CHAPTER 6. - Trust in Me

"MARIE! STOP !"

Too late Logan leapt forward, palms slapping in futile against the already closing door - Rogue meeting his eyes through the rapidly diminishing space, the smooth metal cutting her off, trapping her, locking him out. Snarling in frustration he crashed his fists against the door denting the flawless surface. Drawing back his arm, unsheathing his claws, his intent to bury them deep and cut his way through; when Hank barrelled into him throwing his full weight against his shoulder, holding him back.

"NO !" seeing the furious look the Wolverine swung his way he quickly added in a calmer tone "You could hit either of them"

For a second they stared at each other, realisation dawning, and they both came to the same conclusion simultaneously

"The stairs"

Wolverine sprinted off back down the long corridor, the Beast at his back. Reaching the stairs they charged up them to the mansion floor, two at a time, sliding on the smooth flooring as they burst through the door, dodging aside a couple of early students who scattered infront of them. Rounding the last corner, the Wolverine fully expected to just catch up with the two women - only, the elevator hadn't arrived yet.

"Dammit !" Logan punched the wall, just as Xavier rounded the corner. "Ahh fuck it" Undeterred, claws out, he attempted to force the doors open again - Xavier's hand shot up, his eyes closed "Wait ...

"Wait !"

Rogue had her hands up, palms held outwards, both in defence and in pleading. Her lip was cut, and she could taste it. "Please ... please ah'm only tryin' to help you ..."

Again the woman lashed out when Rogue stepped near her, switching from being the aggressor to terrified when she reached a cautious hand out to touch her. Dodging the half-hearted swing Rogue backed off as far as possible "Look, see ? Ah dont want to hurt you ... please - please just calm down ... its alright ... its gonna be alright ...but you have to calm down ..."

The stranger backed off into the furthest corner, eyes wide and plainly confused - she looked ... trapped. Marie, standing stock still, looked at her sorrowfully, her big brown eyes full of concern and more than a little pity. Softly, she asked "Dont'cha remember me sugah ? Dont'cha remember anythin' ?"

Slowly she held out her hand, palm upwards "When we found you, you were unconscious ... when y'came 'round before - dont y'remember? On the plane? ... Ah was there, ah held y'hand ..."

Rogue edged softly, slowly, towards her - eyes fixed upon hers coaxing her out the corner keeping her voice low, repeating her words like a mantra ".. Dont y'remember me? Ah've been here with you this whole time, sugah, just like Ah promised - remember ? Ah promised you .."

: ... you wouldn't leave me :

The stranger finished for her, her voice a melancholy, hoarse whispered echo in Marie's mind; who saw her pale eyes widen in comprehension, then slowly start to fill with tears. As the woman slid brokenly down the wall, a tangle of limbs hopelessly coming to rest on the floor with her arms wrapped around her knees, Marie caught hold of her - encircling her arms around the woman's slight form, she held her close and stroked her knotted-back hair as the stranger trembled uncontrollably in her grasp, holding on to Rogue desperately akin to a drowning man would their only lifeline.

"Ssssshh Its alright ... you're safe now, you're safe here, ah got you ..."

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"Ahh, good " Xavier broke into a smile, waving the questioning Xmen away from the lift doorway "It appears that our young Rogue has diffused the situation."

Directing his comments at the still clawed Wolverine, Xavier chided "Come, Logan - put those away. No need to frighten the poor creature anymore than she already is"

Logan's sensitive hearing could just pick out the hum of the lift starting back up, inching closer to them. Still wary, he stepped away only slightly with a snort, drawing his claws back up into his hands. Tensing up rather than run forward like he desired, Logan held himself in check as the wooden facade covering the lift's entrance slid open, revealing Rogue with their back to them, her arms wrapped protectively around the figured hunched up on the floor. She turned her head and tossed him a smile, before whispering something aside to the stranger, who lifted herself gracefully to her feet, eyes kept cast downwards, limbs steady but trembling. Rogue stepped out the lift, gently pulling the woman along with her. Logan could smell the fear and adrenaline rolling off her in waves - one wrong move, and this one would fight through anybody, anything to escape; and was more than prepared to do it. She was a taunt piece of wire, just waiting to snap.

