When everyone got up in the morning, they hadn't expected to smell something delicious so early. So it was only natural for Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Evan and Rogue to go in search of the source, along with their teachers.

They all were surprised when they found Jack by the oven, platers of food everywhere.

Jack looked up when he heard them, blinking. He then smiled at them as though this were an everyday occurance.

"Hey, good morning!" He greeted. "I thought that since I was up early I'd cook breakfast for everyone. Give Miss Ororo a break, y'know?"

Jack pointed with the spatula he held to the platers that took up all the counter space in the kitchen.

"Mind taking all this to the table? I've got my hands a little full here, so..."

"Yeah, we got them." Scott replied, smiling as he and the other teens went to grab all the food. Logan moved over to lean next to Jack.

"I didn' know ya could cook." He commented.

Jack didn't look at him even as he replied.

"I had a job at a fast food joint. When I turned ten and could be trusted at home alone, mom got longer shifts so I had to cook for myself sometimes too."

"Ah."

Silence fell between them, the kitchen now quiet as they were the only two in the room.

Suddenly the spatula Jack held clattered to the ground as the teen gasped, grabbing at his lower arms. Logan lurched forward, eyes wide in shock and horror.

"Jack!"

He caught the stumbling teen, quickly moving and sitting him on one of the counters. The man's heart twisted painfully at the sight of his son in pain. What was going on?!

Jack cringed, curling slightly as he held his aching arms.

"Jack?! Jack, are ya okay?!" Logan exclaimed, trying to look Jack in the eye.

Jack licked his lips, gulping hard before he nodded, albeit shakily.

"I-I'm okay...I j-just...My arms were hurting...I'm f-fine." He said slowly, rubbing at his arms.

"You ain't fine, Jack! Ya nearly fell down 'cause it hurt so much!" Logan gently scolded, taking Jack's hands and moving them. He gently held the teen's arms, examining them.

Nothing looked wrong, but the man still felt worried.

He looked at Jack, brow furrowed.

"This happened before at all, or..?"

Jack shrugged slightly.

"Uh...A few times..I think?"

"Jack, you shoulda' told me! What if it's serious?!"

"But it isn't, it-"

"Jackson Taylor Darby."

Jack gulped, falling silent. Whenever his whole name was used he knew he was definately in trouble.

"Look, if this happens again, I want ya to tell me, alright?"

"But dad-"

"No buts. It happens again, ya tell me."

Jack huffed, pouting slightly.

"Fine."

Logan sighed, feeling slightly better.

"Thank you. Now c'mon, everyone's prob'ly wonderin' where we are." He said, hoisting Jack down.

Jack yelped in surprise, wriggling slightly.

"H-hey!"

Logan merely chuckled, setting him down on the ground and going to the dinningroom, an unhappy Jack following a moment later.

Jack sighed as he stepped into the bathtub. He needed time to think and also smelled slightly, so a bath seemed like it'd be just the thing.

He reclined back, feeling his muscles relax as they were swallowed by almost scaulding hot water.

The teen hummed in content, head resting on the back of the tub.

He felt confused. Why did his arms keep hurting at random times? And why did he feel kind of...of sick? Maybe he was getting a cold?

Jack sighed before dunking his head into the water. He really hoped he'd feel better soon.

Resurfacing he took a gasp of air, hair dripping. He breathed deeply for a moment, looking at the his reflection in the water.

He never noticed how feral his eyes were for a long moment before they flickered back to normal.

It was around midnight. The adults all were in the living room, talking quietly, when the door suddenly opened.

The Professors brow furrowed when Kurt peered in.

"Kurt, is something wrong?"

"I...I vink zere iz zomething vrong vith Jack..."

Logan stood abruptly, making everyone jump.

"What?! What's wrong?!"

"Vell I vas going by his room vhen I heard strang' noises. I vent in to zee if he vas okay, and...vell, I think he has a fever."

Kurt yelped, jumping out of the way to avoid being run over by Logan as the man ran past. The other adults soon followed him.

Logan entered Jack's room, forcing himself to be quiet as to not wake Jack. The teen slept restlessly, his face twisted slightly in an almost pained expression.

Ororo came up, gently laying a hand on the youth's forehead. Her face became concerned.

"He's burning up..!"

McCoy moved over as well, checking over Jack.

