Shao Lung (Little Dragon): Parts 6-10

by Tyna

DISCLAIMER: Marvel owns all the characters. No money is involved (story of my life). Thanks to a slew of people (especially Chi_Kokoro, Ken Barnes, Amy Hunt) who helped me with their suggestions so some of the ideas weren't mine also.

SUMMARY: Jubilee fights her worst enemy, her fears. Can Logan and the others save her from herself?

FEEDBACK: Please send feedback of any kind (praise, flaming, constructive criticism, etc.) to [email protected]

NOTES: Any bordered by triple characters (e.g. |||) means telepathic speech. Each telepath has a different signature. Phrases bordered by parenthesis mean the person is speaking in Japanese. Phrases bordered by * are thoughts. Any questions see feedback for my email address and I'll answer as best as I can. Archive at will



Logan wasn't usually wrong but a quick exploration of the boathouse and surrounding lake proved he was fallible. Jubilee was nowhere to be seen though his senses confirmed she had been here briefly. The traces were so faint he almost had to strain to pick them up.

As dawn broke over the horizon Logan was about to admit defeat and head back to the mansion. He stood at the edge of the meadow that separated the lake from the stables and inhaled through his nose and mouth. The scent of anger nearly knocked him off his feet. It rose from small, barely noticeable footprints in the grass. Logan bristled, reacting to the strong emotion but kept it in check and dropped into a hunting crouch. Soon the footprints widened as if she had been running.

*Darlin', where are you?* he fumed, angrily following her trail up and into the mansion. Too many old and new scent trails overlapped each other for him to discern which direction she'd gone. Cursory inspections of all her favorite escapes, including the little known hiding place in the library turned up nothing. Frustrated, Logan leaned against the wall to gather his thoughts.

Minute vibrations made his arm hair stand on end. Logan blew out sharply through his nose, grimaced and smacked himself upside the head. Jubilee had picked up many of his habits, especially anger redirection. He hurried the nearest computer console and tried to pull up the Danger Room's itinerary. 'Voice command access only' flashed in blood red at the bottom of the screen.

Growling under his breath, Logan shut his eyes and recalled that Professor X was starting to charge him for damaged equipment. In a low, suspiciously calm tone, "Computer cease all Danger Room sessions, clearance code J(uliet), L(ima), E(cho), E(cho), A(loha), W(hiskey)."

"Password invalid. Access denied," it replied.

Logan smelled a rat, a small boned, Chinese, computer genius rat; the day wasn't looking any brighter. After giving the terminal six more ports, he figured by lunch he'd owe the Professor a small fortune.

"Access that," he grunted and ducked under the sparks flying out of his new editions. The machine finally stopped protesting when he yanked the cord out of the socket. *I guess this means I haveta go through the Vault* Logan concluded and left the library running.

He made his way through the mansion's maze of hallways. At the last turn the hallway dead-ended. Logan slid his hand along the topside of a picture-sized mirror three by three feet long hanging on the wall. There was a faint click and pop of air as the seal behind the mirror broke. A seem from floor to ceiling appeared at the frame's edge. The entire panel recessed an inch back and slid noiselessly into the wall revealing what the younger ones had nicknamed the Vault.

Four, three inch thick bars sprang from the center of the huge circular door and disappeared into the walls, ceiling and floor. In the center a viscous finger print pad sat next to a small monitor that displayed welcome and warning messages. Above the screen a pair of goggles lowered into view flashing orange. It turned to green when the retinal scanner warmed up.

"Identify," it commanded in a programmed polite voice.

Logan felt the small hairs on his neck and shoulders rise. Already keyed up with concern for Jubilee, these little obstacles were beginning to get annoying. Plunging his fingers into the gel pad, he barely felt the needle stab his thumb for a blood sample. The retinal scanner was set at default height, usually inches too high.

"Retinal scan required. Comply," the computer continued to prompt when he wasn't fast enough adjusting it to his height.

"I am you sorry excuse for a..." Logan stopped himself from arguing with an object only doing what it was programmed to do, although he itched rip out its circuitry. Uncomfortable and inpatient he set he jaw against any further outbursts of cursing and waited for the computer to run through its security checks.

"Invalid profile. Access denied."

Logan snapped, roaring wordlessly, he pulled his hand violently out of the gel-pad, unsheathed his claws and slashed into the door.

Metal raked across metal screaming like nails on chalkboard amplified ten times over. Smoke issued from his burnt arm hairs, singed by sparks from the grinding metals. Adamantium cuts through most materials like a hot knife through butter but the door did not yield.

True to the laws of physics the force of Logan's blow sent him flying backwards. Stunned back to sanity, he lay on his back staring at the ceiling. A smile broke across his face and turned into an ear to ear grin. A resounding laugh spilled up his throat and rang out into the empty hallway. He had forgotten about the door. It would be nearly impossible for him to get through his way; carbonadium is stronger than adamantium.

*****

Keeri had been told to stay away from this part of the mansion. It wasn't fair she complained to her mother one day while Dr. Hank finished her blood work. Even Dr. Hank was against her, saying something about 'she could when she was older'.

*I am older* Keeri thought and drew up to her full height of three feet, nine inches. "I'm a whole seven years old today," she said defiantly, walking with purpose towards the forbidden hallway. Before she had gotten halfway down the first corridor, she was nearly run over by Uncle Logan.

Keeri yipped and steeled herself for a scolding but the big man leapt right over her. He didn't even bother to say hello and was gone just as suddenly as he appeared. Torn between curiosity and fear, she spent a few moments to think about going back. However, there was only one choice a seven-year-old mutant would make. She took off in the same direction Logan went as fast as her small feet could move.

In no time she caught up to Logan, right about the same time he was flown back from the Vault. Keeri's eyes went huge and she scrambled to hide behind one of the mansion's many grandfather clocks. Cautiously she peeked around the clock and was startled when he started to laugh.

*Uncle Logan must've knocked himself silly* she giggled softly, edging out into the open. "You okay uncle," she asked and squatted by his head.

*****

*The kid has guts, I'll give her that* Logan admitted, rolled over into a crouch beside her and ruffled her shock of red hair. She carried herself well almost to the point of making him forget how young she was. It was the only part of her father besides his skin tone that Logan could see in her. Everything else was her mother's. "Keeri Summers, does yer mother know you're here," he scolded using her real name.

Keeri knew she was in for it now. He never used her real name always calling her "Squirt". Slowly she shook her head, huge tears welling up in soulful green eyes.

"Tell ya what, Squirt. If'n ya help me with this door, I just might forget I saw ya here," he bargained, kicking himself for taking his frustrations out on the child. Of all the mutants to run into, Keeri was just the right one. Dumb luck seemed to be on his side for a change and the day might not turn out as bad as he thought. Her mutant ability allowed her to cause things to happen. Professor described it as an unconscious telepathic "push" that mysteriously corrected anything that was going wrong.

"Sure," she cried and ran towards the Vault. "C'mon uncle. I need you to lift me up."

Audible rumbling drifted into the hallway and shook the walls. As Logan held Keeri up so that her hand could reach the gel-pad he tried not to think of how much damage Jubilee was doing to herself.

"Access granted," drew his attention back to the Vault. After Keeri withdrew her hand, the center console rotated 360 degrees, releasing the bars. A series of mechanical pops followed as the bars were drawn away from the door. With a final metal groan, the Vault split into uneven halves and opened.

Released air pressure from the door rushed over them. Keeri started to complain loudly and wiggled out of his grasp, pawing at her ears. Logan caught her by the chin and held her nose. "Blow Squirt. It'll help." He was concerned when her face turned red but her relieved smiled eased his fears.

"All better?" Her enthusiastic nod made him grin. Now, go get yer mother and father."

Her face fell as if he had asked her to give up her favorite puppy. "But..." she started to argue.

"No buts. I promise ya won't get in trouble. Tell them Auntie Jubilee is in danger. Go on now. Hurry."

Logan waited until she obeyed, then ran into the control room. As soon as he entered the Vault automatically shut. He hoped the others wouldn't have the hard time he did. Somehow he had a feeling he'd need backup real soon.

"Computer display program." If it wouldn't allow him to change the sequence, perhaps it would let him see it. His hunch worked and the program filled the screen. Dread froze his blood and made his heart skip a beat. The Danger Room was set on its highest levels on a program unlike anything he'd seen. Nothing in the program was constant, completely unpredictable.

Without warning a betadroid crashed through the observation window and knocked him to the floor. Logan howled in pain as molten steel from its slagged metal body dripped onto his spine. Shards of glass embedded into his shoulders but were easily shaken off. While his healing factor shifted into overdrive, Logan sunk a claw into the sputtering remains of the droid until it finally went dead. It should have never gotten through. Normally an energy field protected the observation windows.

"Nanotech regeneration activated." The computer confirmed his suspicions. Jubilee had managed to bypass the Control Room security blocks. If the nanotechs were activated, it meant all safety protocols were deactivated. Jubilee was playing hardball.

Metallic clangs and explosions flooded into the room but he heard her frenzied howling first. Rage, pain, and despair, everything he felt when he went berserk he heard in her voice.

His first view of the scenario as he leapt onto the windowsill of the broken window seemed normal. He recognized the setting as feudal Japan. Image-inducers made the betadroids look like Hand ninjas, but it wasn't until he dropped down to the floor that he realized they bore real weapons. Things were going from bad to worse.

