Changes Chapter 38
Attentive, she watched her opposite. Noticing every move, every ploy and other distraction he tried. His left arm shoot forward, trying to grab her, but she knew he only tried to divert her. He would use the right arm in the end. Quickly, she blocked his attack, made a half turn to the right and wanted to counter it, as he suddenly turned his right leg outwards. Shrieking, she fell backwards, stopping all of a sudden in mid air. She realized that he'd grabbed her waist.
"Too slow!" Logan said and helped her to her feet again. "Your body doesn't only consist of hands, ya know?"
"Yeah," Kitty said heavily breathing and nodded before she got into position again. The other X-Men and some skilled students where watching the scenery. They sat around the mat; some cross-legged others had pulled their legs close with their hands. The younger X-Men were glad that Logan finally gave his classes again. After nearly two weeks of listening to Scott and his instructions, they had absolutely enough of theory. Finally, they could do some practical stuff again.
"Uh…," Jubilee made as Kitty fell again to the ground. She saw her shaking her head in frustration. Logan helped her up to her feet again. "And you also have a hip!" he advised her. "Take a break." Kitty nodded slowly and sat down next to her friends. "Damn!" she cursed and pulled her legs close.
"Ah, come on! You weren't that bad." Jubilee said and laid a hand on her shoulder.
The other girl snorted. "Yeah, that's why I kissed the mat three times… I'll never learn it!"
"You will, Kitty," Bobby assured her. "Maybe you were just nervous because we're watching. At least that's what happens to me all the time."
"Or because of him!" Jubilee winked and looked towards her teacher, noticing that he was watching her. Swallowing, she knew that it was her turn now. "Damn…"
"Don't be too nervous because of him!" Bobby teased her and smirked, while she stuck out her tongue and got up. As she'd learned it, she bowed before she stepped on the mat.
"Finished talking?" Logan asked her seriously annoyed and cocked an eyebrow at the talkative girl. Jubilee swallowed again while her heart began to race. Not only was she nervous because of him, she also knew that he'd find out pretty soon that she hadn't practiced. "Get into position," Logan said and nodded to the spot opposite him. "Task is the same. Evade and attack."
The girl nodded and prepared herself. After bowing to the other, she took a deep breath and took her defense position. He looked at her piercingly, trying to make her insecure. Slowly, Logan began to make sidesteps while he kept his eyes on her. Jubilee moved with him. Keeping the distance between them, she waited for his first attack. Before she even realized it, she laid in her back. "W…what?" she asked confused and looked up.
"Concentrate!" Logan grunted. "Get up!" Slowly, she got to her feet again, still wondering how it had happened. He waited until she got into position again. Then he moved his right hand in distraction and watched how she reacted to it. Quickly, he turned his hip, moved his right arm against her chest and used his right leg to throw her off balance. Angry, Logan crossed his arms in front of his chest while he stared down on her. Jubilee knew that he figured it out. She couldn't even believe it herself that she did so miserable. "Get up!" he hissed and she obeyed. Lowering her head she didn't dare to look into his eyes. "I taught you this movement in the first lesson!" he said harshly and kept his eyes on her. "And I told you to practice it, damn it!"
"I'm sorry," she said barely audible while her heart was racing.
"Don't be sorry, do as you're told! Sit down!" he said angrily and she bowed before she walked back. "Who else didn't practice?" Logan asked and put his hands to his hips while he looked at them angrily. Two of the skilled students slowly raised their hands. "Why?"
"W…we thought…," the girl began stuttering but was cut off by her teacher.
"I didn't tell you to think! I said I want you to practice!" Logan grunted while narrowing his eyes. "Why am I doing this shit, what do you think!" He looked to and fro between them. "So that you're occupied for two hours? If you think that, then we can leave it and I order body bags. I've better things to do!" Angrily he gave Jubilee a look who was about to comment it. "And especially you should feel addressed!" he growled. "You're not even able to keep the easiest things in mind!"
"Stop being so harsh, Logan," Scott intervened and stood up.
"What!" Logan shot back and turned towards him. "Ya think I'm too harsh?"
"Yeah, I do!" the other man gave back.
"I see," his opposite nodded playfully while his hands were still on his hips. "So what do you think Sabertooth will do if he gets his hands on her?" he asked him sarcastically. "Do ya think he'll be nice and gentle when he slices her into pieces? Huh?" His eyes sparkled with anger. "Do ya think he'll warn her before he attacks and give her time to run?" Scott looked down, not able to hold his gaze. "Do ya want me to demonstrate what I'd do with her if I were him?" Anxiously, Jubilee looked up and backed off a bit. Even if Logan didn't move her heart was beating triple rhythms.
"Of course he wouldn't do it," Scott said and shook his head. "But you're far more skilled and experienced. They'll never have a chance against you."
Logan snorted and smirked at him "What do you think is Magneto gonna do?" he asked him ironically. "Split his group and sent the females to catch the girls and the males to fight the boys?" He shook his head. "Are you so naïve, Cyke? He wants to kill us! All of us if possible!"
"They still have their powers," Scott gave back, folding his arms in front of his chest while getting angrier. The others knew they were up for another testosterone fight…
"Oh, their powers are definitely gonna help them if they got cured," Logan nodded ironically. "You can't rely on your powers only! Don't ya get that, boy?" He noticed that Jean and the others were looking to and fro between them.
Scott shook his head. "You're not the only one who can fight, Logan." He stepped on the mat, looking at his opposite challenging.
"Oh really? Haven't noticed so far…" Logan gave back jokingly; knowing what he was up to. "So show me!"
"You think that's a good idea?" Storm asked Jean calmly while watching Scott taking position.
"Logan is right. We don't know if Magneto's in possession of the cure. They have to be able to defend themselves without their powers, too." She gave her a short look. "I only hope he doesn't hurt him…" Worriedly, she watched the scenery again.
"Scott, Logan or vice versa?" the other woman asked her.
"Scott doesn't have the slightest chance against Logan in a real fight. He just doesn't realize it."
"Hold on a second!" Logan suddenly said and made Scott frown.
"What now? Being scared?"
"Nope. Just want to give ya a chance." He walked over to Jean, sending her a mental note. Jean got up and gave him a blindfold, while she eyed him worriedly. "You're not gonna hurt him, are you?" she asked calmly. He took the cloth out of her hand and smirked. "Only as much until he understands." Winking at her he walked back.
"What's that gonna be?" the other man asked in confusion and watched Logan blindfolding himself. Also the others were looking at each other frowning.
"I'll give ya a fair chance since ya haven't taken part in this class so far."
Scott snorted. "Don't underestimate me, Logan!" he warned him.
His opposite took position and smirked slightly. "I'm only caring!" Not being able to see anything he had to rely in his ears only.
"Fine… But I won't hold back!" Scott warned him once more and prepared himself, while his opposite didn't move an inch.
"Good," Logan only said and began to concentrate every sense on the man in front of him. Slowly, Scott moved in a circle around his opposite, completely calm. He smirked since Logan still didn't move. He still had his head lowered and breathed calmly, while his muscles were tensed. Scott was convinced that even with his heightened senses he wouldn't have a chance fighting him blind. Scott knew how to fight. He had learned self-defense very early in his life. And he knew Logan… If the animal within got scared, he would use his claws. Scott would show him that his way of teaching was wrong.
"What do you think?" Bobby asked calmly and looked at Kitty and Jubilee. "Who will win?"
"Do you really have to ask?" Kitty replied and gave him the same cocked eyebrow as an answer as Jubilee did. Tension filled the room. Everyone, even the Professor, was staring at the two men in the middle and waited for them to start. Worriedly, Jean and Storm pulled their legs closer.
After taking two circled clockwise and one anticlockwise, Scott stopped right behind his adversary. All of a sudden, he made one side step and jumped at Logan, who still had his back turned to him, with clenched fists. Gasping, the others widened their eyes, convinced that he would hurt their teacher. Scott's fist had nearly reached him as Logan ducked and turned around at the same time. Grabbing his arm, he threw his adversary to the ground. Gritting his teeth, the man jumped up; fixing his eyes on his opposite. Both were moving clockwise in a circle around the other. Again, Scott jumped at his adversary but Logan evaded his attack with an easy movement. The visored-man stopped while turning around at the same time. His fists shot forward. Logan blocked it with his right hand. He heard a sound and blocked the second hand, too, before he pushed Scott away. This one breathed heavily in frustration. Quickly, he sped up his attacks on Logan. Tried to punch him, kick him, grab him, but he didn't even touch his opposite once. Every time Logan blocked him and his counters always reached their target. The anger grew within Scott unstoppably. He wouldn't lose against a blind Wolverine in front of all X-Men and the Professor. He definitely wouldn't endure the shame. Especially since he knew that the kids would mock him with it. Lost in thoughts, he realized too late that Logan had started an attack. Unable to evade so quickly, his opposite got hold of his right arm and started to twist it. Scott used his free hand to punch him, but Logan tilted his head just in time. Using all his strength, Scott moved into the opposite direction, trying to free his arm again. Just as he thought he'd made it, Logan suddenly moved backwards, twisted his arm again and pulled it strongly into his own direction. Making a nearly 360° turn in mid air, Scott hit the mat with his back hard, while the air left his lungs immediately.
Logan took off the blindfold and looked down on him. "You're too noisy and too slow."
Panting, Scott gritted his teeth. Angrily he got up holding his back. "Easy if you've got heightened senses!" he grunted.
