Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.

Author's Notes: Hmm! Things are just starting to get complicated (not to mention long-winded; I've had to extend my chapter estimate to about eleven now). Today's feature includes one of the last pieces of internal monologue and yet another momentous step forward. Rogue is walking home – it's three in the morning. Arriving back at the Institute, she walks right by her own room in determination and seats herself down…where?

Love it or shove it…

Inappropriate Conduct

Chapter Eight

The taxi pulled away from the curb, leaving Rogue alone amidst the tall oaks and maples. The moon shone faintly through the leaves, casting gloomy shadows on the rough asphalt path ahead of the girl; owls cooed to each other in the darkness; the wind stirred the trees softly, whispering through the branches. Something snapped to the right; there was a bird fluttering away on the left. Rogue paid all these things no attention whatsoever. She remained staring ahead of herself,. staring directly at the gates of the Institute – her destination; her home…though perhaps for not much longer.

As the light of the taxi's high-beams faded away down the road, Rogue finally roused herself and began to walk down the driveway. The security cameras zoned in on her, blinking through the darkness with what looked like tiny, sinister red eyes. The silhouettes of the trees, bare of their leaves in the autumn, looked like clawed hands. But then there was the soothing noise of the asphalt beneath her high heels – it broke through the dark and ominous ambience of her surroundings and assured her that she was the largest, most dangerous creature in the gloomy tonight.

With that petty fear assuaged, her mind drew her into far more pressing issues – chiefly, Magneto's offer. She'd be lying to herself if she said it wasn't tempting. How could it be anything else? He was, as far as she was aware, the only man who could touch her without something tangible and intrusive between them.

But that was hardly where her interest in his offer ended…

She had struggled against him furiously when he'd first put the idea to her – she'd tried her best to extract herself from his arms and leave, though not before delivering a loyal declaration to her team. But he'd held her down and elaborated on his wishes, and pointed out things that she'd long forgotten. Her obligation to the X-Men (one that had long ago been repaid, by anyone's standards); her criticisms of the lack of decisive action within the team to quell anti-mutant sentiments; the lack of output she received from them, despite her obvious need and her vast input. They left her to cope with her powers…perhaps Magneto was right. Perhaps she deserved better than that.

But there was no doubt they cared for her – not even in the Danger Room was she left behind if she was injured – and their care was born of a respect and mutual belief. She loved them– yes, even Jean – like the big, dysfunctional family they all made up. Their idiosyncrasies and thoughts ran through her, after all, trapped in her mind forever despite the Professor's best efforts to purge them. She could never really let them go. They were literally a part of her. Regardless of the fact that sometimes she couldn't understand them, and more often than not they annoyed her to no end, she didn't know if she could bring herself to leave them. Especially when she would be leaving them for Magneto, the man who had once been her enemy as much as theirs.

That had changed, though.

Rogue hugged one arm around her middle as she punched in her access code at the gates. The enormous brass bars swung back and she continued her quiet journey through, looking appreciatively around Ororo's beautiful garden. Dew had already settled on the pristine green leaves, sparkling in the faint light of the moon through the darkness of the night; the closed flowers still held themselves up to what brightness they could find in the sky – they were illuminated in darker shades of their usually brilliant reds, yellows and whites to give the carefully-tended garden a soothing, calming feel. Rogue breathed in deep, momentarily distracted by the marvelous scents of the various plants and drawing a brief peace from their tranquility. Nonetheless, such a scene couldn't keep her mind away from her anxieties for long and she was promptly thrown back into her thoughts as her hand closed over the very stone balustrade that – just a handful of days ago – she had hung over, wheezing, as she warded off a panic attack.

The offer of power that Magneto had put to her was more alluring than she could say. She had long since accepted that – as an X-Man – there wasn't a place for a commanding voice that was hot-headed, impatient and furious; she had contented herself with being a subordinate. She had accepted what help her team would give her, and was thankful for what control and space they allowed her, but now there was a better offer.

