Ethan Creed stared out the window of the taxi cab that carried him to the Westchester mansion that housed the X-Men. His grey eyes narrowed perceptively and he glared at a girl who gave him a strange look. Beside him, his girlfriend of three months, Jubilation Lee, slept curled against his arm, head on his shoulder.

At seventeen, she was a beautiful creature, all slender legs and hips draped in stylish clothes. Her father figure, Logan, someone he hated almost as much as his own father, Victor Creed, was waiting to meet him and Jubilee at the mansion. Ethan wrapped his arm roughly around Jubilee and she opened her painted eyes, looking around.

"We there yet?" she asked sleepily. She kissed Ethan's cheek and her head fell back against his massive shoulder.

"No. Not yet, frail." Ethan mentally swore at the language, letting it bother him about how much he sounded like his father. He couldn't help it though. He was big, as large as his father and built with the same muscles, his body proportioned the same in more places than one. His blond hair was almost waist length, pulled into a tight ponytail with the sideburns overgrown. Long deadly, menacingly sharp claws housed themselves at the edge of his fingers, ready for action and his eye teeth were meant for ripping flesh, as his father. In fact, he looked like an identical, save younger, version of Victor Creed.

His brother, Graydon, had looked more like their mother, Raven Darkholme, with Vic's temper, but Ethan Creed was pure temper and psychoses waiting to be unleashed. Jubilee scratched her nails along his lean stomach, drawing him back to the real world as the turned the corner onto Greymalkin Lane. Pulling her close, Ethan kissed her harshly, her lips bruising under his.

"Good luck..." he said, pulling away as the stopped in front of the mansion.

(Written by Nova Zion)

Ethan helped her out of the cab and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they approached the mansion. Logan was waiting on the front step. He growled at the sight of Ethan. Jubilee stepped away from him and hugged Wolverine.

"Be nice, Wolvie. He ain't 'Tooth."

"I know. He may look like him but his scent's different."

Ethan growled under his breath. The X-men were being total pains in the ass, avoiding him, giving him wary looks. He was sitting alone in the rec room when he smelled Logan approach.

"Wonderin' when ya'd show up. What do ya want?"

"I want ta warn ya that if ya ever hurt Jubilee, I'll kill ya."

Ethan shot to his feet. "I'm sick of people thinkin' I'm gonna hurt her. I care about her old man. Maybe I am a little rough sometimes but never intentionally. I don't want ta or intend ta hurt her, EVER."

(Written by Jason Barnett)

Jubilee groaned as she walked into yet another confrontation between Wolvie and Ethan. She had known Wolvie was gonna blow a gasket, and the phone ripped off the kitchen wall told her what had happened when she'd called to give him the news.

She knew Ethan wasn't as much like his father as he looked, 'cause being stranded four months in the Amazon with a guy really gave you the chance to get to know him. The only thing she didn't know was how to make Wolvie see that. Maybe she could beat it into him. Then again, Cyclops might not appreciate the blood, and she really didn't feel like a lecture.

"C'mon, Ethan, we're going for a walk." she said, grabbing his arm and exiting before Wolverine could say anything.

"Yer old man doesn't like this," he growled softly into her ear.

"He'll get over it when he sees the baby."

"Jubilee, yer not..."

"No, but that look on your face was, like, priceless." She giggled, and snuggled deeper into his shoulder as they walked along the lake. It was strange, they both knew that. The old saying about beauty taming the beast, Ethan swore it was true. And Jubilee accepted him, the way he never had been before. "You know, Wolvie and Sabretooth really aren't all that different. It's just that one of them chose the good side. But I didn't say that, okay? It's vaguely blasphemous."

"I'll deny it with my last breath, Jubes."

This was the side of him she wished he'd show the X-Men. The caring side, the one she knew would always protect her. But he was always so defensive. He felt he had something to prove. It didn't help that the others thought he did too. He had already been threatened with severe bodily damage by Wolvie, Cyclops, Remy, and even Bobby. No one was happy about their relationship.

