Author's Note: Thanks to Dot, Jen, Meg and Pete -- you guys hung in there when I was stuck, and you were right -- it did finally come to me, and I did finally finish it.
Logan woke early, curled protectively around Marie, the sheet between them. He lay on his side, propped up on an elbow, watching her sleep. He had to suck it up and tell her how he felt. He thought that if any other man had done to her what he'd done last night, he'd kill the prick. His knuckles itched just thinking about it. Of course, the idea of any other man touching -- and being touched by -- his Marie was enough to make him crazy.
He moved quietly and quickly, getting his gloves from the night table and putting them on. He ran a finger over the curve of her cheek, traced her lower lip with his thumb.
She stirred. "Logan?"
"Hey," he said, staring down into her eyes.
"Hey, yourself," she replied, smiling.
She thought she should probably be embarrassed -- after all, she'd practically thrown herself at him last night. But it felt so right lying there in his arms that she didn't.
"Are you all right?" he asked, a wealth of meanings hidden in the simple question.
"Yeah," she said slowly, a big grin spreading across her face. "More than all right."
He sighed. She had no regrets, even if he did. She looked at him as if he'd hung the moon, and he wanted desperately to prove that he was worth it. He wanted to tell her how he felt, and wanted her to realize that she should be angry with him for his lack of response when she'd told him she loved him. He figured she wasn't angry because she already knew how he felt, but that didn't excuse his behavior, and he felt like she should tear into him for it. Any other woman would. Of course, that might be why he was in love with Marie, and not any other woman.
She was not thinking such serious thoughts. She had found the spot on his chest where he was ticklish and was attacking mercilessly. Her grin was infectious, and he found his mood lightened considerably. "Marie," he growled, trying to keep a straight face.
"You're just a big ol' teddy bear, Logan, you know that?" she giggled. "I can't believe I was ever afraid of you."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah. Is that the best you can do?" she challenged.
He growled again, playfully. He was very good at it. And then he attacked, his gloved hands moving over her ribs until she was breathless from laughing.
The alarm went off in the room Rogue shared with Kitty. Kitty sleepily turned it off and said, "Get up, Roguey -- bio final today."
But Rogue wasn't in her bed. In fact, it looked like Rogue's bed hadn't been slept in at all.
Kitty was levelheaded and methodical. Rogue had left the room in the middle of the night to get a drink. She hadn't been able to sleep. She hadn't come back. Where would she be?
She didn't even really have to think about it. No doubt she was in Logan's room. She just hoped nothing bad had happened. And that no one else found out. She was sure, even though Jean and everyone had seemed understanding, that sleeping with one of the students was going to get Logan into a hell of a lot of trouble.
She padded down the hall to his room, hoping that's where the other girl was, and hoping no one else saw her. She got to Logan's door and thought, Safe. Raising her hand to knock softly, she was startled when someone said, "Kitty? What are you doing?"
It was Ororo, steaming mug in hand.
Kitty almost had a heart attack. "Um, I um," she stuttered, trying to think of a good explanation for standing outside Logan's room wearing nothing but the t- shirt she'd slept in.
"I wish I could stay here forever," Rogue said when her giggling subsided and she could talk again.
He got quiet, thinking of exactly how to say what he felt. "Kid," he began. She wrinkled her nose at the term, but he ignored it. "Right now, you think everything's perfect, just because you and I, because we," he indicated the bed where they lay, unexpectedly, charmingly abashed, "but it ain't so. I mean, we are, I do. I mean, last night was amazing for me, too. But let's face it, there's gonna be trouble. I want you to know that I--" He stopped.
He could hear someone in the hallway outside his room. Two someones, actually. Damn. Things are going to get complicated even quicker than I expected. "Hold that thought," he said, getting up and going to the door. Rogue contented herself with watching him walk away from her, wearing nothing but boxers.
The door swung open. Rogue caught a glimpse of Kitty and Storm before she hid under the covers, belatedly realizing that the situation looked highly questionable.
Kitty was beet red. Logan had a spectacular body. She felt a minor twinge of jealousy. But she wanted to protect Rogue, so she shot a look at the older woman and plunged ahead. "Uh, hi, Logan. I was wondering if, uh, I could be included in your self-defense class."
Logan raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Ororo looked skeptical. She'd already seen Rogue dive under the covers. "And you felt the need to discuss this at," she looked at her watch, "six am? In your pajamas?"
Kitty opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out. She sucked at lying. She should have gotten Jubilee up. Jubilee could talk her way out of anything.
Rogue decided that she might as well save Kitty, even if her own ass was in trouble. She popped her head out from beneath the sheet and said, "She was just trying to protect me, Ms. Munroe."
"I gathered that," Storm replied dryly. "And I am not so foolish that I don't know what you are doing here, Rogue." She glanced from the girl to Logan. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"
All things considered, Logan thought she was handling it pretty well. He tried to think of some reasonable way to tell her to butt out, but Rogue was taking matters into her own hands.
