"It snowed!"

Pyro groaned as an energetic, way too awake Wolf pounced on him and yelled in his ear. "Gerroff me, your han's a' cold!" He pushed at his friend, then pulled the warm blankets up over his head.

"Wake up! It snowed last night! Let's go out!" Wolf jumped up and down on the bed, then yanked the covers off completely.

Pyro opened an eye to glare at him. "Zack, it's cold outside! What time is it, anyway?"

"Um…" Wolf looked out the window. "Probably about 5:30."

Pyro growled, then pushed Wolf to the floor. "Go bug Logan," he snatched the blankets back around himself and rolled over.

Wolf pounced on him again. "He's sleeping!"

"And I'm trying to!" Pyro covered his head, "Besides, you should spend time with Logan while you still can, he's probably leaving soon."

Wolf froze and stared at him. "…What?"

Pyro looked at him and sighed. "You didn't know… Look, every year around Christmas Logan disappears somewhere and doesn't come back until the New Year. I forgot this was your first winter here…"

Wolf whimpered, then ran off to Logan's room.

Logan was in the middle of a good dream about one of the girls he would visit in Madripoor. She was a skinny, dark-haired little thing, with the most amazing hands- He smiled as he felt her wet tongue on his cheek. "Getting kinky, are we?"

"Logan?"

Logan opened one eye. "Zack! How many times have I told you not to lick people?" he growled as he pushed Wolf away and sat up, pinching the bridge of his nose. That was not the way he liked waking up in the morning.

Wolf whimpered and inched up to him. "Are you really leaving?"

Logan glanced over. "Hm?"

"Pyro says you leave for a while in the winter."

"Oh…" Oh $#!7… He sighed and pulled Wolf over. "He's right, I am going to be going somewhere, but only for a week. Don't worry, Pup, there'll be plenty to keep you entertained here."

Wolf looked at him sadly. "But I don't want you to go…"

Great. Logan looked away. "Sorry Pup, I have to. But you'll be able to hang out with Pyro. Classes will end soon, you'll have lots of parties with lots of food, and a feast on Christmas day. You remember Thanksgiving? This will be even better."

"But you were there for Thanksgiving…"

"I'm sorry, Zack, but I'm going. I promise I won't leave before saying goodbye, alright? Now why don't you go bug Hank for some breakfast?"

Wolf sniffed. "Ok…" He sadly shuffled out of the room.

Logan lay back down, groaning. Wolf would have to get over it, he couldn't be around people this time of year. Besides, Wolf would probably forget all about it the moment he smelled the ham and turkey. Oh God… he'd better not try to attack another turkey…

Logan shook his head, then turned on his side and tried to get some more sleep.

Later that evening, with a backpack slung over his shoulder, Logan approached Wolf. "Alright, Pup, it's time for me to go." He really didn't like goodbyes, even if it was only for a short while, but he had made a promise.

Wolf gave a high-pitched keen and wrapped his arms around Logan's waist, the hands limp, like paws. "I don't want you to go…" His eyes opened wide and began to water.

Logan growled. "Don't give me that look, Zack, you know not to beg. I already told you that I have to do it, and I won't be gone long. You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Wolf sighed and looked down.

"Good, then trust me to know what I'm talking about. You be good and behave for your teachers, ok? No stealing turkey, or ham, this time. Got it?"

"Yes, Logan," Wolf said miserably.

Logan gave him a pat on the back. "Good. I'll see you soon, Pup." He extracted himself from the hug and walked out the door.

After about an hour of driving on his bike, Logan arrived at the hotel he stayed at every year, and rented his usual room. He yawned and cracked his neck, then tossed his pack onto the bed. To his surprise, he noticed a bright scrap of paper peeking out of one of the pockets. Logan frowned and went to investigate.

His hand closed around a small present wrapped loosely in paper with lots of tape securing it. There was another piece of paper folded up and taped to the present. Logan took it off and opened it curiously.

hey Logan,

Pyro sais that on chrismis people are sposed

to give each other presence and they rap

them in this wierd paper that he gave me and I

don't really know if I did it write but he sais its good

and I wanted to hurry and get it done before you go.

I no you probly wont really use this alot becuz

you have your claws and all but I thout you

could use it when you couldnt use them

so hury back becuz I miss you alot.

frome Wolf

Logan stared, then, with difficulty, he began to unwrap the present to see what Wolf could have given him. He ended up having to use a claw to slice all the tape covering it.

He finally managed to uncover the pocketknife that had once belonged to Wolf's former owner, who had been killed when he was younger. It was one of the few things Wolf had to remember him by, and it was one of the few items he cared about.

Logan turned the knife over in his hands as he sat down on the bed, thinking. When had Wolf been able to put that in his backpack? It must have been sometime during the day after Logan had packed. He sighed heavily, what a brat. Now he felt even more guilty about leaving.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, then pocketed the knife and stood to go to the bar on the first floor of the hotel.

Wolf slumped over on his side, laying in front of the door as he had every day for almost a week now, despite the efforts of everyone trying to cheer him up.

There had been lots of fun and games, and lots of decorations around the school that seemed like they could be fun, but he didn't feel like looking at them. He wanted his Alpha.

The front door opened slightly and Wolf perked up, but slouched again when he saw it was just Hank.

Hank carefully stepped over Wolf. By now they had all learned to enter slowly, after a few mutants had tripped over Wolf when they didn't expect him. Scott had the worst fall so far. He had been carrying a bag of groceries in for Jean when he stumbled over Wolf. Most of the groceries ended up either all over the floor or all over him.

"I see you still insist on acting glum," Hank peered down at Wolf, "Perhaps this will cheer you. We're having ham for dinner, with gravy and potatoes. Doesn't that sound delectable?"

