In the West Wood Meadow...

[Ember]

Though the air was chillier than Aideen would have liked, the warmth of the sunlight made up for it enough to keep her heat at the minimum in her comfort zone. After the incident at the gym, Aideen had blindly gone straight to her room, stopping to talk to no one. Her room had been empty cause that was around the same time Haven went to do her yoga classes. It took Aideen fifteen minutes to wash up, washing away not just the sweat of the workout but also the feel of Brock’s hands on her. Now almost a half an hour since she left her room, she sat in the large meadow in the West Woods finishing her meditation in the middle of the meadow, hidden by the tall reeds and grass.

For once not even meditating helped Aideen settle herself the way it normally did. She opened her large dark chocolate eyes and sighed. She unfolded her legs in front of her and reached a hand up gingerly to touch the wound she cleaned. It was far from a neat wound, the skin on end of her eyebrow torn and swollen. A light bruise was already forming where she was hit, the skin looking a light purple against her naturally tan skin.

I can’t believe I let myself get hit. What kind of a warrior am I to fall for such a cheap distraction and lose my focus? A disgrace to everything my Uncle had me learn. He was right to cast me out of his life. This school made me soft, this never would have happened had I stayed with Uncle. Aideen formed a fire dagger in her hand and threw it into the ground a bit away from her as hard as she could to shake off some of the anger she had compartmentalized, bringing the fire right back into her immediately after. The anger was so great that it did little to lessen it. How will I ever be able to face my teammates again? They saw me take a hit and go down, and then I had to leave. I saw Tracy’s face when I gave Brock a small taste of what he deserved. She was horrified and knowing her disappointed that I just lost the patience to give him simple sprains. I can’t even imagine what Mason thought when he saw me take that hit and walk away. So much for standing my ground.

She curled one denim clad leg under her and brought her other knee up loosely so she could rest her wrist on it as she stared at the tall reeds in front of her, lost in her thoughts. I have not felt such an urge to kill someone in how long now? Not since the last trip I went on with Uncle. Rumble is a breed of his own, persisting and waiting for me to snap. I will not give him the satisfaction of bringing me to that point. I can deal with him the disgusting touches to my hips and legs and shoulders, though I am fairly sure he would have gone further had I given him the chance before. He actually had the audacity to dip his filthy thumb inside my pants. How dare he, I would have thought that he would understand that I do not tolerate being touched by him or anyone else I don’t want. He doesn’t care though, not one bit. As much as it would hurt for me to ever disappoint Cyclops or Emma, if this continues and he tries to take it further, I might just kill him. Could I live with myself to disappoint them, make them regret their decision to allow me to stay here? Both have done so much for me, I do not want to even imagine the look on Cyclops’ face when he gets the report now, let alone if I do anything worse. Aideen let out another small sigh, her mind in conflict. She shook her loose hair out of her face and pulled the zipper to her tight leather jacket a little higher at the feel of the cool breeze. She sat there in thoughts as she ignored the throbbing pain of her wound, a reminder of her carelessness.

[Wolverine]

Long moments passed, hours maybe minutes or could it have been merely seconds....the tall grass in the wind told her nothing of time and the mind can play tricks on one when it so chooses to. The height of the sun climbing in the sky might have been the only thing that could have made her aware of time passing, but the dance of the tall grass in the breeze was far too hypnotic. Unleashing the thoughts, the emotions, the desires.....

A voice in the wood roused her from the depth of her thoughts.

"I been lookin for you." he said. His voice was gruff and yet soft all at the same time, like rich dark coffee sweetened just enough and ever so rustic as it was heavy with the grounds. Most certainly an acquired taste, but one Aideen had taken to. His voice stirred things in her.

"I figured you'd be here...didn't even have to track you....this is that spot ya know" he knew she knew. How could she forget this spot..?.. he himself could never...would never... forget this spot. It was here that the spark for the girl called Ember had begun in his heart. It was here that she showed her heart to him, her fire. Not her power of fire-bending, but her true power, the passionate spirit that drove her....her warrior spirit.

[Ember]

A small smile cracked through Aideen's conflicted thoughts at the sound of a voice she knew well. Over the past two months it was his voice and his presence that drove her crazy for a little while. almost literally. She didn't understand what was wrong with her, according to Beast she was in supremely perfect health. She went to him twice for a checkup, the erratic heartbeats, the shortness of breath, and the way her stomach would flip and flutter started to seriously make her think that she caught some type of disease in Limbo. Beast did a number of tests that disproved any of her theories, and then he suggested it might be her body reacting to emotions. He suggested that she recount when she had these 'symptoms' and who was near her and what she was doing when they occurred.

