Untitled Document

Seasoned: Parts 5-6

Okay, standard disclaimers once again. I don't own these characters, Marvel does. I use them without permission and, as with all my fanfics, I am making NO MONETARY GAIN from this whatsoever. So please no litigation.

The only characters Marvel doesn't own are Jane Winchester, Natalie and Paul, and David and Sumeeta.

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

Thanks much to 'Issa for her constant encouragement. Much thanks also to all the peeps that have responded with reviews so far, because without it, I see no reason to continue posting this story.

Respite

Sumeeta Karamshi had come a long way for a girl raised in a small village in India. Her mutant powers of shape shifting were similar to Mystique's. However, her appearance was nothing of the kind. The only thing that could have possibly given it away that she was a mutant was her eyes. Also similar to Mystique's, they had a yellow cast to them. But rather than seeming unnatural, they set off her Indian features and made her look uncommonly beautiful, as opposed to simply beautiful.

And for David Heisler, Natalie and Paul's Uncle and only living relative, Sumeeta also meant love at first sight. Of course, he had no idea what he was getting into.

Like his brother, David had fallen for a mutant. With Nat and Paul's mom, it was obvious. The woman was orange from head to toe, eyes included. Not that she wasn't a looker. The Heisler boys always did have a weakness for pretty girls. But like Paul, you knew she was a mutant and you knew it from a distance. Sumeeta had the advantage of staying hidden.

What did she do with that advantage? Nothing. She was a rebel from the word go. She had been an outspoken member of a charity group whose goal was to educate and abolish the caste system in small backwards villages throughout India, wherever it was still found. And as soon as her powers manifested themselves, she lost most of her human friends and became a rebel. 'Untouchables' her buddies could handle. But mutants? That was another question.

Her travels took her to Oklahoma, the hotbed of mutant controversy at the time, where she met one David Heisler. They fell in love. Davy was forced to leave Oklahoma and the paper after the destruction of Jubilee's underground railroad. He gave up the double-agent business and chose a less dangerous one: plain old rebel. Finding a place where their services were needed, they left for Mongolia. It didn’t take long before he found Jubes again, and told her what was going on. He requested her help, and she agreed to it, no details necessary.

That was well over a month ago, when Jubilee was still staying at the mansion. They made the arrangements quickly between them, and she was on her way. When Jubes stopped receiving eMails from David, she assumed that he was just trying to lay low and wait for her arrival.

"David, what shall we do?" Sumeeta's delicate accented English had grown nervous over the last few weeks, compared to its normal soft and calm. It made David's heart sink when he heard it, because he felt he had dragged her into this mess. "Better she should turn back now, than fall into a snake pit with us."

"If I know Jubes, seeing us in a snake pit will only ensure that she'll jump in. Besides, she's probably at the cargo docks already, waiting for the ship." Frustrated, Sumeeta sighed, and turned away from him. David got up from the ratty chair he was sitting in and rubbed her shoulders, trying to reassure her. "Susie, darling… if she turns back now… with the way things are anymore, she'd be in as much danger if she continued on to Mongolia."

"Yes, but she won’t be coming into the same situation you told her about. This operation has completely soured! We are in hiding, David, we are not helping anything now. The FOH is in control already and there is nothing that a little rebel faction like us can accomplish!"

Sumeeta wiped angrily at the tears that fell from her eyes. They stared out of the window of the abandoned warehouse they were holed up in. Everywhere they went in Mongolia was a risk now. The FOH, along with some as yet unknown faction, was spreading its feelers out and slowly taking control of the planet. Only in rat-infested little holes like holes like the town they were stuck in really knew what was going on. Oklahoma was just the beginning. Whoever this silent partner was, they had money, power and resources. They were winning.

"She will die here, if she comes… like we shall." Sumeeta sobbed, so unlike the woman David knew she was, giving into her fears.

"Susie, no," he whispered. "Don’t talk like that. We gotta keep the faith. We have to."

David held her tight, willing the fear to leave her body. But he knew as well as she did that they had to get out of there, and soon. They only reason he was making them wait was because he knew that Jubilee was on her way. Come hell or high water, she'd make it to Asia, and find them.

If they left now, there'd be nothing for Jubes to find, except more trouble than she could possibly handle on her own.

