She must've looked at the dress for at least fifteen minutes. Athena just stood with it in the mirror, placing it over herself and imagining how she would fit into it. The dress was quite beautiful; she could tell that it had been made by a favorite designer of hers, and a great friend as well—Versace. But she knew that Versace was anything but cheap, and the man didn't like making things for just anybody; how had Logan gotten it? She knew that Logan had been the one who'd sent her the dress, and was asking her out on a date. Athena knew that Logan wasn't necessarily rich—but then again, she didn't know much about his financial status. With men nowadays, money didn't matter. If the man she loved didn't make enough to support himself, she would support the both of them with the millions she earned from Xaphania—she was a famous teacher and fight instructor, after all. However, Athena had had bad luck with men; she'd loved Lestat, but her father had disapproved and wanted her to marry a werewolf or a matrix. Now that Lestat was gone, she wondered what her father would say about her future—would he force her to marry?

But Athena decided to let all of her worries disappear when she showered, brushed her teeth, and then put on the dress, which was made almost like an old Victorian dress, combining the colors black and red. The very top of the dress—the part that was above her waist—was a beautiful hue of red. It was dark, but not too dark. Beautiful crystal graced the top of the dress; it traced the low neckline beautifully, almost like wild vines. Below the waist and at the length of the dress (which touched the floor), the red hue was intermixed with black. There were several layers in the length of the dress; they alternated black and red, and created a mixture between the two colors that she'd never seen in any other dress before.

When Athena had finished putting on the dress, she looked into the box and saw two more things: a pair of black shoes and a black shawl. Picking up the shawl, she tried to figure out if it would rain that night; otherwise, she wouldn't wear the shawl. You had to wear it in just the right way, or it would look odd with the dress. Athena decided that it was better to be safe than to be sorry, and decided to wear the shawl, but not before wearing the beautiful shoes Logan had sent her. They were much like her own black heels, except the stiletto heel was longer—about seven or eight inches. However, when she put them on, she thought they must've been magicked in some way; for she seemed only a bit taller than she was without the heels. Athena smiled, and then proceeded to put on the shawl, adjusting it carefully so that it matched nicely with the dress.

By now, she was nervously thinking of a Logan who was waiting for her downstairs—probably dressed in a tux, if he had gotten her a dress like this. Athena could never see Logan in a tuxedo; she knew, however, that he would be handsome.

There wasn't anything in this world, Athena was convinced, that could make that man unattractive—whether he wore a suit or the form of a wolf.

Logan was waiting nervously, tugging at the collar of his tuxedo. He'd never worn one before—or at least, he couldn't remember ever wearing one. Now he knew why; it was uncomfortable, for being a pair of pants and a shirt that looked much better than the ones he usually wore. But Logan was more nervous about Athena than he was about his tuxedo. He wondered if she'd like the dress he'd gotten her, and even whether she'd come like he'd asked her to. Logan would regret it—and hate himself—if she didn't come. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't; they'd only just reached an understanding between them. Logan had a feeling that Athena would be a fleeting thing, he had to tell her how he felt before it was too late, and they never saw each other again.

Logan glanced at the clock, knowing that if Athena didn't show up and a half-hour was left before dinner, he would go up, change, and forget all about his blunder. To his surprise, he heard the sound of a door closing and the rustle of a dress. His heart was caught in his throat as he saw a smiling Athena at the top of the stairs, wearing the dress that he'd gotten her. She looked beautiful; like a goddess or something of the sort. Logan was captivated by the glow that resonated from her face, and couldn't help but smile at her smile. Her hair fell beautifully down her shoulders, and Logan noticed a hair ornament in the shape of a fan embedded in her tresses.

As she made her way down the stairs, Logan finally managed to swallow and say, "You look beautiful."

Blushing, Athena said, "Thank you. This dress made me have to remember how to be graceful; it's been a long time since I wore anything like this."

Logan took her hand, and looked deep in her black eyes, full of fire. "Are you ready?" She nodded, and he led her outside, where a limo was waiting. A driver came out of the limo, and came around to the passenger door to open it for Logan and Athena. "Thank you," Athena said, as Logan helped her get into the limo. Logan smiled as she glanced at him from inside the limo, and the driver only nodded. Logan slipped in next to his date for the evening, and bid the driver leave. They were going to a restaurant; more importantly, a restaurant run by a vampire in New York that had been overjoyed to serve dinner to his Queen and her date when Logan asked him for a favor. Afterwards, they would go to a play. Logan hadn't seen any plays in his life, but he knew Athena would enjoy it. He'd managed to get tickets for Rent, which was a musical that would leave Broadway shortly. Logan had had to beg Versace for the help—he'd already asked him for the dress, which Versace had been happy to make when he heard the words "Athena" and "Lupin Solcannis's daughter" from Logan's mouth. But Logan knew very well that he owed Versace a lot; Rent tickets were nearly impossible to get this close to its closing. He wasn't proud of his having to ask for favors, but he was happy when Athena turned to him and said, "Where are we going?"

