Special Note: Everyone, give a huge shout out to Tahlmorra for (and i quote!) "exercising my right as a new reader to request a new chapter"...:) So, Tahlmorra, this one's for you! And, oddly enough, everyone else wins too! Enjoy!

Chapter 23

(Angela)

The week following the rescue in Colorado was trying to everyone on Alpha team, mostly due to Dr. Gibson. His interview was being repeated on every news station in the country and was eventually translated into something crazy like fifteen languages for agencies all over the world. As soon as it hit the airwaves, the calls for interviews started pouring in. Just before the New Year and about three days before the kids came back from the holiday, we had a meeting to discuss what we should do about it.

"I think we should do it." Charles said. "We've done other rescues, assisted with other disasters, but no one has ever taken it to heart the way the people are taking this one."

"I don't know Professor," Scott replied. "It could be a huge security risk for the school."

"On the other hand, it would give the world an inside look at just what we do here." Storm chimed in. "Not the lower levels, obviously, but the school proper? Why not?"

"What about the kids? We've always taught them that anonymity is their first line of defense. If we put them on the national news…"

"Some of us are easier to hide than others." Warren pointed out. "Even if I strap these things down and wear a coat, it still looks like I'm hiding something, even if it's just a hunchback."

"And the rest of us have been seen on the news time and again anyway." Bobby added. "It's not like we've been trying too hard to hide anymore."

"Look, what we decide to do is our decision." Scott said. "We're adults, we've made up our minds. Some of these kids might want to go on to college, leave here completely, have normal lives."

"And some of them will be able to do just that." Charles replied. "But the fact remains that others will not, especially those with physical mutations. There's also the fact that at least three people in this room will easily outlive everyone else, something that the rest of the world is certain to take notice of eventually." He looked at me, Logan and Kyro as he said that. "It is unclear if the same can be said of Mr. Gibney and Ms. Sinclair, but it is safe to assume they will enjoy a longer lifespan than most."

"So what, we just tell the world 'hey, check it out, we got ourselves some all-but-immortal types here!'" Scott snorted. "What do you think will happen? That they'll be ok with that?"

"That ain't my problem." Logan growled. "Let 'em think it's all rosy to live this fuckin' long. Ain't like we got a vote anyway."

"Logan's right." I said. "Sure, the never getting sick part's pretty cool and the disappearing injuries is nice. But watching your friends, lovers, children grow old and die?" I shuddered involuntarily. "It's hard, it's really hard." I looked down at my hands. "I never had the guts to do it." I whispered.

The room fell silent, but I felt the Professor in my head. 'Angela, remember what we talked about.' He said.

'I do. I still never had the guts to do it.'

'That doesn't make you a coward, it simply makes you human.' I looked up and gave him a weak smile, which he returned along with what felt like a mental hug.

"…don't think we should do it, for the kids if nothing else." Scott was saying.

"What if the ones who don't wanna be seen weren't here?" Rogue suggested and all eyes turned to her. "I'm serious. I can take the younger kids on another campin' trip in the woods across the river an' any of the older ones can just stay in their rooms."

"Or we could send them on a field trip too." Sarah said. "Peter and I could take them somewhere, maybe New York or Boston. Hell, most of the older ones are home right now anyway, so they're pretty out in the open about what they are in the first place."

"And they all have pretty good control of their powers." Peter added. "If we run into any trouble, we'll have coms on us, we can call in the troops if we need to."

"Won't that defeat the purpose of having them come here to see that this is a school like any other?" Scott asked.

"We won't take them all, just the ones that don't want to be on national television. And if I know teenagers…"

"They'll all want their fifteen minutes of fame." Scott sighed and ran a hand over his face. "All right, I suppose that's a good enough compromise. But I don't want anyone younger than fourteen being filmed."

"I can agree to that." Charles stated with a smile. "Very well, I'll make the call to CNN tomorrow."

We all trickled out of the study, each of us consumed by our own thoughts. I could hear Marie whispering to Remy about how much fun it would be to do winter camping with the kids, while Sarah, Scott and Peter were discussing if it would be better to take the older kids to New York for a cultural experience, although Boston or Philadelphia could be used for a more historical perspective. I shook my head and slipped an arm around Logan's waist. "Aren't you glad all we have to worry about is kicking ass?"

