Love and Pain lie close together

"I thought you might want one," Tom said and offered Logan, who still had his nose inside of the car, a beer.

After wiping his hands clean on an already dirty towel, the other man took the bottle. "Thanks," he smiled and sipped on it.

"Does it work?" Looking inside the engine bay the older man still had hope that his car could be repaired. He couldn't afford a new one and needed a car to supply his shop with goods.

"Actually I'm done," Logan replied and put the bottle away. "Try to start the engine."

Doing so, Tom couldn't hide his happy smile. "I can't thank you enough, Logan!" he said and laid a hand onto the other man's shoulder. "You just saved my shop."

Waving off Logan closed the hood. "It's me who has to thank ya."

"Not really, my boy," the older man smiled. "That's what friends are for."

"Still, you're riskin' a lot…"

Tom waved off and beckoned him to follow him back inside. "Don't worry about that. I know you long enough by now to know that you're not dangerous. And your beautiful girl needs as little stress as possible." He closed the door behind him with a knowing smile. "And mutants have to help another, right?"

Staring at him in shock, Logan's jaw dropped. "You're…"

"A mutant? Yes, I am. But not a very powerful one," the other man answered.

Making an impressed face Logan locked the front door of the shop before he followed him upstairs. "And ya know that we're…"

"Mutants, too?" Tom finished the question. "Yes. That's my power. I can sense other mutants around me."

"Ya never said anythin'…"

"Why should I?" he laughed. "Who cares if someone's a mutant or not? I don't." He stopped in the kitchen and began to prepare dinner. "So… Are you already getting nervous?"

Taking a knife to peel the potatoes Logan gave a short laugh. "Are ya kiddin'? I feel like bein' half way in hell…"

Laughing, too, Tom shook his head. "I know. I felt the same way when my daughter was born."

"You've a daughter?" Logan asked in surprise since the man had never lost one word about it.

Nodding, but suddenly with a rather sad expression on his face, Tom put the potatoes into the hot water. "Yes, I had. Jennifer…"

"What happened?" Waiting for a reply the other man prepared the meat.

"She ran into some mutant haters while we still lived on the east coast. I was stuck in traffic and didn't reach her school in time," Tom explained with his eyes fixed on his work. "So when I reached our home again I received a call that she was found in some alley…"

"I'm sorry," Logan said clearly touched after hearing this and felt anger rising again. "How old was she?"

"8…" Heaving a deep breath Tom managed to give him a weak smile. "So make sure to watch over your girl and child."

"Bet on that," Logan replied with a grim look. He'd be damned if he ever let voluntarily happen to his family. He'd rather die trying to protect them as that he would watch them getting hurt.

"Do you already know what's it going to be?" Tom asked after a moment.

"A boy."

"What else?" he winked. "Did you try to reach your friends again?"

Logan shook his head as he got three plates our of a cup board. "No, but I wanted to call them in two days again. Jeannie needs to do the last check up then."

Nodding Tom leant against the table. "Well, I hope they can help you."

"Me, too…," Logan mumbled absently. "Me, too…"

When she awoke later due to someone stroking over her cheek, Jean blinked before she looked up into Logan's face. "Sleepyhead," he teased with a smirk. "Dinner's ready."

"Already?" she asked sleepily and sat slowly up into a straight position, wondering why he chuckled in amusement.

"Already?!" Logan repeated with an even wider smirk. "Ya slept for nearly five hours, darlin'. It's past 7."

After staring at him for a while Jean looked out of the window and noticed that it was already dark. "Really?"

"Yeah," he laughed. "C'mon." Offering her his hands he pulled her up and led her to the kitchen where they ate first, before they helped to wash the dishes and went back to their room. In it they sat on the bed together and watched TV as Logan spoke up. "We wanted to talk," he reminded her calmly and kept on stroking through her long hair.

"I know," she replied while she sat between his legs and leant against his chest.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Ya know what," he gave back and stopped his caressing. "Why did ya have these thoughts earlier?"

Sighing Jean switched off the television mentally. "Because it's the truth, Logan."

"What's the truth?"

"You can't go on with what you do after the baby's born," she said.

Shrugging he pulled the pillow behind him more into his back. "Never said I intended to."

"And that's the problem!" Turning around as good as she could, Jean met his confused eyes. "You can't change that so easily from one day to the next. You're used to this kind of like for years…"

He gave a short laugh. "I wouldn't call what I've a life, darlin'," he replied. "It's just that I never knew what to do with my so-called life…"

"And now?" Jean asked seriously and held his gaze when he touched her cheek.

