Reborn: Chapters 5-6

by Raymond Wood

Author's note : Well, I finally got the fifth chapter up! Enjoy! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews as always!

Chapter Five : Returns

"Momma!" The shrill cry carried throughout the house, while the others prepared for the birthday party that afternoon.

Two years had nearly passed since the LeBeau's had settled down in New Orleans, finding the house warming gift from Jean-Luc to have held true. Not even so much as a dirty glance had been passed from the Guilds of New Orleans to the fledgling family. Now though, they had an even worse fate to deal with, Jubilee's Second birthday.

"What is it Sugah?" Rogue inquired, walking out from the living room with a streamer wrapped about her neck not unlike a boa.

"Wolvie." Jubilee cried as she held up the plush stuffed Wolverine toy, an eye dangling upon a strand of thread.

"Awww, here, Mommy will see if Ah can't get Wolvie's healing going." Rogue whispered to her daughter as tears filled her eyes.

"Dank 'ou." Jubilee replied, toddling off to look for her Uncle Bobby and Auntie Emma.

Rogue smiled as her daughter ran off, that mischevious glint to her eyes that she always got before trouble befell one of her extended family members. Turning about, she bumped into her husband, looming in the doorway quietly as he watched the exchange of mother and daughter. Looking up into his demon eyes with her own emerald spheres, she gave a coy look as she held up the injured 'Wolvie' doll.

"Wolvie needs ta get his healing factor ta work eh?" Remy inquired, flicking the dangling eye gently as he smiled to his wife.

"Yup. Ah tell ya, this doll needs a healing factor to keep up with her." Rogue replied, walking into the living room and finding her sewing kit.

"Any word from Bishop Chere?" Remy inquired, knowing it to be an awkward subject, especially around Jubilee's birthday.

Rogue gave a sigh, sagging her shoulders and shaking her head, pulling the doll to her chest as she became lost to the letters that Bishop had sent over the last couple years. He had transversed the globe in his search, but never did he ever give up hope on finding Logan. He just carried on in his relentless search, not letting the eternal loner escape from them this time. So lost to her thoughts, she didn't even notice as Remy pulled near to her, wrapping his arms about her as he kissed her upon her head.

"Maybe not dis year Roguey, but he will find him. Logan got only so many hiding places before he stumbles, and when he does, Bishop will be dere. Trust dis Cajun, he know dat Bishop be dey obsessive type." Remy whispered, kneeling down next to Rogue as she finally pulled out her sewing kit to repair the 'Wolvie' doll. "Ah know. It's just that, that Logan's missin' her growin' up. Heck, when he finds out, he's gonna beat himself up for it. And Ah wanted Jubilee to know her 'Wolvie' before she got too old." Rogue whispered as she stitched the eye back on.

"Shhh. I know Chere, but all we can do is hope." Remy whispered back, gently pulling away to work on the rest of the room, sending streamers flying about with a carefree gesture of his well trained hands, using the same deft skill he would employ to send a card aloft.

Elsewhere in the house, Emma and Monet were working on wrapping the presents up when they heard a giggling from outside the door. Quickly they threw blankets over the packages, covering them up a moment before Bobby came in with his 'niece' in his arms, tickling her all the while.

"See, they're not wrapping birthday presents are they?" Bobby asked, giving a wink to Emma.

"Silly Unca Bobby." Jubilee giggled as she squirmed in his grasp.

"Yup, that's me, Silly Unca Bobby." Bobby chuckled, giving her a spin about the room, a shoe flying free from her tiny foot and sailing into Monet's lap.

"And what do I have here? A shoe? I think I might just have to keep it. It is such a lovely little shoe, don't you think Emma?" Monet asked, doing her best not to smile too much as to give away the jest.

"Oh I would think so. It would absouletly look wonderful with that velvet dress of yours." Emma replied, joining in upon the jest.

"Nope! My shoe." Jubilee replied defiantly.

"Oh? Your shoe, well we'll just have to see shant we?" Monet asked as her and Emma rose, walking over to Jubilee and looking at her other shoe.

"Well, it looks like the other one, what do you think Monet?" Emma asked.

"I believe she is telling the truth. Let us put it back upon her foot, shall we?" Monet asked, as Emma snatched Jubilee from Bobby and tickled her, causing her little feet to kick as Monet tried in vain to put the shoe back on.

