Halfway Across the Gap

Part Two

Xavier's Institute was the closest thing that Logan had to a home. In spite of this fact, he was slightly anxious about the prospect of coming back.

Okay, that was an understatement; he felt more like he was about to shit his pants.

Ever since the plane had landed at the JFK airport, he'd been replaying the argument that he and Ororo had before he left for the second time to go on his pity trip. The worst part was that she hadn't yelled at him— not once. She hadn't increased her volume even a little, but kept her voice at an even, measured (but frigid) tone as she told him exactly what she thought of him for 'running away', as she called it. He remembered saying several choice things, after which she quietly told him to leave. He'd felt vindicated at the time, but now all he felt was sick to his stomach.

He tried to distract himself with the car that Yukio rented. She never failed to travel in style, though he was offended by her distaste in motorcycles. He didn't ask how she knew the way to the mansion; it made sense that she had visited there in her search for him. Which of course meant that she talked to Ororo, which led his thoughts back to the argument.

Damn it.

Yukio didn't seem the least concerned with his feelings on the matter; in fact, looking at her more closely, he'd say she was excited. She was beaming at something, and it sure as hell wasn't the driver talking on his cell phone in front of them.

Logan wished that he were driving. At least then he'd have something to take his mind off of his impending return to Xavier's. Yukio, however, always insisted on driving after he'd managed to get them in a car chase in Spain ("They were from that slave ring we were tracking! What'd you expect, Runt?" "I told you not to try to drive over the top of the police car.") That particular spat had ended with Yukio smiling sweetly while offering to buy him a motorcycle of his choice when they went to America— after she threatened to cut his balls off with Danza. Nearly three months of travelling with him had quickly removed any awe she held for him.

Logan was a bit proud of that fact.

If Yukio weren't with him, he wasn't sure he would have summoned up the courage to even suggest going back to the Institute. Yukio had jumped at the chance, and no amount of reluctance from Logan would change her mind.

"How long were you there for last time?" Logan asked, feeling an uncharacteristic need to break the silence.

Yukio's eyes flashed over to his before returning to the road. "Not long. Just enough to ask Munroe-sama where you might be. Fifteen minutes, I think."

"Why didn't you stay any longer?"

For the first time since they'd landed in New York, Yukio looked uncomfortable. "I'm not sure I would have been able to leave."

He and Yukio had many things in common, but not this apparently. She didn't want to leave, and he couldn't do it soon enough.

Don't you mean 'abandon', not leave?

Shut up, he growled at himself. Since when had his conscience sounded like Jean? Yeah, he used to dream of her often enough, but this was new.

By the time they pulled into the drive, he felt like he was gearing up for battle. Yukio hopped out of the rental after strapping Danza to her back, looking at him with glittering eyes. It was obvious that she was thrilled. Logan couldn't help himself; he started to play the funeral march in his head. As though she could hear it too, Yukio gave him an exasperated look.

"No one here will kill you," she informed him.

"I thought you said the future could change."

"That is true," replied Yukio. She sounded way too cheerful.

He gave her one of his trademark scowls. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

She chose to ignore this remark, walking up to the door and forcing him to follow. Not even his nerves could make him hide in the car like a little boy; he had a reputation to maintain, after all. Even if there were several mutants here who were capable of seeing through it easily. Yukio rang the doorbell, humming to herself. Logan winced, knowing that many of the students were probably woken up; it was the middle of the night.

In spite of his anticipation, he couldn't help but grin at the cranky Southern twang that greeted them.

"Do y'all even know what time it is? I swear, this had better be important, or I'll—"

The door was yanked open, revealing a young woman with a distinctive white stripe through her hair. She seemed to lose her voice at the sight of them, her jaw hitting the ground.

"Hey, Rogue," he said.

He was a bit hurt by the sheer disbelief in her eyes, but he figured it was well-deserved. After all, he himself hadn't expected to come back, either. There was a moment of hesitation from her, during which he held his breath. Said breath was then knocked out of him when she flung herself at him a moment later.

"Welcome back, you idiot," she said, her voice muffled by his jacket. She drew back and punched his arm, almost making him wince. "Finally come to your senses, have you? And it's Marie now."

Yukio was watching the exchange with no small amount of amusement. Marie seemed to notice her suddenly, blinking a bit.

"Hi," she said. "I'm Marie."

"Yukio." She shook Marie's hand, which Logan noticed was uncovered. He knew that she'd taken the cure, and that it had worked. Whatever else it might have done, it certainly did wonders for Marie. He'd never seen her more at ease in her own skin before, as though she was finally completely comfortable with herself. She looked older, too. He felt a sudden pang that he'd missed this change.

