1A/N: The game "Truth", later mentioned, is borrowed from the Sarah Dessen novel, "The Truth About Forever", which I highly recommend, and a variation of "The Inappropriate Question Game", which is a game my friends and I play on many occasions.
Chapter Nine
"Logan, my Mom is in the hospital." Joanna was kneeling beside my chair.
"What?" I asked, thinking I hadn't quite heard her right.
"My Mom...she's in the hospital. My dad found her after we left, he went over to her place to get something, and she was just lying the in the kitchen."
"Well, do you want to go?"
"Dad said not to." She shook her head, "She's stable, but he can't see me driving all the way back...even with protection." She held my hand. "I'm scared."
"And you have a right to be. Mystique...she posed very well." Professor Xavier rubbed at his temples, "But at least she's alright."
"So much for having a normal birthday." She sighed.
"Some day." I promised her, "Some day you'll have a...semi-normal birthday."
She put her arms around my neck, and hugged me close, kissing my cheek, "I hope so."
It was after midnight when everyone finally started going to bed, the crowded court yard was suddenly dark, and damp, with the mosquitoes biting hard. Joanna and I were one of the few left in the yard. Professor Xavier had turned in earlier that evening, followed by a couple of the less rowdy students, including the Faerie, who had given us a disdainful look. All that were left in the yard now were Joanna's friends.
"Hey, why don't you kids take your party inside?" I asked, my arm around Joanna's waist, as she leaned on me, "It's getting pretty late."
They bid goodbyes, blowing out the insect candles they passed.
"How about you?" Joanna asked, looking up at me. "You going to bed?"
"Yea, I think I am."
She bumped hips with me, "You want some company?"
"Depends on whose asking to join me." I raised an eyebrow.
She wrapped her arms around me, and I put out the last torch before stepping inside of the porch door, and closing it behind us.
My room was dark when we stepped inside. I didn't need the light, so I didn't turn it on. She started kissing me first, leading me on towards the bed once the door was shut. I didn't even notice when my shirt disappeared. I think she tried one of Kitty's tricks on it to pull it off of me. Her hands were running up my chest, against my throat, behind my neck, pulling me closer.
"Hold on a second." I took her hands in mine, pulling away from her. I sat down on the edge of the bed. "You don't want to do this, Jo."
"What are you talking about? I've waited months for tonight." She shook her head, "All of the kissing, the teasing... That raw animal feeling you give off all of the time. I want to feel all of that."
"You're upset because of your Mom... You don't want to sleep with me."
"You seemed all to happy to have my company a few minutes ago." She pointed out.
"Look," I kissed her softly to show her that I wasn't being a hard ass because I wanted to, "we will...eventually. But not tonight, okay? You're cold, you're tired, and you just turned eighteen. Most girls don't jump into bed with the first guy they see the night they turn legal." I shrugged. "Some maybe, but not you. You're not like that."
She didn't seem to like that notion.
"Is there something wrong with you, Logan?" She asked, after a minute of consideration, "You have a perfectly willing teenager, dying to sleep with you, and you deny me?"
"I'm not denying you, Joanna." I laughed. "I'm...saving you from the world of pain you're going to suffer if you sleep with me tonight."
"What if I want that?" She asked, "What if I told you I was some kind of masochist, sadist?"
"I'd remind you that you're a virgin, and we're talking about a lot of different kinds of pain here." I kicked off my boots under my bed, and reached for her feet. I pulled off her shoes, chucking them on the floor.
"Well I have to experience them all some day, don't I?" She asked.
"But not tonight." I told her, lying down on the left side of the bed, my hand on her waist, "Soon, I promise."
"You promise?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I promise." I confirmed, feeling her scoot down on the bed, and lay next to me, tossing her leg over my knee.
"How soon?"
I smiled, "Go to sleep, kid."
I had just closed my eyes, and was starting to drift off to sleep, Joanna snuggled down against my chest when I heard her whisper, "I love you, Logan."
"I love you too, Jo."
I woke up the next morning in bed, all alone. Not surprising, after looking over the early-mornings events. I wouldn't have been surprised to find her not speaking to me, but luckily (...or unluckily, depending on how you look at it), that wasn't to be true. She was already in the kitchen, talking to Rogue and the Faerie when I walked into the kitchen for my morning coffee.
"Morning." I growled at them. I had a killer headache, that didn't want to let go, and it didn't seem to be caffeine related, "Hey." I leaned over to kiss Joanna's cheek, whispering so that Rogue and the Faerie wouldn't hear me, and get the wrong idea, "I missed you when I woke up."