***

"Why not?"

"Just… I said no."

"But why not?"

"Logan!" Jubilee growled at him, and he had to stifle a chuckle. She was getting better at it everyday.

He was insisting on driving her up to Juneau in his Jeep as opposed to her walking the rest of the way. He had plenty of ammo to support his cause, but she was being stubborn.

"Babe, I'm gonna keep askin' until ya say yes."

"Then yer just gonna keep asking, aren't you?" She spoke conversationally, while she packed her duffle up.

Logan sighed, smiling. He knew why she was opposed to the idea, he just wanted to hear her say it. "It's growin' cold girl, and the days are gettin' short. If ya let me drive ya, we can stay here longer and have a little more fun." He gave her a sideways smile. "Plus I can get you there in two days, an' you'll have me ta keep ya warm on the way."

She stopped folding up a shirt and looked at him with an expression that said 'knock it off'.

"Wolvie, quit that. I made up my mind already."

"Why are ya being so stubborn? I'm not telling you not ta go to Mongolia. An' th advantages to doin' it this way are better." He looked at her seriously. "Are ya bein' this way just to prove you can go it alone? Cuz I already know that, Jubes."

She stopped packing, and sat down on the bed sideways so she could face him. "Yes, I'm stubborn. I also know how far away Mongolia is. This isn’t a weekend trip. It's gonna be so hard to say goodbye to you this time, and I don’t wanna do that in public." She fingered the ratty hem of her t-shirt and looked down.

Logan placed his palm on her cheek, and eventually she looked up. There were tears in her eyes. "Now, now… none o' that. Yer gonna do fine in Asia." He wiped the tears away. "I'm not worried about that. But ya can't blame me fer wantin' ta spend as much time with you as I can before ya go…"

"No, but…" She looked away again.

Logan pulled her into his lap. "I'm drivin' ya, Jubes. I'm puttin' my foot down on this one," his voice was little more than a whisper. Jubilee complied, sinking into his arms as they tightened around her, and she rested her temple on his shoulder. "I'm gonna see you safely onto that cargo ship, I'm gonna make a memorable impression on the people in charge o' yer safety, and then I'll say goodbye to you when no one else is lookin'." He tucked her hair behind her ear, and looked down into her eyes. "An' that's that."

He kissed her then, slowly at first, savoring the feel of her in his arms. Logan knew their time together was limited, so he was determined to make the most of it. But no matter how hard he fought to stay in control, to just have some more 'fun' with her… this time, his passions overwhelmed his logic.

They were pulling each other's clothes off in a maddened fashion. He shoved her half-filled duffle off of the broken bed, and laid her body down on it like treasure. She started crying before he even took her into his arms. With every word spoken, with every rough touch to her silken skin, he conveyed his message: in exchange for his, Logan meant to claim Jubilee's soul as his own.

She felt as though her very limbs were falling off. Every joint in her body was tender and alive. This was new territory for her; it was a thing that she'd read about in books and magazines, and heard about at school, but had never really believed was real. This was not sex, or love… it was not even 'commitment'.

This was conjugal possession. It was their right and their privilege as mates, and a thing that would remain private and safe between them, forever. And she had no idea just how powerful it could be. Tears streamed out of her eyes when she finally came, shaking in his arms. He whispered to her, hot and quiet, "I love you, Jubes. An' there ain't nothin' gonna change that."

His words made her head spin when his lips moved against her ear. She managed a smile, remaining silent in the attention he was giving her, because no words could match her emotional high. She simply clung to him, knowing that he not only understood her reasons for doing so, but appreciated them as well.

Finally, carefully, he removed himself from her and maneuvered her body gently so that she lay on her side, and he faced her symmetrically. Jubilee snuggled into his arms like a child, an age she had long since left behind. Her tears stopped, her breathing slowed, and she was soon drifting off.

"Please be mine…"

She whispered the words so softly that only his mutant hearing could have picked it up. "I already am, Darlin'." Logan stroked her hair until she was out, and he fell asleep right where he was, refusing to let her go.

***

The last of Jubilee's stuff was packed, mostly the things that Logan was going to take back to the mansion, to keep for her until she 'got back'. She stood outside in the cold air, staring at the little cabin with a frown. Logan tethered the back flap shut, and stood next to her. He leaned forward, watching her face.

