OK off on a different tangent for me…as usual, don't own them even though I love to play with them, so please pardon my humble attempts at trying to bring them more to life.

This will be another long – ongoing project, so for those who are enduring my other long and drawn out projects, updates will come as they can. Another dream induced idea – Gods Bless Morpheus.

This is TOTALLY AU, as far as I know these characters do not exist in Marvel universe, other than Logan and the rest of the Marvel crew. I am throwing canon to the wind (comic) anyway, and writing my own version of the past. Reviews are always welcome, but be aware this is completely OFF CANON, so flames about canon WILL be IGNORED.

Chapter 1

He reined the horse up in front of the Hawkins's place. Every light was on in the house, an unusual occurrence in the best of times. Charles didn't like to entertain, said it was costly. Melanie would be almost eighteen now, a spinster if Charles had anything to say about it. He doted on that girl, but Logan doubted he would ever let her marry.

He knocked on the door, Sassy, Charles's downstairs maid answered.

"Mr. Howlett, how good to see you. Mr Hawkins has guests for dinner. I will let him know you are here." Logan grinned at the girl. Hawkins had hired her straight off the boat, her cockney accent still strong, after all these years. He stood in the entry, his hat in his hand.

"Sassy, you didn't take Mr. Howlett's hat – or coat." Charles said as he walked out of the dining room. He was pale, and Logan could detect a hit of fear in his scent. His instincts – his difference – served him well, especially in business. Something was wrong.

"I wasn't planning on staying…just dropped by to see how you are doing old friend."

"Nonsense, this is a happy day. Sassy take his hat and coat, you will join us for dinner, James." Charles never used his first name, something was definitely wrong. Charles was glad to see him, and for someone who owed money, that wasn't a good thing. His return to Halifax wasn't about money, this time, but still Charles owed him a good sum.

"I certainly wouldn't say no to dinner. I am dressed for the road; I wouldn't want to put the ladies off." He smiled at the girl as she took his coat. He was wearing a simple brown suit, and Charles was lucky he wasn't dressed for the West. His gun and belt were in a saddle bag on his horse outside. He brushed off his lapels and straightened his jacket.

"Melanie will be pleased to see you." Charles put a welcoming hand on his shoulder, guiding him into the brightly lit dining room. Logan almost froze in the door, what was Abbott doing here, and sitting that close to Melanie. Logan smiled at the young girl sitting at the foot of the table. Charles had her playing hostess, something was definitely wrong, and that dress…it belonged on a streetwalker; he would definitely have to talk to Charles about this later.

"Logan, your home," she smiled and stood, all the men at the table stood in unison. There were only two other women there, neither of whom deserved the title. He would swear he had seen one of them slipping out of the room across the hall from his in the hotel last night.

"Just for a visit, Melbell. I still have business out west to deal with."

"You will stay for the wedding, of course." John Abbott said, as he placed a possessive hand on Melanie's arm.

"Wedding – Congratulations." Now he understood. How the HELL had Abbott gotten Melanie to agree to that. The look on her face was pure panic. Logan stepped close and kissed her gently on the cheek. He could smell tears on her, tears and pure fear. She didn't want this, something was wrong.

"When is the blessed event?" He asked as he took the chair Sassy held for him.

"In two weeks…the bans will be posted tomorrow."

"I can put my business off until then." Sassy placed a plate in front of him; at least he was in time for the main course. The men at the table talked quietly. Logan knew a few of them, and wondered where their wives were. This type of dinner should have wives and daughters, sitting congratulating the bride to be, not whores. He was getting angrier by the moment.

Dinner droned on, finally desert was served and the ladies left, Melanie plead exhaustion and went upstairs, Logan almost ripped Abbott's throat out when he stopped her and kissed her at the bottom of the stairs. He didn't care if they were engaged; you didn't kiss a woman like that, outside of the bedroom, especially if she doesn't want it. He was going to have to deal with Charles. He had known that girl for years; he didn't want to see her hurt.

He was waiting on Sassy to bring his hat and coat when Charles escorted Abbott and his flunkies to the door.

"Look forward to seeing you at the wedding, Howlett." Abbott said as he left. "But not before then. She's going to be my wife, it wouldn't be seemly."

"I have business with Charles, if I see Melanie; it will be in that context I assure you. Congratulations again, she's a fine girl." Abbott just laughed and walked down the steps.

"Logan – a word before you go." Charles was standing at the study door.

"Good, I have a few for you." Logan stormed into the room, Charles closing the door behind them. "WHAT THE HELL are you THINKING!?"

