Among the Strong
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marysuevirusTitle: Among the Strong
Chapter Thirty One: Personal Space
Fandom: the Marvel universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic violence, language, sex, dark themes, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. Haley belongs todazzledfirestar Morgan belongs toginevra Roxxy belongs tonanaeanaven Jehnna belongs to silverfox_chan and Dare belongs to me. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from dazzledfirestar .
Author's Notes: this is almost entirely Daz's fault. okay. so it really isn't. its actually almost 100% my fault. Daz just did a whole lot of encouraging. this fic is going to be kind of dark, so please keep that in mind while reading.
Among the Strong - the index
"You really should move into the suite, Haley." Scott sounded so worried. At least he'd waited to start doing it until they'd made it to the elevator and were on their way up to the main floor. Emilia was sleeping in her arms, snug in the pale pink blanket wrapped tightly around her. Haley wanted to brush Scott's concern off with a laugh, but she understood where it came from. The thought of Sinister coming for their daughter was bright at the back of his mind. Just as it was for her. But they both knew that there was nowhere in the school that would be safe if Sinister came for their child. "It really wouldn't be so bad."
"No, it probably wouldn't," she agreed. She could imagine the look in Scott's eyes and cursed his need for the visor now more than ever. She missed seeing the softness in his gaze when he looked at her. She almost agreed to his request just imagining that look. Then she remembered that she hadn't seen Dare since she'd gone into labor. Hell, she hadn't been able to wake Dare up. And that was worrisome. "But someone needs to keep an eye on Dare."
"I thought you didn't see her often," he replied. She could hear the confusion in his voice.
"Nobody sees her often. And that's the problem," Haley admitted. She hesitated to bring her concerns up to Scott because she could well imagine how he'd react if he knew. But he needed to understand why she was hesitant to go off and leave the other woman to her own devices. "Logan and Remy can't find her. Not by scent. Not through the link. Not at all. And the other night, when I went into labor, she was asleep in the room. I tried to wake her. But she wouldn't wake up. And Roxxy said, after checking on her, that Dare was cold."
Scott frowned as he considered what she'd told him. "What aren't you telling me, Haley?"
Damn. She should have known he'd figure out she was keeping something back. Sighing, she studied her daughter's face intently. "There's something weird going on there, Scott. She shouldn't be able to hide the way she is. Logan should be able to track her. Remy should know where she is and how she's feeling through their link. She's got them blocked. Hell, she snuck out of the medlab under Hank's nose. No one saw her leave. How is that possible?" She turned a worried gaze his way. "I'm afraid of what might happen if someone doesn't keep an eye on her. Especially now. She should be going into labor any day."
Scott frowned, lines forming between his eyebrows. "I'd heard rumors, but I didn't want to put any stock in them. Hearing you say that, though... Maybe I should have been paying more attention to what was going on."
"We all should have been paying more attention. With all of the trauma she's experienced..." Haley trailed off because she'd seen that trauma up close and personal. And she hadn't paid attention the way she should have. Of course, everyone who should have been paying attention had been dealing with their own trauma. So maybe it was understandable that they'd missed the signs. But Haley didn't think that was excuse enough. She should have known or seen...
She shook herself and glanced at Scott. "Things are getting out of hand and I'm afraid she's going to really hurt herself. Not intentionally, of course," Haley hastened to add when she saw the look on Scott's face. "But if she isn't thinking rationally, there's no telling how far she'll go with this nonsense if we don't stop her."
The elevator came to a halt on the floor where Haley's old room was located. Scott had decided it would be best if they rode it all the way up and did all they could to avoid the student body. There was no reason to give them more fuel for their gossip than they no doubt already had. Haley would never tell him how much she appreciated his thoughtfulness but she was sure he knew anyway. When the doors slid open, he stepped out and had a look around before giving her a nod that said the coast was clear.
The moment she joined him in the hall, his hand moved to settle on her lower back. Haley liked the weight of his palm against her body. The heat of it as it soaked through her clothes to her skin. It was heavenly. And it shouldn't have been. She had every reason to push him away. And yet... She simply couldn't find it in her to do so. She was weak and she enjoyed having him there. "We'll try to convince her to agree. But if it comes to it and she wants to be stubborn, I will absolutely order her to go."
"Scott," Haley looked at him and sighed. "I can't ask you to do that. Your reputation..."
The look he gave her brought her words trailing off. "My reputation is already bad with your friends. What's one more issue?" His tone came across as steady and even. As if he didn't care what her friends thought of him. But she knew better. She knew that this version of Scott was his work face. "If Dare is harming herself, intentionally or inadvertently, then its my responsibility as the head of the X-Men to put an end to it."
His tone was firm. Filled with the seriousness that he'd always carried as the leader of the original team and the head of all teams. Under that seriousness, though, Haley heard concern and worry. And she realized, here in their normal world, it had always been there. She'd just never heard it before.
There was no more time for words because they'd reached her door. Haley hesitated a moment, her brain caught on what Scott would think when he saw the interior for the first time. Roxxy's words came back to haunt her. Shoving her apprehension back, she shifted her hold on Emilia and reached for the door. It swung open to the same crowded interior that had been there when she'd left the other day. Forbidding herself from looking back at Scott, she stepped into the room and moved toward one of the cribs that crowded the room.
It felt smaller when Scott stepped in behind her.
"Well. This certainly is... cozy," Scott said. He sounded exactly like Roxxy had sounded when she'd seen it. Haley felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. Scott glanced in her direction. "You should definitely move down to the suite. There will be much more room for you and Emilia."
The door to the bathroom opened at just that moment, and they both turned to stare at Dare as she stepped out. She'd obviously come from the shower, her hair hanging in wet clumps around her face. Dull grey eyes rested on Scott first, then shifted to stare at Haley. They dropped toward the bundle in her arms and Haley had to have imagined the ghost of a smile that touched the other woman's lips. "Congratulations," she said, voice soft. As it had been the other day, it was rough from disuse. And there was no disguising the exhaustion that echoed hollowly at the back of it.
Haley offered a timid smile. The last time she'd seen Dare, spoken to her, she'd threatened to punch her. Things felt just a little awkward.
"How are you feeling, Dare?" Scott's voice broke the silence. Haley heard the genuine concern in his voice, telling her that he didn't like what he saw. Which was fair, because she felt the same.
Dare's gaze shifted back to Scott and she looked at him several seconds before one shoulder lifted in a listless manner. "I feel like I'm a billion months pregnant." It did and didn't answer the question. Then Dare brought her attention back to Haley and stared. For a moment, Haley thought she saw something in the unending grey depths. For a moment, she thought she saw sorrow. But it was gone when Dare blinked. "I'll go and find something to eat so you two can be alone. Take all the time you need."
"You don't have to go, Dare," Haley said, her gaze shifting to Scott a moment before coming back.
"Please don't leave. We'd like to talk to you," Scott added. His voice was kind and gentle. Haley thought she saw a flash of something like pain in Dare's eyes, but it was gone too quickly for her to be sure. But any openness on her face shuttered away in a beat of her heart and her arms crossed over her chest in a gesture that Haley was certain was equal parts temper and protection.
"You don't need to kick me out," Dare said, that lack of emotion that Haley hated to hear back in her voice. "I can find some place else to sleep so you guys can play house."
An odd twist of emotion shot through Haley at those words. Part panic, part pleasure. She dutifully shoved them aside and focused her attention on the matter at hand. Dare had already tugged a bag out from under the bed she'd been sleeping in and was heading for the drawer she'd tucked her clothes into. "That isn't what's going on here, Dare. I swear," Haley said, grateful that her voice came out sounding normal. She didn't dare look at Scott because she didn't want to see if Dare's words had brought about any changes in his expression. "We just wanted to talk to you about moving down to one of the suites."
