A/N: I would like to thank all my reviewers, you guys are making this all fun and worth it.

In the time it took the little brunette Kathleen and the redheaded Jane to get her dressed, Rouge tried to glean as much information about her situation as she could without once again putting the girls on guard.

Luckily the girls were both very talkative and as far as she could tell Annabelle was the oldest child of Charles Devereux, a man who made his money operating a shipping business. Kathy was her younger sister and Jane was her cousin by marriage. Rogue couldn't tell what had happened to Annabelle's mother but secretly regretted that not even here would she get a chance to know a mother. The last two members of the family, the girls younger brother Krispin and their cousin Samuel, waited impatiently in the hall below if the constant "hurry ups" were any indication.

The biggest thing Rogue learned though was that corset shirts and actual corsets were not even close to the same thing. She could barley breathe as Kathy pulled tighter on the strings, causing Rogues nails to dig into the wood of the dresser for balance.

"Ah think it's tight enough Ki…. Kathy." Rogue said through gritted teeth.

"It's barely at nineteen inches and the dress has an eighteen inch waist. If you just hold your stomach in a touch more."

If she held in any more she was sure her lungs were going to explode. She was just contemplating what would happen to Kitty and her friendship if she killed her in this life when she felt a small booted foot on the small of her back and the sharp pull of strings. Rogue had a quick painful intake of air, while Kathy tied the strings with a flourish and a smug "all done" smile.

Rogue wanted to say something but wasn't sure she could with the tightness in her chest and the little stars now dancing before her eyes. As she tried to recover the girls began putting on other garments. Rogue could feel strings tied at her waist, buttons being fastened and pins going into her hair. Once the final button was done the girls stepped back to survey their work while Rogue wondered if she could walk now that she felt like she was two hundred pounds.

Rogue turned slowly to survey herself in the wardrobe mirror. She was wearing a pretty cream colored gown embroidered with small pink flowers, not really her style but nice nonetheless. She found it kind of ironic that now she could touch and was forced to wear more clothes then she had ever worn in her life for the only skin showing was that beneath her small capped sleeves to her matching cream cotton gloves. What was a real shock was that her hair in it braids was not auburn with white bangs. It was still auburn but it was laced all the way through with platinum stripes, making her hair look like glowing fire.

"You look beautiful, you must feel just like a princess," came Kathy's breathless sigh.

"Ah feel like a tent," Rogue couldn't help but shot back causing Kathy to pout and Jane to try to control a fit of giggles. Rogue was actually starting to like Jane. She was a little clumsy and had dropped quite a few things; maybe that was why Jean worked so hard to be perfect.

"Are you ladies coming or not," came a voice from downstairs.

"Well Ah guess it's time ta get this show going," Rogue whispered to herself as she followed the other to girls out the door.

oooXXXooo

Navigating the stairs had been fun, when Rogue could not even see her feet, but she somehow made it down and was standing in front of a carriage waiting for her turn to be helped in by the two gentlemen standing there.

It was weird seeing a version of Scott without his every present glasses or visor, especially since this version also had a little pencil thin mustache. He tried to look sternly at the late girls but his pretty hazel eyes melted at his wife's playful smile and apology of a slight peck on the cheek. Krispin looked just like Kurt's holographic image except his hair was a light brown color. Rogue made a mental not to suggest him trying to dye his fur that color. As he held out his hand to help Rogue up into the seat she suddenly had the impulse to hug him, since she always wanted to hug Kurt and didn't know when she'd get another chance to get so close.

"What was that for?" he couldn't help but ask as she pulled away a confused smile on his face.

"Ah just so glad your always my brother and ah'm sorry for bein' late."

He shrugged and handed her up and she carefully took a seat next to Kathy, trying to keep her skirt from hitting her in the face. The two guys hopped up into the drivers seat and the group was on its way. Samuel and Krispin talked of horse and games and Kathy and Jane talked about all the latest gossip so Rogue contented herself with watching the scenes go by since the carriage was open. They drove through town and soon buildings gave way to rich green countryside. She watched them pass buy woods and swamps, so engrossed was she that she almost missed out on the conversation until Kathy said, " and just think tomorrow daddy's going to announce Annabelle's engagement at dinner tomorrow."

"Engagement?" Rogue's head whipped around and her attention was fully on the girl beside her.

"Don't be so modest Annabelle everyone knows Colin Monroe has been courting you for months now and daddy thinks the joining of his plantation with the shipping yard will be quite profitable."

Rogue felt like she was going to be sick. She was engaged to someone she had know idea about, what if she was stuck here, married to someone she didn't like. She was still thinking this over when the carriage came to a sudden halt.

"What's wrong dear?" asked Jane as Samuel climbed down from the seat, Krispin starting to do the same.

"We are almost there, but it looks like a branch has fallen across the road. We will have to move it before we can keep going around the bend, it shouldn't take too long it doesn't look that big."

