"We'll finish this conversation later," Charles assured Logan once he was called away to speak with a few students. However, with his mind still fresh on the events of 1973 Logan realized that he had a lot of catching up to do with the world around him. Charles had promised that everything would come to him over time, but in the moment everything for Logan was hazy. He could remember the threat that had taken him back to 1973. He could recall being in the water drowning and then…

"I'm back here," Logan mouthed to himself as he quietly made his way back up to his room hoping to take the time to process the changes that surrounded him.

Looking up as Logan approached the staircase he hadn't been up in longer than he could remember in the present, he noticed Hank was on his way downstairs with a couple of books in hand. Hank was watching Logan with a knowing grin before offering up a small, amused laugh.

"Logan," Hank spoke up as they both stood on the stairs each half way to their destination with Hank on the way down, "I realize that last night was a late one for you, but could you two keep it down a bit? After all we wouldn't want you both to wake up the entire student body with an inappropriate volume level, now would we?"

"What do you mean?" Logan questioned as Hank resumed in his walk down the stairs to head off towards his office in the opposite direction.

"You're still quite the joker, aren't you?" Hank shook his head and walked off leaving Logan to take in the way the world around him had taken a drastic turn from the bleak future he'd once been surrounded by. There were so many things he'd hoped for, things he'd never anticipated experiencing again starting with Scott and Jean being alive and well in Xavier's office.

"It's not too late to change things," a voice inside Logan's head had prompted him to remember during his mission to make things right in 1973, yet in being home again with everyone around him alive and well, it brought a warmth to his heart. He'd done it. Not only had he stopped the sentinels from taking over the world, but he'd brought back those he'd loved the most.

"Jean," Logan smiled entering his room and thinking about how relaxed she'd seemed when he'd approached her. It was the one regret he'd carried with him in having to kill her, yet there she stood beside him happy and smiling as he'd once remembered. It almost took his breath away to think that she was back—that the world had changed, but what he hadn't been prepared for was that moment when Scott spoke up and reached for him. Closing his eyes Logan thought back to his immediate response to Scott. Everything inside of him had wanted to reach out and embrace Scott—to pull him in his arms and never let go like he'd hoped for during their last fateful encounter before Jean had stolen Scott from him. However, he'd merely settled for a squeeze of Scott's shoulder and a look that lingered far longer than he'd intended in having Scott so close to him.

"I never should've let him go," Logan had told himself time and time again, yet with the past changed and Scott now alive and well, Logan realized he had a second chance. Things had changed. He'd done it. Things were as they always should've been.

"I can finally tell him what I always wanted to say," Logan mouthed dropping down on top of his bed when his thoughts returned to the man who'd haunted his dreams since the moment he'd lost him. There were so many memories that overtook Logan in Scott's absence. There were so many sensations that carried over his skin in remembering the way things were before he'd gone back in time when he and Scott had fallen into one another's arms, lost in lust and sensation after they'd lost Jean. Their physical connection had consumed them time and time again, yet it was the love that Logan had felt in his heart that kept him locked up in regret at the way things had ended for him and Scott. Making love to him that one last time before Scott had left for Alkali Lake hadn't been enough. It wasn't where Logan had wanted things to end, yet…

"What if it never happened?" a voice inside of Logan's head questioned when he realized the past had changed. He and Scott had come together after Jean had died, but now, well, Jean was very much alive which could only mean that he and Scott had never been lovers. Everything he remembered could simply be his memory alone of a time that never truly existed. His lust for Scott could've gone unquenched. The more Logan thought about it, the more he pondered if they'd never given in to their attraction and hunger given that Jean was still alive. It was her absence that had strengthened the bond between them, but with her still alive and well at Scott's side it could only mean that…

"We never were together," Logan realized feeling his heart sink when it dawned upon him that the memories that he still carried with him about the stoic leader of the X-Men were his to carry alone in this new version of the present. Twisting on top of the sheets Logan found himself presented with a moment of loss in knowing with the good he'd brought about, there were things that he sacrificed along the way in order to make things as they should be. The fabric of time had been altered creating something entirely different, yet with the good came about a sense of loss and history stolen from Logan in the process. It hadn't been the first time that he'd lost a part of his life, yet in thinking about a life where he and Scott hadn't been lovers, it dawned on him that it was undoubtedly the worst part of it all to have taken.

"He's alive," Logan reminded himself with a sigh, "that's all that matters. Anything else we shared is secondary to his happiness and…"

Logan stopped himself when he heard the sound of water running in his bathroom. Immediately his ears perked up when he realized that the shower was on. Frowning he sat up straighter on the bed wondering if somehow he'd left it on in a haste right before his consciousness had been reunited with his body in this new reality that surrounded him. With a groan Logan twisted his neck to the side feeling it crack when he anticipated returning to the shower to give himself a few moments of clarity. However, before he could follow through on his actions the noise came to an abrupt ending.

A few seconds later the bathroom door swung open and Logan's eyes widened upon discovering Scott walking out of the bathroom clad only in his glasses and a navy colored towel draped loosely around his long, slender waist. Wordlessly Scott crossed the room making his way towards the closet when Logan's eyes widened with surprise.

