SUMMARY: The X-Men battle it out for freedom, and something goes wrong with Logan. How will Jubilee deal, and can she save him? Will she and Jean start the catfight of the century?

DISCLAIMER: I'm getting no money for this. However, if anyone wants to give me money, hey, I'm not refusing.

RATING: Gratuitous violence, passionate almost-sex, and some sailor-like swearing. In other words, nothin' new.

AUTHORS NOTE: Hey! Even with school trying its hardest to stop me, I managed to post yet another part of the Great American Nove-- uh, I mean, my fanfic. Look forward to next parts with little tributes to Hugh Jackman, and references to the Wolverine comics. Comicverse, movieverse, ultimateverse-- baby, as long as I'm getting my fix, It's all good.

As fate would have it, Jubilee's fears were for naught. That morning they all arose, stiff, in pain, but ready to win the day. However, the moment was rather grim, as Gambit prepared to remove Logan's collar.

"Hey, maybe Gambit's wrong, no? Maybe these t'ings don' have a failsafe."

"Just shut up and get it over with, Gumbo."

Jubilee, who had bitten her nails down to the quick, giggled nervously out of habit.

"Ok, now hold still.."

Gambit concentrated as he turned the bobby pin of Jean's he had been using as a makeshift lock pick.

"Just…hold o-"

There was a sudden spark, and Jubilee jumped back. The collar fell to the ground with a hollow clank. Logan stood perfectly still, teeth gritted. Jubilee winced, as she saw the burn marks on Logan's neck quickly disappearing. At least he was alive.

"Logan, are you ok?"

She could've puked at Jean's concerned voice. They may have reunited as a team the night before, but the scene of Jean and Logan had lodged itself in her head.

This is so not the time, Jubilee.

She forced her vengeance to wait. She knew he loved her. That was all that mattered, right?

"Say something!"

They all waited, concerned, staring at the mute and still Logan, so that when he spoke it startled them all.

"Ouch."

Jubilee let out a huge breath she hadn't even known she'd been holding in. Logan felt at his neck a little, then shrugged as his eager teammates gathered around. It was almost an air of excitement; today was the jailbreak. Back to freedom, the comforts of a mansion and home.

"Let's do this."

* * *

Dr. Clyde turned the long concrete corridor carrying a tray of food. He stopped a moment to spit in it. Filthy mutants. If it were up to him, they shouldn't be fed at all, but Dr. Cornelius insisted they be kept alive.

Thinks he's so high and mighty, just because he's got a degree in genetics

He looked down at the tray of old bread he was carrying before punching the access code to the door.

"Here's your grub, freaks, come and ge--"

It happened so fast, he didn't even have time to scream. A strong arm was wrapped around his neck, and-- a claw? Yes. A long, bone, claw at his throat. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"Don't even try it bub. I got five more where this one came from. Do you really wanna see 'em?"

He shut his mouth. He was beginning to shake in fear, the upset tray of bread the last thing on his mind.

"Wh-w-what d-d-do y-you p-people want?"

"Ya mean besides seein' your lifeless body after I-"

"Logan!"

"Right. Give me the keys to the collars."

If it was even possible, his eyes grew even wider at this command.

"No! I can't, they would blame me! I can't gi-"

Two more claws slid out, scraping the underside of his chin.

"You wanna change yer answer? Last chance."

His jaw worked back and forth, but no words came out. At last with a shaking hand he pulled out a set of jangling keys.

"Thanks. Good choice." Logan said, and released him to the floor. He hit the dirt and sat there, dazed, among pieces of stale bread as the X-men slammed the grate to the prison behind him.

"H--Hello?" He called. The reply echoed.

No one answered.

* * *

"Are you sure we're going the right way, Logan?"

"For the last time One-Eye, yeah, I'm sure."

After exiting the prison, they had crawled up through a sort of concrete tunnel, following Logan's nose all the way. After was seemed like hours of making their way through damp, cramped spaces they heard a menacing whisper from Logan.

"Get ready."

