It started the night they nearly killed each other.

He never fully established why she came to his room, and by the time it was all said and done, it didn't seem to matter to anyone else but him. He stabbed her through the chest and she nearly sucked the life out of him. Although Marie was the one who walked away with his harrowing memories, he was left haunted by her touch and the desire for so much more. She left her mark on him.

Logan was surprised at how much restraint he practiced for the following three years. Jean was a nice distraction with her mile long legs and crazy eyes, but whenever he was having his way with one of his fast and ready bar flies, it was Marie's face that he pictured.

He'd even called out her name during a few choice encounters. He'd just laugh. If they didn't already know it was a one time deal, they'd sure as hell know after that!

He sometimes caught himself staring at her various desirable body parts...ass...tits...lips...hips...legs...eyes.

When he came back before Crazy Jean...or Phoenix reappeared, he nearly jumped Marie when she gave him his normal "Welcome Back, Sugah" hug. The little vixen had suddenly learned how to walk in high heels, switch her hips and pouted with those luscious lips. She was learning the art of seduction...for Bobby.

Logan didn't really hate Iceman, he just wished he would disappear. At least Bobby couldn't touch her. That was the one thing keeping Logan sane...knowing that ice prick hadn't gotten in any more than a quick kiss.

He repeatedly attempted to remind himself that she was a kid. She had a good, sweet heart and he shouldn't think of her that way. He could never give her the love she truly needed or the life she actually wanted. He had no goddamn business thinking of her that way. Logan didn't want marriage, kids, or the house with the white picket fence. That kind of storybook shit was for people without adamantium plated skeletons and horrific pasts...it was for good people like Marie. She watched sports without complaint, cooked him meals, had a wicked sense of humor and loved riding motorcycles. She would have been the perfect woman if she wasn't so good.

When they lost Scott, Jean and Chuck, Logan knew it was something Marie would take pretty hard, so he tried to stick around and be there for her as best he could...until he reminded himself that she was now touchable.

His thoughts were first plagued with images of ice prick fumbling around on top of her...barely sure of which hole to stick it in.

Then there were the other thoughts.

Marie bent over, up against a wall, laying in his bed, on his bike...the list went on and on. He imagined her in every possible position and in every place possible. His favorite little daydream involved the bathroom of his favorite diner.

Again, he reminded himself to stop thinking of her in that way, so he would go out and find a Marie replacement to fuck. He'd leave them feeling even hungrier for Marie. It was like he was eating empty calories and nothing would fill him up...except for Rogue.

Logan was stuck at the mansion.

Since the professor was dead and he had helped dispose of Stryker, Logan had no leads concerning his past. His funds were low, so he would have to do some cage fighting if he ever wanted to escape the geeks. For a while, he would let his thoughts drift to Marie and he wouldn't want to leave...until he remembered that he was no good for her.

Logan sat in the kitchen sipping a soda, silently wishing it was beer as he took each unfortunate gulp. Marie bounded in with a bright smile on her face...much brighter than Logan's typical scowl.

As she spoke, her voice dripped with southern cured honey, "Hey sugah...you don't look like you're enjoyin' that coke very much."

"What gave that away?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

She smiled teasingly and took a couple of steps toward him as he laughed a little and turned away to keep from fully responding to her flirtation. Damn she was sexy. He glanced back at her as she spoke, "I got something for you..."

'Please let it be you, naked' he thought as she pulled a brown paper bag from behind her, setting it on the counter in front of him. Logan gave her a wary look as he reached for the bag. Marie's gifts to him had been hits and misses...well, actually more misses than hits, so his hesitation to open one of her gifts was warranted.

He opened the bag and almost gasped like a kid getting their first bike at Christmas. Beer. Glorious, golden beer. A full six pack...all for him.

Logan looked up at her with a thankful, but confused expression, "Kid...how'd you get this?"

She put both her hands on the counter and leaned over a little. Logan squirmed as he looked her up and down. She wore a fitted short sleeved shirt with a deep v neck, which flaunted her deliciously ample cleavage and tight skinny jeans that clung to her tight little ass perfectly.

He tried to keep his eyes on her face as she spoke, "Aw hon, you know not everyone thinks I'm as young as you do. Some men happen to think I look like a grown woman."

Her voice carried the slightest hint of flirtation as he snatched a beer out of the bag, immediately popping the cap. Logan would have hated her when she flirted if he didn't love it so damn much. It gave him a brief glimpse into what she would be like during foreplay.

He took a few swigs and smiled at the wonderful bite that tickled the back of his throat, "Well, kid, whatever you did, I owe you big time."

She smirked and nudged him before walking to the refrigerator, "I'll think of a way you can pay me back..."

It was getting to be too much for him. She was a flirt...that's just the type of chick she had developed into, but damn...how could she not know her affect on him?

Maybe it was all the time she had spent with Jubilee...or maybe it was the newfound sexual freedom she was exploring with Bobby. Either way, she was driving him even crazier than he already was.

He groaned slightly as she winked at him and left the room. Logan watched her ass the whole way and shook his head as he attempted to rid himself of the dirty thoughts of her stretched out on the very counter he sat at.
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Marie loved flirting with Logan. Aside from his obvious rugged attractiveness, he was her hero. She knew he wasn't perfect by any means, but he was still the man she had placed on her pedestal and in her dreams. Before she lost her virginity to Bobby, she often fantasized about what a bedroom experience with Logan would be like.

She imagined it would be rough, yet loving...animalistic, yet passionate. In other words, it would be perfect.

She kept all sexual thoughts of Logan where they belonged...in her head. She knew he wasn't the type who would commit to her, so she allowed herself to fantasize and flirt...but never indulge in the last 'F'. Two outta three 'F's wasn't bad in her book, especially considering how sexy he was.

Marie loved Bobby. He had risked his life just to kiss her at a couple of different points in their relationship...of course he was a keeper. His flirtation with Kitty had bugged her until she found her and Piotr having sex up against one of the sheds in the back of the property. The look on their faces was priceless.

No matter how much she fantasized about Logan, she knew she couldn't give into to such temptation. Marie wanted love, commitment, stability and eventually, a family. She wanted all of the things she knew Logan would not give...so she pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind.
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He'd spent the better part of the evening driving himself crazy. With every swig of beer he had that afternoon came a new mini-fantasy starring Marie. He wanted her body so badly, but was sure a girl as young as her would fall in love and end up needing more than he was willing and able to give.

He sat in the library sometime after midnight with only the soft glow of the moon and the outer lights of the mansion to illuminate the room. Rogue walked in without noticing him and began perusing the endless shelves. She told him that she read whenever she couldn't sleep. After she inherited his nightmares, she was able to finish Moby Dick in less than three nights...so he figured she was busy looking for something else to pass the time as she fought off the insomnia.

His breath hitched in his throat as he noticed what she was wearing. A cotton nightgown...a thin, spaghetti strapped cotton nightgown that stopped just below her ass. She started to move to the nearest light switch so she could see better, but he stopped her with his voice, "Can't sleep kid?"

Marie spun around, clutching her heart, "Shit Logan! You scared the hell outta me!"

He stood, setting his nearly finished beer down, "Didn't mean to do that. Tryin' to find somethin' to read, huh?"

The self control was waning. Every inch of uncovered skin was silently calling out for him to touch it. She ran a hand through her hair and shrugged before turning back to the shelves, fully unaware of the desire in his eyes as he slowly approached her, "Yea...was hoping for something adventurous. Bobby hates it when I read the romantic stuff. He says it makes our expectations too high. I don't see a big problem though! What's wrong with a man sweeping you off your feet and having his way with you?"

"Not a damn thing", he almost whispered.

She turned back around and was surprised to see that he was barely a foot in front of her. Marie would be lying if Logan hadn't been the object of her fantasy ever since they met. Whose fantasy wouldn't he star in? But she was with Bobby. Sweet, sensitive, safe, age appropriate Bobby.

She spoke quietly as she stared into his determined eyes, "What are you doing?" Self control was gone. Logan needed her now...and nothing would stop him.

He grabbed her waist and pushed her back against the book shelf, causing her to yelp slightly as she looked up into his face, "Logan..."

He stared into her uncertain eyes for a moment before taking her face in his hands and kissing her hungrily. She pushed his lips away from hers, but it was useless. He simply relocated them to her neck, causing her to shudder and urgently whisper, "Logan! Stop! I can't!"

He heard her words, but refused to listen. He couldn't. He had wanted her for so long and now he was so close...

Marie's body was playing tug of war, and unfortunately for her mind, her body was winning. She continued to fight uselessly against him as his lips traveled from her neck to her cleavage. She didn't know when it happened, but her eyes drifted closed as he trailed hungry kisses down her neck to her heaving bosom. His hand snaked underneath her nightgown to play with the hemline of her panties, which caused her to increase the fervency of her resistance, "No Logan! Stop!"

With one powerful yank, her panties were ripped off and tossed to the floor. He brought his face back to hers and whispered before kissing her, "You want this Marie...I can smell it on you."

She felt weakened. He reached down and raised her left leg so that she could rest her foot on one of the higher book shelves further up and beside them to give him easy access to the prize at the apex of her thighs. He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down just far enough for his erection to spring forward.

Marie shook her head quickly and pushed against his chest as he licked at her neck, then reached down and pushed his middle finger inside of her. She was lost. The Marie she thought she was had vacated the premises and some wanton slut had replaced her.

She let out a moan and grabbed onto the bookshelves above her as his finger dipped in and out of her dripping slit. Logan smiled in smug satisfaction as he felt her body begin to give into his will. In his mind, he marveled at the tightness that surrounded his finger. He leaned over and kissed her neck before removing his finger and guiding his shaft forward.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him, whispering, "Logan...please...don't."

He kissed her and whispered back, "You're going to moan my name before this is over, Marie."

With that, he shoved himself all the way inside of her. She cried out softly, but stopped herself as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders to steady herself, while the other continued to grasp the shelf above her.

Logan didn't give her much time to adjust. He immediately started pumping into her with long, deep, powerful strokes that shoved her a few inches up the bookshelf each time he pushed in, then let her drift back down the few inches when he partially pulled out, only to push her back up again with the next stroke. He gripped her ass with one hand while the other held onto the shelf beside her, smiling as soft moans escaped her lips.

She was enjoying it far more than she cared to admit.

Marie was everything he had been fantasizing about, only better. He yanked one of her straps down off of her shoulder, causing the flimsy fabric of her nightgown to fall away. He quickly attached his lips to her breast and whispered against her nipple, "Say my name, Marie...say it..."

She moaned and whispered, "Logan..."

"Again..." he growled as he increased the speed of his thrusts. He was close.

She shuddered and yelped as her body began to lose control, "L-l-logan!"

He lifted his head up and grabbed her neck. He wanted to watch her face as she came for him, "Look at me...look at me Marie."

She tried to open her eyes, but it was too late. The warmth that had been building within her burst into a wild flame, causing her to thrash and tightly grasp onto him. Watching her climax pushed him over the edge. He shoved himself deep inside of her and came as he bit his lip to keep from roaring out in pleasure.

He held her there for a while, panting until he felt his cum start to leak out of her and onto his leg. He leaned back slightly to look into her face, but she averted her eyes from his gaze and turned her head to the floor. They said nothing for what felt like an eternity. They stood there, with his softening member still buried deep within her, breathing heavily and attempting to find the right words to say.

He knew she felt guilty about what she had done because of Bobby. She loved Bobby...as well she should. But Logan loved Marie. Of course, not in the way that he should...or not enough to give up his life as a lone wanderer, but he did love her. He pulled her face back to his, forcing her to look him in the eyes. She started to say something, but just put her hands on his shoulders and squirmed a little to disengage herself from his cock. He let her down and almost let her walk away before he snatched her back into his arms and gave her a soft, loving kiss, which was a stark contrast to the forceful, passionate kiss that led to their encounter.

Marie returned it and stared at him when the kiss ended. She whispered as she looked into his eyes, "Why Logan?"

He gave her a questioning look. Could it be that she didn't know that she was the sole object of his true affection? He shook his head, "It's always been you, kid."

"I'm with Bobby, Logan...what do we do now?" she said as he released her from his embrace.

He stowed himself away in his pants, "Now...you go back to your room and go to sleep...you know I can't give you anymore than this."

Marie crossed her arms...it was more to cover herself than show attitude. She shook her head and looked down, "This can't happen again. I love Bobby and he is willing to give me everything you can't. This won't happen again."

She turned and walked out of the library as he looked over and picked up her shredded panties before tucking them into his pocket. Her voice echoed in his head, repeating 'This won't happen again.'

He smirked to himself. She didn't know it yet, but she was very very wrong.

Logan left an hour after their encounter. He needed to boost his funds, so he headed up to Canada to his old cage fighting spots. His incident with Marie kept replaying in his mind and ended up making his bike ride far more uncomfortable than it should have been. When he reached his motel, instead of showering and going out to a bar to pick up a random lay, he stayed in his room and pulled Marie's torn panties out of his bag. He chided himself internally. When did he become such an obsessive pervert?

He brought the torn fabric to his nose and smelled her soft, sweet scent as he felt himself start to harden. He soon had his fist firmly wrapped around his cock, moaning Marie's name repeatedly. When he came, he realized that jacking off to memories of having sex with her satisfied him more than fucking a random bar hopper would have.
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Marie took two showers in seven hours. The first she took directly after she and Logan had sex. The second time, she showered in the morning after she woke up to realize that his cum had continued to leak from her all night. During the second shower, her fingers drifted down to her crotch as she thought of Logan. She pleasured herself as she leaned against the cool tile of the shower. When she came, she whispered his name.

Marie opened her eyes and let the water wash over her as a sob erupted in her throat. She sunk down to the shower floor and hugged her knees to her body as she wept softly. She cried for what she had done to Bobby...for what Logan had done to her...but mostly, she cried for the unfulfilled desire that Logan had created within her. Even though he was a womanizing loner with no true home, a part of her wanted to risk every dream she had to be with him, but she knew he was like a drug to her...a drug that felt oh so good at first, but would wreak havoc on her mind and body later.

By the following day, she was actually happy that Logan had gone. Marie decided to put "the incident" behind her and move forward with her life.