"I didn't win because of it," Logan said and shook his head. "You are so easy to calculate. Even without hearing you, you would have ended on the ground."
Scott snorted and walked away. Slowly, he sat down next to Hank again; still holding his aching back. "You know, he's right," the blue mutant said. "You blindly attacked him because you got too furious. And in contrast to him, you were really too slow. He didn't even use his whole strength and agility, my friend."
"Yeah, cheer me up!" the other man snorted.
Logan put the blindfold away. "Ya see that it has nothing to do with seeing or hearing your enemy. If ya stay calm and concentrate on him completely, ya can make it." He gave Jubilee a short look, which told volumes. "But of course not without practicing. You won't survive without knowledge! You can't win a fight by using your hands or legs only. You've to use your whole body and brain, otherwise ya can already order a coffin." Being completely serious, Logan looked to and fro. "Class dismissed."
"Hey!" he heard a well-known voice suddenly say and everyone turned their heads to the speaker. Jean got up and looked at him. "What about me?" she asked him. "Everyone got his chance but me!"
Logan sighed. He knew this would come even if they already had a long conversation about it early this morning. "Jean, you're in a coma for four weeks…"
"And?" she gave back while coming closer. "This won't stop them from attacking me."
He put his hands to his hip. "We're already talked about it…"
"You talked about it and I told you that I'm fine and I want to train again!" She stopped right in front of him.
"This is gonna be interesting!" Jubilee said to the other X-Men and grinned. "Anyone up for bets?"
"He won't do it!" Scott said unimpressed.
Hank shook his head. "He trained her. Believe me, by now you won't have her as your adversary!" He smiled and wanted to tease his friend. "He even taught her to fight blindfolded…"
"Yeah, that's why it's gonna be a fun to watch," Jubilee said again and smirked. "Who's for Jean?"
"Ts, and even if," Scott continued still not convinced. "He'd let her win! That's too obvious. As if he only tries to hurt her…"
"Stop being such a sourpuss!" Bobby said. "Believe me, the two of them are quiet a show!"
Ororo bent forward, resting her head in her legs while pulling them closer. "He taught her everything he knows since her return. And Logan never holds back while fighting with her. That's why he refuses it now…"
"It's not fair!" Jean said angrily and met his intransigent eyes. "I'm fine, Logan. And I want to train again, damn it!"
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Then start with some easy exercises and not with the main event!"
"You afraid to lose?" she teased him self-assured, knowing that this would hit his ego.
"Hell I am!" he gave back with a slight trace of anger in his voice.
She smirked satisfied. She knew this would work. Logan's ego as a man was just too big. "Fine, then let's start!" Jean said and bowed. "And don't even dare to hold back!" He watched her getting ready and shook his head frustrated. He should have known that this was a trick. Even if he knew that his healing factor was still working within her, he had his doubts… Still, he knew that she wouldn't give up and attack him with everything she got if he refused to react. Taking a deep breath again, he prepared himself.
First, they only looked at each other, waiting and watching. Then they began to move in a circle, keeping the distance between them; waiting for the other to start. They didn't take notice of the X-Men and students who were watching them closely in excitement. Jean was taught to block out everything that hadn't to do with a fight and she concentrated on her adversary only. All of a sudden, she made a move. Punching at him while she kept on turning her body and legs quickly. She had trained hard to work on her agility with him. He'd always been faster than her. Reacting instinctively, Logan used his arms to block her punches, while his legs kept on evading her kicks. He smirked. He knew what she was up to… While trying to hit him with her hands, she used her legs to distract him and vice versa. Actually, he thought, she should know that his strategies wouldn't work on him… Suddenly, she grabbed his collar and turned her back towards him; feeling the weight of his chest on her right shoulder. He felt how he was lifted off the ground; she tried to throw him… Quickly, he arched his back and head to lift his weight and made it impossible for her to proceed. Jean felt the weight lifting off her shoulder to her hip. He became too heavy and she knew he just evaded her attack. While Jean turned around, Logan attacked her quickly. She saw his legs shooting at hers and jumped over them. With another jumped she turned around and tried to kick him within the air. Ducking, he evaded again and blocked another one with his arms. Taking deep breaths, Jeans prepared herself. As fast a she could she used her hands and legs for all kinds of attacks, which came to her mind. She sped up her agility to its maximum and recalled everything he'd taught her. Any trick, and ploy and attack. Turning and moving like a dancer, she kept on with it while he also moved with full speed and blocked, ducked or countered. They knew they were complete equals by now…both equally skilled, with a strong will to win and only different by height and weight. He had shown her how to deal with such differences and she used this knowledge against him now.
Jean cursed as he managed to jump aside and rolled off during it, before he suddenly turned and grabbed her. Logan easily pulled her off her feet and threw her to the ground. Quickly, she turned, grabbed his collar while she let herself fall backwards and took him with her. One foot against his abdomen, she used his speed to throw him over her. Again, Logan rolled off in mid air and stood on his feet only seconds later.
"Gosh," Kitty said amazed while her chin dropped. "How did she do that! He's so heavy… I can't even manage to make him stumble for a second… And see? She can even make him sweat and pant!" Bobby smirked before he watched the two grown ups again who kept on attacking each other merciless. To him it really appeared more like dancing. Their fighting was so smooth; he had never seen anything like it. Both used their bodies so perfectly during a fight… He sighed. He really still had a lot to learn. Suddenly, Jean shrieked and landed on the ground.
"He's holding back, huh?" Hank asked Scott with a cocked eyebrow, but his opposite only shrugged.
"He did!" he only replied and watched Jean using her leg quickly, trying to keep Logan off balance but he jumped over it.
Frustrated, Jean sighed while getting up. She briefly looked at his groin and smirked. Her hand shot forward and Logan grabbed it quickly while turning her around in one move. With her left arm pinned to her back, he held her captured against his body. "Ah, ah…" Logan only said, since he knew what she wanted to do. "You're not gonna touch them, darl'," he added calmly before he smirked. "Looks like I've won, eh?" He didn't see that Jean was also smirking towards the disappointed looking women, who had bet that she'd win. Winking at them, she leant against him while he still held her in a tight grip. With a devious smirk, she rubbed her button against his loins before she ran her free hand over his groin. Biting his lips, while gasping in surprise, Logan loosened his grip for a brief moment. Quickly, Jean turned around, grabbed his right arm and twisted it as her adversary had done to Scott before. Moving as quickly as she could, Logan was unable to react so fast and soon it was him who made a 360° turn in mid air and landed on his back. Before he could get up, Jean pinned him down to the ground. As he wanted to counter she only shook her head. "Ah, ah," she made this time and still smirked while nodding down. Raising his head a bit, Logan noticed that her knee rested right over his groin. Moving wasn't such a good idea…he thought.
"You cheated!" he protested growling and narrowed his eyes.
Jean smirked. "You have to use your whole body," she cited him and heard the girls laugh cheerfully.
"Vixen!" Logan cursed and took the hand she offered him to get up. He looked at her malicious face and narrowed his eyes again, while holding his back. He'd never lost against her before. And she'd only won by using a very dirty trick. "I didn't teach you this," he grunted and shook his head.
"Ah, come on!" she laughed and linked arms with him. "You're only pissed because you lost against me."
"Nah, I'm pissed because you used a very dirty trick!" he corrected her growling.
Jean shrugged. "Not my problem when you're so sensitive down there…"
Logan cocked an eyebrow at her and snorted. "We'll see whose sensitive later," he assured her and gave her a warning look before he turned towards the class. "Class dismissed!" Jean let go of him still smirking and walked over to the girls who were still excited. Logan watched them closely.
"You trained her well," Hank suddenly said next to him.
Turning around Logan only snorted. "Too well!"
Smiling the blue mutant laid a hand on his shoulder. "She only used your tricks of distraction successfully," he laughed. "And besides, a student is only as good as its teacher!" Hank winked before he left Logan alone again.
Slowly, he made his way to the changing stall for teachers and cracked his neck. All he needed was a good shower, which might help him to relax again. He watched how Hank, Scott, Peter and Bobby entered the men's showers while talking, before he turned his attention to the girls. Kitty and Jubilee were chatting with Storm and Jean and were just about to enter the girl's shower. Quickly, he grabbed the red head's wrist. "Nope!" Logan grunted and made her look at him in surprise. "You still have a conversation with your teacher!" Without looking at the other girls who were all smirking, except Ororo, he pulled her with him into his changing stall. Closing the door behind them, he looked at her piercingly.
Jean only crossed her arms in front of her chest playfully. "You know that students are not allowed in here?" Logan shrugged and folded his hands behind his back, before he came slowly closer. He saw this special gleam in his eyes and knew what he was up to. Pinning her to the wall, he looked up and down her body, which made her heart kick into high gear while she blushed. He slowly began to undress her; keeping his eyes on hers. "So, I assume I get punished for using dirty tricks on my teacher?" she asked him playfully while leaning back against the cold wall. Logan only snorted and sealed her lips with his, while the last pieces of her clothes fell to the ground. Quickly, he got rid off his own, before he lifted her up so that she sat on his hips. Squealing she wrapped her arms around his neck when he carried her away towards the shower.
XXX
Scott and the other X-Men where standing in the gym and looked at the Professor who'd recalled them. He wanted to do another Dangerroom session with them and looked to and fro as if looking for someone. "Where are Logan and Jean?" he asked in confusion.
