disclaimer: The characters belong to Marvel. Except Jenny who is mine. No money is made by my portrayal of them.

The Decision, Part 4: Wolverine

She was hurting.

His girl was hurting.

He wanted to hurt someone. Badly.

Instead he played pool with Jubilee and Remy at Harry's. He drank, smoked, and cussed while hitting balls with a stick. He wanted to find someone to hit, stick or no stick. But they didn't have much time left, and she suggested they play pool. So he'd play pool. For however long she wanted. Remy talked to Jenny and she understands.

If Remy didn't explain it good enough, the panic that crosses the kid's face every time Jenny passes the by the phone did.

Sooner or later I'll have to give Jenny the signal to call anyway.

Yeah, we got our own system going. After she pulled her little stunt, I figured she was good for the kid and came in by myself and we had us a talk. I understand several people from the mansion had a talk with her. Who knows how many 'arrangements' she has going with us, but as long as they're in the kid's best interest, it doesn't matter to me.

She's a good kid. Someone should help her get a leg up somewhere better. Better than a bar. Listen to me talk, I'm the one who brings my fourteen year old partner to a bar. Guess that someone's not going to be me.

It's not like I let the kid drink. Not even a sip of mine. 'Course she don't like beer, but that ain't the point.

Hell, I didn't mean to start something bringing her here. Just didn't think about it. I mean, she's gone everywhere but the bathroom with me for so long that I just kept on doing the same that we always had.

Like I said, she don't drink. She doesn't smoke and cuss. She drinks ginger ale or whatever Jenny brings in for her and plays pool. Wins half the time too, dammit. Hell, she's winning now! Probably going to demand a credit card as winnings.

Cajun says he don't get the problem either. I think Bishop knows something he ain't telling.

Now, that can mean several things. He might have known this was going to happen. Might have known but it was supposed to happen in a different way. Maybe she wan't supposed to leave. Maybe she's supposed to stay with the X-men. Hell, maybe I'm reading too much into Bishop just being Bishop. He's so scared he's going to influence something one way or the other that he pretty much stays in the background.

Oh shit. Kid's getting that look on her face. I hope she don't cry. I just can't stand it when she cries. Breaks my heart, and she's got too much a hold on that already. I couldn't hold my head up in here ever again if I had to comfort her in the middle of Harry's. I'd do it, but I wouldn't be able to come back here ever again. Hell, by the time it got around I probably wouldn't be able to leave the grounds. With the people living at that mansion maybe not my room. Too bad plastic surgery's not an option.

But I'd do it. I'd do whatever I had to to stop the tears, to ease her pain. Especially when I'm the cause.

Oh, not this time. But I know it hurts her when I go. She understands me like no one else and she doesn't ask me to stay. But it still hurts her. I try not to stay away very long. I have even brought her with me a few times. Smart cookie that she is she didn't say anything to the others about where we went either. It was nice being just the two of us. We don't get that much anymore.

Which isn't always a bad thing. I'm very grateful to not be dragged to the mall as much as I used to. I still have to go, but not as much.

But a trip to the mall ain't gonna make things better. We all agreed, she even agreed, and she's gonna go to Frost's school. And if anything happens to the kid while she's there, I'll gut the bitch slowly and leave her in the woods for the animals to finish off. If she doesn't know that yet, she will before the kid gets left there.

I have to work to control myself at just the thought of leaving her there. I'm supposed to just start trusting Frost? After what she put Kitty through? Yeah, Irish will be there to keep an eye on her, but still ...

I don't want her to go. I know they're right and its best for her. Hell, I knew when they first said it. But I AM a selfish bastard and I want her to stay with me. So I'm not here all the time. I don't understand the 'special' needs of teenage girls. She don't either so we're still the perfect partners.

Huh. I don't have to understand teenage girls, I get Jubilee. We understand each other fine.

So I know this is best for her. Hell, I even think Frost will be good for her. I just don't want her to go away from me to get what she needs.

I miss the old days when I didn't have to worry about shit like this.

Shit, kid just beat me again. Can't be because I'm thinking too much cause she is too. I musta taught her too well.

At least she'll be able to take all them kids at pool.

Time for a break.

"Here's ya drink, darlin'." Jubilee just nodded as Logan set down her ginger ale.

He watched her as he lit up another cigar. She didn't have the 'about to cry' look to her anymore.

He puffed his cigar and drank his beer. The silence between them built up.

When he finish, he sighed, took her chin in his big hand and tilted her face up to look him in the eye before saying, "If ya really don't wanna go, say it and I'll fix it fer ya."

"Y-you'd do that? But we all agreed..."

"I mean it. Said didn't I? But ya should try it out, see how the place fits ya. Ya won't get left behind. And nobody will think yer a tag-a-long. Ya'll be with other's jist like ya. Ya won't be alone."

She threw herself in his arms.

"I'll go."

He released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "It's fer the best, darlin'. You'll see. After awhile ya won't even remember why ya didn't wanna go."

Privately she thought she'd always remember. "Swear you won't forget me. Swear it."

"'Course I won't. Yer my partner. Always will be. I've been on teams before but you are the only partner I've ever had. Can't see breakin' in another since yer still breathin' an all."

"Better not," she muttered, "someone else might stop breathin'."

He chuckled. "Why don'cha go see if ya can get anymore money off a Gumbo? I think he's still go some an' yer gonna need school supplies."

He watched her run off to find Gambit.

"Maybe it'll be all right." he thought to himself. "Besides there's always the weekends. Wouldn't be hard to bust her out every so often. And well then, who knows what fun we could have?"

(end part 4)

note:
Next: What did Remy say to Jenny? And Storm's still waiting!

Okay, I wasn't sure about putting in Wolverine's point of view but when I put in Jubes he had to have his turn. And it was time for an actual scene.
So how did I do with the Wolvster? Need to know! Good, bad, or what?

Thanks for reading and the support, Dizi