A/N - HI THERE. I know it's been a while since I've touched this, but my stress level is high enough that actual writing is hard to focus on ... and that means ... you guessed it. Editing time. So. here we go - freshly revamped for YOU, my darling readers ... Volume Three of my 906 Universe! Enjoy.
Chapter One: About Damned Time
It took a tiny bit longer for K and the twins to get the okay to get out of the lab since James had had such a hard time getting started. But … eventually, the little family made their way up to the dining room to introduce little James and Rose to the extended family. Of course, when they got there, Jean had been sure to allow someone else to hold Rachel simply so she could more easily make herself available to hold one of the newborns.
But … to Jean's utter surprise, Logan walked past her - only barely edging her out of the way to hand James to Scott. From where she was sitting, she could barely appreciate the look of perfect shock on Scott's face as he smiled down at James in pure disbelief before K carefully slipped Rose into her arms. "Thought you'd want a moment before we disappear with Abbey," K said to Scott, who could only smile wider as he nodded his head - already well beyond words.
"Kurt's been bragging that he gets two, but Abbey's going to be an amazing big sister," Scott said as he grinned at the little boy. "She can't wait to spend some time with them."
"And Jeannie-" Logan started to say, but she cut him off before he could get there.
"So … does that count as the legal choices too?" Jean asked with a not-at-all convincing innocent expression.
"Maybe," Logan said. "Pretty sure it's a requirement for 'em to have a pretty redhead on deck and ready to go."
"Oh? Heather then?" Scott teased, which got a gasp from Jean just before Scott broke down laughing to himself.
"No," Logan replied, shaking his head. "Natasha's still the pick there. You two get the second slot if she can't handle it."
Both Jean and Scott looked up - more than a little surprised at the choice. "I didn't realize that she was the family type," Jean said before she glanced down at the sleeping little girl in her arms and shifted to a slightly more protective hold on her.
"Shouldn't have to be," K added. "We're a little harder to kill than the average bear, so …"
"Yeah, we know. You're hoping it's not the case. We're just going to make sure it's not the case," Scott said, still smirking since James wasn't anywhere near as sleepy as Rose was and he was staring up at Scott with an open expression that only newborns are capable of.
"That's the general idea, yeah," Logan agreed.
"Like we'd let them be separated anyhow," Jean scoffed as Rose let out a yawn that seemed far too big for her tiny body. "Are you sure …."
"Jeannie, we haven't got anything legal made up. If we were to croak tomorrow, that'd leave you with all three of our little ones- and every one of 'em are probably gonna be like me. I'm not doing that to anyone," Logan deadpanned - though he stopped cold when Scott spoke up.
"I wouldn't mind," Scott said, mostly to James as he smiled down at that little guy. "They're not trouble when they're this little."
Logan stared at him for a moment but K cut in to stop the shock factor. "Okay. That's enough for you. If you want a son, you're going to have to get to work on it yourself."
"I'm just saying hello," Scott defended - still smiling as he watched little James. "He's just so little …"
"Yeah. Wonder where he gets that from," K said as Scott barely held back a laugh and then very gently handed him back to K.
"I'll be next to you at the wedding," Jean promised K as she handed Rose back to Logan. "We'll take the twins so you can do your last minute thing with Kitty, okay?"
"Like Charles isn't dying to hold one," K replied as the little family headed off to retrieve Abbey from Kurt. As it turned out, the two of them were having a proper tea party - if you counted swinging from ropes wearing tricots proper tea party behavior.
"If you're busy, we can come back," Logan called out.
But that only had Kurt teleporting over with Abbey holding tight around his neck and giggling madly. "Nein, we've looted all we can," he said as he gave the little girl a kiss then set her on the ground with his tail. He rested one hand over his stomach. "She is quite the looter of chocolate chips, mein Freund."
"She learned that from your bad influence," Logan told him as Abbey hugged her father's leg and Kurt slipped over to pull the blanket back to look at James more clearly.
"Ah. My namesake," Kurt said in a rich, deep tone before she scooped him up and crouched down for Abbey to say hello.
Abbey peeked over, still holding tight to Logan's leg, though when James blinked at her a few times and started to squirm and stretch, she covered her mouth with one hand and started giggling.
"Oh yes, I think he's a keeper, don't you, schatzi?" Kurt asked Abbey.
"Uh-huh," she said then leaned over to very gently kiss James' forehead.
"Come on now, flicka," K said in an almost sing-song tone. "You can learn to buckle swashes tomorrow."
