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Never Forgotten – Chapter Ten

"Hey, so where is the chica… You did tell her I was coming to have a sit down with her today right Wolvie?" Jubilee asked the big grumpy looking bear in front of her. How Marie got so lucky as to move from living with the hunk Scott Summers to the embodiment of sexual fantasies Logan, she would never understand. And although she knew her best friends heart had been broken and that Roguey didn't see it that way, she did, Jubilee couldn't help herself in feeling just the teeny tiniest bit jealous.

"She out back on the porch." He told the mouthy yellow clad girl, how on earth Marie could have such an annoying friend was beyond Logan. The girl had only visited them three other times in the six weeks they had lived here in the cabin and already he was thinking to ways to shut her up permanently. Hell the only reason she was still walking now was because she always had Marie smiling by the time she walked out the door and that was worth the suffering he had to endure of listening to the little Oriental's cocky, high pitched voice while dishing about everything going on at the mansion and her own life.

Jubilee sashayed past the door block that called himself Wolverine and made her way the back porch the find Rogue sitting in her usual spot overlooking the lake. She had no idea what was up with up the connection both Rogue and her wild man shared with nature both they both seemed to preferred being outside than in. Where as Jubilee on the other hand who couldn't stand to sweat in the heat of the summer or freeze in the cold of the winter, could always be found in the comfort of the inside with the AC roaring cold or the heater full blast. However with it being the end of September the weather wasn't too bad, so she guessed it wouldn't hurt for her to sit outside this visit, she decided as she took a seat on the porch swing next to Rogue. "Hey chica… how you been? Has the big bad been keeping you busy with physical actives? Cause you know if I were in your shoes I would be world's best wrestler by now… If you get my drift." Jubilee said with her trademark smile and wink of her eye.

"You know Jubes, as hard as it is to understand what your saying most of the time, I don't think there is a person in all living existence who wouldn't get the meaning of that one." Marie said not being able to hold back a smile, she loved the girl sitting next to her but there were times like this she had to question if Jubes had ever escaped from a mental word. The just theidea of Logan and herself had crazy written all over it, sure she had loved him when she was younger, but he had made it very clear that he didn't return those feelings. Not to mention that was before she had fallen in love with Scott. So what if Logan was staying here with her, always by her side, holding her, she knew his feelings for her didn't go any further than him wanting to protect her from all the pain she was going through and maybe even trying to make up for the last two years he had been gone. They were friends and nothing more.

"Hello, earth to chica, are you listening to me…" Jubilee said waving a hand in front of her friend's face, pretty sure that she hadn't heard a word she just said. Sighing at Rogues automatic apology she knew she was going to have to start her sepal over again. "Ok, well now that I have your attention I guess I will just cut straight to the question I want to know."

"Which is?" Marie inquired now lost and confused, which wasn't all to uncommon in her conversations with Jubilee.

"Are you two sleeping together yet?" Jubilee asked without a moment's hesitation.

"Excuse Me?" Marie stated truly questioning her Jubes sanity now, while she turned sideways in the swing to face her friend and look her in the eyes so that she could make sure she wasn't joking. And to her surprise, she found that Jubilee was quite serious.

"You heard me. Are you and Wolvie getting it on, yet?" She couldn't hint around the subject any longer. Fact of the matter was, that Jean had made it very apparent the she and Scott were on more than friendly speaking terms the last few weeks, giving him small touches and kisses in just about everyone presents, and she knew that the news would devastate her already coping friend. Rogue had already been through so much, Jubilee just wanted for her friend to be happy, and as far as she was concerned the Wolf Man was the cure. And even if he wasn't the cure to her happiness, it would at the very least clear up some long over due thick sexual tension between the two. "Hey don't look at me like I just asked you to sleep with me, you know I don't swing that way. And don't go getting pissy with me either Ms. Thing, at least her me out before you decide to tell knifes in there off with her head. I know that is hasn't been that long since you and Scott split, but I also know how much you care for the big oaf inside. I just… I just want you to be happy, and I have seen the way he looks at you since he has been back, not to mention the fact that he is all but up your ass almost every second of the damn day. You know… I think, I think you have another chance at real love here Hon, and I hate to see you throw it away because dickhead stick up his ass broke your heart. Then again if it's none of my business just tell me so and I won't say a thing."

