Terri's Peep Hut ~~ Fiction Archive

Comments: Thanks to Karen for the beta (Keli is still tending to her mom, who we now call 'gimpy' - no, we're not mean, she thinks it's funny too) and to Peggy, darkstar, and everyone who offered revenge-on-Gary plot bunnies. I know you all hate the heck out of the guy, but to me, this was still a story about Logan and Rogue, and I wanted to stay true to what I thought their characters would do in this situation. Besides, there was a draft in which I actually let Gary get away, alive and pretty much unpunished

"Hey, hey, we talked about this, right? Just stay by the bar. I'll check on ya every few seconds. If I look over and he's by you or you're not there or somethin', I'm outta there in no time flat. It's gonna be OK." I can understand why she's nervous. But I gotta fight to make money and there's no way in hell I'm ever gonna let him lay a fuckin' hand on her. We both know we're likely to run into him on the circuit. I know it'll probably be sooner rather than later. He's usually at the openin' go-round. But Marie's got nothin' to worry 'bout. I've given that fuckhead Gary a lotta thought, and I came up with a plan.

Of course, I'm gonna kill him. He's done. Over. I mean - seven weeks. He had her seven weeks. Seven weeks, two days, and at least six hours, that's what she said. That - that deserves some special treatment, not just a claw across the jugular or a bullet through the brain. Really, from the minute I slept with her next to me in our camper, there was never any chance I was gonna let him get away with that shit he did to Marie, never any chance I wasn't gonna make him suffer like hell for it, never any chance I wasn't gonna take his miserable life away for it. And there's sure as hell abso-fuckin'-lutely no chance he's gonna lay a hand on her before I get that taken care of. There's really nothin' for her to worry 'bout.

"Hey, c'mere." God, she really is nervous. Maybe I should tell her what my plan is. I've thought 'bout tellin' her. But the thing is - she's been through a lotta shit already and she don't need to have this on her too. I know she don't like him, I know it's nothin' like that. But Marie - she's not the vengeful type. She'd feel bad some way, somehow, 'bout what I got in store for that asshole. Livin' with her up here for the past few months at the cabin, just us two, I've learned a lot about her. "Nothin's gonna happen to you, baby. I'm lookin' out for you. You're the most important thing, you're priority number one. Nothin's gonna make me forget."

Now, she's been pretty emotional durin' sex at times. Took four weeks before I could touch her sexually at all, another six weeks before we had sex together. It's OK. I don't mind waitin' and once we did get goin', well, it was definitely worth it. Plus, I knew she was doin' it 'cause she wanted to, 'cause she trusted me, and that was a big thing. Don't mean it's easy for her. She still gets nervous sometimes and we hafta pause for a little bit. I figure it's best to just wait those times, to just let her settle a little. Sometimes after we're done, she gets real shaky. Sometimes she needsta be held and just kissed, real nice, nothin' sexual then. Lotta times there's tears. But she don't usually cry before sex and she don't usually smell scared, at least not like she does now. "What's wrong, darlin'?"

"Honey, you just tell me why you're cryin', all right?" We're not gonna do nothin' if she's upset. I meant what I said before. She's priority number one. It's all about Marie.

"I'm scared. I'm scared he'll still get me somehow and I just - I want us to be together now in case - in case something happens." OK, that's enough to break me right there. I gotta tell her 'bout the plan. Or at least a little 'bout it.

"Darlin', I know that if we run inta him, he's gonna try somethin'. I know he'll try it while I'm in the ring. But I'm ready for that, Marie, I know just what to do if he pulls some shit. I got it covered. You're gonna be just fine. I'm gonna make sure you are. Just believe that, Marie, just trust that." God, she's so damn beautiful, you know? All the time I've spent with her, havin' seen her every which way - sleepin', naked, brushin' her teeth, whatever - I'm still surprised sometimes by just how beautiful she is.

"OK." She is trustin' me a little there, she's startin' to let it go. She's like that with lotsa things. You can see her makin' that jump, decidin' to just believe what I say. "But can we still - you know?"

He's here. I clocked him as soon as we walked in. Pointed him out to Marie so she didn't notice him by surprise or somethin'. I think that way's best. She's scared now, but she's doin' what I told her. She's stayin' right by the bar. I don't think he's noticed her yet, but he will.

