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Logan took his turn making food this time, inviting Jean over to taste his cooking. It isn't exactly anything fancy - baked potatoes in tin foil, fish roasted over the fire until the skin is crispy, and lots and lots of beer. "Figured its been a while since you an' I just hung out an' relaxed, without somethin' tryin' to kill us or some alien kid buttin his ass in the middle o' everything," he says, settling into his chair and spearing a piece of fish with his fork.
"So…whatcha been up to, kiddo?"
*
Life had been crazy! Jean was still reeling from everything that happened in a few days, so sitting down with Logan at the moment was a godsend. She remains at the table, knife and fork in hand, cutting into the fish as she takes a bite, her head bobbing in an eager nod as she continues to take pieces.
"He's not an alien.." She confesses. "..I think he's like us. Well, Okay, he could be an alien. He woke up last night when I was outside. His eyes were glowing purple." Other than that?
"I've.. been just hanging." Liar.
*
Logan can tell it's a lie, of course, because he can read her scent and hear her heart. Also, Jean's a really terrible liar and he's been around lots of really good ones, notably Raven Darkholme.
"Hangin', huh? I dunno if he's a mutant or an alien, but I don't think there's anybody exactly like that sucker," he says. "It's okay, y'know, if you just wanna get away from this place. You ain't beholdin' to anybody here, not even me. Hell, I'm not even sure there is an X-men anymoe these days. Seems like most folks just do their own thing."
*
"You're right.." She agrees with this, as she scoops up a piece of fish to hold upon her fork. Though, hearing that he actually approves of fleeing the compound, it puts her a little bit at ease.
"I don't.. well.. me, Erik and Scott went to Sacremento a few days ago to help with.. their Mutant community." Jean flushes, a little tremble to her lip is given as she draws in a breath. "So there's that."
*
Logan eats another bite of fish, "There's that, huh? And what exactly is that? I think I heard a little somethin' about there bein' some folks out in Cali, but I dunno much more'n that. I'd ask if you kept yer noses clean, but I'm guessin' if you had Magneto with ya, ya got in some sorta trouble while you were out there. That man's just prone to aggravation," he says.
*
"We didn't.." Jean finally admits after a long silence. "We found a little girl buried under some rubble." She was hesitant to talk about it, she was still crushed behind the entire thing.
"He.. made me give her to the police so that she could be ward of the state. I.. wanted to keep her but.." She lets out a little sob, but quickly rights herself with a quick wipe of her face.
"It's nothing but.. we followed the law and everything was okay."
*
Logan sighs, "Law ain't always about right and wrong," he says softly. "I'm sorry if that's what you hadda do. Sometimes there ain't no good way to end things," he says. "I'm sure she'll be all right. Most folks find a way, even when things are rough," he says.
"Kinda surprised at Magneto bein' the one to toe the line, though," he says, reaching out and taking Jean's hand to offer whatever meager comfort he could.
*
Jean nods, still wiping away at her eyes. She even cried into her potato! "I know.." She quietly murmurs. "I know.. but she was no more than five. Why couldn't we take her with us and protect her here?" Still, the law was the law, and as he reaches out to take her hand, she grasps his tightly. It still being wet with tears.
"He.. seemed strange. And I'm not saying this because I'm angry with him.. but his inner voice is hollow.."
*
Logan sits back in his chair for a moment, taking a sip of his beer. "Little kids need a lot of care, darlin'. Doesn't mean you can't check on her, though, or try and keep track of how she's treated. If she gets the wrong end of it, well…we can always do something about it," he says.
"Hollow how?" he asks.
*
"I know they need a lot of care.." Jean confesses. "I mean.. one day when I have my own children, I'm going to be there for them." (HAH, dead by dawn!)
"But.. I am. I'll keep track on her." She nods then, a little frown pursing her lips. "It was like, he was hard to speak to. Something felt wrong. Like, his mind was slowly squeezing shut and I don't think he knows that it's happening. He has a mental echo?" That was as best as she could explain it.
