iii.
Cecily walked out, feeling the heavy weight of their fractured relationship pressing down on her. Whenever she visited, she tried to avoid Logan, knowing all too well how their encounters would end. But eventually, their paths always crossed, and the inevitable confrontation would follow. This time, she had hoped for something different, but deep down, she knew better.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
After that first time, Cecily and Logan started leaving the mansion more frequently. It became a routine—everyone would wake up to find them gone, only for them to return whenever they felt like it, as if the world outside was the only place where they could find any semblance of peace.
This time, though, they returned sooner than planned. The professor was getting worse, and they both agreed it was best to go back. As they walked through the door, the mansion felt different, almost darker in a way.
"Storm?" Cecily called out, her voice echoing through the quiet hall.
Storm appeared at the top of the stairs, her eyes widening as she spotted Cecily. "Cecily," she said, descending the steps quickly. Her gaze dropped to Cecily’s midsection, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Look at you," Storm said, pointing to the unmistakable bump that hadn't been there when they left.
Storm's eyes softened as she reached out to touch Cecily's arm, a mix of surprise and warmth in her expression. "I didn’t expect this," she said, her tone filled with a gentle tease.
Cecily gave a small, almost shy smile, her hand resting on the bump protectively. "Neither did we," she admitted. "But things happen."
Logan stood a few steps behind Cecily, his usual gruff demeanor softened as he watched the exchange. He wasn't much for words in moments like this, but the way he stayed close to Cecily spoke volumes.
Storm glanced at Logan, then back at Cecily. "I'm happy for you both," she said sincerely, though her eyes held a hint of concern. "But you know things aren’t easy here, especially now with the professor…"
Cecily nodded, understanding the unspoken worry. "We know, but we’re here now. Whatever happens, we’ll face it together."
Storm sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly as she accepted their return. "We’ll get through it," she said, offering a reassuring smile. "Let’s go check on the professor. He’ll be glad to see you."
Cecily gave a grateful nod, taking Logan's hand as they followed Storm deeper into the mansion, ready to confront whatever lay ahead.
As they walked through the familiar halls of the mansion, the weight of the past few months settled on Cecily and Logan. The mansion, once bustling with energy, now seemed quieter, more subdued. The walls held memories of better days, but now they were filled with uncertainty and concern.
When they reached the professor's quarters, the door was slightly ajar. Storm pushed it open gently, revealing Professor Xavier lying in bed, his frail form almost swallowed by the large blankets. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow, but as they entered, he stirred, sensing their presence.
"Charles," Storm called softly.
The professor's eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he seemed disoriented. But then his gaze found Cecily and Logan, and a faint smile touched his lips. "Cecily, Logan," he murmured, his voice weak but filled with warmth.
Cecily squeezed Logan's hand before stepping closer to the bed. "We’re here, Professor," she said softly, leaning in so he could see her better. "We came back as soon as we heard."
Charles's eyes flickered down to her bump, and a spark of joy lit up his tired eyes. "A new life… amidst so much loss," he whispered, a hint of emotion in his voice. "It’s… it’s wonderful."
Logan, who had been standing back, moved closer, placing a hand on Cecily's shoulder. "We’ll take care of you, Charles," he said, his voice gruff but with an underlying tenderness that was reserved for the people he cared about most.
The professor’s smile widened just a fraction, and he looked between the two of them, his expression one of deep affection. "You both have always been stronger together… remember that," he said, his voice fading as fatigue overtook him again.
Storm stepped forward, adjusting the blankets around the professor. "He needs to rest now," she said gently, looking at Cecily and Logan with a knowing glance. "You can come back later."
Cecily nodded, leaning down to press a kiss to the professor's forehead. "We’ll be back soon," she promised before taking Logan's hand and leading him out of the room.
As they walked back into the hallway, the reality of their situation settled heavily on them. The professor’s condition was worsening, and with the added responsibility of their unborn child, the future felt more uncertain than ever.
"We’ll make it through this," Cecily said quietly, looking up at Logan with determination in her eyes.
Logan met her gaze, his usual gruffness softening as he nodded. "Yeah, we will," he agreed. "No matter what."
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Cecily gazed up at the sky, the vast expanse above mirroring her internal uncertainty. The memories of happier times felt like they belonged to another lifetime, distant and almost unreachable. The weight of her decisions and the changes in her life seemed overwhelming. She sighed deeply, searching for a sense of direction or clarity.
