Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men. All rights belong to Marvel, Stan Lee, and whomever else hold rights. I have not nor will I receive any compensation for this story.

Hey everyone! And look a new chapter. YEA! Boy you wouldn't believe what a struggle this chapter has been to write, but finally it's out; now I think I'll take a deep breath and relax. (Loud Sigh…) I'm so excited to give special thanks to my beta Fiery Emerald Eyes. This chapter would not sound or flow as nice as it now does without her much appreciated help. A second pair of eyes really do help spot those small trouble areas. Make sure to check out Fiery Emerald Eyes own story The Tug Of War if you haven't already, it's a great story.

I also want to give a big thanks to all you readers who have stuck it out with me this far, and made it a point to review. Your reviews help brighten up my day, and keep this story alive. You know who you are!

Xmen4life, I've tried responding to you by private message, but you've disabled it, so I hope you get my message here. I'm going to do my best to keep this story clean. I'll give a warning in the author's notes if anything comes up that I think should be skipped or for mature readers. So watched the A/N's. I hope you continue to enjoy.

Chapter 11

Marie reached out to take Logan's hand, knowing what he was thinking. Needing to sooth his pain she spoke softly, "You're not an animal, Logan." Just as her gloved hand touched his wrist, he recoiled from her as if she had burnt him.

The pain that shot through her at Logan's withdrawal was so intense she was positive that she had to be bleeding. She had gotten so used to the bitter fact of people flinching from her touch that it had become almost second nature. In the years since her mutation surfaced, she had painstakingly managed to push down the hope and desire of ever having someone to love her, someone not afraid of her touch. For a brief time, she had thoughtthat she had finally found itwith Logan. Now however, she wasn't so sure. Forcing air into her lungs hurt, as the tightness in her chest threatened to choke her.

Logan was too caught up in his own misery to notice the pain that he had inadvertently caused Marie. His shock and disbelief made him oblivious to anything but his own anger and pain. It was in that anger and pain that he lashed out,"You don't know what you're talking about. Look at me!" Logan snarled holding up his hand, both sets of claws shining in the sun's ray, taunting him. "I'm not human! I'm a freak! A freaking animal!" Logan snarled slamming his clawed fist into the nearest tree. His body tight, his forehead pressed against the tree, his back and chest heaving with ragged pants.

Rogue's own pain lessened at seeing Logan's agony. It was heavy in the air, as if it was a tangible force threatening to swallow them whole. Taking a step towards him, trying to find some way to calm him. To get him to realize that he wasn't what he believed, a freak, an animal. "Logan, please. I know this hard, but…"

Sensing Marie coming closer, Logan growled out, his voice a harsh warning, "Stay away from me." He was scared that in his state of mind, the animal in him would hurt the only person he could ever remember caring about. He knew there couldn't be a future with Marie now. She was too fragile, too precious. He would only destroy her. She wasn't strong enough to deal with what was inside him, what he really was. Pushing the pained words from his lips was harder than he could imagine, but he did it to keep Marie safe. "You need to go, Marie. I'll only hurt you."

Realizing Logan hadn't recoiled from her because of her skin, but because of his own fear of hurting her, she forced the lingering rejection away determined to focus on making him see that he was more than his mutation. To make him realize that he was not a freak, because if anyone knew what it was to be a freak, it was her. Knowing that her compassion and sympathy wasn't going to be able to reach Logan in his current mental frame of mind; Marie pushed those feeling down, bring her harder more imperturbable personification of Rogue to the surface.

Leaning with her back against a tree, her arms crossed over her chest, Rogue stared at Logan's back, seemingly unmoved by the upset man in front of her. "Please, you really need to get over yourself, Sugar." Rogue stated indifferent, hoping to shock Logan out of his wallowing.

She got her wish, Logan jerked around to face her. Shock, pain, and disbelief clear on his face. Logan couldn't believe that Marie, the woman he held in his arms this morning could look and sound so callous.

Rogue pushed her distress down at sounding so cold toward Logan, when all she wanted to do was wrap him in her arms, and hold him until his pain eased. Instead she cocked an inquisitive eyebrow, affecting nonchalance. "That's right you heard me. You think just because you've got those claws, a healing factor, and some extra sensitive sense that you're a freak of nature, an animal. That's a bunch of hogwash if I've ever heard any."

Logan growled coming out of his shock at Marie's words. He glared at her as he started pacing. "You don't know what you're talking about, Kid."

