Cure for the Road Dust

[Wolverine]

The day had not been one of the better ones in Logan's memory, but he'd seen many that were far worse. The road they were on was pretty and it was a bit chilly as they hugged the coast. Pine trees were the order of the day it seemed as they snaked their way back south along a particularly craggy portion of road. Logan had chosen this route for the view, and to stay off the highway. The inland side was a bit of a steep rocky incline and the left side just off the shoulder of the road was a drop off of a cliff down a ways to the ocean.

Looking ahead he could see a small fishing town where the road turned again to work it's way in and around a little bay. He didn't know the name of the hamlet but he could see a bar and his lips smacked at the thought of a cold frothy beer to wash the road dust out of his throat. He looked back over his right shoulder to his wing-girl, the love of his life and motioned his head toward the bar with a wink.

The pair of them had led the car since their last stop to top off their fuel tanks and Logan was taking his chance, maybe the last chance they'd have, to stop in and relax before returning to the school. Pulling off the main road his tires slid out on the dirt and gravel that was out front of the place. He hoped Aideen had kept her balance better after seeing him falter a bit and then he smiled knowing without even looking she would have managed just fine. It was one of the reasons he loved her, she wasn't some frail thing that needed him to worry, even though he loved to anyway.

Pulling up next to some old pickup truck that looked rust colored but was just mostly rust with some green paint left over here and there he felt a calm comfort settle over him. The salt air had done that to the truck and he liked the smell of it as he took a deep breath of it. Kicking down his stand he let the bike lean over to test out how it would sit in the rough gravely surface of the parking area before killing the engine and swinging a leg over to stand up. Key in hand he turned to face the rest of them with a nod before walking up to step onto the deck that ran the length of the front of the building. "Who else's thirsty?" he asked.

Inside they found themselves in good company. A few local boys were over shooting pool on the dustiest beat up pool table on the whole east coast, and a few salty old fishermen were laughing their old guy laughs and scratching their graying scruffy chins. A Wurlitzer 1015 jukebox, the kind with the multi colored bubble tubes, was kicking out some tunes in a muffled tone that matched the walls, lived in sound, lived in walls. Two things seemed out of place in the perfect combination of bar tackle shop though, a new hardwood floor and by the smell of sawdust in the air it explained why the surface was untreated, and a young barmaid with a name tag that read Brandy.

"I think I might just retire here." he said turning to look at his friends with a smirk.

[Ember]

"I'm sure their retirement package is most beneficial, with the high class medical treatment and all," Aideen said watching a guy clean a cut with the bottle of whiskey he was drinking. She glanced at Logan with a smirk, shaking her head before she took off her sunglasses as she walked to a free table in the corner of the bar. She actually preferred this type of place than any high class bar; a place like this that was rough and gritty with just the right element of danger added in, very much like a certain individual she was rather fond of.

The morning had not been the best one for her, and the effects lingered on her mind and body. Even as Aideen leaned back against the chair, she did so as carefully as if she still had the deep marks across her back. Though the marks were gone from her dark golden flesh, they had yet to leave her mind, weighing on her as heavily as if they had been there. Not to say that she didn't have a good deal of help forgetting about it, possibly too much help as the ending result was Aideen shelling out money to replace the burnt mattress and bed frame in the little bedroom, but she wasn't complaining.

"Why is it," she began after ordering a round of beers for the group from the barmaid. "That whenever you go to one of these places, there is always a higher ratio of men to women? Logically most people go to bars for the soul reason to either get inebriated or find a good time with an individual, and yet there is a place like this full of men and then only one other women meant only to serve them drinks." Aideen took in the atmosphere with her large studious dark eyes before settling back on the others. "People are strange and rather illogical in that sense. When I want something, I go to the best place or situation that would allow me to have that need fulfilled with little detours," she said, glancing at Logan briefly as a spark of mischief glinted in her dark eyes.

[HeartString]

Tracy giggled at how adorable Aideen was as she just didn't get it sometimes. "Aw honey I think the whole point of this place is to get away from everyone you're trying to impress. These guys in here don't look like they are on the prowl for anything unless you count a free bowl of pretzel rods or something."