The figure that had been following them for the last few days wasn't either. Most of the X-Men thought Jubilee was going to be hurt. And the mysterious figure 'knew' Jubilee was going to be hurt.

(Written by Janie)

Ethan pulled Jubilee down beside him on the rocks they stopped on and they sat together in the sun, watching some ducks on the pond. Ethan pulled the elastic from his hair and shook it out, letting the straight spun gold swing over his shoulder. Jubilee pulled her sunglasses off her eyes and pushed her bangs back, using them as a headband.

"I'm sorry the X-Men aren't accepting ya Ethan." Jubilee said, pulling off her ever-present yellow jacket to sit on the hot rocks.

"S'okay. I know I look like my old man and even act like him sometimes. I wish I didn't, but ya can't change it. I'm sorry if I ever hurt ya..." Ethan turned to Jubilee and picked up her hand. Kissing her, he leaned forward gently.

"At least they gave us Angel and Betts old room t' share. After the lecture o' course..." Jubilee blushed a bit and backed away smiling.

"Yeah. I thought I'd have t' take 'em all on to be able t' share a room." Ethan back off, shifting around to be comfortable. His muscles rippled as he stretched his neck out and sniffed the air, as Jubilee had seen Logan do several times. "Wanna take a swim? No one around..."

"Sure..." Jubilee pulled at her dress as Ethan shed his shirt like a second skin. Dragging off his jeans, Jubilee threw her dress on some bushes and walked to the water's edge left in her underwear. Ethan followed behind her in boxers and they stopped at the edge of the slope. Ethan dove into the water in a perfect arc and Jubilee stood and watched for a moment until he came up for air. "All clear, no rocks!"

Jubilee jumped into the water and came up in Ethan's arms, sputtering, ebony locks plastered to her face. Treading water, Ethan pulled her to him closely and kissed her, his eye teeth scraping flesh and his nails biting into her skin, though not piercing it.

(Written by Nova Zion)

"Surrender?"

Jubilee laughed as she splashed Ethan; he had cornered her into a rock. The way she saw it, she only had two choices. She could give up, or fight. Well, maybe she only had one choice.

"Never!"

Who would have won in the end was never determined, because Monet's telepathic voice was suddenly in her head.

*Jubilee, where are you?*

*Out in the pond. When did you guys get back? Never mind. Monet, what is it? I'm kinda busy.*

*Is Ethan with you? You need to come back to the mansion. Now.*

*Yeah, he is. Monet just tell me. Then *I'll* decide whether or not I gotta come back.*

Even telepathically, Monet's voice was tight. *Fine. Wolverine was found unconscious, in the woods, about half-way out to where you are now.*

*Is Wolvie okay?*

*He has been attacked, but he should be fine in a few hours.*

*Who was it?*

*As of now we can only assume, but Jean seems to think-*

*Out with it Monet!*

*Sabretooth. And Jubilee, it seems Wolverine was not his primary target.*

(Written by Janie)

Ethan pushed Jubilee back against the rock and kissed her again. Jubilee wrapped her arms around his neck, but she stared ahead, absorbed in something. Pulling away, he looked at Jubilee quizzically, his blond hair dripping as it pooled around them in the water. He panted slightly, excited by the play-fight that had been going on and nudged at her foot under the water, trying to grab her attention.

"What is it?" he asked, suspicious. "Did I hurt ya?"

"Uh...no...we've got to go Ethan. Sabertooth is on the grounds and he's hurt Wolvie..." Jubilee began to swim for the closest low rock and Ethan stopped her, grabbed her waist and pulled himself up by sheer strength, dropping her lightly on the rock.

"Comes in handy sometimes." Ethan wrapped his shirt around his waist and carried his jeans, resembling a swimmer in trunks at the beach. Jubilee tied her dress around her waist, knowing she looked like she was in a bikini. Thank good she'd thought to wear the 'almost' bathing suit/underwear set Jean had given her. Running for the mansion through the bush, Ethan stayed close behind, his hulk covering her, his head lifted to sniff to air. Pausing a moment, Jubilee continued on, hands raised.

