Terri's Peep Hut ~~ Fiction Archive

Leopold And Logan

Title: Leopold and Logan

Author: Terri

E-mail: xgrrl26@yahoo.com

Website: http://xgrrl27.homestead.com/peephut.html

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them. Poo.

Archive: WRFA, Peep Hut, Dolphin Haven - anyone else, please ask and I'll say yes ;)

Feedback: Please? Pretty please? Good, bad, and ugly welcome..............

Summary: Hank's experiment goes awry and Logan gets to meet a certain Duke from 1876. Comments: This was inspired by a plot bunny from Alyx, encouraged by Allegra and Allison (who named it Spohie) asking for a Logan/Leopold fic (from Kate and Leopold for those of you who don't know....). This one didn't quite turn out as the bunny originally wanted to - with both men fighting over Marie - but I kinda like it anyway ;) I hope the bunny breeders do as well :)

Everything was ready for the experiment - all of the equipment was fine-tuned, all the conditions were favorable, and everyone was in their proper place, Bobby included. "We are ready," Hank confirmed. For the first time, the X-men were going to attempt to visit an alternate dimension. According to Hank, there were particular times when the door between worlds was open, and today was one of those times. More importantly, the next 'opening' was only two days from now, providing for a quick return.

Bobby had volunteered to do the traveling. Since they had no idea what they'd find or where, exactly, they'd end up, those with obvious mutations were out. Teachers were also ineligible - if there was some kind of trouble, here in this world, they'd be needed. So, it came down to Bobby, St. John, Jubilee, and Kitty. Hank was a little surprised when the Professor had picked Bobby, but now, seeing him standing tall, pride puffing out his chest, Hank was glad that his best friend was the Professor's choice.

"Bobby?" From his position at the monitoring instrument station, Scott gave his young protégée a measured look. Bobby nodded. Yes, it was time.

Hank gave his friend an encouraging smile. "See you in two days," he offered as his large, blue, clawed finger pushed down on the big red button that would take Bobby from this world and into the next. Just as his finger met the plastic of the button, a loud pop and fizzle could be heard. Hank's head turned, seeking the source of the disturbance. Scott's eyes followed his. The very unwelcome sight of a small electrical fire emanating from the vicinity of the supplemental power generator greeted them. "Stop! Stop, Hank!"

Hank quickly pulled his hand away from the button, but the damage had already been done, he'd already pressed it. While Scott rushed to grab the fire extinguisher, Hank turned to the spot where Bobby had just been standing, his heart already heavy with regret at what might have happened to his best friend. "Bobby!" But what he saw in that spot was Bobby, looking just fine.

"Uh, Hankster, I'm still here, dude."

"Oh, thank heavens," Hank sighed in relief. Scott was dousing the fire in chemical foam, and Bobby was in one piece. Nothing had gone horribly wrong; it was only a minor glitch. Yes, they'd missed the opening and they'd have to wait another five and a half years before any reasonably close interval would come again, but at least -

*COUGH, COUGH*

"Bobby, are you all right?" Hank looked back to his friend only to see confusion on his face. "Bobby?"

"That wasn't me." Bobby's gaze traveled down to the floor, and his eyes widened. Whatever he was looking at was causing quite a bit of shock, judging by his wide eyes. The equipment obstructed Hank's view from where he stood, so he moved around it to get a better look.

What he saw astounded him. It was a man - a man that hadn't been in the lab only seconds before. It was a man, dressed in what appeared to be some very nice late nineteenth century clothing. It was a coughing man, slowly rising to his feet, and peering at Hank with undisguised shock. It was a man that produced an identical reaction in Hank - because it was a man who looked almost exactly like a clean- shaven, slightly younger Logan.

"Oh-oh," Hank understated.

"So you are saying that you think instead of sending a man to one of these 'alternate universes' that you speak of, you accidentally brought me through time from 1876 to - to the twenty-first century?" Logan - or rather, Leopold, Duke of Logan (a small part of Canada near, sensibly enough, Lake Logan) - spluttered in disbelief. "And in this time, you have 'mutants' like the good doctor here?"

"Ah, yes," Scott answered, fidgeting in his chair and putting his hands on the kitchen table in front of him. He was positively beside himself at the idea of having to deal with double the Logans at the mansion. The one they already had was causing enough trouble on his own, thank you very much. Of course, this Logan seemed much more polite, well-groomed, and well-mannered, a fact which both amused Scott and freaked him out.

"My goodness," Leopold sighed, sinking back into his chair. He hadn't wanted to believe it at first, but the evidence was convincing - phones, televisions, newspapers bearing the advanced date all tended to lend credence to the claims of these strange men. Leopold pondered that, then said firmly, "You must send me back at once. I have........business to attend to. You appropriated me at a very inopportune moment. You must send me back immediately."

"Aren't you even a little curious to check it out here?" Bobby asked, leaning toward their new visitor. "I mean, if I got kidnaped into the future and - "

"Let's - let's not use the word 'kidnaped,' OK?" Scott already felt queasy about the whole thing.

"Ah, OK. If I, uh, landed in the future as the result of what was totally an accident and in no way an intentional kidnaping, I'd want to take a look around. You know, they might have flying cars or something."

