I own nothing

Chapter 20

Marie hissed as she splashed her face with freezing water and glanced in the mirror above the sink. Her eyes were strained, lustreless and bloodshot, her face was drawn and her hands were shaking.

The night before had been horrible.

Both Logan and herself had had hardly slept for the past couple of nights and she was glad of it in a way if they were no be separated for a while but she had been so tired that she had not been able to keep her eyes open and had against her will fallen asleep.

Almost as soon as she had felt herself drift she had found herself in the middle of a nightmare. She was at the statue of liberty but it wasn't the statue of liberty as she knew it. Where she had expected to see Magneto standing in front of her it had been a blurred image in a green uniform. She felt wires being forced through her skin and into her bones - filling her with unbearable pain.

She had woken in a cold sweat with both Erik and Logan trying their best to calm her down. But it had been useless.

There had been no real Logan there to hold her or whisper to her or even kiss the top of her head as she knew he did when he thought she didn't notice. He hadn't been there to stroke her face or...

A tear escaped from beneath her lids and she backed up against the wall of the bathroom and sank to the cold, hard floor. She had spent the rest of the night huddled, shaking underneath her quilt, hugging Logan's pillow so her so tightly she was surprised the seams didn't burst. She had buried her head in it and had found a little comfort in his scent that clung to it.

She had never thought that she could miss someone so much and it had only been for one night. A few hours without him and she fell apart. She missed his arms around her. The sound of his breathing and when she had her head in his chest the sound if his steady heart beat beneath her ear...even the sometimes compromising positions she would wake up in...maybe even them the most.

Oh no you don't Marie, don't even go there.

She understood why Logan had to go back to his own room.

Because of her parents.

Her stupid, stupid parents.

They hadn't wanted her when she needed then and now that they needed her she didn't want them. She didn't need them anymore. She had all that she needed. And they were separating her from him.

She stood up carefully and headed back to her room.

Today was going to be a long day.

Logan stood in what had been a very nice room before he had lost it last night.

After waking he had giving up all hope of trying to sleep and so he had been more that aware when Marie had screamed in her sleep - he could even hear the gasps for breath that she took.

His claws had came shooting from his arms and straight into the mattress. He felt useless. He could not go to her and yet it was impossible for him to just sit and do nothing. He knew that he parents had been put into a room between them and a part of him wondered if they would hear her and go to her. And they had heard her, he could hear their muffled conversation from down the hall and they had left her.

His claws had shredded through the mattress and every piece of furniture in the room wishing that it was her poor excuse for a father, until he was left standing surrounded by sliced material and broken wood.

Her parents had better leave soon.

Xavier observed Rogue and Logan across the kitchen.

Their strained faces and Rogue's red rimmed eyes told him all he needed to know without even going into their heads. Both of them had not slept well at all the night before.

He had known as soon as they had woken and when they had searched for each other to find the bed empty and he had known when Rogue's parents had woken because of the noise coming from their daughter's room and neither of them had tried to comfort her. And, he had been more than aware when Logan in his anger and frustration had wrecked his room.

Rogue was sitting at a table with her parents who were filling her in on all the things that had been happening at home and what her 'friends' were up to.

"Wow darlin' and you say we can talk don't your folks even draw breath?" Logan asked her in her mind and Xavier knew that though she looked like she was listening she had been in conversation for some time with her two mental passengers.

"The great metal man does have a point my dear. Your parents are very annoying...perhaps you should have allowed the real him to rip into your father," Erik added and she snickered in her head at them.

Xavier took the opportunity to see how she interacted with the two in her head and was still as surprised as he was at the beginning. They all got on fine. Laughing and joking between themselves. Xavier could see though that both Logan and Erik were trying to keep her calm and happy when all she really wanted to do was run away from the situation.

Logan was standing broodingly by the window nursing a cup of coffee and looking Marie over every now and again trying to assure himself that she was well.

Yes. If her parents did not leave soon things could quickly return to the way they had been.

He turned to Ororo who was sitting next to him and smiled at the young woman.

"Ororo my dear, would you mind giving Rogue's mother and father a tour of the building?" he asked her softly.

