[RP with tm_Rogue]

[tm_magneto]

Rogue and Magneto have a quiet vacation in Scotland. Erik is determined that Rogue will come around to his way of thinking, but he's also determined to have a nice, relaxing time with his girlfriend.

The following contains adult situations.



He went to pick up Rogue from the train station.

She was one of the last few off of the train. He noticed her at once, walking with her hood pulled up over her hair, hiding the distinctive white streaks. Still, he could tell it was her. She was very graceful, even when she was trying to blend in.

You should not have to blend in. This crowd should part for you, and let you pass with your head raised high.

That it was his fault she could not do that, walk unencumbered by a disguise, occurred to him. Erik sighed. He was moody and feeling rather cross, and that was not how he wanted to be when finally seeing her again. He stood near the back of the platform, dressed in a thick wool coat and hat, and around his neck, the scarf she had given him.

He waited for to notice him, but he gave a slight tug on her silver bracelet. He was pleased she was wearing it.

It was beginning to worry him, a little. How eager he was to see her marked as his own. Not, as much as he was anticipating doing so later, in bed. But in other ways. He was possessive, of her. And that was dangerous.

Rogue felt the tug before she spotted him and she grinned widely, quickening her pace to reach him. When she did, she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, ignoring for a moment that her hood had fallen. All she wanted was to feel him and, after a moment, she noted that he was tense. Slowly, she pulled back, righting her hood and raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what was wrong.

She tucked her hands in the pockets of her coat and gave a little smile as she handed him the stuffed kitten she'd bought on a lark. "You can name it."

He smiled briefly. Then he laughed. "Yes. Ah, Anna. How glad I am to see you." He pulled her against him and kissed her, hard. "I shall name it nuisance.After you." He smirked down at her. "Only teasing, my dear." He tucked her arm into his and took her luggage, pulling it along beside him with his hand resting on the handle, so it looked as if he were carrying it. "And how are you? Despite the relentless media attacks." He squeezed her arm. "You look well. Beautiful, of course."

She rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm perfect now. No more glaring coworkers. Only so much hostility a person can take, you know?" She shrugged, trying to make her smile reassuring. "And thank you. You look...tired. Worried? What's wrong, Erik? Or is it something we shouldn't talk about here?" There were entirely too many people around them. She really hoped they'd be going somwhere secluded.

"We shall talk. And I am just...moody. You know how I am." He put his arm around her waist, uncaring of the looks they were receiving. They weren't mean looks, mostly curious. Perhaps they thought Anna was his daughter. He led her out of the train station to the rented car. "Scotland, as you see, is a beautiful country. Quite secluded. I've secured us a small cabin--a lodge, I suppose--with all the amenities. About an hour's drive." He opened the door for her. "The thought of several days with only you and the scenery--it is doing quite a lot to ease my mood, I must say."

"Glad I can help." She paused and floated up a little, heedless of onlookers, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "I missed you. So much." She ran her hand through his hair and remembered where she was, that people could see, and settled back on the ground, giving him a sheepish look as she slid into her seat. "I haven't been to Scotland in years. Do we have a nice bathtub?"

"You and bathtubs," he said, smiling slightly as he got in the car. "And I am not sure how the bathtub is, however, we are right on Loch Katrine. A bit too cold for swimming, of course, being March. Still, the views are lovely and we are the only ones there." He smiled. "No matter the bathtub situation, I assure you that we shall have a nice time." He began driving, following the directions. "I am glad to have a few days of rest. I am sorry I was not able to be there for you, with all of that media hype."

"Ain't your fault, Erik. 'Sides, I'm a big girl. Sticks and stones and all that." Rogue shrugged, leaning back against the seat and turned to look at him. "Though, I'd rather have to deal with all the media and still be able to fall asleep with you but hey, can't do much about that." She gave a little yawn. "You ain't gonna mind if I happen to doze will you? Haven't really been sleeping well. You make me relax."

"I would argue it was my fault, Anna, if I were in the mood to argue. And of course, my dear. I'll wake you when we get there. Though I'm not quite sure I like that my company after an absence puts you to sleep," he said, amused. He knew what she meant. Already he, too, felt better. "Sleep. We can look at the scenery later."

She stuck her tongue out at him and then closed her eyes, leaning her head against the window. Out of habit she began gently caressing her bracelet as she fell asleep, too exhausted to even try and stay awake. She was safe now and there was no need to worry about, well, anything. It was a nice change. She was tired of having to worry, to pretend, to ignore. Here she didn't need to do any of that. Bliss.

She slept the whole way to the cottage. He didn't wake her up until he parked the car in front of the cabin. "Wake up, Anna. We're here." The sun was setting over the Loch. It was peaceful, quiet. He reached over and smoothed her hair back. Her power pulled at him. It was nice, now, not to have to hide anything from her. He leaned back in the seat, a little dizzy. "Let's go see about the bathtub."

"Sounds like a plan." Rogue grinned without opening her eyes and rolled her neck, getting the kinks out. When she finally opened her eyes, she couldn't help but gasp. "Wow, Erik." She couldn't think of anything else to say, in awe. "You sure do know how to pick vacation spots." She walked out and headed down towards the Loch, raising an eyebrow at the water. It probably couldn't be that much colder than the lake at the mansion this time of year? Maybe she could tempt him for a swim later. Turning back, she cocked her head. "So about this bathtub..."

"I lied. I believe it's a shower, only." At her pout, he laughed. "Only joking. I'm sure it is not spectacular as the one you had in Paris, but you cannot beat the view." He led her into the house, using his power to unlock doors and send their suitcases into their bedroom. The cottage was decorated in cheerful blues and yellows, and the hardwood floors gleamed cheerfully. It was open, airy and the windows didn't need curtains since there was no one around for miles.

He could pretend, here. That he was just Erik, and she was just Anna. And that the world was just a sweeping expanse of mountain, and shimmering green lake.

