”Hey, kid. How many times I have to throw you out?” She turned, wide smile on her face.
“Logan!”
“That’s Officer Logan to you, brat,” uniformed man barked, deep frown on his face. He actually managed to look threatening for five whole seconds before smile ruined it all.
“How is it going, Marie?” He asked, his gaze scanning the crowd around them.
“It’s cold outside. I only come here to get warm. I won’t cause troubles, I promise.”
“I’m hurt. I thought you only stick around because of my pleasant personality,” Logan smirked. Then he turned to look at her.
“And because of burgers. You hungry?” She nodded enthusiastically.
“Come on, let’s get something to eat.”

This was their routine every night. She came in to mall to stay warm over the night; Logan rested his feet and bought her a burger. They talked about anything and everything, Logan made an honest effort by escorting her out and few minutes later when he turned his back she snuck back in. She knew that Logan knew, Logan knew that she knew that he knew. Everybody knew. Nobody cared. She was just one of the street brats who hung around the mall.

“Where did you get that from?” Logan asked. There was no accusation in his voice, just worry, when she started to fiddle with an mp3-player. She wasn’t a thief, she had even helped Logan occasionally spot the ones that stole, but she didn’t have any money either.
“I found it. Honestly. Somebody must have dropped it. I was just going to listen for a while and take it to the info.” She was telling the truth. She wanted the player, but kids like her didn’t carry expensive electronic devices. Not if they wanted to stay out of trouble.
“You better give it to me before somebody sees it and gets a wrong idea,” Logan said, extending his hand, palm flat over the table. She sighed and dropped the small plastic player on his hand.
“Don’t want to haul you to precinct just because some asshole thinks you stole it.”

They sat, Logan leaning backwards, his long legs resting comfortably on a chair. She was sipping her soda.
“How’s your mother?” He asked. She frowned.
“Probably getting high. Or getting laid. Or both.”
“Shit… Uh, kid? You need a place to stay? I could… I have a friend in social services, she could probably…”
“No thanks. I rather stay at home,” she quickly declined his offer. Logan straightened his back.
“That’s the point. You’re not at home. You never are. You either shack up with strangers or loiter around here. I don’t mind your company, but that’s not a life for you. Hell, you need to go to school. You need somebody to take care of you. Get you some clothes. Food to eat.”
“But you do that,” she said, pointing at the empty burger wrapper on the table. Logan picked it up and scrunched it to a ball.
“This isn’t food. Fuck… It’s a wonder that you haven’t gotten scurvy yet… Come on. I could call Maggie right now, ask her to come and pick you up.”
“Maggie? Is she good looking?”
“Depends. If you think grey hair and support stockings are the thing that turns you on… I’ll give her a call and we’ll see what we can do, okay? At least somebody goes to shake up you mother a bit. Scare her to right tracks.”
“But… What if they put me in to foster home?” She asked, lips trembling.
“You’d be better off anywhere than here. Trust me,” Logan said, reaching for the radio attached to his shoulder.
“Wait! I can’t… They can’t put me in to any home…” She muttered hastily. Logan huffed, placing the microphone back to its holder.
“Shit, kid. Do you think I’m stupid or something? I’m a mutie too. So is Maggie. She’s going to find some nice family…”
“Just… Can I think about it?” She asked, fiddling with her gloves. Logan ruffled her hair.
“Sure. Ready to go?” He asked standing up.
“Aww… Do I really have to?” She moaned. Logan nodded.
“We have to at least make it look like I’m trying to keep you out rather than in. Where would you be if they signed me to another precinct for consorting with the enemy?” He asked.
“There with you, being the same pain in your ass as I’m in here…” She smiled, giving him a wink before skipping out. Logan laughed and went on his way, to the upper levels of the mall.

It was a cold night. She hunched behind one of the decorative pillars guarding the mall’s entrance, trying to get shelter from the wind. Her thin coat wasn’t just made for this kind of weather. It would be hours before she could go home. Several hours before her mom was too tired and messed up to work. She had once made a mistake of getting home too early, and john her mother had been blowing had beaten her for good, giving her a split lip and bruises she could still feel if she moved too fast. She checked her watch. Old and worn, with plastic band and Mickey Mouse telling what time it was. Five minutes and she could slip back in. If she was real careful and stayed out of the sight, she could stay there for whole hour before Logan “threw” her out again. She could maybe hide in to one of the restrooms. Logan checked those once or twice during the night. If she got in to a stall and stood on the toilet seat when he came in, he wouldn’t probably even notice her. Though he had a strange way of finding her no matter where she hid.

She was sneaking back in when long, black limousine stopped in front of the entrance, and a man wearing the strangest looking sunglasses stepped out from the driver’s door, hurrying to open the passenger’s door for older, bald man. She didn’t stay to watch, but skirted past them, keeping her eyes peeled in case Logan happened to end his round on the second floor faster than he usually did. When there was no sight of him she relaxed and entertained herself by window-shopping for all the nice things she well knew she wouldn’t probably never afford to. New shoes. That beautiful, thick cloak, made out of wool.

Strange reflection on the window made her gasp and turn around. Young man with the funny sunglasses was standing beside the bald one, who was sitting in a wheelchair. Large man with lots of blond hair, an obvious mutant was shouting something at them. Even more obvious mutant, woman who was covered to blue scales from head to toes was observing them all from a small distance, with a smile on her face.

She had long ago learned to spot trouble, and now scene in front of her was screaming T-R-O-U-B-L-E with big flashing neon letters. She started to run towards the elevators, knowing she should find Logan before anything happened. She had a bad feeling about what was going on. She was about to enter the elevator when something hit her back. Sharp blow that threw her in to the car and she crashed against the metal wall before slumping to the floor unconscious. She had the time to hear loud roar and sound of a struggle before darkness fell over her.

“Don’t move kid. You got hit pretty badly.” Logan. Logan was there. Everything hurt and it was hard to breathe.
“Lo… Logan… Trouble…”
“I know, kid. It’s taken care of. Just lay still. Hey! Mac! We need a medic in here! Fuck, kid, stay still. There’s no bleeding but your back…” Words blurred to incoherent murmurs in her ears. It was dark. Dark and cold.
“What do we have here?” She couldn’t recognize the voice.
“Female, sixteen. Xavier’s lackey shoot her in the back.” Logan.
“Careful there. She’s a mutant. Drainer.”
“Summers shoot another mutie? What the hell did she do?”
“Nothing. Was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Collateral fire…”

“Logan…”
“What is it, kid?”
“I can’t… I can’t see… Why is it… So dark in here…”
“Don’t worry about it, kid. They fried some wires. Lights are out. Just rest now. This man is going to take good care of you. They’re going to take you to a hospital.” A lie. She knew he was lying.
“I can’t see!”
“Hush. It’ll be alright.” She grasped his hand, too afraid to let go. He would disappear if she let go now.

“Logan? Can you carry her out? There’s too much shit and muck in the way, we can’t get a stretcher in there.”
“Yeah. I think. Kid? Ready to go?” She let go of his hand and grasped the front of his shirt instead when he lifted her carefully on to his lap. Her back protested and she let out a scream that had been building in the back of her throat for some time already. She felt Logan tensing.
“Sorry, kid, but we have to get you out of here. Those pillars look about ready to collapse…”
“Why can’t I see…” She moaned, more worried about her eyes than anything that might be wrong with her back. She couldn’t feel her toes either, but she didn’t need her toes to fulfill her dream. Some day she was going to be a famous painter, and for that she needed her eyes.
“You hit your head. But I’m sure they can fix whatever there’s wrong, don’t worry about it,” Logan spoke with quiet, even voice. He had never before sounded this serious.

“Can you come… With me?” She asked when she felt the hard stretcher under her back. Logan had let go of her.
“Not yet. But I’ll come to see you later, okay? And I ask somebody to pick up your mom. She’ll be with you when you wake up.”
“Wake up?” She was tired, but there was no way she could sleep.
“Don’t worry, kid. Everything will be okay…” Darkness fell over her again.

When she woke up it wasn’t her mother greeting her. Man with funny looking sunglasses sat next to her bed on a plastic chair. Summers. His name was Summers, she remembered somebody telling it earlier.
*Asshole. Asshole. Fucker deserves to die.* Voice belonged to Logan, but she couldn’t see him in the room.
“How are you?” Summers asked. She shook her head.
“Fine. I… I can see! I was so worried… I can see!”
*Good. It worked.* Again Logan’s voice penetrated her mind. She wrinkled her forehead and looked around. No. He wasn’t in the room.
“I’m really sorry about what happened. I… I didn’t even see you standing there.”
*Fucking moron. You don’t fire before you’re absolutely sure it’s a clean shot.* Again Logan. She shook her head. She must have hit it pretty hard.
“It’s… It’s okay… I think…” She muttered, taking in messages her body was sending to her. Everything seemed to be okay. She could see. Her back wasn’t hurting. She could feel and move her legs and hands…
*Kid? Care to scratch my nose? It’s itching.*

“Okay! Okay! What’s going on? What are you doing to me?” She asked annoyed, positive that Summers had something to do with the voice she kept hearing. Man looked at her puzzled expression on his face.
“I’m not doing anything to you. I just came to apologize and to see if you needed anything…”
“Bullshit! You’re doing something and it’s no nice so stop it!”
*Kid…*
“Stop it! Stop it!” She slammed her palms over her ears. Summers was standing up, reaching for her, and she scooted away from him, falling off the bed.
*Kid, calm down! Summers isn’t doing anything! Look! Turn your head to the right!*
“Stop it! Stop it! Logan! Help!”
*I can’t help you if you keep freaking out every time I speak.*

“Are you alright? Should I call Jean and ask to give you something to calm you down?” Summers asked. He was kneeling in front of her.
*Red-eyed freak. Get the fuck away from her. She doesn’t fucking need medication. Get away from her!*
“Marie? Are you alright?”
*As soon as I wake up I’ll fucking tear you apart!*
“I’ll go get Jean, you just wait here, okay?”
*Yeah, you do that! Run to that red bitch of yours!*

*Kid?*
“Logan… Where are you?” There was a slight possibility that she wasn’t imagining things.
*See that cubicle at the other room?* She looked around, noticing there was an open doorway to her right, and she could see another room. It seemed to be exact replica of hers. Only thing separating the two rooms were machines that filled the other. They surrounded something that was covered from her view with a white curtain.
“I see it…”
*I’m in there. And my nose itches like hell. Could you go over there and scratch it?*
“Scratch your nose? Why can’t you do it yourself? And what are you doing in my head anyway… Oh, my God! Logan!”

She had been walking towards the cubicle; steady humming and beeping of the machines echoing around her. She had pulled the curtains aside, and was now facing Logan who lay on a bed, unconscious hooked up to at least dozen of different machines and monitors.
*Calm down, kid. Looks lot worse than it is.*
“But… What happened?”
*Nothing. Nothing important. Now, about my nose… Ahh… Much better. Thanks.*
“I… You… You touched me. That’s why you’re in my head. You touched me!”
*Just a little. They said you’d make it, but… There was a blood clot in your brain.*
“Logan!”
*I’m sorry. I know you don’t like it when people touch you, but… I’m sorry.*
”No, you’re not. You’re a bad liar.”
*I just did my job.*
“Your job? Where in your job description it says you have to let mutant chicks drain you to death?”
*To serve and protect…*

“Marie? What are you doing here? To whom are you talking to?” She turned her head and saw a woman standing in the doorway. Red hair. Lab coat.
*Jean Summers. Scott’s wife. Doctor.* Logan introduced her.
“Who’s Scott?” She asked puzzled. Jean stepped in to room, lines of worry appearing to her forehead.
“Are you a telepath?” Jean asked. She shook her head.
“It’s Logan. He’s… He’s inside of my head. I think he knows you people…” Jean blinked, and suddenly Marie could feel something fluttering inside of her head. Just a slightest touch, brief brush, then Logan was there. Impenetrable wall of attitude and anger.
*Get the fuck out of her head! It’s crowded in here as it is!*

Jean looked like somebody just slapped her across face, hard. She backed away few swaying steps before regaining her composure.
“I… Scott… Scott’s my husband. The guy with the visor. He told me you had some troubles, I came to see if there’s anything I could do to help…” She stuttered.
“I was a little freaked up when I woke up, but I’m better now. Thanks. Oh, and tell Scott that I’m sorry if I scared him.”
“I’ll do that. I’ll leave you… Two now. I brought you some clothes. They’re on your bed. You can dress up as soon as you feel you’re up to it. If you need anything, just press the button on the wall next to your bed. Somebody will come,” Jean said and backed away from the room, closing the door behind her.

