I don't own anything. I am only playing with the characters

Chapter 7

Marie padded about her room, folding up clothes that she had picked up from the laundry room and making another small pile of things that she needed to iron and hang up patting the dog that was sitting quietly in the corner whenever she passed it.

She knew that the professor knew that as soon as she had became aware of the dog sniffing about the school gates that she had decided she wasn't letting it wonder. So she had quickly bolted to the gates before she had gone to her room and got the dog. The poor thing was starving and dirty so she had taken it as quickly as she could to the empty garage and found the biscuits that she knew Scott hid in a container behind the spanners. After feeding the poor thing she gave it a make shift bath with the hose pipe and after drying it off by some miracle got it up into her room without being seen. She would give it another bath with soap later.

So now the dog that she decided to call Sam was panting happily while it watched her potter about her room with a plastic microwave bowl of water sitting in front of it and another bowl with some cooked chicken in it that she had found in the fridge.

She tried to figure out just what breed it was but she gave up as her mind became swamped with the conversation that she had overheard – okay then eavesdropped on – earlier.

Mystique had been turned into a human.

She couldn't believe it. And Magneto had just abandoned her. What a snake. If anyone had been loyal to the mutant extremist then it had been Mystique and yet he had just walked away from her as soon as she was the wrong colour and had no scales.

She wondered how the poor women felt after being abandoned by everything she knew.

Would you have done that, Erik? She asked softly hoping that the answer would be different from the Erik in her mind than the real Erik.

"Yes," he answered her just as softly and factually.

She couldn't help but feel disappointed by his answer. Although deep inside she knew what it was going to be.

"If I got the cure would you treat me the same?" she whispered out loud this time into the empty room.

"No my dear. Mystique knew what she was doing and how things would be..."

Despite the sadness that she felt for Mystique and the betrayal and heartbreak the women must be feeling she could not help but feel happy that Erik would be supportive of her and that he would not turn on her should she decide to get the cure.

She slumped down onto her bed and squeaked at Sam The dog shot from his position and bounded over to her and she ruffled his neck as he wagged his tail.

"It is such a good job you don't have fleas or I would be dead meat," she told the dog, speaking to it in the playful way you would a baby.

"Yes I would, yes I would," she smiled as the dog leaned into her gloved hands. She would have to feed him up – he was far too bony. She would ask 'Ro to pick up some dog food that night when she went to get the shopping. She wondered what her friend's reaction would be to the new arrival.

"I'll give you a quick bath anyway," she decided, scratching it one last time behind the ears before gathering her supplies.

Logan finally got out of the professor's study and went in search of Marie – following her scent easily to their room - her scent and another one that he did not recognise.

His senses where on full alert at the unfamiliar canine scent as he opened the door to their room.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw Marie fawning over a dog.

Where the hell did the dog come from?

Does Wheels even allow pets? He thought on the side but decided whether he allowed them or not she was keeping it if it made her as happy as she was looking.

He took in the scene in front of him and could not stop the smile from coming to his lips. She was sitting cross legged on the floor with the dog in front of her lost in a towel. Her clothes were covered in damp patches and her hair was plastered to her forehead and face in big damp clumps.

She looked beautiful.

"Who's a pretty doggie? You are, yes you are," she was crooning to it as she rubbed it vigorously with a towel.

She stopped and scooted away from it and it shook its self sending a slight spray of water from all over its body. Marie giggled as she raised her hands to protect herself from the water.

"Marie?" he questioned softly moving further into the room.

Her head spun toward him and he watched as her eyes lit up causing a fluttering in his stomach as she bolted from the floor and threw herself at him, burying her head in his shoulder.

He got lost in holding her for a moment before she pushed away from him and grabbed hold of his hand.

"Come and meet Sam, Logan," she sounded so excited he couldn't even find it in himself to drag up a fake, annoyed growl.

"Sammy," she called, releasing his hand and patting her legs.

The 'doggie' came bounding over to her and Logan had to hold her up as the dog jumped about and knocked into her legs making her over balance.

Marie was still laughing as she straightened herself out.

"Sammy, sit,"

To Logan's amazement the dog did as he was told and sat down. His take batting violently against the floor.

"Logan isn't he so cute?" Marie leaned down and began to praise the dog's ability to follow instructions.

Logan thought it through and new that the dog was anything but cute. It was a monster. Sure it was a bit on the lean side of thins but this thing had the potential to be huge. He figured there was some Rottweiler in it from the width of the jaws. It was slobbering all over the place.

Nope, definitely not cute.

"And he is so smart Logan. He knows not to touch my skin. Do you think he can sense it? Animals are smart you know. Maybe he can sense it,"

Logan let Marie ramble on a little longer thoroughly enjoying seeing her so care free and happy – even if he was going to have to get used to sharing her affections with someone else (but one thing was certain – it was not sleeping in the bed with them).

"Baby, just where did he come from?" he finally got the chance to ask as she stopped for breath.

"Umm, I found him," she answered vaguely.

"Where did you find him?" he asked patiently.

"Outside," her voice was getting quieter and he was waiting for the part where she thought he would lose his temper.

The truth was he had never lost his temper at her (if you ignore the whole death thing but that was understandable) but he could not help but find it amusing when she sat and squirmed thinking he would be annoyed.

"And how did you know he was outside, darlin'?"

"I saw him,"

Ah now he got to the nitty gritty.

When most people say they saw something it would normally mean they were using their eyes but thanks to Phoenix when Marie said that it could mean anything.

Silence fell and he knew she wasn't going to say anything else.

"Ok darlin', stop beating around the bush,"

She glanced up at him and stopped ruffling up the dog's coat as she stood up carefully.

"I umm...that is...I...I...I sort of saw him when I was spying on the meeting with the professor," she mumbled and he doubted he would have been able to hear her if he didn't have the whole heightened senses thing.

He couldn't really blame her for noseying in on the meeting. If he had been in her position he knew he would have done the same.

"The professor caught me," she added softly.

"Well, looks like you will be getting a lecture on the ethical and moral use of your powers then darlin'," he told her, chuckling softly.

She looked up at him and smiled as she stepped into his arms.

"Yeah, I am," she agreed sounding annoyed before a wicked glint came to her eyes.

"But I'm planning on letting Erik loose on him," she giggled.

"You darlin' are a force to be reckoned with," he grumbled, smiling down at her.

She grinned evilly at him but it lost the effect when she giggled again as she reached up and curled her arms around his neck.

"But you wouldn't have me any other way,"

"You're right there darlin'," he smiled before touching his lips to hers, making every second count.

Hi guys sorry it had been a while.

So do you remember the poor doggy that was wandering around outside the school? Well say hello to Sam (that was the name of my dog when I was growing up :)) I wasn't originally planning on taking the dog any further but then thought – what the heck might as well.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry if it is a little stilted it will take me a little bit to get into it.

Please let me know what you think.

Keep safe.

Once again I am soooooo sorry this has been so long getting up and I hope you haven't all given up on me...

:)

I couldn't help but put in the babyish speaking to the dog. That is how I used to talk to mine before she became ill last year.