(!) Author's note: The beginning is a flashback to Changes. The scene was mentioned in Chapter 30 in the conversation between Scott and Jean. So, don't get confused about it.

Oh, and to your reviews (thanks a lot for them!!!): Some of you have gotten the last scene completely wrong. ; ) Of course it is not Scott's or the imposter's child, but Logan's. Nevertheless, the whole situation will turn out completely different as you guys might think, but let me assure you: Some scenes here were written before I even start working on the sequel, so it was planned as I write it now.

Oh, and I saw the movie The Fountain two days ago. Really good and sad one. : ( Thanks to the movie I was able to come up with the flashback and the first four scenes. I wrote it by listening to "Stay with me" from the Fountain OST. I really love the music of the movie. : ) Otherwise the chapter would have begun differently. I also wrote a homage to the movie. Those who have seen it will recognize one of the scenes. So, enjoy!!! CORRECTED VERSION (Dec 4rth)!!!

Changes Sequel – I. Darkness Part 18

The surface was smooth. Smooth and sharp. Everything she wanted in that moment, needed right now. Her eyes were staring at it, looking at its shiny form from all sides. She had never thought that a tiny thing like this could be it. That it was her solution to everything. At least right now. Her eyes switched from the shiny, sharp object to another smooth surface, which was pale but still she could see the life in it. Felt it. Right now it seemed completely ridiculous that she held death in one hand but life in the other. Still, the weight laid more in the one hand. Looking at the object again, she smiled sadly. Yes, the one hand looked better right now. It would be relieving for her, set her free and end this torture forever.

Her ears didn't hear how heavy footsteps came slowly closer. All she cared about was in her left hand right now and she slowly led it to her right one. Unaware that a door was opened and someone called her name. She wanted relief. She wanted peace. She wanted to be at the place again where she'd found rest and peace. Holding it at her right wrist, she didn't hear how another door was opened in a rush and someone was almost yelling her name in shock. All she felt was how her left wrist was grabbed firmly and the object flew against the wall. Raising her head she looked directly into two widened hazel eyes that stared at her in disbelief. He could have stabbed her right now, she wouldn't have felt it. The other pain, which turned more and more into emptiness, into her own personal abyss that held her captive, was way stronger than anything that could happen to her right now. And she only wanted it to end. To be free again, to leave the abyss within her, to be herself once more…

"Are you crazy?" Logan asked her aloud while he still stared at her in shock. "What are you doing?" He still held her wrist in a firm grip. His heart was beating so strongly that he would bet it could be heard by others. Quickly his eyes looked at her right wrists; searched for any cuts or blood. He couldn't believe what she had been about to do. That if he'd only been a few seconds too late… "God, Jean…" Pulling her close, he buried his face on her neck and heaved a deep breath. He heard her silent plea to let her go, to help her making it stop. He knew how she felt, what she was going through. He himself had lived through it, had fought the demon within him unsuccessfully first and had tried the same. But had not succeeded thanks to his healing factor. When he pulled her closer, he noticed for the first time that he was shaking. Hearing another plea, he closed his eyes and shook his head. She mumbled something of pain and emptiness and torture…so he cupped her face and practically stripped himself naked by showing her everything. Every emotion that he currently felt. And this was deep fear. "And what about me?" he asked her bluntly and saw how her eyes widened and sent more tears down her already wet cheeks. "I promised to help ya and ya just want t'leave me alone? Do ya think killing yourself will turn anything into the better?" Her eyes became more and more despaired, but he also saw that she fought with her emotions. "Maybe for you, but not for me… If you kill yourself you'll kill me with it, too, darlin'." She pulled a face and clung to him tightly, saying something about being alone. He pulled her as close as possible and let her cry into his chest, while he closed his eyes and still tried to calm his racing heart. "You're not alone, Jeannie. I'll never leave ya alone. I promise…"

