iii.
Cecily sat on Scott’s bike, her arms casually wrapped around Storm as they both watched Logan pack the car.
“Are you two just here to watch me do all the work?” Logan asked, glancing at them with a raised eyebrow.
Cecily grinned, leaning back a little. “Yeah, pretty much,” she replied with a playful smile, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
Storm chuckled beside her, clearly enjoying the banter. “You’re doing a great job, Logan,” she added, her tone teasing.
Logan shook his head with a smirk, muttering under his breath as he continued to load the car, knowing he was hopelessly outnumbered.
Cecily watched as Jean and Scott entered the garage. “Hey, you two,” she greeted them with a smile. “We’re just watching Logan do all the work if you want to join us.”
“Funny,” Logan replied, shutting the car trunk. He looked at Cecily, his expression softening. “Ready whenever you are.”
The excitement in Cecily was palpable as she finally let go of Storm, her attention fully on Logan as he walked closer.
Logan stopped when he was face-to-face with Cecily, his gaze locking onto hers. “You ready?” he asked, his voice softening.
Cecily bit her lip, excitement bubbling up inside her as she nodded. “Yeah,” she whispered, her heart racing with anticipation.
Logan leaned in for a quick kiss, but before their lips could meet, Scott stepped in, placing a hand on Logan’s chest. “You two have months to do that on your own time. And not on my bike,” Scott warned, his tone half-serious, half-amused.
Cecily laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. “Fine, fine,” she said, reluctantly letting Logan go.
Cecily slid off the bike and walked over to Jean, wrapping her in a warm hug. “Be safe, okay?” Jean whispered, her voice laced with concern.
Cecily nodded. “I will,” she promised, giving Jean a reassuring smile before stepping back.
She then turned to Scott, pausing for a moment before pulling him into a hug, knowing he wouldn't initiate it himself. “I love you, Scott,” she said, holding onto his shoulders as she pulled away.
Scott gave a small, awkward smile. “Yeah,” he muttered, his usual stoicism cracking slightly. “Just be safe, and don’t do anything stupid.”
Cecily chuckled, releasing him and moving toward Storm. She hugged her tightly, and Storm laughed. “You just spent the last hour hugging me,” she teased.
Cecily grinned, squeezing her a little tighter. “And I want to do it again. Is that such a crime?”
With one last squeeze, she let go and smiled. “I’ll see you soon, Storm,” she said softly, before finally turning to join Logan.
After all the goodbyes were said, Cecily and Logan got into the car, and with a final wave to their friends, they were off. As they drove down the road, Logan glanced over at her, a question in his eyes. "Where do you want to go first?" he asked.
Cecily took a moment, looking out the window as the familiar landscape passed by. Then, she turned to him with a soft, thoughtful expression. "I want to see my parents," she said quietly.
Logan nodded, understanding the significance of her request. "Alright," he replied gently, his hand reaching over to give hers a reassuring squeeze as they headed toward their first destination.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
They had been parked outside the house for a while, the car idling as Logan waited patiently for Cecily to make the first move. But all she did was stare at the house, her hands gripping the edge of her seat. Sensing her hesitation, Logan reached over and gently took her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.
“Hey,” he said softly, his voice cutting through the silence. “You don’t have to do this today.”
“I want to,” Cecily replied, though her voice wavered. She glanced over at Logan, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. “I just… I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. ‘Hey, Mom. Hi, Dad. Your runaway daughter has come home after over twenty years.’” She tried to inject some humor into her words, but it came out strained.
Logan squeezed her hand a little tighter, his gaze steady and reassuring. “You don’t need to have all the answers. Just be honest. They’re your parents—they’ve been waiting a long time to see you, Cecily.”
She took a deep breath, nodding as she tried to steady herself. “Yeah… I guess you’re right.”
“And if it gets too much, we can leave,” Logan added. “Whenever you’re ready, we’ll go in together.”
Cecily looked at the house again, the place she once called home, and then back at Logan. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
With Logan by her side, she took a deep breath and opened the car door, stepping out into the life she had left behind so many years ago.
Cecily and Logan approached the front door, Cecily’s heart pounding with every step. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage before she rang the doorbell.
The door creaked open, and Cecily’s mother appeared, her eyes widening in disbelief. For a moment, time seemed to stand still.
“Cecily?” Her mother’s voice was barely a whisper, filled with a mix of shock and hope. “Is it really you?”
Cecily nodded. “Hi, Mom.”
Her mother’s face softened as she took a tentative step forward, reaching out as if afraid Cecily might disappear. “I—oh my God. It’s been so long. I thought…” Her voice trailed off as she pulled Cecily into a tight hug, tears streaming down her face. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
Cecily clung to her mother, feeling a wave of relief and emotion wash over her. Logan stood quietly behind her, giving them space but ready to offer support if needed.
“I’m so sorry,” Cecily whispered, her voice trembling. “I’m sorry I stayed away for so long. I didn’t know how to come back.”
Cecily’s father appeared behind her mother, his eyes widening as he saw his daughter standing there. He was a man who had aged in ways that only heartbreak can cause, but the moment he saw Cecily, a spark of life returned to his face.
“Cecily,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. He quickly stepped forward, wrapping his arms around both her and her mother. “Welcome home.”
Tears streamed down Cecily’s face as she was enveloped in her parents’ embrace. Logan stood back, giving them their moment but offering a small smile when Cecily glanced his way. He knew this was what she needed—the closure, the reconnection she had longed for but feared.
After a few moments, Cecily’s parents pulled back, her mother wiping her eyes. “Come in, come in. Let’s sit down, talk. We have so much to catch up on.”
