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Eight hours ago,

“Just don’t kill me okay.”
“Ororo.”

“Hey, I’m just joking. I know you won’t let me die….”
“Hmph.”

“I-I trust you Logan.”
“You do huh.”

“With everything I’ve got.”
“…..” (silent) “Don’t worry darlin’. Nothin’s gonna happen ta ya. Not until I am here.”

----

Eight hours later (now),

The smell of blood, bandages and medicines filled the room, a killer to someone like Logan. What was even worse was that HE was the cause of all this, of making the silent form of Ororo, bleed. Lying there, in the middle of the double bed of their motel room, completely unaware of what was going on around her, she looked so much as peace that it was hard to even tell that she had gone through not one but two emergency ‘surgeries’, Wolverine style..
Her lower left leg, right near the calf muscle and right upper-arm were wrapped in bandages, pointing out the locations of her surgeries. It was not something that either of them wanted to do, but had to do….it was either that or….well, the second option was really a non-option.

Moving silently, Logan settled down on the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight as he opened the bowl of soup that he had got for her. Looking at her again, he almost didn’t wake her. Her face clear of any tension, she looked so peaceful and he did not want to disturb her. However, this was something that she needed, especially if her body had to recover from the recent assault….fast.

“Hey, ‘Ro,” he whispered softly, resting a heavy hand against her left arm and squeezing it gently. “Hey ‘Ro.”
“Ummm.”
“Wake up babe. Got something fer ya ta eat.”

Stirring at his voice and perhaps the aroma of the food, Ororo’s eyes fluttered behind their eyelids her as she licked her lips trying to moisten them and her dried throat.

“Here,” Logan reached a hand behind her head and lifted it, offering her water. “Drink this.”

Barely had one gulp gone down her throat when the still near unconscious Ororo choked on it, spitting it all back out.

“Shit,” was the curse as Logan set the glass of water back on the table, reached for a towel, cleaned her up and then set her into a semi-reclined position so that it would be easier for her to drink the water and eat the soup he got her.

“How are you feelin’?” He asked as he finally got the water to go down her throat without chocking on it. Her eyes deep blue eyes were still dull and dilated from sleep and the pain that was wracking her body, especially her right arm and left leg.
“Hmmm,” Ororo leaned her head to one side and straightened it in a slow nod for an answer. “Kick….ass.”
“That good huh,” the fact that she was able to form thoughts, let alone words was a big relief to Logan. This meant that they would be able to make their move soon. Just a few hours more rest and they would be out of this place.

---

//Flashback//

The trucker that the couple had hitched a ride from had dropped them in a middle of nowhere, but still kind of respectable town….respectable in the sense that it had buildings than the customary bar, motel, convenience store and jail. The thing that interested Logan most was the automotive workshop cum second hand car sales depot.

“What do we do now?” Ororo sighed as she looked around at the godforsaken place. “We got no truck, no clothes, no money, no one we…well, you know. Nothing. Guess, I’ll have to so some ‘shopping’.”
“You ain’t doin’ nothing,” Logan snapped at her. It was not so much her fault or that he was angry with her, it was more to do with maintaining a low profile. He had taken great pains and care for getting the Weapon X fuckers off his back. Spent a lot of time and energy, killed hundreds of the assholes. The last thing he wanted was for them to come after him and set him off on yet another rampage.
“Then how do you suppose we are going to eat?” Ororo shot back, her growling stomach seconding her motion. “Let alone get out of…wha…”

Her words were lost mid-sentence as Logan pulled her into a vacant alley….more like the side of dumpster.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Ororo tried to swat away Logan’s hand as he reached forward and unzipped her jacket. “You really have a one track mi….”
“Shut up,” Logan growled at her, his scowl turning to a smile…smirk, as he found what he was looking for.

RRRIIIIPPP!!

Ororo gasped as her bottom left half of her jacket was torn open, revealed three a slim ‘envelope’ sized pouches stuck to the sides. It anyone had felt it from outside, it would just feel like the hard lining that some of the jackets had around the waist.

“What is that?”

RRRIIIIPPP!!

The same happened to the right side, making it a total of six pouches, all of which Logan tore off the cloth and stuffed into his own jacket’s inner pocket before gesturing to Ororo to zip up hers.

