My Guiding Warrior

I sat there, my mind empty. My senses just experiencing, living. The light wind coming from the northeast whipped my raven black hair against my cheeks. I pushed the strands out of my view, behind my ear. The evening's dimming sun beat down on the lake ahead of me, the water rippling from the wind's slightest push and sparkling gold. The trees rustled quietly, secrets among many. My life was secrets, betrayals. No one ever told me I was a killing machine, that I could suck the life force out of anyone with a mere touch. With one hand shake, one hug, one kiss. The last boy I'd kissed ended up in coma for three weeks. And there it seemed my chance for romance, and physical contact all went splat! Out the window. But here I felt okay. For once, I felt somewhat complete, I was comfortable in my own skin. The dirt beneath me seemed to accept the strokes I gave them. The air I breathed was okay, there was no restraint from the other end. Maybe being alone, suspended in isolation, was the way to go. It was safe, I was safe, I wasn't hurting anyone. But then again, something in me longed for that one hand shake, one hug, one kiss. But who knew whether I would ever get it. It would ultimately be the Gods' decisions if they wanted me to physically interact with anyone ever again.

I got up from the spot I'd been sitting at for an hour's time. I walked slowly to the edge of the lake—where water met earth. Then out of nowhere, I heard a branch crack and I whipped around, instinctively I took my glove off and held my hand up in case anyone was trying to do any funny business. But nothing else stirred. I slowly put my glove back on and turned back to the water.

I slipped off my sneakers, took off my socks and rolled my pants up. I stepped into the water, only ankle deep. The muddy banks beneath me shifted and I lost my balance. Without a concept of time I was under water but it was shallow enough to where I could sit and I would still be above the surface. But the splash and my slight yelp must've alarmed someone who came and pulled me out. Before I knew it, a man who must've been over 200 lbs., muscularly built, with mutt 'n chops was holding me. In my mind, I screamed Shit! I'm over! This guy could've been anybody. I just looked up at him with utter fear and curiosity, two things that I never thought would go hand in hand until now. He put me down, which was unexpected and looked at me with his hands on his hips.

"Aren't you suppose to be up at the school?" he growled lowly.

"I…uh, well yeah," I stuttered, shaking from my cold wet damp clothes.

"What's your name?" he gestured with his head.

"Rogue."

His look changed from a scold to curiosity.

"I've never seen a Rogue around here, or even heard of one," he said, rubbing his chin.

"Yeah but I'm new here."

"Ah, well are you?"

"Yeah, I arrived like a week or so ago."

"Well then," he said. "You probably already know the rules by know, dinner at six o'clock, and oh look at that," he said looking at his watch. "It's seven which means dinner is over and people have cleaned up. It also means I've missed my dinner by talking mish-a-gosh to an adolescent teenager, thanks a lot."

I watched him huff away up the hill and toward the castle like building that was Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. But After a few paces, he turned back around and said,

"Since you already missed your meal and so have I, would you...um...do you want to come and eat with me? Try and find some grub?"

While I thought this was an awkward proposal, I accepted as I was very hungry too.

I quickly put my shoes back on and grabbed my blanket. We proceeded up to the school in silence. When we reached the kitchen, there was no one there but a sparkling clean kitchen that was tiled and had pots and pans hanging overhead.

"Nice kitchen," I said breaking the silence.

"Yeah, it would be if it had some brew!" he said smacking the refrigerator.

"Well, I would presume this is a school," I said matter of factly.

He shot me a look. And knew from right then I would have to pick my choices wisely if I were to mess with him. He seemed like the type that you could tear you apart in a heart beat.

"Sorry."

"Hmm," he said raising an eyebrow.

He turned back to the fridge and pulled out some microwavable Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese, I chuckled under my breath. I was thinking that someone as big as this guy would not eat something as kiddy as Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese but something more appropriate, like a steak or a big leg of a lamb. But I disguised my chuckle as a cough.

"So, you never told me what your name was," I said taking a seat at that counter that faced where he was preparing the food.

