It had been almost a year now. Almost a year since he met her in a bar in Laughlin City. Almost a year since he'd saved her life at the Statue. Almost a year since he'd left her standing at the door to Xavier's with his tag and his heart, leaving him with nothing but some clothes, a laptop computer from Chuck, and Scooter's borrowed bike.

He sat down on the bed in one of the seedier hotels he'd stayed at in the past 12 months. He kicked off his boots, shrugged out of his jackets and turned on the lamp on the nightstand. He reached for his duffel bag at the end of the bed and dug around inside for his laptop. Next he plugged in the power cord and unplugged the phone cord from the phone and placed it in the modem jack on the computer. He rearranged the pillows so that one was behind his back against the headboard and the other was in his lap under the portable computer. While the computer was booting up, he found the remote on the bedside table and turned on the television. He stopped surfing when he found an old hockey game on ESPN Classic but turned the down the volume when he noticed that the computer was ready.

He went straight for the email program and found his weekly note from Chuck. When Logan was preparing to leave the mansion, he had warned Xavier not to call him on the "brain phone." While he appreciated everything that Chuck was doing to help with his search for his past, he wasn't at all comfortable with people poking around in his head. So, Chuck had given him the laptop equipped with anywhere, anytime, and most importantly, paid for internet access so that they could keep in touch. Not only to relay more leads Xavier uncovered about Logan's past but so Logan could also get updates on Marie and how she was doing in his absence.

Marie.

He found his thoughts wandering more and more to her these days — more than he was really comfortable with. But then again, he knew that it was inevitable that he would return and try to start building a relationship with her. He really wanted that. He had just spent the last 12 months trying to convince himself otherwise, hoping if he set aside his love and desire for her for the time-being it would make this time away from her easier on him. He also believed that she needed this time without him to grow up a little, and with the kid-friendly atmosphere and safety at Xavier's, he was pretty sure that she would get a chance to do just that.

He opened the message waiting for him and started to read.

From: wheels@xaviersgifted.edu
To: pastseeker@hotmail.com

Dear Logan,

I hope that this message finds you well. Have you found anything of
substance from the leads I last sent you? I do hope they have proven
fruitful. I regret that I do not have anything new for you this week,
however.

I do hope that you get this email in time to join us via the internet
for our fall talent review. Hank McCoy, our resident technological
guru, has set up a live webcast on www.xaviersgifted.edu. Many of the
teachers and students will be offering a variety of entertainment,
including singing, dancing, and I believe that Scott will be
demonstrating his juggling abilities for us.

I know our little show probably does not excite you as much as the
prospect of a rousing game of hockey on ESPN might. However, I thought
you would like to know that for the finale, Rogue, Jubilee, Remy,
Bobby, and St. John will be performing a number by a band called
Fleetwood Mac. The show starts tonight at 8pm.

Until next week, stay well and know that you always have a home here
with us.

Sincerely, "Chuck"

Logan glanced at his watch. It was 7:00 now. He had time to run and pick up a burger from the diner down the road, come back, take a quick shower and settle in for his evening's entertainment.

Not that he was all that interested in the prospect of watching a couple of hours of the X-geeks and teens embarrassing themselves, but he didn't want to miss Marie's performance. While he was showering, he started wondering which of the Fleetwood Mac babes she'd be performing as tonight.

While he loved the bluesy-sound and songwriting ability of Christine McVie, he had to admit, he was definitely a Stevie Nicks man. That chick could rock! She wrote unbelievably soulful songs with kickass melodies. And that voice! He remembered when he first heard "Rhiannon" from the Fleetwood Mac Live album on a jukebox at one of the first bars he had fought in, several years ago. She just absolutely screamed the lyrics, and he was mesmerized! Then he saw one of the band's concerts on TV, and he was shocked by how utterly petite and feminine she was in her wispy, gypsy-style dresses and shawls.

He had a feeling that Marie would be singing Stevie's part tonight. The two women were similar in many ways. A fierce, determined, and strong presence in a silk-scarf wrapped package of mysterious and alluring femininity.

