Review Response:

Raye: Sorry it took so long

animechix666: The oz man does indeed rock. i'm glad you like it and i hope this is up to scratch.

Ladygreensleevsed: Cookies yummy enjoy.

ishandahalf: I'm glad it intrigues you anyway at least no-one seems repulsed so far any way, funnily enough alot of people seem to like vampires and x-men.

darklight989:I'm a total romy fanatic too their just perfect...just don't expect her to fall head over heels right away she's stronger then that. Your a sweetheat i'm so flattered.

Realtfarraige: Thanks for bein my beta bitch i owe you a cookie.

baby12: i got there eventually.

blondsquirrel: I really really hope this is worth the wait, but this chapter was not coperating.

To anyone else: So sorry this took so long, but the whole explanation thing was not working. Then i got ideas for two more stories and it was really sunny. I'm Irish anyone who knows our weather knows we have to make the most of it while it lasts. Not to mention the fact that myfloppy disk committed suicide...along with all my work. Anyway thats my excuse i'm trying to be faster with my updates. Really. if anyone has any suggestions for the story feel free to let me know i'm at a bit of a loose end right now. Anyway on with the show...

It wasn't the steady stream of sunlight hitting his closed eyelids that woke Wolverine, neither was it the equally steady pounding in his head although that did nothing to improve his mood. It was the fact that he wasn't in his room at the institute. The more he woke, the more he remembered and the worse his mood became. The mission. They had been sent to the docks to see what the Scarlet Witch and Pyro were up to. It was the first time either of them had been heard from in years, not even Gambit or Colossus had heard from Pyro and two insane mutants loose in the city was not his idea of a good time. Everything had been going fine then Kitty found Pyro wandering round and he had found Wanda what he hadn't expected was to find Rogue with her so he hung back and heard the tail end of a really bizarre conversation. They regrouped and followed the three of them into the city to some club where he had been forced to listen to some crappy music. He had been about to approach Rogue and Wanda while they were on the dance floor with some brunette but then they had spotted Gambit and fled. He had then followed them out some side door to the club and then… nothing. No matter how hard he concentrated he couldn't remember what happened next or how he got here or where he was and where the others were.

Wolverine growled and gave up trying to figure out what happened in favour of examining his surroundings. He was lying in a comfy double bed in a sparsely furnished room. The walls were painted a cheerful yellow and there was a closet and dresser opposite the bed. He could see the city from the window to his left, so he was still in the city that could prove useful if he managed to get out. There were two doors into the room, one to the left of the bed by the window but all that led to was a bathroom. If Logan didn't know better he would say he was in some hotel. This day was getting weirder and weirder and he was only awake for five minutes. He made his was towards the door that obviously led out of the room. He debated about just letting his claws out and reducing the door to splinters, which would have made him feel better if nothing else but he didn't know enough of the situation yet. For all he knew they might not even be prisoners, even in his head he couldn't say that without sarcasm. He reached out and twisted the handle not actually expecting it to open, which would account for why he just stood there blinking.

Whatever he was expecting on the other side of the door, nothing could have prepared him for what was actually there. Mystique, Magneto, heck even Trask and his wanna-be goons, those he could handle, he knew what to expect… but three teenage girls, someone upstairs had to be laughing their ass off. He blinked owlishly for a few moments just to be sure but the three girls stayed sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the doorway looking up at him. The three looked completely different; Wolverine wouldn't have put them in the same room alone for long. One girl looked about 15 had cropped hair dyed bright purple and pixie features she was wearing an old pair of jeans and sneakers and a white tank top. She was painting the nails of a black girl who looked about 17 and was dressed in leather pants and a fitted khaki green t-shirt. She had multiple piercings and tattoos and her curly hair was confined by a black headband. The third girl looked like your stereotypical rich kid. She was leaning up against the opposite wall flicking through some fashion magazine. She had long chestnut hair confined in a braid; she was dressed in expensive jeans and in a pink Hello Kitty t-shirt. Nope, Wolverine couldn't think of any situation that would bring these three together.

The black girl gazed up at him removing her attention from her purple haired friend, who was just as oblivious to the door's opening as the rich kid. Logan had to force himself not to growl a challenge and bring out his claws as she surveyed him. He knew that look he'd given and received that look more times than he could remember. It was a look that sized up a potential enemy… or victim. What the hell had Rogue gotten herself into that she was around teenagers that watched people like that, as if they were predators?

