Hey everyone! Welcome to another chapter!

Logan's Wolverettes; Many thanks to my reviewers for the last chapter! nileena, Sarra Ambrai, Sniktchick, Sagas. pen - (good to have you back!) - and Laudine! Your input is always welcome and appreciated!

So without further ado, lets get on with the story! A visit to the parents is in the offing ......!

ooXoo

4. And the Cajun Makes Four

Kristi expected to be alone when she awoke the next morning, but the sound of gentle breathing announced the presence of her bondmate far better than any words could have done. Smiling, she rolled over to see the feral laid out in his usual untidy sprawl – on his stomach, one arm thrown over the side of the bed, the other tucked under his pillow. Reaching out along the bond, Kristi could feel the peaceful detachment that she had come to associate with dreamless sleep and she stilled, reluctant to wake him from his slumber. The feral's nights were usually far from restful, being plagued with dreadful nightmares of his confinement at the hands of the Weapon X project. Memories of his past were lost to him, but often re-surfaced in his dreams, and many of those events were not pretty. Thanks to recent events, Kristi was now no stranger to the concept of nightmares herself.

Logan huffed a breath and Kristi stretched out a tentative hand to caress his face, brushing back a stray lock of silky black hair. The feral stirred slightly, made a soft sound mid-way between a growl and a purr, and settled once more, his senses telling him he was safe with his mate.

A sudden knock at the door made Kristi jump and squeak, rousing Logan, who growled and made to sit up. He quietened as Kristi held a finger to her lips.

"Kristi? Are you gonna sleep all morning, girl?" Jubilee's voice sounded through the door, impatience colouring her tone. "We should have set off hours ago."

Kristi's eyes widened in alarm. She'd overslept! Flashing Logan a desperate glance, she rushed to cover up the oversight. "No, I'm up, Jubes. Just finishing off my packing. I'll meet you downstairs, okay?"

"I thought you packed yesterday ……..? Well, whatever. Oh, while I'm here, have you seen Wolvie this morning? I've looked everywhere. Can't find him." A pause, then; "Why am I talking to you through a door? Hope you're decent, girl, 'cause I'm coming in."

"No!" Kristi almost yelled as the door began to open, and she looked around in a panic. "No, don't come in, Jubes, I'm …….. ah …….. I've got clothes laid out on the floor! You'll walk on it!"

The door paused and Kristi held her breath, putting a finger to her lips to silence Logan, who was grinning at her, unhelpfully.

"If you're looking for Logan, I think …….. I think he went to put his duffle bag in the car. Try the garage, Jubes." Please try the garage, Jubilee, before I die of embarrassment.

A soft breath huffed from the other side of the door. "Okay, I'll go look. But don't be long, y'hear? Otherwise there won't be any point in setting off today at all."

Kristi heaved a relieved sigh as Jubilee's footsteps moved off down the hallway. "That was close."

Logan rolled onto his back and placed his hands behind his head, showing off a fair amount of finely muscled chest. "S'matta, Kris? You ashamed of me all of a sudden?"

"No! Oh god, Logan, never! But we're ……… you know …….. in bed …….. together. It's kinda personal, y'know?"

"But nothin' happened," Logan pointed out reasonably. "We were just sleepin'. Unless …….." his eyes flashed, dangerously. "Unless ya'd like somethin' ta happen?" He raised himself up on one elbow and began to lean into his mate. "Whaddaya say, Kris? Wanna fool around?"

Kristi swallowed audibly as the feral all but devoured her with his dark eyes, her breath hitching in her throat at the sudden flash of possession that blazed within them. She felt herself being swept away, becoming lost in their mysterious hidden depths, and she reached out to caress her mate's cheek tenderly, even as his want – his need – flooded into her mind through the bond.

Logan pulled back so suddenly that her hand was left caressing empty air. She blinked in surprise as he raked his fingers through his thick black hair, before swinging his legs out of bed to sit on the edge. He bent to scoop up his sweat pants from the floor.

"Ya'd better go an' get yerself ready, Kris, if yer wanting to keep this a secret from the rest o' the school. Once Jubilee realises I'm not in the garage, the kid's nosy enough ta make a return visit."

Kristi nodded and then reached out a hand to gently touch Logan's back, puzzled by his sudden withdrawal. "Logan? You okay?"

