Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.
The days came and went in a routine that was painfully easy to follow, waking to spend some time at his bedside as he slept with the beep of the heart monitor toiling away. It'd been added two days after the diagnosis, when he lost the appetite for even the snuck in tidbits and treats that Moira just happened to look the other way. The first handful of days he had the strength to be helped out to his en suite shower, the two of them bathing together with Logan cracking jokes and making innuendo over her nursing duties. A full week into it neither had the strength, nor the heart, having to sponge bath him in bed as he slept.
Her futon from her life away from Xavier's sat in the corner of the room, just the mattress on the floor for her to sleep on unable to be far from him. Friends came and Marie saw her pain mirrored in their eyes as they struggled to put on a strong face walking in to spend time with him. Cards and artwork from the younger students hung on the walls, memories of the man shared in a collage of photos and sketches. His waking hours became fewer, the last fond memory she had was the gang and him settled down to watch a hand picked marathon of movies of Logan's choosing starting with another Brad Pitt movie he came to enjoy, though she found herself thinking it was Christoph Waltz who stole the show.
Lost in thought with her fingers entwined with his, she felt his grip hers weakly and knew he was awake, looking down to him as he stared at her as always full of admiration. Though she feared a day she'd again be denied such a simple embrace, the test had come back negative again, part of her morning and nightly ritual to keep her sanity in spite of everything happening.
"Mornin' Beautiful." Logan whispered, his lips looking dry as he spoke.
"Mornin' Lover." Marie replied, easing her hand from his grasp to fill a glass of water for him.
Pressing it to his lips, he took shallow sips until it was drained, his tongue rolling past them satisfied. Raising the pitcher in question, she set it back down on the night stand as he shook his head having found relief for his thirst. The worst part of her day was coming but she'd made a promise, they had made a lot of those together she realized. For now she still had her time with him, just the two of them. Excusing herself to fetch the basin and sponge, she filled it full of warm water and added the frilly thing Kitty had left behind one day. All around were little gifts like that, complete with aromatic candles scented to smell like cigars.
"Bath time mister." Marie said, throwing his blanket in with the laundry.
"Favourite part o' my day..." Logan whispered.
"Normally been asleep for 'em." Marie teased, working down his chest and trying to ignore the pallor of his skin.
"Musta been dreamin'." Logan replied, struggling to keep his eyes open.
"Just go back to sleep hon." Marie softly urged.
Careful of the iv needle as she washed his hands and arms, working down past his waist until she reached the tips of his toes. By the time she reached the head of the bed he was already fast asleep, washing his brow and teasing his hair free of his eyes. She'd need help with him to change his sheets, but her own personal orderly came at the same time every day with breakfast for her and a bit of time spent with his friend. Taking her toiletries back to the bathroom, she waited for the welcome visit as she'd have time to freshen herself up later. Brushing her teeth instead, she was just gargling away when the knock she expected came as she spat into the sink.
"Morning Pete." Marie said in greeting, opening the door.
Pete stood there with a tray of her favourites and a couple mugs of coffee, the days paper tucked in with a note from a friend. Welcoming him in, they went through their own little ritual as he took Logan into his arms and held him as Marie changed the bedding. Getting some fresh water and a sponge, she washed his back and towelled him off before Pete gently laid Logan back down. Tucking him under a fresh blanket, she excused herself as she left him to have a moment between friends.
Sitting at the very couch Logan had slept on that first night she had known his bed, she munched on toast and sipped her coffee as she read the note. Some of it was just gossip to keep her in the loop, a bit of news of who was up to what, the end was always what she liked reading the most. It was meant for Logan, it was a promise she made with him those first few days. Listed was every troublemaker in his classes and just what they had done, right down to the punishments she'd dished out.
Thinking of Jubilee teaching two kinds of shop classes was enough to coax a smile, tales of degreasing engines with a tooth brush or of the kids forced to get outright Amish with power tools vetoed after a bit of mischief. Whether she liked it or not, Jubilee sounded like a good teacher as far as she was concerned and was likely digging her own grave if the whispers around the staff were any indication. Theresa carried the rest of the gossip when she found her way down to her office to fill her seat for at most a couple hours out of the day.
