Logan felt more comfortable than he ever had for as long as he could remember. He had his head pillowed on a lap, arms were wrapped around him and a head resting on his shoulder. Squinting his eyes open, all that Logan could see was a solid stone wall. Soft flickers of fire light gave the false impression of warmth.
Knowing that he was safe in Marie’s arms, Logan closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.
The knife ran through his tender flesh creating a searing pain in his chest. It seemed that the good doctors didn’t believe in anesthesia....
.... Logan screamed, but found himself unable to breath as water invaded his lungs....
“Relax, Wolverine. You’re making this seem more painful than it actually is.”
.... There was a sizzling sound as liquid hot metal was poured into his chest, molding itself over his ribs....
“You will be our greatest achievement.”
.... Something was being injected into the base of his spine. The liquid that rushed into his body was ice cold, a complete contrast from the unbearable heat of the metal he was used to....
“He fucks her every morning he’s in. Did you know that? According to Dwyer, she squeals like a whore the entire time.”
Logan wanted to protest, but he was gagged and strapped to a table.
“You don’t have to be a very creative man to find a way past her mutation to fuck her. He got to take her virginity, too. Ripped right through it and got off on her screams of pain. She used to beg him to stop until he started hitting her. Come to think of it, it didn’t take much to make her properly docile.”
Straining his eyes to his left, Logan was barely able to make out Marie’s huddled form. She was sobbing loudly, her anguished tears taking away any pain that he felt. He wanted to soothe her in some way. Take away her pain and the angry bruise that marred her right cheek....
.... The morning that he was wheeled in to the sight of Marie sprawled across the floor of her cell, barely moving, created a white hot rage in Logan. He could clearly smell her blood over everything else in the room. There was so much of it. Dwyer had hurt her badly that morning and Logan swore that he would get his revenge on the sadistic doctor....
.... Marie trapped in a tank of greenish slime, Dwyer leering from the other side....
.... The single bullet slamming through Marie’s body. Logan watched, as though in slow motion, as Marie toppled forward. He could smell her blood almost instantly. He could make out the tiny hole in her back, but when he picked her up, Logan felt his heart stop momentarily. There was so much blood on her stomach from the exit wound. Too much blood.
Marie had been shot.....
Again and again, Logan heard the sound of the gun going off and watched helplessly as Marie fell to the ground, drowning in a puddle of her own blood....
“NNNNOOOOOO!!” Logan screamed, rolling onto his stomach, claws outstretched.
“Logan!” Marie cried in a panic, hovering over him. She placed a hand on his waist, one of the few places that he was covered. He had lost the blanket some time during his troubled sleep and was covered by only the boxers he wore.
Pulling his claws in, Logan raked his fingers through his hair, sobbing into the floor of the cave. His entire body was shaking and Logan did nothing to stop it.
“It’s all right, sugah. It’s over now. Yer safe. Nothin’ bad is gonna happen t’ ya,” Marie whispered softly, continuing to rub his waist.
“They hurt you,” Logan whimpered, tilting his head slightly so that he could see her face better.
Despite the tears streaming down her cheeks, Marie offered him a bright smile full of hope. “An’ ya made it all better fer me. Ya took away all mah pain an’ saved mah life. Ah couldn’t ask fer someone better than ya.”
“How did you...?” Logan started, confused by how she automatically knew that he was blaming himself for what had happened to her.
Marie’s smile didn’t falter as she ran her index finger along his overly long sideburns. “Yer in mah head now, Logan. Ah’ve got mah own little Logan growlin’ away in mah head.”
Logan turned his head, once again burying his face in his arms. “I’m so sorry, Marie. I only meant to save your life. You shouldn’t have to put up with me in your head.”
The blanket was draped over Logan’s back again and he felt Marie stretch out beside him in a full body hug. “Ah’m glad that Ah have ya in mah head. It’s pretty much all that kept me sane while ya were unconscious. Ah was so scared that ya were dead, but, the way Ah figure it, if Ah can hear ya in mah head, ya must still be alive.”