He twisted to look at her over his shoulder. "Yeah, I'm okay, Kris." He winked at her and began to tug on his sweat pants, standing up to ease them over his hips and giving Kristi a fine view of muscled thighs and a shapely rear. Striding to the still open door, he paused for a moment with his hand on the handle and looked back at her, one eyebrow lifting, quizzically.

"If ya don't want me ta say anythin' about this ta Jubes, Kris, I won't. Or ta anyone else, fer that matter. This is just between you an' me."

Kristi, nodded, surprised by the feral's willingness to fall in with her girlish whim. "Okay. Thanks, Logan."

"Don't mention it." Logan swung the door open and made to leave, but paused once more on the threshold. "But ya owe me one," he declared, darkly.

oooOOOooo

Having planned on an early start to try and avoid rush hour traffic, it was mid-morning by the time Kristi and her little group were ready to set off, and were accompanied to the door by those X-Men and students who were still in residence or yet to take off themselves. A tearful farewell took place between Kristi and Gina, who was planning on spending several weeks' vacation at Hudson's apartment in Salem Center. It was the first time the two girls had been apart since their dramatic escape from the clutches of Gina's father, and emotions ran high as they embraced and promised to keep in touch. Logan, leaning against the door jamb with his arms folded and one foot propped on the wall behind him, rolled his unlit cigar between his teeth impatiently as he waited out the display, wisely figuring it best to steer clear of emotional females. Jubilee, standing on the porch with her bags at her feet, checked her watch for the umpteenth time, and rolled her eyes at her partner. Logan merely grunted in reply.

With the farewells finally out of the way, Xavier wheeled his chair forward and hugged Kristi and Jubilee, before reaching out to shake Logan's hand and ascertain that they were all carrying comlinks, as he had requested. With a last wish for a safe journey, he pulled back and began shooing his X-Men back inside, leaving Kristi to lead the way around to the garage.

Kristi's classic blue Mustang was parked outside, fully gassed and ready to go. She felt a surge of pride at the sight of the sleek vehicle – a present from her parents on her twenty-first birthday. She had owned it for just a few short months before driving it to Westchester to take up a new life with the X-Men, and she'd not driven it since – a private jet and a fleet of company vehicles at one's beck and call made it easy to be lazy and leave the driving to someone else. But she had missed being behind the wheel of her beloved Mustang somewhat and was looking forward to rectifying that oversight with the long journey back home to Whitby, Ontario.

Popping the trunk, she stood back to allow Logan and Jubilee to place their bags inside. Logan immediately headed off to claim the front passenger seat while Jubilee, not fast enough in stowing her luggage, blew a silent raspberry at his back. Kristi giggled and stooped to pick up her own bags, her head whipping around in alarm at the sound of her mate's surprised voice.

"The hell ……..? What d'ya think yer doin', Gumbo?"

Dropping her bags beside her companions', Kristi slammed the trunk and hurried around to the passenger side of the car, finding the door open and Logan glaring down at his team-mate, Gambit, who had made himself comfortable in the passenger seat.

"What's going on?" she asked, in some confusion.

Gambit smiled his most disarming smile. "Remy, he comin' wit' you, chere."

Kristi blinked in surprise. "What? But …….."

Logan surged forward with a growl, taking control of the situation. "No, ya ain't." He jerked a thumb in the general direction of the mansion. "Out!"

"But Remy, he got nowhere else to go, mon ami."

"Not my problem, Gumbo. Out!"

Kristi frowned and put a hand on her mate's arm. "Wait a minute, Logan. Remy, why haven't you got anywhere to go? Why haven't you gone home with Rogue?"

"Rogue, she don' want her Cajun wit' her on dis trip, chere," responded Remy, disconsolately. "She gone home to see her old sweetheart. Remy, he'd jus' be in de way."

"The boy she put in a coma?" asked Jubilee, walking around from the other side of the vehicle. "But that was ages ago."

"Oui, petite. An' de Rogue, she goes home to see him once every year. To remind her of de consequences o' not using her power wisely an' to make peace wit' her ghosts."

"Oh, geez, that's sad," remarked Jubilee, suddenly seeing her Southern team-mate in a new light.

"That's all well an' good, Cajun, but what's this got ta do with us?" Logan had rocked back on one foot and folded his arms, defiantly.

"Remy jus' said, mon ami. He comin' wit' you!"

"An' I jus' said, yer not!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Logan, you're just going around in circles!" Kristi pushed him back so that she could give Remy her full attention, earning herself a rough growl, which she skilfully ignored. "Why can't you stay at the mansion, Remy? This is your home."

