Hide and Seek
Dani materialized in a narrow alley. It was filthy and smelled of rancid chow mein. She cautiously stepped out onto the street and looked at the familiar sign of Li's Apothecary Shop. She heaved a sigh and crossed the crowded sidewalk and narrow street. She paused at the door, unsure of her decision to come here, but the door opened from within. The kind aged face of Mr. Li smiled at her.
"Danielle? Are you all right? Come inside," he said.
Dani couldn't make herself move and there were tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Mr. Li just reached for her hand and pulled her through the door. At the counter a young man in his twenties named Yen Li, Mr. Li's grandson, looked up and gasped.
"Dani? Is that you?" Yen asked in astonishment. He ran to her and threw his arms around her. "What happened? Where have you been? We read about the fire in the papers and thought you were dead…"
Dani pulled back, "Mother is gone, and I was too late to save her…"
"Where were you? Why didn't you come sooner?" Mr. Li asked.
"I took an unexpected detour," Dani said cryptically. "I'm sorry to just show up like this."
"Nonsense, child," Mr. Li said as he led her to the back room. "Your father and I were friends long before you were born. You are as much a part of this family as Yen. You will stay here with us, and that is final."
"Thank you, Mr. Li," Dani said. She followed him up the stairs to the second floor flat where he and his grandson lived. They passed through the living room to another stair that led up to a small loft.
"Here is your room. It is private, and has a good view of the street below. Get yourself settled in and come downstairs when you are rested. We can talk then," Mr. Li said with a warm smile and then left her alone.
Dani surveyed the room. It was little more than a bedroom with its own bathroom and a small kitchenette in the corner. It wasn't grand, but it was clean and it was hers. She could make it comfortable with a few personal touches.
Logan sat in the copilot seat of the blackbird and brooded. They were passing over Wyoming and wouldn't be reaching the west coast until nightfall. Logan was still reeling from the events of the past few days. The ghost of the Sierras… what a damn mess he'd made of things. He had to find her before Magneto did. He needed to answer the question that was rattling around in his head. Who was she and why did he know her?
"Logan, you want to talk about it?" Scott asked.
"No."
"What do you plan to do?" Scott pressed.
"Find her and bring her back," Logan said flatly.
"And if she doesn't want to be found?"
Logan didn't answer. That was one possibility he didn't want to consider. She was just scared, that's all. A little time to herself and she'd be glad to see him. He realized he didn't give a damn why he knew her anymore. He just wanted her back. She was his and this time he'd take things as slow as she needed him to.
As they chased the sunset, Scott searched for an out of the way place to drop Logan off. He found a secluded side road just off the Pacific Coast Highway. He'd have to ride into the city on his own, but it wouldn't be far. He set the jet down and Logan unloaded his bike and gave Scott a quick wave before heading down the road.
Scott frowned as he raised the ramp and prepared to head home. "You're welcome, I'm sure," he muttered to himself sarcastically. "Good luck," he added as he headed east.
Two hours later, Logan pulled up to a motel located a few blocks from Chinatown. It was a fleabag, but not as filthy as some he'd seen. He got a room and then headed up the street in search of Dani. He frowned at the mass of tourists that filled the sidewalks. His olfactory nerves were bombarded by a plethora of strange smells. It was like walking in mainland China, a completely different culture. The architecture, the people, the food, the spices… he was having a hard time sorting through them. One thing he knew for sure, he'd be one lucky bastard if he could sniff out Dani in this crazy tourist trap.
Two Months Later
Dani pulled her hood further forward to shield herself from the rain as she walked. The fog had rolled in early this evening, bringing the late summer shower with it. The streets were still fairly crowded with shoppers, mostly tourists at this hour. Dani paused at the corner of Washington and Grant and waited for the light to change. An old Chinese woman smiled at her and spoke to her in Mandarin.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't speak Chinese," Dani said with a kind smile.
"It will be a daughter," the woman said in English, and then turned and walked the other way.
Dani stared at her dumbfounded. How did a perfect stranger know? She didn't even show yet. One thing she'd learned from hanging around her friend Yen and his grandfather was that there were mysteries in the universe that the Chinese had a handle on. You don't question it, and don't try to figure it out. You just accept that the wisdom of some of the old timers here is as unfathomable as how they get the fortunes inside the cookies.
The light changed, and Dani crossed the street. Somewhere on another side street she heard the sound of a motorcycle and she paused. There hadn't been a day that went by that she didn't think of Logan. Motorcycles always made her look. They excited her, and yet they made her nervous. She was both hopeful and afraid that it would be him. She didn't' think Logan would look for her, but there was this nagging thought in the back of her mind that he might. She shrugged off the thought and headed down the block to the apothecary shop. The friendly jingle of the door bell rang announcing her return. Yen was at the counter and he looked up.
"Hi, Dani," he said with a smile. "How was class?"
Dani frowned, "I hate figure drawing, and it's just weird staring at a stranger like that."
Mr. Li stepped out of the back room. "Your painting is good, and the class will help you improve, no matter how obscene it feels."