Magneto had told her plainly that he wouldn't make a underling of her; she wouldn't be an Acolyte, she would be his equal. To hear such a thing coming from a man whose power and command were both revered and frightening was…dizzying. And, as if that weren't enticing enough on its own, he had also expressed a wish to help her with her powers – not for his own benefit but for hers. Rogue had to wonder why, though. It occurred to her that perhaps the shield of his power between them was something of a chore, but that didn't seem right – he was supposed to be one of the most powerful mutants in existence; surely a little shield wouldn't exert him. Maybe, then, this was his way of ensuring that she was there for him and not just for the sake of touch. That made a little more sense. The only other option was that perhaps he knew what control of herself would mean to her; perhaps he was being considerate of her. But that idea stemmed into a whole other realm of thoughts that she identified as uncharted territory.

With a tense hand, Rogue quietly unlocked the front door and slipped inside, turning the latch behind her. The wide, cavernous foyer was empty and as she moved for the stairs the click, click of her shoes echoed and reverberated off of the walls, but she didn't pause in her journey to muffle the sounds – she had somewhere to be. Shaking slightly, though not sure why, Rogue reflected further to the most intriguing and strong argument in favor of her leaving the Institute as she alighted the stairs; it was perhaps the most persuasive point Magneto had made, yet it had been told to her accidentally, and it had little to do with power.

"'I've only loved once before'," she repeated, whispering through the darkness of the foyer as the stairs creaked and groaned under her feet.

Once she had given him the name of the man who had stood her up all those nights ago at that restaurant, he'd been jealous – he'd seemed content only when she'd told him it was definitely through between her and Gambit. Then he'd expressed to her, quite deliberately, that he had no intention to share her with anyone. He admitted to caring about her, then adding it was his 'most fervent wish' that she joined him. The idea these things pointed towards made her heart flutter like a trapped bird in a cage.

But why did she react like that?

Rogue bit down on her still-bruised lips, casting a glance about the hallway she stood in. There was no life there, but a wave of apprehension had struck her. She knew it had nothing to do with being found in the middle of the night, still disheveled (despite her best efforts to straighten herself out) like she was – her anxiety stemmed from a very obvious fact that she had been conveniently ignoring up until that night, whilst lying in his arms.

She had told him plainly when he asked that, yes, she cared for him. She clutched at him desperately when he'd told her about being separated from her when he left for Avalon. She'd felt ridiculously validated when he'd said that there was nothing more he wanted than for her to be with him, always. She…she cared about him, more than he could guess…more than she would tell. Her thoughtless heart had gone up without her again, attaching itself to another dangerous man…though this time taking care to see that this one was at least considerate of her. She gave a short, hysterical laugh and shook her head at herself.

God…what had happened?

This…this newfound affection had been conveniently shrouded by her panic over losing herself. While she'd been worried that Magneto had, without her realizing it, coaxed her old self back to the surface…this had taken firm root in her heart. It was amazing that she had been able to ignore it this long – it felt as if her every bone had dissolved now that she had admitted it to herself. It scared her witless, but at the same time felt as if she were wrapped up in warmth and kept safe from her own fears. It was just as she had felt when Gambit had started paying attention to her, but she chose to ignore that fact and that name.

It went without saying that Magneto's offer wouldn't have been nearly so appealing if a part of her – a part of her that didn't value control and didn't care about what the X-Men did or didn't do – didn't want to be at his side just as eagerly as he wanted her there. If not for that part of her, she could have easily shrugged and said 'oh well'. If it wasn't for that irresponsible heart of hers, she could have just picked herself up and left with only the regret of being unable to feel physical intimacy once again. But it was too late to consider what 'could've been' and what 'should've been' – now was the time to consider his offer.

She padded down the hallway, the click of her high heels muffled against the long Chinese rug. She slowed at the door to her and Kitty's room, but then continued on. She had another destination in mind.

Day was already breaking outside and a faint glow of early sunlight was already breaking through the drapes – it was five-thirty according to the grandfather clock as she passed it by and opened the door to the Professor's study. Magneto had told her that Xavier had found them out, and how. He had recapped his meeting with his former friend to her, then he had suggested to her that perhaps Xavier was the first person she should talk to.

Rogue had agreed.

She left the door slightly ajar and reclined on the chaise lounge, trying to smooth out her dress and comb back errant strands of hair from her temples. The pillows at her back were inviting, but sleep was still out of the question. She had to ready herself; she had to be prepared with her own account of the events, with this new development – Magneto's offer. She had to be ready with the questions that burned in her mind – she had to know what Magneto hadn't told her about his meeting with Xavier. She had to prepare herself for the inevitable confrontation with her team – with her family.