"The name's Wolverine," he said after a moment's hesitation.

"What sort of a name is Wolverine?" I asked bewildered.

"What kind of a name is Rogue?" he shot back quietly.

"My real name is Marie," I said.

"Logan," he said turning back and making direct eye contact with me.

I liked the sound of that. Logan. He set the macaroni and cheese in the microwave and pushed the settings.

"Hey do you mind grabbing some pop from the fridge, it should be on the second shelf," he said while pulling dishes out of the cupboard.

"Sure."

I walked to the fridge and pulled out two sodas. I set them on the counter, one in my setting and the other setting where I was assuming Logan was eating. The microwave beeped off and our long, desired food was ready. Logan set the food on the plates, he handed one to me and took a seat next to my chair.

"So, what's your story?" Logan asked taking a bite. "Why did you come here?"

"Err, well I lived in Michigan with my parents but something terrible happened—"

"Like?"

"It's something I'd rather not talk about," I breathed out.

"Alright, go on."

"So, after that I was hitch hiking and this is the place that was suggested to me. And I've been here since."

"Well then, I believe you found the best possible place."

"Really? Why's that?"

"Xavier's School does wonders for people like us," he said.

"What's your power?" I asked.

"I can heal quickly and have a keen sense of smell."

"Cool," I said not quite sure of what to make of what he said.

We finished our meal; Logan dumped our plates in the sink. He clicked off the lights.

"Well, Marie I figure you know the way to your room?"

"Yeah"

"Alright, well…uh, see you around."

"Yeah, I guess."

He walked away and disappeared around a corner down the long wooden corridor. I walked up to my room and opened my door. And there was my roommate, Kate sitting on her bed reading a book from physics. She jolted when I entered the room. She was the only friend I'd made here. She was very sweet, understanding.

"Oh hey, Marie. You scared the bejesus out of me."

"Sorry," I said shutting the door and plopping down on my bed.

"Didn't see you at dinner tonight, what happened?"

"Oh I was out for an evening jog," I lied.

"Oh, nice."

"Hey, Kate?" I said rolling on to my stomach and facing her/

"Yeah," she said pulling down the physics book from in front of her face.

"Do you know someone around here named Wolverine?"

"Hmm," she nodded. "What about him?"

"I stumbled into him while I was jogging tonight, he was near the lake. What's he about?"

"I don't know," she said. "He's a bit uptight. I've heard he's a monster if you get on his bad side."

"Oh," I said.

"And he does have these crazy, long claws that come out when he's angry, like super angry," she said with erratic hand motions.

"Whoa! Really?"

"Yeah, no joke. Be careful."

I nodded. Assuming that was the end of our conversation, I got up and changed into my pajamas. I pulled the covers over my head and let my body fall into one of the night's restless sleeps.

The next morning, I woke up, got dressed, and grabbed some breakfast before my first class. I'd met a boy in my second period class who seemed pretty infatuated with me. He'd made a little ice sculpture that was in the shape of a rose, about two inches high. I'd learned this boy's name was Bobby Drake and that he would be thrilled if I could have lunch with him. I said okay and told him I would see him around.

While everyone had a third period class before lunch, I had a free. I was holding the ice sculpture that Bobby had me for me in my hand, quickly racing to the fridge in the kitchen. Without realizing it, I bumped into Logan on the way there.

"Oh, hi," I spurted.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be in class?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well not now, I have a free."

"Oh, I see. Where are you off to now?" he asked glancing at what was in my hand.

"Kitchen. I've gotta put this in the freezer before it melts."

He chuckled and was off before I knew it. And so I raced to the kitchen, opened up the freezer and placed the icy rose in the back so no one would find it, hopefully. Inside me, my fingers were crossed. And so I exited the kitchen and went out into the backyard and waited for the rest of the kids to come out for lunch.

There was a rush of people as everyone made a beeline for the concession outside. I squinted my eyes in order to catch a sight of Bobby. And I saw him, he waved in my direction. I got up from my seat and jogged over to where he took a spot on line.

