When the sun finally hit Verena's eyes, she took her time getting out of bed. She sat up, stretching her arms above her head, a satisfying crack echoing from her back. Sliding out of bed, she felt the cold bite of the hardwood floor against her bare feet. She padded quietly along the hallway, one of her knees popping as she moved.

The mansion was eerily quiet. No kids, no X-Men in sight. The silence made her stomach twist slightly, but she pushed it aside as she headed toward the children's rooms, her thoughts on Rogue after last night's ordeal.

She stopped in front of Rogue's door and slowly opened it, poking her head in. "Rogue, tesoro?"

The room was empty. The bed was made, the closet bare. A rush of panic surged through her. Verena spun on her heel and hurried back toward the staff wing, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Logan!" she called as she reached the top of the stairs, her voice urgent. She raced down the hall. "Logan!"

She burst into his room, the door swinging wide to reveal a shirtless Logan lounging in bed, his expression turning serious the moment he saw her.

"Logan, Rogue's gone!"

He sat up immediately, tension rippling through his muscles. "What?"

"Rogue, she's gone! I don't know when, but I checked her room, and she's not there. She didn't take anything with her."

Logan muttered a curse under his breath, already climbing out of bed. He swapped his sweats for a pair of jeans and pulled on a t-shirt in one swift motion, grabbing his jacket from the chair. He paused only briefly to glance at Verena, the two of them sharing an unspoken understanding.

"Let's go," he grumbled, slipping on his boots as he headed out into the hallway, Verena right behind him.

Verena trailed behind Logan as they made their way down to the basement. His heavy footsteps echoed in the corridor, but she kept her pace light, despite her concern for Rogue gnawing at her insides. She kept glancing at him, trying to gauge his mood—though, as always, Logan was hard to read.

As they neared the meeting room, Storm joined them, her presence adding a calm to the tension. Verena shot her a warm smile, softening her otherwise brisk walk.

"'Morning, Ro," Verena greeted, her voice steady, but her eyes mirrored the urgency of the situation.

Storm returned the smile, though her brow furrowed slightly. "Good morning, Verena." Her usual calmness wavered, noticing the serious look on both Verena and Logan's faces.

Verena kept up with Logan's long strides, her mind racing about Rogue. She hoped it was just nerves, that they'd find her in the mansion, safe and sound, but her gut told her otherwise. Something was off.

When they arrived at the lab, Logan immediately cut through the silence, his voice low and impatient. "Where is she?"

Scott turned, confusion creasing his face. "Who?"

But the professor already knew. He'd sensed it long before Logan had entered the room. "Rogue. She's gone," Charles confirmed, his voice heavy with concern.

Verena's stomach dropped. She clenched her fists, holding back the frustration bubbling up inside her.

The professor, without further explanation, led the group—Logan and Verena included—down the hall. The sterile scent of metal and machinery filled the air as they reached the circular door that loomed before them, locking away the answers they sought.

The door scanned the professor's eye, and an automated voice filled the hallway, "Welcome, Professor."

As the door slid open, Verena followed behind, Logan at her side. The room beyond was massive—round, empty for the most part, with cold metallic walls that curved up to the ceiling. The air seemed charged with something more than just technology. Verena's eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight.

"Welcome to Cerebro," Charles announced, his voice echoing faintly in the chamber.

Logan let out a low, bemused grunt. "Well, this certainly is a big round room," he remarked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"The brainwaves of mutants differ from average human beings," Charles explained, his voice calm but laced with focus. "This device amplifies my power, allowing me to access mutants across greater distances. That's how I intend to find Rogue."

Verena nodded, impressed by the scale of the operation. She'd never seen anything like it before.

"Why don't you just use it to find Magneto?" Logan asked, his impatience peeking through.

Charles' eyes darkened slightly. "I've been trying, but he seems to have found a way to shield himself from it."

"How would he do that?" Verena asked, her voice curious but laced with suspicion.

The professor glanced at her before answering. "Because he helped me build it."

There was a beat of silence, the weight of that admission settling in. Verena and Logan exchanged a glance before Charles continued.

"Verena, I recommend you get dressed for the day. I will need time in Cerebro," he said gently. His eyes flicked briefly to her pajamas—sweats and a tank top, a far cry from her usual, more battle-ready attire.

Verena flushed slightly, remembering her rush to wake Logan earlier, and nodded. "Right. I'll be back in a few," she said, half-smiling. As Charles donned the large helmet that connected him to Cerebro, the tension in the room grew.

Verena and Logan exited together, the circular door closing behind them. She made a quick b-line for the elevator, but Logan's hand gently caught her wrist, stopping her.

"Where ya goin', sweetheart?" he asked, a teasing edge to his voice, though there was an underlying concern.

She turned to face him, a grin creeping onto her lips. "I'm gonna change my clothes, Lo'. I don't think I can track down Rogue in sweats."

Her light tone drew a smirk from him. He let go of her wrist but raised a brow. "Don't take too long."

She shot him a playful smile before stepping into the elevator, watching as the doors closed with a soft hum.

Verena made her way back to her room, the wooden floor creaking under her boots. She slipped into her bootcut jeans, lacing a large belt buckle into place, the design bold and fitting for her style. She tugged on a cropped white tank top, just above her waistline, before adding a red flannel she found in the closet. Grabbing her boots, she noticed they had been thoughtfully delivered to her room when she arrived.

As she searched for her leather jacket, the one that matched Logan's, a knock echoed from the door. Startled, she instinctively unsheathed a set of claws, her senses sharp. Better safe than sorry, she thought, slowly opening the door with her clawed hand at her side.

Storm stood in the doorway, hands behind her back. Her eyes flickered to Verena's claws before she raised a brow. "It's a habit, sorry," Verena apologized with a sheepish grin. "What's up?"

