"Wolverine?" Rogue asked softly. Her voice was hoarse from its long silence. Wolverine automatically reached out and took one of her hands in his, never taking his eyes off her face. His face was flushed and his skin felt like it was on fire. Carefully, he searched her eyes for any signs of regret, shame, or anger. He was suddenly angry with himself that he'd let things get so out of hand. He should have stopped her.
Professor Xavier came up beside her bed.
"How are you feeling, Rogue?" he asked.
Rogue smiled slightly. "Ah feel great. Ah'm a little confused though. Ah don't remember going through any portal, like Ah pictured."
Xavier's face remained neutral. "What is the last thing you remember?"
Rogue's thought carefully. "Um, Ah remember fantasizing."
Xavier nodded and Wolverine froze. The Professor noticed his reaction and smoothly intervened.
"Wolverine, would you mind stepping outside for a moment? I would like to talk to Rogue in private."
"Professor Xavier, Ah feel fine. We can go to your office if ya like," Rogue spoke up confidently. She sat up and the sheet fell down around her waist. The Professor respectfully turned his head as it became obvious Rogue had forgotten she was not clothed. Wolverine couldn't help but stare for a moment. Automatically, his eyes ran over the spot on her breast where there had been blood. As he had expected there was no scar, and he sighed.
Rogue watched him staring at her. When he didn't look up after a few seconds, she deliberately raised the sheet to cover her chest.
The Professor tactfully broke the silence. "Very well, Rogue. There are spare clothes in that cupboard over there, Wolverine if you'd like to get her something to put on." Wolverine nodded and went to retrieve a pair of sweat pants and a sweatshirt. "Rogue, when you're dressed, if you would kindly follow me."
Wolverine turned his back to allow Rogue to dress. She had seemed strangely unconcerned with her state of undress. She hadn't blushed and Wolverine had expected. Then his thoughts turned to what she'd said earlier about what she remembered. A fantasy? Is that all she thought it had been?
Wolverine shook his head. He was too confused to figure it out. And thinking about it was starting to affect him. As Rogue finished dressing and followed the Professor to his office, Wolverine went upstairs. He needed a cold shower before he and Rogue talked.
* * *
"So," Professor Xavier began as Rogue closed the door to his office behind her. "You seem to be in perfect condition physically. How do you feel mentally?"
"No offense, Professor, but Ah've had enough of people poking around in mah head to last me a lifetime," Rogue said wryly. "Let's just say Ah'm fine all around."
Xavier steepled his fingers in front of himself and looked at Rogue steadily for a few moments.
"Rogue," he started carefully. "You experienced a very traumatic—".
"Don't," Rogue stopped him. "Ah don't wanna talk about it. Ah've been filing memories away since Ah got mah powers, Ah don't need anyone to help me deal with a bad memory."
"Rogue, there is a world of difference between keeping the memories of others organized in your head and out of your consciousness and suppressing a disturbing memory of your own. I realize it is not pleasant, but you must deal with what happened."
"Let it go, Professor," Rogue said levelly. "Ah handled it."
"How?" Xavier inquired.
"Ah visualized Wolverine in mah mind.
"You visualized him?"
"Yeah, just like you told me, anything Ah wanted to happen happened. Ah defeated him. Ah faced him and Ah won, no fuss no muss."
She stood up. "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"
Professor Xavier was silent as he processed this new information. Rogue was obviously not prepared to deal with what Sabretooth had done to her, and Xavier knew that this wasn't an issue he should pursue if she wasn't ready. As if that wasn't bad enough, it seemed as though Wolverine had interfered more than he should have. If Wolverine had indeed tried to defeat Sabretooth on Rogue's behalf, that meant that as soon as Wolverine returned to his own body, whatever effects he'd had on Rogue's mind would have disappeared. Xavier needed to know more about the specifics of what Wolverine had done. But, if Wolverine had defeated Sabretooth, and Rogue did not use the visualization of the portal, than how had she managed to retake control?
Xavier took a deep breath. "Rogue, do you remember when I told you that all you had to do to come back to complete consciousness was to imagine a portal?"
"Yes."
"That was merely a visualization. Obviously, you managed to find another way to visualize taking control."