Jubilee and Bobby gave each other amused looks. "I think Logan's still in the shower," Hank finally said and turned around. "I'll get him."
"Ah, Hank," Bobby said and the blue mutant stopped. "You should wait at the door, you know…"
"I see…," his opposite replied smirking. Opening the door to the teacher's changing room, he carefully looked inside. "Hey you love-crazed mutant! Stop doing whatever you're doing and come out. The Professor wants to see you!" Listening carefully he heard a threatening growl. "Come on, Logan! I know you can't keen away from each other, but your presence is needed!"
Angry hazel eyes met his blue ones as Logan stepped out of the shower. "Is it too much to ask for to have five damn minutes alone?" he growled and wrapped a towel around his hip. Taking another one into his hands, he handed Jean one, who was waiting in the shower room.
"Sorry, pal! It wasn't my idea. Charles wants an additional Dangerroom exercise." Logan only snorted and rolled his eyes as an answer and began to towel his dark hair dry.
"He's pissed!" Hank warned the others while he joined them again. It didn't take long until Logan and Jean came out of the room and stopped right next to him.
"Logan, can I talk with you for a moment?" Charles asked calmly. Snorting the mutant followed him. Jean watched them talking. Not being able to hear anything they said, she had to rely on Logan's body language. He stood; arms crossed in front of the Professor and listened to him, as he suddenly met her eyes. Immediately, she felt a thick lump in her throat. Whatever Charles was up to, it included her. Wrapping her arms around herself, as she always did when she felt uncomfortable or scared, she watched Logan leaving the gym while the Professor returned to them smiling.
"What kind of Danger room session is it gonna be?" Scott asked him.
Stopping next to him, Charles looked up. "I want to do another team battle session. Since the last one you all had time to think about the mistakes you made."
"You mean me!" Scott corrected him smirking.
Xavier smiled. "Jean," he said seriously and she raised her head only as much until their eyes met. "It's your decision but I'd like to see you joining the team. Try it at least, will you?" Thinking about it for a brief moment, she nodded slowly.
"Are we fighting against the Brotherhood again?" Hank asked as they followed him out of the gym.
"No, not this time. You'll fight against a single person only." He stopped in front of the X-Men changing room and watched Logan coming out of it. Surprised the others watched as he nodded towards Charles while he pulled his leather gloves on, before he disappeared into the Danger room. Scott wrinkled his brows. "Hold on a second," he demanded and put his hands to his hips. "You don't want us to fight Logan, do you?" He looked down on the man in the wheelchair in disbelief. Scott gave a derisive laugh after he'd figured out his opposite's mimic and shook his head. "First of all, we're nine against him alone and if Wolverine shows up…"
"That's why I'm here. And Jean is inside with you." Charles folded his hands. "Logan is in much more control of the Wolverine then you think, Scott."
Hank nodded. "That's true. Our feral boy has become pretty soft lately." He winked at Jean who smiled in return despite her nervousness. "But still," he went on. "Scott's right. It's nine against one."
"Don't underestimate him!" the Professor warned and shook his head. "Weapon X designed him to be the perfect assassin, to battle and kill whole groups… And he still is if necessary."
Scott snorted folded his arms in front of his chest. "He's neither that powerful nor as dangerous as Jean…"
Charles gave him a warning look again. "He's second to Jean the most dangerous mutant on this planet, Scott! That's why I'm concerned that Erik will use the strongest mutants against him and her. And on the other hand it is a good training for you as a team. Especially with the new additions."
"So how do you want us to proceed?" Ororo asked knowing that he was right. She'd seen what Logan was capable of if necessary, so had Beast.
"After you entered the Danger room, the program will start as usual. Your aim is to bring Logan down. By pinning him to the ground in example and not by seriously hurting him of course! His aim is to do the same with you. As soon as he manages to catch one of you, the program automatically ends for this person."
Jubilee frowned. "Why?"
"Because if he gets his hands in you in a real fight," Bobby explained slowly.
"You'd be dead!" Scott finished the sentence, finally seeing the point of this exercise.
After changing into their uniforms, the X-Men entered the Danger room; watching how it immediately changed. Soon they stood in the institute's garden. "Great!" Cyclops cursed since it was dark on the outside. He observed the surrounding exactly, making sure that their adversary wasn't close by. "Jean, can you sense him?" She concentrated on her psychic link for a brief moment but shook her head in the end. "No, he can block my telepathy if he wants to."
"What scares me is that I bet he's watching us," Jubilee said. Nervously she kept on looking around, thinking that she felt his eyes on her.
"So, how do we proceed?" Beast asked and watched how Scott started to think. He shrugged, putting his arms to his hips at the same time. He had no idea how to proceed. Logan was definitely superior in this surrounding, especially in the dark. "If he's here in the garden he definitely wants to lure us into the wood… He knows every spot there, so we have to avoid it by all means." His eyes scanned the area again before he turned towards the groups. "We should stay together."
Jean shook her head. "He won't attack us as long as we're together. It will take forever if we don't split at least into two groups."
"But we're a far easier target if we separate," Storm added.
"If we split we're still," Cyclops counted them. "…six and seven per groups."
"He'll concentrate on the weakest ones first," Jean added calmly. In thoughts she kept on looking around. She couldn't even tell them how uncomfortable she felt. If he were here with her it would be far easier for her to stay calm. The others couldn't stop her if necessary.
"Jean, are you alright?" he asked her worriedly.
"Yeah." She nodded. "So how do you want us to split?"
Cyclops thought about it for a brief moment. "The weakest ones are the newbies. We have to reconcile this." He looked at them in deep thought. "Okay, we split like this." He took Jean by the hand, who looked at him in confusion, and stepped aside from the others. "Jean's team consists of Storm, Beast, Icemen, Jubilee, Wolfsbane and Karma." The addressed mutants walked over to the red head. "Mine are the rest. Three newbies per groups and the powers should be balanced in that way, too. If anything happens," he looked at them closely. "Call for help! Don't do anything stupid! He's dangerous and he knows that." The others nodded. "And keep away from the wood! My group deals with the garden down there." With that he turned around and left with his group; unaware that two eyes followed them and had watched the whole scenery.
Storm looked at Jean. From the look on her face she could tell that it was too much for her to be a leader. "Do you want me to lead them?" she asked her and the red head nodded. "Okay, everyone! Keep your eyes open and think about what Cyclops had said! If you hear or see anything, let the others know."
Cyclops and his groups reached the other side of the garden. "Keep your eyes open, guys!" he warned them. Suddenly he frowned. "Where's Shadowcat?" he asked and looked to and fro, but the girl was gone. He activated his headset. "Jean? Is Kitty still with you?" He listened to her, before he clenched his fist. "Damn it! That's impossible!" He ran a hand over his face. "Watch out, he's close by!" he warned the others. "Angel, fly up and try to find him!"
Angel nodded and soon he was in the air, looking over the scenery. He kept his eyes to the ground, scanned the area and tried to find the slightest sign of Wolverine. But it was too dark for him to really see anything. The moon only lightened up the garden a bit, but it wasn't enough for him. He saw a tree approaching right in front of him. He flew only inches above it…
"Stay together," Cyclops said aloud with his hand on his visor. He had heard a sound as if someone had fallen down a tree. "Magma, try to light up the area a bit."
"Okay!" the girl said and clenched her fists, which started to glow. Only seconds later her body was completely covered in a glaring red light and she radiated an unbelievable heat. Cyclops and the others watched how their sight became a bit better. It was enough to see at least few meters ahead.
"Angel, do you see him somewhere?" he asked his teammate through the headset and waited for an answer. "Angel, do you copy?" Cursing he backed off a bit. "Concentrating on the weak ones first, huh?" he snorted.
Colossus looked at him. "He does," he replied. "Angel and Kitty were the weak ones of our group…"
Cyclops had to admit that he was right even if he didn't like the idea. "The weak ones of Jean's group…" he said while checking the area again. "What do you think?"
The huge man shrugged. "Jubilee and Wolfsbane maybe…" He turned his head quickly to the right and narrowed his eyes. He was sure he'd seen something. Concentrating hard, he made two steps forward.
"What?" Cyclops asked him. "Did you see him?"
"I'm not sure," Colossus replied. "It was probably nothing." Nevertheless, he turned into his organic form. "I think he's there." He pointed towards the bushes.
"Hey, wait!" the leader said and hold him back. "He wants us to split. If you go, we're an even easier target!"
"Well, Wolverine doesn't obviously care, right?" his opposite replied. "He caught Kitty and she was right next to us and Angel." Colossus turned his attention towards the bushes again. "If he catches me, you can still join Jean's group again."
Cyclops crossed his arms in front of his chest. He knew that it was risky. Wolverine only waited for this chance. Nonetheless, they were defensive the whole time through and it had already cost them two members. He looked up at the giant boy who waited for his decision. "Hold on a second!" Pushing the speaker button on his headset, he looked at him. "Jean, are Jubilee and Wolfsbane still with you?" Cyclops listened before he nodded towards his opposite. "Okay, take Sunfire with you!"
Sunfire followed his partner. He was nervous and his heart nearly broke his chest. He wasn't only scared because this was his first Danger room session in which he took part in; he also felt like he was being watched. He knew Wolverine was watching them; knew that he was close by… Nervously, he turned quickly around, believing that his adversary was standing right behind him. Relieved he turned around again and bumped into Colossus who'd stopped. "Sorry…"
"You can shoot plasma, right?" he heard the Russian man asking and nodded. "Yeah."