"Wait!" he cried out, reaching to grab her wrist. Too late. Sabretooth dropped from a tree above, landing five feet in front of her. "Get lost Creed."

"Now, now...aren't ya even gonna say hi to yer daddy?" Sabretooth snarled, a growl rumbling in his throat as he chuckled.

(Written by Nova Zion)

"This is gonna be fun. I get ta hurt the runt, his walkin' mouth of a sidekick, an' my no good kid all at once."

(Written by Jason Barnett)

Sabretooth growled and his hand flicked out and grabbed Jubilee's wrist. Pulling her close to him, he dragged an adamantium claw across her arm and sneered.

"And don't think it ain't gonna hurt somethin' fierce..." he snickered as he licked the blood from her shoulder. Grabbing both her hands as she opened them into attack mode, he closed them and held them still with one hand as he punched his son in the stomach with his other, claws out, digging deep.

"I told yer mother t' keep ya away from me when she left. Guess yer as stupid as me." he yelled at Ethan, stepping on his throat menacingly. "I didn't even mean t' get to Logan first, he just happened t' be there." He held Jubilee up a bit. "And she's another bonus."

"Leave the kid's alone Creed." Wolverine called out dangerously, stepping into the clearing. He neared them with a limp and fading scratches determined the fight that had taken place earlier.

Dropping Jubilee's hands, Sabretooth moved his arm to twine it around her waist and dug his nails into her left hip, his super-sensitive hearing picking up her whimper of pain. She raised her hands as much as she could, though his arm pinned them to her sides, and released a blast of liquid fire.

"Let me go!" she screamed, sinking her teeth into his arm. Copper blood filled her mouth and she spat it out, the crimson running down her face. Sabretooth growled and grabbed her hair, pulling it back harshly to breaking point. Jubilee felt her neck stretch to it's limits and knew he'd break it in a moment.

Logan moved to help Ethan as their healing factor's fixed the damage inflicted on both. Close as he was to fading out and letting unconsciousness take over, Logan rolled the boy over and watched him choke up blood as Jubilee struggled with Sabretooth.

"Something ain't right..." Logan whispered to Ethan. "He hates me an' Jubes. He shoulda gutted her in a minute...it's not right."

"See ya later Logan. Say bye-bye to daddy Ethan!" Sabretooth turned and high-tailed it with Jubilee through the forest. He heard Logan and Ethan take off after him, the two men crying out in rage. The other X-Men were honing in on him too, their scents becoming stronger. Lucky for him, he'd stashed the mini-jet close by. Jumping into the jet, he threw Jubilee against the wall hard enough to knock her unconscious. He hit the commands for auto-pilot and cloaking shields and knelt over the young girl as the plane took off.

"Look's like it's just you an' me fer a few hours frail...ain't no one gonna take my bait away..." Sabretooth chuckled and lifted the small body, moving her to a sitting position. Snapping a Genoshan power collar on her, he sneered at her and lifted her to the power-damper restraints on the walls. Locking her in, he sat back and scanned his eyes over her tiny, day-glo dressed frame, wondering why someone like his son would be drawn to her of all people.

Well, he thought to himself as he rested on her body structure, I know one thing that would get my attention...

He heard the Blackbird over the com-link in her dress pocket and reached in to take the little piece of machine out. Crushing it in his paws, the last voice he heard was Ethan's, calling for her to come over the link.

(Written by Nova Zion)

Jubilee woke up shackled and with an inhibitor collar around her neck.

"Hey, frail."

"Creed," Jubilee growled, "Wolvie and Ethan are gonna kill ya fer this."

"Not if I do it first. I've finally started usin' my brain."

"What d'ya mean?"

"I mean I'm thinkin'. I got two more collars like that one. This is one a Sinny's old bases. Place is a freakin' maze. Got air vents ta get rid of yer scent. They'll have ta split up ta find ya. I'll get each one separate then rip 'em up good. 'Fore they can heal too much I'll strap the collars on an' bring 'em here."

