Through the haze of pain, Logan could hear Jubilee talking. He didn't understand the words, but just hearing her voice was comforting. As long as he heard her rambling, he was alive and she was near him. He heard Jeans' voice as she replace the cool, wet dressings on his back. His healing factor had kicked in and the muscle and skin was regenerating. Unfortunately, his healing factor did nothing for the pain. If anything, it increased it. The compressed healing also meant compressed pain. He knew he would feel better in a day or two but that was little consolation. The worse part was that because of the healing factor, pain medication didn't work on him. He eliminated it as soon as it hit his blood stream. He would have to endure the agony.
In a few hours, new pink skin had covered the burns on hid back and the pain had diminished to nearly tolerable. He was allowed to roll over to his back and drink some water. He knew from other burns that he would be very thirsty for days. He had lost a lot of fluid with the burns. Beast had inserted an IV to supplement his fluids but that would be gone tomorrow.
Jubilee was still at his side, holding his hand and apologizing.
"I'm so sorry, Wolvie," she said, crying.
"It's okay, darlin'" he told her, stroking her hair. "I needed to be here anyway."
She looked at him, her eyes full of self loathing.
"Come here," he held his arms open. "Climb in."
She looked over at Beast, who was busy with a woman she had never seen before. She sighed and climbed into the bed and Wolverines' arms. She always felt safe here. Wolvie could keep all her fears at bay. She snuggled into his embrace.
"I know you would never hurt me on purpose, Jubes," he said, kissing the top of her head.
"Why is he here?"
"He's here to help this lady here," he indicated the woman in the next bed with his head.
"Who is she?"
Kate Dempsey," he told her. "She has information on a lab in California that has been doing some bad things to mutants. She wants it stopped."
"What's her power," Jubilee asked, assuming she was a mutant.
"No mutant power. She's human."
Jubilees' head popped up, astonished. She looked at the woman, the at Logan. He smiled and nodded.
"A human who wants to help," he chuckled. "Different, huh?"
"What happened to her?"
"Someone implanted a chip in her brain that is killing her. Magneto is going to try to deactivate it."
At the mention of Magneto, Jubilees' face became thunderous.
"I hate him," she said with gritted teeth. "He nearly killed you when he pulled the adamantium out of your body."
"I don't like him much, myself, kid, but he may be the only one who can save Kates' life."
Jubilee heard the loving tone he used when he spoke Kates' name with a sinking heart. He was in love with her. Jubilee nearly cried. The last time she had heard him speak in that tone was when he was with Mariko. She had lost him.
For as long as she could remember, she had loved her Wolvie. At first, it had been as the man who had saved her from a life on the streets. It had gradually gone from the love of mentor and father figure to the love as a man. He still thought of her as a child, even at eighteen. Her chance to make him see her as a woman was gone.
"I gotta go, Wolvie," she said, jumping off the bed. "See ya later."
She ran out of the med bay. Eyes aching from unshed tears, she ran to her room and threw herself on the bed. She kept running the conversation over and over in her head. Logans' tone kept coming back to her. He loved her.
"Oh God," she cried, "Why did I come back?" She gave in to the tears that gathered behind her eyes.
She lost track of time as she wept for her lost chance with the man she loved. She was so lost in her grief that she didn't realize she wasn't alone until a hand stroked her head. Startled, she jumped back, nearly falling off the bed.
"Careful Jubes," Bobby cautioned her.
"Bobby," she growled, "Don't you ever knock?"
"I did," he told her, looking closely at her. "You were too…distracted to answer."
Jubilee studied her hands with great interest. She didn't want Bobby to see how upset she was.
"Jubes," he said quietly "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," She said, putting on her happy face.
"Bullshit," Bobby replied. "I know you. I know when you're upset and trying to hide it. You can't lie to me, Jubes."
She continued to study her hands, fascinated.
He lifted her head and looked into her eyes. "Is this about Kate Dempsey?"
Tears traces their way down her cheeks again.
"He loves her," she cried. "He doesn't see me as anything other than a pesky kid. I'm eighteen. I'm not a kid anymore. Why can't he see that? Why can't he love me?"
Bobby knew this was coming. He had been in her position. He knew what it was like to be the youngest member of the team. No one could see you as an adult until you forced the issue. He knew she was grown up but she wasn't old enough for a relationship with Wolverine yet.
"Sweetie," he began, " You have to realize that Logan raised you. I know he doesn't see you as a daughter but he still needs time to see you as a woman. You're still a little too young for him. Give him time to see what you really are before you give up."
"Oh," she said, angry "You think I'm a kid too. Well that's just fine. I thought you were my friend."
"I don't see you as a kid, Jubes. You're ready to join the team. I just think you're too young for Wolverine. He goes for women in their twenties. Give him time. You will get older, he won't. You still have a chance."
"What if he marries this Kate?"
"That's the chance we all take kiddo. I don't think he will. She doesn't seem like his type."
"She's beautiful, smart and has huge boobs. Come on, Bobby. Wolvie can't see beyond the tits."
"Boy, do you have a low opinion of him," he remarked. "Don't worry. Hank says she's a brain. Logan is going to have a hard time understanding her. She seems more Hanks' style."
Jubilee snickered. "Can you imagine what her pillow talk would be?"
"Yeah," Bobby smiled, "The periodic table or quantum equations or if she really gets going, nuclear mechanics."
By then, Jubilee was laughing.
"Thanks Bobster," she said laughing. "You're a real friend."
"Anything for you, Jubes." he said getting up. "Cyke says you need to help him fix the wall you blew up. He was impressed at your power."
"I'll go see him." She went into the bathroom to wash the evidence of her tears away as Bobby left.