Logan felt like he was swimming upward through syrup, everything felt numb
and fuzzy.
Then the fuzziness disappeared and he could have screamed at the lancing pain that shot through his head from temple to temple. His healing factor continued to work and by and by he became aware of something soft under his head. Soft? He had been sitting on the couch, watching TV till Steph had bolted out of the bathroom and screamed his name.
Screamed his name??!! Crap, what if something had happened to the kid? Or to Ruhko?
Growling, he struggled to a sitting position and glared around, trying to get coordinated enough to get his claws out.
Alright, he didn't see or smell any danger.... He turned toward a soft, rhythmic hiccupping sound and saw Steph sitting on the couch with Ruhko snuggled in her arms, crying silently but stormily.
"Crap...." He staggered to his feet. "Whasamatter, kid? Did one of you get hurt? Kid?" He put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off angrily.
"Hey," he went to a knee in front of her, trying to see her face. "What's wrong?"
She stared at him bleakly and rocked Ruhko, who was asleep.
Scowling, he pushed himself shakily to his feet and staggered over to the bed. Coming back with her slate, he dropped it in her lap. "What's wrong?"
She just frowned and went on rocking.
"Look, if you don't #$% start talking...." He stopped in surprise as his claws finally got the message and came out. "Whoops! &%$!" Steph's eyes widened as she stared at the points two inches from her nose, then she glanced up at Logan and picked up the slate.
I did start talking she wrote. That's why you nearly died just now.
"Did I?" He retracted his claws and rubbed the back of his neck. "I feel hungover. Is that all that's wrong?"
She gave him a 'you are too stupid to live, old man' look and scowled, writing again.
Look, I can't go to your stupid school. I'd end up killing someone for real.
Logan scowled right back at her. "Darlin' any one'a us could end up killin' someone fer real. There's one guy I know who can't even open his eyes without blowing holes in things. Big holes. N' a little girl about the same age as you," he ignored her scowl. "Who can't even touch people or she sucks the life outta 'em. So don't go tellin' me y'can't go ta the school just 'cause ya'd end up killin' someone."
She gave a snort of fury and wrote. Oh yeah, you know so %$# much. $#!% and leave me alone.
He read the angry words, his own anger draining away. "No," he said softly. "I don't know everythin'. I don't even know who I am. Just a name...." He sat back on his heels and popped out the claws on his right hand, looking at them mournfully. "At least you know who yer parents were, y'know if ya had a family growin' up." He put the claws away and stood up, walking to the outside door. "No, I don't know nothin'."
Then the fuzziness disappeared and he could have screamed at the lancing pain that shot through his head from temple to temple. His healing factor continued to work and by and by he became aware of something soft under his head. Soft? He had been sitting on the couch, watching TV till Steph had bolted out of the bathroom and screamed his name.
Screamed his name??!! Crap, what if something had happened to the kid? Or to Ruhko?
Growling, he struggled to a sitting position and glared around, trying to get coordinated enough to get his claws out.
Alright, he didn't see or smell any danger.... He turned toward a soft, rhythmic hiccupping sound and saw Steph sitting on the couch with Ruhko snuggled in her arms, crying silently but stormily.
"Crap...." He staggered to his feet. "Whasamatter, kid? Did one of you get hurt? Kid?" He put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off angrily.
"Hey," he went to a knee in front of her, trying to see her face. "What's wrong?"
She stared at him bleakly and rocked Ruhko, who was asleep.
Scowling, he pushed himself shakily to his feet and staggered over to the bed. Coming back with her slate, he dropped it in her lap. "What's wrong?"
She just frowned and went on rocking.
"Look, if you don't #$% start talking...." He stopped in surprise as his claws finally got the message and came out. "Whoops! &%$!" Steph's eyes widened as she stared at the points two inches from her nose, then she glanced up at Logan and picked up the slate.
I did start talking she wrote. That's why you nearly died just now.
"Did I?" He retracted his claws and rubbed the back of his neck. "I feel hungover. Is that all that's wrong?"
She gave him a 'you are too stupid to live, old man' look and scowled, writing again.
Look, I can't go to your stupid school. I'd end up killing someone for real.
Logan scowled right back at her. "Darlin' any one'a us could end up killin' someone fer real. There's one guy I know who can't even open his eyes without blowing holes in things. Big holes. N' a little girl about the same age as you," he ignored her scowl. "Who can't even touch people or she sucks the life outta 'em. So don't go tellin' me y'can't go ta the school just 'cause ya'd end up killin' someone."
She gave a snort of fury and wrote. Oh yeah, you know so %$# much. $#!% and leave me alone.
He read the angry words, his own anger draining away. "No," he said softly. "I don't know everythin'. I don't even know who I am. Just a name...." He sat back on his heels and popped out the claws on his right hand, looking at them mournfully. "At least you know who yer parents were, y'know if ya had a family growin' up." He put the claws away and stood up, walking to the outside door. "No, I don't know nothin'."