Second chapter for your enjoyment!

Chapter 2: Place for the Night

Marie and Murphy rode for what seemed like hours while talking the entire time. He had told her about finding out about his powers when he was only ten years old. His parents freaked out when he started to change the TV station without a remote control. His family was a bunch of yuppies, as he put it, and locked him away in his room all the time. After a year of that he had had enough and snuck out on night to strike it out on his own.

He was from Green Tree Pennsylvania. He ventured down into Pittsburg and lived in the streets there for a few days until he snuck onto a Greyhound bus in downtown Pittsburgh. When he got off the bus, he had found himself in New Orleans. There he got into the Thieves Guild. His powers made it easy to disable alarm systems and hack computer. That is where he met this Gambit person at. He told Marie that back then he went by the name Hijack.

Murphy got into some trouble though when a job went south on him, so now he was on the run from it. Marie was a little worried about it but he assured her that he would not let anything happen to her. She believed his words on that. He started to seem a lot like Logan, with less of a temper. She could not help but to feel sad about leaving Logan behind. He was like a father to her now, but he had his hands full with helping Ororo run the institute now.

Murphy went on about how after the bad job his power evolved more. He didn't get into how they evolved, but Marie was not going pry on the subject. She really did enjoy his company. They stopped to take a break for Marie who was not use to riding on the back of a bike. A street bike was not a good choice for a road trip. She was confused when he pulled out of sight to stop though.

"Ok, I'm gona make this easier on ya hun." Murphy smiles as he puts his hand on the bike. "Remember how I told ya my powers evolved."

"Yeah." Marie was confused, but soon understood. The bike started to change shape, morphing into an chopper with a king and queen seat on it. "How did ya just do that?"

"My power lets me take almost any material and change it to my will. It works best with metals, plastics, and wires. Ya think this will be better for ya hun?" He smiles as he climbs bock onto the bike. "I have ta admit, I'll miss ya holding on to me though."

Marie laughs as she gets back onto the back of the bike. It was much more comfortable than before, but she will miss having her arms around him. They head back around the front and take a break for a few to get food and use the rest room.

Murphy looks out across the horizon from the rest stop they are at, it was a beautiful view. "Hey Marie, look at this." He points out the view.

She walks over and looks out at the setting sun on the horizon, "Wow. Ah didn' think Ah would see beauty like this out here."

She turns to see Murphy looking at her. "What?"

He smiles, "Ya are the beauty here."

Marie turns away, blushing. "Why ya got ta keep doin that?"

He steps closer to her and gently grabs her hand. He raises it up an kisses it, "Because it's the truth hun. And I feel like ya should know it."

Marie blushes more. Marie thinks to herself, damn he is smooth. She pulls her hand away and changes the subject quickly, "So where are we stayin' for the night?"

"Well there a hotel right over there." He points past her to what looks like a really nice hotel.

"Do ya got money?" Marie asks.

Murphy smiles, "Nope but that does not matter."

He smiles as he hops back onto the bike. Marie hopes onto the back and they ride over behind the hotel. He morphs the bike down into a cell phone and puts it in his pocket.

"That's pretty handy." Marie smiles at him.

"More so then you can know. Come on this way." He grabs her hand and starts to walk around the front.

"Follow my lead." He winks at her as he interlaces his fingers with hers. Marie fought the urge to pull her hand away and found it easy not to pull away. It felt rather natural, like she should be holding his hand. She shakes her head. Ah need to get my head on straight.

Marie smiles at him, "Lead the way."

They walked into the lobby and up to the front desk. Once there, Murphy pulls Marie around in front of him and wraps his arms around her. The action caught her off guard, but she keeps playing along bringing her hands up to hold onto his arms. His slim but strong arms, god it feels nice to be like this with someone.

"Hi their mate. I got a reservation for Smith." Murphy spoke with an Irish accent. He was starting to impress her more and more.

"Just one moment sir." The desk clerk checks the computer, "Yes here it is. My I see some ID please."

Murphy unwraps his arms from around Marie, which made her frown, so he could find his ID. He handed it over to the clerk. The clerk looked it over and handed the ID back.

"Thank you sir. Just need your signature here," Murphy signs it, "and here is your key. Would you like help with your bags?"

