Ok everyone, here it is. What you've all been waiting for... the next chapter! Just a few things before you read...

1. I'm stopping the email update notice. I'm getting a lot of returned emails. If you want to know when I update you can do it through the site, or you can join my website update list.

2. Updates should be picking up since this is now my only WIP. I'm not saying I'll be updating every week, but it won't be months between posts anymore.

3. I'm not doing review responses this time because it's been so long since I've updated I'm sure you've forgotten what you put in your review. Just know that I appreciate every single one of them and that you guys kick ass!

4. Had to up the rating of the fic cause of the last scene...

Chapter Twenty-Two

Oz took his time lining up his first shot. "How did the date go?" He casually asked, never looking up at Logan who stood at the other end of the pool table.

Logan didn't even try to suppress the goofy smile that spread across his face.

"That well, huh?" Scott said with a grin of his own. "I noticed my car made it back in one piece. Not to mention that little tryst outside her door."

"She have to do any emergency slaying?" Oz asked before Logan could retort and start an argument.

"Nah."

Oz just nodded as he moved around the table to pick his next shot.

"So where did you take her?" Scott asked.

"Bein' awful nosy about this ain't ya, One-eye?"

"Hey, just making sure you're taking care of our girl."

"Your girl?" Logan asked with a growl, stepping up to Scott.

"Our girl."

Oz continued to ignore them as he sank his second shot. He understood Logan's possessiveness and recognized it for what it was - fear and love. The gruff man had grown to love the petite slayer and he feared every possible threat to their happiness together. Oz had experienced the same feelings when he had been with Willow. He just hoped Logan didn't let it control all of his actions because it would upset Buffy very fast.

"She's not your girl," Logan growled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "She's mine."

"Fine, she's your girl. Where did you take your girl?" Scott asked, not backing down.

"To dinner and a play."

Surprise registered in Scott's voice. "A play? What play?"

"Cabaret," Logan said, taking a puff on his cigar.

Scott gaped at him in shock for a moment before saying, "Logan... that's a musical."

"Yeah, what of it?" Logan asked, going on the defensive.

"You willingly took her there?" Scott asked in confusion.

"Yeah, I did, Cyke. What's the shock?"

"It's a musical."

"You've said that already," Logan pointed out.

"But it's a musical."

"With suitably dark themes," Oz added.

"See," Logan said. "Dark themes."

"It doesn't have a happy ending," Scott said.

"Buffy liked it. She had never seen a play before," Logan said loftily.

"But Cabaret?"

"You sound like a broken record, bub. Knock it off, you're pissin' me off." Logan said setting his cigar in an ashtray. He moved around the table to make his first shot.

"The show is also about hope," Oz added, hopefully heading the argument off before it got out of hand. He added softly to Scott, "At least they went out."

"Yeah. You guys gonna go out again?"

"Wednesday night," Logan said with a grin, making his shot.

"Have a seat guys," Buffy told Bobby and Rogue. She and Logan had just finished one of their extra defense lessons with them. She and Logan joined them on the mat. "Wolvie and I have been talking and we've decided to take you patrolling Friday night."

Rogue and Bobby grinned at each other. "That is so cool," Bobby said.

"What made you change your mind?" Rogue asked.

"One day in the future there will probably be an apocalypse that will need magic," Buffy said sadly. "I'll need you guys there, but I also need to know that you can handle yourselves. So every once in a while we'll take you patrolling so you won't freak."

The two teens were practically bouncing in excitement.

"Now don't get too excited," Logan said. "We're only takin' ya to some of the smaller hangouts."

"There's also a condition," Buffy added, smiling as they suddenly became suspicious.

"What kind?" Rogue asked.

"I need to experience your mutation," Buffy said seriously.

Rogue's eyes widened. "You want ta what?"

"I need you to touch my hand with yours and no fabric in between."

"But..."

"I have to know what it's like. What if you got thrown on top of me during a fight and it happens accidentally? I need to know what to expect."

"Otherwise no patrolling," Logan said.

"It doesn't have to be for long. Just enough for me to get an idea."

Rogue looked fearfully at Logan. "She'll be in my head, too. I don't want to hurt her."

"What do you mean I'll be in your head?" Buffy asked. When Rogue didn't answer she looked over at Logan. "Well?"

"She doesn't just absorb life forces or powers or whatever it is that Chuck calls it, but she gets memories or something like that. Poor thing has me and Magneto plus a few others swimming around in her head," Logan explained.