"Hey, Rogue!" he chirped.

"Hi. How was class?" I asked.

"Oh as usual, okay. Nothing exciting."

"But I would think biology is an interesting subject, learning how our bodies work and all of that," I as said as I moved up in line and got trays for Bobby and I.

"No, it is. But then again, I am not looking to be a biologist."

"Hmm, yeah," I said agreeing.

We took our sandwiches, a couple of juice boxes and took a seat at a picnic table.

"Ooh, what kind of sandwich did you get?" Bobby asked, peering over the table.

"Ham and cheese. You?"

"Turkey and swiss," he said winking.

I laughed.

"So, Rogue. How did you end up here?"

"I came here probably a week ago. I lived in Michigan for all of my life and then something really tragic there happened and so I came here."

"What sort of thing?"

And I was wondering why this question kept coming up for me. And that's when I decided there and then that I should be upfront and honest.

"Well you see Bobby," I said inhaling a deep breath. "Whenever I touch people, something weird happens. They get hurt. When I was home I was dating this guy and when we went for our first k—you know what? Bottom line is that I hurt him. Badly," I added.

"What happened?"

"He ended up in the hospital."

"Whoa. So what's your 'power' exactly?"

"Ha! I wouldn't call it a power. More like an inhibition, a hold back."

"Why's that?" he asked, eye brows furrowed.

"Well, whenever I go and touch someone, I kind of suck their life force out of them."

And I could feel the pang that hit Bobby. His eyes stood wide open, and he had to blink once or twice to resituate himself.

"See, that's why I never want to tell people what's wrong with me," I said sheepishly and highly embarrassed.

"No, no, no. There's nothing wrong with you," he said looking up at me.

"Heck! I at least think there is."

"Hey, kid."

I heard a deep voice come from behind me. I turned around and there was Logan standing over me; his figure blocking out the high noon sun.

"Oh, hi Logan."

"Hope I am not breaking up this little date between you two."

"Oh, you're not," Bobby said straightening up.

"Good," Logan said looking back at me. "Listen, eh, Marie, I was wondering if I could talk with you—"

"Umm, but Logan I'm having lunch here with—"

"No, alone."

I turned back to Bobby and gave him a pleading look. "I'll talk to you later, ok? Sorry," I took my tray and got up and left poor Bobby to finish his lunch, alone.

"What happened?" I asked as Logan led me down a path.

"I don't want to come across nosey, which I'm normally not, but when I met you last night and we were talking over how you got here and things like that…you see I am interested in your story."

"Oh," I said, finding this a little bizarre. "Why?"

"Well, let's just say that when you have a heightened sense of smelling, hearing can come along with that and well I heard what kind of power you have."

"Oh jeez," I said stopping in my tracks, regretting ever word that I'd said to Bobby. "I didn't know you could hear too."

"Well, I was sitting a table away, really."

"I see. Yeah, whatever you heard me say back there is true."

Logan said nothing else. It seemed that he wanted to fish out the answer from me and have a confirmation to his question that I never wanted to answer. We continued down the path until we got to a clearing. Logan took a seat on a stray log and I sat next to him, keeping a few inches between us.

"Can I ask what you were doing at the lake last night?"

"Oh," he said stiffening up. "Last night…"

I looked at him for an answer but nothing came out.

"Is it a job or something?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, okay."

Then something glinted in the sun and I noticed it was something around Logan's neck. It seemed to be some sort of army medallion that had the name Wolverine in scripted in the rough steel. I peered in closer.

"Hey, does that thing you're wearing mean you were in the army?"

He looked down and quickly stuffed it in his shirt. I leaned back in hopes that I didn't offend him anyway but I think I had.

"Sorry," I whispered after a couple of moments.

"No its not you."

"Then why did you hide it?"

"Lets just say, kid, it doesn't bring up happy fluffy memories."

"Oh, sorry…do you mind telling me what it is?"