Abbey grinned then leaned over to kiss Kurt on the cheek. "Auf wiedersehen."
Kurt handed James back to K with a proud grin and Abbey attached herself once again to her father's leg, leaving Kurt smiling after his best friend with his little girls in tow.
Time seemed to pass faster when half the mansion of better was rushing and buzzing to make the final arrangements for the upcoming wedding.
Everyone was well aware of the nerves that were flying around, and the overall concern that … even after the years of dating … maybe they were rushing into it for the near-anxiety attack Kitty was having as the date crept closer.
But … any time anyone tried to breach the subject with Kitty, the response was always the same - anger, denial, and accusations that made it clear that come hell or high water, Kitty was determined to see this through.
The little brunette was pinning her hair up, little curls cascading over her shoulders, her makeup already pristine, accentuating her eyes with a little gold that drew attention to her deep brown eyes. It had felt like a lifetime since she'd done this … but she had to admit, it was still a good look.
"You just about ready, darlin'?" Logan growled out before resting his hands on her arms and leaning in to kiss her neck, unable to stop himself as he worked his way slowly and purposefully up to her ear, to give her a little nip as she rested her hand over his.
"I can be late. You can't," she said giving him a squeeze right back.
"Like hell. I'm not goin' without you," he told her, finally standing upright with his hands on his wife's bare shoulders. She smiled at his reflection but didn't respond right away. It had been a long couple of months and he'd gently pushed her from the moment the twins were born to pull herself together, knowing that depression and K was not a good mix, and honestly worried that she'd slip too far with the pressure of twins. She was nearly back to herself, too. Though her biggest complaint was that she had to eat like a horse all the time to keep her weight up while breastfeeding the twins.
The two ferals had almost an hour to get to the other side of the property where Kitty and Piotr were finally, after years of tiptoeing around each other, FINALLY getting married. But … that still meant they had an hour.
K swiveled in her seat, rising up to face him as he smiled back at her, not stepping back from her as she invaded his space. But apparently, that on its own was enough for K to narrow her eyes at him and reach out to poke him in the chest. Not that it bothered him in the least.
"You, mister, will have to wait until after the ceremony before you even dream of starting up any monkey business. You have to make sure that you get your dance with her," she told him as he pulled her close, already half ignoring her hard line as he started up with little kisses. "I'm serious, Logan. You have to wait." She was grinning at him - though he didn't see it.
"Fine. But we're gonna have to get a break from all this busy time," he growled, his hand still headed toward a no-fly zone until she grabbed his wrist and met his gaze with a growl.
"Just because I'm getting back to speed does not mean you can just rush in for a quickie every time you feel like it," she warned. Which at least had Logan shifting gears quickly.
"You sayin' you don't wanna" he countered low, but that only had K honestly pausing as he leaned into her, backing her across the room one step at a time. It was honestly a trick question. And she knew it.
"Not … you can't just … we have somewhere to be," she finished staring at his mouth as she hit the wall and he pushed against her for a long, very involved kiss that was a bit too easy to get lost in. Luckily though, just as her resolve was starting to honestly melt, Jubilee's voice rang through the boathouse, which had Logan breaking the kiss as he stayed close.
"We're pickin' up on this later," he warned, though he couldn't stop the smile when K's only response was to nod wordlessly as they stayed where they were and Jubilee made her way to their door.
"Good god, you two. Am I going to need to get the hose on you?" Jubilee griped, hands on her hips.
"Yeah. Make it more interestin'," Logan growled before taking K's hand and dragging her behind him past a rather irked looking firecracker.
"Jeez, you two. The guys have the twins and Jean is almost done with Abbey's hair. Are you sure Abbey is going to be able to do the flowers on her own?" Jubilee asked K as they rushed up to the mansion.
K nodded with a sigh, already checking her hair and lipstick. "She'll have Charles to help her focus if she needs to. It will be fine."
When they got up to the mansion, they made their way to Charles' office where the men were gathered, passing the twins and Rachel around, seeing as the women were all very preoccupied with finishing up the preparations on the bride.
Scott was cuddling with little James, Kurt had Rose, and Piotr had Rachel - and both twins were fast asleep. Rachel, however was staring at Piotr without blinking - almost as if she was trying to have an honest to God staring contest with him.
"Are you sure you guys are alright with the little ones for a bit longer?" K asked, but the question had Charles grinning at her.
