Immunity
Chapter 4: Discovery
by
Dark Ferret



DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, so please don't sue me.




Waking up with a start, Rogue quickly looked down at her leg. Her leather uniform was bloodied and shredded beyond comprehension, but the pale skin under it was flawless.

"Woa, Chere you got to take it slowly. You gave dis Cajun quite de scare "

Slowly remembering what happened, Rogue asked the only question on her mind, "Where is he Remy? Is he ahlright?"

"Yes Chere, he is in de jet with Beast and Jean."

Noticing his slightly dejected look, Rogue squeezed his hand and hurried to the jet on the compound roof.

She ran in and found Logan lying in a makeshift gurney in the back. Like before, he had slashes cutting into his face, torso and legs. Ignoring the doctors working on him, Rogue went to him and softly stroked his scruffy sideburns. Tears flowed down her cheeks, and Jean hugged her from behind.

"He'll be fine. He just needs time to heal."

Rogue nodded silently and held Logan's hand.

Scott and Ororo walked in ten minutes later. They had been talking with the authorities about what happened. Evidence collaborated with their story, and so the X-men headed for home.

After a quick debriefing with the Professor, Rogue cleaned up and went to keep watch over Logan in the Med Lab. Unable to cry, she just sat by his bed, gently massaging the area between his knuckles. Her friends and the X-men all came to offer words of encouragement, but Rogue could barely respond. Not even the Professor could see into her mind. Her defenses were incredibly strong, her personalities shifting to accommodate yet another. What no-one realized was that she was fine, great in fact, for as Logan kissed her, he passed on one sentence that kept repeating over and over in her mind Marie, I love you.

Two days passed and everyone began to worry. When Logan touched Rogue at the Statue of Liberty, he was asleep for 36 hours. It was now 52 hours and all of his wounds had already healed, but still he was asleep. Jean and Beast ran every test known to man, and then made up some more, but nothing helped. By the fifth day everyone started wondering if they were going to lose two of their own. You see, Rogue had grown increasingly unresponsive. She slept in the Med Lab, rarely ate, and practically stopped talking altogether. She only watched him, occasionally drinking a Canadian Gold.

It was on the sixth day that an abnormality showed up on one of Logan's blood tests. Jean was the first to notice an unknown protein in one of the samples. Quickly drawing more blood, she was shocked to see that the protein was being mass produced by Logan's body. Neither Jean nor Beast had ever seen it before and so they tried to isolate the protein and figure out what it was for. But their efforts were useless. Despite working around the clock in the labs, neither had a clue as to what it was.

By the eighth day, Rogue was completely mute. It was late and she had just came back from taking a shower in her room. Kitty had come in and brushed her hair into a ponytail while Jubilee told her all the latest gossip. They were clearly heartbroken to see their friend so changed. Unable to tell them what their support meant to her, Rogue hugged them fiercely before she left.

Rogue walked into the Med Lab and took her seat by Logan's bed. On a whim, she laid her head on his chest and inhaled his scent deeply. Pulling up the bedsheet to cover him completely, Rogue quickly drifted to sleep with the warm heat of his body.

Logan opened his hands and stretched his fingers. He was emerging from a long dream that he couldn't quite remember. Opening his eyes slowly, he realized he was back in the Mansion. He felt a weight over his stomach and looked down to see Rogue sleeping on him. Suddenly remembering the scene in Arecibo, a lump formed in his throat. He swallowed hard and placed a hand on Marie's head. The movement jostled her, making her open her eyes wide in wonder. Her hair was pulled back, forming a halo of white hair that was very bright in the dim lights.

"Logan" She said his name in a whisper. Her silence broken , Rogue did something she had been unable to since they arrived. A single tear rolled down her cheek, bringing her back to world of the feeling.

"Hey, darling." His throaty response grumbled through his chest. Rogue felt it through her hands, which were still on his stomach. Sitting up, Logan pulled his girl into an embrace. Her shampoo toyed with his senses. "You miss me, or what?"

