Title: Going Home
Author: Amelia Saxe
Email: akscully@yahoo.com
Fandom: X-Men (movie)
Rating: PG--a few words that my grandmother wouldn't like me to use.
Summary: Uh, Logan reflects on times past
Genre: X-Men: the Movie, Wolverine/Rogue
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, Marvel does. Although I wouldn't mind getting my hands on Logan. Mmmmmmm, Logan..


Canada-6 years after Logan left

The problem with being a mutant with a super healing factor was that it was all to easy to believe that since you could withstand punishing blows from an opponent, you could withstand the elements and extremes in temperature with little protection. One mutant with this particular notion was quickly being disabused of that idea.

"Damn." Logan muttered as he gathered hi leather jacket around him and hunched down lower over the center of his bike. Well, not his bike really, it was just on loan. Logan grinned as he imagined what Scott's reaction had been when he discovered that theft. The grin quickly disappeared as another icy blast hit him. What he wouldn't give for an enclosed vehicle right now. Hell, he'd even take his old truck. Of course, it was well north of him, impossible and impractical to get to, especially considering the condition it was left in. Logan continued on as his mind drifted back to his truck, its destruction and the events leading up to it.


Canada-6 years ago

The whiskey burned down his throat as he leaned against the fence enclosure. He dimly heard the "promoter", a charming man named Mac, try to entice another fighter into the ring, as the last one was dragged unconscious from the floor. Logan shook his head slightly. What the hell kind of name was Mac anyway? Through the din, he heard another challenger come forward and step into the ring. He downed another shot. Suddenly, pain blossomed through him as felt his body pummeled and kicked. Then the rage came.

Logan honestly didn't remember all to clearly what happen after that. He supposed he must have dealt with the fighter rather quickly and brutally because there weren't any more opponents that night. Logan shrugged as he pulled a shirt over his head; he had made a decent amount of cash. He moved over to the bar, ordered a beer and looked briefly at the cloaked figure sharing the bar with him. The cloak moved and he found himself looking at a startlingly young feminine face. Logan grunted slightly as he looked away. The kid was obviously lost. She was way too young to be out here alone. Probably some runaway who didn't know what the world was really like and was learning the hard way.

His eyes flicked up to the t.v. when he heard the announcer talk about the new mutant registration bill being debated in America. Senator Kelly. What a bastard. Mental note Logan, see all of America while you can before they hunt you down like an animal there. He looked over to the girl again. She was looking at him with a wide-eyed stare, with a touch of.hope? Why was she looking hopefully at him? He saw her gaze shift to a point over his right shoulder. Logan had heard the two men moving up behind him before and a small sniff confirmed that on of them was the last fighter he had dealt so efficiently with. Probably didn't like getting the crap beat outta him. Baldy's angry words confirmed it. Logan turned slightly and bit out an angry warning to forget it and move on. He turned back to his beer and dismissed Baldy from his mind. He concentrated on his beer and the sudden appearance of a soft, floral, feminine scent. The girl.? She suddenly screamed.

"Look out!"

He reacted without conscious thought. He spun suddenly, knocking the knife out of Baldy's hands. The rage came up again, but Logan carefully controlled it and didn't allow it to flow through him unchecked. His outermost claws framed Baldy's neck nicely while his middle claw extended slowly towards the man's Adam's apple. Logan almost smiled at the terror on the man's face when he felt the barrel of a rifle by his ear and heard the bartender's policy on "freaks".
moment's consideration and Logan swept his lift arm up, claws extended, slicing the rifle in two and bringing them up under the barkeep's chin. The anger was singing through his blood, urging him to finish the job as he glanced between the two men. Freak? He'd show them a thing or two about freaks.His eyes fell on the girl at the bar again. This time her stare didn't hold hope, it held terror. Jesus, what was he doing? These bastards weren't worth it. He dropped his arms suddenly and strode past the girl and out the door.

The cold hit him almost immediately. As he walked out to his truck, he berated himself. 'Great Logan, now that you've ruined another job, where to now?' He opened the door, slid in and started the engine. He rubbed his knuckles absently, then look down at them. Not a mark. He'd find another job soon enough. He shifted into gear and began to move.

Half an hour on the road, he heard his trailer shifting behind him. Hoping the damn thing wasn't loose, he stopped the truck and climbed out. He walked back, looking around, when he heard and then saw movement next to his bike. As he walked up, he caught a faint scent that was familiar. As he jabbed the lump, recognition took hold. When he threw back the blanket, he wasn't surprised to see that young face peek around the hood of that green cloak. He took his cigar out of his mouth.

"What the hell are you doin'? Get out." he ordered angrily.

"Ah needed a ride. Thought you might help." she said in a soft, lilting voice as she climbed out.

"I can't."

"Where am ah gonna go?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know or you don't care?"

Irritation grew within him. He stuck the cigar back in his mouth. "Pick one." he spat. He turned around and walked up to the truck door. He heard her call out behind him.

"Ah saved your life!"

"No, you didn't." he replied as he slammed the door and started to drive away. As he continued on, he replayed her last words in his mind. She didn't really. Even if Baldy had stabbed him, he would have easily recovered. Still, he had dismissed the other man, wasn't even paying attention to him, despite the fact that every instinct and experience warned him against that. Her warning rang out in his mind. With a sigh, he slowed down and parked the truck.

She didn't waste any time getting to him.