Things slowly started to return to normal. Marie had gotten really good at pushing the memories of Logan from her mind...during the day. Nighttime was a whole different animal. When darkness fell, Logan invaded her mind. She was haunted by images of what had happened between them and what could happen between them. She thanked her lucky stars that she was in a room alone. There was no way she could get away with making all the noise she made when she was pleasuring herself to the memories of she and Logan's library encounter.

After each climax she reached while thinking of him, she would shed tears of guilt. She hated herself for wanting him as much as she did. He practically forced himself on her...but here she was, cumming almost as hard as she had the night they were together, while thinking of him.

When she and Bobby made love, it was quiet...nice...but quiet. She loved him and was willing to put up with a so-so sex life if it meant having him by her side.
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Logan spent his time fighting and hopping from one area to the next. By his fourth month on the road, he felt as if he had a rubber band stuck to him. One end was attached to his back and the other was attached to Marie. The band was getting too tight and he had the strong urge to get back to her before it snapped his ass back to the mansion's doorstep.

He hadn't slept with nearly as many women as he thought he should have during his time away. During most nights, he stayed holed up in a motel room with her panties...using them as a point of reference as he came while calling her name. He hated himself for being so pathetic...so obsessed. She didn't deserve what he did to her...yet he desperately needed to do it again, despite the "good guy" voice inside telling him to stay far away from her.
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When her 18th birthday rolled around, Storm and Bobby threw Marie an amazing party. She had gone shopping with Jubilee, who convinced her to buy a dress she never would have even picked out if her firecracker of a friend wasn't there. It was a fitted halter top red dress with an impossibly deep v neckline, which stopped about four inches above her knees.

When she had finally gotten dressed for the party, Jubes had to convince her to leave her room, "You look awesome chica! Come on! Bobby's gonna love it!"

Rogue tried to stuff her breasts further into the dress to lessen her cleavage, "I am one strong breeze away from showing nipple, Jubes. If Storm gets mad about somethin', I'm fucked. I mean...look at the length of this! It's almost obscene!"

Jubilee stood up and grabbed Rogue's fretting hands as she moved to pull the hem of her dress down to cover more leg, "Listen chica...you're the birthday girl, this is your party and you look hot. Hell...girls around this school have worn far less to class. Come on! Show off your assets! If I had those legs and boobs, you couldn't get me to cover up!"

Marie smiled at her friend and took a deep breath, "Really?"

"Really" Jubes said matter-of-factly. "Now let's go. You're gonna be late to your own party!"

When Marie walked in, music was blaring and people were already on the dance floor. Bobby rushed to her through the crowd and stared at her with wide eyes for a moment, "Wow..."

"Does that mean you like it?" she asked unsurely.

He grinned and nodded quickly, "You look amazing."

Marie blushed as Bobby took her hand and led her through the crowd to join the party.
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Logan pulled up to the mansion and wondered why the hell so many cars were parked outside. He saw balloons, heard music and watched as some teenagers bounded inside. He didn't feel like dealing with kids right now...he only wanted to see Marie.

He snuck in, taking the back entrance. Either way, he would still end up walking by the party, but at least he wouldn't have to walk into it to get to his room. He glanced into the modified dining hall out of curiosity. He at least wanted to see what was going on.

He cursed under his breath when he spotted a homemade banner on the opposite end of the wall that read, 'Happy Birthday Rogue!'.

"Shit..." he muttered, "...perfect timing." He dropped his stuff in his room, then made his way to Marie's. He knew she was probably still in the party, but the panties he had held onto for four months didn't smell like her anymore and he desperately wanted a reminder of what her sweet scent was like. When he walked in, her smell overtook him, making him close his eyes and smile. He strolled further into her room and began tracing a finger over her various belongings...lipstick...iPod...brush. He felt himself hardening at the thought of her.
-----------------------
He didn't see her, but she saw him. Her eyes widened, her body stiffened and she immediately felt flushed. Bobby's sensitive intuitiveness immediately picked up on it, "You alright?"

Marie nodded, "I'm-I'm fine. Just need a bit of fresh air..."

He rubbed her back, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, thanks Bobby...I'm fine. I won't be long."

He nodded as she weaved her way through the party goers to the mansion's main hall. She rushed off to her room. She just needed quiet...just a moment of quietness in her room.

She walked into her room without looking in and immediately spun around to face the door, closing it and shutting her eyes. She had to stop herself from screaming when his familiar voice floated from behind her, "Long time no see, kid."

She turned around as he eyed her hungrily. For some reason, she always seemed to end up where he needed her to be. He began to stalk toward her but she rushed forward and pushed hard in the chest with both of her hands with a surprising amount of strength, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

He didn't really have an answer for that question. What was he going to say? 'I'm here to fuck your brains out again, whether you initially want to or not'? Instead, the words fell from his mouth before he was able to catch them, "I missed you."

She shook her head incredulously, "You what? You missed me? Logan...do you remember what happened the last time you were here? Or have you lost your memory again? You damn near ruined me the last time you were here. You...you did something to me..."

Her chest heaved as silent tears began to run down her face. She took a couple of weak steps backwards before he rushed over and took her in his arms, kissing her passionately. She mumbled protests against his mouth as she weakly pushed against his chest. She felt his hardening cock press against her and pushed him hard, actually succeeding in knocking him off of her.

She trembled and angrily wiped at the tears, "No. Not this time...I refuse Logan. I am not going to let you do that to me...not again."

Just like last time, he smelled her arousal. He had memorized her scent signature out of the hundreds of women that he had slept with. Hers was the softest...the sweetest. She wanted him, her mind just didn't want to admit it.

As she turned to walk out of the room, he rushed up behind her, grabbing her waist and pressing his erection against her ass. He whispered into her ear, "I've been thinking about you every single night I've been away...I need to be inside of you again. You can't deny me that, Marie."

His hand roughly reached up to grab her breast and fondle it through her dress as he continued to grind against her from behind. She closed her eyes and allowed more tears to fall. Her body wanted him so badly...it needed him so desperately. The last time she had experienced pure physical bliss was when he had her pushed up against the book shelves months ago. Since then, she had made love to Bobby, quietly and without much fuss.

She tried to peel his hands from her body but it was too much. He yanked her around and roughly pushed her against the door, kissing her passionately. He trailed kisses down her neck, between her exposed breasts and kneeled before her. He reached beneath her dress and yanked her panties down, snatching her foot out of one of the holes. The tears had stopped, but still remained wet on her face as she moaned in uncertainty and bit her lip while she attempted to find the will power to put a stop to the situation.

Logan lifted her thigh and placed it on his shoulder as he buried his face in her pussy. He ran his tongue all the way up from her opening to her clit, causing her to jump and close her eyes. He alternated dipping his tongue inside of her and sucking on her engorged clit before lifting her other thigh and putting it over his other shoulder. Now she sat on his shoulders with her back against the door as he ate her out with more care and passion that she had ever experienced from anyone.

She almost came on his face, but he stopped before she had the chance. In her mind, there was no going back now...and that's exactly how Logan planned it. There would be no resistance when he stood up and laid her down on the bed, only passionate obedience.

As Logan laid on top of her, he opened his pants and yanked out his cock before quickly and unceremoniously pushing himself inside, causing them both to moan loudly. He had wanted this moment for the past four months and he was determined to enjoy every second of it. He eagerly groped at her body as he pumped in and out of her. Their actions were halted by a knock at the door.

Logan looked down at her as Bobby called through the door, "Hey babe...everything alright?"

Marie's eyes widened as Logan smirked evilly. She gave him a pleading look and shook her head as she mouthed the word, "Don't."

He thrust into her hard once, causing her to almost yelp as she tried to answer Bobby, "N-n-no! I mean yea! Everything's fine! I was just on the phone...I'll be back down in a minute!"

"Ok babe...don't be too long. Wouldn't want you to miss your own party!"

Logan made sure the Iceman's footsteps had fully retreated before he began pumping into her with a new sense of urgency. He wanted to make her cum the way he knew the guy who had just been standing on the other side of the door, couldn't.

As Marie's orgasm took over her body, she gripped his shirt with both hands and tore the cheap fabric, exposing his gorgeous chest. He growled and leaned down, kissing her roughly just before he came hard.

They both panted heavily as he looked down at her. She covered her eyes with both hands and shook her head. She pushed him off of her and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. When she walked back out into her room, he was gone.

She could smell the sex on herself, so she cleaned up a bit and changed into her "back up" dress she had bought just in case she didn't have the guts to pull off the one that now bore the evidence of her rendezvous with Logan.

She returned to the party and almost cringed when Bobby kissed her cheek, "Decided to change?"

"Yea...that dress was more Jubilee's idea anyways" she forced herself to smile and distracted him by asking him to get her a punch.

Marie kept feeling his cum leak from her...something she forgot about last time. She kept shifting uneasily and refused to sit down, for fear she would get up with a wet spot on her dress.

Logan went down to the party and watched her for a few moments before going down to the gym to work himself out into an exhausted stupor. He felt the need to punish himself.

Marie avoided Logan during the day, even though he had tried to corner her in various parts of the mansion for a quickie...but unfortunately, wandering students prevented that. She slept with Bobby the first night, but the following night, Bobby had gone out with Piotr and a couple of other guys for a late dinner and a movie.

She laid in her bed that evening, alone, desperately trying to keep her thoughts off of Logan.

Eventually, she fell into a light sleep. She stirred slightly when she heard her door open and felt the weight of a body in bed beside her a couple of seconds later. She felt arms wrap around her from behind and smiled in her semi-conscious state. She felt her late night guest kiss her shoulder blade and she immediately knew who it was...the stubble on his face gave it away. She shuddered as she heard his claws come out and cut away the fabric of her nightgown and her panties. He retracted his claws, then repeatedly kissed her shoulder blades and soon began kissing down the middle of her back.

Again, the water works started. She shut her eyes and whispered, "I love Bobby..."

The kisses stopped as he leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Nobody said you didn't, kid."

She sniffled and wiped at the tears without turning over. She shivered as he kissed her neck and reached down to finger her. She was amazed she was even able to speak, "Me doing this with you says I don't. Logan, just please stop...leave. Go back to where you came from..."

She let out a soft moan as he pushed a finger inside of her, "I don't wanna be anywhere but inside of you right now."

Marie's eyes rolled closed as he softly bit her shoulder. He rolled her onto her stomach and pulled her hips up before pulling off his shirt and pushing down his pants. He laid between her legs and entered her from behind, causing her to grip the sheets in front of her.

Logan gathered her hair in one hand and pulled her head to the side so that he could lean down and nip at her ear and neck as he pumped into her. He stared at her profile as he fucked her, noticing that her face bore an expression that was a beautiful mix of pleasure and guilt. He whispered as he continued to push into her, "You're so goddamn beautiful Marie..."

He shoved his hand down between her and the mattress and began playing with her clit, which soon sent her skyrocketing toward her climax. She bucked back against him, setting off his own delicious orgasm. He moaned loudly into her ear and rested on top of her with his face resting on her shoulder blade. She pushed back with her shoulders soon after...basically her way of telling him to get off.

He pulled out of her and rolled over as she sat up, taking the tattered remains of her panties and nightgown to the bathroom with her. She figured he would be gone by the time she got back, but he sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for her as she emerged from the shower with wet hair and a towel wrapped around her.

He motioned toward the bathroom, "You always shower right after?"

She paused and looked at him, almost laughing at the ridiculousness of their situation. She turned back to the mirror and began brushing out her hair, "If I feel dirty, yes."

He let out a small grunt and flashed her a stupid little half-smile, "I make you feel dirty?"

She ignored him, tossing her brush down as she went to her dresser to fish out a new nightgown, "Why are you still here?"

He shrugged, "I wanted to spend time with you...I haven't gotten a chance to hang out with you much since I got back."

She furrowed her eyebrows, "We've been together twice since you got back."

"That's not hanging out...that's fucking", he said as he stood.

She put her hands on her hips, "So...you're tellin' me you want to hang out and watch football, just like old times?"

He stood and began dressing, "I'm saying that no matter what you think...you're still my closest friend in the world and when I'm gone, I miss hanging out with you...among other things."

Her expression softened despite the anger still boiling over in her mind. Who the hell did he think he was? After all that's happened between them, he wants her to just go back to the way things were?

Apparently so.

The next evening, she sat in the faculty den alone, watching football with a plate of nachos and a soda. It was the only place she could go to get alone. Bobby wasn't a big non-winter sports fan and Jubilee couldn't even tell football from baseball, so alone she sat, cheering on the Falcons as they played the Titans.

Logan opened the door, "Well damn, kid...you read my mind."

She glanced over her shoulder as she put a nacho in her mouth, "No talkin' til commercial break."

He smirked and nodded obediently as her closed...and locked the door behind him. He sat down on the couch next to her and watched the Titans fumble the ball, leading to a Falcon recovery on the 30 yard line right before half time. He grunted and shook his head, "Still can't seem to get their shit together huh?"

"Mmhm", she grunted in agreement as she picked up another chip.

He glanced at the generous portion of nachos on the plate in her lap. They were topped with peppers, salsa, cheese, beef, sour cream and guacamole. Loaded. Just the way he loved 'em. He reached to take a chip, but received a light pop on his hand, "Make your own damn nachos."

She picked up the plate and held it away from him as she took another exaggerated bite and moaned in approval, "Mmmm...I think I got a big ole bite of guac in that one!"

He growled, but couldn't keep from smiling at her as he attempted to dive onto her to reach the nachos, but she was too quick. She had hopped up and stood over him with the plate in her hand, "Come on old man...there's some Titans on that field who could move faster than that!"

He grumbled and stood, "Come on kid...share."

"What? Share these?" she said as she teasingly held out the plate.

He reached to take it, but she snatched it back and darted to the other side of the room, laughing. He gave into his playful side and chased her. He caught up to her, grabbed her around the waist as he pinned her to the door as she giggled heartily, "Now...about those nachos."

He leaned in close and growled as she tried to control her laughter, "Fine! Ya big bully!"

She took a nacho and put it in his mouth as he murmured, "Mmmm...better."

He looked into her eyes for a moment before leaning down to kiss her. She wrapped the arm that wasn't occupied with balancing the large plate of nachos around his neck and moaned into the kiss.

When their lips parted, she giggled, "You got cheese on your mouth."

