'Tomorrow?
I'm still looking at Today.
There's things unfinished here,
An we've a long way to go to sunset.'
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The drive up toward Cochrane wasn't too bad, they made it in just over two hours, the traffic wasn't too bad and they blended right in with the usual flow. The truck was at least eight years old, had a few dents and bangs on it. The back windows were tinted a little so it'd be hard for someone to look in as they passed them. Plus the raised back and chassis told that the truck was a offroader as well as a road car.
The radio was on as the afternoon sun glinted off the rest of the road users alongside them. They didn't speak to each other at first, the journey enough to make them realise exactly what they were leaving behind.
Ro' and Kurt were gone, Jean and Scott were god knows where, the kids were seperated and hopefully on their way to new lives and better futures.
Logan just concentrated on the road, his eyes watching for large vehicles and number plates that were secquential. Something Marie helped with, Pieter held the map and directed, even though Logan had already worked out where they were heading for the evening.
Lunch was a few snacks that were held over from the kids, Jubilee doled out the sweet treats and as she licked her fingers of the stickyness a low rumble came from Hank. Blushing Jubilee elbowed the large man making Logan smirk in front, Marie however thought it was cute and turned to look at the now figeting doctor.
"So Doc, did she get ya?" The question floored Hank and he sat there with his mouth hanging open for a moment as Jubilee just slapped Marie's arm.
"CHICA! Do I ask you about tall and growly over there?"
Marie gave her friend a stare that was all warmth, "Yeah ya do an ya want 'details'." Logans hand tensed up on the wheel and Marie let him off the hook by adding, "Which ya never get. So spill, did ya finally get what ya've been harping on about last time we were on the road?" Kitty was napping next to Hank and he suddenly had a great interest in taking Kitty's pulse. Seeing her new amore get flustered Jubes narrowed her eyes and gave Marie a thin lipped smile.
"Might have been the last, but *yes* for your information I did!" Marie smiled and patted her friends arm and pulled out a packet of pills from her jacket pocket.
"Here, you'll need these then, Ah wasn't sure if ya had any so Ah raided the medical supplies." The birth control pills sat in Jubilees hands, her fingers playing with the packaging.
Jubilee dropped her eyes to the small packets and realised that Marie had been looking out for her, her smile was back and Hank seemed to have regained some of his earlier composure. "Thanks Rogue, but won't you need any?" Jubilee's gaze went through Marie and Jubilee caught the edge of something in Marie's gaze.
"Nope, Logan can scent when Ah'm ovulatin', we just avoid stuff then." The look she shared with Jubilee spoke of many many days of restraint which were suddenly finished when her scent returned to normal. Giving a glance to Hank to see him staring resolutely forward she dug Hank in the ribs, getting him to look at her.
"Can you do that?"
Hank turned his great head toward Jubilee and met the deep gaze of the small woman who at the moment held his heart in her hands.
"Do what Jubilee?"
"Smell me? When I'm ovulating?" Hank looked nervously at the mirror and saw Logan's eyes meet his own. If Logan could sense Rogue's own body chemistry *that* well, then he'd know if he lied. Swallowing his nerves Hank pulled Jubilee's hands into his own and went out on a limb, trusting the closeness they'd shared last night.
"Yes, yes I can." His hands gripped hers; his face open and awaiting the reaction of disgust dropping his eyes as he answered her question.
"Cool!" Jubilee squeezed his furred fingers with her own and handed the pills back to Marie. Seeing her reaction Hank drew his head back up in disbelief, his eyes wide and seeing Jubilee's smile he saw Marie wink at him as she turned back to her own lover. Pecking him on the cheek as she righted herself, Hank glanced at the eyes in the mirror, they too were warm and Hank realised how lucky he'd been. Snuggling upto his overall covered side Jubilee settled herself against him and made to sleep. Her voice sounding out in the cab just before she dropped off, "Never did like taking the damn thing anyway." A small gruff chuckle came from Logan as he concentrated on getting them to Geraldton.
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In Geraldton, Pieter took over driving duty while Jubilee and Marie went to get something hot to eat. The rest stop was useful for everyone, Hank just barged into a stall and Logan quickly stopped all questions by saying, "Bad chilli, Martha's outskirts of Timmins."
A man who'd been at a urinal just nodded his agreement, as he left he added, "Ya'll want to stay clear of The Red House then, other side of Hearst, cook there don't know what a grease trap is never mind how to clean it."
Logan nodded his assent back, truckers were always handing out advice about where to eat and what routes were good for the various home comforts they needed.
