The next months passed by slowly and Logan knew why. It was the beginning of Scott's and Marie's relationship. Not long after that night they had officially become a couple.

Logan watched as they became closer and closer, Marie spending less time with him. Scott seemed ok with that. Maybe even pleased.

He watched as their relationship went from hesitant and awkward to comfortable and passionate. It tore him up inside.

Logan started leaving the mansion more and more, staying away longer and longer each time. And when he was there Logan went out, always coming back late at night when most everybody was asleep. It was too much for him to watch them together. He started to avoid the happy couple. Even if it was the cowards way. Not the Wolverines'.

After coming home late one night he found Ororo in the kitchen as if she was waiting for him. She sat there sipping a herbal tea. She looked up at him with an expression that said 'I feel for you I really do, but I still have to say what I have to say'.

He knew there was no escape from her when she was like that, so after grabbing a beer he sat down at the table opposite her and waited for her to speak. Ten minutes of silence passed before she finally opened her mouth.

"You can't keep doing this Logan." her soothing voice breaking the silence.

"Doing what?"

"Avoiding Rogue."

"I'm not avoiding Rogue."

"Aren't you? Rogue told me you are always making up excuses as to why you can do anything with her."

"She has Scott now."

Ororo shook her head slowly

"Doesn't mean she doesn't need you anymore."

"She doesn't." he said gruffly.

"You're her friend Logan. Of course she needs you."

Logan just sat there staring at his now empty can, Ororo watching him with compassion and sympathy?

"You're hurting her." she told him.

"Hurting her?"

"By the way you have been acting around her lately."

Another couple long seconds of silence passed. He finally straightened himself in his chair and turned his eyes toward Ororo.

"I am just not comfortable with Rogue and..." suddenly finding he couldn't say it but knew he needed to "with Rogue and Scott.. as a couple." She stared at Logan knowing that he had just pretty much bore his soul for someone like him who never really shared himself with anyone.. except of course Rogue... not that he had with her in a while.

"Why do you hate Scott so?"

"I don't. Although the guy is an ass... and is way too serious all the time."

"Then what is the problem?" Ororo eyes suddenly lit up as if she had just had an epiphany. "You care for deeply don't you!"

"Of course I do!" he said his words coming out roughly.

"You're in love with her yourself, that is why you can't stand seeing the two of them together!"

Logan stood up quickly, his chair falling down behind him.

"No. I don't." he said is words slowly, anger burning them. "She's just a kid."

"Oh really!" Ororo said while getting up out of her chair and placing both hands on the table. "You're fooling yourself if you believe that, she's been a woman for some time now, and if her memories she has absorbed through other people don't make her more mature beyond her years, then her experiences have... Wake up Logan, stop being a fool.. I can't believe the mighty Wolverine is scared of being in love!"

Her words angered him and before he knew it his claws were tearing out of his skin.

Ororo's eyes went to his hands and then back to his face, but she showed no sign of moving.

Suddenly realizing what he was doing he unsheathed his claws and stormed past Ororo. She said nothing to him as he left. But he could feel her worried gaze on his back as he exited.

So even more months went by. Logan tried to stop avoiding Rogue and spend time with her, but things were totally different than ever before. There was a strain on their relationship that hadn't ever been there before.

Logan found that Scott was being more polite to him and was slower to anger around him. That infuriated Logan beyond words...

One morning Logan woke up and realized that he just couldn't do it anymore. It was time for him leave. He just didn't want to deal with any of it anymore.

He found himself heading toward Marie's Room, after knocking on the door she opened it, her eyes filled with sleep since he probably had just woken her up.

"I'm Leaving kid." he said as soon as the door was open.

"You're leaving?" she said, looking at him. "For how long this time?"

He didn't answer and she suddenly realized what he meant. Her sleep vanished out of her eyes as if she was suddenly wide awake.

"I thought y'were happy here. Y'were even startin' to teach." she opened the door so that he could enter he room.

Logan walked in, turned around and faced her as she shut the door behind them.

"I know Marie but things change."

"Y'can't leave Logan!" she said grabbing his arm, ... "I need you!" sudden desperation making it's way into her words.

"No you don't." he shook her arm off of his "And sometimes I wonder if you ever did."

"Don't say that Logan!" she said vehemently "I did need you! Y'took a scared, lonely kid and put her in a place of sanctuary where she found friends and a future!" Marie looked up at him tears showing in her eyes. "If it wasn't for y'I would have never met Remy or Scott... would have never had Julien. Would have never gotten my powers under control! Y'helped me become the person I am today! Y'have and always will be the best friend I have ever had!"

"A friend!" he said angrily. "What if I said I no longer wanted to be your friend?"

"I don't understand"... she said sadly as she shook her head in confusion.

Logan found he couldn't contain himself any longer.

"I'm in love with you!" he blurted out, grabbing her to him. He then kissed her with all that he had, all that he had been holding back, all that he was.

And that is when he felt something he hadn't in a long time.

Her energy pull.

He was about to release Marie before it effected him, when she pushed him away.

"I'm sorry Logan I can't." she looked up at him regretfully.

"Your skin," he looked down at her right arm "your not wearing your bracelet." Knowing as he spoke that he was stating the obvious.

"I know, I took it off." she started rubbing her hand where it usually was "It gives me headaches if I wear it too long."

"Does Dr. McCoy know?" he asked worriedly.

"Yea he knows." she answered quickly.

"Why didn't you tell me!"

"I'm sorry I didn't want to worry you... Its nothing anyway." Marie went and sat down on her bed, crossing her legs she slowly looked back up at him. He saw guilt lying on her features.

"You didn't push me away just because of yours skin did you.?" he asked as if making a revelation.

"No Logan. I didn't." she turned her face away from him as if it was to painful to look at him "Look y'were right all those years ago... I was a kid. A kid who was very much in love with y'but now..."

"Now?"

"I love you Logan, I always have and always will, I just don't love y'like that..." her voice drifted off as her eyes finally made contact with his. Eyes full of tears.

He couldn't help but feel that he had heard those words before. Logan then knew he had.. only he was the one that had spoken them.. all those years ago..

Turning himself away from her he started walking out of the room. He said quietly but loud enough for her to hear.

"I think you know that I am not coming back."

And then he walked out the door, shutting it loudly behind him. Logan heard her start crying on the other side. But that only strengthened his resolve as he made his way to his room.

To pick up his stuff and to leave the Xavier mansion... never to return.