Logan watched the party before him as the guests slowly started departing. He hated the crowd, hated the noise, the scents but he couldn’t refuse to participate. Catching sight of Piotr he tilted his head as he tried to remember exactly where he’d caught the scent of the woman with him.
There was something too familiar about it, something that pulled at the edges of his mind. He wondered if he’d seen her in a bar. She didn’t look like a fight groupie, didn’t walk like one. Instead every move she made was lithe, smooth, and graceful. Like she’d grown up in high society, yet the way she stood, the unconscious way she drew attention to her was at odds with that image.
“Still tryin’ to figure it out?” Rogue’s soft whisper drew a grin that was quickly masked.
“I know that damn scent. I can almost taste it.”
“Of course you can.” She giggled and rested her hands on his shoulder. “Do you want me to clue you in?”
“It would save time.”
Rogue nodded. “The last bar you were in before you stopped in Selkirk, before you came home to me. A half-starved girl in a tattered mini-skirt, reeking of desperation and fear as she offered you ten minutes of true love for twenty bucks. Hunched in a chair as she ate your leftovers.” Rogue whispered softly. “You dropped her off in Selkirk, made her promise not to turn tricks, to get back in school.”
“Angel?” Logan whipped his head around to stare at Rogue. “I haven’t seen her in four or five years, haven’t even talked to her in over two.”
“You made her.” Rogue nudged her chin toward the woman who laughed at something Piotr said, her body relaxing into the big man’s grip easily. “You took her away from hell and she’s built something around that.”
“She’s buying and selling kids? She’s doing to others what she had done to her?” Logan couldn’t understand the reasoning behind it.
“No. She’s taking kids in, giving them homes, family, faith. A place to belong.” She paused. “She’s taking the kids that no one wants, the kids that are being used, abused and giving them back what was stolen from them. For each of them, they’ve had their wings ripped off, sold like yard sale junk, Angel gives them back.”
“So what’s Piotr doing with her?”
Rogue shrugged. “He’s an enforcer. Muscle man does what others don’t or can’t do. He also loves her enough to walk in the shadows she must.”
“And I was gonna beat ‘im to a pulp.”
“If you want to know what they do, if you want to see the effect your kindness had on one person find out where she lives. Find out where the haven is the sanctuary for the kids. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll find.”
Logan watched Piotr and his girl even as he listened to Rogue walk away. Somehow he didn’t think either of them would tell him where they kids were. Suddenly, a comment made by Piotr earlier in the night made his stomach clench.
Stalking across the room, Logan wondered if he could get the information outta the couple simply by asking. He stopped next to Piotr who turned his head and looked at him for a moment.
“We need to talk.” Logan grunted and nodded toward the doors. “Now.”
With a telling look between the, Angel and Piotr followed him out of the room and into the night air. Shivering slightly she smiled her gratitude when Piotr wrapped his jacket around her shoulders.
“So.” Angel started as they walked through the rose garden, the moon lighting the way. “What do you want to know?”
“How long have you been taking kids in?” Logan demanded digging out a cigar. “When did you start?”
Angel shrugged, “Not too long after you helped me. I saw a need, I filled it. Within a year the house you had in Selkirk was full. I would be more than happy to provide you with all the paperwork…”
“I ain’t interested in a piece of paper. I wanna know how.”
“Went to work. I did as you asked.” Angel replied. “Took a vow, swore an oath of sorts and set out a bunch of rules. It hasn’t been easy. I haven’t managed to save all of went after.” She paused. “The first couple of years I worked in a store, worked in a restaurant, went to school. Did a lot of fundraising, got help from Sal-Mart, and other local charities.”
“And?” Logan prompted as she snuggled deeper into the warmth of the man next to her.
“I worked hard, Logan. I saved every penny. Do you know how many meals I missed because I took the money you sent me and used it to pay bills, buy second hand clothes for the kids I found? I took what the thrift stores wouldn’t, made things outta garbage and for what? So that the kids I found could have a full belly and a warm bed – alone.”
“What are you doing here?” Logan asked after a few minutes of silence.
“Building the fourth shelter.” Piotr replied quickly. “Managed to fill three of ‘em already. This one is pretty full and it’s gonna get fuller.”
“I did get a call back from that old brownstone apartment complex out by the park.” Angel spoke softly, kicking off her heels and walking along the grass peacefully. “I’m gonna have to sell a couple of the cars…”
“Why?” Logan demanded.
“I’m short five grand on the purchase price.” Angel explained. “And I can’t afford to lose this place. It’s got enough room for six hundred kids. Means I can reshuffle everyone, can move those that need it without double-bunking.”
“And you need five grand.”
“Yeah.” Piotr shrugged. “We’ll raise the money though; I could always sell my collection of…”
“Oh no. Piotr you’ve already sold too much. You don’t have a lot left to sell and I don’t want you to have nothing.”
“I don’t think of it like that. I’m saving a baby from a pervert. From some sick, twisted freak it’s worth losing on old book or clothes, or a laptop.”
Logan frowned as he watched them discussing their choices. The warmth, the genuine emotion that came from both of them was overpowering, soaking the air with their emotions. “I can get some for you as well.” Logan offered.
“NO! You’ve already done so much; I won’t ask more of you!” Angel protested. “I have things I can sell.”
“No. If you have a need than I can help.” Logan drawled. “Besides, you think Rogue’s gonna let me get away with not helpin’.”
“I won’t take it.” Angel shook her head. “I’ve always managed to get the money somehow.”
“I can ask Professor Xavier.” Piotr interjected. “I could see if he’d loan me a couple of grand.”
“I’ll get you five grand.” Logan snapped, shocked beyond belief that the pair was arguing over who would provide the money. “What about bedding? Food? Clothes…”
Angel shrugged and looked at Piotr before facing Logan. “I can get all of that from my contact within the Red Cross. Most of the time I don’t pay for it.”
“I wanna see what you’ve done. I want to see how you’ve managed to do what so many before you have failed to stick to. I did what I had to, you didn’t have to. It wasn’t part of our agreement.”
Angel shrugged a flush climbing her cheeks. “I sorta broke that agreement.”
“How?”
“You said no tricks, no boys…” Angel paused at Piotr’s soft curse. “Well he did!”
“I thought we worked this out. I’m neither a trick nor a boy. And our relationship is a bit beyond whore/trick.”
Logan glanced between them. “He’s right. I never expected you to abstain from sex. I just didn’t want you to focus on it when you were getting back on your feet.”
Angel nodded, the fear fading from her eyes, her shoulders relaxing slightly.
“Did you want to stop in?” Piotr asked. “You could come see what we’ve built.”
“When and where?”
“Tomorrow night at six.” Piotr glanced down at the woman in his arms. “By the docks. The place is called Dock’s House. Right now its co-ed but we usually like to separate them as much as possible. It has two parts; boys live in the lower level and girls in the middle level. Angel and I’s place is in the loft.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow at six then.” Logan drawled and stalked off into the shadows.
“Well that went well.” Angel whispered staring at her hands. “I didn’t think he’d be too happy.”
Piotr smiled and pulled her closer to him. “I think Logan’s a lot more complex than we give him credit for. Come on, it’s late and we have to work tomorrow.”
From the shadows under a tree, Logan watched them weaving their way back to the house. He remembered what Angel had started, remembered Rogue’s whispers in the darkness of houses full of kids that most wouldn’t spit upon if they were on fire. He remembered all too well the desperation that had soaked Angel’s scent the night he’d met her and he couldn’t help the feelin’ of pride that welled within his chest. She’d gone from being on the lowest rung of the ladder to a woman of power, of control, and dignity.
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