Title: First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Trouble

Rating: M

Disclaimer: No Own. No Sue.

Author's Note: Disregard the fact that Logan's healing factor technically means he can't get drunk because I need him drunk in this...so, let's pretend he CAN get drunk, ok? Everyone is still alive and Logan has already learned about his past in this. Once again, my plot muse has provided an awesome idea for a fic! Big thanks to Ryromaniac for this fun fic idea!

Marie smiled as she traced her hand over the raised gold lettering of her degree from NYU.

She had just earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology after 3.5 years and all of her acceptance letters from medical schools from across the nation still lay unopened on her desk.

It wasn't her ego that told her they were acceptance letters; it was the size and bulk of the envelopes. After graduating as Valedictorian from Xavier's School for the Gifted with immaculate SAT scores, she had received her fair share of acceptance letters from the nation's top universities.

Her desire to remain close to "home" led her to NYU.

Marie wasn't in any rush to open her letters this afternoon. She was busy packing for her trip to Las Vegas.

It was a trip that she never thought would happen, but tomorrow, she and Logan were driving to Sin City.

It had all started five years ago, when a young, frustrated Rogue was ready to quit school and leave the "geeks" behind...

***********Flashback**********

She sat on the bench with her arms crossed across her chest, staring at the lawn as kids frolicked and played.

The smell of his cigar smoke arrived before he did.

She didn't bother to look up as she spoke, "I know what you're gonna say and you're not gonna change my mind."

Logan stubbed out his cigar on his hand and grumbled, "So what are you all the sudden? A telepath? Save the mind readin' for Jean and Chuck, kid."

Marie rolled her eyes and turned her face upwards to look at him. She knew they would send him to talk to her. She'd made the decision to drop out of the school and make it on her own in the real world.

Storm, Scott, Jean, the professor and Hank had all been trying to convince her to stay for weeks, but she refused to hear them out, so they pulled out the big guns.

Her hero.

Her crush.

Her Logan.

"They told you to come talk to me?" she asked as she recrossed her arms.

He shifted a little and gave her an annoyed look, "No. They just told me about your boneheaded decision. What the fuck are you thinkin'?"

"I wanna make it on my own. On the open road..."

Logan plopped down beside her and sighed. He'd said that very same thing to her the last time he left on one of his several month long road trips after she'd begged him to stay.

There was a long moment of silence between them before he looked up and stared out over the lawn, "Look, kid...it's different for me-"

"Why?"

Logan snapped, "Because I'm a mean son of a bitch with an adamantium skeleton and six claws, that's why! Because I can't get raped, or murdered, or sold as a sex slave...because I know all I want to know about the miserable fuckin' world already...because my chance for a real future is non existent..." Marie looked at him, but he refused to allow their eyes to connect as he glanced in her direction. He could clearly see that his words had an impact on her, so he softened his tone, "Look, kid...you're smart. You've actually got a chance at a real life. Don't fuck it up by runnin' away."

Her voice was thick with tears when she finally spoke again, "I know I need to stop feelin' sorry for myself and everythin'...it's just so hard bein' 'round people who can touch. I hate gettin' close to people knowin' I'll never be able to really hug...kiss...hold hands...or...anything else, ya know? I find myself gettin' so consumed with jealousy when I watch people together. If I just go on my own, I won't have the chance to get attached to anyone and at least my misery won't be on display for everyone."

"Chuck said he's started sessions for your control-"

She cut him off and wiped at her eyes impatiently as tears began streaking down her face, "He said it might work...MIGHT work, Logan. He may as well have said it won't work. He went through some serious lengths to make sure I didn't get my hopes up."

"That's just for precaution, kid...since when did you start havin' such a shitty outlook on things?"

She tapped her temple, "You forget...I got you and Magneto up here."

"Well you better make a note to have the professor help with that too, because I liked you better when you were just...you."

She laughed a little as she wiped away another tear, "I thought you thought I was a pain in the ass."

He smirked, "Well...yeah. A likeable pain in the ass."

"Ha...ha."

Another moment of silence passed before he nudged her shoulder, "I know stayin' here with these geeks doesn't sound like the most exciting thing in the world, but you can have a real chance at a good life if you finish out school. Jean told me how good you are in science...maybe you'll go to college or somethin'."

She scoffed, "College...yeah right."

He turned to her and raised a brow, "Tell ya what, kid...I'll make you a deal. Stay in high school and I'll make sure you have enough money to buy a new wardrobe every season for the next two years..."

Marie's demeanor had perked up considerably. She raised a brow, "Oh? And what if I graduate from college?"

He scratched at his chin, "Uhh...you've been buggin' the hell outta me about taking you on the road, so how about I take you on a road trip to anywhere you wanna go. Just you and me."

She held out a hand, "You've got a deal."

