Changes Sequel I Darkness

by Dark Phoenix Rising

Chapter 30! After their children were obviously kidnapped by Sabretooth, the XMen try to find out where their enemy is hiding. Soon, they reach a facility and know that their future depends on their success. But things turn out completely wrong...

26. Chapter 26

Author's note: Since Rowena has posted the 200th review, she had a wish and she wished for one day where everything goes right and some other things which I included. So…here it is. ; ) Hope this is what you'd in mind. ; ) Oh and I hope I got the point right when you said that you wanted Logan to remember something good. Just look at the necklace scene and let me know. ; )

Thanks to sammy-girl for those great ideas. I put the Logan-mistletoe scene, the Logan/Jean gift scene and the Wolvie ice sculpture into this chappie here. ; )

I also hope you guys had a great Christmas!!! So, here's my X-Mas/New Year Special. Enjoy! ALL MENTIONED DATES IN HERE ARE CALCULATED EITHER FROM THE DATE THE MOVIES WERE RELEASED OR FROM COMIC BOOKS!!! SO DON'T GET CONFUSED! I calculated it like this: Changes starts 2006, 4 month after the movie. The sequel starts 2010 and now already plays 2 years. So this chappie here plays 2011/2012!!!

Look at the rating for this one! And: Spoilers for Ultimate X-Men 76-78 and Wolverine Origins!!! (my interpretation of it!!)

Changes Sequel – I. Darkness Part 26

It was Christmas time. All corridors and room sin the mansion were decorated while small Christmas trees could be found nearly anywhere; their soft light illuminating the rooms in a comfortable light. Still occupied with putting smiling Santa Clause figures into each room, Jubilee didn't notice how Bobby sneaked up from behind her to pull her close and place a kiss on her neck. "Bobby!" she squealed and turned around in his grip, just to be kissed again. "Stop it!"

"Why?" he asked her confused and had to frown, but still held her in his arms.

Checking their surroundings, she gave him a look. "Someone could see us…"

"And? Is it so embarrassing to be seen with me?" he asked her with a slight trace of anger in his voice.

Noticing it, Jubilee shook her head and played with his shirt. "No…"

"Then what?"

"It's just…" She sighed. "Well, you know them… They go all teasy-teasy again and Wolvie will be on your throat…"

Bobby only rolled his eyes. "Then let them talk. I don't care. I'm sick of hiding and Logan already knows it anyway," he said and pulled her loser again. "Why else do you think is he seizing me up for a coffin every time he sees me, huh?"

She smiled widely when he bent forward again to kiss her. "Ah, I knew it!" someone suddenly cheered and made both startle. Grinning, Kitty came into the room, followed by Peter who also had to grin and carried two plastic bags. "What was it again? No, we're only good friends? No, I've only fallen asleep in his room?" Stopping in front of both mutants, she raised her finger at them. "I thought we were friends! That wasn't a nice thing to do!"

"True!" Peter nodded. "How long does it go like this, huh?"

"Guys!" Jubilee said warningly, despite her blushed cheeks and wild pounding heart. "You got it completely wro…"

"For some time," Bobby cut her off and crossed his arms, while the girl looked at him with a shocked expression on her face. Turning to her, he cocked an eyebrow. "What? I said I'M sick of hiding!"

"And I said…"

"Jeez, what's so terrible about letting us know?" Kitty asked her. "Everyone knew it anyway, so what? Now go on kissing, we still have to wrap some stuff." With that she linked arms with her husband and left;: leaving Jubilee pouting and glaring at the man next to her.

"You're mean!"

He sighed and shook his head before he pointed above their heads. "Had to do it!" Looking up she took notice of the mistletoe above them. "So…can I go on now?" Bobby asked smirking and pulled her slowly closer again.

"You can, but you're still mean!" Jubilee gave back but also smiled at him, before he kissed her softly.

Letting go of her after a while, he smirked. "Anything I can do to make up for being so mean?" he teased and she suddenly nodded. "What?"

"I wanna have a Wolvie ice sculpture in the garden!" she smiled and he groaned. "You said…"

"I know, I know!" he quickly replied. "Jeez,…you sure he's only some kind of father figure for you?"

Seeing the look he gave her, she poked him into the stomach. "Every girl loves Wolvie, ya should know that by now! So…do I get my Wolvie?" she asked purring and gave him her best puppy-dog-eyes look that she had learned from Lily and Rachel when they wanted to convince their father.

"Fine…," he finally gave in and had to shake his head when she threw herself at him, cheering aloud. "You really are crazy girl…"

"But you love me…," she gave back and rested her head against his chest.

"Yeah… But I still don't know what has gotten into me…," he joked an receives a slap against his chest.

---

Upstairs, Logan had just sat up in bed and stretched his muscles. Yawning, he opened his eyes a bit and froze. Very slowly, in a way that would put slow motion to shame, his right eyebrow began to move upwards. Still with a dropped jaw, the only movement visible of him were his eyes that scanned his bedroom in shock. Faked snow was sprayed on the two windows, which now had Santa Clauses, Snowmen and Reindeers on it, little lamps were fasten around the window frame while he could smell scented candles in his living room and fresh baked cookies downstairs in the kitchen. Groaning, he let himself fall backwards and covered his face with his hands. Due to the stress in the last weeks, he'd hoped that he wouldn't have to go through smiling Santas, happy-sappy songs and scents everywhere, which drove his sensitive nose crazy. He couldn't even understand that he hadn't noticed it…but he knew who was responsible for it. Shaking his head, he pulled the blanket aside and got up to make his way down to the kitchen. One hand ran through his tousled hair, while he briefly thought about putting a shirt on. In the end, he didn't care that he only worse one of his black sweatpants and descended the stairs.

Inside the kitchen Ororo, Jean and their children were occupied with baking cookies when he entered the room. "Dear Lord," the redhead said and watched him when he gave each of his children a kiss. "My dear husband finally found his way to the living folks… And after 12 hours you still look comatose…"

He only growled playfully when he kissed her neck and Ororo tried to hide her smile when Logan turned around to pour himself some coffee. "Good mornin' to ya, too…," he grunted when Jean gave a laugh.

"Good morning?" she asked ad turned to the wall clock behind her. "It's nearly 12, Logan… You didn't even wake up when…"

"…you turned our bedroom into Santa's cavern?" he cut her off with a grunt and leant against the fridge. "Be happy about it!"

"For someone who says that he's light sleeping only…," the redhead smiled. "You looked pretty peaceful to me…"

"Someone's moody, huh?" Ororo asked him smiling.

"Daddy's always moody when he gets up, right, Ray?" Jean asked her daughter and stroked over her hair, while the girl put cut out biscuits onto the baking tray.

"Throw those darn stinky candles away," he growled and sipped on his coffee.

"Why?"

"'Cause I hate'em!"

Ororo put the tray she'd held in her hands into the oven. "They're only candles, Logan. They don't bite and besides they smell nice…"

Cocking an eyebrow at her, he gave a snort while he took some dough into his hands. "Smell nice, huh?" he said cynically and began to model it. "Wanna have my senses?"

"Oh…," she made when she understood what he meant.

"I already told mommy that they stink." Jack said and Lilly nodded. They bent forward a bit to see what their father was doing.

"But I like them…," Jean pouted and put melted chocolate onto some biscuits. "It's Christmas, Logan… It's only for three days."

"I don't care! Put them away or I'll do it," Logan gave back and closed the dishwasher with his hip while he still worked on the dough. "Besides, you're outnumbered. It's the twins and me against ya, so the damn stuff will be kicked out!"

"Woah, calm down!" Ororo quickly intervened.

"I'm calm!" he gave back and put his finished figures onto a tray.

"Besides, Mr. Grumpiness," the weather goddess added. "You and Peter still have to get a large tree for the hall."

Turning around with a cocked eyebrow while his children had to giggle when they saw what he'd done with the dough. "Me? Why me?"

"Well, because…," Jean answered and looked at her best friend for help, but this one only shrugged. "Because…yeah…" Growling, he gave her a warning look. "Come on, you only need to go over to the wood and get a tree."

Shaking his head, Logan finally walked over to the door to shower upstairs. "What's the sense of killing trees for Christmas anyway?"

Ororo couldn't help but give the redhead an amused look. "Is he always like that?"

Reaching another finished tray over to the weather goddess, Jean could only shrug. "Never tell him that he has work to do after he just woke up!" she only said and her opposite nodded, when their children gave them amused looks. "What?" Curiously she went over and looked at the tray that laid in front of the children. On it was an arrow, which pointed at Jean and Ororo, while with a large capital B the words battle-axe was made of dough; accompanied by two weird looking female figures that only needed a whip to give the expression of being tyrants or slave drivers. "Jeez, I really married a kid…," the redhead said and Ororo couldn't help but giggle.

---

A bit later, Logan was again in a now clean kitchen and prepared a sandwich when Jubilee suddenly entered. "Wolvie?" she asked and made him turn around. "Rogue's on the phone for ya." She handed him the receiver and went over to the fridge to get a soda out of it.

"Hey kid," the man greeted his friend on the telephone and clamped the receiver between ears and shoulder, so that he could go on making his sandwich.

"Hi Logan," Rogue said. "How are you doing?"

"Fine. You?"

"Same. Look, we wanted to come over for Christmas and New Year. Ehm…I know it's a short notice, but would you mind getting us from the airport?" she asked carefully and made him chuckle.

"When will ya be here?" he asked and put his food on a plate before he began to tidy up the rest.

"Around 5:15 p.m. your time," she answered. "Is it really okay?"

"'f course. See ya then, kid!"

"Thanks a lot, Logan! Bye!"

"Bye," he said and put the receiver away to turn it back to Jubilee. "What?" Logan asked when he saw her smirk.

"Nothin…," she replied innocently, but still with a grin.

Cocking an eyebrow at her, he crossed his rms. "What?"

"You really have gotten soft on your old days, Wolvie… Can you help me with something, too?"

Smirking, he bit into his sandwich. "No."

Groaning, the younger woman crossed her arms. "Come on, please?"

"With what, kid?"

Smiling, she leant against the counter again. "Can you get these boxes from the attic? I need them for the Christmas tree in the hall…"

"Which tree?" he asked chewing.