I was actually kinda hopin' he'd show up at the first go-'round. Jack owns this place and I've known him a coupla years. Now, Jack's like me - he don't get involved in other people's shit ordinarily. But I did him a favor a last year, helped him out when some fucked up drug addict got it in his head to shoot Jack fulla holes and take the purse money to feed his habit. I woulda fought him on takin' the money regardless - I fought for it, won it, and it's mine, dammit - but I didn't hafta step in fronta bullets meant for Jack. I still dunno why I did it. I think I was just pissed off at the robber. I mean, what the hell? Shootin' people over money.

Anyhow, I took a few bullets meant for Jack's head. And that was fuckin' dangerous. Not 'cause of the bullets - sure, they burn and hurt like hell and you hafta dig 'em out after the skin heals over. Nah, it was dangerous 'cause Jack saw that I healed, he saw I was a mutie. I told him that's what my thing was - healin' - and convinced him that it didn't really give me an advantage in the ring. I mean, he don't know 'bout the metal skeleton or the claws or anythin'. I told him it's just that I heal up, and maybe that gives me a little more stamina or somethin', whatever, but it don't make me stronger or faster or tougher. My other 'gifts' do that. Heh.

Well, Jack told me right out that he's not the kinda guy to use somethin' like that, somethin' he found out only 'cause I did him a favor I didn't hafta do, to cause trouble for me. And he said he owed me a favor besides. Coupla weeks ago when we started makin' little trips down the mountain, I called Jack from a pay phone to call in that favor.

I told him, look - I'm gonna be fightin' the circuit this year, but I'm comin' in with a girl. She usedta be with this other guy, Gary, and he was kinda shitty to her. I didn't go into all the details, outta respect for Marie's privacy, but I hinted enough to Jack so that he knew what's what. I said I'm callin' in the favor and what I want is for you to look out for her while you're bartendin'. Gary comes over, you shoo him the hell away from the girl. He don't wanna take a hint, you use the baseball bat to persuade him, and gimme about ten seconds to make it from the ring to the bar. Whatever happens, you just make sure that he don't get nowhere near my girl. I'll take care of Gary after the bar clears out, but you keep your eyes fuckin' glued to him until then.

Jack didn't say too much. I mean, I'm pretty sure he knows what's what. And like I said, he don't get involved with other peoples' shit. He did ask how he'd know what girl, and I said she'd be easy to spot - just look for the most beautiful brunette in the whole place, the one I won't be able to take my eyes offa.

Jack got it right off. 'Course, it probably helped that I sat Marie down at the bar when we came in, but he'd have still known it was her, I bet. Jack was real nice to her, too, gave her a drink on the house and said that he and me were old friends. I smelled Marie relax a little at that.

She's not relaxin' now 'cause Gary finally caught sight of her. And he's walkin' over. Checkin' on me, lookin' to see if I'm payin' any attention. I'm gonna give him a warnin' look. Bet he won't - yeah, he's still headed over to Marie. She's pretty much frozen. Time to end this fight.

"The winner, Wolverine!" Yeah, whatever. I'm outta here. Don't wanna make a scene. Don't want any witnesses that can say him and me had a fight right before his 'mysterious disappearance.' But I don't wanna let Marie get really scared. He's almost up to the bar now, and he's forgotten all 'bout me.

"Well, well, didn't think I'd ever see your cute little ass again." Oh, he's goin' down. Just for that, I'm gonna chop off a pound or two of flesh. And I mean that literally. "I sure as hell missed fuckin' it."

"Oh - oh right." I think he remembers how fuckin' bad I kicked his ass last time. He just reeks of fear. Stinks. "That's right, I gave her to you, didn't I?" Tryin' to hide it now. "You still want her then? I mean, I kinda shorted you there. She's a mutie bitch and sure, she gives good head and can take a helluva beatin', but - "

"Shut the fuck up, asshole." OK, not as subtle as I hoped. But he's pissin' me off. "I don't like you runnin' your mouth about things that are mine, got it?" Noddin'. Fuckhead. I guess I should let go of his throat. Dammit, now I did make a scene.

