The Rogue

Author's Note: Okay, since it's becoming really heated, I am no longer going to show the votes, but you'll find out, sooner or later.

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Marie sat underneath a huge oak tree, hidden in the shade as Logan worked on his 'new' Ford truck. Ever since she stumbled into him, he wouldn't let her out of his sight. She had to admit to herself that she loved every minute of him being overprotective, but she had things to do.

He barely even spoke to her, nothing more than 'you feelin' fine?' or 'you hungry?' Not that she minded, she knew that he wasn't a man of words, but she was getting testy in the heat.

" Logan?"

He grunted and turned around. Marie felt a little flustered as she saw him bare-chest, and walking towards her. Logan sensed her tense and grinned amusedly.

"What is it darlin'?" he asked. He had stopped calling her kid as soon as he had arrived, the words fitting as soon as it left his lips.

" I need to talk to Scott," she whispered, knowing it would make him mad.

Logan tensed and looked at her brown eyes once more. He had kept her form her friends since she had woken up, and he knew it was selfish of him… but he just wanted to be near her.

" I'm not going anywhere, Logan," she assured, knowing what he was thinking. " I always go to Scott in the morning… its like a tradition ever since…"

Logan nodded. " I understand, darlin'… its just…" he sighed and gave up. He turned around, and propped himself up on his ford. He felt her gloved hand on his arm, and he faced her.

She smiled at him and leaned her head on his arm. He inhaled her scent and imprinted her feel against him. He stared at her longingly as she walked off towards the mansion. Towards Scott's room.

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Scott had given up his reading and had made his way towards the gym. After being told that Marie had been 'taken' by Logan, he suspected that she would be spending more time with the Canadian man.

As he laid down on the bench press, he began to wonder how he could help Marie. Scott had no idea what it felt like to have lost ten years, not even remembering anything from it. Although, he held pride in her that she still held onto her innocence and still held onto hope even after she found out about the discovery.

Scott placed the weights back on the rest and wiped the sweat off his brow. There was no denying it, the first time Scott had seen Marie… she was the most timid, shy woman covered from head to toe. She was so frail he just could not help but want to protect her from anything. Then, he saw her eyes. He had denied every bit of it, but her eyes touched his heart more than Jean ever did.

Everything about Marie glowed, and when Scott had made eye contact with her, he saw an endless light of hope and love. The night Logan had impaled her with his claws, he felt anger take over his body. He had wanted to kill Logan right then and there. No one knew that he followed Marie from her room towards Logan's, Jean thought it was just his nightly rounds around the mansion. No one suspected anything…

No one knew of his feelings for the Southern Belle. Over time, he buried his feelings deep in his mind, chanting ' I love Jean' in his mind over and over; it worked for a while… until she got caught and all hell broke loose.

" Scott!"

Scott turned towards the woman who burst in gasping for breath. He cursed silently at himself for losing himself in his own thoughts. His eyes wandered over Rogue's body as she slowly made her way towards him.

He swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes skimmed over her well-toned body. Scott had gotten to know Rogue over the months and cherished his time with her. But every morning as she exercised with him, he'd imprint her picture in his mind.

'Should I take Jubilee's advice? Should I just go for it?' he wondered, looking back at her… he suddenly had a thought. 'She deserves the world'

The 'over-protective' role that he had been, nearly 8 months ago had now changed into a sudden 'over-possessive' role.

Rogue had decided to wear the white running shoes he had bought her just last week, as well as her green training uniform but also wore a loose white shirt over it. Her hair was up in a tight bun, leaving the two platinum streaks to fall freely, framing her face.

" Hey baby. What's wrong?" Scott asked.

Rogue smiled sweetly and tried to catch her breath. She sat down next to him and placed her gloved hand on his leg.

" I went to your room for our daily 'training' an' you weren't there," she pouted cutely.

Scott laughed and shrugged. " I thought you'd be with Logan."

"I was, but as much as I love to check out his ass, I wouldn't want ya to be too lonely," she teased as she stood and placed her hands on her hips. " 'Sides… you're getting flabby."

