* * * * *

Marie heard the noises again--but this time, she was sure it wasn't sex.

{Logan?}

Uncertainly, she got to her knees on the bed, shutting her eyes, listening carefully to the sound of his voice. No, not sex--it sounded like a nightmare. And she had those--God, did she, some hers, some Cody's, all reaching into her, into dark places she didn't like to look at too closely once light broke through the window. Hesitantly, she placed both feet on the floor, standing up.

Another low groan, a growl--like someone was hurting him. Bad. And that decided her--she slipped her full weight off the bed, padding to the door, pausing for a second to listen again.

A yell that sent chills up her spine. God, no one should have to go through that. Opening the door, she checked the hallway, then made her way one door down to the room Logan was occupying--she had to wonder why Jamie had so many rooms she never used, when by her own admission she never had guests.

Then quickly peeked into Jamie's room--and yes, Jamie was asleep in there. Fair enough--he was alone, no one else was in there to wake him up. Carefully, she padded back down the hall and knocked sharply at his door.

Paused.

It didn't work. Damn.

Another knock, and she paused again, listening carefully for the sounds of waking, for something--but there was nothing, only a long, low growl--she'd never heard a human growl before him and it still made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Sliding her hand around the knob, she turned it, opening into his room. He was barely visible, on his back, twisting under the blankets.

"Logan?" she whispered--God, she wasn't that stupid, was she? If he didn't waken to a pretty sharp knock, he wasn't going to hear her voice. Taking another step toward the bed, she took in the bare chest--{you don't need to be thinkin' like that, sugar}--bit down on her lip, and approached the side of the bed.

And realized, seconds before touching him, she was ungloved.

Uncertain, Marie considered her options. Then decided.

"Logan." A little louder. Then again. "Logan!"

And something happened. He yelled something--she wasn't even sure it was English--and sat up, one arm going out--and something cold went through her. Oddly, it didn't hurt. She stared at Logan, seeing the hazel eyes come fully awake, staring at her as if she was--was--

God. She looked down and saw his knuckles pressed against her chest, and how odd, she could see the breaks in his skin. Ah, the cold--that was what it felt like for those claws to slide into you. It should have hurt--but all she felt was suddenly a little sleepy and it was a little harder to breathe. Hit a lung? Maybe.

For some reason, it didn't seem that bad--it was certainly easier than starvation, at any rate. So many problems solved just now, for both of them. But God, he didn't look good, and she tried to smile, tell him it was okay, she didn't mind.

"God, Marie--help. Jamie! Help! Shit, Marie--" He began to reach out and she shook her head--no use killing him while she died.

"You were having a nightmare," she said, aware that it was probably inappropriate to be in his bedroom at this time of night, worrying with an odd light-headedness what her mother would think of her daughter wandering into a strange man's bedroom wearing pajamas two sizes too big and bare feet--she should wear a robe maybe.

"I know." His voice was raspy and she didn't like what she saw in them--and she wanted to explain, to tell him that she didn't mind, that he'd done what eventually would have happened anyway and it didn't hurt, but she didn't have that kind of strength to talk, and there was a pleasant metal taste in her mouth--

--no, this wasn't so bad at all.

"Oh God." Jamie was here.

She wanted to tell him all that, tell him not to look like that, it was just fine, but nothing came out of her mouth except something iron-tasting--{blood}--and she reached out--

--{remember what skin feels like, I wanna remember that, I wanna have that, just a brush}

--and his skin was rough under her fingers.

And it happened.

It was a shock, like a barely remembered childhood memory of touching a sparking plug in the downstairs living room, a jolt that shot through her body--it didn't hurt, not until long later, but it flickered into every nerve, lighting her up, bring something deep within her fully awake and alive as she'd never been before. This time--it was shapes and images and things she didn't recognize, couldn't even identify--

--it was Cody all over again, but so different. The claws in her chest retracted instinctively but she didn't fall as heat spread through her, focusing on her chest, her back, riding into her mind, bringing more images, the blood on her tongue receding

And startled, she stepped back--or did she fall?--she wasn't sure. Stared as the man in front of her toppled over, onto the floor. Pulling her hand close--was it her hand?

Logan was on the floor and suddenly scents overwhelmed her--sweat and blood and perfume and detergent, so much so fast her eyes began to water, and she felt Jamie drop at her feet, beside Logan, stared down at them.

"It was an accident," she whispered, and--and God, Logan was on the floor, she was Marie, Marie, not him, not--

--and the images were too much, she wanted to knock her head against something to clear the images, turning to the door, stumbling out, hitting the opposite wall and sinking down, trying to breathe through the shock, the smells, the tastes, the memories--

Covered her face with her hands and it was all too much, Marie couldn't stand up to all those thoughts competing for space, and she drew her legs up to her chest and began to rock.

* * * * *

Logan woke up and the first thing he saw was Jamie. She looked worried--which was odd, because he'd never seen Jamie worried before.

