'Anger is never the answer,
But it sure feels good to rip the shit out someone once in a while....'

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He kicked the cell door again, testing the strength of it, the plastic was an insult to him. Fucker didn't need to keep him in a damn fishbowl, all because he'd lost his temper. Lost his focus while fighting the bad guys, he'd killed the fuckers instead of just 'restraining' them. Shit if Xavier wanted them 'restrained' he should have sent out the fuckin' boy scout instead of him. Talking of which he could scent the prick now bringing his rations, probably drugged again but hey he needed the fuel.

Standing up Logan prepared himself for the scrutiny of Scott, his skin was covered in blood still, his hair stuck with it in places. He hadn't cleaned himself up for two days and he wasn't going to anytime soon, he liked the way it disturbed the rest of them. To see him covered in gore, reminding them of how dangerous he was to everyone around him, including them.

Scott had his hands free of food but he was holding a set of fresh clothes from Logan's room. Scott pressed the button to the cell and opened the door for Logan to step through. Taking advantage Logan stepped through quickly and Scott handed him the clothing, his nose wrinkling at the smell of death that still clung to his skin. "Here, Xavier wants to see you upstairs in an hour. Something about a 'job'." Logan sneered at the younger man, he could wrap it anyway he liked but it was an assassination he was sending him out on. Oh yeah he knew the terms for it, 'retirement', 'vacation', 'problem solving', 'removal'. He was one of the best and when it was over he was gone, he'd had enough of being a lap dog. He'd been listening to the messages Marie had been sending him via the phone number he'd given her. She'd phone him say hi and then hang up, ringing back with a message that would play at him.

The first one had been a shock but it had made him keep his game going with these guys. What she'd revealed to him had been hard for her but the emotion had been real, he could even see her as she spoke it. The way her skin would've flushed at the thought of him in the penguin suit he'd worn to the ball. Hell he'd had so many offers that night he'd thought he'd been in heaven, until he'd seen her face across the room. The way she'd been hiding in a corner, trying not to be touched or seen but desperate for someone to *see* her. He had but he'd been too late by then and she'd run out of the room, the next day had been a mission an when they'd got back she wasn't there.
She'd come back later and hugged him, touched him with her bare skin and he'd known where she'd gone. Then everything had gone to hell for her and he'd just backed off, let her work it out for herself. He thought she'd coped with it all but she hadn't even faced it, she'd run and he didn't have to look far for where she got that from.

No she was safe for now, he was on one last mission and then he was out of there. Walking behind Scott he made a fist and swiped his fisted hand behind Scotts neck, the breeze making him turn to look at the man behind him. Even through his visor Logan could see the man wondering if he'd lost it, if he was a danger to everyone here and how to handle him. His scent filled with distress Logan just pushed past him a snarl on his lips, throwing out the words as he walked to his room where he hoped a new message waited for him. "If I wanted to you'd never even feel it comin'." He heard the sigh from behind and smiled as he ran to his room.

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She sat at her desk, the little place was warm, quiet and very comfortable. She shared the rent with two others who had seperate rooms like her in the old house. All women they seemed to get on quite well and with her own job being one that covered early mornings she was the first one back in the house. So she cooked dinner, cleaned up and was met with appreciation of her efforts; it was the small things like being handed cash for the shopping that pleased her. The job wasn't for everyone but stacking and cleaning shelves was something that gave her time to think. Plus the unsociable hours she worked meant that she was safe going to and from work, no one was around when she walked to work every day.

Now she had time to do her message, the weekly thing that kept her together, only once had Logan returned a call and that was to check her landline number. Now he knew it he wouldn't phone unless it was really necessary. Clearing her throat she clicked the little recorder into life.
"Happy christmas Logan, Ah know ya don't really celebrate it but Ah want ya to know that Ah'm thinkin of ya." She always gave him something like that in the beginning, it strengthened her feeling that he was there with her, even if he wasn't. "Anyway Ah've made some progress, the truck is fixed and it wasn't the transmission like Ah thought. So Ah'm mobile again, the snow aint too bad here, not yet but Emily say's it'll get harder when the year turns. But thats not everythin is it, Ah need to see ya Logan, Ah need to know ya'll okay. Ah'm bein selfish Ah know but Ah need to see a friendly face, everyone here in the house is goin' home for a few days so the coast'll be clear. Ah hope ya'll can make it, it's been hard without ya but it's been worth it. Ah'm livin here Logan, creatin stuff again, ya'll should see the decorations we've got everywhere. Never thought chicken's could be festive till now, anyhow Ah'd love to see ya Logan." Now came the bombshell and she held her emotions in check while she tried to get her thoughts in order before speaking them out loud to be sent to him later.

"Logan Ah *need* ya to come here, Ah want to touch ya, if ya'll let me. Ah want ya to touch *me*, Ah'm not goin to wait forever Logan an Ah want you to be the first man Ah know, maybe the last man too." She paused the recorder and took a breath before continuing, she was holding out so much to him, so much he could refuse but she had to know.
"So when do you think ya'll could get here? Let me know if you're comin' ring the number you have for me at 4am and Ah'll get it. Don't forget me Logan, Ah miss ya more than ya'll ever know." She snapped off the recorder and picked up the phone to send it through. Her mind in a whirl she did it then because she might chicken out later and change her mind. Finally when it had gone through she hung up the phone and waited, everything was in his court now. She'd asked him and it was his decision all she could do was live with the answer.

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The message ran through his mind, she was waiting for him, she *needed* him to touch her and finally it was in all the ways he been wishing for. Snapping the phone away he stashed it back into it's hiding place and began throwing things into a bag. After he'd done the job for Xavier he was going to see Marie and after that who knows?

Looking around the spartan room he'd been living in he took everything that mattered to him, it wasn't much and when he left it he knew he wasn't coming back. Even as he heard the kids below singing their carols about peace on earth he knew that Xavier had no such thoughts in his mind. After this he was gone, he had a life to live with Marie and he was going to live it.

He'd chained him up like a rabid dog for doing what he was meant to do, what Xavier sent him out to do alone. Thing was he'd done it in front of his team and that couldn't happen again. Sick of the lies and hypocrisy he was leaving for a better place, a better life and he'd be damned before he came back here again.

He was free and determined to stay that way, both of them.