They drove through the tree lined streets, pausing every once and awhile when Marie wanted to spend a few moments giving in to the memories that washed over her. She never really had a chance to say goodbye to this place; never did the normal transition from teenager to adult. Now, she looked upon the town with fresh eyes. The corner store where she'd bought candy bars and read teen magazines was so much smaller than she'd remembered. A bakery stood in place of the deli where she and her mother used to go for sandwiches together on Saturday afternoons. It had been a nice enough little town in which to grow up, but she was glad she'd gotten out. She would have preferred to leave under different circumstances, of course, but changing the past wasn't in her catalog of powers.
"Turn left up here."
Logan slowed down and turned the car onto a small street. Marie pointed to a two story house on the right side of the car and smiled. "When I was in fourth grade, the boy who lived there tried to kiss me on the way to school."
"Darlin'…"
She glanced at Logan, and saw his face lined with worry.
"It's fine, sugar. Just a lot of memories here, you know?"
"Not exactly the right guy to ask about memories."
She gasped, realizing that she was talking to a guy who couldn't remember where he grew up or his childhood home. Marie grabbed his hand. "I'm so sorry, Logan. I didn't mean…"
He chuckled lightly. "I was just givin' you some shit, baby. Don't sweat it."
She swatted his arm as she rolled her eyes. "Smart ass." Marie turned back to the window. "Right at the next street, Logan."
The car turned slowly and Marie was hit by the sight of her house at the end of the block. When she was little, it had felt like a mansion. But looking at it now, it was no grander than any other two-story house on the block. Logan stopped the vehicle out front and Marie sat, simply staring at her childhood home.
"My Mama was always so worried about us climbing that tree. My friends and I would get as high as we could and dare each other to jump off. It's a miracle no one ever broke their neck."
She pointed to the side of the house. "There are some bushes over there that grew in just the right way as to make a little hideout. We'd crawl in there and play for hours." Marie smirked. "When we got older, that's where we'd sneak away to smoke."
It was late in the afternoon but her daddy usually worked until six or so at night. Marie hoped she could see her mother and maybe not even have to talk to her father at all. She opened her door and climbed out of the car, standing for a moment both excited and terrified at returning to this place. Logan appeared next to her and leaned against the side of the car, tucking his hands inside his pockets.
"I'm gonna sound like a broken record here, but you can wait on this, if you want. You don't need to put yourself through the wringer twice in one night. We can find a place to stay and come back tomorrow."
Marie leaned back and put her head on Logan's shoulder, her attention still focused on the house in front of her. Part of her just wanted to get in the car and leave, but she remembered Jubilee's words and knew that if she didn't do this now, her fear would get the better of her.
"Not too many hotels in this town, you know. And I'm sure as hell not sleeping in the woods."
"Nothin' wrong with campin'."
"For you camping means sleeping on a bed of leaves. No thanks, Grizzly Adams."
The movement of his shoulder shrugging beneath her head calmed her nerves. "Suit yourself."
She reluctantly pulled herself forward and took a step toward the house. "Operation Reunion is a go."
"Right behind ya."
They approached the front door with Logan hanging back so as not to be a distraction. Marie rang the doorbell and waited a moment, wondering if she came all this way for no one to be home. She was about to give up hope when she heard the lock turn in the door. When it opened, Marie was surprised to see her father standing in the doorway. He looked as shocked as she felt.
"Hi Daddy."
Owen D'Ancanto remained still, looking Marie over as if she had three horns and one eye. He made no move to hug her and the absence of a smile told Marie all she needed to know. Her father was not exactly thrilled to see his daughter again.
"Anna Marie? What are you doin' here?"
"Thought it was about time I paid a visit."
Her father made no move to invite her in and remained just inside the house – as if he anticipated slamming the door shut on these unwanted visitors at any moment. Owen glanced behind Marie and saw Logan standing just off the porch, his arms crossed and looking far more menacing than he needed to be. Always the protector, she thought.
"He your boyfriend or somethin'?"
"Something like that, yeah." She took a step toward her father and watched as he visibly flinched at her approach. Marie hadn't felt that level of rejection since she'd arrived at the mansion and observed how the students and some of the staff shied away from her as she walked by. Her own father feared her. Obviously, it had been a good decision to leave when she did, Owen would have probably kicked her out anyway - or worse - when he found out she was a mutant.
"Is Mama around?"
His face darkened. "No."
Her father had always been a stubborn man but Marie wasn't in the mood for it tonight. She wanted to see her mother - maybe the one person from her past who might not hate her for almost killing Cody in self defense.
"C'mon, Daddy. She's always home this time of the day. I just want to say hello and then I'll be on my way."
