Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own anything someone else rightfully owns, not Sabertooth, Wolverine or Canada or anything else that's Marvel's or Fox's.

AN: Hey look! I'm actually posting another chapter. I'll finish this fic someday I swear.

Chapter Six: John and Elizabeth

"John! John?" Elizabeth's voice was almost frantic, as she hurried inside, not even caring that she was tracking mud all over the clean floors. "John!"

She stopped at the parlor door, clutching the frame, as she looked about for her husband. Inside, Dr. Kymbol and Mrs. Bailey looked back in amazement at her muddied dress and red face.

"My word Madam!"

"Are you hurt? Whatever has happened?"

"No, no," panted Elizabeth, her face turning a little redder with shame, "I'm alright. I just need to speak to-"

"Elizabeth? Are you-"

"John!" Elizabeth turned quickly, as her husband came up behind her, "I need you." Taking his arm, she pulled him quickly down the hall and through the first door they came to, which just so happened to lead into his library.

"My dear, what's wrong? Your face…"

Elizabeth clasped his hand and pressed it against her cheek, which was still red and bruised where Tom had hit her. "Never mind me. It's James."

He looked at her, clearly overwhelmed and bewildered by her words and actions. "James…? He's going to be fine. He still has a bad cough, but his fever is going down and…"

"No no, not the fever! Damn the fever! … Oh John!" her eyes were filling with tears and the look she gave her husband was so emotional and desperate that John felt like he should either be screaming, or fainting, or crying. All he ended up doing was staring at her in more confusion.

Choking back sobs, Elizabeth dropped his hand and turned away. "Oh, John, I… I have to tell you something and…"

"Elizabeth, its alright. What's going on?" he asked, tentatively putting a hand on her shoulder.

The soft touch seemed to trigger something and she suddenly turned and buried herself in his arms, crying into his silk waistcoat like a frightened child. John glanced about uncertainly, before carefully patting her head and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "What is it Dear? What do you need to tell me?"

"John I'm so sorry! You don't deserve this!"

He couldn't help but silently agree that having his overly emotional wife sobbing into his arms without telling him why really was something he could do without, but he suppressed that idea and tried his best to calm her down.

"My dear, it's alright. You're my wife I love you. What's going on? … James is fine. I just saw him and…"

"And he's not yours!" wailed Elizabeth.

"What?" John asked completely caught off guard and not sure he had heard right. "Eliza…"

"John I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Elizabeth cried, stepping back and taking a firm hold on his coat as she looked up at his eyes, "It was Tom. I… I couldn't help myself John! I loved him and you were gone away to New York and I …" Tears still filled her eyes and she buried her head into his waistcoat once more.

This time John didn't try to hold her or comfort her, he just stared over her head not at all sure what to think. His mouth opened and closed and his usually stoic face blanched as his thoughts tried to come to rational terms about what she'd said. "Are…are you sure?" he asked hesitantly.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, yes I am. You thought he was born early, but he wasn't. He wasn't early, he was just… so small…" She sniffed.

John's eyes lifted toward the ceiling and James' bedroom above then fell back to Elizabeth sobbing into his arms. His mouth tightened and a look of stubborn determination came to his usually soft features, as he wrapped his arms possessively around his wife.

"Its alright," he said and he no longer sounded confused. Kissing the top of her head, he continued in a low voice, "James is my son no matter what and you will always be my wife." He brushed her hair back from her face and gently kissed the wedding ring on her hand, before leading her to the library chair and helping her to sit down.

Elizabeth cried for a few moments longer and John knelt patiently by her chair, lending her his handkerchief and holding her hand in his. She clutched it gratefully and eventually, blew her red nose and stopped sniffling. "Thank you," she said, "Thank you… I should have told you sooner. I'm sorry."

He nodded and tried to give her a weak smile. "Why did you tell me now?" he asked quietly, "After all these years."

Elizabeth took in a sharp breath and adverted her eyes, "Its because of Tom. Tom found out the truth and now he…" A frightened tremor came into her voice, threatening to break into more crying, "He wants to take James away John! James and me both!"

Turning, she clutched his arm and looked into John's face with dark sincere eyes, her voice taking on a harsh, urgent edge. "He's dangerous John! He said he'd come for us and I know he will! He ordered me to take the money from the safe and meet him by the garden with James, but I can't do that! No matter what, I can't let James fall into his hands! John you have to do something!"

For a moment John looked at her almost blankly, his eyes searching her face, as if trying to peer through her and see something more. Then his expression hardened and he gripped her hand with tight reassurance. "I will. I promise. Tom Logan won't touch a hair on James' head. Elizabeth, I'll do whatever I have to in order to protect my family."

AN: Thanks for reading. Please review.