He'd at first returned to bedlam. Groups of hormonally charged teens milling around, dancing and rubbing their sexually charged bodies up against each other. The Prom Marie had said when she embraced him, her evening gown crinkling against his jacket and he had a strange desire to flatten it out. The bedlam is why he hadn't noticed at first that his Marie wasn't quite as open as she use to be.
It threw him for a loop and it wasn't till three days later, lying in his bed he realized that between the prom, the obvious hangover she had the next day, his being near imprisoned by the professor and the rest of the would be superhero's in their explanation of a urgent mission, his exhaustion, between all that it just hadn't registered that Marie was avoiding him and he didn't know why.
On the first night she'd heard the bike, how with all that bloody pounding punk rock, dance, rap, hip stuff pounding through four of the biggest speakers he'd ever seen he would never know but she had. She'd come running out to greet him, throwing her arms around his neck for dear life before he'd even gotten off the damn bike.
Her smell was what hit him first, her perfume, light and sweet like spring flowers hadn't been able to disguise her, the smell that was all Marie, the smell he identified as home; along with her voice, her laugh...her. He'd wrapped his arms around her and hugged her so hard he'd lifted her clear off the ground and she'd giggled, not that annoying teenage giggle, but one that was genuine, bordering on a laugh, one that didn't annoy him.
He'd pulled back to tell her what he had come to say, that he missed her, loved her, would wait forever for her to be ready. Then she'd smiled, really smiled, a genuine smile that was so much more than the grins and smirks he was accustomed to that he'd been struck dumb.
"Thanks for the violin Logan, I love it, its beautiful." He'd found his voice enough to mutter, "play it for me sometime and were even," before finally taking in what she was wearing. Speech after that was impossible.
It was a tight pale blue silk dress, sleeveless with splits up her thighs showing off the longest, sexiest pair of legs he'd ever seen. Over it lay a see through cloak that hugged her body like a glove, moulding to the blue silk it covered all the skin that could be seen, its sides clasping under her breasts before flaring out and flying around her hid and seek thighs that peaked out through the slits. God you're beautiful kid, he somehow managed to splutter and she'd blushed, dipping her head slightly but her eyes kept sneaking back up to his.
Then Jean had come out the door and Marie had left, much to his distaste but he didn't want her to miss her prom so he'd let her go, following a taking Jean back inside. He didn't listen to her and never once, much to the disgust of his virile side, checking her out. He'd been too busy looking for Marie but she'd gone.
Three nights later Logan lay in bed again, five days back and he'd seen Marie a total of seven times and only twice had she spoken to him, the other five times had been sightings of her across the room, her quick wave and smirk and Jeans hand pulling him away. Jean had been around a lot lately.
Swearing Logan yanked back the covers and pulled on his -discarded track pants and t-shirt, stopping only long enough to grab gloves off the dresser he dashed out the door to Marie's room. Her bed was empty and near panic he was about to rudely wake her two sleeping roommates with a bellowed Where the HELL is Marie at 1 in the morning? when she silently eased the door open and he grabbed her. Clasping a hand over her mouth to still the scream he quickly whispered Marie its me, felt her body relax in relief and half carried, half dragged her out the semi open door into the dimly lit hallway.
She punched him in the arm, clasping a hand over her heart and exclaimed with as much gusto as she could that he was a bastard. All Logan did was grunt and ask where the hell she'd been.
"God is that all I thought someone had died the way your acting," he just stared and she sighed, rolling her eyes in agitation. "I was in the music room practicing my violin."
"At one in the morning?" worry making his voice gruff.
"I have my final exam tomorrow - history - playing helps me relax."
"Exam?" His eyebrows quirked," is that why you've been avoiding me Marie, getting ready for exams and graduation?" He would have believed her stammered "yes" but she quickly glanced away, too quickly.
"I gotta get to bed Logan. Big day tomorrow," and she walked towards the door with a small smile. "Goodnight."
"Hey kid," she turned back curiosity in her eyes. "Good luck tomorrow," and she smiled again, that full brilliant smile he'd seen only once and lightly closed the door.
The next day he lay in wait outside 'Ro's classroom somewhat in shock from what he professor had told him that morning and equally full of pride at what he Marie had accomplished, not only in the months he'd been gone but before that. After last night Logan had lay in bed and realized that in all reality her knew very little about Marie's life. So he'd approached the professor that morning after absently eating breakfast while trying to ignore Jean's chatter. Casting looks at Marie that she caught, held and then smiled breaking away. Each time she looked up and saw him staring at her she blushed a little more and this made him grin, her cheeky wink made him growl until Jean asked if he was alright, her hand on his arm, voice low. He shock her off and muttered nothing not for the first time wondering where the hell one-eye was.
She'd gotten into Yale. Even him in all his ignorance and uncivilized nature knew what a big deal that was and he wondered why she hadn't told him.
She'd won a scholarship and was in the running for another that would mean only a small amount more for tuition and living costs. She'd be graduating in the top three of her class, a remarkable feat given her missed eight months on the road.
The professor hadn't been too forth coming about where the rest of the money was going to come from but he was already mentally going through his savings. He worked to survive, lived merger, earned little but had been able to save some, enough at least to help Marie out. He was contemplating the way to offer the money so she would take it, she had as much pride as he did, even more now considering she had had him running around in her head. He was so preoccupied he didn't see her coming.
Before he knew what hit him Jean was there, smiling shyly at him and touch his arm. It had been happening all the time, while it was flattering flirting with her was no fun if Scooter wasn't around and she was open to his advances.