"Hey, I teach 'em the ass kickin'," he replied with a smirk, "you show 'em how to put it together as a team."

"True. But you're just as good at tactics and strategy as I am."

"An' you kick ass almost as good as I do." I punched his arm and he laughed. "Face it darlin', there's just some things ya can't do."

"Name one."

"Bullets can stop you, even if it's only for a day." I scowled and he laughed again. "Sorry tiger, nature of the beast."

"I just hate it when you're right."

"As long as ya still love me, I don't care." He leaned down and kissed me softly. "So, whatcha wanna do with the rest o' the day?"

"Well, Evie's been complaining that she's bored without all her friends here, so…"

He looked at me in alarm. "You ain't thinkin' 'bout goin' back to that noise factory, are you?"

I giggled. "No, but I thought maybe we could go to the mall, maybe catch a movie, do some shopping."

"Darlin', we just had Christmas. What could possibly be left for you to buy?"

"After-Christmas sales, get all kinds of good deals." I gave him my most endearing look, which softened the scowl that had taken over his face. "Come on, it'll be fun. I heard they put in a new tobacconist that didn't get a chance to open before the holidays."

"Really?" He said, a smile spreading across his face. "All right, we'll go."

"Great! I'll grab Evie and we'll be back down in twenty." I kissed him quickly and dashed up the stairs to retrieve our daughter and our coats. I know Logan hated the mall almost as much as "the noise factory", but at least we could drop him off at the cigar shop and have some girlie time for ourselves. We met him in the garage, where he was standing next to my car and looking at it with undisguised longing on his face. He perked up when we walked in and I knew what he was going to ask before he opened his mouth. "No, you can't drive."

"C'mon Angela! I'm not gonna hurt your damn car!"

I sidled up to him and pulled his ear to my mouth. "Would you let another man drive me?" I whispered and he turned to me with scowl. I let him go and opened the driver's said. "Didn't think so. Get in the car, deal with it."

"It's not the same thing, ya know." He grumbled as he pushed the seat forward so Evie could climb in the back. "Not the same thing at all."

"Put your seat belt on, sweetie." I said to Evie in the mirror as Logan got himself situated. I turned to him but he was scowling at the dashboard in front of him. "Maybe to you it isn't, but I poured all my love into this car before you came back along, so you'll have to forgive me."

"Feels like the other man, I swear."

"I don't sleep with my car, Logan. I've never even slept IN it." I turned the key in the ignition and opened the garage door with the remote. "Just relax."

"I hate not drivin'."

"I know, but you'll live." I pulled the car out of the garage and we were off to the mall.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I swear to God, they should issue machetes to everyone goin' into a mall from Thanksgivin' to New Years." Logan grumbled as we piled out of the car.

Evie laughed, greatly amused. "Daddy, you have your own knives, why would you need another one?"

"She's got you there, lover." I said, grabbing the last of my bags from the trunk. "And it's worse before Christmas, you know."

"So?"

"So, it's past the issue date for machetes." He snorted and I kissed him on the cheek. "Oh cheer up. I saw your face when you walked into the cigar shop, like you'd died and gone to heaven."

He shrugged and grasped his own bag, which contained two boxes of his favorite stogies. "Ain't gonna apologize for that. Better'n bein' dragged all over hell's half acre lookin' at a bunch o' clothes."

"We looked at toys an' stuff too, Daddy." Evie pointed out, holding the garage door for us. "An' Mommy got you…oops!" Her eyes went wide and she clapped her hand over her mouth.

Logan looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Got me what?"

"Nothing honey." I said sweetly and tried to dance past him, but he grabbed me about the waist.

"Don't 'nothin' honey' me, darlin'. I know what that means."

I kissed the tip of his nose and wriggled out of his grasp. "You'll see…later." I gave him a mischievous wink and entered the mansion.

Hours later, after dinner was over and the last brandy sipped, Logan and I made our way back to the suite. He'd been trying all day to get me to tell him what I bought for him, but I simply smiled and winked every time he asked. When we got to the door, he planted himself in front of it, arms spread and his hand firmly on the doorknob. "Ok darlin', I've played your little game all damn day. What the hell didja get for me today?"