Tidying her tray, she tried to steel herself to the task that had been set before her though how much she loathed the idea. Looking in on Logan's bedroom, Pete met her with a book in hand and kindness in his eyes. She wanted to just sit down beside him and wait as she had been, reading all her saucy books aloud if only to hope to drive him to fighting off whatever had him so sickly.
"I promise I will not leave his side until Moira comes." Pete promised.
"When he wakes up, give him an earful for me." Marie said, looking to the pair until she found the strength to walk off and out to the hall.
Logan had joked he was getting tired of her company, tired of her girly books day in and day out. She hadn't any need to call him on his bluff, but had promised him to get back out and back to work. Right now though she couldn't face the kids, taking her dishes to the kitchen to wash them if only as a distraction to the worries that gnawed at her. Placing them in the strainer one by one, she watched the water coil and snake down the drain and wondered just what she was supposed to do.
"As of today actually, you have a bit of a reprieve though you mightn't think it so." A voice remarked from the hall, Marie spinning to look to the woman who stood there.
"Forgive me, normally I have more tact than that, to ignore or shield myself when people are projecting. I hope you don't mind." Betsy said, walking in to wrap up the younger woman in a heartfelt hug.
"Aw hell, I haven't been...have I?" Marie asked.
"No one can blame you, though all of us gifted so can shield ourselves from such roiling thoughts including that little darling friend of yours I'm happy to announce." Betsy said, guiding her off to a chair.
"Abby?" Marie asked.
"As soon as Logan is well, I'm told he promised her a trip to an ice cream shop. Though...just because she can doesn't mean she does, she's surely a spirited girl. She's even playing the little matchmaker, though you didn't hear it from me. Hooking up all the boys and girls that seem to be crushing on another." Betsy recounted.
"Brat." Marie chuckled, closing her eyes as she sighed to then look to find her hands still held by the older woman.
"Roughly the words her mother used." Betsy chuckled.
"What's this reprieve you mentioned?" Marie inquired with a weary sigh.
"Suit shopping and to see a friend of mine about the dresses you all will be wearing, dressed to impress I promise." Betsy revealed.
Thinking of what should be a happy day only now but a few weeks away, Marie covered her face and tried to find her composure knowing only good intentions were being expressed. She had wanted to go shopping with Logan for his suit, to nag him and badger him until she found one just the perfect fit and cut for him. She had dreamed of dancing with him, maybe drinking just a little too much and then wandering off to a different dock but making love again under the stars. A gentle hand cupped her cheek and stroked her gently, peeking through her fingers to see Betsy sitting there clearly catching every errant thought.
"We're all doing the best we can for him, for the both of you. Sean has to drag Moira out of the lab to get some rest, and Henry...well, where does one tell an articulate and eloquent three hundred pound fellow sleep?" Betsy asked, a sad smile creasing her lips.
"Anywhere he wants." Marie sighed.
"The true masterminds of this outing will be joining us, as I understand it they worked with Logan in secret." Betsy added as the trampling of feet sounded down the hall to come to a skidding halt.
Looking up to find Illyana and Abby there already dressed, their coats on and beaming smiles, Marie was confronted with just how far reaching all this was and knew she owed them just as much. Letting a thought of thanks slip free to Betsy, she excused herself to get showered and changed. The spray was a relief, it hit her tears as she cried letting the grief wash down the drain. By the time she came down to the front foyer, the trio were standing waiting with the door open to reveal a black Cadillac parked out front with a driver standing at the ready.
"Where are we going?" Marie asked, remembering just the life the older woman had lead.
"Midtown of course Darling." Betsy remarked, leading them off.
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Stepping into the change room, Kitty enjoyed one of the more practical aspects of her gift and let her clothes fall to the floor as she walked towards the shower stalls. One thing she had found about using her power oft and repeatedly was that it gave her headaches, that she had to hold her breath passing through solid matter, and that she had to come out sometime if she wanted to get anything done more than yelling orders. She'd have to get the cut looked at, thinking it might need a few stitches, and the bruise on her back had her looking to borrow a friend's boyfriend for a massage.