Opening her eyes in a rush, Jean stared at the wall first and at the empty spot next to her afterwards. She was a mess, a complete mess right now. Her emotions were out of control, so were her heart and tears. Getting up, she began to pace like a nervous lioness. She didn't know what to think, what to feel or do, but she knew the pain was back, stronger than before. And again she was drawn into this abyss. The deep and endless nothingness that wanted to bury her deep within itself. Breathing heavily, she walked over to the bathroom and closed the door behind her while her mind switched the light on. The first thing she did was cooling her face; hoped that it would help, but it didn't. By now the pain was too unbearable for her to carry it alone, to deal with it alone. Looking up, she opened a drawer in front of her and there it was again. The shiny, sharp object that could end her miserable life instantly. Her hand reached out for it, touched it, but suddenly she jumped backwards as if she'd been burned and hit the wall with her back. Panting heavily, Jean stared at the drawer in shock and closed it with her powers quickly; being shocked about what she'd nearly done again. Her hands were shaking, her whole body was shaking and she dropped to the floor sobbing. Her hands grabbed her necklaces firmly and she held them as if she was drowning and only they could save her.

Crying, her free hand took hold of his shirt, which she wore, and called out for him mentally in despair; knowing that it wouldn't reach him anyway. But she didn't care. At least she tried and could calm her raging mind by telling herself that he could hear it. That he would take notice of her, figure that she was falling and desperately needed someone to catch her or it would really be over. Looking at the two rings, Jean breathed in unsteadily and sent her prayer off to nothingness. "Please come back," she managed to say between her heavy sobs and rested her head on her knees before she pulled her legs as close as possible and inhaled his scent deeply. "I need you so much, so please…" Beginning to sob uncontrollably again, she remained in that position and felt how the abyss drew her steadily closer to its core…

"Hank, we're off then, okay?" Ororo said and looked at her friend who sat together with Scott, Moira and Mystique in the kitchen.

"Okay. Be careful!" he replied. "See you in two weeks then!"

She nodded without even a trace of a smile. "And watch over her! Oh, and call immediately if something happens!"

"Don't worry, we will!" Scott said and practically felt how the weird mood was either tearing the room apart or about to smash it into pieces. "Call us, too, if something's wrong!"

"Yeah, bye!" the weather goddess said and was gone in the next moment.

"Do you think it's really a good idea?" Mystique asked them and looked to and fro between them.

"Who knows?" Hank replied. "At least she has less stress if the children are gone for two weeks…"

"Yeah, but she'll also feel more lonely than she already does," the woman gave back dryly and gave him a look. "I doubt it's a good idea…"

"You've seen what happened," Scot said and looked at her from aside. "She really needs some rest and it's also good for the children to have a bit fun for a few days after everything that had happened. You've seen how depressed they were on their birthdays…"

"And that Charles can't find Logan through Cerebro," Hank added. "…doesn't make the situation better, does it?"

Sighing, Moira leant her head against Hank's shoulder, who looked at her surprised. "I don't even dare to imagine what will happen if he really doesn't come back… I mean, it's already 10 months by now…"

Only nodding in silence, the others stared down on the counter for a while; each of them thinking about the same but in different ways. "Do you really believe Logan could help?" Scott asked dryly all of a sudden. "The whole situation destroys her. I doubt that even he could be of help…"

"Well, if he was here," Moira said while moving her cup in small, quick circles and watching the coffee in it doing the same. "…the situation would affect him, too, but at least they could give each other strength."

"I doubt it would have happened at all if he hadn't left," Scott said darkly and made Hank sigh in frustration.

"There is nothing even Logan could have done about it, Scott. Stop blaming him for Jean's condition!" he said angrily, but the other man only shook his head and got up to walk towards the door.

"Tell me what you want, Hank, but he left her when she needed him the most and you can't tell me that Logan didn't know! He'd smelled it the last time, too…" With that he left and ignored the snarl Hank gave him.

"He'll calm down again. You know him," Mystique said and got up to follow him. "He just doesn't know how to handle it."

"Doesn't change the fact that everything's going to hell here," Hank growled and felt how Moira laid an arm around him.

"Don't be the next to explode here, okay?" she said soothingly and his features immediately softened. "Try to calm down…"

Sighing, he nodded. "You're right, but," he gave back and nodded towards the door. "…it's just not so easy with him lately."

