Marie looked at the log cabin in dismay. "Shit, Logan, horror movies start in a place like this."

Her honest statement was rewarded with another bark of a laugh. "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, darlin'. It has running water and electricity."

They approached the squat building slowly. "And you're sure this is...legal?" She swallowed. She wanted some privacy, some time to think, but she didn't want to be killed by an insane stalker/rapist/skin-wearing horror movie monster. They had been walking for at least an hour; that meant the mansion was long gone; they were in the wilderness.

"We're still on the Prof's land. This here used to be where hunters stayed."

Realization dawned. Marie cast him a sideways glance. "You've been here before, haven't you?"

Logan caught her eyes evaluating him, ducked his head and coughed roughly. "Sometimes...when I needed to get away from the Mansion...from...things."

From seeing Jean and Scott is more like it, Marie thought, and tugged the blanket closer. He stalked to the door and shoved his weight against it. She followed him into the cabin.

This is his lair. Jesus, how many times had she thought he was running when all he was really doing was hanging out a few miles away? The entire place smells like cigars, pine and leaves and...Logan...

"Not bad," she allowed quietly as he cruised the floor, flicking on a light switch. It was smaaaaaaaaaaaaaall. The main room was a living room, library, and kitchen all in one. The pine floors appeared clean. Books were piled along the wall to the side of a well-worn couch that sat in front of a fireplace. Shelves housed dishes and a hot plate.

"Bathroom's through there; it's just a toilet, sink and shower; no fancy frills. Bedroom's in here-" Logan opened the door and stood aside as Marie poked her head through the door.

She eyed the double bed warily. After the bed and nightstand, there was about six square inches of space left in the tiny room. "Did you say bedroom or closet?"

"I know it ain't much, but...it's a quiet place to think."

Marie stood in the center of the cabin, feeling semi-alright for the first time in a long while. This was just what she needed; to be left alone, without Gambit trying to seduce her, without Kitty and Jubes pressuring her into doing something she wasn't ready for yet. She had been Rogue for so long, it would be a chance to find out who Marie was.

"Thanks Logan...this is great, really." She yawned so big it threatened to split her face in two. His image blurred as exhaustion caught up with her.

"Listen, kid, why don't you take a nap. I have to...go back...for awhile. I can get some of your stuff if you want."

"You don't-" Another yawn. "have to," Yaaaaaaaaawn. "do that," she finished. "I can get it myself later."

"Don't worry 'bout it. Just get some sleep."

Marie plodded off in the direction of the bedroom, missing the last bit of Logan's quiet direction.

"'Cause tomorrow, kid, we start your trainin'."

"I don't care what you think, Chuck, she's not comfortable here. So you can take your good intentions and-"

Logan barely managed to keep the last words inside his mouth. The Professor didn't look too happy at his refusal to coax Rogue back to the mansion. And the Wolverine was not backing down. No way.

"You do realize that she is withdrawing into herself?" Anger caused Xavier's voice to raise and lower in rapid succession. "What is real in her mind may not be the truth; she needs to see that she is welcome here, that this is her home no matter what has happened."

Logan again barely managed to restrain a growl. Barely. "You can't tell her what to feel. She needs time to figure it out."

"Hidden away from the rest of us? We cannot protect her-"

"You don't have to, bub," His voice was low and dangerous. "I'll protect her."

Xavier's brow wrinkled, but he remained silent. It was apparent even to the non-telepathic that Rogue had a pedestal in her heart and Logan was perched precariously on top of it. Yet he couldn't deny the connection between the two; ever since his X-Men rescued them years ago in Canada, there had been a bond that tied Rogue and Wolverine together. From talking with Rogue over the last few years, Xavier had learned that she had only really met Logan minutes before they were rescued by the team and brought to Westchester. Whatever had happened in those brief minutes, it had been enough to make Logan step outside his normal persona of the lone Wolverine, and become loyal protector to the girl he knew as Rogue.

I'm not gonna hurt you, kid

It's nothing personal...it's just that when people touch my skin...something happens...when they come out...does it hurt?

Every time

So what kind of a name is Rogue?

I don't know...what kind of a name is Wolverine?

My name's Logan...

Marie...

Charles Xavier rubbed his fingers across his bald pate. It was not about his personal judgment; it was about what was best for Rogue. She talked to no one more than Logan...

"Very well."

Chuck agreeing with him? It took Logan a few seconds to register the fact that the Prof wasn't going to oppose him. The desire to growl, to fight was still there, and he had to pull the rope around the Wolverine's muzzle, had to physically force his body to back away from battle mode and relax. "Well, okay then." Logan stood and headed for the door.

"Logan." Professor Xavier had one more thing to say. "Be gentle."

Logan bared his teeth, halfway between a grin and a scowl and sent his answer directly to Chuck's brain. Aren't I always?

Logan stalked out.

On his second trip through the woods behind the mansion, Logan was loaded down with three overstuffed canvas army bags. It was slow moving, and it was well after dark before he was within view of the cabin. A light shone through the crude window, and when he reached the door, he saw it was ajar.

He had left it closed.

His defenses automatically were raised, but he wasn't at Defcon One yet. He pushed inside and set the makeshift luggage down with a sigh of relief.

"Marie?"

No answer. The bedroom door was open, and she wasn't inside. The blanket she had been dragging through the forest lay in a pile in front of the fireplace.

He had left her in the middle of the woods. Sure it was Charles's property, but anyone could have wandered in, and Marie was no longer a mutant, she couldn't defend herself she could be dead and it would be all his fault-

The bathroom door creaked open and her head poked out.

"Hey. Anyone ever tell you ya have great timing?"

Logan stood, dumbly, in the center of the cabin, trying to rein in his panic. Marie. Not hurt. Marie. In the shower.

"Please tell me you brought a towel in one of those bags." Marie smiled hopefully at him, a puddle forming on the floor beneath her. "Or else I'm going to have to go outside and shake off like a dog."

Move, move, move to the bags, do something for fuck's sake, and Logan had no clue how he was going to explain the hot fear that rose in the back of his throat like bile at the thought of something happening to her.

Stiffly, he withdrew a fluffy pink towel from one of the bags. A bare arm the color of cream and still dripping from the shower reached around the door; he tossed it and she caught it deftly.

"Thanks darlin'," she drawled and shut the door, leaving Logan alone, the thudding of his heart the only sound in the room. He ran a palm over his eyes. Fuck. All he saw was one pale arm and already his heart felt like it had just run a marathon. His mind screamed at him, all the arguments and rationalizations he had for not thinking about her in that way. After a few moments of fighting it he realized he'd lost the battle. With a groan he adjusted himself and scowled. Naturally, Marie chose that moment to emerge from the bathroom in a cloud of steam and clean scent, wearing only the towel and a bright smile that she flashed in his direction as she headed for the bedroom.

His jeans suddenly became very painful. Air, he needed air.

The door was three paces away; he was at it in less than a second.

"Where are you goin?"

"Out," he growled, more animal than man, and slammed the door behind him.