She returned to her tiny apartment, closing the door behind her with a soft click. As the latch caught, Cecily leaned back against the door, her legs giving out beneath her as she slid to the floor. She let out a shaky exhale, the weight of everything she’d been holding in finally pressing down on her. The silence of the apartment only amplified the emptiness she felt inside.
Her hands trembled as she buried her face in them, trying to steady her breathing. The solitude of the room was both a comfort and a reminder of how isolated she had become. For a moment, she allowed herself to feel everything—the pain, the regret, the overwhelming sense of loss. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away, forcing herself to stay composed, even though she was alone.
Cecily’s gaze drifted around the apartment, the silence pressing in on her, amplifying the loneliness that had become her constant companion. This wasn’t the life she had envisioned. The dreams she once held felt so distant now, almost like they belonged to someone else.
Unable to bear the weight of her thoughts, she crawled over to a nearby cabinet. Her hands shook slightly as she opened it and pulled out a small, weathered box. She hesitated for a moment, her breath catching in her throat, before finally lifting the lid. Inside were remnants of a past she couldn’t quite let go of—old photographs, their edges worn from being handled too many times, and the ring she still kept hidden away, its shine dulled by time.
Cecily carefully picked up the photos, each one a snapshot of a time when life had seemed so much simpler, so full of promise. Her fingers traced the faces captured in the pictures, lingering on the moments that had once brought her so much joy. And then, there was the ring. She held it in her hand, the weight of it familiar yet foreign. It was a symbol of a life she had lost, a love that had once meant everything to her.
For a moment, Cecily closed her eyes, clutching the ring tightly in her palm. She wasn’t sure why she kept it, why she couldn’t bring herself to let go. Maybe it was because it was the last tangible piece of the life she had envisioned—the life she had once believed in.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
“I won’t be gone for long, just a couple of hours,” Cecily reassured Logan as she grabbed her coat. He sighed, stepping closer to her, his eyes filled with concern.
“I know, I know, it’s just—” he began, but she gently cut him off.
“It’s just a couple of hours,” she said softly, taking hold of his arms. “My parents want to see me. They’re excited about all of this.” Her words were calm, but she could sense the unease in him. Logan nodded, his hand instinctively moving to rest on her growing bump.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice tender.
She smiled up at him, placing her hand over his. “I’d feel better if our little girl would stop kicking me every chance she got,” she said with a light laugh, trying to ease the tension.
He chuckled softly, the corners of his mouth lifting in a small smile. But she could still see the worry in his eyes, the way his mind was racing even though he was trying to keep it hidden.
“A few hours,” she repeated, her voice gentle but firm. “That’s all. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Logan sighed again, pulling her into a tight embrace. “Okay,” he murmured against her hair. “Just a few hours.”
Cecily held onto him for a moment longer, taking in the warmth of his embrace before finally pulling back. “I love you,” she said, her hand lingering on his cheek for a moment before she turned to leave.
“I love you too,” Logan replied, watching as she walked out the door.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Cecily remained on the floor, her back against the cold wall, staring at the closed box in her hands. The silence of the apartment was oppressive, every creak and groan of the old building only serving to remind her of how empty her life had become.
After what felt like hours, she finally pushed herself up and placed the box back in the cabinet. The action felt heavy, as if she was burying a part of herself all over again. She didn’t know what to do next. The life she once had, the people she once loved—it all seemed so distant, like a dream that had slipped away.
But something in her stirred. She wasn’t sure if it was resolve or just the remnants of stubbornness, but she knew she couldn’t stay in this state forever. Cecily walked over to the window, looking out at the city below. The streets were busy, full of people moving on with their lives. She envied them, but she also knew that she needed to find her own way forward, no matter how impossible it felt right now.
Cecily decided she needed to leave the apartment, even if just for a little while. She needed to clear her head, to get some air, to feel something other than the suffocating loneliness that had settled over her like a thick fog. She grabbed her coat and keys, taking one last look around the small, dark room before stepping out into the world again.
As she walked through the streets, she had no destination in mind. She just walked, letting her feet carry her wherever they wanted to go. It was a strange feeling, being surrounded by so much life when she felt so hollow inside.