-1Logan was nearing his prey, a lone rabbit. He cornered it and was ready to strike when he heard the scream coming from camp. The sound was deafening and he wasted no time heading back to the clearing not knowing what to expect. As he rounded the tree he saw Hannah trembling on the rock the pack of wolves closing in, panic in her eyes.
Not wanting to alarm her, he spoke gently, "Keep still, Hannah."
While Logan's presence should have reassured her, she had never felt so frightened and nothing he said could make her feel safe. How could she keep still when at any moment this wolf would be on her. She screamed, "Logan, do something." But Hannah's abrupt movement and her screams set the leader off and he jumped towards her. She fell hard , but luckily her head hit the grass missing the rock, she blacked out momentarily as the wolf bared his teeth preparing to bite into her forearm. The others in the pack turned to Logan as he headed towards her. Showing their teeth and growling, Logan only had to growl back and extend his claws for them to take a few steps back. Logan had no time to waste and slashed at the closest one, a whine escaped and immediately the others backed off running off into the woods with their tails between their legs. Logan now directed his attention at the leader, who would not receive such a civil reaction. No one or nothing messed with those he cared about and he was angry. He reached the leader as it bit into Hannah's arm.
"You can mess with me, bub, all you want. Just lay off my girl." Logan proceeded to let out a blood curdling growl. The wolf let go of Hannah and turned towards Logan, hurling himself onto Logan knocking him back
Hannah came to and slowly lifted herself up to witness the brutal attack of Logan. The wolf slashed at his face. But Logan gave as good as he got and with one mighty swoop and a primal scream he plunged his blades into the animal. The wolf fell in a heap and Hannah gasped. Satisfied Logan shook himself off and stood up, like nothing monumental had just taken place. Just another day, another kill.
Hannah just stared at him in shock, the gashes on his face and arms oozed blood. Logan felt the pain but knew in a few seconds they would heal and he was really much more concerned with Hannah. The wolf had left teeth punctures in her arm and she was bleeding. He ran to her and her eyes never left his face.
"Logan, you're hurt." She gently touched the gash on his cheek and as she did it slowly began to close up. She quickly moved her hand away and watched as the wound disappeared, but his blood still covered her hand. It was then she realized blood was dripping down her arm and it wasn't Logan's. She let out a gasp and felt her heart race, "I'm bleeding. Logan…" Quickly, Logan picked up his shirt and ripped a piece off of it taking hold of her arm.
"It's okay, he barely broke the skin." Well, that wasn't exactly the truth. The puncture was deeper than he was letting on but he didn't want to worry her, as he wrapped the shirt around her arm tightly and tied it. "This will stop the bleeding" His mind was racing with thoughts of what he should really be doing. The wound needed to be cleaned. Hell, she probably needed a doctor. And he was the last person to consult on these kind of things since he never had to deal with a wound.
Hannah relaxed slightly, trusting him. The blood still covered her hand and she ran a finger down his arm where a few seconds ago there had been a long slash mark. "Your cuts….they disappeared."
"Oh, yeah, the healing factor. I'm okay. I'm always okay." He hated this. Why did he have to be the one that never was hurt? He could see the blood already seeping through the material of his shirt tied to her arm. Not really sure what his next action would be. He then heard the clash of thunder and a few drops of rain brushed against his cheek, "I need to get you to shelter." She was staring off towards the woods, now clutching her arms tightly against her chest. "Hannah, are you with me?"
She didn't look at him. He knew right off she was in shock. He couldn't risk it. He was no doctor but he knew that he needed to clean the wound and he had to keep Hannah alert. He picked her up in his arms.
"Where are we going? I thought you were getting us something to eat?"
"I'll do that, once I get you out of this storm." It was as if there hadn't been a wolf attack. She was in shock alright. One minute panicked, the next normal.
He hadn't really thought this through. But instinct took over as he trekked through the woods towards the house. The rain began to pelt down and the wind picked up as the thunder rolled around them. All that was on his mind was getting them to a dry place and making Hannah comfortable.
They reached the house, both soaked through and he looked down in his arms where Hannah was now passed out. She needed to be awake. He knew that much. He picked the backdoor lock with one of his blades and slipped into the house. Without knowing the layout, Logan found his way fairly easily, like he had been there before. He didn't have time to think about that now. He needed to take care of Hannah.
A small study off the living room seemed ideal. There was a fireplace and large pillows on the floor. He placed her on them, then tended to the fire. There were plenty of logs and it didn't take him long to get one started. Moving back to Hannah, he knelt down by her side gently stroking her cheek, "Come on, Hannah, wake up. Look at me."