"Slim," Logan gulped down hard as Scott opened the closet doors to peer inside, "wh-what are you doing?"

"Getting dressed," Scott remarked not bothering to turn around and face Logan when his fingers returned to the knot on his towel. In the blink of an eye he discarded it allowing the material to bunch at his feet before he stepped inside of the closet and began to shuffle around, "What are you doing?"

"I…I…" Logan found himself at a loss when Scott returned with a blue and white pinstriped shirt in hand. He held it out on the hanger inspecting the collar while Logan's eyes carried over the lean lines of his still damp body. Suddenly the room grew increasingly hotter as Logan watched Scott pull at a loose thread on the shirt all the while completely unaffected by his blatant nudity in front of Logan.

"What?" Scott questioned when his full, lush lips curved downward in the beginnings of a scrutinizing scowl, "Please don't tell me you hit your head too hard last night in the Danger Room during that training session. I know you said you were fine, but…"

"I'm fine," Logan's eyes caressed the lines of Scott's body before he sprung up off of the bed. Instinctively he reached for the shirt in Scott's hand. He wrapped his fingers around the material, doing his best not to tremble as his fingertips pressed in over Scott's palm in a tentative brush of movement. Unable to believe the warmth beside him Logan reached out with his left hand to touch Scott's perfectly sculpted cheekbone, "You're really here."

"Of course I'm here," Scott's lips curved upward in an uneasy smirk before he stretched his arm out so that he could feel Logan's forehead, "Please don't tell me you've contracted something that is making you delirious…"

"You know I don't get sick Slim," Logan couldn't help, but tease leaning into Scott's touch.

"I realize that, but last night you seemed…" Scott paused biting down on his lower lip, "off after dinner. Then this morning with the way you were looking at Jean, well…"

"Jean," Logan replied snapping out of his daze long enough to think about his current situation. With a gulp he stepped back regretfully releasing the side of Scott's face, "Does she…does she know you're up here?"

"I would imagine so," Scott wrinkled his nose at Logan, "I told her I was going to hit the shower before dinner considering that…"

"She doesn't realize you're in here though," Logan couldn't help, but frown, "does she? Then again, what are you doing in here Slim?"

"Very funny Logan," Scott shook his head and laughed before turning into the closet again, "Now I know you're just messing with me. Hank warned me that you were in a mood today, but I guess I didn't think that would apply to me."

"No Slim, I'm…" Logan stopped himself when he peered into the closet to see the neatly stacked plastic containers of clothing before him. He watched Scott stretch up on his toes reaching for the container on top of the others and pulling it down. With a triumphant smirk Scott set the container down on the floor and opened it up to reveal a navy colored sweater that looked far too much like a soccer dad's wardrobe for Logan's liking.

"What is it?" Scott questioned standing up again and facing Logan, "Are you worried about tonight? Is that it?"

"Tonight?" Logan repeated when his eyes were suddenly drawn to the golden wedding band on Scott's finger.

"Look, I know you and I had words over it, but you're not getting out of this Logan. You promised me a night out. We both agreed that even though it's not a part of our daily routine it's a necessity to incorporate into our schedules," Scott's lips curved down in the beginnings of a smirk.

"No Scott, it's not that I…" Logan couldn't help, but frown when Scott wrinkled his nose at him.

"I realize that this is a struggle for you to move over this particular hurdle," Scott continued on the conversation as casual as ever while Logan merely stood beside him unable to keep focusing on Scott's mouth. There was something about being lectured from Scott that caused a warmth to spread in his chest, to really reach him in other places that others hadn't been able to do even with Scott's firm, authoritative tone overtaking him, "I don't want you to get cold feet now that I've gone out and made the arrangements and…"

"The arrangements," Logan repeated tipping his head to the side and giving Scott another tentative glance, "for what?"

"Our anniversary, you idiot," Scott groaned outwardly before setting the sweater down on top of the container he'd just pulled it out of, "Don't even pretend you don't remember because I swear if you even think for a second that you're going to get out of dinner and dancing after Jean practiced with you to get it right, then…"

"Jean," Logan frowned thinking about the situation he'd found himself in.

"She warned me that you might put up some protest," Scott nodded twisting around to glance over his shoulder at Logan once again.

"Protest? You mean about…" Logan stopped himself when a sense of concern carried over him, "the fact that you and Jean are having an anniversary outing tonight?"

"What?" Scott wrinkled his nose at him, "No, Logan you're really starting to concern me given that…"

"That what?" Logan moved in closer to Scott.

"That right now I'm starting to wonder if I should take you down to see Charles again," Scott frowned back at him, "He said that I should make sure you take it easy today, but I have no idea what's happening with you considering that…"

"Jeanie knows you're up here?" Logan blurted out in an uneasy question, "And she's okay with it? Truly?"

"Why would it be of any interest to her if I'm up here?" Scott paused giving Logan another long look, "unless of course you're going to try to find a way to distract me long enough to keep me from grading those papers I wanted to get in before tonight."