At that there was a sudden cry far away, probably from the surface, and sunlight streamed in as the X-Men burst out, ready for action. Jubilee was tackled the second she was above ground, and took off half a man's face as she defended herself. She blinded two more running towards her. The chaos and violence of the battle was awesome. All of the members of the X-Men, angered at being cooped up for so long, were going all out. Gambit was raining a hail of cards down on attackers, and when he ran out, resorted to charging stones and throwing them. Rogue was being the sniper-- flying up, then soaring down to kick ass and take names when the attackers began to gang up on any one X-Man.

Jean and Scott were standing side-by-side, Jean nearly glowing with her telekinetic prowess, the bullets around flashing sudden brilliant pink as they hit her TK shields. Cyclops had his visor turned to maximum, and was destroying whole sides of buildings with each blinding beam. Jubilee was holding her own.

Wolverine cut down another nameless face. Blood was before his eyes now, and heaven help anything that got in his way. Another figure-- a blur, trying to escape. He tackled it, bringing it down hard, and rolled over, claws ready to sink in. The sudden shriek startled him. He blinked, and for a moment his vision cleared. He was holding down Mystique, her face twisted in fear.

"Please…Wolverine…I saved your life…"

His hand held in midair, he paused. She lay beneath him, motionless and wide-eyed. Suddenly, with a snarl of disgust, he let her go.

"Get the hell outta here,"

Not even pausing to look back, she formed into a wolf and ran.

The most awesome sight to behold, perhaps, was Storm. Her eyes a milky white, she had flown up several meters. Dark clouds swirled around her, shrouding her, then dissipating, and with one hand she was directing earth- shattering bolts of lightening that hit the ground and detonated, shaking the surrounding area and charring the earth.

While the mutant power was incredible, the uniformed attackers kept pouring on, pressing in. Rogue was hit in the arm, and their aerial force had been taken out. Scott soon followed with a blow to the head. The fighting was getting desperate, as Logan ferociously skewered with his claws, and Jubilee was now shooting plasma to kill, instead of just blind. The line kept backing farther and farther up, until with a sudden wild rush Jean was knocked brutally aside and it was broken.

Jubilee saw it now with fear in her eyes. They were going to lose. But she, in that moment, was prepared to fight to the death. And just as she thought she could hold them back no longer, a sudden wind kicked up, strong enough to knock her off her feet. They all instinctively looked skyward, and saw not Storm, but--

"The blackbird?"

Suddenly the men in front of her fell away and Beast and Iceman appeared, followed closely by Paige, Emma, and Gen X. Jubilee nearly laughed. This was some illusion, right? Angelo, M, and Chamber appeared. They greeted each other.

"Hey, Gel. Miss me?"

Of course! We've got more than one blackbird! They must've found us..

With reinforcements, The battle quickly turned. Gen X and the rest of the X-Team members rushed the remaining guards, and truth be told, they didn't stand a chance. As soon as the last enemy line was scattered, there was cheering. The fierce atmosphere turned into more of a parade for their victory. Shouts and smiles were exchanges as they stomped out the last of the buildings. Pieces of ice streaked the sky as Bobby whizzed by, and Jubilee popped fireworks, reveling in the reunion. There was a sudden rainbow of TK energy as Jean embraced Scott among the rubble that had been their prison. Jubilee, turning, saw Logan running towards her, bloody and dissheveled, but with a huge grin on his face. She opened her arms wide, laughing, when--

Logan fell. Suddenly and completely, like a puppet that had its strings cut. It happened so fast he was out before he felt his nose break.

"Logan! Come on, quit playing around!" Jubilee called nervously. He was absolutely still.

Dead still.

A sudden horrible chill began to crawl up Jubilee's spine as she looked at the inert form of her lover on the ground. The happy cheers and celebration all around made her feel like she was trapped inside a nightmare. Then, all at once, her chest unclenched and she screamed.

"Scott! Scott! Gambit! Jean! Somebody help me! Logan's hurt!"

Jubilee's heart-wrenching cry cut through the laughter like a knife. There was sudden silence as Jean jogged over, remnants of a smile still playing over her face. She knelt down by Logan.

"He's probably just exhausted himself, Jubilee, he--" She paused as she felt his chest and his wrist again. The color drained so suddenly from her face that Jubilee was afraid she, too, would faint.

"Holy shit."