Colossus pointed towards the bushes. "Fire at them. If he hides there he has to come out." Sunfire concentrated. Feeling even more miserable than before, he stretched out his hands. Bright glowing plasma shot through the air, flying into the direction of the green plants. Soon they were set on fire. It didn't take long until every bush caught fire and illuminated the area more than Magma was able to do before. Colossus narrowed his eyes. He waited for Wolverine to come out. "He was there," he said more to himself than to the young boy on his right.
"Precisely," someone suddenly growled right next to them. "I was!" Gasping for air, both X-Men turned around in an instant. Instinctively, Sunfire began to throw plasma into every direction. His heart kicked into high gear. He'd been right before…Wolverine had been behind him.
"Stop it!" Colossus demanded. "You're hitting me too!" Panting, the boy stopped shaking all over. "Stay calm! I'm with you!" His surrounding was completely still. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire and their irregular breaths. Suddenly, they heard a threatening growl. "Can you see him?"
"No," Sunfire panted and backed off in fear until he bumped against something. First thinking that it was a tree, he swallowed hard all of a sudden. "Co…Colossus…" he stuttered. Seeing his comrade turning around, he heard a snikt at the same time. Feeling a hand grabbing him from behind, he soon saw the Danger room turning back to normal.
Colossus had grabbed his headset in the meanwhile. "I got him! He's over here!" he said, before Wolverine threw himself at him uttering a loud primal scream. Glancing to the side, the huge mutant saw Cyclops and Magma approaching at full speed. He only had to occupy his adversary long enough. Seeing the sharp claws pointing at him, he evaded the attack with a side step. Still one pair of the razor sharp weapons cut his organic metal, sending sparks into the air. He knew he'd be dead. His adversary would have hit his heart if he hadn't been in his mutant form. Growling, Wolverine turned around, slashing at him. Quickly, Colossus grabbed his arms and twisted it as he'd learned it from him. Desperately, he tried to hold onto the feral mutant who kept on attacking him. As one of Cyclops beams hit the ground next to him, he felt Magma's heat coming closer, Punching Wolverine once he grabbed his collar and tried to throw him into the attack of the girl. Roaring, his adversary kicked him hard in mid air and hit his cheek with a painful elbow punch right afterwards. Stumbling, Colossus tried to prevent himself from falling. Realizing too late that Wolverine had already started his next attack, he only felt a hard bump on his back, before he flew directly into Magma's and Cyclops's next attack.
"Damn!" the leader cursed, while Magma stopped in shock. "No," she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. She heard Cyclops calling for help, while he attacked Wolverine with his beams. She on the contrary couldn't move. And her adversary noticed it with a short glance at her. Growling, he evaded the beams with quick moves; fought his way closer to her before she came over the shock.
"Magma, move!" Cyclops yelled and cursed as his beam hit empty air again. In despair he jumped at his enemy; trying to stop him from attacking the girl, but Wolverine already had brought Magma down who started an attack too late. "Guys, I need help!" Cyclops yelled into the speaker again and heard a thunderstorm coming up. Once more he kept on firing beams at him. Watching satisfied as two of them ripped the leather off his opposite's uniform. Gritting his teeth, Wolverine jumped at him with raised arms. Roaring, he hit the ground as Cyclops evaded the attack and barely jumped aside as a beam destroyed the spot where he'd been. Cyclops quickly looked to the side and saw the second team coming closer. Hearing another growl, he ducked as Wolverine tried to punch him. His counter stroked his enemy's cheek barely, before all air left his lungs all at once. Holding his belly, Cyclops dropped to the knees and gasped for air. Far away, he heard one of Storm's lightning bolts approaching, but he also saw three sharp claws striking out and coming closer to his head.
Storm's eyes glowed white while she sent a bolt right into the direction of Wolverine. Rising into the air, she stretched out her arms and began to turn quickly around her own axis. Like a spinning top, she gathered the air around herself, causing it to build a whirlwind before she shot down on her adversary, who'd watched her closely. With tensed muscles he saw her gaining speed. Quickly, he rolled off and jumped as she tried to hit him with another bolt right after she'd landed. Evading one of Iceman's beams, he kicked Beast hard before he jumped at Karma. She was their weakest link now, despite her ability to control minds. Uttering another primal scream, of which he knew would scare her to death, he ran at her at full speed and brought her down before Beast could reach him with his attack. Panting and sweating, Wolverine gritted his teeth while he kept on watching them. He covered his eyes as a hailstorm attacked him and rolled aside when another ice beam approached in the middle of it. Attacking Jean was too risky. He wouldn't dare to make her freak out. He knew she was scared by the way she looked. Growling, Wolverine met Beast's next attack and punched him. Letting out a sharp breath he suddenly landed on the back. "Pin him down!" Beast yelled and jumped at him again followed by Iceman, but his adversary was quicker. Moving aside, Iceman's beam hit Beast instead of Wolverine. Not passing up the opportunity, he finished him next. Angrily, Storm threw another bolt at him, followed by a snowstorm. Protecting his eyes growling, Wolverine jumped aside. Thinking, he calculated his next attacks.
Heavily breathing, Storm joined Jean who had her eyes fixed on him. "Can't you make him stop or something?" she asked her before shooting another bolt at him. "Jean, stop being afraid. We have to beat him!" Frowning, she watched Wolverine smirking at her. She knew he was up to something. Before she could react, he disappeared into the dark part of the garden. "Damn it!" Storm cursed. "Come on!" She grabbed Jean's hand and ran after him, trying to keep up with his speed. They kept on looking around and followed the noises he made. All of a sudden everything was completely calm. Confused, Storm started at the mansion's walls. "Did you see where he went?" she asked Jean who seemed to be as surprised as she was.
The re head shook her head. "No…" Scanning the area, they walked a few steps. "But he can't be inside. We would have heard a door at least…"
"But there's nowhere to hide," Storm replied calmly and turned around to check the area behind them. "Damn, why does it have to be night!"
Jean looked up into the sky. She remembered what the Professor had told her. She was able to do anything she could imagine… But could she also manipulate the computer? Lost in thoughts she didn't notice that Storm was watching her.
"Everything alright?"
Jean met her eyes. "Yeah," she said while her heart kicked into high gear. "I want to try something."
Her friend shrugged. "As long as it helps to find him…fine with me!" She watched as Jean looked up again. Gasping she saw her eyes burning like fire. Within seconds, an artificial sun lightened the room up. "Wow…" she only said completely surprised and eyed her surrounding; not noticing the weird look Jean suddenly gave her. "Didn't know you could do that!" Turning around again, her eyes widened. "Look out!" she yelled too late as Wolverine already jumped off the wall right above their heads. Making a half turn in the air, he landed right behind her and threw her to the ground. Jean backed off a little. She was the only one left now…
Retracting his claws, Wolverine sighed and cracked his head. "Nice trick!" he stated and cocked an eyebrow. "So," he continued and put his hands to his hips. "Do we leave it at it?"
"You want me to give up without trying?" she asked him surprised.
He smirked. "Darlin', ya could have done this nice little trick of yours way earlier. One raised hand of ya could have finished me before I'd gotten my hands on Kitty." He shook his head. "You're afraid. So ya don't have to fight if ya don't want to…" He crossed his arms in front of his chest and tilted his head a bit; his eyes had this special gleam in them. "Or did you want this to end like that, eh?"
Jean shook her head smiling. She couldn't believe that he really was flirting wit her in this situation. Nevertheless, she knew that he's always flirting with her. He didn't care about the right time or place. "So you think that I wouldn't attack you?"
"You wouldn't!" Wolverine shook his head again.
"You're convinced of it, huh?" Jean asked playfully.
He shrugged and wobbled his head as he'd done at the Blackbird at Alkali Lake. "As I said, you could have…" Before he realized it, she'd sent him flying backwards. Grimacing, he hit the ground hard with his pelvis. Growling, he slowly got up and a familiar snikt echoed through the garden. "Fine! Your choice!" Jean watched him running at her and left the ground. Quickly, Wolverine jumped at the wall and buried his claws into it, making his way to her. As he reached her height he uttered a primal scream and jumped off, aiming his claws at her. She quickly sent a wave at him. But he was faster and evaded it. Shrieking, Jean felt him grabbing her and was thankful that he'd retracted his claws before touching her. Holding onto her, Wolverine smirked. "What now? Sending me backwards against wall? Smashing me to the ground?" His eyes sparkled. "I don't want to hurt you, Jeannie. So let's end this." Suddenly, he felt rigid and cocked an eyebrow. Her eyes glowed fiery and she pushed him back a bit. "You know that you don't have a chance, do you?" she asked him bluntly. Wolverine frowned, feeling scared first that her counterpart would show up. Then he realized that she was teasing him. "And ya know that I'm the father of ya kids, do ya?" He shot back looking down and feeling sick. "So ya want me to give up?"
Jean shrugged. "Well, I could also send you through the garden like a ball. Especially since you love flying so much…"
He snorted. "Ya wouldn't do that!"
"You bet!"
Looking down again he suddenly felt his stomach turning. She was right. He hated flying and he knew that she would do it at least once. Sighing, he finally nodded. "Fine, put me down!"
