When Logan returned to the hotel room to find Marie missing, he had to wonder if the previous night was all a dream. Was this woman just a fantasy? A figment of his wild imagination and sexual frustrations?
No...he could still smell her scent lingering in the air.
As he searched for an explanation as to why she'd disappeared, he glanced down at his phone, which was lighting up like a Christmas tree from repeated missed call and voicemail notifications.
He snatched up the phone and cursed when, in between all the missed calls, he spotted one answered call. Had Marie answered his phone?
Logan called Storm back and was met with an angry weather goddess, "Logan! Why didn't you say anything when you answered earlier?"
He grumbled, "That wasn't me...what did you say!"
"Who answered your phone then?"
Logan snapped, "None of your business. Last time I checked you weren't my damn mother. Now what did you say?"
"I was just reminding you that you were supposed to help me with the kids and that you were abandoning your responsibilities."
He ran a hand down his face and rolled his eyes, "You sound like you're my damn wife-" He cut himself off as he slapped his own forehead and grumbled, "Oh shit..."
Logan heard Storm yell his name as he lowered the phone from his ear and hung up.
No wonder Marie left. If Storm was spouting off half as loud or half as inappropriately as she just was when Marie was on the phone, she probably thought he was married with kids...
As he rushed from the hotel and looked up and down the street for any sign of her, he cursed the day he ever got involved with those damn X Geeks...
Marie tried, in vain, to slip back into the Brotherhood headquarters unseen, but Arclight, fresh from her own one night stand, joined her in her walk of shame back up to their apartments.
They were quiet for the first few stairs, but Arclight quickly broke the silence, "How was your night?"
"I don't really wanna talk about it..."
"That bad huh?" said Arclight as they arrived at Marie's door.
Marie gave a slow nod as Arclight gave her a comforting nudge and walked to her own apartment. As the tattooed mutant disappeared, Marie sighed and shook her head, "That good..."
For the next few weeks, she tried to forget about Logan and their perfect night together. At times, she found herself trying to rationalize what she heard.
Maybe he had an explanation? Maybe his wife was a real bitch...
She quickly shook her head and banished the thoughts from her head. She knew what she heard and there was no excuse. He was married, had lied to her and was now the scum of the earth.
But their night had been so perfect...so real. When he looked into her eyes, she felt something...and she knew he felt it too.
That was a fact she couldn't run from, so she allowed herself to hurt. She allowed herself to quietly pine for him and long for his body day and night.
With plenty of elbow grease and cleaning, the the old abandoned apartment building began looking more and more like a real headquarters, complete with offices, work out facilities and a small, minimally stocked infirmary.
The renovation was complete just in time for a raid on a mutant research facility that was trying to find a way for parents to tell if their child carried mutated genes as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. That way, they could terminate the pregnancy if they found they were having a mutant child. Magneto had plans to destroy all research and ruin any chances of mutant-specific abortions ever becoming a reality.
When the plans for the raid were set, Marie helped coordinate the arrival and getaway of all "troops". As usual, she sat in a van so far away, she could barely see the fight.
As she waited for the signal to start the engine, she heard chaos erupt in the distance. Gun fire, lightning strikes, red beams of light and shock waves began clashing on the battlefield.
Taking that as her signal, she started the car and sped toward the facility. She gasped as she watched a few of her fellow Brotherhood members carry a badly injured Sabretooth back to her vehicle.
As soon as they were inside, they yelled "GO", prompting her to peel off. She glanced in the rear view mirror at the moaning, feral mutant who had once been hailed as "indestructible" by Magneto.
Who could have done this to him?
When they returned to the headquarters, they transferred Sabretooth to the makeshift infirmary in the basement. He had slowly but surely started to heal, but his hand had been almost completely cut from his body and his jugular had been punctured, so he was definitely in bad shape...even for someone with regenerative capabilities.
The feral mutant growled and moaned in pain as they worked to treat him.