God, did his head hurt, and that wasn't anywhere near normal.

And something against his head, her hand--the faint memory of dark eyes, fingers brushing his skin, something he did--somehow he'd done something very wrong.

"Where's Rogue?" Somehow, even now, he remembered what to call her, God knew how. "Is she okay?" He began to sit up, but Jamie pushed him back down, planting a hand on his chest.

"Don't move. She's fine. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been on a three day bender." He shut his eyes again and heard Jamie sigh in relief. "What the hell did she do to me?"

A pause, and he opened his eyes, seeing Jamie's frown of concentration.

"I'm not exactly sure--I didn't exactly major in advanced mutant powers in college, honey. Can you sit up?"

"Where is she?"

"In her room. Exhausted. She's sleeping."

A thousand thoughts flickered through Logan's head.

"Is her door locked?"

Startled, Jamie drew back, blinking, but Logan was already trying to get up--oh fuck did that hurt, fuck a ten day bender, upgrade it to three week, he'd *never* felt this bad before. With a growl, he sank back down. "Lock her door, Jamie. She may make a run for it."

"She won't." He felt the bed shift, Jamie getting on both knees, and suddenly he was horizontal again--her favorite position, the irony didn't escape him--before she backed back to the edge. "I dosed her with a sedative before I came to check on you. Lay still--regenerative or not, you were drained pretty far down."

"Is that what she did?" He looked up, saw the thoughtful look on Jamie's face.

"She said it's touch--that's all I could get out of her, she kept growling. Which brings me to my thought--she absorbs life, yes--but she borrowed your mutation, honey. She's fine--when she fell asleep I examined her and there isn't even a scar."

"Borrowed." Logan tentatively sat up and Jamie frowned but let him. Before he could think to ask, she shoved a glass of water in his hand.

"Drink. You should be okay--your breathing evened out after less than an hour. She took a lot out of you--and trust me, it showed."

"Showed?"

Jamie smiled.

"You should see the banister--don't worry, honey, you can fix it before you take off to the Great Beyond. I had to sedate her just to keep her from hurting herself or any property. But she's okay otherwise." A pause. "Logan, it wasn't just your mutation she borrowed. She said some things--things that I don't think she'd know otherwise, or have done."

Logan took a breath, taking that in.

"She got my memories."

"I think so." Jamie's voice was gentle. "She hit on me once--a new experience, lemme tell you." Another pause. "Logan--" She paused, and he knew what she was going to say--that she couldn't keep Marie, that he'd have to find some other way, and he was trying to think of what to do--was locking her in a variety of motel rooms really feasible and God, his head hurt. "Logan, when you came, I wasn't sure about this, not at all. Her mutation--" A pause. "I've never seen anyone do anything like that, and I've seen a lot."

"Yeah." He wasn't sure what he meant there--it was just something to say, trying to figure out where Jamie was going with this. He looked up at her, perched on the edge of the bed, absently twisting her nightgown between her hands.

"So if she'll agree--you don't need to find her somewhere else. She'll stay here. For good, until she can figure out a way to unplug that gift of hers at very least." And the serious green eyes met his.

Logan wasn't sure what he felt--relief, definitely. Shock, yes. But more than that--he felt himself begin to smile, taking a breath against the sudden relaxation of his body.

"If we can convince her of that," Jamie added. Logan nodded slowly--the headache was receding nicely, he could think clearly again.

"I'll take care of it."

* * * * *

Jamie flipped the television off as Logan walked out of Marie's room, just as dawn was showing its head above the horizon.

"She'll stay." He dropped on the couch, and beneath the scowl she could see the lines of tiredness--he was still drained from Marie, no doubt, and it was showing. But beneath even that was cool satisfaction--Logan tended toward winning without getting around to counting the cost. Gently, she reached out, touching his arm, and he shook his head.

"You sure?"

There was the slightest curve of his lips before he nodded slowly.

"Got her promise--she'll stay." A low sigh, almost inaudible. "I've fucking lost my mind--I just spent thirty minutes convincing a kid I didn't even know fucking *existed* a few days ago to trust me."

"Be careful, Logan, or you might start resembling a human being or something." His low growl amused her and she motioned toward the bags on the floor. "I need to get this up to her when she gets up. She asleep?" Logan nodded, wincing a little, and Jamie frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Her nightmare." At Jamie's incomprehension, Logan sank a little farther into the cushions and pulled out a cigar. "One of my personal favorites--isn't she the lucky one? Shit."

Jamie looked thoughtful for a moment.

"That will be interesting--did she growl at you?"

That startled him a little and Logan cracked a smile without even meaning to, she could see it in his face.

"Yeah. Twice. Second time she noticed and turned red. Cute." He played with the cigar, which really was enough to make her smile. His mind was clearly elsewhere. "Why the hell am I doing this?"

"What's your instinct?"

