Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from X-Men or the Marvel Universe. Stan Lee does. I only own Annica Sawyer.


Lonesome Days

By Leah Pensotti

Chapter Four: Westchester


Annica and Logan rode all through the night until the early morning until she finally persuaded him that she needed to stop for a minute.

"Just for a minute." Logan grumbled to her.

Annica hopped off the motorcycle and walked around gingerly, stretching her legs outside the gas station where they had come to a halt. She put down her bag, and looked down at her wounded arm. She had long rid of the sling, it was a hindrance and all that remained was the bandage.

Logan had taken the time to light a cigar and Annica gave him a very interested glance, "So, this place in Westchester...can you give me a hint to what I have in store? What to expect?"

He took a long exhale and met her eyes, "It's a school."

"A school?"

"For people, er, kids with certain abilities."

Annica's jaw dropped slightly. A school for mutants was what he was getting at. Of course, Logan was the first mutant that Annica had ever encountered and it unnerved her how much faith that she had put into him. He had come to her rescue, so he seemed to be of the tolerant variety...but she knew that like normal human beings, not all of them were to be trusted...and what would they think of her? A poor, shot-up, ordinary cop with no powers beyond a certain talent with firearms and a drive to solve puzzles and capture bad guys. Would they see her as feeble?

"What's that look for? Gotta problem with it?" Logan had a severe look on his face, daring her to say something unfriendly.

"No, it's just that I don't want anybody to think I am weak and being with people with 'certain abilities' may make me feel..."

Logan finished her thought for her, "Inferior?"

Annica shrugged her shoulders, "Well, yeah."

"I thought a tough, homicide detective would have thicker skin than that. Look, they can help. Some of them may be wary about you not having 'certain abilities,' but they are the good guys and have advantages that your co-workers do not. I don't know how a cop can have an inferiority complex..."

"I don't have an inferiority complex!" Annica sneered, picked up her bag and got back on the motorcycle. Logan stubbed out his cigar and felt a smile pull at the corner of his lips.

"You could've fooled me." He quipped and added a little more fuel to her fire.

"Let's just go, okay?"

As they picked up on their journey, Annica felt like a runaway teenager who had defied her parents and had chosen the open road on a motorcycle with a very bad boy. Detective Chambers would not be happy when she finally made contact. After everything was solved, said and done, she stood a very good chance of getting kicked off the force.

Though her head said one thing, her gut said another. Her gut had lead her to the school in Westchester in the company of a very gruff and potentially dangerous man.


As they pressed on at sunrise, Logan realized that he was going back to the place that he had just left a mere two days before. He didn't know if he was ready to face what awaited there just yet, but he did know that Annica could seek refuge there for awhile without being in mortal peril as she slept.

He turned his head to look over his shoulder and saw Annica's head rested lightly near his right shoulder. Her eyes fluttered with the pull of sleep and he called to her in a near gentle tone, "We've only got a few minutes until we get there."

Annica sat up a little straighter, realizing that she was fading from consciousness. Logan caught a glimpse of her bandaged arm and questioned, "How's the arm?"

"Sore. But nothing unbearable. I hate the fact that I am at a disadvantage physically."

"We'll have someone look at it once we get to the mansion."

"I thought you said that we are going to a school?" Confusion rang out in her slightly husky voice.

"The school is a mansion."

"Huh." He could tell that she was tired and he knew that the past few days had been more than emotionally taxing. As they pulled through the gates of 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Annica saw a sprawling mansion in the great expanse before her. Her jaw dropped slightly, and then she began to contemplate exactly what she had gotten herself into. What was in store for her?

As Logan pulled up to the front stairs, Annica dismounted warily, her legs had gone completely numb with sleep and she faltered a bit as her feet hit the ground. She slung her bag over one shoulder and took in the entire scope of the mansion. It was huge and intimidating and left her wanting to shake in her boots. She looked over her shoulder to Logan, hoping that he did not see her fear.

He walked beside her and they stood for a moment in silence. Logan was not ready to walk back in, but he had to do what he had to do, and he had promised Annica that the mansion was sanctuary. He raised an eyebrow to her and saw a fleeting look of hesitation wash across her face.

"You ready?"

Annica nodded without saying a word and she followed him up the stairs and through the door.

Inside, the mansion was empty. As they stood in the entry way, Logan looked around and then back at Annica.

"Let see if we can get you a room."

