'If I'd known how hard this would be,
I'd never have asked you to come here,
Yet if you hadn't,
We wouldn't be where we are right now....happy.'
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They'd always remember their first winter here, the mistakes they made, the frozen piles of dead sheep that kept them alive through what mother nature battered them with. When spring finally arrived it was like being reborn, everything suddenly cleared, the sun shone, the birds sang. It really was amazing, the slow creep to the short summer came fast and soon there was too much to do.
A wind turbine was built, along with a water pump and solar heater, electricity and hot water were in the chain of stone houses they called their own. A long low plastic tunnel fed them, the sun up here was bright but not warm so the excess hot water got to circulate their food production area first. It gave a five degree rise in warmth which meant they had corn in the autumn when the winds were stripping the fields of wild seed.
Logan fished, farmed the sheep, clipped and culled the sick, they even had seagull in the early days. Sheeps milk was turned into cheese, lambs were caught and kept, fattened up for slaughter. The boats that came to shelter in the rocky harbour brought supplies of things they couldn't manufacture. Including whiskey, the bottles of which made wonderful feeders for lambs once empty.
Their routine seemed to be something that followed the weather, Marie would spend time teaching their son the basic langauge he'd need. Counting, colours, names of things and the animals around him, Logan even had one of the ships doctors come and see him when he was ill. The only thing he'd had wrong with him had been a small cold, the doctor had looked at the strong gruff man and his lively wife. He hadn't asked questions of them, just seen to the patient and left, telling Logan that his son needed vitamins of a certain kind if they were going to live here over any kind of span. He'd taken it all in and next month a boat had returned with a supply of mutlivitamin powders for him.
Life was good here, both of them had worked damn hard to get a life together where they were happy, content, and peace filled. Even Logan's dreams weren't as bad as they used to be, he'd still have them but only when the storms outside were howling like wolves in a starving winter.
No the long low stone cottages had made them welcome, fed them, sheltered them, glad to be of use again and when Logan came home to find Marie looking at the next cottage down; her eye calculating what needed to be done to it. He'd just come close and breathed her in, knowing her moods and whims, that she wouldn't do this unless it was needed.
The salt tang filling the air mingling with her own rich scent for a moment but the news came clear when she turned into his grip. "We're goin' to need a new room sugar, Ah don't think junior is goin' to want to share with his brother or sister."
To be blessed once was a miracle, to be blessed twice was pushing their luck and it took until his daughter was just passing her second birthday when everything changed.
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The boats bobbed in the sea, on the harbour wall a small dark haired woman was standing her eyes searching the hills for the man she'd heard was here. The man others had been searching the world for, if he was here she had to approach him carefully. This was his place, he'd claimed it as his own and as such she was an intruder and no amount of goodwill would save her if she went against his wishes. Turning her back to the man who'd brought her out here she walked up the small overgrown track that led to the thin line of slate grey cottages.
Thats where he lived they said, up there like a hermit, some had said he was half wild. A man with brawn in his arms and salt in his blood, the fishermen respected him, he'd helped out boats in the winter storms, doing what he could for them. They didn't tell many people about him, but Moira had heard about him from a guest she had staying at her own home. They'd dreamt of him, a woman with auburn hair with two snow white wings in her hair like a seagulls wings. Two babies, healthy and strong, one boy, one girl, laughter and happiness all around them. It couldn't be more different than the state the rest of the world found itself in.
Winding her way up the track toward the cottages her eyes down on the ground when a crashing sound to her right made her stop. A young boy no more than six was bounding through the heather, laughing as he went. His eyes met hers and he stopped dead, all joy gone from his face, fear replacing his once joy filled eyes. His little mouth opened and he screamed out away from the constant wind, "DAD!". He was backing away from her but keeping his eyes fixed on her, his feet taking their time while his cries were repeated. Moira kept still, her hands out of her pockets dangling by her sides, palms empty. Behind the boy she could see something coming down the steep slope, glancing up at the shape she could see the harsh lines etched on his face.
