Chapter Eleven

The music started and the huge double doors opened. Out walked young Jubilee looking very grown up in her pale blue bride's maid dress. There were many hushed whispers in the crowd. Logan didn't know half the people here.

He really didn't like weddings. And not for the reason everyone always thought. The only person here that might understand was Charles. He was the only one Logan really shared his secrets with.

The fact of it was he didn't like weddings for one very important reason. He had had one once that he couldn't quit remember. He only knew this because of the short little vague memories he always got at these things.

Flashes of a mysterious figure in white lace and a thick veil. The memory of her hand in his as he said those precious words. The sweet sound of her giggle before they kissed. He remembered little things, wonderful things but he never remembered enough. He never remembered her. Not who she was or what she looked like. And the not remembering broke his heart all over again, every time.

All he had was a simple wedding band. He had worn it every day without fail until he met Charles. Charles had convinced him that he had to let go of the pain if he ever wanted to remember, so he took off the ring. The everyday reminder that he was only half a man. A man with a missing heart. He had let Charles lock the ring away.

He had tried to love again but it was never quit right. Oh, he had almost convinced himself a few times, even made a fool of himself over Jean. But luckily Jean had seen through his mask and had not wasted her love on him. For he would always love a shadow. A sweet unknown lady that walked through his every dream. A woman without a face.

Logan waited for one day. The day he would remember. On that day maybe he wouldn't mind these damn things.

Logan looked back up the aisle again and watched Storm come through the doors. She too was very beautiful in the pale blue dress. The ladies of the mansion had done an excellent job putting this wedding together so quickly.

Logan wondered once again about the Cajun. Logan understood why Rogue had been mad at him, but she never should have left him behind. Most of the X-men had made mistakes in their past and if they wanted to keep it a secret that was fine by him. He trusted that the Professor would never let a mutant in that hadn't changed. Logan knew he had done some real bad stuff before he came here. Rogue herself had worked for Magneto and Mystic.

She had had no right to leave Gambit behind. Logan had secretly gone back for him once he himself had recovered, but Gambit was already gone. He had followed his trail just long enough to know the Cajun was alive and uninjured and that he didn't want to be found yet. So Logan had kept the knowledge to himself.

This whole thing with Rogue was really gonna surprise the poor guy if he does come back.

Now it was Jean's turn and she was stunning. Jean deserved all the happiness in the world even if it was with an uptight pencil neck like Scott Summers. Wolverine figured his dislike of Summers may have been the biggest contributing factor in his picking Jean in the first place. But Jean seemed to keep the little prick in line and he even smiled some these days.

Next came the flower girl. Logan had heard that there had been a last minute replacement and was eager to see the child. When he first saw the child it knocked the air from his lungs. Something about the girl was very familiar. Logan remembered those blue eyes. The same blue eyes had looked back at his many times. The girl made him very uncomfortable. Logan started to get up, he needed out of here, something about that girl, something was wrong; the memories were going to start again.

Then the Professor's voice was in his head, 'Logan calm down. Everything is fine. You need to stay you need to remember. Just relax and concentrate on what is happening. Watch Rogue. Look at how beautiful she is.'

But it was too late; all he saw was his bride. His bride from so long ago. It was her walking down that aisle. He remembered her taking his hand. He remembered her soft voice repeating those same vows. He remembered lifting her veil. But this time instead of a blank face, her face now had eyes. The same eyes as the little flower girl. Bright, shinning sapphires.

Logan was shocked back to reality by the applause of the guest. He had to get out of here now. He stood and pushed through the crowd then slipped through a side door and headed out the back of the mansion. He needed to be alone.

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Author's Notes: If your liking this please let me know. I'm taking a pretty big turn with this chapter and I sure hope I'm on the right track.--L.B.