However he discovered he could smell something else off her too, even beneath the enticing, alluring soft warm natural scent of her - it was faint; a smell that left an acidic, metallic bitter aftertaste on his tongue, a smell that marked her as tainted, that made the inner Wolverine want to snarl. She smelled like a fucking lab. Attempting to keep the growl off his face and out of his voice, Logan asked in deference to Marie's cut lip

"You alright, 'Kid?"

"Ah'm fine, Logan" She gave him one of her most dazzling smiles, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear with her one free hand. Her other hand, he noted, was still wrapped tightly around the stranger's. Marie was shielding her from them using her own body; the newcomer intimately close in behind her. Logan wasn't sure whether he liked that or not, and didn't stop to contemplate the why.

Not a bright move, 'stripes

The professor rolled forward, speaking in gentle tones - Logan paid him little heed preferring to fix his narrowed-eyed scrutiny on the pair of women before him. Observing her recoil impulsively as Xavier got a little too close, and Rogue react smoothly by stilling her motion by a momentary tightening grip on the newcomer's palm.

That's an' interestin' trick ...

As if aware of his thoughts the stranger tensed up considerably, and for the first time in the conversation raised her head. Slowly, purposefully, meeting his suspicious gaze with a flat out furious stare of barely concealed anger; a cold calculated fury and mistrust. Surprisingly still, she didn't back down - the complete opposite in fact; squaring her shoulders and clenching her jaw, she stared him down, daring him almost to make a move ... In any other time or place, an evil glance like that constituted an outright challenge - as it was the Wolverine in him was itching to release his claws and declare his dominance; This female was pushing buttons in him he didn't even know he had. Locked in a silent battle of wills, he barely acknowledged the conversation that was transpiring around him, until Rogue started to move the pale stranger away from them just as Hank elbowed him not-so-subtly in the ribs.

" What ?" he hissed, tearing his eyes away from the duo heading hesitantly up the staircase, Hank's quick nod pointing out the professor was waiting patiently on some sort of response. Seeing he still hadn't a clue, Charles's face adopted a look of extreme patience, as if trying to re-explain something to a particularly wayward child. With a sigh, he shook his head.

"Logan, it is exceedingly difficult to lay the foundations for gaining a person's trust, if I find myself placed in a situation where I constantly have to diverge from the task at hand to remind you to at least maintain the illusion of civility"

He growled something near intelligible, the professor dismissing his grumbling offhand, carrying on in a more placating tone "I understand better than most, you and Rogue share a rather singularly close bond, that is not the issue at hand here. What is, however, that until we can begin to unravel the mysteries that surround this young woman, both you and the rest of us are going to have to accept that - for the moment - for whatever reason, she has latched onto Rogue. She trusts her, as much as could possibly be expected of her, considering."

"I hope" Charles fixed him with an unusually stern look "that you could try to refrain from any actions which could be construed as a direct threat, either to this relationship, or to her. Do I make myself perfectly clear? "

" You ordering me to stay away, 'bub ?" the words were spoken dangerously quiet, spat out between gritted teeth. This wasn't lost on Xavier.

"No, Logan - I wouldn't presume to either. On the contrary I think you'll find Rogue will be relying on both your utmost patience and support for the foreseeable future. I'm simply asking you to make an effort to consider your actions first and to try to make things as smooth and easy as possible for Rogue, and to an extent, our new arrival. Can I entrust you to do so?"

When it dawned on Logan, the professor was asking him to make sure his Marie was well looked after, his attitude and posture changed. Relaxing and flipping a cigar out his pocket, Logan tossed back at him as he turned on his heel "Hmmph. Since when've you had to ask "

He let out an unconditional sigh of relief, as Logan stalked away, slipping out the front door and lighting up his cigar as he did so. Hank raised an appreciative eyebrow, and murmured aside to the professor "Nicely put. For a second there, it looked like he was going to cause trouble"

Turning away wearily, the professor answered "Trust me. More often than not? Negotiations dont run quite so ... smoothly "
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She sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, listening to her new dark-haired companion - Rogue ? - as she hunted through the wardrobe, making small talk. Glanced around, absorbing her surroundings; Dark panelled wood walls, rich old quirky furniture with various belongings and photographs scattered around the room, big heavy curtains hanging down from the wide-open window, letting the cool fresh smell of early morning and rain swept grass come floating in. Peaceful, quiet. Knotting her fingers in the woven bedspread, she slowly concentrated on rubbing her hands over the material, quietly marvelling at the sensation of it under her skin; the question bugged at the back of her mind - Why did everything seem so new to her? so ... foreign?

