Disclaimers: All these characters belong to Marvel, not me. I just wanted
to bring them out to play!
A/N: Okay, I'm a huge fan of X-men (watched the original cartoons back in
the day), but I'm mainly basing my ideas on the movies. I haven't been able
to follow Evo too much. It scares my kids. ;) Anyway, it's fairly obvious
that this is an AU set after X-2. I'd really appreciate reviews to see if
this is intriguing enough to continue! Oh yeah, again, stating the obvious,
this is definitely going to be a Logan/Marie fic, but with quite a bit of
angst thrown in. And forgive me if some of my themes are already well done
in fanfics. *blush* I can't help it. I've had this story swirling around my
head for ages and it's just screaming to be written, regardless. Hope it's
enjoyable!
The roar of the engine seemed misplaced in the misty, early morning sunlight streaming through trees. The country lane curved through lush hills, emerald with the fullness of summer. The man on the back of the massive motorcycle smiled unconsciously, his normally grim, scowling features relaxed in anticipation of coming home again. Granted, he would never voluntarily admit those feelings to another living soul, but in the silence of his own thoughts, he was free to admit it. It had been four years since Professor Xavier had located Jean Grey, alive and well, but very much taken over by an entity called the Phoenix. Four years since the ravaging battles to reclaim the woman so loved by so many. Four years since he'd set foot in Westchester for more than a few days at a time. Four years of wandering, looking for his past, fighting his demons and coming to terms with his heart.
A lot had changed in four years, Logan thought to himself, knowing the mansion would appear from behind the hills in a few moments. Four years ago, despite knowing Jean had chosen Scott, he had wondered at the possibilities when it was revealed that Jean was indeed alive. But after all that had been done to save Jean, he'd realized that the relationship between Scott and Jean wasn't something to be tampered with. A love and devotion like that was so rare as to be more myth than reality and he'd personally kill any sonofabitch who tried to mess with it. Of course, a long talk with Charles Xavier helped his perspective as well. After that, he finally realized that Jean was the classic unattainable female that every guy wants. It still kind of pissed him off that he'd fallen into the classic trap, but hey, he was a man and didn't always think with his brain, right? The problem with Jean was that she was not only the classic hot, popular girl, but damnit, she was kind, too. Most times, a guy didn't find that kind of girl without a mean streak a mile wide. That was what really drew him in like a fly to honey. But in the end, it never would have worked. For all her virtues, Jean was a fixer and he couldn't have lived with that for very long. She would have-in her gentle, loving way-tried to turn him into a kinder, gentler version of the Wolverine and that would have eventually brought out the worst in him. Logan smiled to himself and he told himself he was an ornery sonofabitch. Truth be told, he was proud of that fact.
The last curve before the mansion appeared around the bend was suddenly upon him and he let go of the throttle, allowing the bike to stop. His feet slowly lowered down to the cobblestone drive, balancing the powerful machine between his legs. So, this was it. He sighed and let his mind turn down the road it had been struggling towards for more years than he cared to remember. Marie. Rogue. He reached up and absently rubbed the back of his head. That was really the kernel of that long ago talk with Charles. The professor had pointed out that in truth, his pursuit of Jean had been more about running away from Marie that truly wanting Jean. He'd resisted the idea pretty violently to begin with, but the longer he mulled it over, the more he realized the truth. Christ, after all, Marie had been a baby when they'd met in that hole in the wall bar. He had a lot of sins to his name, but being a child molester wasn't one of them. He'd had to give her time to grow up and know herself, both for her own sake and his. But now.
Logan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck where his dog tags used to lay. "Shit," he muttered, part of him wanting to turn and run away again as fast as he could. But the larger part of him was compelled to stay and see the lay of the land. Maybe she'd hooked up with someone. Or maybe she'd tell him to get the hell away from her. He growled and fired up the bike again. He knew he was playing games with himself. If Marie had settled in with some guy, Charles would have told him. The professor simply wouldn't let him walk into that kind of situation blind.
With the kind of steely determination he was known for, Logan slowly headed up the drive. He didn't have a plan and didn't know how things were going to play out-which scared the shit out of him-but he had to run the gauntlet anyway. He pulled up in front of the mansion and cut the engine, taking a slow, deep breath of the summer morning air. It was then that the scent hit him and he froze. Something was wrong. Seriously wrong. The scent hung in the air like the stench left after a fire. Heavy and thick and almost palpable. He left the bike where it was and strode up to the front door, banging in without a sideways glance at the youngsters huddled together in the front room. His heart rate increased and somewhere in the back of him mind, warning bells started to scream at him that whatever was happening was as bad as it could get.
