A/N: new chappie! enjoy!

Chapter 3: Rendezvous

Logan swallowed when he saw Jean waiting at the edge of the woods as he approached, his heart fluttering in his chest but he didn't let his nervousness show over his expression as he pulled his cigar into his hand. She didn't notice him at first, but when she finally looked his way she smiled and met him halfway, hugging him tightly, taking him by surprise. Something felt off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was keeping him from hugging her in return. This didn't seem like the Jean Grey he knew. Then again, it was a different timeline…it possibly wasn't the Jean Grey he knew.

Jean pulled back to smile, coyly at him before she frowned slightly, and Logan knew that look. She'd sensed something with her telepathy. She glanced up behind him, at the sky and her smile grew before she looked back at him, making him frown in wonder and try to turn to look up as well. She took his chin into her hand to keep him from doing so, still smiling, then took his hand to pull him along.

"Jean, what did you see?" he wondered, letting her drag him deeper into the woods. She didn't answer as she weaved around the trees before coming to stop and facing him with that coy smile.

"You gonna tell me why you were acting strange earlier?" she murmured and he couldn't help but smirk back at her.

"Can't you just read my mind?" he shot back but she gave a frown of confusion, making his smirk fall as well.

"You made me promise not to when we're together," she reminded him.

"Right," he nodded, pretending to recall then smirked, "I was testing you."

"Logan, you've been acting strange all day," she noticed, placing her hands on his chest as she looked him in the eye. "First this morning, which I had to nearly use my telepathy on Scott to convince him there was nothing between us, and then he had to cover your classes while you were locked in the Professor's office all day. Is something wrong?"

If you only knew, he thought, but only sighed, recalling that Charles had told him not to tell anyone about what had happened. Honestly, he didn't want to have to explain everything to everyone that asked about it. It would take way too long, and it was too much trouble to explain the same story a hundred times over.

However…there was one thing he had decided to make right, and he had a feeling she wasn't going to like it.

"Look, Jean, we have to talk," he sighed, making her frown deepen as he took her hands in his to lower them from his chest. "This – you and me – I don't think this is such a good idea…anymore."

Jean's frown deepened in disbelief and confusion as she took a step back from him, her hands falling from his grasp as they kept each other's gazes.

"Are you serious?" she scoffed, but she was completely unamused. "After everything you said about Paris not doing it for you anymore, all the arguments you've been getting into, and now you're…you're breaking up with me? What, you're just gonna throw away the last three months we've spent together?"

"Look, Paris and I are trying to work it out now, ok?" he tried, being vague as hell, and he was sure she could tell that without even using her telepathy. "We can't do that…if I'm still seeing you."

If he was being truthful with himself, he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep up with two women and his memories being different. Paris was the only one that knew about it, and he wanted to keep it that way. He was sure Jean would understand, but he wasn't even sure if she was anything like the Jean Grey he remembered.

"You told me there was no, 'working it out'," she recalled.

"Well, apparently, I was wrong," he replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"It means we're done, Jean," he snarled, getting irritated because he was having to repeat himself. He didn't really want to hurt her, or anger her, but she wasn't responding the way he used to…which led him to believe something just wasn't right after all.

Jean squared her shoulders as she glared at him, and he hated the look she was giving him but he knew he was doing the right thing. He had to choose one or the other. He couldn't have both, and right now, he was choosing to get to know Paris. Jean sauntered toward him, stopping an inch away from his face to look him in the eye again.

"You won't be happy with her," she murmured, making him frown in wonder. "And when you realize that, I'll be waiting."

She marched around him, shoving his shoulder as she passed, making him turn completely around to watch her stomp away. He gave a sigh before lifting his cigar to chew on it again, glancing up before making a double take when something caught his eye making his shoulders slump.

"Oh, hell," he muttered as the spec he had noticed charged toward him, giving way to the image of a red-head he now recognized.