He looked at me very seriously. His eyes were hard as stone, they cut right through me.

"I think it would only be fair if you tell me since you already know something about me."

And then he told me. He'd been kidnapped from his home and was sent to some experimenting facility that was doing a new study on mutants and how they would react to a newly found metal called adamantium. And it ended up for Logan, that the metal that was injected into his body, at terribly high and dangerous temperatures. It had been surgically implanted throughout his entire body. And the result of that metal were three nine inched claws that came out of each hand.

"Wow. So you really had some damage done to you?"

"Yup," he kicked at the dirt. "And here I am, an ol' bloke like myself hanging out at a mutant school. To be honest, I don't know what the hell I'm doing here," he laughed.

"No, I bet you do," I said.

"What? To learn physics, literature and philosophy?" he asked sarcastically/

"No, but you're here just like the rest of us."

"Well, the professor did say he was going to help me find out more about myself and about my past. So I won't be here forever."

"Is, is what you told me all you can remember?"

"Pretty much."

Three Months Later…

And so it came to be, that after lunch every day, Logan and I had these unscheduled moments, Where we would tell each other our stories, our thoughts, our traumas. It was routine to meet up after a daily sandwich and find him somewhere around the school. The friendship between us flourished over the next couple of months. And it got to the point where we were closely in touch with each other's feelings and thoughts—it wasn't an actual ability or power of any kind, but it came instinctual—if there ever was a time that I needed Logan, he would be there.

Despite how comforting the relationship came to be in some ways, might I say that the relationship between Logan and I was strange in some ways. There had always seemed to be an underlying element of sexual attraction but knowing how dangerous I could become with one touch and how dangerous Logan could become when he was enraged, the relationship never carried any further than a long embrace (when I was fully covered, and not making any type of skin contact). And it had always been a little harder because it ended up that Bobby and I were now going out with each other and whenever Logan came around, sexual tensions rose and it became a subtle lover's triangle.

But it came full circle one night when I couldn't sleep.

I'd tossed and turned in my bed. The sound of Kate snoring in the bed next to me became a ringing sound in my ear, and I eventually decided to get up and wander around the halls of the school. As usual, I made my first trip to Logan's room but I tried to be as quiet as I could. I put my ear to the door and I heard someone grunt and moan. I stood outside for a moment without wanting to barge in but something told me to go in and check on him. I creaked the door open and went on in. He tossed and turned around in his bed. I walked towards him,

"Logan. Logan, wake up, its Marie," I gave his shoulder a tiny push.

His eyes shot open and all went in a flash before my eyes. He shot up from his lying position, and something sharp and cold protruded from my chest. His claws. I struggled to breathe, to hold on. In a dazed glance, I looked at him. His eyes were full of a pleading look; he'd realized what he had just done. He looked like he didn't know what to do. "Somebody help!!" he yelled. I stood there limp, holding on for every last moment. "Hold on, Marie," he wimped. He pulled his claws back in and stood there astray. I pulled my hand up to his face, and then within me I could feel my body patching its self up. But I saw Logan's eyes dim—the light in them blown out. Veins of his past appeared on his face. And before I knew it he was on the ground with a hard thud! The lights clicked on, and there was Scott and Storm rushing into the room. I turned around.

"It was an accident," I managed to spurt out.

"It, it's alright honey," Storm said. "Just stay here."

Scott was already on the floor tending to Logan. He checked for a pulse.

"What is it, Scott?" Storm asked.

"He has a slight pulse, we should get him downstairs immediately."

Storm turned back to me.

"Marie, you just go off to bed now."

"But, I need to stay, I was—"

"If anything happens by the morning, we'll let you know. Now go on."

Storm gave me a light push out of the room, before the door closed, I took one last look at Logan. All I could see was his head and his bare back. Nothing moved. And the door shut. It wasn't until the morning when I knew something was going to happen, whether he lived, or died. The word shook my body. Please, I prayed. Let him be okay…please.