"C'mon in," Marie said, ushering them through the doors. "Most everybody's sleeping; I got night watch. Turns out I'm lucky, 'cause I get to be the first to see you. If you want to talk to Ororo, you can do it in the morning. I think we have two spare rooms next to each other for both of you— unless it's just a spare room?" she asked, looking between them speculatively.

Logan and Yukio looked at one another before snorting in unison. "We did pretend to be a couple in Egypt," she reminded him.

"Yeah," Logan muttered, aware of Marie's curious gaze, "and that will never not be weird."

"… all right then. Spare rooms it is," said Marie.

As they made their way to the staff quarters, Logan fell into step beside Marie. Yukio was walking ahead of them, drinking in everything around her.

"So, you still working with the X-Men?" he asked.

"As the pilot," admitted Marie. "Ororo's been really understanding about it. But I mostly teach now. I cover math classes for the younger kids. Kitty and Piotr have split up the science classes, and Bobby's tackling English. We were really short-staffed, so we volunteered, else Ororo would've been teaching every class and running the school at the same time."

Logan wondered when Storm had become 'Ororo' to Marie. He had flinched a bit when Marie mentioned being short-staffed, because he knew that that was his fault.

"Bobby's taken over the Danger Room sessions, too," she continued.

He couldn't stand it anymore. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Marie held up a hand to stop him.

"Don't," she said sharply. "I don't know why you left, Logan. You seemed like you were doing pretty well— Jean's death notwithstanding. You were a big help after Alcatraz. I don't expect you to tell me anything about what happened, but what's past is past. And for what it's worth, I understand."

It occurred to him then that Marie had been in mourning at one point, too. Maybe she was doing better without her powers now, but the fact remained that they had been a part of her— as integral as her arms or legs. It couldn't have been easy for her to let them go.

His suspicions were confirmed when she said, "I took the cure, and yeah, there are some days when I regret it. But then there are other days when I'm reminded why I did it, and I know I can't dwell on it. I have to move forward."

She stopped beside a door and gestured to one across the hall from it. "These two are free. It's up to you two who gets which one. I've gotta get back to watch. I am glad you're back, Logan. I'll see you in the morning."

She retreated back down the hall, eventually vanishing around a corner. Yukio looked at him, shrugged, and went into the room across the hall.

The interior of his room looked the same as many of the rooms in the mansion: elegant, classical— a reminder of just how rich Xavier's family must've been. Before, living here, he hadn't particularly cared what it looked like as long as he had somewhere to crash. Now, though, he felt like he deserved to sleep in the garage.

He didn't expect to catch many z's. It still felt like daylight for him. A short knock on the door signaled that Yukio felt the same; she entered without waiting for an answer from him, promptly plopping herself onto his bed.

"Get off, Runt," he said half-heartedly. "Go sleep in your own bed."

She ignored him again. "Why did you leave?" she asked, staring up at the ceiling. "It's nice here. I couldn't imagine wanting to."

Because everywhere I looked I saw Jean. Because I could barely look at those graves without hating Scott. Because it felt like Chuck was staring at me wherever I went, even though he couldn't have been. Because Marie kept avoiding me after taking the cure. Because the mansion felt so damn empty after Alcatraz.

Because I made a mistake.

Aloud he said, "I'm a wanderer. Staying in one place isn't really my thing."

Yukio nodded, seemingly accepting his answer. Probably because it was partly true; he could've stayed with Mariko, but chose to travel instead. She, too, had gotten used to moving around a lot while she looked for him, as well as when they were in Europe for three months. She still showed no intention of leaving his side; she took her job as his bodyguard very seriously.

"How well do you and Munroe-sama know one another?" she asked abruptly.

He shot her a look. "Well enough," he answered tersely. Yukio let it go. She was able to read his moods rather well, and knew when it was a good time to back off.

"Marie lives a long, happy life, you know," announced Yukio. "She dies smiling, aged considerably, holding hands with a kind looking man. There are others with her— her children, perhaps."

Yukio's predictions of death used to unnerve him slightly, but he was more accustomed to them now. Hearing her speak so frankly about someone he knew was a bit different, but he smiled slightly when he realized that Marie's life would ultimately be a great one. At least he'd done right by someone here.

"Wanna spar, Runt?" he asked.

Yukio looked around the room, nose wrinkling. "We may destroy some of the furniture."

"I know a good place," he told her. If the Danger Room still allowed him access, that is.

It turned out that it did. He felt another wave of shame; he'd been sure that Ororo would've deleted him from the records by now.

Please. You know that Ororo's not that petty.

Shut up, Jean.

Yukio grinned at their surroundings, hefting Danza. "This will do nicely."

A/N: Not much to say about this one. I see Logan and Yukio as having a kind of brother-sister relationship.