Eighteen Cups of Coffee and One Bottle of Bourbon

Title: Eighteen Cups of Coffee and One Bottle of Bourbon Author: Terri Email: xgrrl26@yahoo.com Rating: PG-13 Summary: Sequel to Eighteen Times No. Logan and Rogue have to clue the mansion residents in to their relationship. Everyone uses their favorite beverage to help cope. Series: Eighteen #14 Disclaimer: Nobody belongs to me. Archive: Ask, and I shall happily provide. Feedback: Please! With whipped cream on top? Author's Notes: I don't like Jean. Never did in the comics, didn't in the movie. Still, I don't think she's a bitch, just that she likes to be the center of attention and have her own way. I hope she didn't come out too evil in this one. The books 'Ro refers to are by Alain de Botton. And this is dedicated to/can be blamed on victoria p. - who made me think of the coffee speech from Homicide and thus totally change this section to revolve around the best darn beverage on earth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xavier's Office Coffee - Gloria Jean's Hazelnut Creme "Thank you both for coming. Would you like to join me in a cup of coffee while we talk?" Poor dears, they're both so nervous. "Uh, sure." "Thanks, Chuck." Oh my, I believe that's Logan's attempt at politeness. He must be even more worried than he is projecting. "Logan, Rogue, I am very glad that you are both all right." "Thanks, Professor, and thanks for trying to help me. I really appreciate it." "Uh, yeah, thanks, Chuck." "I only wish I could have been of more assistance. How are you both feeling now?" "Fine, thank you." "Fine." I do believe that Logan is about to come out of his skin. "Professor, we wanted to talk to you about what to do next. I know that Jean's recommending that I stay here for a while so that she can do some testing and try to figure out what's gong on. I'd like to do that, but I think you should know that my relationship to Logan has changed somewhat over the past few months. You may not feel comfortable having us here." Good for her, very poised. You know, in some ways, she is the more mature one of the pair. "Uh, yeah. We, uh, started, you know...." It's really not very nice to let him hang out to dry like that, but then again, I don't especially care for being addressed as "Chuck." "Uh...." "What Logan's trying to say is that we've decided to try a more adult relationship. We've been together, in that way, for some time." "Yes, I see." She's smiling a little to encourage him. I believe he'd rather face any number of Sabretooths at the moment than be sitting here. Ah, well, enough entertainment at Logan's expense. "I suspected as much. I would suggest that you stay, Rogue. I don't have any objections." "Really?" "Yes, really, Logan. Now, I would suggest that you stay in the lodge, at the edge of the grounds. Scott and Jean are living in the boathouse at the moment, and I think you would benefit from the privacy afforded by the lodge." "Really?" "Yes, really, Logan." "You're not mad?" "No, not at all." "You're not gonna say I'm no good for her?" "That is not for me to judge, Logan. You're both adults. Your personal relationships are entirely your business." Rogue is smiling now, and I have to admit it's nice to see. I believe it's the first time I've seen her pleased since her return. Poor Logan, still confused. "Thank you, Professor. It means a lot to me, to us." "Of course. I would ask that you respect the house rules, as all our residents must, and I have one special favor to ask of you, Rogue, during your stay. Would you consider painting a piece for the lobby? The subject can be of your choosing." I know that she will feel uncomfortable staying here without contributing, and, frankly, I've grown quite tired of the still life that hangs there now. "I'd be happy to, Professor." "Well, then. Why don't you take a few days rest, get yourselves settled in the lodge, and we'll begin trying to figure things out starting Monday?" Time to send a private thought to Logan..... "Sounds good. Thank you again, Professor." "Uh, yeah. Thanks." "You are quite welcome. Now, I must head to class. Please feel free to stay and finish your coffee." "Thanks.......Well, that went better than I thought. Logan?" "Huh?" "I said that went better than I thought." "Yeah..." "What's up with you?" "He said somethin' to me when he left." "What?" "He said, 'Logan, I want you to be aware that she's like a daughter to me, and if you break her heart, I will fry your brain.'" "That doesn't sound like the Professor." "He also said to stop calling him Chuck." