The next morning Marie awoke to the sound of raindrops on her window. Finally, she thought. Spring was supposed to bring rain, not incredibly hot weather. She laid there for a few minutes, just relishing the rain. She had always liked rain; something about it had always calmed her. After the restless night she endured last night, she needed some form of relaxation. She was surprised that she was able to fall completely asleep and was equally thankful that her nightmare hadn’t returned.
Because that’s what it was. A nightmare. Logan dead, in her vocabulary, is *definitely* a nightmare.
She squirmed in her bed and tried to warm her cold feet. Suddenly she had this strange feeling that she was being watched. She opened her eyes slightly and was shocked to see Logan sitting in her chair on the side of her bed. He was leaning back, and he was staring at her. When he realized that she was awake he smiled softly, but there was a wary look in his eyes. It seemed like there was something he wanted to say, but he just didn’t know how to.
Marie really wanted to know what he was doing in her room, and why he had just been sitting there, staring at her in her sleep. Instead she said, “mornin’.”
Logan nodded his head. “Good morning, kid. How’d you sleep?”
Marie stared at him and the look on his face made her realize that it was all a formality. He knew that she had spent the entire night tossing and turning. He just wanted her to admit that, probably so he could start into whatever was on his mind. She was one-hundred percent sure that it had to do with last night.
Well, if he was going to play this game, then she would just have to play along. “Fine, actually, and you?”
By the expression on his face Marie knew she probably shouldn’t have said that. He was getting angry at this whole beating around the bush thing, and she was too. He finally leaned in and took her hand in his. Marie couldn’t repress a shiver at his touch, and she could hear her breathing accelerate. She hoped Logan didn’t notice her embarrassing reaction that she had to his touch.
It seemed that he did, but he was mistaking it for fear. He quickly let go and leaned back a little. “Sorry,” he murmured, looking even more upset then before.
“Don’t be,” she quickly reassured him, wanting to tell him that she would never be afraid of him, but at the same time not wanting him to know the reason for her reaction. Deciding to let it go, she urged him on. “Is there something you wanted to talk about?” She tried to say it innocently, but it came out a bit hushed, and he didn’t buy it.
“I think you know, Marie.”
“Storm told you, I guess.”
“Yes.”
“She shouldn’t have.”
“I’m glad she did. Now what’s going on?”
She looked down, not wanting to meet his gaze. “Look, Logan, like you said…it was probably just a dream….” She didn’t know what to say.
“Yeah, a dream that has woken you up twice now in the middle of the night, screaming your head off?”
“So what, now you’re taking it back? Just the other night you were telling me I was crazy, and that it *was* just a dream,” she said heatedly. She didn’t know why, but suddenly she was becoming angry.
“I never said you were crazy, kid.”
“You insinuated it!”
“Says who?” He was getting mad now, too.
“Well, me!”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Yeah, definitely mad now. Marie noticed a flicker in his eyes, and she wondered if perhaps she should calm them both down before this got out of hand.
“And you do? What are you trying to say Logan?”
“I’m just saying that you need to be more careful!”
That struck a nerve.
“What! Are you saying that it’s *my* fault that I keep seeing you die!” She could feel the tears burning her eyes, but she tried to hold them back. “Are trying to tell me that it’s my fault you’re going to die? Because trust me, I know that! I know I’m not gunna make it, I’m not gunna get there in time to save you! I’m sorry—I’m so sorry,” she said, tears now streaming down her face and her body began shaking with the force of the sobs.
“Marie…” Logan trailed off, and drew her in for a tight hug. She hugged him back and continued to sob into his shoulder. She was vaguely reminded of the other day when the two had hugged like this after their fight outside. This was starting to become a habit between the two of them.
She had finally settled down enough to let go of him and wipe away the tears on her face. Logan reached out a hand to lift her face up so they could be eye to eye. The anger was completely gone from his expression.
“I’m not blaming you for anything, kid. Nothing’s going to happen. And none of this is your fault. I guess I’m just…worried, that’s all. You’re scaring me, darlin’,” he said holding their gaze. He began to stroke her hair, running his fingers up and down its length. Marie had to resist the urge to lean back into his touch and moan in pleasure. The proximity was driving her crazy, and it took her a moment to gather her thoughts.