"Do - do you have flying cars?" Leopold asked.

"No," Hank replied. "Leopold - "

"Duke Leopold, Sir, or Your Grace, are my proper modes of address," Leopold interrupted in a firm but gently instructive tone.

"Yes. Of course. Sir, we cannot return you immediately. You traveled through an interdimensional portal that only opens periodically. The next opening is in two days. I shall endeavor to return you then, and I feel fairly confident that we will be able to re-create the circumstances under which it will be possible to do so, but until then, you are, ah, stranded here. My apologies."

"Where, exactly, is here? Am I still in New York?"

"Yes," Scott supplied, "In Westchester. This place is the Xavier School for the Gifted, a school for young mutants."

"Xavier, you say? Are those the Dutch Xaviers by any chance?"

"Ah," Scott looked to Bobby, then Hank for assistance. They had none to offer. "I don't know. You can ask Professor Xavier in the morning." Yes, Scott thought, right after I explain to him how we kidnaped one of Logan's relatives from 1876. That should go over splendidly. "We'll find you a room and some, ah, more appropriate clothes."

"Ah, Duke Leopold," Hank interjected, "Would you mind me taking a small sample of your blood? You see, we have a gentleman here -" Both Bobby and Scott snorted at 'gentleman.' " - one who resembles you quite closely. I am curious as to whether you may be one of his ancestors." And perhaps the man himself, Hank added silently. Logan didn't age much and didn't remember his past - in fact, Hank would wager money that this *was* Logan, except for one thing. This man seemed unacquainted with the concept of mutants; it would not seem to make sense that he himself would be one. Then again, this would be Logan pre-claw-installation; perhaps he had not yet noticed his healing mutation, though that seemed unlikely.

"Of course. Do you keep the bleeding leeches in your laboratory?"

"Ewww," Bobby commented.

"Ah, no leeches. Just - just a small needle, which I have here." Hank produced the syringe. "If you wouldn't mind rolling up your sleeve so that I can find a vein, it will take just a few seconds." Leopold complied, and, as promised, Hank finished in short order. "There. Now, I believe Scott can show you to - "

Hank was cut off by Rogue's entrance into the kitchen. She was dressed in flannel pajamas and gloves, probably awakened by one of her semi-frequent bad dreams. "Hey guys, what's up? I thought Bobby - " Her words left her when she caught sight of Leopold. "Logan, why are you dressed like that?"

Leopold, for his part, seemed just as stricken by the sight of Rogue as she had by seeing him, but in a much different and deeper way. "Mary," he whispered, rising from the table. "Your - your face. It is - it must be a miracle. Your face, your skin is completely healed."

"Logan?" She looked equal parts confused and offended, thinking it was some joke about her skin.

"Not exactly," Hank supplied. "This is Leopold, Duke of Logan, and we, ah, accidentally brought him here from 1876 in this world instead of sending Bobby to another world. He may be, ah, Logan's ancestor. There is quite a strong resemblance."

"Uh, what?" Rogue was still just staring at Leopold, who seemed to lose his shock at her words, at least enough to walk over to her. He was staring at her face every step of the way, and as he came within arms' reach, he ventured out a hand to touch her cheek. She frantically backed up, putting her hands in front of her. "Don't!" Scott, Bobby, and Hank echoed her warning a split second later. "My skin, it can hurt you. What's wrong with you, don't you remember?" Now, Rogue looked concerned and confused.

"Rogue, he doesn't know. He's Leopold, from 1876."

"Duke Leopold," he corrected Bobby, almost unconsciously. Bobby gave him an eye-roll. "My most sincere apologies. I - I don't suppose your name is Mary," the Duke inquired.

Marie didn't answer; she looked to Hank instead. "You're serious? This is some guy from the past?" Hank nodded solemnly. "Oh, my."

"I apologize for my forwardness, my lady. It is - it is simply that you very much remind me of someone of my time."

"Uh, no problem. But just - you can't touch my skin. It's my mutation - it sucks the life out of anyone who touches it. I can't control it. So, um, hands off, OK?"

"It brings me deep regret to hear this," Leopold said sincerely. After a moment's consideration, he carefully took her gloved hand in his. "But I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. May I inquire as to your name?"

Marie had an overwhelming urge to tell him her real name. Somehow, any version of Logan seemed to bring that out in her. But she was very aware that Scott, Bobby, and Hank were watching them intently. "I'm called Rogue around here. It's nice to meet you too."

"Rogue," Leopold mused with a smile. "I see. You quite remind me of someone I know in my time, a woman of unparalleled beauty and character. In fact, you could be her double."

"Really?" Rogue said.

"Indeed." Leopold gave her a more open and warm smile than she'd ever seen on Logan, and she found herself returning it. The moment was finally broken when Scott cleared his throat.

"So, I'll, ah, see you to your room, Duke."

"I can do that," Rogue offered. "Where are we putting him up? Hey - does Logan know about this?"