"Well, the one I was told you and Peter still have to get…," she replied and heard him groaning. "Thought we would just forget about it, huh? So, someone has lots of work to do today, eh?" Jubilee giggled and nudged him softly. "Or do you wanna help me decorating the tree, too?"

"Forget it, kid!" Logan grunted and put the empty plate away. "So, where are those damn boxes?"

---

Moira walked through the corridors of the first floor in hope to find what she was looking for. Her eyes kept on searching while her ears hoped to hear what she wanted to hear. When she walked past the kitchen, she suddenly stopped and went back. "There you are!"

"Is something wrong?" Jean asked and looked at her worriedly since the woman appeared a bit strange to her.

Stopping in front of both women, Moira heaved a deep breath. "I need your help!" she admitted truthfully and made her opposites look at each other.

"With what?" Ororo asked her and watched how the woman checked the corridor again.

"Is Logan around?"

"Ehm, no… Why?" the redhead asked her and noticed the blushed cheeks for the first time.

"Well, it's…girls stuff," her opposite said and Ororo had to smile knowingly.

"Oh I see!" she cheered. "Let me guess…you don't know what to wear later?"

"And this has of course nothing to do with…Hank?" Jean added smiling.

"No, no!" Moira waved off hastily. "I…it's just that…well, I'm not American, you know. So, I don't know what you guys wear on Christmas…"

Laughing, the redhead put a hand on her shoulder. "Oh, Moira, come on! There's no need to feel embarrassed!"

"Right! We'll dress you so nicely that Hank can't help but stare," Ororo added. "Promised!"

Blushing even more, the third woman looked down smiling. "Thanks…"

"So, how are things going with him, huh?" the weather goddess asked and sipped on her soda.

"Well," Moira said and sat down on one of the stools, not knowing what to say since there wasn't anything to say, yet.

"Could be better, huh?" Jean finished her thoughts and saw a nod. "When do you go and see the Phantom?"

"Next week," the woman with the long brown hair said. "And I don't have anything to wear for that either…"

Waving off, Ororo put her glass down. "We'll find something! And afterwards Hank will only think about you," she winked. "If he doesn't do it already…"

"You can borrow one of my robes," Jean suggested and looked at the woman to her left. "I think you should wear the black one. At least Logan loves it…"

"Logan loves everything you wear," the weather goddess said and rolled her eyes playfully. "Especially when it's nothing, huh?" Innocently, she sucked on the straw in her glass again.

"'Ro!" Jean said and blushed.

"What?" her best friend laughed. "That's no secret… He always eats you up with his looks when you wear a bikini in summer. And that is nearly nothing!"

"Anyway," the redhead quickly changed the subject. "…if you want we can go upstairs and find a robe for you."

Smiling thankfully, Moira nodded in agreement. "Thank you!"

Getting up, Jean walked over to the dishwasher when her eyes caught something on the outside. "What is Bobby doing there?"

Turning around, Ororo watched the man and shrugged. "Looks like he…well…."

"He makes a Wolvie sculpture for me!" Jubilee suddenly answered their questions from the door and began to give the children advices where to put which figure. "Jack, the Santa looks nicely over there."

Groaning, the boy carried the small sculpture over and placed it on the board. "Here?"

"Perfect!"

"And what about the snowman?" Lily asked her. "And Ray, TJ and Isa still have those angels…"

"We'll find a place! Maybe on your daddy's bedside table…," Jubilee answered and beckoned them to follow her. "Come on!" Leading the way, she left the kitchen, while Jack stopped briefly at the door.

"Daddy way right, mommy!"

"With what, honey?" Jean asked him smiling.

"Girls are battle-axes," he grunted and heard Jubilee calling his name from afar. Growling slightly, he put his hands in his jeans pockets and followed her.

"Yeah, it's unmistakable who his father is…," Ororo nodded. "Has he calmed down by now?"

Opening the door, Jean giggled suddenly when she risked a closer look at Bobby's work. "Not when he sees that one!" Curiously, the women joined her side and went outside on the terrace to have a better look. Close by, Bobby looked at his work and crossed his arms just to shake his head in the next second. He couldn't tell why he did this for her, but well, it was too late to change it. He only had to make sure that Logan wouldn't get his hands on him for the rest of the day… Or better days… "Bobby?" he heard Jean calling from behind and turned around.

"Yeah?" he asked when he saw her grinning.

"Do me a favor, okay?"

Thinking that she would want him to get rid off the sculpture, he shrugged. "I'm sorry, but Jubes…"

"We know," the redhead soothed him. "I'll send an image over, okay?"

Suddenly seeing in front of his eyes what she wanted him to do he had to smirk and turned around to change the sculpture. "Thanks, Bobby!" Jean smiled sweetly and went back inside, while the young man worked on the posture of his sculpture.

---

Approximately two hours later, Logan and Peter were occupied with pulling a large tree out of the wood and through the garden. Cursing under their heavy breaths, they suddenly stopped in front of the ice sculpture. "What the…," Logan hissed and let the tree fall to cock an eyebrow at the object in front of them. "Popsickle…," he added shook his head, just to smile in the next second when his eyes caught the sight of the raised fist with the three extended claws. Peter only heard a familiar snikt and watched how Logan made short work of Bobby's sculpture. Satisfied he stepped away a bit, retracted his claws and grabbed the tree again; seeing Peter shaking his head. "What?" Logan asked smirking. "Now it's perfect!"

Together they carried the tree through the complete mansion until they finally reached the hall where the party was supposed to be later. After putting the tree up, they heard two girls screaming aloud.

"Oh, oh…," Peter made since he had immediately recognized the voices.

"If ya don't want to play Mrs Mop for the next few hours," Logan grunted and heard the girls cursing while they came closer. "Then run!" Quickly, they head over to the door just to bump into an outraged Kitty and Jubilee.

"You!" Kitty said and had her hands on her hip while she glared at the two men.

"Hy!" Peter greeted her innocently and had to swallow hard.

"Wolvie…," Jubilee added through clenched teeth, while the man in front of her crossed his arms.

"Yeah, kid?"

"We spent the whole morning with cleaning the corridors. And now look at it!" Kitty exploded and pointed at the mess the men had left.

"Right!" the other woman nodded. "Go and clean the mess up ya have caused!"

Shrugging, Logan put his hands to his hip. "Sorry, no time, kid!"

"Oh, bullshit, Logan!" Kitty nearly shouted. "Take a cloth and clean the corridors. And you, too, Peter!"

Logan only gave Peter a look before he stepped forward and gave the girls his best smile. If he wanted to get out of the situation, since he didn't wanted to play Mrs Mop for the rest of the day, he had to play dirty. So he decided to play the cards of which he knew always worked on women. "I would, darlin'…," he said sweetly and touched Kitty's cheek just to look deep into her eyes. "…but, unfortunately, Rogue's waitin' for me on the airport…So, if you'll excuse me, ladies…" Smiling at them, he winked and quickly left the room, while Kitty and Jubilee still stared at the spot where he'd been standing before. Peter only looked to and fro between them and waited for the tiniest reaction, just to quickly head out of the room, too, as long as it was still safe. Logan, in the meanwhile, had reached the door to his rooms and stopped briefly with the doorknob in his hands. It didn't take long and he heard both girls screaming his name in anger. Smirking satisfied, he chuckled and went upstairs. There, he heard voices out of the bedroom and went over to knock at the door. "Jean?"

"Come in," came the reply from within, so he went inside and cocked an eyebrow at the three woman within the room.

"Chick stuff, eh?" he guessed and went over to the wardrobe.

"Was that Kitty we just heard?" Ororo asked him and he gave her only a look and smirk as an answer. "What did you do again, huh?"

"Again?" he asked.

"Yeah…"

Logan only chuckled and opened the doors in front of him. "I'd never do anything to upset two young ladies, 'Ro!"

Giving a laugh, the weather goddess shook her head. "Of course not!" she mocked and went over to the window to look outside. "Jean!" Ororo gasped suddenly in shock and covered her mouth with one hand. Also Moira was staring at the redhead first and at the ice sculpture next after she's taken a look. "Oh my God…," the weather goddess said and burst out into laughter next. "Logan! Shame on you!"

Only smirking, he pulled dry clothes out of the wardrobe and received a slap on his back from his wife. "You're a pig, Logan!" she scolded playfully, but still had trouble to hide her grin.

Watching him, Moira had to shake her head. "Men are strange, don't you think?" she asked the women, who finally turned away from the window.

"Why? The redhead asked her and went over to the bed again, while Ororo nodded.

"I think she means that everyone has seen him half naked and now he wants to leave the room to change his clothes…," she said and gave Logan a look who was watching them closely. "You can change here, Logan. We promise not to look!"

"Ha, ha," he made and began to change his dirty and soaked clothes while they went on with discussing what Moira could wear later. After he finally wore clean and dry clothes again, Logan put the dirty ones aside and put his leather jacket on. "I go and get Rogue and the Cajun from the airport," he said and gave Jean a kiss. "And by the way…," he added and took a blue robe out of the wardrobe. "Try this one!" He threw it over to Jean, who caught it and looked at him in surprise, while he went outside; leaving a Lady Liberty like grim looking Wolverine ice sculpture behind him in the garden that had the left hand on its hip, while the other was raised as if holding the torch. But instead of a torch there only was one claw extended anymore…the middle one…

Ororo took the robe out of Jean's hands and eyed it from all sides, before she held it in front of Moira; just to cock an eyebrow at her friend next. "Is there something we should know about him?" she demanded to know and watched her friend frowning.

"Why?"

"Well, look at that…," the weather goddess shrugged. "It suits her far better than the ones we picked for her…" Thinking about it, she suddenly recalled something when her eyes caught another robe on the bed. "The black one there that you wore last year to your anniversary… He picked it, didn't he?"

Smiling, Jean nodded and looked at the object. "Yeah. The black one was a gift to my birthday three years ago."