“Why do I have a feeling that we’re not in Kansas anymore?” She muttered, turning her gaze back to Logan who lay on the bed, his eyes closed, a machine breathing for him.
*We’re in Westchester. Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters. Doctors at the hospital didn’t know what to do, your injuries were… Well, it was pretty bad. Xavier brought you here. Read your mind and figured how your mutation worked. I let you loan my mutation.*
“You… You are going to be alright, right?” She asked with a trembling voice.
*As good as new. Needed a vacation anyway… Oh, kid? I never did get the chance to take that mp3 to info. It’s still in my pocket, if you want it.*
“But… Isn’t that stealing?” She asked.
*We could call it a permanent loan. Hell, they aren’t that expensive. I think they put my clothes in that closet on to your left.*

Going through his pants pockets reminded Marie of the way her mother used to clean up johns that passed out on to their couch.
“Oh, what about my mom? She… Well, I know she won’t be worried, but does she know where I am?” She asked. She could feel Logan’s mood darken.
*Don’t worry, kid. She knows where you are…* Her fingers grasped the mp3-player.
“She knows? Where is she?” She asked. She could feel Logan’s reluctance to answer.
“Logan…”
*Probably home. Getting wasted. Maggie talked with her. They… They agreed that it would maybe be the best if you stayed here instead of going back there. Look, kid… I’m… I’m sorry.*
“No. It’s okay. I have known for years that she doesn’t like me that much. I just… I never thought that she actually hated me…”
*Shit… Come on… Don’t cry. I’m sure she’ll realize sooner or later what mistake she made. She’ll be here sooner than you think and takes you back home…*
“You don’t have to lie to me! She doesn’t want me! Fine. I don’t want to go back there. If… If it’s all taken care of, I’d much rather stay here than go back there. I’m up to my throat full of her shit, drugs and johns… At least in here I don’t have to worry if somebody’s going to try to beat or rape me, right?”
*Jesus, no! I may not like them much, but they’re good people. This place, this is some sort of boarding school for mutants. From what I have heard about this place from Maggie, you’ll fit right in.*
“Boarding school? Sounds expensive… “
*Don’t worry. I’m sure Maggie has already settled things with Xavier.*

“What do you have against Xavier anyway? He seemed like a nice man,” Marie asked. She still felt a little stupid, talking to a voice in her head, but somehow it felt comfortable, to be able to feel someone familiar with her in this strange situation.
*Xavier? Nothing against him. It’s his people. Those geeks who call themselves The X-Men.*
“But aren’t they supposed to be the good guys?” She asked confused.
*Keyword being ‘supposed to’. Does a words collateral damage mean anything to you?*
“Huh?”
*That’s what you were. Collateral damage. They have no discipline. If only you knew even half of the times I have had to clean up the mess after them… Well, not me alone. Cops, paramedics, fire fighters… All that stuff that they don’t show you in TV.*
“Hey! There’s ambulances and fire-engines in the news every evening!”
*Always in the background. Doing nothing, because they have to look like they’re there just for precaution. This is a good school, and they will take good care of you. Just don’t let them mess up your head with that world-saving –crap, okay?*
“Logan… Are you leaving?”
*As soon as I wake up. I have to get back to work.
“Oh…”
*What? What’s the matter?*
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
*You’re not much of a liar, kid. What got your panties in to bunch?*
“I just thought… Just forget it, okay? It’s not important. It’s stupid.”
*That’ll be the day… Have heard anything stupid coming out of your mouth ever. Not once. But hey, it’s okay. You’ll talk about it when you feel like… Kid? Kid!*

She had fiddled with the mp3-player while she chatted with Logan. She had put on the earplugs and turned it on. Instead of music she had been expecting she could hear screams and loud explosions, then somebody talking, out of breath.
‘Evac in two minutes, Kitty!’ Then long period of silence, and suddenly loud pop music blasted from the earplugs.

“What was that?” She whispered, pressing rewind and listening it again.
*I have no idea, but that doesn’t sound like fake… That was Summers talking.*
“Are you sure it was him?”
*Positive. Where did you get that toy anyway?*
“I really found it. It lay on the ground in front of the mall. At first I thought it was broken, but I picked it up. I was going to see if it still worked, but then some kids came and I had to hide it so that they didn’t take it. I kind of forgot it and remembered it only just when you bought me that burger.”
*You better leave that player with me. And keep your mouth shut about what you heard. Nobody puts shit like that to mp3 just for fun.*
“This may be a stupid question, but what did that mean?” She asked, blushing furiously when she sensed Logan’s amusement.
*Evacuation. My guess is we heard a recording from some of their mission. Why somebody went through the trouble of hiding it in there, I have no idea, but it must be somehow important.*
“What do we do about it?” She asked.
*We do nothing about it. You go and get dressed. I’ll ask about it from Xavier when I wake up. Okay?*
“Fine, Officer Logan…” She muttered.
*That’s Logan to you, brat…*

“This is weird… Kind of awkward…”
*Tell me about it. But hey, only few more days and I should wake up, and you don’t have to deal with me rattling around your head anymore.*
“It’s not that bad. But there are better times to do it than now…”
*Is it normal to bleed like that?*
“Logan! This is embarrassing enough without your questions!”
*Sorry. It’s just… I didn’t realize it could be like that… Christ. Are you sure that’s normal?*
“It’s normal. Some women get lucky and have it nice and clean. I bleed like a stabbed pig.”
*All the time? Doesn’t that make you dizzy? With that blood loss…*
“Logan! I’d rather not have this conversation with you.”
*Sorry. I try not to ask stupid questions.*
“Try not to ask questions at all…”
*Was that a mood swing?*
“Don’t forget that I know the combination to the keypad on med lab’s door…”
*Uh… Shutting up now.*

It was her third day with Logan in her head. Xavier had arranged her a private room from dormitory with adjoining bathroom. She had almost gotten used to her extra passenger, when this morning her period started. Logan was worried. He was curious. And it irritated the hell out of her. She couldn’t wait for him to wake up and return to his own head. It was nice and comforting to have him with her, but…

*Are you absolutely sure you’re alright?*
“Jesus! I swear I’ll come down there and pull the plug from the ventilator if you don’t shut up soon!”
*Sorry. It’s not like I have a lot of experience about periods…*
“Let me tell you a secret. Every woman goes through this once a month.”
*I know that. It’s just… Shit. You’re not every woman, kid.*
“Not every woman would put up with you. Are you freaking suicidal or something?”
*No. Just worried. I have known you for five years now. I never thought… You’re kid. Brat with pigtails. Pain in the ass.*
“Newsflash. I have grown quite since when you threw me out from the mall first time. I haven’t worn pigtails in years, Logan.”

*Yeah. I guess you’re right. Doesn’t mean I have to like it…* He murmured after a brief pause.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” She asked.
*I’m… Oh, crap. I’m going to miss you. Next time I’ll see you you’re probably coming to the mall with a kid in tow. Your hubby’s going to take you to that fancy restaurant at the third floor. No more greasy burgers because you’re all grown up and think they will make you fat.*
“Husband? Kid? Logan, I’m sixteen, not twenty-six!”
*Doesn’t matter. It’ll happen.*
“Not with my mutation. Not at least that kid part. And I can’t imagine anybody wanting a wife they can’t touch. But it doesn’t matter.”
*It’ll happen. Trust me…*

Mall was practically deserted at this time of the night. Only few very late shoppers wandered up and down corridors, heels of their shoes click-clacking loudly against stone floor. Her own boots let out a mere whisper when she snuck around, carefully avoiding other people. Baby on her arms wriggled and let out a small squeak, but she managed to shush it. She leaned against the wall and rested her head back, closing her eyes momentarily. It had been several days she had last slept. Three days of hiding and sneaking around. Three long days trying to stay out of their sights.

“Told you.” Low male voice whispered, startling her. She opened her eyes, readying for the inevitable. When she recognized the face in front of her, belonging to somebody friendly rather than enemy her knees gave up and she slid to a heap on the floor, nearly dropping the bundle she had been carrying and protecting.
“Kid?”
“Hide me. Hide us, Logan…”

Luckily he had been off-duty. She was sitting on passenger’s seat in his car, baby still cradled against her chest, whole body trembling from exhaustion.
“I left you there because I thought it would keep you out of troubles. What the hell is going on? And who’s the brat?” Logan asked, steering the car through surprisingly quiet and empty streets.
“I… This is Katy. She’s Kitty’s…”
“Kitty? Chick on that tape with Summers?” Logan asked. She nodded.
“Where is she?”
“She’s dead. Found Katy from the med lab. It… She’s… Scott’s her father.”
“What? You must have gotten mixed up. Scott’s married to Jean.”
“It’s a long story, and I’m tired. I’ll tell everything later. I… Where are we going?” She asked.
”Home.” Her stomach sunk.
“You can’t take me back there! They’ll kill Katy and me! You can’t…”
“My home. Not to Xavier’s. I’m not stupid, you know. You asked me to hide you. At least I can do it now and listen what you have to say before I decide if I drive you back there or help you out.”

“This is where you live?” She asked, taking in her surroundings. Small trailer sat at the corner of the Sunny Meadow –trailer park, surrounded by neatly moved lawn and narrow picket fence that separated the small plot of land from neighboring trailers.
“Yeah. Bought it few years ago. Not much, but…” Logan huffed defensively.
“Oh, I… I didn’t mean it like that! I just thought… I never pictured you the type…”
“I know… But what the hell would I do with a real apartment? Don’t have family. Only thing keeping me here is my work.”
“A picket fence?”
“Was there when I bought this.”

Trailer was small, but neatly organized. Thin sliding door separated the bedroom from combined kitchen and living room. Furniture was worn but well kept. Thick rugs covered the floor, silencing the sound of footsteps to a mere whisper.
“Sit down. I’ll make us some coffee. Does the brat need anything?” Logan asked. She rummaged through her backpack, producing a bottle of baby formula.
“I need to warm this, could you…” She placed the bottle on the table and clutched the baby against her harder when her knees started to tremble.
“Shit. Give them to me and sit down before you keel over,” Logan huffed, taking the baby and bottle from her.

She lay on the couch, completely exhausted; only able to watch when Logan heated the formula and fed Katy.
“I wasn’t going to snoop around… I was just looking for some old files for the professor… Found a transcript from a mission. Scott had told everybody that they had to leave at once. Kitty got different instructions. Building blew up when she was still inside.”
“Why?”
“I was wondering that too… Dug deeper. Found Katy. Jean was keeping her hidden in the med lab. Only she, Scott and professor knew. Found out Scott was her father… He had had an affair with a student, and they’re hiding it! I had to run when they found out that I knew. Took Katy with me just in case… Just in case they decided to get rid of the evidence…” She was drifting slowly towards slumber, only half awake. It was easy to let go. Logan was here. He wouldn’t let anything to happen to her or Katy.

She woke up to the scent of fresh coffee and Katy’s gurgle and giggling. She wasn’t on the couch anymore. Some time during the night Logan had moved her in to bedroom. Bed was narrow, but comfortable. He had taken off her boots, loosened the belt and top buttons of her shirt. She stretched and yawned, feeling warm and rested first time in days. Door opened and Logan stood in the doorway, Katy giggling and cooing against his shoulder.
“Morning. Feeling better?” He asked. She nodded.
“Breakfast? There’s bacon and eggs.” Again she nodded and sat up, wrinkling her nose when the scent of her own body reached her nose.
“Uh… You wouldn’t happen to have a bathroom?” She asked, noting that her bladder was practically screaming for relief.
“Sure. Here,” Logan said, opening a door next to bedroom. It was tiny, but there was a shower and a toilet seat.
“Don’t take too long in the shower or you’ll run out of hot water,” he warned when she bolted past him, closing the door behind her.
“I wont… Ahhh…” Peeing was nearly religious experience, and she couldn’t stop the satisfied groan that followed the feeling of empty bladder.

She took a quick shower, enjoying every droplet of water falling over her.
“I left you some fresh clothes on the couch. I’ll be outside with Katy while you get dressed,” she heard Logan saying. Door opened and closed, and she was alone. Suddenly shower was the last thing in her mind. She dried herself quickly and got dressed in record time. Katy was with Logan. He wouldn’t let anything to happen to her. He wouldn’t. But she couldn’t be sure if the baby wasn’t in her sights.

“Katy!” She barged out of the trailer, startling Logan who had been leaning against the aluminum wall. Marie snatched the baby from him, hugging her tightly against her chest.
“Easy, kid. You can have her. Wasn’t planning to kidnap the damn critter…” Logan chuckled.
“I just got so worried…”
“You don’t have to worry. I’m here to do that for you. You just take care of yourself and Katy, okay?”
“How can I not worry? As soon as they find us…”
“They’re not going to find you. They don’t know where I live. You can stay here as long as you like.”
“But… But I thought you would help me,” she stuttered. Logan cocked his brow.
“Help you? Isn’t this helping?”
“I thought we were going to put an end to that. Stop them from doing it again. That’s why I run. I needed to get Katy somewhere safe so I could… I could…”
“You could what?” Logan asked.
“I don’t know! Do something! Anything! Before it happens again!”
“Newsflash, kid. There’s not a hell of a lot you can do. They’re X-Men. Xavier is one of the leading politics around here. You’re just another mutie. Blow the whistle and you’re buried faster than you can say pedophile!”
“But…”
“No buts, kid. Stay here, stay low, and I try to find out how to make you two disappear from Xavier’s radar, okay?” She hung her head in defeat and nodded.
“Good. Take the brat and go inside. There’s breakfast on the stove.”
“Where are you going?” She asked.
“To talk to some people. They’re going to start asking questions if you just move in…”

She had eaten and was bouncing Katy on her knee when there was a knock on the door.
“Kid, open up!” She heard Logan shouting.
“It isn’t locked!”
“I kind of have my hands full! Open the door!”

