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CHAPTER TWELVE

“You might not believe this, but I have good news.”

Marie shot Beast a frankly cynical look and cocked an eyebrow. Gave Logan’s hand a squeeze and then winked. “Now why would ya say that?” she drawled dryly, happy at least with the way this was opening. She’d had enough stress today already, and she didn’t like worrying Logan when he was so clearly on edge. “Ya think Ah got trust issues or something?” And she batted her eyelashes at the doctor, the very picture of innocence.

Just like she’d planned, Logan’s mouth twitched in a smile.

Score one for the Southern Belle.

McCoy was still trying to look stern, but his eyes were dancing. It was so seldom that he got to give good news these days, he probably wanted to enjoy it. “No, I think you’ve got worse luck than a naked monk tossed put of a plane in a snow storm, Marie. In fact, I happen to know that if it’s going to go wrong here in the mansion, it’s probably going to go wrong with you.” She gave a snort and he finally let the smile split his face. “But for once, you seem to have lucked out.” His gaze flicked to Logan. “And it has everything to do with you, Wolverine. A statement I will never repeat again, so savour it.”

Another twitch of a smile. “Consider it savoured.”

Beast snickered. “There’s a chill running down my spine as we speak.”

“Hey, boys,” Marie interrupted then, waving her hand between them, “It’s all about me, remember?” She gestured to the manila file he’d passed her when she sat down and flicked through the test results. “You said you had good news, Hank: wanna catch me up?”

Beast cleared his throat then and grinned sheepishly. “Forgive me, Marie, but you must understand…” He gestured randomly towards herself and Logan. “I’ve given so much bad news, when it comes to the cure- If I didn’t think it was out of line I’d be doing a samba right now.”

“And I’d be pretending I was blind,” Logan dead-panned. Still apparently on his pre-schooler riff.

Just accept it woman: you find it sexy as Hell.

She dragged her mind back to the matter at hand then. Tried not let that train of thought go anywhere while she was still in Hank’s office and wearing all her clothes. McCoy began pointing to the first document he’d handed her, his smile getting even brighter. “Here, here and here,” he said animatedly, indicating several lines of highlighted results. It looked like gibberish to Marie, but she’d take his word for it. “This shows that in the last two weeks your wildcat has started to stabilise. Probably as a result of interaction with Wolverine’s mutation, an interaction I want to know nothing about.” Logan shot him a mock glower and he shrugged. “What can I say? I feel she has odd taste in men.” Marie gave another snort of laughter and Logan switched his mock glower to her. She stuck out her tongue at him and Hank rolled his eyes. Continued. “You’ve been channelling his healing factor, Marie, and it’s had an effect on your, what is it you call it? The New Reliable?”

“That’s the ladylike name fer it,” Logan muttered.

“Ah could hardly call it mah Pain in the Ass in front of the students, now could Ah?” she retorted. “And by the way? Still all about me. So let’s try to stay on track.” But she squeezed his hand in hers and immediately he quieted down some. She was always amazed by the effect she had on him. Or rather, the effect he let her have on him.

She pushed the thought away.

“So what does this mean, Hank?” she began hopefully. “Ah’m powerful as Ah’m gonna get?”

“No, your power will probably continue to grow exponentially,” he corrected absently. “You’re approaching class four status Marie, where previously you were a class two. You’re getting stronger by the day, make no mistake about that.” She opened her mouth to interrupt and he held up a silencing hand. Apparently didn’t notice the momentary disappointment on her face. “But if Logan’s healing factor transfers to you permanently then you won’t have to worry about the secondary mutation flaring out of control or warring with your primary. You also won’t have to worry about a knock-on effect from the cure damaging your body. The healing factor will keep everything working well together, ensuring the health of the host. Just like it does for Wolverine.”

“Keeps me pretty too,” Logan muttered dryly, and again Hank rolled his eyes.

“That’s a matter of opinion.”

But Marie said nothing, just frowned. Tried to let it sink in. Tried to take in how goddamn lucky she was. Because after everything she’d been through the last three months-

She was going to be okay.

A breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding for the better part of three months-no, no four years- whooshed out, and suddenly she wanted to cry. Not sad tears, joyful ones, because she was gonna get to live to a ripe old age with someone she loved. Damn. She very nearly stood up and then thought better of it, sitting down and letting her smile beam out. Going to take off her gloves and only stopping herself in time. This was the best news she could have had: She might actually stop being dangerous. She might actually have some semblance of a normal life. She might actually get to stay with Logan, and that was better than anything else, New and Old Reliables be damned. She was going to live-

“What’s she doing?” Hank muttered, worried.