Wolf snorted and ignored him.

"But I have that within which passes show, these but the trappings and the suits of woe," Hank smiled slightly, "I need your help with something, get up and follow me to my office."

Wolf gave Hank an annoyed look; he was talking funny again. Then he sighed and rolled to his feet to walk along with Hank. Logan had told him to be good, so he was going to be good. For now. Unless Hank got too annoying, then he might have to use his teeth.

Hank opened the door to his office and let Wolf enter first. "Tomorrow's Christmas, so I have a few things I want to get ready for it. Do you want to help me make some sugar candies? We get to use my lab equipment."

Wolf perked up slightly. "Candy?"

Hank chuckled. "Yes, candy. And, of course, you'll have to taste test it for me."

For the first time that day, Wolf smiled slightly. "Ok. How do we do it?"

Wolf lay sprawled out on his bed, snoring lightly now that he finally managed to fall asleep; rather, fall into a sugar-induced coma.

He had been reluctant to help Hank at first since they needed to heat the sugar, and to do that they needed these cans that shot out flames. Pyro was his best friend, but fire still scared him a little. Then he got over his fear and even began to have fun.

They started out by melting sugar in the long, skinny glasses that Hank called test tubes. Wolf had to use tongs to hold one above the thin flame until it bubbled and turned slightly brown. Then he quickly poured it into a piece of plastic made into the shape of a deer, tree, and some fat guy.

After they had made a few bags full of this kind of candy, they stopped for dinner. Wolf didn't really eat much once he noticed that Logan wasn't sitting in his usual spot and he began to miss him again, but after dinner Hank took him back to the lab to work some more.

This time they had larger glasses, called beakers, that Hank put water and lots of sugar in, then boiled. He told Wolf to put strings inside the beaker, and when the water boiled down the sugar had stick to the string in a way that looked like crystals. Hank even put some color on the sugar.

Wolf had eaten many of the candies by the time they were ready to call it a night.

Now he was sleeping it off, and had just started dreaming. His limbs twitched as he imagined himself chasing a fat squirrel. Then he stopped and grinned happily, his butt wriggling in lieu of a tail, as a familiar scent reached his nose. Logan!

After that, his dreams were fragmented and spread out. He imagined himself in Logan's arms, going for a ride on his bike, he even imagined that stupid helmet that cut off his senses… he hated that thing, he didn't know why he would dream it… Logan carrying him again, then he was back in his bed.

Wolf snorted in his sleep and turned over, drifting into deeper sleep without dreams.

The next morning he slowly woke up, his limbs felt heavy like he didn't get a lot of sleep. He groaned and moved under the covers. His dreams came back to him, making him sad as he remembered Logan wasn't home. Then he noticed that the blanket didn't smell like his blanket. The room itself didn't smell familiar to him. But there was one thing that did…

Wolf's eyes snapped open and he whipped his head around to look at the source.

"It's about time you got up," Logan smirked from where he sat on the bed next to him.

"Logan!" Wolf squeaked happily and pounced on his alpha, "Where did you come from?"

"Calm down, Zack," Logan pulled him into a hug, "I didn't want your first Christmas to be a sad one, so I came to get you last night. Are you happy?"

"Yes!" Wolf rubbed up against Logan, so happy that he couldn't sit still. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Pup," Logan roughed his hair. "Are you hungry? Let's go get something to eat." He picked Wolf up and carried him out the door. There was a diner across the street where they could get a decent breakfast.

Wolf sat proudly in front of Logan on his bike as they raced down the road.

After breakfast Logan had taken him to a store where he had brought him a brand new leather jacket, a black one with a wolf on the back. He said it was for better protection for when they went on these bike rides, and now they'd be able to do them more often since Logan felt safer. Wolf still had to wear the stifling helmet, though, but he would wear it if it meant spending time with his Alpha.

Logan pulled over to the side of the road when they came to a large, snow-covered clearing. "Want to run around a little?" he glanced down at Wolf.

"Do I have to wear this helmet?"

"No," he smirked.

"Ok," Wolf smiled and took it off.

Logan helped him off the bike, then he followed him after making sure the bike was stable.

Wolf ran around in a large circle, then raced back and tackled Logan to the ground.

Logan growled playfully and quickly put Wolf in a headlock, then they wrestled for a few moments. After Logan had put Wolf in a third hold, he felt something whacking his thigh. He looked back, slightly confused, then smirked. "Hey, Pup, how did you do that?"

"Hm?" Wolf glanced back and was surprised to see his tail wagging. His tail, in human form. Was that his tail? It had to be, it was the same color and pattern, safe the fur near the base. That was reddish-blond, like his hair. He turned, trying to catch it, and ended up rolling in the snow. "I- I don't know…" he frowned in concentration.

Logan had to chuckle. "First claws, now a tail. I think you're beginning to control your power better, Pup. You can transform parts of you at a time now." He lit a cigar as he thought about how to train Wolf now so he could strengthen that.

Wolf gave up catching his tail and stretched in the snow, glancing back at Logan.

Logan reached across to scratch him behind the ears. "Merry Christmas, Pup."

"Have you been able to find him, Professor?" Scott asked, watching Xavier as he sat at Cerebro.

"Give me a moment," Xavier murmured as he concentrated.

"You don't think he went off to find Logan, do you?" Storm asked, concerned, "He has been missing him…"

A slow smiled spread across Charles' face as he contacted Wolf's mind and read his thoughts. "I think he'll be just fine, he's in good hands. We'll see him again sometime tonight. Until then, let's start with the celebrations."

*AUTHOR'S COMMENTS*

I know this is extremely late, a number of things were against me writing it, first and foremost trouble at home. But I finally got it done, so I hope you all enjoy :)