'She opened the nut,
Inside was a dress
As brilliant as the Sun,
And all who saw her
Were dazzled by her beauty.'

*******************************************

The squealing down the hall was driving him nuts, it was graduation today, Marie was among the squealing females who were making his ears bleed and as much as he liked the kid he wasn't going to hang around while they made his life a misery.

Shrugging on his leather he went to reaquaint himself with his bike in the garage. Passing the pungent smell of the girls rooms he didn't see the door open and a half dressed Marie come out. She almost bumped into him and he finally noticed that someone was in his way.

Dropping his gaze downward he realised who was stood there in a towel, hair up in another, her skin pink and glowing from a hot shower. Her voice when she finally found it was a little shaky, "Logan, what are you doin' here?"

He just quirked an eyebrow at her and moved past her, trying to get the scent of her skin out of his nose. It was making him think of things that didn't mix with the mental image he had of her. As he moved away he heard her voice carry down the corridor toward him, "You're gonna be here for the party aren't ya?" As the voice faded away as he moved out of range he knew he wouldn't be back until everyone was in bed. He wasn't going to deal with the fact that Marie was graduating, that she was now a legal adult, that she was old enough now. Squashing the thoughts down with a growl Logan went to get lost.

**********************************************************

Marie watched him leave, the sense of joy she'd had earlier just settled into lead in her chest. He'd never see her, never know she was an adult now, she'd passed her exams with honours (there's not many things a mutant with the problems she had could do *but* study). The ceremony was going to be the same time as the party, she had hoped that the free bar downstairs might have tempted Logan to hang around but no, he was avoiding her. With a heavy heart she went down toward Katherine's room where she had her dress hung up. She was going to do her hair for her as well, Katherine never flinched away from her skin, even though she knew she could kill her with a brush of her skin. Gripping her towel she went to find her future, her past already roaring away on a bike she helped pay for.

The door to Katherine's room was already open when she got there, tea was already steaming in the air and her face turned to look at the sorrow etched on Marie's face as she closed the door. "Never mind love, he's a man, no sense in that head, not the stuff he was born with anyway." She must have heard the engine pull away, it was distinct that sound, deeper than Scotts Harley, just like the man who rode it, deeper and more secret the more time wore on. Marie sighed as she plonked herself down in front of the mirrored table Katherine was waiting for her at.

Katherine hugged her through the towel, her touch always strong and sure, meeting her gaze in the mirror she winked at Marie. "Come on, lets make you beautiful. Let's make that man know what he's missing." The thought of her stood looking stunning filled her mind as she looked at the dress that was hung on the wardrobe just for her. The brilliant sunburst on the shoulder that wove down the left arm in golden glitter sparkled in the light. Downstairs in the ballroom she'd be a reflection of light, a celestial body made flesh and a grin spread across her face as she met the gaze of her friend in the mirror.
"Yeah, let's get me ready ta shine!"
Feeling a little more bouyed up Marie let the soft gloved hands of Katherine take care of her, someone here knew her worth and cared about her, even if the one person she'd wanted to had run away from her.

**********************************************************

He'd been nursing the same beer and chaser for an hour, Rosie was giving him the 'evil eye' and from the mood he was putting out he was scaring the rest of the regulars away.
Finally she snapped, moving her old frame down the bar she snatched the beer away and left him the chaser to down. "Get out of my bar Logan, your bad for business tonight, your like a bear with a sore head an your lookin' for someone to tread on a paw on purpose!"

He was about to argue but the look in Rosie's eyes was the truth, he'd been in a foul mood ever since he'd bumped into Marie in the hallway. Just the thought of her dancing with other people had made his blood boil but his mind wouldn't allow the picture of him with his arms around her either. So he was stuck, half wanting, half hating, frustrated and deadlocked and now Rosie his one place of comfort was being taken away from him.

She was about to grab the shot glass when his hand snatched it away in time, downing the triple distilled brandy she kept just for him in one fell swoop. Slamming the glass back onto the counter top, making a dint in the wooden surface. It was meant to intimidate Rosie, it did many other bar tenders on the way to here but not Rosie. She reached for the now empty glass, her face half smiling as she shooed him away from her bar, "Get goin you reprobate, go tell her how you feel, it'll get worse if you don't." He was about to go through the door when her words hit him, Logan turned to look at the older woman who was now wiping the bar down.
"Who said anything about a girl?"

