Sorry this chapter is so late! My thanks to all my readers and reviewers! So without much more delay I bring you chapter 9! Wolvie, Gambit and Jubilee are licking their wounds from their encounter with the Brotherhood, but will Wolvie get into trouble because of Jubilee getting hurt? What is Scott thinking when he makes a major decision regarding this?


Chapter 9

Logan slid his arm behind her head and she felt something cool and curved touch her lips. "That's it, Jubes, try to drink some water," his voice urged.

"Where's Gambit?" Jubilee panicked.

"Easy kid, he's on his way. Went to get the jeep and our stuff. Cajun's the worse for wear…"

"Where are we?"

"One of Gambit's friends hooked us up with a place to hide. Some senator's apartment," Wolverine murmured. He wore his uniform, his hood clustered around his neck and hanging down the back of his costume. Blue eyes were gleaming with worry, and she saw his hair stood on end as if he'd run his hand through it repeatedly.

"Wolvie, why can't I move," she whispered, unable to even lift her hand.

"Paralysis chemical. Some kinda curare by the smell, but it'll wear off…" Logan said as he came over and sat on the edge of the bed she lay upon. Jubilee felt covers cocooning her and she ached from head to toe.

"Storm's not gonna like this," she worried.

"Worry about getting better. We're not gonna move ya till I say so," Logan said gruffly as he lifted her neck and held the water up. She felt a straw touch her lips. Slowly she sipped the coolness that slid over her dry tongue.

"Ugh, my mouth feels so like it's stuffed with Kleenex… major gross," Jubilee made a face.

"Must be feeling more yourself if you're complaining like that," Logan joked. "Just rest easy. You had a nasty time in that fracas…"

She felt his fingers smoothing her hair away from her face, and closed her eyes. Still the images of the girl made of mist traced through her mind, and she felt angry. How could she let herself get so vulnerable, so helpless?

"God I'm such a major weenie, letting myself get nailed," she mumbled.

"Do me a favor an' stop the put downs will ya before I get mad," Wolverine scolded her. "Yer being ridiculous!"

He tensed, cocking his head to the side. Nostrils flared and every muscle tensed, then released. "Somebody dropping by?" she said in a hushed whisper.

Wolverine released his tension and said, "Wait here. Gumbo's back from his milk run…"

Jubilee's head followed him and she found she could move her neck thankfully as Logan vanished. The ends of his hood lay over his back, and it was weird to see his mask off with his costume on. Sometimes he pulled the mask off when he was sweating after a heavy Danger Room workout.

"How's the petit?" came Remy's voice.

"Marginal," Wolverine mumbled. "You got the stuff…"

"Right here," he said, and both voices increased in volume. Jubilee glanced around the room, seeing shades of white and mauve. It was a tacky color scheme, because she loved bright fluorescent pinks and yellows. Her yellow trenchcoat was draped over one chair, and she glanced down to see she was wearing one of Gambit's T-shirts. For a moment she wondered who had undressed her and blushed.

But she could trust either one. Neither would do something stupid. It was like having your dad or brother undress you. Nothing ulterior. Jubilee saw a tall shadow wearing a long trenchcoat, his hair spiky as he strode over and stood by the bed. "Petit, yer awake! Gambit was worried sick!"

"Same here," Jubilee said with a weak smile. "God you had me going, don't' do that!"

"Better hurry up n' get better," Remy said as he sat on the edge of the bed, and stroked her cheek lightly. "Or Stormy will lecture and burn Gambit's ears. You t'ink she be able to travel soon?"

"Maybe in a day, Cajun," Wolverine mumbled as he fiddled with something. There was the rustle of paper bags and the clink of pills. Jubilee stared past Gambit a question in her eyes.

