It was a routine she settled into well.

Working weekdays at the mansion, one of which only being a morning, and spending her one afternoon and her Saturdays at the bar, or taking some time for herself.

Her afternoons off had become a time to spend with James, who had accepted her fully into his life again- after their awkward reintroduction almost five months ago, often training together in the danger room. She was an equal competitor to him, her healing and strength nowhere near as strong as his, but her arsenal of abilities making the fight as fair as either of them could have hoped. She had found, that this was the best time to talk to him. Nobody else was around, and they were able to let their guard down with each other, and they could speak freely in the sealed room.

She was with James, walking alongside him toward the danger room, both of them having already changed for their sparring session. He wore loose sweatpants and a tshirt, while she wore tight workout pants and a cropped sports vest, with a sweatshirt keeping her warm as they made their way toward the lower levels of the mansion.

James punched in the code for the room, and they stepped inside, Morgan choosing to take off her sweatshirt before she got too hot, or worse it got damaged.

"You ready kid?" James asked smirking at her.

She crossed to the other side of the room. James being one to taunt and provoke his partner in fights. They didn't have a scenario set up, just the mats on the floor to protect them.

"You say that like I should be scared." She replied in jest.

They started out slowly, circling each other before Morgan started the fight- a quick jab to his jaw, knocking his head back.

"Shit," she replied, hissing at the pain in her elbow from her hit, "Fucking adamantium."

He lunged for her, but she was quicker, jumping high into the air and landing behind him. She used this opportunity to kick him, knocking him to the ground. He pushed himself up, the bruise on his back already having formed and healed. "That was rude."

He came at her again, this time managing to land a solid hit in her gut that left her winded, but she used the momentum from this to hit his chest. Then block his punch.

They were both getting frustrated at the difficulty of the match.

"James." Morgan said, blocking his hits, and meeting his blows, "Can I ask you something?"

When he ran at her again, claws extended, she didn't somersault out of the way in time, the adamantium knicking her stomach creating shallow wounds. It looked like the fight had really begun.

"What?" he asked in reply to her question.

"Well I don't know if you're gonna like it now." she replied as she created a long staff appear from nowhere for her to fight with. She jumped at him, rotating on the stick to kick his face and knock him to the ground for a few seconds.

"Just spit it out." He cut the staff in half with his claws as she almost failed to block a hit.

"Are you ever gonna tell Marie you like her?"

He slowed, shock on his face.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He started up their fight again, harder than before. "Touchy." she muttered to herself. "Deny it all you want James, not my heart you're gonna be breaking."

She flipped over him, using her half staff to knock him on the back of his knees and make him fall.

"I ain't gonna do that to her." He flipped over, pulling Morgan down with him, leaving her trapped beneath him. The sweat on his face dripped onto hers from their close proximity. "What kind of future could she have with me Mo?"

"A really fucking great one."

He huffed at her.

"You're a feral James. And I've got enough feral in me to know you're denying your mate. Just because you haven't marked her doesn't mean she isn't." She laughed lightly, "Hell she marked herself wearing your tags all the damn time."

James pushed himself off of her. "She's just a kid."

"She hasn't been a kid for a long time."

"I'd outlive her."

"I doubt it. She's got feral in her like me, I bet you she's gonna last a long time before she conks it."

"I can't touch her."

"You try kissin' her and she'll prove you wrong."

James started to walk toward the door.

"You're fucking excuses James. Always." she said exasperated. "Marie can control it now. I taught her how to control it. And I promised her that I couldn't read her thoughts. But I could. I never told anyone. But the only reason she was trying to do this was for you."

James turned back to face Morgan. "That's your girl James, a blind man could see it. And I wouldn't be your friend if I didn't tell you this because if you wait too long, a good girl like her is gonna leave. Mate or not."

"The fuck do you know about Mates?" James said defensively. "You ain't got one. You ain't a feral."

"I don't need one." she said, the jab at her single life hurting more than she let on. "The way you two look at each other is enough for me to know. Hell, ol' Chuck could tell you that you guys are made for each other."

He turned away. Storming toward the door.

"Stop denying it James."

He didn't say anything before he left, he didn't even glance behind him. He left Morgan alone, with nothing but the loud slam of the door for company.


Three weeks.

Three fucking weeks since she had spoken to James in the danger room. He avoided her within the mansion, and outside of it as well. Opting to spend his time at the local bars, away from Morgan and Marie both.

Morgan sat in the kitchen, angrily eating her banana as she thought about how stupid her friend was being. Rogue came in quietly and sat down opposite her.

"Don't tell meh you're avoiding meh too." she joked.

"Nah Marie," she replied smiling at her, "I'm not avoiding anyone. James on the other hand is the biggest stupidest child I've ever met."

"Do Ah sense any animosity between the two of yah?"

