A.N.: This story is told from Wolverine's POV and covers certain moments from X2 and X3. It is slightly AU in that neither Scott nor Jean died.
When she rushes to greet me with a hug, foreign warmth floods through me. Before I can fully appreciate the sensation, she is pulling back from me. Wait! I'm not done yet. If I were a pansy like One-eye I might sulk a little. But I know I can't actually voice the protest, so I play it cool. We've barely said hello when I notice some little Scooter wannabe lingering at her side. Who's this?
"Logan, this is Bobby. He's my," she never gets to finish because the little punk interrupts to inform me he's her boyfriend. Oh yeah? Well, I think I'll let her tell me that, thanks anyway. Sounds like a whole lot of bluster to me. Anyway, what is the jerk doing interrupting her like that?
I cannot believe he just tried to impress me with his manhood by freezing my hand. This kid is a moron. My Marie could do a whole lot better than this. She is watching to see what I'll do. Huh. Well, I know for sure she and I are gonna have a little talk later about boys and jerks and what kind of people she should bother spending time with as opposed to the types she can just ditch. Out of respect for her I try to reserve judgment for now, but so far this idiot is heading for the top of list number two, those who are exceptionally ditchable.
"So how do you…?" I ask just to gauge the waters. Still working on it! I knew he was a dumbass. I mean, come on. It's not that complicated. Wait… I get it now and want to grin at her, but the Wolverine does not grin. She's holding out. Good for you, Kid. I knew she was smart. Too smart for this jerk, that's for sure. I greet Storm and then Jeannie glides into the hallway. I study her waiting for the rush of desire that always comes and yet, while she's still sexy and all that, the lust doesn't fill me like it should. Before I can get away from everyone and get Marie to come visit while I unpack, that little snowflake is dragging her off. I fight down the urge to pounce on the jackass for manhandling her that way and watch her eyes linger on mine. Yeah, Marie, I'll definitely be seeing you later.
I can't even leave her here for a little while before they either lose her, endanger her, or let her conduct some kind of dork outreach program getting herself shackled with some little blond pansy. I just do not know about leaving her here again. I'm starting to wonder if these people have it as together as I thought they did.
I prowl the halls checking on things. The X-Geeks are still out and Marie's already asleep. I lingered outside her door listening to make sure. That kid blinking at the TV seems pretty okay. He actually has a brain and can think on his feet. I like that. I decide it's time for a beer. Great. I can't even get a drink without Marie's whatever-he-is bothering me. Well, this gives me the chance to try and clear some things up to be sure I haven't misread him.
Okay, I let the smart aleck remark about it being a school slide. He's got to be kidding me, though. This guy is not really sitting here telling me he wants to nail Marie. He couldn't be that stupid. I stand corrected. He is even stupider than that. Does this kid ever shut up? This guy's mouth just doesn't quit. Shut up, already. Perfect. Now he's dragging Jeannie into this, too. He has officially just discussed sex in relation to two women who matter to me and it's only the second time we've even met. Is he completely unaware of the fact that he's sitting here digging his own damn grave? Marie might be ticked at first when I gut him, but I doubt it'll take her long to let it go. After all, she can't actually be serious about this one. Yep… he's got to die.
Stryker's men infiltrating the school is the only thing that saved his butt. I swear I was mere seconds from being over that table and introducing him to the glories of adamantium. Now I'm trapped in the little puke's home, a.k.a. yuppie paradise. What I wouldn't give for a bourbon shot and a good cage fight right now… And this is after enduring that seemingly endless car ride, whose only redemption was the fact that it involved stealing yet another of Cykes' toys. Hehe… I love getting to that guy.
Pyro is ambling in, hands in his pockets, wearing a look I know all too well. "What are you smirking about?" I ask the human flamethrower. The kid has a terrible attitude and I bet he gives Chuck and the other adults fits, but I at least recognize a kindred spirit in him so I cut him some slack.
"I went up to see what was taking Bobby and Rogue so long." He goes on to tell me how Bobby found her some clothes to wear and proceeded to watch her change without her knowing it even after she told him to turn around. "She's got a great body, too." Oh, hell no! Pyro just licked his lips at the memory of leering over my Marie! And frosty is up there perving on her right now. Okay, this crap ends now.