"Grandfather!" Yen said with a chuckle.
They all laughed and Yen sent Dani upstairs. "Go on and eat, I left you some Dim Sum in the fridge."
"Thanks," Dani said. "I'll be down to help you with the inventory in a little while."
Dani headed up the stairs with a smile. She liked staying with Yen and his grandfather. Old Mr. Li was very wise. He'd known the first time they met that she was a mutant. He wasn't bothered by it at all. He told her she was good people, and welcomed her into his home. She'd been there almost a month when she started getting sick. She thought she'd eaten some bad fish, but Mr. Li made her a cup of tea and told her what was wrong.
"You are with child, Dani. This tea will cure the morning sickness," he said.
How the hell could he tell that from the color of her eyes? Chalk it up to the mysterious wisdom of the Chinese. Dani bought a pregnancy test the next day and damn if it wasn't positive. Mr. Li didn't judge her, and didn't ask questions. He merely offered his help and kept the knowledge to himself. But Yen found out, and it took him a week to speak to her again. Dani knew he'd had a crush on her since they were children. He was no doubt jealous. But he came around, and they were just as close as before. From time to time he'd ask her about the man. Dani would always change the subject, and finally he stopped asking.
Dani climbed the stairs to her loft and hung up her coat. She grabbed the plate of Dim Sum out of the fridge and sat on her bed to eat. It was quiet up here; all the noise of the city seemed distant. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If she concentrated, she could almost imagine she were back in the forest, hiking near her cabin. But her thoughts always returned to the man she met there… Logan. Dani frowned and opened her eyes. She was a fool! She left, and he moved on, end of story. She thoughtlessly slid her hand over her stomach. She was carrying a daughter… hers and Logan's. She'd find a way to take care of the child. She'd give her daughter more love than any ten parents. And if she turned out to have a mutation too, she'd protect her the way her own parents had done.
Logan was frustrated and annoyed. The Chinese were tight lipped and untrusting. But today he'd caught a break. He'd talked to a street performer who said he'd seen a woman fitting Dani's description. The young man was most forthcoming with information after Logan tossed the fifty in his guitar case.
"I see her just about everyday," the kid said. "She gets off the bus across the street and goes that way."
"Did you see her go into any buildings?" Logan asked.
"No, but the next bus stop is only about a block down," the kid reasoned.
Logan grunted a quick, "Thanks," and headed down the block. There wasn't that much here, a couple of clothing shops, a couple of restaurants, a mall, an Apothecary, and… my God! What's that smell?
Logan paused and sniffed the air. Dani was close. He went into every shop on that side of the street. He lost the scent every time until he reached the door of the Apothecary. Damn, she'd been there. He opened the door and walked in. Behind a long counter was a wall covered with small wooden drawers marked with Chinese characters. A couple rows of shelves held prepackaged herbs and a few knick knacks. Logan sniffed the air a moment and smirked with satisfaction. This was definitely the place. Behind the counter was a young Chinese man, in his twenties. He stared at Logan like he'd never seen a white man before…
Yen was filling an order that had been called in when the bell on the front door jingled. He looked up to greet the customer, but the 'hello' caught in his throat. The man looked like a thug, or a biker gang member. He was not at all the sort of patron who visits and apothecary. His hair was dark and wild and he sported full sideburns. He wrinkled up his nose as he sniffed the air.
"Hello, can I help you?" Yen finally was able to say.
"Yeah, I'm looking for a woman," Logan said. "She's about five foot five, long curly brown hair and violet eyes. She's a real looker too, you'd remember her."
Yen gulped hard. There was only one person he knew with that description and he'd be damned if he told this man where she was. He tried to maintain a disinterested expression, but couldn't help glaring. This was the man Dani refused to talk about, he just knew it. "I haven't seen anyone like that sir," Yen lied.
Logan glanced around. The kid was lying, Dani had been here recently. He caught sight of an old man working at the other end of the counter and walked over to him.
"Maybe you saw her," Logan said with a cocked brow.
The old man eyed him suspiciously and then smiled. "I have seen her," Mr. Li said. "She doesn't want to see you."
"Grandfather, no," Yen protested.
"I ain't leaving till I talk to her," Logan said firmly. "Where is she?"
Dani stood in the doorway to the backroom with her arms crossed. "Go back to New York, Logan," she said. "I don't want to join your little club."
Logan spun around and stared at her. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her eyes were bright and full of annoyance, and she glowed. He walked toward her and she stared at him angrily even as she blushed.
"I didn't come here for the Xmen," Logan said. "I came on my own. I missed you."
"Four days, Logan, we knew each other for just four days," Dani said with a cocked brow. "Why would you come looking for me?"
Logan stood right in front of her and she backed up nervously. "Go back to New York, Logan," Dani repeated softly. "There's nothing in San Francisco for you."
Logan knew a lie when he smelled one. She was hiding something from him. "What are you doing here, Dani?" he asked.
"Art scholarship," she said flatly.