And so she waited.

As the grandfather clock chimed in the sixth hour of morning, the door was pushed further open. Rogue looked up – she had retrieved a book and tucked herself up on the chaise lounge again – to find Xavier and Storm entering the room.

"…The younger students have created very fanciful rumors out of that conversation, Charles," the regal woman was saying, her voice low and serious. "They have already spun a number of tales that I don't think either of them would appreciate to hear, especially since he seems to be…" She broke off abruptly to find Rogue, devoid of her usual mask as she had been last night and looking unusually startling in dark green, reclining on the chaise.

Rogue couldn't help but smile at the older woman's undisguised shock. "Mornin'," she drawled, her amusement thickening her brogue all the more than usual. She stood up with a flourish, snapped the book in her hands shut and re-shelved it. "Ah can come back later, if y'all have somethin' important ta talk 'bout."

Storm stared at her for a moment longer before looking down to Xavier, who was still silent. "I'll…see to breakfast," she said eventually. She gave Rogue one last look, before smiling slightly. "I'm glad to see you have forsaken that makeup you usually wear."

The girl gave the woman a wry grin, which held until the door clicked shut and she was left alone with Xavier. Then, abruptly, the smile faded as if she'd only just remembered her purpose there. "Mornin', Professor," she said gravely.

"Good morning, Rogue," was returned to her. Xavier wouldn't look at her, though – it seemed that the rising sun over the trees outside was more interesting to him. Rogue straightened, guilt lanced through her, but she refused to back down.

But as she opened her mouth to go on, she remembered that she didn't have the upper hand on this situation – she was the one who had wronged. She deflated slightly, slumping just a little. She couldn't carry an accusatory tone or hold a glare with an easy conscience, knowing that only she was at fault this time. Still, she tried her best to hold herself with confidence – she clasped her hands at her front and kept her eyes on the man she'd come to regard as more like a benevolent uncle than a wealthy and perhaps eccentric instructor. But she couldn't for the life of her think of what to say, or how to begin. There was just so much that needed to be said.

Thankfully, Xavier spared her the embarrassment of starting the conversation. He sighed and gestured her to an armchair. "You've changed remarkably in such a short time, Rogue," he told her heavily as he assumed the place behind his desk and she sat across from him. "It is a change that has been long anticipated, and a change that is very welcome…but I can't say that I don't wish it were under different circumstances."

Rogue couldn't help but blush. "Ah've changed, Professor?" she asked, genuinely confused.

Xavier nodded. "You're quite different. A glance at you tells me that you aren't so irrational as you have been; you have gained a sense of confidence and uncovered a feeling of responsibility and maturity that was inevitable to come before your time, given the nature of your powers. Obviously, also, you are happier than you have been for years." The man paused for a moment, assessing his student carefully. "Glad as I am for you to have uncovered this much more optimistic persona, I cannot honestly understand or condone the manner in which you have found yourself."

The girl blushed brightly again, though this time with suppressed anger. "Ah didn't find mahself," she corrected coldly. "Ah just stopped hidin'." She turned her face away and took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down.

"I see." Xavier paused again. "So you have been presenting a façade to us here at the Institute?"

Rogue closed her eyes. "It's not like that," she reasoned. "Ah was hidin' from me, not you. Ah used ta be happy, then there was all this stuff about a phony skin condition…Ah just ended up hidin'. It was easier ta go on like that after a while, even when Ah got comfortable here. No one wanted ta help me bring back the happy girl Ah was."

"Not even Gambit?"

She set her jaw. "He's tryin' ta find himself." She opened her eyes and looked back at the Professor. "He's not ready ta help someone else heal; he's still in pieces."

"And Eric is able to help you?"

"Ah was wonderin' when we'd stop dancin' 'round the issue an' just get to it," Rogue said quietly, but she didn't answer immediately. She exhaled slowly. "Eric isn't whole, but he's helped me. He's offerin' ta help me still." She bit her lip spasmodically. "D'ya know what he's been up to these months?"

"When I last saw his mind he was rather…occupied."

