Shao (Little Dragon): Part Nine.
DISCLAIMER: Marvel owns all the characters. No money is involved (story of my life). Thanks to a slew of people (especially ChiKokoro, Ken Barnes, Amy Hunt) who helped me with their suggestions so some of the ideas weren't mine also.
SUMMARY: Everyone was now on board with the idea of Jubilee and Logan being together, that is except themselves. Both new and old members of the X-family are called upon to make them see the light
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NOTES: Any bordered by triple characters (e.g. ) means telepathic speech. Each telepath has a different signature. Phrases bordered by parenthesis mean the person is speaking in Japanese. Phrases bordered by are thoughts. Any questions see feedback for my email address and I'll answer as best as I can. Archive at will
A/N2: It really sucks when real life gets in the way of my updates. My apologies seem inadequate at how long it has been since I last did just that. Thank you for all of you who have kept up with me, and this story through its very slow updates. You are the life's blood of a writer. To my muse Amy: as always thanks luv for your continued support.
Three o'clock, the witching hour. It was the time where things either went completely still or straight to hell but in the X-mansion on this day it was somewhere in between. Remy had spent the entire afternoon in the shower room with two men. The thought struck his tired mind as funny and he chuckled under his breath. Iceman would run that joke into the ground if word ever got out. He made a mental note to speak to Kurt later about that later.
They had warmed Logan up with a hot bath and sure as the sun rose his healing factor detoxified his system and the man was grudgingly sober. Once they were sure he wouldn't try anything rash, Remy and Kurt waited outside while Logan bathed – for an hour. Then they dragged him off to Medlab for a check-up he claimed he didn't need.
By the time Hank finished with him it was well after dark – mercury laced tranquilizers were wonderful tools when dealing with difficult fast healing customers. Needless to say, when Logan woke, he wasn't happy camper. However it was hard to tell whom exactly he was angry with, Remy and company or himself.
Kurt wisely bamfed back to the War Room to take over for Cannonball who took over for him so he could deal with Logan. Remy envied him; he wasn't as lucky and caught the brunt of Logan's verbal abuse. Hank firmly told them to take it to the Danger Room; that was four hours ago.
After the third hour of combat, Remy left Logan to run his own sessions and headed for the apartment wing of the mansion. It was then that he realized the time and didn't expect the lights in his apartment to be on. Quelle? As he got closer he could hear Rogue speaking with someone in the parlor.
"Mina was a godsend. That honey-child passed her first field test with flyin' colors but that's not the point. Jubilee nearly lost control because of pride. Y'all know about their fight and Logan's been missin' for days." Rogue noticed her husband leaning on the door. The look in his eyes said it all.
"He's been found ma chere." He nodded to Storm, Jean and Scott on the couch and settled in next to Rogue on their loveseat.
"I told you their relationship was wrong." Scott got to his feet, "after all she's just a child."
Jean yanked him back down next to her. "Don't start love, don't start." Gambit looked like something the cat had drug home. Were wolverines related to cats? She picked up his tired thoughts by accident and was shocked. "The freezer!" she blurted out then smiled apologetically at him for her indiscretion.
"What in blue blazes was he doing in there?" Scott asked perplexed. He thought of a dozen different places where Logan would have gone but this was a first.
Storm figured it out. "To get drunk, am I not right Gambit?" She sipped her tea and watched their reactions over the rim of her cup. Understanding filled Jean's eyes but they held a touch of sadness. Rogue was chewing on her bottom lip while her brain digested this new information. Then her face fell and she looked tired almost old. Scott was still confused.
"Oui, chere. He's trying to forget the petite." Gambit pulled Rogue into the crook of his arm and nuzzled her hair. "Je t'aime," he whispered.
The pressure behind Jean's eyes was developing into a headache. They had had a simple fight. Only those two could blow it this out of proportion. For the sake of the mansion, it was time they made up. How? That was the question.
A slow smile stole across Jean's face and the rest of the room looked to each other in puzzlement. Scott, however, knew that look and narrowed his eyes behind brand new ruby quartz sunglasses. She was up to something.
They gathered in closer around Julian's chalkboard as Jean outlined her plan. And so was borne: Operation Wild Healing.
