won't you see me

Rated PG-13
Summary: Rogue decides she'll stop being a 'kid' for Logan.
Notes: This is an example of how inspiring and motivating movies and music can be. Or this will show how
bored I was. Many, many thanks to Devil Doll and Cschoolgirl for taking the time to beta this and making it
worthy of posting a second time around. Special thanks to DD for the English lessons ;-)

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He found her in the rec room. She was sprawled on the couch, watching TV. Some kind of a chick flick, or
so it seemed to him, because he recognized Meg Ryan on the screen.

"Hey," he said as he slumped next to her. A fleeting thought crossed his mind, making him wonder why he
always felt a need to go and be with her, even when what she was doing was not his thing for killing time.

"Hey," she said back, barely turning her head to him and not at all ungluing her eyes from the screen.

"Whaddya watching?" And was he really interested in the answer?

"City of Angels." At his clueless expression, she added, "Romance movie."

He was almost certain the movie wouldn't be to his liking, but he made up his mind to stay anyway. He liked
that there seemed to be no one around; he enjoyed the tranquility and that Marie was by his side.

Ten minutes after settling, he surprised himself by commenting on the movie.

"So what kind of romance is this anyway?" he asked after watching the leading blonde slice through some
guy's hand.

"Oh, it's just that he's an angel, so nothing can hurt him, physically."

"Well that explains it. Guess it was too much to ask to see an actor portraying a mutant with super-healing
powers just like me."

Marie finally unlocked her stare from the screen, to turn her eyes in a narrowed gaze at Logan.

"It was just a thought," he replied to her silent scolding. She didn't seem amused. "All right, all right, I'll shut
up."

They were halfway through the movie when Logan felt her shift a little in her seat.

"I love this part," she said as he heard a slow song start in the background.

"You've seen it before?"

"Sure. I never get tired of watching it," she answered as she started slightly moving her head to the rhythm
of the song. "And this part especially. It's so... sexy."

Logan detected an almost imperceptible increase of Marie's heartbeat. She sure did like that scene.

"So what's about this scene that makes it so special?"

Marie sighed. "Well, the song, for starters. It's slow, sensual, enticingly sexy, and it couldn't be more
explicit. And look at Meg Ryan, she's silently calling out for his touch, the way she's caressing herself,
thinking of him," she answered, completely absorbed in the movie. Logan turned to look at Marie, some
fascination in his eyes; he had never heard her speak like this. He wished she showed this bolder side of
herself more often. She blushed in recognition.

"I don't know, I just don't see Meg Ryan as sexy. She's usually the funny girl. Kinda hard to see her
differently, you know?"

He wasn't sure why, but he knew what he said had made Marie uncomfortable. He suddenly felt her freeze,
her head not following the music anymore. Feeling a little guilty about it –although he *really* had no idea
what the guilt was about- he stretched his arm over the back of the couch, and submerged his fingers in
Marie's hair, brushing it, in an attempt to lighten her up.

Her head dropping back and into his hand should've been a good sign that it was working, but he couldn't
help the feeling that her unease had curiously transmitted to him. He found himself battling between the
urge to get away, and the wish for the movie to never end.

Finishing the movie, they went their separate ways. Logan claimed to have some fixing to do to his
motorcycle (really, trying to be the cool teacher that lent his bike to his students had its disadvantages),
and Marie went to her room.

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The words Logan had said just wouldn't leave her mind.

"Kinda hard to see her differently, you know?"

Indeed she knew. Marie had just recently come to terms with the fact that Logan would never see her as
other than a 'kid'.

She kept playing the earlier moment in her mind, remembering how his words had brought her attention
back from the movie world, to that precise moment. She remembered how she suddenly felt too aware of
her speeding heartbeat, and feeling Logan's warm body next to her --maybe too near for her own self
control--, she recognized the nervous pounding in her chest and the light dizziness in her head. She was
taken aback to realize that it had nothing at all to do with what was happening on the screen and
everything to do with Logan. She resignedly understood she still had that undying desire that he saw her
as all that she was -- a woman.

And while she made up her mind to prove to Logan that there *could* be different facets in someone, she
had decided to just enjoy the movie, and Logan's strong arm behind her neck.

She had seriously tried to concentrate on the last half of the movie, and felt utterly odd when she realized
it was the first time she didn't cry at the ending. She couldn't even remember *watching* the ending. She
was feeling flustered, thinking about Logan, the warmth his body emanated sitting so close to her, his hand
brushing her hair.

She winced when she remembered how, when the movie was over, his gentle, soft caress had
disappointingly changed into a pat on the head and a "Gotta go, kid" before he practically scurried from
the room.

"Can't see her differently, can't see her differently," she said mocking his earlier assessment. "I'll show you
how different you can see *me*, Logan."

She entered her room, a fixed idea in her mind. She was going to make Logan see how grown up she
really was, how desirable she could be. She was going to make Logan want her as she'd always dreamed
he did.

