Disclaimer: I don't own them...you know what I'd do with them if I did ::grin:: The following is NC-17, so if ya ain't legal don't read it. Everyone else- enjoy!

A/N: Big thanks to my beta Jane Grey! Any mistakes found are mine, and most likely due to stubbornness. And as always feedback is craved and feeds the addiction!

Chapter 3

She dove into the clear depths, grazing the bottom with her fingertips sending the small creatures scrambling away. Rolling over, she looked at the sunlight streaming down through the crystalline depths, flickering occasionally as a fish was swim by, their smooth bodies sliding across her skin. Jubilee smiled, her body totally relaxed, listening to the rush of water in her ears, and the light thudding of her heartbeat. Suddenly she choked on the water as an intense fear hit her, and a rough hand hauled her up out of the water and onto the sand where she lay gasping for a breath.

Wolverine pounded her back, swearing in a multitude of languages, only four of which Jubilee could actually recognize.

Glaring at him wet and dripping, she jerked away from his ministrations. "What the hell was that about?"

He hauled her to her feet, ignoring her protests. "I was just fishing and then I realized I couldn't hear you breathing," He explained. "When I tried to find you were just lying there looking fer all the world like yer... " He broke off choking on his words as he looked at her.

Jubilee had her hands on her hips; her hair stuck to her neck and back. Her angry frown melted at his explanation, with only one thought remaining. "You listen for me?"

Still distracted Wolverine nodded. "I need to make sure yer okay. Partners do that." He added defensively at her smile.

"So we're partners?" She asked softly, approaching him with determination.

"Yeah, always have been." Wolverine stood his ground looking slightly confused at her mood swing.

"No, we haven't always been partners. Me as a sidekick, backup, tag-a-long, sure. Partner, never." Jubilee said firmly, still walking toward him.

Wolverine found himself lost in her eyes, a fathomless blue that had seen several lifetimes of pain and hurt. "Well maybe that should change. You're older, we can go on missions together again. Not like the old days where I leave you behind."

Jubilee closed the last few inched between them, so that only a sliver of air separated them, and she felt his breath quicken. "You've got a deal Logan. Partners, in everything."

"What are you doing?" He ground out.

A smile spread across her face. "Something that I've wanted to do for a very long time."

With a bemused expression on his face she leaned over and kissed him, gently tasting his lips before he pulled away with a frown. "This ain't right, I can't be everything you want."

Ignoring the sharp stab of pain at his words, Jubilee forced a smile, lightly scanning the images she was getting from him. Making up her mind, she pulled him to her and whispered in his ear. "You've never been anything less than everything."

Wolverine stiffened under he touch, and stood rigid under her light caresses. "I don't want to loose you. Every time something like this has happened they..." A brief image of red hair flashed, and Jubilee felt a momentary surge of anger for the woman who had hurt him.

"Fine." Jubilee breathed in the hot, musky scent that was radiating from him, and she could feel his emotions unhampered by walls or barriers. "Today, nothing more. I'm not going to get hurt, Logan. This is okay." Forcing down her instincts to scream that he should love her, she took solace in the fact that he was finally kissing her, relenting to her touch, and the rest of her thoughts were lost in haze of passion, tainted only by a bittersweet wish that she firmly pushed down.

-in-

-A while later-

"How about we fry up some fresh fish fer lunch and then we can talk about the scenery." Wolverine chuckled as he looked at what was left of his pants and shirt. "And the fact that ya owe me a pair of pants Darlin."

"I can't help it if you're too slow to keep up." She grinned at him, slipping on her pants, pausing only to blow him a kiss.

"Who you calling slow?" Wolverine growled, grabbing her around the waist, nuzzling the crook of her neck.

"If it fits old man..." giggling, she squirmed out of his grasp, retying her bikini top with Wolverine's help. She shivered slightly as he ran a hand over her wet hair, brushing down her back. When he stopped she turned to look at him, his face unreadable. Sighing, she faced him, bringing his face to hers and looking at him in the eye. "I'm a big girl now, Logan. You didn't take advantage of me, I wanted to do this. This is all it has to be, sex and nothing more. You aren't hurting me, partners don't do that."

"I know you're not a kid anymore, Darlin', I just, I can't..." His thoughts were clear as his words failed him.

Jubilee smiled. "Me too, we've both lost people love so let's just enjoy what we have and not make anything more of it. Deal?"

Wolverine's eyes cleared and he nodded, dropping a kiss on her upturned lips. "Deal." Sweeping her up in a hug, he laughed for a moment before grabbing her hand and heading back to his spot by the river.

"Where are we going?"

"We got some fish to gut, clean and cook. Since I caught em you, clean em." He bent over the lines he had in the water, and a few seconds later displayed out a string of fish.

"What a romantic." Jubilee rolled her eyes as Wolverine produced a scaling knife from his cooler. "But fair is fair." Clearing off a smooth rock, she expertly scaled and deboned the fish, rinsing the filets in the cool water. The filets were quickly packed in the ice, and she handed him the cooler with a smirk on her face.

"I thought you didn't fish?"

"Sean has a thing for survival skills, so he'd take us out into the forest and we'd set up camp for a week or so. Even M learned how to gut a fish, and if I need to I can live out here with nothing but a knife."