Nodding her appreciation, Moira gave her a smile. "So either he has an even darker secret we don't know about or he really has a knack for what a woman likes…"

---

Later the evening everyone who had state at the mansion over the holidays and hadn't returned home was gathered in the great hall to celebrate Christmas together. While the children kept on chasing around laughing, the grown ups mostly stood together and talked. With one hand in his jeans pockets and a beer in the other, Logan stood next to Charles and Hank; still waiting for his wife to finally appear. Even after all those years, he still couldn't understand why woman needed so long to get ready. He smiled at Rogue, who held her daughter tight; obviously being very happy to see her child again, while Remy stood right next to her. One look at Bobby was enough to tell him what the young man thought. Catching three smells, he turned his head towards the entrance, nudging Hank gently. Nodding towards the still closed door, the blue mutant followed his gaze, just to hold his breath when the door finally opened and Jean, followed by Ororo and Moira stepped in. "Shut your mouth, Furball," Logan teased him and put his beer away to walk towards his wife and kiss her tenderly. "Finally here, huh?" Smiling up at him, she wrapped her arms around him after taking a closer look. "What takes you chicks so long each time, can you tell me that?"

"We have a bit more to do then just shower and put new clothes on, Logan," she replied and smiled at Ororo, who was greeted by her husband and daughter lovingly. "At least you've dressed nicely…"

Growling, playfully, he kissed her neck. "I always dress nicely, darlin'." Looking at the black robe she wore, he smirked. "Followed my advice, huh?" He gave Moira, whose cheeks were more than blushed a look. "Still, you're the most gorgeous here…"

Giving a short laugh, she could only shake her head. "Thanks, honey…" She watched how Hank slowly approached Moira and scratched the back of his head nervously.

Not knowing what to say, he could only smile at her when he caught the sight of Logan, who only cocked an eyebrow at him, just to make a movement with his hand next to encourage him to do something. "Well, ehm…," Hank began and met Moira's eyes. "You look…amazing, Moira."

Blushing even more, she looked down smiling. "Thank you. You don't great, too." Smiling, he offered her his arm to join the Professor again.

Shaking his head, since he had heard everything, Logan turned to Jean again. "Way to go, Furball. You wanna drink something?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Be right back," he replied and kissed her before he went over to a table with several drinks.

Talking with Jubilee, Kittty and Peter, Bobby suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around.

"Hey, ehm…can we talk?" Rogue asked carefully and he shrugged.

He followed her to a corner next to the tree and crossed his arms. "What is it?"

"Bobby," she began and looked for the right words. "I'm sick of us arguing every time we see each other…"

"Oh really?" he gave back sarcastically.

"Can't we just…act like normal people?" she asked him and saw him shrugging. "Bobby, please. I know I hurt you back then and I am really sorry…"

Snorting, the man gave a short grin and shook his head while he watched his daughter and TJ chasing after Jack. "Hurt me, huh?" he said after a while and gave her a look. "It was nice seeing you sticking your tongue into his mouth while I thought we were happy."

Looking down, Rogue sighed. "I know… But I'm really sorry. I'm not asking you to forgive me," she said and met his gaze. "I only want us to…well, try and speak normally with each other. I still care a lot for you, Bobby, it's just that… Well, I… I felt drawn to him, I couldn't fight it. But I never intended to hurt you, you have to believe me!"

Thinking about her words, he looked away again and let his eyes travel around the room. Seeing how TJ and Isa had finally managed to get their hands on Jack, who desperately tried to get rid off them, he couldn't help but smile. "Must be the genes…," he murmured and made her frown.

"What?"

He nodded towards their daughter hugging the boy, while TJ wanted him for herself. "Poor Jack…" He switched towards his opposite again and looked at her from aside while she smiled about her daughter's actions. Deep in thoughts, he finally sighed. "Okay, let's try it…"

"What?" Rogue asked since she'd been too distracted of the kids' actions.

"Us. Trying to talk normally again."

Smiling happily, she hugged him. "Thank you…"

Letting go of her, he nodded with a weak smile. "So, when do fly back?"

"We'll stay until January 2nd."

"And how's France?" he asked and leant against the wall with his arms crossed.

Rogue shrugged. "It's okay. Kinda cold, though, since we live directly at the ocean, but… Well, it's okay." Her eyes caught the sight of Jubilee, who giggled about Isa's attempt to hold onto Jack. "So, the two of you are an item now?"

Following her gaze, Bobby smiled. "Yeah."

"By the way," the woman suddenly said and pulled him over to the window. "Did you do that sculpture?"

Seeing his ice sculpture in the garden, Bobby's jaw dropped when he noticed that there was only one claw left on the fist. "I didn't do THAT!" he said and shook his head, while Rogue had to giggle. "I made three claws…"

"Then it was Logan's doing," she laughed and looked for her best friend in the room. "Oh, oh…"

"What?" Bobby asked her when she nodded into a direction. Following her gaze, he saw what she meant. Not far away, Logan stood with arms crossed in front of Scott, who had taken the same posture than his opposite and both were glaring at each other. Next to them stood Jean and Mystique, while Hank and Moira slowly approached, too. "That means trouble…," Bobby only muttered and followed Rogue towards the group.

"Come on, Scott, not now," Mystique pleaded and laid a hand on his shoulder, while Jean did the same with Logan. Still, both men weren't listening and kept on staring at each other, when Jubilee suddenly looked up and began to poke into Logan's side.

"Ehm…,Wolvie?"

"What?" he growled and gave her an annoyed look. She only pointed above Scott's and Logan's head innocently and watched how both men followed her finger. Nearly at the same time, both cocked an eyebrow at the object above their heads before they looked at each other; not hearing how Jubilee began to giggle. "Come on, guys…," she cheered smirking and switched her eyes from the mistletoe to the men again. "We're waiting!"

Standing on the same spot like frozen, both mutants suddenly grabbed practically at the same time the first person they got their hands on, pushed this one under the mistletoe and stepped back. Exchanging glances, Moira and Hank first had to realize what had just happened before they looked at the object above them. With widened eyes and dropped chins they stared at their opposite in shock.

"Crap!" Jubilee suddenly cursed when she watched how the man slowly bent forward to place a more or less awkward kiss on the woman's lips. "I'd loved to see that…," she pouted and glared at Logan and Scott when a grin suddenly appeared on her lips. "But look at that… Scott's still blushed!" Giggling, she only felt Jack racing past her when the boy threw himself at his father and quickly gave him a sign to pull him up.

Doing so, Logan cocked an eyebrow at the panting boy. "What's wrong?" Only seeing how he pointed towards TJ and Isa, the man had to chuckle. "What about them?"

"Easy," Jubilee said and crossed her arms. "You son was standing under the mistletoe when Isa and TJ joined his side and I told him that he has to kiss them…" Seeing how Logan cocked an eyebrow at her, she shrugged. "It's tradition, Wolvie! It means bad luck if ya don't do it." Looking at the two pouting girls, she giggled. "And besides… Your fault that your son's so cute."

"Kissing is girl's stuff," the boy suddenly grunted and glared at the woman.

"Well, you'll like it when you get older, sweety."

"Nope," he shook his head and wrapped his arms even firmer around his father's neck. "It's disgusting!"

Chuckling, Logan shook his head. "See it like that… You've two girls at once."

"Eew," Jack made and shuddered.

"You sure that he's your boy?" Jubilee asked him suspiciously when Logan put him down. "You know your daddy likes…"

"Jubes!" Logan growled warningly and gave her a look.

"What?" she sighed and caught the sight of Jean. "Your wife wants something. And besides…it's time for the kids to go to bed anyway!"

Turning to Jean, he watched her coming closer and checked his watch. "Right…"

"Time to go to bed," the redhead said towards her son and waited for his protest, but he only nodded quickly.

"Sorry, girls, got to go," Jack shrugged and ran towards the door; leaving his mother looking at his father in confusion.

"What was that about?" she demanded to know, but he only chuckled and pulled her close to give her a kiss.

"I'll tell ya later," Logan replied and beckoned his daughters to follow them; seeing that TJ clung to her mother crying and that Isa wasn't so happy either. "He only broke his first two hearts today…"

---

Far past midnight and after celebrating for a few more hours, the grown ups had finally found their ways to their rooms, too and went to sleep. Laying in bed next to each other, Jean cuddled up to him from aside while he pulled her close and caressed her back with his hand. By now they were awake for another hour and he still didn't feel tired a bit. "What are ya thinkin' about, darlin'?" he asked her, since she obviously couldn't find any sleep either.

"I don't know…," Jean sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

Chuckling, he cocked an eyebrow at her. "Lost in thoughts and ya don't know what you're actually thinkin' about?" he teased her. "Preatty weird, ain't it?"

Playing with his chest hair lost in thoughts the redhead only shrugged. "Well, I'm still not tired…," she replied. "But I don't want to get up again either…"

"As I said…pretty weird!" Logan gave back smiling before he let his hands wander a bit deeper down her back. "So…any idea what else ya wanna do?"

Moving around, Jean straddled him and bent down to kiss him tenderly. Sitting up into an upright position he pulled her closer; deepening their kiss as their tongues met. "I assume that's your idea?" he teased her huskily and wobbled his head.

Only smiling in return, Jean pulled his head closer and stroked through his hair when he began to caress the side of her neck softly. She threw her head back to give him better access and closed her eyes; enjoying it completely when his hands began to stroke over her back and waist gently. Feeling how shivers ran down her spine, she shuddered slightly and pulled him into another tender kiss, when he began to pull her top over her head just to meet her lips in the next second again. Smiling, Logan concentrated on her fast beating heart, which beat as strongly in her chest as his did. Looking up, he saw her loving look and watched her placing her hands against his chest. He dropped to the mattress again and closed his eyes when this time, Jean began to caress his chest and neck tenderly, while her hands began to work on his pants in the meanwhile. He raised his hip a bit to help her pulling the already too tight fabric away, just to give her a smirk when she finally realized that hers was already gone. Shaking her head smiling, the redhead pulled him into the upright position again and kissed him passionately. Hearing the click when her mind locked the door, she was pulled closer by him when he placed his hands on her small hip again. Jean put her hands on his chest, felt his fast beating heart under her touch and opened her eyes, just to look directly into his dazed and wanting ones. While she looked deep into them she raised her hip and lowered it slowly onto his; hearing him sigh aloud into her neck when he had to close his eyes. Waiting a moment while she held her breath and had her eyes closed, too, she suddenly felt how he wanted her to move. Heavily breathing, Logan looked up at her. Even if it was dark, he noticed her flushed cheeks and dazed eyes and couldn't help put kiss her passionately again. Sighing softly into his mouth, she slowly began to move when he suddenly moaned into hers and broke their kiss to pull her as close as possible…

---

Loud cheering and laughter echoed through the mansion on the next day, when the kids jumped out of their beds to ran downstairs to look what Santa Clause had brought them this year. Being awoken by the loud noises, Logan slowly opened his eyes and smiled softly since Jean still rested on top of him. Nevertheless, his smile faded immediately when he realized that he obviously hadn't moved an inch at night and now he could practically feel how one after the next muscle began to hurt. "Jean…," he said softly and pulled the strands out of her face. "Jeannie…"

"Hm?" she mumbled and clung only more to him when he began to shake her gently. "What?"

