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Chapter 4

Marie stared in horror at Logan as he convulsed on the floor.

"Somebody help me!" She screamed.

She backed away from him, wedging herself in a corner and sliding down the wall. The sense of déjà vu hit her as she put her arms over her head and started to murmur her apologies. Her second kiss was almost the same as her first. What wasn't the same was the way her body began to burn.

She felt like her blood was on fire, her bones ached, her head pounded. This was different from any other time she had absorbed someone. Only Earl was even remotely comparable. She had gotten a head ache that verged on a migraine when she drained him.

'Darlin?' Wolverine's voice spoke in her mind.

Marie was too lost in the pain to answer him.

'Leave her alone! Ya done enough!' Cody yelled at him.

They were yelling at each other in her mind. Marie whimpered but she couldn't concentrate on what they said to each other, her body hurt too much and she was starting to feel antsy. She needed to run…run before people got here…

She looked over at Logan, he had stopped convulsing but he wasn't waking up, she whimpered again. She needed to run. She couldn't leave him. She heard footsteps running to her room.

Smells she had never noticed before began to tickle her nose. She smelled a soothing scent…warmth and sunshine…She looked up to see Scott in the doorway to her room. He was looking at her with concern. He was speaking to her but she couldn't understand what he was saying.

Everything was so loud. Cody and Logan argued in her head. Scott was talking to her, students outside her doorway were talking. Jean pushed her way through the door and knelt beside Logan. Marie looked again at Logan…she focused on his chest willing it to rise and fall. There it was…just barely rising. She pushed away the chaos and concentrated on Logan, she could hear his heartbeat but it seemed faint to her.

"Ahm sorry, Ahm sorry…" She whispered over and over.

Jean ignored her. Scott tried to come to her but she whimpered and pushed herself back into her corner. Everything was so overwhelming she thought she would go mad. She needed to run but she needed to stay here. Logan…

"What happened?" Scott asked her in that concerned voice.

Marie put her arms down slowly over and took a deep breath. She had to get a hold of herself, Logan was hurt, and she needed to tell them what happened so they could help him.

"Kissed…" She started, it was hard to form coherent thoughts let alone words.

"You kissed him?! You know better!" Jean cried. Marie could smell her anger and jealousy it was like burnt cinnamon. It hurt…everything hurt. She covered her head again, trying to block the smell…block the emotions.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and jerked away.

"Don't touch her Scott!" Jean yelled, yanking him away.

Marie couldn't stand it anymore she got up from her corner and looked for an escape. The door was blocked, too many people stared at her from the door way. The window…

Marie kicked the window. She had to kick it twice before it shattered. No one tried to stop her they just stared at her in fear and confusion. Only Scott tried to stop her before she jumped out the window. He realized her intentions too late though and Marie landed on the ground with a roll. She looked up to see Scott staring down at her from her third story window. His face showed his shock as she got up and ran.

The feel of the wind blowing her hair behind her, the scents of the night, the sounds of small animals going about their business. It felt wonderful. Marie ran, not tiring. Had she ever felt this good? This free?

Her body had stopped burning a while ago. Her head stopped hurting and her senses sharpened. Every sight, smell, touch felt amazing. She felt as if she had been blind, deaf, and numb all her life only to awaken when she touched Logan.

A cloud passed over her happiness and she stopped her run. Logan…she had hurt him. He could be in a coma and she was running free.

She looked over her shoulder but she couldn't see the mansion. She should go back…see if he was alright. She turned away from the mansion and looked into the darkened woods. She could run. Logan didn't want her, he wanted Jean. She wasn't sure why he had kissed her but he had ignored her since they arrived. He would be alright, his healing factor would keep him from a long coma.

'Darlin I don't want Jean. You are my mate.' Logan in her head said.

Marie frowned.

'No she's not! Ya didn't even pay any attention to her till tonight. Then ya kissed her just because ya thought Scott wanted her!' Cody cried.

Marie sank to the ground and put her head in her hands. They had been so deliciously quiet while she ran.

'I was wrong kid. Wolverine knew from the beginning I was just an idiot who wouldn't listen.' Logan told her.

'What are ya talking about? Ya talking like ya two people.' Marie asked in frustration.

