Author's Note: This is my first songfic, so I'm sorry if it sucks. Anywho, it's based on a song my friend wrote before he passed away so you guys will just have to rely on the words since no one will know the music except me.
A/N 2: This story takes place between the parts of New X-Men 148 where Jean talks about the Phoenix and Jean and Logan sit talking. Nothing really happens, but I just thought they would say more than they did in the comic book…
A/N 3: All conversation takes place telepathically, even though I'm using the normal quote marks.
A/N 4: 04/29/05 - I was told I had to remove my friend's lyrics from this story. I'm rather upset about it, but I refuse to totally take down the story since I received such a good response to it. I've removed the song part of this story - if you would like to read the actual, unedited version, I'd be more than happy to send it along in an email. The song I had originally used was "Three Word Sigh" by Ryan Lariviere (1981-2003), who was a good friend who passed away my senior year of college.
Logan watched as Jean tossed aside what was left of her shirt and, blinking back sweat from his own eyes, sighed slightly. They had twelve hours until they hit the sun and things were looking pretty bleak. This isn't how they were supposed to die, he thought bitterly. Not like this. Not by crashing into the sun on what was left of Buckethead's old asteroid. And Jean had just told him that the Phoenix force would be no help.
"There's nothin' I can do." He finally admitted, tossing aside a screwdriver that was clenched in his fist. "This place is fallin' apart and I can't do shit about it."
"You and me both." Jean said, wiping her brow. She sat down and leaned against some of the broken computers, with Logan following suit on the other side of the room.
"We're going to die up here." Jean said matter-of-factly.
"Nah. Scott and Hank'll show up to save the day."
"No." Jean shook her head. "No, not this time."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, both knowing she was right.
"I'll never see Jubes again." Logan thought, forgetting the psychic link.
"She'll be pissed." Jean added dryly.
"Tell me about it." Logan said, hiding his surprise that she had heard him.
Jean looked over at him and tried to wipe the sweat from her eyes again. He looked up at her and their eyes met for the longest moment.
"I can't stop sweating." Jean said softly, almost to herself. Then she looked away from Logan. "So, how's Jubilee? I haven't had time to talk to her." She said, louder."I couldn't tell ya, Red. It's been so crazy at home. I haven't had any time to talk to her. Her friend, Angelo, died but that's all I really know." He sighed, cracking his neck. "I thought…that I'd have time later."
"I know what you mean." She sighed deeply. "Scott…Scott and I haven't talked much since he and Emma…well, you know."
"Yeah, yeah I know."
"I'll never be able to tell him I love him."
"He knows."
"Does he?" Jean said to herself. Logan remained quiet, trying to think of a new topic. Nothing came to his mind.
"I'll miss Ororo." Jean said, trying to focus on anything other than her husband.
"Yeah." Logan nodded. "Or, more accurately, she'll miss us."
"Right. Right, because we won't miss anything in a few hours." Jean shook her head again and Logan knew she wasn't doing well. The heat was getting to her.
"The cavalry will come." Logan said again.
"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"
"Can't it be both?"
Jean smiled at him and closed her eyes. "I'm so tired."
"Don't fall asleep on me, Jeannie." Logan said, concern clearly etched on his face. "I'll start talkin' to myself and things never go too good when that happens."
Jean smiled. "I could really use a big chocolate ice cream cone."
"Now yer talkin'." Logan nodded, wiping his brow again.
"You like chocolate ice cream?" Her eyebrows shot up in amusement.
"I dunno." He shrugged. "Never really thought t'try it."
"You've never tried ice cream?"
"No, I didn't say that." Logan corrected, amused with himself. "I've never had chocolate ice cream. It's a woman's thing."
"Oh, I see. It's not very manly."
Logan shrugged.
"And strawberry is?"
"Hey now." Logan said, giving her a sharp, but friendly, look. "Don't go poking around in my head."
"I can't help it. I'm so tired. And I want some ice cream. And maybe some iced tea." She sighed. "It's taking too much to concentrate. I just can't stop sweating. God, an ice cube would be worth a million dollars right now."
