Title: A Beautiful Monster
Chapter: Two – The prodigal son returns….
Disclaimer: Not mine, though I wish it was! Marvel owns all rights. (Damn)

Note: Angst alert

Even before entering the main entrance, all I wanted to do was turn around. I took a sniff and the smell of beef stew hit my senses. Deciding I was better off without it I went straight to my room. Not in the mood to deal with any of the teachers and definitely not wanting to watch the other students cower from me. So to my sanctuary I went. I stripped down so that I could put on my exercise clothing. And started my routine in my room, why my room you ask? Well I couldn't use the gym because working out fully covered might make me stroke out from overheating. I couldn't work out using regular clothing because 'gasp' I might accidently hurt somebody in the gym while working out. I also wasn't allowed to use the gym without supervision because I might hurt myself. It was a marvelous catch fucking 22 that was; so I brought some equipment and tapes and did my own thing.

As I worked out I waited. In a school that has telepathic teachers and students, well someone was bound to notice I was back. And with that knowledge the inquisitional squad would arrive. 'Where was I? Why did I need to go into town? And more importantly was I okay?' Lord I didn't answer questions on the best of days and today definitely wasn't a good day. So no to answering Jubilee, no to Kitty and hells no to Dr. Grey and the Professor! Rude much, I know. However I have a legitimate excuse. Drum roll please. …..

I have several different personalities with permanent rooms in my brain. And let me just say they don't all get along. First there was Cody. I would say poor Cody, but trust me the son of bitch didn't have pure intentions, and to him. Well I would have been just another notch on his belt. We will skip over the truckers and other life forms that I had to touch. What? You thought a young pretty girl all by herself wouldn't track predators? On to Mystic and Sabertooth, two of the most contentious people I never wanted to meet. Then we have the Logan special. I got to tap that well twice. The first time when I stupid enough to try and imitate a human shish-ka-bob, the second time was like a cherry topper on a Magneto ice-cream sundae of fucked up ness. Add small chasers of Bobby and viola we have a cluster-fuck.

Did I mention that Rogue has become a personality all her own? She became the tough as nails persona that the world saw. So what if her boyfriend was in a coma? Nobody told him to try and steal a kiss. No friends but surrounded by nosey acquaintances, who gave a shit! Rogue was an island on to her own. She didn't care that Logan made promises and the disappeared for ½ a year. Yep two months of staying to make sure she was okay while recovering from Liberty Island fiasco. Then when I started school, he ran for the hills. So for six months, I have been it education hell. Yay me!

Marie on the other hand was tender. She hated that Bobby had gotten hurt and thought there must have something she could have done to prevent it. She sent longing glances whenever she saw a group of friends her age. Wishing she could join in slumber parties and sports. She desperately missed Logan. He was the love of her life. And although she knew it was an unrequited love, it was love none the less. As for the school she very much wished she could fit in and enjoy what would probably be the last of her classroom experience. Marie still cried, Marie still felt, and Marie was hurt.

So when the knock did eventually come I didn't jump. Nor did I hurry to open the door. If I knew who was on the other side I would have bolted the damn door, barricaded and possibly electrocuted it. I opened it kind of expecting Jubes or even Kitty, was really, really praying goody number one and two respectively weren't on the other side. So you can imagine how my piss-o-meter shot from 1 to 100 when I opened the door to find the Wolverine leaning so insouciantly outside the door frame. Must resist the urge to slam the door! Slam! Well never said my impulse control was great. And now, three, two, one…..

"Kid", Logan using a growly voice…check.

"Open the damn door Marie, we need to talk" noticing he was pissed….check.

Internally debating whether I wanted to deal with this tonight or tomorrow morning I reopened the door. Logan was nothing if stubborn. The longer I put him off the worse he would be. "Wolverine, Sugah you're back. So how did your search go? Any luck?" Any more sweetness and I would be charged with trying to rot something. With that opening salvo he would know two things…one I was angry at him. Two the over the top act of caring was of such magnitude and sarcasm even he could pick up on it.

