The Paths Home: I’m Not a Man Who Falls Too Easily
Type of Story: Series
(The Paths Home: )
Characters: Most
all from the X-Men movies
Feedback: Emily_joyner@ureach.com (Please??
I love feedback!!)
Disclaimer: I don’t own them, I
only play with them…
Additional Disclaimer: I’d like to think
that I’m being original here, but more than likely I’m not. If anyone else has read anything like this,
please let me know so that I can give credit where it’s due!
Song fic: Forever’s As Far As I’ll Go
by
(Words in italics are song lyrics)
A/N: Brooks
N Dunn, Colin Raye, Boot Scootin’ Boogie and Little Red Rodeo do not belong to me. I’m just using them here! I’m giving them back right away!
He had been feeling the
pressure lately. She wasn’t saying a
word about it, but he knew it was weighing on her. It didn’t help when Jubilee asked her to be
the Maid Of Honor in her wedding to Bobby.
He knew she thought about it, but she would never make any demands on
him. He knew it was hard on her when
Ororo and Kurt had announced their engagement.
But once again, she was unselfish.
Six years, she had stood by him, never complaining. She had been his rock during the first year
after losing Jean. Six years and not one
complaint… Even Jean hadn’t accomplished
that.
It wasn’t like marriage
hadn’t crossed his mind. Hell, he’d even
discussed it with
However,
The following year had been a
revelation where Marie was concerned.
She had blossomed into an amazing woman.
She’d graduated from college, traveled with her friends Jubilee and Kat
around Europe for two months (Lord he’d missed her then), learned to fly the
Blackbird (almost as well as he did… he was secretly very pleased with that
one!) and had
grown into her personality and her womanhood with a grace that left most of the
mansion in awe. He felt fortunate that
she had allowed him to be a part of it, these changes… They truly were best friends and lovers. He was closer to her than he’d ever been to
anyone, including Jean, in his entire life.
So what was the problem here?
The silence of the room was
getting to him. He’d been pacing their
suite of rooms for three hours now, waiting for Marie to get back. She was taking some of the Junior X-Men out
on a routine mission (another mutant needed to be picked up) and she was
showing them the ropes. He missed her,
but he’d never begrudge her the chance to flex her leadership wings. It was important to her, and therefore
important to him.
He finally gave up trying to
distract himself and switched on the radio, if nothing else than to have some
background music. He smiled to himself
as the melancholy sounds of the local country station filtered in. His Marie had a passion for country
music.
As he listened to Brooks N’
Dunn Boot Scoot Boogie their way through the night and Colin Raye go after that
Little Red Rodeo, he thought about what was holding him back.
He could admit to himself
that part of it was the age difference. He
was afraid that eventually she’d want someone her own age. Not someone almost ten years her senior. He was already in his thirties. She was only in her early twenties.
He also finally admitted to
himself that he was afraid of losing her in general. He couldn’t survive going through another
loss like Jean. He may come across as an
uptight control-freak, but he was a man who loved deeply. He was passionate with those he cared about. They became a part of him. And he was afraid to lose a part of himself
again.
As he sat there, agonizing
about what course his life would proceed to take, the
lyrics to a song that was currently playing caught his attention:
I’ll
admit I could feel it
The
first time we touched
And
the look in your eyes
Said
you felt as much
That was true. From the first time he saw her, when he was
blasting her seatbelt off of her and reached out his hand to her, he’d felt
it. That lurch in his heart, telling him
this was someone special. And when she
had taken his hand, her eyes widened, telling him he felt it too. But he had been with Jean… and it couldn’t be
right then. So, she had done the best
she could, and so had he. They had
become friends and she had become close to Jean. She had done this for him.
But I’m a not a man
Who
falls too easily
It’s best
that you know
Where
you stand with me
Taking a hard look at himself
and their relationship, he knew that she had questions and doubts. He was
controlled and he didn’t always display his thoughts and feelings. People had complained to him in the past,
including Jean, that often times they couldn’t tell what was going on in his
mind. The people in his life didn’t
always know where they stood with him, what part they played in his life… and
that was going to have to change.
I will give you my
heart
Faithful
and true
And
all the love it can hold
That’s
all I can do
‘Cause
I’ve thought about
How
long I’ll love you
And
it’s only fair you know
Forever’s
as far as I’ll go
It hit him like a ton of
bricks then… he could feel the pressure in his chest and he knew that he had to
let her know. He had to let her know
that when he made his choice so many years ago, he had actually meant that the
choice was for forever. He wanted her to
be his for always. The age excuses
didn’t hold water, the fear didn’t matter.
He wanted her! It was all about
risks. And he was ready to take the
ultimate chance.
He proceeded to pace, antsy
now that he knew what needed to be done.
He was beginning to think she was never going to get back from the
mission and now that he had this epiphany, he wanted to shout it from the
rooftops!
He finally heard her
footsteps outside their door and raced over to open it for her. She looked tired, but happy to be home. It was always rough on her, seeing the abuse
these poor orphans and runaways endured until they rescued them. She noticed that he seemed a little on edge.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“I’ve been doing some
thinking, and you should probably sit down.”
She sat, her heart
sinking. She blinked back the tears,
knowing what she had feared all these years was
finally going to happen. He was going to
leave her.
“We’ve been together for a
long time, Marie. And I think we’re too
comfortable with each other. I never
surprise you anymore.”
She wasn’t going to cry. She was not
going to cry!
“So I’m going to tell you
something now. And you may not like it,
but I have to do it for both of our sakes!”
She braced herself, turning
her head to the side, squeezing her eyes shut.
She didn’t want to hear this… and then she stilled. What?
What the hell was that!?!
Was Scott *singing*?!
She quickly turned to him and
saw that, yes, he was singing! Badly, but singing! And then as the shock wore off, she listened
to what he was singing to her.
When there’s age
around my eyes
And
gray in your hair
And
it only takes a touch
To
recall the love we’ve shared
I
won’t take for granted
You’ll
know my love is true
‘Cause
each night in your arms
I’ll
whisper to you
…Forever’s
as far as I will go.
“I didn’t know how else to
tell you, Marie. I want to be with you
always. I want to have a family with
you, a future with you. I want you to be
mine. Will you marry me? I’m not much of a prize, I’ve made you wait
six years, but forever *is* as far as
I will go.”
She couldn’t help it… The
tears that she had been holding back finally slipped out and started trickling
down her cheeks. She finally gave in to
the tears and through herself against his chest, sobbing wildly. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her
head softly. She eventually settled
down, quieting in his arms… and he barely heard her answer, but he would
remember it always.
“Yes.”