"Scott's just worried about her. We all are, so we should try to stay strong for Jean and not bite each others heads off…"

"I know," he smiled slightly. "Still I can't help but feel guilty…"

Nodding, she let go of him. "I know. Me, too…"

Just sitting next to each other, both were deeply in thoughts, while Mystique knocked on Scott's door on the upper level.

She didn't wait for him to answer and just stepped inside. He stood at the window with his hands in his pockets and looked at the fading sun that already hung deep at the horizon behind the wood. Pausing at the door for a moment, she closed it calmly and walked over to him; changing into her human form while doing so. When she reached him, Mystique took a look at him from aside. She could tell by now that he was deeply worried and in thoughts. "You alright?" she asked him after a moment and it took a while before he turned towards her.

"Yeah, Scott replied barely audible and added a nod in hope to convince her.

"Liar!" Mystique gave back bluntly.

"Okay, then I'm not fine. Satisfied?" he asked her with a slight trace of anger in his voice. "One of my best friends is losing it and doesn't let anyone close, so how am I supposed to feel?"

Laying a hand on his shoulder she met his gaze with her now blue eyes. "As I said," she began and he turned completely towards her. "…sending the children away was stupid!"

"What else should we do?" he gave back silently and looked out of the window again. "She tried to kill herself once back then. What if she does it again? We can't watch over her for 24/7…"

Knowing what he meant, Mystique touched his cheek this time and stroked over it. "You're blaming yourself as much as Moira and Hank do. But there's nothing anyone of us could have done…"

Looking at her for a while without replying anything, Scott suddenly bent forward out of impulse and kissed her lightly. When he broke it after a while, Mystique could only stare at him in shock. Realizing what he'd done, Scott stepped back a bit and looked anywhere but at her. "Sorry…," he apologized when she suddenly came closer and grabbed his neck gently to pull him closer this time. Surprised by her actions, he stayed immobile for less than a second before he reached out to pull her closer and deepened the kiss…

It was already dark on the outside when Hank still sat in the kitchen and stared at his glass. He'd been upstairs in the west wing before to check on Jean, but the only thing he could do was talking to her while she laid on the bed and stared at the opposite wall with empty eyes. By now he didn't know what to do anymore or how to help her. He refused to give her any medicine since he was afraid that it would get worse. But he was also scared to death when he imagined what she was capable of in her current state. He'd known that it would become hard for her without Logan on her side, but now, 10 months later since he'd left, the whole situation was more than close to hell…

Turning around when he heard a noise on the outside, he glanced at his watch. It was far past midnight and bedtime for the students. Putting the glass down he got up and opened the backdoor to step outside onto the terrace. Again he heard a noise as if someone was strolling around in the garden. "Who's there?" he asked aloud and prepared himself for everything and anyone that would come up out of the dark. Hearing something again, he only saw a shadow moving when all of a sudden a complete white wolf appeared in front of him. Looking at the animal in surprise, Hank watched how it gave him a look before it disappeared again. Still confused, since they hadn't had any wolves around here, Hank only shook his head and turned around to enter the kitchen again. He had to tell the others that they had a wolf strolling around here on the next morning, before the animal could harm anyone. Especially the students, who liked to play at the grounds close to the wood. Hank drew one more deep breath of the fresh June air before he stepped inside again and grabbed the doorknob to close the door.

"What about letting me in first?"

Turning around in a rush, Hank couldn't help but gasp. "Logan?" he asked and stared into the darkness when he only saw the wolf again.

"Who else Furball?" said the same voice again. Still seeing the animal only, Hank cocked an eyebrow at it. It couldn't be that the wolf was him, could it? "Don't even think about it," Logan said as if he'd heard his thoughts and stepped out of the shadows. He briefly kneeled down next to the animal, which immediately turned towards him. Stroking the head gently, they looked at each other briefly, as if they were communicating silently, before the wolf disappeared into the dark again.

"Oh my dear God…," Hank said and let out a deep breath in relief. Watching how the man stepped inside and dropped his duffle bag to the ground, the blue mutant couldn't help but pull him into a tight embrace. "Heaven truly sent you boy…."