Rogue blushed furiously, incensed again. "That was low," she said angrily. "Ah didn't do this ta hurt anyone, and Ah know ya don't have much reason ta believe me but Ah didn't mean for things ta go like this. Ah broke up with Gambit the day after it all started; Ah've kept it secret so no one gets hurt. If you didn't like ta go play hopscotch through people's heads, no one would've found out."

"Someone would have eventually gotten suspicious of your whereabouts," Xavier told her, leaning back in his wheelchair. "Some of the younger students overheard your argument with Gambit in the kitchen – Storm tells me they're spinning some very fanciful tales about what was said."

"Then that's my problem," Rogue said, leaning forward and gripping the armrests of her chair. "Ya don't offer me help until Ah don't need it – that's the way it's always been. When Ah least need interference, someone always has ta go and stick their nose in." She pointed a long, green-tipped finger at Xavier. "No one even noticed that Ah was controlled by Mesmero an' wanderin' around like a zombie, but the minute Ah start actin' happy someone's gotta step up an' ruin it for me."

"Are you happy? Does he make you happy?"

Rogue closed her eyes and looked away, clenching her teeth. "Ah don't know."

"I'm sorry?"

"Ah don't know!" She was up, out of her seat and pacing in an instant. "It's…not right…but one of the furthest things from my mind is the fact Ah can touch him. Ah…Ah started worryin' about the reasons Ah went along with him, an' then the reasons didn't matter anymore. Ah realized that Ah was comin' outta mah shell, an' it was all his doin'. Ah see him once more, an' suddenly Ah don't care. An'…now…" She stopped pacing immediately and sank back down into her seat. "It's all so confusin'."

"Especially from my point of view," Xavier told her, unable to keep from sounding amused.

Rogue gave a short laugh and rest her elbows on the arms of the chair, then buried her head in her hands. "Ah'm not makin' any sense," she said, more to herself than to him. She sighed heavily, then dropped her hands and looked up again. "He told me about the meetin' you two had."

"Oh? And what didn't he tell you?" Xavier asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

She mimicked the gesture. "Well, that's some of the reason Ah'm here. Ah wanna know what was left out."

"That's only 'some of the reason' for your presence here?"

"Ah've got more ta say…but Ah wanna get through this first."

Xavier nodded. "Very well. What did he tell you?"

"About Emma Frost," she said quietly, reduced once again to being meek and quiet. "About ya warnin' him."

"Did he tell you what I warned him about, or why Emma Frost was brought up?"

"No…he got vague, like he does. You probably know it better than Ah do – he pretends ta answer but doesn't really say anything." She rolled her eyes.

"I didn't expect he would divulge that information willingly…not without severe cross-examination. I expect out of sheer frustration with him, you might end up quite the interrogator one day." Xavier paused for a moment, taking the time to slowly lean forward as though he were studying her closely. "I warned him to be cautious of you, Rogue." He smiled slightly at her widening eyes. "It sounds as if I was cautioning the wrong person, doesn't it? One would have expected me to caution you, which I fully intended to do…but if Eric told you about Miss Frost, undoubtedly you know that I have already trod out a path which he could very well be following to his demise."

The girl looked shocked. "Ah…Ah don't get it."

"Well, then…" Xavier smiled lightly, though his eyes flickered strangely. "Eric has undoubtedly told you that I fell in love with Miss Frost, am I correct?" When Rogue nodded, he went on. "She herself was entirely unaware, and had never made any attempt to ensnare me as she so accidentally did. When she discovered all, she was so confused and afraid that she fled the Institute. It was quite nearly the ruin of me, to have someone I fell so completely and blindly in love with run away." He paused and watched the girl across from him. "Do you see what I was cautioning him of now?"

Rogue couldn't have looked more surprised if he'd attacked her. "But…that can't be right. Eric wouldn't…"

"He wouldn't fall in love with you?" Xavier shook his head. "Rogue, you have spent much of your life under the impression that you were unworthy of love – a belief stemming from the limitation on intimacy that your powers gave. I'm sorry that I never personally offered to help you with this psychological trauma, but I can only assure you that you are as worthy as the next person to be the object of anyone's desires. And, that being said, I can imagine how you specifically appeal to Eric on a number of points." Xavier frowned to himself. "Gauging his reaction to our conversation earlier, I would wager that I was too late in my warning."

"He's never said he loves me."