Smiling brightly, Jean landed on the ground again. Looking aside, she didn't notice his evil smirk. With one jump he'd pinned her down to the ground and the Danger room turned back to normal. Cocking a surprised eyebrow, Jean looked up at him. She'd fallen for his trick. "You cheated!" she complaint while he still sat astride on her and kept her immobile to the ground. Logan only shrugged. "Well, then ya finally know what it feels like, darlin'. And I never said I gave up!" Narrowing her eyes she wanted to send him backwards as he kissed her.
"Idiot!" Jean cursed when he lifted her up. "You know that I've won! You said fine put me down!"
Logan shook his head. "Never said yeah, you've won, Red! And besides, ya knew that I'd won in the gym," he gave back. "Ya not the only one who can play dirty, gorgeous!" Snorting, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Chuckling, he pulled her close and gave her another kiss. "Come on, honey! Who's the sourpuss now, eh?" Even if she tried to be angry, Jean had to smirk. "That's better!"
"I'll get my revenge!" she warned him and took his hand.
"Anytime, Jeannie," Logan replied before they joined the other's in the Conference-Room.
XXX
It was in the evening when most X-Men sat in the kitchen. Over dinner, Scott suddenly looked over to Kitty. "Can you tell me when he actually got you?" he asked her the question that kept on occupying him. "None of us had heard or saw anything."
"Well, don't ask me," the girl shrugged. "I was walking behind Peter and suddenly the room changed back to normal."
"Well, our feral boy was pretty quick in taking the newbies out." Beast nodded while he gave Scott a short look. "How're your ribs?"
"Fine again." He reached over the basket to Ororo. "So, what do you think about the results?"
Upstairs, Logan dozed on the bed while he snuggled up to Jean, who lay next to him. Resting his head in her shoulder he just enjoyed the feeling she gave him as she suddenly began to turn around. Growling, he opened his eyes briefly as she cuddled up to him this time. Logan snorted and put on a hurt face. "What's wrong?" she asked him confused and looked into his eyes.
"Nothing, apart from that it was my cuddling time, damn it," he snapped. Jean could only smirk and giggled. "Ya think that's funny? Ya interrupted my well-earned nap!"
"Oooh," Jean purred and suppressed a laugh. Shaking her head, she let go off him and rolled over her arms. "Come here you softie and stop that moaning!"
Growling slightly, he placed his head in her belly and closed his eyes again. Jean couldn't help but smile, even if a picture haunted her. He had done this so often during her pregnancy. Absently, she began to stroke his hair. "Still not used to it," he grunted and stroked her belly gently.
"To what?"
"Not hearing them here anymore," he replied sleepily.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment. "Well, you can see them instead…"
"I know. Still it's strange." Logan turned his head a bit and looked up at her. "Ya up for a movie? Otherwise I'll be asleep soon."
Jean nodded. "Yeah, why not?" Smirking he kissed her and got up. "I'll get the kids ready, you take a blanket! And no girly movie!"
XXX
Beast got another bottle of juice out of the fridge. "Still, we have to keep in mind what Charles said," he said before he joined the others again. "We made a lot of mistakes. If I think about it, I can't even believe how easily our feral friend eliminated us."
Yeah. When I think about it now," Ororo added, "then I can't believe with how many more things I could have come up with."
Beast nodded. "And that's the point. We only had one adversary… Magneto might come up with a whole army."
Scott raised a hand. "Sorry when I correct you, but we had an adversary who was created to be an assassin!"
"He wasn't created!" she snapped and gave him an angry look. "He's not a thing!"
"Okay, trained, programmed…whatever!" he said to calm her again.
"Nonetheless," Hank intervened, "the exercise has clearly shown that we seriously have to make plans! Sabretooth might be not as dangerous as Logan…"
"He's far more dangerous than Logan!" Scott said in surprise.
"No, he's not! Logan can control the berserker. Sabretooth doesn't want to control him, which makes him act irrationally sometimes. Logan can calculate his attacks and only gives in to Wolverine if necessary or if he really can't stop him anymore," Hank explained and looked to and fro between them. Even the kids gave him their complete attention. "I once did a test on him. During a fight, his brain activity is as high as someone who would battle four master chess computers at the same time. And sorry if I might destroy your picture of Logan," he smirked and gave Scott an amused look. "But Sabretooth isn't the smartest. And Logan is far more experienced in life due to his expanded life span. You heard what Jean once said. He might even be older than the Professor and that gives him a great advantage! Don't forget he held back in the exercise!"
"True," Scott nodded.
"Whatever," Bobby intervened and stroked Rogue's back while she rested her head on his shoulder. "If Magneto shows up with an army… then we're in a lot of trouble! We managed fine on Alcatraz because we were supported by a whole army."
The others nodded lost in thoughts. "I still don't understand why Charles wants to keep Logan and Jean out of the battle," the blue mutant added. "They're the best offence we have…"
"If all else fails they're the last ones to protect the students. And someone has to stay with them!" Peter told them.
"Well, I hope it doesn't come that far," Scott replied calmly and put his glass down. "We have to attack them with everything we got. No matter if we kill them. It's either us or them this time!" He looked at the X-Men who only nodded before they turned their attention to the door.
"What?" Logan grunted since everyone stared at him as if he was from another planet. He shook his head and walked over to the cupboard. Soon the humming sound of the microwave echoed through the room. Logan lifted Jack up a bit and stroked his back while he prepared two bottles at the same time. Cocking an eyebrow, he gave the others an annoyed look. "Ya can go on talking about me. I don't care anyway!" he grunted, since no one said anything and they'd heard them talking before.
"We were actually talking about Magneto," Jubilee answered while she smiled at the boy.
"Hmm," he growled and took the popcorn out of the microwave before he tipped it into a bowl. Scott watched him leave. "I think I know why Charles wants them to protect the students…" It suddenly had hit him after he'd watched the small boy. Storm wrinkled her brows and also Hank waited for an explanation. "Think about it," their opposite continued and bent forward a bit. "If only one of the twins is in possession of both its parents powers and if Magneto gets his hands on them… They become a deadly threat!"
"Cyke," a chilly voice behind him suddenly said and the man turned around. Logan threw something into the trash bin. "Do ya ever dare to call my kids a threat again," he said menacingly and made the others look at each other, since they'd noticed the sparkle in his eyes. "And I show ya what kind of threat I can become. Got that, bub?"
"They'll become a threat in the wrong hands."
"We all can!" Logan shot back and gave him a warning look. "And if anyone only intends to hurt them, I'll kill that one! No matter whom it is!" With that he left.
"That's for sure," Bobby said impressed before he looked at his girlfriend. "Are you alright?"
She opened her eyes a bit. "Yeah, but tired." He rubbed her back a bit. "Come on, I'll take you upstairs." Getting off his stool he helped her off hers and laid a hand around her waist. "Night guys! And don't let the Wolverine bite you!"
"Bobby!" she warned. "He's not in his best mood, so don't push it any further!"
"Sorry," he excused calmly. "It was just a joke."
Rogue laid a hand on her abdomen. "He just wants to protect his family. I'd react in the same way if anything would threaten Isabella."
"I know," Bobby assured her seriously. "Me too…"
Smiling up at him, she leant against his shoulder before they entered the elevator.
"Okay, I'd say we plan another session for tomorrow," Scott said and nearly fell off his chair as a loud bampf echoed through the kitchen. "What the…"
Like him, everyone else had jumped off his or her stools, thinking immediately that it was an attack. Closely and preparing themselves for a counter if necessary, they stared at the thick black smoke, which faded slowly.
"Oh, guten Tag!" Growling, Hank jumped forwards as Ororo held him back quickly. "Stop! It's a friend!" Cocking an eyebrow at her, Hank looked at the blue, devil-like mutant in front of him. "Who is this?"
Before Ororo could answer the addressed mutant got up from the floor. "Kurt Wagner. But in the Munich circus I was known as…"
"It's Kurt!" she intervened quickly before she smiled at her friend. "So good to see you!" Walking over to him, she embraced him tightly. Scott still looked at him skeptically. He remembered that Kurt had left after Alkali Lake since he couldn't deal with all the fighting. "What are you doing here?" he asked him harsher than he wanted to. "You left the team… So why are you back?"
Offended Kurt looked down while Ororo shot a deadly look at Cyclops. Laying a head on his shoulder she smiled warmly at Kurt. She couldn't tell why, but she was very glad to see him again. "Why are you back?"
His yellow eyes met her blue ones. "Logan called me. He said you guys need help."
"Why didn't he tell us?" Scott said annoyed. "He's the new leader, I know, so spare me that look, 'Ro! But he can't make decisions without telling us!"
"He called for help which we desperately need!" Hank gave back.
"And he knows what he's doing!" Peter added after shaking Kurt's hand. "Good to see you again, Kurt!" He finally had his Danger room partner back. With him and Logan he still loved to train the most. It was completely different with them than with Scott. Especially since Kurt taught them some acrobatically stuff, while Logan trained them in Martial Arts.
"Get a grip, honestly," Jubilee mumbled more to herself but Scott had heard it.
"Sorry for my manners," Hank changed the topic in surprise. "I'm Hank McCoy. Also called Beast. Nice to meet you!"
The other blue mutant shook his head. "Nice to meet you too, mein Herr!"
"Will you sit down or go to Logan and the Professor first?" Ororo asked him. "Are you hungry?"
"Nein danke," Kurt smiled at her shyly. "I'd like to talk to Logan first. He wanted me to do so."
"Okay, come one! I'll take you to him." She took him by the hand, which Hank noticed. "You'll be surprised when you see him!" She winked and walked down the corridor with him.
"Why?"