"Found some relaxants at the drug store… and there's some…"

"Milk, food, other stuff," Wolverine completed. "Good going. Since we're gonna be here a while…"

"Guys, I feel MAJORLY bummed just laying here…" Jubilee moaned. "You can just leave me and…"

"Do Gambit a favor an stop talking crazy, petit," Gambit said as he pressed two fingers to her lips to silence her. "Focus on getting well. Let Remy n' the Wolverine do the legwork. You done enough for today… rest…"

"Love yer bedside manner, Gumbo," Wolverine said. "Better do as he says, Jubes. Rest n' relax. Leave the worry to us… yer in good hands…"

"That right," Remy said as he kissed her forehead and tucked the blankets around her. His red eyes gleamed soft with concern, and he backed away. Jubilee closed her eyes and settled down, feeling Wolverine lay something cool and soft across her brow. His rough hand traced over her scalp before she felt the shift of the bed that indicated he was getting up off it.

"Rest easy, kid," he said as he leaned over and she felt his lips press to the top of her head. Smiling, she let herself drift off, knowing her two knights in shining armor… or spandex was watching out after her.


"Who's that?" Gambit's voice asked. She heard the shuffle of cards as he was playing with them.

"Shaddup," Logan whispered. "Stay here with the kid…"

"What…" Jubilee asked before Gambit's hand covered her mouth and he sat on the bed next to her.

"Shh petit… Remy's here… nobody's gonna get you… let Wolverine handle it…" he reassured her. "Not a sound yet."

"I don't believe it," Wolverine growled. "Of all the flamin… they followed us here…"

"Who?" Jubilee yelped.

"Cyke, who the heck else," Wolverine cursed.

"The cavalry be a little late Gambit t'ink…" Remy said as he looked down at a worried Jubilee.

"Let me handle this," Wolverine said.

"Oh no… are we in trouble?"

"No Wolverine, you let Remy vouch for ya. He the better negotiator…" Gambit said as he pushed past Wolverine. "Stay with Petit…"

"Fine, have it your way," Wolverine said as he came in and sat down next to Jubilee. He wore his costume still, and he smoothed her hair from her cheek.

"Crap Wolvie… what are they gonna say when they…"

"Nothing," Wolverine said curtly. "Just relax an let the Gumbo use his silver tongue…"

"Scott, mon ami, good sight for sore eyes," Remy said. Jubilee tensed, and found she could move her arms and legs. Wolverine's hand pressed her shoulder to the bed and she saw him frown a bit.

"Do you have any idea how worried we were?" came Psilock's voice.

"Oh no, not her," groaned Jubilee.

"Mes ami, she's fine," said Gambit. "Mission was accomplished…"

"Where is she, is she all right?" Scott asked.

"She fine. The wolverine and I take care of her, nes pa?" Gambit said. "She just had a little injury..."

"Are you nuts, you should have taken her to a hospital," came Warren's voice.

"Don't be stupid, Warren, they followed the plans…" Scott Summers said. "Where is she… Hank's here to take her back to the mansion in the Blackbird…"

"You sure it safe?"

"You're off this mission if you've gotten what you came for. And Jubilee's off it for sure…" said Scott. "We're taking Jubilee back to the mansion now…"

"Don't think Wolverine will…"

"Who cares what he thinks, that child needs medical care!" Betsy said as she pushed past.

"I'm not a kid…"

"Easy," Wolverine hushed her. "Let me deal with this…"

"We were worried sick!" Betsy or Psilocke said as she rushed in. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alive, no big deal, sheesh!"

"She's fine. Starting to move…" Wolverine said as he folded arms across his chest and sat on the bed. "What you doing here?"

"It's going to be all right, dear," Psilocke said as she approached.

"For crying out loud I'm FINE!" Jubilee snorted as she sat up.

"Kid's okay. No big flamin' deal," Logan said. "So you're here to take her back? Let's do it and get it over with…"

"But Wolvie…"

"We're taking you back.. So Hank can look you over…" said Psilocke sweetly.

"I want to stay here with Gambit and Wolvie," she said sharply. "I can still…"

"That remains to be seen," Scott Summers said. "Hi, how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine…" she said.