An hour and 45 minutes into the show, Logan was sitting on the edge of his bed, eagerly anticipating Marie's performance. He had put up with a lot, including a dramatic recitation from "The Taming of the Shrew" featuring Jean, and not only a juggling routine but also miming by Scooter. He had to admit, though, that intermingled with the other maudlin to downright embarrassing displays were a couple of very good performances. `Ro nailed the Etta James classic "At Last," and Kitty was outstanding in her piano solo of Debussy's "Claire de Lune." But the part of the show that he was anxiously awaiting was about to begin.

He watched the laptop screen as a group of students came onto the stage and started setting up the instruments and microphones, including one towards center stage that was adorned with several black and gold ribbons. The stage went black, and a moment later, as the lights slowly came up, he could see St. John in place behind the drum kit, Bobby at the bass, and Remy picking up the guitar. He also saw Jubilee sitting at the grand piano to left of the stage. He knew it! Marie was going to sing Stevie's part.

As Jubilee started to count off the song, Marie still wasn't on the stage yet. But as Jubes started to play the beginning notes of a sweet but haunting melody, Marie appeared from the shadows at the right of the stage. As Logan watched her move from behind Remy into the spotlight, he found it hard to breathe.

She was stunningly beautiful. His Marie was dressed in a flowing black lace dress, with points cut in the hem and long pieces of fabric attached to the sleeves. She wore black, pencil-thin, high-heel boots that came to her knees and her hair was curled in very soft waves around her face.

For Logan, time stood still as Marie approached the microphone and over the light piano melody she spoke. "I would like to dedicate this song to someone who can't be here with us tonight, but who will always be very special to me." And then she began to sing…

"You could be my silver springs,
Blue-green colors flashing.
I would be your only dream,
Your shining autumn, ocean crashing.
Did you say she was pretty?
And did you say that she loves you?
Baby, I don't wanna know.

"I'll begin not to love you.
Turn around… see me running.
I say I loved you years ago.
I tell myself you never loved me. No.
And did you say she was pretty?
And did you say that she loves you?
Baby, I don't wanna know.
Oh no.....
And can you tell me, was it worth it?
Really, I don't wanna know.

"Time casts its spell on you, but you won't forget me.
I know I could've loved you, but you would not let me.

"Time cast its spell on you, but you won't forget me.
I know I could've loved you, but you would not let me.
I'll follow you down `til the sound of my voice will haunt you.
You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you.

"I'll follow you down `til the sound of my voice will haunt you.
Was I just a fool?
You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you.
Was I just a fool?
I'll follow you down `til the sound of my voice will haunt you.
Give me just a chance…. You'll never get away… never get away… never
get away….

"You could be my silver springs,
My blue-green colors flashing."

The audience erupted with applause and cheers. Marie smiled, bowed, and then quickly made her way off stage.

---

In a lonely motel room somewhere in Canada, Logan sat dumbstruck. He never doubted that Marie would have a beautiful voice. What awed him was the conviction with which she had sung those words. He suddenly realized that she didn't think he loved her. She believed he was in love with someone else, probably Jean, instead. She didn't seem to know that her voice had haunted him for the past year. She didn't seem to know that she was his only dream and that he had never really wanted to get away from the woman that loved him.

He also realized that the powerful emotions she conveyed with that song showed she was more ready for a relationship with him than he had given her credit for.

Before he could talk himself out of it, Logan fired off an email message to the professor. He then stowed the laptop in its place in his duffel bag and threw in the rest of his things. Within minutes he was miles down the road (thanks to Scooter's bike) and headed back to Westchester.

Later that evening, after the post-show party, Professor Xavier checked his email before getting into bed.

From: pastseeker@hotmail.com
To: wheels@xaviersgifted.edu

Chuck,

None of the leads panned out, but thanks for your help.
Tell Rogue I'm on my way home and I'll be there by tomorrow evening.

Logan