“What’s all this?” She asked when Logan climbed in, carrying a crib, filled to the brim with toys and all kinds of stuff one could need with a baby. Diapers, linens, bottles…
“Informed my neighbors that a friend of mine is staying with me with her baby. You ran from your husband last night. They put together a welcome-package.”
“This is… Wha… They haven’t even met me yet!” She huffed amazed.
“And nobody’s going to talk about you. They won’t even look at you twice, because that rat-bastard of husband of yours is still out there looking for you.”
“Why? Why would they do all this for a complete stranger?” She asked.
“They’re good people.”

Things settled quickly to normal. Or as close to normal as they could under the current circumstances. Marie and Kate shared the small trailer with Logan, sleeping in the bedroom while Logan slept on the couch. She stayed home and took care of Kate. Logan continued working. She made quickly new friends, his neighbors truly were nice and caring people, closely knit group of mostly elder citizens with few young couples as exceptions in the mix.

“How are you two this morning?” Greta, one of the seniors that lived to the trailer closest to Logan’s asked when she was sitting outside, lulling Kate to sleep.
“Just fine, thanks. Little tired. Kate kept waking up the whole night…” She said yawning. Kate was getting teeth and it made her cranky.
“I remember what it was. Have five children. Few grandchildren, too. Started even younger than you. Though I didn’t marry as young…” Greta winked. Marie sucked in a startled breath. Older woman winked again.
“Don’t worry, dear. Your secret is safe with me. Though I never thought Logan the type to hide his fortune…”
“Oh, Logan and I… We really are just friends.” Again Greta smiled and winked.
“Of course. Of course.”

“He’s a good man,” Greta suddenly said. Marie nodded.
“Took care of that trash when he moved in. Threw them right out. Keeps them out.” Again she nodded. She had no slightest idea of what Greta was talking about.
“This place wasn’t like this when he came. Oh, no, my dear. All kinds of… Bad people, criminals, drugs, and bad women. I was already going to move out. Many moved. But he cleaned this place up. Keeps it clean.” Kate was sleeping now, and Marie lowered her carefully to the crib she had brought outside.
“But he’s lonely. All the time alone. That’s no life. You two will do good for him. For long I thought he didn’t even have anybody,” Greta ended her short monologue. No smile or wink, just a stern nod before she went her way, walking slowly to her trailer and closing the door behind her.

“Greta thinks I’m your wife, and that you have been hiding me for some reason or another,” she said when they sat eating dinner. Logan nodded.
“She’s been trying to pair me up with everything that moves from the moment I moved in here. Everything. Including that huge Danish shepherd Jones has guarding his trailer. Wouldn’t put too much weight to what she’s saying,” Logan snorted.
“With a dog?” Marie giggled.
“With everything. I guess she thinks that we mutants have our little quirks in that area, too.”
“Eww…”
“Tell me about it… Last month she arranged me a blind date. With her gay hairdresser.”
“Oh…”
“Wasn’t all bad. Greg’s a nice guy. Just not my type.”
“Not your type?”
“I prefer a partner that doesn’t have to shave more often than me.”

It felt so normal. Just two friends chatting, sharing the events of the day. It felt normal up to the point when their conversation turned towards her situation.

“Maggie asked about you. Xavier had told her that you run.” Suddenly she wasn’t hungry anymore. She reached for Kate who sat on the floor, chewing on teething ring.
“Told her that I haven’t seen you. But it won’t take long before Xavier asks for my address. We have to move you two to a safer place.”
“Where would we go? I don’t know anybody… Not anybody safe except you…” She whispered.
“I was thinking your mother’s place at first.”
“I can’t take Kate in there!”
“I said I was thinking it first. Would have been a good place. Nobody would have even thought about looking you from there. But like you said, it’s not a place for Kate. Or for you.”
“Then… What do we do?” She asked. Logan smirked.
“This is where my good friend Greg steps in. Went to see him after work. He has a cabin up north, on Canadian side of the border. I have few vacation days coming. I could take you there.”
“But…” She sensed there was more to come.
“There are few problems. You’re not Canadian. You’re not Kate’s mother. You’re a minor. I’d be committing a crime if I took you there. I’m already aiding a criminal.”

She hadn’t even thought about it from his point of view. Not from legal point. Logan was a police officer. He wasn’t fancy undercover detective from TV-series. He was just an ordinary patrolman, keeping his eyes peeled for shoplifters and bums who wandered to the mall occasionally. He had sworn to uphold the law. He had already betrayed that oath because of her. Put his career and life aside for her.

“What are we going to do?” She asked. Logan sighed, combing his fingers through his already messed up hair.
“We’ll try it anyway. I’m already in to this up to my knees. Might as well wade a little deeper…”

Day had started as many before. She woke up in the morning, fed Kate and made breakfast for Logan before he left for work. She took Kate outside and sat next to the crib reading a book and chatting with Greta while the baby slept. It was getting easier to relax. She had lived in here nearly two weeks now, and she hadn’t heard a peep from Xavier nor the X-Men. One phone call changed it all.

She was warming a bottle for Kate. Baby would wake up soon. He cell phone rang. She checked the caller ID before answering. Logan had bought the phone for her, and he was the only one who had her number. As she had expected, caller was Logan.

“Hi! What’s up?” She asked. Usually Logan called to ask if she needed anything.
“Get out of there, kid. Take Kate with you, go to Jones and ask him to give you a ride to the mall. Do it now. You have ten minutes.”
“Logan, what…”
“Just do it, Marie! Oh, fuck… I have to go. I’ll see you when you get here.”

She had packed hastily everything she thought she and Kate would need, taken the baby and run to Jones. He was an old man, widow with no family. He was more than happy to help out a neighbor in need, and half an hour later she was standing with Kate in front of the mall.

Ten minutes and one phone call later she was sitting in a car, Kate strapped to a child’s car seat next to her. Logan was sitting on the front seat, rubbing his knuckles. Man with an immaculate haircut and finely tailored suit was driving, practically fighting against traffic, spewing curses that would have made a sailor blush.
“Out of the city, Greg. Fast.”
“I know what I’m doing. I used to drive a cab before Marc hired me…”
“In here? That’s hardly any qualification…”
“In N.Y. I didn’t move in to Salem before Marc called and asked if I would be willing to start working with him.”
“Oh, in that case… Kid? You have your seatbelt on?”

Greg’s language got even more colorful when they reached the first traffic jam.
“Shut the fuck up, Greg. There are children in the vehicle,” Logan huffed. Marie let out a nervous giggle. Greg smirked at her from the rearview mirror.
“If the lady finds my French offensive…”
“I don’t mind. And Kate’s too young to understand. But I would like to know what’s going on?” She said, directing her question to Logan who was thrumming his fingers against the dashboard. He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned sideways. She noticed he had torn off his radio and badge.
“Xavier’s going on. He found out where I live. Probably from Maggie. He’s after us. Sooner we get out of the city, sooner we can disappear.”

“What’s this?” She asked puzzled. They had gotten out of the city. Greg had stopped the car in front of a small barn on the side of the road. Logan stepped out and urged Marie to follow. Greg was digging up a handkerchief from his pocket, muttering something to himself.
“I’m sorry… This… I always cry at the weddings,” he explained when Marie cast a curious glance at his direction.
“Weddings? Who’s getting married? Do we even have time for…” She stopped asking questions when Logan pushed open the door of the barn, revealing all too familiar face for her. Kurt Wagner, AKA Nightcrawler stood there.

“Logan! You… This…” She turned towards the car; fully expecting to see rest of the X-Men standing there, ready to slaughter her and Kate. There was nobody. Car stood undisturbed on the side of the road. Door was open and she could see Kate sleeping peacefully inside.
“Come on, kid. We don’t have the whole day,” Logan said and grabbed her hand, pulling her in to the barn, in front of smiling Kurt.

“Dearly beloved, we have gathered here in front of…” Kurt started the ceremony. Logan grunted irritated.
”Skip the small talk, Crawler. We’re in a hurry!”
“Fine. Do you, Logan Devereaux, take this woman as your lawfully…”
“I do. Hurry up!”
“Do you, Marie D’Ancanto…”
“She does. Come on! We really have no time for this!” Logan hissed exasperatedly. Kurt gave them papers, which they signed up, then Logan was steering her out of the barn, sniffling and blubbering Greg close on their heels.
“I love weddings, but I hate to cry…”
“You’re just a big wuss. Can you drive, or do I have to take the wheel?” Logan asked.

“What the hell just happened?” She asked, still dazed. Logan turned to look at her from the front seat.
“We got married. Congrats, kid. Oh, I almost forgot… Give me your hand…” He took the hand she gave and put a ring to her finger. Just a simple gold band. She noticed he was wearing a ring as well.
“Married… Logan? I… Uh… I don’t… What the hell is going on!?”
“I’ll explain everything to you later. Right now we have to get the hell out of here. Greg, there’s a small town coming up ahead, just couple hours drive.”
“Artena. Know the place.”
“Can you give us a ride to there?”
“Sure.”

She was sitting on a bed. Logan was in the bathroom, bathing Kate. Room he had booked from the no-star motel was small, but tidy. She was still trying to make sense of all that had happened. Six hours ago she had been pondering whether to make roast beef or pizza for dinner. Now she was staying in a shabby motel, very married with Logan.

“I’ll put her to sleep. Then we’ll talk,” Logan promised, emerging from the bathroom with Kate. She nodded, twirling the ring on her finger. She was sixteen. She had a baby to take care of. She was married. This wasn’t happening. She would wake up soon. Mom would be starting her day, maybe some Valium or whiskey. She would be pushing her out of the door soon, because one of her johns is waiting to be taken care of. She would go to the mall, maybe tell Logan the best parts of her weird dream over a burger, and they could both laugh about it before he threw her out once again.

Except that this definitely wasn’t a dream. There he stood. Shirtless, towel flung over one shoulder, Kate leaning against the other, drooling and cooing. He was warming a bottle of baby formula. Testing it before giving it to the baby. Deep lines of worry etched to his face, eyes darting between the door and the only window the room had constantly, as if expecting something to happen.

“Okay. That’s taken care of…” Logan whispered, sitting cross-legged to the foot end of the bed she was already sitting. Kate was sleeping, wrapped securely to a blanket in an open bottom drawer of a dresser.
“Can you please tell me what the hell is going on?” She whispered, trying to keep her voice level and low as not to wake the baby.
“This morning Maggie called. Said that Xavier had asked my address. He had most likely figured out where you went after you left the school. I asked Greg to help us out. Called in few other old favors as well. Somebody’s going to make sure that Xavier can’t track us down with Cerebro.”
“What about this?” She asked, pointing the ring on her finger.
“It’s a real deal. Wagner owed me. You don’t have to worry about him. He won’t rat us out.”
“But… Why?”
“Crossing the border will be easier. They won’t look us twice. We’re just another married couple with a child, going for a vacation. As soon as we get settled, we can apply for the citizenship and get a divorce. And we can, or you can, adopt Kate. In Canada you’re considered as an adult.”
“Oh…”
“I had been planning this for a while now. Wasn’t going to just rush through everything like this, but we had to move fast to loose Xavier and his geeks from our tracks.”
“And Greg?”
“Couldn’t take my car. Too easy for Xavier to follow. There’s a dealer who sells used cars just few blocks from here. We’ll go and buy ourselves a car tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“You hungry?” Logan asked. She nodded.
“Good. I’m starving. Burgers okay with you?” He asked. Again she nodded.
“I’ll go and grab us something to eat. And Kate needs diapers and formula. Keep the door locked. Don’t let anybody in. I’ll take the keys.”

She decided to take a bath. She had gotten used to the luxury of a bathtub when she lived in Xavier’s. It was perhaps the only thing she truly missed.

Water was warm, and even if the bath gel motel offered wasn’t the same quality as the product back in school, it was better than quick and efficient showers she had had to settle while living in Logan’s trailer. She left the bathroom door open so that she would hear if Kate woke up.

She leaned back, letting her muscles relax and closed her eyes. Image of Logan standing under the bare light bulb in front of the stove floated to the front of her mind. Only this time there was no baby in picture. Just Logan. Bare shoulders. Muscled arms and back. Narrow waist. Tanned, flawless skin.

She had always thought Logan as good looking. Now had been the first time she had seen him half naked. It hadn’t been a surprise to see how fit he was. She had felt his bulk more than once against her own body, several occasions when he was escorting her not so gently out from the mall, when he had carried her from the ruins of the elevator, and countless times after.
“Better not go there. A kid. That’s what I’m for him. Just a kid…” She huffed, opening her eyes when she heard the lock of the front door rattling.
“Well, that was a quick one…” She muttered, rising from the tub and grabbing a bathrobe before Logan would walk in. Married or not, she wasn’t going to flash in front of him in all her naked glory. When door finally opened and a man walked in she let out a whimper. It wasn’t Logan.
“Marie. I came to take you home. Both of you.”

Yellow light gleamed wetly on Scott’s visor. He wore suit and long overcoat. Scott. Not Cyclops.
“I don’t want to come back…” She whispered, scooting slowly towards Kate. She had no idea what she could do, but at least she was going to try. She wasn’t going to let Scott take the baby.
“You’re coming back, want it or not. Everybody’s worried. Looking for you.”
“Don’t touch me,” she whimpered when Scott took a step towards her.
“I’m not going to touch you. I just came to take you home. Get dressed. Car is waiting outside.”