Finally Monet found a light hold upon the toddlers foot and put the shoe back on, doing up the laces and setting her free. Emma walked out of the room with her, flanked by Monet and Bobby, then set her down upon the ground. Jubilee looked up to Emma, red faced from the tickling and out of breath. As Emma hunched over and wiggled her fingers threateningly, Jubilee squealed and ran off, followed by her 'Auntie' as Bobby and Monet went back to wrapping presents.

The laughter carried through the house, reaching Rogue and Remy in the living room, smiles passing over their faces as they thought about the family they had created here. Emma visited often, always taking weekends off to come to her house in New Orleans. Bobby stayed there, having found a comfortable job as an accountant, while Monet and Warren enjoyed the peace and quiet offered from the mansion they had bought, using it as the distant seat of powers for Warren's financial Empire.

"Three, Two, One..." Remy whispered, casting a sly look to his wife.

"Mommieee!" Jubilee shrieked as Emma caught the toddler as she just entered the living room, tickling her once more.

"Yes Sugah?" Rogue asked as she got up, holding the recently fixed 'Wolvie' doll.

"Wolvie!" Jubilee called out, struggling to get free of Emma's grasp.

"Yup, he healed up good didn't he?" Rogue inquired, taking her daughter into her arms and handing her the doll.

"Dank 'ou Momma." Jubilee said as she curled up in her mother's arms, pulling the doll tightly to herself.

"Your welcome Sugah. What say we go inta town while your Aunties and Uncles finish up here?" Rogue asked, casting a look to Emma, who gave a nod in return.

"Ice cream?" Jubilee asked, looking up to Rogue and giving her a full out effort of puppy dog eyes.

"Sure thang Sugah, C'mon Remy." Rogue remarked as she headed out to the garage.

Remy gave a courtly bow to Emma, then a wink as he departed, knowing that the 'special' present had yet to arrive. Emma felt an odd tingling in her mind, almost as if someone was doing their best to hide a secret when they wished to tell all of it, casting a curious look to the retreating form of Remy, she gave a shrug and decided to go see how her cake was doing. Her private chef had made a pretty penny on actually teaching Emma how to cook and bake, and was indeed proud of the skill passed upon to the CEO and his employer.

Remy sat in the driver seat while Rogue fastened Jubilee into the car seat. Wolvie sat beside her on the seat, a seatbelt over him to humor her child's whim. Finally as she gently closed the van door, Rogue climbed in and buckled up.

"Nevah thought Ah would see the day Remy LeBeau would drive a minivan." Rogue giggled as she tweaked her husband's ear.

"Eh? Don go knocking de van. I been 'aving dis baby doing a good spee...." Remy began, defending the honor of his effort in finding a minvan that had all the saftey for his family, while too a strong engine in it for the days he was sent out to do the groceries.

Remy felt the icy gaze of Rogue on him, knowing full well he would have to pay for this slip of his lips at a later date. Whistling to himself, he eased the van into reverse and backed out of the garage, turning about in the driveway and making his way into town, Jubilee giggling the entire time knowing that Daddy had 'goofed'.

"Mint Chip Pwease." Jubilee asked kindly, looking up to the clerk of the ice cream shop, her smile beaming with the intesnity of a spotlight.

"We're all out I'm afraid. I'll go look in the back. Hey Jerry, could you take care of the LeBeau's?" Thomas asked, having become all to accustomed to the family outings for ice cream, and the darling smiles Jubilee would give when he handed her a cone of her favorite ice cream, Mint Chip.

Rogue and Remy placed their orders, casting glances down to their daughter as she looked up to the counter, lip trembling and eyes ready to shed tears. Moments later Thomas returned with a fresh tub of Mint Chip, setting it in the freezer and earning a squeal of delight from Jubilee as he opened up the tub. Turning away to get a waffle cone and a clean ice cream scoop, he turned back to find a shock.

"Umm...Mrs. LeBeau...is Jubilee with you?" Thomas asked, pulling himself up on the counter and leaning over, thinking she might be playing a game with him.

"What's that Thomas?" Rogue asked, looking over to him.

"Is Jubilee with you?" He inquired once more, fear rising in his voice as he noticed the shock held in Rogue's emerald spheres.

Rogue and Remy looked around frantically for their daughter and her yellow dress, looking in all the crannies of the shop as Thomas and Jerry joined them in the search. Customers looked around , curious what had befallen, and joining the search as they found out the terrible news. Finally as the truth dawned upon them, they realized that Jubilee was no longer in the shop.