"I'm tellin' ya, girl, she ain't here. Even if she was, she wouldn't want to see her mutie daughter."
Marie heard Logan's deep growl from directly behind her. Her father's aggression was pissing off Logan - or maybe Wolverine had decided to make his presence known.
Once upon a time, Marie wanted nothing more than the approval and love of the man standing in front of her. She thought her father was the sun, moon and stars in her universe and all those times he failed to live up to her expectations, her little heart had broken. Seeing him now, through the eyes of a woman rather than a little girl, he looked worn out and angry; a picture of the stereotypical redneck who might greet strangers on his property with a shotgun.
"This little standoff is pretty pointless. You do realize that your mutie daughter could just barge into that house without a second thought, right? I'm not afraid of you. Just get Mama. Please."
Owen looked Marie squarely in the eyes. "She's dead and, sure as the sun sets every day, you killed her."
For the second time that day, Marie felt as if the ground had shifted underneath her feet. The breath froze in her chest and she was only vaguely aware of Logan's arms around her, supporting her once again before she could tumble downward.
"What...?"
"Died two years after you ran off. Docs said it was cancer but she never got over what you did. Almost killin' that boy and leavin' without so much as a word. Sure as the sun rises every day, you killed her."
His words were just as effective as a blow to her stomach. She felt her entire body reel from the shock.
"I didn't..."
Owen shook his head and took a step backward as he prepared to close the door.
"I ain't gonna listen to anythin' you got to say, Anna Marie. You ain't my daughter. Just go back to where you came from and leave me alone."
The familiar voice snaked through her mind once again; soothing her and giving her strength just as effectively as Logan's hands around her shoulders.
"It wasn't my fault."
"Hell it wasn't."
Marie stepped toward the still open door, Logan's hands falling away from her like leaves moving gently toward the ground. She stood on her own, her back straight and her eyes set on her father.
"If anyone killed her, it was you. You never thought she was good enough. Never thought I was good enough. Why do you think I ran off? I knew damn well that once you knew I was a mutant, you'd kick me out. What would that have done to Mama, huh, Daddy?"
She approached again, the confusing feelings of her past quickly replaced by the hard realization that she'd spent far too much time and effort blaming herself for the selfish actions of the person in front of her. Just like Cody, her father had sullied her self-image; made her believe that being a mutant was the worst possible thing in the world. She'd spent years with nightmares of physical and emotional assaults - her father was just as much to blame for her torture as Cody, Victor and Vinnie.
Marie stared at her father and saw the worry evident in his face.
"If anyone is going to get the blame here, it sets squarely on your pathetic shoulders, Owen."
He was nervous now, shaking his head from side to side as if to block out her words. The anxiety her father projected made her pulse race. Make him suffer. His agony will be delicious. The power she'd feared using was suddenly too tempting to refuse. Warmth spread through her, enveloping her mind in a calm purpose.
"I always knew you'd be trouble, Anna Marie. Never were worth a damn."
Marie stood directly in front of her father now. His words were like a spark on dry grass, inflaming the desire inside of her. She was every bit as excited as she was standing face to face with Logan in their hotel room the previous night. The power coiled through her body, seducing her easily.
"Should have just kept that cord wound around my neck when I was born, huh, Daddy. Then all your problems would have been solved."
His voice was hollow. "Yeah."
The power rose within her, pulsing as it wound its way through Owen's mind. Marie wanted him to feel her pain, suffer as she suffered, and writhe in agony as he realized she wasn't a scared little girl anymore.
"Once you found out I was a mutant, you wished you could have kicked me out yourself."
"Wanted to make you pay for humiliatin' this family."
"I'm sure you did, Daddy. I know a thing or two about humiliation. Now you get to know how that feels."
She smiled, the anticipation so sweet she could taste it. Just as she opened her mouth, the deep resonance of Logan's voice shook her resolve. She stilled immediately.
"Marie. Stop."
oOo
As soon as Owen D'Ancanto opened the front door, Logan found himself using every ounce of restraint to not gut someone from Marie's past for the second time in one day. The thought of Cody laying one hand on Marie had incensed him and enraged the Wolverine. It had been difficult to watch their interchange but he'd been damn impressed that the kid had enough stones to apologize for what he'd done. Even though he knew that Cody had hurt his Marie..his mate...so seriously, in the end, Logan realized that the kid was truly sorry for the pain he'd caused.
