Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.
Stumbling to the bathroom with his vision hazy, Logan shut the door with a foot and winced at the clattering bang. Fumbling for the switch, the light burned as he looked on his reflection meeting him in the mirror. Running the tap until the water ran cold and frigid, he stopped the sink and waited for it to fill. Cranking the tap shut, he splashed the chill water against his face and found relief from the burning of his brow. A rummage of the cabinet rewarded a bottle of advil, struggling to read the label for a time until he gave up and took three with a slurp of water from his hand.
Walking the hall to the stairs, struggle as he might all he could hear was his own ragged breath and the hammering of his heart in his ears, not the quiet breath of his friends as they slept. The kitchen was dark with only the waning moonlight spilling in from the quiet eve, thinking for a moment as he looked to the cabinets and tried to remember in which of them the glasses were kept. In the fridge a pitcher of water sat, nearly draining it as he tried to drown his thirst. Falling into a chair, he let his head loll back as he stared up at the ceiling fan spinning lazily.
"Logan?" The quiet question came, drawing him from the edge of a restless sleep.
"What're you doin' up?" Logan asked as he looked on the woman in the hall stepping from shadow to moonlight.
"I could ask ya the same thing." Marie replied, worriedly looking over him.
"Couldn't sleep..." Logan answered, running a hand over his brow and finding it cool to the touch again.
"Are you alright?" Marie asked, drawing near to rest a hand to his cheek and press her knuckles softly to his head.
"Headache." Logan said in answer, feeling his thirst returning.
"Since when do you get headaches?" Marie asked, following his gaze to his glass and taking it up.
"Usually 'bout the same time every year, gradin' papers and exams near the end o' semester." Logan said with an honest chuckle.
"I'm serious." Marie said, fishing some ice from the freezer and running a tap for a glass of ice water.
"So am I." Logan replied, fixing her with a look as her emerald eyes fell on him.
"Are you alright?" Marie asked, passing off the glass of water.
Easily seeing how scared he had her, he thought on the answer and looked for a truth to tell that could relieve her. Gulping down his water, he thought back on the night and the handful of photos that had been found in the albums of a tantalizing past spanning from the start of the sixties into the earliest years of the eighties. In all the only things that changed were his dress, his ageless countenance in all. What they could tell of those men and women he stood with were only whispers they had heard when they shouldn't have, sad stories with sad endings much like a mother who couldn't bring herself to speak of her lost brother, the great Uncle Fedyenka.
"Took some advil, seein' straight again. Did I wake ya?" Logan asked, his hand finding hers on the table.
"Only because something was missing, you weren't there." Marie said as she eased herself onto his lap.
Carefully she touched his cheek again and held her hand there, watching for something she expected and he knew easily by the fear that filled her eyes. Resting his hand with hers, he eased it down to his lips and placed chaste kisses to it though he lost himself to her eyes. Admiring her beauty as he had since he first set eyes on her again after those years apart, his heart beat all the easier seeing relief fill her with a hint of tears.
"You didn't do this Mare, just gettin' haunted by that old ghost." Logan swore.
"You want to go get some air?" Marie asked, glancing to the moon washed night looking so peaceful beyond the windows of the rustic kitchen.
"Dressed like that?" Logan asked, looking to her nightgown and it's sheer fabric.
"Well, you might want to go puttin' some pants on yerself Mister unless ya wanna go givin' Jubes or god forbid Yana an eyeful." Marie countered, looking down to his boxer clad bottom.
"I'm right decent compared to what Pete calls swim trucks." Logan argued with a grin.
"Doesn't matter." Marie teased, slapping him playfully against his chest.
Retreating to their room and rummaging their luggage, together they stepped out onto the front porch with a creak of hinges that had them worry about waking any in the house as they slipped to the night. Dressed in jeans and relishing the chill of the early morning, Logan looked to Marie in her robe and pulled her near as they wandered across the lawn listening to the nightly songs of crickets and croak of frogs.
"Already feels like summer." Marie said, the trees already full of leaves.
