If you're thinking you want a stranger by Shadowlady
Summary: It's time for Logan to deal with his own mess
Categories: X3 Characters: None
Genres: Angst
Tags: None
Warnings: None
Challenges:
Series: None
Chapters: 1 Completed: Yes Word count: 834 Read: 2355 Published: 10/16/2007 Updated: 10/16/2007

1. If you're thinking you want a stranger by Shadowlady

If you're thinking you want a stranger by Shadowlady
Raking a trembling hand through her hair, Rogue stared out over the darkened yard. The faint sound of an engine had her shaking her head and she turned away from the window. There was no point in watching for him, he’d return no earlier than day break reeking of cheap perfume, beer, and sweat.

Ten years. Death. Rebirth. Everything they’d ever had to go through and now she was standing alone, chilled to the bone and waiting for her husband to return. Wiping at the single tear that had escaped her iron control she shuffled over and crawled into the bed. Pulling the satin up around her shoulders she pulled his pillow in tighter against her body and prayed for an early sunrise.


Logan rolled his shoulders beneath his battered old jacket and stared darkly into his whiskey. He didn’t know what it was of late but things had changed. One minute he’d been happy, perhaps too happy, but he figured it was safe. The next… oh God the next he was staring into the pain filled gaze of his wife.

Draining his glass he growled low at the painted bar-fly that had affixed herself to him. “Don’t you have somethin’ better to do?”

“Seems to me, I should be asking that question.” She whispered in his ear, her hand creeping up his thigh.

He caught the pained hiss escaping from her when he grabbed her hand in a ruthless grip and stared into her eyes. “Hands off. That ain’t yours.”

“Ooh, sugar if you like it rough all you have to do is say…”

“I ain’t interested, bitch now slither away.” Logan watched her painted features twist into a banked rage before she smoothed her face out and flounced away. Long after she’d gone he sat staring at the bar, his mind a tangled web of uncertainty. The only thought he could manage was that he had to do something. He wouldn’t give up on their relationship.

“Seems to me buddy, you got a serious problem.”

“No shit.”

“Take some advice?” The bartender shrugged at his disbelieving look. “Go home, crawl into bed and make her scream your name. Ain’t no call for you to be sitting here all night drinking beer and running the women folk off.”

“Might just do that.” Logan grunted and tossed a few bills on the counter. He paused at the end of the bar, his gaze falling upon the payphone. Walking over to it he picked it up and listened to the annoying dial tone for a few seconds.

“Suck it up, bub and just dial the damn number.” He muttered under his breath before punching in the number.

“Hello?” Soft, sleepy, filled with more pain than any ten people the word broke his heart.

Leaning his forehead against the cold wall he heaved a sigh, “Hon?”

“It’s three am, Logan, I have class…”

“Shh, just listen to me.” Logan whispered painfully, his grip tight on the receiver. “I need to tell you this. I need you to know, need you to understand what it is that… Look it's not your fault some nights I've left you alone. I just wanted to tell you that you're gonna see a change in me. I swear no more late nights comin' in at daylight and no more making you think I’m out doin' you wrong. I know that recently you’ve been having doubts, been thinking that I’m…no. No this ain’t on you. If you're thinking, you want a stranger there’s one coming home. If you’ll let me.”

Silence met his impassioned speech, each second ticked by like a bomb, his stomach tying in tighter and tighter knots as he waited for her to destroy him. Standing there he stared at the battered old phone, the noise from behind him barely registering as he struggled to swallow his pride. “Please.”

“Logan.” Her voice echoed with tears, trembling slightly but he waited impatiently. This wasn’t about her, this was about him, about them. “You fuck up again and I’ll suck you dry.”

“I can live with that.” He chuckled weakly. “Scream at me, throw things, do whatever you think you need to but don’t let me hurt you anymore. I thought, I thought that you uh had stopped…”

“Never. Come home.”

Hanging up the phone Logan headed for the door. He would do whatever he had to to make her happy, starting tonight. And first thing he had to do was make a quick stop on the way home, there had to be something open he could get a bunch of flowers. Smiling softly as he crawled onto the bike he shook his head. She’d never wanted flowers and candy. All she’d ever wanted from him was his heart, something he’d once believed he could never give her forever. But now, he knew she had it already.
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