“Keep your hands off from her, sick fucker…” Low voice coming from the doorway stopped Scott, and he turned around, smile spreading on his face.
“Wolverine! Nice to see you again!” Marie used his momentarily distraction and grabbed Kate, skirting past Scott, hiding behind Logan who was standing at the door.
“I left that name behind when I left that freakshow you’re running. Get the hell away from here before I’ll perform some exploratory surgery on you…” Logan growled. Scott tsked, still smiling.
“Language, Wolverine… Is that a way to talk in front of children?”
“I don’t know. Tell me, which one is worse? Use the word ‘fuck’ in front of a kid, or actually fuck that said kid?” Logan snarled, hands clenched to tight fists to his sides.
“That’s enough, Wolverine. I came to take Marie and Kate home…” Scott didn’t have the time to finish his sentence. Logan bounced on him, forcing him backwards, against the wall. One hand grasping the lapels of his jacket, other pressing the underside of Scott’s jaw, knuckles white from the strain.
“You’re not taking anybody tonight, Summers… Now, get lost before I do something we both regret,” Logan hissed, shoving Scott out of the door, towards black SUV that waited outside.

He stood in the open doorway, shoulders heaving, watching until the tale lights of the SUV disappeared before turning back in and closing the door. Marie was sitting on the bed, rocking crying Kate back and forth on her arms, trying to soothe agitated baby for the best of her abilities. Logan slumped against the floor, sliding to the floor. Closed his eyes and took deep, calming breaths.
“Wolverine?” Marie asked. Logan’s eyes flew open.
“He called you Wolverine. Why?” Marie asked.
“None of your goddamned business. It’s Logan for you, kid. Just Logan. Get dressed. We have to leave.”
“But…”
“No buts. Move that ass. I got us a car. It’s waiting outside. As well as those fucking burgers… If I hadn’t gone in to that diner… Fuck!”

Logan had bought them a white SUV. It was waiting behind the corner.
“Get in. I’ll go and pay for the room.” She did as he told. Something in his eyes warned her to stay quiet. Now wasn’t the time to ask questions. Now was the time to listen and obey. Friendly cop from the mall had taken a vacation. Something… No. Somebody else was driving. Wolverine? Who ever that was. Scott had called Logan Wolverine, but what did that mean? It sounded almost as a code name, much similar like the ones the X-Men used.

Kate had finally fallen asleep. She had been hushing and rocking her nonstop for what felt like eternity, sitting on the back seat while Logan drove, casting irritated glances to them through rearview mirror every now and then. She was afraid he would say something, something that would break the illusion she had been having, that Logan was just a nice, friendly man. He had kept silent.

“Kid? Come up here,” she heard him say and he patted the front seat. She checked once more that Kate was securely strapped to the child’s seat before squirming over the backrest and landing to the front seat.

Logan was staring straight forward, dark stretch of asphalt in front of them. His hands grasped the steering wheel hard, knuckles bone-white. His face was pale, ashen.
“What Summers said back there. The name. I want you to forget it. I need you to forget it. That’s… It’s something from the past. It has nothing… Absolutely nothing to do with who I am now. Just forget that you even heard that name. Understood?”
“Can I ask something? Before I forget?” She asked carefully, gauging his mood. One of his hands left the steering wheel and he rubbed his face tiredly.
“One question,” he finally agreed.
“Who was he? Wolverine?”
“Sick bastard who deserved to die.”
“Logan…”
“I said one question. I’m not… I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”

He drove until sun started to rise. They didn’t speak much, just changed occasional opinions about the music playing quietly from the radio. When first rays of sun hit the windshield he pulled to the side of the road and turned off the engine.

“Three days before we cross the border. In Canada we’ll be safe. We could make it in two days if I didn’t have to sleep… Kid? Can you drive?” Logan asked. She shook her head and bit her lip.
“I can’t drive. I can’t do anything. I’m just a pain in the ass…” Tears she had been keeping back ever since Scott had tried to grab her escaped, making speaking impossible.
“Yeah. You’re real pain in the ass. Wouldn’t have you any other way…” Logan murmured, tilted his seat backwards, pulled her to his lap and closed his eyes. Few minutes later they were both asleep.

“Open wide. Now. You don’t want to mess with me.” She curled to a tighter ball.
“Don’t… Not fair. Look what you did. Do you have any idea how far the nearest Laundromat is?” Just a little while longer. If she squeezed her eyes shut…
“Crap. You know what? If you don’t stop immediately, I’ll eat this goop all by myself and let you go hungry…” What the hell was going on? She sat up, blinking when rays of setting sun caught her eyes. Logan was outside with Kate. Baby was half sitting, half lying on her back on top of the windshield. Logan had a small glass jar in his right hand, and plastic spoon in his left.

“What are you doing?” She asked worried when Logan grimaced and wiped something off from Kate’s face with the spoon.
“Brat’s old enough to eat solid food. And we have nothing to warm the formula with. This…” Logan raised the jar.
“Is supposed to be peach. Looks like shit. And it looks like Kate shares my opinion.” Baby wrinkled her face and spat out spoonful of orange goo, giggling when Logan huffed and growled at her.
“Let me,” Marie asked and reached for the jar.
“No. I can do this. Go stretch your legs. We won’t be stopping to the first service station because you have to pee.”

She walked to the forest lining the road, and found a perfect spot to relieve her bladder, shielded from every direction. After that was taken care of she ventured little deeper in to forest, stretching her legs and back, yawning widely. Turning around she could still see car standing on the side of the road. Kate perched on top of it, and Logan performing something that looked like a modern dance, but was most likely just another botched up spoonful of peach. It was really easy imagine that they were just an ordinary, young couple. On their way to honeymoon to their friends cabin. To Canada, because this was supposed to be just the perfect time of the year for a little camping trip…

“Kid! Haul your ass back in here! It’s too quiet! I have a bad feeling about this!” Screw ordinary. She bolted from the woods just as Logan was securing Kate to the back seat.
“Go to front seat. It’s probably nothing, but I don’t like the feel of this… I need you to keep your eyes open,” he said. She nodded, slid over the hood of the car to the passenger’s side and climbed in. few seconds later Logan slouched behind the wheel and car lurched forward, throwing Marie against her seat and elicting yet another startled giggle from Kate.

For the next hour Logan drove like a maniac. Straight, open road made it possible to break all existing and imaginary speed limits. He didn’t slow down before first signs of civilization, a small gas station and even smaller grocery store came in to their view.

“They’re reckless and stupid, but I don’t think they’ll try anything. Not yet at least. Too many witnesses,” Logan muttered, pointing at last late-night shoppers and a fleet of cars parked in front of the gas station.
“They?” Marie asked. Logan tilted his head and raised his hand, urging her to stay quiet. Then she heard it too. The sound Logan had been listening for the past hour. Sound of jet engines. Blackbird. That meant only one thing.
“It’s not just Summers this time. He brought the whole team.” Logan’s voice sounded strangely calm and hollow. She could have sworn she saw a pleased smirk flashing briefly over his features when he craned his neck to take a look from the sky, eyes scanning the telltale lights and black form of the plane.

“What are you doing?” Marie asked when Logan suddenly made a U-turn in the middle of the road and stopped the car.
“We need gas.” She looked at the meter and realized that he was right. They were practically driving on fumes.
“Can we stop now?” Marie asked when Logan drove slowly towards the gas station they had passed just few minutes ago. Logan threw her a nervous smile.
“We’ll just have to find it out… Shit. Take Kate and get out of the car. Go in to that store, it’s still open. Stay there. I’ll come and get you when I have tanked this beast.”
“But…”
“I have no idea what they are going to do! Chances are they let us get gas and wait until we are in a more secluded area, but if they decide to try to take a hit, I don’t want you or Kate anywhere near that place! Out! Now!” Logan practically threw her out of the car, pushing crying and struggling Kate to her.
“Go in to that store. Stay there until I come and pick you up!”

Store was surprisingly well stocked. She even found a small section reserved for camping gears. She took a small portable heater, thinking it would be perfect for warming formula for Kate, when sudden explosion rocked the building. She pushed the heater back to shelf and hurried to the front of the store, where clerk was already peering through scenery window towards the gas station.
“Goddamned muties…” She heard the man mutter.

Blackbird had landed smack dab middle of the road, and it blocked her view partially, but from where she stood she could see Logan, and remains of their car. Something had blown it up. She squinted her eyes and could see through the thick, black smoke hazy images. Quick calculation produced Logan and three other figures. Suddenly Cyclops emerged from behind the smokescreen, his hand lifted to the side of his visor. Logan ducked just as red beam scorched the asphalt from where he had stood. Something big and hairy flew from the smoke, colliding with him and sending them both several meters backwards. Beast. Logan managed to fight him off. Cyclops was aiming again. This time his concussive blast hit Logan, and he fell to the ground.

“Oh, my God…” She started backing away from the window, clutching Kate tightly against her chest. Clerk didn’t seem to notice, his whole attention was riveted to the battle.

Logan lay on the ground, unmoving. She didn’t think twice. She run. Away from the store, out to the woods. She didn’t know where she was, but at the moment all that mattered was to get out of there, fast. Before X-Men noticed her. If she was lucky, they had thought that she was in the car with Kate when it blew up.

Kate was crying. She was hungry, and it had been all too much time since her diaper had last changed. Marie felt like crying, too. She was literally lost after her narrow escape. Blackbird hadn’t followed her, but right now even Scott would have been a welcome sight. She was sitting under a large fir, its lowest branches hiding her and Kate, and she could only hope that Logan was alive and looking for them.

Rising sun woke up birds. They didn’t continue chirping too long. Something scared them away. Marie prayed silently that Kate would stay quiet and tried to push deeper under the fir. If there were a way, she would have crawled inside of its thick trunk. Nobody would see them, but if that somebody rustling through the forest all too close were Logan, he would still be able to catch their scent. She didn’t have that luxury. Fir stayed firm, scraping her back with the coarse bark.

Footsteps were approaching. There was definitely somebody or something. Sniffling, breathing heavily. Stumbling. A bear? One of the X-Men, Beast, maybe? Logan wasn’t clumsy. He didn’t get out of breath. She tensed when sounds became closer and closer.

She let out a relieved huff. What ever, or who ever it had been, was retreating, moving past her hiding place. It hadn’t sounded very Loganish, and thick branches of the fir blocked her view. Though she was lost, she wasn’t going to give up and leave her perfect hideaway before she was absolutely sure it was safe out there. Then the unthinkable happened. Kate that had fallen asleep earlier opened her eyes and let out an annoyed scream. Suddenly world became very bright when branches disappeared from above her and the baby. Dark figure stood in front of them, outlined by the sun.

“It’s safe to come out now.” She recognized Logan’s voice and jumped up, beaming from joy, and rushing to him with Kate. Logan raised his trembling hands and backed away.
“Don’t come too close… I’m… I don’t want to mess up your clothes…” He was covered to soot and dirt from head to toe.
“I don’t care! I was so afraid!” Marie smiled and leaned against him. Again he backed away.
“I was worried, too… Oh, fuck…” He tucked his hands under his arms and leaned forward, his face twisted to a pained grimace.
“Are you alright? I saw Cyclops shot you, but you heal, right?” Marie asked worried.
“Storm was there, too. Gave me some nice shock therapy… I’ll be alright soon enough… Just don’t come too close, okay? I… It still hurts a bit, with all these cramps and… Shit…”
“Where are they now?” Marie asked.
“We had a little chat… They left.”
“A ‘chat’?”
“You don’t need to know. But they won’t be coming after us anytime soon…” Logan hissed, then he suddenly froze.
“Don't look..."

She screamed and run. It was a logical thing to do when a nice mutant you knew suddenly sprouted knives from his hands. Six lethal looking metal appendages, looking long and sharp enough to gut an elephant.

Lady luck was on her side this time. She could see the gas station and the grocery store from between trees. She hesitated only a moment. Logan had said that X-Men were gone. Nobody could probably connect her to what happened at the gas station earlier.

Clerk didn’t even look at her twice when she hurried through the small shop, gathering baby food and diapers, as well as few necessities for herself and paid for them. She changed Kate’s diaper and fed her in record time at the gas station’s rest room.

“Excuse me? Could you tell me where’s the nearest buss station?” She asked from a man standing behind the cash register. Man scratched his head.
“Buss station?”
“Yes. Greyhound? Public transportation?” She knew she was being rude, but she didn’t have time to waste. She would have to get out of here soon, before Logan came out of his stupor and tracked them down.
“We don’t have a buss station. But once a week Greyhound goes by, just few kilometers out of town is the buss stop…”
“Fuck!”

She was trapped in a dingy little backwater town, and she would have to find someplace to hide from Logan who had turned to a some sort of monstrosity.

She had enough money to secure at least a roof over their heads, a small, shabby motel room. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. She could only hope that Logan was distracted and hurt enough not to sniff out her and Kate. It was time to make some plans. Some serious planning.

She needed help. She had no idea what to do, or to whom to turn to. She was about to pick up the phone and call to her mother, when there was a knock on the door. She swallowed the scream that tried to escape and forced herself to sit quietly. Kate was napping on the bed beside her, and this time she actually slept deeply enough not to wake up when all too familiar voice echoed from the other side of the door.
“Little piggy, little piggy… Let me in or I’ll huff and puff and blow down your house…”

Logan had found them. It had taken him less than an hour.

