Poker Faces: The Sequel (Avengers' Mansion)

by Loki


Disclaimer : Of course, I do not own any of the X-Men or Avengers stuff (except for a Wolvie's dog-tags set and bazillions comics for which I paid). Verse : It's comic verse. It is for Humour purpose only. Comments and/or flames : should be directed at [email protected]

"...." is conversation

~ ..... ~ is telepathy

**********

"... and you are all invited for dinner at the Avengers・s Mansion this Saturday night. I look forward to your visit. Best regards, Captain America. Please RSVP." finished the professor.

The invitation to the Avengers・ Mansion had arrived that morning and now, at lunch, the X-Men were acquainted with the message.

"What・s RSVP?" asked Rogue.

"It be Repondre S・il-Vous-Plait, chere," provided Gambit.

"OK, sugah. English now?"

"Please answer," translated the Cajun.

"We are all invited? Does that mean we all have to go?"

"Of course not, Rogue." answered the professor. "I would not suggest that we all attend. Someone must stay here. Even if the Avengers・ compound is not far away, we must make sure no *unwanted visitor* drops by while we are absent."

"Gambit stay. He like quiet Saturday nights," he blinked at Rogue.

"Ah・ll stay too," she blinked back at him.

"I would really like to visit the Avengers. What about you, Scott?"

The X-Men・s leader pondered. They needed more people to stay at the mansion, Gambit and Rogue would surely let themselves be *distracted*.

"I・d like more people to stay here, Jean. I suggest Jubilee stays..." he started.

"Oh no!! Hey, ・member, I・ve been personnaly invited by Captain America! And so does Wolvie!" cried out an outraged Jubes.

Wolverine, who had kept silent untill now, giving more attention to the bloody steak in his plate than to the conversation, raised his head and looked around the table. All eyes were on him.

"Leave me out of it," he grunted.

"What? C・mon, Wolvie. We can・t miss that chance to..."

"To what, kid?"

"Er... to have fun?" tried Jubes. He growled."Or, to... to eat well?" she tried again. Collective growl.

"What is wrong with Gambit cooking?" asked the Cajun, an outraged look on his face.

"Oh... er.. nothing, Gambit. It・s very... very..."

"Very good when you stay away from it," finished Wolverine, glad he had taken care of his steak himself.

"You know nothing about vraie French cuisine, mon ami," protested Gambit.

"And flamin・ glad."

"People!" cut in Xavier. "That・s enough about the cooking." ~I already have enough to eat it, no need to rub it in!~

Jean choked on her coffee, having cought the professor・s thought.

"We must answer the invitation. Rogue and Gambit will stay. Jean would like to go. Scott, what about you?" asked Xavier.

"I would like at least another X-Men to stay," he stated.

"I will. I have no peticular interest in visiting them," said Storm.

"Is that because they have a Thunder God among them? Hey, that would make such a pair... Imagine..."

"Jubilation! I do NOT want to go, period. I am the Weather Goddess and this Thor... is ... only a Thunder God. I do not..."

"Want to frolick with lesser deities?" provided Jean, hardly restraining a grin.

"You people think what you want." Storm turned to Cyclops. "I volunteer to stay."

"Well then, I don・t see why I couldn・t go," said Scott, smilling at his fiancee.

"Alright. So now we have Jean, Scott, Jubilee, Logan and I," stated the professor.

"Who said I・d go?" growled Wolverine, staring at the professor.

"Me!" clamed Jubes.

"Don・t push me, kid," he warned.

"Oh, I am so noooot pushin・ ye, Wolvie. I was just sayin・, since I・ll go, what if somethin・ happens while we・re there? You know, I could like.... choke on a piece of food?" she continued.

"We already do here..." whispered Jean, who got glared at by the Cajun.

"GRRRRR" The very idea of something happening to the kid infuriated Wolverine.

"And I・m sure, if you・re there with us, nothin・ gonna happen. You wouldn・t want me..." she continued, pushing for good.

