Author's note: The chapter contains a wish AliasSpyCrazy had offered long ago. Sorry that I didn't put it in sooner, but I told you that I had written a family trip scene before. ; ) Hope you like it! BTW: Did you get my PMs??
Changes Sequel – I. Darkness Part 29
A few days later, after the whole situation had calmed down a bit, Logan, Jean and their children were cuddling on the bed together after another hot day in August. Remembering that he had missed both, his twins and Rachel's birthdays, Logan began to think about it and the promise he'd made in order to make them forgive him once more. "I've missed their birthdays…," he sent over to Jean mentally, who gave him a nod while she stroked through Rachel's hair absently.
"Yeah, they refused to celebrate it because you weren't there," she replied on the same way and watched him heaving a deep breath. She could tell that he was thinking hard about a way to make it up to them again.
"What can I do about it?"
"Ask them…"
Switching his gaze to his children, he took his time before he spoke up. "So, ehm…we still need to celebrate your birthdays, huh?"
"Isn't it a bit too late for that?" his son asked, while he opened his eyes.
"Never too late to have a bit fun," his father replied and pulled him up in the air, hearing the cheerful laughter of the boy.
Watching them with a happy smile on her lips, Jean kept on stroking through her daughter's hair when Jamie began to cry in the living room. "I'll go," she said and got up to leave the room.
"Can't we give him back? He's too loud!" Jack complained with a groan as his father put him back down and chuckled. He became also aware of the giggle of his mother.
"Who wanted to have a brother, eh?" Logan asked and cocked a playful eyebrow at him.
"But not such a loud one…," the boy pouted and crossed his arms.
"They can't give him back, Jack," Lily said and shook her head while she played with her wolf.
"Why not? They can give him back and get a calmer baby…," Jack asked and gave her a look, but his twin sister shook her head.
"No!" she replied and didn't notice that their father was watching them curiously. "They can't just give him back…"
"Right!" Rachel now nodded and sat up a bit with her bear in her arms. "Mommy's and daddy's make babies if they love each other very much…," she added and sent all color out of her father's face, while his jaw dropped in shock.
Thinking about it for a while, Jack shrugged. "But mommy and daddy love each other very much, so where's the problem to give him back?" he demanded to know from the redhead, who began to think hard first, but shrugged in the end, since she had no answer. Still, Logan stared at her in deep shock and hoped that she didn't know what he thought she did.
Playing with her toy, Rachel shrugged once more. "Maybe…they've lost the sales receipt?"
Standing at the door with Jamie in her arms and Ororo opposite her, Jean turned around with a frown when Logan began to laugh aloud. "What has gotten into him now?" she asked confused as her best friend let out a surprised giggle.
"I didn't even know that he could actually laugh at all," she said, when the redhead nodded.
"Well, he can, but he rarely does…"
"Too bad, I like it!" the weather goddess said grinning and made Jean giggle.
"Don't let him hear that!" she replied and kissed her baby lovingly.
"Gosh, I envy you, you know," Ororo suddenly said and stroked over the boy's dark hair carefully.
"Why?" her opposite asked her surprised with a worried undertone.
"Because of your family," she heard her friend saying barely audible.
"Is something wrong between you and Kurt?" Jean asked worriedly, but Ororo shook her head.
"No… It's just," she began and let out a sigh. "I don't know. I just wished he was more like Logan, you know."
Frowning now, the redhead tilted her head a bit. "In which way?"
"Well, Kurt is gentle and everything, but… He's so shy, you know. Sometimes I wish he would just grab me and push me against the next door. I wish he was more self-assured and passionate like Logan," Ororo explained while she still looked at the sleeping baby.
"So you're not happy?"
"Happy yes, but not really satisfied…"
Thinking about it for a while, Jean stroked over Jamie's soft skin. "Have you talked with him about it?"
"I don't know… I mean, talking to you is not a problem. But talking to him about it?" the weather goddess sighed. "How do you talk with Logan about it?"
Blushing a bit, Jean shrugged. "Well, I don't have to. He always seems to know what I like and not, so…" She could just shrug.
"And if you want to try something new?" Ororo asked while she furrowed her brows.
"Then I just tell him…"
"Easy, because he'd do anything to make you happy…," her friend mumbled and looked down again.
"No, he'd say if he doesn't like something," the redhead gave back. "And Kurt loves you, too. I'm sure you can tell him, if you're not quiet happy. Just try it!"
Nodding finally, Ororo gave her a smile. "I will…," she said and looked at the boy again. "I'm happy for the two of you. It's great that it finally worked, even if you nearly gave me a heart attack!"
Giggling, Jean apologized calmly. "Yeah…," she nodded with a happy smile at her son. "I still can't believe that we planned like idiots and it worked when we wanted to bite each other's heads off…" She knew that Logan was rather amused about that fact.
"Passion wins, huh?" Ororo teased her and saw her friend's nod, when this one suddenly frowned and turned around to look at the bedroom door once more.
"Okay, now I'm worried…"
"Why?"
"He never laughs his head off," Jean said and gave her a look, but Ororo only shrugged.
"Well, he's really happy lately, isn't he?" she smiled. "I would even bet that I actually heard him humming in the morning," she added with a laugh.
"Yeah, but… he never behaves like that," the redhead mumbled and looked at the door again.
"Be happy that he opens up around you so much," her opposite winked. "As soon as he's downstairs again, he's all grumpy and mean again."
Shaking her head, Jean gave her a look. "Hold on a second!" she said and turned around. "Logan? What's wrong?"
It didn't take long and he appeared at the door, while his kids still laughed inside. "What?" he asked smirking.
"What's gotten into you?" she demanded to know with a raised eyebrow and watched how he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close.
"Nothin'," he replied with a grin. "Your son only wants us to give the baby back and Ray nearly stopped my heart when she told him how parents make babies."
"What?" both women asked with widened eyes.
"Yeah, that's what I thought, too!"
"But…she doesn't really know, right?" Ororo asked him shocked when he placed a kiss on Jean's neck.
Well, she thinks we lost the sales receipt of the baby and can't give him back anymore without being accused of having stolen it," he explained with a grin and made both women laugh.
"Our kids are really too smart," Jean giggled.
"And too cute!" Ororo added laughing.
"So, ehm… I asked them," Logan began a bit more serious know and was curious how she would react to their children's wish.
"And?"
"Well, they want us to do a family trip or visit an amusement park…" Seeing how the redhead's face began to change, he could tell what she thought about it, as Ororo spoke up.
"You could do both," she suggested. "I mean after everything the two of you have been through…you deserve some time alone with your kids."
Cuddling up to his wife, he nuzzled her tenderly. "So, what do you think?" he asked calmly and waited for a reply.
Thinking about it carefully, since she was still worried about their son, Jean finally nodded. "Why not? I'll ask Charles what he thinks about it," she replied with a weak smile.
"Ah, Chuck will agree. You know him!" Logan waved off and took his youngest son into his arms lovingly. "Sales receipt…," he chuckled and shook his head. "Maybe we should have asked for discount while ordering, huh? Or order 5, get one for free."
Jean slapped him against the chest lovingly. "Jerk!" she teased him, but only received a smug grin from her husband.
Smiling at the couple, Ororo shook her head in amusement. "Okay, I go back then. So, I'll see you guys later!"
"Yeah, and don't forget what I said, okay?" Jean reminded her and received a nod from her friend.
"I'll try! Bye!"
The redhead closed the door while Logan kissed her neck lovingly again. "Girlie-talk again, eh?" he asked and sat down on the sofa, cradling his son in his arms.
"Yeah," she smiled at him with a mysterious grin look on her lips.
Nodding playfully, he coked an eyebrow at her. "I see," he grunted. "So, you're really fine with the trip?"
"Charles, too. He has just confirmed it and gives you a week off."
Chuckling, Logan nodded his appreciation. "Nice! Do you know a park?" he asked her, since he'd never been a fan of such parks before. He couldn't even tell, if there were any in the surrounding area and he already hated to imagine that he would soon be surrounded by lots of people, noises and scents that drove his senses crazy. But since he knew that it was his own fault, he would try to survive it…
"Only Hershey Park, but it's a long drive from here…," Jean said after a while and shrugged.
"Well, they want to do a family trip, don't they?" he smirked. "So, we gonna do one."
Smiling, she walked towards the door. "I go and ask Bobby if he can help us out. If someone knows parks then he does!"
"'Kay," he nodded and got up, too. "And I think the two of us go and get some food, huh?" he asked his son calmly and followed her downstairs. Just as he'd reached the kitchen, which was again crowded by the girl's of the mansion in their short bikinis, the boy began to whine calmly. "Just a second, kiddo," Logan mumbled and began to prepare a bottle for him; closely watched by the girls, who began to discuss high temperatures and hot fathers who wore too much clothing on a sunny day like that. "Watch your mouth, Jubes," he growled and gave the girl a look, just to receive a wink from behind her yellow sunglasses.
"Oh, don't be such a sourpuss, Wolvie," she mocked. "We haven't seen you at all at the pool…"
"Has a reason," he gave back and lent nonchalantly against the fridge while Jamie began to suck on the bottle. "Do ya wanna know?"