"Rogue, may I speak with you privately for a moment?" Scott queried. She reluctantly parted from Leopold, who gave her a formal bow. Scott pulled her to the far side of the kitchen and spoke to her in hushed tones. "Look, I know - I know you and Logan had some kind of falling out. I'm sorry things didn't work out between you as you hoped, I really am. But he's right, Rogue, and somewhere deep down, you know it too. He doesn't love you, he doesn't love anyone. I know this guy looks like him and seems, you know, a thousand times nicer, and I understand if you have the urge to use him as a substitute, to try to - "

"I don't need a lecture on my personal life, Scott. I thought those were supposed to end after I turned 18 and graduated."

"Rogue - "

"I offered to show him to his room, nothing more. I'm not in a hurry to get my heart broken again, trust me." Scott sighed, and softened. Rogue softened too, and was now wearing an almost playful smile. "So where do you want him?"

"Any of the open rooms in the west wing will do. I'll tell Logan in the morning. Be careful, Rogue." She nodded her reassurance, and turned to head back to Leopold.

"So, uh, if you need anything, I'm four doors down and across the hall." Marie fidgeted a little. During her brief tour of the mansion and his room, Leopold had never taken his eyes from her. She doubted that much of what she was saying had registered with him at all.

"May I ask an impertinent question?" Marie's eyes widened a bit, but she nodded. "Rogue - is that your real name?"

"You saw right through that one, hmm?" She eased; she'd expected some question about her mutation. Taking a quick backward glance to be sure that the door was shut, she stepped a little closer to him and confided in a whisper, "It's really Marie. But no one knows that - well, no one here knows that except for Logan."

"Ah," Leopold smiled. "I shall keep your secret, my lady." He gave a bow with a flourish, one that made Marie giggle. "You do quite remind me of my Mary."

"Your Mary?" Leopold flushed a little at that. Marie's amusement grew; she'd never, ever seen Logan blush. She liked it.

"Well, not - we are not betrothed. It was inappropriate to speak of her in that fashion. I meant no disrespect. But I - she and I were - " Leopold suddenly lapsed into silence. Marie left him to his thoughts for a moment, then touched his arm. Seeing her warm smile, he decided to confide something in her. After all, she'd trusted him with her name. "You see, I am not normal. I have a - a defect of sorts. A horribly freakish defect, I'm afraid."

Marie's eyebrows knit in confusion, but then she got it. "Do you have claws? Is that it?" Leopold's eyes widened at her correct guess. "Our Logan has them too. Metal ones. I kind of always thought he must've had them even before - well, he was - he was given some metal claws. But I always thought he must've had some kind of claws before that. It's OK. It's not, um, freaky or anything. It's just a mutation, like mine, like all of ours. It's OK."

Leopold tried to absorb her words. "I did not know anything of mutations before this evening. Indeed, I do not believe that mine is one, but some wretched curse upon me, some horrific punishment from God. They - they do not frighten you? You do not think me some sort of - of animal? Some sort of unholy aberration?"

"No, I don't. It's nothing like that, it's not a curse. It's just - just a mutation, just natural. I don't think you're 'unholy' or anything," she answered gently. "And I'm sure your Mary wouldn't either. At least, if she's anything like me, she won't."

Leopold let out a sigh at that, relaxing. "She's actually quite a bit like you. She and I - we were talking, and I quite rashly asked if I may call on her, begin courting her. I was not thinking of the claws, of my horrible secret, and how it might affect her to - to find out, and I am ashamed to say that I found myself withdrawing my intentions and leaving before - before I could find a proper way to disengage myself from my rash words. I'm afraid I upset her, but I - well, I feared that she would reject me, yes, but I was more afraid that she would be joining herself to an irredeemable freak, one that - "

"Hey - you have to stop thinking like that. Believe me when I say - you're better off to let Mary decide if she can cope with those things herself. This Logan and I - well, he's a lot like you." Marie's long- present soft smile became wry. She shouldn't tell this to a stranger, but she felt a kinship with him, and she knew he'd poured out his heart to her. "I told him I loved him and he said he could never love me, that I'd only get hurt. Trust me, Mary's heart will break if you don't give her the chance to decide for herself. I know, deep down, that Logan loves me. But he won't let us be together. It's broken my heart, and that's not a lot of fun, take it from me."

"I am deeply grieved to hear that he has hurt you. He must be a buffoon or a simpleton to spurn the affections of one so special and so enchanting." Leopold was genuinely confused by it; he couldn't fathom why this Logan person would reject someone who seemed to so accepting and compassionate.

Marie gave a half-hearted shrug. "That's very nice of you to say, but I'm no bargain. I know part of it, part of why he doesn't want to be with me is because of my skin. I've touched him with it twice and hurt him terribly each time. I don't blame him for not wanting to be close to me."

Leopold took a step closer to her, closing the distance between them to mere inches. He held her eyes with his hazel ones. "Then he is a coward as well as an idiot." He took her gloved hands in his, holding them gently. "And a man of very limited imagination, not to mention poor philosophy. Nothing worth having comes without some risk."

"He's a good man," Marie whispered, feeling a little in his spell as his eyes continued to hold hers. "Overall, he's been very, very good to me."

"You do remind me of Mary, very much. She tends to see the good in others, always."