Storm glanced down and then brought her hands forward, revealing a black cattleman hat resting in her palm. "Well, when we rescued you, we couldn't save much, but I figured this was pretty important to you."

Verena's eyes glossed over as she recognized the hat. "Oh! You got my hat?" Her voice cracked, and without thinking, she threw her arms around Storm. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Storm chuckled, returning the hug with a soft smile. "Of course, Vee. If I knew it meant that much, I would've brought it to you sooner."

Verena pulled back, a shy smile gracing her lips as she held the hat. "It was a gift from Logan," she admitted softly, brushing her fingers along its brim.

Storm's expression shifted into a knowing smirk. "Ah, I see. And you guys aren't together?"

Verena let out a frustrated groan, rubbing her temples. "Oh god, don't even get me started. It's so complicated."

Storm leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms with a playful smile. "Complicated, huh? Sounds like Logan. But for what it's worth, I've seen the way he looks at you."

Verena's cheeks flushed slightly, though she tried to brush it off with a laugh. "Yeah, well, it doesn't make it any less messy."

"Love always is," Storm mused with a soft smile. "But it's worth the fight."

Verena met her eyes, feeling the weight of Storm's words settle over her. "I hope you're right."

With a final smile, Storm pushed off the doorframe. "I'll let you finish getting ready. We'll be heading out soon."

Verena nodded, clutching the hat in her hand. "Thanks again, Ro. Really."

As Storm left, Verena placed the hat on her head, adjusting it until it sat just right. She caught her reflection in the mirror, feeling a sense of familiarity settle over her. The hat wasn't just an accessory; it was a reminder of the journey she and Logan had been on together. Complicated or not, some things just fit.

As Verena stared at her reflection a moment longer, she felt a renewed sense of purpose. With the hat securely on her head, she made her way down the mansion's stairs, heading toward the professor's office. When she arrived, the rest of the X-Men were already assembled, waiting for her.

"Alright, Logan and I will go get Rogue. It's the least we can do," Verena announced, determination in her voice.

The professor raised his eyebrows at her sudden assertiveness. "I think that is exactly the kind of opportunity Magneto is waiting for, Verena. I'll send Cyclops and Storm."

Logan immediately interjected, "Listen, Chuck, I'm the reason she took off. I'll take Vee with me."

Charles remained firm, his tone unyielding. "No, Logan. My decision is final."

Logan huffed in frustration, grabbing Verena by the bicep and pulling her out of the room. "Logan, what the hell?" she protested as he dragged her along.

"Come on, sweetheart, I've got an idea," he muttered, leading her toward the mansion's garage.

As they entered, Logan's eyes quickly locked onto Scott's bike, parked neatly among the other vehicles. Verena noticed the mischievous glint in his eye and couldn't help but laugh. "No way, Scott's gonna kill us!" she exclaimed, still chuckling as she climbed onto the bike behind him.

With her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, Logan revved the engine, the bike sinking slightly under their combined weight. Then, without hesitation, he took off, speeding toward the train station where Rogue was waiting, both of them bracing for whatever came next.

They had tracked down the train Rogue had boarded, and without wasting any time, Logan and Verena slipped aboard, making their way through the aisles. Verena quickly spotted the familiar green hood Rogue always wore, the one that had practically become her signature. She nudged Logan gently, pointing her out.

Without hesitation, they approached her. Verena sat down directly in front of Rogue, her expression soft but serious. Logan slid into the seat beside Rogue, his tone gentle as he greeted her, "Hey, kid."

Rogue averted her eyes, her fear and uncertainty evident. "I'm sorry for last night," Logan said quietly, sincerity in every word.

"Me too," Rogue whispered, her voice barely audible.

Logan nodded, understanding. "You runnin' again?"

"I heard the professor was mad at me."

Verena's brow furrowed. "Who told you that, tesoro?"

"A boy at school," Rogue mumbled, her voice tinged with doubt. Logan and Verena exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them before they both focused back on Rogue. She noticed the exchange and hesitated before asking, "You think I should go back?"

Verena leaned forward slightly, her voice warm and reassuring. "No, we think you should follow your instincts."

Rogue's voice trembled as she confessed, "The first boy I ever kissed ended up in a coma for three weeks. I can still feel him inside my head." Tears welled in her eyes, and Verena's heart ached at the sight. "And it's the same with you."

"Rogue," Verena said softly, placing a gentle hand on Rogue's knee, careful not to touch her skin. Rogue flinched at first but relaxed when she realized the touch was safe. "Don't let accidents and mistakes define you, okay? You're more than just your powers. If you want to go, then that's your choice, but I think you should stay." She offered a small, encouraging smile.

Logan wrapped a comforting arm around Rogue's shoulders, letting her lean into him as the tears finally spilled over. Her body shook with silent sobs, and he held her steady.

"There aren't many people who'll understand what you're going through," Logan said, his voice rough but full of compassion. "But I think this guy, Xavier, is one of them. He genuinely wants to help you, and that's a rare thing for people like us." His eyes met Verena's as he spoke, a shared understanding passing between them.

As the train jolted to life and began to move, Rogue wiped her tears, sniffling softly. She looked up at Logan and Verena, her expression a mixture of hope and doubt. "So what'd you say? Give these geeks one more shot?" Logan smiled at her, his voice warm and reassuring. "Come on, we'll take care of you."

Rogue hesitated for just a moment before asking, "You promise?"

Verena leaned in, her voice gentle but firm. "Yeah, we promise."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

©️Fanofadifishman

Word Count: 2136

A/n: Sorry for the late update, I had so much going on this week. I hope you guys like it. I have so much planned for other chapters, y'all might either hate me or love me. Anyway, comment and vote, don't be ghost readers.

Love y'all,

Allegra 💙