MAL86 - I really glad that worked, I loved the idea but wasn't sure the execution worked :) . And I half thought of bring Jumbo Carnation into it, I really liked the scene in X-Force with Quintin, Phoebe and him (X-Force has even made me like Quentin a bit, and I usually default to seeing him as annoying brat most of the time, so he's growing on me a little :) ). But I think Carnation would have been to much for Rose right now, her mind would explode ;) . And yep, Ogun and crew's plan isn't far away now at all :), sadly Logan won't be having much peace soon to enjoy his happiness. And thank you for your review :) .

(The table mentioned contains pictures of Daken, Laura and Gabby, I know I haven't brought them into this story, it's just to complex, and I think Laura is time locked or something, I can't remember now, I don't know Gabby to well, and sadly Daken annoys me. No offense to people who like him, but he's always been an annoying brat to me most of the time, seems a little better now, and you could say he has reasons why he is the way he is, but I just never really cared for him or much of where Daniel Way went in his Origins run, or the ret-conning of certain events like the 1940's flashbacks in Uncanny X-Men # 268 (I also felt Itsu was a Mariko clone essentially, I always wondered why, if he really wanted him, Way didn't just make Daken Silver Fox's son. He already had Romulus messing around with her, just seemed uncessary to have yet another long lost true love of Logan's who died tragically, when he could have tied Daken to a well established and existing tragic love that had long been tied up with Weapon X already). I liked the concept, but not so much the excution I guess, but I'm probably in the minority :) and that's my rant over :) . So that's why I haven't attempted to include them in this, I probably wouldn't do Daken justice given my biases ;) .

Besides, the character rosta is quite heavy already without bringing in clones and long lost angry sons into the mix. But his and their pictures are there, so I haven't ignored them entirely :) . Anyway, with that, on with the story :) ).

Chapter 12

Logan and Rose emerged from the Krokoan portal, arriving directly in front of a fairly traditional long log-cabin, slate-roofed, situated on a raised wooden platform surrounded by a wooden railing containing a table and chairs. A porch ran around the front and sides of the building, with wooden chairs set either side of the front door, a stone chimney was set coming the far left side of the building, with a small wooden balcony on the opposite side. A small stone wall defined the front yard and potential garden of the cabin. It was built besides the river that ran through the old estate lands, next the old bridge that had been repaired, and also had a garage and a tool room close by the dirt road that lead across the bridge towards the mansion set in distance, and to the road that led into the close-by town, that housed Logan's Harley and Jeep.

'James,' Rose whispered, holding his arm, 'it looks lovely, I never imagined anything like this when you described a cabin. It's so much nicer and more welcoming that the one we lived in that quarry settlement,' and as she turned to look over the river and onto the mansion, 'and I loved the view from here. We used to play so often along by the river, so many of the good memories here are from around here.'

Logan smiled wistfully, 'yeah, that's part of why I choose this spot, an' originally the cabin was gonna be a much smaller and basic affair, but I had time on my hands between missions and such, so the project just became a bit grander. I guess it's one the few times I was actually buildin' a place I might stay in, not that much inside though, but it's got a generator, wood for fuel, wire and pumping all sorted, so it's not shabby in the end. An' sometimes I like just sittin' with a cigar lookin' out over the place, I've been more at peace with it all, an' helps me get perspective.'

Looking down with a warm look, Logan said 'an' now I have you, it finally feels like I'm comin' home Rose.'

Rose's green eyes stared softly back at his own in a moment of comfortable silence, their eyes communicating everything their words were to crude and limited to convey. Finally Logan broke free and said, 'well, let's get you moved in, an' then you can take a look at how the ol' mansion an' grounds are now,' before taking hold of her bags and leading her up the steps, opening the cabin door to let Rose in.

The inside of the cabin was spartan, but well kept, the interior basically one large open plan room, apart from the bathroom set by the stairs which lead to the bedroom above. A kitchen alcove was set by one side of the room, whilst the living room filled the rest, a few chairs and an old couch set around the fireplace that dominated most of far wall opposite the kitchen. There were furs – elk, bear and wolf mostly – that decorated the walls and together with some rugs covered the wooden floor.

