I'm glad everyone responded so well to the last chapter, so i come bearing the next!!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing at all.

Chapter 13: The Second Summer

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." John Lennon

The rest of the year passed without any major incidents. As it all ways had, fall brought with it a few nasty snow storms before winter officially set in. And with the snow, came Emma. As she did the previous year, she spent Christmas and New years with us. But things had changed subtly as Emma and I knew it would.

When she got up in the morning, she would always poke her head out first, look both ways as if checking to see if the way was clear. She said she wanted to be sure she wouldn't find Logan walking around. I told her that Logan I agreed not to while Emma was home. But Emma kept trying to catch us.

On Boxing Day, after she got a mysterious phone call, Emma was strangely giddy. And Emma was never giddy. When we asked her what was up, she refused to say anything. But I had to know so badly, I pulled her into the closet and demanded to know what it was.

"I met someone," she trilled, doing a little happy dance.

"You did?" We both sank against the wall, and slid down to the ground to sit on the floor in the dark.

Emma giggled in a most un-Emma like way. "His name is Jamie…Jamie Madrox and he's so cute!"
"How'd you meet him?"

"When I went to play pool with some of the girls. And there he was. He's so sweet and adorable and …"

I poked her in the knee. "So, do I get to meet him?"

Emma blushed. "If we last the next semester, maybe during the summer?"

I smacked her in the arm before she had a chance to shield herself. "That is not fair!"

"What's not fair?" She rubbed her arm. "Ouch! Jeez, I forgot how much that hurt!"

"Wimp! I have to wait a whole freaking' semester before I meet your guy and you and Dee got to see the whole Logan and me thing."

"I did not see it all! I was at school!"

"You were here for the important stuff."

"That is not my fault!"

"Is so!"

"Is not!"

"So!
"Not!"

Suddenly the door opened and Logan appeared. He glanced at us, one eyebrow raised. "Should I be concerned?"

"Nope." Emma grinned. "We're fine. Thanks for asking."

"You're in a closet, Half-Pint." He replied using the nick-name he started calling her.

"Yeah," Emma looked at me for a second before looking back at Logan. "We know."

He opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it. He cocked his head to one side and finally said: "I feel like I should ask more questions," he tapped his chin in thought. "But I don't think I'll ever understand. You coming out soon?"

I laughed. "Sorry, babe. We'll be out in a sec. We're just having a tiny girl moment."

He started to leave and then grabbed a hold of the door again. "Should I close the door?" He asked.

"Please."

He shut it, leaving us in darkness again and we cracked up and laughed for a good ten minutes.

When I recovered enough, I asked the most important question: "Have you told him?"

"About my….special abilities?" She murmured.

"Yeah."

She hugged her knees to her chest and looked down at her feet. "I thought Mom said we weren't supposed to tell anyone…"

I shrugged. "Well, Mom's gone. And it's your life. It's a decision that you should make yourself."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. All I ask is that you be sure that he's the one you want to tell."

Emma considered this and sighed. "Have you told Logan?" She swallowed when she saw my face. "Are you ever going to tell?"

"Honey, my gift and yours are very different." I smoothed her long blonde hair away from her face. " I don't want him to think he feels the way he does because of what I can do."

"Have you used it? On him?"

I thought back for a moment. "…only once. To make him listen." I realized. I couldn't believe I hadn't used it more. "But he wouldn't believe me. I think it would be best if he didn't know."

"If you're sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I am. It's for the best."

New Years Eve came and went, and so did Emma. I could hardly believe that she was half way through her second year of college and loved it. She had a group of friends she called often, a major she loved, and a potential boyfriend. Like she'd blubbered when I sent her off for fall semester, our life was never going to be the way it was.

Through the rest of the winter and spring, Emma kept me up to date on the goings on with this mysterious Jaime and her frustration at building up her collection to maybe go into a showcase next year. And just as quickly as fall turned to winter, winter turned into spring. Before I knew it, it was nearly summer again.

About a week before Emma came home, Logan and I were lying on the couch one night; he was watching the news, his arm around me and my head on his shoulder. Somehow, we squished onto the couch and we fit there. I had no idea how, but I loved falling asleep listening to his heart beat against my ear.

I was half asleep when Logan suddenly whispered my name: "Kay? You asleep?"

"Almost." I murmured. "What time is it?"

There was a pause when he checked his watch. "Ten thirty."

"I'm such a grandma…" I sighed, closing my eyes again.

He didn't say anything, only ran his hand up and down my arm. But I could feel the tension in his hand, his arm.

"What is it?" I sat up a little to look at him. "You're awfully quiet."

