From the start there was always something about Logan that always managed to work its way underneath Scott's skin. Time and time again he couldn't help, but find himself infuriated by the man that had worked his way into his life in more ways than he'd anticipated when Logan had first found his way to X-Men. It gnawed at Scott in ways he had always hated to admit to, but even now more so since they'd parted ways. That had been the worst of it for Scott—at least that's what he'd believed it would be as Logan had walked away without so much as a second look back at the time they shared with one another. The damned Schism had started with a difference of ideologies, but everything that had followed had felt so damned important—so purposeful in both of their stubbornness, but now, well it almost seemed irrelevant.

"You know one day you're going to be the death of me," Scott had once confessed to Logan back at the old school, back before everything had gone to hell between them. It was more than he would've said during most circumstances, but with the two of them tucked in the back of the showers during a moment of post-coital bliss with Scott's arm tucked around Logan's thick, muscular form simply stroking his damp, hairy chest, he'd found himself caught up in a brief moment of sentimentality.

"Only if you aren't the death of me first," Logan teased giving them a moment of comfort and ease before all hell had broken loose upon them.

Now, however, seated on the center of the bed of the seedy hotel room, Scott looked up to see Logan standing before him undressed and ready to begin the systematic process they'd entered into over the last few months with one another. This place even with its dirty curtains and lingering stench of stale tobacco had somehow become 'their place' making everything about what was happening with them all the more important in the few minutes they shared with one another. It was all a part of the process beginning with an old jolt of barbs passed between them, a few insults that followed until Logan and Scott tackled one another caught up in the feel of tangled limbs and twisted bodies, giving in to temptation in every way imaginable between them until both were spent by exhaustion and the weight of reality upon them. However, with Logan simply standing there watching Scott with an uneasy expression on his face, Scott found himself at a loss. This was different. Tonight was different.

"Logan," Scott opened his mouth to say something—anything that would convey the years of repression he'd carried inside of him during their time together. On so many instances Scott had wanted to tell Logan what was really happening inside of him—to share what it was he hadn't ever been to say after years of buried emotions and having to be the one in control of the others. He had a place—a position that required him to be strong—to keep from letting his guard down, but with the somber expression on Logan's face, Scott feared what this night would mean for them.

"Don't," Logan pleaded reaching out to stroke the side of Scott's face, "not tonight."

"Logan, if we don't talk about it," Scott began in a halfhearted attempt to open up the door to something that felt foreign to their situation.

"Not tonight," Logan repeated with a shake of his head. His thick fingers curled underneath Scott's chin, coaxing Scott to look up into his eyes from behind his visor, "not when we both know it won't change anything. We're beyond that now."

"Are we?" Scott inquired preparing to say something more when Logan dipped down to claim his lips in a slow, exploratory kiss. Unlike the rough, dominant kisses they'd shared in the past this one was more poignant, full of emotion they hadn't been able to say to one another up until now. Reaching out Scott slid his long arms around Logan's waist in an attempt to draw him nearer. Despite his hesitance Logan did as instructed bending down further to run his hands through Scott's hair in an uneasy movement.

"Slim," Logan found himself at a loss when he arched back. Again his thumb and index finger found their way to Scott's face, centering in his high cheekbones before he placed a kiss on his forehead, "let's not complicate this. We never really planned on this being forever."

"We never believed goodbye was a permanent thing either," Scott frowned pulling at Logan's hip. He arched forward, shifting his position on the bed until he was perched upon his knees bringing himself eyelevel with Logan.

"I don't think we have a choice this time Slim," Logan forced an ironic smile, "I just never thought that I'd be the one going to see Jeanie first."

"Do you honestly believe there's a chance in hell that I'd allow that to happen?" Scott sneered in response. His arms stretched out, fingers gripping Logan's dark, unruly hair and tugging upon it to kiss him with the pent up frustration inside of him—to somehow release the bitterness and desire that he'd been harboring when their tongues collided. Their lips crashed together, bodies falling onto the lumpy mattress with Scott's hands roaming over Logan's body, doing everything in his power to dismiss Logan's words. As their mouths parted, Scott glared down at him, "I need you Logan. You aren't going anywhere."

"Scott, we know it's not up to us," Logan attempted to say something—anything to express the regret he'd carried with him. However, he simply resigned himself to the moment giving himself to Scott completely as their kisses expanded pushing forward into the passion that was ever present between them. Every touch felt more important. Every taste, every teasing kiss held a deeper significance until finally Scott settled in over Logan simply holding onto his damp body lost in the aftermath of desire and regret for the years they'd lost.

"I want you to come back to the school with me," Scott decided thinking about the plan he'd put into motion before their arrival at the hotel.

"I know we ain't fooling anyone Slim, but this isn't going to go over well with everyone else," Logan half laughed at the idea of going home with Scott, "We both know that…"

"I've already spoken with Emma about this," Scott explained firmly. He squeezed his arm tighter around Logan's thick, powerful form as a sigh carried over his lips, "She thinks it's a good idea."

"Is that right?" Logan mused with a smirk, "Since when does Emma think the two of us being together is a good idea?"

"Since I told her what was happening with you," Scott answered honestly, "I filled her in on your condition and…"

"Scott," Logan frowned, "we both know that…"

"There was a point in time when the world around us was falling apart. There was a time when our kind was about to become no more, but I changed that," Scott explained pressing a kiss over the top of Logan's head, "I believed in the impossible and held on long enough for Hope to make it happen."

"Think of the price you paid," Logan sighed, "about what we both paid in that war amongst us."

"It was worth it for another chance," Scott twisted on the blanket, "It still is."