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kitchen Coffee - Maxwell House French Roast "Hey, Scott? Do you have a minute?" This isn't going to be easy. I think I'm more nervous now than I was talking to the Professor. Scott's always thought of himself as my protector. And I know he's not going to take this well. "Sure, Rogue. I was just about to pour myself some coffee. Would you care for some?" "Um, OK, sure. Can I talk with you about something?" Relax, just relax. What's the worst that can happen? "I actually wanted to talk with you about something too." "Oh?" Three guesses and the first two don't count - Logan. "Yes, now - do you take cream or sugar?" "Both. Thanks." "Sure. Anyway, I was saying - I'd like to talk with you a little about what you're going to do next." Oh yeah, and I bet that includes a little lecture on why Logan is evil. "Well, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about too, Scott. Logan and I have decided to stay here for the time being. At least until we can figure out what's wrong." "I'm glad to hear it. How long will Logan be staying?" "As long as I am." Here we go.... "I really wouldn't get your hopes up for that, Rogue. You know he's not good at staying in one place very long." That was actually milder than I thought. Maybe this really won't be so bad..."I'm not really worried about that. Listen, Scott, my relationship with Logan has changed since we left, and I think maybe we should talk about - " "Changed how?" Oh-oh, that put him on fearless-leader alert. "We decided to embark on a relationship that's a little more than friends, a little more of an adult relationship." "Rogue, what exactly did he do to you?" There go the muscles in his jaw. I can see the veins in his forehead too. "He didn't do anything to me, Scott. Things just developed between us after we left. He didn't push me to do anything." "I knew it. I knew it. I knew there was a reason he took you out of here. He knew he had to get you alone to - " OK, that's enough. I'm getting a little pissed. "Hold on a minute. Just back up. He didn't plan anything, and neither did I. Scott, don't go thinking Logan took advantage." "Rogue, how could he not? Look, I know you have feelings for him. He knows that too. If he cared about you, he wouldn't use your feelings for him to maneuver you into something you're not ready for." "How do you know what I'm ready for?" Calm down, keep the Logan in your head in check. Have to talk to him as Rogue if this is going to even remotely go well. "I'm not a child, Scott. He and I - " "You're not a grown woman, either. I need - I'm going to have some more coffee. You?" "No, no I'm good. Listen, Scott. I know you care a lot about me, and I know you want to look out for me. It's no secret what you think of Logan, and I understand that, I do. But we're together now - " Oh-oh. He just slammed the coffee pot back down on the burner. "- and I'm not saying you have to approve, I'm just asking you to live with it." "He's not.....Rogue, you don't owe him anything. I realize given what's just happened how you might feel like you do. But he has no right to demand that you - " "Jesus, Scott!" There goes the calm, rational approach. "He would never lay a hand on me if I didn't want him to. We've been through a lot of crap together in the past few months, and he's been there for me without asking for a single thing. I love him, and I know you don't think he loves me, but I love him, and you don't really get a say in it." "I'm only trying to protect you. You're too young to realize what the complexities of - " "I'm nineteen, Scott, and, yeah, that's young. But you know what? With the way my life's been going, and especially whatever's going on with me now, I'm not so sure I'm ever going to see a ripe old age. I want to spend the time I have, long or short, with who I want. Don't you understand that?" God, I'm just not getting this out right, he's not going to hear me, he'll just get defensive and - "Rogue, he'll hurt you. He'll put you in danger. And he'll break your heart. I can see it all coming. I hope like hell I'm wrong, but I don't think I am. Is that how you want to spend your time? Hurting?" "There's no avoiding getting hurt, Scott. It happens. At least with Logan, I know it matters to him, how I feel. At least with Logan, I know he's trying to make me happy. At least with Logan, I know he'll give anything to keep me safe." "I'm going to talk with him." There is no possible good that can come of that. "Scott, don't." "Rogue, someone needs to. He thinks he's your knight in shining armor or something, but all he's been able to do so far is put you in danger and ignore you when he's preoccupied with something else. He can't just continue to - " "It's not your place to say, Scott. It's between Logan and me, and it's not your place to say." Have to make this come out even, need to stay calm if he's going to hear it at all. "It's my