"A present." I replied, the little smile on my face.

"You got me a stack o' presents for Christmas or Yule or whatever the hell it is you celebrate, I don't need nothin' else."

"Maybe, maybe not. I still bought you a present."

He looked down. "But I didn't get you anythin'." He mumbled.

I reached up and stroked his cheek lovingly. "Lover, that's not why I bought you a gift today," he looked up at me, his brow furrowed in confusion, "I bought you a gift because I wanted to. And because it made me giggle."

Now he looked almost terrified. "What did you do, Angela?"

"You'll see." He finally relented and opened the door, sweeping his arm to usher me inside. The little lamp on the nightstand cast a dim yellowish glow, but it was more than enough for us to see by. Most of the stuff had been unpacked and put away, but there were a couple bags still hidden inside other bags that I hadn't let Logan see. I gave him a gentle shove. "Sit down, close your eyes."

He sat, but his eyes remained open. "How come I suddenly don't trust you?" He asked with a touch of amusement.

"You got me." I reached into the large bags and pulled out the packages I'd hidden while still in the mall. "Do you want the funny one or the other one first?"

"That depends. Which one's gonna get me made fun of?" I gave him a look that spoke volumes about the thickness of his skull and he grinned. "Fine, gimme the funny one."

"Close your eyes." He complied this time and I pulled out the silk boxers I'd found at a novelty shop and shook them out. "Ok, open them."

He peered at them curiously for a moment, then threw back his head and laughed wholeheartedly. They were white, not a color I would normally buy for him, but they had writing on them. Near the top, with an arrow pointing up, were the words "The Man". Just below, with an arrow pointing down, were the words "The Legend". "Darlin', I think you mighta found the one thing I woulda never expected!" He said.

I grinned. "So, you like them?"

"I ain't gonna promise I'll wear 'em under my uniform or anythin', but yes, I like 'em." He shook his head, reached out and grabbed my wrist to pull me close. "You have the weirdest sense o' humor outta anyone I've ever known."

"Yeah, but you love it." I whispered and kissed the top of his head.

He kissed me in turn on the stomach, then swatted my backside. "So, what's the other one?"

"Close your eyes again." I ordered and he did so without hesitation. I reached into the other bag and pulled out something I'd ordered before Christmas, but it hadn't come in on time. "Open them."

His eyes widened as he ran his hands over the fabric, the finest Japanese matte silk in muted shades of blue from sky to almost purple. I'd found a shop tucked away down one of the little-traveled wings of the mall that specialized in Japanese items and had returned with Kyro two days later. By talking to the owners, a Mr. and Mrs. Oshiro, I discovered that the wife was also a seamstress and I negotiated with her to make Logan a samurai's kimono, complete with hakama, obi and haori. I handed the pieces to him one at a time and his expression went from surprise to something like wonder. "Angela, where did you get this?"

I told him about the shop and the lovely people who owned it. "When I told them why I wanted it, they seemed a bit surprised. But as I told them more about you, they got real quiet. I asked them what was wrong and Mr. Oshiro sent his wife into the back room. She came back a few minutes later with a book, his great-grandfather's journal from what I understand. In there, he tells a story about a gaijin samurai who saved his son's life, a man who fought with the fury of a tiger. After the man was gone, insisting that there was no debt between them, he made a sketch from memory, so he could honor that man. Logan, it was you."

"I remember that." He whispered huskily. "Not real well, it was a long time ago, but I remember that. The samurai were already a dyin' breed, the class had been abolished by the turn o' the century, but there were still men in remote areas who believed in the way of the warrior, even if they no longer carried a sword in their hand. I was already afraid o' myself, what I was capable of. I half felt like an animal most o' the time and figured there had to be a better way. I don't remember why I thought I'd find the answers in Japan, but I went. An' I did," he looked up into my eyes and I saw a calm there I'd not seen often, "find the answers, that is. It worked too, for a real long time, til Stryker found me an' turned me back into a fuckin' animal."