"Can it, kid. I・ll go." Logan munched visciously at his steak, defeated.

*********

Chapter Two

Scott Summers drove the fastest he could. A few minutes ago, Logan had stopped growling and was probably saving his breath. And gee, did they need it.

Not only the five of them were crumped in the car ・ Jean, Jubilee and the professor on the back seat, Logan and Scott in the front ・ but the coldness of the winter day in New York forbid them to dare open a window without getting hypothermia.

Of course, the ladies had to use perfume. Not only did they put to much of it, according to the men, but they had to use different ones!

Scott sighed. Why did he have to agree to go visit these Avengers? Yeah right, Jean asked him. He glanced at Logan : maybe the Canadian was right and Scott was a pansy? But wait a minute, that same Canuck had been manipulated by a teenager!

Scott grined at Logan.

"You keep it up, bub, and I・ll..." he warned.

"Pleaaaaaaaaaaase! Don・t you two start a fight!" winced Jean on the back seat.

"Sorry, Red. Didn・t notice you were still counscious." Logan smirked, then resumed trying to breath.

They finally made it to the Fifth Avenue address. After helping the professor out of the car ・ and giving him time to get some fresh air ・ they walked to the front door of the impressive mansion.

The door soon opened. A man in a black tail-suit welcomed them in.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jarvis. I will announce your arrival," said the old man, pushing a button by the wall. He then proceeded to get their coats and placed them in the closet on the right side of the foyer.

"Hey Wolvie, didn・t know they had so old Avengers..." whispered Jubes.

"It・s the butler, kid," he explained.

"Butler? As in... he serves them around? Like, cooks meals, does the dishes, laundry day?" Jubes turned accusing eyes to the professor.

"And groceries, yeah."

Charles Xavier decided to not start an argument with the teenager right now. How to explain her that a mutant butler was a very very hard person to find?

Soon enough, Captain America walked in the foyer to greet his guests. By his side stood a lady the Avengers・ leader presented as the Wasp. She was wearing what seemed to be the most expensive clothes Jubilee ever saw. The teenager watched as Jean・s face turned paler. Oh great, now a fashion contest was on!

"We・ll have to talk about salary," whispered Jean between clenched teeth, turning another accusing look at the X-Men・s mentor.

They all proceeded to the the dining room, from where they continued into the Library on the left.

Professor Xavier found a place by the huge fireplace, the Wasp sitting on the couch near by.

Jean opted for the couch in front of them where Scott joined her. Wolverine stood by the window, always making sure there was an exit near by. Jubilee walked around the room, examining every object and feature. The most endearing feature at the moment was Captain America, sitting in the captain・s style chair ・ how ironic.

Jarvis came in and offered a glass of champagne to everyone, save for Jubes who was treated with a glass of.... milk!

"Er... is that... like milk?" she asked the butler.

"Yes, miss."

"Do you happen to have, like, Jolt, or somethin・?" she asked, not thrilled by a glass of milk.

Captain America smiled at her. "Milk is good for you. I used to drink all the milk I could when I was your age. I can・t say it did harm me."

It sure didn・t!!!! Jubilee screamed interiorly. Why did this guy have to smile so gently at her? She hold on her glass of milk for dear life. And made an instant vow to drink all the milk she could for the rest of her life... or for the evening, she added interiorly.

Wolverine eyed his glass as if it was to maim him. "Hey, Jarvis."

"Sir?"

"Take that back. Gimme a cold one."

"As you wish, sir." Jarvis obediently took the glass and walked out of the library.

Captain America slightly eyed Logan but didn・t comment. The Wasp turned to look at the Canadian.

"Was there something wrong with your Champagne, Wolverine? I made sure Jarvis would get the best Moet & Chandon cuvée. I even had a special delivery from France just for the occasion..." she asked.

"Naw. I・m just not into bubbles." he tried to answer with the last of his civility.

On the couch, the Wasp continued to entertain ・ a civilized word for bore ・ Jean, Scott and the professor.