Rosie just stared right through him, a small knowing smile on her lips she answered him. "Ya seem to forget *I'm* the one who listens to ya when your half cut to the wind Logan. If it's not the bike, it's *her*, bikes runnin' fine so it *MUST* be her. What is it? Graduation day?" The heat in his gaze that suddenly burned through the air to her own cool calm gaze made her head nod upward, as she hit the nail on the head.
"Just go you fool, if you don't you'll be kickin' yourself for it later." With her words ended Rosie turned away to see to the rest of her clients, leaving Logan half in and half out of the bar. The air outside was cool and crisp, autumn was on it's way and taking the long route home might not be a bad idea. Walking away toward his bike he saw the seat cover shining in the evening light. The leather custom made, a snarling Wolverine face picked out on it, the two lines above it's brows stained bright white. Marie had bought it for him, a reminder to him of her, every time he saw it just before he sat down on the thing he thought of her. Of her hair and the two white streaks she had in her own and how she got them, what he did to bring her back and the things he'd shared with her. She was the only person who'd seen all of him, knew the things he knew and she still wanted to be with him, to know him.

He fired up the bike, maybe he'd go direct after all, it wasn't such a bad thing was it to wish her well after coming third in her class? Not knowing that Rosie was watching him from the window of the bar as he pulled away a motherly smile on her face as he drove home.

**********************************************************

She was actually having a great time, everyone around her was enjoying themselves, the music was just loud enough to be bearable and covered from head to toe she could just relax.
She was dancing on the edge of the dancefloor when her eye was drawn to the bar, Katherine was tending and when she looked up she saw Logan watching her. His eyes all on her, the caress of his gaze almost like a hand on her. Turning her back to them both she let herself forget he hadn't been there for her acceptence of her diploma, hadn't heard her plans to go away to study. No he was blissfully ignorant and he'd stay that way, she wasn't going to put things out there that were never going to happen. Not anymore, she'd grown up, graduated....with honours. Wiping the tears away with the back of her glove she ignored his gaze and roving touch on her body. Concentrating on what she was feeling from the people around her who'd cared enough to be there for her moment Marie let herself forget he was even in the room.

When he'd entered the blasting noise he'd winced, but seeing Katherine tending bar he wandered over. Seeing him coming she'd just popped the tops on three beers and left them on the surface for him. He'd taken the first one and drained it when he'd caught sight of Marie, what she was dressed in and what it did to her body.

The dress was full, figure hugging but it flared out from her hips, a deep midnight blue at the bottom that faded to a cerulian blue at the shoulder. On the left shoulder a sunburst of gold glitter, spread out down her body, as if she'd taken down the sun and wrapped herself in it. The design followed every curve of her, the final rays of the sun littering the hem of the dress. It was semi-sheer so her creamy skin could be seen through the material in places but solid enough not to see underwear. In her hair were little sunbursts, pieces of gold pinning her hair up from her swan neck and shoulders, on her feet were two dark blue slippers perfectly matched to the dress.

It left him speechless, especially when she turned to see him looking at her, the front of the dress was perfect. As she moved to the music her movements made the sun seem to shimmer with her, as if the beat was the heartbeat of the universe and she was the only star in the whole of it. He reached for a second beer but Katherine had to push it into his grip because he wasn't even looking at what he was reaching for. When she turned away from him the look in her eyes had been dead, something had changed, something *he'd* done had caused this change. Looking to Katherine he just took the bottles with him and walked out of the room, he'd catch her later but for now he just wanted to be alone. He'd fucked it up, wrecked it by not being man enough to stay around, the cold look from Marie had been the truth. He'd lost her, just when he'd finally come to realise what he'd had in his hand from the beginning.