"It's none of your business," she snapped. "Logan was havin' a nightmare and I was comforting him, just like he did for me the other night." She got out of bed and adjusted her clothing. "Kitty, are you gonna shower first?"
"Rogue, we must talk about this," Storm said. "I can't imagine what the Professor will have to say," she looked again at Logan, who still stood tensely at the door, "about one of the teachers -- even a temporary one -- seducing a student." He closed his eyes and bowed his head. He and Chuck had already been over this once. It wasn't likely the old man's position would have changed. He was the adult. He should have been able to keep control, he told himself, instead of letting Marie do what she wanted because it was what he had wanted, too.
"He didn't seduce me, I seduced him," Rogue insisted hotly. "It's all my fault. My god, you people act like I'm an idiot who can't make her own decisions. I must have been seduced, it's all big, bad Logan's fault. Well, it ain't so." She walked over to where he was standing and took his hand in hers. "I love him, and he loves me," she didn't stumble over it, though she did glance up at him questioningly, "and that's really not the professor's business. Or yours." And she shut the door in Storm's face.
"Rogue, think about what you are doing," Storm pleaded through the door. "I do not want to see anyone get hurt."
Rogue leaned against the door. "No one will get hurt if y'all just stay out of it," she said, loud enough for the women in the hallway to hear. "I'm sorry, Ms. Munroe, but you know it's true. Kitty, I'll see you in Bio." She heard Storm's sigh.
"Be careful," Kitty said, and walked away.
"Will you at least discuss it with the Professor, Rogue?" Storm asked.
"I don't see any reason to discuss it with anyone, Ms. Munroe. But you go right ahead and tattle if you feel the need."
Storm sighed again. Standing in the hallway and shouting through a closed door was not the best way to have this conversation, she knew. "Perhaps we can talk about this later, Rogue, when you're less emotional. Logan, please try to make her see reason." With that, she continued on her way.
"Am I bein' unreasonable, Logan?" Rogue asked.
"That wasn't the smartest thing you ever did, Marie," Logan admitted.
"If they kick us out, we can go on the road," she said bravely. "I know you didn't plan on stayin' here forever."
"It ain't you they're gonna be gettin' rid of, kid. I told you there would be trouble."
"So you regret last night? You're telling me 'I told you so'?" she fired back, hurt.
He sighed. "No, I could never regret last night. But think about what you're doing. You want to go to college, you want to live here while you do it--"
"I don't care about that if I'm with you."
"Think, Marie. Think what you're sayin'. We'll have plenty of time to be together. You need to get an education, do something with your life."
"Now you're gonna play 'daddy,' Logan? I don't need a daddy. I need you." She was breathing rapidly, trying to get a handle on her emotions. "I have to go take my Bio final. I don't want to say anything I'm gonna regret later, Logan. But I love you, and they can't change that, no matter what they do." She slammed out of the room.
"And they say I'm the crazy emotional one," he muttered.
Logan showered and dressed, planning what he was going to say to Chuck. He figured he couldn't beat the news from reaching him, but he could at least be ready to defend Marie. She was young and in love, and he was old enough to know better. He had no excuse, except that he loved her and wanted to give her what little happiness he could. He didn't think that would fly, but he figured the old man would at least know he was sincere.
He went down to Chuck's office. ~Come in, Logan,~ the professor said before he even had a chance to knock. He went in and sat down awkwardly. He felt like he'd been called to the principal's office, and he was suddenly sympathetic to all the kids who'd sat in this seat before.
"I just want to say it wasn't Marie's fault," he began abruptly.
"I don't want to know what happened. That is between you and Rogue. I do wish, however, that you two would stop stirring up the students and the teachers." Xavier's voice was wry. He seemed almost amused by the situation. "You're not getting out of teaching that self-defense class, Logan. I don't care what you do."
"I--"
"You made an error in judgment, perhaps, but that's all. And it's not like we all haven't done the same in your situation."
"My situation?" He was a little lost. The last time they'd discussed this, Xavier had told him to try and think before he acted, and he'd seemed annoyed. Now he was acting like Dear Abby.
"Being in love, Logan. It happens to all of us, and it's best not to resist too much. Being in love is a wonderful thing, and can enrich your life, and Rogue's.
"But please, wait until she graduates from high school before pursuing any sort of serious relationship. Graduation is only a week away. Surely you can restrain yourselves for a week." If it had been anyone else, Logan would have sworn Chuck was grinning at him. "She's very young, Logan," Xavier continued, "and very vulnerable. You may need to remind yourself of that at times."
"Do you think I don't know it?" Logan responded, surprised at the other man's acceptance. "Do you think I'm not as disappointed in myself as you are?" He paused, then said, "So you don't wanna run me outta here on a rail?"
Xavier held up a hand. "Not at all. Nothing I could say to you would be more effective than the beating you've already given yourself. I don't think you've made the wisest decisions in the pursuit of your goals, but far be it from me to tell another man how to court the woman he loves.