"Sure. Shoot!" the girl said and sipped on her cold soda.
"Has black hair, blue eyes and wears a yellow shred that's too bright and small for her," he said and gave her a smug grin, when her cheeks turned red.
"Oh, you!" Jubilee shrieked outraged and pointed a finger at him. "Be happy that you have the cutie on your arms, Wolvie!"
"Or what? You gonna throw that yellow rag that you call a bikini at me? Well, go ahead, wouldn't make a difference."
"You're mean," she pouted and crossed her arms sulking. "That bikini wasn't cheap…"
"But it looks that way," Logan grunted and rolled his eyes before he put the bottle away and began to pat his sons back.
"See?" Kitty nodded at her friend. "I told you to buy the other one, but you of course didn't listen…" Crossing her arms, she gave Logan a look. "And if he says that it looks bad than it really does, no offense!" Still sulking, Jubilee only snorted at them and got off her stool. "Who's the sourpuss now, huh?" Kitty asked and shook her head. "Sorry, but I think it's her time of the month again… She's bellyaching the whole day through and moody that it's more than annoying…"
Only chuckling, he walked over to the terrace to have a look at the garden. He lent against the border and smiled at his son when this one looked at him with his green eyes. "What's wrong, pum'kin? Too bright for you?" Just as he'd stepped more into the shadow, his kids ran past him. "Hey!" he called and caused them to nearly bump into each other. "You only go swimming, if there's another adult around, got that? I don't wanna see anyone of you in the water alone!"
"Yeah," Jack groaned and ran further down to the pool.
"Jeez," Logan cursed and shook his head when he saw that Miloh joined them on their way.
"Everything alright, Logan?", the Professor asked him suddenly from aside and came closer with a smile on his lips.
"Yeah, despite the fact that I'll suffer from a heart attack one day…," the mutant growled and turned towards him after he'd made sure that there really was another adult at the pool.
"When did you plan to leave? Do you already know?"
"No," Logan shook his head.
"It surprised me that Jean agreed to it after her outburst when Jamie was born…," Charles said and came closer to have a look at the children at the pool. "She is still worried, isn't she?"
"Yeah, she is. It surprised me, too, but…," Logan began and sighed. "He hasn't any powers, yet, only a healing factor, so why should anyone be interested in him in particular?"
Looking at the boy that held onto his father's finger, Charles became thoughtful. "Honestly, Logan, I don't know. I already told Jean what I think about it, but it worries me that she's still so bothered because of it."
"And still you agree on that trip?"
"Yes, because first, I highly doubt that our enemies would risk attacking you in a park full of people. Up to now they wanted to hide what they do and I think they want to proceed like that. Then, I share Ororo's opinion that Jean and you could take some time alone with your children. You hadn't had any private moments since they were born, so I am the last one to hold you back if you want to do a family trip. But I hope you don't mind that I will keep you under surveillance to make sure that everything's alright?"
"Go ahead, Chuck," Logan mumbled and smiled when the baby yawned. "Sleepy head…," he mocked lovingly and turned to go back inside where he ran into Jean.
"There you are," she said and made him stop. "Bobby got two rooms for three days, but we have to leave tomorrow already. Is that okay?"
"Sure," he shrugged. "What about Jamie?" he added and she shook her head.
"I'm not leaving him here, Logan!" the redhead said warningly.
"That's not what I wanted to say, Jeannie," he tried to soothe her immediately.
"Good," she replied. "Then we should go upstairs and start packing, what do you think?"
Watching her with a thoughtful look on his face, he followed her. "You're really fine with it? I mean…you practically freaked out after hearing the date and now you agree on a family trip… It's pretty weird, don't you think?" Seeing how she froze on the spot, he cocked an eyebrow when he noticed the look in her eyes.
"They'll see what happens if they attack us, Logan," Jean said coldly and held the door open for him, letting him walk past her before she went inside, too.
Sitting on a stool in the kitchen while she held her son and was feeding him, Mystique smiled happily down on him. Looking at her with his blue eyes, the boy was sucking on the bottle eagerly and made his mother smiling even wider when he had to stop briefly to take a deep breath. "Not so fast, honey", she said softly and looked up when Hank began to set the counter.
"Someone's hungry, huh?", he smiled at her softly. "By the way…have Scott and you finally agreed on a name? Or is it still the same with him?"
"Don't even ask!", the woman rolled her eyes.
"Well, you have to find one.", Ororo said and stirred the noodles in the pot. "We can call him either Logan or Alex only, right?"
Sighing, Mystique put the empty bottle away to pat her sons back. "For me it's Logan. Scott's already bellyaching that I had to ask Logan to be the godfather." Suddenly Hank laughed. "What?"
"Nothing, its just", he said and wiped a tear away. "It sounds a bit funny that Logan is the godfather of Logan… But no offense, of course!"
"My sons name is definitely not Logan", a chilly voice sad from the door and Scott entered the room with his hands in his jeans pockets.
"And it isn't Alex either!" Mystique instantly hissed. "What's wrong with Logan?"
"What's wrong with Logan?" he asked her with a laugh. "You're kidding, right?"
Sighing, Ororo shook her head and fixed her eyes on the pot. By now she had heard that discussion too often… And she could already tell what the end of that fight would look like. It would leave Scott sulking and Mystique with a bad mood that would last until the next day.
"Why don't you give him a double first name?" Hank suggested and could tell that Scott just glared at him through the visor. "That way you can use both names…"
"Yeah, and then they start fighting about what name comes first", Ororo mocked and turned the stove off.
"Jeez, Scott, I can understand that you don't like Logan, but it's only a name…"
"That's already enough," the man hissed and leant against the counter. "What's wrong with Alexander?"
"I don't like it," Mystique spat and sighed.
"And I don't like Logan."
"Well that's no secret isn't it?" she mocked and rolled her eyes.
"Then," Hank began and both mutants switched their heads towards him with an angry look in her eyes. "…try and think about which order might sound better… It's just a thought!"
"Logan Alexander," Mystique immediately said to Scott, who could only snort and cross his arms.
"Vice versa," he replied. "Logan Alexander Summers…yeah, sounds definitely awesome," he added cynically.
"Who said that he has your last name anyways?" she shot back.
"You've got a last name?" Ororo and Scott asked at the same time in surprise and made the woman groan.
"Everyone has a last name," Mystique said sarcastically.
"Well, except Logan….," Hank thought aloud. "Or has he one by now?"
"Of course he has, Hank," Ororo said in a tone as if her friend was dumb. "But, guys, come on, you're really about to give me a headache. Can't you just decide it peacefully?" she added in a pleading undertone and put a bowl with the noodles on the counter. "It can't be so difficult to find a name for a baby… Jeez, Jean and Logan have 5…"
"Obviously it is," Hank mumbled and listened further to the ongoing discussion while he slowly ate his noodles. "Have Jean and Logan called, yet? Or did they plan to just forget about us for the week? They wanted to stay in the park for three days, didn't they? So they have one more day to go, huh?"
"Jean called," Ororo nodded and swallowed her food. "The kids are completely happy, Logan was bellyaching in the background about full diapers being added to tons of…what did he call it again…?" She briefly rubbed the back of her nose while thinking and closed her eyes.
"Well, I feel sorry for him. I would bet it isn't funny to have heightened senses and being in an amusement park. It should kick his senses into overdrive…," Hank thought aloud and sipped on his drink while the discussion across the counter just increased in volume. "Well, at least he's not someone to bellyache about names…," he added with an annoyed look at the couple.
"Forget it!" Mystique said a bit louder and shook her head. "What makes you think you could just decide without asking me first?"
"Because I am his father!" Scott shot back.
"But not my husband or anything close to that!"
"Now I got it!" Ororo said and slapped her forehead. "Logan said something like Cubby's lil' niffy pooh-pooh nappies still smellin' better than ol' ghost train-nagger's… Well, Jean cut him off then," she shrugged.
"Loganisms again, huh?" Hank winked when Scott suddenly let out a shriek.
"What?" Mystique snapped completely annoyed by now and tried to soothe her crying son. "Great! Now he's crying. A great father you are! Why are you staring at me?"
"You're blue," Scott said in shock about the sudden change and pointed a finger at her.
"I'm what?" she asked confused and cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Blue," Hank nodded. "He obviously enraged you so much that your mutation kicked in again." Surprised, since she hadn't noticed it at all, Mystique stared at her blue hand from all sides.
With Jamie on her arm, Jean sat on a bench in the sun and watched her daughters on a carousel. She couldn't help but smile happily when she heard their cheerful laughter and saw how much fun the children had in the park. She really enjoyed living a complete normal family life with them and Logan only without having a whole school around her 24/7. She sighed heavily when she thought about driving back to the mansion tomorrow and looked down on her son while he sucked on a bottle.
"Jean?" a voice behind her suddenly called and made the woman turn around in surprise, just to freeze on the spot instantly.
