'Her form so slender,
So fragile she seems,
Lies all the world in her womb,
So full of promise for her King.'

**********************************************************

Logan was steaming, his anger was raging through his blood, when he'd turned and seen Marie's eyes wide at his violent outburst at Scott. He'd had to restrain himself from just grabbing her and dragging her with him into the forest.

His claws slid free and he let the rage flow from him, scarring the trees around him as he went into the heartwood of the forest unknowing that the cause of his anger was following him.

***************************

What on earth had gotten into Logan? Why the hell had he just attacked Scott? Could Jubes be right about what she'd said, that they were fighting over *her*? As she entered the treeline she felt the suns power lessen a little. The bosky forest floor springy under her feet led her along the path Logan had taken while her mind tried to put the information together in her head.

Okay, when Logan was back she spent time with him, they went out, did stuff that most friends did, watched movies, shouted at the friday night game on tv. They went for dinner in their favourite diner at least twice, they went for rides on his bike. The only thing she didn't do was drink with him, well she didn't sleep with him either but their friendship had never been that way anyway....had it?

Her mind went through the things they did together and looked at it through a different lens, through the words Jubes had told her. That both Scott and Logan fought over her attention, sure when Logan wasn't around Scott tended to give her more work. Making sure she caught up on subjects she wasn't too hot on, he made sure she involved herself in school activities. So she wasn't left alone when Logan wasn't here, he treated her like a brother would. But then your brother didn't give you advice on how to train to kill either, Scott had been pushing her toward joining the team. Telling her how much her powers could be used for the greater good, while Logan was against her risking herself for an ideal she wasn't sure she beleived in.

As her eyes saw the first slashes in the trunks of trees she knew she'd caught Logan's trail. The only way to find out exactly what had caused the whole thing was to go and ask him. It looked like Scott wouldn't be speaking for a while with his jaw, so Logan was the only one she could ask. If Jubes was *right* then this would be a very interesting conversation.

****************************************

He'd ended up at a deadfall, cutting into the damn soft wood with his claws, it was a good substitute for Scotts flesh. Every time he replayed the arguement in his head it made his body scream for action and he released another month of pent up anger into the decaying corpse.

((Scott had come wandering along the corridor, his steps unhurried but definate. Logan had been about to go and find Marie to say he was back when Scott had stopped him dead. His hand wrapping around his upper arm, that alone made his heckles raise.
"I don't want you to disturb Rogue right now Logan, she needs to study, to finish her work for her final grades. So no jaunts out on that 'thing' you call transport." Just the way he said it made Logan's instincts scream to gut him, the way he seemed to pull rank on him over Marie. How he managed not to just kill him there and then was testament to how shocked he was at Scott. Scott only compounded his error by adding, "Besides, I think it's better if you let her actually spend some time with the rest of her friends this summer Logan. You'll be gone again soon enough and she deserves better."

That snapped whatever control he had left and he fisted Scotts shirt and lifted him off the floor. His voice grinding out, "WHY? So she end up following *YOU* round like a love sick puppy dog?! YOUR MARRIED! Leave whats *MINE* alone!"
Scott didn't back down infact the idiotic fucker just seemed to get upset at his words.
"Just what are you implying Logan that I'm interested in Rogue....you disgusting abnormal...." He never let him finish because Logan dragged Scotts face to his own.

"Do you think I can't *smell* what your thinkin' Summers? Shit I know every fuckin' dirty thought that goes through your head and every other little prick in here. I've *seen* you watchin' her and every other female in here, you EVER go near her again without me around an Jeannie can kiss kids goodbye; cos you'll never give em to her!"

That was when the first blow was struck and it had been from Scott, a knee to the nuts and Logan had let his grip slide. When Scott had shifted back a little straightening his shirt Logan had just charged him through the glass doors leading to the garden.))

All he'd wanted to do was kill him, the bastard was trying to keep Marie away from him so he could have her to himself. He *knew* that was why he'd been on his case for the last year, all the arguements suddenly made sense to him. The bastard was lining her up if not for him then someone just like him with no fucking spine of his own. Someone like the Icecube who'd drain her of all her fire, make her a 'good woman', train her until she was a shadow of herself. He just concentrated on the dead wood, maybe when he felt a little calmer he could pack up and be out of there before Marie came lookin for him.

Pity she was already watching him.

***********************************

Logan was sweating hard, his shirts were open, sweat was running off him soaking through his clothing and filling the small clearing with the scent she'd always associated with him. It wasn't disturbing to her, nothing like the rest of the smells she encountered in gym class, this was sweet, earthy, raw.