Cocking an eyebrow, Logan briefly patted the other man's back and tried to get away from him. Of course he was happy to be back, but all he wanted was to see his family again and not being hugged by a man as if that ones life depended on it. "It's okay, Furball!" Logan grunted and could have sworn that the man had just let out a sob, while he felt the tiniest emotion that was radiated by Hank. "I missed ya, too, but no need to squeeze me t'death… Wouldn't mind if ya were a girl…"

Heaving a deep sigh, Hank let go of him, but still held him by the shoulders. "Are you alright again?"

"Yeah, despite some bruises and an acing back thanks to ya." Cracking his joints and neck briefly, Logan looked around with a cocked eyebrow and let the different scents rush over him like a wave. "Is 'Ro on holiday or what happened to the garden?"

Sighing, Hank gesticulated to a stool, but his opposite shook his head. "It was Jean…"

"What?!" Logan said aloud and stared at him in disbelief. "What do ya mean with that was Jean?"

Crossing his arms, Hank looked for the right words. "She lost control all of a sudden and turned most of the garden into ruins. She got a grip very quickly again, thank God if I might say it, but still… Well you saw it for yourself, didn't you? She caused some good damage…"

Still staring at him in shock, Logan shook his head and put his hands to his hips while his eyes narrowed a bit. "So, where's she now?" he demanded to know and immediately felt how his opposite became nervous. There were too many emotions being radiated by Hank at once, that Logan figured something was wrong. Terribly wrong…

Sighing, Hank leant back against the counter and fixed his eyes on the ground. Now came the most difficult part, he knew that. And thinking about that he had to tell him what had happened in February made things only worse… "You know," he finally began and still didn't look up. "…there are a few things you should know first, Logan."

"What? What's wrong?" the other man instantly asked and his tone spoke volumes. He wanted an answer and that quickly. "Did something happen to her?" he added and suddenly felt terribly scared that something could have happened to her or his children.

"You left her pregnant… She figured out about it three weeks after you left."

Noticing how Logan first stared at him in disbelief, before he let out a deep breath and ran a hand through his face, he saw that the news slowly became reality to the man. "And?" he heard him asking barely audible while he could tell that Logan was on the edge of his patience. "That's not all, isn't it?"

Not knowing how to tell his friend, Hank rubbed the spot between his eyes briefly and heaved a deep breath. He avoided the glaring gaze of his opposite the best he could, because he knew that Logan would freak out in the next second. "You had a son… Jake. Lily picked that name after seeing this old Disney movie with the two mice…"

"What do you mean…had?"

Shaking his head, while tears were visible in his eyes, Hank finally met his gaze. "He was born four and a half months premature. We couldn't get him to breathe…," he told him through clenched teeth and it was obvious how hard it was for the man. "He died shortly after Jean gave birth to him…" Being frozen on the same spot, Logan only stared at him. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe or even move. It appeared to him as if he was standing on a complete different side of the room and it didn't happen to him. Finally looking down, he slowly turned around and supported himself against the window; closing his eyes while he lowered his head. "We tried, Logan. We really tried everything…," Hank added despaired and the muscles on his jaw tensed when he fought for control. "I'm so sorry…"

"Where's she?" was all Logan asked barely audible without turning around again.

"She's not well, Logan…," the other man told him and ran a hand through his face. "We're all worried like hell because she doesn't let anyone close. No one can reach her…"

Turning around with a look in his eyes that made clear he wanted to destroy something immediately, Logan suppressed this urge the best he could. "Why?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Finding out about the pregnancy wasn't easy for her since you were gone. But she tried. Still…we haven't seen her smile since then. She tried to be strong for your kids, but the more time past the more she withdrew from anyone." He shook his head and sighed again. "She barely gained weight or sleep at all. We tried to make her but she just didn't do it. And it's even worse now…"

"She's blaming herself?" Logan asked him and saw the other man shrugging.

"I don't know. As I said, no one can reach or talk to her," Hank replied bitterly and watched how his friend ran a hand through his face quickly.

"What about the kids? Do they know?" he heard him asking and nodded.