"Oui, an' Remy an' housework, dey don' mix, chere." Remy grinned at her, all teeth and flashing red eyes. "Got a hankerin' to broaden my horizons, y'understand? Heard about your little trip from de firecracker. Remy t'ought he would tag along for a while."

Kristi glanced at Jubilee, her lips pursed. Jubilee shrugged. "Oops."

"But I'm going home, Remy," Kristi persisted. "To see my parents. It's not a sightseeing trip. You'll be bored."

Remy shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. If Remy get bored, Remy move on p'haps."

Logan threw his hands in the air, disgusted. "I can't believe we're even havin' this conversation. Yer not goin', Gumbo, an' that's final."

"But why not?" asked Jubilee, coming to the Cajun's rescue. "It'll be fun having him along. Whaddaya say, Kristi?"

"Oh, fer cryin' out loud ……..!" Logan stalked away a few feet and rummaged in his jacket pocket for a match. "When ya've figured it all out, give me a call. I'm goin' fer a smoke." He stomped off around the side of the garage, muttering under his breath.

Kristi watched him go, feeling his annoyance through the bond. It wasn't stemming from any hatred towards his Cajun team-mate – they'd been friends too long for that – he simply didn't understand why he wanted to accompany them.

Kristi sighed and tried to make some sense of the situation. "You really want to go with us, Remy? Instead of staying here and helping with the repairs?"

"Housework not high on Remy's list o' priorities, chere." The Cajun grinned at her. "Remy a t'ief. Good wit' his hands in other ways, non?"

"Well, I don't think repairs to the mansion could hardly be classed as housework, but I take your meaning." Kristi sighed and ran a hand through her hair, left loose and falling in soft curls around her shoulders this particular morning. She shook her head in amusement. "Look, if you really want to come, I'll make the necessary arrangements, but I honestly can't understand why you'd want to tag along. It's not as though we'll be doing anything exciting."

"Seein' de show be excitement enough, chere." And Remy flicked his eyes meaningfully in Logan's direction.

"You'd better behave yourself, you hear?" Kristi wagged a finger at him and dug in her pocket for her cell phone. "These are my parents we're visiting, it's not a major incursion into Brotherhood territory. And you are not to goad Logan."

"Remy be de soul o' discretion, chere."

"Hmm." Kristi flipped her cell phone open as Logan stalked back to the car, having obviously overheard everything. He tossed his cigar to the gravel and ground it underfoot, flipping a thumb at the Cajun. "Out, Gumbo. Put yer bag in the trunk an' get in the back. I've called shotgun."

"Anyt'ing you say, mon ami." Remy hopped out of his seat and walked around to the back of the car to pop the trunk, grinning good-naturedly at Kristi, who rolled her eyes in return, just as Logan dropped into the passenger seat with a satisfied grunt. She was beginning to suspect she'd just made a very big mistake. Visiting her parents with Logan was hair-raising enough. Visiting her parents with Logan, and with Remy and Jubilee tagging along was enough to make any sane person run screaming for the hills.

"Hello?" The familiar voice at the other end of the phone line brought her back down to earth with a bump.

"Hello, mom? Yes, it's me again. Listen, there's been another change of plan …….."

oooOOOooo

"Are we there yet?" Jubilee chewed her gum and blew a large pink bubble, staring out of the window at the passing scenery with unfeigned disinterest. The bubble popped and she sucked the gum back into her mouth with a sigh. "I'm bored."

"Well, actually ……."

Logan interrupted his mate with a grunt, swivelling in his seat to fix his young partner with an annoyed eye. "Once more. Jus' once more, Jubilee, an' I swear I'll stop this car an' take ya over my knee."

"Well, dat should be somet'ing to see," remarked Remy, easily.

"Logan ……."

"Not now, Kris. I'm sick o' the kid's whinin'. She's been at it fer miles."

"I'm bored," insisted Jubilee. "And I'm hungry! We've been travelling for hours and I'm getting a cramp!"

"De petite got somet'ing dere," put in Remy, trying to stretch out his long legs and bumping his knees into the back of Kristi's seat. "Remy t'ink it time for a rest stop, non?"

"Yes!" agreed Jubilee, looking out of the window for a diner, hopefully. "That's too votes for a rest stop, Kristi! Anywhere'll do, we're not fussy."

"I swear it's like travelling with a couple o' kids." Logan turned back in his seat to face front, pulling at his seatbelt irritably. " 'Can we stop, I'm bored?' 'Can we stop, I'm hungry?' 'Oh, now I need the toilet'. An' that's just the Cajun."

