Hello everyone! Long time, no see. I'm not even going to try and tell you when the next chapter will be up. I'm hoping two weeks, but we shall see. Real life is piling on top of me and it's a struggle to write sometimes.

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Chapter Nineteen

Logan smiled as he watched Buffy fight the vampire. From the way she moved you would never know that she was on her deathbed only a week earlier. This was her first night on patrol since the near apocalypse she was easing herself into the fight. She had already let three staking opportunities pass as she let her body adjust to the physical exertion.

He had kept a close eye on her from the time she had awakened on Wednesday. Not to say he never watched her closely, but he made sure she was eating enough and wasn't wearing herself out during training. He could tell she wanted to protest, but could see the logic in his mother hen-ing.

Since Wednesday night, he and Kurt had patrolled every night to help keep her from worrying. Every night she fell asleep on the couch waiting for him and he'd carry her up to bed. He thanked god that every night she'd ask him to stay.

Logan wasn't quite sure what to do with all of his extra energy. He had gotten so much restful sleep in the past few days that his body coursed with energy. And spending so much time with Buffy was causing his senses to go in overload.

All he wanted to do was pull her to him and make her his. It took every ounce of his willpower to restrain himself, to wait until she was ready for him. Despite her physical and mental strength, she was extremely vulnerable emotionally. He felt they really had something going between them and he didn't want to screw it up by doing something incredibly stupid. So he forced himself to wait.

Buffy dusted the vampire and let out a loud, "Whoo hoo." Startling Logan, she took off in a run, then she launched herself into the air. Flipping, she landed in a perfect handstand on top of a tombstone.

"What are you doing?" He asked, walking over to her.

"Celebrating the fact that I'm no longer cooped up in the mansion," she said, not moving. She giggled slightly at his expression; it was an odd way of viewing him. His normally upward arched eyebrow looked like it had dropped.

"Celebrating like this?"
"Yup." She pushed off and righted herself in the air. "What else would you expect from she who hangs out in cemeteries?"
"Point taken."

She slipped her hand in his and they began walking. He was surprised at the action but didn't say anything. Buffy, however, was a little freaked but didn't pull away. She was scared about how easily letting him in was once she had taken the first step.

Everything that she did with him felt natural. Whether it was training, teaching, vegging out in front of the TV, or sleeping in his arms. That was the part that scared her the most. Being held in his arms was the most relaxing and right thing she had ever felt. Lying there encircled by his warmth, she felt as if her world was complete.

She was thankful that he wasn't pushing for more than what she was willing to give. Her feelings were already reeling; any more changes at the moment would send her flying and she'd lose herself. It had taken her a long time to figure out who she was and she wasn't about to let that go. Not that she was admitting that she was attracted to him, no way. That wasn't anywhere in her immediate thoughts or feelings. No siree.

"Doesn't it worry you that there haven't been a lot of vamps and demons out this week?" He asked.

"Nah. They tend to go into hiding for a few weeks after apocalypses."

"I don't know which is scarier - the fact that you can not be concerned about it or that there have been enough near apocalypses for you to see a pattern."

She shrugged. "You tend to get used to it in my line of work. You'll see, it'll happen to you."

"Planning on keeping me around for a while then?" He felt her hand tense in his and he cursed himself for saying anything.

Taking a deep breath to calm her suddenly rapidly beating heart, she smiled. Nope, not attracted to him at all. "You're the one wanting to stay, who am I to argue?"

Logan stopped and looked at her in shock. It was the closest she had ever come to actually admitting that there was something between them. Not wanting to push his luck, he smiled back and said, "I ain't going anywhere, darlin'."

"Good. Let's check one more cemetery before going home." She pulled him in the direction of his bike, wondering what was coming over her. She was practically admitting feelings that she didn't have.

He wondered if she even noticed that she called the mansion home.

scenebreak

"This is crazy," Scott said the next afternoon. He was in the danger room with Logan and Buffy for his first training session with them. He and Logan were each holding a sword.

"I have to agree with Cyke for once. This is nuts."