"I daresay he's worried that you will become his Emma Frost – he was there to watch my self-destruction after she left." Xavier attempted a wan smile. "He is worried that in telling you now he will scare you away."

Rogue frowned. "But you'd tell me? Ah know that he's the sworn enemy of the X-Men, but are ya goin' outta ya way ta make him miserable?"

Xavier bowed his head slightly and sighed. "A small part of me tells you these things because of that, yes, but I have my own reasons why…though they may be petty. Eric was the one to tell Miss Frost of my love for her and, thus, was the catalyst to my episode of severe depression. He didn't realize what he had done at the time, and I still don't believe he feels any responsibility or remorse for it." The Professor shook his head. "Whilst it all worked out for the better – and I'm certain that whatever became of Miss Frost, she would agree – I cannot help but remain spiteful. Though…" He raised his head to look at his student again. "I also tell you these things because when you communicated the nature of your obvious change to me…it seems that you are finding yourself in the same trap."

The girl quaked violently. "Love isn't a trap," she said quietly.

"Not with the right person, I'm certain. Do you love him, Rogue?"

She covered her face with her hands again. "Ah don't know," she whispered harshly.

When she looked up again, Xavier had come around the side of his desk to stop beside her. He took her hands in his, calming her. "Rogue," he said slowly, "I know that you didn't come here with the sole purpose of asking an explanation of my meeting with Eric. Nor would you merely wish to unburden your heart to me – I believe Kitty holds that office?" He smiled at her shaky laugh. "Then what brings you here?"

Rogue took a deep breath. "He asked me ta join him. Not as an Acolyte," she said slowly, "but as an equal – those were his words. He's been constructing this mutant nation, a place called Avalon – it's an inhabitable asteroid – an' he wants me ta go there with him."

Xavier was silent for a long while. "I see," he said finally.

Rogue blinked at him. "What?" She'd been expecting a severe interrogation at that admission, not silence and assent.

"There isn't much else that I can say, Rogue," Xavier reasoned, but he suddenly seemed tired. "Magneto had told me once of his wish to create a peaceful mutant nation – I wasn't sure if the dream would continue on when he turned his back on a peaceful solution. I didn't anticipate that he would have to nearly escape the orbit of the planet to create this utopia, though." He paused for a moment. "…I trust that it is a peaceful nation? That was the original intent in Eric's plans, when I knew him as a friend."

"Yeah…that's what he told me, anyway." Rogue stared at the Professor in consternation – he was missing the point entirely.

The old man studied her for a moment longer. "Have you reached a decision?" he asked carefully.

Rogue exhaled, surprisingly glad to be on that track of conversation. "No. Ah have a month – Avalon's supposed ta be up and functional by then. There's still atmospheric generators ta back up and…oh…" She bit her bottom lip. "Um…apparently Forge is the technical genius behind this; he's an Acolyte now." She waited cautiously for Xavier's reaction, but the man was still stony-faced.

"An unfortunate loss," he said after a moment, clearly waiting for her to go on.

She sighed. "After a month passes, Eric's arrivin' at the gates here an'…well, that's when the truth will out. Ah make mah decision then. From there, Ah either leave with him or he goes alone."

Xavier regarded her closely. "You haven't made a decision one way or the other – there are factors that would keep you here, but just as many that would see you leave," he observed, to which she nodded again. "And you're here to attempt to make sense of you options." Again, she assented. He shook his head at her. "Rogue, I cannot help you with this decision. When all has been said and done, I am admittedly biased. Not only do I want to keep you with the X-Men, both for your safety and for the sake of the team, but as you now know I harbor a wish to see Magneto in the same misery he once led me into. Any advice I could give you would fall under suspicion of those prejudices and would be, consequently, disregarded."

"That's not true," Rogue returned. "Ah…Ah'd be suspicious, yeah, but Ah couldn't ever disregard any advice." She smiled just slightly. "Ah've spent too much time listenin' to ya to stop now."

The Professor returned her smile. "As heartening as that sentiment is, Rogue…it is quite obvious where I stand on this subject. As the founder of the X-Men, as the overseer of the Institute and as a teacher…all that inclines me towards you doesn't wish you to leave with Magneto. If you wished to depart from the team for any other reason I can honestly and without a doubt tell you that I would have supported you wholly and done anything to make the transition from here to your next destination as free from worry and stress as I could humanly manage, but this…" He shook his head. "For personal, professional and instinctual reasons…I cannot condone this."