Jubilee crouched low in the center deflecting attacks with her twin swords. Despite being bruised and cut in several places she moved with incredible agility in a style he had never seen before. Her face was twisted up into a feral snarl, but the look in her eyes sent a shiver up his spine that rose the fine hairs on his back. Cold hatred that promised deadly unrelenting harm emanated from those blue orbs.

She snarled viciously and used a windmill parry to block two incoming attacks. They couldn't recover their balance when she twisted redirecting them into four naginata bearing droids sneaking up from behind.

Once the droids were out of the way Jubilee remained still long enough for Logan to get a good look at her. A light blinked by her temple from a small metal pad attached to the side of her face. It was a neural unit that jacked the user's brain directly into the Danger Rooms computer and anything in that brain could be used either in regular state or altered as the computer saw fit. Any hopes he had about being able to predict this program went out the door.

Sure enough the scenery shifted in an electrostatic wave from Japan to the main living room of the mansion. *What the heck? Why this?* he mused and quickly ducked behind the heavy velvet curtain when Jubilee came closer. He watched her through one of the holes he remembered creating during a particularly physical argument with Ol' One Eye.

"She's just a child and a small one at that," Storm's voice grew louder as she approached the room. Jubilee flinched, startled into a calmer state of mind, and scrambled for the closest shadow. Her slight frame fit into the small space between two bookshelves nestled in the corner.

Jean palmed on the lights and motioned for Storm to sit on the couch. "Agreed, but the process should give her a little more stature. Then she will no longer be a nuisance." Storm unwrapped a piece of chocolate and listened to Jean's lecture about Jubilee's viability as a specimen. Stranger still, they were both dressed in Hand uniforms.

Logan watched the scene play out and finally realized that this is how Jubilee thought the X-women thought of her. Deep down she believed they truly thought her as a liability. Two more uniformed figures dropped in from access panels in the ceiling. They pulled off their masks and slid onto the couch next to the women.

There was a small electronic hiccup but the room remained the same. Its occupants, however, were standing with champagne glasses facing the entranceway. While they waited Logan stole a glance at Jubilee. Even through the shadows he recognized the unwavering intense gaze of a predator. All the occupants in the room were vulnerable, easy targets. Why was she waiting?

Another strange electronic hiccup forced him to seek better cover when the living room phased into a hauntingly familiar laboratory. In perfect unison to the change, Jubilee shifted with the shadows, creeping closer to the odd foursome. Beast ushered his small audience toward large windows. Heavy metal shutters beat gently against the double thick panes in time with his longwinded explanation.

"Oh do get on with it Hank, my bubbles are going flat." Storm fixed him with a mournful gaze and pouted. Logan bit back his bark of laughter, remembering how many times he had come up against that look and lost. He also remembered how Jubilee hated it.

"Of course my dear. Friends, Romans, citizens lend me your ears," Beast grinned and it sent a shiver up Logan's spine. Pure evil radiated from that gleaming grin. For an instant another face superimposed over the blue fur, eliciting a low growl from deep in his throat.

While Beast launched into another speech, Logan felt a telepathic brush and dropped his outer layer of mental shields. ~~~Can you see through my eyes Jeanie? Do you understand what's going on?~~~ He didn't bother to hide the bestial overtone in his mental voice. Current events were sinking him closer to one of his famous berserker rages.

|||Yes to both I think. We're at the Vault. ETA to your position: two minutes.||| She cut him off quickly with a warning to be on guard; he was alone again.

"Behold the X-Mens' doom. Our Little Dragon." Highly dexterous claws tapped a rapid dance across coded keys that controlled the shutters. With a metallic whine they folded away revealing an arena-like room.

As Beast, Cyclops, Storm, and Jean toasted their success they morphed into other people. Shinobi Shaw and three others Logan didn't recognize walked down a few steps and sat in theater-like seats three feet away from the windows. Apparently a show was going to begin and Logan belly crawled to the next console to get a better view. An ache started in his heart, one that screamed for violence until the walls ran with red blood, at his first glimpse of the horror inside that arena.

Another Jubilee lay curled in a tight ball in the middle of the floor. Bruises covered her naked body in any free space where her tattoo didn't touch. The tattoo itself looked fresh, maybe only a week old, and still seeped blood in small places. She appeared to be asleep, but the shaking in her shoulders betrayed her. When she uncurled, Logan could tell from her face that the shaking was from fear and pain.

An aura erupted around her in the shape of her tattoo, circled high above, then dove into her chest. Through the overhead speakers, Logan heard the air rush out of her lungs in a surprised grunt as she staggered backwards. The walls separated and folded into the floor, extending the arena another twenty square feet. Rolling doors screeched open revealing uniformed men and women baring every conceivable hand weapon. Yelling a concerted kiyai, they rushed towards Jubilee. Bile crept up into Logan's throat and he had to remind himself that that wasn't the real Jubilee who still had her eyes closed to the oncoming attack.

A blur rushed past him and he realized the room had changed again. They were inside the arena; his console was now a shadowed doorway. Hologram Jubilee's eyes snapped open. They were multifaceted like jewels, glowing in swirls of red and blue. Logan felt his own inner beast respond to the violence held in those eyes and growled. He needed only the slightest push to send him over the edge but retained enough of himself to register the real Jubilee rushing the back of the horde, blades ready.

With a scream Hologram Jubilee convulsed, her shape shifting until it exploded into a dragon. Logan clamped down on his beast and sent it packing to the deepest part of his mind. Thoughts clear once again he saw the attackers phase into various X-members, even himself. He finally understood why this and why now. Jubilee felt she had something to prove. She needed to physically defeat the monster she thought of as herself. And what better way to do so than to "save" the lives of those she held dear. *Or die trying* whispered at the back of his mind.

The dragon bellowed at the attacking crowd and seemed to have an answer for each individual assault. It absorbed energy blasts from Cyclops and began to emit high frequency vibrations, incapacitating Logan and Beast instantly. For Storm it encased her in a plasma bubble and compressed it until there was only enough room for her to curl into a ball. Claustrophobia turned her into a small child incapable of resistance.

Static energy brushed his back. Logan whirled claws out before he had a chance to think about unsheathing them. Luckily, Jean had her shield up or she would have been gutted. Cyclops reached around her and grabbed onto Logan's wrist. They remained frozen for a few seconds before Storm pushed through them.

"We are here for Jubilee," she reminded them without turning around, her eyes fixed on the battle raging inside the arena.

By the time they emerged from the doorway, the dragon had slaughtered their holographic counterparts. It lumbered over to Jubilee and knocked her across the room using its tail like a whip. Seconds before she slammed into the far wall Jubilee tucked her arms and legs in and inverted. The swords hit first greatly reducing her speed. They sank into the steel reinforced wall up to their hilts. Her feet, which were glowing, white hot, burrowed through the metal. She looked like a moose-head trophy still clinging to the swords' handles.

Finally her backward motion was halted. She pulled herself back through the hole into a handstand and dropped to the ground. Blood burst from her mouth, a sign that the hit from the dragon's tail had broken something deep inside her body. A deep purple bruise spread rapidly across her chest. Humanity drained from her expression; her body radiated tangible rage.

*****

"Logan, have you lost your mind? Release me at once! Jubilee is in serious danger," Storm demanded when he grabbed her ankle mid-flight.

"Don't you think I know that?" he shot back and tightened is grip. "You go in there half cocked and you may end up dead."

"And Jubilee isn't?" Cyclops asked quietly too angry to shout. His visor began to glow.

"We can't interfere. No let me finish..." he held up his free hand when Jean started to speak. "Jubilee needs to do this and it's killing me to stand by and watch but she needs to do this alone."

"Then why are we..." Jean never got to finish her question as a multicolored vein of energy veered towards them. It pounded into her telekinetic shield and ricocheted into the far wall. It exploded leaving a gaping hole in the hologram of the arena.

"Warning! Structural integrity compromised. Estimated regeneration: ten minutes," the computer dutifully reported.

Jubilee didn't see them or hear the warning. Instinctively she drew the energy veins around herself like a shield and rose into the air. Above the din of crackling energy, Jubilee heard the dragon's thundering voice. "Now for the rest of the mansion," it taunted and fired a beam with the same energy signature as Jubilee's at the roof from its gaping maw.

"No, no, no! I can't let you harm anyone else!" she shrieked and flexed the shield outward in an attempt to intercept the beam.

The impact was a spectacular dance of light and sound. Absolute concentration wiped her features clean of expression as she modulated her shield around the beam and gathered it into a ball. Blood trickled from her nose responding to the increasing pressure as she wove the energies into a single entity.

*****

After years of working together each person acted in concert without a single order to keep the Danger Room from tearing itself apart. When holes continued to appear in the fabric of the hologram, Jean alternated the frequency of her telekinetic shields around them to block Jubilee from siphoning the photons into her power ball. Ceiling panels buckled, but held their place when Storm magnetized them with diluted bolts of lightning. Those that managed to elude her were blasted to atoms by Scott's dead-fire aim.

Trusting everyone to save the mansion, Logan focused on Jubilee and the dragon. They circled each other mid-air and the energy between them began to waver. Then everything went deceptively calm. Neither of them spoke for what seemed like an eternity.

