He jumped off the bike and was on the ground on his knees before the normal roadside sounds could resume. There was no carnage as such so they were safe for about fifteen seconds. Not only was Jube's hardly breathin' there was a spreading pool of blood around her.

Rolling her over he let a hiss creep out from between his teeth, it looked like she'd it a sharp piece of rock after coming off the bike. The unconsciousness he could cope with but constant blood loss would kill her, the gash looked wide but not too deep.

Thinking for a second he reached behind him and into one of the sacks and found the emergency medical kit that Hank had pushed on him before he left. He opened it out on the lay-by's floor and found what he was looking for. It was part of a complicated lookin' kit that Hank had told him was for bone marrow transfusion. He ripped the slim piece of tubing from it mooring with a low growl and extended one claw.

Jubilee's breathing hitched.

"Hang on Darlin' it's a long shot, but it may save ya"

It was a mutter under his breath as he made a small circular hole in her wrist. He blocked it with the pressure of his thumb before repeating the act on himself. He pushed the tube up into the vein before un-blocking Jube's wrist and slipping the tube inside.

In a normal situation it wouldn't have worked, but he was trusting to his healing factor, Hank had said it had to do with his blood perhaps it would work. He could almost hear one of his old enemies sneering.

'Bet your life?'

He wasn't though, he was betting the kid's, and that was much more important.

***************************************************************************************************************

Shit but did she ever hurt. What had she been doing?

Then it all came back to her, starting with her loss of control. She opened her eyes.

There was a fire crackling in front of her, it was full dark, her back was killing her but she was fairly comfortable. When a muscle shifted under her head she figured out why, she was lying on Wolvie's lap.

It should have embarrassed her but it didn't, this was Wolvie for gods sake if she wasn't safe here then where was she? He looked down then, blue eyes dark with, yes it was concern.

"You ok Jube's?"

She shifted a bit, she felt sore but otherwise fine

"Guess so, you?"

He didn't grin but the ends of his mouth turned up, he looked pleased with himself.

"I'm good, was worried about ya, ya nearly died"

She could feel her eyes widening, died, as in dead, de nada, finito, the final curtain call, mall police have got ya. She frowned, so what had he done?

It looked like she was going to have to ask, typical. Then she spotted the bandage flush against his wrist and he frown deepened.

"Watcha do? Try to kill y'self at the thought?"

He shook his head, looking out over the fire, checking the woods to keep them safe.

"Healing factor don't like self inflicted wounds darlin'"

She picked up her own wrist and looked at the bare skin before thumping him on the chest.

"Explain ya big knucklehead"

The twitch at the corner of his mouth deepened.

"I figured 'Ro would never forgive me if I let ya die kiddo, so I gave ya a bit of my healing factor"

Her face was blank for a minute before she got it.

"Well fuck if that isn't the weirdest thing that's happened to me yet"

He slapped the side of her head lightly.

"Language, ya ain't me yet"

She looked up at him, laughing as she hadn't in quite a while, even her eyes danced with it, he looked a question at her.

"Nah, but I'm a step closer"

He tapped her again but his smile was in place.

"Go ta sleep kid, I'll watch out for ya"

She drifted off then, she hadn't been sleeping well at the academy, or at the mansion. But now she was tired, which was good, she didn't understand it she moved her hand slightly so that it was resting over Wolvie's heart and then slipped off into the darkness.

He sat and watched her in the firelight itching the bandage on his wrist, he hadn't talked about side affects of what he'd done because he didn't know any, he'd never done this before, and never would again if he could help it. Not because he didn't want to. Because he never wanted her to be that close to death again.

He looked out into the darkness seeing a car go passed on the road, they should be safe for tonight but he took nothing for granted.

Tonight he was watching.