Logan saw Rose looking around the place speculatively as he headed up to the bedroom to drop off her things, as he came down she smiled at him saying, 'I like it, but it definitely needs a woman's touch, to make this place more like a home and less a trapper's winter refuge.'

Grinning slightly Logan teased, 'don't like my interior design choices, darlin'?'

Rolling her eyes slightly, Rose 'it's not really very homely, but don't worry I'll have this place sorted out soon,' and Logan could already sense her re-planning the whole look of the place, and was pretty sure he wouldn't have much of a say in it.

I'm afraid not James, Rose chuckled in his mind, I love you, but your sense of taste in some areas is a bit… misguided shall we say. But don't worry, like I said, I'll have this place made into a proper home in no time. And sensing the projects running through her head Logan groaned slightly and hoped there would soon be a pressing call for him with X-Force.

Rose just giggled saying it won't be that bad, just leave everything to me.

Soon Logan had showed Rose around the whole cabin, showing her the bathroom and it's shower, which she marvelled at a little, and when they got to the bedroom. It housed a single large bed, with a small Japanese table set to one side, upon which on a stand stood the Honour Sword of Clan Yashida, a bonsai tree and photos of Amiko, Laura, Kitty, Jubilee, Hisako, Daken, Gabby and Mariko, the rest of the room was as spartan as the ground floor, with a door leading out onto the balcony.

'I'll let you get settled in Rose,' Logan said, 'an' chose where you want things. I figured I'd let you have the room, I can easily sleep on the couch below.'

Logan felt Rose's unhappiness and hurt appear like dagger through his heart across their link with a shock, his heart constricting a little that's he'd somehow been the cause of it, as she whirled on him, her green eyes flashing, 'what do you mean you're sleeping below, James?'

Feeling her stare burning into him, he scratched the back of his neck agitatedly, 'well, I didn't want to presume anythin' darlin', or put any pressure on you. I wanted to have you be able to take things at your own pace, not feelin' like I was rushin' you into somethin' you're not really for.'

Logan took a deep breath, and looked straight into Rose's deep emerald eyes, opening his mind to her completely, silent for a moment as he became lost in them, before shaking his head slightly remembering what he was going to say, and said, 'Rose, you know how much I love you, I always have. You're it for me, darlin', you always were. You ain't like any of the other women I've ever known, I want make sure everythin' goes right this time around.'

At that Logan felt Rose's hurt and anger vanish replaced by a powerful surge of love as she rushed and embraced him, her arms around his neck, as his own encircled her, instinctively pulling her close, her soft body melding into his. She looked into his eyes, her own glistening slightly as she said, 'I love too James, so much I don't know what to do with it all. But you don't have treat me like I'm some fragile thing that going to break. I lived with you like that for years, I don't want to return to that. For over a century I've been by your side, but apart from the short period when you died, I've never been able to be with you. My love, all this time, I've longed to be with you in every way, for so long. I don't want to seem like a wanton woman, but I don't want to wait anymore, I want to share our lives together completely, to live and be together from now on. I made my choice long ago, and we've both been divided for each other for to long, I don't want us to waste anymore time. Please James, can we start our future together, tonight and forever, can we at last be together?'

Logan was silent for a moment, just lost in her eyes, before whispering in return, 'yes, darlin', you already know I wanna be with you, so if you're okay with that, then so am I.'

'Good,' Rose said softly and rested her head on his chest, sighing contentedly, and for while Logan just held Rose close to him as she relaxed in his arms, until he finally pulled away smiling gently at her, saying, 'well you'd better get your things put away, and I'll meet you downstairs, and I'll show you the rest of the grounds and the mansion.'

Rose nodded silently as Logan head back down the stairs. He waited for a while, listening to the noises for her putting her things away before she re-emerged coming down the stairs and Logan said, 'ready to see the rest of the ol' place again, Red?'

She nodded, and Logan held out his arm, which she took with a joyful laugh, leaning into him as they headed out the door. For the next few hours they visited all the places they'd known when they'd been children, all the their old favourite spots they'd played in, or gone for walks on, Rose was startled to see how much it had all changed. The grounds were all heavily overgrown, in quite a few places having reverted to wild forest and woodland, so it often hard for her to recognise the older places and trails they'd used to known.