"She can't have gotten far Rogue, I'll go look down de street dat way, and you go this way." Remy said as he pointed to the north end of the street, then taking the south end himself.

Thomas and Jerry ushered customers out, putting up a note on the shop and locking up, joining in the search as did many of the patrons. As the people split up, taking the various streets about the shop, the search began for the two year old Jubilation.

They walked down the street with a casual air, taking in the sites as to kill time before the event that had drawn them to New Orleans. A lifetime had nearly passed in the time they had been apart, and the revelation had been utterly Earth shattering. But on this day, he had a very important date to keep for two special ladies, and it was a date that no force on Earth could prevent. With his comrade at his back, he walked about the shops, looking for that special gift to give. Looking into a shop window, looking down to the stuffed toys that sat quietly, he caught a flash of yellow in the window. Turning, a scream rang out and terror filled him as his eyes befell the form of a toddler walking out broadly into traffic, holding up a stuffed Wolverine.

He and his comrade acted with the instinct honed over years of trials and pains. Leaping through the crowd, a feral roar rang out, sending people scattering clear as he lunged to the child, taking her into his arms as he rolled on the ashpalt, the sound of car tires squealing with the cry of a Banshee. Suddenly the sound of flesh slamming against metal was heard, a roar of effort rising as he turned to see his comrade standing against the car, his massive hands against the hood while he glowered with kinetic energy absorbed. The crowd stood in dead silence at the act of bravery and display of mutant powers to save the life of an innocent child. Then a cry came out of the crowd, a single word that shook him the the core, 'Jubilee' called out in pain and fear by a familiar voice.

Rogue heard the screams, the screeching tires and the sudden halt of a car. The crowd before her stood against her progress, though she did not act upon the instinct she wished to, longing to take to the air as to avoid the obsticle in her path. Trudging on, she made her way through the crowd, screaming her child's name, finally finding a break. Tumbling through, she spotted her daughter in the arms of a man, while another stood behind him next to the halted car. Blinded by fear, she raced to her daughter and pulled her from the mans arms, pulling Jubilee tight to her as she cried freely, thanking whoever had saved the life of her child.

"Rogue?" A familiar voice asked weakly, a waiver heard.

Rogue looked up, and fell back in shock, looking to the men before her. Crouched next to her, Logan sat, his eyes misty and confusion held deeply in them. Next to him Bishop stood, energy radiating from him as he slowly pulled the kinetic energy back into him, adding to his store for his Bioblasts. Rouge fell silent in that moment, the unexpected savior of her child being the man she had been longing to see for over a year since the truth of her daughets heritage. The silence was broken though, as Jubilee held out her 'Wolvie' doll to Logan, calling the name of her doll and looking up to her mother.

"Wolvie?" Jubilee asked, looking from the doll and then to Logan.

"Darlin'?" Logan asked in a broken voice, his nostrils flaring as he took a deep waft of the scents lingering about.

From the crowd, Remy erupted, flanked by Thomas and Jerry. Remy stopped in his tracks as he looked to the scene before him, fear welling in him at the sight of a near disaster, yet relief at the sight of mother and daughter reunited. Looking to Logan and Bishop, a wry grin passed over his face while his eyes held a grateful expression.

"You be early mon ami, de surprise be ruined." Remy whispered, walking over to Rogue and crouching next to her.

Logan merely remained silent as Bishop guided him to his feet, Remy likely doing so with Rogue as the group left the scene, leaving behind the awe-struck people on the street to whatever had just befallen. Inside the car, the driver merely watched in shock and relief, crying as pain filled his chest at nearly taking the life of a innocent child. Staggering from his car, he walked to the curb and sat down, his keys dangling from his hands. As the group vanished down a corner, he looked about at the people looking to him with concerned looks. A bystander walked up to the man, a warm smile on their face as they offered to drive him home. Grateful, the man handed the keys over to the stranger, knowing that he would not have courage enough to attempt to drive hom after that incident.

As they drove home, the passed the group, the driver slowing while the man looked out, mouthing a breathless 'I am so sorry', receiving a nod in return with a warm smile from Rogue, forgiveness given for what could have been a tragic accident. Jubilee merely smiled to the man, not knowing the err of her sudden crossing into trafic, bringing a fresh wave of tears from the man as the pain of nearly taking the life of such a little girl returned. Driving off down the street and into the setting sun, life slowly resumed it's normal pace as all made their way home.