She sat down next to her sweet Corsair sister and smiled as she looked around. "Cool jukebox, and would you just look at all the pictures of guys holding up fish. Color aaand black and white, wow." She said with just the most delightful hint of sarcasm. "I see the appeal Logan, and is that fish I smell? I could have sworn the sign out front said Cold Beer -n- Live Bait. I mean what more could a man want in his waining years right?" Her eyes looked up to Mason's hoping he wasn't drawn into this perfect retirement thing himself, and she lifted an eyebrow in the most enticing of ways.

She was relaxed here at least that much was true. The men here were seemingly occupied with their own agendas as their was no malice other than something akin to friendly rivalry, but the lot of them hadn't gotten a load of the group that had just entered and Tracy wondered if they would behave after they caught sight of them. At least she felt confident the older gentlemen were possibly gentlemen, the younger guys though she wasn't sure about. After all, the saying 'boys will be boys' didn't just come out of nowhere and she did sense an underlying tone of irritability from the group, at least all but the one fellow who was obviously running the table on the rest of them.

[Ironclad]

"Eh, It's not too bad here..." Mason looked around with slight interest, not really feeling the place as a hangout like some of these guys did, but it would do for a pit stop. "The fish smell could get to you really quick though, but nothing a beer can fix." He grinned as he grabbed the beer that the barmaid set on the table in front of them. He eyed the area around him cautiously, not sure how much he liked the dive they were in right then. It was a little run down, something he didn't mind, but he preferred a place with a little more life and a little more going on than just this.

The men in there were ones that Mason would expect to find here, old fishermen and young sailors probably from the local wharf and from the dingy little town they passed not long ago. All of them looked like country folk for the most part, though the bartender looked like someone straight from a Pirates of the Caribbean movie with half the side of his head shaved and with beads hanging from random dreads in the side of his hair that had beads and a long scar going down his haggard face. "Not a bad place thought," he added with satisfaction.

"You know Aideen, I don't think you're totally off base though. The minute you two walked in, some of those guys nearly snapped their necks to look at you both," Mason said with a smirk as he took a sip of his beer and eyed the other guys dangerously, almost daring them to come near and say something to the girls. "Don't worry Aideen, just show 'em a picture of that mattress from earlier and that should keep most of them away from you," he teased her with a huge smirk on his face. The fact that the fire alarm went off cracked him up beyond anything else, and he was not gonna let her forget something like that.

[Wolverine]

*Mmpff* Logan grunted his discontent with Mason's comments, but he didn't get into it any deeper, he knew he didn't have to. Kid's just havin fun and that's all well and good, long as he don't take it too far into disrespectsville. "Here's to leavin freedom behind." he said as he hoisted his beer to clunk it against the rest as they raised theirs to meet his own. Before taking a sip though he paused reflecting on something as he watched the rest of them.

"Yeah, so I think I need this like I ain't needed a drink in a long time. I'm lookin at what is comin at us as we head back to that school and I ain't too sure I want ta get there in a hurry. Not that I'm worried bout anything, it's just- Hell, let me ask you guys since you were kids there once yerselves," his look went to Tracy and Mason. "How the hell do they get themselves in so much crap? I mean it's always some stupid somethin or another. I just throw my hands up at the thought of all that crazy nonsense. What was it like? I mean really, or is it worse now, cause I don't remember it bein quite so much about the childish stuff. What was it the other day with that skinny little chick with the attitude? Oh yeah an Mp- what the hell is an MP3 player anyway?"

He scratched the back of his head as he sucked down a whole beer in about five swallows. "Ahh, that went down too easy. I'm gonna get another, and maybe some bait there Tracy" he chuckled in his gruff way leaving them to think about what he had said. He'd be back for their answer in due time but he had to take a look at that old 45 spinner in the corner. So, on his way back from the bar, cold pitcher of beer and a couple of mugs in hand, he stopped at the jukebox to play a song for his lady.