She wasn't sure how it was possible, but Dare's expression grew even emptier. The woman's gaze shifted from her to Scott, then back again. There was accusation in it when it settled on Haley once more. "I seem to recall you didn't want to go down there any more than I did." There was a touch of that accusation threaded into Dare's words.
"I know. But I've been thinking that maybe I was wrong," Haley told her. She needed to make her case and she needed to do it soon. She could see that Dare was teetering on some edge. Just standing there as she was had Dare wobbling ever so slightly. It was almost imperceptible to most people. But Haley had known Dare a long time and she knew what signs to look for. It was like this when Dare over extended her powers. "I know its windowless down there and I know you'll feel like its just another cage. But it won't be. And it won't be forever."
Dare said nothing. But there was no change to her posture, which Haley took as a good sign.
Drawing a breath, Haley moved closer to Scott so she could hand Emilia off. She wanted both hands free for this conversation. He took their daughter from her. Despite not being able to see his eyes, she was sure he was offering her silent encouragement. She turned back to Dare to find the other woman was watching them with that same sorrow in her gaze. Haley had to wonder what it had cost her to cut herself off from the people she loved.
"You're my friend, Dare. Before being a member of my team. You're my family. You know this. So you have to know I'm worried about you. You've spent the last week hiding from everyone and everything. Its taking a toll. I can see that," Haley said softly. Some emotion trembled in Dare's gaze, then disappeared when she blinked. "So much has happened and I know that its been hard for you. What if you go somewhere and something happens to you? What if there's no one to help?"
Dare said nothing. Haley couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"You need to let people care about you, Dare," Scott added. Dare's gaze slid his way so she could stare at him. "We're all worried about you. Cutting yourself off from everyone isn't like you. And its obviously not doing you any good. You don't look healthy."
Scott fell silent and stared at Dare, waiting. Haley did the same, but anxiety curled in her belly to leave her feeling jittery. She was afraid Dare would say no and disappear. If that happened, she had no doubt that no one would see her again. And Haley was sure that something bad would happen if it came to that. She didn't really know why. There wasn't any definite feeling. But the idea was there and it terrified her.
Dare's gaze flitted around the room, landing on the beds, the cribs. All the clutter. Finally, it returned to Scott and she stared at him for a few seconds. Then it shifted to where Haley stood. She could see Dare's answer in her eyes and the anxiety slowly slipped away. It was all Haley could do to not blow out a sigh. "Okay," Dare finally said.
"Okay," Haley replied. She didn't hide the relief she felt. "Good. Thank you, Dare."
"All right." Scott made his way to one of the cribs and laid Emilia down on its mattress. He turned to look at the two of them. There was a faint smile on his face. And she heard the relief when he spoke. "Get your things packed up and I'll help move you three down to the suite."
Haley watched as Dare picked up her bag and moved to the dresser once more. She waited until her friend had started to put her clothes into the bag, then she shot a grateful glance Scott's way. His smile blossomed into something larger. Something more natural. Something more intimate. Her heart gave a weird pitter-patter that shot need deep into her belly.
Heavens help her, the man was dangerous to her equilibrium.
~*~
The knock at the door started Jehnna out of her journal. Setting it aside, she blinked owlishly at the door, wondering just who stood on the other side. Visits had tapered off with Haley going into labor and giving birth. Which was fine by Jehnna. She liked the peace and quiet because it gave her time to think. Time to go through everything that had happened and determine whether or not the path she'd chosen was the right one. Her heart said it was. Her head said another thing entirely.
Another knock sounded, letting her know she'd wasted enough time. Jehnna let go a soft sigh, then crossed to the door. She found Morgan on the other side, a baby carrier in one hand and a baby bag hanging off her shoulder. She looked tired and worn and there might have been a slight hint of pink edging her cheeks. Jehnna worried about that for a moment, then offered the other woman a smile. "Morgan. This is really kind of a surprise."
"I know," Morgan assured her. "I know I should have contacted you first or something. But I wanted to come by and check on you. I wanted to make sure you were okay. I know that what happened was enough to make anyone question themselves."
"It was definitely a lot," Jehnna agreed. She stepped away from the door and allowed Morgan to enter. The shorter woman drifted into the room, her eyes taking in the decor as she went. She wandered over to a chair and settled in it. To Jehnna, it looked like she almost dropped down instead of sat down. Frowning, Jehnna resumed her spot on the couch and studied her friend. "Are you okay, Morgan? You don't look like you're feeling well."
"I'm fine," she said, waving a hand as if to brush aside Jehnna's concerns.
Jehnna tilted her head slightly. "Are you sure? You seem tired and maybe a little lethargic? Don't tell me Warren is sleeping the night through and leaving you to get up with Kayla every night." She smiled at the other woman to let her know she was joking. She knew Warren well enough to know that he probably tried to keep Morgan in bed.
"Of course he isn't," Morgan returned. "He's an absolute sweetheart and he tries to make me stay in bed. I'm just a little low on energy because I had some stupid infection crop up a few days ago. I don't know where it came from or how I got it or anything. Even Henry seems a little confused as to how it came about. But he seems certain that it isn't anything to worry over. He gave me some antibiotics and told me to take it easy."
"That does seem odd," Jehnna agreed with a faint frown. She couldn't recall Morgan ever really being sick before. Not that she spent all of her time with Morgan. But she would have seen signs. Of course, they had access to immediate and excellent health care. So it was possible. Brushing the thought aside, Jehnna took a moment to admire Morgan's baby.
She could see echoes of both Morgan and Warren in Kayla's face. The pale blonde locks atop the child's head were definitely Warren's doing. Kayla was tiny and precious and beautiful. Jehnna smiled softly at the slumbering infant before her gaze slid to her own daughter. Talia slept in a bouncy chair, a yellow blanket laid over her to keep her warm. Not that the basement was cold or anything. But she was still so tiny. "Kayla is precious," Jehnna said softly. Maybe a little wistfully.
It was one thing to know that Morgan and Warren had been locked in a room together. That Warren had gotten Morgan pregnant. That Warren had fallen in love with her. It was another thing entirely to see evidence of those things. It was plain that Warren was her father. There was no missing touches of him in her face. And Jehnna had seen what she would look like when she was grown. She'd be the spitting image of her parents. And damn if that didn't hurt.
"Talia is beautiful," Morgan said, breaking Jehnna from her thoughts. She looked up to find that her friend was staring down at her daughter. "You and Sam made a beautiful baby."
"Thank you, Morgan," Jehnna replied, warmth flooding her chest with the compliment. She was glad someone besides her thought so.
"You're welcome." Morgan paused her and she studied Jehnna closely. As if she was looking for some outward sign of trauma. Or something. Finally, she shook her head took a breath. "How are you and Sam coping? I know this can't be easy for either one of you and... I hope that he's doing everything he can to make things easy for you."
Jehnna offered Morgan a smile and reached for one of the grapes in a bowl settled on the table before her. She munched on it a moment before nodding. "Sam has been... is an absolute sweetheart. He dotes on me. He dotes on Talia. He's so head over heels for her, it isn't even funny. We're still feeling our way around our relationship, so there are some sticky spots. Nothing we can't figure out, though."
"That's good," Morgan nodded. She stifled a yawn behind her hand and leaned back in her chair. Then she frowned. "Have you been getting enough sleep? You look a little exhausted. More than having a new baby would bring about, I mean."
"I think I have," Jehnna said. It felt like she had. But maybe not, because exhaustion lingered in the background nearly all the time. That and hunger. "I mean, I feel like I have. But I'm still always a little tired. And I seem to constantly be starving." To punctuate her words, she leaned forward and snagged a few more grapes from the bowl. "I've been snacking almost constantly for the past few days. And Sam has been bringing me meals high in protein. And carbs. But nothing seems to quell the hunger."