"I usually don't mind, darlin', but please get off me," he said and tried to move his feet.

With a snorting protest, she slowly rolled over and clung to her pillow when she suddenly gasped. "Jeez, it's cold," Jean said and sat up a bit to look at him. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah," he only nodded.

"What?" she asked worriedly and sat up completely while he had his eyes closed.

"Thanks to ya I've got pins and needles in my legs…," he grunted and she had to giggle. "You think that's funny? I can't move an inch…"

Using her teke she pulled him into an upright position, hearing his loud protesting groan. "As long as not all parts have fallen asleep," Jean smirked and received a growl from him. Holding him in that position, she moved behind him and began to knead his sore muscles. "Better?"

"No," Logan grunted and cracked his neck. "Next time I sleep on top of ya and then we see how funny that is…"

Giggling, she bit into his earlobe softly. "You didn't complain a few hours ago, honey…"

"Yeah, that was when I could still feel my lower body parts," he growled and finally managed to move his legs. "Kids are already up, huh?"

"So it seems," she smiled and watched him getting up slowly to stretch his muscles. "Everything's working again?" Jean purred and quickly caught the pillow he threw into her direction.

After putting his pants on again, Logan watched her getting up to dress herself. "Sit down again," he said and she had to frown since she actually wanted to go and shower. Doing so in the end, she smiled when he suddenly pulled a small package out of the wardrobe that was hidden between his clothes. Sitting down next to her, he had to chuckle when she pulled her clothes in the wardrobe aside just to send a package flying over to them. "Same thoughts, huh?" he teased her and kissed her lips softly before he handed her the gift and took his into his hands. Watching how she opened hers impatiently he suddenly saw how she froze and began to laugh. "What?" he grunted and cocked an eyebrow at her. "It's self made, darlin'! So what's so funny about it?"

Wiping her tears away, while she still had to giggle, Jean nodded towards the package in his hands. "Open it!" Watching him doing so, she waited for his direction, when he suddenly let out a short laugh. "Same thoughts, huh? I guess our kids helped you with your album, too?"

"Yeah," Logan chuckled and took the photo album into his hands smiling. "Just one thing," he added and gave her a look. "If you used the same pictures I did…"

Giggling, she moved over a bit. "Well, let's check, shall we?" Together they went through the several pages and exchanged loving glances from time to time. "And I was already wondering where that one had gone," Jean said and pointed at one picture of the two of them together at the pool. "My dear Logan, you broke into my lab and stole one of my pictures?" she asked him and he only shrugged smirking.

"Actually, Jack stole the picture and Lily exchanged it while Ray was keeping you busy," Logan replied and pulled her into another kiss. "There's one more…" Looking into the box again, she smiled when she pulled another, smaller package out of it while he watched her. "I found it in my house in Jasmine Falls. I couldn't remember first what it meant," he explained when she looked at the Asian necklace. "I got it from Itsu…"

"What does it mean?" she asked him after giving him a kiss for it and putting it on; still looking at it.

Eying her he took the silver medallion into his hand. "Promise not to laugh?" he wobbled his head.

"I won't laugh, Logan," Jean assured him smiling. "Well, it's kitschy," he warned her. "But in the end I didn't made it…"

taking his hand in hers, she gave him a look. "Stop trying to talk yourself out of it… What does it mean?"

"It's a mamori, a talisman. The silver signs in the golden circle are the shichi fukujin. The seven Gods of luck. The signs on the silver circle mean… You really wanna know?" he asked again just to receive another look from her. "Your choice…" When she looked at the medallion again, he pulled it around to what she thought was the beginning and turned it while talking, so that she knew how to read it. "My spirit is and always will be with you, even when we're not together in person our hearts and minds will always be together no matter what," he finished quickly and was pulled into a kiss by her.

"And on Japanese?"

"Everything?" he asked and she nodded smiling. "Jeez…hope ya have time…"

She giggled. "It's just fascinating to hear you speaking it…"

"Fascinating, huh?" he grunted and looked at the medallion again, telling her on Japanese what it meant. "Satisfied?"

Smiling, she sat down on his lap and kissed him tenderly while he wrapped his arms around her. "It's beautiful. Thanks, Logan. There's one more for you, too, by the way…" Smiling, Jean watched how he opened the package. "I saw it when I went shopping with 'Ro…"

He smirked at her when he looked at the silver lighter with a head of a wolf engraved on it. "Who wanted me to quit smokin' again?" he asked and wobbled his head.

"I never said I wanted you to quit it," she corrected him and wrapped her arms around his neck once more. "I only said not in our rooms!"

Chuckling, Logan kissed her. "Thanks, Jeannie!" he said and pulled her close. "Merry Christmas, darlin'."

"Merry Christmas to you, too," Jean smiled and kissed him again when they heard the children on the outside. "Well, I think we better go downstairs, huh?"

Nodding playfully he put the lighter and two albums on the bedside table and got up; pulling her with him. "Then someone should better get dressed…"

"Look who's talking!"

"Well, then go like that and show off, Red!" he smirked. "At least if ya want to piss me off…"

Watching how he pulled a shirt over his head while she got her bathrobe, Jean followed him downstairs and held his hand. "Piss off?"

"'f course," he grunted and let her to the hall.

Shaking her head Jean leant against his shoulder. "My jealous hubby…"

"Says someone who kills other women with her looks, huh?" Smiling, they entered the hall together and we're immediately greeted by the others.

"Morning!" Ororo smiled and went over to hug both of them. "Merry Christmas! If you look for your children they are somewhere and test their gifts. Oh and TJ is still hurt!"

Chuckling, Logan shook his head. "Blame Jubes for it!"

Smiling, the weather goddess looked at Kurt, who played with TJ and her new doll on the ground. "By the way you were right, Jean! Men really are the true children…"

"Are we, huh?" Logan made and gave his wife a look.

"Well it wasn't us who made small dough letters and mean looking dough-women," the redhead replied and looked up at him while her chin rested on his chest.

"Dragon!" he grunted and gave her a kiss before he let go of her. "I go and check on our kids."

"That one is new," Ororo suddenly said and looked at her opposite's new necklace. "Jeez, how does he always do that?" Jean only shrugged smiling.

---

A few days later Ororo and Mystique sat in the kitchen together and waited for Moira to join them. Both were totally excited after their last check up and sipped on their teas, while they waited. "So is Scott already getting nervous?" Ororo asked and had to laugh when Mystique rolled her eyes. "So bad?"

"I'm only waiting for him to wrap me into cotton wool."

"Well, it's his first child," the other woman shrugged. "I mean yours, too, but well…we're the stronger sex."

Smiling, Mystique nodded. "How true! What does Kurt say?"

"He's happy. But thank God not as scared as he was with TJ. So, I know what you're going through!"

Putting her cup down, the other woman gave her a look. "What did Logan do back then? I mean…he doesn't seem to me like the scared and 'oh you could shatter to pieces when I touch you'-guy."

Giggling, Ororo put her cup down, too. "Jean raised her voice once and he tried hard not to be overprotective. It was kinda funny, though, since being protective is in his nature, but well… We had a lot of fun!"

"I believe that… When are you due?" Mystique asked and waited for her opposite to swallow the tea.

"May and you?"

"March," the former blue mutant replied. "Is there any child whose birthday is between…September and January?"

Thinking about it Ororo shook her head. "No… The twins' birthday is on May 10th, Ray's on February 15th, Isa's on August 31rst and TJ has on June 6th… Jeez you're right…"

Smiling, Mystique briefly looked out of the window and her gaze fell on the ice sculpture, which was covered by the snow that had fallen over night. "I'd bet Logan's birthday is between November and January…," she suddenly said and made the weather goddess frown.

"Why?"

Turning around again she gave her a look. "You know, people are like the seasons. There are spring, summer, autumn and winter people. Jean is a summer person, but Logan definitely is a winter person. I'd be shocked if he was born in a different season."

"That's true," Ororo nodded after a while. "Too bad that you know my birthday. Otherwise I'd have asked what kind of person I am."

Before Mystique could reply anything, Moira entered the kitchen and waved with their ultrasound pictures. "Here they are. I'm sorry that it took so long," she apologizes. "I don't know why the printer is always broken…" Looking at the pictures she handed Mystique one. "That's your and here is yours, 'Ro. As I said, everything's fine."

Looking at the picture for a while, Mystique furrowed her brows. "What's it going to be?"

"Do you want to know, too?" Moira asked Ororo, who nodded. "Well, be happy ladies! Obviously both of you expect a boy."

Smiling widely the weather goddess held the picture close. "That means two more boys for the girls to chase after."

"I felt sorry for Jack, 'Ro!" Moira said and crossed her arms.

"well, It's his own fault that Logan's his father," Mystique mumbled and still examined the picture. "What about my mutation?"

"I discussed it with Hank and Jean," the woman with the brown hair said. "We think that you will look the same again after your baby is born. Not directly afterwards, but probably a few days or weeks later…"

"Good," the woman nodded. "It's weird to look like that if you're not used to it…"

"Well, ladies, I'm sorry but Jean is waiting for me," Moira suddenly said.

"Right! Today is the big day, huh?" Ororo winked and smiled widely. "Go and get the man, Moira! We want all the details tomorrow!"

Blushing slightly, Moira slowly walked over to the door. "Well, see you later then!" she said and went upstairs to meet Jean, who wanted to help her with dressing for her date. On her way she met Isa and TJ, who were standing in front of the door. "Hey," she greeted them. "Why don't you go inside?"