"You said something - something about my face, or rather her face."

Leopold straightened a little, trying to find the polite words with which to explain. "Ah, yes. She - she was in an accident as a young woman. Her uncle Erik set fire to her family's home. Both of her parents perished in the blaze, and Mary was severely burned. Her face, her entire left side, as a matter of fact, was burned quite badly. She's very shy about it, you know, very self-conscious. But all I've ever thought when I looked at her was that she was *the* most beautiful woman. She's got a way about her, something different, something pure."

Marie mused upon the similarities to her own past. She'd never believed in reincarnation or any of that kind of thing, but there was more than mere coincidence at work here, that much was obvious. Setting those thoughts aside for the moment, though, she replied, "She sounds very nice."

"She is. My family - they want me to marry for money, marry some well-off duchess. But the only woman I've ever thought of marrying has been Mary. My family would be quite alarmed that I should consider marrying a commoner, but I find her the most uncommon woman I have met." Leopold was gently rubbing Marie's hands now, and she swayed toward him a little. "She works as a barmaid. I met her in a local tavern, called the Rogue's Lair. A bit of a rough place. Interesting coincidence that you have chosen to call yourself Rogue. It suits you - you are quite uncommon yourself."

"Thank you," she whispered, now leaning into his chest, their still-joined hands trapped between them. "Logan and I kind of met that same way, in a bar. You know, I really hope you and Mary can work it out when you get back."

"As do I." The mention of his love seemed to pull Leopold out of his haze. He gently backed away from Marie and released her hands. "Thank you for a wonderful tour, Marie. I look forward to seeing you in the morning."

"You're welcome," she returned, smiling as she left him. Idiot, Leopold thought, watching her go, this Logan fellow must surely be an idiot.

Logan woke before dawn, as was now his usual. Ever since his little 'talk' with Marie, ever since he'd tried to convince her it was only a crush and it would never work, he hadn't slept very well. That was especially true on those nights when Marie was wakened by his nightmares. Somehow, he knew, even though he could no longer hear her creep from her room. After their talk, she'd moved to the other wing. Logan hated not being able to hear her through the wall.

For the umpteenth time, he wondered if he should go to her, take the words back. He hadn't really meant to say he could never love her; he'd just gotten so caught up in trying to convince her it wouldn't work. After all, it was best for Marie if she just found somebody else. Even if he couldn't find somebody else, not somebody like Marie, she deserved so much better than he could offer. He wouldn't play on her gratitude, her youth, or her trust in him just to get what he wanted. He couldn't do that. He had to think of her first.

But he hadn't meant to say the love thing and he knew right away that it had hurt her, a lot. He just didn't know how to take it back without looking like an asshole. Maybe, he grimly thought in the dim early light, that's because you are an asshole.

Logan wasn't so blind that he didn't see how sad Marie had been since the talk, or that it wasn't getting better, only worse. He knew some of the boys in her class had asked her out; he knew she'd always said no. Her little girlfriends gave him dark looks, and even Chuck was none too fond of him. Maybe he should just go to her, apologize, explain what he'd been thinking. At least then, she wouldn't be hurt so much. If he could just find a way to tell her -

"Logan?"

"Whaddya want, Hank?" The large blue-furred doctor opened the door and let himself in, shutting it behind him. Logan could practically smell the trepidation rolling off him. "What?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you so early in the morning, but I have some, ah, interesting news. Do you remember the experiment, the trip to an alternate world that we were planning for last night?"

"Yeah. What happened? Somethin' go wrong? Ya lose that little ice cube kid?" Logan wasn't entirely unpleased by the thought - Bobby had been one of the boys who'd asked his Marie out.

"Uh, yes, something did go wrong, but, no, we didn't lose Bobby. We, ah, accidentally brought someone here from the past instead of sending Robert into another dimension. The person in question, that is, Duke Leopold - "

"You brought back some Duke? Christ, Hank."

"Yes, well, there is more to it, and - and I suppose that there is no easy way to inform you of this, but - but it appears that the Duke we brought here is, ah, you." Logan just blinked at him, so Hank clarified. "I ran a blood test. His DNA matches the sample from you that we have on file. It matches exactly. You were - were alive in 1876, and apparently you were a Duke."

"You've gotta be shittin' me." Logan didn't remember his past, but he was quite sure it didn't go back as far as 1876 or include being Duke of anything.

"I am most certainly not. Blood tests do not lie. I - I am quite fascinated by this, actually. I would have hypothesized that the present you may have disappeared upon arrival of the past you or that - "

"Where is this guy?"

"Down the hall. I have yet to break the news to him, but - but I am sure he would be interested in meeting you, seeing what he has become in the future." Hank looked Logan up and down, wondering just what Leopold would think of the results. "I shall wake him now. Would you care to meet him at breakfast? Perhaps - he may be able to shed some light on your past, your far past anyway."

"Yeah, yeah," Logan replied distractedly. "Damn."

"Quite," Hank agreed. "I'll see you downstairs."