"What is it?"

She shook her head. "Such a tiny little place. Out in the middle of nowhere, but it feels more like home to me now than anywhere else does."

He grinned, tossing an arm around her. "Weren't much of a honeymoon, but…"

"Oh!" she laughed, punching him in the arm lightly. "If that was our honeymoon then you an' me gotta have a talk!"

"What?' He teased, pulling her close against him, "You didn’t like it? You sure sounded like ya liked it, 'specially when you was screamin' out my name at two in the mornin'."

She fell silent, choosing rather to smile at him shyly and stare at his lips.

Logan's head popped up and he sniffed the air. He stiffened, and Jubilee waited.

"What is it?" She whispered.

He turned around, placing her between his body and the Jeep. Logan growled in his chest and stared at the back end of the cabin. Jubilee gasped as a huge bear came lumbering around the corner. It looked over at them, sniffed a few times, and started to answer his growls.

"Jesus! That thing's huge!" Jubes hissed.

A look of surprise passed over Logan's face. "Yeah - an' it's a male, too. Get in the fuckin' Jeep, baby." He opened the door and shoved her in. He slammed her door shut and then ran around to the other side and got in the driver's door. Before she could get a word out, Logan had the Jeep turned over and was screaming down the trail.

When they hit the dirt road, he slowed down and headed North.

"What the hell was that about?!" She laughed.

"Neighbor's kid," he muttered, straightening out the rearview mirror.

***

"What's wrong, Colonel Fury? Don’t you like ice cream?"

He stole a look at Jane. "Nicholas… likes ice cream just fine."

She giggled. "Maybe, Nicholas… it's first dates you don’t like."

He smirked. "I think ya hit a nerve, lady." Nick shifted his feet around. They were sitting on a park bench in central park of all places, eating double dips.

"Well, I'm just glad you got around to asking me out."

Fury eyed her. "Why? Don’t you do the askin'? You ain't the modern type?"

"Yes… I mean, I was. But you've read my file, I'm sure." She licked her cone, watching a couple of people walking a dog. "Relationships are not my forte."

Nick fell silent for a moment. He felt uncomfortable that she knew he had read her dossier. She seemed to be handling it well, but…

"Jane… Do ya think it's, um… that way fer you because that's just how your powers are? Or do you think it's a question of mastering them?" She looked at him, and then laughed. "What? What'd I say?"

"You called it 'powers'. That's cute."

Fury frowned. "Well, what do you call it?"

"A curse."

The lack of hesitation in her answer made him realize he didn't have to ask twice, and her next question took him completely by surprise.

"Am I an assignment, Colonel?"

"No, I assure you. I'm here because I'm interested in you personally."

"Your life is wrapped up in SHIELD. I happen to know that. I'm not trying to turn this date into a bad experience Nick, but…" She looked away from him.

"But what, Sweetheart? Just be honest with me."

"But anyone whose read my file also knows I'm not cooperating with the medical staff. I'm resistant to their little experiments. I shudder to think what they actually have planned for me." She licked her cone again, and noticed that his was starting to drip down into his fingers from neglect. Good, she thought, he's really listening to me.

"I'm not an idiot. And I can't help but think that what you are doing here, in this park, with me, has something to do with what they have planned."

Nick stared at her for a few seconds, then cursed when he saw his ice cream-covered hand. He tossed the treat in a garbage can and wiped his hands off. When he finished, he turned to face her and spoke matter-of-factly.

"Ice creams and first dates ain't SHIELD's style Jane. If they are that desperate to get you to cooperate, they don't need me to take you out fer a walk and collect data for them. You wouldn’t even be allowed outside if that were the case."

She gave him a serious look, and asked quietly, "How long do I have before that is the case, Nicholas?"

***

Not too far away at SHIELD headquarters, a man in a light blue lab coat turned up the volume on the headphones he was wearing. There were three doctors on the medical staff assigned to Jane Winchester's case. He just happened to be one of them.

He fine-tuned for the frequency of the microphone under Nick Fury's skin, and boosted the signal, because Jane Winchester's voice tended to get quiet when she was apprehensive. It was a welcome relief to the yelling she usually put him and the other doctors through on a daily basis. She didn’t yell at Nick Fury, because she liked him.