"Well," Isa said and exchanged a short look with TJ.

Smiling the woman kneeled down a bit. "Not so shy. Just knock on the door." She watched how TJ finally did as she was told and it didn't take long for Logan to open the door.

"Hey, kids," he greeted and stepped aside. "I already asked myself if ya want to sleep in front of the door. Come in!" He waited for them to enter before he closed the door again. "Jean's in the bedroom," he told Moira, who nodded, before he sat down on the ground next to his daughters again.

"Is Jack here, Uncle Logan?" Isa asked him and came closer to see what they were playing.

"He's in his room, kid," Logan replied and smirked when he saw which card Lily played. "You wanna try and kiss him again?"

Staring at him with widened eyes, both girls exchanged glances while Lily and Ray giggled. "No, we…we only wanted to visit him…"

Winking at them smirking, Logan nodded over to the door of the twins' room. "Then go to him," he said and watched them doing so as he looked at the cards in his hands again. "You're going to lose, darlin'."

Seeing which card he played, Rachel began to pout. "You're cheating, daddy!" she protested and made him laugh.

"No, I ain't! I'm winning, that's all…"

"Nope," Lily suddenly smiled. "I'M winning!" When she saw how her father cocked an eyebrow at her, she played her cards. "That's two chocolate bars for me, daddy!" Lilly giggled while her father growled.

Inside the bedroom, Jean was occupied with pining up Moira's long brown hair, while the woman kneaded her hands nervously. Noticing it, the redhead had to smile. "It's something serious, isn't it?" she asked and pinned another strand up when she could feel how Moira startled.

"Well…," the woman replied after a while. "Honestly, I don't know."

"But you like him a lot."

Smiling and with blushed cheeks the woman on the stool nodded. "Yes… He's a fine and intelligent man."

"Well, it's Hank," Jean said and checked her work critically.

"Can I ask you something?" Moira suddenly said and turned around.

"Sure," the redhead nodded and sat down on the bed next to her. "What is it?"

"When…," her opposite began and suddenly looked towards the door. "He can hear us, can't he?"

Looking towards it, Jean shook her head and groaned suddenly. "Did he play cards when you came in?"

"Ehm, yes…"

"He's incorrigible! I can't believe that he plays poker with them again…"

Cocking an eyebrow at her, Moira briefly turned towards the door. "He plays poker with them?"

"They play for chocolate bars…," the redhead explained and suddenly had to smile. "Well, at least he's losing. He was such a good teacher that Lily can beat him by now."

"I didn't know that he can play poker at all…," her opposite said surprised.

Shrugging, Jean could only shake her head when she felt how her husband was losing the next round. "He often plays with Kurt and Peter, or Remy when he's around. If you want an advice…never play cards with Logan! He always wins." Holding in for a second, she smiled when she heard another frustrated groan. "Except against his daughters… What do you want to ask me?" Jean asked and faced Moira again. "He can't hear us. I'm blocking us out."

Moira quickly looked down again and began to play with her shirt. "When did you… Or how did you…"

Laying a hand on her friend's shoulder, Jean squeezed it encouragingly. "Just ask…"

"Sighing, the woman heaved another deep breath. "When or how did you realize that…that you love him?" Staring at her opposite for a while, the redhead didn't know what to say. The question had just surprised her too much. "I'm sorry, Jean! That was a stupid question. Forget about it…"

"No, it's okay," Jean waved off. "UI was just surprised…" She remained silent for a while, knowing that Moira was looking at her, and thought about it very carefully. Just to realize that she hadn't had an answer. "Honestly…I don't know…"

"You don't know?" her opposite asked her surprised and saw how Jean shook her head.

"I always liked him. I was never able to figure out what it was, but there was something about him that had practically drawn me to him," she tried to explain. "But I never knew what I felt for him. To me it was a strong attraction…"

"But…," Moira said and shook her head when she looked for the right words. "I mean you must have realized at some point that it was more than that. Otherwise you wouldn't have married him…"

"I think I first realized that it was more when he went to Canada again and came back about two months later," Jean thought aloud and crossed her arms just to shake her head afterwards. "Otherwise,…I didn't even know him back then. And he's been with us for a few days only…" Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair. "Or it was when he's kissed me. I came very close on cheating on Scott back then…"

"Well," Moira smirked and shifted her position on the stool. "Actually you did cheat on him then. At least from what I've heard…"

"Oh, does everyone knows this?" the redhead cried. "Anyway…" She sighed. "Jeez, I really don't know… Can you believe that?"

"Maybe it was love at first sight and you just didn't realize it…," her opposite suggested and made Jean blush. "Why not? I mean look at him…"

"So you're in love with Hank?" Jean quickly changed the subject and saw how her friend shrugged.

"That's the problem. I don't know… You know, I was always too caught up with work and everything that I never had a real relationship… I've never really been in love with a man, so…I just can't tell…"

Jean nodded in understanding and went over to the wardrobe with a smile on her lips to get a robe for Moira out of it. "Do you miss him when he's not around? Are you nervous when he is or when you know that he comes through a door in the next second?" she asked and handed her a black robe while she could tell that the woman was thinking.

"Well,…yes."

Smiling even wider, the redhead helped her into the robe. "Then congrats, my dear, but you have totally fallen for our beloved diplomat."

"You really think so?" Moira asked her and felt how her heart kicked into high gear. "Jeez, now I'm getting even more nervous… Do you think he feels the same? Or that he likes me?"

"I can assure you that Hank likes you a lot. Ask Logan! He always nearly explodes because Hank is so shy…," she told her opposite and let go of the zipper. "Is it okay?"

Looking down on herself before she took a closer look in the large mirror, Moira smiled. "Yes. It's perfect," she replied and made Jean smile. "Thank you so much for helping me out, Jean!" she said and hugged her.

"Hank will love it!" the redhead said and smiled.

"Is it still the same with you and Logan?" the other woman asked when they walked towards the door. "I mean that you're nervous and everything…"

Opening the door just to hear another frustrated groan of Logan, Jean had to smile. "Definitely…"

"Mommy!" Lily cheered and jumped up. "Daddy owes me fifteen chocolate bars!"

"Would ya believe that?" Logan asked his wife aloud and threw the cards onto the pile growling. "Would ya believe that?!" Giggling, Lilly hugged him.

"That's the right punishment for playing poker with them again, Logan!" Jean scolded him playfully.

Growling, he let himself fall backwards and pulled the squealing Lily up, while Rachel took hold of his legs. "Fifteen chocolate bars, eh?"

"Yeah," the girls laughed. "5 for each one of us!"

Shaking her head, Jean turned towards Moira again. "Have fun, okay?"

"Thanks again," Moira smiled and hugged her again. "Bye Logan!"

"Enjoy yourself, darlin'," he only smirked and received a look from both women, when Jack came out of the room followed by Isa and TJ. Taking their chanced that the boy was still looking at the silver pendant, a wolf's head, that they'd given him as a late Christmas gift, both girl quickly grabbed him and gave him a kiss on the cheek; giggling they quickly left the apartment with a short bye on their lips.

"Eew," Jack made and began to clean his cheeks with the sleeves of his shirt with a disgusted look on his face.

"Jack has a girlfriend," Lily laughed and quickly ran away when her brother threw a pillow at her.

"Girlfriends," Ray corrected her and squealed when he threw himself at her.

"I.have.not!" the boy protested and threw the pillow after the giggling girls.

Joining his wife, Logan gave her a smirk. "Looks like we have to prepare a wedding, darlin'," he teased his son, who began to growl and chased after him next.

---

In the next days the preparations for the New Years party was in full swing. Parts of the decoration were exchanged while also the garden began to look different with each day. The boys were occupied with preparing the fireworks and the girls had nothing better to do than to discuss what they could wear. The closer New Year Eve came, the more they became nervous and finally agreed asking for a dress code; to the displeasure of the men.

A few hours before the party was supposed to begin, Jean kept on giving Logan her best pleading looks and tried to convince him in wearing a tux. "Forget it, darlin'," he shook his head and crossed his arms; secretly loving her attempts of talking him into it.

"Logan, please," she begged. "Do it for me…"

"Yeah, and the next thing you ask for is a haircut and shaving again. I said the next time I'll do it is when we're married for ten years, so wait another two and a half!" Hearing a frustrated groan from her, he chuckled when she left the room to go over to Ororo and dress there.

It was later when the men were gathered at the stairs and waited for their wives or girlfriends, in Hank's case date, to come downstairs. The first ones to smile were Bobby and Peter, since Jubilee, who was dressed in a silky yellow robe, and Kitty, dressed in a dark green one, came downstairs first and were greeted with a kiss. Kurt only smiled widely when Ororo finally appeared in a silky light grayish robe. "So it seems we have to wait again, huh?" Scott asked and tried to imagine what Mystique would wear. He knew how much she hated to wear clothes. Nevertheless a wide smile occurred on his lips when she descended the stairs in a silky dark blue robe. "You look great," he said and kissed her softly.

"Thanks," she smiled and linked arms with him. "But it looks weird, don't you think?"

Knowing that she was talking about her belly, he shook his head. "No. You look beautiful," he assured her and led her to the hall; leaving Hank and Logan still waiting for their women.

"They do that on purpose, mate," Logan grunted and buried his hands in his pockets. "The older they get the longer we have to wait…" Seeing the nervous smile on his friend's lips, he shook his head. "So…girlfriend or still just a friend, Furball?"

"Well…," Hank replied and suddenly smiled even wider. "Who knows…"

"Just kiss her at midnight and get over with it," Logan grunted calmly and watched how Moira came downstairs, hair pinned up again and dressed in a silky red robe.

"I'm sorry for making you wait," she apologized, but Hank waved off and linked arms with her.

Sighing in frustration, Logan looked upstairs and cocked an eyebrow. He tried hard to keep his patience up. Nevertheless, by now he was sick of waiting. "That was about time," he grunted when Jean finally appeared. "Well, at least you wear that one." Smirking he pulled her closer and kissed her tenderly.

"What was it again," Jean said and looked down on him. "I have to wait two and a half more years?"

