Rogue looked across the panaled office her eyes distant as she replayed the last few hours in her mind. She had been called to Professor Xavier's office twenty minutes ago and she sat waiting for him to speak. Admittedly she wasn't really paying him any mind. She was only sittin' here her mind was up stairs in the third room on the right. Choosin' her next scent of shower gel.

Pushin' her wet hair from her eyes she bit down on her lower lip, 'Dammit!', she railed. 'Why did they have to call then?'

She had already gathered the courage to undress and get in the shower. Logan had come in a few minutes later opening the shower door and stepped inside. Fully Dress! It had been oddly thrillin' as his eyes skimmed down her body. Though not as much as when he had slowly lifted his hand to her breast. She could almost feel the warmth of his large fingers on her as he stroked her tight nipple. She had caught her breath and thrust a hand out to grasp the wet tile for support. He was staring at her so intensily. His eyes never leaving hers. They were busy drinkin' in her reactions when-Professor Xavier's voice popped into their heads, 'Rogue Please come to my office.'

She had screamed scared out of her wits when it happened. Then she had blushed scarlet with embaressment. Anger was hot on the heels of frustration and resignation followed soon after.

If it hadn't been so absolutely tragic she would have laughed. Now she sat avoiding Xavier's eyes and day dreaming of rubbing her bare hand over his shiney bald head. That would teach him to interu-

Her thoughts were interupted when the Professor burst out laughing. "Still toting around some of Logan's more endearing qualities I see. She watched as he whipped the mirth induced tears from his eyes. "Oh, Rogue believe me I think you will want to hear this. Had it not been important I wouldn't have intruded."

"Yeah, well, It's nice to know that isn't how you get your kicks." The door bounced against the wood panaling as Logan entered lettin' the door's momentem close it.

Rogue watched as he stalked into the room. He was in his normal jeans and that funky maroon paisely shirt that he had worn the day they met. It wasn't tucked in and it looked misbuttoned. He was also without his belt buckle. He strode past her to stand in front of the wooden desk. She admired his broad back and narrow hips in those tight jeans and her pulse jumped.

Logan stood there staring the bald man down. His hands in fists at his sides. His features grim as he held a silent conversation with the man before him.

"I'm begining to think you might have some telepathic abilities, Logan." Charles watched as the other man turned and reguarded her where she sat. Logan's eyes takin' on that look that always resided in them when he looked at her. The one that had been in them from the moment he turned around in that bar in Laughlin City. The one that had made sure that she never thought of him as a brother. As if he read her thoughts he quirked his mouth and cocked his head to the side. He slowly approached her and sat down as though he were afraid she would deny him the priviledge. He sat his eyes set lookin' at the same spot on the wall.

She saw him peek at her. He sat stiffly, his hands on his knees. "I'm sorry, about...earlier."

She knew he was apologizing for her embarrassment, and not for what had almost happened. After all, they both knew that it was the course their souls must take. She had decided that she wanted her soul back in one piece, and that included Logan. 'I'm goin' to go back to that hell that has held my soul captive,' she swore to herself. 'I'm going to bring my soul back to him.'

"Yeah, I'm sorry too." she murmured, her eyes daring his to meet hers.

Her eyes daring his to meet hers. As though he knew the game he turned his face to hers. Then lookin' down he picked up her hand and slid his fingers up her arm grasped the edge of her glove and started working it down until her hand was exposed. As she felt the light touch of his fingers on her arm she reminded herself to thank Jean for that wonderful latex covering she had used on him. He gently grasped her fingers then rested them on his knee. Sitting back he placed his hand over hers and they both turned to Xavier as one.

"Well, I guess you are wondering why I called you both down here."

"Your gift for the obvious is astounding." Logan quiped.

"I have been discussing with Regressor the contents of your last session. It seems to me that it is the key to your mutation Rogue. As you said to her when you approached her with the whole choice issue."

"As you may recall she thought that was impossible. That it was only external stimuli that caused our genetic mutation. In some cases that might be so, but we have come to the conclusion that a persons will. Their soul if you will also comes into play when ever heightened emotional stress is added to the mix." he smiled not unkindly as he looked at Rogue. "In your case you were experiencing several external as well as internal stimuli. Which culminated in your leap from the hospital window. Unfortunatily that is in all probability why your mutation took on this form."

Rogue stared at Professor Xavier for several minutes. He hadn't said anything she didn't already postulated in her own mind. "I aleady know that." she spoke slowly. "I knew that it was her fault while I was stuck in her mind. I could feel the fear and anguish. She might have killed herself, but it was because she wanted her soul to be reborn with his. Not because of weekness."

"That is exactly what Regressor thought. Although she was puzzled by your souls inactivity after the incident. She believes that might also have contributed to the-er-strength of your power."

"Ah don't understand."

"Regressor believes that your soul lay dormant for those sixty-nine years that your soul went without incarnation. That it was searching for its missing half." His eyes flicked to Logan's. "It never found it so believing it was to be forever alone through the ages. It manifested itself in Rogue. I use that name for the form she took and will henceforeth call the soul Marie." He looked up to see if they were following his line of thought. It seemed Logan was, but she still had a few questions. deciding to wait until he had said all he had to say she held her tongue.

"Good. When she was incarnated into Rogue, Marie was a very strong presence. She dictated many of the thoughts the young Rogue had. Never allowing anyone to harm her was her souls main goal until young David kissed Rogue. At which point the part of her soul Marie controled through up a barrior. Which activated the mutation."

"So, yer sayin' that my past self was so strong in me that it triggered my mutaion because it didn't want David to kiss me?" Her eyes going to Logan.

"Yes."

"But, then why can't I touch Logan? If that were so wouldn't he be able to get through the barrior. Wouldn't my soul know his?"

"Your soul does know him. How else could you explain the quickness with which the two of you bonded."

Logan, who had remained quiet until this time spoke up. "The reaction her soul had, the barrior it through up. It combined with the traces of pain from the last life and formed a barrior stronger than her mutation was intended. So her inability to touch could be controlled if we were able to cleanse her soul."

"That is precisely it." Xavier smiled.

"How? When?" Rogue demanded. Her eyes shining. She might be able to control her power. She might be able to touch and feel Logan. This was more than she had ever hoped. With a smile she added, "I take that whole shiny bald head thing back."

The next part: The Cleanse will be on the way.