Rogue nodded. "Ah know."

"And I have a feeling you knew that before you came here, as well," Xavier went on, looking slightly amused now despite the haggard look he'd taken on.

Again, Rogue nodded. "Sorta. Ah…figured that's what the answer would be. Still…" She sighed. "If nothin' else Ah owed a direct explanation to ya."

"Any debt you once owed the X-Men has been quit, Rogue, if it ever existed. I don't hold you here on an obligation – I would never hold anyone here on an obligation." Xavier paused yet again. "So…the question that remains to be answered is whether you stayed here for so long out of a perceived obligation or a belief in the cause we uphold here."

"Ah'm too confused ta say right now," Rogue answered honestly. Her head drooped down; she studied her hands in her lap. "Ah've gotta think it all through…nothin' makes any sense ta me anymore. Ah…Ah start thinkin' ta mahself an' Ah don't…" She took in a deep breath and raised her head again. "Ah've got a month," she said, speaking to herself once again. She blinked, and focused on the Professor. "Um…could Ah ask a favor?"

"Of course."

"Ah…Ah don't wanna hide from the team anymore," she said lamely, looking away again. "Ah want 'em ta know."

Xavier seemed genuinely confused to hear that. "Why?" he asked.

"Ah…Ah never lied to 'em, an' Ah never said nothin' like this would never happen, but Ah feel like Ah've betrayed them an'…Ah'm sure they will too, but they deserve ta know the truth. If Ah leave, it effects them – if not…well, Ah don't want them ta hear from someone else or hear it too late, if it's all done with an' finished. They're…even if they're only there when Ah need ta be left alone, they were still there." Rogue bit her bottom lip viciously as, despite her best efforts to keep them down, tears gathered in her eyes. "Ah owe 'em the truth," she told him quietly. "But Ah can't face 'em now. Not with so much on mah mind, an'…" She broke off as her tears broke their bounds and slipped over her cheeks.

"Very well." Xavier nodded and, in a gesture of comfort, squeezed her hand. "I will address the matter with them quietly in the evening."

"Ya might as well tell 'em after breakfast…Ah won't be there." Rogue swiped at her tears quickly, carelessly, and got to her feet. "Thank ya, Professor."

"It's quite alright," Xavier told her. "But you won't be coming to breakfast?"

She blushed furiously. "Um…" She bit her lips together again and, despite the tears still hanging in her eyes, gave a slight laugh. "As bad as it sounds, Ah'm…kinda tired."

"I'm certain you didn't mean it to be a vulgarity," Xavier said, and he moved aside to let her pass through the study to the door and exit. "Very well…I shall see you sometime before the month is through, I should hope? You won't be avoiding the X-Men relentlessly?"

"No, no…Ah've gotta sort some things out with some people." She had opened the door and was paused there, nervously drumming her nails against the handle. "Ah just need the whole thing out, so that no one's kept in the dark an' Ah won't have ta deal with their surprise, just all the…disgust an' hurt." She gave a wry smile and disappeared around the door.

Xavier stayed where he was for a moment, staring at the space Rogue had now left empty. He had known from the minute he'd glimpsed into his old friend's head that this request for the girl to join him was inevitable, but he had to admit being mildly surprised that she was considering Magneto's appeal. Xavier had – rashly, it seems – judged Rogue to be reasonably happy within the Institute; he had thought that she had focused her fierce, sometimes violent loyalty into the cause that he advocated. It seemed as though he had been wrong.

He leaned back in his chair and immersed himself in contemplation. Rogue had forged ties that only death could sever with a good few of his X-Men, but it mightn't be enough to hold her. She had left the Brotherhood due to betrayal – it was quite probable that another emotional upheaval could have her break off her ties with the Institute. If by the end of the month she had acknowledged and come to the realization that she was in love, she would leave. If she decided that her feelings for Magneto were a mere crush of sorts – perhaps even only a tumultuous churn of emotion, brought on by the sensation of touch – then she would stay.

Immoral and shameful ideas sprung to mind – planting suggestions in her head, keeping her mind focused on the guilt she felt and the like. His conscience, however, couldn't condone such a course of action. No – Rogue would leave or stay on her own accord; he would talk to her when she wished, expressing himself plainly on the situation, and he would encourage others to do the same, but that would be all.

