They bought bus tickets to Calgary, then rigged another ATM and collected enough cash to buy a car from an overly eager used car salesman. They took turns driving for over 24 hours before finally pulling over in a charming old town hidden deep within the woods.

After sleeping in a motel their first night, Logan and Marie set out to find a more permanent residence. An older couple who was renting out their mountain top cabin agreed to allow them to take a look at their property.

Marie ran her hand over the back of the leather couch, "Is the furniture included?"

The lady nodded, "Yep."

Logan and Marie looked around briefly, then exchanged looks and nodded, "We'll take it."

They gave the couple cash for their deposit and first two months rent. After their new landlords left them to get settled in, Logan and Marie took turns taking showers, then headed back into town to stock their refrigerator and load up on supplies.

That evening, Logan stretched out on the couch with a beer while Marie stood in the kitchen, cutting vegetables for dinner. She smirked as she glanced at him around the corner, "You could get off your ass and help me."

"...and you could toss me another beer."

Marie suddenly tossed the knife at him, lodging it in the wall mere centimeters from his head.

He slowly turned his head to look at the knife, then turned back to her with raised eyebrows, "Think that's gonna scare me?"

"Oh I didn't mean to scare you...I missed."

Logan let out a chuckle before standing and making his way into the kitchen to lend a hand.

Some time during dinner that evening, Marie cleared her throat, "So...are we just going to hide out here forever?"

He cleared his throat, "To be honest...I dunno. Stryker doesn't give up easily...I only hope Victor doesn't join forces with him after he realizes what happened."

Marie shook her head and dropped her fork, "I've seen him from your point of view...he's capable of anything...isn't he?"

Logan nodded, unwilling to sugar coat it for her.

She stood up and walked over to the window, crossing her arms and staring out over the mountainside. Logan stood and moved behind her.

Sensing his presence, she sighed, "It's me they really want...you would have a fighting chance if you left me...why don't you just go and save yourself?"

Logan's voice was deep and husky when he responded, "Because I don't want to leave you..."

Before Marie had the chance to turn around, Logan grabbed her wrists and forced her to place her hands on the window in front of her as his lips eagerly connected to her neck, making her draw in a breath and gasp.

He shoved his hand underneath her shirt and yanked down her bra cup before roughly grabbing her breast. Marie pushed his hand away and quickly turned around.

They stared at each other with heated, darkened eyes as they both panted. She smirked as she yanked her shirt off over her head and quickly ridded herself of her bra.

Logan snatched his own shirt off and yanked her body to his as she jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist as she connected her lips to his in a hungry kiss. He stumbled backwards until they landed on the couch. Logan ran his hand up her bare stomach and greedily groped her supple breasts. Marie reached between them and began yanking open his pants as he wrestled for a way to unfasten her jeans.

Somehow, they both got their pants pulled down. In the midst of the feverish kissing, scratching and biting, Logan slowed and separated his lips from hers to look down into her eyes as he settled between her legs, "You're so damn beautiful..."

Marie, who had been lost in a world of feral sexual aggression, blushed as she reached up and pulled his face down to hers for a gentle, yet passionate kiss.

Logan reached down and grabbed a hold of his member before pushing himself deep inside of her as they continued kissing. In response, Marie gasped against his mouth and froze in place as he began thrusting into her body.

She wrapped her legs around his waist as he leaned down and buried his face in her neck, biting, licking and sucking at the tender flesh.

"Oh god...Logan...fuck me..."

With a growl, he acquiesced and sat up, pulling her into a kneeling position on the floor. He entered her again from behind and gathered her long hair in his hand before he resumed thrusting into her like a wild animal.

Marie's entire body jerked back and forth violently as he reached forward and grabbed her breast. She quickly sat up on her knees to reach behind his head and roughly run her fingers through his hair.

He wrapped his arms around her lithe body as she began shaking and convulsing against him, signaling the arrival of a mind bending orgasm. Logan gripped onto her tighter as his own climax claimed his body. He buried his face in her neck and came hard as he whispered her name reverently.

Ten minutes later, they were laying in each others arms on the floor of the cabin. She smiled as he gently traced an invisible design over her hip, "I like you, Logan..."

"I think I might more than like you, kid."

Marie turned over and blushed, "Really?"

"I've never put my ass on the line for anyone the way I have for you baby..."