*
Logan frowns, "I can't pretend I know anything about what you do, darlin', but that don't sound good at all. Either somethin' is changin' him or his mind is going through some kinda…shift," he says. "Or maybe he's just trying to keep people out. But why would he need to keep you out of his head?" he says.
"I dunno. I'm disconnected from everyone here anymore. Guess that's part of having my own place, but the truth is…I ain't really sure I belong here."
*
Jean shrugs her shoulders. She figures one day, she'll have to teach Logan how she works. At least when he knows, he'll know how to stop it.
"I don't know. I don't try to peek into his mind. But sometimes he says something loud. Like.."
She gestures a touch. "His desire to have food. It's loud sometimes." She laughs a little, then frowns. "You don't know how much we need you here, Logan. You just have to try.." She slowly releases his hand then, and sighs. "..I'm trying. Don't give up on me."
*
Logan shakes his head, "I ain't talkin' about you, darlin'. You know you always got me, ain't nothin' gonna change that," he says. "I just mean…I ain't doin' much. If I'm needed, I don't see how. If there's something to do, I dunno what it is,' he says. "I ain't no schoolteacher. I need to find someone or somethin' that needs kicked in the mouth in the worst sorta way…I been playin' nice too long an' it's starting to make my skin itch," he says."
*
Jean was quiet for a time, her gaze leveled upon him as her fingers toy with the fork that twirls within her food. For once, she didn't look so timid, and so frightened. No. She looked as if she came into her age the way she stared.
"Teach us." She says quietly. "Me, Gabriel, Rogue.." She presses her lips together. "..maybe even Scott. Teach us."
*
Logan meets that gaze, "Teach you what? How to hunt? How to fight? How to kill?" he says. "That's all I know how to do, darlin'. Not sayin' I won't teach ya, it's just…is that what you wanna learn? An' what's Chuck gonna say about all that? He's all peace an' non-violence an' shit or, at least, gives it lip service."
*
"Yes. Yes. Yes." Jean says, her hand curling into a fist to slam upon the table. "I'm tired of being weak and people protecting me all of the time. I'm just.. goddamned tired of it!"
She stands from the table, then moves towards the cabinet to get a glass for water, immediately filling it up and returning to her seat.
"Teach me how to save people by doing what needs to be done. Teach us all, Logan. This is the only time I'm going to ask."
*
Logan can't help but grin a little, "You phrase that like a threat, but it's actually kind gives me leeway either way. If you ain't gonna ask again, even if I say no, it ain't my problem anymore," he teases.
"But," he says, blowing smoke, "Yer right. You ain't weak, yer plenty powerful. I felt that straight enough. An' you shouldn't be afraid to use yer powers. Yer a good person, you'll fight the good fight an' do what's right, prob'ly more reliably than I would," he says. "So sure. I dunno about that Gabriel, though - you trust him more than I do. And who the hell's Scott?"
*
"No." Jean sips her water. "Because if I go elsewhere, who would have to deal with the fallout? Especially if I turn bad?" It would be him, more than likely.
"And I will.." She smiles slightly. "I trust Gabriel with my life. And.. Scott is Cyclops. Just turned 18. New on the team."
*
Logan shakes his head, "I think yer a little too trustin' with yer life if you ask me, darlin'. But fine. You an' Gabriel an' this Scott kid. Cyclops, huh? One eye? Poor fucker. Bet it's right in the middle of his forehead, too. Nature's a cruel bitch," he says.
"An' you ain't gonna turn bad. That one time, it wasn't your fault, taht was…their influence pushin' ya. Now that you been through it, you ain't gonna let it happen again."
*
Jean frowns. "I.. don't know. I think I like him a little too much. I shouldn't, but I do." She shrugs her shoulders, though cracks up at Logan's description of Scott. "He shoots eyebeams out of his eyes."
But.. once again, she seems a little bit weathered, grave. "If I do, though. You will fix it, right?"
*
Logan cocks his head, "Then shouldn't his name be, like, Eyebeams or Deadeye or some shit? Cyclops is a dude with one eye, it don't mean nothin' else," he says.
To the last, he looks off a little bit, as if he were staring a distant horizon, but nods, "Yeah, I'll fix it."
*