It had been two days since Michael had been born, but Danielle was still enjoying the time with him despite the expectations placed upon him. Although a day away from her discharge and being separated from Michael (being sent to the nursery), she had been spent every moment she could with her newborn son, even breastfeeding him at night with great disapproval and disappointment from all. She studied him, noting the wrinkles that soon smoothed away to baby fine skin, and the reddish-blonde hair that shone through after he had been cleaned up. His eyes were Leon's, a dark grey that seemed to want to turn to blue, like Peter's. However, to her, he was perfect, whether he was human or mutant. She could not tell yet either or not he would be different. It remained to be seen and it might be years until Leon found out. It was enough time for him to be normal.

Night soon fell. The nurses checked on the both of them, again asking Danielle if they could take the baby for the night. Although still hurting from her protracted labor, Danielle declined politely, smiling when she did. Honestly, she preferred that Leon arrived or even Jay and her mother. Even the lazy Peter and the snide Mary would be a nice change too, although they could care less for a child they could not have. She wanted so badly to show Michael off to anyone in his immediate family, desperate to display how amazing she was to make such a beautiful child. Alas, she was alone and without company except for those who would take Michael away and perhaps test him for all of the imperfections Leon hated. Besides, it would take too much energy for self-pity, she concluded, and chose to just order the curtains shut and the door closed. Then, she was alone with Michael.

There were dim lights around her, most of them around her bed. Danielle could reach over to a switch easily enough, even with Michael in her arms, and turn them off. She was loathe to fall asleep with her son and preferred him in the bassinet next to her. However, tonight was a special night and she needed him in her arms all night. By tomorrow afternoon, she was going to be going back to what was supposed to be her home, to hand Michael over to nurses that would look after him, all of them headed by Mary, a woman that Danielle did not want watching her son. That hated woman, who said as much to Danielle that she was jealous of her youth and fertility, was vindictive and would do anything to hurt her and anything she loved. She resolved that it would be the one time she would appeal to Leon for something, a plea she was sure would fall on deaf ears. However, she was willing to try it and protect her only child from harm.

Before long, the darkness enveloped her and Michael. Content that he was sleeping for now and feeling unusually weak, Danielle decided that she needed to get some rest as well. Carefully, she reached over (although it hurt her so much) and put Michael back into the comfortable bassinet. She leaned back into the bed, gratified to be laying still, and soon heard a rustling noise behind a curtain as she closed her eyes. Her powers had been rusty, unused to being in control and linking to Jay, and even felt just as sleepy as she was when she tried reaching out with her invisible hand. What she reached surprised her and made her gasp in surprise. Her hand then moved away from the red button calling for help, waiting for the person to show himself.

Logan moved forward soon enough, keeping to the shadows so that nobody else could have seen him. When he sure that nobody was coming in anytime soon, he rushed to Danielle and took her into his arms, gently kissing her forehead and then down to her lips. Danielle drank him in, trying her hardest not to make any noise as she returned every endearment and feeling frantic to make sure Logan was real. She was also worried about the camera that watched her every move, but when she tried locating it, it seemed to be invisible.

Feeling the same way, Logan let Danielle go, standing by Michael in a protective manner. "They won't realize we're here for maybe another hour or so from now. We're safe."

Danielle breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like herself for the first time in over a year. "Are you sure?"

"You think I leave loose threads?"

"No. After spending time with Leon –"

"It's Leon now, huh?"

The tone was rude, something that made Danielle blush as red as her hair. "Yes, it is. It's a habit now. I'm sorry, Logan."

"No harm done." He meant otherwise, hurt still that Danielle was married to another man and angry that he was not hers. To hide it better, he turned to Michael, still sleeping peacefully. "Your son?"

It was meant to make conversation and Danielle saw it. "Yes," she replied. "However, I do not think Leon would like the name I picked out for him."

"Oh?"

"Michael Jayden Ellis."

"I think your brother will be pleased. What difference would it make for your husband? He should be happy that his son was born."

"It does matter because I live with him and his family and friends. That's why."

There was a sound of allegiance to Danielle's voice. Logan wanted to feel betrayed. After all, it burned him inside to think of her as someone else's woman. However, the way she merged into her new married life and was defending it was alarming. She did not realize perhaps that the world around them was crumbling and that there was no way out of it, although Danielle had seen it firsthand before she was whisked away. That was not it. Maybe Danielle decided to assimilate with Ellis' way of life and felt she had to live through it? That was most likely the case. Danielle wasn't going to survive being the way she was. There was no way, especially since she was a known mutant and would be spotted if she used her powers. Already, she had been locked away since her marriage and no news filtered out about her except that she had a son and that was two days ago. Everyone wished her well in the meantime (and all over the world too), forgetting that she had been an assassin and a spy that knew no bounds and was in love with a man old enough to outlive her and then some. She was a darling woman now, a long sought-out one for pictures and articles. It was something Logan knew that Ellis wasn't willing to give out freely. It would give credence to the lies he gave out about her.