It came as a slight shock when Aideen looked it up in her psychology book. After the initial shock of what was 'wrong' with her, she smiled. It may have been foolish since the situation seemed less than favorable, but she couldn't make it go away. And then she decided she didn't want to make it go away. Aideen was well aware of the repercussions that came with that decision, but for once she just didn't care.

"Kind of an odd place to come huh?" Aideen said softly, moving her head a little bit so her hair fell in front of the side of her face to cover the wound. She brought her other knee up and sighed, still upset with herself. "So how much trouble am I in? I can't imagine Emma or Cyclops are thrilled with me for slashing him up," Aideen said softly and moved her head enough so she could look back at him. "I'm not apologizing for it," she said with a more defiant tone.

[Wolverine]

"Ya ain't gotta apologize fer nothin s'far as I'm concerned. I'm proud of ya stickin up fer yerself." He walked over and knelt down beside her. He took his time getting down near her, the morning sun lit her face so softly that he thought he had died and found heaven in her glow.

The way she smelled, the tilt of her head the line of her neck...a thousand lifetimes ago he dreamed a dream of a perfect woman and before him now was the echo of that young minds fantasy. He didn't know in his youth what it was a man wanted for in a woman, he only knew the image...he was only just a newborn on the shores of forever.

A thousand lifetimes later and the passions of youth melted away into the desires of maturity. His heart broken countless times and disappointment, like a plaster cast coated it over to hold it together and keep him from testing the waters of love ever again. So many women in his life had been so less than what he wanted, what he needed. His heart was a treasure and a burden, as it would take a strong willful spirit to un-case it from it's shell of lonely sorrow.

It was only now, in the beauty before him, that he'd found the person in whom the fantasy of his youth had joined with desires of his mature heart. He had longed for her, for so much of a battle weary man's essence was bound together with passions great...pined for her, passions which stir the body and inspire acts beyond ones expectations of self....bled for her, his every breath a quest for another day to continue the search.....or so it now felt to him, as the searching...was finally....over.

"I had to see you, find out if you were..." he laughed slightly at his own foolishness "..but what was I worried about." He slowly reached out a hand, pausing before he touched her. Not wanting her to feel he would...without her say so...be so callous as to take from her the touch of her cheek, but knowing she would want him to if he so desired it - and he so very much did.

Tanned and tender he touched her tentatively. Taking his time as the tips of his fingers tingled with tactile delight, sparking passions and urges in the animal raw depths of his soul. "I know I never have to worry about you...I do it because I want to...and fer that I ain't gonna apologize either."

[Ember]

On instinct, Aideen leaned into his touch. Another odd thing for her; she had become very comfortable with his touch, or just somehow being physically close to him. As she proved with Brock and with anyone else who touched her, Aideen was very clear on her personal boundaries with others and who could physically touch her and how. With Logan, there were no limits as far as she could tell.

She met him halfway and sighed at the feel of his callused hand against her cheek. "As far as I'm concerned, you don't have anything to apologize for either," she said with a soft smile on her face for a second. Her stomach was doing that annoying fluttering thing that made her for awhile think she had digestion problems, but she didn't mind it so much anymore.

"I let myself get distracted by a cheap trick," Aideen said softly closing her eyes and moving her cheek into his hand, minding the cut on her face. "And when he actually hit me... I had to stop myself from making a weapon and driving it into him. I don't think I can deal with him anymore and not... do something I shouldn't."

Her level of comfort with him extended to her not having a problem telling him things she normally wouldn't say to others. "How can he not get that I don't want him to touch me in any way or form? The time before now I smashed the bones in his entire hand, and then he put his..." she sighed and brought one hand up to touch the back of the hand that was on her cheek and the other hand rose up almost automatically and rested on the forearm of that same arm.

"It's getting me mad that no matter how much I injure this guy every time he touches me, all it does is make him bolder to try more," Aideen added softly as her fingers splayed out on his forearm. Her mind usually didn't have much thought when she was with him, but that was the effect he had on her. Her uncle would have disapproved her for letting her guard down around him, but Aideen could care less what him or the psychology books said. I don't have a reason to be suspicious with him, I should burn those psych books and Uncle has no say over me anymore. Something this... nice and wonderful, well it can't be so bad.