Marie shimmered and shifted, hoping to show Logan what he was missing, when she finally turned back round to look at the bar area he was gone. Katherine caught her looking and she just pointed upstairs, her heart hardened toward him at that moment. If he couldn't even approach her here, in front of everyone when he'd done the same to Jean and Ororo at dances then he wasn't worth crying over. Then why were her tears forcing themselves from her eyes, why did her heart feel as if it had just been torn in two? Closing her eyes she let the music take her away, tears running down her face mingling with the make-up on her face, streaking her skin so her face mirrored the rays of the sun on her dress. She'd lost him, she hadn't been enough for him, she doubted one women ever could be enough for Wolverine but she'd have given everything she was once to try.

Not now though, in a week she'd be gone to college, time to let her heart heal, he was a dream, a hero in armour that was all too human. And in fairy tales the maiden never wins her lover without suffering first, but she was too old for fairy tales and besides this was real life.

*********************************************************

Logan came back down when the house was quiet, walking through the hallways he made his way to Katherine's small kitchen. The one place where he could just 'be', to sit and watch what the little witch did in the small hours. Sometimes making cookies, sometimes sewing little packets of herbs, other times just sitting and talking. He needed to touch base, to find out what was going on and he couldn't go to the source, so Katherine was the next best thing.

When he walked in there was a mug of java waiting for him, by the smell of it a brandy chaser was already in it. Taking it up in his handshe sat himself across from the soft face of Katherine, she was sewing again, this time a pair of gloves from rabbit fur. She kept on in silence, waiting until he felt ready to speak, "How did it go?" The words once out were eaten up by the quiet of the room, Katherine looked up at him for a moment before answering him.
"It went as well as could be expected, Jubilee didn't explode, Bobby only froze his own hand as he took the diploma from the exam board member. Marie did well, she held her own up there, even did her speech."

Logan's head came up with that one, his face showing the eagerness to know what she'd said, Katherine put him out of his misery. "She's going to college Logan, she leaves next week. Not too far, Boston, she's going to do law, be an advocate for mutant rights." Katherine watched as the words hit home, seeing all the life drain out of his skin, ageing him in seconds until there was an old man sat with her. Resting heavy with the weight of the world on his shoulders, when he finally spoke again his voice was half what it had been.
"She looked beautiful Katherine, really beautiful."

Katherine nodded, her hands dropping the sewing to the table and reached out toward his own hands still clutching the mug. Making him look up at her as her fingers touched his, "She bought the dress for you to take her Logan, she refused others for you and you didn't even ask her to go. The most important day of her life and you weren't here Logan, she won't forgive that easily, if she ever will. She loved you, kept her heart open for you and you ignored her. It's always the same story, you never knew what you had until it's gone and she'd leaving in a week for five years. If you want to salvage a friendship Logan you'd better do it now."

Katherine's gaze went to the doorway, Marie was stood there, her ears heard everything that had been said. When Logan saw her there, tear stained and red-eyed he knew how much he'd hurt her. How much she'd cared, how much she'd needed from him and he'd let her down, run away from the one person he'd never wanted to hurt. But before he could get up Marie left, her tears flowing again if the salt in the air was enough to go by. He stood up, drained the mug and left, what was the point, she hated him and she was leaving for a new life. He wouldn't burden her with his worthless carcass, just before he left Katherine spoke to him, "She still loves you you know, it just hurts her to admit it." Logan walked away his reply ringing around his head but sticking in his throat strangling his voice.
'Yeah, I already know that.'

'The second nut opened,
Revealing a dress that shimmered
Like the full moon in the sky,
And as she wove through the dancers,
Many were stilled by the silent grace
As she moved among them,
A goddess made flesh'
**********************************************

Two years, two years and she was 'home' again, called back for a party that was threatening to break the funds of the mansion. It had been on the cards since Graduation really, Kitty had always had the hots for Pieter, and now since they were both on the Alpha team fighting the good fight it made sense to them to get their relationship a little more 'solid'.

It made her think about her own relationships, one in particular, Logan. Ever since the debarcle of her Graduation he'd been hanging on the edge of her life, he helped her move her stuff over to Boston. He even got the U-Haul truck himself and drove with her in silence all the way there. He'd only asked her one question 'Was she okay?', she'd just answered 'Yeah' and that was the conversation for the entire trip. He'd lugged furniture up three flights of stairs for her with Bobby, and not once did he call him an idiot for dropping stuff or smashing things against his hands or feet.