"Okay," Rogue agreed slowly. "So?"
"Would you mind explaining to me how you did it?"
Rogue blushed slightly before regaining her composure.
"Actually, yes Ah would mind." She turned to leave. "Ah think Ah'll go find Wolverine now."
As the door closed behind her, Professor Xavier shook his head. He hadn't even gotten a chance to ask her how Wolverine had been able to take her hand in the infirmary when neither of them had been wearing gloves.
* * *
Wolverine sighed as the cold spray pounded into his back. He leaned his crossed arms on the back of the shower and lowered his head.
"When did life get so goddamn complicated?" he muttered to himself.
It seemed like one minute he was accepting a job offer and the next he had himself a partner. He couldn't even remember why he'd ever taken such a personal interest in Rogue in the first place. He'd worked with people before without forming any kind of a relationship with them. What had possessed him to get involved in Rogue's life?
Images of Rogue when he had first met her floated into his mind's eye. She'd looked so small when she'd walked into the room with that huge plasma gun slung over her shoulder. Not that that impression had lasted long. She'd proven to him pretty quick that she was no kid and wouldn't tolerate being treated like one. Their first kiss had drove home that point on numerous levels.
Kiss? Wolverine started. When had he started considering that a kiss? Sure, their lips had pressed together, but that had just been a defensive move on her part to keep him from getting her back for shooting him with a plasma gun. Wolverine snorted. For it to be a kiss, he would actually have had to feel something for her.
Wolverine sighed and turned around. Not that he didn't care, he admitted to himself. She was a competent fighter and a smart accomplice, Wolverine respected that. There was no reason he shouldn't care what happened to her now that she was staying with him. And he would have to be a monster to be apathetic towards her situation.
When she had been with the brotherhood she'd been exhausted and overworked. She gave new meaning to the word 'dedicated.' Even Wolverine took time out to drink and screw. Rogue didn't even practice with her powers. Wolverine smiled. Once she'd started practicing though, damned if she didn't learn quick. Hell, after a few more days she might have—
But she didn't even get the chance. That bastard had taken it away from her. Wolverine clenched his fists, his claws itching to be released. He'd brought her with him so she could get back on her feet and get on with her life. Instead, she'd been viciously attacked and sent back to square one.
As Wolverine turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, he wondered what Rogue would be like now that she was consciousness and back in control, in the aftermath of her ordeal.
Suddenly Wolverine picked up a scent. Someone was in his room. Looking around, he realized he didn't have a towel. Luckily, Wolverine was not known for being shy. Grabbing the door handle, he jerked it open. There was a gasp and the muffled sound of cloth hitting the floor. As he stepped out of the bathroom, Wolverine looked up and found himself eye to eye with Jean Grey. She was standing there in embarrassed shock and her face was becoming the same shade as her hair.
"Something I can do for you, Red?" he asked in amusement.
Jean quickly regained her composure. "Wolverine, I thought you might need some clean towels."
Wolverine raised his eyebrows. "What gave you that idea?"
A hint of a blush threatened to color Jean's cheeks again and Wolverine knew she was struggling not to look down. He was debating on whether or not to make the situation difficult for her, when suddenly the door to his room burst open. Jean and Wolverine both turned to see Rogue standing in the doorway.
* * *
"Rogue," Jean said in surprise. Her voice seemed a little breathless and Rogue narrowed her eyes. "How are you feeling?" Jean asked calmly.
Rogue walked towards Jean, her movements taking on a strange predatory air that hadn't been there before. Jean drew herself up to her full height and fixed Rogue with a steady gaze, refusing to be intimidated.
Just as she opened her mouth to assert herself as the adult in this situation, Rogue's fist swung out and connected with her jaw. Her bare skin met Jean's for the briefest of seconds and the transfer flickered. By the time Jean hit the ground, Rogue had filed away the glimpse of the other woman's memories and simply stood there watching her.
Jean shook off the slight dizziness from both the hit and Rogue's draining touch and stood up. Her eyes were grim and shined with suppressed anger. It was obvious she wanted desperately to retaliate.
"I realize you have been through a great deal, Rogue," she said quietly. "but the fact remains that here at the institute, we do not use our powers against fellow mutants, and violence is never acceptable."
