Thanks To: My wonderful, wonderful, wonderifous reviewers!!! *grins*
Note: The lyrics in this chapter are from 'Don't Leave Me' by The All-American Rejects.
Time Warp: Chapter 9-Better Than Alone
*****
As Logan slowly entered the mansion's foyer, he was immediately caught by Ororo, who began bombarding him with questions.
"Logan, you're back rather late. Where've you been?" she raised an eyebrow at him wryly.
"Hmph. None o'yer bleedin' business." he mumbled with a wink so she knew he was messing around. Logan pulled off his leather jacket and slung it over his arm, revealing the tattered white t-shirt he wore.
Ororo's eyes widened in amusement at his appearance. "What happened to you?"
"Huh?" He glanced down at his shirt, noticing the dirt and grass stains, and a few tears in the fabric. "Oh, uh, gym class." he answered smoothly.
"Oh." Ororo just nodded, having nothing more to say on the matter.
Before she had a chance to come up with another question, Logan started to brush past the tall, elegant, weather Goddess. "Now if ya don't mind, I'm goin' upstairs."
Ororo turned on her heel and reached for his shoulder. "Wait, everyone's gathering in the dining room for supper. Aren't you going to eat?"
Logan sighed, clenching his eyes shut, then glancing backwards at Ororo. He was pretty hungry, having had nothing besides coffee, half of Kitty's sandwich, and a beer all day. "Yeh, alright. I'm jus' gonna go change my shirt." he mumbled, quickening his pace up the stairs.
*****
Throughout dinner, things had been fairly quiet, considering. No one spoke much to Logan about school, or how he was fairing as a teenager so far. It was pretty much just the usual chit-chat going around the table.
After dinner however, was a different story. As soon as Logan had headed up to his room, there was a low knock at his door.
"Yeh?" Logan grumbled. He had just tossed his shirt on the floor, and was about to pull off his jeans and jump into bed with just his boxers when the knock came.
"It's Rogue."
Logan didn't even bother putting his shirt back on. "C'mon in." he said gruffly.
Rogue slowly opened the door and stepped inside almost sheepishly. "Hey." she tried to look off to the side, but couldn't help the blush she could feel rising in her cheeks.
Logan sat down on his bed, looking up at Rogue. "What is it?"
Rogue shuffled her feet for a moment before finding her voice. "Oh, um, I saw you an' that girl Hallie hangin' out today." she smiled at him.
Logan turned to her smugly and raised an eyebrow. "Yeh, so?"
Rogue shrugged, sitting down on the end of Logan's bed. "I dunno, it's jus'..." she was at a loss for words for a few seconds. She shrugged again. "I seen Hallie 'round school since she came ta Bayville, an' she hasn't talked ta anyone really. Jus' kept to herself, 'till yesterday."
Logan half-smiled. That's pretty much how he'd always been. Loner, keeping to himself, staying distant from everyone. He knew what Hallie's reasons for keeping her distance were, it even surprised him that she'd confided in him. What surprised him more was that he'd actually grown close to her. Logan cocked his head, sideways glancing at Rogue. "So what, she's got a friend now. We're on the same level in ways."
Rogue nodded, tilting her head to the side. "Well, okay, I was jus' curious s'all. It's nice o' you ta be friendly with 'er." she looked back at Logan, admiring his bare chest without it being noticeable, then she smiled and got off the bed. When Rogue reached the door, she leaned back in the room. "Hey, Logan?"
"Hm?" he grumbled from the side of his bed, eyes fixed on the floor.
Rogue frowned for a moment, remembering that Logan wasn't used to all this, being a teenager and all, because it wasn't the way he was, it wasn't his true form. "Ya think you'll be back ta normal soon?" she asked somewhat sadly.
"I dunno..." Logan's voice trailed off, but by the time he looked back up, Rogue was already gone. His thoughts went back to Hallie, and he suddenly remembered that she was all alone, she had no one, and all the memories stirred up from her telling him about her dark past, was probably leaving Hallie a little freaked. He would've given her a call, but he didn't have her number, he didn't even think she had a phone.
Logan made a decision, then got off his bed and threw on the shirt he'd tossed on the floor. He dug around in his drawers and threw some things in a duffel bag, then quietly slipped out of his room and went down the hall.