“It’s called bein’ happy,” Logan growled. “Don’t ruin it for her: She don’t get to do it very often.” Marie wrapped her arms around him and kissed him so hard she thought she mighta pulled something. She heard his laughter rumble in his chest, felt him pull her closer and run his thumbs along her cheeks, grinning like- Like he was happy as she was. Her mutation sputtered into life and she felt the thrum of his personality underneath her skin, the worry from this morning already a distant memory. He was genuinely happy, delighted that she would be fine. Thinkin’ o’ celebrating in several ways that’d make Hank blush… And that was good news for Marie. Images came, a room filled with golden light and long shadows, her pressed against him like she was never gonna leave-The good doctor was clearing his throat loudly but she didn’t care none- Salt and sweat and the two of them together- The press of him against her heart-and then Heat, burning heat-

Logan broke contact. Simply…put her away from him. Pulled physically and psychically away from her so abruptly it hurt. She hadn’t known he could do that. Never felt like he wanted to before, but now-

He wouldn’t look at her. Wouldn’t even meet her gaze.

He still had his arms around her, but there might as well have been an ocean between them. Or a wall. Hank smiled, looking like he was doing it against his better judgement, apparently unaware of the sudden chill, and continued. “Well, you can of course celebrate, ahem, in private. Seeing as you’re so pleased. Just as soon as we get you through your medical, Logan.” He began gathering his papers. “You still want one, don’t you?”

Wolverine shot him a sudden look, frowning. Curious but kinda relieved too. And then immediately covered it, when he saw Marie catch him in the act. For a moment she thought he was gonna refuse and then suddenly the other Logan, the cold-hearted smart-ass who sometimes worked as an X-Man, came centre field. Took charge like it was necessary, and physically stepped away from her.

Suddenly Marie felt cold.

“Why Hank,” Logan drawled, “You’re making me blush.” Still not looking at her, he began pulling at his shirt and headed to the ante-room where Marie had spent so much time. Effectively dismissing her like they were working a target and he had point. “Give us a few, okay Marie?” he called over his shoulder. “I gotta get through this.”

“But-”

“But nothing, Ki-Marie. You’re not needed here.” For a split second he looked… guilty. And then the other Logan was back, and he turned from her with nary a backward glance. Hank finally seemed to notice the chill because he took her elbow and began leading her from the room, murmuring gently that they had a lot to get through and it wouldn’t take long. Not mentioning Logan’s change in attitude, though normally he’d have told him off over being so damn rude. “We have to do some psionic tests,” McCoy was saying, “And I can’t have you throwing off the results.”

She stopped and folded her arms. “What’s that supposed t’mean?”

Now Hank looked kinda pissed: He hated being put in the middle of Storm and Kurt too. “It means that you have a mental ability which has never been trained,” he said severely, “And since there’s a dearth of telepathic mutants left these days you’re not going to get your training anytime soon.” He gestured to Logan. “Wolverine has a strong immunity to telepathic manipulation, but you can never be too sure-”

A horrible thought occurred to her. “Are you sayin’ Ah could be hurtin’ him an’ not know it?” she asked, in that Kid voice she always hated. Behind Hank’s shoulder Logan winced. But he didn’t correct her none. “Can we get on with this, Hank?” he snapped instead.

Hank took the hint. “No, Marie,” he said firmly, “I’m not saying you’re hurting him: I’m saying we have to check.” He gestured to the door, firmer this time. None of that laughter left in his eyes. “The patient has asked that you wait outside, Marie. Please.” And he ushered her out. She sat down in one of the more god-awfully uncomfortable chairs and crossed her arms, waiting. Trying to focus on the fact that she would be okay. But she couldn’t shake the strange feeling which was running through her, a feeling which had been with her for the last two weeks. Because she knew herself and her luck well enough to be suspicious of any windfall. Because she knew he was running hotter than usual, and that had started the night he came to see her in the Penalty Box. Because she knew there was something going on with him, something he didn’t want her to see.

Heat, burning heat-loss and pain- Fear-

Marie folded her hands together and rested her chin upon them. Picked a spot on the wall and stared, waiting for him to finish up. And tried not to conjure what might be wrong with her Logan.

And who might be the cause.