He dipped his finger into the nachos and despite her wriggling, he managed to smear cheese on her lips before he dug his fingers into her side and tickled her mercilessly. He smiled down at her as she laughed so hard, tears nearly formed in her eyes. As her laughter died down, she licked her lips and cleared her throat as he stared down into her eyes, "Marie, I..." his voice trailed off.

He wanted to tell her loved her...he wanted to tell her that she belonged to him and no one else...he wanted to give her the world...but that's not what men like him did. Guys like him fucked women, hurt them, then left them. He didn't even know where to begin when it came to being good enough for her. He couldn't. She deserved better than him and both of them knew it.

Marie searched his eyes, "What is it Logan?"

What the hell was he doing? He couldn't tell her he loved her. Ok, so what if he did tell her? Then what? He'd have a 20 year old kid following him around bugging him about marriage and kids? No...he would have to be satisfied knowing that although she was with Bobby...she belonged to him, and very little could change that. He shook his head, "Nothin'...you just look real good today...that's all."

"Oh...thanks" she said as she moved back to the couch. He kicked himself internally as he returned to his seat beside her and helped himself to her nachos.

The next morning, Logan felt the need to make up for the near-showing of his sensitive side the previous day during the football game. He had mastered the art of picking the lock on her door with one of his claws, so he easily let himself in.

Her room was humid and smelled like some sort of random fruit...she had just gotten out of the shower. Perfect.

He walked to her bathroom and watched as she leaned over the sink wrapped in a towel while brushing her teeth. He pulled off his shirt and unbuttoned his pants as he walked toward her with a smirk on his face, loving the fact that he was about to catch her completely off guard.

Marie jumped when she felt a hand move up her inner thigh, but soon relaxed slightly, knowing there could be only one person bold enough to do what he was doing. She closed her eyes and sighed, "Logan...I have class in thirty minutes."

"And all I need is 15 minutes...now bend over." He didn't even wait for her to obey, he simply gathered her wet hair in his hand and pushed her forward.

She had to grab a hold of the sink to keep her balance and give herself some leverage against the pummeling he was about to give her. Marie shut her eyes as he reached around her and began fingering her, "Logan...I know you're not gonna take no for an answer, but I really don't feel like goin' through a day with you leakin' out of me, so just pull out when you cum, ok?"

He leaned in and kissed her neck, making her shudder, "Knowing my cum is inside of you all day is one of the best parts of fucking you, baby..."

She couldn't help but moan as he continued to finger her moistening cunt. When he felt that she was wet enough, he pushed into her and grabbed her waist as he began forcefully fucking her against the sink. His pace was desperate and fast, causing her to nearly lose her balance. After a while in that position, Logan got impatient. He needed to be deeper. He pulled out of her and snatched her around, picking her up and sitting her on the sink before he pushed back in, moaning in satisfaction as his cock bumped into her cervix. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life as his deep thrusts forced her back against her bathroom mirror, causing the contents of the shelves that were mounted beside it to get knocked to the floor.

He heard her whisper, "don't cum inside" as her voice trembled from her climax. He smirked and whispered back, "I'm gonna give it to you nice and deep baby..."

He came hard, shoving himself as deep inside of her as he could go, just as he promised.

For the next two years, Logan came back to the mansion at least three times a year to help out, go on missions and fuck Marie behind her boyfriend's back. Sometimes she'd resist, other times she'd pretend she was disinterested...but that was until she starting cumming all over him. He loved that even if her mind tried to resist him, her body always gave in.

Marie had started taking college courses at a local University and began teaching English and Social Studies part time to the younger kids in the school. She put some thought into moving out of the mansion, but decided against it. She and Bobby had plenty of privacy there for now, and in the mean time, they could save up funds to buy a house later on.

Bobby and Rogue had a temporary break up, which Logan took full advantage of, actually staying at the mansion for a full four months. One evening, Bobby showed up at Marie's room door right after they had sex in her shower. Logan was sitting in her room out of sight, resisting the urge to pop out into ice boy's view half naked. He listened to the entire pathetic speech which was complete with flowers and a poem. Soon after that, Marie told Logan they were back together to which he promptly replied, "Oh...well that's good cause I'm about to hit the road."

He hadn't planned on leaving until that moment.

He came back and stayed for almost as long when the professor returned. His consciousness had been transferred to a brain dead man by a mutant doctor in an unprecedented procedure. Logan was glad to have Chuck back, but wary about having such a powerful telepath around while carrying on a secret affair with the love of his life who happened to be too young and in a relationship with someone else.

During his next visit five months later, he was told something that made him never want to return to the mansion.

He walked into the front entrance of the school and was greeted by Storm, "Lovely of you to grace us with your presence, Logan."

He raised a brow and took the cigar from his mouth, "Well yea...the place just isn't as bright and pretty when I'm not here, now is it? How is everything?"

Storm smiled, "Good. Really busy."

Logan made small talk with her for a few seconds before he got to the really important question at hand, "Seen Marie around?"

Storm nodded,"Yes, she's out dress shopping with Jubilee and Kitty."

Logan scrunched up his face, "Dress shopping...you guys having another party around here?"

Storm looked at him excitedly, "Something like that...Bobby and Rogue are engaged."

'Bobby and Rogue are engaged.'

He didn't remember what he said to Storm after she told him the god awful news. He just knew he ended up in his room staring out the window. Before he knew it, morning came, and he hadn't slept. He stayed up all night, thinking of the fact that she was being taken away from him.

He barely left his room for two days, and after that, he avoided all human contact. It began to worry even Marie.

There had been no late night booty calls, no quickies snuck in the corner of the library...just silence. She hadn't even seen him since he arrived.

Marie tried to stay busy putting a smile on her face for her fiance and planning the details of her wedding with Storm, Kitty and Jubilee, who rarely talked to her about anything non-wedding related anymore. Truth be told, Marie didn't want a wedding with the big white dress and four tiered cake. She would have been perfectly fine saying her vows in front of a justice of the peace...or even better, on a mountain somewhere...but Bobby was traditional. They would have a white wedding.

She found that gradually, she was noticing more things about Bobby that bothered her. When he watched her fixing her snacks to watch a football game one afternoon, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "You're gonna eat that?"

She almost laughed at the ignorance of his half question/half insult, "Why yes...yes I am."

Bobby shrugged his shoulders and kissed her cheek before walking away, "Careful baby...everything seems to go straight to those thighs and you still have a dress to fit into."

She just stood there in complete shock long after he left. He'd always said stupid stuff about her eating habits, but that was the first time he actually insulted an actual body part. She thought her thighs were fine...until then.

From that moment on, she felt self conscious about her body around him. She even requested that they abstain from sex for the months preceding their wedding in order to make their wedding night "more special" because she didn't want him to see her naked.

Logan couldn't simply come out and tell Marie not to marry Bobby. She seemed set in her ways and would need a damn good reason to change them. He had no clue as to how to go about breaking them up without confessing too much, until Bobby gave him the perfect idea.

Logan stood just outside of the garage smoking a cigar and helping himself to a beer when he heard Bobby and Piotr walk in from the other entrance. Logan tossed the cigar away and leaned against the outer side of the door unseen as he listened to their already-in-progress conversation.

Bobby sighed, "We couldn't do it even if she wanted to. She got off birth control a couple of months ago when we agreed to hold off on sex again until after the wedding...it's been so fucking hard though...I'm thinkin' about seeing if Jubes is any good at hand jobs."

Piotr laughed, "Careful there bro, Jubilee is Rogue's best friend and girls talk...I see Logan has been tinkering around on his bike again."

Even though Logan couldn't see it, he heard Piotr pick up one of his tools as Bobby spoke, "Yea...I'm wishing he would hit the road already. I hate the way he looks at Rogue."

"What do you mean? You look at girls a lot...hell, you even play around a little. You can't tell me you're jealous just because a guy looked at Rogue..." asked Piotr.

"Well yea I play around, but that doesn't mean it's OK for her to do it too. It's easier to clean a pole than it is to clean a hole, if ya know what I mean?" The two shared a slight laugh, but Logan could tell that Piotr wasn't really amused. Bobby continued, "I plan on having a proper wife...she can be a little rough around the edges, but nothing I can't fix. I've already started dropping hints about her weight...you should see some of the shit she eats. If her ass gets any bigger, I'm gonna have to buy her a fuckin' treadmill for a wedding present."

Piotr sighed, clearly exasperated, "If you have so much you want to change about her and you cheat, why marry her?"

Bobby paused for a second, "I do love her. I mean...maybe I'm not as perfect as I make myself out to be to a lot of people, but I have to live up to these expectations. John was the bad guy, I'm the good guy. Besides, it's not like I've actually had sex with anyone else. It was all only head or hand jobs."

"Right..." Piotr said warily.

Logan could have taken the entire conversation and repeated it back to Rogue, but she wouldn't have believed any of it...well, most of it. She'd inadvertently mentioned one of the things Bobby had said about her weight during one of his previous visits and she literally had to hold him back from leaving the room to find him.

If Logan told her about the conversation, she would just see it as another plot to mess with her head and her relationship...he had to be much smarter and far more drastic than that.

Logan had finally pulled it together enough to stop avoiding everyone. Instead of waiting until the students had gone to bed to scrounge for food in the kitchen, he decided to join Storm and Hank for dinner...and hopefully run into Marie while he was at it.

When he opened his door to walk out, he almost bumped into her when she was in the middle of setting a tray of nachos and beer by his door. She jumped and almost spilled the contents of the tray, but she regained her composure and stood straight up, "I...uh...I kinda noticed you hadn't come out of your room these past couple of days and...figured you might be hungry."

He stared at her with a stony expression on his face for a few moments before he opened his door and motioned for her to come in. She did so hesitantly as she set the tray on his desk while he plopped down on the bed, "Thanks."

She nodded and began to leave the room, but his voice stopped her, "Wait..."

She turned around and looked at him expectantly. He didn't know what to say, he just knew he didn't want her to leave, "So you're engaged...when's the big day?"

She bit her lip, "June...five months from Saturday. He proposed about four months ago."

Logan ran a hand through his hair and looked down, "You don't think you're a little young for marriage and-"

She cut him off, "...and a house with a white picket fence, a baby and a dog named Sparky? No, I don't think I'm too young."

His stomach churned slightly and decided to play dumb a little, "What did you say? A baby? You guys getting visited by the stork?"

Marie shook her head and laughed, "Not yet, no."

He echoed her words, "Not yet..."

He couldn't believe he was sitting there talking to her about her impending marriage to ice prick. She was his mate.

He tried to maintain his composure, even though on the inside, he was thrashing around like a wild animal, "So...you say yet...are you starting soon?"

Marie cocked her head to the side, "Why do you want to know?"

He stuttered, "I don't...I mean...I was just asking. I think you're both a bit too green for all of this."

Marie's pleasant demeanor melted away, "And I suppose you're the smart adult to tell me because you're just the picture of being responsible...and let's not forget your history of healthy relationships. So please Logan, give me some advice about being more responsible...don't forget to do it while you're fucking my brains out with my fiance on the other side of the door."

He shot up from where he sat and whispered through clenched teeth, "Look kid, I may not be the fucking authority on all things good, but at least I'm not stupid enough to piss my life away on some asshole who doesn't even know me! Ice prick only knows the person he wants you to be."

She put her hands on her hips and shook her head as she looked away from him, taking deep, steadying breaths while tears formed in her eyes, "You're wrong."

He took a step forward, "Am I Marie? Or are you just afraid of the fact that I know you better than anyone else? I know you're the rough and tumble bitch who likes to watch football, eat shitty fast food and curse."

He took another step toward her, staring deep into her eyes as he spoke, "I know that in your head, you punish yourself everyday for getting the cure. I know that you're a woman who needs passion and fire that will damn near bring you to your knees...I know your scent...every inch of your body...I know all of you."

Marie shook her head as tears began streaming down her face. He pulled her against him and laid a passionate kiss on her lips, which she returned at first, but soon found herself violently breaking away from.

She pounded her fists on his chest wildly as she cried out, "What is wrong with you?! Why can't you leave me alone?! Why can't you just let me be happy?!"

He let her spend her anger as she beat against his chest until she collapsed against him. Sobs wracked her body as he took her by the waist while she continued to weakly repeat, "Why...why can't you just leave me alone? Why..."

Logan looked into her eyes and took her face in his hands, wiping at the tears the continued to stream down her cheeks. He leaned in and kissed her gently...softly...almost as if he was asking permission this time instead of invading her mouth with his tongue. She slowly granted him access as the kiss grew more passionate.

She began pulling at his clothes as he eagerly shed his shirt. She surprised him by pushing him down on his bed. Marie stood in front of him and ripped open her blouse before jumping onto his lap to straddle him as he attacked her neck with his mouth.

He reached up her skirt and ripped her panties off as she scratched at his skin, leaving a trail of blood covering already healed wounds. He growled and brought his mouth back to hers. He realized that this was the first time she had taken charge and been so involved early on...he loved it.

She bit at his skin as she snatched his pants open, reaching down to curl her fingers around his already throbbing erection. Before either of them knew it, he was inside of her and she was rolling her hips roughly onto him. She threw her head back and moaned loudly as he dug his fingers into her hips, helping guide her motions.

She leaned back down and kissed him hungrily as she wildly fucked him, moaning his name repeatedly. He stared up at her in awe and desire as she thrashed about on top of him when she started cumming. Watching her take charge was bringing his orgasm on faster than he expected. He grabbed her hips and rolled her over onto her back as he forcefully slammed into her, whispering through clenched teeth, "I'm gonna cum...I'm gonna cum."

Her eyes shot open as she was immediately brought down from her orgasmic high, "No! No! Don't cum inside! Stop!"

He leaned down and licked her ear as he whispered, "Nice and deep baby...nice and deep."

She tried to push against him, but her tiny fists were no match for his strong, adamantium laced frame. Logan moaned loudly as he came, then partially collapsed onto her.

He rested his forehead against hers and wished he had the courage to tell her he loved her and that he couldn’t envision his life without her, but the words didn't come. He knew what he was doing to her was wrong, but figured it was the only way to get her away from ice dick without showing all of his cards in the process. He was simply taking back what was his.

Marie figured he thought she didn't want him to cum inside of her because of her previous complaints of leakage, but leakage was the last thing on her mind. She looked into his eyes for a moment and shook her head, pushing at his body for a few seconds before he relented and rolled off of her.

