Guileless: Parts 7-12

by Yezra

HELLO all who have been reading - and THANK YOU!!! I appreciate the comments and critiscisms. You've been very helpful and encouraging!

I've been using single, completely italic lines for private thoughts.

And I'm too stubborn to change that because I have been writing them that way for years. So if they get lost... oh well.

NEW! All French in this story has been provided for by loki :) thanks, girl.

Any questions, just drop me an eMail.

Okay, standard disclaimers. I don't own these characters, Marvel does. Please do not sue me. It would be a worthless gesture and a waste of time, because the only thing you...d inherit is my bills. And they are not small ones. The only characters Marvel doesn't own are the ones I made up for the scenes in Oklahoma.

I'm giving this an R rating (for violence, language and sexual situations).

seven

Watch And Learn, Chere

Perched in her favorite tree for climbing, an ancient oak near the library study, Jubilee watched the brilliant sunset off the western most side of the Xavier Institute's sprawling estate.

No one other than herself, Remy, and Rogue knew exactly why Logan left. Jean made a few half-hearted attempts at prying, purely out of concern for the young woman. But Jubilee's mental shields had grown very, very strong. So much so that it frightened Jean. Not because she couldn't read her, but because she couldn't reach her. She didn't want to lose Jubilee to her demons... not twice.

And as for Rogue; she was already unreadable due to innate her powers, so Jean hadn't even tried.

Remy's mind was so filled with pervasive sexual imageries that she didn't even want to attempt it. Whenever she came even slightly close to entering his thoughts, even for just a 'hello', she was barraged with sights and sounds that would put a five-star hooker to shame. The man was nefarious.

He was doing it on purpose, she knew it. And he enjoyed it.

"LeBeau, you are terrible," Jubliee giggled to him one morning. She rarely smiled anymore, so he ran with it.

"Petite 'tink dat Gambit should be stopping?" Remy grinned at her, hugging her shoulders tight against him.

"No way dude! She needs a little spice, given that piece o' white bread she's gotta sleep with. Maybe you'll give her a few ideas she can try out on our man Scooter." She looked up at him and he gave her a quick peck on each cheek, François-style.

"Dat sounds like my Petite," he said, letting her move away to the table. Rogue giggled as she sat down.

"Ah gotta tell ya, Shugah... Jean'd faint straight away if she knew what he was really capable of!" Jubliee and Rogue blushed furiously and snickered.

Remy snorted, and flipped over his crepe. "Chere, if Gambit did evertin' to you he wan' to, you would non be walkin' so easily in de mornins'."

"Remy, you beast!" she screamed. Jubliee just laughed, and moved over as he sat down next to her with a hot plate full of crepes and blueberries.

"Cripes, you two are like bunnies. It's a good thing you can't touch skin-to-skin. You'd have twelve kids by now."

They laughed, and made their plans for a pleasant Sunday.

***

That had been the morning. Now it was dusk, and Jubliee felt the warm reds and oranges of the sunset fade into beautiful purples and blues. It had been a very good day.

She turned to the large bay window as she heard someone entering the library. Rogue and Gambit.

She watched as they sat down next to each other on the couch, she with a book and he with nothing more than his eyes on her. Jubilee sighed; she had better leave. It wasn't polite to spy on young lovers.

Yet, somehow... she couldn't look away.

Jubilee dug her heels in and got down low in the crotch of the tree she was sitting in. She couldn't hear them. She wasn't a lip reader, but... she wanted to watch them all the same.

Christ, Lee... yer livin' vicariously through others.

She sighed again, heavily this time. She felt pathetic.

Oh, well.

***

Remy LeBeau, the X-Man called Gambit, was a good thief before he came to be under Xavier's influence. He'd stolen cars, expensive jewelry, even robbed a few banks. No small-potato jobs for this member of the Thieves Guild. And the thing he loved to steal most was a woman's heart.

Now this one, this woman known only as Rogue... She was his greatest challenge yet, and he supposed that was why he had no talent for staying away from her. From the beginning, he wanted her, and he had to re-write his ideas on how to get her.

She couldn't be touched, skin-to-skin contact was a big no-no. She'd suck the life right out of him. He couldn't count the number of times he'd been willing to risk that just for one taste of her beautiful lips...

And Remy usually started with kissing. So there went his started battle plan.

The first time she'd kissed him was long ago, when they thought the world was coming to an end. But ... psyche ... oh how they had been mistaken. All it cost him, physically, was a week's worth of a comatose vacation. The ensuing mess was a lot harder to deal with. But that was then.

And this was now... And right now, all LeBeau wanted to do was flirt with Rogue.

***

Jubilee narrowed her eyes playfully as she watched the Cajun at work. He was so smooth, and Rogue was quite stubborn. But somehow, she usually fell for it. Or submitted to it.

Whatever... all's I know is that they are having more fun with each other than I am by myself...

***

He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side, but just the smallest amount. He pretended to be reading what she was reading, but really, he was starting to work on her chilly reserve.

His breathing was warm and he aimed it directly at her ear. She shuddered, and flicked a hand near his face, smiling slyly.

"Ah had no idea ya'll were interested in Quantum Mechanics, Remy. Ah'm so very impressed."

"Is dat what you are readin', Chere?" He winced. "Sapristi! Can't Gambit distract you from dat heavy, borin' book?"

"Ah'm sure he will try..." she sighed to no one in particular, quietly turning the pages. She was trying to remain nonchalant.

Remy leaned in again, and this time he rubbed the side of his head against her hair. She closed her eyes momentarily, but tried to regain her composure, by shoving him back a little. Not enough to really mean it, and she even grinned while she did it.

"Remy LeBeau! Ah want ta read this book, you horny polecat! Now stop tryin' to get in mah way!" The scolding may have had some sort of meaning if she hadn't been giggling so much when she said it.

He turned his body to face her on the couch and placed a hand on her tummy, rubbing in soft little circles. He knew she was very sensitive there, and he felt her stiffen suddenly at his gesture. "C'mon Rogue, don' ignore de Cajun. He wan' play wit you, not read dis silly book..."

"Remy, Ah said no..." she protested, her voice quiet and trembling. She smiled at him still, then looked back at the book, trying to clear her head of him. It would have worked if he hadn't leaned in closer and spoke in such hushed tones it made her knees go weak.

"Chere, give Gambit a lil' kiss."

"No!" Rogue squealed, pretending to be shocked. "Ah'm not gonna put you in the med lab tonight, Remy. Ah wanna go to the cinema tamarah night, an' Ah want ya'll ta take me."

"Who cares about de silly movie, Chere! I wan' feel your sweet lips on mine..."

He brushed his fully covered middle fingers across her temple, pushing the hair away and gazing into her eyes. Rogue was turning more pages in her book, not even bothering to glance at them anymore. She was transfixed by his gorgeous glowing eyes.

***

Very smooth, Cajun. Ya stole her attention. Now get something more and I'll be impressed, Jubilee thought.

***

"Remy, Ah..."

Damn his flirtin'! Why's he got ta be so desirable?!

"Yes, Chere?" His voice was low and mesmerizing. "You wan' tell Remy som'tin?"

"Ah... " The book slid off her lap to the floor, and she raised a gloved hand to his cheek. She could feel his breath on her face, he was that close...

LeBeau knew every curve on this woman's body. He had to. There was no room for error. His face moved over hers like a cloud on the sea. He closed his eyes and draped his hand onto her covered thigh.

T'ank God she not be wearin' de damn cut offs tonight!

Rogue was turning into putty. "Remy... please don't kiss me. Ah would rather you stay conscious tonight..."

"An' dat would be for what reason, Chere?" He was teasing her now, but he knew she liked it. Rogue's hand dropped to his shoulder, gripping it fiercely. She closed her eyes and bit down...

***

Niiiiice ... she's bitin' her lip even! Jeez Rem ... I'd be ripping yer clothes off by now!!

***

Rogue shuddered, opening her mouth close to his and breathing heavily.

"Un centimetre de plus, et Gambit va te montrer un vrai French kiss." He was practically speaking in her mouth, but they still weren't making contact.

She groaned. It was excruciating. It was lovely.

LeBeau moved his hand along her thigh, pressing firmly as he traced it up to her hip, over to her stomach again. Then his hand went back down, slowly... across the washboard muscles, to just below her belly button...

***

Jubilee's eyes lit up.

Damn, Remy! Go for it man! Her mind was squealing.

Spying on them while they tried to 'not' make out was kind of cool. Like building a house of cards, and the deck had peek-a-boo pictures on them. One wrong look at the right card, and bam!

Jubilee grinned.

***

Rogue gasped at his touch, and smiled devilishly, tossing her head back. Her eyes were still closed and LeBeau traced his lips, his nose, his heated breath, down her neck - always hovering just above the surface of her skin. She clutched at the back of his neck and groaned.

"Gambit, we are in a public place..."

"So what, Chere? Der is non' watching, an' we can do as we please. You wan' Remy should stop now?"

"No," she whispered harshly. She brought her head back down and opened her eyes. Her wild white streak was tickling his forehead, and her eyes were gleaming at him like a hunter.

Remy stopped what he had almost started anyway, and smiled at her possessively. "Mebbe I save dat for later, Rogue."

"Good idea, Shugah," she breathed, shutting her eyes and smiling as she dragged her hands over his shirt, feeling the hard muscles of his chest underneath. "Jes as long as you don't ferget where ya were, an' what you were doin'."

"Dat, girl, is not likely."

***

Jubilee smirked. Remy had struck gold again. Technically, that was second base for the two of them.

Impressive, Cajun.

They'd be at it all night now. She rolled her eyes playfully and tilted her head at them as they stood up and left the library. These two reeked of being in love, and Jubilee thought it was simply wonderful. Even if the physical side of that love had its limitations, they were still, clearly, devoted. They had struck some sort of a balance that worked for them, most of the time, and that was a feat for anyone.

She watched as Remy put an arm around Rogue's shoulders and Rogue hugged him comfortably around the waist. They walked off; to her bedroom, no doubt.

Jubes rested her chin on her forearms, wondering where her Wolvie was at that very moment.

***

Rogue, while not much in the way of a practical girl, did like to make sure her P's and Q's were in line when it came to Remy LeBeau. It was now an 'off' week for the Cajun and the swamp rat. She was in the kitchen sipping her coffee delicately. She had tied one on with Storm the night before ... the resident Goddess hadn't even managed to get her butt out of bed yet.

Jubilee was in the rec room, pretending to read a magazine while she sipped her sophisticated green tea, and munched on her favored Sugar Bombs. She heard Remy as he was coming down the hall from an early morning Danger Room session with Cyke.

Jubilee hated to not tell her beloved Cajun that Rogue already was where he was still headed... but she was also eager to see which way the conversation was going to go between them. Remy darted momentarily from his present course to briefly stand behind the couch Jubilee was curled up on.

"Ello, Petite." His smile was warm, and she tiled her head back, giving him one soft cheek at a time for the French pecks he bestowed upon them, same as every other morning.

"Good morning, Rem," she smiled softly, "How was the workout?"

"Arrgh! Debilitating! Dis man in need o' some fresh coffee!" He spun off to the kitchen. Jubilee swallowed; here it came. She perked her ears up and sat very, very still.