 Chapter Six : Home Movies

"Ah am pushing!" Rogue's voice cried out, followed by a painful cry as her face twisted with pain.

Logan watched the video in silent awe, speechless. In his lap, Jubilee slumbered, her 'Wolvie' doll held tightly to her chest, while Rogue and Remy sat curled upon the sofa, waiting patiently. As a new cry carried out beyond Rogue's own, the video angle changed to show the newborn Jubilation LeBeau, having her cord cut and then being wrapped in a blanket before carefully handed to the expectant mother. The doctor exclaimed with joy that it was a girl, but the reverly died quickly as shock fell over Rogue and her support group. As the camera quaked while Remy neared, the angle steadied once more, revealing a baby with Asian features and Sapphire blue eyes. Logan joined in the shock as Remy's voice whispered in shock.

Pain filled Logan, revealing that once again he had missed out upon another moment of the X-men Family, running off to lick the wounds of his soul shortly after the funeral of Jubilation Lee. That ever most painful moment returned to Logan, the night Jean had found her way to his favorite place to meditate in the acreage outside the Westchester Estate of Charles Xavier. She silently stood behind Logan, waiting for a response from him, finding none. Fear and apprehension lingered in her scent, Logan giving a snort and taking in a waft, knowing that nothing good was coming of this. Turning, he gave Jean a concerned look.

"Something wrong Jeannie?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow to her worried look.

"Logan...." Jean began, her eyes filling with tears.

Logan slowly rose to his feet and walked over to her, pulling her into his arms and giving her a comforting hug. As he looked into her eyes, he saw not her own pain, but concern for him. Releasing her, he backed away slowly, awaiting whatever it was she needed to say.

"Logan...I...I don't know how to tell you this..." Jean whispered, taking a pause for a calming breath.

"Jubilee, she was heading to visit the Xtreme Team, as you know, in Australia. There..." Jean began, pausing once more as she choked up with emotion, Logan staring at her with dread fear in his eyes.

"Spit it out darlin'" Logan growled, his imagination getting the best of him as his mind returned to how he failed her before, unwittingly leaving her behind in the depraved hands of Bastion, his only redemption coming as he saved her from the Prime Sentinels during her trial through the desert.

"Logan, Jubilee has been killed...Rogue found her. They believe it was the ARM, using the roster of the X-corps that had been stolen to track down their members." Jean suddenly blurted out, falling to her knees as she became overcome with grief.

As Jean finally found control of herself, she looked up to Logan's steel blue eyes, a distant look in them, staring off into the dark heart of the woods they stood in, emotionless in that moment. Suddenly though, in an eruption of anger, something flashed in those eyes, something not quite human, and in that moment Logan ran into the dark night as a feral howl rang out in pain. The howl carrying deep into the depths of that place in the human soul few dared venture to, the place where the dark fears of the wild jungles of prehistory sat, waiting for their time once more, when the campfires flickered out of existance, and humanity fell a link on the food chain.

Logan's mind returned to the present, finding Jubilee staring up at him, a sad expression held on her face. Ever so carefully she held her 'Wolvie' doll up to Logan, bumping its nose against his. Confusion and tears welled in his eyes, looking into those same eyes that had held such wonder and vitality in another, yet now were set to a two year old ghost of his old partner. Cracking a smile on his chiseled features, he suddenly realized the second chance he had so prayed for, promising everything he could, had been granted. Lifting Jubilee up, he left the pain in the back of his mind, now reveling in the joy of having her back, and the honor of being her Godfather. Jubilee squealed, stiring her parents from their spot on the sofa as they looked to the scene before them, a warm feeling falling over their hearts, knowing that a birthday gift they had longed to give her had finally been granted.

Bishop sat outside the dock of the LeBeau household, looking out to the night sky, his gaze lingering on the countless stars of the heavens, infinite worlds unto them all, infinite possiblities for each, countless lives oblivious to the goings on of one blue speck in the spiral arm of the Milky Way. With a sigh he finally accepted the fate of the future he came from, knowing it to no longer be on the path he walked. Everything had changed in his time, and in this moment, yet another change had occured. The Last X-man was now a toddler, the strand of time unraveling before his very eyes once more, akin to the moment when he found the true betrayer of the X-men to be Xavier himself, as the being Onslaught.

"Hey Bish, nice night huh?" Bobby asked, walking up to the timelost X-man.