Marie sat on the edge of the bed, "I...I can't...I can't do this anymore."

She quickly got up and tried to redress and straighten out her disheveled appearance so that she could at least make it back to her room without looking like she'd been fucked sideways.

He watched her and stood before he started walking toward her, "Marie..."

She held out a hand to stop him and looked down as if she was afraid to look into his eyes as she spoke, "No Logan...don't. Just...don't."

Both of them were surprised that he actually obeyed her request when he let her walk out of his room.

When she closed his door behind her, she put her face in her hands and wept. She jumped and quickly wiped at her face as a student walked by before rushing off to her own room. She laid on the bed and hugged her pillow to her body.
-------------------------
Logan came to her room again a few nights later. She sat up in bed and glared at him as he closed stalked toward her, "If you try anything, I'll scream and have your ass banned from this school for the rest of your long, lonely life."

He rushed her before she was able to let out a sound, covering her mouth with his large hand, "You sure you wanna do that babe?"

He pushed her back on the bed with her mouth still covered. Logan forced himself between her legs and reached down with his other hand, lifting up her nightgown as he pulled his cock from his pants. He smirked and softly ran a finger over her pussy, causing her to moan against his hand. He continued pleasuring her for a few minutes before he shoved himself inside. By then, he had taken his hand from her mouth as he began to pump into her.

Logan grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head as she whispered in protest, although her voice was laced with pleasure filled sighs, "Logan...Logan...no...no..."

Before long, he felt the familiar clenching of her muscles around him as she panted, "Oh Logan...I hate you...I hate you..."

He smirked as he shoved himself inside of her with all of his might, cumming deep within her.
-----------------------
It took her six weeks to find out.

She could have sworn she knew earlier than that, but tried to dismiss her feelings as paranoia.

She didn't run to the bathroom to vomit every morning. She didn't feel faint or suddenly get extremely moody...she just felt different.

One visit to WebMD and two pregnancy tests later, she was packing a bag and writing a vague, yet heartfelt letter to Bobby, bidding him farewell.

Rogue picked up her bag and crept out of the mansion under cover of darkness, doing her best to avoid the insomniacs that regularly roamed the halls at night.

She was doing the only thing she felt she could do in her situation...run away. Marie hated herself for being so weak and for putting herself in this position, but most of all, she hated herself for wishing things had been different.

She didn't want to see the anger and hurt in Bobby's eyes when he found out and she didn't want Logan to know at all. She had thought of about a hundred ways he would react and in her mind, all of them ended with him turning his back on her and walking away.

After a two mile walk, a 15 mile cab ride and a twenty mile bus ride, Rogue found herself somewhere in New York City...it was the only place close enough where she could find a clinic that would perform the "procedure" she needed.

When Logan woke up, he had a feeling something was wrong. He immediately went downstairs to find that Bobby, Jubilee, Storm, the professor and Hank had gathered in one of the classrooms.

Logan walked in and leaned against the door frame, "What's going on? Schedule a staff meeting without me?"

Bobby shot Logan a look as the professor spoke, "It seems Rogue has broken off her engagement with Bobby..." Logan had to stop from breaking into a toothy grin, but that didn't prove to be a problem for too long as the professor continued, "...and she's run away. Did she say anything to you, Logan?"

Logan looked as if he'd just been hit in the chest with a sledge hammer. He took a few deep breaths and looked down as his mind raced. He tried to remain aware of the people around him, but as his eyes darted about, the professor took notice, "Are you alright, Logan?"

Logan looked at the professor. Big mistake. He immediately heard his voice in his head, "What have you done?"

Logan shut his eyes and desperately attempted to block the professor's probing of his mind. He turned on his heel and rushed from the room, leaving everyone except Charles to look suspicious and confused. He was shoving clothes in his duffle bag when the professor knocked on his door.

"Outta my way, Chuck" Logan said as he opened the door with his bag in hand.

The professor stared at him, "I know you love her, Logan. I’ve heard you project whenever you two were in the same room..."

Logan growled. Guess he hadn't been so great at blocking the professor from his mind, "Even if it is true...that's not your business."

The professor sighed, "It wasn't before, no, but now that she has run away it is. She's all alone out there."

Logan pushed past him, "Which is exactly why I need to go find her."

The professor followed him, "How will you find her? Follow her scent? Guess?" Logan stopped and turned around as the professor continued, "I will help you."

A few minutes later, Logan stood behind the professor as he activated Cerebro. They both saw Rogue sitting in an office or waiting room of some sort with a clipboard in her lap. Her head was down and she was busy writing something.

Logan wrote down the coordinates the professor gave him and took off in one of the cars from the mansion.
-------------------
Marie sat filling out the endless pile of paperwork the clinic required of her. She rubbed her wrist as carpal tunnel began to rear its ugly head, then continued writing and yawning. She hadn't gotten any sleep in the damn hotel room...not particularly because it sucked, it was actually decent to be a Radisson, but had she stayed up all night arguing with herself over whether she was making the right decision.

Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, she allowed herself to believe that Logan loved her and he would want to have this baby with her, but then she'd actually call herself “stupid” out loud.

Marie would have to stay at the hotel for about a week to heal, then after that, she didn't know where she would go. She contemplated visiting her parents, but she still held too much animosity toward them to go. She would never just abandon her kid the way they abandoned her.

Rogue paused her thoughts for a moment. She had taken up so much time thinking about the kind of father Logan wouldn't be, she never bothered to truly think of the type of mother she would be. She knew she would never abandon her child...whether they were mutant, human or green with purple spots. She was patient, loving, kind, but didn't take any shit.

Before finding out she was pregnant, she always thought she would be a great mother...but that was under completely different circumstances. Visions of her sitting up in a bed holding a tiny bundle as Bobby smiled on proudly had disappeared from her head and were replaced with her alone with a crying infant, looking exhausted and depressed.

Would Logan abandon her? She nodded. Of course he would. She wasn't entirely sure he would want her if she was available to him. She had always had the suspicion that one of the reasons he kept coming back to her is because he knew she wouldn't leave Bobby. Now she had and she was actually relieved. As time passed, the space between them had grown, and she could tell he had changed...she had too.

Marie looked up from the paperwork and glanced around the room. The office was mostly empty besides two other women. She didn't know what the other older woman was there for, but she knew exactly why the teenager huddled in the corner was there.

She had the same look on her face as Marie.

She purposely started stalling on her paperwork because she was beginning to have doubts about her decision. She had never been fully sure, she just thought it was her only option...but her heart was forcing pictures of a baby into her head. It would probably be a girl...Logan just seemed destined to end up with a gorgeous daughter he'd end up having to protect from guys just like him. She'd have her hair and Logan's eyes.

Marie shook her head and looked down, "Shit..."

She tapped the pen against the clipboard, which elicited an annoyed look from the other women in the waiting room. She walked up to the window where the office assistant sat, "Um...I think I need to cancel my appointment."

The woman gave her a sympathetic look, "Do you think you'll want to reschedule or are you really canceling?"

Rogue bit her lip and sighed, knowing the woman knew exactly what she was backing out of, "I don't know yet...but I have the number. Thanks."

Rogue handed her the clipboard and left.

Logan had been giving himself an internal ass whooping during his entire ride to the city. All he had was coordinates and a GPS to point the way.

When he reached his destination, he parked in front of the building and walked in, looking at the directory. There was a couple of dentist offices, eye doctors and a women's clinic. He realized his efforts to get her pregnant were probably successful, so he figured the women's clinic was the best bet.

When he entered, he went to the window, "I'm looking for...a friend. She's 20, auburn hair with white streaks in front and brownish green eyes. She been here this morning?"

Logan immediately knew Marie had been there from the look on the woman's face, "I'm sorry sir, I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss our patients with unauthorized individuals."

He rolled his eyes, "What was she here for?"

The woman let out an exasperated sigh, "Sir...again, I can't discuss our patients. If you're looking for an explanation of our services, you can refer to the flyer over there, or visit our website."

Logan snatched a flyer as he walked out the clinic. He stood outside of the building and looked through it. His eyes immediately fell to the page entitled "Abortion Services" and he cursed out loud.

He looked up and down the street helplessly, hoping to somehow see her although he was sure she was long gone.

He attempted to collect his thoughts and decided to continue his search at nearby hotels. Since she had no car and limited funds, she was likely a short distance from the clinic.

Four hotels later, he was walking into the Radisson lobby, "Hey...I'm looking for my girlfriend. I forgot whether she said she was staying here or at the Ramada...she's got auburn hair with white streaks, kinda young and talks with a southern accent."

The woman behind the desk thought for a moment, then nodded, "Yea! She's a sweetheart...Anna Marie..."

"That's my girl", Logan smirked as he pulled a picture of her from his wallet to prove he was who he said he was. He'd stolen the picture from Marie's room a year ago and had kept it with him on his travels.

The woman gave him a polite, but curious smile and Logan immediately knew why. The age difference was clear, "I don't think she's come back since she left this morning, but you're welcome to wait for her in our lobby."

Logan knew that there would be a scene when they first saw each other. He needed their meeting to be private, "Actually, do you think you could do me a favor?"

It took Logan a lot of flirting and one fake, mushy story about how he and Marie met to get the woman to give him the key to her room.

It wasn't long before he heard her putting her key in the door. He stood in the middle of the room, "Hey kid..."

She almost dropped the bag she was carrying when she saw him, "Logan..."

He wasn't sure what to say next, so he just walked over and took her hand, "You ok?"

She let out a breath, "Am I ok? What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you", he said as he watched her remove her hand from his grasp and walk by him, setting the bag out of sight.

"I'm fine", she lied as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Logan took a "Cut the bullshit, Marie...I know."

She looked down and felt her stomach churning, "How'd you find out?"

Logan said as he sunk down into a chair across from her, "Because I got you pregnant on purpose, I knew you were off birth control...I needed to find a way to get you away from that little popsicle."

Marie stood, glaring at him as she shrieked, "You what?!"

He quickly jumped to his feet, matching her volume, "I did what I had to do!" They stood there for a while, just looking at each other until he spoke in a slightly calmer tone, "What did you do at the clinic, Marie?"

She gritted her teeth and shoved him in the chest, "I got rid of it and I'm glad I did!"

He stumbled back more out of shock than from being pushed. Logan just stared at her as she pointed her finger in his face, "For over two years you have tortured me! You kept coming back to just put me through the ringer...wanting me because you can't have me. You just used me for your own sick, twisted pleasure! Now...I find out you've moved on from fucking with my emotions, to actually sabotaging my life?! My body?!"

Damn. Now that she put it that way, he did sound terrible. He shook his head and spoke weakly, "It wasn't like that..."

She threw her hands up, "Then tell me! For fuck's sake just tell me what it was like! Set the record straight, Logan...for once."

He opened is mouth to say something, but nothing came out. What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he just say it?

She stared at him expectantly for a moment before tears started forming in her eyes. When it was clear he wasn’t going to speak, she laughed bitterly and looked down, "Exactly what I thought."

She walked over to the door and snatched it open, "Get out Logan..."

He sighed and tried to buy himself some time, "What about you? You can't just live out of hotels."

She closed the door and crossed her arms, "I just eliminated any reason for you to be concerned for me and my welfare, Logan." He actually looked hurt, which made her clear her throat and look away, "Fine...I'll go back to the mansion...as long as you're not there when I get back."

He recovered from the verbal punch she delivered to his gut, "Fine...I'll hit the road for a while."

She her hand on the door handle again, "No Logan...I don't want you there...at all. I don't want to see you again."

He knew that after what she'd just done, she was bound to be angry, hurt and overly emotional, so he decided to placate her, "Fine."

Logan knew he was blatantly lying to her, but figured she'd come around after a few months without him.

He started to walk out of the room, "I mean it Logan..."

He glanced over his shoulder and nodded before walking away. As Logan hit the road, Marie picked up the bag she had brought in and tossed the contents onto her bed. She ran a hand through her hair as she looked down at her prenatal vitamins, "Just you and me, kid."

Marie returned to the school the next day. After all the initial greetings and relieved hugs, she asked for a moment alone with her ex fiance. She told Bobby that she was pregnant with a child that didn't belong to him and she refused to name the father...but Bobby had one pretty decent guess. He screamed at her so loudly and called her such vile names, Piotr saw fit to come in and put an end to their conversation.

Hank, Storm and the professor didn't try to pressure her into naming the father of her child, but they all knew it was probably the only missing X Man. In fact, the only person that Marie came out and told was Jubilee.

She told her the whole story, which Marie almost immediately regretted, "O-M-G! Chica! He totally loves you!"

Marie let out an exasperated sigh as she put her clothes back in her dresser, "Jubes...love isn't really in Logan's vocabulary and even if it was, he was just using me in some sort of sick territorial game."

Jubilee sighed, "I dunno girl...any man who would knock a girl up on purpose is obviously looking for something to hold onto for the long run, but that's just my opinion."

Rogue simply shook her head and laughed, but inside, she wondered if there was any real truth to her friend's opinion.

As soon as Logan left, he missed her. He wanted to apologize for everything he'd done and wanted to yell at her for "getting rid" of his baby. Was he that terrible that she couldn't bear the thought of having his kid? She would have had ice prick's baby in a second and he hated that...it broke his heart.

While he was gone, he did something he's never done before...he wrote to her. The first letter was awkward and barely three lines long. It simply said:

Hey kid. Just wanted to check on you. Heading up to British Columbia for a couple of weeks. Sorry about everything. I miss you.

By the time he got to letter five, the words flowed from him. He told her how pissed he was about the abortion and how he hated that she didn't at least tell him she was pregnant. He also told her he missed watching sports with her...and her nachos. He'd never been much of a communicator, but he felt the need to at least let her know she was still on his mind. She never responded, but it only slightly deterred him.

Marie had a decent support system at the mansion, despite Bobby sneaking in really low, mean insults every time he saw her. Hank, Storm, Jubes, the professor and even Piotr offered their friendship. She still hadn't confirmed the baby's paternity yet, and she didn't plan on it. She knew they knew, but if she didn't confirm it, they wouldn't say anything to Logan if he showed up.

She knew Logan wouldn't stay away forever, so with the help of the professor, she got a job teaching at another mutant school somewhere in Colorado. His friend ran the school and had agreed to allow her to transfer there after the baby was born. She only hoped that Logan would wait to return to the mansion until after she was gone.