That didn't trouble the good doctor so much as the fact that Fury liked her back. The SHIELD brass had big plans for Fury that did not involve a feisty young woman with empathic abilities.

Fury knew about the subcutaneous transmitter in his neck that relayed his location; it was standard issue for all SHIELD agents to have one installed. What wasn't standard were the little modifications it had been given before the last update - namely, a short-range microphone.

Any plans the upper crust had for Nick Fury was not a thing the doctor had to worry about - not until he was told to, anyway. For now, his responsibility was to reign in Jane Winchester and make her a force to be reckoned with.

Her getting a boyfriend was only going to complicate things. Her getting a boyfriend named Nick Fury would ruin things.

He rubbed his chin in thought. He would have to do something about that, and soon.

***

When Jane got home from their date that night, she found a manila folder on her kitchen table. Someone had been inside her apartment. Whoever it was, they were friends with Nick. She smiled, reading over the hand-written note from him that was the first page.

Janie,

I'm sure you've probably guessed by now that this is a copy of your dossier. I had a friend get into your apartment while we were out and drop it off. Sorry for the spy crap, but see, I can be a good guy, huh? I hope you smiled at that.

Read it tonight, and read it all. I'm pretty sure they have your apartment bugged, so you may not want to read out loud.

That was supposed to be funny, but I know it probably freaked you out.

Jane swallowed hard and looked around her apartment suspiciously.

I'd tell you to relax, but we both know that's not what being associated with SHIELD is about. You're in it now. You'll have to deal, Jane, and I'm really sorry about that.

When you are finished, go to the basement in your apartment building and burn this entire folder in the incinerator.

For now, don’t talk about this to anyone, including me. We'll talk about it soon, when we are on a date that's further away from SHIELD than we were tonight. Those dopes even got me bugged, and they think I don’t know about it.

Pay special attention to the parts about India. I intend to get you there someday, so that your blessing can stop being such a curse.

I bet we had fun tonight. Let's do it again, okay?

-Nick

He did make her smile, because it was a great read. She was very excited and wanted to talk to him, but Jane did exactly as Nick had told her. And she never uttered a word, even while she stood there in her robe watching her past burn before her eyes.

++++++++

Just say goodnight, and not goodbye

"…and this is Captain Kikkunen; he, and his ship, are from Finland." The Russian sailor that had ushered Jubilee and Logan aboard the cargo ship gestured towards the stalwart-looking captain. The man's face was weathered from years of salt spray and sun exposure. Logan took his offered hand, and breathed in his scent; analyzing and memorizing it. So far he could detect no ill will from anyone on board. If he had, he would not be letting her pull out of a Juneau port into God knows what kind of trap. They all seemed like a hard-working group of men, out to put food on a table and kids through college, somewhere on Earth.

The Captain nodded, looking the two of them up and down. "You, Mr. Logan, I have heard about. I have contacts in Madripoor. Though your eyesight is rather different there."

Logan stiffened. He could either trust this man implicitly, or… or Jubes was coming back with him. "Yeah, it is." The Russian looked over at his captain and frowned.

"Leave us, Uri. You have done your part, and you are now to forget that you have." Smiling, the youth bowed slightly to Jubilee, and saluted the Captain. He turned on his heel and left the small, private bunk, closing the door behind him. Kikkunen waited a few moments, then he eyed Logan. "'Patch', is it not?"

Logan nodded, and Jubilee sat down on the tiny cot, tossing her duffle next to her. She looked up at Logan as he lay a hand on her shoulder. "Though there ain't but a few that know I'm one in the same."

"There are not many who know you are also a mutant." Logan and Jubes looked at each other, then back at the Captain. "Do not be alarmed. My son is one as well. There are worse things to be… like CIA, eh?" He smiled down at Jubilee, who looked so small next to the mass of hairy muscles known as Wolverine. "And your woman here - she is one as well?"

Jubilee nodded 'yes', and stood up. Logan transferred his hand to the small of her back. "My name is Jubilee, an' I guess I'm yer cargo." She held out a confident hand and the Captain shook it.

"What do you do?"