Abruptly the dragon shifted back into human form. "Even now you can't bring yourself to destroy me. We are a part of each other. You belong to me."

Jubilee shrunk into a fetal position as if she was giving up, yet the power ball brightened to blinding intensity. Her eyes turned a multitude of colors before settling into an iridescent white. She uncurled so fast Logan couldn't follow the entire movement. "I belong to no one. You have no power over me!" she cried, arched powerfully and cast the ball at the image.

Its hissing laughter died away in a flash of multicolored brilliance. The surface solidified and locked the turbulent mass in translucent shell. Movement within the ball became frenzied until stress fractures spider-webbed throughout the outer layer. Fire spat from Jubilee's eyes, a visual manifestation of effort that was costing her dearly. More blood seeped from her balled fists but she paid them no mind.

At first Logan thought he was dreaming, but when he was almost underneath Jubilee it was finally clear despite the pandemonium of swirling energy and structural failure. She was roaring, the kind that came from the pit of your soul. It grew steadily louder punctuated by precise slashes she made in the air with her nails.

Taking a deep breath, Jubilee uttered a final piercing keen. The shell ruptured into hundreds of marble sized globes that sped overhead, circling around Jubilee in the exact pattern she had drawn. Logan shielded his eyes from the light. Agony stabbed through his heart as his eyes fell on her moving lips.

(As a phoenix is reborn through fire...) she mouthed then paused; her eyes now closed her face almost serene. The marbles stopped circling. As one they dove towards Jubilee packing in closely until they blocked her from view. Only Logan was close enough to hear her whisper, (... so shall I), before the marbles sunk into Jubilee.

Deadly silence filled the room. Then as sudden as the birth of a storm at sea noise returned in a single deafening boom of thunder. Helpless, they watched in horrid fascination as the energy suddenly exploded, ripping out through her eyes, mouth, nose, and skin. Churning, raw plasma rode high on the leading edge of the resulting succession of concussion waves that radiated outward.

Saved by the sound wave that preceded the explosion, Logan waited for the plasma wave to pass and flipped onto his feet. He hit the floor running, and launched into the air. Jubilee's limp body fell into his outstretched arms. "Gotcha!" he yelled. It took all his balance to land without dumping her on the ground.

Jean's shield held up against the sound wave but was shattered by the concussion wave. Already airborne, Storm called a small whirlwind and lifted Jean to safety until she recovered enough to levitate herself. The wave passed under heading straight for Scott. Neither of them would be able to help him in time.

Scott braced himself for impact arms crossed over his face for protection. He was praying so hard that he almost missed the computer's announcement.

"Safety protocols reactivated. Repair sequence initiated. Session terminated. Default system's program reinstalled."

Although the air was still heavily charged with static, the wave was gone. Jean and Storm touched down, bewilderment adorning each face. He shrugged, just as confused. Then he felt a gentle tug on his pants leg and looked down into the smiling green eyes of his daughter.

"All better?" Keeri asked.

He nodded and scooped her up into a big hug. She had disobeyed him by following but now wasn't the time to scold her. His wife thought differently but he did notice how closely Jean held Keeri while she ranted.

Storm had already left to get Hank; not all was well. Logan bent over Jubilee's battered body ear close to her mouth. She wasn't breathing but his sensitive ears caught her weak but steady pulse. Gingerly he pushed the tattered remains of her top aside and traced the bruise that extended from the center of her chest to the bottom of her rib cage. All her ribs were broken and must have pierced her lungs.

"C'mon Jubes, fight!" he whispered when he saw her eyelids flutter. At last they opened completely, dull with weariness. When she tried to take a breath she coughed up blood and couldn't get any air into her collapsed lungs. The frightened look she gave him was unbearable and he came to a decision. He would breathe for them both.

After clearing most of the blood in a couple of mouthfuls, he locked his mouth over hers and blew gently. His hand lay flat on her chest to feel it rise. She covered his hand with hers and squeezed it in thanks.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught a flash of black cloth before Storm stepped into sight and spread her cape over Jubilee. "Hank's here my friend. Let him take over," she urged and tried to pull him away and couldn't get him to budge. His thick fingers wrapped around her wrist and shoved her roughly back.

"Computer. Activate emergency Medlab program." Hank commanded and soothed the seething weather witch while his hands worked with what appeared to be a gun. She rewarded his patronizing with a reprimanding frown. In one smooth motion, he pulled back the slide, loaded two oversized darts, hit the release and fired. Both darts found their mark in the back of Logan's neck.

Five minutes later he collapsed beside Jubilee. Without his help she started to gasp for air and shook his hand that was still on her chest. She fixed Hank with such an accusing gaze, that he actually scolded her. "Don't you start with me Miss Lee," he said and slid an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. "Those mercury laced tranquilizer darts won't last forever and I need peace if I'm to put you back together again..."

*****

Mere hours after his initial surgery to seal the puncture wounds in her lungs so that she could breathe on her own, Jubilee popped most her stitches trying to get up. He protected the fresh stitches with the tape he used to let her ribs. Once taped, he added a final layer of fiberglass gauze.

"If you so much as crack my handiwork with your stubbornness, I'll...I'll," Hank fished for just the right threat.

"I'll sit on her," Logan finished from the bed next to Jubilee. He rolled onto his side and pushed up onto his elbow to back his threat up with a scowl. It would have been more effective if his eyes were in focus and he wasn't rubbing the back of his neck like he had a hangover.

"You and what army?" Jubilee laughed, then her face scrunched up in pain. "Ow!" she gasped gripping the bars around her bed until the spike of pain subsided.

"Me and about a few dozen nerve clusters," he retorted and dissolved into helpless laughter.

Hank joined in and decided that it may be best to keep Jubilee under sedation. Time would heal her broken body to match her restored soul.

Chapter 7

 Cool water lapped at her ankles in a silent soothing rhythm. This place became her refuge when Illanya died, when Logan almost died, and when she made her decision to leave for the Academy. Dawn broke over the trees casting a gold-orange glow across the water. In the distance she could just make out a lone figure walking through the meadow that separated the lake from the mansion.

His walk was unmistakable and Jubilee cursed under her breath. She didn't want another lecture about staying in bed and limped back into the boathouse. The windows had been nailed shut and the air was stale and musty. Rays of sunlight began to leak through slits between the boards and tumble about her dusty hiding place. Minutes passed by in total silence and she hoped fervently that she was wrong. Jubilee shifted uneasily in the increasing heat, tugging against Logan's shirt now plastered to her back.

A soft splash drew her from her misery. Curious, Jubilee peaked through a crack in the wall facing the lake and saw Logan emerging from the water. He shook the excess from his hair and stretched. It was Jubilee's turn to stare. Logan was extremely well built, powerful muscles shifting with the slightest movement. Beads of water ran down his strong, cut legs from shorts that had started life as jeans.

Men weren't supposed to be graceful but that was the only way Jubilee could describe how he moved. The simple act of sitting down, Indian style, facing the sun held magic. She had often seen him do this but today it seemed extraordinary.

        

In his serenity Jubilee calmed and felt normal for once. Although she knew he would hear her, Jubilee crept out of the boathouse. He gave no sign that he was aware of her presence as she padded silently towards him.

Her brain told her to leave well enough alone but her heart was in control. It thumped against her chest quickening her breath. She stood behind him hands outstretched, ready to jump back if he mistook her actions.

With trembling hands, she dug into the thick muscles surrounding his neck. She felt him tense for a fraction of a second. Slowly she kneaded her way across his shoulders back up toward his neck then walked her fingers along the sides of his spine.

Little by little she could feel him give himself over to her ministrations. A deep rumbling sounded from his chest. Jubilee smiled shyly to herself because only a precious few could draw that sound from the man under her care.

One nasty knot behind his right shoulder blade kept eluding her. To get better leverage, she slipped one arm around his chest and bore down on the annoying spot with her body weight behind the heel of her palm. After a while spears of pain shot down her sides. Her abused ribs weren't taking a liking to that much movement but she pressed on determined to rid Logan of his knot.

"Darlin', y'know Hank will remove one of my favorite body parts if you bust your stitches again." Logan curled his fingers around the arm on his chest and squeezed both in thanks and to get her to stop.

Jubilee giggled and was rewarded with another stab of pain. "Ow, Wolvy, I told you not to make me laugh." Still kneeling behind him with her arm trapped by his hands, she laid her cheek against his shoulder and pressed closer to him. Although he was slightly wet she could feel his warmth through the fabric of her shirt. Together they watched the sun climb higher into the sky in silence simply enjoying each other's company.

Logan felt her legs begin to tremble from kneeling too long and pulled her to standing by the arm he held. Mindful of her injuries, he maneuvered her in front of him and placed her in his lap. He cradled her against his chest and faced her toward the lake so she wouldn't miss the rest of sunrise.

It took a little time for them to dry. Uncommonly gentle breezes wafted in from across the meadow and smelt like warmed hay. Strong fingers ran through her hair in sure even strokes. Jubilee tried to remain awake but the combined effect of the breeze, his hands, and the secure contact of his bulk began to lull her to sleep.

"Bastard," she whispered slowly losing her hold on consciousness, "sneaky, no good bastard. You planned this all along..." she accused her voice fading like her consciousness. His chuckle was the last thing she heard. With a final sigh she resigned herself to sleep.

