Victor waited outside of a motel room as Daken showered and changed into civilian clothes. When the younger feral emerged, Victor motioned him toward a truck, "Come on. I wanna hit Illinois before night fall."
"So, what's with you and Marie?"
Victor climbed into the truck, "After the accident you caused, she woke up with amnesia."
Daken raised his eyebrows as Victor pulled the truck out of the parking lot, "No shit." He gave a little laugh, "She didn't remember Wolverine? That must have killed him."
"It did...but I'm sure her leaving and joining up with the Brotherhood did an even worse number on him."
Daken laughed heartily and slapped his knee, "Wow! I couldn't have planned it better myself!" Victor tightened his grip on the steering wheel as his nephew obliviously rambled on, "Poor Marie...lost her memory. I gotta say...she was a hot little piece of ass-"
Victor slammed on the brakes and reached over to grab Daken by the neck. In response, the younger feral released his bone claws on his right hand and tried to stab Victor, but he was too quick. He grabbed Daken's wrist and slammed it against the passenger window cracking it, "You're slow...like your old man."
Daken snarled, "What's your problem?"
"Don't you fuckin' insult the mother of my kid in my presence, ya got me?"
Daken's eyes widened as Victor slowly removed his clawed hand from his neck, "Marie...Marie's having your baby?"
Victor smirked, "When she joined the Brotherhood...she and I had a thing."
"Then what?"
"Then there was an explosion, I thought she died, and months later, I saw her...with Logan. She was pregnant...probably about 5 or 6 months. That timeframe would mean that it's mine."
Daken cleared his throat, "If you don't mind me asking...what's with your obsession with her? She seems a bit too sweet for you."
"Marie was. Rogue wasn't. Rogue is who I knew...that's who I mated...and she has more power and strength in her pinkie finger than you and I have in our entire bodies. Rogue is the only being...male, female, mutant or human, that has and will ever bring me to my damn knees...and I ain't afraid to admit it."
Daken sighed, "Hard to believe the Rogue you knew is the Marie I knew."
"Yeah...well, I get it. Most ferals have two sides...the animal, and the human. Jimmy-your dad-gives into his human side more...makes him weak."
"So...you're sayin' we're both animals?"
Victor smirked, "No. We just don't allow our humanity to get in the way."
"This is so cute! Logan! Isn't this cute?"
"Mmhm", he murmured without bothering to tear his eyes away from the television.
Marie noted his disinterest as she tossed the onesie onto the bed and sighed, "Don't you love baby clothes?"
"Yup", he answered quickly as he leaned closer to the television, getting more involved in the game he was watching.
"You mind if I buy one of those diamond encrusted pacifiers?"
Logan nodded as he blindly took his wallet out of his pocket and handed it to her, all while still staring at the television, "Sure...cash is in there."
Marie stepped forward and took the wallet, "How about I strip down to my undies and sell myself on the street?"
He patted her on the ass, "Whatever makes you happy, darlin'."
She scoffed and spun around to stomp out of the room. Just as she got to the door, Logan stopped her, "Oh...Marie?"
When she turned around to look at him, she realized he'd FINALLY tore his eyes away from the tv, "What?"
"Don't forget to get the money up front", he said with a smirk and a wink.
She rushed over to him and punched him in the arm as he cowered against her playful assault, "Alright! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"You suck", she whined as he pulled her onto his lap.
He kissed her neck and smirked, "...and I lick...and kiss..."
Marie's smile fell as she sighed and slowly moved her neck away from his lips, "I want you to be excited about this baby..."
Logan's kisses stilled as she felt him freeze. He cleared his throat and slowly moved his head back to look into her eyes, "I told you...I'm tryin'. You just gotta gimme some time-"
Marie rolled her eyes as she stood up, "Time." She ran a hand through her hair and walked over to the window, "You've had a few months...and we seem like we're at square one..."
He didn't know what to say. He had no excuse. He knew full well that he hadn't been trying as hard as he should have to get involved in the whole baby business, but something was holding him back from being happy about this whole thing. Something was keeping him from bonding with the baby...
She crossed her arms as she stared out over the lawn, "Look, I know you weren't exactly on board with this baby thing...and I know you want to support my decision, but I didn't realize how much your lack of participation and involvement would affect me. I appreciate you're happy for ME...but what about you?"