"Oh my God… It's really you…"
Jean stared at the two persons in front of her in shock; her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She could feel how a cold shiver ran down her spine while her heart kicked into high gear. It was then that she finally took notice of the roughly six year old girl next to the man and woman.
"What are you doing here?" the woman asked her as if Jean was a dirty object on a clean floor and looked at the baby in the redhead's arms. "You have a child?"
Not knowing what to say, Jean got up and slowly walked backwards when Lily and Rachel ran towards her. "Mommy! Can we do that again?" Lily asked her pleadingly and took hold of her mother's leg.
"Yes, please?" Ray added and also looked up at her, but the woman only had eyes for the couple in front of her.
"Those are yours?" the man asked her in surprise and looked to and fro between the children, who had turned around and gave them an odd look.
"Mommy, here's the ice," Jack called and stopped in front of her.
"We have to go," the redhead only said and the children looked at her in confusion.
"Why?" the boy asked while he ate his ice-cream, but his mother shook her head.
"Don't ask! Come!" Jean replied a bit too harshly and looked around in hope to see Logan being close by.
"Jean, wait! You can't just leave like that!" the man said aloud and came closer, causing the redhead only to back off even more, while she tried to shove her children away with her free hand.
"What are you doing here?" the woman demanded to know and stepped protectively in front of the scared girl; giving her opposite's children a look. "Are they like you? Why didn't you tell us?"
Not knowing what was going on, Lily hold onto her mother's leg more firmly. "Mommy?" she asked scared when Jean had finally spotted Logan and gave him a look that told him instantly that something was wrong.
"What's wrong, darlin'?" he asked confused after he hurried up and handed his daughters their ice-cream. "Did something happen?"
"Can we go?" Jean asked him pleadingly and held Jamie protectively against her chest.
"Why?"
"Please, Logan! Can we just go right now?"
"But Jean…," the woman said from aside and received a glare from Logan, since he could tell that she, if not the man, too, were the source of the trouble.
"Who are they?" he asked the redhead, but she took his hand with a scared look in her eyes.
"Please! Let's just go back!" Jean said once more and took her bag into her free hand, while the children looked to and fro between her parents in confusion.
"Jean, who is this?" the man suddenly asked with a nod at Logan. "Who are you?"
"That's nothing of your concern!" the redhead said angrily and turned once more to Logan. "Let's go back!"
Finally nodding, Logan watched her closely. "Kay," he said calmly and nodded to his kids. "Come on, we go back."
"But why? What's wrong?" Jack asked his father in complete confusion and took his hand to walk next to him.
"Dunno," his father grunted and followed his wife back to the hotel.
Later in the hotel, after the kids laid in their beds in the other room and also Jamie was fast asleep in the middle of the big double bed, Logan switched the lights off in the bathroom and joined his wife in bed, who hadn't said one word in the past hours. Carefully pulling the baby up, Logan placed him a bit further onto the side he slept on and looked at the redhead afterwards. "What happened, Jeannie? Who were those people?" he asked her calmly and watched how her hands still played with the sheets, when she finally looked at him.
"My parents…," she replied barely audible and swallowed hard.
"Your…," he began and furrowed his brows. "But Chuck said you killed them back then. He said that was the reason you went back to your old home…"
"I wanted to kill them," she replied and stared at the sheets once more. "But they weren't at home.
Moving closer to her after the news had sunk in, he took his hands into his since she was driving him nuts with the sheets. "What happened between you and them, darlin'?" he asked and instantly sensed a change in her. He couldn't tell why she suddenly felt so ashamed and embarrassed, but he knew that it was serious…
"You'll be disgusted and ashamed of me if I tell you…," she muttered and swallowed hard.
"Jeannie, you know perfectly well that this can never happen," he assured her and began to stroke over the back of her hand with his thumb.
Jean just sat there for a while and pulled her legs closer while she pulled her hands away to rest her arms on her knees. Since she didn't want to look into his face, she finally rested her head on her arms and heaved a deep breath. "My mutation set in very early. So when I began to hear voices, my parents thought I was crazy and put me into a psychiatry…"
"What?" Logan asked her aloud in shock and quickly turned his head to check if the baby was still sleeping. When he tried to look at her again, the redhead turned her head away and stared at the sheets.
"I begged everyday that they take me back home with them, but they refused to do it… Even my sister didn't help me. So they gave me pills after pills since the voices I heard became stronger and stronger and they just left me there…," Jean went on close to start crying. "So after nearly two years I practically really became crazy in there with all those people…"
Not saying anything at all for a while, since what she told him was more than a shock to him, Logan rubbed the back of his nose and shook his head. "How did you get out then?" he asked barely audible and she gave him a brief look.
"I acted as if I was normal again. As if I was fine again… So they allowed me to go back home…" She sniffed when she stared at the sheets once more, but still he could see how tears began to run down her cheeks. "One year later, the Professor and Magneto suddenly showed up at my house and talked with my parents about the school. It was then that I heard my father asking if my disease wouldn't be a problem… My parents told them that they would think about it and after both had left they practically freaked out and said how anyone could even think that I wasn't sick. A few days later, one of the boys in the neighborhood broke his food and his mother thought it was my fault. They threatened my parents with giving them hell on earth if they didn't send me back to the psychiatry." She clenched her fists when she had to remember long forgotten things again. "My mother threw me out at night. Without food or even money…"
Snorting, Logan could only shake his head and felt a strong resemblance to his own story. He saw how she bit her lip and knew that she was close to start crying aloud. "What did you do then?"
"I remembered the address of the mansion. So I wanted to go there, but we lived too far away from it for me to reach it by food. And I also had no money…," Jean said calmly and heaved a deep breath as he noticed that she suddenly felt even more ashamed and scared, but he couldn't tell why.
"So, what did you do?"
Shrugging, the red head tucked on the sheets again. "After living on the streets for some days without food, a man picked me up and told me how I could earn some money…"
"By doing what?" Logan asked her suspiciously and cocked an eyebrow in his grim looking face. He didn't have to sniff to notice that her emotions were running completely wild by now. She was scared, but what bothered him more that she was scared of him and he couldn't tell why.
She shrugged again and held back a strong shudder as she was too close to start sobbing. "I can't tell you…"
"Why not?"
"You'll hate me, Logan… You'll never look at me again," she mumbled and a sib escaped her.
Sighing, he touched her shoulder briefly. "Jeannie, you know that this won't happen. So what did you do? You got money by doing what?"
Giving a short bitter laugh, she sniffed again and shook her head. "By standing on the street and waiting for a car to stop next to me…," she admitted and waited for his reaction, but there was none, first.
"What?" Logan suddenly asked and had to keep himself from forcing her to look at him; still his way of speaking made her startle.
Turning her head and seeing the look on his face, Jean couldn't hold back her tears anymore and began to sob heartrendingly. "See? I said you'd be disgusted and ashamed of me…," she managed to say and buried her face in her hands. "God, what did I tell you…"
He put a hand under her chin and made her look at him. "Not of you!" Logan hissed still staring at her in shock. "Jesus, darlin'…how old were you back then?"
Looking down, she swallowed. "14…"
"This is sick," he growled and his eyes darkened for a brief moment. "You were a kid back then…"
He heard her giving a derisive short laugh. "You've no idea how many men like kids, Logan…"
He shook his head. "Why didn't you contact Chuck? Or…why did you go with that guy at all? God, I gut him if I ever get my hands on that…," he growled in anger, but stopped when Jamie made a noise.
"I didn't think about calling for help mentally," she shrugged. "And I didn't know what to do… By then I was so hungry that I just didn't care… I realized too late what he was up to. I can't even tell you how often I just wished that one of them would just kill me…," Jean sobbed and was pulled close by him. Desperate, she clung to him as if she was drowning and sobbed into his shirt.
Logan waited for her to calm down a bit and kissed her forehead lightly. "What happened then?"
"After a few weeks a car stopped to me again," she sniffed and ran a hand through her wet face. "I really couldn't believe my luck when it was the Professor… He took me with him to the school."
Nodding, he rested his head on hers and kept on stroking over her back. "I'm sorry…," he whispered but she shook her head.
"It's okay. I was over it until I saw them again today."
"You should have said somethin' before, Red. I'd have made sure that they'd left ya alone," Logan complained and gave her a grim look.
"Please don't tell anyone, Logan," she begged him and met his gaze. "You're the second who knows. No one else does…"
"Not even Cyke?" he asked surprised when she shook her head.
"He despises such woman…," she replied and cuddled up to him.
"One thing's funny," she heard Logan saying and closed her eyes as she rested her head against his chest.
"What?"
Pulling her closer, Logan leant back a bit. "Your mother threw ya out without any money, mine did the same. Yours thinks ya crazy, mine called me a monster… We've pretty much in common, don't ya think?"
Thinking about it, she couldn't help but smile; knowing that he tried to cheer her up again. "Well, that's why we married, isn't it?" Jean asked him when he cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Oh really? I thought ya married me 'cause I'm so sexy and sociable," he smirked at her which made her smile a bit.
Shifting her position in his arms, the redhead rested her head on his chest and looked up at him. "And why did you marry me, then?" she teased him, when he thought about it playfully.