"Its beautiful," she murmured, clasping her hands in front of her, taking in the ambiance. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rose a little, nuzzling his nose before her power started. "Thank you." She rested her head on his chest, holding him tightly, letting herself relax further. It was nice not having to keep herself guarded. Freeing. She didn't think she'd ever be able to explain how much she appreciated that.

He kissed the top of her head, then showed her around the house. He'd had the staff assemble food for them, and there was a nice plate of cheese and meat and bread in the fridge. He put it on the counter and found a bottle of a red wine and a loaf of bread. "I don't think I've had a vacation since...well. Since I was teaching at Xavier's." He winked at her and poured some wine into two glasses he found in the cabinet. "About due for one, I think. You as well."

"Anyone who's taught there deserves a vacation." She shook her head, remembering the rather rambuncious new class that had arrived before she'd left. Sipping her wine, she looked around the kitchen, memorizing the layout like Mystique had taught her to do so long ago. Old habits were definitely hard to break. There was some merit to what she was doing though. He was Magneto. She was Rogue. Who knew what could happen if someone figured out where they were?

Leaning against the counter, she pursed her lips, staring intently at him. "You're gonna get awful annoyed with me if'n we're alone in this secluded place for seven days."

"I don't doubt it in the least," he said, smirking at her from across the kitchen. "I wonder what I could do to keep you quiet?" He looked at her, and then he found himself crossing the kitchen to her. "The scenery is very pretty. We could take a walk. There are hiking trails. We have a DVD player. However, do you know what I would like to do first?" He clasped his hands behind his back, tilted his chin up. "You get three guesses. Proceed."

Rogue tapped her finger against her chin, pretending to contemplate. "Hmmm...what would you like to do...me?" she asked, and winked at him.

"You are being very bad, in not playing the game correctly. You cannot answer my instructions to guess with a question. I am going to have penalize you one guess for that, Anna. Two left. If you get it wrong, we are going to go on a nature walk and identify leaves. There is a book I saw in the bedroom, which would help us identify them." He smiled at her. "Two guesses left."

"You are an evil, evil man." Rogue stuck her tongue out at him and tapped her fingers along the counter's edge, pondering. "Knowing you, you might actually want to go walk and identify leaves--and no, that was not my guess. Hmmm. Would you like to see precisely what I'm wearing under this outfit? Oh wait. That's a question. You'd like to see what I'm wearing under this outfit. There, that's my guess."

"Not exactly where I was going, but good enough. Why don't you show me what you are wearing under that outfit, Anna?" He looked at her, eyes gleaming.

"I don't know. Maybe identifying leaves could be quite thrilling." She stretched, grasping his hand and tugging him towards her. "Think you could help me with the buttons?"

"Thrilling leaves may wait," he said, leaning her back against the counter. He pulled at her shirt, but he stopped. Pulled her towards him, instead. Rested her against him and put his chin on the top of her head. He was shielded from her skin, completely. Her body was warm against his. Erik closed his eyes. "I spoke with my son," he said, a bit surprised. He had intended to take off her shirt. It was just...there was still that lingering moodiness, and he did not think it fair, to her. To have that, still. "In London. He's been following me." He inhaled the scent of her hair.

She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. "If Pietro hurt you..." She trailed off, not wanting to vocalize what she was willing to do. "Maybe we should just sit and talk, Erik." Pulling away from him, she grasped his hand, tugging him towards the sofa. "How's Pietro?"

"Of course he didn't hurt me," Erik said, following her towards the sofa. He sat next to her, putting his feet on the coffee table, his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her closer to him. "He is fine. I suppose. We discussed my grandchild. Luna, her name is." He was quiet for a moment. "She's...a human. Pietro showed me a picture, of her. And her mother. They look very much alike. Very lovely." He stroked Rogue's hair. "Pietro. He wants...he agreed to allow me to meet her. Luna. If I were to behave." Erik smiled humorlessly. "Things will be quiet for the next few months. I can say that with some certainty. After that..." he trailed off. "My son. He is very like me. Not just in appearance." He laughed. "I had not realized how much."

Rogue curled against him, listening quietly, enjoying the fact that he trusted her enough to talk with her about this. It meant a lot. "I ain't about to say I'm against you taking some...uh, time off? And its great that you and Pietro are talking again and that he'll let you see Luna. She's cute. I've seen pictures." She bit her lip, unsure what else to say, gently stroking his chest. "When you see Luna, make sure its somewhere safe, Erik. People'll use your family against you." She looked up at him, forcing a smile. "You already know that though. But yeah, Pietro is a lot like you. So are Wanda and Lorna." She averted her gaze, remembering his children and the fact that she was younger than them, and gave a little sigh, angry with herself. He needs you to listen, Anna. Just listen. She could do that for him.

"I am to meet Lorna. In Dover. After you and I have our little vacation." He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. "I have hopes for her. That we may...get along. Perhaps be a family. Lorna is...well." He chuckled. "High-spirited is a good word." He thought about his other daughter, and tensed. "I can't--Wanda. I just want to know that she is safe. But Anna, what am I to do if we meet? I've spent my whole life fighting for mutants. With one word, she nearly killed them all." The words tasted like dust in his mouth. "I don't know--I don't know what I would do. I'm--this is awful, Anna, but I'm rather glad she doesn't remember me."

She didn't have any idea what to say to that and settled for wrapping an arm around him, hugging him tightly as she tried to gather her thoughts. "I think, Erik, that you'll...you'll do what you think needs to be done. Like you always do." Biting her lip, she looked up at him. "Wanda. Well. She always had a good heart. Hard life, though. And Lorna. Yeah, high-spirited definitely describes her. Girl also throws a wicked curve ball." She grinned, trying to alleviate the tension and rested her head against his shoulder, wondering what else she should say. "Good luck with Lorna. You deserve to have a family, Erik. Don't let anyone tell you different."