A lot of her friends called her an overachiever, a know-it-all, and one she had to admit was she was a horrible snoop. One she tried to hide was that she was a terrible worrier, throwing herself into her work just to keep her mind from dwelling on the things that bothered her. Since Logan's diagnosis she had thrown herself into the role she'd been offered, acting as a field leader and keeping the dream alive. Cranking the knobs and letting the water flow through her as it warmed, she phased in and out until it felt just right and enjoyed the soothing spray wash over her aching muscles.
Washing the filth from her hair and the grim from her, she bit her lip as the soap got into her cut and knew just where her next stop would be. Cranking the taps shut and finding a robe, she stepped into the hall to see two of the juniors she had been working with walk past, she ignored the wandering eyes and reminded them that they had a debriefing at the top of the hour. Pushing past the doors to the med bay, she found Moira and Hank both working furiously, Moira looking to some analysis on a screen as Henry sounded oddly furious as he spoke to someone over the phone.
"Yes, I requested those reports, it's research to save a man's life. No I do not have to tell you, you simpering idiot, you tell me why you wish to know! What do you mean I haven't sufficient clearance, I'm a bloody US Ambassador to the UN and a former Secretary of the government! Yes you can send your superior to come talk to me, I'm sure you know where I am since you called this line!" Hank bellowed, slamming the phone down and very much stalking off to tear open a twinkie to devour.
"Moira, did you have a moment?" Kitty asked, showing a bit more leg than she suddenly felt comfortable with remembering that Henry was after all a man.
"I always have time for flesh wounds, up on the table." Moira said, easily sliding across the floor still on her stool.
Before she could ask Henry already had all the needed instruments and disinfectants out, for Moira to blindly reach for. Hissing as the cut was cleaned, prodded and inspected, stitches numbering five were sewn in before a bandage found it's way atop. Instead of a lollipop a twinkie was offered, Kitty gratefully taking it to nibble at wondering just when she had last enjoyed a proper meal.
"What was that all about?" Kitty asked, looking from Henry to the phone.
"Apparently my inquiries into the circumstances of Logan's ailment as well as the borrowing, and I assure you I filed the proper paperwork, of the Adamantium has lead to a security inquiry." Henry growled, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he fixed a few cups of coffee.
"You're...not going to get into trouble are you?" Kitty asked.
"Heavens no, I called their bluff. It's all likely just some bureaucratic bullying, horribly redundant and I'm well accustomed to it by this point." Henry assured with a wave of his hand, passing off mugs as he set about getting back to work.
"How is he?" Kitty questioned, biting her bottom lip as she looked from Doctor to Doctor.
"I'm still mixing my cocktails and potions, the latest round o' drugs is helping though we're having to consider dialysis, Worthington is already gettin' his folks working on it. Still dunnae know just what to attributed it all to, and because o' that blasted metal the man has so many places we just cannae get to that I'm worried." Moria explained wearily, rolling past her desk to give a good solid kick to the bag that hung off in the corner.
"Worried?" Kitty asked.
"If we have to operate, or heavens if he even flat lines. Just putting paddles to him could electrocute him before we get enough to his heart." Hank explained.
"Don't they have a lot of robotic nonintrusive surgical instruments these days?" Kitty asked feeling a might meek for asking what she felt was the obvious.
"Yes, but the training is the key. We're already looking into the that, I think Warren has even gone off to go buy some company that manufactures such equipment so we can engineer it for the Danger Room." Hank remarked, though a bit of his usual self looking on in respect of his future intern.
"Still nea help if it's a thing to do with his marrow or in that damned thick skull of his." Moira said playing the devils advocate, kicking the bag again in her frustration.
"You...don't think it's, it's Cancer?" Kitty mused.
"At this point we're not ruling out the idea, though we've found no signs from our imaging. Unfortunately our scans can't seem to penetrate his aforementioned thick skull." Hank said as he took a gulp of his coffee.
"Is there anything I can do?" Kitty asked, phasing her hand through the table she sat on.