Rogue looked up with daggers in her eyes at him as he strolled into the kitchen, a fairly happy man. An attitude which changed within seconds, at the mere sight of her obvious distaste at having him in her presence. Remy's shoulders slumped. Rogue narrowed her eyes at him and went cold like a stone.

Turning away from that harsh gaze quickly, Remy muttered "Mornin', Chere," and went for a mug.

"Why ain't you getting' yah own coffee from yah own place?" Her voice was like a frozen bar of steel being thrust into his ears.

"De coffee is here, Rogue, an so is de Cajun. What de difference?" His own tone was bitter.

In the rec room, Jubilee swallowed hard. Hadn't he learned yet what a bad thing it was to piss off a damn near indestructible woman? She closed her eyes and prayed for Remy to grow a brain in the next few seconds.

"Ah don't think ya'll should be takin' that tone with me, Remy LeBeau!" She winced and placed a hand on her aching head, annoyed at the decibels of her own voice.

"Oh?! An' what tone would de lady like? Would you like Gambit to be cowerin' at your feet and speaking quiet-like, but only when Princess Rogue has spoken to de man first?! Would dat be better?!"

She stood up, shaking a finger at him violently. "Ah don't havta listen to your crap, you unfaithful polecat! Next time ya'll wanna cheat on me, Ah suggest ya'll wait until ya drive me home from the date we're still on!!"

Gambit's eyes narrowed at her this time. "Mon Dieu, Chere! You are imaginin' tings! Gambit not even been flirtin' wit another femme! If some skank at de bar we went to wan' toss herself at Gambit witout askin' - dat not my fault!"

Jubilee nodded her head in agreement with him, in silent support.

"Don't you make excuses, Cajun! You knew whatcha were doin' that night! It didn't work then, an' it ain't workin' now!"

"Gambit done apologizin' to ya, Chere. I tol' ya dat notin' happen. You not wan' believe me, dat your perogative."

"Fine, Ah don't wanna believe ya then!" She grabbed her cup and stomped out of the kitchen.

"Bien sûr!" Remy screamed.

Jubilee winced. She knew that Remy was hurting, but she also knew he and Rogue would be back to playing kissie-face by next week. This was par for the course with them. The hard part was going to make sure she was present when they made up. That was the part she wanted to watch, not just overhear.

Remy sighed as he withered onto the couch next to her. She set the magazine and her cereal bowl aside and cleared her lap for his head, which he relinquished immediately.

"It'll be okay, Rem," she said kindly, stroking his hair. "You two'll work it out."

"I know, Petite," he sighed, "It's jus' de waitin' for it to work itself out dat Gambit don' like."

She would have taken a moment to wonder why she was so caught up in watching the two of them dance in and out of the flame. She would have, if she hadn't been busy wondering where her Wolvie was at that very moment.

***

Sitting next to Remy out on the back steps leading into the yard, Rogue sniffed. A quiet tear fell down her cheek. "Ya'll tellin' me the truth, Gambit?"

"Oui, Chere... Why would Gambit look for som' new femme when he already got de one he wan' more dan any other?" He reached a hand out and brushed the tear from her cheek with his gloved fingers. He frowned at her sweetly. Remy truly hated seeing her cry.

"I'm sorry Remy ... An' Ah don't wanna fight with ya anymore!"

"I'm sorry too, Chere... I knew dat you were mad at me dat night and I never shoulda ignored dat ... I shoulda cleared it up right den!"

Rogue sobbed just a little bit and Remy took her into his arms, carefully avoiding skin-to-skin contact, but getting her as close to him as possible.

***

From her vantage point sitting on the floor of the upstairs balcony, Jubliee heard every word that had passed between them. The fight had been harsher and the reunion more emotional than their usual fare.

She smiled. Her beloved Cajun's heart was safe for yet another week, maybe even two or three with the intensity of this one. She rocked her head back against the railing and closed her eyes. She wondered where her Wolvie was at that very moment.

"Perhaps you should try and find out, Jubilation."

Startled, Jubilee flinched, and looked up to find Professor Xavier hovering in the balcony's archway, staring at her. She stood up immediately as though she was a prison guard that had been caught sleeping while on duty.

"Please, Jubilee, sit... Sit back down. I am not here to scold you, child." His voice was gentle and commanding. She often wondered how he managed to put those two qualities together so seamlessly.

"You were in my head, weren't ya prof?" She attempted a grin, but her eyes betrayed her tiredness.

"I must admit it, yes. I have been very worried about you. The only consolation I can offer you for my spying is that my suspicions were - are correct." He looked down at her with sympathy in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter, you know," she said slowly. "Logan would never..." she said, her voice trailing off. She looked away from him and bit a nail.

"Why do you say that? How do you know?"

"Because... I can't compete with the oh-so-experienced women he meets in his bars. I can't compete with his ghosts. I can't compete with beautiful X-Women he may or may not be obsessed with..." Jubilee looked away from Xavier's intense eyes. Not out of fear that he should know her mind and be shocked, but that she was revealing herself to him and she was embarrassed. "Maybe I should dye my hair red," she sighed, clearly depressed.

"Do not be ashamed, Jubilation. And do not be so sure of your theory. Logan was not exactly looking at you like you were his young sidekick when he left us this time. I felt the change in him all the way up to my room. I could scarcely avoid it."

"Yeah, but Chuck..." her head turned back to face him, "dontcha get it? It doesn't matter what Logan is feeling. I can't compete with any other woman, dead or alive, real or fantasized... 'cuz Logan won't let me." She looked at the Professor and gave him a weak smile.

"Is that why you spend you free time watching Remy and Rogue together? Do you feel you have made all the mistakes with Logan? Are you trying to figure out how to better approach romantic relationships?"

"Yep."

Not a moment's hesitation. He admired the young woman on so many levels, but the way she cut to the chase was among the best of her qualities.

"Hmmm..."

Xavier turned his chair slightly and faced the setting sun. Jubilee saw the orange cast on his face and stood up, joining him in the vision.

The man said no more to her, but thought a great many things.

Once again, but with her psi-shields firmly in place this time, Jubilee wondered where her Wolvie was at that very moment.

***

Woverine was somewhere all right, but his mind was not at relative 'ease' like Jubilee's was.

"C'mon shorty! Ya wanna piece a' this?!"

A tall, tan, blonde man with massive muscles slapped his chest like a silverback gorilla. Logan found him quite entertaining, if nothing else.

"I want the whole damn cake, you pantywaist. I got a man's appetite," he snarled, "Bring it the hell on."

The blonde man suddenly grabbed a half-full mug of warm beer from one of his comrade's hands and smashed it over Logan's head. The beer dripped down into his face and burned his eyes. The glass cut a nice gash into his skull under a peak of hair, and the blood pooled down into the beer, creating light read streaks, like hideous veins, running all over the mutant's face. Logan simply grinned at the beach bum.

"You wanna play dirty, then?" He said, stepping forward and slamming an iron fist into the surfer's gut. "Suits me, Bub... I prefer it that way..." His voice was a harsh snarl as the man fell to his knees, still trying to catch his breath. He felt as though a metal bat had struck him in the stomach, and he toppled over. Behind him his buddies stood dumbstruck. This little fella had taken down their strongest member, and with one punch.

One of them popped his head up and bellowed at Logan.

"Let's get him!!"

Logan laughed, and prepared for the assault of four grown men coming at him full force.

Within ten minutes, he had wiped the floor with all of their butts, and was leaning on the bar lighting up a cigar.

"Credit card?" The bartender asked him dryly, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

Logan snickered and reached into his wallet, producing the plastic she asked him for.

"There ya go, darlin'. Should still have room for a table and three chairs..."

"Logan... how many times are you gonna do this, huh?"

He turned and looked at the young barmaid, grinning.

"As many times as is necessary, Suse." He removed the cigar, and blew smoke out of his mouth slowly, sitting in the remaining stool and smirking at her further.

Susan sighed and walked over to the credit modem. "Hey!" Logan called after her, "While yer at it darlin', add another bottle of Yukon Jack to that bill, willya?!"

She did not turn around to face him; she simply grabbed the bottle, and slid it down the bar behind her back, right towards Logan. The bottle came to a convenient halt directly in front of him, and he smiled. Logan looked up at Susan. She had never even watched what she had done. She simply swiped the card through the machine, requesting credit for five hundred of the dollars that were supposedly Logan's.

A moment later, she strolled back, handing him the card and the slip to sign. "Approved... yet again..." she sighed.

He added a generous tip.

"Beats the hell outta me why the nice folks holding the purse strings on you actually let you out of your cage."

Logan laughed out loud and gave her the signed slip.

***

And so it went, night after night, since the moment he arrived in East LA. He alternated between six different bars so as to avoid busting them up too soon, too often.

He drank lots and lots of whiskey, and beat up grown men that found him to be too short, or too hairy, or too quiet. He always let them start it, and he always made sure to finish it.

And when he went back to his motel room at night, he tried as hard as he could not to think about a certain pair of intense blue eyes, surrounded by a fragrant shock of black hair.

eight

Being Bullet Proof is Not One of Her Talents

"Petite!"

Remy was bellowing at her from the other end of a wide stone bridge. Jubilee was blocking the way of a big, nasty human male, who was holding a big, nasty spear. He wanted to get at Psylocke, who was down, and finish the job. Remy dispatched the guy he was fighting with, kinetically charging a rock and pitching it into his head. He turned and followed Scott, running for the end of the bridge. The Cajun didn't care one way or the other if he had killed the human he had been fighting with.

***

The X-Men had responded to what they thought was a simple distress call. A small group of peaceful mutants, hidden in a self-sufficient community in Northern Ontario, were under attack from a renegade, outcast group of human mutant haters. LeBeau, Rogue, Cyke, Psylocke, Jubilee and Hank flew the Blackbird up immediately, expecting to find a few hostiles threatening the group. Their plan was to simply shoo them away, or tie them up and deposit them on the steps of the nearest local authority. But, it turned out to be quite a different kind of call. As in, a 'set up'.

What they found when they got there were so many dead mutants from the original settlement that they couldn't count the bodies; mangled, burned bodies of men, women and children mutants. Those few that were left were mortally injured or being tortured by the renegade humans. The 'simple' distress call suddenly turned into a heated battle.

Under Scott's near-panic of an order, the X-Men were actually retreating. There were far too many renegades for them to deal with, and killing them without regard to the consequences was not a politically correct option. They had grabbed the few remaining mutants from the settlement that they could, and gotten them onto the Blackbird, which Rogue had already fired up. She was more than ready for takeoff.

Psylocke was taking up the rear. Jubilee was next, sticking close to Remy. The human that got in between LeBeau and Jubilee - and their ride out of there - found himself in a losing battle with the Cajun. At a cry of pain, Jubilee turned to see Betsy down and being stalked by an ugly brute of a human. She bolted for Betsy, in defense of her teammate.

Scott's head poked out of the plane.

"God dammit LeBeau, where are Besty and Jubilation?!"

"Un moment, Cyke, I am jus' a lil' occupied, no?" He delivered a roundhouse kick to the guy, knocking him down, but not out, as his opponent got right back up and spit out few black teeth, grinning unpleasantly with the ones he had left. "Ecoeurant," LeBeau muttered, curling his lip back.