"Yeah, they do. They're on a trip with 'Ro's and Rogue's family for two weeks. We hoped that Jean could rest a bit, but… I went upstairs a few minutes before you arrived here and it's only getting worse…"

Nodding, Logan still stared on the floor while his mind was completely blank. He didn't even realize or understand what he was asking or doing. It just wasn't him who did it, but the one who understood the news, he refused to accept. "How did they take it?"

"Surprisingly good. But Logan…," Hank began and shook his head while he gave his friend a stern look. "Jean's… She's is some kind of deep shock. It's a trauma for her and she's really losing it. She hasn't even cried once since then and practically bottles up everything within her. Scott said that she tried to kill herself after she came back back then, is that true?" Seeing how Logan nodded slowly, he heaved a deep breath. "I'm afraid that she'll try it again. She's like a…dead shell. I don't know how else to describe it. But she really needs help…"

Unable to say anything, Logan swallowed hard and stared into the darkness on the outside for a while. "Can you tell her that I'm back?" he asked after a while and Hank had to concentrate hard since his voice was so calm. "I don't want to give her another shock by standing in front of the door…"

"Sure," Hank nodded and turned around to leave.

Hearing how the door to the west wing was opened by him, Logan heaved a deep sigh. He was more than shocked by the things he'd just heard and still had problems to understand them at all. Slowly, he walked over to the window again and stared into the night; seeing his wolf in the garden who strolled around and inspected his new surroundings. Fixing his eyes to the ground, while his fists were tightly clenched, Logan suddenly heard noises behind him and turned around, just to make a step backwards in shock. His eyes looked at the woman who stood at the door and stared back with empty eyes and couldn't believe that this was his wife. She had nothing of the woman he'd left months ago anymore and was only a shadow of her former self. He noticed how thin she was, how tired and exhausted she looked, while there were large rings under her odd eyes. Logan could only stare at her in shock and shook his head in disbelief. It was his fault that was for sure. Jean looked at him and came slowly closer while he couldn't take his eyes from her and remained where he was until she stood directly in front of him; reaching out to touch him to make sure that he was really there and not only another dream of hers. As soon as he had embraced her tightly, she clung to him and cried heartbreakingly; releasing all the sorrow she felt for months now.

Seeing it, Hank turned around to leave them alone, seeing that Charles stood next to the door. Only nodding at him while both men shared the same concerned face, they decided to leave the two mutants in the kitchen alone.

When Jean slowly dropped to her knees, Logan still held her tight and lowered himself to the ground, too, while he buried his face on her neck and fought for his control. He needed to be strong for her now and pushed his own feelings aside as good as he could. He didn't even dare to imagine what she'd been through without him and it made him incredible mad at his negative. It was just one more reason to hate the beast within him and he swore that he would never lose control over him again.

Quiet some time later, Jean had already laid down in bed when Logan came out of the bathroom. He closed the door calmly behind him and just stood there for some time; watching her from afar. There were far too many things going on in his head right now. Looking down briefly after a while before he walked over to the bed and pulled his shirt over his head while doing so, he just dropped it to the ground and pulled the sheets carefully aside. Laying down slowly, Logan cuddled up to her from behind and placed a soft kiss on her right cheek and neck, when she opened her eyes sleepily since she felt that his emotions were far more than a rollercoaster. "Everything alright?" she mumbled half asleep and he nuzzled her softly with his nose.

"Yeah…," he replied in a whisper. "Everything's alright…" Looking at her from behind, while she was already fast asleep again, he heaved a deep breath when the whole impact of the situation hit him with all its force. Logan rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling while he heaved another very deep breath and closed his eyes tightly. Realizing that it didn't help and he was losing it, he gave her one last look and got up, before he quickly left the room. After closing the door behind him a bit, Logan made his way to the window and supported himself against it with his arms; still heaving deep breaths which increased in speed and intensity. With his eyes closed again and his fists clenched firmly, he desperately fought against his emotions, which became too strong for him to handle them. There was a strong pressure deep within his chest that spread into every part around his heart and clenched it painfully, while it also took over his throat and made it hard for him to breathe at all. He cursed himself for not having known about it, for not having noticed it at all… And he desperately searched for a solution to help her. To save her out of the abyss again, while he felt at the same time that he was also falling into it. The emptiness he felt was just too great for him to handle it. He wasn't used to deal with such strong emotions at all.