Bright and not so early the next morning, Jubilee woke to urgent pounding at her door. It matched the pounding in her head and amplified the sound to a painful degree. She wasn't sure what kind of whammy Rogue had pulled on her but it felt like the worst hangover anyone could get. However, complain as she might, Jubilee was glad Rogue was able to shut her down.
The person at the door pounded hard enough to shake the walls. Considering the condition the boathouse had been in, she was surprised they weren't coming down around her. She fumbled for her black shades on the nightstand and unwound the sheets from her midsection. About halfway to the door she realized she'd gone to bed without any clothes on. Answering the door in your birthday suit wasn't exactly proper protocol.
"Hang on a sec!" she yelled and winced. The room tottered a bit but she managed to cram her tired body into her black and red Japanese wrap as she reached for the doorknob.
Jace and Alliah greeted her with wide smiles and sickeningly cheerful faces. More students ranged behind them crowding onto the small landing in front of her door. Jubilee huddled further into her robe; a frown creased the tender skin of her forehead. Her burning eyes fell on the wall calendar. Today's date was circled in red with heavy black letters boldly inscribed within. 'Survival Class Tag Team' they read.
Her headache tripled. Today was the day she and Logan were supposed to teach wilderness survival tactics. Since no one had seen him for the past week it was up to her to pick up the slack. Sometimes she really hated life. "Okay, okay. Meet me at the edge of the meadow where the trees begin. I'll be out in fifteen minutes."
They dispersed but Jace remained behind. "Miss Lee," she said hesitantly. Mina warned her that the after affects of her infrasonic shut down of the woman might make her testy. The last thing Jace needed was to be on another teacher's bad side. Well technically that teacher had tried to use her ability to for his own sick games. When she told him where he could stick his games, he immediately branded her as a troublemaker and had her expelled for insubordination. Ever since then, Jace was shuttled from once school to the next. She was convinced that each school had some weird bylaw that required them to hire at least one creep.
Her ability was not one that could be shut off easily. It was as involuntary as breathing. Not only could she deaden pain with her touch but also could feel any pain within a certain area as if it were hers and waves of flowed off the woman in front of her. Jace felt her forehead wrinkle in echo as she braced herself for a tongue-lashing. With a headache that bad, testy doesn't even cover it.
"Jubes or Jubilee. Miss Lee makes me feel old," she grumbled mildly then smiled to take the sting out of it.
"Miss Jubes," Jace settled on and felt encouraged by her widening grin, "let me help you."
Jubilee chuckled softly. She must look really pathetic for a student to offer to help her dress. "Jace," Jubilee patted her shoulder, "thanks but I think I can manage."
"No, no," Jace panicked suddenly aware of how her offer might have sounded. Her head felt like it was going to explode but again it wasn't her pain. She stepped forward and touched both hands towards Miss Jubes' temples. "Here, I show you!"
Jubilee was too surprised to pull away. She felt a gentle, warm energy sink into her skin and her eyes closed because it felt that good. All the pain in her head, neck and shoulders drained away. Actually it felt like Jace's hands were siphoning it out directly with her fingertips. The gentle pressure left her temples and Jubilee opened her eyes to stare at the girl in wonder.
Once Jace sensed the last of the pain exit Miss Jubes, she closed her fists tight around what she had dubbed the 'energy of pain' so it wouldn't dissipated into herself or back into its former owner. It took all her concentration and will to compress the energy until it changed form. The glowing finally died down and Jace relaxed. She smiled at Miss Jubes' expression and opened her hands palm up. A solid black stone sat in the middle of each palm. "There all better," she giggled feeling more like herself again and deposited both stones in Miss Jube's hands.
"Wow!" Jubilee stared at the stones in her palm then back up at Jace. She seemed a little more at ease herself. She narrowed her eyes slightly and made the connection. "Let me guess. These are the physical manifestation of pain you removed from me. I wish you could have been here a month or so ago."
"I don't!" Jace blurted and ducked her head in shame. Sometimes her mouth worked without her brain in full control. Frantically she tried to explain. "I didn't mean it like that but I can feel the pain of anyone within fifteen feet. I wouldn't have been able to help. Only now, with the Professor's help can I function with someone else's pain in my head."