Logan's keen eyes watched her and he knew they would hit the sun after she died. He knew Hank and Scott weren't coming. He saw her fear and knew she could see his. And she knew it was fear for her death, not his own. Her eyes raised and they stared at each other, both fully aware of what the other was thinking.
Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the current situation. Something had happened on Earth, he was sure of it. Something major. How on earth did Mags beat them, he wondered."Maybe it wasn't him." Jean offered, throwing Logan off again. He should know better than to think she wouldn't hear his thoughts. She's a telepath after all.
"You're just figuring this out now?" Jean asked, a small smile on her lips.
"It had to be Magneto." Logan said, ignoring her comment.
"But how?" Jean asked, her thoughts quickly drifting away. "I just wanted a family. A little girl, maybe. And a cat. A big old marmalade cat."
I just wanted to see my son.
Jean's attention snapped to and she stared at Logan. He was lost in his own thoughts and he didn't know she had heard his inner most thought.
"You have a son?" She asked, her mouth open for effect.
Logan didn't answer at first, he simply looked at her with an unreadable expression on his face. It didn't matter what he told her now. They were dead in eleven hours and twenty minutes anyways.
"Yeah. He's almost ten."
"Ten? How…why didn't you tell us?"
"Our lifestyle doesn't work well with kids."
"Tell me about him." Jean said, blinking back sweat. "One ice cream cone is all I want…"
Logan ignored her slight rambling and scratched the back of his head.
"His name is Kevin. He lives with his mom up in Canada. It was just a fling, until she told me she was pregnant. But then Alpha Flight needed me and I couldn't say no, if you follow." He shook his head, disappointed in himself. "Then Chuck came and I left with him. His mom and me didn't have anything going on really. I'm not really a relationship type of guy anyways. So I made sure she had money and that they were taken care of. She used to send me pictures."
She watched him speak and noticed the pride in his eyes. Jean also saw the love behind his words. He's so amazing, Jean thought. Logan could feel her watching him and he glanced up. He flashed her a lop-sided grin and she looked down at her hands.
"What were you saying?" Jean asked, feigning distraction. "I can't focus. I'm sorry, Logan. Was it about Jubilee? I can't remember…Do you think Scott still loves me? God, I'd love to be at the pool right now…"
Logan simply watched Jean and wanted to take her place. He wouldn't die until they hit the sun, he knew that. But she was going to be gone before then at this rate. His healing factor was dealing with the sweat and compensating for the loss of fluids easily. He was barely sweating and Jean was drenched.
"I love you, Jeannie." Logan whispered through their link.Her eyes locked with his and she smiled. "I know, Logan. I love you, too...just differently. But you know that already, don't you?"
"I always have."
He knew she felt more than friendship, but he wasn't going to call her on it. Logan could feel it through their link now and it was good enough for him. Jean smiled, but Logan could tell it was taking a lot out of her to simply stay awake. The smile didn't reach her eyes. She was dying and there was nothing they could do about it.
"I'll miss you." Jean said quietly. "You've always been one of my best friends, Logan. Take care of Scott, will you? He'll be lost without me. And make sure Ororo waters her plants."
Logan knew she was talking gibberish now, but he simply nodded. It wouldn't do any good to tell her she wasn't making any sense.
"Of course, Jeannie. I'll do whatever you want."
She shook her head and looked at him, her eyes slightly more focused.
"I'm not making any sense, am I?"
"No, not really." Logan admitted. "But it's ok."
"How did Magneto do it?" Jean asked, trying desperately to focus on the problem at hand. "There has to be a way to fix this."
"Yeah, like I said, Hank and Scooter will show up any minute now."
Jean laughed at that and Logan looked up at her, with a strange little smile on his face. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours, but only minutes had passed.
"You're so beautiful." He said. "I mean it, Jeannie."
"I love you. I truly do." Jean replied, knowing what he meant. She locked eyes with his. "You know that, right?"
"I know, Jeannie. I know."
Finis
A/N: Please read and review…
