Well. She hardly knew what to say to most of that, but fortunately she did have something to say, "Of course that's not all I think of you! But that was the only thing I could think of - and I was afraid, all right?"

She dropped her hand from his chest and turned around, then remembered he had to read her lips. So Rogue looked at him over her shoulder, her voice ragged. "For a moment, I was afraid."

And again, once she started talking the words came, pouring out of her stunned and weary heart, "You want to know why I hold myself back? I hurt everything I touch. How many times have I wanted to help someone, only to know that I'm puttin' them in just as much danger just being around them as what I'm saving them from? I can't even hug a friend to comfort them without bein' terrified something will go wrong--"

Why don't you? Why don't you just let go?

Rogue took a long shuddering breath, the spirit hitting her someplace where she was weak, and she almost faltered. And to recover, she almost told him why she hadn't gotten herself a horse; even then she'd been saving for Tony's project. At least, that was one reason, instead she confessed, "Every day I go see Penny and manage a safe ride with her, I'm amazed."