Rogue remained expressionless and reached her hand out closer to Jean's face. The older woman didn't flinch as she watched Rogue's finger get nearer and nearer to her skin. In one suspenseful moment, Rogue laid her finger on Jean's nose. The red-head's eyes closed in anticipation of the transfer—but nothing happened.
Rogue grinned. "Tag. You're it sweetie."
Wolverine and Jean both stared in open surprise and for a second there was total silence. Then Wolverine burst out laughing. Jean jerked her head away from Rogue's touch, glaring at the younger woman. She turned and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Wolverine clapped a hand on Rogue's shoulder.
"When did you learn control like that?" he asked, chuckling.
"Ah practiced at a bar in Banff while you were out on your job."
Wolverine grinned teasingly. "How good is your control?"
Rogue quirked an eyebrow. "Not nearly as good as yours."
Wolverine looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"It just amazes me that you can stand there talkin' to me about mah ability to touch people with a completely straight face when ya ain't got a stitch of clothing on you."
With that last word, Rogue spun around and walked towards the bed and flopped down on the comforter.
Wolverine followed her with his eyes. Nudity had never concerned him in the least. As far as he was concerned, it was a perfectly natural state for a man to be in. What surprised him was Rogue's apparent nonchalance. Once again, he found her lack of shyness intriguing. Obviously a test was in order.
He walked over and dropped down on the bed beside her. Stretching out on his back, he folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. Then he waited for her reaction.
When there was no noise or movement for several minutes, Wolverine opened his eyes. Rogue had leaned a little closer to him and her nose was twitching as she seemed to be taking in his scent. She noticed his questioning gaze.
"Ah can smell you."
"I just took a shower, what more do you want from me?" he asked dryly.
Rogue shook her head. "No, Ah can smell *you.* Under the soap and water." She leaned even closer and Wolverine twitched as he felt a pleasant sensation crawl over his skin as her breath feathered across his chest.
Rogue felt his reaction, but she was too wrapped up in these new scents to pay attention. Her senses seemed to be magnified and her head spun with the new experience. She turned her face up to his neck. She could smell the soap he'd used to clean his hair as well as the spicy scent that seemed to be all Wolverine. As she took in his scent, blowing little tufts of air across chest, the beginnings of goosebumps rose across Wolverine's skin. Suddenly a sound reached Rogue's ears.
"Ah can hear your heartbeat," she whispered in awe.
She leaned down to press her ear to his chest, careful to hold her powers in check.
Wolverine closed his eyes as the length of her soft hair fell like a curtain on his chest. As her warm breath blew softly against him, Wolverine felt his pulse beat a little quicker. As his blood began to flow to the lower parts of his body, Wolverine's eyes shot open and he turned slightly, forcing Rogue to lift her head. His mind flashed to the image of Rogue pleasuring him in her own mind and he felt a sudden need to make sure the next time was all about her. At this rate, the same thing was going to happen all over again, and despite the heat Rogue's primal actions were unwittingly raising in his blood, Wolverine's pride wouldn't allow him to give in.
"Rogue," he said softly.
Rogue dragged her attention away from his heartbeat. For a long moment, Wolverine was transfixed at the vision of her soft hair and wildly primal amber eyes against the background of his naked chest. The responding surge in his blood made him curse himself for not putting on clothes. Pushing the less than innocent thoughts from his mind, he fixed Rogue with a casual look.
"Never heard a heartbeat before?"
Rogue's eyes bored into his with an amazing intensity.
"Never like this." She paused before continuing, still not breaking eye contact. "Am Ah makin' you nervous, Wolvie?"
Wolverine snorted and rolled his eyes, but he was straining to keep his body from betraying him.
Rogue watched him with the curiosity of a predator watching its prey. She smiled and leaned closer to him, careful to let her breasts brush against his bare chest as she moved her face closer to his. Wolverine's breath caught in his throat as he felt her through the material of her sweatshirt. Images of her naked chest as he had seen in the infirmary flashed through his mind and he tried to sit up. Rogue didn't move and he was faced with the choice of sitting up and bringing his face against hers, or lying back. Wolverine hated being cornered.