She'd never heard Jean swear before, and it made her nearly hysterical now. Jean's voice came out rough and strange.

"He's not breathing! Beast, get over here! I need a defibrillator, pure oxygen and two units of whole blood, now!"

Jubilee, speechless, her expression unconsciously drawn back into a grimace of fear, was elbowed aside as fellow X-Men rushed to Logan's rescue. No. No. This was a time for happiness, not fear. She struggled and caught a glimpse of him strapped down to a stretcher, Jean 's face pale and taught. Her cheeks hollow.

"Try it again."

Beast looked all the more fearsome for being so serious.

"Jean, insert this IV, get him on board. If he's gonna make it we've got to get him there NOW! I said NOW, dammit, move it!"

* * *

She honestly didn't remember flying home. The first thing she remembered was Gambit standing in front of her. His figure was blurry, but it was unmistakably Remy LeBeau.

"Jubilee. Jubilee! Jubilee!"

"What?"

She realized he must have been saying this for some time.

"T'ank god chere, you awake. Dey got news. About Logan."

She realized she was in her room. On her bed. Had she blacked out? How long had she been out? Why was Gambit so anxious?

"What…happened? Gambit? Why are you here?"

Gambit's face suddenly twisted, and he quickly turned away, leaving Jubilee scared and confused.

"Why are you here?" She tried again.

"We all here, chere."

She looked around and realized in the dim lighting of her room that many her teammates were. Jean, Scott, Bobby, Beast, Rouge...No Logan.

"Oh…my God…" She suddenly remembered the fall, and quickly got off her bed, letting Gambit's arm steady her. She took a few deep breaths and well enough to stand on her own.

"Logan…Is he…Is he.."

Beast stepped forward, dismissing the rest of the X-Men from her room She noticed they were silent, stone-faced. He spoke in low, confidential tones Jubilee had to lean in to hear.

"The good news, young lady, is that Logan is alive. Thanks to modern medical science. We had to resuscitate him. However…"

Beast felt a sudden unbidden rush of tears as he looked at the girl's bright eyes, and hid it by pretending to study his notes. He cleared his throat noisily.

"The genetic deterioration…It's begun…More than that, I'm afraid. It's very advanced. I'm just hypothesizing, but I'm…I'm…I'm terribly sorry, Jubilee."

For a second Beast's warm personality showed through the doctor's façade, but he collected himself again as he cleaned his spectacles.

"He has about a week to live. It came on unexpectedly suddenly. We all…We love him too, even if some of us don't admit it. If you need any help, don't hesitate."

She nodded, perfectly mute. Her eyes weren't focused anymore, and Beast knew she'd stopped listening. He bowed his head and left the room. She stood there, barely breathing for several more minutes.

"Wait…I want to see him."

Beast looked conflicted, but at last issued her into the medical sector. She took one look at his slack muscles, calm face, and waxy color and left. The heart monitor echoed in her ears. The slow and steady beep that was Logan's life. All that was keeping her alive right now was the sound of that heart moniter. She squeezed her eyes shut.

No, this was not happening. Logic was against it. His healing factor was handling it. This couldn't be beer drinking, rough-talking, hard-assed, good-hearted, kill-you-soon-as-look-at-you Logan. Not the only man she loved. In truth, she'd known this moment had been coming since the day he held the phone clenched in one hand and told her there was a "problem with the mutation."

Maybe it's fate...

Quietly, she began to move again, and softly shut the door to her room. Her hands were trembling. She took out a photo album and thumbed through it. Only when she took the cowboy hat of his she'd carefully kept throughout the years and felt its rough leather beneath her fingers did it hit her. She choked on the first sob, then began to wail.

She hadn't cried like that since she'd been small, and the tears ran, unrestrained down her face. Huge sobs wracked her petite frame, and she cradled her head in her hands. She tasted salt in her mouth, and blood, realizing she had bitten her lip. She didn't care. Logan was dying. Along with it, the love of her life. Fuck logic. Fuck fate.

I want Logan.

* * *

She fell asleep sobbing, and when she woke up, rumpled, her eyes half swollen shut, it was dark in her room. The light in the hall cast a dim glow on the carpet. She let herself lie on the covers of her bed for a few minutes, not moving, breathing cool air, before she heard what had awakened her. It came again. A soft scratching at her window. Jubilee lifted her head. It took an effort, and felt as if it were heavy with sand. The blankets were damp where her tears had wet them.