Lock rattled, and door opened. Logan stood in the doorway, angry frown on his face.
“Don’t you never… Ever run from me like that!” He hissed, stepping in and closing the door with silent click, moving quietly, almost tiptoeing.
“You gave me nearly a heart attack! Are you two okay?” He whispered, creeping to the bed and eyeing Kate, reaching with his hand, then pulling it back before his fingers touched the sleeping baby. Marie pulled Kate away from him and started backing towards the door.
“Don’t touch her! Stay away from us or I’ll drop you like a sack of potatoes!” She spat the words out, trying to stay calm enough not to shout. Kate was still sleeping.
“What the hell is the matter with you?” Logan asked.
“What’s the matter with me? I’m not the one with knives!” Her voice rose in level and volume. Kate started squirming, and they both froze. Finally baby settled to sleep again. Logan opened a drawer from a dresser.
“Put her there. We need to speak. Outside.”

At least he wasn’t trying to hurt Kate she noted and put the baby carefully down, following Logan who stood outside of the room, leaning his back to the railing lining the wooden porch.
“I wasn’t going to hurt either of you,” he said. Marie tilted her head.
“Really?” She couldn’t hide the sarcasm in her voice.
“Really. It was an accident. I… I haven’t used those things in years. Storm’s lighting fried some nerves, and… Shit. It was an accident. I’m not going to hurt either of you.”
“Accident? You just accidentally threatened us with knives?”
“They’re not knives.”
“What ever. Where did you put them? I don’t want them anywhere near Kate or me,” she huffed, hoping that Logan had gotten rid of them. He coughed and shifted on his feet.
“I can’t just throw them away. They’re part of me.”
“Look, I don’t care how fucking priceless mementoes those precious knives are! They’re dangerous!” She tried to talk some sense in to him. Men and their weapons. Logan rubbed his face, looking hurt and tired.
“Fuck this.” He glanced around. Suddenly Marie was very aware how deserted the front yard of the motel was. Logan pushed her against the wall, covering her mouth with his left palm and raised his right hand.
“I’m not going to hurt you. But I don’t want you to scream and bolt away again.”

Knives slid out from between his knuckles. He purposefully pointed his fist away from her, but she could see the wounds they tore when coming out. Then, as soon as they appeared, they disappeared, back inside of his hand. Logan let go of her and backed away few steps to give her some room.
“I would get rid of them if I could.”

Logan had gone and paid for the room for a week. Then he had returned and locked himself in to bathroom. She could hear the shower running.

“Sorry. Had to wash the blood off…” He muttered when he emerged from the bathroom, dressed only to a towel he had wrapped around his waist.
“Blood?” She asked.
“Theirs. Mostly theirs,” Logan said and sat down heavily on the bed.
“What did you do? Did you kill them?” Marie asked, strangely repulsed and excited at the same time.
“They’re alive. Scott won’t walk for a while. Ororo needs some creative surgery. Hank… I don’t even know what he’ll need. Fuck…”
“But… Isn’t that a good thing?” Marie asked.
“No! It’s not a good thing! It’s not who I am! It’s not what I do!” Logan shouted, waking up Kate who started to cry.

She wanted to stop him, but she was unable to move, startled by his outburst, and she could only watch when Logan walked to the baby and picked her up to his arms, starting to rock back and forth. Same hands that housed nine inches of cold death cradled Kate like she was made out of glass, gently and carefully.
“It’s not me…” Logan whispered, nuzzling the baby’s cheek with his nose, eyes closed.

Rest of the day she listened when Logan told her the whole ugly story behind him, Wolverine and claws. It was a long story. He took long pauses, taking care of Kate, getting food to them, and generally avoiding the whole issue, revealing everything piece by piece almost reluctantly. How he had volunteered to some top-secret military program. How the deal had been a bust from the beginning. How he had escaped half mad, his memory filled with holes size of the Switzerland. How Xavier had taken him in, helped him to put back together what had been left of his fractured mind and asked him in return to join the X-Men. At the time it had seen the thing to do. Best possibility to settle his score with the world, especially when the reward Xavier had been offering was more than lucrative. Professor and team would help Logan to find the men behind program “Wolverine”.

“It was… I guess I could say it was fun while it lasted. I was… Wolverine was the thing they wanted. The thing they needed, because rest of the team was already in spotlights, and Xavier couldn’t afford to soil their reputation. X-Men. Invincible. Non-lethal, effective group of heroes fighting the crime. Wolverine… He was handy when things got ugly. While Scott & Co. held up the image of good guys saving the day, I could sneak behind their backs and do what needed to be done.”
“What happened?” Marie asked.
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I just woke up one morning. Ordinary morning. Birds chirping outside. Sun was shining. Bees were buzzing. Flowers flowering. I was so goddamned tired that I couldn’t get up from the bed. Had been on a mission in the evening before, and after that I had made a tour through every shithole in N.Y. That still admitted me in and served me booze. I just lay there and started thinking that I didn’t want to do it anymore. Slept for a while, got up, packed my bags and told Xavier that I was leaving. Left, spend three months learning how to live like a normal man, then applied to police academy. And here I am now.”

“Are we safe here?” She asked. Logan was sitting outside, smoking a cigar. Something she had never seen him do before.
“At least for a while. Figured we could get some rest before we head back on the road.”
“How long?” She asked. Logan grunted and shrugged his shoulders.
“Don’t know. As long as it takes them to recover. Scott’s going to limp probably rest of his life. Punctured lung from Ororo. Beast was a tricky one. Couldn’t get a good hit in, he kept leaping around. At least his liver and bowel are shot to hell.”

“What about Jean and professor?”
“Xavier’s wiser than coming after me by himself. There’s not a lot either of them can do to me. I know how to block them from my head. And Jean’s telekinesis… She tried once moving me when I lived back in the mansion. Got the mother of all migraines. They figured it had something to do with the metal…”
“Your claws…”
“It’s not just claws. My every bone is covered with it. That’s… They made Wolverine. Scientists and soldiers. Made this body unbreakable. Damn near impossible to kill.”
“Everywhere? But… How?”
“Cut me open, scraped my bones clean and poured molten metal in.”
“But… But… Oh… Didn’t it hurt? You said you volunteered!” She stuttered. Logan shot annoyed glance towards her and ground the stump of the cigar under the heel of his boot.
“I volunteered. They knew about my mutation, and they claimed that they were just going to draw some blood and bone marrow to study it. I’m not stupid, you know. Just needed the money they said they were going to pay.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah. Go back in. Go to sleep. I have something to take care of.”
“What… Where are you going?”
“I have to get us some money and a car. I’ll come back little later. Don’t wait up.”

Don’t wait up? How the hell she was supposed to sleep? After Logan’s grim tale, and everything that had happened for the past few days she was wound up and nervous. Kate was sleeping, so she couldn’t watch TV. There was nothing to read. Nothing to do. And Logan was out there, doing only God knew what. Money and new car? Where the hell was he going to get those at this time of the night? She doubted if there was an ATM in this shithole, and even if he managed to find a car dealer, his shop was probably closed already. Unless he was going to steal a car? Would he do something like that? He was a police officer, but this really was an emergency… No. She couldn’t imagine Logan stealing anything.

She decided to take a bath to soothe her nerves. Granted, her last experience with a bathtub had involved Scott, and it was something she rather not thought about at all, but there really was nothing else to do.

She managed to entertain herself nearly an hour before she had to face the facts. She was either going to die over boredom, or she could do as Logan had told her to do, and go to sleep.

She changed on pajamas Logan had bought her earlier that day and went to bed. Pillow felt lumpy, and mattress was too soft. She tossed and turned until she found remotely comfortable spot and tried to relax. Listening to Kate’s breathing seemed to help. She could feel her lids getting heavier after every passing second.

She woke up. It was still dark. Somebody was snoring behind her. Strong, heavy hand curled around her waist, warm body pressed against her. Stench of booze and cigars. She yelped and struggled frantically to get away from who or what ever it was.
“Stop and go back to sleep. Now.”
“Logan?” She squeaked.
“Yeah.”
“Why are you in my bed?”
“Don’t worry… I’m not… I’m not going to try anything. Just let me be, okay?”
“O… Okay…”

Surprisingly enough she managed to drift back to sleep. When she woke up in the morning, Logan had already gotten up and was bathing Kate. There was a huge wad of cash on a table, as well as something that looked like a set of car keys. She stretched and yawned. She could still feel warmth radiating from the mattress where Logan had lain. She rolled on to that side of the bed, hugging the pillow tightly and closing her eyes. There was no reason to get up yet. No reason at all. She was still tired. Logan would wake her if he needed help with Kate.

She wasn’t actually sleeping, but it felt damn near impossible to get up. It was so warm and comfortable. Logan had left the bathroom door open. Kate was in the bathtub, and he was leaning over the brim, supporting the baby. Marie watched lazily how his muscles tensed and relaxed every time he moved. Every move efficient, purposeful. She heard him murmur something to baby who kept giggling and cooing. Water was sloshing.

Her eyes drifted from Logan and Kate to the pile of clothes he had discarded in front of the TV set, probably after he had gotten back in last night. Jeans and white T-shirt. Whiteness of the shirt marred with brownish speckles. Very dark speckles. Bigger blotches on the jeans. Some of them dark red rather than brown.

“Logan?” She called him. He didn’t turn to look, but greeted her.
“Morning. Slept well?” He sounded normal. Almost giddy. Relaxed and satisfied.
“Fine. How about you?” She asked, eyes glued to one especially large patch that looked like blood. It couldn’t be. Right? Logan was a cop.
“Great. You hungry? I was planning to go out with Kate, but now that you woke up, we could all go to breakfast.”
“Umm… I guess I could eat…” It couldn’t be blood. Logan had probably just stumbled and fallen to a muddy patch. Except that it hadn’t rained in several days.
“Logan? Can I ask you something?” Where did you get the money and the car?

“Shot me.” He was standing in the doorway, Kate wrapped up to a towel on his lap.
“Huh?” Her eyes snapped from the pile of dirty clothes to him.
“Ask away.”
“Can we get pancakes? It has been ages since I last ate them.”

“Oh, come on! Stop that, you little brat! That blueberry will never leave from that shirt…” Logan grumbled, wiping off blueberry jam from Kate’s chin and shirt. Big, dark red globs that faded to violet when napkin dried them. Suddenly Marie wasn’t hungry anymore. She couldn’t get the condition of Logan’s clothes off from her mind.

“We have money and a car…” She started. Logan nodded, chewing a mouthful of bacon and eggs.
“Where did you get them?” She asked the question that had hung over her head during the whole time they had sat in the diner.
“Won them. I was thinking we should go and get some supplies. Food, diapers, some camping gear…”
“Won them? From where?” She interrupted him.
“From few guys in the bar last night. Look, I made a list of everything we might need. You were in that store earlier. Do you think they could have these items? Or do we have to go…”
“Logan! You just don’t… Nobody wins that kind of money and a whole freaking car from some random people in a bar!”
“Stop shouting. I won them, fair and square. Now, about this list…”
“I saw your clothes.”
“Huh? My clothes? What about my clothes?”
“There was blood on them.”
“It was a fight bar, Marie.”
“A what?”
“Fight bar. Bunch of people build a cage in to a bar, then they let people in that cage to fight each other for money and stuff. I went in and won.”
“But… All that blood…”
“Mostly mine. Had to make it look good. I don’t get bruises. Had to let them get in some good punches to start a nosebleed. Didn’t want them to start questions about why I was still standing, looking none the worse than at the moment I went in.”
“Logan…”
“I got us what we need. Just drop it.”

She finished her breakfast in silence, forcing the food down. Logan was goofing with Kate, trying to distract her long enough so that she would eat, rather than spit and drool out everything that went in to her mouth.

“Thanks…” She whispered awkwardly when Logan paid and they left.
“For what? Oww… Shit…” Logan asked, struggling to get loose from Kate who had decided that his muttonchops would make a nice handle, and was trying to pull his face for a closer inspection.
“For everything you have done. I have been acting like a spoiled brat. Whining and nagging for everything…”
“Don’t worry. You have every right to be a spoiled brat, it’s not like I have been discussing things over with you… Besides, it’s… It’s nice. Nice to see that you care about Kate so much.”
“Yeah. Kate and… Uh… Shopping? What were you planning to buy?” She asked. Logan had managed to detach the baby from his face. Pouting baby was squirming and trying to get her hands loose to grab him again.
“ It’s in my pocket. The list.” He had his hands full with Kate, so Marie fished the folded paper from the pocket of his jeans. It was hard not to let her hands linger longer than it was absolutely necessary. Logan didn’t seem to notice. Kate was holding his whole attention. Baby’s face was slowly reddening. Lower lip quivering.
“Oh, crap…” He lifted the baby higher and pressed his face against her stomach, tickling her with his nose. Impending crying fit was replaced with uncontrollable giggling and victorious ‘dah!’ –shout when her small fists closed around Logan’s muttonchops again.
“Oww…”

She was in the shower, enjoying little privacy when it happened. Logan and Kate were out, trying to find a car seat for the baby. She had returned to the motel, blaming headache.

