Logan didn’t know for sure because he had taken off from the school almost as soon as the Blackbird landed. He didn’t even say good-bye. He turned on his engine and changed his mind, Firecracker could wait. His stomach told him food was required, so he drove to a truck stop diner nearby, and ate. Once his stomach was full his mood seemed to improve. The more he thought about heading to go back to Laughlin City; he felt a pull to go back to New York stronger. So, he changed his mind again and decided to head for the school. He decided that seeing Marie again would make his heart glad and he could make it up to her for missing her graduation. Maybe he could bribe her into forgiveness by getting her tickets to see her favorite band or to go see a movie with her favorite people in it? Instead of trying to over analyze what he could do to buy his way back into her good graces, he thought about how long he was going to stay, and if he did, what was he going to do with his time at the school. Teach yes but, what? He was no art teacher like he’d lied to Bobby’s parents. Self-defense sounded like a good idea. Then later when he had them warmed up, he’d teach them combat, hand to hand, defense, and offense. Logan would definitely have to teach them that if any of the students wanted to join the X-Men.
Rogue got tired of waiting for Firecracker to call. She excused herself and went to the pay phone in the back. She called the jail where Logan had been and found that he had been released three days ago. So, he could be anywhere by now… She might have a week or a couple days with the way he drove. The tried not to sound panicked on the phone before she hung up. When she got back to her seat, she leaned over to tell Jubilee the good news. She tried to calm her down by giving her more alcohol but, it didn’t work for long. Knowing Logan could be close by made her jumpy. Rogue tried to relax in her chair and then she sensed he was there. She began to use the advanced senses she had from him to locate where he was in the room. She stiffened and Jubilee asked her what was wrong.
“Logan’s heah, ah can feel him.”
Jubilee tried to seek Logan’s location in the crowd but it was too dark. Then she leaned across the table and gripped Peter’s arm. He looked over and lent her an ear.
“Wolvie’s here, can ya see him?”
Peter stretched his neck up and looked around.
“He is at the bar; he isn’t looking this way now. I will stand and block his view so you can go.”
He tapped Bobby and uttered, “BS, pass it on.”
Bobby turned to Kitty and whispered in her ear, “BS.”
They were about to get up like they all had planned when Rogue whispered into Peter’s ear, “Not yet, ah wanna sing first.”
They all looked at her and nodded like she’d lost her mind. Rogue didn’t need to go back over the list; she had her song, and waited while another bar patron was singing a long song. While that person sang, she could feel a pair of eyes on her, burning into her skin. She began to impatiently wait for the song to end. The song was finally over. She got up and went to the mike as the gang she was with cheered for her. The music started ad she began to feel the music in her bones.
Logan entered the bar and quickly took a seat at the bar. He needed to get a little liquid courage before continuing on to the school. He caught a familiar scent that told him that Marie was there, turned in his seat, to spot that very person going up on stage. Then he spotted her friends at their table. He decided not to crash their little party. Marie looked good but, something was off about her… Her white streaks still framed her face. He studied her hips and his eyes trailed up to her chest, and there they lingered a few moments. Her hands were covered in her trademark long silk opera gloves… That was it. She’s wearing gloves… What happened, Logan wondered. He had thought she had taken the cure… Maybe she had taken his advice and not taken the cure, or… Maybe it wasn’t Marie anymore, maybe it was Rogue? Then he looked up at her face, she looked a bit mad, hard to him. He definitely wanted to speak with her before the whole group left. God, he had missed her. Logan just wanted to hug her, make sure she was real, and she could tell him in her sweet southern accent that things would be all right from now on.
“This is fer all ya women out there who’ve ever been mistreated bah a man. Or had one promise ta protect ya but, he beat ya up instead.”
Instantly, she had his attention. What was that all about? Logan wondered if she was talking about him but, not everything she said was true. At least he hoped it wasn’t. If he was wrong and it was the Ice Prick, he’d make sure his remains were never found.