"I don't know about what I deserve, Anna. Well," he said, laughing humorlessly. "I imagine I do. But selfishly, I want my cause, and I want--my family. I think that is what I want. I blame you," he said, only half-joking. "Apparently, falling in love makes me maudlin." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

Rogue forced a smile, not entirely comfortable with being blamed for anything. Even if it was something good. "And why don't you deserve it? Everything you've done, Erik, no matter how...well, awful, you've always done what you believed had to be done. For the good of mutants. Not because you want revenge. Not because you have some fascination with death. But because you were trying to build something good. You just go about that in a very weird way." That was putting it lightly.

"I gave up my children, Anna. I knew what I was doing. I don't know that they will ever forgive me, despite my noble intentions." He stroked her hair, then turned her face up to his. He was becoming more aware of the warmth of her body, and how good she smelled. And how much he'd missed her. He moved her so she was straddling his lap. "Thank you for listening to me. I don't know what to do. But I'm sure I'll figure it out." He smiled slowly. "Now, about seeing what is under that outfit...?"

"I have faith that ya will." She reciprocated his smile and caught his hands bringing them up to her chest. "Help please, with the buttons." Slowly, she leaned forward and kissed him, ignoring the pull of her power, simply wanting to feel his skin beneath hers, to show how much she'd missed him.

He unbuttoned her shirt slowly, watching the slow, tantalizing display of her deadly, beautiful skin. She was wearing a green satin bra. He traced his fingers over it, watching as she sucked in a breath as his fingers skirted over her nipples. "I think," he said slowly, his voice husky, "we should perhaps consider going to see the view. From the bedroom." He pulled the shirt off of her. "So beautiful, Anna. I missed you."

"I missed you too, Erik. So much." She traced her fingers over his cheeks, down his neck, savoring his willingness to allow her to do so. She kissed him hungrily, hands curling around his shoulders before drawing down his arms, across his stomach. "Too many clothes," she growled, clumsily undoing the buttons of his shirt. She was definitely not as skilled as he was at this. "Are you very fond of this shirt?" She didn't wait for an answer, tugging hard and smiled against his lips as she heard buttons pop off.

He stood up, with her in his arms, and started walking towards the bedroom. "Not as fond as I am of your removing it." He carried her into the bedroom and put her on the bed, leaning up over her, using his power to find the two metal spheres in his bag. He brought one up and wrapped the metal around his hand, and began stroking his fingers slowly up and down her neck. He used his powers to free the clasp on her bra, and then undo the buttons on her jeans. He slid them down her hips, then leaned back and laughed. She wasn't wearing any panties. "What a naughty girl you are." He drew his metal-covered fingers up her thigh.

Her breath caught and she shivered under his touch, tugging his shirt off. "I felt like being a little...dangerous." Grinning, she pushed herself up, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down, capturing his lips with hers. Urgent kisses. Like she would never have enough. She bit his lip, pressing kisses down his neck, across his chest, running her tongue over one nipple. She fell back on the bed, breathing hard, having absorbed too much. Overwhelmed. "Sorry. Sorry."

"It's all right, Anna," he gasped, bracing against the bed. "I don't mind, you know. The sensation has started to become almost...well. It reminds me of you." He slid the metal over her body, thinning it out over her body, rubbing his fingers between her legs and kissing down the valley between her breasts. "One day," he murmured, barely thinking about what he was saying. "I will find a way to touch you. Without the metal."

She gave a chocked sob, hands grasping his shoulders, clenching her eyes shut at his words. "Oh, Erik." He had no idea what that would mean to her. She tugged at him, wanting to see his eyes, to be able to express how much she loved him. She never thought she'd be able to vocalize that fully. "Love you," she simply said, hating that she didn't have better words. Hoping that'd be enough.

Erik smiled against her neck. "And I love you. Now be quiet, because I have concentrate." He pulled back and winked at her, then trapped her hands above her body and held her down, kissing her hard. He was stretching the metal over her entire body. "This takes a moment. Do not distract me." The metal, cool and smooth, was stretched as thin as it could be, giving her body a faint metallic sheen. "There we are. Now, you may touch me, and I think we are safe from the prolonged effects of your very lovely skin."

"Maybe I want you to hold me down." She grinned, quickly wrapping her legs around his waist and arched her body, straining against his grip. "You seemed to like doing that before. In Paris."

"Oh? Did you, now." He pushed her hands down, but had an idea. There was metal in the room. He used it, twisted it into cuffs. Attached to her wrists, and then her ankles. Holding her pinned. Erik stood up, pulling his shirt off. He looked down at her. "Look at you. All trapped and at my mercy. Whatever shall I do with you?"

She pulled at the cuffs, testing them and then cocked her head, pretending to mull over his question. "With you I never know. You might decide to leave me here and go look at the leaves you were talking about earlier." She narrowed her eyes. "Do that and I ain't talking to you for the rest of the week." At his look she added, "Ain't touching you either."

"I could always make you touch me." He smirked and unbuttoned his pants, moving her limbs with his power. He released one of her hands from the makeshift cuffs, putting it between her legs. "Your are covered in metal, my dear. I could make you do just about anything."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "And then you'd have to live with me afterwards. You may think that I look sexy when I'm angry, Erik, but you've never seen me really lose my temper." She playfully snapped at him. "Do your worst. I ain't scared of ya."

"Oh? But not I want to see you lose your temper." He stripped his clothes and then lay down on top of her, feeling the slide of her metal-covered body beneath his. He released her arms and legs from the restraints, then rubbed his own metal-covered fingers over her mouth. He shifted so he was lying between her thighs, his other hand rubbing her breasts.

"No, you don't." She drew her tongue over his fingers, moaning against his hands as she wrapped her legs back around his waist. "Please, Erik. Please. Missed you so much. Need you." She wrapped her arms around his neck, whimpering. "Need you inside me."

Erik decided they could draw this out later. He thrust hard into her, groaning against her neck, moving sure and hard inside of her. He rubbed her between her legs, wanting to give her pleasure. "Mmm. I have missed you, Anna." He kissed her, then broke away to bite her nipple through the metal mesh.

