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Chapter Two: Advice and Blankets
The overly cheerful, bubbly voice of the female tour guide startled Logan from his deep sleep. He had finally positioned himself in such a way to where it was comfortable to drift off. Sure, the comfortable spot was on the floor underneath the seats of the bus, but it would be wrong to deprive a man of his comfort, now wouldn't it?
Although, the mutant did wish he had found a better spot because when the annoying voice boomed on the speakers, he sat up too quickly and only succeeded in slamming his head against the bottom of a hard metal seat. Plus, the intense overhead lights on the bus had switched on, and Logan knew it had to be the middle of the night. It was like they were saying, "Wakey-upy! Nobody cares that you get any sleep whatsoever! Our only priority is to annoy the living daylights out of you!"
He growled in frustration.
"We'll be taking a short bathroom break at this rest stop, and then we will be on our way again!" the guide said enthusiastically.
"I'll tell you where you can shove your bathroom break," Logan mumbled under his breath as he tried to get out from under the seats. How in God's name did he get under here like this in the first place?
"Logan, is that you?" Someone asked him from somewhere above. He turned his head to see Marie looking down at him with concern.
"Unless I have a twin on this bus," the older man said.
"How'd yeh get all the way under there?" Marie asked him, somewhat suspiciously.
"You tell me," Logan grumbled. "Go get that kid, and have her phase me out of here."
The young southerner nodded and searched the bus with her eyes for her friend. "Ah think Kitty went into the rest stop, Logan."
"Damn. Tell her to get on the bus and get me out of this," he demanded grumpily, still miffed about his sleep being interrupted.
"Ah'll be right back!" Marie said as she hurried off the bus, leaving Logan alone under a few rows of coach seats. For a few seconds anyway.
"So," an elderly male voice said. "You're in a fix, aren't you?"
Logan turned over again to see a wave of silver-blue hair and shocking blue eyes looking at him. It was Steve the bus driver.
"I do believe so, sir," Logan replied without any sarcasm. The guy seemed just as tired as Logan did, so he cut him some slack by not giving him any sass. "Can you give me a hand?"
"Sure thing, son." Then Steve reached straight through the seats and extended his hand to Logan. For a moment Logan just stared at the man in surprise, but then he grasped his hand, and pulled himself up through three rows of seats.
"You can phase through things," Logan commented, trying hard not to show the astonishment in his voice. He stood in front of the elderly mutant in the aisle.
"Sure can. I'm a mutant just like you and all of your friends."
Now that was confusing, considering the fact that Logan's uncanny sense of smell made him the ultimate mutant detector. Add that to the list of frustrating things on this trip. Something was really wrong with him.
"Was that your girlfriend you just sent off the bus?" Steve asked casually, inclining his head towards the rest stop.
"Uh, no – well, no..." Logan mumbled, feeling his cheeks color. He was going to have to learn how to control that when he thought about that girl.
"Oh? And why not?" Steve inquired innocently, sitting down on a seat and crossing his legs.
"Because I'm no good for her," Logan replied easily, following suit of the older man and sitting down with his arms crossed.
Steve's brow furrowed. "What makes you say that?"
"It just can't work between us," Logan said.
"Do you know how she feels about you?" Steve asked, one eyebrow raised, his chin resting on his hand.
"No – uh, not exactly," Logan mumbled, scratching the back of his neck.
"Then find out." Steve smiled and leaned across the aisle to clap him on the back.
Logan smirked. "Thanks, Steve."
Maybe the bus driver hadn't said too much, but it was enough to make Logan think. He sat back in his seat and reclined the seat as far back as it could go. He folded his arms, put on his shades to block out the lights on the bus, and shut his eyes, welcoming sleep... if it should come.
…...
This time Logan was awoken not to an annoying voice, but rather teeth chattering. Curiously, he sat up – this time in his seat and not on the floor – and ran his eyes up and down the bus searching for the source of the chattering.
He quickly realized that it was Marie. She was curled up into a tight fetal position and leaning on the window, fast asleep. Logan leaned across the back of the young girl's seat and felt the window. It was ice cold.
Jumping up, Logan looked in the overhead compartment. He quickly found what he was looking for. He sat down beside Marie and shook out her purple blanket, laying it on her gently. Suddenly, Marie shifted and turned over, still asleep, and layed her head on the spot between Logan's neck and shoulder. At first, Logan didn't even dare to breathe.
Then he relaxed. Maybe this isn't so bad after all, he thought. He breathed in deeply, gasping for breath because he had held it in for so long. He silently cursed himself because Marie smelled deeply of vanilla and maple. Of course Logan would never admit it, but maple was the one scent that could intoxicate him... besides his beer.
Glancing over at Marie, he saw that she was no longer shivering. Logan also realized that one of her strips of white hair was hanging in her face. He remembered how she had gotten it. He had touched her white hair, and looked at her with sorrow. She had said that it was okay. She liked it even.
The older mutant smoothed her hair out and brushed her white hair behind her ear. Then her eyes snapped open. Damn it if Logan didn't have the worst luck.
"Logan?" Marie whispered, looking up at him. "What are yeh-"
"You were shivering," Logan supplied hurriedly. "I got you your blanket. I'll go now." He began to rise from the seat.
"No!" Marie said, grabbing on to Logan's shirt to stop him from leaving. Their eyes locked, but the younger mutant cast her gaze down. "Ah think Ah'll get cold again." She was quick. Marie put the middle armrest up and Logan sat back down. Without the armrest in the way, Marie could now fully lay against Logan. Did he mind? Hell no!
Logan re-positioned the purple blanket over both of them and wrapped his arms around her. He could feel her tense, but just as quickly relax. Logan could vividly remember when Marie had ran off and he caught up with her on a train. The two were nearly in the same position they were now, but the mood was different. No one was in danger, and the girl didn't need comforted. She asked for him this time. Logan was trying not to enjoy it too much.
Marie's neck was exposed and Logan was fighting his animal urge to brush his lips against her flesh. Instead he rested his head on hers and focused on the passing buildings and lights he could see out of the large bus window.
A big green and white sign went by fast and the only word Logan caught was, "Maryland." They were close to D.C.
That didn't exactly reassure Logan. Who knew what awaited him there.
Until the next chapter...
-A.M. Williams
