Logan eyed the brunette sitting opposite the table, sipping on her coke, and he contemplated the past hour.

Rogue behaved quite odd. When he had returned this morning she didn’t throw her arms around his neck as usually – she didn’t even hug him and flinched away when he tried. This made him first assume she was angry with him that he was gone for half a year at stretch, but neither her scent, nor her expression gave reason to this theory. Then, when he suggested lunch in town to catch up, her face held that brilliant smile, he loved so much, till he mounted Scott’s bike and she began to fiddle with the sleeve of her oversize shirt – her dressing style had definitively changed in the last months – and she insisted to take the pick-up.

Now they sat at her favorite restaurant and her face was troubled and twisted in pain from time to time. “What’s up, kid?”

Startled the brunette looked up from her drink. “Ah have a history test tomorrow.”

Given, this wasn’t what he meant, but at least her face brightened up. “Already all dates and wars saved to your memories.”

“Yep.” There was her smile again … and the hiss.

“Kid, what’s wrong?” His hazel orbs held genuine concern. “You hissed for the nth time in the last five minutes. You hurt?”

Her face held a sudden pang of panic, but another hiss turned it to a pain filled one. “No, Logan.” There was his trademark eyebrow. “Ya know… it’s mah time of the month.” His expression didn’t change one bit. “Got mah period. Have cramps.” This explanation seemed to fruit and his brow sank.

He scented the air and smelled a small amount of Marie’s blood. “Need somethin’?”

“Nah.” She slid from her chair. “Only to see the toilet, though. Might take a while.” Marie saw his nod of acknowledgment as his eyes already wandered to the football game on the TV, and she made her way to the stairs.

X X X X X

The waitress approached with a scowl and blocked his view to the TV. “Your daughter takes quite long.” She began, the grumpy man made her shudder.

The Canadian growled at her wrong assumption, but didn’t correct her. “She has her period.”

“Well… maybe, but she’s down there for 45 minutes.” She felt herself squirm under his intense gaze. “Shall I take a look… ask if everything is alright?”

Logan’s eyes wandered over to the clock. ‘Fuck! She’s right! Almost 50 minutes! How could have I missed this?!’ He furrowed his forehead and leaped up from his stool. “Nah, I’ll look for ‘er.”

Descending the flight of stairs down to the basement and the restrooms, a wave of sweat, fear, tears and blood invaded his sensitive nostrils and made him freeze in his tracks. His wide eyes darted over to the women’s restroom as he sniffed the air to confirm his greatest fear. It was Marie’s blood. A heart-ripping scream of sheer pain echoed through the hardly lit corridor and became muffled by the loud chatter and music on the first floor.

Without a second thought Logan dashed over to the lavatory, threw the door open with so much force that it bounced back from the wall with a bang. His eyes swept over the two sinks in the vestibule, but the moans and heavy panting came from the adjoining room with the toilets, so he rushed over.

There she lay on the cold and tiled floor of a booth in a puddle of her own blood and water. Her back was half propped up against the closet’s door that leaned against one of the booth’s walls, while her feet were pressed against the opposite wall. Her black baggy pants and her panties hang down her shins.

With utter shock Logan took in the girl’s in pain contorted and sweaty features, her left hand had the ceramic toilet seat in a death grip – her knuckles whitening - while the fingers of her other hand dug into her wide shirt, finally revealing the swollen belly she hid under her clothes.

His eyes swept in sudden realization down to her butt and the tiny head poking forth between her thighs. “Holy shit!” Logan felt himself panic, but Marie’s shriek made him focus back on the girl’s serious situation.

New tears welled up in her chocolate eyes as the stinging ache intensified in her lower stomach once again and her body tensed. A half strangled scream rang from her lips as she pressed her back and feet further into the walls and yanked her head forward towards her chest. She was barely aware that someone crouched down beside her.

Logan was already on his knees next to her, stripping his red flannel shirt off his frame as he watched the child’s small shoulders appear. Panic was rising again. ‘What the hell should I do?!’ His gaze switched to Marie’s face in search for an answer, but he came up empty. Then his eyes returned to the tiny creature, the tip of its head was already touching the blood covered tiles and it was this sight that made Logan carefully place his hands beneath the child’s head, his flannel shirt in his palms.

His large hands were shaking slightly as he lifted the baby’s head up – steadying it gently – while the rest of the miniature body slid into his waiting arms. Not till then was he aware of his words urging Marie to push.

With the greatest care Logan lifted the new life up and cradled the child to his chest. Taking one of the shirts’ sleeves, he wiped the fluids and blood from the tiny nose and mouth, then the cheeks and forehead. Fear began to clench his heart, but was immediately removed by another more pleasant emotion – was it joy? - when the baby’s first cry and gasp for air sounded from the bundle in his arms.

Never before in his life he had seen something so petite and vulnerable and a soft smile formed on the usually gruff features of the Wolverine as he gazed down on the chubby face. “Shh, kiddo.” He instinctively began to rock the newborn and an almost inaudible purr rumbled in his chest, calming the child at once.

The blood was still pounding hard in her ears and she was still catching her breath as the pain finally subsided and her body relaxed. Her grip on the toilet lightened and with disgust she wiped her hand on her large shirt. Suddenly the throbbing in her ears was replaced by a cry. It was then that Marie realized what had just happened. That it really had happened. Her growing belly and the occasional kicks in the last months were kinda easy to ignore by telling her persistent subconscious that it couldn’t be real. As long as she could live her life at the mansion as always, there was no need to think about the changes of her body. As long as she could hide it, it wasn’t happening…

Logan’s gaze finally met Marie’s frozen features as she stared wide eyed at the small bundle, her scent and body language told him she was in shock. He carefully held the baby towards her, his eyes kind and reassuring, betraying his concern and his own shock. “It’s a girl.” The Canadian whispered as his free hand reached out and tugged a greasy white strain behind her ear, away from her forehead. But instead of inspecting her daughter, Marie’s eyes traveled to her stomach. “It can’t be.” She finally murmured after a minute.

His brows furrowed and he was about to place the bundle onto her middle as she flinched away as if he would hurt her. “Pretty sure you have a lil’ girl.”

“Ah ain’t have a kid!” Marie yelled, her eyes were burning with resolve beneath her angry tears. Her 17th birthday was still a few weeks away. She was still a student. This was not happening. Her livid gaze fell upon the red flannel shirt, but her eyes darted away as soon as the bundle moved.

Logan stared at the girl before him, noting her shaking frame and her exhaust features. He decided to give her a few minutes to collect herself and to come to terms with her new situation. His sensitive ears picked up Marie’s rapid heartbeat slow down to a more healthy rhythm and he watched her close her eyes and lean her head back against the wall.

While Marie calmed down, Logan inspected the baby with gentle touches – ten fingers, ten toes, two ears, one little mouth, one nose and two deep blue eyes. The Canadian wondered if it was her father’s eye-color, but he soon dismissed this thought, since all newborn had blue eyes. What disturbed him the most was the small size of the fragile girl and her feathery weight.

“Marie?” He fixed his hazel eyes on the brunette after a good five minutes had passed. “How are you, kid?” Her answer was a short gaze in his direction, but as soon as she saw the child, she looked away again. “Look at ‘er. You just can’t close your eyes and pretend it isn’t happenin’!” Logan’s voice was edged with anger and frustration.

Her head snapped in his direction. “Worked just fine the last nine months!” The loud voices startled the newborn and she began to cry.

“Shh.” Logan hushed his own voice and resumed rocking the baby in his arms. “This lil’ human is yours.” She looked away once more. “Runnin’ away from the situation won’t help you, nor your baby.”

“Ya’re one to talk, Logan!” Marie snorted and her tear streamed features met his again. “It’s not mine!”

A snarl left his lips. “Newsflash, Marie! You just pushed this kid outta your body!” His hand moved to the umbilical cord and lifted the tissue a little, so it was tensed. “You’re still connected.” But Marie only stared at the cord for a moment till she shook her head vehemently. “This is your kid, kid!”

The brunette snorted and more tears rolled down her cheeks. “That sums mah fucked up situation up! Ah’m still a child myself! How can Ah have a … baby?!”

“Figure the natural way. Sex!”

“But- but Ah’m still a virgin!”

Logan’s brow hitched upwards. “Kid, your name might almost sound like Mary, but I’m not buyin’ that crap.” He held her piercing glare, but soon he became agitated. “Who’s the father?!” A growl rumbled in his throat and made the baby cry anew. “Spit it out, kid!”

“Ah didn’t have sex!” Her scent told him she didn’t lie, at least she believed what she told him. After a moment the brunette continued. “The only one Ah ever came close to sleepin’ with were ya, Logan.”

“Yeah, remember, kid… We were quite close to… but it’s months ago-“ His voice caught in his throat while he began to count the months since that incident on his hands. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ!”

“Would ya stop with the damn bible talk!”

He just felt like after the beating-up he receives from Sabretooth once a year. His jar felt slack and he opened and closed his mouth a few times without voicing a sound. Swallowing hard he eventually gathered himself to the point to formulate a whole sentence again. “T- there wasn’t someone else ‘round that time, kid?”

Her eyes grew wide. How could he ask her something like that? She had told him she wanted only him! “No! And ya threw me out of your shower ‘fore we had sex.”

“Shit! Goddamn shit!” Logan squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. “But what we did was obviously enough to…” He trailed off and his gaze traveled to the small child in his arms. To his daughter. Logan could almost feel the color drain from his face as the sick feeling in his stomach began to grow. He, the Wolverine, King of the Cage, a father? Panic began to rise again. He was sure he was one of those people, who should never have kids. Whose life were already fucked up enough and it would be unfair to drag an innocent child into his mess.

And what was even worse: He had ruined the life of the only person, who cared for him in the last 15 years he could remember. Tears were stinging in his eyes, but he struggled against them, he had to be strong now. Marie was sobbing enough for both of them. His eyes slowly drifted from the hysterical crying girl to the baby cradled against his chest. Strangely the child was calm now and looked him directly into his eyes with her huge blue orbs. He felt like in trance by this angelic face.

Studying the baby girl, another emotion welled up in him: pride. The Wolverine in him, the beast, was purring in primal joy to finally hold one of his cubs. Logan knew with his slutty lifestyle, the odds were high that he had fathered a few more children. But Marie wasn’t one of his one night stands. She meant something to him, not like the blonds he fucked in the alleys behind a bar.

In this very moment Logan decided that the kid and her kid were stuck with him. He had made this promise to Marie to take care of her and he meant it back then. And now she needed him. He would do what was best for the two girls. He would support Marie with everything in his might, so she could graduate and maybe enroll in college, if that was her wish. If she wanted to never see him again, he would leave but keep an eye on the two and support them financially.

A few minutes of silence ticked away and Logan eventually felt the quietness unbearable, so he fished his troubled mind for something to say… anything. “Ooh, kid. You know you ain’t a virgin anymore.” He tried to lighten her mood and his own. Marie’s brow hitched up in a silent question and he continued, motioning his chin down to the baby. “She popped your cherry, kid.”

“That’s not funny, asshole!” The brunette hissed as she saw his grin. But anger gave way to a rather panicked expression when a new contraction ripped through her body. Both her hands clasped her stomach while her feet returned to their former position pressed firmly against the wall. “Fuck! Not again!”

“Holy crap! There won’t come another one?!” Logan already expected another head pocking forth between her thighs, but his heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of blood dripping from Marie’s body.

‘Twins! Ah’m doomed!’ Marie hyperventilated and watched Logan’s features grew from shock to deep concern and then his panicked face softened suddenly.

“Relax, kid. Just the afterbirth.” Bending over Marie’s body he fetched the toilet paper from the holder and rolled a good ten pieces off. Then he gathered the bloody tissue, which was still connected to the new life in his arm, into the paper and placed the baby into his lap.

With a scowl Marie observed her friend study the umbilical cord and the gory mess in the toilet paper. “Eww.” Her stomach twisted at the sight and she was glad, when Logan wrapped more paper around before knotting the cord near the baby’s stomach. Her frown deepened. “Whadya doin’?”

Carefully to not startle the baby, he popped one of his claws and cut the umbilical cord. “Figure she won’t need this anymore.” Logan lifted the tissue mess up and looked around clueless. “What should we do with this?”

“Flush the toilet?!” Marie answered cheeky. “Ya can always take it as a souvenir!”

Narrowing his eyes on the brunette he wrapped the baby into his red flannel and picked her back up into his arm. “You know, kid, in the animal kingdom the mother usually eats the afterbirth.” An evil smirk plastered his lips as he watched the girl struggle not to throw up.

“That’s gross!” She hissed and swung her legs over the puddle on the floor and out of the booth, so her pants wouldn’t get soaked – any more, that is. With a gasped she clasped the doorframe and tried to pull herself up on it, but was grateful for Logan’s hand steadying her.

“You think, you can stand up yet, kid?”

“Yeah, the booth isn’t as comfy as it might look.” Marie saw his concerned gaze travel down beneath her stomach and she suddenly felt bottomless embarrassed. With a blush she pulled her oversized shirt down to her knees, her eyes cast to the dirty tiles. Suddenly she felt his hand on her shoulder and shove her towards the neighbored booth.

“Clean up, kid! But let the door unlocked.”

With a huff she looked down her wet and sticky thighs and ripped a few pieces of toilet paper from the holder. “Clean up, he says…jerk!”

“You know I can hear everythin’ you murmur.” He pushed the door slightly open and made her yelp in surprise. “Here.” He offered her unceremoniously a bunch of wet paper tissues, which she snatched from his large hands and then threw the door shut in his face. “Fuck, kid! Isn’t like I haven’t seen your nude ass before!”

“Are ya familiar with the concept of private space?! Obviously not!” She only heard him growl and then resume ripping toilet paper from the roll.

X X X X X

A few minutes later, Marie still longed for a warm shower, she stepped from the closet just in time to see Logan struggle with the plastic garbage bag, the baby and a knot. A disbelieving chuckle escaped her lips and she was rewarded with a snarl and a scowl.

“Mind to help me, kid?” Logan was about to place the baby into Marie’s arms, when the girl jumped back.

“No.” She could look at the little kid by now, it was still so unreal, but touching it – no way. Instead she snatched the overstuffed garbage bag from his hand and knotted the opening, noting that Logan had cleaned the floor up. With small steps she approached the vestibule and dumped the bag into the larger trash can.

Logan scrutinized the girl before him with a concerned frown. “Are you hurtin’? You walk so weird.”

A new blush crept onto Marie’s cheeks. “Um, well, Ah’m still bleeding a little… Ah’ve no tampon, … so Ah use toilet paper.” She confessed while washing her hands.

When she finished drying her hands, Logan turned to her. “Would you hold her for a moment?”

“No.”

“Marie.” He tried to plead with the girl, but he saw her confusion, fear and insecurity, so he carefully placed the bundle down on the counter next to a sink and opened the tab. ‘Only cold water… will kill all bacteria.’ Logan thought sarcastically.

Before he picked the baby up, the Canadian took in Marie’s petite frame under the oversized clothes. He stretched his hand towards her. “Turn your skin on.”

“What?” Bewilderment filled her features.

“You just gave birth on a toilet floor of a fast food restaurant. I don’t take chances with you gettin’ an infection, kid.” His eyes were swimming in concern and resolve. “Turn it on, kid.”

With a heavy sigh she clasped his large hand with her small one. “But just a little.” She saw him nod and activated her mutation, controlling the flow of life-force, so his own mutation could compensate the loss of strength to a certain amount and would keep him from collapsing. His veins stuck out on the contracted skin of his hand and Marie already felt his healing factor kick in: the cramped muscles and the still dull pain in her lower regions lightened and her swollen stomach began to shrink.

When she let finally go, Logan drew in a deep breath and steadied himself at the sink as his knees buckled. His vision was clouded and his blood throbbed in his ears and he caught a muffled voice. “Sorry, Ah took too much.”

“Nah… just give me a moment, kid.” As soon as the room stopped to spin, Logan opened the tap once more and splashed water onto his pale face, running his fingers through his dark mane. “You better, kid?”

“Yep.” Chewing on her lower lip she lifted her shirt and poked and stretched at the saggy skin of her stomach. “Ah’m not so flabby anymore. Thanks, Logan.”

The Canadian only rolled his eyes at her and grunted a “wasn’t meant that way…” before he picked the whimpering bundle up into his embrace. ‘When did she start to cry?’ Logan wondered and was glad that the child immediately calmed in his arm. The gaze he shot Marie should encourage her, but he felt his own fear creep into his hazel eyes. “Ready to face the world, girls?”

“Nah, but Ah doubt we can stay here forever.”

Marie felt her hands go cold and begin to tremble as soon as they stepped into the corridor and approached the steps. The music and chatter from the people above made her stomach clench and her heart sped up. ‘God, Ah can’t do this. Ah can’t face them.’ She stopped at the landing and felt Logan’s large hand on her shoulder, nudging her to keep going. Unconsciously she leaned against his side as they continued their way up and held her breath when they finally reached the first floor. Nobody was looking at them, everybody minded their own business. ‘Maybe they won’t notice.’

But near their table stood the waitress, her face frozen in shock and her hand covered her mouth in surprise. “Oh my God!”

Great, now all chatter subsided and all eyes centered on the two mutants and the kicking bundle in Logan’s arms. He suppressed the vicious growl that threatened to erupted and settled to a casual expression – at least he hoped it looked that way. “Wasn’t her period after all.” He stated with dry humor.

“Umm, wha… shall I call an ambulance?” The blond waitress finally managed to get past her teeth.

“Nah, too late for that. Gonna bring the girls to the hospital myself.” He glanced over to his finished plate that had harbored a burger and fries an hour before, and Rogue’s cold pizza. “The bill please.”

‘God, those stares. They think me to be the greatest whore. Ah have to get outta here!’ Marie’s gaze wandered to the floor and remained there even when she fished for her and Logan’s jackets at the backs of their chairs.

The Canadian fiddled with his wallet and the baby began to cry, but the restaurant’s manager approached wide eyed shaking his head. “No, sir. This one’s on the house.”

“Huh, thanks, bub.” He began to rock the newborn again. “Shh.” But this time she resumed her wailing and Logan shoved his wallet back into his jeans back pocket before pushing Marie towards the entrance. “We better get goin’.”

“Umm, yeah.” The manager pressed out while scrutinizing the pale features of the teenager and watched the three head out to their pick-up truck.

X X X X X X

Her legs felt like jelly by the time they reached their car. Marie slid into the passenger seat and fastened the seatbelt, still clutching the two jackets to her chest. “We can forget to visit this restaurant ever again.”

“You have to look for a new favorite eating place, kid.” Logan answered and closed the door. His real struggle began as he tried to retrieve the keys from his jeans front pocket with a crying baby in one arm and the steering wheel taking a lot of his moving space. With a grunt he finally fetched the keys and revived the engine. Leaving the parking lot behind them, Logan let the deep breath escape his lips, he wasn’t aware he was holding and gladly took in that the baby had calmed and seemed to fall asleep any moment.

A few minutes later Marie broke the silence, her voice a mere whisper so she wouldn’t wake the baby by accident. “Ya gonna take me to the hospital?”

“Nah, child protective service might get wind of this mess.” He caught her troubled gaze in the rear mirror. “Will only end up in rippin’ the three of us apart. Won’t be of much help when I’m in jail.”

Her eyes held a sudden glimmer of hope as she looked over to her friend. “Ya’ll stay, Logan?”

“She’s also my prob-“ The last word caught in his throat and he glanced down at the serene face of his sleeping daughter. “She’s also my kid.” He already entered the suburban area of Westchester as he eventually answered Marie’s question. “Take you back to the mansion.”

“They gonna kick me out.” Marie muttered under her breath, her eyes near tears again as she grasped the jackets tighter to her chest.

Logan grunted that thought had also entered his mind. “If they do, they’re damn hypocrites and we’re better off without them, kid.”

“Ya shouldn’t tell them ya’re the father.” She locked eyes with him in the mirror. “Will only end with ya have to leave or worse.” Through she doubted that the professor or any of the teachers would call the police, but better safe than sorry.

He shook his head slightly and trained his eyes back on the road and the approaching school gate. “Nah, I won’t deny my kid. Apart from that, Jeannie’ll figure it out eventually. She ran a couple tests on me, when we first came to the mansion. She surely has a DNA sample.” Stopping at the security console, Logan typed in his code and the heavy gate slid apart, granting them access to Xavier’s School for gifted Youngsters.

A few moments later he stopped the car in the vast garage and leaned forward with a sigh and rested his forehead against the steering wheel. This was the calm before the storm and both of them knew that. Logan took a few deep breaths, before he looked back up and met Rogue’s tear streamed face. She was trembling, her face pale and her chocolate eyes rested fearful on him. Gently he reached out and wiped her tears away with a shaky hand. “Marie?”

“What if the worst case takes place? What if they kick me and the baby out?”

Logan smiled softly as he heard her words – me AND the baby. “Then I’m gonna take the two of you back to Canada and we’ll find a cabin and will make the best out of the situation without the help of the geeks.”

A small smile found its way to her pink lips. “Why wait? It would be so much easier, Logan?”

“’Cuz we’d only run away again. And apart from that it would be the wrong decision, kid.” He already saw her questions form on her lips and he interrupted her. “We need a doctor to look at the baby. She’s so small. And you need to go to school, kid, to graduate.” She was about to object, but he never gave her time to voice her words. “We’re both mutants and the chances are good that our kid is too. You know how dangerous it is for our kind out there. The school is most likely the safest place for you and her to grow up.”

She couldn’t argue that and nodded in resignation. Her eyes wandered down to her lap and she just wanted to keep sitting in the car. Suddenly Marie felt his callused fingers lift her chin gently, so she would meet his reassuring gaze. “We’re in this together, Marie. And I need you to be strong for our daughter.” The brunette sniffed and wiped her tears away, then her eyes fell upon the baby in Logan’s arms and she nodded softly. “Fine. Now let’s face them.”

Carefully to not make too much noise the Canadian opened the door and slipped out of the car while Marie did the same, still clutching their jackets to her chest. They were already half way through the hallway, the kitchen-door was located in, when the little bundle in Logan’s flannel shirt began to cry on the tip of her small lungs. “Great, we can forget ‘bout sneakin’ in.” Logan grunted and rocked the child gently. His calming “Shh, kiddo.” died on his lips as he saw a few of Marie’s classmates appear in the kitchen’s door-frame, their mouths hanging open and their eyes wide.

Marie’s heart skipped a beat when she saw Bobby, John, Kitty and Jubilee stare at her. ‘Why of all people has it to be those four to see me. Jubes has the loosest mouth of all in this damn mansion. In five minutes everybody will know!’

Logan snarled at the students and continued his way to the hidden elevator, glad Marie never left his side though she looked paler than before. In the lift he pushed the button for the infirmary and finally sent out a mental call to the professor. ‘Chuck, you there?’

‘Yes, Logan?’ The calm voice of the older man sounded in his mind.

‘I need Jean in the Med Bay at once.’

A moment past by till Xavier’s voice returned. ‘I already told her. She’s on her way. Are you or Rogue hurt?’

‘No.’

‘May I ask why you need assistance in the infirmary?’

‘Kinda concerns you as well, Chuck. Come and see for yourself.’ Logan answered in his thoughts and stepped out of the elevator and rushed over to the Med Bay. Once arrived, he told Rogue to take a seat at one of the examination tables, while he placed the crying baby on the other table rubbing her chest gently. “Shh.”

X X X X X

A few minutes later, the child had finally calmed, the door opened and Jean rushed in with the professor, Storm and Scott on her heels. The red head stopped in her tracks as soon as her gaze fell upon the pale and fearful face of the trembling teenager and then on the tiny newborn. “Oh God, what happened?”

Logan rested his large hand on the baby’s chest, so she wouldn’t fall off the cold metal table by accident and turned to his fellow X-Men. “What does it look like, Red? She pushed and the kid slid outta her.” He stated and pointed his thumb towards Marie, who shrank even more into her over-sized shirt.

Rogue felt so embarrassed and saw the disappointed glares of her teachers and mentors center on her. Tears began to sting in her eyes and she struggled to not let them fall while she averted her gaze from the adults, looking back onto her lap. She wanted to pull her knees to her chest and crawl to a little ball, hiding from the cruel reality, but she didn’t dare to move an inch.

Jean was stunned for a moment, then torn between her two patients, but decided that the young mother looked shaken, but didn’t seem to need medical attention immediately. So she approached Logan and the baby, but glanced over to Rogue. “Rogue, how are you? Do you bleed?” But the girl just kept staring into the space before her for a long moment until she finally shook her head.

Logan unwrapped his shirt from the little body of his daughter. “Rogue should be fine. I touched her, gave her a little of my healin’.” He saw the nod of the doctor and noticed the other X-Men coming closer, scrutinize the baby. “Red, could you run a few tests on her? See if she’s alright?”

“Sure.” Jean met his concerned eyes and hurried over to her stethoscope and other medical utilities, she might need.

Scott stepped forward his eyes on Wolverine. “What happened?” He demanded in full fearless leader style.

Logan felt his patience vanish fast, when it came to the laser-shooting-mutant. “Are you deaf, Summers? Just told you Rogue gave birth.”

Meanwhile Storm had walked over to Rogue’s side and placed a hand onto the girl’s shoulder. “Rogue, how are you, dear?” She asked in her caring motherly voice, but the brunette only shrugged without looking up from her lap. “Why didn’t you tell anybody?” Again a shrug.

Logan listened – like everyone else – to Ororo’s attempts for answers and only growled in annoyance about the stupidity of the question. “Guess she was scared shitless, still is.” He saw Jean return to him and he finally lifted his hand from his daughter’s body, so the doctor could examine her.

Storm was about to ask the most uncomfortable question and this time she didn’t really expect an answer. “Dear, who’s the father?”

But before Rogue could say or do anything, Logan already answered, meeting the expectant gazes of the other adults. “I am.”

“What?!” Scott snapped at the older mutant and punched him in the face, only to hiss in pain and hold his right fist, after it had collided with the Adamantium skull. “Damnit!”

Logan did nothing for once, knowing full well that he had deserved that punch and if someone else would have put his little Marie into this situation, HE would have done much more harm than just beat the bastard to a pulp.

“You knew she was pregnant?!” Ro stared at the feral man disbelieving, disgust was also swimming in her blue eyes.

“No! You honestly think I would take Rogue to a fast food restaurant on purpose, so she could give birth on the toilet?!” Logan spat, but felt suddenly bad, as he took in the disappointed and disgusted glares of his fellow X-Men. He never gave a shit about what other people thought about him, but what made the opinion those geeks held about him count suddenly. He wondered and fought hard to not look away from the piercing stares of the other adults.

Jean lifted the baby up into her arms. “She’s 16! How could you?!” But her accuses were lost to Scott’s enraged rant.

“The toilet?! So you didn’t know you had knocked her up, you bastard? And didn’t even bring her to a hospital when she was in labor?!” His hand still hurt like hell, but he ignored the ache and stepped closer to Wolverine.

“It was too late for the hospital, the baby was already half way there.” Logan’s guilt instantly turned to fierce anger when he saw Scott lift his good hand to his black tee shirt, twisting the fabric in his fist. The Canadian’s hand immediately was on the other man’s and squeezed his fist tightly, but not so hard that he would break Summers’ hand. “Listen, bub, and listen good, Rogue was under your care the last eleven months, and a house full of telepaths wasn’t able to pick up on her condition?! And now you blame me that I haven’t noticed?! I was hardly around!”

Cyclops gritted his teeth. “Yeah, that’s exactly the point, you pervert! The few weeks you hang around the school, you spent your time knocking up our underage students! Isn’t it enough that you fuck a whore every other night in a bar?!”

Logan’s eyes darkened as he growled from deep within his chest and he gripped Scott by the hem of his shirt and threw him against the next wall, pinning the other man there. “I never, you hear, One-Eye, I never had sex with any of the students!”

He was at a disadvantage now, pinned against the wall, but still he didn’t back down with his arguments or his temper. “Huh? But you just confessed to be the father of that child! Sorry, if I’m confused, but a baby doesn’t come from holdin’ hands!” He was now shoved even further against the wall, his own hands grasping the feral’s ones.

Rogue was petrified by the scene before her, her inner Logan warned her that one more wrong word and the Wolverine would take over his flesh and blood counterpart, doing everything necessary to protect his cub. “Please stop, Mr. Summers!” She yelled and jumped to her feet and ran over to the two men, placing her small hand on Logan’s arm. “It was mah fault! Ah went to Logan to sleep with him!” The brunette blurted out and all eyes were suddenly piercing into her.

“Kid, cut it!” Logan hissed as he heard the gasps of the other X-Men.

Logan’s fists had lightened their grip on him and Scott used this chance to grasp the other man’s collar. “And you sick bastard took the opportunity!”

“He kicked me out ‘fore we had sex!” Desperate tears ran down her cheeks as her hand tried to loosen Logan’s now re-tightened death-grip on the other’s man.

‘Enough!’ Professor Xavier’s voice in their heads startled everybody with its unusual harsh tone. The sudden silence was only broken by the cries of the newborn in Jean’s arms. Xavier wheeled his chair closer to the two men and the teenager, his gray eyes held a coldness that chilled Rogue to the bones. “Logan, Scott, let go off of each other at once.” His voice wasn’t raised, but it carried enough authority and significance that both men complied and stepped apart.

Scott walked past the professor to stand next to Storm, he obviously got a mental order to do so. Unaware that she not only still held Logan’s hand, but was now running her fingertips over his knuckles in a soothing gesture, Rogue broke the physical contact at once as she finally understood why the professor’s glare on her became darker with every passing second.

Xavier let his eyes switch from Rogue to Logan and then back as Jean calmed the baby. “Both of you insist that you were never intimate, but this child contradicts this highly. Would you mind to clarify?” This was no question but an order.

Logan ran his fingers agitated through his dark hair and saw Rogue’s panicked gaze hover over his face. He turned his eyes on her for a moment “Go back to the table, kid.”, then back to the bald man in the wheelchair. “Look, Chuck, it isn’t what it looks like. It was over before it had even begun.”

“So you had sex with Rogue?” The professor’s voice was eerie calm and his face impassive, gone was all his natural gentleness.

“No.” After another run of his fingers through his mane, Logan eventually murmured a “yes”. He saw the professor’s anger boil in his grey eyes and continued quickly, hoping he wouldn’t regret his decision. “Chuck, best would be you make yourself a picture.”

This suggestion caught the older man off guard and his impassive face suddenly showed disbelieving surprise. “You suggest I access your memories of that incident?”

“Seems to me the easiest way.”

“Fine... Close your eyes, Logan.”

The remains of his dream still clouded his head when he stood under the warm water of his shower, his hands taking care of his aching hardness. It was in the middle of the night and he had just arrived a few hours before, late in the evening, but the five minutes he had talked to her before she had retired for the night, were more than enough to give him passionate dreams as soon as he closed his eyes.

Moaning he leaned one hand against the white tiles while his other brought him closer to the climax. With a grunt he shot his seed in his palm and leaned his spinning head against the wall.

Suddenly he heard a rustle of clothes and his eyes darted startled to the opening shower-door. He was about to slid his claws out, but decided his mind was playing tricks on him and he would spent a few more minutes in this wonderful dream as a completely nude Rogue entered the shower, her black silk nighty – if you could call this a nightgown at all – lay in a heap in front of his sink.

Her chocolate eyes held a lustful sparkle as she took in his naked body from head to toe, licking her lips sensually when her gaze lingered on his manhood. “Ah can control mah mutation, Logan.” She stepped closer to his lean body, the warm water of the shower flowing down her creamy breasts and stomach. “Ya can touch me, Logan.” Her soft hand carefully stroked down his broad chest as he looked at her like in trance. She placed his large hands tentatively on her hips and began to draw lazy circles on his stomach.

He moaned softly as her fingers worked their way down his abdomen and he finally leaned down and captured her soft pink lips with his in a gentle kiss. The kiss seemed to last forever, it was soft and gentle, yet passionate and loving and as it ended they drowned into the other’s eyes for long seconds catching their breaths. The young brunette suddenly pushed herself up against his body, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and her hands around his neck.

He steadied themselves against the tiles and his hand squeezed her perfect little butt, making her moan in pleasure and he crushed his mouth onto hers hungrily. He felt her sturdy breasts rub against his chest, her nipples hardening and she moaned against his tongue as his free hand began to knead her breast. With small bites he nibbled his way along her jaw and to the tip of her ear, making her gasp as he sucked at the sensitive little tissue.

A moan escaped her lips as his throbbing cock suddenly nudged against her wet entrance. “Huh, already ready again?” A satisfied grin was on her swollen mouth as she pulled away slightly to get a glimpse of his smug smirk.

His voice was husky with desire. “Always ready for you, kid.” He buried his nose in her salt and pepper hair and inhaled her sweet scent deeply. “Mmm… your arousal smells better than in my hottest dreams of you, kid.”

His purring growl made her giggle and she kissed and nibbled his neck. “Good to hear, Ah’m not the only one having wet dreams starring the two of us.”

This kinda broke the spell he was under and he finally grasped this wasn’t a dream, but indeed reality. “Marie?” His hand left her breast and wandered to rest on her back.

She broke away from him hearing the seriousness in his voice and met his confused gaze. “Yeah? What’s wrong, Logan?”

“You shouldn’t be here.”

She frowned slightly. “Why?”

“You know why. It’s wrong.”

She just stared him straight in the eye for a long moment, seeing the passion struggle with his common sense. Carefully she loosened her legs around his hips and lowered herself slightly onto his hardened length. He groaned in pleasure about her tightness as he began to enter her hot folds. The brunette hissed at the sharp pain while her skin stretched around his moist tip. “Ah can control mah skin. We can be together now.”

He struggled hard against his own desire and the Wolverine, who was slowly breaking loose from his confinement in his mind. “Nah, we can’t, Marie.”

“Ah know ya want me.” She kissed him passionately, but he broke away, making her pout.

His hazel eyes softened on her. “You shouldn’t know that, kid.”

She pleaded with him. “But Ah do. Ah can feel your desire for me, Logan. And Ah wanted ya from the moment in your pick-up when you told me your name.”

“Christ, you don’t know how I wanted to hear those words comin’ from your lips.” All doubts forgotten for the moment he attacked her mouth hungrily, his tongue tasting her while he lowered her further onto his hardness. Her hiss of pain and pleasure brought him back to reality and he pulled back from her lips and out of her, not that he could say he had been really inside her, she was so damn tight.

Marie whimpered as he entangled her legs from his body and placed her gently, but with determination down in front of him. His callused hand cupped her cheek, so she would look him in the eye. “You have to go now, Marie.” With those words, his hand dropped to her shoulder and he pushed her out of the cabin. He took a bath towel and wrapped the soft fabric around her slender frame, rubbing off the water from her skin.

Marie only stared at him with her large brown eyes as he removed the towel and handed her her silky nighty. “Are ya mad at me, Logan?”

Swiftly he wrapped the towel around his waist, hiding his erection. “No.” He answered when she slipped the cloth over her head and down her curvy body. Logan swallowed hard as his eyes lingered a moment too long on her creamy cleavage. He pushed her slowly into his dark bedroom, the light from the bathroom illuminating the other room. “Go to bed, kid, it’s way past your bed time.”

Her voice was cracking while she walked over to the door. “Ya’ll leave tonight, won’t ya?”

“Yeah. Haven’t unpacked yet.” His sensitive nose picked up the scent of salt water and his heart clenched. Before the girl could reach the door, his hand was on her shoulder, pulling her petite frame flush against his body, her tears mixed with the water on his damp chest. “Two years, kid. If you still want me in two years, my door stands open for you.”

She looked up with her bright watery eyes, so much love shone in her brown depths and her palms pressed against his chest. “Ah don’t wanna wait.”

“Fuck! Neither do I, but it’s the only right thing to do. You need to grow up, kid.” He stroked her head gently. “My feelings for you are sick.”

“Nobody has to know.” The girl tip-toed, so she could reach up and place a desperate kiss on his lips.

“Stop it, Marie!” He pushed her a little further away panting hard and bent down slightly to lean his forehead against hers. “In two years time you’ll be legal. The thing between us will still be wrong and sick in the eyes of … well, virtually everybody, but it won’t be against the law.” He wiped a single tear away from her cheek.

“Ya’ll return?”

“Yeah, promise, Marie.” He lifted his hand to his neck and snatched his dog-tags, she had returned to him only hours before. He saw a soft smile tug on her swollen lips as he placed the chain gently around her neck, his hazel eyes never leaving her chocolate ones. “I have to leave. You have no idea what you’re doin’ to me.” His index finger played with her white locks, his gaze filled with pain and longing. “It’s hurtin’ so damn much to see you… to have you within reach and bein’ unable to have you.” Logan pulled her into a tight embrace and whispered into her ear. “But I’ll be back for these… and for you, kid.” This made her smile.

He broke their hug and met her gaze, his eyes serious. “The next time I return, we’ll be friends and nothing more, kid. And you’ll stay in your room and your own bed. No nightmare sleepovers anymore.”

“But in two years…” Hope shone in her eyes and rang in her voice.

He smiled at her lovingly and cupped her face. “Nothin’ can stop me to return here for your 18th birthday, kid. And when you’ll still want me-“

“Ah’ll always want ya, Logan. Ah lov-“ She knew how he felt for her, how much he loved her, after all he was in her mind.

Carefully he placed his index finger against her lips. “Don’t! It’ll make the next two years even harder.” It already tore his heart apart. He pressed a kiss to her temple and ushered her out the door, he had quietly opened. “You better go now, Marie.” The girl only nodded and slipped out of his room.

Closing the massive wooden door between them he leaned against it with his back and slid slowly down, eventually resting his elbows on his knees while he buried his face and his tears in his palms.

When Logan opened his eyes again, he noticed the change in the older man's expression. His face suddenly didn't hold so much anger anymore and in his eyes was something alike sympathy. Logan on the other hand was sure he had the deepest blush of his life on his cheeks.

"I see." The professor's gaze locked with Logan's. 'I wasn't aware of how deep your feelings for Rogue are.'

'She's no fling. I love her for who she is. She means the world to me and I'm gonna take care of her and our kid.'

Xavier was still like dazed by the intense love and protection the other man held for the girl. He had felt that it wasn't the body of Rogue that attracted Logan but her caring nature, her unconditional trust in him, her unique ability to see the man in him and not the vicious beast. 'You already bared your soul in order to protect your family. This is against your feral nature.'

'Nah, Chuck. Wolverine would do everything to protect his mate and cub and so would I.'

'Your mate?' This revelation brought a new light to Logan's reasons to nearly sacrifice his life for Rogue back at Liberty Island. 'Wolverine and you? Are you two separated identities? This thought never occurred to me when I accessed your mind…'

'Chuck, you're rantin'. I believe your questions how it came to the baby are answered?'

'Yes, indeed.' The older man's eyes darted over to the young mother, who hugged her knees to her chest in shame, but he immediately felt Logan's thoughts penetrate his mental barriers. 'Don't, Chuck. She has gone through enough for today.'

'Fine.' Xavier stapled his fingers to a triangle before his face and turned to the doctor. "Jean, would you please start your examination of the baby."

Scott watched the professor navigate his wheelchair away from the perverted bastard and closer to Jean. He furrowed his brows, not believing the sudden change from seething anger to his usual kind and understanding self of the older man. "Professor, what actions will you take concerning Logan?" But he was simply ignored.

The Canadian scented the air tentatively and inhaled the smell of tears, shame and fear mixed with his Marie's unique scent. His own heart began to ache for the girl and he went over to the cold metal table she was perched on. Gently he placed his hand onto her head and began to stroke her hair, but it didn't take Scott long to stride over and push Logan away from the girl. "Hands off of Rogue! You already did enough to her, bastard!"

Logan's anger flared once again and he got hold of the other man and threw him against the wall with a growl.

"Logan!"

The professor's stern voice stopped Wolverine and he turned his head to face the old man. The rage was still boiling in his veins. Panting hard to calm his temper he almost growled at Xavier's authoritarian stare, but he bit down the snarl and stormed towards the door and out into the hallway. He had to get out of there, to clear his head, before he did something to Cyke, he might regret later.

'Where are you going, Logan?' Xavier's voice echoed in his mind.

'Shoppin'.'

Scott straitened his shirt angrily and watched the feral rush out the infirmary. "You let him go like that?!" But the glare he received from his mentor told him there were more important matters at hand than Logan. With a scoff he hurried after Logan, ignoring the objections of the professor and Jean. He reached the elevator just in time to see the doors close in front of him.

X X X X X X

A good five minutes later, Scott returned to the Med Bay, a satisfied smile on his face. He took in Storm was comforting Rogue, stroking her back, while the professor sat with his eyes closed before the newborn, his hands on either side of the baby's tiny head, accessing her mind.

Jean was relieved to see her boyfriend return without brushes or a broken nose. "Where's Logan?" She inquired, wondering what the professor saw in Logan's memories that made him change his priorities.

"Took my bike and hit the road." He observed his girlfriend purr warm water into a plastic box that had held medical equipment only a short time before. "Don't think we'll see him again."

Though she didn't react on the soothing words or questions of Storm, Rogue was aware of every spoken word in the room. 'He's running again.' She buried her face deeper in her knees and her mind shut down.

X X X X X X

The automatic doors of the infirmary opened a good half an hour later and a scowling Logan strode into the room. The surprised eyes of Scott, Ororo and Jean pierced into him and he growled a "What?!" at the trio.

Storm traded a gaze with her friends, before she decided to reply. "We thought, well…"

"I left the kid for good, huh?" Logan hitched his eyebrow. "Sorry to disappoint you. Was just shoppin'." He lifted two Wal-Mart bags up and approached Jean, who took the baby's temperature. His gruff features immediately held concern as he looked down on his tiny daughter. "How is she, Red?"

Jean had known from the first moment that Logan wasn't the good guy, who would court a girl – in her definition meant 'girl' in this context a grown woman and not an actual teenage girl – with roses and promise her a house with a white picket fences and the two point five kids. Wolverine could be so charming sometimes that she almost forgot he was the bad guy. But even in her worst opinion of the feral man, the redhead had never thought him to be a pedophile.

She tried to swallow her disgust for the man before her and concentrated on her work. "Quite small and light, but this doesn't surprise me since she's a preemie and Rogue didn't take care of her condition the last months." Jean remembered that the girl had taken part in the P.E. classes. Given, the brunette wasn't so enthusiastic about sports as in the beginning and tried to sneak her way to the sidelines whenever possible, but she hardly skipped a class.

Logan's face was troubled and he stroked the baby's stomach gently. "Preemie? I came to nine months, one week more or less wouldn't make such a difference, would it?"

His hazel eyes were digging into her with confusion and worry. It was hard to despise him, when his care for the child seemed so genuine. "I estimate that Rogue gave birth at the 36th or 37th week."

"I'm no math geek, but that are nine months!"

"But under optimal conditions the baby should be delivered at the 40th week. She's about a month too early."

"Huh? Ten months?!? Why the fuck does it say nine months everywhere?!" Logan barked in frustration, but only received a shrug from Jean as answer. He watched her write the temperature down to a chart and fixed the redhead with a stern glare. "The kid's kid is a preemie… what does that mean? Is she alright?"

Jean tried to access his mind, but his mental barriers were too strong and her telepathic powers too weak, so she only picked up on his guilt and heartbreaking concern he felt at the moment. "I did a sonogram. Her organs, especially the lung, are fully developed and doing their job. The professor made a mental scan confirming that there is no brain damage."

Logan nodded in thanks to the bald man, but his eyes were trained on the doctor. "So she's fine?"

"Yes, despite being quite tiny and light, but food should take care of that issue. I wanna make a small checkup every day, though. Monitoring her weight and development."

"Thanks, Red." He picked the little baby up into his arms, the white and fluffy towel wrapped around her tiny body. Running his fingertips over her cheeks, Logan chuckled as he noticed the white streaks in the brown downy hair of the obviously bathed baby. "Got your first bath, kiddo, huh." He placed a peck onto her head and cradled her to his chest. As he noticed the grins on the two X-Women's faces his gentle smile was replaced by his usual scowl.

It was then that Logan noticed the way Storm tried to comfort his Marie. The woman sat next to the girl on the table and ran her hand up and down her back, while the professor seemed to try to access her mind.

Frowning Logan rushed over to the four – Scott stood nearby and observed everything. "What's wrong with Rogue?" He didn't care that his worry was evident in his shaking voice.

Xavier opened his eyes and met Logan's concerned gaze. His voice held its usual calm, but was spiked with worry. "She withdrew from the real world to her mind and has erected quite strong mental barriers." The professor had always had difficulties to get into touch with Rogue's mind and he assumed her unique mutation to be the reason for it. "I tried to access her mind but wasn't successful. If I push too much I might do more harm than good."

Logan stroked over the brunette's head gently. "Have you tried the old fashioned way and simply talked to 'er?"

"Sure." Storm answered concerned and stood up.

"Would you take 'er, Ro?" Logan asked and placed his daughter into the weather witch's waiting arms. Then he sat down next to his Marie and slung his arms around her shoulders, pulling her petite frame against his chest and began to mumble comforting nonsense, not caring about the audience.

Someone was holding her, hugging her to their strong chest and whispering words she couldn't and didn't want to make out. She felt large hands rub her arms and kisses being placed onto the tip of her head. No one would dare to touch her like this, not even now after she had mastered to control her deathly skin. When someone accidentally bumped into her, they would jump away with fearful expressions, still expecting to be sucked to death.

The only one, who never cared about her toxic skin, was Logan. He even let her sleep curled up to his body after she had cried herself to sleep in his embrace after one of his nightmares, she had had on a nightly basis after Liberty Island. Then shortly before dawn, he would wake her with soft kisses to her head, her dark hair a safe barrier between their bare skins. She would spent a last few minutes spooned to his warm body, his strong arms holding her protectively till it was time for her to sneak back into her own bed.

But he was gone. The only person, who had loved her and was never afraid of her, had left her for good.

She felt her face being pulled into the soft fabric of a cotton shirt and her cheek leaned involuntarily against someone's chest. Then she breathed in the scent of tobacco, wood and leather and something stirred in her. It couldn't be. Her mind played tricks on her. Tentatively she inhaled again, this time deeper. Again, it was Logan's scent she was met with and strength returned to her. Eventually she dared to crawl slowly back out from her safe refuge in her mind and let her brains register the soothing words. "… Marie, c'mon, Kid. I'm here…"

The gruff, yet gentle voice called her Marie. Nobody, but Logan knew her real name. Carefully she blinked against his chest and murmured a hardly audible "Logan". But she knew if it was really him, his sensitive ears would catch her word.

He pulled slowly away, so he could meet her watery gaze. "Yeah, kid." She blinked a few times in disbelief, before a small smile tugged on her lips and she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face deep in his chest. Logan breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her, caressing her back gently. He felt his shirt go damp at her tears and he rested his chin on her head. "It's fine."

After a long moment of just being held Marie pushed away gently and looked deep into Logan's concerned eyes. "Mr. Summers said ya had left for good."

"And you little idiot believe him." He smiled at her and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Scooter knows nothin'." Then he threw an evil sideways glance at Scott and snarled.

It was then that Marie noticed the presence of the other adults with alarm, who stared at the pair. The professor, Storm and Jean held an amazed expression, while Scott looked wary and somewhat pissed. She felt a blush creep to her cheeks and pushed completely away from Logan's embrace, looking awkwardly at her lap.

The Canadian was afraid the girl would drift back to her own world again, so he ruffled her hair. "Need your help with two important decisions, Kid."

"Huh?"

This made her meet his gaze again and he walked over to his purchases and fetched one of the bags. On his way back he rummaged through it and eventually came up with two tiny romper suits, one pink, and the other pastel green. He tossed them both onto Rogue's lap and walked over to Ororo while retrieving a diaper from the package.

The brunette lifted the clothes up and decided he must have been shopping in the doll-department of a toy-store. "What should Ah do, Logan?"

"Decide which one should be her first to wear." The Canadian replied and picked his daughter up from Storm's arms.

Jean watched with a concerned frown the young mother slide away a few inches, when Logan placed the baby gently on the tabletop next to her. Thus she walked over to the young parents, but as soon as Logan saw her approach, he shot her a glance, and then his view switched to the professor. A moment later Jean, like her fellow X-Men, got the mental order to stay back and to not interfere.

Logan eyed the disposable diaper warily and began to fiddle with the paper cover of the glue strips clumsily. From time to time he shot a helpless gaze towards Marie, but the girl pretended to be oblivious to what he wanted from her.

After he had finally removed the paper-strips, he swung the diaper open, only to glue it to the metallic tabletop by accident. Cursing slightly he peeled the adhesive strips back, just to glue them to his fingertips a moment later.

Marie narrowed her eyes at him in annoyance. "Logan, stop playing dumb. Ah know ya aren't so stupid to not being able to figure out how a diaper works. It's just your attempt to make me help ya."

Logan sighed and shot her a sheepish gaze. "Guilty." Then he flipped the diaper over, so it was placed in the right direction, opened it and lifted the baby's butt carefully by picking her little legs up. He slid the diaper under her body, placed her feet down on every side of the fabric and clapped the other half of the diaper towards her belly. But when he tried to fasten the adhesive strips, the glue wasn't sticky enough anymore and the diaper opened again. "Fuck!"

He heard a chorus of giggles and shot everybody a dark glare. "Jeannie, do you have tape by chance?"

Chuckling, the redhead walked over to a cupboard and opened a drawer, retrieving a surgical tape, which she soon handed to a bothered Logan. "Here you go."

Wolverine grunted something alike "thanks" and shoved the tape into Rogue's hands. "Rip off two strips, Kid." He glowered at her. "And wipe that grin off your face."

"Spoilsport." The girl muttered and searched for the beginning of the tape.

Meanwhile Storm had snatched the second bag and inspected its contents curiously, spreading two baby plastic bottles, formula, a book about 'how to handle newborns', three different colors of teething rings, miniature socks in pink, yellow, and white and at least half a dozen pacifiers onto the examination table. The weather witch struggled hard to not break into a fit of laughter. "Logan, why on earth did you buy…" She began to count. "Eight pacifiers?"

He looked up from the baby and met Ro's startled gaze. "Why the hell not?" Now her expression turned to disbelief. "Pacifier sounds nice… will keep her hopefully quite. If she doesn't need 'em, we could always give 'em to the students." Now her face was blank and he continued. "Thought 'bout chatty kids like Yellow."

Storm laughed at the picture of Jubilee with a soother and picked up the teething rings. "She won't need those in the near future."

Logan growled at her. "Just took a few of everything they had in the baby department… and that looked useful…" He grumbled and concentrated to close the diaper not too tight, so it might hurt his daughter. From the corner of his eyes he caught Storm fetch the formula and a bottle and head out of the room.

Rogue frowned when she saw Logan's finished work on the baby. The diaper was much too big for the tiny newborn and it reached up to her chest. "Wasn't there a number smaller, Logan?"

"No." He lifted the package up and threw it unceremoniously on her lap.

She eyed the inscription, he was right it was for newborns and put the package next to her on the table. When she looked up, Logan was watching her expectantly. "What?"

He lifted his brow at her. "Have you decided?"

"The green one." The girl stated and handed it to him. "Ya said two decisions, Logan. What's the other one?"

Wolverine smirked at her for a while. "A name." He eventually said and his gaze became serious. "But nothin' stupid or the name of a city or state. A nice normal one."

"Why Ah?"

"You're her mom." He countered and began to dress his little daughter into the romper suit.

"And ya're her dad."

"Tell you what, Kid. You'll suggest names and I say no."

"Uhu." Rogue huffed, but began to contemplate. "Chantal is slutty, Leonie is cute for a baby, but not for a grown woman… All Jennifers Ah knew were bitches and all Rachels were mindless followers…"

"Kid, did you listen?! You should suggest names, you like, not the one you dislike." Logan shot her a sideways glare as he struggled with the legs of the romper suit.

Rogue sighed heavily. "How about Clarissa?"

Wolverine glowered at her somewhat horror-stricken. "No."

"Laura?"

"Laura… I like that one." But as soon as he had finished, the tiny baby began to cry like there was no tomorrow. "'K, she doesn't like Laura." Logan picked his now completely dressed daughter up and began to rock her. First she calmed to some extent, but then her sobs became louder and more erratic and the young father looked up with genuine concern to the doctor. "What's wrong with 'er, Red?!"

Jean only glanced at her watch and smiled. "Think she'll be hungry."

"Oh." Logan could beat himself up for that dumb comment and the fact he didn't think of that.

"Ro is up in the kitchen heating a bottle. She'll be back soon." The redhead informed him, but Logan shook his head.

"Nah, gonna try something else first." His eyes narrowed on the professor and Scott and he growled viciously, though hardly audible over his daughter's desperate cries. Xavier got the hint and steered his wheelchair to the furthest spot of the room and gestured Scott to follow him.

Logan's gaze fixed on the young brunette before him and he carefully bent down, holding the newborn towards her mother, who in turn looked quite startled and scared. She let her arms drop to her sides, so he had no chance to lay the child into her arms. "Ya heard Miss Munroe will return soon."

"Maybe…" He sighed heavily and his soft eyes pleaded with the girl. "Marie, please take 'er. Hold 'er. Only one time… is all I want, Kid." They stared long into the eyes of the other and finally Rogue nodded. "Ok, but ya'll take her, when Ah want ya to."

"Yep."

Marie felt awkward as she held her arms up and waited for Logan to lie the crying child against her chest. Carefully he placed the tiny head into the crook of her arm and then stepped back, giving her more space. Marie sat there like stunned, unable to do anything than stare down at the little creature. A good minute passed by till the brunette lifted tentatively her free hand to the tiny stomach rubbing small circles on it. The child's sobs calmed somewhat and Marie's hand continued its caress while her eyes centered on the tiny face.

She took in the little lips and the chubby cheeks, unconsciously moving her hand to the small face, tracing her index finger over her forehead, down her temple and then her cheeks. Two large blue eyes blinked back at the brunette and she smiled down at her daughter, stroking her downy brown-white hair.

"She has your nose and hair." Rang Logan's voice from next to her on the table.

She hadn't noticed that he had sat down next to her. "She's heavier than she looks." Marie whispered softly and let her hand travel back over her cheeks, chest and finally to her belly, scrutinizing the girl in awe. "Ya know the romper suit is too big."

"Nah, she's too small." Logan responded and sneaked his hands to her large shirt and pulled on the fabric, but only received a yelp and a "Whatchaya doing?!".

He breathed in deeply. "It's not her fault we messed up… She doesn't deserve to pay for our stupidity, Kid." His hazel eyes pleaded with her again and she slowly looked back at the angelic face of their child and she finally nodded. With a giant blush and a little help of Logan holding up her shirt, she freed one of her breasts from her bra's cup and held her daughter closer to her nipple.

The baby swallowed hungrily the warm milk, her tiny fists clenched at her mother's skin. "It tickles." Marie watched her child feed with a smile and ran her fingertips over the miniature hand of her daughter. "Ah can't believe she were in me a few hours ago."

Logan stroked absently Rogue's back with one hand and the baby's head with his other. "Would be better for 'er if she'd have stayed in your womb a month longer."

"She wanted out. Maybe didn't want to risk that her daddy would be away again in a month."

"I'm gonna stick around now, Kid." He pressed a kiss to her temple.

Storm was still shocked to the bones about the revelation of Rogue's hidden pregnancy and Logan's fatherhood. She had noticed the strong tie the two shared the night Logan had accidentally stabbed Rogue. This invisible bond got only stronger after Liberty Island.

Jean had called it cute that little Rogue had a crush on her hero, but the weather witch soon understood that the girl was deeply in love with the feral man. This and the fact that Logan threw the girl gazes of pure love every time he thought nobody was looking, her red haired friend didn't seem to notice – or maybe she didn't want to. After all he was officially hitting on Jean, but Storm figured out that for one, flirting seemed to be in Logan's genes and for two, he wanted to piss Scott off.

She had thought that Rogue and Logan would make a nice couple and that he was only waiting for her 18th birthday. Obviously she was wrong with this hypothesis. But then again the two insisted that nothing had happened and the professor seemed to have verified this with his behavior – at least to some extent. Storm decided that she would ask Wolverine about what had really happened that night.

At the moment she was in the kitchen heating a bottle formula, while four of the older students had encircled her and watched her closely.

Eventually the Asian girl spoke up, what was obviously on the mind of all teenagers present in the room. "Miss Munroe, is the baby Rogue's?"

"Why do you assume this, Jubilee?" What should she answer?

The normally chatty girl traded a long gaze with her friends. "Well… Rogue and Wolvie, umm, Mr. Logan drive to town for a few hours and they come back bone-shaken and with a wailing baby…"

"Not to mention Rogue's wet back of the shirt and pants." Bobby clarified.

Kitty thought of the behavior of the calm girl and eventually chimed in. "Rogue didn't feel well the last few days."

Storm listened carefully to the students' explanations, now Jubilee spoke again. "The boys always joked that she would hide somethin' under her large shirts."

"A baby belly." John clarified.

The teacher contemplated her options and came to the conclusion that she didn't really have any. "Well… this only concerns Rogue."

The eyes of Rogue's two roommates grew wide in shock of the confirmation. "So it's true?! Who's the father?"

Bobby remembered the first assumptions his friends came up with. Everyone in the mansion knew he wanted more from Rogue than just being friends when the girl first arrived at the school. Only she wasn't interested in him and she had withdrawn from almost every social contact the past few months. But still, Jubes came up with the question, if he, Robert Drake, could be the father. With the benefit of hindsight he was glad that he NEVER got involved with the girl. "Some student?"