One look at my face and that John punk holds his hands up in surrender. He gets points for having at least one operable brain cell left. I decide he can live. I've more than had it with that other one, though. It's about time that little boy learned a few of life's more basic lessons and I think I'm the perfect teacher for this little reality crash course. I head into the next room, ready to storm upstairs and put an end to the pair playing house when I hear her voice coming down. Studying her she seems okay, but I can smell him on her a little bit and that gets me worked up again.
The Ozzie and Harriet clones come home and the next thing I know I'm playing along saying I'm one of their professors. His family seems to be as idiotic as he is if they're actually buying this. Marie's entreating looks are too much to resist, though, so I try to keep my cool. I will deal with the leech clinging to her hand later.
She tells me she is doing this for her and not 'some boy'. We both know who I mean. She knows I hate his guts. I haven't exactly been subtle about it. Well, I know she's lying but I refuse to be her conscience on this. She knows I think he's a waste of space and she'd be better off with pretty much anyone else. I remind her I'm not her father; my thoughts are anything but paternal. Truth is, I know who she belongs with but there's not much I can do about right now. I'm a lot of terrible things, but I refuse to add statutory rapist to that list. I've been biding my time and I'll keep on until the time is right.
I know he's not the only reason she's seriously considering taking the 'cure', but he is a big part of it. Everybody in the mansion knows he's putting some pressure on her to be more physical with him. It's been going on for months and he's not above bringing it up in the public areas of the institute. The little turd doesn't care who can see them, even if he does lower his voice. I've caught him trying in the library, the rec room, and even in the training room. Get a clue already, Snow Cone, she ain't interested! On top of that I've seen the way he's started sniffing around that little Kitty girl. Honestly, she's too good for him too, but it shows his true colors. Of course, it's also hurting my Marie like hell so it ticks me off. I think she figures it's 'cause he can touch the other girl and maybe she can hold onto him if she could offer herself more freely. Not that making that offer is going to be an option anyway if I have anything to say about it.
I don't really want her to get the shot, but it's her call. I know it won't affect the way I see her either way and I'm not the one having to live with the idea of never touching another person's skin without hurting them. I just honestly think she'll regret it in the long run if she goes through with it. I walk away. She wants to be treated as an adult, then she's going to have to learn to make the tough decisions and to deal with the consequences.
Storm's about to royally piss me off, though. One more crack at Marie and I'll have to do something about it. She has no idea what it's like and has no business acting as judge and jury over other people. I know she was once considered a 'goddess', but we aren't her sycophants and her self-righteous crap is about to get on my last nerve.
I still haven't really processed everything that's happened. One thing I do know, though, is that Marie's back. I sniff and figure out she's gone on up to her room. Hearing voices makes me hesitate outside before entering. "I – I couldn't do it," she drawls. He takes her hands and that seems to me like a good time to make my presence known. I knock, almost chuckling at the sound of his frustrated sigh.
"Hey, kid, you in there?" I ask as if I haven't been eavesdropping for the past few minutes. Seeing the smile lighting up her face I know. I know that I've had about all I can take of that little jerk sniffing around my territory. An audible grunt was the only outward acknowledgement of my admission to myself that yeah, Marie was definitely my territory and nobody else's. Even the professor would soon have no real claims over her as guardian because her birthday was coming up and she would be of legal age.
"Logan! How did you know I was back?"
I point to my nose. She giggles a little bit. She's got a great little giggle, my Marie. I hold one arm out and she readily comes to me for an embrace. She doesn't even spare a glance for lover boy. I love how she's always ready to accept my affections, especially since I don't really offer them to anyone else much. I kiss the top of her head. "Good to see you back home, darlin'."
"We were kind of busy, Wolverine. Do you mind?" the runt asks. He waves one hand towards the door as though he could get me to leave if I'm not good and ready to go. All I do is cock one brow. Seeing his brooding face is more satisfying than I would have thought.
