Never Forgotten – Chapter Six

Marie brushed the top of Jean's headstone as she walked by it only to sit in front of it and remove a couple of thing from the bag she had been carrying. Then she placed a set of fake white roses into the ground on either side of the stone angels that set beside it. When she was satisfied with how they looked she sat down and made herself comfortable and stared at her friend's name.

"Well, now you have some flowers that won't die, I can't believe that it has been over two years since you left us. I wish I could say that everything is better now, and I guess it is a little, but I think he still misses you too much to say that." Marie licked her lips and sighed "I don't think that I will ever be able to say that, but on the up side at least he isn't a silent basket case every second of the day even though there are still times when I can tell he is thinking of you. I uhh… I've always tried my best to explain to him that you died for all of us, the only problem is I can't explain something that I still don't fully understand myself." Marie's eyes were now full with tears as they usual were when she came to talk to Jean, but it helped her to come here and talk her hoping that she could hear her where ever she was in heaven. "The only thing I do understand right now that makes this ok for me… is that you are safe, you will never be sick, you will never feel any kind of pain… "Marie raised her hand and wiped the tears now falling down her cheeks "all you will ever know is love and happiness. I just… I hope that somehow you were the one who lead us to one another. Like you wanted me to give him the love that you knew he needed.. And… I know… I know that one day he going be with you again…. And you better be ready because… once he get you in his arms he's not going to let go for a really long time, maybe never." Marie couldn't help but smile at the thought, even though it broke her heart just a little. "And I'm ok with that, I just want you to know that I am thankful to you for giving us the time we do have together." She leaned over and placed a kiss on Jean's name. "We love you Jean, I will be back again to visit you soon ok." With that said Marie got up and made her way back up the mansion, unknowing of just how soon Scott was going to be reunited with Jean.

After their night out last week Marie had determined that it was her turn to make a little romance of her own for the two of them. So tonight she had ordered some dinner which he had set up nicely with some candles in their room. With that done Marie donned her first negligee she had bought that morning when she went shopping with Ororo. She had known she wouldn't feel comfortable in it, and she didn't. But who would after spending the last four years of their life covered from head to toe in order to protect everyone they loved. But she still stubbornly refused to take it off. It really wasn't all that indecent, well except for the transparency. But Marie had in all honestly seen dresses more reveling than what she was wearing now. The sides that hung only just above her knees were split clear to her hips, revealing more leg than she'd ever shown to anyone, with the exclusion of Scott. It was made of thin, soft sliver silk, sleeveless, the bodice in a deep V, the straps mere ties that could be undone easily.

"You look- beautiful." Scott said as shut the door behind him. It wasn't quite the words he wanted to use, but he could think of anything else after laying his eyes on her.

He was standing in front of her within moments, taking a lock of her long hair in his hand only to let is slid through his fingers.

"Absolutely beautiful." He repeated as his mouth went dry from the nearness of her. He drew her eyes up to his own gaze, and the look in the big brown eyes, so admiring, warmed him even more.

Scott being so close was starting to Marie to feel other things, the same feelings he always set in motion when ever he was this close. Hell even the smell of him, was thrilling to her senses. And she found herself staring at his mouth, almost willing him to kiss her, knowing how wonderful his lips felt against hers. How kissing him seemed to give her some kind of unexplainable peace. Then with his assistance the thin silk pooled at her feet.

"We will have to buy you more of those." He said with a husky voice as a hand moved up her chest to rest on the curve of her neck. "Many more." Then he raised both hands to cup her cheeks. " Do you know how much I love you?" He asked her softly, truly wondering if she knew how much she more she meant to him with every breath he took.

"Show me." Marie answered for him in a mere whisper. She didn't have a chance to get anymore than that out even if she had wanted to. Because no sooner than she said it he was kissing her, lovingly kissing her, parting her lips, his tongue dancing with hers. He moved closer as she gripped at the shirt that kept her from exploring his chest. He then lifted her in his arms, carried her to the bed and laid her gently there, dinner now forgotten.

Later after sharing such a magnificent experience with the woman he loved, Scott sat next to her watching her lay there, knowing there was no way she could know how captivating she was, with her auburn and white hair spread out over the pillow, her one knee bent just so that one slim leg peeked out of the sheet, those black-lashed, doe eyes filled with love all for him. And then eyes drifted to the small scar over her heart, and his finger followed running down the line knowing from previous attempts of questioning her, that it was something she didn't talk about. But even still he couldn't imagined her without what she thought of as a imperfection. Yes, he loved her imperfections and all. "Marie." He said drawing her eyes to his face. "Marry me."

Her heart felt as if it were going to burst, for a moment she thought she had fallen asleep and was dreaming, But the instant she felt his hand brush a stand of her hair away from her face she knew she was wide awake. "Scott… I… are you sure… I mean…" she started rambling as she lifted herself into a sitting position next to him. Then stopped when he put a single finger to her lips to silence her.

"After Jean died, it made me recognize how short and important time here really is... Time passes… and change happens wither we want it to or not. You were there for me… in a way no one else was after I lost her… You asked me questions… you made me think about things in a way I hadn't before. You understood me… you opened up to me… you trusted me… and I found my self trusting you too." Scott paused for a moment as he breathed in deep and lovingly pushed a stand of platinum hair out of her face. Then her reached around her and pulled her into the lap before he continued. "Next thing I knew I was looking forward to seeing you, I started thinking about you during the day. Then I realized I actually wanted to live… I didn't wish anymore that the next mission would my last… Marie, you're the reason for that. You're the person I want to be with, you're the one I want to love…forever."