She cried out, twisting underneath him, nails digging into his shoulders. "Missed you too," she breathed, matching his thrusts, surprised at how quickly she was reaching the edge. Her breath was coming out in short gasps, punctuated by deep, throaty moans. She knew she was speaking but didn't think any of it was comprehendable and wondered if he found her amusing. She pressed her head into the crook of his neck before biting down hard, her body tensing as she quickly came.

Rogue collapsed on the bed underneath him, arms still wrapped around his neck, unwilling to let go.

Erik hissed at her bite, but came hard and fell atop her for a moment, before rolling on his back and drawing her on top of him. "Well. That was..." he laughed huskily. "Very good. As usual." He yawned, suddenly tired. "I think...I am going to take a nap. I don't think I've done that in a great number of years, but I am on vacation. Then I think we should have something for dinner." He closed his eyes. "You can of course do whatever you like."

She purred, curling against him. "Nap sounds like a good idea. May I sleep here? On you?" She purred again, making herself comfortable before shivering. "Though, blanket please. Metal, cold."

He reached down and found the blanket, arranging it over the both of them. "There we are. See?" He smiled and closed his eyes, lightly stroking her hair. "I told you I didn't need a kitten."

"You're gonna be impossible to live with," she murmured, falling quickly to sleep.

He wondered if she meant that for just this week, or for something more long-term. He imagined she meant the former. He was hoping, however, for the latter. You belong with me, he thought, looking down at her. You just need to realize it.

Rogue dozed for almost an hour, entirely at peace. She woke, amused at the situation and slightly startled that she had been able to sleep so well and feel as she had. They'd eaten, engaging in an easy conversation before moving back to the couch. He was reading one of the mysteries she'd bought for Christmas while she tried to read her romance novels. It wasn't working so well. She was distracted by his arm around her shoulders, his scent and remembering what else they'd done on this couch. Plus she felt slightly silly and young, a little naive, reading some trashy romance novel and wondered if she'd brought anything else to read. That was doubtful.

She shifted on the couch and dropped her book to the floor, staring at the wall, silently thinking. Trying to make herself still. He was obviously enjoying his novel and she wasn't about to spoil that.

"Anna," Erik said, smiling a little. "What is it? You're restless, I can tell, despite your amusing attempts to be still." He put his book down, already having figured out who the killer was but still enjoying the novel nonetheless. It was nice to read something mindless, for a bit. He patted her head. "What is the matter? Too quiet, is it? There's a few channels, but the brochure says there's a stack of movies in the entertainment center."

"You sure you don't mind? I know you were enjoying your book." She tried not to look too hopeful. "I'm fine with just laying here while you read."

"I live with a great many loud people who insist on speaking at the top of their lungs, and playing loud video games, and watching action movies at full volume with surround sound." He smiled at her. "A little noise won't bother me at all."

Rogue grinned. "You could always ban them from the television, Erik. Ain't like they won't obey you." She bounded happily over to the entertainment center and knelt in front, browsing the movies. "Anything you simply hate?"

"If I hate it, I'll tune it out. Or make comments so annoying, you'll be moved to switch films." He looked up at her and smirked. "Just nothing with musical numbers, if you would."

She snapped her fingers. "Darn, and I was really wanting to watch Oklahoma." She winked at him and looked back at the selection, uncertain what she was in the mood for. Funny, thriller, romance? Maybe a horror. "Oh!" Her eyes widened in delight as she spotted Finding Neverland. "I've been wanting to see this for ages but no one would go with me and then been so busy I forgot it was out." She popped it into the dvd player and scrambled back onto the couch, taking a moment to figure out the remote before curling up against him as the television turned on.

"I haven't seen it. I have little time for leisure, it seems." He liked the way she looked there, curled up next to him. "I think the last movie I saw in the theater was Independence Day." He laughed. "The movie with the aliens? It was very silly." He rubbed his fingers over her neck, protected with the thin shirt she was wearing. "I watched Die Hard with Pyro, a few months ago. He liked all the explosions."

"He would," she murmured, focusing on the screen. "This is about Mr. Barrie. The author of Peter Pan and kind of embellishes how he was inspired to make Peter Pan because of this one family." She smiled, leaning into his touch. "I like Peter Pan. The novel. It's my favorite. Plus, Johnny Depp is hot."

"Johnny Depp was Peter Pan? He's a little young, wasn't he, Peter Pan? Here I thought you liked older men. Perhaps Captain Hook would be more to your taste?" Erik started laughing. "The look you are giving me right now is quite amusing. Should I make inappropriate comments about Wendy?"

Rogue rolled her eyes at him. "Read your book, Erik." She patted his leg and looked back at the television. "And Johnny Depp plays Mr. Barrie. And Johnny Depp is actually an older man. He's forty-four. That's twenty years older than me."

Erik winced. "I am not going to tell you how much older than Mr. Depp I am." He snorted. "My son has implied I am dating you as a mid-life crisis. I told him that was ridiculous, but I do forget how very young you are. I barely remember being twenty four. I may have looked like Pietro, but I don't remember. I think he looks more like his mother. Besides the hair." Erik blinked. He wasn't used to having these sorts of conversations. "I meant to ask you. Rachel, how is she? We left...on not so friendly terms."

"She was doing well when I left. Happy even. Well...no. Not exactly happy. But not tense." Rogue frowned, looking up at him. "She's been awful tense for awhile now. But she came back from Savannah and seemed better." She stared at a spot on the ceiling above his head, lost in thought for a moment. "She came back early. To see me." She shrugged, looking him in the eye. "I was kind of...stressed. Frustrated? Graydon and his attacks on me in the papers and my coworkers and their"--she growled, clearly annoyed--"their hostility was just draining. I was very glad to get away."

She turned back to the television, rubbing her face against his chest and smiled as the little boy flew the kite. "The ringing of the bells there, with Michael flying the kite, that's supposed to be how he thought of Tinkerbell. Such a small thing."

"The half-dressed woman who was in love with Peter Pan and jealous of the little girl, Wendy? That sounds like something else, to me," Erik said wisely, playing idly with her white streak. "I still cannot fathom that Essex is a government lackey. The world has indeed gone mad." He thought about what she'd sad. "You are under a lot of stress, Anna, I'm sure. I am sorry for what I am sure I add to it, being who I am."

