Disclaimer: I still own nothing. All rights belong to Sam Lee, Marvel, and whomever else is lucky enough to own them.
Logan was coming down the stairs, as Rogue was coming up. She had her arms full of books, and accidentally knocked into Logan. Still tired and a little cranky, Logan growled out, "Watch where you're going, Kid."
"Rude much." Rogue said annoyed as she continued up to her room on the third floor, away from anyone. Little did she know, that now with Logan's return, that he was only three doors up from her.
Logan ignore the kid, and headed down for dinner.
"Logan, it's good to have you home." Charles greeted once Logan joined the team at the adult table with his plate full of steak and gravy, mash potatoes, and three dinner rolls."
"Thanks, Chuck." Logan grunted out.
"I hoped you took care of my bike." Scott said not even bothering to pretend to care about anything other than his bike's safety. Logan had a bad habit of taking Scott's bike any time he felt like it, which upset Scott to no end.
"It's in one piece if that's what you're worried about." Logan shrugged his shoulders, smelling the man's spike in irritation, which amused Logan, but he kept a straight face.
"It better be, and it better not have any dents, or you'll be paying for the repairs." Scott hissed out as he slammed his plate down.
"Relax Scott, Logan is only teasing. You're bike is fine." Jean soothed her fiancé.
"You had to spoil my fun, Darlin." Logan said with a smirk at Jean.
Which only pissed Scott off more. He hated that Logan was still blatantly flirting with his fiancée.
However a movement at the door drew his attention, and made him forget Logan flirting with Jean.
Jean noticed were Scott's attention was drawn, and she frowned at his interested in the young woman.
Logan picked up on Scooter's mixed scent of hope and eagerness, as well as Jean's annoyance. He followed their gaze to see the same kid that had knocked into him on the stairs collecting her dinner. Instead of sitting at one of the kid's tables, she head past their table toward the door.
As she past, Scott spoke encouraging, "Rogue, would you like to join us?"
Logan frowned shocked that this was the Rogue, Ro had told him about. She didn't look to be out of her teens. He couldn't actually believe that Chuck was actually trying to convince her to join the team. The girl didn't look like she could strike fear into a kitten. She was a puny little thing. He doubted that she weighted 110 lbs soaking wet. She was still wearing the serious expression she had been earlier. Her scent full of defensiveness and distrust.
"Thanks, but no." Rogue stated calmly, then left the room.
Scott sighed and slumped in his chair, seemingly disappointed that the girl hadn't accepted his offer.
"You've got to be kidding me. Please tell me you aren't trying to convince that kid to join the team, Chuck. Has the team gotten so desperate that you have to resort to recruiting kids?" Logan growled, having never expected something like this from Chuck or even Scooter. Both men, were overly protective of the kids here at the mansion.
"Rogue is not a child, Logan. Yes, she is young compared to some, but she is old enough to make her own choices." Charles stated calmly sensing Logan's surprise at what he and Scott could be possibility be thinking.
"Just cause she old enough to, doesn't mean she ready too. What's her mutation anyway? Cause that has to be the only reason you'd want her. Half-pint could wipe the floor with that girl, and we all know Half-pint ain't no fighter." Logan grunted out.
"Rogue has asked us to keep her mutation to ourselves, until she has decided if she will be remaining here with us, or moving on. I will warn you that it involves her skin, and that you should not touch her."
"Why? What happens if you touch her skin?" Logan asked not giving up on the questions.
"The only thing I can say is that bad things happen, so do not come in contact with it. She remains covered, and is very protective against anyone coming in contact with it, but we still do not want an accident."
"How old is she? She can't be out of her teens." Logan asked still frowning very uncomfortable about the thought of the kid out facing sick twisted monsters like Creed, and others like him. The girl didn't stand a chance against them.
"Rogue's age is another topic, I am not privy to discuss at this time. Rogue is a very private and recluse individual. She does not trust easily. She has been hurt many times, and is reluctant in trusting people again. We are hoping that she will give the invitation to staying here, seriously. I have assured her, her decision on whether to join the team or not has no bearing on if she can remain here at the mansion." Charles assured Logan hoping to calm him.
"It's like having Logan coming to stay here all over again. She's even staying on the third floor. Three doors down from you." Jean said thinking of the similarities.
"As long as she stay's to herself, I don't care where she's staying." Logan stated with a frown as he went back to his food. So the topic of conversation turned to other things.
Before Logan left the room to enjoy his after dinner cigar, he and Charles made plans to speak later that night to discuss Logan's fruitless search.
A week past and Rogue watched each and every one of the X-men closely. She observed each of them, and knew that she could take each and everyone of them. The only ones that might prove a challenge was Jean and Charles. She hated telepaths, but there was something about Charles that caused her to hold off on her judgment. Not that she trusted him. She didn't trust any of them not to turn on her, but she did start to believe that they were telling the truth about being use to many different and dangerous mutations. Many of the children and the adults had powerful and dangerous abilities.
Ororo could control the weather, which was closely related to one of Rogue's own stolen abilities. Rogue knew however that she could even take Ororo down if she needed too. Rogue knew that Jean didn't trust her either. In fact, Rogue was sure that the red headed doctor didn't even like her, although Jean didn't even know her. However, everyone else so far had been polite, even when Rogue was aloof. The only really rude one, was the recently arrived man named Logan, who's code name was Wolverine. Rogue knew he didn't approve of her being on the team, that he thought her a puny little kid, who couldn't strike fear into anyone. Rogue smirked to herself as she wondered what the Wolverine would think if he knew she could kill even him.