"S'perfect time o' year, just enough spring left to enjoy with cool nights and warm days." Logan added.
"Can't believe it's already June." Marie said, thinking of the weeks that had fallen since coming home.
"Time flies." Logan replied, his tread falling short as he stood to stare up at the heavens.
"Guess you got a lotta headaches to look forward once we go back." Marie said thinking of his fib from earlier.
"Might just have to see if'in ya can't lend me a hand." Logan mused.
"Take a number, got a wedding to help with." Marie chuckled at the thought of the festivities ahead.
"Oh? The future Missus Rasputin already picked out her big day?" Logan asked as he looked to her in question.
"Word is it was the current Missus, maybe strong arming her son a little and using Yana as her linchpin." Marie teased.
"Had I not met Mamma Alexandra I might not believe anyone bein' able o' strong armin' Pete." Logan laughed, noticing the ache and pain he'd been suffering from seemed relieved and crediting more his company than the pills for it.
"Wanna guess?" Marie asked playfully.
"Nope." Logan chuckled, smiling at her moue of dismay.
"No fun." Marie sniffed a little haughtily.
"So how long do I have ta go suit shoppin'?" Logan asked, leading her on down the lawn.
"Weeks." Marie said, pursing her lips as she saw the expected questioning look with that sexy eyebrow of his teasing her.
"Yer kiddin'?" Logan asked.
"Thought ya didn't wanna guess." Marie teased in a sing song voice.
"The Fourth of July?" Logan asked, the only day he could think of that had any meaning.
"Right in one." Marie giggled, skipping free of his grasp to land on some swing hanging from a branch of the lone tree in the lawn.
Walking off behind her, he started to push her and marvelled at her silhouette cast in the indigo sky with her ivory lock simply luminous in the moonlight. The rough waking he had earlier now seemed a small price to pay for the moment he enjoyed, feeling alone in the universe with her as the stars danced across the reaches of the world. Wondering how he had lived all the years alone, thinking once he had known love in another only to know now it was nothing more than infatuation, he longed to hear those words again that were a balm to his soul.
"I love you Marie." Logan whispered, catching the swing and skidding back.
She spun it around once, twice, finally thrice almost childlike until she looked up at him trapped in his eyes. Falling to a knee he kissed her and filled it with the passion that greeted him in the dance towards what he longed to hear. Broken in a gasp, her breath warm against his lips as he lingered near, he could hear her heart pattering away towards the climax.
"I love you Logan, I will always love you." Marie said in a husky breath.
Loving another with but words and gentle touches, they once again met the dawn of the new day in one another's embrace. Telling truths and sharing secrets, they whispered their dreams in the twilight and promised to bring them down from the starry sky above to the world below.
"Alright, just hold it there!" Jubilee yelled from under the truck, her legs poking out with dirty knees.
"You could have used a jack Logan." Pete said from across the truck, catching the strain in his friend's eyes.
"Back at ya Petey." Logan laughed with a wink, wondering when the all clear would be called.
Rising to the occasion, Pete called on his gift and gave a theatric yawn as he held his end of the axle. Mouthing a 'smart ass' at him, with everyone watching their tongues with their helper sitting off by the toolbox fetching tools, more than once they literally had to bite down on those very tongues to keep from teaching Illyana a word she shouldn't.
"Okay Petey, you can let your end go." Jubilee shouted from under the truck.
"Oh you..." Logan started, puffing his lips as he searched for a word, "Tart! You did that on purpose."
"What, I already had your end done." Jubilee chirped, sliding out from under the truck to favour him with a saucy look.
"Just remember I'm yer boss when we get back." Logan ground out, letting go of the axle to flex his weary hands.
"Okay Yana, I need the big ratchet there and then I can get this baby ready for the road." Jubilee said, taking the offered tool to vanish under the truck again.
"Want me ta pop the E brake cable on?" Logan asked, looking for something to do feeling out of place in another man's workshop.
"Sure thing, thanks for helping with those fu...uding drum brakes by the way." Jubilee called out from under the truck.
