Logan watched as the dark haired girl across the clearing sat by the water, staring out, not looking up, not speaking….very much shrinking back into the shell of a child he'd first met a couple weeks ago.

The Wolverine felt his heart wrench some at the memory, that a girl of so few words could have stolen his heart while his back was turned—while he was on his guard against it to top it all off. Laura. His…daughter.

Logan blinked quickly, turning his head away and quietly slipping from the woods, his chest trembling a little as the vivid memories came flooding back.

The chase. Blood. Blood….everywhere. And he couldn't fight it, couldn't hold it off…

And then Laura had been there, she'd been kneeling beside him and crying, shedding tears for him…and whispered a word Logan had never heard before in his life, yet had silently wished one day he would. But up until this point thought it was too late.

Daddy…

There was a desperate plea to her voice, through the tears streaming down her cheeks. Logan could sense the words even though all she kept doing was quietly begging daddy…daddy.

"Daddy, don't leave me. I only just found you. You can't go so soon. I love you…stay with me."

Logan paused in his walking, his fingers gripping the rough bark of a tree and feeling something choke him. He'd relived the moment time and time again since coming back from the grave. And every time it just about crushed him.

And he'd wanted nothing more than to run and hold her tightly forever and ever…

But Laura had changed…and the reunion had not been what Logan had hoped or expected.

She didn't ignore him. But she avoided him. Barely speaking to him, barely acknowledging he was there.

And it pained him.

The Wolverine briefly moved his blue eyes back over his shoulder to the little clearing in the woods, where Laura sat by the water, hugging her knees. She knew he was here yet she pretended she did not.

And all Logan could think was *why*? What had changed to cause her to slip back? Now, finally, he was sure he had the answer. Yet every time he moved to speak to her she would move away.

Blowing out a long sigh, Logan turned back and headed down the grass toward her for another try.

He settled down on the bank beside her, glancing over and finding her dark eyes staring straight ahead. "I know why you're angry with me." He murmured quietly.

"I'm not angry with you." Laura insisted rather shortly, still not looking at him.

"Yeah? Well how come you've been avoiding me like I've got something catching?" Logan waited for a reply, which he didn't get. She merely pulled her pink sunglasses off her forehead and put them over her eyes.

"That's what I thought." Logan moved his gaze away, slowly getting up and moving away for the second time. Halfway up the bank he paused and looked back. "I'm here for you, you know that, Laura?" he didn't wait for a reply that would never come.

It was her choice if she chose to speak to him about it…but Logan didn't want to push her. Especially when he himself found it difficult to explain himself to others. He hated it most of the time, to be frank.

No. He would want till Laura came to him…even if she never did. He would still love her, still protect her with every fibre in his being.

Late that night, Logan got woken from his restless sleep by soft footsteps. He sat up quickly, knowing who it was already.

In the faint light, the dark haired girl stood in the doorway, staring at him.

His first thought was that he'd woken her up with another one of his nightmares.

But then he realised that wasn't it.

Not quite.

"You had a dream." It wasn't a question.

Laura nodded, but she didn't go over to him. "I have them every night."

"About people hurting you?"

"No." she blinked at him. "About you."

Logan was silent for a long moment, before he pushed the covers back slowly, as if he was afraid she'd dart off. "About me?"

She nodded again.

"What happened?"

"You were dying. I couldn't stop it…." She swallowed, looking conflicted, her eyes darting to his chest as if afraid she'd see red blood pumping out, spreading across his white singlet.

Logan quietly beckoned her over, and this time she didn't walk away. She stood in front of him, blinking hard to keep the moisture at bay. Almost hesitantly, she reached one hand out and pressed it to his chest. And Logan felt his heart skip a beat.

"Remember when you told me that bad things happen to people you care about?" she whispered to him. He nodded. "I have that curse."

And even though Logan knew this was what had been troubling her, he couldn't help but shake his head a little too hard. "Laura, no. Listen to me." He grasped the small hand pressed to his chest and waited till she moved her teary eyes to his face. "Listen—"

"No!" she snapped, sniffing, the tears pouring hard and fast now. "Because you will tell me I don't and I do! I couldn't stop Gabriela from dying! And…and…" her voice was breaking. "I couldn't stop you."

"Laura—"

"What if you get killed again? What if—"

Logan gently but firmly, moved both hands to her face, shushing her. "Laura. I have told you about my nightmares. That I have to live everyday, every second, remembering those people—good and bad. What happened to Gabriela was not your fault and nor was my death. Don't choose to blame yourself. Don't choose…to be like me."

"But I could have done something!"

"You did. You did everything you could." Logan very gently swiped a lock of dark hair from her eyes. "You don't have to be cursed. So don't let yourself be."

Laura sniffed again, the tears still running down her nose before she flashed her arms out and wrapped them around his neck tightly, curling her fingers in his hair, burying her face into his shoulder and giving a few muffled sobs. And Logan held her tightly, closing his eyes and gently pressing his cheek to her soft hair as he held her trembling figure.

She couldn't ask him not to leave her again, but Logan knew she wanted to. She couldn't tell him how much she missed him, because words wouldn't suffice.

But very softly, amidst the stifled weeping, he heard her whisper a word that made his chest tremble.

"Daddy…"