"I know. I don't want this. Mel doesn't want this. We have no choice."

"Charles, what the hell is going on?" Logan threw himself into a chair in front of Charles' desk. "Is it money…I can loan you what you need?"

"No, it's worse than that. You remember that lumber deal, last year – the one that went bad. Abbott bought the debt, and then sued me over it, sent his men in to cause trouble in the lumber camps; some people were hurt – killed. Abbott has dragged my name through the mud over the whole thing, Melanie's too. He put it out that she was seen in the camps – alone."

"Why is he doing this? I know Abbott is an ass, a criminal ass, but he usually keeps things clean, I have never heard of him dragging a lady through this."

"Melanie was at a dressmaker, last year. He was there with his latest whore, trying to buy her some respectability no doubt, he says Melanie snubbed them. Mel says she tried to be nice but the woman was rude and snooty and well – you know Mel."

"I still don't understand, this isn't like Abbott?"

"Mrs. Jenson was there…"

"Oh GOD – all of this because of that no good busybody who can't keep her nose out of anything." Logan almost had to laugh.

"She put it around that Mel wouldn't have Abbott if he were the last man on earth, the bad part is, it's exactly what Mel said. So he started courting her. She kept refusing left and right, but then he started attacking my business, putting me in debt to him, threatening to sue if I didn't pressure her. Then the ugly rumors started."

"The man is an idiot to do this for wounded vanity." Logan looked over at his friend. Charles was drawn, pale. There was still more to this.

"It got worse. Two of my horses were found, throats slashed in the stables. Meg, the upstairs maid was raped and killed on the streets – and Abbott hasn't been quiet about what he plans for Mel after they are married."

"Then WHY are you doing this?"

"Because NO ONE ELSE WILL HAVE HER! I've tried, no one wants to cross Abbott, and I even tried sending her to her uncle in India, Martha's brother. Abbott stopped her at the port, and DRAGGED her back here, through the streets. The police won't touch him, he has bought them off. I tried sneaking her down into the states, even with the war going on down there it would be safer than this. I don't care what he will do to me, but Mel…Logan you have to get her out of here, before the wedding."

"This is insane. I am NOT dragging Mel anywhere. I will deal with Abbott myself."

"Logan…you can't."

"Watch me."

"Logan, he was in an accident, last month, a pure accident. The police arrested me; put me on trial for his attempted murder. I was only released because I agreed to this whole farce. He has the house watched at all times; I don't know what to do."

"I do…I'll kill him. They can only hang me, and we both know how well that will work."

"Logan, you can't. You are – you will be hunted the rest of your life, however long that will be. NO, I won't let you commit murder. Just get my girl out of here. I don't care how you do it, just do it. Get her to her uncle; he will make sure she is safe."

"You are looking at this all wrong, Charles. The easy way to handle this is kill the man. The next easiest thing is to NOT have the wedding. It's Eighteen Sixty Three for God's sake – there are laws against forced marriages. All the girl has to do is say NO!"

"He will kill me if she does. He is going to kill me after anyway, but he keeps promising her he won't."

"How the HELL am I supposed to sneak her out of here. Charles you are so tied up in this you aren't thinking straight. I'll kill a couple of his men, get her to the port and on a boat to India, ok will that make you happy...and you still owe me three thousand dollars." He stood up in disgust. Charles was a pansy ass he knew that, but this was ridiculous.

"He's going to prostitute her…after the wedding. He already has men bidding on the wedding night."

"WHAT!" How the hell had this idiot let things get this far.

"The whole city knows. He's selling her virginity to the highest bidder." Charles was almost in tears.

"You are an IDIOT, Charles." Logan was furious. "AN IDIOT to let it get this far – YOU should have stopped this sooner - called the man out for God's sake, something."

"Logan I don't know what to do, Martha's grave is here, I can't leave her. I wanted Melanie married to a good man, who would care for her, not this…NEVER this." The man was a blubbering idiot.

"If it were just you, Charles, I'd walk out that door. Mel doesn't deserve this."

"I know – for her sake, Logan, help us."

"No…not for her sake. Abbott is an ass, I'd do it to help anyone who got on his bad side, but SHIT! YOU are a damned idiot; Mel is well rid of you. She's your daughter for crying out loud and you are letting this piece of shit treat her like this. It's your job – YOUR DUTY to protect her, you shit." Logan let loose his anger.