He popped a single claw and touched Jubilee's throat. She prepared herself for death but wouldn't flinch in front of him. Sabretooth pulled it back. "Then I'll slit yer throats an' let ya all die together."

(Written by Jason Barnett)

"Pretty smart Creed." was all she could mumbled as his hand wrapped around her throat menacingly and squeezed a bit.

"I thought so." he growled, his nose touching hers.

"I didn't even know ya had a brain in that fat head o' yours." Sabretooth snarled dangerously and bared his teeth.

"Watch it frail, or I'll gut ya and leave ya fer them to find dead."

"What's the difference? You said you'd kill me anyway." she muttered back, staring into his eyes. The blue had a tinge around the color and they shook with the control he had to exert in trying not to follow her orders.

"Not now. I'd rather watch ya struggle fer a bit first." he backed off and sat at a spinning high-backed chair, slightly off white, as was the computer desk that slid out of the wall on his barked command. He crossed his legs, propping them on the desk, and smirked at her as she struggled less than two feet away.

(Written by Nova Zion)

The X-men were preparing a battle plan to rescue Jubilee. Ethan and Logan stared at them through the door.

"Too much talk, not enough action," Ethan growled.

"Yer tellin' me kid. C'mon." he led him down to the hangar. "Squeeze in. These mini-jets don't have a lot a room."

The two of them left the X-men behind to rescue Jubilee.

(Written by Jason Barnett)

"Where did Ethan and Logan...?" Scott spun around at the sound of a mini-jet in the hangar down the hall sounding up and taking off. "Dammit! Come on, we'll discuss more in the Blackbird."

Victor leaned back in his chair, intrigued with Jubilee's escape method. Which was none. She girl had given up fighting against the bonds and was now just staring at him with hate.

"Can't get enough of me girl, now ya gotta stare?" he asked, standing to go to a light that had just started blinking.

"Bite me, Creed."

"Keep it up and I will." he taunted, pressing the button. A hologram screen filled up empty space before him and a panicked face twirled around.

"Ya...ya see...in' this boss ...?" the speech was broken and the line for the hologram was making the picture scramble even as the person on the other end hit the machine she was in front of. "They...'re here...for her and...they're ready..."

"How the heck did ya get Birdy to come back to life Creed?" Jubilee spat at him as the image swirled and the color faded to black and white, then flicked back on.

"Isn't she a good clone? Thing is, she's also more obedient. If I said die, she would. Better than the real thing." Creed pressed what appeared to be a block in the wall. A shrill alarm sounded and red lights began to flick off their strobes across the walls and floor. "Now they'll think they've tripped an alarm and messed up."

"Creed, it isn't going to be that easy to kill us all. For one thing, there's now two people almost exactly like you out there and me once they get me loose." Jubilee strained against her bonds to see the hologram as it began to fade out, the machine getting the brunt of the action where ever they were in the base. For a brief second, she saw gun fire go by and then Birdy pushing the hologram screen towards Ethan. Jubilee saw Ethan for a total of two seconds before the machine was shredded by plasma blasts, and she was pretty sure he saw her too in the fading screen by the expression on his face.

(Written by Nova Zion)

Logan and Ethan were desperately trying to avoid the defenses to get to Jubilee.

"So how'd ya get a place like this, Creed?"

"Just a matter a doin' favors fer the right people."

"So who's the right people?"

"One a the favors is not sayin' who, frail."

(Written by Jason Barnett)

Ethan grunted as he hit the ground. Jumping up, he took off again only slightly behind Wolverine. *I'm gonna kill him*, he thought to himself. *It end's this time*.

Logan was pretty much thinking the same thing.

"They've gotten pretty far", Victor muttered. Then he grinned. They would never get past the last defense. "Come'ere frail. We gotta move to different ground." he growled, grabbing Jubilee. Jubilee let herself be dragged. She was not going to give him any help in pulling her away. Finally he turned and threw her over his shoulder.

They ended up in another small room and he threw her back into a chair, tied up. "They'll kill you this time, Creed. Especially Ethan." Jubilee seethed to Victor. Creed only slightly turned around.