Danielle saw the turmoil in Logan's eyes, her powers begging to be released and to comfort him. When she pushed them back, she smiled at him tightly. "How is everyone?"

"Hank has been finding new projects around the mansion, mostly cleaning," Logan recounted, seeing the change in topic quickly. "He managed to get more the regular cable channels on TV and it's been...entertaining at night. Makes me want to hide in the woods more often. The Professor has been writing more his fair share and locking it away. Nobody knows why."

"And you? What's happening with you?"

"Been here, there and everywhere."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think you can figure it out yourself, Danielle."

Danielle sighed. "Ok, so you've been escaping and nobody blinks an eye. Am I right?"

Logan grinned, crossing his arms. "You're catching on again."

"Been too long, I think. Lack of thinking causes that, you know."

"I'd say that. Come on. What do you really do all day?"

Danielle suddenly got a dreamy look on her face before answering. "Sitting. Dazing. Nothing much, especially since…you know…before the baby was born. I'd get up in the morning, dress, pretend to pray and pay attention to mass, have breakfast, have an hour with Leon, "sit, maybe sew with Mary, lunch, more sitting, dinner, even more sitting…"

Logan laughed softly. "Anything else?"

"I haven't been writing," Danielle lamented. "There hasn't been a moment of privacy. Mary tried teaching me some crafty things a few months ago and soon gave up. I can sew and cross stitch. That's about it. However, that's not enough to keep me busy. So, I try reading a book, but it has to be approved by Leon."

"Do you hear any news from home?"

"Not a lot. I mean, I know that we are living like kings with all of the food we get and the roof over our heads. Even then, I'd think we'd be running out soon. I see people fighting some miles away sometimes. I know of some rumors."

"Would you believe me if I said your husband is either hated or loved?"

"Not surprised. I don't know what to think of him anymore. I hate him, but he has given me no personal reason past discriminating and making this place so miserable to be a citizen of. He's been kind to me though. He buys me things he'd like to see me in, says he'll give me favors and makes sure that I am comfortable. He has never hit me, even though he has done so to others, and has given me every courtesy. There's a certain aura about him though and I can't pinpoint what it is. It's so dark and mysterious…it makes me not want to seek him out."

"Beware of the hand who feeds you."

"What?"

Logan waved his hand in dismissal. "You're forgetting again. But continue on. I'd love to hear of Leon Ellis' humanity and how he at least treats his wife with more respect than his own people."

Danielle noted the sarcasm and ignored it, although she was annoyed. "Forget it, Logan. You don't understand."

"What I understand is what is in front of me," Logan replied tartly. "I'm worried about you, Danielle. Ellis isn't the type of man to stay tamed for long. According to Mae –"

"Wait! When have you heard from Mae?"

"Some time ago. We needed some information about her brother."

"Oh."

"There's some dirty laundry in that family. Did you know your husband was in the same company as your father in Vietnam?"

"No. I tend to not want to know about my father."

"Yes, well…I think you can figure out that it was the beginning of that wonderful friendship. Teller was just another contact of your father's in Salem Center who was introduced to Ellis when he was down on his luck and looking for a political career. Now, back to your husband, that rising star. He was a known womanizer back in the day and forced a few woman to get rid of his unborn children many times when he was first in Congress, not wanting the reputation. He then helped to clear Mary Belkin's name when she was accused of murder several times."

"I knew that she was accused of murdering her brother when he was a teenager. She was cleared of the charges though and soon married Peter."

"Mary's brother was just like us," Logan pointed out. "He was a mutant whose body was found in a garbage dumpster. The murder weapon was his own baseball bat and the only other person who handled it was Mary. Danielle, she may have been declared innocent, but she's possibly killed more people. Everything has been conveniently swept under the rug. This is why I'm warning you. I love you, Danielle, more than you'll ever know. These people will kill you at your first moment of weakness. You can't fall of their so-called kindness."

"What would you want me to do?" Danielle felt tears come down her face, something that was agitating her powers. "Spurn them at every moment?"

"No." Logan wiped the uncharacteristic tears away and sat down on the bed, holding Danielle in his arms, even though she cringed. "No, Danielle. I want you to survive and t remember where you came from. You can't make this relationship like Vinnie. You can't let it control you or consume you. You need to stand tall and get through it the best way you can. You need to stay alive, especially for Michael. We will all help you. We're always behind you, even if you don't see it."

"How?" Danielle asked, although she had the strange feeling that she knew the answer.

Logan kissed Danielle on the forehead. "The less you know, babe, the more innocent you are."

By then, it seemed the right time to leave. The nurses might be suspicious and check in. Logan unhooked himself from Danielle and got up, taking one last glance at Michael (his hopes being that he was not a mutant), and then dared a final gaze at Danielle. There were again tears in her eyes, but at least there wasn't a flare-up of her powers. Smiling, he waved a farewell and then he was gone, as if he never was in the room at all.