"Kid's gonna be okay…" Wolverine said. "It was the brotherhood all right…"

"You should have notified," Psilocke said.

"Betsy, that's not necessary…" Scott said. "Jubilee, you understand why we're taking you back… it's not safe anymore… Logan and Gambit will finish up here, and join us in a few days…"

"Wolvie?"

"It'll be okay kid," he said. "Is Hank here?"

"Too risky for him to be seen. He's on the black bird. You feel well enough to go with Betsy?"

"I want to go with Gambit… or you," Jubilee said as she grabbed Wolverine's wrist. He looked down at her.

"Kid it's okay," he said, smelling her fear. Something about going off with Betsy was spooking her. While he trusted Psilocke, something smelled distinctly wrong.

"Are you all right, Jubilee?" Scott asked.

"I'll take her," Wolverine said as he pulled the blankets aside, and gently picked Jubilee up. "Easy kid…"

"I don't see why…" Betsy said as Scott shushed her.

"C'mon… let's get ya to the plane…" Wolverine said as he let Gambit and Scott wrap her in a blanket. She held onto his shoulder and clenched hard, an irrational fear filling her as she saw a strange look in Psilocke's eyes she didn't care for.

"Whatever happened, the child is traumatized," Betsy said softly to Scott.

"Jean will psiscan her to confirm your suspicions," Scott said. "But clearly she needs to be around familiar people."

"But I'm an X man…"

"You're new to he team. She doesn't' trust you yet. She doesn't trust a lot of us. Remy, Storm, Wolverine and I are the few she does… maybe except for Jean… no hard feelings…"

"Still, she needs to feel at ease…," said Psilocke. "Jean's not around and…"

"I'll talk to him. You and Warren are right, but now's NOT the time to discuss this… not in front of Jubilee. She doesn't need to hear this…"

"But ARE you going to consider how detrimental this could be for her? She's in constant danger this mission alone being around him…"

"Professor X will be the judge of that," said Cyclops reluctantly. "This matter's closed for now…"

"What goin on here?" Remy asked. "Some concern 'bout Wolverine an the petit?"

"You both did well, but I can't overlook the fact that something has spooked Jubilee. Betsy herself sensed the difference…" Cyclops said. "And we both know that Jubilee being so shaken up is an indication of something far worse at work…"

"She seen someone who was an old acquaintance," Remy said. "Named Misty. Wolverine said she was some girl that didn't like petit… an she's a mutant. A dangerous one…"

"All the more reason to take her off this case and give her time to recuperate. She needs proper therapy…" Betsy said quietly.

"She need rest. And people to stop buttin' in," said Gambit. "She fine. Da Wolverine and Remy see to it personally…"

"You should have called us. You could have been killed," Scott Summers said tersely.

"Misty be a new mutant. We had to know more about her," said Gambit. "And Wolverine found out dat Raven Darkholme signed de order along wit Senator Kelly t' stop funding da' Thunder Child…"

"So, there was a connection…"

"Also, Raven Darkeholme is connected t' da brotherhood in some way, Logan t'inks," said Gambit.

"Then if the Brotherhood IS involved, you SHOULD have called us the instant…"

"It take you to long t' get here, an we held 'em off…"

"You took a big risk, BOTH of you," said Scott angrily.

"You see Gambit we only care about the child," said Betsy. "Warren and I were already on our way here to help."

"Gambit bets you were, all right," Gambit said.

"What does THAT mean?" she asked.

"Whatever you want it to, Psilocke," said Remy.

"Take that chip off your shoulder now, mister," Scott said angrily. "You and Wolverine have been disrespectful of Betsy and Warren ever since they joined. Care to explain why?"

"Cause Gambit don't trust dem."

"You're a fine one to talk," Scott said, tight lipped.

"Gambit sorry," Remy said. "Won't do it no more. He apologizing. Only don't break up da Wolverine an' Jubilee…"

"What makes you think that?" Scott asked.