Scott looked up to see Jubes and her very large opponent.

"Oh... Shit!" He darted out of the plane toward his teammates and the danger.

Remy looked to see Scott halfway to the end of the bridge, and then he saw Jubilee. She had already paffed the brute lightly, afraid to hurt a human, but he just kept coming. The human had tried to swipe her in her stomach with the same spear he'd gotten Besty in the leg with, and he missed her by mere inches.

"Petite!"

The filth he was fighting was down for the count, and he joined Cyke in his rescue.

"Jubilee, duck, now!" Scott screamed at her. She turned to see him touching his visor. She threw herself on Psylocke and Scott blasted the ugly brute just as he was about to skewer them, in a two-for-one move. The large man stumbled back and fell to the ground, shaking it as he made contact. Jubilee looked up to see Scott approaching, then back at the pile of flesh that had nearly killed her. Then she grinned at Scott and helped Besty to her feet. Scott reached them, and took Betsy under his arm, helping her run back to the plane. Another shout from behind them caused Jubilee and the others to turn. Remy reached them, and he knew what Jubilee was about to do, but he had no time to stop her.

Far off, some of the renegade mutants were taking aim with high-powered rifles, intending to stop them the old fashioned way: with bullets. Jubilee yelled "No!" and darted in front of Cyke, taking one slug in her right leg and two in her chest. Remy yelled at her in French and caught her just before she hit the ground.

The Blackbird loomed above them suddenly, immediately laying down a suppressing fire of lasers in front of the renegades, disabling them for good. Rogue lowered the ship steadily onto the wide bridge, and the remaining four X-Men got on board, LeBeau carrying Jubilee with tears in his eyes.

Once on the Blackbird, Cyke tended Betsy's leg wound, getting a tourniquet on the deep cut quickly and giving her a shot of morphine.

"She saved me," Besty muttered as the drug took effect.

"She saved us both," Cyke squeezed her hand. "Just try to relax, Betsy."

"Don't let her die, Scott..." she whispered, just before she drifted off.

Scott tightened the restraints keeping Betsy in the stationary gurney he'd put her in, and ran over to where Hank and Remy were working on Jubilee. One of the mutants they had saved had medical training and was helping Beast.

Suddenly Rogue screamed at them from the cockpit. "Cajun, get up here now, I got weather coming up!"

"Great, perfect," Scott spat his words. "Gambit, go! Help Rogue with the controls and try to keep the Blackbird steady."

Remy took one last look at Jubilee. She was fading and he knew it. He leaned over and kissed her on her forehead. "Ne nous quitte pas. Reste avec nous. S'il-te-plait, petite, pour Gambit," he whispered, and left her with Hank and Scott.

Scott looked at Hank, who was actually getting ready to cut her open.

"I have no choice, Scott, I have to get inside to stop the bleeding." He had already cut away the upper part of Jubilee's uniform and had a scalpel in his hand.

Scott frowned. "What can I do?"

"Ron here is a medic, he will assist me. You try and dig the slug out of her leg, it's close to the side and it didn't rip through anything vital, there does not appear to be enough blood loss for that. Get a tourniquet on it when you have finished and then go check Betsy's blood pressure." The big blue doctor was moving faster than Cyke had every seen before and barking curt orders at the guy named Ron. Scott swallowed hard. This was gonna get hairy.

"Just don't die Jubes, don't you die on us," Cyke said with more emotion than usual.

***

Rogue called ahead to the med lab. Bobby and Jean were preparing for their arrival, getting pints of Jubilee's stored blood supply ready, and anything else Hank had ordered. The Blackbird landed in its hanger, and everyone that could was rushing to get Jubilee to the med lab. Her condition was critical, with clamps and tubes sticking out of an open chest wound. Hank managed to remove the slug and halted the gushing of blood, but that was as far as he could go on the Blackbird. She needed immediate surgery if she was to survive, and Beast needed the med lab to accomplish that.

Once there, Hank, Jean and Ron operated on Jubilee, and Drake took care of Betsy's cut. The others waited, nervously pacing, outside the lab.

Remy sank down the wall, his face buried in his palms, after he heard Hank scream 'clear' for the third time. Rogue slid down next to him, putting an arm around her lover's shoulders and telling him it would be okay, that she was a tough woman, and that he had to be strong for her...

***

LeBeau had had it with the crap Jubilee was putting herself through. No one could seem to reach her in the way she needed. And the one person that could wasn't around. Fortunately, Remy had a phone number he could try, 'only in case of drastic emergencies', as he was told. It didn't get any more drastic than what had just happened to her. He toyed with the idea of not telling Logan at all, just to punish him for his part in this fiasco. But LeBeau knew that was his own anger trying to make the decision, and it would only make things worse, especially for Jubilee.

As soon as Hank came out of the med lab and declared her alive, stable, but still in critical condition, LeBeau ran off to use a phone.

***

"Just how bad was it Cajun? And don't be sugarcoatin' it, neither."

"Hank said de petite died on de table three times, mon ami." The Cajun's face was set in hard lines; he was inches away from yelling furiously at Logan.

Logan shut his eyes tight, grateful that the phone wouldn't let the Cajun see the tears falling out of them.

"It was a hard fight, but she pulled t'rough like Jubliee always does... But she gon' be in some big pain for 'while. Gon' need lots of de physical t'erapy before she go runnin' off wit de X-Men again."

Logan exhaled. He should have been there for them ... for her.

"What about her head? That gonna need therapy too?"

Remy paused, considering his words carefully. "Not dat she ever admit to it, but Gambit wish she would. Jubes is de self-appointed X-Men bodyguard now. She's intent on tro'win herself in de path o' de Devil jus' to keep a teammate from buyin' de farm."

"That just ain't gonna do, Gumbo." His voice was cold.

"Remy know dat, and she gettin' worse all de time."

"Please look out for her, I'm beggin' you man."

"Wolverine..." Gambit began. He was going to have to tell him. "Remy and Rogue goin' to England tomorrow night. I got tings to take care of, and Rogue wan' come wit me. I tink..." the Cajun paused. Would the man listen? If he had to make Logan come home for her, he would. "I tink dat you better get back 'ere, mon ami. She needs you more dan Gambit now anyway. Swallow your pride, Logan, an' come back to your Firecracker, before you lose de chance."

There was a long pause.

"I'll catch the next flight out."

The line went dead and Remy put it back in its cradle, smiling softly to himself. He hadn't really intended to take the trip to England after what had just happened, but Jubilee needed Logan. And if that was what it took to get him back, so be it.

He'd have to leave her a note so that she knew why he wasn't there when she woke up. Not that she'd leap on reading it if Logan got there before she woke up. Knowing the Canadian, he would find a way to do just that.

***

Jubilee blinked. She was in a white room, and there were things stuck on her skin. She was very warm. Not hot, just, pleasant, with fresh air moving all around her.

And she was in pain.

Oh, God! You idiot! Now I remember...

She groaned and turned her head to the side. Suddenly she heard voices, but her poor head told her to ignore trying to figure out who owned them.

A large, friendly hand took her much smaller one in it. The matching hand stroked the top of her knuckles. Something smelled really good.

She blinked, and tried to focus on the person next to her.

"Darlin'... You gonna wake up, or what? Don't wanna sleep yer life away, now do ya? Open those eyes, Jubilation." The voice rumbled quietly. She knew it from somewhere...

She blinked a few more times. Whoever he was, he was right. It was time to get up and get training.

Wolverine's craggy face finally came into focus. There were tears in his eyes as he smiled down at her.

"'Bout time, sleepy head," he whispered.

"Wolv..." she tried, gasping at the pain in her chest.

"Yea, kid, it's the old man. Try not to talk. You took a couple slugs in yer chest. Ya got lots of stiches and sutures." He brushed a few hairs from her cheek where her nose was twitching. "Hank had ta graft a leg vein into yer chest cuz o' the damage, and ya got a few tubes stickin' outta ya. S'gonna hurt for a while, Jubes."

She looked up at him, her face began to twist, and the tears were already coming.

"No, shhh, c'mon now Jubes," he placed a hand on her hot cheek. "Don't do that. It's gonna hurt like hell if you start sobbing."

She complied as best she could, and let the tears fall soundlessly from her eyes. They rolled off her cheeks and fell onto her pillow. Her eyes were closed and her breaths were still coming in ragged gasps, but she was doing her best to stay calm. She whimpered and shook her head 'yes', and just let the tears fall quietly.

Then, there was no sobbing, no expression, no noise at all. Just silent tears. Wolverine grimaced inwardly. She was far too good at containing her emotions.

"The last thing I want to tell you to do is to control your pain. That's all you've been doing lately and you're killing yerself, Darlin'. I won't have no more o' that," Logan said quietly. "But right now you have to try, okay? I promise you girl," he whispered, his lips close to her ear now, "When you can cry without strainin' yer wounds and pullin' yer stiches, yer gonna do it all you want. No more hiding things from the ole' canucklehead, got it?" He swallowed, and she heard his voice catching in his throat. "You can't do that anymore, Jubes. You just can't."

She automatically calmed down, barely shaking her head and just crying soundlessly. Logan dabbed at every tear that fell, trying to keep her pillow from getting soaked. When he stood up to get a whole box of tissues, her hand slid against his forearm. She managed to hook two tiny fingers around his massive thumb. He looked down at her hand, then back at her face. She was pleading with her eyes, the best she could, for him to come close and listen to her. He leaned over and looked into her face.

"Just whisper it Darlin', but keep it short. I'll hear it."

The faintest sound came out of her mouth as she closed her eyes. "I'm so glad you came back."

He smiled, tears shining in his blue eyes, and touched her face gently. "It' woulda taken wild horses ta keep me away from you, Jubilee," his voice was no more than a whisper and he meant every word of it. "All of 'em."

***

After three weeks she was still confined to the med lab, but moving around a little bit with Logan's help. She couldn't just lie there anymore. Just how many nursemaids did a woman need? Hank alone was enough for ten people. He waited on her hand and foot, and read to her from the most boring texts he could find to put her to sleep when she was being stubborn. Remy had returned from England and brought her every meal to right to her bed. Scott came in once a day and lectured her about being a loose cannon. He ended his tirades each time by taking her hand and thanking her for saving his life with his voice catching in his throat. Jean helped her into her baths for a soak, and Betsy, still limping but healing fast, washed and dried her hair everyday.

The attention was nice enough, but she felt like everyone was walking on eggshells around her, and she hated it.

Logan never left Jubilee once he had gotten back. He had a big screen TV brought into the lab and got whatever DVDs she asked for. He got Beast to stop playing with his test tubes and called LeBeau in for a game of poker. Jubilee cheated, undetected, with every hand they played. Remy had taught her well, and she won all their money every time.

Logan slept by her side in one of the other infirmary beds. She had yet to open up to him fully, but he wasn't leaving her alone until she did. And not after that either, he told himself.

He helped her walk up to Storm's garden when she finally felt she could handle it. Sitting in his arms among the beautiful and fragrant flowers, they talked at length and got a lot of things out in the open.

After he managed to find enough courage to bring up the kiss in the field, she finally started letting him have it.

"I don't know what's happening to us anymore either, but stop leaving me already!" She choked on her words and cried on his shoulder. "It doesn't do us any good when you run off!"