He hadn't noticed her footsteps and she wasn't trying to keep her progress secret. So when he carried on cutting up the old log she thought he knew she was there, so when he turned and saw her eyes dark and body tense his reaction was a little shocking to her.

He ran full pelt over to her, claws drawn and sparkling in the dappled light that was falling through the canopy above. Marie stayed still, gripping the bark behind her as he ran toward her. Her eyes she kept on his, hoping her slight fear didn't reach him, when his claws entered the tree either side of her waist she shuddered a little as the tree swayed at the damage wrought. His gaze was dark, there was something hidden in there, something he needed her to see, something he couldn't *say* let alone believe.

Her walk to find him had made her realise exactly what role she'd been playing. The unknowing Maiden, the one who had to choose between The Oak King and his darker brother Holly. Oak, his way of perfect truth, of growth under pressure, of perfection in human form. Or Holly, the preserver, the keeper of secrets, the hope when all else is lost, the ever living, the adapter.

It fitted them both so well, Scott with his pushing at her grades, to make her the best because he believed she was capable of being one of the brightest students. His pushing for her to join the team, to follow a cause in her life, to let it guide her morals.
Whereas Logan was the opposite, he let her discover on her own, let her learn at her own pace, let her make mistakes with him, never telling her she was wrong, only showing her what had *gone* wrong. He let her choose for herself, trusted her to make the right decision, he made her laugh when she needed it. He put life before a fight, if the odds were too big you ran, then you could fight another day especially with a mutation like hers. He'd drummed into her that if they were ever attacked by military she should run, let him handle it, he'd be okay and he'd get to *her*.
Even though he knew she'd fight alongside him, he'd given her a *choice*, whereas Scott hadn't. She'd fight for Logan not for a dream that wasn't even hers.

So here they were, face to face, his breath filling her lungs and she could see his frame pushing closer to her own clothed form. The strain in his arms; him trying to keep his distance but he was losing the fight, part of him wanted to touch her just as much as she did him. Her gloved hand came up to his sweat covered face, tracing the lines that covered the face she'd dreamed about seeing. Her whisper as loud as a gale to his ears, "Ah choose you Logan, Ah'd choose you every single time sugar."

*****************************************

When he'd seen her stood there, he'd had to check her, scent her, make sure she still smelled the same as she had before he'd left. That no one had claimed her, that *Scott* his rival hadn't claimed her, that Scott's scent wasn't there overlaying her own.

He'd run to her, claws out, slamming them into the tree she was leaning against her fear spilling out into the air around her a little before she calmed again. He needed to see her, scent her, he wanted to tell her how much she meant to him. How much it would kill him if she chose someone else, how much her touch on his arm meant when no one else even bothered to reach out to him. She *always* gave herself willingly to him, her smiles, her questions, her soul. When she was with him the darkness wasn't all there was in life, she gave him hope in a life after all that had happened to him. And now he knew it existed he couldn't do without it anymore.

All of this he tried to tell her but the words wouldn't come, they stuck in his throat and choked him. Making his breath hard to take in but when she'd whispered to him it made his heart soar. "Ah choose you Logan, Ah'd choose you every single time sugar." She *KNEW*, she KNEW!

He relaxed, the claws sliding from the tree and his hands pulling her into the embrace he'd needed to feel since he'd gotten home. Dropping his head into her hair as he held her close, smothering her with his scent, marking her as *his*. She'd chosen him, over Scott and by the sighs that were coming from her it was one that she'd been waiting for as well.

******************************************

Walking back to the school her arm through Logan's Marie watched the kids playing and the tools being brought out to repair the doors Logan and Scott had destroyed. At the forest edge Logan released her arm and walked on alone, taking the tools he began repairing the doors himself. He'd do the physical repairs it was upto her to do the emotional, she had to go and talk to Scott and Jean. A small smile on her face she went across the lawn toward the kitchen doors unaware she was being watched from her bedroom.

Two sets of eyes watched her walk across the lawn, they'd watched Logan return his body relaxed and his face half smiling. Their gaze dropped to Rogue, her steps hesitant as she wove toward the kitchen, they're heads turned as one.
"Kitty, you take Mrs 'Perfect', I'll keep everyone else busy. Somehwo I think this next conversation needs a little privacy." Winking at her co-conspiritor they headed off in their own directions, they'd help Rogue to get what she wanted, what she needed, besides summer wasn't summer without a little romance in it.