"To annoy the Boyscout," he grunted when she gave him a knowing nod of her head.
"I always knew you had a thing going with him!"
"Busted!" Logan pulled her into a deep kiss and let himself carefully fall backwards so that she was now on top of him. Absently he stroked through her long hair.
"So, you're really not disgusted or ashamed of me now?" Jean asked him still frightened, but he shook his head.
"No, I'm disgusted and ashamed of your parents. First meetin' with my parents-in-law and I already hate them…," Logan growled in hatred. "I'm only sorry that ya had to go through all this, darlin'…"
Kissing him a thought suddenly crossed her mind. "Thank God we booked the rooms by using your name and not mine… Otherwise they'd find us here." She raised her head to give him a despiteful look. "You should have seen how they've looked at the children. As if they're already thinking that they're crazy, too…" She shook her head sadly. "Oh, no, sorry! I meant sick and have a disease...," she added through gritted teeth.
He gave her a determined look and touched her cheeks. "They won't get their hands on them, Jeannie. On you neither!" he promised and made her smile again. He watched how she began to draw circles on his chest.
"I was thinking…"
"About what?" he asked curiously and looked at her.
"Since we both know you're real last name now, if we shouldn't change ours…," Jean mumbled and made him cock an eyebrow again.
"Ya want my last name?" Logan asked her surprised.
"Sure," she nodded and played with his hair next. "If it's okay for you…"
Thinking about it briefly, he finally shrugged. "What about both last names?" he suggested, since he was too used to finally have a last name after so many years without one at all.
Biting her lip, Jean was lost in thoughts. "In which order? Grey-Howlett or Howlett-Grey?"
Wobbling his head, he gave her a smirk. "First one sounds better… You're free to use it, mylady!"
"I think the second one does," she smiled and suddenly became thoughtful. "Were you aristocratic or just privileged?"
"Why? Found a nee reason why ya married me?" he asked and received a playful slap against his chest. "Don't ask me. Only know that we were wealthy…or privileged as ya call it." All of a sudden he looked at her warningly. "But don't even think about using my first name, girl, or you'll get a good kick in your butt!"
"Why not?" Jean smirked and bit her lip. "James…"
Growling her narrowed his eyes. "Think about my claws, darlin'!"
Smiling, the redhead reached up to kiss him. "Logan suits you better anyway. But I like the other one, too, she smirked. "Sounds…cute…"
"Oh, so now ya married me because of my sexy name, huh?" Logan teased her and she nodded.
"Busted!"
He turned his head to look at the still sleeping baby next to them before he shifted his position a bit, still with her on top of him. "So, time to sleep now, huh?" he asked and ran a hand through his face.
"Yeah," Jean nodded and switched the lights off mentally before she moved again, so that her belly touched his. "Is it okay if I sleep like that?" she mumbled and rested her head on his chest, while he chuckled. "It's ya who's gonna have a hard problem in the morning, darlin'," he smirked and stroked over her back absently.
Smiling, she wrapped her arms around him as good as she could. "Can live with that…"
Kissing her tenderly before he laid down again, Logan reached briefly out to stroke over his son's hair. "Love ya, Jeannie," he said and closed his eyes.
"I love you, too," Jean replied half asleep and sighed satisfied when he wrapped an arm, around her protectively.
"That was the correct answer, darlin'," Logan yawned and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Ororo yawned and was on her way to the kitchen to feed Tommy late at night the other day. Juts as he'd started to suck on the bottle, she heard how a car drove up the driveway slowly. Curiously, since they didn't expect any guests, she walked towards the front door and opened it; pulling her baby instinctively closer. Not being able to see anything at all in the dark, her eyes widened a bit when she saw how Jean came closer; carrying Jamie in one arm while Rachel hold onto her hand. "Did something happen?" Ororo asked worriedly. "I didn't expect you to return before tomorrow."
"No. We just drove through and didn't make a stop," the redhead replied and quickly checked on Logan, who was still at the car.
"Mommy, I'm tired…," Rachel whined and rubbed her small eyes.
"I know. Come one," Jean said and began to walk. "Night, 'Ro!"
"Night…," the weather goddess said perplex and watched how Logan appeared with the sleeping twins on his arms. "Hey."
"Hey," he greeted her calmly and closed the door with his food.
"Did really nothing happen?" Ororo asked him, but he shook his head.
"Nothin' that's worth to be mentioned," Logan grunted. "Is Jean already upstairs?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Night!"
Ororo watched him leaving, too, still worried and knowing that something must have happened. Sighing, she smiled at her baby. "Come on, we go back to bed, too, what do you think, hm?" Kissing the boy's head softly, she turned around the corner towards the elevator.
Upstairs, Logan brought the twins to bed and carefully got rid off their shoes before he went over to say good night to Rachel. Watching how Jean changed Jamie's diapers tiredly, he nodded towards the door. "I just get the suitcases, okay?" he asked and she nodded.
"Yeah."
While he left, the redhead put her youngest to bed and entered the bathroom to get ready for bed, too. Even if she had slept a bit on their way, the drive back had been exhausting since it had been a very hot day. When she was done, she walked over to the bedroom and laid down in bed; waiting for him. It didn't take long and she heard him closing the door and windows, before he put the suitcases next to the sofa and went into the bathroom. Sighing, Jean let herself fall backwards in bed and cuddled up to her pillow. As she heard hoe he closed the door and laid down next to her, she opened her eyes tiredly again and had to frown when he gave her a concerned look. "Are ya alright?" Logan asked and reached out to touch her cheek. "You behaved strangely on the whole drive back…"
"Yeah, it's just…" She sighed and ran a hand through her face. "Well, I'm scared that they'll find me…"
Shaking his head, he kissed her tenderly. "Let them come! They've to get past me before they can touch you or the kids, darlin'."
Jean smiled, but held her gaze lowered when he traced her features. "You really don't mind about what I've told you about my past, do you?" she asked carefully and looked up a bit.
"Do you mind that you've married a fucked up mass murderer who lives with a false name for 115 years?" he asked her back and wobbled his head.
"No…," Jean smiled and blushed a bit. Somehow he always managed to make her feel better, even if the subject was serious.
"See?" He pulled her close and switched the lights off. "And you wanna know what the best thin' is?" he asked when he nuzzled her.
"What?" Jean demanded to know an cuddled up to him sighing.
"The both of us ain't too fucked up to have a normal family…"
"Normal?" She giggled.
"Hmm," Logan growled into her neck. "From what I'd to see in that happy-sappy-park, yeah, normal!"
She could only shake her head smiling as she figured what he was talking about. "It wasn't that bad, Logan…"
"Right," he grunted cynically. "A freaking mascot in the park that has now three marks in his butt, a woman who accused me of being a peepin' Tom, 'cause I had to change my cubs diapers, a boy who dropped his chocolate ice-cream on my white shirt, a baby who had to puke into my direction, scents and noises everywhere…yeah, it really wasn't that bad, Red!" he listed sulking.
Hearing the tone he used, the redhead still couldn't help but giggle. "My poor, poor hubby," she mocked and kissed him on the cheek tenderly to soothe him a bit.
"Well, at least the kids had their fun," Logan smirked and stroked down her back.
"So no more bellyaching and sulking for a week, then?" Jean asked and rested her head on his chest.
"Yeah, yeah…promised." Logan kissed her tenderly. "Night, Jeannie."
"Night…"
"But it suck that we've t'cook on our own again…," he quickly complained and heard her groaning.
"Logan…"
"Oh, and another thin'!"
"What?" Jean asked, not able to believe where his energy suddenly came from after such a long ride back home.
"I missed our anniversary, too, darlin'," Logan smirked.
Stroking over his belly, she heaved a deep sigh. "Let me think about something this year… You always surprised me in the last years, so…," she suggested and heard him chuckle.
"So you gonna do the plannin' in the upcoming 6 years then, darlin'? Sounds good," he teased her when she gave a playful laugh.
"What makes you think that we're still married by then, huh?"
Growling, Logan pulled her closer. "I do… 'Cause your hubby is just too gorgeous to be left," he murmured huskily in her ear and sent shivers down her spine.
"Then we're in agreement on that," Jean laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck before she rested her head on his chest. "Now I only have to think about something…"
Chuckling, he closed his eyes. "Have fun, darlin'!" he said amused, since he knew how much work it was to think about something that the partner would like and enjoy. Yawning, he stretched briefly before he rolled onto his side and cuddled up to her.
She only wanted to drink a coffee, a few hours before she'd been in the kitchen and had only wanted to eat an in-between-classes-snack, but every time it had been the same: a strange acting redhead interrupted her. Ororo held her cup in a firm grip and was watching her best friend how she roamed around the kitchen restlessly. And she had enough by now… "Hey, what's wrong with you today? You're running around as if a whole beehive was behind you," she asked and cocked an eyebrow when Jean gave her the most helpless look she'd ever seen in her life.
"Can you help me?" the redhead asked her pleadingly as if she was close to start crying.
"With what?"