Moira and Hank shared another look that bespoke that they had talked of this, though the grim expressions they had left Kitty fearing the worst. Slipping from her place atop the table she walked to the centre of the room to look try and look every bit the field leader she was, albeit temporarily.
"What?" Kitty demanded.
"It has to do with what Adamantium is..." Hank started.
"I know what it is Hank, Henry. As far as any test has shown once it's cast it's unbreakable, an alloy like steel not a natural metal like Iron." Kitty stated thinking of her own research.
"...and how you react to the density of matter." Hank finished.
Blaming it on her fatigue, on her workload and just her worries over her friends, Kitty tried not to take offense to the obvious but still felt as if she'd been slapped across the face. Whenever she played with the kids and her powers she only went through places she knew were safe, nothing more than nails in the walls to worry about. Most everyone thought phasing was just like they called it, ghosting through almost supernaturally. But like all things in life it was a science all it's own, and hard and dense matters like metal hurt.
She had learned to brace herself for the pain rushing through fire doors and other such metal obstacles. Yet it was an accident that just proved how much ghosting through Adamantium could hurt, the thought of trying to play doctor with her hand in him for the length of an operation sent an unwelcome chill down her spine. But thinking of the last time she saw him laying there, the sound of his wheezing breath and the beep of that awful heart monitor. Setting her jaw and steeling herself, she looked between the two and didn't care that she felt a hint of wetness rising in her eyes as she tried to command all the respect she felt she had earned over the years.
"You've said you have a sample?" Kitty asked looking solely to Hank.
"Yes." Henry said, walking off to a locked cabinet to fetch it.
Holding it in his hand looking nothing more than a coin, he handed it to her looking as if he'd expected to draw some damning lot for a dirty job. Turning it over in her fingers, rolling it over her knuckles with a bit of flare she'd been taught by some street hustler the Mardi Gras past, she glared at it as the root of all Logan's suffering.
"Are you sure about this Kitty?" Moira asked softly.
"Just get some kind of simulator set up in the Danger Room so I can work on whatever you'd need me to do, I used to be pretty good at operation. I'll work on toughening up." Kitty remarked with her mind set.
Suddenly clapping erupted with a laugh neither expected, Henry smacking himself in the forehead and then rushing to hug her. Baffled by this she looked up to him and hoped he had some answer and that he just hadn't cracked from the pressure.
"Kitty I could kiss you, in fact I will," Hank said as he placed a kiss to her head, "You just may have solved two out of the many problems we're facing."
"What?" Moira and Kitty asked in unison.
"Operation!" Hank cheered as he rushed off.
Looking after him with only the swinging door telling he'd been there, Moira and Kitty turned to another in bafflement still not understanding his upbeat mood.
"Should I tell him I used to cheat?" Kitty asked, Moira finding a much needed moment of mirth in that moment as she laughed at the younger girls confession.
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Jubilee stared at her and the classes handiwork, or at least what had become of it, and poked the gelly like substance that had been cast around it. Grimacing at what sat at it's very heart...a heart...she imagined what sat in the nearby cooler wasn't beer. Hank had come in earlier on in the day with some rib cage stolen from the biology class and asked her to make a mock up out of metal. The good that came out of it was that Logan's class had just passed their part of the welding practical in spades as far as she was concerned.
"Okay like, why are wires running into it, what's the volt metre for...and tell me that ain't human." Jubilee asked pointing to the heart.
"Pig I assure you, ballistic gel for the flesh and your class's marvellous rib cage." Henry remarked.
Far from being alone, another class had been shooed off out to the drive to work on their automotive practical with some basic repairs after she sabotaged the cars. They'd have to diagnose, explain their diagnosis, and then propose a fix as the theory. Only then would she let them move onto fixing it, for now she wondered just what she'd been roped into and why there was a big red light on a coat rack. Kitty, Moira and Hank stood with more coming in to watch the spectacle.
"Okay, metal bones, guessing this has to do with Logan? Uh, why am I here?" Jubilee asked.
"Because as you see..." Henry said as he charged the paddles of a defibrillator, pressing them to the dummy.
"Not really." Jubilee cut in.
