Author's Note and Disclaimer: "The Birthday Wish" is the beginning of an
extended story known simply as 'The Venus Factor'. Events within this part
of the tale take place in a niche that I have carved out between 'X-Men
Unlimited' #34 and 'Uncanny X-Men' #402, about 3.5 years after the
disbanding of the Generation X team. Cut me a little slack and just run
with the time line. As always, these characters are not mine, nor is any
profit made off of using their likenesses. If anyone from Marvel ever
reads this, this true believer would love to write for you. And stop
dismissing Jubilee; she's a great character. Until that day, MMM!
***
As she ran from the mall, tears streaming shamelessly down her cheeks, Jubilee ran right smack into a thick body. "I'm... I'm sorry," she stuttered, looking up briefly before backing away and continuing out the door.
The man watched her retreating back, a faint smile playing on his lips. "It's quite alright. Quite..."
He made his way through the crowd to a deserted pay phone. "I've found her. Or rather, she found me. I'll be continuing as we had planned." He hung up the phone, his eyes flashing yellow, and then followed her out the door.
***
"Logan, are you there?"
Charles Xavier's voice cut through the silent afternoon. Logan shot a baleful glance at his wrist to the small radio that Hank had put in his watch.
"Chuck, I told you that I needed a few days away. It's really not a good time," he growled.
"Logan, I'm sorry to bother you, but something has come up and..."
"Listen, bub. I don't think you heard me. It's not a good time." With a snarl, Logan ripped the watch from his arm and tossed it over the side of the building.
Immediately he felt guilty. What was the point? Jubilee would never ask for him. Even if she did, why the hell would she look for him on the roof of the building across the street? What did he think he would gain by this other than pain? Why did it have to hurt so much? He couldn't understand what was making him behave like this, but whatever it was it was time to put it on a shelf.
He stood, not understanding his wound, but accepting it. Maybe it was time to think about healing it.
He worked his way slowly down the fire escape towards the street. He had to find his watch and see what Charles had wanted. He froze halfway down when he saw Jubilee walking down his side of the street.
***
It had taken her almost two hours to make it home. She didn't consciously take one path or another, but rather had let her feet choose for her. Eventually, they had found her street.
After she had finally stopped crying, she had started thinking, all of her thoughts swirling around her former partner. 'Wolvie,' she thought to herself, 'what I wouldn't give to have yah here with me now. You'd understand. I know yah would, even if you didn't reciprocate my feelings. And you would make it all okay, just like always.'
She knew that she was lying to herself, but figured that if she was wishing, she might as well go all out.
'You'd love me, too.'
By the time she had made it as far as her own turf, she had reconciled with the fact that she owed Monet an apology. A big one. This hadn't been her first outburst... Far from it.
On her first birthday in Los Angeles, almost a year after they had arrived, Jubilee had locked herself in her room for almost a whole week. Finally, Angelo had actually knocked the door down and literally dragged her back into the real world.
Last year, she had just shut herself away for the day. The only comment Monet ever made about it was the next day, when she had asked Jubilee if her telepathic powers were finally gaining strength.
"Why?" Jubilee had asked, curious.
"You were projecting yesterday," was all that she had said in return.
Jubilee sighed. She hated admitting that she was wrong, but it was time to put the fires out on a few of the bridges in her life.
She looked up to cross the street to her building and froze. Not twenty feet away from her, leaning casually against the wall with a knee propped up and a cigar in hand... Smiling at her, his eyes crinkling around the edges...
"Wolvie!" She crossed the distance in a heartbeat and threw her arms around his neck, burying her head in his chest. "You... You're here!" she stammered in disbelief, tears welling in her eyes again.
"Did you think I would miss today for the world, darlin'?" he replied, still smiling down at her. He pulled her close, nuzzling his mouth in her hair close to her ear. "Happy birthday, Jubes."
***
As she ran from the mall, tears streaming shamelessly down her cheeks, Jubilee ran right smack into a thick body. "I'm... I'm sorry," she stuttered, looking up briefly before backing away and continuing out the door.
The man watched her retreating back, a faint smile playing on his lips. "It's quite alright. Quite..."
He made his way through the crowd to a deserted pay phone. "I've found her. Or rather, she found me. I'll be continuing as we had planned." He hung up the phone, his eyes flashing yellow, and then followed her out the door.
***
"Logan, are you there?"
Charles Xavier's voice cut through the silent afternoon. Logan shot a baleful glance at his wrist to the small radio that Hank had put in his watch.
"Chuck, I told you that I needed a few days away. It's really not a good time," he growled.
"Logan, I'm sorry to bother you, but something has come up and..."
"Listen, bub. I don't think you heard me. It's not a good time." With a snarl, Logan ripped the watch from his arm and tossed it over the side of the building.
Immediately he felt guilty. What was the point? Jubilee would never ask for him. Even if she did, why the hell would she look for him on the roof of the building across the street? What did he think he would gain by this other than pain? Why did it have to hurt so much? He couldn't understand what was making him behave like this, but whatever it was it was time to put it on a shelf.
He stood, not understanding his wound, but accepting it. Maybe it was time to think about healing it.
He worked his way slowly down the fire escape towards the street. He had to find his watch and see what Charles had wanted. He froze halfway down when he saw Jubilee walking down his side of the street.
***
It had taken her almost two hours to make it home. She didn't consciously take one path or another, but rather had let her feet choose for her. Eventually, they had found her street.
After she had finally stopped crying, she had started thinking, all of her thoughts swirling around her former partner. 'Wolvie,' she thought to herself, 'what I wouldn't give to have yah here with me now. You'd understand. I know yah would, even if you didn't reciprocate my feelings. And you would make it all okay, just like always.'
She knew that she was lying to herself, but figured that if she was wishing, she might as well go all out.
'You'd love me, too.'
By the time she had made it as far as her own turf, she had reconciled with the fact that she owed Monet an apology. A big one. This hadn't been her first outburst... Far from it.
On her first birthday in Los Angeles, almost a year after they had arrived, Jubilee had locked herself in her room for almost a whole week. Finally, Angelo had actually knocked the door down and literally dragged her back into the real world.
Last year, she had just shut herself away for the day. The only comment Monet ever made about it was the next day, when she had asked Jubilee if her telepathic powers were finally gaining strength.
"Why?" Jubilee had asked, curious.
"You were projecting yesterday," was all that she had said in return.
Jubilee sighed. She hated admitting that she was wrong, but it was time to put the fires out on a few of the bridges in her life.
She looked up to cross the street to her building and froze. Not twenty feet away from her, leaning casually against the wall with a knee propped up and a cigar in hand... Smiling at her, his eyes crinkling around the edges...
"Wolvie!" She crossed the distance in a heartbeat and threw her arms around his neck, burying her head in his chest. "You... You're here!" she stammered in disbelief, tears welling in her eyes again.
"Did you think I would miss today for the world, darlin'?" he replied, still smiling down at her. He pulled her close, nuzzling his mouth in her hair close to her ear. "Happy birthday, Jubes."