Jubilee made a slicing gesture with three fingers of her hand. "Gee, I don't wanna be in the guy's skin when Wolvie finds out, who touched the Untouchable Rogue."

Storm grinned at the irony and fetched the warm bottle. She left the kids looking after her with nosy faces as she entered the hallway.

X X X X X

Ororo returned to the peaceful picture of Rogue holding her daughter with a gentle smile as she nursed the tiny girl. Logan had his arm wrapped around the young mother and stroked the baby's head tenderly. He didn't wear his usual scowl, his face was relaxed and he looked happy.

The weather witch approached the family – that it was what this picture suggested – and placed the useless bottle on the table with the other purchases while listening carefully to the conversation between the young parents.

"How about Becca?" Marie looked up expectantly and leaned closer into Logan's chest. "From Rebecca."

"Becca…" His gaze traveled from Marie's happy face down on his daughter's serene features. "I think she looks like a Becca."

A content smile formed on the young mother's lips. "So it's Becca then?"

"Yup." Logan pressed a kiss to Marie's head.

They sat a moment in comfortable silence, the other adults watching them, when Marie suddenly looked down to her baby, somewhat bewildered. "Huh? Ah think she fell asleep."

Logan also gazed down and raised his eyebrow as he saw the newborn had her eyes closed contently and her little lips still encircled her mother's nipple, but her mouth didn't move anymore. "Takin' a nap durin' eating?" He met Marie's view with a disbelieving grin. "You sure she's my kid after all?" This bad joke earned him an elbow to the ribs. "Ow!" Wolverine rubbed his side playfully.

Marie's gaze became a mixture between helpless and worry. "Shouldn't she burp or something like that?" Carefully she lifted the baby and removed her from her breast.

Logan's expression told everyone present that this one was way beyond him and he did the only thing he could think off and covered Marie's exposed skin with her giant shirt. "Whadya lookin' at me, Kid? She's the first baby I ever held in my arms… at least in the last 15, 16 years I remember."

"Lay the towel over mah shoulder, Logan." Her eyes were on the white fluffy cloth Becca had rested in during her examination.

He did as he was told and observed the girl cradle the tiny baby against her shoulder and rub her back in small circles. The child was half awake during this procedure.

"Do Ah something wrong, Dr. Grey?" Marie looked up to the woman next to her just as the baby burped and spit her meal into Marie's brown hair. "Eww… Next time a larger cloth." The brunette pulled her daughter gently away from her body and held her before her face. Rogue felt her mouth go slack at the expression her baby gave her. "She has your wicked grin, Logan!"

"Kid, doubt that a newborn can grin, let alone wicked."

Now she narrowed her eyes first on her kid and then at her father as she carefully shifted Becca, so everybody got a good view on the little girl's features. "And whaddya call this?!"

Storm and Jean chuckled in disbelief as they saw the content and somewhat evil grin on the baby's little face, the smeared milk on her lips only added to her impish aura. "She's SO your kid, Logan." Ororo laughed and snatched the clean towel from Rogue and wiped gently the tiny face.

Logan stared in disbelief at his small daughter, but suddenly while scrutinizing the newborn, a warm feeling welled up in his heart and he picked the tiny girl up from her mother's arms, holding her with pride. "Next time you aim at Scooter, kiddo." He pointed his thumb towards a still pissed Scott and the baby began to coo happily. "Yep, that's my girl!"

Marie giggled at Wolverine's smug attitude and rubbed her child's meal from her dark locks. Ok, she definitively needed a long warm shower. But till she got it, why not try and get some more spit in the hair? "Logan, give her back to me, Ah wanna try to feed her again. She must have spit out everything she had eaten."

The Canadian was glad to hear Marie had finally accepted her baby – no, their baby and he placed the child back into her waiting arms.

X X X X X

Logan sat so in front of Rogue that he shielded the nursing mother from the views of the two other males, who had approached the parents. Xavier thought it time to inform everybody about what he had decided concerning the new situation. To Rogue's and Logan's relief he insisted that the young mother would remain student at his school, since the professor wanted to keep a close eye on the girl and her child. After all he felt for all his students like a father and he was curious about the possible mutation the child might show sometime in the future.

Ororo told them, what she had learned in her conversation with the students in the kitchen. "The rumor-mill is up to speed. Though nobody seem to suspect Logan to be the father."

"Who then?" Jean asked curiously.

"Some student."

"Your short visit at that time is still unknown to the students, so you wouldn't even come into consideration." The professor stapled his fingers before his face and continued in his calm voice, though fixing Wolverine with his serious grey-blue eyes. "This will stay this way."

"Whadya mean, Chuck?" Suddenly Logan feared he would have to leave his two girls.

"You will be allowed to stay at this school and resume your occupation as P.E. and self-defense teacher, Logan."

"You can't be serious, pro-" Scott was silenced by one lifted hand of the older man, who faced him now before continuing.

"Logan's affection for younger girls is solely confined to young Rogue, not that this would make it any more right, but it'll be safe to entrust our students into his care."

Logan breathed out a sigh of relief. "So I'm allowed to stay near my daughter and Rogue?!"

"Rogue will need all help available to successfully cope with her new situation as teenage-mother and student. Also denying a child her father wouldn't be beneficial for her development." The professor heard the mental exclamation of his X-Men leader. "Yes, Scott, even if the father is Wolverine." Logan snarled at Cyclops, but Xavier continued as if the threatening had never occurred. "But your stay is subject to following conditions. You, and I mean both of you, Rogue." His eyes darted to the young brunette. "Will under no circumstances pursuit your relationship in any intimate way, till Rogue has graduated and has become off-age. Made I myself clear?" His glare dug into the young parents.

Rogue only nodded embarrassed that her mentor knew, she were the seducer. Logan also nodded. "No objections there, Chuck. It's what I told Rogue to begin with."

"Huh?" Jean shot the Canadian a disbelieving look, after all he never made a secret about his intentions on the red head and now he admitted that he had his eyes on Rogue, too.

"Told her, she can return to my bedroom when she's 18." Logan only shrugged, but saw the balling fists next to Scott's sides out of the corner of his eyes, like he noticed the disapproving shakes of the head of the two X-Women.

Meanwhile a deep blush had covered Rogue's face and she hoped the earth beneath her feet would rip apart and swallow her.

Xavier knew that Logan was aware of Rogue's youth and inexperience and that the feral man loved her too much to push her into anything she didn't want or would hurt her in the long run. "Furthermore the identity of this child's father will officially remain unknown."

"WTF?!"

But Logan's cussing was interrupted by the professor's risen hand. "We are all aware that this baby is the outcome of a sexual interaction between an underaged student and her teacher, even though you weren't her teacher to the time the child was conceived, Logan." He paused a moment, so everybody had time to grasped the legal consequences. "This is a school, and this behavior is not tolerated. You'll take care of your daughter, Logan, but under the official assumption that you are only Rogue's friend – platonic friend – and want to help her with her child. Understood?"

Logan's jaw tensed, he didn't want to deny his kid, but he could understand Xavier's delicate position. One slip of the tongue of one of the students to their parents – the ones that still had contact with their families – or in town to some stranger and the police and child protective service would stand before the school gates. And the school's reputation would be ruined as well. "Fine."

Marie was genuine surprised that he wouldn't argue back. "What's when the other students ask me about the father?"

"Say you don't wanna talk about him." Storm answered quickly.

Xavier steered his wheelchair closer to the young parents. "You have the next few days to strengthen the bond between you and your daughter, Rogue. When you've found a circadian rhythm, you'll resume attending classes with the allowance to take breaks in order to nurse your child and only for this purpose."

Marie smiled as a big stone lifted from her heart. "Yes, professor. Thank ya."

Xavier returned the girl's smile. "The room you share with Kitty and Jubilee is too small to shelter a crib and I want to spare your roommates the nightly disturbances. So I suggest you'll move to a room in the teacher's wing with your daughter, where we'll have a better eye on you." He turned to Wolverine. "Logan, you can stay in your old room, but you are free to move into the room neighbored to Rogue's new one."

A smile tugged on Logan's lips and he shared a short glance with Marie, before nodding to the older man. "Thanks, Chuck."

But Xavier wasn't finished yet. "And the two of you will never lock the doors to your rooms." Both nodded again. "We'll check on the three of you on irregular points in time, to ensure that you keep to the conditions." This made Scott smirk like stupid and Logan had to bite down his growl. The professor had to do this, his consciousness told him.

Marie burped her baby again, this time everything landed on the towel, and wiped her tiny mouth clean. Then she cradled the sleepy Becca against her chest, hoping she would fall asleep any moment.

Xavier observed the exhaust teenager. "I think it's time you retire to your new room, Rogue." His gaze switched to Ororo. "Storm, please show them to their rooms. It would be nice if you could pick up a few clothes for Rogue to change into from her old room."

"Sure." Storm fetched the two jackets and the package diapers from the floor and watched Logan stuff his purchases into the bags.

Marie was grateful she didn't have to face her roommates today. "You can move in complete tomorrow during classes, so nobody can ask questions." Xavier finished and wheeled towards the door. "If you will excuse me now."

"Thank ya very much, professor!" The brunette beamed at the man, but his face became suddenly serious again.

"And the share of the bathrooms is strictly forbidden." His eyes dug into Rogue and she nodded embarrassed, with those words the older man left.

Rogue was taken aback by the room, Storm introduced to her as her new living quarters. It was smaller than Logan's old room, but much bigger than the one she had shared with Jubilee and Kitty. The evening sun shone through the large window and the French window onto the king-size bed in the middle of the room. On one of the walls was a wardrobe, a bookshelf and a dresser. A desk was perched before the window and next to it in a corner waited a leather armchair with ottoman.

Storm walked over to a door and switched the light on in the adjoining bathroom. Marie followed her, her eyes wide in awe. The bathroom was also smaller than the one in Logan's old room and had no bathtub, but she had her OWN bathroom now, no waiting in front of the girl's restrooms all students of the girl's wing shared.

"Nice room." Logan had fetched his backpack from his former room down the hall and was now catching up with the three females. With a grin he took in Marie's happy smile. A few hours ago, he hadn't hoped to see her as content as she now stood before him.

His eyes wandered over the furniture and the bed and lingered on a door next to the headboard of the bed. "What's that door for?" He muttered and opened it to reveal exactly the same room, just the interior was mirrored. "Huh?"

"That's your room, Logan." Ororo explained with a grin and approached the man, Marie with Becca in her arms on her heels.

The teenager peeked through the open doorway. "Wow. We almost share a room, Logan!"

"Almost. You'll stay in your room and your bed during the night, Kid." He saw her inspect his room more closely. "You hear me, Kid?!"

"Yeah…" Marie replied after a while. The only difference between the two rooms was that the leather armchair was missing in Logan's room.

The Canadian eyed the door that connected the two rooms and shot Ro an understanding look. "That's why the unheralded checks upon us…"

Storm only nodded and wondered, what exactly had occurred between Rogue and Wolverine, but now wasn't the time to satisfy her curiosity. "The professor said you can move the furniture as you like." A moment later she added. "I'll go get some of Rogue's clothes."

"Yeah. Thanks, Ro." Logan saw her leave and approached his girls.

Marie shifted the baby a little, her arm was getting heavy. "It was easier to carry her around, when she was still in mah womb."

Logan's eyes wandered to her stomach with a sad smile. "Would have liked to see your baby belly…"

"Huh?" His gloomy expression tore on her heart. "Ah wasn't showing sooo much, though."

He bent over and picked his sleeping daughter up from her arms. "But enough to wear shirts, you could fit in twice."

Rogue returned to her room and lifted the two Wal-Mart bags up and walked over to the drawers. After she had stowed everything away under Logan's vigilant eyes, she whirled around and scanned the room again. "Where's she gonna sleep?"

"Marie?"

"Where's Becca gonna sleep? We have no crib."

"Your bed?"

The brunette stared at him in utter shock and disbelief. "Are you nuts? Ah could crush 'er!"

Logan looked down on his fragile daughter. Marie had a point there. Then his gaze fell upon the chair in the corner. "Have an idea. Hold 'er, Kid." He returned the child to her mother and neared the armchair, pushing the furniture through half the room and against the side of Marie's bed. Now the seating was surrounded on all four sides and made a nice little bed for the newborn. "Whatchaya thinkin', girls?"

Rogue circled the makeshift crib. "Ya're a genius." She beamed at him and went to the bathroom retrieving the fluffy towels from the cabinet.

Logan took them from her and folded both bath-towels in the middle, placing one on the chair's seating. Then he folded the smaller towel multiple times, so it would make a pillow and lay it in the makeshift crib.

Marie observed Logan with a smile, before she placed her sleeping daughter down on her new bed and he immediately tugged the second large towel over the tiny body with gentle movements of his callused hands.

The girl sank down on one of the leather armrests and Logan on the other one as both watched their little daughter sleep in peace, framed by her parents. The angelic face mesmerized the feral man and he reached out to one of the miniature hands, the baby held up to her head. He encircled her tiny fingers with his thumb and index finger and rubbed her soft skin tenderly. "She's beautiful." He whispered absently.

The brunette hitched her brow in a good imitation of Wolverine. "Ya want kids?"

The Canadian looked up startled. "No… Dunno. Never thought 'bout offsprin'. Wanted only to be together with you." He saw her hopeful gaze. "In a few years, that is… But then again havin' kids with the girl you love would be only natural."

Marie's smile reached her eyes and her chocolate orbs sparkled with unshed tears of joy. "Ah love ya too, Logan."

He flashed her a smug grin. "I know, Kid." Then his gaze wandered back to their sleeping child. "We'll go shoppin' tomorrow. Our kid needs a real bed."

The teenager looked down at the child for a moment, before she carefully leaped up, so she wouldn't wake the girl, and went over to the desk, searching the drawers. She came up with a pencil and a notepad, already scribbling something on the paper. "What else do we need? A crib, beddings,… a highchair!"

"A baby seat." Logan suggested.

X X X X X

Storm leaned in the doorframe. She hardly dared to breath, so she wouldn't destroy this touching moment, she knew she had no right to witness. But they looked so right together and they just confessed their love for each other.

Then it struck Storm: 'Kid' was his endearment for her. Logan had courted Rogue every day he had spent at the mansion the past year. The gloves he presented her with and Rogue still wore even after she had gained control over her mutation, and the books he bought the bookworm, even spent hours in bookstores with the girl – at least that she was told. He had even taken the teenager out on walks down to the lake or in town for dinner. And every time he went on one of his trips, he left her his dog-tags, on which the girl held like onto a lifeline.

The two still hadn't noticed the weather witch and she thought it the right moment to make her presence known. "You'll need a changing table." She entered the room and placed the duffle bag on the foot of the bed. "I emptied your drawers, Rogue. You'll have enough to change till tomorrow."

"Thank ya, Ms. Munroe." Marie left the notepad on the tabletop and inspected the clothes her teacher had brought her, when a desperate cry ripped through the room. "Is she hungry again?" She hurried over to her daughter, lifting her up into her arms.

Logan scented the air and grimaced. "Fear her supper has already left her body again."

"Eww." Marie made a face when she sniffed the air as well.

Storm giggled over the expressions the young parents held. "Have fun." She walked out in the hallway and closed the door behind her, not missing the annoyed glare Logan threw her.

"What should we do now?!" The brunette asked and held the baby a little farther away from her body.

"Change her diaper, huh?"

She looked him straight in the eyes. "'K, ya're the diaper expert."

"What?! I already put 'er into that one. It's your turn now, Momma."

Her eyes widened and she desperately thought about a reason to get out of it. "But… but ya have practice. It would be faster if ya'll do it!" The sobs became louder and more urgent.

"You have to learn it eventually!" He stepped away a bit, but then he looked in the pleading face of Marie and then the tear-streamed and red features of Becca and he sighed. "We'll do it together, Kid."

"Fine." She thought it the best compromise. "We need something to lay under her."

Logan rushed into the bathroom and fetched the last towel, spreading it on the floor next to the paper basket. "Lay 'er down and get that diaper off of 'er."

"Why me?!"

"I'll clean 'er. We can always switch." He opened the drawer the diapers and the cleaning tissues were in and grasped both packages.

Marie contemplated a moment. "No." When she tried to get the romper suit off, she thought it a good thing it was so much larger than the baby. As she opened the adhesive stripes and swung the fabric open, her breath caught in her throat. "Gawd! She's so small, how can she take so much crap!" She carefully wiped the butt with the clean part of the diaper and folded it together, before throwing it into the bin. "Your turn."

Logan was already armed with a few damp tissues and powder and lifted the girl up by her legs. "You not only look like a skunk, but you also smell like one, kiddo."

"Logan…" Marie only shook her head and opened the window, welcoming the fresh air.

X X X X X

Marie was glad that the baby immediately resumed her nap in her new diaper and she had finally time for a warm and long shower. Wrapping the bath towel, she had snatched from Logan's room, around her torso, her gaze fell onto her flabby stomach in her reflection. The past months she could hardly look at her reflection, her large abdomen prominent to the eye. But now, it felt somehow strange.

'Ah won't hide my belly the next time…' Her eyes widened and her hand stopped in its unconscious exploration of her post-birth stretched skin. 'Jesus, Ah'm thinking 'bout more kids already!'

Drying her body she slipped into her light blue pj's pants and the short-sleeved shirt. It had been months since she could last wear her favorite pajamas, the clothing Logan had bought her after Liberty Island.

When she left the bathroom, the Canadian already waited for her with Becca in his arms. The baby was awake now and watched her father stroke her cheek gently. "Good you back, Kid. Think she might need your breast again."

Marie crawled onto her new bed and leaned against the headboard with a pillow in her back. "Then give her to me, Logan." She lifted her shirt and revealed her big and bare breast.

"No bra?!" He noted with a wolfish grin and placed the newborn in her mother's arm, brushing against her exposed breast by accident. Becca immediately began to drink and both parents watched her for a while. "I already stowed my stuff away. Gonna go down and fetch something to bite for the two of us. Dinner should be over by now."

The brunette met his gaze. "Would ya bring me chocolate ice cream?"

"Sure. You wanna fill the wrinkles again, Kid?!" He smirked at her and his fingertips ran over her saggy stomach. Marie shot him an evil glare, which he only thought adoring. Without a second thought he bent forward and placed a peck onto her lips. "After dinner we'll take care of your belly, Marie." He patted her stomach and stood up and left a softly smiling young mother behind.

X X X X X

Marie snuggled closer to Logan, his arm draped around her shoulders while they lay in her bed, eating ice cream. "Ah don't know what Ah would do without ya, Logan." She really meant it. If he hadn't acted the way he did, there had been no way in hell that she had accepted her baby and this situation that easily.

"There's no need for you to think 'bout somethin' like that. My place is with you and our kid." The feral leaned his head against the wooden headboard. "Christ! Today in the mornin' the last thin' on my mind was to become father. And now my little daughter drools on my shirt in her sleep." He stroked the baby's back gently.

Marie chuckled and licked the ice cream from her spoon. Then her face became somber. "Do ya regret ya returned?"

Logan shifted, but answered at once. "Nah, I regret I didn't arrive a little sooner… And that you haven't told me."

"Do ya regret that night?"

"Yeah." He felt her head yank around to face him, her features unreadable, but Logan knew she was hurt and he kissed her forehead gently. "Don't get me wrong, I regret what we didn't do that night, the outcome would have been the same, but I could have given you an unforgettable first time, Kid."

The brunette snickered and shook her head. "Ya're full of yourself, Logan!"

"Am I? Think I have all right to be." Yup, Marie was mastering his trademark eyebrow. "Hey, couldn't shoot my load yet I got you pregnant." The brunette shook her head at him her white streaks swinging from side to side as she chuckled.

His own smile was still on his lips as he remembered her history test tomorrow. "How do you think 'bout the test? Wanna take it?"

Marie thought a moment. If she would skip it tomorrow, she would have to learn again since she doubted she would still know the stuff in a week's time. "Ah've learned. Ah'd be away for only an hour…" She saw his approving nod. A moment later she half turned around so she could see his face. "Ah hadn't time to ask ya how your trip was. Any clues?"

"Nothing." His face was gruff as always when his search had ended fruitless. "Though I explored the area stream downwards from the dam at Alkali Lake… There was that construction site for detached houses a few miles away. Thought to remember it was once farmland. Asked one of the workers. Guess what he told me."

She turned her head so she could see his face. "That there had been a farm?"

His features almost lit up in the slight hope that he might have remembered something. "Yep. Now almost 16 years ago an explosion had blown the cot to bits together with the old farmer couple. The fire flashed over to the house… everythin' was destroyed. Their son eventually sold the land a year ago."

She got curious, but she wouldn't give him false hope. "16 years ago… could it be that this incident had anything to do with your lost past?"

"Also thought so, started to ask questions, but in the end it was a dead end again." Marie didn't tell him 'I'm sorry' or didn't give him that pitiful view the other X-Men gave him and he was grateful for that. That was another reason, why he loved this girl. She simply understood him and knew when he needed comfort and when not.

They sat in comfortable silence till Logan spoke up again. "Wished I'd have found my last name at least." His gaze traveled to his daughter's serene face. "I want nothin' more than Becca to carry my real last name. But I can't even offer a family name to the two of you."

"The two of us? Almost sounds like a proposal?!" Marie half joked. She could feel, she literally knew how much he loved her – both parts of him did, though Wolverine's emotion's for her were more primal, protective and territorial, but she had figured out that it was the beast's version of love. That she was the only reason Logan returned to the mansion in the first place. Even considered it his home.

"Nah. You'll get a real proposal." Her eyes were wide like saucers and she swallowed hard as she stared at his features. He was serious. Before she registered what she was doing, her lips had crushed onto Logan's into a long passionate kiss. When she broke away, panting hard, she remembered with horror that she just broke one of the professor's conditions.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Logan grinned cocky.

The brunette crawled to her knees, backing away a little. "Nah. Ya'll get a real 'yes' when Ah get mah proposal." She smiled slyly and slid off the edge of the bed. Deposing the empty ice cream box in the bin, she stacked the plates of their dinner onto each other and then on the desk.

Logan also left the bed and lay the sleeping baby in her makeshift crib. "You should go to bed, Marie. The night will be long and you'll need the little sleep you can get for your test tomorrow." With a soft smile he placed a kiss onto Becca's downy head and approached Marie.

"Ya promised me something, Logan." The brunette chewed on her lower lip and watched him expectantly. On his rather clueless gaze, she lifted her shirt slightly and poked on her flabby belly.

Chuckling he held his hand out to her. "Yeah, right."

A few minutes later, Logan staggered back to his feet from his sitting position on Rogue's bed and eyed her flat stomach. "Doesn't look like you've given birth a few hours ago, Kid." He placed a peck onto her forehead and approached the door that separated their rooms. "G'Night, my girls."

The brunette crawled under the covers of her bed with a content smile. Before switching the light off, the young mother bent forward to her daughter and kissed her cheek. "Night, Becca."

X X X X X

It was the third time that night and Logan could swear he had just closed his eyes. He was tempted to simply bury his head under his pillow, shielding his sensitive ears from the wailing of his daughter and drift back to his dreamless sleep. But he couldn't do that. For one, the stupid pillow wouldn't muffle the cries enough for his enhanced senses and two, Marie'd be pissed as hell in the morning if he left her to deal alone with the dirty diaper.

They had an arrangement: She'd nurse their daughter and he would change her. And since the cries hadn't stopped yet, Logan figured it was his turn to take care of the demanding little girl. Sighing he rolled over and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. With a few strides he was in the other room and next to the leather armchair, picking the sobbing child from her mother's tired arms. Marie immediately snuggled back against her pillow and resumed her sleep and he began his diaper-duty.

After the last new diaper Logan withstood the urge to crawl back into his warm and comfortable bed and went down into the kitchen instead. They had a lot planned for today and he wanted to give Marie a good start in the day and for her test, so he prepared breakfast for the two of them.

Two of the younger students were also up early and hang their sleepy heads over their bowls with cereals. But their tired gazes slowly cleared as they watched the Wolverine of all people not only handle the stove quite well, but stacking fluffy pancakes onto two plates on a tray – nothing burned.

Logan was about to pour orange juice into a large glass when he smelt trouble coming his way. His jaw tensed, but he ignored Scott's eyes on him and placed the glass next to his hot coffee on the tray.

"Whatchaya doing?" Cyclops grunted out, his anger and dislike for the other man plain to the eye. The students watched their teacher with interest. This was so unlike him.

"Breakfast. Or is it forbidden for me to prepare food for her?" The Canadian lifted the tray and strode away.

Scott huffed seething. Why was that sick bastard still allowed near Rogue or any of the other kids? "I have an eye on you!"

Logan smirked. "Then how you gonna watch Jeannie, One-Eye?" And off he was.

X X X X X

When Logan entered Rogue's room, he heard the shower running and found her bed empty, but made. He placed the breakfast on the desk and approached the armchair. Peeking over the backrest he found the little baby sound asleep, her serene face made Logan smile involuntarily.

Quite some time must have past, noted the Canadian as the bathroom door opened and a fully dressed Rogue walked over to him. He was still watching his small daughter sleep when her mother carefully lifted her up and cradled her to her chest. "She's a little angel, when she's sleeping."

"Ya mean when she doesn't cry, Logan." The young mother grinned at him knowingly.

He placed a kiss onto his daughter's head and went over to the pancakes. "Brought you breakfast, Kid." Removing the towels from the seating, he pushed the leather chair in front of the desk and gestured Marie to take a seat.

Obeying the brunette eyed the heap of pancakes and syrup on the plate that was placed before her. "Ooh, that's so cute of ya, Logan!" She immediately sipped on her juice.

"Don't tell of it, might harm my reputation, Kid." Logan sank down on the desk chair, taking a bite from his own breakfast as he watched Marie slowly wake their daughter up.

"Hey, Becca, good morning." She whispered while kissing the child's head and rubbing her tiny hands. "God, her hands are cold." Her worried gaze met Logan's.

The young father concentrated his sharp ears on the little girl's body. "Her breathin' and heartbeat are normal. Gonna ask Jeannie 'bout that."

Becca slowly opened her blue eyes, her expression looked everything else than thrilled about being woken up. After all it was her job to rouse her parents from their sleep. But before the cranky baby could break out into tears, her mother had freed her breast and the little girl was being nursed. "Sorry, but Ah can't leave during the test."

"She doesn't seem to mind to have her breakfast earlier." Logan remarked and returned his attention to his own meal while Marie cut a piece of her pancake off with her fork and began eating. Good thing she could handle her breakfast with only one free hand.

A knock disturbed the comfortable silence and the door opened almost immediately. Jean peeked into the room spotting Rogue in the large leather chair with her baby feeding contently on her breast and Logan sitting next to them on the desk. "Everything alright?"

Wolverine met her gaze. "Sure."

"You can bring your baby to my office at 11:30 for the checkup."

"Yeah, thanks." The woman was about to go and a thought came to his mind. "Red?" She opened the door again. "Becca has cold hands, does that mean anythin'?"

She saw the worry on both parents' faces and contemplated the reasons. "Does she sleep with her arms up to her head?"

Logan nodded and a frown found its place on his forehead. "Yeah. That's the reason?"

"Yep. "The doctor smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about that. Till later."

"Bye, Red."

"Thanks, Dr. Grey." Marie lifted her daughter to her shoulder burping her, tugging her long white-brown hair over her other shoulder to bring it out of the line of fire.

Logan watched the brunette wipe the baby's mouth clean with the spit-towel – they had christened it that way. "You should get ready for the test, Kid."

Her stomach clenched at the mere thought of facing the other students. She had no doubt that she was gossip topic no.1. Marie placed Becca into her father's waiting arms and headed to the bathroom.

A few minutes later she fetched her writing case with sweaty hands and paced the floor before her bed. Logan watched her with their daughter cradled to his chest. "Nervous, huh?"

The brunette stopped abruptly and met his gaze, her face anxious. "Ah need to go to the toilet again." She spun on her heels but before she could rush over to the smaller room Wolverine's large hand grasped her gently by the wrist.

"Take a deep breath, Kid. You'll slip in just before the test starts and slip out of the classroom before any of the nerds knew that the time's up." He smiled at her and tugged a white strain behind her ear. "Forget the other kids, only the test counts."

"Right." She closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly, calming her nerves. "Thanks, Logan." They walked over to the door and Becca cooed causing Marie to face the tiny girl. She reached out and stroked the soft skin of her baby's cheek. "It's so surreal. Do we really have her since only yesterday?"

Logan chuckled. He wouldn't want to give the little tyke away. His first reaction had been pure shock, but those bright blue eyes of the tiny girl and the fact that she was Marie's had made him love the child from the very first moment – even before he found out that the baby was also his.

Given, when he had found out about being the girl's father Logan was scared as hell and wanted to run, but it was the animal in him that immediately accepted his cub. Logan had learned a long time ago that sometimes it was the best to listen to your instincts and that was it what he had done since the revelation. Wolverine had been leading him in the beginning, but also the man knew his place was with his two girls. "Know what you mean, Kid. Think it's because of the long night or short one – take it the way you like… and that it feels right."

"Whadya mean, Logan?"

He saw her smile. "You know what I mean, Kid. The three of us." Her beam widened. "You should go now or you'll be late." He saw her nod and pressed a peck to her pink lips. "Good luck, Kid." Before she could open the door, Logan held their cooing daughter before her face and whispered in the newborn's tiny ear, but loud enough for Marie to hear every word. "Wish your momma good luck, Becca."

Rogue giggled and leaned forward to give her baby a peck onto the lips. "Thanks."

X X X X X

Kitty glanced past Jubilee onto the free chair. "The test starts in five minutes and Rogue is still missing."

"Had anyone seen her since… you know?" Bobby like the other boys from the row before had turned behind to the two girls, and his ice-blue eyes traveled from one of his friends' faces to the next.

The firecracker shook her head. "Nope. She didn't even sleep in our room."

"Ms. Munroe came to our room yesterday and packed a few of Rogue's clothes into her duffle bag."

"Maybe they kicked her out?" John suggested while playing with his beloved lighter.

Pete looked skeptical and eventually voiced his doubts. "You think so? Can't imagine the professor to do something like that."

"Where else could she be? And the baby?" John looked expectantly into the round.

Bobby contemplated this theory. "The formula, Ms. Munroe left in the kitchen yesterday, is also nowhere to be found."

Storm entered her history class the papers with the questions tugged under one arm, closing the classroom door with her free hand. The whispering between the students was more intensive than usually and she noted that every student was present, except the young mother, who was excused. "All books and cribs off the desks. We'll start now." The chatter died down.

The moment Ororo wanted to hand out the sheets, the door opened and Rogue slipped sheepishly in, a writing case in her hand, and scurried over to her seat. "Sorry."

Storm starred at her dumbfolded for a moment. "You aren't too late, dear." The girl visibly squirmed under the stares and murmurs of her classmates. "You know you're excused, Rogue."

The brunette tried hard to ignore the intense gazes that rested on her and hoped her voice wouldn't betray her. "Ah've learned and Ah wanna take the test."

"Fine."

X X X X X

"Ok, time's up!" Storm announced and earned a groan from Jubilee and John. "Please hand the sheets to me."

To Rogue's dismay Jubilee had already recovered from her test and faced her, as did Kitty and the three boys from the row before. "So, chica, what's up?!" The Asian popped a strawberry chewing gum into her mouth and looked at her expectantly.

Marie felt like trapped. She slid her chair away from the desk and saw all eyes go to her skin-tight shirt and jeans, or more precise to her stomach. Her classmates traded confused gazes about her slender frame.

"You can go now, Rogue." Storm saw how uncomfortable the young mother was among her classmates.

The brunette jumped to her feet and rushed over to the door. "Thanks, Miss Munroe."

"Are you goin' to your baby?" John asked loud and the entire class went silent.

All eyes were trained on her. 'They'll find it out sooner or later. Though Jubes and co. have already seen Becca.' Rogue grasped the doorknob. Then she mustered all her courage and turned slightly around to the whole class and muttered a "Yes." before opening the door in a hurry and storming out and down the corridor.

X X X X X

The door to Rogue's room flew open and would have bounced back from the wall, if the girl hadn't fetched the wood in time only to threw it shut behind her. With wide and horrified eyes Marie took Logan's approaching frame in.

The Canadian frowned concerned. "How was it?" The girl was paler than normal.

"Awful!" She threw her hands up into the air and shook her head.

"Thought you had learned, Kid?!" His eyebrow went up.

"Not the test! The stares and whispers!" She screamed at the top of her lungs and was glad that Becca was already awake and Logan began to rock her as her small face contorted in distress to the loud voice. "Just when Ah was about to leave John, that jerk, had to asked if Ah'll go to mah baby?!"

"And?" Logan assumed she had simply fled from the room without a word.

Her features paled even more and all vehemence left her voice. "Ah said 'yes' and ran out." Her brown eyes searched for his, silently asking if he approved of her reaction.

He shrugged and walked up to her. "They'll find out eventually." His face became a mixture of hurt and anger. "Bad enough I have to deny our kid."

Rogue wondered how easily Logan had accepted their situation and his new role as father. It seemed like it was a piece of his life he had always longed for without even knowing it himself. Maybe it was the unconditional love and trust a child offered to their parents that gave him the confidence to see their future in a positive light. To give him the hope to be indeed worthy to be loved.

Her eyes held kindness as she reached out with her hand and stroked his bearded cheek in a comforting gesture. She didn't know what to say to him to make him feel better, after all it was her fault – her age's fault – he had to lie.

Maybe the baby felt the sadness radiating from her parents, but big tears welled up in her huge blue eyes and her wailing made both pairs of eyes center on her. "Shh, kiddo." Logan shifted the newborn so she lay against his chest and shoulder while rubbing her back gently. And the tiny girl immediately calmed at the almost inaudible purr rumbling through his chest.

Marie's brow went upwards in amazement. "Ya sure ya never took care of a baby before, Logan?"

"At least as far as I can remember, Marie." This stirred some uncomfortable thoughts, he normally kept shoved to the depth of his mind. Maybe, before the entire Adamantium-experiment, he already had had a wife and kids. A family that was also victims to the gruesome tests, he was subjected to. Maybe, that is. "Think she might be hungry again."

The young mother nodded with a frown, she didn't miss the troublesome emotions welling up in his hazel eyes briefly. "Then give her to me." She sank down on the soft mattress of her bed and lifted her shirt.

X X X X X

After her meal and a new diaper little Becca was contently cooing in her father's arms as he carried her down the stairs to the mansion's first floor, where the classrooms and offices were located and her first doctor's appointment would take place soon. Ok, not directly there, but in the mansion's secret basement's infirmary.

After his knock on the massive door, Logan waited for Jean's voice, before he opened the door and stepped into the room.

The redhead greeted him with a restrained smile. She wasn't sure what to think of the feral man anymore. His care for the baby and Rogue seem to be genuine, even the few emotions she could pick up from him supported this impression. But this was all against his nature and not to forget his bad guy image. He was a loner, living a life full of drinking, fighting and fucking without any strings attached. Even if he meant what he had said to Rogue the day before – that he would stick around – he would feel caged sooner or later and would return to his former life on the road.

And then there was the fact that he had gotten a 16 year old teenager and a student of his pregnant. She had believed that even the Wolverine had some morals, but apparently he didn't. He took what he wanted from whom he wanted and that was a childlike looking teen - and not a grown woman like her.

"Somethin' wrong, Red?"

She hadn't meant to drift to her thoughts or to stare at the man, but his gruff voice brought her back to the present. "Nah, everything's fine. How was the first night?" Jean approached him, forcing her doubts about the other mutant to the back of her mind.

"You aren't actually askin' that?! Didn't you hear 'er every two hours?!" He placed a kiss to the downy head of the girl and watched as the doctor picked the calm baby up into her arms. "She's worse than Siren."

Maybe he would grow tired of playing daddy even sooner than she had thought a moment ago. "That's normal, Logan. And it'll stay that way for some time."

He sighed. That much he had figured out on his own. "Hope she'll sleep a little longer when she has her own bed." He saw the redhead's inquiring expression. "Gonna go buyin' a crib later." His fingertips run a last time over the soft skin of his daughter's cheeks, before he let his hand drop to his side. "How long will your testing take?"

"Why?"

"Long enough, that Rogue and I can move her stuff from her old room?"

Jean contemplated a moment. "I'll bring her up to you when I'm finished."

"Thanks." He opened the door, but flashed a smile down to his daughter in the doctor's arms. "See you later, lil' angel." At the moment the child was a serene little angel.

X X X X X

Shortly before lunchtime, Rogue had visited the kitchen and made a few sandwiches for Logan and her. They had just finished moving her few belongings – mostly consisting of books Logan had presented her with – to her new room. Her clothes were piled up on the comforter of her bed whereas the books had already found their place on the shelf. Her school material was gathered in a heap on her desk and the only foto she possessed of Logan and her lay on top.

Now, after Jean had brought Becca back to them as promised, the three of them stood in front of the professor's study and were already greeted mentally by the older man.

Logan saw the kind smile that graced the psych's lips when he saw Rogue carry her small daughter. "We'll go shoppin' baby stuff, Chuck. Have I your permission to take the girls with me?"

His grey-blue eyes shifted to Wolverine as he answered in his usually calm voice. "Sure. Do you need anything?"

"Nah." Logan pointed to his daughter "Baby." then to Rogue "Food." and then to himself "Money." The corners of the professor's mouth turned upwards in amusement. "Think we have everythin'."

"Well then. I wish you good luck." The glee suddenly vanished from his features and Xavier's piercing glare dug into the young parents. "I don't have to remind you, that you must keep it unknown in what relation you stand to the child, Logan."

The feral man's jaw tensed and he bit the growl down that rumbled in his chest. He wasn't as dense as everyone thought him to be. With a nod he turned around and led his two girls out the room and down the corridor to the garage.

X X X X X

The drive was spent in comfortable silence due to the tiny girl fell into a peaceful sleep as soon as they left the school gate. Rogue soon had followed her daughter's example and Logan watched them sleep with a gentle smile on his face.

When they had finally arrived at the parking lot of their destination, he had carefully woken the brunette and now they were entering the giant store through the automatic doors.

Marie's eyes lit up and she turned her head in awe. "Always wanted to visit an IKEA."

"Hope the Swedes got everythin' a newborn needs." Logan grunted eyeing the futuristically designed chairs in the entrance area warily.

Lunch break had finally arrived at Xavier's School for gifted Youngsters and most of the students were already gathered in the dinner room, loading their plates with food or looking for a place at one of the many large tables. Bobby and John were on their way to their usually spot in the far corner, when Pyro overheard the chatter of two girls a year below them. He elbowed his friend and steered him toward the rather empty table. "Can we join you?"

The blond girl looked surprised, but flashed the two boys a brilliant smile. "Sure."

Tara, a rather skinny girl with pigtails bent slightly forward towards the boys, who had taken their seats facing the two girls. "Have ye heard, Mr. Logan made breakfast for Dr. Grey and brought it to her?! Mr. Summers was so pissed!"

Simone, the blond one continued as she saw the curious faces of the boys. "Jones went to the restroom during classes and saw Wolverine come out of Dr. Grey's office AND he said 'See you later, little angel'!" She tried to keep her voice low, but it became quite high pitched at the end of the sentence.

Bobby thought he and John had the newest gossip but apparently you couldn't be up-to-date with the happenings in the whole mansion. "Wow, maybe Dr. Grey broke up with Mr. Summers and is now seeing Mr. Logan. The two were always flirting."

"Poor Mr. Summers…" Simone threw a pitiful view towards the teachers' table. There sat Cyclops opposite to Storm and he looked kinda bad-tempered, something the children were used to from Wolverine, but not Scott.

Tara blushed slightly and lowered her voice even more. "But Logan is so hot. I can understand Dr. Grey."

John rolled his eyes at this comment. Which female in this stupid house didn't think of Wolverine as sex-on-legs? The boy was annoyed and wanted to share his new information with his fellow students to get the rumor mill up to speed. "Hey, I've witnessed something much more interesting!"

"What?" The girls asked at the same time.

"You heard 'bout Wolverine and Rogue coming home with a baby yesterday?!" Bobby knew everybody had already heard of that incident, thanks to Jubilee and her loose mouth. Though Pyro wasn't any better in that department as he seemed to notice recently.

The blond sipped on her soda. "Sure, who hasn't?!"

John was almost bursting to get this story finally out. "After the history test this morning, Rogue said she had to leave classes to take care of her baby!"

"What!" Tara almost choked at her lunch.

Simone's eyes were wide and her voice echoed through the whole room. "It's really hers?!"

The other girl still coughed, but needed to get her question out nonetheless. "But where – cough - is she or the baby? Kitty and – cough - Jubes said she didn't return to their room."

"When you speak of the devil…" John's gaze greeted the two older girls as they approached their friends.

Jubilee and Kitty sank down with their lunch and the Asian flashed everybody a knowing view. "Let me guess the topic: Rogue?!?"

"Have you heard something new?" Fine, Bobby also liked to gossip.

Kitty looked around the table. "We just brought our books back to our room and Rogue's belongings were all gone."

"All books, clothes, the photo on her nightstand… like she had never lived in that room." Jubilee poked her fork into her food, but her undivided attention was on the conversation.

"But she's still here." Pete took a seat on the last empty chair at that table, all eyes were suddenly on him and the shy boy felt slightly uncomfortable. "I just saw Dr. Grey carry the baby towards the teacher's wing."

"Maybe she had to move there." Kitty mused, but her train of thoughts was already interrupted by the giant.

"Ms. Munroe told Rogue that she was excused for the test. Maybe the teachers are helping her with the baby."

"If so, she's lucky." Jubes saw the need to clarify her statement when all eyes centered on her with obvious confusion. "She's 16, her parents most likely kicked her out for being a mutant, she hasn't yet graduated and now she has a baby and no boyfriend in sight. She's screwed!"

The fire manipulating mutant contemplated his friend's words a moment. "Would be best for her to give the kid away." Now the girls opposite him were all gapping at him in disbelief. "What?! It's the truth!"

Bobby shook his head. "John's right. Her life's ruined. Didn't even look like she was prepared for the baby at all. She has no money. Even when she graduates, the chances for a good job are slim when you have a kid around and only a few hours time for work."

"The same goes for a boyfriend, not to mention what guy would want you when you already have a kid from someone else." The Asian chimed in and saw the understanding dawn in the other female students' features.

Again an announcement rang from the speakers and Rogue already knew the text by heart. "Dear parents, Kathy Higgins wants to be picked up from the Småland." Only the child's name changed.

"Whatcha they doin' with the kids down there? Torture?!" Becca made a whining sound and Logan immediately stroked her back. "Don't worry, kiddo, won't gonna park you there."

Rogue eyed the different cribs warily. "That LEKSVIK" The brunette struggled with the word or more the missing vowel in the middle of it. "Swedish is no language for me. Too less vowels… anyway that L-thingy is too dark."

"Nah, don't like it either, Kid." The Canadian's gaze swapped from the dark brown wooden bed to the two cribs framing it. "And HERMELIN and MAMMUT are blue and we have a girl."

Marie faced him startled, her brow moving upwards. "Old fashioned, huh? Good thing they don't have pink cribs." She walked over to the lighter colored beds and traced her fingertips over the wood. "Ah like the white ones… How about GULLIVER? Ah can vocalize that one at least." A smirk formed on her lips as she heard his chuckle.

Logan eyed the two white cribs as he approached the brunette. "HENSVIK is nicer, don't you think so?"

"Yes, it is. But it costs 40 bucks more."

"And?" His gaze never left the girl's face.

The young mother was almost gapping at the man before her. "40 $, Logan. That's the pillows, blanket and casings! Maybe even the highchair!"

Logan only shrugged and placed a kiss on Becca's downy head. "And? I want our girl to have the best and nicest, not the cheapest stuff." Suddenly he noticed the insecure expression on Marie's face. She always held that look when she had a request but was too shy to voice it. "What is it?" His tone softened.

Her eyes were cast down onto the crib before her. "Ah thought on the way here… maybe Ah should look for a job."

"No."

The firmness and determination in his voice made her look up into his face, her eyes were burning with anger. "No? Ya can't forbid me that!" Had she assessed Logan's character wrong? Was he just such a controlling bastard her father was? Her intuition had never let her down during the few months she had spent hitchhiking her way to Canada.

"Nah, I can't, but I will anyway." He gritted his teeth and tried to hold his tone to a low hiss, so he wouldn't startle his daughter or arouse the attention of the other people. "You have enough work with the baby and your school, Marie."

"But…" Her expression softened. He didn't want to control her; he only wanted what was best for her.

He placed his free hand down on her shoulder. "You'll graduate, maybe enroll in college and THEN you'll look for a job, Kid."

She smiled gently at him. "Logan, that's cute of ya, but a baby costs money."

"And?" He shrugged once more and his hand dropped back to the baby's back. "Isn't like I have none. You should know that a cage fight brings at least 500, after all I'm in your mind." Marie looked at him skeptically and he half sighed. "I have 'bout nineteen hundred."

"So ya'll leave again for the cage fights?" Her expression was solemnly.

"Yeah, but just for one night."

"Really?"

He saw hope spark in her chocolate eyes as her gaze searched his face for confirmation. "Yeah, there are some in the closer vicinity of Westchester. Will only be gone for a few hours. You fine with that, Kid?"

Marie beamed at him. "Sure. So ya can have your fun and won't go up the walls."

"Hey."

X X X X X

Logan pushed the cart forwards, glad to have his hands finally free. Marie was carrying their daughter and stood a few meters away in front of the casings. The Canadian was taken aback and slightly startled by the many items the store offered for babies and he had never wasted a thought about what else to put into the crib next to a pillow and a blanket. "LEN crib comforter, LEN crib pillow, LEN mattress protector, LEN … huh? Gonna take everything called LEN." He plowed through the shelf once, throwing one of every article into his cart.

The brunette didn't look up from the bedding sets, but she trusted his judgment. "Sounds good, Logan. Hey, the VITAMINER beddings are nice… and sound healthy." Marie held up the beddings with the multicolored hearts and turned around, so Logan could look at her findings.

"Healthy, you say, Miss-Ah-hate-broccoli?!" He snickered and pushed the cart towards his two girls.

"Ah like broccoli, but not on mah pizza."

"Whatever… Take the beddings you like, but don't you dare to take that grass-green VITAMINER blanket. That ones hurtin' my eyes." His gaze was like captured by the obtrusive colored fabric.

She dropped the hearts-beddings into the cart and wrinkled her nose on the bright green item. "Nah, BARNSLIG PARK is nicer anyway."

X X X X X

Marie rushed over to the rummage tables and immediately grasped a tiny lion-like toy. "Ooh, look, Logan. Stuffed animals!" She whirled around, carefully to be not too fast with Becca on her arm, and looked at the other mutant, who also dug through the soft toys.

Logan's frown deepened at the sight of the hideous creatures before him. "WTF?! BARNSLIG GIRAFF looks like a giraffe fucked a hippo!"

Marie giggled, but burst out into a full fit of laughter when she saw the dark scowls the other parents threw Logan. A mother even covered her son's ears, while others led their children away from the loud and rude man. When he saw the glowers, Logan snarled at a middle-aged couple and they hurried away, their children in tow.

"If you snarl again, we'd have the whole department for us." Marie chuckled and stroked her daughter's back gently.

His dark glare swept over the remaining customers, who already scurried in the opposite direction. "No need for that. Let's fetch that baby gym and some not too ugly soft toys and get to the highchairs."

But Marie was already occupied with the multicolored clothes on another shelf. "Ooh, those bibs are cute!"

"Then take 'em." The Canadian sighed deeply and leaned against another bargain bin while watching Rogue hold the different colored bibs in front of their little daughter. His gaze caught sight of a towel-like cloth slipping down from the heap he was leaning on. Grasping a hold of it before the item could hit the floor, a grin tugged on his lips. "Hey, Kid. You like rabbits?"

Marie spun around and looked at the source of the question. "'Course!" Logan held a towel with a rabbit-ears-hood up. "Cuuuuute!"

X X X X X

After a nursing break in the cafeteria, Logan had devoured two plates of meatballs, while Rogue had nibbled on her Buffalo Chicken Wrap, and a stop for a new diaper, Marie had left their side to roam through the baby toys once again, hoping the salespersons had already forgotten about the bad-language-incident.

Logan eyed the changing tables warily, especially one object caught his interest concerning stability. He circled the camping-changing-table, at least he would define it as such. "Parents, who buy SPOLING aren't spoiling their kid, huh." He cooed to his little daughter propped up on his shoulder. The girl eyed the world around her with tired eyes.

Marie returned with a baby bath and immediately saw Logan's glare. "No, LÄTTSAM is only available in blue."

"Doesn't matter… Whaddya think 'bout the changing tables, Kid?"

"That one's nice. Has enough room for the diapers and stuff."

Logan nodded in agreement. This one had also been his first choice. "Do we have everythin' on your list?"

Rogue glanced at the crumbled paper in her hand and nodded. "Much more. Only the highchairs were crap."

"Then let's get goin'." The shopping adventure hadn't been as bad as Logan had feared it would turn out to be.

X X X X X

Rogue had insisted to use the self-scanners, when she caught sight of them at the check-out-counters. Logan held a sleeping Becca in his arms and watched the brunette search for the barcodes, the scanner in her hand while a salesclerk observed her every movement, attentive that the girl didn't miss to scan an item.

Two old women, surely grandmothers themselves approached the Canadian from the side and smiled down on the tiny baby. "Ooh, how cute! So small! Boy or girl?"

"Girl." Logan answered proudly and his features softened to some extend.

"How old is she?"

"Not even 24 hours." Marie answered after glancing on her watch.

One of the women smiled up at the young father. "Then you're quite new to this grandfather thing."

"Come again?!" Logan blurted out and felt the urge to let his claws their will. Good thing for them, he had Becca in his arms. But his vicious glare made both women shudder and brought them close to a heart attack. The old hags took a few steps back and even the salesclerk brought a greater distance between herself and the young family.

X X X X X

"I need a drink." Logan muttered under his breath as they finally left the store and approached their pick-up.

Marie ignored his shaken features – she kinda thought his stunned face funny when the woman had called him a grandfather – but she knew better than to tease him about this topic. Deep down it had always bothered her that wherever they went, people thought them father and daughter. "We need to stop at the mall anyway. Ya can buy your beer there."

He laid the newborn into Marie's arms and began to load the pick-up's bed with their purchases. "Beer… I need something stronger. Much stronger."

"Logan, ya can't get drunk." Marie stated matter of fact and opened the passenger door.

"Let me the illusion, Kid." He almost whined, but then his questioning gaze met hers. "What do we need at the mall? Thought the highchair can wait a few months."

"A baby seat for the car?" She looked at him as if he had grown a second head.

"You have a point there, Kid."

"And more diapers."

"Another point for you."

"And baby shampoo and more romper suits." Logan only rolled his eyes and decided to take care of Becca and his beer while he sent Marie away to buy the rest.

"Good thing, no police patrol took a closer look at us." Logan was emptying the last bottle of his six-pack while driving and Marie still held the sleeping baby in the arm, since there was no room for the newly acquired baby seat in the pick-up's cab.

Their car already rolled the graveled driveway of the mansion up and the garage door opened, welcoming the three home. Marie slipped out of her seat carefully to not wake her baby and shifted the newborn, so the child was propped up on her shoulder. She neared the back of the car and snatched two of the many paper bags with her free hand and walked over to the door leading to the mansion.

Logan was glad the girl gave him the needed space to unload the long package of the crib and the vacuum enclosed mattress, which he trapped each under one of his arms and then struggled to pick the bags containing the pillow and comforter up. Then he maneuvered through the vast room, along the shiny and expensive cars towards the door, the brunette held for him open.

Artie was on his way back to the rec room, soda can in hand when he encountered the heavily packed Wolverine and Rogue near the kitchen. The feral man only grunted and the boy almost dropped his drink, but managed to hold onto the can as he ran back to the rec room.

Logan had already crossed the most part of the entrance hall when he heard the amused voice of the fearless X-Men leader. "Thought you just wanted to buy a crib?!"

"Got a little more." The Canadian growled and turned towards the approaching steps. He'd have continued his way if it wouldn't have been for the company of the annoying man.

Jean chuckled at the sight of the packed Wolverine. "How do you define 'a little'?"

"This stuff and the four bags and two packages back in the garage." Logan grunted at the redhead and saw his girls stop at his side. This was the moment when the group of nosy students from the rec room sneaked into the main hall.

Jean peeked into one of the bags the young mother carried. "Rogue, you should wash the beddings and romper suits before the first use."

"Ok." Her eyes fell upon the in green clad baby on her shoulder. "But Ah didn't wash this." She gently rubbed the back of her sleeping daughter indicating the romper suit.

"I forgot yesterday." The doctor moved closer to the sleeping baby and inspected the skin of the child's back while she pulled the hem slightly back. "Does she have a rash?"

"No." Rogue noticed with mixed feelings that a group of students was staring wide eyed at her or rather the little creature cradled against her chest. Immediately the girl shied away towards Logan, who in turn snarled at the onlookers.

Only the younger students fled away and left Jubilee, Kitty, John, Bobby and Pete standing in Wolverine's way to the stairs. Logan struggled with the mattress that dreaded to slip from his grasp and he glowered at Scott, who only grinned in amusement. "Would you give me a hand, Summers?"

"Why? The situation is your own fault." Jean glared daggers at him and the feral man growled low. Scott eventually grasped that he would do more harm to the school, Rogue and the baby than to Logan and he continued slyly. "Not my fault you bought so much stuff and can't carry everything by yourself."

"I'll help." Pete suggested and approached the adults.

"Uhu, great, Colossus." Logan smirked at the young man. "There's more in the garage. The pick-up."

The Russian faced Wolverine. "Where should I carry it?"

"Teacher's wing."

Piotr was already on his way to the garage when he heard Rogue's voice. "Thank ya, Pete." The giant turned his upper body and smiled.

Jubilee elbowed Bobby, gesturing him that he and John should also help, while she and Kitty approached Rogue finally making the way to the stairs free. The young mother held a shy and somewhat fearful expression as the two girls went over to her. The Asian smiled and eyed the baby. "Can we help you with somethin'?"

Jean looked her students up and down. "You two could help Rogue bring her purchases to the laundry and get them washed."

Kitty nodded, her eyes on the small child. "Is there something for the laundry in the garage?"

"Umm, yeah, four bags." Rogue saw the two run away. "Thanks."

X X X X X

Rogue was alone with her daughter in the laundry and struggled with an awake and cranky newborn in one arm and the unwrapping of the beddings with her free hand, when finally her former roommates joined her. Jubilee had already looked through the bags she carried and was now holding the pink beddings with the colorful hearts on it.

"That's so cute!" Both girls exclaimed in unison, but this was too much for the baby and she began to cry on the tip of her lungs. The teenagers looked sheepishly at the brunette and hushed.

Marie only sighed and let the fabric she was holding fall to the tiled floor. "Shh, is fine." She began to rock Becca as she paced the room. "Shh, honey." But the cries got only more desperate and the young mother remembered her child's last meal had been quite some time ago. With a deep blush she neared the table and sank down on one of the chairs. Still covering as much as possible, she freed her breast and began to feed the newborn.

Kitty and Jubilee traded an uncomfortable view and the firecracker's gaze then dropped to the basket on the floor, holding a few bibs and a bunny-shaped towel. "Umm, shall we unwrap your purchases for you, Roguey?"

Somewhat startled the brunette turned her head to face the other girls. "That would be nice of ya." A small and shy smile formed on her lips.

An uncomfortable silence settled on the group while her former roommates watched Rogue from their peripheral view while taking care of the laundry. Luckily for them Logan bounced into the room and approached his two girls. He carried the diaper bag and the baby seat and placed both on the table next to Marie. "Gonna erect the crib now, so Becca can sleep in her bed tonight."

Marie smiled brightly at her child's father and saw him already leave the room again. "Thank ya, Logan."

Jubilee watched her friend activate the washer, and then both girls sneaked over to the free chairs and the nursing mother. "Becca… So it's a girl?" The Asian sank down on the seat next to Rogue.

"Mhm."

Kitty leaned over the table to get a better view on the child. "God, she's tiny."

Meanwhile Jubilee had bent forward to get a closer look and eventually chuckled. "She has your skunk streak."

"Yeah, the change must have gone down to mah genes." Marie smiled softly and brushed her fingertips over the white stripes in the baby's hair. She really liked it.

Silence dreaded to overcome the group again, but Kitty couldn't hold the question in any longer, that burned on her soul. "Who's the father?"

Rogue stared at them blankly for a minute. "Don't wanna talk 'bout him." She eventually whispered and centered her attention back on her child.

The two traded a gaze with each other, silently discussing if they should press further in that direction. "Why didn't you tell anybody that you were pregnant? You did know you were having a baby, didn't you?" Jubilee popped her chewing gum.

"Yeah, Ah knew, but… Ah kinda ignored it… Ah was afraid that… the professor would kick me out." Rogue stammered and averted her eyes from the other teenagers.

Fine, that made kinda sense to the two girls, though that plan had the giant flaw that she could only hide and ignore her condition till the child's birth – what was exactly what had happened. The firecracker wondered why Rogue didn't deliver her baby at the mansion's infirmary. "What happened yesterday? Logan brought you to hospital?"

Great, could it become even more embarrassing? "Nah, we were at a restaurant."