She gently stroked his muttonchops, "I think I more than like you too." He favored her with a loving kiss, then got up and walked to the kitchen. She stood and followed him, "So...what now?"

"Now...I protect you with my life..."

Marie wrapped her arms around his neck, "You trained me well...I'm gonna protect you too."

Seven weeks later...

"Higher."

Marie sighed, "That's as far as I can reach."

Logan smirked and came over to take the painting from her. He hammered a nail into the high spot on the wall and hung the painting before stepping back and crossing his arms, "Now that is where this deserves to be."

She blushed and looked down, "Yeah right."

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close before kissing her temple, "It's beautiful, kid. You got real talent..."

Marie cocked her head to the side and stared at the painting she had completed the week before. Originally, she'd just purchased the painting supplies as yet another way to entertain herself while Logan was working in the lumber yard. After dabbling in a sketch book, she finally turned her attention to a full canvas and painted an impressionist style painting of a young girl, wading shin-deep in a stream surrounded by gorgeous trees.

To her, it was just a memory from childhood that she happened to recreate. To Logan, she was the next Van Gogh.

He ranted and raved about it for days until she finally agreed to hang it. Now it was hanging in a prominent spot in "their" home.

The sounds of a cap being popped off of beer bottles made her turn her attention toward Logan, who was walking toward her with two beers. She smiled and took one, "You really think it's good?"

"Look at me, kid...do I seem like the type of guy who would call shit 'good'?"

Marie laughed as she took her beer and took a swig, "No, darlin'. You certainly don't. One of the many things I love about you. You ready for dinner?"

Logan eyed her hungrily for a second before leaning over and kissing her neck, "I might be able to go for dessert first..."

She giggled, despite the intense shivers that ran down her spine as a result of his lips connecting with her erogenous zone. She was barely able to set her beer on a solid surface before Logan suddenly hoisted her over his shoulder using one hand. Marie squealed and slapped his ass as he took a drink of his beer and stalked toward their bedroom while carrying her. He tossed her to the bed and took another sip of beer as she sat up and yanked her shirt over her head.

She grabbed his belt and yanked his waist toward her slightly, "You gonna put that beer down to fuck me?"

He raised a brow, "I bet I can make you cum three times without having to put this beer down."

Marie unfastened his belt and looked up at him with darkened eyes, "You're on, buddy."

Logan nonchalantly took a sip of his beer before pushing her backwards on the bed. Using only one hand, he unbuttoned and unzipped her pants, then yanked them off along with her underwear. After yet another sip of his beer, he parted her knees and began trailing kisses down the inside of her thigh. By the time he buried his face in her pussy, Marie was already writhing in ecstasy. Using his only free hand, he tightly gripped her thigh as he hungrily lapped at her soft, delicate folds. Reaching down, she eagerly ran her fingers through his hair as her hips involuntarily thrust upwards against his undulating tongue.

Moving his hand from her thigh, he inserted two fingers inside of her quivering hole, suddenly sending her sky rocketing toward her first orgasm.

Logan smirked as he stood back up and waited for her shivering to subside, "Feelin' OK babe?"

Marie nodded and watched as he began sauntering back toward the kitchen, "Where are you goin'?"

He threw a cocky smile over his shoulder, "I need more beer."

Just as quickly as he left, he was back with a new beer. She smirked, "If you think I'm gonna get on top and make these easy for you-"

She was cut off when he suddenly grabbed her leg and flipped her over. He yanked her hip upwards before favoring her with a tight slap on her ass. Marie gasped and bit her lip as she stayed frozen in that position, listening as he dealt with the challenge of removing his own pants with only one hand. She heard him mutter "fuck it" before he suddenly plunged into her.

Instead of giving her a second to recover from the mind blowing sensation of having him plunge into her so deeply, he began fucking her at a fast, intense pace. Marie moaned and whimpered helplessly as her body surrendered to his will...but the race was now on. Could Logan last long enough to deliver two more orgasms?

In order to ensure he would at least make it to a third attempt, he reached around her and began fingering her clit. Before long, she was crying out his name as her body spasmed again.

He panted and smiled as she flopped forward onto the mattress. Logan, who was now shaking himself, slowly brought the beer bottle to his lips and took a deep swig. Number three was definitely going to be harder than he thought.

Despite the obvious sheen of sweat that covered her body and her breathlessness, she smirked, "Had enough?"

