Another Turning Point
by
Beth


Disclaimer: All canon based X-Men characters belong to Fox and/or Marvel. Any other characters belong to me.

The song Good Riddance belongs to Green Day.

I am making no money, just enjoying playing in the sandbox.

---

||Charles||

Despite what Scott and some of the others believe, Logan will be returning to Westchester. We need him on the team. His strength and willingness to be ruthless could make all the difference in a battle. Scott is a capable leader, I have trained him to be so, but the Team also needs someone who can give the enemy a sound thrashing when it is needed. The Wolverine would be that person.

Ororo and I have kept our own counsel as to why he would return - Logan coming back was still a bit of a sore spot with Scott. They would have to settle it between themselves, I would not force them to get along. They would learn to do that in time, they would have to. It will definitely be interesting when Scott deals with the fact that Logan will not be returning for Jean, but for Rogue. While Logan has no emotional interest in Jean, I'm sure it wouldn't stop him from tormenting Scott about it. Jean had an idea that he would be back, but seemed to think that he might be coming back to pursue her. She didn't quite realize the depth of this feelings and passions for Rogue. Considering that Jean herself had at one point in her life been in roughly the same position, it was ironic she didn't see the truth of the matter.

I will be interested to see how they manage to overcome their differences, and more importantly, their similarities. Of course it would have helped matters if Logan hadn't borrowed Scott's motorcycle, but he would take care of it as best he could, and Scott was already building another. Mayhaps if the boys fight about the toys they will behave in a more rational fashion when it comes to their women. Hopefully when Logan returns they'll be over that particular competition; or maybe Jean and Rogue will thrash some sense into the two of them.

I can only hope.

Of course Rogue knew he'd be back. She is an intelligent young woman, and fully cognizant of exactly what his giving her those tags and his promise to return meant. She respected and understood his need to leave for awhile. After all, she was young and Logan is all but ageless, what was another year to them?

I dare say Logan would find waiting for Marie much easier up north where he could relax by drinking and administering a good thumping to any redneck drunk or stupid enough to get into a bar fight cage with him. While I certainly did not approve of his favorite form of entertainment, I could appreciate Logan's predicament. He would be more comfortable out of Westchester, not seeing her while she was still what he considered 'jail bait'. Even if she was legally of age when he left. As long as he didn't kill anyone or by some fluke gets himself killed, it would all work out. Even a warrior needs a home.

That was the point of the Institute, after all. To give mutants a home where they could learn and help to protect not only mutants from humanity, but to teach mutants not to use their powers in a misguided attempt to get even with ignorant humans. Logan and Rogue would both be adroit and efficacious members of the team. Indeed Rogue was already making great progress in learning to fly the Blackbird as well as learning self defense skills which would serve her well.

I had great faith that Logan would return to complete the team. They would all work remarkably well together once they worked out their personal issues.

* * *

||Ororo||

I rather like Logan, despite our fundamental disagreements about almost everything. He is a loner and a hardass, yes, but his deep affection and caring for Rogue leads me to believe that there is more beneath that flannel surface. Many men will tell a woman they are willing to die for her, but how many when given the chance to prove it, will? More than once? And by all signs be willing to do it again? Rogue was a remarkably mature young woman and she seemed to know that his affection for her was more than fraternal.

Anyone who doubted his intentions had them cleared up when he sent her that package for her birthday. We all knew Logan would not be back this soon, but by mid-afternoon I went to see how Rogue was fairing. The mailman arrived soon after with a box for her from Canada. When Bobby called her name, she almost ran the poor boy down. A lovely pair of exceptionally high quality leather gloves, opera length and a pair of emerald earrings. The note said, "Marie, will be back in a bit. Happy Birthday. Love, Logan." He is not the kind of man who would sign 'love' on a casual card.

Another year of gifts followed that. He wrote once a month, sometimes sending little things in the packages, which she would share with me, the letters Rogue hoarded like they were gold. Often there was jewelry, not overly creative of Logan admittedly, but full of meaning nonetheless. Never a necklace though. Once bracelet of polished agates, once one of turquoise, but never a necklace. The emeralds were good enough for her ears, the bracelets for her wrists - but only his adamantium tags belonged around her neck.

He had been gone just over a year when, at about four in the morning, I heard Scott's motorcycle in the drive. Logan came in the kitchen door, tossed his satchel on the floor and grabbed the cup of coffee I held out to him with a grunt. Ahh, homecomings, such precious moments.

He got straight to the point in typical Logan fashion of course. "How is she?"

I did not bother to hide my smile. "Rogue is fine." We sat down at the large table and I stared him down until he put the cigar away, well chewed, but unlit. "She wrote you that she is going to college?" He grunted an affirmative. "She has made many friends." I knew that Logan would not begrudge her anything she wanted, but at the same time, I am sure a part of him wanted her to be his, alone. Well, he would just have to get used to the 21st Century like all the other men on the planet. His eyes had grown thoughtful, and I could not help but give him slight reassurance, since it was true, after all. "She will be happy that you have returned Logan."

With a rather carnivorous smile he finished off his coffee and asked if he was still in the same room. As soon as I told him yes, he grunted something about needing some sleep, and stomped up the backstairs to his room.

Overall, it was another thrilling Logan moment.

* * *

||Logan||

She's mine.

Okay, that sounds like the feral animal that a lot of people think I am, but it's true. She's mine, I'm hers, and together, we're right. I knew the minute I gave Marie my tags. They were the only possession I had left besides the clothes I was wearing when my truck was blown up. Jean thought it was just a crush, but Jean has issues of her own, and besides, she didn't smell the desire in that foyer the day I left. It was coming from both sides.

I had second, third, and even fourth thoughts about it. Hell, I know I'm not the most stable guy in the universe. But then again, she isn't the most stable woman either. Hell, together we might actually make a whole 'normal' person. Well, normal for a mutant anyway. I figured by the time I got back she'd have her feet on her own ground, she'd be her own woman. I sat in enough bars during the day to know that women like things like that. Oprah had found a lot of people who agreed on that point. Of course she had also found men from Mars and women from Venus, which actually kind of gave me hope for a clawed guy from Canada and a girl with killer skin from Mississippi.

I knew Chuck and the rest of the geeks wouldn't let her get hurt while I was gone, and I sure as hell couldn't take her with me to the middle of nowhere. Hell, I didn't know what would be waiting when I got there. Turns out nothing was waiting. Just an empty facility that reeked of death, fear, and the kind of evil that people are capable of doing to one another. But no clues to who, or what, I was.

Fucking story of my life. So I waited until I couldn't wait anymore, and headed back to the one place I knew someone would be waiting.

Strange thing, isn't it? Home being wrapped up in a girl, mixed up with a group of people whose naivete I could find brave or annoying, depending on how drunk I was. But the connection and desire I felt for Marie was strong enough to lure me back. She wasn't my sister, she wasn't a child, and she wanted me as much as I wanted her.

Pretty good instincts for less than a week together, huh? Sometimes things work like that. I know Lust at First Sight isn't a crock, hell, Jeannie can back that up. But I had always thought that Love at First Sight was. Well, if love is feeling a connection in your gut that makes you want to take care of someone with an urge to carry her up to your bed at the same time, I might have been mistaken.

So I went back. Not for Wheels, not for the cause, but to see what would happen with my girl. And I knew who my girl was, Jean had her chance; it was all Marie now.

After getting back to Westchester early that morning I managed to sleep the day away, waking up just before dinnertime. I showered and went looking for Marie. I followed a scent that I could never forget and found her in her bedroom, which was an interesting thing when you have a mind that's been residing in the gutter for the past few months. I heard her moving around, sounded like she was typing on a computer keyboard. When she opened the door her eyes grew huge and she threw her arms around my neck.

"Logan! You're back!"

I have to admit it, her arms around my neck felt good. Damn good. She looked better than the dreams about her had led me to believe. She looked strong, healthy, and sexy as hell. Why didn't I notice those breasts before? Shit. Her brown eyes were still huge in her face, her reddish brown hair with the white streak, a reminder of the night we all almost died was a long braid hanging over her shoulder. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt that hit every high note of her curves, and a pair of gloves that reminded me that I had been dreaming about her and those gloves for what seemed like forever. As she hugged me I inhaled the scent of Marie. Damn, it was good to be back. After a few minutes of awkward hugging she ran over to her computer, typed a few commands and told me we needed to go down to dinner.

It was worth getting back to the mansion at the ungodly hour that I did just to see Scooter's jaw drop. The fact that he was eating soup made it even better, even though he probably stain-guards all his clothes. Jean had this funny look on her face when I strolled up with Marie on my arm, but Ororo and Wheels just smiled at the two of us and we sat down to start on our soup. The eats here at Chuckles' are damn good, I have to say, way better than the food in the bars I've been skulking in. Of course you don't get beer with a whiskey chaser with dinner here and I don't think that Scooter or Wheels will let me put up a fighting cage out in the backyard next to the pool. Eh, I can always go into the city for that. Though X-Men training should include a few opportunities to beat on Scooter. I was beginning to look forward to it all.

During dinner I told the table of X-Men, which included Marie (don't think that didn't leave me trying to figure out which emotion would win out, panic or pride), about my trip to Alkali Lake. "It was a bust. The whole place looked like a fire bomb detonated in the middle of it, after a good going over by a whole tribe of pissed off gorillas."

Jean looked at me with that look of compassion that came so easy to her. "Oh, Logan, I'm so sorry. We all knew what hope you had for this."

I shrugged. Hell, what else could I do?

After dinner we all went into Chuck's study and he laid out how it was going to work now that I was back. Like most things here at Xavier's Wacky World of Mutants, it was clear that nothing was a surprise to Chuck, and of course he had everything nice and planned out. That still freaks me out on a couple of different levels. Tomorrow I would be fitted for my own spiffy uniforms (what I liked to call the S&M specials) and we would start working out in the Danger Room - that would have to be next to the Big Round Room, I was sure.

Chuck even managed to have my weekdays booked. I would start teaching self defense to the kids. Simplified stuff to the younger kids, whom I was told NOT, under any circumstances, to scare. Scooter gave me his best 'Fearless Leader' glare with that order. I barely managed not to laugh in his face, and even I knew that flicking the middle claw at him wouldn't be considered good manners.

The older kids would start getting more in-depth lessons on self defense and battle strategy. I was to teach them to use not only self-defense techniques, but also how to utilize their mutations for added defense.

