Logan would never tell her what had passed between him, the Professor and Jean. All that she would know from him was that it made Logan miserable for the next two days. Marie tried her best to cheer him up, but he was just so distant that none of what she said actually reached him.
On the third day, however, Logan disappeared.
At that point Marie decided that she’d had enough and stormed into the Professor’s office, uncaring of the fact that he was in the middle of a class.
“What did ya say ta Logan?” Marie demanded as she threw the door open.
An entire class of twelve year olds stared at her, their eyes wide with shock. It was only then that Marie realized she had growled as well. Another gift from Logan.
“Now, Rogue, I do believe that it’s between Logan, myself and Jean. If he wanted you to know he would have--”
“Told me,” Marie finished for him. “See that woulda been easy had Logan not gone all quiet and self-involved since ya talked ta him. ‘Sides that, Ah can’t find him anywhere. Ya know as well as Ah do how easy it is fer Logan ta disappear and ‘cause o’ ya and Jeanie he’s done it again. Now Ah need ta know what ya said ta him, Professor. Please.”
Instead of answering him, Charles dismissed all of the students. In the time that it took the students to file out of the room, Marie’s anger stewed and grew even more. Normally, Marie’s temper wasn’t so quick to flare, but she had too much of Logan in her head to remain calm for long periods of time.
Marie waited until the door was closed before beginning her interrogation again. “What did ya say ta Logan, Professor? He’s been real quiet since ya talked ta him an’ now he’s just up and left. Ah don’t know where he is, Professor, an’ that has me worried.”
Charles gave her a reassuring smile. “I am quite certain that Logan is perfectly all right. He is more than capable of taking care of himself. He’s lasted for fifteen years on his own, has he not?”
“But ya haven’t seen him the past couple o’ days,” Marie reminded him. “Even fer Logan he’s been quiet. All that he really does is sit around and mope. Logan doesn’t mope unless somethin’ is botherin’ him. Hell, he’s not even doin’ that now, Professor. He’s gone. An’ Ah wanna know where he is an’ Ah wanna know why he ran.”
“You need to calm down, Rogue,” the Professor stated evenly. “There is really no need to shout. All that id does is waste energy. It would be better if we discussed this like two adults.”
Marie walked over to his desk and flopped down in one of the cushioned chairs in front of it. “Can ya please tell me what ya said ta Logan, Professor? Ah can’t stand that he’s hurtin’ like this. It hurts me when he gets like this. All Ah want is fer Logan ta be happy. He’s had so little o’ that in his life.”
With a nod, Charles maneuvered his chair around the desk to where Marie sat. “I am well aware of the challenges Logan has endured, but I do not see that as a reason to shield him from the opinions of others.”
“Ah’m not sayin’ that ya should shield Logan or anythin’ like that. Ah just wanna know what ya said ta him,” Marie pleaded, brushing her hair behind her ear. “Logan was real upset, Professor, so ya must have told him somethin’ important.”
The Professor sat back in his chair and let out a deep sigh. “In all honesty, I didn’t think that what we said would have such an effect on Logan.”
“What did ya...?” Marie trailed off, scared to even finish the thought.
“We merely suggested that it was unfair for him to use your affection for him to drag you all over the continent and put you in danger at every moment,” Charles explained, folding his arms and placing them on his lap.
“Ya did what?” Marie roared, jumping to her feet. “Why would ya do somethin’ like that, Professor? Logan an’ Ah were doin’ perfectly fine! We were happy! How dare ya take it upon yerself ta ruin it!”
“Now, Rogue, I think that you’re over--”
“Ah’m not overreactin’ ta nothin’!” Marie interrupted him, her eyes blazing, dark and furious. “Ya’ll hurt Logan an’ Ah ain’t gonna stand fer it! Logan’s done nothin’ wrong! Ah went with him ‘cause Ah wanted ta! No other reason than that!”
Charles held up a hand, moving his chair closer to Marie who was frantically pacing back and forth across the floor. “Rogue, you need to understand that we were only doing what we thought was best. Myself and the others are only looking out for your well being.”
“Logan is good fer mah well bein’,” Marie hissed, snaking her fingers through her hair and away from her face. “He’s the best thin’ that ever happened ta me!”
“I know that you believe that, Rogue--”
“Ah believe it cause it’s the truth an’ there’s nothin’ ya can say that’ll make me believe otherwise!”
Growling a final time, Marie spun around on her heel and stalked out of the office. A rather large part-- probably the influence of her “inner Logan” --wanted to go drain a telepath and use Cerebro to track Logan down. Of course, Marie would never do anything like that. She didn’t want anyone else but Logan in her head.
Where the fuck did ya get ta, Logan, Marie snarled, hoping that Logan would be able to hear her, wherever he was. Answer me, damn it! Ah wanna know where ya are! Please, Logan....
Marie was almost in tears. She hated not knowing where Logan was. Hated that Charles and Jean had interfered in business that wasn’t theirs. Hated that they had hurt Logan. A part of her even hated him for disappearing on her. All that he had to do was talk to her. She would have old him right away that Jean and the Professor were wrong.