"I've made peace with this Scott," Logan explained drawing in a breath, "Forever felt like a curse for the longest time, but now after I've buried my children and lived a lifetime of mistakes maybe it's time for me to make it over to the other side."

"I don't believe that," Scott shook his head firmly, "You still have things left to do in this world. We just got Kurt back and…"

"He'll need someone to be there for him when I'm gone," Logan admitted with a small shrug of his shoulders, "He'll need you to be there for him like you were for me when we lost him…"

"He's back Logan," Scott argued with a frown, "and that's reason enough for you to stick around. Your time isn't finished by any means."

"It ain't up to either one of us to decide Slim," Logan sank back onto the pillow and closed his eyes. The weight of reality hung over them as Logan let his left arm fall over the side of the bed towards the carpet, "For once this is one situation that can't be fixed with your stubborn determination. I've already spoken to anyone who can think of anything to stop this and…"

"Remember when there was that time that the younger me was killed?" Scott questioned giving him another long look, "When that happened I disappeared, but Triage was able to bring me back. The healing powers that he possesses…"

"He's just a kid Slim," Logan frowned.

"He's a very powerful mutant Logan and he's willing to try to fix this," Scott coaxed him on further, "If you just give it a chance…"

"And if it doesn't work?" Logan questioned, "What then?"

"We move on to the next plan," Scott informed him with a sudden seriousness in his voice, "because you can't die on me."

"Is that a request or an order?" Logan replied shaking his head at Scott.

"What do you think?" Scott pushed his fingers into the center of Logan's chest, pushing him back into the mattress before straddling his thighs, "The way I see it, you haven't lived up to your potential yet and there's only one way that's going to happen. You're coming back to the school with me to see Triage."

"Scott," Logan sighed, "I just don't want to see this end badly for you. I just…"

"Give me something to believe in again," Scott encouraged him further, "Our mission together isn't finished. We both know that."

"Maybe we've outgrown our purpose," Logan answered pessimistically.

"Look around us. Tension is as high as ever and besides," Scott paused running his fingers over the contours of Logan's chest, "you wouldn't let me give up when I hit rock bottom. You should know better than to anticipate anything less from me."

"I just know that…" Logan began again when Scott dipped down to kiss him once again.

"Once we fix this everything is over between us," Scott encouraged him further, "no more Schism."

"Scott, as optimistic as you're feeling right now, I have to tell you that…" Logan opened his mouth to protest.

"I had a conversation with the other me not long ago and he asked me a very important question," Scott revealed an ironic laugh, "He asked me if everything that happened was worth the backlash. He wanted to know if being hated and despised was worth all of the sacrifices I'd made in my life and the truth was, I'd told him aside from Charles there was only one regret I had in all of it and that was losing you."

"Slim," Logan began.

"I'm not doing it again," Scott pushed him on further, "Tomorrow we go back to my school. We find a way to fix you and then we bring everyone together again."

"Now I know you aren't thinking clearly," Logan reached out to touch Scott's forehead, "This isn't like you Scott."

"Maybe not, but at the end of the day it's what we need," Scott decided bending down to rest his head on Logan's shoulder, "It's what we all need."

"I know," Logan sighed bringing his hand over Scott's spine as he contemplated Scott's suggestion. Knowing how hopeless the situation was, he found himself at a loss knowing that Scott wouldn't stop until he'd found a cure for Logan's situation. Everything about Scott's desire would be launched into the pursuit of saving Logan. He'd be relentless running himself ragged to save Logan, yet Logan feared it wouldn't be enough. It couldn't be enough when the best medical minds out there saw no cure.

"When this is over we'll stop pretending that we aren't together," Scott blurted out interrupting Logan's thoughts, "We'll sit down with Ororo and Emma and explain to them that…"

"…we're out of our fucking minds?" Logan questioned feeling a lump build in his throat as his eyes focused on the golden wedding band upon his finger. After having been there a few hours, it still felt foreign to him when his gaze lingered to the matting golden band on Scott's finger, "Everyone is going to think we're insane."

"Everyone already thinks I'm the enemy Logan," Scott reminded him with a shrug, "What's one more thing for them to hate me on?"

"Are you sure you don't want to rethink this?" Logan gulped down harder than before almost afraid of Scott's answer.

"I knew what I was getting myself into when I suggested it," Scott answered honestly, "and contrary to what you're thinking right now, I didn't do this because you think you're dying."

"I am dying Scott," Logan shot back with a groan, "There's no way around the now that…"

"You always tried to lead Jean to believe that you were the better man," Scott wrinkled his nose at him, "so don't make a liar of yourself in leaving me this soon. I've already been through losing a spouse time and time again."

"As have I Scott, which is why…" Logan's words trailed off.

"We'll find a way to fix this," Scott promised shifting on the bed to drag Logan in against the warmth of his chest. With their bodies aligned and legs intertwined Scott reached out to the side of Logan's face with an air of confidence and determination in his voice, "This is only the beginning for us."

"I hope you're right," Logan decided moving in to kiss Scott once again in knowing that regardless of what the future may hold for them, he'd found one of his dreams becoming a reality now that he and Scott were together at long last. Come what may Logan could die a happy man in knowing that he'd finally found his way back if only for a brief, fleeting moment to the one man he could say was his in every way imaginable. Then again as Logan looked to their wedding rings and thought to Scott's determination he realized that if his husband had his way in the situation that forever would last a very long time between them. He just hoped that the morning would prove to be able to give Logan the ability to provide Scott with just that.

"I love you," Scott whispered holding Logan tighter in his arms.

"I love you too Slim," Logan confessed, "Always have. Always will."

The End