Jubilee slipped into the empty solarium just in time to watch the sun sink below the water of the Seine. Delicate hothouse roses and pale lilacs were kissed in the golden hues of the sunset as she stared into the quickening darkness. It was harder to avoid her feelings in the solitude of the night, and so she gave in to the train of thought her mind had taken once again.

Logan.

Their relationship had changed so much over the years, and yet neither one of them had the balls to face it. He had been the most vocal one about her going off to school in the first place, edgy about her being alone and so far from home. She in turn, had been stubborn in her decision to attend a university out-of-state, but had tried to sooth his fears with a steady line of emails and phone calls.

Surprisingly, he had made an excellent pen pal and despite her hectic schedule Jubilee always took the time to write him. She knew it made him feel helpless to be so far away if something happened to her, so a little reassurance went a long way. He got antsy if she forgot, and had no problem calling at all hours of the night to make sure she was safe. Did he really think she was drunk at some frat orgy, helpless and being taken advantage of?

Jubilee grinned to herself. Someone watched Animal House one too many times, methinks.

With anyone else she would have felt smothered, but with Wolvie she knew it was just his nature. Even when he insisted she carry the cell phone he bought her 24/7, she had relented to make him feel more secure. And really, what girl can't use a 1000 free anytime minutes?

So even though Jubilee didn't visit the mansion as often as she would have liked during her years at college, she and Wolverine had grown closer. She would write to him excitedly when she discovered a new breakthrough in the labs, and trusted him with her fears of the new powers that seemed to never end. He would write to her of his travels, delighting her with his natural abilities as a storyteller. She had felt as though she was still beside him, kicking ass and taking names in the seediest dives and bars. He wrote about his search for his past and lost memories, revealing his own fears that he would have too many sins to atone for.

Every so often, Wolvie had shown up unexpectedly on his scoot to check up on her in person. Or so he said.

He missed her, and loved using the excuse to rile her up. He'd drag her away from whatever she happened to be working on and take her to dinner at a nice restaurant. He'd insist she needed more meat on her bones with a grunt and a puff of his cigar. They inevitably made their way to a bar afterwards, drinking pitchers of beer and shots of whiskey as they talked about the past and the present. Then he'd fall asleep on her couch when they got home, and was usually gone in the morning before she woke up.

After earning her doctorates she had received offers from universities around the world, but the years of studying had burned her out. The passion to understand herself and the universe's secrets had been consuming while at school, but as a result she hadn't taken part in the world for almost four years.

She still remembered how Logan had pitched a fit like she had never seen when she announced she was going on sabbatical. Scowling and ranting, he couldn't understand why she didn't want to come home. "You've been away too God-damned long, Jubes! And now yer gonna trot around China, and Europe, and where-the-fuck else?" he had yelled.

But she hadn't relented, insisting that she needed to do it for herself. Logan had stormed out of the mansion cranky as all hell, heading straight to Harry's. For her part, she stewed in her bedroom, torn between marching down to the bar to comfort him and feeling frustrated that he couldn't respect her choice.

He had stumbled to her bedroom in the early hours of the morning, thumping against her door as he called her name in a singsong, "Jub-i-leeee-E-eeee!"

Jubilee had flown from a dead sleep to the door in record time to save the rest of the mansion from the horrible caterwauling. She had opened the door so suddenly that he fell forward, forcing her to catch his bulky weight. Grinning sheepishly, he had tried to stand up straight." Sorry, darlin'. I don't know what came over me."

Wobbling precariously, Jubilee had managed to aim his next stumble towards her bed at least. She had been amazed at how plastered he was. It took a lot of alcohol to affect Wolvie with his metabolism. She had covered him up, crawling in beside him under the blankets. Snuggling up close, he had tucked her effortlessly into the crook of his arm.

"You were right darlin', you deserve to be happy. If this is what makes you happy, I'm all for it." He had mumbled into her ear before promptly passing out.

With that blessing, Jubilee threw herself in her travels. She visited universities as a guest speaker to cut on travel costs, and took time to really enjoy life. For almost two years she wandered Asia, Africa, and Europe. She had eaten delicacies in Bangladesh, and sipped tea in the bazaars of Cairo. It was indulgent and gloriously free of research and academia, and exactly what she had needed.

Logan was always in her thoughts, and she managed to write him on her laptop from even the most distant locales. The world was a wired place these days, and she made it a habit to choose hotels that catered to her online addiction. He tried not to flip out if she missed writing him every so often, and she tried not to become exasperated at his trying to keep tabs on her. Two years flew by, and finally homesickness set in.

Running a hand through her hair Jubilee plucked at the hairpins that held it in its twist, allowing it to fall freely down her back. The solarium was now dark and the lights of the city illuminated the river below. Rubbing at a kink in her neck she leaned heavily against the railing, inhaling the sweet air from the rose garden. She sighed and tried to clear her thoughts.

