

Remy shrugged before looking at Rogue. She was nothing liked the peppy spitfire he had come to know and love. She looked so small and pathetic, the bruises standing out strongly. Remy swallowed roughly and suppressed the urge to kill someone.


Rogue blinked several times and as her eyes became accustomed to the dim lighting she realised she was in the med lab. Lifting her head weakly she caught sight of Remy, fast asleep in a chair to her left.

She heard a rough "Hey" and felt her hands on her, lifting her up slightly before propping her up on the pillows so she could look around. She glanced over and saw Logan. Smiling her thanks she opened her mouth and tried to speak but no sound came out.

A glass of water with a straw came into view. She lifted a shaking hand, trying to ignore the wires that attached her to near by machines and managed to guide the straw to her lips, the glass still held by Logan. Sucking gently at first but harder as she realised that this was the first time she'd had water in several days. As she drank Logan began to stroke her hair gently, almost like he was trying to convince himself that she was okay.

When the glass was empty she sank back onto the bed, tired again. She turned to look at him again and saw him properly this time.

He looked awful. His hair was a mess with bits sticking up in random places. No doubt from running his hands through it. The little of his face that wasn't obscured by his mutton chops was unshaven and almost gaunt.

"You look awful." Whispered Rogue, trying not to cry.

Logan choked out a laugh. "You too kid. I better get Beast, he wants you to activate your powers with him here in case you have a reaction to the... Um... Drugs they gave you." He started to get up but stopped at the sound of Rogue's voice.

Rogue was confused "Wait, what?"

Logan sat back down again and put his head in his hands "You were unconscious when we got you out of the van. We were hoping that your powers would be on so that you could absorb me and heal yourself when we took the collar off..." Logan stopped and took a deep breath as he raised his head from his hands but he didn't look at her. Instead he focused on a crinkle in her bed sheets. "But nothing happened. I was so afraid that you were dead. It was only Emma's reassurances that kept me from losing it." He laughed bitterly. "She made me sit next to you in the Blackbird and monitor your heartbeat to keep me calm."

Logan stood suddenly and turned away "I'll get Hank. Don't you go anywhere." He turned long enough to send her a brief smile before stalking away. It had been a little forced but at least he tried.

Rogue settled back against her pillows, thinking over Logan's words with her eyes closed. She heard the door shut and ignored it.

Remy's eyes snapped open at the sound, however. He had been down in the med lab for over eighteen hours straight with little sleep. And the only times he'd eaten anything was when it have been forced on him by Emma, who visited every hour. The only reason she wasn't living down here with him and Logan was that she was needed upstairs. Mainly to stop everyone killing Mystique.

Remy's eyes snapped to Rogue. Noting her change in position and the difference in her breathing, he deduced that she was awake.

Not his smartest moment, I'll admit.

But now he was faced with a conundrum: pretend to still be asleep and then sneak out later or speak to her.

He wanted to know she was okay but he couldn't help remember the last thing she had said to him. "Get away from me! I hate you!"

He'd deserved that. But it still cut him deep every time he thought about it. 'What has love done t'you, Remy LeBeau? Ev'ryone I grew up with, the entire Thieves Guild, dey'd be havin' a good laugh on you now, boy, if dey could see y' t'inkin' dis hard over a femme...' he thought bitterly.

But he had to suck it up and face the possible wrath of someone who could rip him to pieces with a thought and a gesture.

Remy stood up before clearing his throat subtly.

Rogue's eyes snapped open before sliding to Remy. She saw him standing there, looking at her like she was, at any moment, about to leap from her bed and devour him. She felt relieved to see him but also apprehensive. Wouldn't he hate her?

"Hey." He said softly, glancing up at her face and then down at the floor.

"Hey." She took this moment to examine him. his dark, auburn hair hung haphazardly, un-brushed and unwashed, in his face. His old, worn out trench coat was hanging on the back of the chair. He, like Logan, was unshaven and it looked like he hadn't gotten that much sleep.

"Rogue." "Remy." They said at the same time.

Wow this was awkward.

Rogue felt like placing one hand on top of the other and wiggling her thumbs while saying "Awkward Turtle."

Remy opened his mouth to go first but he was interrupted by Emma bursting in, followed more calmly by Logan and Beast.

Emma dashed over, shoving Remy to one side with a "Move it Cajun."

She hugged Rogue tightly for a second before suddenly releasing her at Rogue's intake of breath "Sorry. Injured."

And just like that Emma was all business. Beast blinked at her abrupt change in attitude from Ice Queen to someone nice and then back again.

Emma placed her hands on Rogue's head and closed her eyes.

Beast took this moment to check the monitors next to Rogue.

Emma pulled out a few seconds later and then moved slightly away to let Beast check Rogue over. "Your mind seems fine and once Hank gives you the okay I'm going to ask you to call on Logan's healing power. I'll be monitoring you throughout. And if it doesn't work then we'll do it the old fashioned way."

Rogue stared at her blankly. "You'll turn on your skin and absorb Logan."

"Just like old times, eh Stripes?" Logan tried to put on a brave face but he knew the risks.

"I've done all the tests I can but I've found nothing. So we are just going to hope that there isn't anything there that could cause damage. But we must take precautions."

Rogue's brow wrinkled. "Tests? Precautions? What on earth are you guys talkin' about?"

Beast stepped forward with almost a reluctant expression. "While you were... away... we don't know what they did to you. They could have injected a number of substances, judging by the marks on your arm. We discovered some files on the previous mission that mentioned that they had found something that would affect the X-Gene. We don't know if it's even been tried or if it's common place amongst them. So we are being careful."

Rogue nodded with a slighty dazed expression on her face. This was all too much for someone who had only been awake twenty minutes and had an angst ridden kind-of-boyfriend standing 6 feet away and gazing at her with puppy dog eyes.

Well he was trying to give her a puppy dog look but it didn't really work with those eyes...


AN: I hope you enjoyed this. I'm sorry that the last 500 words or so was really shitty I'm just losing enthusiasm a little...

VP x