"No problem." Logan said, finding the brake cable and hooking it up before securing it all along.
Twenty minutes later, with the tires back on and the truck pushed out of the barn come garage, Jubilee stood with her 'boys' looking triumphant to her Pappa who sat with Alexandra and Marie up on the porch. Never looking more like the classic grease monkey, Logan saw the only clean places on her face were under her safety glasses as she took them off to skip off to the trio on the porch and pass off the keys.
"Okay Pappa, give 'er a start." Jubilee said.
"Alright Daughter, just let me get my..." Nikolai teased, reaching for the spray can of ether.
"No ether!" Jubilee growled, snatching it from his hand as everyone laughed.
Climbing into the truck, Nikolai slid his key into the ignition and looked to the young lady resting her arms against the door with her chin propped up, looking eager and expectant. Turning it over, the engine ripped to life with a roar and a sputter of grey exhaust from the tailpipe. Smiling in triumph, Jubilee looked up smugly and was rewarded with a kiss to her forehead. Seeing her eyes grow misty and her lip twist and shiver, Nikolai eased out of the truck and gave her a hug and whispered to her in quiet Russian as they were the only words of thanks he could find for her.
"You are a good girl, my little Jubilation." Nikolai said in finish, gently stroking her hair.
"Thank you Pappa." Jubilee croaked with a sniffle.
"I know your parents are proud of you where they are, until you see them again in a very, very long time...you just let your Pappa Nikolai and Mamma Alexandra hug you and tell how we love you until that day." Nikolai said softly.
"Yes Pappa." Jubilee answered, fighting against the wracking of her chest and what was to come.
Hearing the faux shutter of a camera, Jubilee turned teary eyed to her younger sister to be and waved for the photos taken smiling and still coming to accept that she had been blessed with something that had been stolen from her before, a family to truly call her own.
"Do we really have to wait for the Fourth?" Jubilee asked as familiar arms stole her from her Pappa.
"Too soon you said the other night Daughter, fighting with me! Now you can't wait? Make up your mind for Mamma!" Alexandra called from the porch with laughter lacing her voice.
"You promised Mamma, Jubilation, and I promised Kurt to wed us." Pete said softly.
"Fine, and just when did you make that promise to Kurt?" Jubilee pouted.
"When I showed him the ring." Pete replied, chuckling as he was lightly swatted.
"Besides Jubes, for all o' us who ain't getting married...there's dresses to get so we can impress our gents and a bouquet to catch." Marie teased.
"Oh god just make sure it's no powers, I don't need a fight on my wedding over some flowers." Jubilee laughed, wiping the last of her tears from her eyes.
"I'd be more worried about the garter." Logan added with a chuckle, his eyes falling on Marie then.
"No claws!" Jubilee shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Logan.
"No promises." Logan grinned in reply.
"Family, friends. I know you all have to go home tonight so let us have dinner together one last time this visit yes? Everyone in!" Nikolai called out.
From the house Illyana and Alexandra came with a picnic basket and a cooler, quickly climbing into the cab of the truck. With nowhere else to go the two couples looked to another before climbing into the bed of the truck. With lovers holding their ladies and parents listening to the stories of their daughter, the old truck rambled it's way through the grassy fields off to the childhood campsite enjoying it's new lease on life.
Light pooling out on the drive announced them, many students and staff peering through windows in wonder at the spectacle. Sitting there suddenly amidst the dying luminous motes the wayward school truck sat with familiar faces climbing out with yawns earned from the late hour. Ghosting through the wall Kitty landed in a crouch lightly before rushing up, soon joined by Kurt hand in hand with an eager Abby. Bobby and Theresa joined next with a flustered Layla, Ororo walking out slowly with a smile hidden behind her hand.
"What the hell'er ya all doin' up at this hour?" Logan asked as he looked over the hood.
"It's only ten!" Abby argued, rushing up to Illyana.
"On a school night Abby Delilah!" Layla added though the smile bespoke no ire.
