X-Men: Evolution
"My Dad, Wolverine"
Summary: Wolverine must step into a role he has never had to fill before: fatherhood.
Author's Note:Takes place a couple of weeks after the episode "X-23".
Warning:This story will contain spanking of a minor.
Disclaimer: Timberwolf is my own creation, but all the others belong to Marvel.
Chapter X. The Camping Trip
"Is this a training exercise?" Lucas asked Logan as he helped him pack the gear into the jeep.
"If it was," Logan told him, "more than just the three of us would be goin'."
"Then I don't understand," the boy told him, "why are we doing this?"
"It's called going camping, kid," Logan told him, "and it was Charles' idea—a way for us to all bond as a family."
"Oh," Lucas said, handing him the fishing poles and stuff.
The boy had been at the institute now for a couple of weeks, his 'sister' now for three weeks, and was adjusting fairly well all things considered.
Unfortunately, both of the kids had begun to have nightmares—violent ones much like the ones he used to have.
It was a holiday weekend and several of the other kids were going home to visit with their parents, so Charles had suggested he take them on a family type outing.
Charles himself was going to be away this weekend, going to Murr Island to speak with his ex-wife about something.
Storm was going with him, so that would leave just Beast, Rogue, and Kurt at the Institute.
He had tried to get the Goth and the Elf to go along with them, but both preferred to stay behind.
"Is that everything?" Lucas asked, curiously.
"Everything but Laura's gear," Logan told him. "Where is she?"
"Right here," his daughter replied, coming into the garage carrying a duffle.
Like her brother, who was wearing green-n-brown camouflage pants and a green t-shirt, she was wearing blue-n-gray camouflage pants and a blue t-shirt.
Both were wearing their combat boots.
Logan had noticed that they tended to dress alike, at least by wearing the same colors or styles usually, but he hadn't been able to figure out if it was a conscious thing or not.
He was wearing his usual blue jeans and black t-shirt and black boots.
He wondered momentarily if it was because the two of them shared a unique link or if it was just because they were so much alike in personality.
He had also noticed that not only could he sense where both of them were most of the time, but he could also tell when one or the other was agitated or upset.
Laura handed him her duffle bag and asked, "Are we ready to go?"
He nodded as he stowed her bag in the back. "Yep, hop in," he told them, fishing for the keys in his pocket.
Lucas hopped into the back, while Laura climbed into the passenger seat.
Logan smirked and then climbed into driver's seat, noticing something they had forgotten to do right away.
"Seat belts," he told them, firmly. "Healing factors aside, I ain't about to get a ticket."
Both sighed, but complied.
He chuckled and put his own seat belt on.
They were both becoming more and more relaxed around each other and him, not to mention everybody else.
Laura had adapted to school very well, and Lucas was due to start on Monday.
Charles, Beast, and Storm had spent the last two weeks teaching him the basics—as he had no knowledge aside from what had been needed to 'blend in' and complete his 'mission'.
It turned out, thanks to his photographic memory, that he was a quick study and was ready to join his sister and the others at Bayville High.
Logan started the jeep up and pulled out of the garage.
"How long will it take to reach our destination?" Laura asked, curiously.
"A couple of hours," he told her, shrugging. "It ain't that far out of the city."
"What are our directives?" Lucas asked, curiously.
Logan snorted. "To relax and have fun," he told him, shaking his head.
He knew it wasn't their fault, but both kids still tended to view things in a military aspect.
Of course, he had done the same thing once upon a time; and occasionally still did.
He sure wished, however, someone had told him how annoying it could be.
"What will we be doing?" Laura asked, curiously. "Hunting?"
"Nah, wrong season for huntin'," Logan told them, "but we'll definitely be doin' some fishin'. I got you both some gear and a license."
"You need a license to fish?" Laura asked, smirking.
Logan shrugged. "It's the law," he said, simply.
"Is it hard to fish?" Lucas asked, curiously.
"Nah," Logan said, grinning. "All you need is a little bit of patience and just the right bait."
"Oh," the boy said. "I'm sure I'll be able to handle it then."
His father chuckled. "I'm sure you will too," he said, shaking his head.
"Is this what its like?" Laura asked him, curiously.
"Like what, darlin'?" he asked, puzzled by the question.
"Being part of a family," she said, seriously.
"I reckon it is," he said, quietly. "I ain't ever really had a family afore to know."
"Oh," the girl said, sounding a bit disappointed.
Logan reached over and tapped her on her chin.
"Hey now, chin up," he told her, firmly. "I got me a family now, that's all that really matters."
She smiled at that. "I guess your right."
"I know I am," Logan said, smirking. "Now, just sit back and enjoy the ride."
And they did just that.
After two hours, they arrived at the camp site and Logan parked the jeep.
"There's a lake," Laura said, surprised.
"Course," Logan told her, beginning to unpack the gear, "where'd you think we were gonna go fishin' at?"
"I guess I didn't think about it," she told him, honestly. "Can we go swimming, as well?"
"Course," he told her, smirking. "I hope you brought your bathin' suit?"
"I did," she laughed, "don't worry?"
"I wasn't," he told her, teasing. "Did you bring you one?"
This was, of course, directed at Lucas.
"Uh, no," he said, biting his lip. "I don't think I'll swim, anyway."
Logan frowned, puzzled. "Why's that?" he asked, curiously.
He didn't know a kid who didn't love to swim.
The boy shrugged. "I just don't want to," he said, evading the question.
"You can swim, can't you?" his sister asked him, curiously.
He blushed. "Um…" he said, hesitantly. "No, not really."
Logan's eyebrows shot up to his head.
"You don't know how to swim?" he asked, amazed. "They didn't teach you?"
The boy shrugged. "It wasn't vital to my 'mission'," he replied, biting his lip.
"Of all the stupid…" Logan growled, shaking his head. "Well then, I reckon I'll just have to teach you."
The boy looked surprised by this. "You'd teach me to swim?" he asked, amazed.
"Course," he told him, smirking. "My old man taught me, so I reckon I'll teach you."
The boy nodded, but then sighed.
"I don't have a bathing suit," he told him, blushing.
Logan shrugged. "So?" he said. "Just swim naked…"
"What!?" Lucas and Laura both exclaimed, both blushing furiously.
He laughed at this reaction, but they simply glared at him.
He held up a hand at them to forestall the inevitable protests.
"Relax," he told them, grinning. "Neither one of you will have to die of embarrassment."
He pointed to the other side of the lake, where a group of large stones concealed a portion of it.
"We'll go to the far side of the lake," he told them, "behind those large rocks where no one will see us. Okay?"
Laura nodded, relieved. "Yes, thank you," she said, grinning.
Lucas nodded. "Ditto," he said, sighing in relief as well.
Logan laughed and handed them both their tents.
"Go start settin' up," he told them, still chuckling.
They did so and he smiled as he watched them go, shaking his head.
Kids!
What was a father to do?
…