YOU'RE LOSING ME ✦ WOLVERINE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

MONDAY, MAY 26TH — 2008

Logan was already awake when Clara woke, sitting at the table, staring out the window.

She could only see his back, but she could see how tense his shoulders were. The night before, he'd drank more than usual, getting a bit drunk, which meant that Clara had to use all her strength to help him home.

A few weeks before, they'd attended Jamie's graduation together, which had been...Interesting. Clara was introduced as his mother. Logan was introduced as her boyfriend.

Stretching, she got out of bed, and gently placed her hands on Logan's shoulders. "Morning," She quietly said, kissing the top of his head. "What's wrong?"

He reached up, taking one of her hands in his. He brought it to his mouth, kissing it, and then sniffled. "It's been two years," He finally said, quietly.

Clara's heart hurt in her chest, and she leaned over, hugging him. "What would you like to do today?" She asked. "For them."

He turned then, and then hugged Clara tightly to him, burying his face in her chest. "I want to visit their graves," Logan eventually replied. "I want to buy flowers and leave them at their graves."

She nodded, and replied, "We can do that. Want me to drive?"

Logan nodded, unable to speak. A sob rose in his throat, and Clara held him there in her arms. She remembered whenever the date of David's death came around, she would always fall into a depression.

She realized, then, that this past September was the first time that the date had come and passed, and she hadn't been nearly dead with grief. Because...She'd met Logan just a few days before the mark.

She held him tighter, then. She had helped him, some, since they had met. But he had helped her more.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Storm stood with them in front of the graves. Bobby had made sure all the kids were occupied inside, and Marie and Hank were due to come out to be with them any moment.

Logan trembled as he held Jean's bouquet of flowers. Clara stood next to him on his right, holding Scott's bouquet.

He took a deep breath. He could do this, he could get through today.

"I just know Scott's looking down at you, wanting to tease you for getting him a bouquet of flowers," Storm tearfully said, breaking the silence. She chuckled, then wiped at her eyes. "And Jean would chastise him, like she always did."

Logan could see it in his head, and he chuckled, too, wiping away a tear. "He'd call me a pansy for it," He said, and Storm chuckled, leaning on his left shoulder, wrapping her hands around his arm.

Looking down at Clara, who was already looking up at him, she gave him a small, reassuring smile. "Scott would've liked you," Logan said, then shook his head, giving a small chuckle. "And would've wondered what the hell you were doing with me."

She smiled sadly, and said, "I would've just had to show him every time I saw him, why. I think one day he would've realized he was missing out."

Logan smiled, then closed his eyes. He and Scott never got to be on good terms in the entire time they knew each other. They would never get that chance, either.

Finally, Hank, Marie, and Bobby came to join them. Marie also had flowers, and Hank did, too. Leaning forward, Marie set them on Jean's grave. She sniffled, and turned towards Bobby.

"They did so much for us, and this school," Marie said, wiping at her eyes. "That's something that can't be replicated."

Logan leaned down then, Storm letting go of his arm, and set his bouquet on Jean's grave as well. He stared down at her grave, trembling again. He squeezed his eyes shut, and said, "Jean did so much for everyone she knew."