Author's Notes: So I took two weeks off, celebrated my 21st birthday and enjoyed a mini-family reunion. I come with chapter ten (which is not QUITE as crappy as chapter nine, but pretty damn close) I'm also working on a side fic, and plan on doing a collaboration with LJ's DeepSaltWater… What does this mean? Well, it means that this story should hopefully be finished by the end of July. Hopefully. -Sighs- Enjoy.
'Is unspoken thoughts'
"God Damnit!" Logan raged, raking his claws ineffectually against the door for the hundredth time since coming out of his stupor.
The metallic screech brought a groggy Rogue to awareness. With a groan she sat up, her hand rubbing the still tender skin of her neck.
"Ugh, this is starting to become redundant."
Logan was by her side half a second later, his arms going around her shoulders in relief before leaning back on his haunches.
"Darlin, you're awake."
"You mean this isn't a nightmare?" she teased, "Damn." She let out a small chuckle before turning serious again.
"How long was I out?"
Logan ran his hand through his unruly hair before exhaling.
"About two days."
"Two DAYS! Oh mah gawd," she breathed, "the X-Men gotta be lookin' for us by now right?"
"Yeah, only problem with that darlin', is that they don't know where they're lookin'."
"No tracer?"
He shook his head in a negative. "No tracer. They destroyed it when they stripped me."
"Damn," she sighed.
"I know darlin', I'm sorry."
"Why did I have to be unconscious for the strip tease?"
Both of Logan's eyebrows rose in shock, "You're crackin jokes Marie?"
Rogue smirked before leaning back, "Would you rather I act like a girl and cry sugar?"
Logan sat himself next to her on the mattress, before pulling her into him.
"You go ahead and cry if you need to, but we're gonna get out of this baby. I promise."
She lay her head on his shoulder before sighing again and stifling a yawn, "I know Logan. I know."
He tried to lighten the mood in an attempt to distract from the tension that radiated from her small frame, "Two days of beauty sleep not enough for you kid?"
Elbowing him in the ribs she giggled, "It takes a lot to look this good, I'll have you know."
Becoming serious she lay back on the mattress, pulling him down with her.
"C'mon, let's get some sleep. We can figure out who to kill in the morning… or afternoon… or… whatever time it is."
Spooning behind her, he agreed. "Sounds like a plan darlin'."
"Dat's all he said," Remy repeated for what felt like the millionth time. He sat surrounded by Jubilee, Cyclops, Storm, Iceman, and Shadowcat.
Cyclops sat rubbing the bridge of his nose, above his ever present ruby quartz visor.
"Logan leaving is not unheard of," Storm contributed, "but it's not like Rogue."
"Actually," Kitty cut in, "it is when you think about it. Logan found her on the road, and she ran when she first got here right? Maybe they met up and took off together."
Jubilee shot a venomous glare at Kitty.
"One, let me point out, that you abso-fucking-lutely nada about Rogue… so shut it. Two, she only took off from here when that blue bitch turned into the human popsicle over here, and fed her all that bull. And THREE, she didn't bring anything with. All her cash, ID, clothes, EVERYTHING is all still in her room." She ended her tirade with an angry snap of her gum in Kitty's direction before looking pointedly at Scott.
"Are you sure Jubilee?"
She shot Cyclops an exasperated look. "I was her roommate for two years. I either bought or picked out her entire wardrobe, and I know where she kept her cash. Even the secret stash, so yes Cyke, I'm sure."
The leader of the X-Men let out a tired sigh before steepling his fingers in front of him.
"Alright, what else do we know?"
"Well, no cash meant no cabs right? If Logan took off after her, then he'd find her. Especially if she was on foot… so at least, chances are that is, that they're together."
The entire table turned their attention to Kitty, who continued, "I mean, Logan can handle anything right?"
"The man is hard to kill, yes," Ororo interjected, "but it does not mean that it cannot be done Kathryn."
"Yeah, but he'd never let anything happen to Rogue."