"Mom!" Abby whined, walking up to her mother with her friend in tow as they chatted.
"Well if you're tired tomorrow you only have yourself to blame." Layla teased, ruffling her daughter's hair.
"Illyana? Where's your camera?" Kitty called from the truck, rummaging about as a woman on a mission.
"Piotr has it!" Illyana yelled back.
Ghosting through the truck and snatching a light bit of luggage on her way, Kitty rushed to where Pete stood shouldering four duffles and a camera bag slung about his neck. With a smile for Pete as he passed, Ororo walked up to the bride to be being interrogated by Theresa and Bobby alike. Having claimed the camera, Kitty joined them in a flurry of questions that had their quarry looking likely ready to bolt.
"Jubilation?" Ororo asked kindly as she stepped up.
"Ororo?" Jubilee asked.
Taking into her arms in a long and lingering hug, Ororo gently kissed her on the cheek before letting her go to hold her at her shoulders as she looked on her. Trailing a finger down her ebony locks, she smiled with her eyes lost in thought imagining the girl from years before.
"As the first of all my girls to be so blessed, I want to congratulate you on the happiness you have found." Ororo said, beckoning Marie over from her place at Logan's side.
Drawing them all into a hug, Ororo couldn't help the light drizzle that fell as she embraced them all and thought of all the others that she hoped would find someone to share their life with someday. Looking from Kitty to Theresa and finally Marie, she stole a glance at Logan who dared to appear uninterested as he gathered up the last of the bags.
"What am I? Chopped liver?" Bobby said from his ousted place off to the side of the crowd.
Looking to another with pursed lips and mischief in their eyes, Jubilee and Marie turned to their friends ready to share the latest in a long line of nicknames he had earned over the years.
"Nah, just some duck pate." Jubilee offered with a hug.
"Mamma Rasputin was impressed by her little Piotr's stories of the Manly Duck." Marie continued, Kitty and Theresa giggling madly.
"What the heck are you two talking about?" Bobby asked.
"Nothin' Drake." Jubilee said, pinching his cheek as if a schoolboy.
Finding her way up, Layla favoured him with a kiss to his cheek and lead him off to the school, Bobby looking dazed if not confused as he followed along. With the unintended shower over, Ororo left Jubilee to her fate as she was lead off between Marie and Theresa with Kitty pushing them all off. Taking a bag from his burden, she waited with Logan until the slamming of the door sounded with a wrinkle of frustration creasing her.
"No luck findin' Erik?" Logan asked quietly, leading her off to the garage.
"None as of yet, though Henry tells me he is doing his best to contact his network of doctors and researchers, trying to ready them if our worst fears come to head." Ororo confessed, leaning against the workbench as he tossed his bags down on the hood of a car.
"Moira?" Logan asked.
"She says she should have the results of her previous patients tomorrow, she has also been waiting for Marie to get home for another blood sample." Ororo offered.
"Sound o' things she just found her, and...she's draggin' Jubilee along fer a long talk about birth control for 'em both." Logan chuckled, tapping his ear.
"I thought I heard rumours..." Ororo demurely broached, arching a slender eyebrow to him.
Managing to look boyish and bashful despite his usually gruff facade, he walked off to the fridge and found a couple beers to crack open handing one off in offer. Looking at it for a long moment, Ororo took it and partook of a small sip.
"Sorry, no wine coolers." Logan chuckled, enjoying a swig to wet his mouth as he searched for the words.
"You love her?" Ororo asked.
"I think Jubes said it best, so much it hurts." Logan swore, looking to her and letting the truth be seen in his eyes.
"Then I suppose I have another to wish my best, but..." Ororo said, a slight tilt to her head as she looked to him sternly.
"I break her heart ya turn me into a lightning rod?" Logan finished with a rumbling laugh.
"I think threats are always best left to ones imagination." Ororo teased, trying another sip of her beer.
Enjoying the quiet moment, they added it to the many they had enjoyed in private moments and milestones over the years of keeping the school everything it needed to be. Raising his bottle, they clinked theirs together in a toast that needed nothing to be said, both having sworn their lives in their cause and their work.