He was dressed in a faded red checked flannel shirt, underneath he wore another dark grey shirt, close knit and warm. His jeans were well worn and patched in places, his boots made for the terrain he was in, Moira couldn't see the boy anymore. He'd run away and she knew that the man in front of her had taught him to do that. Dragging her eyes back to the man who was now approaching her with fists clenched his nostrils twitching as the wind blew her scent to him. However she reacted next would set the tone of her visit, trying to stay calm she lifted a hand out to the man who was now only feet away. Unsuccessfully keeping a shudder out of her body she spoke to the one man she hoped could help her. "Hello Logan, I'm Moira McTaggart and I have a proposal for you."
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Marie was just feeding Sarah when James ran in, his face flushed and his breath erractic, she didn't get upset she just turned to face him and saw the shock on his face. He didn't even let her get a word out before he interrupted her. "James...."
"There's a woman with Dad, she came off one of the fishing boats. He's with her now." Marie put the food down, wiped Sarah's chin and sent her off to toddle around in her room. Locking the little gate so she couldn't escape she turned back to her son, her eyes showing none of the turbulanet emotions she was feeling.
"Come on show me, your Dad doesn't like visitors, especially uninvited ones." She followed her son, his hair already turning into his fathers unruly mop, he had her eyes though, dark brown instead of hazel. The years here had made him strong, comfortable but he tended to react badly to strangers. Mind you that wasn't a trait she wanted out of him just yet, she got a paper from the fishermen every now and again when she had the urge. Logan just didn't seem interested in the outer world anymore, but she knew that one day it would be interested in them. An it looked like that day had come at last.
When they finally got to where Logan was walking with the small woman, James almost hid behind his mother as she approached them both. Taking his hand she pulled him back from behind her, her whisper to him making his head come up at last. "Don't let your dad see your afraid of her, she's only someone we don't know yet and as soon as we do she won't be a stranger anymore." James nodded into her hip and she knew they had to work on his people skills. Maybe Logan could take him to the harbour when he went down, he needed to see other people, be around them. She didn't want to raise a child who couldn't cope with the strange, because the things that had happened to them weren't normal. Hopefully she'd have time to do it before their world collapsed on itself.
Shaking her head as they got closer to Logan she dropped the paranoia that seemed to eat at her when strangers were around. Logan noticed her and his gaze gave her some comfort, he wasn't angry he was annoyed yes but not angry. They met on the road leading to their home, the smallish black haired woman, her gaze taking in everything she could about her. Her hand rose in greeting, "Hello, I'm Moira McTaggart, I've come to ask you both a great favour," her eyes quickly dropped to her son and then back to her own. "Things are changing out there in the world and I need some help." Marie gripped her sons hand tight as the words hit her ears, so it had finally happened the world had come calling and now someone knew where they were it wouldn't be long until Xavier knew.
It didn't take long to get themselves settled in the lambing shed, Marie asked James to go get his sister and to bring her to them. When he returned with the little girl Moira began her tale.
"It started nearly two years ago now, Xavier called me, he was having trouble with one of his ex-students," Moira paused here while she watched for their reaction to the name. "Jean Grey, she was having trouble with her telepathy, couldn't keep people out of her mind and as such she was becoming more and more reclusive." At the mention of Jean's name both Marie and Logan stiffened up, Logan's eyes became dark and Marie just kept a better eye on her children.
"Anyway she came to my institute in the highlands, we worked together for a while and everything seemed fine when she returned. It didn't last," Moira pulled out the small fold of papers she'd brought with her, handing them to Logan to read. The newsprint was a little faded but the image of Jean dressed in her black leather suit was there, underneath ran the by-line,'Dark Phoenix destroys twelve army cadets in mutant riot.'
Logan handed the paper to Marie who read it all, seeing the picture and needing to know what happened. As she read Moira continued the story, "As you can see things changed pretty quickly, as soon as it came out that the team responsible for the deaths had been Xaivers. Most of his support vanished overnight, Jean was killed soon after." Logan's eyes narrowed at those words and Moira gave her version of events.
"Just how can someone die of carbon monoxide poisoning when the entire school is electrically heated I don't know. But she's gone and the rest of the team are still working under the guidance of the military."
Logan broke the silence, his voice full of incredulity.
"What? You're joking aren't ya?"
Moira looked at him, her gaze hitting him dead centre. "I'm afraid not, Xaiver is now working with the military it's the only way his school can still function. They passed the Bill soon after Jean was killed and America is pushing it's allies to make a choice too. At the moment the Scottish Assembly is sitting on the fence, not too worried about the rest of the world but if England follow America's lead....the Scots will jump their way as well." Moira stood and wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes looking out on the world that Logan and Marie had built for themselves. When she looked back at them they were looking at each other and the look wasn't one of hope for her.
