Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the X-men. Mr. Stan Lee, Marvel, and whomever else has that right.

Thanks to everyone who have stuck with me for so long and kept reviewing asking me to continue. I hope everyone enjoys the new chapter. :) Happy Reading!


Chapter 11

That night as, Logan once again sat up front in the truck and kept watch, he was a little surprise to see Rogue repeating her vigilant survey of the camp ground every hour or so. She didn't come and speak with him like before, and he found himself wishing she would.

The next day after they stopped for lunch, Rogue asked Logan if he wanted her to drive for awhile.

"Nah, I've got it, why don't you take a nap. You were up and down all last night, plus you drove all day yesterday. You've got to be tired."

"Thanks, but I'm fine. So how far do you think we'll get today?" Rogue asked changing the subject off of her.

"We should cross into Minnesota around night fall. We can either stay in a motel tonight or we can camp out. I figure we should reach Chippewa National Forest around midnight." Logan said leaving the decision up to her. He preferred camping out himself, but knowing women, Rogue, probably was looking forward to a nice hotel room.

"I think camping out is probably best. I know sleeping in the truck can't be comfortable for you, and that is when you do sleep. I want to thank you for letting the kids and me use the camper, plus for keeping watching to help make the kids feel safe. I know we're a thorn in your side, but I want you to know I greatly appreciate all you've done and are doing," Rogue said softly, her eye soft and warm and a bit shy, as she looked at him as she spoke.

"You're not a thorn in my side, Darlin, and your welcome. Whatever it takes to make you and the kids feel safe, is what I'm going to do." Logan said softly returning Rogue's warm look.

Rogue smiled softly and took a step closer to Logan, feeling drawn to him. "I'm glad we're not a thorn, I don't want you to dislike us, I want you to like me." Rogue voice dropped to a deep soft whisper that instantly had a warming effect on Logan's blood.

"Not a problem there, Darlin. I like you just fine." Logan's voice had become a husky whisper also.

"Good, I like you just fine too." Rogue smiled reaching up and over to kiss Logan on the cheek, before headed for the camper to get the kids ready. When she reached the camper door, she turned, seeing Logan watching her with dark eyes. Giving him a wink, Rogue slipped inside, closing the door behind her.

Logan smirked and shook his head. Rogue was definitely a different kind of girl. She was hot and sexy, but shy and innocence too. Logan climbed in behind the wheel, his smirk turning into a smile. 'Yeah, I like you just fine, Darlin.' Logan said to himself as he started the truck and got them on the way.

Rogue couldn't believe that she had just out and out flirted with Logan. Sure he was ruggedly handsome, down right sex on legs, but it just wasn't like her to be so forward with someone she had just not long met. She knew that she had been blessed to not have suffered the same treatment that most of the women at the lab suffered. She had been to important to the doctors as their plaything, to let the guards touch her. However she knew that the doctors turned a blind eye to the guards torture of the other female prisoners.

However, there was something about Logan, that not only spoke of danger and power, and animal magnetism, but there was also this deep selflessness, this protectiveness, and surprisingly a gentler loving side, that she was positive that no one often saw, but she had seen it, not only in his eyes a few moments ago, but in his actions toward the kids; willing to make himself uncomfortable and go without sleep just because Nate was scare. The man was a mystery to her, a paradox if you would, but she couldn't stop herself from being drawn to him.

She knew what she said about the girls at the school was true. If she was a teenage girl, with a handy man like Logan around, she'd be breaking a few things herself, just so he had to come and fix them.

With a shake of her head to clear her thoughts, Rogue pushed her personal feelings aside. Her first and most important thoughts had to be of taking care of Nate and Sally and getting them to Charles. Plus she knew someone like Logan wasn't without a woman companion. She couldn't let herself get to attached to him. He might have a softer side, and she might be drawn to him more than she had anyone else in her life, but she doubted he was one for commitments, and she wasn't about to let her heart get attached to a womanizer.

True to Logan's word they found a place to camp in Chippewa's National Forest at 11:59pm. Logan had refused Rogue's offer to drive again after dinner. Logan spent twenty minutes setting up the temporary septic system for the camper. Really all it was, was a deep hole in the ground with the piping from the camper run into it, and a compost mix, then the hole was covered up.

Rogue spent the same twenty minutes tucking Nate and Sally into bed. She was trying to calm Nate's fear of the bad men getting them. He was afraid that there were to many places for the bad men to hide in the forest and not be seen until it was to late.

"Everything is going to be alright, Nate, I promise. Even if the bad men do show up, Logan and I can handle them. We're not going to let anything happen to you or Sally. I think we're pretty far out, and I doubt very seriously the bad men know where we are. Plus all the bad men, where we were at, are all gone, they're never going to come after us again." Rogue said softly, but somber.

"How can you be so sure?" Nate asked with a nervous frown.

"Because, Nate, I made sure they couldn't. Trust me, Nate, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you guys. We're going to get to my friend's place safe and sound. You and Sally, are going to like it there. There are other children there like us, you can make lots of new friends. You'll get to go to school, and learn new things." Rogue said with a bright smile, trying to encourage Nate. Sally had fallen asleep not long after Rogue had told them a bed time story. Nate was the only one still awake fretting.

"Will you be there?" Nate asked relaxing some, but was still nervous.

"I'll be around, but once we get there and you meet all the nice teachers and other students and make lots of friends, you and Sally won't need me as much. I can't promise that I'll stay at the school, but if you ever need me, all you have to do is call me, and I'll be there for you." Rogue reached over and gently brushing Nate's shaggy bangs off his forehead.

"Sally and me don't want to be without you and Mr. Logan. You're the only ones we trust. What if something happens at the school, or the bad men try to get us again." Nate frowned upset.

"I'm not going anywhere for a while, I wouldn't just drop you off and leave. Like I said, I'll be around. The teachers and all the students at this school are like us, so if the bad men come and try to get you, then they're in for a very big surprise, and butt kicking, don't you worry." Rogue said with a grin. "The head master of the school, is a powerful telepath. He's name is Professor Charles Xavier, and he always keep a look out for anyone who might try to hurt his students. He's a very nice man, you'll like him a lot." Rogue reassured.

"Do you trust him?" Nate asked curious.

"I do." Rogue answered honestly, "He's like everyone else, so he makes mistakes, but I do trust him." Rogue said with a soft smile. "Now you quit worrying, everything is going to be alright. You trust me, right?"

"Right." Nate answered quickly, more quickly than he had in the past, which warmed Rogue's heart.

"Good." She smiled brightly, "Because I won't let you guys down, now get some sleep. I'll be on the look out, and so is Logan, so don't worry."

"Alright, thanks Rogue." Nate smiled at her, then turned over and closed his eyes pulling the blanket under his chin, before latching on to his sister, who laid sleeping peacefully beside him.

"Your welcome, Honey, sleep tight." Rogue whispered then sat back and stared out the small camper window.