Logan tossed his cigar away and braced himself, lifting his hands up as a roar filled the evening air, drawing closer to him. He lifted his hands and grabbed onto Paris's shoulders, her own arms outstretched and her hands grabbing onto his, the force of the impact pushing Logan back and he slid across the dirt, his boots digging in as she glared at him, teeth gritted in anger. She brought her feet in front of her and pushed off his chest, sending him stumbling backward until he lost his footing and he fell onto his back as she lowered herself to her feet in front of him, still glaring at him.

"You are an idiot!" she snapped, the glow of her kinetic energy bursting purple around her for a moment with her angry roar as Logan struggled to sit up. "After all that crap you told me about you choosing me for a reason and then you go and meet up with her?!"

"Paris, listen, it's not what you think," he urged, standing to dust himself off as she still glared at him.

"'Not what I think'?!" Paris shot back. "You wanna know how long this little affair lasted before you got here? Three months! And I knew the whole time! So either you're playing some kind of sick game, or this new you remembers something about those three months!"

"I don't know shit about what went on before!" he snarled, marching up and looming over her, both staring angrily at the other. "She cornered me this morning and wanted me to meet her here, so I did. The Professor told me what was going on, and I came here to tell her, whatever was going on between me and her was done! So beat me all you want, but I made my decision and it was you!"

Paris's face dropped to an expression of absolute disbelief as Logan still stared at her then gave a grunt before he marched around her, grabbing her wrist as he did and dragging her behind him as he walked.

"L-Logan where are we going?" she asked, nervously.

"You wanted dinner, didn't you?" he snapped, not looking back at her as he still dragged her toward the mansion. "Or did you get something to eat inside?"

"I…haven't been in the mansion," she replied, stumbling behind him. "I was about to head in but I changed my mind. I was so angry that I wanted to confront you."

"You must've been what she saw behind me, then," he realized, not looking at her as he dragged her around to the garage of the mansion before grumbling, "Well, you happy now?"

She lowered her gaze to her feet in guilt but didn't respond. She rammed into his back when he suddenly stopped, but he still held her hand, keeping her from stumbling and falling as she looked ahead at the garage, where he had brought them to a stop.

"Which of these wheels are mine?" he questioned, still not looking at her.

"What?" she blurted, staring wide eyes at him before looking back at the vehicles in the spacious garage. "Oh…the Harley."

Logan frowned at her before looking back to the selection of vehicles in the garage again. The Hummer in the corner was certainly the X-Van, and the sports car was Scott's – he knew that boy scout's style anywhere – and there were a few other sensible cars lined up that he guessed belonged to everyone else…and that was when he noticed it. The 1948 Harley Davidson Panhead sitting on the other end of the garage next to a purple Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS. Paris glanced up at him, watching his stare of awe before he stepped toward the bike, still holding her hand and pulling her with him.

"I bought this?" he nearly breathed, releasing her hand to set his fingers, reverently on the handlebar closest to him.

"Well, not exactly," Paris replied, stepping up to him, making his shoulders slump.

"Don't tell me I stole it," he sighed, making her giggle and he looked to her in wide-eyed shock.

"No," she laughed, shaking her head slightly and he let out a breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding before giving a frown when he noticed a blush come to her cheeks as she looked away from him. "Um…I bought it for you."

Logan's eyes widened at her again, this time in disbelief as she stepped around the bike toward the Ninja sitting next to it, lifting the leather motorcycle sitting on the seat of the bike and slipping it on before pulling the helmet hanging from one of the handlebars and fiddling with the strap as she turned to him.

"You have no idea how much research I had to do to find the right one," she murmured before stepping around the bike again to stop in front of him. He stared at her as she still fiddled with her helmet, and he noticed the purple silhouette of a female archer against the black of the helmet. "And you don't even wanna know how much I had to save for it. I gave it to you on the anniversary of the day we met."

"Pretty extravagant gift," he replied, still watching her as she gave a small shrug.

"Well…ten years is a definite milestone for me," she replied, finally looking up and meeting his wide-eyed stare. "I've never had any kind of relationship with a guy that lasted that long. The closest thing would probably be the Professor, but he's not my boyfriend." She suddenly frowned at him when he still stared at him. "This is your favorite, right? You told me it was."

