Rogue hadn't heard from the professor in two days. She had no idea of their whereabouts, nor did she know if they'd make in time to cross the border. She felt the near-death effects of the last episode the Professor had, making her wonder exactly what was going on that it took Logan so long to stop it. It concerned her to say the least, but there was a nervous excitement taking over her. She'd see Logan again, and apparently, his daughter. The anticipation and uncertainty was killing her.

Once, Rogue had taken the cure, but after some time it wore off. She regained her powers, but the rift it created between the students and herself couldn't be repaired. She eventually drifted away from the Mansion – away from everyone she had considered her family. For that reason alone she wasn't there the day Charles Xavier ended all their lives. Perhaps whatever pieces of Logan remained in her psyche was enough to protect her from the Professor's unstable mind.

To hear the Professor's voice in her mind again after all this time, especially with the news of Logan and these children; she didn't need to be asked twice to ensure this was a safe space for them.

"Rogue!" an assistant yelled, running toward her, "They're coming! All of them!"

Looking to the security monitors, Rogue watched as the group of children ran toward the armed guards that protected this place. They were all intercepted one by one, collapsing with exhaustion into the arms of their saviors. She watched and waited, but there was no sight of Logan or the Professor. Her heart raced as she ran full speed to the entrance, taking in the exhausted, terrified children, looking for one child in particular.

"Which one of y'all is Laura?"

A young girl with wide, cautious eyes and raven black hair lifted her head, but said nothing. There was a wildness to her, something as familiar to Rogue as her own reflection. Oh yes, Logan's daughter for sure. Rogue knelt before her, trying to appear as calm and collected as she could.

Logan was in her blood – in her mind – and not that they could communicate, but a part of her felt that somewhere, Logan was alive. She'd seen him come back from the brink more than once.

"Laura, my name is Marie; my mutant name is Rogue. Your daddy is a real good friend o' mine. Can you tell me what happened to him and the Professor?"

"She doesn't speak…" said an older boy, "But Logan died to save us…"

Rogue nodded, knowing than that the professor hadn't made it this far. She held back her tears as she asked, "Can ya tell me where y'all buried him?"

Taking a small team of soldiers, Rogue made her way to sight of the battle. They had little time before the government sent in reinforcements and removed any semblance of this from existence. She needed to find him before they stole his body and used it, even in death, for their sick purposes. If he was truly dead, she would never let him fall in their hands again – she would keep him safe. No one had earned a right to rest in peace more than Logan.

It didn't take long to find it, the pile of rocks marked by an 'X', close to water. Exactly the way they had described it. They began to remove the rocks one by one, and her stomach knotted with each layer closer to seeing this man she's never forgotten.

They saw the bloodied branch first, and she had to swallow to keep from puking. They kept going until his body was uncovered. It had barely been an hour; he didn't look dead, but he was very much not alive. He was suspended; perhaps his mutation was preventing his body from following the natural course of death.

It took all of them to move his body to a stretcher and carry him to their transport. She held his hand as the medics began their work, leaning to whisper in his ear, "Hello, Logan." Her fingers combed through his hair, and she's fairly certain it was more soothing to her than him.

In as long as Rogue had known him, and all the times she wondered where he was and how he was doing, she never in her wildest dreams imagined she'd see him look so old. The image of his face seared in her consciousness will always be of that man in a cage, young, strong, agile and fierce. The man who showed her a kindness when he didn't have to and saved her life. It broke her heart to see him so, well…broken.

"Hello, Logan, I'm here. We've got you."

Her voice is the first thing he remembers, just like when he was living in an alternate time line and her voice reached back fifty years in the past as she took Kitty's place. Her voice, it seemed, would always reach him.

"Rogue…" he mumbled, unable to even open his eyes.

He heard his own voice, his throat dry and hoarse as though he hadn't a drink in weeks. And he hadn't had a drink either; he could feel the haze of alcohol had lifted from his mind and body. He didn't feel quite so heavy, and the pain that had been his constant companion these last years was gone. Had it all been some kind of alcohol or insomnia induced nightmare?

"I'm here, Logan." came her voice, and a gloved hand squeezed his. But that was impossible… At that his eyes opened, shocked to see Rogue sitting right beside him. Was she even real? Was he hallucinating? Or was she still dead, and he was just with her?

Her hair was fully blonde now, she looked older, more mature; tired. She smiled at him and he squeezed her hand tighter, wanting to pull her closer and hold her if only to know she was real. But she was wearing gloves, and he knew that to touch her face or skin was out of the question.

"Rogue…h-how are you…" Alive? Here? The aching in his head worsened and he released a heavy sigh, "I was…I think I was dead."

Her grip tightened on his hand, "Before he died, the professor told me where to find this place. The children told me where you were. We went back and brought you across the border. They treated you for metal poisoning, but that didn't do too much since there is no treatment for adamantium. You needed a blood transfusion, well, several transfusions, Laura volunteered before they could even ask her. You're a bit bigger than she is…" he huffed a laugh, unable to take his eyes off her as she smiled. "It's taken near a month, but your wounds are finally healed."

A month?! A month he's been unconscious?

"How…how is she?"

"She's good. She'll be happy to see you when I tell her you're awake." With that she stood and turned to go. The loss of her hand in his had him reaching out.

"N-no, don't go yet. Stay, please." He pulled her back and she sat down, leaning closer to him and running her fingers through his hair. Her blonde hair fell around her face and he pressed his hand to her cheek, caressing her skin through the curtain of her hair. "H-how are you alive?"

"I don't know, Logan. Only a few of us survived, but I think having you in my head helped, like some kind of residual piece of you shielded my mind from it."

A piece of him? There were two times she touched him and absorbed his powers into her blood and his memories into her psyche. Was it possible even after taking the cure that she retained some of his healing capability?

Tears filled her eyes as she placed her hand over his and held his hand against her face. Had anyone touched her at all in the last decade? Back than, he was the only one who really didn't fear her or her power; who knew how to touch her without risk. What a lonely life she'd been condemned to. He tried to remember their last encounter, what happened the last time he saw her. He just couldn't seem to focus. Instead they stayed silent, locked in that position for some time, and as she absorbed his touch, he absorbed her presence.

"I-I thought you were dead. I never thought I'd see you again." He choked, fighting back his tears.

"I always hoped we'd find each other." She whispered, kissing the back of his hand.

His chest ached, and somehow, it felt good. Full. He was alive. Laura was alive. Rogue was alive and had come back to him. They weren't alone anymore.

You still have time… Charles had said. This is what life looked like, people who loved each other – a home. He could feel it now. He still has time – not a second chance, but a first one. A fresh start.

This is just a one shot for now. I just wanted something a little less angsty for these two without it being fluff. I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to review! :)))