Morgan frowned at her. "Have you gone to see Henry? Maybe you're lacking some vitamins or something."
"Of course. Sam made me go see him as soon as I told him about the issue," Jehnna confirmed, then shook her head. "Henry couldn't find anything wrong with me. He just suggested keeping food nearby and nibbling when the urge struck me. I've had so much fruit in the past few days, it isn't even funny."
"Warren has insisted I take naps. But they don't seem to be doing anything about the tiredness I feel. And the antibiotics haven't kicked in yet, so I guess I'll just have to wait until they do. I'm sure I'll feel better soon. And I'm sure you will, too," Morgan said, offering Jehnna a smile. "Its obvious Sam is taking good care of you."
"He is," Jehnna said, warmth flooding her voice. "He makes sure I get enough sleep. He makes sure I eat properly. He gets up with me at night to help take care of Talia. He's... Well, he's perfect."
Morgan nodded at that, then her glance strayed to Talia again. A soft smile came to her face as she stared down at Jehnna's daughter. Talia made a face, then stretched ever so slightly. A moment later, she settled once again and continued sleeping. That brought a soft chuckle from Morgan. "How does Sam like being a father?"
"He loves it," Jehnna replied. "He's head over heels for Talia. He's taken her to see the rest of his team a couple times already and says that Dani has declared that it is her God-given duty to spoil Talia rotten. Roberto isn't too far behind her, I guess. Sam said he mentioned something about Talia calling him 'Uncle Berto' and that brought a blush to Roberto's cheeks and a silly smile to his lips."
Morgan chuckled. "I can see Berto reacting like that. He's a sucker for a pretty face."
Jehnna heard the warmth of memory in her words and wondered if Morgan had ever regretted not pursuing a relationship with Roberto. They'd seemed pretty into each other back during their school days. Then again, Morgan had seemed into all of the boys she'd gone out with. Jehnna had to wonder if she'd ever been into Warren like that back in those days.
She pushed those thoughts aside and brought her attention back to Morgan. The other woman had closed her eyes and looked like she was a short distance from sleep. Jehnna wondered if she should say something or let Morgan be. Kayla made the decision by fussing in her seat. Morgan blinked her eyes open, looking like she'd been seconds away from drooling on herself, then undid the safety straps that held Kayla in her seat. As soon as she lifted the little girl up, the fussing halted.
A moment later, Morgan dug into the bag and produced a bottle of formula. She settled back into the chair and cradled Kayla in her arm before offering the little one the nipple of the bottle. Morgan looked up at Jehnna and offered a slight smile. "I hate not being able to breast feed. Henry didn't think it was a good idea to nurse while I was battling an infection and taking antibiotics. So she's on formula."
"That sucks, Morgan," Jehnna responded. She smirked a little at the inadvertent pun, then brushed it aside to ask another question. "Does Warren help feed Kayla since she's on a bottle now?"
"Oh, sure. He's been a doll. He tells me to sleep and then gets up to feed Kayla. I've tried to argue with him once or twice. But he won't have it. It feels lazy and positively decadent to sleep on while he takes care of her."
Jehnna frowned at that. Jehnna had always gotten up with their children when they'd needed feeding or changing. She'd never relied on Warren to do it all. Taking care of the babies had been her responsibility. She watched Morgan feed her baby and wondered if she'd made the right decision in letting Warren be free to chase the things he'd said he wanted. Because Morgan acted like it was a game for her. And she was going to spend her days taking advantage of Warren.
The room fell to near silence while Morgan fed Kayla. Only the soft sounds of the little girl sucking at the nipple could be heard. And Jehnna was loathe to break it. She was afraid of hearing anything else that might, in Jehnna's eyes, damn Morgan and her motives. She didn't want to think she'd been irresponsible by giving Warren the freedom he sought. She had to believe she'd done the right thing. Morgan was making that hard, though.
Eventually, Kayla had finished her bottle. After a good burp and a diaper check, Morgan put the baby back in her carrier and returned her attention to Jehnna. "You know, Jehnna. I have to say that I feel like I misjudged you," Morgan said, studying her intently.
Jehnna's brows drew together in a puzzled frown. "Misjudged me? How?"
"I've spent all the time I've known you thinking you were Little Miss Innocent. But I had to be wrong about that. And I can totally see why you were so into Warren."
"I don't understand, Morgan. How does that mean you misjudged me?" Jehnna asked, supremely confused by Morgan's statements.
"Warren is really, really interested in polyamory. I always thought that you were more traditional and sheltered than that. But maybe I was wrong about that. Maybe you aren't as innocent as you want every one to believe."
Jehnna's mouth dropped open in shock. Morgan thought she was into that kind of thing? Why the hell would she think something so obviously untrue? Jehnna wasn't some... deviant like Morgan was. She wanted to correct Morgan's mistake. She wanted to tell her to get the hell out. She wanted to punch her and knock that smug smile off her face. She didn't get to do any of those things, though, because the door swung open and Sam walked in. He sent a gentle, loving smile Jehnna's way, then a friendly one toward Morgan. "
"Hey, Morgan. Good to see you," Sam said brightly.
"Right back at you, Sam," Morgan responded. She swore there was more than just friendship in her voice. She swore there was more there. "Fatherhood looks good on you. I see you finally got yourself a member of Purple Team. You tried long enough. I think the only one you never wanted to ask out was Dare."
Sam shook his head at that. "She's never been my type. I like girls who won't give me such a hard time."
Morgan nodded. "Dare is good at that. It sounds like its her loss."
What did she mean by that? Was she trying to flirt with Sam? Right in front of Jehnna? Did Morgan want to add Sam to her pile, too? The very thought made Jehnna want to smack the smirk off the other woman's face. She was not going to let Morgan steal another man from her. No way in hell.
~*~
Morgan frowned as she made her way up the hall. Was it her or had there been a weird vibe coming off Jehnna there at the end? It had just seemed to Morgan that Jehnna had closed herself off all of a sudden. What was that all about? Had she said something to offend the other woman? Morgan shook her head and pushed the thought from her mind. There was nothing she could do about it, whatever it was, unless Jehnna told her. And something told her Jehnna wouldn't talk about it. Whatever it was.
The thought struck her that she didn't want to return to her suite. Warren had gone to the city for some reason or another. She couldn't recall what he'd said because she'd been half asleep when he'd left. But she did know he'd promised to be back before nightfall. And she didn't want to spend the rest of the day in the suite by herself. She glanced at the door closest to her and wondered if she should stop there. Word had reached her that Haley and Dare had moved into one of the two remaining suites not long after Haley had left the medlab. Morgan knew she should stop in and check on Dare. She hadn't seen her since they'd gotten back.
She just couldn't make herself do it. She didn't think she had the mental abilities to deal with whatever was going on with Dare at the moment. And, okay. Yes. Maybe she was a little scared. She wasn't sure she could face her best friend and not keep it together. She'd worried about what their captivity had done to Dare's mental and physical state. What little she'd gotten from Remy had suggested that it hadn't been a good time. She could still recall the timid, broken creature Dare had been when they'd gotten her back from Creed.
Morgan couldn't imagine what this whole shitfest had done to her.
She passed the door by and wandered aimlessly up the hall. She needed to go somewhere. Be with someone. But she didn't need complicated. Or stressful. She needed someone who could soothe her soul. That someone used to be Remy. But he had more important things to deal with than her problems. Which left her with only one person who fit that bill.
So Morgan found her way to the elevator, stepped into the car when it arrived, and hit a button to the appropriate floor.
Five minutes later, she was knocking soundly against the closed panel. "Door's open. Come on in, Lil' Bit." His voice was gruff behind the door.