"I said that I'll surprise Logan this time since we still have to celebrate our anniversary… But I don't know with what I could possibly surprise him…," she cried. "Do you have any idea?"
Putting her cup away, Ororo gave her an amused look. "Jeez, he's your husband, Jean! No one knows Logan better than you," she replied and crossed her arms in front of her chest while she leant against the fridge. "Go to a bar or do a table dance for him or just sit down and talk… He loves everything as long as he's with you."
Leaning against the counter sighing, Jean ran a hand through her long hair. "I don't know how he always did it… It's so difficult!"
"He loves bars and playing billiard, doesn't he?" Ororo asked and received a look.
"Yeah, but... It's so…ordinary. I want something special," the redhead complained.
"Then do a table dance on the billiard table," the weather goddess mumbled and rolled her eyes.
"'Ro!" Jean said with a warning look since she'd heard it.
"Then add something to make it special," Ororo quickly said and gesticulated briefly with her hand. "Jean, believe me…it can't be that difficult to please Logan!"
The redhead sighed frustrated and turned around to lean against the counter now with her arms crossed. "I really have to think about something… I just,…well, he always did so much for me, you know. I just don't want it to look…cheap…"
Giving her a look as if the redhead was out of her mind, Ororo shook her head. "You're thinking too hard, Jean. Really!"
"I know," Jean nodded and sighed again.
A few days later, Jean let go of Logan's waist when he parked his motorcycle in front of a building. With both hands, she got rid of her helmet and saw the smile he gave her. "A bar, huh?" he asked her amused and she smirked.
"And billiard and beer…," she listed when he chuckled and pulled her close for a kiss.
"You know how to please a man, darlin'," Logan grinned and held the door open for her.
Sometime later they were still at a table and played billiard together; he watching her smirking with the billiard cue in his hand. Concentrating, Jean smiled when the ball disappeared. "So, what else did you plan, darlin'?" he asked her and sipped on his beer, but she only gave him a beautiful, mysterious look and stroked over his back when she walked past him.
"You'll see," she replied and he nodded in appreciation. "'Ro suggested a table dance."
Chuckling he nodded at the table. "Go ahead!"
She cursed when the ball hit the cushion instead the hole. "Be right back, okay? I need to use the bathroom." She put the cue on the side of the table and disappeared, while Logan went on with the game after putting his beer aside.
When his free hand grabbed his cigar, he glared at three men from afar who followed Jean with their eyes. Immediately he felt his possessiveness becoming stronger again. If he hated something than it were other men looking at his girl. Still, he knew that he could trust her and that she could take care of herself. With the cigar between his teeth, he watched how one, then two balls were potted. While his eyes looked for the next best alternative, he caught the sigh of a blonde woman at the bar that was smiling at him and watching him closely. Not caring about her, Logan exhaled the smoke and went on with the game, when she was suddenly standing next to the table. "Hi…," she greeted with a wide smile.
Only cocking an eyebrow at her, he put the cigar away. "Hi."
The woman leant over the table a bit, her tight shirt barely holding everything together, while he asked himself how she'd managed to get into the short black hot pants. "I'm Jenny. Need someone to play with?" she asked, but he shook his head.
"Nope, darlin'. But thanks for the offer," Logan grunted and sipped on his beer; briefly checking if Jean was finally coming back.
"Sure about it?" she asked and came slowly closer while she bit her lip seductively. He sighed frustrated when she touched his chest. "I've some nice merits, sugar."
"I believe that…," Logan mumbled and stepped back a bit to put the bottle down again.
He watched her annoyed when she scanned him from head to toe. "You're pretty impressive," Jenny purred and he gave her a smirk.
"So's my wife, girl," he replied and pulled on the cigar briefly as she cocked an eyebrow at him.
"That little redhead?" she asked disgusted and nodded toward Jean, who glared at the three men that blocked her way. "She can satisfy a hunk like you?"
Ignoring her, Logan laid the cue on the table and narrowed his eyes. "Need help, Jeannie?" he asked his wife mentally and met her gaze when she looked into his direction with an annoyed look in her eyes.
"Yes… Or do you want me to use my powers and have them on out throat?" she asked him on the same way, making him smirk.
"Sounds good," Logan replied and walked around the table; not seeing the surprised look on Jenny's face.
"So you just let me stand here?" she asked him as if it was the first time a man had done this with her.
"No, I want ya to go back where ya came from and stop goin' on my nerves," Logan grunted and heard her snorting arrogantly. Walking over to the group, he patted one of the men on the shoulder.
"Got a problem?" that one asked him and Logan crossed his arms.
"Yeah, you, bub!" With a quick movement, he'd taken Jean's hand and shoved her behind him. "Entertain that blonde chick over there, but leave my girl alone, understood?" he grunted and narrowed his eyes.
The men exchanged an amused look. "You've got to say something?" the second one asked and came a bit closer, making Logan pulling a face when his sensitive nose caught the heavy alcohol in his opposite's breath.
"Why? Wanna hear it?" Logan asked glaring when the third one stepped closer.
"You interrupted us, asshole. So why don't you go back and drink a beer and let us have fun with that lady?"
"Fun?" Logan asked and Jean noticed that he had an evil smirk on his lips. "So you guys wanna have fun?"
"Logan…," she quickly intervened when his eyes began to shine. "It's okay."
"See? She understood!" the first man said and nodded his head to the billiard table. "Now piss off!"
Logan tensed his muscles and looked at his opposites provocatively. "Make me…"
Annoyed, one of them grabbed his collar. "Someone's begging for a good punch, eh?" the second man asked aloud when Jean's eyes widened.
"No, stop it!"
"Why? Let'em," Logan said to her without turning around. "Bet he hits like a sissy." Seeing how the third men took hold of his arm, he quickly ducked when his opposite took a swing; hitting the second man instead, who yelped and held his broken nose. Turning, Logan instantly began to twist the third man's arm and threw him against the first; watching satisfied how both crashed against the wall. He heard how the second one took another swing in anger behind him. Before Jean could stop him, she heard him yelping once more, when his fist met Logan's. "See? Told ya so," that one said and pulled Jean with him back to the table. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed the look the redhead gave him. "What? No one's really bleedin', I didn't start a brawl, the place is still in one piece…," he listed and gave her a smirk. "C'mon! Let a man have some fun, darlin'… Besides, ya asked for help!"
Checking on the three men before she noticed the look the others gave them, Jean grabbed his hand. "We should better go…"
Shrugging he took his leather jacket and handed her hers, before she took the helmet. "If ya say so," Logan said and left together with her. "Hey, ya ain't mad now, are ya?"
"No, I was worried that they'd hurt you," she gave back with a look, but he only chuckled and kissed her.
"Cute. Hop on," he demanded and started the engine of his bike. "Where to next, huh?"
"Who was that blonde chick by the way?" Jean asked him with a jealous look before she put the helmet on.
"Don't care," he shrugged. "So, where to next?"
"Back to the mansion," she replied and entwined her hands on his belly.
"Already?" she heard him asking in surprise, but only smiled.
"You'll see…"
Back at the mansion, she told him to wait at the staircase and disappeared. After five minutes, Logan sat down on the stairs still waiting for her to come back, just to look up in surprise when she suddenly stood behind him and took his hand. "Come on!" she smiled and led him upstairs to a hidden terrace on the roof. He stopped at the door to it and let his eyes wander around in surprise. Few candles were lit and dipped the terrace into a soft, warm light while the stars were visible in the dark sky. He also took notice of the tray with some snack, beer and whine and the blankets and pillows on the ground. Cocking an eyebrow in surprise, he nodded. "Woah…"
"Come here…," Jean said after she'd closed the door and sat down, patting the empty spot next to her. He sat down next to her and kissed her lovingly, causing her to smile before she nodded at the beer. "Want one?"
Logan shook his head. "No…" Reaching out, he pulled her close and kissed her tenderly until she began to tug at his jacket and shirt.
"Pull that off and lay down on your belly," she demanded.
"What? Do I finally get my table dance?" he asked her smirking and obeyed. Smiling, Jean sat down on his hip and began to give him a massage. She couldn't hide her giggle when she heard a satisfied purr of him. After she was done, she bent down and kissed his neck lovingly. "You know… I love it when you go all mega macho into other guys faces," she whispered and made him chuckle.
"Yeah?"
"Mhm…," she made and nibbled on his earlobe, making him turn around underneath her and pull her into a deep kiss. "Makes me feel special," Jean added smiling.
"That's what ya are, darlin'…" He reached out to grab one of the snacks and put it into her mouth with a smirk. "Too bad those idiots stopped ya. I'd have loved to see ya going all bitchy into that chicks face."
Jean smirked seductively and entwined her hands in his hair while she kissed him passionately. It didn't take long and she only wore her underwear as she began to work on his jeans buttons, but he broke the kiss. "Hey…," Logan said and she looked at him in confusion. "You just got the baby…"
"And?"
"Take it easy, okay?" he said and stroked through her hair, but she only gave him a look and pulled him into another deep kiss, pushing her loins against his.
"I want you…," Jean gasped and began to suck on his neck, when he turned his head to look around searching.
