Chapter 17


Hours had passed at least three. Wolverine had been gone for a while, and Jubilee was concerned. Leaving the shelter behind as a decoy was her idea though. Stupid dweebs didn't know what to expect. A few charred paff marks and claw strikes had given the impression that some monster lived on the island and had devoured them whole. Little did they know that the REAL monsters would show up and solve their problems while creating more. While Wolverine had smelled larger animals with strange mutations, none were sentient at least to his reckoning.

Jubilee to her credit had struggled to interpret any flashes. So far she had no more episodes except for a curious one that denoted that they were being hunted by three mutants from Genosha.

Those first few minutes they had found a series of caves, which could serve as a more permanent quarters. Then he left her with the supplies to make camp while he checked up on their pursuers. Their comm. badges had a scrambler and enabled them to communicate as Wolverine followed them throughout the jungles. While he half wanted to leave the three captors to their fates, he did want them to survive long enough to make their escape.

If they were this spooked, they would carry the message that there was no way that Jubilee and Wolverine had survived. They would relate the harrowing adventures with the large monsters, and purport that they had barely escaped with their lives. Therefore there would be no further justification to send more parties to the island to hunt for survivors. Consequentially, Jubilee and Wolverine could continue their mission undisturbed.

Inside the large abandoned mineshaft she had found wood to put up partitions and make the small quarters livable. Far from the main entrance someone had hollowed out room, which had served as miner's quarters when a cave in had once struck.

She chuckled, tying the remains of her T-shirt, which Wolverine had turned into a tank top. Now in bare feet she winced at the chilly cold floor till she came on the grassy mat that sat near two crates and an overturned barrel that served as a table. The cave had a steady temperature of 54 degrees, which made her shiver, but the heat from a small thermal unit glowed nearby, offering heat and light.

Their only link to the outside world was a small short-wave radio, which she had rigged a long wire antenna to, somewhere up on the rock face. She turned dials, struggling to tune into the comm. station she had picked up, for Free Genosha radio:

"Today our leader Sunfire expressed his disappointment that delays in the Mutant unification talks due to the North American party having engine troubles... They sent their condolences and informed our provisional body that they will arrive by tomorrow evening..."

Jubilee nodded with satisfaction. Whatever Psylocke had done, she had succeeded in delaying Storm from making the mistake of heading to Genosha. Now they could figure out just WHAT the real story was.

"In other news, the flat scans have made another attack on the shores of Genosha from the fortress stronghold. A combined deterrent force drove them back. The leader Magneto has recently arrived, but is still recovering from his trip..."

"Yikes," Jubilee whispered. "So he DID come here. But was it because the humans were attacking or WHAT?He promised not to do anything..."

Still she listened to the rest of the story, shivering in fear, "When asked what his plans were, he said he would wait till all mutant representatives were present. The official word is that no action against the flat scans is to be taken at this present time... continuing the six month mourning period for Xavier's departure of earth…"

"So that's why Magneto didn't attack," she mumbled. "So he did keep his word, but what does Apocalypse have to do with this... and is he making us fight each other?"


Inside the cave, Jubilee shivered. She spread out a tarpaulin that she had found from the backpack. Something buzzed and she clicked the X shaped badge on her halter-top. "Yeah?"

"Jubes, it's me. You okay? I just lost some of those turkeys stupid enough to hunt for us. Caught 'em at the shelter…"

"Where are you?"

"Coming into the cave. Relax… I think it's time to call it a day…"

"Okay Wolvie," she said, clicking off the badge. Mentally she kicked herself and groaned that she had forgotten again to use his name.

Sighing she spread out the two sleeping bags, both on the one-person size, and chuckled. While they were slightly singed, they were still usable. She rose from a crouching position and walked away from the rear of the upper cave chamber towards another section.

Rocks glowed as she dropped them into the huge hollowed bit of stump. Several hours of paffing after Wolverine started drilling with his claws had produced the makeshift pot. Between her hands she heated several stones with plasma and dropped them into the pot to cook with. Rather than risk a fire that could be seen, it was much easier to apply a technique Wolverine suggested out of some history book. When she recalled it from her California history she chuckled.

"Duh, Jubes. The American Indians in So Cal cooked acorn mush this way, so why not us?" she chuckled, stirring the canned soup a bit more. Of all the rations that Wolverine had grabbed, a few of the cans and boxes were left. Their food supplies had suffered the most out of all the equipment, yet she was not in the least bit worried because Wolverine was an expert in hunting and fishing. Whether using fishing tackle or simply grabbing them out of the water like some grizzly, such matters were child's play to him.

"You shouldn't talk to yerself… people are gonna think you're crazy!"

Jubilee whirled around, fingers crackling as she yelped. Arms closed around her and crushed her close as lips found hers. Her astonished gasp was kissed away by strong lips, and her paffs fizzled harmlessly into the far wall. At once she knew that it was Wolverine, pressing her into the wall with his body, and continuing his greeting kiss. Jubilee was half-afraid he wouldn't continue, but the wall was clammy and cold, causing her to squirm.

"Mmm," she groaned as he finished the kiss, and released her so she could breathe. "You jerk…"

"Nice to see you too, darlin'," he chuckled throatily.

"That wall is COLD!" she shivered. "Not that I MIND the awesome hello, but my butt doesn't need to freeze!"