She hesitated, and looked over at Logan. "Look, Bub, I don't see what her powers-"

"Mr. Logan, this is my ship. I am not opposed to helping out a person, especially a mutant, who needs to get somewhere and stay hidden at the same time. But as it is my ship, I require that I know the potentials on my passengers with… shall we say, uncertain agendas." He glanced at Jubilee and raised his eyebrows.

"I can generate plasma bursts from my fingertips and use them as weapons and heat sources." She conveniently left out the part about being able to melt sentinels…

Kikkunen nodded. "I command a group of sailors, Miss. Many are from the more backwards nations. They are as such a very superstitious lot. Most of them do not know about your presence, but… I can assume that you will refrain from using these 'bursts' while on my ship?"

"Yes, Sir. I am here to get from one side of the ocean to the other. And that's it."

"Very good. We launch in ten minutes. Have yourself removed at that time, Mr. Logan. Uri will bring you your dinner later tonight, Miss Jubilee. Goodbye."

He shut the door behind them and they stood in silence for a moment. Jubilee finally inhaled and Logan let go the breath he was holding. She tossed thumb over her shoulder towards the door that Kikkunen exited out of. "So… can I trust him, Wolvie?"

"Yeah, babe… Yeah, we can trust him." He gave her a reproachful look and sat down on the cot. She smiled shyly and shrugged. Jubes walked over to him and leaned into his open arms, standing between his knees and cradling his face in her tiny hands.

"I'm sorry, Logan, I'm still getting used to thinking like that. Like… in twos, you know?"

"Well," he growled softly, "Get used to it faster. Shortly after I get back, me an' Kurt an' Warren are going to Germany. You stay in touch with Remy, you hear me girl? You need anything, and you contact him. Someone will be… there in a… jif…" His voice faded away as he felt the lump in his throat building. She watched as his face changed, his eyes were getting misty but his features were hardening. Softly, she dragged her thumbs across his chiseled cheekbones and her own lip began to quiver, just for a moment.

She took his chin in one hand, and pointed a finger at him with the other. "Don't," she said in a forced whisper. "Don't you start. 'Cuz if you start then I will start and then it'll get messy, and I don't wan't to have to-"

He cut off her words and pulled her face down to his, kissing her hard. Her knees went weak, and he quickly pulled her into his lap, absentmindedly rocking her as he kissed her. When he released her lips and buried his face in her hair, she let out a small cry, but forced herself to keep it together. "Listen to me, Wolverine," she swallowed and grabbed at the back of his neck. "Nobody ever watches out for you like I do. So you be careful. It won't do, havin' my fiancé gettin' himself killed." She smirked through the tears, and brushed the hair out of his eyes. All he could do was look up at her face. He was desperate to stay with her, not let her go, anything but this… but he also knew that she was determined to help her friends. He had to go back to Westchester, but not everything was about the X-Men.

"You take this," she said, wrenching off the ring he had only recently put on her finger, "And you keep it safe, so that we can put it on for good someday. I don't want some Mongolian bandit stealing it away from us." She placed the ring in his palm, and closed his fingers around it. His eyebrows knit together in regret and sorrow as he looked down at her small hands covering his much larger one. "In my heart, it'll be on my finger everyday, Wolvie, all the time."

"This ain't good enough, dammit. I shoulda dragged you to a courthouse and made it legal yesterday." He frowned again, and she could tell he was doing everything he could not to cry.

She, however, had lost it, just watching him holding back. Jubilee's lip twisted up and the tears fell freely. "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me," she sobbed. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. He hugged her in return, silent and brooding.

After awhile, she leaned back, wiping the tears from her hot cheeks and managing a smile. She kissed him a few more times, quick and sweet, and got him to smile as well.

"Just go now," she whispered. "I ain't wavin' to you from the deck. Just go on and get off the boat."

"It's a ship, Jubilation," he muttered.

"Whatever, canucklehead. Just walk away and… I'll… I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" she managed a watery smile.

He sat silent for a moment, and then nodded. Logan stood up, taking her with him. He brushed away a few more of her tears and nodded again, turning away from her. Just before he was about to open the door latch, he turned back and grabbed her to his chest. She clutched the back of his t-shirt in her fingers. Outside of the cabin, they heard the call announcing the launch.

"Don't you go an' die on me Jubes," he muttered. "I'll go nuts."

