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- CHAPTER 4 -

Seperate Ways

Madeline looked round slowly at Logan her eyes gently watching him almost awkwardly for a moment. Logan looked down slowly at the bag that was slung over a shoulder and the coat that lay over an arm. His face creased with a frown and he slowly settled a displeased glare on her.

"Going somewhere?"

Madeline looked surprised to hear the brusqueness within his tone that was more suited to the way he would speak to Gambit or Scott, not his daughter. "Dad," she began gently, "I've been looking for you, where've you been?"

"Just talking to Aurora," answered Logan simply, leaving out the more risqué details that involved dark cupboards and reignited passions. He scrutinized her gently before he continued, "Where are you going?"

"I got an offer.." answered Madeline slowly, "At the University I was at before, to rejoin and complete my degree."

"You can't leave," said Logan, staring at her, "You're learning here aren't you? Madeline, you can't leave. What about the X-Men? Weren't you considering joining? What about your mutation? And.. what about me?"

But Madeline shook her head slowly, "Logan.. Dad.. I left my studies to find you.. I never really intended to begin living somewhere else now. There's more to my life that this. Just because I am a mutant I shouldn't have to resign myself to staying at Xavier's school with the X-Men. Some mutants have a life.. A normal life. I had one, Dad. I left loads of friends behind for this.. and a education. Now that I've found you, I can continue with my life.. It doesn't mean you lose me. I'm eighteen years old.. I need to get on with my life."

Logan stared at her. He had never considered what she had left behind when she had come to find him. He had been out of her life for fifteen years. She had a life of her own he didn't know about, and who was he to stop her from living that live. I'm her father.. said a voice resolutely in his head. "I know," he murmured quietly, "It's just that after so long I've found you again.. I was hoping you'd stay here.."

"You mean you assumed I would. I want more than this I already have more."

"But things are dangerous out there now. The Government could throw that Mutant Registration Act out any day now and you're gallivanting off to a university!"

"I'm not gallivanting anywhere!" snapped Madeline, "Just because there is a potential threat doesn't mean I should shut myself away in this mansion. And I don't want to become a fighter either. My mutation is a gift, yes, but it doesn't mean I have to live my life by it. Just because I can scale walls and fight well doesn't mean I should do it. I want to continue my course.."

Logan bowed is head slowly as he sighed, "Alright.." he murmured quietly, "I'm sorry," he slowly walked over to her. Madeline watched him fearfully for a moment before she threw down her bag and coat and flung her arms around his large neck. Logan was surprised at her sudden embrace but merely smiled and held her close, nuzzling his face against her thick auburn hair and he heavily inhaled her familiar scent.

"I'm so happy to have found you," she whispered quietly, "But I can't give up everything I achieved just because I am a mutant."

"Take care of yourself out there," Logan closed his eyes slowly, "You know where to find us all if you need us. Where to find me.."

Madeline smiled slowly as she pulled back, and did something she had never done before, and kissed him on the cheek, "Alright," she gently pulled back and picked her belongings up off the floor. She slowly walked towards the double doors, pulling them open. As the gentle sunlight spilled into the entrance hall, she slowly looked round, giving her father a fond smile as she nodded her head his way, "Love you, Dad."

Logan felt an unnatural smile creep happily onto his face, "Love you too," he murmured roughly. He watched her as she exited.. And the door shut behind her exiting form.

"Well done, Logan," said a voice, and Logan looked round in surprise to see Charles wheeling out of one of the corridors.

Logan frowned a minute, "What do you mean?"

But Charles had a pleasant smile on his face, "For letting her go. Each mutant is different, Logan. Some do not revel in their mutation, not that they are afraid or dislike it, but just because they want to be normal. She has accepted her mutation Logan, but as she said, she doesn't have to let it rule her."

"Do you think she'll be alright?"

"Yes, the University is only just outside New York, she has got a taxi there." At the response to Logan's expression Charles merely chuckled as he turned and rolled back down the corridor, "We can do things the normal way Logan, what would you have me do, fly her there in the X-Jet?"

Logan stood quiet for a moment, idly staring at the door Madeline had left out of when he heard a gentle sob sounding from above. He looked up at the ceiling slowly, squinting his eyes as he listened to the quiet sniffling. He made a brief sniff that informed him of whose bedroom existed above him. Rogue? Why was she upset? Rogue was almost another daughter to Logan. He treated her with the same loyalty and protection he would with Madeline, even more so, because in his eyes, Rogue needed it more. She hated her mutation and it often brought her to tears when it was just them together. It looked like it could be another of those situations.

His frown deepened. He hated hearing her cry. He quickly turned to the staircase and hurried upstairs. It didn't take long for him to reach her bedroom door. He quietly knocked, but turned the handle almost instantly anyway and pushed the door open, "Rogue?"

She was sat at the end of her bedroom, quietly crying as she wiped tears from her face. When the door opened these actions hurried and she quickly looked round to stare at Logan. She forced a weak smile on her face, clearly trying to disguise the fact she had been upset. But it was pointless. Logan could see the remains of droplets below her glistening eyes and he could smell the sweet aroma of tears.

"What's happened?" he asked her quietly, walking over slowly.

"It's Bobby," murmured Rogue slowly, only after a moments hesitation. She shared everything with Logan. "He keeps hinting that he wants to kiss me and stuff.. And hell sometime he just tries to catch me off guard and kiss me anyway. I've told him.. Time and time again, I'm too scared.. I could've hurt him before.. I don't want to endanger him."

Logan frowned as he reached her side, moving to sit down besides her, "Why does he keep trying? The kid ain't stupid.."

"Well, I suppose he just wants to," murmured Rogue dejectedly. "Oh, Logan.. I just hate this mutation." She frowned as she wiped her eyes slowly, each time she had ever been upset, it normally came back to her poisonous skin. "I can never have a normal life," she leant against him gently, being careful to not place her head too close to his. It was automatic now, "I'm sorry, Logan. It's just.. Sometimes this really gets me down when I'm sat on my own. I just get onto thinking of everything I can never do. I mean, I can never have kids.. And even if by some miracle I can get pregnant without killing the father, what about the baby? What kind of life is it for a child when it's mother cannot even touch her own flesh or blood. And that's even if it'd survive the actual birth.. I'd probably kill it before it was even born."

"Don't think you're the only one, kid.."

Rogue looked up at him slowly, "What do you mean?"

"Having no kids. Do you think all here will ever get chance to have a family? Any of the X-Men? It wouldn't be safe, it's far too dangerous for them to have a kid in this place. They've sacrificed their lives to fighting for our kind. You ain't the only one to get a raw deal because of mutations."

Rogue bowed her head a little, frowning, "I never thought about that.."

"It's true though ain't it? I mean, Madeline is all grown up, so you can't exactly say I'm much of a father." He made a brief sigh, "She's gone again now though.."

"She's gone?"

"Back to University; wants to finish her studies.."

"Oh.. "

But Logan looked down at Rogue gently and smiled, "But I'm happy for her. Proud. She'll do well, and I want her to be happy."

"But what about you?"

"Well," said Logan with a toying smirk, "I've got to take care of this lot ain't I? Somebody's gotta save their necks every once in a while."

Rogue laughed gently as she squeezed her hold on his arm, "Do you think we'll be alright though? I mean, things have been quiet for a bit.."

"Well," murmured Logan quietly as he idly looked out of the window, "We'll have to see. We can take care of ourselves after all. But.. Things are getting really dangerous now. The MRA could be passed so we really gotta keep our heads down. If that thing gets passed, they're gonna want us first.."

This story jumps quite quickly into the action soon, so don't be too shocked whenit zooms into fast forward mode, lol.