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Time Warp: Chapter 7-Not Quite Right
*****
The door swung open, revealing a good-sized loft with a tattered old couch and small tv on a little stand for a living room area, a connecting kitchen with a small stove, mini-fridge and microwave and set of cupboards, then an open door leading to a small bedroom and a conjoining bathroom.
"It ain't much, but it's good enough for now." Hallie said, walking to the center of the room and tossing her backpack on the old couch.
Logan stepped in, his hands shoved in the pockets of his leather jacket. He stared at Hallie quizically. "What do ya mean, 'for now'?" he questioned. "Not plannin' on stickin' around?"
Hallie turned to him, a dark red streak of her long bangs falling in front of her face. She seemed so terribly sad all of a sudden, like she was remembering something terrible and was about to cry. "Oh, uh...no, not really." she gazed off to the side, unable to look Logan in the eye. "I drift around ya know? I was never one ta stick around a place too long."
Logan's forehead wrinkled as his eyebrows knitted together and he frowned, the sad look on Hallie's face throwing him off. He wasn't one to butt into anyone else's business, but for some reason he just felt he had to ask. "How come?"
Hallie bit her lower lip and she reached behind her ears, pushing her long bangs forward so that you couldn't really see her face. "Well, uh," her head suddenly shot up and her smile was so fake it was sad to see it, because every time Logan had seen her smile it had been completely genuine, even if some of them were a little sad. "I'm gonna go change outta these clothes, they're all ripped an' dirty, an' junk. You can sit back and relax or somethin', I'll be back in a sec." Without saying another word she turned swiftly and retreated into the bedroom.
Logan sighed as Hallie shut the door. He wondered what could make her so upset all of a sudden, what could cause such an innocent face to look so...haunted. He walked toward the couch slowly, his boots making loud 'clomping' noises on the hard wood floor. He flopped down on the couch and ran a hand through his hair, pulling his hand away when he felt the sticky, hardened gel that Rogue had used before school to spike his hair up. Logan groaned, leaning back against the couch. His thoughts returned to Hallie, making himself wonder why she'd drift around so much, and at such a young age.
*****
Logan glanced up when he heard the clicking of Hallie's door opening. She walked out, wearing baggy black jeans with rips in the knees and a plain black tank top. She smiled at him as she sauntered toward the old couch, then flopped down beside him.
Logan just stared at Hallie, her eyes glinting once again as she had seemingly put the painful memories of the past, whatever they may be, behind her. He cocked his head to the side, inspecting her new attire. 'She definetly has a thing fer wearin' black.' he thought with a wry smile.
"So..." Hallie slapped a hand down on Logan's knee playfully, as if to wake him from his daze. She laughed when he jumped slightly.
"So." Logan grunted, then covered his mouth to force back a yawn.
Hallie squinted one eye, then yawned loudly. "Whoa, I'm tired." she mumbled. "This is sad...kids aren't s'posed to get tired this early..." she shrugged with a laugh. "School reeeaaallly takes it out of us I guess. Well, today especially. I mean, man! Takin' on jocks, getting lectured by the school's head-honcho, sneakin' outta detention?!" Hallie nodded to herself, bouncing up and down on the couch. "Whoa. Lotta stuff right there."
Logan shook his head, unable to hide the laugh that burst from his lips. "Yer a trip kid."
"Yeh, but it's okay as long as you're not the one fallin'!" Hallie shrugged with her impish smile, ignoring the fact that he'd called her 'kid' again. She stood up suddenly, then grabbed the remote on top of the little tv and hopped back on the couch, hitting the 'power' button.
Logan stared at the tv screen as it flicked on, some movie playing on the channel.
"Eh, I don't really care what's on tv, I'm just gonna doze off anyways." she tossed the remote on the other side of the couch, then scooted closer to Logan and lifted his arm out of the way so she could use his chest as a pillow.