The dark eyes met hers briefly and Jamie knew he'd already decided, saw it reflected in the recesses of his mind, the places that were mysteries even to him. Probably made the decision in that destroyed camper, and he shook his head, glancing at the stairs behind him briefly before putting the cigar away.

"I've got to get ready to go."

Jamie smirked.

"You do that."

* * * * *

She was standing in the living room, wrapped up in a heavy sweater and jeans, arms curled around herself, gloved hands cupping her elbows. The long dark hair was drawn up from her face in a ponytail, making her look impossibly young. Staring into the fireplace, her profile outlined in orange, he thought she might have been crying. God, don't let her start now. If he didn't know what to do with scared kids, he sure as hell didn't have a clue what to do with crying ones. Uncomfortably, he shifted, wondering why he was putting this off.

"Marie." Get it done already.

She spun on her heel and her hands came up fast, wiping her face with the tips of her fingers. So she didn't want him to see it--and something in him twisted a little. It was strange, to matter so much to someone. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to it.

"You runnin' again?" And if she thought her voice was casual, she wasn't fooling anyone, least of all him.

"Yeah. I got some things to do."

She nodded slowly, not making a move toward him, eyes downcast.

"I'll be back."

She nodded again, a little jerkily, hands fiddling with the edge of her sweater. Beneath the black leather, he could see the knuckles were tense.

"Yeah," she said softly, then looked up. God, was that guilt? Then a rush of words, so fast it was hard to catch them all. "I--I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you--"

Oh fuck. She thought he was leaving because of her. He shook his head quickly, taking a step toward her, watched her draw back, arms curling tighter around herself, eyes wide. "Marie, it doesn't have anything to do with you--you know that." Well, not exactly true, but nothing to do with what she was worried about. Her head went down again and he took the two steps that separated them, catching her around the waist, drawing her close. Both hands came out to stop him and he had to grin, wondering a little to himself when exactly she started amusing him. "Stop that--shit, Marie, you're better covered than a nun. I won't get hurt." Cupped the back of her head gently, looking down at her. "I'm not leaving because of that. I wanna find out some stuff, and I can't do it from here."

It was slow, the way she relaxed against him finally, letting him touch her, and she nodded a little, but it didn't remove the shadow from her eyes, the tightness of her mouth.

"I'll be back. I promise."

Her head went down again and she nodded quickly. Carefully, he let her go, looking at her bent head, the edge of the ponytail brushing her cheek When she looked up, her eyes were dry, but he saw her strained smile. For a second, he looked at that smile, how hard she was trying, then felt around his neck, the tags that had been the only thing he'd ever kept. Staring down at her, he pulled them off, catching her hand, and folding them up into her palm. She stared down, startled, and he closed her fingers with his over the metal.

Two things he'd keep now, and God, who knew he'd ever get attached to someone like her.

"Keep these until I get back, okay?" he said. Wide dark eyes stared into his, and she nodded mutely. Another brush of her hair, and he tilted her head up. "Promise me you won't be runnin' anywhere, Marie."

Her lips quirked.

"I'll be here when you get back," she said, and there was her smile, reaching into her eyes this time. He nodded quickly, turning away, finding his bag by the door and walked out. Jamie was waiting by the car, the wind picking up loose strands of blonde hair.

"I changed the plates and new registration is waiting for you in Vancouver," she said as he opened the trunk. "Sell it as soon as you get in town."

"I know that much," he shot back, giving her a wicked grin, and saw her eyebrows jump. She glanced back at the door and he circled the car as she leaned against the driver's side, her coat wrapped close around her. "I'll get her some identification and mail it once I get to Calgary. Just in case." He'd thought this through the night before, what it would take to keep her relatively safe. He paused. "Thanks, Jamie. For doing this."

"She's a sweet girl," Jamie answered easily. "She's gonna miss you."

Logan nodded, glancing back at the door, and didn't miss the smug smile she threw at him when he looked back. "What?"

"Nothin'." Though the grin didn't diminish at all and he growled, hearing her snicker in response. Women.

"Here." Before he forgot, he pulled out his wallet, dropping most of his cash into her surprised palm. Before she could object, he folded her fingers over it. "In case she needs anything. I've got enough to get by. I'll be back soon."

She nodded again and gave him a quick hug, drawing back, the smirk back. Over her shoulder, he saw Marie standing at the window, face pale--she ducked when she saw him looking at her and it made him smile.

"If she needs anything--if anything happens, you know how to contact me."

The look on Jamie's face was priceless--that was fun. She shook her head quickly.

"She'll be fine. But she could probably stand to hear from you once in awhile. If you get bored screwing around the provinces." She paused, her tone becoming deliberate. "Be careful." What she didn't say he already knew and he nodded, glancing at the window again, catching a glimpse of white skin before it disappeared again, and this time he couldn't help the laugh. Jamie hit him on the shoulder, drawing back, and Logan got in, giving the window one last glance.

Marie didn't duck this time, and one gloved hand waved a little from behind the glass. That was an image he'd take with him for more miles than he ever suspected possible.

End Part II

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