"Oh, I don't think so. That boy ain't got it in him to beat me. When I first heard 'bout him and you, I wondered what the hell he wanted in you. Now, it's obvious that you've done a little growing up, frail." the large man chuckled and slipped a hand up her leg, and running it over her bare inner thigh. Jubilee continued glaring and pulling away as far as she could in her position.

Just then, Logan and Ethan both burst into the room.

(Written by Lucy)

"What's the matter Creed? Ya can't find a girl old enough to date ya?" Logan slashed his heavy metal claws across his enemy's back, digging deep and hard even as he began to heal. Creed pulled back from Jubilee long enough to grab the girl and hold her against him.

"I was just explaining that to the frail here. I thought about what a pup like my kid would want with this brat and then figured, she musta changed from the last time I saw her. Sure enough, here she is, in the flesh and pretty damn hot." Creed chuckled and cupped her face in his massive paw. His other hand twined around her waist and slipped down to her hip as she struggled.

"'Dad' you've got an awful lotta guts to be touching her like that." Ethan lunged at his father and Victor's claws sprung out, stopping over her chest as his son stopped in his tracks.

(Written by Nova Zion)

"Uh-uh, boy," he growled, stepping back. "Ya come any closer, an' yer girlfriend gets it." He started edging towards the door, a gleam in his eye.

Ethan snarled, "What? Aren't you man enough to fight me? One on one?"

(Written by Jen)

Jubilee felt the claws pierce her belly lightly at first and then pull back before springing away. Fresh blood rolled down her legs, onto the floor below as he poised his hand against the flesh over her heart roughly.

"I swear, the next time ya come close to me, I show ya her beating heart." Victor chuckled and scratched a crude 'X' over her chest, dropping his other hand to her thigh to hold her still.

"She's become quite a pretty little frail hasn't she Ethan?" Victor kissed her cheek. "She must be one helluva good gal to ya."

"Shut up old man." Ethan lunged at him and his claws pierced her flesh, but not far enough to maim before Logan attacked from the other side. Jubilee's breath flew from her body as she landed hard on the floor, and Ethan kneeled down beside her, the blood from her wounds pooling at his knees. Battle cries and growls sounded through the small room as he rolled his lover over gently as she groaned, fresh blood gurgling to her lips.

"J, I'm so sorry." he helped her to sit up, scooping her into his arms as he retreated to the door.

"Don't...don't go...without...Wolvie." she moaned, clutching her bleeding bare belly. She still wore her day-glo underwear, the orange shining in the light from the flourescent bulbs overhead. Ethan whistled at his lover's father, motioning to lead the fight back again.

Ahead of him, Birdy was leading an attack against them, the forces flowing behind in large numbers. Jubilee cried out in pain as the three of them spun around, Victor lunging after them with Birdy behind with the soldiers.

"Attack!"

(Written by Nova Zion)

Ethan was preparing to lunge for his father when Logan held him back.

"The first time I took him on after he got his adamantium I got my ass kicked. Ya can't handle him without it. I got mine back. Keep Jubes safe." He leapt at his oldest enemy, claws outstretched while Ethan slashed viciously at the men Sabretooth had hired. Jubilee pulled one hand away from her stomach and paffed them. Birdy attempted to use her rather meager telepathy to enter their minds but collapsed in agony. The X-men had arrived.

"Let em take care of ya darlin'," Ethan told Jubilee. He wanted to help Logan rip out Sabretooth's heart.

(Written by Jason Barnett)

"Hi Ev. It's nice to see you. Whaddya bring me?"

"Chocolates."

"I'll love you forever."

"If I'd have known that's all it would take....."

"Hank won't let me have anything but tofu and wheat germ. Tofu and wheat germ for seven days straight plays tricks with your mind."

Ethan tried to smile as he watched Jubilee and Everett but it turned into a wordless snarl. He didn't want them to know he was lurking in the doorway while they talked. He tried to ignore the jealousy, but this little voice in the back of his mind whispered how much better Ev would be for her. Everett Thomas didn't have a deranged father who tried to gut his son's girlfriend. As it was, Jubilee was confined to her bed for three weeks.