It was only afterward when they'd all gone home leaving her with the housewarming cards on her small shelf had she noticed that there was one from Logan. Tucked behind the one from Ororo, a simple picture of a lake side cabin the inside signed with his name, that was all. He'd snuck it onto her shelf while everyone else was doing something, he cared for her still. Every birthday, every Christmas she'd been away there'd been a present and card outside her door for her. Something small but definately Logan, her first gift had been a book token for a local store. When she'd gotten down there someone already knew she was coming and had her books already bagged. They'd been paid for in advance, the token was to use on whatever else she wanted.

Law books weren't cheap and what with her scholership she'd thought she'd be using the library for most of them. But she had everything off the first two years list in her possession and she put them to good use.
The token she used on what she called 'fun books', the stories and things that made her smile and made the rest of the life away from home easier to live with. Although she did get one book to remind herself of Logan, a photographic study of Canada's wilderness areas. She'd used it to clear her head when his influence got too much for her to deal with. It calmed the piece of him she still held in her mind, even if she couldn't run into the wild at a moments notice, she could have the illusion of doing so and it had seemed enough for the piece she held in her head.

But she was back the party was going to be massive, Pieter's family had been invited and several were being brought over in the Blackbird even now. But the one thing she was determined to do was talk to Logan while she had the chance. It was a long weekend but if things worked out as they often did she'd not get the chance to talk to him before the party. And she knew how he felt about parties, he never turned up for one and the crowds made him nervous.

Unpacking her bag she brought out her dress for the celebration, it had cost her enough but having friends in the fashion course had helped. Being a mutant at college had been difficult but when her status had been accepted a few of the forward thinking tutors had contacted her. Especially the fashion courses, they needed to cater to the new markets that were opening up and that meant dealing with mutations. Her own mutation had been the inspiration for the first year students fashion show. The dress she was going to wear had been the highlight of the show. It had cost her almost three months of savings but it was worth it, the silver net shimmered like nothing else. It cut across her skin, caging her in metal threads, all the way from the high neck to the tops of her arms, where the filaments were seprated to form a hanging display of real silver that whispered as she moved. The main body of the dress was a boned corset in dove grey silk with an over pattern of snowflakes, shot through with the silver thread that weighted the hem. The skirt was flowing, round almost and as she walked the soft silk brushed against her skin. Ground length the skirt framed her hips, showing her body through the drape of the fabric.

Old fashioned in one way but modern in design and execution, it was the one thing she hoped Kitty would indulge her in. She'd seen the dress Kitty was wearing for the party and hers did take the thunder a little from it. Although she had no plans to be the belle of the ball, oh no, she was going to hang back and relax. There was enough to do afterward, Kitty wanted to plan her next move while she still had everyone around and someone had to be sober the next morning.

Leaving the dress hung on the back of her door she went to shower the road from her skin, her thoughts all on the man she wanted to see, hoping that for once he'd be there.

**********************************************************

He'd seen her arrive, Bobby had gone to collect her from Boston, he'd gone to visit his folks at the same time probably still trying to convince them he was the normal boy they'd given over all those years ago. She looked well, the two years had filled her out somewhat and she seemed much more confident than he last remembered. She was what twenty? Twenty-one now?

He'd been to her place more than once but he'd always made sure that he'd visited when she was out, unsure that she'd even welcome him to her door. He'd moved her into the small apartment the school had set up for her, he'd driven the van while Bobby followed from behind. It had been silent that journey but inside his head he'd been talking to her all the way, telling her the things he'd wanted to say, but couldn't. So he did what he could for her, he'd bought her books for the course, made sure she had what she needed and got a token just in case he'd missed anything. She'd sent a 'thank you' note through to him, it was still in his bedside drawer. Her simple handwriting the thing he looked at when he felt as if the world was killing him. Someone out there gave a damn about him, even if he couldn't tell them how much they'd meant to him.

