Title: Marie's List

Rating: PG-13 to be on the safe side

Summary: Complete one-shot re-post. It's Marie and Logan's one-month anniversary, and Marie decides to surprise him with a list of reasons why she loves him.

Disclaimer: Don't own the X-Men.

Archive: WRFA, FFN, Generation Pop, ask me.

Spoilers/Continuity: post-X2

Author's Notes: For the WRFA Big 3-0 Challenge. Special Thanks to Jenn for her help with coming up with 30 reasons!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's a sweet idea, Rogue," Kitty commented from behind her friend's head, lifting another hunk of reddish brown hair to wind around the curling iron in her hand. "But why thirty reasons?"

Marie smiled in the mirror, meeting the reflection of Kitty's big blue eyes. "Because it's our one month anniversary, it's July thirtieth, and we've been married thirty days. And that is how many reasons Ah came up with."

"Chica, there is a lot to love about Wolvie," Jubilee chimed in from Kitty's bed.

They had gathered in this location to prep Marie for her anniversary dinner with her husband because Jubilee's room was a mess and the cabin Logan and Marie shared on the Professor's property was off limits for about ten more minutes. Logan was cooking their anniversary dinner, and he wanted it to be a surprise.

The two of them had little extra money, being unable to find steady jobs that would be tolerant of mutants and allow them to fulfill their duties as X-Men. Because they had just finished paying for the wedding and had each decided to accept teaching positions at the school, they could now start to save up money for other things. But for this month, they had decided together that they would each do something for the other instead of give a gift.

"Mm," Kitty murmured in agreement to Jubilee's comment. "Including the fact that he's never gutted you for calling him that."

Marie laughed when Jubilee made a face at Kitty. Jubilee stood up and handed Kitty a piece of paper, taking Kitty's place behind the seated Rogue to finish up the curling. Kitty quickly scanned the list Marie had let them see only after they had sworn a vow of secrecy. She blushed a few times, and then she frowned.

"Um, Rogue? There are only twenty-nine reasons here."

"Ah know," Marie answered. "Number thirty is a surprise."

Marie's two friends shared a look and finished their primping. Marie stood and twirled slowly for them. Kitty complimented her softly and Jubilee let loose a lusty whistle. Marie shook her head at her friend's enthusiasm and thanked them both for their help. Marie left the mansion quickly and followed the path that led through the grounds to her home and the man she loved.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan looked up as his wife walked in the front door at exactly the time he had said she could come back. He smiled as he lit the candle he had just placed in its holder. When he came around the table, Marie stood still for his inspection. She was wearing a deep green dress that ended just above her knees, strappy heels adorning her feet. It was the outfit she had been wearing when he had proposed. Her hair was down the way he liked it, falling in soft curls halfway down her back.

Logan had shaved and trimmed his sideburns. He had also broken down enough to be wearing black slacks and a white collared shirt. He wasn't entirely comfortable, but he figured he could deal with feeling like a Ken doll for a few hours if it made Marie happy.

"Happy anniversary, darlin'," Logan said as he gathered Marie into his arms, lifting a hand to tug gently on a lock of the white hair framing her face.

"Happy anniversary, sugah," she responded just before his mouth landed on hers.

Marie whimpered slightly when Logan pulled away after a deep, exploratory kiss. He traced her lips with one finger and sighed heavily.

"Time for that later, darlin'. I don't want dinner going bad after I worked so hard."

Marie smiled and let him lead her to the small table set for an intimate dinner for two. Dinner was delicious. Baked salmon in a creamy sauce that would probably make her gain five pounds on a bed of white rice with asparagus spears on the side. Marie ate with relish, feeding her husband a few bites off her plate when he finished his own first.

They cleared the table together and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Logan had already cleaned up from cooking, so they moved to the living room couch, Marie settling into Logan's lap. They stayed that way for a minute and a half before Marie lost patience. She sat up straight and looked him in the eye.

"Don't you wanna know what I decided to do for you, Logan?"

Logan chuckled and answered simply, "Sure."

Marie made a face and sighed before smiling. "Ah have been your wife for thirty days today and I decided to give you a list of thirty reasons why Ah love you."

"Awfully ambitious of you darlin'."

Marie poked him in the side, earning a grunt from Logan. She didn't like it when he was negative about himself.

"Ah love you with everything in me."

"I know, Marie," he said apologetically. "I love you, too. More than I have words to say."

A beautiful smile lit her features. "Alright, sugah, try not to interrupt or we'll never make it to bed."

Logan grinned and settled in to listen to Marie's list.

"Ah love that Ah got to marry my hero. Ah love that Ah'm your salvation."

