"Don't you remember that day we met? I did a little protectin' myself. I was the one who screamed at ya when that idiot raised a shot gun to the back of your head." He didn't need to tell her he would have known or maybe already knew it was coming. She was just trying to make a point. "An' that night when Stryker's boys came bustin' in...Bobby an' John wanted to leave ya there an' we all know that would'a ended well if I hadn't'a made them come back with me to get you." Maybe that was a stretch, but again, she was going for a point here. So Maybe Rogue only had two to his ten times of protecting her, but he didn't know about some of the things people said about him when he wasn't around. Things she'd argued hotly with people over and came close to grabbing with her bare hands just to shut them up. She was more the quiet defense while Logan was, well, Logan.
"I know you wouldn't leave because of that." Her throat was dry, feeling like she was lying to him just by omitting information. "What if I ain't the person you want me to be when the walls come down? What if you don't like what you find out?" She couldn't blame anyone else. In that moment when she had her hands on that stranger's face she was completely in control. She didn't stop herself because it felt too good to let go of. "If that's your version of tough love, I think I got off easy."
She watched him look her over and felt her pulse quicken. He'd never looked at her like that before. She couldn't help but chuckle at his comment. "Sure, I'll walk around like a big ol' tease. That'll do us both a lot of good." His own reaction to his suggestion made her grin in return. She'd always loved that crooked smile of his. It was one that was rare but genuine. "Sugar, you've given me more incentive in these past five seconds than I've had my entire life."
He drew closer and Rogue couldn't help but think he wasn't playing fair. It was like food before s starving man. He knew what she felt, he had to. But he was telling her to say it. She took in a shuddering breath and whispered, "I love you," before closing the space between them and kissing him the way she'd wanted to since the day they'd met.