Scott cleared his throat noisily, "That may be true, but it doesn't change the fact that two of my team members are missing; and we don't know what's happened to them. Nor are we any closer to finding out."
"Not t' mention dat whatever is goin' on had de Wolverine très soucieux. I haven' see him like dat since we dealt wit' de labs back home in Louisiana."
Jubilee's head shot up and her eyes went wide. "Oh my god," she hissed, "Remy, that's IT!"
"What's it?"
"Labs. A Lab! In the cafeteria the other day, when they had their little soap opera screaming match. Logan said she smelled like a LAB! It makes sense, that's the only thing that would really scare Wolverine. That HAS to be it." Her triumphant grin deflated when the reality of what she'd said sunk in.
"Goddess."
"Mon Dieu, we have t' find dem. Who knows what could be happenin'... what dey could be doin' t' dem."
"Kitty," Cyclops nodded in her direction, "get me everything we have on known and suspected labs in New York, and the surrounding states. Ororo, get the blackbird ready for takeoff. Remy and Jubilee, put the rest of the team on standby."
"Why the surrounding states Cyclops? We already established that she didn't bring any money. It would make sense for her to be in NY still, especially if she ALREADY smelled like a lab. That would mean she'd been staying locally right?"
"Rogue was resourceful Shadowcat, and there is always the chance that whoever has Rogue and Logan may have moved them by now."
Turning his attention back to the others, he dismissed them. "Everyone knows what to do, we'll meet back here once we have something to go on. Let's find our people and bring them home."
Rogue woke to something totally unfamiliar, and not at all unpleasant. Logan's hand rested gently on her hip, his fingers moving in slow circles against her scrub covered skin. His free hand was being run through her hair, and she felt completely boneless.
"Mmmmmmm," she murmured contentedly, "that feels really good sugar."
Logan let out a small grunt, but his hands never stopped moving.
"Forgot you weren't much for conversation when you first wake up," she teased and shifted her body so that she could look at him.
Logan propped himself on his elbow and put his arm around her waist, "And I forgot that you're almost as bad as Jubilee in the mornings."
Marie wrinkled her nose at him and stuck out her tongue, before blowing in his face.
"God darlin', enhance sense of smell remember. You tryin ta kill me?"
"Morning breath is what you deserve after that statement."
The sound of metal clicking against metal brought their attention to the door, and Logan had Marie behind him before she could register that he'd moved. The familiar Snikt as he released both sets of blades from his knuckles had her on her feet in record time. All traces of their light mood vanished as they prepared for whatever lay beyond the slowly opening door.
"Sorry to interrupt such a touching moment, but we do have business to attend to dear." Sinister entered the room flanked by four mutants the pair hadn't encountered.
"We don't have all day, so let's get this over with shall we? No need for blood to be spilled so early in the morning, don't fight Rogue."
"Like hell, bub." Logan ground the words out, muscles twitching in preparation to spring forward.
"Why don't we let Anna decide that Mr. Logan," he turned his focus to Rogue before continuing again, "You don't really want to see him hurt do you?" He motioned to one of the mutants to his right, and a black haired woman stepped forward. With the flick of her wrist Logan went still and straight, and when she curled her fingers into a fist his body arched causing Marie to cry out.
"Zaladane controls metal you see. I believe you are familiar with what that could mean to your would be protector."
"Stop it. Stop! I'll do it, just leave him be!" she demanded.
Sinister nod his head again towards Zaladane, and she stepped back with a satisfied smirk as Logan seemed to deflate.
"Marie, don't do this," he plead, his eyes meeting hers in desperation.
"What choice do I have Logan? I can't let them hurt you, not when it's my fault you're here."
She began to move toward the door when he grabbed her arm, stopping her movement.
"Marie… I," he began.
"I know Logan."
"But, I gotta say it. I love you darlin'." Pulling her into him, he kissed her. He felt the spark of her mutation, felt the pull and unwillingly let her go.
Turning, he watched as she walked through the door and it shut firmly behind her.
