'The second nut opened,
Revealing a dress that shimmered
Like the full moon in the sky,
And as she wove through the dancers,
Many were stilled by the silent grace
As she moved among them,
A goddess made flesh'
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Two years, two years and she was 'home' again, called back for a party that was threatening to break the funds of the mansion. It had been on the cards since Graduation really, Kitty had always had the hots for Pieter, and now since they were both on the Alpha team fighting the good fight it made sense to them to get their relationship a little more 'solid'.
It made her think about her own relationships, one in particular, Logan. Ever since the debarcle of her Graduation he'd been hanging on the edge of her life, he helped her move her stuff over to Boston. He even got the U-Haul truck himself and drove with her in silence all the way there. He'd only asked her one question 'Was she okay?', she'd just answered 'Yeah' and that was the conversation for the entire trip. He'd lugged furniture up three flights of stairs for her with Bobby, and not once did he call him an idiot for dropping stuff or smashing things against his hands or feet.
It was only afterward when they'd all gone home leaving her with the housewarming cards on her small shelf had she noticed that there was one from Logan. Tucked behind the one from Ororo, a simple picture of a lake side cabin the inside signed with his name, that was all. He'd snuck it onto her shelf while everyone else was doing something, he cared for her still. Every birthday, every Christmas she'd been away there'd been a present and card outside her door for her. Something small but definately Logan, her first gift had been a book token for a local store. When she'd gotten down there someone already knew she was coming and had her books already bagged. They'd been paid for in advance, the token was to use on whatever else she wanted.
Law books weren't cheap and what with her scholership she'd thought she'd be using the library for most of them. But she had everything off the first two years list in her possession and she put them to good use.
The token she used on what she called 'fun books', the stories and things that made her smile and made the rest of the life away from home easier to live with. Although she did get one book to remind herself of Logan, a photographic study of Canada's wilderness areas. She'd used it to clear her head when his influence got too much for her to deal with. It calmed the piece of him she still held in her mind, even if she couldn't run into the wild at a moments notice, she could have the illusion of doing so and it had seemed enough for the piece she held in her head.
But she was back the party was going to be massive, Pieter's family had been invited and several were being brought over in the Blackbird even now. But the one thing she was determined to do was talk to Logan while she had the chance. It was a long weekend but if things worked out as they often did she'd not get the chance to talk to him before the party. And she knew how he felt about parties, he never turned up for one and the crowds made him nervous.
Unpacking her bag she brought out her dress for the celebration, it had cost her enough but having friends in the fashion course had helped. Being a mutant at college had been difficult but when her status had been accepted a few of the forward thinking tutors had contacted her. Especially the fashion courses, they needed to cater to the new markets that were opening up and that meant dealing with mutations. Her own mutation had been the inspiration for the first year students fashion show. The dress she was going to wear had been the highlight of the show. It had cost her almost three months of savings but it was worth it, the silver net shimmered like nothing else. It cut across her skin, caging her in metal threads, all the way from the high neck to the tops of her arms, where the filaments were seprated to form a hanging display of real silver that whispered as she moved. The main body of the dress was a boned corset in dove grey silk with an over pattern of snowflakes, shot through with the silver thread that weighted the hem. The skirt was flowing, round almost and as she walked the soft silk brushed against her skin. Ground length the skirt framed her hips, showing her body through the drape of the fabric.
Old fashioned in one way but modern in design and execution, it was the one thing she hoped Kitty would indulge her in. She'd seen the dress Kitty was wearing for the party and hers did take the thunder a little from it. Although she had no plans to be the belle of the ball, oh no, she was going to hang back and relax. There was enough to do afterward, Kitty wanted to plan her next move while she still had everyone around and someone had to be sober the next morning.
Leaving the dress hung on the back of her door she went to shower the road from her skin, her thoughts all on the man she wanted to see, hoping that for once he'd be there.
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He'd seen her arrive, Bobby had gone to collect her from Boston, he'd gone to visit his folks at the same time probably still trying to convince them he was the normal boy they'd given over all those years ago. She looked well, the two years had filled her out somewhat and she seemed much more confident than he last remembered. She was what twenty? Twenty-one now?