"It's a bit late for that, Jubes don't you think." Marie replied, as she stood up and walked over to the railing leaning over to rest on her fore arms as she looked out at the nature around her all the while having Jubes words replaying over in her head. Sighing she turned to looked at Jubes still sitting were she had left her. "I understand that you are worried about me, and even if your solutions to my… problems are a little off the wall, I appreciate you wanting to help… and if I knew that… I don't know Jubes… I do care a lot for Logan I really do, it's just that when I was with Scott…" Marie began but was cut off short.

"Scott… you know what chica… I didn't want to say anything but I as your friend even if it is going to hurt you I feel you are in need of a severe wake up call. Scott is with Jean, and by the way when I say with Jean I do mean with Jean. Baby there is no more you and Scott, there hasn't been in almost two months now. And I know you are hurt it's just that… ok look at it this way… Let's say you go out and you find a pair of jeans, I mean the most perfect pair of jeans you've ever slipped on, they make your waist look tiny, don't cause any puggies, fit your ass like a glove. You wear then all the time until one day you go to put them on only to find out that they are ripped and irreparable. Now you have two choices, you can spend forever trying to fix them knowing that it can never be done or you can go and get yourself a new pair of jeans." Jubilee explained now standing beside Rogue with a pleading look on her face, hoping she will comprehend her analogy.

"Only you can compare, love with clothes Jubes." Marie said giving her a smile letting her know she understood what it was she was trying to say.

"First of all those jeans were the best I have ever owned, and second of all I still miss them dearly. But that's just the point I am trying to make, you miss him, I know that, and you always will. Nothing will ever make that go away. But he moved on babe, and it wouldn't kill you to let your self be happy, to let yourself move on to someone else who I know loves you more than either he or you will ever admit." Jubes pleaded with Rogue to let go of the pain she seemed to be holding on to.

"Wow… I mean wow that was really… really deep… especially for you." Rogue remarked with a playing tone pretending to be taken aback at seeing her friend serious.

"I know my head is completely pounding now." Jubilee replied with a smirk, only causing them to burst out in laughter seconds later.

Later That Night

"Logan?" Marie more or less asked for his attention.

"Yeah." Logan automatically replied as he ran his fingers through hair. They had just eaten dinner and settled on the couch, something that had become routine for them. Every night it was the same, Marie lying down with her head in his lap, book in her hands. She would read while he watched hockey, or whatever car show he could find.

"That night that you left… the night you… what happened…you know when..." Marie didn't know how to ask what it was that she needed to know. How could she put into words and asked him why he seemed so crazed, if he remembered it at all, did he really mean it when he said she was his forever, was it really him who had been holding and marking her his own.

Logan breathed in deep, he knew what she was speaking of, and just like he knew that eventually she would want to ask these questions. "What is it you want to know Kid?" he asked in return not sure where to start, as he locked eyes with hers as she looked up at him with her head still in his lap, his hand still in her hair.

"I don't… well; I guess the main thing I'd like to know is why you did it?" As the words flowed softly from her mouth she watched as his gaze moved from her eyes to the scar that lay just above her heart. She then felt his hand that had been resting in her waist move up her shirt, she almost forgot how to breathe as his fingers slowly undid the top button of the already v-neck red blouse and pulled it open to reveal the very mark he had left upon her.

Logan looked at the evidence that made the Wolverine inside of him scream mine, and then with two fingers he traced the line that seemed to be exactly three inches long. Just as he remembered it, an inch for every claw he bared on each hand. "I didn't want to lose you… something inside me… something I hadn't felt in a long time… refused to lose you..." he somewhat confessed as his fingers still graze over the spot of her perfect skin he had marred, in order to show she was his own.

"If that's true, then why'd you leave?" She questioned she her own hand found it's way to his interlacing her finger with his.