*****
Hallie was sprawled across her bed on her back, her head dangling over the side so she was looking upside down. She stared at the clock on the wall, that read; 80:6, which was really 9:08 if she were to be sitting upright. She let out a long sigh, closing her eyes as she listened to the song that was just ending on the radio.
*****
Don't say good-bye, just dry your eyes
A tear for everything that I did wrong
Don't say good-bye, just dry your eyes
Listen now just try and see me please don't leave me now.
*****
There was a rough knock on the door, just as Hallie was getting caught in the last few lines of the song. It helped clear her head, listening to music while she was upset, even scared. She frowned, then hollered, "WHAT?!"
"Hallie, it's Syndee! That fella you came with this afternoon is here to see you! Should I let 'im up?!"
Hallie smiled suddenly, then flipped herself over the bed, her bare feet landing with a loud 'thunk' on the hard wood floor. "Yeh, it's okay Synd!!" she walked out of her room and opened the door, hearing Logan's loud clunky boots echoeing on the stairs.
"Hey, Hal." Logan greeted as he came into the hallway.
Her eyebrows furrowed, though she couldn't say she wasn't happy to see him. She gestured toward the duffle bag slung on his shoulder. "What's that for?"
Logan adjusted the bag, then finally just dropped his arm by his side. "Well, I was wonderin' if you'd mind if I crashed here t'night?"
Hallie leaned against the door frame and laughed. "Here? You wanna crash here when ya got that ritzy mansion?" she shook her head with laughter.
Logan shrugged. "Yeh, why not? I need a break from the place. Thought ya could use the comp'ny."
Hallie tilted her head to the side, her hair falling into her face. "Yeh, guess I could..." her expression sobered as she remembered what she'd told him earlier. The memories that sprung from that had her on edge since. She looked up and smiled, then backed into the room, allowing Logan to step in. "You get the couch though." she smirked.
Logan chuckled softly. "Alright kid." he scrunched his face for a second, hoping she didn't catch the 'kid' part. It didn't seem like she had. He closed the door behind him, locking it, then walked toward the couch and threw his duffle down beside it.
Hallie stretched, then yawned. "Man, despite that little nap earlier, I'm still beat." she leaned over the back of the couch, then rolled over to the other side, flopping down on the cushions beside Logan. She shifted her shoulders, and pulled her knees close, feeling comfortable in the sweatpants and t-shirt she wore for pajamas.
Logan grunted, then let out a yawn of his own. "I can't believe yer still tired." he mumbled with a smirk.
Hallie yawned again, leaning back against the couch. "Yeh, well, I gotta get up like two hours early just ta make the long walk to school."
Logan raised an eyebrow. "You walk all that way? That's pretty far from here Hal."
"Ya think I don't know that?" she quipped with a smile, then stared at Logan. "Hey, why don't you dress down an' get comfortable or somethin'?"
Logan shrugged, then stood up and grabbed his duffle bag off the floor. "Alright, gimme a sec." he started into Hallie's room, then glanced back, stopping at the door. "Mind if I change in here?" she nodded to him and he stepped in.
*****
A few minutes later, Logan hopped back on the couch wearing a pair of plain black sweats and a white sleaveless t-shirt. "Happy now?" he mumbled with a smirk.
"Yeh, okay." Hallie grinned, then stood up and ran into her room. "Oh, yeah! Hang on a sec!" she ran back out, carrying a grey and blue quilt. She jumped on the couch beside Logan, turning on the tv and draping the blanket over the two of them. "Much better." she smiled. "It gets real cold here at night."
Logan half smiled, then adjusted the pillow on the old couch and leaned against it.
Hallie moved closer to Logan when he didn't object, and rested her head against his shoulder, flipping the channels on the television. "Well, I gotta say...this is better than being scared and alone." she whispered quietly to herself.
Logan's sharp ears picked up on what Hallie said and he frowned, then moved his arm and wrapped it around her. He didn't want her to feel scared and alone ever. Not while he was around. And if he really wanted her to keep trusting him, Logan knew he'd need to tell her the truth, and soon. After that, he'd still stick around and be her friend, if she'd let him.