"She's just a child, Charles, a CHILD. Why the HELL did you let her dress like that tonight? Why did you let her go prancing around without an escort to the damned dressmaker? Why did you let a little slip of a girl with a BIG FUCKING MOUTH cause all this? It was Melbell's mouth that started this mess, I care for the girl, as a niece, but SHIT you have let her run free without discipline for too long." His voice was growing louder.

"NOW you want ME to get you the hell out of this mess. The easiest way would have been to FUCKING APOLOGIZE to the bastard, but no YOU had to let it get this crazy. Now I am going to have to KILL someone to take care of it – KILL someone. I am not your damned lackey, Charles. I don't like being put in a position where I HAVE to KILL someone." He was pounding on the desk in front of the older man.

"Then don't Logan." Said a soft voice from the door, Logan turned on Melanie in full rage.

"And YOU – when are you going to learn to keep your big mouth shut. YOU are a girl – a woman – and its time you learned your place. This is men's business, get your ass back upstairs, we will get you out of this mess…just don't ever ask me for anything again."

He could see the tears in her eyes, but she stood her ground, not backing down in the face of his anger.

"You don't have to do anything. I know this is my fault, believe me – I know. I will take the consequences, whatever they might be. I don't need your help, Logan. Go – leave – father will have the money to pay you what he owes you after the wedding."

"You really think Abbott will honor his word…?" Logan was dumbfounded.

"No, father will have money from my inheritance. I have written a will, my mother's dowry which my father can't touch, will go to him when I die."

"Die?"

"Yes, he may do what he plans to me, but I will have the final say. What he plans may very well kill me, and if not, I am resourceful and determined. He won't keep me alive for long if I choose to die."

She was just a kid; she shouldn't have to think about things like this, plan things like this. He remembered her sitting on his lap, as a child, a precocious child at that – always expressing her opinions to the adults around her.

"No. It ain't happenin'" He said softly.

"Logan you can't stop it. The bans will be read, the wedding will take place and I will go into this with my head up, even if I can't come out the other side that way. I am sorry my father disturbed your evening with this triviality. Please – I look forward to seeing you at the wedding, but do not come again."

"Like HELL!" He shouted at her.

"Logan – please. John is not a nice man; you will make things harder on us, if you come back. Give us this little bit of time to say goodbye."

"Like HELL!" He shouted again, stepping closer to the girl in the door. She still hadn't changed from the gown she wore at dinner, its obscene neckline showing far more of her young chest than any man should see. She was a child, playing dress up.

"Get back to your dolls, Melbell. Maybe when you are grown, you can think about marriage, but …"

"Logan I am eighteen, I don't even need my father's consent to marry…"

"You are still a child."

"Not legally."

"I am going to kill the bastard and that is the end of it." He said.

"NO! If anything happens to him, his men have been told to … have me." She blushed as she said it.

"Well from the sounds of things…that's happening either way – and if I kill him they will have to get through me."

"There is another solution."

"Not another one of your girly ideas…like insulting the biggest asshole in the city."

"I didn't insult him, I insulted his WHORE!" She shouted back at him.

"SAME DIFFERENCE!" He shouted back.

"YOU could marry me." She shouted.

"LIKE HELL!" He shouted back. The stricken look on her face shocked him. "What did you say?"

"You could marry me."

"No- NO – NO! I don't need a wife; I don't need an albatross around my neck."

"It could work Logan." Charles said, hope springing in his eyes. Damn they had planned this…must have planned to catch the first unassuming sap who walked in the door.

"It WON'T work. I'll get her out, get her to India, I can even promise that, but marriage is out of the question."

"Logan – he will go after her, even in India, and she will be without protection."

"She'll have a whole regiment of the God damned Queen's Army to protect her…probably get married off there anyway. Last I checked Billyboy was a Colonel or something.'"

"Then you get her there, to them, you find her a husband to protect her, because there won't be much here to come back to." Charles said. Logan glared at him. He was right about that, there wouldn't be much left, because when Logan got back he would gut the coward himself.

"Logan – thank you." She whispered. He glared at her. He'd take the child to India, get her to her uncle and then get on with his life.

"When are we doing this?"

"The sooner the better." Charles said.

"Now." Logan said, plans already formulating in his head.

"NOW?" she asked.

"Yea, now – "

"Do you have a ship – tickets – a way to set sail as soon as we get to the docks."

"Actually…yeah – at least the ship part."

"What?"

"I have a friend – a captain who is in port. If we get there before dawn he can take us as far as London, and I can get a ship there, to India, but he sails at dawn."

"Really."

"Really – I had drinks with him this afternoon."