"I never… I never thought I would hear you ask me to… to marry you. I mean after Jean… I just thought… I couldn't imagine you wanting to… to be married to anyone else… not that I cared about it I just…" Her said words failed her. She was still in shock that he had even asked her to be his wife. After all the pain he had went through losing Jean she was sure that she would never hear the words he had just said come out of his mouth. She had known Jean was his true love, and she was ok with that. So she had assumed the conversation they were having now would never come about. Yet here they were, and she couldn't help but think maybe he was doing this for her benefit.

"Well for a long time I didn't think I could do this again either." He stated honestly.

"What changed your mind?" Marie couldn't stop herself from asking, as the words fell out of her mouth.

"You. Our work. The things we do, there dangerous and that's not going to change, I know that. I also know that if I ever lost… lost you… it wouldn't matter what we were to one another; friends, lovers, husband and wife… It would kill me inside all the same." As Scott spoke to her just the thought of losing her caused a tightening in his chest. It couldn't happen, it wouldn't happen, as long as he still had breathe in his body there was no way he was letting this angel of his, out of his embrace.

"I know… I know what we do is dangerous… and it would crush me if I lost you… the way you lost her… But Scott, you don't have to do this for me. I am going to be here by your side and love you, regardless of wither we are married or not. You have to understand that." She told him in her soft southern draw.

"And you have to understand, that I'm not doing this for you. Sure I want to protect you, and do right by you. But I also want to wake up every morning with you in my arms, and fall asleep with you by my side every night. I want you to be my wife." He said watching as her eyes filled with tears. Then that smile, that soft sweet smile that he love so much was bestowed upon him.

"I want to be your wife too. Scott… I do. So yes. My answer is yes." Marie finally answered. She then grabbed his face in her hands and pulled his lips to hers as she left her tears of happiness fall.

"I'm sorry." He whispered against her lips, when the kiss had subsided.

"For what? Wanting to marry me?" She giggled.

"Uhh no… I uhh… I don't have a ring." Scott confessed as he lifted her left hand to kiss her ring finger.

"Well then it looks like you get to take me shopping." She said laughing lightly as she ran her other hand through his hair.

"When do you want to go… in the morning." He asked surprising himself at how eager his was to get a ring on his girls' finger.

"It's up to you… But seriously Scott, the ring it not important… I have you… your love… and that is all I will ever need." And it wasn't but a second after the words had rolled off of Maries tongue before his lips had found hers once again. Then when his lips began to move on her, branding a heated trail across her cheek to her neck, she decided to add. "See… now this is way better than any ring." This must have delighted him to hear apparently, if his expression was any indication.

Meanwhile At Alkali Lake

She still didn't know how she had gotten here. The last thing she could remember was the feeling of the water rushing in on her, pain of knowing that she would never see the people she loved again, see Scott again. The next thing she knew she was here, in this cabin, not to far from the very lake that she was sure she was going to die in. She didn't remember swimming to the surface, and she had no clue as to how she had gotten from the lake to the tiny one roomed cabin. All she knew was that she had been here for at least a couple of weeks now. She was trying her hardest to reach the Professor but with as weak as she was she was afraid she hadn't gotten through. Jean took another deep breath to clam herself, she was certain that they must all think of her as dead. Hell even she had been certain that there was no chance of survival when she had stepped off the X-jet. Yet here she was, bundled in some old blankets and living off of a small supply of water and canned beans that she had thankfully found in the cabinets of the old run down cabin. She had been using the little supplies she had found sparingly and if she continued to do so they would last hopefully another week. If she had to she would leave this place when that time came but there was small hope of making it very far with her left ankle bruised and swollen. Her best chance was to somehow reach the Professor, with that in thought in mind she cleared her head and put all of her strength into to reaching out to him once again. "Please, Charles please hear me." She whispered to herself for what seemed like the thousandth time today.

"Jean." Logan yelled from where he stood outside of the cabin, he could smell her sent strong here and although it had been a sent he hadn't smelt on over two years it was an unforgettable one. Still unsure of what he may find he thought it would be best to let her come to him.

Her heart stopped, her name, someone had called out her name. Or did she want to be found so badly that she was now hallucinating. She stood slowly being careful of her ankle and hobbled to the door. Slowly she opened it, to find none other than Logan standing right in front of her. Without giving him so much as a warning she threw herself into his arms. "Logan… oh god… it's really you… I can't believe it… "She mumbled into his shoulder as tears of joy spilled over.

"Yeah… I uhh… " Logan was at a lost for words, she looked the same as she had the day she had decided to give up her own life to save everyone else. But she was there that much was for sure and with as tight as she was holding him now there was defiantly no mistaking that. "How… how can you be alive?" he heard him self asking.

"I… I don't know… I thought for sure that was no way of surviving… but next thing I knew I was here and… god what you all must have gone through this past week…Logan what's wrong…" Jean asked as she watched his face pale to a pasty white. She was almost tempted to take a look and see for herself what was wrong, but after the last look she'd had inside that man head she wasn't to eager to go back in any time soon.

"Week… Jean…you were…I mean… you know what why don't we get you down to the SUV and we will call the Professor. He is waiting for word on you." Logan more of less ordered her. He wasn't sure what he should do. Hell he wasn't no shrink, if he told her she had been dead for two years inside of a week he had no idea what it might do. But old wheels would know… hopefully.

"Good… good, but you are going to have to help me. It seems that I have sprung my ankle… God Logan it is so good to see you…" she said as she give him yet another hug. "I can't wait to see everyone when we get home. Do you think they'll be surprised?" She said she giving him a smile as bright as the sun.

"Darlin' you have no idea." Was all Logan could reply in return, with that he put on of her arms around his shoulder and started the make his way with her back the SUV Xavier had given to him for the trip.