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UNDERSTAND

She nodded in agreement, and thought of a way to release this information, this burden to him. Marie could not help the tears pour down as she thought about it. Logan stood up and sat next to her on the bed, putting an arm around her trying desperately, not only to comfort her, but to coax the information out of her. Marie tensed under his grasp, obviously not the reaction he was hoping for, and she pulled away from him and stood up, making sure to keep a good distance between them. She wiped her tears away and returned to that blank expression he has seen too many times since seeing her again. Finally her eyes met his.

"Ah had a boyfriend aftah ya left. He-" then she turned away, so Logan tried to go over to her but she pushed him away and sighed.

"What did he do Marie?" he growled at her. She laughed at him, almost as if she had lost her mind.

"Nothing Logan! How could he if'n he couldn't touch me!" she yelled at him. He was dumbfounded that this was even happening. Then she laughed again, but this time it was bitter.

"Ah thought he cared for meh, loved meh like Ah loved him." she told him in a hushed voice, her back still to him, her fists clenched. He just watched her movements, hoping she would go on. Then she turned around slowly, smiling at him gently.

"We both became X-men. That's when it all changed. He always seemed ta like tryin' ta find a way ta, ta touch meh. But not then, nevah again." She sauntered over to him, closing in the space between him and ran her finger down his arm, slowly and tenderly, then brought it back up and touched his face. The hairs on his neck were standing on end, he was relishing her touch trying so hard not to attack her and have his way with her right then and there. He was brought out of his revere when she whispered, "The Professor, he helped meh ta touch. Helped meh understand mah powers." She stepped back again, and he instantly missed her closeness to his body.

"It took a long time, but Ah was so afraid ta hurt somebody." she snorted. "But then 'gain, everybody was afraid of meh."

"Not me darlin'." she turned back to him and grinned.

"No, nevah ya sugah. But he didn't either." Her words were more so full of sorrow than bitterness.

"What did he do to you?" he asked, more gently this time.

"Nothing. Isn't that the point?" then she moved into the other room, he followed closely behind. When she was about to head for the front door he grabbed her wrist. She looked back at him smiling as if nothing ever happened. Any evidence of her tears were gone.

"What did he not do to you then?" her expression changed quickly. She held no emotion.

"Ah found him," she looked away. "The day Ah found out ta control it. Found out, Ah found out that Ah should have known bettah. Whay would a man want a woman he couldn't touch."

"But you could?"

"Yeah, but bah then it really didn't matter."

"What did he do?" he repeated, but not letting go of her wrist so she turned to the couch and he allowed her to sit down. She pursed her lips and closed her eyes taking a deep breath remembering each of the images that haunted her.

"All the girls loved him, always flirtin'. Aftah mah session Ah went outside ta relax, when Ah heard somethin'. Ah thought it was a good idea ta go and see what it was. It was 'round Christmas, most of the kids went home ta beh with their families. Ah saw him with one of 'em that flirted so much. She was a telepath, and a blonde ta boot. Lotta the guys liked her. She was touchable."

"Marie-" she stopped him by placing her hand in the air. Her eyes still closed, she continued.

"Ah didn't know what ta do. It hurt so much. Ah thought he would beh happy with meh." this time she laughed bitterly. Then she started chewing on the inside of her lip.

"Ah ran, Ah ran, but Ah ended up back inside the Institute. Then Ah saw her alone. She smiled at meh knowin' what Ah saw, so Ah had ta know what she saw, had ta know...what it was like. Ah touched her." That was when she looked at him.

"Ah didn't kill her, her powers left meh aftah two weeks. But aftah one of those weeks, Ah couldn't take the dirty looks and readin' their thoughts of meh. And what was in his mind was the worst. He even avoided meh as much as he could. So, Ah left."