She didn't budge. He had no other choice and gave her face a slap, maybe harder than he thought and her eyes popped open, "You got to stay awake. Come on."
"I'm tired." Her eyelids drooped.
"Darlin, you're in shock from the attack. You got to stay awake."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"The wolf. He attacked you." He lifted up her arm so she could see the blood soaked shirt and she cringed in pain.
"It's bleeding." She started to panic again and he placed a hand on both sides of her face looking into her eyes.
"It's going to be okay. But you can't sleep. I'm going to clean up the wound and make you a proper bandage. I'll see if I can find something for you to wear. We need to get you out of these wet things. Are you with me?"
She shook her head and then began to cry. He pulled her close to him and she buried her head into his bare chest. He ran his fingers through her wet tangled hair, "I should never have left you alone. What the hell was I thinking?"
"I thought it was you. Coming back. Why did it want to kill me, Logan?"
"You were there. They were hungry. Could be a number of reasons."
She felt a pain shoot through her arm and her body tensed against him.
"I'm going to get that cleaned up now." He didn't want to leave her but had no choice. He raced up the stairs and knew exactly where he was going. Entering the bedroom at the far end of the corridor he went directly to the back of the door and found a woman's red satin robe hanging on a hook. This would do. Glancing around the room, he felt the familiarity. Something incredibly strong pulled him to the window and he looked down into the gardens. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had been there before. He glanced down at the woman's vanity table and his eyes focused on a brush. He picked it up and turned it over and over in his hands. It had a tortoise shell handle and was old, he knew that. The only thing new about it was the actual bristles. He closed his eyes tight trying to recall something, anything..but all he could see was Hannah's blank stare and he had to get back to her. Taking the brush and robe he hurried back down the stairs.
The fire was blazing now. He had always been able to make a good fire. Hannah was sitting up holding her arm close to her body, still shivering. She was mesmerized by the flames and felt her eyes droop. Logan popped up behind her, "Success" he showed her the robe.
"Where are we, Logan?' Whose house is this?"
"Doesn't matter. They're away."
"You broke in?"
"We'll be out of here once the rain lets up Now, get those wet things off and put this on. I'll go get some warm water and a change of bandage." He headed towards the kitchen and found a pan for water. Filing it up, he then searched for some towels and found a sheet he could use for a bandage.
Entering the study, Hannah was struggling with the clasp of her bra. It was evident she was in more pain then she was letting on. She let out a cry, not realizing he had re-entered the room. She didn't want to show him that she was weak and couldn't do it and tried again.
Placing the pan of water down, he knelt beside her. "I got it." She abruptly turned and looked into his eyes feeling stupid, "It's okay to tell me it hurts." He unclasped the clasp and slipped the straps off her shoulder. Everything that had transpired between them earlier, came back to him and he felt her shiver at his touch. She instinctively took her good arm and tried to cover her breasts. Feeling awkward he turned away handing the robe to her.
Their hands touched as the robe was passed between them. His hand lingered there longer than it should and once he realized what he was doing, he quickly pulled it away and went back to the pan of water, dipping a towel into it.
Clutching the robe to her chest, she slipped her panties off and then held her underwear up, "What should I do with these?" Logan knew it was all in innocence, but it still had an effect on him.
Taking them out of her hand, he laid them by the fire, "Now put the god damn robe on, Hannah and keep your right arm out. I don't think the lady of the house would be too pleased if you got blood on her expensive dressing gown."
"Who is she?" She left her right arm out and Logan moved closer to her, taking her arm and setting it on his lap. Hannah realized he was still in his wet jeans. "Logan, you should take those off and put them by the fire as well. You could catch cold."
"Don't you worry about me, darlin. I don't get sick."
"Okay, so you don't get sick. But they can't be comfortable. Wet jeans." She made a face.
"Well, I guess I shouldn't be worried about you anymore, since you sound like the old Hannah. Always having something to say."
He began to unwrap the bandage carefully. "Are they comfortable?"
He glared at her and delayed his answer, "They aren't a problem but you on the other hand…"
The bandage came off and Hannah noticed he was holding it away from her so she couldn't see it, "It's bad, isn't it?"
"Could be worse. You could have lost the arm."
"That isn't funny."
"It wasn't meant to be. Now sit back and hold still while I clean this up."
"You never answered my question."
"About the jeans? I'll take them off when I'm finished here. Will that make you happy? "
"The jeans…no actually I meant about the woman."
"What woman?"
"The one whose robe this belongs to."
"I have no idea who lives here."
"You know where everything is. Surely you've been here before. Have you slept with her?"
He laughed as he began to wrap the clean bandage around the wound, "Now that is something I would remember, Hannah."