"Well that's your own fault." She whispered back.
I raised an eyebrow at her, and nodded, "Uh huh. Whatever you say, kid."
"Are you two going to like jump each other now? 'Cause I'd rather not be in the room for that." Warren spoke up, looking disgusted.
"Sorry, but not today, Worthington. Catch us next week sometime maybe." I placed my mug of coffee I had poured, still half full, in the sink. "I've got work to do. Catch up with you later, Jo." I kissed Joanna on the cheek before heading off for the a little chat with the Professor.
Joanna's POV
Granted, I was pretty confused, and even a bit miffed when Logan out-right denied me on my birthday of all nights. I've been making out with the guy for six months, not to mention feeling each other up on more then one occasion, and letting our fingers stray to dangerous places once in awhile. If he wanted this as much as I did, which he says he does, why wouldn't he sleep with me? I'm a perfectly capable, eighteen year old woman, with powers that normal people can't even begin to comprehend...the one guy I would even consider going all of the way with turns me down flat... Mind you, I felt totally drunk when it was all going on, and I hadn't even had a drop of liquor.
Logan did the right thing, I know that now.
I spent the morning filling Rogue in on the newest Logan dilemma in the kitchen before Warren came in. She was understandingly patting my shoulder... She thought I was lucky, to be able to have normal human contact... Mind you, absorbing powers isn't always a pleasant experience... Most times, I barely notice it...other times, it's a long and painful process, and sometimes, I just feel this shock racing through my body. Sharing powers with Rogue hurts too... It feels like she's sucking the life out of me, and I'll never be whole again...and as soon as she lets go of me, and I switch to another power, it's like everything is whole again. Rogue is a lot worse off than I am, and I willingly let her live vicariously through me and my escapades.
"He's probably right though, Jo." She sat with her head in her hands, her face tilted, listening intently, "I mean, yea, you've been 'together' for six months, but how much do you really know about each other? It seems like a big step to take, even for six months."
"I suppose..." I shrugged, "And it doesn't really bother me anymore. It's just...he was so adamant that we wouldn't... And he wouldn't give me anything to go on other then that we would do it 'soon'... When is soon? Like tonight? Next week? Thanksgiving?"
Rogue shrugged, giving me a pitiful look, "I don't know, Jo, but if anyone knows what they're doing around here, it's Logan. He only wants what's best for you, and for your relationship with him."
That was when Warren walked in, and we shut up about it. It wasn't long before Logan made an entrance too, teasing me, and then leaving again for a chat with the Professor. To make a short story even shorter, Warren left soon after, remarking on my impeccable taste in men. I didn't remind him that I had also dated him for a period of time. I figured it would be all to cruel.
Logan caught up with me later, outside, while I was sitting in the shade of an oak tree, reading a book off of my summer-reading list for Senior English. The others were caught up in a game of tag-football with a few friends from school who were still around for summer vacation. Including the ever-obnoxious Saundra, who I had hoped I had put far behind me after school let out. I had already stared with loathing at her, and her tight little white t-shirt, and short shorts...and how stupidly cute she looked in her white and red Adidas shoes.
"Bitter much?" Logan asked. I didn't realize I had started to watch their game again.
"No...just annoyed. I don't know why Kurt invited all of these people anyway." I leaned my head against his shoulder when he sat down next to me.
"What are you reading?" He tipped the front of my book forward, "Catcher in the Rye...nice."
"You read it?"
"I vaguely remember it." He nodded.
"It's boring." I told him, sighing, tossing it aside. "So, what are you up to?"
"Just spending time with my favorite girl in Bayville."
"As apposed to your girl, where?" I raised my eyebrow, teasing him.
He smirked, before giving me a kiss, "You want to go out for dinner with me tonight?"
"Sure, I'd love to. Where are we going?"
"I thought we could go to a little place by the docks."
"Seafood?"
"Yea, if that's OK. Then afterwards, we can do anything you want. Walk on the beach, go up to the point."
I raised an eyebrow, "Anything I want?"
"Within reason." He put a damper on my parade, kissing me again, "But maybe I'll open up to the idea after awhile."
"And a couple glasses of wine?"
"I'll think about it." He nodded.
"I look forward to it, then." We both turned towards the whoops and hollers of a won football game. Lance fell onto the blanket beside me, followed by Kurt, Bobby, Kitty, Scott, and Jean. Saundra, and the four others from Bayville High stood around us, leaning on the tree, and each other, catching their breath after their game.
