I've edited the previous Author's Note, so please go back to the SPECIAL AUTHOR'S NOTE (Chapter 7) and read it. I am requesting Beta readers. See the previous chap for details. (in a nutshell, it's not fair of me to just stop updating after spoiling you with daily updates for so long...so here you are faithful readers. I appreciate you.)

Also, moving forward, there won't be any more flashback scenes. This chapter and all future chapters will happen in "real" time and switch primarily between Logan and Marie. There might be a little bit of Storm/Jubes sprinkled in.

Marie gently ran a hand over her daughter's belly as the infant sleepily looked up at her with the beautiful hazel eyes she had gotten from her father. She smiled down at the baby, "Heya gorgeous..."

Taylor had come such a long way.

She remembered seeing her limp body right after she was born and had almost lost all hope right then and there, but she was a fighter...like her father. They had been able to revive the tiny four pound baby.

For the first several days of her life, Marie's daughter had been hooked up to feeding tubes, heart monitors, and breathing tubes. When Hank and Storm took Marie home, she was heartbroken to know that the baby had to stay in the hospital for several weeks. She might end up having to stay until her real due date, which was 5 and a half whole weeks away.

She didn't get a chance to hold the baby until 2 weeks after she was born. By then, the feeding tube had been removed and they wanted to give Marie a chance to nurse. She had started faithfully running breast milk up to the hospital because doctors had told her that it was the best food for her premature baby, so she made it her life's mission to make sure she pumped every chance she got.

The poor child went without a name for days until Marie finally settled on Taylor Victoria D'Acanto.

Now, Marie sat in the NICU exactly four weeks after Taylor's birth, nursing the thriving baby. She didn't have anymore breathing or feeding tubes attached to her. She had finally gotten her weight up and her oxygen levels were steady. She looked like a normal, healthy newborn...she looked just like Logan.

The nurse walked over, "I hope her room's almost ready at home, momma."

Marie raised her eyebrows, "That mean what I think it means?"

Nurse Grace nodded, "Yep...you'll be able to take her home by the end of the week."

Marie smiled down at Taylor, then got a faraway look in her eyes. Guilt had been gnawing at her since the day she had Storm lie to Logan about the baby. She wondered how hard he had taken it...

Logan slammed the shot glass down on the bar and grunted, "Another."

The bartender gave him a funny look, "I think you're done, pal."

Logan growled, "I said...another."

"And I said...I think you're done. Go home, man. You look terrible."

He had to fight the urge not to rearrange the bartender's face, but he was planning on staying in the area for a couple of days and he desperately needed a place that would provide him alcohol, so he got up, tossed some money on the bar and left.

Logan had been cage fighting his way back toward Laughlin City, but he dared never actually go there. He was probably not exactly welcome there since his famous shotgun dismemberment incident. Besides, he didn't want to go to the place where he and Marie first met.

He remembered her sweet, innocent face. It stuck out like a sore thumb in that shit hole. He remembered not being able to take his eyes off of her...he just kept looking back at her. She was like a bright star of salvation that had shone out of the darkness.

Logan tried to shake away the thoughts of her. He just needed to keep himself busy until he'd gotten far enough away so that he wouldn't turn around and rush back to her.

He hadn't even gotten a chance to say goodbye or apologize for all the shit he'd put her through. With all the time on his hands, he had the unfortunate, but much needed opportunity to psychoanalyze every single thing they'd gone through in their four year relationship.

His obsession with Jean had become a great excuse for him to not get too close to Marie...but when she found out she was pregnant, he slowly but surely began to let go of his Jean Grey crutch. He wanted to make a family with Marie and no one else.

That chance was gone now, and he felt it was all his fault.

When he returned to his motel room, he pulled some clothes out of his bag and saw the blanket buried at the bottom. The pain in his chest was so deep, it made him irrationally angry. He threw the bag across the room, kicked the bed and roared before dropping to his knees and putting his face in his hands.

Logan breathed heavily for a few moments before standing and going over to where his bag lay. He picked the blanket up and sat on the bed, staring down at the pink material. He almost laughed at himself. What would people say if they found the Wolverine in a shoddy motel room, clutching a pink blankie to his chest?

He was alone now...so he didn't give a damn about what people thought. He had nothing to lose.

When Marie returned to the mansion that evening, she quickly patched up the "big one" and started packing up her clothes. She decided she'd spent enough time in her old room and it was time to start spending the night in she and Taylor's new room.

It was a larger suite with an attached sitting room that served as Taylor's nursery. The bathroom, unlike many others in the mansion, had a full tub. Peter had been nice enough to put together the crib and changing table for her and Jubilee had helped decorate.