"The light is set to turn green if enough voltage strikes the heart, though in Logan's unique case too much grounding is occurring. We'd have to raise the setting to dangerous levels, but what if we don't touch the sides?" Hank asked.
"Still lost." Jubilee attested.
"We don't wish to inflict any further trauma that could aggravate Logan's condition, but...the possibility that we may have to restart his heart is there and likewise chest compressions are impossible." Hank explained sounding every bit the teacher.
"So...you're asking me to..." Jubilee inquired, pointing nervously to the dummy.
"I know it was I who actually helped develop your powers away from those hazardous arcs you were prone to, but in this case I'd be asking you to on one hand take a step back while also trying to hone finer control over it." Hank said, grasping the woman before him and looking hopefully to her.
She'd heard about what Kitty was doing, seen just how much pain it caused her, looking to the dummy again Jubilee knew there was no way she could back down if she could help at all. Nodding to Hank as she eased out of his embrace to walk to the dummy, she tried to call on something she hadn't done in ages, spring lightning from her fingertips. It surprised her how easy it came, dancing between them with a hint of ozone.
"K...I can see it there, but like...how am I going to do this on Logan with all his chest hair in the way let alone like...his chest?" Jubilee inquired, but froze as the pig heart suddenly sprung to life.
Some yelped in surprise, others gasped in shock and alarm, Jubilee did what she did back in biology class when they'd been asked to dissect some tiny wrinkly sharks. Hurling out on the drive with many awful cries of disgust from her students, by the time she got stomach quelled enough to glare at her likely tormentor he had a glass of water in hand and a look of apology writ on his face.
"I must apologize, I thought myself clever in figuring out how to have it beat so realistically I confess I may have been..." Hank finished as his voice died under the baleful eyes glaring at him.
"Showing off? Okay, so I'm doing it by feel?" Jubilee asked after rinsing her mouth.
"I have some thoughts on that matter too but we won't know until you've had enough practice. Start with trying to strike the heart without it arcing to the ribs, once you've become proficient with that we can move onto having your control over voltage and duration as it just needs to be a momentary jolt." Hank explained albeit still awfully apologetic.
Standing with her fingers sparking staring at the beating pigs heart, her first try had the light flaring red and cutting off Hank before he could explain. She'd touched the sides, seen it hit the steel ribs, she didn't need to be told the joke. Left alone to practice, Kitty joined her nearby having stolen a chair from Logan's desk. Thinking of the man they both owed much to but more importantly called family, they toiled into the evening unable to rest thinking that if they could help save him in his moment of need it'd all be worth it.
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Sitting with shopping bags about their feet and waffle bowls of ice cream before them, looked to Abby to see the 'mostly' innocent girl she'd grown to love chatting away with Illyana and being just what they were, kids. She seemed utterly at ease with the metropolis around them, not a worry in the world as they traded spoonfuls of their dessert. Wondering at it and the lessons she'd been taking, she looked to Betsy already formulating her question when she caught the telltale smile on her lips.
"I am shielding her, but I think in another couple of months she should be able to do this without any help." Betsy remarked, savouring a slight spoonful of her own ice cream.
"Thank you." Marie said, so very glad at a bit of good news.
"She has been a pleasure to teach, I am very glad to have been here for her. No one should have to go through that by themselves, let alone at her age. You're as much to thank as myself." Betsy assured her with a slight projection of her feelings.
Feeling her phone vibrating, she pulled it out to find just as she had been promised, another hourly update of her love complete with a picture. This time he was awake and seemed to have the gumption to flip her off, laughing despite herself she took a candid photo of the two in front of her and sent it off to Theresa who seemed to be taking her turn with him. No picture came this time, just a text dictated by Logan, I ain't forgotten I owe short stuff a trip to town. Typing a smile and knowing how much he hated all her silly faces as he called them, a repeat of the first photo came back for her to laugh at again.
"What's so funny Marie?" Abby asked.
"Just someone sending me rude pictures." Marie replied, Illyana and Abby sharing a look.
"Oh nothing like that you two!" Marie growled, knowing she must have been either projecting or Abby was being a sneak with the smirk she sported.