"Logan, thank you." She threw her arms around his neck. He yanked them down and pushed her away.

"Quit – I am doing this – well not for you." She just grinned at him and ran upstairs. The hope in her eyes startled him.

"Think about it, Logan. She'd make a good wife."

"Like hell, she'd make a willful brat of a wife that I would have to watch out for every second or she would destroy me like she has destroyed you. If it wasn't for Martha's memory, I wouldn't even take her to Bill."

"She's not a child, Logan."

"Yes – she is. She might be grown on the outside, but she is still a child, one I don't want to have to raise."

"She might surprise you."

"You both have maneuvered me into this, don't push. I will get the damned child to safety, and then I will come back and deal with Abbott myself, but after that…you are both on your own, and you STILL owe me money." He grabbed his hat and coat from Sassy. "Tell her to be ready in an hour. I will take care of the watchmen."

He walked out the front door, and climbed on his horse. He rode toward the hotel, and then doubled back, tied the horse in an alley and climbed a ladder to the roof of a nearby building. He could see two watchmen, obviously watching the house, one in front and one in back. There were five more, hidden in the shadows, and these were the ones he took out first, quietly. Seven men – she owed him for killing seven men tonight. He doubted she understood that kind of debt.

She was ready when he rode up; he pulled her and her bag up behind him on the horse. He glared at Charles in the door, and just said one word. "Seven"

Charles just nodded his head, and turned and closed the door. He turned the horse and rode for the docks. Her hands clutching his waist, as the horse tore through the streets. He just hoped to hell the tide hadn't turned. The KatieMarie was still in its slip as he rode up the docks. He dismounted and helped her down, and onto the gangplank.

"Logan, what's this? I thought you had business out west."

"I do but it will have to wait. Do you have berth for two?"

"I have one cabin…with a pretty thing like that, I am sure you won't mind sharing."

Logan growled at Daniel. He was a good captain, but a shit when it came to women. "She's not that type. Daughter of a business partner, he wants me to get her to her uncle. I agreed ta do it."

Daniel signaled one of the men to unsaddle the horse and bring up the bags. "What are you doing with the horse…I don't have room for stock, full hold this trip."

"Let it go, it's rented it will go back to the stable or not."

"Alright one cabin, and I will get you a hammock."

"That will be fine. Where are you heading after London."

"Barbados. Why?"

"Need passage to Bombay."

"Captain Miller does the Bombay run, out of London, I will introduce you when we are there."

"Thanks, Dan. I owe ya."

"No, passengers are good money."

"What do I owe ya, for passage?"

"Five hundred – for the two of you and that includes meals since you didn't bring your own stores."

"Fair." He counted out cash from his wallet. It was close. He would have enough when the got to London for lodging until the Bombay ship left, but he was going to have to pull from his London bank.

The cabin was a nice one, large enough to move around in, not much else, a bunk, hooks for a hammock a sea chest and a small table. It would do. Close quarters didn't bother him. Melanie seemed relieved instead of disdainful, like he expected.

"Thank you again, Logan." She said.

"Get some sleep; we aren't out of the city yet." He said. "I'll sleep when we are at sea."

"Logan, I am sorry about this."

"Quit. I don't want to hear any more, the less I hear from you, young lady the better." She turned and faced the bunk but he could still smell the salt of her tears.

"I will be on deck watching for problems, get some sleep." He walked out the door and closed it behind him.

Daniel was standing on the upper deck, and invited Logan to join him. He handed him a cigar and Logan lit it with a sigh of relief. This had been one hell of a night, and it wasn't over yet.

"Didn't want to say anything, but where'd ya get the blood on your clothes?"

"Don't ask."

"Not askin…you expectin trouble?"

"Maybe, I'll handle it if it comes. You and your men worry about getting us ta sea."

"Plannin' on it – just one question, why are you always runnin?"

"I don't know…not this time anyway, not MY problem I am runnin from."

"Women!"

"I wish…"

"That's a pretty little thing, to raise such a fuss over for nothing."

"Not nothin' knew her mother – good woman. Girl doesn't deserve the mess she landed in, so I am fishin her out."

"Girl – huh…looked like a woman ta me."

"GIRL! Got it."

"Right…it's a long trip – we'll see how you feel when we get to London." The captain chuckled.

The ship set sail with the dawn tide; Abbott's men hadn't caught on yet, or hadn't figured out which ship they were on. Logan stood watch all night, and then hung his hammock in the hold with the crew. Daniel was right about one thing, it would be a long trip.