The old, familiar moniker made Morgan smile. She pushed the door open and found Logan settled in bed, his back against the headboard. There was a pile of magazines beside him, a tray with a covered plate and a pitcher of water on the nightstand beside him. Of course she'd heard about what had happened with Roxxy. Sadly, she hadn't been able to check on him because Henry had warned her that she might accidentally transmit her infection to him and, given that his healing factor hadn't kicked in at the time, he'd warned her against visiting Logan until she'd had a couple of days worth of antibiotics in her system.
He looked paler than normal. And he looked tired. He wasn't wearing a shirt, allowing her to see the spots where Roxxy had dug her claws in. They weren't quite healed to scars yet, so there were still sutures holding the puncture wounds together. But he didn't look like he was dying. And he looked like he was glad of the company. Logan offered Morgan a smile and set aside the magazine he held. "Hey," she said softly.
It was weird to see him injured. Laid up in bed. Mortal. It made her want to cry. Instead, she made a show of settling the carrier on the bed next to him. As she'd expected, he turned his attention toward the tiny life nestled inside of it. "She's beautiful, Morgan," he said, one finger reaching out to trace one of Kayla's tiny fingers.
"Thank you. And thank you for bringing Remy home," she said. He flicked his gaze her way and, she noted, very carefully shrugged a shoulder.
"Just doin' what I could," he replied.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, reaching out with one hand to touch the flesh around his wounds gently. His skin was hot to the touch and she didn't know if she should be worried about that.
"Better than I was the other night. Healing factor finally kicked in, but its going slow. Hank says another couple days before he's poppin' the stitches," Logan told her. His gaze searched her face and he frowned. "You look like hell."
"Sweet talker," she teased with a grin. When he didn't smile, she sighed and shook her head. "I'm just tired. There's this infection and its just... kicking my ass. I'm also worried about you. And I'm worried about Dare. Hell, I'm worried about everyone at this point."
"Park yer ass and take a load off," he ordered, shifting the baby carrier so that there was room for her on the bed. She hesitated a moment, worried that jostling the bed too much would hurt him. But the look he gave her said she should do as he'd instructed. So Morgan dutifully climbed up into the bed and settled in beside him. Logan made a show of sliding an arm around her and gently tugging her closer. "There. That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Morgan sighed and nestled closer, careful not to shift too much or too hard. She didn't want to hurt him and it looked like he was moving slowly. Which suggested his wound still pained him. "I'm glad you're okay," she whispered. "I'm glad things haven't changed with you."
Logan sighed and leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to find you and bring you home. All of you."
She heard the guilt in his voice. Morgan shook her head but didn't move away from him. "That isn't your fault. You had no way of finding us, much less getting there to rescue us. Hell, we don't even know where we were."
"Mebbe. But its my job to protect my girls. And I failed that." Morgan heard self-recrimination this time. "I failed ta protect Rem, too."
"Neither of them blame you. Nor do I. I'm sure, if you'd been able, you'd have ripped the world apart to get us back. We won't stop loving you because you couldn't," she told him before pressing a kiss against his ribs. The hand at her hip stroked gently in response. But a glance at his face told her her words hadn't changed his mind or assured him of anything. "Logan."
"Duke accused me of being an idiot. Boy's right. I ain't done right by Dare since we got together. And now she won't talk ta me. I don't deserve her." His voice was hoarse, filled with sorrow and bitterness. Morgan sat up, pulling away from the lulling heat of his body, so she could stare at him.
"Don't you dare say that, Logan! Those are lies. Those are fighting words!" She made a fist and waved it under his nose to emphasize her statement. He chuckled softly before gently pushing her hand aside.
"Its true and we both know it," he replied. When he looked at her, she could see in his eyes that his heart was breaking. "She needed more help than I gave her. One bad thing after another happened. I shoulda made her talk to me about it a long time ago. But she always bounced back and I didn't want to make her live through all the bad shit again. So I let it be. And I let her keep sinking deeper into her own problems. No wonder she don't want ta talk ta me."
"She doesn't want to talk to you because she's confused. And she doesn't think she deserves you, And she's probably on her bullshit about being dirty again. She's trying to spare you." Her words brought Logan's gaze her way. She could see the question in his eyes. She offered him a pained smile. "I know how she thinks. You forget, I've had her in my head for nearly all my life. And that's how she felt after we got her and Remy back from Creed. The feeling pops up every once in a while, when she's tired or drunk. It lives there and she doesn't know how to get rid of it."
"She should know by now that those thoughts are all shit," he said, disgust lacing his voice. "I didn't think she was dirty after Creed. I don't think she's dirty now. Just like I don't think any such thing about you." The earnestness in his voice, the way he looked at her, made her eyes water with tears.
"She's lucky to have you. You know that, right?" Morgan asked, searching his face for signs that he knew it.
He snorted a laugh that told her he wasn't as certain about that as she was. Morgan slapped him with one hand. He caught it and brought it to his lips so he could deposit a kiss to her palm. "She got stuck with me. Don't think I don't know that. She coulda had any man she wanted."
That made Morgan laugh. Logan turned a questioning look her way. "Have you told her that? I dare you to tell her that. She'll laugh in your face. She's positive that there isn't a man alive who would look twice at her unless it was in disgust or confusion. She's been like that since... probably Matt."
"She's beautiful. An' she deserves better," Logan insisted.
"I think that's for her to decide. When she starts thinking again," Morgan said softly.
He grunted and, for a while, he was silent. Morgan settled against him again and let the heat of his body lull her toward sleep. She was nearly there when he spoke again, his voice low and hoarse with emotion. "An' if she decides she wants Rem more than she wants me?"
"She won't," Morgan said through a yawn. "Dare isn't a quitter. Not really. Whatever she's got going on now... Once she gets over it, she'll come back. That's who she is. She made a commitment to you. She'll honor it. Because she's full of honor. And she loves you."
"She loves Remy," he reminded her.
"And she loves me. That doesn't mean she's leaving you for me," Morgan said and poked him again. Stubborn man. Why couldn't he see that she loved him because she loved him? Why did he think she wanted something better? Jesus Christ, the two of them deserved one another. He was as hopeless about his relationship with Dare as she was with him.
"How are ya doin' with Warren?" he asked. It was a statement telling her that the subject was closed. She smiled and snuggled closer.
"He's wonderful. He treats me like a princess or some shit. He adores Kayla." She paused a moment and thought, then spoke again. Softer this time. As if she was telling secrets. "I never thought I'd fall in love. Not with someone other than Dare. I didn't think it was possible to love anyone the way I loved her. And then Remy came along and stole my heart right out from under my nose. I thought that, surely, it would never happen again. Then you proved me wrong. I was sure that I wouldn't find any more love. Not like that. Surely there couldn't be anyone who could match the kind of love I got from the three of you. No one would dare try. But Warren somehow did it. He somehow find a part of my heart that I hadn't given away yet. And he took it for himself. It scares me, Logan. I didn't think it was supposed to be like this."
"Love is infinite, Morgan. And you can love as many people as ya want," he told her quietly. There was a wistful quality to his voice that made her think he was reminding himself as much as he was reminding her. "Its human ta want to love and give love in return. Some of us don't ever find a person we can do that with. Some of us get lucky and find more people than we ever thought we would. Don't worry about how its supposed ta be. There ain't no rules. Just enjoy the love you have and give. An' enjoy the love you get back."
He sounded like some kind of prophet or wise man. That image made her giggle. "I didn't know you were so wise in the ways of love," she said.
"Been around a time or two, girl," he replied.
"Old man," she teased, She'd heard Dare call him that often enough. He snorted, then the fingers at her side moved in a light, teasing motion that brought laughter up her throat.