"Darlin, you're a treasure." Chuckling, he reclaimed her hand, and the two walked back to the cabin, the sun warming their backs.

-in-

The next few weeks were spent in blissful harmony, uninterrupted by the concerns of the outside world. Logan and Jubilee now shared the bed, taking comfort and joy with each other's presence, always careful not to step across the unsaid boundary laid down by both of them. On the last day of the forth week, however, reality intruded in the form of communication from Emma.

Jubilee and Wolverine had been lazily lying in bed, eating breakfast when Emma contacted her. *Jubilee?*

The girl sat up, her hands still entwined with Wolverines as he munched on some toast. *Yes?*

*I'm sorry about disturbing your...vacation, but something has happened.*

Logan looked at her curiously, and she shook her head motioning for him to be quiet so she could concentrate. *What is it?*

*There was news conference yesterday, Julianna Pearson just renounced her views on mutants. she's now supporting the anti-mutant laws and reform scheme.*

"Good God." Jubilee whispered in horror. *Have you talked to the Professor at all? We can't rule out the possibility that someone might be controlling her. Has anyone seen Mystique lately?*

*We haven't been able to locate her, but the Professor believes that she did this as a votes ploy.*

*Fantastic, a pro-choice, feminist candidate is against mutants. How ironic is that? Have any plans been made?*

Emma's voice was hesitant as she replied. "The X-men have decided to continue as usual.*

Living with Emma for over five years had not made Jubilee stupid. *What are you thinking?*

Again, the voice came slowly. *I don't know really, perhaps we could talk.*

Jubilee chewed her lip, her mind quickly running over what Emma could possibly want to do. She gasped as a hint of it came to her, careful not to let it into her open thoughts unsure if someone was monitoring the conversation. *I'll be there within the week.*

"What's going on, Jubilee?" Wolverine asked worriedly, stroking her brow smooth.

"Pearson just folded to the pressure. Now, no matter who wins, mutants are going to be in jeopardy."

The older man gazed at her face, his mind uncomfortably recognizing her expression; it was one he had many times before, most often when he was about to go on a dangerous mission. "Darlin, you sure this is worth it?"

She looked at him seriously, her blue eyes glittering in anger. "Our friends are going to be hunted down in less than two years if I don't do something. Blame it on me hanging around too many disreputable men doing reputable things." Her eyes lingered on his face and something quickly flashed to the surface and was buried before Logan had a time to decipher it. Leaning into his arms she let him hold her, relishing the strength of his arms, and she turned her face to his. "But in the meantime..."

-in-

The next morning their belongings were quickly packed, and an hour after sunrise, they hiked down the mountain, arriving at the motorbikes late that night. Not much was said, as they traveled together, the trip taking less time because of the intensity Jubilee felt to get to the school. So, instead they rode fast and hard, barely stopping for rest and food. Wolverine made no mention of the speed that they traveled, just making sure to carefully watch her for signs of fatigue, and making her stop when it became dangerous for her to ride. Finally, after two days of riding almost constantly they pulled up to the Academy's driveway, and Jubilee staggered off her bike. Kicking up the kickstand, Wolverine dismounted to find Jubilee staring at him.

"What?"

Jubilee walked over to him, and laid her hand on his arm. "This is where I say good-bye."

"What the hell are you talking about? I thought we were partners."

She winced. "Not for this, I can't risk you doing this."

Wolverine laughed, the sound grating in the dawn air. "You can't risk me? I can take care of myself."

A small sigh escaped from her lips, and she tiredly laid her head on his chest. "I thought we agreed it wasn't a permanent thing."

"We're partners, and I'm not about to leave you alone for this, whatever the hell you're planning." His fingers, unbidden, somehow found their way to her hair and were stroking the silky strands.

"Partners protect each other, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then you'll protect me no matter what?" Her voice was barely audible, even to his enhanced hearing and he had to strain to hear her.

"No matter what."

"Good," She lifted her head and kissed him softly. "Then go. Your presence for this will only get me killed, or distract me. Please, just trust me on this."

He stepped back. "What has Frost got you doing?"

Jubilee shook her head. "No, I can't tell you. You'll just have to trust me. Please, go. Go!" The last word was punctuated by a paff, and she walked away before he could say anything more. Gravel crunched as he ran after her, and grabbed her arm.

"Partners don't do this, I'm sticking with you no matter what the cost."

"Even if it's her life?" Emma asked, from the doorway of the main entrance. She was wearing a pale negligee that was almost transparent in the first rays of sunlight.

"You stay out of this Frost." Logan growled.

"Wolvie." Jubilee pleaded.

"Fine, but if anything happens to her then you're dead Frost, no matter what Chuck says." Wolverine's hand lingered on her hair, stroking it seemly unconsciously. Holding her close, he spoke softly so that Emma couldn't hear. "I don't know what's going on, but I trust you. Take care of yerself Darlin, and if you need me…"

Giving her one last squeeze, he got on his bike and rode off leaving Jubilee to watch him disappear over the horizon. When she could no longer see him, she turned to Emma.

"So, what did you have in mind?"

-in-