As she transferred the last of her things out of she and Logan's old room, she took a look at the discolored spots on the wall where she had made repairs. She hated the fact that the only "happy" mark was behind the damn headboard.

She wished there had been marks for the time he chased her around the room with ice cubes in an attempt to drop one down her shirt.

She wished there was a hole in the wall that could remind her of the time he had to wash her hair for her because she had a back spasm and couldn't lift her arms above her head.

She wished there had been a dent that made her remember all of the times he fell asleep with her in his arms, told her he loved her or randomly tucked a strand of her white hair behind her ear.

Marie didn't realize she was crying until Storm walked up, "You ok?"

Marie jumped and wiped at her eyes, "Uh...yea...sorry."

Storm didn't buy it, but she didn't press any further, "Hank told me you went to go see Taylor...how is she?"

"She's amazing. She really looks like him..." Marie's voice trailed off as she looked down and sniffled before muttering an apology and rushing off.

Storm bit her bottom lip.

Although her personal opinion on Logan and Marie's relationship was often a negative one, she'd never been keen on the idea of Marie lying to Logan about the baby. It just didn't settle well with her. Yea, he had been kind of an ass about the whole Jean thing, but did he really deserve to believe that a child he had already grown to love had died?

Did he really deserve to be in that much pain?

Two months after she brought Taylor home from the hospital, Marie laid in her bed after bathing and nursing her daughter for the last time that evening. She took a warm shower and gladly allowed much needed sleep to overtake her.

A few hours later, in the still of night, a large figure crept into the room. His movements were deathly quiet as he made his way over to the crib to stare down at the sleeping infant. He gently caressed the baby's face for a brief moment before turning his attentions to Marie, who shifted slightly on the bed.

He stood over Marie for several minutes, just staring.

Her eyes flew open when a pair of large hands suddenly wrapped around her neck.

It was too late to scream, her air supply had already been cut off.

Marie struggled against her assailant, clawing at his face and hands as he squeezed her neck tighter and tighter. Her attacker leaned down, allowing the soft glow of the moon to cast light on his face as he snarled, "You took my daughter..."

Logan...

Marie awoke with a start and quickly looked around the room. She panted and ran a hand through her hair, then hopped out of the bed and silently padded to Taylor's crib.

The infant was still sound asleep.

Marie laid back down and covered her face. She'd been having dreams like that for weeks now and she knew they were being caused by guilt.

Storm picked up the ringing phone, "Xavier's School for the gifted, may I help you?"

There was a silence on the end of the line before she heard a man clear his throat.

Storm was growing impatient, "Hello? Is someone there?"

"Hey Storm..."

Her breath caught in her throat, "L-logan? Oh god..."

"I know I shouldn't be calling-"

"No! No, this is good...how are you?" she stuttered.

Logan stood in the pay phone booth and checked the sky for flying pigs. Storm had always been the one who wanted him to get as far away from Marie as possible. Now she was making pleasant phone conversation with him, "Uh...I've been better."

"Great...where are you?"

"I passed by Peterborough, Canada a few miles back...I'm not coming back, but I just wanted to call to check on her..."

"Marie?"

"No, the bearded lady...yes, Marie."

She never could get his sense of humor. She sighed, "She's uh...she's..."

Logan spoke quickly, "Is something wrong? Is she ok?"

"Oh...no, she's fine. I just think...I think she really misses you."

There was a long pause. Logan was confused. Was this the same weather witch who had advised him to leave Marie alone a thousand times? He wanted her to elaborate...Marie missed him. That was big. Or maybe it was a trap. He decided to leave it alone, "Right...just...take care of her, ok?"

"Logan! Wait!"

He had started to hang up the phone, but he heard her call for him. He brought the receiver back to his ear, "What's up?"

Storm hesitated before she spoke, "I have to apologize to you. I know Marie's a grown woman and if you were who she wanted to be with, I should have kept my negative opinions to myself."

"Wow...tryin' to get into heaven, 'Ro?"

She ignored his snide remark and continued, "The thing is Logan...she needs you. I can see that now..."

"What do you mean?"

Storm bit her lip and ran a hand through her hair, "I really think you should come back...if you do, you need to realize there'll be a lot of things you're going to be angry and confused about...but just know there's a reason for it."

She hung up without another word. Logan stared at the phone confusedly and slowly hung it up before making his way back to his bike and sitting on it. He sat there, thinking for several minutes. He soon started the bike and got on the road.

He was heading southeast...he was heading home.

UH OH...big daddy's comin' home! What reaction would YOU like to see from Logan towards Marie? What reactions would you like to see from Logan toward Taylor? (and Storm...and Jubilee?)

Review and provide feedback folks! You know I love you for it!