What Do You Want From Me- Part 8/?,
Title: What Do You Want From Me
Author: alexmonalisa
Rating: R
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Marvel, Fox, and the people who made it. *sadface*
Feedback: Better than chocolate cake
Summary: AU/No Powers. Marie Turner is twenty and trying to get by. Logan Howlette is thirty and working at a dead end job. One night fate intercedes and their life’s are bound together forever.
Author’s notes: Hi, sorry about the delay but I'm job-hunting and it's taking over my life. Haven't had much time to write but getting back on track slowly.
xxxxxx
Marie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She smiled as best she could and turned around.
“Thank you Ororo. I really appreciate letting us move in earlier.”
“It was no problem child.”
Ororo reached out and squeezed her shoulder. Marie looked around once again. It was a beautiful, two adjoining rooms and an en-suite bathroom on the third floor of the school. Ororo wondered out and Marie waited a few minutes before collapsing on her bed. It was 48 hours ago that she and Logan had been pressed up against each other. Since then she hadn’t spoken to him or even seen him. She’d merely called Ororo to arrange her immediate removal to the school. She looked up as Jubilee stepped in and closed the door. Marie closed her eyes and shook her head.
“I told you chica, I’m not mad at you.”
“I swear Jubilee, I don’t know why it happened-“
“I know. I know. I spoke to my brother though he’s never been the talkative type.”
“We’re still friends right?”
“Best friends... besides, I’m moving in here.”
“What?”
“Well... I need a job, and... um... Kayla’s back.”
Marie’s eyes snapped open and she gripped the edge of the bed.
“What?”
“Kayla, she’s back. “
“I guess it’s good that we left then...”she trailed off, tears gathering in her eyes.
“Marie-“
She cut Jubilee off with a firm glare, while quickly wiping her eyes.
“I’m fine.” she whispered.
“Okay.”
Marie stood and walked into the adjoining room where Lena was sitting on the floor, playing with her doll. Jubilee followed her in and walked towards a box in the corner.
“Need help unpacking?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Jubilee nodded and opened the box. Marie smoothed the pink covers on the single bed by the window and reached into the box marked ‘teddy’s’. She placed the various stuffed animals on the bed and the rest in the toy box at the foot of the bed. Lena stood and hurried over to her, hugging her leg.
“Mommy, I’m hungwee.”
“Where are her clothes?” asked Jubilee.
“Um... that big box in the corner.”
“Okay I’ll do those. Go downstairs and get her something to eat.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, positive.”
“Okay. Just don’t colour co-ordinate her clothes.”
Jubilee scoffed and rolled her eyes. Marie smirked and picked Lena up, walking back into her room and out into the corridor. The school was empty, most students still on holiday and the others outside enjoying the sunshine. She headed downstairs towards the kitchen when she noticed a woman with long brown hair and a slim body talking to the Ororo. Marie put Lena down and nudged her towards the kitchen.
“Lena, go hide for mommy.”
Lena nodded and rushed off towards the kitchen. The little girl was used to hiding away, Marie had had to teach her at the diner to try and avoid people seeing her. Marie smoothed out her clothing and walked slowly towards the woman she dreaded meeting. Ororo smiled at her as she approached and the illustrious Kayla turned around. She was tall, slender and even more glamorous in person. What hurt more was to see the glittering diamond on her left hand.
“Ah, Marie. This is Kayla Frost... Jubilee’s soon to be sister in law. Kayla, this is the girl I told you about. She’ll be my new assistant.”
“Hi.”
“Hello there. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Said Kayla, flashing a glamorous smile.
‘God, she’s perfect.’ Thought Marie.
Kayla extended a well manicured hand and Marie took it and gave it a brief shake before shoving both her hands in her jeans pocket in shame. Her own nails were short and had chipped green nail polish peeling off. She wanted to dash into the kitchen but Logan stepped out of the office with on the left a man with brown hair and blue eyes and a slender woman with red hair and green eyes following him. Marie recognised the man as Logan’s colleague, Scott Summers. It was his bachelor party that had led to her meeting Logan. His eyes widened when he saw her and Marie gave the slight shake of her head.
“Marie, this is Jean Summers. She is a biology teacher here as well as the school nurse. And this is her husband Scott.” said Ororo.
Jean smiled and rushed forward to shake Marie’s hand enthusiastically.
“You’re Ororo’s new P.A. It’s so nice to finally meet you. We need more women working here in the school. It certainly will make girls night out more fun.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“Hi.” Muttered Scott shyly.
Marie blushed and shook his hand. Her eyes sought Logan’s but her chest became oddly tight as she saw his arms wrapped around Kayla’s waist.
“Um... excuse me, I was just getting lunch.”
She didn’t wait for a reply and hurried to the kitchen. It was empty and no sign of being disturbed in the past few minutes.
