Two Years Later
"Wake up, wake up, wake up"
Logan bolted up in bed, surrounded by a plush, homey cabin. Turning toward the voice he saw Marie in a lace, white nightgown. Her long auburn and ivory hair cascading down her shoulders, and ample bosom. His eyes widened with both dread and elated surprise at seeing the woman he loves sharing his bed.
"Where were ya?" Marie asked her sultry accent heavier than usual.
"Alcatraz" Logan responded monosyllabically.
Marie looked back at him her eyes and face daunted, not hiding the pity she was feeling for him at the moment. Not wanting to continue to see the pity in her eyes, Logan sat up. Marie started kissing his shoulder. Turning toward her again, still disbeliving she was there next to him he asked, "You're here?"
Still kissing his shoulder and moving up his neck she responded, "Of course!"
He gently grabbed her shoulders. "Can you stay," he begged fearful not wanting to lose her again.
That sense of pity entered her eyes again. "You know I can't," she responded somberly
Desperate now Logan started to apologize to her.
"Marie I'm so sorry."
"I know," she responded her tone flat and emotionless.
"I'll never hurt you or anyone ever again, this time I'll protect you and others. I made a vow."
Grazing her lips against his she humorlessly chuckled, and mockingly asked, " A solemn vow?"
"Are you mocking me?" Logan asked saddened she didn't believe him.
Whispering in his ear, "Its too late!"
She looked down and he followed her eyes, first noticing her hands he saw them start to ice over, and the ice rapidly moved up her arms.
"Marie," he screamed
"You can't hide" she kept repeating
"No Marie, please no. Marie. MARIE.," Logan screamed tearfully before she froze in his arms.
He bolted up again this time in the woods, and started to pat out the growing fire next to his sleeping bag. He grabbed the photos of Marie he layed next to him every night as he slept. His favorite photo of her on top. She was in a purple bridesmaid dress, staring outside with a wistful look upon her face. He skimmed his thumb over her face looking at the photo wistfully, before placing the photos next to some of her folded up scarves and other memorabilia he took from the mansion into a cigar box. Next he turned off his shortwave radio and begun to put all his belongings in his dufflebag along with his other toiletries.
Logan sat on a log next to his camp. Getting a can of beans and some utensils from his bag, he used his claws to cut the top of the can off, and he ate in silent misery as he reflected over the last two miserable years.
Two Years Ago
Logan stood away from all the others on the Veranda facing the garden, and recent funerary grounds. The Professor and Storm provided eulogies for both Scott and Marie, since Jean was barely holding it together and Bobby indiscreations with Kitty made him an inappropiate champion for Marie's memory.
After the funeral ended everyone besides himself headed inside. He didn't dare go to the graves, somehow feeling seeing her tombstone would make her absence more evident, but he didn't go back inside either. He wasn't ready for the umcomfortable sympathy and pity from his friends. So he decided to walk toward the wooded expanse surrounding the mansion. He walked for some time lost in thought, it wasn't until he reached a lake that he stopped.
Logan fell to his knees, as he was gasping for air. He was suffocating on regret and guilt. His memories becoming a chronic disease in his mind. They played in his mind like a constant loop.
I'm the only one who can stop her, get everyone to safety. Go!" He said to Storm, and he desperately looked around to make sure Marie got to safety. Not seeing her he hoped she wasn't amoung the mutants and soldiers being disintegrated before his eyes. He worried for Marie during the entire battle, she had absorbed so many of Magneto's minions. Looking back at Jean, he tried to pull at her humanity.
"Jean! I know you're still there."
It was then he felt his nerve endings explode, as the massive energy she directed his way was akin to a vat of acid being thrown onto his skin, and muscle. Her eyes black, and face impassive and she tried to erase him from existence. The closer her got the more determined she would become. He was halfway there, when he saw alabaster smooth hands grab onto Jean's hands.
"I'm sorry Jean, but I can't let you hurt anymore people," Rogue said as Jean turned her dark gaze on her. Rogue's mutation began to take effect, the telltale veins on Jean's face. Logan was having a difficult time seeing from this angle, but he felt Jean's telekinesis ease up making it easier to move toward the top of the mound where the two women stood. However he still didn't make it up in time before they shot into the sky. Time seemed to slow down as he stared up into the night sky where they rose, but all too quickly Rogue carrying Jean gracefully landed back to Earth.
"Marie? You allright?"
Not responding to him, she continued to look at Jean in her arms. Both of their breaths were somewhat shallow and ragged, worrying him as to what Marie's state was both physically and mentally.
"Kid, you allright?" he said the sobriquet on purpose, knowing how much it got under her skin.
"Yeah," she breathed out exasperated, "she's alive by the way."
"What about you, Marie?"
"I'm fine Logan," she answered back her tone holding a note of steel.
"Would you mind holding her, while I try to contact the others?" she inquired but her eyes showed she was demanding not asking.
"Scott? Hank? Ro'? Anyone there?"
Logan could hear the crackling of the comm from where he stood Jean in his arms.
"Rogue, we're here. Is it over?"
"Yes Hank it's over, Jean is out-of-action but alive. Do you know of any mutant friendly hospitals here?
"Yes a few, we are still on the bridge can you and Logan bring her up so we can get her medical attention as soon as possible."
"Yes"
"Okay Rogue! See you in a few moments."
Rogue turned back towards Logan, before asking if he had Jean secured in his arms.
"Okay sugah, I know how much you hate flying but we're kinda in a rush."
Marie then grabbed him by his waist, and lifted him in the air. Logan begun to feel queasy but it was shortlived because moments later they we're back on the ground.
Jolting back from memory lane, somehow Logan had ended up in the lake. His head and torso were still above the water. Looking back toward the direction he assumed the mansion was, he thought about Marie's gravestone and that he would never see her radiant beauty again. Making a decision Logan swam toward the middle of lake, and let his heavy adamantium skeleton do the rest of the work of dragging him down to the murky depths below.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
The next chapter will be Rogue and Scott's POV while in space
Chapter End Notes:
Let me know what you think my pretties