"Jubes, we'll figure it out, okay? I promise. I dunno what's gonna happen, but we'll find a way... We'll iron this out so that we can both live with it."

"Live with it?! Gee, that sounds great, Logan. I just hope 'living with it' is going to be good enough, or we've had it," she sobbed, getting tears all over his shirt.

He didn't know what else to say, so he stopped talking and held her tight.

nine

It's Jubie's Turn to Cry

++++++++++

Author's Notes, 4.23.2001: This is the part I'm taking really big liberties with. Up to this point, obviously, I have ignored the fact that 'X-Treme X-Men' will be taking several members of the team away from the mansion, and ones I have already employed in this story. Ha-ha, I don't care. The plot got in my head and I liked it well enough that I went ahead and wrote it as I saw fit.

To tell you the truth, this whole fic was inspired by the cover for Uncanny #394, an issue that has yet to be printed (at this point in time). Go see the cover over at Marvel.com if you haven't already ... it's disturbing, but yummie. J Anyways, the basic gist of this story popped into my head one day when I saw that cover. I thought, "What would happen if Jubes witnessed that kiss and Wolvie never took the time to see if it bothered her?" And the rest just fell into place...

So... what I've written may be totally off from what actually has and/or is going to happen in the X-Universe. Ha-ha, I don't care. I have no idea about the circumstances for that upcoming clinch, and, ha-ha, I don't care, I'm not writing any. Suffice to say this chapter opens with a scandal and ends with a decision ... Jubilee's.

So whether or not it fits in, ha-ha, I don't care, cuz this whole story was written for Jubilee's sake and is pretty much succedent to the comics after this section ends anyways.

Enjoy!

++++++++++

Author's Notes, 5.7.2001: Okay, bought UX #394, read #394, and ha-ha, I don't care, I'm still not changing what I wrote.

++++++++++

So he'd almost gotten killed again, big deal. That happened once a week.

Jean was off the pedestal he'd put her on, and was finally in his arms.

Logan may have been taken aback by her behavior, but if he was, it was only for a second. He may not have had a clue as to why she threw herself at him. Was it because the mission had been such a close call? Was she scared that she'd lost him for good? It didn't matter ... and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to take advantage of her actions. Red had come to him; she was kissing him.

That was all that mattered.

What they both failed to notice before they came up for air was that everyone else had entered the Blackbird's hanger and was noticing it too. Scott gaped at his wife and Logan for just a moment, then he stalked off and slammed a door shut behind him. The noise was loud enough that Logan and Jean parted lips suddenly, and they stared at each other, afraid to face those left watching them. Jean backed away quickly from him, placing a hand on her mouth and shaking her head. Logan reached out for her, wanting her to come back, but she moved away even further, and turned to run off. Betsy shot Logan a nasty glance and took off after Jean. Kurt shook his head, disgusted, and walked away the same direction as Cyke. Bishop and Drake followed him. No one dared to speak to him. Or maybe no one wanted to...

So, for one brief moment, Wolverine thought he had everything he'd ever wanted, in his arms and clinging to him. His face contorted into a pained expression as he watched everyone walking off, leaving him behind, obviously eager to get away. So he picked an entirely different direction, and walked off alone.

Jubilation Lee, still sore from her bullet wounds and stuck in the back of the crowd that had come out to greet them, had not yet walked away from him.

Once again, she'd waited for his schedule to open up, but Wolverine had never gotten around to making enough time for her.

For working through our 'little problem'.

Instead, he had moved onto something more important. The pursuit of his redheaded obsession.

She sighed.

She was speechless, but she was not shocked. Here she was, feeling young and silly, still wondering what the stupid kiss they'd shared the day after her birthday had meant. It wasn't so stupid ten minutes ago, but now this... Logan had never even attempted to make his feelings for Jubilee clear. And he'd had a pretty long time to give it a shot.

Yeah, it was a stupid little kiss. Obviously, clearing up my confusion doesn't mean all that much to him. 'Specially when Red's hangin' all over him with her tongue in his mouth.

Had you asked Jubilee, she would have told you that Logan had always been Jean's 'back-up plan'. She'd somehow managed to keep him pining and near her all these years, truly caring for him, but never to the degree she did Scott. And she still lusted after him ... to Jubes, and a few others, that was fairly obvious. And damn if the ole' Canucklehead didn't like it ... even if it was a lousy reason to pine for someone. The attention, the concern, the high regard ... Jean got off on that part. Jubes knew it. Scott knew it. Jean knew it, and so did Logan. But no one talked about it.

After today they would; she was sure of that. Because Logan was Jean's back-up plan.

And I guess I'm his back-up plan. Way back. Real far back. So far back that I'm backed up against the back wall of a large room filled with drunk female barflies and beautiful, loving ghosts.

***

From the mansion, Scott peered down through the curtains in his and Jean's bedroom at the small figure of a woman walking away alone. He was no psychic, but he knew Jubilee was upset. She'd stood there for more than 20 minutes after the rest of them cleared out. No one else had even bothered to notice her reaction, not even ... or especially not ... Logan. Scott wondered what had gone through her head before she walked away. It was beyond his reasoning, beyond Logan's normal level of selfishness, that her best friend could treat her with such insignificance.

So ... what then? She's just another unnoticed victim? He clenched his fists. Not if I can help it.

***

Later that night, Scott found Jubilee right where he'd suspected he would, at the lake on the old wooden dock. It was the same place where Logan had consoled her after Illyana had lost her battle to the Legacy Virus. She always took her troubles to the dock.

It was a very clear night, and in the pale light of the bright moon, she didn't look much different than she had that night... But in fact, the only thing that this Jubilee had in common with that Jubliee was that they were both hurting - immensely.

Perhaps even more than he was.

And he knew why.

He wasn't going to patronize her, it was entirely plausible that her feelings were completely legitimate. What good reason did he have to assume otherwise? He was intelligent enough to realize that there weren't any. Which said more for him than anyone else involved, especially Logan. Jubilee was not some little puppy dog anymore... She hadn't followed him on a proper mission for a few years now.

In terms of morality, she was 19 years old. She was way legal. She had every right to fall in love, and act on that love, with anyone eighteen or older. If she had fallen earlier than that, then so be it; but she hadn't acted, and neither had he. The age difference was okay with him; even though he knew that everyone would balk at his opinion. They would assume he would object the most, hands down. But then, they were just assuming he would feel that way. The only reason that it would be a problem was if it were for Jubilee or Logan. And with Logan... every woman he knew was younger than him. Way younger than him.

So how about Jubilee herself? She was a hyper, wise-cracking, mall-rat valley girl as a teen. And now she was a little less hyper, a bit more wise in her cracking, and the valley hadn't seen its lost daughter in a long time. She had changed, but in a comfortable, expected manner - not so much that anyone who knew her well enough wouldn't recognize her. There was no reason to assume that she was not an adult, and capable of an adult's love. Just because she still listened to music that was on the charts, and she popped her bubble gum, and used expressions that were 'in', and she dressed funky? These were not legitimate reasons. She could very well retain these traits throughout her entire life.

If she didn't, she wouldn't really be Jubilation Lee.

Doesn't mean she isn't grown up...

Everyone was so busy being mad at Logan and Jean and staying out of Scott's way, except for the occasional sympathetic glance, that no one noticed how much pain Jubes was in.

He noticed.

Jubes had gone to Logan for consultation on her woes since he had brought her to the X-Men. When he wasn't there, it was LeBeau. But Remy was not around for this one. Logan loved her, and she knew it, and she loved him back... so his shoulder was all he had ever needed to stop her tears. Logan usually took care of her. That is, he used to. But she had been sent to the school, and when Kitty returned she had kind of resumed her position as his 'kid', albeit an older, wiser kid. The let down for Jubilee began when Logan didn't even seem to notice that she was depressed about that, let alone what Bastion had done. She wasn't expecting him to fix it, because it wasn't really broke... but a kind word about it would have done her a world of good. And now... Kitty was gone, and even Jubes missed her. But Logan was too preoccupied with the Jean thing to notice her... once again.

For Jubilee, the biggest thing at stake was that Logan was the problem. So even if he had bothered to notice her pain, he couldn't have helped her anyway, because a problem can't fix itself.

And that's where Scott came in. He wasn't going to sit idly by and just leave her to it. It mattered very little to him that no one else was trying. He was going to help her regardless, because he really did care about her.

Scott approached her cautiously. He didn't want to startle her, but he also didn't want her to think he had been watching her all this time.

"Jubilee..." he said quietly, stepping onto the dock.

She twisted her head around, keeping her knees to her chest.

She's so tiny, and she's had to grow up so fast... And I keep expecting her to be tall someday. That isn't fair to her...

"What's doin', Cyke?" she muttered, looking back to the lake.

~ Scott, where are you? I really need to see to you. ~

He froze at Jean's voice in his head, but he recovered fast.

~ Not now, Jean. Get out. ~

~ Scott, please... I need to talk to you, it hurts... ~

~ Yes, it does, doesn't it? But it'll have to wait, wife .~

He punched the last word in, and shut her out.

"I was thinking you'd be out here."

"Oh? I didn't think anyone would have noticed if I went missing. Thanks."

He smiled tightly, and sat down next to her.

They sat quiet for a minute. Then, surprisingly, she started the conversation.

"I'm sorry, Cyke. I really am." She looked over at him. He didn't think he had ever seen her look so grown up, ever. Too grown up, maybe. Defeated. It had always made Scott sick the way that just living a life could suck the spark out of a woman. That was one of the many, many reasons he had treasured his marriage as much as he did. Protecting Jean. Making her happy. Keeping her laughing. That was what it was all about for him.

"It isn't your fault, Jubilee."

"Yer damn right it ain't. But I feel real bad for you, all the same." She let go of one knee and wagged a bare foot in the water. "This whole thing stinks," she spat, clearly angry.

"Yes. It does," he sighed. "Jubilee..." he started.

This kind of thing was never easy for him. She tilted her head again and regarded him carefully. "What, Scott?"

Scott, she said. His real name; not 'Cyke', or the cynical 'Sir'... but Scott. He liked that.

"We have never been too close, Jubes, I know that, but..."

She sat up straight, letting the other leg go, and looked at him seriously.

"I know this piece-of-shit situation hasn't been very easy on you either. And you have no one to talk to about it, because the people you do that with... well, one is in England, and the other one is part of the probl..." he cut his words off, looking at her. Her brow was furrowed and her mouth was beginning to twist.

Oh, boy, this is gonna happen quick.

"I'm not going to tell you to grow up. That's not what I am here for, despite the fact that you probably think otherwise. I'm hurting, and I know that you are hurting as well. And the reasons are very similar... I know you love him Jubes, and not like a daughter. And everyone is too busy to notice how real it is for you. But I'm telling you: I'm here for you. You want to cry," and she was already starting, shaking with silent tears. He spread his arms open, and leaned toward her. "Then you go ahead, and here is a spot for you to-"

She sobbed quickly and fell into his arms, clutching his shirt. Her cries racked her whole body. Scott thought she was going to break apart. All he could do was hold her tight, and tell her that he knew how she felt.

She cried against him, and then she started talking. Cyke was surprised that she would open up like that, but the force behind her words told him that she was aching to get this stuff out of her head, and he was probably the first person - ever - to actually hear it.