As quickly as it had been there the hard look passed out of the young girl's brown eyes. Her face didn't betray any emotion neither did her voice as she simply stated, "You're awake." She went back to watching the purple haired girl finish up painting her last toe a sparkly blue colour.

"Finally! I thought you were going to sleep all day." The brunette closed the magazine determinedly and got to her feet impatiently. "What are we waiting for? C'mon people, hustle."

The purple haired girl looked up at Logan with a bright grin and rolled her eyes as she too got to her feet. "You'll have to excuse her the only time she stays still without complaining is when she's unconscious." This got her a snort of amusement from the dark skinned girl and a glare from the girl in question. "Names Becca, miss impatience over there is Lauren and this is Juliet."

"Great now where am I? Where are the rest of my people?" A familiar 'snikt' accompanied these questions. Logan tried to step through the doorway and for some reason found himself flying backwards through the air and leaving a sizable dent in the wall as he fell in a slump on the floor.

"Now that wasn't very nice." Logan glared up at the three girls standing outside the door and not a one of them appeared happy.

Lauren spoke up next her tone leaving him in no doubt that she was pissed. "Xander's gonna kill us, that's the fifth time this month."

Logan got to his feet and cautiously made his way towards them, stopping just short of the door. He took a slow breath and tried to control his temper. "Where's my team and Rogue? Who's in charge here?"

"You'll find out soon enough, girls you're free to go and don't worry bout Xand just tell him you're having girl problems and watch him run."

Logan's head snapped up at the familiar voice of the Scarlet Witch. She joined the three girls and Pyro came up behind her grinning insanely. Juliet shot a suspicious glance at Wolverine, "You sure Wanda? We can hang on if ya need us."

"No, I've got it covered Jules but thanks, he's not gonna try anything stupid. At least until he sees Rogue anyway." Wanda threw him a not so nice knowing grin at the last part. She was right he couldn't do anything until he knew the score and that meant playing along, at least for now.

Juliet seemed to accept this and gave Wanda a grateful smile and joined Becca and Lauren. "Ok, if you're sure. Thanks. Bye John."

"So long Sheila and g'luck with the presentation you'll slay 'em… figuratively speakin' o' course." Wanda just rolled her eyes and smacked him over the head as the three girls ran off laughing.

"Ow Wanda what was that for?" Pyro glared at the black haired witch indignantly.

"For the stupid pun, you deserved it." She turned to Logan and crossed her arms. "Guess you're looking for some answers huh?"

"That would be nice."

Wanda ignored the oh so obvious sarcasm and put her hand on the barrier to his room and called up her powers. The doorway flashed blue and the glow disappeared. Wanda brushed her hand off her pants then started walking down the hallway with Pyro following. "You comin'?"

Logan stepped carefully through the doorway but when nothing happened he caught up with the retreating mutants. "Ya wanna tell me what's going on?"

Wanda didn't even pause while Pyro threw back a "Nope."

"If you've hurt stripes..." He left the threat hanging, but all it got him was a hyena laugh from Pyro as Wanda ignored them both.

Wanda led them down a corridor where an elevator was waiting down at the end. They passed a couple more girls on their way down the corridor, they all looked like kids and while they ignored him a few greeted Wanda and Pyro. They entered the elevator and Pyro pushed the button for the 3rd floor, they were on the 15th.

The elevator came to a halt and they got out as the doors slid back. Wolverine caught a glimpse of tables through a crack in a door they were passing, obviously some kind of dining room. The elevator next to the one they just used dinged and some more girls got off, clearly only getting in now, some were limping or injured in some way or other but nothing serious. Where the hell were they and what the hell was going on? They went through another door into a room that reminded Logan strongly of the rec- room back at the institute.

"Mr. Logan."

The other x-men were in the room. Kitty hurled herself into his arms. Kurt looked up from investigating a pile of video games next to a very expensive looking entertainment centre. There were numerous cd's and dvd's lying around as well. Scott and Jean were sitting together on one of the many sofas neither seemed comfortable with the situation. Storm walked towards him from where she had been standing by an unconscious Bobby.

"What happened to ice-boy?"

Wanda answered before any of the x-men had a chance to get a word in. "The moron decided to attack Lisa while she was bringing him down here. He's lucky all his limbs are still attached."

Bobby, of course, chose that moment to return to the land of the living. "Ugh man. What happened? I feel like I've had a run-in with Kitty's cooking."