Soon, he had finally healed enough to control his bleeding and make him slightly more comfortable. His hand was slowly reattaching to his arm and his jugular was closing, making him a little more coherent.
After they had finally gotten Sabretooth to sleep, Marie walked in on a meeting Magneto was having with Mystique and Emma. It was immediately apparent to her that his ever present metal helmet was missing.
"Rogue, good of you to join us. I trust Sabertooth is fairing better?"
She nodded, "He's sleeping now, but he should be OK...who could have done that to him?"
Magneto, Mystique and Emma traded looks before he turned his eyes back to her, "A very powerful mutant named Wolverine."
"More powerful than Sabretooth? I mean...I saw him when they first dragged him out of the facility and he was in awful shape. How could-"
Magneto cut her off, "Wolverine has all the skills and gifts Sabertooth has...and more, my dear. I wish to recruit him."
"What? After what he did to one of our people?"
He sighed and crossed his arms, "My dear, if we are going to win this fight, we need the best on our side...and he is the best. As long as the X Men have him on their side and they continue to use him to interfere in our plans, they cold very well keep us from saving our species. The Wolverine needs to join us...or he needs to die."
After losing perhaps the best thing that had happened to him in the past two decades, Logan took some time away from the mansion.
He returned just in time to assist the team in an interception of a raid on a research facility that the Brotherhood had been planning. On their way to the site, Scott "reminded" him to work with them as a team and maintain his cool.
Logan didn't listen, because the first chance he got, he lost his cool. He sought out the biggest, most ferocious looking enemy mutant and tore him to shreds, taking out all the anger and frustration that Marie's abrupt departure had caused him on the hulking feral.
Magneto used his powers to stop Logan's attack on Sabertooth, but Jean used her powers to lift his metal helmet off of his head so that she could manipulate his mind and stop his attack on Logan.
Emma tried to get Jean to stop, but the force of the Phoenix was too powerful.
When their enemies realized they were outmatched, they began retreating, dragging the half conscious, bleeding Sabertooth with them.
After getting back to the mansion, Scott tried to confront Logan about his recklessness, but he was met with a threat, a growl and a few choice words.
That one night with Marie had affected him far more than he wanted to admit. She had made him realize what he was missing in life...she made him realize exactly what he wanted.
Every night, he would masturbate as images of their perfect night together flashed before his mind's eye. He needed her so badly...craved her so desperately. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to look at life the same way again.
"Are you alright, Logan?"
He glanced up from his place on the couch to see one of the junior X Men, Jubilation Lee, standing in the door way. She was the only other girl he could remember ever exhibiting any signs of life in this damn place, so he didn't growl and grunt at her the way he did everyone else...he actually talked to her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. What makes you ask?"
She shrugged before taking a cautious step into the room, knowing how volatile he'd been lately, "You seem a little preoccupied."
He scoffed a little before looking back at her, "Yeah. To say the least..."
Jubilee took another timid step into the room, "Can I help?"
Logan shook his head, "I don't think you can, kiddo."
There was a long moment of silence before she motioned toward the door, "I can leave if you want-"
He smirked and shook his head, "Naw...you can stay."
She smiled at that, then sat down on the couch beside him, "Whatcha watchin'?"
Logan shrugged, "Sportscenter."
"Ugh...sports."
Of course Jubilee hated sports. It was apart of her "I'm an A-typical girl who only likes pop music and chick flicks" profile.
The night he was with Marie, when he'd returned from the vending machines, she'd turned ESPN on and was actually watching it with great interest at one point in the night. He never got the chance to ask her which sports she liked the best.
He was snatched back from his daydream by the little firecracker hoisting herself atop him and straddling his lap. Before he could properly process what was happening, she kissed him.
For several moments, he returned her inexperienced, yet tempting kisses. He broke the kiss and shook his head, "What are you doin'?"
She gently touched his lips, "Tryin' to take your mind off of whatever's troubling you."
He respectfully removed her from his lap and set her beside him on the couch, "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but this ain't a good idea. You're the closest thing I got to a friend in this damn place and sex would only fuck it up."