She lowered her coffee cup from her face and smiled in response. Xavier read from her thoughts that she was worried about Rogue and the affect that her parents showing up would have on her recovery.

"No problem professor,"

Charles heard the sigh of relief that Rogue, Logan and Erik let out when Ororo led her parents away to show them around the school and he rolled himself to his office.

He had promised them both that he would explain the rumours and how her parents had found out and he was not looking forward to it.

A small knock came from his door after a few minutes and he reached out to whoever was at the other side and found Rogue waiting nervously for him to tell her to enter.

Come in Rogue.

The door swung open slowly and Rogue walked in. He saw the small things that had changed about her over night. She had been so confident and full of life the day before when she had came bounding into his room but now everything about her was slow, measured and careful. She was wearing more than one layer and he knew that Logan had not been happy that morning when he had seen her bagged down in clothing. Dark smudges lined under her eyes and her face was gaunt and drawn. Xavier knew that it was not just lack of sleep that had created such a change but the time spent away from Logan also.

"Rogue, how can I help you?"

"You...you said you knew who was behind the rumours and you would tell me..."she fumbled and began to tug on the sleeves of her top.

He had hoped that there would be more time for him to confront Jean and discuss things with Scott but this girl's life was being directly affected by the gossip and she had a right to know.

"I am afraid my dear that it is one of the telepaths within the school that is responsible for the rumours," he waited for the information to sink in.

"Damned stupid kids," Logan snarled in her head.

"Well that is interesting," Erik mused.

"No words have actually been exchanged but their thoughts are being broadcasted so forcefully that they have taken root within the minds of the more vulnerable and mentally weak within the school," he explained steadily.

"But who? I have hardly spoken to anyone. Who could I have insulted enough to have them think that about me? And how did my parents know?" she asked and Xavier could read the confusion and hurt coming from her in waves at the idea of someone doing that.

Xavier sighed and decided to tackle the easiest of the problems first – how her parents had found out.

"My dear your parents are both human. Where mutants do generally have stronger defences humans have none. As soon as they entered the mansion their minds were inundated with the thoughts that the others within the school have had days to absorb,"

Rogue nodded her head slowly and sank into the seat opposite him.

"But not everyone is being affected by the thoughts though are they?" she asked him and he was glad to avoid the who and why for a little longer though he did know that he would have to address it before she left and he was extremely glad that Logan was not present. He had no doubt that Rogue would tell him but he had a feeling that the feral would take it a lot better coming from the young girl before him.

"No my dear they have not. Their initial mind conditions greatly affected how the thoughts being broadcast were processed. You see it is different from a thought being purposefully implanted in a person's mind. When something concrete is placed in a mind they have no choice but to believe that idea but when the thoughts are being broadcasted then it is up to interpretation. You see the girls within the school were the ones most affected and were the ones who picked up on what the thoughts actually were since they were jealous of you because you were the newest female student and therefore competition,"

Rogue nodded her head once again. Charles knew that she had overheard at some point every single vile and groundless rumour that was circulating about herself and Logan and was sorry for this. Knowing that people were talking about you was one thing but knowing what they were saying and being defenceless in the face of it was something else entirely.

"The boys...well let's just say that they were all willing to think better things of you so all they developed out of it was the occasional doubt of just what was going in between yourself and Logan while Scott has been effected because he views you as a little sister so he doubts the sincerity of what Logan offers you,"

She nodded her head again and Xavier was amazed at how her mind worked even with Logan and Erik in her head her clarity of thought and concentration was amazing.

"But who has been responsible for the rumours...I mean thoughts?" Rogue asked him, frowning slightly as she thought through everything that he had told her.

"I am afraid to tell you that Jean has been at the root of all the rumours Rogue,"

Xavier waited patiently for his words to sink in. He truly had no idea of what to expect from her. With Erik and Logan in her head and the protective stance that they took were she was concerned he waited to see who would react first.

He listened as Erik and Logan both made their opinions known and Rogue told them both quite forcefully to mind their language or shut up. He fought the smile that came to his lips when they both backed down giving the impression of being ashamed with themselves.