"Hey!" Kitty threw him a half-hearted glare. "I'd like so totally take offence to that but you've like already got punished enough." She turned her now worried face back to Wolverine. "Have you seen Colossus or Gambit?"

Logan shook his head, "Sorry half-pint, they brought me straight here."

"What's going on Logan? What is this place?"

Logan glanced to Jean. "Not sure red, hopefully we'll be gettin' some answers soon."

"Well if y'all take a seat we can make with the answers."

Every single member of the x-men froze when they heard that voice, it had been nearly four years since they last heard it. Kurt came over in a daze and Logan and Kitty slowly turned to face her half afraid she wouldn't be there. "Rogue is it really you?"

She was still there with a group of people that they didn't recognise, and some more of the teenage girls were bringing up the rear with Gambit and Colossus.

Rogue's expression softened as she turned her gaze on her 'brother'. "Sure is brother maine."

It was if her words broke a spell. Kitty and Kurt hurled themselves at her not even thinking about her mutation only that their friend and sister was back. All three were laughing and crying at the same time as everyone else watched.

Rogue had been tired and irritated… very irritated. She was out of bed an hour all ready and she was already wishing she could tell the world to go to hell and just crawl back under the covers, there was also the fun ache niggling at the back of her head that was threatening to turn into a monumental, yup all that combined to make a not so happy Rogue.

After they had dragged the unconscious x-men back to the apartment building, yes the North American Headquarters of the International Watchers Council or the IWC was a luxury apartment complex, although modified to suit them they had separated them into different empty apartments and set some girls to watch them till they woke. By the time that was finished and she had made a mental note to tell Logan to loose some weight, adamantium laced bones mah ass, it was well after five. She made her way back to her apartment and slept for exactly one hour and forty seven minutes before one of the girls, Mandy or something came knocking to say everyone was awake and not happy.

Now she was sitting in the rec-room cradling a cup of coffee all her irritation melted away as she sat there surrounded by her old and new team-mates and family, all looking at her for answers. Well the x-men were, the scoobies were here for moral support and Wanda and John were here because well the PTB's only knew why they were here, probably to screw the x-men's head. Rogue had to suppress a smirk at that, just the thought of Scott or Logan having to cope with them on a regular basis was pretty laughable. The two were sharing a large armchair, Wanda reading a book while John attempted to master the "Where's Waldo" book one of the girls got him for Christmas, it was now June.

"So Stripes ya gonna let us in on what the hell is goin on here?" Rogue turned to face Logan a small smile on her face for the feral mutant. He was trying and failing to remain calm Rogue could see the tell tale signs that he was about to snap if he didn't get answers soon, mainly the now purple vein throbbing on his neck.

"First ya answer a few questions o' maine. Then I'll tell ya everythin ya wanna know."

"Why should we?" Scott's tone was not very accommodating he sat there arms crossed, presumably glaring through his visor. He wasn't taking the whole we got all the cards and you don't so you better do as your told thing well. Guess some things never change.

Fortunately Faith decided to jump in saving Rogue from having to deal with mr. spoiled brat. "Well kid," oh he just loved that, "Your gonna answer our questions first cos as you found out last night we can and will beat the crap outta ya and there's the fact that your not leaving this building till Rogue's satisfied with your answers and red ya try digging round my head once more and it will be the last thing ya do."

Jean had the grace to look embarrassed and wilt under the brunette slayer's gaze.

Logan's face was unreadable. "That so Stripes?"

Rogue wished she could say she trusted them but there were too many lives at stake for that and she would do everything in her power to protect her sisters.

"Sorry Logan, ah trust ya, ya know that but there's too much at stake to be careless with this kind of information and we have to be sure it won't fall into the wrong hands. First why were ya following us last naight?"

"Chuck gotta read on the fire bug and Scarlet over there, wanted us to check it out, maybe get them to join us if they were up for it."

"So ya weren't trackin Magneto or anyone else?

"Nah Scarlet's dad's been pretty quiet lately just some pranks by the brother hood."

"Hey just because the guy donates some sperm at the time of my conception it does not make him my dad." Wanda didn't even raise her head from the book she was reading but everyone could here the warning in her voice and knew better then to force the issue.

"How about evil biological sperm donator then?" Rogue grinned as Wanda nodded absently and went back to her book, while rogue got back to the interrogation. "That doesn't explain why Swamp Rat and Metal man decided to put in an appearance, are the professor and magneto makin naice or something?"

"What th' matter chere y' no' trust Gambit an' Colossus?"

