George Holt stood at the entrance of the team's base, his sharp gaze scanning the room. His presence alone was enough to command attention, but it was the solemnity in his expression that caught everyone off guard.
"Where's Logan?" he asked, his voice calm yet firm.
Matthew, always quick with a joke, smirked. "Damn, Logan. You got caught by your dad. What did you do this time?"
But Logan didn't respond. No witty comeback, no glare—just silence. His face remained unreadable as he grabbed his keys and walked toward the door.
"I'll meet you there," Logan said quietly to his father before stepping outside.
The team exchanged confused looks. Logan had been off for the past two days, his usual sharpness dulled, his presence quieter than normal. Even Elsa had noticed his shift in mood, though he hadn't given her a clear answer when she asked about it.
George exhaled and turned toward them. "I apologize for Logan's behavior. He gets like this around this time of year."
Elsa frowned. "Why? What's today?"
George hesitated before speaking. "Today marks fourteen years since his mother's passing."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Matthew, who had just been teasing Logan, felt a pang of guilt sink in. "Shit… I didn't know."
George nodded. "He doesn't talk about it much, but he misses her. Every year, we visit her grave together."
Elsa stood abruptly. "Where is he going?"
"To buy flowers for her grave," George said.
Elsa didn't hesitate. "I'm coming with you."
Jessica and William exchanged glances but didn't argue. They understood—Elsa needed to be there for him.
Elsa quickly changed into an all-black outfit, matching the somber occasion, before joining George.
As she climbed into his car, she spoke softly. "I know Logan doesn't always open up, but I need to be there for him."
George glanced at her and gave a small nod of approval. "He'll appreciate it… even if he doesn't say it."
And with that, they drove off to meet Logan—where he stood, flowers in hand, staring at the grave of the mother he had lost too soon.
The cemetery was quiet, save for the soft rustling of the wind through the trees. Logan stood in front of the headstone, his posture rigid, hands gripping a bouquet of white lilies. His expression was unreadable, but Elsa could see the tension in his jaw, the way his fingers slightly trembled around the flowers.
George parked the car a short distance away, allowing Logan his space. He turned to Elsa before stepping out. "Give him a moment. He might not say much, but he feels everything."
Elsa nodded, watching as George exited and approached his son. She followed a few seconds later, keeping her steps light on the grass.
Logan didn't look up when his father stood beside him. "I got white lilies this year. She liked them, right?" His voice was quiet, distant.
George nodded. "She did. They were her favorite."
Logan knelt, gently placing the flowers against the grave. Elsa finally got a closer look at the inscription:
Ava Holt
Loving Wife & Mother
Gone but Never Forgotten
Elsa's chest tightened. She had never heard Logan talk much about his mother. He had always been more focused on the present—on survival, on the mission. But standing here, she saw another side of him. A side she knew existed but rarely got to witness.
George took a deep breath. "She would've been proud of you."
Logan let out a short, bitter laugh. "Would she?" He shook his head. "She wanted a normal life. She wanted me to be anything but this."
Elsa stepped closer, gently reaching for his hand. He flinched at first but didn't pull away.
"You're not just a triggerman, Logan," she said softly. "You're more than that."
Logan glanced at her, his usually sharp eyes softer in the dim light of the cemetery. He didn't respond, but she could tell her words settled somewhere deep inside him.
After a few moments of silence, George placed a firm hand on Logan's shoulder. "Take as much time as you need. I'll be by the car."
Logan gave a small nod, and George walked away, leaving just the two of them.
Elsa squeezed his hand gently. "You don't have to carry this alone, you know."
Logan exhaled, finally letting his shoulders relax just a little. "I know."
She didn't push him to talk more. Instead, she just stood beside him, offering the one thing he rarely let himself have—quiet support.
The silence stretched between them, comfortable yet heavy with unspoken words. Logan stood still, his eyes fixed on his mother's name etched into the stone. The white lilies rested against the grave, their petals swaying slightly in the evening breeze.
Elsa remained by his side, not saying much. She didn't need to. Her presence alone was enough.
After a while, Logan let out a quiet sigh and turned to her. "You're still here."
Elsa smirked, crossing her arms. "Obviously. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I left you alone on a day like this?"
His lips twitched slightly at that, but the exhaustion in his expression was still evident. He ran a hand through his hair, shaking off the lingering emotions before glancing back at the grave one last time.
"She would've liked you." His voice was quieter now, softer.
Elsa raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why's that?"