"W-what is with these guys? They get into your life, everyday, and they have fun and laughs, and they start tellin' ya that they care, and they do! I know he cares... But... t-then they start thinkin' or something... and then they just disappear! With no warning ... hell, Cyke, Logan would leave without even sayin' goodbye to me if he could fucking take the guilt!" She raised her voice now, and practically yelled as she leaned into his already soaked shirt. "All he knows is that his own wounds need licking, so he runs away! And he has absolutely no thoughts as to what that might do to me! I hate him for that!"

He pulled her closer and stroked her hair. Jubilee wasn't crazed like she had been in the Danger Room all those weeks ago. This was obviously making her miserable, and it was coming out full force. He'd stay as long as she needed him to.

Her voice shook again, and her rant continued. "I got so used to him being there, and making me laugh and protectin' me, then all of a sudden, it's like I'm nothing... Then he comes home, acts all buddy-buddy... and then he gets confused all over again! And I love him still, even though he's done this thing, and I'm such a fool that I can't get him out of my heart! And now I'm lost without him... and..." she paused, sobbing again.

"Oh God Scott I wanna die! I just wanna fucking die!"

He was absentmindedly rocking her gently, not knowing what else he could do for her. She buried her face in his shirt completely, crying hard.

***

Over in the trees, a short, muscular man was watching them. He had come out here to do the same thing Scott was already doing. Only he had lost the race because he had come to the tree - their tree - instead of the dock. He had listened to them speaking. To her confessions. He'd heard her very, very clearly.

She said she hates me... Jubilee hates me.

She had also said that she still loved him. So of course she was miserable... And he realized, finally, that he had no rightful place trying to help her this time. This hurt worse than anything he'd ever done in his long, tangled existence.

You stupid fuck, Logan berated himself silently, walking back into the woods. Just how many times are ya gonna hurt her? The one person - the one woman ... left in yer life that ya shoulda never screwed with. And somehow, you've managed ta' do just that to her, over and over.

He disappeared into the cover of the woods, not really caring if he ever came back. Why should he? The way he saw it, he was responsible for all of it, the whole damn mess. Scott and Jean may heal in time, with his absence. They would, and he knew it...

But how in the hell was he going to fix things with Jubilee? He couldn't. Not now.

ten

Living On The Run - Again

Some wild man you are, bub. Yer a freakin' domestic pet.

Unable to cope with the guilt, and desperately needing to talk with Jubes, Logan returned in less than two and a half days. And when he got back to the mansion, there were very few people in the house. He smelled Hank in the lab, and Bishop was apparently in "charge". No one else seemed to be home. Jean's presence he could smell, but Jubliee's scent was very faint.

"What the hell is going on?!" he finally asked aloud in the kitchen.

"Ahh..." said Bishop, and testily, from the hallway. "The prodigal son returns."

"Where's Jeannie at?"

Bishop almost laughed at him. "You've a one-track mind, Wolverine."

"Don't fuck around, Bub. What's happened?!"

"Nothing." Bishop glared at him coldly. "Nothing is wrong with Jean Summers."

"Then where is she?"

"She's probably holed up in her room, wallowing in self-pity, or wandering the grounds. I'm sure you'll find her if you look. There's not too many bodies to run into. Other than myself and Hank, she is the only one here."

"What happened?" Logan was becoming visibly nervous, and, of course, angrier by the second. He swallowed hard when he realized what Bishop had just implied. "Where is Jubilee?"

"Gee... Not sure, you know. Everyone is out looking for her."

Logan felt like a sledge hammer had just hit him square in the chest. "Did she... Did Sabretooth..." He faded off, swallowing hard. If that maniac had taken her while he was off moping and being selfish...

"No!" Bishop scoffed at him sarcastically. "No, nothing like that. She's left. No note, no phone call. Nothing. Scott said she was pretty upset about something, he seemed to be the only one that knew what. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that... Would you... Bub?"

Logan narrowed his eyes at Bishop and felt a low grumble building in his chest. Trouble is, the guy was completely entitled to his attitude.

"Anyhow..." Bishop went on, indifferent to him, "That same night you ran away to the seclusion of the forest, Jubilation ran off too. Quietly. I doubt she even knew you weren't coming home that night either. None of us were paying attention - not to her, anyway. And now she's gone, and the others are out in pairs trying to find her. She can block the Professor's tracking... so this isn't going to be easy. You know, Logan... she is an adult and all, so she can just leave if she wants... But for some reason Scott believes that her being alone is a very bad idea right now."

Logan turned away from him and bolted up the stairs. He heard Jeannie moving around in her and Scott's room as he passed the door, but he didn't stop. He wasn't going to this time, he'd already made enough mistakes.

Jeannie'l be okay. Her and me and Scott will have words soon, and those words won't be nice and things'l be forever changed between us... but she'll be all right.

He opened the door to his room. It hadn't been disturbed in all the time he was gone, so the scent was still lingering. It was Jubes. Stiffening, he walked immediately over to his dresser and opened the middle drawer.

There it was. A sealed envelope with his name on it, written in Jube's pretty handwriting, with a smiley face over the 'i' in 'Wolvie'.

No note, my ass. She wouldn't do that. She just didn't know I ran off too. Poor kid...

Logan sat on the edge of his bed, stroking the envelope and staring at it. Jubilee's scent radiated off of the paper. He was actually afraid to open it.

'nuffa that. You read this, ya jerk, and you do so right now, He thought harshly.

He tore the envelope open carefully. A picture of the two of them greeted him first, taken at a bar in Canada near his cabin. He had driven her up there for her fifteenth birthday, because that was what she had asked for. She was sitting on his lap and hugging him fiercely, and he had his arms around her. They were wearing stupid hats and smiling without a care in the world. It was a photo he had left for her - in her middle drawer - after they'd got home, just before she left for the new school. It was her favorite picture of the two of them; she had kept it on her mirror at school. And now she had given it back to him. Which was not the best sign...

He swallowed hard and opened up the letter.

Dear Logan,

The last time i sat down to write you a letter like this, i was asking you to find your way back to me. did you ever read that letter? i'm just wondering.

Logan, i'm not angry with you. It's really important to me that you know that. And you know that i love you. You better know that by now. But I can't ignore what's happening to me anymore. Now, I've made my feelings for you clear, but you don't like where they are going, I guess. Even though you kissed me first, apparently you can't return that affection.

I have never felt the need to compete with the memories of the women you have loved. But like me, Jean's alive. She's also incredibly beautiful, and older, and all those other things that I'm not sure I'll ever be. And despite the fact that she is also married, passion is a thing you do have for her. I can't compete with that. Passion rules, dude, bottom line. I learned that with Everett. I also know that if passion is all you got, then the relationship is doomed. It's inevitable. But hindsight is 20/20,and I have learned the hard way that my fabulous hindsight don't amount to shit - no matter how much passion I may feel.

I always knew you had a soft spot in your heart for Jean, but I never really thought you'd act on it. Then again you probably never thought I'd act on my feelings either. But there ya go - what I still see as a soft spot, you see as true love, and what you still see as a crush, I see as true love.

There's a conundrum, aye, Wolvie? I know, I'm a pain in yer ass.

Wolverine paused, rubbing his eyes. He couldn't believe what he was reading. She wasn't a pain in his ass, why would she think that? If she were there he could whack some sense into that pretty little head of hers. She'd been his reason to keep living, more often than not. Hadn't he told her that? He'd told her how much they all counted on her to lighten the mood, or that she was special. But had he ever made it clear to her how important she was, and especially to him? He swallowed hard, and forced himself to continue.

Basically, what it boils down to is this: Scott is angry and in pain, you and Jean are in real trouble and in pain, and I'm sitting in here the background with my thumb up my butt. Oh yeah - I'm also in pain. I'm sorry, Logan... I'm strong, but not that strong. Part of me wants to be there for you, but I havta be selfish and do the leaving this time ... it's the only way I can protect myself.

You are the best Logan, not just 'at what you do', but the best in my eyes at everything. You are all I ever hoped for. I just want you to know that.

Ok, that's it. I imagine that you are cringing by now with every word yer reading. But good news! I'm done being all revealing and junk.

I love you.

Sick to his stomach in a way that his healing factor couldn't help him with, Wolverine leaned over and covered his face with his hands.

***

~ Chuck. ~

Xavier put a hand on Betsy's arm, where she was driving the car they were in. She pulled over and stopped, looking at him strangely. What he felt was not a telepathic presence so much as his inner phone ringing. She was calling to him. And she was begging for a secure line.

He gave her one.

~ I am here, Jubilation. ~

~ I just wanted ta say goodbye, and to tell ya not to worry. ~

~ Are you all right, child? ~

~ Sure am, Chuck. My head's really clear now. ~

~ Is there anything I can do for you? ~

~ No, but, there's something I need to do for you. ~

~What would that be? ~

~ I need to thank you, Sir, for everything. I'd have died without you people, and woulda never made it without yer influence. ~

Xavier smiled, continuing to keep the conversation private.

~ You are most welcome. ~

There was a long pause, but he felt her staying inside his head.

~ Please don't be angry... I don't need, nor do I want, to be found. I know that Kitty did this same thing to you recently... But I ain't askin' you to destroy my files or anything drastic like that. I just want to be out on my own. ~

~ I am not angry with you, child. I am proud of you, Jubilee. ~

Xavier rarely used her code name when he spoke to her. He felt the warmth radiate off her, and he knew that she was crying. But she wasn't upset. What she felt was relief.

~ Hopefully, one day, I'll make ya proud again. Take care of yourself, Charles. God be with you. ~

~ And also with you. ~

With that, the conversation came to an end. Betsy reached a hand out to Xavier as she saw tears forming at the corner of his eyes.

"Charles... is that... was that her?"

He turned to face her, placing his hand on her own and smiling.

"We can go home now, Betsy."

***

That night the rest of the team returned home to find that Logan was back among them. It wasn't a pleasant reunion.

Xavier and Betsy returned, and he informed them of her mentally contacting him. He said little else other than she was not lost, or kidnapped, or in trouble. She had made her decision, and they were not to look for her as though it was a 'search party' any longer.

Upon hearing that, Logan resigned himself to the fact that she was gone and he had no right to turn the world upside down in getting her back. He told them about Jubilee's letter, but not the content. He would never do that to her. What she had written was for his eyes only, and he would keep it that way. He told the others as much as they needed to know, that she'd left on her own and was not a danger to herself. He appeared to believe his own words, so they didn't push it by trying to make plans to find their lost comrade. It would have to do ... for all of them ... that letting her go and missing her was the only recourse left. If Logan was making plans to find her on him own, he didn't tell them.

***

Jean lay in bed asleep next to her husband, who was busy keeping himself warm. It had been a bad scene between the three of them, with yelling and screaming abound. Logan had obviously placed Jean at arm's length, and told her to go back to Scott, and stay there. He didn't want her to think about the mistakes they had made, but to work on repairing the damage already done to and her and Cyke's marriage. While Scott was still pissed beyond measure at both of them, he respected Logan's forthright attitude and believed him when he said it wouldn't happen again. Logan was through with it; was clearly through with expressing his out-of-bounds feelings for Jean. And she could tell by the tone in his voice that he meant it. No matter how many relapses he may have with those feelings, he would never act on them again.

