Part 9:

Hands reaching for him, a voice yelling at him, darkness, always darkness.

" Father, please. Don't," he pleaded and lifted his hand in front of his face to try and protect himself.

" Don't you dare call me that, you filthy mutant. You are no son of mine," the voice was harsh but the blow was even harder.

" NOO!" Scott yelled and sat up in bed with a jerk. He saw someone sitting on his bedside and his mind still in his nightmare, he felt the claws come through his skin.

" Relax, sugah. It is just me…. Rogue. You had a bad dream," a sweet southern accented voice said and lay a calming hand on his right hand, unafraid of his claws.

" Rogue?! What are you doing here?" Scott asked confused. Why was she in his…Suddenly he remembered. He was in Logan's bedroom, in Logan's body. Oh, yeah. Wonderful.

" You never call me Rogue," Marie said softly, a hint of pain in her voice. Ups.

" Sorry, kid. My mind was…. drifting," Scott said and stroked a hair behind her ear. It was dark so he couldn't see her clearly but her shadow was pretty. Sitting on his bedside she looked like a Goddess or a Queen. A sting of unease and jealousy hit him. Did this happen often? Did Rogue often come into Logan's room? Just what kind of relationship did these two have?

" Want to talk about it?" Rogue asked kindly.

" Not really," Scott admitted.

" Ah had a nightmare too," Rogue admitted. She isn't going to tell me about it, is she? Scott thought panicked. Her saw her lips move to form words. Oh, great. She is going to tell me about it. Sharing is so not me, he thought darkly. Ok, no panic. I can do this, he repeated in his mind, hoping it'll help.

" It was the one with ma…parents," she admitted. Come on, girl. Give me a little more than that to go on, Scott wished fanatically. " They…didn't want me," he could clearly hear the pain in her voice.

" Sometimes it is better to be alone," Scott whispered as he could feel her eyes on him.

" Why?"

" Because then you can't get hurt," the words were out his month before he could regret it. Even in the dark her smile lit up the room.

" Ah'll never hurt you," Rogue whispered softly.

" I know…but I might hurt you," Scott whispered sadly under his breath.

" Ah don't want to go back to ma room," Rogue whispered after awhile. Scott saw that her nightdress was a long dress with a hood. She sounded so lost and alone, feelings he knew well, so he drew the covers back from the side of the bed where she sat.

" You can sleep here," he offered and she jumped under the covers and curled up besides him.

"Thanks, Logan," she whispered and Scott smiled. He wanted to dislike her because of her special bond with Logan but couldn't. He drew her close so she lay with her head on his chest, her hood between their skins.

" Anytime, kid. Anytime," he said softly and kissed her hooded head. Even if it was just for tonight he had someone who loved him unconditionally. He knew she loved the body he was in and not him and he knew that her deep love for Logan disturbed him as long as he was unsure as to what kind of love it was they shared but for tonight he pretended that he was the person that she loved; as a brother, a father or whatever way she might view Logan.

TBC