"True," he nodded, and bodily carried her over to one of the remaining chairs. He sat in it, and put her on his lap to sit as he stroked her hair. Although it creaked under their combined weight it held.

"Rough day at the office?" she joked. "I've been making like some dinner… how do you like your rocks? Char broiled or extra crispy?"

"Better watch it; if the Cajun saw you cookin' he might get ideas about turnin' you into his protégée…" Logan teased. Jubilee realized he was still bare chested, wearing the bottom part of his uniform, except for the boots.

"Dude, I know you're gonna have some lamoid story about where your boots went…" she teased him, and absently brushed her hand over his chest. "But did ya scare 'em away?"

"Yeah. Three of 'em. Poor suckers don't know what hit 'em…"

"I heard why Maggy didn't attack… he has some kinda six month waiting period cause Professor X left… an' they said that they're having a big pow-wow on the mainland…"

"Just like Storm said. But any comments on the X men bein' tardy?"

"Just those talks were delayed and a delegation was coming…" said Jubilee.

"Good. I guess Gumbo got hold of Jean and Scott… if Storm has any sense she'll listen to Psylocke an' turn the Blackbird around. Scott and Jean an' the Cajun are a better bet than' everyone else…"

"Explain to me again?" Jubilee asked, and she shifted in his lap.

"While you were out to lunch… Gambit contacted me and said he picked up Slim an' Red. He was pretty excited to have something INTERESTING to do. Guess work was the one thing to keep him from going crazy," Wolverine shrugged, as she laid her head on his shoulder. He stroked her back gently, and she curled up to absorb the heat radiating from his perspiring body.

"Oh I get it. Jean an' Scott are gonna represent us…"

"While the Cajun snoops around, doing what he does best. And Storm an' the others stay down an' hold the fort at the school… which reminds me… I finished setting up all those camera gizmos all over the island. We should have a pretty good view of the mainland from that palm top computer over there…"

"One of the FEW things that didn't get smashed… unlike our FOOD," Jubilee grumbled.

"You don't haveta worry about THAT, ol Logan's on the case with supplies…" he chuckled.

"Good, cause if I was stuck with anyone ELSE on this real life survivor, I'd kick their butts off the island by now," Jubilee joked. She kissed his cheek and then he returned the kiss, nuzzling her cheek in turn with a side burned chin.


His arms tightened on her waist, and Jubilee momentarily questioned why he was so lovey-dovey for a moment. Then it dawned on her how narrow a brush with death she had only six hours earlier. Perhaps Wolverine was taking advantage of the down time to show her some TLC. After all, who knew how long they had after the visions she had seen? She sighed in delight and leaned up to kiss his lips. To her delight his lips parted, tongue thrusting lightly out to dance with hers. Here there was nobody but the perimeter alarms and staying alive to distract them or spy on them.

Growing a bit bolder, Jubilee reached fingers into his scalp and scratched. It was something she always wanted to do ever since she had a crush on him, to see if he would enjoy being petted like a favorite dog or cat. While she didn't think of him as an animal or monster or pet, the need to cuddle with something wild arose in her. Beast was always the subject of her cuddle hugs because she loved burying her cheek in that soft blue fur. During the last few times she and Wolverine had kissed, she heard and felt the deep purring that seemed so cute and endearing.

He pulled out of the kiss, blue eyes gleaming with a wildness that startled her. His lips were partly curled back from his teeth, showing the slight point to his canines that resembled Beast's dentition. Although he didn't have sharp bottom fangs like Hank, those teeth could bite with the same ferocity as a deadly attack dog.

"I guess you really dig that?" she chuckled nervously. His hand released her waist to cup her cheek and then clasp the back of her neck firmly.

"Mmm, relax darlin', I ain't gonna hurt ya… this is just what I look like when I'm uh…"

"Getting in the mood?" Jubilee blushed, her tanned skin turning a shade of pink. "Hope I didn't do something I shouldn't…"

"I'll let ya know if either of us crosses the line, Jubilation," he rumbled, kissing her neck and nipping her sensitive skin lightly with those sharp teeth. "But it's awfully hard not to want to let nature take its course… I might haveta leave ya alone for a few hours…"

"Don't you dare run off," she whispered. "I'm not scared of you… I know you won't hurt me, and I know you can handle yourself because you're a human being, not some wild animal… and I trust you…"

"Ya sure? Cause that's an awful sweet thing of ya to say," he murmured against her ear, nipping it.

"Get a clue, can't you like tell if someone's lying or not?"

"I know yer not, sweetheart, cause ya don't seem to be… but yer wonderin' if I can practice self control… if I find myself getting' out of line an' ditch, don't take it personal…"

"Hey, remember what I told you about meeting half way, Logan…" Jubilee said, gripping his cheeks to stare right into his eyes. "There's things we young adults do that aren't all the way to home plate. Is it gonna weird ya out if I suggest going to first or second?"

"No, not unless yer sure that it would be all right with you, an' as LONG as it ain't home plate so soon. Wanna do things honorable an' right…"

"I know… but we CAN at least get on the field, right? Steal first?"

"Mmm, sounds amenable to me…" he murmured, as she stroked his chest. She snarled playfully, and Wolverine captured her lips in a hungrier kiss that sent tiny sparks of light down her spine and gave her that same giddy rush as his first accidental kiss had. Food and the desire for restraint stopped them only minutes later.