*****

Logan hated being in Medlab and this was his third trip today. First this morning when he returned a sleeping Jubilee to Hank's watchful care from her boathouse haunt. Then there was this afternoon when he had to explain why he was holding an unconscious Jubilee with busted stitches while trying to avoid surgical castration. The third time she wasn't even trying to escape. Under the influence of a reaction between painkillers, she had burned through the restraints Hank has placed her in after the second escape and wandered away during one of Hank's rare naps.

"The lass is sedated, ye can relax now Wolverine." Moira announced and tried to put him further at ease. At his warning growl she realized he wasn't paying attention and was fixated on her hands. *Ach, him and needles. I swear by all that I hold holy, those Department H people should rot in hell* Quickly she disposed of the empty syringe inside the nearest biohazard bin. He visibly relaxed; Moira merely shook her head and continued.

"Tomorrow we are placing a tent over her that contains an airborne soporific. It allows us flexibility when it comes time for her to eat or other things. Ye better git yuirself to bed as well." With that said she fixed him with a piercing stare and left.

Lab phobia notwithstanding he had no intention of leaving Jubilee's side and searched the cabinets for an extra pillow and blanket. Once he found both he placed them on the nearest empty hospital gurney and resumed his post by her bedside. He didn't quite trust she would be under for a while and vowed to keep his promise of sitting on her if she so much as twitched. *Nah that may be going a little to far*

Watching her sleeping form drew him back to the day she had pulled him off the x-shaped cross Pierce had so thoughtfully nailed him to. He sifted through fevered memories, most of which she was taking care of his wounds. Through all the adventures on their journey back to the X-mansion she always had his back. Her presence in his life had become second nature. Training, meditation, even his jaunts in and out of the bar scene never gave him a sense of belonging. To him, Jubilee became home.

~~~flashback~~~ (from chap. 5 Party Perils)

(You are my mountain, my rock. No matter how the world changes, you remain the same)

Time stood still for a hand full of heartbeats. It was the very same phrase Mariko had used when she told him she loved him. Once upon a time anyone saying it would have been gutted, no hesitation, but coming from Jubilee it seemed to take a whole new light. The pain and heartache he used to associate with those words never came. He was left with a liquid fire that flowed from her and filled every ounce of his being. There was only one response he could give.

(You are my sun, my light. No matter how dark the world gets, you remain pure)

~~~end flashback~~~

That very same liquid fire he'd felt on that not so distant day returned and this time Logan had a name for it. He loved her plain and simple. It took a four-year separation from her to make him realize it. Even if she had comeback as the teen she should have been, he would still love her and would have waited for her until she grew up. Although now that wasn't the issue, he grinned and stole a glance at the woman before him. It was getting her to stay still for a few days and get better so he could show her.

*Now how...?* The idea hit so suddenly he forgot himself and mentally yelled for Jean. She suddenly appeared in the doorway dressed in a red silk robe tired and angry.

"Ah, ah Jean no yellin' in the Lab," he shushed and outlined his plan. It wasn't hard to win her over and soon more X-men were roused. They adjourned to Med-Lab's workroom to hammer out the details. One hour later, at 3 o'clock in the morning they set it into motion.

*****one week later*****

Absolute stillness drew her back to consciousness. She assumed Logan had thrown her back into Med-Lab but the d・or belied that assumption. All the furniture, including the bed she lay in, was hers but the wooden walls of the boathouse surrounded her.

All of the boards had been removed from the windows. Other than a few mold stains in the ceiling, the place had been scrubbed clean. Flowers, get-well cards and balloons covered the top of her dresser and spilled over onto her favorite window seat. Heavy red velvet curtains were drawn aside to allow sunshine in and tied up by satin ropes slightly darker in shade. Her couch sat against the wall to her right and was occupied by its recently usual resident.

One arm was thrown over the top of the couch; the other lay across his eyes. His lower body and legs were hopelessly tangled in a sheet. All the throw pillows had been cast off and haphazardly littered the floor. Amazingly he wasn't snoring.

Logan once again shifted in his sleep, which tightened the sheet until it couldn't give anymore. It locked up in the middle of his turn and he struggled himself right off the couch. "What the flamin' hell?" he yelled glaring down at the offending sheet.

"Are ya trying to kill me Wolvy?" Jubilee gasped, caught between laughing and hissing in pain. Once under control she slid carefully off the bed and tried to free him from said sheet. Halfway through the first knot she gave up and grabbed Logan's hand, flipped over his palm and ran her hand along the big vein of his arm.

Not that he was complaining; it felt really good, but it puzzled him nonetheless until she pressed down on a point near the bend of his elbow. A claw shot out unbidden with which she proceeded to cut away the troublesome fabric from his legs. Ah he thought and fixed her with a mock stare of disapproval. "Ya could have asked first, darlin'."

Unrepentant, she flashed him a huge grin and removed her finger from his pressure point. The claw slid back broadening her grin but she didn't release his hand. "What fun would that be?" she blinked at him innocently almost daring him to scold her.

He looked down at her hand in his and reversed his grip to interlace their fingers. "Not half as fun as this," he grinned devilishly and pulled her in for an unexpected kiss. He kept it simple; a chaste brush of lips, then left to clean up the mess he'd made.

Trying to recover, Jubilee sat as still as possible just in case this was a dream, one from which she didn't want to wake up. The tingling in her lips and dull throbbing of her injuries confirmed that this was reality, yet she still hadn't moved when her returned to her side.

Someone was calling her name. Oh yeah, Jubilee laughed inwardly and looked up into Logan's smiling face. She swallowed against the dryness that kept her tongue glued to the roof of her mouth. "Yes?" she managed to squeak out.

"I said it was time to go, Jubes." He was trying very hard not to laugh and offered her a hand up. It was the first time he'd seen her speechless.

"I'm sorry all circuits are busy. Please kiss me again to establish a new line." She kept a straight face but her eyes shone with contained amusement as she grabbed for the proffered limb.

He pulled her in close and cradled her cheek in his palm. God he loved her new height he thought staring straight in her eyes when their lips met. This time he didn't hesitate to show her just how good of a kisser he prided himself to be. When he let her up for air he couldn't keep the foolish grin from breaking his tough guy fa・de. Her identical grin sent a powerful jolt through his body.

Loud beeping shattered the moment and Logan was tempted to dump his communicator into the lake. Hank's cultured voice floated into the room wondering why his patient was not sitting on his examination table. "It takes precisely 10 minutes and 50 seconds to convey the distance between your current location and the mansion. Presently, 11 minutes and 10 seconds has transpired since your last transmission. Kindly, and I shall attempt using the vernacular, get your asses over here this instant. McCoy out."

"Busted," Jubilee said impishly and allowed Logan to guide her out of the boathouse.

Chapter 8

 Five minutes into their walk Jubilee had to stop. The world spun briefly but after a few deep breaths her head cleared. High above the sun held vigil in a cloudless sky and Jubilee couldn't resist basking in its presence momentarily. Warmth penetrated into her body as she stretched the last vestiges of stiffness from her muscles.

Something didn't quite feel right. Not one to usually look a gift horse in the mouth but shouldn't the pain be more intense? *It's only been three days since Hank slapped on...hey wait-a-minute* Jubilee opened her eyes and crossed her arms over her ribs. Although still in pain, the constrictive feel of the fiberglass bandage was missing. She didn't remember going in for any redressing of her wounds.

Stopped only a few steps away, Logan could tell from the look on her face that she was starting to figure things out. "You okay Jubes?" She didn't answer; in fact, she didn't seem to be aware he was speaking at all. Even when he came to stand by her and waved a hand in front of her face there was no reaction. Finally after what seemed like forever her eyes focused in on his face and narrowed. *Oh shit! I'm in trouble* he mused. "C'mon, let's get a move on. Hank's awaiting," he urged, swept her up into his arms before she could protest and hightailed it to the mansion.

"What day is it?" Hank heard Jubilee ask as she and Logan entered Med-Lab. Surreptitiously, he turned his daily calendar over and motioned Logan to place her on the exam table. The feral mutant shot him a look in a silent plea for help. Inclining his head a fraction in consent, the doctor gathered a few items and waved Logan away.

"Open your mouth Jubilation," Hank ordered before she could say another word and popped a thermometer in her mouth. His sensitive hearing caught her grinding the glass tube in her mouth. "Do I sincerely have to remind you about the downfalls of mercury poisoning or do you want another two week stay in Med-Lab," he said offhandedly and the grinding stopped.

From his corner, Logan caught Hank's amused wink and nodded. The doctor was about to spill the beans. *Get ready for the 4th of July* he thought grimly.

"I'm serious, what day is it?" she repeated once her mouth was free of the thermometer.

"Monday, now lie down Jubilee." She appeared to be somewhat mollified and he proceeded to cut the heavy cloth bandage away from her ribs. They were still heavily bruised, the colors looking like a black/blue backdrop for her tattoo. The edges of both incisions were still red but had meshed together so well that when they finally healed the scar would be barely visible.

"And the date?" she piped up and Hank sighed. He should have known she wouldn't let it go. Resolutely he returned to his desk and beckoned Jubilee to follow. After straightening some of the files he turned over his calendar and handed it to Jubilee.