Some time later, Jean woke up and immediately noticed that the side next to her was cold. Frightened, she sat up quickly and looked around in the dark room, which was only barely illuminated by the full moon on the outside. It didn't take long for her to find him sitting in the darkest corner of the room. His legs were pulled close while his head was lowered and his arms rested on his knees. Not thinking about it, Jean got up slowly and made her way to him; kneeling down next to the man. It was then that she noticed that he was silently crying. And it hurt her even more than her own sorrow already did. She sat down next to him and wrapped her arms around his waist before she rested her head on his left shoulder. Staring into darkness, it didn't take long before she began to cry calmly, too. Hearing it, Logan closed his eyes tightly and his head sunk down on his knees, when Jean heard him sob all of a sudden. Sharing his pain, she wrapped her arms even more around him and rested her head on his back, before she cried with him…

When the first sunbeams lit up the room a bit, Scott slowly awoke and stretched his muscles. Looking aside, he took notice of Mystique, who was still deeply asleep and got out of bed carefully to walk over to the shower.

Afterwards, he made his way downstairs to the kitchen, where Moira, Hank, Kitty, Bobby, Peter and Jubilee were already gathered and occupied either with eating, reading or talking. Since he didn't want to disturb them, he only nodded briefly and was about to walk to his casual stool, when something caught his eye. There was one more plate on the table… "What's that?" he asked and nodded towards it, when Hank looked up from his newspaper.

"Logan's back," was all the mutant replied and all color was immediately gone from Scott's face.

"What?" he asked in disbelief and kept on looking to and fro between his friends. "When?"

"Past midnight. Oh and the wolf on the outside is his. So don't harm him!"

Completely shocked by hearing the news, the other man sat slowly down on his stool when also Mystique entered the kitchen. She, too, only smiled briefly at the others and sat down next to him with a short look as Hank turned towards Jubilee and Kitty, who kept on looking at the door impatiently.

"When Logan comes down and Jean's with him don't jump off your stools and hug him even if you want to, okay?" he said calmly and he saw them nodding, even if they were confused. "I need to know if she behaves different now that he's back."

Just as he'd said it Logan appeared at the door with Jean next to him. Instantly everyone was quiet and only stared at them. To them it was more than obvious that he had a more than tough night behind him while Jean looked tired as ever. Noticing their looks, Logan only nodded at them briefly before he helped Jean onto a stool and took a bread roll and a piece of a sausage. Walking over to the backdoor he opened it and whistled quickly, closely watched by the others who didn't know what he was doing. It didn't take long and the wolf appeared, catching both things out of air when he threw them into his direction. Satisfied to have something to eat, the animal disappeared again. Sitting down next to Jean afterwards, Logan began to fill his plate with something to eat slowly; seeing that she only stared down. He put two bread rolls onto her plate, too and gave her a look. "Eat…," he said calmly, but Jean shook her head. Sighing, he pushed his plate away a bit and crossed his arms; ignoring the looks of the others. He couldn't care less about them right now. Seeing Jean looking at him frowning, he shook his head. "You ain't eating, so I won't eat either. Simple thing," he told her sternly and watched her carefully. I took a while before she finally grabbed one bread roll and began to pull tiny pieces out of it. Waiting until she had begun to eat, Logan began to eat, too. He saw that Hank only gave him a brief nod and knew what he meant. He hated to push her, but right now it was the only way. Nevertheless, Jean suddenly jumped off her stool and was about to head for the door, when he reacted quickly and held her back.

"No!" she said pleadingly.

