Okay, I've always liked Rogue and I've always liked Nightcrawler, so hence this story. As usual these characters are the property of Marvel, and I'm not makin any money;-)

A Touch of Love
by Nytekrwlr

The water was a crystal blue. Of course it was. Pool men came out once a week to clean and pour a dozen different chemicals in it. They never asked questions; they just did their work and came back the following week. Not even when the pool was full of ice in the middle of summer did they ask (thanks to a prank pulled by Bobby Drake).

The young woman named Rogue would usually wait for them to finish before she would come out to lounge in the sun. Not today though, she came out in a small two-piece suit. Little was left to the imagination. She sauntered out past the pool men, winked at them, and reclined in her favorite chair. Even with her eyes closed she could feel them looking at her. If she could she would have asked the cute one to come rub some tanning lotion on her back. She couldn't though, as she was denied the simple act of touching another human being.

But she wouldn't let this bother her today. She simply smiled and baked herself in the warm rays of the sun. She heard them pack up their stuff and leave, the cute one sheepishly saying goodbye on his way out.

"See ya next week, sweetie pie," she said in her low husky voice with its slow southern drawl.

She lay there in the sun, enjoying the peaceful solitude for a good twenty minutes. It was so peaceful and restful. There was a slight breeze, the birds were chirping and she hadn't ever felt so relaxed.

Until * BAMF * *SPLASH*

And then she was drenched.

"FUZZY! I'm gonna kill you!!" she said soaking wet.

"Heheehahhehehah oh fraulien you looked so peaceful I couldn't resist!" Kurt backstroked thru the pool.

"I swear ta God Kurt, I'm gonna kick your fuzzy butt from here to--"

"Now, now, fraulien -- I'm allowed to harass you! We are, after all, 'kinfolk,' as you would say."

"Elf, you and I are about as much of kinfolk as Remy and Scott Summers!"

"I do take offense, leibchen. Our family history isn't nearly as complicated as the Summers clan. I see us as more of a Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia." He smiled as he swam to the edge of the pool and propped his arms up on the side. Rogue could do nothing but laugh.

"We're not even blood, ya silly excuse for an elf." She smiled warmly at him.

"Ach, such technicalities.Rogue, why don't you come in? The water is wonderful, and as you are all ready wet--" He smiled.

"I wouldn't be wet if it weren't for you"

"Again with the technicalities..." With that, he teleported behind Rogue, grabbed her towel, wrapped her up in it, and threw her in the pool. She screamed as she hit the cold water. Then came another loud splash as Kurt teleported into the pool beside her.

"Now I'm really gonna kill you!"

"Oh, leibchen, you should see your face," he said, laughing.

"Kurt, that was dangerous!" Rogue protested, now serious. "What if you would have touched me, huh? You wouldn't be laughing then."

"Is that why you haven't been getting in the pool, liebchen? Because you're afraid you may touch someone? Rogue, we know your abilities and we accept the risks. You should, too."

"Everything is a joke to you, isn't it Kurt?"

Kurt was silent, and the two waded uncomfortably in the pool, staring at each other. Suddenly, a spunky grin on his face, Kurt raised his hand and splashed her in the face. With a yelp, she splashed him back, starting off a water war that seemed to last for hours. They both laughed furiously -- they hadn't had this much fun in ages.

"Okay -- stop, stop! I need to catch my breath, Fuzzy," Rogue cried out finally. Kurt stopped and smiled, and Rogue smashed her fist into the pool, splashing him in the face. "Ah can't believe ya fell for that, Fuzz!"

Kurt begam to cough. "Rogue I --can't--" He coughed and coughed and went under the water. "Help!" he managed to cry before disappearing under the surface, fighting against the water.

"Kurt KURT!! KURT, I can't get ya, I can't touch ya, Oh my god..." She stared around, panicked. She didn't have time to get help, and nobody else was home. She did the only thing she could do, diving under the water and grabbing her brother from the depths of the pool.

She flinched as her flesh touched his.

Power, thoughts, emotions started to creep into her mind. NO no stay out...hold it back, girl--you can do it! She pulled him up out of the water and flew him to the side of the pool. Kurt's thoughts flew into her mind, pictures of Raven, Irene, Logan, Amanda, being in a coma, STOP PUSH THEM BACK PUSH THEM BACK.

Her efforts were working, though. She had touched Kurt, and her body had not altered itself to match his mutation. And she had been able to shut out most of his thoughts.

Rogue broke contact with him, and Kurt started to cough up water. She was in a daze, then noticed Kurt smiling. "See, liebchen? It's all in your head!"

Her mind whirled. "You were fakin! How dare you, you--"

"Rogue don't you realize what this means? You can control it -- you can! You simply need more practice."

"I can't-- you--you--fuzzy--little--demon--you--you're right...you're right!"

"Rogue, I know once Storm offered you her hand freely. Has anyone done that since?"

"Nah, not really unless it was needed, but not just to do it."

"Well then, fraulien, let me be the second. Take my hand, but this time don't think of it, think of something else, think of you're favorite song, hum it out loud, let me hear the words. Now close you're eyes and sing." She looked at him strangely, but for some weird reason, she consented. She sat on the poolside deck with her legs crossed. Kurt sat across from her. She put out her hand and closed her eyes and began to sing. "Now don't laugh at me Elf, but it's mah favorite song--

"You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize it's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness filled inside you
Can make you feel so small
But I see your true colors shining thru
I see your true colors and that's why I love you
So don't be afraid
To let them show
Your true colors
Your true colors
Are beautiful
Like a rainbow"

She finished her eyes still closed, she hummed the rest of the song, forgetting where she was. A couple minutes later Kurt spoke. "Rogue, liebchen, open your eyes very slowly."

She did so, she was in an almost dreamlike state.

"Look down, Rogue."

She did, and her heart almost skipped a beat. There was Kurt's hand lying in hers. She looked up at him. She hadn't even noticed his hand touching hers. She did now -- she could feel the warmth of his hand. How his skin felt more like velvet because of the fine fur that covered his body. She wanted this feeling to last forever. Her eyes locked with his. Then suddenly she felt the numbing sense in the back of her brain and Kurt slumped over. Yet she didn't assume his elflike form, save for a slight point added to her ears. His memories were hers and she was sure she could teleport now if she wanted. It was like when Storm had offered herself to her on the riverside.

She sat there with Kurt for about twenty minutes as his memories and abilities slowly returned to him. She smiled at him while he lay on the deck. She truly understood him. They were both orphans who had found a home. He was so noble, such a prince.

He finally awoke. "Well how was that fraulien?"

"I can't believe it worked, even if only for a little while. Kurt, you can't imagine how happy I am right at this moment."

"I'm glad, and we can do this once a week, eventually you'll be able to touch anyone you choose, for as long as you like," he said, promise in his smile.

She sat alongside the pool, dreamily content. It was the first time she had meaningful contact with another person completely on her own. No gadgets, no other mutants zapping her abilities, it was just her, with the help from her...

"Brother," she said out loud. Kurt's head turned. "You are my brother, Kurt. Thank you."

"No problem, sister," he said, smiling.

"Now it's getting late. Go find your Han Solo, Leia"

"No problem, my Jedi brother Luke."

They laughed and laughed, happy to find something they had been lacking.

Family.

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