[Wolverine]

"Yeah, it's a tough call with that guy. He's a nutjob, but yer bossman had some words with him. I know Scott can come off like a boyscout a lot of the time, but every now and then he takes the kid gloves off." Logan looked at her nearly hugging his arm and said "Come 'ere" as he pulled her closer to him.

Wrapping his arms around her he felt the warmth of her body and let out a soft satisfied sounding growl. It was a warm and inviting sound, almost a purr. It was the sound of a tense morning and some serious soul searching dribbling away into contentedness. "I have half a mind to resolve this issue permanently, but I've already been down that road...supposed ta be removed from it all...supposed ta be a teacher... it'd be bad to kill a student."

"It's cold comfort, but the X-Men, uh I mean...teachers already know to keep their eyes peeled for his behavior- but just watch yerself anyway cause you know he's gonna try it again. He's dumb in that real stupid drool on yerself kinda way." he rocked her in his arms as he spoke and chuckled a little at the end of what he said.

"I don't want to waste this beautiful morning, and any more of my time talking about him...we'll deal with that ass when the time comes, and just how he deserves. I want to show you something, feel like a little walk?" He asked. Not expecting an answer right away as he was content to hold her there in his arms, in the meadow in the west wood.

[Ember]

A small content smile appeared on Aideen's face as she nestled her head in the crook of his neck. Her eyes stayed closed, quite content in the position she was in as she listened to him. Her own hands skimmed up his arms lightly, feeling the muscles that made a small smirk weave it's way onto her face before her hands settled on his shoulders. "Mmmm," was the only sound she made in response for a moment, shifting to enjoy the closeness. Now this I don't mind one bit. Nice and warm.

"I can handle him, but I'm not promising he'll be in one piece. He needs to get it through his thick head that it's never going to happen. Until then, I'll have to not get distracted by him and remind him that I don't like to be touched," Aideen said against his neck, choosing that moment to move her hands to the top of his shoulders. A content sigh escaped her, not ready to move yet and taking her sweet time to answer him.

God, if someone had told me several months ago that all I needed to keep from wanting to take someone's head off was this, I might have actually laughed from the absurdity of such a statement. "I don't mind a walk," she said quietly, not making a move to get up or leave her position. Everything that Aideen was feeling, from the flutters in her stomach to the instant feeling of warmth, was still new to her. She never had this sort of contact growing up with anyone, let alone had feelings like this for someone. Her uncle discouraged it, beat it into her head that it will make her weak and bring her down. Since she realized what her feelings meant, she stopped listening to the echoes of her Uncle's 'life lessons' in her head. She just didn't care, not when she was with Logan.

Very slowly, Aideen pulled her body away from his, hating the loss of the warmth with every passing inch. She opened her eyes and looked up at him with a content look on her face, and even a small smile playing on her lips. Damn, should have stuck around and asked Trace to heal me. I look like a mess, that's completely unacceptable. But Logan isn't going to care, he saw me at my worst.

[Wolverine]

He looked at her in the early light of day, in her leather jacket with her bruised forehead as she reassured him she wouldn't mind going anywhere her might chose to take her. His face unfamilliar with a smile let it be shown that he was pleased by softening in it's own way. "Good.." he said "...cause I think yer really gonna like where we're goin'."

He stood and held out a hand for her to take as he helped her to her feet. Her fingers soft but strong in his grasp, he loved the sexy slightly moist warm heat of her touch. She would never be cold and clammy, and he would love to feel her touch him more.

As he led her off further into the woods he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to him. "I don't think too many people know this is out here, it's a kinda special place for me... where I come to be by myself....and I want to share it with you." He looked over at her with his blue eyes glinting from the shared bond he felt with her, a happiness to have found someone that it seemed he'd been missing all his life. Like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle, and it was apparent that he was that for her as well.

Winding their way through the woods him showing her the unique trail markings he discerned in the natural formations of the treelimbs and rocks along the way. It was a perfect time of year to show her this place, the just budding trees displayed their foliage ever so slightly foreshadowing what they would look like, and yet still were sparse enough to allow the eye to note the scaffolding of limb and branch that would change with each passing year. "Yer a quick study..." he hesitated before calling her by a pet name, he was so used to calling everyone 'kid' or 'bub' or 'lady' depending on their age or gender, but it was rare that he spoke in such tender moments to begin with and he cover by kissing her head at her hairline. His lips playing softly on the skin of her forehead above the bruised and damaged flesh. "..I know you'll be able to find yer way back here."