Both men waited on baited breath while she examined the object in her hands. They were both expecting a monumental explosion of anger with effects but she calmly set the calendar down, a quizzical expression furrowed her brow. Slowly the air around her began to shimmer, her hands balled into fists at her side, yet she still hadn't said anything.

Saying that she was mad would have been dubbed the grossest understatement of all time. After images of her several escapes insinuated into her chain of thought, Jubilee was able to think a little more rationally. Well, she had it coming she surmised. *Guess Wolvy made good on his threat*

As if a switch flipped her anger diffused and the air around her cooled. She chose to act like the adult she claimed to be. Admit defeat now, make them pay for it when she saw fit. Actually when her body no longer complained with each move she made. "A week under, huh. Was I really that bad?" She plastered guilt across her face and summoned a few token tears.

Hank and Logan exchanged confused glances. Tears? They fell over each other trying to make her feel better. "Not really darlin'," Logan lied. "Certainly not," Hank followed suit. They both hated it when women cry.

She looked from one man at her side to the other. Yep they were definitely going to pay. They had been given the opportunity to come clean and tell her exactly why an entire week of sedation was necessary, but they chose to cover their ass. Hmm.

"So I guess this means I'm cleared from medical care?" she ventured.

Hank looked indignant. "Your assumption is premature my dear lady. The occasional lightheadedness you are experiencing is indicative of the diluted Demerol adhesives I placed along your spine. You are, under no circumstances, not to..." he rattled on while wrapping an ace bandage around her ribs.

The list of restrictions began to take on ridiculous proportions. Logan hid a smile wondering how long the doctor could go on without taking a breath. He was almost as bad a Jubilee under the influence of sugar. For her part Jubilee was taking the list well or so he thought. Her expression said compliance her body language said something that shouldn't be said in mixed company.

"Is there anything I CAN do?" she interrupted her tone suspiciously devoid of any emotion.

"Increase your literary repertoire, enhance your epidermis pigmentation while applying UV deterring ointments, severely curtailed, accompanied promenades about the grounds, partake in nourishment and engage in extended rapid eye movement periods." The 'can' list was notably shorter.

"Why am I not surprised I get the 'can't' list in plain English and the 'can' list in Hank'ese?" Jubilee muttered under he breath.

Logan couldn't take it any more and laughed until he couldn't breathe. Jean, who had walked in at the beginning of the 'can' list, joined him. Unfortunately she has heard this speech a little too often and translated for Jubilee. "He is just being difficult. You are allowed to read, sunbathe, take short escorted walks, eat and sleep." Jean gave Jubilee a sympathetic look before ushering Hank into the workroom.

"I survive the Hand, a crazy daughter of a guy I never met, my own fears only to be killed by boredom." Wolverine laughed harder and she glared at him hands on hips. "See if I ever kiss you again," she threatened.

He stepped in close, nearly nose to nose. "Darlin', don't make promises ya can't keep," he breathed into her mouth daring her to close that small distance between their lips. Time dragged out and it appeared that Jubilee was giving in. As slow as molasses in winter, she leaned forward.

"Jubilee I failed to include an activity on your...allowed...list." Hank stopped short at the doorway and pondered the scene before him for a moment. *Jubilee? Logan? Kissing?* This was an interesting development. Upon the second, rather loud clearing of his throat, the two jumped apart like errant children caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar. Hank's first inclination was a thorough interrogation. The annoyed frown Wolverine sent his way made him hesitate. Jubilee refused to meet his questioning glance, her face this side of crimson.

"McCoy, you and yer flamin' timin'," Logan growled mildly.

"Nautical exercise," the doctor concluded his previous chain of thought and ignored the rebuke. "Swimming," he amended when Jubilee rolled her eyes at him. "Now, vacate the premises, I have other exams to perform." Right on cue Rogue strode in carrying her sleeping son.

Effectively dismissed, Logan and Jubilee hurried out of Med-Lab. If the boy had his mother's temper, he wasn't going to be too happy about being woken up especially for a medical exam. Sure enough a piercing wail echoed down the hallway followed by the sound of what seemed like a battle.

Two floors above them the lunch bell rang and the walls shook from the stampede of students heading toward the cafeteria. Their stomachs grumbled in unison at the mere thought of food. Logan steered them toward the mansion's kitchen instead. The shorter walk was on the approved 'can' list.

"JULIAN!" Rogue's angry scream made Logan wince. The boy, sans britches, ran past them giggling incessantly. Logan pulled Jubilee into the safe circle of his arms a hair's breath before an irate Rogue stormed by.

"Ah'm gonna tan yer hide, young man, once I catch you," she threatened waving said missing britches in the air as she turned the corner. Julian's giggling could still be heard as mother and son got farther away.

Suddenly very tired, Jubilee burrowed into Logan's neck and shut her eyes tight against another bout of dizziness. "Gotta stop meeting like this. People are gonna talk," she murmured into his ear.

"Let them," he replied savoring the feel of her in his arms. Food could wait.

Chapter 9

 One of the worst heat waves Westchester has ever had announced summer's arrival. By mid day the air swirled like devil's breath, stifling hot and thick enough to swim through. No one ventured outside of the mansion's walls without good reason or your own personal cooling system.

Bobby hurried to the boathouse to collect Jubilee. Normally his ice slide took hours to melt away. Under the onslaught of the heat wave, it deteriorated almost as soon as he made it. Team Beta would be back from their rescue mission any minute and Jubilee usually liked to welcome their new guests.

Ever since Hank put Jubilee on restricted activity, a month ago, they were hard put to keep her still. He was in utter awe at how she found a loophole in every rule. When the rescue missions started, Scott was the one to suggest a Jubilee welcome wagon. What harm could it do? Plenty, according to Wolverine. The following argument nearly came to physical blows until Jubilee walked in on them. She could be very convincing when mad.

Why is life so cruel Bobby thought. Of course the weather was playing devil's advocate, but nearly all the males in the mansion were being blindsided by scantily clad females. Jubilee was no exception. At first he though she was naked but realized that her clothes blended with her tattoo. Her shorts probably broke a physics law or two. They rode low on her hips and were cut crotch high yet remained in place while she paced angrily in front of Logan. Her clingy tube top covered her, barely.

"You can kiss my tattooed ass! We're not going over this Wolvy. End of discussion." Ouch, someone was getting his ass chewed and Bobby was grateful he wasn't on the receiving end of that. He touched down on the dock and tried to get his passenger's attention. Logan moved to stand in her way blocking her from view.

"The hell we aren't! There is no flamin' way I'm letting you meet those kids looking like that." Logan's voice growled, deepened by mounting anger. He set his stance firmly in place and didn't budge when Jubilee tried to shove him out of her way.

"AND EXACTLY WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN!" she screamed in his face.

Answer carefully keemosabe Bobby silently urged Logan not to make a total ass of himself. Then again, some of their side of the species is too stubborn for their own good.

"Don't want my woman parading around like she works at Auger Inn and I ain't talkin' about behind the bar.

His woman Bobby's face broke into a shit-eating grin. YES! I just won an Uncle Ben from Kurt He refrained from doing the happy dance and watched on.

"First of all I belong to no one but me. Second, you didn't even give me a chance to put on the shirt you let me borrow last week. You really think I'm that dumb to not cover up the one thing that still startles many of the X-men, let alone complete strangers that happen to be kids?"

Slowly, the enormity of his mistake dawned on Logan. She stalked back into the boathouse to gather the aforementioned shirt. It is certifiable. I'm an ass Logan removed both feet from his mouth and tried to apologize. He got as far as 'Jubes' before her hand came up and cut him off.

"Thirdly, my couch is now off limits; sleep wherever the hell you want but stay away from me. Let's go Ice," she barked angrily pulling on the shirt.

Bobby snapped to attention and wisely didn't crack the thousand different jokes he'd thought of. The look he was getting from Wolverine made him wonder how far he was going to get before being skewered.

A sonic boom ripped through the atmosphere in the distance, startling Bobby out of his chain of thought. He settled Jubilee's arms around his waist and hurried out of harm's reach.

The Blackbird burst from its cloud cover, overshot the mansion and descended parallel to the cliff side. Scott initiated final approach and keyed the hangar doors open. He shut his eyes tight against the burning that had nothing to do with his powers and allowed the automatic pilot to take over.

Gasps chorused from the passenger compartment upon touchdown. Six wide- eyed teenagers ranging from 14-18 shifted in their seats. Storm released them from the flying restraints and they pulled together in a tight huddle. The two boys tried to comfort the four girls between them. As scared as they were, Storm couldn't help but admire their bravado.

Inside the hangar, Matt and Myrial waited with blankets and bedclothes for the new arrivals. Originally Hank or Jean performed this duty along with Jubilee, but when the twins heard that they were teenagers, the volunteered to do it. They knew from experience that adults were intimidating no matter how much they want to help you. Take into account Hank's appearance and you'll have trouble; mutants instinctively use their powers when frightened.

"Where's Miss Jubes?" Myrial asked looking around for her favorite Japanese tutor. She didn't know how to ask directions but Jubilee taught her sixty-two ways and counting on how to insult everything from a guy's heritage to his sexual orientation.

Matt merely shrugged and returned his focus back to the Blackbird.