A lone raven, holding something that looked like papers in its talons, was scratching at her window. She blinked, unsure she wasn't dreaming. Without hesitation, walking light-headedly to her window, she opened it. As the cold blast of night air hit her, she was more sure than ever that it was more than a hallucination. The raven came in, landed, and with a sudden confusion of color, changed.

"Mystique," Jubilee said in a sort of distant wonder, her voice cracked and her throat scratchy from crying.

Mystique looked at the girl before her with real pity. She was a mess, and by the way she had just reacted to her entrance, she knew she wasn't completely all there, either. The kid needed a good nose wipe, and a counselor. She didn't have time to wonder at the cause of her distress.

"You are Jubilation Lee, I assume?"

With the same near blank expression, Jubilee nodded blankly. Mystique scrutinized her again, and concluded that this indeed was not an act.

"Here," She handed the documents she had been holding. "These are for your little friend Logan. Tell him…Tell him it's a thanks."

Jubilee's hand gripped the paper, her eyes never leaving the windowsill. Mystique stood a second longer, unsure what to do. At last she decided to do nothing at all, and with a crunch of bone melted off into the raven form and flew into the night.

Once she had gone, Jubilee fell back to her bed, the papers wrinkling in her hand. She stared at her cieling. White stucco. On second thought...she sat up, shaking her head a little to clear it, and carefully unrolled the papers. They looked like…She scanned them once, then twice, and suddenly there was light back in her eyes.

GENETIC THERAPY, SUBJECT: LOGAN, MUTANT DESIGNATE: WOLVERINE,

She scanned down farther, her heart pounding. Could these really be…? She rushed downstairs in a blur of speed, skipping every other step. Adrenaline pumped through her as she dashed around the corner, skidding on the hall rug. The house was dark, and she beat on Hank's door. The blue doctor awoke with a snort, confused and grumbling as Jubilee pulled him into the bright lights of the kitchen babbling excitedly and shoving papers in his face. He took a sleepy look, did a double take, and rushed to get his spectacles. Suddenly half the house was up; Jean was rushing around trailing Beast, Jubilee thought she saw Scott making coffee. Hope nearly radiated off her. The papers were from the site they were held at where they'd ...

"...been experimenting on Logan. This seems to be the entire data table, along with solutions to several of these genetic flaws....Jean! We have something here!"

Beast was totally awake now, and with a flurry of doctor's coats and a slammed door, Jubilee was left alone in the kitchen.

The room where they were operating on Logan was closed, and Jubilee ate breakfast as she waited. She poked her waffle a few times, but she wasn't really hungry. At last Jean stepped out, and for once in her life Jubilee was happy to see her. Her face was haggard, her usually perfect hair mussed, but she smiled and said the two words that lit Jubilee's face like a candle.

"It worked."

The two women embraced, Jubilee squeezing her so hard Jean was afraid she would crack a rib. She waited breathlessly for Jean to speak.

"Those papers, Jubilee…The man who captured us was a renowned genetic scientist. He wanted Logan as the perfect sample and, in analyzing the data he gathered in what looks like several biopsies and extensive background research, we were able to recalibrate the struct..."

She trailed off, realizing it didn't matter as long as Logan was alive.

Jubilee's hold on her slackened and she asked in almost hushed tones.

"Can I see him?"

Jean gestured the way in, and Jubilee closed the door behind her. Jean, still beaming, came up behind Scott, who was leaning over the coffeepot. He felt her hands wrap around his waist and looked behind him.

"Oh, hey! What was that for?"

"Just being you."

He turned to face her and they toasted with coffee cups.

"You know...I think I would have missed the runt after all, Jean."

She smiled. "I know, honey. I know."

* * *

She didn't dare believe it. She walked in, and there was her Logan. Before so pale and cold, and now full of life again. He smiled lopsidedly, and they both just stood there a second before she rushed forward into his arms. She was met with a deep kiss, mouth pressed hard against his. She came up for air.