When he'd found out she was coming home he'd almost run, nearly packed up and left. It had been Katherine who'd stopped him dead, she'd been in the garage waiting for him. A spanner in her hand and his engine in pieces on the floor, he'd been so shocked he hadn't even spoken to her as she'd walked out. She'd patted him with the spanner and left him holding it, her words still ringing in his ears as he looked at the heart of his bike bleeding all over the floor. "You'll thank me in the morning."
He'd worked for two days to get it back together and running right again and by the time he had got her right, he did thank her for doing it. He couldn't keep running from her, he had to know where he stood with her, whether she wanted him in her life or out of it. This half life wasn't helping him, keeping Wolverine in check was getting harder every day. He wanted to snap and snarl at everyone and he knew what was driving it, Marie.

So he'd sucked up the courage he had left, gone into town rented a suit and he'd be there, celebrating the engagement of Kitty and Pieter. They worked well together in the Alpha team, Pieter had a good sense of danger and Kitty was quite formidable when backed into a corner. He'd been leading them for months now and he knew they'd do well without him if it came to it.

The band was finally setting up downstairs, that meant he had half an hour at the least to get ready and get down there before she did. He wanted her to see him, that he was there this time and he wasn't going to run this time.

**********************************************************

Katherine helped her into the dress, doing up the almost invisible zipper on her back, latching the silver cage at her throat. Her hair up again, this time the white of her streaks over one side of her style, a wave of silver that mirrored the dress she wore. As she moved the rustle of the silver chimed, the cresent moon diamonte in her dark tresses setting off the entire ensemble. Doing a quick turn she looked over to Katherine who had an admiring gaze in her eye. "What do you think? Not too much is it?" Katherine was dressed in a simple black bodiced dress, her own stout frame gracefully fitted.
"No love, it's perfect. Absolutely perfect, there's mor eexpensive dresses down there but no one fits theirs as well as you do." Marie didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or as a come on, she blushed instead and laughed as Katherine hugged her to her. They were the night sky and the winter moon and Katherine offered her arm to Marie who took it and went to enjoy the party that was just getting into the swing of things by the sounds of it. All thoughts of Logan were pushed aside, that was until she saw him at the bar.

**********************************************************

He pulled the tie for the fifth time in as many minutes, he really wasn't cut out for these things. He'd taken the seat at the bar because it overlooked the doorway, he'd see her as she came in. People were really letting go here, there was nothing like a Russian family celebrating a joining of families and they were certainly letting everyone know how much they loved the idea of it. His attention was distracted for a moment so when he looked back he noticed the pair at the doorway. Katherine and Marie, although he only had eyes for Marie.

Locked onto her frame, the way the dress hung on her,the silver pattern of snowflakes that covered her hips and drifted to the hem. The silver cage of wire that covered her milky white skin, the white bolt in her hair that was pulled to one side and locked into place by a cresent moon of glittering stars. She was perfect, beauty made flesh, a goddess come to walk among mortals for a moment, to show what God had meant when he'd created women.
He didn't even notice Katherine had walked over to him until she nudged his arm, whispering urgently to him "Well don't just sit there you idiot, go to her!" he moved stiffly as if she'd evaporate into nothing if he touched her. His gloved hand reached for her own and she let him take it and lead her into the room, not seeing Katherine smiling behind them as she finished the whiskey Logan had been drinking.

**********************************************************

It was strange to have his hand on hers but he moved her gently into the throng of dancers, the sound of the band flowing over them as Logan put his hand behind her, caging her in his grip. Making her his possession for the duration, looking into his eyes and seeing something inside them, something she was hoping was about her. The way he moved her effortlessly across the dancefloor was saying enough, the steps coming back from her lessons as a child. But she'd never even thought that Logan could dance or that he would here and now and with her.

The entire room dissolved for him, there was only her and him, he was lost from the moment he saw her come in. The way the light danced in her eyes, the way she swayed into his grip with each movement. This was what he'd needed, what he'd craved, seeing her skin colour as she went with him across the floor. He loved her and tonight he'd finally tell her, let her know what had been inside him for two years. Why he hadn't been there at her graduation, what he'd been running from, trying to deny the feelings he'd had for her. Tonight, he'd tell her tonight, but for now he was dancing with the most beautiful girl in the world, he had the moon in his hands and this time he wasn't going to let her go.

**********************************************************

Marie danced with Logan all night, he never let anyone else near her, her mind was whirling with questions when a hand she recognised tapped Logan on the shoulder and her blood turned to ice.

Ian.

