Chapter 19
Jubilee basked in the warmth and general well being of the entire dinner experience. While Heather and Mac told the anecdote of General Chasin, she found herself swirling the wine in her glass and glancing into it as if wanting to see her fortune inside the dark magenta liquid.
"Penny for your thoughts, Jubes," Heather said, nudging her.
"Earth to Jubes," Logan joked.
"Oh, uh sorry," she chuckled. "Just getting caught up in the moment. This is the most excellent pot roast I ever tasted… no fooling!"
"Considering the help I had from yours truly," Heather smiled with pride.
"That reminds me," Mac said as he pushed his glass over. Logan grabbed the wine bottle and replenished his stock of Pinot Grigot immediately.
"Refill coming right up…"
"Not only that, but something else. I know you've been thinking about a lot lately, and heather and I were wondering… even though it's NOT our business… what your plans are…"
"Um," Jubilee trailed off, as Logan's forehead furrowed.
"Wedding wise, or career wise?" Logan asked. Jubilee coughed, and he slugged her on the back.
"Easy honey, Jubilee is going to choke!" Heather nudged Mac.
"Sorry," Jubilee coughed.
"You okay darlin?" Logan asked. "Cripes, can you beat around the flamin' bush any more?"
"Sorry, what Mac means is, we were wondering when you two were going to make your arrangement official, and if so, what Mac and I could do to help?" Heather said. Jubilee and Logan exchanged looks of relief, and Heather noticed the confusion in both their eyes.
"Well, actually we were kinda not sure," Jubilee said sheepishly.
"Something we SHOULD think about," Logan said. "Sorry Darlin'… we WILL talk about it… I was figuring both of us wanted something simple and to the point, right?"
"Yeah," Jubilee nodded. "Really… like big overblown production numbers blow, if you know what I mean…"
"Anything you need, let us know…" Mac said as he glanced at both of them. Jubilee and Logan's cheeks flushed a slight pink, and they looked away from one another, and at an invisible speck on the wall.
"Well, we'll work it out, and you'll be the first to know," Logan said quickly. "But somethin' tells me that's not the ONLY thing you two are gonna ask…"
"You're wondering if we're sticking around?" Jubilee asked, feeling Logan's hand slide across the table and giving hers a reassuring squeeze.
"We do acknowledge you go where you want to, and we don't want to impose at all, but we did wonder how long you were going to stay members of Alpha Flight," said Heather gently.
"Till Jubes here thinks otherwise," said Logan. "Right?"
"Yeah… I guess you could say it's kinda a trial basis?" Jubilee said, looking at Logan, who nodded in approval. The silent understanding, though nonverbal was certain.
"I hope you give us notice if and when you want to leave," said Mac quickly. "And just for the record, whenever you want out, there are no questions asked…"
"Thanks," Logan nodded, face twisted into a serious stare.
"That reminds me… there was something that we wanted the two of you to have… something that will show you both how much we're happy with your relationship," said Mac gently.
"What?" asked Logan and Jubilee, both glancing in surprise and awkwardness.
"Hold on," Heather said as she got up and walked out of the dining area. She returned after a minute with something in her hands. Jubilee glanced at Logan anxiously, and he shrugged.
"As you both know, we could never have children," said Heather softly, sitting down again. "Although we tried…"
"Not for lack of enthusiasm," said Mac, reaching over and grasping her hand.
"I know," said Logan. "What's on yer minds?"
"Well there was something of a family tradition," said Heather. "We always thought of you as family, Logan. And this was meant for our children… and considering the circumstances, we would like you to have this…"
"Aww cripes what the hell is this?" Logan asked as Heather lifted her hand, and he saw the small felt box. "I can't take this…"
"What is it…?" Jubilee asked.
"My mother's engagement ring," Heather said softly as she pushed the box into Logan's hand. "If I ever had a daughter or a son, this would go to them. Like my mother gave it to me, and her mother gave it to her…"
"Are you serious?" asked Jubilee, panicking momentarily as Logan looked shocked.
"It's appropriate, considering how happy we are that Logan's found someone special to share his life with," said Mac. "That she have a proper engagement ring…"
"I can't take this," Logan groaned.
"Please… with our blessings," Heather said softly, pushing it back to him. "To remind you that you're always welcome here, and that you're both part of our family…"
"Damn," Logan murmured as he looked at Jubilee. "You sure?"
"Wow," Jubilee murmured as she saw Heather open the box. Gold gleamed in a modest half-carat diamond flanked by two-quarter carat ones on either side. The thin band was set with filigree around each of the three stones, and was partly worn with decades of being worn.
"You're the best thing that happened to him," said Mac gently. Heather nodded, and Logan and Jubilee looked at one another, choking slightly.