"Logan…"

"We'll talk later," he growled softly, backing them both out of the medical room as he kissed her neck. "God, Jubes…so afraid I lost you."

"You're real…Really here…Logan…"

She was barely coherent, lost in the taste and scent of him.

"Are you sure you're ready for--"

"Yes." Came the growled response as she stumbled back through the doorway.

"You're not too tired Logan, I mean you ju--"

"Feel terrific Jubes. Less talking, more--" He leaned into her, letting his hands do the talking, molding his body to her own.

The door to his room slammed behind them as Jubilee ripped away the hospital gown with a gusto that made him chuckle. Logan pulled her top over her head and tossed it aside. She was kissing him almost violently, her hands against his chest, then tangled in his hair, just letting herself feel.

Pushing her jeans down over her hips she suddenly paused.

"Logan…I don't wanna…umm…go as far as…well…"

"No problem," He said, and she could feel him smile against her shoulder.

"We'll save that for later, Jubes,"

"Mmmm," She said, pushing him down onto the bed. She missed, and they both hit the floor, not even pausing. She felt his hand move between her legs, and then his thumb flickered over exactly the right spot. She jerked her hips and cried out in pleasure. His hands manipulated her body with an incredible practiced ease. He knew when to touch, and where, how hard, how fast. Jubilee would've been rather resentful of this had she been thinking straight. She curled her fingers around him, moving with him, biting down on his shoulder to muffle her own cries. After she came, she lay flushed and breathing hard, watching his face. She loved the expression. A sort of grimace of pleasure, and then the hoarse sound of her name, said in almost reverence, over and over again.

At last they lay, naked and content, having somewhere in the course of events gotten back on his bed. She lay beside him, playing with his hair.

"You wanna talk, Logan?"

"Mmm? Bout what, darlin?" She loved this expression too. The one of peace, of contentment as he traced her neckline and shoulder blade.

"About us," She said, smiling. He propped himself up on an elbow, and she did the same. On his face he wore almost an expression of amusement. Ah, how to start the conversation.

"Logan, I hate how sex is so taboo in this society."

His eyebrows raised.

"You ain't getting' any complaint from me."

"I'm…Ok, I know you probably already…I hate the way this sounds but..."

He was now running his hands along her face, the curve of her jaw, an amused expression on his face.

"What?"

"I'm a virgin, Logan."

If he was surprised, he didn't really show it, just kind of nodded as if he understood.

"And…I love you. So much. And if I'm ever going to make love to anyone, I want it to be you."

His fingers stopped, and he looked into her eyes.

"Jubes…Are you sure?"

"Yes." She was afraid she might cry again, but not out of sadness. He shifted a little, and when he started talking, his voice was low.

"Jubilee…Ya know..I ain't exactly been chaste. An' over the years, I won't lie, I've…had…a lot of women. And I've been in love a few times. But you…You're different."

She watched him carefully, realizing he was opening up for the first time, with a hint of amazement. He was looking down now, his face unreadable.

"You're the only one that's ever made me laugh. You're the only one I felt I could ever…ever talk to like this. An' that 's what I remember thinking, when I turned young like I am. I thought a' you. With you, look what I've been missing all these years."

She looked at him, tears now shining in her eyes. After near-death, life seemed even sweeter.

"When--when I thought I was gonna die, all I thought about was how much it'd hurt you. 'Cause…Jubes, well, I love you. More than myself. And I'm…I'm finially happy, with you."

A tear dropped on to the pillow and he instantly looked up, concerned.

"Jubes…you okay?"

She smiled pulling in close to him.

"Logan…I…" She rested her face against his, nose to nose. His eyes were sparkling; his hair ruffled so that jet-black strands fell between them.

"There aren't any words." She said at last, truthfully.

He smiled, and his eyes closed.

" I learned that sometimes, darlin', that's best."

She smiled again, feeling her mind drifting when he spoke again.

"Hey, um, ya ain't gonna tell any of the rest of the X-Men, about this, are ya?"

"You mean that you're not actually an insensitive, emotionally bent brute?"

"Yeah."

"Course not, Logan. I said I loved you, didn't I?"

There was no reply, save for a murmur, and Jubilee closed her eyes to get the first good night's sleep she'd had in days.