Chapter Thirty One: Personal Space
Fandom: the Marvel universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic violence, language, sex, dark themes, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. Haley belongs to
dazzledfirestar Morgan belongs toginevra Roxxy belongs tonanaeanaven Jehnna belongs to silverfox_chan and Dare belongs to me. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from dazzledfirestar . Author's Notes: this is almost entirely Daz's fault. okay. so it really isn't. its actually almost 100% my fault. Daz just did a whole lot of encouraging. this fic is going to be kind of dark, so please keep that in mind while reading.
Among the Strong - the index
"You really should move into the suite, Haley." Scott sounded so worried. At least he'd waited to start doing it until they'd made it to the elevator and were on their way up to the main floor. Emilia was sleeping in her arms, snug in the pale pink blanket wrapped tightly around her. Haley wanted to brush Scott's concern off with a laugh, but she understood where it came from. The thought of Sinister coming for their daughter was bright at the back of his mind. Just as it was for her. But they both knew that there was nowhere in the school that would be safe if Sinister came for their child. "It really wouldn't be so bad."
"No, it probably wouldn't," she agreed. She could imagine the look in Scott's eyes and cursed his need for the visor now more than ever. She missed seeing the softness in his gaze when he looked at her. She almost agreed to his request just imagining that look. Then she remembered that she hadn't seen Dare since she'd gone into labor. Hell, she hadn't been able to wake Dare up. And that was worrisome. "But someone needs to keep an eye on Dare."
"I thought you didn't see her often," he replied. She could hear the confusion in his voice.
"Nobody sees her often. And that's the problem," Haley admitted. She hesitated to bring her concerns up to Scott because she could well imagine how he'd react if he knew. But he needed to understand why she was hesitant to go off and leave the other woman to her own devices. "Logan and Remy can't find her. Not by scent. Not through the link. Not at all. And the other night, when I went into labor, she was asleep in the room. I tried to wake her. But she wouldn't wake up. And Roxxy said, after checking on her, that Dare was cold."
Scott frowned as he considered what she'd told him. "What aren't you telling me, Haley?"
Damn. She should have known he'd figure out she was keeping something back. Sighing, she studied her daughter's face intently. "There's something weird going on there, Scott. She shouldn't be able to hide the way she is. Logan should be able to track her. Remy should know where she is and how she's feeling through their link. She's got them blocked. Hell, she snuck out of the medlab under Hank's nose. No one saw her leave. How is that possible?" She turned a worried gaze his way. "I'm afraid of what might happen if someone doesn't keep an eye on her. Especially now. She should be going into labor any day."
Scott frowned, lines forming between his eyebrows. "I'd heard rumors, but I didn't want to put any stock in them. Hearing you say that, though... Maybe I should have been paying more attention to what was going on."
"We all should have been paying more attention. With all of the trauma she's experienced..." Haley trailed off because she'd seen that trauma up close and personal. And she hadn't paid attention the way she should have. Of course, everyone who should have been paying attention had been dealing with their own trauma. So maybe it was understandable that they'd missed the signs. But Haley didn't think that was excuse enough. She should have known or seen...
She shook herself and glanced at Scott. "Things are getting out of hand and I'm afraid she's going to really hurt herself. Not intentionally, of course," Haley hastened to add when she saw the look on Scott's face. "But if she isn't thinking rationally, there's no telling how far she'll go with this nonsense if we don't stop her."
The elevator came to a halt on the floor where Haley's old room was located. Scott had decided it would be best if they rode it all the way up and did all they could to avoid the student body. There was no reason to give them more fuel for their gossip than they no doubt already had. Haley would never tell him how much she appreciated his thoughtfulness but she was sure he knew anyway. When the doors slid open, he stepped out and had a look around before giving her a nod that said the coast was clear.
The moment she joined him in the hall, his hand moved to settle on her lower back. Haley liked the weight of his palm against her body. The heat of it as it soaked through her clothes to her skin. It was heavenly. And it shouldn't have been. She had every reason to push him away. And yet... She simply couldn't find it in her to do so. She was weak and she enjoyed having him there. "We'll try to convince her to agree. But if it comes to it and she wants to be stubborn, I will absolutely order her to go."
"Scott," Haley looked at him and sighed. "I can't ask you to do that. Your reputation..."
The look he gave her brought her words trailing off. "My reputation is already bad with your friends. What's one more issue?" His tone came across as steady and even. As if he didn't care what her friends thought of him. But she knew better. She knew that this version of Scott was his work face. "If Dare is harming herself, intentionally or inadvertently, then its my responsibility as the head of the X-Men to put an end to it."
His tone was firm. Filled with the seriousness that he'd always carried as the leader of the original team and the head of all teams. Under that seriousness, though, Haley heard concern and worry. And she realized, here in their normal world, it had always been there. She'd just never heard it before.
There was no more time for words because they'd reached her door. Haley hesitated a moment, her brain caught on what Scott would think when he saw the interior for the first time. Roxxy's words came back to haunt her. Shoving her apprehension back, she shifted her hold on Emilia and reached for the door. It swung open to the same crowded interior that had been there when she'd left the other day. Forbidding herself from looking back at Scott, she stepped into the room and moved toward one of the cribs that crowded the room.
It felt smaller when Scott stepped in behind her.
"Well. This certainly is... cozy," Scott said. He sounded exactly like Roxxy had sounded when she'd seen it. Haley felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. Scott glanced in her direction. "You should definitely move down to the suite. There will be much more room for you and Emilia."
The door to the bathroom opened at just that moment, and they both turned to stare at Dare as she stepped out. She'd obviously come from the shower, her hair hanging in wet clumps around her face. Dull grey eyes rested on Scott first, then shifted to stare at Haley. They dropped toward the bundle in her arms and Haley had to have imagined the ghost of a smile that touched the other woman's lips. "Congratulations," she said, voice soft. As it had been the other day, it was rough from disuse. And there was no disguising the exhaustion that echoed hollowly at the back of it.
Haley offered a timid smile. The last time she'd seen Dare, spoken to her, she'd threatened to punch her. Things felt just a little awkward.
"How are you feeling, Dare?" Scott's voice broke the silence. Haley heard the genuine concern in his voice, telling her that he didn't like what he saw. Which was fair, because she felt the same.
Dare's gaze shifted back to Scott and she looked at him several seconds before one shoulder lifted in a listless manner. "I feel like I'm a billion months pregnant." It did and didn't answer the question. Then Dare brought her attention back to Haley and stared. For a moment, Haley thought she saw something in the unending grey depths. For a moment, she thought she saw sorrow. But it was gone when Dare blinked. "I'll go and find something to eat so you two can be alone. Take all the time you need."
"You don't have to go, Dare," Haley said, her gaze shifting to Scott a moment before coming back.
"Please don't leave. We'd like to talk to you," Scott added. His voice was kind and gentle. Haley thought she saw a flash of something like pain in Dare's eyes, but it was gone too quickly for her to be sure. But any openness on her face shuttered away in a beat of her heart and her arms crossed over her chest in a gesture that Haley was certain was equal parts temper and protection.
"You don't need to kick me out," Dare said, that lack of emotion that Haley hated to hear back in her voice. "I can find some place else to sleep so you guys can play house."
An odd twist of emotion shot through Haley at those words. Part panic, part pleasure. She dutifully shoved them aside and focused her attention on the matter at hand. Dare had already tugged a bag out from under the bed she'd been sleeping in and was heading for the drawer she'd tucked her clothes into. "That isn't what's going on here, Dare. I swear," Haley said, grateful that her voice came out sounding normal. She didn't dare look at Scott because she didn't want to see if Dare's words had brought about any changes in his expression. "We just wanted to talk to you about moving down to one of the suites."