He'd been to her place more than once but he'd always made sure that he'd visited when she was out, unsure that she'd even welcome him to her door. He'd moved her into the small apartment the school had set up for her, he'd driven the van while Bobby followed from behind. It had been silent that journey but inside his head he'd been talking to her all the way, telling her the things he'd wanted to say, but couldn't. So he did what he could for her, he'd bought her books for the course, made sure she had what she needed and got a token just in case he'd missed anything. She'd sent a 'thank you' note through to him, it was still in his bedside drawer. Her simple handwriting the thing he looked at when he felt as if the world was killing him. Someone out there gave a damn about him, even if he couldn't tell them how much they'd meant to him.
When he'd found out she was coming home he'd almost run, nearly packed up and left. It had been Katherine who'd stopped him dead, she'd been in the garage waiting for him. A spanner in her hand and his engine in pieces on the floor, he'd been so shocked he hadn't even spoken to her as she'd walked out. She'd patted him with the spanner and left him holding it, her words still ringing in his ears as he looked at the heart of his bike bleeding all over the floor. "You'll thank me in the morning."
He'd worked for two days to get it back together and running right again and by the time he had got her right, he did thank her for doing it. He couldn't keep running from her, he had to know where he stood with her, whether she wanted him in her life or out of it. This half life wasn't helping him, keeping Wolverine in check was getting harder every day. He wanted to snap and snarl at everyone and he knew what was driving it, Marie.
So he'd sucked up the courage he had left, gone into town rented a suit and he'd be there, celebrating the engagement of Kitty and Pieter. They worked well together in the Alpha team, Pieter had a good sense of danger and Kitty was quite formidable when backed into a corner. He'd been leading them for months now and he knew they'd do well without him if it came to it.
The band was finally setting up downstairs, that meant he had half an hour at the least to get ready and get down there before she did. He wanted her to see him, that he was there this time and he wasn't going to run this time.
**********************************************************
Katherine helped her into the dress, doing up the almost invisible zipper on her back, latching the silver cage at her throat. Her hair up again, this time the white of her streaks over one side of her style, a wave of silver that mirrored the dress she wore. As she moved the rustle of the silver chimed, the cresent moon diamonte in her dark tresses setting off the entire ensemble. Doing a quick turn she looked over to Katherine who had an admiring gaze in her eye. "What do you think? Not too much is it?" Katherine was dressed in a simple black bodiced dress, her own stout frame gracefully fitted.
"No love, it's perfect. Absolutely perfect, there's mor eexpensive dresses down there but no one fits theirs as well as you do." Marie didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or as a come on, she blushed instead and laughed as Katherine hugged her to her. They were the night sky and the winter moon and Katherine offered her arm to Marie who took it and went to enjoy the party that was just getting into the swing of things by the sounds of it. All thoughts of Logan were pushed aside, that was until she saw him at the bar.
**********************************************************
He pulled the tie for the fifth time in as many minutes, he really wasn't cut out for these things. He'd taken the seat at the bar because it overlooked the doorway, he'd see her as she came in. People were really letting go here, there was nothing like a Russian family celebrating a joining of families and they were certainly letting everyone know how much they loved the idea of it. His attention was distracted for a moment so when he looked back he noticed the pair at the doorway. Katherine and Marie, although he only had eyes for Marie.
Locked onto her frame, the way the dress hung on her,the silver pattern of snowflakes that covered her hips and drifted to the hem. The silver cage of wire that covered her milky white skin, the white bolt in her hair that was pulled to one side and locked into place by a cresent moon of glittering stars. She was perfect, beauty made flesh, a goddess come to walk among mortals for a moment, to show what God had meant when he'd created women.
He didn't even notice Katherine had walked over to him until she nudged his arm, whispering urgently to him "Well don't just sit there you idiot, go to her!" he moved stiffly as if she'd evaporate into nothing if he touched her. His gloved hand reached for her own and she let him take it and lead her into the room, not seeing Katherine smiling behind them as she finished the whiskey Logan had been drinking.
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It was strange to have his hand on hers but he moved her gently into the throng of dancers, the sound of the band flowing over them as Logan put his hand behind her, caging her in his grip. Making her his possession for the duration, looking into his eyes and seeing something inside them, something she was hoping was about her. The way he moved her effortlessly across the dancefloor was saying enough, the steps coming back from her lessons as a child. But she'd never even thought that Logan could dance or that he would here and now and with her.