"I am so glad you accepted our invitation. I wanted Cap to add that it was supposed to be an informal dinner, but he insisted that you would guess." babbled the Wasp.

Jean couldn・t but keep her eyes on the designer・s dress the Wasp was wearing. Sure thing, the diamonds on her necklace were real. Much to real, as they seemed to try to blinb Jean with their expensiveness. She thought about the dress she was wearing and felt very bad about it, even if it was all new and quite expensive.

"Of course, we knew, dear." Scott choked on his champagne, startled by his fiancee・s voice.

"Excellent. We wouldn・t want you to be uncomfortable with us. By the way," she leaned forward to whisper to Jean, "you must absolutly tell me where you found that sport dress. It looks so comfortable."

And the Wasp continued to bore Scott and the professor, succeeding at pissing off Jean Grey in the process.

********

Damn, this room was full of stuck-up $#@. Gee, who had thought that the so-called Mighty Avengers were so stuck-up? How could they be that stiff, while in the other hand they had that archer... Oh, yeah. The archer. Wolverine turned to Cap.

"Hey, Cap. Where・s Cupidon?" he asked.

"Cupidon?" Cap frowned, trying to match the nickname with someone. "Oh. You must be referring to Hawkeye, right?"

"Yeah. Gettin・ slower, ol・ man?" grinned Wolverine.

"You tell me, Logan. If I recall, you・re a bit older than me."

DAMNIT. Try to have fun, thought Wolverine. He never knew Cap enough to tell who was the oldest between them. Sure thing was, they were almost as old. Cap and him had worked briefly together by the Second World war. They never really worked together since, but Logan had always respected the man. So did every person who knew the Captain.

That・s what he was thinking when a loud voice coming from the dining room startled them all from the lethal boredoom they were sliding in.

"Hey, Mathusalah! Save that champagne for me, I・ve got your Geritol!"

That・s when Hawkeye entered the Library.

All the X-Men, including the professor to his own astonishment, sighed interiorly at the man they greeted like a savior.

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

Chapter Three

Clint Barton, known in the heroes・ gig as Hawkeye (or *that jerk*, or *that smart-ass*) strode in the room.

"Hi there, X-folks." He straddled the couch besides the Wasp. "You know, I thought of something. What if there were only three of you here, I could call you the XXX-Men?" he joked.

"Clint, you are incorrigible," admonished the Wasp.

"No, waitaminit. Make it 3 women, hey, that would be the XXX-Women then?"

Professor Xavier shoke his head in disbilief : even the FOH never thought of this bad joke.

Hawkeye spotted Jubes, staring at Captain America. "Hey, babe. Got my share?"

She kept looking at the Avengers・ leader, siping elegantly at his champagne. Oh, would she love to be that glass........

A hand moved before her eyes. "Hey, anybody・s home?" asked the archer. "Look, you can stare at Mathusalah all you want, AFTER you give me my share. Deal?"

Wolverine refrained a grin. Yup, archer, shake her a bit. I・d like to watch her clean the floor with yer bad-ass, thought Logan.

"Gee, keep your shorts on!" Everyone but Logan and Hawkeye glared at her. She foundled in her pocket and got the three hundreds dollars being the archer, Nick Fury and Cap・s shares of the poker night bets.

"Jubilee, where did you get that money?" asked a puzzled Scott.

"Hey, what, that・s the bet you, Jean and Ororo lost the other night." she explained.

Not sure that Wolverine was aware of the bets the three of them had indulged in, Scott thought better than to get into furter explanations.

She handed 100$ to the archer who tossed it in his jeans・ pocket without ceremony. Jubilee walked to Captain America・s chair, the remaining 200$ in hands. "And this is Fury・s and your share, Captain America." she said with her sweetest voice.

He smiled at her. "You keep it, Jubilee. And you put it to good use."

"I can・t. I mean... a deal・s a deal, right?" Jubes was that close to be speechless. Ahhhhhhh, the way he pronounced her name! She was Jubilee, not Jubes, for the rest of.... ok, of the evening!