Soon they were loaded up for a nights driving, the spare tanks were checked, a new one added filled to the brim. Pieter took the now reloaded truck back out onto the road, Logan in the back with Hank and Kitty, Jubilee and Marie together with the food. Sandwiches that were more meat than Hank had seen before were handed over, still hot from the griddle. Steak, red and rare was stuffed between what looked like a loaf of bread along with a full salad bowl. Logan just tore into his, Kitty's eyes wide as she accepted her boxed salmon salad. Marie and Jubilee went for a folded pizza each, Pieter took bites from what looked like a kebab made from spiced chicken. His too was huge and Hank had to ask where they got it from, Marie her mouth filled with food just tapped the side of her head and turned back round. Looking at everyone for an answer he found it when Logan swallowed his mouthful.
"Mary's Diner, two blocks from where we stopped. Best food in the city limits." Seeing Marie and Jubilee put a thumbs up from the front seat Hank just took a bite. The meat broke into tiny pieces as he chewed, perfect, soft buttery flesh just this side of cooked. Held counterpoint with the fresh salad that was stuffed with it, Hank was about to comment when he saw Logan's own. No salad was present, just meat, most of it looking raw and barely seared. A dribble of blood ran down Logan's hand and he chased it with his tongue, his eyes glinting amber for a second before Hank tore his gaze away. Food was food but to some it was more than that, to some it was hunting as well.
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They went North along the smaller roads until there was no longer tarmac under the wheels just dirt. Checking the map constantly Jubilee guided them toward Landsdown House, the small community out in the wilderness of Ontario. Even then they had more miles to cover that night, overland in the dark, travelling over ground that might be fenced and patrolled by someone.
The tiny lights of Landsdown House came and went, Kitty was shifted forward her face resting against her lovers neck. Marie and Jubilee were discussing something in whispers that Logan could hear but was shutting out for now. If it was important he'd know sooner or later, a few moments later Pieter put the truck into nuetral as he popped the door to refill the tank. They'd made a good distance today but they were still too close to the large centers of civilisation for either Marie or Logan's tastes.
Marie followed Pieter out of the truck and stretched her body, Jubes followed suit and soon everyone was out of the truck. Moving muscles that had been inert all day, getting rid of kinks in backs and knees. The sky was clear up here, the starlight beautiful the dark blue of the night matching the fur of Hank. Jubes went over and hugged his large shape to her, Hank still unused to the touch of someone had to remember to hold her. Marie just leaned against Logan's shoulder as Kitty and Pieter filled the tank. Seeing Logan relax a little more every mile they put between them and the US border Marie nudged his shoulder, getting his dark gaze to land on her.
"Think we'll make it?" Pulling his hands out of his pockets Logan dragged Marie over to his grip, making her stand inbetween his legs. Gripping her ass with both hands and pulling her into his groin, the more remote they got the happier Logan seemed to be. Seeing his face take in her joy at being so close and being so loved he whispered into her ear. "We'll do okay, if we can get to Fort McMurray in Alberta without gettin a tail or into trouble we'll be fine. Some of the way is goin to be hard, overland an we'll have to go slow as well. A couple of days of sleepin in the truck an two people awake, one drivin' one watchin for wildlife."
"Wildlife?"
"Wildlife, moose and bison don't stand still ya know, this far north we've gotta be aware of caribou as well. The truck'll take one or two hits but we don't want to throw a wheel out here." Marie saw the sense of his words and pulled herself closer grinding her hips down into Logan's grip on her.
"Think they'll miss us for a few minutes?" Logan quickly looked around at their companions, Jubes was already making headway with Hank and of Pieter and Kitty there was no sign but the sounds coming from the back of the truck were enough of a hint.
"Nope, seems like it's a favourite idea," smiling Logan picked Marie up and walked out into the darkness a light laughter coming from Marie all that told of their direction.
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Big Trout Lake was breathtakiing at dawn, Hank had just finished his shift of driving, his eyesight a godsend along with Logan's senses. They'd avoided a few elk, made a few new gaps in fences that were rusted and old but their path so far had been without incident. The girls were awake now and Logan made his demands for a decent breakfast were soon seconded by Pieter. Kitty just stood there hands on hips and looked daggers at Pieter, her voice cutting as she gave them both short shrift.
"What, just because we're women you expect us to cook?" Logan just carried on getting himself comfortable in the back seat along with Pieter, when she didn't move he opened one eye and struck her with a narrowed slitted gaze.