Rogue shot Gambit her infamous death glare causing Bobby who was near him to gulp and scoot out of firing range. "Ya kiddin raight? Need ah remind ya that th' first taime ah met ya, ya traid ta blow mah dang hand off. Not ta mention th' taime ya decided ta kidnap meh and bring meh ta New Orleans where ah was chased bah assassins and almost got turned into gator food. So no ah don't trust ya, now shut it Bayou Boy th' grown ups are talking here."

She turned back to Logan who was trying not to laugh and waited for his answer ignoring Faith sniggering and muttering something about getting that story out of someone. He finally got himself under enough control to answer. "No its ok they're x-men now."

Rogue nodded to herself if Logan trusted them then they could, she looked over to Faith and Xander, both gave her a look that said this was her show they would follow her lead and had her back.

She looked back the x-men, Scott, Bobby, Piotr and Jean were openly confused, Logan and Remy were watching her intently, Kitty and Kurt were shifting about and avoiding making eye contact with her, and Storm well storm could stay calm in the face of pretty much anything.

"Well ah suppose ya could say ah got a new job."

Logan narrowed his eyes suspiciously "What new job would that be?"

Rogue tilted her head to one side trying to come up with the best way to phrase it. "Well ah suppose it could beh classified as extermination."

"Of what exactly?" Jeez Logan was not gonna let her off easy on this one.

"Ehm demons, vampires, supernatural vermin that sort of thing. Ah would beh what ya'd call a vampire slayer."

There was one minute of utter silence and then all hell broke loose. Rogue just sat back and let the chaos wash over her, this was part of the job that they all hated, apparently even mutants didn't take the existence of the demonically inclined well.

Three hours later, a brief overview of the last three years and the highlights of the Sunnydale years provided courtesy of Xander and Faith and everyone were caught up. There had been a few shocks like when Kitty and Kurt admitted to hacking into the IWC (International Watcher's Council) mainframe after an e-mail from Rogue had caught their interest. Rogue may have left the institute but that didn't mean that she was abandoning the people she cared about. She had sent vague e-mails every once in a while to let them know she was alright, obviously not vague enough, but all that resulted was Faith offering a very flattered Kitty and Kurt a job on the spot. In her mind anyone able to get through Willow's fire walls was better off on their side. Unfortunately now the conversation was going round in circles and Rogue was beyond bored with it.

Scott on the other hand was still having trouble accepting what was admittedly a huge shift in his perceived view of the world. He took a breath obviously having trouble about to begin another tirade, 'Ah swear he mentions evil mutant maind control once more and ah'll give him an up close and personal view o' his entrails.'

"But how can we be sure that mastermind isn't somehow involved?" 'ok that's it!'

"EVERYONE SHUT THA HELL UP NOW!" Amazingly enough it worked and Rogue took a minute to wallow in the blessed silence before continuing. "Scott foh tha last taime no-one is under any kinda maind control an if ya mention it again ah will kick ya scrawny ass six ways to next week." Scott paled at the look on her face and hastily nodded. 'at least he's got some kinda sense o' self preservation'

Jean was the first to hesitantly break the silence. "But honestly Rogue, vampires, demons, hell gods you have to admit it's a little farfetched."

Well she couldn't argue with that but apparently John could. "Ya Sheila coz runnin round in spandex foightin super mutants bent on world domination are regular everyday occurrences, Croicky get real mate. Damn it Oi still can't foind Waldo in ancient Rome." He turned to Xander and put on the puppy eyes.

"He's by the man eating lion in the gladiator arena now put the eyes away."

"Oh there he is", John grinned happily from his pillow on Wanda's lap. "Thanks you're a real mate, mate."

"There's more to this world then we will ever comprehend Scott." Everyone blinked in surprise at Storm's first input at all into the conversation. She flashed them a slight smile and continued sitting serenely. Rogue and by the expression on her face Faith would have sworn blind that the weather witch knew more then she was letting on.

But then the doors opened and everyone lost their train of thought and a small child ran into the room giggling towards Rogue.

"Mamma, mamma you home." Rogue instinctively opened her arms and tightened them around the small bundle hugging her close.

"You betcha sugah, ah promised didn't ah."

The little girl looked about five and had Asian features and long silky black hair. She suddenly noticed all the strangers in the room yelped and vanished from sight.

Rogue sighed and turned to face the once again gob smacked x-men. "So anyone feel laike breakfast?"

Pweese pweese weview even if its jus ta shut up tha baby voice...