"It・s a gift, young lady. It・s my pleasure."

Jubes・ brain stopped to work when she heard the *young lady* bit.

"Wooooohoooooo. Hey, ol・ man, get that sex-appeal of yours in check. She・s jail-bait, ・member?" laughed the Hawkster.

Of course, no one in the room ・ heck, in the whole Universe ・ would have thought that Captain America was trying a pass at a teenager. But hey, it never stopped the archer to joke about it before, and surely not tonight.

A low growl interrupted the archer・s rambling. He turned to face Wolverine. "Hey there.... Wooooooooolvie. Are you happy to see me, or are you hungry?" he asked.

"I・m gonna..." he started menacincly.

"Dinner is ready, ladies and gentlemen." cut in Jarvis, to everyone・s relief.

They all followed Jarvis into the adjacent dinning room.

The Wasp glanced at Captain America.

The Professor glanced at the Wasp.

Captain America smiled at Jubilee, tagging by his side.

Behind, Jean elbowed Scott, pointing at the million bucks pair of high-heels shoes the Wasp was wearing.

And to finish with, Wolverine stared at Hawkeye.

And Hawkeye laughed.

**********

Chapter Four

The X-Men walked into the dinning room. Captain America had a seat at the end of the table and the Professor was honored with the other end.

The huge table was adorned with a silky white tablecloth on which were place the porcelaine plates and silver cultery.

Jubilee didn・t last time and sat just by Cap・s left. Wolverine sat on her left. The Wasp took place between him and Xavier.

Facing Wolverine, Jubes and the Wasp was Jean, right from Cap and then Scott...

Oops. Get it back. Scott didn・t had time to sit besides his fiancee. A very unpolite and uncivilized archer took his place, now facing.... Wolverine!

Scott very reluctancly sat between Hawkeye and the professor, facing the boring Wasp.

*** So, to make it short, Jubilee was near her new-found idol (although Wolvie was still her best friend at this point) and facing Jean. Wolverine faced the archer. Scott got matched with the Wasp. Got it? Cool :-) Back to the story. ***

Jarvis came in and put two bottle of white wine on the table. He vanished a second and came back dragging a tray full of huge silver-coated service plate.

Logan twitched his nose. There was something in this room that bugged his over-developped sense of smell. It wasn・t the ladies・ perfumes, not even the three of them mixed together. He had time to adjust to it already.

"Is there something annoying you, Wolverine?" asked a concerned Wasp.

Concerned? Wow, the other X-Men・s faces sure shown more than concern to what Logan could reply ・ it was a rather interesting... dreafull fear.

"Naw," he only grunted. Anything else he wanted to say, out of respect for the Professor and Captain America, he kept for himself.

The Wasp started babbling once again, and Scott tugged on his psychic link with Jean for rescue from total boredom induces comatose.

Sadly for him, Jean Grey was to busy trying to ignore Hawkeye eyeing her in a way ・ hopefully ・ Scott couldn・t witness.

"So, Jean. I can call you Jean, right?" he asked her.

"It・s mine name," she blantly retorted, meaning to sound cold enough that he would stop bugging her. The ruby-glasses on Scott・s face flickered a split second.

"So, Captain..." started Jubilee, not even sure what she wanted to say.

He smiled at her. "You can call me Steve."

She stared at him as in a trance, her mind chanting his name.

"What did you want to ask me, Jubilee?" he asked.

"Ye・re drooling, kid," warned Logan.

"Why... you! I am sooooo not drooling! " she cried out, outraged.

***********

At the other end of the table, back to the Professor, Scott and the Wasp.

"So, professor, how do you like living in the country? I saw a picture of your estate. Such a cute summer house," she started.

"A summer house?" blinked Scott.

"You must be thinking of someone・s else house, miss," corrected the Professor.

"Would I? I checked just this morning in our files. Isn・t it this cute brick house on Greymalkin Drive, Westchester?" she asked.

