Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.
Standing outside of his Jeep at the front entrance to the school, Logan had to smirk as he looked over to Pete. Mirroring another, Pete had Jubilee cradled in his arms with his cowboy hat resting atop her brow, while Logan did the same with Marie. Bobby sat with Kitty on the stairs, Kitty while a touch sleepy looked to be holding her own, the two just working their phones before taking photos of the sight before them.
"Alright, you all get some shut eye, I gotta go take sleepin' beauty here down to bed." Logan said, ambling off down the lawn towards the carriage house.
Wandering down the rolling lawns, he could hear the going ons of the school even from here, some music playing amidst showers being taken and the odd cries of laughter. It was the sound of everything he had grown accustomed to, grown to appreciate, the sounds of the place he called home. Spotting a light ahead, Logan figured maybe there was someone else awake at this hour as he walked at a leisurely place with no hurry to be anywhere.
Nearing the carriage house come cottage, the front door opened quiet and a slight silhouette stepped out to close it behind, the night air letting him know long before he neared just who it was. Just what are ya doin' up at this hour munchkin? Even from where he was he could see the glass of water raised and catching the light of the school, a smile finding him. Hearing the creek of the porch swing he knew she must have slipped to it, some minutes later until he finally walked up to the carriage house with his sleepy companion in his arms.
Any chance ya could lend a hand pipsqueak? Thinking to himself as he stood there, he saw her set the glass down and skip up to start untying the laces of Marie's shoes, then carefully setting them down beside the door. Raising his own booted feet, Logan had to struggle for balance as she tugged at them until finding purchase to help him free of them. Standing there in the socks he threw her a gracious smile, watching her open the door for him and help him on in. Risking a free hand he popped his Stetson on her as she held the door, Abby righting the hat so she could see with a look to Marie after.
Oh don't worry, she might have had a few suds but she behaved herself like a good girl. Just tuckered herself likely, gonna go and tuck her in myself. Logan found himself easily endeared to Abby, having had a private moment with her after her little announcement out on the front drive a couple days back. Ghosting him up the stairs, she waited at the door as he gently laid Marie down in her bed and tried to tug his jacket off her only for her to clutch dearly to it.
"Well just so long as you give it back to me in the morning." Logan whispered as he found the blankets and wrapped them around her, brushing a few locks of her hair aside then to look down on her as she slumbered.
Turning to look back to Abby, he found her there with her glass of water in hand and a smile in kind, mischief clearly in her eyes. With a wink he walked past to head on down back to the front porch, hardly surprised when she followed him the whole way. Don't go expectin' sympathy from me when you're all yawns tomorrow. Logan thought, Abby just shrugging as she found her way back onto the porch swing.
You had fun with Kurt today? Logan held as an inner monologue, Abby nodding and looking up to him between sips of her water. That's good to hear Kiddo, sorry to leave ya behind. You got my promise after I get a friend to have a chat with ya that I'll take ya on in to town. Way I hear it, there's a certain ice cream shop all the ladies love, my treat. The eager smile was reply enough, an evening chat between them with no risk of waking up anyone else. Sitting down on the swing, he found her nestling up to him and wrapped an arm around her, the two of them just looking back off to the school as the lights flickered out one by one.
"Thank you." Abby whispered, Logan looking down to her to tip her hat down with a finger.
"More than welcome Darlin', more than welcome. So...just what kind of mischief did ya get up to with Kurt, ya got my promise I won't go tellin' your mama." Logan whispered back.
"He brought some other kids down and we got to playing. They wouldn't let me be it for hide and seek, but I can't blame them. Kurt cheated though, so I told them even though they smelled him, he's kinda stinky when he leaves." Abby whispered, telling of her day until her mother had come back home.
"Sounds like you had some fun." Logan whispered, Abby just nodding and snuggling closer to him.
"When can I see the school?" Abby asked, soulful eyes looking up to him.
"Well, so long as ya head off ta bed and your mama is fine with it, might just have ya pop up tomorrow for a peek. Ro and Bets should be back then, if'in ya get too flustered I'll just have Kurt pop ya back down nice and safe, sound like a deal?" Logan asked quietly, holding out his hand.
Finding her smaller hand take his, he gave a shake and a nod, his word something he was bound by even if he didn't have someone picking his thoughts. Sitting for a bit longer, Abby finally gave a yawn and popped off the swing, taking the Stetson to hold it out to him.
