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The X-Geeks were pretty damn stingy. They lived in a huge mansion but skimped on the food. So while Marie was talking to a pair of loud, annoying teenagers, I went to see if I could find the kitchen and dig us up some descent food. She had been half starving when I found her and there was no way that I was gonna let her go hungry again.

‘Course, to do that, I’d actually hafta find where the hell they keep the kitchen in all these damn hallways....”

“Hello, Logan.”

I hadta wince when I heard Red’s voice. There was something about the redhead and her boytoy that rubbed me the wrong way. And it wasn’t just One-Eye eyeing up Marie whenever he was in sight of her. No, what was really starting to weird me out were the looks Red’s been giving me all day. It makes me pretty damn glad that she can’t see through clothes on a whim. Ugh! It’s bad enough watching her undress me with her eyes.

“Hey there, Red,” I mumbled, going immediately towards the fridge without giving her more than a passing glance. Hopefully she’d get a clue and leave me alone.

“So are you and Rogue getting settled?” Red asked, instantly winning the award for the most clueless telepath.

Searching through the fridge, I shrugged my shoulders and grunted, trying to put her off.

“Since I’m not fluid in grunting, I’ll just assume that means yes,” Red commented to herself, but ‘cause of my enhanced hearing I picked up the words.

There was no way in hell I was gonna talk to Red when I could be with Marie (annoying teenagers or not). Wanting to get out of there right away, I grabbed a box of leftover pizza. Part of me was tempted to go back to their dining room thing without heating it up, but Marie told me that she missed gooey cheese which meant that the pizza had to be warm. So I threw the box into their industrial sized microwave and prayed to a god I haven’t believe in for a long time that Red would just go away and leave me in peace.

“Logan, there is something I’d like to discuss with you....”

And apparently God still likes making a joke outta my life.

Damn telepath! Don’t she get the messages I’m shouting into her head? Dense bitch. Now I’ve got to listen to her when I could be with Marie... Sure I still hafta wait for the pizza to heat up before I could go back, but at least it would be quite.

“I’m kinda busy, Red, so why don’t you go sell it to someone else.”

“Don’t worry, Logan, this won’t take long,” Red said, planting herself next to me.

Right now I’m really regretting promising Marie that I’d be nice to these losers. Yeah, they helped us out and all that, but that don’t mean I hafta like them. Marie is just entirely too good. Especially for the likes of me. Most of the shit that’s happened to me I probably deserved. I know that and it stopped bothering me a long time ago. It still pisses me off from time to time, but lately it hasn’t been quite so bad. Not since I met up with a gutsy kid at a roughneck bar out in the middle of nowhere. That kid-- woman --is the most real person I’ve met in the fifteen years of memories I’ve got. She ain’t out to bullshit me or fuck me over like the few people I let myself trust over the years.

‘Sides that, she’s gorgeous as hell. I’ve fucked countless women in my life but Marie is different than all those fight circuit groupies. She’s so soft and so gentle and smells so pure. Marie is the one good thing in my life and there’s no way I’m gonna give her up.

“Ya look bored outta yer skull, sugah,” Marie said as she walked into the kitchen.

I jerked back into reality and nearly fell to the ground like an idiot. I did a quick scan of the kitchen and coulda shouted when Red was nowhere to be seen. She musta finally gotten the point and realized I wasn’t listening to her.. “Hey, darlin’. You get away from the loud-mouthed duo?”

Marie walked right up to me and wound her arm around my neck. There’s nothing that beats the way Marie’s body fits against mine. It’s like we were made to fit each other. Compared to her, all the other women I slept with were deformed and misshapen. Marie’s breasts fit perfectly in my hands and her lips feels so wonderful as they plundered mine through the thin veil of her scarf.

Wait a minute!

There’s no scarf!

I don’t know whether the growl was just in my head or if I let it out, but I definitely shoved her away. There was no way that was Marie. If it was Marie she woulda been suckin’ the life outta me. Not that I wouldn’t give my life up for her in a second, but something was seriously wrong with this picture.

Especially when I blinked and saw Red standing in front of me where Marie was supposed to be.

