They don’t stay in the Mansion that night. Instead, because Logan’s smarter than all of them when it comes to running and hiding, they pack everything they need and sleep at a hotel. It’s a fitful night, with Logan worried that he’ll wake up fighting and Marie just scared for what they’re going to do next. Still, they sleep and it’s good because they get to hold each other, even if that’s all they can do with Jean and Scott in the other double bed.
It’s over breakfast the next day that Jean produces something else that Xavier included in the letters. Logan’s just returning from the diner across the street with takeout when she calls their attention.
“I found these yesterday, in the bottom of the envelope.” She says as she drops two plain silver bands on the table.
Marie picks one up, testing the feel of it between her hands, it’s heavier that she’s expected it to be.
“They’re power inhibitor rings. I don’t know where he got them, I only knew what they were when I slipped one on this morning.” She picks up one of them and places it on Scott’s finger. Slowly, carefully, she pulls the sunglasses off of his face.
His eyes are tightly shut.
“I can’t. Not right now. I can’t do it.” He mumbles, and Marie tucks into her food, trying to give them space. Logan settles a hand on her thigh while he eats.
“I know, I know that you’re scared. But I checked them myself, both of them.”
“I just can’t, not right now when I might hurt someone. When I might blow our cover. I can’t do it.”
Jean’s about to speak again when Logan reaches out and places the sunglasses back on his head. “Then we don’t have to do it right now, it’s morning, and bright outside. No one will think twice if you walk outside wearing sunglasses. Besides, I’ve got a place in mind where we can test it.”
That settles that and they all move back into their meal.
After a short while, when all of their food is gone and everything is packed up and ready to go, Marie pulls the other ring from her pocket.
“Who is this one for?”
“I think, I think it’s for you Marie.”
“I’m not wearing it.”
“You don’t have to, I think that with Scott’s powers inhibited that you won’t have to worry about keeping away from him. But it’s something that we’ll try when we get to wherever we’re going to.”
Marie feels a little relief at that, but slips the ring on her finger until then. She’s not happy about it, and neither is Logan she can tell. She’s gotten too used to hearing him when they touch, to feeling him inside her head in real time instead of just a leftover imprint.
Even Logan doesn’t seem happy when he takes her hand and they all head out to the black SUV they co-opted from Xavier’s fleet. First thing on the agenda was to hit up the bank. Jean uses her ID and the paperwork that Xavier left them to draw a large cash deposit from the bank. She manages to get fifteen thousand dollars.
It doesn’t feel like enough and they still need to get a new car. Which is their second stop. They trade in Xavier’s SUV and still owe another five grand, because keeping this off of the books is expensive. When they head out into northern New York, they’re riding in a older model green Jeep Cherokee and are loaded down with camping gear and groceries.
Logan’s driving and Marie’s sick and tired of wearing the damn ring because whenever she touches him she can’t hear him and she’s feels like she aging every second that passes. It’s a stupid thought, she’ll age until she doesn’t anymore and it’s likely that she’ll always look younger than him, but the idea of aging and leaving him one day makes her sick to her stomach.
He reaches across the center console and places his hand into her, squeezing her fingers and she relaxes at the feel of him. They sit in silence for a long time before Logan pulls into a state park up in the Adirondacks. There’s no one around so it seems like as good a time as any to test Scott’s powers while he’s wearing the ring.
They hike for a good fifteen minutes into the forest before Logan scents the air and gives them the all clear. Scott stands facing away from the group, his hand unsteady on his sunglasses.
“You’re sure that no ones in the area?” Scott asks before he moves his hand.
“Yeah, I’m sure.” Logan tells him.
Scott pulls his glasses from his face, his eyes still tightly closed. It takes him a moment to build his courage. Slowly, Marie watches as his body relaxes and he opens his eyes. She can see the moment when he realizes that the ring is working and his eyes find Jean. She imagines what he must be feeling in that moment, the ability to see everything in Technicolor for the first time and turns back toward Logan to give the two of them a moment alone.
“Hey, darlin’.” Logan whispers to her as he buries his face into the crook of her neck. Her arms slip around his chest and pull him close when he goes to move away and she holds him to her, inhaling his scent, though it’s not anywhere near as crisp or as strong is when she’s not wearing the ring herself. Suddenly she’s frustrated again and clearing her throat to remind Scott and Jean that there’s still one more test to be performed.
“Jean, I know that this is special and I hate to interrupt, but we need to find out if I have to wear this damn ring all the time.” It’s a little selfish and a little cruel, but she can’t stand touching him and not feeling him when she does. It’s become so much of her experience with touching now that it feels like she’s missing something vital.
Jean smiles because she understands but still lingers for a long moment with Scott before backing away from him and allowing Marie to step up beside him.
“How will I know if it’s working or not?” Marie asks.
“I’m not sure.” Scotts the first to reply, which makes sense because it’s his power. “When I manifested my power I was plummeting toward the earth with a burning parachute strapped to my back. Fear of hitting the ground is what caused the blasts to shoot from my eyes. My best guess is just to focus on something in particular and try to push it away.”
Slowly, careful of where her eyes are pointed, Marie slips the silver band off of her finger. She chooses a small rock about fifteen feet away and tries to push the rock further from her. When nothing happens she looks at Jean hopefully, but the doctor isn’t convinced.
“Scott, lets take the ring back off and see if she can make it happen then.” He’s definitely not happy with that turn of events, but he slides the ruby quartz back onto his head and slips the ring off of his finger.
“Marie, try it now.” Jean urges.
It’s startlingly easy to blast the small rock a hundred feet away when she tries this time, and both Scott and her sigh in relief when he puts the ring back on. Now that she doesn’t have to worry about that she can get back to touching and really feeling and push the idea of not aging back out of her mind. She’s back and next to Logan quicker than she realizes, grabbing his hand and feeling him pour into her.
She doesn’t think anything directly, just enjoys the feel of him in her hand and in her head and lets herself be coated and cradled by his love and the fierce urge to protect.
He leans back into her and she can’t help but feel that same sense of satisfaction roaring off of him. His hands move around her waist, his fingers skimming the skin that’s exposed when she raises her arms just so, and she can’t help but notice his constant need to have his hands on her somehow, somewhere.
They’re all quiet in the stillness of the forest, lost in their own little victories over the chaos that is their life. Soaking up the moment of calm and serenity before reality sets back in.
“I’m going to keep this in my pocket, in case I end up having to touch someone skin on skin,” Marie tells Jean when they’re back in the car and headed somewhere south, because anyone who knows him will look north.
“That’s a smart idea. While we’re at it, we all ought to start calling you Marie. I know it’s something that usually reserved for Logan but considering the circumstances…” She trails off and as much as Marie wishes that it is something that would have stayed between her and Logan, Marie knows she right so she agrees.
“Yeah. Also, and I hate to say it Jean, but we’re going to have to do something to our hair. We’re entirely too recognizable.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's a new chapter, a little longer than the last two. I wanted to get a little more into what was really happening with these guys before I get the plot rolling a little bit. Thanks for all of your reviews and comments, I'm excited to read them!
Chapter End Notes:
Well, how did you like it! Let me know what you think and I'll be sure to reply! Reviews are love!