Author: April (Lioness)
Summary: What if the removal of Wolverine's adamantium didn't regress him, and instead…well, read on! I hope that got you curious!
Disclaimer: Yeah, Marvel owns 'em, but it doesn't have to be so happy about it.
Rating: R…some cussing, some not-quite-sexual situations. You can handle it.
Young Blood
Surprisingly enough, it was Storm who noticed it first.
"Does he not look younger, Rogue?"
"Well..." Rogue squinted against the harsh light outside the Xavier institute. Logan was running laps on the track outside.
"Ah suppose he does, but it's not like I'd bet on it. Y' should probably ask Jean, sugah, she notices things like that."
"Things like what?"
Rogue jumped a foot.
"Mah goodness, Jean, you startled me!"
"Sorry, Rogue, that wasn't my intention," Jean said sympathetically, before turning to Storm.
"You wanted to ask me something?"
Storm looked at Jean and blushed, "No, it was silly of me. Really." Jean smiled.
"Well, you know where to find me."
* * *
"AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUGGGHH!!!"
The morning was pierced by a bloodcurdling scream. Scott Summers, sunk deep in a blissfull sleep, jumped out of bed, knocking his sleeping glasses off in the process. Jean, who had risen moments earlier yelled, "Glasses, Scott! Your glasses!!"
Scott's hand immediatly fumbled for his day visor, sitting on the night stand.
"I know, mom, I know!" He mumbled confusedly in a sleepy voice.
Jean stopped dead. Crisis or no crisis....
"Mom?"
Cyclops turned white.
"Oh, Jesus, Jean. It was a mistake! I'm sorry!"
Scott's spirit sank to his feet as he knew he was getting kicked out of bed for a week, no matter how many "I'm sorry's" he gave. The yell came again, followed by a string of curses.
"What the devil...Is that Remy, or Logan?"
"Dunno. Didn't sound French to me."
"Define 'French.' I better go check it out."
Clutching a robe around her, Jean left her dear husband to adjust his visor while she rushed to the rescue.
"What the flamin' hell?!! Is this some kinda PRANK? I swear to God I'll gut that Cajun in cold blood if.."
"Logan. Logan! LOGAN!!" Jean yelled. Wolverine spun around to face her and her voice trailed up into a question.
"...Logan?..."
Even to her, he was barely recognizable. All his sideburns and stubble were gone. He looked quite clean-shaven. But it was more than that. Lines, that for as long as Jean had known him had been imprinted on his face, were gone. He looked fifteen years younger. It was a minute before Jean realized he had been talking.
"...dunno how they snuck up on me. Ain't like I can't grow it back, Jeannie, but..."
He stopped talking when he realized she was staring.
"What?"
"Logan...that's not all that's...different...about you."
"What?! Ya mean I got a 'kick me' sign written on me or somethin', too?"
"No...I think we'd better get you down to the medlab."
Wolverine really didn't think this was necessary, but Jean was the last woman alive he'd refuse, so he held out his arm.
"Lead the way, darlin'."
They walked out of the room, Wolverine uneasily rubbing his chin.
* * *
"Fascinating!" Hank said. "Amazing!"
He was beginning to get a bit of the Mad Scientist look on his face.
"Why not let us in on the secret, Hank?" Wolverine asked tiredly. He'd been stitting on the edge of the medlab bed listening to Hank's unexplained expressions of astonishment for what seemed like hours. Before that he'd been put through a battery of tests. Not that they were horrible, but to Logan any medical test was a bad medical test.
Hank took a deep breath and turned to face the room.
"It seems as if the removal of the adamantium from your system had reinstated previous genetic codes, liscensing.."
"English, Hank."
The blue doctor frowned deeply and furrowed his brow.
"Your immune system-- Healing factor, if you will, after recovering from the adamantium trauma, his begun working at..."
He checked his calculations.
"Roughly 500% effectiveness, as of nonadamantium Wolverine."
"An' yer sayin' because my healin' factor's working so good now, I'm losin' my hair?"