Before they could move, a voice came from the stairwell, "I didn't think you would be back so soon, Logan."

Annica turned around to see a beautiful woman with short, bright white hair. She was dressed in a fitted, white silk blouse, slim black trousers and very stylish leather, high-heeled boots. Annica watched as the woman glided down the stairs and to where they stood. She eyed Annica curiously and the latter wanted nothing more than to take her sweat-pants clad self and shrink away.

Logan gave the woman a small smile and said, "Hello to you too, Storm."

"Who's your friend?"

"This is Detective Annica Sawyer. I thought we could help her out."

There was a fleeting look of vexation that washed over Storm's face, but it was quickly replaced with cool calm. She glided past Logan and Annica in one swift, graceful motion and waved her hand, beckoning them.

"Come with me to the office. I have coffee and tea there."

Annica's legs ached and she really did not feel like discussing the events of the past 48 hours. All she really wanted to do is collapse in a comfortable bed, but she would do what she'd have to. She followed Logan quietly down the hall and into a very beautiful office. Storm motioned for them to sit and her hands moved quickly to a shining silver tea service.

"Coffee or tea, Detective?"

Annica smiled, "Coffee would be wonderful. Please, just call me Annica."

Storm nodded, though she looked to Logan and silently expressed the need for him to explain. He sighed and began the whole story. Maynard's, Annica and her partner Marcus, her suspension, the previous night at her apartment and the final explosion that put them on the run.

"I think staying here can help her more than any of her colleagues can. We can offer more protection." Logan finished and Storm looked thoughtful.

"That may be true, Logan. Have you considered about the protection that we offer the students? Will they become endangered because of all this?"

Annica felt like she was watching a tennis match as Storm and Logan bantered back and forth. Finally, Annica spoke up, "I would never dream of endangering your students. I did not know that it was a school until we were more than halfway here. In fact, I would do anything to protect them. If you feel that it is too dangerous for them for me to be here, then I will leave."

Storm looked intently at Annica and saw the exhaustion and the naked honesty of what she had just said. Logan did not look happy with Storm second-guessing his idea and then grumbled.

"Damn it, Storm. Charles took me in, he would've taken in Annica, too."

With that remark, Annica saw Storm's face soften, if not sadden. She nodded solemnly to Logan and rose, "There's a few empty guest rooms on the second floor. Only Warren is residing there at the moment and I believe your usual room is open, Logan. Now, if you will excuse me, classes will be starting shortly."

"Thank you. I promise to go if it ever comes down to endangering others here. I truly appreciate this." Annica spoke directly to Storm. The latter smiled briefly and gracefully strode out of the room, leaving Logan and Annica to collect their thoughts.

Logan sighed and looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "You okay?"

"I'm fine...still tired...thanks for championing me back there." Her blue-green eyes were a bit bloodshot from the rigors of the past two days, but she looked happy to finally find sanctuary somewhere, if for only a little while.

He only nodded and gave her a tug on her jacket sleeve, "Follow me."

As they ventured through the corridors, there were bustling kids and teenagers carrying books, presumably making their way to class. Annica felt curious eyes on her and Logan as the passed in silence.

When they had finished climbing the stairs, Annica followed Logan until he came to a halt in front of a door and opened it to find an empty room with a very comfortable looking bed fitted with a white duvet that stood out from the deep mahogany of the head board and the matching armoire.

Annica smiled a little dreamily, "I think it's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

"Well then, I'll leave you two alone." Logan said sarcastically and smirked at her and pointed a towards the end of the hall, "If you need me, my room is down here."

Annica nodded and stepped into the room. She kicked off her shoes, dropped her backpack by the bed, took off her jacket and dropped it as well and then collapsed into bed.


After returning to his room, Logan showered and changed and ventured back downstairs four hours later to the kitchen, where he found Marie. She looked the same, long brown hair save for a dramatic white streak and big, brown eyes. When she saw him, she brightened and looked up from the sandwich she was making.

"Hey Logan. I wasn't sure if you were gonna come back this time." She smiled brightly and offered him half of her sandwich. He waved his hand but smiled appreciatively.

"No thanks, kid. How are things going with..." Before he could say Bobby, Marie smiled once again.

"Fine...great...but some of the other students are having a hard time with the decision I made."

"They giving you a hard time?"

"Not really. They just think I'm a sell-out."

Logan nodded, "Well, the others did not have the same powers you had. They can touch people without any sort of repercussions. You did what you thought was best for you."