Eventually they stopped before the old maze garden, now broken, wild and overgrown with trees growing here and there, 'it's hard to believe in some ways it's the same place,' Rose said. 'It really brings home how long ago it all was, and just how old we are James.'

'Yeah,' Logan replied, putting his arm around her shoulder and pulling Rose close, 'a lifetime ago, but sometimes also like yesterday. But now we have a new lifetime an' future ahead of us both Rose. Our past is there, but I doesn't hold us captive no more.'

Rose nodded softly on his shoulder, and looked up at him, 'yes, at last it's our time James,' and leaning into him kissing him softly, full of love and affection, before turning and looking at a spot on the ground not far from them.

'And that's were my love for you began, we're it began to change from childhood affection into the love it would become,' Rose whispered softly. 'Just after your father's murder, when Thomas and Dog held us captive, when your power awoke, and I came out here after you. I saw beyond the claws that had just emerged, and I took you in my arms. I wasn't in love yet, we we were both too young, but that's where it began, and grew and changed as we grew and changed, I just didn't realise what it was I felt for you until the end… '

'Hey,' Logan said, cupping the side of her face, drawing Rose's eyes to his, 'no more regrets remember. We both messed up, me allot more than you Rose, we were both just kids really then. But now we're here, together, an' we're past all that Rose, you showed me that, an' this place isn't gonna be just a graveyard of ol' memories an' regrets either. It's gonna be our place, the place to start our future, an' a place for our friends and family.'

'Yes,' Rose replied, her hand coming up to hold the hand caressing her cheek, a bright smile gracing her face, looking back at him, the atmosphere thick between them as Rose's eyes held his, staring deep into his own. Intense emotions played across her eyes, and Logan sensed the intense whirlwind of them across their psi-link, love, joy, affection, desire and happiness, 'no more regrets, no more lost opportunities… ' Rose reached up to cup his face in return, and drawing him closer towards her, her hands moving to intertwine around his neck as Logan moved to wrap her in his arms, still lost spellbound, drowning in her deep emerald eyes, as she pulled her warm, soft body flush with his own, her warmth radiating into him. For a moment they remained locked in each others eyes, their minds open and reaching for each other in a fiery embrace of love, want and desire, thoughts and emotions flying back and forth between them to quick to coherently understand, beginning with one and ending with the other. Logan was distantly aware he had lowered his head towards hers, could feel her warm, moist breath as her hand threaded into his hair, and then they were caught in a fiery and passionate kiss, his arms tightening the embrace as Rose pulled him harder against her as though she were trying merge with him, their kiss deepening and become more intense, full love and raw passion, their minds blazing in the passion between them.

Then, just as hands began to move urgently towards their clothes, Logan felt as if something were watching them, he jerked his head back and looked out across the grounds, and into the distant woods. Rose still had a dreamy and slightly lost look in her eyes, before a deep blush began to heat up her face, and looked down shyly, mumbling, 'I'm sorry James, I didn't intend to go… '

Logan looked back quickly, 'don't worry Rose, it ain't that, you saw my mind, I was fully with you in that, an' there's nothin' we did you should feel ashamed of. But I felt somethin' seemed to be watchin' us,' and so saying turned back, reaching out with his senses. If there was something out there it was downwind, so no scents to pick up, his eyes piercing deep into the woods and his hearing mapped out the skittering of feet and wings, but he couldn't detect anything amiss.

Logan looked down to Rose, now looking with concern at him and asked, 'do you sense anythin' darlin', I'm not pickin' anythin' up with my senses, I just a had a feelin' for a moment is all. It's gone now, but I wanna be sure.'

Still a little flushed, Rose said, 'I'll try,' and closed her eyes, obviously trying to reach out with her mind, she looked troubled for a moment before a more peaceful look came over her face saying, 'I thought I detected some shadow, but there was nothing. Just our minds, and further away the towns folk and few odd settlements, but I can't detect any hostile minds watching us right now.'

'Must be just be paranoid.' Logan mused, 'an' might have been some animal.' Shaking his head, Logan put his arm around Rose, drawing her close to him, as she wrapped her arm around his waist and said, 'come on, let's get on with our tour,' grinning down at her, as she smiled shyly up at him, before resting her head slightly on his shoulder.