"They're lucky ta have ya Ro, all o' us are." Logan said after slow slip of his beer as he looked out to the school.
"I think it is we who are lucky to have them Logan, to be able to call them all our family." Ororo replied.
Once again the bottles were raised and struck in toast, their clinking rising above the murmur of the school they both took solace from. With their drinks finished they gathered up the bags and walked off to the side entrance with Ororo holding the door for him. From the den a chorus of awe and sighs were heard, Logan taking her burden from Ororo with a tilt of his head as he headed to the stairs.
"Go and catch the repeat performance." Logan chuckled.
Finding a crowd filling the room, most of the staff and many of the students, she thanked them all as they made space for her as she joined in. Sitting with Bobby, Layla had a tissue to her nose as Betsy handed off a box that seemed to be making the rounds. Illyana sat in a place of honour with many of the girls her age, Abby at her side sharing some hastily made popcorn. Taking her own seat next to Kurt, he took her hand in his as Kitty sat nearby wielding the remote.
"Okay, last time now that Ororo is here. Special encore performance in the Danger Room tomorrow, but just remember it's not a TV...that this'll be an exception to that rule." Kitty announced, hitting play as the show started.
Listening to Pete as he began, Ororo found a box of tissues held before her by Theresa who sat with her father. Taking one and thanking her softly, she dabbed her eyes and watched the meeting with the parents that followed. Noticing a bit more grey in their hair, the Rasputin's were just as she remembered them from years before when she had gone with others to meet with the then much younger Piotr. Thinking of the man he had grown into, she admired her own generation that surrounded her and knew she'd be able to look back on this moment when she would need their strength and resolve to temper her own.
"You're manlier than me Roguey." Jubilee said, covering her eyes as Moira drew blood.
"It's just a dull ache." Marie said as she relaxed her arm.
"Ugh, just looking at me makes me...oof..." Jubilee said growing pale.
"Waste bin! There!" Moira shouted without taking her eyes off her work.
"I'm not gonna...oof, whew...yak. Just feelin' queasy." Jubilee grumbled, walking off to the sink and snatching up a little dixie cup for some water.
"Remember what I said to ye in particular Jubilee, ye might be finding yuirself nauseous in tha morning while ye be taking yuir pills and dunnae go forgetting about them." Moira warned.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll get Pete on my case about it to make sure." Jubilee grumbled.
"There, all done. Ye want a lollipop?" Moira asked, walking off to take care of the sample.
"Please?" Marie asked, thinking of the last time with a fond smile.
"Such a good lass, here." Moira said, passing off the candy.
"Now, both ye haven't been experiencing anything off with all that bunkin' ye were doing? What about with Mister Logan?" Moira carried on with a chart in hand, brandishing the pen like a sabre.
Jubilee shrugged to the question, finding a swivel stool to sit on and going for a few spins until she regretted it. Marie though mulled over her morning, believing Logan but whether it was her or not she still felt a knot of fear in her belly thinking on how she found him. Caught under the stern questioning gaze of the matronly lady doctor, she let a sigh out knowing she couldn't hold it back.
"Logan had a headache this morning, he said he had to take some advil for it." Marie confessed with her eyes closing as she tried to push aside her doubts.
"Have ye...?" Moira asked, Marie shaking her head.
"Still got the bruise from the shower..." Marie relented.
"I will hold off on asking ye how ye got it, but thank ye for telling me of that stubborn arse, I'll be expecting ye to help me get his behind down here that I can do another physical on him." Moira groused.
"I...think he's been remembering more of his past, he's...been having slips." Marie added.
"What kind o' slips?" Moria asked, looking between the younger women before her as they shared a look.
"Uh...tackling Roguey in the Bodyguard way, and I'm not talkin' steamy sex scenes." Jubilee said, hazarding another spin of her stool.
"I'll phone my friend tomorrow about making a session with him ta start with, she's in Scotland but do tha wonders of technology nae cease to amaze." Moira said, adding a note to her clipboard.