And if I had anything to do with it, they would learn to use their powers for offense too. I knew I would be fighting at least Scooter and Xavier on that, but it just wasn't right to hold the kids back for some utopian idea of 'they'll realize they don't hate us and we can all get along'. That do-gooder attitude could get them killed.

As Marie and I sat there on the couch, she unconsciously moved closer to me so by the end of the night her head was on my shoulder, and my arm had moved from around the back of the couch to over her shoulders. She was wearing the gloves and earrings I sent her. When I looked down her shirt I could see my tags between her breasts. The sight of those tags lying there made me want to howl at the moon. Hell, the sight of her breasts made me want to howl at the moon. There's a very territorial thing that goes on when you have some damn strong animal instincts, and that night I was feeling them all. I noticed when I was playing with Marie's hair when Jean gave me a funny look. Or else she noticed me staring down Marie's shirt. I wasn't going to stop doing either one, so I ignored her.

That began the new stage in my life. I couldn't remember anything of the first stage that wasn't a horrific nightmare and the second stage had been pretty damned pathetic no matter how you looked at it. The third stage would be better; it would be the Marie Stage - with Superhero in Leather overtones. Scooter had been right on one thing - at least it wasn't Yellow Spandex.

At the end of the night Marie and I walked up together, I gave her a hug when we got to her door, and she whispered how glad she was I was back. It was a good beginning.

* * *

||Marie||

I wasn't surprised when he finally came home. Despite what everyone thinks, I knew he would come back. I also knew he wasn't coming back just for those tags. Yeah, they meant a lot to him, which was why giving them to me in the first place meant so damned much. A guy like Logan doesn't give you the last remaining possession he has in the world without some kind of heavy-duty meaning involved. Listening to Scott and Jean I found out that he had hit on Jean a few times. It didn't worry me. I did have Logan in my head after all, so I knew a few things about what Logan's precise interest in her was. While lust is a strong feeling, especially in a guy like Logan, it wasn't something that was going to make him cross a continent to get back for. Not when he could go into any bar in Canada and get that particular itch scratched.

The afternoon he came to my door I was finishing up some work; I was teaching Civics of all things to some of the younger kids during the summer. I knew it was him the on the first knock. Adamantium knuckles have a distinctive sound, they really do. The way his arms tightened around me when I jumped into them was one of the best feelings in the world. I could feel his muscles, the bones of adamantium through the layers of clothes he always wore. He was gorgeous; I knew he wouldn't look older, it would take ten years for him to look even slightly older, but he looked more at peace now then he did the first time we were at Xavier's school. This time he had made the decision to come here, and for a man like Logan, that made all the difference.

He was wearing his usual: jeans, boots, t-shirt with a flannel shirt over it. That big-assed belt buckle bit into my side as he held me. His hair was styled in its usual fashion, pointy at the sides and his silly but sexy muttonchops were the same. He looked so good I didn't know whether to cry, drool, or just stare at him. I decided that hugging him again would be the best choice of all, so I did. After the hugging and the holding and I swear some pretty deep eye gazing we went down to dinner. Logan got a great kick out of watching Scott's soup dribble down his chin and into his lap. I kicked him under the table to remind him that making fun of Scott wasn't a good thing. He just gave me that little grin and I knew that while he was back, he wouldn't give up playing with Scott's mind easily.

That Logan wasn't trotting after Jean like a dog in heat was a relief, it would save me some time and trouble if we were both on the same page - save me the trouble of having to whack him over his Adamantium-coated skull to get him to catch up. But there was still the touching thing to deal with. I'm not stupid, I knew that we could do things, I just wasn't sure what all we could do, and how far we could really go.

Now it's not like I was sitting there looking out the window mooning about, waiting with bated breath for the moment when he would ride up on his supercharged stallion, ready to take me away. I did dream about him of course. You meet a guy like Logan and not dream about him. I dare you. Sometimes they were weird, like the night Jubes, Kitty, and I rented 'George of the Jungle' and all I dreamt about was Logan in a loincloth. It was a very small loincloth. Though my personal favorite was a little dream of Logan jumping out of a big birthday cake dressed only in whipped cream.

Which I licked off. Slowly.

Logan has had a big impact on my sleeping habits come to think. I still have some of his nightmares, and if those nightmares represent even a fraction of what happened to him, I don't know how he survived. I can remember having Erik's nightmares, though they faded fairly quickly. I spent a lot of time trying to get Erik out of my head. Logan, well, Logan I never tried to get rid of.

The overwhelming feeling I get out of Erik's nightmares is terror. Terror of the unknown, the painful hunger, and sheer hopelessness. What Erik went through I would wish on no one. Don't get me wrong, I'm still greatly pissed at Erik for trying to kill me. I can though, after a year of therapy, understand some of his motivation; he lives in terror of having to relive as an adult what he barely survived as a child. It doesn't excuse mass murder though. That's the one thing Erik will never understand.

Logan's nightmares have that same terror, but it's combined with this hellish physical pain. People think because Logan heals fast that he doesn't feel the pain. He does, and it's even worse, all of his senses are heightened... so not only does he feel it, it's ten times worse. Pain has smell to it too. And Logan knows it better than he knows anything else in life - all of that is in his nightmares. To avoid the really bad ones I learned not to stress out, the professor and I talked and we found some relaxation techniques to help. The night before finals my first year of college I woke up screaming, pain burning through me.

It was hours before the ache was gone, days until I no longer smelled blood, sweat, urine, and the sulfuric stench of liquid adamantium. And I don't think I'll ever forget the combined sounds of his screams in my head, my screams in my ears, and Mel crying, trying desperately to wake me up.

So people can talk all they want about girlish crushes, but what I feel for Logan is in no way a crush. It is so much more than a crush. A crush wouldn't last long against those nightmares. By nature crushes are like lust; wanting the easy and pretty parts of affection while lust wants primal mindless fucking. Neither a crush nor lust has much to do with being willing to be there in the middle of the night when your lover is remembering having his body mutilated, his mind raped, and his soul shredded. There's an emotional commitment there that simple urges like crushes and lust can never deal with.

I've had his nightmares; I've seen his terrors. I've seen those things, smelled them, and I've felt them in my bones. I still want him. That's no crush. No fucking way.

But really, I did actually have a life in the time he was away. I got my High School diploma; I had almost been done with school when I ran away from Mississippi, I just needed to take some tests really. Once that was finished, I started at Morrison College in White Plains. All in all, I was having a pretty normal life for a girl with killer skin and about 80 years of memories that didn't belong to her. And considering neither Erik nor Logan was much into the whole "Plays well with others" thing, I was lucky I could still go out in public without causing chaos.

College was something I never expected to have once I ran from Mississippi. I even had a 'normal' roommate. Melody Kamen was actually cool after I explained the skin thing to her. Mel had no problems rooming with a mutant - she had a cousin two years older who had mutated at fifteen. We're going to share an apartment just off campus this coming year, now that we don't have to live in the dorms anymore.

Mel was back in Chicago now, but she was going to come back east early this year and stay a few days with me at Xavier's. I had even spent a week with her in Chicago last year and had actually enjoyed myself. Her parents were the kind of people that Senator Kelly and the mutant haters must really hate, the normal people who just couldn't see the point in all the hatred. Her mother actually hugged me when I left. It was weird though, being with people who weren't mutants.

So there I was, the man in my life was back. And what the hell was I going to do about it? The thing about all those sexy dreams was in the dreams my skin couldn't kill him. The reality was it could. We would have to find a way around my mutation so we could do the things I dreamt about, but in ways that wouldn't end up with him comatose or dead and me having claws and growling at everyone.

I should have known that Ororo and the Professor would be in my corner. Ororo came in the next day and told me that we were going to the city to do some shopping. We went to Ann Sierra's shop. Ann has been making designer clothes for mutants for years. Need a wedding dress even though you have gills? Need the perfect outfit to go out on the town when you have wings? Need a outfit to cover your deadly skin so you can make mad, passionate love to the your Wolverine? You go to Ann's.

Apparently Ororo had brought it up with Ann before we went, and she had a number of interesting things waiting for me. I love Ann. Did I mention that? I mean if you can imagine how I felt. I was going to make love with the admittedly dangerous and bad-assed man that I love... and I was going to have to do it fully clothed. How many people ever thought of their first night fantasy in those terms?

Not to mention I really didn't have that many 'date' clothes; my wardrobe was depressingly studenty, blue jeans and shirts with the prerequisite gloves and scarves added to give it that personalized 'Rogue' flair. So I needed something interesting to wear when Logan and I were going out. And I did plan on going out. Logan can be as anti social as he likes, but we were going to have something resembling a normal relationship, even if I had to kneecap him to get him to agree. As long as I kept away from things that would need formal dress and made it a point to go places where he could get a steak, we would be okay.

So Ororo and I bought clothes and gloves. Ann came out with some of the finest silk I could ever imagine. Touching it was one of the most sensual experiences I had had in my life. The thought of touching Logan through it... now that was going to be the most sensual experience I would have. I could feel my cheeks getting red as I thought about it. I must have looked guilty; 'cause 'Ro came up to me and gave me one of those hugs she was so good at and told me that there was nothing wrong with wanting any of these things. I smiled and managed a nod.

Ann measured me for a body suit that would be made from the sheerest silk, a magnificent forest green of course. And a deep scarlet red, and a lacy black, I didn't even want to think of how much ten of these things would cost. They would have the appropriate openings, covering me from my neck to my toes, with matching gloves. If nothing else, I would be well accessorized during sex. It was good that Xavier had so much of that mysterious money, I think my lingerie bill could have bankrupted anyone else.

Things were definitely looking good.

* * *

||Logan||

'Ro asked me to go into the city with her about a week after I got back. I was surprised when we pulled up at Ann Sierra's shop. I knew that this was where Marie and a lot of the other girls had clothes made, and I had overheard Marie telling Jubilee about some clothes that were going to be a surprise for me. I had a feeling that I should be locked in a cage when I saw them. I was wondering why I was here, my S&M specials were already in their display case down in the lower levels of the mansion. Then again, I had never been a super-hero before, maybe you had to have special other clothes too. God knows Scooter must have iron undies to keep that pole firmly up his ass.

Ororo and I went into the shop and were met by Ann herself who led her back to her private office. She was a pretty woman about forty who smiled, a lot. She sat us down in her office and smiled at Ororo, there was definitely a secret in the air. Which I have to admit was beginning to freak me out. I was definitely the only one in the room who didn't have the appropriate clue.

"Did you tell him?"

"No Ann, I thought it would be better if you told him your idea when we got here."