"Well, let's say it in Wolverine-terms," she smirked. "He's successfully reproduced himself and is now father of twins. But don't let it fool you!" she warned him. "He's still the same old grumpy Logan. Still, he's become pretty soft."
"Oh," Kurt made since it really was news to him. "Who's the mother?"
"Jean."
Surprised he stopped. "But she died… I saw it…"
Ororo sighed. "A lot happened since you left, Kurt," she explained calmly. "I tell you the short version."
In the TV-room, Jean rested between Logan's legs against his chest while Lily lay on her chest. Covered with a blanket they watched the first part of The Lord of the Rings in silence; both half asleep. Absently, Logan stroked her arms and gave Jack, who slept in his left arm a short loving look. "Here they are." Surprised both mutants looked up and saw Ororo approaching followed by someone they knew.
"Kurt," Jean gasped and lifted up a bit, holding her daughter tight. The blue mutant waved at her. Logan smirked. He'd not believed that Nightcrawler would react so quickly. He recalled the phone call they had earlier that day and how Kurt had stuttered some German stuff, which, to Logan's great surprise, he'd understood. "Du bist also doch gekommen, eh?" he asked him still smirking.
"What?" Jean had turned around quickly and gave him a strange look.
"What what?" he asked her back not knowing what she meant.
"What did you just say?"
"You heard me," Logan replied with a cocked eyebrow.
"Yeah, we heard it, but you spoke some other language," Storm explained, mildly surprised. Then she noticed the look Jean gave her. Wondering what it might be about she looked down.
"German," Kurt suddenly said. "You spoke German, my friend."
Looking at them in disbelief, Logan's mind kept on working. He hadn't noticed that he accidentally hadn't spoken English. He apparently had been too lost in his memory of their conversation on the phone and his shock as he realized that he understood him that he hadn't noticed it. He really needed to get some sleep… "Sorry, I said…so you came."
Jean still eyed him suspiciously. "How come you speak German?"
"Dunno!" he shrugged feeling uneasy with everyone staring at him. "I figured it out while speaking to him on the phone."
She nodded and started to think. If he was able to speak German he might even have knowledge of some other languages, too. "Did you ever look at the foreign languages books we have in the library?" she suddenly asked him since she too was curious.
Cocking an eyebrow at her he shook his head. "Nope, why?"
"Do it!" Jean said before she got up and shot another look at Ororo. "Kurt, you want to see the Professor?" she asked him and paying attention not to wake Lily.
"Yes, that would be nice," he replied.
She smiled at him, ignoring Ororo. "Come on. I'll take you to him." Leaving with him, she left the other two looking at them.
When Jean was far enough away, Ororo quickly turned around and gave Logan a frightened look.
"You didn't tell her, do you?"
"Are ya nuts?" he replied knowing immediately what she meant. "As long as ya don't, I don't."
"Then why is she looking at me like this?" she asked him despaired and kept on thinking if she might have done something wrong. Nevertheless, she couldn't remember anything…
"Dunno," Logan only grunted and got up.
XXX
Upstairs, Jean knocked on Scott's door and waited for him to open. She had to talk with someone. This picture was bothering her too much. "Hey," he said surprised and looked at her and the baby. "What's wrong?" Scott waved her in, since he could immediately tell that something was wrong. She looked very disturbed. Jean stepped inside and sighed, while he closed the door. "I…" she began and looked at her daughter for a brief moment.
"Hey," he said calmly and laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. You know you can tell me…"
"In the Danger room, after I manipulated the computer… I accidentally caught a picture from Ororo's mind," Jean explained nervously and swallowed.
Scott crossed his arms in front of his chest. "What was it about?"
Starting to breathe heavily she shook her head in despair and fought back tears. "Her kissing Logan," she replied barely audible and bit her lip. Scott let out a deep sigh and shook his head. "I warned you about him. I always said he'd hurt you one day…"
Jean swallowed and tried to control her emotions again. She didn't know what to think. "It was a strange scene… I don't know what to think about it." She looked down as she remembered what she wanted to ask him. "It was you who gave him the rings, wasn't it?"
Scott nodded slightly. "Yeah," he answered. "From the way he was acting when you were in that coma, I thought that he really loved you… Especially after what he did for you."
"But why did you do it?" she asked him in confusion and wrinkled her brows. "I always thought you hated him…" She felt her heart beating against her chest. She was too confused and disturbed to think straight.
"Beast said something," he said calmly and recalled the conversation he had with him months ago. "If you really love her, then you let her go… And you said you're happy with him. So I believed you…" He couldn't tell her how hard it actually was for him. How much it hurt him to stay calm while he saw the two of them together…
Jean was deeply touched. She didn't know that he still loved her that much and was even willing to let her go. She shed some tears due to the emotional roller coaster within her and hugged him. Scott closed his eyes while his heart broke. He still loved her so much that he couldn't even find words for it. Without thinking about it, he cupped her face and kissed her tenderly. Kissing him back first, Jean suddenly came to her senses again and broke the kiss. Looking at each other in shock, neither of them said anything first…
XXX
Logan sat in the kitchen and drank a beer while he smirked at Hank who acted all childish with Jack on his arms. Ororo and Kurt sat right next to him and also watched the scenery amused. "And I'm the softie, huh?" Logan chuckled and sipped on his beer as his nose suddenly caught a familiar smell. Turning around he saw Jean and Scott entering and his smile faded. Something was wrong about her. Ororo noticed it and gave Hank a worried smile. Stopping right next to them, Jean met Logan's eyes who eyed her suspiciously; he still tried to find out what was bothering him. Getting up, he bent down to her side and inhaled her scent. Slowly, he leant back again and narrowed his eyes. The others exchanged glances while Scott frowned. He just couldn't figure out what Logan was doing. Nevertheless, Jean knew. From the moment he'd looked at her she knew what was going on in his head. Her heart was beating strongly again. She felt scared… After looking down, Logan gave Scott a short look before he kissed her quickly. Breaking the kiss a knowing smirk was visible on his lips. Now he finally knew why she smelled different… Without looking at them again, Logan left the kitchen angrily.
"What was that?" Scott asked completely confused now.
Jean only stared down in shock. "He knows…" Quickly she handed over Lily to Kurt and ran after Logan. She had to explain it to him somehow. Stopping at the door, she saw him down the hall and ran. Finally she caught his hand. "Wait!"
Logan gave her an angry look. "Leave me alone!"
"No, you don't understand…"
He pulled his arms roughly away and made her back off a bit. "There's nothing I need to understand. Ya kissed him!"
Breathing heavily, on the one hand from running after him, on the other from the feelings, which kept on playing mad within her, she looked up at him. "He kissed me."
"Hope ya enjoyed it!" he hissed and turned around.
"You kissed her too, so where's the difference?" Jean suddenly yelled at him, feeling the disappointment in him now.
Snorting he had to smirk and faced her again. "So this is why ya acted so strangely, huh?" he shot back coldly.
"You have no right to be self-righteous here now, Logan!" she gave back. "So where's the difference?"
"The difference? I can tell ya where the difference is!" Logan yelled back. "She kissed me. I didn't kiss her back!"
"Me neither…," Jean replied and looked down.
"Ya think I'm stupid?" he hissed angrily and gave her a cold look. "Ya don't only smell like him… Ya also taste like him!"
In the meanwhile, Hank had asked Scott a couple of times what had happened. He knew that Logan was short of temper, but he could sense that this outburst they could hear from down the hallway had mainly to do with the man in front of him. Giving him an angry look, Hank waited.
"I kissed her," Scott finally admitted and looked away.
Hank let out a snort and shook his head. He couldn't believe that Scott was really so stupid. "May I tell you what Wolverine's abilities are? Just in case you haven't noticed? Enhanced senses! Smelling AND tasting included!"
"Funny!" Scott snapped and shot a look at Ororo who was watching him.
Thinking for a short moment, Hank suddenly frowned. "That makes me think… Did I miss something or how comes he knows how you…taste?" Smirking he watched his opposite gritting his teeth in anger.
Suddenly, Logan reappeared. The anger he felt was clearly mirrored in his face as he stopped in front of Scott. Everyone thought he would kill Scott or hurt him as he grabbed the collar of the man in front of him. Roughly, Logan pulled him close and met his gaze. "Get out of my sight!" he hissed with a very low voice, which made the alarm ring out within the others. Scott pushed him away and was ready to fight him if necessary, while Logan growled threatening.
"Logan, keep calm. You can talk about it!" Hank intervened before the situation got worse and handed the baby over to Ororo. He wanted to be ready if the two men decided to cut their head's off.
"There's nothing to say!" Logan snapped. "I told ya to stay away from my girl, bub!"
"For what?" Scott replied sarcastically. "So that you can have a thing with her?" He nodded towards Ororo. Her eyes widened as she figured out that she's been right before. Jean had found out… She knew that everything was her fault. Looking to the side she noticed the look Hank gave her.
"Ya think that, huh?" Logan growled and felt his claws touching his skin. "Get out of my sight, bub or I swear to God I'll cut ya into pieces!"
Scott shrugged arrogantly. "I wanna see ya trying!" Nevertheless he was sick of the situation as Jean entered the kitchen. He turned around and took a tray into his hands. "I still have to feed Mystique anyway," he added and shot one last deadly look at Logan whose eyes already began to darken. "Besides…" he began but Jean raised a hand.
"Don't!" she begged him. Nodding he left, while she turned around to look at Logan who was still furious. "Logan, please…" she reached out and tried to touch him, but he pulled away.
