Chapter 7

Logan woke with a splitting headache. He moaned as his eyes began to focus, noticing the concerned looks of Marie and Victor looking back at him. "What- what happened?" His voice no more than a whisper and his throat dry.

Hank moved next to the bed as he tried to explain. "I believe you went into shock and fainted."

Logan scowled. "I don't faint." He touched his hand to his throat, swallowing a few times, trying to rid himself of the scratchy sensation. "Can I have some water?"

Marie looked to Hank in a silent question for permission to give her husband some water. Hank nodded. "That will be fine, just drink it slowly."

As Marie poured the cold water into a glass, handing it to Logan, helping him to keep it steady, Hank continued. "Well, under normal circumstances, I would believe that it would take quite a bit for someone like you to faint, but between the shock to your system of the procedure, and your elevated core temperature, it was simply too much for your body to process all at one time."

"I don't faint." Logan grumbled into his glass as he took another sip of water.

"Dr. McCoy, Logan does feel warm." Marie said as she placed the back of her hand to his forehead. "Does he have a fever? Did something go wrong? Maybe that's what caused him to...pass out."

Hank nodded. "Everything was within the expected guidelines of the procedure, but essentially, yes, he does have a fever."

Logan's brows furrowed. "I was a kid last time I was sick...over a hundred years ago. How could this happen? My mutation should protect me from any viruses or infections...shouldn't it?"

Hank chuckled slightly. "You don't have a virus or infection, but your body thinks it does and your healing factor has kicked into overdrive, flooding your system with white cells. While you were...napping, I took a few blood samples and everything seems to be leveling off, but I'm not sure if your temperature will ever really return to normal. It has dropped more since your outburst in the surgical room, down to 100.2, but I believe that since the adamantium is, in all essence, a foreign matter introduced into your body, your healing factor will always fight it. We'll know more in a few days if your immune system decides to ignore it or not."

"And if it doesn't?" Victor asked with a raised brow.

Hank shrugged. "Then Mrs. Howlett will have a nice heater in the winter to keep her warm in bed." He snickered.

Marie and Logan both rolled their eyes. "Not funny, blue boy." Logan growled.

Victor chuckled. "Look on the bright side, bro. It'll save you on the gas bill in winter."

Marie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Victor, don't make me call Susan."

Vic's face fell. "Hey little sis, I was just joking. No need to sick my mate on me...again."

~ooOoo~

Victor went into the surgical room where Charles was inspecting the damage. "Jimmy didn't mean to do this, Professor, he was out of his mind. Please don't be angry with him."

Charles shook his head. "I'm not upset, I understand he wasn't in control of himself at the time." He gave a small chuckle. "There has been worse damage to this house over the years with mutants who have lost control of themselves. Hell, you should have been here in the 70's after me and Erik had one of our disagreements. Now that guy really knows how to tear up a room!"

Vic raised a brow. "Whatever happened between the two of you anyways?"

Charles waved a dismissive hand. "We had different ideas about what to do with a team of mutants. As you know, I believe that we should use our abilities to better mankind, coexist with baselines and share the world in peace and harmony. Erik...he wanted to dominate, overpower baselines, making slaves of them. I didn't see that in him until it was too late. I always knew how much he had been hurt, treated so badly by baselines since he was a boy. Maybe if he and his family hadn't been imprisoned at Auschwitz, he might have turned out differently."

"Auschwitz? You know...I was one of the soldiers that helped to liberate that camp. Think it's possible I might have met him back then?"

Charles shrugged. "Maybe. Who knows. How is your brother doing?"

"Hank says he'll be ok for the most part. His healing factor seems to be fighting the adamantium, and might do so for the rest of his life. I haven't said anything, but I'm worried that it might burn Jimmy out, taking a hundred years or more off his lifespan."

Charles nodded. "You should tell Logan about your concern, let him know how much you care for him. Out of curiosity, why do you call him Jimmy if he doesn't like that name? And why does he call himself Logan?"

Victor chuckled. "He's my little bro, he'll always be Jimmy to me. It's not that he doesn't like the name James, it's just that he has a habit of every so often to fake his death and take on a new name so people don't find out he's a mutant or how old he really is. This time he's decided to use his middle name."

Charles nodded. "I see. Well...since you are partly responsible for this mess, and Logan being under the weather...you have just been elected to help clean this up."

Victor's jaw dropped. "Aw man!" He whined out.

~ooOoo~

Hank allowed Logan to rest in his own room, with the understanding that if he felt odd in any way, he would return to the infirmary.

Logan sat on the edge of the bed, grumbling as Marie fussed over him. "Honey, I can get up and get my own glass of water."

"You heard the doctor, mister. You need to get as much rest as possible. Now lay down and whatever you need, I'll get it for you."

Logan rolled his eyes. "At the moment, I need to piss! You gonna do that for me too?"

Marie scrunched her nose in disgust at him. "Why do you have to be so rude sometimes?"

"Because you love me for it." Logan grinned and gave her a peck on the cheek as he made his way to the bathroom.

When he came back out, he poured himself a glass of water and set it on the bedside table as he laid down. "There! All tucked into bed. Happy, mother?" He asked sarcastically.

"Ecstatic." Marie shot back with equal sarcasm. "You know...you've drank a lot of water since you woke up. You sure you're ok?"

Logan shrugged. "Just thirsty and a little warm. Dr. Hank said it might take a little time to adjust. You know what would make me feel better?" He gave her a wicked smirk. "Come here."

Marie laid basking in the afterglow as Logan sat up in the bed, his back resting against the headboard. He slowly let out and retracted his newly coated claws over and over, wincing a little from the pain.

"Dr. McCoy didn't mention anything about your claws hurting, did he?" Marie questioned as she watched Logan practice.

"Well...they always did hurt a little, but now..." He trailed off for a moment as the claws extended and retracted a few more times. "I'm sure I'll get used to it." He extended the claws on both hands, tapping them together as the pair watched the sparks created.

Marie shook her head. "Just be careful changing Luke's diapers from now on."

"Honey...I am always careful with our boy." Logan sat staring blankly for a moment as the sudden reminder of why they were here, and why he had gone through with this procedure washed over them. He gave a silent prayer that soon there will be more diaper changes in their future.

Marie scooted herself into a sitting position and placed a comforting hand on Logan's arm. "You'll get him back for us. I know you and Wolverine too well. Both of you would move the sun and moon, walk through hell if necessary, to bring our baby home."

Logan nodded, pulling Marie close to him in a comforting embrace. Without thinking, he rested his full weight on her, quickly shifting himself when she let out a small whimper. "Sorry. I forgot that I weigh about a hundred pounds more now."

She smiled and cupped his cheek. "It's ok, love. It will take a little time for both of us to adjust. We should get some sleep, you have a busy day tomorrow."