"It looks like he's experiencing a sudden fever because his body is working hard to destroy a virus, or possiby something else."

"Somethin' else? That don't sound good." Logan growled, though it wasn't threatening, more of frustrated and worried.

"Well if he did inheret the X gene from you, it could be a rare case scenario where the body believes it to be a virus and tries to destroy it." Seeing Logan's horrified face, the man was quick to reassure. "But it only lasts one, two days at most. After that it'll then recognize it as unharmful and stop. It's like a twenty-four hour bug."

McCoy checked over Jack once more.

"Hm...He should just have a bad fever, maybe some nausia, but he'll be fine in two, three days. It'll be best though if someone stays close to him for that time though."

"Yeah. I was gonna do that already." Logan replied, sitting on the edge of the bed, petting Jack's hair.

The teen's nose wrinkled, he then pressed into the hand, giving a content sigh. Logan softly smiled, eyes showing an uncommon amount of joy.

Professor X smiled.

"I believe Jack is in good hands." He said to Ororo and McCoy. "Why don't we all retire for the night? Good night, Logan."

"Yeah. 'Night." The man grunted, not giving them a second glance.

A moment later, the door shut, and Logan was alone with his sleeping son.

Jack groaned as he awoke. He felt dizzy and like he was made of glass. Did he have the flu?

His stomach gave a sudden lurch, making him curl up as he dry heaved.

A trash bin came into his view over the side of the bed.

"In 'ere, Jay." A soft, kind voice supplied.

Jack quickly leaned over the edge, hands fisting in the sheets as he vomited. A warm hand rubbed soothing cirles on his back as he continued to retch.

A few minutes later, he finally managed to stop and catch his breath. His throat burned, a vile taste in his mouth. He coughed roughly, his body wracking, lungs protesting.

Logan set the trash bin aside, helping Jack sit up. He offered the teen a glass of water, which Jack gratefully accepted. Jack took a few large gulps, the cold liquid soothing his throat and helping get the awful taste off his tongue.

Logan then took the glass, setting it on the bedside table and helping the youth lay back down.

Jack blinked tiredly up at him.

"D...Dad..."

"Shh, jus' relax, Jack. Ya've gotta little bug."

"I...D-dont feel g-good..."

Logan gave him a pitying smile.

"I know, Jay. But I'm righ' here. Yer gonna be alright." Logan assured, gently carding a hand through Jacks hair. "Jus' rest fer now, alright?"

Jack hummed, easing back into the pillow.

"I'll be right back. I gotta empty the trash bin." Logan said. Jack didn't reply, simply begining to doze.

Chuckling, Logan stood, trash bin in hand. He left the room, going down the hall, making a B-line for the nearest bathroom.

As soon as the bin was emptied, he returned to his-, well, temporarily Jack's, room. When he entered, Jack looked utterly uncomfortable. Sweat slicked his forehead, and his lips were parted as he dragged air into his lungs as though he was breathing in soup.

Logan grimaced, glad now that Ororo had left a bowl of water and a few washclothes. He went over, sitting on the edge of the bed. He dipped a cloth into the bowl of water, wringing it out and then carefully setting it on Jack's forehead.

The teen slightly stired before relaxing once more.

Logan blinked in surprise when Jack's hands found one of the mans, holding it in a slightly firm grip. Logan then smiled, running his thumb over his son's hands.

"Ya don't know how much I missed ya, Jack..."

The two days Jack spent ill had been rough on the teen. Logan had barely left his side in that time, only leaving the room to dump out the trash bin, or to get simple foods to try and coax Jack into eating, if only a little.

Jack had to admit that he was grateful to have his father around. He was still angry, but he couldn't help but miss his dad over the last eleven years of his life, and be happy to have him now.

Jack looked up from where he sat in his bed when the door opened. Logan entered, a tray of food in his hands.

"Here's some lunch. Ororo said this should go down fine an' won't make ya sick."

Jack smiled tiredly.

"Thanks." He said gratefully as the tray was set on his lap.

Logan nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed beside Jack's legs.

"Ya don't need ta thank me, Jay. How're ya feelin' so far today?"

"Mm...Better than yesterday. I think I'll be almost normal by tomorow."

Logan smiled, relieved.

"Tha's good t' hear."

Jack nodded, looking down. He suddenly looked sad.

"Jay?"

"I wonder...if mom's okay..?" Jack suddenly mumbled. Logan blinked, then his face softened.

