Whitefall, Montana was similar to most other small, mountain towns. It had one main street, a population of around 500 people – 501 when Baby Keaton arrived – and one hell of a view. That vista was what Sheriff James Logan stood admiring in the early morning hours of August. There was something he loved about being outside as the sun rose. It gave him a renewed sense of hope and peace…two things that had been absent from his life for too long. He sipped his coffee on the front porch of the Sheriff's office as if he was some old west lawman watching the horizon, waiting for a famous outlaw to come charging into town.
In Logan's experience, the bad guys weren't so easy to identify. The ones that you thought were the root of all evil tended not to be as bad as you thought and the ones that were supposed to have your back…well, they were the people that let you down the most. That was one of the reasons James Logan came to Whitefall. He'd told people it was to slow down his life but he knew deep in his heart that he was simply hiding. Hiding from his past. Hiding from facing up to who he really was. He'd been through too much bad shit. But here in this place, Logan finally found a serenity that he'd never known before.
Logan turned and walked across the street noting the smell of food cooking over at the Whitefall Grill. He'd head over there in a few minutes to get his breakfast before making his rounds of the illegal campers, out-of-season hunters and the various and sundry other issues that cropped up in a one horse town.
He was about to step onto the wooden sidewalk when a car sped up the main street. Logan whipped around and calculated that the driver had to be going at least fifty five. For Whitefall, speeding was the equivalent of shooting up the Quickie Mart.
Logan ran back across the street, grabbing the keys from his jacket pocket. Jumping in the SUV, he slammed his coffee into the cup holder, turned the ignition, shoved the vehicle into gear and took off in pursuit of Mr. Speedy. He flipped on his lights and siren, inwardly cringing at the number of complaints he was going to get about making such a racket at 7:00am in the morning. Community relations were not his favorite part of the job.
He was closing in on the speeder. The other car was an older model truck with a camper attached to the back. Logan was within a quarter of a mile now and he was just waiting for the other car to give an indication of slowing down.
It wasn't happening.
Logan's heart began to race faster, and he started to plan the next few moments in his head. There would be no positive outcome if Logan had to force the guy off the highway and into a steep embankment. Just as Logan was mulling over alternative solutions, the camper began to decelerate and after just a few moments, it stopped completely at the side of the road.
He pushed the breath out of his mouth in a rush, attempting to calm himself before stepping out of his SUV. Logan turned off the siren but left the lights spinning. He exited his vehicle, keeping his gloved hand resting firmly on the holster of his gun.
Logan went around to the passenger side of the camper, bent down and peered inside. There sat a twenty something, fairly disheveled young man with such dark circles under his eyes, Logan had to pause a minute to determine if the man had been punched in the face.
"Mornin', son."
The young man nodded.
"License and registration, please."
The driver shook his head again and reached for the glove compartment. Instinctively, Logan's hand surreptitiously unhooked the holster strap.
The glove compartment door fell open and the man reached inside and took hold of a ratty piece of paper. Logan relaxed for a moment and took the registration from his hand. Just as he was looking over the name, his peripheral vision caught the driver reaching for something next to his leg.
Gun.
Logan reared back and drew his Glock, pointing it in front of him. The young man's hand shook but the look in his eyes was far from uncertain. Logan waited a moment, not wanting to react rashly – that had gotten him into major trouble in the past - but the instant he saw the driver's finger begin to move, Logan fired his weapon.
Him or me. Him or me.
The shot reverberated in the quiet woods and a few birds stirred and flew away. Logan hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until the air exploded from his chest. He turned away from the window and leaned against the side of the camper, placing his gun back in its holster.
"What a way to start the fuckin' day."
His hand ran through his dark hair as he pushed himself away from the dilapidated vehicle. Logan began to walk towards his SUV when he thought he heard a noise in the back of the camper. He stopped, his head tilting to the side. There. It was coming from inside the car.
Logan drew his weapon again, holding it firmly down and next to his thigh. He stepped to the small rear door and placed his hand over the knob. In one fluid motion, he opened the door and pivoted the gun in front of him. For a moment, all he saw was a blanket lying on the floor.
Then the blanket began to move.
He stood waiting and watching as whoever was underneath shifted. Logan was about to give a command when he heard a small whimper. A woman. He didn't want to let his guard down. There were plenty of women that were just as deadly as men. But the last thing he wanted to do was traumatize a woman…girl?...who could be just a victim in all this.
"Hello?" Silence. "My name is Sheriff James Logan. I need you to step out of the vehicle, Miss."
More shifting. More whimpering.
Stepping forward, he placed his hand on the blanket and pulled it back revealing the person hiding beneath.
Staring back at him were the most intensely beautiful brown eyes he'd ever seen.
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Story Notes:
AU and no powers. It's a 'Logan and Marie' meet story with, naturally, my own take on how that might look.
Author's Chapter Notes:
This one is going to be pretty true AU. No powers! For the first time, I'm writing Marie as more of a damsel and Logan the 'protector'. Hope you like it.
As always, these characters aren't mine, I only own the twisted things I do to them.
As always, these characters aren't mine, I only own the twisted things I do to them.
Chapter End Notes:
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