life to live. I know you think I'm making a mistake, but it's mine to make. Stay out of it, Scott. If you're really doing this because of me, stay out of it." I think, I hope some of that did get through. "What do you mean by that, if it's really because of you?" "I know you're angry with him about how he pursued Jean." "How he pursues Jean, Rogue, or didn't you notice how he still calls her 'darling'?" "I noticed. But I'm sure of his feelings, for me and for her. I have him in my head, Scott. I know what he wants." Well, that came out a lot more sure than I actually feel. Good. "And you're saying he doesn't want Jean?" I don't think I've ever heard him sound quite that sarcastic. "No. I'm saying he wants me more, and he's not going to do anything that would hurt me." "You sure about that, Rogue?" My God, that has to be his third cup of coffee. He only has that much when he's really tense. "As sure as it gets, Scott." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jean's Office Coffee - Caribou Coffee Chocolate Mint "Hey there darlin'." "Logan?" Well, this is a surprise. I expected he'd be hovering over Rogue for a few more hours at least, playing big brother. "How are you feeling?" "Fine, just fine, Jeannie. Look, I was hopin' we could have a little talk." "Sure. Would you like to go out to the patio? It's a beautiful afternoon." "Fine." "Let me just grab my coffee." He looks nervous. I wonder if he's come to tell me he's leaving. "What did you want to talk about?" "Me and Rogue are stickin' around a while. She decided to do the tests." Hmm. The both of them are staying? "Well, I'm glad to hear it. I have a lot of hope that we can figure out what happened." "Yeah. Listen, there's somethin' else." "Yes?" He looks a little nervous. I wonder if he is thinking of leaving, but - "We're sleepin' together." "You're sleeping with who?" "With Rogue. We're sleepin' together." "Logan.....when did this happen?" She's only eighteen - no nineteen - and he's not - "Doesn't really matter. Thought I'd tell ya since we're gonna be livin' in the lodge together." "You're living together?" That's a little much. I mean, even if they 'slept together' once or twice, with her skin, it couldn't have been - "Yeah. Look, Jeannie, Rogue's talkin' to Scooter now, in the kitchen. I know he'll blow a gasket, but I'd like to have your support here." "Logan, you have to realize, I can't really condone you doing this. We all care about Rogue very much, and we've all taken to her as a part of the family. I mean, do you realize she's had a crush on you since you left? Do you really think that pursuing some kind of physical relationship with her is a good idea? It's just not right to lead her on that way, Logan." I know he's not doing it to be cruel, he's probably just oblivious to her feelings, but, still, it's wrong. Scott's going to blow his top when he hears this. "It ain't like that, I ain't leadin' her on. I love her." "I know you do, Logan, but not how she wants you to." "No, Jeannie, pretty much like she wants me to." Oh, God, he looks serious. But he can't - "She's a teenager, Logan. Her skin - any relationship with her would be limited by her skin. She's - " "Jesus, Jeannie, what the hell do you think of me? I'd expect this kinda shit from Scooter, but not from you. Fuck, I know how old she is. I know what her skin does." "Then what are you thinking, Logan? She's going to get hurt. Don't you care about that?" "She's just about the only thing I ever did care about. Shit, I thought you of all people would understand." He's getting mad, really mad. I can feel it coming off him in waves. "Me of all people? Logan, you flirt with me more than anyone." I don't know where he's getting all this, how he could have fooled himself into thinking that he and Rogue - "You know it don't really mean nothin'. You're married to Scooter." "And if I weren't? Can you honestly tell me you'd still have this relationship with Rogue?" He almost said something then bit his tongue. He looks like he's trying to sort something out. Maybe I'm finally getting through to him. "I ain't sayin' I wouldnta had a tumble or two with ya. I ain't sayin' I might not still think about it sometimes. But even I'm not a big enough dumb ass that I don't realize it ain't the same as what I have with Rogue. If it was you, Jeannie, in that contraption that Magneto built, I wouldnta put on the leather. I wouldnta stabbed myself in the fucking chest to save you. I woulda slapped Scooter on the back and wished him good fucking luck." "Logan....." "I'm sorry I said anythin' to ya, Jeannie." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hallway Coffee - Sadly Lacking "Hey there." "Hey." "What's wrong?" "Didn't go well with Jeannie." "I'm sorry." "Nah, I just thought...." "What?" "I thought she didn't think about me same as everyone else, you know? I didn't think she thought I was an asshole." "What did she say, Logan?" "Nothin'. Don't worry about it, darlin'. How'd it go with Scooter?" "As well as can be expected. I think he'll probably try to talk with you later. Just - just go easy with him, OK? Hey....are you all right?" "Yeah, I could use a drink, though." "I saw 'Ro in the library. Want to go talk with her first?" "OK, sure, darlin'." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Library Coffee - Gloria Jean's Decaf Dark Roast "Hello. It is nice to see you both looking well." Although Logan appears somewhat out of sorts. Well, that is not an abnormal state for him. "We are well, thanks. Do you have a few minutes to talk? We're not interrupting you, are we?" Rogue really does look well. I have missed talking with her. She shares my love of gardening, and her watercolors of some of the flora were truly exceptional. "No, I was just enjoying my coffee and finishing up the last few pages of 'On Love'. I hope you do not mind me borrowing it." "Oh no, not at all." "I find it quite amusing and insightful." "You should read 'How Proust Can Change Your Life.' That's even more amusing." "I shall be sure to." Logan looks quite uncomfortable. Perhaps a change of topic is in order. "Is there something in particular you wanted to discuss?" "Actually, yes. I just wanted to tell you that Logan and I will be staying for a while, to give Jean and the Professor time to do some tests on me. We'll be living out at the lodge." Rogue is smiling a little, but Logan looks positively apprehensive. I cannot imagine that anyone who knows these two has not seen this coming, but I know that some may not receive the news well. Jean in particular. She is quite used to thinking of Logan as interested only in her. "I am glad you will be staying. Please feel free to let me know if there is anything I can do for either of you." "Thanks, 'Ro." Rogue looks like she wants to hug me, but I know she always waits for me to move first. I have missed her kindness and consideration. I shall miss her again when she goes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hallway Coffee - MIA, but coffee-like smells have been noted coming from the direction of the kitchen "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" "I knew there was a reason I always liked 'Ro. We done?" "You're off the hook, but there's a few more people I want to talk to. Kitty and Jubes. Remy. I should probably talk to Remy first." "I'll go with ya." "No, Logan, I think I'd better go alone. I need to smooth a few things over with him. He and I had an argument when we were in Las Vegas, and he might not be through with that yet." "All the more reason for me to go with ya." "I'll be fine. Really. I'd rather do this myself, OK?" "All right. I guess I'll just go to the kitchen and wait for ya." "Scott's in there, Logan." "Yeah. Maybe better sooner than later, huh?" "Try to stay calm. Just - just remember that he has a pretty biased view of you. Don't take to heart anything he says." "Don't worry, darlin', I'll be fine." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hallway Coffee - Starbucks House Blend, Starbucks Colombian Blend "Rogue!" "Hey, Jubes! Hey Kitty! I missed you guys! I was looking for you, before." "Yeah, we ducked out to Starbuck's. We just got back. Want a sip of mine? Or Jubes has Colombian......" "No, no thanks." "So, how are you? How is your man? Tell all. We want details, chica. They didn't tell us anything except that you were back." "We're both fine. He saved my life again." "Ooooh!" "Yeah. And I was looking for you to tell you we're sticking around a while. We're going to be living out in the lodge while we're here." "Ohmigod! How very! It's going to be the lodge of looooove!" "Jubes...." "What? This does mean you two are finally getting it on, right?" "Uh, yeah, but - " "Whoo-hoo!" "But try not to make a big deal out of it, OK? I mean Scott and, apparently Jean too, they have some issues." "Aw, it'll all work out." "Thanks for the optimism, Kitty, but I don't know. Scott seemed pretty pissed when I told him." "What about the Prof? What'd he say?" "I think he's OK with it. He suggested the lodge." "He's cool like that." "Listen, have either of you seen Remy? I need to talk with him." "I saw him headed for the kitchen, I think." "Oh great. I gotta go - Logan's headed that way too." "Later, then? Hey - we got some letters and stuff for you while you were out. We left it in the mailroom, in your box." "Thanks guys. Later." ....................................... "She is soooo lucky. That man is a sex machine!" "And she's got Remy wrapped around her finger too." "Aw, come on Kit, you know she's not into him. You're back together now and nothing's gonna change that. Remy's your man." "Maybe someone should tell him that." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kitchen Coffee - Still Brewing, Not Ready Yet "I was lookin' for Scott." Man, he smells bad. Even for a Frenchman. All that cologne and stuff. "He is in wit' de Professor." "Oh." Probably tryin' to convince Chuck to kick me out on my ass. Great. "Homme? You got a minute for Remy?" You know, I don't really want to talk to this asshole, but if it'll take a little off Marie's shoulders......"Sure. Whaddya want?" "Remy want to know what you plannin' on for Rogue. " "Whaddya mean 'plannin'?" "You get de girl to risk her life for you, hmm? More dan once. You bring de petite chere back 'ere half-dead. You plannin' on killin' her, den? Or you jus' like to see her suffer?" "Watch your step, bub. I got a very short list of reasons not to kill you." Very short. One reason - Marie would be upset. Good thing for this dickhead it's a good reason. Damn. Claws itchin' to pop. "Remy jus' wanna know 'cause if you plannin' on any o' dat, he not gonna let it happen, comprends? Remy remember how she looked in Las Vegas. How she had to drag you everywhere, go wit'out sleep for days. How she give you food and water an' take none for herself. You not worth it, homme. Remy gonna make her see dat." "Fuck off." She never told me about the no sleep and no food. What the hell? Shit, I was really out of it. "Whatever, homme, jus' so you know." That's enough of this. Just go, just get the hell away from him. If I don't, this dumb fuck is gonna lose some internal organs in a second. Screw it, I'll let one-eye find me. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kitchen Coffee - Cafe du Monde Special Blend, Ready Now "Remy?" "Oui, chere, in here." Damn, dat's one beautiful woman. "Hey. Was Logan in here?" She look like she sniffin' for him. Hmmm. "Oui, he jus' left." "Oh." She wanna ask Remy what happened, dat plain as day. "Sit down, chere. You wan' some coffee?" "That chicory stuff you drink? No thanks." "Oh, you wound me, chere. An' here Remy t'ought you were a fellow southerner....you don' mind if Remy indulge, non?" "Go right ahead. Look, I'm glad I caught you. I wanted to talk." Dat's a good sign, dat she still wan' to talk. "Sure, petite. I'm glad you pulled t'rough all right, by de way. Remy's sorry he was out when you needed 'im, chere." "No problem, and thanks." "Well, if you feel half as good as you look, chere, you be doin' jus' fine." "Thanks, Remy." She still blushes a little at compliments. Dat's what I missed de most, I think. "Anyway, I just want to apologize for breaking my promise to you in Las Vegas. We were - we were in a lot of trouble, and I had to do what we did. It's-it's not really an excuse for breaking a promise, but I hope you understand." "'Course, chere. Dat water under de bridge." "Thanks, Remy. I appreciate it." She got de biggest, most beautiful eyes dis cajun ever seen. "I wanted to tell you something else too. Remy, Logan and I will be staying here for a while, so Jean can do some tests." "Dat's tres good news, chere." 'Specially since it means Remy has time to get you away from de hairy beast man. "Yes, well, thanks. We'll be staying out at the lodge." "Together?" Damn, wish dat hadn't happened. But not all a surprise, non. "Yes." "Hmmm. Be careful, chere." "Remy - " Gotta take de right approach. Already learn dis is one dat don' like to be pushed. "Remy jus' sayin' to be careful wit' your heart, chere. Jus' know dat Remy's here if you need him." "Thanks, that's - that's really nice. Thanks." Dat's my girl. Dat's my smile. T'ings not all bad for Remy. "Certainment, cherie." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hallway, Jean's Office Coffee - Maxwell House French Roast OK, there's one conversation that went better than expected. He was actually almost kind of sweet. However, I know Logan was in there with Remy, and that can't be good. I wonder where he went now. I can track him a little by scent, but all the other scents are so confusing. I don't know how Logan puts up with this. <Rogue, may I speak with you when you have a moment.> Fine. Wanted to talk to her about Logan anyway. And ask her to rein Scott in a little. <Sure, Jean. How about now.> <Sure. I'm in my office.> <I'll grab a cup of coffee and I'll be right there.> <Grab me one too?> <Sure.