“Logan I’ll be fine. I just think, and don’t deny it, that something’s going on here,” she said, trying to focus on his face, and not that the fact that his hand had moved lower, towards her back. “Whatever these dreams mean…well, I don’t think their dreams.” She let out that last bit nervously. She wondered how he’d feel about her whole seeing-the-future theory.
He looked confused. “Are you saying you think this really did happen? That I’m some kind of ghost?”
“No, I think this is something that is *going* to happen.”
He was completely baffled with her words. Realization dawned on him. “Marie, you think you’re seeing the future?” She couldn’t tell if he was serious or just thought this was all a joke.
“I don’t know…I mean I’m no psychic, like Jea—the Professor,” she corrected herself, not wanting to bring up the “J” word. “But, I keep getting this feeling like I’m being warned. I mean these nightmares just feel so real, you know?”
When he didn’t respond, she thought she’d try a different approach. “You’ve had dreams before, right?”
“Yeah,” he said, looking at her funnily. “Everyone does.”
“Right. Now compare those dreams you have to the nightmares you get of your times in the lab. While the dreams are all dazed and hard to comprehend, those memories that haunt your sleep are vivid and just so *real*. That’s because it is real, Logan. It really did happen, you didn’t just make it up in your dreams.”
He was following her a bit more now, but still a little confused. “I still don’t get what this has to do with anything, kid.”
“Well, that’s how this thing is with you. This isn’t like a normal dream. It feels like a memory, but it obviously hasn’t happened yet, so that leaves only one explanation. It’s going to happen,” she said. Realization dawned on her and her expression turned horrified. “You’re going to die, and I’m not going to be able to save you.”
Logan continued to rub her lower back before speaking. “Marie, I’m not going to die. I will admit, this is a little strange, but it still doesn’t make sense. I mean, how could you possibly be able to see the future? You got some other mutation you ain’t tellin’ me about?”
She rolled her eyes. “No, Logan. I…I just don’t know.” All this thinking was making her head hurt. She hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before and it was way too early.
Sensing that she needed a break from this conversation, Logan straightened up, removing his hand from her back, and forced a grin on his face. “Look, kid, we can worry about this later. Just focus on today. You need your rest, after all, we have a busy night tonight,” he said, grin widening.
Marie groaned. “Ugh, I can’t believe Jubes convinced us to go clubbing with her. Do you realize what you’ve gotten us into to?” After all, he was the one who had been so willing to follow along with these plans in the first place.
“Yeah, I do have this feeling I’m going to regret it. But we need this, kid. We need this night out, to just…forget,” he said, turning momentarily serious again. She looked back into his eyes again and realized that he was right. Between everything that they had both been through in these last few days, a little break is just what they needed. While going to some secret-underground-mutant-only-club-that-she-shouldn’t-be-allowed-into-since-she’s-not-a-mutant-anymore wouldn’t have been her first choice, she knew that she had to go along with it for Logan’s benefit. He deserved to go out and relax, especially after everything the two had been through in the last week. Hell, the last year for that matter.
She returned his grin. “You’re right,” she said. Glancing at the clock on her nightstand she said, “I think I’m gunna try and get some more sleep. I don’t wanna be a zombie tonight.”
“Sounds good, kid,” he said, rising from her chair. He was about to turn around and leave her room when he hesitated. He faced her completely and leaned down towards her head. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before smiling and leaving the room. Marie was left watching after him until he was out of view, shutting the door to her room behind him.
She smiled. She stayed smiling as she put her head down on the pillow, and was pretty sure that she remained smiling as she drifted into unconsciousness.
******************************************
“Jubes, I can’t take this anymore! If one more product touches my hair, I think I’m going to lose it!”
Marie was sitting in a chair, looking straight at Jubilee with accusing eyes. The two had spent the last three and a half *freaking* hours getting ready. While Marie was more of a ponytail and jeans kind of girl, Jubes was far from it. She had spent the last few hours doing Marie’s nails, makeup, wardrobe, and everything in between. Marie was on the verge of insanity as Jubilee kept insisting on putting more and more things into her hair.
“Relax, chica, I was just adding the finishing touches,” Jubes said, trying to defend herself. She looked Marie up and down. “Wow, damn girl, you look *hot*. You’re gunna make the Wolvmeister have a heart attack.”
“Shut up, I’m not trying to impress Logan,” she said, even though she knew that was just a bunch of bullshit. By the look on Jubes’ face she knew that she didn’t believe it either.