Her first trimester ticked by without any issues. She felt lucky that she didn't have the terrible morning sickness or extreme fatigue. It would have been a completely pleasant time if the baby she carried didn't belong to Logan and her ex fiance didn't go out of his way to treat her like shit.

She started to get used to the idea of being a single parent. She was holding it together pretty well...until the letters started. She cried over each and every one of them in the privacy of her own room. Although she never responded to any, she kept every last one in her sock drawer. Each letter got longer and more intimate...very un-Logan like. They all ended with "I miss you" scribbled at the end.

Marie started wanting him...and Jubilee took notice.

About four months after he left, he called the mansion. He wanted to go back to see her so badly...but he would settle for hearing her voice. Jubilee answered, "Logan? Hey! How's it goin' Wolvie?"

He groaned a bit. He hated being called wolvie, "Not bad...Marie around?"

Jubilee bit her lip and looked into the hall where Marie stood talking to a student, "Uhhh...I'll go check."

Jubilee put the phone down and walked over to Marie, pulling her away from the student, "Hey chica...Logan's on the phone and he's asking for you."

Marie cringed visibly as she crossed her arms across her chest, "I don't want to talk to him."

Jubilee cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes, "You sure chica? He sounds like he misses you..."

Marie shut her eyes and stomped her foot, "Jubes!"

Jubilee raised her hands defensively, "Ok...fine."

Jubilee liked Logan, especially for Rogue. Ever since she found out about Rogue's pregnancy, she felt he had a right to know, but only said so once. After that, Rogue made her promise to keep her mouth shut about it.

She picked up the phone, "Hey Logan? You there?"

"Yea" he said at the other end.

"Um...she's not really available to talk right now."

"Right..." he grumbled, knowing she was lying. "Just tell her I called, will ya?"

"Hey Logan, where are you?"

"Niagara Falls...the Canadian side, why?"

"I think you should come back to the mansion. I know we have an important mission coming up and we could all use your help."

"I don't think that's a good idea...I'm not sure that's a good idea..." he said, almost sounding sad.

Jubilee lowered her voice as she eyed Rogue, who was busy clearing the hallway of students, "Look Logan...it's what's best for the team. She'll understand."

There was silence at the other end for a while, then he spoke hesitantly, "Fine...I'll be back there by tomorrow afternoon...round lunch time I think."

Jubilee grinned, "Perfect...I'll try to meet ya out front. Bye!"

Jubilee hung up the phone and rubbed her hands together.
-----------------
The next morning, as Rogue got out the shower, she groaned as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her flat tummy had been replaced by a little bump that started in her lower abdomen and had expanded upward to just below her belly button.

Jubilee took Rogue shopping for some "hip" maternity clothes and became her personal stylist, "Don't worry girl, I got you. Just cause you're pregnant, doesn't mean you have to look frumpy!"

Rogue blew her hair dry and put on a tank top that gathered underneath her breasts and fit loosely around her stomach and mid section. She put on a cardigan over that, with a pair of skinny jeans and flats. She taught two classes in the morning, then went to the kitchen for a snack. She carried a stack of papers in front of her, inadvertently hiding her baby bump. She heard Jubilee talking as she entered the kitchen, looking down at her grade book, "These kids are way too into Literature...I honestly do not-"

She immediately stopped in her tracks as she saw Logan standing in the kitchen with Jubilee. Rogue clutched the stack of papers to her belly as she stood there, staring at him.

Jubilee looked between them, "Um...I guess I'll see you two later." She slipped from the room without being spared a glance by the other two in the room.

Logan shifted his weight, "You look good, kid."

Rogue looked down, giving herself a quick once over to make sure she had successfully hidden her belly, "Thanks...what the hell are you doing here?"

He looked her up and down, "Jubilee said I should come...how you been?"

She sighed and narrowed her eyes, trying to process the fact that he was actually there, "Fine."

He took a step closer, "Why didn't you fuckin' answer any of my letters?"

Her expression paled, "I...I...I have to go."

She rushed into the nearest bathroom and vomited into the sink. There's the nausea she'd missed out on during her first trimester.

She hid out in the bathroom until the next bell rang. She poked her head out of the door and looked both ways. When she was satisfied the coast was clear, she rushed off to her next class.

Logan made no attempt to follow her when she ran out of the room. Seeing him must have been a shock, especially since Jubilee had explained there was no actual mission and Rogue had no idea he was coming.

After setting his stuff down in his room and showering, he dressed and walked down to the classrooms. He peeked into Marie's room and spotted her in front of the chalkboard. Her back was turned to him. She didn't quite turn around to face him as she spoke over her shoulder to her students and continued writing and pointing to the board. He cocked his head to the side and stared at her. Something was different.

Her breasts seemed fuller...but that was the only change in her body he could see since the top she wore was flowing and lose around her mid section and went all the way down to her mid thigh.

Logan shook his head and walked away.

She managed to survive the remainder of the day without seeing him. Jubilee came to her room when she never came downstairs for dinner. Marie snatched Jubilee in, "Gimme one good reason why I shouldn't kill you, Jubes!"

Jubilee held up both of her hands, "Hon, I'm sorry, but he has the right to know...that baby has a right to know her father."

Rogue fought back tears, "Logan won't do shit for either of us! I was trying to protect myself and my baby from him. I can't keep playing these games with him...this baby deserves baby than that...I deserve better than that."

Jubilee pursed her lips together, "I think you're more afraid of the fact that you love him and that he loves you...I think you're afraid of just how real your feelings are."

Rogue sat down on the bed and put her head in her hands, then looked up at her friend with tears in her eyes, "He put me through so much when I was with Bobby. For over two years...two years, he'd come into town and just...used me, even though he knew, in my head, I didn't want to do it, he kept coming back for more."

Jubilee sat next to her, "Rogue, are you sure he was using you? It seems a guy like Wolvie would get what he wanted and move on...but he kept coming back to you for two years. Remember when you and Bobby broke up? He stayed with you that whole time...then disappeared as soon as you two got back together."

Marie looked down and shook her head. How could she have been so stupid? All the signs were there...she just didn't want to see them, "I'm afraid, Jubes."

Jubilee hugged Rogue with one arm, "I know, chica...and you honestly have a reason to be. Logan isn't the monogamous type, and I can't envision him pushing a stroller around, but I do think he loves you more than anyone or anything else in this world."

"Why didn't he ever tell me?" Rogue asked as she sniffled.

"Why don't men buy flowers? Why do they not write poetry? Why don't they profess their love in front of their friends? Who knows, chica? Men are already complicated enough, but Wolvie...he's a whole different animal...literally. He's not going to buy flowers and he sure as hell ain't gonna write you any poetry...but he will love you. He will love this baby."

Rogue shook his head, "I don't know Jubes...he's going to hate me for lying to him about the baby."

"Take the chance, hon. For once, you two need to open up" and with that, Jubilee stood and left.

Rogue ate dinner in her room that night, showered, put on a lose nightgown and laid down, willing herself to fall asleep. Slowly, the mansion grew quiet and the footsteps in the hallways ceased. Marie still wasn't asleep.

She sat up in her bed and went to her sock drawer, picking up all of the letters she'd received from him during the past several months. She reread all of them, but by letter five or six, she noticed the 'M' at the end of the letter where he wrote "I miss you" had a line through it...almost as if he was about to write an 'L' there.

She put the letters back and bit her lip before tossing on her robe and leaving her room. A couple of minutes later, she stood with her hand hovering above his door, preparing to knock. It took a few seconds, but she heard his voice call from inside, "Are you gonna knock or are you just gonna stand out there all night?"

She couldn't help but smile as she tried the door handle and walked in. His room was dark save for the moonlight that filtered through his window. She could see his form sit up on the bed as she walked in, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were avoiding me."

She sighed, "I was avoiding you...and I'm sorry about the letters...and everything else."

"Yea...I'm sorry too. C'mere."

In the moonlight, she saw him hold out a hand to her. She walked forward and took his hand. She stared down into his eyes as he softly touched her thighs, "I need to get something off my chest."

She looked deep into his eyes and saw exactly what he was thinking. She no longer needed to be told. She just leaned down and kissed him...she had missed his touch so much and it definitely seemed like he had missed hers. Truth be told, Logan hadn't had sex since they last did it...which was when she got pregnant five and a half months ago. He pulled her down and laid her on the bed. She whispered against his lips, "Wait...I need to tell you something."

"Later, kid...later" he whispered as he continued to kiss her. She moaned as he let his hand roam down her neck, to her breast...then to her stomach. She jumped and put her hand on top of his to move it away, but it was too late. He broke the kiss and froze above her as he searched her eyes while his hand rested on her belly with her own hand on top of his.

"What the fuck, Marie?"

Marie wanted nothing more than to shrink into a hole at that moment. He stared down at her with an unescapable gaze as his fingers twitched against her belly. She moved his hand and launched herself out of the bed as she began pacing back and forth in front of him, "Logan, I can explain."

He turned on the lamp and looked at her. Since she was no longer trying to hide it and her bathrobe had fallen open in front, she definitely had something there. He stood up and ran a hand through his hair, "What the hell were you planning on doing? Have my kid and keep it from me for its entire life?"

He turned his back and she reached for his arm, but he quickly snatched it away, "Logan! Can't you at least look at me?"

He didn't turn around, "You really are a fuckin' piece of work, kid."

She snatched him around to look at her, "Look Logan, you weren't exactly my knight in shining armor...even you admitted that you did me wrong. I was protecting myself. I was protecting my baby. I did what I thought was best at the time. I knew you wouldn't stick around or stay faithful to me."

Logan clenched his jaw and lowered his voice, almost growling as he pointed at her, "Correction, kid. It's our baby...and if I was gonna stick around for anyone, it would have been for you...I fucking love you. I always have. I know I did a piss poor job of showing it, but I never would have expected you to pull some shit like this!"

She looked down, "I was angry...when you told me you got me pregnant purpose, I felt like it was just another way for you to hurt and manipulate me."

He laughed bitterly, "I wasn't trying to hurt you, but I was trying to manipulate you into turning to me as your only option...but I didn't take into account what you were capable of."

She closed her eyes for a moment, "You have no right to judge me, Logan. I-"

He cut her off and took a step closer, "If there had been a chance that Bobby was the father, would you have rushed off to rid yourself of it?"

She stared at him for a moment before lowering her head and whispering, "No..."

He took another step closer, "Tell me, Marie...how long did you wait after finding out that you were pregnant before you scheduled the abortion?"

She wanted to lie. She hated where this conversation was going and she knew he would end up hating where it went, "A day..."

He shook his head and grunted, "Right."

She cautiously reached out and touched his arm, "I didn't think you would be there for us, Logan. I didn't think you would be the type of father I'd want for a child of mine."

He actually looked bothered by that statement, "What about now?"

She didn't know. She couldn't picture Logan ever even holding a baby, let alone changing diapers or heating up bottles. After a few moments of silence he crossed his arms, "I take care of mine, Marie...but thanks for the vote of confidence."

She yanked him to her, "Logan, stop...just stop it." She forced him to look at her, "I'm sorry, but you just...I mean...look at you! You don't exactly scream 'father material'."

"Thanks, kid." he said as he turned away from her, but again, she grabbed him and turned him back round.

She smiled unsurely, "Logan. Come on. You gotta look at it from my point of view."

He shrugged and let out a frustrated groan as he looked at her. Yea...he could see her point. He probably wouldn't be the greatest father to start with, but he could at least try.

Marie looked up at him, "You can't change your ways over night, Logan."

Logan leaned down and brushed her cheek with his thumb, "I've been working on changing myself for the past three years, kid. I stayed longer every time I came back...I sent you letters for fuck's sake."

She nodded, "I know that now." Marie looked down for a moment, then back up into his eyes, "What now?"

He leaned down without saying another word and captured her lips in his, brushing his fingers along her neck. She moaned into the kiss and pressed against him, which immediately caused him to tense up and pull away.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He cleared his throat and tried to let out a uneasy laugh, "It's just somethin' to get used to" he said as he motioned to her stomach.

She rubbed the back of his neck with her hands, "You better get used to it fast...cause I'm horny."

His eyebrows shot skyward, "Really?"

Right before she brought her lips to his, she whispered, "I want you.."

He moaned into the kiss as she reached down to cup his manhood, which hardened on contact. She smirked, "Feels like you missed me."

He pulled her robe off of her shoulders and let it fall to the floor, "Haven't had sex since I was with you, kid."

Marie looked shocked, "What? Are you serious? That was over five months ago."

He pulled his shirt over his head, "Told you I've been tryin' to change."

She ran her hands up his bare chest, then took his face in her hands, bringing his lips back down to hers. Unlike their previous encounters, this one was going to be sweet and loving. There would be no rush to cum...he just wanted to be inside of her for as long as possible.

Soon, her nightgown was a pool of fabric around her feet and he stepped back to admire her newly rounded figure. She blushed heavily and covered her midsection. He raised a brown, "Don't hide it kid...looks good on you."

She reluctantly moved her arms and looked at his pajama pants, "Why don't you show me what I been missin'?"

He smirked and yanked them down off of his hips. She kissed down his chest until she kneeled in front of him, immediately taking his cock in her mouth. He gasped and curled his fingers into her hair as she took his whole length, swallowing him as her delicate fingers caressed the base of his shaft.

He struggled to keep his balance as she sucked him, but it had been so long since he had been with her, he didn't know how long he would last, "Marie...Marie. You're gonna make me cum..."

She took his cock out of her mouth and gently pumped it, "Ain't that the point, sugah?"

He pulled her up from her knees, "Not before you do."

He sat down on the edge of the bed and she followed, straddling him as she pushed inside of her. They moaned in unison as Logan gripped her thigh, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth. He definitely wasn't going to last as long as he wanted to this time.

She started rolling her hips as he stared up at her. Her head hung back and her eyes were closed in ecstasy as she moved her hips against his. Logan ran his hands up and down her back and kissed her neck while he repeatedly whispered her name.

It didn't take long before he felt a familiar sensation begin to boil up in his stomach. He took a hold of her hips and stopped her motions as he looked up in her eyes. She whispered breathlessly, "What's wrong, baby?"

He ran one hand through her hair and squeezed her thigh with the other, "Tell me you belong to me...I need to hear you say it."

