X's and O's - The Nina and Logan Years

2000, Pt. 2

She couldn't sleep. Not after what she had seen.

It had been quick, sharp fragments, but the dread it filled her with... Nothing compared. 

His mind was a battlefield, one she shouldn't have peered at. It felt intrusive, invasive, especially since he didn't know any of it himself as he could not remember. For a moment she was glad he couldn't remember any of it, but then again, it might happen that all of it would come rushing back and rearing it's ugly head, which could be even more damaging. The mind was a chasm, sometimes deep and dark.  She would have to speak to Charles about it. If there were any expert on the mind out there, it was him. 

A tapping came at her door then, making her jump. She shook the tension from her mind and body and stepped out of bed, calling "Coming!" as she slipped on her robe. Must be one of the students.

It was not one of the students, as it turned out. It was her new next door neighbour, smiling down at her from where he leaned against the doorframe and towered over her.

"Logan? What is it?"

"You said I could come by if I needed anything."

Sometimes, she knew she was too nice. "And, do you need something?"

"Yeah, just wanted to see you."

She sighed at his ongoing and never ending flirting. "It's really late-"

"How long have you been here, at this school?" he asked, clearly desperate to spend more time with her before she dismissed him.

"As long as I've known Charles, the early '60s."

"You've been here that long?"

"Yes, it's the best place in the world. It's home." 

"Seriously?"

"Yes," she stated firmly.  "I would encourage you to give it a chance. Now, if you don't mind, it is really late, and I should like some rest. If there's anything else you need, perhaps it can wait until morning. Good night, Logan."

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"He asked me to read his mind."

Nina sat with Charles in his office after asking for a private meeting.

"And?"

"And I wish I hadn't. It was all so awful. What I saw, Charles - the poor man." He could tell by just looking at her what these visions had done to affect her. 

"What did you tell him?" he asked gently. 

"That I saw nothing. I lied. How was I supposed to tell him?"

"No, I understand. You've been put in a difficult spot."

"Part of me wants to tell him, but I don't know how to convey something so awful. And then I also want to spare him, from knowing and remembering such awful things happening to him. And I know you agreed to help him solve the riddle of his past, but please, be careful."

"Oh, my dear," he said, reaching for her hand to give it a supportive squeeze. "I can see how this has shaken you so deeply."

"The poor guy," she repeated, choking out the words. 

Unbeknownst to them, Logan stood outside, listening in. The door may have been closed, but that was what enhanced hearing was for, right?

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During the battle with Magneto and the rescue of Rogue at the Statue of Liberty, Logan kept throwing himself in front of Nina to block oncoming attacks.

"I can cast protective fields, you know," she told him. "I don't need you to be my personal shield."

"I know, but maybe I want to be your personal shield."

She rolled her eyes. "We need to focus."

"I am focused."

Again, another eye-roll, but also with a smirk. 

Later, the team was separated, and with Mystique slinking around, you couldn't be too careful.

"Hey, hey, it's me," Logan cried, raising his arms in surrender before Scott could blast him. 

Scott still had his fingers at the side of his visor, ready. "Prove it."

"You're a dick."

"Okay." 

"Wait-" Nina hesitated. 

"You don't think it's me? You're breaking my heart."

That did it. "It's him. I'm convinced."

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Logan had used his healing powers to save Rogue at the end of the ordeal, and had been incapacitated every since.

Nina stood at his side, watching over him to give Jean a break from doctor duties. 

"We keep ending up like this," came his rough yet gentle voice. 

She smiled down at him.  "So it would seem. How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic."

"Good. That was a very brave thing you did."

"Did it work?"

"Yeah, she's fine. She took on a few of your more charming personality traits for a while, but we lived through it." He spluttered in a half-cough, half-laugh. "Truth be told, I think she's a little taken with you."

"Well you can tell her that I'm a little taken with someone else."

"I-" She cut herself off. "You should continue to rest - Dr. Grey's orders."

Before he let her go, he brought her hand to his mouth and touched her fingertips to his lips. 

A few days later, he was well enough to depart on his journey to Alkali Lake to hopefully obtain some answers. 

She caught him just as he was leaving. "Logan!"

"Chasing after me?" His smirk fell when he saw how serious she was. "Hey, everything okay?"

"No. I lied to you, I'm afraid. I didn't see nothing when I peered into your mind. Alkali Lake is only the beginning, the key to everything. Please, be careful. Tread carefully."

"I will." 

"Good luck"

"Thanks, Nina."

She waved as he rode away, chuckling to herself that it was in fact Scott's motorcycle he was using.  This was goodbye for now but not forever. She had a gut feeling that he would be back. 

Besides, now she had a lot to think about. 

(Totally forgot to mention last chapter but with Nina shoving Logan away with her powers, that was inspired by Wanda pulling the same trick on Bruce in 'Age of Ultron'. I do imagine Lorna, Wanda and Peter to be Nina's children with Erik in another universe ;)

Thank you so much for the positive response to this story so far! 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))