She wasn't sure how it was possible, but Dare's expression grew even emptier. The woman's gaze shifted from her to Scott, then back again. There was accusation in it when it settled on Haley once more. "I seem to recall you didn't want to go down there any more than I did." There was a touch of that accusation threaded into Dare's words.
"I know. But I've been thinking that maybe I was wrong," Haley told her. She needed to make her case and she needed to do it soon. She could see that Dare was teetering on some edge. Just standing there as she was had Dare wobbling ever so slightly. It was almost imperceptible to most people. But Haley had known Dare a long time and she knew what signs to look for. It was like this when Dare over extended her powers. "I know its windowless down there and I know you'll feel like its just another cage. But it won't be. And it won't be forever."
Dare said nothing. But there was no change to her posture, which Haley took as a good sign.
Drawing a breath, Haley moved closer to Scott so she could hand Emilia off. She wanted both hands free for this conversation. He took their daughter from her. Despite not being able to see his eyes, she was sure he was offering her silent encouragement. She turned back to Dare to find the other woman was watching them with that same sorrow in her gaze. Haley had to wonder what it had cost her to cut herself off from the people she loved.
"You're my friend, Dare. Before being a member of my team. You're my family. You know this. So you have to know I'm worried about you. You've spent the last week hiding from everyone and everything. Its taking a toll. I can see that," Haley said softly. Some emotion trembled in Dare's gaze, then disappeared when she blinked. "So much has happened and I know that its been hard for you. What if you go somewhere and something happens to you? What if there's no one to help?"
Dare said nothing. Haley couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"You need to let people care about you, Dare," Scott added. Dare's gaze slid his way so she could stare at him. "We're all worried about you. Cutting yourself off from everyone isn't like you. And its obviously not doing you any good. You don't look healthy."
Scott fell silent and stared at Dare, waiting. Haley did the same, but anxiety curled in her belly to leave her feeling jittery. She was afraid Dare would say no and disappear. If that happened, she had no doubt that no one would see her again. And Haley was sure that something bad would happen if it came to that. She didn't really know why. There wasn't any definite feeling. But the idea was there and it terrified her.
Dare's gaze flitted around the room, landing on the beds, the cribs. All the clutter. Finally, it returned to Scott and she stared at him for a few seconds. Then it shifted to where Haley stood. She could see Dare's answer in her eyes and the anxiety slowly slipped away. It was all Haley could do to not blow out a sigh. "Okay," Dare finally said.
"Okay," Haley replied. She didn't hide the relief she felt. "Good. Thank you, Dare."
"All right." Scott made his way to one of the cribs and laid Emilia down on its mattress. He turned to look at the two of them. There was a faint smile on his face. And she heard the relief when he spoke. "Get your things packed up and I'll help move you three down to the suite."
Haley watched as Dare picked up her bag and moved to the dresser once more. She waited until her friend had started to put her clothes into the bag, then she shot a grateful glance Scott's way. His smile blossomed into something larger. Something more natural. Something more intimate. Her heart gave a weird pitter-patter that shot need deep into her belly.
Heavens help her, the man was dangerous to her equilibrium.
~*~
The knock at the door started Jehnna out of her journal. Setting it aside, she blinked owlishly at the door, wondering just who stood on the other side. Visits had tapered off with Haley going into labor and giving birth. Which was fine by Jehnna. She liked the peace and quiet because it gave her time to think. Time to go through everything that had happened and determine whether or not the path she'd chosen was the right one. Her heart said it was. Her head said another thing entirely.
Another knock sounded, letting her know she'd wasted enough time. Jehnna let go a soft sigh, then crossed to the door. She found Morgan on the other side, a baby carrier in one hand and a baby bag hanging off her shoulder. She looked tired and worn and there might have been a slight hint of pink edging her cheeks. Jehnna worried about that for a moment, then offered the other woman a smile. "Morgan. This is really kind of a surprise."
"I know," Morgan assured her. "I know I should have contacted you first or something. But I wanted to come by and check on you. I wanted to make sure you were okay. I know that what happened was enough to make anyone question themselves."
"It was definitely a lot," Jehnna agreed. She stepped away from the door and allowed Morgan to enter. The shorter woman drifted into the room, her eyes taking in the decor as she went. She wandered over to a chair and settled in it. To Jehnna, it looked like she almost dropped down instead of sat down. Frowning, Jehnna resumed her spot on the couch and studied her friend. "Are you okay, Morgan? You don't look like you're feeling well."
"I'm fine," she said, waving a hand as if to brush aside Jehnna's concerns.
Jehnna tilted her head slightly. "Are you sure? You seem tired and maybe a little lethargic? Don't tell me Warren is sleeping the night through and leaving you to get up with Kayla every night." She smiled at the other woman to let her know she was joking. She knew Warren well enough to know that he probably tried to keep Morgan in bed.
"Of course he isn't," Morgan returned. "He's an absolute sweetheart and he tries to make me stay in bed. I'm just a little low on energy because I had some stupid infection crop up a few days ago. I don't know where it came from or how I got it or anything. Even Henry seems a little confused as to how it came about. But he seems certain that it isn't anything to worry over. He gave me some antibiotics and told me to take it easy."
"That does seem odd," Jehnna agreed with a faint frown. She couldn't recall Morgan ever really being sick before. Not that she spent all of her time with Morgan. But she would have seen signs. Of course, they had access to immediate and excellent health care. So it was possible. Brushing the thought aside, Jehnna took a moment to admire Morgan's baby.
She could see echoes of both Morgan and Warren in Kayla's face. The pale blonde locks atop the child's head were definitely Warren's doing. Kayla was tiny and precious and beautiful. Jehnna smiled softly at the slumbering infant before her gaze slid to her own daughter. Talia slept in a bouncy chair, a yellow blanket laid over her to keep her warm. Not that the basement was cold or anything. But she was still so tiny. "Kayla is precious," Jehnna said softly. Maybe a little wistfully.
It was one thing to know that Morgan and Warren had been locked in a room together. That Warren had gotten Morgan pregnant. That Warren had fallen in love with her. It was another thing entirely to see evidence of those things. It was plain that Warren was her father. There was no missing touches of him in her face. And Jehnna had seen what she would look like when she was grown. She'd be the spitting image of her parents. And damn if that didn't hurt.
"Talia is beautiful," Morgan said, breaking Jehnna from her thoughts. She looked up to find that her friend was staring down at her daughter. "You and Sam made a beautiful baby."
"Thank you, Morgan," Jehnna replied, warmth flooding her chest with the compliment. She was glad someone besides her thought so.
"You're welcome." Morgan paused her and she studied Jehnna closely. As if she was looking for some outward sign of trauma. Or something. Finally, she shook her head took a breath. "How are you and Sam coping? I know this can't be easy for either one of you and... I hope that he's doing everything he can to make things easy for you."
Jehnna offered Morgan a smile and reached for one of the grapes in a bowl settled on the table before her. She munched on it a moment before nodding. "Sam has been... is an absolute sweetheart. He dotes on me. He dotes on Talia. He's so head over heels for her, it isn't even funny. We're still feeling our way around our relationship, so there are some sticky spots. Nothing we can't figure out, though."
"That's good," Morgan nodded. She stifled a yawn behind her hand and leaned back in her chair. Then she frowned. "Have you been getting enough sleep? You look a little exhausted. More than having a new baby would bring about, I mean."
"I think I have," Jehnna said. It felt like she had. But maybe not, because exhaustion lingered in the background nearly all the time. That and hunger. "I mean, I feel like I have. But I'm still always a little tired. And I seem to constantly be starving." To punctuate her words, she leaned forward and snagged a few more grapes from the bowl. "I've been snacking almost constantly for the past few days. And Sam has been bringing me meals high in protein. And carbs. But nothing seems to quell the hunger."
