Little Darcy's you naughty little monkeys you! The reviews I got, tsk tsk tsk. Actually the last chapter was pretty tame but this is one gonna have some plot pushing it forward. If you wouldn't mind, review and let me know how long you all think this should go on or if I should just wrap it up and move forward.

Chapter 26: Penny for your thoughts

Marie woke up nude and deliciously sore in various places.. She and Logan had left their bed for a brief midnight snack, something she was surprised to hear him admit he liked just as much as being inside of her.

"Ah can't believe yah just said that!" She swatted at him, reddening further when he only grinned good naturedly and resumed chomping into his sandwich.

"Why shouldn't I say it? It's true Kid. I like bein with you." He gave one of her curls a light tug, purring when she kissed his cheek and snuggled further into his lap. The arm about her waist tightened into a little hug.

"Wasn't too rough with you was I? You're feeling alright?" He asked through a mouthful for about the billionth time since their first coupling. She rolled her eyes and nibbled at her own late night supper.

"Ah'll be feelin downright testy if yah keep askin meh. Ah feel fine. Better than fine." She reminded him for the umpteenth time. It was his turn to be sheepish and he hid his face in her neck. "Just makin sure darlin. You were so worried there at the end again." Marie smiled.

"Ah know ah was. But yah took real good care a meh, just like yah always do. An yah made sure ah didn't keep feelin bad. In fact, ah thought.. Ah thought maybe if yah wanted.. We could do it again?"

They'd just barely made it back to their rooms.

Now though, Marie was awake and had no interest in going back to sleep. They'd made love twice more, sleeping in between and then had some really good sex (of course she had nothing to compare it to but considering how boneless she'd been afterwards she was pretty sure he was fantastic in bed) before settling in for the night.

Logan was still asleep, lying on his stomach and back bare to her greedy eyes. The sheet was low enough that she could see the V shaped dip of his hips, the broad shoulders she'd clung to the night before out in the open. Lying beside a naked Logan Howlett was a privilege that she took seriously and had no intention of ever squandering.

She let her fingers brush down his side, just enough sensation to make him roll over and then decided to explore while he was still out cold. She liked the dark curls of hair on his chest, the way it rose and fell evenly with each deep breath. Feeling bold, she wiggled closer and kissed the spot between his shoulder and his neck, the same spot he'd marked on her body.

Logan mumbled and continued to doze, letting the girl continue on with her examination. He had scars here and there, still healing from recent fights because of the pulls her mutation had caused on him. She spared a brief moment's guilt about that but just as quickly shook it off. He'd made a point of letting her practice on him, even before they'd become bedmates. Each time there was no fear, no anger. If anything, his thoughts were always of her own well being. If he could still stand after their session, he got her food and drink to recharge, always happy to settle in for a group nap with she and Pollock.

Bolstered by this care and wanting to surprise him the say way he so often did her, Marie pulled the sheet down further. She'd noticed before of course his 'morning wood', something that they'd mostly ignored when bedding together on the road. It also wasn't lost on her the way he grew firmer every time she'd touched him.

Following this line of thought, she let her fingers walk up his thighs and began to stroke his cock, watching in fascination as the muscle grew warmer, the tip leaking a few drops of precum.

"Gonna keep teasing or are you planning on doing something about this?" A sleepy voice above her rumbled. Looking up she met her partner's eyes, hints of gold beginning to show though. She began to stammer out a reply, laughing when he rolled them over and settled in for the ride.

That had been a few days ago. In the days recent, Logan had been distracted and scatterbrained, even a bit more churlish than usual. Marie wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but she'd also heard him mumbling something about Dr. Grey. That only served to further the mystery and it took two days more before she'd gathered up enough courage to speak to him about it.

She waited until it was closer to the weekend, finished her homework assignment and then made her way over to Logan who was working on a hole in the porch. He'd been cursing a blue streak as the hammer fell, having (yet again) managed to miss his target and instead crush his thumb. Nonetheless, she continued on until she was at his side.

"Logan? Ah think we should talk."

"Not now Kid, I'm busy."

"But-"

"Go do your homework or watch TV or something, I said I'm busy."

Irritated by his snapping and more worried than ever, she pulled off a glove.

"Don't talk down tah meh Logan James Howlett. Ah'm not yah child, ah'm yah mate. Now somethin is botherin yah and ah want yah tah tell meh what it is." He scowled, the glare deepening when he noticed her bared skin at the ready.