"Because da way you lookin' at dem say so," Remy said, pointing his finger. "An' I t'ink Betsy here is taking it all too seriously…"

"I only want what's best… I think that I could help her…"

"So can Jean," said Remy.

"Enough you two! I don't like your attitude, mister Lebeau. This isn't your business or say so who I think Jubilee should be partnered with. But I have serious doubts about you, regardless of Wolverine's behavior," said Scott angrily.

"So you DO t'ink Wolverine shouldn't be trusted wi' da petit," Gambit said accusingly.

"Actually yes," Scott said slowly. "Since you're so determined buster to butt in, I am. Lately. The girl needs a female influence. Jean, Storm, Betsy are all available."

"So's Rogue," Remy said.

"And Rogue. Jubilee needs a female figure to bond with. Which is why I will be reassigning her to someone else for a while…"

"T'ink hard about what dat means. Da petit trust da Wolverine an Gambit above all else… you be making da BIG mistake…" Remy said.

"What you think isn't going to change my mind once I speak to the Professor," said Scott.

"Don't do dis," said Remy, shaking his head. "Petit will hate you for it… trust me."

"Concern noted. But as far as I'm concerned, this matter's closed. Now we're leaving you to finish up here. Wolverine will ride back with us. But no funny business. I suggest you apologize NOW to Betsy."

"Gambit sorry," he said.

"Apology accepted. You'll see that my concerns are only for the welfare of the child…" she said as Gambit reluctantly kissed her hand.

"Dis not over," Remy muttered as they exited the apartment and Warren Worthington looked at Gambit impassively.

"It is as far as I'm concerned," Warren said. "You're a bad influence. If' it were up to me…"

"Gambit wouldn't let it go dat far," Gambit said. "Not after what you did to da Cherie! You almost got her killed!"

"I'm over that now!" Warren exploded. "You're no better for her!"

"You better take dat back now!" Gambit said angrily as he whirled his staff. "You stay AWAY from Rogue, ya hear? And if you an Psilocke even t'ink of hurting petit, you will face GAMBIT!"

"You do that, and you'll never be welcome in the X men again for your stupidity, thief…" said Warren.

"Betsy be a t'ief too," said Remy. "And you love her."

"That's not your business," said Warren coldly. "Now for the sake of the team I'll forget we had this altercation. I'll see you back at the mansion, in a friendlier atmosphere, I trust…"

"Fine," Remy said. "Au revior…"

Warren closed the door, and Remy's hand tightened on the staff. "Remy don't like dis one stinkin' bit. Dey be hiding somet'ing, and Gambit knows. Dey won't get away with dis hurting Jubilee… Dis Gambit swears…"


"Hank, she's already been patched up," Wolverine said as he gently lay Jubilee on a bed in the infirmary. She clutched his shoulder tightly.

"Wolvie… you don't have to carry me everywhere…"

"Nah kid, I gotta make sure yer okay or Storm an' Cyke will kill me," Wolverine joked. Hank McCoy smiled as he pulled his labcoat on and adjusted his glasses. "Most interesting," he said looking at his clipboard. "You say it's a form of synthetic curare, only not toxic…"

"The nose knows," Wolverine said as he pulled the blankets around Jubilee and sat next to her bed. "That new mutant… codenamed Misty… she somehow has the power to make different chemicals. I smelled it in the cloud after Jubilee got nailed in the fracas…"

"Who precisely is this Misty?" Hank asked as he pulled out his stethoscope and held it to Jubilee's chest.

"She's some kid I knew when I lived in So Cal, with my Aunt," said Jubilee. "She took me in after my parents were killed. Misty was some girl in school who was majorly creepy…"

"And get this, she's Pyro's daughter… that flame from down under had a daughter…." Wolverine added.