"Now there's you and the kid," Logan said calmly. "And as soon as we've gotten outta here and married, I'll go and find a decent job."

Just looking at him for a while she tilted her head a bit. "You're sure you want this?" she asked. "I mean, giving up everything you're used to for years?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "It's not that difficult, believe me. And it's not that I never had a decent job, darlin'."

"Really?" she asked surprised and he chuckled.

"Yeah, believe it or not, but I worked in a garage before," he grinned. "Why else do ya thing I can repair those darn things, huh?" Nodding impressed she moved over to lay down next to him. "Somethin' wrong?" Logan asked after a moment and supported his head with one arm after laying down, too. "Ya look tensed."

After trying to find a more comfortable position, Jean finally gave up and sighed. "I don't know," she shrugged and looked at him while one hand rested on her belly.

"But somethin's not right," he remarked worriedly.

"It pushes more on my pelvis…," Jean replied after a moment. "I think he's turned already…"

"Then tell him daddy kicks his butt if he dares to come earlier," he said and reached out to touch her belly. "Then ya better stay in bed, huh?"

"Would you mind if we go to my doctor tomorrow instead of the day after I want to be sure that everything's alright."

He reached over her to switch the lights off and pull the sheets over them afterwards. "Sure," Logan said and kissed her. "Wake me if somethin's wrong, will ya?"

"Yeah," she nodded and cuddled up to him. "Night."

Kissing her forehead again before he pulled her closer, he rested his head on one arm. "Night."

"You were right," the doctor said and switched off the monitor. "The already lays with its head down."

Jean turned her head to look rather frightened at Logan, who sat on a stool next to her and held her hand. "That means?" he asked and furrowed his brows, hating that one always had to ask instead of just getting things explained.

The doctor got up to walk over to his desk and looked into a file. "It can mean that contractions will start soon," he replied and the redhead let out a frustrated sign. "But this is not necessary." He then walked over to a cupboard. "You said you live opposite this street, right?"

"Yeah," Logan nodded and took the tissues from Jean to wipe her belly clean. "Why?"

"In case something happens, I'll prepare everything. If she has contractions, just call me and I come over to check on her." When he turned he saw the look on the woman's face and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. We'll make it. Just make sure you lay down in bed and only move around if it s really necessary!" He watched how Logan helped the redhead up and supported her with one arm. "Or make your husband carry you," he added amused. "See you around then."

"Have ya heard?" Logan said to her with a smile in hope to cheer her up as they were back down on the street. "Husband." She nodded weakly and looked down the street. "Oh and by the way," he added and made her stop. "Ya shouldn't do this."

"Do what?" Jean frowned and let out a shriek when he pulled her carefully up. "Logan! What are you doing?"

"Carry ya as your doc had suggested," he replied with a smirk and crossed the street.

"You don't have to carry me in public," she gave back in a half whisper, but wrapped her arms around his neck to hide her blushed cheeks.

"Nope," he shook his head. "He said only walk if necessary so get used to me carrying ya."

"But I'm too heavy," she protested when he opened the front door of the shop, making him chuckle.

"Ya ain't, darlin'!" And with a smirk he added: "Or am I lookin' that weak by now?"

Smiling she shook her head and leant against his shoulder. "Maybe it's my fault," Jean suddenly mumbled after he'd placed her on the bed.

"What's your fault?" Logan asked with a frown and laid her jacket onto a chair. He watched how she began to lay down and sat down next to her on the edge of the bed.

"My body was pretty…messed up after I came back," she explained and stroked over her belly. "So maybe it's my fault that the baby's coming earlier."

"That's bullshit, Jeannie," he gave back. "Ya ain't responsible for how your body works. It's nature. Ya can't manipulate how it works…" Noticing her look he reached out to touch her cheek. "Hey, stop worryin'. Everythin' will be alright. You'll see…" He got a weak nod from her and got up. "Try to rest. I'll go and make somethin' to eat."

Jean heaved a deep sigh after she heard how the door was closed by him and stroked over her belly lost in thoughts. She really hoped that he was right and nothing would happen. They couldn't afford staying in the village for longer than necessary. Even if he tried to hide his nervousness, she could feel that he felt more than uncomfortable in leaving the house and exposing them to others. And by now it became harder and exhausting to shield them from everyone they ran into. Sighing again, she ran a hand through her tired face and stared at the ceiling. "Just do me a favor and wait at least two more weeks, okay?" Jean said more to herself and rested her hand on her belly.