There was a knock – one sharp thud – and the door opened. Xavier snapped out of his musing and looked up. Storm was back, peering in and expecting to find more than one occupant of the room. "Rogue has disappeared again?" she suggested, looking at him curiously.

"In a manner of speaking, yes – she is still in the Institute but she will not be joining us for breakfast," Xavier replied. He rubbed his forehead. "Speaking of which…has breakfast concluded yet?"

"Far from it." Storm pressed a hand to her mouth, suppressing a smile. "It is that subject that brings me back here, Charles. From what I can gather, Bobby made a point of freezing Kitty's dresser drawers shut this morning – she was forced to attend the table in her bathrobe. In retaliation, she phased his pants off and…well, it goes without saying that Bobby is so brazen that the absence of his jeans has made him all the more willing to walk about the room and display his underwear." She allowed herself a slight laugh. "Beast seems to find the situation as amusing as I do, though a number of others don't seem to find anything humorous about it…"

Surely enough, as Storm's voice trailed off, Wolverine's bark drowned out the hum of activity below – "Drake, you put on some goddamn pants or you're serving double Danger Room sessions!"

Xavier smiled dryly. "One day, this team might just surprise me with civilized decorum over a meal," he said absently as he moved to leave the study and begin the impending confrontation.

A/N: The end approaches rapidly, like…oh, I don't know, something fast and stealthy. I was never much good at metaphors. Anyway, it's REVIEW TIME!

ishandahalf: Holy latent homosexuality, Batman! (Sorry, but since we started up with that Robin quoting thing I've wanted to say that…I always thought that kid was quietly lusting after his mentor. That's just my opinion. But anyway…) Huzzah for the incredibly vast review! Yes, I've made Magneto 74 years old – that would make him about thirteen when he was in the concentration camp, which feels about right; old enough to be sufficiently traumatized. I could've gone for a bit younger, but meh. Half of the outrage over their relationship is revolving around the age difference anyway, so I figure why not play up to that as much as possible? As for the Xavier debacle, I've tried to put a little more grandfatherly concern into his character this time around – he's not a soulless bastard, after all, so I can't write him as a cold strategist all the time, can I? Also, you're welcome for the identity crisis. :) I'll admit that I got a strange feeling writing Magneto's dialogue as he listed all of Remy's bad points. I mean…seriously, it's not like either of them are really a prize when you break it down, is it? Kind of like the pot calling the kettle dirty bottom. Regarding the kinetic shield a la Remy, that would be an incredibly dramatic twist, wouldn't it? But it kind of clashes with the picture that's about to be painted of him – by the time the Breakfast Confrontation begins I plan to have him alone, in a stupor and looking generally murderous at everyone, everything and himself. It hasn't crossed his mind to try win her back with touch, or – if it had – he'd dismissed it as trivial, in a way; he doesn't want her to go to him just because she wants to touch. By the way, you were right – in the first chapter Rogue did tell Magneto who she was waiting for. I might have to edit that… Well, in closing, thank you for the huge-ass review and, of course…here's a preview:

N.M.C.L: Will Rogue leave? Woo boy, isn't that the million-dollar question? I'm still not sure yet. It all really depends on the outcome of what's being hailed the Gambit Confrontation! Ha. Anyway, thank you for the review and I hope to hear from you again!

P.R. Howlett: Magneto of the movies is hugely creepy. For me, the hollow look in Sir Ian McKellen's eyes alone make him creepy. Thank good gravy for the super soldier serum in the Evo series, otherwise I'd be envisioning the separate manifestations of Magneto as one and the same! Blech. Many thank yous for the praise, by the way – even if the fiction itself isn't to ones tastes, it's the mark of a good and just critic to be able to assess the writing technique independent of the plot. By the way, I hope to the heavens that you continue on with your fic. I just read what's there and I have to tell you, it's damn brilliant. Definitely a refreshing turn on most of the Marie/Logan fics I come across. Thanks for the review!