"Most interesting…"

"I didn't put it together till now," said Jubilee. "Me and Wolvie. But she's majorly nasty and has a mad on against me…"

"I think she's got the ability to phase around… make herself into a vapor an' keep around her target. Then materialize and attack when she solidifies," said Wolverine. "I smelled something in the air like ozone, and a stench mixed in with a presence… that's what you've been seein' out of the corner of yer eyes all those times, right Jubes?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Just before I felt something attacking…"

"Distressing… a mutant with the power to render herself invisible, in the fashion of the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four, and yet capable of phasing, like Shadowcat," said Hank McCoy.

"Shadowcat's been out of the team for a while," said Wolverine.

"I remember you telling me about her," said Jubilee. "You trained her like you were training me…"

"Yep. She was one tough little X man…" said Wolverine with a grunt of appreciation. "She was only a bit older than you were when she joined the X-men. But now she's in Excalibur with Nightcrawler…"

"The German priest?" Jubilee chuckled.

"Yes. He's the leader. With Betsy's brother Captain Britain, his girlfriend Meggan, MicroMax… Cerise and Kylun," said Hank. "To be precise… and a telepath calling herself Rachel…"

"Uh huh," said Jubilee. "How come we never saw any of 'em around here?"

"They're based on Muir Island," said Wolverine. "I hate that place… better off not being there…"

"Man oh man the family's growing," Jubilee said. Wolverine smelled fear again, and saw her muscles tense.

"Hey kid, you're pretty nervous… you know you're safe, right?" Wolverine asked.

"Be most assured you'll not be harmed by this Misty in the Medlab," Hank said.

"Besides I won't allow it," Wolverine answered, giving a deadly glare. "Not on my watch…"

"Wolvie you can't be here 24-7," Jubilee joked weakly.

"We'll take turns," Hank said gently. "Perhaps Jean or Betsy…"

"I can watch her fine, and Gumbo… and Jeannie," said Wolverine abruptly.

"Don't leave me with Betsy, please…" Jubilee held tightly to Wolverine's hand.

"Why the sudden aversion to Psilocke…"

"Somethin' don't smell right with her, that's why," Wolverine said, voice deepening as his nostrils flared. "Her an flyboy…"

"They want to come between me an' Wolvie," said Jubilee.

"That's ridiculous," Hank laughed.

"No it ain't," Wolverine said, giving him a glare that meant business. "If the kid here doesn't feel safe, she ain't safe in my book."

"Very well… but this distrust is detrimental to the integrity of the team," said Beast worriedly.

"So will I live Doc?" she asked.

"You have several cracked ribs, and your knee has a torn ligament. Otherwise you are in reasonably good health. I'll keep you here for a week under observation…"

"Great," she said. "I'll get to catch up on my reruns…"

"Of course you'll be expected to continue your studies…"

"No breaks here, kid," Wolverine joked.

"Worth a shot," she mumbled. Hank chuckled and Wolverine turned his head again, sniffing lightly.

"They're back," he said slowly, shifting in his chair. "So Cyke, what's the lowdown?"

"Wolverine, I want to speak to you alone…" he said. She saw Psilocke over his shoulder, and Warren standing there.

"Where's Jeannie?" Wolverine asked.

"She's on another mission, but she'll be back soon. But don't change the subject."

"What's wrong Scott…?" Jubilee asked.

"I need to speak to Wolverine, Jubilee… alone," said Scott.

"You can say whatever you need to say around him, please don't make him leave… where's Gambit…" Jubilee said with a wild look in her eyes.

"Hank, stay with the kid while I talk to Cyke," Wolverine said. "It's okay Jubilee… Hank will look after ya…"

"I shall endeavor to," he said and stood by the bed. HE stroked Jubilee's shoulder.

"Where's Gambit… won't he be back soon," Jubilee said in a slightly panicked voice as Wolverine got up. She squeezed his hand tightly.

"Hey, relax… I'll just be right over here. You trust Hank, right?" asked Wolverine. "Now I'll just be a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay…" Jubilee nodded. Hank exchanged worried glances with Scott, who shook his head. She watched as they exited the medlab.