She rolled her hips just slightly, "I belong to you, Logan."

He moaned as her movements started again. He bucked up against her and gripped her ass, "Again..."

She almost cried out as she felt herself teetering on the brink of an orgasm, "I'm yours Logan..."

"Again!" he roared as he yanked her hips down onto his, cumming hard.

"I'm yours!" she cried out as she gripped onto his shoulders so tight, she drew blood.

She shuddered as she rested on top of him. He ran his hands up her back and kissed her softly on the lips, "You ok?"

She nodded and smiled as she whispered breathlessly, "Never better."

A few minutes later, Logan laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling with her warm body curled against his. She idly played with his chest hair, "So you know there's a basketball game on tomorrow night. I'll make nachos if you go get some wings."

He smiled lazily. Yep...he was definitely crazy in love with this woman.
----------------
The next day, Logan convinced Marie to just let the rest of the mansion "figure it out" instead of making a big announcement that would probably just cause a fuss among faculty and students.

When Marie took her snack break during the day, Logan stood in the door way of the kitchen, watching as she made her way down the hall toward him. Bobby emerged from one of the rooms closer to her. He obviously didn't see Logan when he spat an ice cube in her direction and yelled out, "The whore's on the march!"

Logan rushed down the hall past Marie and grabbed Bobby by the back of the neck before slamming him into the wall, causing him to yelp in pain as his face roughly met the hard wood. Logan snarled as Marie called his name, "Has he been treating you this way the whole time?"

Marie put a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Logan...let him go."

He leaned forward and growled, "You give her any more problems, I'll take that fucking block of ice you call a head right off your shoulders. We clear?"

Bobby nodded quickly as Logan roughly let him go just as the professor approached, "Logan...is there a problem?"

"Ask him", Logan groaned as he walked Bobby skulk off. "He spat at Marie."

The professor looked troubled, "So I see his attitude hasn't improved...he was hurt very deeply when Rogue broke off their engagement. He became infuriated when he found out she was carrying another man's child..."

"Well he needs to get used to it", Logan grumbled as he took Marie's hand and led her away.

He said nothing as he walked her out of the mansion. She tugged on his hand, "Logan, wait...do we need to talk about this?"

He stopped, but didn't turn to face her. His jaw clenched, "What else has he done?"

Rogue shrugged and looked down, "He just calls me names or throws an insult or two my way when I'm walking by...he's only spat the ice at me once before."

He let out a breath and looked down, "I don't want you to have to deal with that bullshit anymore, kid. If anyone's gonna give you problems, it's gonna be me."

She turned him around to face her, "Well...I think you handled that today."

He turned to her and stroked her face, "You're mine to protect now, kid. I've fucked up a lot of things...and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna end up fucking this up sooner or later, but I'm gonna try my best not to. Now come on...let's get outta here for a while."

She kissed him softly before he pulled away and led her down to the garage. They took one of Scott's old cars and went to a nearby restaurant. He peeked at her over his menu as she gently rubbed and pushed against her belly.

He tried to turn his eyes back to the menu as he cleared his throat, "What are you doin'?"

Marie glanced up, "Tryin' to make her move. I've been feelin' kicks and stuff lately, but sometimes she needs a little bit of motivation to get the show goin'."

He raised his eyebrows, "Her?"

Marie cocked her head to the side, "Yea...I didn't tell you it's a girl? I found out a couple of weeks before you came back."

Logan felt more than a little frustrated that he was so out of the loop. At that moment, he was pretty sure Jubilee, Hank, Stormand the professor already knew the sex of his baby...and now he's finding out through some random afterthought Marie had. He knew she wasn't telling him this stuff because she probably thought he didn't care, but he did. He was fascinated and almost painfully curious.

What did it feel like when it...she moved? Was she ok? Could she hear him if he talked to her?

He didn't know how long he had been staring at her, but apparently it was long enough for Marie to laugh slightly, "You wanna feel?"

He nodded slowly as he pulled his chair over. She guided his hand to her belly and looked down as she attempted to concentrate on the movement within her, "You might be able to feel some tiny little bumps..." He looked up at her, causing her to squirm slightly, "This is awkward, isn't it?"

He looked at her and shifted a little as a smirk spread across his lips, "I'll get used to it."

The question was crazy...no...stupid.

Rogue sat on his bed with her legs tucked under her, "We have sex, we're having a baby together, why can't we share a room?"

Logan spat the toothpaste into the sink and rinsed his mouth out as the night they nearly killed each other replayed in his head. He couldn't risk it happening again now that she was pregnant...and without her powers. He hadn't slept beside her since returning and she was pushing for him to move into her room.

He gripped the sides of the sink and looked down, "Marie...it's not up for discussion. You keep your room, I keep mine."

She stood up and leaned in through the bathroom doorway, "You won't hurt me, sugah."

He fixed his eyes to her stomach, "Ain't about you, kid."

He brushed by her and moved around the room, getting dressed for the day. She watched him for a moment, "Fine."

Logan glanced at her face and rolled his eyes, "Don't look like that...I hate it when you look like that."

"Like what?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"The lip...the pout thing. Stop." he said as he pulled on his tank top.

She smirked and walked over to him, tugging on the hem of his shirt, "You don't like it when I pout?"

He groaned and rolled his eyes again, doing his best to keep from looking at her, "Quit it, will ya?"

"Quit what?" she said as she pouted purposefully.

He let out a breath and moved away from her playful hands, "I'm gonna be late."

She yanked him to her, "Nuh uh mister...kiss first."

He grumbled and gave her a reluctant, almost embarrassed, half smile before leaning down and kissing her softly on the lips. She put her hand on his face and deepened the kiss for a moment before he pulled away, "You drive me fuckin' crazy, you know that?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way, would you?" she smirked.

He kissed her lips quickly again and pulled away as he walked out of the room, winking at her before he closed the door.

Logan's face immediately fell into the 'I hate everyone' scowl that he normally wore in the hallways when some students walked by. He was set to lead a Danger Room session that morning and wasn't looking forward to it...ice prick was supposed to be there.

As the students filed in, Logan glared at Bobby, who tried not to pay too much attention to the low growl that was directed his way.

The session almost ended without incident...that was before Bobby "accidentally" froze the ground in front of Logan, causing him to slip and fall and get hit in the chest by a large piece of shrapnel. After pulling it out and cringing as his skin stitched back together, he yelled up at Storm to stop to session. When he glared at Bobby, Storm got on the overhead microphone, "Logan...are you alright?"

Logan barely glanced at her as she looked down at them from the booth, "Give us a moment alone."

She gave them both a hesitant look before she disappeared from the booth.

Logan clenched his fist, "Look...if that had been the only shit you've pulled in the past few weeks, I would have just let it go, but seeing how you've treated Marie just reminds me it's apart of a long line of bull shit behavior. So do whatever the fuck you want to me, but so help me...if you fucking say another disrespectful word to or about her ever again...I'll fuck you up. Hear me?"

Bobby's eyes remained fixed on Logan's in an act of defiance, "You deserve each other."

Logan smirked, "Nice of you to say...but you still didn't tell mention whether you understood me."

Bobby's expression twitched as he took a deep breath, "I loved her."

Logan took a menacing step forward, "So much you had half of the girls your age in this school on their knees with their mouths open in front of you. I'm sick of your bull shit act Bobby. I've heard you talk to Piotr about getting hand jobs and blow jobs from random girls. I knew, but I never told her, because I didn't want her hurt...she still doesn't know, because I figured that one day, you would be man enough to stop acting like such a fucking pussy and let the fact that she had the nerve to leave you, go."

Bobby looked confused and surprised, "How did you know?"

Logan smirked, "One of the benefits to being such an animal, Bobby...I'm there even when you think no one is...just listening. Now you need to quit walking around here, acting like some sort of fucking saint...cause you didn't deserve her. The reason why you hate her so much now is because you know you'll never find anything better."

Logan turned and walked away, leaving Bobby to look stunned and hurt. Hank stood just outside of the doorway with his arms folded, "Well, well, well...it knows how to use its words."

"Shove it, furball", Logan said as he walked away.

He wanted to punch Bobby in the head, but Marie would probably be pissed about that...so he tried a new approach. As he calmed, he made his way up to the classrooms to find Marie. She should be breaking for her mid morning, pregnancy induced snack soon. He just wanted to see her...maybe touch her.

He watched her through the window on the door to her class as she taught. His anger with Bobby slowly subsided as he watched her talk to her students and write on the chalkboard. When the bell rang, he stepped out of the way to let kids file past him before he walked into her room.

She smiled brightly as he entered, "Hey sugah, didn't think I was gonna see you til lunch. How'd the Danger Room treat you?"

He grumbled and wrapped his arms around her before pulling her into a deep kiss. He breathed in her scent as he whispered, "Nothin' I can't handle."

She pulled back to look into his eyes, "You sure you ok?"

He nodded and kissed her again, "I'm good, kid. What about you?"

She moved out of his arms and began walking out of the room, "Hungry!"

He laughed and mumbled, "Of course you are."

She whirled around, "What did you say?"
-------------
He shook his head quickly, "Nothin'."
Marie noticed that Bobby could now pass her in the hall without yelling obscenities. There were no marks on his face, so it was obvious Logan hadn't beat him up, but something was definitely different.

She questioned Logan about it and he simply shrugged, "We just had a little talk, that's all."

She was nervous about what that meant, but it obviously worked, so she didn't question him any further.

After his last class of the day, he returned to Marie's room to find her laying on the bed with headphones on her stomach. He peeled off his shirt and raised a brow, "The hell are you doin'?"

She smiled as he pulled off his pants and started to walk into her bathroom, "She can hear...so that means you need to clean that potty mouth of yours."

He rolled his eyes before getting into the shower. When he got out, she was still in the same position, humming along to the music that played against her belly. It was something god awful...by some random popstar Marie listened to.

He shook his head, "Kid...I'm not sure how much say I have in this, but for Christ's sake...give the girl something good to listen to. She needs to be raised on quality music."

Marie's jaw dropped, "And what is wrong with Justin Timberlake?"

He dried his hair, "Are you shitting me? He's a pretty boy...come on. I want my girl to listen to real music...like Bruce Springsteen."

Marie took the headphones from her stomach, "I don't have that on my iPod, but you can sing it to her if you like."

Logan grunted as he wrapped the towel around his waist, "I don't sing, kid."

"Oh come on! I read that most dads talk and sing to their unborn babies so they'll recognize their voice after they're born. It'll help you form a bond with her", she said as she sat up on her knees on the bed.

Logan leaned down and kissed her, "Yea, well you know I'm not most dads."

Marie sighed, but kept a good natured smile on her face, "I know. I just thought you might wanna try to bond, or connect...or whatever. I practically had to drag your ass to my last doctor's appointment and you acted as if I asked you to jump into a volcano when I asked you about Lamaze classes."

He kissed her again, "Marie, you know me...and you know I'm doing my best to be apart of this, but I'm not the kinda guy who sings to bellies, reads pregnancy books and likes to hear about birthing stories. Sorry."

Marie pouted a little, but was soon giggling as he attacked her neck with his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he whispered, "I think you're gonna wanna put those headphones back on your stomach."

"Why?"

He gently pushed her back on the bed, "Cause I don't think you're gonna want her to hear what I'm about to do to you."

Marie smiled as he trailed kisses down her neck before laying down behind her. He reached around and slowly began caressing her clit as he nibbled on her earlobe, eliciting soft moans and coos of pleasure.

She reached back and ran her fingers through his wet hair as she whispered his name, encouraging him to speed up his movements. Her body began shuddering when he inserted his finger inside of her, "Oh god baby..."

Logan kissed her neck as he ground against her ass, "Tell me when you're ready for me."

"I want you now..." she whispered lustfully.

He quickly lifted her leg up as she down to help guide him inside of her from behind. They both moaned in unison as he pushed himself inside. Marie reached back, grabbing a hold of his ass as he pumped in and out of her.

She bit her bottom lip as she felt his perfect butt tense and clench as he fucked her. They made love for almost two hours before they collapsed in sheer ecstasy. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck, "Go to sleep babe..."

She appreciated that every night, he waited until she was peacefully sleeping before he went back to his room. She figured it was his way of making up for the fact that he couldn't share a room with her.

Unbeknown to Marie, Logan had developed a routine. Every night, he would watch her fall asleep. When her breathing was even and low, he would carefully uncurl her from his arms and kneel next to the bed so that he was eye level to her belly. There had been nights when he did sing...but most of the time he simply talked. He told the baby the story of his unknown past, the X Men and how he met her mother.

Logan slowly climbed out of bed and sat down in front of Marie as she laid on her side. He pulled down the sheet and smiled. She was getting huge.

He started whispering softly, "Hey in there kiddo. Seems like your mom is afraid I'm not properly bonding with you. She's a worrier...hope you don't inherit that. Today, I started to feel a little restless...now, I think that's something you got from me, because your mom tells me how much you move in there." Logan shifted to make himself more comfortable on the floor as he looked back at Marie's face to be sure she was still sleeping.

He continued his one-sided conversation, "I don't really like to stay in one place for too long, even if it is to be with someone as wonderful as your mother...or you. I'm just not used to having a place to stay or a family...but because I love you guys so much, I'm gonna try. I'll always try. I'll try to be a good father. I'll try to always be there for you. Remember...the keyword here is try. I'll keep trying til I succeed as long as you keep trying to stay patient with me...ok?"

He rubbed his hand across her belly before leaning in and lightly kissing it just as he did every night, "Night kiddo."

Logan stood and covered Marie's stomach back up with the sheet as he planted a soft kiss on her forehead before heading back to his room for the evening.

Logan gulped, almost visibly.

Rogue flipped through the book in her hands, "Lots of women have water births hon...it's supposed to be a beautiful, natural thing."

He shook his head and almost covered his ears before willing his eyes to look back at her. Shit. She was serious! Marie was about 35 weeks along, and was busy finalizing her birthing plan, much to Logan's dismay.

"Kid...what ever happened to those days when the dad stood out in the waiting room and smoked a cigar? Why can't I be one of those guys?" he said as he leaned his head back against the headboard.

Marie sat next to him, gauging his reaction as she spoke, "Sugah, I need you there with me...I need you to support me in this. I know it ain't necessarily what you want, but it's what I need."