Morgan frowned at her. "Have you gone to see Henry? Maybe you're lacking some vitamins or something."
"Of course. Sam made me go see him as soon as I told him about the issue," Jehnna confirmed, then shook her head. "Henry couldn't find anything wrong with me. He just suggested keeping food nearby and nibbling when the urge struck me. I've had so much fruit in the past few days, it isn't even funny."
"Warren has insisted I take naps. But they don't seem to be doing anything about the tiredness I feel. And the antibiotics haven't kicked in yet, so I guess I'll just have to wait until they do. I'm sure I'll feel better soon. And I'm sure you will, too," Morgan said, offering Jehnna a smile. "Its obvious Sam is taking good care of you."
"He is," Jehnna said, warmth flooding her voice. "He makes sure I get enough sleep. He makes sure I eat properly. He gets up with me at night to help take care of Talia. He's... Well, he's perfect."
Morgan nodded at that, then her glance strayed to Talia again. A soft smile came to her face as she stared down at Jehnna's daughter. Talia made a face, then stretched ever so slightly. A moment later, she settled once again and continued sleeping. That brought a soft chuckle from Morgan. "How does Sam like being a father?"
"He loves it," Jehnna replied. "He's head over heels for Talia. He's taken her to see the rest of his team a couple times already and says that Dani has declared that it is her God-given duty to spoil Talia rotten. Roberto isn't too far behind her, I guess. Sam said he mentioned something about Talia calling him 'Uncle Berto' and that brought a blush to Roberto's cheeks and a silly smile to his lips."
Morgan chuckled. "I can see Berto reacting like that. He's a sucker for a pretty face."
Jehnna heard the warmth of memory in her words and wondered if Morgan had ever regretted not pursuing a relationship with Roberto. They'd seemed pretty into each other back during their school days. Then again, Morgan had seemed into all of the boys she'd gone out with. Jehnna had to wonder if she'd ever been into Warren like that back in those days.
She pushed those thoughts aside and brought her attention back to Morgan. The other woman had closed her eyes and looked like she was a short distance from sleep. Jehnna wondered if she should say something or let Morgan be. Kayla made the decision by fussing in her seat. Morgan blinked her eyes open, looking like she'd been seconds away from drooling on herself, then undid the safety straps that held Kayla in her seat. As soon as she lifted the little girl up, the fussing halted.
A moment later, Morgan dug into the bag and produced a bottle of formula. She settled back into the chair and cradled Kayla in her arm before offering the little one the nipple of the bottle. Morgan looked up at Jehnna and offered a slight smile. "I hate not being able to breast feed. Henry didn't think it was a good idea to nurse while I was battling an infection and taking antibiotics. So she's on formula."
"That sucks, Morgan," Jehnna responded. She smirked a little at the inadvertent pun, then brushed it aside to ask another question. "Does Warren help feed Kayla since she's on a bottle now?"
"Oh, sure. He's been a doll. He tells me to sleep and then gets up to feed Kayla. I've tried to argue with him once or twice. But he won't have it. It feels lazy and positively decadent to sleep on while he takes care of her."
Jehnna frowned at that. Jehnna had always gotten up with their children when they'd needed feeding or changing. She'd never relied on Warren to do it all. Taking care of the babies had been her responsibility. She watched Morgan feed her baby and wondered if she'd made the right decision in letting Warren be free to chase the things he'd said he wanted. Because Morgan acted like it was a game for her. And she was going to spend her days taking advantage of Warren.
The room fell to near silence while Morgan fed Kayla. Only the soft sounds of the little girl sucking at the nipple could be heard. And Jehnna was loathe to break it. She was afraid of hearing anything else that might, in Jehnna's eyes, damn Morgan and her motives. She didn't want to think she'd been irresponsible by giving Warren the freedom he sought. She had to believe she'd done the right thing. Morgan was making that hard, though.
Eventually, Kayla had finished her bottle. After a good burp and a diaper check, Morgan put the baby back in her carrier and returned her attention to Jehnna. "You know, Jehnna. I have to say that I feel like I misjudged you," Morgan said, studying her intently.
Jehnna's brows drew together in a puzzled frown. "Misjudged me? How?"
"I've spent all the time I've known you thinking you were Little Miss Innocent. But I had to be wrong about that. And I can totally see why you were so into Warren."
"I don't understand, Morgan. How does that mean you misjudged me?" Jehnna asked, supremely confused by Morgan's statements.
"Warren is really, really interested in polyamory. I always thought that you were more traditional and sheltered than that. But maybe I was wrong about that. Maybe you aren't as innocent as you want every one to believe."
Jehnna's mouth dropped open in shock. Morgan thought she was into that kind of thing? Why the hell would she think something so obviously untrue? Jehnna wasn't some... deviant like Morgan was. She wanted to correct Morgan's mistake. She wanted to tell her to get the hell out. She wanted to punch her and knock that smug smile off her face. She didn't get to do any of those things, though, because the door swung open and Sam walked in. He sent a gentle, loving smile Jehnna's way, then a friendly one toward Morgan. "
"Hey, Morgan. Good to see you," Sam said brightly.
"Right back at you, Sam," Morgan responded. She swore there was more than just friendship in her voice. She swore there was more there. "Fatherhood looks good on you. I see you finally got yourself a member of Purple Team. You tried long enough. I think the only one you never wanted to ask out was Dare."
Sam shook his head at that. "She's never been my type. I like girls who won't give me such a hard time."
Morgan nodded. "Dare is good at that. It sounds like its her loss."
What did she mean by that? Was she trying to flirt with Sam? Right in front of Jehnna? Did Morgan want to add Sam to her pile, too? The very thought made Jehnna want to smack the smirk off the other woman's face. She was not going to let Morgan steal another man from her. No way in hell.
~*~
Morgan frowned as she made her way up the hall. Was it her or had there been a weird vibe coming off Jehnna there at the end? It had just seemed to Morgan that Jehnna had closed herself off all of a sudden. What was that all about? Had she said something to offend the other woman? Morgan shook her head and pushed the thought from her mind. There was nothing she could do about it, whatever it was, unless Jehnna told her. And something told her Jehnna wouldn't talk about it. Whatever it was.
The thought struck her that she didn't want to return to her suite. Warren had gone to the city for some reason or another. She couldn't recall what he'd said because she'd been half asleep when he'd left. But she did know he'd promised to be back before nightfall. And she didn't want to spend the rest of the day in the suite by herself. She glanced at the door closest to her and wondered if she should stop there. Word had reached her that Haley and Dare had moved into one of the two remaining suites not long after Haley had left the medlab. Morgan knew she should stop in and check on Dare. She hadn't seen her since they'd gotten back.
She just couldn't make herself do it. She didn't think she had the mental abilities to deal with whatever was going on with Dare at the moment. And, okay. Yes. Maybe she was a little scared. She wasn't sure she could face her best friend and not keep it together. She'd worried about what their captivity had done to Dare's mental and physical state. What little she'd gotten from Remy had suggested that it hadn't been a good time. She could still recall the timid, broken creature Dare had been when they'd gotten her back from Creed.
Morgan couldn't imagine what this whole shitfest had done to her.
She passed the door by and wandered aimlessly up the hall. She needed to go somewhere. Be with someone. But she didn't need complicated. Or stressful. She needed someone who could soothe her soul. That someone used to be Remy. But he had more important things to deal with than her problems. Which left her with only one person who fit that bill.
So Morgan found her way to the elevator, stepped into the car when it arrived, and hit a button to the appropriate floor.
Five minutes later, she was knocking soundly against the closed panel. "Door's open. Come on in, Lil' Bit." His voice was gruff behind the door.