"Whaddya mean by that?"

Marie pushed further back into the chair's back, unconsciously tighten her grasped on her little daughter. "Ah didn't tell him Ah was… in labor. Ah went to the restroom."

"You gave birth on a toilet?!" Their eyes widened in shock and horror. "Alone?!" Jubilee almost choked on her chewing gum.

Rogue couldn't face her shocked friends. With fire red cheeks she eyed her sucking baby. "Umm, yeah… though Logan came looking for me and he helped me." She knew how stupid that was. There could have gone so much wrong during birth. She could have died. Her baby could have died.

"God…" Silence stretched on between the girls.

Suddenly tears welled up in her chocolate orbs and began to sting terribly. She wouldn't want her baby, Logan's baby to die. That's why an abortion was out of question when she found out months ago, given it might have been too late for that decision anyway. First she had planned to tell Logan as soon as he'd return again, hoping he would accept her decision and their child. But the months past by and Logan didn't show up and the fear he would reject her grew, though her inner Logan tried to reassure her.

Kitty tapped her finger on the tabletop contemplating Rogue's situation. The other brunette was indeed lucky that the teachers were helping her and the baby. But Logan's reaction surprised her. Rogue always had a special place in the feral man's heart, everybody knew this, but that Wolverine would go shopping baby stuff and voluntarily assemble the crib, were to put it simple: unbelievable. "That's why he helps you with the baby."

Marie finally looked up from her feeding daughter and faced her classmates with a frown. "Whaddya mean?"

"Logan might feel guilty he didn't caught on your situation in time." Kitty continued, still deep in thought.

Jubilee on the other hand had also wondered about Wolverine's behavior, but found another explanation. "Or the baby wormed its way into his heart. He was there at the birth after all."

To Kitty's and Jubilee's regret Becca demanded a new diaper after she had spit half her meal onto the smelly towel. Good thing the laundry had windows and the dryer was on the opposite end of the room. Rogue was surprised how fast she got used to the stench and unpleasant view of what resurfaced from her child's meals.

Now the young mother carried her sleepy daughter lying in the baby seat up the stairs to the second floor, the baby bag was slung over her shoulder. The other teenagers carried the basket with the freshly washed and dried purchases. They were bursting with curiosity about Rogue's new room and were close on the brunette's heels.

Marie eventually stopped in front of a door and opened it without knocking, after all it was her room now. Her eyes fell immediately upon the white crib located in the middle of the room and a bright smile tugged on her lips, until her nose picked up the stench of tobacco lingering in the air. Epinephrine rushed through her veins and she had to control her rising anger to put the baby seat carefully down next to the wall of the hallway, before she leaped towards an oblivious Logan, who crouched between wooden boards on the floor. "LOGAN!"

Her furious voice startled the man and he faced the brunette, who didn't even dare to scream at him, but also ripped his beloved cigar from his mouth and put it out on one of the cardboard-wrappings lying next to him. "Hey!"

Rogue held the cigar clutched tightly in her fist while her rage was boiling in her huge chocolate orbs piercing down on him. "Are ya nuts?! Ya can't smoke in here!" Her free hand was propped up on her hip.

"Why the fuckin' hell not?!" His smoking had never bothered the girl before and he stood up to his full high. This gesture might have intimidated every other of the students, but not Rogue.

She stepped closer to his massive frame and pushed the rest of his cigar on his chest, her palm flat against his white tee shirt. "Becca'll sleep in here!"

You could indeed see how this information was processed and eventually hit home and Wolverine's face suddenly showed guilt about his stupidity. "Right." He grunted out and walked over to the window, opening it.

A frustrated growl rang from Rogue's lips – catching her classmates by surprise – as the smoke didn't lighten so fast she wanted it to. She stomped over to the connecting door and over to Logan's room ripping there the window wide open. The draft already moved the door slightly and Rogue fetched the pillow from Logan's bed and placed it on the floor in the doorframe, so the door couldn't fall shut by accident.

In the meantime Becca had started to whimper, not happy by her parents arguing and Kitty and Jubilee both sat crouched down in front of the baby, helpless what to do. Kitty had some experience with younger children from her time baby-sitting, but none of her charges were younger than three years and this was a tiny and breakable newborn. "Shh." She whispered and her hand hovered carefully over the child's head.

"What's wrong with 'er? The diaper again?" Jubilee swore to be as far away as possible if that was the problem.

Logan smirked at the two helpless girls. Shoving his cigar into his jeans' pocket, he approached them. "She won't bite." Both looked up somewhat startled that the big bad Wolverine had sneaked up to them and was now bending down in front of the baby, picking her gently up with his large callused hands.

The girls watched in awe how Logan cradled the tiny child to his chest and rubbed her back lightly. "Is fine, kiddo." And to top everything, the baby indeed calmed.

The young father carried his hiccupping daughter into Rogue's room, the air was thanks to the draft clean again. He stopped in front of the crib and placed a kiss to Becca's downy head. "Look that's your bed. Whatchaya thinking, kiddo?" The baby made a cooing sound and Logan chuckled about the respond. "Good thing you like it."

Marie's anger had evaporated and she smiled at the cute picture of Wolverine talking softly to the tiny girl in his arms, as did the two other teenagers. She lifted the basket up and carried it over to her bed that was still occupied by her clothing and the newly acquired pillow and comforter for Becca. Rummaging through the freshly washed beddings, she eventually found her favorite, the one with the hearts printed on it. "Gonna put the sheets on, then Becca can make her nap in her new bed."

"Sounds fine." Logan stepped carefully over the wooden boards on the floor, his Adamantium enhanced weight might squash them, and he sank down into the old leather chair in the corner. Logan was positively surprised how comfortable the armchair was and he leaned back in it to relax a little. And to watch Marie fiddle with the comforter casing.

Jubilee grasped the baby seat from the hallway's floor and entered the room. It was anything else than tidy, especially with the cardboard shredded on the floor. The Firecracker mused the other mutant had used his sharp claws to open the packages. She was impressed how fast and … well, right he had erected the crib. On the other hand the man spent hours in the garage screwing cars or Cyclops' bike – who didn't thought that funny – so he'd be more than capable to assemble a bed using instructions.

The other girl also followed her friend into Rogue's new room gapping in awe on the vast space and the king-size bed the room provided. And the private bathroom, she was able to get a glimpse of the shower through the partly open door. Kitty watched Jubilee put the baby seat down next to the crib and her eyes gave the room a once over.

The Asian frowned when her gaze came to a sudden stop on the door, forced open by the pillow on the floor. She neared the doorframe and peeked into the adjoining room. "Whose room is that?"

"Logan's." Marie answered and froze immediately. Was she supposed to reveal this much? What might they think now?

Wolverine picked up the panicked scent of his Marie and the surprise of the two other girls. "Thought I help 'er with the lil' tyke." He noticed with confusion the knowing gazes the teenagers exchanged. Did they suspect Becca to be his? How could the gossip change so fast?

X X X X X

It was still too early for facing the entire mansion during dinner and so Logan snatched once again some supper from the kitchen, serving it the nursing mother. They – or rather he with her commanding him - had rearranged the dresser next to the door, so enough room was provided on the opposing wall of the bed to shelter the crib. The desk also had to move a few inches, so the spot between it and the wall that once harbored the armchair was now occupied by the changing table. Logan had suggested – hinting on the space the thing took up – that it would be better to move it to his room. He wouldn't admit that he almost fell asleep in the old comfortable leather.

But as it seemed Marie had also taken a liking to the chair and so their dinner was moved to Logan's room. He sat again on the desk chair while the nursing mother and child leaned back in the armchair.

Now, after Logan had returned their plates to the kitchen and placed them into the washer, he entered his room only to find it empty. Walking over to Marie's room he found the brunette propped up against her bed's headboard a book in her hands.

"Becca's sleeping." She informed him while finishing reading the page as she felt the mattress give way to Logan's immense weight.

He crawled up to the girl, leaning next to her and opened the package of chips he had brought from the kitchen. Knowing from experience how the bookworm hated it to be interrupted while reading, he sighed and starred to the white ceiling, praying for her to read faster. When she eventually marked the corner of the page with a dog-ear, his gaze swapped to her. "It's so fuckin' borin', Kid. Gonna buy a TV next time I'm in town."

"Ya could try to read, Wolvie." She grinned at him, knowing full well that he indeed peeked into a good book from time to time.

With a warning growl he snatched the book from her fingers and threw the chips onto her belly. "Harry Potter." He rolled his eyes. "Thought you had finished that book the last time I hung around."

"Ah did. That's the next volume." She plopped a chip into her mouth.

"What?!" 'Crap sells, huh?'

"There are seven volumes. That's the fifth."

He furrowed his brows. The television was needed desperately. "Thought there are movies, why botherin' with readin'."

"They left a lot out in the movies." Marie began to crumble on her tee shirt and saw Logan's fingers pick the chips pieces up from her breasts and put them into his mouth. Her blush wore off in the comfortable silence.

This was nagging on her the whole evening and though her inner Logan tried his best to dispel her doubts, she couldn't bury this topic so easily. "Logan?"

"Mhm?" He still fiddled with the thick book.

"Do ya feel guilty?"

"Huh?" Now he looked up from her large breasts, the up and down of her chest due to her breathing was mesmerizing.

Her voice quivered slightly under his intense hazel eyes. "That ya didn't notice Ah was in labor. Is this the reason ya decided to take care of Becca?"

Hearing this, the Canadian pushed himself into a sitting position and his hurt glare dug into the girl before him. "WTF? That's the most stupid thin' I've ever heard comin' from your mouth, Kid! Becca is my flesh and blood, my child. The girl I love gave me my beautiful daughter, what is there to decide?" Anger was edged to his voice.

Marie breathed a sigh of relief. This was exactly what her inner Logan had told her all along. "And Wolverine?"

Logan scented the air and found that she had already expected this answer of him. She hadn't really meant it the way she had said it. This knowledge made him relax and he slumped back against the headboard, never leaving her face with his eyes. "He's so proud that his young mate gave birth to a healthy cub. His cub." He contemplated a moment. How much did his mental counterpart in her mind tell her about his feelings and his feral nature? "You know, you're our mate." He eventually added with an insecure smile. What if the whole animal-part was locked away in her brain and this revelation would freak her out?

But to his relief Marie only smiled lovingly at him. "Yeah, Wolverine told me he had chosen me as his mate. That Ah'm your mate."

His expression turned into a bright genuine smile and he reached out to tug her white streak behind her ear. "The moment you entered that bar, the moment I lay, no Wolverine lay his eyes on you while fightin' in that cage, he knew you were his mate." His fingertips caressed her soft cheek. "You had somethin' 'bout you… He completely forgot 'bout the fight in that moment that earned me quite a beatin'." He chuckled on the memory.

Marie grinned at him smugly. "Ah turned Wolverine's head?"

There was the sassy girl again. "Yup. Later at that bar I tried to figure out, what it was 'bout you that made him chose you of all women." His hand wandered from her cheek over her bare arms and finally rested on her waist.

She held a satisfied smirk on her pink lips. "And did ya find out?"

His hand slid further down and squeezed her ass, making a strangled moan struggle from her throat while her hands had already found their way to his chest drawing lazy circles on his shirt. "Not then, later when you wormed your way into my heart in my pick-up."

"So?" Her eyebrow hitched upwards.

"So what?"

One of her hands had moved to his sideburns caressing his cheek with her fingertips. "What was it?"

"Your courage to pretend to be the sassy girl in front of me, someone, who could easily have killed you." He grinned at the memory fondly. "And your compassion." His face softened and drew closer to hers. "You were the first and only to ever ask if my claws hurt." He could feel her hot breath tingle on his lips, his hazel orbs drowning in her chocolate ones as she eventually closed the distance.

The kiss was gentle at first, but their passion for each other soon took over and Logan's tongue demanded entrance, pushing against her lips which immediately complied. Marie let herself be pushed back into her soft pillow while Logan's body drew closer, hovering over her with one hand, the other tangled in her white-brown hair. Her own fingers massaged the back of his neck and head while pulling him closer to her.

Suddenly, without warning, Logan withdrew his tongue and pushed himself into a sitting position next to her, his legs pulled slightly to him and his hands placed the open book onto his lap in a hurry. The sudden loss of his tongue inside her mouth made her choke on her spit and Marie pushed herself upwards, her hands clutched to her chest, struggling for air between coughs.

Before Logan could grasp why the brunette was gasping for air next to him, the door swung open without a knock and Scott looked onto the pair his eyebrows both risen by the suspicious view of Logan sitting on Rogue's bed with the girl. "What's goin' on?" He demanded and his glare centered on the coughing brunette.

Meanwhile Logan began to rub the girl's back and glowered at the other man. "She choked on the chips." He threw the package on the comforter at his feet. "Would you mind to knock, Scooter?" He eventually growled at the man, when Rogue waved her hand before him, signaling she was alright again.

"Is fine." Her face was flushed in a deep red shade, partly due to her struggle for air, partly due to her embarrassment of being almost caught. "Those chips are dangerous, Mr. Summers." Her eyes were watery as she looked over to her teacher.

Scott's gaze switched from Logan to Rogue than back again. "Fine." He slowly closed the door and walked to the neighbored room that was his and Jean's.

"Fuck that was close." Logan muttered and threw a caught gaze towards Marie.

"Ya don't say, sugah."

"Sugar?!" There was Logan's trademark brow again and Marie shrugged. "Like it. But don't call me that in public."

"Ah'm not stupid." She slid off the bed and swept the crumbs from her comforter into her hand and brought them over to the bin. Turning around she eyed her book on Logan's lap. "May Ah have mah book?"

"Huh?" It took Wolverine a moment to grasp what she meant and eventually handed it over, not missing the chuckles coming from her lips, when she saw his groin.

"Ya should take a shower, sugah." Marie laughed and put the book back onto the shelf. She stretched as Logan staggered to his feet.

"Gonna do that, but you'll fuckin' stay in your room, Marie." His glare was serious.

"Yeah… yeah…" She approached her dresser and retrieved her nighty. "Gonna get a shower myself and then head to bed."

"I'll check on you later. 'K?"

"Yup." With an evil smirk, her gaze slid down to the bulge in his jeans, she whispered "Have fun." before vanishing in her bathroom.

"What the fuck is wrong with 'er, Kid?" Logan stormed over into Rogue's room. It had only one minute passed since he had finished changing his tiny daughter and that he had laid her back into her warm bed.

Rogue was bending down and picked the tiny child up and propped her up on her shoulder rubbing her back in soothing circles. "Whatchaya asking me?" She began to pace the room. "Ah just fed her, burped her and ya changed her. What else can she want?!" The wail only died down slightly in volume and Marie fetched the parenting book, Logan had bought the day before, from the shelf and threw it at him. "Read! There must be anything in that wise book!"

"Why didn't you read it, Kid?"

"Ya also could have done it!" She screamed back and glanced at the digital clock on her bedstand. 2:27 in the morning. 'Great!'

"You're the bookworm!" He yelled back accusingly. "But no, you had to read 'bout that idiotic magician!"

Her head was already squirming from the loss of sleep and her daughter's loud cries didn't help her migraine either. "Logan, will ya read NOW?!" She envied everybody, who could fall into their bed and sleep like a stone at once. It took her at least half an hour to drift to dreamland every time.

His bloodshot eyes scanned the table of contents, before opening the page with the check-list. "Why does your baby cry? Hunger, no surely not. Diaper, no. Feeling queasy?" He read the paragraph and Marie walked over to him, her face held hope. "They say maybe somethin' is pinchin' her or is too tight?"

"The giant romper suit won't be too tight. Maybe it's her diaper." Marie placed the baby on the changing table and opened the diaper again, but the crying didn't stop."

"Maybe she's bored… oh no that's for older babies." Logan skipped the explanation and absorbed the next paragraph. "Your baby feels your own uneasiness, in this case your partner should try to calm the child." His tired gaze met Rogue's. Yeah, the girl was definitively 'uneasy' at the moment. "'K, gonna try that."

Marie placed the re-dressed and still sobbing Becca into Logan's arms and took the book from him. He immediately cradled his tiny daughter to his chest and unconsciously purred.

"Maybe it's colic." But as soon as she had finished Becca's cries died down and a few minutes later the little girl closed her eyes. "Ya're great, Logan." She whispered with a tired smile and watched him place the sleeping girl carefully down into her crib.

With a relieved sigh the young father turned his back on the small bed to walk over to his own room, but was stopped by Becca's desperate sobs echoing from the crib. "Oh fuck." With another sigh he spun around and picked her up again. But this time neither his purring nor his rocking calmed the child.

Marie leafed through the tips in the book again. "Maybe it's too hot or cold for her? Or the light bothers her?"

Logan nodded and walked over to his dark room. Thanks to his enhanced sight the faint light shining through his curtains from the moon was enough to not fall in the dim room. It was also a little cooler, if heat was the problem. But after pacing every corner of his room Logan returned to Marie frustrated. "What else?" He asked over his daughter's cries.

The brunette tugged a white strain behind her ear and began to read the last sentence on the page. "Ya have to learn to identify the different cries your baby will express to communicate with ya… Uhu… No shit, Sherlock." She narrowed her eyes and eventually looked up to face a very exhausted Logan.

"What else does the book say?"

Her eyes were almost falling shut and she stifled a yawn. "Nothing. This was all."

"Great! Just fuckin' great!" Logan hissed and came to a sudden halt in front of the young mother. "Try your luck, Marie."

The girl rocked her baby slightly and began to rub her tiny belly, but nothing helped and Becca's face was covered in red. "Oh, please, honey, what's wrong?" Marie pleaded but couldn't understand her child's demands.

Thinking loud while he paced the room Logan began to flex his fists unconsciously, the muscles in his arms were tensed and his claws itched for release. "'K. Not hunger, not diaper, not carryin' her around, nothin' is too tight or too bright…" What else could a baby want?

Suddenly Becca's cries became even louder and Marie feared the baby might get not enough air if she kept going on like that. The sudden boost in intensity startled Logan and his claws slid out from between his knuckles. That he looses control over his claws usually only happened during his nightmares, but then again this night was already a nightmare. Logan had lifted one of his fists up near his head, he was about to run his fingers through his hair when his claws emerged.

Marie was perplexed. The little bundle in her arms was calming. The young mother turned with a faint smile to Logan and her expression switched to pure shock, understanding the reason for her daughter's sudden calm. "Great, now she's scared!"

"Sorry." Logan scented the air and was surprised. "Nah, she isn't." He carefully held his shiny claws closer to his daughter, the little light reflecting from the metal in a small rainbow. Becca's eyes were wide and centered on her father's claws. "Great our kid is a magpie!" Slowly he let his fist drop to his side, but at the first sign of Becca's tears returning he lifted his claws up once more and the baby looked like a peaceful little angel.

"As long as she falls asleep…" Marie muttered and dared a look at the clock. 3:11 a.m.

X X X X X

But as before, every time they placed the sleeping Becca back into her crib, the tiny girl felt the betrayal and began a new round of her tantrum, till eventually the claws didn't calm her and the door to Rogue's room flew open and a tired Jean and Scott – his hair was a mess – stood in their doorway. Not a minute later Ororo had also joined them and they were eyeing anxiously Logan hold his sharp Adamantium claws over the wailing little bundle in her mother's arms.

"Are you nuts? You wanna threaten or skin your baby?!" Scott blurted out and rushed over to the parents earning a vicious growl from Logan.

Jean muttered a "Didn't take as long as I thought…" and followed her boyfriend with Storm in tow.

"Logan would never do something like that!" Anger seeped into Rogue's voice and she glowered at her teacher. "Becca was fascinated by his shiny claws!" A sigh escaped her lips. "But sadly not anymore."

"Every time she falls asleep and we lay her back into her bed, she'd wake up again and cry." Logan eventually slid his claws back into his arms and the small wounds healed immediately. "We tried everythin' in that fuckin' smart book! And she still cries!" He threw the two X-Women a helpless gaze, ignoring Scott completely. "I'm open for suggestions."

Jean contemplated a moment. "What's with the pacifiers?"

Logan shot her a frustrated glare. "That's just an illusion, Red. She still wails even with the fuckin' thin' in her mouth."

"How 'bout singing?" The doctor said.

"I ain't singin'." Logan's features became dark - very dark.

"Me neither. Ah don't even sing in music lessons." Marie bit her lip, the moment she felt her teachers' glares on her. Why was her mouth faster than her brain? Fine it was almost 4 a.m. and she had had very little sleep this night.

"Maybe a drive in the car might help. Heard something like that sometimes works." Storm suggested and saw hope spark in the young parents' faces.

Without a second thought Logan fetched the baby seat and a blanket and gestured Marie to place Becca in it. "That might indeed work. Every time on the road she slept soundly."

Rogue was already following the Canadian out into the hallway when he stopped and faced her. "You go back to bed, Kid. I'll try this."

"But-"

"If it doesn't work. You can try with the singin'." He saw the distaste in her tired features, but the girl nodded nonetheless. Stroking her fingertips over the crying baby's head she returned to her room, grateful that her teachers were already in the corridor.

X X X X X

Marie slowly opened her eyes and rolled over on her side so she could get a peek on the alarm clock. 8:31 a.m. She closed her eyes again and snuggled against her soft pillow. She was still so damn tired. Great that Becca finally slept. 'Becca!'

The young mother suddenly bolted into a sitting position while her mind tried to put together the fogy fragments of last night. Becca – crying – Logan – car… She leaped to her feet and ran over to the crib. Empty. A sick feeling grew in her stomach and she hasted into Logan's room finding his bed empty, like the entire room. Fear began to encircle her heart and tears stung in her chocolate eyes. What if they had an accident?! Logan was so tired! 'Becca! Mah baby! Please let her be alright!'

Rogue ran out of Logan's room, not caring to close the door behind her and stormed down the stairs, taking two at a time. She was about to head to the professor's study when she found a group of noisy students gathered in front of the large window leading out to the graveled driveway. She heard one of the younger girls ask, if that was Mr. Logan sleeping in the car. Marie immediately spun on her heels and pushed through the crowd, her head poking forth next to Pete's immense frame and Jubilee's chewing-gum bubble.

And there in a running pick-up standing in the middle of the driveway sat Logan slumped over the steering wheel. Marie's heart rate slowed down and she let the breath escape she was holding the entire time.

"Umm, chica, what's Logan doin' out there?" Jubilee was elbowing the young mother slightly.

Rogue pushed away from her squished position and waded through the crowd of students. "Becca wouldn't stop crying tonight and Ms. Munroe suggested a drive in the car to calm her."

"Apparently worked wonders on Wolvie." The firecracker remarked and made the other teenagers giggle.

Without another word the brunette headed to the front door and walked out on the graveled way only in her socks and pajamas. When she approached the passenger door and opened it the view she was met with was just too cute. Logan's large hand lay protectively on his daughter's with a blanket covered belly while both of them slept soundly and only a low snoring rang from the feral's lips. Marie cursed the fact that she hadn't a camera.

With a soft smile she bent over the baby seat and turned the key, killing the rumbling of the car's engine. Almost immediately a light whining resounded from the little bundle under her and Marie watched her tiny baby stir and her angelic face contort in distress. Before she could pick her child up, Logan's hand had moved from the small stomach to the key, reviving the engine. "She likes the vibrations." He murmured without opening his eyes, his head still using the steering wheel as pillow. Becca's features relaxed immediately.

"Gonna take her now. She must be hungry." The young mother whispered and got a grunt as answer. "Ya should go back to bed, Logan." Another grunt. She cut off the engine once more and lifted the baby carefully from her seat and cradled her against the shoulder. "Morning, honey. Ya got your daddy quite exhaust, Becca." Now the tiny girl was yawning against her mother's neck and seemed quite content to be held.

Marie wrapped the blanket tighter around the small body and walked back into the mansion, running right into the crowd of students awaiting her. Michiru, an 11 year old Japanese girl, was at the head of the mass and stared with wide eyes at the baby. Rogue was torn between being stunned or running and hiding in her room. But then Michiru stepped forward and asked in her broken English if she could have a look at the baby, her features friendly.

The young mother was surprised about the curiosity and carefully shifted the baby, so she lay in her arms and was for the smaller student better to look at. The Japanese tiptoed slightly and grinned down on the little child as two older girls and a boy also approached to get a glimpse of the newborn. "Kawaiiiii!" Michiru squealed and reached out to stroke the white patch of hair on Becca's head. The baby only watched with wide blue eyes. (kawaii - cute)

On the back of the crowd stood a few of the older students and began to whisper their opinion about the newest resident to each other. Pete observed the swarm of teenagers from his spot and noted the reserved expressions of some. His own curiosity got the better of the giant and he neared Rogue stopping next to Kitty. With a shy smile he gazed down on the baby. "She looks like you, Rogue."

"Uhu, ya mean she has mah skunk-streak."

"Umm… Yeah." Pete answered sheepishly, but saw the smirk on the young mother's face.

Bobby had also decided to get a peek on the baby and was now next to Rogue looking over her shoulder. He contemplated a moment. "So you gonna keep it?"

"It?!" Rogue's voice was dripping with anger as her head shot upwards to stare at her classmate exasperatedly. "Of course will Ah keep mah daughter!" Her expression suddenly held accuse and a fire that would have molten Bobby's ice in an instant. "How can ya asked me that?!" Marie was about to turn around and stomp away when the large door opened and Logan entered the hall with the baby seat in one hand.

The Canadian was oblivious to what had happened, but the different scents he picked up told him that the Ice-Prick had somehow managed to upset his Marie. The despiteful stares he received from most of the students were another indication. Snarling in the direction of the boy, the teenagers scurried away from his two girls. "Got a problem?" He growled in the boy's face and glanced quickly at his mate.

The brunette's temper had calmed somewhat and she tugged on the sleeve of Logan's flannel shirt. "No. Ah need to feed Becca." She slowly turned towards the stairs and headed upwards.

Logan eyed the fearful crowd before him with his usual scowl. "Don't you have classes to attend?" Immediately the hall was deserted.

After Logan had heard what the Ice-Prick asked, he looked forward to his P.E. and self-defense-classes he'd start teaching next Monday. He would think up some special training for the Ice-cycle. But at the moment other students bothered him more. "Do Yellow and the Half-Pint suspect me to be Becca's father?"

Marie faced him, her brow furrowed while she breast fed Becca. "No. Why?"

"The looks they gave each other after they found out I live in the room next to yours were kinda suspicious."

The brunette shook her head. "Nah. They thought ya'd feel guilty or fell in love with Becca, since ya were there at her birth."

Understanding dawned on Wolverine's puzzled features. "… and that's the reason I help you. Also the reason for your stupid questions yesterday."

"Mah questions weren't stupid, Logan." She narrowed her eyes at him, but had to grin when the mighty Wolverine tried to stifle his yawn. "Go to bed, sugah."

"Yeah. Fine." He grunted and bent forward to place a peck onto Marie's lips and Becca's head, before he returned to his room and bed.

X X X X X

Rogue spent the next hours with math, only interrupting her studies for a new diaper and nursing, hoping she could take the math test on Friday together with her classmates. She really hated it to repeat a test all alone, only the teacher sitting with her in the room. She would ask the professor later if he approved of her participation.

The young mother sat on her new desk with the sleeping Becca in her baby seat placed on the tabletop next to her. Every now and then she glanced over at her peaceful little angel, wondering how Becca might be when she'll be older. If she would also enjoy reading like herself or would wait till the movie came out like her father. Or if she'd also like hockey like her parents and for which team she would cheer. Logan will surely try to influence their daughter in that point, but that won't happen if she could help it. After all the Rangers was the only real hockey team – highly contradicting Logan's opinion in that matter.

A light knock and the door opening startled Marie and she turned around to see Jean entering her room. The doctor's gaze traveled through the room while she approached the girl at the desk with a small smile. "Hello. I'd like to do the check-up on your baby."

"Hello, Dr. Grey." Marie stood up and smiled. "Are ya doing the check-up here?"

"No, down in the Med Bay."

"Ok." The young mother carefully lifted the baby seat and carried her sleeping daughter through the room towards the door.

The two women walked next to each other down the corridors in silence, which was eventually broken by the redhead. "So how are you doing, Rogue?"

"Fine." The girl smiled, but then became a little uneasy. "Sorry 'bout tonight."

Jean chuckled and entered the infirmary. "That's what babies do, Rogue. Storm's suggestion helped then?"

"Yep." Marie glanced down on the calm child in the seat she carried and placed it on a stretcher, next to an open chart containing Becca's weight and other data. "Logan had spent the rest of the night in the car with Becca." She lifted her baby into her arms and gently waked her up with a few kisses to her soft cheeks and forehead. "Wake up, honey."

Slowly Becca opened her eyes and snuggled into her mother's neck. Wit a smile Jean gestured Rogue to place the baby onto a small scales. On the loss of contact the child's face immediately contorted and she began to whine. "She gained a little weight." said Jean and picked Becca up to take her temperature. The doctor was glad that the teenager had accepted her situation after the rocky start and was handling her baby with love and care.

Marie smiled relieved and stroked the baby's back gently. "Hard to believe something indeed stays in her." She watched the woman scribble down some numbers on the chart. "Lucky me, Logan took the diaper duty during the night."

This made the doctor look up completely puzzled. "He did?"

Marie smiled brightly and nodded. "Yeah, Ah feed her and he changes her." The brunette saw worry flash over the doctor's face and she frowned in concern. "Is something wrong with Becca?"

"No. She's fine." Jean contemplated a moment, searching for the right words. "I just don't wanna see you hurt, Rogue." She saw the girl's bewilderment deepen. "Logan may stick around for a while and may drop by the mansion more often than in the past and take care of you and your baby, but don't let your hopes go up. He isn't the guy, who'll overcome his urges and needs to play the perfect husband and father you wish him to be." She didn't need her psychic abilities to feel the anger and stubbornness radiating from the young mother. "This may work out to a certain extent, but he will grow tired of playing daddy eventually. He's a loner. You should have this in the back of your mind. Don't expect him to fall to his knees and beg you to become his wife."

At this point Rogue was seething with rage. How dare she?! "Ya know nothing 'bout me and mah wishes! Neither do ya know Logan and what man he really is!" She screamed into the redhead's face, not caring at the moment if she startled her child. "Ya just see the animal!" Becca began to sob immediately and Marie picked her baby from the doctor's arms, holding her tight to her chest and stroking her back gently.

Jean had never anticipated such an outburst and disrespect from the normally shy and calm girl. "I'm sorry, Rogue, maybe I'm gone too far, but you have to face reality better sooner than later." No wonder Wolverine had an easy game to get the girl laid. Jean now knew she had been wrong about Rogue having an innocent little crush on her hero – no, the girl was blind of love for the older man.

"This only concerns Logan and me." Marie spit venom. She needed to get out of here, away from that woman. "Would ya please finish the check-up?" With all her might she tried to control her temper and calmed her child.

Jean finally understood that this was the wrong way to shake Rogue awake from her fairy tale. Logan was the girl's white knight in shiny armor – k, shiny claws – and that he decided to stick around for a while just supports the girl's fantasies. It might break the young mother when he would leave for a fuck again – that wouldn't surly take long to happen. Or she would ignore his escapades like she did with her pregnancy, till it destroyed her.

Anyway this wasn't a good situation and they had to try slowly to get through to Rogue and prepare her for the inevitable. But that won't work when she was on bad terms with the girl. Jean sighed eventually. "I'm sorry, Rogue. You're right. It's not my business." She felt the brunette's temper subside slowly. "I just don't wanna see you hurt, k?"

Marie smiled despite her inner dislike of the doctor. "Thank ya, Dr. Grey."

"Does Becca has a rash?"

"No."

Jean smiled and closed the folder with Becca's data. "Fine. You can bring her tomorrow around 10:30 a.m."

The brunette nodded and placed the calm child into the baby seat and left the room. "Bye."

X X X X X

Marie wondered if all her teachers thought her to be an oblivious child, looking away from Logan's past and nature. This was pretty much impossible for her though. Logan, his psyche and his memories were a part of her and she knew better than anyone else that Logan wasn't prince charming. On the contrary, his lifestyle could be called 'slutty'.

She knew he needed his time fighting in the cages, showing every other male that was his territory – he was the King of the Cage. This was one of his primal urges like was the fucking some needy blond afterwards. Those didn't mean anything to him, he rarely even knew their name and Rogue was kinda fine with that this way. Given she never liked the thought of him being intimate with other women the past months – after all she knew since the night on Liberty Island that she was his chosen mate. But she was too young to be claimed as his; still would be for the next year and three weeks. Till then, she had to live with the knowledge that it was not her to scratch that certain itch.

X X X X X

The door of the elevator opened and Rogue saw the hallway appear before her that was occupied with busy students all ages, who immediately cast her curious gazes while some began to whisper to each other. Marie contemplated her options for a moment, standing like frozen in the lift. Best would be to simply push the button for the basement and hide down there till lunch time was over. Or she could be brave and make her way through the crowd and the whole school full of nosy teens up to her room and hide there. Her room sounded nicer than the infirmary where Dr. Grey was, but the way there was much more uncomfortable.

Suddenly a yellow blur materialized before her. "Hi, Roguey. Hi, Becca." Jubilee greeted while Kitty smiled and waved at the baby.

"Umm, hi." Rogue stammered.

"You gonna join us at lunch?" Kitty asked while Pete with John and Bobby in tow made his way through the swarm of gapping kids and stopped next to Rogue's former roommates.

'What? Lunch with dozens of stares on ya?! Nah, thank ya very much.' Suddenly the thought of walking through the whole busy mansion wasn't that bad anymore. "Umm, Ah'm not hungry." Just in that moment her stomach betrayed her and growled like a certain vicious feral man. 'Shiiiiit! Can it become even more embarrassing?!' Marie felt her cheeks glow bright red.

The gigantic Russian knew how uncomfortable it was to be always the center of attention, thanks to his high. He smiled reassuringly. "Everyone knows about your baby, Rogue. They're just curious." The boy had overheard enough gossip to know that not everyone held a high opinion of the young mother and some even went so far to call her a slut or even whore. "You don't need to hide." He whispered.

Jubilee and Kitty smiled about Pete's attempts to support their classmate and the firecracker spun around, her hands on her hips. "Here's nothing to stare at, guys! Or have you never seen a baby before?!" Her fellow students tore their eyes away from the child and scurried into the dining hall.

The Asian turned around with a sly grin on her lips. "So you gonna join us now, chica?"

"Guess, 'no' is no option, huh?" Marie muttered and stepped out of the elevator with a heavy sigh.

Kitty smiled at her. "Exactly."

'So far so good.' Marie carried the baby seat to the table she and Jubes and co. usually occupied. Her eyes were trained on their target, ignoring the whispers around her. Nonetheless she caught from the corner of her eyes a few smiles and waves some students – mostly girls – flashed Becca.

Finally arrived at her destination the brunette placed the seat on the tabletop and stroked her daughter's belly. Becca was eyeing her surroundings calm and content with her huge blue eyes.

A few minutes later the others joined her with their full plates and Kitty and Jubilee sank down on the chairs framing hers. "You can now go and fetch your food, chica."

Marie flashed her friends unsure gazes and Pete smiled softly. "We'll watch her."

John furrowed his brows at the young mother, thinking her worries exaggerated. "You're on the other end of the room! You can see your baby!"

"Umm, yeah." With a last caress of Becca's downy head Rogue stood up and walked over to the food counter. The entire time she shoveled the pasta on her plate she glanced over to her baby and her talking classmates.

X X X X X

Pyro waited long enough to be sure Rogue couldn't hear them, before he began to spread his newest hypothesis. "Maybe she doesn't know who the father is."

"Whaddya mean, John?" Kitty was making funny faces for Becca, who was just content that someone was in her field of vision.

"She must have gotten pregnant at the time she learned how to control her skin."

Jubilee chewed on her lunch and threw the boy a probing gaze. "Yeah, you're right. And?"

"Don't you remember?! She was away the following Saturday."

"Yeah, in the mall shopping sleeveless shirts and skirts." Kitty was now facing John.

"Maybe she did even more there than just shopping."

"You mean celebrate her newfound control with some needy guy?" Jubilee concluded with doubt written all over her face.

John smirked. "She got knocked up from some stranger… would make sense that she didn't want to talk about it."

"Or it didn't stay at one guy." Bobby mused aloud. This earned him an extremely startled look from Kitty.

"Maybe you interpret too much into her words." Pete tried to stop their train of thinking before the rumors got out of hand and would eventually come to Rogue's ears and hurt the girl.

"Pete is right. Rogue never seemed to be the one to sleep around." Kitty shared a small smile with the Russian. "Shh. She's coming back."

X X X X X

Rogue had the weird feeling the conversation of her classmates that stopped immediately when she approached the table, had been about her. She was still angry with Bobby for his audacity this morning and was glad he was as far away as possible from her and her daughter, sitting at the diagonal end of the table.

She placed her plate and her glass of soda down next to the baby seat – Kitty and Jubilee had slid their chairs a little further to the sides so Rogue had enough room for her plate and her baby on the table before her. While sinking down on her stool the brunette flashed a wary smile towards the girls. "Thanks for watching her." She quickly stroked her daughter's cheek.

"Umm, that was nothing…" Jubilee saw how earnest the brunette meant that and added with a smile. "Really it was nothing. Becca didn't even blink." Now she was met with a very good imitation of Wolverine's trademark eyebrow. "Of course she did blink… you get what I mean, chica."

"Yeah. She behaved." Marie chuckled and began to eat.

A few minutes of silence and a conversation about the test from the day before, later and the intense stare John gave her daughter was finally too much for Rogue to bear. "What is it, John?"

The boy's eyes darted away from the newborn and over to her mother. "What's with the father?" He hitched his eyebrows. "You do know who the father is, right?"

Marie 's hand went slack as did her jaw, her fork falling down on the plate clanging. The shock changed quickly and her features were highly insulted and angry when she shouted into the boy's face. "What a whore do ya think Ah am?!"

The whole room went silent and all eyes were cast to their table and John suddenly felt uncomfortable and guilty. "Sorry, I didn't mean to… Does he know then?" He couldn't keep his tongue under control.

Rogue narrowed her eyes and hissed. "He does."

"And?" Pyro saw the are-you-nuts and stop-it-jerk-gazes from his friends, but his common sense had already surrendered to his curiosity.

"Ah don't wanna talk 'bout him!" She spat out and was about to leap to her feet and flee from the room with Becca when she saw an angry man storm over to their table.

Logan had woken shortly before noon and immediately wondered about the silence in the neighbored room. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed he slipped into his boots and moved over to his girls' room, only to find it empty. He walked over to the crib peeking in it and his heart became a little heavy – he had looked forward to be greeted by his mate and cub. 'Wonder where they are?'

After a short stop in his bathroom, Logan descended the stairs and scented the air, picking out Marie's unique scent. He followed it and to his surprise it led him towards the dining hall. 'Didn't think she was already ready to face the nosy brats.'

'Not to mention all on her own, bub.' Wolverine purred in acknowledgment of their mate's courage.

Logan's gaze immediately settled on the table in the corner, where Marie usually sat with her friends. This time was no exception and his eyes lingered a moment on his two girls, making sure they were alright.

With a scowl on his features he gathered pasta on his plate and drowned it in the red meat sauce – fishing the biggest meatballs out. Then he walked over to the teachers' table, his girls eyeing with his peripheral view the entire time. Marie was a little nervous, this told him her scent, but she was fine over there without him.

"Where were you, Logan?" Storm asked as he sat down on the free seat next to her and across Jean.

He tore his eyes a moment away from his mate and looked at his fellow X-Men. "Sleepin'." Was the grunted answer and his view was already centered on a certain students' table.

"So it didn't help then?" Ororo remarked and Logan granted her another fleeting view.

"No, umm. It did help." His brain must still be half asleep – he normally doesn't stammer. "Thanks, 'Ro. That was the best solution."

"You're welcome." The weather witch smiled.

But Logan's attention was already back at the brunette on the other table. Thanks to Storm's babbling he had missed what the fire controlling boy had said to his Marie. But whatever it was, it wasn't something nice and her boiling anger didn't go unnoticed by the other kids, thanks to her screaming back at the jerk.

'Whore?! Did that little piece of shit call her a whore?!' Logan bolted to his feet, his chair was almost tipping over, but Storm caught it in time.

'Logan!' Xavier's stern voice warned in his mind.

'Don't worry, Chuck. I'm not gonna kill him. Rogue wouldn't like that.' He growled back mentally and was proud to see that his mate was strong enough to not cry or withdrew in her shame, even without his assistance.

Marie's eyes met his in an instant and he saw her relief in her chocolate orbs switch to sheer panic. He held her gaze a second longer and his jaw relaxed for a fleeting moment and her concern that he would do something to the boy vanished. His young mate knew him and his body language – no one else had noticed their little exchange.

The Canadian placed his hand on John's back of the chair and spun the boy including stool around with a twist of his wrist and a screeching of the chair's legs on the floor. The boy's expression was priceless. You could literally read from his face 'Oh shit!'. A snarl rang from the feral's lips before he growled in a low and threatening voice, but loud enough for the entire room to hear. "Thought you little rat call yourself Rogue's friend?! Or am I mistaken?!"

Pyro held his breath and prayed that Wolverine would kill him quickly and less painful, but the man only stared at him with his dark piercing eyes. "Umm…"

'Wrong answer, bub.' With a little more force than necessary Logan pushed the chair against the next one, the one Bobby sat on, and 'accidentally' shut John's hand between the two chairs, making him wince in pain and the lighter, he was snapping open and close the entire time, fell to the floor.

Bobby didn't miss the snarl that was directed to him and he knew it was for the incident this morning. "Was the only reason you disloyal jerks let her sit with you, so you'd get the newest rumors to spread?!" He bent down closer to the two boys. "Who do you think you are to feel yourself fit to judge Rogue?" Wolverine straightened again and his vicious eyes swept over all students in the room. "I mean all of you!" He saw some teenagers jump in fear, others looked away guiltily, but most of the kids were like frozen by his dark gaze.

His glare returned to the two boys. "This could have happened to any of you, couldn't it? Or who of you is still a virgin?" Logan's predatory eyes switched from one teen to the other on this certain table. He knew even if some hadn't lost their innocence yet, they would never admit it in front of their friends, nor the entire school. And what the chatty Yellow and the mouthy Pyro concerned he knew that at least those two had their share of experience in that field. "So cut the crap and don't look down on Rogue!"

With a growl rumbling in his throat Logan traded a look with Marie, silently telling her to stay. She picked up her fork again and resumed her meal as if nothing had happened while some of the other kids were still unable to move from fear. Smirking evilly, but somehow pleased Logan turned around and walked over to the teachers' table.

The spell broke slowly and the students eventually began to center their attention back on their lunch. "At least she can now fuck as much as she likes without getting knocked up again." A dark skinned boy, quite new to the school, murmured to his friends, who knew better than to nod in agreement in the presence of a vicious Wolverine.

But this whisper didn't stay unheard from a certain Canadian and he whirled around and walked over to the boys at a table at the far end of the room. He was seething inwardly – and surely showed this with his feral look on his face. "Come again?" He gritted his teeth and saw the other boys slide away from their mouthy friend, who in turn was frozen with panic. The entire room was quite once again, not even the breathing could be heard if not with heightened senses, and Logan scented the air, satisfied with the thick layer of fear lingering in it and the stench of urine – the coward had peed his pants. 'Oh yes, I'm good.' Logan cheered inwardly and felt the animal roar in confirmation.

"Umm, … no - nothing." The boy stuttered and pressed his body back against his chair.

Wolverine narrowed his dark eyes on him and bent down, invading the personal space of the boy. "I heard every word. Now repeat it and share your knowledge with all of us." He barked with a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Umm, I… I said… Rogue can't… become pregnant again."

Now Logan was curious about this theory. "And why the fuck not?!"

"Umm."

"C'mon, enlighten us!" He urged with another snarl.

"Cuz… cuz as long as she feeds the baby, she can't."

"Huh?" Now Logan's face was blank for a friction of a second. "Who let you in about the birds and bees?"

"Dr. Grey."

Logan's head jerked towards a certain red head, his gaze a mixture of disbelief and anger. "Jeannie! You tell the kids it's ok to have unprotected sex after childbirth?!" He shouted through the entire room.

All eyes were on the doctor. "Logan, I didn't tell them that!" She yelled back, her eyes wide in shock and embarrassment. "I told them to protect every time!"

Wolverine hitched one brow. "Uhu, the kids got the message a little differently." Then the sour and serious expression returned to his features and he glanced back to the boy. "You should go and change your pants. Don't forget to wipe that chair." Logan spat with a smug smirk and whirled around while the boy turned pale, all eyes were on him now and new whispers and giggles started.

But midway Logan stopped and threw an evil glare back to the boys. "And to get you and the rumor mill up-to-date Rogue doesn't sleep around. She got pregnant at her first and only time. So cut that crap!"

Marie was now blushing as bright as a tomato and wished not for the first time in the last few days that the earth would rip apart beneath her feet and swallow her. 'How could he?! Fine, he tries to restore mah honor, but how the hell could he?! Brainless jerk!'

"Thought you can't get knocked up at your first time?!" A girl whispered to her friend with a confused gaze.

Logan spun around again, his features blank. "WHAT?!" He eyed the skinny brunette, before turning on his heels and staring daggers at the redheaded doctor. "Jeannie, your sex ed. sucks great time!" Shaking his head he returned to his seat. "Wonder that there ain't more babies here." Sinking down on his chair he picked up his fork and shoveled the pasta into his mouth.

In the entire mansion he was the only one eating, Rogue was so embarrassed that she felt sick to the stomach, Pyro, Bobby and the third idiotic boy were petrified enough to not even breath, and the rest of the students stared at Logan in disbelief, that everyone was still alive and he sat there like nothing had occurred. The rest of the teachers' body on the other hand threw appalled views to Jean, who looked helplessly to her boyfriend.

X X X X X

When Logan had wolfed down his meal and stood up to fetch a second, Storm and the professor traded a view and began to eat eventually. Little by little the students followed their example and resumed their lunch, but nobody dared to speak or look away from their plates.

It was an eerie atmosphere and Becca didn't like it one bit. So she did the only thing she could do to communicate her distress and she began to cry from the tip of her lungs. Some kids flinched, but most looked up startled, their eyes on the wailing bundle that was immediately picked up by her mother.

Marie cradled Becca against her shoulder and stroked her back, calming the newborn slowly. "Shh, is fine, Becca." The brunette eventually felt several gazes lingering on her and she looked around. This made the students realize that they were staring at her again and with a fearful rustling everyone trained their eyes back to their meal.

John glanced every now and then down to the floor, or more precisely his beloved lighter, while forking his pasta with the left hand. His right was hurting too much at the moment and he was sure he had to visit the infirmary later, but as long as his brutal P.E. teacher was still present, he wouldn't even think about sneezing at the moment.

A few minutes later some of the teenagers had finished and placed their silverware neatly onto the empty plates, but remained seated as if waiting for the allowance to leave their table. The professor had to smile benignly about that and finally excused himself with a nod and steered his wheelchair out of the room.

Marie had also finished, but she felt that her tiny daughter was becoming more unsettled by the moment and she guessed that the little girl was hungry. Nursing Becca in front of Jubilee and Kitty the afternoon before was bad enough and she wouldn't give a repeat performance in the dining hall. So she was the first student to stand up and speak. "Bye."

"Bye." Murmured the firecracker, Kitty and the three boys at her table without looking up from their empty plates.

Rogue placed the cranky child back into her baby seat and carried her through the room and finally out into the hallway.

Logan entered Marie's room an hour later and flashed her a smile. The teenager lay on her stomach on her bed with a book and a note pad spread out on the comforter before her. "Hi." She greeted him without interrupting her scribbling.

"Hey, Kid." The Canadian walked over to the crib and gazed down on his peacefully sleeping daughter. After a moment of simply watching her, he reached out and stroked her soft cheek gently with his callused fingertips.

The brunette smiled at the loving face Logan made every time he watched their baby sleep. "What took ya so long? Or did ya stay in the dining hall on purpose, so no one dared to leave?"

Logan chuckled and turned around. "Nah." He flipped down beside her and leaned his head against the headboard with her pillow in his back. "We had a teacher's meetin' concernin' a certain topic and Chuck thought it best we have a crash course with all students the day after tomorrow in the dinin' hall." He saw her face him, wide eyed. "Since the two of us don't have classes at the moment and for other obvious reasons" He motioned his chin towards the crib with the sleeping Becca. "Chuck assigned us with the task to gather all myths and set them straight."

"What!" Marie was close to hyperventilate and let her pencil fall from her fingers. "Ah'm not gonna talk 'bout that with mah classmates!"

His dark laughter hollered from his chest, his mate's horror-stricken expression was just too cute. "Nah, you should help me with the material and I with the other teachers will do it."

She breathed a sigh of relief, but still the sick feeling in her stomach didn't lighten. "Ya aren't gonna have a sex talk with all of us, are ya?"

"The lack of knowledge is terrifying, Kid!"

Rogue rolled onto her back and covered her eyes with her hands. "Gawd! That'll be so damn embarrassing!"

"Stop the whining, Kid, and help me." He bent forward quickly and snatched the notebook and the pencil, opening a new page. "We already have two flaws." He wrote them down.

Marie had her arm lay over her eyes and eventually said. "Umm, add the thing with the not popped cherry."

Logan's eyebrow shot up in curiosity. 'She had indeed believed in that, huh?!' "Okay. More ideas on how to not become pregnant, but have a brat nine mo- umm ten months later?"

"Becca is no brat." Marie sat up and narrowed her eyes on the man. "Why do ya ask me?!"

"Why the hell not?"

"Ah'm not gonna have ya grill me 'bout mah knowledge 'bout sex, Logan!" She was growling now.

"Yeah, fine." Though he was getting curious. "What then?"

"The internet?!"

"That's a way to start, Marie."

X X X X X

Classes were over for today and Kitty threw the door to her room forcefully shut. "God, Bobby is such a jerk!"

Jubilee popped her chewing gum and eyed her friend curiously. "Thought you had a crush on him, chica?"

The brunette hadn't spoken one word with Bobby since the morning and after lunch her thoughts about his idiocy made her gut burn with anger. "Don't tell me you think it okay that he asked Rogue if she'd give her child away, though he helped to bring the baby stuff up into her room yesterday?!" She threw her math book hard onto her bed, making it bounce on the mattress. "It's pretty obvious that she loves the baby." Kitty didn't miss the smirk on the firecracker's face on her behavior. "And if that wasn't enough, he suggests she had sex with various strangers!"

"John's even more brain-dead than Iceman." Jubilee muttered and watched the other girl pace the room agitated.

Eventually the brunette stopped and sank down on the now unused bed, Rogue's former one. "Never thought Rogue got such a temper."

"If someone had told me the same I'd have wiped the floor with them!"

Kitty giggled on that, but then became serious and angry again. "And Becca's father is the biggest asshole ever!" Usually she didn't cuss so much. "That bastard doesn't want to have anything to do with Rogue or his kid."

"Obviously… I also wouldn't wanna talk 'bout such an ass." Jubilee concluded.

X X X X X

Two hours later sounded a knock from the door. "Who's there?" Kitty asked. She wasn't in the mood to face Bobby or John.

"Pete."

The two girls exchanged a gaze and Jubilee opened the door. "Yep?"

The giant eyed his classmates a moment, taking in their foul moods. "I thought we could pick Rogue and her baby up for supper." This suggestion earned him startled stares. "After the debacle at lunch I fear she'd hide in her room."

Kitty hadn't thought about this and felt suddenly bad that she had engulfed herself in her rage about the two idiots than thinking how the whole disaster might have struck Rogue. "That's a good idea, Pete." She slipped in her shoes and approached the door. "Then let's go."

"But it's still over half an hour till dinner!" Jubilee ran back to her bed and fetched her yellow jacket.

Kitty was already next to Pete and waited for her friend. "But maybe we can help her a little."

"Yeah, fine. But if the diaper is full again I'm gone." Jubilee was serious.

A few minutes later the little group arrived in front of Rogue's new room. "Don't drown her!" They heard Rogue yell with emphasis on the other side of the door.

"I'm not!" A moment later came Logan's frustrated voice again. "Then take 'er!"

Kitty traded an unsure gaze with her friends. "Shall we wait?"

But before anyone could answer Logan's grumpy shout startled them. "Whaddya want, Half-Pint?!"

Wolverine wasn't in his best mood at the moment, but they were caught and so Jubilee opened the door to Rogue's room slowly. The picture they were met with was so surreal, especially when they were just growled at by the big bad Wolverine. On the floor between the crib and bed kneed Logan and Rogue on a large bath towel, on which a baby bath stood. In the blue tub lay the tiny baby, her head steadied by Logan's large hands, so she wouldn't slip under the surface. Becca was calm and eyed her surroundings with her huge eyes while kicking her feet from time to time.

Marie had the downy hair of her daughter soaped with the baby shampoo and tried now to rinse her hair with the help of a glass. She was afraid that some of the foam would accidentally flow into Becca's eyes or even the mouth, so most of the water she used for the rising went on the back of the child's head and her father's hands, running down his bare forearms and dropping from his elbows down onto his jeans.

"What the fuck are ya doin', Kid?!" The Canadian growled and slid his knee out of harm's way.

The brunette was so annoyed. "Sorry! Then hold her a little more down!"

He rolled his eyes on her. "Suuuure… last time I did, you freaked out that she'd drown!"

"Fine! Then live with wet pants!" Marie huffed and placed the glass on the floor next to her. Carefully she dipped her hand into the tub and then stroked with her wet palm over the baby's head, removing the foam partially. Repeating this movement Becca's hair was eventually freed from the shampoo.

Meanwhile her three classmates had entered the room and watched curious and amused Becca's bathing session. Jubilee frowned disgustedly when her eyes caught sight of the umbilical cord hanging with a knot from the tiny girl's belly. "Eww, why didn't they cut that away already?"

"Huh?" Both parents looked up confused until Rogue got what the firecracker meant. "Dr. Grey said it will dry and fall off the next days."

"Fall off?!" The Asian grimaced. "Babies are ewww. I never gonna have kids!"

"And so is your stinkin' gum, Yellow." Logan retorted and lifted his daughter from the water.

"Ya get used to it pretty fast, Jubes." Rogue reassured and picked the fluffy towel with the bunny-ear-hood up and waited for Logan to place the dripping child into it. Immediately she wrapped the cloth around Becca's small frame and began to rub her dry gently while cradling her against her chest.

Logan bent forward and flipped the much too large hood onto his daughter's head, rubbing her downy hair dry. "Now you ain't smelly anymore, lil' skunk." He cooed against her cheek and placed a whiskered kiss onto her soft skin. But suddenly Becca's features contorted and she began to wail. "Huh? What's wrong now?"

"Ya ask? Get shaved already!" Marie caressed her daughter's cheek while glaring at her mate. "Ya look like a lumberjack!"

Wolverine ran his hand over his face and knew what he had forgotten to do in the morning – fine, at noon when he woke. His sideburns were developing into a full beard by now. Grumbling under his breath he picked the baby bath up and walked into Marie's bathroom to empty it. When he returned to the main room Marie's nosy classmates were staring at him with funny expressions. "Whatchya doin' here anyway?" He barked in their direction.

Kitty bit down her laughter about her teacher's wet lap. "We thought Rogue'd like a little company."

"Someone you can actually talk to and get a respond other than babblin' and growlin'."

Logan snarled. "Watch it, Yellow!"

"And we could accompany you to dinner later." Pete added and watched as the young mother carried the little bundle in her arms towards the changing table in the corner. With the greatest care she placed her baby down on the top and began to powder her and pack her into a new diaper.

Logan eyed his young mate with a smirk, before walking over to the connecting door. "Gonna change 'fore dinner, Kid."

"Mhm." Marie waited till she heard his shower running and folded the pink romper suit, Logan had placed out earlier. "Umm." Facing her friends she grinned at Kitty. "In the top-drawer of the dresser is a light blue romper suit. Would ya get me that one please? And place this one back there?" She handed the other brunette the clothing.

Kitty walked over to the furniture and did as she was told while Pete and Jubilee traded puzzled gazes. "Why are you clothing your daughter in blue?" The Russian asked eventually.

Marie held a mischievous expression on her face. "Logan's pretty old fashioned concerning this. He's gonna freak when he sees her." Her grin widened as she saw the other girl return with the requested romper suit.

Jubilee snickered and flopped down on the bed behind her. "You're mean, Roguey." Her head had hit a notebook and she pulled it away and glanced at the words. "Huh? What the hell is this?" She began to read out loud the first question. "A condom protects from A) diseases like AIDS, B) from pregnancy, C) from both, and D) from none, it's just makes the experience much better." Amused she looked up to Rogue. "What's that?"

"Will ya place it away, Jubes?!" Marie hurried to get Becca dressed and saw the inquiring gazes of her other two classmates. "On Thursday there'll be a special sex ed. classes for the entire school." The surprise on her friends' faces was hard to miss. "The Professor got the great idea that Ah should help Logan with the current myths about conceiving."

"Don't tell me, chica, you didn't know that question?!" The firecracker's eyes were wide as saucers and her expression pure shock.

Marie felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. "Of course did Ah know this!" She picked her dressed daughter up and propped her up onto her shoulder. "We were looking in the internet to get some inspiration." Then without warning the brunette snatched the notebook from Jubilee and hid it in a drawer of her desk.

"Hey! Let me read the rest!"