“What the fuck are you doing!” I shouted at her, wiping my mouth with my sleeve. “How the fuck did you get me to think you were.... You went in my head!”

“I did nothing of the sort. I was merely talking to you about your perceived relationship with Rogue which, apparently, isn’t as solid as you had originally claimed,” Red said with that smug superiority doctors have. Pissed me right off.

Normally I don’t go for hurting women, but I know that Red had fucked with my head. Before I could really think it through, I had my hand around her throat, squeezing just enough to make it hard for her to breathe.

“What did you do to my head,” I growled at her, getting right in her face. “Why did you make me see Marie?”

Red started clawing at my wrists, but there was no way I was letting go of her. “I c... ca... can’t bre... breathe....”

“That’s your problem. Now tell me why I should do that considering you fucked up something in my head?” I demanded, barely able to hold onto my temper. “I don’t know about most of the people in here, but I don’t like it when people mess with my head. It turned out real bad last time. So how ‘bout you give me an answer that’ll fly with your professor.”

Since I knew I’d do something I’d regret if I didn’t let her go then, I shoved Red across the kitchen. Watching her crash into the counter did help my temper somewhat. Not enough to banish it, but enough to curb it somewhat.

“Start talking, Red. You’re not getting a second chance,” I hissed, crossing my arms and squaring my shoulders. It scared the shit outta truckers so I figured it would do the same to Red.

“What do you think you’re doing to my wife?”

And, of course One-Eye had to come and join our little discussion. He even brought back up, the pansy-ass. Now I’ve got the whole X-Crew in here when all I really want is to find Marie so that we can get the hell outta here.

Ah can’t believe it. Ah just.... Ah thought Ah meant somethin’ ta Logan. Sure we’ve only known each other a few days, but Ah really thought Ah was important ta him. ‘Course Ah was probably just foolin’ mahself. After all we have only known each other for roughly two days. It’s not like Ah shoulda expected some sorta commitment from him. Logan isn’t yer typical male. A man who spends his life fightin’ in cages can hardly be considered normal.

Still, he could told me he had a thing fer Jean insteada makin’ me find out like that. Ah’m far from sensitive, but it wouldn’t been nice fer him ta tell me himself.

“Hello, miss. Where to?

“What the fuck did ya do with her?!” I demanded as I stalked into Chuck’s office. “I want her back now so you tell me what you did with her!”

Chuck gave me a level look that pissed me off even more. “Rogue.... She’s gone.”

“No shit she’s gone! That’s what I just told ya! Now tell me where the fuck she is before I get real pissed off.” For emphasis I added a growl onto the end of that.

Having been on the receiving end of one of my growls before, Red jumped a little. Good for her. I’d do more if I could, but right now all that mattered was finding Marie before somethin’ bad happened to her. I ain’t gonna let anything bad happen to Marie ever again. She’s too good to deserve all this bad shit.

“Then we will find her using Cerebro,” Chuck said, already steering his chair from the room.

The only problem with this Cerebro thing-- whatever the hell it is --is that it means going down below. I’ve been down there once before and the place just doesn’t sit well with me. It stirs up some nasty memories that I can’t fully see and leaves a not so great feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’ve had nightmares that looked like this place and wanna get the hell outta here as soon as I can.

I’ll give Chuck one thing, he’s got one helluva security system. That door scanned his eye before it opened. Guess that means whatever’s on the other side of this door is very important....

“This certainly is a big, round room,” I mumbled as I stepped onto the platform that led into the centre of it.

Chuck wheeled himself towards some big console at the end of the platform and began pressing some buttons. “The brainwaves of mutants are different from average human beings. This amplifies my power, allowing me to locate mutants across great distances. This is how I intend to find Rogue.”

I hadn’t said anything, but I’m pretty sure Chuck knows that he only has one chance to find Marie. ‘Cause if he can’t find her with that Cerebro thing of his, I’m going out there to find her myself. I ain’t gonna let anything happen to Marie.

“If you will excuse me,” Chuck said, interrupting my lookin’ at his big metal room.