Jubilee stared at him for a long time, "What's up with you?" It's not like you normally have a sunny disposition or anything...but you're not normally a giant asshole."
He stretched and looked at her, "Look. I'm not one of those guys who's into talking about feelings and thoughts and all that shit..."
She raised a brow, "Fine, but I know that one of two things is going to help you right now. Fucking...or talking. Which is it gonna be, Wolvie?"
As tempting as the firecracker was, he didn't feel like dealing with the drama that would result from fucking one of the school's freshly graduated students.
"There was this girl a few weeks back...we had a pretty good night...and then something happened and she disappeared."
She raised her eyebrows, "So...you had a one night stand that you didn't want to end?"
"Somethin' like that," he grunted.
Jubilee tucked her legs beneath her on the couch and stared at him, "Wow. She really did a number on you, huh?"
"No. She was just...just-"
"Perfect."
He rolled his eyes and murmured, "No one's perfect."
"You're right. Perfection is completely relative. What's perfect to one man is completely unacceptable to another man. This girl was obviously perfect to you."
Marie had just returned to the headquarters after a two mile run when Magneto called her into his office.
When he closed the door, she popped her ear buds out of her ears, "What's up?"
He sat on the edge of his desk, "I've found the perfect assignment for you, Rogue."
She perked up a little, "Alright. I'm listening."
"This Wolverine fellow-"
"The one who attached Sabretooth?"
Magneto nodded, "Also the man who we need on our side. Your power is unique, Rogue. You could kill even the most powerful mutant with your touch...even the Wolverine. I need you to be the one to track him down and convince him to join our cause."
"And if he refuses?"
He smirked, "Then you kill him."
Marie gave a single nod, "I'm on it."
"Wonderful. Since you've never seen the Wolverine before, Mystique will accompany you on a stake out to Xavier's School. Get close to him...make him trust you. Convince him that our way is the best way."
"I won't let you down."
Days later, Marie sat in the driver's seat next to Mystique while they were parked across the street from the mansion that housed the X Men's headquarters. They'd been staking the place out for hours.
Mystique had been surveying the property with a pair of night vision binoculars when she finally spotted the Wolverine.
"OK! I see him."
Marie sat up and tried to peer through the property's fencing, but it was obvious this Wolverine guy was too far away to be spotted by the naked eye.
Mystique remained silent as she peered through the binoculars for several moments, "OK. He's gotten into a car."
Marie started the car, "Which one?"
Before Mystique could answer, a black Range Rover exited the gate of the school just down the street from them. Marie followed the vehicle at a safe distance until it arrived at a biker bar in the city.
"Rogue, pull over in that lot. I don't want him to see us in the car."
She did as she was told, "I didn't see him, how will I know what he looks like when I get in there?"
"He was wearing an open red shirt, a tank top underneath and jeans."
Marie rolled her eyes, "It'll really suck if someone else is wearing the same outfit."
Mystique turned to face her, "OK, I'm gonna circle the block for twenty minutes. If I don't see you come out during that time, I'm going to assume everything is going well and go back to HQ."
She nodded and straightened out her appearance, "I look alright?"
The shapeshifter looked her over and transformed into her likeness, "Here's your mirror."
"Wow...convenient" said Marie as she gave 'herself' a once over. She'd worn tight jeans, knee-high boots and a fitted button down plaid shirt. It was the perfect combination of sexy and low maintenance.
She fixed her hair a little before getting out of the car and walking down the street into the dimly lit, seedy bar. Bruce Springsteen played on the jukebox and peanut shells littered the floor.
Marie carefully scanned the place, looking for a man in a red shirt. She made her way through to crowd toward the bar, where she placed an order for a beer. Luckily, they had Molson's.
As soon as she took a sip of her beer, a random, lumberjack looking guy walked over, "Well hey there pretty lady...want some company?"
She barely spared him a glance before continuing to search for the Wolverine, "No thanks."