"Nah. Not yet." Again she was faced with inquiring gazes. "Logan had the idea of testing the knowledge of the students. Afterwards the teacher's will go into the questions that were failed."

"What! They gonna test us 'bout sex?!" Kitty was blushing furiously.

Rogue only chuckled and placed Becca into her baby seat. "Nah. It'll be anonymous." All three breathed a sigh of relief and she burst out into a fit of laughter. When her hysterics died down she threw her classmates a serious view. "Don't tell 'bout this, 'k?"

She immediately received nods from Pete and Kitty and her glare centered on the mouthy firecracker. "Jubes."

"Yeah, fine." She rolled her eyes.

X X X X X

The dining hall was already occupied by dozens of students when Marie and her classmates walked over to their usual table. Some teenagers smiled at her and Becca, others even gathered enough courage to say 'hi.'. But all in all there were no stares or whispers anymore. The young mother placed the baby seat down on the tabletop and arranged it so that you'd have a good view on the child from the teachers' table.

Pete looked around the room, searching for his own roomies, who usually were among the first to invade the buffet. "Seems like John's still whining about his hand."

This stirred Marie's attention and she was suddenly concerned that Logan had done more harm than intended. "Is his hand hurt so much?"

The Russian's face was relaxed as he shook his head. "Nah. Just sprained, but he yammers like his hand would fall off any moment."

"Such a sissy." Jubilee mumbled and went off to gather her supper.

Kitty laughed and wondered why Bobby wasn't already here. "He and Bobby are most likely scared shitless from Logan and won't leave their room." Somehow she liked the thought that she wouldn't have to face the two today again.

A few minutes later a certain Canadian entered the dining hall and immediately fetched a plate while glancing over to his two girls. Marie was chatting with her classmates and seemed at ease. He was on his way to his stool at the teachers' table when his sensitive ears picked up on a conversation about his girls. "I thought Rogue had a daughter?" He heard one boy asked and his friends only shrugged.

Frowning Logan placed his meal down and gazed over to his daughter, who lay cooing in her seat dressed in a light blue romper suit. 'Blue?!' His jaw tensed and he gritted his teeth. 'My little girl looks like a boy!' A low growl rumbled in his chest as he stalked over to his mate – many of the students were immediately on alert. Without a word Wolverine picked the baby seat up, turned on his heel and stomped out the room with his daughter.

Jubilee had told Marie the moment when Logan had entered the room and she had bit her tongue the entire time to not laugh. The brunette had anticipated some kind of reaction, but when he finally had left the room again, she eventually gave in and burst out into laughter along with her three classmates. Everyone else stared dumbfolded towards them, but this made it even harder to calm down.

Five minutes later Logan returned and placed his now in pink dressed daughter back down on the tabletop next to her mother. Giggling like mad Marie picked her baby out of the seat and cradled Becca against her shoulder, so her friends had a good view on the change Logan had done and soon the whole table was hollering in laugher once again.

"Funny, Kid." Logan growled.

Marie met his annoyed gaze and raised her brow. "Why didn't ya put a pink bow into her hair?!" His snarl made her laugh harder and Becca became crankier the more she was shaken by her mother's hysterics and the assault on her tiny ears by the noise.

"Or a note saying 'girl'!" Jubilee added and was holding her middle.

Becca suddenly decided enough was enough and began to cry. "Shh, honey." Marie tried to sooth her but couldn't stop laughing. Without warning two callused hands picked the baby carefully from her arms. "Hey!"

"Calm yourself 'fore you try to calm your daughter!" Logan propped the child onto his shoulder and her wailing stopped at once. Snatching the baby seat he carried Becca over to the teachers' table and placed the now quite baby back into her seat, while her mother and her friends still laughed.

The other adults grinned about his antics and Storm glanced down on the tiny child while Logan dug into his meal. "That was all 'bout the blue clothing, Logan?" She chuckled about his grunt and stroked the downy head of the baby.

It wasn't even 8 in the evening, but Rogue was already dressed in her pj's and tucking a sleepy Becca into her crib, after her meal and a new diaper. Logan was next to her and placed a soft kiss onto his daughter's forehead, praying that this night would be a little more restful.

Marie was about to crawl under her covers when she stopped and faced the other mutant. "What happened to the romper suit? It didn't meet your claws, did it?"

Logan saw the annoyance in her tired features and smirked slyly. "Nah, but it's there where you won't find it together with your silky nighty."

"What nighty… oh." She remembered after the move into her new room, she had missed the short black nighty, she wore the night Becca was conceived.

Logan leaned forward and kissed her quickly on her lips. "Would be a shame to shred it to pieces. Maybe it'll be useful in a few years." He whispered against her lips before leaving another peck on them. "G'Night, Kid."

"Night, sugah." Smiling silly Marie watched him return to his room and close the door.

X X X X X

It was still in the middle of the night and for once Logan was glad about his daughter's loud voice, since she had ripped him from the beginning of one of his nightmares. Breathing deeply he closed his eyes again for a moment to shove the terrible pictures into the back of his mind, locking them there.

Still feeling the shadows of the people with the masks and syringes lurk in the darkness, he headed into Marie's room and lifted the weeping child from her arms and walked over to the changing table.

He was sure he couldn't go back to sleep with fragments of his nightmare flowing through his mind and so Logan cradled his changed daughter against his broad chest, her small head rested in the crook of his neck and shoulder. Nuzzling his nose in her soft hair, he breathed in her unique and calming scent – a mixture of Marie and him and baby powder – and walked eventually over into his room and sank down into the comfortable leather chair. Becca was already asleep and he kissed her head lovingly, before staring into the darkness of his room, cursing the fact that he still had no television to keep him occupied in nights like this one.

X X X X X

This night had been peaceful Marie decided when she stirred from her sleep and glanced over to her alarm-clock. Fine, Becca had demanded food and a new diaper several times during the night, but as soon as she was in her father's warm embrace, the girl was out like a light. The brunette staggered to her feet and sneaked over to Logan's room, finding him dozed off with their daughter nestled on his chest, his large hand rested on the tiny back protectively. She watched her family with a soft smile.

After a quick refreshing shower she had changed into her black jeans and forest green tee shirt and was on her way down the hallway of the teachers' wing when she almost bumped into Ororo. "Mornin'."

"Morning, Rogue." The woman smiled at her. "I was just on the way to you. How are you?"

"Still a little tired, but Becca was an angel tonight." The brunette saw the doubtful look on the weather witch's face. "Compared to the night before."

Ororo stifled a yawn and nodded. "Where's Logan?"

Marie smiled. "Wanna see something utterly cute?"

"Sure." Now the girl got her curious.

"But ya have to be quite." Marie whispered as she opened the door to Logan's room and presented her teacher with the peaceful picture of Logan with his tiny daughter in his arms sleeping in the old leather chair while the morning sun shone on them through the curtain. "Too bad Ah have no camera."

"What's so interesting?"

Rogue and Storm practically jumped to Scott's voice and their heads snapped around to him and Jean standing behind them. "Shh." Storm winked her friends closer to the gap and the two also caught a glimpse of the Wolverine and his cub.

After Marie had carefully closed the door Scott was still in shock about what he had just witnessed. "Is that really Logan?" To tell the truth the X-Men leader was concerned from the beginning about leaving the wailing child in the short tempered man's care. "What drugs did you give him?"

"None." Marie walked further down the corridor and led the group away from their rooms, so Logan had the chance to catch up on his lack of sleep. "There's much more to him than the growling feral he shows on the outside all the time." She explained, but suddenly her features became worried. "Ya shouldn't tell of this. Ah shouldn't have showed ya." In truth she hadn't meant Scott and Jean to learn of this, only Storm.

"Why? Is he gonna skin us alive, or what?" Scott joked, but saw the serious expression on the girl's face.

"Exactly." They had arrived in the kitchen and Rogue opened the fridge and rummaged in it in the search for bacon and eggs. Today she would surprise her mate with breakfast.

Storm boiled water for her herbal tea, while Jean made coffee and Scott fetched the toast bread from a cupboard. Marie had the large pan before her and began to slip the meat into the hot oil. "Umm, does anyone want bacon and scrambled eggs, too?" She saw the confused looks of her teachers. "There isn't much to. Throwing a few eggs more into the pan than Ah already have, so it'd be enough for five people than for two."

"Sounds like a plan." Scott answered and took care of the toast.

Other than Storm, Jean was a little startled. "For two? You make breakfast for Logan?" The man surely would like to have the kid cook for him and do his laundry, the doctor didn't really wonder about this and that the love-sick girl would do this voluntarily.

The brunette turned the bacon on the other side and answered without looking up from her work. "Sure. He made me pancakes the day before yesterday."

Jean was staring at the girl with wide green eyes. "He did?!" Scott hadn't told anyone.

"Yep." Marie smiled while Ororo placed two large plates next to the stove as they heard desperate cries draw closer. "Becca's hungry." The young mother wiped her hands clean and just turned around in time to see Logan walk with a sobbing baby into the kitchen.

"Mornin'. He greeted and approached his mate, who immediately picked the tiny girl up into her arms and walked over to the table and sank down on a chair in the far corner. Logan watched her turn her back on them and free her breast. There was nothing to see than her back, but Scott still stared at his girls and Logan didn't like that one bit. "Eye over here, Cyke." He ordered with a growl.

"I'm not a pedophile like you!" The younger man snapped back and Logan stepped closer to him with a vicious snarl on his lips.

Storm reacted immediately and shoved a stack of plates into Logan's hands. "Will you two stop it already!?" Her eyes dug into Cyclops. "Scott, watch your words! What if a student would hear you? You know the walls have ears!" She hissed and he murmured something alike 'right'.

With a last snarl towards the other man, Logan walked over to Rogue and set the table. He could smell her sadness and anger. It tore at his heart that One-Eye could upset his mate so much. Sinking down on the stool next to hers, he watched her nurse their baby and stroke the tiny hand of their girl. "Kid?" She was near tears, he could tell.

"Ya ain't." She eventually brought out, never looking up from Becca's serene features.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him, her head cradled against his chest and he placed his chin on her dark hair. "They know nothin', Marie."

She felt him place a kiss to her head and a tear finally found its way down her cheek. Sniffing she wiped it away and fought hard to hold the others at bay.

Storm elbowed Scott as he was about to walk over to the couple when Logan hugged the girl. "You idiot made her cry!" She whispered angrily and saw Scott watch the girl wipe her tears away. "Cut those unnecessary comments, Scott!"

From the corner of her eyes Jean watched Logan comfort the teenager. She had never thought him to be the cuddling type, but to her amazement it was HIM to hug the girl and not her to burry her tear streamed face in his chest, taking the console she needed from him selfishly – not caring if the man would find it awkward. Maybe there was indeed more to Logan than his bad boy image made everyone believe. This thought brought a pang of jealousy up in her heart and she dismissed this thought at once. It was not possible to be the bad boy with a soft and good core – this was only a show Logan put on and it wouldn't take long till he'd get tired of playing family-man.

X X X X X

Not long after the little group had started with their breakfast the professor had wheeled into the room and joined them. Rogue had the now contently sleeping Becca cradled in one arm and half of her lap, while mastering eating with only one hand and the use of the fork also as a knife. Charles was pleased with the emotions he picked up from the young mother concerning her child. Rogue had fully accepted her baby and seemed to be quite happy in her new role. He was quite surprised to hear that she had taken the history test and had just asked to also take the math test this Friday. "If you feel fit enough, Rogue. But if you're serious with this, I recommend attending my classes today and tomorrow."

The brunette smiled brightly while noticing her former roomies enter the kitchen. "Of course, professor." She faced her mate with a puppy dog look. "Would ya take Becca in that time, Logan?"

"Sure." Logan frowned puzzled – Becca was also his child, there was no need to ask him that. He was about to voice his confusion, when he caught sight of Jubilee and Kitty walk towards the fridge with an enthusiastic 'Morning.' on their lips.

How he hated happy and chatty people in the morning! Marie was like him concerning this and that was another plus for being a suitable mate. She never took it personally when he growled at her sleepily, when she crawled into his bed in the middle of the night after one of his nightmares she constantly had after Liberty Island. She even growled back at him when he'd wake her gently to usher her back into her own room, so no one would get wind of her nightly sleepovers.

Chewing on a piece of bacon Logan got moodier the longer he watched the two teens chat cheerfully about some nothingness. "Gonna try and get 'er used to the formula. Would make things easier next week when you'll return to classes." He growled and saw Marie's eyebrow twitch as Yellow squealed about having found the last blueberry-muffin. His mate obviously preferred a calm start in the day, too.

"That would be great." Marie finished her toast and Logan picked their baby from her embrace, so she had her hands free to refill her glass with juice. "Thanks, Logan."

"Logan, the school needed some supplies. Would you head to town this afternoon?"

"Why not, Chuck." Logan shrugged and gulped down the rest of his coffee. 'Gonna get the TV when I'm there.'

'Good idea, bub.' Wolverine growled in appreciation.

"You can pick up the list at my study later." Xavier saw the other man's nod.

Jean stood up and placed her plate into the dish-washer, before glancing over to the young parents. "It's still some time till classes, I'd like to do Becca's check-up now, if you're fine with it."

"Sure, Red." The Canadian also got to his feet, the baby propped up on his shoulder and his plate in the other hand. He walked over to the dish-washer and put his plate in before approaching the waiting doctor near the door.

Marie leaped up and downed her juice hastily while returning her plate to the machine. "Hey, wait for me!"

Rogue hoped the professor would stick to his principles and stayed out of her mind. 'God math is so damn boring! What for will Ah need this crap anyway?! Never intended to become engineer or math-professor…'

'Even a bookkeeper doesn't need so much crap, Kid.' Her inner-Logan chimed in.

'Yep… God how long till Ah can back to mah baby?' She glanced at her watch and almost groaned. 'Fuck, the first period isn't even over yet!' The brunette began to write down the next exercise from the blackboard. 'Wonder what Logan and Becca are doing right now?'

'Becca's easy: Sleep, cry or make a load into her diaper.'

Rogue bit her lower lip, so the giggle that threatened to escape wouldn't leave her lips. 'Logan, would ya stop? Ah'm already gossip topic no. 1. No need to add hysteric laughter during classes to mah already strained reputation.'

'Sorry, Marie. It's just so fuckin' borin'!'

'Ya don't say, sugah?!' She began to tap her pencil onto the tabletop, earning her a dark glower from Kitty. 'Ah miss her so much.'

'And me?' Logan asked and she could almost picture him pouting.

Kitty eventually elbowed her and Rogue stopped her tapping with the pencil and started the same with her foot. 'Nah, ya're always with me, sugah… Though Ah miss your embrace and your pecks.'

'You'll miss more once you've turned 18 and I can finally claim you as my mate.'

Marie felt herself blush. 'Ah thought Ah'm already your mate, Logan?'

'Sure, you are. You know what I mean, Kid.'

Suddenly another presence tried to shove their way into her mind and the all too familiar headache began. 'Yes, professor?' Marie asked sheepishly, hoping he hadn't overheard her inner conversation, but then again she usually felt it when someone tried to contact her mentally.

The professor had told her once the headache might come from her unique mutation and mental structure, making it hard for psyches to access her mind. Rogue was kinda glad about this. Her mind was already occupied enough with Logan, Eric and David. Though the latter was pushed back and had almost completely faded away due to the presences of the two strong personalities. It had taken some time and a lot of exercises to push Eric from the front of her mind, so his constant bickering with Logan wouldn't drive her crazy. The old mutant wasn't locked away, she hadn't to since he felt kinda sorry for her to carry different psyches around with her and so would stay quite most of the time.

Her inner Logan on the other hand was always with her and she liked it – most of the time. When she had first absorbed him he hadn't started to affront her for taking his mutation and consciousness like David had done and still would do, if it hadn't been for Logan to scare the boy away and watch her back for her – mentally spoken.

'You're allowed to take a break. Logan needs your help.'

Worry started to grow in the pit of her stomach. 'Yes. Thank ya.' The brunette immediately stood up, receiving a few odd looks from her classmates, and made her way to the door, from where desperate cries could already be heard. When she opened the massive door, she was bombarded with Becca's loud cries and the sight of a frustrated Logan, holding the wailing newborn in one arm and a baby-bottle with formula in the other.

He sighed exaggerated and shoved the crying bundle into his mate's arms. "She doesn't like the formula. Spits it out and refuses to drink." Logan explained helplessly.

Marie walked over to the stairs and set down on them, freeing her breast from her tight shirt and bra. Becca searched desperately for her mother's nipple, her small hands grasping in the thin air before her the entire time, till she eventually found the source of her warm food and began to drink hungrily.

Logan breathed a sigh of relief as the sobs stopped and he slumped down next to his girls and leaned back against the wall. "Thank goodness!" Marie met his gaze, a wide grin on her lips. After a moment to relish the silence and the dying down tingle in his ears, Logan's exhaust and stressed features met his mate's relaxed ones. "Forget what I said yesterday. Gonna shred every single romper suit as soon as the lil' tyke won't need it any longer."

The brunette pouted mockingly. "Becca's gonna stay a single child then?" Her eyebrow quirked upwards.

"Hell, yes!" At the moment he really considered this an option. He loved his daughter, no doubt, but such a little human being was more exhausting than a battle with Sabretooth, Mystique and Magneto together.

"No one to play with for our little girl?" A sad puppy dog look was on her features while she taunted him.

"She has us and a fuckin' school full of kids to play with!" He leaned his head back against the wall and looked up towards the ceiling. They sat in a comfortable silence and the young father eventually pushed off the wall and slid next to Marie, who immediately leaned her head against his shoulder. His hazel eyes watched the now content and serene little features of his tiny daughter sucking at her mother's big breast like an angel. Like in trance he reached out and stroked the downy head of his child and sighed. "Momma's taste the best, huh, kiddo?!"

"She's spoilt now." The brunette put in with a smirk. She was glad to be able to flee from the boring lesson and was now re-united with her small baby. 'When Ah miss her already that bad, how will Ah miss her when she's older and Ah can actually do things with her?!'

"We have to think 'bout somethin', Marie."

"Huh?"

His eyes didn't leave the pleasant picture of his feeding child. "Becca's dependin' on you with the milk. Will be troublesome next week."

"Gonna take her with me to classes and nurse her when she's hungry. She sleeps most of the time anyway." She saw sadness flee over his features. "What is it, Logan?"

He didn't like the thought of not seeing his peaceful little daughter the whole day. "Umm, thought we could take turns. During P.E. I'm gonna stay at the sidelines and could watch 'er."

Marie snickered in victory. "So ya miss our wailing and stressful bundle of joy?!"

He gritted his teeth. Yeah, maybe he wanted another kid some time in the future. "Course I do."

X X X X X

Reluctantly Rogue had returned to the professor's study and tried to follow his explanations, but she couldn't really concentrate on anything else than her thoughts about Becca. When Xavier dismissed his class, she was the first to bolt from the room and storm up the stairs. In front of her room she came to a sudden stop and opened the door quietly to not startle her calm daughter. Her gaze swept over her empty room and she hurried over to a deserted crib. With a sigh she put her math books down on her desk and headed over to Logan's equally deserted room. 'Where is he?'

'Kitchen?! It's food time.' Her inner Logan suggested and she immediately left their rooms.

The kitchen, the dining hall and rec room were dead ends and worry began to nag on Marie. Maybe he was working on Scott's bike and had forgotten time, but the garage was empty and all cars and bikes were in their spots. With fast strides the brunette neared the hidden elevator and soon entered the sublevel of the mansion.

Her first halt was the infirmary, but even the red haired doctor wasn't there, the hangar and the observation deck of the unused danger room were also deserted and so Marie ran back to the lift. 'Maybe he took Becca out for a walk. He loves the woods.' She began to grasp this last beacon of hope and stormed out of the elevator before the doors were completely opened. Her heart beat fast and she felt desperate and angry tears sting at her eyes.

Rogue ran through the hallways and past by a few rooms, some of them had their doors open. She was already past the laundry, when her mind had registered a familiar massive frame in the room from the corner of her eyes. With a frown she spun on her heels and entered the tiled room. It was then that Marie noticed that she was out of breath and panted hard, but mustered enough strength to glare daggers at her mate, who sat nonchalantly at the table reading the newspaper.

Logan's sensitive senses had picked up on Rogue's fast heartbeat and the fear in her scent and he looked up from his newspaper with a brow hitched. "What's the matter, Kid?"

"Ya asked?! Ah was looking for ya jerk in the entire mansion!" She hissed and scanned the room in search for her little girl. Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat when she saw the baby seat and her little angel stand on a rumbling washer. "What the fuck are ya doing with mah baby, Logan!" Stomping over she lifted the sleeping Becca into her arms and whirled around to stare at her child's father with burning eyes.

Her scream didn't only wake the baby, but also caused a swarm of students to gather in the doorframe. "Are ya nuts, Logan?!" Becca began to cry and she cradled the tiny girl against her shoulder. "Shh, is fine, honey."

Logan narrowed his eyes on his girls. 'Great now she's cryin' again!' Annoyed he leaped up and stalked over to Rogue, who was more than angry with him. Without a word he ripped the wailing bundle from her arms and returned Becca to her vibrating baby seat.

"Hey!" Marie immediately followed the man. "Ah'm speaking with ya, asshole!" She was about to pick her child up again when his large hands grasped her wrists firmly.

"Would you idiot stop the screamin' and look?!" He motioned his chin towards an already half-asleep Becca. "She likes the vibrations. It's like with the car." He felt Marie's muscles relax in his grasp and he eventually let go of the teenager. "What the fuck did you do durin' pregnancy that the baby is into bein' shaken?!"

Her gaze lingered on her peaceful daughter on the washer and she suddenly felt bad. Did she indeed believe Logan would do anything to harm their child? From the corner of her eyes she saw him return to the table and fold the newspaper together. Then he picked a basket with laundry up and shoved it into her arms unceremoniously. "The washer will finish any minute." Turning around he stormed from the room and through the splitting crowd of students.

Rogue looked after him in bewilderment and eventually placed the basket down on the tabletop.

Jubilee and Kitty had been on the search for the young mother to accompany her to the dining hall and had witnessed the incident. The firecracker approached the brunette. "Looks like you won't join us at lunch, Roguey."

"We'll bring you some food, k?" Kitty added with a sympathetically look in her eyes.

"Would be great." Marie sank down on a stool and sighed heavily.

X X X X X

At lunch Logan had sat down on an empty table in the far end of the room and wolfed his meal down, before storming out of the hall again and into the elevator. He needed a long session in the Danger Room to vent his built up rage. Pushing in his code for the highest level and to override the security system, he started one of his favorite simulations.

X X X X X

Jean found mother and child in the laundry and the teenager had moved her math books and the diaper bag down to the room and was now preoccupied with her studies. The redhead approached the sleeping baby and smiled down on the tiny child, before her features became grave and she sat down opposite Rogue. "Trouble in paradise?"

The girl eventually looked up with a frown. "Why do ya think so?"

"Heard of your fight with Logan earlier. And now I just saw him go to the garage." Jean had indeed guessed that Logan would bear at least a whole week, before he blew playing daddy into the wind and hit the road again.

"What?!" Marie's eyes widened in shock and she jumped to her feet. 'God, Ah really have hurt him! Ah didn't mean to…' Before the brunette hurried from the room, she glanced at Becca and then the doctor. "Would ya please watch Becca for a moment?"

"Sure." Jean expected the great break down stood only minutes before and she prepared herself to consol the teen when she returned.

"Logan, please wait!" Rogue was out of breath, but clutched the Canadian by the battered leather jacket, stopping him from getting into the pick-up. "Ah'm sorry, Logan. For screaming at ya." She was panting hard, but he finally straightened before her and glared down on her troubled features. "Ya have to understand. Ah couldn't find ya and Ah was so worried and when Ah finally found ya, Ah see mah baby standing on a rumbling washer! Sorry when Ah freak out in that moment." Her grasp on his sleeve tightened. She wouldn't let him leave like that. She knew, she had overreacted and that he was mad at her, but she thought this would have been one of their arguments, both brooded about and eventually shrugged it off.

Logan was still a little angry with her, but he thought she knew he just needed some time to calm again. But when she was already begging him for forgiveness, who was he to not put some things straight. "I would never, you hear never, do anythin' to harm you or Becca."

She was at the brim of tears now and nodded. "Ah know. That's why Ah feel so bad."

"Good." He answered with a smirk and saw her eyes narrowing at him.

"Huh?" She bit down her annoyance and let go of his jacket, her eyes swimming with insecurity. "Are ya still leaving?"

Logan had quite a funny look on his face as he stared back at the brunette. "I ain't leavin' you, Marie." He retrieved the handwritten list from his jeans' pocket and waved it in front of the girl's face. "Chuck asked me to go shoppin'."

A stone fell from Rogue's heart and she remembered the professor's request during breakfast. "Ah forgot!"

"Obviously, Kid." He reached out and ruffled her hair, before pulling her head against his chest, hugging her. After a moment he let go off her. "Nonetheless I need a little time alone to free my mind. Will be back in a few hours." He bent down and kissed her quickly onto her pink lips, before climbing into the pick-up.

"Ok. Have fun." Marie was smiling now and watched him close the door. "Oh, would ya buy new diapers."

Logan snickered and revived the engine. "Yep, and new baby powder."

X X X X X

When the brunette returned, Jean was ready to clean up the mess Logan had left behind, but was completely baffled when Rogue went over to her baby with a faint smile on her lips. 'Why isn't she crying?' She watched the teenager stroke her child over the cheek gently, before getting back to her books on the table. "Rogue?"

Marie noticed the worried and puzzled look on the doctor's face and couldn't suppress the smug grin to form on her lips. "Was a misunderstanding. Logan's just shopping supplies for the school."

"Oh."

'Yes, oh, you backstabbing bitch!'

'Wolverine, behave.'

'Red would have had a field day, if I had left you. Never gonna happen.'

'Ah know, Logan. Would ya shut up now, Ah have to learn for mah test.' She heard him grumble in her mind, but he remained quiet. Rogue ignored the presence of the doctor next to her and the green eyes resting on her and concentrated on her writings. After a minute of watching the brunette, Jean eventually left without another word.

X X X X X

Scott just left his office and walked along the corridor, when he saw Logan leave the professor's study, his arms tugged around a cardboard package, while a plastic bag hung from one of his hands. "How much stuff does a baby need?"

Logan growled at the stupid smirk he received. "She's a little young to enjoy this."

Cyclops frowned and watched the other man walk away with his purchases, when he noticed the inscription on the large package. His anger for Logan reached another notch on his imaginary scale and he was torn between running after Wolverine and storming into the professor's study to finally voice his concerns. He decided for the latter and threw the door wide open. "Professor, that's unacceptable!"

"Scott?" Xavier asked in his ever calm tone. "Would you please close the door?"

With an angry huff the younger man obeyed, before stomping over to the professor's desk, his fist balled. "That bastard uses the school funds to buy himself a new TV!"

Xavier stapled his fingers before his face and smiled. He didn't need to use his gift to know whom his former student meant with 'bastard'. "On the contrary, Scott. Logan didn't ask for one Cent. He bought everything for his child and Rogue with his own money, even the gas for the car he used for transportation the other day."

"Really?" Suddenly Scott was at a loss of arguments.

The older man wheeled his chair around the large desk and stopped in front of the X-Men leader. He knew exactly that the two men couldn't stand each other from the very first moment and that he needed to defuse the tension before something happened, everyone would regret in the long run. "Rogue is good for Logan."

"But the important issue is, is Logan good for Rogue? And the answer is more than obvious."

"Is it?" The professor's tone was edged with objection. Rogue had been calm and withdrawn to begin with, but every time Logan had returned from his trips the shy girl crawled out of her shell. She laughed much more and Logan had made her spent more time away from her books, till she eventually liked to hang out with kids her age than hiding away in her room. Xavier guessed the girl's determination to gain control over her baleful gift had also been strengthened by the knowledge she held over Logan's feelings for her.

Scott's rage was building up again and he thought with distaste at what that animal had done to one of his students. "He took advantage of her and got her pregnant! The least he can do is to take care and responsibility for his child!" Though, he didn't like the idea of having that animal do even more harm to Rogue and her child when he stayed close to them.

"Scott, please calm down."

This only fuelled his temper. "How can you say that? How can you let him near Rogue or any other student?"

Xavier breathed in deeply and his voice was calm but serious. "Logan isn't attracted to younger girls and he wanted to wait for Rogue to grow up." He paused a moment. "His feelings for her are deep and genuine, I ensure you. He doesn't see her as a child, but he's aware of her youth."

Cyclops tensed his jaw, searching his mind for arguments. "It's still wrong that he told a love-sick and confused teenager about his feelings for her. Something like this was bound to happen!"

"No, he didn't tell her." The older man saw the surprise in Scott's features. "I assume due to her mutation's nature and her absorption of Logan, Rogue somehow became aware of his feelings for her and decided to take the initiative." He wasn't sure how much he should reveal about what he had witnessed and now knew about the relationship of Logan and Rogue. He didn't want to spread their private life to the entire school. And most of all, he didn't want to fail Logan and the trust the other man had granted him. "It was indeed her to go to Logan in the middle of the night with the plan to seduce him."

"Still, he took the opportunity!"

"No, he made her leave, before they could act upon their feelings." He saw Scott was about to object, but continued nonetheless. "I want you to believe in my judgment, Scott. Logan didn't take advantage of the situation and he's determined to wait till Rogue is off-age." He reached out with his mind and felt the younger man contemplate his words and especially the faith in him to assess the situation right. "The child was indeed an accident."

Scott was calming and had a lot of information to chew on.

A knock made her door rattle in its hinges and Marie frowned, who would be stupid enough to dare and wake Becca again. After all, the girl eventually slept in her own crib, far away from the washer and her mother was glad about that circumstance. The knock resounded again and she jumped to her feet and darted over. She opened the door in time to see Logan struck out with his foot once more, his hands occupied with a large package and a bag. "Logan?"

"Mind to clear the way for me to my room, Kid?" The Canadian grunted and made his way into her room and towards the connecting door that was hardly ever closed. He slowly lowered the TV onto his bed and dropped the bag with the baby stuff and a bottle Molson on the floor next to him.

Marie read the label of the box with a bright grin and she immediately started to find a new home for the vase on the dresser, opposite Logan's bed.

Wolverine snickered about his mate's initiative and her choice of where to put the television. If he wouldn't know it better, he'd think her a telepath. The girl was now kneeing on his mattress next to the package and he lifted his brow in amusement. "Don't you have a test, Marie?"

"Ah already learned enough for today." She began to fiddle with the tape in vain. "Let's get that TV up and running."

Chuckling about her enthusiasm he slid one of his claws out and began to cut the cardboard carefully. "Thought you preferred books over the animated version?" With another 'snikt' the claw was hidden in his arm again and he helped Marie free the TV from its wrappings.

"Yes, but not everything exists in book form. Reading a hockey-game might suck even when the Rangers would win." She caught him roll his eyes about her hockey comment and giggled while fishing the manual, remote control and the cables from the box.

An hour later the two sat next to each other on Logan's bed watching a rerun of 'The Simpsons', he was sipping pleased his beer while she chewed happily on chips with Becca sucking on her breast. "So you like it, Kid?" His arm was draped about her shoulders.

Marie laughed about some stupidity in the cartoon. "Yep, ya're a genius, sugah."

"Now you don't have to watch such lovey-dovey crap with the other girls any more." He shuddered at the memory of the constant fights about the program in the rec room and somehow Kitty always got her will with the help of Yellow and some other girls.

Rogue indeed preferred plot to the senseless stories of some soap-operas and had nothing against action or horror, but her former roommates had infected her with a certain sugar-coated show. "Uhu… the final season of 'McLeod's Daughters' is running and Ah wanna know if they're indeed gonna kill Alex." She heard him sigh-growl and grinned. "Thanks."

"But Yellow and Half-Pint stay in the rec-room."

"No objections. Jubes squeals every time Mat has some screen time. Not gonna miss that." Becca was finished and Marie fished the smelly towel from the nightstand and covered her shoulder with it. She did so much laundry today, but that stupid rug hadn't seen a washer from the inside yet. After burping the newborn and wiping the girl's mouth, she placed the baby on her father's chest, who welcomed his tiny daughter with a kiss, and Marie had her hands free to cover her exposed skin again.

Logan caressed the soft cheek of his content little child, quite sure she had a faint smile on her tiny lips. "Momma tastes the best, huh, kiddo?" Grinning down on the serene girl he kissed her forehead again and then took a last sip from his beer before putting the bottle down on the nightstand. His hand moved to Becca's back, stroking her while a light purr began to rumble in his chest.

Marie placed the chips package to the smelly towel on 'her' nightstand and rested her head on Logan's shoulder, snuggling into his side. With a content sigh the brunette was now facing her baby, their heads only inches apart from each other. "Hi, Becca." She whispered to the large blue eyes observing her, the television completely forgotten. The baby cooed in respond and Marie reached for her miniature hand resting next to her face. Giggling she began to rub the small fingers and felt Logan's hand sneak its way to her hip while she relaxed into his warm body. "Ah love ya. Both of ya." She breathed, her chocolate eyes still locked with blue ones.

"I love you two, too." Logan relished in the closeness of his family resting on his chest. The moments were rare, very rare in which he allowed himself to let his guard down and relax in the presence of someone he trusted. He breathed in the calming scents of his two girls, but suddenly he picked up sadness coming from his mate. "Marie?"

She broke the contact with Becca shortly and rubbed the moist from her eyes. "It's the first time… Ah said 'Ah love ya' to Becca."

Logan tilted his head to get a glimpse of the brunette's face, his expression blank.

"She's four days old today! Ah should have told her from the first moment Ah held her!" Tears welled up in her eyes. "No, even before her birth!" A single salty river flowed down her cheek. "But Ah ignored her… pretended her kicks weren't there."

Logan was at a loss of words, unable to come up with something to sooth her. He leaned down and kissed her dark head, burying his nose in her thick mane while hugging her body closer to his. "The same goes for me." He eventually brought out and saw Marie's startled gaze shift to his face. "It's also the first time I told her that I love her."

"We suck as parents." She stated angry with herself and pressed her eyes shut.

"Do we?" He nuzzled the top of her head and glanced over to their little daughter lying on his chest. "She ain't smokin', drinkin' or is tattooed. We can't be that bad, Marie." A strangled laugh rang bitterly from her lips. "We loved 'er from the first moment the shock had worn off, Marie. Doubt she can make sense out of our words yet. But I think she knows that we care for her and try our best." He trailed off and placed a kiss onto his mate's head.

After a long silence, the guilt was still heavy on her chest, Marie eventually shifted so she was propped up on her elbow slightly. "Thanks, Logan." Her lips touched his gently. Then she broke their soft kiss and snuggled back onto his chest, her face close to Becca's sleepy eyes. "Ah'm sorry." She whispered so lightly that Logan only heard it due to his enhanced senses. Stroking the angelic face of her daughter Marie brought the small chubby hand to her lips and kissed the little fist.

They lay cuddled together on Logan's bed and Rogue became sleepy by the rhythmic beating of Logan's heart beneath her ear and the soft purr vibrating in his chest. 'No wonder Becca is asleep again.' Chuckling she met his gaze. "Ya're purring like a cat, sugah."

Frowning slightly Logan became aware of the faint sound he made. 'What the fuck?'

The purr subsided all of a sudden and Marie saw his hazel eyes glaze over, knowing the meaning all too well herself – he was speaking with the Wolverine. "Hey, don't stop it. It was nice." She complained when she saw a smirk tug on the corners of his mouth, telling her his conversation was over.

"Wolverine's doin' that." Logan explained, still surprised and somewhat concerned that he hadn't noticed his alter ego's actions. He didn't like the thought of the animal taking over without his knowledge. But he knew that Wolverine would never harm their mate and cub and this knowledge was calming.

Pouting she locked eyes with him. "Don't stop, Wolverine." She was fully aware that Logan was in full control of his body and mind at the moment, yet she decided to speak directly to his alter ego.

The Canadian chuckled at her mock sadness when he didn't resume the soothing hum immediately while feeling the animal within nudging to the forefront of his mind in order to please his mate's wish. Reluctantly he eased some of the mental confines Wolverine was usually restrained with in his mind, not stepping back from the control, just sharing it a little.

The brunette watched as his hazel eyes darkened slightly, but not to the extent of almost black when Wolverine was mostly in command of Logan's body. The gentleness in those orbs told her that the man was by his senses, not the animal, yet his alter ego wasn't locked away as usually. With a smile she heard the purr return to his chest and rewarded him with a peck. "Thanks, Wolvie."

A few minutes later Marie's eyes dropped shut yet again and a finger began to poke her into the side. "Kid, think it's time for bed."

"Nahhhh." The word turned into a yawn and she buried her face into his soft shirt.

"You know I'm gonna punch Scooter when he calls me a pedophile again and the pansy ass will do that when he finds you asleep in my bed and my arms." Not that he would mind.

"And? His girlfriend is a doctor." Yawn. "Don't see a problem there."

Chuckling he kissed her dark crown and began to lift the shoulder her head was resting on and she slid from his chest with a groan. A little moody about the loss of her comfortable spot on Logan's warm body, the girl pushed herself into a sitting position and wiped a white lock from her field of vision, glancing down on her family. A mischievous grin plastered her lips as her eyes fell onto her serene little angel. "She drools again."

"Ooh, Becca? Thought it was you, Kid." Logan retorted smirking.

"Hey!"

His features became serious when he carefully pushed into a sitting position, holding the sleeping newborn to his chest. "Now get your cute ass off my bed and under your covers, Kid."

"Ooh, Ah have a cute ass." Marie repeated her brows playfully hitched in bewilderment. It wasn't the first time she heard such a comment from Logan – fine, it was the first time coming from the real flesh and blood Logan, but his counterpart in her mind had began quite early after Liberty Island to praise certain body parts when she watched herself in the mirror. "For this nice compliment Ah'll take Becca into her crib."

Logan kissed his daughter good bye and lifted his shirt, inspecting the wet spot on it when Marie picked up the baby gently. "Night."

"Night, Logan." The brunette sauntered over to the connecting door, but stopped in the frame and faced him. "Don't stay up the whole night watching porn, k?" She said with a wide smile before resuming her way to the crib.

Jean lay in her bed reading and glanced over to Scott, who seemed to be lost in thought, having stared at the same page of his novel for the last ten minutes. "What is it, Scott?" She placed her book face down onto her lap waiting for a respond.

"Nothing." After a moment he sighed. Maybe Jean could give some input, brooding alone didn't get him far after all. "Well… maybe Logan isn't such a bastard, I thought him to be." He eventually stated and saw Jean turn her full attention on him.

"Whatchaya meaning?"

"I spoke with the professor today." What was the best to start with? "Logan bought everything out of his own pocket, even the gas for the car." He saw Jean's genuine surprise. "He apparently didn't even consider asking for financial support from the funds."

The doctor hadn't seen that one coming. Logan always took Scott's bike without permission and never cared to return it with a full gas tank at least. "Fine, then he tries to buy himself a clean vest. Still, it doesn't change the fact that he took advantage of Rogue and he will hurt her sooner or later."

Fine, these were also his arguments, but since the conversation with his mentor, doubts were nagging on him. The feral mutant had practically sacrificed his own life to save Rogue back at Liberty Island. If he was such an uncaring bastard, why did he even look for her in the first place, when the girl had run away to the train station? "The professor is convinced that Logan's feelings for Rogue are real and not in a sick way." Jean was moving her eyebrows upwards in disbelief. "Yeah, I know… Let's take what the professor and the two of them said for true, and they didn't have sex and Logan kicked her out… how did it come to the baby?" This was the catch in the story that made it hard to believe it was true. Jean nodded. "The professor told me the baby was an accident. Wonder what he meant by that…" That the child wasn't planned from anyone of the two was clear as day, but apparently the tiny girl was the accident of an accident and that didn't make any sense.

A dark chuckle left the redhead's lips. "Did Rogue trip and accidentally fell upon his dick?"

Scott had to laugh on this, but winced when a loud cry started in the neighbored room and he prayed that the baby could be calmed fast.

Jean was somehow glad that the topic of kids hadn't come up yet. Sure she wanted to have the perfect life, being married to the good guy, who could and would provide her with everything she needed to be happy. Children were no doubt a part of that plan, but at the moment she was thankful that the nightly disturbances didn't concern her. Even so the picture of the sleeping Logan holding his daughter lovingly in his arms brought a pang to her heart. 'Why? I'm not in love with Logan. I love Scott. He's the right one for me. He'll be the one to give me that fairy tale life, every girl dreams of. Logan is the bad guy, selfishly taking what he wants. It's just coincidence that he wants to play daddy at the moment…'

"He'll leave sooner or later." She muttered, somehow hoping to lighten the ache to her heart.

"Huh?" Scott asked startled, but soon got what his girlfriend meant. "Wouldn't surprise me."

"It'll break Rogue. She's blind of love for him." Her worry for the girl was real, yet a small dark part of her hoped for that outcome. Was she jealous of the life and family the girl now had? 'Why? Scott is a much better choice than Logan. He's dependable and caring. Logan is not.'

"We can just hope that he'll stick around." It would be the best for Rogue and her baby at the moment, he had to admit this, though he wouldn't miss the other man one second if he vanished again.

"It isn't in his nature." Jean returned her attention to her book, just as a high pitched shriek drowned Becca's cries out. She traded a horrified glance with her boyfriend before both of them jumped to their feet and raced towards Rogue's room.

Storm had already thrown the door wide open to the dark room and the three watched Logan throw concerned gazes between the heavily panting brunette sitting upright in her bed and the crib.

Eventually Logan leaned over the crib and lifted the wailing bundle into his arms, rocking her in vain while his hazel eyes swapped over to his mate. The trembling girl stared into the space before her with clouded and terrified eyes. Thick tears made their way down her pale cheeks and his heart ached in the knowledge that she most likely had one of his nightmares.

Propping the sobbing Becca up on his shoulder, Logan stepped carefully closer to the petrified girl, the light from the hallway illuminating her sweaty features, her salt and pepper hair sticking to her temple. "Kid, you ok?" He reached out to tug a white strain behind her ear, but he immediately stopped his movement when her head shot up and her wide chocolate eyes stared at him with terror.

"Don't!" The sobbing brunette slid away and pressed her back further into her pillow. "Don't touch me! Ah'm just gonna kill ya!"

"Marie?" He furrowed his brows in confusion – apparently this hadn't been one of his flashbacks. Pulling his hand back Logan crouched down beside her bed, his reassuring smile betrayed his worry. "It was just a nightmare."

Her eyes were still clouded by terror and she was still half caught up into her dream, focusing on her child's father. "Ah didn't want to hurt Becca!" Thick tears streamed down her cheeks while her breathing hitched. "Ah couldn't stop draining her. Ah killed our baby, Logan!" More salty rivers streamed down her flushed cheeks. "Ah didn't want to… ya have to believe me, Ah didn't want to…" She pulled her knees towards her body and buried her miserable features in her comforter. "Gawd, Ah still hear her cries…" Her voice broke at those whispered words.

"That's 'cuz Becca's fine and cryin' on the tips of her lungs." Logan was highly concerned, but he tried to hide this circumstance on his features and relaxed his expression into a gentle reassuring half-smile – despite the presence of his fellow X-Men. But Rogue resumed her mantra, still caught into her nightmare. "It was just a bad dream, Kid. Our baby is alive and is screamin' her head off 'cuz she's hungry." His voice was calm and he carefully sunk down on the edge of her bed, the mattress giving away under his weight.

With the hand he didn't rub Becca's back Logan reached over to her nightstand and switched the small lamp on, driving the darkness of the room away. He saw Marie blink a few times, adjusting her eyes to the sudden brightness while his large hand moved towards her sheet-covered leg, rubbing it gently. At first she pulled her leg closer to her body, away from his grasp but she eventually realized that the fabric would protect him from her deadly mutation and allowed his soothing touch.

The minutes ticked slowly away, the newborn's cries were the only noise in the silence of the night as Logan felt his mate calm down slowly. He eventually stopped the caress of her leg and squeezed it lightly, gaining more of her attention. "Marie? Kid?" Her large terrified eyes wandered over to his face and he removed his hand to lift his wailing daughter from his shoulder and hold her closer to her mother. "Look Becca is fine." He carefully stroked the sobbing child's cheek, glad that the teenager was finally gazing down on her, recognition dawning in her chocolate eyes.

"Becca?" Marie whispered in disbelief, slowly leaving the dreadful shadows of her nightmare behind. With a trembling hand she reached for her child, but withdrew it suddenly in obvious fear her terrible dream might come true.

"She's fine. It was just a nightmare, Kid."

New tears welled up in her miserable eyes. "Gawd, Logan. It was so real!"

He placed the baby onto his lap, her head on his thigh and tried anew to reach for his mate's cheek, but she withdrew from his touch immediately. "No! Don't touch me!"

Storm watched the scene as did her fellow X-Men and came to the conclusion that Logan might need a little help, if it was just that the child was out of harms way. So the weather goddess carefully approached the Canadian, making eye contact with him at once and picked the crying bundle up into her arms, rocking the child. A curt nod was the other mutant's respond as his attention returned to the brunette hugging her covers almost violently.

"You can control your gift now, Marie." Logan's voice was firm, but gentleness rang in it.

Despite the brunette's attempts to slide from his grasp, his callused hands got hold of her shirt covered upper-arms and she began her struggle to break free. "No, Ah can't!" She was careful to not touch his bare arms with her uncovered hands when she placed her palms flat against his chest, his wife-beater between them, and tried to push away.

Logan tightened his grip on her, squeezing her with more force while his features became darker the more concerned he got. "Bullshit! Even if, you can't kill me that easily. Back at Liberty Island I held you a half eternity and I'm still here." Their eyes eventually locked and she could see his kindness and his worry in his hazel orbs. As soon as she had stopped her struggle, Logan pulled her into his lap, not without renewed resistance from her side and held her trembling frame in a tight embrace.

After a moment she began to relax in his arms, still cautious to not touch his bare skin, she rested her head on his wife-beater clad chest, her arms squished between their bodies. "Why ain't ya scared of me, Logan?" She whispered as her last tears soaked into his shirt.

"Could give back that question, Kid." The Canadian murmured, his chin resting on the top of her head while he caressed her back with soothing circles.

The minutes went by and Becca's cries became more urgent, the finger Storm had placed into the child's mouth to suck on, didn't help any longer and Logan eventually released his now calm mate from his embrace. His hands were still on her arms, as their gazes met. "Kid. Becca's hungry."

She instantly knew what his words were implying and the fear returned to her chocolate eyes with full force. "No. Ah can't!" She shook her head vehemently. "Try the bottle again."

"You know she doesn't like the formula."

"But what if Ah accidentally turn mah skin back on, Logan? Ah would kill our baby!" New tears welled up in her eyes and her gaze rested fearfully on her crying daughter in Storm's arms.

Logan contemplated a moment, before his features lit up. He jumped to his feet and sprinted over to his room, only to return with the shopping bag from the afternoon before. Retrieving an empty baby bottle from the top drawer of Rogue's dresser, he sat down on his former spot on the bed and rummaged in the bag. After a moment, all attendances watched him curiously, he came up with a box and placed it rather unceremoniously in the brunette's lap. "Here, then use this!"

Marie blinked and eyed the inscription warily. "A breast pump?" Her cheeks blushed and she stared wide eyed at her mate. "Wh- How… how does that work?"

"What you ask me? Read the manual and fill the damn bottle." Logan barked his order as he saw her uncomfortable gaze switch over to her teachers behind him. With a low growl his eyes burned into the other mutants. "The show is over!" He got up and stomped over to Storm, who placed the still wailing newborn into his arms before turning to leave, Scott and Jean on her heels.

"So her real name is Marie." Scott heard a whistle and came face to face with Logan when he spun around.

"Listen, Summers. Neither of you should have learned of Rogue's real name nor will anybody else. You'll forget 'bout it immediately!" His dark gaze swept from one of his teammates to the next. "Understood, bub?"

Nodding Scott backed a little off, but then he frowned slightly. "Why?"

"Cuz it's none of your damn business! If Rogue would want people to know, she'd have already let you in on that secret!" With those words growled out Wolverine closed the door into Scott's face and began to rock his daughter in vain.

The remainder of the night had been rather uneventful. Marie had figured out how to get the milk into the baby-bottle and Logan had taken over her task of feeding their daughter, what resulted in him being the one picking up Becca, every time she cried. The young mother had still been too shaken up to trust in her ability to control her mutation and so she had dug out her opera gloves – another present from Logan – and refused to touch or be touched.

To be in closer proximity of his two girls, Logan had decided to sleep in Marie's bed with Marie lying under the cover and he rested his frame above the fabric, two feet separating them. Their closeness usually kept the nightmares away, like in this case.

Now the brunette was busy wrapping the two half full bottles of milk in a wet and cold towel. "We need a fridge to keep the bottles fresh." She wasn't comfortable with the idea of placing her pumped milk into the school's fridge, where everybody would come across it eventually.

"Think I saw a cooler in the corner of the garage. Gonna fetch it later." Logan stacked the plates of the breakfast Marie had prepared earlier. "But a small fridge in our room isn't a bad idea, Kid." His smug smirk gave him away.

"Uhu, the big bad Wolverine already plans to put his booze next to his daughter's bottles?" The girl taunted with a grin while picking up her math book.

He simply shrugged. "Even a miniature fridge holds enough room for Becca's and my drinks and a few bars of chocolate for you in the summer months."

Marie pursed her lips in mock consideration before beaming at him. "Fine, buy it." With a last glance into the crib and her sleeping baby she approached the door. "See ya later, sugah."

"Don't fall asleep in Chuck's class. You hear, Kid?" Logan called after her and flopped down onto her unmade bed, catching up on a few hours of sleep.

X X X X X

When Marie returned she found Logan disposing of a dirty diaper and placing a happily cooing Becca into her baby seat. "Ya know ya would make a wonderful wife." She immediately received a dark glare and a low growl while she tossed her math stuff onto her bed chuckling.

"Tryin' to be funny?" There was his quirked eyebrow again.

She flashed her daughter a smile and carefully run her gloved fingers over the soft cheek. "Someone is cranky today, huh?" His respond was a grunt that made her grin. Then her gaze fell upon a sheet of paper on her desk and she immediately reached for it.

Logan watched her while approaching. "Oh, 'Ro brought your test results. You've 99/100 points, Kid."

She whirled around the paper in hand. "Great! On the other hand Ah didn't have anything else to do than to learn." To hide her growing belly she had spent more and more time alone in her room – her grades had thanked her. "Ya proud of me?" She gazed up to him batting her lashes sweetly at him.

"No."

The look on his face told her he wasn't joking. "Why the hell not? It's almost 100? An 'A' is an 'A'!" Her good mood was replaced by anger immediately, her eyes pierced into his.

"'Cuz you invented a new era. What did you mean by 'Stone-Stone'?" His infamous eyebrow set into motion.

"Huh?" Her gaze fell upon the only red marked word on the entire sheet and her cheeks suddenly got a crimson hue. "Oops, Ah meant 'Stone-Age'."

Logan's face suddenly held an evil grin. "That's just cute, Kid, you know. Made already a copy to hang it on the wall."

Her eyes widened in embarrassment about her stupid mistake. "Ya didn't?" But to her dismay his hand gestured towards the wall above her dresser, or more precisely the color-copy hanging there. "Logan, ya ass!"

She was about to storm over and tear the paper to shreds as he suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm very proud of you, Marie." When she looked up to meet his gaze, he placed a kiss to her forehead. At first she tried to avoid the direct skin contact, but then reconsidered her fear about her own mutation. 'Ah can control it!'

'Sure you can. You didn't even loose control durin' givin' birth. Why should you now?' Her inner Logan's voice encouraged her.

After a moment only holding her petite frame, Logan let eventually go off her and strode over to the door. "We should get going or we'll miss the special sex ed. class."

"That would be too bad…" Marie rolled her eyes, everything else than thrilled and lifted the baby seat with her daughter up.

X X X X X

The wide doors to the dining hall opened and the first batch of students emerged from the two hour long lecture. "Not even sex during the period is safe!"

"That's gross anyway." The blond wiggled her nose.

"Yeah, but during the period!" She remembered with horror the statistics, Logan had presented them with. "I never gonna strip out of my panties again! Not before I'm married!"

"Eww, Cara. You gonna stink and no boy will marry you." Another girl passing by said giggling.

"At least I won't have a brat or get a tripper or even AIDS!" The 13 year old called after her classmate, sticking out her tongue.

Her blond friend grinned about her antics. "I'll buy condoms. Just in case."

"And when the jerk doesn't think it necessary?" Cara raised her eyebrows in curiosity.

"I'll make it necessary and if I have to tape it to his dick!" Her exclamation caused horror-stricken expressions on the faces of some of the boys walking nearby.

The boys meanwhile…

Archie tried to keep up the pace with which his three friends strode up the stairs towards the boys' wing. "I'm gonna buy condoms…"

"Me, too… The expensive ones."

"You two don't have a girlfriend, do you?" Both shook their heads no.

"But you never know. And I don't wanna get her pregnant just because the chick doesn't take the Pill regularly." The boy with the lizard tongue replied.

"Ben, you so silent. What's up? You fear you're gonna be a dad soon?"

Ben almost paled at the mere thought of it. "Good God no! But I just thought how dangerous a hand-job is, when the girl fingers herself afterwards!" His cheeks were blushed now, he hardly believed that he had said those words out loud. He usually was too shy to say 'sex' in front of a group of classmates.

Another group of girls…

"I'm never gonna swim in the pool again when boys are in there!" Elena, a 15 year old, exclaimed while she led the way through the corridor, followed by her two best friends.

"We can as long as we take the Pill regularly. Gonna set the alarm clock for it!"

"What about coffee?" The third girl cut in with a mortified expression.

"What ye mean?"

"Antibiotics cancel out the effect of the Pill. What's with coffee?" Her features became even more horrified. "Or booze?" She turned on her heel and walked back into the dining hall.

"Where ye going, Claire?"

"Asking Professor Logan, of course." She called over her shoulder and lined up in the row of students waiting in front of their 'new' and unofficial sex ed. teacher, who answered with his usually growls and grunts the questions of the teenagers or in case of medical topics sent them over to Jean. Or said in his gruff voice "Interestin' question, kid. Dunno." before turning towards the red haired doctor and calling the sometimes embarrassing questions across the room. But due to his own acknowledgement of his loss of knowledge, the atmosphere wasn't as awkward as you might think it to be.

Only Jean seemed uneasy to admit that there were questions, even she had no immediate answer to. Reluctantly she offered to look it up for them, but the children would say that it was fine, and would turn to Logan instead and ask him to google it.

"What's up, Chuck? Did I scare the kids too much for your liking?" Logan leaned lazily against the wall of the professor's study, his arms crossed over his chest while Rogue stood near him with the baby seat in hand.

"No, Logan. But I'm quite impressed by your performance." Charles hadn't thought that the feral man could respond with so much sensitivity to the students' awkwardness – fine he had growled most of the time and never left a student off the hook, before they spilled their embarrassing questions, but soon the children were addressing their questions to Logan and not longer to Jean, who had restricted her explanations mainly to various contraception methods, not their flaws.

The professor's grey-blue eyes wandered over to the young mother, taking in the gloves she wore. Storm had informed him about the girl's break down during the former night. "Rogue, how are you?"

She saw his gaze linger on her covered hands and she sighed. "Umm, fine." Her voice became quieter and she shuffled her feet uncomfortably. "Ah'm still afraid to take mah gloves off." The concerned look on the older man's face made her stomach clench. "Ah know mah fear is stupid, but Ah feel safer with 'em."

Charles nodded and his eyes locked briefly with the redhead sitting in one of the chairs in front of his massive desk. Jean stood up and placed a sheet of paper on the tabletop before turning around to face the young parents. "Your baby needs a birth certificate." Her green eyes swapped over to the feral man. "We'd need your information as well, Logan. That is if you still acknowledge your fatherhood."

His jaw tensed and a threatening growl rang from his chest as he pushed away from the wall. His dark eyes dug into the redhead and she took a step back as he approached the desk with his girls in tow. "The Kid's kid is mine." He smelled the sudden peak of fear in the woman's scent and the beast in him roared in satisfaction. "It's about time to make it official." At least as official as possible without having the police knocking on their door.

Charles felt the tension between all attendances and placed a ballpoint pen on top of the forms, his gentle smile beckoning the young brunette to come to him. "Rogue, you have your ID card I asked you to bring?"

Marie nodded and dug into her jeans' pocket, before placing the card onto the desktop next to the paper. Her eyes scanned the printed words on the sheet, the only handwritten information was her baby girl's birthday date, everything else was blank.

The professor cleared his throat and mentally told Jean to get started, ignoring Logan's glower on the woman.

The doctor flashed a smile towards the small baby and her mother and picked the pen up. She heard Logan walk closer and saw from the corner of her eyes him coming to a halt next to Rogue, their shoulders barley touching. "Does Becca have a middle name?" She eventually asked.

Both parents traded perplexed gazes. "Umm, give us a minute, Red."

"Ah ain't gonna repeat that game with ya, Logan." Determination sounded in the girl's voice as she faced him.

The Canadian eyed his daughter a moment. "How about Marie?"

The brunette widened her eyes. "Oh please, Logan! I hate that name."

"You do?" His brow was hitched in bewilderment and his view swept swiftly to the desk – or more precisely to the girl's ID. "What's with Anna?"

She narrowed her eyes in disgust. "That name is even worse than Marie."