Buffy frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Part of the agreement we made that allowed you guys to help with the slaying was that I was in charge of the training."
"But swords?" Logan asked, holding his up in disgust. "I've got claws. And his beams can cut them down." He didn't see Scott wince at the statement, but he could smell his pain. "Sorry kid, that ain't what I meant."

"I know," Scott said quietly.

"Scott's beams may not always work. For all we know, there's a demon out there invincible to everything but a sword," Buffy said.

"But I've got claws."

She growled in exasperation. "Claws that could cut Scott's sword while you practice. The sword is for you to train with Scott." He made a move to protest again, but she glared at him. "If the two of you want to work with me, you have to learn to get along."

Scott snorted and she whirled to face him. "If not get along, at least tolerate each other in a semi-pleasant manner."

"Buffy, I'm not sure we can..." Scott started.

"Yes, you can!" She countered. "The whole problem with the two of you is that you're both alpha males and you have different approaches to battle."
"Hey!" They both protested.

"Argh!!! Scott, you're the leader of the X-men. You like to plan every battle to the letter, you think of everything that could possibly go wrong and keep an eye out for it. Am I right?"

"Yes," he said a little uneasily.

She turned to Logan. "You had your own squad in the wars. You planned too, but you've learned to follow your instincts, even if it takes you away from the original plan and goal."

Logan nodded.

"That's why you guys are at each other's throats. You are both determined to prove that your way is right. I hate to tell you, but you're both wrong."
They looked at her in surprise and she sent them a smug look. She knew she had finally caught their full attention. "A blending works best in the demon world. You need to plan for all possible problems."

Scott started to beam, but she added, "But not be afraid to follow your instincts. My instincts have saved me more times that I can count."

She could see Logan beginning to gloat. "But a lot of times it was the planning that helped my instincts."
"I think I get it," Scott said thoughtfully.

"Now are you ready to do some sword fighting?"

An hour later she stopped them for a breather. Scott was making some improvement. His frame was lighter than Logan's and it made him a little more nimble than the older man.

Logan, however, had obviously had training somewhere as each movement came quickly to him and his sword moved in a deadly dance around Scott.

"My turn," Buffy said as she pulled out another sword. She grinned as she stepped up to Logan and saluted him. Then quick as lightening, she attacked.

Scott sat back and watched the two spar. He had heard from the students about how the two seemed to move as one when they fought. He had to remind himself to breathe for the beauty of their motions was captivating. Not having to worry about hurting the other, they were able to release their full potential.

Watching them, Scott could now see why Rogue and Ororo seemed determined to get the two together. When Storm had first mentioned it, he shuddered at the thought of fixing Logan up with any woman, let alone someone as sweet and pretty as Buffy. Hell, he wouldn't wish Logan on his worst enemy.

But the more he watched their interactions and how they affected each other, the more he began to buy into it. They complemented each other nicely, playing off each others' strengths and weaknesses. It was a perfect blending.

"All right, you've had a long enough break," Buffy said, breaking into Scott's musings. "Both of you attack me, together.'
Scott grinned and grabbed his sword as he stood. "Sure, sounds like fun."

scenebreak

"Buffy, I can't wear this," Rogue said as Buffy handed her a dark green cami. The two were out shopping with Ororo.

"Yes, you can."
"No, I can't. It exposes too much of my skin."
"Trust me," Buffy said. "You want to look good for Bobby on your date this Friday, right?"

"Well, yeah. But this..."
"Then trust me."

"You might as well give in now," Ororo said in her softly accented voice. "Buffy is a woman on a mission."
"Yup," Buffy agreed as she searched through a rack. "To make you look so delicious that Bobby will want to gobble you up."
"But is that fair?" Rogue asked. "He can't, I'll hurt him." A suffering look appeared on her face. "Maybe I should just break it off. It's just not fair to him."

"Hey, what did I tell you about that?" Buffy asked, stopping her perusing to look at her friend.

"If he really likes me, it won't matter. But it still..."
"Buffy's right," Ororo said. "Don't let your mutation keep you from living your life the way you want to."

"To let your mutation rule your life isn't fair to you," Buffy added. She handed her a small jean jacket. "See, you wear this over the cami and now minimal exposed skin. But it's still alluring."

Rogue smiled as she took the jacket. "That's so cute."
"I told you to trust me. Now, you need shoes. You can never have too many shoes." And then she dragged them over to the shoes.

