Things had always been simpler when Charles was alive, he was fill with conviction, ideals, hope, being next to him, it was hard not to get caught up in whatever he set out to do. It had been a hard few years watch the once stalwart man slowly decay away. Logan is glad that the end had come swift and meaningful for Charles. He passed on doing what he loved in life, there was really no better way to go for someone like him. Much better than what Logan had planned out for them, a lonely end on the open seas.
But now that Charles is gone, it mean Logan must face up to his greatest source of comfort, love, his greatest regret. It is long past the time for him to return to Marie. He is not at all sure of what he is going to say when he sees her again, if she will even want to see him, if she is even still there. But his final mission is over, he can’t continue to face this life without her, without her at least know the reason of his sudden departure. A quick glance at the still form of the young girl next to him, gives him some solace for the trespass he committed against her, against them.
This girl is their union in physical form, a living being made from them in equal parts, someone they never ever expected to have. The cure had rendered Marie sterile, the dying screech of the malevolent minds that sought the destruction of their kind. He accepted that, accepted Marie, but he is never sure if she accepted it herself, if she ever forgave herself, the decision that stole far more from her than she ever expected. Even if Marie would not forgive him, would not let him back into her life, he hopes she would have enough love for him left in her to take this girl, a symbol of what they could have been, into her life.
He has driven non stop since the impromptu funeral, his instincts urging him on, driving him towards the only place that ever felt like home. And now for the first time ever he is hesitant, unsure, even in the most desperate battles he has never felt like this, his mind filling with doubt, and apprehension for what is sure to come. Reluctantly, still hoping to keep his dream alive, he steps past the picket fences he laid by hand, past the green and yellow mail box with the name Howlett haphazardly added beneath the name D’ancanto written in fine golden script. He can see her through the window, in a casual light green dinner dress, elegantly holding a glass of wine in her hands, chatting happily with an unknown man.
The small gathering turned out to be a better distraction than Marie expected, even though she knew it was a discreet attempt by the neighboring women to set her up with a few of the local bachelors. After the last few months she really could use the distraction. The Professor is gone, she felt it. Even with just the remnants of her powers, she could still feel the passing of the greatest mutant mind in the world. And slowly the anticipation builds with in her, Logan is coming home, she knows it.
When the messages first filtered down to where they are, she knew he would be leaving, he had to go, it is who he is, she expected no less from the love of her life. She also knew it was a path he must walk alone. Their relationship had hit a rough patch, after she found out about the hidden effects of the cure. So even though her powers returned to her, if only in a reduced state, another part of her was lost forever. She needed time to grieve, to reconcile, to accept what will never be. And his presence, warm, affectionate, loving, was too much for her to bear.
She didn’t understand how he could still love her so much, even after she threw away her very identity and her chance at motherhood over a silly crush. She needed time alone, needed some space of her own, so when the news of the incident at the school reached them, and he slowly started to pull away from her, she pretended not to notice, proceeded as if everything was still normal. It is strange how easily she, poor little emotional Marie left the X-men, the school, the students behind; while the big bad Wolverine took every opportunity to visit, to substitute as a teacher, to stay in contact.
It’s because he cared far more than he could admit, only she sees this in him and she loves him even more because of it. It was with a supreme sense of guilt that she let him secretly slip off into the night, without even a word of comfort or a loving good-bye. She promised herself that she would make it up to him when he returned. He will return, of that she was certain, in the end, when the mission was finished, he always sought her out and she always welcomed him with wide open arms and a warm smile, this time will be no different.
Except there is this one man here, who does not seems to understand any of the hints she's dropping for him to leave. To make matters worse, Logan takes that moment to walk in through the front door, to the sight of the man leaning towards her, his hand inappropriately close. She is elated to find that Logan has the key still, and she's made sure it would still work. Letting him know immediately that he is welcome without a single word. The offending man stares at Logan in shock, he is in a well tailored suit, that has obviously seen some wear. A dark scowl hangs over Logan's rugged face, and even with a young girl held in one arm, he looks incredibly menacing.
Who is this man in his house? The question rages through Logan's mind. His Marie must still wants to see him at least, otherwise his key wouldn’t work, his name wouldn't be on the mailbox. He clenches his one free fist, his eyes boring into this intruder who is interfering with his long anticipated reunion. Before his claws can burst forth, Marie is by his side leaning against him, smiling brightly.
“Hon’ you’re back early.” Her sweet accent floats over to him, and he almost wishes he could just relax and hold her, but not while this stranger is here. His growl is cut short by her hand on his chest and her lips against his cheek.
“Aww, looks like she got tired from the trip.” She gently takes Laura from him and cradles her against her chest and coos, “Momma will put you bed sweetie.”
She starts walking towards the back of the house, then stops and turns to him with another breathtaking smile “Hon? Why don’t you see Bill out, he had to park down the street, be a dear and walk him over will ya?”
He practically drags the stranger out by his collar, but a different thought occupies his mind. Things are going better than he anticipated. He thought there would be an slap or at the very least an angry glare. Of course his Marie always had impeccable manners, she could simply be waiting for the company to depart before showing her displeasure at him.