He gave her a long look before he took a deep breath and nodded, "Fine...but I'm not getting in some tub that'll get filled up with blood and shit."

She sighed and kissed him on his lips, but on the inside, she was wringing his neck. It was like pulling teeth to get this man involved in her pregnancy...but honestly, what did she expect? He was Logan. She was downright lucky he hadn't left yet, but she secretly counted down the days until she woke up to find his room empty.

Marie looked down at the book and got up, walking to her desk. She stood with her back facing him, keeping her eyes down on the book in her hands. She was only pretending she was reading. She was frightened of doing it alone. She wasn't sure how much faith she could put in Logan. She didn't want to depend on him for anything because she felt that, in the long run, he would let her down.

She had been so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't hear him stand up and walk behind her. He wasn't stupid. He knew her well enough to know when something was on her mind. He looked down as he stood behind her.

Logan figured that, as always, his tough guy act was backfiring on him. He realized that the last thing she needed to be stressing about was whether he would be there for her.

Of course he would. There's no way in hell he could wait outside of some hospital doors, smoking a cigar while he listened to her call for him in agony. He shuddered at the thought. Just let anyone try to stop him from being by her side. They would walk away with one less limb.

He bit his lip and swallowed his pride. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her from behind and put his hands on her belly. She smiled and leaned her head to one side as he kissed her neck as he sang so softly she felt the need to hold her breath in order to properly hear him. He kissed her ear and swayed softly, "I see it showin'...the seed inside you...baby do you feel it growin'. Are you happy you know it...that you're havin' my baby..."

Marie would have laughed if it wasn't so heart warming. Logan was singing. He wasn't just humming a random Bruce Springsteen tune...he was singing the world's corniest song about her...to her. They stood like that for a little while before he turned her around and kissed her lips, "Better not tell anyone else about this, kid. I won't change one damn diaper if you do."

She laughed softly and kissed him again, "Your secret is safe with me."
---------------
Rogue had been to almost all of her doctor's appointments without Logan, per his request. He claimed he didn't wanna be seen at a chick doctor's office. Jubilee had accompanied her on a few and she would typically return, give him a thumbs up and go on with her day.

During her last visit, her doctor determined that Marie had marginal placenta previa, meaning her placenta was partially covering her cervix. It had developed some time in the past few weeks because of the growth and shifting of her uterus. It was a condition that could possibly make a vaginal delivery life threatening.

When he saw her face, he immediately knew something was wrong, but she dismissed him, half heartedly claiming everything was fine. A few days later, he couldn't keep dealing with the silent treatment, so he took her out to try to cheer her up.

When she stayed silent throughout their entire lunch at a local diner and refused a trip to the mall, he brought her back to the mansion to confront her. She shrugged out of her jacket and numbly moved around the room, taking off her shoes and running a hand through her hair.

He put a hand on her back and gave her a concerned look, "Kid...what's up?"

She put her head in her hands, "I really don't want to talk about it right now. If you had been there, I wouldn't have to keep thinking about it or have to explain it again."

He sighed and pulled her into his arms, "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

She pulled away, "At one point, you have to start caring more about me than what people think about you."

He growled and stood, "What the hell else do you want from me? I fucking wrote letters...I sang to you-do you know that every night, I talk to that baby like an idiot?"

She stared at him in surprise for a moment before she raised her voice, "Why didn't you tell me this? Why don't you let me in? You know I'll never tell anyone else and ruin your so-called reputation...you need to tell me how you feel..you need to-"

She paused for a moment and flinched, but tried not to show any pain, "I don't wanna talk about this anymore."

He took a step forward, "You ok, kid?"

"I'm fine", she said quickly. "Just...leave me alone for a while, ok?"

He let out an exasperated breath and rushed from the room. As soon as he closed the door, she doubled over in pain, grabbing a hold of the chair to remain upright. She took a few deep breaths as her thoughts ran. Could this be real labor? The doctor had mentioned something about random contractions...but she wasn't sure they were supposed to hurt this bad. Marie cringed again and hissed as she felt wetness slowly move down her thighs. She looked down and gasped in horror.

Blood.

Her knees grew impossibly weak as she stumbled toward the door, holding the underside of her belly. She weakly called his name before collapsing and losing consciousness.
--------------
Logan went down to the garage and sat down on his bike. For a moment, he seriously considered leaving for a brief trip, but his conscience got the better of him. He eventually calmed enough to return to her room to apologize to her.

As he approached her door, he smelled blood...her blood. He broke into a run and crashed into the room, nearly tripping over her limp body as it laid just a few feet away from the door.

He yelled desperately, "Help me! Somebody help!"

She was so pale...so still. He fought back the urge to hyperventilate as he looked at the pool of blood that had formed below her, "Marie...open your eyes..."

He took her body in his arms and was thankful to hear Jubilee in the doorway on the phone with an operator to 911. He rocked her as she slowly blinked her eyes open and cringed from the pain. She shuddered and looked up at him as sweat glistened on her forehead, "Logan..."

He rocked her and nodded, "It's ok kid...you're gonna be ok."

It felt like an eternity before the ambulance finally arrived. He carried her out and put her in the back, riding with her. She cried out in pain a few times, but he could tell her strength was failing.

When they reached the hospital, everything sped up. They were rushed into a room and given a once over by her doctor. Logan felt like panicking when even the doctor looked worried. She looked up at Marie, "Marie...I need you to focus, alright? There's no time for a c section. If you wanna give her a chance, you're gonna have to push her out."

Marie whimpered as another pain hit her, "B-b-but I though you said I c-c-couldn't..."

"Marie, just concentrate. You can do this. Don't think about anything else but your baby, ok?" The doctor turned to the nurse and spoke in low, urgent tones. In response, the nurse scattered and before they knew it, an incubator and team of medical personnel had gathered around it.

"What's wrong? What's going on?" he asked.

A nurse, who somehow was not occupied doing something else, lightly touched Logan's arm, "She has a condition called placenta previa sir. She may have just suffered a placental abruption. Normally, we'd perform a c section, but she's too far progressed and the baby is in distress...she's lost a lot of blood..."

Logan shook his head as he tried to process all of the information he just took in. He turned back to Marie and tried to force a reassuring smile, but the moment she whispered "I'm scared" he almost lost it. He was terrified, too.

A few minutes later, the doctor and some nurses were coaching her through her pushes as Logan held onto her hand, clutching it to his mouth. With every push, she grew paler and weaker...he could feel her hand growing colder.

She cried out and collapsed back onto the bed, panting wearily, "I can't anymore...no more."

The doctors in the room exchanged worried looks, "Marie...your baby needs you. She needs you to help her live, now come on mama. Push!"

Logan leaned in and rubbed her forehead, "One more, kid...one more and you can rest." He helped sit her up as she gave him a brave, but shaky smile as she pushed with all of her might, crying out with the last of the strength she had left.

Logan panicked as she took a few deep, labored breaths before closing her eyes and falling limp in his arms, "Marie! Marie!" The long, loud beep of the heart monitor was deafening in his ears.

He allowed himself to be shoved aside as her limp body was overwhelmed by medical personnel. It was then that he saw his daughter being rushed away to the incubator. He could see that her tiny, limp body had a frightening bluish tint to it before the medical team crowded around her, working vigorously to revive her tiny body.

Logan looked on helplessly, "What's wrong with her...them? What's going on? Marie!"

A nurse looked up and took him by the arm. He was so frantic that he forgot how to fight back, he simply stumbled out as she yanked him out of the room, "Sir, you need to give them room to work. I'll be sure to keep you updated."

He didn't know how long he had been crying, but his voice shook deeply as he spoke, "That's my daughter in there...and that's...that's my Marie..."

The nurse gave him a sympathetic look and nodded, "I know, sir, and I promise you, they are doing their best. Now please, just calm down and I will be right back with an update, alright?"

Logan trembled as he collapsed against a wall and put his hands in his face, sobbing heavily. Meanwhile...both heart monitors in the delivery room still showed no signs of life...

Logan could have sworn he had been sitting against that wall for days, but in reality, he had barely been there for an hour.

He felt two sets of hands take his arms and lift him from his crouched position on the floor. He allowed himself to be led to the waiting room by the hands as he sunk down into a chair.

The hands belonged to Storm and Jubilee. They had said his name and tried to talk to him, but he was too lost within his own thoughts. He would only answer if it was the nurse coming out to give him news about Rogue and the baby.

He put his head in his hands and took a few deep breaths, reflecting on the past three years and all he had put her through. From the first time they had sex against the book shelf, to the day he thought she had aborted the very child she had possibly died for...and who might be dead right now.

She didn't deserve to die like this...not while giving birth to his child. It's just not fair to her...he'd already put her through so much, this would just be the cherry on top of the bitterly flavored cake.

He was finally able to pull himself out of his mind long enough to look up at Storm, who was rubbing his shoulder, "Logan...are you alright?"

He gave her a 'what the fuck do you think?' look and clutched his hands together before looking back down. If he lost her...he would cease to exist. He wouldn't have any real reason to live...there would be no vengeance to seek and no one to love. He would go back to being the animal who fought like a dog in cages for money.

He jerked up as the nurse approached, "Sir-"

"Where is she? Is she ok?" he fired off questions before the woman was able to speak.

Jubilee and Storm stood and placed supportive hands on his shoulders as the nurse spoke, "She's been rushed into an emergency surgery...like I said, she's lost a lot of blood and she'll need a transfusion."

Logan's gut twisted, "What about the baby?"

"She...she wasn't breathing-Sir! Sir! Wait! Where are you going?" The nurse ran after him as he rushed by her, bursting through the doors of the maternity ward. He retraced his steps back to Marie's room just in time to see them wheeling an incubator from the door. He slowed to a stop and took a deep breath, not knowing if he was prepared to see what was inside.

He'd spent so much time thinking about that baby and talking to her...it seemed only natural that one day, they would meet. He didn't know how he would handle it if she never got a chance to take her first breath...say her first words or take her first steps.

The nurse appeared behind as he approached the incubator. She panted slightly as the other medical personnel gave her an alarmed look, but she nodded, giving them the signal to step out of his way.

Logan's breath hitched in his throat as he saw the tiny baby inside. She was hooked up to a little heart monitor and an oxygen tube was resting next to her face...luckily it wasn't down her throat. He started to open his mouth to say something, but shook his head and took a few steadying breaths.

The nurse spoke softly, "She's a little small, but she started breathing on her own once we revived her. We're just giving her a little bit of oxygen as a precaution."

"She's beautiful", he said to no one in particular. He had never seen anything more beautiful...besides her mother. He stared down at her, watching her little chest rise and fall as she slowly yawned and brought her hands to her face. She blinked slowly and took a few deep breaths before looking directly at him.

He felt as if someone had pierced his soul as her brown eyes bore into his. He stuttered for a moment before finally whispering, "Heya kiddo..."

Logan tried to remain calm when they told him he couldn't hold his yet to be named daughter. They wanted to monitor her oxygen levels and run a few tests before they let her out of her little plastic cage. He watched the doors close as they wheeled her into the NICU and took a few deep breaths before saying a silent prayer.

In the meantime, he redirected his energy to Marie. He panicked slightly when he felt as if the universe wouldn't be so kind as to bless him with a beautiful daughter and his Marie...he never had it that good. Guys like him just weren't that lucky.

He sat back down in the waiting room. The good news of knowing his daughter was alright made it easier for him to speak to Storm and Jubilee and become more aware of those around him. When the same nurse who came back out, she asked him to follow her. She led him back to a recovery room and patted him on the shoulder. He didn't know whether he should take it as a good or bad sign that she had failed to mention Marie's condition, but that didn't matter when he opened the door.

Marie lay in the bed, still pale and still unconscious. When he got closer, he realized that she looked better than he had last seen her. She almost looked as if she was sleeping when he sat down next to her bed and looked her up and down before taking her hand and squeezing it. He kissed her hand, "Hey kid...you gotta wake up. Please? Please open your eyes."

His voice got smaller as he clutched her hand to his face. He was letting the tears pour forth while he continued to plead for her to open her eyes.

Logan kissed her hand again, "I saw her Marie. She looks just like you, but she has my eyes...you gotta see her for yourself. She's so goddamn amazing. Come on kid...come on. Open your eyes." He leaned his head down, resting his forehead on her shoulder as he breathed in her soft, faint scent.

Logan struggled not the allow the sobs that swelled in his chest take over his body as his tears continued to wet Marie's hospital gown. Even her normally pink lips were muted in color. He straightened up and wiped the tears away when Jubilee knocked on the door.

Both Storm and Jubilee traded off, taking turns to sit with him as he watched Marie.

He sat for almost three hours, just watching and waiting. Jubilee and Storm tried to get him to eat some take out that they brought from a random fast food joint, but he refused without taking his eyes off of Marie's still form.

His stupid, tough guy image didn't matter anymore. The Wolverine wasn't supposed to be afraid. The Wolverine wasn't supposed to cry.

Fuck the Wolverine.

He had lived his life, taking what he wanted without giving a damn about who it affected. It was what he had done to Marie and look where it got her. In a hospital bed, fighting for her life.

He cleared his throat and looked over at Storm and Jubilee, who were laying out food for him on a nearby table in an attempt to lure him to it, "Thanks...both of you...for uh, being here."

The two looked at each other and nodded, surprised at such a seemingly tender show of emotion from him, "It's no problem...we're happy to do it."

Everyone in the room perked up as they watched Marie roll her head to one side and take a deep breath. She slowly blinked her eyes open and attempted to take in her surroundings before turning her eyes to Logan, "Wh-wh-what...where...what happened?"

He shut his eyes tight and kissed her hand repeatedly, "Oh god...Marie...thank god."

Her hand went to her belly, which immediately caused her to notice the absence of her pregnant stomach. She began panicking, "Where's the baby! Where is she? Oh god!"

Logan took her by the shoulders and spoke calmly, "Marie...she's alright. She's beautiful."

She calmed slowly and smiled weakly, "She's ok?"

Logan nodded, "I saw her...she's amazing."

Marie smiled and closed her eyes as a tear streaked down her face, "She's ok...she's ok..."

Logan pressed the nurse's button to have someone come in and check on her, but instead, their daughter's incubator was wheeled in. Marie tried, unsuccessfully, to sit up.