Whether it was concern or guilt driving the need, Jean felt an overwhelming urge to reach out to Jubilee psychically. But Xavier had set the ground rules, and she knew that she shouldn't even try. She tossed around on her side of the bed a few times, and then succumbed to a deep, disturbing dream. And where her waking consciousness had abided by the rules, her subconscious would do as it wished.

She dreamed about Jubilee.

***

Jubilee was riding a swing in slow motion at a small playground in Central Park. She kept shifting from looking like an innocent seven-year-old girl to a young woman with red lipstick, but the combat boots and school uniform she wore stayed the same. Jean walked up to the swing set and took the empty seat next to her. Every now and then little/big Jubilee would cast a glance over at Jean. They were not friendly glances.

Jean started crying. "Jubilation, please talk to me. Where are you sweetheart? We're all worried about you."

Little/big Jubilee rolled her expressive eyes and kept on swinging.

"Sweetheart, she says?! Gimme a freakin' break, Summers," Jubliee muttered disgustedly, not looking at her.

Jean grew more and more upset with Jubilee - that she wasn't responding, that she was being indignant, and that she had every right to behave that way...

"Won't you look at me? Please come back to us! If you won't come home for yourself, at least tell Logan where you are. I've never seen him so worried!"

Little/big Jubilee suddenly stopped pumping her swing and brought it to a grinding halt. She turned to face Jean very slowly, and there was an unmistakable chill in her pretty blue eyes. Shrinking to her 'little' persona, she glared at Jean. "You think I'm a tiny little nothing, dontcha? Incapable of making a decision about my own future to save my life?" Jubilee paused, perhaps giving Jean a moment to respond. She didn't, so Jubes continued.

"Well I'm not. No one put a gun to my head, sister. I left on my own volition." Suddenly she was all grown up again, and appeared to be staying that way. "An', ya know, I got a few words to leave you with, Red."

Jean leaned back in her swing just a bit as Jubilee came closer. The Asian woman grabbed the chains on the swing, and her angry face loomed above. "You wanna throw away yer white bread hubby? Fine. Scott's a better man'n you deserve anyhow. You wanna pursue Logan? You go ahead an' do that, too. I guarantee ya it'll be the easiest seduction you've ever worked on a dude. But I'll tell ya this once, lady ... and only once." Jubilee grasped the chains tighter as she leaned over, her face scant inches from Jean's. She grit her teeth and her voice went deathly quiet.

"If you break Wolvie's heart, I will come back. And I'll kill you."

Jean sat up in bed, panting and sweaty.

~ And don't think I can't. ~

She looked around. There was no one in the room except for herself and the unapproachable, sleeping body of her husband.

***

Far away, in a cheap, clean motel room in Southern Ohio, Jubilee winced at the pain in her chest as she sat up in her bed and swallowed a sip of water from a glass on the bedside table. She wiped her hand across her mouth, and then lay back down, smiling smugly.

"That'll teach ya fer tryin' ta find me in my sleep, Bitch."

eleven

All Good Things Must Start

Remy LeBeau returned from England a fortnight later to find the Xavier mansion less one Jubilation Lee. He sat on the dock of the boathouse in an old lawn chair, staring at the lake. He was so deep in thought that he never heard Rogue walking up behind him. He jumped, ever so slightly, when she made her presence known.

"Don't toss a card at me, Shugah. It's jes me."

He exhaled and looked back at the lake, smiling slightly. "Gambit sorry, Chere. He not tinking too well, at de moment."

She kneeled at his feet and leaned into his legs. "Ah'm sure that she's gonna contact you, Rem. Ah jes know it. She'll get aholda you before she does anybody - Logan, even."

"Mebbe, someday, yes... But dat non take de place of her hugs, oui?"

Rogue frowned. He was hurting badly, and there was nothing she could do to fix it.

"I be tinking dat if I were home when all o' dis happened, de Petite might still be here wit us."

"Ya'll cain...t beat yerself up like this, Gambit. You got no way a knowin' that." She pleaded with her eyes and rubbed his legs.

Remy leaned over and buried his face in his hands. She knew he was crying, and trying hard to hide it. Rogue wanted nothing more than to reach out and hold him. But... nature could be very cruel at times.

"Stop it, Rem. Ya'll always tell me ta cry when Ah won...t let mahself. You should be doin' the same thing. Just let it go. Ah won...t leave you."

His tears began to creep through his fingers and slide down the back of his hands. Controlled, quiet sobs came out of him, almost breaking Rogue's heart more. She hugged his legs and rested her head on his thighs, and when he took his hands away, his tears fell down on her.

"Gambit gon' to get your hair all wet, Chere," he laughed quietly. He fingered her hair where his tears had fallen, making the strands curl into locks.

"Anythin' ya'll wanna give to me... Ah can take it, Remy. That's what Ah'm here for. That's why Ah'm your girl."

He swallowed hard and just let the tears fall.

***

"I have no clue, Scott... as to what I can say to you. I don...t deserve this chance from you, nor do I know what to do with it... yet I am desperate for it." Jean looked down from his gaze and played with the hem on her shirt. She hadn...t stopped crying for days. She felt guilty for everything.

"Honey, you aren...t the only one at fault here, I thi-"

"Oh, I know, I know! Logan is to blame too. But he isn...t a married person, is he? There is no way he is more to blame than I am!!"

Scott laughed lightly; Jean was so dramatic at times. "No, what I was going to say is that I am to blame as well. I've let this thing between you and Logan go on for years and I never once, not even once, had enough courage to address it properly. And I'm not talking about getting in a fist-fight with Logan; I'm talking about doing what we are doing right now. Sitting down, just the two of us, and hashing it out. I had a responsibility to that as much as you did, and I never tried."

Jean was silent. She was worried about Scott, she was worried about Logan's newfound reticence, Jubilee's departure, Scott, her marriage... Scott. Her head was so filled with problems... Jean felt she alone had to fix them all, and she didn't know where to start.

So she just sat there and cried, not facing him.

"You have to stop worrying about Logan, and Jubes, and everything else, if you want to work this out. There are other people in this house that are taking care of them, and you have to let them. I need your undivided attention. You have to treat our marriage like it comes first right now, or it will definitely fail. That's all I can tell you."

She nodded, still not looking at him.

"Do you think you can do that, Jeannie?"

She looked up at him finally, her red-rimmed eyes watery and sad.

"I can do that," she whispered. "I will do that."

***

Logan spent his days looking for Jubilee. No one hassled him about it. He stopped picking up loose women, getting in bar fights, and running away. He just looked.

And Charles Xavier watched him, never saying word one about what he should or should not do, and never speaking about it to anyone else, either.

***

Remy checked his private eMail again. Twice a day, every day, without fail, he checked his separate account in the privacy of the boathouse on his laptop. There was nothing about this computer that was connected to the X-men. He had it on a secure server and a private ISDN line separate from the mansion's mainframe so that no one would ever go looking for it...

He knew that Jubilee had the address, and he knew that if she were to ever contact him, it would be using that one.

Most of the time, it was a fruitless gesture. But he still did it. And if he was away on a mission, Rogue did it for him.

Five weeks to the day Jubilee left, finally, in amongst the letter from his father and a message announcing that his subscription to Playboy had run out, was an odd, short eMail.

Date: July 9, 2001

To: [email protected]

Subject: hello big brother

'Big brother'. It had to be her. Thank God she'd used his private account.

Rem,

It's me. I sure hope you're home. I'm in an internet café in San Fran and I have 30 paid-for mins.

I love you,

Jae

Remy exhaled, cracked his knuckles, and replied as fast as he could.

To: TempJae@mocha_dalmation_cafe.com

Subject: RE: hello big brother

***

In San Francisco, Jubilation Lee smiled, tears in her eyes.

Petite,

I'm glad you finally wrote, have been checking for you here frequently. I nearly took Logan's head off when I got home. He wouldn't have fought back and I guess that is what stopped me. Rogue knocking me out by slapping me with her bare hand may have helped too. I tell you that girl is not to be messed with.

I have contacts in San Fran. I want you to go to them. They will give you whatever you need. I will write ahead to tell them that you are coming.

Please tell me how you are and what all you need. I miss you every day and I am sad you are not here, but I think I understand why you left.

Write fast Jae!!!

Gambit

***

Rem,

I am fine. I have a job here and no one knows about the firecrackers. I miss you tons too, no one kisses me twice in the morning. :( But I do have a nice tan now!! :)

What I would like is a phat laptop and a cell phone and a secure Internet account where I can dial in from anywhere - I enjoy moving around. But I can't afford that stuff and I will have no way to pay you back for a long time. I don...t like asking you for these things but I want to stay in touch with you.

I hear the wolf is out looking for me. Don...t ask me how I know that. You...d kill me if you knew about some of the places I have been hanging out in.

I am not ready for him to find me yet. I want it to be on my terms when and if it happens. Another reason for the laptop... you can tell me if he is getting too close to me and I can up and jump state.

17 mins left.

Jae

***

Petite,

I can do all that. Consider it paid for, I will not hear otherwise Petite. Let me make a call and I will write back with the password, I promise I will make it before your time runs out.

Hurry, give me the street address where you are and I will have them pick you up. What are you wearing?

Don...t go in strange west-coast clubs dammit! Are you crazy?? And stay out of the damn sun! It will give you the cancer, Chere. ;)

Gambit

Jubilee just laughed, and the patrons of the shop paid her no mind. Within two hours, she was in a warehouse in the dock district on the San Francisco Bay with a bunch of hardened criminals that all called her 'Petite', which made her smile, and she had her stuff and a new place to stay. They insisted that, at least until she had to bail, she quit her job so that she could enjoy the city. She ate like a queen every night. They knew she was a mutant, and they didn't even give a damn. She had her own bed, her own room, and seven new uncles with Cajun accents that bought her whatever she wanted, and would have broken the nose of anyone who even looked at her funny. She purposefully didn...t ask for much but they bought her stuff anyway. She was in Heaven. She made a mental note to go to New Orleans when she had a chance.

And Gambit called her almost every night. The first time she heard his voice she cried.

***

Remy eyed his lady-love from across the way at the bar they had dropped in on. She was flirting, of course, but there were no dark thoughts in his head over it. In fact, he kind of liked to watch her flirt. She looked alive with that kind of attention, especially when he gave it to her.

Since Jubilee had left, there were no more on-week/off-week patterns. It was all on. He had no intention of losing anymore love than he already had; with his former wife, with Jubilee... and certainly not with Rogue. Hank was no closer to developing an inhibitor for her powers than he was two years ago, but Gambit no longer cared. He knew a big part of his heart was gone; Rogue had it, and he wanted her to keep it.

His finger itched as it played with the velvet box in his trench coat. She walked up to him, sashaying her hips playfully, knowing full well he had been watching her.

"Can ya buhlieve that guy?" she asked, throwing her thumb over her shoulder. "He's been watching us all night, together as we are... but he still wants ta buy me drinks and take me home!"

"You wan' go home wit de boy, Chere?" Gambit teased, stroking her gloved fingers as she slid his drink over to him. "He might make for you de intrestin' pet."