Stepping through the last bit of woods he said "Just a little place I call my own...from time to time."

[Ember]

Aideen's large chocolate eyes studied the woods, from every marking to the positioning of each tree, she took a picture with her mind to remember it all. If Logan hadn't been showing her the way, she may have never found this place with the hidden path, but she'd remember it now. She looked at the house in quiet fascination, not just the house itself but the location as well.

Now this looks like something out of my books. A content look stayed on her face, standing there and studying the area while trying to calm her erratic heartbeat so Logan wouldn't hear it and wonder what was wrong with her. It was times like this that Aideen was sure that Dr. McCoy missed something in a test. Though she knew how she felt, it seemed so odd to have her body react the way it did to a simple touch. She was alright when he brought her close, mainly cause it felt so... natural. However when at the feel of his lips on her face, Aideen was sure she was going to be sick by the crazy fluttering going on in her stomach. I feel like I need antacids or something.... but that can wait.

She slowly separated from him to walk forward, studying the shack carefully. Aideen's analytical eyes took in the strong foundation the house stood on, the carefully cut paneling on the side of the house and the strong and carefully measured frame of the house. "It's hand built," she pointed out softly moving her hand over the smooth wood. Her dark eyes studied the wood, trying to guess what kind it was. "Oak and... Yellowood? No, maybe Maple..." she said out loud, her eyes looking at the markings and trying to remember what the Track Master showed her during that month in the forest she spent as a kid to learn to how to track and move around a wooded area.

Aideen looked back at Logan and smiled, still moving her hand over wood on the house. "You built this?" she asked softly venturing a guess. "It's very well built. Strong frame, carefully sectioned paneling, evenly sanded shape..." she trailed off again looking back at the house. It wasn't a huge bit of impressiveness a distant like some houses are built, but Aideen was fascinated alone by the careful and systematic build, one that few could do on their own with a machine. It was carefully built to the last detail and that appealed to her in a way of its own. It takes a lot of skill for someone to build it so strong and detailed. "It's... very impressive," she said in a softer voice as her fingers ran over the wood, tracing every aging line and edge, even the little nicks here and there that only added to it's character. A smile lingered on her face as her eyes ran over the house.

[Wolverine]

"You got a good eye baby." he made himself say it now, having said it over in his head a few times since the last chance he had missed saying 'baby' to her. "Built it with my own two hands, how'd you know?"

He looked at her in the clearing, walking around the little structure he had taken great care in building. He hadn't wanted anything too large, just something from a past time. Something to remember the past through. Whenever he walked inside, it was like he was transported back, he was whisked away to a simpler time. "Wanna go in?" he asked her as he walked up to stand on the stoop, running his hand up the door frame and thinking how well the shack had withstood the years.

There had been many times that Logan had come here to this his fortress of solitude, although it was far more a shack of seclusion than any fortress. He had permission from Charles Xavier to build on the estate grounds and so he had no problem when it was needed for others, but it was his own and few knew of it's existence, let alone it's location. In fact it was not easy to locate...not even from the air.

[Ember]

"It reminds me of this old log cabin I found once. It was really old because the wood was starting to rot and the cabin was falling apart, but it was built with the same care and precision as this one," Aideen said softly moving her hand over the beam of wood, her eyes still trying to figure it out a bit before she shook herself out of it. She went around on the stoop carefully, taking in her surroundings just like she always did. "Okay," she answered him softly still looking around the stoop, the simple build making the little smile stay on her face.

Aideen liked the simplicity and serenity that this place had. It look undisturbed and unaffected by the changing times, like this entire area did. Almost like walking into a place frozen in time, or at the very least one of Aideen's books. She placed her hand on his arm and moved to stand next to him, studying everything from the door frame to the hinges on the door equally. "You're very good with your hands," she said in her soft voice as her moved up the door frame and on the door before resting on the handle.

Glancing at Logan for a second, Aideen turned the knob and opened the door slowly. The inside was much like the outside, serene and simple. The basic wood floors and walls kept in with the theme of a place frozen in time. She stepped inside, right into the sunlight streaming from the window. The place was a little dusty, but not horribly. It was a large opening room with a small kitchenette on one end and and a little breakfast nook that also looked handmade as well.