Logan wasn't paying much attention to Hallie, until he realized he had his arm around her and she was falling asleep against him. He suddenly felt awkward and tensed up, beginning to lift his arm. "Uh Hal, I don't think-"
She cut him off, pulling his arm back down over her shoulder. "Logan, we're friends now right?" she asked him sleepily with a slight mumble.
"Uh..yeh." he replied unsurely, confused at what she was getting at.
Hallie nodded against his chest. "Right, just friends. So this is okay." she smiled, wrapping an arm around Logan's as she dozed off to sleep.
He sighed, a bit of a smile on his face. He still felt weird because he was really much older than Hallie thought he was, but if she had it clear that they were 'just friends' he figured it was okay. Hell, he was friends with Rogue, being much younger than him, and they hung out without it being weird or awkward. Logan nodded to himself. As long as they both stayed 'just friends' everything would be fine, which he had no doubt it wouldn't be. Hallie wasn't shy, but she seemed to be keeping her distance, treating Logan the way she'd treat any other friend, in her own harmlessly flirtatious way.
Logan felt himself start to tire as his head nodded up and down every time he started to doze off, trying to keep himself awake. When he stopped fighting it, Logan closed his eyes, his head rolling to the side as he fell asleep.
*****
Hallie jerked in her sleep, then her eyes opened widely and she gasped, pulling herself out from under Logan's arm and scrambling off the couch. She grabbed the sides of her head and squeezed her eyes shut as she sat herself down on the floor, indian style, and leaned her back against the bottom of the couch. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried silently, and when she looked up she noticed that she had woke Logan and he was now staring at her.
"Hallie?" he questioned, his eyes focused on her intently as he straightened himself on the couch and leaned forward on his knees. "What is it? What's wrong?"
She breathed in and out several times, slowly, then swallowed, wiping the tears from her cheek with her bare arm as she met Logan's calming brown eyes. "It's nothing." she shook her head repeatedly, but still didn't get up off the floor, and instead brought her knees close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
Logan gently lowered himself from the couch, settling down on the floor right beside Hallie. He wrapped both arms around her, and when she didn't protest he pulled her close to his chest, leaning his chin down on the top of her head. He couldn't stand seeing her like this, so different all of a sudden. It seemed like Hallie just closed in on herself, burying her 'happy-go-lucky, but, kick-you-in-the-ass-if-you-mess-with-me' attitude deep inside her soul. For obvious reasons, Logan felt this little episode had a lot to do with whatever was causing her to keep moving from place to place, and it made him want to do everything in his power to find out what happened to her.
Hallie found comfort in Logan's arms as he held her and she relaxed against him. "I'm sorry." she whispered lowly.
Logan shook his head. "Don't be darlin'." he paused for a moment, feeling it wasn't his place to ask, but he had to anyways. "Jus' tell me what happened to ya. Please, let me in Hal."
She smiled inwardly at the way he shortened her name, realizing that she liked hearing it from him since the first time he had called her that. Hallie pulled away slowly, quickly looking into Logan's eyes, then looking away. It made her scared when she looked in his eyes, scared because she could tell he cared. If he didn't care, he wouldn't have said anything, he would've just walked away. She was scared because he wanted her to let him in, but she didn't know if she could do that. Closing her eyes as she made her decision, she then looked at him unsurely. "Logan...I don't think I can-"
"Please Hal," Logan pressed gently. "You said we were friends. You gotta let me in or it'll eat ya up inside, I know that. I know 'cuz I let it happen ta me, an' I can already see it startin' ta happen in you." He reached toward her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly.
Hallie shuddered a little, then smiled, leaning her face into Logan's hand. She closed her eyes tightly, then nodded. "Okay, but this is weird for me an' you gotta know that. I haven't told anyone about this...and I mean *anyone*."
Logan nodded slowly with understanding. "I know. I do, it's okay."