"Jack..."

"I...I really miss her. And m-my friends..." Jack said softly, shoulders twitching slightly.

Logan grimaced as Jack began to quietly cry. Taking the tray, he set it on the bedside table. He then gathered his son up in a hug, using a hand to pet the youths hair. Jack burried his head in the man's chest, crying silently.

"Ya've had a tough week, haven't you? Bein' brought t' a strange place, aroun' complete strangers. Havin' t' go through bein' sick...I'm surprised ya ain't broken down 'fore now." Logan soothed, letting Jack grip onto his shirt and quietly sob. The man gently rocked the teen, continuing to shush and murmur soft words of comfort to him.

Soon, the teen dozed off, exhausted. Logan wasn't surprised, actually. He thought it'd happen even before he ate.

Gently laying Jack down, Logan pulled the covers over the youth, making sure his son was warm and comfortable.

He quietly watched Jack for a long few moments, then picked up the tray, leaving the room so that his son could sleep in peace.

When Jack awoke, it was to find himself alone in his temporary room. And in pain.

Jack winced, grimacing as he looked down at his aching arms. What was going on? They felt really sore...

Slowly, Jack sat up with a groan. His whole body protested, but he ignored it. He took to inspecting both the top and underside of his lower arms. He hissed when burning pain suddenly came from the underside of his forearms. He felt as though something warm and wet dripped from his arms. Was he bleeding?

His brow furrowed when he saw something odd. In the middle of the underside of his forearms, Jack thought he saw something shine.

Upon closer inspection, he found it to be a long, think stripe of metal. Jack did the only thing he could think of.

He screamed.

Thundering footsteps came from outside, and the door burst open, hitting the wall with a slam as Jack's dad along with others of the institute entered. They looked both shocked and worried.

Logan hurried over to the bed, sitting beside Jack's legs and gripping Jack's shoulders.

"Jack?! Jack! What's wrong?!"

By then, the metal on Jack's arms had vanished. Logan was surprised when Jack lurched forward, burying his head in his dad's shirt. Jack was trembling something fierce, making Logan's concern grow.

"Jay, hey, it's okay! Nothin's wrong." The man tried, holding the teen close.

"M-m-metal!" Jack managed between sobbing breaths.

Confusion crossed Logan's face.

"Wha'? Jay, ya ain't makin' sense."

"M-m-metal!" Jack repeated, desperately trying to convey his message. He pulled back from his dad, showing the underside of his forearms in a last ditch attempt.

Everyone gaped. Blood coated Jack's forearms, dripping onto the sheets that still reeked of illness.

"Jack!" Logan yelped in shock and horror, lightly grabbing the top of the teens forarms to avoid irritating the injuries that possibly hid under the blood.

Ororo quickly herded the other teens out of the room as McCoy went to work on cleaning Jack's arms. The Professor tried to sooth Jack by going into his mind to aid in calming it down once more. Logan held Jack close as McCoy did his work.

Jack hid his face in his dad's chest, continuing to shiver. None of this made any sense to him.

Once the blood was cleaned away, they found nothing. No cuts or scars, not a single scratch.

"Look Jay, see? It's okay, yer okay." Logan tried to reassure, making his son look at his forearms.

Jack merely hid his face in his dad's shirt again, whimpering.

Logan sighed, petting the teen's hair, rocking him gently.

It took a good half an hour to get Jack to settle down, and another fifteen minutes to get him back to sleep. Once that was managed, the adults left the room.

"Wha' th' heck's goin' on?!" Logan demanded once they were far from the room.

McCoy hummed.

"He might be starting to develop his mutant abilities. Unlike the other students, Rogue for example, who's abilities do not directly effect their physical self, those like Evan, who's mutant abilities do effect their physical appearance, or are directly tied to something such as their bones, have slower development of their mutant abilities. Jack most likely has an ability that ties into his physical form or such, which means his developements are going slowly."

The blue man's face then became troubled.

"Jack's change is more rough than any other that I've seen though. It's best if we keep a close eye on him. I'd like to give him a medical check-up once a day, if that's alright with you, Logan?"

Logan nodded.

"If it'll help Jack, then it's fine with me."

The Professor sighed.

"I believe we should all get some rest. This has been far too eventful an evening."

Logan snorted.

"No kiddin', Chuck."