I watch her walk into the next plane, the door closing softly behind her. The moment it shuts, I feel her presence fade. A pang of loss settles in my chest, but I lower my head with a bittersweet smile. "I hope she finds peace..." I murmur, my voice barely audible.
Taking a deep breath, I open my eyes, and my gaze drifts to the photo on my desk—a snapshot of me and my brothers. Scott stands in the middle, trying to look serious, while Alex wears his signature smirk. And there I am, caught mid-laugh. My lips twitch upward, but the smile doesn't last. With a sigh, I grab my coat from the back of the chair and drape it over my arm, the soft fabric of an old X-Men sweatshirt nestled in the crook of my elbow.
I approach the door, its hinges creak faintly as I push it open. "Scott, Alex!" I call out, expecting their usual banter to echo back at me. But when I step outside, I'm not met with the familiar hallways of the X-Mansion.
Instead, I find myself in the woods.
The air is damp and heavy, the earthy scent of moss and fallen leaves surrounding me. My heart skips a beat, startled, but I recognize this place—it's not real. It's a memory, or perhaps a vision. And it only means one thing: someone is dying.
The crunch of leaves underfoot draws me forward. Then I see him.
Logan lies slumped and impaled by the roots of an overturned tree, bloodied and battered, his breaths shallow and labored. Laura kneels beside him, clutching his hand with desperate strength. Her small frame trembles as she tries to hold onto what's left of him, her tears soaking the collar of her shirt and coat.
"Don't be what they made you..." Logan whispers, his voice weak but filled with conviction. His chest heaves with effort as he fights for one last breath. "Laura... Laura..." His lips twitch into a faint, ghostly smile.
"Daddy..." Laura chokes out, her voice breaking as she sobs. She clings to him as though her grip alone can keep him from slipping away.
"So... so this is what it feels like..." Logan murmurs, his words barely audible as he exhales one final breath.
"No..." Laura wails, her cry raw and filled with anguish. "No..." Her voice shatters as she hyperventilates, struggling to form words through her tears.
His death overwhelms me. My eyes sting, and tears blur my vision. I step back, and the crunch of leaves gives way to the solid thud of hardwood underfoot. I whip my head around, the sudden motion making me dizzy, and find myself back in the mansion.
Without thinking, I sprint across the room, my legs moving on instinct, and drop to my knees beside him. Logan's body lies slumped in the chair, his hand limp on the worn leather armrest. I grasp it tightly, my fingers trembling. "Logan..." I whisper, my voice cracking as I squeeze his hand.
His once-brown hair is streaked with gray, and deep lines etch his face, each one a testament to the life he's lived. His lips part slightly, and I hold my breath as he draws in a shaky inhale.
His eyelids flutter open. For a moment, confusion flickers in his hazel eyes before recognition sets in. His gaze softens as it lands on me.
"It's you..." he murmurs, his voice raspy but more alert than before.
"It's me," I reply, a shaky laugh escaping me as tears streak down my cheeks.
With surprising strength, Logan sits up and pulls me to my feet, his calloused hands cradling my face. His rough exterior melts away, replaced by a look so tender it takes my breath away.
"You did good, Logan," I whisper, resting my hands over his. The warmth of his touch feels like home. "It's time to rest now. You don't have to fight anymore."
YOU ARE READING
Fervent Feelings
FanfictionY/n Summers, the adopted sibling of Alex and Scott Summers, navigates life as an empath within the X-Men universe. After being abandoned by their biological parents at a young age, Y/n was taken in by the Summers family after discovering her mutant...