The entire room dissolved for him, there was only her and him, he was lost from the moment he saw her come in. The way the light danced in her eyes, the way she swayed into his grip with each movement. This was what he'd needed, what he'd craved, seeing her skin colour as she went with him across the floor. He loved her and tonight he'd finally tell her, let her know what had been inside him for two years. Why he hadn't been there at her graduation, what he'd been running from, trying to deny the feelings he'd had for her. Tonight, he'd tell her tonight, but for now he was dancing with the most beautiful girl in the world, he had the moon in his hands and this time he wasn't going to let her go.
**********************************************************
Marie danced with Logan all night, he never let anyone else near her, her mind was whirling with questions when a hand she recognised tapped Logan on the shoulder and her blood turned to ice.
Ian.
He'd made it after all, she saw the look of annoyance cross Logan's face as he turned to see who was interrupting his pleasure. She tried to speak before Logan but he was already talking, "What do you want Bub? I'm dancin with *my* girl."
Ian answered Logan without thinking not knowing who he was talking to.
"I think you'll find she's *MY* girl if you ask her."
The world dropped away as Logan stilled, she could feel him tense as the air between them froze, where there had been a flow of energy and light now there was nothing, only the void of space as Logan released her hand and moved his hand from her back. He turned to look at Marie, his eyes filled with such pain, such sorrow it made her heart lurch to see it. Logan just stepped aside as if he was made of stone, Ian smiling took her hand and danced her away from Logan. Her mind and body torn in two as she watched him walk out of the room. The urge to follow him almost suffocating her, she tried to get out of the dance but Ian had her caged in. Desperate she cried out above the noise, "Logan please, wait...don't leave!" Ian looked confused and stopped dancing with her, letting her see Katherine desert her post and follow Logan. Tears flowed again and she let Ian take her round the floor, this time resting against his heartbeat. She hadn't had the chance to tell him about Ian, he'd never even asked her, just thought he could walk back into her life.
She'd been with Ian for five months, they'd met in class and instantly struck up a conversation. He'd been with her, loved her, touched her, made love to her with the utmost care, cherished her. To him she wasn't a 'kid' to save or to help, she was Marie, beautiful, fiesty and not afraid to get what she wanted from life. Two years was a long time to her but to Logan it obviously wasn't.
**********************************************************
"Logan! Logan wait you stupid man!" He didn't stop he just kept going, tearing off the tie and removing the jacket letting it fall to the floor as he walked away. He was about to run when Katherine grabbed hold of his arm, "If you don't listen to what I have to say I *swear* I'll never speak to you again!"
Logan knew that Katherine never said anything she didn't mean and the gaze he turned toward her made her blink at it's power.
"Did you honestly think she'd stay still? Did you really think she'd be the same girl that left here? Did you think being on the edge of her life would be enough?" Logan wanted to snarl at her, to hurt her but the grip on his arm tightened and Katherine narrowed her eyes at him, making the grey green of her eyes darken. "Just because she has *you* in her head didn't you think she needed to *know* how you felt about her? You stupid man! You've lived a long time sure but you know shit about women, she *needs* to hear it you fool. You want her you have to stay here! She'll look for you and if you're not here....well we all know what happened last time."
Katherine always made sense, what she said reached him but it didn't make it hurt any less. Finally finding his voice he rumbled out "She didn't tell me."
"Did you give her a chance to?" He blinked slowly as he realised he hadn't talked to her at all, just in his head. Inside he'd told her everything he'd felt for her, how lucky he felt being with her. But he hadn't told her anything, footsteps were coming from behind and he turned to see Marie. Her face red, her dress marred by her tears, behind her was Ian, his scent covering her own and he just tore himself away from Katherine's grip and ran. He wasn't safe to be around right now and he didn't want Marie to see him lose it on account of her boyfriend.
Marie watched him go, the white of his shirt retreating as she half ran to Katherine, she almost followed when Katherine stopped her with a hand on her chest. "No,love, not now, it's not safe." The look on her face spoke more than she was saying and Marie paled. Ian was behind her soon enough and when he touched her she moved out of his gloved grip. Her voice found she asked the question she knew the answer to, "How long has he been like this?" Katherine didn't pull her punches and she didn't now as she smoothed out the jacket Logan had dropped making his scent bloom in the corridor.
"Since you left love, ever since you left and he's getting worse by the day."
Katherine just walked away then, leaving them alone in the corridor as she made plans to keep Logan calm when Marie left again. Sometimes star-crossed lovers end up killing everyone else around them and she was hoping that this time it wouldn't happen.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Logan gets a chance to actually talk to Marie this time, although circumstance really doesn't allow him much room.