Tentatively, Logan steps back through the door, much calmer now that only familiar scents remains within. He can hear Marie’s soft voice on the floor above mingling with Laura’s sleepy mutters. Knowing Marie, she will not stop till Laura is perfectly comfortable, which means he has some time to himself. Not wanting to intrude and perhaps afraid of what he might scent in the bedroom, he elects to clean himself in the guest bathroom.
The dark suit hides the blood stains well, while Marie noticed that he was injured, she did not expect to see the seriousness of those wounds. In fact she has never seen such serious wounds linger on him like this, the wounds look days old, angry and red. A part of her is sad to see him reduced to this, but another part is glad. They can grow old together, a lingering fear of hers was that he might outlive her, not because she dreaded growing old but rather so intense and completely his love for her is, she fears for what it might do to him once she is gone. Now there is the chance that they can live a fulfilling life together and be with each other, together till the end.
She walks into the guest bathroom, and slides her palm over Logan's bare and scarred back. Her heart beats faster at the content sigh that escaped his lips. “You should clean up in our bathroom.”
“Marie… I” She doesn’t let him continue, he has nothing to apologize for. Instead she takes his hand and pulls him toward their room. As she steps into the bedroom, she can feel him hesitate at the precipice, so she reaches out, taking both of his hands in hers and tugs him to her. She smiles when he lets a breath loose. The room is still filled with him, his clothes, his books, his tools, all exactly where he left them.
Taking advantage of his distraction she skillfully loosens his belt and maneuvers him into the bathroom by his pants. Sitting him down on the toilet seat, she stands between his legs, running one hand slowly through his hair, while the other works it way across his jaw and through his beard.
“Ya know, I prefer the mutton chops.” She flirts with an exaggerated accent.
Feeling his large hand settle on to her waist, her fingers curl of their own accord, lightly scratching his scalp. He is almost completely relaxed when his voice rumbles from him, “Wanna give me a hand?”
Logan sits in their bathroom waiting, she said she liked the mutton chops, and who is he to argue that. If small things like this keep her happy he is more than willing to oblige. His eyes widen as she saunters back in, dressed just a long t-shirt, with his shaving kit in hand, not the modern T shaped ones that he never liked but is forced to use often due to time constraints, or the electrics one that always left his skin irritated. His woman brought in his favorite straight razor, the one he had custom made right after the civil war.
As soon as Marie is within reach, he runs his hands up and down her soft silky thighs caressing them gently, but before he can work his way to something interesting, she lightly slaps his hand away, and turns him down in that most enticing accent. “Not yet, sugar, ya gotta shave first.”
With a satisfied grin he watches her lather up the foam. Normally he uses a soft bristled brush. She however has a different idea. She cradles his face and slowly lathers the foam onto his face, the gentle patterns she is drawing on his jaw lulls him, eyes closed, as he rest his hands on her hips.
“The professor is gone.” Her voice is light just like the first stroke of the razor on his cheek.
“Yeah.” He is not sure what else to say, Marie often surprises him with the things she knows, the small shards of her power that still remain are as mercurial as the wind, giving her much yet leaving many things out.
“He left in a good way?” Her warm fingers trace the path of the blade, and he can’t help but lean into it.
“Like he always wanted, he went down fighting.” As much as Logan doesn't want to, he can still remember the struggles of the past weeks, the three of them, exhausted, in pain, struggling with despair. He can't help but wonder if he could have saved Charles if he just did something differently.
“It’s just us now...” It isn’t Marie's melancholic voice pulling him out of his reverie, it is the underlying tone of hope that wakes him. They are the last of the X-men, it is fitting. His truly started to live again when he met her in that small Canadian bar, where their journey began. Together they fought a great many battles, overcame impossible odds, made many mistakes along the way. But they forged a path together, that led them to this place, here and now.
Then it hit him, it isn't just the two of them, there is one other who would travel with them from now on. “Us and Laura”
“Laura?” The surprise is evident in her voice.
And by the shift in her scent, he realizes her gifts haven’t shown her. Marie didn’t know, and it is with a immense sense of pride that he reveals this wonderful news to her. “She is ours.”
“Ours?” She whispers again, and her fingers unconsciously move over his face, as if they are reaching out for something.
“Yeah, ours.” He pulls in closer and breathes her in, he can feel it with her, her disbelief, her hopes, her joy.
And together Logan whispers it with her. “Yours and mine...”
He is there when she finally realizes it, and the from the look in her eyes, the fragrance that surrounds her body, the smile on her face, he came to a realization too, that the last few years of suffering, of loneliness, of longing, it was all worth it for just this one moment. He brought her something that she had thought lost forever.
Cupping his newly trimmed mutton chops she places a light kiss on his lips, “You did all that… Just for me?”
“Anything for you darling.” His trademark grin, absent for years, is back on his face making him look decades younger.
She pulls his head against her heart and kisses him repeatedly in the top of his head. “Welcome home, sugar, I missed you, so much.”
He pulls her in even closer, burying his head against her. “I’m back, Marie, for good.”
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Story Notes:
Logan AU ending. This story contains wild conjuncture about the movie base on the trailers I watched. So it could possibly contain spoilers.
Big thank you to cschoolgirl for her great beta work, and giving me the idea to write a Logan Fic.
Big thank you to cschoolgirl for her great beta work, and giving me the idea to write a Logan Fic.
Chapter End Notes:
I'm thinking one more smuttier part to wrap this up. Thanks for reading.