"I was just thinking that this is the first time I've lived in a place for more than six months." He whispered.

"Really?" I counted on my fingers. "Huh, you have been here almost two years, haven't you?"

"It's a little weird, isn't it?" He laughed, his voice rumbling in his chest.

"No," I whispered, tightening my hold on him. "No. It isn't weird at all."

"So, you like having me around, then?" he grinned.

"Very much. Is there something else?" I murmured.

"I've been thinking…"

"Oh no…." I snickered.

"Quiet you…As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, I've been thinking a lot about this."

I leaned on my chin on my hand to look him in the face. "What is the 'this' you've been thinking about?"

"The 'this' would be us, actually."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah," he moved his hand up to my hair and started to run his fingers through my hair. "This is nice."

I grinned. "I got that."

"No, I mean…" he let out a deep breath. "I like having you around."

"Wow!" I laughed, burying my face in his shoulder for a minute. "You're smothering me…."

"Will you shut up for five minutes?" he groaned. "I'm trying to make a point."

"Fine, go ahead."

"My point is, when I first came here, I didn't think I could live a civilian life. I didn't think I could do the whole 9-to-5 job-" he glared at me when I almost interrupted with the whole 8-to-3 fact but I stopped. "And then I met you and everything changed."

"Me?"

"Yes, you." He grinned.

"What did I do?" I sat up all the way and so did he.

"After your accident, and we were eating Chinese and you told me that people didn't come to Canmore because of the view or the skiing. That people come because they're looking for something. I asked what it was and you said it was whatever it is they need to find-"

"You think I'm what you needed to find…?" I whispered.

"Yeah, actually."

I stared at him.

"What I'm working up to is…" he looked down at his hands and then back up at me. "Kayla, I love you."

It wasn't that I hadn't been expecting this; I did know this was coming. I'd known it was coming since that first summer but I refused to admit it. Looking up at him, the hope in his eyes, the slight tremor in his hands, I felt the tears starting in my eyes. "Why?" I whispered. "Of all the people in the world, why would you pick me?"

He grinned and reached forward to wipe away a few tears. "Because…" he shook his head in disbelief at me. "Because I hate being away from you for any amount of time, because you make me laugh, because I can….be myself, good and bad, with you." He smiled a real full smile at the last bit. "What's wrong?"

I smiled too, despite myself and brushed away the tears. "It's nothing. No one's ever said that to me."

"So, it was good then?"

"Very good." I wrapped my arms around him.

"Do you have something to say to me?" he wondered.

"I…" I bit my lip and thought.

"You don't have to," he sounded dejected.

"Logan, please…" I murmured, gathering my thoughts. "I've never felt about anyone, the way I feel about you. And, I don't imagine that I will ever feel this about anyone else in the future…"

"Wow…" he snorted. "You're smothering me!"

I giggled. "What I'm trying to say is that…I love you, too."

"Now," Logan grinned, slipping his hand behind my head. "Was that so hard?"

"You know," I leaned over him and kissed him once. "Sarcasm isn't becoming."

"Like you don't love it." He murmured and pulled me down for another kiss.

It was a good summer, one of the best Emma and I could remember. We went hiking, showing Logan all of our favorite spots on the mountain, and went to the lake a few times with Paul and Dee. Most nights we sat outside and watched the sun go down.

Sundays, we all slept in late and then bummed around the house. I read while Logan taught Emma how to fix the car or had her help him fix up the car or bike. Half the time, Emma would emerge from the garage covered in grease and oil but smiling from ear to ear. Logan would smile at her and call her "Half-Pint" instead by her name.

Emma, of course, took tons of pictures; Logan and I were her favorite subjects. She was always there, camera in hand. There were so many that I tried to throw away, but Emma never let me touch those. Most of them were of me in the morning before I'd had coffee, a shot of Dee in her bunny slippers and the like. But there were a few though, that I loved: one of Logan and I sitting on the back porch looking back at Em, me kissing Logan's cheek, one of just us laughing at something, and Logan's profile, one so very different from the one Stryker showed me more than a year before.

There was one afternoon that stuck out to me; we'd hiked up to Grassi Lake and Emma was busy snapping pictures but pushed her luck when she stood in front of us and took a shot of us at every single angle. Finally, Logan grabbed her, wrestled he camera out of her hands and handed it to me. He threw her over his shoulder and marched off toward the lake.

I set it down and stupidly followed. Once we got to the lake's edge, he tossed Emma in. Then he turned around for me. I shouldn't have tried to run away, I knew he would catch me, but I did anyway. He caught me easily and tossed me in as well.