"Ahh, okay then." She directed her smile at me this time. "Logan, as Rogue may have told you, I've been making her some outfits for when you and she... decide to make love."

Well hell, I knew that. Why the hell was I here? And why the fuck were these two thinking about Marie and my sex life. Didn't any of these people have lives of their own?

"I was thinking..." she continued, pouring cups of coffee for all of us from the pot at the corner of her desk, not at all embarrassed that she was about to start talking about my sex life. The sex life that I hadn't even *had* yet. "I was thinking that maybe it would be beneficial for you to have something to wear also. That way you can choose who will be nude and who will be dressed when you have sex."

Okay, strangely enough, I hadn't been expecting that one. I blinked at her.

I turned to Ororo and blinked at her. I think I might have growled too.

"Logan," Ororo started, beginning to look slightly rattled, but she continued on with determination. "Really, it is just not fair that Rogue must always be the one covered. If you have a body suit like she does... well, it would be much more equable, would it not?"

"Equable?" I have to admit, though, I could see their point. Which really kinda pissed me off even more. But why does everyone seem to think that they need to obsess about our sex life? Believe me, I was obsessing enough about it for a few people.

Ann got up from her chair and went to the big cutting table behind her and brought over some black fabric. "This is some of the finest and sheerest silk available. Rogue is having body suits made of it, in different colors of course. I can make a body suit for you in this black." She smiled again. "It will be a very manly color and will protect you from her skin. You'll need to wear a condom of course."

Well, of course I would. Thanks for the freakin' update. They were both giving me that chick look, you know, the one that says 'Oh, isn't this just a good idea?' which really means 'Do this. You're male and too stupid to figure out that this is what you are going to do, so agree now.' Damn it. They knew I would have to give in.

That I would do anything for my Marie, hell, I've killed myself fucking twice for her, why wouldn't they think that? Damn it. I was wondering if Ann had any spare fabric that she wouldn't mind me shredding. Then again, I was beginning not to care if she cared.

So I was measured, and if that wasn't one of the most embarrassing things I can remember living through. But in the end, I would have a few body suits in that sheer black silk, covering me from neck to toes, with gloves to match. And a hole for my dick to stick out from. Yeah, they had to measure for that too.

Jesus Fucking Christ.

I turned to 'Ro as we sat in the car, stuck in traffic as we headed out of the city. "If you tell anyone, ever, I will shred everything you hold dear. And I will enjoy it. A lot. We clear?"

"Yes Logan, we are clear. As crystal." And she smiled again.

Fuck.

* * *

||Marie||

It was two weeks after 'Ro and I had gone to Ann's that I got a whole bunch of boxes from the store delivered to the mansion. Ann had sent the bodysuits, gloves, and some extra sheer fabric that I assumed could be used for the few places the bodysuits didn't cover. All in all, it was expensive, beautiful, and a stark reminder of my mutation. If they weren't so life or death, I would adore them. But I couldn't stop remembering that they weren't just for titillation, they had a practical purpose. They were the only thing that would stop me from killing Logan with my skin.

I was out of hangers, so I went down to Logan's room to steal a few. When I came back Jean was walking by and started to talk to me about tomorrow's training exercises. I threw the hangers on the bed, hoping that she wouldn't ask about the boxes on the bed.

I should have known better. Jean noticed the packages and asked me what they were.

"They're some bodysuits that Ann made for me."

"Really? I'd love to see what miracle Ann has performed this time." She was busy doing that glowing thing that if she wasn't so damned likable one could almost be incited to hit her.

"Ummm... well, they are more for... well, for Logan and me. Only." Yeah, that wasn't the most coherent or definitive statement, but this wasn't something I wanted to share with anyone - except Logan. Jean looked like she had just swallowed her tongue.

"Ahhh... for you and Logan?" Jean was staring at me like I had just grown another head.

"Yeah, for when we, you know." Score another one for my college education. Go me.

"Oh. Okay. You have a good time Rogue. I need to go see ... someone." With that Jean moved down the hall like her skirt was on fire. I went back into my room to continue unpacking the things that Ann had sent.

* * *

||Logan||

I should have known it was coming, but I really didn't want to deal with it. I mean in the end, it was probably more my fault than anything else. That last come on to Jean when I woke up from letting Marie absorb my healing ability on the Statue of Liberty had been a reflex. Bravado to hide my nervousness at being on a medical bed. Besides, the lizard part of my brain was having a mental pissing contest with Scooter about her. And hell, she's hot. Taken, but still hot.

Still, it was kind of embarrassing for the guy responsible for teaching battle strategy to be taken by surprise by the school doctor, but there I was. I wasn't really sure what was going on, all I knew was that Jean was looking at me and she was NOT happy, in fact, Red was downright pissed off. I called a halt to the Danger Room simulation, telling the computer to withdraw the animatronics. I was glad for my ego's sake that I was working out alone today.

"What the hell are you up to?" Jean ranted at me, which is not a very Jeanlike thing for the most part.

"What the fuck are you talking about Jean?"

"You know very well what I'm talking about!"

"Ummm... No, actually I don't. I don't think I did anything to Scooter yet to justify being yelled at today. I even repaired that dent to the bike...."

"Damn it Logan, you know I'm not talking about Scott. I'm talking about Rogue."

That got my undivided attention. Things about Marie always got my undivided attention. "What about Marie, Jean? Is she okay?"

"She is fine, for now Logan," now she was giving me some hostile looks, the part of my brain that wasn't in charge for obvious reasons noticing that she was damn hot when she was mad.

"What the hell do you mean by that?"

"I mean that I cannot believe that you are letting her think that you want to pursue a physical relationship with her."

At that I had to blink. I had been back for two weeks, and I thought it was pretty crystal fucking clear to everyone that Marie and I are going to be together. I mean, hello, Ororo had taken me to get fitted for my 'let's have sex' suit.

"Jean, number one, it's none of your business, number two, its still none of your business, and number three, what the hell did you think I came back for?"

She just stared at me for a moment. " I thought you came back to help us..."

I could see what she wasn't saying, "Jean, I didn't come back for you. That was never a part of it."

"I know... but Logan, she's so young!"

"She's an adult and perfectly able to decide for herself what she wants. Hell, she's older than you are in some ways Jean. And come off it, like you're a fine one to be talking about age, where did you find Scooter? At the high school after the football game? After the debate meet? Just how much younger than you is he? Get real, better yet, get off my ass."

She looked at me like I had just stuck my claws through her. I would've felt bad about it, but damn it, I wasn't going to be the patsy so she could be a hypocrite. No fucking way. And I wasn't going to let her hurt Marie. We'd have to have this out, she and I, now. Otherwise I could see the future with all its fuck-ups coming at me damn clearly, even from here.

"Come on Jean, you knew this was coming, you just have to accept it." And it's not that she didn't know, really. Scooter knew, for crying out loud. And if Scooter knew, she knew. He didn't like it, he didn't think it was 'good' or 'right', but he knew.

She moved over to the side of the room and slid down the smooth wall. The look on her face was controlled, but her heart was pounding. She looked up at me, eyes wide. "Do you think that that's why I couldn't see it? Because I was worried that if I disapproved of you and Rogue that someone else could disapprove of me and Scott?"

"Maybe." I moved to sit next to her, and she smiled tightly at me.

"Do you love her?"

"Yeah." The answer took me aback a bit. It wasn't a surprise, but it was the first time I had said it to someone who wasn't Marie. That's a big fucking thing for a guy like me. Oprah would be proud.

Jean nodded. "I love him, you know. But don't you ever worry about someone else judging you for it? For her being so much younger? I think that's what worries me sometimes, that someone will judge me poorly for it."

"You already have, Jean. If you can stop judging yourself on it, it might be easier to ignore other people's opinions on it."

"Is that how you plan to do it?"

"Pretty much. I don't give a damn what anyone thinks but Marie, and anyone who tries to hurt her, well, I wouldn't recommend it." A claw popped out at that. Nothing like driving the point home. I flexed and it slid back home with the usual moment of excruciating pain. I managed not to wince, manly man that I am.

She smiled faintly and stood up. "So, we'll just be the X-Men's old perverts, then. How about you share some of your beer stash with me?"

It was rather anti-climatic, but if Jean wasn't going to hassle Marie and I, and the afternoon could end with a beer, what more could a guy ask for? I wasn't in the mood to have endless discussions with Jean about why we ended up with the lovers we did, and I really didn't feel the need to listen to her wax poetic about all of Scooter's great qualities. I'd rather have a dental appointment with Magneto than sit through that.

We went up to the kitchen and grabbed a couple bottles from my beer stash and went out to the swing by the pool.

"So, we good?"

She smiled at me and opened her beer. "Yeah, we're good." She took a healthy swig, which for some reason made me smile.

I heard footsteps coming our way and could smell Scooter and Marie. "Logan?" "Jean?" They asked at the same time.

"We're over here guys."

Jean looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a small smile and moved to the other side of the swing. Which was fine by me since Marie could sit next to me and Scott and Jean could sit together on the other side.

"You two okay?" Scott asked, and I swear his eyes had narrowed behind that ruby quartz when he looked at me.

"Yes, Scott, we're fine. We just had a few things we needed to go over." Jean smiled brightly at him, you could just see the kid melt. What a wuss.

Scooter gave me a few more looks, and I could almost see what he was thinking. Male territoriality isn't confined only to guys with claws. Pretty much any guy that can write his name in the snow is capable of it. Scott always felt that way about Jean. I had found that one out my first night at the mansion. 'Course now that I had Marie to feel that way about... well shit, that has a whole 'nother feel to it. I could almost respect the boy for not trying to fry my ass a year ago.

Not that it wouldn't have been fun to see him try.

Marie looked at me, then at Jean, and you could all but see the wheels turning, but she didn't say anything. She just took my beer, took a sip, smiled at me and cuddled right up to my side. I knew that I'd have to explain later, but she was just willing to let us all sit in peace for the moment. We sat around sharing my stash of beers for awhile, talking about nothing, trying to ignore the tension that was a given anytime Scott and I were in close proximity to one another. After awhile we went in and raided the refrigerator.

After Marie and I were back up in my room, she turned and raised an eyebrow at me. She wasn't going to ask, but it was a message: 'I'd like to know but I'm not going to ask...' So I told her exactly what had happened, about how Jean's disapproval of our age difference struck a little to close for her comfort.

"Ahh... so that's what that was about."

"What what was about, Marie?"

"She came in when I was putting away my things from Ann's shop... my special outfits." She blushed the most wonderful shade of pink, the blush belying the fact that her eyes were staring straight into mine.