"Is she beautiful?"
He rolled his eyes and didn't even respond. He tied the bandage pulling the ends tight. Then stood up picking up the pan of water, the brush dropped out of his back pocket, Hannah reached for it. "Is this hers?"
"I would assume so. I thought you might want to brush your hair. The walk over here didn't do it much good." He walked back into the kitchen and Hannah turned the brush over and over in her hands. Closing her eyes, she saw that image again. Her hair being brushed. It was so clear, the hand the brush, but she couldn't put a face or body to that hand and it was very frustrating. As she lifted her right arm to brush her hair, it felt weak but she managed a stroke through her tangled hair even though it didn't do any good. She didn't have the strength to manage the tangles. Frustrated she threw the brush down on the floor just as Logan walked back in.
She lowered her head, ashamed he had caught her in a tantrum. He picked up the brush. They had been here before. He stood in the middle of the room looking down at the brush. His thoughts went to their night in New York and where brushing Hannah's hair had lead. He slowly moved closer to her and sat beside her staring at the brush for the longest time, trying to figure out what he should be doing.
"I could brush it, if you want."
"I've been enough trouble."
"You've been no trouble." He took the brush and lifted it towards her hair.
Hannah closed her eyes as he gently glided the brush through the tangles. For someone with such a rough exterior it was amazing he had such skill. The anxiety over the wolf attack soon drifted out of her mind as she relaxed from the stroking of her hair. It was when she finally opened her eyes and the image of his hand and the brush were in front of her that she gasped clasping her left hand on his wrist. He was startled by this action and confused, "What's wrong?"
She stared at his hand for the longest time before she spoke, "It was you."
"What do you mean it was me?"
"You've brushed my hair before, haven't you? I keep seeing this image, Logan. A hand and a brush and it wasn't mine. But this was the hand." She started talking faster and the anxiety came back.
He pulled it away from her and immediately stood up. He walked to the fire and leaned against the mantel. This was the time. It had come. He couldn't run away and avoid her. The questions would start coming and he wouldn't be able to hide it. Without looking up he murmured, "Yeah, I brushed your hair. In New York." He then looked towards her, "You shouldn't remember that. Why didn't you tell somebody you were remembering stuff? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know it was a recent memory. It was just something I couldn't get out of my head. Maybe my memory is coming back. Maybe it will come back." For a moment she actually sounded excited.
"There will be images. Lots of them. And you won't be able to place them and they won't make any sense. Don't count on it all coming back to you like magic." He now was thinking of his own images. The feeling about this house, he couldn't place. The frustration he felt every day with images.
"Is there something you don't want me to remember? Something that happened in New York?"
"Yeah, something happened. I guess I need to tell you."
"Well, it's obviously something you're not happy about. Something you wanted to forget and hope that I would forget too." Her mind was starting to imagine every scenario. Why was she getting so upset. "So I guess I can assume you made a pass at me, you were probably drunk and now regret such a stupid action."
"First of all I don't get drunk and even if I did, I would never use that as an excuse to make a pass at anyone." The inflection in his voice made him sound angry. Why was he having such difficulty with this conversation and now the worst part he was making Hannah upset.
"Are you saying I was drunk? Did you get me drunk, Logan and take advantage of me?."
"You were drunk alright, but you got there on your own accord and it was you who made the pass."
"I would never do that. Why should I believe you?"
"Because it's the truth. What do I have to gain from lying about this?" He didn't mean to sound so flip and not caring. This wasn't how he wanted it be.
"I'm not sure, but you've kept it from me for weeks. None of this makes any sense." She covered her face in her hands, "I don't understand why I would behave that way." Hannah realized she didn't really have all the information and she looked up at Logan, "When you say pass, you mean just a silly school girl pass right? Nothing more."
"Actually…no. There was more."
"Oh, my god, Logan. You can't possibly mean what I think you do. I would remember something like that surely?" But the implications of what he was implying were more devastating to Hannah then he could possibly imagine.
But there was no denial in his face. In fact he couldn't look her in the eyes.
Hannah now devastated went to the window, the furthest distance in the room away from Logan and looked out at the rain pelting down. She leaned her head against the glass and sobbed, "I want to go back to the mansion."
"No one is going anywhere tonight." He had no idea what to say to her, but tried to be supportive. "You can deal with this, Hannah. I've watched you come through a lot and this is just another small stepping stone to get across."
"This? What is this? I don't even know what this is. Are you trying to say I was known to make passes at men I barely knew? That I tended to get drunk often? That I am no more than some tart? What happened to me in the last 10 years that I don't even know myself anymore?" Hannah wasn't sure what was more upsetting. Not remember making love to Logan or the fact that she could have possibly had a number of sexual partners over the last few years.