*****
Note: The lyrics in this chapter are from 'Don't Leave Me' by The All-American Rejects.
Time Warp: Chapter 9-Better Than Alone
*****
As Logan slowly entered the mansion's foyer, he was immediately caught by Ororo, who began bombarding him with questions.
"Logan, you're back rather late. Where've you been?" she raised an eyebrow at him wryly.
"Hmph. None o'yer bleedin' business." he mumbled with a wink so she knew he was messing around. Logan pulled off his leather jacket and slung it over his arm, revealing the tattered white t-shirt he wore.
Ororo's eyes widened in amusement at his appearance. "What happened to you?"
"Huh?" He glanced down at his shirt, noticing the dirt and grass stains, and a few tears in the fabric. "Oh, uh, gym class." he answered smoothly.
"Oh." Ororo just nodded, having nothing more to say on the matter.
Before she had a chance to come up with another question, Logan started to brush past the tall, elegant, weather Goddess. "Now if ya don't mind, I'm goin' upstairs."
Ororo turned on her heel and reached for his shoulder. "Wait, everyone's gathering in the dining room for supper. Aren't you going to eat?"
Logan sighed, clenching his eyes shut, then glancing backwards at Ororo. He was pretty hungry, having had nothing besides coffee, half of Kitty's sandwich, and a beer all day. "Yeh, alright. I'm jus' gonna go change my shirt." he mumbled, quickening his pace up the stairs.
*****
Throughout dinner, things had been fairly quiet, considering. No one spoke much to Logan about school, or how he was fairing as a teenager so far. It was pretty much just the usual chit-chat going around the table.
After dinner however, was a different story. As soon as Logan had headed up to his room, there was a low knock at his door.
"Yeh?" Logan grumbled. He had just tossed his shirt on the floor, and was about to pull off his jeans and jump into bed with just his boxers when the knock came.
"It's Rogue."
Logan didn't even bother putting his shirt back on. "C'mon in." he said gruffly.
Rogue slowly opened the door and stepped inside almost sheepishly. "Hey." she tried to look off to the side, but couldn't help the blush she could feel rising in her cheeks.
Logan sat down on his bed, looking up at Rogue. "What is it?"
Rogue shuffled her feet for a moment before finding her voice. "Oh, um, I saw you an' that girl Hallie hangin' out today." she smiled at him.
Logan turned to her smugly and raised an eyebrow. "Yeh, so?"
Rogue shrugged, sitting down on the end of Logan's bed. "I dunno, it's jus'..." she was at a loss for words for a few seconds. She shrugged again. "I seen Hallie 'round school since she came ta Bayville, an' she hasn't talked ta anyone really. Jus' kept to herself, 'till yesterday."
Logan half-smiled. That's pretty much how he'd always been. Loner, keeping to himself, staying distant from everyone. He knew what Hallie's reasons for keeping her distance were, it even surprised him that she'd confided in him. What surprised him more was that he'd actually grown close to her. Logan cocked his head, sideways glancing at Rogue. "So what, she's got a friend now. We're on the same level in ways."
Rogue nodded, tilting her head to the side. "Well, okay, I was jus' curious s'all. It's nice o' you ta be friendly with 'er." she looked back at Logan, admiring his bare chest without it being noticeable, then she smiled and got off the bed. When Rogue reached the door, she leaned back in the room. "Hey, Logan?"
"Hm?" he grumbled from the side of his bed, eyes fixed on the floor.
Rogue frowned for a moment, remembering that Logan wasn't used to all this, being a teenager and all, because it wasn't the way he was, it wasn't his true form. "Ya think you'll be back ta normal soon?" she asked somewhat sadly.
"I dunno..." Logan's voice trailed off, but by the time he looked back up, Rogue was already gone. His thoughts went back to Hallie, and he suddenly remembered that she was all alone, she had no one, and all the memories stirred up from her telling him about her dark past, was probably leaving Hallie a little freaked. He would've given her a call, but he didn't have her number, he didn't even think she had a phone.
Logan made a decision, then got off his bed and threw on the shirt he'd tossed on the floor. He dug around in his drawers and threw some things in a duffel bag, then quietly slipped out of his room and went down the hall.