Leopold took the news with a fair amount of equanimity. Descriptions of Logan shared by Scott and Hank had been less than flattering, but Marie's opinion of the man was very high. Leopold trusted her judgment the best. He asked her to accompany him to breakfast, where he was to meet his future self, and felt comforted by her presence. His comfort level quickly dropped when he got his first sight of Logan. He swallowed hard, and rose to shake his hand.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Leopold offered. After a brief hesitation, Logan took his hand and shook it.

"Yeah." This guy looks like a pansy-ass, Logan thought, Hank's gotta be wrong. There was definitely a resemblance, though, a very strong one.

"Shall we sit?" Logan didn't like the fact that Marie was sitting right next to his former self, although he was glad to see her. Spending time with her was a rarity these days. "I am to understand that you had an unfortunate incidence, that you have lost some of your memories." Leopold glanced to Marie, and she nodded slightly, meeting Logan's eyes briefly for the first time. Her eyes left his just as quickly as they'd come, but he basked in her brief attentions. "I, ah, completely understand if you prefer not to discuss such unpleasantness. Perhaps I could answer any questions that you might have about your life prior to 1876."

"You're a Duke of somethin'?"

"Yes, Duke of Logan. It's a rather small patch of land in Canada. Marie tells me that you spent quite a bit of time there, and I suppose you might have been in some way drawn to your ancestral lands."

"*Marie* told you that?" Logan couldn't help sending a harsh look her way. He was supposed to be the only one who knew that little secret. And just this him, not some weird past version of him.

"Yes, she did." Leopold placed a gentle hand on her thigh, patted it, then removed it. Marie smiled at his gesture. "I must say, you are not quite how I envisioned myself turning out." The words had been even, polite, but Logan still bridled at them. "I would have supposed that my desire to present a pleasing countenance and to keep up with the basic demands of grooming would not have varied over time."

"Yeah? You got a problem with that?"

Leopold arched an eyebrow, in a very familiar way. "I have much more of a problem, dear sir, with my apparently having turned into some kind of rude boor, totally devoid of manners."

"Logan," Marie interjected before he could retort. "I know it's a little weird, but - but it's a chance to find out more about your past. I know how much that means to you," she finished, in a soft voice.

"Then you shoulda known I don't want you spillin' everythin' you got in your head about me and what happened to some stranger," Logan said with heat.

"I - I didn't," Marie stammered. "I told him that you didn't remember past - past about seventeen years back, that's all." Her eyes found the table. "I was trying to help."

"Yeah, well don't help me anymore, OK?" Logan regretted the harsh words almost as soon as they were out. He couldn't see it, because Marie's head was bowed, but he could smell her tears. "Look, I'm - I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean to say that. I just - " Now was the time to tell her, he knew, the time to straighten everything out. But he didn't want to do it with some prissy past self of his along for the ride. "Can we talk? Just you and me, alone?"

"I said I was sorry," Marie pled. She rose and fled from the table, Leopold rising with her out of manner and concern.

"Marie, wait!" Logan called after her retreating form. "Dammit," he cursed.

"Marie told me that your memories were taken from you, nothing more," Leopold intoned, catching Logan's attention. Despite his well-mannered behavior, there was a fire and savagery in his eyes now. "I do not know what happened to you, exactly, but it must have been truly horrible. I cannot imagine myself transformed into someone who would not trust a woman like Marie, someone who would treat her so roughly and carelessly. Do you not derive enough satisfaction from knowing you have broken her heart? Need you continue to demonstrate your lack of even the most basic regard for her at every opportunity?"

"Shut up," Logan replied, frustrated.

"If you are what I become, sir, perhaps I should simply leap from a tall structure now. I have no wish to devolve into some rude, crass, unshaven bully! Good day, sir!" Leopold strode past Logan, following in Marie's wake.

Leopold found Marie in her room, having gathered herself together reasonably well. He tried to apologize for his future self's behavior, but Marie shrugged it off, instead apologizing to him for things not having gone well. She said that Logan was angry with her because of her feelings for him, and that she should've known things would've been easier without her there. She encouraged Leopold to talk to him again, but he refused.

"I have no desire to speak to him again. It is much to my regret that I have turned out to be such a person. Frankly, I hope that coming here, seeing the warning of what lies in store for me, may permit me to make some changes, to avoid whatever - "

"Oh!" Marie jumped a little, her eyes suddenly wide.

"Marie?"

"Sorry - sorry, I just - I thought of something." Her eyes were positively glowing now. "You could maybe avoid - avoid what happened to make Logan lose his memories. You could avoid getting caught by the government and never - you'd never get hurt that way."

Leopold's nose scrunched and he was obviously thinking her words through. At length, he replied, "But you said that Logan saved your life, repeatedly. What if that changes?"

"It's OK. It - it doesn't matter. Don't you see? You have a chance to hang on to your past. It means everything to you, to Logan. You have a chance never to be hurt, really hurt. Leopold, I - I know that Logan would be mad if I told you but the government people didn't just take his memories. They covered his skeleton in metal, in adamantium and gave him the metal claws. It was torture - they never used anesthetic and they - it was just horrible beyond imagination, OK? You could avoid all that, don't you see? You can go back knowing that it's coming and you can try to avoid it." Now she was very excited, very animated. "You can change what happens, you can keep your memories, your past. It's the most important thing to you."