"Oh really, let's compare, shall we?" Rogue smirked, a cold sadistic look coming into her normally beautiful warm eyes that had Logan hesitating. A sense of dread ran down his spine, making him clench his jaw and fists.

"Let's start with your senses." Rogue stated holding up one finger on her left hand, glancing up quickly before putting her attention back on the pissed off, but leery man in front of her. "Eyesight, check. There is a Blue Jay, five branches above you with only one eye. Go ahead check for yourself." Rogue motioned with her chin upward, but never taking her eyes from Logan's face.

Logan glanced up, spotting the Blue Jay. Sure enough the bird was missing his right eye. The bird was too far away for anyone with normal vision to have noticed the missing eye.

"Your sense of smell. Check." Rogue said holding up a second finger, as well as lifting her nose slightly to take in a deep breath. "Jubilee is wearing that hideous perfume again. You can smell it on the wind all the way from the mansion." Rogue scrunched up her nose, reminding herself to tell Jubilee that stuff really was rank. Logan didn't say anything, just stared back at her hard, but the brief flare of his nostrils, and scrunching up of his nose let her know that he could smell the terrible scent too.

A third finger popped up. "Your sense of hearing. Check. Your heart sounds like it wants to beat right out of your chest, Sugar. I can hear it from all the way over here." Rogue lifted her fourth finger eyeing him unflinching. "Let's not forget your sense of touch. Check. Most people don't realize that all your senses are enhanced. They don't know just how sensitive you really are to touch. How responsive you are to a simple caress. That's why you enjoy sex so much." Rogue stated factually. "I'm sure I'll come to enjoy that one soon enough." Rogue licked her lips slowly, eyes glowing.

Logan wanted to groan as his eyes followed Rogue's tongue as it slid along her plump bottom lip. His eyes dilated with desire, but he refused to move closer to her. He still didn't trust himself around her. He still saw himself as an animal, a freak. Nothing she could say would change his mind. At least he didn't think so, until her next words.

"Well Sugar, so far we're tit for tat."

Rogue's words sent a disturbing realization through Logan. Remembering that Marie now had his mutation also, by calling himself a freak, an animal, he was calling her one too. "Marie, I'm not…" He tried to assure her, he was by no meaning calling her a freak or an animal, but she refused to let him speak.

"Oh no Sugar, I'm not done yet. I'm just getting started. Let's see where did I leave off?" Rogue said taping her chin contemplative. "Right, claws." Rogue said removing her ruined gloves, stuffing them in her back pocket before popping her bone claws. "I think they speak for themselves, don't you? So we can check them off the list. Now that leaves that wonderful healing factor of yours." Rogue said pulling up the sleeve of her left arm.

"Don't even think about it, Marie." Logan snapped, and then cursed hotly when she swiped one of her claws down the length of her arm cutting a gash from wrist to elbow. "Darn it, Marie!" Logan started for her, but she side stepped him, avoiding him.

Taking out one of her gloves, she wiped the blood away, and held up her unmarred arm, showing it to Logan. "Healing factor, Check. You think you're a freak just because you have enhanced senses, a healing factor, and claws. Well so what? Trust me Sugar; you haven't got a clue to what a freak really is." Rogue spat bitterly. "You want to know what a freak is, then take a good look. I'm a parasite, sucking the life out of anything I touch. People part like the Red Sea when I walk into a room. They're terrified of just being near me, and with good reason. One touch from me, and I can kill them. Oh, but that not all, no. Not only do I suck out their life, I take them inside my own mind, driving me crazy. Hearing them calling me a monster, a freak. Trying to get me to do things to myself, or to the ones I care about. I have nightmares that aren't mine. I relive terrors, memories that I don't want to see or know about." Rogue snapped harshly with disgust. "You think you're the ultimate mutate weapon, well you haven't seen anything yet. What do you think the government would do with a mutate that could take on any mutate power with just a slight touch, huh? You may have your claws, and yeah, they hurt like you wouldn't believe, but they're nothing compared to what I capable of. Let's not forget that I'm capable of twisting you in any shape I feel like, and if that's not enough for you," Rogue growled out holding out her hand focusing on the remains of Logan's discarded cigar, causing fire to leap up and dance around her out stretched hand. Rogue's tight smile was malicious at Logan's shock when he saw her manipulate the flames. "Then I'm sure torching what is ever in my path would convince yah. You're not a freak or an animal, Logan." Rogue declared fervently, closing her hand letting the fire die. "Trust me, when I say that I've seen an animal, you're not even close. An animal wouldn't have stepped in to save a man from getting mugged and killed by a group of gang members,or give his only coat to an old homeless man during the dead of winter. An animal wouldn't willingly give is life to a young woman after accidentally stabbing her. An animal wouldn't have felt the pain and guilt that you felt after the accident. You are a good man, Logan." Rogue assured, her voice softening, allowing herself to become more Marie again. "Sure you've got more animal instinct than any average man, but I trust those instincts. I trust you, Logan. You would never hurt me on purpose. The Wolverine in you would never hurt me. I know that in here." Rogue said pointing to her heart, then pointing to her temple. "I also know it here. I'm not scared of you or the part of you that is more animal."