"In an apothecary shop?" Logan asked as he glanced at the angry young Chinese man who was glaring at him.
"Yen and his grandfather are old family friends," Dani said. "Not that it's any business of yours."
"I'm making it my business," Logan said angrily. "Now what is it you're not telling me?"
Mr. Li spoke to Yen in mandarin and Yen turned around and answered furiously. They argued a moment and Yen stormed out. Logan was losing his patience.
"Somebody better answer me," Logan said, "in English."
Mr. Li walked over to Logan and started to speak but Dani interrupted.
"No, please, Mr. Li," she said. "Let me handle this."
Mr. Li looked at her and sighed. "You're not doing a very good job of handling this one, child. Just tell him." And with that he went upstairs to leave them to talk.
Logan cocked a brow and looked at Dani expectantly. "Well?"
"Don't make me do this," she begged. "Just leave now before you regret finding me."
Logan grabbed her and kissed her hungrily. He'd searched for two months, missing her by mere minutes several times. He never knew how tough it was to find someone in Chinatown. And finally he'd found her and she was trying to tell him he was going to regret it? Like hell. He broke the kiss and she clung to him, trying to catch her breath.
"Tell me woman, you owe me the truth," Logan said huskily as the taste of her went right to his head.
"No questions, no strings…remember?" she ventured.
"Your line, baby, not mine, now out with it," Logan demanded in frustration.
"Logan, I'm pregnant," Dani said.
Logan's heart skipped a beat. Pregnant? Shock gave way to pride and he suddenly felt very angry over her sudden disappearance. She was carrying his child, and she tried to hide it from him.
"Why keep it a secret from me?" he demanded. His voice was surprisingly calm despite the fury he was masking.
"What happened between us was a moment," Dani said shakily. "I didn't want to spoil what I hoped was a nice memory with this reality." Dani backed away, but Logan just stepped closer. "I can take care of myself," she insisted nervously. "Go back to your mansion in New York. You've gotten your truth, now go home."
"I haven't gotten all of it," Logan said. "You look me in the eye right now and tell me you don't love me."
Dani looked at the floor and spoke softly, "I don't even know you."
Logan lifted her chin, "Tell me, damn it!"
Dani measured her words carefully, trying desperately to make him believe her, "I Don't L-L-Love You…"
Logan knew it for what it was immediately, a big fat bloody lie. He was about to confront her on it when the shop door opened with a sickeningly happy jingle. Logan ignored it, but the customer spoke to him.
"You two are being ridiculous," the man said in annoyance. "This is not the way this was supposed to happen at all."
Logan turned and looked at the man with fury in his eyes. He was dark haired, and roughly in his thirties. He regarded them with a smugness that rubbed Logan the wrong way.
"Who the hell are you?" Logan asked.
"Call me Q," he said. "You don't remember, but we've all met before."
Logan glared at him angrily and then he realized he did recognize him, from his dream of Dani at the lab. He looked back at Dani who just looked confused.
"You humans aren't bright enough to figure this out on your own, so I thought I better help you out," Q said as he raised his hand and snapped his fingers. There was a flash of light, and Logan and Dani both passed out. "That ought to take care of your suspicions. My work here is done…"
Q's ego driven speech was interrupted by Mr. Li who stepped out of the back room. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.
"Relax, old man, I just dropped in to help," Q said, and then in a flash of light he was gone.
Mr. Li told Yen to carry Dani upstairs. Logan was too heavy to move, so Mr. Li sat with him. It was nearly an hour before Logan woke up. His eyes flew open and he sat up.
"Where's Dani?" he demanded.
"She is upstairs resting," Mr. Li said. "What happened?"
"I remember now," Logan said as he quickly got to his feet. "I remember everything!"
He ran through the doorway to the back room and took the steps two at a time until he found himself in the doorway to Dani's loft bedroom. Yen was sitting with her and Logan just said, "Get out."
Yen calmly stood and faced him. "You're the father?" he asked.
Logan eyed the young man and then sighed. He could see the man was just trying to protect his friend. "Yes," Logan said.
"You have dishonored my friend, and I will not leave you alone with her," Yen said angrily.
Dani stirred and spoke up, "It's all right, Yen. I'll be fine."
Yen glanced back at her as she sat up. She was staring at the man in the doorway with a strange smile on her face. Yen frowned and left them alone.
"My God, baby, I can't believe it," Logan said. "Violet… Supernova… Sorceress… wife. Dani, I remember everything, how about you?"
"I remember… but this is impossible," Dani said in confusion. "I shouldn't be here, and we shouldn't remember."
Logan sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. "I guess someone wanted to give us a second chance," Logan said softly. "Marry me, again."
"Absolutely," Dani said as she clung to him. "But this time, I want a real wedding, not Elvis."
"Oh, you got it!" Logan said with a chuckle. "How are we going to explain this to the professor?"
"Let him have a quick look at the memories," Dani said. "At least the ones we can share."
"God, I love you, Dani," Logan said.
"I love you too," she said. "Let's go home."
"As long as I'm in your arms, I am home," Logan said.