"I have no plans to play the outraged parent. One, it wouldn't be in Rogue's best interest, and two, I would lose both of you. Far better if we all behave like reasonable people. This will all blow over, and I would be surprised if, after a few months, anybody questioned your relationship." His eyes went far away for a moment, and then he said, "Come in."
The door opened and Jean, Scott, and Ororo stood in the doorway. Scott looked as if he wanted to say something to Logan, and only Jean's hand on his arm, and a look from Xavier, stopped him.
"We'll continue this conversation later, Logan."
Logan grunted in response and brushed past the three in the doorway. It had gone far better than he'd hoped. Scott didn't move out of the way, glaring from behind his glasses, and Logan banged into him, hard. "Just try me," he growled at the younger man.
"Any time."
"Gentlemen," Xavier barked. The two men stared at each other for a moment longer, and then Logan walked away.
Jean and Ororo sat down and Scott wandered over to the window. "You're not going to let him stick around, are you?" Scott asked. Jean shot him a warning glance.
"Despite your feelings to the contrary, Scott, Logan can be a valuable member of the team, and a contributor to this school."
"He's a good guy in a fight," Scott conceded grudgingly, "but can you trust him around the students? The young, female students?"
"He's not a pedophile," Jean interjected. "This is a very specific set of circumstances, Scott." She sighed. "Not that I didn't hope he'd be smarter than to sleep with her so soon."
"Jean's exactly right," Xavier said. "We gain nothing but discord by behaving like rumor-mongering hypocrites, passing judgment on others. Both Rogue and Logan have had their share of tragedy, and I do not plan on adding to it because of some misguided desire to protect them from each other. We are not going to reenact 'Romeo And Juliet' here. Taking a strong stand against them will only push them into rash behavior."
"Like Logan needs an excuse to behave rashly," Scott muttered.
Xavier ignored him and continued, "Rogue will be eighteen soon, and she is old enough to make her own decisions."
"But we should provide guidance," Storm said. Xavier smiled at the white-haired woman. "And will our tacit approval of their behavior not give the other students the idea that it is all right to have sex with their teachers?"
Xavier looked around the room. "Since the main faculty of the school is sitting here in this room, Ororo, do you think that's a problem?"
Scott snickered.
She refused to rise to the bait. "A number of them will be going off to college in the fall, Professor, where they will certainly be less protected from such things than they are here."
He inclined his head. "You make a valid point, my dear, but we can't live their lives for them. They are going to make mistakes and they are going to get hurt. If broken hearts and bedroom scandals are the worst of it, I will be pleasantly surprised.
"Now, don't you all have classes to teach?" He dismissed them. None of them looked particularly happy. ~Try not to fight with him. He truly does feel bad about the way things have happened,~ he said to Scott, who shrugged and responded, He better stay out of my way, then.
Logan spent the morning working out, taking his aggression out on various pieces of exercise equipment, and then went running around the lake on the far edge of the property. There was a glider on the near shore, and as he made his last lap, he saw Rogue sitting there, watching him.
"Hey, sugar," she said as he came to a stop in front of her, barely winded. She took in his sweat-covered body, clad only in running shorts and sneakers, and took a deep breath. Don't get distracted, she told herself. Say what you came here to say and then get away before you do something stupid, like fling yourself at him again. Whew, okay, need another deep breath and a dip in the lake. She collected herself. "I'm sorry I was so--" She searched for a word.
"Overwrought?" he supplied and she looked surprised. "What? Just because I look like an animal doesn't mean I didn't get some education at some point. I think."
She smiled. "You do not look like an animal, Logan. I wish you'd stop sayin' that. I love the way you look." She stopped, blushing. He tried hard not to grin. Smiling too much was bad for his reputation. "Um, anyway, I'm sorry I was so overwrought this morning. I just, I've never, things are movin' way too fast here, don't you think? I mean, I thought a lot about it today." She'd done nothing else, really, after the Biology final. She'd refused to speak with anyone. She'd gone to the greenhouse and sat by herself, thinking. Then she'd apologized to Storm, and thanked Kitty.
"I love you and I know you care about me, and you were right, we have a lot of time. I don't want to screw this up, Logan. And I don't want to make anyone else unhappy, either. Does that make sense?"
He sat down next to her, leaving some space between them, and ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. "It does, Marie. I was thinkin' the same thing myself." He took her hand and started tracing designs on her gloved palm. She sucked in a breath. How was she supposed to back off and slow down when he was so damn attractive? He had to know what he was doing to her.
He loved that she could get so excited from the simplest of his touches, and realized that it was probably not a good idea to go any further at the moment. He placed her hand gently back in her lap, stood and stretched. "I need to take a shower. You comin'?" Shit. I didn't mean that the way it sounded. She blinked. Was he inviting her to take a shower with him? "Shit, I didn't mean that the way it sounded," he said.
She grinned. "Damn. That was a mighty interestin' offer, Logan. Someday I hope to take you up on it."
He grabbed her hand again, pulled her up off the bench. "That's a deal, darlin'."