Rogue stared at the open box and the ring that lay inside. She got up, placed the box, still open, on her desk, and then walked back to her bed. She stared at the ring from across the room. A ray of sunlight came in from the window and the diamond sparkled. Rogue got up again, closed the box, then sat back down.

She stared at the box, remembering events of two years ago. She'd heard about a psychiatrist who had helped mutants gain power over abilities that had previously seemed to be uncontrollable. Rogue had gone to him, hoping that maybe—finally—she could find the means to living a normal life…

*** *** ***

"Dr. Hayes?" Rogue peeked nervously into the office.

Dr. Zander Hayes gave her a warm smile. "Ah, you must be Rogue. Come in and have a seat." He pointed to a chair in front of his desk.

Rogue sat down in the indicated chair, noting that things were not quite as she had expected them to be. She'd figured that she'd be told by some old, balding man to lie down on a couch and pour her heart out, but that wasn't the case at all. Instead, she was sitting in a chair across from a rather attractive man who didn't appear to be much older than she was herself.

"So, Rogue, you have trouble controlling your mutation," Dr. Hayes said.

"Yes."

"What is the nature of your powers?"

"Whenever my skin touches another person's, I absorb them, and they fall into a coma."

"You 'absorb' them?"

"Yeah. See, their memories, personality, knowledge—mutant powers if they've got 'em—go into my mind."

"Do you retain these in your mind permanently?"

"Pretty much. Their powers go away after a while, as long as I didn't touch them too long. And the people wake from their comas, although the time they spend in 'em varies, dependin' on how long we touched. But they're still floatin' around in my head. I have control over their influence on me for the most part now, though."

"So you just need help controlling your powers, not necessarily dealing with their long term effects?"

Rogue shrugged. "I guess."

Dr. Hayes smiled at her. "I promise you, I will do everything I can to make all your dreams come true."

His smile made Rogue blush.

*** *** ***

Rogue was the doctor's hardest case to date. He'd worked with her almost everyday for three months straight, and she was beginning to get frustrated.

"I can't do it, Dr. Hayes!" Rogue exclaimed. "It's hopeless! I'm hopeless!"

"Yes, you can. You only think you can't. We've made progress."

Rogue sighed and slumped in her chair. "Only when you've been in my mind, holdin' my powers back."

"Rogue, I know you're capable of controlling your abilities. I've spent more time with you than I ever have with any of my other patients, and I've never been one to waste any effort on a lost cause. If you learning control was impossible, you wouldn't be here anymore."

"I think you're overestimatin' me, Doc."

"No, you're underestimating yourself." He reached out and took hold of one of her hands. "Listen, I know you have the ability inside of you. I've felt it, Rogue. It's just that you've been unable to touch for so long that that condition has become comfortable."

"Comfortable?" Rogue pulled away from him. "Comfortable?! How is not bein' able to touch anyone, bein' cut off from human contact comfortable?"

Dr. Hayes sighed. "I didn't mean 'comfortable' as in something you like, I just meant it's what you're used to and you're afraid of change."

"I am not! I wanna change!"

Dr. Hayes looked her straight in the eyes. "Then do it."

Rogue started to slip off her glove, but quickly stopped. "I..I can't!"

Dr. Hayes sighed as he stood up. "Fine. You're right. You are a hopeless cause. Well, it's been nice working with you. Have a nice life."

Rogue stared up at him, dumbfounded. "That's it? You're givin' up on me?!"

Dr. Hayes shrugged.

"But you can't! You're my last hope! If you can't help me, there's no one left for me to turn to!"

"How can I still have faith in you when you've given up on yourself?"

Rogue stared up at him for a moment, doe-eyed, then her expression suddenly grew stern. She stood up and walked over to Dr. Hayes. "I haven't given up. You say I can do it, and I believe ya."

"Then prove it," Dr. Hayes said, moving a step closed. "Touch me."

Rogue almost protested, but she decided the time had come that she take the chance. She mixed everything Dr. Hayes had taught her with unwavering determination and reached out to lay her bare fingers on his cheek. She heard the doctor's breath catch, but he stayed conscious. Rogue felt nothing in her mind but her own thoughts, then a feeling of overwhelming joy. She had done it. After so many years, she could control her powers.

Tears began to gently roll down her cheeks. Dr. Hayes reached up and wiped one away, the feel of his skin against hers causing Rogue to shiver. "See," he said, his voice warm and soothing, "I told you you could do it."

"Thank ya," Rogue said, her words choked with emotion. "You've given me what I've always wanted."

Dr. Hayes stared down into her big, green eyes. His throat became dry, his legs week, and he felt as if his body had a mind of its own. He leaned down and kissed her.

It was that day that, to Rogue, Dr. Hayes became "Zander," and she stopped being a paying customer.

*** *** ***

Now, two years later, Rogue sat alone, trying to piece together the jumbled mess her thoughts had become. Zander had worked so hard with her, first to help her learn not to fear touching other people in order to find the key to controlling her powers, then to mend the broken heart Remy LeBeau had left her with, showing her how to love again.

Now he wanted to make her his wife, and she couldn't even bring herself to look at the ring, never mind put it on. That made her feel guilty. Zander loved her—she loved him—and yet, she couldn't do something that should've been so easy, natural even.

She got up and walked over to her closet, glancing at herself in the full-length mirror. Her legs and arms were bare. She wasn't wearing gloves. Zander had made that possible. He had granted her greatest wish.

The telephone rang, making Rogue jump. She walked over to answer it, but stopped, her hand resting lightly on the receiver. She knew it was Zander and she just couldn't bring herself to talk to him then. What would she say? That she loved him, but a lack of closure with a former lover prevented her from a commitment as strong as marriage? What would he say to that? Would he understand? Would be angry and tell her that was fine, because he was going to leave her now anyway. Would he try to tell her that this was merely a manifestation of the pain she felt over Gambit's departure and her fear that she would drive away anyone else who ever loved her?

Rogue decided on the latter and knew she didn't want to hear it right then. She was confused, and Zander's psychobabble wouldn't help that one bit.

So Rogue lay down on the bed, waited for the ringing to stop, then cried herself to sleep.