"Why?" she asked him calmly.

He sighed. To any normal sixteen year old he would not know how to explain things but his view of the young girl in front of him was that of an adult. In everything that she had done she always conducted herself like an adult even when her parents had shown up and she had every right to throw a teenage temper tantrum she had held things together and spoken calmly even restraining Logan – showing the inner strength that she possessed.

"You have to understand Jean's view on things. She is used to being the focal point of every mans mind whether that man is available or not and since your relationship with Logan has developed since Liberty Island Logan has not given her a second thought and she has grown jealous because of this,"

Rogue sat silently opposite him, leaning forward with her head resting in her gloved hands. He knew that she prized the gloves that she wore since they had been a gift from Logan.

"She is jealous of me?" she asked slowly and Xavier knew that she couldn't see anything in herself for Jean to be jealous of. How wrong she was. She did not know the effect that she had on people. The boys all saw her as the unapproachable, untouchable Rogue who was in need of being protected and even though they viewed her relationship with Logan as suspicious none of them had taken part in the gossip spreading like wildfire around the school. And, despite him telling her about Jean she did not resent the other woman. She was truly beautiful inside and out, there was plenty for Jean to be jealous of.

"Yes Rogue. She is jealous of you," he told her and her mind told him just how unbelievable she still found it.

Rogue stood up slowly and shakily after a few more seconds.

"Thank you for your time professor. I'll...I'll go to by room until Storm has finished giving my parents the grand tour,"

"Very well my dear," Xavier quickly scanned the mansion searching for one particular mind. He quickly found Logan.

Rogue was just reaching for the door.

"Logan is in his room," he told her smiling when she relaxed slightly at his words.

"Thank you professor,"

Marie knocked the door to Logan's room with a shaking hand. She couldn't grasp just what the professor had told her...just how jealous Jean was that her thoughts had affected the views of nearly every person in the mansion. Had the red headed doctor ever looked in the mirror and compared herself to the women and girls around her? Where was the competition? Exactly, there was no competition at all. Tall and sophisticated versus small and mousy – just what was there to envy? She heard shuffling from behind the door and it opened noiselessly to reveal Logan's tired face.

She had seen him from a distance at breakfast and had been aware of his eyes resting on her on several occasions but she had missed being close to him.

Her heart clenched when she saw the strain in his eyes.

"Hey sugar, do I get to come in?" she asked as lightly as she could though she felt anything but.

He looked behind him and Marie frowned wondering just what he was looking at, especially when he turned back to face her with an ashamed look across his features.

She tried to think what could possibly be wrong until he nudged the door and it swung open giving her a clear view of the room behind him.

There was nothing about the mess behind him that indicated it had once been a bedroom. She could not identify one piece of furniture that she knew had been in the room.

There were broken beams of wood and springs from what she supposed had been the inside of the mattress and what had been the base of the bed and the floor was strewn with torn fabric and fluff.

"Bad night sugar?" she asked him quietly, looking away from the chaos behind him and focusing on his face.

He shrugged his shoulders.

Even though she was still standing in the hall and she knew that anyone could walk along and see them she didn't care and she threw her arms around his waist taking him by surprise and making him take a step into his room. His arms closed around her immediately and she echoed his sigh of relief as the tension and the emptiness flowed from her leaving her content in his arms.

That's better.

"What did you do Logan?" she asked him softly, pulling away from him and supping his face. She wanted to know what had happened to his room.

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, leaning into her touch and rubbing his rough cheek against her gloved palm.

She had missed him so much.

"I heard you having a nightmare last night Marie," he breathed opening his eyes.

"Ah,"

"I heard you and I couldn't come to you," he told her hoarsely.

"Oh Logan," she wrapped her arms around him again and she felt him settle his chin in top of her head.

"I kinda lost it a bit," he mumbled and his arms tightened around her.

She allowed the contentment of being in his arms wash over her again and she drew her hands from behind him to grip the front of his shirt, screwing the fabric in her hands and holding him firmly to her. It felt so good to be near him again.