***

"Have you set up the meeting yet?" The heavy man in the black suit looked up from his cup of tea. His English accent was nearly gone, but every now and then it crept back into his voice. For some reason that the operative standing in front of him could not understand, the subtlety of the older man's accent made him even more threatening than normal. Not that there was anything normal about him.

"No, but there is time. She just stepped onto the boat."

"Ship, you mean. Have they apprehended Heisler and Karamshi yet?"

"No, sir. They are quite… slippery." The heavy man cocked an unappreciative eyebrow at the operative's expressive word. The younger man felt a chill go through him as he continued. "Your FOH plant and the Pro-Human Party reps are all in place. They have every confidence that Lee will be met by Heisler and Karamshi at the shipping dock. We can collect all three at once."

"Heisler is of no consequence, terminate him. And I do not care about Lee's fate. Kill the man, and hand Lee over to the Pro-Human Party representatives for her murder trial. As for Karamshi, no one is to mention her presence to the media, and you make sure those political tit-suckers know that. Separate her from the rest of them and bring her to me."

"Lee and Karamshi's powers will be hard to overpower, Sir. Even with our resources."

The heavy man looked up from stirring his tea. His eyes were like black stones - dead and cold. "Do I give a fuck about the challenges that your job presents you, Agent 92?"

Agent 92 cleared his throat and stood up straight. "No, Sir."

"Refresh my memory - what is it that I give a fuck about, Agent 92?"

"Results, Sir."

"You're dismissed."

The agent turned on his heel and left before it got any worse. The man with eyes of stone turned to face a monitor and called up what appeared to be a few personnel files.

These old timers… their logic is still being dick-whipped by their morals. These things must change…

***

Jubilee rolled off the cot again and puked into her bucket.

The waters in the Gulf of Alaska were not were not particularly rough that day, but for some reason she was horribly seasick. On top of feeling terrible, she was confused over the fact that she didn't get seasick. Ever.

Just your emotions, is all. You miss him. Yer makin' yerself sick, Lee.

Rationalizing it did no good. Staying away from the clam chowder did. She couldn't sleep, so she decided to re-organize her fake ID's and papers once again, and then check in with Remy. She established a live but scratchy video feed, and he was shocked at her appearance. He emailed her his patented seasickness cure, and told her to have the Captain get the cook to whip up a batch. It tasted like shit, but it did the job… for her, and for about eleven green members of the crew.

The young woman endeared herself to Captain Kikkunen that day, for that act alone. After her stomach leveled out, she was taking her meals with him in his cabin.

Her original plan to be smuggled into Vladivostok was quickly discarded. Before long, the entire crew of twenty-three seafaring men knew about her presence. She conducted fireworks shows off the bow on the clearer nights, and even got to steer the boat once.

The sailors, who were mostly Finnish, were normally a cautious and shy bunch. But they fell hard for Jubilation Lee. Now more at ease, but still a bit queasy, she was reminded of her Cajun Uncles every moment she spent among them.

***

Logan came home to an X-Mansion that held a new father and his adopted twins. Natalie attacked him as soon as he walked in the door.

"Wolvie!" Natalie was breathless, and she could hardly contain her excitement. "Blue's our new…! I mean, daddy is our new… um…"

She clung to his neck and he hugged her close, finishing her sentence for her. "Hank went an' adopted ya, 'zat what ya mean? So now you got a daddy?"

"Yes!" she squealed. "I knew youda figured it out!" She leaned back and smiled at him, and rested her head on his shoulder. Gambit met him at the door and gave Nat a sideways glance.

"What's dis? Logan… you stealin' my favorite lil' girl?"

Logan smirked at the Cajun, and strolled upstairs with the beautiful little girl tucked into his arms. "Get them bags fer me, wouldja Gumbo? There's a nice fella."

Gambit sneered at him and picked up the two duffles - one of which he noticed was Jubilee's. She'd left with two… He put away that thought until he could talk to the big man alone. He followed them up the stairs and gave Natalie boo-boo face from where she looked over Logan's shoulder at him.

"It's okay Uncle Remy, don't cry. I still think you're the most handsomest," she cupped a hand around her mouth and whispered, thinking Logan wouldn't hear her. Knowing better, Remy brightened, and Logan rolled his eyes.