"No need to pick on Remy, mon ami. He wasn't de one to get gum in the back o' your hair."

"Yeah, an' I'll be pickin' that out fer days." Logan ran a hand through his hair, still feeling the stickiness. "Stuff stinks like a candy shop too."

"I said I was sorry," Jubilee pouted, in return.

"Hey, guys …….?"

"Stuff oughta be banned," continued Logan, obviously on a roll. "It's a damned health hazard."

"Hey, it's thera …….. therapet …….. it keeps me calm," objected Jubilee, huffily. "Gives my mouth something to do."

"It don't shut ya up any," responded Logan, with a growl. "Ya been yammerin' on fer miles. Why ain't it glued yer teeth together yet?"

"De Wolverine is one grumpy X-Man when he's been cooped up for six hours, non?" asked Remy, of no one in particular. He leaned forward slightly and tapped the back of Kristi's seat. "De petite got a point, chere. Maybe we should stop an' let him chase squirrels for an hour or so, hmm? Let off some steam, oui, before de X-Man get really ticked off an' skewer us all wit' dose claws o' his?"

"Cajun, so help me, I'm warnin' ya ……."

"Can we stop, Kristi? I'm all cramped up and Remy keeps leaning on me."

Kristi sighed and sent a silent prayer to the goddess of patience. "No, Jubilee, we're not having a rest stop."

"We're not?" echoed Remy and Jubilee, together.

"Why?" added Jubilee, her voice sulky.

"Because we're here!"

"We are?" Jubilee all but plastered her nose to the window as she looked at the scenery with renewed interest. They were travelling along a scenic avenue, with large houses set back from the road in spacious grounds. "Where?"

"Here." And Kristi took a right turn into the next driveway.

"Oh, geez ……." Jubilee breathed out in surprise as the driveway meandered between well manicured lawns and strategically placed fir trees before opening out into an area large enough to accommodate several cars in front of a sprawling two storey house. Jubilee's mouth dropped open. "My god, Kristi! You live here?"

"Yep." Kristi pulled the Mustang in beside a black Beamer and switched off the engine. "Home sweet home."

" Oh my god ……." Jubilee couldn't pull her eyes away from the rambling white-walled dwelling in front of her. While definitely not as large as the mansion, it still looked roomy enough to house the entire team and still have rooms left over. "Kristi, are you rich?"

"What, me personally, or the whole family?"

"Ya never told us," remarked Logan, gruffly.

Kristi smiled at her mate, apologetically. "You never asked, sweetie. And somehow the subject never came up."

She reached down to pull the trunk lever at the side of her seat. Logan snorted and opened his door, getting out and making his way around to the trunk to begin pulling out the bags. Kristi followed, hoping that her little oversight hadn't just driven a wedge between them. He'd been bad enough when he'd discovered she was Canadian and had neglected to tell him. This second omission had obviously irked him once more.

Any further reflection was halted as the front door swung open to reveal a smartly dressed middle-aged couple with beaming faces.

Kristi squealed in delight. "Mom! Dad!"

She scampered across the driveway and flung herself into the woman's arms, leaving Jubilee and Remy to follow along behind, the latter donning a pair of darkened sunglasses to conceal his eyes. The woman was trying to defend herself unsuccessfully from her daughter's bone-crushing hug. "Mom! I've missed you so much!"

"It's good to have you back, sweetheart." The woman pushed Kristi back slightly to look her up and down with a critical eye. "You've grown your hair!"

"Yes. Do you like it?" Kristi fingered her golden curls, smiling at her mother's approving nod, then reached out a hand to pull her father into the embrace. "Hi, dad! I've missed our hugs! Ooh, it's so good to see you both again. I've missed you terribly. And I've got so much to tell you!"

"Maybe you'd better start by introducing us to your friends?" Kristi's father stepped back, his eyes full of amusement as Kristi remembered her manners and turned to gesture Jubilee and Remy forwards.

"Mom, dad, this is Jubilee. She's my best friend," Kristi declared, proudly, as her mother took the young mutant's hand in a friendly shake.

"Welcome to our home, dear."

"Thanks, Mrs Marsters."

"And this …….." continued Kristi, indicating Remy.

"This must be Logan," finished her mother, holding out her hand. "We're very pleased to meet you. Of course, Kristi's told us absolutely nothing about you, so we'll be interested to know how you two met!"