"Of course, the only problem is everyone wants to hold them," Charles told her as Logan took James from Scott. K smiled and winked at the group of them before running upstairs where the women were doing their final preparations for the wedding. They all looked stunning, of course. Kitty's hair was pulled up, accentuating her long graceful neck. Kitty's mother was in tears as her daughter was finally ready to go. K smiled when she saw her, and made sure to be careful when she gave her a hug.
"Congratulations, Katherine. You're positively stunning," K promised quietly. Kitty couldn't help but give K a once over as they stepped apart and Abbey toddled over to her mother looking like a little princess. K crouched down to Abbey's level to nuzzle her before the ceremony and give her a little kiss that had her giggling.
"I'm telling you, K – it's like you didn't even have the twins. That's not fair to the rest of us," Kitty teased, grinning at her and knowing full well how uncomfortable K was when people talked about her figure.
"And on that note, I'm headed back downstairs," K said, giving Kitty a playful sort of glare. "You be good for Auntie Jeannie and Kitten, OK?" she said to Abbey. Of course, Abbey simply grinned up at her mother in response before she pulled at her hand until K crouched down again where Abbey could give her mother a little kiss. Just then, Logan knocked on the door – it was painfully obvious that Jean had sent for him to come get Kitty.
"You girls set to go?" Logan asked, stopping in his tracks when he saw Kitty. "Punkin' – you look perfect. Too damn good for Petey." Kitty grinned and blushed brightly at that as Logan stole a kiss from K when they passed each other. "You know I gotta say it."
"You don't have to," Kitty said, and though the other team members in attendance knew exactly what he was doing, Kitty's mother looked a little nervous as Logan approached her only child.
"Yes I do," Logan said. "You don't have to marry him if you're having second thoughts. I don't give a damn if the Queen of England's out there waiting. No pressure."
Kitty let out an exasperated sigh and her mother smiled crookedly as Kitty stepped closer to Logan. "And I told you - I'm on board. We've been together forever. It's all I've wanted for as long as I can remember!"
"As long as it's for you," Logan said before he kissed her cheek, and a moment later, she threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug.
Meanwhile, K caught up with the men and she walked with Charles to the side yard nearest the forest. The trees were to serve as a backdrop, their leaves in perfect full color. They took a seat in the front row on the bride's side, each of them holding one of the twins. K had taken the time to feed and change them before the ceremony and both were awake for now, smiling at whoever held them.
The ceremony itself was lovely, Kitty even cried a little, holding on to Logan's arm like a lifeline before he handed her to Piotr. She whispered something to him before she gave him a kiss right next to his mouth before he stepped back and took his seat between Kitty's mother and K, taking K's free hand in his and leaning to her to give her a kiss. Kitty's mother kept her composure for most of the ceremony, though that went out the window as she let out the first whoop when Kurt declared them as one before the new Mr. and Mrs. Rasputin kissed for the first time as a married couple. The crowd of X-Men, Avengers, Excalibur, and even some of Magneto's Acolytes were all giving their blessings as the couple was presented at last.
The reception was huge, people that couldn't make the wedding found time to come and wish the couple well. Kitty was slightly starstruck when Thor asked her for a dance, but that only had Logan snickering to himself more. K and Logan themselves stayed as long as they could, but the little ones were ultimately dictating when it was time for them to call it a night. Abbey got overly tired and overly stimulated from oh, so many people around her, an before it was over, she wanted only her father. She climbed into his lap, half asleep already as she nuzzled into his neck.
Kitty rushed over before they could slip away, though, sure to kiss both of them before they could leave. Storm and Kurt gathered up the twins to carry down for K – especially since Kitty needed a word before K left.
"Are you sure we can use the cottage?" Kitty asked as K gave her a hug, digging in her clutch one handed as Piotr came over to the two women.
"Of course. You can use it whenever you want. Here, I got a copy of the key made for you. You can go anytime," K told her as she handed the key over and hugged her all the more tightly.
Until of course, K stiffened up suddenly, and Kitty did the same, neither letting go. "Please don't speak," Kitty whispered.
"Katherine Anne," K said, sounding honestly scandalized. When the two of them broke apart from their hug, K's eyes wide as she put an arms worth of distance between them. Her lips parted as she stared at Kitty, and Kitty cracked first.
"Do you mind, Pete?" Kitty said - wide-eyed as K kept staring at her.
"Of course, katya," Piotr replied in a thick, low rumble before he stepped away - though it was clear he was reluctant to leave Kitty when K was acting so very out of character.
The moment he stepped even partly away, Kitty rushed K to a quiet corner. "OK. OK. I know. I just found out last week. No one knows. I even went heavy on the perfume so Logan wouldn't catch it," Kitty said in a rush. "I'm going to tell Piotr right after the honeymoon, I swear."