*****
Hallie was sprawled across her bed on her back, her head dangling over the side so she was looking upside down. She stared at the clock on the wall, that read; 80:6, which was really 9:08 if she were to be sitting upright. She let out a long sigh, closing her eyes as she listened to the song that was just ending on the radio.
*****
Don't say good-bye, just dry your eyes
A tear for everything that I did wrong
Don't say good-bye, just dry your eyes
Listen now just try and see me please don't leave me now.
*****
There was a rough knock on the door, just as Hallie was getting caught in the last few lines of the song. It helped clear her head, listening to music while she was upset, even scared. She frowned, then hollered, "WHAT?!"
"Hallie, it's Syndee! That fella you came with this afternoon is here to see you! Should I let 'im up?!"
Hallie smiled suddenly, then flipped herself over the bed, her bare feet landing with a loud 'thunk' on the hard wood floor. "Yeh, it's okay Synd!!" she walked out of her room and opened the door, hearing Logan's loud clunky boots echoeing on the stairs.
"Hey, Hal." Logan greeted as he came into the hallway.
Her eyebrows furrowed, though she couldn't say she wasn't happy to see him. She gestured toward the duffle bag slung on his shoulder. "What's that for?"
Logan adjusted the bag, then finally just dropped his arm by his side. "Well, I was wonderin' if you'd mind if I crashed here t'night?"
Hallie leaned against the door frame and laughed. "Here? You wanna crash here when ya got that ritzy mansion?" she shook her head with laughter.
Logan shrugged. "Yeh, why not? I need a break from the place. Thought ya could use the comp'ny."
Hallie tilted her head to the side, her hair falling into her face. "Yeh, guess I could..." her expression sobered as she remembered what she'd told him earlier. The memories that sprung from that had her on edge since. She looked up and smiled, then backed into the room, allowing Logan to step in. "You get the couch though." she smirked.
Logan chuckled softly. "Alright kid." he scrunched his face for a second, hoping she didn't catch the 'kid' part. It didn't seem like she had. He closed the door behind him, locking it, then walked toward the couch and threw his duffle down beside it.
Hallie stretched, then yawned. "Man, despite that little nap earlier, I'm still beat." she leaned over the back of the couch, then rolled over to the other side, flopping down on the cushions beside Logan. She shifted her shoulders, and pulled her knees close, feeling comfortable in the sweatpants and t-shirt she wore for pajamas.
Logan grunted, then let out a yawn of his own. "I can't believe yer still tired." he mumbled with a smirk.
Hallie yawned again, leaning back against the couch. "Yeh, well, I gotta get up like two hours early just ta make the long walk to school."
Logan raised an eyebrow. "You walk all that way? That's pretty far from here Hal."
"Ya think I don't know that?" she quipped with a smile, then stared at Logan. "Hey, why don't you dress down an' get comfortable or somethin'?"
Logan shrugged, then stood up and grabbed his duffle bag off the floor. "Alright, gimme a sec." he started into Hallie's room, then glanced back, stopping at the door. "Mind if I change in here?" she nodded to him and he stepped in.
*****
A few minutes later, Logan hopped back on the couch wearing a pair of plain black sweats and a white sleaveless t-shirt. "Happy now?" he mumbled with a smirk.
"Yeh, okay." Hallie grinned, then stood up and ran into her room. "Oh, yeah! Hang on a sec!" she ran back out, carrying a grey and blue quilt. She jumped on the couch beside Logan, turning on the tv and draping the blanket over the two of them. "Much better." she smiled. "It gets real cold here at night."
Logan half smiled, then adjusted the pillow on the old couch and leaned against it.
Hallie moved closer to Logan when he didn't object, and rested her head against his shoulder, flipping the channels on the television. "Well, I gotta say...this is better than being scared and alone." she whispered quietly to herself.
Logan's sharp ears picked up on what Hallie said and he frowned, then moved his arm and wrapped it around her. He didn't want her to feel scared and alone ever. Not while he was around. And if he really wanted her to keep trusting him, Logan knew he'd need to tell her the truth, and soon. After that, he'd still stick around and be her friend, if she'd let him.
*****