"Yeah, man, yeah. Shit." Rubbin' at the red marks I left. Smellin' scared. Heh. That's just the beginnin', asshole. "Hey, look, no hard feelings, right? Lemme buy you a drink."

"See ya then." He's takin' the hint, he's goin'. Bet he won't go too far, though, and he sure as shit gave a dirty look to Marie while he was walkin' away. "Hey, you all right, darlin'?"

"Good. Let's - why don't you and me pack it in early tonight, huh? Let's head back to the motel." Just gonna steer her outta here and inta the parkin' lot. Nice and smooth.

"O-OK." Still not too sure. I can see now that I'm gonna hafta explain somethin' to her about all this. She's thinkin' somethin's up, I can tell. I think I'm still good on the plan though. Just needta park her in the truck a second or two so I can get Gary where I want him.

"Lock the door, darlin'. I'll be right back." OK, I wanna hop in there and put my arms around her and tell her it'll all work out, and I wanna do it pretty bad. She looks real uncertain, and more than a little scared. But I gotta stick with the plan. Jack's in there doin' his part, sendin' Gary out back through the service entrance, and I gotta be there to grab him. Once that's done, I'll stash him away a while and get back to Marie.

Should be just around this corner here. Yeah, yeah, there he is. Knew he'd go out here - into a dark back alley, lotsa places for people to jump out at him and no good exit except back into the bar - knew he'd go out here if he thought there was some kinda sex waitin'. Jack's story 'bout a real young girl -yeah, that's right up his alley. Asshole. Well, Jack locked the door behind him, so it's just him and me.

"Just havin' some fun. Nothin' worse than you've probably done." He don't quite know what to make of this, but I can smell the panic startin'. He's startin' to take a step or two back. Nowhere for him to go - there's a wall and a dumpster. "I didn't mess her up permanently or nothin'. You can still fuck her anywhere you wanna. She's not - "

"You don't listen too good, do ya?" He's gettin' the picture now. Gonna gag him with the bandana I brought, nice and tight. Tie his hands and feet - in fact, I think I'll hog-tie him. Yeah, that's good. Definitely hog-tyin'. And he's goin' in the dumpster. "That little cut, that ain't gonna kill ya. Gonna hurt like hell and bleed a lot though, and rats - rats like blood." Can always find those little vermin around garbage. Gonna throw this shithead in the dumpster with 'em and put the chain and lock on it. Oughta make for an interestin' night for him. Plenty of flesh in the gut for the rats to snack on and just enough air comin' in through the cracks to keep him alive until I can get back to 'im.

"Nobody's gonna hear ya. Don't worry, though, I'll be back. Eventually." There. Done deal. Just gonna close the lock and - shit. Shit. Marie. Hidin' back in the corner. Wonder how much she saw. "I thought I said to stay in the truck, Marie."

Decision time. Well, she's - she's my partner, you know? I didn't wanna drag her inta this 'cause it'll upset her, I know it will, but I ain't gonna lie about it now that the jig is up. "I'm gonna kill him. For what he did to you. It's gonna be slow."

"Logan, you don't - you don't have to do this." At least she's walkin' toward me, comin' closer. I think that's a good sign, even if she still does smell really, really worried.

"Darlin', he deserves to be punished and I'm gonna see to it that he is. You don't hafta worry about it at all, just let me take care of things." Just gonna walk her outta the alley. Get her away from here. Get her back to the motel and let her settle down.

"Logan, don't - whatever you have planned for him, don't do it, OK? If - if you're going to kill him, just do that. I won't dispute that that's what he deserves. He does. But just do it. Don't - not all this, OK? You're not like that, and even if he - if he deserves to suffer, you're not the kind of person who makes other people suffer just for no reason." She's shakin' now. Damn.

"I know, I understand, and I know he's probably done it to a lot of girls, not just me, but - but - please, Logan. For me? Please just end it. Don't - you're not the kind of person who would do something like that and I don't want you doing it because of me. Please?"

