Chapter 3

A/N: See first chapter for disclaimer and summery. Also, I pretty much ignore what happened at the end of X-Men 1, so...ha.


As the car pulled into the drive where Marie once lived, she had a sudden urge to flee. She knew it was stupid but she couldn't help it. If her own parents couldn't stand to a have a 'freak' for a daughter how would the rest of her family handle it?

"Are you sure you want to go in?" Logan asked her softly as they reached the porch. He had seen the apprehensive look on her face.

"Yeah." She whispered. She then cleared her throat and said, " I told my mama that we would go to my room and not bother anybody." Kitty had a horrified look on her face.

" We can come down to eat right?" She sounded close to begging. Marie and Jubes laughed. "Yes you can come down to eat."

Mrs. D'Ancanto was standing behind the front door and listing to her daughter's conversation and nearly laughed at Kitty. She then quickly squared her shoulders and smoothed out her dress and opened the front door.

"Would you like to come in," she asked politely. Marie nodded her head but Jubes on the other hand, "Hell yea! It's to damn hot out there. I don't know how you people don't melt on the spot."

Marie noticed that her mom looked a little taken aback at Jubes announcement. Couldn't say she wasn't surprised. Cussing wasn't allowed at home. "Jubes? Go on up to my room. It's up the stairs the third door on the left and the bathroom is the second door on the left."

Jubes nodded her head and just when she was half way up the stairs she heard Kitty's voice " Oh, thank god! I soo need a bathroom like you wouldn't believe." She knew Kitty was lying. She just wanted to give Rogue and her mom some time alone. Fat chance, As if Wolverine would ever leave her side.

At the front door there stood Mrs. D'Ancanto, Marie and Wolverine. Marie looked at her mom, "Excuse us for a minute." And she moved at her mama's 'okay'.

Marie led Logan over to a corner, "Will you please go on up to my room?" Logan shook his head. "No. I'm not leaving ya." Marie gave a small smile and put her hands on his chest and tilted her head to the side.

"Please Logan? I just want to have a word with my mother, Okay?" Unconsciously Logan's left arm wound its way around her waist with his hand at the small of her back. He shook his head. "No. I don't trust 'em. I'll stand over here while you talk to her."

Marie gave a defeated sigh and with out thought laid her head on his chest and Logan's other arm came around her. "All right. Just stand here and try not to scare everybody." Logan, thinking nobody could see them, dropped a kiss on her head.

Unknown to him a newly single Aunt in her thirties and few assorted family members were watching them, but looked away quickly was they pulled apart from the hug.

Mrs. D'Ancanto watched her daughter and this Wolverine and she felt as if she was a peeping tom. She guessed that they thought that they were far enough for her not to hear but they weren't and she could hear them. Marie called him Logan and not Wolverine, it must be a nickname. He seemed as if she was going to disappear on him and she had to wonder again what happened to her daughter the past year and a half.

Marie pulled reluctantly from the hug and walked over to her mother. "Sorry about Jubilee. It takes a while but you get used to her. Like an acquired taste." Her mother gave a small smile and said, "I guess so. I'm just not used to people talking like that."

Marie took a deep breath, "So, how are you holding up?" She had to ask that question. Even though her parents threw her out she still loved her Mama.

"I'm doin' okay. Your father and I haven't seen eye to eye in a lot of years and well, that conversation is for a later time." She said as she looked around the house full of relatives and Marie nodded her head in understanding. Living in a mansion full of mutant teenagers, children and nosy adults taught you that no matter how alone you were you are never completely alone.

Mrs. D'Ancanto cleared her throat and, "Can you tell me about your friends?" Marie shook her head, " You mean Logan don't you?" Her mother noticed the hard edge in her voice and the defensive posture she suddenly took. She quickly said, " Not just him, but the girl in yellow and the brunette."

Marie was going to answer her when she and her mother were interrupted by an Aunt and Jubes.

Jubes had called down the stairs " Oh, Rogue we have to talk about your room décor!"

Her Aunt, the newly single one: "Rose, do you mind if I use your phone?" Marie and her mother knew she was just using that as an excuse to get a closer look at Logan. Marie looked at her mother and had to fight back the urge to hug her, " I'll have to tell you that story another time." Her mother nodded her head in agreement.

Marie headed to the corner where Logan was and jerked her head in the direction of her room and as they reached the stairs he reached for her hand and linked his fingers with hers.