After being carried around for a few more days not matter if it was to the kitchen, toilet or even if she wanted to get a magazine from the shop downstairs, Jean laid in bed at night and slept on her right side, while Logan was awake and stared at the ceiling. He couldn't tell why but somehow he was restless. A turn to the left made him curse in silence as he became aware of the clock next to him that reminded him of something he wanted to forget instantly. Instead of being awake for a few hours as he thought, only one hour had past since he'd woken up. Slowly, and trying not to wake Jean, he got up and walked over to the window to stretch his sore muscles and run a hand through his messy hair. One look was enough to tell him that the streets were empty as ever at that time. As his eyes caught the sight of the phone booth he recalled what James had told him a few days ago. Thankfully not they had been caught but a guy who had prepared their papers. As far as he'd understood he'd been arrested and was now held captive at some unknown place either in the US or Canada for interrogation. The luck was on their side since the guy didn't know for whom those papers were. Nevertheless, it had cost them a lot of time. The good thing was that James had already gotten new papers for them and Narya was already on her way to deliver them. So hopefully they would be able to leave the country as soon as their child was born. At least he wanted to believe this…

Logan turned his head when he heard how Jean changed her position for the third time by now since he was staying at the window. He frowned when he saw her sitting up after a moment. "Is sometin' wrong?" he asked calmly in order not to startle her and walked over to switch a lamp on. His eyes rested on her for a moment, waiting for a reply when he noticed her tensed face. "Jeannie? What's wrong?" he asked again and kneeled down a bit to have a better look on her face.

"Can you call the doctor?" she asked while she heaved a very deep breath and to him it seemed as if her face was even more tensed that before.

"Why? Are ya in pain?" Logan asked, feeling suddenly scared as his heart skipped a beat.

"Not really, but I think the baby's coming." Jean turned her head and noticed his blank, but shocked look. "Logan, get up and call the doctor, now!" she repeated as slowly as she could in hope he would understand anything of it.

"Now?" was everything he was capable of asking in an almost high pitched voice and she would have laughed because of his odd look, if there hadn't shot a strong pain through her back and abdomen that caught her completely off guard. All she could do was to lean forward and clench her fists around the sheets that she held in her hand. "Damn it, go and call him!" she hissed with closed eyes and breathed in sharply.

Stumbling backwards and still with the feeling all of this wasn't happening and he was in fact sleeping, just with a very, very horrible nightmare, Logan swallowed hard and nodded. "'kay…," he managed to say hoarsely and somehow managed to reach a door and disappear behind it.

Staring at it in disbelief, Jean somehow felt a great anger rising within her. "That's the bathroom, Logan!" she barked as another labor hit her. "Damn it," she cursed and grabbed the bedside table hard to pull herself up. She didn't know how but somehow she managed to reach the correct door and let out a thankful sigh in relief as Tom walked past her. "Tom, would you please call the doctor?" she begged whining and gave him the most despaired look she was capable off, ignoring for a moment the fact that she wanted to choke a specific man close by. Not thinking twice after he understood what was happening, the older man turned and made his way to the kitchen to pick up the phone. With one hand on her belly and the other digging into the doorframe, she breathed in and out as good as possible and walked back to the bed. "And? Did you found the buttons on the soap?" she hissed cynically and glared at the man that reappeared from the bathroom. "Or did you use the shower head to call the doctor?" Way paler than usual Logan looked at the second, open door and was about to move into the direction as she spoke up. "What are you doing now?!"

"Gettin' a phone," he replied, not understanding why she was so mad all of a sudden.

"Just sit down and shut up!" Jean demanded panting. "Don't dare to move, speak or even breathe. Just sit down and stay there…"

"Jean, the doctor is coming," Tom suddenly said from the door and briefly switched his gaze from the woman on the bed to the frozen on the spot man at the bathroom door. "What are you doing, Logan?" he asked with a frown.

"Huh?" this one asked confused and was dragged over to the bed next by the older man.

"Hold your girl's hand," Tom said and went into the bathroom to get towels. "Do you need anything?" he asked Jean after coming back. "Something to drink?"

"No," the redhead hissed through clenched teeth. "Just make sure he stays where he is now…"

Smiling Tom turned around as he heard the knock on the door. "I'll be right back."

Not knowing what to do or say, Logan just remained where he was and stared at the woman next to him. To him it still appeared as if he was standing in a corner and watched instead of sitting here and holding her hand. He felt completely lost and knew he'd never been that scared, confused and nervous before. He wasn't a great thinker sometimes but right now his brain had shut down completely. "Are ya okay?" he asked and still tried to figure out if it was freezing cold in this room all of a sudden or if he was really shaking. "Is it painful?" Asking it he wished instantly to vanish when her head shot up and two angry eyes burned into his.

