Epilogue

            "Hey Stripes."

            Rogue turned her head slightly.  After Mystique had left, Kurt found Rogue passed out from exhaustion in the cave.  He had then teleported over to the others.  Rogue smiled as she watched Logan enter the Med Lab.  She had been here for two days, Hank refused to let her leave even though with Sabertooth's healing powers she was fine.  Every hour Logan would visit her, sneaking her candy and soda, then leave.  Rogue had come to really enjoy his company, even look forward to it.

            "Hi Logan.  Whatcha bring me?"

            "Well, nothing actually," Rogue faked a pout, "I figured you might like to go pick out your own food.  Hank said you could go."

            "Really!  Oh, thank god!  I was really starting to go crazy in here."

            "Don't get to excited, we start you training tomorrow night.  Here's your new ring.  Don't really know what happened to the last one.  Well, I've got training with the recruits, I'll see you at dinner."

            "Thanks Logan," as he left Rogue suddenly remembered, "Hey wait.  Can I ask you something?"

            "Sure, what is it?"

            Rogue blushed and looked away, this was going to be uncomfortable, "What ever happened between you and Ororo?  Kitty told me that you guys have been spending a lot of time together.  Did you get it straightened out?

            Logan cleared his throat, "Well, we talked, but never reached an official decision."

            "What's that mean?"

            "Well, lets just say we found a better way of working it out.  Later, Stripes."

            "Oh my…Logan!  Your sick, corrupting my fragile mind like that!"

            A few moments later, Rogue was sitting out in the gardens.  The sun washed over her, warming her cold arms.  Around her, the fountains bubbled and birds sang.  Everything was so peaceful, so calming.  Unfortunately, worry started to cloud Rogue's mind.  Mystique said that she would be coming back, but so far there had been no sign of her.  Did Mystique even survive?  She had been pretty beat up when Rogue had last seen her.  Maybe she didn't make it.

            A sudden sound of laughing broke though Rogue's thoughts, "Hey Rogue!  Hank finally let ya go?"  Kitty yelled.

            Rogue glanced at the people in front of her.  Kitty, Kurt, Scott, Jean, Sam, Roberto, Ray, Bobby, Amara, Jubilee, Rahne, and Jamie all stood there smiling and laughing.  Rahne was in her wolf form, trying to balance a basketball on her nose with the help of Jamie and Bobby.  Amara, Jean, and Jubilee were pulling their hair into a ponytail while Sam, Roberto, and Ray stood nearby, flirting unmercifully.

            "Yeah, just got out.  What y'all doing?"

            "Going to play basketball.  Want to play? asked Scott.

            "Ya," laughed Bobby, "The girls can use as much help as they can get!"

            "And if you play, the teams will be even," added Jamie, "I don't really like basketball, so I'm not playing.  Jean said I could be the referee!"

            "Sure, I'll play," said Rogue.  There would be plenty of time to worry about Mystique later, but now Rogue was going to have fun.  And wipe the smug looks of those boy's faces.

            Away in the distance, Mystique watched.  Very soon she would have to act.  Soon she would have to wipe the happy look off her daughter's face.  But not now.  For now, Rogue would be happy.  Mystique smiled, then turned into a bird and flew away.