It was as he was punching in the code to the lower level that a familiar voice slipped into his mind with a sense of relief that terrified him. **Logan. ** the tired, weary, anxious voice of Charles Xavier intoned, **Your timing is quite amazing. We have a situation and I'm afraid you're going to be needed even more than we can imagine.**
With a deadly soft hiss, adamantium claws shot out and ripped through the wall before the secret doorway could slide aside.
The roar of the engine seemed misplaced in the misty, early morning sunlight streaming through trees. The country lane curved through lush hills, emerald with the fullness of summer. The man on the back of the massive motorcycle smiled unconsciously, his normally grim, scowling features relaxed in anticipation of coming home again. Granted, he would never voluntarily admit those feelings to another living soul, but in the silence of his own thoughts, he was free to admit it. It had been four years since Professor Xavier had located Jean Grey, alive and well, but very much taken over by an entity called the Phoenix. Four years since the ravaging battles to reclaim the woman so loved by so many. Four years since he'd set foot in Westchester for more than a few days at a time. Four years of wandering, looking for his past, fighting his demons and coming to terms with his heart.
A lot had changed in four years, Logan thought to himself, knowing the mansion would appear from behind the hills in a few moments. Four years ago, despite knowing Jean had chosen Scott, he had wondered at the possibilities when it was revealed that Jean was indeed alive. But after all that had been done to save Jean, he'd realized that the relationship between Scott and Jean wasn't something to be tampered with. A love and devotion like that was so rare as to be more myth than reality and he'd personally kill any sonofabitch who tried to mess with it. Of course, a long talk with Charles Xavier helped his perspective as well. After that, he finally realized that Jean was the classic unattainable female that every guy wants. It still kind of pissed him off that he'd fallen into the classic trap, but hey, he was a man and didn't always think with his brain, right? The problem with Jean was that she was not only the classic hot, popular girl, but damnit, she was kind, too. Most times, a guy didn't find that kind of girl without a mean streak a mile wide. That was what really drew him in like a fly to honey. But in the end, it never would have worked. For all her virtues, Jean was a fixer and he couldn't have lived with that for very long. She would have-in her gentle, loving way-tried to turn him into a kinder, gentler version of the Wolverine and that would have eventually brought out the worst in him. Logan smiled to himself and he told himself he was an ornery sonofabitch. Truth be told, he was proud of that fact.
The last curve before the mansion appeared around the bend was suddenly upon him and he let go of the throttle, allowing the bike to stop. His feet slowly lowered down to the cobblestone drive, balancing the powerful machine between his legs. So, this was it. He sighed and let his mind turn down the road it had been struggling towards for more years than he cared to remember. Marie. Rogue. He reached up and absently rubbed the back of his head. That was really the kernel of that long ago talk with Charles. The professor had pointed out that in truth, his pursuit of Jean had been more about running away from Marie that truly wanting Jean. He'd resisted the idea pretty violently to begin with, but the longer he mulled it over, the more he realized the truth. Christ, after all, Marie had been a baby when they'd met in that hole in the wall bar. He had a lot of sins to his name, but being a child molester wasn't one of them. He'd had to give her time to grow up and know herself, both for her own sake and his. But now.
Logan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck where his dog tags used to lay. "Shit," he muttered, part of him wanting to turn and run away again as fast as he could. But the larger part of him was compelled to stay and see the lay of the land. Maybe she'd hooked up with someone. Or maybe she'd tell him to get the hell away from her. He growled and fired up the bike again. He knew he was playing games with himself. If Marie had settled in with some guy, Charles would have told him. The professor simply wouldn't let him walk into that kind of situation blind.
With the kind of steely determination he was known for, Logan slowly headed up the drive. He didn't have a plan and didn't know how things were going to play out-which scared the shit out of him-but he had to run the gauntlet anyway. He pulled up in front of the mansion and cut the engine, taking a slow, deep breath of the summer morning air. It was then that the scent hit him and he froze. Something was wrong. Seriously wrong. The scent hung in the air like the stench left after a fire. Heavy and thick and almost palpable. He left the bike where it was and strode up to the front door, banging in without a sideways glance at the youngsters huddled together in the front room. His heart rate increased and somewhere in the back of him mind, warning bells started to scream at him that whatever was happening was as bad as it could get.
It was as he was punching in the code to the lower level that a familiar voice slipped into his mind with a sense of relief that terrified him. **Logan. ** the tired, weary, anxious voice of Charles Xavier intoned, **Your timing is quite amazing. We have a situation and I'm afraid you're going to be needed even more than we can imagine.**
With a deadly soft hiss, adamantium claws shot out and ripped through the wall before the secret doorway could slide aside.