Marie's one thought was to get back to her room without seeing anybody. Naturally, with her luck, that was practically a guarantee that she'd run into the last person she wanted to see, and Jean appeared on cue at the top of the stairs.
Marie put her head down and hoped she wouldn't notice anything. But she felt Jean's hand catch at her arm and she had to stop.
“Marie.” She really, really didn't want to hear that big-sisterly tone right now. “I won't keep you. I just wanted you to know that Logan's a good guy, all right? No matter what you've heard.” Marie gave her a suspicious glance, wondering if Jean was using her telepathy to sneak into her head, and the older woman looked a little embarrassed. “Scott seemed to think you'd heard them fighting.”
Marie shrugged, not trusting herself to speak. Jean gazed at her for a moment sympathetically, and then dropped her hand from Marie's arm. “He was really happy when he realized you'd be coming back here, you know.”
Happy? The word didn't seem to fit Logan, and her disbelief must have been evident, because Jean added, “He was, Marie. He's not an easy man to get to know, and he doesn't talk about himself much, but--I could tell.” She gave the younger woman a quick smile. “I just thought you should know that.” Marie gave her a brief nod and then finally made her escape to the safety of her own room.
Jean walked slowly down the steps and back towards her office. She found her husband still loitering around in the hallway. She stopped and arched one perfect eyebrow. “Well?”
Scott gave his wife a shamefaced grin. “We're cool. I did my part. You?”
“I think Logan had just been trying to talk to her, so I couldn't say much. But yeah, I tried.” She came over to him and linked an arm through his. “Good work, One-Eye.”
“Don't ever call me that again.” Scott pulled her closer and gave her a quick kiss. “Or I'll have to do something drastic.”
“Like what?”
“I'll…” Scott's limited inventiveness in such matters was disrupted further when his wife pulled his head down to kiss him more thoroughly. “I'll think of something. Eventually.”
***********************************************
Logan wandered out of the Mansion, heading out to the woods. The outdoors was more his milieu, more where he felt comfortable. He certainly didn't want to be around other people right now, and at this time of the day there wouldn't likely be anyone else out on the grounds. He needed to think.
********************************************
Marie was standing at her window watching the sun begin to set when she caught the motion of someone heading into the wooded area behind the tennis courts. She recognized the figure instantly, of course; she'd know him anywhere, even from the back and across the grounds. She wondered briefly where he was going, then turned away from the window. It didn't matter. She didn't want to see him again, not yet. Certainly not until she had some idea of what she wanted to say to him.
Someone knocked at the door, and then Jubilee pushed it open without waiting for permission. She came in without a word and threw herself onto Marie's bed. She was clearly upset about something and Marie came to sit beside her; she knew how Jubes was when she got into these moods. After a little time spent glaring at the ceiling, her friend finally spoke.
“So they got back from the mission with those three kids.” That explained the mood. Jubilee had lost her parents at a young age and she'd spent quite some time as a runaway; she was incredibly protective of the younger kids. “They're all still in the infirmary.”
“Yeah?” Marie could tell there was more. Jubilee worked in the infirmary, had volunteered there for years. Marie had always secretly suspected that she'd end up training to be a doctor herself, no matter how much Jubes denied the very possibility. All her ditzy behavior aside, Jubes was good at taking care of people.
“There might have been more of them. One of the kids said something about an older brother. He's still missing.” Jubes slammed a hand down on the mattress and a small red explosion went off somewhere near the ceiling. “It just pisses me off. You know, they're just kids. And someone was trying to kill them, just 'cause they're a little different.”
“I know. It sucks.” A wave of guilt went over her. She was so wrapped up in all her own petty problems, and people around her were in real pain. It suddenly occurred to her that she could imagine Logan being just as upset about the kids he'd helped rescue. She knew how good he was at taking care of people, too. She should know.
“I just don't get it. You know, with all the unhappy people in the world, why does anyone have to go around creating more of it?” Every word was just making it worse. “No one gives these kids a chance. They just assume the worst. And you know the really awful part? The kids get to believe it too.”
“They're lucky they have people like you.” Marie ran a hand down Jubilee's shiny black hair. “You're the best.”