He only said, with excitement in his eyes, "It's a surprise."

Athena flipped her hair in a subtle manner; she knew that she was in for a treat; Logan only seemed to get excited when something extraordinary was on its way.

As they were headed for dinner, Athena could only think of what Jean would say and think when she'd found that her friend had gone out for the evening with Logan.

"Athena!" Jean called, looking everywhere for her friend; she still remembered her promise to cook dinner with her. Jean had checked almost everywhere; the library, the danger room, even with Professor Xavier. But as Jean headed up to Athena and Logan's room, she found an open silver box, tissue paper scattered everywhere, and a vase of beautifully tragic black roses. Jean walked over to Athena's nightstand, and found a note, which Jean read aloud.

"Dear Jean, Sorry I couldn't tell you that I wouldn't be home sooner. I'm out for the night . . . with Logan. Believe me, it was unexpected. I hope I can make up dinner some other time— it would have been fun. Sorry again. Your friend, Athena." Jean sighed. She wasn't mad at her friend; at the very least, she'd written a note. But Jean would definitely hold Athena to her promise, and proceeded to pick up the scattered tissue paper and box, and put them at the foot of Athena's bed. Jean was madder at Logan than Athena, not about dinner; she knew better than Athena did how rough around the edges he was, and she hoped that he was treating her new friend right. Jean didn't know if they would have a relationship, but she hoped that Logan was being somewhat of a gentleman, at least. Jean hoped Athena was happy, and left that hope in that room, hoping that Athena would sense it like she'd sensed the remnants of her brother's spirit.

Jean went downstairs to start dinner, and decided to call Storm to help after figuring out that she would try to make some decent chicken for dinner. They had a whole chicken in the freezer for a while, and she thought that there was no better night than tonight to use it—since they had, after all, come one step closer to bringing things back to normal at the Academy by speaking to Athena's father and deciding that Xaphania and the Academy would be magically linked. Jean hoped that soon, all this talk of magic and vampires would leave, and they could get back to normal. However, Jean knew that Athena went where magic led her, meaning she would leave the Academy, and go back to Xaphania to teach after the war was done and over. She wondered-- would she see her friend again, after that? And if Logan truly had developed some semblance of feelings for the girl, would their relationship get to continue? Even begin?

Jean let herself worry about the chicken roast rather than the fate of Athena. She's my friend, and looks like a teenager, though she's four thousand years old. She has to make her own decisions, and control her own life. I can worry about her, but in the end, no one else can sway what she wants to do. Lupin tries to do that, but he apparently fails. Jean smiled to herself as she tried to follow the directions that were printed on the roast. Thankfully, Storm came down from her room to help with dinner. She could tell that she'd just been with Kurt, and that strong feelings were running through her heart and mind.

Jean was happy to see that one relationship, other than the one between her and Scott, would last and bloom.

When Athena and Logan had reached the restaurant named Rain in the middle of New York City, she was delighted at the surroundings. There was art from all the ancient civilizations: Rome, China, Africa, Egypt, and even some Aztec and Maya art. She was even more surprised to feel that one of her vampiric children ran the restaurant; she'd met him a long time ago, and never thought she'd see him again, though this son she had particularly liked. Athena remembered that his name had been Jaguar, and realized how good a chef he'd become when she smelled his cooking all the way from the kitchen.

"Right this way, please," a restaurant escort told them, leading them to better seating, since after all Athena was technically the head chef's Dark mother. Logan let Athena go ahead of him, as they were led to a beautiful balcony table that sat right under the stars, and overlooked some of the outdoor seating that the restaurant had. She felt herself swell with pride that one of her countless children had done so well for himself with something he loved. The restaurant escort moved to help Athena sit, but Logan beat him to it as he pulled out the chair for Athena, and pushed it in when she was sitting down.

"Thank you, Logan," she said, smiling, as he answered with a smile while seating himself. Athena knew that Logan was trying to be a gentleman; sitting with him, even now, she could sense his inner wolf. Logan wasn't a werewolf, but he certainly had a wild streak in him. Athena thought it strange that she could sense it strongly at the dinner table, but she soon realized why she could sense it at all.

He was keeping his wild streak hidden, and acting refined—for her benefit.

Athena was touched by his little sacrifices, and promised herself that the second time they went out—if they went out a second time—she would make him take her to a place where she could see him, as he really was, and run under the stars with him-- in their natural forms.

"So, tell me," Athena said, "why did you ask me to come out here tonight? I'm thankful for the dinner, and for the date. But I thought . . ." He saw her eyes looking at him; they were black, but so full of love and heat, though the young girl barely knew it. " . . .I thought that . . . you didn't want someone who was dishonest."

