Chapter 9

Anna hurriedly wrenched her seatbelt back off her form; panic clearly setting in as she stared at Logan's unconscious form. He lay slumped against the restraints of his own seatbelt, his head hung bowed. With a frightened gasp, Anna turned away from him, about to open her car door. But suddenly, a tight grip latched itself about her wrist and with startled cry she spun round to stare at Logan.

His hand was holding her wrist, and his head slowly picking itself off his chest. "Anna?"

Anna leaned closer, staring at him with worried eyes, "Logan? Are you alright?"

Quietly, Logan spoke, "I'm fine now.. Are you?"

"Well, we've lost the soldiers.. " she anxiously checked the rear view mirror, just in case. "We ought to get back to the house." She started the engine once more, the truck hurriedly pulling away from the verge to continue it's journey to the house further down the road. Her eyes performed a continual check from the road, to her rear view mirror and to Logan besides her before restarting the cycle. Eventually, the truck pulled into the driveway, which had received a thin covering of snow since that morning.

Anna slipped out of the truck, pulling her shotgun with her as she anxiously scanned the distant road. Logan had made his way out and was hurrying to the front door. Anna came up alongside him, unlocking and gaining them entry into the house. As soon as they were both inside, she slammed the wooden door closed, then turning and staring at Logan. "What the hell just happened out there?"

"Alkali Lake, that's what happened," growled Logan, throwing his jacket off his arms and onto the couch behind him. He stepped back and rested against the armrest, folding his arms. "I went to take a look.. but couldn't see nothin' but the lake."

"Why did those soldiers want us? Were we trespassin'?"

"No.. I told you, that's where you found me, Anna.. I think those soldiers wanted me back."

Anna frowned, looking highly discomfited as she stared into the unlit fireplace.

Logan watched her for a moment, "What is it?"

"Remember.. that's where my father went when he disappeared." Her eyes moved back onto him and they shared a knowing glance. "Maybe the soldiers saw him? He spotted something, he saw too much, and before he could get away, they shot him?"

Logan didn't answer. It made perfect sense, but he didn't want to be the one to confirm that her father's disappearance had in fact been a murder. His eyes fell downward, staring at a fraying patch in the right knee of his jeans. A silence had fallen between them but it didn't last long. A soft gasp sounded and as Logan raised his head he saw that Anna had leant back on the closed front door, a hand over her eyes.

He slowly stood up off the armrest, taking a few steps to complete the short distance between them. He didn't speak, merely slipping an arm around her back and pulling her in against his chest in a comforting embrace. In response, she nestled her head against his shirt, her cries becoming louder as she was held. Unable to find anything suitable to say, Logan remained silent, but inside, fervently supportive of the attacks he had administered in his escape from Alkali Lake.

He gently tightened his grip on her, one arm about her waist and the other embracing her shoulders. His hand softly supported her head, his chin lightly resting upon her the russet crown of her head. Within his arms he could feel her small form tremble with each tearful breath and his hands gently caressed her back in comforting motions.

"What are we going to do?" Anna asked softly, her tearful eyes staring at the nearby table.

Gently, Logan pulled his head back so he could look down at her, "What do you mean?" He pushed strands of hair out of her face, a thumb then brushing away the trails of her tears.

"They know you're still alive, and that you're with me. What if they come looking?"

"I doubt they'd come far out when they don't know exactly where I am. They'd need to plan, and that'd be weeks. We have time, Anna." Anna slowly nodded her head, eyes rising to look up at Logan. "Why don't you go and have a bath?" suggested Logan, wiping away a droplet from her lashes. "I'll stay down here.. keep an eye out. I'll have a fire going for you when you come back down."

Anna managed a small smile at his kind nature; aware he was trying very hard to cheer her up, to reassure her. "Alright," she answered as she lightly pulled herself free of his hold and made her way towards the staircase. She climbed a few steps before she glanced back to see him watching her. She averted her eyes bashfully before hurrying up the staircase.