I look down to see what she thinks of this, but she only snuggles more tightly to my side. Deciding to just ignore him, I comment, "So, you didn't do it, huh?"
She shakes her head and pulls back from me a little bit. Giving a half shrug she looks down uncertainly, "When it came down to it, it just didn't feel right. I knew I'd be sorry later." She tugs at the edges of the gloves in frustration. "It was tough, though. I really wanna be able to touch like everyone else, you know?"
Bobby interjects while I wonder, Is he still here? Why?, "Of course you do, Rogue." He's obviously feeling like it's high time he reasserts his role as the understanding, compassionate boyfriend and it makes me want to be sick. Well, or I could just gut him.
Hearing her teary sigh I shoot him a look that shows exactly how I feel about his 'sensitivity'. Cupping her face in my hands, letting her hair shield us from contact, I tilt her head up until she stares up at me. "You aren't like everyone else, Marie. You're special, you're more than most women could ever hope to be. It only makes sense that touching you should be just as unique and special. It's how you're protected from people who don't deserve you anyway." The enlightened glow breaking over her shows how this new idea gives her a different way of looking at her mutation. A way she'd never even imagined.
Her eyes are glistening with tears, but I can tell they aren't sad ones. Even the dense jerk figures out he is unnecessary and unwanted. He reaches out for her tentatively. "Rogue?"
She turns partially towards him, not leaving my hands completely, and that feels great. It makes me feel ten feet tall. "Bobby, let's be honest here. I really care about you, and I know you care about me, but it just isn't going to work, is it? I can't give you what you want and need. We both know I can't be what you want and that there's another girl here who is more than willing to be for you all the things I can't. Let's just let it go." Although she sounds somber, both he and I can tell she isn't really heartbroken or anything.
"Are you sure you don't want to try?"
"Yeah, Bobby, I really am."
He crosses to the door, pausing with one hand on the handle and looking over his shoulder to say, "Goodbye, Rogue."
Once he's out of the way she burrows her face against my chest and I cradle her head in my hand, the other lowering to rub her back. "You gonna cry, kid?"
There is a long moment before she eases back enough to look me in the eye. "Am I a terrible person if I admit I feel sort of relieved?" Before I can answer she goes on, "I mean, I really do care about him, but I've known for a long while that it wasn't what it should be between us. I guess," she shrugs again. "It's just that he's really the only one who's been interested in me that way and it was better than thinking about being alone, you know?"
"You're not alone, though. I told you, Marie, I'll be here for you. I'll always take care of you." She smiles and I think back over the time since we'd met. With a wry twist of my lips I admit, "I know I haven't done a great job of it so far, but I've almost got to get better at it, right?"
She reaches for my arm asserting, "I don't think you've done such a bad job. I'm still here and fine, right?" We both start feeling a little awkward and she starts unpacking her duffle. I sit on her bed silently watching her move easily around the familiar room.
After more than half her stuff is put away she glances at me. "When do you leave?"
"Trying to get rid of me already?"
She smiles a little and blushes. "You know better."
I twist my head to crack my neck a bit before stating nonchalantly, "Thought I might stick around this time. Storm's going to need all the help she can get. There aren't any more leads to follow anyway." She nods and crosses to shove the duffle in her closet. "Besides, they screw it up every time I leave you here. I figured it'd be easier to just stay so I know you're being taken care of the right way."
A crash in the hallway followed by yelling keeps us from taking our talk any further, but something shifts between us that day anyway. Weeks pass with her graduating, turning eighteen, and deciding to stay on at the institute. She becomes a full-fledged X-Man and helps with the students and combat training. Slowly it just becomes accepted by her and everyone else that she is mine. Yeah. And I guess it's also pretty well-known that I'm her territory, too.
Life is good and the boundaries have all been clearly laid out and seem to be pretty much respected. At least, I thought so. Now I hear her voice through her door talking to someone. "Now listen here, Bub, you can't do that!" I start to chuckle at hearing her sounding so much like me, but then realize what she's saying. Who is in her room and what is he doing to my Marie?