"Indeed." Bishop remarked stoically, his gaze remaining distant.

Bobby looked to Bishop, an aura of conflict radiating from him. He had so many questioned he longed to ask, yet couldn't find the will to air them. He had drawn the shortest of the straws, becoming the sacrifical goat sent to question Bishop of his journey from that day on which they had left to travel to New Orleans. The letters Rogue had shared with them all had come from every corner of the globe, and they had inadvertently started a stamp collection for Jubilee with the postage paid to have the letters arrive. Whether or not she would care for it was entirely another matter though.

"What's on your mind Drake?" Bishop asked, pulling a cigar and uncharacteristically lighting up, smoke wafting into the night sky.

"Well, on that note, when did you start smoking?" Bobby asked, raising a curious eyebrow to the sight of Bishop indulging a vice, showing a hint of humanity under the facade of the eternal warrior.

"That's another tale entirely, and a tale I do not feel comfortable discussing on this day." Bishop remarked in a flat tone, the warrior returning.

"Fine. I can respect that. Can I ask where you found Logan?" Bobby asked, taking a seat next to Bishop on the dock.

Bishop paused, taking a haul off the cigar and letting the smoke linger about his mouth, as if a foreboding fog to a mysterious cave, holding secrets not meant for mortal ears. Exhaling, the fog drifted and disappated, while Bishop collected his thoughts. Bobby watched, waiting paitently, the sudden desire for a couple brews to share between friends rising. As Bishop turned back to Bobby, the desire faded, when meeting the gaze held in Bishop's eyes.

"I was in Mongolia, following tales of a demon warrior fighting along side a group of nomads. These people hadn't heard of mutants, and held his powers to be of cursed natures. But they did not condemn him, but instead accept him. They saw he was tortured, and took him to be one of their own. I'll not say beyond that, as it is a personal matter for Logan and myself." Bishop remarked, pausing to take another haul of the cigar.

Bobby looked to Bishop, remaining silent. For him to hold a matter on a personal level spoke of volumes of what must have occured, and knew that if it were to be known by him, it would be known in due time, and only when both men were ready to relate the tales. Rising slowly, he started to walk back to the house, pausing as he heard Bishop rise.

"Joining the rest of us?" Bobby asked, turning around.

"Was actually going to ask if you knew of a decent bar around here." Bishop remarked, cracking a grin as he pulled his cowboy hat down over his eyes, the M standing out as his eyes glowed with stored energy.

"K, take this day down, few and far between is it when I actually see you even crack the slightest emotion aside from stoic anger. Ya were worse than ol' Cyke fer that." Bobby remarked with a grin, waving Bishop on as they walked off to the garage.

Jubilee lay slumbering on the bed, while Rogue sat in the old rocking chair, asleep and clutching Jubilee's 'Wolvie' doll, keeping him safe against the monsters under her bed, and in her closet. Sitting in the bay window, looking out to the night, Remy watched as Bobby and Bishop took off in the spare Jeep, heading to parts unknown. Sighing, he settled down with his arms crossed, fighting the urge to light up a cigarette. Times like this were the hardest, yet for his family he had quit, and it was a promise that he had placed his 'Thieves Honor' upon. Even Logan had to be scooted out into the sunporch if he dared even reach for a cigar. A wry grin fell over his face as he recalled the look on Logan's face as Jubilee scrunched her nose, pointing to the cigar with her little finger, then pointing out to the sunporch as she would her Grandpapa LeBeau.

Looking back to the doorway, he smiled as he saw two shadows lingering on the wall, stretching down from beyond the doorway. Creeping from his position, he peered out, finding two unlikely people sitting side by side on the landing, whispering and laughing together. Godfather and Godmother sat together, two enemies of old brought together by one child once more. Emma had never really approved of Logan, nor Logan of her. Yet now, in this peaceful moment during the dead of night, old feuds were set aside as whispered tales were passed, of the firecracker they both knew and loved.

Remy knew it was the beginning of a long journey for Logan, healing from the pain caused by Jubilee's death, a final straw that had sent him away from their family for over two years, no letters passed in the dead of night, no promises of return. Smiling, Remy was suddenly reminded of Jubilee's first steps, uncertain and clumsy at first, but soon filled with grace as confidance came. If Logan were to stumble, they would be there for him, as they had been there for Jubilee, helping her back onto her feet, and easing the pain of a mistep taken.