'I woke up fifteen years ago in the woods, naked and feral. I survived like an animal for a long time. It was hard to become human again and I did it by separating that part of me that ran on instincts. I called that part of me Wolverine and ignored it for the most part.' Logan told her.

Marie could see his memories and it broke her heart to see the pain and fear he went through waking up like that. The shame he felt when he realized how animal like he had become caused tears to form in her eyes. She knew how it felt to be ashamed of what you were.

'I've tried so hard to suppress that part of me. When Wolverine claimed you as his mate I immediately rebelled. I flirted with Jeannie because she seemed sophisticated and smart, I thought if she wanted me it would prove I was not an animal.' Logan told her.

Marie pulled her knees up to her chin. Jean was all that and beautiful. Marie was nothing like her, she paled in comparison to the redhead.

'No!' Logan snarled. 'That's not true. You're beautiful Marie. I was attracted to you the first moment I saw you but between Wolverine saying you were his mate and you being so young I convinced myself to stay away.'

'Ya only made a move because Scott befriended her. Ah think ya have something against Scott or maybe ya kind of like him!' Cody said.

Logan growled loudly at Cody. Marie just giggled. Whatever Logan's faults she didn't believe he had a thing for Scott.

'Look kid just look at my memories. You'll see I'm telling you the truth.' Logan said in exasperation.

Marie wasn't sure if she wanted to look. It would be better if she just sealed him up like the others. She couldn't do that though. For some reason she couldn't understand she just didn't want him gone from her mind. She liked him here.

Besides she had a feeling she was going to need his advice on dealing with the mutation she had gained from him. While his feral senses were wonderful here in the forest she didn't think it would be the same back at the mansion.

She sighed deeply and looked into the memories she had gained from Logan. She saw the cage fights, the women, the nightmares, the pain and confusion over lost memories. She saw his thoughts when he saw her, heard what the Wolverine had said to him and what had happened between him and Jean.

Marie sat silently as she took it all in and thought it over. The sun was rising before she realized that time was even passing.

'Ya kissed Jean.' She said. She wasn't angry, but it concerned her. If what the Wolverine was saying was true that she was his mate and that he would be loyal then it couldn't apply to Logan too. Logan had seen her and chosen Jean.

'I'm an idiot Marie. I was fighting it but I'm not any more. I'm yours.' Logan cried out.

'Ah'm not sure what this mate thing is. But Ah think ya should have the right to choose who ya want to be with Logan and it's pretty obvious that ya did not choose me. Ah think it would be easier if Ah just left the mansion. Ah really don't fit in there anyways.' Marie said.

'No! Please Marie. If you leave I will find you. I will have to, it's instinct.' Logan said.

Then he would be away from Jean…this mate thing really wasn't fair to him.

'I don't want Jean!' Logan cried in frustration.

'Ya did until a couple of days ago. Maybe if Ah reject this mate thing ya will be free.' Marie mused.

'No! You're mine!' Logan growled.

'Ah don't agree with Wolvie here. Ah don't like the idea of him claiming ya his mate but Marie ya should go back. At least finish ya schooling. Scott's been a good friend to ya. Ya nightmares have been less frequent and Ah really think ya were getting better.' Cody said.

Logan growled at Cody and Marie rubbed her temples.

'Ya know how hard it is Cody. Ah'm tired of the temptation and now that Ah've given in once what's to stop me from doing it again?' Marie said finally voicing her strongest fear. Sure there had been pain after but when she had touched Logan…the rush…Marie shuddered as want filled her. Logan had been delicious and god help her she wanted to touch him again.

'I provoked you Marie. It's my fault.' Logan said.

'Ah'm ultimately responsible Logan. Ah didn't have to drain ya.' Marie said guiltily neither commented on the pleasure she had felt as his energy flooded into her.

'We'll help ya Marie.' Cody said.

'Please darlin just go back. We will help you.' Marie stood up and started to take hesitant steps back to the mansion. She wasn't sure she was doing the right thing. The right thing would be to end it all so she wouldn't hurt anyone else but she knew Cody would never let her do that and she had a feeling Logan wouldn't either.

His whole body hurt. He felt like he had just finished a brutal cage fight that he had lost. He didn't want to open his eyes. He could tell by the smell in the air he was in the med lab. He had seen it on his grand tour. He had never thought he would end up here with his healing factor.