Logan exhaled, tilting his head as he thought about it. "You don't take shit from anyone. You would've argued with her, and she would've liked that."
Elsa chuckled. "Well, now I wish I could've met her. She sounds like my kind of woman."
Logan gave her a small nod before stepping back from the grave. His father was waiting near the car, watching silently. The sky had started to darken, casting a soft glow over the cemetery.
As they made their way back, Elsa kept her hand loosely intertwined with his. She didn't let go, not even when he tensed slightly.
George glanced at Logan when they reached the car. "You ready?"
Logan hesitated for a moment before giving a slow nod. "Yeah. Let's go."
They drove off, leaving the cemetery behind. Logan remained quiet for most of the ride, but Elsa never let go of his hand.
And for once, he didn't mind
The drive back was mostly quiet, except for the occasional sound of the engine and the distant hum of the city beyond the cemetery. Logan stared out the window, deep in thought, his expression unreadable. Elsa sat beside him, still holding his hand, while George focused on the road ahead.
After a while, George broke the silence. "You know, she'd be proud of you, Logan."
Logan didn't respond immediately. He just exhaled slowly, his grip tightening slightly. "I don't know about that."
George sighed, glancing at his son briefly. "You always say that, but look at where you are. Look at everything you've survived. You think she wouldn't be proud of the man you've become?"
Logan leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes for a second. "She'd probably be pissed about some of my choices."
George let out a low chuckle. "That she would. But she'd still be proud."
Elsa squeezed Logan's hand gently, offering silent support. He opened his eyes and glanced at her, then back at his father.
"Yeah… Maybe."
The rest of the drive was quieter, but the tension had lessened slightly. By the time they reached the base, Logan seemed a little more at ease.
As he stepped out of the car, Matthew was waiting near the entrance, hands in his pockets, looking slightly awkward. "Uh… Hey."
Logan raised an eyebrow. "Hey?"
Matthew scratched the back of his head. "I, uh… I didn't know about today. If I did, I wouldn't have—"
Logan sighed, cutting him off. "It's fine."
Matthew hesitated before nodding. "Alright… But if you wanna talk about it, or, y'know, just throw hands or something, I'm around."
That actually got a smirk out of Logan. "I'll keep that in mind."
William appeared next to Matthew, arms crossed. "You good?"
Logan glanced between his teammates—his friends—and nodded. "Yeah. I will be."
Jessica stepped up as well, giving him a small, understanding smile. No words were needed.
Logan took a breath, then turned to Elsa. "You staying over?"
Elsa smirked. "Like hell I'm leaving you alone tonight."
Logan shook his head with a small chuckle before leading the way inside.
For the first time in days, the weight on his shoulders didn't feel as heavy
Later that night, the base was quieter than usual. The team had picked up on Logan's mood and, for once, they weren't their usual loud, chaotic selves. Instead, they gave him space while staying close enough in case he needed them.
Logan sat outside on the balcony, a cigarette between his fingers, staring at the city skyline. The soft glow of the moon reflected off the glass buildings, but his mind was elsewhere.
Elsa stepped out, draping a hoodie over her shoulders. "You know, smoking doesn't make the grief go away."
Logan smirked slightly but didn't look at her. "Didn't say it would."
She walked over and took a seat next to him, pulling her knees to her chest. "You should've told me sooner."
Logan exhaled slowly, watching the smoke drift into the night sky. "Didn't want to make it a thing."
Elsa sighed. "It is a thing, Logan. You lost your mom. That's not something you just push down forever."
For a while, neither of them spoke. The distant hum of the city filled the silence between them.
Finally, Logan spoke. "She was everything to me, you know? When she died, it felt like the world just… stopped. And every year, on this day, it feels like I lose her all over again."
Elsa rested her head against his shoulder. "You don't have to carry that alone."
Logan didn't reply immediately. But after a moment, he flicked the cigarette away and wrapped an arm around her.
"Yeah… I know."
---
Inside, the rest of the team sat in the common area. Matthew was tinkering with some gadget, William was cleaning his weapons, and Jessica scrolled through her phone.
Matthew broke the silence. "Think he's okay?"
William didn't look up. "He will be. He's got us."
Jessica smirked. "And Elsa."
Matthew chuckled. "Yeah. She's probably the only one who can keep his stubborn ass in check."
William set down his weapon and leaned back. "Let him have his moment. Tomorrow, it's back to business."
Matthew sighed. "Yeah… But tonight, we let him be human."
And for the first time in a long while, Logan allowed himself to do just that.