RogueBHS: You know, that one-shot idea is sitting at the side of my mind now – a mini-humor interlude. It's definitely worth a shot. Or I could always commission someone else to write it, as I suck badly at writing humor. I'd ask if you wanted to have a go at it, but I just checked your profile and you've got a projects on the up and going already. Well, the offer's there if you want it – I just wouldn't know where to start with a humor fic and it seems like you've already turned the idea over a few times already. :) Hm, though, about the baby thing. They're not being very careful at all, are they? Hm…maybe a baby? Probably not, unless there was a sequel. Which there might be, now that I get to thinking…in Avalon there's the New Acolytes, headed by Cortez and he was the nasty bastard who betrayed Magneto in the original cartoons, so maybe…damn it, no! No plotting! I have to finish the first one before I churn out more! Gah! Damn imagination…well, hopefully the idea will stick with me. Anyway, thanks for the review, inspiration and input! I just have to go find me some scrap paper and a pen right now…

ExpectedAberrance: Thanks for citing the avoidance of angst. That will/would only happen in any fic of mine when there's something worth angst-ing over – nothing short of a considerable loss would break down Magneto, so unless Rogue severs ties with him or dies, then you're not going to see a whiny little bitch made out of him on my watch! Ahem…anyway. As you can see, Rogue is far from being pushed away by Magneto's veiled declarations; on the contrary, it's helping her find out some things on her own. Still…nothing is decided yet. No, not even by me. We're all clueless together. Well, thank you for the review and I hope to hear from you again. By the way, you think your name makes for poor anagrams? Unless it's Tish or something, have a go with mine, Lia – unless I'm mistaken, the best I can get is 'Ail'. Nice, huh? Small wonder I chose this kitsch moniker of mine…

willowaus: Glad to hear you liked the Magneto internal monologue. I started out all awkward with his internal thoughts, but now he's just so much fun to write for! As for Rogue's final decision, I'm trying my best to not lean either way until the final chapter, but I'm finding myself kind of inclining towards the same way as you. Still, Rogue's got a lot of things to weigh up before anything definite comes out of this. You have to remember that Rogue never actually asked for help from them (she'll end up taking this into account next chapter) because she's too proud and self-reliant to openly seek help. Anyway, thankies for the feedback!

Elle Mooreside: Wouldn't that be two chapters for the price of one review? Or…bah, I don't know. Re: chapter six – I was wondering if I'd made Magneto realize that too soon, but meh. No one really seems to mind, so why should I worry? And re: chapter seven – good to see that the length of the chapter helped to procure its good quality, in your opinion. I may have gotten the dress/skirt thing wrong, you're right – I'd edit that, but I'm a lazy bum. Also, you're the first to notice it, so I'll just hope no one else does. :) And if they do…oh well. So lazy! Woo! By the way, I've only had the opportunity to skim your fic 'Night Moves' so far, but from what I've read it's great. Your take on Wanda is particularly singular – I've never read a fic where someone actually seems to realize that, yes, having lived in an insane asylum for the better part of her developing years, she wouldn't exactly be all up to date with social decorum and general interactive behaviors. Good stuff, good stuff.

Christina: Ah, nothing lets you know that you've done a good job like a review beginning with a string of expletives. :) Thank you for the praise, although I don't know if this would be the best fic available. There are definitely some things that could stand to be improved – for example, if I weren't such a lazy ass, I'd have pulled up a more original history for Mags, but…hey, it's tried and true I guess. Why deviate when you know the original works? Well, that's my lazy reasoning anyway. Well, as anticipated, here is the requested update! Hope to hear from you again, you ego-inflator you!

thriller: I used to love Romy to pieces, but then…well, let me explain myself. I started gaining an appreciation for Mystique's character in the comics, or at least for some of the things she said. One thing in particular that sold me on her was how she quite frequently and vocally told the world that her daughter is too good for the Cajun (because in her own weird way, she loves Rogue). Despite myself, I started agreeing – they just keep going around and around in circles, never getting over the same old issues. When I looked to other romantic interests in Rogue's past and found Magneto (and my initial cringing wore off), I began to explore the idea. Thus, this fic was born. I felt that Rogue needed an alternative in Evo, instead of just being forced on Gambit by writers who can't be stuffed to chalk out a new plotline for her. Anyway…that's just my two cents, and the reasoning behind my love of this pairing. Well…hopefully I haven't scared you off or come across as overbearing and opinionated. :) Hope to hear from you again, and thank you for the review.