Rogue watched in horror as Logan's eyes went wide as he dropped to the floor. Her mouth hung open as Belladonna became visible behind the man's limp form, a splatter line of crimson blood dotting her shirt. There was a look on the young woman's face that Rogue hadn't seen yet. Her gray eyes were cold, unmoving, unfazed. Her face was twisted into an expression that can only be labeled as utter contempt. There wasn't a trace of remorse visible anywhere. Rogue's heart started beating again as 'Donna strode over to where Remy lay limp on the floor.

"Wha…what the hell did you do?" Rogue spluttered, her eyes glued to Logan's lifeless body. 'Donna snorted under her breath as she shook Remy by the lapel's of his coat, trying to bring him around.

"Rogue, you are entirely too trusting," she said coolly. "He was just trying to get close to you."

"He wasn't," she shot back, still in shock on the floor. "You don't know him!"

"And you do?" Belladonna asked, glancing up from Remy. Gray eyes met green in a silent battle of wills, neither backing down.

"Yes!" the runaway declared finally. "Logan's not like that."

"He stalked you halfway across the country, tried to impale Remy, and then came after you. You even believed he was out to get you for a minute there, Sugh'. So tell me Rogue, what exactly is he like?" 'Donna's voice was dripping in contempt as she spoke. And she left no space in between words for a reply. Good thing too, because Rogue had no answer for her, just a feeling that Logan was really out to help her.

SMACK

"C'mon, you wort'less thief, get up!" Bella hollered at the Cajun, slapping him sharply across the face. The result was a low moan from Remy as his head stopped flopping limply about.

"Wha-what happen'?" he asked groggily, staring up a Bella who had her hand raised to smack him again. Both his hands shot up defensively.

"Whoa, whoa!" he yelped. "Ah'm up! No more knocking 'round da thief and….oh shit!" he scrambled to his feet, suddenly remembering where he was and what had been going on. He whirled crazily. "'Da wild man? Where is he - oh!" He spied Logan's lifeless body on the floor. Then he spied the knife. "Is he?"

"Oh yeah," 'Donna answered with far too much enthusiasm, "Ah made sure Ah hit the artery. He's dead."

But Rogue wasn't so sure. As the conversation continued in the background behind her, mostly consisting of 'Donna berating Remy about sending a thief to do an assassins job, she tuned out, all her senses focused on Logan. She thought back to the car accident, when they'd first been attacked in Canada. Logan's head…he'd had a cut. At the time she'd thought that maybe she'd only imagined seeing such things, but now she was almost positive it had happened.

She'd watched him heal himself, good as new.

Of course, this was more than just a little flesh wound like that. And she had no idea if Logan could resurrect himself as well as heal but, God willing, she hoped he could. So Rogue didn't move, not wanting to alert 'Donna to her possible oversight, but she strained her eyes. Did his chest just move then, or was it her exhausted eyes playing tricks on her? No, it had to have been…

"Well, den dat's one down, two more ta go," Remy said. That brought Rogue's attention back to the room's other two occupants in a hurry. She found herself on her feet, but not by her own will.

"You mean there's more?" she demanded, speaking to Remy for the first time since he gained consciousness. He nodded slowly, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck and the large bruise there.

"Yeah, two more, aside dis one," he said, giving Logan's limp foot a good kick. "D'others are women, from what Ah managed ta find out." He turned and shot Rogue an unpleasant look. "Dere, dat's mah explanation. Now's your turn, Rogue, startin' wit who da heck dis maniac is." Rogue looked away, unable to meet both suspicious looks that her companions were throwing her way. Thrusting her hands into her pockets, she shuffled her feet back and forth.

"Remy, I ran away from home eight months ago. Did you know that? It's been eight months since I've seen my family, eight months since I almost killed my boyfriend, eight months since this whole mess began. I left with seventy three dollars to my name. And, trust me, that doesn't go that far in the world today. I spent most of it on a train ticket that took me from Mis," she stopped short. "Well, from my home to Vancouver. After that the real fun started. I was living hand to mouth, sleeping in alleys and bus stops. I would beg for food, crawling across cities, and hitch with anyone who'd stop." She took a shaking breath, and was grateful when no one interrupted her tale. Fighting to hold in the emotions, she ventured on. "I was trying to get to Anchorage, thought I might be able to find some temp. work up there, try and rebuild my life. But…getting there wasn't, well…as easy as it sounded. I got stuck in the middle in nowhere, with little more than the clothes on my back. And that's when Logan found me." She gestured briefly to the figure on the floor for emphasis, but not long enough to draw attention to the knife that no longer seemed embedded as deeply in the man's neck. "We found each other actually. He…well, it's a long story. Short version is he gave me a lift and, well, helped me out. I'd," she faltered again, this time unsure if she'd be able to continue. But there was a pressing need burning in her brain now, a need to once and for all get this off her chest. To pour all her pain out for the world to see, so it'd no longer be her cross to bear.