"Something on your mind, Rogue," he asked stalling. He refused to back down from her. He was the Wolverine, dammit, and he was not going to fall to pieces just because Rogue decided to go all animalistic on him.
"Oh, it's crossed my mind a few times," she said lightly. Her voice was lower and the way she was pressing her body against his and looking at him with those hungry eyes left little doubt as to what she meant. For what seemed like the millionth time in the past hour, the scene in Rogue's mind flashed through Wolverine's head. This new bestial side of Rogue was turning him on and Wolverine felt his control slipping. Desperately he said the first thing that came to his mind.
"Damn, darlin' looks like you took on more of Sabretooth's characteristics than I thought."
The second the words were out of his mouth, Wolverine regretted them. Rogue's face contorted in shock and hurt and her body jerked away from him like she'd been burned. Wolverine struggled to say something to calm her down, but his tongue was tied and he couldn't think of anything to say. He lifted his hand, but Rogue backed up off the bed. Without a word she walked to the door and jerked it open. For the second time that night, the door to Wolverine's room slammed shut.
* * *
The Professor rubbed his temples as Jean sat in front of his desk. She had come storming into his office fifteen minutes ago raging on about Rogue. He sighed.
"Jean, you know that one of our goals here is to help mutants learn to control their abilities. If Rogue has gained control over her powers, she is to be congratulated, not penalized."
"Professor, I am not arguing with that. You know that I believe in your dream and I've worked very hard here to help other mutants with their powers." Jean protested. "I'm simply saying that I find it strange that Rogue just suddenly woke up with control of her powers."
"Why does that concern you so?" Xavier asked tiredly.
Jean sat forward. "Professor a little while ago I was talking with Wolverine and Rogue entered the room. She became agitated, very quickly, and used her powers on me. I assumed it had been an accident, but then she touched me again without opening the transfer. Obviously, she had the control and either chose not to use it, or her control is hit and miss."
Xavier noticed the slight bruising on Jean's cheek and tactfully refrained from inquiring as to how Rogue had used her powers.
"What do you suggest we do, Jean?"
"I want to question Rogue about her control. I'm not sure it's safe for her to be running around the school like a loose cannon. Someone could be hurt. And what about her eyes?" she added. "Her eyes look like a cat's. They used to be normal."
"Jean, you know I do not like to discuss the private business of my students with others. However, I will say that it is entirely possible that Rogue's control over her powers my have been affected by her recent ordeal."
Jean furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't understand, Professor."
Xavier shook his head. "I'm sorry, Jean, but I cannot discuss Rogue's personal business with you. If she chooses to divulge that information, I will certainly let you know."
Jean was about to argue when the phone on Xavier's desk rang. Xavier turned away and answered the phone. For several moments he listened quietly.
"I understand."
Jean waited patiently for him to relay the information to her. She could tell by the expression on his face that it was serious.
"Jean, contact Cyclops and the others and have them meet me in the War Room. I'm afraid there has been a change of plans concerning the Mutant Registration Headquarters."
"What do you mean, Professor?" Jean asked, after she had sent a mental message to Cyclops and the others.
"Apparently, they are preparing to move their operation to another locale. We cannot take the chance of losing them. The information they have gathered on mutants must be dealt with tonight."
Jean was solemn. The X-Men had been keeping an eye on the Mutant Registration Headquarters for some time now and they had been trying to find a peaceful way to destroy the program's files without drawing attention to themselves or risking any lives unnecessarily. Unfortunately now that they were moving away, it looked like an attack on the complex was the only option left. Of course a quick in and out procedure would be attempted, but Jean knew as well as the Professor that the building was heavily guarded. This was not going to be easy.
Jean stood up and was about to leave when the door to the Professor's office swung open and an agitated looking Rogue stormed in.
"Ah'm goin' with you," she said shortly.
"Rogue, what are you--?"
"Don't bullshit me, Jean. Ah heard you both from the hallway, you're gonna hit the Mutant Registration Headquarters."
"How could you have heard that? Was you ear pressed against the door?" Jean demanded, irritated at the younger woman's gall. Besides, she added to herself, no one mentioned an attack out loud.