He'd made it after all, she saw the look of annoyance cross Logan's face as he turned to see who was interrupting his pleasure. She tried to speak before Logan but he was already talking, "What do you want Bub? I'm dancin with *my* girl."
Ian answered Logan without thinking not knowing who he was talking to.
"I think you'll find she's *MY* girl if you ask her."

The world dropped away as Logan stilled, she could feel him tense as the air between them froze, where there had been a flow of energy and light now there was nothing, only the void of space as Logan released her hand and moved his hand from her back. He turned to look at Marie, his eyes filled with such pain, such sorrow it made her heart lurch to see it. Logan just stepped aside as if he was made of stone, Ian smiling took her hand and danced her away from Logan. Her mind and body torn in two as she watched him walk out of the room. The urge to follow him almost suffocating her, she tried to get out of the dance but Ian had her caged in. Desperate she cried out above the noise, "Logan please, wait...don't leave!" Ian looked confused and stopped dancing with her, letting her see Katherine desert her post and follow Logan. Tears flowed again and she let Ian take her round the floor, this time resting against his heartbeat. She hadn't had the chance to tell him about Ian, he'd never even asked her, just thought he could walk back into her life.

She'd been with Ian for five months, they'd met in class and instantly struck up a conversation. He'd been with her, loved her, touched her, made love to her with the utmost care, cherished her. To him she wasn't a 'kid' to save or to help, she was Marie, beautiful, fiesty and not afraid to get what she wanted from life. Two years was a long time to her but to Logan it obviously wasn't.

**********************************************************

"Logan! Logan wait you stupid man!" He didn't stop he just kept going, tearing off the tie and removing the jacket letting it fall to the floor as he walked away. He was about to run when Katherine grabbed hold of his arm, "If you don't listen to what I have to say I *swear* I'll never speak to you again!"
Logan knew that Katherine never said anything she didn't mean and the gaze he turned toward her made her blink at it's power.
"Did you honestly think she'd stay still? Did you really think she'd be the same girl that left here? Did you think being on the edge of her life would be enough?" Logan wanted to snarl at her, to hurt her but the grip on his arm tightened and Katherine narrowed her eyes at him, making the grey green of her eyes darken. "Just because she has *you* in her head didn't you think she needed to *know* how you felt about her? You stupid man! You've lived a long time sure but you know shit about women, she *needs* to hear it you fool. You want her you have to stay here! She'll look for you and if you're not here....well we all know what happened last time."

Katherine always made sense, what she said reached him but it didn't make it hurt any less. Finally finding his voice he rumbled out "She didn't tell me."
"Did you give her a chance to?" He blinked slowly as he realised he hadn't talked to her at all, just in his head. Inside he'd told her everything he'd felt for her, how lucky he felt being with her. But he hadn't told her anything, footsteps were coming from behind and he turned to see Marie. Her face red, her dress marred by her tears, behind her was Ian, his scent covering her own and he just tore himself away from Katherine's grip and ran. He wasn't safe to be around right now and he didn't want Marie to see him lose it on account of her boyfriend.

Marie watched him go, the white of his shirt retreating as she half ran to Katherine, she almost followed when Katherine stopped her with a hand on her chest. "No,love, not now, it's not safe." The look on her face spoke more than she was saying and Marie paled. Ian was behind her soon enough and when he touched her she moved out of his gloved grip. Her voice found she asked the question she knew the answer to, "How long has he been like this?" Katherine didn't pull her punches and she didn't now as she smoothed out the jacket Logan had dropped making his scent bloom in the corridor.
"Since you left love, ever since you left and he's getting worse by the day."

Katherine just walked away then, leaving them alone in the corridor as she made plans to keep Logan calm when Marie left again. Sometimes star-crossed lovers end up killing everyone else around them and she was hoping that this time it wouldn't happen.

'The last nut had a dress that sparkled like the stars,
Deep blue black,
Covered with all the stars of the sky,
When she wore it
All who saw it knelt before her,
For she truely was
The Lady Of Heaven.'
*************************************************

The dress laid out for her to wear tomorrow, the deep blue of the fabric something that she'd chosen herself. It matched her skin tone, picking it up she decided to try it on before she wore it in front of everyone.