"I think it's a nice name for a Southern Belle."

"Nah, they're both crappie." She saw the epiphany in his hazel orbs and contemplated the last sentences. 'Belle.' Whispered her inner Logan and a bright smile formed on her pink lips.

Logan observed her features with a smirk. "Do we think the same, Kid?"

"Guess yes." Marie faced the waiting doctor and professor. "Belle. With an 'e' at the end."

Jean followed the conversation in bewilderment and gazed over to the ID briefly. "Rebecca Belle D'Ancanto then." She saw the appreciating nod of the child's father. After scribbling down the name into the appropriated box, she looked up again. "Do you know the time of the birth by chance?"

"Umm, yeah. Must have been around 3:20 p.m.." Logan saw the curious gazes of the others center on him and he shrugged. "I took a look at the clock and figured that the Kid was half an eternity on the toilet. Was 3:15 or 16 then. And when I found her in the restroom Becca was already half way there." He smelled the happiness in his mate's scent and saw the smile tugging on her lips. It also warmed his heart to know that his daughter – despite the turbulent circumstances of her birth – will be able to learn of her big day one day, with all the little facts in their place.

"Place of birth?" Jean read aloud.

"Umm, the pizzeria at the Westchester Ave. Near the mall. What's the address again?" This time it was Rogue to answer and her questioning gaze centered on Logan.

"You ask me? It's your favorite restaurant." The man in question grumbled.

"Not anymore!" Marie turned three shades of red. "Never gonna set a foot into that place again." Logan's grin didn't help her embarrassment.

"I'm gonna google it." Jean suggested, knowing which restaurant they meant.

Marie gazed down on her peacefully sleeping daughter. "She'll scream when she sees her birth certificate." She threw a pleading look towards the redhead. "Can't we just say Ah gave birth here in the mansion's infirmary?"

"Why? And miss the fun to explain 'er why she was born in her mamma's favorite eating place?"

Marie narrowed her eyes on her mate in annoyance. "Ah'll leave that task to ya, Logan."

Meanwhile Jean had filled out all necessary information of Rogue from her ID card and was now looking expectantly to Logan. "Now is your turn, Logan."

The mutant stepped forward and picked the writing utensil up, taking a good look at the inquired information. "Great, there are only three fuckin' boxes for the father's identity and I can't complete even one of them!" The Canadian growled frustrated and threw the ballpoint pen onto the desk spinning around and stomping over towards the closest wall punching it hard – making the vase on the neighbored shelf shake.

Marie wasn't impressed by his display of his temper and rage and approached him, baby seat in one hand and reached for his fist with her free one. Running her thumb over his knuckles she ignored the vicious snarls. "Logan, it ain't true. Ya can say with most certainty that ya're a Canadian, most likely from around Alberta." His dark and feral eyes pierced into her face, but she could see his pain deep down in his orbs. "Ya are Becca's father, no matter what that stupid form wants to know." She held Logan's glare with her tender eyes and he eventually wrapped his arms around her slender frame, pulling her towards his chest. Marie still held the baby seat in one hand, but moved the other up his torso, resting it at the nape of his neck while he placed a kiss onto her head and buried his nose in her dark locks.

He felt the eyes of the other adults rest on them and their private moment. Taking a deep and calming breath Logan smelled the other scents in the room next to his mate's. He could tell that Jean had been a little scared by his outburst and now he could smell sadness coming from the redhead. 'Fuckin' Red's pityin' me.' He closed his eyes for a moment shutting out all other disturbing sensations, before opening them again and releasing the girl from his embrace. "Chuck, can you give my mind another try." Wolverine's now calm and controlled voice almost pleaded. "Find my last name." He approached the older man, his face wasn't as stern as usually. "Please."

Jean was stunned how serious and desperate the usually carefree, but gruff man was when it came to the fatherhood of Rogue's child – his child. A part of her wished those emotions were aimed towards her and not the teen.

Charles frowned slightly when he picked up on the sadness and almost jealousy coming from the doctor, but pushed these thoughts into the back of his mind, concentrating solely on Logan's demand. "I'm always glad to help, Logan. But your emotions are too … turbulent at the moment. I'd suggest you come to my study after dinner."

The Canadian nodded in thanks and picked his now awake daughter from her seat. Meanwhile Rogue had returned to the form on the professor's desk and was eagerly filling in the missing information. Suddenly she looked up, meeting her mate's gaze. "See here's more information about ya, we know: Race? Mother: white, Father: white. Hispanic: both 'no'." Now her features became sheepishly. "Education, only highest grade completed… great!"

Logan cradled his tiny daughter against his shoulder pressing a kiss to her salt and pepper hair, as he glanced over Marie's shoulder. "Put the eleven in, Kid. Won't get more if you keep staring at the paper."

"Humpf… Fine." Now her view was troubled again. "What shall Ah write in the next line?" The father's highest education. Most thought Logan dense and too stupid to follow a simple conversation, but Marie knew that her mate was extremely intelligent, speaking at least eight languages fluently and he knew his way around another eight.

The professor smiled reassuringly at the young parents. "Write a twelve in, Rogue." He faced the man in question with an amused sparkle in his eyes. "If someone wants to see your diploma, you are free to take the SATs together with Rogue." Logan grunted about the joke of the wheelchair bound man.

But the form wasn't finished yet and the young mother looked up more than troubled. "Huh, they want to know if anyone of the parents is a mutant or a known carrier of the X gene."

Wolverine gritted his teeth and a growl rumbled in his chest while he tightened his grip on his child in a protective manner. "What the fuck? They can't-"

"Logan, that's voluntarily. You don't have to tell them. They can't force you." Jean interrupted his rant.

"Yet." Logan spat in disgust.

The sun had already set and Marie sat in Logan's armchair breathing in the calming scent of the old leather and her mate's unique smell of tobacco and wood, while feeding her daughter with a bottle. With a lot of reassuring of Logan earlier that day, she had taken off her gloves, but still was careful to not touch her child's bare skin. Beneath her little girl, a forest green fluffy blanket covered the young mother's legs while her math book rested on top and the TV ran silently in the background.

The door slowly opened and Logan entered his room, his exhausted gaze falling immediately onto his two girls. "Any luck?" But his features already told her that his session with the professor had come up fruitless.

"Nada." Shaking his head, he sank down on his bed and leaned back into the sheets, his arms folded behind his head. "Just got me wound up again. Bet I'll have those nightmares again tonight." His stare at the ceiling was interrupted by him closing his eyes and taking a deep and calming breath.

Marie contemplated the situation a moment, feeling her own helplessness when it came to her mate's memories nag onto her. "Ah'm sorry that Ah can't help ya with your past." She eventually murmured, her eyes trained on her feeding child.

Frowning he opened his eyes once again and rolled his head to the side, so he was facing his girls. "What are you talkin' 'bout, Kid?"

She tore her gaze away from Becca and met Logan's hazel eyes. "Ah mean, Ah have a huge amount of your memories, even your … dreams, yet Ah can't come up with new clues to your past." She knew how much it hurt him to not know about his identity and that his child's birth only added to that pain, after all she had absorbed him twice after their girl came into their lives.

"Marie…" He smelled her sadness, but other than this afternoon when Jean had pitied him – at least he assumed this – his mate's emotions for him didn't make him angry. He could feel that she truly cared about him and her words weren't shallow attempts to show him that she tried to understand him, since she indeed did understand him. And he knew it. After a long moment of watching Marie, he rolled over and stood up to walk over to her. "I can't remember on my own, why should I expect you to remember in my place." He sat down on the armrest and she immediately leaned her head against his chest. "Don't let that bug you more than it bugs me." He felt her nod and he picked her book from her lap and closed it, before throwing it onto his desk. Meanwhile Becca had finished her bottle and Logan lifted her little body up and burped her gently, wrinkling his nose about the smelly towel. "C'mon, let's get the two of you to bed."

Marie suppressed her yawn and followed Logan over to her room. After kissing her cooing daughter good night, she crawled into her bed and watched Logan tug their child under her covers lovingly. When he turned around, Marie saw his haunted features and it hurt her heart. "Do ya wanna sleep with me tonight?"

Logan smiled faintly at her question and he would bet his cigars that the Boy-Scout wouldn't take those words for as innocent as the girl meant them. "Nah, you have a test tomorrow and I don't want you all worked up, 'cuz you couldn't get a decent night's sleep because of your wet dreams 'bout me."

A sly smirk found its place on her lips. "One, Ah would have those dreams if ya sleep next to me or not and two, Ah won't be able to sleep when ya growl and turn and toss over there in your bed, caught in one of your nightmares."

With a heavy sigh Logan gave in. "Yeah, fine. But I'll come to you later. Gonna watch TV a little."

"Do that, sugah." Marie rose her brow at him and leaned closer towards him.

Getting what the girl wanted Logan snickered and bent down capturing her lips in a brief kiss. "Night, Marie."

X X X X X

It was already near dawn when Logan woke with a start, startling his two girls in the process. Even though this time he didn't extract his claws in his sleep and held his growls to a minimum, his gasp for air and sudden jerking into a sitting position was enough to wake Marie next to him. Becca began her brawl at once, but other than usually after one of his nightmares, Logan immediately leaped up and picked the weeping newborn from her crib. "Shh, kiddo." He whispered into her downy hair and carried her over to her mother, climbing back onto the mattress.

Marie eyed her mate a moment, feeling that this hadn't been one of his usual nightmares. His closeness gave her the courage to give her control over her skin another try and so she freed her breast. Logan carefully placed his kicking daughter in the brunette's arm, guiding her little mouth to her mother's nipple. But the tiny girl kept her lips closed. "Huh? Not hungry?"

"Or she prefers the bottle above me." Rogue muttered and began to rub her nipple over her child's lips. Eventually the baby opened her mouth and began to suck.

"There you go." Logan grasped the girl's miniature hand between his thumb and index-finger, caressing her soft skin.

Marie watched him a moment as he leaded back against the headboard, snuggling closer to her side. "What's wrong? Was it a nightmare?"

"Nah…" His gaze remained on his daughter. "It was really weird." Marie's free arm slung around his neck and her fingers began to massage his skull, her fingertips running through his thick dark mane. "There was this dark haired boy. With blue eyes. Think he was a little older than me." On Marie's silent question, he clarified his dream. "Think I was a kid myself… and there was that man… He rode towards us on a horse… and I hugged him while the boy brought the horse to the stables." He frowned about the fragments of his dream. "The clothes and all… it was all kinda old fashioned."

This revelation caught the girl's interest. "Old fashioned? Like old in WWII or more like in WWI?" She knew that her mate might even be older than the professor and thanks – or more no thanks, to Erik's memories growing up during the Holocaust, she had a pretty good idea of how life had been back then.

Logan slowly shook his head, still a little shaken what his dream – if it was indeed a fragment from his lost past – implied about his age and his chances to find further clues about his origins. "More like the time in the movie with the gay vampires you like so much." He pressed out, unsure how this young and innocent girl would react. But he had to tell her. He needed to tell anybody and the Kid was the only person on this planet that truly cared about him and he trusted her that she would keep quiet about his findings.

"Interview with a Vampire?" Marie jerked her head around so she was face to face with him, their noses almost touching. "Wow!" Her gapping mouth and widened eyes just underlined her astonishment.

"Come again!" He could hardly believe it himself.

"So ya're more than a century old!" She kept staring at him, his handsome face – her chocolate eyes drowning in his deep hazel orbs. "Amazing…" The word came in a whisper from her lips and she suddenly was acutely aware that her jaw was still slack. Shutting her mouth she pulled a few inches away – aware of the fleeting fear that passed about his features – her inner Logan held the same fear for a split second, that she might reject this 'fossil'. "Ya know, it was about time ya founded a family, sugah." She continued with a cheeky grin plastered on her lips and saw the relief in his eyes.

He stared a moment at her, his heart skipping a beat. How did he deserve this amazing girl's love and trust? Slowly he closed the distance between their lips to a slow, but intense kiss, their child feeding contently between them. When he broke away, giving her the chance to catch her breath, one of his rare true hearty smiles made its way to his lips. "You're the one, who amazes me."

Now was her face blank as she watched him stroke Becca's head gently. "Why?"

"You ain't sendin' me to an old-age home." He replied with a smirk.

"Nah, not yet. Think in a few decades when your hair begins to turn grey." There was this sassy girl again he had picked up on that icy Canadian road so many months ago.

He leaned closer to her, their faces only inches apart. "Thought you liked those platinum strains in dark hair."

Mischief sparkled in her chocolate eyes. "Ah do. Maybe they'll make ya even more sexy. Then ya may stay a decade longer." His chuckle was cut short by her lips crushing on his. Her fingers found their way back into his dark locks while his hand glided down to her waist, next to his daughter's feet. Their kiss became more passionate, his tongue slipping into her hot mouth finding its dancing partner immediately.

Logan noted that she was gaining experience and though she left the lead to him, she began to give her own nuances to their kiss. Suddenly the tug of her tongue on his stopped and the girl was like frozen when he slowly broke away, a frown carved into his forehead. "What's wrong, Marie?"

A faint blush lighted her cheeks up as she bit her lower lip. "Umm, we're watched."

His eyes followed her gaze down to the bundle in her arm. Becca had stopped her feeding, her mouth away from her mother's breast and now the tiny girl was looking up to her parents with her large blue eyes and a small grin.

Logan let go off Marie's waist and leaned back against the headboard scrutinizing his daughter's impish expression with a raised brow. "What's up, kiddo? You gonna tell on your ma and pa?" The baby hiccupped, but never broke the eye contact with her father as he picked her up gently and held her before his face, steadying her head. "So you gonna blackmail your old man, huh?" Her small hand reached out towards his bearded cheek. "What you want, kiddo? A new diaper?" He brought her to his face, attacking her belly with kisses. "Or more milk?" Another round with kisses followed her gargling and cooing.

Marie laughed as she watched the big bad Wolverine play with his cub, joy lighted up his face and reached his eyes. Suddenly Becca's gargling was interrupted by a burp and the rest of her last meal dropped down onto her father's black tee-shirt.

Logan stopped his antics and rolled his eyes heavenwards, hearing the giggle-like cooing of the newborn and the gleeful laughter of his mate. "Funny, you two."

Marie lifted the baby from his grasp, wiping the smeared mouth with the hem of Logan's shirt, receiving a dark glare. "Hey!" But she ignored him and pressed a kiss to Becca's cheek. "Not daddy, honey. Mr. Summers is your target."

"Yeah, the boys scout with the stupid glasses." Logan clarified while bending forward, shrugging out of his dirty shirt. He tossed it to the floor and slumped back into the pillow next to his girls, his chest bare.

Still giggling like mad, Marie slid down on her bed, leaning back into her pillow and placed her daughter between her and Logan on the mattress, tugging the comforter over her small body.

He watched her for a moment and noted the happiness in the brunette's eyes. Shaking the head about her hysterics, he rolled onto his side, facing Marie. Their foreheads touched lightly, while Becca yawned and closed her eyes, drifting to sleep framed by her parents. His large hand slipped over to Rogue's waist. "Sleep now. Chuck won't think it funny when you fall asleep during your test."

Marie closed her eyes obediently but still kept giggling for the next minute. "Kid? You ok?"

"Yeah." She took a deep breath in hope to calm her nerves, but the giggles wouldn't stop. "Sorry, Logan." The Canadian sighed and rolled his eyes.

It was still early for most of the students to be up, but the teachers were already awake and prepared their breakfast, so Storm thought it time to make her visit to the young parents. She knocked lightly, afraid to startle the newborn, and opened the door. When she entered the room her gut clenched at the sight of the naked Logan – at least the part of his body not covered by the dark green blanket was shirtless. He was lying on his side in Rogue's bed, his back facing the door and his hand was resting on the girl's butt.

Storm was like punched into the face, her trust in the other mutant shattered into little pieces. She walked over and saw Logan roll onto his back. "What's up, 'Ro?" He asked in his gruff voice and blinked the sleep from his eyes.

The weather witch stared at the pair as Logan removed his hand from the girl and revealed another little body lying peacefully between them, her mother's hand resting on the baby's stomach. It took Storm a moment to find her voice. "Hard night?" She eventually asked, her features curious.

Marie stretched and yawned while Wolverine sat up, leaning against the headboard and picking up his stirring daughter. "Nah, but someone needs a new diaper." He answered and slid his demin clad legs over the edge of the bed and walked over to the changing table.

Storm's gaze followed him and fell upon the crumbled shirt on the floor, white streaks visible on the black cotton. "What happened to your shirt?"

Logan grunted and freed his daughter from her wet diaper. "My girls confused it with a napkin." Marie burst into a new fit of giggles and buried her face in her pillow. "Christ, will you stop, Kid?"

The brunette lifted her head. "Becca had already spitted on your shirt, why shouldn't Ah use it to wipe her face?"

"Maybe you could have waited till I got it OFF my body?" Logan looked a split second away, glaring at his laughing mate, when he felt something warm and wet flow down his hand. "Fuck!" His gaze snapped back to his cooing and kicking daughter on the changing table and with a swift motion of his hand he clapped the open diaper over the fountain. With a growl directed towards the two hysterically laughing women behind him, he eyed Becca with a hitched brow. "You finished?" He slowly opened the diaper again peeking in. "I slowly get the impression you have it in on me, lil' skunk."

Becca moved her small fist to her mouth, sucking and biting on her hand while giving her father the best puppy eye look, Logan had seen until now. "What? Tellin' me you're all innocent?" He slipped the now dripping wet fabric from under the child's butt and noticed a dried piece of tissue bathing in the sea of pee. With a small smile he folded the diaper together and began to wipe and powder the tiny girl. "You could make amends later during your checkup and try that stunt on Red, kiddo." He whispered, still angry about the redhead's audacity to ask if he'd deny his little angel.

Storm sank down on the foot of the bed laughing, but noted that Rogue lay under her comforter, while Logan had slept on top of it with another blanket covering him. 'But why did he sleep in Rogue's bed in the first place?' She was relieved that her former suspicions had evaporated, but she still had to know, if not as her duty as their chaperone, but to sate her own curiosity. "Well, why this sleepover?" Her blue eyes swept from Logan, who only growled, to a suddenly serious and shy Rogue.

Marie wasn't sure how far she should go with the truth – telling Storm that it calmed Logan and held his nightmares at bay when they'd sleep in the same bed cuddling. Her eyes darted over to the Canadian, but she didn't found any solution on the back of his head, so she murmured "Nightmare.". But to her astonishment and relief her teacher didn't dig any further and seemed satisfied with her answer.

'She might think you were the one with the nightmare, Kid.' Her mental Logan provided and it made sense to her, though it wasn't any less embarrassing that she couldn't sleep alone and acted like a toddler crawling into their parents' bed after a bad dream.

Ororo smiled gently and rose to her feet. "Since everything is fine, I'll fetch my tea." She returned to the door and said "Bye." while closing it.

X X X X X

Later that day, after Marie had taken her math test, she lay on her stomach on her bed, propped up on her elbows with Becca lying before her cooing. The young mother had stripped the baby to her diaper and was now massaging the tiny feet and legs like she had read it in a parenting-forum on the internet and her daughter seemed to enjoy it. Every now and then she pressed a kiss to the miniature toes.

She was really enjoying her quality time with her little girl and was telling her about her day so far – kinda a one-sided girl talk, but she liked this idea. Why shouldn't she try and become her daughter's best friend, the girl would share her secrets with? After all, this was one of the aspects she felt so safe and loved in her relationship with Logan – she could talk with him about anything without holding back – he was her best friend. And her mate.

"So Jubes tried to convince me that it's never too early for a girl to go shopping, but Ah didn't waver and told her that your wardrobe doesn't need a makeover yet." She stopped with her caressing and threw a concerned gaze towards Becca. "Hope ya ain't angry with me, honey." Like on cue the newborn waved her little fists happily. "That's good." Marie smiled and resumed her baby-wellness. "K, where were we? … Ah, yes, then she wanted to talk me into changing mah outfit. But Ah told her off."

"Already spent enough money this week and Ah still fit into mah clothes from before ya were growing inside of me." Marie thought a moment and blushed. "Yeah, fine. Ah do know about a little something Ah would like to buy, but your daddy would confiscate it immediately and hide the lingerie till mah birthday." The brunette sighed. "So no fun for your mamma till Ah'm 18." Becca gurgled contently and Marie narrowed her eyes on her child. "What? Ya ain't pitying me?" But the baby continued to babble happily and her mother shook her head.

Logan entered Marie's room, his hair still damp from the shower after his Danger Room session, and he smiled at his two girls lying on the bed. "Hey, whatchaya doin'?"

The brunette moved her hands upwards to massage the little chest. "Becca's having a wellness session. Think she likes it."

Logan kicked off his boots and flopped down next to Marie. He rested on his side and slid closer to his girls, placing a kiss on his daughter's cheek. "What you think, kiddo, your mamma also givin' me a massage later, huh?"

Marie grinned at his cocked eyebrow. "Maybe, if daddy would return that favor."

He chuckled about her mirroring his trademark brow and began to caress the little hand of his daughter. "Made a few calls. There's a cage fight tomorrow evening."

"Where?" Marie met his gaze, hoping that he didn't need to take off already this evening to get there in time.

"Not far away. Just an hour's drive to Shelton." He saw the relief in her features. "Even less with Scooter's bike." His smirk told her everything. "You fine with that, Kid?"

"Sure." Her smile faded as did his as their nostrils were assaulted by a now all too familiar stench. "Think she thinks it funny." Marie muttered while making a face and crawling from the bed.

Logan also fled from the bed. "Your turn, Kid." He saw her sigh and pick the gargling baby up.

Marie opened the diaper up and caught her breath, not only because of the smell, but also at the sight of her little girl's belly. "Huh?" She took a closer look into the dirty diaper while running her index finger over the child's navel, but she didn't find the dried tissue she was looking for. With a small frown she cleaned her daughter and picked the naked girl up, presenting her belly button to her father. "Look, Logan, what a beautiful belly our girl has!"

Wolverine snickered about the proud smile on his mate's face. "I know. She must have lost it durin' the night. Found it when I changed her."

Suddenly the smile vanished from the young mother's features. "Where's Becca's umbilical cord?" She demanded in a crisp tone.

"In the bin." Logan was startled by the mixture of emotions he saw swim on her face.

Marie's eyes widened in disbelief. "Ya threw it away?"

"Umm, yes?"

"Arghhh!" She stomped over to him and placed her daughter into her father's arms and then Rogue turned on her heels and stormed into her bathroom, seething.

"What have I done wrong NOW?" Logan stared after the enraged brunette, the naked Becca cooing in his hands.

"Ya jackass ask?" Her furious voice hollered from the smaller room. "Ya threw it away, that's wrong!"

The smell of his daughter's urine came in waves from the bathroom, and this fact and what he could hear told him, that Marie was opening the dirty diapers in the trash. "You wanna keep it?"

"YES!"

His puzzled gaze centered on the baby in his arms and he thought it best, to get her into a new diaper before the school's sweater would end up like his other shirts already had. "Why that so suddenly? You wanted to flush the afterbirth the toilette."

A squeal of triumph rang from the smaller room and he heard her stuff the diapers back into the plastic bag. "We have nothing from the day of her birth, Logan! Not even a single picture or the name-wristlet the babies get in the hospital." Sadness was evident in her tone.

"So you wanna keep her cord as a keepsake?" He finished with the gluing straps and propped the baby onto his shoulder, before opening the window. Hearing the water running he approached Marie, watching her wash the tissue and drying it, before cleaning her hands.

When she looked up to him, her eyes were burning daggers into him. "What else? Shall Ah eat it?" She remembered his disgusting comment about the afterbirth.

"I don't get you sometimes, Kid." He shook his head about her.

The night was uneventful as always. Crying, nursing, changing the diaper and praying that Becca would fall asleep as soon as she hit the pillow. Slowly Marie was getting used to her night calls and was already awake and waiting for her demanding girl's wail for her 4:35 A.M. feeding. The child was like clockwork.

Like Logan, the brunette was sleeping in on this Saturday morning and heard the door to her room open slowly. But she remained motionless in her half sleep state, hoping her intruder would leave her alone. A few seconds ticked away before the door closed again.

X X X X X

It was already past 11:30 in the morning when Scott was on his chaperon duty. Rogue was still curled up in her sheets sleeping, and no sign of Logan near her. But to be on the safe side he walked over to the feral's door opening it slowly. There on his bed, facing away lay Logan, his comforter crumbled together to shelter him from the sunrays falling in through the curtain.

Scott grinned at the sight of the Wolverine sleeping in his makeshift cave and was about to leave when the other man's hand suddenly lifted and balled to a fist while the single middle claw slid out from between his knuckles. The leader of the X-Men shook his head in amusement and closed the door again.

X X X X X

"What have you planned for today?" Bobby asked Kitty and Jubilee as he and his two roommates slumped down next to the girls on the couch in the rec room. But the brunette gave him and John only a sideway glance and smiled up at Colossus, as did the Asian. "Ok, what have I done? You two ignore us for days now!"

"You're even stupider than I though you were, Iceman." Kitty hissed zapping through the channels.

"What?" But he was interrupted by the fire manipulating mutant. "Is this 'bout Rogue?"

"Uhu… seems like there isn't only hot air in Pyro's head." Jubilee spat and popped her chewing gum, facing the two boys with piercing eyes. "Has even the idea of an apology crossed those puddin' minds of yours?"

"Apology to Rogue?" John stared at her like she had grown a second head and lifted his bandaged right hand. "I'm the one deserving an apology!"

"Are you seriously thinking this you jackass? You insulted Rogue in front of the entire school! How could you ask her if she had slept around?" Kitty had jumped to her feet by now and was bending down towards her classmate, intimidating him by her closeness and vicious features. "Don't you think she has it hard enough already with the baby all by herself?"

Bobby snorted. "Wolverine is helping her and all the other teachers."

"Wolvie might be the Grinch most of the time, but he's loyal and stands up and helps his friend, you brainless, disloyal jerks!" Jubilee had almost swallowed her gum during her rant. "Have you two ever thought how Rogue might feel as a single mother, while that good for nothing father of her baby doesn't want to know anything about her or his responsibility?"

Kitty never gave the two boys the chance to reply. "And you Mr.-the-easiest-way-out, ask her if she would give her child away while she holds her daughter happily in her arms!" She still held the remote control in the hand – waving it up and down the entire rant – before throwing it into the sofa's cushions making it bounce back and fall to the floor. "You disgust me!"

"Come, chica, we should pick Rogue and Becca up for lunch." Jubilee hooked her arm with the brunette and both strode away with Piotr on their heels, while Bobby and John stared wide eyed after them and the few other students present began to clap their hands.

X X X X X

Jubilee knocked on Rogue's door, but when she received no answer, she opened it and entered the room. The three friends heard noise and cheering coming from the adjoining room just as Logan's gruff voice called them over. "Rogue's here."

Kitty made wide eyes as they entered Logan's room. "Wow, you have a TV, Mr. Logan!" But the man only grunted and snickered – an unlit cigar between his lips - while Rogue began to curse colorfully as the other hockey team made another point.

"Woah, Roguey, hadn't thought you have such a vocabulary." The Asian was impressed by the usually shy girl, who was now blushing like a tomato and pressing her back against the pillow on Logan's bed.

"It's true." Marie huffed and stuffed her mouth with popcorn swallowing another streak of curses, when one of the Rangers was tackled to the ground, blood splattering on the ice.

Logan chuckled and played with the little legs of Becca, who lay cooing on his chest. "It ain't." He saw the evil glare of his mate, but spoke to his daughter, still chewing on his cigar. "Don't listen to your mamma, kiddo, the Rangers suck."

"Hey!" The young mother smacked Logan in the shoulder. "Don't corrupt mah baby girl. The Rangers are great!"

The man only grunted about her attack. "Yeah, so fuckin' great that they are loosin', Kid."

"Didn't know you like hockey, Rogue." Piotr leaned against the bathroom-door eyeing the girl bantering with the feral mutant.

Logan sensed how uncomfortable his Marie became. She was so insecure around kids her age when it came to things she liked or wanted to do, always fearing what the others would think of her. "Think she's the only one in this mad house, who is lookin' forward to the NHL."

"And ya." The brunette chirped and watched Jubilee sink down on the end of the bed, ignoring Logan's dark glare and growl.

"So Wolvie made you a hockey fan?"

"Nah, she was before we met. Otherwise she wouldn't support those mamma-boys." His shoulder received another hit, but he ignored her playful assault. "But Becca isn't corrupted yet. Ain't you?" Logan asked the baby and tickled her belly.

"Ah so knew it that ya would try and influence Becca in that matter." Another hit.

"Chica, why in the world hockey? You can't even see if those guys have a nice ass or not."

"That's the only thing on your mind, Jubes." Marie hitched her brow at her friend and saw the grins of Kitty and the Russian.

"That's why I prefer swimming."

"Swimming is no sports, Yellow!" Logan bellowed and stopped the tape of the game. "Gonna finish it later, Kid. Don't wanna have Half-Pint's vomit on my carpet."

Kitty would have blushed if she hadn't struggled with her stomach and the picture of the bleeding nose and mouth of one of the players. "How can you watch that, Rogue? So much blood and eww."

Marie had to grin about her friend and shrugged. "Ah saw the afterbirth when Becca was born. Believe me, Logan skinning Mr. Summers alive wouldn't be that gross."

The smaller brunette clutched her stomach and averted her eyes from the Canadian and the baby. Logan suddenly held an evil smirk. "You know, Rogue kept the umbilical cord when it fell off. If you ask nicely I'm sure she'll show it to you." He hadn't finished as the girl turned around and phased through his dresser and wall, leaving his room.

"We wanted to pick you up for lunch, Roguey, but I doubt Kitty is fond of eating now." Jubilee popped her gum once more feeling a little sick at the memory of the baby-bathing session.

X X X X X

Kitty leaned back against the cool wall of the hallway, concentrating on shoving the image of Robbie Williams's music-video 'Rock your body' from her mind. Her stomach was calming slowly as she looked up and saw two familiar faces, she hadn't thought she would see so soon again. "What do you assholes want now?" She spat at the two boys.

Bobby almost jumped by the brunette's attitude, but he stepped closer with a guilty expression. "You were right that we behaved like idiots and we're here to apology."

Color returned to the girl's pale face and she eyed the boys suspiciously. "Oh, you suddenly found your consciousness or is it your own fear that you might be shunned now by the whole school?" She saw Bobby's eyes flicker over to the other boy and their expressions became more uncomfortable. 'They're worried 'bout their reputation! Those jerks!'

Bobby swallowed and ignored her comment and returned to the door the two had just walked past when they saw their classmate. "We'll apology to Rogue. She's in her room, isn't she?"

Kitty grinned, her sickness forgotten. "Nah."

"Where's she? The dining hall already?" John asked though he doubted that, since the food wouldn't be served for another 20 minutes.

"Oh no. She's in Wolverine's room." Her grin grew when she saw the fear in the boys' faces. "You still wanna apology?"

"Umm… yeah. Why should this change now?" John pressed out between gritted teeth, he wouldn't show her another weakness and how the feral got under his skin.

Kitty pushed away from the wall and knocked at the next door, before opening it. "Here are two idiots to talk to you, Rogue."

Logan had listened in on the conversation before his room and his impression of the small brunette went up a notch – maybe he'd shout one time less at her during training. He stood up with Becca still cradled to his broad chest as two sheepishly looking boys entered his room, their fearful gazes lingered on him and the baby before shifting over to Marie, who crawled on all fours towards the edge of the bed, visibly surprised to see her classmates. With a low growl, which surprisingly didn't startle the newborn, Logan glared at the teenagers before gazing at his mate. "I'm over in your room changin' Becca." Those jerks should know he wasn't far away if they tried to hurt his Marie again.

"Thanks, Logan." The young mother watched him vanish in her room while standing up and crossing her arms over her chest. "What do ya want?" Her chocolate eyes bore into the boys.

"Umm…" John's gaze was still centered on the open connecting door as he received Bobby's elbow to his ribcage. Huffing the boy scowled at his friend before turning his eyes to the brunette. "We're here to apology, Rogue." He stared into her impassive features unsure what else to say. "I… I didn't think at all… before saying those things to you in the dining hall."

"Neither did I in the morning. I'm sorry, Rogue." Bobby continued while John added his own 'I'm sorry.'.

Marie stared at them, her gaze hard. "Okay." She saw the misery vanish from the boys' faces and remembered Logan telling her that she was too forgiving. Maybe, maybe not. Anger was still clenching her gut. "But don't think everything is peachy again." Their expressions became guilty again and both nodded.

An awkward silence followed in which the six teenagers glared at each other. "Umm, is there anything we could help you with, Rogue?" Iceman eventually asked, hoping she wouldn't take him upon his offer – at least not with anything concerning the baby.

"You could take this and bring it to the dumpster." Came a gruff voice from behind them. Logan smirked when he saw the discomfort and fear on the boys' features and held a with diapers filled trash bag under their noses.

Bobby exchanged a gaze with John before stepping closer to the Canadian, eyeing the man and the baby propped up on his shoulder. "Sure." He pressed out and took the bag reluctantly making sure to hold it as far away from his body as possible without looking like a complete idiot.

The girls and Piotr had to fight the grins on their faces as their classmates left with their new task. Logan was indeed looking forward to being a teacher.

He had looked forward to get out of this hormonal ridden school and to get back to his former life of pleasing his and his animal's needs, even if it was for just a few hours, but now when he should be on his way to the garage, unfamiliar emotions were nagging on Logan. "You sure, you get along, Marie?" A part of him hoped she would beg him to stay with her and their child, so he'd have a reason to blow the fight into the wind in order to spent the evening in front of the TV with Marie and Becca curled up to his body. 'When did I transform into a fuckin' pansy?' he thought to himself, but shrugged this thought off.

"Yes, damnit! Go already and have your fun, sugah." She shoved him towards the door and kissed his lips quickly. "If Becca throws a tantrum again, there's still the washer."

"She may be a skunk, but don't put her IN the washer, Kid."

The brunette's hand reached for the doorknob. "Yeah, yeah… Baby in the washer and laundry on top of it. Gotcha."

Logan rolled his eyes and placed a peck onto his daughter's forehead. "Look after your mama, kiddo." It had always been hard for him to leave his Marie alone behind at the mansion – that was why he had returned quite often till that fateful night in the shower – and now it was even harder. Those two innocent girls held his heart in a tight grasp and he wondered how that could have happened to the indestructible Wolverine in this short time. Especially with Becca being a baby unable to interact with anyone yet. He was sure he wouldn't miss her cries, spit and full diapers and though this was all the tiny girl did at the moment, he didn't want to leave her side.

Marie eventually opened the door and pushed Logan with her free hand out on the hallway, just as Storm walked along. "Now go, Logan! Have fun and good luck!" With those words said the brunette closed the door.

Logan saw the amused grin on Ororo's lips and growled, but then his worry got the upper hand. "Ro, would you do me a favor and have an eye on the two."

"They'll be fine, Logan." Storm assured him.

"Yeah, but if somethin' happens Chuck shall contact me immediately." His hazel eyes were like glued to Marie's door.

"Logan, nothing will happen and now go."

When Logan was finally down the stairs Storm knocked on Rogue's door and opened it. On the bed sat the teenager with her baby cradled against her chest and a book in the other hand. "He's such a mother hen." She looked up from her novel.

The weather witch chuckled and walked over to the bed and sank down on the foot. "Glad to have him outta your hair for a few hours?"

"Yessss." Marie sighed heavily. The past hour had been a challenge for her nerves. She had to promise Logan at least a dozen times that she would make the professor contact him if, Becca would only sneeze – fine, that hadn't been his exact words, but what he meant nonetheless. He even left her a print from the internet with the exact route he would take and had promised her to get a cell phone when he was in town for the small fridge the upcoming week. 'And then there are people calling him irresponsible and not reliable…' The brunette placed her book face down on her lap. "Don't get me wrong. Ah love him and he's really sweet and a great father, but he needs a vent for the built up stress, before he rips Mr. Summers' head off." 'Or Ah his…'

"Where's he heading anyway?"

"Cage fight a few miles away." Becca yawned against Marie's shoulder and the brunette kissed her downy head.

Storm contemplated the carefree expression of the young mother. "You're fine with that?"

"Huh?" Marie looked the other woman in the eye bewildered. "Yeah, why not?" Her teacher remained quiet and the teenager knew what she wanted to tell her. "Ah don't want him to change his life-style, just because we've a baby now, nor do Ah want to cage him." She saw the surprise in the other mutant's face.

"Ah'm a realist, Ms. Munroe. Ah knew from the beginning he wouldn't stick around 24/7 and Ah'm fine with that. And even if he's gone for a few weeks on stretch searching for his lost past, Ah know he'll return." She doesn't need someone else to tell her the crap Jean already had fed her with.

But to her surprise the weather witch only nodded and got to her feet with a small smile. "If you'll need anything, Rogue, I'll be in my room."

"Thank ya." She smiled back and watched the woman leave.

What she didn't tell Storm was that it bothered her to know that one of his urges would be his meaningless fucks with some strangers, he probably wouldn't even waste a thought about doing it or not, now that they had a baby together - but they weren't together yet. Marie was glad that she was alone now. Those thoughts brought thick tears to her chocolate eyes. 'It's just sex. It means nothing to him.'

'Marie…' Her inner Logan was at a loss, cursing the fact that this wonderful girl knew all his dark secrets and tried to understand him and even gave him his freedom though it hurt her deeply.

X X X X X

Logan stuffed his winnings into his wallet, leaving a lone twenty on the worn wooden counter. "Keep the beer comin', bub."

Sam complied and eyed the new King of the Cage. "You're a veteran in the cage?" The grim expression and the low growl he received made him shudder, but then the gruff man nodded and he decided to voice his question. "Upcomin' Friday is the next match. More skilled fighters will attend, more money will be in the pod. You interested?"

The mutant quirked an eyebrow and scrutinized the middle aged man with his long brown hair captured to a ponytail. "Time?" He put his cigar back between his lips after gulping down half a bottle of booze.

"Start is at eight p.m.. But you have to be here at least half an hour earlier." The bartender explained with a grin on his lips. The bets on the next fights might get very interesting and profitable. A nod was his only reply and Sam saw Patty, a tall and curvy blond bounce closer to the bar on her next prowl. The needy woman was one of his regulars and usually never needed to pay for one of her drinks – her looks took care of that. Knowing what was about to happen, Sam placed a new bottle of beer before the fighter and turned to fetch the Whisky for Patty's drink, the guy'd order for her any minute.

Logan had already noticed the beautiful blond during his fights, her arousal must be strong enough for a normal human to pick up from the smoky air in the bar. Now she was sinking down on the barstool next to him, her delicate hand sneaking up to his on the counter. 'She ain't loosin' time.' He felt his own need grow, the animal roaring in anticipation.

"Hey." Her fingers were already trailing upwards his tattered leather jacket's sleeve, as his lustful gaze slowly locked with hers.

He removed his cigar from his mouth, eyeing the woman slip her other hand on his knee. "Hey, yourself, Blondie."

She battered her long lashes on him, her hand massaging his inner tight. "How 'bout some company to celebrate your victory?"

Breathing in her alluring scent, Logan's eyes darted over to the bartender, but before he could order her a drink, the other man had already placed a glass Whisky-coke before her and retreated to the far end of the counter, giving them some privacy.

Before Logan could register what he was doing he found the blond straddling his lap while his lips ran hot kisses down her neck. His hands were already squeezing her breast and her ass, making her moan in pleasure. Hushing her he crushed his mouth almost forcefully onto her swollen lips, invading her mouth immediately.

When he broke away in the desperate need for air, the blond pressed her cheek against his sideburn, whispering into his ear with a husky voice. "Let's get some fresh air."

Suddenly something snapped in him and he regained his senses, at least partially. Bringing more room between their bodies, he entangled himself from her tight embrace. "I have to go now… My girls are waitin'." He stuttered, his own urges screaming to be sated, but his heart telling him to bring as much distance between him and that woman as possible, before his mind would shut down completely. There was no way in hell he could do that to his sweet little Marie.

X X X X X

When Logan had returned to the mansion, he walked directly to Rogue's door and opened it without making the slightest noise. Immediately after entering her room and closing the door he could smell the dried tears of his young mate and his heart ached for the torment he had caused the girl. "Marie?" He sank down on her bed while she raised her head from the pillow.

Her sleepy expression switched to an alarmed one as she saw the worry swim in his hazel eyes. "Logan? Is something wrong?"

"No, Kid… You cried." His voice was almost cracking as he ran his fingers through her platinum locks. "I didn't, Marie. I couldn't." He saw her puzzlement grow on her angelic features. "Sure I could have… there was that needy blond after all, but" He didn't miss the pang of hurt in her face. "I didn't, Marie. Nothin' happened. You have to believe me." He ranted his eyes pleading with her. "Touch me, see for yourself, Marie." His large callused hand grasped her smaller one and lifted it to his cheek, the same place she had placed her fingers months ago, the night Logan had accidentally stabbed her.

The brunette raised her eyebrow. "Nah, sugah, Ah believe ya. No need to have a horny feral in mah mind." Her eyes lingered a moment on the swell in his groin.

A stone fell from his heart and he enclosed her slender frame in a tight embrace, crushing her body to his. He pressed a kiss to her forehead while whispering. "I couldn't do that to you, Marie. I love you so much." His fingers ran through her salt and pepper hair before he eventually let go off her. One hand left her dark locks and wandered to his neck and unclasped the chain holding his tag. Their gazes were still locked as he placed his only link to his lost past around her neck. "You're the only one that matters."

A soft smile played on her lips while she enclosed the small metal piece with her hand, her fingers running over the letters. "You think, you can control … that urge the next year till we can have sex." Her deep chocolate eyes never left his face.

"Yes." He blurted out, but saw the uncertainty in her features. He wouldn't lie to her. "I'll try my best, Marie." He answered honestly.

"Ya promise?" Her eyes swam with hope.

Logan lifted her hand from the tag and placed a tender kiss on the back of her palm. "Yeah, I promise, Kid." He then let go off her and crawled onto her bed. At first she frowned confused, but then lay down while he snuggled closer, her back pressing into his chest. His arms slung around her and he intertwined their fingers while burying his face in her soft hair.

They lay there for several minutes, his erection pressing against her lower back and Marie sighed. "Logan, sugah?"

"Mhm." He breathed in her calming scent.

The brunette shifted slightly, so she was facing him, his arms still wrapped around her tightly. "How about a shower?"

His eyes widened and he immediately shoved the memories of their last shower-session from his mind. "Marie, Kid… I want you, but we'll wait."

He hadn't finished when her grin grew and she eventually broke into a fit of giggles. "Ya have a dirty mind, sugah. Ah thought more, ya take a much needed shower on your own, taking care of all that sweat from the fight and other parts that might need your attention." Her gaze glided down to his manhood.

Logan could feel his cheeks turn red under her intense stare and without a second thought he bent forward and crushed his lips onto hers. She immediately returned his passionate kiss, her fingers tangling in his greasy hair while her lips granted his hot tongue access. With a shift of their bodies he was on top of her, his hands roaming up and down her sides, her moans against his mouth only reviving his slowly lightening harness.

Panting hard Marie broke away, her small hands returning to his broad chest, pushing lightly. "We should stop, before Becca'll have a sibling."

With a last kiss to her swollen lips Logan rolled off of her and staggered to his feet, just as his daughter began to cry in distress.

The young mother smirked. "It's your turn." She frowned when she saw the crumbs of dirt on her comforter, coming from Logan's boots, he hadn't cared to get them off when he had crawled into her bed.

"Too bad the shower calls." He hurried through the connecting door "I'm already smelly enough." and vanished in his bathroom.

"Logan!" Marie screamed after him exasperated as she leaped up and approached her tiny daughter.

X X X X X

Rogue had her in yellow clad child cradled against her chest, both girls content and awake, as she approached the half-asleep form of her mate. "Mornin', Logan."

"Mornin'." He grunted and rolled onto his back in the middle of his bed, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

The brunette grinned down on his grumpy features, knowing how he hated happy morning-people and conversations before breakfast – she wasn't any better in that point, but today she felt full of energy. "Do ya know what day is today?"

"Huh? Umm, Sunday?" He caught the sight of his tags, no her tags hanging around her neck.

"And?" She looked expectantly, but he only furrowed his brows, trying to remember what might be special about this day. 'Not her birthday, not the anniversary of our meetin'…'

'You ain't even rememberin' the date, bub.' Wolverine growled.

'But I know it was some time next month… or the month after that…' He gave up. "And what, Kid?"

"Daddy is sometimes such a jerk." She cooed into her daughter's serene face.

"Hey!"

Rogue kissed the little girl's forehead before answering with a bright smile that reached her eyes. "We'll have Becca for exactly one week this afternoon."

"One week…" He trailed off. "Could swear it's at least a month." Snickering he grinned towards his two girls and stretched his arms towards his daughter. "C'mere, kiddo." His mate placed the small child into his waiting arms, before crawling onto his bed next to him, snatching the remote control from his nightstand.

Logan placed a whiskered kiss onto Becca's soft cheek, making her contort her little face and lift her chubby hand to his sideburn, pushing ever so lightly. Chuckling he lifted the tiny girl up above his head, looking into her deep blue eyes. "Huh, you gonna tell me, I should get shaved, lil' skunk?" Becca made a sound alike giggles and her father pulled her small body towards his face with a playful growl, attacking her small belly with kisses, before cradling the hiccupping baby onto his bare chest and nuzzling her downy hair.

Soon he felt two chocolate eyes rest on his relaxed features and he faced the grinning brunette. "Somethin' up?"

"Nah, ya're just so damn cute. Worth a picture."

"Don't you dare, Kid!"

Marie laughed about his horror-stricken expression while switching through the channels and leaning closer into his side. "How was your fight yesterday? Broke some bones?"

His smug smirk was more than a reply. "I think one guy even lost a few teeth. Friday is the next fight." It was out of question if he would attend.

The brunette beamed at him while clutching his large hand in her small ones and running her fingertips over his knuckles. "Then we could go to the mall next Saturday. Ya need a few more clothes, Logan."

He groaned as if in pain. "No, I have enough."

Now Marie was giving him his trademark eyebrow. "All your belongings fit into one backpack. Ya're wearing the same smelly jeans ya fought yesterday in and your tee shirts are all victims to Becca's spit." She paused a moment. "Ya even wore the grey school-sweater because ya have run out of flannels and wife-beaters."

"Don't mind to wear those a few days."

"But Ah do mind and so does mah nose."

"What's the washer for?"

"That's not the point, Logan!" She returned her gaze to the flickering TV screen. "It's decided. We'll go shopping next weekend."

"I didn't decide anythin'." Logan murmured annoyed but accepted his fate. His index finger ran through the short white strain of his daughter's hair while he came up with another topic. "Umm, Becca, you'll have to ask your mama what she wants for her birthday." His eyes swept over to the brunette next to him as he propped the tiny girl up, steadying her head. "Tell me what your heart desires, Kid."

The past week had been so eventful and long that she had indeed forgotten about her birthday in less than two weeks. Marie blushed at the first thought that entered her mind. "Well, Ah wish it would be mah 18th birthday."

"Would second that, but it's one of the few things I can't give to you."

"Really? Don't ya know someone to fake IDs, Mr. Logan Anderson or do ya prefer Mr. Sheppard?"

"Kid, even if I would give you a fake ID, the geeks here would know the truth." He heard her huff and pressed a kiss to her head. "Think of somethin' else."

"Dunno." She answered after a while.

"A book, CDs or a cell phone maybe?" If she would still need gloves, it would make things so much easier.

But to his dismay the girl in question only shook her head. "Kitty gets the newest music from the net, the next Harry Potter book isn't out yet and whom shall Ah call, Logan? Everyone Ah know is here at this school."

"Fine…" He began to stroke the back of the sleepy baby. "Any ideas?"

"Nah." Marie snuggled closer to him and placed her head on his naked shoulder. "Ah wanna spend mah birthday with ya and Becca."

Logan wanted to argue that, but decided to plan some kind of surprise for her big day. Maybe her two friends would come up with an idea.

Time flowed by as the three of them lay cuddling on Logan's bed watching TV. The mansion was slowly waking and so were their chaperons. The Canadian smelled the other man before the knock rang from his door and Scott entered the room. The X-Men leader's eyes immediately centered on the bed and its three occupants. His anger began to boil when he saw the bare chest of the other man, Rogue was leaning against. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Watchin' TV? Or what does it look like?" Logan growled back and felt his daughter become uneasy due to his tensing muscles. It had been so nice until now. Why wasn't it Storm to make the wake up visit?

Scott's jaw tightened and he stepped further into the room while his girlfriend and Ororo approached the open door. "And why can't you wear a shirt like anybody else does? Or are you gonna tell us it was Rogue, who convinced you that shirtless is inn?"

It was one thing that the nerd was bad mouthing him, but nobody was doing this with his Marie, if he could help it – and he could. His eyes narrowed dangerously and a vicious snarl emerged his throat while Rogue picked their daughter from his chest and held her close as he leaped to his feet. With one stride Wolverine had Scott by the hem of his shirt, ramming him into his wardrobe and bringing his sharp Adamantium claws to his throat. "I was nice enough and overheard the crap you talked, but you'll never, you hear never bad mouth Rogue again." His claws were scratching along the skin, not deep enough to make him bleed dangerously, but enough to have small red scratches on his neck.

Both men kept staring into the other's eyes, the women holding their breath as Logan eventually stroke out with his left hand and brought it forward with almost lightening speed – his claws returning to his arms in the process. Jean's shriek echoed through the mansion as Logan's fist collided hard with her boyfriend's nose. With a sickening crack Scott slumped to the floor unconscious as the raging man let go off of him. "Take this as a warning!" The Canadian barked and snatched his smelly tee shirt and demin button up from the carpet, his dark eyes switching to the two women in the doorway. He growled and headed for his bathroom.

Jean was at once at Scott's side, making sure he wasn't injured seriously while Storm approached the brunette and her child with a still uncomfortable expression on her face. "I thought he got to fight yesterday?" She whispered as the shower was turned on.

Rogue nodded, fully aware that the sound of a running shower wouldn't hinder Logan to pick up on their conversation. "Yep, he just didn't get laid." She stated nonchalantly, seeing the curious, yet perplexed gazes of the X-Women linger on her. "Not that he didn't had an opportunity, but he turned that slut down and came home for a cold shower." She had to shove this piece of information right into the redhead's face. "Umm, Ah'll get dressed for breakfast now."

X X X X X

When Logan returned from his bathroom, now completely dressed, he walked over to the armchair, his girls sat in, and eyed them angrily. "Kid, why did you tell that Red and Storm?"

"Umm, Dr. Grey warned me that ya ain't Prince Charming and would leave me sooner or later." She paused a moment searching for words. "Ah kinda had to tell her that ya umm, … could control certain urges."

His anger went up a notch, just this time it wasn't aimed towards his mate. "Red did what? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Their eyes locked. "Ya like her."

"I like lookin' at 'er. That's all." He shook his head, now understanding why she had kept that information from him. "All men have their eyes on beautiful women."

"All but Mr. Summers." A grin plastered her lips.

"He might if he'd get that stick outta his ass and act as if he had balls once in a while." The amusement vanished from his features and he became serious again. "Marie, you are my mate. I don't want us to have secrets from each others." He saw her nod and smelled her apprehension. "You don't like 'er." His voice was soft and understanding.

"She sees only the animal in ya… Ah don't like the way she looks at ya."

"Jealous, huh?" Logan crouched down in front of her.

"Ah know ya wanna sleep with her." She whispered, but her eyes were still trained on his face.

The Canadian took a deep breath and contemplated his answer. "Yes." He saw the hurt this simple word caused his girl. "I wanted, but she wouldn't have meant anythin'. It's just her looks, Kid, that wanna make me jump her bones."

"Ah know." She really did. After Liberty Island she caught herself staring at Jean's butt and became quite wet at the fantasies about the doctor that clouded her mind the first days after Rogue had absorbed a giant portion of Logan.

He was surprised to smell no lie from her. "Marie…"

"Ah have ya in mah mind. Ah know it's just your instincts telling ya to mate with the alpha female… to spread your genes." She looked away and squeezed Becca closer to her body.

Logan was at a loss of words, the man in him was ashamed about how true that statement was. But next to her hurt and anger, he sensed that there was something on her mind she hesitated to say. "Marie? What is it, Kid?"

She took a deep breath and locked eyes again. "Once we are mated… Ah mean ya claimed me as yours…" She saw his surprise about her choice of words, but continued. "will ya still have the need to … ya know with other alphas?"

He kept staring at her in shock for a moment. "Ferals mate for life, Marie." But before he could continue the brunette interrupted him, her scent full of insecurity.

"Ah know… Ah looked your mutation up… Ya're an alpha male. Alphas usually chose a strong and…" Her voice almost cracked at the next word. "worthy female. Ah'm not."

Her bluntness startled Logan and he felt Wolverine pace in his confines agitated, roaring at the mere thought his Marie might think herself inferior to someone like Jean. "Christ, Marie, who gave you the idea to be unworthy?"

"Ya never got that… hunger… that glint in your eyes when ya looked at me. Not the same as when ya throw a glance at her." She felt the tears sting in her eyes when she confronted him with her piled up worries. She knew he loved her and Becca more than anything in the world and that he wanted her, but still it wasn't the same.

It broke Logan's heart to see the girl in so much distress he caused her. "Darlin'." This new endearment made her look up. "I don't look at her differently."

Anger flared in her chocolate orbs. "Ya do! Even the ya in mah mind said it!" Rogue snapping at him made Becca cry and the teenager began to rock the baby gently. "Shh, is fine."

Logan must have looked quite dumbfounded as he contemplated this accusation. His fingers ran through his still damp hair while he searched for an answer. "Maybe I do." He saw her resolved glare. "It has nothin' to do with you bein' not a worthy female."

"What is it then?"

"Dunno." She hitched her brow at his half lie. "Maybe it's your youth."

"Ya mean Ah look like a child?" Marie was aware that she looked even younger than she really was. When she had arrived at the mansion Scott was about to make her attend the 8th grade until the professor supported her claim that she was already 16 years old – even though she wasn't sure which date it had been and she hadn't been sure if her birthday still wasn't a few days away.

Logan swallowed hard. "You're beautiful, but still need to grow up." Her features were unreadable for once and it made his gut clench. "I love you, Marie, and I know you'll be a breathtakin' strong woman one day. I always knew."

"But." She could hear the unspoken word in his tone.

"But I never wanted to push you. You should take your time growin' up. Enjoyin' your childhood." He saw she wanted to object. "I messed up your life, but I still don't want you to grow up faster and miss the little things the kids wanna do these days." He saw her mouth opening, but he beat her to it. "I know you're more mature than any of the hormone driven kids under this roof and that one is also to blame on me and Bucket Head." He grasped her hand and squeezed it gently. "I know for sure you'll be a strong and worthy mate. You already gave me a healthy daughter and you take good care of her. Who says you won't be an alpha one day?" He brushed the single tear away from her pale cheek and enclosed her with his arms when the girl leaned against his chest.

Her first days attending classes as a teenage mother with her daughter in tow went by rather uneventful. During Logan's Danger Room sessions and self defense classes the baby would stay with Rogue interrupting the lessons from time to time. At first Marie had been embarrassed and saw the hacked off gazes from her classmates when Becca demanded her meal or a new diaper, but soon the other students got used to her wailing and even found advantages in the interruptions – as did the young mother.

Marie watched with dread as John, three seats to her right, translated the paragraph. 'Shit. Shit. Shit. Only two more and it's mah turn.' Carefully she opened another page of her dictionary and looked up another word. 'Why don't any of ya speak Spanish?'

'School is there to learn and not to use somebody else's knowledge, dear.'

'Oh, shut it, Bucket head!' resounded Logan's voice in her head. 'You wouldn't have that problem if you hadn't chosen Spanish of all languages, Kid.'

'Sorry, that Ah didn't see it coming that mah mental passengers can speak 16 languages, but don't know a single word in Spanish!'

'You could have tried the old fashioned way and simply learned the vocabulary.'

'Oh, shut the hell up, Logan.' Her eyes darted over to Storm. 'Gawd, Ah can't translate that stupid sentence! Why can't Ah have the next one?' From the corner of her eyes the brunette saw that nobody was watching her, so she initiated her escape plan. Carefully to not be caught she lifted her pencil towards Becca's little foot, poking her slightly. Like anticipated the baby woke up whining.

Marie breathed a sighed of relief and jumped to her feet and sprinted with her crying daughter out of the classroom. Pressing a kiss to the girl's forehead, she walked down the hallway towards the girls' restroom. "Sorry, honey." The baby calmed thankful to the closeness. "Thanks for saving your mama again."

X X X X X

The bell to free the students from their classes had just rung and Marie accompanied by Kitty and Jubilee walked towards the gym in the search for the rest of her family. They just passed by the girl's locker room when a group 8 graders emerged, wrapped up into their conversation.

"Logan is so cute! It's just great how he plays daddy for Becca." A blond squealed at the memory of her past P.E. lesson.

"No wonder Dr. Grey has chosen Wolverine above Mr. Summers. He's already such a wonderful daddy to Rogue's baby. Imagine how great he would be with his own kids!" This specific rumor had remained gossip topic, though the fact that Scott and Jean still shared a room confused most and had led to new speculations. Marie and Logan had shared a good laugh when she had told her mate about his supposed relationship with the redhead and that Scott's broken nose was the result of a fight both men had about the beautiful doctor.

