Ororo and Jean saw Marie tear up the stairs after she and Logan returned for their dinner.  Quickly, fearing what Logan might have confessed, they followed her to her roo.

"Marie?" Jean called knocking.

"Marie, honey?" Ororo asked both women joining her on the bed, "What wrong?"

"Nothing," Marie shook her head, 'Nothing's wrong."

"You don't cry for nothing," Jean argued, "What happened? Did Logan…"

Marie wiped at a traitorous tear, "Logan was great.  This evening was great.  Perfect, it shouldn't have been so perfect."

Ororo shot Jean an "I told you so…" look, "Marie, you're confused right now," Ororo explained, "Logan was very important to you.  No wonder you'd be confused, especially with all the confusion from the wedding.

"Marie," Jean began, "you and Logan shared a very special bond.  You saved each other, you feel safe with him, secure, and I'm sure that crush you always had on him will surface.  You need someone to focus you now.  What did you two do tonight the brought this on?"

"We talked a lot about old times.  We ate, we even danced," Marie told her friends.

"Danced?" Logan danced again?" Ororo asked not really believing it.

"Yes, a Madonna song. Crazy for You and I just felt, I mean when he was holding me, I felt so…what if Cliff and I are a big mistake?" she finally sobbed.

Jean understood for she'd seen Rogue's thoughts.  She knew the girl's feelings for the bad Wolverine went beyond hero worship, but she also knew Marie believed Logan would never see her that way.  Ororo was shocked and angered.  She believed Cliff was a good guy for Rogue, decent, centered, with a future in front of him.

"Rogue," she said, "You can't let one night with Logan confused you.  You must realized Cliff will always be there for you.  He was there for you.  Logan's just…he's a friend, a big brother, he cannot give you the future Cliff can, the future you deserve."

"Rogue," said Jean, "This is your life, your future.  I know you're confused right now, and I know a bit about infatuations.  But only you truly know what's inside  you, what lies deep in your heart.  That's what really counts.  I hear Scott's name in the rhythm of my heartbeat.  Listen, see whose name you hear in yours," Jean advised, "If you don't you'll never be happy Darling, girl. And that's all we truly want for you."

"I know it's Logan in my heart, Jean," Rogue said, "But I know my heart can't take him.  Does that make sense?"

Both women nodded, "You have to live with your choice, Rogue," Ororo reminded her, "We'll support you and Logan will too.  Remember that."

With those words, they left Rogue to her own thoughts.

Logan went to the kitchen for a beer.  He needed the alcohol to drown the pain.  What had he done?  Why was she so upset?  He did exactly what Kurt said.  He was very polite, courteous, he danced with her, he held her coat, her chair, he served every need, or so he thought.

"So," Kurt appeared startling him, "It did not go well?"

"What clued you in genius…the early hour, the beer…"

"Nah, it was Rogue flying in here, in sobs, that tipped us off," Scott replied, "What did you do?"

"Look, I'm not in the mood, One eye," Logan snapped.  Then, "I'm sorry.  You guys really tried to help.  I just screwed it up."

"Tell us everything," Kurt instructed, "Did you hold her chair?  Her jacket?"

Logan nodded, "I even danced with her.  She wanted to dance and we danced.  Then she was crying for no real reason and…"

Scott nodded, "She's confused, Logan," he explained, "She always did have a bit of a crush on you, she's probably realizing that when she marries Cliff those school girls crushes are over."

"I thought…look, why do I listen to you, why do I listen to either of you Marie and I, we were fine before this girl marries the good guy bullshit.  She was…Look, I know when I lost and I lost."

"No," Kurt protested, "You did not lose.  Quitters lose.  You still have ten days."

"Ten days.  Ten days to break up a wedding by stealing the bride and she hates me, not a great time frame there, Boy Blue," Logan snapped. "It's hopeless and this is stupid!  This jacket and tie, this flat hair, the shave, it's stupid!  It's never going to get Marie's attention.  Nothing will. She's not interested anymore."

Logan left Scott and Kurt standing there, "Perhaps, he need another approach," Kurt suggested.

"Yeah, "Scott rolled his eyes, "He needs a personality make-over.  Only on thing worries me…"Scott trailed off.

"Yeah?" Kurt asked.

"I don't trust Cliff either," Scott told him, before going to his room to talk to Jean.

Normally Logan would go to Marie's room to say goodnight, but the way things ended between them, he chose to just go to bed.

Marie heard Logan's familiar footsteps and held her breath.  She knew he'd never stop by her room after the way she'd acted that night.  She also knew she had to apologize to Logan and set the record straight Marie waited for Logan's door to close before leaving her room.  Gently she knocked on his bedroom door, "Logan, it's me."

Logan heard Marie calling from the balcony of her room.  He went inside to let her in.

"Hey," he greeted before heading back to the balcony.

"Hi," she answered following him, "I just came to say I'm sorry for shouting at you.  You tried to make things nice for me, you only cared about me and I was I behaved dreadfully."

"It's all right, Marie," Logan said, "I was out of line anyway trying to do this.  You're taken…you're marrying Cliff.  I shouldn't even have…"

She cut him off, "What were you doing tonight, Logan.  What was with the tie, the hair, the dinner, what was that about?"

Logan shook his head, "You know what Marie.  It doesn't matter.  Scott had a stupid…look you had a great time right?  Until I made you cry at least."

"Yes, I had a wonderful time, and you didn't make me cry," Marie assured him, "Not really."

Logan looked at her confused Marie sensed he needed some clarification, "Logan, I've had a crush on you since the day I saw you in that bar in Laughlin City.  And when you turned out to be the hero I imagined you to be, that crush got even bigger and when you left after Liberty Island…"

"Marie," Logan tried to interrupt, but she wouldn't let him.

"No, Logan.  Hear me out," she told him.  "When you left after Liberty Island I thought that school girl crush would go away but it didn't I missed you so much, I didn't want to be a part of anything around here, until I made friend with Jubes and Kitty and some of the others.  Then I met Cliff and for the first time I realized there was life beyond you.  I could be happy here without you.  I could trust someone, rely on someone besides you," Marie paused for a breath and Logan took his opportunity to ask what he'd needed to know.

"The Professor and Scott talk about something that happened to you while I was away.  A way Cliff proved himself out to them," Logan told her, "What happened Marie?"

"My parents were killed in a…a tornado hit my home town, lightening struck our house burned it to the ground," Marie answered, "Jean and the Professor wanted to find you.  They thought with our connection you could help me through it. I didn't need them to do that though.  Cliff helped me through," Marie explained, "He really loves me Logan.  I truly believe that.  I need it, I need someone who truly loves me."

"And what about you, Marie?" Logan asked his voice husky with emotion, "Do you truly love Cliff?  Or does your heart…"

Marie's eyes shimmered with tears so she once again cut Logan off, "That's why I was so upset tonight.  I was confused; part of me never really got over you, and tonight was a night I'd been dreaming about for years.  It confused me, but I see now, I really see that while what you and I have is special, I can go on with my life.  I can be happy without you, Logan.  And while I'm glad we have a very special friendship, that's all I can let it ever be."

Marie fell silent.  It was done.  She'd made her choice and Logan didn't even put up a fight.  It was the right choice, they both knew that.

"I'll be here, Marie," Logan told her as she turned to go, "I'll always be here."

She nodded shakily, "I know.  Goodnight, Logan."

Logan sighed and let her leave the room before softly whispering to the night air, "Goodnight, Marie."