The next morning, I'd received permission to be excused from my classes. I sat there all through the morning so I could here that one rasp on my door to hear the verdict on Logan's health. And so it came. I rushed to the door and opened it. It wasn't the person I'd been hoping for, it was Bobby. Without hesitation, I stepped into him for a hug. I felt tears fall down my face as soon as our bodies touched.

"Shh, its okay, shh," Bobby stroked my hair.

"No, it's not," I wept, probably knowing I'd killed Logan.

"Come inside," he said.

He took my gloved hand and led me inside. He took a seat beside me on the bed, he drew my head to his shoulder and put an arm around me. I let my face hide in Bobby's chest, as I wheezed in. He held me closer. I rose up from his chest and looked up into his eyes.

"I hope I didn't do anything to seriously hurt him."

"Me neither. Let's just hope everything is okay."

He rocked me back and forth, like a small child. We both sat there in a suspended silence. I could've sworn nothing was as painful as wanting to go downstairs and check on Logan but I remember Storm promising she would come by in the morning and let me know how he was doing. But the silence was piercing, it stung my ears. Then I heard the expected rasp at the door and the voice I wanted to hear, "Marie?"

Bobby got up and got the door. Storm stood there, looking tired. She saw me on the bed. I got up and walked to the door.

"Hi, Marie."

All I managed was a fake smile.

"How is he doing?" I asked quietly.

"He's alright. He was out all night—his health swung back and forth but he's stable this morning. As soon as he woke up, he asked about you," she smiled gently at me.

I sighed a great sigh of relief. I looked up at Bobby whose gaze was tense. I looked away.

"If you want, you can come down and visit. Would you like that?" she asked.

"Yeah, I would."

I followed Storm out of my room.

"Rogue," Bobby said taking my hand. "Do you want me to come?"

"No, I think I will be alright."

He hesitated and let go of my hand. "Alright, but I need to talk to you afterwards, okay?"

"Sure, whatever."

My mind was too consumed, I didn't have the capacity in me to worry about what Bobby wanted to talk about. In a hurry, I followed Storm down the hall. We took the elevator down. The depths beneath the school were all pristine and made of steel. We made a left out of the elevator and down a little ways to a small room. The door was glass, and I took a look in. The professor was in there with Logan, talking. I watched Logan's face. It was pale, weak. His eyes didn't have the same strength and courage they'd always had.

"You might just have to wait a moment."

"Sure," I said.

"I have to go back to my classroom, you'll be okay down here?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay."

Storm gave my shoulder a reassuring hold and walked on. Within a few moments, the door opened and the professor wheeled out.

"Hello, Marie. How are you?" asked the professor, his warm eyes filling mine.

"I'm…okay," I said.

"Good, how was your night last night?" he asked concerned.

"Scary…suspenseful."

"Yes, I believe so. Well, Logan is fine. He's waiting in there for you."

"Thank you."

"Have a nice day, Marie."

"Thanks, Professor."

I walked into the room and Logan's eyes set upon me. Then without introduction, my tearful eyes filled with joy. Though he appeared weak, he sat there, living. I ran to his bed and collapsed on the sheets beside him. I felt his massive arm go around my shoulders.

"How are you?" I asked, one hand upon his chest as if claiming him as mine.

"I'm alright, kiddo."

"Cause I was so close to thinking I'd killed you."

"No, please don't think that," a small smile crossed his face.

"I'm just happy you're okay," I lay my head on his chest. His hand stroked my hair just like Bobby had done, but there was something different about how he did it, it was more satisfying.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked shifting to a chair, pretty sure that I knew he wasn't going anywhere.

"Yeah, go ahead," he coughed.

"Water?"

He nodded. I went to the cooler and poured him a small cup and handed it to him. I drew the chair closer to the bed.

"How was it that I healed last night? And coincidentally knowing you have the power to heal, what happened?"

"The professor was in here telling me that exact thing. He thinks that when you touched me, you gained some of my ability to heal, so that's why you were okay in the end. But during the same time, you sucked my life force outta me so that's why I fainted and was out. But I'd just enough strength to recover, possibly to survive."