"Oh." Good response, Logan, just brilliant. I didn't tell her about the box that I had stashed in my closet from Ann's shop. I hadn't even looked in it myself - I wasn't quite ready for that yet. The more I thought about my little outfits the more I was beginning to think that we should do this in a dark room, blinds drawn, lights off, eyes closed.

Oh god, I could feel my cheeks flushing. Manly man, yep, that's me.

Fuck.

She grinned at me and unwrapped the sheer scarf from around her neck. That cheered me up pretty damned quick. This was our new thing, having a good old fashioned make out session. Yeah, the scarf was a new age touch, but didn't faze us. We were getting good at figuring out ways to get around her mutation.

She came over to me and took my hand in her gloved one, pulling me toward the bed, and I sure as hell wasn't putting up any resistance. A slight detour to my night table for a pair of thin leather gloves, and we were set. Marie put her arms around my neck and I slowly lowered her to the mattress. When we were both down I put the scarf over her neck and starting kissing her just below her ears... she loved that. I moved up to her cheek, kissing one and then the other.

I made sure she looked me in the eye before I moved the scarf over her mouth, stretching the sheer fabric as taut as I could, then I kissed her.

It started with a childish kiss, a simple buss of my lips against hers. Then I licked around her mouth, placing gentle kisses on the each side. She moaned, a clear signal to kiss her with mouth open, tongue set to explore and conquer.

While our tongues played through the thin fabric of the scarf, I stroked her breast through her shirt, and she stroked my chest with her gloved hands, managing to get through two of my shirts to do it. It took a few minutes, but then she moved the war to my mouth, pushing me over onto my back, straddling my hips, leaning over me, her hands in my hair.

She was so damned beautiful.

She was mine.

Every time we did this I felt like I would explode. Everywhere. Not just my cock, but my head and my heart. There would be nothing left of me, complete spontaneous mutant combustion. Our hands started moving over each other's body, stroking anything we could lay our hands on. I reached up to stroke her breasts again, then moving my hands to her hair, caressing her face as she nibbled my ear through the scarf.

"Logan..." I loved when she would say my name like that... she was so far gone that her mutation didn't matter, it was just her and me, the universe didn't exist past the end of my bed.

It took me a few deep breaths before I brought this up, but now that I knew she had her outfits from Ann's place, it was time. "Marie?"

"Yeah, sugar?" Her calling me that had its usual effect, more of the kissing with the open mouth and the hands on breasts. It was a few more minutes before I could concentrate enough to verbalize.

"How about we get away this weekend? Just you and me?"

She opened her eyes, and in her responding smile I could read the love, lust, hope, and fear, all mixed together in the gorgeous package that was my Marie.

"Charlie has a cabin a few hours north of here, he said we could use it this weekend if we wanted." Her smile was all the confirmation I needed. Damn psychic. Oh well, it would be better for us if we weren't here, there were always people running in and out our rooms in the mansion. God knows if Scooter got wind of what we were planning, I could see him being an asshole about it all.

I kissed her neck a few more times, breathing in the smell of aroused Marie, listening to her heart beat faster in her chest, under those breasts... oh damn...

"So how about we leave Friday afternoon after training sims?"

"Can't, we have dorm duty, Scott and Jean are going to the city, remember?"

Shit. Trust Scooter to screw things up.

"Weekend after that. They can stay home."

She grinned down at me, "Sounds perfect to me, sugar."

I rolled so that I was back on top, her soft curves cushioning me, my lips moving back to hers, as if answering a siren's song. I knew it would be perfect. It would be perfect or I would die trying. But what a way to go.

* * *

||Jean ||

It was a shock to hear Logan say it aloud you know. I mean it was clear from the first day he returned that he had about as much interest in me this time as he did in what was for dinner. Actually, he had had more interest in dinner...

I think the students at the school today think that Scott and I sprang fully formed from some X covered egg in the back garden. That we've always been together, that we've been joined at the hip since time began.

I can still remember the nervous stomach, the panicked sweats the day we told Charles on returning to the mansion that we would like to move in together if he was okay with that. We were ready to be together, but if Charles had said no, we would have stopped... I don't think we've ever totally gotten beyond that. Sometimes, that fear of 'were we right?' pops up at the damnedest times.

We've always known that our place was here, and there didn't seem to be any point in fighting against being here. We love each other, yes, but at times... it's hard not to see Jean and Scott as anything more than extensions of the X-Men. Sometimes we just want to be free of all the responsibilities that living our lives here encumber us with. This mansion has been our home and our life's work for so long... so very, very long.

Maybe that's why I thought twice about Logan, he was new. He was willing to break Charles' rules. And when he left, I could always come home again. Doesn't say much, does it? But when Logan laid the cards out, that he was willing to do what it takes to keep Rogue? I realized the decision is the same, no matter how half assed you go about it, love and home are always so intertwined, sometimes you can 't see one for the other.

Funny when you think about it.

Logan wanted me because I was close, he was horny, and it would piss Scott off. I entertained stray thoughts of Logan because he was new, and not... what I had. Not what I was.

The door closes behind me, and I can feel the comforting presence of Scott's mind reaching out to mine, it's like a mental kiss, the way he does that. He's never been afraid that I would try to read his mind, or that I would try to manipulate him with my powers. Instead he developed ways over the last seven years to make my powers just another part of our relationship.

His arms come around me, his hands going with their usual enthusiasm to my breasts, caressing, moving in that way that never stops being exciting. Eight years younger than I am, and if our sex life is any indication, every woman should get herself a younger man. I lean back into him, and he takes my weight and presses his body into mine. We're almost eye to eye in stocking feet, he's three inches taller than I am and my shoes make the difference all but negligible. He's kissing my neck, and I can feel his smile. I turn, and when our lips meet I feel everything he's pouring into my mind, love and acceptance. He looks so damned young - sometimes even I forget everything he's been through, everything he's seen in those shades of red.

"How about a shower?" Scott's voice is heavy - he's in the mood. And despite all my thinking, so am I.

"Sounds good to me."

He grins, and moving so that I am walking backwards with him walking straight ahead, kissing me with every step, we make it to our bathroom. He strips me slowly, smiling, knowing that while my outside clothes are gray and black today, the lingerie underneath is a deep red. No matter what, I am always in red for him. It's a little thing, but it's part of what makes us, us.

His clothes go next, and he turns to me, handing me his shower goggles, and in a ritual that has lasted for all the years we've been together, I remove his glasses. Kissing his tightly closed eyelids I cover eyes I have never seen. The goggles, while bulky like the visor, will stay on his face more securely than the glasses when we shower.

He has a number of different glasses, visors, and goggles. All of which have one purpose, to protect those around him from his power. Even when we sleep his eyes are firmly covered by sleeping goggles so that if he were to shift, his eyes would never be able to harm me...

Oh Jesus. Oh God.

I can understand now, what Logan knows. That it's not in the precautions, it's not the exterior things that we do to keep ourselves safe from the ones we love. Those external things that keep them safe from the emotional destruction that they could suffer if they hurt us. We've both taken on that responsibility, of loving people who could, completely unintentionally, kill us. That it's not about protecting ourselves, it's about protecting them against the pain they would feel if they hurt us.

We do have a lot in common, the four of us.

The glasses, the clothes, the goggles, the gloves, the visors, the scarves - none of that matters when you love - when the risks are nothing compared to being without them.

I've stopped dead, and Scott's looking at me, and I can read the question in his face. Now isn't the time. Now just isn't the time to bring Logan up. Not when Scott is aroused and kissing me like this. I pull him to me, and I get as close as I can, skin to skin... eye to eye. The warm water is soothing, and he pushes me back into the shower wall lifting me up and my legs clasp around his hips. A few more movements and he's thrusting into me and he opens his mind, and all I can hear in my own is desire, love, lust, all in shades of red, flowing from his mind to mine and back again, growing with every thought, every thrust.

We'll have to talk about it, but later, when he's not hard, when I'm not wet, when he's not in me like this, making me see things as he does, in shades of red.

* * *

||Marie||

Sometimes change takes a long time, like continents shifting, other times it's almost instantaneous, like Vesuvius wiping out Pompeii. My mutation had come on like Vesuvius and poor David had been Pompeii. I figured at that point that my life was over. So I ran, thinking that in Alaska, I would be away from as many people as I could be. I wouldn't hurt them and I couldn't be hurt by hurting them.

Then I met Logan, and change happened quickly again. So it probably shouldn't have surprised me when after Logan and Jean had it out, that she became my new best buddy. But really, it freaked me out a bit.

I mean like Jean, she's the older sister I never had, but I hadn't expected her to make herself so at home in the 'help Rogue and Logan get it on' movement. I was rather hoping that the membership in that little club would be kept to Kitty, Ororo, and Jubes. I should have known I couldn't be that lucky.

It did have it's upside though, Jean and I being closer. The truck was a case in point.

A few days after Logan got back, the Professor decided that what he really needed for the estate was a new pickup truck.

Yeah, right.

Can you say 'bribe the Wolvie'? Anyone? Anyone?

It was basically to get Logan to feel more at home. Well, it worked pretty damn good. It was a full size Ford F-250, just like the one Logan had before Erik's minions attacked us, but it was brand new, with every gadget available. If there's a man who can resist a new car, especially a big, manly, shiny truck, I'd like to meet him. Just to compare him to my own man, who was all but in an orgasmic coma at the sight of the damned thing. He puffed up when he was in the driver's seat - I swear to god.

Of course, Scott couldn't let bygones be completely bygone. So he would take the truck. And poor Logan would be treated to an experience much like what Scott went through during the separation from his motorcycle. Then Logan would take the motorcycle to pay Scott back. Which started the cycle (pardon the pun) all over again.

Jean and I are watching this, pondering what it is about the male lizard brain that makes them behave like morons, and we decide that the girls should be able to play too. Hey, it made sense at the time.

The guys even provided the needed distraction themselves. There is one thing that Logan and Scott agree on, Logan being Canadian and Scott being from Alaska.

Hockey.

Pretty much the only thing Logan and Scott can do together without the promise of impending violence is watching hockey on TV. NHL, European games on the satellite, College games... doesn't matter, as long as the lure of men with sticks losing teeth is there. They pretty much become zombies, as in glued to the screen, communication reduced to grunting, growling (friendlylike) through mouthfuls of food that has no nutritional value and demolishing beer between the two of them at a rather frightening rate.

Which worked out well for Jean and I.