"Why don't you just hold onto that, you and Marie can fight over it, though between you and me I got my money on you." Logan whispered, ruffling the girl's hair once before she put the hat back on.
Hearing her run back into the cottage, he waited until he caught the sound of her likely crawling into the only other bed in the place, right on in with her mama. Sleep tight kid. Logan thought not just to himself, finding his boots and pulling them back on before he started walking back off to the school. With a last glance to the cottage, he rightly didn't know who he meant then, shaking his head realizing he likely meant both with a chuckle. No promises darlin'.
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Marie woke and rolled over with her hand questing for her alarm clock to check the time, after a surreal moment that left her disorientated and confused she remembered where she was. Laying there and looking around the room, she found the window and judged by the daylight streaming in through the blinds that it had to at least be pushing eight in the morning. Feeling something rough under the covers, she tugged on it pulling it free to find a denim jacket tangled in her blankets, the night past coming back to her with a smile.
The day seemed a dream, as if she had fallen down a rabbit hole to see so many faces cast in a new light. But she had her proof right there in hand and it was all she needed right now. Closing her eyes and enjoying the softness and warmth of the bed, she determined it was time to get up and kicked the blankets off and leapt to her feet. With no turning back now she opened the door and found a neat pile of clothes set in the hall. Gathering them up she made her way to the bath for a much needed shower and a good brushing with how fuzzy her mouth was feeling then.
Walking down the stairs with her hair damp and wondering just who had volunteered their wardrobe to her this time, she spotted Layla and Abby dressed in kind, the two sitting in the breakfast nook nibbling on toast. Traipsing into the kitchen and finding the slate tiles cool to the touch, she wished then she had her fuzzy bunny slippers. With a cup of coffee in hand she started on some toast herself.
"Good morning." Abby said full of smiles.
"Hi." Layla added after a sip of her own cup.
"Heya. Settling in alright?" Marie asked of the two, Abby nodding with a mouth full of toast and Layla just smiling.
Abby looked to the door, both following her gaze to see a silhouette there still someway off. Tickling the girl, she excused herself to go wait for the knock that came after a time. Standing there with a girl on his shoulders was Pete, Jubilee close at his side and Logan at the back with a laundry hamper oddly enough. With a look to Layla, Marie saw her friend waving them in and stepped aside.
"They stopped by while you were still asleep to drop off some things, Jubilee the dear also took all our laundry for a good wash." Layla explained as she got up to offer some hugs.
"You let him have our laundry?" Marie asked of Jubilee who just shrugged.
Snatching it out of Logan's hands, she felt her cheeks burning spotting her cartoon theme panties right on the top. To his credit, he just found a painting to stare down even though she could clearly see him grinning just a bit. Punching him in the shoulder she raced upstairs, swearing she heard him spit out a teasing 'Aw tat ah taw a putty tat.' under his breath. Coming back down after sorting through it all, she found them all out in the living room with Abby and the young blonde playing. Picking up her coffee and finding room enough to squeeze in on the sofa, she joined her peers in admiring the way Pete looked on the girls.
"Illyana?" Pete asked softly, the blonde looking up instantly.
"Yes Piotr?" Illyana asked.
"This is Marie, Marie...this is my sister, Illyana." Pete introduced, a hint of blush on his cheeks.
"Hi." Illyana said, aqueous blue eyes full of innocence regarding her.
Too enamoured to say anything, Marie just found herself waving to the girl and watching as she returned to playing with Abby, the two taking turns with the DS and looking over another's shoulders. With a sip of her coffee, she looked on him in question, Pete just giving a nod off to the porch and a whisper of 'in a bit' shared.
"I thought you liked Pete?" Marie asked teasingly.
"My little snowflake may call me what she likes." Pete said with a sideways glance to his sister.
"Piotr!" Illyana whined, Pete just breaking out into a broad smile.
"Alright, time for a pro to show you a thing or two." Jubilee said, hunkering down with the kids and taking her turn after Illyana pouted at her defeat in the game.
With knowing looks, Marie walked off to the kitchen with Pete to freshen her coffee and step out to the front porch. Pete joined her after a last look, shutting the door quietly and settling down in the porch swing next to her. Enjoying their coffee for a time, Marie looked to Pete and worked the trademark questioning look of Logan then, Pete having to chuckle at the sight of it.
"Kitty said there was a reason you stayed..." Marie said quietly, Pete just looking back to the door and clearly looking beyond.