"Hey calm down. I'm not offended or anything. I didn't mean to say that out loud." She thanked Jace with assurances that she wasn't mad at the girl and dismissed her to the meadow.
Outside the sun burned in the sky with the promise of an uncomfortable hot, humid day. Her usual halter-top and thong was cool but not appropriate for teaching a bunch of kids. 'Kids', Jubilee smiled. In truth she wasn't too much older than many of them yet her mind and body finally matched. She was a woman through and through.
Back to the problem at hand, Jubilee surveyed her closet. Cotton would be best so she chose a pair of faded green cargo pants. For the top, much to her chagrin, the best thing would be her long sleeved stretch T-shirt. It was a shade darker than the pants. She included her original ensemble on underneath for a later dip in the lake after class.
Logan woke with a jerk. His automatic time clock told him that his new sanctuary would be invaded soon. Still he lay on the couch wrapped in warm sheets and allowed his healing factor a few moments to alleviate the stiffness in his muscles. After everything he put his body through, he wasn't surprised to feel less than optimal today. The nagging at the back of his mind screamed for him to get his ass moving to preserve his solitude but he couldn't bring himself to move.
However as minutes ticked by, the common room of the apartment wing in the mansion remained unusually empty. Most times Jean, Scott, or Ororo lounged on its couches discussing the goings on of their rather extensive family over hot cups of coffee. Logan could admit in the privacy of his mind that these people indeed had become family, a concept he had given up on when Jubilee had disappeared. A stab of guilt hit him and he wondered what she was up to and if she was okay.
Last week was a mistake, his mistake. Their new relationship had a learning curve and Logan wasn't up to speed yet. Since their affirmation of love to each other, his protectiveness of Jubilee had reached new highs, 'or should that be lows' Logan thought with a grimace and pushed aside the sheets; it was time to face the day.
His apartment was only a short distance away but in no condition to use. Gambit wasn't the only person/thing Logan had taken his sorrow out on. C-bag in hand he trotted to the main mansion, also uncommonly empty and proceeded to the men's locker room. If he were paranoid he would say that everyone was avoiding him. Paranoid, Logan snorted at that laughable thought as he jumped into the shower.
The water felt unbelievably good and he let it wash away his worries if but for the moment. His hair succumbed to the relentless flow and fell out of its trademark peaks to lie flat against his back. As always scents brought on distant and sometimes not so distant memories. He held the bottle of shampoo under his nose and went with it.
Rosie sat on her couch reading a newspaper, the Mandripoor Gazette. Logan grumbled under his breath. He wanted nothing more than a shower and some shuteye but he doubted it would be that simple. If she had waited up it wasn't to ask him how his day went. He sat on the chair opposite the couch and expected her to pounce on him any second. She didn't even look up from her paper.
"Y'know, your 'lifeline' is quite the chatterbox, a veritable fountain of information. Every sentence was 'Wolvie' this and 'Wolvie' that." Suddenly Rosie's voice sobered.
"She told me of the Reavers, Logan. No wonder you looked like shit warmed over when you arrived."
"Thanks, darlin'. I can always count on you for an ego boost. Get to the point." His voice held a growl's edge. Being reminded of how weak he really was always put him in a bad mood. In this case it was more like rubbing salt in his wounds, no pun intended.
She snapped the newspaper down and made him see how serious she was. "You say she's your lifeline. Have you ever considered that she feels the same way about you?"
No, he actually hadn't. "She's just a kid, Rosie. She don't know any better." Even as he said it he knew it wasn't true but he wasn't willing to admit anything else. He felt his face close down and refused to let her bully him further.
"I see." Rosie recognized Logan's posture and let it go. She didn't want another battle of wills. There were other ways, she mused and got up. "Good night Logan. This old woman will be expecting you for breakfast. Don't be late."
Logan laughed loud and long as he headed for his room. "Old woman!" He was still chuckling softly, but the minute he entered his room he went on high alert. 'What was Jubilee doing in here', he wondered and stole quietly around the bed.
Jubilee lay asleep curled in a tight ball. Sweat-drenched hair fanned across her face. All of the pillows and most of the covers had been kicked off the bed except for the sheet tangled in her legs. He moved in for a closer look when the door opened wider and Rosie entered with another set of bedding.