"Oh, jeez. You must really hate me."

"No, why would I?" he asked.

"Cause I nearly killed you!"

"No, I wouldn't say that. If anything, it brought us together."

And that's when his gaze filled my eyes, then my mind and then my heart. His hand inched toward mine, and held it open. I looked at him and put my hand in his. Our fingers in laced, he gave me a slight tug on my arm. I inched toward the bed and once again sat down. He pulled me farther until I was laying down next to him. I felt his body shift and felt his whiskery mouth near my ear.

"Marie, I will always be here for you. I hope you know that. I'm your warrior. I will fight 'til the end if I have to."

"No, Logan please," I said squirming from his grip. "I don't want—"

"Nothing wrong is going to happen, love."

Then it hit me hard. The word, love. Funny thing, I assumed I would withdraw but I felt completely comfortable.

"You, you…love me?" I stammered.

He gave me a look as if he assumed I'd known all along. And I have. I knew there was something there. Something that wanted to be let go until now, when all was revealed.

"When I first saw you, near the lake that day, everything changed."

"So it wasn't a job? I knew it," I giggled.

"There was something about you. Something that made me gravitate towards you. I don't know what it was…so I followed you that day."

"I see."

Then I heard the glass door open and I snapped up from Logan's embrace on the bed. It was Scott.

"Hey, we're gonna have to give Logan some I.V. drips now and let him rest. Perhaps you can come back later," Scott said to me.

"Sure," I said. I gave Logan's hand one last squeeze before I left. "I'll be back later tonight, if that works."

"Why not?" Scott said.

And so I left. I checked a clock that hung on the wall. Lunch was nearly over, I thought that I could catch Bobby in the last few moments before the day ended. So I dashed upstairs, I saw him sitting amongst his friends outside. He saw me, and said to them,

"Hey," he said to me. "Look guys I have to go. Meet with you guys later."

Bobby got up, threw out his trash and we walked inside. We sat in the game room.

"How's he?" Bobby asked.

"He's alright, seems a little weak but he's pulling through."

"So," he said looking at me. "I wanted to talk to you about this for a couple of weeks now."

"Yes, I'm listening," I offered.

"It's about Logan and you. You seem to be spending an awful lot of time with him. And since I'm your boyfriend, I think I can be in the position where I'm a little worried and wondering why you're spending so much time with this guy."

"It isn't what you think Bobby. Logan and I are just…friends."

And then my mind sent me back to the moment in the room downstairs where he called me love.

"But you spend more time with him than you do with me."

"Oh come on, Bobby be realistic. I don't have feelings for him like that."

"Yeah, sure about that? Because you smile at him more than you do with me. Even the way you look at him suggests something."

"He's my friend, nothing more. I promise you."
"But something in me tells me you like him, more than a friend."

"I don't! Listen to me," I said taking both of his hands. "I was friends with you and him when I got here and guess what? You're the one that won my heart."

I leaned into him, and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Do you believe me?" I asked hopefully, I watched as he blushed. I giggled and held his face in my hands. It wasn't normal that I kissed him but I felt he needed it then. He smiled and nodded. "Good."

"Where are you off to now?" he asked.

"Umm, I think I might go upstairs and rest. I barely caught any sleep last night."

"Yeah, okay."

"Why? Something's up?"

"Nah, I was going to ask you if you wanted to come and take a walk with me down to the lake but you look tired, so—"

"But consider it a rain check, okay? Maybe tomorrow."

"Alright. Come on, Let me walk you to the room."

Bobby held out his hand, I accepted. He pulled me up from my seat. We walked hand in hand to my door and turned toward me.

"See you later," he said.

"Sure thing."

I walked in. Kate was in there reorganizing some belongings of hers. I walked in and completely collapsed on my bed.

"Hey you," Kate said.

"Hey."

"Something up?" she asked.

"Oh, no everything is good."