Daring to reveal one eye, Logan asked, “Am I still there?”
“Ya are,” Marie confirmed, nodding against his shoulder. “Yer comin’ through loud an’ clear. Which is a good thing considerin’ some o’ the people Ah have floatin’ ‘round up in mah head.”
Logan had nothing to say to that, so he contented himself with lying in Marie’s arms. He allowed her to comfort him, chasing away his fears with her gentle touches and soft words. It amazed Logan that he could gain so much comfort from someone he couldn’t even touch. Logan was a very tactile person. He loved to touch everything, but this slip of a girl-- a woman, Logan reminded himself --who had stolen his heart was untouchable.
“D’ ya think yer all right enough fer some travelling? Ah really don’t think it’s wise o’ us t’ stay here fer so long,” Marie whispered as the silence dragged on for a few more minutes.
Sighing loudly, Logan turned his head towards Marie, nodding slightly. “Yeah, I’m good.”
“Logan, if you’re not....”
“No. No. We need to go,” Logan insisted, pushing himself up on his arms. He frowned slightly as Marie pulled herself away, but contented himself with the knowledge that they’d be sticking close together for quite some time. Logan had no intentions of letting Marie out of his sight.
Ever again.
With barely any help from Marie, Logan rose shakily to his feet. In a few seconds, however, he was perfectly steady. His head still felt a little funny, but Marie didn’t need to know that. It would only make her worry and Logan didn’t want that. She had enough to deal with without worrying about him. Besides, Logan knew that it wouldn’t last much longer. A few minutes and he’d be good as new.
After quickly kicking out the fire, Logan and Marie headed towards the entrance of the cave. The blanket Logan had grabbed when rescuing Marie had definitely seen better days, but they brought it with them anyway. It wouldn’t help much in the way of warmth, but it would do wonders when Logan wanted to hold Marie.
Logan was the first one to leave the cave. He crawled out, scanning the surrounding area with all his senses for any signs of the soldiers the doctors employed. Only when he was completely sure that they were alone did Logan turn around and signal for Marie to come out.
“You all right, Marie?” Logan called softly as he continued searching the area while she exited the cave.
There was a slight pause and a scattering of tiny pebbles before Marie answered, “Ah’m fine, Logan. In fact.... Ah’m all the way out.”
Spinning around on his heels, Logan came face to face with Marie who was standing behind him wrapped in the once white blanket. Even though was covered in smudges of dirt and blood, to Logan she looked beautiful. It was all in her eyes. There was such a calmness in the dark brown orbs that Logan couldn’t help but be drawn to her.
“Let’s get going,” Logan said, holding a hand out towards her.
Careful to cover her hand completely, Marie grabbed hold of Logan’s. “D’ ya have any idea where we’re goin’?”
Logan shrugged his shoulders and pointed forward with his free hand. “My guess is that way. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some clue as to where we are. It’ll be easier then.”
With little more than a nod, Marie allowed Logan to lead her through the thick forest that had been their home for the past day. Logan kept his senses on full alert, having no desire whatsoever to get captured again. All that Logan wanted was to get Marie to safety.
Of course, Logan had no idea how he was going to provide for them. They had no money and were dressed in practically nothing. While Logan knew that he could withstand the coming cold with nothing more than annoyance, Marie would not be so lucky. She would freeze to death before the first snows fell.
After barely an hour, Marie was trembling. She tried to hide her discomfort, but it was impossible to hide it from Logan. Besides the shaking, her nose and cheeks were also turning red.
“You all right, Marie?” Logan asked in a hushed whisper.
Marie stopped her shaking long enough to nod her head. “Ah’m f-f-fine, Logan.”
“You’re freezing cold, Mar--”
Logan was cut off abruptly as a gunshot echoed through the silence of the night.