"It would seem that saving your life is plainly more important than knowing my own past." Leopold said gently, then took her gloved hand in his. "I cannot imagine anything more important."

"I - I could still be just fine. You don't know that that will change. But you do know that you could avoid God-knows how many months of pain and years of feeling lost, not to mention all the times I've hurt you with my skin and - "

"Hush. Marie, I will not hear of it. Unlike this man I have become, I do not frighten easily; I am not so absorbed in myself that I am unfeeling toward others; Marie, I am unafraid of meeting my fate."

"It doesn't have to be your fate, now that you know. Please, please just think about it. Please."

Leopold saw her pleading, almost madly desperate eyes. "I shall think about it," he promised, honestly. "Now, since it does not appear that I will be spending the day with my future self, I would very much like to spend it with you. Would you care to show me the sights of this world?"

Marie gave him a reluctant smile. "Sure. I'll show you around. No problem."

"Thank you, my lady," Leopold responded, kissing her gloved hand.

Marie and Leopold made good use of the day. The next opening of the portal was at exactly 5 a.m. the following morning, and Leopold wanted to see everything possible in the time he had. Marie took him to museums, parks, shopping centers, restaurants, and a movie. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, and, truth be told, so was she. Not so long ago she and Logan had done things like this, and Marie had sorely missed it. At the end of the day, Leopold gave her effusive thanks, and she reiterated her plea for him to take the chance to avoid his fate. He only smiled, kissed her hand, said his goodbyes, and left her to sleep as he prepared for his return trip.

Marie couldn't sleep, though. Deep down, she thought there was a fairly good chance that, if Leopold followed her advice, she would no longer be alive. After all, Logan had saved her from the road, from dying at the point of his claws, and from Magneto. She considered for a moment whether the fate of those affected by Magneto's plan, all those humans sitting below the statue of liberty that night, would be changed, but she felt very confident that Scott would've destroyed the machine with her in it if it came to that. She didn't worry much that their fate would change; if her own fate did, well, it was worth it to spare Logan all that he had suffered. And there was a chance that things might still work out. She liked to think that Leopold/Logan would still find some way to save her, still come to her rescue without having to suffer for it himself, but she didn't count on having such good luck twice.

She stayed up into the night, waiting for five to come. She made sure that all her things were in order in case they didn't disappear along with her, should she go. She wasn't exactly sure how it would go if indeed Leopold did change the past, and she wanted to be prepared. She divided her closet into "Jubilee" and "Kitty" sections, put a note with her books indicating that they should be donated to the public library, and left a note with her CD player that said 'Bobby.' Lastly, she wrote brief notes to her friends, and a long one to Logan, hoping they would survive even if she didn't. At the end, she felt oddly at peace, and felt pleased with her decision. More than anything, she wanted to give Logan a chance to avoid the most traumatic event of his life. She'd seen it through his dreams, and she had no illusions about how much he had suffered. The knowledge that she'd given him an escape from that brought her contentment.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her door. She looked quickly to her clock. 4:58. "Come in," she called, thinking that perhaps something was wrong, perhaps it was Hank coming to tell her they couldn't send Leopold back.

"Hey," Logan said sheepishly, sticking his head in the door. "I couldn't sleep and I could hear that you were awake in here. Can I come in?"

"Sure," she said in a shaky voice. Truth be told, she wanted to spend her last moments with Logan if that's what her fate would be. She'd missed him, really missed him.

"You OK?" He must smell it on me, she thought, I'm not even crying, not even a little bit.

"Just a little sad," she whispered, patting a space on her bed for him to sit down.

"'Cause that guy left?" Logan had given it a lot of thought. He'd promised himself he'd be calm, not jealous. He wouldn't get mad just because Marie preferred someone who treated her well. She deserved that.

"Sort of. He's not actually gone yet. In two minutes." Marie watched as Logan seated himself on the bed, looking nervous, fidgety. She wasn't sure she should tell him what she'd urged Leopold to do, but some part of her wanted him to know. It was too late to stop it and if it didn't work, at least he'd know she tried. "I asked him to avoid the government people when he goes back. I told him everything I could remember, and I begged him not to let them catch him, no matter what. I'm sorry I know I violated your privacy, but I wanted to give you the best possible chance to avoid all that."

Logan's nervousness was immediately replaced by a searching, figuring expression. "But - but Marie, what if you - what if I don't find ya 'cause of that? What if that fucks everythin' up and you die in that machine?" Piercing hazel eyes locked on to hers, but she could only shrug. "Oh no, oh hell no. I'm gonna stop this right now." Logan declared, rising from the bed. He didn't trust the pansy-ass version of himself to suck it up and go through it all to be sure Marie was safe. A tiny, but strong, arm stayed his progress.

"You can't. Look. It's 4:59. He goes back at five, exactly. You won't make it to the medlab in time. It's done, Logan. It's OK. It's OK." She let him go, and he looked at her with abject horror, frozen for a moment. After just a second or two, though, he jumped at her, sweeping her into his arms and holding onto her for all she was worth.

