Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men, they belong to Marvel, Sam Lee, and whomever own rights.

Chapter 12

Logan glanced over at his wife of three months, as they drove toward the New York state line. The closer they got to the mansion, the more Marie clamed up. He knew she wasn't looking forward to going back to the mansion. He debated coming back altogether knowing how she felt, but he could use Chuck's help in getting some things settled about his age and name. Plus Marie would soon need some updated papers herself. Logan also had talked to Marie about finishing up her internship to be able to get her teachers certificate. He was sure that Chuck would let her do that at the mansion.

Marie did want to finish her schooling. She loved kids, and had always wanted to be a teacher. Marie had always found it upsetting, that she loved children, but her mutation wasn't one that let her be able to give affection. So wanting to be able to finish her schooling, plus knowing Logan did consider the X-men his friends, she agreed to return to the mansion.

"You doing okay over there, Darlin?" Logan asked after another thirty minutes of silence. Marie was usually humming or singing along with the radio, or chattering away about something with him. The last couple of days she had been getting quieter, until today, when they were only a few more hours away, that she had pretty much gone quiet.

"Yeah, I guess." Marie gave him a small smile.

Logan was glad at least she was still answering him, and smiling at him. Love for her warmed his heart, and he gave her a loved filled smile in return.

"Still not looking forward to going back, huh?" He guessed at what she was thinking.

"Not really, no. I know they're your friends, Logan, but they aren't mine. I know it's not their fault. I wasn't the most open and friendly person myself, but they're scared of me. Jean doesn't even like me. She's got some wacko theory that I'm working for some government, out to kill everyone. She probably thinks I'm working with the government to wipe out the mutant race." Marie sighed pissed and mildly amused at such a wild idea.

"What makes you say that?" Logan asked with a hesitate frown. He didn't think Jeannie had said anything when Marie could have over heard her. Plus Marie hadn't been at the mansion at the time the team at discussed her leaving with him.

"I picked it up from Scott before we left. He didn't believe her theory, but he knew she was upset. He was overly jealous about how she was upset about you taking me with you. I noticed quite a bit of jealousy between the three of you."

"Yeah, huh, I kind of flirted a lot with Jeannie. It pissed Scooter off. As for Jeannie, and her crazy theory, don't let her bother you, Darlin. She's just paranoid is all. She'll calm down once she get's to know you, and sees that you ain't trying to hurt anyone." Logan said trying to ease Marie's concern.

"That may take awhile. I hope we can stand each other long enough to find out. Speaking of jealousy, do I have anything to be jealous about between the two of you?" Marie asked eyeing Logan curiously. She resisted to urge to use her own telepathy to look.

Marie almost hated that she asked by the hurt, sad, and disappointed look that entered Logan's eyes as he looked at her. However Marie still needed to hear Logan's affirmation of his love for her.

Logan couldn't stop the hurt that came at knowing Marie was questioning his love for her. Logan tried to remind himself, that no matter how much better Marie was getting, she still had quite a ways to go before she felt assured that she was worthy of love. She had nearly fifteen years of being abused, feeling like an unlovable freak of nature, a monster, or keeping herself separated from others. Plus knowing that she could have picked up on his lust for Jean when she was at the mansion made Logan cringe inside.

Taking a deep breath, and pushing his hurt away, Logan decided he needed to give Marie his full attention. So pulling over on the side of the road, he reached over and took Marie's bare hand in his. He lifted her hand to his lips and kiss it, then squeezed it while making sure his love was clear in his eyes as he spoke confidently. "I love you, Marie, and only you. You ain't got nothing to worry about between me and Jeannie. She's a good looking woman, with a good heart under all that wacko government theory nonsense. When I first came to the mansion, she and Chuck were sincere in wanting to help me. I hadn't know about the metal on my bones, only about the claws. Chuck would try to help unlock my memories, and Jean was trying to help me understand the medical side of things. Jeannie and I shared an attraction for each other the moment we met, but it was only physical. I'll be honest that I wanted more, and didn't hide it, but she had chosen Scooter, and she loves him. I still flirted with her, and more so once I saw that it pissed Scooter off. Scott and I will never be friends. We have a grudging respect for each other, but that's it. However, I respected that Jeannie had chosen him. She wouldn't cheat on him because she loves him, and I would never cheat on you, Marie. I love you. The attraction I felt for Jeannie, can't even touch the love I have in me for you. I know you still have trouble in trusting people, but I hope you can trust me to know that no matter what, I'm yours, heart, mind, body, and soul." Logan said serious.

"I know you love me, Logan, and I'm sorry I made you feel like I doubt you. You're right, I still have a hard time when it comes to trust, but I do trust you. It's just that Jean is like the total fantasy woman. She's beautiful, sexy, smart, classy, elegant, she's a doctor, that saves lives. She got all these people who just love her. Who would do anything for her. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her that she has friends and family who love her, but all I've got is you, and I'm scared of losing you to her." Rogue could tell Logan was going to try to reassure her, so she held up her hand stopping him. "Let me finish before you say anything, okay."

