Eighteen Weeks of Winter

Title: Eighteen Weeks of Winter Author: Terri Email: xgrrl26@yahoo.com Rating: NC-17, sex, and lots of it Summary: Sequel to Eighteen Things Learned Along the Way. Logan and Rogue, a long winter, and an isolated cabin. Series: Eighteen #11 Disclaimer: Not mine, but I'm treating them pretty well this time around.... Archive: Ask, and it shall be yours. Feedback: Pretty please? Author's Notes: Say hello to resolved sexual tension......a little smutty interlude before they venture back into reality. Sorry if Week Twelve icks you out - but I really did have a conversation like this with one of my first real boyfriends..... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week One - Sunday "It's beautiful here. Absolutely beautiful." "Yeah." "Thanks for, you know, bringing in all the stuff, and especially for carrying me that last mile or so." "No problem." "I just - you know, Mississippi girl, not so good with ice and rocks and snow." "I didn't mind." "Logan?" "Yeah." "I'm a little nervous." "Really? I couldn't tell. Hey - ouch!" "That's what you get for making fun of me." "I ain't makin' fun of ya, darlin'. Just tryin' to make you feel comfortable here." "It's not that I'm uncomfortable, it's just that, you know, you've never really been exposed to me in close quarters for a long period of time. I'm just a little nervous that, you know, I'll irritate you or something." "We spent the last six weeks or so together most of the time." "Yeah, but you were unconscious for some of it, and we were travelling, and there was always, you know, stuff to do and see. And people to run away from. Now there's just, um, me." "You're plenty interestin'." "Oh, OK." "Hey, Marie?" "Yeah." "Mind gettin' me that blanket? I'm gonna get the bed ready. I'm tired as hell." "Me too. Here you go." "We can put away all this stuff in the mornin', huh? After we get some sleep." "Sure. Um, can I ask you a question?" "Sure darlin'." "When we left Westchester, you, um, just kind of assumed we'd start sleeping in the same bed. I was wondering why that was." "Huh. You know, I guess I really did assume. Didn't think much about it." "Hmm." "Botherin' you?" "Weren't you afraid of my skin?" "Nah. Afraid of clawin' ya without meanin' to, but didn't worry about your skin, no." "That bed's pretty small." "You don't wanna sleep in it? I could put you in the bed, I can take the floor." "No, no, I'm just being a little paranoid, I guess. I'm just worried I'll touch you or something and I'll be too asleep to realize it. And then, you know, you'll, um die. Just a little worried about that." "You been worried this whole time? Every night?" "Kind of, but not really." "Why didn't you say nothin'?" "Well, because, you know, the first night you were disappointed in me about the glove thing at the gas station and I didn't want to make a fuss about it, then I just, I don't know, got used to it. Liked it. Then, um, you were unconscious, and I wanted to make sure you were breathing and everything during the night. After that I guess I just put it out of my head or something. I forgot how dangerous it was for a little while. But now that I really think about it, we shouldn't take chances just to - " "It ain't that dangerous. I ain't worried." "OK." "I can wear my gloves." "No, you don't have to, I don't think. I mean, I'll put mine on and that way the only skin showing is my face. Maybe I can change into one of my turtlenecks too. I'm just - I'll just have to be careful not to rub up against your neck or your face." "Darlin', would you do somethin' for me?" "What?" "Take those gloves off. Take off your socks." "Um... " "Trust me." "OK. Um, Logan - " "What've you got on under there?" "A t-shirt." "No bra, right?" "Ah, no, no. Um, Logan - " "Then take it off and leave the t-shirt. And the thermals, if you want." "Um - " "Trust me, Marie. Now get in bed." "OK, but - " "No buts, just get on in." "Logan, I don't want to make you sleep on the floor, I'm not - " "I ain't sleepin' on the floor." "Oh. Oh, no. No. It's too much skin, I can't - " "You know, you talk a lot." "Logan - " "Hush up. I've got socks on, and gloves. The long underwear'll keep me covered." "Logan, I can't - " "Darlin', don't worry, all right? There, just