A/N: Hmm...quite a few votes for Legolas. Well...well...well...We'll see now won't we. (Though anyone who knows me, oughtta catch on. Legolas and Rogue mean the world to me.) Bwahaha!!!


"Well this looks cozy." Rogue and Forge broke away as if they'd been burned. Turning to look at the doorway, they saw Ray leaning heavily on his crutches. "Ray!" Rogue cried, "Shouldn't you be in bed?!" He shrugged and walked over to them. "You try staying in bed. I hate it." He leaned against the table carefully. "So, what's all this?" Rogue began to brush back her hair nervously. "N-nothing," she stammered, embarrassed. "Oh really?" he replied, with a sly smile, "You just up and decide today'd be the day you don't absorb someone?" Rogue blushed scarlet, and Ray laughed. "Relax Rogue, I'm just messing with you." He looked around. "But really, how'd you do it?" "With this," Forge offered, holding up the shimmering dome. Ray's eyes widened. "Uh...Forge-" Forge sighed, aggravated. "Why is everyone so afraid of these things?!" Ray's face bunched up. "Well it could possibly have something to do with the fact that every time you "create" one of those," he pointed accusingly at the dome, "we end up with some nasties running around trying to kill people-" "Or, we get people sucked into pocket dimensions," Rogue added. "Or we all end up glued to the ceiling for a week, due to "extraneous antimatter combustion"!" Forge gasped. "Hey that was a fluke!" he cried. Ray rolled his eyes. Rogue laughed.


"And they lived happily ever after." All the Jamie's clapped happily. "Tell another one! Tell another one!" they chanted. Rahne sighed. There was a flutter of wings, and Warren landed beside her. He looked rather shocked at the number of Jamie's under Rahne's care. His mouth worked, but no sound came. "Fifteen," Rahne offered. Warren's mouth closed. "Not countin' Jamie here," she added, shifting and shocking Jamie out of falling asleep again. Hank had said, "Rest, but absolutely no sleep." Rahne didn't want Jamie in a coma, so she was diligently keeping him awake, tiring herself out in the process. "Wow Rahne, good job," Warren finally managed. Rahne smiled.


"...And that's why nobody can know yet," Rogue finished. Ray nodded. "Okay, I got you." Rogue sighed, relieved. "But, you're gonna hafta buy my silence." "Bribery?!" Rogue screeched. Ray smiled. "Rogue, Rogue, Rogue," he replied, with a coy shake of his head, "Bribery's such a harsh word. Think of it as a privacy fee." Rogue's eyes narrowed. Forge remained suspiciously silent. Crossing her arms over her chest with a heavy sigh, she relented. "Okay, whaddaya want?" Ray seemed momentarily surprised, before he smiled and desperately tried to think of something. Rogue tapped her foot. "Well? We ain't got all day." Ray's brow furrowed. He could only think of one thing he really wanted, but...no, he couldn't ask for that! "We don't have to give in you know," Forge said, "I could always..." He held up the machine. Ray and Rogue both laughed. "Go ahead, I dare you!" Ray replied with a grin. Forge pointed the machine at him. To his credit, Ray didn't so much as flinch. Rogue stood in front of Forge, her hands pushing the machine down slowly. "No offense Forge, but ah think one is enough trouble as it is. Besides ah ain't in the mood fer gatherin' a rescue party. 'N ah don't think the team's up ta it either." Forge put down the machine with a sigh. "Don't you trust me?" "No," came the simultaneous response. Forge dropped his head. Rouge went over to him and kissed him. "Forge, it ain't so much as we don't trust ya as..." "As we just don't trust your inventions," Ray finished, "Especially that kind" He pointed at the dome accusingly as Rogue nodded. Forge sighed again and looked up at them. Rogue smiled at him then turned to Ray. "So what'll it be?" Ray smiled. "How 'bout a kiss?" Forge tensed, but immediately relaxed as Ray turned his cheek toward Rogue. "Why not?" She walked over to him and stopped. "Ummm..." "What?"

Both boys were shocked as Rogue grabbed Ray's shirt collar and yanked him down to her level, almost causing him to loose his balance. She paused, then leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Forge watched the emotions play over Ray's face as he took in Rogue's words. When she pulled back, she was blushing, her eyes averted, gazing at the floor. Ray had a cheshire grin plastered to his face. "Okay," he said. Forge momentarily wondered what was going on. Ray's body began to lightly spark, electricity ebbing off him. Rogue's eyes slowly drifted up and a small smile graced her pinkened face. Ray stood still as Rogue pressed against him slowly, her face coming up to greet his. Forge leaned back against the table. Suddenly Rogue threw her arms around Ray's neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Forge fell off the table. Ray's shock was also evident as several glass flasks shattered to his right.

After a brief moment, Rogue pulled away, breathless and blushing. She had a wild look in her eye, and Ray could only stare. Forge slowly got up, staring at her as well. "What?!" Rogue cried defensively, "Ah needed something' ta compare ya to." It was a few moments before she got a stuttered "And?" in response. She smiled. "Well-" "Wait a minute!" Ray cried, "You can't compare! I didn't kiss you back!" Rogue folded her arms over her chest. "And whose fault is that?!" Ray sputtered as Forge, wearing a similarly confused expression, attempted to make some sense out of what just happened. "Honestly," Rogue replied, "Ya'll are hopeless. Pietro woulda-" "Did somebody say my name?" Everyone slowly turned to see Pietro standing in the doorway. "Pietro, how long've ya been standing there?" Rogue managed to get out. "Long enough," he replied with a smirk, "I'll have what he had."



Rahne shifted. There it was again. She had the strangest feeling they were being watched. She turned to Warren. "Warren, do you know if the security systems are back up?"

"Not yet, why?"

"I think there's someone here."

"The Brotherhood's here Rahne, maybe they're just walking around."

She shook her head. "No," she replied, "There's someone else."

Or a few someone's to be exact, though her senses felt wired and she couldn't place more than two as definitely human. "Where's Logan?" A second, more experienced opinion might be in order.

"Not sure, why?"

Rahne sat up straighter. "We definitely have some company." She gestured towards a vale of bushes a few yards away, bushes that were conspicuously moving. Warren's eyes narrowed. "Come on," he said softly, "Let's go check it out."





A/N: Okay. Now, as I've been so lax in updating lately, I have a proposition for you. The first five people who can correctly tell me why the bushes are moving, will get a prize.

The prize? You get to ask me one question about ANY of my stories, and I'll answer it for you. However, questions like, "What's going to happen?" and "How's it end?" are obviously NOT in the running. Yes, paraphrasing inclusive. Heh!

Other than that...Good Luck. And, please don't forget to leave your e-mail address in the review box so I can send you an answer.