"I can probably tell her the rest Jubes." Marie said delicately, Jubilee staring at her with their conversation days before coming back.
"Oh for fudge sake I'm a big girl...just, ergh...ask her." Jubilee growled, staring at her feet.
"Ask me what?" Moira asked, staring down Jubilee.
"Would your friend have time for another session?" Marie asked.
"Yes, ye care to tell me why or is that something ye would wish to keep between doctor and patient." Moira asked though with far more care and kindness in her voice.
"Doctor patient." Jubilee mumbled.
"Okay lass, I'll talk to her to see about gettin' ye both some time for a nice chat. Here." Moira said, having found her way to her treat drawer to fetch another lollipop.
"Thanks..." Jubilee pouted, ripping the wrapper free to pop in her mouth.
"Do ye be needing some time yuirself Miss Marie?" Moria asked.
"I, think I'm fine for now but I'll keep it in mind." Marie said, grateful for the concern.
"Alright lass. Tomorrow I will have the results of my previous patients to compare, soon as I have some word you'll be tha first tae know. Now, off with ye both! I've got a date with a video o' a certain stubborn patient o' mine I hear is playin' to a full den." Moira said, gathering them both up to usher out.
Trailing behind as Moira rushed off to the elevator, they turned instead and walked off to the Danger Room control room and found a bit of quiet with another. Calling up some music, they noticed a new coffee machine tucked off in a corner and a stack of bar coded beverage discs.
"Why do I think Kitty's behind this?" Jubilee asked, flipping through and finding a hot chocolate for herself as she called out the flavours for Marie.
"Chai tea please, and I think you're right." Marie replied, noticing some law books laying around.
"Her lair away from lair?" Jubilee teased, waiting for the machine to run it's course.
"Katherine Pryde, voted most likely to vandalize the moon with a la...ser..." Marie said, working the quote fingers.
"Layla told me how she tore a strip and a half off that slum lord's super in her old place." Marie added.
"Did he wet himself?" Jubilee asked, taking her mug and placing another as she started on the chai tea.
"Didn't ask, was just glad she's outta that place." Marie said, Jubilee nodding in agreement recalling that day.
"Now I can't even get an ugly bridesmaid dress for her, stupid making up." Jubilee laughed, falling into her seat and swaying back and forth.
"She'd just get even on her own wedding anyway." Marie teased.
"God Roguey, when the hell did we grow up?" Jubilee asked, lolling her head back to stare blankly at the ceiling.
"I think the jury's still out on you." Marie teased, the raspberry trustfully blown in reply.
"Wonder if Betsy knows any designers that owe her favours. Get you guys whatever's hot for a song." Jubilee mused.
"Very least she could get ya something for yer honeymoon." Marie said saucily wholly enjoying the blush that fell over her friend.
"It's going to be so nice to sleep in my own bed again." Jubilee yawned.
Thinking of whose bed she'd be sharing herself, Marie finished the last of her tea and enjoyed a long stretch. Reluctant to move yet, thinking of the elevator and the flight of stairs that harried her way, she fought the temptation of phoning Kurt for a favour.
"Count of three Roguey?" Jubilee asked.
"One..." Marie started.
"Two, three, upsadaisey!" Jubilee cried, stumbling to her feet to see Marie still lazing in her chair.
"Sorry..." Marie giggled sleepily.
"I'll blame it on the blood ya just lost, c'mere." Jubilee said, offering her hand and pulling her to her feet.
Wandering the halls and finding their way to bed and their beaus who waited for them, they said their goodnights to their friends in passing. Bidding another sweet dreams, Marie lingered at her door watching Jubilee wander off to the stairs that lead to the loft she shared with Pete. Imagining the girl she had known only in passing from years before, thinking of Kitty and Bobby and Theresa in kind, somewhere along the way they had all grown up. Opening the door to his room and seeing Logan waiting in bed for her, it didn't feel like such a bad thing as she kicked it shut and cast off her clothes to join him for a well deserved nights rest.