"Logan…," Jean panted in an unusual low voice. "If you want that your son ever gets to know you…shut….up!"

"I just…"

"Shut up!"

"But, Jeannie…," he tried again and quickly ducked as a pillow flew his way.

"SHUT UP, Logan!" she roared and let out a hiss in the next second. "Damn it…" When she looked up again as the lamp at the ceiling was switched on, she could have sworn that she'd never been so happy in her whole life to see a doctor. "Thank God… Please make him shut up!" she cried and covered her face with her hands.

Being confused the doctor dropped his bag on the bedside table and gave Logan a look. "I see. He asked the stupid question, right?" he asked with a short laugh and heard the woman groaning in frustration.

"Not only that," the redhead said and dropped her hands to her side.

"Which stupid question?" Logan asked and watched how the other man pulled Jean's shirt up to check on the baby. "Is she alright?"

"Exactly that question, Logan!" Tom laughed. "You just did the biggest mistake possible while a woman gives birth!"

"Eh?"

Jean reached out to touch the doctor's arm in complete frustration. "Could you anesthetize him?"

He gave a short laugh. "I doubt that you'll be so happy with it later."

"I'm sure about it," she gave back and grabbed the sheets and Logan's hand hard again.

"Not so hard!" Logan hissed and gritted his teeth. "Ow!"

"If you think that was painful, Logan, then let's switch roles!" Jean snapped at him during another labor pain.

After finishing his examination the doctor gave her a nod. "The baby is still in the correct position, but it will take some hours before it'll start," he informed her. "I have everything here, so if the pains become too much just let me know, okay?" She nodded quickly and tried to get back to her normal breathing.

After two hours Jean thought that she was doing better again and finally managed to feel a bit of sympathy for Logan next to her who hadn't moved an inch from her side and had finally stopped asking stupid questions. He was rather occupied in keeping his hand she held in one piece. After five hours she reached a mental state again that made her snap at Logan again, before she changed her mood from biting his head of into crying and cursing after ten hours. From hour eighteen onwards, every attempt to relax only for a second was completely useless and not even the liquid the doctor injected her against the pains seemed to help, the same referred to Logan, who was sitting behind her while she rested between his legs, and kneaded her shoulders. At least, she thought, he finally understood what was going on and tried his best to support her. "I want to kill you," Jean hissed a few hours later and rolled her head to the other side while her eyes were closed. "I really want to kill you…"

"You're doin' fine," he tried to soothe her and cooled her flushed cheeks. But still he felt the strong urge to release the stress the whole situation caused within him. Not only he, but also the Wolverine, were closer to the edge of their patience as ever before by seeing in how much pain and stress their mate was. When he put the flannel aside he began to frown. "You're shakin'," Logan noticed and touched her cheeks with his free hand. "And feverish…" He looked up when the doctor came back in to check on her again. "She's burnin' up."

"Let's see," the man said and checked on her pulse and temperature quickly. "It's the exertion. She has no fever. Do you feel dizzy or anything, Jean?"

"No," she replied weakly and leant her head onto Logan's other shoulder again. "God, how long is still taking?" she whined in the next second and squeezed Logan's hand again.

"Maybe two or three hours," the doctor replied after checking again. "Try to relax as good as possible and don't forget to control your breathing."

Making a frustrated face when the man left again, Jean sighed. "Did he just say two or three hours?" she asked in despair and tried to look at Logan.

"You're doin' fine, Jeannie," Logan said calmly and pulled strands out of her face. "C'mon, you already came that far, so ya can do the rest, too."

"But not another two or three hours…," she cried and rested her head on his other shoulder again.

"'f course ya can," he tried to soothe her and stroked over her arm. "Just squeeze my hand t'd death and go on giving me death threats."

"You know," she said weakly. "I liked you more when you asked stupid questions…" He chuckled. "At least I had a reason then to be mad with you…"

Smirking he cooled her skin again. "Are ya in pain, darlin?"

"Shut up, Logan!" Jean cursed.