[Ember]

Taking a long neat sip of her beer, Aideen glanced at the others with mild curiosity. She had no idea what he was talking about, as her interest in the other students was very limited. Having never cared for most people in general, she never concerned herself with the drama and issues surrounding the other students. Being aware of her environment was different than paying attention to every twenty tantrums and fights that occurred each day. "I'm going to assume that one of you have a clue as to what he's referring to," she said looking between the couple with a raised eyebrow.

The little pub was actually pleasantly warm with the windows shut and a big fire going on the other end of the bar. It was warm enough for Aideen to unbutton and unzip her snug leather jacket and be able to sit comfortably in her red leather top. "There are far too many tantrums thrown for me to bother with. Do adolescents truly act like that, and it passes for normal?" She looked befuddled by the whole concept, and wondered if it was truly as much of a shame as everyone said about her not having a normal childhood. Aideen was quite satisfied that she had never made a fool of herself in the way that the kids at Xavier's did on a daily basis.

Aideen crossed her legs and made herself more comfortable in the little pub. It was far from her home, and though it was nice to have visited, she had quite enough of it for now. Here she knew no one, and could relax and just enjoy a beer with her friends. Her dark eyes stayed on her two friends as they explained the odd concepts to her while her warm fingers were wrapped around the cold beer, making a slight shiver pass through her at the contact to the cold.

[HeartString]

"Oh.. well, yes. I can see where your confusion lies, since you didn't really grow up there and you don't seem to find yourself in or near any of the craziness that tends to bubble up back home. I can only guess at the specific thing he was talking about, but skinny with an attitude? That could be any number of girls there." Tracy giggled.

"Aww, he's feeling something strong for you over there." she glanced at Logan. She didn't usually point out people's emotions because it was rude and just bad form. In this case, considering all that the pair of them had been through, she made the exception so that her usually oblivious to human gestures friend could see her man in a different light. He was a gruff rugged man, of that there was no doubt, but he truly had a heart of gold under all the tarnish of the life he had to live. "Look at him, he's obviously trying to pick out a song for you Aideen. Mason? I think we could stay a little longer than that 'hot minute' I mentioned in the car, this place isn't so bad and I guess the smell is tolerable."

She leaned over to place her hand on Mason's knee and smile at him. "We didn't fight like that? Like those children at the academy... did we?" she asked him sarcastically. "I mean nobody treated me with disrespect when I was growing up there, did they do that to you?" Her grin was a silly flirt and her words were light and fluffy, almost like a cuddly tone, as if the past had no more weight on her now. The girl he had known all that time, all those years, had grown up beautifully and this weekend had cleansed her, let her release so much she had clung to from her past.

[Ironclad]

"Pssh yea, we all hugged each other twice a day and then skipped to class together," Mason said with a roll of his eyes taking a long sip of his beer. "It was just as bad for us back then. I used to get into fights practically daily, remember that Dollface? I know I got in a fight with Inflict at least once a week, I also had detention probably every week too. New people and all, but same damn shit all the time." He shook his head, catching Logan scrolling through the jukebox song list.

That had to make him laugh slightly, if only because of the different light be saw his teacher in since the start of the trip. He'd seen what Logan was like when Jean was around, but it was nothing compared to how he was with Aideen. She kept him on his toes it seemed, and those two had such a strong and obvious connection that no one could deny it once they caught a glimpse of it. "Look at that Aideen, you made him a big ol' softie. He brought you flowers yet?" Mason teased. "Now that you're out of that jacket, I'm thinking one of those fishermen might beat him to the flower bit. That guy over there just slicked his hair back and is trying to make himself all nice for you."

He loved busting her chops, especially since he finally had more of a reason to other than all the males around her tripping over themselves around her. "Don't worry, they'll see Logan be his possessive self and hear whatever song he picked out and then its all over. Unless they're that dumb enough to mess with a guy and his woman." Mason had a teasing smirk on his face the whole time until he saw the look of apprehension and uncertainty cross Aideen's elegant face.

Mason grinned at Tracy and put a hand on her thigh possessively. She knew what to say with these kind of situations. She had that sweet voice and pretty face that could comfort anyone, and he sure as hell counted himself in all that. He could never be upset looking at her. "So exactly which skinny chick with an attitude you think he was talkin' about?" Mason asked with a smirk, changing the subject to make Aideen feel better as he took a sip of his beer.