"Yeah," he nodded, glancing back at the bike before looking back at her as she sighed in relief with a small smile.

The realization of how much he meant to this woman hit him once again. This had to have cost her a fortune, based on the price he recalled buying the same model off the line back then. He couldn't believe he'd been sneaking around with Jean when Paris seemed so sweet and thoughtful enough to go through a whole lot of trouble to find his favorite motorcycle for him.

Paris was about to lift her helmet and pull it onto her head, but he placed a hand on it to stop her, making her look up at him in wonder.

"Tell me I thanked you for that," he urged, lowering his hand from the helmet. She gave a small smile, making his heart clench in guilt at what he saw behind her eyes. He knew the answer already.

"Well…" she muttered, fiddling with the straps of her helmet as she cast her eyes down, making his heart clench so tightly he could hardly breathe. He was getting a look at the kind of man he'd become after 1973 and he was ashamed of himself. "N-No, you didn't. Not really. I could tell you liked it, but you're not the type to really…express gratitude with words."

"Did I at least make it up to you for that?" he hoped, but when she kept her eyes cast down and gave a shrug, he knew the answer to that question as well.

"You sort of…forgot our anniversary," she mumbled, making him sigh in exasperation at himself.

"God, why the hell are you still with me?" he wondered, and she finally looked up at him in wide-eyed wonder as he looked away from her, feeling more guilt than before. He'd taken her for granted, cheated on her, and who knew what else he would find out about their relationship…and yet she was still here. No wonder she was so angry.

"I was about to give you an ultimatum today until…this happened," she replied, gesturing to him as she referred to his recent 'memory lapse.' She stepped closer to him, brushing something from his jacket before giving a small shrug and smiling up at him. "Maybe you can make it up to me next year?"

Logan gave a growl of agitation at himself before yanking her helmet from her and gripping her wrist to pull her toward him, making her gasp and stare at him in shock. He planted his lips to hers, but she didn't pull away as he wrapped his other arm around her, holding her helmet against her lower back to pull her closer into him. Her eyes fluttered shut as she melted into the kiss, lifting her hands to wrap them around his neck, pulling him closer in return. A moment later they pulled back and she was left breathless for a moment as he looked down at her, but her eyes were still closed as she remained in a daze.

"Consider that a start," he murmured, still holding her and she was pulled out of her trance by his voice, her eyes fluttering open to stare at him in wide-eyed wonder. "Where are we having dinner?"

"Oh," she blurted, as he released her and stepped back to hand her helmet back to her, which she took from him. "Just head down the driveway, turn right then take the first left and keep going till you come to it."

"Come to what?" he asked, swinging a leg over the bike to sit on it as she stepped next to him.

"You can't miss it, trust me," she replied before shaking her hair back, making ready to slip her helmet on.

"Oh, by the way…" he trailed off, making her look up at him in wonder. "You have the keys for this, right?"

Paris frowned for a split second before rolling her eyes and setting her helmet on the seat behind him. He frowned at her in return as she approached him, standing an inch away from him at eye level now that he was seated on the bike. She gave a coy smile before reaching out and slipping her hand under his leather jacket to slide her fingers into the inside pocket. When she pulled her hand back she jingled the keys she'd found there in front of his face, still smiling.

"You always keep them in your favorite jacket," she smiled as he raised his hand to take the keys and she set them in his palm. "You never go anywhere without your favorite jacket."

"You know every move I make, don't you?" he smirked as she took her helmet again and this time pulled it onto her head.

"Every breath you take," she shot back with a smirk, making him chuckle as she strapped the helmet on and pulled the faceshield down.

Logan started the engine, revving it before he steadied the bike as she readied herself to climb on. She placed her hand on his shoulder to steady herself and swung her leg over to sit, her hands reflexively slipping around his waist before she hesitated and brought them a little higher up to his chest. He smirked and glanced at her over his shoulder, making her look to him in wonder through her faceshield.