~ I know what you think, Scott. But please, let・s pretend it・s a summer house and not a mansion. ~

~ But, professor. It IS a mansion! ~

~ SIGH ~

Jarvis served the wine.

"You must have plenty of servants there. Just out of curiosity, how many?," she continued.

"Five," answered the Professor. Who was she to think of them as paysants?

Scott chocked on his wine. Wolverine couldn・t refrain laughing at the Professor・s absolute lie. He never knew Chuck had it in him. But hey, this Wasp was really getting into their nerves, even Xavier・s!

**********

Jarvis served the meal, starting by the women, then the male guests, then the Avengers. Hawkeye, not being a woman nor the leader of the Avengers, was thus served the last.

Jean stared at her plate. She caught a distress call on her psychic link with her fiance.

~ Jean?!! ~

~ Scott, not now. For once, I envy you to be blind! ~

~ I am not technically blind, Jean. Everything・s kinda pink, that・s all. ~ he corrected her.

~ And I wish I saw it pink, oh gee, do I wish! ~

Jean took a bite. And choked on it.

Jubilee felt a sudden warm engulf her and all her appetite vanished. She GLARED at her plate, mouth open.

"ACK!!!!!" she yelled.

"What is it, Jubilee?" asked Jean, struggling to process the infamous thing in her mouth.

"It moved!" she pointed at the lettuce in her plate.

"I am sure it didn・t move, child," cut in the Wasp. " Jarvis would never let a live snail in your plate," she added in a very ・ even more than usual ・ snob voice.

"Snail?" growled Wolverine, who hadn・t looked at his plate yet. THAT was the nasty smell around.

He pushed his plate aside. So does Jubes. Hey, who said Wolvie wasn・t smart?

Jarvis was serving the next plate and the X-Men were now almost sweaty in apprehension. The professor, aware of their state of mind, very rarely sensed them so stressed. They glared at their plates.

~ OK. Someone tell me what it is! ~ mentally screamed Jean to the other X-Men, opening a total link with them all.

~ Hrm. Looks like... I have no clue, Jean, ~ came in from Scott.

~ Doesn・t seem to move ~ assured Jubes, poking at the flat and drab piece in her plate to make sure.

~ Crap ~ supplied Wolverine.

~ X-Men! That will be enough! Please, act civilized? ~ admonished the Professor.

"Excellent, Javis," complimented the Wasp. "You are the best when it comes to cook tripes."

"Thank you, Madam Wasp."

~ OK! I want to know what is TRIP or whatever before I eat it! ~ mentally cried out Jean.

~ I have no clue, Jean.~ answered Scott, a look of fear in his face.

~ Sounds French to me. To bad the Cajun...~ started Jubes, but the thing in her plate got the most of her attention.

~ Logan! You know a bit of French!!! TELL ME!!! ~ ordered a frantic Jean Grey.

~ You don・t wanna know, Red. ~

~ WE WANT TO KNOW!!!~ mentally yelled the X-Men, even the professor.

~ If I recall, tripe is.... cow stomaches. ~

Sweat could be seen on the professor very bald head. Scott turned an interesting shade of red that matched his ruby-glasses. Jean gulped down her full glass of wine. Jubilee hyperventilated.

Logan laughed.

*********

Chapter Five

The Wasp started to eat, so did Captain America. The X-Men ・ Jean, Scott, the professor, Jubilee and Wolverine ・ kept staring at their plates. Althought Jean Grey had keep the link opened between them, not a single thought was shared. Their minds were simply... blank.

Without warning, the archer known as Hawkeye called Jarvis.

"Yes, master Clint?"

"Looks t'me Jane [that's the Wasp] overdid herself again. Bring me a bowl of chili," he ordered, handing his untouched plate to the butler.

"Clint! How dare you......" cried out an outraged Wasp.

"C'mon Waspy. I'm a man, y'know, I need real food! Hey, wouldn't want this perfect body o' mine to get ruined." He looked at Jarvis. "Chili, Jarv."

