Wally walked to the entrance of the training room, noticing Mio fiddling with the door entrance.

"Hey." He said.

She looked over at him, "What?"

"Uh… what's up with the automatic door?" He asked.

"Broken." She said, turning back to her work. "It opened and now it won't shut."

Wally hummed in thought, "Maybe someone stuck a penny in there."

She paused, turning around to look at him, "Why a penny?"

Wally shrugged, "At my school, everyone pranks the janitor that way."

She stared at him, "Did you stick a penny in there?"

"No I just-"

She didn't let him finish as she popped one of her middle claws, "If I find a penny in there." She poked his chest with her claw. "I'm taking you down."

He stared at her for a minute, considering the possibility of her being insane. "Okay."

He walked away slowly, having read somewhere that when dealing with a pit bull your best bet is to walk away slowly, they got excited if you ran.

HALF AN HOUR LATER

I was sitting in the main room with Jubilee, talking about random things when Wally walked in.

I glared at him, and pulled something out of my pocket, holding it up so he could see.

His eyes widened at the little copper coin, and he sped away.

I put it back in my pocket, Jubilee staring at me, "What was that all about?"

"An agreement." I said, in a tone that suggested the answer wasn't important.

"So what do you do for fun around here?" She asked.

"Train."

"No movies? No extra curricular like soccer, or basket ball?" She asked.

"I went to the library last week." I offered.

"Really?" She asked. "What book did you get?"

"None." I said, shrugging. "I went in because I was chasing a serial killer who was trying to get away from me."

She sighed, "You need to get a life."

"My life is fighting, and teaching other people to fight." I said with finality.

She shook her head, "That's why you need to get a life."

Conner walked in suddenly, smiling a little. His eyes scanned the room, and then rested on me. His smile widened a little, and he walked over to me, and handed me a box.

I raised an eyebrow, and took it slowly. I glanced at Jubilee, and then back to Conner, who said, "Uh… I just saw it at the flea market… I thought you might like it."

I opened the small box, and pulled out a metal chain, with a single dog tag on the end. I held it steady, it was blank on one side, so I flipped it over, and saw something I hadn't seen in a long time. Japanese writing.

I smiled immediately, quickly reading the two digit inscription.

Conner fidgeted nervously, "The guy said they mean family, is that right?"

I chuckled, "Yeah, he had it right."

Conner smiled again, "You like it?"

I nodded, slipping the necklace on. "It's great Conner. I love it."

He smiled, and walked out of the room, looking like a puppy dog who just got the belly rub of a lifetime. I chuckled, shaking my head, and turning back to Jubilee.

She gave me a knowing smirk, "Why didn't you tell me there was a guy here you liked?"

I raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"You and Superboy?" She asked, chuckling, "I personally think it's cute. Wolverine and Superman hate each other, but true love draws forth their children. It's like Romeo and Juliet really. But I doubt a dagger and poison will be playing a role here."

"First of all, I have no idea what or who Romeo and Juliet are."* I said, "Second of all, there's nothing between me and Conner. He's a good kid, and I'm his teacher, that's all there is to it."

"Funny, as I recall, that was exactly what you said about Jake a few years back." She pointed out.

I flinched slightly, "He was a mistake. A mistake that won't be happening again."

"Look." She said, sighing, "I know more than anyone how much he hurt you. For the love of God, I'm the one who finally made you come out of your room after crying for three days."

"It was two days." I said, "Barley two days."

"Whatever." She dismissed, "Look point is, no matter how much I want to castrate him for doing that to you, I should really thank him."

I raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"He gave you so much." She said, sighing. "He actually made you smile! After three months-"

"He stole my first kiss." I interrupted.

She froze, "You never told me that."

"…You heard nothing."

She paused, but continued. "Anyways, after three months, he had you-"

"Following him around like a trained puppy."

"I was going to say, actually acting human. You actually had a life. You went out, and you actually talked to people." She explained. "You actually trusted someone."

"And now Jake is the reason I don't trust anyone, and I certainly don't date." I reminded her.

She glared at me, "Mio if I have to bring Dr. Phil down here just to make you see it's okay sot like someone then I will."

I glared at her, "This conversation is over."

I got up and left, walking to the garage and hopping on my motorcycle, driving home. Jubilee could get home by herself. Vampire speed and all that.

I sighed as I walked inside, heading to the kitchen. Before I even got halfway there, something brushed my nose.

I froze, immediately taking in the foreign scent. Foreign, but oh so familiar.

My throat felt like it closed up, and I balled up my hands into fists. My heart beat raced, pounding in my chest like a drum.

"He was here?" I whispered quietly. I looked around slowly, taking in every scent, and listening so hard I thought my ears would pop.

He had been here, but he was gone now. I slowly walked into the kitchen, looking around, until I spotted a small, folded piece of paper on the counter.

I walked over slowly, fearing what news it might bring.

I picked it up, opening it slowly. A small object fell from the paper, and I grabbed it, eyes widening. My eyes shot to the paper, why?

Cub-

You sent her to the mansion, well played. I can't stress to you how hard it was for me to get in there, but even Xavier has to sleep sometime. She isn't as safe as you think, and now you know, neither are you.