"What is going in here?"

Marie sprang back from Logan and he released his hold on her.

He had allowed himself to become so lost in the scent and sound of her that he had totally blocked out everything else, not even noticing when the three people appeared at the open door to his room.

He smelt the fury coming from Marie's father and spun himself about so that she was behind him, shielding her from anything or anyone that might have harmed her.

He quickly took in the appearance of the three at the door.

Her father looked furious and ready to do anything while Storm was trying her best to calm down her mother who was throwing panicked glances between her husband and daughter.

"So the rumours are true then," he father sneered.

Logan's claws burst from his arms and he growled.

He had had enough of this. These people had only been in the mansion a day and were ready to believe every fowl story that had been fabricated by some jealous female mind – there was no doubt in Logan's mind that a girl was responsible for the stories and he would be finding out from Xavier just who it was as well. He launched himself forward and pinned the trembling, weak bully to the wall in the hallway all the self control he has exerted yesterday snapping within a second.

"Now you listen to me bub and you listen good," he spat one arm under the man's chin suspending him by his neck and the other poised at his chest with extended claws.

"Nothing that you have heard or even think about your daughter is true. None of it," he pushed up a bit harder and was rewarded by a wheezing breath.

"It is disgusting that you even considered them being true yesterday and that you are ready to jump at the chance to believe them today...you do not deserve to have Marie as a daughter. She is nothing like you," he snarled his vision clouded by red.

He saw the fear deep in the man's eyes with approval. He felt a soft touch on his arm and picked up Marie's soft scent. Her father eyes darted from his face to the place on his arm where Marie's small hand rested.

Logan breathed steadily and deeply drowning himself in her scent and slowly he retracted his claws and with a warning growl he released his hold on her father and he doubled over breathing and coughing.

He turned to face Marie not sure what to expect. In his mind her father had been asking for it but then the man was still her dad...

She smiled at him softly though, banishing all his fears and whispered a small thank you to him before facing her parents.

Her father was straightening up with the help of her trembling mother and Storm was now standing to the side obviously thinking it best to stay out of the way.

"Marie, just who is this man?" her mother snapped at her and Logan's went to move forward again but the tone in Marie's answer stopped him.

"'He' mother, is the man who saved my life," her tone was steely and sure.

"You have no idea what has happened to me since I left home and neither of you even thought to ask. Instead you think that talking about home will make me forget what happened...as though acting like nothing happened will erase the fact that you both threw me out the house,"

Her parents went to speak but she held up her hand stopping home before they had even begun. Logan had never seen this side of Marie before and on some level he could tell that she was angry in her own right and that both himself and Magneto had taken a backseat in her mind for this one.

"No! Neither of you have the right to talk," she snapped at them and they looked at her in shock.

"One year has passed and you were right mom a lot does happen in a year. So what if the rumours were true. You both gave up your right to have a say in my life when you packed my bag. And now you swan into my life and think that you can start up were you left of and dictate my life and tell me what I can and can't do. Well you are wrong. I don't want either of you. I have made it on my own and proved to myself I can survive without you. So you can both go back home. Tell them I am dead or whatever you want because I am going nowhere,"

With that she grasped Logan's hand firmly in her own and squeezed it. Logan could feel the tremors that wracked her body but he had never been so proud of her before.

Her parents continued to stare at her in shock until her father cleared his throat and straightened up.

"Very well Marie," he said stiffly and Logan's dislike heightened even further.

"We will leave you to this life you have chosen for yourself,"

With that he marched the few doors down with his wife at his heals and they vanished into their room.

Marie continued to tremble violently and Logan drew her into his room followed closely by Storm who began to rub Marie's arms as soon as she got close enough.

"Marie baby are you alright?" Logan asked her as softly as he could – he had a feeling that she did not lose her own temper all that often.

She nodded her head wearily and rested her forehead against his chest causing Storm to stop what she was doing.

"Their leaving," she sighed in relief.

"Yeah baby, they are going,"

Woop, woop! Go Marie.

I was a little stuck for this chapter so feedback would be great.

Thanks and have a great weekend.

:-)