That night, after Emma and I had dried off, we cooked out and between Dee, Emma and I polished off the bag of marshmallows for s'mores.

"You know," Emma wondered as she roasted her ninth marshmallow.

"What?" Dee asked.

"I like this."

Dee laughed and placed her hand on Emma's head. "Yeah, it is nice, isn't it?"

Later, as we were falling asleep under the stars, I curled up next to Logan and whispered: "You know what?"

He chuckled. "What, Kayla?" he asked sleepily.

"Today was a good day. One of the best."

"It was good." He agreed. "But, there'll be more."

"Promise?"

"I promise. Now, go to sleep."

Like all things, that perfect summer came to an end. As the days ticked closer to August, Emma got a call from Jaime and she told us that he was going to give her a ride to school, seeing as how he lived in Vancouver and she was right on the way.

"What do you know about this kid?" Logan snarled on the day that Jaime was supposed to come pick Emma up.

"His name is Jamie," I smiled. "And Emma likes him very much. He's a poli-sci major, I think she said. He's very smart."

"That's it?" Logan started pacing. "What does he do? Who-"

"Baby," I caught him and pressed a finger to his lips. "We'll know soon enough."

"How are you not worried?" he was shocked.

I sighed. "You were right. Emma's not ten anymore. She's not a little girl and she has to grow up some time. I'm trying to trust her."

"So, you actually listened to me?" Logan threw up his hands in amazement. "What do I know?"

"Logan." I grinned and placed one hand on his arm. "I need you today. I need you to be calm. Because we can't both freak out right now."

"Fine, fine…I'm calm. It's your turn." He smiled.

"Well, I was thinking of doing something else." I shot him a sidelong glance. "A kiss for luck?"

"You don't have to ask me twice." He obliged until Emma came in.

"Must you in my presence?" Emma snorted. "See, I know you guys are super excited that I'm going back to school, but can't you wait until I'm actually out of the house?" She whined.

"Where's your ride, Half-Pint?" Logan laughed, keeping his hands around my waist. "You were supposed to be out of the house," he glanced at his watch. "half an hour ago."

"Shut it!" Emma shouted back as she grabbed another bag from her room. "And if you're so keen to get me out then grab a bag!"

Logan sighed and rolled his eyes but went to help anyway. "Jesus, Half-Pint!" He exclaimed. "You know you're going to be back, right?"

"Grab a bag, please!"Emma repeated. "You, too, Sister dear!"

I laughed and followed suit.

As we were putting the last few bags on the porch, an old green pick-up pulled into the driveway. Emma squealed and raced down to greet him.

"Think that's him?" Logan wondered.

I nodded, swallowing back the tension as Jamie got out of the cab and hugged Em. "I feel like I'm in one of those dreams and I know I'm in a dream. Kind of floaty…"

"Like your head isn't connected to your neck?" He wondered.

"Yeah."

"Kayla!" Emma dragged the poor boy up the porch steps. "Kayla, this is Jamie Madrox." She presented him like Vanna White would a vowel. "Jaime, this is my sister Kayla, Kayla Silverfox."

The tall lanky boy stepped forward, flicking his dark mahogany hair out of his eyes. A smile slid up and settled crookedly on his mouth. He had a well defined jaw and I could see what Emma did. He was gorgeous. Almost too gorgeous. "I'm so glad to meet you," I said finally. "Emma's told me all about you."

"It's nice to finally meet you, too." he grinned. "Emmy's told me all about you, too."

I stopped short when he called her 'Emmy'. Nobody had ever called her 'Emmy'. He was perfectly polite as he shook Logan's hand too, but there was something about him…something that I couldn't put my finger on.

When all the introductions had been made and all of Emma's bags loaded, Emma and I said goodbye on the porch. "Study hard, be safe." I whispered. "Call me all the time."

Emma grinned. "I will. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

"But." I cupped her face in my hands. "You are my Emma. And I love you. Always have."

Emma smiled. "Always will." She agreed. Logan appeared next to her and then scooped her up over his shoulder. Emma laughed and I memorized the sound. He set her down next to the cab and they exchanged a few words before they hugged as well.

Logan was back at my side on the porch as we watched, in silence, the pick-up truck back out of the driveway. All the while Emma and Jamie waved. I felt, rather than saw Logan turn to me. "It's going to be all right," he told me as he wrapped an arm around me. "Everything is going to be okay."

I looked up at him, smiled thinly and sighed. "I hope so."

You guys better enjoy this while it lasts cuz you will not believe what's gonna happen in the next chapter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!