I've told you once, and I'll tell you again: you're not nearly as strong as you think you are. it's a shame really, I was hoping after five years with Logan you would be a challenge by now.

Those kids you're hanging out with, after I get done with Lovette, they're next.

See you soon.

I shivered once, looking down at the object in my hand. An orange lock of hair.

I dropped it, grabbing the phone, and dialing Logan's number as fast as I could.

My heart pounded in my chest as it rang. Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.

"What?" He asked.

"Where's Lovette?" I asked quickly, "Where is she, is she OK?"

"Calm down kid, she's right here, why?" He asked.

I took a deep breath, so Daken didn't have her? But her scent was on the hair. He might have used pheromones to make it smell that way.

"Look at her hair, is there a piece missing?" I asked.

"Why?" He asked.

"Please, Logan it's important. I'll explain later." I begged desperately.

There was a paused, "Yeah, there is."

I trembled again, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Now tell me, why?" He asked, getting impatient.

"I just got a letter." I mumbled. "From Daken. It had a piece of Lovett's hair in it."

I heard Logan curse on the other end, and I sighed, "Logan, he got so close to her…"

"Okay kid, calm down." He said, "I'll keep a closer eye on her from now on."

"He'll just get her again." I whispered.

"Don't think like that." He said firmly. "I'll have her moved into the room next to mine. He won't be getting at her again."

I nodded slowly, then remembered he couldn't see me through the phone. "Okay."

"You wanna come down here for a few days yourself?" He asked. "You being here won't make it more dangerous for her, probably just the opposite."

"Okay." I whispered again. "I'll come over for a few days."

"You want me to tell her that?" He asked.

"I don't care." I mumbled, and hung up.

I put the phone down, and sank to my knees slowly. After I had escaped from Hydra, Lovette had been right next to me all that time. She had never left my side, ever. She never complained when I dragged her to town after town while we were on the run. She had been scared when we were homeless, sad when we were hungry, but she never complained.

When we had run into the Dark Avengers, and they had offered me a spot on the team, I had taken it for Lovette. So she could sleep in a bed every night. So she could eat every day. I had fought with them, trained with them, just so I could get stronger, for her.

That was a long time ago, and it wasn't anything I was proud of. I did it because she needed it. I could go days without food, but it seemed she couldn't go five hours without a juice box or peanut butter crackers.

Norman had only had one condition to me being on the team. I needed a mentor. He was the one who picked the team member that would be directing my training, and who I would be tagging along with on missions.

There was only one person he would consider. Daken Howlett.

I shook myself out of the old memories, and grabbed my back pack, shoving in a few t-shirts and pants and walking out the door. I'd pick up Jubilee, tell Bat's I was leaving for a few days, and say my goodbyes. I looked over at the clock, uh… maybe tomorrow morning.

I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on my knees, and head in my hands. Four years of protecting her. Of getting stronger so I could protect her. I shook my head, it wasn't enough. All that training, all the blood spilled in the danger room. All the sweat in the weight room. All the fighting styles I had burned into my memory. All the strategies I had memorized if the worst happened.

And of course, the speed I had pushed myself to obtain incase all the above went to Hell.

It was all for her, every last danger room session. And now, none of it mattered, because all he would have needed to do was lower his claws a little, and she would have died. He wouldn't have even cared. He had probably toyed with the idea of killing her. Her life, it was nothing to him. The mere fact she was alive was because of a whim.

It would be so much easier, if I just knew what he was after.

Does he want me dead? Is he trying to get me on his side? Is he trying to get to Wolverine through me? Was there some option I wasn't seeing? Some detail I had missed? Was there something I was just being completely blind to?

"Mio?" Came a confused voice form my doorway.

I looked up, to see Jubilee standing there, eyes wide. I slowly took in a deep breath, "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" She asked.

I held up the note from earlier, "He was here."

She took it, eyes scanning over it. "He left a lock of her hair too." I mumbled.

He eyes widened, "Is she okay?"

"She's still at the mansion." I mumbled. "He snuck into her room, and had his claws out. He could have easily killed her, but no. He chose to cut a piece of her hair off. He. Is. Taunting me."

She paused, "What are you gonna do?"

"Logan wants me to come over to the mansion for a few days." I sighed.

"And leave the kids here?" She asked. "You read the note, they're next!"

I froze, "… Crap."

"You're really gonna leave them here?" She asked.

"What would you suggest!" I snapped.

"Take 'em with you." She said, as if it was obvious.

"… Am I allowed to do that?" I asked.

She smirked, flashing her fangs, "If anyone has a problem, they can take it up with me."

* Mio has only been in America for a little more than four years, so she doesn't know bout Romeo and Juliet, or a lot of things like that.

OK guys, I have absolutely no idea as of now where this story is going, or how I'm going to end it.

Relax, I'm not gonna ask you to pick an ending for it, not in the least.

But what do you think should happen?

She goes to the mansion alone and Jubilee stays to watch the kids?

She could take Conner with her to the mansion, and leave the others with Jubilee.

She could just go to the mansion with Jubilee and leave Batman or Canary with the kids after explaining the situation to them.