Buffy chewed on her bottom lip as she thought it over. "What has the professor been doing to teach you control?" She finally asked.

"Nuthin' yet. He's not sure how to help me," Rogue said softly.

The slayer frowned. "Not even meditation to organize all those personalities?"
"No."

"When we're done, go talk to Oz. He'll help you. All he's done for the past four years is meditate," Buffy said.

"Why?" Logan asked.

"That's how he learned to control the wolf inside him." She turned back to Rogue. "Give me a moment to center myself and then we'll try this. Hopefully I can shield myself enough so that all you'll get is some energy and maybe powers."

"That won't help you in the field," Logan warned. "There's no way to center yourself."

"I know, but I'm trying to make this easier for her," Buffy said. Then she closed her eyes and looked inward. After a few minutes she opened her eyes and held out her hand. Seeing the fear on the girl's face she smile encouragingly. "You won't hurt me."

Rogue gave her the barest of nods and pulled the glove off of her right hand. Without saying a word, she reached out and took Buffy's hand. They gasped at the contact and held each other's gaze. Logan and Bobby watched and waited to see if they were needed to break them apart.

After what seemed like an eternity to them, they dropped their hands. "Wow," they said together.

"That was..." Rogue began.

"Intense," Buffy finished.

"How do you feel?" Logan asked anxiously.

"Fine," Buffy said.

"Strong," Rogue replied.

Logan stood up. "Hit me."

"What?" Rogue asked in surprise.

"Let's find out how strong. Hit me."

Rogue sent him a look that clearly said she thought he was nuts, but stood anyways. She slipped her glove back on her right hand with practiced ease, then she punched him. She couldn't stop the squeak of surprise when he went flying across the room.

"How long do you have someone else's abilities?" Buffy asked, a small smile on her face as she watched Logan stand.

"Depends on how long I touched someone. Don't know for sure."

"I suggest being very careful for the next couple of hours. You won't believe how easy it is to break things. In fact, make sure your glass at dinner is plastic," Buffy suggested, remembering the difficulties she once had with her own newfound abilities.

"How's the head?" Logan asked.

"Fine, she's just barely there, more of an impression."

"See told you I wasn't that bright."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "I don't know why you try to make us believe you're dumb, we all know you're not."

"That transparent huh?"

"Yup."

"Damn, 'cause like, I try so hard, and there's like total craziness and smart people around," Buffy said in her best valley girl accent making the teens laugh.

Logan grinned with them as he saw happiness sparkle in Buffy's eyes. She was finally starting to relax and accept the fact that people were going to care for her whether she wanted them to or not. As a result she laughed more and life seemed to return to her soul. Nothing could make him happier.

"Wow," Buffy breathed as she got off the bike and walked into the small clearing. Once again Logan had surprised her by taking her into the wooded mountains for a moonlit date. "This is beautiful, Logan. How did you find it?"

"Back when you were mad at me. I went out riding trying to cope with... well coping," he said stepping up behind her. He slid his muscular arms around her slim waist and held her close. A look of happiness shone in his eyes as she leaned into him and rested her head on his chest.

She looked down at the sparking lights in the valley below them. "It looks so peaceful down there. It's hard to believe that it's a literal mouth to hell."

"With a kick ass slayer and her friends to guard it," he assured her.

"I shouldn't drag you guys into my fight," she said softly.

"We chose, there wasn't any dragging," he said, turning her around to look at him. "We want to help so you're stuck with us, got it?" At her reluctant nod, he grinned. "Now I'm hungry so let's eat."

Buffy couldn't stop the laugh that issued forth. "I can't believe you're taking me a picnic at night. It's crazy."

"No one ever said I was sane, darlin'," he replied as he got the basket and the blanket from the back of the bike. He set the basket down before spreading the large blanket on the ground. Making himself comfortable he gestured for her to join him.

An hour later, they were cuddled together looking up at the night sky. Buffy was finding herself utterly relaxed and content to just be. It was an odd sensation to her but it was one that she could easily get used to.

"I didn't realize that it could be so peaceful at night," she said after a while.

"Huh? You go out and patrol nearly every night."

"That's different. I go out knowing that evil is lurking somewhere and it's up to me to stop it. Plus, there are people and cars and other noises. It's almost claustrophobic. But this is different. I can't feel any evil, there's no one around us, no demands on me. It's just us, the night, and the stars. It's peaceful."