“What is that?” She demanded again.
“Our ticket out of here,” Logan grunted noncommittally, starting to walk away towards the lone motel of the town.
“What do you mean our ticket out of here?” Ororo hurried after him. “What is it? Money?”
“What do you think?” Was all Logan let out.
“You hid money in MY jacket and didn’t even tell me?” She caught up to him.
“No.”
“No?”
“One, I didn’t hide it,” Logan continued his trek, his speed not wavering even as his eyes, ears and nose kept a constant look out for any possible dangers. “Two, stitched it when I got it, and three, the jacket ain’t yers. Its mine and I gave it to ya.”
“So now its mine.”
“It’s a loan.”
“Wha….hmph…. (mumble, mumble and even more mumble) …screw you.”

---

Fifteen minutes later, they stepped out of their motel room. Luckily, for them, the room came with its own stove-oven. That would allow them to keep their excursions to a minimum and out of sight for any spying eyes and ears.

Walking towards the convenience store cum pharmacy cum barbershop, Logan stopped mid-step his ears twitching. What the fuck? How did he miss that?

“Wha…will you stop doing that?” Ororo scowled at being yanked a second time in an hour, with Logan once again reaching for her jacket. “What? Have something more hidden in YOUR jacke…?”

-SNIKT-

“Logan,” she grew somber at the claws striking out, but intrigued as to why only one was out and why not the others. What got her even more worried was the way Logan was leaning towards her, as if hearing everything going inside her body.

“Shit,” he cursed under his breath. “They got you tagged darlin’.”

“Tagged?” Ororo echoed. “What do you mean….hey…OW.” Ororo let out a cry as Logan not only ripped the right arm off her polo neck top, but also cut her with that claw of his. “That hurt. What are you trying to do? Kill me? And….Logan…” she trailed off as Logan fell out of sight and onto his haunches, and did the same with her left leg. “Logan, what are you doing?” She was truly worried now and fast progressing towards being freaked out. What had got into him? And what did he mean by they had her tagged? Who had her tagged? ‘Goddess, no. Not those peop….hey, wait a minute. Where did that Goddess comment come from?’

Whatever thoughts she might have been thinking all vanished at Logan’s next words.

“They bugged ya,” he cursed, his eyes snapping around furtively. “Fuck, should known that. Couldn’t hear it earlier.”
“What….what do you mean?”

Logan in simple short words explained that his senses allowed him to pick on things that other people could not hear. Her heartbeat was one such example. A transmitter bug another.

“So, why couldn’t you hear it before?” Ororo seemed to draw towards the wall of the building, trying to get away from any…from everyone.
“Dunno,” Logan shook his head and started pulling Ororo back towards the motel. “Maybe it wasn’t working, maybe it just worked a time when we’d be sleepin’ or some shit. Who the fuck cares? The only thing is that we needta get it outta ya.”
“How do we do that?” Ororo paled, a sudden memory of blurred figures in white lab coat sending a shudder through her. “I-I…no doctors.”
“Doctors?” Logan gave her a, duh, scoff. “I am yer doctor darlin’.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t let ya die.”

The way Logan said those words to her and the look on his face told Ororo that he was indeed serious….about everything.

----
Half an hour later,

“Just don’t kill me okay,” Ororo spoke from her bedside position. Returning to the room, Logan had told her to stay put and had left for the pharmacy. He returned almost twenty minutes later, twenty minutes that seemed like hours to the worried and even slightly afraid Ororo. He had everything he needed for the procedure. Although he did not explain it to Ororo, the look on her face told him that she knew what he was going to do. That and the comment she had just made.
“Ororo,” he frowned at her seemingly flippant attitude. She knew that he could smell the fear rolling off her, so why was she trying to act otherwise?

“Hey, I’m just joking,” Ororo relented. I know you won’t let me die….”
“Hmph.”

“I-I trust you Logan,” she said once, repeating it a second time, her sincerity and trust clear in her eyes.
“You do huh,” Logan smirked and sat down next to her, her hand automatically reaching for his.