[Wolverine]

"AAAHH, The one with the big tii- er, uh.. boobs." His correction wasn't that much better, but at least it wasn't quite as vulgar as he put the pitcher and the chilled mugs down. The music he chose was playing, Some Kind of Wonderful by Grand Funk Railroad, maybe not the most romantic of songs but the sentiment came across in the words. Funny thing about music from the seventies, it was more about sex than romance, but this song was different.

"Wanna dance lady?" He said holding out a hand to Aideen. He had dropped a bunch of change into the jukebox and picked some songs to dance to that he knew she'd like. He wasn't fond of dancing, at least not until he had danced with this girl sitting before him. On a dance floor with her the world melted away and he didn't have to be anybody but her partner. That, and it was the only time he was in total control, leading her around the floor.

He didn't have control issues, not really, but it was a wonderful novelty.

[Ember]

Aideen's eyes widened a little as she took Logan's hand automatically, looking around the place. "This isn't exactly a place for dan-," She was cut off when he pulled her close automatically and led her in a light, close dance without a care. The corner of her lips threatened to turn up into a smile, though she would admit she was a bit embarrassed at the fact that everyone was staring at them right now. The place they were in was far from a place where one would expect to see a couple dancing, and yet here Aideen found herself swaying close to the music and being twirled gently to the music.

The song was a classic, a choice that made her smile as it was one that could often be heard playing when Aideen was in the rec room curled up with a book. "Nice choice," she said, a soft smile playing on her lips as he spun her into him, the two of them swaying lightly to the music. Her hand rested softly on his shoulder while he grasped her other firmly, leading her to the beat of the music. Dancing wasn't difficult for her, her current struggle was keeping a grin from coming on her face as they were in public. She settled for a soft small smile instead, not being able to help herself at the look on his face.

"Spontaneity is supposed to be one of the enjoyable factors about relationships." Her dark eyes sparkled as they moved around in the small space, swaying to the music. "I think I like it," Aideen said softly and leaned her forehead against his when his head bent down, eyes fluttering close as she mindlessly moved to wherever he led her. "Remind me again why we're going back?" She said exhaling as she relaxed her stance, hating that they would be home in only a couple of hours and things would be completely different.

[HeartString]

"Oh, look at them. That is the strangest thing, you really are right Mason." She said sliding her chair over next to his as she let her hand softly caress the nape of his neck. "I mean, even though I've known for a while now it's still odd to see, adorable, but odd." The look on his face when she said the word adorable was priceless and she guessed it needed explanation. "Adorable if, well, if you could feel how they feel about each other that is."

She let her fingers feel the softness of his skin, his hair and she she stroked her way over to his earlobe. "It's amazing how soft your skin is, you know I remember those fights." She knew how his power worked, and how Inflict's did as well, having not been spared herself from his touch once or twice. "If you had never been injured before your pow, uh before well.. then he wouldn't have any way to get at you. He is really the only guy I know of who can hurt you. Yes, I remember those days. I hated seeing you hurt."

Her love for the man seated next to her had grown for a long time now and she didn't have any problem talking about it, some things didn't need saying but some did. "Even then it hurt me when you got hurt. I don't have to imagine how that must have been for you. So strange I know, I remember the confusion, but for me it was awful to know how bad you hurt and what you were feeling in your heart and not be able to be there for you."

[Ironclad]

"Yea well, don't worry about it Dollface. Inflict can't hold on to me long enough half the time, and I left more marks on him than he ever left on me," Mason said putting an arm around her waist and sighing slightly. It was always an experience to feel pain, the few times that Inflict was able to touch Mason for an extended period of time. After all the years and situations where really he should have died but felt nothing. Sure he felt the impact, but his nerves never registered pain, just a simple sensation of touch. His skin never scarred or broke either, it made him invincible in so many ways, but Mason hated it that there were other ways to get to him that he couldn't protect himself from.

