I don't own any of the lyrics or X-Men boooooo ;)

Chapter 4

"Nervous?"

Marie looked up from her sleepy study of the TV to see Logan standing just inside the door of the rec room, leaning lazily against the door frame.

She smiled at him and shook her head.

"Nah,"

He sauntered into the room and sat down next to her.

She automatically scooted over and laid her head against his chest as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She snuggled against him and yawned happily.

"You did good darlin'," he mumbled into her hair and she smiled again. He was the only one who wasn't afraid of her skin and what it could do. Sure the others acted like her skin did not bother them but she knew that it did. She could tell by the look that they gave her or the way that they would tense up when she was near. But not Logan...never Logan.

She rubbed her head sleepily into his chest and yawned again.

"Thanks Logan," she mumbled.

After the auditions that morning it was decided that there was to be another audition the next day. One that was to decide who was to play Belle. One between Marie and Kitty.

Marie sighed softly.

She was not looking forward to it, not one little bit.

She closed her eyes and leaned more fully into Logan.

"Can't sleep darlin'?" he asked her softly.

She shook her head. She knew that neither of them needed to go into why she couldn't sleep. It was after all for the same reason that he could not sleep.

"You know I would do anything to take them away darlin'," he told her gently.

"I know Logan," she mumbled sleepily still trying to force her eyes to remain open. She didn't want to go to sleep. She didn't want to face the nightmares that weren't hers.

She felt a shift beside her as Logan moved. He leaned across her and must have grabbed the remote as the faint light coming from the TV vanished and the room was enveloped in darkness.

She felt something press against the top of her head and snuggled deeper into his arms. She loved it when he kissed her.

"Go to sleep darlin'. I'll keep you safe," he whispered and she finally allowed herself to give in.

Marie stood to the side of the makeshift stage yet again and rubbed at her eyes.

Yesterday the results from the auditions had been made known – two hours after the auditions themselves.

Pete was going to be Gaston, Bobby his creepy little henchman (perfect choice as far as Marie was concerned), Scott was playing Cogsworth and Gambit was to play Lumiere with some of the younger children playing different objects and making up the chorus. The Beast – according to the professor – was a surprise. The one that had not been decided on was Belle. It was a draw between her and ...Kitty.

Marie had not been that bothered about it to begin with – after all, she hadn't been bothered about the whole audition thing anyway but when she had seen the look that Kitty had thrown her the small part of Wolverine that was still in her head flared to life.

But now...now it had warn away and she was back to not really caring. Well...until Kitty's song started anyway.

Jubilee gasped in anger next to her as she concentrated on holding it together.

'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.
And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.

"How dare she," Jubilee fumed beside her.

Marie knew what game the other girl was playing but t still stung and when she stared adoringly at Bobby in the crowd her chest clenched.

She walked towards the door. She couldn't do this. But before she could make it that far she felt a strong hand grip her wrist and she was spun into a solid chest. The scent of cigars, motor oil and outdoors filled her senses.

"Logan," she breathed into his chest.

"I know it hurts darlin'," he whispered into her hair.

Marie sighed. She could always count on him to know what was wrong.

"But you are going to get up there and you are going to show everyone how much better you are,"

She drew away from his chest and nodded her head. Breathing deeply as she got her emotions under control.

"That's my girl," he smiled turning her by her shoulders and propelling her back towards the stage.

She could do this.

With a new sense of determination she walked onto the stage as Kitty left it and plugged in her ipod.

She took in a deep breath as she walked up to the microphone and some of the kid manipulating the light focused the beams on her. She breathed steadily and she scanned the audience and saw Logan's reassuring smile and wink. She blushed. Did he just wink at her?

The music reached the point for her to start.

Energize me with a simple touch
Or with an open heart
Energize me, fire up this flame
That's burning between us

Ha, she thought as she took in a deep breath.

Two can play at that game Kitty.

It lies in everyone
This swalling energy
It's all around us too
Electrifying you
So can't you set it free?
This virtue is the key
Just something we all know
And we are used

I can feel
It's inside me
Open up
Enlighten me

She continued to sing the lyrics to the song that she had thought of as hers from the minute that she had heard it.

Energize me with a simple smile
Open up your mind
Energize me activate that light
That's given and taken
She belted out the chorus as the music came to an end and panted for breath.