“With everything I’ve got.”
“…..” That stunned Logan into a stupefied silence. He did not know what to say for that. Although, both of them knew that the procedure was necessary and not all that dangerous, yet the risk of something going wrong was there.

“Don’t worry darlin’. Nothin’s gonna happen ta ya. Not until I am here.”

//End Flashback//

-----

“The swelling seems to be under control. Another few hours an’ we can hit the road,” Logan murmured, bringing his hand up to feet Ororo. “Then you can go back to chewin’ my ass off an’ I go back to bitchin’ at ya.”
“Bitching…ugh,” Ororo tried to laugh but the pain from the wound caused her to whimper.
“Hey, I said not until we hit the road,” Logan rested a hand against her other shoulder, gently setting her back in the semi-reclined position he had set her in. “So, tell me. What the fuck does Ororo mean?”

Knowing that he was making small talk and ‘peppering’ his words with the usual expletives, Ororo smiled a soft tired smile at his effort.

“Beauty….” She whispered, her voice low and coarse from the pain and semiconscious state she was in. “….beautiful.”

‘Suits ya just right,’ Logan mused silently, but for her benefit, “Who would name ya that?”

“My….my parents?” By now, Logan had fed Ororo half of the bowl of soup. Just a little more and they’d be done. It would be great if she’d have all of it, but three fourth’s would do the trick too.
“Didn’t they see ya before givin’ ya that name? Seems like a waste of a good name.”
“Ha, ha…..very funny Logan,” Ororo flailed her left hand, letting it fall and rest on Logan’s thigh. “Thank you.”
“Fer what?” Logan gulped. Due to his sitting on the bed, his leg was bent and Ororo’s hand had landed on the inside of his thigh…at a very precarious location. “Fer not killin’ ya.”
“Hmm,” her strength fast fading, Ororo turned her head away from the next spoonful, indicating that she did not want anymore. “That….and….for saving…..”

“Ssssh, I didn’t save anyone,” setting the bowl down on the side table, Logan wiped the corners of Ororo’s mouth and her lips, gently urging into a prone position on her back. She’d be asleep for the next few hours, hopefully the night, allowing them to leave the motel and the town by dawn. “Sleep ‘k.”
“Hmmm,” a gentle squeeze of a slender hand confirmed her comprehension. “Logan.”
“Yeah darlin’,” Logan stilled half way through standing up.

With a slight nod of the head and curling of her fingers, Ororo asked him to draw near her, nearer, until they were just inches apart, when, using the last of her energy, Ororo turned her head and lightly kissed him on his cheek.

“Stay….‘kay,” her hand hit and curled around his leather clad one, gently tugging it to support her words.

Stunned stupid for a couple of seconds, Logan nodded dumbly, cursing himself on his actions. ‘She can’t see you dumbass. Eyes are closed.’ “Sure darlin’. Whatever ya want.”

“Hmm,” a soft smile formed on Ororo’s lips as she slipped into a deep, restful sleep.

However, the same sleep did not come to Logan as he first sat and lay beside the sleeping beauty (no frickin’ pun in-10-did), watching for hours the gentle rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, his ears tuned into her heartbeat for any sudden change in it.

Things had just gotten complicated for him….very complicated, and he did not know what to do, except lie there, the barest of hopes taking birth in the depth of his heart that Ororo would have the same complications.

Hours later, he too went to sleep, his hand protectively and a bit possessively draped around Ororo’s midsection.

----

The next morning,

“You okay?” Logan asked over his shoulder as he turned into the ramp leading to the highway. Behind him lay Ororo, in his new ‘turn of the frickin’ millennium’ old truck (SUV). Having lost his own full size truck-cum-camper, he had bought this one for two thousand Canadian dollars. Three hundred more and the beer-gutted-dick owner had ‘graciously’ thrown in newer tires and a full service. Logan had to exercise utmost restraint from not losing it and just ripping the man apart.

Once the truck was in his hand, Logan drove it to a secluded spot before ripping the rear seats out. After that, he bought about half a dozen two by fours and a mattress to cover and line it up for Ororo to lie down on. That all he had done during the time Ororo was still unconscious. In truth, he had not expected it to be this bad. After all it was just removing a couple of metal chips or whatever things and bandaging the wound up. The leg transmitter came out easily enough, but the larger, primary one, the one in her arm that he had to literally dig out of muscle, too some time with Ororo losing a small chunk of her bicep and triceps muscles, each. That fucker would take longer to heal.