They entered his room and Remy set down the bags. Logan sat with Nat on his bed and told her that Jubie was "just fine, and she misses you, and she will be back home before ya know it." Natalie clasped her hands together, and leapt off Logan's lap, screaming her way down the stairs for Paul to come hear her good news. Remy shut the door to the room and rubbed his eyes.

"I take it dat de petite not gon' to be home anytime soon den, neh?"

"She contact you yet?" Logan stood up and began dumping out the contents of the duffles on his bed, first his, then Jubilee's.

"Oui, from de boat."

"Ship." He bit the inside of his cheek, thinking about how Jubes had made the same mistake. He didn't need to be reminded that she was that far away.

"Whatever, mon ami. She was seasick all over de place, but she got better. I t'ink she be havin' fun now, actually." Remy stroked a finger over his upper lip, watching the feral untangle his belongings on his bedspread.

"Seasick? That don't sound like her. But I guess…" he sighed, tossing some used socks in a bin. "I guess if she's havin' fun, she should take advantage of it. 'Cuz it ain't gonna be too fun fer her when she gets back ta dry land."

Remy tilted his head at his old friend's back, watching the muscles tense up at the simple movement of unfolding a shirt. His empathy never worked very well on Logan, but he tried to make him feel better anyway. "She said you got sometin' to tell me? Sometin' good?"

"Yeah, Gumbo. I popped the question, and she said yes." Logan still wasn't looking up from his laundry. He came across the plastic bag he had stowed the Tiffany's velvet box in, with the ring nestled safely inside. He paused, and pulled it out, opening the box and fingering the ring. Remy whistled suddenly, from behind his shoulder, and spoke with a teasing lilt in his voice.

"Sapristi! I forgot what a piece of work dat is. She know how much dat t'ing cost de prof?" he joked.

Logan smirked. "She couldn't give a flamin' rat's ass what it costs. All she cares about is that I asked her, and she accepted."

Remy paused. Dis not gon' to be easy on either of dem.

He rested a palm on Logan's shoulder and spoke quietly. "She gon' to be fine, Wolverine. An' she'll be home soon, an' den her and Roguey can start plannin' de weddin. Trust Gambit on dis one."

Logan nodded quietly, saying nothing. His mind was obviously very far away.

"Come on, den, dinner's gon' to be on soon. You can wait to tell de team when dey got Stormy's famous Koushari in der mouths. I want to see de splatter patterns de noodles make on de walls."

Logan nearly laughed out loud, and it did Remy's heart good to see him smile.

***

Remy sat back and watched the show.

Storm dropped her fork, then praised the Goddess. Rogue squealed. Beast clapped and used several congratulatory words with more than four syllables. Xavier nodded, smiling, silent. Natalie giggled, and Paul just said "Yuk." Scott swallowed his noodles, but they went down the wrong pipe. Kurt banged on his back as he grinned happily at Logan's news. The rest of them did spit their food out, but Bobby's mouthful of Koushari actually made it over to the French doors, so he won the prize. The only person who did not react, in anyway whatsoever, was Jean.

Logan gave it his best shot, and he tried to stop thinking about how Jubes had told him that she was not an X-Man anymore. It didn't work. He knew she was being honest when she told him that; he believed it. The problem was… if she wasn't on his team anymore… then how on Earth was he going to protect her if he wasn't on her team?

For the first time in many years, he entertained thoughts of leaving the X-Men - and not because he was sans adamantium or going feral without control.

He was in love… and he wanted to be with Jubes more than he wanted to be on the team.

Chuck had been right after all.

***

"Now… lemme get this straight." Nick Fury swallowed the last of his beer and flagged the waitress down for another. "Yer gettin' married. And… yer not marryin' Red, or that gorgeous piece of tail Ororo Monroe, yer marryin'…"

The SHIELD agent shook his head in disbelief. Fury just couldn't wrap his brain around it.

Logan laughed. "Jubilee. I'm marryin' the kid. Only she ain't a kid anymore."

"No, she ain't a kid, 'specially now that you've had yer way with her, no…"

Logan sneered at Fury and gave him the finger. "Fuck you, old man."