"Tinkerbell was a fairy, Erik. Not a woman." Rogue tilted her head up to look at him. "You are who you are, Erik. Can't change that. I wouldn't want you to. I knew what was gonna happen because I dated you." She sighed and looked back at the screen. "Well, no. I didn't know exactly but I had an idea. Just didn't realize everyone was gonna be so. So horrid about it." She pressed her face into his leg. "I don't care. I enjoy my time with you. I...I feel safe with you."

She smiled, watching the boys fly on the screen. "At home."

Erik was very careful when next he spoke. "I know this is not what you want to hear, Anna. I just want you to remember that you have a place, with me. If you want it." He could feel her tense, a little. "I understand you don't think that you share my ideology, but would you at least consider what I am saying? Truly consider it? If you are unhappy with X-Corp, perhaps you would be happier elsewhere."

"I can't betray them all like that, Erik," she whispered, closing her eyes briefly. "I. I just can't."

"Anna. What if--my dear, what if they are wrong?" He stroked her hair. "And if you believe that I am right--are you not betraying yourself, Anna, by living for someone else?"

Rogue stiffened, breath catching in her throat. "What. What makes you believe I think you're right?" She bit her lip, afraid to breathe. She'd tried so hard to conceal that fact from him, from anyone. Even from herself. How had he figured that out when she wouldn't even concede that fact to her own conscious?

He had to be very careful. "I am not saying that you have completely embraced my philosophy. I am only saying that you seem to be conflicted as of late. As if perhaps you are tired of defending me, and perhaps, yourself." He looked down at her. "Anna. I am not asking you to change your ideology to suit my needs, though I of course have made no secret I wish for you to be with me. One wonders why your coworkers, whom you are so keen on not betraying, cannot give you the same courtesy as I. And I," he said, waggling his eyebrows at her, "Am supposedly the epitome of evil, or whatever you have me listed in your files as."

She grinned, looking up at him through the curtain of her hair. "You ain't evil, Erik." Slowly she drew her hand across his cheek. "I can't stand listening to them and what they say. About you. They. I. Sometimes I get so frustrated I just wanna scream." Rogue frowned, looking back at the movie. "It ain't my coworkers I care about betraying. Its Rachel and Jean. Its the X-Men. They. They took me in when I needed them, Erik. Accepted me. Became my friends."

Sighing, she tucked her hands under her chin. "I'm being torn between two worlds. I'll be fine. It just takes time to get used to."

"If they accepted you, then they should accept your choices." He sighed. "Far be it from me to dispense wisdom as if you are a child, Anna, since I don't think that you are. But you cannot live in two worlds, my dear. At some point, you have to choose." He kissed the top of her hair. "Just make sure to choose for you."

Rogue turned, burying her face in his chest. "I. I don't want to choose." She could feel hot tears on her face as her fingers curled into his shirt. "I can't. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to lose Rachel. I just can't."

He tipped her face up to his and wiped quickly at her tears. "Are you so sure, Anna, that Rachel would cut you out of her life completely if you were to join my Brotherhood? Considering her own situation? Do you think she is likely to condemn you, when she is cavorting with Nathaniel Essex, of all people? I may do terrible things to achieve my goals, but that man is beyond the pale." He caught her gaze. "Perhaps you are underestimating her. Have you asked, what she would do?"

"No." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face into his shoulder, shaking slightly. "She's still an X-Man though, Erik. She won't. She wouldn't. She..." Rogue shut her eyes, confused.

"I think it would be best, Anna, if you are really worried? To perhaps ask her, before you assume you know what her answer would be." He held her to him. "I didn't mean to make you upset. But Anna--I don't like seeing you so stressed and upset." He kissed her brow, again, shielded by her hair.

She nodded, wrapping her arms tighter around him. "You're. Erik." Rogue pulled back a little, pursing her lips in contemplation. "What would happen to us if I did join?"

There was a wild feeling of elation that rushed through him at that, but he schooled his features not to show it. "Well." He gave her a rueful smile. "Some things. As my soldier, there would be adjustments. Rogue would my soldier, I suppose. Anna would still be my girlfriend. It wouldn't be easy, not at first. But we'd adjust. There would be a few weeks when I would imagine we would have to...not be together. Until we had established our relationship as soldier and general. After that..." he shrugged. "I am not entirely sure. I've never had a lover who was my soldier, too."

She pulled away from him and drew her knees up to her chest, resting her head on top. "Not be together." She couldn't even look at him. Did he have no concept how much that would hurt? Maybe it was best if she never joined.

"As in, I should perhaps not be sleeping with you while you were trying to acclimate yourself to your new surroundings? I wonder if I could do that," he mused, stroking his chin. "It would be very hard. I would probably say that we should do that, then sneak into your room and completely make myself a liar." He was trying to lighten the mood, a little. "I wouldn't want you to come to me just because we happen to be in love," he said gently. "Your devotion and loyalty to the cause should be your reason for joining the Brotherhood. I would want you to understand what that entailed, not just as my lover." He hoped that made sense.

"And what if you couldn't have both? What if that didn't work?" She looked over at him, forcing herself to be strong, holding back tears. "You would rather have me as your soldier than as your lover if it came to that." She pushed herself up and walked away, not wanting to hear him admit that, needing air. The cold felt good on her face as she stepped outside.

Erik sighed and followed her out of the house. "Anna. I do want you as my soldier. I haven't lied about that. But I--I love you. I want you to be happy. If you are happy, truly happy, now? Then we don't need to talk about it anymore. If this is what you want, from your life, from us? Then this is what you will have." He stood behind her, hands on her shoulders. "If something stops working, then I would imagine we'd deal with it and see what needed to be done. I can't tell you what I would do. I'm sorry, but I don't know."