Ah love ya so much, sugah.... Please come home ta me....
In the end, Marie ended up out in the woods behind the mansion. Bundled up in her green cloak, Marie trudged through the ankle deep snow that covered the vast lawn. There were a few groups of kids having snowball fights and still more, couples mostly, walking hand in hand through the peaceful afternoon. For the most part, Marie paid them no mind. She was lost in her own thoughts, absently fingering the dogtags Logan had given her a few days before.
Ah know ya can hear me, Logan. All Ah want is fer ya ta answer me. Please, sugah? Just let me know that yer all right.
There wasn’t a peep from Logan.
Tears in her eyes, Marie all but ran into the deepest part of the forest. She didn’t want to be bothered by anyone. At least not anyone who didn’t have an adamantium laced skeleton and nine inch claws that extended from their forearms.
In other words, if the person didn’t answer to the name Logan, Marie didn’t want anything to do with them.
Which was why it worked out great that she didn’t see another living soul in the forest. Even the birds and animals were silent. Marie found this silence infinitely comforting. Not as comforting as it would have been to hear Logan’s voice in her head-- or, even better, to actually see him --but it ran a close second.
Still, Marie’s temper was on edge. More than once she was thinking some very homicidal thoughts about Logan. Healing factor or no, if Logan wasn’t back by the end of the week, Marie was going to kill him.
Ya know Ah can talk fer a long time. An’ Ah’m gonna kept talkin’ till ya answer me. So save yerself the headache an’ talk ta me, Logan.... Ah’d be happy with a growl. A pitiful, whiny growl. That’s all Ah’m askin’ fer. Now Ah know yer capable of don’ that. So, come on, let’s hear it....
No? All right then. Yer decision.
Hmmm.... Where ta start? Ah guess Ah could tell ya ‘bout the eight months Ah spent on the road. Ah’m sure Ah can come up with a few stories that’ll make ya react.... There was the fifty year old trucker with no teeth in Pennsylvania who kept feelin’ me up. Flirted with me like ya wouldn’t believe. Best part was that Ah could see his weddin’ ring clear as day.
‘Course the twenty-three ear old was another story. Caught a ride with him right after Ah left home. Woulda fucked him were Ah not so terrified o’ killin’ him by accident--
MARIE!!
Marie began to bounce up and down, squealing in delight. Ah knew that’d get a reaction outta a, sugah! Now tell me where the fuck ya are ‘fore Ah decide t’ go huntin’ fer ya. An’, trust me, ya don’t want that, sugah. ‘Cause if Ah hafta go lookin’ fer ya, Ah’m gonna kill ya as soon as Ah find ya. An’ don’t ya think that Ah won’t kill ya. Savin’ mah life doesn’t give ya immunity. Ah will kill ya. Ah’ve got ya in mah head. That means Ah know all sorts o’ ways ta kill people. So just try me.
Still Logan was silent.
Marie began stomping around the snow covered forest, letting out a whole slew of curses that she had never heard before. She cursed the Professor and Jean for having a “talk” with Logan. She cursed them for interfering in her life when they had no reason to. Most of all, she cursed Logan for actually listening to them. He should have known that she didn’t think that about him. She loved him and if he couldn’t see that he was as blind as every other man she had ever met.
“Fuck you, Logan,” Marie said out loud, plopping down in a snow drift. When she realized what she had done, Marie made a frustrated noise and flopped back in the snow. “Now Ah’m cold. Why’d ya hafta run away in the winter, Logan? Couldn’t this have waited till warmer weather when Ah wouldn’t be sittin’ in a snow bank freezin’ mah ass off? Damn, snow....”
A sudden giggle caused Marie to trail off. Pushing herself into a seated position, Marie scanned the area, searching for the source of the voice.
“Hello? Is anyone out there?” Marie called as she rose to her feet. The graceful movement was destroyed when she accidentally stepped on the edge of her jacket and stumbled. Cursing under her breath, Marie tugged the coat free and stood up straight.
There was more laughter. This time from her left. Scary, maniacal laughter that certainly didn’t sound like it came from any dweller of Munchkin City.
Spinning around, Marie attempted to peer through the trees for the origins of the laughter. “Who’s there? Look, whoever ya are, this is real stupid. All Ah hafta do is scream an’ there’ll be a whole lotta people comin’ out ta see what’s goin’ on.”
“Maybe that’s what I want?”
Marie whirled around, coming face to face with a tall, elegant looking blonde. There was something in her eyes that terrified Marie right from the instant that she set eyes on her. Eyes wide, Marie began to back away from the intruder.
“Wh... who are ya?” Marie stammered. Her retreat came to an abrupt halt when her back collided with a tree.
The woman continued walking forward, removing her black leather gloves. There was a wild look in her dark eyes that sent a tremor of fear coursing through Marie. The woman stopped suddenly and tossed the gloves to the ground.
“My name’s Carol. Carol Danvers.”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Carol lunged for Marie. Caught off guard and startled, Marie called out for the one person that she counted on to protect her.
LOGAN!!