scoot over a little. Now scoot down. Put your head right here." "My hands - " "You pick a good spot for 'em. I'm open to suggestion." "This isn't funny, Logan, I could - " "Yeah, Marie, you could. And I could hurt you too. That's the way it is. Wanna worry about it or go to sleep?" ............. "Well, kid?" "I'm thinking." "Take your time. I'm pretty cozy right here." "Are you sure?" "Yeah." "Can I put my hands here?" "That's a good spot. Hey, while you're over there, how about rubbin' my back a little?" "OK." "Mmm... nice. You OK?" "Yeah, I think so. I think so. Just - just not used to this, you know." "But you like it?" "Oh yeah, but that's not really the point. What I like isn't really - I don't want to have an accident and hurt you." "I know." "And it can't be very comfortable for you. I mean, you usually just sleep naked or with boxers when you're not with me. I feel bad enough that - " "Did I mention that you talk a lot?" "Logan... ." "Not that I mind all that much, usually. It's times like now, though, when I just wanna hold on to you and get some sleep that I mind a little." "You just want to hold on to me? You're liking this?" "Uh-huh." "There's not a little part of you that's, you know, scared for your life?" "Nope." "OK, then. OK, I guess." "Good. Hey, kid?" "Yeah?" "Mind keepin' that up? Been a while since my last backrub." "Really? Well, we'll have to rectify that. Can't have you lacking in backrub frequency." "Feelin' better then?" "Good enough to tease you." "Lucky me." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Two - Thursday "Whatcha doin'?" She's really, really cute when she's concentrating. Doesn't even notice she bites her lip like that, I bet. "What's it look like?" "Looks like you're drawin' again." "Yep." "Whatcha drawin'?" I'd lay odds it's me. Not to be egotistical about it, but 90 percent of her drawings since we've been up here are me. Me and bikes. What did she say? Most of what she likes, some of what I like. "It's you." "What part this time?" "Your left knee." "Which is much different than the right one you drew yesterday." "Yeah." She means it too. That's the cute part. She'll probably sit all afternoon drawing little differences in my knees. That's enough to make even an all-badass like me go a little mushy. "When you gonna be done?" "Soon. You anxious to see it? I'll let you take a peek." "Nah. I'm anxious to kiss you." Now she's blushin'. Ever since I caught her in the kitchen three days ago and gave her a 15-minute kiss, I've been doin' a lot of kissin' her. I think she's likin' it. She's taken to wearin' scarves every day. "You know, I feel a sudden need to step back, get a little perspective on my work, take a break to - mmph... ." Couldn't wait for her to finish. She's wearin' the really thin scarf today, fine silk. I can taste her almost right away through that one. God, she's gettin' pretty good at this. At first, she wasn't quite sure what to do, or maybe she was just too shy to do it. I mean, she's got me in her head, she probably knows a whole lot of stuff. Wait, why is she stoppin'? "Logan?" "Yeah, baby?" "Do you want to, um, do something else?" "Oh, uh, we don't have to do this right now. Sorry." Maybe I've been pushin' her a little too much. I mean, she did tell me that touchin' her at all was like a big thing for her, and maybe havin' her sleep with fewer clothes and all this kissin' is a little too much, too fast. "No, I didn't mean stop. I meant, you know, would you like to do a little more than kiss me?" Every cell in my body is pretty much shouting "hell yeah" but I gotta go slow. Don't want to scare her. "I mean, I was thinking, you know, that if you wanted to put on those gloves you don't mind too much and maybe I could lie down... .." Oh yeah. Oh fucking yeah. That's a damn fine idea. "Logan? Do you - mmph... " Just one more kiss first. "Lie down on the bed, OK? I'll get the gloves." "O-OK." She's real nervous, I can tell. Gonna go slow. Nice and easy. "Relax, darlin'. It's just me." That made her smile. "Yeah." "You just tell me if you want me to stop." "OK." This is like sittin' down in front of a whole smorgasbord. I don't know where to start. Her neck. Been thinkin' about kissin' her there for a while. I can use the