"When ya can see fifty feet in the pitch black, smell a bear half a mile away an keep this jallopy from stallin in a river, ya can swap places with me. Till then you're on breakfast duty." Marie stifled a laugh but Jubilee just let hers rip colouring the air of the Lakeside. Hank clambered in next to Logan and soon both were fast asleep, Kitty was still bitching when she doled out the food. Jubes finally took her hand and pulled her to the track they'd come down to the lake. Making her walk back up the small ridge to the top, when they got there she just showed her what they'd brought them through in the night.
There was no road, only their tracks through the long grass plain, the width of the wheel base showing in the cool wind that was blowing over the land. Their tracks were in the distance running over the landscape, several ravines and closed canyons were there. Jubes just turned to Kitty her face still smiling but the message in her eyes enough to shame Kitty into silence. "They did *this* in the *dark* Kit-Kat, pitch dark an I should know I woke up for the last hour of it. You should be thankful we've even go *this* far."
It was as if someone had finally told her what they'd been running from and her hands went to her baby, cradling it as she turned back to see everyone else eating apart from Logan. He was just watching them both, ever vigilant, ever caring, his body ready to run over if they needed him. Not settled again until they were back in range, finally sitting on the ground and feeding his hunger.
When they set off again, Kitty put a blanket under both Hank's and Logan's heads as she sat between them both. Her hands touching both men as they protected her in their sleep. Jubilee was driving now, her face solid and her features set, Marie was on map duty as they went across the border to Gilliam, Manitoba. The landscape changed again to old growth forest and they caught another dirt road to Thompson.
The small town had nothing to offer them and they went through at a decent pace, never giving the police need to stop them, even though the news was filled with the ruckus that had been caused by the report on the internet. It had been joined by three others, all from the same New York CSI team, they all had stories to tell and by the sounds of it they'd been covering things for months. Marie woke Logan to eat lunch which was a quick greasy burger from a Wendy's. Throwing the food down his neck Logan took over the driving, he didn't take risks but his movements were abrupt as they flew through Manitoba, passing Lynn Lake before running out of highway again, fifteen miles outside it.
Yet this time there was an obsticle between them and the new path they needed to get onto, a wire fence, twenty feet high with a warning marker posted every hundred feet. Department of Agriculuture it said but everyone knew in their bones it was anything but. They had a choice to make, they either went through and risked it or they went south and risked being captured by someone who'd gone for the bounty being offered for US mutants. Logan looked at the fence, checking for wires, vibrational sensors, anything that would alert someone watching the fence. An elk on the other side snorted at him and took off, his strong stride leading him further north and Logan seeing him run played to a hunch.
They were at least fifty miles out of their way but Logan's hunch had paid dividends, there was an animal gate. Migrations passed through here and as such they needed an escape route, hence the gap. Problem was that the gap was only wide enough for two elk to pass side by side, if they wanted to get through they'd have to wreck the fence. There was a way but he'd have to ask Kitty to risk everything to do it. Looking at the concerned faces around him he saw Hank work out the same thing he had and the large doctor didn't look happy about the prospect.
"NO!" Pieter was angry, livid, his skin coloured bright red by the blood that was coursing through his skin. "You heard Dr McCoy, she could lose the baby! NO! I FORBID IT!" Kitty was restraining him as best she could, Logan had just laid out the options to them all, Marie and Jubilee knew the risks but the outcome wasn't set solid. Kitty herself was trying to reach her lover, her small hands being gripped by Pieters larger ones. Hank's voice finally made it through to the larger man as he scanned the faces of those around him, those willing to risk his unborn childs life.
"It's not just your decision Pieter." Those simple words took all the wind out of his sails and he looked at the face of his childs mother. The baby might have been concieved in the worst possible way but he loved it just as if it had been a perfect union.
"Katya? Please..." his eyes begged her not to risk their child but her mind was made up. Logan, Storm, Jubilee, Marie, Bobby and Hank had risked their lives so they could run with the kids. They'd held the line so they could get away, hundreds had died and they'd run, this was her choice, her little gift she could use to get them through the fence and clear. Her voice was shaky but she wiped her tears away and stood in front of her lover, resolute in her decision.
"I *have* to Pieter, it's the only way." When he saw her mind had been set he let her hands go, she turned to look at Logan who was waiting next to the truck. Shaking slightly her hand resting on her stomach she took a couple of steps toward him. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"
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Author's Chapter Notes:
This ones for Valeriusjka, pain in the kidneys just didn't stop so I put the pain to some use....hope you like what they came up with.