"I've just received conformation on the dresses, they promise to be ready for our final fittings a week before the wedding." Betsy remarked, placing her phone back in her purse.
"You're sure about the suit?" Marie asked, having found one she very much longed to see on Logan.
"He can join us for a final fitting too if he likes though you must remember those uniforms don't leave much to the imagination. I already had his measurements taken." Betsy teased.
The last bit of shopping they had to do was a gift for the bride to be for her wedding day, something to give her at the bachelorette party Betsy had said she was planning along with Kitty. Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Undoubtedly the dress Mamma Rasputin passed on in a new tradition would be something old, Betsy attesting that she had both something to loan and something new. That left something blue and Marie longed to be the one to give it to her.
Finishing up their ice creams, the driver Betsy had arranged took them off to the jewellery district looking for a store she had only heard of but never visited. Pulling up, it didn't surprise her when people instantly recognized the woman she travelled with, having long since gotten used to it throughout the day. Walking in to Tiffany and Co, she left Betsy with the girls as she started to browse. Though more than enough staff were interested in helping her, leading her off to gorgeous items she didn't even dare ask the price of, she had in mind something for her friend.
Asking of silver jewellery, she assured them she wasn't interested in platinum and then asked of sapphires. Shown around from rings to earrings and finally necklaces, she found something she thought just would be perfect in a heart shaped silver pendant set with five gemstones of deep sparkling blue. Paying in cash, she admired the trademark baby blue box and all the glamour associated with it. Costing a couple of weeks pay, while nothing extravagant and wondering if Jubilee would even recognize the store, it let her sprinkle a little of her own dreams on that special day after watching one to many old romances over the years.
"I imagine I'll find out just what's in there soon enough." Betsy teased as they climbed into the car.
"Yes, and no peeking or snooping of any kind, that goes double for you Abby." Marie threatened.
"I promise." Abby said, Illyana joining her in a pinky swear with Marie.
Never more glad to be enjoying the services of a chauffer, she looked out to the traffic and the sea of yellow cabs that filled the streets as they headed on back to the school. The drive was passed with the girls playing their matching DS systems Betsy had bought for them though Abby had said she had her own. Filling her time reading between texts to her friends, she counted off the hours with news of Logan and pictures of him sleeping peacefully in the ever changing company.
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The dying of the days rays was slow with indigo hugging the horizon with a strip of azure caught between the wash of crimson that chased after the sun. Spying the nondescript black truck rolling up the drive, Jubilee and Kitty shared a look but knew if it had made it past the gate then someone must know who was showing up. Both focussing on their tasks, Kitty had her fingers trailing through the Adamantium coin gritting her teeth. Having found a knack to working around the ribs, Jubilee toiled at trying to master the short jolts needed to rouse a stilled heart.
Ignoring the man and woman who stepped out of the truck, their footsteps as they drew close to the garage, they were lost in what had become their own little worlds. Kitty stopped what she was doing as she took note of the man, dressed in a long leather trench with an eyepatch upon his one eye. Tired and frustrated as she was, her hands aching and longing nothing more than to ask Moira for something to help with it, she wondered just who he was as well as the woman at his side looking his polar opposite dressed in a business suit and carrying a briefcase.
"Excuse me?" The man barked loudly, his words clearly sarcastic.
In that moment a small sun erupted within the ballistic gel as Jubilee jumped at the start, staring down at the charred remains of the analog human heart. Kitty knew what was coming as she saw the paling of her friends face, the wicked wretch sounding in a repeat performance. The man seemed unimpressed though the petite redhead next to him raised an interested eyebrow to the sight that spoke nothing of disgust but a hint of admiration. Ignoring them, Kitty helped settle Jubilee down and eased her over so she could breath some deep breaths.
"If you're just going to stand there, you can at least get her some water!" Kitty spat at the pair.
Looking to another in a way that told they weren't used to being ordered around, the man walked off to the fridge to snatch a bottle of water and bring it over with the lid off. Rinsing her mouth once and spitting out the filth, Jubilee pounded back the water under his watchful eye. Kitty looked up to him spoiling for a fight, at this point she didn't care of it was of words or if she'd have another reason for her hands to hurt.