"What about me, Marie?" he asked quietly, unwilling to meet her eyes when she turned to look at him.
She walked over to him and gently took his face in her hands before kissing his lips, then taking his hand and placing it against her belly, "You're gonna be a father...this baby is a part of you...doesn't that make you feel something...anything?"
Logan looked into her eyes for a moment before allowing his hand to drop from her belly, "I love you, Marie..."
She expected him to say more, but all he did was kiss her cheek and walk out of the room.
Several evenings later, Daken and Victor were parked in a truck just across the street from the mansion's property.
Daken handed Victor his binoculars, "There...third floor, four windows from the left...that was her room when I lived there."
Victor took the binoculars and searched out the window. He found it just in time to see Marie sipping from a cup. He watched as she set the cup down and pulled her hair up into a ponytail before she stopped in front of her full length mirror to run a hand down her belly.
Victor smirked, "Perfect..."
Daken cleared his throat, "So...what's the plan?"
"We can't go in there, we have to wait until the next time she leaves the mansion."
Daken nodded, "Then, I grab her-"
Victor growled, "You, are not to touch her...I want her and my kid healthy. You get your revenge by telling Logan that this kid is mine...before you kill him."
"Fine. Seems like a fair enough trade."
Their opportunity came the next day, when Logan and Marie took a trip to the mall. She'd finally convinced him that she needed maternity clothes, and he had decided to muster up the bravery to accompany a hormonal pregnant woman on a trip to try-on clothes.
When they reached the mall, Logan sat in the waiting room of the dressing rooms for a few minutes before finally standing, "Hey, darlin'...I'm gonna go check out the electronics store just across the way...be back soon."
"OK!" she hollered from behind the door.
As soon as he left, Victor took his opportunity to slip into the store. Luckily, the mall held so many scents that it would be difficult for Logan to detect his.
While Logan was checking out big screen televisions, he could have sworn he spotted Daken in the crowd of passersby just outside of the window.
He quickly exited the store and began pursuing the Daken look alike through the mall.
Meanwhile, in the dressing room, Marie had just tried on a dress. She heard a soft knock on the door, "Logan, is that you? Tell me what you think of this dress."
As soon as she opened the door, she gasped, but a large, clawed hand covering her mouth prevented further sound from escaping. Victor backed her further into the dressing room and shut the door behind them.
"I think the dress looks good, Rogue..."
He could see that her eyes were filled with panic and fear, so he decided to be kind enough to eliminate at least one of her fears right up front, "Don't worry, babe...I'm not gonna hurt you or the baby...as long as you cooperate. Now I'm gonna move my hand...and you're not gonna scream. You're gonna walk outta here, with me. Calmly and quietly. Got it?" Marie nodded. Victor smirked, "First, I wanna watch you get changed back into your clothes."
Marie shuddered in fear and disgust, but managed to get changed in record time.
Victor escorted her out of the back entrance of the mall without raising a single eyebrow.
Just as Victor was putting Marie in his truck, Daken had managed to lead Logan on a wild goose chase through the mall to an empty loading dock. When the door closed behind him, he spotted Daken standing directly in front of a dumpster.
"What the fuck are you doin' out of federal custody?"
Daken smirked, "What's the matter dad? Not happy to see me?"
Logan raised his fist as his adamantium claws slowly slid out, "I've tried talkin' to you, kid. You hurt the woman I love...and you tried to kill me. I wanted you to live...to face justice, but now I realize that I'm gonna have to kill you."
"The woman you love...how is she, by the way? I hear she's in the family way..."
Logan growled, "Don't you fuckin' even think her name."
"What? Marie? Or is it Rogue...as she was so fondly known when she was with the Brotherhood. Yeah. I think it was Rogue...at least that's what Uncle Victor says."
"Shut up!"
Daken released his own claws as he slowly began marching forward, "Uncle Victor said he got to know her pretty well when she was with them...come to find out, that sweet little pussy of hers is something all three of us have in common. Newsflash, pops...I'm gonna be an only child...but at least I'll gain a cousin."
"Nooooooooo!"
All Logan could see was red and all he could hear was the rushing of blood in his own ears as he leapt at his son.
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