They had been sniping at each other for a week now, Scott hearing that Logan and I were going away seeming to prompt him to a mix of 'fearless leader', outraged brother, and reluctant acceptance of the situation. He and Logan had been ragging on each other, not listening to Jean and my requests that they stop it, so during the last game of the Semi-Finals, we took the truck to the city to shop. Damn thing was hard to find a parking space for, but the appalled and panicked look on the guy's faces when we got back made it all worth it. Of course Scott ribbed Logan too much about his baby being snatched by the girls.

So a few days later during the Final, we took the bike to go to the movies. I'm going to have to get Logan to teach me to drive it. Jean told me later that Scott hadn't taken it well at all. Then again, I knew that he almost needed therapy for the time that Logan had his bike. Poor bike, up there in Canada during the winter, all alone with Logan. Men are sad critters sometimes.

It accomplished the goal, getting them back to their vehicle arguments stopped them from yabbling about Logan and my plans in public.

So that was the good part about being buddies with Jean. The bad part was when after learning about Logan's and my weekend getaway she decided that I needed her instruction in the birds and the bees. A few days before Logan and I were set to go up to Xavier's cabin, she turned up at my door for some girl talk.

Now I'm sure when she and Scott have little mutants she'll do great, but knowing what she knew about me, her giving me this lecture was positively surreal. She started out okay, but after awhile I think she finally stopped. I couldn't tell if it was my incredulous expression, or the fact we could hear Jubilee (who had come in earlier, by all accounts searching for a certain shade of nail polish) in my bathroom trying not to choke on her gum as she laughed hysterically.

"Um... Jean, you do remember that I had Logan in my head, right?"

"Yes Rogue, I remember that, but..."

"Jean, I know that he likes a woman's tongue to swirl counter clockwise on his cock during foreplay."

She blinked at me, and we heard a thump from the bathroom as Jubilee fell on the floor, howling with poorly concealed laughter.

"Oh. Well, Rogue, I guess you're ready for this weekend."

I nodded and thanked her as she left my room, of course. I really hoped this was the last time we would discuss my soon-to-be-factual sex life.

Jubes crawled out of my bathroom, still giggling like a maniac. "Oh, god Rogue! I can't believe she did that!"

"It was a nice effort, Jubes. Bizarre. But nice."

Jubes picked herself up off my floor and threw herself on my bed, pushing the clothes I had been trying to decide if I wanted to pack before Jean came in, onto the floor.

She grinned at me, and I waited for her to make some kind of remark about why I was going away with Logan for the weekend, but she didn't. She just got off my bed, picked the clothes up, put them back on the bed, and left. Still grinning, gum snapping away.

I would be glad to get away... it was getting a bit too weird here.

Lucky for us, Logan managed to keep the truck out of Scott's grasp for our little weekend getaway, which was good; I wasn't looking forward to arguing about how we couldn't take the bike up north. I had luggage, damn it. And we weren't going anywhere without it.

Of course it didn't work out that way, and we didn't get away that weekend.

We were ten miles from home when the Professor called us back. Sabretooth had decided that this would be a good time to attack the prison where they were keeping Erik. He managed to get within 2 levels of the plastic box where Erik now lived.

By the time we got there, Sabretooth had managed to maim, kill, and destroy everything in his path, but apparently he stopped his rampage when he caught Logan's scent. The Wolverine in complete control and claws out, Logan went after Sabretooth leaving the rest of the team to follow.

After throwing Sabretooth through a wall, Logan got a whiff of Mystique. He radioed the rest of the team who start searching for her. Which is odd considering that with Mystique, you never know who you are actually looking for. Ororo and I are outside, 'Ro building up a storm that confused getaway driver Toad, causing him to run away. I think he still remembers getting a lightning bolt to the tongue. To prevent any other members of Magneto's group from getting away Storm used a tornado to reposition the getaway car to the top of a nearby tree. Unfortunately before Logan discovered Mystique's presence, she had played Scott and Jean off one another, so Jean was unconscious and in the closet, Scott was bleeding from a dandy head wound.

After getting Jean free and making sure Scott is still alive, Logan goes to the stairwell, tracking her. And the minute he opens the door, who is waiting there for him? You got it. Sabretooth. Logan gets a nice uppercut with a handy fire extinguisher, and a slice across the chest with large piece of glass from their destruction downstairs. Logan manages to whack him across the head, knocking him out again, this time some of the guards who must have been hiding here and there finally show up and carry Sabretooth to a holding cell.

And Mystique was no where to be found. Best guess is that she got away in the confusion, by impersonating one of the guards. She is getting incredibly good at that.

We all scramble back to the Blackbird and I lift us off and pilot us back to Westchester, Jean patching everyone up. Scott gets a bandage, and Logan manages to limp down to the med lab. Superhealer he may be, but healing skull fractures takes time, even for Logan.

Erik was still down in his plastic prison, thank god. I really don't even want to contemplate Erik on the loose, anywhere near Logan. Even though I know Logan can handle himself. I forgot, which is odd when you remember how we first met, that the Wolverine is violent destruction incarnate. I've been seeing Logan, the man who loves me, who needs a place and a home, who doesn't care that he can't kiss me without something separating us. And just under the surface is the Wolverine, who has no problems using the claws to slice and dice Sabretooth.

Logan and Marie. The Wolverine and the Rogue.

I would be glad to be Logan and Marie. Especially when Friday finally rolled around. We were a week later than we planned, but we were set to go on our getaway, it looked like we were going to make it. We held our breath until we had made it 25 miles and still no calls from the mansion.

This time we'd make it all the way. In every way.

* * *

||Logan||

This time we got away from the mansion, the mutants, and the Cyclops without incident. I guess we owed Jean; she had 'recruited' Scott to take her and Jubilee to the Mall. I admit to enjoying the thought of Scott undergoing that torture. Jubilee and a mall... a man's nightmares are made of that. Glad they would be Scott's and not mine. So while Scooter was enjoying the Gap, Marie and I got to Chuck's 'cabin' just before seven.

'Cabin', I should have known. A guy who wears Brooks Brothers suits to teach mutants physics in his own house isn't going to have a cabin along the same lines as a guy who used to fight in bar cages up north. It was a regular house with a great view of a lake from both the kitchen and the master bedroom. Marie was delighted by the huge bathtub in the master bath, women. Then again, Marie in a bathtub could be a good thing.

We brought our bags in, got the groceries we had stopped to pick up stowed, then opened the picnic basket that the cook at the mansion had packed for us. Oh yeah, everyone was in on this one. I think we were lucky that there wasn't a violin quartet waiting when we got here.

We finished our dinner, then went into the living room, pretending to relax. Marie's eyes were calm, but there was an anxiety in her too. I could hear her heart beating strongly, slightly accelerated. But there was no fear, thank god. If I were the kind of guy who would admit things like that, I would admit to being a bit nervous. We always knew we were going to do this, it was just ... it was now.

Marie wasn't some barfly who was only interested in a quick screw in a bar bathroom, or an excitement junkie who goes to barfights to fuck the winner. I had both been there and done those, and this wasn't anything like that. Nor was she one of the even fewer women who wanted a nice time, but knew I wouldn't be there long. But since I wasn't one of those sissy, new-aged guys like Scooter, I wasn't feeling at all nervous of course. Of course I wasn't.

But I wasn't at all upset when Marie broke our mutual silence.

"Oh! I have something for you." Marie ran back into the bedroom, returning with a small duffel bag. "Come on," she said as she took my hand and dragged me over to the sofa.

"I got these for you, for your birthday and Christmas... while you were gone." She looked up at me, and I couldn't help noticing again, with a territorial thrill that she was wearing the gloves I had sent her a year ago with the earrings and the bracelets. And my tags, my tags were still nestled between her breasts, close to her heart.

"I don't know when your birthday is..." She took out a denim shirt, my size, and gave it to me. It smelled faintly of her.

"You've worn it."

"Yes. I liked to wear it and think about you," she blushed. "I didn't think you'd mind."

"No... it's even better with your scent on it."

The next thing she took out was wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper, about the size of a shoe box. She gave it to me, then looked a little embarrassed. "I bought this because it reminded me of the bar where we first met... honky tonk trashy. It's supposed to be funny."

I raised an eyebrow at that and ripped the paper off it. And looked at it blankly.

"What the hell is it?"

"It's an animatronic Santa... it sings and dances. This one sings like Elvis."

At my blank stare she blushed brightly and took it from me. Placing it on the table, she flipped a switch on the back, then pressed a red button on the front. And hillybilly Santa started to shake his hips and sing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". It was awful.

"It's awful."

"I know that, Logan. The bar where we met was pretty awful too. It just reminded me of it. All white and trashy."

"So you wasted your money buying me something awful, that reminds you of an awful place."

She nodded. "Where we met."

"This is one of those chick things, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay. It's awful, but great." Apparently all those afternoons watching Oprah hadn't been a complete education in the ways of a woman's mind, but Marie just seemed relieved that I was willing to go with it.

"Since I didn't know if your birthday had already passed... I got this too. Just in case."

The next package was a pair of leather gloves, thin as skin, black as pitch and soft as a dream. They must have cost her a mint, and come from some upscale place in the city. It wasn't the just the expense of the gift, it was the message behind them. She wanted me to touch her.

And oh god, did I ever. And I could see the same thing reflected in her eyes, staring back at me as clear and as honest as always. Marie wasn't afraid of me, or by her desire for me.

I once told her that people who were willing to help people like us were a rare thing. But to have this beautiful, strong, sexy woman, who knew all the things I would never say out loud, want me? Want beyond taking the Wolverine for a spin on the fuck machine, just to see how wild he really was? Rare doesn't even come close. She looked at me from the other side of the sofa like she was reading my mind, and pushing the gifts to the floor, crawled into my lap, pulling the sheer scarf she wore around her neck off as she moved. When she was firmly in my lap she held the scarf between our faces and she kissed me.

Pretty soon I was kissing her just as fiercely, and she was on her back with me on top of her. The petting, the touching, the kissing were all doing their thing to make us excited. With one last long kiss I lifted up off her, knowing that we would have to do a few things to get ready to go any further.

"Marie, darlin', we need to slow down a bit. Marie!" She was really getting into it now, I had to push her away. If it wasn't for my healing factor, she would have left a nice hickey on my neck, even sucking through the scarf. Sometimes being a superhealer just doesn't let me be as primal as I want to be. I wanted her to mark me - it was as simple as that.

"Logan?" Marie's bemused expression matched the confused look in her eyes.