Remy flinched slightly, but took her hand and bowed gallantly over it, pressing a small but chaste kiss to the back. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, madam, but you have Remy at a slight disadvantage. De name is Remy LeBeau. At your service."

"But I don't understand …….." Kristi's mother drew back her hand, looking flustered. She glanced towards her daughter. "We understood you were bringing your boyfriend home to meet us, dear."

"She is," rumbled Logan, striding up, laden down with all the bags. "That would be me." He dropped the bags on the ground at his feet and stuck out his hand to Kristi's mother. "Pleased to meet you."

There was a moment of stunned silence as Logan's words registered, then Kristi's mother drew back slightly, ignoring his offered hand. "But you're …….. you're ……." Without another word, she turned and strode back into the house.

Logan's face visibly darkened and Kristi stepped in to his side, ashamed by her mother's actions. "Mom ……?"

Her father recovered quickly and stepped forward, taking the feral's hand just as he lowered it and pumping it, vigorously. "We're very pleased to welcome you to our home, son. Come on in! Don't you mind my wife – I'm sure she's just a little overwhelmed at seeing Kristi again after so long. Come in, all of you! Are you hungry? Our evening meal is set for eight o' clock, after Nikki and David get home, but I'm sure a little snack wouldn't go amiss, no?"

Throwing a companionable arm around Logan's shoulders, he led the way inside, chatting carelessly about this and that and asking about the journey. Behind them, Jubilee and Remy exchanged pointed glances and then picked up the bags between them, following along as Kristi's father led the way to a sumptuous living room with patio doors that led out to the side garden. His tone was light and friendly, but Remy didn't miss the loaded glance he threw at his hovering wife as he bid everyone to sit.

"How about a drink?" he asked, as everyone settled. "Coffee?"

"Coffee for me, dad, but Logan will have a beer if you have one." Kristi tossed her mate a nervous glance as he settled on the couch beside her, placing one ankle on the opposite knee and feigning nonchalance. Her mother's reaction had un-nerved her somewhat and she could feel Logan's unease through the bond. Her father was doing his best to welcome the visitors to their home, but she could still sense her mother's hostility and knew it was all directed at Logan. Tears prickled in her eyes and she felt her mate's hand alight gently on her knee, along with a pulse of love and assurance through the bond. That he was still willing to support her after the welcome he had received made her want to kiss him there and then to show her gratitude.

"Beer?" Kristi's father frowned, slightly. "Yes, I'm sure we have some somewhere. David likes the odd bottle now and again. I'm a gin and tonic man myself, but I quite understand the attraction to the darker stuff." He looked to Remy and Jubilee, questionably.

"Coffee will be fine, mon ami," said Remy.

"Do you have any Coke, Mr Marsters?" asked Jubilee, politely. "My mouth is full of travel dust."

Kristi's father laughed, good-naturedly. "Oh please, Jubilee, call me Gordon. My wife is Linda. That goes for all of you," he added, looking around at the others, his gaze lingering pointedly on Logan. The feral inclined his head, gratefully. "Drinks coming up!" He bustled past his wife, who was still standing in the doorway, and headed for the kitchen.

Linda Marsters straightened stiffly and speared her daughter with a glare. "Kristi, maybe you'd like to help me with some sandwiches?"

It was phrased as a question, but Kristi knew it was anything but. She pushed herself hesitantly to the edge of her seat. "Okay ……."

Logan caught her hand as she stood and pulled her around to face him, using her body as a shield as he silently mouthed 'It'll be okay'.

Kristi nodded, sighed and followed her mother silently from the room and down the hallway to the kitchen. No sooner had they entered when the woman whirled, her eyes ablaze.

"That man …….." she flung out a hand, gesturing wildly in the direction of the living room. "That man is not welcome in my house, Kristi!"

"Mom ……?" Kristi gaped at her mother, unable to believe her reaction, her mind a confused jumble of emotion. "What ……..? Why?"

Her father straightened from his search of the refrigerator, a frown creasing his features as he looked at his wife. "Linda, please. Be reasonable. This is Kristi's boyfriend we're talking about."

Her mother snorted. "Boyfriend? Gordon, the man is old enough to be her father! And I have no intention of being reasonable! He is not staying a single night under my roof!" She turned back to her daughter. "He goes, Kristi! Now!"

And Kristi could only stare in shock as her whole world crumbled around her ……..

NEXT: Will they go or stay? And will this be resolved? Logan takes matters into his own hands.