She was under the hot spray of water, trying to solve kinks from her neck. She didn’t plan it, hadn’t really even thought about it on conscious level. After all, she was just a kid. Her hand brushed accidentally against her breast, and suddenly she became very aware of her nipples. They were perked up, hard pebbles.

Ever since she had started having her period few days before they started she was extremely sensitive. If somebody even looked at her certain way, waves of arousal would flush through her.

She stepped out of the shower and opened the bathroom door to take a peak from the clock mounted on the wall. Logan and Kate would probably be gone for some time. She might have enough time.

She turned off the shower, plugged the bathtub and let it fill with warm water. She climbed in, water caressing every inch of her tense body. She relaxed slowly, letting her hands wander along familiar paths she had learned. Touching all the right places. Little pressure there, fleeting slide here, before diving lower, deeper.

Two fingers in, one sliding over her sensitive clit, and suddenly out of nowhere an image of Logan, standing in front of her shirtless floated in her mind. It was enough to blow her world apart, release the tension, and she came, clutching the brim of the tub to prevent drowning.

She had never imagined anybody before. Her fantasies had been nameless, faceless, and usually it had been impossible to distinguish even the sex of the person she imagined touching her. Now, all of a sudden it was Logan. Logan and his hazel eyes.

She dried herself up quickly and got dressed in record time, very aware and ashamed to some extent. She had gotten what she needed, but what kind of a person she was becoming? She had noticed long time ago how attractive Logan was, but he was her friend. Friend and so much more. Almost as if he were her surrogate father.
“Oh, eww…” She hid her burning face to her palms just as lock rattled and door opened. She heard Logan stepping in, and Kate gurgling something with her own baby-language.
“Hi. Feeling better? Or do you need aspirin?” She heard Logan asking.
“I need a lobotomy…” She muttered quietly.
“Say it again?”
“Nothing. Yeah. It’s little better now. Did you guys find that seat?”

She’s nervous, and for a good reason. They’re sitting in a car, behind a short line of other cars. In front of border. Kate’s sleeping peacefully on the back seat, clutching a rag and a small teddy bear. Logan’s fiddling with the radio, trying to find any station that would play anything but latest pop. And the moment is getting nearer and nearer. When she sees uniformed man walking towards their car she squeaks out loud. Logan throws her a glance. ‘Stop-fucking-around-before-I-clock-you’ kind of glance. Then his gaze shifts a bit. He turns to look at the approaching patrolman, then turns back towards her and reaches with his hand, tangling it to her long, brown locks. Before she can do anything he swoops in, lips pressing against hers, tongue sliding, seeking entrance. There’s a knock on the window, she can feel the pull starting and Logan flinches, but doesn’t end the kiss before patrolman knocks again.

He’s out of breath, she’s completely baffled, face flushed and mind reeling when Logan rolls down the window. Patrol man smiles politely and apologies for intrusion, but would Logan be so kind and hand out their ID’s. He doesn’t even look them through properly, just fiddles with them and hands them back, waving them forward, welcoming them to Canada.

“Sorry about that. Had to make sure that you didn’t bolt…” Logan mumbled. She was still trying to clear her head. They had just kissed. Logan had just kissed her. Full skin on skin kiss, with tongue and everything.
“It’s… It’s okay… Are you alright?” She managed to stammer.
“I’m okay. Shit. You pack one hell of a punch, kid. Had already forgotten what it felt…” He was pale, and his hand shook when he shifted gears.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m not…” Logan whispered.
“Got us over the border. We’re officially in Canada now. How does it feel to be safe, kid?”

Greg’s cabin was situated close the border, just an hour’s drive away. It was small but sturdy, two bedrooms and a small kitchen, built from heavy logs.
“Helped Greg with the building. He lets me use this every now and then. You can stay as long as you like, but I’ll start looking something more permanent for you and Kate. This is a bit far from everything…”

She was so deeply concentrated on taking in her surroundings that the meaning of his words didn’t register before he stood at the doorway, car keys in his hand.
“Wait!” She shouted. Logan turned.
“Are you leaving?” She asked. Logan shifted on his feet, his eyes darting between her and Kate, and the car parked outside.
“You have everything you need for few days. I’ll be back soon. I’m just going to…”
“Don’t even think about leaving now! We just got here! At least you could show me around, tell me what to do, and what not to do! I’m not… I have never in my life set my foot outside of the city!”

Logan shifted again, this time to close the door, and set his keys down to table.
“Sorry. Didn’t think about it that way…” He said smiling sheepishly. She let out a relieved sigh. Catastrophe avoided. Logan crossed the floor and took Kate from her. Baby giggled and reached automatically towards his face. Logan growled playfully.
“Looks like your mommy’s got me whipped…”
“Mommy?” She nearly choked to the word.
“It’s time to face the facts, kid. You took her with you. I came along. I’ll help you out as much as I can, but… She’ll need a mother. Somebody to take care of her. Somebody who won’t abandon her. She needs you. Want it or not, you’re her mother now.”
“But…”
“She’s not a doll. She’s not a pet. She’s a child. And she’s your responsibility.”
“I know that! I was just… Surprised.”

Surprised didn’t cover it. It didn’t even scrape the surface of what she felt when she heard Logan calling her mommy to Kate. She was surprised. Scared. Happy. Insecure. But dead on sure that she would do her best. With or without Logan’s help.

“I can’t stick around too long. Have to find you a place to stay, and something to keep you two fed when I’m away.” Of course. He was going back to Salem. Back to the mall. He had a job to do. Somehow it had just slipped from her mind.
“I’ll come and check up on you two when ever I can. You can call me if you need anything, I have some friends on this side of the border.” Friends. He had friends. That was nice. What about her? She knew nobody. Nobody except him. And he was going to leave. And there was something she had to do.

“Can… Can I ask you something already?” She asked. Logan nodded, untangling Kate’s chubby fingers from his hair.
“I want to put an end to what’s going on at Xavier’s. Can you help me with that?”
“Shit… Kid? Why don’t you ask for the fucking Moon from the sky? Would be hell of a lot easier to deliver…”
“Can you help me?”
“Come on… Isn’t there anything else…”
“You said anything. And this is something that needs to be done. Before they screw up yet another life. Before Scott gets his hands on another girl. If he hasn’t gotten already…”
“It’s none of your business, you’re just a kid…”
“That excuse flew out of the window when I became mommy to Kate. Oh, I get it. You’re scared. Scared of old and crippled man… Is that what it is?”
“Fuck you, kid.”

“Do you have any idea of what you’re asking?”
“I only ask you to do your job. To serve and protect. Wasn’t that the catch phrase?” She spat out words he had used only few months earlier.
“Xavier owns the force. There’s nothing I can do as police officer.”
“Then I ask you to do it as a friend.” She used a softer tone, but her words made deep frown settle over Logan’s features.
“Don’t fucking mess with me. I don’t like when people poke at me. I fucking thought I could trust you!”
“But…”
“I already told you! It’s not who I am anymore!” Logan huffed, thrust Kate in her lap and stormed out.

She waited. Waited for the car to start. Then her gaze drifted to the set of keys that still lay on the table. He hadn’t left. At least not far enough to need the car. He’d be back. If not for else, for the car keys.

She unpacked her clothes, then changed Kate’s diaper and opened a small jar of apricot. Tried to feed Kate, but baby kept scrunching her face and avoiding the spoon. She wasn’t doing it right. She wasn’t goofing and pretending to be an airplane. She wasn’t spewing curses and laughing when she spat out everything she managed to get in to her mouth. She wasn’t Logan.
“Give me that.” She turned to look. Logan had returned, and took the jar and spoon from her, crouching in front of Kate who gave him a wide, toothless smile. Logan used her momentarily distraction and shoved the spoon in.

“Fine. I’ll do it.”
“Logan…”
“Shut up. I said I’d do it.”
“Thanks…”
“Don’t thank me yet. There’s a catch.”
“A catch?”
“There’s a price for my work. I do what you ask and there’s no place for me left to live. No place for me.”
“You always have a place with me…”
“Don’t talk about things you don’t understand. Yes, your mommy should consider her words more carefully, Katie…” Logan cooed to the baby with a playful tone, but to Marie’s ears it sounded like a warning, which it was meant to be.
“After Xavier goes down, I’ll hit the road. I’ll travel lightly. There’s no room for Logan. It’s not… It’s not Logan’s world out there. Here. She’s done,” Logan said, giving her the empty jar and lifting Kate to his lap, hugging her close.
“It’s not a world for you or Kate either.”

“Can I think about it?”
“Think about it? What the fuck there is to think about anymore? I didn’t offer to do it, you asked it!” Logan snapped, trying to control his voice because of Kate who sat on his lap, fiddling with the buttons of his jacket.
“Why do you have to leave if you do it? Why can’t you come here, live with me and Kate?” She asked.
“Because.”
“Why? I don’t understand.”
”When I left from Xavier I made one decision. Promised one thing to myself. Nobody was going to use me anymore. Fucking nobody. Not like that. Not like Xavier had used me. I made a life for myself. A nice life. Job, home, even some friends. Wasn’t much, but I had everything I needed. I’ll do what you asked me to do, and I’ll be loosing everything. Breaking that promise, throwing away everything that makes me.”
“But you’d still have me and Kate. I won’t turn my back on you.”
“Yes, you will. I’m not really a nice man. Not somebody you would like to know.”
“What are you talking about? I know you! You’re my friend! You’re… You’re almost as a father to Kate…”
“I can be nice when I want to. But I’m not sure if I want to keep being nice to you. You’re young, and you have had to take huge pile of shit from the world, accompanied with this squealing brat you’re going to take care of until she’s old enough to be kicked out from home. I can understand how that can make a person a little selfish. Fuck, I’m no better in that area, truth to be told… But how the hell do you think having you and Kate will somehow replace a whole fucking life I’ll be loosing when I go after Xavier and his crew?”

“I… I didn’t think it like that…”
“You didn’t think, period. It wasn’t Logan, the nice cop from the mall you needed. You called for Wolverine. I told you about me, about my life before because I trusted you. Thought you could understand. And what did you do? Took it, and used it. Used me. Fine. If that’s all you want from me, I’ll do it. But don’t expect me to come back. I’ll do it, and I’m through with you. Fuck… Should have known better… How long?”
“How long?”
“How long have you been planning this, Marie? How long?”
“I…”
“How long?”
“I wasn’t planning anything! I thought you could help! You! I don’t fucking care who you are or what you did! I thought I could trust you! I thought we were friends!” Logan moved suddenly, placing Kate down carefully and swooping Marie to his arms instead.
“I thought that too…” He whispered with hoarse voice before covering her mouth with his own.

Kiss lasted for what felt like eternity, he was practically devouring her, and in the same time flooding her mind with everything he felt, rage, sadness, hurt, warmth, love… Convoluted mix of emotions making her head spun wildly. When they broke apart Logan slumped to the floor, breathless, skin ashen.
“But it looks like I was wrong. Was I?” He wheezed, unbuttoning the collar of his shirt to ease breathing.

“What was that for?” She asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, trying to erase the warm feeling that the kiss had woken in her.
“Had to do something… To keep me from bolting.”
“I still don’t understand… Why? Why you think you have to leave?”
“After I take down Scott, Xavier and everybody else involved this mess, Xavier’s buddies will come after me. Nice cop from the mall can’t hurt them, can’t keep up running, can’t stay alive. This… All this, who I am right now… You’re distractions. You and Kate. As well as everybody and everything else in my life. I have to cut everything loose to keep my head clear.”
“It doesn’t have to be like that…”
“Yes, it does. You can’t have it both ways.”

“Fine. Go. Go back to mall. Close your eyes and keep pretending that it doesn’t matter,” she hissed.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s not our business anymore.”
“What if it was me? Or Kate?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“What if it was me or Kate Scott was banging? Would you even care?” She asked. Logan reached for the baby and took her on his lap.
“You two are safe now. That’s all that matters to me.”
“But how long? Xavier has no power over Canadian officials, but do you honestly think that’ll stop him? And who’s even going to care if they swoop here with the Blackbird and take us down? We’re just couple of muties as far as people are concerned!”
“Marie!”
“But that’s okay. You can go back home and keep chasing bums and shoplifters. I get it. It’s not your fight. Not your concern. And it must be a real drag to take care of couple of ungrateful brats anyway. Just go. I’ll deal with Xavier by myself…”
“The hell you are! You’re going to stay here and take care of Kate! She needs you more than any other person in this world right now!”
“Who are you to tell me what to do? You’re not my father!”
“I’m not your father. But I’m your husband. Doesn’t make you a slave of mine, but I think I have some say over in this matter…”
“You really are an asshole!”
“Big enough to keep you from making a serious mistake. I brought you here to keep you both safe. I’ll be leaving soon, but I’ll make sure that my friends know you’re here, they’ll keep watch over, and help you out if you need anything.”

“What the hell are you doing?” She knew that voice. Logan. She knew what she would see if she turned around.
“I’m doing what’s best for all.”
“Three days after I left you there, I got a call from Layla. Said that you just disappeared. I have been fucking worried out of my mind! And here you are, with a bunch of Xavier’s brats. Where’s Kate?”
“She’s with Jean.”
“Summers boning you already?”
“Logan!”
“We never had the time to get that divorce. I think I’m entitled to know if my wife’s fucking another man…”
“Fuck you. And get lost before Scott sees you. It’ll spoil everything…”
“Oh, yeah. That little plan of yours… You do realize you’re out of your league? Try anything and Xavier’s going to chew your head off. And Kate… What the fuck is wrong with you? I thought the whole idea was to keep her out of that place!”