Air rushed out in a loud whoosh as the hatch opened. A blonde boy stuck his head out and Myrial waved at him. He promptly went back inside and reemerged with another boy as dark as he was fair. They turned as one to say something to the next person coming down the ramp; it was Rogue. The rest of the occupants filed out with Scott and Storm taking up the rear.

Man-o-man do they look like shit, Matt thought and nudged his sister forward. The ever stoic Scott Summers showed signs of mission overload and made his was stiffly for the backside lift. It led straight to Xavier's office and true to his nature duty was to be discharged before falling apart.

"Hey there," they greeted and approached the wary newcomers with warm smiles.

"Mina, Alliah, Jace and Jenna," Rogue called to the girls and they jumped. Her expression softened. "Jubilee...oh sorry, Myrial will take you to the girl's dorm." After assuring them that no harm would befall them, Rogue shooed Myrial and her charges out the door.

It felt so good to be home. Rogue couldn't believe how fast the last month went by and she longed to crawl into bed and die for a few hours. Although there hadn't been any major battles of good verses evil, one rescue mission right after the other began to take its toll.

Matt stepped forward about to introduce himself when Jubilee appeared at the door. Practically spitting with contained fury, she exchanged a few words with Rogue arms flailing about. From the corner of his eye, Matt caught one of the new boys, the blonde, staring at the Jubilee.

"Well shut mah mouth! Ah'll kill him mahself," Rogue's face set into determined lines.

Uh oh. Matt knew that look and didn't want her leaving two bravely scared teenagers un-introduced and forgotten. "Miss Rogue," he hissed and nodded in the direction of the boys. Both women shook themselves and settled their clothing like birds settling feathers.

Then all hell broke loose. The dark haired boy screamed inarticulately. His frightened too-wide eyes lost focus as white light began to radiate from his body.

"Yin!" Rogue yelled. The blonde boy started out of his momentary trance. "You've absorbed too much negativity. Grab hold of your brother and help Yang restore his balance."

At her insistence, he ran to his brother's side and clasped arms. Once the circle was complete Yin began to chant. Although speaking seemed extremely difficult Yang echoed him. Dark energy erupted around Yin. Both energies pulsed; then unexpectedly changed color to that of the opposite brother and sunk back into their skins.

That was close. Rogue explained that Yin must have absorbed the negative energy from Jubilee's anger. "Sorry," Jubilee smiled apologetically at Yin. The boy melted into a puddle. Yang rolled his eyes at his brother's reaction but Rogue noticed his sidelong glance at Jubilee when he thought no one was looking.

She sent Matt with Jubilee to settle the boys in. Check on Julian, hunt down husband later she surmised and headed for the nursery. It was a simple logic really. Find Remy and make him beat some sense into Logan. Of all the pigheaded...Rogue stopped mindful that she was still in Yin's range of absorption.

'Find that Polecat Logan and see if ya'll can get him to talk'; Rogue's first words to him after she'd gotten back from their latest rescue mission should have been his first clue something was amiss. Jubilee slamming the door in Remy's face after he asked if he could speak to Logan cinched it; trouble in paradise.

That had been a week ago and Remy had run out of places to look. At first he tried the more obvious string of favorite hangouts, Auger Inn and Hardcase Harry's specifically but neither establishment had seen him in months. Logan's jeep and Harley remained nestled in the garage so Canada and Mandripoor were out, unless he walked.

His stomach rumbled audibly drawing stares from the students he passed in the hallways. Food was the farthest thing from his mind but in the end his body led him to the kitchen.

With in minutes Remy had the table covered with ingredients. His hands worked at a furious pace in deft precision. This well honed, albeit under used talent allowed him to combine vegetables and spices into a tantalizing concoction while he mulled over the Jubilee/Logan dilemma.

Thoroughly engrossed in his thoughts Remy absently turned off the stove and sauntered into their large walk-in refrigerator for last ingredient. He frowned at the empty pan that usually held a generous supply of tender steaks reserved for the senior members of the household. Someone forgot to refill it.

For a moment he stared at the tiny window in the door that led to the freezer debating if his impromptu lunch was worth freezing his ass off. The numbers that glared brightly above the door read ・0 degrees. Of course his stomach repeated its urgency to be fed and propelled him through the door regardless of his aversion to cold.

Most of the shelves were full, loaded down for Julian's impending third birthday. One shelf threatened to collapse under the weight of several gallons of ice cream. Boxes of frozen hamburgers were stacked to the roof at the end of the shelf. The steaks had been moved to a safer wall shelf mounted high in the back right corner.

A bottle narrowly missed the top of Gambit's head and smashed against the wall below the steak shelf. Rancid liquid splashed everywhere and smelled suspiciously like whiskey. That would explain why the liquid didn't freeze upon contact with cold metal.

His reaction was as automatic as breathing. Gambit spun around; cards materialized in his hand charged and ready. The other hand extended his bow staff and he crouched down ready for the next assault. However, he got the shock of his life and powered down, he wouldn't need any weapons.

Wolverine slumped against the stack of hamburger boxes surrounded by empty bottles and broken Styrofoam trays. He mumbled something about getting out of his room and threw another bottle at Remy.

"Mon ami. How long dis been your room?" Gambit laid Logan's right arm across his shoulder and hoisted him to his unsteady feet. He reeked of booze, blood and body odor. Remy gagged slightly and dragged Logan towards the freezer door.

"A weesh 'go," the inebriated man slurred and took another pull of the bottle he held possessively in his left hand. One foot slipped on some ice and Logan forewent the bottle to clutch Remy's chest plate for purchase.

Sacre merde! Remy swore silently, almost losing his balance as well, and used his foot to lever open the door. An entire week in ・0 degrees; it made sense. Logan's healing factor had its limits. While it did work to keep him alive during his prolonged exposure to below zero temperatures, it couldn't compensate for the alcohol. Logan was finally able to get shit- faced, three sheets to the wind, drunk.

Once again back in the kitchen, Remy leaned Logan against the cabinets and tried to come up with a plan. The fastest way restore Logan's body to normal would be the shower room, but discretion was needed. He couldn't drag Logan through the halls of the mansion in his state. Too many young impressionable minds were about. Shifting Logan to his other arm, Remy hit a button on the wall intercom.

"War Room, identify." The thick German accent was music to his ears.

"Dis be Gambit. De Wolverine be drunk. Needs help bad." Silence.

!BAMF! Kurt Wagner teleported in because he didn't think he heard Gambit right. He did a double take when he got a good look at his longtime friend and teammate. "O mein Gott!"

"Exactement!" Gambit didn't need to speak Kurt's language to get the meaning of that statement.

Kurt moved to Logan's other side and told Gambit to hold on. A 'bamf' later they were standing in the middle of the men's locker room shower. Apparently Kurt came to the same conclusion.

At the risk of becoming shish kabobs both men wrestled Logan, clothes and all, into the tub adjacent to the communal showers. They debated for a while then decided hot, hot water would be best. Warm his body up to normal temperature and his healing factor should take care of the rest.

Logan flinched away from the water filling up around him. The shocking contrast in temperature felt like he was being dipped in molten metal. Believing he was under attack, Logan bellowed his fury and struggled against the arms restraining him. Remy and Kurt held fast getting thoroughly soaked but knew it was for his own good. While they waited for the water to work magic, Remy gave Kurt the rundown on what he thought led up to his state; lover's spat.

A flat pebble skated across the smooth surface of the lake and sunk into the deep side when it lost momentum. Two more pebbles followed their brother each striking the water more frequently. The last pebble skipped twenty times but Jubilee couldn't take heart in her achievement; she missed him.

Yes he'd pissed her off but she hadn't really thought he'd actually stay away. However, there was no way, not a chance in Westchester ・read hell due to the heat wave ・she was going to be the first one to apologize, especially since she couldn't remember how the argument got started.

Sighing heavily, Jubilee turned into the wind and took a deep breath. She rose onto her tiptoes and stretched the remaining stiffness of a good night's sleep. Hank proclaimed her healthy the day after their blow up and removed all restrictions with an added note not to overdo it. Every morning of the past week, she ran through her kata exercises. It felt so good to be able to move without any pain.

First set was always Jubilee's least favorite with its sinuous extensions and long periods of holding a position. Complain as she might, it did serve to make her more limber for sets two and three. She tried, in vain, to keep her mind clear but began to replay the argument with Logan.

Renewed anger turned her fluid movement into curt jerks and powerful punches. Set four normally took a half hour to complete but as her ire rose, so did her speed increase. Ignoring both, Hank's orders not to overdo and the increasing ache in her muscles, Jubilee pushed onto set five. Sweat dripped into her eyes, thoroughly soaked her clothes and flew off her body like a duck shedding water.

Her heat aura appeared in multicolored brilliance in the air around her hands. It continued to grow until it completely surrounded her. Mindlessly she forged on and the aura expanded to cover most of the lake. If she didn't stop soon, the magnitude of the explosion would make the one in the Danger room last month look like a firecracker.

Jenna looked up at the clock for the umpteenth time and sighed. That thing hated her, she was sure of it. Ten more minutes of powers ethics class was simply pure torture for the fourteen year old girl. Most of her classes drove her to insanity except Applied Botany with Professor Storm. In fact any class that was outdoors made her favorite list. Only for good not for evil ・all right already we get the picture, she scoffed silently and let her mind drift.