Jubes sat up and hugged her. “Back atcha, chica.” She sighed and stretched her arms. “I'm gonna grab some food and then go take a hot bath. Thanks for letting me blow off steam.” Marie rose, feeling even more guilty in her relief that Jubilee was leaving. She found a jacket as soon as her friend was gone and slipped out the back door of the Mansion, heading in the direction she'd seen Logan going.
****************************************
Logan sat at the foot of the huge oak tree, staring moodily at the water of the pond in the late afternoon sunlight. It was going to rain later; there was a bit of a chill in the air. Ducks paddled around, splashing occasionally as one dove for some underwater delicacy.
You didn't even want anybody to know you knew me. Well, there was a staggering misinterpretation for you. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn't go back in time and play it out differently. He didn't even know when this had gotten so important to him. All he knew was that from the second he'd seen her, everything in his life had been as thoroughly upset as--well, as everything else that came into her vicinity. His mouth twisted in a wry smile in spite of his mood. Maybe he could convince her she needed him around just to keep her from accidentally knocking down the Mansion or something. He had to figure out something that would make her give him another chance. It wasn't just that she was beautiful, or innocent, or so completely honest in every reaction, however mistaken.
It was all of that, plus God, she just made him laugh.
Maybe it would be better if he cut out for a while. He didn't know what else to do. She was so young, so obviously fragile, and she probably needed some time to recover from her experience with the non-boyfriend before she was going to believe he was really interested in her. Maybe she just needed some space, and if that was it, he ought to get out of the way. This was her home, after all; he'd just gotten back, and it would be easy enough to split again for a few weeks.
He sighed and leaned his head back against the tree's trunk. When exactly had life gotten so fucking complicated?
He heard footsteps, someone coming towards him, and he was about to move to avoid whoever it was invading his space. Then a scent reached him, and an instant later he knew it was her. He waited for her to find him, wondering if she was there on purpose or if maybe this was just somewhere she also came when she wanted to be by herself.
“Hey.” Marie was standing on the path, one toe turned under awkwardly like a shy child, and her words echoed his thoughts. “You want to be alone?”
“Not if you want to join me.” She came down the embankment and squatted down beside him.
“I'm sorry,” she said abruptly. “I've been acting like a real bitch.”
He grinned a little at that. “I'd've said a real brat, actually.” He sobered when she looked down. “Hey. I'm kidding.” He held out a hand. “C'mere.” She shook her head. “Okay. You want to tell me what's going on in that head of yours?” She shook her head again.
“Not right this second. Is that okay?”
“Sure.” After a minute or so she raised her eyes back to him.
“I guess it was a pretty bad mission, huh?” He nodded his agreement. “Will you tell me about it?”
She looked so nervous, but hopeful at the same time. Logan reached for her again. “Yeah. But come here.” This time she let him draw her closer; he settled her in front of him, where he could wrap his arms around her and pull her back against his body. “How's that?”
She leaned her head back against his shoulder and sighed with contentment. “Perfect.”
“I wasn't tryin' to hide anything, darlin'.” It was easier, with her facing away from him. “I just didn't want to rush you into anything. This ain't exactly like bein' on the road and just havin' a good time. You understand what I mean?”
Marie blinked back sudden tears. “I--I think so.”
“Okay.” He tightened his arms around her a little. “So yeah, it was a really shitty mission. Ugly stuff, lotta violence. Stuff kept goin' wrong. Kids involved, that always makes it harder.”
“They're okay, though, right?”
“Think so. They're alive, anyway.”
“Good.” They fell silent, just watching the glittering surface of the water. Logan felt the rise and fall of her chest beneath his encircling arms and thought back to the day they'd met, the night she'd burned herself and he'd held her for the first time--innocently, like this, but it had just felt like the right thing to do.
It felt even more like that now.
Eventually she spoke. “You must think I'm completely insane.”
“Nah. Just a little confused.” Logan made sure she smiled, acknowledging that he was teasing again, before he went on. “Hell, you don't really know anythin' about me. And I know this's all happening real fast. After that thing with your…friend…”
She gave a snort of laughter. “Yeah. Poor old Bobby.” She turned to look up at him and wrinkled her nose ruefully. “I was really clueless there.”
He laughed. “Musta been strange for the kid.” Bobby was probably his best friend in the world right now, if only the little shit knew it. “Don't think he meant to mess with you, though.”
“I know.” She went back to watching the water and the ducks for a few minutes. “I don't want to keep anything a secret,” she said suddenly. “If that's okay.”