I could see he was leery, not as cock sure as normal. Hmm, seems like they've been telling tales on me. Poor Rogue…blah blah blah! Who cares what they think. There was only one person I used to care about and he kind of killed that notion quickly. "What the hell have you done to yourself?" Oops, guess he noticed the piercings…..um nope …. his eyes were on the wrist. I grabbed him by his shirt, and miracles of all miracles he let me yank him inside the room. If he was going to chastise me or read me the riot act he could at least do it in relative privacy.

I dared to take a peek at him. Woo boy. I may not have known him long, but he sure was madder than a wet hen. "What possibly could possess you to place those on your body?" Okay, hoping that the man was just against tattoos on women. When in doubt play dumb. Hey don't judge! I never claimed to be a Doctor or a genius. He eyes narrowed further. Damn I know the man didn't read minds…. so it had to be either my heartbeat or scent. Duplicitous body!

I knew when he pointed to one and then the other that the jig was up. Okay so scrap denial and cue defiance. One thing I've learned to be very versatile, when plan A went down the drain, go with plan B. However to be perfectly honest, plan B wasn't going to cut it. Oh well. Rolling without a plan seems like that was the new plan. On the wings of that thought…I was indignant. When the hell did he learn to read Japanese? I intended to tell him I was 18 and could do what I want. I intended to remind him that when one takes off for 6 months and doesn't call or write; you lose the right to pass judgment.

"Since when in the fuck do you read Japanese Wolverine"? Okay even my mouth isn't cooperating with me. Nostrils flaring…deep breaths. ….hands flexing. All signs of an emanate meltdown (his, not mine). When he began talking through clenched teeth, okay sue me so I got a little nervous.

"Sweet poison? Kid that ain't something you just up and decide to put on your body. And what's with all the piercings? Needed something to go with that obvious hole in your head?"

Oh no he didn't, he did not just go there. Suddenly my world was full with red. Did I mention that several of my personalities have anger management issues? I unloaded. Railing at Logan for disappearing for 6 months with no word or communication. Bitterly complaining about the school A.K.A prison. Spilling out vitriol against his favorite redhead. Everything and anything that went wrong since Canada came out of my mouth. When I finally finished I was weary and Logan was shell shocked. Well as much as Logan could be. I watched him gather himself. And knew that he was going to try to mitigate everything I just told him.

So I listened as he told me that I should know he would be okay, virtually indestructible remember? And Red was only trying to help me; maybe I should stop seeing her as the enemy. Granted the Professor hadn't found my switch but it was just a matter of time. As for my peers, well just give them time. Eventually they would see how wonderful I was. I looked deeply into his eyes and mourned. Who was this stranger standing in front of me? The old Logan would have grunted something along the line of fuck em. This one looked at me with pity.

Suddenly it was just all too much. I gathered my pajamas and went to go to the bathroom. "It's late Wolverine, and I have classes in the morning. Let's catch up tomorrow, okay"? He looked like he wanted to argue, however he eventually snapped his mouth shut and turned to leave. As he left I ran to the bathroom and turned on the shower. I didn't even wait for the water to warm up. I threw myself in and started to cry. Great big silent tears rolled down my face. Lost in a deluge of water, I hoped my pain would escape Logan's notice. With feral senses it was hard to pull one over on him. I slid down the wall curling into a ball. I clenched my jaw shut. I knew if I started to scream I would never stop. And let tell you it's one thing for folks to think you're a couple of cards short of a deck, and another to give them proof positive.

Rocking myself… I began to wonder how long I could last. What would be the straw that broke the camel's back. I was already holding on by a string. Each day it got just that much harder to get up and put on my happy face.

Piece by piece I was dying and nobody noticed. Or they chalked it up to teenage angst and rebellion.

Didn't anyone see that even in a school full of people I was all alone?

Couldn't anybody tell that all the affection I was missing just left a void in my soul?

Was I really destined to be alone? Never having a lover….forever without children?

I pulled myself out of the shower. Pondering on things never helped anything. Marie had her 15 minutes in the sun…Rogue was needed to handle the deluge of feelings. Trust me the last couple of years were proof positive. I learned to rely on myself, and just needed to get back to that mindset. I was only a few weeks from graduation. After that I could pull a disappearing act.

Bed now….. we needed to lose our self in the sweet oblivion of sleep…

End Chapter 2

TBC