"The loss of your sideburns was a mere side effect of a much larger picture, I'm afraid. Since your factor is working at such an accelerated rate, it seems to be 'de-aging' you. Which is simply reverting each of your cells back to it's prime. Pardon me for such unscientific language.." He took a breath, "But this is certainly an unprecedented event."
"How young am I gonna get, Hank? We need to start buyin' diapers?"
"I cannot be certain, my friend, but I believe it will only take you back to what we call the age of 'peak performance.'"
"How old is that?"
"In human males, it is generally from sixteen to eighteen years of age."
The silence hung heavy in the room as both men tried to absorb the implications.
"Logan." The stern voice of the Professor drew him out of his reverie.
"I'm afraid if Hank is correct...necessarry measures must be taken."
"Necessary measures? I ain't gettin' crazy, or violent, or anything. Just younger. According to Hank."
Dr.McCoy humphed at this shot at his credibility.
"Look, Logan, if what he says is true, I've made arrangements to send you to Generation X."
"What?"
Logan sprang off the table, claws itching the backs of his hands.
"I'm sorry, Logan, I weighed all the other options, but. well...You don't look like an adult anymore. You look to be a teenager, and in the law's eyes, a child. That comes with a tremendous number of liabilities. If the government thinks we're letting children fight on the X-Men..."
"What about Kitty? Jubilee?"
"Times have changed, Logan. The FOH is more rabid than ever now. I realize you are still a valuable member of this team, whether or not you have physically changed. I just think it would be better if..."
"Bullshit." Wolverine said, and stalked out of the room.
"Well, professor?" McCoy asked tentatively.
"He'll come to his senses. Just give him time."
* * *
The doorbell rang, and Jubilee dropped her copy of Cosmo to leap over the sofa and answer it. Dull hadn't begun to describe the day she'd had. It basically involved her, the T.V., and a couple of bags of Funions.
"Hello, welcome to--" She stopped dead as she flung the door open.
"Wolvie?..."
I didn't look like Wolverine, but...It did. It looked like Wolverine's son. If Wolverine had a son. Whoever he was, the man standing at the door looked embarrased to be there.
"Hey, darlin'. There's been a..uh...sort of...accident involvin' my healin' factor."
Jubilee's eyes were very close to bulging out of her head. A very odd feeling was stirring within her, and she had the strange to desire to say, "They say milk does a body good, but, damn, how much did you drink?"
"What? Did you say somethin' about milk, Jubes?"
"Is it really you?"
"Yeah, it's me." He said defensively. "Who else is it gonna be? Howsabout a 'I'm so glad yer here?'"
"I'm so glad you're here," Jubilee said mechanically, staring at him in a way that made him feel quite uncomfortable.
"Gee, darlin', thanks," He said sarcastically. "Ya sure know how to make a man feel all warm an' fuzzy inside."
Jubilee said nothing, just stood. She seemed to have gone dumb.
"C'n I come in?"
Jubilee blinked. "Yeah, sure, come on in, Wolvie."
Wolverine came indoors, put down his bags, and stretched his aching back. The pain vanished almost immediately, but it still felt good to stretch. He pulled out a cigar and struck a match against the wall, surveying his surroundings. "You mind?" He asked Jubilee. She shook her head. But apparently, someone else had other ideas.
"Young man! Put that thing out of my sight immediately!"
Totally unused to the authority in the voice, Wolverine turned to face a very angry-looking White Queen.
"We do not allow smoking in this house. Or outside this house, for that matter. Also no drinking, swearing, --"
"Look, lady," Wolverine said, "I don't know who you think you are, but I ain't about to take orders from anybody."
Emma Frost was positively white with rage.
"You will do as you are told in this house of face the consequences. As of this moment, you are confined to your room until further notice."
Her eyes challenged him to disobey. But Wolverine simply looked disbelieving.
"Yer sending me to my room? Like I was..." He suddenly stopped, and Jubilee didn't see the cause until she followed his gaze and saw he was staring into a mirror across the hall. Emma pointed one slim finger up the stairs.