Grunting at him, I headed back out into the hallway. Red, One-Eye and Ororo were all gathered out there since they had been in Chuck’s office when I got there. I didn’t like Red and One-Eye being there one bit. There’s no way in hell that I’d ever trust Red. Not after what she did earlier in the kitchen. And after the way One-Eye was starin’ at my Marie I don’t much care for him either. Not that I’d trusted him before.

“She’s probably just doing this to get attention,” Red sneered as the door shut behind me. “She’s acting like a child so we’ll notice her and, quite frankly, she’s wasting our time.”

“The only thing that’s a waste of time is your talkin’,” I growled, stalked towards Red. I’d had enough of her and popped my claws, enjoying the way she screamed and backed up behind One-Eye. “You’d better hope that you had nothin’ to do with her running off or you and me are gonna have a talk and I guarantee that I’ll be the only one enjoying it.”

I have to give One-Eye credit. He has more balls that I woulda expected. He’s actually walking towards me insteada cowering in fear like the doctor. I hope he wasn’t trying to intimidate me like that ‘cause there’s now way that’ll work.

“You leave Jean alone,” One-Eye threatened, raising a hand up to those fucked up glasses of his.

“Grow a pair and one day I might take that seriously.”

One-Eye snarled and started stalking towards me. Not in the mood to put up with any of his shit, I raised my claws and stalked towards him. We woulda come to blows, but both of us went flying backwards suddenly thanks to a huge gust of wind provided by Ororo.

“The Professor would not approve of this,” Ororo said with all the authority of the goddess I heard the kids say she is. “So if you would please do away with the testosterone, we can wait for the Professor to return.”

With one final glare at One-Eye, I pulled the claws back in and stepped away from the wall Ororo had blown me into. It was a good thing because the wall turned out to be the door that led into Cerebro and it opened only a few seconds later as Chuck wheeled his way out.

“She’s at the train station,” Chuck said before I had the chance to ask him anything.

“Where’s that?” I asked, already itching to get out of the mansion and go for Marie.

Chuck turned his attention towards me, smiling amicably. “It’s a few miles west of here. Scott, Ororo, I want you to go get her.”

I growled at him over my shoulder, already stalking towards the elevator. “Don’t bother. I’m gonna go get her and I don’t want any of you near her.”

“Now, Logan....” Chuck protested, pissed off the way cultured people get pissed off. In other words, he glared at me with his eyes, but the rest of his face looked completely normal.

Not being a cultured person, I whirled around and glared openly at him. “I don’t wanna hear it, Chuck. Marie and I are outta here for good. There’s no fuckin’ way we’re staying here! You’ve got the good doctor there who sneaks into people’s minds and makes them do things they don’t wanna do.... And I’m not even gonna start on One-Eye. We’re gone!”

With that, I was once again heading for the elevator.

“Logan, I wish you would discuss this,” Chuck tried again.

In response, I raised my right hand and released the middle blade.

I think they got the message loud and clear.

Ah’m beginnin’ ta think that Ah’m gonna be spendin’ the rest of mah life watchin’ other people live their’s. It’s not like Ah can really get close to them. Not with such lethal skin. One false move an’ Ah could suck the life outta them.

There’s a family sittin’ on a bench across from me, probably waitin’ fer the same train as me. A father, a mother with a tiny baby in her arms and a little boy playin’ on the ground with some action figures. A perfect family. Somethin’ Ah’ll never be a part of. Fer a few days Ah was able ta pretend that it would happen. Fer the first time in what felt like an eternity, Ah felt normal. Logan made me feel normal.

But Ah’m just a kid. It’s not like Ah coulda really meant anythin’ ta him. Not after so short a time. Ah shoulda learned a long time ago that dreams don’t come true. ‘Specially not ta poor mutants like me. It’s not that Ah’m feelin’ sorry fer mahself.

It’s just the truth.

“You wanna play wif me?”

Ah looked up in shock. The little boy across the way had made his way over ta me and was holdin’ one of his action figures out ta me. Ah glanced over at his parents who smiled approvingly before turnin’ mah attention back ta the little boy.