"Jean wait! You have t'eat!" Logan gave back and noticed that she was close to start crying again. Startling, the others only heard how a plate crashed against a wall with a loud noise. Seeing it, Logan ignored her fighting against him. Since she was physically too weak by now anyway, it was easy for him to pull her close. He wrapped his arms tightly around her even if she still tried to get away from him and pulled her head close. She shook heavily by now and had nearly all her muscles tensed while she could listen to his steady, but fast beating heart. "I know what you feel, Jeannie," he whispered barely audible into her hair. "I've been there, too, after you died…" Hearing it, her fighting soon changed into heavy sobs and her legs couldn't carry her anymore. Still holding her, Logan slowly lowered himself onto his knees and let her cry on his shoulder while he rocked her gently back and forth. "It's okay…" His emotions were running wild again, but now he also heard her thoughts, felt her stress and pain and knew by hearing her that she couldn't stand being here anymore. Heaving a deep breath and ignoring the looks of the others, Logan raised his head and saw that Hank was leaning over the counter to look at him. "Furball, you said the kids are gone for two weeks?"

"Yes, why?" the man asked in return and saw how his friend turned towards Jean again.

"Come on…," he said softly and pulled her up before he led her to the door. "We're in Canada for two weeks…"

"What?" Scott asked and raised an eyebrow at him when Logan stopped at the door. Also Jean gave her husband a confused look since she still believed that their mental link didn't work anymore.

Only glaring back at him, Logan snorted. "You heard what I said. So, see ya in two weeks," was all he said before he grabbed Jean's hand. "Come on…"

Seeing them leaving, Scott gave Hank a look. "Can you explain that, please?"

"Let them go," Hank replied and took care of his newspaper again.

"You can't let her go to Canada in that condition, Hank!" the other man protested and heard his opposite snarling at him.

"Logan knows what he's doing. And if he can't help Jean, Scott, none of us can! So.let.them.go!" the blue mutant said again and ignored the snort he heard completely. He knew he was right and that it was the only option they still had.

Hours later and after an exhaustive drive to the Canadian border, Logan and Jean reached his cabin in the mountains of Alberta. They had driven as far with the car as possible and couldn't get around walking the rest of it. When they'd finally arrived at the cabin, Jean was more than tired and had no strength left within her to move any further. "Wait here a second," Logan said while closing the door and she waited at it while he lit a fire inside. The room was freezing cold and soon dipped into the warm light of the fire in the stove. Closing the door behind her, Jean wrapped her arms around herself while her eyes examined the cabin closely. Logan, who still kneeled in front of the fire, turned around to look at her. "Change your clothes. You're freezing, Red," he said and walked over to the bed to change the sheets, while Jean searched in one of the bags he'd been carrying for dry clothes. She then slowly began to undress herself quietly, knowing that he gave her looks from aside from time to time. Seeing how thin she actually was without her clothes on, Logan felt once more how his heart clenched painfully. After being done with the bed, he took a thick blanket and walked over to her again. "Here…"

"Thanks…," she replied barely audible and was clearly embarrassed that he had to see her like this.

Swallowing once, Logan nodded towards the bed. "Lay down. I make something to eat."

"I'm not hungry…"

"Jean…," he gave back warningly and gave her a look. "You're going to eat something!" Walking over to the bags, he got rid of his soaked clothes quickly, while she pulled the blanket around her body. Automatically, her green eyes switched towards him and she nearly had to gasp when she looked at his bare chest. He was far more muscular than before.

"Did you train a lot?" she asked him calmly and saw how he nodded before he pulled a shirt over his head.

"Yeah…"

Laying down in the double bed, she pulled the sheets over herself; completely aware of the strange mood between them. Running a hand through her tired face, Jean looked up again and saw that he was walking over to the stove. "Where have you been anyway?"

Beginning to heat a soup, Logan didn't turn around to look at her. He just didn't know how to act around her and it drove him crazy. "Japan."

"Again? I thought you stayed here…," he heard her saying in surprise and shook his head.

"Nope. I said as far away as possible," he said and heaved a deep breath. "And Kawashima's family helped me before. So he told me that I could come back if I needed his help again."

Kneading her hands nervously, Jean leant back against the head of the bed and looked down. "Was is though?"

