I had absolutely no intention of ever going back to Xavier’s place. There was nothing for me there. Yeah, Marie was there, but after Jean died we tried it and it didn’t work out. Yes I realize I’m an asshole. It happens, get over it.

No intention what so ever. None. But, about five years after I left Marie tracked me down. For a wedding. Not her’s thankfully. For Storm and Kurt’s. Seems that Storm really wanted all of the X-Men there. And if Jean couldn’t be there in body, well at least I could, Marie told me. Fine, whatever I told her. I’d do my best.

I never expected what I saw when I got back. Not in a million years. I had thought that Marie would end up back with Popsicle. Ya know, someone her own age.

I had forgotten that the look in her eyes lets you know that she’s a whole lot older than she looks, than she is.

The first thing I noticed when I got back was that Marie wasn’t wearing gloves anymore. The second thing was that she smelled a whole lot like Scooter.

Scooter had told me when I first got to Xavier’s, it seems like a million years ago now, in reality it was only three; to stay away from his girl. So it seemed only fair to whisper to him “Think twice before you touch my girl, Scooter.”

“It’s a little late to be giving advice, Logan. And besides, she’s not your girl. She’s mine,” Scott said looking Logan straight in the eyes. “Any chance of her being your girl, left a long time ago, when you did.”

“Logan,” Storm said as she walked towards the two men. “Good to see you, I’m glad that Rogue convinced you to come. Come and say hello to Kurt.” Storm didn’t have to say that she was saying all of this just to get separate the two men, for a little while at least.

---

The wedding took place on Saturday. I had every intention of leaving on Saturday night. But a large amount of alcohol seems to impair good judgment. So I stuck around. But I was hanging out on the roof, away from the happy couple, and Storm and Kurt, and all the others. I had been doing my best impression of grin and bear all day, and wasn’t in the mood to be around people. Then again, I never am.

I fell asleep on the roof, and woke up early Sunday morning to the sun glaring in my face. I’m not a morning person.

So I wandered downstairs to find a quite, dark room. Obviously, the rec room was out. Some of these kids never sleep around here. The study seemed like a good place. All the requirements, dark, quiet, and very little chance of any kids popping in.

---

The third thing I noticed was a ring on her left hand. She had come into the study to do some homework. The light caught it as she was writing.

I sat watching her for a while, just thinking. All claims I had on Rogue were null and void. That stone on her finger told me so, even more than Scooter berating me. Finally said something before the silence killed me.

“Hey Rogue.”

“Logan, I didn’t see you over there. Do you want me to leave? I can go back to my room to study.”

“No, it’s ok. Thought maybe we could talk some anyways.”

“Ok. Shoot then.”

A million questions were running through my head. I settled for a non-dangerous one. “What happened to your gloves?”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot I hadn’t told you. Got a hold on my mutation a couple of years ago. So, no gloves, or scarves.”

“Oh, well, congratulations. Must make things more interesting around here.”

She smiled, one of those sweet little smiles that for the longest had been reserved for me. “Yeah, it does.” She started packing her books back into her bag. I still had one last question I had to ask before she left, before I left.

“Hey, Marie?”

“Yeah Logan?”

“He make you happy?”

She looked like she was searching for a word to describe it and finally settled on a plain “Yes.” Everything thing about her said she was telling the truth.

“Make sure you invite me to the wedding.” She smiled as she walked out of the door.

---

I left right after that. Didn’t stick around, didn’t tell anyone good bye. Just climbed onto my bike and road away.

She won’t invite me, and I wouldn’t come if she did. We both knew that. It was just my way of saying, go for it.

End.