"Remember us kissing at the Blackbird?" he asked her growling. "I surprised ya by doing it and ya couldn't pull away so fast. Same thing happened!" She only looked at him, still feeling the stitch in her heart. She didn't know what to believe, even if she knew he wouldn't lie to her. "If ya don't believe me ask her or look for yourself, but I'm not gonna discuss this trust issue again!" he hissed coldly feeling his heart breaking within his chest. "Either ya do trust me or we leave it!" He gave her an angry look, while Hank and Kurt only exchanged glances. Ororo panted and felt tears gathering in her eyes. This really was her fault… Jean hid her pain and returned the look he gave her. "So… You gonna tell me that it's over?" she asked him bluntly, fighting the voice in her head which told her to stop.
Logan shrugged emotionless. "Depends on ya. But I'm sick of discussing it over and over again…"
Before Jean could answer, Ororo intervened by jumping off her stool. "Please stop!" she begged. Crying heavily she turned to face Jean who only gave her a short look before she met Logan's eyes again. "It's my fault, Jean, really!" she cried pleadingly. "Please don't blame him. It was my entire fault, I swear!" Finally, her opposite's cold eyes met hers. "Ignore me for the rest of your life, but please don't split! The two of you have a family now… It was really only my fault!"
Logan leant against the counter, both arms crossed in front of his chest. He didn't look at her or Jean. Hank cleared his throat to get the attention of them. He looked at them completely serious. "She's right! The two of you have these two kids here," he began as calmly as possible, working with all his diplomatic tricks. "You can't bite each other's heads of each time you have a fight… Even if this here was serious, it's not only about the two of you! And your decision will also affect the two here. And besides," he continued and met Jean's and Logan's eyes, knowing that they were thinking about what he said. "You love each other." Jean swallowed and looked at Logan like a schoolgirl who just had her first telling off with her headmaster. He returned her look but still showed no emotions. It was hard to tell what he was really thinking. She knew he was shutting himself off to protect himself from any more painful things…
XXX
In the basement, Scott had reached Mystique's cell at the same time after Logan and Jean had start fighting again. He shortly noticed her three new scars, which were clearly visible on her blue skin. Everyone who met her immediately knew whom she fought against. All three scars consisted of three scratched each. The mark of Wolverine… He didn't say anything and kept on preparing the meal for her, but she smirked. She could tell by the look of him that he wasn't in a good mood. Even if she was kept in this place for months now, she still knew her order. Even if being captured wasn't plan, she recalled that she was supposed to make trouble. It had worked well with Wolverine, so why shouldn't it work with him too? "Pissed off?" Mystique asked him smiling.
"Shut up!" Scott replied and pulled the tray through the small opening in the bars.
She still smiled. It couldn't be more perfect that he was apparently angry. "Why?" she asked, acting as if she hadn't hurt him before. "Did you finally found out what your precious girlfriend and Wolverine did in the woods at Alkali Lake?"
Scott frowned for a brief moment and looked in her smiling face. "I already know it," he hissed. "So save your breath!"
"You know about the kiss," she purred, "or what happened afterwards in Jean's tent?" Still smirking at him she watched him meeting her eyes skeptically. Mystique knew she was going to win this…
XXX
Just as Jean was about to say something, Scott stormed into the kitchen. Immediately the others looked at his furious face. "So the two of you only kissed once, huh?" he said to Jean through gritted teeth. Slowly and not knowing what changed his mood so drastically, Jean backed off a little. The sight of him scared her. She had never seen him like that before. The others were now completely confused. A minute ago the thought they'd finally helped Logan and Jean overcome their fight and now Scott came up with another problem. Logan watched him closely as Scott walked over to Jean. He instantly knew that this would end bed… Instinctively, he positioned himself in front of her. "What has gotten into you, bub?" he asked him and cocked and eyebrow in confusion.
"Shut up, Logan! I warn you, just shut up!" Scott suddenly exclaimed and his muscles tensed, while Jean winced and stepped behind Logan; grabbing his arm in fear.
"What's wrong with you?" Hank now asked since he didn't understand anything.
Scott gave a derisive laugh. "What's wrong?" he asked sarcastically and smiled. "Nothing! Besides the fact that they'll had quite a lot of fun together in the woods at Alkali Lake," he added through gritted teeth. "Right, Jean?" He glared at her with pure hatred, while her eyes widened in shock. She didn't know how he found out, but she was sure he didn't mean the kiss… The other only looked to and fro between them; confusion clearly mirrored on their face.
"Look, ya got the whole point wrong!" Logan tried it calmly but Scott immediately grabbed his collar and slammed him against the counter. Being awoken by the unfamiliar noise, Lily and Jack started to cry heavily. Ororo gave Kurt a look and he understood what she meant. "We'll wait outside!" she said to Jean and both left while they tried to soothe the twins.
Logan felt the rage coming up within him again. "Let go of me, boy!" he warned his opposite with a more then menacing voice. He felt how he lost his temper quickly. Grabbing him angrily, he tried to get rid off him, but Scott held on tightly. Jean swallowed hard. She had to do something. "Scott, please let me explain…"
He gave her a cold look and for the first time ever, he was glad that no one could see his eyes. "There's nothing to explain," he nearly yelled at her. "You betrayed me with him and lied to me about it!"
"No, it wasn't like that!" she begged him in despair; feeling completely lost right now.
Again, Logan tried to get rid off him and growled threatening. "Mystique told ya, right?" he stated, knowing that she was the source of it. "Very reliable source," he added sarcastically.
"Scott, calm down and let us talk", Hank begged him now and got off his chair.
"Talking won't do", Scott hissed. "Hope you had fun with her!" Furiously, he pushed Logan roughly away and looked at Jean with cold and hurt eyes. "I never realized you were such a slut!" Angrily, Logan jumped at him and punched him hard into the face. Grabbing him roughly, he threw the man against the counter, pinning him to it, while his claws cut through his skin. "Don't ya ever dare to call her like that again!" he barked and pushed him aside. With a loud sound, Scott smashed into the fridge before Hank was able to intervene. By looking at Logan he knew that Wolverine was not only close by anymore. To him it appeared more that both were in this room at the same time… "Stop it! Don't make it worse!" he begged his friend and watched how he breathed heavily, fighting against the beast within him. Jean wasn't able to move. She had trouble to realize everything that happened in the last hour. She couldn't believe that Scott really found out… That one got up from the floor panting and walked towards the door. "You two really fit!" he snapped disgusted. "After the fight is over, I'll leave! Then you can have as much fun as you want. I don't give a damn about anyone of you anymore!" He left outraged, while Jean buried her face in her hands. Sliding to the floor she began to cry heavily. Ororo and Kurt reentered with widened and disturbed eyes. Exchanging glances with Hank, they understood that it was better not to say anything. He looked at Logan who supported himself against the counter, eyes closed and the head lowered. He fought hard against Wolverine, tried to lock him into the cage again while he roared within him. Hank slowly kneeled down next to Jean, while Ororo and Kurt still watched the whole scenery. "What was this about," Hank asked softly. "What did he mean?"
Logan turned around. His eyes mirrored the battle he was still fighting. "Nothing!" he snapped.
"That wasn't nothing, Logan!"
Ignoring the blue mutant, he looked at Jean who was still crying and sobbing heavily. Kneeling down next to her he pulled her close. She immediately clung to him desperately.
"What was the stuff with Alkali Lake about?" Hank asked again.
"Leave it!" Logan hissed annoyed while he tried to soothe Jean.
"No, I won't leave it!" his opposite gave back. "We are in a critical time here right now and don't need any stories to distract us, Logan!"
Logan got angrier with every second. "Last warning!" he hissed. "It's nothin' to ya!"
"It is, since it affects the X-Men!" Hank gave back, aware of his opposite's eyes changing. "So what was it about?"
"We kissed, End of story!" Logan snapped menacing.
"But Scott wouldn't be that pissed off of that was all," Ororo now intervened. "Especially since he already seemed to know about it."
Beast switched to Logan again. "What else happened?"
"Nothin'!"
"Logan! What else" he demanded harshly. "And stop growling at me!"
For the first time ever, Logan felt Wolverine battling him to protect his family. Roaring within him, the beast wanted to protect his mate by all means. He felt her stress and despair deep inside of him. And this was what made Wolverine refuse to give up this time. Logan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Jean also felt it and lay her hand on his to help him. She knew he was fighting hard.
"Excuse me," Kurt suddenly said. "But they did nothing else…"
Everyone looked at him in surprise and confusion. "How do ya know?" Logan asked him skeptically.
Kurt felt embarrassed. "I saw the two of you… Entschuldigung!" Logan snorted and still tried to soothe Jean.
"This can't be all!" Hank shook his head.
"It is, damn it!" Logan said aloud and gave him a warning look.
"Then why did Mystique lie?" Ororo asked.
Jean finally sat up a bit, while Logan still held her. "She didn't," she said barely audible. Before he could stop her, she went on. "She tried a trick on Logan and me."
Hank frowned. "What kind of trick?"
"Seducing him by looking like me in example…"
"I see," Ororo nodded. She thought she'd figured out the problem.
"Logan didn't fall for it," Jean went on while she kept her eyes to the ground.
"But", Hank asked wanting to know the truth.
"She did," Logan finally admitted and heard how the others let out a deep breath. They shook their heads.