She glanced around. Scott was guiding some of the younger kids towards the museum. It wouldn’t take long before he’d notice that she was missing.
“I told them that I realized how wrong I was. Jean and Scott adopted Kate. Told everybody that I had been on a mission and found her from there. Everything’s going just as I planned it. Leave me alone!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll leave you soon enough. I have the entire paperwork ready, I just need your signature, and our divorce is settled. Don’t expect me to fish you out when Scott makes you his concubine.”
“Don’t worry. I wont!”

That night she went to sleep angry. When Scott came knocking on her door, she let him in. And when he gave her the bodysuit she put it on and let him use her, like he had used Kitty Pryde earlier. At least she didn’t have to worry getting pregnant. Her mutation forced Scott to use condom.

She was angry, but when Scott left, she couldn’t help thinking if Logan had been right. Her plan was to settle in, gain back trust she had lost when she had escaped with Kate, and collect enough evidence to shut down the school. In two weeks Scott already trusted her enough to fuck her. With Xavier it would take more time, but she was sure that eventually even him would let down his guards.

It was hard to shield your mind when there were two telepaths close by, prodding your mind constantly, but she had gotten quite skilled at avoiding and distracting them. Trait she was sure she had learned from Logan.

Logan.
“Fucking idiot. Why the hell it has to be so difficult for him to understand…” It was hard to stay mad at somebody you missed. Somebody whom you thought of daily basis. Somebody you dreamt of every night. Well, he had made his decision. She could only hope that the road she had chosen would turn out to be the right one.

Another two weeks went by. It was getting increasingly harder to pretend obedient little soldier. At school Xavier and Jean kept her mind under steady pressure. Only times she was free from their grip were short trips to city. Scott made it point to have some business at the mall almost daily, and it didn’t take long from Marie to realize that those trips were yet another way to try to crack her, and Scott’s personal vendetta against Logan. He was parading Marie around as if she was some sort of trophy.

What ever Logan thought about the situation, if nothing at all, he didn’t let it show. If Scott found some excuse to actually talk with him, Logan kept things on a neutral, professional level, hardly even looking at Marie’s direction. It was almost as if they were complete strangers to each other.

“Wolverine.”
“Actually, I prefer officer Devereaux, Mr. Summers.” Except that it wasn’t officer Devereaux. Not to her. It was officer Logan. Or just Logan.
“What ever, runt… I came to warn you. Magneto has been released from the prison,” Scott snorted. Something flickered briefly in Logan’s eyes. Fear. Hunger. Excitement.
“Warn me? If they have decided to release Mr. Lenscherr, I’m sure he has paid his debt to society. I don’t see a reason to be worried, Mr. Summers.”
“Cut the crap, Wolverine. We both know it won’t take long from him to come after you. Xavier’s willing to offer you a sanctuary.”
“And I’m sure he’ll do it out of the goodness of his heart… Thank professor for my behalf, but tell him that I have to refuse his offer.”
“From where did you get the impression that you had a choice over that matter? Do you really think Xavier’s going to surrender you to Magneto? Think again, Wolverine…”
“And who’s going to make me accept that offer? You? How’s that leg? All healed up, I hope…” Logan murmured. His eyes darted briefly to Marie, who stood just few steps away from them.
“Hey, kid. Take your lover-boy out of here before I arrest him from loitering!”

It was a beautiful evening. Weather was warm, sun was shining, and only small breeze rustled leaves of the trees. Yet she was nervous. Extremely nervous. She was on her way to Logan’s. Finally she had gotten out of Xavier’s on her own, and she was on her way to sign divorce agreement. She had phoned Logan earlier that day. On the phone he had sounded distant, but not so openly hostile as usually when she saw him at the mall with Scott.

She wiped her sweaty palms to her thighs before knocking to the door of his trailer. Door swung open.
“Hi…” She squeaked. Logan nodded, his gaze scanning surroundings before he stepped aside to let her in.
“Where’s Summers?” He asked.
“I… Back home. Why?”
“I’m surprised he let you out alone, that’s all. Sit. I’ll go and get the papers.”

Logan went in to bedroom and she sat to the couch clasping her hands together to stop them from trembling. Last time she had been in here everything had been fine. Logan had been her friend. Kate had been with her. She had had her whole life ahead of her, head filled with plans of a possible future. Tomorrow it would all end, one way or another.

Logan threw a thick manila folder to the table in front of her. She reached for it, but he placed his hand on top of it.
“Coffee?” He asked. Almost friendly, not really a question. She nodded, leaving the folder to table.

It all felt so normal, and familiar. Just two friends spending time together.
“We need to talk. There’s something you need to know before you do anything,” Logan said, loading the coffee maker. She couldn’t resist anymore, but picked up the folder and opened it.
“These are not divorce papers…” She noted, rifling through reports and newspaper clippings.
“Nope. I have those ready as well, but I thought you could use those more.”

She took a closer look of the pile of papers on her lap.
“I’m not supposed to… Shit. You’re not cleared for that stuff, but I figured you’d have better chance to use it than anybody else.”
“Wha… What is this all?” She asked confused. Folder was filled with information about Xavier, X-Men and school. Names, dates, events, and huge pile of things nobody was supposed to know.
“There are people who have been aware of what’s going on for quite some time now. We have been keeping our eye on Xavier over ten years now.”
“What?”
“Over ten years. And now it looks like you’re our best chance to bring him down. Take that folder and use it. Use it well.”

“When Xavier stepped in to politics with Magneto, certain people got worried. After a while it became apparent that they had a good reason to worry. Our good, ethical professor was using his power, pushing through laws and decisions that work for him. That’s when project Wolverine was opened. I was just an ordinary guy with a snappy mutation. We made it look like I had gone through hell, reinforced me, and made me a perfect, unstable weapon. Something Xavier couldn’t resist. He had to have me in to his ranks. Spend some time with his loony bunch, with quite pathetic results. Our good professor guards his secrets all too closely. I had to pull out before they blew my cover. Next we tried with Kitty Pryde. Not my idea. I already knew that summer’s was in to little girls. But my bosses thought we could use that. For a while it looked like it would work. Then she got pregnant and disappeared from our radar. Next thing I knew I was back there, laid to that stretcher in the med lab, listening recording you found from that mp3…” Logan spoke, sipping his coffee every now and then.
“They fooled you to take on Kitty’s cross. I fucking tried to keep you out of it. Why the hell did you have to go back? Huh?” He asked. There was no malice in his voice, just tiredness.
“And Kate… Was it absolutely necessary to take her back too? You could have left her with Layla… Well. What’s done is done…” He drained his mug and placed it on the table.
“There’s everything you need to take down Xavier in that folder. Get Kate out first, and go with her to city hall. There’s a woman called Angie Hodges. She’s the prosecutor. Give that folder to her.”

“But… Why haven’t you done it before? Why don’t you do it now?” She asked confused, and angry. She had given her body for Scott to use, had laid her life, had laid Kate’s life for line, and for what?
“I had my orders. People I work for wanted to be absolutely sure. They didn’t want Xavier to squirm free because of some loophole they hadn’t noticed. And it’s already too late for me to try anything. I have my own worries…”
“Magneto?” She asked, remembering the conversation she had heard at the mall earlier.
“He’s coming for me. I’ll be leaving tonight.”
“But… What about those people you work for? Can’t they help? Shouldn’t they help?” She asked puzzled. Logan laughed bitterly.
“As far as they’re concerned, I’m expendable. Failed gear in the machinery. We had a deal, and when I couldn’t deliver…”
“That’s fucked up! They can’t do…”
“They can, and they will. They don’t need me anymore. As far as they’re concerned, Xavier’s won, and they’re cutting all ties, covering their tracks before Xavier snoops them out and makes them a warning example. I guess they’re hoping that Magneto takes the old geezer down for them.”

“Okay. Here. You just have to sign these two papers.” Logan handed her another folder, much thinner than the previous one.
“It wasn’t like real marriage, anyway… And I have no possessions to split, so this is just a formality,” he said. She took the papers and read them through. Really just a formality. She took the pen.
“Where are you going to go?” She asked, her hand hovering over the paper. Logan shrugged.
“Truth to be told, I have no idea. Maybe back to Canada. Why?”
“Could you… Could you wait until tomorrow morning?” She asked. Logan’s brows knit together.
“Why?”
“I… We really have no place to go with Kate after this is all over. I was thinking…” Her voice trailed off when Logan huffed and took the pen from her.
“Kid…” He hung his head, obviously trying to find right words.
“I’m not expecting anything, I’ll take care of Kate and get a job, I promise…”
“Hush. Just shut up now, okay?” Logan barked.

“I didn’t mind taking care of you two. Didn’t mind a bit. I’d love to have you two with me. I miss Kate. I miss you.”
“But…”
“Shut up. Let me finish… When I leave, I’m not going to settle to some cozy cabin. There will be no fireplace. No freaking picket fence. Those things will tie me down, and I’ll be a sitting duck, just waiting for Magneto to swoop in. It’ll be my bike, the road and me. There’s no room for Kate. Just sign the damn papers and let me go, kid.”
“Is this same kind of plot you used when you tried to get rid of me last time?” She asked.
“Shit. This is no fucking plot. It’s the truth. And I have already wasted enough time. Sign the papers, kid.”
“What if I don’t?”
“Sign them.”
“What if I don’t want to do it?”
“I’m not asking if you want it or not! Magneto doesn’t probably know about you yet. Don’t even want him to find you. He’d use you to get me.”
“Hmph… Like that would even work…” She muttered, taking the pen. Before she had the time to even touch the paper with the tip of it, Logan yanked her up from where she sat, hands squeezing her arms hard.
“It would work. Believe me.”
“Logan, what…”

His face was only inches from hers, their noses nearly touching.
“I’m no better than Summers, Marie. I only stayed here this long because…” He closed his eyes and swallowed, shoving her away from him.
“Fuck! Just sign those goddamned papers and leave!”
“No.”
“Pick up the pen and sign!”
“No.”
“Marie! Hasn’t Summers done already enough?”

She had toyed with the idea. Idea of what it would feel with somebody that meant something to her. Somebody who cared about her. What it would feel if it mattered. If it was Logan.

“I want to know what it’s supposed to be.”

“You want to know? Won’t be finding that out with me, kid. Might as well just sign those papers,” Logan grunted, crossing his arms over his chest, turning his gaze and staring stubbornly the toes of his boots.
“Why not? Is it because of Scott? Am I so repulsive…”
“You’re not repulsive.”
“What is it then?”
“Jesus! You’re barely seventeen!” Logan huffed.
“So? Scott doesn’t mind… Ow!”

As soon as words left her mouth Logan grabbed her again, nearly crushing her between his body and the rickety door of the trailer.
“Scott doesn’t mind? I don’t give a flying fuck about Summers!”
“Logan…”
“But I care about you. Enough not to take advantage…”
“Logan! Nobody’s taking any advantages! I just… I wanted to know…”
“I get it. You want to know how it would feel… Should feel. You will find it out. Eventually. Live a little. Grow up. Find the right guy.”
“But I already found the right guy.”
“Don’t do this to me kid… Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to refuse?”
“Then don’t refuse. Give this to me. Before you leave, show me.”

In retrospect she should have known better. Should have known better not to prolong her visit to Logan any longer than it was necessary, because Magneto was looking for him.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Not your fault. Should have posted those papers for you… Just wanted to see you.”

Magneto had stepped in to trailer and taken Logan under his firm control, always the gentleman, apologizing the disturbance before he forced Logan out. Sabretooth had taken care of Marie. Now they both sat in the back of a van, Logan still under Magneto’s power, unable to move, and Marie with her hands and feet tied with a rope.

“What does he want from you?” She asked. Logan sighed.
“He’s the one they asked to put the metal in me. It’s quite pricy alloy. Magneto’s the only one capable of manipulating it. He’s either going to use me against Xavier, or…”
“Or?”
“Sabretooth’s easier to control, and he’s already working for Magneto. He might be planning to move the adamantium from me to him.”
“Oh…” She felt sick.
“I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough what he’s planning. Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll be okay. They probably took you along just to prevent you from running to Xavier. You’ll be okay. You’ll get through this…”
“It’s not me I’m worried about! He’s going to hurt you… Logan? He can’t kill you, right? Even if he took away the adamantium, it won’t kill you, right?”
“Uh… No. I’ll be alright, kid. Don’t you worry.”
“Don’t lie to me.”

They had been diving for a while when car suddenly stopped. Sabretooth yanked the backdoors open and pulled Logan out, tossing him to the sidewalk, and dropping the folder that contained intel he had gathered from Xavier, as well as another folder named briefly ‘Wolverine’ on top of him. Marie managed to catch a glimpse of their surroundings before doors closed. They had left Logan in front of Xavier’s school.

