It had been a few weeks since Marian had been rescued by Logan, maybe a whole month. Her recovery had not taken that much time: she was under good care, and had not been too badly injured. Her severed arm was now fully healed, and her muscles didn't feel sore anymore. She had never been treated that well in her whole life, and couldn't believe it. The young woman remained suspicious and never felt at ease around too much people. She appreciated the Professor, for he was her main source of knowledge about mutants, and was always very patient while explaining those things to her.

But she never mixed with the students. Some were younger than her, some others were her age. And some had stayed and seemed about to live their whole lives here, like Jean, Scott, or Ororo. More than students of professors, they were members of one huge community, a family. Thinking about this didn't make her crave this comfort and the love they all shared. She didn't feel accepted and didn't want to be. Every time someone spoke with her, student or teacher, she sensed some hidden intentions. They were very curious and pressed her with questions, which she hated.

During her life, Marian had always been solitary. She was disgusted by people's attempts to tame and control her. She avoided manipulation at all costs. In the mansion, a few days ago, a group of girls had come with large smiles and a nosy attitude. They were probably not mean, but their fake attitudes and endeavors at making friends with her had angered her a lot. Marian had snapped at them almost immediately.

"What is wrong with that freak?" had complained a girl, instantly loosing her fake smile.

Another time, a group of four students had been spying on Marian in her bedroom. It was two in the morning, and she was asleep. It was one of the worse times she spent in the mansion.

She often had nightmares that kept her from sleeping well. Most of the times they didn't last long and only awakened her once. But that night, she had been moaning and pleading in her sleep, one name had been crossing her lips a few times: "Ludwig... Ludwig..." Maybe she was crying. She couldn't know. Of course she did not remember saying that, and had not noticed the students spying on her during her sleep.

Next evening, at dinner time, Marian had been choosing to sit at a table in the corner of the dining room, alone. While she was eating, she almost choked at hearing a voice. "Ludwig!" jokingly screamed someone at the other side of the room. Marian remained frozen above her plate. Her heart had stopped and her jaw was clenched to the point of pain.

"Ludwig!" screamed another voice in the same spot.

Marian's fist had never felt so tense. As she closed it, her whole arm began to hurt. Her white knuckles were trembling. She could feel the anger build up in her whole body, but tried her best to repress it. If no one spoke again, maybe she could calm herself.

A few laughs echoed in that corner of the room. While most of the conversations had kept on going, some people had stopped talking and were curiously ogling the table the screams had come from. Marian slowly stood up, her arms still loaded with the need to hurt those voices. She picked up her tray with her unfinished dinner on it, and began to exit the room. While she put her tray on the counter dedicated to this use, she noticed in the corner of her eye Logan entering the room.

She reddened and avoided eye contact, though he was only a few centimeters from her. Her only goal was to escape this room as soon as possible to avoid humiliation, and Logan was the last person she wanted to be humiliated in front of. Though she didn't speak with him often, she valued his opinion of her above anything else. She enjoyed his silent presence from afar, never trying to make artificial contact, but always keeping an eye on her. She barely talked to anyone, but had had countless silent conversations with Logan, from one side of a room to another.

When she was about to exit the room, someone pulled on her sleeve.

"Hey weirdo! Who's that Ludwig? Is he your lover?"

The girl didn't even have the time to laugh that Marian's fist had dislocated her silly smile. The whole dining room was silent, and almost immediately, Scott stood up from the teachers' table. He tried to grab Marian's arm to keep her from hitting more, but Logan had been the fastest. He stared into Scott's dark glasses, a frown on his face. Other students were helping up the whining girl. Her lip was bleeding.

Behind Scott, one of the lamps began to crackle, and soon after the lightbulb exploded. A few students yelped at this, and Logan pulled Marian out of the room, Scott cautiously following the two with his stare.

Logan had pulled Marian up to the park. The night had already fallen and they were alone. He brutally dropped her wrist, and clenched his own fingers: he had been taking multiple electric shocks while holding her, each becoming slightly stronger.