Morgan nodded, "You could say."

"What happened?" Marie asked, "Ah thought you guys were best friends or somethin'?"

"I told him something he didn't like, and it looks like he's not taking it well." Morgan replied.

"Do yah know why he's avoiding meh then?"

Morgan turned to face her friend properly. "Marie, I'm gonna tell you what I told him, because I swear to God that you have more sense than him. So don't start hatin' on me as well."

"Ohkay…?" Marie said nervously.

"You and James, well Logan to you I guess. You're-"

Morgan was interrupted by James walking in, "Don't you dare." he threatened.

Morgan stayed silent, choosing to talk to James telepathically.

You talking to me now?

Nope- yes- God I don't know Morgan.

Yeah you do.

You were right. Even the animal knows you're right.

You better tell her then.

I can't, she's not ready.

She'll never be ready in your eyes, that's who you are James. But you're hurting her.

I would never.

Not intentionally, but ignoring her in this way. Just tell her. I'll go and you two can do all of the mushy stuff.

James laughed mentally at her dislike toward romance, I owe you an apology.

Later.

She looked at James again, who was watching Marie nervously.

"I'm out of here," she said, "Shift starts soon."

She left to make her way to her room, bumping into Piotr who was on his way to the kitchen, "Oh I wouldn't Pete, things are gonna get a little steamy in there."


Morgan wanted to vomit. She didn't do romance, the puppydog eyes and roses, and watching James and Marie was too much.

Morgan had had boyfriends in the past, but her romantic endeavours never seemed to last long, her last real boyfriend having been killed in front of her as a punishment from Stryker. From then she'd never dated, vowing to never outlive her partner again.

And it sucked.

There were parts of it she missed, the stability of always having someone to call your own, the safety of someone always having your back, the security of having someone who loved you completely. But there wasn't anyone out there like that for Morgan, and she wouldn't wish herself upon anyone, there was too much drama in her life for them, she was too much drama. A burden really, to anyone more than friend.

But she was right about James and Marie. They were perfect together, more perfect than tightass and the redhead.

She thought about it, it was the little things; the way James was always watching her, protecting her; the way they would sit curled up and talk to eachother for hours in nothing but hushed whispers; the way they tried to keep their relationship a secret within the mansion, despite the fact that Marie was now 18, and old enough to make her own decisions, and everyone in the school new.

Morgan poured herself a drink at the bar, the place unusually quiet for a Friday night.

"Aw shit," an older man said as he sat at the bar watching Morgan's actions. "It must be a really rough night."

"Thought it was my job to listen to all your troubles, not the other way round." she joked, "Bar staff and Therapist are basically interchangeable these days."

The man laughed, "Name's Jon." he said offering his hand.

She shook it firmly, "Morgan."

"It's nice to meet you Morgan, and what has got the world's happiest barmaid down today?"

He was right in some respects, working at Tom's, she was able to let loose slightly and she was truly happy there, joking and dancing with the customers, everyone had grown quite fond of her quickly. Jon was somewhat of a new comer, having become a regular in recent months, but often staying quiet or talking to the other customers rather than Morgan.

She sighed, "My best friends finally made it official." she said, "An' I'm happy for them, but watching them settle down..." she trailed off, unsure of where she was going.

"You jealous?" Tom asked.

"No," she said quickly, "I don't think so. It'st just weird."

"Ain't you got somebody like that?"

"Nah, romance has never really played a big part, oh scratch that, any part in my life."

"It's okay darling, you're only young, you'll find someone soon enough." If only he knew just how wrong her was in his statement.

"What about you?" she asked, "Haven't you got anyone waiting back for you at home?"

Jon shook his head, "My wife was a mutant," he said, "Amazing woman, she could change the colour of objects, that's all she did. You could come home from work and the curtains would be a different colour, or your shirts. It was amazing. We uh, we had two kids. And they were killed, I was at work at the time, away on a business trip, but there was a gas leak and I lost them all almost 10 years ago now."

"Jon I'm so sorry," Morgan said.

"Not your fault kiddo."

They both sat in silence for a while, Morgan sometimes tending to the other patrons in the bar.

"You're good Morgan." Jon said, as he got up to leave, stumbling slightly as the alcohol in his system made it's way through his body, "Just wait a little while and you'll find your fella."

"Thanks Jon," she said, helping him up, "Do you want me to call you a cab?"

"Nah, I'm good." He said righting himself and walking out toward the night. "See ya."

She laughed, "Bye Jon."

She thought about what Jon had said, could there really be anyone out there for her?


AN; so more of a mushy chapter for those Rogan fans out there, and more of a filler for the rest of the story. I'm sorry for the wait between these chapters, I've struggled with a real writers block but hopefully this chapter has put me in the right mindset for writing again! And with a longer chapter! Let me know what you think in the reviews :)