Aideen walked around slowly with large studious eyes, taking in every little detail to remember it and appreciate it. There was a small bookshelf that she was positive was handmade, but when she bent down for a closer inspection, her eyebrows knit together in thought at what looked like a blue crayon mark. She put her hand on the wall, feeling it under her fingers as she stood up again, walking slowly around the room and studying it with interest. There were other doors and a set of stairs, and despite the simple decor, Aideen liked it. "It's wonderful," she said as her fingers traced over the window frame.

[Wolverine]

Catching the spot on the shelf where her eyes had fallen he saw the blue crayon and smiled at the memory of children living here not too long ago. "Heh." he chuckled slightly "Kids are great. To them the whole world is a playground." he walked up to her and reached his hands up entwining his fingers in her hair and looking into her deep chocolate eyes with his own of cobalt blue. "But you never were a kid were you..." he said and pulled her face to his.

It was not forced, this pulling, nor was it rushed. Steady he held her and feeling no hesitation in her, not even a twitch of a muscle, he let the moment...the movement of her lips to his own continue. It was not that he would ever consider her to be incapable of giving him permission to kiss her if he asked, but there was nothing worse than asking permission to kiss a woman...that would always end badly. A man who had control of himself and with complete understanding of the desire he felt and the repercussions of an act as conspicuously hedonistic, and yet all at once as innocent in it's purity, as kissing a first kiss would never need to ask of a Lady if it were permissible.

He should, truth be told, already know the answer and in so knowing the answer it would be expected he be able to gauge the reaction...to a point. There was always an element of uncertainty with a woman, and Wolverine knew better than most, that in that very element rested the magic...the wonderment.... of a woman. In the mystery of the fairer sex resided the underlying element of danger and of desire...the very thing that made all of life, every struggle of the damned retched span of human existence, worth it.

"You have no idea how good with my hands I am." he said as their lips touched and their tongues entwined. His heart beating in his chest with enough force to drive home a railroad spike. He knew he was leaving himself open for the worst, and in so doing allowing himself to experience the best...there was nothing could be gained from playing safe, not... at least, in the game of love.

[Ember]

Normally is someone had the power to make her cease all thought, Aideen would not care for that at all. Right now, especially right now she just couldn't give a damn. Not when the one thing that she wanted for so long was happening. Her hand went up to tangle itself in his hair tightly, as she sighed into his mouth, exploring and studying it just as thoroughly as she did the cabin. Aideen's every move at this point was pure primal instinct, since her mind stopped and for once she didn't hear her Uncle' voice warning her. The only thing she heard was her thundering heart beating so loud and fast. She pressed her body against his, leaving no space between them as she continued her thorough exploration of his mouth.

Aideen grew up in a very spartan life, rarely ever wanting for anything. This though, for the past months she wanted him more than she ever imagined wanting anything. Training sessions were torture, to be so close and yet not be as close as she wanted to be. Every little touch just made her yearnings greater. She was far from inexperienced, but to want someone this much and so strongly was new to her, but God she loved it.

Her hand moved up his hard chest slowly, taking her time before her hand cupped his thick neck. She broke enough for some air when it came to the point that she really couldn't breath, but not by any chance moving from her position. Aideen nipped his lip, making sure they were touching at all times. "You...have no idea how much I wanted this... you," she whispered against his lips, kissing him again softly.

[Wolverine]

Her smell, filling his nostrils...her taste in his mouth. His hands slid down the center of her back pulling off her jacket and pulling her tighter into him, tight enough to feel her heart pounding... and the air catching in her lungs as her belly pressed against his own. His hunger for her realized now, he was not going to stop until he had his fill.

He reached up to peel off his shirt letting it drop on the floor behind him as she stayed locked to his mouth tongue twisting in rhythm with her hips. Without warning she lept upon him, and with a 'SNikT' his claws sprang to attention, and they were not alone in their need for release. Catching her he pulled her mouth tighter to his and stepped over to the coffee table in the center of the large room.

Laying her down upon it he retracted his claws with a 'SNakT' and keeping his lips to hers he slid softly down... first his hands to her waste to unfasten the denim jeans and then smoothing them up over her flat stomach again... lifting up and pulling her shirt off. Then, with ravenous passion his mouth followed, and much like his fantasy on the Blackbird her breasts did not leave one wanting. She was an amazing physical specimen, and he had to admire how much training she had endured, how hard she had worked her body...but he was about to work it even harder than she ever had the courage to before.

[Wolverine]