The old, familiar moniker made Morgan smile. She pushed the door open and found Logan settled in bed, his back against the headboard. There was a pile of magazines beside him, a tray with a covered plate and a pitcher of water on the nightstand beside him. Of course she'd heard about what had happened with Roxxy. Sadly, she hadn't been able to check on him because Henry had warned her that she might accidentally transmit her infection to him and, given that his healing factor hadn't kicked in at the time, he'd warned her against visiting Logan until she'd had a couple of days worth of antibiotics in her system.
He looked paler than normal. And he looked tired. He wasn't wearing a shirt, allowing her to see the spots where Roxxy had dug her claws in. They weren't quite healed to scars yet, so there were still sutures holding the puncture wounds together. But he didn't look like he was dying. And he looked like he was glad of the company. Logan offered Morgan a smile and set aside the magazine he held. "Hey," she said softly.
It was weird to see him injured. Laid up in bed. Mortal. It made her want to cry. Instead, she made a show of settling the carrier on the bed next to him. As she'd expected, he turned his attention toward the tiny life nestled inside of it. "She's beautiful, Morgan," he said, one finger reaching out to trace one of Kayla's tiny fingers.
"Thank you. And thank you for bringing Remy home," she said. He flicked his gaze her way and, she noted, very carefully shrugged a shoulder.
"Just doin' what I could," he replied.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, reaching out with one hand to touch the flesh around his wounds gently. His skin was hot to the touch and she didn't know if she should be worried about that.
"Better than I was the other night. Healing factor finally kicked in, but its going slow. Hank says another couple days before he's poppin' the stitches," Logan told her. His gaze searched her face and he frowned. "You look like hell."
"Sweet talker," she teased with a grin. When he didn't smile, she sighed and shook her head. "I'm just tired. There's this infection and its just... kicking my ass. I'm also worried about you. And I'm worried about Dare. Hell, I'm worried about everyone at this point."
"Park yer ass and take a load off," he ordered, shifting the baby carrier so that there was room for her on the bed. She hesitated a moment, worried that jostling the bed too much would hurt him. But the look he gave her said she should do as he'd instructed. So Morgan dutifully climbed up into the bed and settled in beside him. Logan made a show of sliding an arm around her and gently tugging her closer. "There. That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Morgan sighed and nestled closer, careful not to shift too much or too hard. She didn't want to hurt him and it looked like he was moving slowly. Which suggested his wound still pained him. "I'm glad you're okay," she whispered. "I'm glad things haven't changed with you."
Logan sighed and leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to find you and bring you home. All of you."
She heard the guilt in his voice. Morgan shook her head but didn't move away from him. "That isn't your fault. You had no way of finding us, much less getting there to rescue us. Hell, we don't even know where we were."
"Mebbe. But its my job to protect my girls. And I failed that." Morgan heard self-recrimination this time. "I failed ta protect Rem, too."
"Neither of them blame you. Nor do I. I'm sure, if you'd been able, you'd have ripped the world apart to get us back. We won't stop loving you because you couldn't," she told him before pressing a kiss against his ribs. The hand at her hip stroked gently in response. But a glance at his face told her her words hadn't changed his mind or assured him of anything. "Logan."
"Duke accused me of being an idiot. Boy's right. I ain't done right by Dare since we got together. And now she won't talk ta me. I don't deserve her." His voice was hoarse, filled with sorrow and bitterness. Morgan sat up, pulling away from the lulling heat of his body, so she could stare at him.
"Don't you dare say that, Logan! Those are lies. Those are fighting words!" She made a fist and waved it under his nose to emphasize her statement. He chuckled softly before gently pushing her hand aside.
"Its true and we both know it," he replied. When he looked at her, she could see in his eyes that his heart was breaking. "She needed more help than I gave her. One bad thing after another happened. I shoulda made her talk to me about it a long time ago. But she always bounced back and I didn't want to make her live through all the bad shit again. So I let it be. And I let her keep sinking deeper into her own problems. No wonder she don't want ta talk ta me."
"She doesn't want to talk to you because she's confused. And she doesn't think she deserves you, And she's probably on her bullshit about being dirty again. She's trying to spare you." Her words brought Logan's gaze her way. She could see the question in his eyes. She offered him a pained smile. "I know how she thinks. You forget, I've had her in my head for nearly all my life. And that's how she felt after we got her and Remy back from Creed. The feeling pops up every once in a while, when she's tired or drunk. It lives there and she doesn't know how to get rid of it."
"She should know by now that those thoughts are all shit," he said, disgust lacing his voice. "I didn't think she was dirty after Creed. I don't think she's dirty now. Just like I don't think any such thing about you." The earnestness in his voice, the way he looked at her, made her eyes water with tears.
"She's lucky to have you. You know that, right?" Morgan asked, searching his face for signs that he knew it.
He snorted a laugh that told her he wasn't as certain about that as she was. Morgan slapped him with one hand. He caught it and brought it to his lips so he could deposit a kiss to her palm. "She got stuck with me. Don't think I don't know that. She coulda had any man she wanted."
That made Morgan laugh. Logan turned a questioning look her way. "Have you told her that? I dare you to tell her that. She'll laugh in your face. She's positive that there isn't a man alive who would look twice at her unless it was in disgust or confusion. She's been like that since... probably Matt."
"She's beautiful. An' she deserves better," Logan insisted.
"I think that's for her to decide. When she starts thinking again," Morgan said softly.
He grunted and, for a while, he was silent. Morgan settled against him again and let the heat of his body lull her toward sleep. She was nearly there when he spoke again, his voice low and hoarse with emotion. "An' if she decides she wants Rem more than she wants me?"
"She won't," Morgan said through a yawn. "Dare isn't a quitter. Not really. Whatever she's got going on now... Once she gets over it, she'll come back. That's who she is. She made a commitment to you. She'll honor it. Because she's full of honor. And she loves you."
"She loves Remy," he reminded her.
"And she loves me. That doesn't mean she's leaving you for me," Morgan said and poked him again. Stubborn man. Why couldn't he see that she loved him because she loved him? Why did he think she wanted something better? Jesus Christ, the two of them deserved one another. He was as hopeless about his relationship with Dare as she was with him.
"How are ya doin' with Warren?" he asked. It was a statement telling her that the subject was closed. She smiled and snuggled closer.
"He's wonderful. He treats me like a princess or some shit. He adores Kayla." She paused a moment and thought, then spoke again. Softer this time. As if she was telling secrets. "I never thought I'd fall in love. Not with someone other than Dare. I didn't think it was possible to love anyone the way I loved her. And then Remy came along and stole my heart right out from under my nose. I thought that, surely, it would never happen again. Then you proved me wrong. I was sure that I wouldn't find any more love. Not like that. Surely there couldn't be anyone who could match the kind of love I got from the three of you. No one would dare try. But Warren somehow did it. He somehow find a part of my heart that I hadn't given away yet. And he took it for himself. It scares me, Logan. I didn't think it was supposed to be like this."
"Love is infinite, Morgan. And you can love as many people as ya want," he told her quietly. There was a wistful quality to his voice that made her think he was reminding himself as much as he was reminding her. "Its human ta want to love and give love in return. Some of us don't ever find a person we can do that with. Some of us get lucky and find more people than we ever thought we would. Don't worry about how its supposed ta be. There ain't no rules. Just enjoy the love you have and give. An' enjoy the love you get back."
He sounded like some kind of prophet or wise man. That image made her giggle. "I didn't know you were so wise in the ways of love," she said.
"Been around a time or two, girl," he replied.
"Old man," she teased, She'd heard Dare call him that often enough. He snorted, then the fingers at her side moved in a light, teasing motion that brought laughter up her throat.