He gently closed the box, and put his hand over his head. Jubilee lay her hands overtop of the velvet ring box, and interlaced her fingers with his. "It's perfect… it's the most beautiful awesomeist ring I've seen," Jubilee said, wiping at the tears threatening to form in her eyes.
Heather and Mac both reached over to touch their shoulders, and Logan pushed the moisture from his eyes. "Something caught in your eyes, huh?" said Mac quickly.
"Yeah, hell yeah," he coughed. "Damn friggin allergies…"
"I'm very happy for both of you," Heather said as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. Jubilee got up and hugged Heather tightly, kissing the corner of her lips, then moved over to squeeze Mac tightly. He patted her back and Heather hugged Logan again. Mac gripped Logan's arm and squeezed it firmly, and Logan nodded, scrubbing violently at his eyes and making a fuss about wiping away invisible dust.
Jubilee sat down next to him, and together they exchanged awkward looks. He slowly passed the box to her, and opened it. The silent understanding passed, and she nodded eagerly as he removed the heirloom and slid it on the third finger of her left hand. She leaned over and kissed him gently, in full view of the Hudson's.
"I um… damn," Logan murmured as she parted and beamed at him, wiping tears from sapphire eyes.
"Don't say anything, you big goofball," she whispered as she stroked his cheek. "I'm not backing outta this now…"
"Feel like a flamin' idiot not talkin' about when we're gonna make this all legal," Logan mumbled awkwardly.
"We can have papers drawn up easily," Mac said softly. "If you want…"
"I do want," Jubilee whispered. Logan nodded adamantly.
"But yer foster parents," he trailed off.
"I haven't seen them in years," Jubilee said softly. "And the X Men…"
"I don't wanna lose ya, darlin," Logan said quickly. "How soon can we have a license done?"
"Say the word, and it's done," said Mac.
"I can have the blood test done," said Heather quickly. "And both of us can call the rest of Alpha flight for a private ceremony, if you want…"
"You game, Jubes?" Logan asked.
"Abso-freakin-lutely," said Jubilee firmly. "Let's do this… before anything ELSE happens to mess it up…"
Northstar picked up the phone as it shrilled from the compartment on his belt. "Hello? Yes… Jubilee?"
"Jean Paul, you won't BELIEVE what's gonna happen…" said Jubilee excitedly.
"You two moved up the date?" asked Northstar.
"How did you…are you like PSYCHIC or something?" Jubilee asked, with a groan.
"No, just perceptive," Northstar smiled.
"Who is it?" asked Aurora, as she nudged him.
"Jubilee," said Northstar as he covered the bottom of the phone with his hand. "They're going to actually do the deed…"
"What, when… how?" Aurora whispered excitedly.
"Shh," he hissed. "Yes Jubes, Jeanne Marie's here, and she wants to know EVERYTHING, just like a sister does…"
He rolled his eyes dramatically, and Aurora let a grumble and her sharp elbow jab his ribs. "Where are they? Is it this weekend or what?"
"Tell J. Marie that we're fixing to have it soon as we can… and we want you guys to fly over here and get Shaman and Snowbird up here… and don't forget the other members of Alpha Flight," Jubilee said excitedly. "Mac and Heather's home, ASAP!"
"Where's the fire?" asked Walter Langowsky as he walked by, seeing the twins standing in the entrance of the lounge area, Aurora standing right on top of her brother almost to hear jubilee's excited voice at the same time.
"Shh," Aurora hissed. "Where's Puck and the others?"
"Will you two shut up," Jean Paul grumbled. "I can't hear Jubilee talk!"
"What, is something going down?" Puck asked, walking into the room with a towel slung around his shoulders.
"This is a three ring circus," Walter whispered. "We need to get over to the Hudson's PRONTO…"
"Now?" asked Jean Paul. "Yes. They're all here… yes… hey Aurora…"
"Yes, Brother dear?" Jeanne Marie asked.
"Go tell that big walking rug to get Shaman and Snowbird. We'll be getting there on the DOUBLE…"
"Major emergency?" Puck asked.
"If you call getting the firecracker and the wolverine hitched a situation, then yeah," said Walter Langowski.
"I'm on it," Puck said quickly as he rushed off, and Walter felt Aurora grab her hand and tug her away.
"Wait… wait for ME!" Northstar yelled as he rushed after them, holding the phone.
"But they haven't even gotten her a dress, how could they just…" Aurora wailed.
"They'll deal, I'm sure, sis, honestly…" Northstar groaned. "Hey… wait sorry Jubilee… just my sister…"
"Well tell her not to have a cow… heather's got everything covered," said Jubilee excitedly. "How soon can you all get down here?"
"Consider it done!" said Northstar as he leapt up and streaked past to grab Puck by the back of his costume.
"Hey… don't I get a chance to wear something for the occasion?" Puck complained as he shot out the door with Northstar streaking away.
