A/N: This was written in response to a fanfic challenge to write a Logan
back story in less than 1,000 words.
DAPHNE DUMPS LOGAN
" Nympha, precor, Penei, mane! non insequor hostis; nympha, mane!" (" O nymph, daughter of Peneus, pray, wait! I do not pursue you as an enemy; nymph, wait!")
Ovid, Metamorphoses
Apollo entreating Daphne to run slower so he can catch her!
"Logan, I just can't do this. I can't go through with it."
Daphne's words chilled him to the bone. "What are you talking about? You can't do what?"
"Logan, I can't marry you. I'm sorry." She stood there, in the doorway of his apartment in New Haven, his engagement ring in her hand. She held it out to him.
He was stunned, almost beyond words. "Why? What have I done?"
"Oh, Logan, you haven't done anything. You've been wonderful. It's me." There were tears in her eyes.
"You? I don't understand." He looked at her quizzically.
"I don't either. But I - I'm not in love with you. I thought I was, but - I'm not. It would be wrong for me to marry you under these circumstances. I'd never forgive myself. And you'd end up hating me."
"Daphne, I could never hate you. Do you want to come in and talk about this?" He reluctantly took the ring from her.
"No, it won't do any good. I'm sorry," she said again. "You'll find the right person some day. I know you will. Good bye, Logan." She turned around and left, leaving Logan standing in the doorway, holding the ring. Sadly, he walked back into his living room and sat down on the couch, head in hands, thinking about what had just happened.
********
They had been childhood friends. They grew up together, attended school together, and went to Yale together. Logan was a year ahead of Daphne. When she arrived in New Haven, Connecticut, Logan was the only person she knew, so they tended to hang out together. They suited and complemented each other. Logan was tall, thin, bespectacled, and studious, majoring in business so he could join the family firm. Daphne was small, pretty, and blonde, an art major with an outgoing personality. He played basketball; she watched him adoringly from the bleachers. They spent many quiet hours in each other's company, at the symphony or the theater, or watching old movies, especially science fiction ones that they both loved. Sometimes they spent all evening playing chess.
In Logan's junior year, he changed. After a summer internship at a company affiliated with Cale Industries, he became disillusioned with the business world. He switched his major to journalism and joined the staff of the college newspaper. He began to study the classics and write poetry. Always serious, he became more socially aware, writing fiery editorials on politics and social injustice. Previously quiet and studious, he began to gain self-confidence and became more outgoing. His newspaper articles and editorials brought him fame and notoriety on campus.
Sometimes Daphne doodled cartoons to illustrate his editorials; they were a good team. For a class project, Daphne painted Logan's portrait. She showed him as a crusader, her knight in shining armor. He laughed at the concept, but had to admit that the likeness was remarkable.
He began to fall in love with her.
On Valentine's Day 2009, Logan proposed to Daphne. Ever the romantic, he bought her roses and took her to dinner at a candlelit bistro in New Haven. They had a lovely meal and ordered dessert. Just as Daphne was tasting her chocolate mousse, Logan knelt down at her feet and presented her with a ring box. Surprised, she opened it and squealed with delight.
"Oh, Logan, this is so beautiful!"
"Not nearly as beautiful as you, Daphne. Please say you'll marry me and make me the happiest man in the world!"
Without hesitation, Daphne replied, "Of course I'll marry you, Logan." Logan placed the diamond ring on her finger. She admired it in the candlelight.
Logan was deliriously happy. He was going to marry a beautiful, talented woman whom he'd known all his life. He was comfortable with Daphne. He felt so proud to escort her to dances and other social functions. He never noticed that she became less gregarious, less comfortable in his company. He attributed this to pre-wedding jitters. They were planning the wedding for the following summer of 2010, after Logan graduated.
**********
And now, all that was over. Daphne dumped him. No explanation, nothing. Well, he thought, it was time to get out of Dodge if he wanted to keep his sanity. His cousin Bennett had invited him to help crew on his uncle Jonas' yacht for the summer. They would sail up and down the West Coast, maybe head for Alaska. It would be an adventure, Bennett had said. He needed an adventure, something to keep his mind occupied.
He phoned Bennett to take him up on the offer. Then he made a plane reservation, packed a bag, and left New Haven and Yale for the summer.
It was a chilly day in late May when Logan arrived in Seattle to meet up with Bennett. His younger cousin was eagerly anticipating the journey and had already picked up supplies. His older brothers had recruited several other friends from college, most of them attractive young women, to help crew. To Logan, it sounded like a floating frat party, but maybe that was what he needed to get over Daphne.
They sailed and partied for nearly a week, until the yacht began to remind Logan of the Love Boat from that old television series. At least it felt like his broken heart was mending. He was even looking forward to landing at a quaint port town and taking one of the girls out to dinner. Life was getting back to normal, he decided.
That was until they were pulling into Friday Harbor on Orcas Island and ran aground because the navigation satellite failed. The Pulse had hit and life would never be quite normal again.