My shock keeps me still long enough that I hear her talking again. "Why do I always fall for the bad boys?" she asks with laughter filling her voice. "Now, don't give me that look, sugar… that's what got me into this with you in the first place! I'm bein' serious here… you've been a very bad boy," even though the words themselves are chastening, she sounds like she's having the time of her life. What in the hell is going on in there and who do I have to kill now?!
This was more than I should be expected to take. I barged in, claws fully extended, ready to take on whoever was trespassing on my territory without a second thought. Marie's beautiful eyes are so huge in her sweet face it's almost all I see. My own gaze darts suspiciously around until landing on the room's only other occupant. I just stare at the male in amazement.
"Isn't he the cutest thing you ever saw?" she gushes while I keep staring at the little guy. I look at the grin she's sporting and think she is the cutest thing ever, period.
"Uh," I hesitate. Honestly, I'm still not completely sure I know what's going on. I hate that feeling.
"I got him today." She uses one hand to nudge his rear in my direction. "Go on, now. Go meet Logan!" Marie is so excited I don't have the heart to turn around and walk out, which is what I really want.
The little beast scampers over to my feet and plants two furry paws on my leg. His tail is wagging so hard it almost throws him off-balance. She crawls over to us; I really love the way she moves and the sway of her gorgeous round… I clear my throat, trying to get my mind back on what we're talking about. She's tugging my hand and urging me to sit on the floor with her. Reluctantly I lower myself by her side.
Immediately the fur ball leaps into my lap and starts licking me. I firmly grab him by the scruff of his neck and establish ground rule number one: never lick me. The only individual with permission to lick me is the curvy lady sitting next to me. Submissive obedience in every line of its body, the creature drops its rump on my thigh and leans its head on my abs.
"Aw! He likes you! Isn't he great? He's a Scottish terrier and he's just a baby. I always wanted a dog and Storm says as long as he doesn't cause trouble and I take care of him I can keep him. Don't you just love him?" Her glee is unmistakable.
I avoid answering right away. A dog. About to share my true thoughts on the pointlessness of a pet like this, especially with us going on missions and all that crap all the time, I look at her and see the excitement bubbling over and her eager expression… Aw, man! Damn it, we have a dog.
"What's his name?" I ask in defeat, certain that I could see the final scrap of my manhood floating out the open window.
"I was thinking of naming him Mac. I wanted to know what you thought might be good, though." She looks a little shy, like I'm going to tell her it's a stupid name or not be happy with her or something. Crap.
I grunt, then see her uncertainty flare even more. "Sounds good, darlin'. Mac it is, then." As soon as I say the name the pup wriggles excitedly. "Looks like he already knows it, too."
Thinking the dog looks a little too excited, we decide he might need a walk. I am walking a dog the size of a stuffed animal and thinking about ways to regain my tough-guy image while Marie jaunts along beside me, happy as can be. With a deep sigh I realize I am totally whipped. The things I do for this woman amaze me.
I have a ten pound problem on my hands. That dog has been here for a while now and has the whole place under his control. The problem is, he doesn't seem to understand the territorial boundaries and I've had about all I'm gonna take. I have to form some kind of plan to get the point across that I am the alpha here and Marie is mine, not his.
For a minute I wonder how it came to this. How did I arrive at the point where I was jealous of and feeling competitive for my woman with a canine? It all comes flooding back, though. I recall that it started with the sofa. Marie and I were settling in to watch a movie in the rec room when Mac jumped up (after three tries) and plopped his fat butt down right between them. The mutt squirmed around until he was lying sideways and I could barely touch Marie at all, let alone feel her melting against me like usual. She just smiled at the overgrown rodent and scratched his belly.
That was only the beginning. He found ways to weasel in on everything we did together and I swear she coos over him and baby talks him like he was her firstborn child or something. Knowing how pathetic I sound doesn't change the fact that I'm starting to think she cares more about that dumb dog than she does about me.
She's gone with the Chuck to pick up a new student while I dog sit. This is it; the perfect opportunity to lay down the law. I lower down on my haunches and right away he tumbles across the floors to be with me. Okay, that makes me feel a little bit guilty since he really does seem to like me. I roll my head to release the tension and remind myself why this is so important. When his paws reach for my knee so he can get right in my face, I let out a short, low growl. He immediately lowers to the floor and rolls belly up.