"Yeah, Ah did."

"Where are the geeks? Scott's gonna be pissed." His smile faltered as he caught her expression. "What? Magneto got away or something?"

"No, Logan, It's just that yah been asleep for eight days now."

"Shit, eight days? Why that long? You really did a number on me Marie." He instantly regretted his words when he saw her take a step back.

"Hey, I'm just" He was cut off by Jean's entrance. She had dropped the papers she was holding, let out a shriek and went to hug him.

"Oh thank god, you had us so worried. Let me tell the Professor." Jean closed her eyes for a few seconds, telling several people the goods news at once.

Logan grinned ruefully and looked over at Rogue. Jean was hugging her too. Just what he needed, a big fuss. In a short time, half the school was in the Med Lab while Beast and Jean kept fussing with monitors and asking questions. They were saying something about a protein but Logan was no longer paying them any attention. Rogue had retreated into a corner. She was not looking at him, instead tugging nervously at her gloves. She smiled at everyone and answered questions, but was obviously upset. As Logan got up to walk over to her, it dawned on him why she would be upset. He had blown it, scared her off. He had told her that he loved her before passing out.

Like always it was easy enough to find Rogue. She had been on the roof, which took some maneuvering to get to. When he finally heaved himself over the top, he stood in sweats and a t-shirt looking down at a very distraught person. She had not acknowledged him at all, so he plopped down besides her and handed her a beer. They drank in silence until he broke the quiet.

"I'm sorry, Marie"

The last thing she expected to hear, Rogue snapped her head up to meet his gaze. "What are yah sorry about?"

Pleased to have caught her attention, he continued, "Well, I touched you again and I shouldn't have. It is very personal and I think that "

"You gonna take it back?" Like always Rogue didn't waste words. It was Logan's turn to look surprised.

"No, No, I can't take it back." He cursed under his breath and took another swig, "This is not what I expected Marie."

"What did yah expect?" Rogue's voice was getting louder and she was getting angrier by the minute. "That Ah would fall into yahr arms, say Ah loved yah too and that everything would be okay, live happily evah aftah?!."

"Yeah. That's exactly what I expected." Logan was getting angry himself. "I know you care for me Marie, maybe I pushed too fast, but you gonna sit here and bullshit me. Tell me that you still wear those tags for fun?" He was yelling now too.

Rogue looked down at the tags that disappeared into her shirt and blinked back fresh tears. Logan's heart stopped beating when he saw her reaction. Definitely not where he wanted this conversation to go.

"Logan," she started slowly, "Ah do care, but this is wrong, yah deserve someone normal, someone yah can touch." Her voice broke at the last word.

Logan couldn't believe she was saying this. It was he that was out of her league, he moved to hold her, make her see it was a lie, but she was already up and about to take off, literally. Using years of fight experience he pounced after her before she got away. Grabbing her arm where her short sleeved shirt and long gloves met, he held onto her, roughly pulling her against him. Her expression was incredulous as she looked down at his hand. He followed her gaze to realize that he was still touching her bare skin and nothing was happening.

"Mah, Mah" Rogue's mouth went dry at the feel of Logan's skin. A completely new sensation to her, it was both strong and rough. Noting the same thing, Logan let go, he was never one to manhandle a woman. They continued to stare at the pale spot for what seemed to be an eternity. She looked up at him again, her eyes revealing what her words could not.

A broad grin spread across Logan's face as he asked the question that was on her mind as well, "Marie, does this mean"

The question was left hanging in the air, because in one fluid, cat-like movement Rogue covered the space between them and tackled Logan down. Her mouth was on his as they fell onto the roof with a loud thump. Her eyes were still moist but her heart was elated. She could touch Logan.