“Umm-hmmm,” Ororo nodded, still tired and half-asleep. It wasn’t even dawn yet as they vacated their room and pulled out from the driveway of the motel, with Logan pointing the truck in the opposite direction they had come from. He would have to rethink his entire strategy now. He could not take her to Toronto….not for at least fifteen days and definitely not until they got Weapon X trackers off their back.

“Logan,” she called out softly, slowly stirring herself awake. For the last thirty hours she had done very little except sleeping and the way she was, it looked that she’d be doing the same for the next thirty also.
“Yeah,” Logan answered without turning his eyes from the road. He was constantly on the lookout for any suspicious looking vehicle.

“I’m sorry,” he nearly jumped at Ororo’s voice just next to his ears.
“What the….” Whirling his head around, he saw that Ororo has lifted herself up and was leaning against her working arm, the bandaged one lying along the curve of her body. “What are you doin’?”
“What? I just wanted to say I am sorry for causing you all this trouble.”
“That’s fine darlin’, but you need yer rest,” Logan was alternating between keeping an eye on the road and on Ororo. “Lie down.”
“I am feeling better now,” Ororo offered hopefully. “Thank you for all this.”
“Lie down ‘Ro.”

Instead of arguing back this time, Ororo quietly lay down on the bed the Logan had set up for her. Either it was that she felt thankful for what all he had done for her or maybe just her ‘original’ personality was finally coming out, Logan noticed that over the last couple of days, their fights had grown fewer in number and lesser in intensity. Whatever it was, he was thankful about it? Although, a small part of him did miss that feisty look of hers, especially the way her eyes just lit up with energy….and not the kind she had before she fried your butt, or in his case…oh, never mind. They always grow back.

“Logan.” She asked from her prone position, wishing that she could at least see his face.
“Hmm.”
“What did you do with the transmitters? Destroy them?”
‘Are you crazy?’ Would have been Logan’s first reply. However, seeing her current state and the innocence of her question and her naiveté, he mellowed his answer. “Nah. Did something better.”
“Better?”
“Yup. Chucked both of ‘em in a truck going south. The ol’ timer was headed towards Detroit.” He added with a chuckle.
“So, they will follow him now?”
“Yup.” He nodded, relaxing a bit from his conversation with Ororo. He too wished that she would be healthy enough for her to at least spend some time in the passenger’s seat. Having an over the shoulder conversation was tiring, not to mention dangerous. Hell, if they hit something, he’d walk away no problem, Ororo would be the one who would be done for….and somehow that thought made him want to snap out his claws and take out that truck, car or whatever, even before it came near them.

----

Enjoying, uh, tolerating…yes, tolerating, not enjoying, no, never. Tolerating each other’s company both mutants had no idea about how close they came to running into another and probably more dangerous enemy. Thanks to their Weapon X attackers and their hitching rides, Logan and Ororo had got a head start and were more than three hundred kilometers away when their pursuer finally chanced upon their vacated motel room.

Within a couple of hours of her leaving, her own trackers arrived at the same place. Thanks to the ‘cash prize’, Logan had awarded to the motel clerk and the car salesman, both men truthfully and promptly gave the direction they had seen the truck go in. In fact, that was what the prize was for….to offer up information. Able to sense their truth, the pursuers let go of the men and promptly drove off into the same direction, which was the same one that Logan had taken…..for the next seven kilometers. After that, he took an intersection, followed the country road back to the previous town and then pull back towards the town they started from and the hundred kilometers from it, headed north. Although, spending near about six hours in the same region, he was able to make such a circuitous journey that anyone tracking him to either Detroit or Toronto would be far away by the time he and Ororo finally set on their way…..to their actual destination.

He just needed to talk to Ororo about it.

-----

A few hours later,

Ororo pulled on new top Logan had bought for her. Although still limited to the truck, except for the customary bathroom break, she was feeling much better, especially in her leg. Her arm was still feeling as if it had lead inside and was thus seeing negligible action.