Mere hours after her arrival at this place, after the initial shock of being rescued, Jenna nearly clawed through the front door with her bare hands to get outside; she was hungry but not in the traditional way. She supposed her mutant ability could be described a vampiric. Ever since her twelfth birthday, her body no longer was able to digest regular food. In fact it became poisonous and she almost died.

She'd run away after hearing her father blame her mother for begetting such a defective child. By sheer chance she came upon a hidden temple. Driven by extreme hunger she entered the foreboding courtyard. A bald statue smiled as it kept vigil in the center of a small pond. Coins shimmered beneath the surface of the water as it reflected the firelight of the surrounding torches. The manicured bare dirt floor felt cool under her feet. Pretty she thought and fainted dead away.

When she came to she was full and refreshed. The monk welcomed her as an elemental ・a being that takes sustenance from the combined energies of water, air, earth, fire and metal. Ever since then she was sensitive when one element became severely overbalanced.

An invisible bolt of lightning set her spine ablaze and jolted Jenna out of her set. Professor Jean helped her off the ground. As one they faced the window and Jenna pointed toward the growing light in the distance. Professor Jean frowned thoughtfully her eyes unfocused in the classic expression of thought casting. Whatever was going wrong, the Calvary was being called in.

Rogue leaned against the doorway that led into the mansion's recreation room watching the prone figures on the couch. Julian, her overly active, won't stop for nothing son was sound asleep curled in Mina's lap. Her hand circled his back soothingly as she watched cartoons on their 72-inch flat screen plasma television. Amazed, Rogue crept into the room and eased into the Lazy boy opposite the couch. At first she was puzzled about Julian's sudden lack of energy. Then her eyes fell on Mina's vibrating throat and chest. Their eyes met and Mina winked.

Rogue stifled a giggle and winked back with an added look of appreciation. Mina could produce infrasonic sounds well below the range of human hearing and most mutant hearing. Only Wolverine could pick up anything and it was usually the upper range of her repertoire.

Inuyasha was about to start and Rogue wanted out of there before she was sucked into the program. She bid Mina thanks and told the girl to lay Julian down in his bed if she tired of him. On her way out she felt the brush of Jean's mental touch and opened her mind. The telepath didn't bother with words and allowed Rogue to see through her what was happening.

"Lordy!" Rogue blurted out and hauled Mina to her feet with Julian deadweight in her arms. She flew them to the nursery to deposit Julian. No sooner than Mina arms were free of their encumbrance, they were off and out of the mansion in a beeline toward the boathouse. If Rogue was right, Mina was about to have her first field test of her powers.

Chapter 10

 Three o・clock, the witching hour. It was the time where things either went completely still or straight to hell but in the X-mansion on this day it was somewhere in between. Remy had spent the entire afternoon in the shower room with two men. The thought struck his tired mind as funny and he chuckled under his breath. Iceman would run that joke into the ground if word ever got out. He made a mental note to speak to Kurt later about that later.

They had warmed Logan up with a hot bath and sure as the sun rose his healing factor detoxified his system and the man was grudgingly sober. Once they were sure he wouldn・t try anything rash, Remy and Kurt waited outside while Logan bathed ・for an hour. Then they dragged him off to Medlab for a check-up he claimed he didn・t need.

By the time Hank finished with him it was well after dark ・mercury laced tranquilizers were wonderful tools when dealing with difficult fast healing customers. Needless to say, when Logan woke, he wasn・t happy camper. However it was hard to tell whom exactly he was angry with, Remy and company or himself.

Kurt wisely bamfed back to the War Room to take over for Cannonball who took over for him so he could deal with Logan. Remy envied him; he wasn・t as lucky and caught the brunt of Logan・s verbal abuse. Hank firmly told them to take it to the Danger Room; that was four hours ago.

After the third hour of combat, Remy left Logan to run his own sessions and headed for the apartment wing of the mansion. It was then that he realized the time and didn・t expect the lights in his apartment to be on. Quelle? As he got closer he could hear Rogue speaking with someone in the parlor.

・Mina was a godsend. That honey-child passed her first field test with flyin・ colors but that・s not the point. Jubilee nearly lost control because of pride. Y・all know about their fight and Logan・s been missin・ for days.・ Rogue noticed her husband leaning on the door. The look in his eyes said it all.

・He・s been found ma chere.・ He nodded to Storm, Jean and Scott on the couch and settled in next to Rogue on their loveseat.

・I told you their relationship was wrong.・ Scott got to his feet, ・after all she・s just a child.・

Jean yanked him back down next to her. ・Don・t start love, don・t start.・ Gambit looked like something the cat had drug home. Were wolverines related to cats? She picked up his tired thoughts by accident and was shocked. ・The freezer!・ she blurted out then smiled apologetically at him for her indiscretion.

・What in blue blazes was he doing in there?・ Scott asked perplexed. He thought of a dozen different places where Logan would have gone but this was a first.

Storm figured it out. ・To get drunk, am I not right Gambit?・ She sipped her tea and watched their reactions over the rim of her cup. Understanding filled Jean・s eyes but they held a touch of sadness. Rogue was chewing on her bottom lip while her brain digested this new information. Then her face fell and she looked tired almost old. Scott was still confused.

・Oui, chere. He・s trying to forget the petite.・ Gambit pulled Rogue into the crook of his arm and nuzzled her hair. ・Je t・aime,・ he whispered.

The pressure behind Jean・s eyes was developing into a headache. They had had a simple fight. Only those two could blow it this out of proportion. For the sake of the mansion, it was time they made up. How? That was the question.

A slow smile stole across Jean・s face and the rest of the room looked to each other in puzzlement. Scott, however, knew that look and narrowed his eyes behind brand new ruby quartz sunglasses. She was up to something.

They gathered in closer around Julian・s chalkboard as Jean outlined her plan. And so was borne: Operation Wild Healing.

Bright and not so early the next morning, Jubilee woke to urgent pounding at her door. It matched the pounding in her head and amplified the sound to a painful degree. She wasn・t sure what kind of whammy Rogue had pulled on her but it felt like the worst hangover anyone could get. However, complain as she might, Jubilee was glad Rogue was able to shut her down.

The person at the door pounded hard enough to shake the walls. Considering the condition the boathouse had been in, she was surprised they weren・t coming down around her. She fumbled for her black shades on the nightstand and unwound the sheets from her midsection. About halfway to the door she realized she・d gone to bed without any clothes on. Answering the door in your birthday suit wasn・t exactly proper protocol.

・Hang on a sec!・ she yelled and winced. The room tottered a bit but she managed to cram her tired body into her black and red Japanese wrap as she reached for the doorknob.

Jace and Alliah greeted her with wide smiles and sickeningly cheerful faces. More students ranged behind them crowding onto the small landing in front of her door. Jubilee huddled further into her robe; a frown creased the tender skin of her forehead. Her burning eyes fell on the wall calendar. Today・s date was circled in red with heavy black letters boldly inscribed within. ・Survival Class Tag Team・ they read.

Her headache tripled. Today was the day she and Logan were supposed to teach wilderness survival tactics. Since no one had seen him for the past week it was up to her to pick up the slack. Sometimes she really hated life. ・Okay, okay. Meet me at the edge of the meadow where the trees begin. I・ll be out in fifteen minutes.・

They dispersed but Jace remained behind. ・Miss Lee,・ she said hesitantly. Mina warned her that the after affects of her infrasonic shut down of the woman might make her testy. The last thing Jace needed was to be on another teacher・s bad side. Well technically that teacher had tried to use her ability to for his own sick games. When she told him where he could stick his games, he immediately branded her as a troublemaker and had her expelled for insubordination. Ever since then, Jace was shuttled from once school to the next. She was convinced that each school had some weird bylaw that required them to hire at least one creep.

Her ability was not one that could be shut off easily. It was as involuntary as breathing. Not only could she deaden pain with her touch but also could feel any pain within a certain area as if it were hers and waves of flowed off the woman in front of her. Jace felt her forehead wrinkle in echo as she braced herself for a tongue-lashing. With a headache that bad, testy doesn・t even cover it.

・Jubes or Jubilee. Miss Lee makes me feel old,・ she grumbled mildly then smiled to take the sting out of it.

・Miss Jubes,・ Jace settled on and felt encouraged by her widening grin, ・let me help you.・

Jubilee chuckled softly. She must look really pathetic for a student to offer to help her dress. ・Jace,・ Jubilee patted her shoulder, ・thanks but I think I can manage.・

・No, no,・ Jace panicked suddenly aware of how her offer might have sounded. Her head felt like it was going to explode but again it wasn・t her pain. She stepped forward and touched both hands towards Miss Jubes・ temples. ・Here, I show you!・

Jubilee was too surprised to pull away. She felt a gentle, warm energy sink into her skin and her eyes closed because it felt that good. All the pain in her head, neck and shoulders drained away. Actually it felt like Jace・s hands were siphoning it out directly with her fingertips. The gentle pressure left her temples and Jubilee opened her eyes to stare at the girl in wonder.