"Go."
* * *
"Jubes, he's been up there for two whole days. Aren't you worried he's gonna starve?"
Jubilee looked impatiantly at Jono.
"Of course I am! But I also know he ain't coming down 'till he's good 'n' ready to."
"Don't you think you could...Help him out a bit?" Paige asked, picking a bit of the skin on her forearm. "I mean, I feel kinda sorry for the guy."
"Maybe you're right," Jubilee said. "And stop doing that! It's just...ick!" She played with her earring, trying to think something up.
"Hey...could you guys get lost for a couple hours?"
"I thought we were your friends!"
Paige elbowed Jono in the stomach. "It's for the plan, stupid. Sure."
Wolverine heard the knock on the door, growled, and pulled a pillow over his head. What he really, really, needed, he had decided, was a good meal, a good fuck, and lots and lots of alcohol. Not necesarrily in that order. And whoever was knocking was not likely to provide any of the three.
Jubilee stood outside and knocked louder, although she was sure he had heard her the first time.
"Go 'way." Came the growled response.
"You gonna open the door, Wolvie, or do I haveta kick it in?"
Silence.
"You know I'll do it." She leaned back, preparing to brace herself. The door swung open to reveal Wolverine, a bit worse for the wear. He didn't look happy, to say the least. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, and he looked thinner, probably because he hadn't eaten in two days. The two points that were his hair, were alternately flattened and dissheveled. He wore the same clothes he's come in with.
"Whaddya want?"
"Geez...you look terrible." Jubilee started.
"That what you came to tell me? Already know that." He said dryly, starting to close the door in Jubilee's face.
"Hey!" Jubilee said, pushing her way in. "I didn't clear everyone out of here to have you stay locked up in here."
He looked suspiciously at her.
"Nobody's here?"
She shook her head. "Nope."
"Not even Emma?"
"Frosty's a convention somwhere or other."
Wolverine reluctantly let the door swing open and ran his hand through his wild hair. He seemed to be considering.
"Jubes...what's happened to me..."
"We'll deal with it," She promised quickly. "But just 'cause somethin' wierd is happening to you doesn't mean I'm not here for you."
He thought about this. A nice statement on Jubilee's part. Best not to mention it was getting harder and harder not to stare at her chest. And legs. Funny he was unaware she'd ever even had them before.
"You got any food around here, darlin'? I'm starving..."
She smiled. "Follow me."
Shaking off the feeling of a sense of impending doom, Wolverine followed her to the kitchen.
* * *
Wolverine surveyed the contents of the freezer. He reached in and tossed out a package of hamburger meat, a steak, and a package of what smelled to be chicken breast. They all fell on the table, one on top of the other.
"Tight!" Jubilee commented, leaning against a chair, "How'd ya do that?"
He shrugged and allowed himself a small smile as he shut the freezer door.
"Practice."
Once his meal was on the table, he started in immediately. He didn't know whether it was being younger, or just not eating for so long, but he was positively ravenous. As he inhaled his lunch, Jubilee thought she was about to lose hers.
"Ugh! That's disgusting, Logan! Can't you cook it first?" Jubilee asked as he hungrily devoured raw hamburger. He paused between bites.
"No." Then he held out a portion. "Want some?"
He laughed as Jubilee turned a very becoming shade of green. After he'd finished it all off, he turned back to Jubilee.
"You wouldn't happen to have any beer, wouldja?"
Jubilee smiled rather wickedly.
"Depends on how bad you want it."
He raised his eyebrow. Jubilee laughed, and suddenly disappeard from view. It took Logan a moment to realize she had gotten down on all fours and was prying up a floorboard of the kitchen. It came up with a light 'snap,' and Jubilee fished out two cans of beer. Logan whistled.
"How much ya got down there?"
Jubilee looked a little embarrassed. "A lot...it's mostly for the guys."
He nodded, popping open his can. Jubilee looked at him, eyes lingering on his face. She'd been doing that a lot lately. His nose, which had always had a sharp crook, probably from being broken so many times, was at a softer angle. He still had a strong chin but he looked...younger. And good. She found herself staring. She looked away, trying to cover for herself.