"We have guests! You will eat as everyone or..."

"Enough, both of you," ordered Captain America. "Jarvis, bring Clint his chili so he will shut up. Wasp, I'm surprised you still fall for Hawkeye's teasing..."

"Teasing? He is practically ruining this dinner...." she objected.

"No, he is not. Just ignore him, would you? Now, let's calm down and eat," sooted Captain America.

The Wasp shut a killing look at Hawkeye, who blew her a kiss.

**********

Jarvis brought the archer a bowl of chili con carne and put it in front him. Hawkeye started wolfing down the spicy meal.

That actual spicy meal smelled very very good to the X-Men, reduced at nibbling at their *tripes*, feeling very unlucky, looking for anyway to NOT eat it.

"I apologize to you all," started the Wasp. "Hawkeye can be such an immature man sometimes."

"Hey, heard that!" warned Clint between spoonfulls of chili.

~ Well, is it just me? I sure would be called immature for a bowl of chili right now! ~ commented Scott.

~ The smeel of that chili is killin' me ~ mentally yelled Jean Grey.

~ I wonder if *Steeeeeeeeeeeve* likes chili... ~ wondered Jubilee.

~ Ye're droolin', kid ~ groaned Wolverine.

"And," added the Wasp. "It is sometimes just plainly unbearable the way he acts. Even with Jarvis here, Clint insists on cooking his own meal. This very *thing*" she pointed at the bowl of chili, "is actually made by him."

~ As long as there's no tripes in it... OOPS ~ unwillingly broadcasted the Professor.

"And it's perfect that way, Waspy. Hey, ate so much of yer damn French cuisine already. Gee, I can't even pronouce half of them meals," he laughed.

"Which doesn't surprise me at all, Clint," shout back the outraged Wasp. She turned to Captain America. "Am I not right, Steve?"

Captain America slowly raised his head, looked at everyone, then stopped on the Wasp. His handsome face then turned to the bowl of chili before Hawkeye. Then he stared at his plate.

~ Whatch Cap ~ knowingly commented Logan.

~ I only do that!... OOPPS! MAJOR OOPS! Hate telepathy sometimes! ~ Jubilee thought.

"Jane. Since we are on the subject, and despite our guests's presence... I'm with Clint, here," he said.

"Yeah, ol' man. Hit 'em high and hard!" laughed the archer.

"YOU WHAT?!!!!" shouted the Wasp, sending her glass of wine rolling on the table.

"Jane..."

"I have no idea why I work so hard to make that place a decent one! You have no taste, no manners, no civility at all!" she ranted. "Hopefully, the X-Men are civilized people and THEY can appreciate real fine cuisine!"

~ Darn! ~ sighed Scott.

~ Gimme chili, Steeeeeeeeeeeve... and I'll be yours.... OOPS! SORRY! Damn link! ~ Jubilee turned a bright shade of red.

~ Professor, maybe you could... I dunno.... just *hint* something to that Wasp's mind? ~ tried Jean, blushing at the suggestion.

~ I'm gonna kill him for his chili ~ growled Wolverine.

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

Chapter Six

The Wasp, well aware of her guests staring at her outburst, sat back on her chair and composed herself.

"Hawkeye's food should be put on top of the Most Toxic list. What he calls *chili con carne* is positively infect. No normal human being..." she explained.

"We're mutants, Waspy," reminded her Logan.

"Oh... huh... right. What I meant is..." she babbled.

"What you meant is, you put yer foot in yer big trap, Jane," cut in Hawkeye.

"I apologize if I offended you," offered the Wasp.

"There is no need to, madam," smiled the professor. "Actually... We, at our *summer house*, are running some tests on the mutants' ability to ingest every kind of food."

~ What are you talking about, professor? ~ asked a puzzled Scott.

~ Must be referring to the Cajun's cooking ~ smirked Wolverine.