"I know I'm asking for a lot but I need to get some of my people away, especailly those who'd be perfect for 'enlisted service'. I've no illusions about the state America is in and what they're doing to the mutants that live there. I just don't want it to happen to them people I care for."
Marie spoke next, "So what do you want with us?"
Moira dropped her head and sat back down on the stump she'd been sitting on earlier, her frame slumped forward as she spoke.
"I need somewhere they can go to, somewhere no one will find them, somewhere like here." Logan stood instantly, his voice ringing out through the small shed.
"NO! NO FUCKIN WAY IN HELL ARE YOU DROPPIN ANYONE HERE!!"
Both James and Sarah were looking at their father, neither one of them had ever heard him shout before, never seen him angry, not like this. James came toward his father hands outstretched, eyes wide, tugging on his jean leg. Logan looked down an scooped him up in his arms, James wrapped himself around his fathers neck trying to calm him. The soothing effect of his son's skin on his own made his head clear as he met his sons gaze.
His voice no longer shouting was still harsh and covered in steel, "My *FAMILY* live HERE. No one else, NO ONE. This is OUR land and I'll defend it if I have to, against anyone who comes calling. Do I make myself clear?" Moira nodded her face drained of all colour, Marie handed him Sarah as well. Sarah's little snuffles into his neck reminded him that his children had never heard or seen his temper. He nudged her small head and she looked into his face, her small pudgy hand trying to smooth the lines that had suddenly appeared on his forehead.
Her small voice ringing out in the shed, "Daddy thinks that the bad men will come here, bad men from his sleep." Marie's eyes widened as her thoughts about her daughter were confirmed, she always knew when either one of her parents were around or coming. She'd even told her where to find her brother when he'd gone off 'exploring' on his own. She'd said something about a dark place with sticky balck stuff that tasted funny. She'd found him up a chimney two houses down, covered head to toe in soot.
Logan just nodded at his daughter, seeing her small eyes giving him comfort and calm. "Yeah I do pumpkin an you know what'll happen if they do don't ya?" A big bright smile wove over her face as she lifted a small hand to the world and she mimicked Logan's blades firing out of his hands. Logan met Marie's eye and she knew they'd be talking about Sarah later when Moira was gone but he was leaving her with her. If he stayed any longer he'd gut her and that wasn't what he wanted, she'd be expected back by someone and that would lead to trouble.
When they'd gone Moira looked over at Marie and saw her waiting for the next bombshell to hit. Moira reached out to the young woman, touching her and seeing her respond to the touch she gave her.
"I know I'm asking a lot of you, I know you won't have them here but could they pass through here. Just the harbour? Use it to meet a boat to take them further?"
Marie looked through the options, she could let Moira leave and not help her condemming god knew how many people to death and service under the grip of the military. Or they could help in the way they could, by giving them a route through to freedom, her thoughts went to the future. One day her own children might need help from the very people they'd be saving and she couldn't deny them that life line.
"Okay you've got a harbour but thats all Moira. You're lucky he didn't kill you for mentioning Xaiver, he treated us both pretty badly." Moira nodded and her eyes went glassy as she answered the younger woman in front of her.
"Oh aye lass, I know. He's changed so much over the last few years, when I see him I no longer know who he is. All the man I used to care about and love has gone, burned away by his greed. The day I could see myself with him by his side has long passed, when Jean left he assured me she'd be fine. That he'd care for her and he'd send her back if she needed further treatment, he killed her of that I'm certain. And if the Scottish Assembly learn of my links to him I could be in a world of trouble, all I'm trying to do is save as many of those I care about as possible. If the registration act comes into effect here as well there'll be nowhere to hide. Nowhere will be safe."
Marie got up and her eyes went to the forms of her husband, son and daughter playing in the heather under the warm skies above. A smile on her face as she turned back to see Moira hunched small in her seat, her family would be safe. They'd help those they could when they could but *they* came first, she helped Moira up and took her to the kitchen. They had plans to discuss then they could get Logan in on them, but the basics needed a womans touch first.
It would work out, the smile on her daughters face assured her of that.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Life after the move and someone comes to visit....