He shook her hand firmly and nodded, "Alright kid...deal."

************End Flashback**********

That moment felt like it was so long ago.

Since then, she'd learned how to control her powers and made plans to go to medical school. She had told the professor that, after med school, she would return to the mansion as an X Man.

Her future was bright and fully planned out, just as he hoped it would be.

Now Logan sat in his room at the mansion, counting out the cash he'd been saving for the past couple of years. He'd done a lot of cage fighting for these three thousand bucks.

At first, he had no idea what he was thinking inviting Marie on a freaking road trip, but as the years passed and as she matured, he didn't dread it nearly as much. In fact, he actually looked forward to it.

She had grown into a sexy, intelligent, wickedly funny woman who carried herself with far more confidence than the mousey, slightly awkward teenager she used to be.

During the past five years, he had made it a point to come back to the mansion every few months to check up on her.

He was ridiculously proud that she not only ended up going to college, but graduating early and Magnum Cum Laude.

She definitely deserved this road trip.

The next morning, they were on the road.

"So what do you plan on doin' on this trip, kid?"

Marie stretched and smiled, "I think the question you wanna ask is: what am I not plannin' on doin' on this trip?"

Logan smirked as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, "Careful...don't wanna have to use any of our trip money for your bail."

"Aw relax. I'm not gonna cause too much trouble."

Logan let out a little "hmph" as he turned his eyes back to the road. After 16 hours of driving, they stopped off at a hotel somewhere in Iowa. When they walked up to the front desk, the woman behind it smiled brightly, "Hey there, welcome to the LaQuinta Inn & Suites. Checking in?"

Logan nodded, "Yeah."

"Are you gonna need one room or two, sir?"

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as Marie and Logan looked at each other and spoke in hesitant unison, "One...double beds."

When they reached their room, Logan dropped his stuff, "I'm gonna go gas up, then head to the fast food place we saw down the road to grab dinner. Whaddya want?"

She ran a hand through her hair and sighed, "Maybe a salad with light dressin' on the side?"

Logan laughed, "Don't look like that type of place, kid...how about a burger with extra onion and tomato?"

She rolled her eyes and smiled sweetly, "Just try to remember that I don't have your healin' factor and get me somethin' that won't send me to an early grave, hon."

"Alright, be back soon."

"Don't forget your room key. I think I might go check out the pool or somethin'."

He nodded and left.

Marie went to the pool, rolled up her pants and stuck her legs inside as she sat on the edge. After a while, she figured Logan was back with their food, but when she returned to their room to find it empty, she decided to take a shower.

When she finished with her shower, she realized that there were no towels in the bathroom. She stuck her head out of the bathroom and called Logan's name. When no one answered, she tip toed out into the room and began searching every drawer and closet for a towel, "Shit!"

In her naked, wet state, she began to shiver. She grabbed the phone and dialed for the front desk, "Hi...um, I'm in room 222 and there is not one towel in this freakin' room. Can you get some up here?"

Just as Marie allowed those last words to exit her mouth, Logan entered the room with an armful of food...which promptly fell to the floor along with his jaw.

Her shriek made him close his mouth, but did little to avert his eyes. She began scrambling to cover her important parts with her hands as she stumbled back toward the bathroom, "Oh my god oh my god! Don't look! Turn around! Stop looking!"

Logan jumped a little and clumsily turned around, "Shit...sorry!"

He heard some rustling behind him, then heard Marie shakily say, "God...ok, I'm decent now."

He turned back around to pick up the bag of food and set it on the table. He had a hard time looking back up at her. The vision of her wet...luscious body was burned into his head and he wasn't so sure about how comfortable he was with that.

Who woulda thunk little Marie had a body like THAT. Damn, girl...

He began shakily setting the food out on the table. He divided the fries on some napkins since they spilled over inside of the bag when he dropped them. He spoke slowly, "So um...thought you were gonna go check out the pool."

"I did...but then I took a shower and the dumb fucks didn't leave towels in here."

The knock on the door offered welcome relief from their awkward conversation. Marie took the towels from the maid and went back into the bathroom. She emerged dressed in a tank top and shorts.

She sat down across from Logan and began eating her fries in silence. Logan finally spoke up, "Welp...if med school falls through, you can always pose for Playboy."

Marie laughed and threw a fry at him, which he attempted to dodge as he chuckled, "You're an ass."

"Little tip kid...during this trip, you're sharin' rooms with a guy. Try to keep the naked prancing to a minimum, k?"

She rolled her eyes as a good natured smile played across her lips, "Sorry...but it was an accident."

As they ate, Marie smirked as she recalled his "Playboy" comment. Did that mean he thought she was hot?

Review please people! I hope you enjoyed the start. This one is going to have some comedic elements to it, but I'm not the most brilliant/funny person, so bear with me!