"So are you gonna play with us, or what?" Lance asked, picking up Catcher In The Rye from where I had set it down, "You can't tell me this is more interesting then getting out and playing a good game of football."
"Football isn't exactly my sport." I told him, taking my book back.
"Okay then...game of your choice?" Lance tossed my book aside again, and I saw him get an intimidated look in his eyes when Logan put his arm over my shoulder.
I looked around, settling on the volleyball net on the other side of the yard, "You care for a game of volleyball, Logan?" I nudged his shoulder, and he raised an eyebrow.
"You're inviting the geezer to play? Wow, I feel special."
"C'mon." I stood up, pulling him with me.
That night, Logan and I walked across the beach in our bare feet, our pant legs rolled up over our ankles as the tide washed up over our feet. We'd left our shoes in a pile up the beach farther, and were holding hands as we walked. We'd started playing a stupid little game called "Truth". It was a good way to learn things about people. The point of the game was to ask the awkward questions. I was glad we were comfortable enough with each other to answer honestly...at least I was answering honestly. I'm sure Logan was too, but no one can ever be sure when it comes to Logan.
So far, I had learned that he hated the color yellow, and in the last ten years he had wandered from place to place, mostly in Canada, before settling with Professor Xavier at the Institute. He had no memory what so ever of his life before, except for little flashes now and again, mostly in his dreams. I had told him about my Mom, and her marriage with Daniel, and my Dad, and his writing. I also told him how I wish my parents would stop worrying about me, and just get back together again, like they were meant to be. I complained to him how they thought I was some fragile little twit, like all of the other girls I used to be friends with.
"If you could be anywhere else in the world right now, where would you be?" I asked Logan, after my spiel.
He thought for a second, then asked, "Would you be with me?" He asked to clarify.
"Sure." I shrugged.
"Back in my room." He smiled at me.
"And if I wasn't with you?"
"In my favorite bar, back in Vermont, playing pool." He admitted, sheepishly, and then turned on me, "Alright, if you could be anywhere right now, where would it be?"
"If you were with me...Your room, with the door locked, and if you weren't with me..." I considered for a moment, "In my Mom's store, looking through all of the old books."
"Well at least we agree on something." Logan laughed.
Then I decided to come in for the kill-question, "How many women have there been, Logan? An honest ball-park count."
Logan thought for a moment, "Less then ten."
"Seriously?" I asked.
"Seriously." He confirmed, nodding, falling back onto the sand next to where we had placed our shoes. "What is it like absorbing other people's powers?" He asked.
"I don't notice it half the time -like when I absorbed yours, I barely even noticed, I just all of a sudden had them. Other times, there is this shock that just kind of waves over my body, and sometimes, rarely, it's this searing pain that seems to last for hours." I took his hand, "Does it hurt when they come out?" I rubbed the area above his knuckles where his claws would release from.
"Yea, but you get used to it." He flexed his hand, and leaned against me, pulling his socks back on, "What's the worst part about your powers?"
"The gloves." I sighed, "I started wearing them because I was afraid of absorbing the wrong persons power, or hurting someone, but they're such a hassle. I can't do anything wearing them. What about yours?"
"Where do I start?" He asked. "I could hurt anyone, and there isn't anything they could do to stop me. And chances are, I'll live longer then anyone else I know. It's not like I'm immortal, but...I could live past a thousand if I quit the game, and tried to live like a normal person...if I wanted to. What's the best?"
"I can do anything." I smiled, staring up into the sky. "I get to do things that normal people can only dream about. Like flying, and everything...it's something most people would die to do, and...I can do it with so little effort. What do you like best about your powers?"
"I guess the living well past normal people is pretty extraordinary... There are to many times to count where I should have died, but I didn't. I get to see things, and remember things, that people fifty years from now will have no recollection of." He pulled me close to him, and kissed me, "Do you love me? Regardless of everything else."
"Of course." I smiled, kissing him back, "How about you?"
"More then anything in the world." He placed a trail of kisses down my throat, his fingers brushing underneath the hem of my shirt, and jacket.
"Is it 'soon', yet?" I asked.
"It's my turn to ask a question." He looked up at me, his eyes boring into mine.
"It was a follow up question, it's totally legal." I crossed my arms.
"No, it's not 'soon', yet." He shook his head, kissing me again. "Ask me again after we get back to the Institute." He hinted.
We sat back in the sand together for a few more minutes, putting our shoes on at a leisurely rate, before we stood up together and dusted the sand from our clothes. Together, we walked quietly towards the jeep, where Logan slid into the driver's seat. He kissed me again before turning over the engine, and we were on our way back to the Institute.