"Na." Murphy grabs his bag and Marie's, "Come on hun, lets go."

He grabs Marie's hand and heads off to the elevator. Once in he hits for the top floor.

"What room did ya get us?" Marie asks as they ride up.

"The VIP suite. Nothing but the best for you hun." He smiles at her.

Marie shakes her head, "Ya are goin' get us in trouble."

"Na." the doors open and he leads her to their room.

It was a beautiful room with a great view. But it had only one bed. Marie should have know that was coming.

"Ah call tah bed." Marie climes as she head towards it.

"I figure we could just share it." Murphy smiles, "I don't bite, unless you want me to."

Marie laughs, "No biting." Marie decides to try a little flirting here though, "Yet."

Murphy's jaw drops but quickly regains his composure, "Nicely played hun. But if ya don't want to share I can crash on the couch."

Marie stops and thinks for a moment. She likes him more then she should already but just because she lets him in the bed does not mean he is getting some. She smiles sweetly back at him, "Na, Ah can share. Just stay on your side."

Murphy smiles at her, "Yes mam!" he then salutes her. Marie starts laughing again as she heads to the bath room.

"Ah takin' a shower." She smiles at him, "No peekin'."

She closes the bathroom door as she hears his response, "Damn!"

She laughs but trust that he will not try anything. She never got along with Bobby this well. It was amazing how she could have her heart broken and start falling in love with someone else in the same day. She and Murphy had so much more in common. Her parents were not bad, but they were adopted parents. As she took her shower all the things that her and Murphy talked about keep running through her mind. One thing that made her smile is how Murphy wanted to turn back and kick bobby's ass.

She told him that Logan will probably kill him, which made him happy. Marie gets out of the shower and gets dressed. She comes out to see Murphy lying in the bed watching TV. He looks at her and smiles, "Ya feel better not?"

"Yeah Ah do thank ya." She smiles at him. She was in her comfy clothing now which was a spagatti strap top that showed off her mid drift nicely when paired with the loose fitting low riding sweat pants she was wearing. She could not help but to laugh to herself, Murphy could not stop looking at her.

"Take a picture, it will last ya longer." She laughs as he shakes his head. She walks over to the table and grabs some fruit from it.

"Na. A video would be better. It would capture that sexy walk." His reply made her stop mid chew. Why was it that he made her like this? She could feel the heat in her cheeks from blushing.

He stands up and walks over to the table now and reaches around Marie, grabbing some fruit himself. She turned and really liked the view. His racing jacket hide his body all day, but it was lean and athletic. The shirt he had on fit nicely showing some of the muscle underneath without it being skin tight though.

He smiles as he heads to the bath room, "My turn."

His back was to her as his shirt came off before he was even in the door of the bath room. Marie could not stop staring at him until he closed the bath room door. From behind the door she heard him say, "Peek if ya want to."

She laughs as she has to stop herself from taking up that offer. She then sees a meal on the table with a note. She picks up the note and shakes her head.

The note read:

Marie, I was not sure what ya would want so I got ya a burger. Hope I picked right. Murphy

She smiles. He really does think of me already. Marie enjoys the burger as she wonders if he is feeling the same way about her that she is starting to feel about him. Until now she thought that it was just how he was, a smooth talker with any girl he thought was good looking. But now she is starting to believe that it is no show, but how he feels.

Murphy can out of the bath room in a pair of basketball shorts. He walks over and sits down across for Marie. He smiles warmly at her, "Did I do good?"

She swallows what is in her mouth first and returns the smile, "Nope."

He looks at her and starts to try and say something but Marie stops him by putting one finger over his mouth, "It's great. Really it is. Thank ya. Ah guess not all men are slime."

"I'm not at least. But we better get to bed, I want ta get a move on early and it is late already." Murphy smiles as she stands and walks to the bed.

Marie smiles as she looks at the clock. He was right, it was ten pm already. She gets up and walks over to the bed. She slides in under the blankets as Murphy does the same.

"Good night Murphy, and stay on your side."

"I will. I will." Murphy replies which makes her laugh. "Good night sexy."

Marie blushes in the darkness as she starts to fall asleep. The last thing she thinks about is the shirtless man next to her, and how interesting this is turning out to be.