"Dammit, Marie, I can't lose you! I can't! I'm not gonna letcha go." He tightened his grip, holding her to him seemingly tight enough so that even time couldn't pry her away. "I'm never gonna letcha go, Marie, never. I can't lose you, kid, I won't make it without ya. I need ya so much. I can't - I can't letcha go. No. Never. Uh-uh."

"Oh, Logan," she sobbed holding him back just as tight.

"I'm not lettin' ya go, Marie. Screw all this time travel thing. I'm not gonna letcha go. I'm not, I'm not I'm not, I'm - "

"Logan - "

"What?"

"It's 5:01," she whispered. "He's back." Strong arms eased from a death grip and Logan let out a sigh. "He - he - Logan, why didn't he do something? Why didn't he avoid it?"

Logan gave a silent prayer of thanks that this earlier version of himself had somehow either been brave enough to welcome his fate, knowing it would mean Marie's life if he didn't, or stupid enough to still fall into government hands despite Marie's warning. "'Cause even he knows you're worth anythin', anythin' Marie. It's worth anythin' to keep you safe," he summarized.

"No," she wailed, "No, I didn't want that." She broke off in sobs, and Logan began to rock her. "I didn't want that for you."

"Shhh, baby, shhh. I gotcha. You're safe. Everythin's OK. Everythin's OK." Marie was still here, his past hadn't changed. He'd find a way to work things out, he'd find a way to fix things between them. As long as she was here, he still had that chance. Everything was just fine.

Back in 1876, Leopold landed with a thud in the alley across from the Rogue's lair. He came to his senses after a moment, and realized that there was someone in the alley with him. In the next moment, he realized who it was. "Mary?"

"Oh, Your Grace." Mary was looking down on him, her hair undisturbed by her double's white streak and her cheek still patterned with burn scars. "I was so worried. You left in such a hurry, and I - I went after you, and I saw this flash of light, and I - I just wasn't sure what had happened."

"Mary," Leopold sighed, struggling to sit up. "I am so glad you are here. I - I should not have left like that. I regret my words."

"I - I understand why you withdrew your intentions, Your Grace. I do." Soft brown eyes turned upon his and her face was lit with a compassionate smile.

"No, Mary, I do not believe that you do," Leopold countered, taking one of her hands in his. "I would very much like to call on you, Mary. I would like to court you. However, I - I have a secret, one that I fear may cause you to withdraw your openness to being called upon, ah, by me."

"A secret?"

"Yes. I have a defect, a - a mutation." The word came from his lips with difficulty. He was still struggling to believe what Marie had told him, that he was not some unholy beast. "I do not wish to alarm you, but I have claws, bone claws embedded in my hands. It is a secret, one I have kept from every living soul, even my family. But before we - we pursue a relationship, you must know."

Mary was silent for a few moments. She seemed to decide something, then, taking a firm grip on Leopold's hand, she stood up, raising him along with her. "May I see them?"

"Of course. Please, do not be frightened. I shall not harm you with them." Mary nodded, accepting his assurances, and Leopold put the claws out on one hand. "You see, they are - are quite irregular," he said, in a voice choked with embarrassment and anxiety.

Mary tore her eyes from the claws to look into his. There was no hatred, no fear, no pity, no disgust in her gaze, only an incredible warmth. Leopold found himself letting out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding, and smiling a little. "Does it hurt when they come out?" Mary asked, gently running one finger along his middle claw.

"Every time," he answered honestly. Mary withdrew her finger, and Leopold put the claws back in.

"I would very much like to be called upon by you, Your Grace. I - I believe that we would make a good pair. Both of us are a bit.......unusual." She blushed when she said it, suddenly finding her own feet very interesting to look at.

"I would like that very much as well," Leopold said, with obvious relief. "Mary, you should know that my family - my family's wealth is very limited. All I really have left is some land, far north of here in Canada. I cannot offer you a palace, or a life of luxury."

"I daresay that any home with you in it would be luxurious enough, Your Grace," Mary flirted a little, still blushing quite a bit and not looking at him. Leopold felt a warmth stirring in him, unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He didn't realize it at first, but he was issuing a soft rumble from the center of his chest. Am I purring? he thought.

"Very well. I shall call on you next evening. And Mary - " Leopold laid a gentle finger on the underside of her chin and slowly lifted her head to look at him. " - I am very much looking forward to it."

"Me too," she confirmed, meeting his gaze. Her eyes became playful all of a sudden, and before Leopold quite knew what was happening, he had received a quick kiss on the cheek. Now, he was the one turning various shades of red. Mary giggled, once, at his surprise, then she solemnly took his hand in hers, the one she'd seen the claws come from. She laid a gentle, deliberate kiss on his knuckles, then released him. "Until tomorrow, Your Grace."

"Until tomorrow," he whispered, watching her go. Any tiny doubts he had about disregarding Marie's advice and following a different path were had now vanished. If Marie, as Leopold believed, was the reincarnation of his beautiful Mary, there was no way he could take even the smallest chance of endangering her life, no matter the consequences for him. As he watched Mary turn the corner, he solemnly vowed that would do everything in his power to love and protect both of them, all the days of his life.

