Logan pulled the beat-up truck up the winding driveway of the mansion. As
he expected, nothing about the sleeping house had changed in the weeks that
he had been gone. He had been a little surprised at how fast the old man
had gotten it rebuilt after the Weapon X attack. The dark house loomed in
the night and took up most of the view. Logan pulled around to the back of
the house to what use t be the carriage-house, the low row of stalls had
been converted to garages generations ago after horses had fallen out of
fashion. Now it housed an impressive collection of automobiles; his truck
was out of place slotted between a cherry red Porsche and a black Bentley.
He got out of the truck quietly to not wake the two girls curled up asleep on the seat. Logan was surprised at how quickly the two girls had fit themselves into his life. They filled a void in his life that he didn't even realize was there. There was an inner need for him to protect and care for others, he had buried the instinct in Weapon X without realizing it and whole Jean had made him acknowledge that such feelings were possible for him, the girls had reawakened it. He reveled in the new feelings; he liked the feeling of being needed.
The Professor wheeled out of the house followed by a half-asleep Peter. The Russian was dressed in a pair of ratty pajama bottoms and his hair was spiked in odd directions. Despite the late hour the Professor was dressed, obviously he had expected Logan. For a moment that worried Logan, his mental shields were in place but at the same time the telepath had known to be up and dressed, Logan hadn't said exactly when he would arrive when he called the Old Man about the girls. Logan buried his suspicion and acknowledged the two with a curt node.
Logan approached the Xavier, he wasn't sure what he wanted to say to Xavier but he needed to talk to someone about the girls and the Professor would understand about taking in street children and feelings that they aroused. Peter opened the passenger side door and scooped up the tiny frame of Kitty. After a few words with Xavier Logan turned his attention back to the truck; the protective part of him didn't like Peter holding the girl, the rational part of him knew that Peter would rather die then hurt someone so innocent. He ducked into the cab and retrieved Jubilee and followed the others to the house.
The girl stirred in Login's arms. "Are we there yet?" she asked still asleep.
"Yea, Darlin'. Go back to sleep." One corner of his mouth was turned up in a partial smile.
"OK" she settled into his arms and went back to sleep. They entered the house through the kitchen entrance and made their way to the main staircase.
"I put them into the room next to yours Logan," the X-man patriarch said, Logan just nodded.
Kitty stirred in her sleep and she opened her eyes slightly. Her scream ripped through the quiet of the house. Shaken by the screaming girl Peter dropped her. She hurriedly crossed the thickly carpeted floor on her hands and knees and huddled against the wall. Terror seeped from every pour of her body. Hugging her knees, she sat there shaking and quietly whimpering to herself. She stared at the strange man that had been holding her and tried to process were she was and what was happening around her. The thoughts and memories that raced through her mind worried Xevier.
Her screaming had jerked Jubilee into consciousness. She sat in Login's arms quickly registering the scene. She strained to get down and to her friend and Logan complied. The girl ran over to Kitty and curled up around her and rocked her gently in an effort to comfort her. Jubilee looked up occasionally to glare at the shirtless man that had scared Kitty.
Logan crouched down in front of the girls and mumbled promises and reassuring words to them. Crying and shaking Kitty nodded hear head at his words.
Peter retreated slowly back into the kitchen; he was embarrassed that he had caused the girl to panic. His life before Xavier made him aware of what happened to defenseless children with no one to look after them. He sank into a chair and suddenly became conscious of what her life must have been like before Logan found her. Peter cried. The Professor remind in the background and observed the scene. Once again Logan had surprised him, he could be gentle when the urge took him. He felt the minds of his students' wake up; the child's screams had permeated through the house. He sent them reassuring messages that all was well and that they should go back to sleep. The last thing the girl needed was an audience, besides it would be better to introduce them girls to the rest of the mansion's inhabitants in small groups after they were clam and rested rather then in a large group with the girls tiered and scared. Jean sent worried thoughts down to him, but the Professor calmed her and concentrated his attention on the girls, they would need a lot of help and just with their powers.