He smelled Jean somewhere close. He decided not to open his eyes, he really didn't want to talk to her. He felt a soft touch on his chest and could no longer feign sleep.

He opened his eyes and looked up at Jean with a question in his eyes. She blushed slightly and removed her fingers from his chest. She turned around and fiddled with the machines.

"How are you feeling?" She asked with her back to him.

"Like shit." Logan answered honestly.

She turned around and looked at him with a small smile.

"Well, you've been out of it for twenty four hours." She told him.

Logan was shocked he didn't think there was anything that could knock him out that long. What had happened? He closed his eyes and thought back… he remembered barely touching soft lips…then a hand on his cheek…then pain…

"Rogue!" He growled suddenly remembering everything.

Jean's eyebrows rose but she offered him no information.

"What happened? Is she okay?" He asked trying to keep the panic out of his voice. Wolverine was strangely silent. Logan would have figured him to be howling by now but he only felt a vague disquiet from him.

"She's fine. She's up in her room resting right now. She came back this morning looking like she had been playing in bushes. She hasn't told us what happened. She only said one word when Scott asked her. Maybe you can fill us in?" Jean asked as she began to take off the wires connecting him to the machines.

Logan wasn't sure he wanted to tell her. "What did she say?" Wanting to know what they knew.

"She just said 'Kissed'." Jean answered her arms now crossed in a disapproving stance.

Logan said nothing, the whole thing was his fault. He had pressed her into the kiss. He should have never done that to her, especially after hearing her admission to Scott.

"Well I can guess what happened. It's pretty obvious the girl has a crush on you. She kissed you forgetting her power and hurt you. I told the Professor she should be kept away from the other students but Scott says she didn't mean to and if we are more careful it will be fine. He said she didn't have a crush on you and that we should wait for you to explain. I think it's as clear as day." Jean said.

Logan stared at her in shock during her whole speech. "She didn't kiss me. I kissed her, she was just defending herself." Logan finally growled.

Jean looked shocked, then her eyes narrowed in anger. "How could you?! She's a child!" She exclaimed.

Logan lowered his head in guilt. She was right, he was a bastard but not only because she was too young. He knew that forcing a kiss would be traumatic for her and he did it anyways. He had deserved the pain her touch had given him and then some.

"I don't think she will tell anyone. This could get you kicked out of the school Logan. We can't have authority figures taking advantage of the students." Jean said. He could almost see the wheels in her head turning. He wasn't sure he liked it, but he didn't know what to say. He couldn't very well exclaim in righteous anger. He was an authority figure and he had taken advantage of Marie.

Jean put her hand on his chest and slid it up to his neck, eventually cupping his cheek. He squirmed uncomfortably. She shouldn't be touching him. He didn't want her touch. He growled and grabbed her hand in a grip tight enough to cause her pain. She only smiled at him.

"Don't worry I won't say anything, but you need to stay away from her Logan. I don't want you getting sent away because of a silly crush from a fifteen year old girl." Jean smiled serenely as she disentangled her hand. Logan stared at her in disbelief. Marie didn't have a crush on him, he was the one who initiated the kiss.

She walked away from him. Just as she reached the door she turned back around and gave him a sexy smile. It didn't work on him like it once had. She had lost whatever had attracted him to her when she first betrayed Scott and kissed him.

"I'll see you around." She said in a husky voice and left the room.

Logan growled at her departing form. He was unsure what that was all about, but he knew a threat when he heard one. He wasn't going to stop talking to Marie, he'd take her away from this school before that happened, but he would be more discreet about it.

He promised himself that he would never again take what was not offered from her but he knew without a doubt that trying to stay away from her would be impossible now. Wolverine had been right from the beginning, she was his mate. He would be as patient as he had to be, he would wait till she was older, he would earn her love, but in the end she would be his.

Wolverine chuckled in his mind and Logan growled.

'Laugh it up bub.' He said resentfully.

'Are you ready to listen?' Wolverine asked. His voice had gotten less bestial and clearer since he had met Marie and Logan wondered if it was because of the girl. It didn't matter he had been right time and again, he was making sense and Logan was ready to listen.

'Yah.' Logan replied.