Logan woke to soft, midday sunlight filtering through Marie's blinds. He felt a stab of panic, but quickly quelled it with a glance down at the still very-much-here Marie sleeping in his arms. He remembered how she'd cried herself to sleep, overwrought at her failure to get Leopold to do as she asked. He gently moved her out of his embrace, reluctant to leave her for even a moment, but needing to use the bathroom. He kept the door open, so that he could keep an eye on her all the while, but his quick return to her was delayed by something that caught his eye on her desk. It was an envelope with his name on it.

Glancing over at the still-slumbering Marie, he decided to open it.

<<Dear Logan,

If you get this, you probably don't really remember who I am. It's OK. I just wanted you to know that I existed once, and that you and I were very close. I loved you very much, with all my heart, and I think you loved me a little bit too. There's so much else that I'd like to tell you, but that's the important part. Just remember that you were the best, bravest, most beautiful person I'd ever met in my whole life.

Marie

PS - Here's a picture of us. It would mean a lot to me if you'd keep it.>>

Logan searched the envelope and found the photo Marie had written about. She was sitting next to him on one of the couches in the mansion den. A bright smile lit her features and she leaned into his side. He was scowling at the camera and he remembered why - the picture had been taken by Jubilee; she'd been especially annoying that day. But Marie didn't look anything but happy in the picture, and very happy to be with him. Logan's features twisted in a grimace, and his eyes stung hot with tears.

"Logan?" He sniffled, and put the note back.

"Yeah, kid, I'm here." He turned to face her, eyes still a little wet. Marie was struggling to sit up, rubbing the sleep out of her puffy eyes. There was an imprint of the seam of Logan's shirt where her cheek had lain across his chest, and her hair was wild, sticking up in every imaginable direction. She's so beautiful, Logan thought. "Listen, we gotta talk."

She frowned at that, and noticed the opened letter for the first time. "Don't be mad about what I wrote, I - I just wanted to - "

"I'm not mad," he said with more than a little difficulty. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everythin' I said to you, but especially for sayin' I couldn't love you. That was an out and out lie, and I was a rotten bastard for sayin' it and double the rotten bastard for not fixin' it right away."

"Logan, you're not - "

"Lemme finish, Marie." He sighed, then went to sit down in the bed beside her. "All I *can* do is love ya, darlin'. If you'd have been taken away, I dunno what I'd ever do. I don't think I could go on without ya. I know - I know I lost a lot. I know I don't have manners or groomin' or a fancy title any more. I know I'm not even close to bein' good enough for ya, and I know on toppa all that I hurt you bad. I can't ask you to forgive me, but, Marie, I can't stop lovin' ya. Always have, always will. I'm so sorry for everythin', so sorry."

She didn't say anything at first, she only began to cry a little. Logan frowned even more and reached out a tentative hand to rub her shoulder. Finally, she said, "You don't have to be sorry. You've got it backwards, Logan. I'm the one who's not good enough for you. You could never touch me, never have a normal life, and I've got all these - all these weird people in my head. I'm not a good deal, I know that. I know that and I don't blame you for saying what you did. Maybe you could love me Logan, but you could never be with me, and you're right about that. That's the right thing. You don't deserve to be condemned to a life like that. I'd never wish that for you, and you were right to say what you did, to make me see how selfish I was being and how - "

"Stop it," Logan interrupted, in a thick voice. "Don't say stuff like that. That's so stupid." Marie flinched at that, and Logan cursed himself, wishing he could channel his former self just for a few seconds. "Sorry. That came out wrong too. It's just that you thinkin' us bein' together is wrong 'cause of your skin and all that stuff - that's just completely wrong and the silliest thing I've ever heard. Your skin don't matter to me none. The two times I touched you are the best two moments of my whole life. One, 'cause I saved your life by doin' it, and that's the most important thing right there. I saved your life, and I'd give anythin' to be able to do that, as many times as you need, Marie. Two, 'cause I was touchin' ya - I was feelin' your skin on mine, and it was good. Three, 'cause I was flowin' inta you, givin' you everythin' in my head. Believe me, it's a lot easier than sayin' it in words. And the fact that you didn't get scared, didn't run screamin' from me - it made me feel good, feel a little normal, feel OK. I've never had that before you. I lied to you and said I couldn't love ya 'cause I wanted you to have a good life, not to be tied down to me. That's the only reason. But, Marie I don't think - I don't think I was right to do that. I think we kinda fit together. I think we kinda belong together. So just forget about what you said about your skin and bein' selfish, and everythin' like that. That's wrong too, just as wrong as I was. I think we should just forget all that and stick together. If you wanna, I wanna too."

She gave him a watery smile and a nod, and his heart soared. "OK," she confirmed in a whisper, collapsing into his embrace.

"I gotcha," Logan whispered, holding her tight. "Nothin's gonna take you away from me now, nothin'." He gave one more silent thanks to his previous self , then laid them both back down on the bed. For the first time in a long time, he smiled. He had Marie now, and nothing could be wrong as long as that was true, as long as she was still here. He gave her a soothing caress, then a kiss to the head. "I gotcha," he affirmed, "I gotcha."