Almost all her memories returned, including her knowledge about her powers, she had grown quite serene and calm, falling into her usual controlled state of emotions to maintain control of her powers…..except for when she was around Logan. With him, the return of her powers did not mean a decrease in the odd sensation she had been having for the past week or so, it worked the other way round. She finally was able to understand and give a name to it. She was attracted to Logan. Where there had been a purely platonic, playing-offa-each-other partnership, now there was something more….at least from her side. She did not know whether Logan shared the same feelings or not.

“You shouldn’t have done this, Logan,” her words drew Logan’s attention to her, but he still stood face turned away from her as she changed into the new clothes, stuffing the old ones into the plastic bag the new ones came in. “The old ones….oh, you can turn now.” She offered at seeing his back still towards her. ‘Its not anything he hasn’t seen already,’ an impish voice from inside her piped up. ‘Or felt it.’ A shiver ran down her spine at that particular memory.

“You cold?” Logan turned around just in time to see Ororo shiver, against what he took to be the cold weather. “Yer power on the fritz again?” He inquired, hoping that it wasn’t the same as the last time. She’d scared the living daylights out of him.

“Why? Do you want to share you body heat again?” She asked coyly, her cheeks burning even as she spoke those words. Had she looked at Logan, she would have burst out laughing at the way his mouth fell open, but not at the tightness in his chest and groin.

“Is that an offer?” Logan quickly recovered and leaned in towards her, his hands resting against the open door of the truck.

Getting no answer from the dumbstruck and blushing red Ororo, he shook his head started towards the driver side door.

“Maybe.”

----

“Hey ‘Ro,” Logan looked over to his passenger. A couple of hours after their last stop, Ororo finally got fed up of staring at the dull gray plastic and metal roof of the truck and told Logan to pull over or she was going to climb over the front seats and onto the passenger side one. Given her physical health and the possibility of her stitches tearing open, Logan promptly pulled over and allowed her to get into the front seat.

“Hmm,” Ororo smiled as she turned towards him. She was doing a lot of this lately, smiling at him….and Logan, inspite of himself, found himself returning it just as frequently.

“I-I…we can’t go to Toronto yet….not fer a couple of weeks.” His words caused some of the light to go out of her eyes.

Sensing there was something on his mind that he wanted to tell her, Ororo nodded for him to continue…..secretly hoping against hope that….

“I-I….” ‘Fuck it,’ he decided to take the plunge. “I wantcha to come with me. Whatdya say?”
“Yes.”
“Yes?” Logan echoed, not believing his ears. She didn’t even ask where and for how long. She just said…
“Yes.”
“Huh, that’s what I thought you said,” Logan nodded as if still not quite sure of himself.
“Logan,” Ororo grew hesitant. “If you don’t want, you can drop me…..”
“NO,” Logan loud response startled both of them. “No. It ain’t that. I am sure that’s why I asked ya.”
“Then what is it?” Ororo was confused now. On one hand, he says that he is sure and on the other this.
“I didn’t…I wasn’t….You sure na?” He questioned again, his eyes looking for any hesitation or fear, but finding none.
“Yes Logan, I am sure. Want me to write it down.”
“Yes.”
“WHAT!”
“No. No need ta write. You said it, that’s good enough.” Logan felt incredibly relieved now and just as stupid. He just hoped that it was a mutant power of hers that had made him act this way. The same power which over the last few days had him looking at her more than the tolerable normal limit.

----

“So, where are we going?” Ororo asked a couple of minutes later, once both of their heartbeats had calmed down.

“First we needta make a small stop and dump this piece of shit,” Logan cursed at the rackety truck. “I got a contact. We’ll be to get a new one from him. I can pay him later.”
“And then….”
“Then…” Logan was still double minded about telling Ororo about that mysterious girl just yet. Especially since their recent run in with the guys who might have done same to that girl what they were going to do to her. Nevertheless, a lead was a lead. He had follow-up on it before it went cold. Making up his mind to tell her once they changed trucks, he turned to her, smiling the same goofy smile.

“Ever been to Montreal?”

Note: It seems that our couple are finally on their way, both literally and figuratively. Next up, the mysterious girls and the others.

Hope you liked it enough….to spare a minute to review!!





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