Letting go of the soft material with a frown, she turned next to the clothes she was wearing - the shorts and black tee-shirt were comfortable, yes, but she couldn't remember having put them on. Come to think of it, she was having trouble really placing anything at the moment. Picking idly at the tee-shirt, her nose wrinkled up as yet another faint and confusing smell assaulted her senses. Deep, musky...her struggling mind stirred into action as she realised - with some shock - she recognised it. But from where? quickly running through what little she could remember, she soon found her answer.

: Who was that:

Rogue pulled her head out of the closet "Huh? Who was who ?"

: Downstairs : Revisiting the memory she was referring to, she 'showed' it to Rogue. The girl lost the questioning look to her face, and smiled broadly her voice warm, cheeks turning a little flushed.

"Ohhh ... him? That's Logan. 'Round here, he's known as the Wolverine ... why'd ya ask?"

: I can smell him : she tugged at the shirt she was wearing, to show what she meant : I can smell him on my skin:

Rogue stood, crossing over to the bed, carrying something bundled up in her hands. "Well, darlin' that figures. He was the one who found ya, who carried you on an' off the jet, an' who lifted ya down to the medlab" She accepted that, still toying with the fabric of her shirt in her hands, when she felt reassuring hand on her arm.

" How d'you do that ?"

: Do what :

"That" she raised her hand, and tapped the side of her temple gently "How d'ya let me see an' hear what you mean, inside mah head? How'd y'show me that picture of Logan ?"

The question dumbfounded her : I..I dont know. Its how it works. I ... I just show you. I dont know how :

"It's okay ..." she smiled again, the same soft reassuring smile "Dont y'worry 'bout it. Every'body in this place has gifts, things they can do - some like yours, some diff'rent. They call people like us mutants. You'll get used to it. So dont y'worry 'bout a thing, kay? "

: Ok :

"Good. Now ah figured, if you ain't too sore -You'll want a shower? Ah got some towels here, some fresh clothes ah mine y'can borrow ... Are y'hungry ?"

: No ... shower'd be nice though :

"Sure. C'mon " Rogue took her by the hand, gently tugging her in the direction of the bathroom. Flippping on the light switch, she turned the water on full, letting the steam start to build up. Setting down the towels, she placed a toothbrush and hairbrush on top, turning back to face her.

" 'Kay, well if y'wanna turn the temprature up or down, y'just turn that knob there, see ? Ah'll leave these clothes on the chair just inside the door so they dont get wet. Now, Ah dont want you to worry - Ah'm just gonna go across the hall an' ask one of my friends for a loan of his camping bed, alright ? If y' need me ... " Rogue tapped her head again, and smiled "..then you just let me know"

She nodded, turning away, but added : Rogue ? ... thanks. for everything :

Marie smiled, but hesitated in the doorway, unsure of how to broach the subject " Umm y'know - Ah dont even know what you're name is"

The question was like a kick to the stomach and she froze, feeling sick, steadying herself by gripping the edge of the sink. Lifting her eyes, she found herself faced with a pale skinned, roughed-up looking stranger with hypnotic looking whitish blue eyes. She blinked, just as the stranger blinked. Unbidden, her fingers streaked down the mirror, smearing the steam forming over her reflection - an alien looking reflection, a reflection she didn't recognise.

Is that what I look like?

Catching a glimpse of Rogue behind her, looking worried, she attempted to give a small smile which turned out more like a grimace, feeling more impossibly alone now than she ever did before. Drowning irrevocably in her immense sorrow, she replied, finger's still trailing down the cold glass.

: neither do I :

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------chapter 6 up peeps! sorry bout the long delay, am workin on the next chapter right now so should be updating extremely soon ! keep those reviews comin' :)