Logan then took her around the mansion still under construction, the west wing was still in ruins, celling and walls broken and falling in, whilst the east was covered in scaffolding, a building site in the front filled with heavy-duty machinery, tools and portable cabins, the crew he'd hired was away for the winter, but would return again with the spring.

For a moment they both stood in silence for a while, lost in memories of the life they'd once lived in the old mansion, Rose resting her head on his shoulder, until she turned to him with a twinkle in her eye, she said, 'you're so like your father James, bringing life to this old place. You really are the lord of the manor now, Mr Howlett.'

Looking back at her with a crooked, lopsided smile, Logan snorted, 'don't think a rough-neck like me will ever be that, but I'm sure you're the lady of the manor Miss O'Hara, you always have been.,'

Rose chuckled and shook her head, before resting it back on his shoulder, 'no, I never wanted to be a lady of the manor, I just wanted a somewhere to belong, a home. And I have both, and their you James Howlett, you're my home, and I belong with you. I only want to be your lady.'

'You always have been Rose,' Logan replied softly, and stood together once more in pregnant silence, lost in thought as they looked towards the Howlett mansion. After time, as the light began to grow dim as dusk set in, Rose shivered a little, and Logan said, 'maybe it's time we headed back home, Red,' and Rose nodded on his shoulder. With Rose arm linked through his they strolled back towards their cabin.

Once they'd got back Rose had taken one look at the dismal supplies Logan had in his kitchen and sighed, before shooing him out the cabin to wait outside while she found something to do with what he did have. Logan thought wryly as he lent on the wooden railing outside, smoking a cigar, and gazing at the stars now shimmering across the now dark expanse of the night sky, that while he may be lord of the manor, he certainly wasn't of his cabin anymore. Rose was clearly in charge there, he chuckled to himself.

Later they eaten their meal on the table outside, under the starlight, Logan having lit a small outdoor fire place he'd brought to give them warmth. Their easy conversation and laughter carried across the musical murmuring and soft splashing of the flowing river, punctuated only by companionable silences full of meaning between them, Heated looks exchanged increasingly between them, as their interaction was laced through with the mounting desire and passion playing between them, the atmosphere and tension growing thick and electric.

After dinner was finished, the dishes away, the fire growing low, Rose leaning back into his chest, Logan enjoying the feel of her cocooned within his arms as they looked at the stars. They stayed there like this for a while, before finally Rose turned in his arms and looked into deep into his eyes with a loving and intense look, and said softly, 'make love to me, James,' and drew back to take his hand and lead him back into the cabin.

Once in the bedroom, Logan swept Rose into his embrace, and Rose laughed, her arms wrapping around his neck, pulling her warm, soft body tight against him, her curves melting into his body, his hands reflexively tightening around her. As Rose's scent overwhelmed him, and her silky red hair caressed him, her heat radiating into him, Logan's blood surged, his heartbeat thundering, as he drowned in her deep emerald pools. They became lost in each others eyes, bright blue gazing into deep emerald, the floodgates of the psi-link opened, the passion and love between them igniting into an intense blaze. Their faces drew closer and closer, until they were caught in a gentle and loving kiss that quickly deepened and became increasingly intense, desperate and full of raw passion and desire, full of need, hunger and passionate love, decades denied. Soon through the union of their minds they transcended the purely physical, a maelstrom of emotions, thoughts, feelings and sensations playing between them as their minds united in the white hot blaze their passion and love and soon their clothes fell away, as the urgent desire to remove the last barriers to keeping them apart became overwhelming. And for a moment Logan just looked and marvelled at the stunning, sexy and beautiful vision before him, her red hair shimmering softly, her smooth, soft curves outlined in the soft light, her eyes full of love and warmth, and smoky with hungry desire, and then they were together, intertwined as the love and passion carried them into the night.

As lovers, long denied, were finally together, their delight and joy in each other and their love heard across the wild, dark and cold grounds of the old Howlett estate, there appeared, just briefly, at the very edges of the estate, within the deep forest, two glowing red eyes watching the cabin with terrifying and malevolent intent.