The guy ignored her and continued talking, making her roll her eyes and take another gulp of her beer. Through the crowd, she spotted a sliver of a red shirt between two bodies.
Unfortunately, by the time she got to where "The Wolverine" was standing, he was gone. Frustrated, she looked around for him and caught a glimpse of a red-sleeved arm exiting the back of the bar. She put down her beer on a random table and rushed to follow.
She exited the door just in time to see a figure glancing around the corner from the alley.
Marie tried to stay a safe distance behind him while he moved through the dark alleys between buildings.
As soon as he walked out of the back of the bar, he felt someone following him. He knew they were there...but they just weren't close enough to smell.
Instead of going to the store a few blocks down for a pack of cigars like he originally planned, he had decided to lead his stalker on a wild goose chase.
After a few twists and turns, he led them into a dark alley and ducked behind a dumpster. He listened as the figure took a few steps in his direction, then suddenly jumped out and threw a punch.
The punch was impressively blocked before he had to deflect a kick. He was surprised when he was caught by a punch to the side of a the head and a kick to the gut.
When his assailant threw another punch, he grabbed their wrist and spun them around. It was then that he felt the lithe form against him and heard the vocalizations that were, undoubtedly, female. When he took a breath in, he smelled something that was so sweet and so familiar, he almost fell to his knees.
The woman groaned and struggled against his hold until she was finally able to work her way out of his grip and turn around to punch him. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her to him, then dragged them into the overcast of a street light so that he could look into her face.
"Marie..."
She gasped, "Logan?"
Marie looked down at his red shirt and tank top and blinked rapidly before shaking her head and snatching out of his arms.
He couldn't be the Wolverine...no no no. This isn't happening.
He smiled, "What are you doing here? I've been looking for you. Marie, what happened that morning-"
She waved her hand dismissively, "You don't have to explain. It was just one night."
"Marie...what you heard wasn't what it sounded like. I work and live at a school. Yeah, that woman sounded like a wife, but she's not. She's a teacher at the school and I had promised I was gonna help her with the kids that morning. That's why it sounded so weird."
Marie pursed her lips and took a step back before nodding slowly. When she didn't seem very relieved to hear that he wasn't married, he furrowed his brows and took a step forward to touch her face.
She trembled slightly and looked up into his piercing hazel eyes, "You're...you're him-"
Logan smirked, "I'm me...and I'm not married..."
He tilted her chin up and laid a hungry kiss on her lips. Marie melted against him and wrapped her arms around his neck as he backed her up against the nearest wall.
Logan whispered against her mouth, "Baby...you don't know how bad I missed you...how much I wanted you..."
All she could do was moan in agreement. He pressed her body to his as their tongues continued to wrestle within each others mouths.
Marie tried to remember why she was there and what was going on...but it didn't matter. It didn't matter that they were in an alley. It didn't matter that she was supposed to be doing a job.
All that mattered was that he was there, touching her the way she had wanted since the magical night they spent together in that unassuming hotel room.
Logan peppered her face with kisses and whispered, "Baby...I'm not gonna fuck you in the alley like some street walker."
She nodded, "Where do we go?"
"Your place?"
"No!" she yelled. Logan jerked his head back a little and eyed her suspiciously as she regained her composure and cleared her throat. "Um...no. Sorry. No. I've got a lot of roommates and no privacy whatsoever."
"Yeah. My situation is kinda like that too. Another hotel room?"
Marie smiled, "Absolutely."
Before arriving at the hotel, Logan stopped off at the store and purchased some necessities for the evening. Gatorade, chips, candy and chocolate syrup were among his purchases.
When he got back into the car, Marie giggled at the chocolate syrup.
"And what, pray tell, is this for?"
Logan gave her a little wink before speeding out of the parking lot.
This time, their rendezvous was to take place at a Renaissance Inn, which was a slightly better quality than the La Quinta they'd stayed in before.
As soon as they got in the room, they wasted no time in stripping naked. Logan trailed kisses up her naked body before literally sweeping her off her feet and laying her on the bed.