"Just for you, darlin'," he smirked and kissed her again, making her smile. "You look breathtaking, Red…"

"Thank you. You don't look half that bad either, honey," she teased him and giggled when he placed a kiss on her neck.

"And you smell good," he added growling when she pushed him away with flushed cheeks.

"Come on," she said and grabbed his hand. "Someone has to wait a few more hours I think…"

"Again?" Logan grunted. "I already waited two hours for ya."

"No, you waited one hour and forty-five minutes to be more precisely," she said teasingly and smiled even wider when he growled again.

When they entered the hall that was illuminated by a comfortable light together, soft music echoed through the room and loud chattering could be heard. "You owe me a dance, darlin'," Logan whispered into her ear and sent shivers down her spine. "Or let's say two…" Smiling at her, they walked over to where the Professor was talking with Ororo and Kurt.

"Hey Jubes," Kitty said and pulled her into a corner. "Is it only me or is someone very nervous today?"

"Nervous?" Jubilee replied and tried to laugh. "Me? No… What makes ya think that?"

Crossing her arms with a knowing look on her face, her opposite shook her head. "Come on, what is it? Are you afraid that he will ask you to marry him?" she joked and made her friend cough when she swallowed too much of her sparkling wine. "Not nervous, huh?"

"I'm not… Really!" the other woman tried to convince her. "Okay, busted, I am, so what?"

Kitty had to frown since she had never seen her friend like that. "Why?" she asked and pulled her more into the corner to make sure that no one listened in.

"Well,…" Jubilee began and played with her robe. "I think he…well, you know…"

"Jubes, calm down! What does Bobby want?"

Heaving a deep breath, she gave her boyfriend another nervous look. "I think he wants to…" She sighed. "Well, what men want…"

Finally understanding what her friend was talking about, Kitty shrugged. "And?" she asked and noticed the look her opposite gave her. "Oh…," she made when she realized why her friend was so nervous.

Spending the hours with talking or dancing, the mutants looked up when Charles announced that it was about time to go outside. Looking at Hank in surprise when this one led her to the terrace instead of following the other into the garden. She stopped next to him when he only gave her a small smile. "You have a better view from here," he said and she nodded. While they could hear the others from afar, Hank looked at the woman next to him from time to time; noticing that she was shivering. Quickly, he got rid off his jacket and pulled it around her shoulders.

"Oh,…thank you!" Moira said and he smiled at her when he pulled her closer with one arm. It didn't take long and the fireworks began, making both of them looking at it in astonishment. "Happy New Year, Moira," Hank said softly and watched her turning to him with a smile on her lips.

"Happy New Year to you, too!" she replied and watched how he briefly looked down when she had to gasp since she saw her favorite fireworks illuminating the night sky.

"Ehm, Moira…," he said calmly and madder her look at him again.

"Yes?" she asked and met his gaze while her heart was nearly exploding in her chest.

Clearing his throat, Hank stepped a bit closer and stared at her nervously. "I…ehm…,"he began. "You look breathtaking today."

Blushing, she looked down. "Thank you…"

Hank had to close his eyes when he began to curse himself for not saying what he actually wanted to tell her. Looking at the crowd at the pond he saw two tiny sparkling dots from afar and recalled what Logan had said after he'd told him how their date had went. Not thinking twice this time, he pulled her into a tender kiss. "I love you…," Hank finally said barely audible just to realize that she was staring at him in deep shock. Immediately he thought that he had done something wrong and stepped back. "I'm…I am sorry," he apologized and turned around to get back inside, when she made him froze on the spot.

"I love you, too, Hank…"

Facing her again in surprise, he noticed for the first time that she was crying silently. With few steps Hank was on hers side again and pulled her into a deep kiss this time, just to hold her tight afterwards.

At the pond, Logan finally turned around smiling. "That was about time…," he mumbled and pulled Jean close. "Happy New Year, darlin'…" Kissing her tenderly, while she wrapped her arms around him he realized again how her scent affected him.

"Happy New Year, Logan!" she replied and leant against him before they watched their friends happily. Knowing that their children were already asleep, she could tell that if the fireworks hadn't woken them up, their friends would do that job. By now they were cheering and laughing so loud that she couldn't help but smile widely.

"What do you think about going upstairs, darlin'?" Logan suddenly whispered in her ear huskily and made her look up in surprise. "Come on, I want to be alone with ya." Pulling her with him through the snow, she briefly looked back at her friend before she followed him.

Ororo leant back against Kurt, who rested his hands on her belly and his chin on her shoulder while they still looked at the sky. "Moira said it's going to be a boy," she told him calmly and made him smile.

"Then we have to think about a name, nein?" he asked and kissed her tenderly.

"Yes," she nodded and pulled him close. "I love you."

Smiling happily, he looked up again. "I love you, too, 'Ro."

"Come on, chérie, Remy wants to go upstairs with mon petite."

Looking at him sighing, Rogue finally gave in. "You're incorrigible," she protested but laughed when he kissed her neck and tickled her with the stubbles on his chin and cheeks. "Besides, Isa is sleeping in our room…"

Remy gave her a devilish grin. "Well, then Remy will find another one, mon chérie…"

Watching them leaving, Bobby gave Jubilee a look. "Do you want to go upstairs, too?" he asked her and frowned when she stared at him as if he'd just asked her to marry him. "You alright?"

"Yeah," she nodded and gave him a nervous smile. "Sure… We can go…" Still furrowing his brows, Bobby finally shook his head and took her hand into his; being watched by Kitty closely.

"Only a few more days and then we have to go to college again," she cried and rested her head against her husband's shoulder. "Life sucks…"

Laughing calmly, he pulled her close. "Well, life would suck if we had to tidy up the mess now…"

Kitty nodded playfully. "Right…"

"Guys, we go to bed," Scott said and waved them good night. "Sleep well."

"Let's go, too, it's getting too cold," Kitty suggested and took his hand into hers. "And besides," she yawned. "I'm tired…"

"All right, then let's go," Peter nodded and pulled his arm around her waist. Together they followed Scotty, Mystique and the Professor, wondering where everyone had suddenly gone to.

"Well, I don't want to know," Kitty waved off. "Good night everyone!" she said and disappeared with Peter, while Scott and Mystique went further down the corridor with Charles and departed there.

Upstairs, the couple went inside Scott's room where he turned around to switch the light on. "You want to go to sleep?" he asked and was suddenly pulled into a deep kiss by her.

"No…," Mystique replied with a seductive smile on her lips and reached out to lock the door.

"You sure? I mean…," Scott asked insecurely and heard her groaning before she turned them around and straddled him on the bed.

---

As soon as Logan and Jean had reached their bedroom, he pinned her against the door and kissed her neck. "Hm…," he growled into her ears and made her gasp. "You smell intoxicating, darlin'." He bit into her neck softly while she closed her eyes. "So good…"

Jean wrapped her arms around his neck when he reached behind her and locked the door with a dark grin on his face. While his eyes were locked on her face, he noticed that he let her eyes travel down his body and suddenly bit her lip smiling. "Intoxicating, hm?" she asked and made him nod before she began to lick on his neck; letting her hand travel further down. "I think that's not the only problem you have, hon…"

Chuckling first, he sucked in the air through gritted teeth when she squeezed his groin softly. "You fault, Red…"

Using her teke, Jean turned them around and pushed him against the door; kissing him passionately while her hands got quickly rid of his shirt first and worked on his pants next. With an easy movement she pulled them down and waited for him to kick them away, before she kissed him sighing again just to step back afterwards. Logan cocked an eyebrow at her. "What?" he asked and eyed her closely with heated eyes. "Somethin' wrong, darlin'?" She met his eyes with the same heat in hers as he possessed and suddenly smirked devilishly. Confused, he watched how she stepped closer again, put both hands onto his chest and began to stroke and kiss her way downwards. Realizing that she was slowly kneeling down, he suppressed a moan when her hands were caressing his thighs and her tongue was licking on his head. Logan opened his eyes after a moment again and met her gaze. "You don't have to…," he said mentally since he couldn't ménage to produce one word with his mouth.

Only smiling seductively, Jean stopped her hands briefly. "You can thank me later," she purred on the same way and caused him to hit his head hard on the door when she swallowed him in the next moment…

---

Pulling her silky red bathrobe closer while she shivered slightly, Jean ran a hand through her long hair and yawned when she descended the stairs from her rooms to the first floor. She closed the door behind her calmly and made her way to the kitchen. Her hand searched for the light switch next to the door. Hearing a clicking sound, she closed her eyes briefly when the room was illuminated before she went inside to make a hot tea. Tiredly, her hands automatically grabbed for the right objects, when she was suddenly grabbed from behind. While one large hand covered her mouth and muffled her sounds, the other pressed a knife against her throat. "Don't even think about making a noise," a low voice hissed into her right ear and she could feel the warm breath against it. "I ain't here to hurt ya… I'll let ya go now, okay?"

Feeling how she was released by him, Jean touched her throat and turned slowly around; her heart was nearly breaking her chest. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" she asked and stepped away from the tall and muscular man in front of her. His hair was a mess of dark, nearly black hair with light grayish strands. His eyes must have been dark in the past, but now the right one was glowing in an unnatural white-orange light, while the remaining one looked rather artificial to her. His rough features were covered with scars. Some deep, others tiny ones, whereas three large gashes went from above his left eye right through his face to the right cheek. The mark of the Wolverine, as she knew it and noticed that the scars even expanded to his bare arms. Jean looked at the strange clothes of her opposite, figuring that it was some kind of uniform when her eyes noticed for the first time the left arms of him. It was completely covered in some kind of silver metal… "Who are you?" she asked again and backed off a bit more.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya," he said again. "So no need for ya t'back off…"

Snorting, she gave him a look. "Sorry if it's so hard to believe after a stranger brakes into our school and attack me!" she hissed. "Who are you? It's the last time I'll ask or I'll call for help!" He only chuckled. "You think that's funny?" the redhead asked angrily.

"Your powers won't work, darlin'," he replied. "If ya don't believe me try to raise a cup…"

Narrowing her eyes, Jean looked aside and fixed her eyes on the cup she had put on the counter before. She gasped when nothing happened. Within less than a second she'd grabbed a knife out of the open dishwasher and pointed it at her opposite warningly. "Are you one of Sinister's men?" she demanded to know and backed off again when he nodded.