“Fine with me.” He didn't give a damn who knew about them, and that went for Summers on down. In fact, he couldn't wait to rub Scooter's nose in it. Uptight bastard. Still, he'd been pretty brutal to the poor guy. In his current mood, he might even consider offering an apology of his own.
“You going to stick around?” He was a little startled by the question; it seemed like she'd been reading his earlier thoughts, until he belatedly remembered that fight she'd overheard. He still didn't remember exactly what he and Summers had said to each other, but it wouldn't be the first time he'd told the team leader to take his missions and shove them.
“I told you before, I'm not goin' anywhere. 'Less you feel like another road trip.” She laughed at that. “All right, then. Look, just--I ain't lyin' to you, Marie. I don't know what this is gonna be, but don't make your mind up about me because of what someone else told you.”
“Okay.” She turned her head a little and he felt her lashes flutter against his neck. “Me too. Long as you don't make up your mind about me because of what I've said to you.” He chuckled.
“So we both stick around and don't listen to anything you say, that how it works?” She wrinkled her nose at him again and let out a relieved little sigh. He didn't have the foggiest idea how it had happened, but things seemed to be falling back into place. He didn't really give a flying fuck how, either: karma, telepathic manipulation, stars coming into alignment...just so it worked.
Marie shivered a little, chilly even with his arms wrapped around her, and Logan realized the sun was slipping away quickly and clouds were moving in. “You want to go in?”
“Okay.” She let him help her to her feet, and he kept an arm around her waist as they went back towards the Mansion. As they went up the stairs of the entrance beside the rec room, Marie suddenly stopped him. “Logan--”
“What?” Was she changing her mind? His eyes narrowed.
She took another step up and turned to face him. “It's Jubilee.”
“What's a jubilee?” He was truly confused now.
“She's not a what, she's a who. And she's watching from the window. Don't look!” Logan's eyes had already flickered to the window and back. The little Asian girl he'd almost knocked over a couple of days ago was, indeed, standing at the window and was openly staring at them. “Did she see you look?”
“No idea.” Maybe she was having second thoughts. “Friend of yours?”
But Marie's mouth was curving in a wicked smile. “Yeah. And the biggest gossip in the school.”
He was starting to catch on. “Okay. So…”
Marie reached up, took his face in her hands and kissed him, hard. She was standing on the step above him, so she was more or less at his level, and he caught her around the waist to pull her body tightly against his, but other than that he let her do whatever she wanted to do. Out of the corner of one eye he caught a glimpse of the girl in the window; her mouth was wide open and she wasn't even being subtle about spying on them. In fact, she was plastered against the glass.
He raised his head and gave his girl a conspiratorial smile. “She's doin' a pretty good impression of a bug on a windshield in there.”
Marie looked a little dazed, he noted with a touch of complacency. “What?”
He laughed and swung her up onto the moss-encrusted wall that lined the steps. “Never mind.” He kissed her again, slow and easy and sensual this time, savoring the way she responded. He raised his hands to her face and made her look up at him. “You're beautiful,” he told her, and her eyes lit up. “Think that's enough of a show for your adoring public? 'Cause for the second act, I'd just as soon not have an audience.” He nodded towards the window.
Marie turned and saw that Jubilee had been joined by what looked like half of the Mansion. Her eyes widened almost comically and she turned to hide her face against Logan's chest. “Oh, my God,” she moaned into his shirt, and he laughed as he saw the various kids break into silent-from-there cheers behind the window. “Oh, my God. I can't go in there now.”
Logan patted one jacket pocket and grinned. He'd never given Summers back the keys to the bike, and if he knew old One-Eye, it had already been topped up again after his jaunt to town the other night. “No problem.” He pulled out the keys and dangled them in front of her. “Want to go for a ride?”
She broke into a huge smile. “Oh yeah.” He grabbed her hand and she jumped off the wall, stumbling a little as she landed. He caught her around the waist to keep her from falling.
“You all right?” Some things, it seemed, weren't going to change.
“Yeah.” Marie kicked at the chunk of detached vegetation her foot had caught on. “I'm probably the only person in the world who can manage to trip over moss.”
“Well, you know, darlin'…” Logan got a firmer grip on her waist and tugged her towards the garage. “Least it makes a soft place to land.”
End
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Some things, it seemed, weren't going to change.