omg! i was totally not expecting toad to be the one!

i wonder how Logan's "normal" physiology will not handle all the metal in him! will he be able to move under that much weight? will his body attack the metal as a foreign object?

great stuff. on the edge of my seat!

If he was going to pursue a woman’s attentions, he would absolutely not play fair.
Ha! Too true!

Oh but you are evil with your cliffhangers in this *g*

Logan had never, ever yelled for her in that tone of voice.
I almost don't want to know what's gonna happen next. I think the next chapter will be read peering between the gaps between my fingers... and possibly with a cushion to hide behind as well. This cannot be good.

This chapter has finally caught me for the story! I'm a little stressed right now, so I admit to often just browsing and finding some of the previous chapters a little tediously heavy on dialogue, but I also realise that it has become so rare to have the Bobby-Logan-Rogue triangle actually spelt out in its own right (instead of as a preamble to Rogan smut ;-) that I have lost the patience to follow it. Which I should; it's worth it.

But now, this chapter. There's a lot (more?) succint lines here that capture the feeling of the situation and the relationships really well.

The light-hearted one of Rogue and Logan in company, when there is no angst and you can see how well they go together and with others if given half a chance: "they’d had a lengthy and pun-riddled discussion in the jeep whether it should be optical mouses or optical meese..."

Their comfortable familiarity with each other that has not faded into indifferently taking the other for granted: "Rogue and Logan stared each other down, neither one blinking, until Marie got bored enough to surrender."

Logan's way of 'courting' Rogue perfectly in character with this relationship - no need to be brash ("It just sat there and glowed at her."), and all him ("If he was going to pursue a woman’s attentions, he would absolutely not play fair."). Wherever he got it, he has much more experience in this department than Bobby - which could have made Logan a calculating bastard in this situation (unsettling prospect), but it clearly hasn't (" He hated to see her so unhappy...").

Quite nice how well their two approaches to this new possibility and their POV in general are set off against each other:
"...it would help pick her spirits up. - Jewelry always made women happy, right? - When in doubt, stick with the classics. - And it would put enough pressure on her to take him seriously..."
"It was the most elegant thing she’d ever seen. - Rogue goggled at the necklace and chains, too amazed to make a snap decision. - ...a simple chain that wouldn’t snag on any sweaters... - Her radiating joy .... Rogue stifled herself, not knowing for sure whether Logan would want..."

But this is all play, and in the instant the outside worlds starts meddling again (great how you portray Logan's reaction with painful memory and fighting instinct), they are both back down to business - and to the underlying comradeship, care and commitment towards each other that is much more precious than oaths of undying love.


Author's Response: I love the 'calculating bastard' quality in Logan's character, and this gives him a beneficial place to exercise that bastard. I also love Intelligent Logan, so he can play all the angles.