"Remy LeBeau!" She laughed, trying to scold him. "He's cute an' all..." She glanced back at the youth. "But hell, he's stupid. It'd take me a nanosecond to absorb his thoughts." She turned back to face her lover. "Nah, Cajun... If I'm gonna risk all that, it bettah be worth it for me, too!"

Remy laughed. "Better to be wit someone who has a criminal an' shameful past, eh belle? Dat way you have more to look back on!"

"Oh!" She slapped his hand lightly, "Stop that, Cajun! You know Ah love you. An' Ah'm not exactly on the top o' the 'do-gooders' list mahself."

She giggled, then fell silent, when she realized that LeBeau was staring at her, with a wistful smile on his face. Years ago, she would have blushed at the gesture and looked down. But now, she simply returned it.

"Ya wanna dance, Remy? C'mon, dance with me Shugah."

"Non, Gambit don' wan' dance tonight, Chere."

"Well, all right then... What do you wanna do?"

He cleared his throat and stood up, and Rogue saw him fumble with something in his pocket. Then he made a lavish show of throwing the tails of his trench coat to one side while grinning at her, and he got down on one knee.

"Remy LeBeau," she said shyly, with a nice mixture of happiness, suspicion and fright. "What are you doin'?!"

He took her left hand gently and placed a gold ring with a big, fat diamond in the center on her finger.

"Will you do Gambit de honor o' bein' his wife, Rogue?"

"Gahhhh!" She looked at her hand, smiling from ear to ear.

"I take it dat's a 'oui'?"

"It's a oui, Cajun! Yes yes yes yes!" She screamed, and everyone in the bar shut up and turned to look at them. Rogue fell on him immediately, and kissed him with everything she had.

Remy, of course, slumped to the floor in an unconscious heap.

She stood up, smiling, and fished his cell phone from out of one of his trench coat's many pockets. For a moment she considered checking to see if he had a matching bracelet in there somewhere.

She pressed a single button. "Yeah, Hank, it's Rogue, Shugah! Where? Oh! Ah'm at a bar with Remy!" She put a finger in her ear and looked down at her pale, stricken lover. Everyone else in the bar was looking at him too, though they weren't smiling like she was.

"Ah just put him inna coma, so can ya'll get out here so's we can get him home? How? Oh... Well, Ah kissed him... Why?" she laughed. "Cuz we're gonna get married, that's why!" She told him where they were and turned off the phone. For the next 5 minutes, until Hank, Bobby and Storm showed up, Rogue soon-to-be-LeBeau sat protectively over her fiancé's prone body, and admired how large the diamond on her engagement ring was. And for once, she didn't give a hoot in hell where he had gotten it from.

***

"Logan, I thought I would find you in here," Kurt said as he squatted under the Blackbird where Wolverine was working on some part of it. "Have you heard about Rogue and Gambit? There is going to be a party for them tonight. Will you be there?"

"Ah..." Logan said, looking up at the blue furry mutant from where he was laying on the cement floor. "I dunno, Elf. I gotta finish what started here," he muttered.

"They want you to come. I want you to come."

Logan didn...t respond, he only gave Kurt a tight, quiet smile. Logan was keeping to himself more than ever. He never went to Canada, or 'ran off' somewhere. The only time he left town was to follow a lead. He had three missions in life: find Jubilee, see to Amiko, and give everything else he had to the team. The last two were cakewalks. The first one was now a private obsession - one that he shared with no one.

Kurt wasn't just there to get him to come to the party. He was worried about his feral friend. "Logan, why do you blame yourself for Jubilee? Even Scott is not dwelling on it anymore. It's been a whole year - let her go. No one blames you for her leaving."

Logan stopped, set down the tool in his hand and grabbed a rag to wipe off the grease.

"We are just worried about you, mine freund - that is all."

"I know..." he groaned. "But ya got nuthin' to worry about. I'm doin' just fine."

Kurt sighed, standing up. "If you say so, then I will believe you."

He started to walk away. Logan called after him. "Kurt... I never told ya how grateful I was fer the way ya took care of Kitty when you guys were in Excalibur. You got my thanks."

Kurt tilted his head at the man, his fathomless yellow eyes expressing their sympathy. "I took care of her because she is my friend. I appreciate the thanks, Wolverine, but... I didn't do it out of responsibility, and you shouldn't either."

Logan watched as Nightcrawler left the hanger. The elf had meant well, and yes he was happy for Gambit and Rogue... But no, he would not be attending the party.

He'd be out looking for his firecracker.

***

Scott looked up from his paper as he heard Logan come in the front door. He glanced at the clock above the mantle. It was 12:13 pm.

"Any luck?"

"No." It was more of a grunt than a word. "It's past midnight, Cyke, what're ya still doin' up?"

"I couldn...t sleep, so I'm reading. Good things are not to be found in Oklahoma," he said, setting the paper down as Logan came into the room and sat down on the other end of the couch. "I don't have to ask you why you are home so late, do I?"

Logan sighed, rubbing his face with his palms. Then he sat back and leaned into the cushions. As Scott looked at him, he seemed to be aging. But he knew that was only just the stress.

"I'm done with this, Scooter. I'm done looking." He stared at the ceiling. He meant what he said, but Scott could tell he still didn...t want to believe it. "It hurts knowin' I drove her off, but I've exhausted my resources and I'm no closer than I was the day she left. When I started this... I'd get wind o' her whereabouts, then she'd vanish again. But I been gettin' nuthin' for awhile now."

Scott sat still. "It's been a long time Logan ... what? Almost a year and a half? You looked for her more than you had to. Maybe if you stop looking, and let her come to you on her own... Look, I have to believe that if she wants to see you, it will happen; and you have to believe that to."

"I guess so... She is an adult, after all. That don't make the hurt go away, though."

"Logan..." Scott started. "Let's get a beer or six, and we can talk about this, huh? Maybe find you a nice blonde to play with..."

"Yeah..." he said, looking at the younger man. "Yeah, let's go see Harry."

***

The world, and the X-Men, watched as Trish Tilby reported from the Governor's Mansion in Oklahoma State.

"...and so the legislation passed unanimously and Oklahoma has officially joined the short list of states that have adopted the Mutant Registration and Reservation policy, developed by the corporate leaders of the FOH. The controversial policy has been declared as anything from a peace-keeping miracle, to downright racist and heinous by others, saying it smacks of segregation and internment camps. However, it is still constitutional, so sayeth the Federal government. And the mere mention of the 'New Sentinals' - re-vamped smaller-scale mutant hunting machines designed by FOH engineers, rumored to be built under financing from Oklahoma State Governor Wallace Pearson of the Pro-Human party - are words destined to get you in a fight here on the steps of this state building."

"Then please do not say them, Trish darling," whispered Hank as he watched his girlfriend with the other X-Men.

"The so-called reservations the policy speaks of are similar to Native American reservations, where Mutants can live freely and without interference from the self-ascribed 'normal' population. Whether or not the mutants forced onto those reservations are going to receive legal support for maintaining business relationships within the 'normal' community - for things like electricity, food, employment, medical supplies and clean water - remains to be seen.

This is Trish Tilby in Oklahoma City, November 19^th, 2002, for BNBC News."

Beast sighed, and turned off the TV. All of the X-Men were present, yet there was no talking. The silence was finally broken by Scott cursing under his breath, Logan angrily slamming the door as he left for a bar, and Remy going off on a heated rant.

"Retournez la statue! Renvoyez-la d'où elle vient, là où les gens savent encore ce qu'elle représente! Vous ne la méritez plus!! Est-ce que ça disait 'donnez-moi vos humains fatigués, vos humains affamés'?! NON! N'est-il pas le temps de fermer le feu sous ce *melting pot*?? Mon Dieu, qu'est qui arrive à ce foutu pays?"<1>

The Cajun threw his hands in the air as he yelled further and Rogue dragged him outside to cool off.

Ororo started crying.

***

She had gone to Alaska. Puerto Rico. Montana. Greece. Several other places. Everything was paid for by her Cajun Uncles, no questions asked. They refused to allow her to work. Occasionally, one or two of them even accompanied her on her jaunts; but LeBeau had made it clear that she wanted to be independent. He had meant well, and Jubilee was very grateful to all of them, but this wasn't what she had intended by 'asserting her independence'. How independent could a princess possibly be? She loved them all for what they were doing for her, but she felt like a princess all the same. She knew that she was going to have to leave, it was just a matter of finding the right moment.

After a brief visit to New Orleans, Jubilee was back in the warehouse in San Francisco. While Trish's report from Okalahoma City blared away on the 52-inch wide screen TV, Jubilee looked around at the relative opulence she was living in. She didn...t pay for an ounce of this. She was grateful beyond belief and had come to respect all her Cajun Uncles for their pampering and protection.

The realization had already hit her and it was too late to turn back. This was not what she left the X-Men for. Yes, Wolverine had been the catalyst. But she wanted to prove herself, and Trish Tilby had finally shown her the way. Jubilee knew that a 'Mutant Registration and Reservation policy' was the pretty, glossed-over Homo sapiens way of saying 'we'll kill you if you don...t get out of our state'. There were things she could do for mutants in Oklahoma, and as a free agent she could do them better than her former teammates.

She had decided it was time for her to visit Oklahoma.

She said farewell to her Cajun Uncles, who cried when she left. Then she called Remy and told him where she was off to. Like any protective older brother, he objected, and he did so using French curse words that curled her ears. But in the end he gave her his blessings and demanded that she 'always, Petite, always tink before you make de move' if she was going to be a rebel.

And he told her to write as soon as she got settled.

twelve

Oklahoma! (and so not the stage play)

The boy stared at the sign. They had killed his mother. They put his little sister on a 'reservation' - in a camp. He would make them all pay... as soon as his powers evolved beyond that of a striking match.

Daniel Montrose was no soldier. He also knew he was sick with something awful - like cancer awful - but he had no idea what it could be, and he didn...t care. He knew that if he ever accomplished the things he wanted to, he'd be tossed in prison, taken away quietly and snuffed out of existence. No matter what the papers said, or BNBC, or any of that... those who actually lived inside the Oklahoma borders knew better.

It was "Dead Mutant Walking" for all parties concerned.

But... he didn...t have the stuff to do it anyway. Like the crappy wooden sign he was staring at, he was not quite top flight. It was posted above the library entrance of the small town he was now living in. It was a quickie paste-the-letters-on-fast-and-get-it-nailed-up type. It read "Normals Only". It reminded Danny just enough of that movie with Cicely Tyson, where at the end, she drinks from a fountain in town. The sign on the fountain read "Whites Only". It also reminded him of the stories he read in his history books about the suffragettes being thrown in jail for smoking in public.

He hated shit like that.

He wanted to burn the sign. And he had been standing in front of it for five minutes now, waiting for a smoke signal that wasn't going to come.

Dammit... Yer a lameo, Montrose.

He jumped, startled out of his trance by a gunshot to his right. An FOH soldier had shot his service revolver in the air, and there were two people ... mutants, most likely ... laying face down on the ground now. It was a woman and a little girl. Danny stared at the proceedings. The child was crying hysterically. They grabbed the woman by her neck, forcing her to her knees. Danny's hand clenched into fists... it was all too familiar.

He felt so much anger. He felt it all the time, but now, it was in his head instead of buried deep inside his heart.