"Darlin', we need to do a few things before we take this any further, ya know that." I twisted around so she was on top of me. God, that was good too.

She looked at me, and her lips twisted into a scowl. Damn it. I knew it hurt her, the whole idea that she couldn't just give into passion like other women, but there was nothing I could do about that. What was, was.

Marie got off me and went toward the bedroom.

The one with the bed.

Oh god.

At the door she turned around, but wouldn't meet my eyes. Looking over my shoulder and smilingly wryly she asked, "Um... can you give me a few minutes? I need to get ready, it might take a little bit."

"Take all the time you need, baby."

"Okay. I'm just gonna go... get ready. Now. I'll see ya in a bit sugar." With a shy smile that I felt in both my heart and groin, she turned around and went into the bedroom, silently closing the door after her.

* * *

||Marie||

In the movies, it's never like this. It's either in a car after the prom, or in some cheap motel. Actually, come to think of it, were one to consider Logan and I, a cheap motel would have come to mind long before Xavier's cabin. But of course in Hollywood there is no killer skin, no foot long adamantium claws. Just think what they're missing, a new kink to be explored.

Quit thinking Marie. Well, don't quit thinking, just stop trying to distract yourself from what's about to happen. You've been waiting for this for over a year. You're ready. You love him.

You're scared to death. That you'll kill him.

Gee, thanks self, you had to bring that part up, didn't you?

Books didn't prepare me for this. What do I do now? Oh god.

Logan was out in the main room getting his stuff together, leaving me to the bedroom to prepare.

I grabbed my duffel bag and went into the bathroom. Okay. Now what. Umm... clean up a little bit. Right. Good Idea.

Okay, clothes off, take a wash cloth, wash down a bit. I'd shower, but I don't want to look like I'm too nervous. None of the women in his head showered. Don't want to look too new at this. Of course, he knows, he'll be able to tell I've never done this.

Oh god.

Sit on the toilet. Head between your knees. Breathe. Breathe.

Calm again.

Back to the washing up. Under arms, check. Down... there, check. Feet, check. Don't want to have smelly feet, right? Thank god I shaved yesterday. I wonder if he likes shaved legs, or if hairy legs would be a turn on for him? Nevermind, they're shaved today. That'll have to be good enough for him. I'll ask later.

Much, much later.

Brush my teeth. Don't want bad breath for this, right? Gotta be minty fresh for Logan lovin', right?

Put on the outfit from Ann's. The green one, this first time - I look good in green.

Wow.

I'm staring in the mirror and... wow.

It's tight, but there's elastic on the side seams, it's stretchy, but soft... I like the feel of silk. There's a hole in the crotch of course. That's the point, isn't it? A very small zipper up the front, with padding on the inside to protect me, recessed so it won't hurt him... God, the woman is an artist. The only things uncovered are my head and my hands. Matching gloves for my hands, and a couple squares of the fabric for any face to face action.

Of course if I get any more nervous, he's going to have to give me mouth to mouth. I'd rather keep that for the non-passing out parts of the evening. Really.

This whole bodysuit thing has turned out better than I thought it would. I mean I thought I'd end up looking like Gumby or something in it. A big green thing, but I look... pretty. It's sheer, you can see everything through it, damn, my nipples look really, really perky. Maybe it's just cold in here. Maybe he won't notice. Yeah, right. Maybe I'll grow another head.

There was a wrapped box in with the packages from Ann, and a note on it not to open it until I needed to use the other things. Now's the time to open it, I guess.

Wow again. This is lovely. A long silk robe, in gold and deep maroon Chinese tapestry pattern. You'd think it'd be cheesy, but it's... magnificent. And there's a note.

'Rogue - Just have fun, let the rest handle itself. - Ann.'

Good advice. Here's praying Xavier doesn't call us up on the brainphone in the middle of things. I don't think I could deal with that right now.

Washed up, dressed to seduce, and a box of condoms - ribbed for pleasure.

I'm ready.

I just have to remember to breathe.

* * *

||Logan||

Marie deserves the sun, the moon, and the stars, and I want to give her all of them. I've got the moves, but will she understand that this is more than just the act to me? I don't know if anything she has of me in her head will let her understand that. From what I've deduced she knows exactly what I like, whom I've done it with, and why. None of which makes me a good prospect for a young women's first time, nor as a candidate for forever. But that's what I want, I'm finally understanding that.

Going into the bedroom, I grab my bag out of the chair I threw it into when we got here, thinking of the four bodysuits and the mystery box inside. I hadn't even looked at them when I took them out of the boxes to throw them into my bag; it seemed a lot easier just to... not look at them. I wasn't even sure if I would need to use them this weekend.

I could hear Marie mumbling to herself in the bathroom, but I couldn't make out the words, and then I heard her moving toward the door.

I turned around when the door open, and the bag fell at the same time as my jaw.

Damn.

You'd think that a woman in a robe in footed pajamas wouldn't be a turn on. Well, maybe if that woman wasn't Marie, it wouldn't be. I had to stare for a few minutes at her. Her dark hair was curling around her face, the white streak highlighting her face.

Her heart was beating fast and strong, and her spine was straight and full of poise and pride. In her eyes there was a combination of love, lust, and anticipation that made my mouth go dry.

"Nice Robe."

"Thanks sugar."

We just stared at each other for another minute, Marie shifting from foot to foot before she moved to the bed and put the box of condoms and the sheer pieces of silk she was holding down on the bed. She played with the belt of the robe for and gave me a look, one which I could see 'Well, what next?' written on.

I moved toward her, but then had a flash of intelligence that maybe there was a better way, something more important to say this first time.

"Why don't you just get settled, Marie?"

She blinked, I think she was expecting me to jump on her as soon as I could. Yep, there was definitely a better way to go about this.

"Logan?"

"Just some things I need to take care of in the bathroom first. Just settle in, relax." I gave her the best grin I could under the circumstances, and tightening my hold on my bag, all but ran to the bathroom.

I could hear her mutter as I closed the door, "Who's the freakin' virgin here for cryin' out loud?"

Okay, obviously not the smoothest move I've ever made in my life, but then again, my life isn't much on smooth moves unless I was in a fight cage laying some bastard out.

Wash down a little, brush the teeth, morning breath will come soon enough, now to dress up -

-- oh fucking goody.

I grabbed one of the bodysuits, took a deep breath and crawled into it. Small zipper up the front, a pouch for my balls (Good Christ), and the hole. Oh yeah, we can't forget the hole. The black silk was tight, but definitely not as tight as the spiffy X-Men uniforms, and thank god not an X to be found on it anywhere. The sides had elastic, which would allow for movement, and looking down, I saw that the hole had some elastic too, but while it was secure, it wasn't tight. Threading my dick out the hole, I looked in the mirror.

And for the first time I can remember in a long time, blushed from the top of my head to my toes.

Come on Logan, buck up. It's not like Sabretooth is going to see you in this. Actually, having Scooter see me in this would be worse. I could kill Sabretooth with out any regrets if he saw me in this thing, but Scooter would be a bit more tricky. It would be hard to hide the body with Jeannie and Chuck around.

It's for Marie. It's for you and Marie.

Just breathe.

The only thing left was the wrapped box. Shrugging, I open it and take off the lid. A robe, black and gold silk, the ornate pattern somewhat similar to the one on the maroon and gold robe that Marie was wearing. Ann thought of everything, didn't she? And a note too.

'Logan - Don't be an ass. It'll all work out. Get on with it. - Ann'

She was right. I put on the gloves, and pulling on the robe I turned off the light, heading back out the bedroom.

To Marie.

Just breathe.

* * *

||Marie||

I spent the minutes after Logan had gone into the bathroom contemplating how silly I was acting. Then I re-contemplated it and thought about how this was all going to turn out. It would be perfect. Perfect was just going to be a little different for Logan and I. There wasn't anything wrong with that, as long as we were happy.

I relaxed on the bed, moving pillows, sheets and blankets around into different positions. Then put them all back. By the time Logan opened the bathroom door, I had the quilt pulled back and the pillows down to two per side. It all looked quite acceptable. The lights had been dimmed and there was soft music on the radio. I looked over to the door when he came out of the bathroom.

I hadn't expected him to be dressed up.

I was the one who should be all covered up, right? But he was wearing a robe like mine, but in a black and gold pattern that made him look like the devil's own, reflecting into his hazel eyes. The thing that struck me most were his feet.

They were covered in black silk. It didn't scan right away.

I looked back up to his face and his eyes glinted back at me. I looked at his feet again. Then at mine, encased in forest green silk. Then back at his. Yep, still covered in that black silk. And it went up his legs.

He was wearing a bodysuit, like mine. It just didn't make sense. Why?

"Logan, what are you wearing?"

"One of Ann's specials, just like you."

"Oh. Why?"

His smile was small, a bit of self mockery in it, but it was in his eyes as they stared right at me, never shifting away in embarrassment, even though his cheeks were flushed. "We need to share everything tonight," he gestured down his body with a hand. "Even this."

I don't think he could have said anything more right if he had written me poetry.

I pulled off my robe, throwing it across the chair behind me, moving to where he was standing at the end of the bed. With a smile in which I knew he could read both my nervousness and my longing, I pulled belt of his robe loose and reaching up, pulled the robe from his shoulders.

Wow.

Did I say the devil's own?

He was the dark lord himself, encased in body-hugging black silk, every muscle on his chest, legs, and arms visible through the sheer fabric. His penis was sticking out of a hole in the suit, it should have looked silly, but it didn't. He didn't. He looked like sex. And he was looking straight at me. He was only partially erect, but his eyes were getting that shimmer to them that I knew meant he was ready and willing to work on that.

I looked up at his chest again. Didn't want him to think I was too engrossed with his penis. That wouldn't be cool, would it? (Sneak another look Marie, come on, you know you want to...) Look down, then back up, then farther up... oh... he's looking at me, with a smile that knows exactly what I'm thinking.

I'm going to take that smile as an invitation - run my hands up and down him, shoulders to chest, leaning in every few strokes to kiss his chest. God, he is so... solid. We're still standing at the foot of the bed, he's finally stopped staring and started touching. Like me, he was running is his hands down my arms, to my breasts, never stopping, rubbing, feeling, touching all over.

He leaned down and bit on my ear, my hair protecting him from my skin. From there he rubbed his cheek in my hair, stopping to whisper in my ear. "You sure, darlin'?

I responded with the only thing I could think of. "Don't be an idiot Logan."

He picked me up then and gave me a grin that had everything in the world in it: love, lust, trust, and complete honesty.