“County Road 233 under my feet
Nothin' on this white rock but little ol' me
I got two miles till he makes bail
And if I'm right we're headed straight for hell.”
Did she know he was in jail? If so, how could she possibly have known? He prayed she was wrong; he had already been in hell, now he was looking for a bit of heaven.
“I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun
Wait by the door and light a cigarette
He wants a fight well now he's got one
He ain't seen me crazy yet.”
Now Logan knew something bad had happened. Where had he been, oh yeah, in jail where he couldn’t protect her. She didn’t need a shotgun to prove her point; he would take care of her better from now on.
“Slapped my face and he shook me like a rag doll
Don't that sound like a real man
I'm gonna show him what a little girl's made of
Gunpowder and lead.”
Instantly, Logan’s hands curled into fists and they began to itch at the thought of someone harming his Marie. His? Where the hell did that come from? She wasn’t his; she was probably still with that Ice Prick. He never hit Marie or shook her. Had Wolverine hurt her and he didn’t know it? Now she was talking about gunpowder and lead… What the hell was she planning?
“Well it's half past ten, another six pack in
I can feel the rumble like the cold black wind
He pulls in the drive, gravel flies
He don't know what's waitin' here this time.”
What the hell? Was she planning on getting and drunk shooting him? Ororo wouldn’t allow that to happen at the school… Or would she? Maybe now wasn’t a good time to go back to the school…
“Hey I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun
Wait by the door and light a cigarette
He wants a fight well now he's got one
And he ain't seen me crazy yet.”
I never asked for a fight, he thought. He wouldn’t fight Marie anyway. He never wanted her to face the Wolverine. Logan knew she must have picked up the smoking and drinking from the parts of him she absorbed.
“Slapped my face and he shook me like a rag doll
Don't that sound like a real man
I'm gonna show him what a little girl's made of
Gunpowder and lead.”
Funny, he thought she was made of magnolia blossoms, spices, and everything nice. He had to find out what happened and sooner the better, for his conscious. He couldn’t live with himself if he had hurt her.
“His fist is big but my gun's bigger
He'll find out when I pull the trigger.”
Logan looked down at his fist as he held it in the palm of his other hand. Then his head shot back up to Marie on the stage as she mentioned pulling a trigger. She planned to shoot him… Shit. What had he done to her? Okay so he hadn’t protected her as much as maybe they both would have wanted but, he was coming home to make up for lost time. Logan finished his beer as he continued to watch her.
“I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun
Wait by the door and light a cigarette
He wants a fight well now he's got one
And he ain't seen me crazy yet.”
He didn’t want to fight with her; he just wanted to understand what the hell was going on with her. Logan hoped he could talk to her before she had the chance to shoot him. Even if she did, he knew he wouldn’t die permanently. Unless… Unless she planned to do something to him while he was dead. He didn’t like that idea. He shrugged off that idea because he knew the adamantium would protect him… But what if she planned to down him and then drain his mutation? Then what?
“Slapped my face and he shook me like a rag doll
Don't that sound like a real man
I'm gonna show him what a little girl's made of
Gunpowder and gunpowder and lead
Gunpowder and lead, yeah, yeah, ha.”
God, he needed to talk to her. He had to wonder, if he had done something terrible to her, would she forgive him? He didn’t think he could live with her hating him for the rest of her life. Now he realized that she had been a good friend to him when he didn’t think he needed her. Logan recalled just about everything that she had said and done for him when he got back from the road after Jean died the first time. He just didn’t understand what happened to that girl she once was, that would make her sing songs like that to him.
Rogue finished her song to a big round of applause from her table and the room. She left the stage and sashayed her Southern booty back to her seat, while another drunken loner got up onstage to sing off key. Once again she could feel those eyes on her. It was time to leave. If she was going to make it to the cabin before midnight, she had to leave. She leaned over and mouthed Jubilee, “BS.” The word passed around quickly and then Peter counted off as they had planned. Suddenly they all stood up and Rogue headed off to the restroom with Kitty. Once inside the room, Kitty turned Rogue around.