"Yes…"

"What do you want?" Jean hissed and held her eyes fixed on him. "What does he want this time, huh?"

He crossed his normal and artificial arm in front of his chest and leant back against the counter, while his eyes traveled around. "Don't ya rather want t'know why there's no alarm, darlin'?" he asked back and smirked when she narrowed her eyes even more. "You still look cute when you're all pissed, Jeannie…"

"Stop calling me that. I don't even know…," she began aloud when she suddenly looked at him more closely.

"…me?" he finished her sentence and chuckled a bit. "Well…I ain't offended, darlin'. I don't even know myself anymore…," he finished when the knife fell to the ground and she stared at him; mouth covered with one hand and with widened eyes.

"You're not him!" Jean said after a while and shook her head. "That's only a new trick…"

He turned towards her. "Is it?" he asked and came a bit closer while his eyes scanned her frown head to toe; making her back off again. "All those years and I could never forget how beautiful you were, darlin'…"

"Stop it!" she hissed. "I'm not falling for such a stupid trick! Tell me what you are doing here or I start screaming and my husband will be here in a second!"

Again he chuckled. "Oh really? And what will he do against me, huh?"

"Try him!" Jean replied through gritted teeth and was slowly turning around the counter; his eyes following each of her movements.

"You could directly walk past me, darlin'…would have the same effect, ya know?"

"Shut up!" Her anger was even fueled when she saw him smirking. She only heard a sound and he'd jumped over the counter before he pinned her to it. "Let go of me!" she yelled when he held her arms captive with his silver arm and raised his other to stroke through her face gently. Watching him doing so, she looked into the unfamiliar face and froze. Nevertheless, she noticed the sadness in his strange eyes. "If you're him…then tell me why you're here and what you want…"

Letting go of her, he stepped back a bit. "To warn you…"

"Of what?"

"When he comes to take our son, we can't fail to get him back!" he said and gave her a serious look. "We did fail in the past and it caused a chain reaction of the most horrible things you can imagine!"

Shaking her head in confusion, Jean put her hands to her hip. "Why would he take Jack?" she asked and saw how he cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Not Jack!" her opposite gave back. "Jamie…"

Giving a laugh, Jean nodded. "Busted! Because Logan and I don't have a son with that name. We have Jack and Jake…"

Running a hand through his face, he squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Which date is here?" he asked.

"Stop it! You're not him and that's it, now piss off or I call for help!" the redhead said threatening and was about to open the back door when he grabbed her arm roughly.

"The date?"

"January 1rst 2012," she hissed and pulled her arm away.

Lowering his arm, he looked down. "Then it's still time," he mumbled more to himself while she sighed in annoyance.

"There's the door, you have one minute!" Jean said and glared at him. "We don't have a son with that name, so leave!"

"We have!" he shot back. "Jamie was born on August 17th this year!"

"If that was the truth I'd have to be pregnant now," she shot back. "No matter what you say, I don't believe you!" Angrily she pushed his silver arm aside and walked towards the door when she heard a familiar sound. Slowly turning around, her eyes widened.

"How many men do you know with that, eh?" he asked her and held up his normal arm. Three razor sharp adamantium blades greeted her and made her gasp. "I don't care if you don't believe me, Red," he went on. "But you're gonna listen to me now, cause I'm running out of time." He retracted his claws again and hissed in pain, while she came slowly closer. Curiously and shocked, she watched how the blood still dripped from his hands. "Then why are you not healing?" Jean asked and shook her head. "Where's your healing factor?"

He chuckled but didn't smile. "Gone," he replied dryly. "So are you, the X-Men, the school, our children… Everything you know…"

Still frowning, she crossed her arms while her mind and heart were racing. "How?"

As I said…it began when Jamie was taken away," he told her and watched smiling how she pressed a towel on his still bleeding hand. "Thanks, darlin'…"

"How? And when?" she asked and met his gaze; searching for any familiar feature.

"I can't remember the date, but it was only weeks afterwards. We went looking for him and found him, but when we had to fight…" He shook his head and clenched his fists. "You and I, we both… We didn't use our negatives for help since we both knew that if we did, we would lose control and would probably lose him forever, too."

"But we lost him because we didn't use them?" Jean asked frowning and he nodded.

"I think so, yeah," he replied. "Sinister disappeared completely shortly afterwards. No matter what we tried, we couldn't find him and then it happened," he went on and kept his eyes on the ground. "Apocalypse rose again. He attacked Europe first, then Asia and us. We gathered all X-Men, but it was completely useless. With one attack only, he'd killed everyone." Even without looking at her he could tell what kind of look she gave him. "You were left badly wounded, I was healing, but we weren't prepared for his second blow." He looked at her and his eyes saddened again. "You died… The attack had practically torn us apart. I only realized that I lost my arm when his horsemen were standing above me. The next thing I know was that I was in Sinister's lab…"

Still eyeing him in disbelief, Jean suddenly let out a deep breath and shook her head. "But… I don't recognize you. Not even your voice…"

He chuckled and looked away. "I ain't the man you married, darlin'," he said barely audible. "I ain't that man at all anymore…"

"But why are you working for him?"

"Because there's no other choice," he simply said. "Jean…the world I come from is not the world you know here… Apocalypse reins it… Every mutant is his personal slave. If you don't obey he tortures you until you do or until there's nothing left of you at all. If he has a good day he kills you or he just leaves ya to die a painful death…"

"The humans?" she asked but he shook his head.

"There are no humans anymore, Jeannie. They were the first ones he got rid off… And by absorbing Jamie or whatever he'd done to him…he has all the power he needs…"

Running both hands through her face, she had trouble believing what she heard. But at the same time her instincts told her that it was true… "But there are too many mutants. It can't be that no one fights back!"

Smirking weakly, he pointed at himself. "What do you think happened to me, Red?" he asked and made her frown. "I broke out of the lab and even joined Magneto. We attacked Apocalypse and after he struck once…I was the only one left standing… But I wanted revenge… I wanted to kill him for taking my family away and you see where it has gotten me. After all those years I ain't even human anymore…"

"A cyborg?" Jean asked in a whisper when she looked at his arm again and he shrugged.

"Something like that. After torturing me for weeks he realized that he couldn't break me. So he decided to take away what was left of me." He reached out and turned a shining pot, which laid on the counter, around to stare at his mirror image in disgust. "And that was me…"

Turning away, Jean walked over to the window and looked outside. "Who are you then?"

He shrugged again and leant against the counter. "He calls me Cable…"

"Then tell me,…Cable," Jean said and looked at him directly; on purpose not using the name she was used to since she could tell that it really wasn't her Logan anymore. "How can I stop him?" This time she didn't back off when he came closer and touched her cheek. From the way he did it, she could tell that part of him was still the man she loved. And this realization caused her eyes to fill with tears. "How?"

"You need to get our son back," he replied calmly and looked deep into her eyes. "You need to use your negative in that fight and you need to make me use mine, too, Jean. Otherwise we will lose…and everything will go to hell. Our friends will die, our children will die…everything will go to hell…"

"But…wouldn't it be better if the child wasn't born at all?"

"No!" Cable shook his head, still staring at her. "You need his power…"

"His power?" she asked confused.

He looked at a small object on his belt. "I don't have the time. Just remember my words! You need to use your destructive power to get him back! And Jamie needs to be born. He's important! If you fail… Just look at me, Jeannie. Look what I've become and then remember who I was…and then try to imagine what the world looks like…" Jean saw how he began to glow when he suddenly looked at her pleadingly. "Can I kiss ya?"

"What?" she asked surprised and her eyes widened.

"I haven't seen ya in decades, Jeannie… The only thing I can remember of you is your face," he said calmly and looked down feeling embarrassed. "I can't even remember what feeling you was like… Please, can I kiss ya?" Seeing her nodding slowly after a while, he gently placed his normal hand under her chin and bent forward; kissing her softly. When the object on his belt began to beep warningly, he withdrew slowly with closed eyes, while she stared at him with wet ones. It broke her heart when he opened his eyes and looked at her lovingly. "Thank you," he whispered and stroked once more over her cheek, when a single tear left his normal eye and ran down his cheek. "I miss ya and the cubs so much, darlin'…" With that he stepped back when the light began to cover him completely.

Watching him, Jean couldn't help but start crying. "Logan…," she whispered and wrapped her arms around herself.

He only smirked at her weakly. "Sounds good to hear that name again… Especially from you, darlin'." He looked at his hand when he slowly began to fade. "Save our son, Red! Do everythin' ya have to," he warned her once more. "I don't want to live without you and the cubs, so please…" Watching him disappearing into the light and noticing how afraid he was, Jean stepped forward a bit. "I love ya, Jeannie…," was all she could hear before he was gone and she closed her eyes when the light became too bright…

Sitting up in a rush, Jean panted heavily and looked around in the dark room. Reaching out, her left hand searched for the light switch. As soon as the light illuminated the room, her eyes fell on the man on her side, who was sleeping on his belly and had the pillow pulled close. While her heart was nearly bursting through her chest, she ran a hand through her sweaty face and began to shiver. Never before in her life had a dream been so real… At least she thought of it was a dream. She couldn't remember waking up or getting up to walk down to the kitchen… Furrowing her brows when her hand touched the damp sheets, she let out a groan. Carefully, Jean got out of bed and made her way to the drawer to change her wet underwear; nearly falling over their clothes, which still laid on the ground, when she heard movement behind her. "What are ya doin'?" Logan asked completely sleep drunken and had one eye opened.

"Sorry," she apologized and turned towards him. "I had a bad dream and now the sheets are soaked. I only wanted to change into dry clothes…"

Snorting, he buried his face in his pillow again. "Get rid off your clothes and forget about the damn sheets, Jeannie," he grunted. "Just hop into bed. I wanna sleep…"

Smiling weakly, she did as she was told and switched the light off again. "I didn't mean to wake you…," she apologized when she moved over to his side and gave him a kiss.