One of those ways he had his arm around at that moment. He hated that Tracy could get hurt, and he hated even more that someone would use her as a way to hurt him. Mason vowed long ago that he would never bring Tracy anywhere near Detroit, where he had more enemies than he liked to think of. "Thing is Trace, I don't remember there being as much fights with the older teams as there are now. You remember how it was like when Jean ran the other college team and Professor X oversaw all of us? They didn't fight the way we do with the Hellions. I know, they aren't all bad. Stoney's decent enough for Aideen over there to like him, and I'll admit he's okay. Gina is cool too, but they rest I can't stand." He sighed and rubbed her hip gently.

"Man things changed so much since then. I gotta say I miss Jean and the Professor a lot. Not that things are bad now, but they seemed so much better when they were around. Jean was so sweet, you know she was the first person that I actually thought gave a damn about me when I first got here," Mason said softly, thinking back to all those times. He really did miss those that left, and that's probably why he liked this weekend so much. Seeing Mike and Dylan brought back some fond memories, like it was back in the old days before life got harder.

"Then again life isn't really all that bad now you know? I got you for one," Mason squeezed her hip affectionately. "We got some good people in our lives, and we're on a pretty decent path with our lives. Not that it's perfect, not that it's gonna be perfect anytime soon, but I can deal. Just can't help but miss some stuff you know?" He looked over at Tracy and smiled slightly. "Yea you know what I'm talking about." He brought her closer and settled his head against hers. "I been thinking about it a lot this weekend though Doll, we actually got it pretty good. I mean nothing too crazy has happened that we had to get involved with the past couple of months, I'm pretty content, and you know what, it's kinda cool that I think I can finally call Logan a friend I'd say. Not a lot of people can do that you know."

That was actually something that was pretty damn cool about it all, especially since that was a feat that not many could ever accomplish. Plus Mason always looked up to him, figuratively since he never remembered being shorter than Logan. It was pretty cool that he got to know his teacher in a new light, and he liked it. It was also amazing to see him the way he was now, with Aideen there was a whole new side of him that seemed completely natural at the same time. Mason often wondered if Tracy and him were like that when they were together, but to be honest he didn't care, he just liked being with her. "Things aren't so bad for us huh Dollface? We'll even survive home," he added as an afterthought, sipping his beer while his mind swirled in thoughts.

[Wolverine]

"It's called re-spons-ability, it's an ability not many have now a days, and it's a hell of a cross to bear Angel Eyes. I could lay that cross down though, if someone was to ask just right." He chuckled as he held her close to him, her heartbeat was a wonder to behold and he loved to listen, it liked to drown out the sound of the music if he let it, but he held it back so he didn't miss a beat in their dance.

"And yeah, I like spontaneity too. I guess those books ain't completely off base for ya.. yeah not completely. As memory serves it is on the list of enjoyable factors associated with relationships. Heh." He was obviously teasing her about still referencing books with regard to matters of the heart. "So is dipping." He spun her out and back and dipped her deeply in his arms as the song ended. Grinning down at her he said "This kind here, and the 'skinny' kind too. Reminds me of somethin we could do when we get back to the lake back home, if we ever get home that is. I'm still waitin on you to ask.."

He pulled her up and walked her back to the table as the next song he selected started in. "So you ever gonna quit with the clinical approach to what we are to each other? I mean it's cute but I think- aw hell, nevermind.. It's who you are and I love you for it, THAT, and all the rest of the things you are too Lady."

[Ember]

Aideen's face scrunched slightly in confusion as he led her back to the table, now in thought. "Well how else am I to describe the relationship if I am not to use the proper terminology? I refuse to use casual slang as well. I suppose I could stop referring to it all together and just copy your terminology, but to be quite honest I find mine easier to understand," She said plainly and allowed herself to be moved against him as they got to the table, leaning comfortably with her back to his chest as she stood there relaxed against him, still stuck in thought. Aideen had a better time understanding things when put in clinical terms and those she could find in book.

