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[ms-tique.livejournal.com]

They say you can never come home again.

A blue figure stands outside the door, shape uncertain under a baggy trenchcoat. Is he Ramon Darkholme, European Assassin, or is she Raven Howlett, mother and wife?

A hand reaches for the knocker, pauses, and falls away. A deep breath later, eyes closed, the hand closes over the knob instead.

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[canadiansixpack.livejournal.com]

The note is crushed into a ball in his fist. He's barely moved a muscle, but the sense of his posture has somehow changed. He's angry. Confirmation of his suspicions does nothing for his mood.

"She was right. I would've killed her."

[ms-tique.livejournal.com]

A nod, a swallow, an inability to meet his eyes.

"I know."

[canadiansixpack.livejournal.com]

This is victory. This is what it's like.

It doesn't feel like much of anything. Nothing's immediately different; nothing's changed. Logan turns away, pacing slowly into the kitchen and taking another deep inhale from his cigar. "So now what?"

He hadn't even contemplated what would happen if the mission succeeded.

[ms-tique.livejournal.com]

"I don't know." A cigarette. Yes. Smoking in the house has been forbidden for twenty years. It feels good to light up.

"My career is over. Everything I've worked towards for the last decade...gone. My son refuses to speak to me. My wife..." Tears well in gold eyes. "I don't know if I can forgive her." About faking Logan's death or taking her own life. Both ideas bring on a dark rage.

[canadiansixpack.livejournal.com]

That last, only time can answer. It will either fester or be released. He knows a great deal about the first.

Booted feet come back towards the shapeshifter now. And a large, callused hand meets the flawless skin of his former wife's face. A thumb brushes tears away.

[ms-tique.livejournal.com]

The blue cheek leans into his hand. Fingers hesitantly reaches out to touch his chest. One quiet sob later, the shape beneath the trenchcoat solidifies, losing ambiguity and gaining curves. The trenchcoat itself doesn't move, and it's suddenly clear that for once, Raven is actually wearing clothing.

An arm wraps tight around his waist and she holds on, burying her face in his chest.

[canadiansixpack.livejournal.com]

He'll hold her as long as she wants to be held.

"We'll figure it out, darlin'," he rumbles softly, after what seems like hours. "If it's one thing we're good at, it's managin'."

Managing well is debatable, however, at least on his end. But at least now he doesn't have to manage alone.

[ms-tique.livejournal.com]

She looks up at him, tears still streaming from her eyes, and wants to protest that she's too old to start over.

But...he doesn't look a day older than he did twenty years ago. And she has good reason to believe they have scores more ahead.

"Sell the house. It's full of too many bad memories. If we're starting over, I want to do it fresh."

[canadiansixpack.livejournal.com]

That much he can agree on right at this moment. This whole city is going to be in an uproar before the first papers hit the pavement tomorrow. "Got somewhere in mind?"

[ms-tique.livejournal.com]

She raises an eyebrow. "Toronto?"

[canadiansixpack.livejournal.com]

It'll be the first time she's seen him crack a smile since they came face to face again after more than twenty years.