“You sure you’re gonna be okay?”
Rogue hesitated. “Yeah, yeah, ah think ah will, Kit.”
They waited for the appropriate time and Jubilee came into the restroom. All the girls hugged.
“Well ya’ll, this is it, ah’ve gotta go. Wish meh luck.”
“Good luck, chicka. Call if ya need help. I’m gonna miss you,” Jubilee said.
“Ah know, no tee-ah’s now. Come on Kit, or ya’ll are gonna make meh crah.”
Then Kitty hugged Rogue and they jumped through the wall together. On the other side Kitty let her go.
“Thanks Kit-Kat, take care of Jubes.”
“You’re welcome, bye Rogue.”
“Bye.” Then Kitty phased back into the wall.
Rogue made it to her vehicle and started it up. She put on her belt and started for the road. She was at the intersection and turned toward the road that would take her to the late Professor’s cabin. She was speeding carefully along the road when she thought she saw Logan in her rear view mirror.
'Damn you, Logan,' she thought to herself.
He figured it out too quickly, Jubilee must have given him the address. He must have been speeding to catch up to her that fast. So, he wanted to play cat and mouse… Rogue started to drive erratically to get away from him as he tried to pull up next to her vehicle. She tried to rush his truck with left side of her Jeep Wrangler to make him get out of her way. She hated to damage her transportation but it was worth it if it bought her time to run away.
Back at the bar, he’d seen all the ladies head off to the restroom, and decided to wait for them to come back to the table to tell Marie that they needed to talk. Minutes passed and Yellow and Kit-Kat came out… No Marie. Where was she? Maybe she needed another minute? Fine he’d wait. What set him off and running was when Yellow came up to him and handed him a slip of paper with an address. She told him that’s where Marie was running to. So, he jumped in the truck and drove like a bat outta hell to catch up with her. When he tried to get ahead of her to get her to pull over she started weaving and trying to run him off the damn road. She nearly succeeded a couple times. Logan started to panic. She was driving like a maniac and wouldn’t pull over. He had to stop her somehow. So, he managed to get ahead of her and slowed down to make her slow down, zig-zagging to block her from getting ahead of him. After about ten minutes of driving, he finally got her to stop. He slowed to a stop, jumped out of his truck, started to yell at her through the jeep window.
“What the hell were you doing, trying to get yourself killed, kid?”
“Ah’m not a kid anymore, Logan. Ah grew up while ya weren’t lookin’.”
Rogue was pissed as she put her Jeep into reverse. He had the nerve to still call her a kid! She took off again and decided to take the quiet, back way to the cabin as she continued to erratically drive. Once again, Logan was suddenly on her like white on rice. Fine, he really was asking for it. This time when he stopped her, she jumped out of her vehicle. He met her half way.
“What was that all about back there at the club, Marie?” He asked.
“Don’t call meh that! You don’t have tha privilege ta call meh anythin’ otha than Rogue, and ah’m not sure ah even want ya ta call meh that!” She yelled right at him, she wanted him to see her anger.
“Fine, I don’t know how grown up you thought your drivin’ is, but it ain’t mature. What the hell were you gettin’ at back there, I never abused you. I never hit you either, kid.”
It must have slipped out, BIG mistake, she thought.
“Ya burned meh deep, Logan, not just emotionally, mentally but, physically too.”
“Are you goin’ crazy, kid?” He asked her. “I never hit you and you know it.”
“Oh, you ain’t seen meh crazy yet, old man. Then how, did ah, git this, hmmm?”
Then she took off the sunglasses she wore day and night and showed him the slowly healing bruise on her cheek, around her eye socket. The bright light of her headlights brought the injuries to the surface. Instantly, he felt like someone punched through his adamantium chest. Logan was horrified. He’d hurt her badly. He tried to search what memory he had, he couldn’t remember hitting anyone, especially not her.