"I'm fine Marie."

She fixed him with a glare of her own.

"And now yah lyin."

Logan responded with a growl of warning, but didn't deny it. When she approached, hand still bare, he let her hug him tight.

"Please tell meh what's goin on. We can talk about it, or ah can just listen. Whatevah yah need. But yah told meh mates take care of each other, so please let meh take care of yah now." She pleaded. Sighing heavily, he nudged her out of his lap.

"Just.. just give me a little bit to get it sorted in my mind. Promise I'll talk to you about it before we go to bed tonight."

Doing her best not to view it as a rejection, Marie simply nodded and returned to the truck. They would discuss it before bed.

Or she would know why.

It wasn't an easy thing, thinking so much about another woman. Truthfully, he wasn't entirely sure how Marie would take his dilemma. He had no reason to think she'd be angry, necessarily;but he couldn't think she'd be very happy either. Truthfully, he wasn't all that certain how he felt about it himself.

Still pondering this, and dreading the upcoming discussion, Logan readied himself for bed and went into their now shared room. Marie was already there, sitting up but beneath the covers, his side turned down invitingly. He'd intentionally worn only sweats, figuring if she was upset the least he could do was let her drain him a bit. She took it as a sign to cuddle and immediately curled into his side.

"So." He began. A fantastic start, really.

"So." She replied, peering up at him.

Logan was thankful she only occasionally used her borrowed powers, he was sure he reeked of anxiety. How did this work? Did he just start talking? Did she start asking questions? Maybe they could just get some sleep and he'd never have to mention any of this again…

"Logan." Her voice was an anchor, her sudden movement startling. Without preamble, she rolled over, straddling his lap and hands in his hair, pulling him to her for a kiss. He'd never denied her before, and certainly wasn't going to start now. Instead, he let her take the lead, devour his mouth and wrap her tongue around his own. His hands were quick to knead her ass, growling when she rolled her hips against him. So caught up was he, he almost whined in protest when she stopped, panting.

"Ah love yah Logan. Hear meh? Ah love yah, and ah want yah, and ah need yah. That won't evah change, no matter what yah have on yah mind." She reminded him firmly. He wanted to press her into the mattress and fuck her into oblivion. He wanted to make love to her. He wanted to run and hide away from the confusion…

"It's Jean. Jean Grey, that doctor lady from the school." He said instead.

Her scent said she was shocked. Her face gave nothing else away.

"Alright. What about Dr. Grey?" Marie asked calmly. Avoiding her eyes, he forced himself to continue.

"I- I know her. I dunno how. I just- she's somewhere in my memories. There's- I'm running and everything is LOUD and I want them dead and I can feel the blood, I can smell it, it's everywhere and there's so many bodies and that's all I'm good for, it was another lab, I thought there was one but there wasn't and I'm just this mindless killing machine because of those no good crazy assholes and-"

"LOGAN!"

She saved him from himself. His claws were coming out, he couldn't breathe, it was too much and not enough and pain and screaming and he was so lost…

"Logan, sugah come back tah meh. Yah safe now." Even as he pressed his face into her chest, took deep breaths, the shame threatened to drown him.

"She brought me back. She was there. I don't know why, but she was and she brought me back. And then I ran and I don't know what she knows. Maybe she knows about my past, maybe she has answers.."

"Then yah need tah ask her sugah. But gettin grumpy and quiet won't solve anythin. Raght?"

Finally, he met her eyes, surprised to see them a bit wet.

"I didn't- I don't smell blood, did I hurt you? My claws-"

Her cool small hands cupped his face, kissing him gently.

"Only thing that hurts meh is when yah in pain silly man. Yah go ahead and speak with her. Maybe she can give yah some answers. We'll get through this, but together. Okay?"

The relief he felt was almost palpable and the animal very nearly started licking her like a puppy in thanks. As it was, he covered her in grateful kisses until she was laughing, and then let the kisses linger more little by little.

"Have I really been grumpy?" He muttered, sucking beneath her ear. She hummed in response, already working on removing her night shirt.

"M'sorry Darlin. Promise I'll make it up to you." The expression on her face went from the sweeter Marie to the more mischievous Rogue in an instant and he knew he was in for an interesting night.

"Then yah better start now cowboy."