"Not hardly."

Logan took a gulp of beer before crawling on top of her and burying his face in her neck. He relished the salty, sweet taste of her sweaty skin as he thrust himself inside of her, being sure to allow his groin to repeatedly brush against her clit as he moved in and out of her.

Marie, knowing by now what it took to drive him insane, raised her legs up further around his waist and locked her ankles behind his ass. He suddenly froze as he closed his eyes and groaned.

She raised both eyebrows and feigned surprise, "What? Are you close?"

He shook his head and shifted his weight to his right arm so that he could use his left hand to take another drink of beer, "Nope...just needed a drink..."

Marie bit her lip, "Yeah...right..."

When he started to move again, he could feel her muscles begin to clench against him, "Oh god...baby...what are you doing?"

Her own actions were beginning to backfire as she felt her own body begin to tighten, but instead of admitting her impending defeat, she panted as she spoke, "Ever heard of kegals, baby?"

"I can feel you, baby...I know you're close...just give it up..."

When her hips involuntarily bucked upwards, it proved to be more than Logan could handle. He roared as the most powerful orgasm he'd ever experienced in his entire life claimed control of his body. His weakened hand released the beer, spilling the remainder of the contents on Marie, who came barely two seconds after he did. Logan plopped onto his back beside her as she giggled breathlessly, "Ha-haaa! I won! I toooold you!"

He laid there, unable to move, "Babe...I think in this situation...we're both winners."

After spending several minutes attempting to recover in bed and a shower, they got dressed in their pajamas and had leftovers for dinner. After eating, Logan looked back up at the painting, "I've never given a fuck about art, kid...but that's really beautiful. I'm actually surprised I like it so much."

"Really?"

He nodded and stretched out his long legs, "Yep. You should do more."

"I think I will. Not like there's much opportunity for work in this town for women-folk."

Logan smirked, "Is it so bad that I bring home the bacon and you fetch me my beer and slippers?"

She playfully hit him with the pillow, "Watch it."

"No harm meant, babe. I know you're as capable of kicking ass as I am."

Marie cuddled into him and stared at the fire, "You bet I am...and don't you ever forget it."

As promised, Marie got to work on more paintings. She became engrossed in recreating memories from summer vacations, holidays and random scenes from the small town she grew up in. Eventually, the entire, uncomplicated life she lived prior to the emergence of her mutation had been placed on canvas. The colors were vibrant, the characters were lively and the scene was always heartfelt...each of them could be considered their own little masterpiece.

Logan happily hung each and every piece of art she created. He admired them and tried to convince her to start painting for money, but she refused to believe that she was good enough to make money off of her uncultivated talent.

During one particularly quiet night, Marie rolled over to find herself alone in bed. She walked out into the living room, wearing one of his large, flannel shirts as a nightgown. She approached his shirtless form from behind and kissed the area between his shoulder blades before placing her hands on his shoulders, "You OK?"

Logan, who remained unmoving as he stared out the window, nodded, "Yep."

"Why don't you come to bed? I can guarantee you it's much more fun in there than it is out here..." she said as she softly traced a finger up the side of his neck. When that didn't get a response, she sighed and squeezed herself in between him and the window, "What's goin' on in that head of yours?"

He finally made eye contact with her and sighed, "It doesn't matter where we go. It'll always come to this...you in bed alone, while I stand watch..."

She gently took his face in her hands, "We're safe here. We were careful. We kept a low profile and no one knows our real names."

He looked down into her eyes and gently traced a finger down her cheek, "I don't wanna lose you."

Marie looked back into his eyes, "You won't..."

"I'm serious Marie...if anything happened to you, I'd-"

She gently placed her hand against his mouth to cut him off, "I know your entire life has been worst case scenario after worst case scenario, but look around you, baby...you're happy now. Just let yourself enjoy this. It's just you and me livin' in our own little world...we're gonna be fine."

"Promise?"

Marie smiled and gave him a light kiss, "If everything was in my control, I would make that promise to you...but it's not in my power to do that. I can only tell you that I'll always love you."

"Love..."

"That's the first time that word's come up, isn't it?"

Logan smiled a little, "Yeah."

"You're not gonna freak out on me...are ya?"

He shook his head, "Nah...I just...I-I-I uh...love you too."

I hope you enjoyed this rewrite! Review please!