It took a second for Logan to react to what was happening. He had never been, well jumped. But the feel of Rogue against his body was overwhelming. He pried her mouth open with his lips and deepened their kiss, aware of her speeding heartbeat. She moaned softly and he could not help but run his hands up and down her body. When he reached her arms again Rogue stopped for a minute and sat up on his stomach. Smiling ecstatically, she pealed off her gloves and slowly went to touch his face. Moving slowly she traced every line of his face while he watched hers intently.

"How is this possible?" Tears were in her eyes again.

Logan pulled her in close and turned to have her under him. He held her down with his large frame and kissed her tears away. "I don't know, but I think it had something to do with the last absorption. We should go see Beast and Jean," Still kissing trails down her neck, he added with a grin, "later."

Lost in new sensations, Rogue was unwilling to do anything that would make him stop. In response she giggled and nodded. It could wait. For now she needed Logan and only Logan. Responding to the words that she replayed in her head for eight days, she answered in a shy, sexy drawl, "Ah love yah."

Logan was kissing the space between Rogue's breasts where his dog tags lay when he heard her words. Jerking his head up, he smiled at her and kissed her again softly on the lips. "I love you too." Suddenly very aware of her legs wrapped around his hips, and her mouth on his neck, he summoned all his will to break away from her. He did love her and because he did, he could not take her like this.

"Rogue, I've only been back a few days, a lots happened but we should take it a little slower." Expecting her to be upset, he only found amusement in her face.

"Big bad-ahss Wolverine wants ta go slow?" She giggled into her hand and sat up, putting on her gloves.

Logan scowled but offered a hand and pulled her up to him. "Just a little. Don't want to rush you." He shook his head, never thought he'd ever say those words.

Smiling happily at his scowl, Rogue wrapped her arms around Logan's waist and added, "It's okay, we cahn go slow." Planting a small sensual kiss on his jawline, she picked them up and settled on the Mansion grounds below. Growling in frustration Logan followed her to the Med Lab. He picked a great time to get all noble.

"It seems that the protein we extracted from you Logan, is a perfect match for another found in Rogue's cells." Beast was obviously enthralled by the discovery.

Although it was embarrassing to have the entire school know that they found out less than three hours after Logan woke up, Rogue answered all her questions and underwent her own battery of exams. Now as the preliminary results were analyzed, the X-men, the Professor, the junior X-members were being briefed of Logan's immunity.

"Apparently, you have touched Rogue enough times for your body to have perceived her as a threat, thereby forcing it to come upon a solution. An antibody of sorts." Jean was equally amazed, excitedly completing Beast's sentences.

"Yes, it is clear that since only Logan has a healing factor, he alone will be able to touch you, but we will be working to duplicate the protein." Beast smiled warmly as he pushed up his eyeglasses.

In the back Kitty and Jubilee giggled. Giving a mortified Rogue a squeeze on the knee, Logan couldn't help but smile. Even if it was wrong, he felt that Marie was his now more than ever. His Marie. Mine. He sucked on his cigar and reveled in his base instincts. Mine.

After a so-called layman's explanation of the protein itself, Jean took her seat and the Professor stepped forward to address his students.

"We are all very happy for you Rogue. This is a step towards finding a solution to your dilemma, and it is the least we can do for someone we care so much about. We wish you and Logan much happiness." He purposefully gave Scott a look, who begrudgingly nodded in agreement. "As for all of you. Your success in the last mission is commendable. No lives were lost and an act of terrorism was abated. In recognition I propose that we all go out for dinner at Sarah's to celebrate our victory. Who hear agrees?"

At the resounding show of hands and whoops from St. John and Bobby, the Professor continued, "Then it is settled. We meet in the Foyer at seven sharp."



CHAPTERS:   1   2   3   4




All references to characters belonging to the X-Men Universe are (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, duplication or distribution of these materials in any form is expressly prohibited. No money is being made from this archive. All images are also (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities; they are not mine. This website, its operators and any content used on this site relating to the X-Men are not authorized by Marvel, Fox, etc. I am not, nor do I claim to be affiliated with any of these entities in any way.