Disclaimer : I don't own the X-Men and any of the original characters. The Panthere is mine though.

Author's note : I love Wolverine and I always thought he needed someone to match him up. Jean wasn't enough. In my eyes that is. So I made up this character and decided to throw them together and see what happens

The Wolverine and the Panthere

Logan was enjoying his day off. For once. He was out of the school; he was riding his bike full speed on an open country road. Feeling the air and the open space just made it all worthwhile. Not that he didn't like being at the Xavier Institute. For the first time in his life, that he could remember that is, he felt a sense of purpose. He was doing something good, with good people, some of witch he considered friends and he was doing it for the right reasons. There were still some pretty big black clouds in his past but they didn't keep him from looking forward anymore. Still, being the loaner that he was, he really looked forward to these moments alone. He just felt like he could go on like this forever.

Eventually, nature called though. He stopped at a snack bar by the side of the road. As he got off his bike, he couldn't help but notice the one next to his. A Ducatti. "Wow, that's what I call a bike," he said out loud. He circled it, checking out the machine and appreciating the mechanics. He then entered the little restaurant…well, they did serve some food. And they had a bathroom. After his little business, he sat at the counter and figured he might as well grab a bite to eat before hitting the road again. He ordered a burger and some fires to the tired waitress and settled to wait for his food.

"I saw you looking at my bike" said a feminine voice behind him.

He turned around and was surprised to see a young woman. A pretty young woman. "Be honest with yourself, bub, she's hot stuff," he thought as he detailed her.

"Yeah, nice machine," he answered.

She wasn't very tall, maybe 5'4 or 5'5. Long, curly black hair, with some bleu reflects when the light hit them. Green eyes, but not emerald green, like Rogue's. More of a mossy green. Her skin was pale but not sick pale, just a very light shade of ivory with tiny freckles on the nose and the cheeks. She was wearing a dark purple tank top that showed the gold ring in her belly button, a blue jean jacket on top, low rise black jeans with combat boots. The outfit showed off her slim figure. She had all the right curves in the right place. She seemed almost too frail to ride a powerful machine such as the Ducatti, but then again, Logan knew better than to judge by a look. Besides, there was something about her scent. He wasn't sure what it was but there was more to this girl that met the eye.

"Yours too. Modified?" She asked.

"Yeah, made it myself."

"Good at mechanics huh?"

"Not bad. I like to do things myself"

She laughed. "Me too. I'm Jade," she said, extending a hand.

"I'm Logan"

Looking back later on, it would very be hard for him to describe exactly what happened. God knows he wasn't one to open up easily. And yet, they both found themselves sitting for hours at that crappy snack bar, talking like the world was going to end. He couldn't remember ever being this comfortable with a woman before. Even with Jean. Jade and him just had so much in common. Bikes for one thing. She was a maniac, more than he was. They both liked the same music and the same movies and the list went on and on. They didn't talk much about their respective pasts, witch was fine by him, but he did learn she was a Canadian, like him. From Quebec that is. She spoke a very fluid English, with almost no trace of an accent.

It was getting dark outside when they snapped back to reality.

"I know this is going to sound terribly 'cliché' but I can't believe it's so late!" she said when they realised what time it was. "I have to get going. A friend of mine lives nearby and I promised I'd crash there for the night."

"I guess I should get back too," he said reluctantly, he didn't really want to put an end to this. For the first time in a long while, he'd forgotten about all the little worries he had. He surprised himself by adding: "As long as we're in the 'clichés', I'd really like to see you again. If you're around long enough that is."

"I'd like that too," she said with a smile. "I don't have a fixed schedule. I just finished my three years of CEGEP (equivalent of college in Quebec) and I'm not sure I want to go to University. So, since I've always wanted to just take my bike and go where the road takes me, I figured this was the best time to do it."

He gave her the number where she could reach him and they parted. He watched as she mounted her bike, the way she swung her leg, watching her back curve when she got on. The way she moved was fascinating to him, very fluid, effortless. Like a feline. Very sexy. He was glad there were no mind readers around because the images he was picturing right now would have made anyone blush. Wondering if she was too good to be true or if he'd finally met a woman that could match him, he waved her goodbye and started to make his way home.

XxxxX

Back at the Institute later on that evening, Logan was sitting in the kitchen with Beast, having a late snack.

"…. sleep"

"Mmmm? What did you say?"

"I said, maybe you should get some sleep," Beats repeated for the third time. "What is wrong with you my friend? You seem in a completely different place tonight"

"Just tired I guess," Logan replied.

"Please Logan, we have known each other long enough now. Is something bothering you?"

"No, nothing out of the ordinary."

"Oh! I see "

"See what?" asked Logan, raising an eyebrow.

"Lost in thought, dreamy smile, unable to focus…there's a woman behind this. Anyone I know?"

"Come on Hank, get real will ya!"

"Oh dear!! It's worst than I thought…now you're denying! She must really be something!"

Logan gave him 'THE LOOK', and Beats backed off, laughing and raising both hands in peace.

"All right, all right, I won't ask."

"Logan, could you meet me in my office?" The Professor's voice called to him from inside his mind.

"Coming right up" he replied in the same manner.

"Got to go, Wheels wants to talk to me," he told Beast as he got up and left the kitchen.

He made his way up to the Professor's office and knocked before entering. The first person he saw was Charles sitting in his wheelchair behind his desk but there was someone else in the room. Logan recognised her scent before he even saw her.

"Logan," said the Professor, "I'd like you to meet Jade Bordeleau."

She turned around, and he could read in her eyes that she was just as surprised as he was.