Jubilee grinned like stupid, as did her friends, on the words of the younger girls. "Our grumpy grizzly is loosing his bad teeth gradually."

"Such talks ain't new." Marie countered, but she had to admit that the softer side of her mate slipped more often through his gruff mask in public when he was with Becca.

Jubilee contemplated this a moment. "Yeah, fine, talks 'bout Wolvie ain't new, just that before Becca came were all girls like 'Ooh, Logan is so hot! – melting to a puddle', but now they only see papa bear. As if he wouldn't snarl or shout at them anymore."

Kitty giggled. "But you have to admit that he's so cute with Becca."

"I ain't cute, Half-Pint." Kitty's giggles stuck in her throat at Logan's gruff voice coming from the open door of the gym.

Marie grinned at her fearful features and entered the hall to be greeted by her babbling daughter cradled to Logan's chest while he returned a volley ball to the tool shed. "Hello, honey." She immediately picked the tiny girl from her father's arm and pressed a kiss to the soft cheek. "How was P.E.?"

"She's gonna fail the class if she keeps refusin' to set a foot onto the field, Kid." Logan followed his girls to the bench on the sidelines, where the baby seat stood.

Marie snickered and pressed another peck to her daughter's head before laying her into her seat. "Don't listen to him, honey. Ya won't fail."

When the young mother turned around to give a witty remark to Logan, Jubilee beat her to it. "Rogue, umm… on your shirt… well…"

Marie's eyes widened in embarrassment and her cheeks glowed in a deep shade of red. "Shit!" She lifted her tee shirt a little up to get a better view on the two wet patches on the fabric. "Ah'm leaking!" Her disbelief turned to fury as she snapped at her mate. "That's all your fault, Logan!"

"Wtf?" He screamed back into her face unable to follow her train of thoughts once again.

"Ya said 'I'm gonna take 'er and feed 'er the bottle'! Ya got mah body out of its rhythm!" Marie spat mimicking his dialect and stormed into the hallway, where she almost bumped into one of Logan's students leaving the locker room. The boy was startled and was about to inform her about her wet shirt, when the brunette gritted her teeth and sent him a death glare. "Don't!" She almost bit his head off.

"Wow. I thought mood swings are normal during pregnancy. Not afterwards." Jubilee muttered next to a nodding Logan and Kitty – all three staring after the young mother.

X X X X X

On his way back to their rooms Logan saw Jean walking past the kitchen and couldn't avoid his eyes wander to her ass. "New pants, Red?"

The woman stopped and faced him while smoothen her skin-tight white trousers with her hands. "Yep, Logan."

His gaze didn't leave her butt as a large grin formed on his lips. "They show certain parts of you like never before."

"Umm, thank you, Logan." Jean almost blushed and would have walked over to the other mutant to flirt a little more, but unfortunately her students were already calling for her. "I better get going. See you later." She flashed him another toothy smile before continuing her way.

Just when Logan was about to turn into another corridor, he felt a hand grip his shoulder. "Why are you still chasing after Jean?"

The Canadian smirked – it was so easy to play with Scott. "Just for appearance. The students have so much fun with their gossip… and to get under your skin, Cyke." The raising anger from his fellow X-Men only fuelled his amusement. "Maybe, you wanna tell your girl that everyone can see her red panties through the fabric."

"What?" Scott stood there like stunned as Logan shrugged and made his way down the hallway with his daughter sleeping peacefully in her seat.

When he arrived at the landing of the second floor Beaves and Butthead came his way. The boys were already past him when Logan stopped with a whistle on his lips. "When you see Jean, make sure to compliment 'er on her new white pants." Bobby only nodded, glad that the feral was already moving away.

Logan chuckled as he heard the newest of John's theories. "Wolverine bought Dr. Grey new trousers!"

X X X X X

Marie cursed the fact that the sun shone and had transformed a grey fall day into a warm – almost hot – summer day. She wouldn't have minded any other day, but it had to be her first day at P.E. and with Logan as her teacher. Her mate stood to his promise to the professor that he wouldn't treat her differently than her classmates. So she was running under the stinging sun her fourth lap on the mansion's vast grounds. "Fuck his enhanced sight!" She murmured.

Every time someone thought to be too far away from Logan and thus safe from his view, they would slow down and catch their breaths, only to hear their teacher's barks and threats. John, who had tried to spend the class at the sidelines due to his wounded hand, had Logan's special attention. "Your legs ain't hurt, now move them faster, before I'll give you a reason to sit at the sidelines!"

Kitty hadn't enough strength to answer in whole sentences, so she 'mhm-ed' her friend as the three girls moved closer to the basketball court and their teacher.

Just when they were past Logan, Becca began her brawl and Marie smirked at her daughter's timing. Turning on her heels the brunette ran over to her little girl, who lay in her baby seat under an umbrella sheltering her from the sun.

But before Marie was close enough to pick her child up, she was met with her mate's stern gaze. "Ahaha, Kid. You keep runnin'."

"But Ah need to take care of Becca."

Logan picked his crying daughter up and the child hushed immediately. "Nah, you need to take care of your laps. Gonna award you with an additional round."

"What?" She stared at him in bewilderment.

"You heard me, Rogue. Now move your butt."

"Asshole!"

Kitty, Jubilee and a bunch other students stared wide eyed at the brunette and Wolverine in turn, disbelieving that Rogue of all people indeed dared to insult their teacher. "Two rounds more!" He shouted before kissing the baby and talking to her softly. "Today is milk-shake-day, kiddo."

Marie had just joined her two friends, but spun around on his words and held her middle-finger towards Logan, who in turn growled and shielded the baby's eyes from the gesture. "Three more!" He saw her eyes widen in disbelief and with a low growl from his lips she and her classmates finally resumed their training. "And everyone thinks me a bad influence." He muttered into his daughter's soft hair.

X X X X X

"No, Kid." Logan looked up from Marie's notes and gave the frustrated girl sitting in the armchair across from him a stern gaze. "That's the third time you make this mistake. Only plants and bacteria have a cell wall. Animal cells have only a plasma membrane, no cell wall."

"Uhu." Marie played with Becca's little feet, unable to concentrate on her boring studies.

"Kid." Logan sighed. "I know this crap is borin' and you won't need it in your life after high school, but even I know now the organelles of cells." He heard her huff. "Even Becca could tell you what the mitochondria are for, if she could talk that is."

"Maybe ya should take the test in mah place, Logan, if Ah'm too stupid to remember a few words!" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I never said you're stupid, Marie." He remained quiet even when he picked up anger and almost disgust in her scent. "You're bright. You just don't concentrate enough." Those words seemed to appease her emotional outburst. "Believe me, I'd help you pass that stupid test, but unfortunately Jeannie is a telepath and I'm not invisible."

The girl made a face at his words. "Too bad ya ain't a telepath and can't send the right answers directly into mah mind." Suddenly the gazes of both locked while a mutual plan built in their minds.

"We're gonna study for another hour, Kid. If you still can't get the structures into the right order you can touch me." He saw a wicked smile form on his girl's features.

X X X X X

For once Marie was thankful for her mutation's side effect. Her 'updated' inner Logan had whispered her all the answers during her biology test, right under Jean's nose, though Marie was more than capable to access his memories in her mind. The doctor did her occasional scans to ensure nobody would cheat – especially the only young telepath in the class had her attention, but due to Marie's mental structure she had to trust the girl.

Now the brunette was clad in her junior X-Men uniform ready for her self defense lesson and waited for Logan's next commands. "God I hope he won't shout at us so much again." She heard Jubilee, her sparring partner, mutter. With a smug smile the brunette watched her mate give instructions to Kitty and Piotr. "Believe me, Jubes, he'll be much calmer today."

The Asian gave her a curious gaze and inquired further information. "What have you done, chica?"

"Just watch him."

Good five minutes later Logan's temper made him bark and snarl his instructions to his students. He felt the need for a cool beer or a cigar growing the more the kids didn't obey his orders. "Jesus, Ice Prick! I told you to lift your fuckin' hands more up!" A moment past in which he unsheathed his claws and his glare remained on the boy. "Yeah, more like that!"

The Canadian sighed when his mate made the firecracker trip and the Asian didn't break her fall with a roll like he had shown her. A part of him didn't like the thought of his young mate getting brushes, but the more rational part told him that she needed the knowledge and practice to defend herself. He would risk his life to save his Marie and their little Becca, but he couldn't be at the same time at two different places. If the shit hit the fan and he would have to decide between his two girls, he might chose Becca above her mother, since Marie had a powerful mutation at hand and Becca was only a defenseless and helpless baby.

Shoving these thoughts away he took a deep breath while watching the training session. Suddenly a calming smell reached his nostrils and he sniffed the air to determine the source of it and frowned slightly when he slipped his fingers into his chest pocket of his flannel and retrieved one of his cigars. He was sure that he hadn't put it there, but then shrugged and placed the unlit cigar between his lips and began to chew on the tobacco.

A few minutes later the students didn't tremble in fear of his barks any longer. Their teacher was now leaning with his trademark scowl against the wall next to his little daughter lying in her baby seat. But his stance was more relaxed than before – not that anyone except Marie had noticed the difference, but everyone had noticed his harsh shouts had became less frequent since he chewed on his cigar.

Jubilee bit her tongue to not laugh hysterically about the picture before her. "You're a genius, Roguey! You found the Wolverine-pacifier!"

Marie had to bite down her own giggles, when Logan – still chewing and sucking on his cigar – turned his head towards Becca and gazed down on their daughter – sucking peacefully on her pacifier. His face froze for a moment before he slowly removed his beloved cigar from his mouth and his dark glare centered on his mate. "ROGUE!"

X X X X X

Logan had planned to spend the evening with his Marie curled up against his body, her head resting on his chest while he would play absently with her white locks, both watching the new episodes of CSI and guessing who the murderer was. But the moment Logan was about to fetch the popcorn from the kitchen, he received a mental emergency message from the professor. After attending a briefing with his fellow X-Men in the war room, he had returned quickly to his room to slip into his leather X-Men uniform, Marie stood behind him fidgeting with the sleeve of her pj's. He sensed her worry and faced her, his voice softer than normally. "It's just a routine mission."

The brunette nodded and reached out to straighten the uniform's collar. "Be careful, Logan."

"Don't worry, Kid. You know I heal." He flashed her a reassuring smile, deeply moved by those simple words and her caring gesture.

"Ya do, but nevertheless ya feel the pain when ya get hurt."

He saw the genuine concern for his well being in her chocolate eyes and it warmed his heart that there was someone so kind to think him worthy to be cared and worried about. "I'll be fine, Marie." He encircled her petite frame with his strong arms and held her close, his nose buried in her hair. After a moment he pulled slightly away and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead.

Marie gave him a small smile and watched him approach the crib and carefully ran his index finger over Becca's cheek. His hazel eyes were tender as he scrutinized his sleeping little angel's features.

X X X X X

Hours later, Logan carefully opened the door to his room and found his mate curled up with a blanket in his leather armchair, their sleeping daughter in her arms. His eyes darted over to the flickering TV screen, the volume was turned off. He walked over to his girls when Marie stood up and whispered. "Ah couldn't sleep."

Her worried eyes moved over his weak smile and then down his uniform, stopping at two holes in the leather above his heart. Slowly she lifted her hand and ran her fingertips over the healed flesh of his chest that was visible through the damaged and bloody uniform. She stared like mesmerized at the bullet holes, caressing his chest.

He reached out and lifted her chin, looking deep into her eyes. "I'm fine, Marie." Then he gathered her small frame in his arms, careful to not crush their daughter with their hug.

Logan smiled into her hair taking in her calming scent. She was grounding him. This girl gave his sad and lonely existence purpose, made him beating the shit out of somebody meaningful and somehow right. He would try his best for Xavier's cause, so his girls wouldn't be shunned by society any longer, to give them a bright future like they had already given it to him.

Since the revelation about Logan's age, Marie had never stopped contemplating her possibilities to help him and why there weren't any hints to his past. If he had walked this planet for so long there must have been people who knew him and might wonder what had happened to him. But knowing from his memories, Marie was aware that one of Logan's goals of his aimless travels across countries was the slight hope to come across someone who knew him from his time before he'd lost his memory. But even when he found a place seeming familiar, nobody knew him.

Those thoughts brought Marie to the conclusion – with the help of her inner Logan and Erik – that maybe his stay in that baleful lab might have been longer than they had hoped it had been. Maybe they had tortured and tested him for years and everybody, who might have known Logan was long gone or believed him dead. Maybe this was the explanation for their lack in findings – the gap in his life and freedom might be bigger than his gap in memories.

She knew she had to confront him with her theories eventually. But not tonight. If she did, Wolverine might get the upper hand and the outcome wouldn't be pretty for his opponents at tonight's cage fight. So she stood with Becca in her arms waiting for him at his door, watching him shrug into his battered leather jacket.

"You know my cell number, Kid?"

Marie rolled her eyes. "Yes, damnit! If ya make me repeat it one more time Ah swear Ah'm gonna make Kitty disable your porn-channel!" Her eyes gleamed in victory at his horrified expression. "Oh, yes Ah found that hidden channel on 67." Her smirk widened when his head snapped briefly over to the TV before he approached his girls.

"Marie." He pressed out her name like a warning, but the brunette only mimicked his scowl.

"Logan."

The Canadian had to chuckle about his mate's courage to not back down. The other teenagers in the mansion would usually tremble and shy away in the same situation, but not his Marie. "Fine, Kid. But don't hesitate to call if somethin's up."

Marie rolled her eyes once again. "Ah'll evade peas and beans for the next months, so there's no need to worry your Adamantium skull over Becca having colic or not." The night from Monday to Tuesday had been pure hell. They had spent the entire night awake and carrying their crying daughter through the infirmary, rubbing her belly to ease the pain until Jean – woken by a very worried Logan every quarter hour - eventually looked up in one of her smart books that a warm cherry pit pillow might help the child. So Logan sped away on Scott's bike in search for an open supermarket harbouring baby supplies while Ororo brought a mug of hot chocolate to the young mother, who was near tears herself about her inability to help her hurting child, and spent the next hour supporting Marie until Logan returned.

The feral bent down and brushed a kiss onto his daughter's forehead, smiling down on the gargling baby lovingly. "Be a good girl, lil' skunk."

"She'll be. And now hurry, sugah, or ya'll be late." Marie needed him out of the mansion before Kitty and Jubilee would show up for a girly evening taking place in his room. Logan captured her lips with his. "Good luck and don't get hurt!" She had opened the door and was already shoving him outside – as she had done the week before. When Marie saw his hitched brow about her comment, she added an 'at least not too much'.

"I get the impression you want me outta your hair, Kid." The intake of her scent told him he was right and both stared at each other for a small eternity. "Do I wanna know?"

"Nah." She beamed up at him. "Bye." And closed the door in his face, making him growl.

X X X X X

An hour later Marie sat on Logan's bed her best friends on either side of her while Becca lay kicking on her mother's lap. Several bottles of Coke and soda stood on the nightstands and chips bags were spread on the beddings next to the bowl of popcorn and a bunch of teenager magazines. Across from them was the Twilight DVD running on the TV, but the girls were wrapped up in their conversation. "So, chica, how was it?"

The blush on Marie's cheeks wouldn't fade under the girls' stares. "Umm… not like Ah had imagined." She struggled to get out the words and knew that her answer wouldn't close the topic.

Kitty raised her eyebrows in curiosity. "Whatchaya mean? Was he good or bad?"

Marie thought herself still a virgin even with her baby girl cooing in her lap. "Neither…" This made the Asian pop her gum and both stared at the young mother. "It was over before it had begun." She eventually answered honestly.

"Oh…" Jubilee swallowed her gum in her bewilderment. "If he meets Wolvie he won't shot his load again, no matter how fast he is." Marie had to grin about the irony.

Kitty remembered their lunch almost two weeks ago. "So it was your only time?"

'If ya wanna call it time. Becca's gonna walk and talk till Ah get mah first real orgasm…' Marie thought sourly. "Logan's adamant about me having no sex before mah 18th birthday."

"You had to tell him and the other teachers about …" Kitty trailed off.

"Yessss." Marie let out the word with a sigh and flapped back onto the pillow careful not to make her baby roll down from her lap. She was beyond embarrassed, but thanked the circumstance that it hadn't been her mind the professor had looked into for information about Becca's conception.

X X X X X

Sam the bartender had been right the former Saturday when he had told him that there would be more capable fighters this evening. Logan was sure he would have dealt with a few broken rips and a smashed jaw if his skeleton wouldn't be enhanced with the indestructible Adamantium. Especially the final fight against Cruncher had be rough and there were several moments Logan had feared his mutation would give him away, but luckily the blood on his face came from his nose and mouth, so nobody was able to see his wounds knit themselves back together.

And Sam had also told the truth about this evening being more profitable. Now Logan emptied his last beer, his wallet bursting with money and shook his head as the bartender fetched another bottle of Molson. "Nah, Sam. Gotta go now."

The other man was surprised that the new champion was still able to get off his stool and stand on his own two feet without swaying from side to side. "Ye sure, ye don't need a taxi?"

"No need, bub." Logan approached the door when he heard Sam's voice reminding him on the fight the upcoming week, on which the mutant only lifted his hand. When he neared Scott's bike on the parking lot, his sensitive hears and nose picked up on moaning and arousal. With a short glance into the adjoining alley he saw Patty, the needy blond he showed the cold shoulder the whole evening, and another cage fighter making out heavily against the dumpster. Shaking his head the Canadian mounted the bike and drove off.

Logan was half way back to White Plains when he felt someone following him for quite some time. With a frown he pulled over into a smaller path and killed the engine. The night was dark, but the faint light from the moon was enough for Logan to identify the other biker as his last opponent Cruncher and he unshed his claws at once. It wouldn't be the first time that some idiot would claim the night's winnings to be theirs. But to his relief – not that he would have feared the other man, but he would have to look for another fighting place, since the other man was a regular at Sam's – Cruncher kept driving.

Not to be someone to leave his guard down, Logan revived the bike and dogged the other bike in a save distance, his light switched off. The closer they got to Westchester the more queasy he felt. 'I told nobody where I come from. How does that punk know?' He shook off the uncomfortable thought of bringing a threat about his two girls.

But then the other man took another exit and Logan followed him to a club near central station. Curiosity got the better of the mutant and he stopped in an alley across and watched the row of styled young people in front of the entrance, Cruncher had vanished into a few minutes before. The kids looked happy and though he knew this wasn't one of the places his Marie would hung around, an idea began to form in his mind, when he saw Cruncher take the place as one of the bouncers of the club.

The Canadian revived the engine and crossed the small distance, before getting off right next to the two tall men guarding the entrance. The dark haired, tattooed man with a bad gash on his forehead recognized him immediately and took a step towards him. "Wolverine, if I remember correctly." Logan nodded and eyed the other man, who broke the short silence. "Thought I'd seen you before. You're from around here, too."

"More or less." Despite his dangerous exterior, Cruncher had been a good loser after the cage fight and had congratulated Logan to his new title and was now sending a group of teenage girls no older than 15 away, telling them to go home, their parents would surely worry. "I got family here."

Silence befell them for a few moments and Logan watched the other man do his job, before he faced him again. "My girl's a real bookworm, never was in a club before. Saturday next week is her birthday. I thought makin' party with a few of 'er friends like any other kid, would make her day."

Cruncher didn't show his surprise, but his scent did. "You gonna ask me if I'd get her in?"

"Yes, bub. I'd owe you." Logan looked expectantly, though his voice was low and gruff as ever.

"Nah, no problem. But you ain't gonna hold back next week. I wanna have a rematch."

The Canadian flashed him a feral grin, glad to have something special for his Marie. "Deal."

"How does your girl look like?"

Logan was aware that the other man most likely thought they were talking about his daughter, not the mother of his child. "Brunette with white stripes in her hair."

"Pale and quite shy, wearing clothes three numbers too big? And one of her friends is a loud and colourful clothed Asian?"

Logan furrowed his brows. "Yep, that's her, though she ain't clothin' like that anymore. Where do you know her from?" He didn't like the fact that this stranger knew about his mate.

"That Asian is hard to overlook. Threw a tantrum in the mall a few months ago, 'cause a girl said something against her outfit."

The mutant chuckled. "Yep, sounds like Yellow."

X X X X X

Logan had spent the next half an hour chatting with Max a.k.a. Cruncher learning that the other man had a teenage baby sister, who he and his girlfriend raised since their mother's death 6 years ago. With the cage fights he earned some extra cash for his two women and four year old son, so they could afford Thanksgiving with his girlfriend's parents in Florida.

At the moment Logan turned into the teachers' wing and wrinkled his sensitive nose over the obtrusive stench of nail polish coming from his room. Taking a deep breath before opening the door, he entered his room – breathing through his mouth – just in time to see Marie covering a bright pink spot on his beddings with a pillow.

The girl whirled around and smiled at him innocently. "Hi, sugah. How was your fight?" She batted her lashes at him and watched him stalked closer.

"Marie." His voice was dangerously dark as he sniffed next to her head. "You touched my beer." With a twist of his hand he revealed the pink nail polish on his comforter, the brunette swallowed hard.

"Umm… Ah pumped some milk off for tonight."

His eyes narrowed on her and he saw her squirm under his intense stare. 'Good.' "I know my memory ain't the best, but I believe to remember tellin' you your friends are not allowed in my room for a movie night." His tone was even and slow, making it even scarier.

Marie knew that opening one of his beers and sharing it with her friends was the worst idea she could have come up with, yet she did it and now she was contemplating her options. Begging for his forgiveness was a weakness in his eyes and out of question. Kissing him and hoping to make him forget wouldn't work either with his senses and the terrible nail polish stench lingering in the air. So she decided for the only way out – except for running into her room and hiding behind the crib.

She placed her hand on her hip and stared back into his hazel orbs. "Ya said they weren't allowed to watch McLeod's Daughters in your room, but we watched Twilight. And Ah wouldn't let mah friends sit in the door-frame so they wouldn't touch your holy room." She saw Logan furrow his brows – he hadn't anticipated this reaction from her – and he opened his mouth, but she beat him to it. "Ya had your fun, Mister! Do ya think Ah wanna sit at home all day just being a mum? I want to spent time with mah friends!" She knew she was exaggerating, but hey, why shouldn't she try to play this card?

A deep growl rumbled in his chest as he glared at the little spitfire. She had some points – not that he would tell her – and he was damn tired. He would make her wash his beddings and clean every evidence of her girls night from his room the following day, but at the moment he turned with a snarl on his lips and stomped over into her room closing the connecting door behind him.

Marie looked rather puzzled after her mate and followed him a moment later. When she opened the door again, she saw him strip out of his shirt – his boots already gone – and lay into her bed. "Logan?"

He pulled the sheet over his bare chest and leaned back into her soft pillow. "We gonna switch tonight. Don't forget to close the door behind you, Kid."

"What?" She was sure she would get a headache sleeping in that room.

"Shh! You gonna wake the baby." He turned onto his side, his back to her. He sensed her stand there for a moment watching him before she returned to his room. "Pink doesn't suit you, Marie." He added before the door was closed, her painted nails hard to miss.

Scott walked up the stairs and was about to turn into the teachers' wing when out of the corner of his eye he saw Logan vanish into the girls' wing. His pace quickened, afraid that the professor's impression of the feral had been wrong. He heard the lock of Jubilee's and Kitty's room shut and he immediately tried the handle, but it was locked, so he began to throw his fists against the wooden door. "Hey, open up at once!"

Several other doors opened and girls poked their heads out into the hallway, but Scott ignored them and continued his assault till the firecracker eventually opened the door. "Geez, Cyclops, you gonna rip the door from the hinges!"

But her teacher ignored the bubble gum chewing girl and pushed past her into the room to find Logan slumped on one of the desk chairs, his arms resting on the chair's back, while Pete sat on one of the beds with Kitty next to him, holding a note pad and pencil. "What's goin' on?"

"Could ask you the same, bub." Logan answered but his piercing glance betrayed his words.

"Why on Earth are you in a girl's room with the door locked?"

Closing the door Jubilee popped her bubble and flopped down next to Kitty on her bed. "You know, Wolvie suggested a foursome, but I don't mind fivesome. The more the merrier."

Logan didn't need to scent the air to notice the other man's rage and he had – not for the first time – the urge to sew the firecracker's mouth shut. "Calm down. Yellow's talkin' shit. I wanna plan a surprise for Rogue's birthday."

Kitty nodded, unaware that her black haired friend had hit a sensitive subject. "Rogue said she can't think of anything she would want and eventually came up with a rattle for Becca."

"It's nice that she thinks of her daughter, but it's Rogue's birthday." Colossus put in and saw his teacher frown.

"Rogue's birthday?"

"Yes, her birthday, One-Eye. Sit down and shut up or go and shut up." He saw the other man contemplate a moment and finally sink down on Jubilee's bed. "Ok, what did you three came up with?"

"Firstly I had a brilliant idea for a present." Jubilee responded proudly and saw Logan's hitched brow. "Since she was here, she never went swimming with us. First it was because of her mutation and then because of her belly. So I thought we – that's Pete, Kitty and me - present her with a bikini."

"You know the winter is just around the corner, Jubes?" Scott chimed in.

Kitty pouted about her teacher's objection, he had apparently forgotten about the young mother's birthday. "And? Summer isn't that far away and she'll have enough time to get used to the thought of accompanying us to the lake."

Another thought troubled Logan, though he liked the kids' idea, and he narrowed his eyes on the firecracker. "Don't tell me you of all people decided on the color, Yellow. Rainbow-stripes ain't to Rogue's likin'."

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Wolvie." The girl skipped to her feet and walked over to a dresser, rummaging in one of the drawers. After a moment she returned with a plastic bag, from which she fished a forest green bikini top. "Whaddaya think?"

"Not bad." Logan had to admit and shoved the mental picture of his little Marie wearing that piece to the back of his mind.

"And we got a rattle for Becca." Pete added and retrieved the toy from the bag in Jubilee's hand.

Kitty saw the appreciating nod of Wolverine. "I'll bake a birthday cake."

"You won't!" Jubilee shouted wide eyed.

"A cake is a nice idea." Logan argued and was rewarded by an are-you-nuts-glare from the Asian.

"Only if you want Rogue to spend the next night hugging the toilet seat." Scott explained and then faced the petite brunette. "Sorry, Kitty, but your mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving were almost deadly!"

"Yes! How the hell could you pour spoiled milk into the food, Kitty?"

"How should I know that the milk wasn't fresh anymore? The expiration date said it should be fine," the brunette tried to defend herself.

"You said that the milk wasn't that fluid anymore," Pete chimed in, remembering the day after Thanksgiving and the girl's explanation.

"I already said, I thought it was grease." Maybe now was the time to phase through the floor?

Logan had listened to the conversation and decided that a cake was a great idea, but Kitty wasn't qualified for the job. "Fine, no cooking for Half-Pint."

"But I like to cook and bake!" The girl shouted her cheeks red from either embarrassment or agitation.

"To like something doesn't necessary mean to be good at it," Scott explained and saw the upset expression of the brunette.

Jubilee shoved the bikini back into the bag and hid it in the drawer under her lingerie, before turning around and staring at Logan expectantly. "What do you have for Roguey, Wolvie?"

The Canadian only smirked at the chatty teen. "Nah, it's a surprise and you can't control your mouth." A chuckle escaped his lips at her annoyed expression. "But I have somethin' else planned I'd need your help with."

"Don't you want that to be a surprise, too?" The girl muttered with a pout, her eyes narrowed at her teacher.

"I'm hopin' this one won't slip your lips." His hazel eyes swapped from one student to the next. "Rogue always hid her nose in her books and now she has the baby and the school to take care of. She deserves an evening full of fun and without worries."

"And you have an idea?" Kitty was bursting with excitement.

Logan steadied his nerves and senses for the high pitched screams of the two girls that were bound to echo through the mansion. "There is that club near the train station in Westchester, I know the bouncer-"

"You do? Cooool!" Jubilee squealed in delight while Kitty grinned from ear to ear. Logan winced as he placed his hand over the Asian's mouth.

"Yes, I do. And I thought that the three of you could accompany Rogue there and spend a nice evenin' with dancin' and stuff you kids do." Jubilee and Kitty high-fived, but the Canadian continued, his eyes centered on Pete. "Colossus, I'll give you 100 bucks for the evenin' and I trust you to give the change back."

The boy nodded and a shy smile plastered his lips. "Of course."

Scott was surprised at how much thought Logan had put into surprising Rogue and suddenly felt bad for forgetting about the girl's birthday, though it was marked like any other birthday of any of the mansion's residents on the calendar in the kitchen. He would have to speak with Jean and maybe Ororo to also get the young mother a little something.

His musings were interrupted by Kitty and Jubilee squealing even louder and hugging each other. "Curfew is at 11 p.m. and no alcohol for you." Scott didn't want to spoil their joy, but the rules had their reasons and if he would make exceptions to a few of the children, soon a bunch of the other students would bug him to give them the same rights.

Logan rolled his eyes about his fellow X-Men. "You'll always be in sight of each others and no makin' out. One baby is more than enough." He didn't like the idea of having boys lusting after his Marie while he wasn't even close enough to scare them away with his vicious growls or stares. It wasn't that he didn't trust his mate, but the animal in him hated the idea of anyone other than him touching his Marie.

Eventually, the girls let go of each other and calmed down somewhat. "And who's gonna baby-sit Becca while we hit the club?" Kitty asked, knowing the answer already.

"Who you think, Half-Pint?" Logan growled gruffly. He wouldn't leave his tiny daughter in the care of Jean or Scott of all people, Storm maybe. It was hard enough to leave Becca alone in the self-centered doctor's care during her checkups, while he was only a floor above shooing his class through the gym, but being gone for hours – having an eye on his Marie during her clubbing – was too much to bear for the caring father and protective animal in him.

The smiles on the females' faces were priceless. "You're such a great daddy, Wolvie."

"Not like that good-for-nothing Becca's real father is!" Kitty added.

'Huh?' His first reaction to Jubilee's words was panic that the chatty girl had somehow found out the truth and soon everyone would know it – including child care services. But on Kitty's words he almost breathed a sigh of relief – almost that is. 'Good-for-nothin'?' "What makes you think that?" He eventually inquired in a low voice.

Jubilee frowned at her mentor's somewhat hurt features. "Whaddaya mean, Wolvie? That jerk had his fun with Rogue and now won't take any of the responsibility for his kid. The son of a bitch just dumped it all on Rogue."

'Huh?' Those words stung right into his heart. "Sorry, if I repeat myself, but what the hell makes you think that?"

Kitty also wrinkled her forehead in confusion. "Rogue said that she had told Becca's father about the baby. And since you're the only one taking care of Rogue's baby - like the jerk who knocked her up should do - we assumed that he doesn't want to know of his daughter."

"Or has he already met your claws, Wolvie?" Jubilee's expression was slightly terrified that this might indeed be the reason why the guy had never showed up to visit his child.

Logan stared blankly at the teenagers before him and slowly shook his head no. What should he do now? Tell them that Becca's father wasn't such an irresponsible asshole they thought him to be? That he loved his two girls and would never abandon them? But that might be too revealing and do more harm than good.

"It's just good to know that Rogue and Becca have you, sensei." Kitty interrupted his train of thought.

"You should think 'bout having a few little feral kids of your own, Wolvie." Jubilee had a huge smile plastered on her face. "You have that daddy thing figured out already!"

Logan was stunned. "Have I?" That wasn't the smartest, most Wolverine-like thing he could have said, but the three nodding heads and smiling faces healed the throbbing wound to his heart that the girls' words had caused earlier.

Scott watched the conversation silently, his gaze trained onto the other man the entire time. Even though Wolverine tried to hold his impassive mask in place, the hurt shimmering in his eyes was impossible to miss and Scott suddenly felt bad for the other man, that the entire school seemed to hate him and he was unable to set things right. Not without bringing trouble to his family and the school.

When both senior X-Men stepped into the deserted hallway of the girl's wing Logan was still a little dazed by the whirlwind of emotions. "I got goofed on and praised at the same time." He eventually muttered and saw Scott nod, for once without giving a dumb remark.

X X X X X

Jean looked up from her heap of papers she was currently grading and watched Scott shrug into his jacket. "Where're you going?" A frown wrinkled her brow.

"Ro and I are going to town to fetch birthday presents for Rogue."

"Rogue?" 'Yeah, Rogue again. It's always Rogue since she got that brat!'

Scott turned towards his girlfriend, still feeling bad that he hadn't taken a closer look onto the birthday-calendar. "Yeah. She'll turn 17 this Saturday."

"And what are you getting her?" 'Why is he getting her anything at all?' Then with an afterthought. 'It'll look bad if I'm the only teacher not giving her something.'

"Ro has some ideas about what we could give her."

Jean nodded and let her fake smile slip onto her features. 'At least I don't have to waste my time going shopping for that brat.' She watched him approach the door of their room. "Thanks, Scott. I would accompany you, but I still have a lot of work to do." 'Why is everybody making such a fuss about that little slut all of a sudden? If what they told the professor is true, then it's Rogue's fault she already has a kid.'

Scott smiled at her. "Nah, no problem. Ro had already spoken with Logan and he had told her what he got Rogue."

"Logan already has a present?" She had to fight hard not to let her smile fade from her lips.

"Hard to believe that he even knows when her birthday is, but he also has a surprise for her planned with her classmates." He opened the door. "See you later, Jean."

The instant the door closed the redhead's features lost their fake kindness. Her jaw tensed as she leafed through the papers, finally coming up with Rogue's biology test. 'Let's see how easy her life will be.'

The further she read through the girl's answers the more anger boiled under her skin. So far she had found only one mistake on the first page. She placed the red pen down frustrated and turned the page over. On the next sheet there was only a minor error in spelling and Jean was fighting the urge to tear that test to shreds. 'The baby cries the whole night, disturbs the lessons… how does she find the time to study?' An angry sigh escaped her lips. 'Of course Logan helps her. Logan changes the baby, Logan gives the damn bottle, Logan spends the half night in the laundry… Why the fuck is he still here and trying to make her happy? … I thought he wanted me, not some Lolita!'

Every fiber in her body screamed to write an 'F' instead of an 'A' on the girl's test, but she couldn't misuse her power as the girl's teacher. Or maybe? Her fingers bent the two sheets apart from each other and she carefully - not to tear the papers – ripped the second sheet from the staple. Looking around the room, she tried to think of a good hiding place. Simply throwing the page away wouldn't work since the girl would insist that she handed both papers to her and a mind-scan by the professor would support her claim. But the other page could have accidentally fallen off… Getting up the redhead walked over to the dresser and pushed the paper under the furniture.

X X X X X

The next day Rogue was enjoying a pool match with her friends in the rec room. She and Jubilee against Kitty and Piotr while Becca took her nap in her baby seat perched up onto an armchair. They led the score by one and the brunette chuckled in victory as the Russian's next shot brought the black 8 dangerously close to a pocket.

Jean held her expression neutral though the anger about the girl's happiness threatened to twist her features. She received a 'Hello, Dr. Grey' from all four teenagers when her gaze settled on the young mother. "Rogue, the professor and I need to have a word with you."

Marie was startled and surprised at first, but soon worry began to nag on her nerves. "Is it about Becca? Is something wrong with her?" She immediately leaned the pool stick against the table and rushed over to her sleeping daughter.

With a fake reassuring smile Jean shook her head. "No. She's fine." She saw the relief in the girl's face about her words. Two weeks ago the redhead had been concerned that the teen wouldn't accept her baby, but now it was sickening in her opinion to watch Rogue fuss over her brat every waking minute. The brunette had become so overprotective that she hardly allowed the doctor to pick the baby up during her examinations. Jean could count on one hand all the times the child had been held by anybody other than her parents.

Logan was even worse when it came to his daughter. The redhead had heard him snarl at his students on several occasions, when the kids would only do so much as to reach out to touch the baby's hand.

When she saw Rogue pick up the baby seat, another thought crossed her mind. There was a way she could make the girl even more uncomfortable. "Rogue, it's best you'd leave your daughter here with your friends." She saw the girl hesitate and look with worried eyes towards her friends. "It won't take long," she lied, knowing full well that more than a simple conversation would be taking place in the professor's office.

Marie felt her gut clench at the thought of leaving her baby in the care of anyone other than her mate. Not that she wouldn't trust her friends to not hurt her daughter, but still she didn't like the idea and was about to suggest bringing her to Logan when Kitty beamed at her. "We'll watch her. She is sleeping anyways."

"And we'll bring her to you if she cries, chica." Jubilee added and Marie didn't have the heart to refuse her friends' offer, especially not when her teacher was already urging her to leave.

"Fine. But if something is the matter, please bring her to me immediately." Marie saw the nods and followed her impatient teacher out into the hallway. The older woman's face was serious and the teenager became the more nervous the longer the uncomfortable silence pressed on during their walk to the professor's study.

The brunette caught herself fiddling with the sleeve of her shirt and stopped it. 'What does the professor want from me?'

'I wonder, Kid.'

'Maybe Ah should have asked for his permission before inviting Jubes and Kitty to Logan's room for a movie night?'

'I doubt this to be the reason for this calling, child.' Erik's voice echoed in her mind as she saw Jean frown.

'Please keep quite, ya two. Ah don't want those telepaths to find out that Ah hear voices in mah head.'

'But we're part of your mutation, Kid. Not the product of a loony's imagination.'

'Will ya shut up now?'

Marie heard Logan grumble, but felt both her mental passengers calm down and hide in their respective 'compartments' of her brain. She saw Jean watch her with something akin to anger gleaming in her green eyes and the girl felt the need to cast her gaze towards the wooden floor. After a moment still feeling the piercing gaze of her teacher rest on her, Marie mustered her courage and looked her straight in the eye. "What does the professor wanna talk to me about?"

"You'll see." Jean flashed her one of her toothy smiles that had something predatory about it when she rapped at her mentor's door.

'Please come in,' rang the older man's gentle voice in both females' heads.

The professor gestured for Marie to take a seat across from his large desk and steepled his fingers before his face. A rather serious expression creased his kind features.

"Ya wanted to talk to me, Professor?"

Charles took a moment to sense the nervousness of the girl. "Well, Rogue, it seems we have a problem."

Marie's eyes widened in fear and bewilderment. "A problem, sir?"

Nodding he slid a sheet of paper towards her on his desktop. "Dr. Grey was grading the Biology tests of your class, when she found that the second page of your test was missing." He felt the surprise of the young mother and came to the conclusion – with a little help of his gift – though he couldn't and wouldn't invade the girl's mind – that she didn't let the page vanish on purpose. "Your score on the first page is impressive, Rogue, but unfortunately it wouldn't be enough to pass the test without the missing questions."

"So Ah failed?" Marie felt tears sting at her eyes and took a deep breath to gather herself. She wouldn't cry in front of the professor and especially not in the presence of Jean Grey. But she couldn't believe this. She had studied together with Logan for days – fine she had cheated somewhat – but still, was everything in vain?

Charles saw the girl's face pale and a warm smile formed on his lips. "No, Rogue." His blue-grey eyes swept over to the redhead. "But we decided that the best way to solve this problem would be that you would repeat the test."

Marie breathed a sigh of relief. As much as she hated to take a test all on her own and to have to spend another afternoon with her Biology book, she was thankful for the opportunity the professor was granting her.

Meanwhile the doctor retrieved a paper from a folder on the desk, concentrating to keep her emotions and thoughts neutral and professional and her barriers up, just in case her mentor might pick up on her thoughts. "I took the liberty of coming up with new questions, so you can repeat the test." Jean had picked the hardest questions she could think of - some at the university level - and now placed the new test and a pen in front of the girl.

The brunette's eyes widened and she met the other woman's gaze. "Now?" Rogue suddenly became even more nervous and insecure.

Jean smiled – hoping the professor would interpret it as reassuring – but in truth she was happy to see the girl in so much distress. "Now would be the best time. The actual test was the day before yesterday, so you shouldn't have forgotten anything yet."

Charles didn't need his gift to see how uncomfortable the girl became. "You can take your test here in my study, Rogue. I have to grade the 10th grade physics quiz."

The brunette nodded reluctantly and picked the pen up.

Logan stepped out of the elevator, his hair still damp from the shower after his Danger Room session, when his sensitive ears picked up on his daughter's cries. He sniffed the air and frowned when he picked Becca's scent up while her mother's came from a different direction. Immediately he broke into a run only to slow his pace as soon as he entered the rec room.

There, Kitty sat in an armchair rocking his daughter gently while Jubilee made faces to calm the child.

"Where's Rogue?"

The girls looked up and let out a sigh of relief. Kitty placed the whining baby into Wolverine's waiting arms the moment Piotr returned with a baby bottle in his large hand.

"Dr. Grey told Rogue, she and the professor had to speak with her and it wouldn't take long." Jubilee explained. "That was an hour ago." She watched the feral's attempts to calm the child, until he slid the claws of his right hand out, holding them into the sun rays, making the girl stop her tantrum at once. "Whoa, Wolvie!" The teenager stared at him with a mixture of shock and awe. "Becca's already as twisted as her mom." The Asian muttered and received a death glare from Wolverine. "Hey, Becca's most likely the only baby on this planet that is fascinated by your claws!"

Logan growled at the girl's remark, knowing deep down that the mouthy teen didn't mean it in any bad way and that she might be right. His girls were special. The Canadian nodded in thanks at Colossus as he reached for the bottle and kissed his daughter's forehead. "All is fine, kiddo. Here's your milk." His voice was soft and a few nuances higher than his usual dark barks.

Kitty smiled softly at the picture before her, but when she saw Logan's piercing gaze settle on her, her features became serious. "Rogue told us that we should bring Becca to her in a case like this." She almost shrunk under his intense and dark glare. "But about ten minutes after Rogue had left, Dr. Grey returned and told us that Rogue had to repeat a test and is to be disturbed under no circumstances."

A low snarl rang from his lips. "Why didn't you bring the baby to me?" He demanded and watched the three teenagers trade 'I-told-you-so'-gazes.

"Dr. Grey said that you had your private DR session and it wouldn't be good to disturb you when-" Piotr was unsure how to continue.

"When what?" Logan growled and made the kids jump.

Jubilee mustered her courage and answered in a small voice. "When you're all feral. She said a wailing baby would be the last thing you would need in that state."

"She didn't say it directly, but … she indicated that you might harm Becca accidentally…" The brunette trailed off and she and her friends took a few steps back at the sight of Logan gritting his teeth and tensing his jaw.

Anger boiled in the Canadian and he took a deep breath to steady his nerves. "That fuckin' bitch!" He spat and centered his darkening eyes on his trembling students. "You believed that self-centered chick that I ain't have enough control 'bout my temper?" He stomped over to grasp the baby seat. Before leaving the room he seized the kids with his glare. "I would never harm a child, no matter how feral I might be!"

X X X X X

Logan paced the balcony in front of the teachers' rooms agitated, chewing on his unlit cigar while breathing in his daughter's calming scent. The girl was cradled contently against her father's chest while he walked the wide balcony up and down like a caged animal. If he wouldn't have to take care of his daughter at the moment he would have turned the med lab upside down by now, including his so-called team mate. 'That bitch! How dare she?' Becca moved her tiny head on his black shirt and he immediately placed a kiss onto her downy top. 'Becca's fine… gained weight… she doesn't need those damn daily check-ups any more.' He took another deep breath. 'We'll go to town and find her a doctor.'

His ears literally perked up when fast steps neared his mate's room and someone opened and slammed the door shut soundly. Smelling the salt of tears, Logan turned on his heels and rushed towards the French doors leading to his Marie's room, only to be met with two slender arms wrapping themselves about his stomach and a red and puffy face being buried in his chest next to the baby's tiny body. Without a second thought he lifted his free hand up to his mate's back and rubbed soothing circles.

"Shh… What happened, Marie?" Logan's senses told him that the girl wasn't hurt, at least not physically. When she continued to cry into his shirt, he led her over to a few chairs and a table. Sinking down onto one of the stools, Logan carefully pulled the distressed girl into his lap, her head resting on his shoulder next to their daughter's face. He placed soft kisses onto her salt and pepper hair, mumbling soothing nonsense, while he wondered anew where that knowledge how to react came from.

After a small eternity Marie finally wiped her eyes and pulled her amazingly calm baby into her embrace. "Sorry, sweetie, Ah'm never gonna leave ya alone again."

Logan tightened his hug around his two girls, planting pecks onto each of their foreheads. "What happened, Kid?" His worried voice made her look up from their child. "Why the hell did you have to repeat a test? ... Which one by the way?"

"Biology." Marie sniffed and blinked new tears away. "A page of mah test vanished and Ah had to repeat the entire test to pass!" Her breathing sped up. "It was awful, Logan! Ah scratched almost everything Ah had answered and wrote something else! Ah wasn't sure what she really wanted to know!" The brunette buried her tear streaked face in her daughter's soft hair. "Sometimes Ah even guessed!"

Logan pulled his mate even closer as a new wave of tears made her body shake. Suddenly his piercing gaze left the brunette and centered on the lone figure standing at an open window. Scott immediately got the hint and closed the window to his and Jean's room, before leaving for a conversation with the professor.

A few minutes passed by till Marie got a hold of herself and spoke up again in a low voice, knowing her mate would hear every word. "Erik says this test was harder than the last one." She slowly looked up and locked eyes with the feral. "And ya couldn't help me this time."

"Why not? Has he already forgotten everythin'?" He knew that most of the students had 'knowledge-bulimia' when it came to subjects they wouldn't need afterwards.

Marie shook her head. "No, and he… the you in mah mind wanted to tell me the answers, but Ah didn't let him. Ah was too afraid to even access your memories in case the professor might pick up on mah cheating."

"And that he might think you nuts?" He knew one of her greatest fears was to end up in a madhouse. "I doubt that, Marie." He stroked a white lock from her field of vision and tugged it behind her ear. "No one thinks you a loony, Kid."

Marie let out a strangled and bitter chuckle. "Ah failed the test… Ah'm sure."

"Nah… even if, it's not the end of the world. Hardly think you wanna study Biology or that crap."

Marie made a face, showing him how ridiculous his idea was, before leaning her head against his shoulder with a sigh. "But Ah need good grades for college…"

"College?" He raised his brow in curiosity. They had never talked about what she wanted to do after graduation.

A shy smile formed on her pink lips and she began to play with the hem of his shirt absently. "Ah like reading and writing… and ya were right when ya said that the mansion is the safest place for Becca to grow up… and the Professor was so kind to us and Ah wanna give something back…"

"You wanna become a teacher." He concluded with a proud smirk plastered on his features. "Tell you what. Let's wait and see how the test turns out and if it's bad, then I'll have a talk with Chuck."

It wasn't unusual for Logan to take care of Becca on the weekends so that Marie could sleep in. This day was no exception, though the brunette had hoped her mate might wake her for a breakfast in bed or some other such special treat. Then again, she thought, that would be too cheesy for the Wolverine. Glancing at the digital clock on her night stand, she decided that ten o'clock was too early for her so she turned over and snuggled back into her pillow with a contented sigh.

On other days, the young mother could spend hours lying in bed half asleep, but today her mind wouldn't stop wondering what Logan might surprise her with at any moment. The anticipation eventually forced her out of bed and, after a quick visit to her bathroom, she headed for the kitchen, still clad in her blue pajamas.

Just like every other weekend morning, Logan sat at the table with a newspaper and his breakfast in front of him while Becca's seat stood next to him on the tabletop with the sleeping child in it. On the other end of the table sat Kitty, Jubilee and Piotr, each chewing on their cereal and mumbling a 'good morning' in her general direction as always.

"Morning." Marie frowned slightly at the familiar picture and fetched a glass for her orange juice from one of the cabinets. Her gaze traveled over her friends' faces while she poured herself her drink. The silence was defeating and she placed her still half full glass onto the kitchen counter before moving closer to Logan. "Umm… today is Saturday." She hinted eventually.

The Canadian didn't look up from the newspaper when he murmured his answer. "Yeah, I know, Kid."

'Has he forgotten?' The sickening feeling that this might indeed be the case grew and she decided to give it another try. "What have ya planned for today?"

"The cage fights yesterday were tough. Gonna relax a little while tinkering around with Cyke's bike." He plopped a slice of bacon into his mouth.

"Oh." Her voice became even smaller. "Okay…"

Eventually Logan lifted his gaze from the newspaper. "Somethin' wrong, Kid?" He furrowed his brows. "You got other plans?"

"Umm, no." Her face fell and her sad eyes switched swiftly over to the calendar hanging on the wall next to the fridge.

Logan's gaze followed hers and his eyes widened in horror. "Oh fuck! I completely forgot 'bout your birthday, Kid!" He looked quite sheepish as he crumbled the newspaper together. "Sorry."

Marie narrowed her eyes on him and the sadness in her features was impossible to miss. "Ya ain't serious, Logan?"

The Canadian ran his hand through his hair and rose to his feet, approaching her slowly. "But you already said you only want us to spend the day together. I can work on the bike some other time."

"Nah… ya don't have to go outta your way, Logan." Her voice almost cracked as she struggled against the tears that threatened to fall. "It's just a day like any other." The brunette pushed past her mate, miserable and angry at the same time and reached for her sleeping daughter.

Wolverine followed her back to the kitchen table, a guilty expression on his face. "Kid, I'm sorry."

When Marie pulled the baby seat closer towards her, she caught sight of a plate with a huge stack of large pancakes on it, that was well hidden behind her daughter's seat. Instead of maple syrup, Nutella cream was between each pancake and covered the top one completely while candles in the form of a 17 stuck in it. The brunette wasn't sure if this was a desperate attempt of her own imagination to make her feel better, so she turned her head around and met Logan's gaze.

He couldn't keep his smile off his face any longer, especially not at the sight of his mate's astonished features. "At least Becca had thought of your birthday." Logan watched the girl look back and forth between him and her cake, a smile tugging on her lips. "Happy Birthday, Kid." Wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace, he couldn't stop himself from planting a kiss onto her head.

Their audience also got to their feet with smiles on their faces and approached Marie. "Happy Birthday, Rogue!"

"Thanks!" Marie beamed from ear to ear and her former tears of sadness were now rolling down her cheeks as tears of joy. Her gaze returned to the plate with the candles. "What's that?"

"Your birthday cake out of pancakes." Logan snatched his lighter from his jeans and lit the candles while Marie giggled. "Kitty offered to bake, but then I heard stories about last Thanksgivin' and her mashed potatoes. I know it isn't a real cake, Kid, but it's better than a bought one." Logan shrugged, hoping she liked his idea. "Or Kitty's."

"It's great, Logan! It's the best birthday cake ever!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him with all her might, her joy sparkling in her chocolate eyes.

The Canadian chuckled about her enthusiasm. "Don't praise it before you tasted it."

When she broke away Jubilee pulled her into another hug. "You should have seen your face when you thought we had forgotten 'bout your big day, chica!"

"That was so mean of you, guys!" Marie exclaimed while hugging her other two friends.

"Umm, Kid, you should blow out the candles before the pancakes burn." Meanwhile Logan had picked his daughter up and had carefully woken her up.

The brunette's eyes widened at the steadily shrinking candles. Sitting down on the chair Logan had pulled out for her, she took a deep breath.

"Don't forget to make a wish, Rogue!" Kitty reminded her friend and watched her extinguish the flames.

The Canadian held Becca in his arm, her head in the crook of his arm as he carefully placed a red wrapped package on the infant's belly. "I had a hard time to find a present for you, but Becca had a great idea." He chuckled as he saw his mate's eyes widen in happiness at the sight of her present being 'carried' by her daughter.

Marie picked her child and gift up and cradled the girl close to her chest. "Ooh thanks, Becca!" The tiny girl gargled happily and grasped for her mother's dog tags as her chubby cheeks were assaulted by kisses.

"Open it up, Kid." Logan was anxious like a little boy at Christmas morning.

The young mother grinned up at him and carefully unwrapped the present, so the wrappings wouldn't be damaged.

"Just rip it."

"Nah, Ah'm almost done." She slid the box out and gasped at the picture on it. "Wow…" Logan feared for a moment she didn't like it, but then the girl cracked the brightest smile he had ever seen and threw her arms around his stomach. "Thank ya! Thank ya! Thank ya, Logan!"

"I take it you like it."

She pulled away and studied the description. "It's fantastic!" When she opened the box she noted the security tape had been broken.

"I took the liberty to charge it and Becca urged me to make a few pics of her," explained Logan while he watched his mate inspect the silver camera. "You can make as many photos and videos with audio as you like, Kid."

"That's the best present ever, Logan!" Marie felt tears sting in her eyes as she looked at the pictures of her little girl already stored on the device. The date of the earliest told her that Becca had been nine days old.

"You always complained you have no early pictures of the little tyke." Wolverine added in a gentle voice.

The brunette eventually looked up and their gazes met. "Thank ya so much, Logan!"

The Canadian felt his own face split into a genuine smile as once again she threw her free arm around his waist, hugging him to her and burying her cheerful face in his side. "You're welcome, Kid." When they broke away, he fetched the camera from her fingers and took a first picture of his two girls together.

Meanwhile Jubilee had retrieved the other present from under the table and was now placing it in front of the birthday girl on the table. "Pete, Kitty and I also got you something, Roguey."

She looked away from the camera and faced her friends with a bright smile. "Thank ya!"

"The small present is for you and the large one is for Becca." Pete clarified with a grin and watched Marie unwrap the smaller gift.

The brunette furrowed her brows when she found a bird-shaped soft-toy in it. "Ooh, Ah always wanted a purple bird. How did ya guys know?" She asked sarcastically, aware that this toy was for her daughter.

"It's a rattle." Kitty explained with a smile and reached for the item in the other brunette's hand and shook it slightly. Upon hearing the sound of the toy above her head, Becca's eyes widened and she reached out for the small bird with eager hands.

Marie smiled down on her little girl. "Ooh, no, honey, that rattle is for me ya hear." But she placed the toy into her daughter's small hands, who immediately put it in her mouth and sucked on the fabric. "Ya can hold it while Ah unwrap your present, sweetie." A moment later, Marie grinned like an idiot as she pulled a forest green bikini top from the paper and held it over her baby's tiny body. "It's a little big, don't ya think?"

"Becca has till summer to grow into it." Jubilee chuckled and saw the young mother nod.

"Otherwise, would ya'll be mad if Becca and Ah switch our presents?"

"Well, OK, only if you promise to accompany us to the lake in the summer." Kitty watched her friend fold the bikini neatly together.

Marie grinned while Logan took a few photos. "Okay, deal." She carefully leaped up and walked around the table to hug each of her friends, Becca propped up on her shoulder. "Thank ya'll so much."

"Oh you have already started with the presents!" came Storm's voice from the doorway and she approached with a present in her hand while Scott, Jean and the professor were on her heels. The weather witch leaned forward and hugged the birthday girl. "Happy birthday, Rogue."

X X X X X

Ten minutes later, Marie had unwrapped her last present, a pink and yellow striped baby memorial album. In awe she leafed through the empty pages. There was enough room for photos and notes to document Becca's first five years. The small touch ink-pad that came with the book was for a little print of Becca's foot and hand for the first page.

Tears of joy glittered in her chocolate orbs as Marie looked up and faced her teachers. "Thank ya so much, Mr. Summers and Dr. Grey! Ah'll start with it right away!" Her gaze traveled over her presents on the table: The bikini, the camera, the baby album, photo print paper and a SD storage card from Storm and a small photo printer to print the pictures directly from the camera from the professor. "Is it possible that ya coordinated the presents?" She eventually asked with an amused frown.

Storm grinned down at her. "Logan told me he got you a camera to keep records of your daughter growing up and we eventually came up with the other stuff you might need."

"Thank ya'll so much! That's the best birthday ever!"

"The surprises ain't over yet, Kid." The Canadian announced and traded mischievous looks with her classmates.

"What? There is more?" Marie was genuinely taken aback and curious.

"Yep, Wolvie has planned how to celebrate your birthday tonight." Jubilee began and Kitty continued. "We'll take you to a club downtown!"

"A club!" Marie looked shocked from one of her friends to the next until her gaze stopped at her mate, who could tell that she wasn't all that thrilled. "If you don't want Yellow and Half-Pint to style you, you should be ready at 7 p.m., Kid."

"B-but, what about Becca?" She got incredibly nervous. Never before was she in a club and only one time in a bar. What was she gonna wear? How was she gonna dance there? She'd make a fool out of herself!

"I know the bouncer, but I doubt I can make him let a baby in." He explained and picked his sleepy daughter up. "Becca and I will enjoy the evenin' with beer and milk in front of the TV." He pressed a soft kiss on the baby's forehead. "Won't we, kiddo?" The tiny girl gargled in response and made her mother laugh.

"Let's cut the cake before the lil' skunk demands her second breakfast." Logan was glad to see his mate laughing and happy, though he didn't miss the jealousy and anger lingering in the air. His gaze darted over to the redhead, who congratulated the girl once more before excusing herself. 'Good thing the bitch is returnin' to her stupid lab.'

When everyone had a slice of the monstrous pancake(s) placed before them Marie stared at the seventeen extinguished candles laying on a separate plate.

"365 days," the young woman muttered softly.

Everyone looked startled except Logan, who grinned. "It's 366 days, Kid. Next year is a leap year." He heard her groan and snickered about the face she made.