"I don't," Logan said, letting his voice only quietly speak over Athena's. "But I realized that you're not dishonest." Logan sighed as he tried to describe what he felt in words; by now, they were so complicated that words didn't even come close to describing them. "You've had a tough life, Athena. Like I have. But the fact that you hid that life from me . . . it doesn't make you any better or worse than me. I have a dark past, which I haven't told you about. To be honest, I didn't expect you to come, since I haven't been honest with you about me." Athena felt something stir in her when she looked into his brown eyes and saw something that she'd never expected to see again. "That night . . . under the stars . . . " Carefully extending his arms over the table, he took Athena's hands in his own. They looked into each other's eyes, remembering the night that they spent together as wolves. " . . . I realized that you're so lost, with no one to help you—the people you love are clueless, and the man you love left you. You had such a hard life, more painful because it's everybody's business, but you're still figuring things out about yourself. I've already figured out my past in the last year or so. But you . . . haven't. Do you remember when you told me that when you'd . . . lived at Versailles, you'd wanted to kill yourself everyday?" Athena nodded, a tear trickling down her cheek—half joyful and half full of sorrow. "Well, when you'd told me your whole story, you'd just told me that you'd lived at Versailles. Given what you could to men without emotion. Don't be hurt by what I'm about to say, but I imagined you enjoying your life and what you did there. Now . . . I know that you hated it. You unfold a bit everyday—find out more about yourself and your past with every thought. I can see it in your eyes." Logan let himself look into Athena's eyes lovingly and passionately. "You've been without so many things that should have been returned to you. Faith . . . pride . . . love . . . passion—" Logan let the last word hang in his throat, but soon swallowed and continued. "And I want to give you those things. I want to be by your side and give you those comforts that your life has taken from you." Holding Athena's hands tenderly as she cried quietly, he wished he could lean over the table and kiss her. "Athena . . . do you know how beautiful you are? You have a beauty that doesn't have an age, or a time. I admit that I'm in love with you for your beauty. But I want to stay with you to help you . . . to help you find yourself and through all your pain, lying with you under the stars." Logan now had reached the part of his confession that would be most difficult, but he knew that he had to say this to her. Sighing, he continued. "But you look so young . . . and I have to admit, I don't look very young. I don't want to remember the times when I've realized that you have the body of a child—just seventeen years young. But appearances are deceiving." He laughed a bit, saying, "You're too young to be with me, and too old at the same time. A seventeen year old body that's actually four thousand years old."

Logan could see Athena's eyes tearing up a bit, a mild red running down her pale cheeks—he realized just how like a picture Athena's face was. Then he heard the soft tone of her voice. "That may be, but what does that matter? Time isn't real, anyway; just a way of counting the years, and to keep track of what we've lost." Athena gently wiped away her own tears, and said, taking some of the pain from her heart into her voice, "But I know only one thing; I don't want to lose you. I love you, Logan." His hands were holding hers, and she gently leaned over to kiss them. "What a tangled web of a world we live in. I love you . . . because of your comfort, your honesty. The look in your eyes that makes me want to remain a rampant wolf, as long as you're with me. The feeling in your voice and eyes that tells me you'd stay with me to fix what there is left of me." Logan couldn't help but notice that her eyes were tearing up again, as she said quietly, "And you're wrong about all those emotions having left me. Because love is still with me . . . and the man I love is sitting right here with me. He hasn't left at all."

Logan sighed with pleasure. He loved her, and she loved him. He couldn't believe it; only a few days ago, he had thought that he'd be condemned to suffer in silence as he loved Jean, who could—and would—never love him back. But here he was, in an expensive restaurant, confessing his love to a woman—Logan would never think of Athena as a girl anymore—who loved him too.

They ordered, which seemed odd to the both of them; they had just changed each other's lives, and now were returning to reality when they ate. He ordered a simple steak, and she ordered some duck and lamb, feeding Logan from her plate. She could tell that he had little experience ordering in a fancy restaurant, but she hardly minded sharing her food with Logan . . . who she knew would stay with her. He wouldn't do what Lestat had so carelessly done—left her and taken her daughter, the person that had reminded her most of herself. She longed to see the little girl named Sophie, and to have what she had wanted for as long as she could remember—a little family of her own. But that would come eventually; the relationship they had was just beginning to bloom, and she wanted to see the petals of this beautiful flower before showing her daughter.

They were soon done with dinner, and Athena was excited about going to see Rent. She'd wanted to see it, but none of her brothers nor her father like musicals and plays. Logan doubted he'd like it either, but he was surprised when he found himself enjoying the songs and touching plot, telling the story of a group of starving actors and artists living in New York, and trying to make rent each month. They laughed, and enjoyed the music. Athena squeezed Logan's hand as tightly as she could when they sang the song "In Your Eyes"—the look in Logan's eyes had been, in fact, one of the reasons that she'd fallen in love with him. She knew then, at that moment, that this night was one that she'd always remember, for as long as she would live.

It was late when Athena and Logan had finally got back to the Academy, and pouring rain. The driver wanted to get out to help them, but Athena led Logan on in a chase. He had nothing to cover himself from the rain, and chased her for protection under her shawl.

Passion and love, swelling in both of their hearts, caught up with them when Logan finally caught up with her in the rain.

Logan kissed Athena there, letting the water soak their clothing and freeze the moment when their love become reality, as he pushed her against the door of the Academy.