Hmm. Thinkin'. She's like that, thinks about it before answerin'. She's figurin' it out, not just goin' with her gut like I would. "I do want him dead. I don't think - not just for revenge. Part of it is and I know that's bad, but part of it is because I think he'll just keep doing it to other people, other girls. I don't think he'll stop and locking him up - he wouldn't stay in jail forever and eventually he'd do it again. I know it's wrong, but I do want him dead. Still, he shouldn't have to - making him suffer like he's made other people suffer won't make me feel any better. Just do it, Logan. Do it now, please."

"All right, darlin'." I could spend days or even a week killin' him, and I'll tell ya the honest truth - I'd fuckin' enjoy it. It would be payback and it would be justice. But, like I said, Marie's priority number one. And she was on the receivin' end of his shit. She should get to decide. Plus, he took all the control away from her when he had her - she was totally helpless, hadta do whatever he said. Maybe now - maybe part of all this here is about that. Maybe she needsta decide for herself what to do with him. Maybe it's better in the long run to give her that, to let her be in charge and decide on this. And he'll be just as dead, ya know? Yeah, I think that's right. "Stay right here. Or - or do you wanna go back to the truck? You don't hafta watch this, baby, if you don't wanna."

"I'll - I'll go back to the truck. Be careful, Logan. Don't let him hurt you." Huggin' me. Seems a little surreal at a time like this, but I like it. And it's pretty much just like Marie - outta this whole situation, she's still the one that thinks 'bout other people, still the one that asks, 'what 'bout you?'

"Is it over?" She's all fidgety, waitin' for me. God, she looks beautiful in the moonlight. Makes me wonder how fucked up you'd hafta be to wanna hurt her. I'm pretty fucked up and the thought never crossed my mind. Makes me think Gary was beyond fucked up. Makes me think he didn't deserve to live on this planet with the rest of us.

"Yeah." Noddin' and a coupla tears. I know those ain't for him. I know her well enough by now to know that. They're for me and maybe the situation on the whole. Marie - she's a tough cookie on the outside but pretty tender-hearted on the inside.

"Yeah." I did it pretty fast. Well, kinda. I got him out, cut the ties with my claws. I admit, I wasn't disappointed to see that some of the rats had already started on him. I just put one claw right through his brain. That right there killed him. He was done. I guess I didn't hafta rip him up inta little pieces before puttin' him back in the dumpster, but - oh, shit. That's probably why she's askin'. I've gotta have blood and shit all over me. "I'm fine, he didn't hurt me."

"Hey, it's OK." I'd hug her or somethin' but I'm covered in gore. Fuck. "We're headed back right now. I'm gonna take a shower and get this offa me and then we'll be together, OK? If you wanna." Gotta remember not to push that. Even when I think she needs it.

She hasn't ever gone inta too much detail 'bout what happened when she was with him. I got an idea, you know, of what he did, but she doesn't ever really talk that much about it. She's been talkin' a lot tonight.

"I knew I hadn't been the first person he got his hands on. There were old bloodstains where he kept me handcuffed, in the back. I noticed pretty early on that there were some ripped-off fingernails, or maybe toenails, and some hair too."

I haven't been sayin' too much, just holdin' her real tight to me. There's nothin' I could say that'd make it better and nothin' I could do except kill the fucker, which I did. Marie don't seem to mind me not talkin' too much. I think she's just lettin' it out, you know, tryin' to get rid of it now that she knows she's safe from him permanently, now that she knows there's absolutely no chance of it ever happenin' again.

"I still can't decide if it was worse at first, when everything he did seemed so violent and so shocking, or if it was worse later, when I'd gotten used to it, when I expected it."

"I used to always wonder what I did that was so bad to deserve it. I kept thinking that I'd brought it on myself - if I hadn't gotten in the truck, if I hadn't had makeup on, if I hadn't been nice to him at first..."

"Always gonna be." That's the plain truth right there. I don't think that anythin' she'd ever do could make me be mean to her, not in a big way, not in a little way.

"I know." She'll sleep now. That long sigh and the way her body slumped against mine - those're sure signs. She needs it, I can tell. She's never felt quite this soft in my arms, quite this relaxed. It's almost like killin' him brought her peace, you know? Like she can finally take a deep breath and feel safe. That's worth it. Some people say there's nothin' worth takin' a life for, no matter what they did, no matter what the situation is. But this - givin' her some peace and some respite from what all she's been through, hearin' her be able to let some of it out and let some of it go - that's worth it to me.