When he didn't respond, she turned her head to see him looking at her with an unreadable expression. She flushed slightly. "Sorry, turned into deep, insightful, babble Buffy. I promise to try and curb it, but..." She was cut off by him pressing his lips to hers. Buffy instantly found herself drowning in the passion he stirred in her only to have it stop when he pulled away.

"You said us," he whispered.

"Huh?" She said, her brain not following.

"You mentioned us. Twice," Logan said. He couldn't believe that something so simple could turn him into such a sap.

"Well, yeah," she said a bit uncertainly. "I mean we are dating. This is us on our second date and I just figured... I mean I could be wrong... Why are you smiling?"

"Are you always like this when you're unsure about yourself?"
"What, the babbling?"

"Yes."

"Usually, yeah." She looked at him through her eyelashes. "We are together, right?" She asked softly.

"I thought so, otherwise this is about to get awkward."

A mischievous grin appeared on her lips as she moved until she was straddling him. Her blonde hair framed her face and curtained them from the world around them. "You mean this?" She asked, closing the distance.

She gently brushed her lips against his and grinned in satisfaction at his groan from the brief contact. Dipping her head again, she flicked her tongue along his lower lip, begging for entrance. His lips parted and her tongue slid inside, eliciting a soft moan from him. Buffy deliberately kept the pressure light and teasing. She took her time exploring before pulling back.

It still scared her how deeply this man had affected her. One touch of his hand or lips set her body ablaze with a heat she had never felt with anyone before. She wanted no less than all of him and knew he wanted the same from her. That was the part that frightened her. The giving of oneself over so completely, to place the well-being of your heart and soul to another terrifying. But she was tired of running and tired of not being happy. She hadn't even known that she felt that way until he forced her to look inside herself.

Looking into his dark eyes she could tell that he was ready. Ready to hand everything over to her. She just wasn't sure if she was ready to reciprocate yet, at least not emotionally. But her body screamed for him. Giving in to her body's desire, she pressed her lips to his once again.

Logan was awash in a sea of sensations. Buffy seemed to surround him all at once. He could hear her heartbeat quicken and the smell of her arousal. She kissed and nipped her way down his neck, all the while grinding her core against his growing erection. It seemed that she was everywhere, but for him it wasn't enough. He wanted to taste her, mark every inch of her body as his so that no one - human and demon alike - would ever touch her.

With a growl, he rolled them over and settled himself between her shapely legs. He relished the knowledge that he was the cause of her soft moans. The sudden contact of skin against skin caused him to hiss in pleasure. While Buffy had been busy untucking his shirt, her wiggling had caused her own shirt to rise, exposing the smooth, soft skin of her belly.

He ceased his exploration of her body long enough to allow her to remove his shirt and then return the favor. Logan paused to look at her in the soft moonlight and sent a brief prayer of thanks to whoever was looking out for him. He wasn't sure what he had done to deserve such an amazing woman, but he wasn't going to debate the matter.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, before crushing his lips to hers. Their tongues fought for dominance while Buffy's hands seemed to be everywhere and holding him tight all at once.

When they broke for air, he could see the lust and desire in Buffy's eyes, but there was also something else. It was so faint that he could barely see it at first. But once he had, he could smell the undercurrent of it as well. She was afraid. With a great effort, he reeled in his libido.

Sensing the change, Buffy asked, "What's wrong?"

"We can't do this. Not yet," he said, rolling off of her to lie on his back.

Buffy frowned and sat up. "What do you mean we can't?"

"You're not ready."

"Hello! I know you can smell how ready I am," Buffy retorted, too confused and a little upset to be embarrassed by what she had just said.

Logan groaned in barely contained frustration. "I know and it's intoxicating, but that's not what I meant. Yer still scared."

"So what if I am?" Buffy pouted, knowing it was no use to argue. "We can work past it."

He looked into her hazel eyes. "I don't want to rush ya into somethin' yer just not ready for. Yer barely able to accept that I'm in your life, let alone give me a large part of yourself. I don't want ya hatin' or resentin' me later cause I rushed things. I ain't goin' anywhere before or after you're ready," he softly assured her.

Buffy stared at him long and hard while she processed everything he had just said, and realized that he was probably right. She just never had a man who was willing to wait for her, until everything was right for her. He was in no hurry to move things along because once he did have her, he was planning on it being forever. The realization of that knocked her defenses down just a little bit more.

"We can still make with the smoochies until then, right?" She asked with a coy smile.

"Of course, darlin'," he said, pulling her back down to him.