Logan returned from the kitchen to his room, his arms loaded with chips, popcorn and beef jerky and he dropped the TV snacks on his bed, before walking over to his girls' room. The bathroom door was ajar and his sensitive ears told him that Marie was getting ready for her night out. He approached the crib and pressed a kiss to his sleeping daughter's head. Next to the crib lay the camera and the baby book on the desk and he immediately picked the album up.

Opening it, Logan was greeted with his tiny daughter's picture and her black foot and hand print on each side of her photo. He smiled softly and traced the miniature fingerprints with his index-finger. When he turned the page, his smile slipped from his lips. The paper was almost empty except for three pictures and five names. The lack of information in the small family tree was defeating and a low growl rolled from his lips. Marie could at least enter her parents' names and birth dates. On Becca's father's branch there wasn't even a surname and he closed his eyes in agony for a moment.

The next page was reserved for an ultrasound picture and a photo of the pregnant mother, showing her baby bump. They had neither of both and so Marie had taped the umbilical cord into the box for the ultrasound picture. Logan wrinkled his nose slightly, but leafed through the book and the few photos of his daughter's first days of life.

After putting the book away onto the top shelf, he peeked carefully through the slightly open door of the bathroom. There stood his mate in front of the mirror, clothed in an awfully short black mini-skirt – borrowed from Kitty – a skin-tight ruby spaghetti-top that left nothing to the imagination and Jubilee's black stilettos. Her long auburn hair was captured in a high ponytail while her two white bangs fell down her cheeks framing her face and reaching her cleavage where Logan's dogtags rested.

Logan licked his lips and pushed the door open to get a better view of her features while the brunette was busy putting make-up onto her face that was already quite colorful with the bright red lipstick, the dark mascara, the pinkish rouge on her pale cheeks and the blue powder on her eyelids. His brows furrowed at the sight of her and he approached the teenager warily.

She caught his eyes in the mirror and flashed him an uncertain smile. Marie hardly wore any make-up; for one she liked it discreet and didn't want to pull attention at her and two, the stench would bother Logan's sensitive nose. So she had a hard time applying the right amount rouge to her face – she simply lacked practice in this field. 'Ah look like a clown. It ain't getting better! The more Ah try the worse it gets!'

'I told you, a lil' lipstick and mascara would be enough.'

'Can it, Logan! Jean's wearing more make-up than that and so do the VIPs when they go out.' She glared down at the open teen magazine. 'Ah wanna look older!'

"Kid, you ain't lookin' like 17, but 13." He wrinkled his nose the closer he got. "And you stink like a chemical factory." His bluntness brought sadness, embarrassment and anger on her features and he grabbed a wet washcloth quickly, running it over her face gently while her stubborn gaze watched him. "Less is sometimes more."

X X X X X

Rogue was overwhelmed by the loud music, the dimmed light and the ease the other young adults moved to the beats on the dance floor. The nervous part of her had hoped the entire ride to the club that the bouncer wouldn't let them in, to spare her the embarrassment to make herself look like the greatest fool in front of her friends and half of the town. But to her dismay, Max had congratulated her and had let them in like VIPs without waiting in the long row like everyone else had to do.

After finding a table and getting themselves some drinks, Kitty and Jubilee had threatened to tell the DJ that it was Rogue's birthday, so she would be in the spotlight if she and Pete wouldn't join them on the dance floor. A few songs later, Marie was confident enough to follow her friends further into the crowd and to move more easily to the beats.

That was an hour ago and now all four friends were gathered at their table with almost empty drinks in their hands. "Ah'm not sure if Logan knows where Ah put Becca's back-up pacifier." The brunette slipped her mate's cell phone out of her bra and hit the speed-dial for Logan's private line at the mansion, ignoring the annoyed gazes of her friends all the while.

"Hi, it's me again." She listened to his complains and checked her watch. "No, Ah called ya 16 minutes ago, not 10… Ah am having fun! This is important, Logan!" She wrinkled her forehead about the noise in the background. "Why does Becca still cry?" She listened to his cussing and explanation, before cutting him off with anger edged to her voice. "So ya tell me it's mah fault she cries? Maybe ya should move your butt faster to the phone? Or turn the volume of the damn phone down!... Yes, it is possible! Just like changing the melodies of the ring!... What do ya mean with ya gonna hung up and place the receiver next to the phone?" A moment past by as she listened to silence on the other end of the line. "Logan? Logan ya ass!"

She hung up and hit the speed dial again only to be met with the busy tone.

Jubilee sighed heavily and held her open palm in front of the worried and enraged mother. "Chica, hand me the cell at once and come to the dance floor with us."

"Yes, Rogue, pleeeeease." Kitty whined and took the other brunette by the hand pulling her to her feet eventually.

"It isn't like Logan had never watched Becca before." Pete's patience was also thinning and he fetched the phone from Rogue's lifted hand – she was holding the device out of the Asian's reach – and stowed the cell in his pants' pocket, not without complains from one of the girls, while the other two thanked him smiling.

"Yep, Wolvie can handle your daughter just fine. You were the one waking her up the last four times you called."

"But…" Marie's gaze flickered over to the old payphone in the corner next to the restrooms.

"No buts, you'll enjoy your birthday now!"

X X X X X

Some idiot had stepped on Jubilee's foot and Marie was somehow glad about this, so she had a reason to return to their table and catch her breath, while watching Pete and Kitty dance. From time to time the Russian would bend down next to his friend's ear and whisper something that made the girl smile or giggle. Rogue and the firecracker shared some knowing looks. "Ah think we have the newest gossip, Jubes."

The Asian only 'mhmed' and eventually tore her eyes from the soon to be couple and eyed the brunette next to her. "Say, Roguey, you're Wolvie's best friend." The firecracker received a nod at this. "Are he and Dr. Grey an item?"

Marie got curious. Up until now the entire students' body believed that Logan and Jean had an affaire right under Scott's nose. "Why do ya ask?"

"For one, Dr. Grey and Mr. Summers are still sharing their quarters, though the rumors tell that Logan got now serious with his attempts with her."

Just then, Pete and Kitty returned from the dance floor, both smiling, and sank down on the free chairs at their table, catching the last few words of the Asian. The three of them had wondered about the truth of the gossip about the mansion's newest couple. "And two, while you were repeating your test, he got furious about Dr. Grey and called her a fucking bitch. Not very loving if you ask me."

The brunette saw the inquiring gazes of her friends dug into her and she contemplated her answer. "Well, Logan is interested in her, but not in love with her." She took a sip of her non-alcoholic cocktail.

"And that means?" Kitty inquired after a moment of silence.

Rogue swallowed and thought. "At the beginning, he only wanted to get her laid, so she was another notch on his bedpost."

"He isn't serious with her?" Pete asked between sips of his coke.

Marie shook her head. "Never was. Now he is mainly hitting on her to piss Mr. Summers off."

"Taking Cyclops' nose into account, Logan is successful with his plan." Jubilee's remark brought grins on all four teenagers' faces. "And Wolvie told you this just like…"

The brunette chuckled and emptied her glass. "We're talking about a lot of stuff." The probing gazes of her friends made her continue. "In truth, Dr. Grey still hadn't figured out that his flirting with her is only to make Mr. Summers angry… and to show his giant ego that he could have her if he still wanted."

"Isn't that mean of him to let her in that belief?"

Marie shrugged and held Colossus' gaze. "Maybe, but there happened a few things in the last weeks that showed some … not so nice aspects of Dr. Grey's character."

"Like what?" blurted both girls out, more than just curious.

Now the young mother was squirming. "Umm…Ah don't like her opinion of Logan she told me about… That he's unreliable and an instinct driven animal." The next words left her mouth before she was aware about their meaning. "That Ah shouldn't count on Logan and that he will eventually leave Becca and me."

Realization dawned on Jubilee and she watched Kitty place her hand on Rogue's shoulder in a comforting gesture. "She's trying to drive a wedge between the two of you. That's why she told us to don't bring Becca to Wolvie."

"Is it possible that she's jealous about Logan taking care of you and your daughter?"

The brunette hitched her brow in a good imitation of her mate. "What do ya mean, Pete?"

"Everyone thought the first week, he would take Becca to her doctor's appointments, so he had an excuse to see Dr. Grey. But the last two weeks showed that he loves your daughter and is happy to spend his time with her."

Kitty chewed on her straw. "It never was about Dr. Grey in the first place."

"Ah never thought about it this way…" Marie muttered and poked with her straw at the half-molten ice cube in her glass. "Anyway, Logan and Ah decided that Becca made good progress and doesn't need her daily check-ups any more."

"And Dr. Grey was fine with this decision?"

"Hardly, Jubes, but when Logan mentioned to look for a doctor downtown, an appointment once a week in the med bay was suddenly fine with her." The young mother narrowed her eyes and began stabbing the ice cube with more ferocity. "Ain't like Ah couldn't lay mah baby on scales once a day."

Kitty furrowed her brows in surprise. "That's all she's doing?"

"Yes, and taking her temperature and looking for rash. Those are all things Logan and Ah can do on our own, but the few times we really needed a doctor's advice, that bitch decided her pillow was in a greater need for her attention!" The cube finally shattered in two big halves and a few splitters that immediately melted.

Pete traded worried a gaze with Kitty. "That's not the right topic to celebrate your birthday, Rogue."

"Pete's right. Let's get back to the dance floor!" Kitty didn't wait for Marie's objections and simply pulled her with Jubilee's help into the crowd while the boy decided to guard their drinks and get his feet some rest.

X X X X X

It was way past midnight when Marie tiptoed with her shoes in one hand down the hallway of the teachers' wing and saw light shine from under Logan's door. She opened the door quietly and vanished into her mate's room, finding him sitting in the armchair with their sleeping daughter cradled in his embrace. A smirk plastered his lips as he removed his hazel gaze from the TV and their eyes locked. "See, we're still alive." He saw her approach and grin about his comment. "How was it, Kid?"

"Great!" She carefully slung her arms around his neck and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "Maybe visiting a club once in a while isn't as bad as Ah thought it to be."

"So I take it you dared to dance?" Before she had left for the garage, the insecure brunette had worried about her performance on the dance floor.

She slid into his lap and his arm wrapped about her waist immediately. "At first Ah felt awkward, but nobody stared at me oddly, so Ah guess Ah wasn't that bad."

A gentle smile formed on his features. "See, I told you so."

"Yep." Marie yawned and stroked her sleeping daughter's back, before pressing her lips onto her mate's in a long and loving kiss. "Thanks for the wonderful day, Logan."

"You're welcome, darlin'." He placed a peck onto the tip of her nose.

The teenager snuggled closer, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "Ah love you."

"I love you, too." Before he was aware of what had happened, he found his mate deep asleep in his embrace, just like their daughter was in his other arm. "Marie?" Logan tried in a gentle tone, but was met with silence and eventually decided with a soft smile gracing his features that sleeping with his two girls curled up to his body wasn't the worst way to spend the night.

X X X X X

CHAPTER 37

The weeks had past and fall was slowly turning into winter while the temperatures dropped with each passing day. Like anticipated Marie's Biology test results were miserable, but she had at least past with a D-. The teenager had been kinda relieved about that outcome, but Logan on the other hand had stormed into the professor's study and had demanded for yet another repeat or a change in grading. Not intimidated in the slightest by the feral's outburst or the damage one of his antique chairs has taken, Xavier made it clear that he wouldn't manipulate grades, but that he would ask Jean to give Rogue additional chances to improve her grades.

This brought Rogue to the local public library – not that the Institute didn't harbored its own vast collection of books, but for the paper Jean had assigned to her, she needed some sources that were only available in town.

The brunette had copied the two articles she needed and was now leafing through an illustrated book of Alaska while she waited for Logan to return with the promised cacao and a coffee for himself. Becca lay in her carrier on the table next to her mother and sucked her thumb, while Marie held the book up and pointed at the breathtaking pictures of the scenery. "Look, honey, that's Mount McKinley. Mommy had planed to travel all the way up to Alaska and see the mountain with mah own eyes."

"I don't want you to give up on that dream, Kid." Logan's voice had startled her slightly and she watched him sink down on the chair next to hers. He placed two paper cups down in front of their calm daughter. "Actually, before Becca came, I was goin' to take you on a trip up to Alaska to celebrate your graduation."

Grinning she arched her brow and focused her chocolate eyes on his usual scowl that plastered his features. "So ya planned on jumping mah bones in Alaska?"

"Kinda." A smug smirk tugged on his lips. "But we could delay the trip a little, so Becca is older and can enjoy the snow."

"And how long do Ah have to wait, Logan?" She batted her lashes at him sweetly.

The Canadian inhaled and ran his fingers through his thick hair. "What do you think 'bout a birthday journey to celebrate your 21st?"

"21st?" Her jaw got slack for a moment and she starred at him in disbelief. "Ya are aware that Ah just turned seventeen."

"Becca would be four and you were allowed to get boozed."

"Ah already drank beer with ya."

"I know."

She saw him grin about her frustration and narrowed her eyes on him. "Ya're not gonna change your mind, sugah?"

"Nah, 21 is special."

"So is the 18th."

"Yep, but drivin' through Canada with a wailin' one year old on the backseat ain't in my definition of vacation."

She sighed in defeat. "Fine… But it's sooo damn long till Ah'll turn 21." Her eyes centered on her peaceful baby girl for a moment. Then she met his gaze with a shy smile. "How about a wailing two year old next to a cranky four year old on the backseat?"

A genuine smile found its way onto his face. "Sounds like a plan." He captured her lips briefly with his, before breaking away and looking around. Logan breathed a sigh of relief as he saw no one had noticed his fau pax. "But we'll marry before Becca's sibling's birth. Us havin' one love child is more than enough."

"No objections there."

Logan saw her bright grin and leaned back into his chair with his coffee in hand. "I never thought that I would be makin' plans for the future," he murmured between sips of his coffee. "There was a time my plans only involved to which bar I'd head next."

"Do ya regret that?" This question was nagging on her since Becca's birth.

He immediately shook his head and a soft smile spread on his relaxed features. "Nah. It's nice to think about the future." He slipped her small hand into his under the table and squeezed it reassuringly. "To have a future."

None of them had noticed the two ice-blue eyes that had observed them the entire time from a landing two floors above.

X X X X X

X X X X X

CHAPTER 38

The approaching dusk was already swallowing the sun's rays and engulfed the library's parking lot in an eerie twilight. Logan had parked their Jeep at the far end of the lot, just beyond the fence surrounding the park and was now leading his small family over the almost deserted area on the back of the library. He carried the baby seat in one hand and dug with the other for the keys in his jeans' pocket, all the while grunting his two cents to Marie's rant about how unfair it was that she was the only one doing a paper for Jean.

When they reached their car, Logan scented the air and pressed in one swift motion the baby seat and keys into the brunette's hands while whirling around and unsheathing his sharp Adamantium claws.

"Logan?" Marie fearfully watched him scan their surroundings, his nostrils flaring. Immediately she placed the carrier onto the ground and picked her daughter up, clutching her close to her chest.

Logan was about to call orders to the teenager, but a dark voice interrupted him and both their gazes snapped over to the tall in black clothed man, who jumped gracefully from a thick tree branch and was now moving closer towards them. "Good God, runt! The frail was what? 15? when you knocked her up? Never thought you the pedophile type!"

A shudder ran down Marie's spine when she recognized one of her kidnappers – even though his hair was shorter now and his overall appearance didn't scream hairy-serial-killer or animal, but to her own surprise she heard herself reply, her voice vehement and dripping with venom. "Ah was 16! And don't talk like that about mah mate!"

"Mate, huh?" Sabretooth's cold features suddenly twisted into a predatory, yet amused-startled grin, showing his sharp canines. "So you're Logan's mate?" Using that name left a foul taste in his mouth.

She heard Logan snarl and position himself in front of her while the other feral moved closer. "No. Ah'm Wolverine's AND Logan's mate!"

Those words surprised Victor – not that anyone without heightened senses might have noticed – but Wolverine did and grasped this chance. "Kid, get in the car and get movin'!"

Chuckling Victor watched the brunette make a few steps backwards and search for the handle of the car without facing the door, her fearful eyes glued to him. "I would recommend changing the tire first. It could become dangerous for a baby on board." His cold blue eyes flickered to the left rear tire, which he had used as scratching post a few hours before.

Logan cursed under his breath as he saw the leftovers of the tire from the corner of his eyes. With a vicious snarl Wolverine's eyes darkened even more as he lunged forward, his claws extended and aiming for the other feral's chest. It seemed like Sabretooth had anticipated this kind of opening and moved slightly to the side in the very last moment, making Logan's claws bury themselves in his left shoulder while the older mutant stabbed his talons into his opponent's gut and throat and used Wolverine's velocity to spun both of them around and fall to the hard concrete – pinning Logan to the ground.

Logan heard Marie's horrified shriek and his daughter's cries. "Run, Kid!" He brought out, blood gargling from his mouth and throat as he spoke. Removing one of his claws from his enemy's shoulder Logan aimed his weapon anew at the other man, this time the throat.

"Still no new tricks, runt?" Evading the attack, Victor taunted as his hand grasped the Adamantium spine hard. There was no way in hell that he could break the indestructible bones, but he could cut the spinal cord between the vertebras. As he did it, Logan roared in pure agony and the pain and reflexes made him retract his claws involuntarily. With a mad grin on his lips, Sabretooth lifted his opponent up by his spine and threw him a few feet away, making him crash into the fence, denting it.

Logan was close to fall unconscious, but he and the animal in him struggled to keep Sabretooth's attention trained on him, giving his two girls time to bring as much space between them as possible. The wound to his neck was already knitting together as he tried to stand up, but he still couldn't feel his feet. With a frustrated grunt the Canadian pushed his upper body from the dirty ground and crawled on his hands and arms towards his chuckling enemy, leaving a trail of his blood on the concrete. "What the fuck have I done to you? Tell me what?" He eventually barked and was relieved to see the other mutant lean lazily against his car while shrugging out of his pitch black coat. This provided him the needed time to heal and his girls to flee.

Victor's eyes narrowed in annoyance and anger as he saw six scratches in his beloved coat. Ignoring the other man's questions, he folded the fabric neatly and placed it on the hood of the X-Jeep, before centering his cold gaze onto his struggling brother.

The silence treatment made Logan's blood boil in his veins and he slowly felt the feelings return to his lower extremities – he needed just a little more time. "What was it that makes you show up every damn year on the same day and beat the shit outta me?" He couldn't hide the frustration in his voice. It had been a few months after he'd woken up without a clue about his past, when Sabretooth had showed himself for the very first time, telling him that whatever happened, the two of them would never be done.

Logan's own frustration about the sudden reproaches and his inability to make sense out of the other mutant's words, hadn't helped to lessen the heated temper of Sabretooth. On the contrary, his negating to know the other man and his harsh demands to leave him alone, had caused the older feral to attack him for the first time.

"You should know by now, I can't remember whatever it was!" Wolverine spat out as he slowly moved his shaky legs and staggered to a standing position when his enemy lengthened his nails and pushed away from the car. "I can't even remember my own fuckin' name!"

Victor only chuckled darkly about the agony the ignorance about his identity brought his brother. How he loved to see that traitor suffer! He wouldn't torture his baby brother, but after that unthankful bastard had left him in Lagos after all they had been through together, Logan deserved this misery in Victor's book. He bent down on all fours and rushed towards the other man with a blood-chilling roar on his lips.

Logan slashed Sabretooth's abdomen, but the brute strength of the other animal and his still shaky legs gave Victor the opportunity to dig his sharp claws into Logan's tight and rip a large part from his flesh while hurling him once again against the fence. Gasping for air and pressing his hand to the large bleeding hole in his leg, Logan was sure he had seen some kind of emotion – other that rage – in the other feral's eyes shortly before the last attack.

Then something dawn on Logan, he hadn't noticed all the years before. If Sabretooth hated him that much, why would he leave as soon as Logan was unconscious and an easy prey? Why not take the opportunity and capture and torture him – his healing factor would guarantee a long time of fun for the sadist. And then there was the fact that Victor had obviously no intention of going after his girls – beating Logan to a pulp once a year was his objective.

Maybe it was time to try a new kind of approach to unlock the mystery of his past. Logan spat blood to the ground and eyed his attacker while he staggered forward. "There's nothin' I can give my mate and kid! Not even a name!" There was this glint again. Suddenly Logan broke into a run – as fast as his wounded leg allowed – and buried one of his claws in Victor's lung while slicing the other through one of his kidneys from the side. A small grin in satisfaction graced Logan's lips as the other mutant screamed in pain and brought his talons back to Logan's throat. Wolverine twisted his blades in the other man's chest and just as anticipated was thrown once again a few feet away and crashed into a tree trunk for a change.

Groaning he struggled for air. "You have known me in the past, haven't you? Tell me at least my last name!" He braced himself for another attack as Sabretooth was on all fours again. His plan didn't seem to work, since Victor didn't respond to any of his questions and he was as clueless as an hour before.

With his next strike, Victor smacked his brother's head forcefully against the hard wood of the tree, before lifting his heavy body up with some trouble and throwing him onto the metal fence next to them, piercing his heart with one of the fence's sharp tips. Logan's agonized roar echoed through the park.

Darkness overcame Logan and with his last thought he prayed that he wasn't wrong about Sabretooth's intentions – otherwise he just had singed his mate's and daughter's death warrant.

Catching his breath Sabretooth waited for his wounds to heal and approached slowly the car and shrugged into his coat, hiding his torn flannel underneath. His dark gaze switched back to his brother's lifeless body and he scented the air.

A smug smirk plastered his lips as he smelled the frail and her cub. Without wasting any time he approached his brother's body, ensuring with a mighty hit to his head that he would stay out cold a little longer, as he removed his torn body from the fence and began pulling him unceremoniously after him as Victor moved over the lawn, his pace quick. He flashed his cat-like 'toothy' grin towards the few people in the park, making them flee in fear.

His nose told him that the girls were on the other side of a hedgerow, so he picked his brother up and threw him over the plants onto the graveled path. The girl's scream widened his smile and he jumped over the hedge and landed gracefully next to Logan's head, his ice-blue eyes trained on the scared young mother and the wailing bundle in her arms.

He could tell she was like frozen by fear. "You forgot something, frail." He saw her jump and anticipated that she would break into a run with her cub, but to his astonishment the brunette removed her forest-green cloak and her long sleeved shirt, wrapping both clothes around her wailing baby and placed the large bundle onto a grass patch under an old oak. He chuckled amused as she took a fighting stance in front of her child, only wearing a spaghetti top, leaving her arms and cleavage bare.

Turning his gaze towards the unconscious man, Victor gave a last good kick to his brother's gut, before digging his long nails into his breast pocket of his black button-up shirt. With a feline grin that showed his sharp canines, he tossed the old dog-tags onto Logan's hand. "Happy birthday, Jimmy!"

Then he centered his unreadable glare on Rogue and he slowly approached her. He could hear her heart run a marathon and her scent was heavy with fear – just as he liked it. When he stepped closer, she didn't back down or beg for her life and that of her cub and he had to give it to her that she had courage. Then again, she could render him unconscious or even dead with only one touch.

"Oh, no, frail, what are you so afraid of?" He taunted and closed the distance between them, always careful where the girl's hands were. Victor noticed his brother's most precious possession, his dog tags, around the girl's neck. 'Jimmy's serious with her!'

"Don't piss your panties. I just wanna have a look at the runt's cub." She stepped closer, holding him away from her child, but Victor was quite tall and he simply looked over her shoulder down on the baby. "Congrats, the cub doesn't look like the runt." With those words said he turned on his heel and walked away.

Rogue stared after Sabretooth in utter disbelief as he simply left, her and her daughter unharmed. When he was out of sight she picked her child up and rushed over to the lifeless body of her mate, inspecting the slowly healing wounds while kneeling down beside him. Tears welled up in her chocolate eyes as she saw the many liters of blood he must have lost and the missing piece of flesh in his tight.

The brunette placed her cloak under Logan's head and ran her fingers through his wild hair, while rocking the still crying Becca. "Shh, honey, Daddy will be fine." A few moments past by before she heard Logan's breath gain strength and a groan fall from his lips. "Logan!"

"That damn mother fucker!" He murmured as he opened his eyes and tried to sit up, only to be assaulted by a fierce hug of his mate. "Marie?" He smelled her salty tears and heard the desperate cries of his daughter, but he couldn't pick up on their bloods' smell. "Are you alright? Did he touch you or Becca?"

She slowly broke away, her clothes full of his blood now, and their gazes met as she shook her head. He breathed a sigh of relief and lifted his hand to his mate's head, stroking her hair and planting a lingering kiss to her forehead. They held onto each other for a small eternity, before Logan heard sirens approach and he carefully pushed his girls away and staggered to his feet, eventually noticing the two metal pieces and the chain in his hand. The smell told him that Sabretooth had carried them with him for quite some time and he grinned softly, but ignored the urge to satisfy his curiosity about his past.

Shoving the dog tags into his jeans' pocket, he grasped Marie's small hand and pulled her and Becca towards the library's parking lot. He got the car started before the police decided to investigate the closer vicinity of the park.

X X X X X

The day following his birthday attack was almost impossible for Logan to stay calm and teach the kids without barking at them more than ever before – one girl even fled from the gym in tears. On the one hand he was relieved to finally know his full name and even his birthday – two things he immediately let correct in Becca's birth certificate, but on the other hand he was so restless, knowing this new knowledge could finally provide more hints about his past. He had asked the professor to investigate about James Howlett's identity and knew this would need some time, but he felt like rushing to the old man's study every ten minutes.

He chewed on his cigar and fingered absently his old dog-tags that he now wore as the smell of cooked rice, fish and ginger filled his nose. His stomach rumbled in delight and he followed the smell to the kitchen, where the scents of his two girls and a 'Wolverine keep out' sign in Marie's handwriting told him that his mate was up to something. With a smirk he opened the door stealthily and approached the kitchen island.

Just when his eyes fell upon the heap of different kinds of sushi Marie turned around and nearly let go of the plate she was holding. "What the fuck do ya think ya're doing, Logan?" Her usually kind eyes gleamed in anger while Becca woke and began her brawl. "Didn't ya see that sign?" Before he could say anything, she had picked up the baby seat. "And where the hell is Jubes? She was supposed to stand guard!"

"Umm, I think I saw her in the rec room watchin' that soap opera from down-under." Logan answered with a shrug and picked his daughter up, calming her at once with soft purrs.

"What?" Marie's eyes darted over to the clock above the door. "Shit, it's already that late!" She turned around and Logan eventually noticed the small Asian on the other end of the kitchen counter. "Michi, Ah'm sorry it took so long. Thanks for your help!"

The black haired girl beamed brightly and placed a few pieces of nigirizushi and five rolls makizushi onto her plate and left the kitchen. "Bye, Rogue, bye, Becca." Her gaze fell upon her teacher. "Bye, Mr. Logan."

"Bye, Michi."

Logan quirked his eyebrow upwards, hoping he would distract his mate. "Michi?"

"From Michiru. Ah think it's cute and she doesn't mind." Her eyes narrowed on him and she placed her hand on her hip. "Ya weren't supposed to see this just yet."

Logan finally understood and he felt a little bad to have spoilt Marie's plan. "This was a surprise for me?"

She nodded and gazed over to the large serving plate she had arranged the sushi pieces in letters, reading 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOG'. After the 'G' there was an half finished 'A'. "Ah know ya like the Japanese culture and food. And since ya ain't a great fan of cakes Ah thought Ah could surprise ya with a special meal."

His face split into the biggest smile she had ever seen on his features and he rushed over to the petite brunette and caught her in a tight embrace, almost crushing their daughter. Never before in his life – as far as he could remember – had anyone wasted a thought on how to make him happy and what he liked and what not. Marie never ceased to amaze him with her caring nature. "How do I deserve you, darlin'?" He whispered in her hair.

Marie smiled and buried her face in his chest, taking in his calming scent. "Happy Birthday, Logan!" She eventually pulled away. "Ah know it's a day late, but Ah don't think anyone of us was in the mood to celebrate yesterday."

"Nah… you're right." He hugged her once more. "Thanks, Kid." He captured her lips in a slow and loving kiss, till someone cleared their throat behind them and he jerked away in sudden realization that they were in a common space.

Storm, her arms crossed, stepped closer to the couple. "You are aware that a student could come in at any moment?"

"Yeah, sorry, Ro." Logan let go of Marie as the weather witch approached.

As she read the food-letters on the plate, her scowl vanished and she smiled gently at her fellow X-Men. "Happy birthday, Logan." She hugged him quickly. "Since when do you know about your birthday?" She asked a little confused. The professor was the only one informed about their findings of the day before.

"Actually, since yesterday, but keep it low, Ro." The last thing he wanted was reading his name on the mansion's birthday-calendar.

Marie turned her attention back to the food. "Today isn't his birthday that was yesterday." When she looked up and saw her teacher's gaze glued to a piece of sushi, the brunette smiled at the other woman. "You can taste one, Miss Munroe."

"Thanks." Storm picked the desired food up and took a bite. "Mmm. That's great!"

The girl's smile widened until she saw Logan's hand near a makizushi roll. She slapped his hand away immediately, earning a scowl and growl, and moved in front of the food, shielding it from another attack.

"Why can she have a roll and I don't, Kid?" His expression showed his annoyance.

Marie turned her upper body, so she could lock eyes with her mate. "Ya'll wait another five minutes."

"What! So long?" Logan whined and prayed that his empty stomach wouldn't betray him in this very moment.

"You go up with Becca and Ah'll finish this and then ya'll get your present."

His ears literally perked up. "Present?"

The brunette smiled at his curious and happy face. "Yes, present, sugah. Will ya get going now?" A second later, Logan had grasped the baby seat and was already out the door.

X X X X X

A few days had passed and Marie entered Logan's room through the connecting door and found him sitting at his desk, fidgeting absently with his 'new' old dog-tags while brooding. She approached him from behind – knowing exactly that he had already noticed her presence – and slung her arms around his neck. Leaning closer, she rested her chin on the top of his head. "Ya want to leave." She mumbled eventually.

"Nah."

"Ya do." She pulled slightly away and moved to his right side, so they were able to look into the other's eyes. "Ya always get antsy."

"I don't." Logan saw her glare and chuckled. "Maybe… Chuck's sources didn't come up with anythin' useful. The ID number on the dogtags and the name are pretty useless."

"That's not true, James." She heard him grunt in objection, but continued. "We do know your full name and birth-date."

Logan shrugged, everything else than happy with the situation. "Still, it's like this James Logan Howlett never existed."

Marie took a deep breath and captured his moving fingers with her small hand. "Sugah, if your dream was anything to go by, your birth date goes way back into the 19th century. Ah doubt anyone would look into the archives."

He let this thought sink in and nodded slowly. "But where shall I start diggin' through the records?"

Marie contemplated this for a moment. "How about the town, where ya remembered that old farm?"

"That with the burned old couple?" He asked and received a nod. 'That's a start, bub.' He heard Wolverine rumble in his mind. His wilder side was looking forward to a road trip. Logan contemplated this a moment and eventually nodded with a small smile of hope gracing his lips. "I could start there and then widen my search to the neighbored towns."

He saw her nod and her reassuring smile, but the sadness in her eyes was impossible to miss. Shaking his head, he lifted his hand and cupped her cheek gently. "This can wait, Kid. You and the little tyke need me here."

Marie smiled, touched by his decision and covered his hand on her face with her hand. "Logan, ya wouldn't be happy knowing that the answers might be out there. And this wouldn't make me happy either." She reached out with her other hand and ran her fingers through his sideburns. "Ah know ya love us and care deeply for Becca and me, but ya'd be gone for what? A few weeks?" He wanted to object, but she continued. "Ah can handle Becca and it ain't like Ah'm all alone here. Kitty, Jubes and Pete will help me, Ah'm sure of it. And if ya would stay here ya'd drive me nuts and scare all your students to death."

Both chuckled about the truth of her words and Logan's expression softened. "You sure, Kid?" He felt torn between his two girls and his forgotten past, but maybe he could have both.

Marie nodded. "Sure, sugah. Ah'll miss ya, but Ah know ya'll return to us."

"I'll call every day and don't hesitate to tell me if somethin's wrong and I should come home." He saw her bright smile reach her eyes and was confused about her happiness at first, before he contemplated his words once more. 'I said home. This made her so happy.' Logan hadn't thought about it before, but everywhere where his two girls were waiting for him was home for him.

X X X X X

The next morning Logan had his rucksack packed, but the major part of his belongings remained in the drawers of his room. Xavier wasn't happy with the feral's decision to hunt after his past while leaving Rogue and their baby girl alone, but he couldn't say he hadn't seen that one coming.

Marie had printed a picture of her and Becca out. Now the three of them stood in the garage, Logan holding a cranky Becca in his arms, while her mother slipped the photo into a side-pocket of the backpack that rested on Scott's bike.

"C'mon, lil' skunk. Daddy won't be gone that long." Logan tickled the baby's belly, hoping to make her smile again. The week before, their little girl had started smiling up at everyone coming into her field of vision. Though Logan had believed that his daughter could already smile as a newborn, he had to admit that the baby was now beaming at him every time he lifted her from her crib and he loved seeing her smile. "Doesn't seem to work today, huh?"

"She feels something is up," Marie said with a faint smile and pulled her mate's attention back to her.

"Marie, you know where I hide the money." She nodded and he continued. "It's about 500 Dollars. Take what you need, Kid, but don't spend everythin' on sweets and books."

The brunette giggled. "Ah'll try, sugah." Then both their expressions became solemnly. "Take care, Logan and don't forget to call."

"Sure, Kid." The Canadian's gaze raced over the vast room, making sure they were alone, before he bent down and captured his mate's lips in a long and passionate kiss. His hand not holding Becca was soon caressing Marie's cheek, while her fingers stroked the back of his neck. When they eventually had to break away in the need for air, they rested their foreheads against each other. They stared deep into the eyes of the other, before Logan frowned.

"Logan?"

The mutant pulled somewhat back and concentrated on the noise. "What's that sound?"

Marie stared at him clueless, before she saw Becca suck on her father's new cowboy hat, Marie's birthday present. Chuckling, the brunette lifted her daughter from her father's arm and pulled the hat down, so Logan could see the drool on the leather. "She just loves that hat as much as ya do, sugah."

The Canadian observed the wet spot for a moment. "At least she has inherited my taste in clothin'." He wiggled his eyebrows teasingly at his mate, who slapped him playfully on the chest.

"Hey!"

Before Marie could complain any further he had wrapped his arms about his two girls and hugged them tightly. When he pulled away he placed a gentle kiss onto each of their foreheads.

X X X X X

A few meters away from the family, the teachers walked down the corridor towards their classrooms, their students already waiting for them.

Suddenly the rumbling sound of a motorcycle filled the air, before it lessened by the second until it vanished completely. "That fucking bastard!" Scott exclaimed just as Marie and Becca emerged from the garage.

"Scott, please watch your language!" The Professor chided his former student while Storm, Rogue and a few other students couldn't suppress the grins forming on their lips.

X X X X X

The days away from his two girls were much harder than Logan had ever imagined them to be. At night, he would wake up by Becca's cries only to find himself alone in a dirty motel room, miles away from his daughter and mate. His returning nightmares were the other reason to keep him awake. For the first few nights Marie's tee shirt – or more her scent on it – had helped to calm him from the fragments of his past haunting him in his dreams and afterwards, but now after the first week had gone by, the cloth smelled only after him.

Logan rolled onto his side and his hazel eyes caught sight of the picture of his two girls that usually rested on his nightstand - as if the two brunettes were watching over him in his sleep. Reaching out he traced the smiling face of his young mate and felt the Wolverine in him stir, yearning for her soft touch and her soothing scent.

Since he had left her for the first time after Liberty Island, Logan felt always incomplete on his journeys – like he had left the girl more than just his dog-tags, but a part of his very being. And now after Becca's birth and Marie's acknowledgment to be his mate, the urge to return and never leave their side again became almost unbearable.

It wasn't like his search was successful in the slightest and would compensate the emptiness he felt in his heart. The town archives held no hints that a mutant had lived in the area or that a man was reported missing or claimed dead without a body. The only mutant related reports were about rapes that took place 20 years ago in the entire vicinity of Alkali Lake. All victims had claimed their attacker had inhuman nails and teeth and they had deep scratch and bite marks to show as proof.

But this was his only finding and it only showed that Sabretooth had lived near Alkali Lake a few years before Logan had lost his memories. Xavier's hint with the secret research facility at the dam wouldn't leave him alone and he wondered if the other feral mutant had anything to do with it. But then again, Logan hadn't found anything else than a dam at the dam the last two times he had been there.

The only positive aspect of his road trip was the 1700 dollars he had earned with cage fights – and the satisfaction that Scooter cussed colorfully every time he entered the garage and saw the empty spot his beloved bike used to occupy – at least this was what his Marie has told him during their daily phone calls.

X X X X X

Meanwhile at the mansion, Marie tried her best to distract herself from thinking of Logan all the time. She missed him terribly and was looking forward to their talks every day. During her quality-time with her daughter – usually the time she should use to make her homework – Marie would tell the baby why her father was absent and what he might be doing at that moment. Those one-sided talks would rather calm her own nerves – banning the thoughts of her mate screwing some barfly into the depths of her mind - than reassure the infant.

The brunette was glad that she lived at her school and didn't have to spent precious minutes – which she could share with her bed - on the way to school. Another pro was the understanding and help offered by her teachers – at least all but one of her mentors held real sympathy for her situation.

Scott had asked her if she needed him to pick anything up from town or if he should drive her to the mall to shop some baby stuff. Storm, who was an early riser, was so kind to take over Becca's 6 A.M. bottle and so the weather witch drank her herbal tea in Logan's leather armchair while feeding Becca and watching the news broadcast.

And what the redhead concerned, there were Jubilee, Kitty and Pete. The three would see to it that Rogue was never alone with the doctor. They would wait in the doorframe of the classroom when Jean called Rogue to her after class, they would accompany the young mother to Becca's weekly check-up and they would spend their time till curfew with Rogue watching TV in Logan's room, playing cards or simply chatting. Bobby and John offered their help with carrying the diaper bag or Rogue's books – always trying to reestablish their former positions within the clique.

Marie hadn't missed the satisfaction on Jean's features when it became official that Logan had left the mansion for one of his journeys. Her fake sympathy was sickening and the redhead couldn't let the topic rest – even in Jubilee's presence – that she had warned the teenager to don't rely too much on Logan and that the feral wouldn't return so soon.

Marie and Jubilee had shared a good laugh about the dumb face of their teacher when Marie had filled her in on her talks with Logan on the phone and that he was currently at a motel near the Canadian border.

Now as the thirteenth day of separation was turning towards its end, Marie bid her spare time in the mansion's computer room. Kitty, Bobby and John sat a few computers away, the boys playing WoW while Shadowcat checked her emails. Next to Rogue had Jubilee her feet propped up on the table and made funny faces to a gargling Becca lying in her lap.

The young mother suddenly picked up on the rumbling of a bike and a bright smile slipped onto her features as she jumped from her chair and ripped her daughter from her friend.

"Rogue?" The Asian squealed startled and she and her friends watched the brunette race out of the room. They shared a puzzled gaze and leaped to their feet and followed her – curious.

X X X X X

Logan had parked the bike in front of the mansion's main entrance and was now pushing the large oak doors to the foyer open, his backpack hanging lazily with one strap from his shoulder. Hearing his mate's voice on the phone wasn't enough to sate the longing he felt in his heart and he missed holding his little daughter in his arms, he even missed her spit on his flannels. He eventually realized that he needed his girls' presence like he needed air to breath, so he had spontaneously blown off his trip and returned home to his family.

His heart was beating fast as he entered the large hall, ready to sniff his way to his mate when he heard a surprised and high pitched "Logan?" echo from the staircase. Looking up to the landing, his face split into a soft and gentle smile. There his two angels stood smiling down on him with wide eyes. Before he could cover the distance separating him from the stairs, Marie had already rushed down and was throwing herself and Becca into his embrace.

The brunette pressed her face into his chest, inhaling deeply his unique scent of tobacco, wood and leather. She felt his strong arms wrap about her and their child, holding them close to his heart. The three of them stood there a moment, Jubilee and the other students watched them from the floor above, until Becca emitted a frustrated cry. Marie pulled slightly away, giving her daughter more space and looked up into her mate's bright hazel eyes. "Why didn't ya say anything?"

Chuckling, the Canadian placed a peck onto Marie's forehead, not caring about the audience for once. "I wanted to surprise you, Kid." Her obvious happiness about his return and the bright smile that reached her chocolate eyes warmed his heart and made him feel whole once again.

When they broke away he reached out and lifted Becca up and held her on eyelevel. "Hey, kiddo! Do you remember me?" He smiled gently into the infant's face and chuckled as she placed her chubby hand on his muttonchops, gargling happily. "Yup, I'm the one with the fuzzy cheeks." Ignoring the arrival of Scott and a few more students, Logan kissed his daughter onto her tiny nose and held her up above his head. "You got quite tall, lil' skunk!"

"Oh, please! Don't talk such bull!" Marie narrowed her eyes at him as she fetched his cowboy hat from the floor - her welcoming hug had been a little too enthusiastic.

Logan shook his head and propped his daughter up onto his shoulder, kissing her downy head in the process. "I ain't. Becca has grown." He suddenly felt tiny hands grip his hair and pull at it slightly. "And look, Kid, she can grasp and hold things much better than the last time I saw her." The proud smile soon mixed with a painful expression as Becca's pull on his dark locks got fiercer. "Oww." Careful to not hurt the baby Logan opened her hand and let her body slip down his chest a little, to bring his hair out of harm's way.

Marie watched him sheepishly and recalled her daughter's new quirk to grasp her mother's white bangs and shove them into her mouth to suck on while getting a new diaper. "Umm, ya might be right."

"Sure, I am!" Logan rearranged the backpack's strap on his shoulder and fished for the bike's keys in his pants' pocket, before throwing them towards Scott.

The other mutant caught the keys and hurried eagerly to the door and his bike, but stopped in his tracks as he heard Wolverine's nonchalant voice. "Oh, you should know, she has a dent."

"WHAT!" The fearless leader of the X-Men whirled around and glared into Logan's face, his jaw tense. "You brainless monkey! You won't come near one of my babies ever again!"

To Logan's disappointment Scott continued his way without another word. "Oh, cool down, Cyke. She's fine; just in the need of a little gas."

"What?" Cyclops stopped once again and even with his large red sunglasses on, you could see his eyes bore into the feral. "You lied?"

Logan only shrugged and placed his arm around Marie's shoulders. "I wanted to hear you cuss like a sailor, but as things look now, Rogue has made this one up." He pressed her to his side.

"Ah didn't!"

Meanwhile the other teenagers had found their way down to the main floor and Jubilee had her hand propped up on her hip, staring at her teachers. "She didn't, Wolvie. Mr. Summers called you a 'fucking bastard' and 'asshole' on several occasions and the words 'damn' and 'shit' also fell quite often."

"Thanks, Jubes," said Rogue while a giggling went through the rows of the students.

"Jubilation Lee! Detention!"

"What? I just quoted you, my teacher," answered the girl innocently and held her mentor's glare. But before a staring contest between Scott and Jubilee could begin, Storm had entered the hall and smiled at the reunited family.

X X X X X

In the meantime John had raced down the corridors and had yelled into the rec room and the library "Wolverine's back!". It seemed nobody had won the bet, since the earliest bet was placed on Logan's return being after three weeks – by Storm. Officially, Rogue didn't know about the whole thing, but she had shared her teacher's option or more hoped that the weather witch's guess was right.

Jean looked up from her book. 'No, this can't be!' She reached out with her mental powers and picked up on Logan's presence and his and Rogue's happiness. 'I can't believe it, he returned for that brat!' The redhead gritted her teeth and stood up. She fought the anger and jealousy down and followed her students with a fake smile on her lips. No one noticed the bookshelves shake faintly by some invisible power.

When the doctor entered the hall Logan and Rogue came her way, him carrying Becca while his other arm was slung around her mother's shoulders as the petite brunette leaned against his side smiling happily.

Jean forced a smile onto her features and stepped closer to the feral man. "Hi, Logan. You're already back?"

His eyes flickered over to the redhead briefly, flashing his sexy smirk at her. "Yep, I missed Rogue's burned omelet for breakfast."

"Hey, that happened only once and turning food in a hot pan isn't exactly easy while ya have a sucking baby hanging on your breast!"

"Uhu, now it's your fault Mommy can't cook," cooed Logan into his daughter's serene face, his brow hitched while a grin plastered his lips.

"Hey!" Marie hit his arm playfully, knowing full well he was only joking. "Ah planned a welcome dinner, but if ya don't appreciate mah cooking, we can always go to McDonalds."

"Why don't we eat in the dining hall, Kid?"

Marie made a face. "Today is polenta-day."

"Fine, I'm convinced. You'll cook and I'll baby-sit Becca, so you won't have an excuse for burnin' the food."

"Haha, ya're so funny today." The girl muttered in mock annoyance.

The three had walked up the stairs without gracing Jean with another word – let alone a greeting by Logan.

On their way to their rooms, Marie led her mate to the computer room to pick up the diaper bag and baby seat and to shut down the computer she was using.

"Whatchaya doin', Kid?" He looked over her shoulder onto the monitor as she closed one of the browser's tabs. "Wolverine?"

A small blush crept onto her cheeks and she met his inquiring gaze. "Ah thought Ah really don't know anything about your namesake." She saw his eyes travel over the Wikipedia article. "It's quite interesting, Logan. In an Innu myth the Wolverine is the creator of the world." The brunette saw a cocky grin plaster his lips, not surprised that this new information fed his monstrous ego even more. "There's even a story about Kuekuatsu and his lover the moon."

Logan faced his mate again, a brow quirked upwards. "Kookootsu?"

Marie giggled and corrected the feral. "Kuekuatsu, it means Wolverine." Then she began to tell the myth she had found on the internet. "He and the moon lived together in the spirit world. And every night, they would wander the skies together. But, one of the spirits was jealous." Marie was a little startled by the frown spreading on his features, but she carried on with the tale.

"Trickster wanted the moon for himself. So he told Kuekuatsu that the moon had asked for flowers; he told him to come to our world and pick her some wild roses. But Kuekuatsu didn't know that once you leave the spirit wor-"

Logan suddenly began to speak, unsure where this information came from. "You can never go back."

Marie was surprised. "Yes, exactly." Now she was frowning at him. "Ya know this tale?"

"I'm not sure." Logan closed his eyes and tried to remember where he had heard this before. "Continue, Marie."

The brunette scrutinized his expression for a moment before speaking again. "Every night, he looks up in the sky and sees the moon and howls her name. But..."

Here it was Logan's turn again to pick up the tale. "He can never touch her again." He slowly opened his eyes and saw his mate's puzzled features. "I can't remember when or where I'd heard this story before, but I somehow know it." He thought a moment. "I feel it was kinda important to me."

"It must be from the time before you've lost your memories." Marie felt new hope was within their grasp. "It's just a theory, Logan, but maybe this story is the reason for choosing 'Wolverine' as your codename."

He nodded and sank down in the chair closest by. For the next hour they went through Marie's findings, but there were no new flashbacks, confirming Rogue's suspicion that this particular tale was the reason for his name. Giving eventually up, they returned to their room, Becca was soundly asleep in her carrier meanwhile.

The brunette watched Logan dump the content of his backpack into the laundry basket in the corner of her room. "Oh, Ah found out that wolverines don't have cubs or pups, but kits."

"Kits?" A sly grin formed on his lips as his mischievous gaze settled on her. "So the Kid's kid is a kit, huh?"

"Funny, mister!" Marie chuckled and tossed her pillow against his head.

X X X X X

X X X X X

CHAPTER 41

Scott couldn't get off the feeling that Logan's sudden return and the happiness it caused the couple angered Jean somehow. He had already noticed a few weeks prior that Jean's demeanour towards the young mother became hostile and he thought that it might be his girlfriend's biological clock ticking louder since they had an infant living next door. But when he had confronted her with his theory that she might be jealous on Rogue for being a mum and that she would want a baby, too, the redhead had looked quite shocked and assured him that a baby was the last thing she wanted at the moment - they could save the baby talk for the next few years.

It wasn't that he wanted to become a father, but it disturbed Scott that his girlfriend hadn't even asked of his opinion on the matter – she'd simply decided for both of them and closed the topic.

Shaking his head, the fearless X-Men leader rapped at Logan's door waiting for an answer for once that never came. He opened the door quietly and entered the room. On the nightstand were two used plates stacked and three empty beer bottles kept them company. The TV was running but this didn't seem to disturb the three occupants of the bed. Scott smiled involuntarily at the picture of Rogue and Becca using the feral mutant's chest as their pillow. The baby was drooling slightly onto her father's wife beater while each of her parents had a hand resting on the sides of her small back. Logan's other hand laid on the teenager's hip quite possessively.

It was this very moment that made Scott realize that the mighty Wolverine indeed loved the young woman - and not in a sick, perverted way. He seemed content and even peaceful with his family close to him and everyone could tell that the gruff loner was a completely different person with his girls around. Scott decided to let them sleep and was about to turn the TV off when a sleepy voice startled him.

"Whatchaya grinnin', Cyke?"

The younger man whirled around and his gaze met the dark eyes of a grouchy Logan staring up at him. "Umm, I didn't want to wake you."

The Canadian growled and shifted somewhat. Suddenly Marie lifted her hand from her daughter and began to rub her eyes. "Whaaat?" she yawned barely noticing her teacher's presence.

Logan faced the brunette, his voice still gruff but it had a gentler touch. "We fell asleep."

"Again? I'll never see more than the first ten minutes of that damn movie." Marie sat up and her tired eyes centered on the flickering TV screen. "Huh? There's Hugh Jackman! Van Helsing isn't over yet!"

Scott frowned and looked at the TV, in front which a suddenly very awake Rogue sat - drooling. "Van Helsing is in color?"

"Didn't know that either, Cyke." Logan hitched his brows and gazed at the screen. "That movie is more boring than any chick flick."

This caught Scott's attention and he stared at the other man in disbelief. "You watch chick flicks?"

"Hell no!" Logan shot him an 'are-you-nuts-I'm-no pansy-like-you-glare', but somehow he didn't feel the need to defend his male pride. "I watched 'Kate and Leopold' with Rogue, cuz she's head over heels for that stupid actor."

It seemed like Marie was too wrapped up in the movie to listen to the two men, but suddenly she turned her head and looked rather pissed at her mate. "Hugh Jackman isn't stupid!" Then, her features softened in the next second. "And Ah just like him. Ya're the one Ah'm head over heels in love with."

"Yeah, yeah, my ass." Logan rolled his eyes and lifted Becca carefully from his chest, wiping her mouth with the hem of his wife beater.

"Shut up now, Logan. Ah wanna watch the movie!" Marie slapped his leg next to her, earning a snarl, which she simply ignored and returned her attention to the movie.

Returning to the door, Scott watched Logan place the baby lovingly onto the mattress next to him – tugging the blanket about her tiny body. "Night." He only heard a growl that sounded somewhat like a 'Night' and saw the other man roll onto his stomach and bury his face in his pillow next to his sleeping daughter.

X X X X X

The next morning, Logan woke to the connecting door open slowly. Grunting he scented the air. "Something up, Ro?"

Storm considered slipping from the room and leaving the man to get some more zzz's, but then she saw Becca stir and she closed the door behind her. She placed her steaming cup of tea on the nightstand and reached for the handle of the small fridge. "Sorry, Logan. I thought you were already awake, since Becca wasn't in her crib."

The man sat up – cracking his neck from side to side – and picked up his waking daughter, cradling her against his chest. "Nah, we fell asleep here last night." He looked around. "Rogue must have crawled back into her bed when that fuckin' movie was finally over."

"I could take her down to feed her bottle." Storm suggested and placed the small bottle into the heater. On Logan's arched brow, the weather witch clarified. "I took the 6 o'clock shift while you were gone." Her eyes centered on the gargling baby. "She's so cute."

Chuckling about his fellow X-Men, Logan shook his head and held his daughter up for Storm to take the child.

"Good morning, sweetie," cooed the woman into the infant's face.

Logan got to his feet and staggered over to his bathroom, switching the TV on on his way there. When he opened the door again a few minutes later, he leaned lazily against the doorframe and watched with a grin on his features how Storm sat in his leather armchair feeding his small daughter. "Thanks for helpin' my girls, Ro."

The woman looked up and was slightly surprised about the gentleness on the feral's usually grim features and the sincerity shimmering in his eyes. "You're welcome."

X X X X X

An hour and the morning news later, Logan thought it time for his Marie to wake up and get ready for her classes. Carrying the baby Storm followed the other mutant into the adjoined room, where they found Rogue shift from her side to lay flat on her stomach.

His mate looked paler than normal and Logan could smell her blood in the air. "Marie? What's wrong?" asked the Canadian concerned and approached her.

"Mah stomach hurts," groaned Marie while turning around and slowly sitting up in bed. "Oh fuck," muttered the brunette as she saw blood on her bed sheet.

"You're bleeding, Kid!" Logan sounded quite shocked and worried.

"No shit, Sherlock!" Marie snapped and crawled out of her bed with an annoyed expression. "It's mah period, genius!"

Following her over to her bathroom – a frown on his features – he observed the blood covered spot on her pj's pants. "Kid, you sure it's just your period?"

The teenager whirled around, anger and rage gleamed in her chocolate eyes. "What? Can't Ah go to the toilet without your surveillance?"

"No!" They were almost face to face now. "Last time you went to the toilet with cramps and the excuse of it being your time of the month, you gave birth to Becca!"

Storm was amazed about the fearless demeanor of the girl, who held the feral's heated glare. The baby started to cry about the loud shouts of her parents and the weather witch began to rock her, approaching the couple. "Logan, I think she's fine. Just take Becca and give Rogue some air," said the woman in her calm motherly voice. "I'll stay here and make sure she's alright."

Logan's gaze traveled over to her and contemplated the offer – Marie used this moment to vanish in the bathroom. After deciding that a woman might handle the situation a little differently than he would and that he wasn't looking forward to his head being bitten off by his mate, he lifted his distressed daughter into his embrace before leaving the room with a curt nod.

X X X X X

School was about to start for the day and Logan was working on Scott's bike while Becca played with her rattle; her baby seat perched up next to him. The rightful owner of the motorcycle stood a few feet away – choosing tools from a box for his mechanic class later that day. The two men hadn't exchanged more than a 'Morning' and were doing their stuff in comfortable silence until an angry "There ya are!" rang from the doorway.

Logan looked up from the bike and saw his mate stomp over to him. "Where else should I be?"

"Ah don't mean you!" She bent down and stroked her daughter's cheek. "Ah was looking for Becca EVERYWHERE!" Now she locked eyes with the father of her child. "Ya were supposed to be in the kitchen, Logan!"

The feral frowned quite startled, a growl on his lips. "I fuckin' was! But you said half an hour ago that you don't feel like breakfast, so I simply fetched a sandwich for myself and came down here!"

"But why the hell did ya take Becca with ya?"

"Why the fuck not?" Logan barked back and leaped to his feet. "Until now you've never complaint about me takin' the baby to the garage. What's gotten into you now?"

"Ya big monkey ask?" Marie was only half aware of her teacher's presence, but didn't really care at the moment. "Mah Spanish class starts any minute!"

"Then get goin', Kid!" Both of them reached for the baby seat, but Logan beat her to it. "But Becca stays here." He saw her eyes widen in disbelief. "Think up another red-herring."

"What?" Her anger reached another notch and she took a step closer to her mate. "Ah'm already late and Ah'm not in the mood to discuss this crap with you now!"

Logan's voice was dangerously calm, his eyes trained on her. "Marie, I don't care if you faint or fake your own death but Becca stays with me."

The little spitfire glared at the man in front of her before whirling around and stomping off. "Asshole!"

When the door leading to the mansion slammed shut loudly Logan sighed and placed the carrier back onto the floor. He crouched down and eyed his sweet little daughter. "Just don't get your period, kiddo."

Scott had watched the fight and was now staring at the closed door the enraged young mother had just use to vent her anger. "What's wrong with Rogue?"

"Three letters, Summers. P-M-S."

"Oh." It was like a light bulb was just switched on in his brain and he slowly averted his gaze from the door. After a moment he narrowed his eyes on the other man. "Did I get this straight? Rogue uses Becca to flee from classes?"

Logan returned his attention to the bike, but answered nonchalantly. "Only Storm's Spanish class and Algebra." Then he looked up with fake realization on his features. "Oh, that's your class, Cyke." The tightening jaw of Scott didn't go unnoticed by the feral and he inwardly cheered. "Don't feel too bad 'bout it. She also tried it in my P.E. class… once." When the last word had finally left his lips Logan couldn't suppress the smug grin from forming on his features.

X X X X X

It was in the late afternoon when Xavier had summoned his X-Men in the war room and informed them about rumors concerning an illegal lab a few miles beyond the Canadian border, harboring data from other facilities, which perform tests on mutants. It didn't take them long to come up with a plan – after all breaking in and retrieving files before leveling the place was a routine mission for the X-Men.

Now, Logan sat in his seat on the Blackbird – his hands gripping the armrests like a lifeline – while Storm landed the jet and he cursed not for the first time the invention of planes. He didn't miss the smirk of the other man as a growl had slipped past his lips when the plane had touched the safe ground.

Immediately Scott switched into leader mode and jumped to his feet. "We'll do it just as planed. No unnecessary confrontations with the guards." His gaze rested on the feral.

Logan eventually nodded with a snarl and opened the ramp. "I heard you the first ten times, One-Eye." He stepped out and headed towards the facility that was about a mile away from their landing place. "I gotta take the basement."