After several hours of shopping the girls finally took a break to eat. Their bags covered the ground around them at a small table in a corner of the food court.

"It was a successful day of shopping," Buffy said with a grin.

"You certainly are a marathon shopper," Ororo commented.

"I'm a baby compared to Cordy. She was a madwoman," the slayer said a bit wistfully.

"Cordy? I don't think you've mentioned her before," Rogue said as she popped a fry in her mouth.

"I went to high school with her, but she moved to L.A. when we graduated. She worked with Angel until she fell into a coma over a year ago."
"What caused the coma?" Ororo asked.

Buffy shrugged. "She went evil for a while, gave birth to a bigger evil and went into a coma. The details are a little sketchy. But she was a half-demon that received visions from the PTB."
"PTB?"

"Powers That Be. The ones who are responsible for a lot of the problems in my life," she answered sourly. "Can we talk about something else?"
Ororo and Rogue exchanged a look before the southerner asked, "How are things with Logan?"
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, her hand freezing with her drink halfway to her mouth.

"Well he knows you like him, you know he likes you, and you spend an awfully large amount of time together."
"Plus, I've seen him leaving your room in the mornings with the clothes he wore the day before on," Ororo added.

"We're friends," Buffy said slowly.

"Uh huh," Rogue said in a tone that clearly said that she didn't believe her.

"We are. There's nothing going on."
"And denial is not just a river in Egypt," Rogue said with a grin.

"Why don't you just admit that you like him and make a move?" Ororo asked.

"'Ro!"
"What? The tension between the two of you is torturous on the rest of us. You guys watch each other constantly. You're practically joined at the hip. Just go and kiss the man like I know you're just dying to do."

Buffy sputtered. Rogue and Ororo smiled at each other.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind," Rogue chimed in.

The slayer glared at them. "There's nothing going on between me and Logan."
Ororo put her hands up in defeat. "Right. Whatever you say."
"That's right," Buffy said, but she had the distinct feeling that she lost that argument.

scenebreak

Buffy and Logan were cuddled up on the couch watching TV later that night as she thought over what the girls had told her that afternoon. She looked up at him out of the corner of her eye, but his eyes were on the screen in front of them. She shifted slightly and he squeezed her lightly to him when she settled.

As much as she tried to deny it to herself, she had a deep attraction to the man. One that apparently others were noticing. Maybe Ororo was right, she should just kiss him and see what happened from there. It was just...

Her body tensed as something registered on her senses.

"What's wrong?" He asked, suddenly alert.

"Someone's here," she whispered as she stood. Following the sensation, she entered the hallway to the front door. Her body relaxed as she recognized the person talking to Scott.

"Buffy," the guys said as she approached.
She threw her arms around him. "Oz! It's so good to see you. How did you know I was here?"
"Angel."

"He's not human," Logan growled from behind her. Anger welled in his chest at seeing her hug another man.

"Werewolf actually," she answered as she pulled back.

"They're real, too?" Scott asked.

"Why not?" Buffy asked. "You've already seen vamps and demons, so why not werewolves? Oz dated Willow back in high school and college before moving away to find a way to control the wolf."
"I'm so sorry about the others. I just found out," Oz said sadly.

"Where were you?"
"Tibet."

"Doing what?"
"Meditating."

Buffy grinned and hugged him again. "I've missed you."

Storm came rushing in. "Logan! Scott! The professor needs us to go on a mission. I'll give you the details in the jet."

"Sorry to cut this short, but it was nice to meet you," Scott apologized before running down the hall with Logan just behind him.

"Mission?" Oz asked.

"Mutants."
"Ah. Thought they smelled strange."

She continued to stare down the hall where they had gone. She felt a little hurt that he hadn't even told her 'bye'.

"Go. I'll be fine here," Oz said softly after a few moments.

"Be right back," she said and she ran for the hanger. She got there just in time to see Scott enter the jet. "Logan!"

He turned in surprise to see her. "What?"

Buffy ran up to him and hugged him tightly. "Come back to me," she whispered.

"Always."

She pulled back and placed a quick kiss on his lips and then ran back out the door.