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Sunrise: Part 2 Note: Only the three mutant children are my own creation and the WildPowers are my creations; the rest belong to Marvel. This is the second story in the Sunset series. Professor Xavier came to with a start, as he realized he and Jubilee were not alone. The three mutant children who had been rescued by Jubilee and the X-Men were standing in the room with Logan. ・Sorry, Chuck, but they insisted on seeing her,・ Logan said. ・What are your names?・ the professor asked them, his wheelchair floating over to them. He nodded at Logan. ・I・m Falcon,・ whispered the tall boy shyly. He had his hand on the baby・s shoulder as he stood their solemnly. ・This is Erutan, my brother.・ ・I see the resemblance,・ Professor Xavier said, noting they had the same hair and eye coloring. ・I・m Kaylee,・ said the little girl with lavender eyes and long silver hair. She looked at him earnestly. ・Nice to meet you. My name is Professor Charles Xavier, and I run the School For the Gifted. It・s a school where mutants can learn to use their powers and be safe from those who fear and don・t understand them.・ He looked down at them. ・You are all mutants, aren・t you?・ Falcon, Erutan, and Kaylee looked at each other, and looked at the professor. ・Yes.・ Kaylee said it simply, because Falcon was too shy to. When Falcon distracted Professor Xavier with a question, she walked over and looked down at Jubilee. ・Will she be ok?・ Kaylee asked quietly. ・We don・t know,・ the professor admitted. ・We hope so.・ Kaylee nodded and walked back over to him. ・When can we go home?・ She looked tired. ・Where do you live?・ he asked. ・In New York.・ Falcon looked at Logan a little warily. ・We live with the WildPowers.・ Logan gave a start. ・The what?・ ・The WildPowers, Logan. A kind of gang in New York City for mutants. All ages are accepted.・ He looked at the children. ・I・ll make arrangements with them to pick you up at the earliest convenience.・ They nodded their thanks, as the rest of the X-Men filed in and gave a start and seeing the children in there. Wolverine left as the others entered. He didn・t want to cry in front of everyone and be seen as a crybaby. Kitty watched Wolverine leave quietly. She blinked back tears. Wolverine blamed himself, just as Jean blamed herself. Inside of Jubilee・s mind・ Jubilee was surrounded by complete darkness. She could hear the voices of the others saying how much they loved her and needed her, but she couldn・t answer them. Her despair had grown, as she realized just how hard this was for Wolverine. And she・d never gotten a chance to tell him her big news. ・Please, God, don・t let it end like this,・ she pleaded. ・I have too much left to say and do before I die.・ ・Wolverine and Jean will blame themselves forever if I die. And Angelo will blame them as well.・ ・And I never got a chance to tell Kitty how sorry I am!・ Silence seemed to be the only answer she received. Until two lights appeared. A silver one and a blue one. As she tried to grab onto them physically and psychically, they faded away before her eyes, leaving her in tears・ Muir Island Wolverine stormed out of the hospital blinded with tears and anger. Before he knew it, he・d driven his Harley down to Jubilee・s favorite beach. He sat down on it and remembered what had happened. Days before・ ・Jubilee!・ Logan had yelled. *I choose this* Jubilee had said, in order to protect them All of the X-Men had tried to break through the light barrier, but it hadn・t budged. Then the bomb went off. Even afterwards, the barrier hadn・t budged until the silver-haired kid had touched it. Logan had tried damn hard to slice through it with his adamantium claws. But with that kid had touched it, the barrier had melted away like butter. He, Logan, had been the first one through. But it had been hard to find her scent at first. At last, he・d seen a small, feminine hand laying on top of a pile of rubble. He・d quickly called the other to help move the rubble, but it would have taken forever. That real little kid with yellow hair and green eyes had touched the rubble・ and it had melted directly into earth. All of them had stood back as he brushed the dirt off of Jubilee. She hadn・t moved at all, even when he・d touched the massive cut on her face. She hadn・t cried out once. That・s when he・d known it was bad. And it was then that he・d seen the engagement ring. Present Day at Muir Island Wolverine looked out at the ocean. The sun was beginning to rise, he noticed. He must・ve been out of it for a while. Logan hopped back on his back and headed towards the hospital. As he entered Jubilee・s room, he saw Jean and Scott sitting there. Jean was on the phone. ・Yes, Emma, I know she・s your student.・ There was a brief silence, before Jean replied to whatever it was that Emma Frost had said. ・Yes, we should have called you when it happened, but・・ Another period of silence stretched out. Wolverine could hear part of what Emma was saying. ・Why is it that EVERY time that she visits the Mansion, something happens to her! This is the last straw! She is my student and I won・t stand for that any longer!・ Emma yelled. Jean looked ready to burst into tears. Logan walked over and took the phone from her. ・Emma・・ he growled softly. ・Shut up.・ ・Don・t you dare tell me to shut up・ Wolverine?・ Emma sounded confused. ・You heard me. Listen to what I am saying. Jubilee is dying. No yelling or screaming is going to change that. I will not allow you to yell at Jean right now. She is tired, pregnant, and distraught. If you care about Jubilee at all, you will bring Sean and Generation X here to say goodbye as soon as possible. Otherwise, just shut up. And frankly, I don・t give a damn either way right now.・ Logan hung the receiver up and looked at Jean. ・Are you ok?・ Jean and Scott were staring at Logan like he・d grown a third head. Their mouths were wide open in shock. ・What? Can・t a guy mouth off to a bitch if he wants to?・ Logan looked at Jubilee・s still form. He clenched his teeth together. ・I・m all right, Logan. Thanks,・ Jean Grey-Summers said with a little smile. ・I・ve never heard you talk to her like that before.・ ・I meant what I said. This is hard enough on you without her bitching you out. As a matter of fact, Squinty, why don・t you and Jean head home? I・ll stay here tonight.・ Logan looked at them solemnly. ・By the way, what happened to the other kids?・ he asked. ・Gambit and Rogue took them to the mansion to get some food and sleep. The professor isn・t certain about sending them back to New York to be in a gang,・ Cyclops said. He looked at his wife. ・He・s right, Jean. You should be in bed.・ They stood up and headed for the door. ・Good night, Logan,・ said Jean quietly as they left. Wolverine sat in a chair next to Jubilee. This was so unnatural for him. He didn・t even notice Kitty standing in the doorway. ・Hey, kid, it・s me. Well, I guess you aren・t a kid any more, darlin・. You・ve grown up now, and I・m sorry I wasn・t always there for you when you needed it.・ ・Hell, you were so damn strong. You never gave up on anything, or me. You followed me around like a firecracker.・ ・I know I may not have always shown it, kid, but I care for you, more than you・ll ever know. I just wish I could・ve saved you from this.・ ・Kitty did like you, even though you were so jealous. But Kitty needed me more than you, or so I thought.・ Kitty gasped in shock at what she was hearing. Wolverine continued without hesitation. ・Both of you tagged along after me. And somehow, I became fond of you both. But I did care, Jubes. I cared-care a lot.・ ・Please don・t die on me, Jubes. Not just for my sake but for everyone else.・ Wolverine leaned over and kissed Jubilee on the forehead, with tears running down his face. Some splashed onto her face. Kitty tiptoed down the hall in tears. She had never seen him cry before. That was shocking enough. But the fact that he・d admitted that he cared for both of them. That just blew her mind away. It wasn・t as if he・d been denying it; it was just that he・d never said it aloud before. To be continued in Part 3, Love and Dreams
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