“Yeah Logan, ya did this and ah ain’t gonna ever let ya do it ta meh again. You’re nevah gonna see meh again once ah get in mah Jeep. Since ya haven’t kept yer promise, ah’m protectin’ mahself from now on. Good-bah, Logan.” He watched her as she marched back to her Jeep, hopped back into her seat, and took off again.
He hopelessly watched her again as she drove off like a bat out of hell again, as fast as she could get away from him, all the while his mind screaming; ‘NO! Don’t let her leave!’ Wait! He needed an explanation. It wasn’t right to accuse him and then just run off without explaining what happened. Logan needed to find out what the animal had done to her. He jumped back into his truck and drove down the road at a bit slower pace to give her a bit of time to calm down. It was also dark and he had never been to the location that Yellow gave him on that slip of paper. So, the landmarks were going to be hard to find and he hadn’t gotten a GPS installed in his new truck yet. Besides, he was a man and men don’t need a GPS to remind them of their failure of not having the right directions. So, Logan decided he didn’t need one at the time when he got the truck but, now he was rethinking that decision.
Rogue looked at the mantle clock. Half past ten and another six pack in as she sat inside the cabin waiting for Logan to track her down. She had left a couple of six packs of beer in the fridge from the last time she had been there not too long ago. The end of her nightmare was coming soon, she knew it; she felt it in her bones. She ignored inner Logan’s voice. When she was on the cure, she realized she had missed Logan in her head. Now, since the cure had failed and she was mad at Logan, she actually got so angry at the real Logan she thought about killing him for good. Draining every drop of his mutation until he died, then she’d put him in a compartment in her mind, and leave him there for the rest of her life. Revenge would definitely be sweet then… Would it really? However, she was a good girl. She didn’t go around killing unless she absolutely had to. She was itching to let her inner bad girl out…
Unexpectedly, she felt the rumble of his engine like a cold black wind that blew through her body. She shivered as she heard the truck getting closer. She tried to steel her nerves as she heard his truck pull into the drive and abruptly stop, sent gravel flying. Rogue figured it was about time to show him what she had waiting for him. She stood from her spot inside the cabin and went out into the lighted porch. She sat on the swing, lit up another cigarette, crossed one leg over the other, and started puffing away as if it would calm her. She watched him as he sat in the truck; knew he was planning his next move. Thinking, what in the hell was she doing clogging up her airways with black lung death. She didn’t care, she could always turn on Logan’s mutation and heal it.
Logan thought about a couple verses from that song she sang as he watched her come out, sit on the porch swing with her shotgun in one hand, and cigarette in the other. She had been right about him worrying about her smoking but he understood it because of his need for cigars when he was stressed. He looked at his fist and agreed it was big, and yes her gun was bigger. Since she had laid her bomb in his lap, he felt like maybe he should let her shoot him. He already felt guilty and he didn’t know what exactly happened. He supposed it didn’t really matter anyway, he had hurt her deeply and that was something he had always feared might happen if he ever stayed around her. Things happened to the people he loved so that’s why he never formed any attachments; that he could remember anyway, until her… And she rocked his world. Literally, overnight he had more attachments than he’d ever had because of her. Now, a few of them were dead but, most survived. Logan finally decided to face the music and got out of the truck. He turned to walk toward the two story cabin but, she stopped him in his tracks.
“Whadda ya want, bub,” she asked and he picked up on the inflection of himself in her voice. Her Southern accent seemed deeper as well.
“Tell Me,” he said, his throat suddenly dry.
“What was that? Ah can’t heah ya.”
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Rogue's gearing up for a fight and Logan confronts his mistake...
I hope you all enjoy this story. Please let me know down below, thanks!
This is dedicated to tamisnead. Love you lots!
I hope you all enjoy this story. Please let me know down below, thanks!
This is dedicated to tamisnead. Love you lots!
Chapter End Notes:
I know this story may be hard for some, because it's so dark, but just stick with it.
Thanks in advance for your reviews!
Thanks in advance for your reviews!