"Not that it's any of your business, but mah hearing seems to have gotten a lot better since Ah woke up. And don't expect me to believe that your "plans concerning the Mutant Registration Center" include a nice public discussion."
"Rogue," the Professor cut in smoothly. "What Jean means is that you are a guest here. It would not be our place to endanger—"
"Do you have any idea how many times Ah've done this kinda thing?" she asked harshly. "Ah've been breaking into places, stealing information, and deleting files since Ah was thirteen." She looked Xavier in the eye. "Ah'm goin'," she said simply.
Just then Wolverine burst into the room. "Going where?"
Xavier and Jean turned their attention to Wolverine as he stormed into the room and stood facing Rogue.
"Rogue where are you going?"
"It's none of your damn business, Wolverine. Ah don't have to explain mahself to you."
"The way your mind works, even I would be old and gray before you could explain yourself to me!"
"Then Ah won't even try," Rogue shot back. She whipped around to face Jean. "Ah'll be in the War Room."
"The War Room? What the hell for?" Wolverine asked loudly.
"To be debriefed," Rogue responded hotly. "Now get outta mah way."
"You're going on a mission with the X-Men?" Wolverine shouted incredulously.
"Ah told you, it's none of your damn business!"
"The hell it isn't, I'm not gonna sit here and watch you trapise off with the Peace Corp, I'm coming with you."
"The hell you are!" Rogue shot out, stalking out the door.
Wolverine roared in frustration before going after her, slamming the Professor's door behind him.
Jean stared at the door in silence. Then she turned back to the Professor.
"Professor—"
"They're going with you, Jean. See that they're debriefed."
"Professor, you can't be serious. Look at them! They can barely control their tempers with each other, who knows how volatile they'll be on a field mission."
"I dare say they are both quite experienced with this sort of thing, Jean. I believe that in the moment they will be as professional as any member of our team. I certainly do not want to deny them the chance to participate in a worthy cause."
Jean felt a retort come to her mind, but she remained silent. Leaving the Professor's office, she went to meet the others in the War Room.
* * *
That night Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Rogue, and Wolverine were all lined up outside the fence to the Mutant Registration center. Rogue and Wolverine were side by side, neither one speaking or looking at the other.
"All right," said Cyclops. "Jean, you stay here and maintain a psychic link with the rest of us. If we get separated, I want to know everyone's okay. Storm, you stay with Jean and give us a cloud of fog. We need to get as close as we can without being seen."
The two women nodded and Cyclops moved forward. Silently, Wolverine and Rogue fell in behind him. A blanket of fog rolled over them as Storm used her powers to cloak them from view. When they reached the fence's perimeter, Cyclops nodded to Jean. Jean nodded and focused all of her attention on Cyclops, Wolverine, and Rogue. One by one she used her telekinesis to lift them over the fence. Once they were over, Cyclops stood up and turned to make sure Rogue and Wolverine were with him. They both nodded and he turned to Rogue.
"All right, Rogue. Do your thing." It was clear from his tone of voice that he didn't approve of 'her thing.' Still, he had to admit that it was the easiest way to get the information they needed and, as the Professor had pointed out, it wasn't his place to say who's powers could be used and who's couldn't.
Rogue didn't even turn around. She moved carefully towards the guard's building. and Wolverine both began to creep towards the fence. Wolverine couldn't help but notice the grace Rogue was moving with. She'd been good before, the first job he'd been on with her had impressed him. She had been quiet and stealthy, but it had been the kind of stealth that you got from training. Now she moved with an almost careless grace, like a cat. A chill ran over Wolverine's skin as he realized that the grace he saw now was just one more of Sabretooth's influences that were now a permanent part of Rogue.
Soon, Rogue returned. She had the keys to the Mutant Registration building.
"Their file cabinets are in a room on the second floor," she reported. "The building has a night staff of eight men. Four patrol the grounds and the other three are inside."
"That's only seven. You said there were eight."
Rogue looked at him with a deadpan expression. "There *were* eight. Now there's seven. The eight one is in mah head now. He'll be back with us in a couple of hours."
Cyclops rolled his eyes. Fortunately his visor made him the only one who knew that.
"All right, let's go."