"The two of you should really write a book," Hank said. "Something like How do I make complicated things even worse?"
Logan got up and helped Jean to her feet. Gently he wiped away her tears and embraced her tightly for a brief moment. "I'm sorry… I really have a knack for trouble!" she said and bit her lip while new tears gathered in her eyes.
"Yeah," Hank nodded. "That's why the two of you fit so well together!" he added ironically.
Jean looked at him with despaired eyes. "I'm really sorry for everything…" He nodded and looked down. "Yeah, me too."
The blue mutant smirked as they kissed shortly. "So what now?"
Logan gave him a cold look. "I'm going to visit this blue bitch!"
"But you won't…" Ororo began and he shook his head.
"Kill her? No…I'd do worse." With that he walked towards the door.
"Logan! You can't beat her up," Hank warned him.
Smirking, he turned around. "Who said anything about that?" He left before anyone could stop him. Jean swallowed once more and ran a hand through her face. "I'll go and try to talk to Scott," she said calmly before she looked at Kurt and Ororo. "Can you take the kids upstairs and wait for us?" They nodded and she left, too.
Hank let out a deep breath and shook his head. "Gosh," he sighed. "Can you even imagine what they'll put us through once they are married!" He looked at Ororo who kept her eyes on the floor nervously. "And now to you," he announced in his best lecturer tone. "How can you kiss him if you know that he's spoken for, girl? Do you want to join their troublemaker team," he asked her in a strict tone. "You know how the beasts within them react if someone tries to get between them!" Kurt only stared at them speechless. His mind couldn't even follow all the new impressions since so much had change while he was absent…
Logan reached the basement and headed down towards the cell tract. Mystique looked up as the double X-door opened but didn't smile when she saw her visitor. He only gave her a short look, before he leant against the wall and lit up a cigar. Watching the smoke for a short time he finally looked at her. "Good job!" Mystique narrowed her eyes and didn't reply. He smirked knowing that this would become interesting. "Ya know. There's a question I can't answer," he continued and leant back a bit. "Why did ya go back to Magneto, eh?"
"What's it to you?" she asked back in a chilly voice.
He still smirked. From her reaction he could tell that this topic made her very angry. "All those years, ya think you've got a family…ya do everything for him, every dirty job…" Slowly she came closer to the bars. Her yellow eyes mirrored the upcoming anger, which became stronger within her. Logan noticed it satisfied. "Then, ya save his ass, because he means a lot to ya," he went on, ignoring how she gritted her teeth. "And what did he do?" He gave her a provocative smirk. "He abandons ya after everything you've done for him. He leaves ya naked and unprotected on the ground and tells ya, ya don't belong to them anymore… And why?" he asked her and put his cigar out. "Because you'd become what he hates…"
"Stop it!" she suddenly yelled at him and her muscles tensed. Violently, she punched against the bars. Quickly, Logan grabbed her arms and pulled them through the bars, pressing her tightly against it and making it impossible for her to move an inch. "He treats ya like shit and expels ya…and ya just go back and be his lapdog again?"
"They're my family!" she hissed and tried to free herself from his tight grip.
"Magneto doesn't even know what that means!" He let go off her. "A family stands by your side no matter what. They don't use or abandon you…" Logan looked at her closely. From the look of her eyes, even if she tried to hide it, he noticed that she was thinking about the things he said. "You know Rogue, don't cha?" he suddenly asked her more calmly. "She took the cure and came back… We didn't tell her you're human so piss off. That's what family means… Stick together no matter what happens. And not what this bastard offers ya."
Mystique stepped closer again. Her eyes gave him a cold look. "Something like your family doesn't exist!" she said in a menacing slow voice. "Mine tried to kill me!"
"And? Did he do any better?"
"What do you know?"
"A lot!" Logan gave back and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I didn't believe in it, either until I came here." He had watched her the whole time through. Noticed her body language, which couldn't betray him. He had her exactly where he wanted her to be. He only had to push her a bit further… "We'd never abandoned you if you're one of us. Once one of us, always one of us. No matter what happens to ya," he went on. "And that's the crucial difference between us and them!" Mystique, even if she didn't show it, was shocked. It was exactly what she'd thought after Magneto had left her helplessly in the truck. After the hate against him had become stronger. She'd asked herself what the X-Men would have done if he'd been one of them… And she'd known the answer immediately. They wouldn't have left her alone… "I thought ya were smarter, ya know?" Logan said. "Instead ya go back to him." He gave her one last accusing look before he turned around. He knew he reached his aim and smirked in satisfaction. He began to count from five backwards in his head.
"What do you want?" Mystique suddenly asked calmly and he stopped.
XXX
Later Logan lay on his bed with his babies right next to him. He still heard Scott yelling at Jean while she tried to explain everything to him. Sighing, he rolled over; recalling how she'd begged him to stay out of it and not to intervene no matter what he hears. He accepted. If she wanted to try it, he would let her. But he knew that nothing and no one would stop him if she came back with only the tiniest bruise. Logan smiled when his daughter stretched out her fist. Touching her small hand with his finger gently, she immediately clung to it. By looking closely at them, he couldn't believe that both of them looked nothing like Jean. Lily, as well as Jack, had his dark hair. He still couldn't tell how much their eye color would change in the next months, but up to now it was most likely that they inherited his eyes, too. On the one hand it made Logan more than proud that his kids were so much like him, on the other hand he'd liked to see that at least one of them had Jean's features. Still he wondered what their mutation was like. If Scott was right and only one of them had both its parents' abilities… Suddenly, Jack made a loud squeaking noise that made Lily widen her eyes and stop her movements. Logan rolled over onto his belly and gave his son an amused look. "Jeez, pal! We definitely have to work on that one," he said smirking. A familiar smell caught his nose and he made a face. "Thanks mate. You just made my day perfect!" Logan got up from the bed and laid Lily into her cradle. Taking Jack into his arms and placing a loving kiss on his cheek, he walked over to the bathroom. After giving him a bath and new diaper first, he fed him before he laid him down into his bed. Then he did the same with Lily. Just as Logan sat on the bed and watched her drinking, while telling her that he hoped that both of them hopefully hadn't inherited ever feature of his hair, Jean returned. He shortly looked up at her, seeing her exhaustion and the smile she gave him, before she sat down next to him. "You already prepared them for bed?" she asked surprised since it was the first time he hadn't desperately called for help while changing a diaper.
"Yeah," Logan grunted. "Bathed, changed and fed." He put the bottle aside and took the girl into his arms, patting her back gently. "And?"
She sighed and ran a hand through her face. "I managed to calm him again. It will take some time, but he'll get over it I think."
"Good." He got up and took the girl over to their room. Kissing her gently, he laid her down and stroked her cheek once more. "Night pumpkins!" he said calmly, before he put out the light of the small lamp and close the door a bit. Logan saw how Jean stood frozen in front of the open wardrobe and stared into it. "I told every X-Men to have their uniforms ready in their rooms," he explained, since he had noticed that she was staring at the black leather. "It'd take too long to head down to the basement and change there."
Slowly, she turned around. "I see." Taking new clothes for the night out of it, she closed the door. "I wanted to shower. You coming?"
Logan shrugged. "Actually, I already showered with Mystique and 'Ro…"
Jean gave him a warning look. "I said I was sorry!"
He gave her the impression that he didn't care a bit. "Did I get an I'm so sorry-kiss? No, I didn't!"
Shaking her head while smirking, she walked over to the bathroom and turned the lights on. "You might get something else if you're coming…" Cocking an eyebrow, Logan smirked devilishly and also took a fresh boxer out of the drawer before he joined her. Closing the door behind him, Jean's squeal soon echoed through it…
XXX
In the middle of the night, Logan suddenly awoke by hearing a noise. Feeling Jean next to him, who'd cuddled up to him tightly, he soon figured out that it was Jack. Cautiously, he got up and walked over to the kid's room. Carefully, he took the boy into his arms and tried to soothe him. Since it attempts didn't work, Logan decided to leave the room before Jean or Lily would awake too. Making his way down to the kitchen, he kept on talking with the boy calmly and stroked over his back gently. When he reached the room on the lower level, Jack had almost stopped crying. "Ya only wanted to stroll around, huh?" Logan asked amused and met his eyes. "That's my boy!" Still smiling, he decided to drink something before returning to his room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that someone had let the window tilted. Shaking his head, Logan asked himself how often the kids had to be told to close them before going to bed. He was just about to open the fridge as he suddenly froze. Turning his head quickly, he concentrated hard on the noise he heard on the outside. All of a sudden, he felt his heart rate kicking into high gear and he sniffed. Without thinking twice, Logan held his son tight and ran down the corridor as fast as he could. Only seconds later, the alarm set off…
First of all, I'm terribly sorry that it took so long this time. But this chapter really gave me a headache! I wrote the beginning and knew how the chapter would end, but I couldn't find anything for the middle part. I had written the fight-training scene with Logan and the kids first and this ending here was actually planned for chapter 37. But as I said I had to change plans. ;) Thanks to Tamara, she really helped me with some tips. ;) She will also do the beta on this one again. So, hope you can forgive the delay! And that you enjoyed the chapter. It really is the longest so far. I first wanted to split it, but decided it was a bad idea. I planned chapter 40 to be the last. Hope I can keep this plan. LOL I also wanted to write a Prologue and Epilogue, too. But after writing the next too. ;) Tanks for your reviews again! Please review on this one here too and tell me what you think! ; ) See ya and thanks for your support!