"Fuck." You know, for all the crap I've seen in my life, this takes the fuckin' cake. Forgot all about Gary's truck. Once it had been around until the end of the fights, once it'd just sat there for more than three days without anybody seein' Gary, people got curious. Jack, God bless him, took charge and said he'd take care of openin' up the truck to see if Gary was passed out inside or some shit. But what do they find when they jimmy the rig's lock open? Scared little girl, couldn't be no more than ten or eleven, all naked and bleedin', lyin' in back. She was handcuffed to a metal post and you could see where she'd tried gettin' outta the handcuffs and had cut inta her wrists. Starvin' little thing - so thin you could see all her ribs and her spine - and half-unconscious too.

That was bad, seein' a young kid like that, but not half as bad as what they found in Gary's lockbox. Trophies, I guess, from all the people he'd picked up over the years. Looked like a finger from one, a foot from another - hadta be a young girl 'cause the foot was real small - hair, nails, other parts. He'd have to have been doin' this for years. There were parts from at least two dozen different people in there. Unless he kept more than one part per person. And frankly, I really don't wanna think that much 'bout it.

Seein' all that, it shook me to my boots. Not 'cause of what he did - that's par for the course, just plain old ugly human cruelty that never finds a bottom, never sinks too low. Nah, it shook me 'cause I can picture my Marie in that spot so easy, can just see her tiny little finger or her hair in that trunk. It was close. It was real close for her and that scares the livin' shit outta me.

Didn't let Marie see in the truck, oh, hell no, but she saw the kid when Jack brought her inta the bar. Everybody said they should call the provincial police, and I think they will, so it'll be a good time for me and Marie to get movin'. But Marie wanted to just take care of the kid a little and make sure she's OK before we go. I understand.

The kid don't talk. Marie helped clean her up - Jack took 'em up to his apartment above the bar and let 'em use the bathroom, which I thought was nice. Jack - he won't go outta his way to help people ordinarily, but this made all of us - even us hard-ass fighters and outlaws - pretty much sick to our stomach. Knowin' that one of the people you fight might be inta some dicey shit is one thing, seein' it is another. Jack'll help the kid out, at least a little.

"Take your time, darlin'." No rush. Police won't find anythin' of Gary around, Jack took care of that two nights ago. What mighta been left of that bastard is in the stomachs of the rats and dogs and wolves that come 'round sniffin' for scraps. Jack made sure that they all ate their fill and then cleaned up the dumpster. I gave him my purse money from the second night for that. That was above and beyond the favor he was doin' for me. He didn't hafta do that. Bet he's glad he did now, though.

"I'm going to go now, OK? But - but you'll be OK here. Jack - he's going to keep an eye on you, OK?" We dunno the kid's name. No ID of any kind, probably a runaway. Makes ya think that whatever she was runnin' from, she sure as hell ran from the frying pan inta the fire here. "He won't hurt you and there are going to be some more people to help you coming soon. Take care of yourself. It's going to be OK. You'll be safe now." Aw. Marie's givin' her a real careful hug to seal the deal. "OK, Logan, I'm ready."

"You did real good there, Marie, helpin' her like that." Look at that little backward glance over her shoulder at the kid. Just about breaks your heart, you know?

"I think she helped me, actually. It felt good to be able to fix something, to make something he did a little better. It felt better than just - just - getting rid of the person who caused the problem, you know?"

"Yeah." I do know. I feel that way some myself, about Marie. Sure, killin' Gary felt good, but helpin' her's the more important thing, helpin' Marie matters more. Even I know that.

"You wanna get pizza, dontcha?" Shoulda known. It's her favorite food. And that flirty little smile tells me I'm right. Hey - I don't think she's ever smiled exactly like that before. Flirty. I like it. "Well, I think that's doable. And I know a real good pizza place in Revelstoke for dinner. It can be an all pizza day, if you want."

"It is. It's gonna be exactly that way from here on out. I'm gonna make sure you're always safe and that everythin' with you and me is always good." No matter what it takes, Marie. No matter what it takes, I'm gonna make sure of that.