The kitchen was warm and smelled of gingerbread. Rogue pushed wet hair back from her face with one hand before returning it to the steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of her.

Logan had had questions. A lot of questions, that he had shot rapid-fire at her as she sat in the Blackbird with her arms crossed, staring out the window. She hadn't answered, and Storm had rushed to her defense, telling Logan she needed time. He just rolled his eyes and started arguing the point. But then the Professor said his name, quietly, and he shut up.

All of the questions she herself had were for the Professor. How did you find me? How did you know my real name? Why aren't you dead?

Her eyes moved to his profile, and the question in her mind was full of intense need. Can you help me?

He turned to her and smiled. If you'll let me.

Storm had summoned up a fog for their landing, and she helped Rogue sneak upstairs to the teacher's own room. Rogue was grateful for a warm bath and the clean pajamas Storm had laid out for her, but she was even more grateful at not having to face the others—Kitty, Piotr, Jubilee…Bobby.

She'd have to see them all eventually, she mused now, blowing steam from the liquid in the mug and taking a small sip. She didn't know what to say to them. She hadn't even thought about having to answer their questions until she'd heard all of Logan's. They'd all want to know where she'd gone, and why. What she'd done. What made her come back. She had questions, too. Would they ever trust her again? Did she belong here? Why did she come back?

Her gaze drifted to the open window.

"You aren't a prisoner, you know," said the Professor's voice, calm and reassuring as his chair slid silently into the room. "The doors are always open for you—both ways. Windows, too."

She made a half-hearted attempt at a smile.

"Rogue…Marie…."

"How'd you know my name?" she asked. "I heard you, in my head. Calling me. But I never told you my name."

"No," he said. "But Logan did. He's been worried about you. We all have."

"Yeah, about that 'we,'" said Rogue. "You, Scott, Jean…you were…."

The Professor smiled. "Rumors of our deaths, while perhaps not greatly exaggerated, were nevertheless…premature. I can't thoroughly explain what happened," he continued, forestalling her next question, "but I'm grateful for the extra time I have, and anxious to use it to help people. Like you."

"If anybody can," Rogue said simply, "it would be you. I want these voices out of my head."

"I'm afraid they will never fully leave," said the Professor, "but I can teach you how to manage them. Shall we begin our sessions tomorrow?"

"As soon as possible." She fidgeted. "Do you think…."

Xavier waited expectantly.

"Maybe you could hold off on letting everybody know I'm back," she said. "Just for a little while."

"I can't help you until you stop running, Marie," he answered. "That has to be your choice."

Rogue raised her head at the sound of quick footsteps in the hall, and looked up to see Bobby standing there, his hair disheveled as if he'd just jumped out of bed.

"Piotr thought he saw the Blackbird come in, and Logan wouldn't tell me what was going on, so I thought maybe…." He rattled to a halt. "Hi."

"Hi," Rogue replied, a little nervously.

"I'll see you tomorrow," said the Professor as he exited.

Rogue and Bobby stared at each other awkwardly, and then started talking at once.

"Every time the Blackbird comes back…came back, I…."

"Bobby, I know I shouldn't have…."

They trailed off, and he took a step closer. "Ever since you left, I've been waiting for you to come back."

Part of Rogue wanted to fly to him, hug him, kiss him like she used to be able to do. Part of her wanted to fly out the window and write this whole return thing off as a bad idea. And part of her, she realized with surprise, didn't need to do any of those things.

"Thank you," said this surprising new Rogue, in her old voice. "That means a lot to me."

"You must have been through a lot. But we're here for you. All of us."

She nodded.

"I don't want to rush you," he said. "I just…I just want you to know I'm glad you're back."

The path ahead of her would be a long one: training with the Professor, dealing with her new powers, regaining everyone's trust, learning how to be part of a team again, discovering her new self—and that was just to start out with. It was going to take a lot of work, being grounded somewhere.

"So am I," she replied—she chose.

Knowing the window was always open made it easier to give up flying for a while.

Fin