"Do ya have anything here?" he asked her and heard her sighing.
"We don't need to…," she began but he cut her off.
"Jean, I don't want ya to become pregnant that fast again," Logan grunted but she shook her head.
"Logan, I can't become pregnant…"
"You had a healing factor, so you can," he gave back and she let go of him with another frustrated sigh. "Cyke must have some. Be right back."
She watched how he closed the buttons on his jeans again and headed for the door. "He's asleep…"
"And? I didn't intend to ask him, Jeannie," Logan smirked and left.
Looking around, Jean finally took the bottle with whine and sipped on it while she waited for him to come back. After what appeared to her as an eternity, the door finally opened again and he returned with a grim look on his face. "And?" she asked innocently, but he growled and sat down again.
"Ya could have just said that he's the wrong seize, girl…"
Giggling she put the bottle away and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Has he, hm?" Jean purred and kissed his neck tenderly.
"Couldn't find any in the Furball's room, too and the kids were still up," he grunted, but she only sighed and straddled him once more.
"Forget about it," Jean demanded and began to place kissed on his bare chest as her hands worked on his jeans again.
"Jean…," Logan began, but she put a finger on his lips.
"We'll be careful then," she smiled and got rid of her underwear. "And no, I'm not drunk," she added after she'd heard his thoughts in her head.
"What if someone can see us?" he asked next and watched how she used her teke to get rid of his jeans.
"As if you would care, honey," Jean giggled and straddled him again.
Letting himself fall backwards with her on the top, Logan gave her one last warning look. "I'm gonna kick your butt if somethin' happens, girl!" he grunted but she only kissed him passionately.
After the Professor has found out about something he didn't want to tell everyone about first, he called in a meeting later the day and sat at the head of the large, shiny table in the conference room. He looked around and took notice of every mutant around him, but figured soon that the most important ones were missing. "Where are Logan and Jean?" he asked and then "And Hank?"
"Jean and Logan were out to celebrate their anniversary. I don't know if they stayed elsewhere or came back at night. Hank and Moira are upstairs and watched over the children," Ororo explained when the door went open and Hank stormed inside.
"No, I'm here. Moira is alone with them now. I'm sorry for being late, Charles!" he apologized and sat down on his casual seat.
"Have you seen Logan or Jean?" Charles asked him and folded his hands, but the mutant shook his head.
"No. They actually wanted to be back for breakfast…."
Scott had his arms folded, while his left hand stroked over his chin. "You don't think that something happened to them?"
"What if they were attacked?" Ororo added and looked to and fro between the others anxiously.
Letting out a snort, Mystique leant back in her chair. "You don't really believe that someone would be so stupid to attack both of them at the same time, do you?" she asked sarcastically and gave her friends a look.
Thinking and trying to recall what Jean had told her before they had left, the weather goddess only shook her head. "But… Where are they then?" she asked and noticed that the Professor obviously concentrated on something.
"I can't reach them, but…," he began and suddenly met her gaze. "They're here at the mansion."
"Where?" Scott asked and leant forward a bit.
"I'm not sure," Charles replied. "Scott, Ororo, would you please try to find them? I need them to be here, too. Tell them to come down immediately." Seeing how the two mutants nodded and left, he ran a hand over his forehead.
"So it is serious then?" Hank asked him and received a nod.
"I'm afraid so, Hank…"
On the roof, Logan and Jean were still closely cuddled up to each other and deeply asleep; completely unaware of their surroundings or that people were looking for them. Letting out a deep satisfied sigh while he pulled her close subconsciously, Logan nuzzled her. On the ground laid their clothes spread out in all directions. Their legs were entwined under the blanket and she rested her head between his shoulder and neck, while his head was on one of the many pillows that laid on the ground.
Not knowing what would await him out there, Scott went through the small room and opened the door to the terrace, just to freeze on the spot instantly. He was only able to stare at the couple on the ground when Ororo entered the room, too. "I can't find them anywhere. Have you…," she said and stopped next to him giggling when she spotted them. "I think Jean took the word special a bit too serious…"
"They slept on the roof?" he only asked after he'd found his speech again and his jaw dropped.
"So it seems," she smiled and kneeled down next to Logan. "Come on, don't look so shocked!"
"I am shocked!" Scott gave back and shook his head.
Ororo did the same about him. "It's called romantic, Scott," she lectured him and touched Logan's shoulder carefully. "Sleepy head, come on wake up!"
"Are they naked?" he asked next after his eyes had caught the sight of the clothes on the ground.
"Jeez, Scott!" Ororo only made. "Don't be such a prude!" Again she shook the man in front of her gently. "Logan, wake up!" The addressed only snorted and buried his head deeper into Jean's hair, his hand pulling the blanket closer. "Can you try?" she asked the man at the door with a groan, but this one quickly raised both hands.
"Forget it! It's already enough to be forced to see them like that!"
"Bellyacher!" the weather goddess mocked and turned to her best friend this time. "Jean? Jean, wake up."
"What…?" the redhead mumbled and pulled a face.
"We have a meeting and need the two of you to come down."
The redhead opened one eye slowly and looked from Ororo to Scott and back, just to close her eyes again. Nothing happened until she suddenly frowned. As she finally realized that she wasn't alone with her husband anymore, she let out a loud shriek; causing Logan to sit up alarmed with a rush. Blushing, Jean hid her naked for behind his broad back.
"Morning! Weren't you the man who's light sleeping?" Ororo asked the confused looking Logan with a grin. "At least I thought so…"
Having trouble to realize what was going on, Logan rubbed his eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked tiredly, his voice thick with sleep and ran a hand through his hair.
Getting up again, Ororo crossed her arms. "Charles called in a meeting. He wants you to come down immediately." She smirked at Jean when she caught the sight of the redhead behind Logan's back. "Had a fun night?"
Giving her a pissed look, Logan snorted. "But not a fun mornin'…," he grunted when Scott suddenly put his hands to his hips.
"Just a question," the man said and gave him a look. "Were you in my room at night?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm damn sure that you were…," he replied ad nodded at the tray. "You left a snack there."
"Did I?" Logan asked innocently, but sounded rather amused.
Crossing his arms, Scott glared at him through his visor. "What were you looking for, Logan?" he demanded to know angrily and received a glare in return.
"Something I needed magnifying glasses for to find it…"
"WHAT were you looking for?" Scott asked a bit louder this time.
"Scott, please," Jean pleaded, blushing even more because of the question and pressed herself more into Logan's back.
"No! I want to know why he sneaked into my room!"
"We needed somethin', 'kay?" Logan grunted and saw the look on the man's face. "Jeez, don't shit your pants. I didn't steal anything! You had the wrong seize anyway."
Figuring what the man meant and why Jean's cheeks were almost as red as her hair, Scott snorted about the remark. "Wrong size? Since when is normal a wrong size, huh?"
"Yeah, too small, bub!" Logan growled and began to look for his clothes. "Tell Chuck we'll be right there!"
"Too small," Scott mumbled pissed and left with his hands deeply buried in his pockets.
Leaning against the frame of the door with her arms crossed, Ororo smiled at the couple in amusement. "So, you had a nice evening and night, hm?"
"'Ro!" Logan growled warningly.
"I want details, Jean!" she added quickly and disappeared before he could grab anything to throw it at her.
"God…," Jean suddenly gasped and buried her head on his back.
"What?"
"That was embarrassing…"
Cocking an eyebrow at her, he turned around a bit. "Why? Because I told ya ex the truth about what he thinks is normal?"
"No…," she shook her head and saw how he smiled.
"Stop pouting!" He kissed her. "Mornin' by the way." He grabbed his clothes from the ground and began to pull them back on.
"Morning," Jean smiled and still looked for hers.
"I wonder what Chuck wants so early on the morning," he grunted suddenly and heard her laughing.
"Early? It's nearly 12, Logan. Where did you put my underwear?" she asked frowning and pulled the blanket aside a bit, but couldn't find what she was looking for.
He shrugged smirking. "Maybe I left them in Scooterboy's room, room?"
Pulling the pillows aside, she stopped briefly to give him a look. "How could you leave a snack there?" Jean asked and shook her head about it, when something black suddenly dangled from his finger in front of her eyes.
"Lookin' for that?" Logan smirked and moved her panties slowly back and forth.
"Damn you!" she cursed and grabbed them quickly when he chuckled. "I hope you didn't left something in Hank's room, too!"
"Maybe…" Smirking, he got up to pull his jeans on. "Great, I actually wanted to take a shower."
"Not only you!" Jean added and sighed relieved when she'd finally found the rest of her clothes.
A few minutes later they entered the meeting room and took their seats quickly. Still, Mystique gave them an amused look. "You look as if you've just gotten out of bed," she grinned and received a look from Logan.
"Oh, really?" he grunted and turned his head towards Charles. "What's wrong, Chuck?"
"Do you had a nice evening?" the Professor asked them first and watched how Logan smirked at Jean.
"Somethin' like that," he replied and ignored Scott's snort.
"Did something happen?" Jean asked concerned and tried to straighten her hair again.