Rogue turned, pressing herself against him, hugging him tightly. "I. I know. No one can say precisely what will happen. What they'd do." She breathed in his scent, taking a moment to simply be with him before looking up at him. "I'm sorry. I've been conversing with your lieutenant a little too much. As he'd say, I got a little emo on you."

"Ah, Pyro." He chuckled. "A good lieutenant. I have high hopes for him." He rubbed her back. "We will figure this out, my dear. It will take time. But I believe it can be done." He leaned down and kissed her. "Now, finish your movie," he ordered firmly. "We'll enjoy our vacation and worry about these things when we need to. Yes?"

"Sounds like a plan." She grinned, tugging him back into the house. "Good luck with getting me to follow orders though, Erik." She giggled, pulling him back down onto the couch. "If'n I was to join ya of course. Ain't saying I am," she murmured, looking back at the television screen. Ain't saying I'm not either.

"I have methods, you know," he said darkly, winking at her. "Methods which I know work with you." He settled back and picked up his book. There was no need to discuss all of this now. If and when it happened, they would deal with it when it became a necessity.

"Uh huh." She settled back against him, intent on watching the movie and not thinking about what they had discussed. The movie ended quickly and Rogue wiped the tears from her eyes before turning to look up at him, smiling as he read. "Erik," she murmured, gently stroking his chest. "What's your favorite movie?"

"Mmm?" He thought about that. "I don't know, really. like Hitchcock. North by Northwest, and Notorious are two of my favorites. I don't have a lot of memories of movies I enjoyed. Charles was a fan of foreign films. I mostly slept during them and he pretended he didn't notice."

Rogue grinned. "Oma--uh, Destiny, she liked North by Northwest, said it reminded her of Momma. Wasn't sure who Momma was supposed to be though, the man running or the one's chasing. With her it could have been either. I enjoyed Notorious. Wasn't a fan of Cary Grant's character though. I liked the one guy. Sebastian? The one she married. What's your favorite...indulgence?"

"You would," he said, amused, then grinned at her. "You're my favorite indulgence."

She laughed and reached up, kissing him longingly before dropping back down. "You're mine as well. What's your favorite...hmmm...number? Animal? Food? Color, though I got a feeling its red."

Erik didn't look up from his book. "I have no favorite number, I like hawks, I quite like falafel and hummus, and yes, my favorite color is indeed red." He looked up from his book. "Though I am also rather partial to green, as of late."

"Can't possibly imagine why." She smiled, drawing her hand up his chest. "When you were a little kid what did you want to be when you grew up? I doubt it was a mutant terror--ah, liberator. I wanted to be a mutant actually. I wanted to be able to fly. Like Peter Pan. Be helpful to Momma and Oma. I thought Mystique had the prettiest skin in the world."

"I am quite fond of yours," he said gallantly, kissing her hand. "And I don't remember, being a child. Most of my memories of that time are lost to me. I think maybe I wanted to be an artist. But if I ever knew how to draw, I've forgotten."

"Maybe you simply need to be inspired to do so again. Peter, uh, Colossus, wanted to draw me once. Never got around to it. I could model for you." She winked at him, continuing to stroke his chest. "Who's your favorite artist then?" she asked, stretching and slowly rolled her head, trying to get the kinks out.

"No posing naked for other men, my dear, unless you would like to make me very angry. And I don't know if I have a favorite artist. I like Goya, I suppose. It's been a long time since I've thought about it. And did you want to be anything else, besides a flying superhero, when you were small?"

"Happy, like Momma and Oma were." She smiled up at him. "And I am. I also wanted to be a princess but without the fancy dresses. They'd get in the way of flying. Anything you wanna know about me? Sides my childhood dreams?"

He considered that. "I could ask you the same litany of questions, I suppose. Though, I do have a question I have always wondered. How is it you came to live with Mystique? When you were a child. Do you know, then, who your birth parents are?"

"Ah, you ask the hard questions. I don't remember my birth parents. I try to but all I get are like glimpses. They're...hard to hold onto. I think my dad had a mustache. My mother had brown hair and brown eyes. Can't remember her face though. I think they died or they just didn't want me. I remember being bounced around homes. Lots of different faces, different beds to call my own. Then I didn't have any. I don't quite remember why." She frowned, pushing through her memories but like always they slipped right through her grasp. "I was five. I think. Almost six. Maybe I already was six and I was out on my own. Abandoned. Guess people got tired of taking care of the freak."

Rogue gently touched her white streaks. "Always had these. Was called freak quite a lot because of them. Oma was on a bench and she had her purse by her. I was gonna get it, steal her money so I could eat and a woman snatched my hand before I could get it. Turned out that was Mystique. I fought tooth and nail for her to let me go. She didn't. They got me something to eat and took me home with them. Took awhile for me to really trust that they weren't gonna just leave me as well. They didn't though." I left them. She sighed, feeling slightly meloncholy. "That answer your question?"

"Yes, thank you. I think I had a nice childhood, before it all ended. But I don't remember. Did you know--my name. It isn't Erik Lehnsherr. Everyone thinks there is some secret I am keeping, as to who I am. But I--" he stumbled for a moment, over the words. This was something he'd shared with no one else, except for Charles. "I don't know what my name was, Anna. I got out of that pit and I couldn't remember a thing. Not which of the bodies belonged to my parents. I didn't know who I was. Some of my memories came back, later. But never that. Never who I was. I suppose it is for the best." Moodily, he stared out of the window. These were not pleasant memories.

She sat up, wrapping her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. "I don't know if my name's Anna either. I just liked it so that's what we chose it to be. They asked, Oma and Momma what my name was when they got me. I told them Freak. I was so used to being called that. Or bastard. That was another that was often used." Rogue gently rubbed his shoulders, trying to offer comfort. "You. You amaze me, Erik. Having lived through that. That horror. How did your powers start? Or is that something you'd rather not discuss?" she amended, realizing that he'd have been hitting puberty while in the camps.