"Yeah…"

Not knowing what else to say and still feeling her heart nearly breaking through her chest, Jean didn't know what to do. It was weird. Not only the whole situation, also having him back now and not being able to act around him as she wanted to. Therefore, she took a look around and noticed some changes since the last time she'd been in the cabin. "Have you been here after your trip to Japan? Some stuff looks different…"

Logan nodded briefly while he watched over the soup. "Yeah, but only for a week… I needed to think about some stuff and test if I could really come back…" Jean only nodded while she pulled her legs close. She watched how he got up with two big cups in his hands and came closer just to sit down on the edge next to her; handing her one of them. "Eat…," he said and only looked briefly at her, while she watched how he began to eat the soup before she looked down on hers. By now her heart was beating so strongly in her chest that she knew he was aware of it due to his enhanced hearing. "I missed you…"

Hearing the whisper from her, Logan looked up briefly but she didn't look back. Bending forward, he lifted her head a bit and kissed her lightly on the lips; stroking over her cheeks tenderly. "Eat!" he said once more but softer this time when she met his eyes insecurely.

"Are we fine again…?" she demanded to know and he smirked barely noticeable before he stroked her cheeks again.

"We were already fine again after the fifth time you said you were sorry, Jeannie," he told her calmly and his eyes saddened a bit. "It was just him… I couldn't show you."

Leaning into his touch a bit, Jean nodded and closed her eyes briefly. "Is he still mad?"

Thinking about it, he shook his head. "No. Not after marking you as his own again…" Reaching out, he touched the spot between her right shoulder and neck. "I'm sorry that he bit you in Japan…"

Waving off, she shook her head. "It was my fault. If I hadn't…"

"No, it wasn't! I should have told you from the beginning what was wrong with me," he cut her off and looked away with an angry glare.

"I should have figured it out by myself…," Jean replied and shrugged weakly. "I should have known that you only wanted to protect me…"

Switching towards her again, Logan gave her an odd look; knowing that they had other things to deal with right now. "Jean," he began and met her gaze. "Let's just forget it, 'kay? And now eat!"

Before she did so, she pulled one of her two necklaces off and handed it to him; putting it into his palm while she withdrew her hand slowly and stroked over his skin barely noticeable. Cocking an eyebrow, Logan looked at the necklace when he suddenly realized what it was. Smiling slightly, while she began to eat slowly, he put his engagement ring first and his wedding band afterwards onto his left ring finger again; turning it briefly lost in thoughts. Everyday he had hoped to return soon again. But the more time had past and the more Wolverine fought against him, he had been too close to give up hope. But now he was glad that he didn't. He didn't even dare to imagine what she would have done without him. What his kids would have done without him. He'd probably already missed too much…

After finishing eating, Logan put both cups to the ground and laid down behind her; pulling her as close as possible and inhaling her scent deeply. They just laid there for some time and enjoyed to have the partner back, when Jean suddenly moved a bit. "I wasn't a good mother while you were gone…," she told him calmly but he only shook his head.

"Well, I wasn't a good dad either, wasn't I?"

Turning around to have a better look at him, she touched his cheek briefly. "You left to protect them…," she went on and played with his shirt absently while he kept his eyes on her, noticing that hers didn't look as empty anymore as the first time he'd seen her again. "I just… I don't know… I should have treated them differently…"

Kissing her forehead he pulled her close. "We deal with it when we get back and talk to them, 'kay?" Jean nodded slowly and rested against him again with her eyes closed. "Sleep a bit. You must be pretty tired, darlin'…" Feeling how she cuddled up to him a bit more, he closed his eyes, too.

"I'm glad you're back," he heard her whispering half asleep and pulled her even closer.

"Yeah, me, too…"

Okay, that was it for today. Thanks to all reviewers: )

The scene with Logan and Hank in the kitchen after Hank told him about the destroyed garden to the point where Logan hugs Jean was pre-written long ago. Same goes for the scenes in the cabin and for the one in the bedroom where Jean finds Logan in a corner. The beginning, as described in the Author's note, was written after I saw The Fountain. So, blame the movie for the mood. LOL But I thought before if I shouldn't add the scene somehow after mentioning it twice in Changes. So, hope you liked that one here and I also hope that those who got the baby-thing wrong last time finally know that it was of course Logan's baby. Don't forget they had slept with each other once in Japan and once in the night before he had to go. ; ) See ya!!