"I had my bags packed when my parents phoned me telling me my little snowflake was missing. I had them over my shoulder for a different reason then, heading to Miss Munroe to ask her to fly me home so I could search for her." Pete started, rubbing his thumb over his mug.
Sitting quietly and finding her hand reaching for his, Marie gave a reassuring squeeze as they found another, Pete looking up to smile before finding the strength to carry on.
"Knocking at her door," Pete started, his hand reaching to find his eyes and rub them while a sad laugh escaped to be followed with a calming breath, "Illyana answered. She said she missed me and wanted to see me, walking into a light and finding herself at the door she remembered from when we graduated."
"How?" Marie asked so curious.
"It took a while, a cup of cocoa and some cookies and a phone call from mama, but holding her hand the whole way she wanted to go home. A light came...and we were back at our farm." Pete explained, emotion gripping him as he struggled with the tale.
"Illyana can teleport...better than even Mister Wagner. She took us back to our farm in Montana, mama tells me I have no reason not to visit her now but I know she teases. Illyana joined the school, and I stayed to be with her to make sure she didn't go walking off again." Pete explained.
Throwing her arms about him, Marie hugged him tight and for a long time with neither needing to say anything else. Just sitting there listening to the three inside playing with the DS, listening to Jubilee teaching Abby and Illyana alike all the tricks she knew. With their coffee long cold they held their cups just the same, enjoying one another's company then. After a time her own curiosity got the best of her turning on Pete again, Pete this time rolling his eyes.
"I have to know, how long have you two been..." Marie started, a pointed look back to the house.
"Almost a year..." Pete whispered with a lean towards her.
"And no one knew!?" Marie asked in a sharp whisper thinking back to Bobby and Kitty's shared reaction.
"I wouldn't say that..." Pete replied hinting.
"So, how did that happen?" Marie asked in the closeness.
Pete smiled, looking to his hands as he held the cold cup of coffee, his thumbs just running along the rim in thought. Marie felt she had once again tread where she shouldn't have, a hand finding his shoulder to give a gentle stroke to accent the shake of her head as she relented. Thinking back to how cute they had been the night before, even with the interruption only to see him take Jubilee into his arms before leading her off, Marie felt another question on her lips and felt horrible for having to ask.
"Who was he?" Pete asked in her stead, Marie looking surprised at his insight, only able to nod in answer to his question.
"The manager of the chain that moved in." Pete explained.
"What happened...?" Marie asked, so many questions swirling through her mind.
"Some weeks back some of her friends convinced her to try for an interview because they missed her, but..." Pete started.
"She didn't want to prove herself to a walking erection..." Marie finished recalling the woman's words of some nights before, Pete just nodding.
"She walked out of the interview, I was waiting in Logan's Jeep having dropped her off. That was the first night he came to the Roadhouse." Pete whispered, his grip tight on his cup.
"Did he?" Marie asked, Pete just shaking his head.
"The first time Fred walked him out, so I heard. The second time Jubilee told me she went to the washroom, he was gone when she came out." Pete started, Marie reading into it with what she had seen in the bar the night before.
"The third time?" Marie asked thinking she knew the answer.
"He tried to grab her, she said he was drunk already. She said she handled it, but that night she came home with bruises on her knuckles..." Pete whispered.
Marie felt tears tugging at her, her breath hard to find as he leaned in close to Pete who sat there stoic and serene. He wrapped an arm about her and pulled her near, thinking the embrace was everything she had imagined then, full of care and comfort.
"When was that?" Marie asked.
"A few days ago." Pete replied, Marie realizing then it had been the night Abby had manifested.
"Why hasn't she...?" Marie asked, faltering under his gaze that held only care and concern.
"I think she already has in her own way, I don't believe he'll ever bother her again. I trust her, her and all her friends." Pete replied, a comforting hug shared as Marie found herself stunned to silence.
"I trust her to tell me her secrets when she is ready, to come to me when she needs to be held, and to always be truthful. She trust me to be there when she needs, to listen to her when she is ready, and to always whisper the words my father taught me to say often..." Pete explained softly.
"What, what words?" Marie asked, trying to find her breath.
"I love you..." Pete replied, a look back to the cottage.
Lost to tears that had nothing to do with sadness, Marie hugged him hard and knew everything she had seen the night before had only been proven in the moment she had just shared, that she had seen love between them just like all the books she had ever read always struggled to portray.
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