"I'm not some saint, Marie. I'm not some hero." Logan sighed distressed, running his hands through his hair, then over his face emotionally worn-out. Marie's passionate speech tore at his heart, knowing she saw herself as the ultimate freak of freaks, but it also scared him. He knew she was right. If the government ever learned of what she was capable of, they would stop at nothing to get their hands on her. He swore to himself that he would never let that happen. The animal in him would tear anyone apart that tried to hurt his mate. It was Marie's belief and trust in him that weakened his ability to walk away from her. It made his heart soar, to know that she trust not only him, but the animal in him too. She not only trusted him, but she accepted him, animal and all.

"I never said you were a saint, Sugar, but you are my hero, whether you want to accept it or not. You not only saved my life, but you also accept me, skin and all. Do you know what it means to me to know that you're not scared of me? I could kill you with a simple touch if I held on long enough. I could twist you worse than Magneto, but you didn't flinch from me. You wanted me. You wanted me even knowing that I could never give you touch. Out of the two of us, I'm the freak, Logan, not you. But I'm selfish enough to want you to still want me. Please, don't push me away, again." Rogue whispered, unshed tears threatening to spill over.

Logan's heart clinched painfully, seeing and smelling the pain and tears in his Marie's eyes. He had hurt her, even when he was trying to protect her.

"Oh Baby, I'm sorry." Logan rushed out, feeling his heart crack. He grabbed Marie's covered shoulders, pulling her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Burying his face into her hair, inhaling her delicious scent that his animal would always identify as belonging to his mate. He whimpered at feeling Marie shudder in his arms, smelling her tears more strongly. "I don't deserve you, Marie." Logan spoke softly against her ear. His own pain and insecurity in his voice, and in the way he held her clutched against him.

"I'm the one who doesn't deserve you, Sugar." Marie answered her voice shaky, but her tears were calming.

Logan pulled back just enough to look down in her face, but not letting her out of his arms. "You deserve the world, Darlin. You are prefect."

"No, I'm…"

"Now you shush, and listen to me. You're prefect. I better never hear you call yourself a freak again, do you hear me? If I do, I'll take you over my knee and spank that prefect little behind of yours." Logan warned seriously, while smoothing back her hair that he had messed up.

"The same goes for you then. You are not a freak, or an animal." Rogue declared her voice strong, despite her tears.

"I'm not a freak, but Darlin, you can't say I'm not part animal." Logan argued gently.

"There is a part of you that has animal instincts. I'm not refuting that, Sugar, but you are so much more than an animal. You are a man. A man with a good heart. You don't let the animal rule you. You use him to survive, to protect. I know what is in your heart, Sugar. I've seen it firsthand. I will not stand by, and let you think less of yourself because you have a part of you that is more in tune with nature. I will kick your butt if I have to." Rogue said glaring at him seriously.

Logan's lips twitched, pulling up in the corner. His eyes full of amusement, as well as affection and wonder at the small amazing woman in his arms. He was amazed at her strength, at her ability to cut through his bull-crap, and take him head on without fear; but more than that he was amazed at her capacity to accept and care for him. Leaning down he kissed her forehead, where her hair protected him. "I may not deserve you, but I'm darn well going to keep you." Logan said grinning down at her, kissing her head again.

"Whoever said I was going to let you get rid of me, in the first place?" Rogue asked cocking an eyebrow at him, a smirk playing on her full lips.

Logan couldn't help it, he busted out in a full laugh, hugging Marie to him once again, enjoying the feel of this amazing woman, who was all his.