"Just shut up and sleep," Logan mumbled sleepily and pulled her nude for closer to replace his pillow with her chest. When she cuddled up to him again, Jean's thoughts drifted off to her dream, or of what she thought was a dream, again. Noticing that Logan was already asleep again and breathed against her neck steadily, she touched his cheek with her free hand and traced his features gently; recalling the face of the man in her dream…

---

A few days later, Charles wanted Logan to come down into his office since he had something important to tell him. Standing in front of the desk, arms crossed, he gave the Professor a look, waiting for him to tell him what could be so important that Logan had to quit his classes for the rest of the day. "What is it, Chuck?" he asked impatiently and met the older man's gaze.

"Logan," Charles began and held in for a moment. "You know that Scott and Kurt went to Sinister's lab and found some files?"

"Yes, the Elf told me," the man replied. "So?"

"I hesitated to give you this, since first you had to be there for Jean after your loss and then the holidays came," the Professor explained. "And to be honest…I am still not sure if I should give you this."

"Is that going to be a proposal?" Logan grunted and cocked an eyebrow at him when Charles suddenly pulled a large file out of one of the drawers.

"You recognize it, don't you?" he asked the younger man and watched how this one let his arms suddenly sink slowly and stepped closer, while he stared at the file. "Sinister's focus obviously is on you, Logan. We don't know why, yet, or what his purpose is, but…" The Professor cleared his throat. "I especially don't know where he got that file from." He watched how the man only stared at it without the tiniest reaction. "Logan…," Charles said and folded his hands in front of his face. "From what I have seen…the file contains everything. Even things about you that weren't officially known…"

"You read it?" Logan asked without taking his eyes from the file.

"No, I only went through it briefly," his opposite replied. "I know this is a shock… Also that you spent years looking for it…"

Only nodding, Logan turned around with a mumbled "Excuse me" on his lips and went upstairs to his rooms; followed by a very concerned look of the Professor.

In his rooms, Logan sat on his bed and stared at the closed file deep in thoughts. He didn't even look up when Jean came into the room to bring him two sandwiches and a beer since he hadn't eaten anything at all since breakfast. "Hey… I thought you might be hungry," she said calmly and put the tray on the bedside table while he only mumbled a short "thanks" without looking up. With a worried look, she sat down next to him and looked down on the file briefly. She knew what it was. Charles had told her about it and now she could only guess what Logan felt like. "Have you read it already?" He only shook his head. "Why? It's what you've always wanted…," Jean asked frowning, since he was already sitting in the room for nearly 10 hours by now.

Looking up at her with an indefinable look, he only shook his head. "What if it proves that everyone is right?"

"With what?" she asked and shifted her position a bit.

"Calling me an animal…"

Hearing it, Jean could only shake her head and took his hand into hers. "Did I ever call you animal?"

He snorted. "I'm talking about ya," he replied. "I'm talking about people I have never met in my life before, but who know me. Why every other word out of someone's mouth to me is animal…"

"You're not an animal, Logan!" she tried to soothe him when he suddenly gave her a warning glare.

"How do you wanna know, eh?" Logan asked her harshly. "What do you know about me, Jean? You don't know the first thing about me!"

Holding his gaze, she crossed her arms. "Apparently I know more about you than they do!" He only snorted and shook his head when she reached out to touch his cheek carefully, completely aware of his anger, and made him look at her again. "I know you better than anyone else, Logan. And I know that you are not an animal…," Jean told him sternly. "And no matter what that file says about you… It's not who you are anymore. And you know perfectly well that I don't care who you were in the past. I know who you are now and that's everything that matters to me. Nothing can change the way I feel about you…no matter what stands in there."

"But it matters to me," he replied calmly and looked away, making her startle when he extracted his claws on one hand. "Stryker said I volunteered for this… I mean, why would I do this? What if it says that I have a family elsewhere? A wife and kids? What if it shows that I ain't who I am now but someone else?" he asked and looked at her again while the claws went back inside. "Jean, this could change everything… Everything we have…"

"If you're so afraid of it then don't read it," she gave back and tilted her head a bit. "I know it's what you looked for in years, but… Logan, you said it yourself two years ago. Your life began with me and everything before doesn't count for you… So you don't have to read it."

Sighing, he ran his hands through his face. "I know," he said but shook his head. "But I also know that I'd regret it if I don't do it."

Bending forward, Jean kissed him tenderly. "Don't forget that I don't care about what you did," she told him again and waited for a nod. "To me you're Logan… The man I married and the father of my children. And not what this file might say. You're not this man anymore, okay?" Nodding again, he watched her getting up and walking back to the door. "But I wouldn't mind to get to know your birthday…," she teased him smiling. "So we can finally celebrate yours, too. And maybe your real name…" Hearing him chuckling weakly, she gave him another smile. "I'm here if you need me, okay?"

"Thank you, darlin'." She smiled once more and closed the door behind her while he became completely serious again. His eyes switched to the file again and he practically felt how his heart kicked into high gear. Touching the file, he felt how his hand turned cold and began to shake slightly when he opened it…

---

It had been two whole days that he'd been gone from the mansion and Jean had first been afraid that he'd gone for good. At the same time she had known that he would have at least left a message if he'd really intended not to come back. Then, one night, when she'd already been asleep, he'd returned to the mansion. She found him asleep on her side and felt relieved like never before in her life. He hadn't said one word during breakfast or dinner. And she knew why. She knew it since she'd read the file and he knew that she'd done it. What she had seen in it had shocked her. Nevertheless, she couldn't care less… He wasn't that man anymore and she knew that he hadn't been that man voluntarily. They'd forced him to work as their tool, had controlled him and had made him do the most horrible things to other people that one could imagine. Finally she knew why they called him an animal. Because the pawn he'd been had clearly been one…

Now, using her chance that the children still had classes until evening, she had sat down next to him on the sofa and looked at him from aside, while his gaze was fixed on the television. First she didn't know what to say, looked for the right words of which she knew he wouldn't care about. Then, she tried to reach out to his mind, only to realize that his barriers were as strong as ever. Therefore, she began at the point that had surprised her the most… "So…you're really 118?" she asked carefully and looked at his reaction. But there was none. Nonetheless, she could tell that he was boiling within.

"So it seems," was all Logan grunted without looking up.

"Logan…" She sat up and moved a bit closer while staring at him. "…this is amazing. I mean, I've assumed that you might be older than Charles, but… 118 is quiet a surprise."

Snorting he looked away. "So is the rest…"

"I said I don't care."

"But I do!" he growled and glared at her just to push her hand away from his shoulder.

She watched him getting up and walking over to the bedroom. Not willing to give up just like that, even if she knew that she was playing a dangerous game with him, Jean got up and followed him; locking the door behind her while he groaned in frustration. "Logan, I don't care, okay?"

Whirling around, he gave her an angry look. "You've read it, Red! You're read what I'm really capable of!" he hissed and saw her crossing her arms.

"And?" she asked challenging. "That doesn't prove anything!"

Giving a short derisive laugh he imitated her posture. "Face the truth, darlin'!" he hissed through gritted teeth and the way he looked at her sent shivers down her spine. "I'm nothing more than an animal. An animal that'd killed more people in his life that you've ever met. An animal that enjoys doing it…"

"Same here, Logan! So what?" she gave back.

"You're not the same!" he growled back and felt how his blood slowly began to boil.

"Oh really? So my negative didn't enjoy killing people on Alcatraz? Seeing them suffering and dying?" Jean challenged and became angrier herself. "I know your negative, Logan. I've met Wolverine before, remember?"

Slamming his shirt into a corner, he bared his teeth. "You've never met the real one, Jean!" he said aloud angrily and heard her snorting.

"Does Japan ring a bell by you?"

Stepping closer he glared at her growling. "That was your own fucking fault, darlin'! You pushed me!"

"And?" Jean replied as loud as he was yelling at her and was thankful that the windows were closed. "Did I leave you because of it? Did I call you animal or treated you differently afterwards?"

Giving a short derisive laugh, Logan smirked. "You don't get it, do ya?"

Reaching out Jean grabbed his wrist roughly and ignored the warning growl of him. By now she didn't care if he was close to explode. "I'm not the idiot here…," she hissed and narrowed her eyes warningly when he stepped closer with a threatening look and tensed muscles.

"Stop provoking me, Red! I warn you!" Logan hissed and she saw how his eyes began to blacken when Wolverine took over. Tightening her grip on his wrist, she only smirked provocatively when her eyes did the same.

"Or what?" Dark Phoenix hissed back and smiled. "You show me my place again?"

Roaring in fury, he grabbed her roughly to slam her against the wall and pin her against it with her back to him. "I mean it! Don't push me further or you'll regret it…"

Giving a short laugh she pushed him back with her powers, annoying him even more. She grinned while she bit her lip and turned around to face him with her pitch-black provoking eyes. Phoenix smirked at Wolverine arrogantly, knowing from the menacing low growl that he was more than close to go into a full berserker mode. "Or you'll do what?" she asked him through gritted teeth and narrowed her eyes. "Is the animal going to kill me then?" Extracting his claws on both hands, Wolverine leapt at her with a loud roar…

Whew…that was the longest chapter ever…51 pages and two days of typing up. LOL I had to make a few changes. Originally Mystique had found the file in Sinister's lab, but well…I had forgotten that she was due soon. LOL I also intended to stop the chapter at the scene where Logan gets the file, but then I thought a cliffie would be nice. So here you go, guys. ; ) Thanks to all reviewers! I hope you had a great Christmas and that you enjoyed reading this chapter!

BTW: Logan is 118 in my version for two reasons:

1. My planning is completely messed up. The scene where Logan gets the file was supposed to happen in chapter 20. I planned 20 chapters for each sequel. Well, now I will end this (maybe) with Chapter 28.

2. I read Wolverine Origins again and calculated the year from the point when Logan's brother "died". So, in my fic Logan was born in 1897. So, in the year when his brother "died".

I also made same changes to the storyline since I came up with the Cable sequence after reading the latest Ultimate X-Men comics. The idea that Logan is Cable in the future (in the comics) was used in here. I also invented the code-names of every child that will be born during my FF and have already written a scene similar to the one where Logan meets his teammates for the first time. This scene will take place at the very end of changes, while I'm still thinking about adding another one. Well, you'll get to know their code-names then. ; ) Please review!!! See ya!