Two weeks later the school was almost back up and running, classes were due to start the next day. Though all the students had been cleared to return to the dorms Marie and he were still sharing a bed every night.
Logan had come to the conclusion that he was hurting both of them by dragging this, whatever 'this' was, out longer than it needed to go. Hank had finished taking samples from them two days before, the 'treatment' had been shipped all over the continent, effectively wiping out the virus before it could take too much of a toll.
Last night he had said goodbye, not with words he never did that, never had never would, but as he made love to Marie that night, he had a feeling she knew that was what it was. It was the first time in his life he could say that was what they had done, made love, it had always seemed like such a pretentious phrase, but he knew now why people made the distinction.
Their coupling this morning had been more frantic, neither wanting to lose their connection before Marie's stomach rumbled and reminded them food existed. They did it again in the shower before Logan tore himself away from her and left her to begin her day. As he was leaving the room, their room, he was sure he could scent her tears on the humid air wafting from the bathroom. He closed the door and kept on walking.
He was finished eating by the time she came down to the dining room and joined her friends for breakfast, so he beat a hasty retreat to pack his belongings, intending to hit the road before she was done. In his haste he didn't notice that everything of Marie's was already cleared out of the room.
Briefly he considered leaving a memento for her, something for her to remember him by, before deciding that would be cruel, and possibly give her the illusion he might one day return. He didn't want her to wait for him, he was not coming back, he wanted her to move on, forget about him, be happy, she couldn't do that with a constant reminder of him. He spied a pair of her panties hanging off the bedside lamp where one of them had haphazardly thrown them and pocketed them before he could think better of it.
And with that he was gone.
He stalked silently to the garage where his motorcycle was parked nearest the exit. He was lost in trying not to think; to think meant to regret, and he was too close to her to be doing that yet. That was how he found himself standing in front of his motorcycle, Marie leaning casually against the black and chrome machine, her own pack, stowed on the rack on the back of the bike.
"Well you took your time," she said sarcastically, as he stood staring at her in open mouthed shock. "Let's go," she added, hoping to boost him into action before he stopped to think about what she was doing.
Shaking himself out of his daze he tried to reason with her, she was obviously intending to come with him. "Marie, you can't... you belong here, I can't take you away from this. My life isn't any good for you."
"Your life isn't any good for you either but if it's the only way I can have you, I'll take it; grab hold of it with both hands and never let go. I love you Logan and I won't lose that, I've lost enough in my life but I draw the line at you," Marie replied resolutely. He'd come to know her well enough to know that was her 'you're not changing my mind’ tone.
He stepped up to her, cradling her cheek in his gloved hand. Spying the split in the leather where he had popped a claw the first time he had touched her, he realised, he couldn't leave her behind. He would forever be tied to this place if he did. He leaned down to her and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
"I'm not as fantastic as you seem to think I am, I can be a bit of an asshole, I'm stubborn as fuck and I don't like learning new tricks. I can't guarantee you a home, I can't promise you stability, but I do promise to love you, no matter what, for as long as you'll have me. I love you Marie," he told her, pouring as much god-honest truth in his statement as he could.
"That's all I need Logan," she replied with a smile, "Now are we going or what?"
With a grin he tied his pack to the rack before sliding a leg over the hulking motorcycle, he offered a hand to Marie so she could climb on too. With a tug he seated her right up behind him, plastered to his back as he wrapped her arms around him. They rolled down the driveway and out the gate unnoticed by all.
--
Two days later, in some unnamed motel, in god knows where, Logan heard his cell phone ring. Slipping out of the arms of a sleeping Marie, he dug through his pack to find the device. The caller ID told him it was Xavier and he seriously consider just chucking the whole thing out the window, until a thought occurred to him.
"What?" he growled, as he answered the phone.
"Wolverine, I understand you asked not to be contacted but we have been unable to locate Rogue, did you see her before you left?" Xavier asked, cutting straight to his point in case he decided to hang up on him.
"I did," he replied, lips twitching as a grin tried to break out.
"Did she mention anything to you about leaving?" Xavier queried.
"She did," Logan confirmed.
"Do you have any idea where she may be?" The man grilled, beginning to sound exasperated.
Logan chuckled with a smile as he watched her chest gently rise and fall as the girl in question slept. "I do," he answered, and promptly hung up. He switched the phone off, before Xavier could call back, before sliding back into bed.
If the old man knew what was good for him, that would be the last time either of them heard from him.
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