“Ah’d be honoured, sugah,” Ah said with a wide grin.

He blushed slightly when Ah called him “sugah” and scuffed the toe of his sneaker into the ground. To cover it, he handed me the action figure, tellin’ me that the man I was holdin’ was one o’ the bad guys. Noddin’ mah head solemnly, Ah slid down onta the ground and began a mock battle with my little friend.

“And who’s this?”

For a moment Ah thought mah imagination was gettin’ the better of me. There was no way Ah’d heard Logan’s voice. Fer all Ah knew Logan was back at the mansion fuckin’ Jean. It wasn’t exactly the prettiest image, but I’d become a realist since leavin’ home. An’ that was what was more than likely real.

“I’m Tommy. Who’s you?”

“Well, Tommy, my name’s Logan,” mah hallucination said, crouchin’ down next ta me. “Do you mind if I steal Marie away from you?”

Tommy furrowed his brows, thinkin’ it over. After a few moments he nodded his head. “Sure. Bye bye, ‘Ree.”

Ah smiled fondly at the little boy and handed him back his action figure. “It was nice playin’ with ya, Tommy. Hope ya have a fun trip.”

Even though Ah didn’t really mean ta, Ah stiffened when Logan helped me up. Out o’ the corner of mah eye Ah saw the sad look on Logan’s face when Ah did that. It gave me a little bit o’ hope. Still, Ah’m not entirely sure what it meant. Fer all Ah knew, Logan coulda just felt guilty ‘bout what happened. There really was no way to be completely sure.

“I know what you saw, darlin’,” were the first words outta Logan’s mouth soon as we got to a quiet area in the train station.

“Ya mean what the make-out session you an’ Jeanie were havin’ in the kitchen?” Ah demanded bitterly.

There was that sad look on Logan’s face again an’ Ah didn’t know what it meant.

“Red fucked with my head,” Logan insisted, cuppin’ mah cheek with his gloved hand. “She fucked with my head and made me think that she was you. You were the only thing on my mind. How beautiful you are. How kind you are. How good.... Most of all how I don’t deserve you. Not even for a second.”

“Ya don’t give yerself enough credit, sugah,” Ah whispered sadly, placin’ mah hand over his on mah cheek. “Ah’m just startin’ ta realize that it’s probably not me.”

Logan looked like Ah’d just told him he dressed like Scott. His other hand found mah waist and pulled me closer. “That’s not true, darlin’ and you know it. What Red did was just plain fucked up, but it don’t mean nothing. There’s no way I’d touch her willingly. It ain’t gonna happen. What is gonna happen is me and you are gonna get the hell outta here. I’ve got One-Eye’s bike waiting for us outside. We can be gone now and leave the X-Geeks behind.”

Ah grinned up at him and wound mah arms around his neck. “Yer a very persuasive man, Logan, did ya know that?”

“That so?” Logan murmured, returnin’ mah smile. He pulled me even closer then, restin’ his head on top o’ mine.

“That’s so,” Ah agreed, pressin’ a kiss above his heart.

For the next few minutes we just held each other, ignorin’ the rest o’ the world.

“The two-thirty train to Green Bay is now boarding on track 7,” a loud voice broke over the intercom.

Ah pulled away from Logan, mah fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. “That’s mah train,” Ah told him, reachin’ inta mah pocket and pullin’ out the ticket Ah’d bought ‘bout an hour ago.

Logan’s eyes were trained on the ticket, worry flashin’ through the dark orbs. “What’s in Green Bay.”

“Nothin’ really,” Ah said with a shrug. “It’s just how far Ah could get with the money in mah pocket. Ah was gonna figure out the rest when Ah got there. But Ah don’t see that happenin’ now.”

Logan’s smile got real big. “So you’re gonna come with me?”

For a moment, Ah pretended ta look offended. It lasted all of three seconds before Ah started smilin’ again. “‘Course Ah’m gonna go with ya. It’s not every day a girl gets ta ride off inta the sunset with her strong hero.”

“Kid, it’s two-thirty in the afternoon. There’s no sunset,” Logan told me, lookin’ at me as though Ah were mad.