He put me down in the center of the bed, following me down, reaching to his right to grab the extra pieces of silk. Pulling it onto my face he kissed me, softly, gently, lovingly. The next kiss was stronger, needy, wanting. He kissed around my mouth, and when he came back and his lips touched mine, and his tongue moved to war with mine, it was all about aching and need.

He's on top of me, a solid, heavy weight, but the most heavenly thing I've ever felt. He shifts to his side, lying along side of me, his hand never stopping its touching, his lips leaving mine for only a second.

If I just give myself over to the feeling, I can imagine there is no fabric between us that we're like anyone else. And if feels so good. He's warm... his body must burn at a higher temperature.

His lips leave mine, moving down my neck, biting, licking, kissing. One hand plays with a breast as his lips start to tease and torment the other, suckling on the nipple.

Oh god that feels good. It's making me wet.

His head lifts from my breast, and he smiles lazily at me, his eyes passion glazed, his nostrils flaring. I can feel him, the him him, hard and firm against my leg.

I want him.

Just remember to breathe.

* * *

||Logan||

Dear god, I can smell her, and it's going straight to my cock. She smiles back at me, and it's the smile of every woman who's ever known that her mate is about to go crazy from want.

I start suckling on the other breast, and my gloved hand moves down, down to the place that smells like Marie and feels like honey. Running my fingers on the outside lips, up and down, then just graze the clit, which makes her moan, and her body shifts slightly. The next pass going inside, to the inner lips, stroking up and down, then back to play with that oh-so-important bundle of nerves.

"Logan!"

Oh, yeah, she liked that.

Moving back to her lips, letting our tongues play while I insert one finger into her, feeling her hips raise off the bed. God, she's halfway there, and I ain't too far behind.

I need a condom, now.

Breaking the kiss, leaving both of us panting, I look back up to the box sitting with the other pieces of fabric.

Jesus, my hands are shaking. Next time, Logan, take them OUT of the damned box FIRST. Okay, got the box open, grabbing one packed from the bunch is surprisingly difficult. Fuck it - need to kiss her again. Damn, this time it was her tongue in my mouth. Oh yeah. I like that. A LOT. Remember to breathe Logan.

Back to the condom. Condom, condom, whose got the condom? Finally... okay. Hands are still shaking, and she's looking all soft and dozy, and the scent. Oh fuck, it's like being wrapped in the best perfume ever made, the one that says, 'I want you now.'

And that's what it is. She wants me now.

Her hands are running all over me again, I'm still on top of her, braced on my knees and elbows to one side trying to get this condom, my cock lying on top of her pelvis, and her hands are moving all over me. Oh, baby, that's it... yeah... She's touching my dick, touching it, pressing me closer to her silk-wrapped body. Oh, that's nice. Condom. Back to the condom. Gotta get that on, Logan. NOW.

Oh, now her hands are on my ass, and she's kneading me like bread dough. That's nice, baby.

"Marie... Marie... Marie? Darlin, you gotta stop for a second, okay? I really need to put this on, and I won't be able to if you're doing that." I think she was listening. Yeah, her hands have stopped touching me. Fuck.

"Logan. Hurry." Petulant little thing when she thinks it's not moving fast enough. I know the feeling.

Screw it. I need to kiss her again. This time her hands go around my neck, then move back to my shoulders, and I can feel the nails, even beneath the silk, even through her gloves.

"Oh, baby, like that, harder..." and she does, her fingers biting into my shoulders, oh god so good.

Condom.

Rearing back, breaking her grip, I shift so that I can roll it on, then pull the elastic around the hole out so that the top of the condom is underneath it. She's watching this, a momentary look of sadness.

"Marie?"

"Logan?" She won't meet my eyes. Damn it.

"There's no way it could be better baby, it's you and me, and that makes it better than anything, ever."

She smiles, but a tear still falls from the corner of one eye. "I love you Logan. Thank you."

I growl, deep in my chest, which makes her eyes open even wider, I could get lost in that velvet brown. "Right back atcha darlin', but never thank me for something I want more than life." She smiles at me, this time no tears, thank god.

I have to kiss her again, her lips, her neck, biting tenderly - she'll have matching marks on her neck in the morning. The thought makes me growl again. Both breasts need attention... she's getting restless, her hands - her hands are everywhere. Shifting again, I bring my hand to that moist heat I can feel, smell, and touch.

Insert one finger, then two, she moans my name... god I love that. Curl the finger inside her to hit the top of the channel, where I should be able to hit the g-spot.

"Logan!"

Oh yeah. Got it that time.

I have to see her eyes.

I take the silk cover from her face, pushing it to the side, and stare into her dark eyes as I press myself into her. Her legs go around my hips, tentatively pulling me deeper, and I lean down so we're face to face, only centimeters separating her smooth skin from mine.

Flexing, I push forward, driving home as quickly as I can, hoping that the pain will be brief. And I kiss her.

Lips to lips, nothing in between.

Her lips are soft, and her tongue darts out to meet mine, and then, as I thrust, breaking her hymen, I feel the pull, hear her indrawn breath, but don't know if that's because I've hurt her, or because of the pull. I break the kiss off, and fight off the momentary weakness.

Pulling the fabric back across her lips, I have to ask, "Marie, you okay? I didn't hurt you too much, did I?"

She closes her eyes for a minute, tears running down the side of her face into her hair. "No... it hurt, then you kissed me... and the pain was gone."

Thank god.

Kissing her, thrusting, her hands everywhere, we kept moving. We were both close, her breathing was getting more and more ragged, her heart was beating frantically, and I could barely breathe I was panting so hard. I shifted so that I could put pressure on her clit as I moved, and she went over.

Thanking every god I've ever heard of I thrust again, and exploded, everything I wanted in the world here, in this one woman.

The air smells like us. I need to be closer to her, I need to be as close as I can through this silk. Still inside her, I lay my head on the soft pillows of her breasts.

Just remember to breathe.

* * *

||Marie||

I thought they were kidding when they said you saw stars. They weren't. I felt like my universe just shifted center. He's still in me, moving slightly, breathing hard, his head's on my breasts. He's heavy, I mean really, unnaturally heavy, and he's still in me.

I didn't expect him to kiss me - he knows the danger. But he did, and the pain went away... and I felt everything that he was feeling in that moment. I knew he wanted me, I knew he loved me, but I didn't know how strongly he felt.

Wow.

It's beginning to hurt a bit, my legs are sore from clenching around him so tight, it takes some effort to get them off him, he still hasn't moved - aside from down there anyway, and that's slowing. I run my hands through his hair, sweat soaked and thick. He just growled... or purred. Does the Wolverine purr? Better call it a growl, more manly that. He's brushing his side burns against my breasts, the hairs are soft and prickly, and he's so close to me. I can smell him, and me, and us. He likes that scent, I can tell. He reminds me of a cat we had back when I was growing up in Mississippi. He loved to be stroked, because he knew he was all that, and he liked to be sure that you knew it too. This is better than that old tom cat though, there's nothing like Logan's hair, and I can feel his breath on my breasts as he comes down.

Oh yes, I do like this.

He lifts his head up, oh, that smile again. Kissing again. I love that. He's out of me now. He rolls to his back, taking me with him, so I'm lying on him, our bodies touching, everywhere. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel great. A little sore, but great."

I snuggle in his arms, and they tighten around me, and it's like the first time he held me, when I was half dead, complete comfort. He kisses my forehead through the hair that's been glued to it by my sweat. I just want to stay like this, all sleepy and safe and cuddled and loved. Logan doesn't particularly seem to want to move either, so I rub my face against his chest, and just let my body relax.

I don't know how long it is until I'm brought back to consciousness. I look up and Logan is awake and looking at me, a smile at the edges of his mouth. He rolls me to my side and gets up off the bed, frowning at my wince. He's gone to the bathroom, and I can hear him starting the shower. What's with that?

"Logan?"

"Just a minute darlin'."

He's back, sans the condom this time. "Logan?"

"You're gonna be a little sore baby. We're gonna take a bath, that'll help a bit."

"We?"

"We."

So he picks me up, and in the bathroom the big claw-footed tub is half full of water... and bubbles. "You used the bubbles?" I can't help but be incredulous. This is Logan after all.

"Yeah. Don't make anything of it. At least it's not ... girly smelling."

"Grapefruit and Tangelo."

"Whatever, at least it ain't roses."

He gets in first, then holds his hand out to me, motioning me to get in from of him, so that when we sit, I'm between his legs, reclining against his chest. Thank goodness the tub is huge, we could probably fit another person in here too. The bath water is just on the hot side of warm. Logan likes it that way, since when on the road you never know when you are going to have a hot bath, you might as well enjoy the hot part when you can.

He was right, this is relaxing, my muscles are melting, and his hands, moving on my body, sometimes resting and massaging here and there. Every time he moves I can feel the muscles in his arms and chest. Shifting back, I rub myself against him, delighting in the fact that I can. A low rumbling is making his chest vibrate, it's like Logan Massage therapy.

His hands at my breast are still working hard, making me restless, making me wet. He stops, and then one hand leaves my breasts and moves down, moving in between my legs. The wet glove goes in and out of me, always coming back to fondle me, making me restless and anxious.

"Let it go darlin'" he rumbles in my ear as he nips at it and his fingers enter me. The next time his skilled fingers come back to the swollen bud, I do let it go, and once again, he's made me come, and I'm so relaxed if he wasn't behind me, holding me upright, I would have sunk beneath the citrus scented bubbles.

"Logan?"

"Just relax, plenty of time for everything. Just take the time now to mellow out."

I'm so sleepy now I just lean back and listen to his heart, beating beneath the silk and his skin.

When I wake up, the water is decidedly colder, and Logan is snoring behind me.

"Logan."

With a snort, he wakes up and looks around, his hair wet on the bottom, the top well matted by sweat and my hands from earlier. His eyes have a wild look for a minute, and I remember his nightmares all of a sudden. Being submerged in water...

"Logan, it's not like in the nightmare..."

He collects himself, then grins at me, taking off his bodysuit. "Yeah, I figured that out, never had a beautiful women in silk in the nightmares. Take the body suit off and get in the shower, warm yourself up. I'll get your robe." And with that, he throws his sopping bodysuit over the towel rack and heads toward the bedroom. Leaving me to stare at his retreating butt. Which is mine now. All mine.

