He stared at her, sitting on the bench with a gentle breeze stirring her hair, surrounded by hazy twilight. He lit his cigar and took in the differences life had wrought in her. The war was so much more real now, a year after Jean's sacrifice.

He'd watched her grow away from Bobby. He'd watched her train and change. And he'd watch as his Marie turned more and more into the Rogue she claimed to be. She was harder now, colder. And Logan wasn't sure whether it was the war outside, or the war inside.

On the outside, all mutants were uber-vigilant. That was true at the X-Mansion more than anywhere else. All those students who remained were drafted into immediate training. Combat classes took precedent over calculus. It was like living with a bulls-eye constantly overhead. And the strain was telling. She didn't hum anymore. It was a silly little thing that he'd noticed, and now he missed it. She used to hum as she read, as she cooked. There was no room for humming anymore. In fact, there wasn't room for much of anything.

Which is why he followed her out. He knew if she was leaving the Danger Room, leaving the inside world, it was because the world inside her head was too much.

He slowly walked over to her, deliberately blowing smoke in her direction so she knew he was coming.

"You don't have to do that, Logan, I know you're there."

He merely grunted as he sat down. "Didn't wanna startle ya."

"Between the hours and hours of training and the little bit of your senses still left, I've got a pretty good sense of when people are coming."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Silence.

"Do you love me, Logan?"

He choked on the smoke from his cigar, unable to respond.

"Because I wonder sometimes whether it's possible to truly love someone now. Can we keep these pure feelings when we live in fear? Is it possible to feel love when you don't know how long you're going to live? Part of you won't be able to let go, and isn't love all about letting go, Logan? Isn't it about trusting the other person, and letting your guard down, and letting them in? But we don't know who to trust anymore, Logan, because the enemies are everywhere, inside and out. So we say we love people, but there's that thread of mistrust through everything, that poisons it." She'd looked far off into the distance as she spoke, never turning to meet his gaze.

He sat contemplating his response, knowing somehow that what he said now could shatter her...or better yet, heal her. "Because ya don't know how much time ya have with them, so ya don't want to invest too much."

She looked at him then. "Exactly."

He blew a smoke ring slowly. "The war's everywhere, ya know. Not just here."

She nodded. "But I feel it here more than anywhere else."

"They need us here."

"I know."

"We can travel fast, though."

"I know."

He stood slowly, stubbing the cigar out on the tree next to them. And he held out his hand.

"I do, Marie."

She took his hand and stood, brushing herself off and seeking something in his eyes.

"How quickly can ya pack?" he asked.

"Quick as you," she replied.

He nodded. They walked back to the mansion hand in hand.

---

The cabin wasn't much of anything. It was in the Middle of Nowhere, Upstate New York. But there was a fireplace, and a cozy bed, a phone and an airfield. And love, true and pure, that the two wounded souls proved they could feel.

---

Evanescence, Anywhere

Dear my love, haven't you wanted to be with me
And dear my love, haven't you longed to be free
I can't keep pretending that I don't even know you
And at sweet night, you are my own
Take my hand

We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the morning light
We'll be half way to anywhere
Where love is more than just your name

I have dreamt of a place for you and I
No one knows who we are there
All I want is to give my life only to you
I've dreamt so long I cannot dream anymore
Let's run away, I'll take you there

We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the morning light
We'll be half way to anywhere
where no one needs a reason

Forget this life
Come with me
Don't look back you're safe now
Unlock your heart
Drop your guard
No one's left to stop you

Forget this life
Come with me
Don't look back you're safe now
Unlock your heart
Drop your guard
No one's left to stop you now

We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the morning light
We'll be half way to anywhere
Where Love is more than just your name