"Not sure what to hang on to?" he teased, making her glare up at him and he gave a chuckle before hitting the gas and the bike shot forward, making her give a scream as she was pushed back slightly, but she managed to throw her arms around him and pull herself against him before she fell off.

The sun now setting and almost below the horizon, Paris thought it would've been a romantic setting if it wasn't for the fact that they were picking at each other as if had just met. She regretted confronting him the way she had after she saw Jean leave him in the woods, but she'd been so angry. They said nothing as he drove them down the street, taking the left as she'd told him, and now they were heading down a long stretch of open road.

Logan caught some lights on the horizon against the dark twilight sky and started to slow down, staring in wide-eyed shock. They came to a stop in front of the dive and parked, but when he didn't tell her to dismount and he only stared at the outside of the place she'd told him to go, she frowned up at him, saying nothing. She climbed off the bike to step next to him again, making him look at her with wide eyes as she pulled off her helmet.

"What's the matter?" she asked, tousling her hair to make it look less like a helmet had just mashed down some of her curls.

"Oh, nothing," he blurted, shaking his head as if to shake himself back to reality. He pushed the kickstand down and dismounted the bike as she stepped back to give him room. Instead of heading inside, he leaned back on the bike, crossing his arms over his chest and she looked at him in wonder. "This just doesn't seem like the kind of place a girl would like."

"You mean a girl like me?" she smirked, leaning over to hang the helmet on the handlebar next to him.

"I never met a girl…any girl, that liked a place like this," he replied, unmoving from leaning on the bike.

"This place is special to me," Paris smiled, looking to the building, making him frown in wonder before she looked back at him, still smiling. "This is where we had our first official date."

"Oh, yeah?" he smirked as she stepped closer to him. "Let me guess, you were disappointed?"

"No," she replied, honestly. "Honestly, I didn't expect anything less. It's very…you. Besides, they have the best steak and beer here."

He gave a chuckle before looking up at the sky, still leaning on his bike and she followed his gaze. It was now dark enough to let the stars peek through the blanket of blue above them.

"Been a long time since I've seen clear skies," he murmured as she stepped closer to lean next to him on the bike and look up at the sky as well.

"Logan?"

He responded with a grunt, neither one of them looking away from the stars.

"Tell me about the future you remember," Paris murmured.

"I thought the Professor showed you that future," he recalled, finally looking away from the sky to look at her as she looked down at the dirt, tracing circles in it with the toe of her boot.

"He did," she nodded before looking back up at him, their gazes meeting and she felt her heart skip as he stared down at her. "But…I wanna hear it from you."

He sighed as he lifted an arm to wrap it around her shoulders, pulling her close as she stared up at him with wide eyes. He gave her a sad smile before looking back up at the sky, slightly rubbing her arm.

"Trust me, you don't wanna know," he replied.

Paris chewed on her lower lip before glancing to the dive then looking back up at the night sky. Another romantic setting, and despite the situation they were in, she couldn't help but enjoy his warmth as he still held her.

"So…" she began, feeling the need to ask something that had been on her mind for some time. He looked to her when she cast her gaze down again, waiting for her to continue. "In the future you remember…was I there at all? I mean…did you ever see me? Was I still a student?"

He sighed, looking away from her to concentrate on searching his memory for her face. He knew he wouldn't forget a girl with a cute face like hers. Then again, all he could ever see back then was Jean.

"I didn't see you," he admitted, making her nod as she looked away from him again to twiddle her thumbs and his heart clenched in guilt again. "Maybe I'll remember something later."

She nodded again with a small shrug, still not looking at him, making him sigh in irritation at himself. He grabbed onto her hand and pulled her toward the door.

"Let's head in, Freckles," he urged, pulling her a step behind him. "I'm starving."

"Yeah," she replied, stumbling behind him. "Me too."

Paris couldn't help but notice that as he pulled her along, he was doing something he'd done since they began their relationship…he was a step ahead of her, keeping her behind him, protecting her. She couldn't help but smile as she realized he may not have been as different as she thought he was after all.

A/N: reviews?