"The bright side of me preferring to use proper language and clinical terms is that no one can ever misinterpret what I am saying." She turned her dark chocolate eyes behind her to look up at him with that. A small soft smile did in fact break through her usual serious face, as he looked like he was having far too much fun teasing her. "I really think that you have far too much fun pointing out my unorthodox approach to relationships. Would you rather I do what those girls do on that television program that all the girls at school are watching about gossiping school girls and hang all over your arm and giggle while spying on your FaceNovel? And on top of that they get angry when their significant other so much as speaks to another woman and true love is considered having a significant other that allows a woman to subject her body to various substances and be filmed for pornography. And should there be a disagreement, revenge consists of flirting with their significant other's best friend and occasionally sleep with them while spreading rumors about them." Aideen shook her head at the ridiculous actions of the girls that everyone watched on that program, though she had been reading the entire time or doing some physics and math problems, so she wasn't paying attention too closely to know exactly what happened.

Her dark eyes turned to Tracy now, incredulous about it all. "I will never understand how you can watch a program like that and call that normal, while all of you deem my behaviors as odd," Aideen pointed out and crossed her arms over the one Logan had around her waist, feeling she made her point at the ridiculous so called normal behavior society portrayed. She knew it was all in good fun, and she was really trying to assimilate better into the behavior that came with emotions, but honestly she didn't think she ever full would. That didn't mean she wouldn't try, but Aideen had a pretty good idea how her mind worked at this point, though she realized the potential for a wild and reckless streak under her composed ladylike behavior was a high probability. It didn't come out often, so she wasn't too worried.

[HeartString]

"Uhh, 'Face-novel?' 'Whats an MP3 player?' oh my," she turned to Mason, and with the tiniest of giggles said "How can anyone question it, they're Perfect for each other." It was the most adorable thing about the couple. They both seemed just slightly askew of the world as it was today, like they were from another time.

For Logan, well it was easy to understand. He was! By any guess he could be 90 years old- or more! Though Aideen was a mere 18 years of nubile slim fitness, she was his match as she was raised in a bubble. It seemed to Tracy that her friend's world before arriving at the Institute only very rarely grazed the fringes of the real world, so she had just the slightest grasp of present day as well.

At least neither of them bemoaned their utter disconnect from such trivial things as modern media, or social networking and technology. In fact she would probably bet money that they would get back home and pop in one of Logan's 8 tracks for some mood music. The idea tickled her. "Face-novel, oh wow- OH! Wow.. I almost forgot and Mason reminded me as we got out of the car just what, like five minutes ago."

She leaned over and opened up her designer bag. It wasn't like she was a fashion plate, she was far too humble for that kind of flashiness but she liked it so she got it and it held lots of things. Digging in there she found what she was looking for and pulled up the gifts that she had gotten for Aideen and Logan. "I thought I had left them at the restaurant, but silly me I never took them with me. They were on the dresser in our room that whole night, under one of Mason's shirts."

"This one is for you sweetheart." She said handing a smartly wrapped box the size of a phonebook to Aideen. It had a pale coral color ribbon wrapped around it and the wrapping paper was a bamboo forest pattern in sea green over a creamy beige background. "And for you dear friend- these are from the both of us." She handed a smaller box, something about the size a wristwatch would be contained in, to Logan. His was wrapped in a paisley looking paper that was deep and rich. "With great care did we decide on what to get you guys so, well, just to say how much we love you both."

She smiled hoping the gifts would be accepted and enjoyed. She couldn't wait to see their faces and she looked excitedly over at Mason, then back to Logan and Aideen. The book 'Relativistic Quantum Field Theory, Beyond Post Modern Elemental Particle Physics' was sure to catch Aideen's brain and ignite it with a flurry of mathematical inquiries, but she would have to undo the new leg harness for her blade that was fastened tightly around it minding the smoke pellets that were in the box as well so they didn't fall out.

Logan's gift was far less elaborate, like the man himself, but no less insightfully selected. It was functional, but sentimental. Something he would be able to use and could respect yet at the same time be able to cherish it for the memories it represented. His, a gold and platinum cigar cutter, on one side emblazoned with the seal of the city of Boston, and on the other engraved were the famous words 'Veni~Vidi~Vici'.