Title: Somtimes It Hurts (Part 2)

Author: Estonia Lockhart, or more commonly known as Gwynje

Rating: Pg-13- dark themes

Summary: Rogue is finally contacted when tragedy strikes.

A/N: I suppose you could describe this as a turning point. I plan to make this story a lot lighter as it progresses; and yes, I will be updating more frequently now that I'm home.

Feedback: Pretty, pretty please with maraschino cherries on top?

Rogue flopped onto the couch, stretching her legs over the arms. Her first real vacation in almost two years hadn't come soon enough. But, now that she had all of the extra time, she had no idea what to do with it. Reaching out to the coffee table for the remote, Rogue flicked on the t.v., peeking idly at the screen. It was daytime, so basically there was nothing but soap operas and talk shows. She pressed the off button, and leaned back as silence filled the room again.

Something cold and wet brushed against her hand, and a grin spread out across her face as she leaned over and ran her fingers through the long hair of the gray and black husky she'd been unable to resist buying as she had happened to gaze in the window at the pet store. "Hey, Logan," she said, rubbing his head affectionately. "You hungry, boy?" Pushing herself off of the couch, she walked the extremely short distance to the kitchen, and kneeled down to the ground to scoop out the kibble she kept under the sink.

Pouring the food into the bowl, she couldn't help but laugh as Logan pounced on it, chomping greedily and thanking her with a soft nudge on her palm. Buying him had been inevitable; as she'd gazed into the window at the pet shop, the puppy had been gazing back at her with his large hazel eyes. There was no way she could have ever turned her back and kept walking after seeing that. If she intended to never see the real Logan ever again, whom she assumed was could be reciting his wedding vows any moment, she might as well have something to remind her of him. But, it wasn't the same. It helped though.

Rising to her feet, Rogue flinched as the phone rang shrilly from the living room. Frowning and hoping it wasn't a marketer, she picked it up.

"Hello?"

There was a long pause, and she almost repeated the hello into the phone, when a very unexpected voice sounded on the other end.

"Hello, Rogue. How have you been?"

Rogue swallowed. "Uh- Professor Xavier. I-I- I'm doing well." She bit her lip, an immense feeling of guilt washing over her. She hadn't contacted anyone since she'd left the institute, but it was expected that Xavier would know where she lived. "H- How is everything in Westchester?"

"It's good to know that you're well, Rogue. Everyone here at the mansion has been missing you." Rogue settled herself back on the couch, leaning heavily against the back cushion.

"How is everything?" she asked again, swallowing hard. The fact that the Professor was calling her after a hiatus of two years was odd, but there had to be a reason- and the seeming hesitation to answer her question appeared to make it ominous. Closing her eyes tightly, Rogue felt her heart begin to throb in her chest. Please, let him be okay, she thought.

"Rogue," Xavier paused and Rogue braced herself. Here it comes. "There's been an accident. Logan- he's hurt badly."

"What kind of accident?" she asked, her voice scratching against her throat.

"The X-Men were on a mission, and Magneto had detonated a magnetic pull so powerful, with the pressure and density of a bomb, it blew up- so to speak. Logan... he got the brunt of it and has been in a coma for the past two weeks."

Tears slid down her cheeks involuntarily, and Rogue found it was extremely hard to breathe. "What do you want me to do?" she asked quietly, her voice small. Even though she wasn't a telepath, she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

Xavier cleared his throat. "Hank thinks it would be best if you came. You and Logan always had a special bond, and he thinks that if anyone could bring him out of this ordeal- you can." After a long pause, where Rogue tried to muffle her whimpers with her hand, Xavier added, "I have faith in you. And so does Logan. Please say you'll come."

Rogue nodded, and automatically Xavier replied, "Thank you. I'll see you in a few days." She was extremely grateful he was telepathic, and she wouldn't have to try to speak over the sobs choking her. The phone clicked softly, and it fell from her hands.

Logan blinked at her from the kitchen, and padded toward her, his ears lying flat across his head and his tail hanging between his legs. He sniffed the air, as if searching for the source for his master's pain. When nothing unusual met his nose, he nudged her tear-soaked hand, and licked the tears off of her palm. Rogue glanced down at him and cradled his muzzle between her hands. "I'm all right, Logan," she whispered, finally regaining control over her voice. "But, we're going to go on a little trip, okay boy?"

Logan wagged his tail eagerly.