Marie's father was a different story. Owen D'Ancanto genuinely hated and feared Marie. The scent was so strong, the Wolverine was ready to launch itself at the man at any second. As much as he wanted to bury a claw in her father's chest, Logan kept his focus on Marie. Every skip of her heartbeat resounded in his ears as loudly as a base drum. When Owen insulted her, Marie's scent shifted from hurt to anger as quickly as the flip of a coin. As her father unceremoniously dropped the bomb about her mother being dead, Marie's heart practically stopped. He raced forward and grabbed her before she could collapse to the ground.
Her dad was a genuine bastard alright. For all the rotten shit Logan had ever done – or remembered he'd done – he never blamed someone else for his mistakes. Yet here this asshole stood, telling his daughter that it was her fault her mother died.
But as quickly as she'd been hit with the shock of the news, Marie suddenly moved from his embrace and stood tall and unafraid. She approached her father and, while she did so, Logan smelled Marie's scent shift. It was subtle, something he realized he didn't pick up on that day in when she'd used the ability on Remy and the simulation of Callisto. It was the trace of Vinnie's power. She was using it like a truth serum, extracting the ugly truth from a man she wanted to love her. Marie's anger was rising and he could only imagine what she would be capable of doing to him if he gave her the opportunity. Logan knew Marie dreaded becoming like Vinnie and succumbing to the lure of his power. He wasn't going to let her become the monster she feared.
"Marie. Stop."
She halted and he both smelled and sensed Marie returning to herself. She turned to Logan, panic and horror evident in her eyes. It took him no more than two steps to cross the distance between them and he held her shoulders firmly, looking directly into her eyes. She was just as frightened as when he'd cradled her in his arms in the Danger Room.
"Oh, God, Logan…"
"Shhh, baby." He pulled Marie to his chest; her heart pounding and body trembling.
As he held Marie, he watched as her father remained in place, slowly emerging from the trance-like state of Vinnie's power. He blinked a few times and then turned his attention to where Logan and Marie stood. Shame shrouded her father's features.
"Anna…"
Logan had heard enough. "Shut the fuck up. You don't get to say another damn word. You wanted her out of your life, you got it. She's goin' back somewhere people love her, not like her piece of shit father."
He shifted his body so Marie remained tucked into his side. "C'mon baby." They turned around and walked down the steps of the porch and across the grass to their car. He opened the door and gingerly put her in the passenger seat, giving one more glance back to the house where Owen still stood in the doorway.
Logan got in and started the car, not wanting to prolong Marie's time in front of her old house any longer than necessary. He started down the street, turned the corner and parked the car. Marie remained silent, staring out the window. He moved his hand and took hers, gently stroking her soft skin.
"I'm sorry Marie."
"I'm okay, Logan, really."
He felt her hand tighten around his. She sighed and moved her head slowly, capturing his eyes with her own. Logan didn't think it was possible to love her any more but a fresh pang of fierce possessiveness overwhelmed him.
"I shouldn't have made you come so soon after everythin' that happened today."
"Now or later, it wouldn't have made much of a difference. I'm just sorry I got…out of control."
"You didn't, baby."
"Thanks to you."
"You wouldn't have really hurt him."
"Yes, I would have. I wanted to make him suffer. That's the seduction of the power, Logan."
"I...smelled it on you."
She laughed humorlessly. "Great. You get to be my psycho power early warning detection system now."
It tore at his heart to see her so vulnerable. Marie always wanted people to see her as strong, fearless and independent. She was definitely all those things, but she was also a woman with more pain and betrayal in her past than anyone could comprehend. Here she sat, trying to be tough even though she had every reason to break down, scream and cry. Balls of steel, my Marie.
"Well, yeah. I said I'd always have your back. I wasn't just blowin' smoke."
"Face it, I'm dangerous. You think the Professor is going to want me to live around kids and the rest of the team if I can't rein in my desire to inflict torture on other people?"
"That's bullshit. You only wanted to cause your dad pain because of what he did to you. You ain't a danger to anyone Marie."
She looked into his eyes again and he was taken aback at the raw anguish reflected there.
"I would never forgive myself if I hurt you. Never."
Logan snatched her into his arms just as her voice cracked with tears. He rocked from side to side as she cried, the smell of salt mixed with her sadness and Logan found himself on the verge of crying himself; for Marie, for what she'd endured and what she would have to face in the days ahead.
"The only way you'd hurt me is if I lost you. I love you, darlin'. More than anythin' on this planet. If anyone ever messes with you again, they'll have to deal with me."
A few more moments passed and he felt her relax into his arms. He was entirely serious about no one ever causing her pain again. Marie was a strong woman and he loved that she could take care of herself, but she wasn't going to do it alone anymore. He would be her shadow for the rest of his life. Her protector. Her partner. Her friend. Her everything. Forever.
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