After a quite conversation, mostly on Login's part, Kit allowed him to pick her up. Carrying one and leading the other by the hand Logan climbed the satires. Every few steps Jubilee would turn her head and stare at the man in the wheelchair and make sure he was still there.
Once they made it to his room Logan stretched out on his bed with Jubilee curled against his side, Kitty laid across his chest and he rubbed her back until they fell asleep.
He got out of the truck quietly to not wake the two girls curled up asleep on the seat. Logan was surprised at how quickly the two girls had fit themselves into his life. They filled a void in his life that he didn't even realize was there. There was an inner need for him to protect and care for others, he had buried the instinct in Weapon X without realizing it and whole Jean had made him acknowledge that such feelings were possible for him, the girls had reawakened it. He reveled in the new feelings; he liked the feeling of being needed.
The Professor wheeled out of the house followed by a half-asleep Peter. The Russian was dressed in a pair of ratty pajama bottoms and his hair was spiked in odd directions. Despite the late hour the Professor was dressed, obviously he had expected Logan. For a moment that worried Logan, his mental shields were in place but at the same time the telepath had known to be up and dressed, Logan hadn't said exactly when he would arrive when he called the Old Man about the girls. Logan buried his suspicion and acknowledged the two with a curt node.
Logan approached the Xavier, he wasn't sure what he wanted to say to Xavier but he needed to talk to someone about the girls and the Professor would understand about taking in street children and feelings that they aroused. Peter opened the passenger side door and scooped up the tiny frame of Kitty. After a few words with Xavier Logan turned his attention back to the truck; the protective part of him didn't like Peter holding the girl, the rational part of him knew that Peter would rather die then hurt someone so innocent. He ducked into the cab and retrieved Jubilee and followed the others to the house.
The girl stirred in Login's arms. "Are we there yet?" she asked still asleep.
"Yea, Darlin'. Go back to sleep." One corner of his mouth was turned up in a partial smile.
"OK" she settled into his arms and went back to sleep. They entered the house through the kitchen entrance and made their way to the main staircase.
"I put them into the room next to yours Logan," the X-man patriarch said, Logan just nodded.
Kitty stirred in her sleep and she opened her eyes slightly. Her scream ripped through the quiet of the house. Shaken by the screaming girl Peter dropped her. She hurriedly crossed the thickly carpeted floor on her hands and knees and huddled against the wall. Terror seeped from every pour of her body. Hugging her knees, she sat there shaking and quietly whimpering to herself. She stared at the strange man that had been holding her and tried to process were she was and what was happening around her. The thoughts and memories that raced through her mind worried Xevier.
Her screaming had jerked Jubilee into consciousness. She sat in Login's arms quickly registering the scene. She strained to get down and to her friend and Logan complied. The girl ran over to Kitty and curled up around her and rocked her gently in an effort to comfort her. Jubilee looked up occasionally to glare at the shirtless man that had scared Kitty.
Logan crouched down in front of the girls and mumbled promises and reassuring words to them. Crying and shaking Kitty nodded hear head at his words.
Peter retreated slowly back into the kitchen; he was embarrassed that he had caused the girl to panic. His life before Xavier made him aware of what happened to defenseless children with no one to look after them. He sank into a chair and suddenly became conscious of what her life must have been like before Logan found her. Peter cried. The Professor remind in the background and observed the scene. Once again Logan had surprised him, he could be gentle when the urge took him. He felt the minds of his students' wake up; the child's screams had permeated through the house. He sent them reassuring messages that all was well and that they should go back to sleep. The last thing the girl needed was an audience, besides it would be better to introduce them girls to the rest of the mansion's inhabitants in small groups after they were clam and rested rather then in a large group with the girls tiered and scared. Jean sent worried thoughts down to him, but the Professor calmed her and concentrated his attention on the girls, they would need a lot of help and just with their powers.
After a quite conversation, mostly on Login's part, Kit allowed him to pick her up. Carrying one and leading the other by the hand Logan climbed the satires. Every few steps Jubilee would turn her head and stare at the man in the wheelchair and make sure he was still there.
Once they made it to his room Logan stretched out on his bed with Jubilee curled against his side, Kitty laid across his chest and he rubbed her back until they fell asleep.