"Really? How interesting," stated the Wasp, not interested a bit.

"And you would help us very much, if we could test this *toxic* chili con carne," finished Xavier, crossing his fingers under the table.

~ Oh! ~

~ Way to go, Chuck! ~

"Hey, my chili ain't toxic!" cried out Hawkeye.

"Oh, I'm sure it is. Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you smell from that chili?" asked the professor.

"It's the toxiest thing I ever smelled," answered Wolverine, smirking at the archer in front of him.

Xavier turned to the Wasp. "Would you agree for us to taste it?" he asked hopefully.

"I warn you, it is.... Oh well. Jarvis, bring a bowl of chili. Who will taste it?" asked the Wasp.

~ ONE bowl? ~ blinked Scott.

~ It's mine!!!!!!!!! ~ yelled Jubilee.

~ GROWL ~

"I'm sure you understand that this test should be ran on as many mutants as possible..." hinted the professor.

"But of course," replied the Wasp. "Jarvis, please bring chili for our guests," she ordered the butler.

*********

10 minutes later, all the X-Men, but Jubilee, had wolfed down their chili. Moderatly satiated, they began to relax a bit. Praises keep telepatly flowing to the X-Men's mentor for his uncanny way to provide them with something to eat.

Captain America had finally finished his plate of tripes. Although his face keep unmoved, he couldn't help but to glance at Jubilee's bowl of chili. His intention was obvious: he wanted to share it with her.

Which Jubes noticed as well. Clutching at her not-yet-finished meal, she glared at Captain America.

"Look, Steeeeeeeeve. I really like ye..." she hesitated.

"And what?" he asked, hopefully.

"This chili is like, mine. M.I.N.E. So stop lookin' at it, OK????????" she almost yelled in his face.

"Please excuse her, Captain America. It's probably a side effect," sooted the Professor.

~ Side effect my #$@, Chuck. The kid's starvin' ~

~ We all are, Logan. ~ stated Scott, glaring at his now empty bowl.

~ I remember.... Gambit's gumbo.... ~ sniffled Jubes.

~ T'wasn't half-bad ~ commented Wolverine.

~ We have to get outta here, and fast ~ stated Jean.

~ Watch me ~

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

Prologue

Wolverine leaned back on his chair. He slowly put his right fist on the table, a claw slowly extending. Very, veeeeeeeeeeery slowly extending.

"It's starting," commented the Professor.

"What is starting?!!" shrieked the Wasp.

"You shouldn't be concerned, Wasp. He always does that. His healing factor must cope with the toxines," explained Jean Grey to a frightened Wasp.

"It usually last what.... a few minutes," commented Scott nonchalantly.

"Last time, it lasted like, 2 hours before we could shake him out of it..." added Jubilee.

The Wasp glared with horor as Wolverine started to slowly, very slowwwwwwwly cut his left arm, the closest to the Wasp.

She jumped in horor as the blood covered Wolverine's arm. The wound soon healed, so he started it all again, adding a snarl.

~ I give her... hrm... 5 minutes ~ bet Jean.

~ Jean, stop betting on everything! ~ admonished her fiance.

*********

10 minutes later, the X-Men were gathered in their car, heading back to the summer house... huh... mansion.

"Hrm... I wonder why she screamed after we left?" wondered Jean Grey.

"She's in love with Wolvie," laughed Jubilee.

"GROWL"

"Naw... must be the snails I hide in her coat," explained Scott.

"Please, my X-Men! I do need to concentrate...."

"What for, professor?" asked Jean.

"Logan, turn right on the next street, hurry!" ordered Xavier.

The car responded as Wolverine hit the gas.

The X-Men grunted as the car took the curve, then the next on the left, and finally one on the right.

"Order, my X-Men!" shouted Xavier.

"Wow, prof. What's taken you?" yelled Jubes.

"I need your orders. Logan, stop by that drive-tru, or I promise, I'll crawl-tru!"

They finally made it to the next fast-food, safely.

 

THE FIN