Once Jace sensed the last of the pain exit Miss Jubes, she closed her fists tight around what she had dubbed the ・energy of pain・ so it wouldn・t dissipated into herself or back into its former owner. It took all her concentration and will to compress the energy until it changed form. The glowing finally died down and Jace relaxed. She smiled at Miss Jubes・ expression and opened her hands palm up. A solid black stone sat in the middle of each palm. ・There all better,・ she giggled feeling more like herself again and deposited both stones in Miss Jube・s hands.

・Wow!・ Jubilee stared at the stones in her palm then back up at Jace. She seemed a little more at ease herself. She narrowed her eyes slightly and made the connection. ・Let me guess. These are the physical manifestation of pain you removed from me. I wish you could have been here a month or so ago.・

・I don・t!・ Jace blurted and ducked her head in shame. Sometimes her mouth worked without her brain in full control. Frantically she tried to explain. ・I didn・t mean it like that but I can feel the pain of anyone within fifteen feet. I wouldn・t have been able to help. Only now, with the Professor・s help can I function with someone else・s pain in my head.・

・Hey calm down. I・m not offended or anything. I didn・t mean to say that out loud.・ She thanked Jace with assurances that she wasn・t mad at the girl and dismissed her to the meadow.

Outside the sun burned in the sky with the promise of an uncomfortable hot, humid day. Her usual halter-top and thong was cool but not appropriate for teaching a bunch of kids. ・Kids・, Jubilee smiled. In truth she wasn・t too much older than many of them yet her mind and body finally matched. She was a woman through and through.

Back to the problem at hand, Jubilee surveyed her closet. Cotton would be best so she chose a pair of faded green cargo pants. For the top, much to her chagrin, the best thing would be her long sleeved stretch T-shirt. It was a shade darker than the pants. She included her original ensemble on underneath for a later dip in the lake after class.

Logan woke with a jerk. His automatic time clock told him that his new sanctuary would be invaded soon. Still he lay on the couch wrapped in warm sheets and allowed his healing factor a few moments to alleviate the stiffness in his muscles. After everything he put his body through, he wasn・t surprised to feel less than optimal today. The nagging at the back of his mind screamed for him to get his ass moving to preserve his solitude but he couldn・t bring himself to move.

However as minutes ticked by, the common room of the apartment wing in the mansion remained unusually empty. Most times Jean, Scott, or Ororo lounged on its couches discussing the goings on of their rather extensive family over hot cups of coffee. Logan could admit in the privacy of his mind that these people indeed had become family, a concept he had given up on when Jubilee had disappeared. A stab of guilt hit him and he wondered what she was up to and if she was okay.

Last week was a mistake, his mistake. Their new relationship had a learning curve and Logan wasn・t up to speed yet. Since their affirmation of love to each other, his protectiveness of Jubilee had reached new highs, ・or should that be lows・ Logan thought with a grimace and pushed aside the sheets; it was time to face the day.

His apartment was only a short distance away but in no condition to use. Gambit wasn・t the only person/thing Logan had taken his sorrow out on. C-bag in hand he trotted to the main mansion, also uncommonly empty and proceeded to the men・s locker room. If he were paranoid he would say that everyone was avoiding him. Paranoid, Logan snorted at that laughable thought as he jumped into the shower.

The water felt unbelievably good and he let it wash away his worries if but for the moment. His hair succumbed to the relentless flow and fell out of its trademark peaks to lie flat against his back. As always scents brought on distant and sometimes not so distant memories. He held the bottle of shampoo under his nose and went with it.

Rosie sat on her couch reading a newspaper, the Mandripoor Gazette. Logan grumbled under his breath. He wanted nothing more than a shower and some shuteye but he doubted it would be that simple. If she had waited up it wasn・t to ask him how his day went. He sat on the chair opposite the couch and expected her to pounce on him any second. She didn・t even look up from her paper.

・Y・know, your ・lifeline・ is quite the chatterbox, a veritable fountain of information. Every sentence was ・Wolvie・ this and ・Wolvie・ that.・ Suddenly Rosie・s voice sobered.

・She told me of the Reavers, Logan. No wonder you looked like shit warmed over when you arrived.・

・Thanks, darlin・. I can always count on you for an ego boost. Get to the point.・ His voice held a growl・s edge. Being reminded of how weak he really was always put him in a bad mood. In this case it was more like rubbing salt in his wounds, no pun intended.

She snapped the newspaper down and made him see how serious she was. ・You say she・s your lifeline. Have you ever considered that she feels the same way about you?・

No, he actually hadn・t. ・She・s just a kid, Rosie. She don・t know any better.・ Even as he said it he knew it wasn・t true but he wasn・t willing to admit anything else. He felt his face close down and refused to let her bully him further.

・I see.・ Rosie recognized Logan・s posture and let it go. She didn・t want another battle of wills. There were other ways, she mused and got up. ・Good night Logan. This old woman will be expecting you for breakfast. Don・t be late.・

Logan laughed loud and long as he headed for his room. ・Old woman!・ He was still chuckling softly, but the minute he entered his room he went on high alert. ・What was Jubilee doing in here・, he wondered and stole quietly around the bed.

Jubilee lay asleep curled in a tight ball. Sweat-drenched hair fanned across her face. All of the pillows and most of the covers had been kicked off the bed except for the sheet tangled in her legs. He moved in for a closer look when the door opened wider and Rosie entered with another set of bedding.

She dumped her burden in Logan・s arms and retrieved the other pillows from the floor. Gently she unwound the sheet from Jubilee・s legs. The girl uncurled, still unconscious yet responsive to Rosie・s gentle manipulations, settled into the pillows and allowed Rosie to tuck the sheet up to her waist.

Instinctively Jubilee turned towards Logan. For the moment Rosie blocked her from view as she brushed back the hair that still clung to her face. When she moved, he saw his leather jacket cuddled tightly in Jubilee・s arms. Logan frowned and reached down to reclaim his jacket. He was abruptly yanked away.

・Leave it be, Logan. It・s the only thing that is giving her any peace from horrible nightmares,・ she hissed quietly at him and exchanged the extra bedding in his hands with a plastic bottle. He was still looking quizzically at the bottle after she・d finish fixing a place for him on the floor next to the bed.

・Sandalwood shampoo?・ he asked.

・A gift from her.・ Rosie laughed softly remembering their little shopping trip. ・She said, and I quote, ・That・s a Wolvie smell. Clean, woodsy and strong.・ I agreed, well except for the clean part.・ She stared pointedly at the bathroom and bid him goodnight once more.

Logan let the memory fade and squeezed out small portion of the sandalwood shampoo into his hair. Once he had worked it into a rich lather he attacked the rest of his body. He saw no reason why shampoo should be limited to just his hair. Soap was soap. Sunlight filtered into the shower room through tiny windows above his stall and bathed the back wall. He reveled in the scent and turned around to get some more and came face to face with a glowing sun-spun image of a girl.

Alliah waited for Jace to return before she started her part of the plan. Mrs. Summers・ instructions were strange but when the teacher approached her this morning during breakfast for her help, Alliah couldn・t refuse. It was a small part. All she had to do was remind Mr. Logan about the class today. Simple enough, right?

The thing that she didn・t understand was the way Mrs. Summers wanted her to contact him. If he were indoors out of the direct sun, her GPS power wouldn・t be of any use. Like Cerebro, Alliah could detect bio-signatures. She could even tell who it was but only when her subject was in either direct sunlight or direct moonlight. A metaphysical link formed between her and a subject once he or she was located. Then she could send an astral projection of herself down that link.

Several signatures came online as Alliah stepped out into the full sun. Miss Jubes was on her way. Various students winked in an out as they ran through sun-dappled hallways. The Professor was sitting at his desk facing the big window behind it. Miss Monroe, Mr. Lebeau even Dr. McCoy popped up but no Mr. Logan. Although frustrated, Alliah squashed the urge to give up and remained patiently on ・seek・ mode. Her patience paid off. The shower room, she thought with dismay. Oh well, she shrugged and followed the link. Mrs. Summers did say, ・no matter where he was.・

They stared at each other and Alliah wondered fleetingly if it were possible for her solar projection to sustain injury from adamantium claws. He didn・t shrink back or try to cover himself. He was covered from head to foot in suds and Alliah found her eyes following the trail of suds sliding down his chest. She stoically kept her gaze above the waistline and wondered if it was possible to blush when one was solar powered astral projection.

・Yeah, kid whaddaya want?・ He turned to rinse off, out of the sunlight and she disappeared just as she called his name once again. Then he recalled his last training session with the girl and stepped back into the light. She reappeared instantly looking very perturbed. Her expression bled to relief. ・Alliah, right?・ The apparition nodded and his previous thought along with her presence triggered another memory.

・Mrs. Summers asked me to remind you about・・ Alliah began.

・Flamin・ hell!・ Logan swore interrupting her. ・The survival class!・ He refused to sit through one more double lecture from the Summers about responsibility and setting examples. He couldn・t be held responsible for any of his actions if forced to do so. ・I・ll be there in ten,・ he assured her and stepped under the water once more breaking the link.

Alliah snapped back to herself a little put out. She had delivered only part of the message and not the most important part. Mrs. Summers also specified that he needed to be reminded that he was teaching with Miss Jubes. Her mood suddenly lightened. Wait a minute, were they not talking to each other? Teaching together would force them to be civil in front of the students. Clever Mrs. Summers, clever.