scarf. "Mmm... " Yeah, she likes that too. God, she tastes good right here. Right at the little hollow in her neck. Little bit of sweat, just enough. God, this is good. "Let me, let me help you." What? Oh hell, how did my hands get there? Not a minute in and I'm reaching for the buttons on her shirt. Slow down, slow down. Oh shit, she's already unbuttoning. I'm not gonna be able to stop that. Skin, lots of skin. God, perfect collarbones, and she's not wearin' a bra underneath, she hasn't since we got here. She caught me checkin' her out once and asked me if it bothered me that she didn't. Shit, I told her I'm all for her being comfortable. Beautiful, just beautiful breasts, just like I thought they would be. God, perfect. That curve right there, just on the underside of her breast, that's gonna get some attention, for sure. That, and her cute little stomach, I - "What the hell?!" "Logan?" Oh God, that's one hell of a scar. She said Sabretooth just scratched her, that the cut on her stomach wasn't deep, back in New York. That's no fucking scratch! "Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?" I can feel the scar tissue even through the gloves, and that's got to be an eight-inch gash or something. Holy hell. She was hurt bad. Why the hell didn't she say something? She was - wait, she's moving, sitting up. "Marie?" "I-I'm sorry." She's pulling her shirt together, and, shit, shit, she can't look at me and she's got tears in her eyes. "I should've told you it was there. I didn't - I didn't think." "Hey, no, it's OK." She's still backing away from me, scooting to the top of the bed. Aw, shit. "Darlin', don't. It's OK." Oh God, she's gonna break my heart right here with that little half-frown and those tears in her eyes. "It's OK, honey, just, just don't cry, OK?" "I'm so stupid, I didn't think to tell you, I should've said something before you just looked at it. I just forgot it was there, honest." She is crying now, big wet tears, head down. Fuck. "It's OK." "N-no, it's not. I-it's ugly, and I sh-should've thought that you w-wouldn't want to be s-s-surprised with - " She's shaking now too, and pulling that shirt tight as hell around her. Think, Logan, think. Figure out the right thing to say, has to be the right thing. Don't get all pissed off about it right now. "Hey, you just stop right there, OK? Come here." Shaking her head at me, that's not good. "Please? Don't - don't be upset, darlin'. Don't cry. Come here. Come here, baby." She's looking at me, trying to gage if I mean it. I know that look, all right, even through cryin' eyes. "Marie, honey, come over here. Come on." Come on, baby, there, that's it, just scoot over a little, I'll come the rest of the way. Wonder if it's OK to touch her. "I wanna... .I'm gonna touch your hands, OK? I'm gonna hold your hands, OK?" "OK. But don't - don't - I wanna leave my shirt closed." "OK, OK, look, there, we'll just wrap it around you like this. Now look at me, Marie. Look at me." Shit, she's shakin' somethin' fierce. But she's lookin' at me. That's good. "It's all right. There's nothin' wrong here. Not a thing. I was just surprised a little, OK? I was just surprised, and you know me, when I get surprised, nothin' comes out quite right." Big shuddering breath, but the tears are slowin' down. "I'm just worried, darlin'. It looks like that hurt you, like it was pretty serious. When we talked about this, you said it was a scratch." "I-I know, I didn't want you to get upset, and go all crazy about it. It was done and you getting all upset wasn't going to do any good. I'm sorry, I just didn't think when I asked you to... ." "It's all right. Tell me somethin' darlin' - I wanna know how bad it really was. No bullshit, all right?" "It-it looks worse than it really was. The scar - my skin doesn't really heal well, I don't know if it's the mutation or what, but it doesn't. And it's hard for Jean to work on me, she has to be double gloved, so the stitches weren't as good. But it's OK. I mean, it didn't really hurt that bad, and it wasn't as deep as it looks." That was hard for her. More tears comin' out. Shit. I am gonna find a way to kill that motherfucker. I don't care if I have to hack him into bits and feed him to a fucking team of dogs. The next time he crosses my path, he is dead. He is fucking over. "Logan?" Get it together, Logan. Think about her. "Marie, you listen to what I'm gonna say now, OK? You're beautiful, darlin'. Just beautiful. Not one single thing ugly about you. Understand?" "You d-don't have to say that. I know how it looks. I know - " "Hey, stop. Me talk, you listen, OK?" "Logan... ." "You're beautiful. Nothin' in the whole world as pretty as you. Understand?" "I - " "I'm gonna... .I'm just gonna hug you, OK? Is that OK?" "Yeah... " Shit, she really is shaking. Just hang on to her, let her calm down. She'll be OK. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Three - Wednesday He's giving me that look again. That "I want you, now" look. Not that I don't like it, just..... Since The Scar Incident, as it is now known, he's been very, very careful with me. We haven't done more than kissing, and I just don't know if I can take my top off for him without getting all weird about it. I'm afraid that he'll get all mad or look at me like he's hurting when he sees the scar. God knows he's done enough to try to reassure me that I'm still beautiful to him, and I actually believe him, I just don't want that emotion to be there when he's touching me - mad or upset. I want him to just like it. I've been thinking of a way to try to explain that to him. And coming up with exactly crap. I can't really tell him to change his reactions, not to be who he is. He compromises a lot of that for me already, and maybe I should just suck it up and try to ride out whatever reaction he has. "Hey, whatcha thinkin'?" "You know what? I was thinking I'd like to ask you to do something for me." "Sure, darlin'." Easy, Rogue. Move over to the bed nice and easy. "You really shouldn't agree before you know what it is." That's it, be a little flirty. You can flirt. You're a southern belle, you know how. "I'm not worried." Lie down on the bed, remain calm. It's just a bed. Reach for the scarf, bring it across your throat. It's just a scarf. And it's just Logan. Man-of-my-dreams-and-lurid-sexual-fantasies Logan. "Get your gloves on and come on over here for a minute." His eyes just got very, very big. I think that's a good sign. "You sure?" OK, Rogue. Just give it a try. It's really just unbuttoning a few little buttons. Six buttons. See, not so many. One. There we go. That's a start. "What do you think, sugar?" Two. Not bad at all. "Wait." God, he looks like a predator just now, the way he's moving toward me. "Let me." "All right." Keep hands from shaking. The scar is still covered. However he reacts, it's not coming just yet. "Marie, baby, you look so good right now." OK, OK, he's here, just - ooooh - wasn't prepared for that. I don't think he's ever kissed me in quite that spot, right on my sternum through the scarf. God, that was erotic. Concentrate on that, focus on that.. "You going to leave me half-unbuttoned, sugar?" Maybe he doesn't want to do it yet either. Maybe he - "Not for long." There he goes, button three, button four, button five, button six. OK, I'm chicken. I can't really look at him. "Stay perfectly still." What's he doing? All right, I can't stand to be curious, I have to open my eyes. I'll just suck it up when he gets upset and I won't let it spoil - oh my God! He licked me! He licked me without the scarf, right across my scar. He must've worked up lots of saliva to stop my skin from reacting. Oh God. That felt - oh God - but - "Logan, it's dangerous. Please - " "I know baby, I won't do it anymore. Just wanted to, once." The way he's looking at me now. My God, that's not a reaction I expected. So intense. He just burns, it's all heat, it's all - "Wanted to make sure you knew I didn't have a thing about the scar." God, I can't even formulate a response to that. My body's going crazy, I felt his tongue - his naked tongue - on me, and, oh, I just have to have more, right now. "Touch me, please, just touch me." Both hands, right to my breasts. Moving so slow, so gentle even if the gloves make his hands feel rough, it's tender and good. Oh yes, that's, oh, yes....he's right on top of me, I can feel his hips on mine, and, God, he's getting excited. Don't want to lead him on, 'cause I'm not really ready to - "Look at me, baby." That's, oh, one