“Lena? Olly-olly oxen free!”
There was a giggle and Lena burst from the cupboard from under the sink. Marie smiled and scooped her daughter in her arms. She twirled her around and stopped when she noticed someone standing by the door. She stopped and clutched Lena close to her chest. Scott held up his hands and shook his head.
“Hey, I’m not here for trouble.”
“Sorry, old habit.” Muttered Marie.
“My wife knows about the bachelor party... if you’re wondering.”
“You told her?”
“Not everyone’s as secretive as Logan.”
“Oh.”
“She’s beautiful. What’s her name?”
“Lena.”
“Beautiful. It’s a Greek name, I believe.”
“My mother was Greek. It was her great grandmother’s name.”
“Oh... I see.”
Marie closed her eyes and buried her face in Lena’s hair, inhaling the calming scent of her hair.
“She’s Logan, isn’t she?”
“How does everybody know that?”
“It seems unluckily for you that she has most of Logan’s charming personality traits and features.” Came Jean’s voice from behind Scott.
Scott moved aside and Jean walked into the kitchen. A little boy toddled behind her, sucking a pacifier.
“This is our son Nathan. He’s eighteen months.”
Marie smiled and sat down on a stool, putting Lena the counter in front of her. Scott picked up Nathan and sat beside Marie as Jean walked towards the fridge.
“Kayla seems really nice.” Murmured Marie.
Jean and Scott shared a look before Jean sighed and shook her head.
“She’s amazing. I wish Logan would stop messing around and marry her.”
“Jean, it’s more complicated than that.”
“Logan needs someone stable in his life. You said yourself he’s getting more depressed at work. He needs to settle down and start a family. Obviously the reason he’s been so happy lately is because of his little Lena.”
Jean handed Marie a sandwich and Lena a plate of fruit and vegetables. Marie smiled politely and shoved the sandwich away.
“No thanks.”
“When was the last time you ate?”
“Today.”
“Really? So I’m just imagining the pallid texture of your skin, the way you’re shivering even though it’s humid outside and the obvious weakness your exhibiting.”
“I’m fine. Really. Just tired.” muttered Marie.
“But-“
“Jean.” Warned Scott quietly.
“Hola everyone!” said Jubilee, waltzing into the kitchen.
Marie sighed in relief and hoisted Lena onto Jubilee before excusing herself from the kitchen to find the medication Hank had given her.
Xxxx
Marie walked into the school observatory late one night, having already been at the school for a week. Classes started within a week and she wanted to make sure that all the flowers were in bloom for Ororo’s horticulture class. She sniffed the roses and smiled at their heavenly fragrance. Moving over to the cabinet, she checked that they had plenty of seeds and gardening tools. From the corner of her eye, she saw a bench made from white marble at the end of the observatory. She moved towards it and bent down to the orchards planted there.
“A gift from Xavier to his wife. This observatory is a symbol of their love.”
Marie stood up and whipped around so fast her head began to throb in pain. She felt faint and gasped as a strong arm gripped her waist.
“Whoa! Easy darlin’.”
She looked up into piercing hazel eyes and half a smile formed on her face.
“Logan.”
“The one and only.”
He turned around to sit on the bench, pulling her onto his lap. She curled up against his chest, placing her head on his shoulder and a hand on his heart.
“Where’s Kayla?” she whispered.
“An orchard is a beautiful flower. Delicate, elegant-“
“Are you trying to distract me?”
“Just like you.”
Marie scoffed and shook her head.
“Me? Delicate? Elegant? Sounds more like Kayla.”
“She’s not a bad person, Marie.”
“That’s because she’s not the one in the arms of another.”
“You saying we’re bad because-“
“No! It’s me!”
She wrenched herself from his grasp and paced in front of him. She wrung her hands together and tried to regulate her breathing. She felt pain shoot through her body and suddenly remembered she hadn’t eaten today.
“I’m wretched Logan. My life is one big stain that I won’t allow to cheapen your life. What I’ve done, the things I’ve seen... it changed me. And not for the better.”
“Marie, darlin’, you know you can talk to me.”
“I don’t want to talk.”
“Then what do you want?”
She sighed and scratched her head before straddling his lap and putting her hands on his shoulders.
“Why did you come and find me? The truth.” she asked softly.
“Honestly... I felt something inside me that day when we almost... it was different... not new... but... I remembered feeling it before but then I realised it was... with you.”
“And?”
“I’ve been thinking these past days about whether I’d risk it all for another night with you.”
She smirked and leaned closer, letting her lips brush against his ear as she spoke.
“So... what’s it gonna be?” she purred.
“I’m tired of being someone I’m not. For once I’m going with what my instincts tell me.”
“And what? Your instincts are telling you to fuck me? I think most guys want that.”
“No baby. They’re telling me to make love to you.”
xxx