DAPHNE DUMPS LOGAN
" Nympha, precor, Penei, mane! non insequor hostis; nympha, mane!" (" O nymph, daughter of Peneus, pray, wait! I do not pursue you as an enemy; nymph, wait!")
Ovid, Metamorphoses
Apollo entreating Daphne to run slower so he can catch her!
"Logan, I just can't do this. I can't go through with it."
Daphne's words chilled him to the bone. "What are you talking about? You can't do what?"
"Logan, I can't marry you. I'm sorry." She stood there, in the doorway of his apartment in New Haven, his engagement ring in her hand. She held it out to him.
He was stunned, almost beyond words. "Why? What have I done?"
"Oh, Logan, you haven't done anything. You've been wonderful. It's me." There were tears in her eyes.
"You? I don't understand." He looked at her quizzically.
"I don't either. But I - I'm not in love with you. I thought I was, but - I'm not. It would be wrong for me to marry you under these circumstances. I'd never forgive myself. And you'd end up hating me."
"Daphne, I could never hate you. Do you want to come in and talk about this?" He reluctantly took the ring from her.
"No, it won't do any good. I'm sorry," she said again. "You'll find the right person some day. I know you will. Good bye, Logan." She turned around and left, leaving Logan standing in the doorway, holding the ring. Sadly, he walked back into his living room and sat down on the couch, head in hands, thinking about what had just happened.
********
They had been childhood friends. They grew up together, attended school together, and went to Yale together. Logan was a year ahead of Daphne. When she arrived in New Haven, Connecticut, Logan was the only person she knew, so they tended to hang out together. They suited and complemented each other. Logan was tall, thin, bespectacled, and studious, majoring in business so he could join the family firm. Daphne was small, pretty, and blonde, an art major with an outgoing personality. He played basketball; she watched him adoringly from the bleachers. They spent many quiet hours in each other's company, at the symphony or the theater, or watching old movies, especially science fiction ones that they both loved. Sometimes they spent all evening playing chess.
In Logan's junior year, he changed. After a summer internship at a company affiliated with Cale Industries, he became disillusioned with the business world. He switched his major to journalism and joined the staff of the college newspaper. He began to study the classics and write poetry. Always serious, he became more socially aware, writing fiery editorials on politics and social injustice. Previously quiet and studious, he began to gain self-confidence and became more outgoing. His newspaper articles and editorials brought him fame and notoriety on campus.
Sometimes Daphne doodled cartoons to illustrate his editorials; they were a good team. For a class project, Daphne painted Logan's portrait. She showed him as a crusader, her knight in shining armor. He laughed at the concept, but had to admit that the likeness was remarkable.
He began to fall in love with her.
On Valentine's Day 2009, Logan proposed to Daphne. Ever the romantic, he bought her roses and took her to dinner at a candlelit bistro in New Haven. They had a lovely meal and ordered dessert. Just as Daphne was tasting her chocolate mousse, Logan knelt down at her feet and presented her with a ring box. Surprised, she opened it and squealed with delight.
"Oh, Logan, this is so beautiful!"
"Not nearly as beautiful as you, Daphne. Please say you'll marry me and make me the happiest man in the world!"
Without hesitation, Daphne replied, "Of course I'll marry you, Logan." Logan placed the diamond ring on her finger. She admired it in the candlelight.
Logan was deliriously happy. He was going to marry a beautiful, talented woman whom he'd known all his life. He was comfortable with Daphne. He felt so proud to escort her to dances and other social functions. He never noticed that she became less gregarious, less comfortable in his company. He attributed this to pre-wedding jitters. They were planning the wedding for the following summer of 2010, after Logan graduated.
**********
And now, all that was over. Daphne dumped him. No explanation, nothing. Well, he thought, it was time to get out of Dodge if he wanted to keep his sanity. His cousin Bennett had invited him to help crew on his uncle Jonas' yacht for the summer. They would sail up and down the West Coast, maybe head for Alaska. It would be an adventure, Bennett had said. He needed an adventure, something to keep his mind occupied.
He phoned Bennett to take him up on the offer. Then he made a plane reservation, packed a bag, and left New Haven and Yale for the summer.
It was a chilly day in late May when Logan arrived in Seattle to meet up with Bennett. His younger cousin was eagerly anticipating the journey and had already picked up supplies. His older brothers had recruited several other friends from college, most of them attractive young women, to help crew. To Logan, it sounded like a floating frat party, but maybe that was what he needed to get over Daphne.
They sailed and partied for nearly a week, until the yacht began to remind Logan of the Love Boat from that old television series. At least it felt like his broken heart was mending. He was even looking forward to landing at a quaint port town and taking one of the girls out to dinner. Life was getting back to normal, he decided.
That was until they were pulling into Friday Harbor on Orcas Island and ran aground because the navigation satellite failed. The Pulse had hit and life would never be quite normal again.