AN: Sometimes a good thing can only come near a bad thing: Started seeing one of the worlds few really good men a few weeks ago only to be laid off from my job last week. It remains to be seen whether this will help or hurt my posting schedule.

Chapter 9
– The Prairie –

When they stopped for lunch, Marie tucked the twins' file back in with the others. He had anticipated that to mean that her story would come when they returned to the car. Instead, Marie had slightly reclined the seat and stared out the window.

The silence stretched on for almost an hour before she finally spoke. "It's so flat, like there's nothing here."

He thought it somewhat ridiculous that it had taken her all that time to build up to a remark on the terrain.

"It's almost ironic."

The landscape was ironic? That didn't exactly make sense to him. Logan wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to be asking, so he settled for a confused look, hoping it would suffice.

"It's empty. It's bland. Just the same boring thing mile after mile. Pretty much all the same attributes as my relationship with Bobby." She drew a breath and he found himself holding his. "Which is why I finally ended things."

"When?"

"Three days after you left."

"What do you mean, finally?"

"I should've done it months ago."

"Then why didn't you?"

"I don't know."

He knew a lie, even one of omission, when he heard one. "Sure you do."

"Because you were still around."

That threw him for a loop. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Oh come on Logan, you're the least-deaf person at the mansion. Surely you know how people talk."

"No," he replied honestly. He'd learned quickly to let whatever gossip was floating around those halls go in one ear and out the other no matter who's name was attached to it.

"Well that's good then."

"What?"

"Just drop it, Logan."

"Not happening."

She remained silent.

"Marie..." his tone sounded much angrier to his own ears than he'd intended.

"People were saying that I was only with Bobby because he was 'safe', alright. After I got the 'cure' people thought it was only a matter of time til the girl who'd been so repressed by her mutation would go a little wild and end up with something different."

"Meaning?"

"Someone who was more experienced and a little less of a gentleman."

He could feel the irritation beginning to take root. Who she chose to be with was no ones business but her own. And his if the boy stepped out of line. "You mean someone like that new kid? The one who's telekinetic? Um... Coby? Cody?"

She gave a frustrated groan, her building embarrassment was almost tangible. "No, you moron. You."

He was stunned. He clutched the wheel tight and stared at her.

"Everyone has their own guess," she rambled nervously, "who would start it, what would set it off, how long it would take, how long it would last. Some even had money on it. But everyone thought it was only a matter of time before I ended up with you once I could finally touch."

The car came to a stop on the berm, kicking up a cloud of dust. He gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"What the hell?" she demanded.

"Money on it?" he seethed. He could feel the veins constricting in his hands, the bones of his wrists shifting.

"Calm down, Logan," she said, rubbing her gloved fingers across the back of his quivering hand.

"Marie," he warned. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her and he knew he wasn't in complete control in that moment.

"There's no use in causing yourself pain over some stupid kids."

That she had even considered that touched him, calming him fractionally, but he still had to know, "Who?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Who?"

It was as though she knew she wasn't going to get out of telling him. "About half of the Juniors, I think. And most of the Seniors. Maybe even a couple kids my age. It doesn't matter."

The anger swelled again. "The hell it doesn't."

"Logan, you can't expect them to understand."

"What's there to understand?"

She sighed. It almost sounded frustrated. "We're not like other people. We're not even like other mutants. You and I have both seen too much. You don't remember much of yours and I wasn't actually there for most of mine, but that doesn't change the facts. Even the ones who are training to be X-Men now don't actually know what it's like. Bobby and Kitty and Peter might have fought the last time but I'm pretty sure they don't even get it. The risk was real but it never came to a head. Even though I backed out before the fight really got heated, you and I are still bound by blood, so to speak. No one their age really knows what it's like to owe someone so much. It's not their faults they can't see the difference between all that and what they're thinking it is when it comes to you and me. They're lucky they can't see the difference. Despite what drove most them to the school, most of them are still innocents."

"Still I'm going to..."

"No, Logan. Just let them be stupid kids a little while longer."

Part of her impromptu speech came to the forefront of his mind. "You don't owe me anything, you know."

"You saved my life... Twice."

"And I'll do it again, should the need arise. Hell, I'd probably do it even if I knew it wasn't life and death." He couldn't bring himself to voice his earlier thoughts so he asked, "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Figured you knew," she said with a shrug.

"And if you thought I didn't know, you wouldn't have told me anyway," he accused, a bit more harshly than he intended.

"You do have a sight tendency to overreact," she sheepishly admitted.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

He shifted the car out of park and started back on the road. "You can go on, I promise I won't do that again."

"Maybe we can find somewhere to stretch our legs for a little bit?"