Cecily nodded, still overwhelmed, but relieved that the first step had gone better than she’d feared. Logan gave her a reassuring nod as she led the way inside.
When it was time to leave, Cecily hugged her parents again, this time with a promise to stay in touch, to not let so much time pass between visits. As they walked back to the car, Logan put his arm around her shoulders.
“How do you feel?” he asked, glancing down at her.
“Better,” Cecily admitted, a small smile playing on her lips. “I think I needed that.”
“You did good,” Logan said, giving her a reassuring squeeze.
As they drove away, Cecily looked out the window, feeling a sense of peace she hadn’t known in years. She knew there were still challenges ahead, but for the first time, she felt ready to face them—knowing she had the support of her family and the man beside her.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
As they drove away from her childhood home, Logan turned to Cecily. “So, where to next?” he asked, glancing over at her with a small smile.
Cecily took a deep breath, thinking about all the possibilities. “I want to go somewhere new,” she said, her eyes shining with excitement. “Somewhere I’ve never been before, where we can just be... free.”
Logan nodded, understanding the desire for a fresh start. “How about we head west? There’s a lot of open country out there, places where you can breathe, get lost in the beauty of it all.”
Cecily smiled, the idea appealing to her. “That sounds perfect. I’ve always wanted to see the mountains, just get away from it all.”
Logan chuckles. “Mountains it is, then. We’ll take our time, see the sights, and go wherever the road takes us.”
Cecily leans back in her seat, feeling a sense of adventure bubbling up inside her. “I like the sound of that. No plans, no destinations—just the us.”
That's how they found themselves in a small cabin nestled in the mountains. The night was still, the kind of quiet that only comes with being far from civilization. But that peace was shattered by the sound of grunts and labored breathing. Cecily stirred, her senses immediately alert. She turned to see Logan beside her, his face contorted in pain.
“Logan,” she whispered, trying to wake him from whatever nightmare had him in its grip. She reached out, gently tapping him on the shoulder. “Logan,” she repeated, her voice a little louder this time.
Before she could react, a sharp pain shot through her arm. Logan’s claws had extended in his sleep, piercing her skin. “Son of a bitch,” she hissed through clenched teeth, clutching her arm. The sudden pain jolted Logan awake, his eyes wild and panicked as he realized what had happened.
“Cecily—” he began, his voice thick with regret.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Cecily said quickly, trying to calm him down. She reached for him, her other hand gently cupping his face. “You’re okay, Logan. It was just a nightmare.”
He looked down at her arm, blood seeping from the wound where his claws had sliced through her skin. “Cecily... I hurt you,” he said, his voice trembling with guilt.
“It’s fine,” she said softly, her tone reassuring despite the pain. “This will be gone by morning. You know that.”
Logan shook his head, the self-loathing evident in his eyes. “No, it’s not fine. I could’ve—”
“Listen to me,” Cecily interrupted, her voice firm but gentle. “I’m okay. We’re okay. It was an accident, and I know you’d never hurt me on purpose.”
She held his gaze, willing him to believe her. Slowly, the panic in his eyes began to fade, replaced by something more vulnerable. “I don’t want to lose you,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
“You won’t,” Cecily promised, brushing a strand of hair from his face. “I’m not going anywhere, Logan.”
She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead, and he closed his eyes, leaning into the comforting warmth of her touch. They stayed like that for a moment, the tension slowly ebbing away as the reality of the situation settled in.
Finally, Logan opened his eyes, the guilt still lingering but not as overwhelming as before. “You should let me take care of that,” he said, nodding toward her arm.
Cecily smiled. “Only if it makes you feel better,” she teased lightly.
He managed a small, grateful smile in return, and they both knew that this was just one of the challenges they’d face together.
Afterward, Cecily lay on Logan's chest, her fingers tracing slow, soothing circles over his arm. The steady rise and fall of his breathing grounded her, bringing a sense of calm after the chaos of the night.
“What are you thinking about?” Logan asked softly, his voice a low rumble in the quiet cabin.
She hesitated, her hand pausing for a moment. “Do you want kids?” she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Logan was silent, the question hanging in the air between them. He stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. It wasn’t something he’d ever allowed himself to think about—not with the life he led, the things he’d done.
Cecily felt his chest tighten beneath her, and she glanced up at him, searching his face for an answer.
“Why do you ask?” he finally replied, his voice guarded.
She sighed softly, laying her head back down. “I don’t know… it just crossed my mind. I guess I was just wondering if you ever thought about it.”
Logan was quiet for a long time before he finally spoke. “It’s not that I haven’t thought about it… it’s just… I’ve never really let myself consider it. Too much baggage. Too many things I’ve done that I can’t take back.”
Cecily nodded, understanding the weight of his words. “You’re not your past, Logan. You’ve changed, and you’re still changing.”
He looked down at her, his hand coming up to gently stroke her hair. “Maybe… but I don’t know if I could be a father. Not with everything that’s inside me.”
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a quiet determination. “You care more than you let on. That’s what matters.”
Logan studied her face, seeing the sincerity in her eyes. He sighed, a deep, resigned sound. “Maybe one day… if we ever find some peace.”
Cecily smiled softly, leaning up to press a gentle kiss to his lips. “Maybe one day, I can live with that.” she said, her voice filled with hope.
Logan kissed the top of her head, holding her a little closer. "Yeah." he agreed, his voice tender. And as they lay there in the quiet of the night, the weight of the question hung between them—no longer a burden, but a possibility.