Scott stared at her with his mouth agape and tried to feign hurt. Seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes, Marie backed away slowly, smiling slightly.

"N-now, now Sug… last time y'had t'stay at th'garage, remember?" she stammered, trying to keep calm. " 'Cuz I couldn't lift your sagging butt!"

" Sagging?! Flabby?" Scott asked dangerously.

" D-did I say Flabby?" Rogue asked innocently. " I meant FAT!"

She went into a full run and Scott was right behind her. The hallways had cleared as soon as they heard Rogue squeal. The whole mansion was used to Scott and Rogue. After months of getting used to them acting like children, they had begun to yearn for the taste of hope and innocence. They knew everything was all right when they were their usual happy selves.

Everyone in the mansion had either pitied or sympathized with Rogue and Scott. They were the only ones in the school that they felt/thought could not or would not be able to control their powers. They had not had the taste of normalcy in years, and seeing them run around like a bunch of kids made them hope again.

Many thought of Scott and Jean's break up as a great thing for Rogue and Scott. Many thought that it was great of Rogue to help cheer Scott through the heartache. None of them knew that Scott had secretly wished to find some way to break off from Jean.

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" What the Hell is going on here?" Logan asked as he heard a huge commotion in the gardens. He stopped dead in his tracks as he found Scott and Marie in a mock hand to hand combat.

" Oh the normal," Jubilee gloated. " Scott and Rogue are sparring. Who's going to win today? Any bets?"

A huge roar of answers came as soon as the word 'bet' left her mouth. Logan growled in frustration as he watched the two spar. They weren't even aware they had an audience, which made Logan quite proud of Marie.

He watched as she gracefully matched Scott's attacks blow by blow. Then, without warning, her attacks were more precise, more deadly. It was a side of her that neither Logan nor Scott had seen before.

" Baby, I think we should stop for today," Scott whispered as he managed to catch her in a tight hold behind her back.

Slowly, Marie nodded and shook her head. Confusion was clear in her eyes, and she followed Scott towards the mansion.

Logan stared at the two as they walked side by side, barely touching each other. He turned around and was faced by a grinning Jubilee.

" Face it, Wolvie. She's not the same 'kid' you left," she said, her voice low and cold.

' I should have a talk with that kid' Logan thought as Jubilee followed her friends towards the field.

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" Professor, I understand you wish to help the girl," said the blue man, named Henry McCoy. " -But… there are just too many things to think about!"

" Hank, I appreciate your concern for Rogue, but I feel like she in my own daughter. You have to understand-" Xavier said sadly. " I do not like to feel helpless when I know I can do something to help!"

Jean sat on the couch listening as the two men argued about the best solution to Rogue's problems. She had been jealous of the girl once, but after a few months of getting to know her… Jean had to admit Rogue was a fine woman. Most of the males that she had been 'stringing along' were now infatuated with the 'untouchable'.

But something about Rogue had calmed the rage in Jean. Rogue was someone she could talk to, someone she could relate to… Storm as well as her was quite astounded at how mature Rogue was…

' No wonder… she is and adult…' Jean thought. It bothered her that Rogue lost most of her life, but it didn't amaze her that she was.

" What if… what if she manages to reverse the process?" Jean asked, getting the men's attention.

" Pardon?" Hank asked.

" Well, you said that thing on her neck has somehow been sending some kind of signal to her body to keep her mutation 'on'," she explained. " Why not try to overload it?"

Xavier nodded in thought. " That could be possible… we can fry the device and surgically remove it…"

" But that brings up the memory dilemma," Hank sighed. " If we merely just take it out… it may overload her brain with ten year's worth of experiments."

Jean sighed. They weren't getting any closer to the answers. She prayed that Scott could think of something. As much as she was bitter at Rogue, Jean considered Rogue to be her sister. And right now, Rogue needs her family… not a green-eyed monster.

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Author's Note: you like? No? too bad… lol j/k! seriously though, if you think the story's too far fetched, then tell me. At least I can sway it back to somewhere remotely close to reality. Thanks a lot! Keep voting!