“Right, and my favorite color is black. Now that we got the things that are obviously *not* true out of the way, why don’t you take a look in the mirror?”
Marie rolled her eyes but obliged to Jubilee’s suggestion. She gasped a little as she saw her reflection in her full-length mirror. She was wearing tight black-leather pants and a red silk shirt with spaghetti straps that matched her red pumps. Her hair was partly up, but a lot of it was flowing down her back in a neat looking wave. She wore red lipstick with more eyeliner and mascara than she had ever touched, but it still looked good. Jubes was right, she looked amazing.
“Wow, Jubes. You did a great job,” she said, turning to her friend and feeling bad about yelling at her like that. She took in Jubes’ yellow top and black leather mini-skirt and had to admit that her best friend looked pretty amazing too. “You look awesome, by the way.”
“Thank you and thank you, chica. Now, let’s go! It’s already eight forty-five. Wolvie’s probably wondering where the hell we are.”
Marie nodded in agreement. “Right, let me get my purse.” Before she could reach for the brown purse that she often carried around, Jubes stopped her.
“Uh, you don’t wanna do that. Trust me, its better if you don’t have any belongings to worry about. Just keep it in your pockets,” Jubes said.
Marie looked down at her pants, which happened to be pocket-free. “Um, what pockets?”
“Oh, well, here,” Jubes said, grabbing Marie’s purse and taking out her phone, some money, and her photo ID. “Leave the money and ID in your shoe.”
“Ew, that’s gross! What if I lose it?”
“You’ll be fine, chica, trust me.”
Marie obeyed and put her money along with her ID underneath her right foot. “What about my phone?” There was no way that it would fit in her other shoe.
Jubes just raised an eyebrow and got out her own phone. Marie was shocked to see her reach her hand down the top of her shirt with her phone, and then take it back out without the phone. “Just put it in your bra. It works all the time.”
Marie looked at her best friend a little uncertainly before taking her phone and situating it in her own bra. It was only a little bit uncomfortable, but looking in the mirror, she noticed it was completely impossible to tell that it was there.
“Good, now let’s go!” Jubes grabbed Marie’s hand and pulled her out of the room. Marie yelled, “Jubes, I’m in heels here!” as the two began descending down the stairs at a rather fast pace.
They had just reached the grand foyer when Marie looked up and noticed Logan. He had his back to the two girls, but upon hearing their entrance, he turned around with an annoyed look on his face.
“There you are, I’ve been—” He stopped dead as he took in her appearance. Marie couldn’t help her deep blush as he ran his eyes up and down her body with a look of hunger in his eyes. He must have realized that he was checking her out, though, because he quickly shook that expression off his face and the annoyed look returned.
“Kid, there’s no way in hell I’m lettin’ you go out like that,” he said.
Now Marie looked annoyed. “I look fine, Logan.”
“You’re not wearing any clothes! You look like a god-damn hooker.”
Before Marie could say anything, Jubes interrupted. “Trust me sweetie, when a man says that, it’s a compliment.” She turned towards Logan. “As for you, my girl here looks absolutely stunning, so you’re gunna have to get that stick out of your ass and deal, okay?”
Logan didn’t say anything else, and Marie decided not to press the matter. She finally was able to observe what Logan was wearing. He was wearing a red button-up shirt that and some dark-wash jeans. The shirt was not tucked in, giving it a clean-shaven but rugged look. His hair was freshly washed and Marie couldn’t help the longing that she felt in her stomach. Logan was looking sexier than ever.
“Now, can we go, please? That taxi cab has been waiting out there for twenty minutes. He’s probably gunna charge us for it too,” Logan said gruffly. Marie and Jubes nodded, and the three of them made their way towards the double-doors that led them outside. Logan had gotten into the left side of the cab and Marie sidled up next to him in the middle. Jubes closed the door behind her and told the driver the address. As they headed down Graymalkin Lane, Marie looked back at the Mansion one last time and braced herself for the events of tonight. She hoped it wouldn’t be too terrible.
Looking up at Logan, she was pleased to see that he was no longer angry at her. He was looking down at her and smiling one of his famous, heart wrenching smiles. He put an arm around her, and she scooted even closer into his side.
Yeah, tonight wouldn’t be so terrible at all.
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