hand in my hair and the other still on my breast. He's twisting the hand in my hair and turning my head, and it's so good, it's so good..... "Logan...." "Darlin'....." I can't help it, I don't mean to but I can't help it, my back arches a little and my hips move a little against his, and, oh, I can't help it...... "Oh..." He's - oh God, he's moving his hips too, and - oh, no, don't stop, don't stop. "Hang on darlin'. I....I gotta hang on a second here." I don't know if he said that for him or me. "Sorry." "For what?" Oh my, that came out all breathy and rough, and can I help it if he's making me all pant-y? "Goin' a little too fast there. Just give me, just give me a second here." He's rolling off me but his hands are still on my body. On my stomach and on my breast. Which, clearly, is where they should stay. Permanently. "OK. Don't....don't move your hands, though, OK?" Oh my, that's a look I haven't seen before. "You like that?" And now he is moving his hand, little circles, stopping to pinch my nipple just a little. "Yeah..." "More?" "Yes...." Oh God, he's giving me more, he's still not on top of me, but oh God just the way he's stroking my stomach and touching me......I can't, I can't, I have to arch up into his hands, I can't...... "God, darlin'...." Too much, too much, I - his voice and how he wants me and all the touching and sensation that I never knew could be so much - it's overload. I just have to, I just have to slow down a minute. "Logan, Logan, s-slow down a little?" I don't sound very convincing, all whispery and - "All right, baby, all right." His hands are stopping, but he's not taking them off me which is just about right because nothing, no touch, would be like withdrawal right now and I wonder how the hell he knows just what to do with me. "Sorry. I just, I just got a little overwhelmed there." "Don't say sorry. It's all right." "Keep, keep your hands on me for a little while. Just like that." "Yeah...." "You OK?" "I know what you mean about overwhelmed, darlin'." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Four - Friday "Mmmm....." "You awake?" "Mmmm........." "Darlin'?" "Logan...." "Darlin' wake up, you're havin' a nightmare." "Logan....." "You're gettin' all twisted up in the covers there, wake up, honey." "Oh God....." "Um... "Oh God, yes, more.......yes......" "Oh." "Logan......" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Five - Sunday If I don't have sex with her soon, I'm gonna explode. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Six - Sunday I mean it, boom, no more Logan, no more - "Sugar?" "Yeah?" God, could she stop calling me that? It's just making the not-exploding harder. And I can smell her so strong, she just took a bath and I bet her hair's all wet and clingy and - "I don't wanna surprise you, but would you look at me for a second?" "Sure, I - " Whoa. Nakednakednaked. She's naked. Except for my tags. "Damn." "I take it that means you like what you see?" "Damn." "I thought we could, you know, do what we talked about yesterday. You know, if you want. I'd like to." "Oh yeah." I have no idea what the hell she's talkin' about 'cause I can't really remember my name right now, let alone some conversation from yesterday. "Logan?" There it is, that's my name. Right. Logan. That's me. "Yeah." "Um, Logan, that means that you're gonna have to come a little closer to me, sugar." "Yeah." Hell yeah. Closer, definitely, yeah. "Wait, you'll need the gloves." "Gloves?" Too much talking. Not enough - "Yes, the gloves, Logan, right there on the dresser." "Oh yeah, OK." Clear the head, clear the head, think, think. Apparently, we talked about somethin' yesterday that made her get naked. Think, gotta remember what that was. So I can do it again. "Are you all right?" Oh, no. Don't - don't smile like that 'cause - aw, shit, no more thinkin' now. "Oh yeah." "Is that all you can say?" That's-that's not right, that little hand on her hip, that little tilt of her head, fuck, that's just not right. I'm not gonna be able to control myself for five fucking seconds if she - "Logan? You with me here?" "Uh-huh." Got the gloves on. That means I can touch her. Oh yeah. "Should I - should I lie down on the bed?" "Yeah...." "Logan?" "What?" Touching, touching, touching. Her breasts. Know she likes that. Maybe she'll grab my arm and dig her fingers in like she did the other day when she was really getting into it, hell, that almost made me - "Sugar, I, uh....." She forgot. Whatever she was gonna say. Which is good. 