"It didn't last forever, Logan. You came back to yourself, even if it took you a while to remember everything. And you didn't lose it all; you're still the best swordsman I've ever seen. Not to mention the most honorable man I've ever known in my life."

He kept running his hands over the silk garments, but by the look in his eyes I could tell he was reliving another part of his life, where honor meant something and the lines between good and evil were clear. I simply stood in front of him and waited for him to finish his ruminations. I would have waited all night if I had to, but after a few minutes he looked back at me. "Do I even wanna know what this cost you?"

"No, you don't." I replied, smiling softly. "But it was worth every penny, just to see the look on your face." I took his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Come on, let me help you put it on."

"What, now?" I nodded and he stepped aside, the obi and hakama in his hands. "I don't…Angela, I'm not a samurai, not anymore."

"From what the Oshiro's told me, a samurai is always a samurai, no matter what, unless you do something to dishonor your sensei or your clan. And you have never dishonored yourself or those around you, never gone against the samurai code."

"How can you say that, after all the shit we did?"

"Logan, to be perfectly blunt, you were completely mindfucked back then. They worked you over with the telepaths, put that damn chip in your head, you know that. The person they made you into, that wasn't you."

"But part of it was me, the worst o' me an' you know that."

"I thought we got past all this a long time ago."

He sighed and gently put the garments in his hands on the bed. "We did, mostly. I know I ain't just a killer, but part o' me is an' always will be. Just like part o' me's nothin' but an animal an' always will be."

"Then it's also fair to say that part of you, the greatest part of you, is still a samurai and always will be." His eyes softened and I reached up to stroke his cheek. "You know I'm right."

He sighed. "Yeah, I s'pose you are. I'm sure there's a hole in your logic somewhere, but I'm damned if I can find it right now."

He smiled at me and leaned into my hand with a sigh. I moved my hand up to his hair, which was just as soft as the silk of his kimono. "So, will you put it on?"

He gave me a tiny nod, so small that had I not had my hand in his hair, I'd have never noticed it. Mrs. Oshiro had shown me the correct way to put on a kimono, using Kyro as my test subject and a kimono they had for sale in the shop. Through him, she explained every step, the right way to fold the obi, the correct pleating for the hakama. She also explained that it was still common in Japan to find people whose job it was to help people dress in their kimono, even though the garment itself isn't often seen in every day life.

Logan slowly removed his boots, socks, jeans and t-shirt and I went behind him with the kimono. He held his arms loosely at his sides and I slid it up his arms, settling it just so on his shoulders. I moved slowly to the front and wrapped it left over right, then slipped the hakama over his legs before securing the whole thing in place with the obi. Lastly, I helped him into the haori, which was made of the darkest color and held in place with silken silver ties. Once I was done, I turned from him and went to the closet for the last part of the gift. I'd hidden them well, buried beneath the pile of maternity clothes that I never went near, so he'd never known they were there. But what was the use of giving him a samurai's kimono if he had no weapons to go with it?

The katana and wakzashi together are called a "daisho", sometimes including a third blade called a tanto. I'd gone the distance and bought all three, figuring that was how it would have been for him before. I brought them out, still wrapped in the blue silk that matched his haori and handed them to him. "And this would be the last of it." I whispered and held the bundle out.

He took them from me and unwrapped them carefully, his eyes growing wide again when he saw them. I'd asked the Oshiro's to find them for me, since all I know about katanas and such is confined to what Logan had shown Chasca and the weapons the Professor acquired for her and Kyro. But they understood that I was trying to bring back the gaijin samurai that had saved one of their ancestors and so had no problem finding the finest weapons they could for me. And fine they were, the metal of the blades showing the moiré pattern that belied great craftsmanship, the edges still keen after all this time. Engraved near the base of the blade were serpents, along with the signature of the man who made them. The tsubas, or hand guards, were made of steel as opposed to later weapons which were more decorative rather than functional. However, they also mimicked the shape of a coiled serpent, with pieces of jade where the eyes would be. It hadn't been easy for them to find a three-piece matched set for me, but money was not an object and they did very well indeed.