With Rogue in the lead, they made it to the front door of the building in record time. Thanks to the guard's memories, Rogue knew when and where the others made their rounds. Soon they were inside. As they stepped in, Cyclops moved to resume the lead. As one Wolverine and Rogue spoke out.
"Wait."
Cyclops looked at them in confusion. Rogue spoke up first.
"Laser beams. We walk a few more feet and they'll set off the alarm."
"How do you know that?" Cyclops asked bewildered.
"We can smell them," Wolverine said quietly.
Rogue avoided his eyes and just nodded. Cyclops sighed and looked around for another way. His eyes landed on a pipe running along the ceiling of the hallway. Wolverine followed his gaze.
"Those pipes won't hold me." He turned to Rogue. Without a word, he folded his hands and lifted her up to get a hold on the pipe. Once again moving with stolen grace, Rogue went hand over hand down the pipe. Cyclops and Wolverine lost sight of her when she turned a corner, but a few minutes later there was a short buzz and Rogue came walked back towards them.
"Ready?"
The two men nodded and soon they were all on their way to the file room. They reached the door and Rogue used the guard's keys to get them inside. A single computer was in the middle of the room and the wall was lined with filing cabinets. Rogue immediately headed for the computer while Cyclops and Wolverine attacked the files. Rogue had finished corrupting the files on the computer and Wolverine and Cyclops were halfway through the files, when alarms went off loudly around the complex. All three of them jerked their heads up at the sound.
"What the hell is that?" Wolverine shouted.
"Something else must have set off the alarms!" Rogue yelled, shutting down the computer.
Cyclops sent a mental call out to Jean. A few seconds later he was all business as he opened fire on the rest of the filing cabinets with his optic blasts.
"No use being subtle now. Jean says a huge robot just showed up outside. It's heading right for us."
No words were needed as all three of them rushed out of the room. Shouts sounded down the hall as they were met with oncoming personnel. The room was in a corner and there were two hallways going away from it, both blocked by armed men. Before Cyclops could give an order, Wolverine roared and leapt at the guards rushing towards them. Cyclops swore in frustration and turned his optic blasts on the others. Amid the shouting and screaming, Rogue felt a surge of adrenaline and her body seemed to take on an instinctual life of its own. Leaping at a guard that had made it past Cyclops, she ducked and brought her arms up hard under his weapon. Seconds later, she was the one with the weapon. It wasn't long before the guards were no longer a concern.
Wolverine heaved as his body healed his wounds and he was left with a battle high. Together, they all raced to leave the building. As soon as they were out of the door, they all looked up in shock. Storm was circling in the sky, using lightening to keep a three story robot from gaining ground towards the building. Wolverine took off to help her. It seemed like slow motion as the robot turned its attention towards him.
"Wolverine, look out!" Jean screamed.
She was too late as a laser shot out of the robots hand, hitting Wolverine and knocking him to the ground. Cyclops sent an optic blast towards the robot, severing its arm. Storm hit it with all she had, ice freezing its circuitry. Still the robot didn't fall. Fortunately they seemed to have done enough damage to hurt it. A large roar sounded as the robot activated jets in its feet and lifted into the sky. Straightening out, it flew off.
"Wolverine!" Cyclops yelled. He ran over to his fallen comrade. Wolverine still wasn't moving. The men from the compound were still running around and Cyclops made a quick decision. Throwing Wolverine over his shoulder, he ran with him to the Blackbird. The fence had already been destroyed and Rogue was right behind him as the X-Men all boarded the jet. Taking off, they started back towards the mansion as Wolverine was laid on an emergency bed.
Rogue stood next to Wolverine, one of his hands in hers as he came around.
"Damn tin watchmen. Anyone get the license on that bucket of bolts?"
"Wolverine," Cyclops said in relief. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, One-Eye," Wolverine grumbled.
"Prove it. Follow a train of thought, out loud," Cyclops insisted.
Wolverine glared at him. "A cyclops is a one-eyed monster. One-eyed monster is slang for dick. Cyclops is a dick."
There was a moment of silence as the women tried not to laugh.
Cyclops looked at Wolverine for a long moment. Finally, he nodded. "Okay."