Kathy and Jane watched as the men started to work on the branch in the road and Rogue might have done the same if it wasn't for the tingling feeling crawling up her spine. They were being watched, she could feel it, but it didn't seem like a malicious type of watch just a curious one. She turned her head quickly to the woods on the other side of the carriage, just in time to what looked like coat disappearing into the trees. Her heart started beating faster for she could think of only one person who could move that way. Scanning the trees she could see nothing though except for the faint outline of a small white house very far away for the road. Before she could make out anything further though she could feel the carriage start again and the group was once again on their way.

OooXXXooo

They really hadn't been far from their destination because no sooner had the carriage started then it had turned up the drive to a beautiful antebellum mansion.

"Look Annabelle, there's Colon and father it looks like he has come out to greet the soon to be lady of the house," squealed Kathy.

Rogue looked up to see a very handsome blond gentleman standing on the front steps. As the carriage came to a stop he came forward and offered her his hand. He had the most startling blue eyes Rogue had ever seen and she couldn't help staring at them as he helped her down.

"Welcome Miss. Devereux. I have been waiting here quite a while for you to arrive."

"We had a slight problem on the road and it took us a minute ta fix it," she answered sounding stupid to her own ears.

"Well I hope you won't always keep me waiting, dearest," he said as he kissed the back of her hand. " Please make yourself at home since I unfortunately have to greet my other guest but rest assured I will find you later." With one last glance he walked away towards the others. Rogue made her way towards the other man on the stairs. Charles was standing leaning heavily on his cane as his oldest daughter walked toward him. Rogue liked the way the Professor looked with thick white hair and was happy to see him standing.

"Jane told me you weren't feeling well this morning Annie," he said with genuine concern, " Are you sure your feeling better now?"

"Yes it was just a spell, Father," Rogue said trying to use a suitable name to call him and must have hit the right one for he nodded his head and offered her his arm. She took it and they walked through a large foyer to a set of double doors leading to an incredibly large back lawn. People were milling about, walking though garden paths or seated under trees eating food. The delicious sent of barbequed pork drifted in the air.

" I will leave you to your fun, dear," Charles said, " but please stay out of the sun and if you feel at all unwell come get me." He released her hand and went to join a group of gentlemen discussing politics on the other side of the porch.

Rogue stood still for a moment trying to think of what she should possibly do next. There were people watching her and whispering. Other groups merely were engrossed with talking about Southern rights. Rogue wished she could just find a corner to slink away to. She began to walk down one of the paths leading to what could only be a garden since it was lined with fragrant flowers. It wasn't until she was out of sight of a lot of the others that she came across a young boy, who looked to be about nine years old, sitting alone on a wooden garden bench. He looked about as uncomfortable as Rogue felt and she decided maybe she could sit here for a while since he obviously was as much into this as she was. Plus there was something oddly familiar about the way the young boys hands were crossed against his chest and the frown upon his face.

"Mind if ah join ya?" she said to the small head of dark curly hair.

Bright blue eyes turned up to meet hers as the boy regarded her up and down. Then almost imperceptivity his nostrils twitched as if he was trying to get her scent. "Suit yourself lady," came the boys reply as he shrugged his shoulders.

Rogue took a seat beside him and the boy went back to studying the ground. She didn't know why but she felt she had to break the ice with this bored little boy.

"Not much fun here is it?"

"Not really," he said as gruffly as a nine-year old could, " My dad made me come. He is doing business with the guy who owns this place."

Rogue liked this kid he was not at all impressed with anything around him.

"Look guess ah outta introduce mahself, ah'm Annabelle Devereux," she said as she held her hand out toward him. The boy looked stunned for a second and eyeballed her hand. Rogue realized then that ladies back in this time didn't shake hands but she didn't pull her hand away. Regarding it carefully the boy looked at her one more time before a smile tugged at his lips and he took her hand in his smaller one.

"James. James Howlett," he said briskly.

James Howlett. Why did that name sound so familiar to her? Searching her memory she remembered a time she had gone into the Professor's office after one of his sessions with Logan. Logan had lost most of his memories at some point and he sometimes worked with the Professor to try to retrieve something. That day a file had been left by accident on the desk and rogue couldn't help but be curious. It seemed the only thing the Professor had been able to find out that day was Wolverines real birth name.

Turning in shock again to look at the young boy with the bright blue eyes next to her Rouge couldn't believe it.

He was Logan.

A/N: So I know our favorite Cajun has yet to make an actual appearance yet since I'm not yet ready for him, but he has made his presence briefly known. We did find Logan though and trust me even I didn't expect him like this when I started writing. Now Rogue really has a few things to deal with. I hope to get the next chapter up soon but got a pretty busy weekend so may take a while so I beg patience and keep those review coming : )