Rogue kept refusing to join the team for any activities, keeping to herself, but continued to observe them closely, for any signs of trickery.
A few days later Charles asked Rogue to sit in on one of the teams' training exercises. She agreed, so here she was sitting up in the observation room, watching as the team fought a simulation, so she could see the team in action. So she could observe how capable they were with their powers.
She soon realized that even thought Scott had a powerful and deadly mutation, he was a fair fighter, which didn't bode well in a real fight. Logan was savage when he had to be, or either when he wanted to be. Surprisingly though, he was very vigilant of protecting the team from any serious harm, especially Jean and Ro. Jean was stronger with her telekinesis, than she was with her telepathy. She had to concentrate harder with it, which took her mind off a fight. Ororo, who everyone called Ro, was very powerful, but she was hesitate to unleash the full fury of her power. She was scared of losing control. Which wasn't necessary a bad thing, but any hesitation in a battle could cost you and your team dearly. Hank, the big blue furry mutant was the one, Rogue found rather intriguing, but distrusted almost as much as she distrusted Jean. Hank was a genius, and very much into science. A very good subject for any genius to enjoy, but very dangerous for any mad genius scientists to be involved into. What intrigue her the most about the large blue man, was that he was a gentleman, and polite to a fault. He was always eager to be of assistance, and never acted out of the way, when someone made a rude comment about his looks. He looked dejected and disappointed, but he never retaliated with anger or violence. Rogue thought that Hank's weakest point, was that he was willing to help the ones that would be cruel and hurt him.
Once the simulation ended, Rogue left with a lot more to think about.
Logan entered the gym, planning on working on his weight lifting to see Rogue sitting in the middle of the room sitting on a mat in the lotus position, with her eyes closed, and her palms up, resting on her knees. He focused on her breathing to find it was calm, deep, and even. She made no move or gave any sign of acknowledging that someone had entered the gym. Not even her scent had changed.
Logan shook his head at the girl, thinking she must not be as distrusting as everyone thought. Plus, he agreed with Jean, she wasn't team material. She was in a strange place, with a bunch of strangers, and here she was leaving herself vulnerable to attacks. Not that anyone would, but she didn't know that. If it had been him, he would be on guard the moment the door open, or before that, but she should have given some sign of tension. Going over to the bench press, he adjusted the weights, then started on his reps.
Rogue knew the moment Logan entered the gym. Keeping herself under control as she had taught herself, while in enemy territory, she focused on his movements. Glad that he kept his distance from her. She knew that he was observing her. If he was like the other feral mutants she knew, he would be observing not only her visional, but also sensory. Taking in her scent for any thing that gave her away.
Apparently he had lost interest in her. He changed the weights on the bench press bar, then started his workout.
Only after then did Rogue come to her feet, grabbing her towel and head for the door, ignoring the man in the room.
However he had other ideas. As she reached the door, he spoke to her.
"You aren't cut out for this type of life Kid. You haven't got what it takes. You're only going to get yourself killed, or someone else hurt. If you decide to join up, I'm not about to let you put anyone in danger, by having to cover your behind." Logan growled out trying to put a some fear into the kid.
"You done?" Rogue asked keeping her irritation pushed down. She wasn't about to let this guy, think he had affected her.
"Yeah, I'm done." Logan slammed the weight bar back in it's place. He sat up, as she walked out the room without another word. Logan frowned upset, that she hadn't acted as he had figured. Her scent held the slightest hint of irritation, but there was also a hint of solemn. He didn't understand the last scent, but he pushed the girl from his mind for now. He did all he could. He warned her against joining the team. He had done it more for her sake, and although he wasn't about to let his team get hurt by her foolishness if she joined the team, he would make sure she didn't lose her life. However the first time, he had to save her behind, or someone else because of her, he was going to make sure she was off the team. He didn't care if Scooter was in charge or not. Logan was the one who had to take the blunt of an attack to protect his teammates, and whoever it was that they were rescuing or protecting.
Rogue walked around the grounds as she thought over her choices. She could move on, and it was probably the wisest choice. In the deepest part of her, that was still Marie, was tired of being alone. Tired of being an outcast. Marie, felt this place might be the only hope at ever being accepted and apart of something more. The one and only chance at starting to live again, instead of just surviving. Marie wanted friends, and a home again.
"They don't want to be our friends, Xavier, just wants to use us. Just like every other person we've every known. The only reason he wants us here, is because of what we're capable of." Rogue hissed out to herself.
Marie had to agree, that it was probably true, but that didn't mean, that given time, the X-men wouldn't welcome her. If they welcomed, and accepted all these other mutants with dangerous mutation. Just maybe they would accept her, even maybe want to be her friends, willing to give her a place among their family.
Rogue tried to remind Marie, what her so called family and friends had done to her. Wasn't being sold to the government for a hefty price by her very own parents enough to teach Marie, there was no family for them.
"Were stronger now, we can defend ourselves, if they turn on us. Aren't you tired of just surviving, don't you want to live?" Marie asked her stronger personification.
Rogue sighed, knowing she was going to give in, but only this once. If they couldn't be accepted here in the mist of her own kind, then Rogue would leave and never look back.