There is nothing as humbling as having your butt kicked by someone who wasn't even trying.

Ten years of studying magic. Ten years of hunting down every text, every scrap of mystical lore I could get my hands on. Ten years of letting the Lady—

Ten years and the only reason I was still alive was because he hadn't wanted to kill me.

Even if Wolverine had not been able to break through my ward—and I was not entirely sure he wouldn't have been able to manage that given time—he could easily have suffocated me.

I do kind of need to breathe, after all.

So, yeah. I felt humbled.

And more than a little scared.

Plainly, I was a lover not a fighter.

Of course, given my usual luck with the ladies, I couldn't really say that was all that much of a lover either.

I didn't much feel like eating, so after Wolverine left me I went up to my room—well, the guest room that the X-Men had given me—and cracked open my texts. If Wolverine—who hadn't really wanted to hurt me—had been so easily able to clean my clock then Blythe's captors would probably have no problem at all.

So if I were going to do this—if I were going to let Rogue and Remy do this—I would have to be as prepared as possible.

There was a knock on the door. "Kyle? You decent?"

That Southern honey again. Even hours of study couldn't repress a smile when I heard her. "The jury's still out on that, Rogue."

"Can Ah come in? You need to eat. Ah brought you a sandwich."

"Sure."

The door swung open and Rogue came in with a tray.

"Hey, you said a sandwich. You didn't say there'd be a drink too. You entered under false pretenses!"

"Ah lied. Ah do that sometimes." She sat the tray down. "You look tired."

"Thanks. You look stunning."

She blushed slightly and raised a lace-gloved hand to her face. "You say the sweetest things, sugah."

"I only speak the truth. This time."

"This time?"

"I've been known to lie too."

"Or just not answer a question."

"That too."

I bit into the sandwich. Grilled cheese and milk. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started to chew.

She let me eat for a few minutes. "So with luck, tomorrow will see this whole X-Terminator thing over with."

"Yeah." I finished off the sandwich and drained the milk. "Thank you. That was good."

"Ah could get you another if you'd like—"

"No thank you. I shouldn't eat any more." In truth, this was the first time I'd felt like eating since the Lady had taken her pound—well, about forty pounds, really—of flesh.

"So when this is all over, you're going to leave?"

"Yeah."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Ah wish you wouldn't."

I chuckled. "Much as I love the company— well, except for Wolverine—I have things to take care of and I can't do them here."

"There's no shame in losing a fight to Wolvie, sugah. He's the best there is at what he does—as he loves to say all the time."

I chuckled.

"Kyle?"

"Yes?"

"Don't go."

She was leaning very close to me. I could feel her breath on my face.

"Rogue—" I pulled back from her. "Why should I stay?"

She pulled back and hugged herself. "Ah don't want you to go."

"There's nothing here for me, Rogue."

"Ah wouldn't say that, Kyle."

Her eyes were so very green, her lips so very red…

"Rogue, don't. Just … don't." I shut my eyes to block her out. "I've seen the way you and Remy react to each other. There's no way I can compete with that. I'm not even going to try. I'm going to do what I promised and then I'm gone."

"Remy …" Rogue laughed softly. "Kyle—look at me, Kyle. Please."

Reluctantly, I opened my eyes.

"Remy and Ah … we nevah can seem to quit each other. We've been dancing around each other for years. Ah hurt him. He hurts me. And yet … and yet we can't walk away." She smiled at me. "He's in mah heart."

"And this is to convince me to stay—how?"

"Ah know it's not fair. Ah know it's selfish. But … Ah feel like you should be here, Kyle. Ah want you here. For me. And for Remy."

"Remy?"

"He likes you, Kyle. Ah'm almost jealous. What Remy and Ah have is complicated. What you have with him—is friendship. And that's something he's not had a lot of—not with other men, anyway."

"I'm not a mutant, Rogue. This isn't a place for someone like me. There isn't a place for someone like me."

"Ah used to think the same. Ah've done things in mah life, Kyle. Bad things. Things Ah'm not proud of. Ah came to the X-Men for help because Ah had no choice—because mah powers were driving me crazy. They didn't like me. They sure as hell didn't trust me. And yet … and yet Ah found a home here."

"Rogue…" Why the hell did she have to sit so close to me? It was hard to think when I could practically feel her warmth.

"Kyle, just think about it. That's all Ah'm asking. Once this is done … just think about staying." She reached out and touched my face with her lace gloved hand, tracing my lips with her fingers. "For me."

"For you, I'll think about it." Just not very long. There was nothing for me with the X-Men. If they knew what I planned … No, it was best I leave and never return …

"Ah suppose Ah should let you get back to your work, then. Ah see you when it's time to start our mission. Try to get some sleep though, Kyle."

"Maybe if you come back in a few hours to tuck me in…" I grinned at her.

"Ah may just do that, Kyle." She smirked at me as she got up. "Ah'm pretty good at taking care of little boys …"

"Yes, mama."

She laughed. "Good night, Kyle."

"Good night, Rogue."

"And, Kyle?"

"Think about it. Think about staying." She smiled softly, sadly. "And think about me."

And after she left, I found that I did little else but think about her until sleep finally claimed me.