"I'm the LAST to know these things!" Snowbird complained as she rushed out of the medlab, followed by Shaman who was wearing his labcoat and a pair of scrubs."
"They could have given us a warning," Michael Twoyoungman grumbled. "What's going on?"
"They want us to go to the Hudson's… they're in some big rush to get our two lovebirds married and they didn't even TELL us… and I wanted to help Jubilee pick out a dress!" Aurora chattered angrily as she grabbed Walter, who was about to shift into Sasquatch form, but decided against it.
"What?" Michael asked as Snowbird grabbed him and streaked off after the others. "Hey…"
"Can't we at least stop and get some appropriate attire?" Jeanne Marie cried.
"Fine, whatever, just let's have YOU explain to them why you're late!" Northstar shouted back at her as they shot through the cold Canadian night towards where the Hudsons lived.
"What's the hurry?" Shaman asked Snowbird.
"Perhaps he has come to his senses, and he's afraid something will go horribly wrong if he doesn't act quickly…" Snowbird said softly. "I sense something foreboding about to happen… don't you?"
"Let me just…" Shaman muttered as he brought his sacred wristbands together. In a second he was transformed into his costume. All around them the wind whistled, as Snowbird tried to keep pace with the twin streaks of Northstar and Aurora, bearing their passengers.
"You're always a pessimist, lighten up!" Puck shouted.
"She's not joking… something IS brewing… nature is out of balance… and I sense something extremely powerful wending its way north…" Shaman whispered.
"Such as…"
"Another elemental. Capable of GREAT power in manipulating the elements… having the same effect as my medicine pouch," Shaman mumbled as he glanced at his wristbands glowing faintly.
"Who could that be?"
"Three guesses, and the first two don't count…"
"As in…"
"The X men have an elemental, a weather witch of CONSIDERABLE power at their disposal. She controls the elements at her whim. Someone's warping the patterns of the weather to allow easy flight up here…"
"How far away?" Snowbird asked.
"An hour or so…"
"But surely… they mean no harm," said Snowbird.
"I wouldn't be so sure. Logan left the X men so abruptly, I fear history will repeat itself and they will resent the fact he left them as he left US so long ago…"
"Why? We are his family, his original team," Snowbird said quickly. "If anything he is settling unfinished business…"
"But the weather witch is not all I sense. I also discern a large craft approaching…"
"Terrific," Snowbird groaned as they circled around Toronto. "We'd better get a move on…"
"What's that on radar you say that the Government's tracking?" asked Northstar as he spoke into his comlink.
"A suborbital craft heading into Canadian airspace. Using some sort of cloaking technology. If not for the information Logan had given us, we couldn't identify it…"
"Who?" Northstar asked.
"An SR 71…" said Mac's voice.
"A Blackbird?" Northstar frowned. "But nobody uses those anymore…"
"The X men do," said Mac.
"But why are they…"
"I'm thinking they're coming after Logan and Jubilee," said Mac quickly.
"Why?" Northstar asked. "Surely they…"
"Don't know… but they'll be in for a surprise…" Mac said.
Northstar landed in Heather and Mac's backyard, gently putting Puck down. Minutes later, Aurora landed with Walter, and Snowbird with Shaman. They quickly walked towards the back porch, where Heather was waiting in her Guardian costume. "Good timing," she said.
"What on earth… you said a Blackbird was…" Northstar trailed off.
"Does Logan know?" asked Snowbird.
"Not yet… no reason to break the news to them yet. We've got a wedding to attend," Heather said quickly, hustling them all in. She turned to Shaman.
"Yes?"
"Can you whip up a snowstorm?" she asked.
"I'm not sure, they have a weather manipulator, called Storm… she is most powerful," Shaman said quickly.
"Do what you can. I don't want anything to ruin this," said Heather quietly as Aurora and Northstar entered the warmth of the house, followed by Puck and Snowbird.
Sighing, Shaman reached into his medicine pouch, and extracted a small talisman with a snowflake on it. "Snowbird… I need you…" he called to her.
"Yes," she nodded, as she strode out.
"Fly me up to the sky…" he said. She grasped him under the arms, and Shaman held his talisman aloft.
Heather glanced up as a blue glow surrounded them both, and she heard a soft hissing streak into the air. Clouds rolled over the moon, and she felt the wind whipping into her face as it quickened. Light flakes of snow dropped silently, followed by more and more. Within minutes a full-scale snowstorm was whistling over Toronto. Snowbird dropped to the yard, releasing Shaman.
"I hope that this doesn't inconvenience too many people," said she.
"It won't… for long," said Shaman. "By that time I'll dampen it…"
"Thank you," Heather said. "Now, let's go in… Mac needs you for something else…"
"All right," Michael said as he entered the living room, and Heather closed the door behind him. All around them the snow increased, swirling and accumulating, blanketing the city for miles as full whiteout conditions cloaked Toronto for the next hour.