Marie looked down at her gloveless hands and nodded, taking his words to heart. Then she changed the subject, "So who's the girl you brought back with you?"

"Annica Sawyer. She's a police detective. I brought her here because she's stumbled into some trouble. She's a pain in the ass." Logan grumbled and Marie chuckled lowly.

"You think she'll want something to eat?" She asked curiously.

Logan shrugged, "Wouldn't hurt to ask."

"I can take her a sandwich. I'd like to meet her."

Logan nodded and patted her on the shoulder, "That'd be nice. Just give her about another hour."


Annica stirred from her sleep as she heard a little thud beside her on the bedside table. She opened her eyes to a blurry form that peered down at her and smiled. As her vision came through, Annica saw a young woman with long dark hair save for a vagabond shock of white hovering over her.

"I brought you a sandwich and a soda." She smiled again.

Annica sat up and rubbed the remaining tingle of sleep from her eyes, "How long have I been out?"

The young woman shrugged, "About five or six hours."

Annica turned and looked at the sandwich and realized just how hungry she really was. She picked up the plate and gave a small smile to her, "Thanks for the sandwich. What's your name?"

"I'm Marie." She put out her hand to Annica to shake, remembering that a few weeks prior that such an act would not be possible. Annica shook her hand gently with her uninjured one and replied.

"My name's Annica." She took a bite of the sandwich, chewed quickly and swallowed before saying, "So you're a student here?"

Marie nodded positively, "Yeah. It's my last year. I hear that you're a cop?"

"A homicide detective, actually."

"So what happened to your arm?"

Annica looked down at the bandage, the constant reminder of physical disadvantage, and answered plaintively, "I got shot. Two nights ago."

Marie's eyes widened, "That's awful."

"I'm lucky, though. My partner was critically injured. It could've been a lot worse if Logan hadn't stepped in." Annica decided to leave out the part in which Marcus was suffocated by someone with a pillow in his hospital bed. The words were hard for her to form.

"Logan's good at that...coming along at just the right time. Even though he would say it was the wrong time." Marie said matter-of-factly. Annica nodded and smiled, it deffinetly sounded like something that he would say.

Marie rose and pointed towards the door, "I'm gonna leave you be. I 'm sure you're still tired. Come down when you get the chance, I'll show you around."

"Thanks." Annica watched as the young woman walked out the door. She finished her sandwich and soda in silence and thought about taking Marie up on her offer. Something told Annica that if she stayed in her room for the duration of her stay, she would go crazy. She hated working behind a desk and she hated being cooped up even more.

After she finished eating, she stood up and decided to go talk to Logan about the discussion with Storm in the office. Aspects of it bothered her, and she wanted to find out who "Charles" was and why that comment alone seemed to sway Storm's decision.

As she walked down the hall, she realized that Logan had not told her which side of the hall his room was. A light shone out from a door on the right, so she knocked on it firmly. When the door opened, Logan did not appear, rather a yellow-haired man who looked incredibly surprised to find her standing on the threshold.

Annica smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, I'm looking for Logan. He told me his room was down this way."

The man pointed across the hall, "It's okay, his room is just across the hall."

He held the door askew, and Annica could just make out the arches of a pair of downy, feathered wings that protruded from his shoulders. She did want to stare at him, she should not have been surprised. Logan had let her know about the mansion and the school.

Annica managed another smile and stuttered, "T-thanks. Sorry to bother you."

As she turned on her heel, Annica walked right into Logan, who took her by the shoulders to steady her, "Well, I see you're up and about and that you met Warren."

She turned to look over her shoulder to see that Warren's door had since shut. She nodded to Logan, "Yeah, and a girl named Marie. She brought me a sandwich."

"I guess you wanted to talk to me?" Logan asked a little gruffly.

"Yeah."

With that, Logan opened the door to his room and chuckled, "Step into my office."

Before she entered, she looked over her shoulder once more and found herself completely intrigued with the man on the other side of the hall.


PLEASE REVIEW! I heart reviews!

To fantasymonk: I must say, Annica is a favorite of mine, too. She is unlike any other character I've written before. I am glad you are enjoying the story thus far! Thanks for the lovely review and I hope to hear from you again!

To RhiannonUK: Thanks for the review! I hope that this chapter lives up to your standard, even though it is light on the suspense, but there is more to come! Please continue to review!