Can you believe in the power that's burning between us?
Would you believe if you open up your mind
Open up your mind

Logan couldn't believe it. He had never seen Marie let go like that before.

Anger had began to burn inside him when he had listened to what Kitty was singing. He knew that the girl was using any available option to rub Marie's limitations in her face and it had broken his heart to see Marie head for the doors. But he wouldn't let her go. If she left then the girl had won and he would not let that happen. His Marie was better than that kid any day and she and the whole damn school was going to realise that.

So he had stopped her, held her and got her back to the stage and he could not help the smile that came to his lips when she started to sing.

Logan wondered what the next song would be. The professor had made it clear that they were both to perform two songs each...

He had also informed the staff that there would be a visitor who would be performing the part of Beast/Prince Charming.

After the clapping died down from Marie's performance the professor wheeled himself to the front of the stage.

Logan didn't pay that much attention as Marie headed straight for him and stood beside him. He scanned the crowd quickly for her friend and found Jubilee giving Kitty an earful.

"Did great darlin'," he whispered to her just as the professor began to speak.

"I am pleased to introduce you all to – "

"Thanks sugar," she smiled and his heart flipped in his chest.

The girl could floor a guy with a smile like that.

"-who was a student here and has been good enough to volunteer for the production,"

There was more clapping and Logan finally began to pay attention as someone walked from the audience and up onto the stage.

What?

Logan's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he watched the broad shoulder, furry, blue...man (?) take his place.

"Who's the fur ball?" he whispered to Marie who was also staring up at the stage.

"Weren't ya listening sugar," she grinned and he growled playfully at her.

He smiled at the as she giggled.

"That is Henry McCoy, sugar," she explained softly as the mutant introduced himself.

"He was training to be a professional opera singer before his mutation and then he got interested in politics and lab work,"

Logan was surprised at how much Marie and felt a twinge of jealousy.

"How do you know all that Marie?"

"I read it in a science magazine," she mumbled in reply.

"So that's a little bit about me, so I'll leave you to your auditions,"

The professor thanks the man and gestured for Kitty to take the stage again.

Marie sighed next to him as the music started and he leaned in close to her ear.

"Don't worry darlin'," he whispered and he felt the shiver that ran through her.

"I'm not really. I wasn't too bothered about auditioning anyway...it was all Jubilee's idea..."

She trailed of and he could almost see the cogs turning in her head as she watched her ex-friend sing to some pop song he had never heard before. He had to hand it to the other girl, she did have a good voice but it lacked the depth that Marie had.

"My turn sugar,"

He felt the instant loss of her as Marie went back to the stage after the applause had died down from Kitty's performance.

He watched as she plugged in her music and it surrounded the room through the countess number of speaker that had been hooked up around the walls.

She opened her mouth and started.

It's getting hard to breathe
Darkness in my head frightens me
There's a little devil in my mouth
Writing ugly words for you to shout
The virgin soul that lived in me
Is raped by insecurity
I need you to sing...

Logan had never heard the song before but he listened with rap attention as Marie reached every note that she had to.

Sing for me my love
Sing the right from wrong
Here inside my mind
Truth is hard to find

He wondered if that was how she felt when she absorbed a new personality - if she found it hard to find herself past the other person.


It's getting to crowded here

He watched as she pulled a face and screwed a finger into the side of her head. He heard some giggle come from the younger children and knew that she had done it for their benefit.

All alone and playing with my fear
I don't want this anymore
I've tied myself down to the floor

He had never thought about it before but he found himself wondering just what she would do if the opportunity came to get rid of her mutation. To him it was part of who she was but he knew that at times she viewed is as the worse curse there could be.

Sing for me my love
Sing the right from wrong
Here inside my mind
Truth is hard to find

Everybody stood up as she finished and the room rang with claps, whistles and shouts.

Marie smiled broadly at her schoolmates and bending from he waist she gave them a deep bow.

That's my girl.

Hi everyone. Sorry that it has taken so long for me to update I ran out if steam a little bit where this story is concerned. Anyhoo. The next chapter should be more writing and less lyrics.

Please let me know what you think.

Keep safe.

:)

Energize Me – Fab song by After Forever

Every time we touch – Cascada

Sing for Me - Tarja