After stripping off the cold, soaking wet bodysuit, I unplug the tub, then get into the glassed in shower across from it, turning it up to full heat, trying to drive the feeling of cold water from my bones. I stay in for just a few minutes, washing my hair and just scrubbing up. Getting out, I see that Logan's been sitting on the edge of the tub, staring at me in silence. He hands me a towel and points to my robe on the hook behind the door. I get out of his way and he goes into the shower, getting warm. Since he didn't say anything, I don't mention his hard on.

I leave the bathroom and more importantly, the very attractive tableau of Logan washing himself down in the glass doored shower and go out to the bedroom, grabbing my hair dryer and brush from my bag as I head toward the vanity. The next time I look up from my dried hair, Logan is staring at me again from the bed, wrapped in his black and gold robe, his wet hair already drying into its usual pointed style.

He looks thoughtful. "How many bodysuits did Ann make you?"

"Ten."

He raises an eyebrow in amusement. "I think we should probably put new ones on for now... in case we want to do anything when we wake up."

I nod, I'm tired now. The heat of both bath and shower, our lovemaking, and just the emotional ups and downs of the last few hours combining to knock me out.

After we put on clean and dry bodysuits, we get into bed, Logan behind me, spooning me, and I notice, but say nothing about the fact he's on the outside, his back to the door, protecting me even in sleep.

The last sound I hear is his breathing and his heartbeat, as I slip into sleep.

* * *

||Logan||

Damn that was good. Yeah, I know, I'm not supposed to run comparisons on sex, especially when at best the others I liked, and I love Marie, but damn that was good.

She's asleep now, breathing deep and even, curled up in my arms.

Shoulda closed that damn blind last night, I'm not in the mood for sunshine. I can hear Marie starting to wake up, her breathing changes, and she's making these snuffling sounds... and trying to climb inside me it would seem. Oh yeah, come on baby, stretch like that again, you rubbed all the right places. Marie turns over, staring at me, then smiles.

"Hi."

"Hey. How do you feel?"

"Great... complete." She blushes a little, which makes her look even more adorable.

She grabs one of the pieces of silk that we left on the night table and pushes me until I'm on my back, then drapes it over my face. She's a very good kisser, my Marie. Straddling my waist, she wiggles until I'm harder than I can remember being in years, then she lifts her lips from mine and grins at me. I touch her everywhere I can reach, making sure to pay extra attention to her breasts and her lips. Flipping her over I take the fabric and put it over the juncture of her thighs, placing it and pulling it tight so I can use my tongue to torment her clit, making her moan and pant. Using my tongue and my fingers, I make her hot and wet, and she's moving with every stroke of my fingers.

I can feel her hands in my hair, pulling. I look up, and her dark eyes sparkle back at me. Taking the fabric with me, I move up her body so that our lips and tongues can play once more.

Breaking it off, she pushes me until I'm on my back. With hands that have skills she never learned and an enthusiasm that's all Marie, she takes the condom she grabbed from the night table and puts it on me, touching me with her gloved hands first, which was enough to make me want to flip her over right then and there. She finally gets the rubber on me, one hand massaging my balls in their silk pouch, the other moving up and down the shaft, ending with a gentle massage on the head.

"Marie..."

"Yes Logan?"

"Come 'ere."

She crawls up my body, making sure that part of her is touching every part of me on the way, and finally she's back, straddling me, her eyes and scent telling me that she's ready. Ever so slowly she lowers herself on to me, taking in the head, then pulling back, killing me inch by inch. The next stroke is deeper, me moving up slightly while she moves down, then back up. She gives me a shocked glance when I growl deeply, then grins.

The next stroke is complete and total... I'm in her, she's around me, and oh god if feels like coming home. We start to move; up, down, shaking, wiggling, thrusting, pushing, pulling... every verb, every action. She's above me, looking like a flame in her red silk bodysuit, the streak of white in her hair a lightning bolt in the dark mass. The sound of the silk on her skin, on my skin is ringing in my ears, a soft sound, a sound I will never be able to hear without thinking of her like this. Her eyes haven't left mine, until I feel her clasping me within her, and I know she's about to climax, and she does as her eyes close almost in pain, pulling me with her. I growl, long and hard, the sound pulled from my lungs as I come, it's all I can do to keep myself from extending my claws it's so primal. She falls on to my chest, her long hair swirling everywhere.

And it's all we can do to remember to breathe.

* * *

||Marie||

It's Sunday morning, and we're still in bed, lying here, touching on and off, talking on and off, kissing, on and off. We got out of bed on Saturday, had something to eat, made love on the sofa in the living room, curled up around each other and talked. The kitchen was next - hopefully no one will notice the slight dent on the refrigerator door. Logan hadn't been expecting me, but his butt looked so good when he was bent over to look for the mustard on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Good thing we hadn't left anything on the center island other than the newspaper we bought with the groceries. Saturday night we watched the Wild soundly thump the Stars, and then went back to bed, where he got wild and I saw stars.

We've spent the whole time in bodysuits, sometimes putting clothes on over, other times, just putting the robes on. Logan is looking at me now, and I can feel him starting to perk up against my thigh. Once more and then we'll have to clean up, pack, and head home. Where we'll combine rooms and move on with our lives.

Logan slides over me, and I look up at his face, grinning lustily at me through the sheer silk, and I know he was being honest, that it doesn't matter, all the special things we have to do. And later, as he slides into me I know that it will only get better.

* * *

||Scott||

Jean gave me strange looks when I checked out the kitchen window to see if the truck was back yet. We're getting our Sunday night ice cream, a ritual we've had for years. I know - it sounds like something tight-assed Scott and Jean would do, but it's always been a calming thing for us, a way to end one week and start another one. Then we'll go upstairs and go at it like mink.

I've always enjoyed the incongruity of it.

Jean and I had a big conversation about Logan and Rogue, one which ended up with her pointing out to me that our relationship was, when you get down to it, not exactly the most normal thing in the world either. I still think he's a jerk, but being with Rogue keeps his eyes off my girl, and to be honest, he seems to make his girl happy. He fucks up, I'll aerate his liver so even he won't be able to heal, but as long as he keeps on the straight and narrow with her, I'll let him live.

Oh. I can hear the truck in the driveway, maybe I should just go out and help Logan and Rogue with their luggage - ask them how their weekend was and all.

Jean looks up from the cupboard where she's getting the bowls down. "Scott?"

"Just going to help Logan with their luggage, Jean."

And I got out that kitchen door as quick as I could. Having a fiancee who can read minds is sometimes not a good thing, and to be honest, it wouldn't take any mind reading to know that I'm partially heading down there to annoy Logan. Cheap amusements and all.

When I got down to the drive, Logan seemed to be helping Rogue out of the truck. What the hell had he done to her?

Oh, I see. He was playing tonsil hockey through what appeared to be a piece of silk with her while she was still sitting in the truck.

This could be fun.

"Hey guys! Did you have a good weekend?" The fabric dropped into her lap and Rogue blushed, but she's smiling when she says yes. I think Logan growled.

"I'm glad you guys are back, we should probably go over next term's lesson plans tonight, just a couple of hours or so."

Logan's look was homicide mixed with a particularly pissed off shade of disbelief. Rogue climbed down from the truck, a slight wince of discomfort as she moved. And her neck has some interesting new colors on it too. Well, Scott, it wasn't like you didn't know they were going to have sex, right? Hell, you and Jean left the mansion the first time you did it too. Charles would never pry, but some things you just didn't want to have happen for the first time with the most powerful psychic in the world in the same house.

Jean's coming down the steps, and with a smile at them asks them how it all went, getting the same answer as I did. Rogue is trying to diffuse Logan by telling me that once they get their stuff back upstairs they'll come back down and we can work on lesson plans for a little bit, but that there is plenty of time before the next term.

Crap. Jean's looking at me like I'm insane. I forgot in my Wolverine baiting that it's Sunday, and Sundays are ice cream and mink sex. Damn.

She gives me a good glare. "Rogue, why don't you and I get some ice cream. I'm sure Logan and Scott can handle the luggage on their own. Can't you, gentlemen?" I cannot emphasize enough the sarcastic stress she put on that last word.

She and Rogue have headed into the house, and Logan is still looking pissed. Well, Jean annoyed wasn't a part of my plan, but at least I managed succeed in getting Logan's goat. Score one for the Cykemeister.

"Scooter..."

"What Loga... ooofff." Okay, apparently revenge is going to be throwing bags at me. Well, I can handle that, revenge things that don't include my internal organs and adamatium claws are definitely preferable. I grab two bags, he grabs the other three, and we head up the backstairs to the adult floors. We're on the floor when I stop, I thought I heard...

"Logan, do you hear Christmas music?"

He looks at me and blinks, then sniggers. "Don't be an idiot Scooter."

At Rogue's room he stops, goes in and puts three of the duffels on the bed, then looks thoughtful and takes grabs one back again and slings it over his shoulder. He catches up to me at his door, and once we're inside, throws that bag and the two I was carrying on to his bed.

We stare at each other for a minute, then, in one of those mutual decisions we men make, when we're being manly, we head back down to the kitchen.

"Shouldn't have pissed her off on Sunday night, Scooter."

Bastard.

"Shut up Logan."

He just smirks at me. When I start whistling 'Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree' he gets a little antsy looking. He probably has something against Christmas music. Figures. Don't know what would make me think of Christmas music this time of year.

I tell him that we'll be getting a new teacher next week, a Hank McCoy, and that we'll have to clean out one of the spare rooms on the adult floor. He tells me that we could probably just move the guy into Rogue's room, since she'll be moving in with him.

Even knowing that they've had sex now, that they've chosen to move their relationship to a new level, I see red at that. No pun intended. He is so unbelievably arrogant...

* * *

||Marie||

I was getting the chocolate sauce from the cupboard when Jean and I heard Logan and Scott arguing out in the hall.

Rolling our eyes, we caught things like 'innocent', 'no way', 'none of your business', 'is that the kind of thing...', and 'get the fuck over it Scooter' as our respective partners squabbled like children out in the hall.

"We should probably go make sure they aren't hitting each other or something," Jean said thoughtfully as she put the ice cream on the table.

"We'll probably end up having to distract them or something," I replied.

"Well, sex would be the quickest way to stop them from behaving like morons."

That was an idea too good to resist. I couldn't help it. Sex with Logan was becoming one of my favorite activities. If we put the ice cream back in the freezer, it would still be there for afters.

Jean was already putting the ice cream back and I put the chocolate sauce back on the counter. As she headed out the door, I had a better thought. Grabbing the chocolate sauce, I sprinted to catch up with Jean.

After all, the bodysuits were washable.



Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right
I hope you have the time of your life

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day



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