Abandoned Souls

PROLOGUE

The soft rustling and opening and closing of drawers didn't surprise Marie at all when she woke in the wee hours of the morning and saw a lone figure emptying the dresser stealthily. She had seen this coming weeks ago. "Ya running again?" She said matter-of-factly while sitting up in his bed, the thin sheet slipped down from her hip, revealing her bare skin, her after four long years touchable skin.

His large frame froze in the middle of shoving his tee shirts into the duffel bag. She knew, even without his enhanced senses and only the moon's faint light illuminating his bedroom, that she had caught him off guard. When he turned around a mixture of emotions swam in his hazel eyes and he sighed heavily.

This was the situation he wanted to avoid at all costs. His plan had been to be miles away when the girl woke and realized that she was one of his one-night-stands. Taking a deep breath he began. "Marie, you deserve better than what I can offer you." The small smile on her face told him that these words didn't shatter her dream of a happily ever-after. "Dunno if I ever was relationship material…" He trailed off, unable to find the right words. She was his best friend and he didn't want to hurt her, let alone loose her, but she shouldn't get the wrong impression.

Marie waited expectantly, a small grin about his uneasiness crept onto her face and she was almost expecting him to shuffle his feet – but this was one of the few things the Wolverine didn't do. "Ah know this was an one-night-stand. No strings attached, sugah."

You could see how the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders and he regained the control over his legs again, walking over to the bed. He sank down on the mattress next to her legs, a little worried that this young and innocent girl – no, not so innocent anymore – understood his need for meaningless fucks, his animal's primal urge to mate. "Marie…"

The brunette scrutinized his concerned features and cracked a grin. "Ya forget Ah had a part of ya in mah mind for years. Ah still have your memories." She hitched her brow in his trademark movement.

He had to chuckle, remembering again what made this girl, he had picked up three years ago on an icy Canadian road, so special. Why she was the first person after 18 years of loneliness that had found the key to open his heart and built a comfy nest in it. His chuckles died down and his face became gentler, his hazel eyes searching for her chocolate ones. "I need to know who I was before I can move on."

"How long will ya be gone this time?" The first time he had left her after Liberty Island he had disappeared for over one and a half years. After the raid he had decided to stay at the mansion, yet from time to time the loner in him got the upper hand and he went on his trips for a week or two at the most. But this time, Marie knew he would be gone much longer.

"Dunno… maybe a year… maybe longer."

"But ya gonna return?"

"Yeah, kid. I promised to take care of you and I meant it." He took a deep breath. This emotional stuff wasn't his thing. "Besides, where else should I return to? You're my closest friend… My only family."

She smiled softly about his words. "Ah'm gonna miss our rides on your bike and our hockey evenings."

"Yep, and your meat-cheese-guacamole-drowned nachos." He gave her a wolfish grin. "But I'm not gonna miss your stealin' my beer." They shared a laugh before both their expressions became serious. "Better get goin' 'fore Ro declares me the babysitter again." He leaned forward and brushed a chaste kiss onto her pink lips. "I don't have my tags anymore, so…"

A hearty smile formed on Marie's face while she clutched Logan's red flannel she was wearing, crumbling the fabric above her stomach with her hand. "Ah already have something of ya."

Logan smiled gently and placed a peck onto her forehead, taking a deep breath of her calming scent. "Looks better on you anyways." With this he leaped to his feet and grasped the strap of his duffel bag and swung it over his shoulder, approaching the door.

"Take care, Logan."

"You, too, kid." Logan glanced back one last time, glad that he left with everything clear between them.