> ...................... "Jean?" "Please come in." You know, she really is beautiful. I can see why the Logan in my head is constantly trying to get me to pinch her ass. "What's up?" "I wanted to have a word with you about Logan." Gee, what a staggering surprise. "Actually, me too, but you go first." "Scott and I just spoke with the Professor. And I agree that you are both adults and that your personal life is your business." "Great - " "But," I knew there was a 'but' coming. You know, I love her like a sister, but she is a meddler. "Scott and I are both a little concerned for you, Rogue." Darn. There goes my hope of using her to help rein Scott in. "I'm aware of that." "Don't you think - " "Before you launch down that road, Jean, I should probably tell you that I'm not really inclined to discuss this more than I already have today. If there's something you feel like you need to get off your chest, or clear from your conscience so that down the road you can say 'I told you so,' go ahead. But I'm not really interested in responding." Whoa, she looks pretty surprised. I said that in the nicest way possible, but I think I still offended or shocked her somehow, caught her off-guard. I always wonder how that can be with telepaths. "Perhaps you would be more amenable to talking about this later." Classic Jean response. "Doubtful. I don't mean to be rude, and I'm extremely grateful to you for trying to help save my life, and for agreeing to try to help me figure out what's wrong, but I'm not interested in trying to explain or justify my personal relationships. Especially when you've already made up your mind, and no explanation that I could give would change it." "I'm a little surprised that you think me so inflexible, Rogue." "All right, what would settle your mind about my relationship with Logan?" This oughta be interesting. Hmm...she's not saying anything. She smells.....nervous? Anxious? Constipated? I've really got to work on getting the smell thing down. "Look, Jean, why don't we table that discussion for a while, OK? I wanted to check in with you about your conversation with Logan. Something upset him, and I was wondering if you would talk with him again to try to smooth it over." "I'm not sure that would be a good idea." "Why not?" Whatever it was, Logan is fond of her. Personally, not just, you know, sexually. I know he thinks of her as one of the few friends he has. If she said something to upset him, it'll get under his skin. "That's between us, Rogue." Tit-for-tat, huh? That's not like you, Jean. Wonder why she's being all pissy? "All right, but just know that he cares about you, Jean, and you're one of the few people whose opinion he values. I don't like to see him get hurt." "I'm not going to tell him something that's not the truth, Rogue." I don't like the sound of that. "Jean, I'm not asking for that. I'm asking you to be considerate of his feelings for you. And, frankly, I don't think I should have to ask for that. Isn't that something that matters to you?" "I appreciate that you're trying to take a mature approach to this situation, Rogue, but you're transferring your anger at perceiving me as some kind of rival for Logan's affection to the present situation between myself and Logan. You're blowing things out of proportion." You know, I hate it when she gets like this. All I'm-the-doctor-I-know-everything. "Would you just consider that that might not be the case? Would you consider talking to Logan?" Ninety percent of the time, I love her, but there's that ten percent condescending be-yotch that rears its ugly head every now and then. Why did she have to pick now to for that ten percent? "Frankly, I don't think that would be best." Well, getting nowhere here. At least I gave it a shot. "Then I guess we're done talking. Thanks for your time, Jean." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lodge Coffee - Caribou Coffee Italian Roast "Logan?" Knocking, like I couldn't smell him outside that door. Dumb ass Scooter. "Yeah, come in." Whatever happens, better not wreck the house. Marie and I gotta live here for a while. "I wanted to talk, if you have a minute. I brought coffee." He's probably tryin' to be civilized or somethin' to throw me off. Ain't gonna even go there. "Really? And while I'm drinkin' that coffee you gonna warn me about hurtin' Rogue, tell me I'm no good for her, or just say that I'm a piece of shit in general?" Might as well cut to the chase. I ain't a patient man. "Look, do you want the coffee or not?" "Yeah." Don't tell me that it really is some kinda peace offering. "Well?" "I came here to tell you that I think you've been nothing but careless and selfish as long as I've known you, particularly where Rogue is concerned, and that I especially don't approve of your using her hero-worship of you to lure her into a sexual relationship. I came here to tell you that I love her, she's like a sister to me, like blood, and I'll be looking out for her no matter what you do. I'll be here for her when you split and leave her crying one day, as you inevitably will. But, I also came here to tell you that those are the last words I'm going to say about it." "Huh?" This has gotta be some kinda joke, or trick. No way he's gonna pass up using this to ride my ass for the duration. "I spoke with the Professor, and let's just say that, out of consideration for Rogue, I'm not going to say anything further. That's it." "Gee, thanks, Scooter." No, I couldnta said that any snarkier. "How very nice of ya." "Yes, well, screw you, Logan. And have a good night." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lodge Coffee - Starbucks Blue Note Blend Bourbon - Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon "Hey there sugar, you in here?" Hope he's doing OK. "I have coffee for us...." "I'm here. Scooter already brought some. What the hell is it with these people and coffee?" That can't be good, he's just sitting on the edge of the bed staring at the floor and grumbling. I know it's been a rough day for him, especially with Jean. This is exactly why I didn't want to stay here. Everybody treats him like he's someone he's not, someone bad. Jerk-Logan. I know him well enough to know he'll start buying into it. When he's with me, just me, I can make him feel like he is who he really is. Spectacular-Logan. Oh well, at least the house is still standing after his little chat with Scott. Time to cheer him up. "Well, did Scott bring bourbon? Because I've got coffee and bourbon..." There, that's a little smile. "A whole bottle, nine years old...." "You shouldn't be drinkin' that stuff darlin'." Much better, a little teasing. "I thought I'd let you have this one all to yourself. Looks like you had a rough day." Just going to climb on the bed behind him, get him to come down a little. I know what he'll like - a little backrub always relaxes him. "Nah, just, everybody's lookin' out for ya, darlin'. I understand." "Me too. I know they care. But you look out for me best of all." Rub a little harder, he's got some serious knots back here. "That so?" "Yeah, that's definitely so." "Mmm.....that's nice, darlin'." Knew you'd like it. And, OK, I can't help but kiss the back of his head when he rumbles and talks all growly like that. That really just can't be helped. "How'd it go for you, baby?" "Fine, actually. Except for Jean. She was a little weird about it." Whoa, whoa, what's this all about? He shot up like a jack in the box. "What'd she say to you?" That sounded downright pissed. Something really not good must've happened between them. "Nothing, really, just wanted me to explain why I was with you. I wasn't playing. There's no explanation that'll make sense to her." "Maybe there's just no explanation." That didn't come out self-pitying or pissed, just rational, and frankly, that's scaring me a little. "What did she say to you? I can tell it upset you." "I don't wanna talk about it with you. Shit - wait, that didn't come out right." Hmmm. She probably said something he thinks I'll be upset by, or something about my skin. I know he ignores it, and thinks everybody else should too but everybody else doesn't heal from anything up to and including death, and I know she's always been afraid of it when she's had to work on me. If I had to make a guess, that'd be it. "OK. Look, don't worry about it. More backrub?" "Just like that, you're lettin' me off the hook?" "Yep. You have a problem with that?" No use pushing, he'll tell me if he wants. I can be secure about it. I can. I really, really can. Well, I almost can, and that's good enough. "I ain't hidin' anything from you. There ain't nothin' goin' on between me and Jeannie, you know." "Yep. Am I going to get an answer on that backrub? Because if you don't want me to do you, you can do me." I really could use one, and he's got fabulous hands. "Why are you bein' so good to me?" They really did get to him a little. He never asks things like this. "No ulterior motive. I know you had a bad day, and I know you're not looking forward to staying here but you're doing it because of me. You're pretty damn good to me, and fair's fair. Plus, I like being good to you. And, you know, there's the whole 'I love you' thing. You've got that working for you." "Hmmm. How'd I get so damn lucky to land a woman like you?" That's a little better, he's back on the bed and touching my hair. And his expression eased up....now he just looks cranky, not so much "kill-crush-destroy." "Easy, sugar, hanging out in fight bars in rural Canada always gets you the best girls." That's good, smiling. I like his smile. "Oh yeah?" "Yeah. Now - backrub for you or for me?" "Me first, then you? I'd like to get my hands on that bourbon you brought, darlin'." "Deal, sugar." He'll be OK. I can keep him OK.