But I was fibbing. Everything was not alright. Everything was unsettled. It was only an hour ago when Logan had told me he loved me. And on the other hand, I had a boyfriend who thought I had eyes for someone else. It was like an emotional tug of war—there was the 'Bobby' end and the Logan 'end.' I didn't know which way to go. Surely there was Bobby who made everything in the world seemed right, his kiddish and young hearted ways. Then there was Logan—the reflection of me—a torn up mess who disguised everything with a rough exterior. Both ends benefited me some things I needed but not completely. If I swung any which way, I was sure to hurt the other person.

I turned toward the blank wall, which drowned out my thoughts, and within seconds, my eyes drifted close. And I had a peaceful slumber, not like I'd had in a long time.

I woke up at five o'clock that evening. Kate was still there but she was also lying down, she was out. I got up and brushed my hair—surely there was no question if I had bed hair. I pressed down my clothes, fluffed my hair and walked out quietly, and groggily, out of the room. I felt I had been drugged but I knew it was the two hour nap that I'd just taken. I walked in the direction of Bobby's room. I knocked at his door but I remembered he was at lacrosse practice so he wasn't going to be there. So I walked away and proceeded downstairs, figuring this was a good time to visit Logan.

I got off the elevator and went to his room, where Storm had led me earlier that day. He was there and he looked a thousand times better—the color had returned to his face, a certain new found courage and love burned in his eyes. I smiled when I came in and I sat in the chair next to his bed.

"Hey, kiddo," Logan said. "Good news, I think they might let me out tonight."

"Really? Oh, that's great."

"Yeah, I feel a whole lot better."

"You look better, did you get enough rest?"

"Yeah, lots."

"Hey, listen I want to tell you how much I do appreciate you're being there for me. I don't think there's been anyone like you before."

He smiled. "You're welcome."

Once again, the love was silent in that moment but still burning strong and white; the connection as thick as a ship's anchoring ropes.

One Month Later…

It was a month later that I found Logan was about to leave Xavier's. I was in the game room, playing foosball with Bobby that I saw Logan's figure near the door.

"Hold on, Bobby."

I ran away and down the hall, to the foyer where Logan was putting on his boots. He flipped his backpack on his back.

"Logan, hey," I said.

"Oh, sheez, Marie you nearly scared me," he said.

"Sorry," I said. "Are you going somewhere?" I asked.

"Yeah, for a little while."

"Where?"

"To Canada, Professor said what would really help would be to go back up to the place where I got these suckers from," he said holding up his hands, where the claws lay deep down.

"How long are you going to be there for?"

"However long it takes me. Look, I'm gonna come back. Don't worry. What I said about being your fighter is not bullshit, its true and I mean every part of it."

He stroked my hair and planted on a kiss on the top of my head.

"Do believe what I say, Marie. I ain't a man of lies, I've had too many of those in my life."

"Okay, but do you have to go now?"

"Well, what difference is it going to make if I leave now, or leave a week from now?"

"I don't know," I said shrugging. "But I'm sure as hell going to miss you."

"Don't worry about me, besides you got Bobby here to keep you company for a while."

"I know. But it's, I think, me getting so use to you being around that its like—" I paused, embarrassed with what I was going to say next.

"What? You can tell me."

"That it will be like missing a part of me."

"I know, hon' but this is something I have to do for myself. I love you and you know that. Here," he took off his army medallion, the chain he forbidden me to see the very first time together. "Take this and you won't feel so alone."

I took it from his hand and looked at it. It was warm from being against his body.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "This does mean a lot to you."

"If I wasn't so sure, I wouldn't have given it. Now take it."

He closed up my gloved hand and held it.

"Be good, kiddo. And I'll be back for that."

Before he left, he gave me a wink. Something as tiny as a gesture as that signaled me that he was always there; whether it be in flesh or blood, or spirit. And with that door clicked closed and Logan was gone. But secretly, to no one's knowing a piece of him lay in my hands, a part still living, still vibrant. A piece that was my guiding warrior.