The net skirt below went down her legs, covering the scars on the skin that were an angry red. The soft velvet falling over the net like darkness over the world, the long sleeves pulling against her arms as she dressed herself. Pulling it over her head and shaking her hair loose over the bare shoulders it gave her, the plunging neckline something she never would've risked before. But now it didn't really matter, she wasn't the one going down the aisle today or any other day.

Ian had been good about the incident with Logan at the party but it had put a wedge between them, one where she'd allowed it to grow with her reluctance to explain about her feelings when it came to Logan. Now looking back at it all she could see where she'd gone wrong, she should have told him everything about Logan from the start of their relationship but she hadn't. She'd wanted a break from the past and so she'd left it out, left a part of her hidden from him and it was then her relationship had been doomed to fail.

But she just couldn't put the image of his eyes out of her mind, the way they'd died, the way all light had gone out of him the moment Ian had said those words to him. The cold way he'd just let her go and walked out and then she'd known exactly how much Logan had missed her, how much he'd *loved* her. Oh she'd been upset for a month about that, that it had been her fault for not knowing, but how could she? She didn't go searching the piece fo him she had in her mind because it made him more active in her head. But she did in Spring Break and what she found in there had been enough to nail the coffin lid down on her relationship with Ian.

Logan had loved her since he'd seen her, since the day she'd shouted out to warn him, it had started out as care sure, she'd been too young then. But when he'd come home to see her with Bobby, that had changed, when she'd handed him his tags back on the way to Boston she knew the significance of it from his point of view. She'd been wearing them to *bed* a piece of him had been with her while Bobby was still *outside*. She'd already picked him but when she gave them back she was telling him she was now picking Bobby over him.
It hadn't been like that for her, it was just a safe place to keep them, to keep him close to her. She'd never even thought she'd been in the running for his heart, not when Jean was still alive. When Jean came back she'd stopped even dreaming about him that way, and when he'd left her alone at Graduation she thought she'd lost him entirely. So she'd acted as if she had, got a new life, got a boyfriend, experienced life, but it wasn't like that. Not to the Logan in her head, he loved her, needed her, she held all of him inside her and she hadn't run away from him, hadn't hated him and when Spring Break finished she broke off the dying remnants of her relationship with Ian. She regressed for a while, went crazy, did all the things she knew she shouldn't, thats how she ended up with the scar tissue on her legs. Coming off a stolen bike will do that to you, especially along a gravel road. She was lucky she'd been wearing a helmet, but the rest in the hospital had given her enough time to make a plan of 'what next'.

Sighing she smoothed the dress down, it was her final walk, the last part of her life at the mansion. Kitty's wedding, the dress had been designed especially for her, translucent at the neck and arms but flowing into what looked like an open bodice with a plunging neck line showing what God had graced her with.

Thankfully Logan wasn't here, he'd been on a mission where they expected him back in around a month,she could get through this one without him being around to mess it up for her. Satisfied she looked right in it she peeled it back off her body, she had enough time to get a shower and go see Kitty to calm her nerves. She was marrying Pieter not his family, (who were mostly connected to some rather unsavoury characters) it had come out at the engagement party. It had been looked into and even Pieter was a little bemused by it all but he'd done the decent thing and asked Kitty if she still wanted to take the risk of marrying him. Of course she'd said yes, as if the outcome would have been any different.

Heading for the shower she never heard the distinctive sound of Logan's bike coming up the drive. Tonight was going to be a surprise for both of them.

**********************************************************

When Logan walked into Katherine's kitchen he was surprised to see Kitty sat there in her dressing gown all red and crying. Seeing Logan twitching in the doorway Kitty just sniffed once and ran, Katherine's hand touching her shoulder as she left the room. As Logan entered Katherine opened her arms to Logan, he dropped into the strong embrace and let the road behind him fade away. His mind still troubled but knowing he needed to see Katherine before he saw anyone else, she kept him on an even keel.