The Professor shifted his position and folded his hands in front of his mouth, while his elbows rested on the armrests of his wheelchair. A sign, as they knew, meant that something serious was either wrong or going to happen. "As you all know I kept the activities I spotted in Canada under surveillance. Obviously they've moved their activities to another area. That's the reason why I was unable to locate them in the mountains anymore. But today I was able to track down Sabretooth in the region of Alberta."
"Sabretooth?" Logan asked with a grim look on his face and crossed his arms. "If he's there that Sinister guy ain't far away."
Charles nodded. "I'd like you to fly up to Canada and check on it. We need to find out what they are planning and especially if they plan to attack us."
"What about the kids? If Sabretooth is still in possession of that uniform, then we're in trouble if we fly up with only four people," Logan said and saw how Jean turned her head.
"Five," she corrected him, but he shook his head.
"Nope! Four! Mystique and you stay here. Someone has to watch over the kids."
Sighing, she crossed her arms since she could still remember the fight they had the last time about the same issue- "If this is our chance to catch that guy, I want to be there! The junior team is here, too. They can protect them."
"Right. You trained them good enough, Logan," Hank said. "And they're always waiting for a mission.
Still looking at Jean, Logan began to brood. "I want someone strong to be here, Red. The kids ain't ready for a real attack."
"Then we should take the original team and Jubilee, Kitty, Peter and Bobby stay here, too," Scott suggested but hank shook his head.
"But then we're only with six, Scott. You've seen what Sabretooth did to 'Ro and Logan."
"We need at least the Popsicklehead and the Tinmen, too," Logan grunted while he thought hard about how to split the team.
Jean leant back a bit and crossed her arms. "Since the new system is installed and works properly, an attack would set the alarm off instantly and shut off the whole school within seconds. No one could get inside or out."
Ororo nodded. "Right. They are safe here. And with Magma and the others protecting them additionally…"
Turning his head towards Charles Logan gave him a look. "When do ya want us to leave?" he demanded to know.
"As soon as possible. The earlier we know the better."
"What about the new uniforms?" Scott asked him.
"Forge hasn't sent the prototype so far. He's still working on it."
Hearing it, Logan turned toward the whole group. "If you see Sabretooth or someone else that wears the uniform, attack them from afar! Your powers won't work in their closer surrounding and if he gets his hands on you, he will kill you!" he said with a warning undertone and turned to Jean and Ororo. "Especially the two of you need to be careful."
"Why Jean? His interest is in me…," Ororo asked him frowning and the look he gave her spoke volumes.
"'Cause she's my wife," was all he said before he got up, followed by the others.
After they'd told their children about the mission and had given them instruction to whom they should stick until their parents returned, Logan had spoken to the junior team and the rest of the adult team members; giving them instruction on what they should do in case of an attack and how to behave. Afterwards the team went downstairs to change into their old uniforms and made their way to the hangar. Reaching it, Logan held Jean back while the others went inside. "Ya know… I'd feel better if ya stayed here."
"We already discussed it, Logan!" she only said and crossed her arms.
"You can't tell me that you can stay calm knowing that both of us ain't here to protect our kids, Jean," he grunted and heard her sighing.
"No,…but if it is our chance, I won't miss it," she replied and touched his cheek. "You trained the kids, well. They can fight if necessary."
Nodding he began to move. "Be careful with Sabretooth!"
"Look who's talking," Jean said and startled a bit when he grabbed her arm a bit too firmly.
"I mean it, Jean! He killed every woman I was with… Except Itsu," Logan said and looked away. "And when he attack 'Ro he already said that he would do it. I can't lose you, too…"
Hugging him, she shook her head. "You won't lose me. We'll be safe."
Finally nodding, he entered the jet, followed by her and took his seat next to Storm at the front. Still not fine with flying again, he held his eyes closed until he could tell that they were already in the air for a few minutes.
During the flight they barely talked at all. Every one of them followed his or her own thoughts until the jet landed next to a wood in Canada. After they'd left the jet, they followed Logan's lead through the wood; trusting him and his senses completely. Nevertheless Jean noticed immediately that her husband's whole demeanor changed all of a sudden. His face was tensed and his eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right, she could tell it by looking at him. Her assumption came true when he suddenly stopped at the end of the wood and stared at the huge mansion in front of them. "Something wrong?" Scott asked him since he'd also noticed that their leader behaved strangely. He stopped next to him and looked up at the ruins of the house, but he couldn't see or tell at all that something wasn't right.
"This can't be…," Logan murmured and walked a bit just to pause once more. "Chuck must've been wrong…"
Hearing it, Jean laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a worried look. "Why?"
"It's my parents' house…," he replied and met her gaze in confusion.
"Your parents?" Ororo asked surprised but also confused and looked at the huge building that must have looked beautiful once. Now in the dark she couldn't tell it for sure. But it more looked like a ruin that hadn't seen any human being for a very long time.
"You mean…you lived here?" Hank now asked and cocked an eyebrow at his leader, who remained calm the whole time through.
Snorting, Scott crossed his arms. "Is no one surprised about the fact that he remembers it?" he asked and looked to and fro between his teammates. "You've your memory back?"
Turning around while she rolled her eyes, Jean gave him a look. "Scott, everyone knows that Logan has his memory back…"
"Oh good! Strange that he couldn't tell me what kind of business he has with those S.H.I.E.L.D. guys," he shot back sarcastically.
"Because it's nothin' of your goddamn business!" Logan growled and gave him a glare.
"Right…," Scott hissed cynically. "They're only keeping us under surveillance because of you, but okay… I'll just forget about it that my life might be in danger…"
"Scott!" the redhead said warningly but the man looked away.
Still surprised about what she'd just found out, Ororo came a bit closer. "This is really your home?" she asked and stopped next to Logan, who still glared at the building. But he shook his head and began to walk.
"No… Not anymore," he grunted and led them through the gate into what was left over of the courtyard. His eyes scanned the whole area attentively, tried to pick up any noises or scents. Hank stopped briefly at the gate and kneeled down next to a rusty sign. Looking at it with narrowed eyes first, his hand stroke over it briefly. "Howlett…," he murmured with a frown and quickly followed his teammates against. "Is that your name? Howlett?"
"Yeah…," Logan grunted and shook his head sighing. His instincts kept on telling him that something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what…
"And your real first name?" Scott asked him.
"Nothin' to ya," came the grunted reply from the front. "Jeannie knows and that's enough."
"Well…actually I do, too," Ororo admitted, but Logan only shrugged since he honestly didn't care about it.
Looking at Jean, he shook his head again. "I can't hear or smell anyone…"
"Doe the house have a basement?" she asked and he thought about it briefly before he nodded.
"Yeah. Basement and three floors." His eyes suddenly paused at an object a few meters to his left. Frowning he gave the others a sign. "Wait here," he grunted and walked over to it followed by Jean, who looked at the object, which was a very old gravestone, too.
"Who are they?" she asked him when he kneeled down in front of it and watched how he pointed at every name while he spoke.
"My parents, brother and grandfather…," he said and turned his head again to look once more at the building. "Somethin's wrong here…"
"Why?" she asked and looked at the building briefly.
"If someone was inside I'd hear it… But I can't even pick up ascent except from some animals in the wood." He got up again and walked back with her to the others. Together they entered the mansion and took a look around. Logan let his eyes travel around the huge complex, stopped here and there when memories about his childhood returned to him. Some happy ones, others again ones he never wanted to remember… He didn't turn around when Hank stopped next to a dusty painting that hung sloping on the half destroyed wall. Again he stroked over it with his hands and tilted his head a bit. "Your parents?" he asked and saw how Logan gave him a brief nod only. "Who of them is you?"
"We've better things to do!" Logan growled and walked further through the ruins; ducking and climbing if parts of the ceiling was in his way.
"Come on! Don't be such a sourpuss," Ororo scolded him, but only received a snort. "He only has an older brother. So he's the baby…," she whispered into Hank's ear and saw how this one examined the painting once more.
"He doesn't look like his parents," this one murmured and received a warning look of her.
"Hank!" Jean said and gave him the same look as she followed Logan further through the corridors and rooms. She looked up at the staircase that couldn't be used anymore without risking that the whole upper floor would collapse. She watched Logan how he tried to remember which door led to the basement. Suddenly a loud cracking noise could be heard when he'd finally figured it out and they followed him through. "Wait, let me go ahead," the redhead suggested and the others waited while Logan had no problems to make his way through the darkness. "I try to illuminate it a bit." Holding her hand out a bit she heard Bobby and Peter, but also Kurt gasping when it began to burn and a small Phoenix was sitting on her palm in the next second. "That's better," she smiled and led the way down the small stone staircase. She stopped next to Logan, who had his hands on his hips and was scanning the room. Except for spider's webs, musty tables, chairs and paintings, there was nothing else to be seen.
"Somethin's wrong…," he murmured and shook his head while Jean kneeled down and picked up a wooden box on the ground; searching through the content after she's opened it and the Phoenix sat now on her shoulder.