As they moved on, he saw her pull back her hood. He looked over to her, saw her face for the first time, and realized that he had to revise his first impression of her. She was young, but had an astoundingly beautiful face, with delicate features framed by rich auburn hair. The girl was.incredible. When he realized the direction his thoughts were taking, he mentally kicked himself. Jesus, what was she 15, 16? He need a woman, a real, legal woman worse than he thought. He noticed she had taken off her gloves and was rubbing her hands together. He grimaced. 'Of course she's cold, jackass!' She had just spent the last half hour next to an ice-encrusted bike. He reached down to put on the heater. He moved his hand over to grab hers and put them by the vent when she shrieked and jumped.

"No! Don't touch me!" she yelled as she shrank away from him. He looked over at her, startled. Where had that come from? Had she been hurt before? Logan was surprised at the anger he had for whomever had done this to her. "I ain't gonna hurt ya kid." he said, trying to reassure her. Her next words soothed him only somewhat though.

"It's just that when people touch my skin, something happens to them..."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. They just get hurt." she explained.

Understanding dawned. "Fair enough." he said. Another mutant, like himself. That explained the hope in her eyes in the bar. She must have seen him fight, realized what he was. He was like her, someone who could understand her.

"You got anythin' to eat?" Her voice broke into his thoughts.

He glanced over at her and managed to hold back a smile. She was a cheeky kid. He was giving her a ride out of the goodness of his heart, and she had the nerve to hit him up for food. He reached over to the glove box, grabbed some jerky and tossed it to her. He noted how quickly she devoured the food. When was the last time she ate?

He saw her looking around at his "home". "What?"

She swung her head back. "Nothing, nothing." she answered quickly. "It's just that my life doesn't seem so bad now."

Cheeky? The kid was damn rude! "If you prefer the road--" he began.

"No, no! It's okay." she said instantly. "It's.cozy."

He saw the fear in her face that he might kick her out anyway. Was he scaring her that much? He suddenly realized that it was very important to him that she felt at ease with him. A little small talk was in order. Unfortunately, he wasn't much of a conversationalist. He looked over at her and was again taken by how beautiful she was. The fear had gone out of her eyes and she was looking curiously at him, her face searching.

"Were you in the army? Isn't that what those tags mean? That you were in the army?" she asked haltingly.

He looked down at the dog tags resting on his chest. The metal tags with the name "Wolverine" stamped into them were the only thing he had on him when had woken up 15 years ago with no recollection of who he was, except for the name Logan, where he was or what he was doing there. This was too personal for him to discuss with some runaway, no matter how pretty she was and he tucked the tags into his shirt. He saw her face crumple in disappointment at his action. He was surprised again at how much it pained him to see how he hurt her. Before he could analyze this much further, he heard her voice.

"I'm Rogue."

His eyebrows shot up. "Rogue? What kind of name is Rogue?" he asked.

"What kind of name is Wolverine?" she asked archly, one eyebrow curving up, her southern accent kicking in.

This time he did allow himself a small smile. The kid was cheeky, not rude. A Southern belle, he decided. Raised like Scarlett O'Hara not to take any crap from any man. His smile widened slightly. "My name's Logan," he said.

She smiled shyly in return. "Marie," she answered. Lord, she was beautiful when she smiled. She was going to wrap men around her little finger when she grew up. 'She seems to be doing pretty well with you, Logan' a voice in his head jeered.

She continued on, "You know, you really should wear a seatbelt."

Logan's eyes flashed in annoyance. Cheeky? No. Rude? Yes. "Listen, kid, I don't need tips on auto safety-"

His words were cut off by a sudden crash and her scream as the truck hit a tree that had suddenly fallen onto the road. Logan was launched out of his seat, through the windshield and flew through the air. 'Son of a bi--' he thought before he landed, knocking him out briefly. When he came to, he groaned and pushed himself up. He was getting too old for this. He stood up slowly, turned and started moving back towards the truck. He could feel his internal injuries healing up as he continued walking. Logan saw Marie struggling in the truck as he walked up and go still as she caught sight of him. He felt the cuts on his head closing up as she continued to stare.

"Kid, are you okay?" he asked.

To her credit, she didn't ask about his remarkable survival and recovery. "I'm.I'm stuck." she said.

He started toward her when he stilled suddenly. Another scent.His claws extended themselves as he put the scene together and readied himself for an attack. A roar from his left alerted him and he swung around in time to get caught full in the chest and go flying backwards. Logan caught a glimpse of huge, blonde creature before he slammed into a tree. He landed, and before he could fight back he was sent flying when this enormous beast hit him with a tree trunk. 'Please God, let her be safe,' was the last thought he had before crashing onto the truck and letting the darkness claim him.


Canada

Logan shook his head slightly and smiled as he drove the bike down the road. It would be good to see Rogue.Marie.Ro-what did she call herself now? Logan felt slightly guilty at not keeping in touch with her for the six years he had been gone. What would he have said anyway? Hey kid, found the place where horrible experiments were conducted on me by, of all people, a secret Canadian governmental group? Hardly. Besides, he was coming back now.

He would see Jean again and find out if she was still with Scott. He would talk to the Professor about what he had found. But most importantly, he would see how the kid was. Logan was surprised at how protective he still felt about Marie, but then shrugged it off to her age when they first met. She was so young, it was only natural that he would want to help her, he told himself.

The wind hit Logan again, but he didn't feel it for once. He was going home.