"You want a cigar or anything?"
To her surprise, he blanched at this.
"Unmm...no thanks...I ain't really...In the mood." This sounded weak, even to him.
"Why not? What's wrong?" She asked, surprised. He looked a little hesitant, then pulled up his sleeve. Jubilee slapped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing. On his arm was a small patch that read "Nicoderm CQ."
"They made me, Jubes. I guess just 'cause all the smoke didn't hurt me didn't mean I wasn't addicted. I been chewin' that damn gum for two days. Orange flavor my ass, that stuff tastes like plaster o' paris."
"Does this mean I get to call you 'Patch' again?" Jubilee asked, still trying not to laugh. Wolverine growled at her and they finished the beers in silence.
"We got about two hours left before they get back." Jubilee called over her shoulder as she left the room. "Follow me."
He trailed her up the stairs, into a room two doors down from hers.
"This your room?" He asked. She nodded. He scanned it, looking over it's contents. Shelves of magazines. Clothes on the floor. Make up. Various posters. His eyes settled on the cowboy hat on top of her dresser. She blushed a little when she saw him staring at it.
"I just came in here to get something. Sit down if ya want," She gestured to the bed, then opened a drawer and began to rummage. She found whatever she was looking for fairly quickly and held it up. It was a comb.
"Oh, no ya don't Jubes.." Logan said, a warning tone in his voice.
"Don't be a baby about it Logan!"
"Stay away from me with that thing.."
"Look, I'm just gonna comb your hai--"
"Not if you can't catch me," Wolverine yelled before, disappearing from her room. Jubilee, a smile stretching her face, ran after him. She jumped the stairs, just in time to see him disappear back into the kitchen.
"Come back here!"
"Make me!"
Jumping the kitchen table, she ran through and out into the den. Dead end. He had to be in here somewhere. She saw a blur out of the corner of her eye before he tackled her. She screamed in surprise, then gave him a low grade paf. It distracted him long enough for her to reach for his throat, but he was too quick for her. He rolled the both of them over, pinning Jubilee's hands behind her head, one hand propping him up. He grinned wolfishly as she struggled beneath him.
"I win."
She brought a knee up, not hard enough to seriously hurt him, but enough that he released her wrists. She took him by the shirt collar and rolled them over again so that she was straddling him. Grinning, she leaned down so that their faces were inches apart.
"I win."
They were both breathing hard, and suddenly both very aware of their situation. Jubilee was close enough she could smell that wonderful musky smell that was Logan she stared down into his eyes, momentarily paralyzed. Logan, in a move borne more of desperation than anything else, tossed Jubilee quickly off him. He was dazed, and scared to death at what he'd almost let happen. At what he'd wanted to happen. They both sat there for a moment, on the floor of the den, both unwilling to admit what had just taken place. Jubilee felt something sharp under the palm of her hand, and realized she'd never let go of the comb.
Logan put up little resistance as she parted his hair and started to work through it. She unknotted a strand enough to pull the comb through. He really had wonderful hair. It was thick, and soft, and jet black. She finished one side in silence, as the hair formed it's natural point.
Wolverine closed his eyes and tried to keep from dozing off. The combing had a remarkably tranquilizing effect, and it felt so good. Jubilee knew it, and that's why he'd run. Why had he run? What had happened? He let the question go as he settled his head more comfortably against her shoulder. Did it bother him because, in a way, what they were doing now was intimate? Somehow it felt so...right.
He was sleepy enough that the tiny click his sensitive hearing picked up didn't register for a few seconds. Then he leaped up, making Jubilee let out a yelp.
"Logan, wai--"
But before the words were even out of her mouth, he was gone.
"Anybody hooooommmmee?" She heard a voice from the doorway call.
"Yeah, right here," She said in a less-than-enthusiastic tone. She sighed. Maybe tomorrow…
TO BE CONTINUED…
That is, if you want it. Let me know!