Ethan could be thankful his father had a well-developed sense of self-preservation. Wolverine had gone after him, but when he saw how the tide of the battle had changed Sabretooth had run. Fast. But no one knew where he had went, or why he had attacked in the first place. Or if he'd be back.

Meanwhile Ethan hadn't had two minutes with Jubilee since she had been rushed to the Med Lab and stitched up. It was like the X-Men had set up guard duty, to make sure Jubilee was never alone with him. When he was with any of the X-Men, he could see the fear in their eyes. As he watched Jubilee and Ev laugh Ethan felt fury build inside him. Usually Jubilee could make him calm again with a word or a look. But maybe this time the X-Men were right to be afraid.

(Written by Janie)

Everett glanced over at him. "Hey Ethan. Didn't notice you there."

"I've been here a while."

"So did you get a shot at your dad during the fight?"

"No, he ran before I could gut the SOB."

"Tough luck. Next time you see him give him one for me. No one tries to kill my best friend and gets away with it. I'll let you two be alone for a while." He gave Jubilee a friendly peck on the cheek.

Ethan was staring in slack-jawed shock. "That's the first time they left ya 'lone with me in ages."

"Because I'm the X-men's baby member, an' always will be, so someone's always wantin' ta be here with me. And Hank set up a two people at a time limit. Now come here an' gimme a kiss. I've wanted some privacy for ages."

(Written by Jason Barnett)

Ethan sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned over to kiss Jubilee, holding her face in his huge hands. Bringing one hand up, she pulled a strand of hair out of his face and smiled as he sat back, still kissing her. Finally, he let her catch her breath and pulled away, still holding one of her hands.

"Did ya miss me?" Ethan chuckled as she blushed. Admitting true feelings to someone was not her 'thing', even to her lover.

"I missed ya." she muttered. Laughing a bit, she handed him a piece of chocolate and another kiss. "Ev brought chocolate."

"Now here I was thinking yer only supposed to have tofu. I guess I'll have to cancel the healthy food gift basket." he kidded, chewing the toffee filled chocolate chunk thoughtfully. "I got ya a gift, J. It's in the hall, so wait a minute."

Jubilee sighed and lay back, holding her stomach carefully. Ethan slipped down off the medical bed and went into the hallway. Upon his return, he had one hand behind his back and shut the door forcefully with the other.

"Close yer eyes." She did as she was directed until he pulled out her hand and she felt a velvet box in it. "Open."

A small black-blue necklace box was in her hand. Opening the latch, she saw a silver choker with a small inset of emeralds where it would fall at the hollow of her throat. Looking up, Ethan reached out to fasten it around her neck.

"I love you J. You are beautiful and kind and you're the only person who's seen past what I look like and instead looked at me like a real person. And I'm sorry for the pain it's put you through." Ethan dropped his head down to kiss her stomach and then raised his head to kiss her lips. "I never thought he'd hurt you to get to me, and maybe I'm not so good to have around here..."

"No, don't say that. I love ya Ethan and I'm going to be okay. I've gotten worse blows than this." Jubilee stopped and grabbed his hand. "Don't leave me."

"I wasn't counting on it so long as you said you love me." he grinned and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her small frame to him. "I'm asking the doc to move ya up to our room."

"Yes! I hate staying in medical rooms, even the Med Lab." she nodded against his shoulder and then wiped a tear away. "I love ya."

Hank opened the door to the Med Labs without knocking, simply walking in and over to the bed. "Hey Doc, think we can move her up to our room?" Ethan moved off the bed as Hank came to check her vital signs.

"Yes. But I must warn you. There is to be no horseplay in private or otherwise that could harm her while she is healing." Hank gave a stern look to the young man before him and then to a Jubilee who was desperately trying to hold back giggles.

"We promise. No horseplay allowed." Ethan moved to help lift her up as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Heading into the hallway, Hank told them to go straight to their bedroom.

(Written by Nova Zion)