“What are you doing? Let me out! Let me out!” She started struggling and kicking the walls of the van. Small window between front seat and cargo bay slid open and Magneto smiled at her.
“Let you out? I can’t do that, my dear. I already gave your friend to Xavier as a peace offering. Now, be a good child and shut up before I ask Victor to close your mouth…”
“What are you going to do?” She asked.
“You’re quite vital part of my plan, so I guess it’s only fair to let you in to some details… I’m sure that living at Xavier’s has given you certain amount of insight of human-mutant relations. I only tend to tip the scale to our favor. First in here, then I’ll deal with the rest of the world.”
“What do you mean? Tip the scales?”
“You probably have noticed that now we are the minority. People tend to hate minorities. Everything that breaks the norm. I’m going to change their view on the subject. Make them see things from our side of the world. Make them us. For that I need you.”
“I still don’t understand…”
“Yes, yes. You live in the school, but I should have remembered Charles is the headmaster. Using long, meaningful words must be hard for you, my dear. Don’t worry… You’ll see and understand soon enough.” And with that window slid closed, leaving her in darkness.

Almost exactly twenty-four hours later she understood. Yet another man was going to use her. Not like Xavier had planned to use her as an X-Man. Not as Scott had used her body. Magneto had far more intelligent and sinister intentions. She could only scream, strapped to a strange looking metal contraption when Magneto’s mind invaded her own, whispering commands and instructions, urging her to place her hands to pads that controlled the machine. It would kill her. It would mutate every living cell structure with radiation it released.

Magneto had been apologetic, almost sad, but at the same time sickeningly triumphant, gloating with his power and intelligence. He had installed his machine on top of the Statue Of Liberty with Sabretooth’s aid. Then big and feral mutant had strapped Marie in it, and Magneto had touched her. It hadn’t been a fleeting touch, not a quick brush. He had cupped her face between his palms, holding on almost long enough to get killed, contaminating her being with his own.

She could hear and feel machine around her, humming and pulsating. Latching greedily to the borrowed power of Magneto’s that coursed through her veins. Machine was gathering strength and speed, warming up. Another scream tore out from her mouth when she felt the pull. Almost as if her bones had melted and leaking out through every pore on her skin. Blue cloud blurred her field of vision. She wasn’t sure if it was something she was imagining, or was it an actual manifestation of the radiation. What ever it was, it distorted everything. When something black fell from the sky right in front of her she tried to fight against Magneto’s hold from her, to get away from what ever it was that was approaching her.

Her struggling seemed only to fuel the machine even further, increasing the speed and force it drew energy from her. It was nearly impossible to stay conscious. She could feel her heart shuddering, skipping beats. Her lungs had stopped working for what felt like ages ago, and painful burning numbness spread slowly through her whole body.

Then Logan was there. Blue was gone. Machine was still. Her body was still. Her heart was still. She was vaguely aware of something happening around her. Blackbird hovering close by. Scott shouting something. And Logan. He was there, holding her. She wanted to talk to him. Tell him it was alright. Tell him it didn’t hurt anymore. She wanted… She needed to warn him. Her mouth refused to cooperate, as did the rest of her body. Logan was hugging her, holding her close.
“Don’t…”
“Hush. It’ll be alright.”

His cheek felt warm against hers, and for a moment she could feel it. Could imagine what it would be. How it would feel. Then Logan was falling away from her, unconscious. Scott was carrying her towards the Blackbird. She tried to protest. Tried to stop him, they had to help Logan. There was something wrong. He was bleeding, and he wasn’t healing. Scott just shook his head and laid her to a stretcher before returning outside. Logan was crawling up slowly, getting on his hands and knees. Scott looked at him, clearly enjoying the view before kicking him over the railing of the statue.

*Wake up.* She whimpered and scrunched her eyes shut.
*Wake up!* Just few more minutes. She was so blessedly tired.
*I’m standing right behind you naked.*

“What?” She sat up abruptly.
*Well, not really. But at least you woke up.*
“Logan? Oh, my God! Are you alright?” Events flooded back in her mind. The statue. Logan touching her. Scott smiling cruelly, and kicking Logan.
*Sssh. Stop shouting. Don’t want them to find out about me. They think I’m dead and that suits me just fine.*
“Where are you?” She asked, barely moving her lips. She could sense confusion. Exhaustion. Pain.
*Inside Liberty’s torch. Fuck. I think I broke a claw… Won’t go back in… Probably bent it when Summers kicked me over…* It really wasn’t the time or place to giggle. It really wasn’t. She couldn’t help the smile that spread on her face.
*Stop fucking grinning! At this hour Xavier and his crew are probably sleeping. Take Kate with you and leave. Xavier destroyed that file I had collected from him.*
“I can’t just… Kate’s with Jean and Scott. I can’t just walk in to their suite and take her.”
*Fuck. Fuckety-fuck… Why the hell everything has to be so fucking complicated? Huh? Is it fucking too much to ask for one thing go smoothly for a change? Oh… Shit… Kid? Come and get me… We’ll figure out something later…*
“But… It’s too far… I don’t know how to drive…” She was up from the bed and pulling on clothes.
*I’ll tell you what to do… Just hurry, okay? I don’t know how long… Before I wake up.*
“You were out over a week last time.”
*You took more from me last time. Now Summers… Took you away from me as soon as you started to wake up…*

She could already feel Logan in her head fading when she crept through silent corridors, carrying her shoes to prevent their heels clicking and waking other occupants. Then, just as she opened the door to garage, he disappeared altogether.
“Shit… Well, it can’t be that hard…” She muttered, climbing in to the first car in the row. The fact that it belonged to Scott felt only appropriate. Payback. He hurt Logan; she used his car to rescue Logan.

She fumbled quite clumsily for a moment, getting familiar with steering wheel and gears before pushing the key she had found waiting on the dashboard to the ignition.
*Allow me…* Suddenly Logan was back. She could almost feel his hands curling on top of hers, turning the key, and gripping the wheel hard.
*Professor’s awake. Had to distract him. He was trying to get inside of your head. Ready?* She shook her head and relaxed, trying to let go. Trying to give Logan free reign over her mind and body.
“Ready.” Car practically flew out of the garage and sped out through the gates, passing closing iron bars by mere inches.

It felt strange, but somehow comforting. She had never felt Logan’s presence as strongly as now. It was almost as if he was sitting right there with her, his whole body cocooning hers. His hands were guiding hers, his legs pressing pedals. They were breaking every known speed limit, but she didn’t mind. She wasn’t afraid. Not before she realized why she felt him so strongly.
“Logan? You… How bad is it?” She asked.
*It’ll be alright… Don’t worry. We had to fight off Sabretooth, Mystique and Toad. Took few punches, but it’s not that bad…*
“You’re going o be alright? And don’t lie to me this time.”
*You want the truth?*
“Well, duh! I have to know should I call the coroner to come with me!” She tried to joke, but her voice was trembling.
*Shit… I don’t know… Just hurry up, okay? I think… I think I’m bleeding…*

She got all the way to the docks when Logan suddenly disappeared from her mind. And she realized that there was no way she could get to his aid at this hour. Ferry wasn’t operating in the middle of the night. She tried to reach out, hoping against hope that there was some sort of link open between her and Logan.

“No… No. No!” She came up blank, of course. Her mutation allowed her to steal Logan in to her for brief periods, but she couldn’t use what she had like the Professor. She couldn’t reach out with her mind and find Logan. She huffed and cursed, hitting the steering wheel. Clock on the dashboard blinked almost mockingly, telling her that it would be several hours before the statue would be open for the audience. Several hours before the man steering the ferry would start working.

She got out of the car and walked to the dock. Ferry wasn’t there. Of course not. There wasn’t a ferry. There wasn’t a conveniently placed speedboat. There weren’t even a rowboat for her to take and launch to rescue Logan. She kicked angrily and hit an empty beer can, sending it rattling over the railing of the dock. Instead of splash she heard a soft clunk and muffled curse, and the can flew right back on to the dock. A hand soon followed it, fingers curling around the railing, and then Logan was there, soaked through, dragging himself over the railing, his breath ragged and wheezing.

“I’m sure I’d be able to appreciate that can if there had been some beer in it…”
“Logan!” She rushed to him and wrapped her arms around him. They stumbled a bit but somehow Logan managed to keep his balance, and for a long moment they just stood there, holding each other.

“How did you get here?” She finally uttered when they were walking towards the car.
“Got down from the statue and found a piece of driftwood. Might have been something from Magneto’s boat. Floated on top of it.”
“Are you… Are you alright?” She asked. He was swaying slightly, and he had tucked his left hand inside of his jacket, the zipper keeping it in place.
“Sprained something when I fell and for a while it was bad. But it’s not bleeding anymore. Just a little sore.”
“Can you drive? Because I can’t. Not without you.”
“Yes, you can. There’s no hurry now. We have several hours before dawn, and as far as Xavier and his team are concerned I’m as good as dead. Just take us to my place.”
“Your place? Is that a good idea?”
“It’s probably the last place they expect us to be. I really need to get some rest. And we need to make some plans if we’re going to get through this and get Kate back to you alive and well.”

Afterwards she couldn’t remember a thing from their slow and tedious journey through the outskirts of the city. She had been too tired, too nervous and frazzled to take notice anything else but Logan and his voice as he prattled on directions and names of the streets. She was quite sure that she had taken a wrong turn at least dozen times, but Logan had been surprisingly patient, only snorted tiredly and told her to learn the difference between right and left.

Now they were sitting in the tiny kitchen of his camper. They had abandoned Summers’ car and walked last blocks, just in case there was a bug of some sort installed in to the vehicle. Her feet hurt and her head felt like it could explode at any moment. Logan wasn’t faring much better. He had changed dry clothes on, and it hit her that he had been prancing around the camper completely naked for few precious seconds and all she was able to do was to yawn widely and pray for the dear Lord in heaven that there weren’t anything embarrassing lodged between her teeth because earlier she had been too tired, then too busy, and now just plain exhausted to care about her dental hygiene.

Yawning was contagious. Logan tried feebly to stifle his own response, but lost the battle long before it even had properly begun.
“Fuck… We have to leave the planning little later. We can afford for few hour’s nap.”
“But…”
“No buts kid. I’m beat. So are you. Here, see? This’ll wake us up in… Three hours? We’ll have plenty of time to figure out what to do and we might even come up with something reasonable instead of just getting us both killed,” Logan explained, adjusting the alarm clock that sat on the table.
“Fine….”
“It better be. Go to bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“Um… Logan… Can we…”
“No. We can’t. Go to sleep, Marie.”
“But I don’t want to sleep alone. I’m scared.”
“Yeah. And I’m tired. And angry. I’ll sleep on the couch, darling.”
“Logan, please…”

He sighed frustrated, then suddenly his nostrils flared. He tilted his head.
“You’re not scared.”
“Uh…”
“You weren’t going to sleep.”
“Logan, I… I…”
”Kid, I already told you. I’m not the right guy. I’m…” She closed the short distance separating them and silenced him by placing a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth. Quick enough for her skin not to react, but long enough for Logan to fall in to stunned silence. He just stared at her for a long moment, then uttered a soft curse when she leaned closer him again and grasped her buttocks when her lips landed on his more boldly.
“I’m not the right guy, kid… But if you want me… You can have me….”

She woke up feeling little stiff and sore, but it was a pleasant ache. Small reminder of the night. Then Kate gurgled next to her and sunlight was streaming through the curtains of the small window. Kate. Sun. Kate wrapped to a blanket that was adorned with blood red handprints. And Logan wasn’t there. He was gone. And his words from few weeks back floated to the forefront of her mind.
“You can’t have it both ways.”

She checked Kate quickly. The baby was fine, but the clothes she had on and the blanket were soaked through with sticky blood. Kate was hungry, in serious need of a bath and cranky.
“Now we are going to take a quick shower, and after that some breakfast…” She whispered holding back her tears. She undressed, and discarded Kate’s soiled clothes and diaper to a trash bin, wrapping her carefully to a towel to protect the baby from her skin.

She showered and washed Kate clumsily, almost dropping her several times, but to Kate it seemed to be a new kind of play, and at the end of their splashing session Marie was already feeling slightly better, even smiling waveringly when Kate let out yet another giggle.

She found a few jars of baby food from the fridge, and an envelope from the kitchen table. She fed Kate, pretending to be an airplane and managing to get most of the food in to her stomach rather than on to the floor. After that was taken care of she picked up the envelope. It was thick and heavy. When she closed her eyes and concentrated she could almost see Logan placing it down on the table. Sneaking silently to the bedroom to drop off Kate. Had he lingered? Stood there watching his girls sleeping side by side? Had he wanted to stay? Or had he simply walked in, and then straight out, relieved that he didn’t have to carry the burden any longer? Was he alright?

Her gaze drifted towards the trash bin. The blanket Kate had been wrapped in… It hadn’t been just stained. It was caked with dried blood. Whose? Logan’s? Theirs? Was Logan alright, riding a bike in to sunset like a some sort of lone hero from the westerns, or had he only crawled somewhere to die? What about Xavier and the X-Men? Scott, Jean and everybody else? Was she really safe with Kate in here? Or would it be better to take everything she needed and hit the road?

She opened the envelope. A thick wad of cash fell out. But that wasn’t all. There was a small slip of paper as well. She pulled it out.

‘Everything’s taken care of. The money is for you and Kate. Papers for the divorce are in the cupboard above the fridge, I already signed them. You’ll find a deed for the camper and the lot it stands on with them. It belongs to you now. Take care. And keep Kate out of trouble.

Wolverine’