*****
Note: Whooooooo....Please Review! x_0;
Time Warp: Chapter 7-Not Quite Right
*****
The door swung open, revealing a good-sized loft with a tattered old couch and small tv on a little stand for a living room area, a connecting kitchen with a small stove, mini-fridge and microwave and set of cupboards, then an open door leading to a small bedroom and a conjoining bathroom.
"It ain't much, but it's good enough for now." Hallie said, walking to the center of the room and tossing her backpack on the old couch.
Logan stepped in, his hands shoved in the pockets of his leather jacket. He stared at Hallie quizically. "What do ya mean, 'for now'?" he questioned. "Not plannin' on stickin' around?"
Hallie turned to him, a dark red streak of her long bangs falling in front of her face. She seemed so terribly sad all of a sudden, like she was remembering something terrible and was about to cry. "Oh, uh...no, not really." she gazed off to the side, unable to look Logan in the eye. "I drift around ya know? I was never one ta stick around a place too long."
Logan's forehead wrinkled as his eyebrows knitted together and he frowned, the sad look on Hallie's face throwing him off. He wasn't one to butt into anyone else's business, but for some reason he just felt he had to ask. "How come?"
Hallie bit her lower lip and she reached behind her ears, pushing her long bangs forward so that you couldn't really see her face. "Well, uh," her head suddenly shot up and her smile was so fake it was sad to see it, because every time Logan had seen her smile it had been completely genuine, even if some of them were a little sad. "I'm gonna go change outta these clothes, they're all ripped an' dirty, an' junk. You can sit back and relax or somethin', I'll be back in a sec." Without saying another word she turned swiftly and retreated into the bedroom.
Logan sighed as Hallie shut the door. He wondered what could make her so upset all of a sudden, what could cause such an innocent face to look so...haunted. He walked toward the couch slowly, his boots making loud 'clomping' noises on the hard wood floor. He flopped down on the couch and ran a hand through his hair, pulling his hand away when he felt the sticky, hardened gel that Rogue had used before school to spike his hair up. Logan groaned, leaning back against the couch. His thoughts returned to Hallie, making himself wonder why she'd drift around so much, and at such a young age.
*****
Logan glanced up when he heard the clicking of Hallie's door opening. She walked out, wearing baggy black jeans with rips in the knees and a plain black tank top. She smiled at him as she sauntered toward the old couch, then flopped down beside him.
Logan just stared at Hallie, her eyes glinting once again as she had seemingly put the painful memories of the past, whatever they may be, behind her. He cocked his head to the side, inspecting her new attire. 'She definetly has a thing fer wearin' black.' he thought with a wry smile.
"So..." Hallie slapped a hand down on Logan's knee playfully, as if to wake him from his daze. She laughed when he jumped slightly.
"So." Logan grunted, then covered his mouth to force back a yawn.
Hallie squinted one eye, then yawned loudly. "Whoa, I'm tired." she mumbled. "This is sad...kids aren't s'posed to get tired this early..." she shrugged with a laugh. "School reeeaaallly takes it out of us I guess. Well, today especially. I mean, man! Takin' on jocks, getting lectured by the school's head-honcho, sneakin' outta detention?!" Hallie nodded to herself, bouncing up and down on the couch. "Whoa. Lotta stuff right there."
Logan shook his head, unable to hide the laugh that burst from his lips. "Yer a trip kid."
"Yeh, but it's okay as long as you're not the one fallin'!" Hallie shrugged with her impish smile, ignoring the fact that he'd called her 'kid' again. She stood up suddenly, then grabbed the remote on top of the little tv and hopped back on the couch, hitting the 'power' button.
Logan stared at the tv screen as it flicked on, some movie playing on the channel.
"Eh, I don't really care what's on tv, I'm just gonna doze off anyways." she tossed the remote on the other side of the couch, then scooted closer to Logan and lifted his arm out of the way so she could use his chest as a pillow.