"Let's just say seeing you bleeding at my hands… you know Kid, there isn't anything that really scares me… but seeing you like that… knowing that I was the one…" Logan paused for a moment to clear his throat, feeling his chest tighten as he saw a flash of her there in his arms begging and bleeding. "It terrified me… to know that I could do that you… I couldn't risk it again… I didn't want to hurt you… so I left… put as much distance as I could between the two of us, so that I couldn't dosomething like thatagain."

"Then I guess my next question is why did you come back?" She asked lifting her gaze from watching her hand hold his as he traced her scar, to lock her eyes with his.

"Do you remember what I told you that night?" he asked holding her eyes with his as he moved his hand that was brushing through her hair to stroke her cheek. "It was true… all of it… it didn't take to long for me to figure out that the only other thing that scared me worse than hurting you… was not being able to love you…I fought it though… for as long as I could… but one night… I was dreaming... of you… of that night… all I wanted to do is hold you… and when I woke up you weren't there… after that I was tried of fighting…" Logan told her with as low husky voice his face growing ever closer to hers. "I had to be near you… I had to hold you again… I needed to…" then he voice was silenced as her lips touched lips his, so softly at first then quickly turning into a kiss of heated passion.

Marie wasn't sure if he had been the one to kiss her or if it was the other way around, and at the moment she didn't care. All the knew was how wonderful it felt to feel something besides only the pain, even if it was just for a brief time, she couldn't help but enjoy the way he was making her body feel. Everything was forgotten in that moment, except the blood boiling kiss he was giving her. She had always known Logan would feel this amazing. His head lifted slowly and all she could do was gaze into those remarkable hazel eyes of his. She had wished for this so many times when she was younger, and even though apart of her still wanted Logan, she was yearning for a man with a pair of red quartz glasses. He bent his head down towards hers again, and she closed her eyes as she awaited his lips to touch hers, only to feel his lips brush against her ear as he whispered the words she would never forget, the words that changed her world.

"I can't explain what it is you make me feel… Marie... what you mean to me that will never change…but I can't… be with you, not now. Your not ready… and I need to know for sure that when look at me it's me you see… when you fall asleep at night in my arms it's me your dreaming of… I won't be his replacement." It was taking everything Logan had inside of him to not carry her to the bedroom and continue what had been started, but he had heard the little talk that firecracker had given Marie earlier. He had tried his best to tone out her voice, but honestly even if he didn't have heightened senses he wouldn't have been able to block out the girl, and he was grateful that the annoying pain in the ass was on his side, but she had shown him that he needed to give Marie more time to heal. She was truly a vision, this girl with platinum streaks in her auburn hair, he thought looking into her eyes that were filled with a mixture of sadness and passion. Then there was her face, so full of life, so innocent, so fragile like that of a china doll. And that's how he vowed to treat her from now on, with the gentlest of hands and greatest loving care, he was not going to lether crack or brake any more then she already had. "It's gettin late darlin' why don't you go get some rest." He offered her an easy escape, thenhelped her sit up and stand keeping one of his hands on the small of her back.

Marie walked around the couch in somewhat of a daze, he loved her; he had pretty much just said so. Maybe not word for word but with Logan that was probably the best admission of loved she'd ever get. Not only did he just tell her he had returned the feelings that she had long ago felt for him, maybe even still felt for him, this was Logan after all. But her had just showed her how much her cared by not letting her walk into something she wasn't ready for. She stopped behind him and fixed her eyes on him before she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you Logan." Was all she could say now more confused about her feelings than even, was it possible she still loved Logan somehow. She was just so tried, she figure it out tomorrow, yeah maybe tomorrow she will be able to figure out the mess inside that she called her feelings.

"No problem kid… take your time, cause I am going to leave again… at least not without you by my side." He thought as he lay down on the couch trying to clam his nerves, which were still in an uproar after having tasted her lips with his.

Authors Note: OK, OK, OK, I know that this story has been pretty emotional, and I can't say that it is going to get much better right now, as I said in the last chapter I posted some big twist and turns are still to come, but I can promise all of you a very happy ending. Hopefully you are all still loving to story and suspense. However here is the next chapter, enjoy.