A scream was heard from his left and he turned to face it. There were two teenage girls, shrieking and pointing up. He followed their fingers up, to the wooden sign. The sign... which was now engulfed in flames. Danny smiled.

Then he crossed his arms and smiled, saying, "I'll be goddamned! Lookit that, willya?!"

He remembered feeling quite proud, until an FOH officer billy-clubbed him into unconsciousness and then he remembered nothing else.

***

"Pssst... hey, kid!" she whispered harshly. He hadn't moved yet.

"KID!" It was the harshest whisper she could manage.

Danny shifted, moaning, and rubbed his head. "Jesus... What the hell happened?"

He jumped at the sound of the small woman talking to him from outside his cell. There was a young man with her, but all he did was watch the hallway and pace.

"C'mon, we don...t have a lotta time here," she pleaded. Danny had never seen an Asian girl with bright blue eyes before. "Wake yerself up already, and back away from the bars."

Danny did as he was told. From where he sat, he saw blobby colorful things float out of the woman's fingertips and wrap themselves around the bars in a circular pattern. "Ya might wanna cover yer eyes, kid."

Danny did that too. He heard a sizzle and a clang and looked up to see a nice, Danny-sized hole in the bars of his cell. He grinned and grabbed his coat, following them out of the jailhouse. They passed several 'sleeping' guards along the way, and a couple of them looked like they had been punched into their 'sleeping' positions on the floor.

They snuck to the back parking lot quietly, where a car was waiting with a driver. When they drove past the gatehouse, the gates were up and the guard appeared, also, to be sleeping soundly. The guy driving the car waved at him animatedly and said 'bye-bye', even though the guard's eyes were closed. The Asian woman called the driver an asshole and shook her head, smiling.

***

"Pleased ta meet ya, Marty!" Danny chimed, shaking the blonde man's hand as they got out of the car and entered a large compound. They had been driving for nearly two hours and his butt was getting tired.

At Jubilee's insistence, Danny was to go get checked out at the infirmary. "Head wounds can be tricky, and you look like you need some rest and some food," she said. So he sauntered off with the other two people from the car, looking back at Jubilee quickly.

"You're my hero, Jamboree!" Danny grinned from ear to ear. Then he coughed loudly.

Jubilee groaned. Danny had been at the complex less than five minutes and he had already given her a silly nickname - one she was sure she'd hear over and over. The kid had the same sense of humor that Bobby Drake had... Something she did not miss.

"It's Jubilee, you little brat..."

"Where'd you find that one, Jubes? He's a piece of work... and gonna be a handful, I'll wager," Marty said under his breath as they walked into her office.

"Nah... he just needs some direction; a purpose. Kinda reminds me of me when I was that age. He just needs an Emma in his life."

"A what? Who?"

"A Em-" she looked at Marty, and almost started laughing. "Oh... nevermind."

It had taken Jubilee six months to set up this underground mutant railroad and it had been running successfully for almost two years now. She got them in, cleaned them up, gave them new identities, and got them out. Short and sweet. The only difference between this underground railroad and others is that there really was a railroad and a train, and it really did run underground. Ohhhh! The buildings and equipment that Corporate America left abandoned for greener pastures, and the things a mind like hers could do with them. She'd scoped out Oklahoma and planned this thing for months before it all came together. And she knew just enough about the FOH, and the New Sentinels, and abandoned plants near the Oklahoma-Missouri border to make it all happen. With the help of Remy LeBeau and her Cajun Uncles, of course.

But, as such is the way of these things, they were beginning to feel the pinch of the bad guys closing in on them.

***

Remy lay next to his wife in their bed. Though they knew she'd have a hangover in the morning for wearing it, her inhibitor was still her new best friend. The Cajun was able to touch her anyway that he pleased, which in turn pleased her. When Hank first perfected it, they were like kids in a candy store, until they discovered the side affects. It could be anything as subtle as a mild hangover to a mind-numbing headache that would last for hours. It all depended on the length of time she wore it, and how physically active she was during that time. They found that out the first night they used it...

So now, with a lot more patience under both their belts, they used it sparingly and more wisely. No more all-night sex marathons, and no more falling asleep with it on. He would wait for her to drift off. And once she did, he'd remove it, lessening her time with it on, and the side effects that would follow. Then he'd separate them with a sheet and cuddle up behind her. Considering the options they used to have, and especially the ones they didn't, this was a fantastic solution.

After a few more moments of stroking her hair and trailing his lips over her forehead, she was out. Remy smiled. Rogue adored the fact that he had proposed to her at a time when it looked like Hank was never even going to get an inhibitor developed for her. But now... she slept so soundly after they were intimate ... better than she ever had in her life. When she told him that, the words had meant nearly everything to him, and he had burned them into his heart.

He got out of their bed, put on some gloves, removed the inhibitor from her upper arm, and set it aside. Gambit was just about to grab the second sheet and put it on her when he heard his laptop in the main room giving him an alert. He dropped the sheet onto the bed and went to see why it was going off.

Sitting down in front of the monitor, he saw that he had eMail, and it was tagged as 'urgent'. It had to be Jubes, he just knew it, and he felt his heart freeze in his chest. Opening his in-box, he found what he was suspicious of.

Date: March 11, 2005

To: [email protected]

Subject: I need your help

Rem,

Hi, I love you, I miss you and all that. J

I hate to ask you this, but you know that I wouldn't unless I really meant it. I have to tear apart the compound and get these people out of here. We don't have the resources to do it properly and it HAS to be done properly. I can't leave any traces of what happened here, for safety's sake as well as political reasons. And we need a doctor, badly; a mind-reader wouldn't hurt as well. I can't tell you too much more. Write me as soon as you get this, I gotta know if you can help and if you can get some of the X-Men to come with you.

Thanks, Rem.

Smoochies,

Jae

Remy exhaled long. He knew that he and Rogue would go to her, anytime she needed it. The question was whether or not other people would.

Nevertheless, he wrote back immediately.

Chere,

You need the Cajun, you have him ... and Rogue too. Just say the word. I am sure I can get Hank and I know Cyke will want to come ... whether or not he will depends on that crazy redhead he is married to.

Let me know what supplies you need, your coordinates, and what kind of security we will encounter, and we will leave immediately.

Jae, do you want Logan to know about this?

Love you Petite,

Remy (and now Rogue is awake too)

(Hiya Sugar!)

Awakened and concerned by his keyboard tapping, Rogue placed a gloved hand on his shoulder. He turned to face his wife and asked her if she wanted him to type anything else for her.

"No, please, just send it. She sounds like she's not doin' well at all! Ah'm worried, Cajun!" She walked over to the kitchen and got them both a cold beer and they sat by the computer, waiting, worried...

***

Jubilee sat up straight when the alert went off. She read his mail quickly.

Rem & Rogue,

Thanks, I owe you two so much.

We need some food, for 22 people ... and that isn't counting whom you bring ... for about 5 days. Protein and fruits and veggies - and vitamin supplements would be great. Hank should bring a variety of meds; antibiotics, painkillers, steroids, cold medicines, a few IV's maybe. Whatever he needs to examine children and adults, both mutant and human. Blankets. Water purification tablets. We could use a couple powerful laptops that will not be returned. Bring some blowtorches and sledgehammers.

I'll eMail the coordinates in a couple hours, and expect high, bad-ass security at all times once you enter OK airspace. Fly strictly with cover.

The sooner you can get here the better. And I'd feel better if Scott does come with. Tell him that.

Go ahead and tell Logan what you are doing. He can make up his own mind if he wants to come here. It isn't a fun place to be, reunion or not.

Love you both,

Jae

***

"Well, mah belle, let's go wake de mansion up. Logan gonna skewer me when he finds out Jubilee sent me de eMail; Chere, you wan' kiss Gambit g'bye before he makes me a ... how you say ... shicky-bob?"

She gave him a playful slap on his shoulder. "It's shish kebab, and don...t be such a baby, Cajun. Ah'll protect you from that hairy lil' beast."

"Somehow, Chere..." LeBeau sighed, "Dat not make me feel any better. I love you girl, but dat not make me feel any better."

"Just tell them that this was the first we heard from her. He can only get so pissed about that."

"De confidence in your lil' plan be most admirable, belle. Too bad Gambit da one he gonna gut if he don' believe it."

"Not if I can help it, Mistah LeBeau," she smiled at him as they dressed and left for the mansion. "Ah just got started playing with you ... Ah ain't gonna let a lil' ole' thing like adamantium claws get in the way o' that."

***

Logan stood at the back of the conference room, arms crossed and silent. He glared at LeBeau's head. Why hadn...t Jubilee contacted him first? LeBeau could feel his blue eyes boring into the back of his skull, and his upper lip began to sweat.

"This is it?" asked Scott. "Four years out of our lives and that is all she can tell you?"

They did not bring a copy of the eMail with them. To read it word for word would have buried them as far as this being their 'only' contact with Jubilee.

Remy looked over at the Professor as Rogue backed him up. "Ain't that enough, Cyke? She's Jubes, and some of us have never had any quarrel with her, no matter what circumstances she left under. Ah'm goin'. Rem's goin' Hank's already said yes, and we'll up and take a taxi into Oklahoma if we don...t got your blessin' fer the Blackbird, Shugah."

Xavier gave LeBeau a subtle, sympathetic glance. He knew they were not telling the complete truth, but he also knew their intentions were completely honorable.

"Oh, an' Scott, just so that ya know... she asked fer you to come, personally. She said she'd feel better if ya did."

Scott frowned, looking down. He was the last one to talk to Jubilee in the flesh before she disappeared from their lives, and he had never forgotten the grateful way the young woman had cried on his shoulder.

"I'm in."

Jean looked at him, a bit surprised even. "I won...t be joining you. This is a trip for fighters. I'd only be in the way." She squeezed Scott's hand under the table. No one was really surprised at her decision. They were surprised that she didn't fight Scott's decision, though.

"If it's muscle she needs, then count me in, too."

Logan's growl from the back of the room left the little hairs on the backs of everyone's necks standing at attention.

***

Remy, Rogue, Scott, Hank and Logan arrived at the compound less than 21 hours later, to be greeted by a jubilant Jubilee. All except for Logan, who hung back in the Blackbird and growled as he watched Scott greet Jubilee. Scott got to hug her, and kiss her, he tugged on her waist-length ponytail, and he received a smile from her that could have melted Magneto's heart. Not Logan; Scott. Then Rogue, then Hank. Same thing.

And their greetings were mild compared to the tears and the clinging when she saw her beloved, self-appointed big brother, Gambit.

She was no taller. Her hair had gotten so long. Longer than Mariko's had ever been. Her eyes were just as blue... just as beautiful as he had remembered. But her body and her face... she looked tested; angular and older, and not necessarily in a good way. Not by much, but just enough that Logan would notice.

She smelled the same. He smiled at that.

He entered the compound later, when no one was watching. It was his choice, and although they thought it was damn silly, the others did not give away the fact that he was there with them.

 +++

<1> French/English Translation:

"Send back the statue! Send her back to where she belongs, where people still know what she means! You don't deserve her anymore! Did it say 'give me your humans tired, your humans hungry'? No! Isn't it time to turn OFF the heat under the melting pot??? Oh God, what is happening to this fucked up country?")

thank you loki, yer the best.