Logan wasn't paying much attention to Hallie, until he realized he had his arm around her and she was falling asleep against him. He suddenly felt awkward and tensed up, beginning to lift his arm. "Uh Hal, I don't think-"
She cut him off, pulling his arm back down over her shoulder. "Logan, we're friends now right?" she asked him sleepily with a slight mumble.
"Uh..yeh." he replied unsurely, confused at what she was getting at.
Hallie nodded against his chest. "Right, just friends. So this is okay." she smiled, wrapping an arm around Logan's as she dozed off to sleep.
He sighed, a bit of a smile on his face. He still felt weird because he was really much older than Hallie thought he was, but if she had it clear that they were 'just friends' he figured it was okay. Hell, he was friends with Rogue, being much younger than him, and they hung out without it being weird or awkward. Logan nodded to himself. As long as they both stayed 'just friends' everything would be fine, which he had no doubt it wouldn't be. Hallie wasn't shy, but she seemed to be keeping her distance, treating Logan the way she'd treat any other friend, in her own harmlessly flirtatious way.
Logan felt himself start to tire as his head nodded up and down every time he started to doze off, trying to keep himself awake. When he stopped fighting it, Logan closed his eyes, his head rolling to the side as he fell asleep.
*****
Hallie jerked in her sleep, then her eyes opened widely and she gasped, pulling herself out from under Logan's arm and scrambling off the couch. She grabbed the sides of her head and squeezed her eyes shut as she sat herself down on the floor, indian style, and leaned her back against the bottom of the couch. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried silently, and when she looked up she noticed that she had woke Logan and he was now staring at her.
"Hallie?" he questioned, his eyes focused on her intently as he straightened himself on the couch and leaned forward on his knees. "What is it? What's wrong?"
She breathed in and out several times, slowly, then swallowed, wiping the tears from her cheek with her bare arm as she met Logan's calming brown eyes. "It's nothing." she shook her head repeatedly, but still didn't get up off the floor, and instead brought her knees close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
Logan gently lowered himself from the couch, settling down on the floor right beside Hallie. He wrapped both arms around her, and when she didn't protest he pulled her close to his chest, leaning his chin down on the top of her head. He couldn't stand seeing her like this, so different all of a sudden. It seemed like Hallie just closed in on herself, burying her 'happy-go-lucky, but, kick-you-in-the-ass-if-you-mess-with-me' attitude deep inside her soul. For obvious reasons, Logan felt this little episode had a lot to do with whatever was causing her to keep moving from place to place, and it made him want to do everything in his power to find out what happened to her.
Hallie found comfort in Logan's arms as he held her and she relaxed against him. "I'm sorry." she whispered lowly.
Logan shook his head. "Don't be darlin'." he paused for a moment, feeling it wasn't his place to ask, but he had to anyways. "Jus' tell me what happened to ya. Please, let me in Hal."
She smiled inwardly at the way he shortened her name, realizing that she liked hearing it from him since the first time he had called her that. Hallie pulled away slowly, quickly looking into Logan's eyes, then looking away. It made her scared when she looked in his eyes, scared because she could tell he cared. If he didn't care, he wouldn't have said anything, he would've just walked away. She was scared because he wanted her to let him in, but she didn't know if she could do that. Closing her eyes as she made her decision, she then looked at him unsurely. "Logan...I don't think I can-"
"Please Hal," Logan pressed gently. "You said we were friends. You gotta let me in or it'll eat ya up inside, I know that. I know 'cuz I let it happen ta me, an' I can already see it startin' ta happen in you." He reached toward her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly.
Hallie shuddered a little, then smiled, leaning her face into Logan's hand. She closed her eyes tightly, then nodded. "Okay, but this is weird for me an' you gotta know that. I haven't told anyone about this...and I mean *anyone*."
Logan nodded slowly with understanding. "I know. I do, it's okay."
*****
Note: Whooooooo....Please Review! x_0;