"No. When my wife and I escaped from Auschwitz, I found work. I wasn't able to manifest my powers in the camps because of the malnutrition. There was a man, a foreman, and he was keeping my wages and not paying me the same as the others." These were things he hadn't talked about in years. "I did something, to him. With a shard of metal. I didn't even know what I was doing. Later, he set my little house on fire for revenge. He stopped me, from getting my daughter out of the house. I killed him. I killed them all, in a rage, with my powers. Magda left me, when it was over. She was pregnant, with Pietro and Wanda. I never saw her again."

"Oh god. Erik." She hugged him tightly. "How could they? She was just a little girl."

"I don't know, Anna. I have learned first hand the horrors of which humanity is capable. From Hitler's systematic extinction of an entire race, to the casual brutality of a man willing to kill innocent people in order to take revenge on a man for daring to complain about his wages." Erik sighed and hugged her back. "I didn't even know, when I killed them all, how to control my powers. But I've learned. And I'll never let that happen again."

"You had every right," she growled, eyes widening at what she'd said and pressed her face into his neck. "He was a monster. Like the one's who hurt that poor girl that was crucified to the barn. I'll never understand it, Erik, how anyone can hate someone so much to do that. Especially to a child. Never."

"I gave up trying to understand a long time ago. Now, I don't care why they do it. I just want to stop them." There were small metal frames with scenic pictures on the low table across the room. They began rattling. Erik closed his eyes, fighting for control. "I think it would be best if we discussed something else."

Rogue nodded, hugging him tighter. "What's the craziest thing Toad and Pyro have gotten up to?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, besides Toad's attempts to walk on me naked in your shower and Pyro's unfortunate ability to do so?"

He smiled and began regaling her with stories, mostly innocent ones of Toad and Pyro's continual battle of pranks. Erik found himself smiling as he told the stories. There was a reason he kept Toad around, despite the sycophancy. "Quite different, Pyro, than when he first arrived. He was terrified all the time, and tried to pretend he wasn't. He's become very confident in the last few months." He chuckled. "And he's dating--did you know this?--Doug Ramsey."

"You are a very intimidating man, Erik," she murmured, curling up against him. "Yeah, I knew he was seeing Doug. Doug's a nice guy. Funny in his own way. Really smart too. Also apparently modeling now. He's great to shop with." She looked up at him. "How do you feel about Pyro dating him? I know Doug's a little, well, concerned you may not like it."

"I have no problem with Pyro being with a man, if that's what you're asking. I'd figured that, to be honest. My concern is that I don't trust Doug Ramsey. But I trust Pyro. And so I will hold my opinion for the moment." He stroked her hair. "But I have no objections to Pyro's dating anyone. Only, perhaps he didn't have to follow in my footsteps and date the enemy?" He winked at her to let her know he was teasing.

"He's simply following in your footsteps." Rogue grinned and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "I can't tell ya if Doug is or ain't trustworthy. Don't really know him all that well. He was in Pyro's class. I was an X-Man, didn't really associate with him all that much. Pyro was often in trouble so I saw him more. Plus he was always fun to rile up."

"Pyro indeed had his moments. He was undisciplined, when he came to me. Not anymore." He winked at her. "Now, is there something else we can watch that won't make you cry, and won't bore me senseless?" He laughed at the look on her face. "I believe my Brotherhood's movie watching preferences are rubbing off on me."

She stuck her tongue out and settled back against him. "You pick then. I'm quite comfy."

Erik searched through the movies. He selected The Red Violin, which was a very long and involved movie with flashbacks and a plot both twisting and intriguing. The movie was visually gorgeous. "I tried to watch this at home, once. Too much noise to properly appreciate it." He smiled at her. "I'm too old to live with such young people, I suppose. That makes me sound dreadful, doesn't it?"

"You do realize that I'm one of those young people." Maybe that's supposed to be a hint or something. She forced a smile and turned to look at the screen. Right.

"I do. But I'm sleeping with you." Erik blinked. "That means, something. I'm not sure." He yawned. "I'm too tired to figure it out." He rubbed his fingers through her hair. "I am looking forward to actually waking up next to you, do you know that? I do think you're going to ruin my reputation, Anna." He smiled at her.

Rogue rubbed her cheek against his leg. "I look forward to that as well. Missed it. My bed feels all lonely at X-Corps." She twisted so that she could see him better. "And I got no idea what you're talking about, sugah. Put on that helmet of yours and people'll be plenty afraid or respect you just as much as they used to."

"I suppose that's true." He kissed the top of her head, and watched the rest of the movie in silence. When it was over, he stood up and stretched. "In the morning, we'll be waking up early. So that we can go and identify leaves." He looked down at her, his face totally serious. Then he snorted. "I'm only joking, Anna. I don't even know what kind of trees they have here, and I don't even really care to find out." He held his hand out to her. "You can stop pretending to be asleep."

She didn't stir.

Erik leaned down and picked her up, and then carried her to bed. She made a vague, mumbling protestation about--a teddy bear?--he found one in her bag and gave it to her, then climbed into bed with her. "I want you with me. In my Brotherhood. By my side. My soldier. My lover." He kissed her head. She didn't stir. He wondered if she heard him.

Rogue clutched the bear tightly and shifted in the bed, seeking Erik. She finally settled down, her body curled against his, hand coming to rest on his chest. He was speaking but she couldn't quite make it out and let herself drift to sleep. Safe.

* * *

"Anna, have you seen my blue sweater? The one you were wearing, outside, last night?" Erik walked into the living room, where Anna was sitting on the sofa next to her packed bag. They would be leaving for the train station within the hour. "You didn't leave it, did you? It rained. Although, it's made out of wool, and sheep get wet, don't they?"

During the course of their vacation, Erik had become very relaxed around Anna. More relaxed than he'd been in--well, years, to be honest. He'd enjoyed every moment of her being with him, and while he was anxious to get back to see what had occurred in his absence, he would certainly miss having her with him.

All the more reason that she should join him. But that was a talk for another day.

"No." Rogue tilted her head, smiling anxiously. "Well, yeah. Maybe." She'd been hoping he wouldn't have noticed it was missing. It'd have been a nice souvenier of their time together here. A nice reminder of him that she could slip on whenever she wanted. Sighing, she unzipped her bag and removed the sweater, tossing it to him. "Here you go. I...yeah."