"Rogue…" Remy stared, coming over towards her, concern plain on his bruised face. She stuck both hands out in front of her, warding him off.

"No! Let me finish," she ordered, and Remy fell back into place beside 'Donna. Rogue took a shaky breath. "He was the only other mutant I'd ever met before and, for once, I felt like I wasn't quite so alone anymore. Like…there was someone out there who'd understand me. But that was all short lived. We were attacked on the road by some," she shook her head sadly. "I don't know what. An animal or a monster or a mutant, but whatever it was, he had it out for us. Logan tired to hold him off, but he was too strong. He nearly killed us both."

"We were rescued by this group called the X-Men. They were mutants too and they had this, this school, this haven for children with mutant powers like ours. It was a utopia the likes of which I'd never imagined," she continued, her voice growing faint and reminiscent. "It seemed so perfect…I was happy." She looked 'Donna and Remy in the eyes and they were shocked to find tears welling there. "I was accepted…I thought."

"So why'd you leave?" 'Donna interjected, obviously impatient. "Why leave all that behind?" Rogue, standing across the room, wrapped her arms around herself, like a child trying to ward off the demons in her dreams. Remy fought down the urge to run comfort her, but part of him knew what she was going through, and painful as it was to watch, he knew she had to go it alone.

Had to finish it once and for all.

"'Cause I almost killed someone…again. And, well, they didn't want me around anymore. No one did. So I took off…again," she sighed deeply and tightened her hold around herself. "I'm…I'm better off on my own." Rogue shrugged. "You know the rest."

The room was filled with utter silence that seemed to go on forever. Rogue had nothing more add to her tale, and neither Remy nor Belladonna had any idea what to say after a story like that. The quiet seemed to say it all. Hesitantly, Remy took a step forward. When Rogue made no move to stop him, he approached faster. Slowly, he snaked his arm around her, and pulled her tight against his shoulder. It was strangely reminiscent of the way the duo had arrived at this apartment. And it felt right.

"Ah'm sorry Rogue," he whispered gently to the girl's down-turned head. "Ah had no ideah." She sniffled lightly and squirmed slightly under his arm.

"S'all right," she murmured. "No one's ever asked."

"You saved mah life back dere, chere. Ah owe ya one, ya know?" She shifted again.

"No," she countered, glancing up at him fleetingly. "We're even now."

"Ahem!"

Both sets of eyes flew across the room and looked at the pouty 'Donna who stood, hands on her hips, glaring at the pair.

"Ah hate ta break up da Kodak moment an' all, but Ah still got more questions dat need answering. Like why you t'ought dis Logan guy was trying to kill you after all da stand up tings you jus' told us 'bout him?" Remy glared at her sharply from behind his glasses.

"Ya wanna lay off fer a second, 'Donna?" he shot, sharply. Belladonna glared right back.

"No, I won't lay off Remy," she fumed. "You two jus' tore apart the on'y home Ah got left and dere's a dead guy wit claws lying on mah floor. Now dis was not part of da deal so Ah want an explanation! Why'd you tink dis nut was tryin' to kill you?"

"'Cause," Rogue replied with more moxy than she felt, "the guy at the school? The one I almost killed? That was," she said, but trailed off as she saw all the color drain from Bella's face and her jaw drop. As she raised a shaking hand, pointing at something behind embracing pair, a gruff voice said,

"-Me. The one she almost killed was me."

A/N: I know, I know. You guys can beat me with blunt objects all you want but that won't make up for the huge delay in updates, so can I just apologize and move on? Okay, I'm sorry. There, that better? Good. Now, for the actual A/N. This chapter threw me for a huge loop, mostly because what 'Donna did last chapter, wasn't supposed to happen. I know, my characters have taken over, once again. So, I had to put her on time-out for a while I worked on a new chapter 10. And then I had too much so I had to split this up into two, shorter chapters. So yes there are more of these coming and thank you for being patient. Now REVIEW and, never fear, next chapter should flow a little smoother. Long live ROMY!