He seemed in awe of her body as he just sat beside her on the bed and stared at her.
After a few soft caresses, Marie sat up and straddled his lap before pushing his cock inside of her.
She threw her head back and gasped as his member filled her, nearly making her cum right then and there.
Marie grabbed onto the back of his neck as she slowly began rolling her hips forward, making him moan and grip onto her hips, "Damn baby...I missed you."
Her hips seemed to take on a mind of their own as she rolled and rocked atop him, grinding her ass into his balls as he dug his fingers into her soft flesh.
She panted and whispered, "Oh god! Logan...you feel so good inside of me..."
Logan reached up and ran her fingers through her hair before cupping the back of her head and yanking her face to his to plant a hungry, passionate kiss on her lips.
The kiss stalled her movements, prompting him to flip them over so that he could reestablish their pace.
Once on her back, she arched and ran her fingers up and down his back, scratching so hard, she was sure she might have drawn blood.
Logan hissed as the stinging pain heightened the pleasure of making love to her.
Marie looked up into his eyes, "I'm gonna cum...I'm gonna-OH GOD!"
Feeling her tremble and shudder beneath him was too much. With a roar, he spilled himself inside of her.
Afterward, he remained on top of her, being sure to keep his weight distributed to his arms and legs to keep from crushing her.
He laid soft kisses across her face and tasted the sweet, glistening skin of her neck.
"I thought I'd never see you again", he murmured against her flesh.
Marie smiled lazily as she idly stroked his back, "Even though I thought you were married...I really wanted to see you again..."
He gently pulled his softening member from her body before resting his head against her chest, smiling at the sensation of her softly caressing his hair.
For several minutes, he laid with his head on her chest, in between her open legs. He relished the sound of her beating heart and the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
"What are you thinkin'?" she whispered.
He slowly lifted his eyes to look into hers, "I was actually wondering what your favorite sport was."
"Were not!" she laughed.
He held up two fingers, "Scout's honor. I remembered you watchin' Sportscenter the night we were together and ever since then, I wondered what your favorite sport was."
Marie ran a hand through her hair as he moved from atop her and laid on his side propped up on his elbow.
"Football, hands down. College football is real fun to watch. I grew up in the south and in my family, you went to one of two schools...Ole Miss or Mississippi State. I had a cousin who went to UGA...she was damn near disowned."
Logan chuckled, "Football is good...no hockey?"
She quirked a brow, "Baby, I'm from the south. In my part of Mississippi, it only snows once every twenty years. There's no such thing as hockey where I'm from."
He gently moved some hair out of her eyes, "You're too fuckin' gorgeous."
Marie blushed and buried her face in the pillow, "Shut it! You're makin' my cheeks red!"
Logan leaned forward and laid a kiss on the side of her stomach, "I can make your whole body red."
As he playfully kissed her body, she descended into a fit of squirming giggles which soon turned into another heated lovemaking session.
They showered, then sat back down in bed naked as they drank Gatorade. He grabbed up one of the grocery bags and handed her a packet of Twizzlers.
She smiled and looked up at him, "You got me Twizzlers?"
Logan nodded, "I remembered how much you liked 'em. I barely got one that night and the one I did, I risked a finger for."
She playfully hit him and laughed before opening the packet of candy.
For hours, she was able to forget that he was an X Man and she was a member of the Brotherhood. She was able to conveniently ignore the fact that, by association, they were sworn enemies.
But as they lay curled into each others arms after having sex for the fourth time that night, she let out a sad sigh and covered her face.
Logan immediately noted her change in demeanor and kissed her forehead, "What's wrong?"
She tried to cover with a smile as she settled back down into his arms, "I'm just wondering about this school you work in..."
He looked into her eyes, "Can I trust you?"
Marie looked back into her eyes and hesitated for a millisecond before nodded, "Yes..."
Is Marie going to remain loyal to the Brotherhood or to her feelings for Logan?
Keep reading to find out! Review please and leave feedback!