He smiled at her and tossed it back. "As long as it goes to a useful cause." He looked around. "I believe we're ready. I'll take your things to the car, if you like." He raised a hand, and his bag floated out of the bedroom and rested near the door.

She put the sweater back in her bag and nodded. "Yes, thank you." She needed to get up off the couch. That'd be the first step to leaving. One foot down. Come on body. Cooperate. She didn't budge. What was the point? All she had to look forward to was annoying, hostile coworkers. And Rachel, she reminded herself. She did miss Rachel.

Even that wasn't enough to get her to move.

"Anna, do you want me to do something a bit more drastic to get you to move?" He smiled, crossed his arms, and levitated her with the metal on her arm and the zipper of her jeans. "Oh, look what I've--" he caught sight of her face and lowered her to the ground so she was standing in front of him. "What is the matter, my dear? You look quite horrified. Is it because I caught you stealing my sweater?"

"If'n you're gonna be mean, you can just keep it," she growled, knowing she was being irrational but really didn't care. She stomped past him, angry. Frustrated. She stopped at the front door, realizing she was hovering in the air and sighed, leaning her head against the door. "I don't wanna go." Don't wanna go back.

"It has been a rather lovely vacation. And Anna--you can come home with me, you know. But I think that you are not ready for that, and so I think we must get in the car and return to our normal lives. As normal as they really aren't." He sighed. "I hate seeing you so unhappy, my dear."

"Ain't all that fond of being like this either." She sighed again and smoothed her hair back before turning around. "I can't come home with you, Erik. I don't believe in your ideology. And you said yourself that I should only come to live there if I did. Not just to be...near you. So, car. Least this time I'll see the scenery."

She forced a smile and headed towards their vehicle, berating herself when she realized she was dragging her feet. Stop acting like a spoiled brat.

Erik remained quiet as he joined her in the car. He was silent as he drove them away from the cabin. "What, exactly, is your problem with my ideology, Anna?"

She stared resolutely at her hands, forcing herself to stop twisting them. Anxiety trying to overwhelm her. "I...it. Just." Rogue took a deep breath, wondering if she took long enough answering that he'd forget he had asked. Glancing at him, she could tell by his expression that he wouldn't. "I don't have a problem with it. I mean, really, what mutant doesn't want to not fear for their life? I. You hurt people. You kill people." She resumed twisting her hands. "I couldn't do that."

"Oh, I doubt that," he said with a chuckle. "I don't mean to upset you, but your statement--Anna. You would kill to keep people you love safe, wouldn't you? Rachel. Your brother, Kurt. Your teammates. Even your mother. To save their life, wouldn't you kill someone? I believe that you would. And I don't judge you harshly for it, of course I don't. But at least admit to that."

"Well, yes. I would for that. But I wouldn't go and blow up buildings." She refused to look at him, staring out the window. "Like in Brussels."

"What if, and I'm only asking--what if you believed that was the only way to keep your friends, your family, safe?"

"Yes." She crossed her arms and shut her eyes, defeated. Damn it. "But that ain't always why you do it. I mean, yes, you're doing it to keep mutants safe but. It ain't always the FoH you're hurting. Its regular people. Innocent people."

"Sometimes, yes, it is. And sometimes, people are hurting innocent mutants. This is a war. It is regrettable that they are casualties. But Anna--I will do what I have to do to keep my people safe. I will fight with any means necessary, to keep my people safe from the camps. If we were given the opportunity to go back in time, blow up one single building stop the atrocities of Hitler's 'final solution'--what would you do?" He turned and looked at her.

"I'd blow up the building." She frowned, pressing her face against the window. "I'd blow up more than one to stop that from happening." She didn't like that. Felt as though she was betraying her friends simply by admiting that outloud. Cause you are.

"Of course you would. And so I am fighting my war, with regrettable means, but they are the only means that work." He sighed. "I hate what I have to do, Rogue. I do not enter into it lightly. But I do what must be done. I will not watch another genocide. I will do anything, sacrifice anything, to keep mutants safe. My children. You." His voice rang with his customary certainty.

"You. You've given me a lot to think about," Rogue murmured, not entirely ready to admit she was leaning towards his side of this seemingly neverending argument. "Erik. I. I can't betray them all like that. I. I need more time. To figure this all out."

"I know. I know that," he said, sighing. "I do. I promise. We'll--this doesn't have to be settled right now. I just don't like how upset you are, going home. I know that you miss me, but I think it's something much more than that." He looked out at the brilliant expanse of scenery before them. "Just...Anna. Do what you think is right. Not what you think will make other people happy. Even if--" he hesitated. "Even if it's me."

Rogue nodded, unsure how to respond. "Erik. I." She sighed, thankful they'd reached the station. "I'll call you. Somehow." She needed to get out of this car. Away from him before she did something she'd regret. Like simply leaving with him. Would I really regret that though? She really didn't want to answer that. "I enjoyed our time together. A lot. And I'm gonna miss you. Also a lot." She forced a grin, feeling her resolve to simply leave beginning to wane and knew she needed to go. Now.

He pulled the car over and parked, opening the door with his powers. "I am going to miss you, too. Of course you will hear from me. Surely you know, my dear, when I'm dedicated to something--I'm quite insistent about it." He smiled a little. "I love you, Anna. Take care of yourself."

"I love you too, Erik." She leaned across the seat and kissed him hard, trembling as she pulled away. "Take care of yourself as well." She collected her bag and took off into the air, needing the distance. Being on a crowded train was the last thing she wanted and began flying back towards Paris, ignoring the bitter cold sweeping past her.

Erik watched her go, until she was a blur in the sky. He got back in the car. He had a lot to think about.

Before, he had been willing to lie to her. To say that it didn't matter, about her joining the Brotherhood. Now...he realized that he meant it. If she never joined, it wouldn't matter. He wouldn't leave her. She was his now, and that was all that mattered.