Releasing him she went to her store cupboard and brought out the tea that helped Logan 'be' Logan and not Wolverine. Making the sweet tea she handed it to him before dropping the bombshell on him. "Marie's home." She smiled as Logan almost choked on the tea in his throat, mumbling out "She alone?"
Katherine nodded, "Yeah she's been alone the last year now, Ian and her split up soon after she was here." Logan's gaze almost cut her in two, "She phoned to ask how you were, I told her." He winced as she spoke because he knew she wouldn't lie to Marie or to anyone for that matter.
"What did you tell her?"
"That you were more Wolverine now than Logan, she uderstood and asked if you'd asked about her. I told her you hadn't." Logan almost dropped the cup he was holding, Katherine had *lied* and she grew serious on him.
"I didn't think she'd want to know you were carving up strangers who happened to look like her boyfriend Logan, thats between you and me. Not even Ororo could get this out of me and as I've said before, what's said in here stays in here. You never said I could tell her that you'd asked about her wellbeing to me, so it wasn't a lie. Just an omission."

"She's here for the wedding." Logan's face looked confused, "You know *The Wedding*, the one that's been planned for months? The one your being BEST MAN for?" Bobby had been injured and so he'd been called home as a replacement for him. Seeing that Logan still wasn't really here yet Katherine refilled his mug and sent him off to bed. He needed sleep and Pieter was already out on his stag night with the rest of the mansions young men. "Go to bed Logan, I'll wake you an hour before so you get ready. Go on, get moving." Logan let himself be moved out so Katherine could get the last few things done that were always left to the last minute. Flowers for one, she was going to make Logan a beautiful button hole and Marie a posy to carry. Whispering as she worked, weaving a spell for the two halves of hearts that were sleeping above her head.

**********************************************************

Kitty was ready, the music was playing, the flower girls had gone down the centre aisle all she had to do was follow her best friend to where her future husband was waiting for her. Looking down the chapel she could see Pieter fidgeting as he awaited his bride but the man next to him she didn't recognise from the back. It must be one of Pieter's relations standing in for Bobby, she'd seen him that morning and the plaster his hip was in. It made all the more sense to her for Kitty and Pieter to get hitched now while they could. The pain of her own seperate life making itself known for a moment before pushing it aside, she was here for Kitty. And as she moved off down the aisle Marie followed her, opposite in colour to the pure white of Kitty's dress, day and night, touchable and untouchable.

He was sweating, shaking almost as if he was the bridegroom, the rings were in his waistcoat pocket ready to be given over but there was a third ring too. One he hoped would be accepted but he had to try and he had one last chance at being whole. He saw Kitty take her place at the side of Pieter and he looked at the woman next to her, seeing her eyes widen as she realised who was stood next to Pieter.

LOGAN!

It was Logan! Her skin flared as she saw him stood next to Pieter, the suit he was wearing fitting him like a glove, he was dressed like her, opposite to the main couple who were both in white. The way he looked over once then brought his eyes front and centre, watching his adam's apple bob as the words of the service wound out over them all. Knowing in her heart that she was wishing it were her wedding and the man who loved her was stood just feet away.

Jesus he was nervous! He almost handed out the wrong ring, trying to calm his nerves he took a quick look over to Marie. She looked stunning, the dress sparkling as if she were the entire vault of the heavens laid out over her alabaster skin. Kitty was pretty but his eye was on her and when she felt him looking she flushed with colour, maybe he had more of a chance than he'd thought.

When had he looked so beautiful? When had she missed his strength, the way he held himself so calm even when she could feel his nerves from here. It shone out from his eyes, the hope he held in them for her, and god help her she wanted to have it for herself. Even if it was just hope she wanted it, the final words were said and Kitty and Pieter kissed but the two of them were wishing it could be them.

As the couple left to the smiles and cheers of the families, they both stayed still at the altar, Logan's hand going to his waistcoat pocket. He pulled a ring out of it, walked across the small distance that felt like miles and pulled her hand up with his own gloved one. Taking the ring finger he slipped the silver band onto her skin, she didn't struggle, didn't stop him, didn't even comment when he kissed her for the first time stood at the altar. His mind filling hers again, letting her know how much he loved her, how much it ahd made him suffer to know she was someone elses.

No one noticed Katherine smile and whisper to the wind "About bloody time too," before herding the rest of the guests to the banquet leaving the two lovers alone with each other, they had a future to hammer out between them. One that was best left to silence and privacy, if they needed anything they'd ask for it but for now all they needed was each other.