How? She had no idea, but she would think of something. Then again, she hadn't the faintest clue of
where to start. She had honestly tried everything before. From taking his training classes instead of Scott's
so he'd see her every day in tight, black leather, to dressing and talking more maturely, to showing more of
her skin, and even dancing provocatively in front of him in the dances the mansion had held.

Of course, when all that failed, she told herself that he was already tired of the black uniform; that there
was more to his attraction to Jean than just looks, and that showing off untouchable skin had its
drawbacks. To top it off, Jubes told her how strained she looked when she tried the sensual dance for
Logan ("Sorry Roguey, you just shouldn't force what you're not. You know, you kinda hurt my eyes, a little
bit.").

"Well of course I looked strained, I was dancing in the middle of the emptied dance floor in front of the
entire school!" she said to herself. She still couldn't help but feel a little flushed remembering that night
when everyone was pretending not to look at her and her awkward slow movements.

'I can dance like that. I can be sexy and sensual. I just need to learn to be more comfortable doing it in
front of people.'

With that in mind, she went to look through her CDs, immediately finding what she was looking for, the
soundtrack from the movie they'd watched earlier. She took the disc from its box, and put it on the player,
right on the song she wanted.

The first sounds were heard, and she was dancing. Slow, delicate, rhythmic moves. This came to her
naturally, from deep inside where she could hear the thumping of her heart, feel the heat in her blood. She
looked in the mirror and wished he could see her this way. He would never think of her as a kid again if he
did.

Imagining she was dancing for Logan, she closed her eyes and just let go. She didn't even have to try
hard. Her feet took small steps, sliding smoothly along the floor, making her legs move slowly with them,
her hips sway in motion.

Just like her body unleashed, her imagination took flight. His presence was too real in that far away world
she was in now. She could almost swear she felt his stare, felt him watching her from her bedroom door,
exploring her every move.

And it made her feel even wilder.

And when she lifted her arms, caressing them against each other, she wasn't surprised that she could feel
his hands lightly grab her waist.

Keeping her eyes closed, she let her head fall back and to the side, allowing those imaginary hands to
explore her diminutive waist, her hard abdomen, the small of her back, and drag themselves up from each
side of her body.

She could even swear she felt warm breath just behind her ear.

She let the reverie continue just for a while longer, until the song was over. She tried to enjoy the last
caresses of the imaginary hands, *his* hands, because she knew she'd have to wake up soon.

And when she felt his gloved hand caress her face, she knew.

Because in her dreams her skin was not an issue; in her dreams he was able to touch her freely and
without anything between them.

She slowly turned around, and in a ragged breath, carefully opened her eyes. She was still afraid this
would be part of her wild imagination, but she finally saw him there, in front of her. His hands on her waist,
his eyes fixed on hers.

And it wasn't her imagination when she saw the same desire burning in his eyes.

She didn't want to spoil this moment with words, but she just had to know.

"I... why... how... when?" She took in a deep breath, and he gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled back.
"I had no idea," she finally managed.

"You weren't the only one," he answered with a husky, quiet voice. She was now feeling her heart almost
jumping out of her chest, and she wondered if he could hear it. He gently brushed her hair back, clearing
her face. "How could I have been so blind? How did I not see you before?"

She knew she shouldn't question her good luck and just let the moment be, but she couldn't help asking,
"Not that I'm not deliriously happy about that, but... three years strutting in front of you, and you *just* see
me?"

He smiled in earnest. "I didn't just see you, I just... I guess before you were just too young for me, and then,
I don't know, something changed. You changed, you seemed distant." She had a sudden need to smack
him right on the head, but even she knew better than that.

"I gave up," she interrupted him. "I had tried everything known to man, or occurred to me, and just gave up
when I realized all the energy I was using futilely. But I never stopped wanting you; I could never stop
thinking of you. I had to try once more."

"It worked," he said, raising his eyebrow and melting her heart in the process.

"Actually, I hadn't started yet."

"You hadn't?" His incredulous eyes bore into hers. "Then that movie incident and that 'how sexy is this' talk
wasn't part of it? 'Cause you sure had me right there."

She laughed quietly at the irony of this. Three years of trying so hard, and at long last, the moment was
just right for both of them to realize what they wanted.

"Is that why you almost ran from the room? Where you afraid of what you would've done, had you stayed?"
She gave him a flirtatious look, the kind she was too shy to give before. She did not feel shy now.

"Call me stupid. I never imagined you could feel the same way."

His hands started slowly moving around her waist, up her back, to her face, through her hair and all the
way along the length of her arms.

She closed her eyes, taking his touch in, taking this moment in. She knew now there was no trouble to
open them for fear she'd see it had been all part of her imagination. She had seen the look in his eyes, the
sound of his voice, the warmth of his touch, and nothing else had ever felt more real.

"Stupid," she whispered as she felt him take her in a tight embrace, warming the skin of her neck with his
warm breath.

That was it. That was what she was waiting for, what she had wished for all these years. She couldn't find
any differences between this moment as it had played in her mind many times before, and the real one
that was happening right now. Except for her skin. Unlike in her dreams, they'd have to find ways through
that.

But she was more than happy to.


~ E N D ~
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