K let the shocked look melt quickly then leaned in to give Kitty a kiss on the cheek. "Congratulations, Kitty. Really. I want to be there when you tell Logan."
"Oh, man," Kitty giggled before the two women took a moment to say their goodbyes before K rushed down to the boathouse. On her way, she passed Storm and Kurt on their way back up - arm in arm and sharing a drink together.
"It was a beautiful ceremony, was it not?" Kurt sang out, one arm outstretched as Storm smiled widely.
"The minister stole the show," K promised, which of course got her a quick spinning hug and a kiss on the cheek from Kurt before Storm redirected him down the path they'd been taking.
"He always does," Storm responded, chuckling to herself at Kurt's fine mood.
K smiled to herself but finished rushing to the boathouse, and when she got inside, it was clear that she'd been gone just a bit too long. Rose was crying a sad, hungry sort of cry as her father kissed her and cuddled her. Which was exactly what K needed to see to kick it into overdrive.
She slipped out of her shoes, kicking them across the room before she took the baby from Logan. In a smooth move, she turned her back to him in a silent request to unzip her - which he did without any further prompting. She shimmied out of the dress on her way to the bedroom, taking the little one somewhere more comfortable to feed her. And of course, just about the time she'd gotten Rose taken care of, James needed his turn. When they were both fed and changed, the twins passed out. Logan had taken the time that K ha the twins to read a little story to Abbey and get her tucked in, and by the time the three of them were all fed and changed - well … Lots of excitement and full tummies made for tired children.
As soon as James was asleep safely in his crib, K began to pull the pins from her hair as she made her way to the bathroom, not surprised at all when Logan stepped into the shower with her, with a wicked grin on his lips.
It was a rare morning a few days after Kitty's wedding that Logan caught K by surprise. She'd just gotten done feeding the twins, Logan had fixed up Abbey with her breakfast, who then went on to play with her toys when Logan snatched up K around the waist, and hauled her over to their bed.
"You're really not gonna say anything are ya?" he growled in her ear as he nipped at her.
"About what?" she replied, smiling up at him for his sudden case of manhandling.
"How far along is she?" he asked, his growl starting to fade.
"Oh." K blinked up at him. "I don't know. She hasn't told Pete yet, so you better act surprised when she tells you too, or she'll think I told you."
"Did she really think I'd miss it?" he said, his face scrunched up.
"No. She was hoping you'd miss it. That's why she was wearing so much perfume." He considered her answer and with a growl, instead started to kiss her. "Logan. Hey! Are you gonna play along?" He started to unbutton her shirt as she tried to wiggle out from under him, half laughing at his resistance to answering her. "Hey!"
"I'll play along," he growled.
She started to laugh as she began to kiss him back. "Abbey's awake and playing alone. How about I owe you one?"
He grumbled to himself and rolled over, pulling her with so she was looking down at him. "Fine. When does she get back?" he asked as K readjusted her position.
"She's at the cottage. She'll come back when she's ready."
Two week later the newlyweds returned quietly. Kitty made her way to see Hank before the welcoming committee got to her. As soon as she knew where she stood, she made her way to the boat house with Piotr.
As it happened, Logan's little family was having breakfast when the Rasputins knocked on the door. They didn't wait for a response - as Logan's girls had been warned not to wait for them to answer. When they stepped inside, K had James in her arms falling asleep with his hand in her shirt. She turned to look at Logan, then shot him a warning glare when her back was to Kitty and Piotr.
Kitty came in sheepishly a few steps behind K, a little blush on her pale cheeks as she finally came clean to Logan, who to his credit, played along perfectly, kissing her on the top of her head, and congratulating the both of them as he hugged her before he tured to Piotr.
"Goes double now, pal," he growled, a subtle warning against hurting Kitty or the little one.
"I'd deserve more if I hurt her, tovarich." Pete answered, smiling at his friend's good intentions as K handed James to Kitty.
"Here you go, get used to it," she said before she picked up Rose and handed her to Piotr. "If you don't help her enough, I'll castrate you." K's subtlety was entirely out the window as Piotr blinked, shocked at K's open and direct threat. The rarity of it coming from K only made it seem that much more like a promise. She smiled at him as sweetly as she could muster then turned back to Logan who had his arms crossed and an eyebrow cocked at her, clearly in disbelief.
"Like you weren't thinking it," K defended before Logan pulled her over to steal a kiss - and than almost belatedly invite Kitty and Piotr to coffee.