"Papers," Logan repeated watching as Scott stepped in closer to him.

"You do have a tendency to try to keep me from my work and with it being our anniversary and all," Scott's arms slid around Logan's shoulders to hold him closer, "well, I suppose I might let you get away with a little bit of distracting me if you play your cards right. Granted I was hoping to get a little bit done given that was my second shower of the day, but with a compelling argument I might consider getting dirty again."

"Scott, are you saying that…?" Logan questioned when Scott's lips settled in over the side of his neck. Impulsively his arms wrapped around Scott's body pulling him in closer when his hands found their way to Scott's tight, muscular bottom. Instinctively he offered up a squeeze that caused Scott to arch in against him, grinding in a slow, subtle motion.

"I've been thinking about that thing you did last night," Scott whispered in his ear seductively. His lips teased over the side of Logan's neck, sliding over his jawline before he followed up with teasing nips on Logan's skin. Between bites and licks Scott's lips found their way to Logan's hovering over him a mere couple of inches apart, "the way that you held me down when we were making love—I suppose we got a little out of control."

"We did?" Logan replied curiously as Scott's fingers tangled tightly into Logan's thick, dark hair.

"Horribly out of control," Scott divulged in a quiet whisper, "so much so that Hank's not going to let us live it down. Even Charles seemed to realize what we'd been doing given the way he was looking at me earlier. I know he tries not to intrude if he can help it, but I realize we're obvious to everyone around us."

"Is that right?" Logan mused when the warmth of Scott's breath carried over the side of his neck.

"There's something about the way you make me feel. Just the way we fit together brings out these animalistic, primitive urges in me…" Scott lulled seductively.

Scott's words buzzed in Logan's ear when Logan's fingers kneaded into Scott's flesh, gripping and holding him with the same familiarity that had haunted his dreams time and time again. He heard Scott offer up a small moan, his body twisting against Logan's when their lips met in a heated display of passion and arousal. Instinctively Logan squeezed Scott in his arms, guiding him up off of the carpet and back over to the bed where Logan settled in over him. Logan reached out to touch the side of Scott's face. He pulled back seeing the high cheekbone before him guiding his fingertip on a path to the mouth he'd coveted for longer than he could remember. It was then that Logan noticed the golden band on his own finger pressed up against Scott's skin. It was identical to the one Scott was wearing when suddenly things began to make sense.

"It's our anniversary," Logan gasped when thoughts of the life he'd missed out on in his quest to change the past played out before him. He could recall when he'd first come to the X-Men. There before his eyes he saw his first meeting with Scott much like it had been before. Everything had been the same until that moment when he and Scott had parted ways after their passionate night together. Unlike what had transpired before Scott left for Alkali Lake things had changed when their fight had ended in an embrace. Logan's refusal to let Scott leave ended in a kiss that had changed everything. Beyond that Logan could recall when they'd all gone to rescue Jean. She'd been lost inside of the Dark Phoenix, but with everyone's help she'd come to save herself and along the way she and Scott had come to realize their relationship had reached its conclusion when Logan and Scott's feelings for one another had come to light. Things had been tense at first, but then everything had fallen into place from Logan's proposal to his and Scott's wedding where Jean had stood by their side as Scott's honorary 'best woman' giving them her blessing and support, "You chose me."

"Of course I chose you. Just like you chose me," Scott confessed arching up off of the bed to cup Logan's face in his hands, "We both knew there wasn't any other option where we were concerned."

"Never for me," Logan pushed his fingers into Scott's thick, dark hair when he found himself surrounded by memories of the morning he'd put behind him. He could recall hopping into the shower with Scott and whispering naughty words to him until the two had crashed into one another on a collision course to passion again and again. The resulting passion session had lead them to running out of hot water in the midst of temptation causing them to relocate to the bedroom where Logan had later drifted off to sleep as Scott had left for his morning class. It all came into his mind down to every last vivid detail as Logan cupped and held Scott's face in his hands, "You've always been my first choice Scott."

"I know," Scott whispered kissing him once again, "you've always been mine as well."

"And so here we are," Logan mouthed holding Scott close to him, "like it always should've been."

"I'd like to think so although if you're not feeling well," Scott began worriedly, "maybe we shouldn't go out tonight. We can always forget about the reservations and stay at home in bed if you need to rest and…"

"I wouldn't miss tonight for anything in the world," Logan promised as he thought to the new life he had ahead of him, "Our anniversary means everything to me Scott."

"I was hoping you'd say that because for a minute there I figured you'd say you were caught up in your two left feet ready to skip out on our date night and…" Scott's words were brought to an abrupt conclusion when Logan kissed him again.

"Not a chance," Logan promised him eagerly. He traced the lines of Scott's features before doing everything to imprint the memory into his mind forever, "I'm never going to take another moment between us for granted ever again. This is everything I've ever hoped for and more Slim. This is always what I wanted."

"Me too," Scott smiled at him as Logan found himself eagerly embracing what the future had in store for him now that it seemed everything was as it should be once and for all.

The End