The scabbards, or saya, were works of art in and of themselves, also with the serpent motif and with jade and emerald decorations on them. Mr. Oshiro told me that the serpent is a symbol of wisdom and I thought it was a most appropriate thing for my lover to have. He looked over the weapons reverently, drawing each one gently from its saya to look at the blades, take in every detail on them. Finally, he looked at me again. "Angela, why? I know what these had to cost you, so why?"

I took a moment to consider my answer. "With everything we've done the past ten years, all the bases we've hit…well, I kinda had a crisis of faith. I wasn't sure if it was right any more, wasn't sure if we should go on, if there was any point to it. I've never been one to agonize over these things, I just always did what I had to do and figured I pay for it later if I ever died once and for all. But it got me to thinking about you and how you're always so ready to believe the worst of yourself, and for the first time I didn't know what to say to you about it, how to talk to you. When I stumbled across that shop, it was like a gift from the gods. I mean, I never go down that part of the mall, almost no one does. I took Kyro back to help me talk to the Oshiro's, help me get everything just perfect. I did this to remind you that, no matter what's happened to you since, you are still a samurai and always will be."

He looked down at the floor and I thought at first he was at a loss for words. But when he looked back at me, I saw a rare sight, tears in his eyes. "I dunno if I'm still worthy enough for all o' this, but I'm glad ya did it." He slipped the blades under his haori, where they fit snugly against his waist beneath the obi. "Most o' all, I am very honored that you think I am." He smiled and held out his arms, and I slid into them happily. He held me close, not moving or saying anything for a long time. But eventually, he did let me go. "Thank you, for everythin', not just this." He said, gesturing to his outfit.

"No need to thank me. Just promise that whenever you think you're so terrible, you'll put this on and think about something else instead."

"I can do that."

I looked him over, clad in blue silk, daisho at his side and it was like I'd never seen him before. He was breathtaking. "You know, if someone would have told me how sensual it would be to put your clothes on, I'd have gotten you one of these ages ago."

He gave me a half smile before cupping my face and kissing me gently. "Yeah well, ya never spent too much time in Japan." He stroked my cheek with his thumb before stepping back again. "But you'll just hafta wait, darlin'. Ya weren't wrong, your reasons for gettin' this for me. Now, I'm gonna go think 'bout it."

"Kinda figured you would." I murmured. "Go do what you need to do. I'll be here when you get back."

He bowed low to me then, without irony, and left the suite. I picked up his discarded clothing, the ubiquitous jeans and t-shirt that he always wore and deposited them in the hamper. For all that they had always been the kind of clothes that seemed typical of him, I realized then that they were really just another kind of costume or camouflage. The kimono he wore now was more like the real him, the clothing of a true warrior. I stripped down and crawled into bed, curling up around his pillow to wait for his return. After that night, it became a fairly common occurrence for him to take off to the garden or one of the still-empty attic rooms or even the roof, where if one were to follow him, they would find him kneeling in quiet meditation. I was just glad that he'd managed to find another part of him he'd thought he'd lost.

AN: Now, to explain where the inspiration for the kimono came from...i happen to own a stack of Wolverine and X-Men comics...not as many as some people i know (RhiannonUK comes to mind!), but i have a fair few...and one of those happens to be the Frank Miller (of "Sin City" fame) "Wolverine" graphic novel, as well as the first six or eight issues of the new "Wolverine: Origin" series...in both of those, there are panels where the most Wolvelicious one is shown in a traditional kimono...added to that was a long night at work where i was watching "The Last Samurai" and as i was working on this chapter, the scene where Tom Cruise's character is being dressed in the samurai armor came on and it struck me that it was one of the most sensual scenes i've ever seen in a movie...and it was of someone GETTING DRESSED...so yeah, i totally borrowed the concept and put it in here...i'd love to give you the links to the sites i used to research both kimonos and the daisho, but i seem to have lost those links...le sigh...for the record, i found both as external sources on the Wikipedia pages for both...

Special thanks to all the usual suspects, especially to theNightEnchantress, TnTornado and Tahlmorra for reviewing this chapter (so far!)...For now, it's back to the as-yet untitled evil plot bunny of distraction, so i can hopefully get that out of my system and back to the next (and possibly final) installment of this series!

Now, for all of you who haven't reviewed, try it now! YOU could be the one responsible for two updates in a 24 hour period!