"Humph. That's right. I'm the alpha around here. You'd better submit to me." Even from his prone position, he begins wagging his tail at the sound of my voice. "Sit, Mac." He obeys. All right… we're off to a good start here. My face lowers even more until we're almost nose to nose. I've had to sit all the way down to get that low to the floor.
"Mac, you and me have an issue. You have to understand a few things if you're gonna stick around very long." His big eyes gaze trustingly up at me, but I refuse to bend. "I mean it now. This is serious stuff." I point one finger at him emphasizing the importance of what I'm saying. "I know you're just a little pup still, but this crap of you getting' between me and Marie has got to stop." My firm tone makes him whimper and whine.
I admit it, I felt bad for him. I wave a hand at my lap and he jumps right up there and stares at me, tail wagging away. "No more sitting between us." I am absolutely determined on this point and my voice shows it. Immediately his ears tuck back and his head dips down. "Don't be such a wuss. You're not in trouble. At least you won't be if you knock that crap out. You hear me?" Slowly his ears rise a little. I take that for an agreement.
"Rule two, do NOT get used to sleeping against her in bed." Mac looks over my shoulder and I know he knows what I'm talking about. "That's right. Three times… three times I've caught you all curled up against her while she sleeps. It was her stomach when I came to get you both for breakfast that one morning." He's still turning away in denial. "Look at me," I demand with a snap of my fingers.
He does and I continue with my evidence. "Next I found you sharing her damned pillow while she napped after training. And just yesterday I saw you… Yeah! You know what I'm talking about already, don't you? You were all snugged up to her butt last night when I came in to check on her." I make sure we are eye to eye now. "You forgot I hadn't come by yet, didn't you? Well, that's it, Bub. No more of that. Marie may be your Momma, but she's my woman and she always will be. We're together for good and there is no way in hell I'm gonna let a little furry beast, no matter how cute she thinks you are, screw that up." We stare at each other for several beats before I release him from my glare.
I set him off my lap and start to get up. "As long as you understand all that and follow the rules, we'll get along just fine." I brush my hands clean on my thighs and announce, "Now… let's get you some food." As soon as I look away, he trots happily in the opposite direction and that's when I see her. Marie is standing there grinning at me with the broadest smile I've ever seen. She scoops up Mac and strides across the kitchen until she is less than an inch from my body.
"D'ya know what, sugar?" Not sure how much she overheard but certain of how stupid I must have sounded I only shake my head and wish I was anywhere but here. "I never knew how much I could love someone until you." She wraps one firm, young arm around me and presses herself so tightly to me that a wisp of air couldn't fit between us. Going up on tiptoe she breathes into my ear, "I love ya' so much, Logan. You're mah evry'than'. I will nevah' adore enyone lahke I do my Wolverine." She brushes a kiss against my ear, pulling away before her skin can start to pull me in.
I almost wish she hadn't drawn back. I'm not the type to talk about stuff, but if she'd touched me long enough I wouldn't need to find the words. Knowing she deserved it, I dug deep and dragged up some sentiment I could actually say out loud. "I love ya' darlin'. This is it for me. You're it." Seeing that she doesn't know what to think of what I said, I figure out that she doesn't know what it means and is feeling really unsure.
I can't stand seeing her so ill-at-ease. I have to fix this. "What I'm sayin' darlin' is that I in this for the long haul. When the time's right, we'll make it official. I'm not going anywhere without you, though. We belong together now."
She turns even paler than usual and her eyes tear up. I'm terrified until she takes a deep breath. Marie lowers Mac to the floor, tugs her sheer scarf up over her mouth and lays the most passionate, hottest kiss I've ever experienced on me. We don't let up until Storm, Jeannie and Cyke walk in. They're all smirking at us and I don't really care. Even Scooter can't get to me right now. Forget good, life is perfect right now. Marie is in my arms and she really does love me, Mac is sitting on top of my foot and nothing's gonna mess this up. Ever.