After another three hours she could finally start threatening again. While pushing, Jean began to imagine the most violent and painful deaths for the man behind her, even if he tried to help her through this last stage as good as he could. She soon reached her "I hate you" and "You're never going to touch me ever again"-stage once more and wished he would just drop dead instantly, as she herself let out a painful short cry when she thought again she was being torn apart. When Jean dropped back against Logan's chest again, panting, seating and slightly shaking, she was about to snap at him again as she noticed his shocked stare. Confused she looked up to see how the doctor laid a crying and wet small being on her still quickly raising and falling chest, before her mind finally registered what it was. "Oh my God…," she gasped and didn't even dare first to reach out and touch the small head. Soon, she couldn't help but start crying as her whole world fell apart and everything she's been through before suddenly hit her. She didn't hear how the doctor confirmed that it was the expected boy, nor did she notice that he took the baby a few minutes later to make sure that everything was alright with him. All she could think about was that she was a mother now and the responsibility she now had. When the doctor came back with her son and laid the baby back into her arms, Jean finally managed to look up into Logan's face and frowned. She hadn't noticed before that he had rested one elbow on his left leg and that his face was covered with his left hand. "Logan?" she asked calmly and reached out to touch his left arm, trying to pull his hand away to know what he was thinking. She bit her lip when he met her gaze with red and wet eyes and she practically felt how her heart skipped a beat. Heaving a deep breath he leant forward to wrap one arm around her chest and bury his face on her shoulder. "Softy…," she teased him even if she was crying silently, too and leant her head against his to enjoy the feeling of peace a bit more.

A few hours later, after the doctor was gone and she'd taken a bath before she'd gone back to a fresh covered bed, Jean smiled at Tom, who was waiting for her with bunch of flowers and a small package. "Congratulation," he smiled and hugged her. "The daddy is still sitting and staring I see."

"Yes," she nodded and gave Logan, who sat on the bed with his sleeping son in his arms, an amused look. "I think he will still be sitting there until tomorrow."

Laughing quietly Tom nodded. "You could be right." He nodded at the package, which she began to open. "It is not much. I hope you like it."

"This is wonderful," Jean gasped and gave the clothing a happy look. "Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it," he waved off. "You should try and sleep. And don't worry if you sleep through the whole day." Winking at her he went over to the door. "Good night!"

"Night," she smiled when he closed the door calmly and put the package aside before she turned to Logan. "You're still alive, aren't you?"

"Look at him," he replied in barely more than a whisper and carefully stroked over the boy's rich dark hair. "He's gorgeous, ain't he?"

Shaking her head with an amused smirk, the redhead went under the sheets. "So I assume this is your third stage of shock, hm?" she mocked him playfully and recalled when he first didn't understand that the baby was on its way, then that the baby was born and now that it was in his arms. "Logan, come on. Lay him down in the middle and sleep."

Reluctantly doing it, he placed the baby in their middle and bent carefully over it to kiss her softly. "Thank you," he smiled and she could tell that she'd never seen such a normal smile of him that was so free from any stress, depression or dark memories. It was just him being completely happy and at peace.

"For what?" Jean asked calmly and held his gaze.

"For everythin'," he smiled and kissed her again. "I love ya…"

Covering his hand with hers, she looked at the baby. "I love you, too."

"Really?" he asked and cocked an eyebrow at her. "As far as I recall you gave me at least 50 threats of murder, darlin'."

"I plead for an acquittal," she assured him and made him chuckle before he laid back down.

"Good to know that," Logan smirked and gave his son a last look before he closed his eyes. "Night."

"Night." Jean pulled the sheets closer and switched the lamps off mentally. "Oh and I am right that it's you who gets up every time when he's crying, right?"

"Jean…," he growled. "Shut up!"

After staying three more days at Tom's apartment they decided it was time to go back to the cabin. They knew it would be the last time they saw the old man, since they didn't intend to come back. After reaching the cabin, they'd planned to stay there for one more day before they would take the next plane or ship to Asia to get the money from Madripoor, before they would travel to Australia, where they could hopefully start a new life in peace. "Remember what I said Logan," Tom had warned him once more when it was time to say good-bye. "Watch over her and your son!"

"I will," Logan had assured him and hugged him briefly. "Thanks again for everythin', Tom. I owe ya a lot!" The old man had only waved off and wished them good luck before Jean had embraced and thanked him, too, and they had turned to walk back to their hiding place. While she held their son tight to her body and tried to shield him from the cold with her powers, Loan carried a bag full of food and drinks for their journey. "You'll be alright?" he asked her concerned, but she only nodded as they entered the wood that would lead up to the lake which was close to the cabin. "Let me know if ya need…," he began as he suddenly stopped. Not reckoning with it, since she had looked down on their son, Jean bumped into his back.

"What's wrong?" she asked and looked past him, just to stare at the girl in front of them that wore a tight black suit.

"Logan?" Rogue only asked, obviously as shocked as the couple was and turned her head when she heard others approaching…

Yes, I am evil. ; ) But I can assure you that this cliffie was planned even before I started posting chapter two. So, I hope that I can post the last two chapters tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed, guys! ; ) Please review!! See ya!