Logan taped the brush against the palm of his hand, not sure what he should say next. Looking down at his feet he finally spoke in a soft voice, "You're jumping way ahead of yourself here. You're no tart and what happened in New York was a one time thing."
"A one night stand? Wow, that makes me feel better." She said sarcastically.
"Damn it, Hannah, that isn't what I meant."
"I was drunk, I made a pass that you obviously didn't refuse and how convenient that I don't have any recollection of it happening. Because clearly it seems you were quick in putting it behind you. That bad was it?"
" You can stop assuming you know what I'm going through, Hannah. You don't have a clue."
"Then tell me."
She turned away from the window and faced him. The tears were gone and she knew she needed to know what was going on with him.
"I have no regrets about that night. And I don't think you did either and believe it or not it was good." He paused, "For me anyhow."
The anger dispersed as she took in his words. She felt awful. She had been so quick to jump to conclusions about this man when obviously she had it all wrong. There was some interest on his part. It wasn't imagined.
"And just so you know, I didn't tell you because I was dealing with a lot of my own stuff. For one thing, you were kidnapped under my nose and your memory is gone because of my negligence. Maybe I thought it was best that you couldn't remember. That you move on. You don't need someone like me in your life."
"That wasn't your decision to make, Logan."
"Maybe not. But it's the decision I made."
"And do you still stand by that decision? Do you want me to move on?"
He knew right off the answer he should be giving but too much had happened this week for him to pretend that he could just forget. "No."
There was a silence that was shattering. Hannah couldn't look at him. Was this the answer she really wanted?
When she didn't respond or look at him, he decided it was time that he took some action. Forget about being in control. He wanted to hold her in his arms like back at the lake. He wanted to feel her heart racing against his chest. What the hell? He wanted to make love to her in front of the fire. That was what he wanted. He took off the wet jeans and deposited them near the fire. Now determined to get what he wanted he moved closer to her.
When she saw his bare feet inches from her eyes slowly began to lift. No jeans. He didn't have any jeans on, her head drooped again and he lifted her chin up firmly but so not to hurt her. The other arm firmly encircled her back. The last thing he wanted was to seem forceful. Their eyes met and he wouldn't let hers leave his, "Look at me."
She felt so confused and wanted to cry. She trembled against him and he knew she was frightened. To reassure her he gently brushed his lips against her forehead, slowly kissed her eyelids, then her cheek. He then looked back into her eyes hoping for some kind of sign that he was doing the right thing. A tear appeared on her cheek but with it a tender smile. He returned the smile and gently kissed her lips. Relaxing in his arms, Logan was. relieved with her reaction as he pulled away slightly. Wiping the tear away with his finger, then stroking her cheek tenderly. "you're being awfully quiet."
"You said there were times when things didn't need to be said, and I think this is probably one of those time, am I correct?"
"You've been listening."
"To every word even if they are few and far between." She placed her hand on his cheek, then traced her finger across his lips. Feeling bold and secure, but not wanting to come across to aggressive. The thought of what she actually did in New York was still on her mind.
"I'm a man of little words. I get things wrong when I want to say what I mean. But damn it, I know what I want right now. And that's you."
"I want you too."
He let out a sigh, "Well, then.." He picked her up in his arms and she wrapped her arms around his neck, "no time like the present." As he laid her on the pillows the robe slipped off one shoulder, and with grace he coaxed the other side down, kissing her bare shoulders, "I've been thinking about ravishing you in front of the fire since we got here."
"Ravishing?" She didn't want to start laughing but it sounded funny coming out of his mouth.
"I thought English ladies might like to be ravished. Okay, I was wrong. In Canada we just fuck."
"I prefer ravish."
Now straddling her he inched the robe further down revealing her breasts. Expecting her to shyly cover herself he was pleased when she accepted his advances, "I thought you might." He kissed each one tenderly then looked back into her eyes, stroking her cheek, "You do know what you're dealing with here? No regrets? This is what you want?"
"I know exactly what I'm dealing with." She kissed him gently on the lips then smiled, "Ravishing Wolverine."
"Okay, very cute." He put his finger over her lips, "conversation officially over. That time to not talk…is definitely now."
Reaching her hands into his hair, she pulled his head towards hers. He furrowed his eyebrows at her. "I don't want to talk"
"Good. Then we both are on the same page here." He smiled at her wickedly, just before he leaned in, his mouth enveloping hers. A kiss on the lips was one thing, but for Hannah, she wasn't prepared for the jolt her body received as his tongue parted her lips and instinctly she responded with a passion that she never knew existed inside her. There was no turning back now.