"Cripes, Wolverine! She's gotta be…"

"What?" Logan's bottle stopped in mid-swing. "She gotta be 'X-amount' of years younger than me? How the hell do I use that as a guide?! I ain't got no fuckin' idea how old I am!"

"All the more reason you shouldn't be beddin' down a teenager," Fury said matter of factly.

"It's a good fit, Nicholas. I'm happy. Real happy."

"So are ya lettin' me be yer best man?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Logan swallowed the rest of his beer and winked at the waitress when she brought him another along with Fury's.

"Maybe I can bring some of my co-worker's kids so that Jubes'll have somebody her own age ta talk to at the reception." Fury chuckled, satisfied with himself. Logan shook his head. Nick did like to tease. "I certainly hope she's legal now."

"Fer fuck's sake, Fury! She's twenty-four, already! So shaddup!"

Logan proceeded to tell Nick about Mongolia and Jubilee's buddies from Oklahoma. Through his SHIELD operatives, Fury had been privy to what happened with the Governor and the railroad she had been operating. Privy - even at the time. He hadn't been at liberty to help her out, but… he had turned a blind eye to her activities. Nick knew that Jubilee was a mutant rebel, and a damn good one, and that she was all grown up. He just couldn't resist getting under Logan's collar about her age.

So Logan just played along. "Sides… I hear you got yerself some pretty young thing as well."

Fury's head popped back over from where he had been scrutinizing an overly-shady character standing at the bar, and he stared at Logan. "Now how in the flamin' hell doya know that?"

"I got my sources too, ya know."

"Cap told ya, din't he?"

"Mebbe. What's she like?"

"Well she ain't no teenager."

"Quit that shit." Logan gave him an exasperated look, reserved especially for unruly kindergartners and old war buddies. Fury told him about Jane, her empathic powers, SHIELD, all of it. He was well out of range for the transmitter to work.

"Shit, man… that's great - 'cept for the medical staff jerk-offs. Are ya in love with her?"

"That's… ah…" Fury looked at his bottle, frowning suddenly. "Aw, hell Logan. I dunno. She sure is a corker, though. Time will tell."

Logan downed the rest of his beer.

"That it will, my friend."

***

Betsy Braddock kissed her lover Angel goodbye, as he got on the Blackbird with Logan and Kurt. They were going to Germany, to see about a dispute between the Pro-Human Party and a group of mutants living in an apartment building. Apparently the PHP felt there was too high a concentration of them for one building and started crying speciesism. The FOH hadn't yet gotten involved yet, so Xavier felt it was time to strike while the iron was still cold, so to speak.

Psylocke smiled warmly at them all, and then went to meet with Rogue. The two X-Ladies were flying to Los Angeles to meet up with Cable and Domino for a similar dispute.

"Ah cain't buhlieve it! Our lil' Jubes is tyin' the knot!"

Betsy adjusted her lap belt. Scott and Jean were at the controls of the prototype of a brand new aircraft. Xavier's new toy wasn't as lush as the Blackbird, but it was faster and smaller. Stark Industries and Forge had seen to that.

"Yes - but she's not so little anymore. She seems fearless… going off without the X-Men to do that sort of work - and in this political climate. She worries me."

"Oh, I don't know… If Oklahoma was any indication, then Jubilee can handle herself. Trust me, Bets." Scott adjusted his glasses and fired up the main engine. From the platform, the two inventors watched their baby with critical eyes. The engine made an attractive but loud sound, like a thousand humming birds.

"Well… Ah ain't as worried about Jubes as Ah am about Logan. He's miserable without her. He tries ta hide it an' all… but he's only talkin' to Remy 'bout it, and Remy knows more'n he's tellin'. Ah think Logan wants ta go after her."

"Well," said Jean, curtly and through tight lips. "He'll just have to wait. He has a duty to the X-Men first."

Rogue rolled her eyes at Betsy as she tightened her helmet and adjusted the mike on it. Betsy rolled her eyes in return.

Scott looked over at Jean. The cockpit was already rumbling. He spoke quietly enough, but they all had on headgear and microphones, so the back seat heard him just as clearly as his wife did.

"If that had been you in Mongolia, and I was thinking about leaving the team, would you feel the same way, Jean?"

She gave him a momentary icy glare, and then looked out of the window at nothing in particular.

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