Before entering the dining room, he had felt electricty building up around her. He had kept an eye on her almost instantly after seeing her, and had been fast to anticipate her outburst. For a few days already he had known about her worries, watching from far away. He knew that behaviour well, since he had the same tendencies. He was solitary, hated intrusions in his private life, and mockery. And Marian looked right now like a wounded animal, just like he had been a few years ago. She was agressive like a wolf in a cage, who had been pulled out of his environment.

"Sorry..." Marian said through gritted teeth.

"No problem, kid..."

"I feel better outside, thanks." she said while finally looking at him.

"That was a good punch." said Logan with a grin. "But I could teach you to lend better ones."

Marian huffed with a slight smile.

"I don't really need it... If I'm in trouble you know what will happen." she looked at her hand.

"Seems like it almost happened there..." lowly said Logan.

"If you hadn't pulled me out, I think she would have died." she admitted while playing with her fingers. "What do you think the Professor would have done with me? Kill me? Put me under mental control?"

"Accidents happen... You're not the only one in that case, trust me." Logan admitted while clenching his own fist, feeling his claws between his knuckles.

"I... I don't know how long the Professor will want me around. I might be a danger for his students, and I don't plan on living here forever."

"Do you have a place you're headed to?" carefully asked Logan.

"Yes."

Logan didn't ask more. If she wanted to tell him, she would do it. For now, he didn't care why she wanted to leave. But a strong impulse in his chest told him to insisit.

"You don't need to tell me where, kid. But I'll come with you. I too am rather sick of this place."

"Why would you want to follow me?" she sneered, more at herself than at Logan. "There's nothing I can be proud of where I'm going..."

"I just want to keep an eye on ya, that's all." he smirked. In truth, deep inside, the thought of her leaving his sight made him anxious and agressive. Even though he didn't talk much with her, she was the first person in a while that his instincts did not dislike, on the contrary. He was still intrigued by her. Maybe his protective nature had been stirred by their first encounter. Logan wasn't sure of it. But each time he got to learn even a little about Marian, he saw bits of himself inside of her. The animal inside of him was eyeing this girl as a member of the same species, and wasn't ready to let her go.

"I don't know..." she said while looking at the starry sky. "It won't be interesting for you."

"I don't care, like I told ya."

For a little moment, the young woman remained silent. She seemed to be processing different possibilities in her mind. Her fist clenched a little again, Logan noted. There was obviously a lot she wasn't telling him. Even though he wouldn't judge her by what she could have done, his instinct told him she was trying to avoid something. During the time she was here, he had thought a lot about her pursuers. He and Charles had made a bit of research. No sign of this unknown corporation could be found. Charles had not pushed the research further, and the girl didn't know anything about them, or wouldn't tell much. She seemed to hold many secrets, and Logan wanted to know them if it concerned her safety.

"But there are things you'll need to tell me, and I won't let you go until I have the answers." Logan insisted with a low voice. "Out of respect for you, Charles told me he hadn't roamed you whole mind. He left some spots untouched. He knows more than me, that's for certain. But I'll make you tell me."

Marian had a small step back. Logan's figure was now imposing. He was trying to gather his authority while not looking too menacing. He could tell she was slightly scared, but maybe not of him.

"And I'm interested by you," he ended. "Don't doubt of that."

Marian's lip quivered.

"Are you sure... You won't leave me behind if I tell you some things I have done?" she timidly asked.

"That's not my kind, kid."

"I don't really have a choice... Do I?"

Logan smirked again.

"No, you don't."

He crossed his arms and leaned against a tree, ready to listen.

Marian sat in the grass at his feet. She looked down and pulled out some strands of grass. Logan felt like she avoided his eyes. He was glad she looked slightly more relaxed than earlier. She finally tilted her head up, and Logan didn't expect to see her refraining from crying. Her eyes were shining, but she looked like she was trying her best to keep her composure.

"Three years ago, I've killed my brother. His name was Ludwig."