That stooped him short suddenly as she squeezed his arm and looked up at him from under her lashes. She was open to it, infact she was encouraging him and he'd just been too stupid, too busy preoccupied with concerns and thoughts of Marie he hadn't notice. It shocked him somewhat to realize that he didn't care.
Logan, even her voice was an octave lower and it grated on his nerves. I was wondering if your free tonight? He just raised an eyebrow, his eyes never moving from the door to 'Ro's classroom. The exam was over; he could hear the chatter and smell the nervous relief of twenty or some student, the excitement at being free.
"Tonight, why Jean is there something you needed?" He played ignorant; having finally worked out she was flirting with him he was eager to find out why and where the hell Scott was.
She squeezed his arm again and moved closer, her other hand attaching itself to the back of his neck and spraying her fingers through the hair there. It caused him to swing towards her, the intimacy of her touch unnerving, too close, too soft, too much not Marie.
That's how Rogue found them, Jean's fingers in his hair, his astonished look as he stared at her, the undertone of her vice as she whispered huskily. "I thought we could go on a date." He would have laughed if it hadn't been for the absurdity of it all and he hadn't sensed Marie.
She was standing her eyes wide, not hurt but almost accepting as if she'd expected it, expected Jean's over obvious latching affection and was resided to the fact. It was that which disturbed him the most, that it wasn't a surprise.
Her eyes were empty of any emotion as she looked at them before smiling sadly and walking off. He followed her leaving Jean behind without an answer or second thought but she eluded him by sneaking into the ladies toilet. He would have waited forever if he hadn't know she'd never give him a straight answer so he went to the one person he thought could help.
Scott was as happy to see him as Logan was at having to go to him. He grunted when he saw who it was and cryptically commented, "I wondered what took you so long." Never one to bet around the bush he got straight to the point.
"Why's your girl coming on to me and what the hell's up with Marie?"
Scott signed putting down the wrench and turned towards him, his stance defeated. Its been five days Logan and just now your wondering why Jean has been hanging all over you, he shock his head. "If I hadn't seen the total lack of interest you had I'd have been more upset I suppose though I knew this was going to happen having to watch her every day, having to see her fawn over you..." he cut off shaking his head slowly.
"Look Scott it must be hard but, well...damn Scott I'm not interested in her, maybe I was at one time but not for what she wants, not a relationship, just sex and I wouldn't do that to her," he hesitated, uncomfortable with the sharing, "I wouldn't do that to you."
Scott smiled tightly and opened his mouth but Logan cut him off, "I'm being nice here Scooter, don't blow it," and Scott wisely shut his mouth and turned back to his workbench.
"It happened when she got the violin. Rogue never told anyone you called and it came as a shock to us all that you'd sent her the package. Jean took it to her when it arrived and I just happened to be passing by, coincidence really. Rogue's bedroom door was open, that's how I heard it."
"Heard what Scooter?" his voice was harsh, impatient.
"Jean wanted to know why you sent her something and Rogue innocently said you'd been phoning her, her voice was mellow, content, how she gets when she talks about you," he smiled wryly "you bring her contentment I think." Despite himself he felt his heart lift.
"Jean was angry, wanted to know why she hadn't told anyone and said that she was upset with you. Said it was cruel to encourage Rogue's girlhood crush when it was obvious what you wanted. Rogue asked her what it was and she said it was her, that you'd told her you loved her and that Rogue was just a kid who meant nothing to you."
"What," hands clasped at his sides he felt the need to unleash his claws, anger boiling up in him.
Scott paid him no heed. " Rogue just laughed, I don't think she meant to, it just happened and Jean demanded to know why. Rogue told her she was mistaken to think she had meant anything to you but a way to annoy me. You were attracted to her and would fuck her if she asked but long-term commitments weren't in you, even for a hot piece of ass like Jean." Scott breathed in roughly. " Jean replied that she could get you and she would, that all it took was a real woman, one that could touch and be touched."
The crash that echoed through the garage was long, loud and followed by a string of curses that would have made a sailor blush, it even made Scott turn his head in shock.
"I left her after that and apparently she's on her way to trying to win you. I don't know what she told Rogue but I think it has to do with the grant money for college. She controls who gets the living grants and without one Rogue won't be able to attend. Its Jean's money so Jean gets to decide. Jean wants you and will do whatever is necessary to get rid of the competition." Scott looked up at him knowingly. "There isn't a competition though is there?"
"No," he grunted, turned and left. He had work to do.
He found her in the garden, she looked around nervously when he stopped and he was angered even more that all this time she'd had to be on the look out, had to make sure that she wasn't in Jean's way. She was looking after her future and he wasn't angry she placed it above him. How was she to know, even with him in her head, that she was the only one, how was she to know when he wouldn't admit it to himself.
It made him pause to think that she thought her future more important than him, to think she saw her future as being without him. He didn't blame her and it made his plan all that more reasonable.
"Hey kid," he sat down next to her, taking her hand in his and she looked at him puzzled. "How was the exam?"
"Hard but I think I did O.K."
He cleared his throat and looked anywhere but at her. "I was thinking of leaving for a little while, I have something real important to do." Her hand slide from his.
"Oh, will you be back?"
"Yeah Marie I'll be back in a couple of months, three at the most and when I do I want to take you somewhere with me," nervously he cleared his throat. "Would you come?"
Her smile was wide and beautiful, the sadness in her eyes fading somewhat. "Yeah but you have to wear your seat belt."
He just laughed, nodding slowly and pulling her into a sideways hug, his lips lightly connecting with her temple before pulling away.
"Alright kid, alright."
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