The nurse smiled, "All of her tests checked out OK and she's ready to meet her parents. Mommy, you may be a little too weak to hold her yourself, but if the proud papa would like a try-"

Logan suddenly looked nervous, "I-I-I don't know if I should."

The nurse opened the incubator, "Oh you'll be fine! All daddies get a little nervous their first time...but once she's in your arms, you'll forget what it's like to not hold her. Now have a seat next to mama so she can see her."

Logan did as he was told, but kept the uncertain look on his face as the nurse approached him with the small bundle of pink blanket and baby.

She had to instruct him on how to position his arms before she gingerly set the baby in his embrace. Rogue leaned over as best she could and touched the baby's head, smiling, "What's her name gonna be?"

Logan felt a little awkward when he noticed Storm and Jubilee watching him carefully and with great curiosity. Storm took the hint and took Jubilee's hand, "We'll be outside."

Logan looked at Marie and shrugged, "I wanna name her after you."

Marie gave him a weak laugh and let out a breath, "I don't want to call her Marie."

He rocked the baby subconsciously, "Anna then."

Rogue sighed and nodded, "Fine. Her name is Anna."

Neither of them really knew what to do with something so small. While they were in the hospital, the nurses did everything. Logan stood over them, watching over their shoulders with great curiosity while Marie was still confined to her hospital bed.

When they got home, the stress of having a newborn took its toll on both of them. The lack of sleep and strain of an infant who couldn't properly vocalize her problems was particularly exhausting to Logan. Especially since he was a guy who believed if you have an issue, come out and say it, if not, shut up.

Too bad Anna didn't understand that mantra.

He couldn't win through intimidation with this kid...he had to learn how to respond to her properly and quickly. For a while, Marie struggled with the baby blues. When Anna was eight weeks old, he found Marie hiding in the closet crying, covered in spit up while Anna laid crying in her crib. In retrospect, he should have known it was only a matter of time before she cracked. She seemed terrified to let the baby leave her sight, so she didn't, but at the same time, she seemed overwhelmed by the demanding infant.

Marie looked up at him and choked back a sob, "I tried everything...I just...she just won't stop crying!"

Logan went to Anna's crib and picked her up, "Hey kiddo..."

He knew he was going to regret what he was about to say, but the look on Marie's face made it not matter anymore, "Look Marie...you need some time away. Why don't you go out with Jubes?"

Marie slowly ventured out of the closet and wiped her face with the back of her sleeve, "I'm a terrible mother...I shouldn't have to hide from my own baby."

He found Anna's pacifier and put it in her mouth, holding it there because she had a stubborn tendency to spit it out. Logan turned back to a bleary eyed Marie and frowned, "Hank did say she was colicky...it's only natural that you're going a little crazy bein' cooped up in the room with her day and night with all the screaming she does. You need some time away...so go ahead. Just get away."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked, more referring to leaving him all alone with the baby than anything else.

Logan rolled his eyes and groaned, "She is MY daughter Marie. You need this. You haven't been yourself since she was born...tell you what, I'll ask Jubilee to plan the day for you. Just make sure you leave enough breast milk for her, and just go. If I need help, I'll ask Storm or Hank."

Rogue bit her lip, "Sugah...are you abso-"

"Dammit Marie, you better go before I change my mind."

She raised a hand and nodded as she began rushing around the room, "Ok. Ok."

An hour later, Jubilee stood in the doorway as Logan sat on the bed feeding their daughter a bottle. Marie kissed the baby's head repeatedly, then kissed Logan and looked him in the eyes, "Thank you so much."

He smiled and kissed her, "Get outta here."

She did. As quickly as possible. She called thirty minutes later though...and another thirty minutes after that...and another thirty minutes after that. During the last call, he got frustrated, "If you call in another half hour, I'm just not gonna answer."

Marie sounded breezier and more carefree than she had in the past two months. She sounded like herself, "Ok! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you knew where her back up binky was."

Logan raised an eyebrow at the baby in his arms, "Marie...I told you I'll never call it a binky...it's a fuckin' pacifier."

"Fine...did she make poopie yet?"

Logan groaned, "I'm hanging up now."

After that, Jubilee took Marie's phone and threatened to set her hair on fire if she called home again. Jubilee took her to get a manicure, a pedicure, a much needed hair cut, to the mall and then to eat.

Although Anna was still on her mind by the end of the day, she felt more relaxed and happy than she had been in a long time.

When she walked into their room, she found Logan sitting in the arm chair asleep with Anna sleeping on his chest. The place was a mess, littered with burp cloths, diapers and empty bottles, but she didn't care. They'd survived a day alone without mommy.

She smiled and attempted to pick Anna up from her father's chest, but Logan's hand protectively clutched her to him as his eyes blinked open, "Hmmm...when did you get back?"

She smiled and whispered, "Just a couple of minutes ago...I'll take her...lay down in bed."

He moaned something inaudible as he allowed her to pick up Anna, then fell into bed.
-------------------
As Marie was learning how to take time for herself without feeling guilty, Logan was learning how to give of himself without appearing weak. Logan had almost lost both of them, and he wasn't about to take them for granted for the sake of looking tough.

It helped Logan to know that Marie had a hard time adjusting to parenthood. It was kind of his reminder that he didn't have to be the perfect father because she wasn't either. They both just did their best and tried their hardest.

By the time Anna was two, it was clear that the toddler had the Wolverine wrapped around her pinky finger. She was a bit of a trouble maker around the mansion, but no one ever said a thing to her, for fear that her father would take their head off for making his baby girl frown.

Marie often chided him for spoiling her so rotten, but he often ignored her and told her to "quit bitchin'". Logan didn't want to admit that he was often too quick to give into Anna's ever whim.

She would run up to him in the hallway of the mansion and jump up and down in front of him with her hands stretched up, "Daadee wiiide! Daadee wiiide!" That was her way of requesting a piggy back ride from him. He always obliged, scooping her up in one hand and flinging her onto his back.

She was a gorgeous little girl. A spitting image of Marie save for Logan's deep, wild eyes. They shared the same adventurous, rugged spirit, which is probably why he liked her so much...of course he loved her, but he wondered if every parent actually liked their kids.

To Marie's dismay, he encouraged his daughter's sense of rough adventure. She often climbed him like he was her own personal jungle gym and she loved it when he tossed her high into the air. Every time Marie saw her daughter fly a good five feet upwards, squealing and laughing in delight, her heart hitched in her throat, but Anna always landed safely in her father's arms.

"Anna Marie Howlett! Get down off that chandelier this instant!"

Marie stomped her foot as she watched her toddler swing from the chandelier in the main foyer. The little girl's mutation had presented itself a couple of months prior and it had everyone on edge...everyone except Logan.

She had her father's animal-like acrobatic talent and regenerative capabilities. Marie discovered that when the girl busted her lip after falling face first on one of her many toys. By the time Marie rushed over to her daughter, her lip had already healed and the girl was giggling.

Logan walked into the foyer and looked up at the chandelier, "She's got a good grip."

Marie rolled her eyes, "Could you just get her down from there?"

Logan smacked Marie on the ass and looked back up at his daughter, "Anna! Down, now!"

She squealed and dropped down into her father's arms as he caught her with ease, "Daydee!"

Marie plucked her daughter from Logan's arms and kissed her nose, "Come on munchkin, bed time."

Anna hugged Marie and kissed her cheek briefly before she started kicking and leaning over in her mother's arms, whining as she desperately reached for her father, "Noooo! Noooo! Daydee! Daydee! Wan daydee!"

Marie gave Logan an exasperated look before he smirked and took Anna back from Marie, "Quit your whinin', kiddo. I gotcha."

Marie put her hands on her hips, smiling as she watched Logan tote their daughter up the stairs. When she was an infant, she was undoubtedly a mama's girl, but the older she got, the more of a daddy's girl she became.

It was clear they shared the same mutation and wild spirit...it was all in the eyes. Logan had taken to being a father to such a wild little cub like a fish to water. She was as tough as him and smarter than Marie...a deadly combination by her standards.

When Logan finished putting Anna to bed, he roamed the mansion, looking for Marie...his "wife". They'd never formally done it, but that's what she was to him for all intensive purposes. She had put up with his shit for years and given him the most precious gift in the world...his little feral cub. Anna.

She wasn't a normal 2 year old by any standards. Not only could she leap and bound from the floor to the wall...to a chandelier, she could melt the Wolverine's heart with one look.

Logan prayed she wouldn't have his claws...or ay claws for that matter. Fighting would not be her destiny. He couldn't bear for her to have the same awful memories and dreams as he did.

He wandered the halls of the mansion and found Marie in the dimly lit kitchen, eating ice cream out of a pint container. She stopped in mid-spoonful when she saw him in the doorway. He couldn't help but laugh as she looked at him with an "oh shit, I've been caught" expression on her face.

He crossed his arms and sauntered toward her, "Isn't that Storm's ice cream?"

She pulled the spoon from her mouth, "Mmmm no." He raised a brow and cocked his head to the side as she slowly corrected herself, "Yes. What's it gonna cost me to keep you quiet?"

He approached her as she put the ice cream back. He eyed her for a moment and suddenly grabbed her by the hips and sat her on top of the counter, hiking her nightgown up her thighs as he caressed the soft flesh he exposed, "It's gonna take a little bit of this..." he whispered as he ran his up the inside of her thigh and searched out her core with his middle finger. She opened her legs wider around his hips as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders, "...and a little bit of this..." he whispered again as he kissed her neck, pushing his finger deeper into her folds.

She jumped and put her head back as he stroked her with his finger, causing her to instantly get wet. He smiled satisfactorily before quickly unbuttoning his pants and yanking his member out. He grabbed her ass and yanked her forward on the counter, impaling her on his cock.

Their pace was frenzied and needy. They knew that someone could walk in at any moment...which made their coupling even hotter and more exciting. She gripped onto him as he fucked her, both of them struggling to keep quiet as they worked for release. When they came, she quickly covered his mouth to muffle his loud groan of satisfaction.

"Fuck, you're so hot", he breathed.

She laughed softly and squirmed a little, "And here I just thought you stayed with me cause of my brains."

He pulled from her and stowed himself away in his jeans. He leaned against the opposite counter, still panting softly. She hopped down off the counter and ran a hand through her hair, "What are you starin' at?"

"The most beautiful fuckin' thing in the world."

She blushed and rolled her eyes, "You, my love, have a way with words."

He looked down at his boots and cleared his throat, "I've been thinkin' about somethin'."

"What's up sexy?"

He shrugged, "Was wonderin' how you'd feel about marryin' me."

Marie broke into uncontrollable giggles, "Right! You and me get married...I'll be Mrs. Wolverine." Her laughter died down when she caught the pained expression on his face. She cleared her throat, "Oh god...you're serious aren't you?"

"Well I was...but you sure do know how to kill a man's ego, don't ya?"

She walked over to him, trying to quickly to some damage control, "Baby, I'm sorry...it's just...we never talked about marriage before. You don't seem like you'd wanna really do something like that."

"With you, I could. Look at me...I haven't left since before Anna was born."

Marie gave him a sweet look, "That's cause of her...she's like oxygen to you. I know you can't live without her."

He stroked her cheek, "It's cause of you too, beautiful...or haven't I already proven I'm completely obsessed with you?

Rogue leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. A montage of the past several years flashed before her eyes. Their first time against the book shelf, watching football together, their fight over the nachos, the night he got her pregnant, their angry, passionate fights, him rubbing her belly, Anna's birth...

She looked into his eyes and took a deep breath. They'd already dealt with a lifetime worth of drama, pain and happiness. It only seemed right that they say their "I Dos", even if her "til death" would be much sooner than his.

She kissed his lips thoroughly and lovingly as she stroked his muttonchops, "Alright Wolverine...you got yourself a wife."

Even though Storm and the professor tried to pressure them into having a big wedding at the mansion, Logan, Anna and Marie took a trip to the mountains and had a priest marry them on a cliff overlooking a beautiful valley.

It was so very perfect and so very...them.
---------------
Anna grew up not knowing of the tumultuous beginnings of her parents relationship. All she knew was that they were full of love and passion for each other.

Anna grew into a beautiful teenage girl, much to her father's annoyance. She had her mother's looks and then some...and her father's enigmatic, animal-like sexuality. Logan hated seeing his little girl grow up so fast, especially since he didn't appear to age a day...but when he saw her walk down the stairs of the mansion, dressed for their prom, he felt as though he aged three decades. His heart ached in his chest when he remembered chasing her up and down those very stairs her high heeled feet were now treading on.

When the little pimply faced punk who was her prom date gasped upon seeing her, Logan had to fight to keep his claws in his hands. Marie sensed his tenseness and stopped snapping pictures as she put a hand on his shoulder, "Daddy's little girl is all grown up..."

Logan cleared his throat and shook his head, "Yea."

Anna rushed over to her father, "Mom! Get a picture with me and dad!"

Logan gave the camera a half smile as Anna crushed her father into a hug for the picture. She looked up at him and kissed his cheek as her date and her friends began filing out of the house, "Love you daddy...don't wait up!"

Logan sighed and watched her get in the car with her friends and drive away, stupid pop music blaring. Marie kissed her husband's cheek and put a hand on his shoulder, "You done good pops...I thought for sure you were about to hop on your motorcycle and follow her."

He raised a brow, "That's not such a bad idea."

He actually started to grab his keys and head out the door when Marie's voice barked behind him, "Front and center mister! You have responsibilities here."

Logan rolled his eyes mockingly as his two other "responsibilities" bounded down the stairs in their pajamas. Twin boys, both with his mutation. They each jumped on his leg, "Daaad! Jake said 'der was monsties inside dee cwoset!"

Jake chimed in, "Nuh uh! I jus said it wooked scaawy!"

Logan leaned down and scooped the boys up in his arms. Jake and James. They were little miracles, just like their sister, but in a slightly different way. After Anna's birth, there had been some questions about Marie's fertility, but when she discovered she was pregnant 11 years after Anna was born, it was a blessed surprise...even more so when they realized she was having twins.

This time Marie had a scheduled c-section which, luckily, lacked he drama of Anna's birth.

As Marie watched Logan carry their sons away, she took a deep breath and thanked whatever deity she could think of that Logan had been so persistent. For the first time in her life with him, she sat back and thanked god that she had been the object of his Rogue obsession.