'Cause too much talking. Not enough - "Do you want me to, ah, can you move to the side a little?" Uh-huh. I can do that. I can do that. Won't even have to take my hands off you 'cause - oh, oh God that's what we talked about yesterday. All comin' back to me now. She's ready to do that? 'Cause I didn't think - "I'm sorry, sugar, I can't wait, please, just, please touch me." She's opening her legs and she grabbed one of my hands and oh, god, yeah.... "Darlin'...." "Oh, yes, that's so.....oh yes....." She's damn ready for me and I can smell her oh God this isn't gonna work, I'm not gonna be able to keep from - "Logan...." Fuck, when she calls my name like that.....damn, that's good. "Marie, God, you feel so warm, baby, so good." Can't even keep my thoughts in my head anymore, I - "Uh! Oh, yes, I-I......" Shit, shit didn't mean to do that, she's never been touched like that, someone penetrating her and it's only my fingers but she's a virgin, she's not - "More....please, Logan...." FUCK. This is not gonna work, I'm already close, fuck, I can't keep from - "Unnh! Don't....don't stop, please...." Shit, she's rolling her hips now, fuck, and watchin' her is really getting to me and fuck if she doesn't look wild as hell right now. "Yes, darlin', I want you to, just let go, baby, you're so ready...." Can't keep from going faster, rougher, hope it's OK, hope she's - "Aah! I-I....uh! Oh God, p-please, more, more, I can't - please Logan....." Oh hell, she's lookin' right into my eyes and callin' my name and fuck I can't stop this - I want her to come for me, just for me, and I don't want it to be slow and soft I want it now, right now - I want to watch it happen - God...... "Go ahead baby, let it go, come on - " I'm close too and she's gotta be - "Unnnh! Logan!" Yeah, that's it, God her whole body is twistin' and fuck she smells so good. "Oh! I-I- oh!" There we go, there it is and God, she's lookin' right at me and everything is just right there and she's so good, it's so good, she's mine, she's mine, I'm the only one who'll ever touch her like this, the only one to see her like this, she's mine - "Oh.....Oh.....My.....God." "Oh darlin'....." "Oh my God." "Marie..." "I can't move....." "I got you....." "I-I can't believe that.....I didn't even know, didn't even know I could do that....God. How did you make me feel so good?" Fuck yeah, only me baby, only me. Just with me. Oh yeah, keep on lookin' at me like that, with your hair fallin' over your face. Keep on doin' it because it's gettin' me - oh, God, I need you to - "Please baby, can you, can you - " "Yeah, oh yeah. Let me get my gloves. Hang on, sugar." Her body's all flushed and I can smell the hell out of her and fuck, hurry up darlin'. "Stay still." She's got the really thin silk gloves and damn that oughta be good. We didn't talk about this part but I need it, God, I need it, and I think she can - fuck, fuck, lookin' at her naked and pink and warm I'm not gonna make it. "Careful......" "Do it, please baby, I - " Oh yeah, yeah, she's touching me, finally, oh yeah. "Like this?" "Unnh..damn!...just like that...." She's leaning over me, right over top of me, and all that hair, and oh God - "Logan, sugar...." "Faster, baby, a little faster - " Now, right now, Marie, I need to - "Whatever you want." Shit, hearin' those words does somethin' to me, that's for damn sure. She's so close to me I can smell her and feel her breath and God, oh God - "Aaah! Unnnh!" That's it, that's it, that's it.......oh, yeah, that was good. Oh yeah. Holy hell, that was good. She's OK with it right? I wasn't - wait, she's just lookin' down at me all fascinated by somethin', just lookin' at, at - is she gonna - she's gonna taste me, oh God, oh God, those little drops on her gloves, she doesn't even know I'm watchin', oh God, her tongue darting out to - "Mmmm..." "Oh darlin'...." Whoa, shouldnta said anything 'cause that snapped her head up. Shit. Now she's embarrassed, she caught herself. "Sorry." "Hell no, don't be sorry." "I was just curious." Wide-eyed and innocent and debauched all at the same time. Fuck me, she's mine. Never let anybody else see her like this. Just me. "It's all good, baby." Want to encourage it, matter of fact. "You taste good." Blushin' like crazy but those eyes are hot as hell. Damn. I'm never gonna get enough of her. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Seven - Friday "Hey baby." "Get anything?" "Some rabbits." "Oooh, I like your rabbit stew. Yummy." "You OK?" "Yeah, just a headache. It'll pass." "You sure? Want me to rub your head some?" "Nah, I'm fine." "Whatcha been up to?" "Washing some of the clothes in the bathtub. They're hung up all over the bathroom" "Any drawings?" "One or two....." "Oh yeah?" "I drew your hip bone, and, um, your stomach." "See somethin' you like in that general area, darlin'?" "Stop it. You're making me blush." "You look good when you do that." "You always look good." "Do ya know what that does to me, darlin'? When you say things like that?" "I just know it makes you touch me, and I'm all for that, sugar." "I'm with ya, there. We're not goin' too fast, with all this stuff, are we?" "Well, part of me thinks maybe a little. I mean, it's a lot of stuff, and even though I have you and Magneto in my head, it's a lot different than feeling it and doing it yourself. And for me, I can't really touch, so it's a little weird and a lot intense, the way you are with me. On the other hand, it's the kind of intense that I like. And you always make it OK." "Really?" "Yeah. Why do you sound so surprised by that?" "I dunno. When we were drivin' up here, I kept tellin' myself that we'd go slow, and that I'd be real gentle and, you know, romantic or somethin'. I haven't been too good at doin' that. The first time we really, uh, did anythin', I was just kinda all over you. Still am." "Logan, I know you, sugar. After you, you know, risk your life to save mine and promise to take care of us, I really, really get that you have those soft feelings for me. Don't look so alarmed, I won't tell anyone. And, if you want the truth, I kinda like you wanting me like that. Makes me feel, I don't know, sort of sexy, desirable." "Ain't no 'sort of' about it, darlin'." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Eight - Saturday "No, I'm serious, what do you want for Christmas? I mean, it's tomorrow, you can't put me off any longer." "Got everythin' I want right here in this bed, darlin'." "You see, when you say stuff like that, I just wanna kiss you all over." "That'd be a pretty good present." "Come on, there has to be something you want, something I can give you." "So many ways to answer that one....." "Not a drawing, though, those are everyday presents." "Not a drawin', but somethin' you can give me. Hmmm. I got it." "Yeah?" "Answer me a question." "That's not a present, I'd answer you anyway." "Maybe. But I want the whole answer, everythin' in your pretty little head." "What's the question?" "How do you see yourself?" "How do I see myself?" "Yeah. Give me a complete description. All about Marie, the whole story." "Why that question?" "I wanna know what you think about you. I'm curious." "Honest answer?" "'Course." "OK. I guess the first word that comes to mind is broken." "Broken?" "Yeah. But that's not really it - more like something broken that's not quite fixed right. Something...incomplete." "Why?" "I guess because of my mutation, because none of my parents, my family wanted me so there must be something wrong about me or broken. I mean, when you're not good enough for even someone like Mystique...." "Darlin', that's not you." "It's part of me. Oh, there's more that I think about myself other than that. I'm an artist, I'm very good at Monopoly. I have an excellent sense of style, if I do say so myself. I can be brave and organized when I need to be, sometimes. I'm simply superlative at ping-pong. That, you know, and running. Not jogging/running, the 'I've gotta leave home' or the 'Sabretooth's on my trail' kind of running. I'm very good at that, I think. And that's not a bad thing. I mean, it's come in pretty handy my life so far. I'm kind to other people, you know, except the ones trying to kill me. I'm a killer too, though. I killed those two