An hour later, Logan was sat on the rug in front of the fireplace, staring down into the depth of the flames contemplatively. Even though it was still daytime, it had turned dark very quickly, for the outside of the house now bellowed with a fierce blizzard that threw large flakes of snow up against the windows and rattled the wooden door. Logan hadn't bothered to light up the rest of the room, leaving it mainly in darkness save for the orange hue of the fire.

Behind him, Anna slowly descended the staircase, her clothes since changed. Logan looked round when he heard her entry, smiling a little. The scent of her freshly cleaned form came before her footsteps. She walked across the wooden floor to join his side, lowering down to sit besides him on the rug. "You feelin' better?" Logan asked as he watched her join him. He automatically placed an arm behind her seated form.

"Yeah. Today's just been.."

".. crazy."

Anna glanced at him with a smirk, "Yeah."

"I'm sorry about leavin'.. "

"Hey.. it's alright," said Anna quietly as she looked up at hm. "Don't worry about it now."

Logan leaned in a little as he placed a kiss against her cheek. "I guess I just panicked.. ever since.. well - sometimes I'm not sure what to do with myself."

"I said it's alright," Anna reminded with a small smile.

A sheepish grin flitted across Logan's lips. "I know," he said simply, before he leant his head down a little further to hers, meeting her lips gently in a kiss. Anna slowly lifted a hand towards his face, her fingers lightly brushing through the coarse brown muttonchops. Forgetting their earlier troubles, Logan pursued with the kiss, his hand extending from his lap to lightly take Anna by the hips.

The action spurred Anna on all the more, who by now had pushed off of her knees and against him. Logan's hands tightened about her, pulling her closer against him. Their lips hadn't parted and their kiss was becoming increasingly amorous. Logan wondered who was leading it, but it appeared to be a shared ardor for he didn't feel like stopping. However, even in the midst of their passions Logan's senses were still on alert. He froze still for a moment before he attempted to pull back from Anna.

"No," she whispered softly, leaning in to take his lips once more. But Logan shook his head, his hands raising to gently take her face in order to encourage her to stay aaprt when he attempted to move back for a second time from her eager kisses.

"Anna, no. Wait, wait.." he muttered, as she tried to continue the kiss. He gently stroked against her cheek, eyes settling upon hers. Outside the front door there was a quiet rustle, and this time Anna heard it too. Without a word, Logan tightened his arms around Anna and promptly pulled her to her feet with little effort. His hand was tightly about hers as he silently ran towards the kitchen in order to get out of the back door. Anna was staring back at the front door as she was dragged along. A shadow passed by one of the living room windows.

Logan threw his hand down towards the doorknob of the backdoor, just about to grab it when the door was forcefully kicked in, tumbling out of the doorframe. The heavy wooden door groaned off its hinge as it tumbled towards Logan. His eyes widened as he saw the door come upon him. His hand quickly left from Anna's to fly up towards the door as it crashed up him, he growled as he grabbed hold of it, his feet digging into the floor to stop the weight of it falling anymore.

Anna backed away from the scene with a gasp, but she hurtled round to see the front door suffer the same fate, and with no one to hold it closed, dark figures suddenly sprinted inside. Logan was struggling with the door, his feet slipping as he tried to keep out the soldiers on the other side who strained and pushed in return. With another growl his hands tightened and he ripped the door to one side, causing those pushing on the other side to fall to the floor. He growled as his head spun round, and with the door still in either of his hands, he threw it across to them, the heavy wooden door spinning as it caught the soldiers in their guts, throwing them backwards to the floor.

Anna had run backwards into the kitchen, her back against the wall as she gasped, eyes wide in fear. Logan's eyes glared around the room, heavy breaths exhaling from him in a feral manner. His knuckles lowered and with a 'snikt' his claws burst free of his knuckles. "Come on then," he growled. His eyes narrowed, adamantium dog tag swinging from his neck.

Cliffy, woo! Please review this chapter guys and gals!