"But what?" Ororo asked him and also looked around, trying to find anything that looked suspicious.
"My friend," Hank began and gave Logan a look. "The mansion here looks very old if you asked me. And if it's true that this is your parents' home…then I am really curious to know how old you really are…"
"Only curious about his age?" Scott mocked and returned the glare he received from the woman and Logan.
"How old are you?" Hank asked his friend again and tried to open a door on his right, but it was already too rusty to be moved. "Older than Charles?"
"Will it save ya day if ya know?" Logan asked annoyed with a groan. "115. Satisfied?" he growled and ignored the gasps and widened eyes completely.
"You're kidding, right?" Bobby asked, but Jean shook her head. "Come on, he can't be over one hundred and look like 30 something!"
"There!" Kurt suddenly said and pointed at a table at the opposite wall.
"What the…," Scott murmured when he noticed that it was a laptop.
Walking over to it, Jean gave it a tap and a video file opened automatically. She looked at Logan and the others before she moved the mouse over to the PLAY button and gave the pad another tap. They narrowed their eyes when a strange looking man appeared on screen. His hair as black as the feathers of ravens while his skin shined silvery and his eyes were red as fire. "Welcome my dear friends," he greeted them in a deep voice and with a sadistic smile. "Please give me the pleasure to introduce myself. My name is Nathaniel Essex or Mister Sinister as you already know." The X-Men exchanged a brief look while Logan crossed his arms. Is instincts had been right again. Something was wrong… "I am sorry that we cannot meet in person but, as you might excuse, I am very occupied right now. Nevertheless, I wanted to congratulate you, my friends." He smiled evilly. "I never expected that Charles Xavier's students would be so stupid to walk directly into our nice little trap," he said amused. "Oh, don't worry! Nothing will happen to you. Not yet…"
"Told ya so!" Logan growled and slammed an object against the wall with an easy movement of his arm. "Fuck!"
"Oh…I still have a special message to one of you…," Sinister added grinning. "To the mighty Wolverine…" Turning around with a cocked eyebrow, Logan glared at the screen. "I must thank you for your excellent choice of your sex partner. Combining your genes with the one of the powerful Phoenix… Excellent choice, my friend! By the way…now that you all are here, who's watching over your offspring?"
Jean's and Logan's dropped instantly when the screen went black and they stared at each other with widened eyes; both thinking the same at that moment. "No…," Jean gasped and began to shake.
Not thinking twice, Logan grabbed Kurt roughly. "Teleport us to the jet!" he demanded and scared the mutant to death.
"But…the distance….I," Kurt stuttered frightened and saw how his opposite bared his teeth threatening.
"I don't give a shit! You gonna do that!"
"Logan…," Ororo tried to intervene, but didn't dare to touch her friend.
"Do it!"
Swallowing Kurt shook his head. "But I have to see…," he began and his eyes widened when he heard a familiar snikt.
"Logan!" Hank said warningly and stepped forward a bit.
"You need to touch me. All of you," Kurt finally stuttered and swallowed again when everyone did as they were told. "I can't promise…," he said at Logan, but received a low growl of him instantly. Closing his eyes, he concentrated hard and began to pray that they wouldn't end up in a wall. With a loud bamf they disappeared and reappeared at the mansions gate. Immediately Jean and Logan began to run as fast as they could, through the wood and back to the jet. The only thing they thought and cared about right now were their children and what was probably going on in the school. As soon as they'd entered the jet, they took the front seats and started the engines; heading off as soon as the last one of the team had entered and taken a seat…
As soon as they'd reached the school they had to notice that the whole building was shut off. Cursing Jean landed the jet in the middle of the garden since the hatch in the basketball field wouldn't open for them as long as the alarm system was active. Logan began to sniff the air and scanned the area before he ran over to the first door they could reach. The scent he'd picked up immediately kicked his senses and heart rate into high gear and what he saw at the steel door in front of him told him that he was true. The door was sliced into pieced by four long scratches. "Sabretooth," he growled and popped his claws instinctively when he entered the mansion, followed closely by the others. His head turned from one side to the other, tried to pick up any noises, but there were none. He heard Ororo saying something about the children when Jean touched his shoulder.
"I can't reach Charles," she said frightened and already had trouble to breathe by the thought of what they would probably find in the corridors.
"They ain't here," Logan grunted and sniffed again. "The hidin' place," he added and began to run towards the first hidden exit in the walls. Pulling it open he stepped through it quickly and ran down the long corridor that was barely illuminated by any lights. He cursed aloud when the thick door was blocked from within. "Elf!" he barked and nodded at the obstacle. Kurt only nodded and disappeared. After they could hear the students screaming on the other side, the mechanism was soon activated and the door began to move. Jean quickly looked around and tried to find her children, but she only heard Ororo and Kurt running past her when they'd spotted their children.
"Kid! Where're Wolfsbane and the others?" Logan asked Jubilee and grabbed her arm a bit too roughly. "Where are they?"
"They wanted to get your children," the girl stuttered and felt scared by the look he gave her. "They said if they couldn't make it back to us, they'd hide in the other room…"
"Jean!" Logan yelled and nodded to the door. She understood immediately what he wanted to tell her and followed him out of the room.
"What happened?" Scott asked Jubilee and Kitty while Peter and Bobby began to dress their wounds.
"Don't ask me!" Jubilee cried and bit her lip hard.
"The alarm set off, and we evacuated the school. But then he was suddenly inside," Kitty told him and noticed that Scott still looked around searching. "Mystique's in the other room over there. She's fine and your baby, too." He nodded and headed off quickly.
"Are you alright?" Peter asked her and touched her cheek.
"Yeah. Only some bruises because that damn door closed too early," she replied and was pulled close by him.
"Did only Sabretooth attack?" Bobby asked the girls while he held Jubilee close.
"We didn't see anyone else," Kitty shrugged. "We don't even know what he wanted…"
"We do," Ororo said grimly and walked towards the door with Rogue and Mystique behind her. "They are after Logan's and Jean's children…"
The water on the ground splashed with every step he took, but he didn't care about it when he ran down the tunnel as fast as he could. His senses were more than alarmed by now since he did not only pick up the scent of his arch nemesis, but also of his children…and blood. He heard that Jean was somewhere behind him and told him to go ahead. She still tried to reach the Professor but wasn't successful so far. But the worst thing for her was that she also couldn't reach out to their children. Heavily panting, Logan suddenly stopped in front of the large door and stared at it with widened eyes. Besides the long scratched and bumps in the steel, the fact that it was completely torn into pieces scared him the most. Not thinking twice about it, he went through it and was shocked by what he had to see. The walls and ground were splattered with blood, the interior completely destroyed and in front of him laid the torn and bloody bodies of the junior team. He snorted in disgust when he kneeled down next to each of them and checked if only one of them was still alive. By looking at them, he instantly knew what his arch nemesis had done to the kids. Magma laid with open eyes directly next to the door, Sunpyre only meters further down next to another wall, Wolfbane laid in such a strange angle that he didn't have to check on her to know that Sabretooth had broken her vertebra first an her neck next; probably after having some fun with her first. Panting, he didn't notice that he was shaking when his eyes suddenly heard a barely audible groan. Quickly, Logan went over and pulled the remains of a table aside just to stare at Karma in shock. "Kid?" he asked her softly and heard how Jean finally reached the room. The redhead covered her mouth with her hands in shock by the sight she was offered.
"L…Logan…?" the girl asked inaudible and tried to see anything, but even if her eyes were open she couldn't see anything else than blackness.
"Ssh…," he tried to soothe her and quickly examined her wounds just to shake his head. He knew he couldn't help her anymore.
"I…I'm….so…rry," the girl gasped and held onto his hand firmly in pain.
"Kid, where are our children?" he asked her with a shaking in his voice and waited for a reply, hearing Jean's heavy pants behind him. "Where are they?"
"He…," she began weakly when her head dropped aside.
Logan stared at her for a while before he let go of her hand and got up. His head was lowered when he looked around in hope to find any sign of them. But there was none. Looking up his eyes met Jean's and realization hit him instantly. They were gone… With a painful howl, Logan dropped to his knees and buried his face in one hand, the other barely supporting his weight as he lowered himself to the ground. Jean watched him for a while like in trance before she went over and kneeled down next to him, wrapping her arms around his chest while she buried her face in his back crying with him in sorrow.
They didn't realize that their friends had arrived to and stared at them in shock. Ororo took a look around and exchanged only one look with the women next to her, before she, too, understood what had happened. Crying she leant against the remains if the door and shook her head, while Rogue stared at her best friend on the ground in shock. Mystique could only shake her head and turned around when the others approached, not knowing that they were too late…
Sorry guys that it took me so long to upload again, but I was very busy with college. Since my exams starts soon, I won't be able to finish the next chapter within the next few days, but hopefully until the next weekend. Sorry for that!!!
Thanks for all the nice reviews again. ; ) Hope you liked that one here, too.
Only one more chapter to go and then it's Sequel 2. I still have to come up with a storyline, LOL, but well, I put this one here together without planning, too, so it should work somehow. See ya! ; )