Telling her that it had been she who had saved him all those years ago when they met as opposed to the other way around, that she had saved his soul, had been part of his proposal speech. It had made her cry so hard Logan had been afraid she was going to say no. But Marie had explained later that she had been so desperately happy that there was nothing else she could have done in that moment.

"Ah love your smirk, because most of the time Ah know exactly what it is you're laughing at on the inside. Ah love your eyes, the beauty of them and the way Ah can read all your emotions in them."

He batted his eyelashes at her playfully. Marie bit back a giggle and glared at him unconvincingly.

"Ah love that you get such pure joy from riding a motorcycle, especially when Ah'm holding on for dear life behind you. Ah love your growl, the way it rumbles in your chest. Ah love that your hair defies gravity even without the aid of gel."

Logan rolled his eyes. Marie smiled, a mischievous twinkle lighting her gaze.

"Ah love the way you look in your leather X-Men uniform," she said.

"Marie," he growled in a half-warning.

She grinned and leaned in closer, whispering, "Ah love the way you say mah real name."

Logan smiled, realizing his beautiful young wife had counted on that response from him after the uniform comment. Marie knew him so well. He pulled her close to reward her little plan with a kiss. She responded as passionately as she always did, but pushed away and swatted him playfully when they parted for air.

"Don't interrupt, sugah," Marie commanded.

"Anything you say, darlin," he answered.

Marie smiled lovingly at him again, "Ah love that even though you're a macho guy you still like that we have pet names for each other."

Logan grinned and slowly trailed his hand down her thigh and back up.

"Ah love that you were never afraid to touch meh, even before Ah could control mah skin."

The hand on her thigh gave a small, reassuring squeeze.

"Ah love that you wanted our first time together to be on our wedding night."

Logan's gaze heated on hers, but he took her command to heart and didn't interrupt again.

"Ah love how close you hold meh after we make love."

"Marie," he rumbled. "If you don't want me to interrupt you again, you need to stop looking at me that way."

"Sugah," she said softly. "I will never stop looking at you with love."

He responded huskily, "I'm gonna hold you to that, darlin."

"Ah wouldn't have it any other way. Now back to mah list. Ah love that Ah'm the only one you let see every side of you."

Logan grinned suggestively, "And we both know how much you like seeing my backside."

Marie gasped and smacked him again, a little harder than last time.

"Hush. Ah love that the piece of you Ah have in mah head has always been a comfort."

Logan smiled softly and lifted her hand to brush a kiss across her knuckles.

"Ah love your gentleness. And Ah love that every time you kiss meh, no matter where or how, Ah can feel how much you love meh."

This time he couldn't resist the sweet temptation of her lips. Logan thread his fingers into her softly curled hair and pulled her to him for a kiss that left them both wanting more. But Marie wasn't done.

"Ah love that you respect meh. Ah love that we're a team even without the other X-Men. Ah love that you made friends with Scott so we could all work together without anyone getting killed."

Logan grumbled something about 'Scooter' under his breath but Marie ignored it.

"Ah love how protective you are. Ah love that you're a fighter, all the way down to your soul. Ah love the look in your eyes when you watch meh."

"You're the only one who gets that look, darlin'."

"Ah better be," Marie threatened with a teasing note in her voice. "Ah love your sense of humor, even if Ah'm the only one who really gets it."

One corner of Logan's mouth quirked upward.

"Ah love how loyal you are to your friends, to meh. Ah love the sense of honor that is such a big part of who you are."

Marie lifted a hand to trace the dark slashes of hair above his eyes. "Ah love how you can say more with a tilt of your eyebrows than a lot of men could say with a hundred word speech."

She leaned forward to drag her lips across said eyebrows. A breath shuddered out of Logan, and he pulled her down against his chest, just holding her to him. They stayed that way for a few minutes, just breathing each other in and drawing strength and comfort from the embrace. Marie sat up slowly, giving him a loving smile.

"Ah love how possessive and territorial you have always been around meh. Even before you would admit to anyone, even yourself, that Ah would always be yours. Ah love that you're willing to give your life for me, that you almost did more than once."

This time, Marie gave him a deep kiss, one that left his brain a pile of mush for a few minutes. When he had pulled himself together, Logan counted back over the reasons she had given, realizing she was one shy of her intended total.

"What's reason number thirty, darlin?"

His wife's scent changed slightly; she was anxious. He knew without question that this last reason was the most important to her. That she wanted it to be the most important to him. Marie shifted so that she was straddling his lap, looking straight into his eyes. Logan's hands slid down to her hips, holding her tightly against him. He smiled encouragingly at her. In a soft voice full of love, Marie gave him her thirtieth reason, and the second greatest gift he had ever received, her love being the first.

"Ah love that in a little over eight months, you are going to be a wonderful father to our baby."