She dumped her burden in Logan's arms and retrieved the other pillows from the floor. Gently she unwound the sheet from Jubilee's legs. The girl uncurled, still unconscious yet responsive to Rosie's gentle manipulations, settled into the pillows and allowed Rosie to tuck the sheet up to her waist.
Instinctively Jubilee turned towards Logan. For the moment Rosie blocked her from view as she brushed back the hair that still clung to her face. When she moved, he saw his leather jacket cuddled tightly in Jubilee's arms. Logan frowned and reached down to reclaim his jacket. He was abruptly yanked away.
"Leave it be, Logan. It's the only thing that is giving her any peace from horrible nightmares," she hissed quietly at him and exchanged the extra bedding in his hands with a plastic bottle. He was still looking quizzically at the bottle after she'd finish fixing a place for him on the floor next to the bed.
"Sandalwood shampoo?" he asked.
"A gift from her." Rosie laughed softly remembering their little shopping trip. "She said, and I quote, 'That's a Wolvie smell. Clean, woodsy and strong.' I agreed, well except for the clean part." She stared pointedly at the bathroom and bid him goodnight once more.
Logan let the memory fade and squeezed out small portion of the sandalwood shampoo into his hair. Once he had worked it into a rich lather he attacked the rest of his body. He saw no reason why shampoo should be limited to just his hair. Soap was soap. Sunlight filtered into the shower room through tiny windows above his stall and bathed the back wall. He reveled in the scent and turned around to get some more and came face to face with a glowing sun-spun image of a girl.
Alliah waited for Jace to return before she started her part of the plan. Mrs. Summers' instructions were strange but when the teacher approached her this morning during breakfast for her help, Alliah couldn't refuse. It was a small part. All she had to do was remind Mr. Logan about the class today. Simple enough, right?
The thing that she didn't understand was the way Mrs. Summers wanted her to contact him. If he were indoors out of the direct sun, her GPS power wouldn't be of any use. Like Cerebro, Alliah could detect bio-signatures. She could even tell who it was but only when her subject was in either direct sunlight or direct moonlight. A metaphysical link formed between her and a subject once he or she was located. Then she could send an astral projection of herself down that link.
Several signatures came online as Alliah stepped out into the full sun. Miss Jubes was on her way. Various students winked in an out as they ran through sun-dappled hallways. The Professor was sitting at his desk facing the big window behind it. Miss Monroe, Mr. Lebeau even Dr. McCoy popped up but no Mr. Logan. Although frustrated, Alliah squashed the urge to give up and remained patiently on 'seek' mode. Her patience paid off. The shower room, she thought with dismay. Oh well, she shrugged and followed the link. Mrs. Summers did say, 'no matter where he was.'
They stared at each other and Alliah wondered fleetingly if it were possible for her solar projection to sustain injury from adamantium claws. He didn't shrink back or try to cover himself. He was covered from head to foot in suds and Alliah found her eyes following the trail of suds sliding down his chest. She stoically kept her gaze above the waistline and wondered if it was possible to blush when one was solar powered astral projection.
"Yeah, kid whaddaya want?" He turned to rinse off, out of the sunlight and she disappeared just as she called his name once again. Then he recalled his last training session with the girl and stepped back into the light. She reappeared instantly looking very perturbed. Her expression bled to relief. "Alliah, right?" The apparition nodded and his previous thought along with her presence triggered another memory.
"Mrs. Summers asked me to remind you about…" Alliah began.
"Flamin' hell!" Logan swore interrupting her. "The survival class!" He refused to sit through one more double lecture from the Summers about responsibility and setting examples. He couldn't be held responsible for any of his actions if forced to do so. "I'll be there in ten," he assured her and stepped under the water once more breaking the link.
Alliah snapped back to herself a little put out. She had delivered only part of the message and not the most important part. Mrs. Summers also specified that he needed to be reminded that he was teaching with Miss Jubes. Her mood suddenly lightened. Wait a minute, were they not talking to each other? Teaching together would force them to be civil in front of the students. Clever Mrs. Summers, clever.