Things had really changed when she returned to Westchester three months ago. It was a true homecoming; she was finally back to stay, and was looking forward to seeing what everyone thought of how she had changed. And if she was particularly interested in a certain cigar-smoking, whisky-swilling canucklehead's reaction, she wasn't telling.

She had chosen her clothing with great care, wearing a pale blue cashmere sweater with a pair of black silk pants and matching heels. Her hair had gotten much longer over the years, so she had twisted and pulled it back at her crown with a clip, letting it fall down her back in a curtain of silk. A touch of silver and sapphire jewelry accented her ensemble, but it couldn't match the sparkle in her eyes when she showed up on the doorstep unexpected and unannounced one wintry afternoon.

She still remembered how she had clapped the brass knocker loudly against the door in excitement, hearing Wolvie muttering from the other side that he'd get it. When he opened the door, he inhaled like he'd been punched in the gut. Staring at her incredulously, the cigar in his mouth had actually fallen to the ground. Her cheeks pink from the cold; she had thrown herself at him in a giant bear hug as the rest of the house rushed forward to greet her. He had squeezed her so tightly to him that her ribs creaked; only pulling back when the others had demanded to have their chance. Standing back, he had watched her from a distance with a dazed look on his face.

Finally home with the X-men, her plans had been to continue her research at the mansion with the Professor's blessings, and several hefty grants. Hank had been ecstatic to have a fellow scientist to share his lonely lab, even if they were in different fields. Her other teammates were less sure of how to treat her now that she was so obviously grown up. No more was she the spunky firecracker with the loud fashion sense and even louder opinions. An educated and sophisticated woman had returned to the mansion, confident and sure of her abilities and purpose.

Her appearance was a bit of a shock, she supposed. Still petite as ever, she had rounded curves in all the right places, and long, silky black hair that easily cleared her waist. Her blue eyes had brightened over the years; from what she could only guess was a side effect of her continuous use of energy. Now they were a crystal blue, sparkling with her emotions, and glowing when using her powers.

No longer a fan of eye-blinding hues, she favored tailored but casual clothing, preferring textures and colors that complimented instead of the latest fashions. If there was one thing she had learned over the years, it was that sometimes less was more. And if she felt like letting loose once in a blue moon she'd just throw on a slinky red dress and stilettos, to drag Bobby or Gambit out dancing.

Not that they mind, terribly. If I gave them half a chance, I'd have more dates than I could handle.

Jubilee had quickly settled in at the mansion, shaking things up in her own ways. Setting up her part of the lab hadn't taken long, but she had definitely added a feminine touch to the space. She had talked Hank into painting the stark white area a soft shade of gold which gave the room a cozy feeling. Investing in a few comfortable chairs, some adjustable equipment for their difference in height, and a small stereo system had also really made a difference.

Moving into the suite the Professor had chosen for her had been especially fun after living out a suitcase for so long. Taking her time in getting settled, she had bought new furniture and accessories that suited her academic lifestyle. Crisp white overstuffed chairs sat next to the fireplace, and cherrywood dressers complimented the amber and scarlet tones of the wallpaper and linens she had chosen. Tall bookshelves lined the walls, filled with journals and publications, and the walls were covered with pictures from her travels, and numerous diplomas and awards. An elegant writing desk sat beneath the arched window, making the most of the natural light and view of the garden.

Even if most of her teammates weren't sure how to treat the new Jubilee, Hank was charmingly appreciative. She received two eloquent marriage proposals a day, on average, once she began bringing him lunch at noon. Giggling with a sly grin, she'd laugh it off but was secretly pleased he was eating better. He often was so engrossed in his work that he forgot to eat anything but the occasional Twinkie. She had taken to restocking his stash every so often, and if he seemed to think Twinkies had begun to reproduce in the cabinet above the sink, he was keeping it to himself.

The professor's obvious respect for her studies and accomplishments had smoothed the way with the older members of the team, without a doubt. They all still joked about old times and nicknames from her childhood on occasion, but for the most part they accepted her as an equal.

Only one thing, or to be more precise, only one person had failed to fall into place since she had returned. Logan.

For years he had wheedled and bullied her about returning to the X-men and Westchester, and now that she was back she only caught glimpses of him in the hallways before he would mumble a few words and disappear. He watched her in a quiet way that confused her, barely verbal except for the occasional grunt or growl.

They had been apart for years, it was true, but she thought he would be happy to have his best friend home again. She made an effort to try and get him to go to down to Harry's and play pool, but he would brush her off gruffly and tell her to go dancing with Bobby or Gambit instead. Jubilee had tried not to let it bother her, but it did. Why couldn't he spare me any of his precious time?