"I was told I was expected, could you tell me where I could find Doctor McCoy." The man asked a touch softer, looking over the carnage that lay on the makeshift operating table.
Instantly the conversation came back to her that she had overheard, the only time she had ever seen the man she thought of as a mentor sounding vexed and outright angry.
"Just who the hell are you?" Kitty ground out, feeling a few shakes tremble through her friend as she sat with her.
"Miss Rushman?" The man said, the petite redhead pulling out a clipboard from the briefcase and bringing it over to press before Kitty.
"What's this?" Kitty asked, starting to read over it.
"Fast track to the security clearance you'll need Miss Pryde, normally we wouldn't bother in circumstances like this but we are well aware of your ambitions. It will save us time in the future." Miss Rushman remarked rather blandly, waiting as Kitty signed it.
"Now then, could you tell Doctor McCoy that Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D is here to see him." Nick remarked.
Checking that Jubilee was fine for the moment, Kitty rushed off into the house to make a call on the in house line. Left alone out in the garage, Nick poked the sizzling remains of the pigs heart and looked down to the one he had seen only a moment before burst what looked to be a good replica of a chest.
"I take it that's not the effect you were looking for?" Nick asked, finding himself a seat on a workshop stool to look at her showing some concern.
"No." Jubilee barely voiced, staring down at her hands in dismay.
Reaching to take them in his own, he expected her flinch and gently eased them together and clasped them in his own. He could feel how cold they were, looking up into her eyes then to see a look he had seen many times on countless fields of battle. Slipping out of his jacket, he wrapped it about her and sat with her.
"I guess he's already that far along, don't worry Miss...?" Nick started, looking up to Miss Rushman.
"Lee." Miss Rushman readily supplied.
"It took me this long to track him down, we're not about to let him go dying on us now are we?" Nick asked, seeing a question in her eyes though she just nodded her head just the same.
Rushing out of the school ahead of them, forgetting the niceties of doors in her haste, Kitty skidded to a halt at the scene before her. Henry and Moira were joined by Ororo and Sean alike, joining in their surprise. To Henry and Sean documents the likes that Kitty had been presented with were offered and signed, Nick looking to the two Doctors for a long moment as he still sat with Jubilee.
"What happened?!" Moira demanded, stalking up to the pair.
"I startled her, now normally when I startle people...well actually that might be a lie. She's suffering from a bit of shock, I can't blame her given what I imagine her intention was. Now..." Nick said, passing off the young woman in his arms to Moira as he stood to continue.
"When people start asking after Adamantium and Carbonadium, I get interested. When people start asking the kind of questions that you two have been asking, a very short list of people who come to mind. Of those I have only lost track of one so I suppose I should thank you, and unfortunately as much as a pain in the ass as he has been to me over the years I consider him a friend. So can someone tell me where I can find his stubborn Canadian ass." Nick carried on in a full rant.
"What are your intentions towards Logan?" Ororo questioned in her full authority as Headmistress.
"To help you and supply you with all the information you're going to need to yank one of these out of his head which I understand has become a lot harder since I last met him." Nick remarked, pulling what looked to be a pendant from his pocket and throw it to Hank.
Turning it over in his hands, Henry could see now it was no necklace but a fragile mesh of some silvery metal with fine filaments feeling almost like soft fur in his hands. At it's centre the gemstone was undoubtedly artificial, circuitry and a chip held within its facets. While beautiful in designed, the implications had Henry seeing it as nothing but a vile abomination.
"What is this?" Henry asked.
"Miss Rushman will give you all the details, but that is what William Stryker tried to use to remake the man you know as Logan into a living weapon, tried and as I'm sure you've come to know, failed." Nick intoned grimly.
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Author's Note : Just a note, while I am using the Wolverine Origins movie for inspiration I'm not holding fast to the Cannon of it. So yeah, no Adamantium Bullets to explain why he couldn't remember who he was. Also borrowing the current Nick and Natasha from the movies too for this cameo :D