"Alright." Logan agreed, but unhappily. He didn't want Marie to be afraid of losing him to Jeannie. There was no way that was ever going to happen. He wanted to assure Marie, that she had nothing to worry about. But he remained quiet, letting her get whatever she needed to say off her chest. Then he planned on telling her that there was no way on this green earth that he'd ever let her go.

"It's just that when you compare Jean and her life to me and mine. There isn't anything that would make someone want to be with me. I'm none of the things she is. I'm not beautiful, classy, or elegant. I don't even have a career. I've never saved anyone's life before, I've only taken lives. When you first met Jean, you were instantly attracted to her. When you first met me, you thought I was some scrawny little kid. The only thing my mutation is good for is killing, where as Jean has and can use hers to save lives. There have been times were I couldn't even touch, and I'm not foolish enough to said it will never happen again. We could very well lose the ability to touch each other, and it scares me that I'm not enough and won't be enough for you. Having you love me is like this wonderful dream coming true for me, and it's scary, because I've only ever had nightmares come true before. I've survived a lot in my life Logan, and I can survive a lot more, but the one thing I don't think I could stand is to lose you. I know I'm a screwed up mess. That there isn't much I can offer you, but I love you with everything in me." Marie said tears leaking from her eyes. Her bottom lip trembling, as was her entire body.

Logan pulled her to him, and covered his mouth with hers, kissing her deeply and passionately. Marie clung to Logan, and returned his passionate kiss. After a few moments, Logan pulled back, and gently grasped Marie's face in between his hands.

"I want you to listen really good, Marie. I love you, and no one else. You ain't got no worries about losing me. I ain't going anywhere, you're not. You've got me for as long as you want me, and even then some. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried. When I look at you, I see this breath taking, beautiful woman, that I can't believe I was blessed enough to have love me back. You've got a lot to offer me, Darlin. First and foremost is your love, and that is worth everything to me. You gave me back my past. You give me support in so many ways, I don't even know where to start. You know me inside and out, and you still love me. That right there is a gift, Marie. You accepting my animal nature, and you even love the animal side of me. That is mind blowing. You understand me, and give me space when I need it, and you know when I need you close. You don't throw a fit, just because I'm a little messy." Logan said, then smiled and reworded at Marie's raised eyebrow, although she was trying to hide her smile.

"Alright a lot messy." He smirked, then went on, becoming serious once again. "Like I've already told you before, Marie, what happened before is in no way your fault. You didn't intentionally go out to hurt or kill those people, you were forced against your will. You are such a strong person, Marie. I don't know anyone, that could have endured the hell you've endured, and come out it, not even Jeannie. But you did, and you even came out of it with yourself intact. I know it might not have felt that way at first, but you did. You came out of it a stronger person, and I'm not talking about physically.

"As for you having a career, Darlin, putting up with me is a career in it's self. But you're going to be able to finish your schooling, and then you'll have your teacher's certificate, like you've always wanted.

"Jeannie is a good woman, Marie, but you're the woman for me. I ain't the smartest man, but I ain't stupid either, and I ain't stupid enough to throw what we have away. When I thought of Jeannie, I wanted her to share my bed. When I think of you, I want you to share my life, and my bed. And if there ever comes a day that you lose the ability to touch again, then we'll deal with that when it happens, but I ain't going to focus on something that hasn't even happened. However don't you worry, Darlin, even if that day does come, it wouldn't change the way I feel for you, or make me want you any less. I never said anything, because you had your mutation under control before we got together, but I had already come up with a list of ways for us to work around your skin so we could be together. I might not be that smart, but I can be creative." Logan said with a flirty wink, and sexy smirk, that made Marie break out in giggles, love and relief clear on her face and in her eyes.

"I love you, Marie, and nothing is going to change that. You're just going to have to trust me on this." Logan said caressing her face with his thumbs, as happy tears feel from her eyes.

"I love you too Logan, more than anything in this entire world." Marie said pulling Logan into a bear hug, one that Logan knew that would have left bruises if he didn't have a healing factor.

He kissed her head and inhaled her intoxicating wildflower and winter wilderness scent that he had come to love. He had always thought she smelt good, but now he couldn't get enough of her. When they pulled back, Logan leaned in and kissed her on the lips one more time before getting situated back behind the wheel.

"So are you ready to get going?" Logan asked hoping their talk had alleviated most of her concerns. He wasn't foolish enough to believe that she didn't have other concerns about returning, but he believed that Jeannie was the major one.

"Logan." Marie said her voice uncertain, which stopped Logan from cranking the truck.

"Yeah, Darlin?"

"I don't mind helping out the team, but I don't want our lives to be nothing but the X-men. I don't want to give up what we've had these past months." Marie said hoping Logan felt the same way.

"Me neither, Marie, and we're not. While you're working on your internship, we'll help out the team, but I have no plans of us staying at the mansion permanently. We'll figure something out, I promise." Logan stated confidently, which put Marie more at ease.

"Okay." Marie smiled brighter.

"Okay, now let's get going. We've got about another three hours before we get there." Logan said cranking up and pulling back into traffic.

A smile came to Logan's lips as Marie started humming as she stared out of her window at the passing scenery.