"No, Storm will accompany you." He saw the Canadian roll his eyes in annoyance. "We work as a team. When will you finally get it into your thick metal head, Wolverine?"

Logan ignored the lecture as he watched Jean take out the sensors at the fence and waited for her clearance to cut the three inch thick metal barrier with his claws. They stealthily approached the lab and entered the building through an emergency exit. When they crept down a long corridor, Logan suddenly stopped in his movement as his sensitive ears caught onto people coming their way. He motioned for his team mates to get into one of the rooms while he readied himself for the fight.

Jean and her boyfriend worked on a keypad – him disabling the alarm whereas she tried to lift the massive door from its hinges. Sweat covered her forehead, but she eventually succeeded in opening the lock and let the door fall back into its hinges.

Storm grasped Logan's arm and pulled him into the room, before Scott shut the door fast but quietly. The four held their breaths as Wolverine listened to a woman and a man – he guessed scientists by their conversation – pass by the room and turn into another hallway.

When the immediate danger was over they began to take in their hiding place. The room was plain and almost empty except for a fridge with a thick glass door and a stone in another glass-box – like the ones they have in a museum. Both were secured by a keypad with additional card reader.

Logan and Jean neared the fridge. They cast a look onto the many vials it contained and the feral was about to leave the blood-samples and tissues for the doctor to inspect when a long number caught his eyes and interest. Half absently he fished for his dog-tags around his neck and held the metal plates in front of his face, when he recognized the inscription 'James Logan Howlett'. He cursed under his breath and remembered that he no longer wore his 'Wolverine-tags'. On the other hand it didn't really matter; he knew the numbers engraved on this sole link to his past by heart.

Frowning Jean observed the gruff features of the feral mutant next to her. "Logan?"

With a snarl he tore his gaze away from the samples. "It's me those mother-fuckers are testing on."

Storm and Scott whirled around. "What?"

Logan crouched down in front of the fridge and inspected the lower shelves. "Some of the blood-samples wear my ID number. The one form my dog-tags."

Jean also sunk down to her knees and saw what findings made the man's anger flare and his face cover in disgust. There in larger vials were dozens of embryos in different stages of development conserved and labeled. "Oh God!"

Growling Logan got to his feet and drove his claws and fists into the glass, breaking the vials and mixing the blood samples, tissues and embryos with each other.

"No," screamed Scott and rushed over to his fellow X-Men, but he was too late to hinder him. He stood frozen for a moment, before he breathed a sigh of relief. "You idiot! You could have triggered an alarm!"

"Can it, Cyke!" hissed Wolverine and observed the rest of the room or rather the stone.

"A meteorite?" Scott asked confused as he approached the other mutant.

"That's Adamantium." Flashes of dead bodies of soldiers covering the floor and an old man grasping a stone similar to this one appeared before Logan's mind's eyes. "In its elementary form."

Cyclopes frowned. "But it looks like a meteorite."

"'Cuz it is," barked Logan and turned around towards the door. Those new fragments of his past made him uncomfortable, yet antsy to know if this place harbored other pieces of his lost past.

All of his team mates stared at Wolverine with wide eyes. "You have an alien metal in your body?"

"Apparently. Now get goin', Cyke." With those words the feral slipped out of the room stealthily and moved down the corridor towards the staircase.

X X X X X

They had finally split up and Storm followed Logan through the basement. Differently than they had anticipated the lower levels of the building didn't hold many labs or rooms containing data about the experiments. There was only one large lab that rather looked like a surgery and a few examination rooms with excellent medical equipment. To their surprise they found a small in-door swimming pool, a large gym, a rather sterile class room and a shooting range that seemed kinda unused. Every one of those rooms had a high tech observation landing attached and many cameras that weren't running at the moment.

"What are they doing here?" whispered Storm and rounded another corner. In this new long hallway three guards sat rather bored around a table paying cards and Ororo was stunned by their sight in sudden surprise, from which she recovered quickly and dove back into the other corridor.

But to her dismay one of the men must have noticed her and immediately jumped to his feet while grasping his gun. "Freeze!"

"Shit!" cursed Logan and decided to take the guards out before they could call for backup. He unsheathed his claws and sprinted forward.

One of the guards reached for his radio while the other two opened fire at the intruder. "That's Weapon X!" He exclaimed in realisation as the mutant's wounds healed quickly and made him yell into the communication device. "This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill! Weapon X has infiltrated area SL1-7! We need backup immediately!"

Sirens went off in the entire complex and one of the men ordered the other two, while slowing Wolverine down by shoots into the head and abdomen. "West, Sheppard, get her down to the bunker!"

Without hesitation the two opened the door across from their table and one of them raced in only to return seconds later with a sleepy little girl in his arms. Both started down the corridor towards the elevator just as their CO was stabbed into the chest by two sets of Adamantium claws.

"Damnit! Today of all days Kimura has to be on leave!" The one of the remaining guards not carrying the child muttered while shooting at the raging mutant. But it was no use – until the elevator's doors opened both men were laying bleeding on the floor while Wolverine cradled the girl to his chest – the sharp weapons retracted on the one hand.

Logan swiftly glanced down onto the small child that stared at him with wide green eyes and he breathed in her disturbingly familiar scent. Meanwhile, Storm had caught up and observed the buttons in the elevator. "That's a dead end! It only goes further down!"

With a curt nod Logan spun around and returned to the corridor they had come from, while the weather witch glanced into the small windows of the other rooms' doors, making sure that there weren't any more children held prison.

When they reached a fork, Wolverine saw the backup arrive and quickly leaped towards the staircase. "They must not leave with her!" he heard one man shout while a sudden sting in his back made his mind foggy. Logan reached for the sting and pulled it out when a pained scream left the girl's lips before she went limp in his arms.

"Shit!" He cursed as more sedative bullets buried themselves in his flesh and made the feral groggy. There was no way he could fight with the child in his arms without risking her to get hit once again – and that she would die at an overdose – so he pushed the small body into Storm's arms and headed with a snarl on his lips towards the firing guards.

X X X X X

X X X X X

CHAPTER 42

Thanks to the approaching winter, dusk had swallowed the last sun rays hours ago and now it was bed time for the younger students. Kitty and Pete – like all other senior students – had the job to make sure everyone of the younger children was in their beds while their teachers were on a mission.

"I'm gonna check on Chris in half an hour again." Colossus saw Kitty's inquiring gaze. "He's playing GameBoy and promised me to call it a night once he reached the next saving point."

When they entered the rec room they found Rogue zapping through the channels while Becca slept on her lap and Jubilee stretched lazily on the couch next to the young mother. "Gee, chica, will you finally decide?" The Asian groaned frustrated. "Hey, let's watch this!"

Rogue faced her with an eyebrow arched in disbelief while simply switching to another program. "Big Brother? Ya ain't serious, Jubes?"

"Or do you prefer 'X-Factor' or that 'Next Top-Model'-crap?"

"Are ya nuts? Ah would rather look those reportages about 'how they built a skyscraper in China' than that reality shit."

"True… What's on Discovery Channel?"

A few minutes later the teenagers heard the basketball court roll to the sides, making space for the descending Blackbird. Marie had been antsy the entire evening and now the nagging feeling reached its peak as they saw the professor vanish in the secret elevator. It wasn't unusual for Xavier to welcome his X-Men back from a mission, but still the brunette placed her sleeping baby in her carrier and stood up. "Something's wrong. Ah feel it."

"Where are you going, chica?" Jubilee asked startled while chewing on popcorn.

"Down to the hangar."

X X X X X

Marie had waited a quarter hour in front of the showers only to be informed by Scott that everyone else was in the infirmary, to which he would return now. Instantly a sickening knot formed in her stomach, but her teacher reassured her that no one was harmed. Against Scott's instruction, Marie insisted to accompany him and so they entered the small lab adjoining the examination room, just as Jean starred at a print-out in utter disbelief. "These DNA results are unbelievable."

Logan stood in front of the large one-sided mirror that separated the two rooms and looked like mesmerized at the unconscious girl perched on a medical table. With a whiff of the air he had registered the arrival of his mate and daughter, but the tortured man and the overprotective animal in him made him center his whole attention on the one question that had crowed his mind the whole flight back. "What do they say, Red? Is she my kid?" From the corner of his eyes he saw his mate stiffen at his words, before she placed the sleeping Becca on a sideboard and approached the observation place apprehensively.

The beast in him had already confirmed his suspicion that the child was his, but Logan needed to hear it. He had to take care of his violated kit now- help her heal from the horrors of the lab – his explaining to Marie would have to wait for the moment – as had his boiling anger. Eventually Logan turned around.

"She's much more than just your child, Logan." Jean finally tore her gaze away from the readings and met the feral's eyes. "To about 90% she IS you."

"Huh? Whadya mean?" 'What did those bastards do to me… to her?'

The redhead looked from one of her teammates to the others. "This is impossible on any natural way. This child has two times the exact same X-chromosome. I ran the DNA sequencing two times to make sure."

"So she's what? My female clone?" His statement surprised everybody. He didn't even follow the doctor's explanation, but also draw the right conclusion.

The doctor was a little taken aback by his correct summary. "Umm, well, yes."

Logan crossed his arms over his chest and he demanded in his gruff manner. "Thought the sense of cloning is to have an exact copy of the original. So what 'bout the 10%?"

Jean saw all eyes center on her, silently asking the same question. "Some of the alternations concern the so called junk-DNA-sequences, eliminating them in some regions of her genome. Others were made to the X-Factor-Gene itself. I assume to amplify its expression."

"To make her heal even faster?" Logan asked with a hitched brow and earned another startled and puzzled view from his fellow X-Men. 'Now they finally get I'm not as dumb as they thought me to be…'

"This was also the first thing to come to my mind." Jean finally brought out. "But it isn't said that they were successful. Concerning her identical X-chromosomes I think there are only two possible explanations for that. One would be that they wanted specifically to create a female clone or that the sample they had from you, Logan, was damaged and they had no other choice."

Silence had befallen the group and everyone observed the little girl sleeping in the sterile room. Scott knew that they wouldn't send that child away – that would be against their ideals – but he had to know his mentor's decision on the matter. "What will we do with her now?" His gaze switched to the old man. "They will surely search for her."

But Logan beat Xavier to answer that question. "I'll keep 'er." He said with determination, his eyes never leaving the little girl's form.

"Logan?" Inquired the professor. It was moments like these that tempted the telepath to access another human's mind without their consents and to sate his curiosity.

"I'm the closest thing to a family she has. I can protect her." He wouldn't let anyone be subjected to the same painful experiments he barely remembered and especially not an innocent child. His child. His heart constricted at the thought that his sweet little Becca would have been in that lab. He would rather die than let that happen.

Xavier steered his wheelchair closer to the feral man. "What are you going to tell her?"

"Well…" Logan's gaze switched to the older man for a moment, then back to the unconscious child. "That she's my daughter." After a moment he turned around slowly and his dark eyes made contact with everyone of his friends. "What she really is will never leave this room, you hear. She'll never learn of this crap."

"Whatchaya gonna tell her when she asks about her mother? Or any of the other students for that matter?" Scott was surprised how easily the feral – the former loner – had adapted to the new situation. On the other hand this wasn't the first kid to be dropped into the man's lap out of the blue. "Tell them she has none or that you're also her mom?"

Logan's death-glare and snarl hushed the other man at once. "Listen, bub, and listen good. I rather have her live in the belief she is the outcome of an one-night-stand than a military experiment to create the perfect weapon!"

The tension was thick, yet Marie was kinda relieved about the revelation about the girl's origin – not that she was fond of the idea of having the man she loved cloned and the resulting child being tested on like a lab rat –but this background information evaporated all doubts about the way she might stood to the little girl. The brunette faced her mate, who was still furious about Scott's statement. "Ya know ya have a thing for fathering children without consummating the act." She saw the shocked expressions of the other adults sending her looks of are-you-nuts-to-anger-him-further. But Rogue stayed unfazed by this and stepped closer to Logan.

The Canadian chuckled on his mate's attempt to lighten his mood. The girl knew him too well. "Then it's a good thing I never stopped during a fuck, 'cept the one time with you, Kid, huh?" He sent her a wolfish grin and she snickered about his comment.

The horrified looks the others threw Logan at his words and then the confused gazes they sent her way when she only laughed were just too precious. Did they indeed think her so oblivious to Logan's former lifestyle?

X X X X X

They waited a few minutes after the girl had woken up – giving her time to take in her new surroundings and to observe her reaction. The child was obviously troubled by her unknown whereabouts, but to their astonishment she didn't cry, nor did she sate her curiosity and explore the room – the girl simply sat with wide eyes on the bed, waiting for someone – anyone - to tell her what to do next.

When the door slid apart and revealed Wolverine and Rogue, the girl's gaze immediately centered on them – showing no emotions, but Logan's sensitive senses told him that a scared child sat before him. He slowly closed the distance and sank down on the chair next to the bed with a small smile on his lips. "Hey, kid, how are you?" His voice was calm and not so gruff as usually.

The girl looked quickly over to the young woman that rounded the bed and stopped a safe distance away, before her eyes returned to the man she vaguely recognized as the one carrying her away from her room. "Who are you, sir?"

Logan observed the little girl with a smile. 'She has courage.' "I'm your dad."

"Okay." The little brunette nodded in acknowledgment, but the man's calm demeanor made her bolder and so her small forehead wrinkled in a frown. "What is that, a 'dad'?"

Logan's eyebrow shot upwards. 'Did she really ask that?' "Huh? Umm, well… I'm gonna take care of you from now on." He hoped this answer would satisfy the child. "What's your name, kid?"

"X-23, sir." She answered right on cue.

Logan frowned and traded a worried gaze with his mate. "That's not a nice name, kid. How about we give you a new one that fits you better?" She only nodded and he thought about the names Marie had mentioned while naming Becca. Though most of them Rogue had hated or he didn't like. "How 'bout Laura?" He saw Marie flash him a knowing and approving smile.

"Laura?" the girl echoed – unsure what to think about that word or name and what the man might want to hear.

"You like it, kid?"

The small brunette nodded tentatively and added a "Laura sounds nice." as she saw that this was the answer the man had wanted to hear.

X X X X X

After Marie had introduced herself as Rogue, Logan had helped Laura down from the bed and led the two girls back into the observation-room where the professor talked to her in his calming voice – telling the child that no harm would come about her in his school. Soon Laura's trust grew and she dared to ask questions about her surroundings – to everyone's surprise common things had caught the girl's interest – like a flower and the vase on Jean's desk or the professor's wheelchair.

Xavier smiled at the small girl – hiding his concern, which he shared with everyone else. "It was a long day, I believe you must be hungry." He watched the toddler look up from the golden picture frame, she was inspecting, and nod. "Then I suggest your daddy will show you the kitchen." His gaze swapped briefly to Logan 'You should introduce her slowly to the school and a normal life, Logan. She's curios, but all the new impressions might overwhelm her.' and then back to Laura.

"Sounds like a plan, Chuck." The feral nodded and held his hand towards his clone. The child stared at the offered hand rather clueless and made Logan sigh and grasp her small hand. Before the Canadian approached the door, he sent his mate a long gaze, telling her silently to come with him and help him – he needed her calming presence and scent with him.

Marie hadn't anything else in mind than to be there for her love and the little girl, but this small gesture of the man she loved to include her made her heart swell with happiness. She fetched the baby seat and carefully sat it with its passenger in front of Laura while kneeling down with a soft smile on her lips. "This is Becca. She's mah daughter." The risk was too big that Laura would accidentally tell someone that Logan was also Becca's father, so Marie thought it best to leave out this little detail – for now.

The toddler stared unsure down on the sleeping infant, not sure what to think about the tiny creature. After a moment of scrutinizing she reached out and run her index-finger over Becca's hand. "So small."

"She's a baby and will grow, Laura." From the corner of her eyes Marie saw the grins form on the adults' features. "Not too long ago, ya were also so little like she is now."

This made Laura look up and meet the teenager's gaze, shaking her head. "No, I was no baby."

"Sure, kiddo, sure." Logan laughed about the determination in his older child's face and began leading her out of the room and down the corridor with a giggling Marie on his heels. "So, what do you wanna eat?"

"I don't know, sir."

'Sir? She's still half a baby and not in the damn military... those bastards!' The hilarity vanished from the mutant's face, but he suppressed the growl that was forming in his chest.

X X X X X

Marie had thought their way to the kitchen would take at least half an hour, considering the way the little girl had inspected the lab, but to her surprise Laura stayed calmly between them and held tightly onto Logan's hand. Her large green eyes wandered over the wooden panels of the walls, the expensive vases and carpets and all the other items that made the mansion homey, but no question or word of awe left her lips, her mouth hung only wide open.

Logan watched the toddler's reaction with concern. She was like a scared little kitten that left the card-box it was born in for the very first time. "Here we are, kiddo. This is the kitchen." He said while pushing the door open and loosing the girl's grip to his hand. Laura followed him immediately to the fridge. "OK, kid, what do you want?" His answer was a blank look on the girl's features. With a sigh the usually gruff man opened the fridge and motioned to the food. "Take whatever you like."

The toddler gazed to Rogue and then back to the man, both smiled softly down at her. Eventually she took a step closer to the giant metal box and was surprised that the air got colder the closer she got. Tentatively she reached for one of the many colorful plastic cups and watched the reaction of the adults. When their smiles grew she gathered her courage and spoke up. "What's this?"

Marie kneeled down next to the girl. "That's a yogurt with peach flavor. Do you want it, sweetie?"

"Maybe...," Laura answered after a moment of thought before reaching for another item. "What's this?"

"That's butter. Ya can't eat it like this." Marie saw the curiosity flee from the child's features, just as the girl had made the impression they would succeed in breaking the ice. "Ya can try if you like, but butter like this tastes eww, babygirl." The teenager was relieved to see that the girl didn't stop her exploration and reached for the plastic drawer with the vegetables.

"What's this?"

"A cucumber."

"And this?"

"A zucchini."

"And this?"

"A tomato. How about we'll fix ya a sandwich?" suggested Marie and reached for the cheese while Logan fetched the toast bread from a cabinet.

"A sandwich?"

"Yup, then ya can have a taste of everything ya've found so far." The teenager grasped the box with the beef leftovers. "OK, the zucchini doesn't really fit, but how about we add a little cheese and meat?"

"I know meat," stated Laura and watched the adults put everything on the kitchen island.

"That's good, kiddo." Logan placed three plates on the counter, he was hungry as hell. "Bring the cucumber, Laura." He hadn't closed his mouth as Marie cleared her throat and gave him a serious glare. The Canadian returned his mate's gaze with a frown, not understanding what she meant. Sighing, Marie rolled her eyes and mouthed a 'please' that immediately enlightened the feral, who in turn took a deep breath. "Please, Laura." Those words made his young mate smile.

"Yes, sir."

"Would you like some milk?"

Laura looked up to the older brunette, clutching the long green vegetable to her chest. "Milk on bread?"

Marie suppressed her grin – the last she wanted was to discourage the toddler. "No, sweetie. Would ya like to drink some milk?"

"I like milk." There was a small smile on the girl's face and she held the vegetable up above her head. "Here is the cucoomer, sir."

"Thanks for the cucumber, kiddo." He didn't miss the praising gaze his mate sent him. "And Laura, just call me dad, OK?"

"OK, si- dad."

Marie closed the fridge and held a carton milk and a glass mustard in her hands. "Laura, please bring the mustard to daddy. Ah'll make you a mug of hot milk."

"OK!" The little girl spun around and took the glass before bringing it to Logan with a soft smile on her lips.

A low growl escaped Logan when his sensitive ears registered the approach of some of his students. 'Shit!'

"There you are, chica!" exclaimed the mouthy Asian as she and her friends crossed the doorstep and quieted as she saw the baby wake up and Rogue hurry to her daughter throwing an evil glare towards her loud classmate. "Oops!"

When Colossus's massive frame towered in the kitchen's entrance Laura stared up the giant young man, her eyes huge and her mouth forming an o. "You're big!"

Logan grunted in annoyance while his mate had picked up Becca and was now rocking the baby back to sleep. The young mother turned towards Laura with a smile. "Yes, sweetie, Pete is tall."

"Who are you?" brought the small girl out eventually.

"Huh?" The teenagers' gazes centered on the child before them. "I'm Kitty and these are Pete and Jubilee."

"Umm, chica, maybe it's a dumb question, but where does that toddler come from?"

The Canadian decided to stop the noisy questions before he might have to do some more explaining than he was in the mood for. "We leveled an illegal lab today," he pressed out with a growl and hoped the kids would leave it at that.

Kitty watched the feral slice a tomato with a knife. "So you freed her, Logan?" His answer was a curt nod that seemed to sate his students' curiosity. It was a sad fact that it wasn't a rare occurrence for Xavier's school to get new students this way. So everybody knew better than to ask questions about the traumatizing happenings at the lab or during the rescue.

"Who's Logan?"

Laura's innocent question made the Canadian look up from the sandwiches. "That's me."

"But you said you're daddy."

The feral didn't miss the astonishment on the teenagers' features and cursed inwardly, but stayed calm for the little girl's sake. "Yes, kiddo, for you I'm daddy. For everyone else I'm Logan."

"Why?"

"Okaaaay. Time out!" Jubilee raised her hands to a 'T'. "Daddy?"

Logan ignored his students and Becca's wakening brawl – thanks to Jubes' loud voice - and crouched down in front of his clone. "'Cuz you're my daughter."

Laura contemplated this new information and the baby's quieting cries got her attention. "Rogue is Becca's daddy?"

"Huh?" Logan's brows shot upwards as he tried to get the child's train of thought. "No, Rogue is Becca's mommy." He saw the confusion spread on the little girl's face and thought about an easy answer. "See, Laura, women are mommies and men are daddies."

The little girl pointed with her index finger at Kitty. "She's mommy?" And then at Pete. "He's daddy?"

"No, kiddo!" The feral's eyes widened. "Colossus is no daddy." 'I hope for him he ain't yet!'

"But he's an man." The toddler wrinkled her forehead and crossed her small arms over her chest.

"Yes, he is A man, kiddo, but he is not your daddy. That's me." He saw her nod in acknowledgment. "Do you understand?"

"No."

This honest statement made Logan roll his eyes with a sigh and stood up. "Try your luck, Kid." He picked Becca up from her mother's arms.

Marie suppressed her grin and kneeled down in front of the child. "Laura, just call Logan daddy, okay?" She paused a moment. "You'll understand in time."

Laura nodded slowly, still confused. "Okay."

Marie's smile grew and she faced her mate. "See problem solved."

Shaking his head Logan placed a second loaf of toast bread on each of the sandwiches and picked one of the plates up – his plan to eat in the kitchen had changed the very moment when Marie's friends had disturbed them. It seemed it was time to introduce Laura to their rooms.

X X X X X

CHAPTER 43

Storm rapped at Rogue's door and waited for an answer before opening the door and entering the room. Her gaze fell immediately onto the heap of beddings on the floor next to the young mother's wardrobe and then her blue eyes centered on the sleeping child curled up next to the nursing teenager. "Hey, how is she?"

"Physically, the kid's fine, but mentally…" Logan trailed off shaking his head as he approached his fellow team-mate. "I doubt we need to buy her own bed any time soon."

"Nightmares?"

"If it were just those." Logan sighed and picked the fabric from the floor. "Rogue and I sat next to her till she fell asleep. Laura was peacefully sleeping and we retreated to my room… to talk and watch TV." He held the little girl's sweatpants up, showing a wet spot. "We weren't gone for ten minutes when she suddenly screamed."

Marie's features were covered with worry. "We both have our own share of nightmares, but Laura… it wasn't the dream that had scared her half to death, but our presence when she woke up and realized she wasn't alone."

"She was like frozen as soon as she saw us. Her tears stopped at once and she began to tremble and apologize."

"Apologize?" Storm asked confused.

"For wetting the bed. Worst was that she shied away and begged us to not hurt her." His eyes were filled with concern for the girl and rage for the people that had hurt her. "It took us almost an hour to finally touch her and convince her that we wouldn't hit her."

Marie's gaze became sad as she looked down on the sleeping three-year old. "My presence seemed to trouble her the most until she saw that I didn't hurt Becca when she cried."

"Apparently, some fuckin' bitch had night shift and punished her for havin' nightmares." The Canadian clenched his fists in rage and his claws emerged from between his knuckles. "If I ever find out who that chick was…"

"Oh God, the poor child!" Storm stepped closer to the bed. "She seemed fine yesterday… but then again it was weird that she didn't cry in her new surroundings."

"I believe her calm and obedient attitude is her self-preservation mechanism to not provide a reason for punishment." Marie saw the other woman nod in acknowledgment. "The only thing that seems to calm her and hold the nightmares somewhat at bay is me lying close to her." Her hand not holding Becca ran gently up and down Laura's back. "She needs to feel body contact."

Logan was glad that Xavier had given him and Rogue the day off to go shopping for Laura, but after last night he doubt going to the mall and confronting the traumatized girl with even more new stuff was such a good idea. His gaze fell upon the plastic bag the weather witch held in one hand. "What's that, Ro?"

Storm wrinkled her forehead about the man's questioning expression, till she remembered the reason for her visit. "Oh this! The Professor asked me to pick up some supplies for the school and I thought I could spare you the trouble to hunt for clothes, Logan." Opening the bag she pulled a small yellow tee shirt, a demin skirt, underwear and little socks with butterflies out. "I also got her a pajama. I just hope it'll fit."

Logan let go of the laundry and picked the pink pajama top up. "Thanks, Ro. But that wasn't necessary. How much do I owe you?" If it was just him he wouldn't bother to ask, but he would provide for his family out of his own strength.

But the woman shook her head smiling. "Nothing. The professor already took care of it." Her gaze fell upon the much too large shirt the small girl was wearing as a nighty. "And it was necessary, Logan. Or had you planned to let her wear Rogue's shirts as dresses?"

The Canadian chuckled sheepishly. "Right."

"Not to mention that it would be pretty unfair when she figures her little sister has her own stuff to wear and she does not."

"Little sister?" Marie muttered and locked her gaze with her mate. It wasn't that she didn't think of Laura as their child, but somehow she hadn't made the connection that the two girls would be sisters from now on – though genetically Laura could be Becca's mother.

The weather witch noticed the young parents' sudden realization and decided to leave them alone. "I'll see you later then."

"Yeah..." Logan watched her open the door. "Thanks again, Ro."

"Bye, Miss Monroe."

Logan waited for the door to close as he sunk down on the desk chair with a thoughtful sigh. "You wanted a siblin' for Becca, Marie, seems like you got what you wanted."

The teenager held his gaze, her features a little upset. "This sounds like ya didn't want another kid."

"You know that ain't true... it's just... everythin' happened so fast." He ran his hand through his thick mane. "It's kinda worse than when Becca dropped into our lap out of the blue..."

"Oh, please sugah. Just say that ya wanna knock me up the old fashioned way." She wiggled her brows at him.

Chuckling he leaned back on the desk chair. "True..." Seriousness overtook his features. "I wanted to take it slower." His hazel eyes locked with her chocolate ones. "You're only seventeen and you already have two kids..." It still amazed him how easily Marie had adopted the idea of taking care of Laura as their child. Her kindness and love never seemed to end.

"Logan..."

"I wish we had more time to prepare."

"So do I, but she's here now and she needs us." Marie continued stroking Laura's back.

"Yeah." Logan got to his feet and picked the bag with Laura's new clothes up. After ripping the price tags off with his claws he placed the tee-shirt, skirt and underwear on the foot of the bed and put the rest of the clothes into one of Marie's drawers next to Becca's countless bibs and socks.

X X X X X

When Logan returned to his girls' room with a tray with hot cocoa, two glasses orange juice, a black coffee and three stacks of blueberry pancakes, he found Marie crouched down in front of Laura, who struggled to get the large 'nighty' over her head. "Ya sure, Ah shouldn't help ya, sweetie?"

A muffled "I can do tis" rang from the small girl knotted with the cloth.

Logan grinned amused as Laura began to turn in circles – reminding him of a dog chasing its own tail - and Marie trying to keep the child from falling or hitting the furniture. He placed the breakfast on Marie's desk and sat down on her bed next to a babbling Becca to enjoy the scene. The baby was lying on her belly and was trying to push herself up with her tiny hands and crawl on the bed-sheet. "Huh? Wanna have a better view, lil' skunk?" Lovingly the big Wolverine picked the fragile infant up and placed her onto his lap, leaving a peck on her downy head.

Becca clapped her hands happily and teetered back and forth while Laura emitted a frustrated cry and let herself fall onto her bottom. "Funny, huh?" whispered Logan into the baby's ear as she gargled amused.

Marie straightened the shirt back down the little girl's body – freeing her head. "Ah'm sure ya can do this on your own, but Ah would be happy to help ya a little, Laura."

The toddler huffed a little – unused to having help offered instead of harsh commands - but then she staggered back to her feet – the room was spinning a little – and she nodded unsure what to do now.

Marie smiled gently. "Rise your hands above your head." The girl complied and the teenager pulled the shirt up above the child's head, leaving her in only her new panties. "Now we can put on your new clothes."

Laura reached for the shirt Marie was about to change the girl into and took it from her.

The older brunette was a little surprised that the toddler still refused her help. "Fine, then without mah help..."

The child stuck her hands through the sleeves and dove her head under the fabric. When she reemerged a clueless look was on her features. "Why does you want to help me?"

Marie didn't want to correct the child. "Why not, babygirl?" This didn't seem to satisfy. "Ah like to help."

The frown didn't leave Laura's face, but the child reached for the skirt, inspecting it. "One hole?"

Marie grinned when the little brunette looked through the opening. "That's a skirt."

"No pants?"

"We'll buy ya pants soon. But now we have only that skirt for ya, sweetie." Marie saw the skeptical gaze and held the clothing in front of Laura, so the girl could step into it. When she had buttoned the skirt, the teen smiled reassuringly. "It suits ya, Laura."

A small smile tucked at the child's lips and she picked the socks up, inspecting them as well. "What tat?" She pointed at the butterfly-print.

"A butterfly."

"Why is it on te socks?"

"Umm..." Marie contemplated this question. She knew little kids were quite inquisitive, but Laura's questions startled her. "They are cute." She tried tentatively.

Logan chuckled and sank down on one of the desk chairs with Becca sitting on his lap, sucking on her little fist. "Let's eat 'fore the food is cold."

Marie helped the toddler put on the socks and then lifted her up and placed her onto her lap after taking her seat on the free chair. "Thanks for the breakfast, sugah."

The young parents dug into their food while Laura placed her fork into the syrup and let the viscous liquid drop down onto her plate.

"Laura?"

"What's tis?" The girl met her father's gaze and didn't miss him rolling his eyes as he had heard her question.

X X X X X

CHAPTER 44

Winter was arriving any day now as the temperatures dropped and would hide the colorful leaves under a white blanket soon. After the breakfast Logan and Rogue had decided to take their girls for a walk in the garden. Laura had two of the gray school sweaters on over her new clothes that reached down till her shins, shielding her from the cold.

The awe in her bright green eyes as she picked a red-yellow maple-leaf up for the very first time, warmed Marie's heart. She was glad that the child still held the innocence to enjoy such a simple thing as a walk through the nature after all what the little girl had to endure in her short life.

Logan had lifted Laura up to inspect an abandoned bird's nest in a tree and soon the toddler was climbing on the lower branches with her father's hands hovering close to her body in case she would lose balance.

"Here is another acorn, Rogue!" screamed Laura and tore it off a branch to drop it into Marie's waiting hand.

The young mother shifted Becca so the nosy infant wouldn't grasp the acorn and try to put it into her mouth. "That's great, Laura!" Then her voice was redirected to the baby. "No, honey, that's nothing to play with for ya yet." Becca grimaced and Marie quickly picked up one of the colorful leaves that lie in the baby seat, twisting it between her fingers. "Oh, look, honey! All those colors!"

Becca began to reach for the leaf and her mother breathed a sigh of relief to have stopped her brawl before it had begun.

Suddenly Laura saw something crawl up the tree and she immediately held her small hand in front of it and the little insect climbed on her fingers. She lifted it up and held it curiously towards Marie's face. "What's that?"

"Eww!" The older brunette jumped back. "That's a spider!", she eventually brought out and heard her mate snicker about her uneasiness. It wasn't that she was afraid of spiders, she just didn't like them and especially not inches away from her face.

Startled, Laura looked to her father. "Is it bad?"

Now Logan's laughter hollered through the garden and the beginning of the woods. "No, kid."

The uncertainty vanished from the toddler's features and a small smile tugged on her lips while Logan lifted her down from the tree. "Can I have it?"

Marie narrowed her eyes at her mate. "She's just like you!" She saw his smirk and knelt down in front of the girl. "Umm, Laura, the spider would miss its tree."

Logan felt his mate's eyes burn into him and he chuckled before tousling his clone's hair. "The spider wouldn't like to be locked up, kiddo."

The toddler contemplated a moment. "Locked up is stupid!" She said eventually and sat the insect back onto a branch with a heavy heart.

"That was the right decision, kid," praised the Canadian and lifted the baby-seat up.

X X X X X

The students began to scurry all over the mansion's grounds as the bell for the break rang. Bobby carried the basketball over the lawn to his waiting friends at the court, but to his surprise all of the boys were gathered in one spot. "Hey, what's up?"

"That must be the Wolverine's daughter, that's up," answered a younger boy with red hair and pointed towards the treeline, where Rogue, Logan, Becca and a little brunette girl were collecting leaves.

"His daughter?" Iceman asked surprised and faced the other boys. "Am I the only one not knowing of this?"

Just in that moment Pyro approached with Kitty and Jubilee in tow. "Who's that runt?"

"Obviously, you ain't, Iceman," replied another student.

"Wolverine has a kid?", asked Bobby again. "How did that happen!" This exclamation made him the center of disbelieving stares.

"Did you sleep during sex ed.?" muttered Kitty.

Jubilee watched the young parents and smirked. "Seems like karma came around the corner and bit Wolverine in his sexy ass."

"Let's say 'hi' to them, Jubes," suggested Kitty and both girls walked towards Rogue and Logan.

"Hi, chica, whatcha doing?"

Marie ignored her mate's low growl and smiled at her two friends. "Hi! We collect acorns to make things with our hands."

"And leaves!", peeped Laura and held some up into the air.

"That's right, Laura."

Suddenly the students watching them caught the toddler's eyes. "Huh? Where does all the peoples come from?"

"They live here, kiddo." Logan explained and wondered if it was a good idea to expose the troubled child to the other kids. "This is a school."

"What's a school?"

"A place where children learn new things."

"I was at school!" The girl exclaimed with mixed feelings, remembering the lab.

Marie began to rock the cranky Becca and tried to keep her smile intact. "Yeah, sweetie... Let's get in the house and wash our findings."

X X X X X

Later that day Marie was glad that both girls were having their nap after they had lunch at their room and made a bracelet and a necklace out of the acorns and Logan had helped Laura glue her beloved withered leaves onto a paper. At first the toddler watched a little wary and wasn't sure what to think of the idea to pull a string through a hole that the adults made in the acorns – as was the feral - , but soon she helped eagerly and was even giggling when Becca had pushed on the glue tube and had covered Logan's cigar, gluing it to the leaves.

Marie chuckled as she watched the feral free his cigar. "Ya ain't gonna smoke it, sugah?" The glare she received told her everything. "Logan, ya're nuts!"

Grunting the Canadian went to the balcony and lit his cigar. It didn't take long till the French doors of the neighbored room opened and Jean sauntered towards his spot leaning against the balustrade. ' Jesus! Can't that chick leave me alone?'

"Hey, Logan. How are things?" She scrutinized his tensed jaw and the way he stared over the vast lawn. "Stressed?", she eventually asked and let her delicate fingers rest on his shoulder.

Logan felt his inner animal snarl at the audacity of the redhead – only their mate was allowed to touch him that way. He immediately turned around and shrugged her hand off. "Nope, Red."

"Really?" She stepped closer and flashed him her seducing toothy smile. "There are leaves sticking to that cigar of yours." His answer was a low growl in warning, but Jean didn't waver, though a chill ran down her spine. "How is the girl?"

The Canadian noticed her change in tactic. "What do you think, Jeannie?" His dark eyes bore into her as he continued. "She wasn't allowed to be a kid until today. Only a labrat. A weapon-to-be."

"She needs time," mumbled the doctor. Jean felt truly sorry for the little girl and was mortified at what they had found out about the lab, but the fact that Rogue had immediately decided to take care of Logan's clone made her rage boil – she hadn't missed the love-filled gaze the feral's eyes had held the evening before. 'That little pest makes herself look holier than the Pope!'

'Oh, hadn't thought that!' He thought sarcastically and took another drag – the cigar definitively tasted odd, but he wouldn't let it go to waste if he could help it.

His silence made her a little bolder and so Jean traced her fingers down his arm. "If you need someone to talk to..."

The growl rumbled in his chest as he pushed away from the balustrade, his eyes burning into the woman. "I have someone to talk to." He was shoving past her, but she caught his arm.

"I'm sorry, Logan." Jean said hastily, this wasn't going like plan. "But don't you think it's a little too much for Rogue. She's still so young." She hoped he wouldn't pick up on her faked worry.

"She ain't as fragile as you make her believe she might be." Logan hissed and put his cigar out on the marble floor before opening the door to Marie's room. He stormed in and caught the French door just before it could fall into its lock loudly and wake the kids. After searching his pockets for another cigar to chew on, the feral fetched a beer from his fridge and emptied it in a few gulps.

Marie watched her enraged mate from the corner of her eyes as she lay next to Laura on her bed with her history book in hand. 'Can't that chick see when someone wants to be left alone?' her inner Logan grumbled in sympathy with his real him.

'Ya would think she should be more sensitive with her gift...' Her gaze followed Logan pace through the rooms.

Suddenly he stopped and locked eyes with the teenager. "I gonna go down." With that he left for the Danger Room – he needed to vent the anger that had built up since last evening when he had found out about the experiments that were carried on to create the perfect weapon based on his DNA. The professor had told him an hour before that the files Scott had copied from the lab contained data on twenty-two failed clones and that the successful number 23 was subjected to a hard physical and psychical training since the day of her birth. They had planned to put her under so much pressure that her X-Factor would activate and her mutation would manifest even before she hit puberty.

Marie knew he would come back in a few hours and would be ready to talk and she would be ready to listen to him patiently – as he usually did for her.

X X X X X

As Marie had predicted the Wolverine was after his workout in the mood to tell her what was troubling him and about what the professor had informed him this noon. The young mother felt tears pool in her chocolate eyes and she buried her face in Logan's t-shirt, muffling her voice. "Those bastards!"

The Canadian only grunted and cradled her petit frame further to his chest as they lay on Marie's bed next to a still sleeping Laura. Becca had already finished her nap and was now babbling happily on her blanket under her baby-gym, reaching for the swinging purple star above her head.

"What are we gonna do with her during classes?" The brunette asked after a while and pulled back a little so their gazes could lock, their fingers of one of their hands were laced and he drew lazy circles with his thumb on the back of her hand.

Logan took a deep breath. It was one thing to have a sleeping baby sit at the sidelines of the gym, but he doubt that a lively three year old would do the same, not to mention the situations in Marie's classes. "Cyke could keep subbin' for me for the rest of the week."

A mischievous smile formed on Marie's features. "Ah could skip a few classes."

Logan scowled playfully down at his mate. "Nice try, Kid." He leaned forward and captured her lips in a slow kiss that soon became more heated and desperate. When a moan escaped Marie, the feral tightened his embrace and pulled her further onto his chest, one of his hands travelling south to her demin clad butt. Her fingers ran through his dark hair while her tongue explored his hot mouth, making him growl/purr in delight.

"What are you doing?" asked a sleepy voice and the lovebirds froze before breaking away and Marie scurried from Logan's embrace while he wiped their salvia from his mouth with the back of his hand. He would have laughed about his mate's embarrassed blush, if the piercing green eyes of his clone wouldn't have dug into him like knives.

'Shit! She's gonna tell!' panicked Marie and flattened her hair. "Umm… N- nothing…"

"Choo!" Laura wiped her nose with the sleeve of her new pj's and Marie noticed the girl's dark circles under her eyes and placed a hand onto her forehead.

"Gosh, baby, ya've got a fever!" Her worried gaze met her mate's. "Logan, Ah fear she's gonna come down with something."

It was strange for Logan to be confronted with sickness, it was hard for him to handle if someone he cared for was injured or Marie had her monthly cramps, but a simple cold was something he had never experienced – at least as far as he could remember. "What should we do?" Since Becca's birth he knew how to handle a baby with stomachache or hiccups, but until now they have been lucky and their little girl always stayed healthy.

Marie palpated Laura's neck – the toddler looked quite uncomfortable and was like frozen in shock. "Open up your mouth, please." The older brunette demanded and reached for the bedside lamp and switched it on.

Laura stared up at her with wide fearful eyes, but decided by the serious tone in her voice that she should better obey and don't ask questions – doctors never liked it when she didn't follow their instructions or even dared to ask something. Maybe Rogue was also a doctor?

Marie looked into her throat as good as her tongue allowed it. "Does it hurt when ya swallow?" The toddler stared up at her and shrugged.

His young mate's actions amazed Logan and he wondered where that sudden knowledge came from – when Becca had her first colic she seemed as clueless and panicked as he felt. "Jeannie should have a look at her, don't you think, Marie?" Logan stood up and picked the toddler up.

Marie didn't like the idea that they had to ask the backstabbing bitch for help, but it was better than to look for a doctor in town at the moment. "Might be the best." Marie lifted the pillow up. "We'll move Laura to your bed and Ah'll switch our beddings." She saw his hitched brow. "The last Ah want is Becca to become sick, too."

X X X X X

CHAPTER 45

Laura was stiff in his arms at first and he had a hard time to make her relax and lean her body and head against his chest. Logan felt her hot skin of her forehead against his neck and his sensitive ears caught on her labored breathing, making him panic inwardly. His feet moved faster down the hallway and soon he was jogging the stairs down to the foyer, with the girl pressed protectively to him, rubbing her back gently. She whimpered when he took the last two steps as one. "Shh, sorry, babygirl." He kissed her on the top of her head and sniffed the air. Wolverine followed Jean's scent to one of the classrooms and burst in, making all students jump and look his way, as was the redhead. "Logan?"

He ignored the stares and whispers and strode forward towards the teacher. "You have to take a look at her, Red." He demanded in his gruff voice, his scowl burning into the woman.

Jean placed the chalk onto her desktop and approached the worried man, inwardly cheering that Rogue was nowhere to be seen. 'Got too much for the runt?' "What's wrong, Logan?"

Wolverine did his best to keep the worry banned from his features and voice. "She's got a temperature." He watched Jean place her hand on the girl's forehead. "And Rogue said her tonsils are swollen." The man didn't miss the anger flare up in Jean's eyes.

'Who does that little slut think she is?' She let a faked smile plaster her lips. "It doesn't look bad, Logan. My class will be over in a quarter hour. I'll meet you down in the Med Bay."

Logan's jaw tightened and a low growl rumbled through the air – making everybody, especially Laura, jump in fear. "The kid is burning, Red!" He leaned forward their noses almost touching, he could smell her fear grow at his intimidation.

Jean swallowed and stepped back, her gaze travelling swiftly over her students, "It won't bother you, if we'd end the class now. Please remain quite, the others are still learning." before returning to a very angry feral.

The Canadian turned on his heels and guided the doctor out of the class-room and towards the elevator. During the short ride down he kept scowling at Jean, showing her clearly that he was pissed at her, while he stroked Laura's back gently.

X X X X X

Jean tried to calm the feral's temper and took the girl's temperature, a smear test and a blood sample – during the last one Laura began to tremble uncontrollably and pressed herself further into Logan's side. "See, sweetie, it didn't hurt that much." She smiled and applied a plaster with horses on it to the small wound. "You were very brave, Laura."

She had to admit – only to herself – that Rogue had been right and Laura's tonsils were very swollen and red, so she looked through her medicaments for liquid antibiotics that wouldn't be too strong for the child's metabolism. She found one and poured some water into the little bottle and shook it. "Here's an antibiotic, Logan. Give her one spoon" she lifted a small plastic spoon up, "three times a day with some juice postprandial. She has to take it for at least ten days even when she feels well again. Make cool packings and keep tabs on her temperature." She placed a thermometer in Logan's waiting hand and then stroked Laura's head, making the child flinch away. "You'll feel better soon, sweetie."

The worried feral arched his eyebrow while lifting his daughter up and picking up the medicament. "That's all, Jeannie?"

The redhead smiled at the man. "Logan, this is no mysterious disease, every child is sick sometimes." An idea dawned on her. "But it would be best if Rogue and the baby wouldn't be in contact with Laura or you as long as she's sick. It could be dangerous for Becca to get an infection at her young age."

Logan nodded and turned to leave. "Thanks, Red," he pressed out and placed a peck onto Laura's forehead.

"And Logan, if you need anythi-"

The feral cut in, sickened by the redhead's sweet smile. "I know."

X X X X X

When he arrived at his room, he found a bowl with cold water with ice cubes swimming in it and washcloths on his nightstand and a plastic bag on his bed and the TV running on some cartoon channel. Logan placed the girl down on his bed and called over to the other room, hearing Marie talk quietly to Becca. "We're back, Kid. We got antibiotics."

The teenager kissed her baby's nose and placed the musical stuffed rabbit, Logan had bought on his way to Canada, into the girl's chubby hands. "Ah'm sorry, honey, but mommy and daddy have to take care of Laura now. She's sick. Play a little with bunny." Then she hurried over to the adjoined room and sat down next to Laura. "Hey, sweetie, how are ya?"

Logan frowned and placed the medicine on his nightstand. "Marie, I don't think it good that you're so close to Laura. Jean said an infection could be dangerous for Becca." He lifted one washcloth and turned to face the teen. "What's the bag for?"

Marie smirked and pulled the legs of Laura's pj's up and placed the bag under her bare shins. "Sugah, and AH don't think it a good idea to leave a sick child in the care of a man, who doesn't have the slightest idea how swollen tonsils can hurt." She heard him huff/growl but carried on. "We'll simply be careful with Becca. We ain't the first parents to have two kids with one of them sick."

He grumbled irritated. "Still, you didn't answer my question. WTF are you doin'?"

Marie sent him a sharp look about his choice of words. "Wet the clothes and wring them out." She watched him follow her instructions and took one of the cool washcloths from him and wrapped it around one of Laura's legs. She felt the girl shiver and heard her whimper. "Sorry, baby. But this will help ya to get that fever down." She repeated her action with the second leg and then placed a second plastic bag over the wet fabric, before pulling the blanket up to Laura's chin. The brunette held her open palm towards Logan to receive the last washcloth, which she placed onto Laura's forehead, stroking her hair lovingly. "Tell me if ya need something."

"Choo!"

"Oh, baby." Marie fetched a paper tissue from the box on the other nightstand and wiped the toddler's nose.

Laura stared up at the young woman, confused about the way she behaved. That other woman, her father called 'Red', was without a doubt a doctor and behaved like the ones back at her old 'home', but Rogue was different than the other doctors. She was really nice and seemed to really care. Her attention was caught by a high pitched scream coming from the TV. She knew those devices – the people at her old home used them to teach her things – but the weird blue creatures with white hats didn't remind her to the educational programs she was used to watch. "What tat?" She pointed at the TV and whimpered a little when she swallowed.

Marie smiled weakly at the little girl. "Ah thought ya might want to relax a little and watch some cartoons. Ah liked doing it when Ah was little and sick." The blank stare of the child pierced her heart. "We could switch it off, if ya don't enjoy it, baby."

Logan watched the interaction and was impressed about the maturity and care his young mate showed. How did a brutal animal like him deserve her? "She needs to eat something before taking the medicine," he eventually said, feeling kind of useless and misplaced.

Marie was already in the bathroom, opening the warm water tab. "Ah know. Could ya please fetch the chicken broth from the kitchen? It should be ready by now. Ah'll make her a warm salt-packing for the neck."

Logan stared at his mate amazed. "OK." He was about to leave, but faced her, standing in the doorframe. "How do you know what to do?"

A chuckle escaped Marie at his hitched brow. "That's what mah momma did when Ah was sick."

He let this information sink in and nodded. Marie hardly spoke about her parents and he wouldn't press her to it. "I'll make her a mug of hot milk."

"No, ya won't." Marie said sharply and saw him frown. "Milk reduces the effect of antibiotics."

"Oh."

Marie smirked slyly. "See ya need me."

X X X X X

Kitty watched her neighbor Rogue rest her head in her palm, her elbow propped up on her desk, while her eyes closed every few seconds. Eventually the young mother's eyes remained closed.

Jubilee leaned towards Shadowcat when Scott began to write on the blackboard. "I hadn't thought it possible for Rogue to look even paler than usually, but looking at her now every zombie would look more alive than her."

Kitty nodded. "Not to mention those dark circles under her eyes…" She hadn't closed her mouth when Rogue's elbow slipped away and the brunette woke with a start.

"Is everything ok, chica?" the Asian whispered – it was a good thing the three sat in the back of the room.

"You look awful."

Marie stifled her yawn and tried to decipher the hieroglyphs, she had written in half-sleep. "Gee, thanks, Kitty."

"I didn't mean it like that… well… did you get any sleep last night?"

"Sleep? What is that?" snorted Rogue with a low voice. "Laura had earache all night, next to her sore throat and sneezing, and we made her warm packings and packings with mashed potatoes or garlic for her ears. Logan fetched eardrops for toddlers from the pharmacy some time 'round 11PM and Ah made her a chicken broth in the middle of the night and when Laura FINALLY fell asleep at half past five and Ah was eventually in mah bed, then Becca demanded her early breakfast." The brunette finally took a breath. "And all the time we had to be careful that Laura wouldn't pass on her disease to Becca or that Ah wouldn't, so Logan insisted that Ah would take his healing." 'And then Ah had a growly worried feral in mah head, who doesn't have the slightest idea how it is to be sick!'

'Sorry, Darlin', but I felt so fuckin' helpless!'

Marie ignored her inner Logan. "And did Ah mention that Ah have mah period and mah stomach and mah back hurt?"

The bell rang and everyone packed their stuff together to walk to the next class-room. "You would think Laura'd have a better immune system being Wolvie's…"

"Damn yes! But she's 24 hours here and already sick!" Marie exclaimed, making her classmates and Scott look her way – she was usually well-behaved and calm. When one boy coughed, she groaned. "If Ah hear someone cough again, Ah'm gonna shoot mahself!"

X X X X X

Meanwhile in Logan's room:

"You need to eat somethin', kid," pleaded Logan, holding a spoon with mashed bananas in front of Laura's lips while Becca crawled in Marie's room towards the connecting door. The baby gargled happily as she reached her father's leg and he groaned stressed, putting the spoon down in the full bowl and lifting a giggling Becca up once again, holding her away from his body in case he had some bacteria on his clothes. "Stop bein' difficult and stay on your blanket, lil' skunk!" He hissed with emphasis, but the girl simply laughed and sucked on her fist as her father brought her once again back to her blanket and baby-gym.

Obviously her father didn't enjoy her new game as much as she did. Logan had already tried several times to put her into her crib, but every time she began to cry like it's the world end and then he returned her to her blanket. He was already on his way back and turned around to see his little shadow crawl his way. "Becca!" The baby sat onto her bottom and looked up at him innocently with her large hazel eyes – Logan had been insanely proud when it turned out that Becca's eye-color took after him. With a growl that would have scared his students shitless, he approached the girl picked her up and delivered her to her toys on the floor – Becca laughing all the while. "Stay here! I mean it!"

When Logan returned to his own room, he arrived just in time to see the three spoons bananas reemerge from his clone and cover his beddings. "Fuck!"

"Sor-" Laura heaved again during her apology, staring terrified up at the man.

Logan held his breath and ran to the window opening it widely, before picking the toddler up and carrying her – holding her as far away as possible – to his bathroom and holding her over the toilet when she heaved again. "Jesus, kid! You haven't eaten this much!"

While he tugged bile-smeared strands with a paper-tissue from the child's face, his sensitive ears didn't miss the light padding of a baby crawling on tiles. "Becca! You'll stay the fuck outta here!"

Luckily for him the baby sat back on her bottom in the doorframe and – or maybe not so lucky for him now – made a face before whining and spitting her supper onto the marble-tiles. "Christ!" Logan felt his last ounce of strength leave his body and he slumped down to his knees, leaning his back against a shelf with Laura placed on his lap, still hugging the porcelain. "I don't believe this is happenin'…"

X X X X X

Her classes were finally over for today and Marie was looking forward to snuggle into her bed and resume her nap from Storm's class.

"Rogue?"

The brunette slowly turned around to see Scott approach her. "Hello, Mr. Summers." She stifled a yawn.

Scott began walking next to her and scrutinized the girl. "Is everything alright?"

"Umm, yes."

"You don't look like it. Are you sick?" He asked concerned and watched her open the door to her room.

Marie smiled weakly. "No, Logan gave me a little of his healing. Ah just didn't get enough sleep last night."

Jean had checked on the pair twice the evening before and seemed a little worried – Scott had decided was the right term – that they had turned down her offer for help with the sick child. "Is Laura better?"

Marie sighed and stepped into her room. "Ah hope so." There she was greeted by the sound of water running in her bathroom. "Hey, Ah'm back. How ar-"

Logan poked his head from her bathroom, looking anxiously towards the crib. "Shhhh!" But it was too late and baby Becca began her brawl. "Fuck!"

Marie threw her books onto her bed and rushed over to her crying daughter, lifting her up and cradling her small body to her chest. "Shh, honey."

Meanwhile Scott observed the big bad Wolverine, who looked everything else than scary – fine he looked pissed, but not terrifying. The feral hadn't shaved, his hair was messier than ever and his eyes were blood shot. All in all, he looked like a man without his healing after a long night with a lot of alcohol. "Geez, Logan, when was your last shower?" He ignored the death glare from his fellow X-Men and saw him return to Rogue's bath. "Hey! Did you already forget the professor's conditions? No sharing of the bathrooms!"

Logan snarled, but then an idea dawned in his tired mind. "Then go into my bathroom, Scooter."

"Why should I?" He frowned suspiciously. "What have you monkey done?"

"I did nothin'." Logan entered the room with a wet cloth in hand and walked past the other man into his room. Scott followed and watched the Canadian put the cool packing onto Laura's forehead, stroking her head gently.

Marie also approached her mate's room and smiled softly. "Hey, Laura, how are you, sweetie?" The toddler only shrugged and returned her gaze to the cartoon, while Cyclops opened the door to Logan's bathroom.

"Oh God!" Scott closed the door quickly as he took a breath of the stench caged up in the bath. "What in the world have you eaten?"

"If you would listen to me once in a while, you would know I said I didn't do it." An evil smirk plastered the feral's features. "Believe me or not, but it were these two innocent lookin' monsters." Logan pointed his thumb towards a blushing Laura and then a sleepy Becca.

Those words worried Marie. "Becca, too?" She immediately felt the baby's forehead.

Logan rolled his eyes at the teenager's immediate worry. "Yeah, but I don't think she's sick, she just took her big sis as example."

X X X X X

X X X X X

CHAPTER 46

The next morning, her third at the mansion, Laura woke next to the big growly man, most of the older children seemed to fear, though she couldn't really understand why. Fine, he screamed and shouted orders – those things did also Kimura and some of the doctors back at her old home – but Daddy had never hit anyone of the children or had locked them into an empty room. Sure, his scowl and growls were terrifying and at first Laura had been scared that Daddy would hurt Becca, when she kept crawling after him, but the little girl could feel him caring a lot about the baby and also herself.

Rogue had explained to her that she hadn't meant to snap at Daddy, but she just had felt so tiered and was worried about her and therefore it had been too much for her when the man had knocked the powder over her carpet. Maybe it had been the same with Daddy, when she wouldn't eat – that banana didn't taste good – and Becca wouldn't obey him?

Anyways, Laura was confident enough that she wouldn't be punished badly if she would dare to leave the bed now and do a little exploring of that room, she was assigned to since she didn't feel good. But maybe she was allowed back to the other room now, since she felt a lot better this morning?

She carefully crawled from under the blanket and stilled for a moment when she heard him groan. Her bare feet touched the carpet and she stealthily walked over to the desk and peeked over the top to see empty plates, two mugs and bottles gathered next to pencils, a picture frame and a sheet of paper – nothing interesting so far. Laura approached the dresser and pulled the lowest drawer open to find socks big enough to cover her whole legs. Bored, the girl let her eyes travel over the room and stopped at the TV.

She was tempted to push the button on the front, but the sound would surely wake Daddy and he wouldn't be happy. So she walked over to the small fridge and was surprised that it was also cool in there like it had been in that huge grey box in the kitchen. The toddler was thirsty and saw the brown bottles Daddy was always drinking. She lifted one up with some difficulty and tried to open the cap.

Behind her, unknown to the child Logan had been spying on her the entire time and was now anxious that Marie would enter the room and freak out as soon as she saw the toddler with a bottle of beer. The feral was positive that the child wouldn't be able to open the bottle, so he didn't see a point in interrupting her exploration. Though he lifted his eyebrow when he saw her place the beer back and fetch one of Becca's bottles, immediately drinking the milk. Logan was speechless, but the animal in him was purring approvingly that the kit was accepting his mate's milk so easily.

Laura emptied the small bottle and picked up the other one. She sucked on it while standing up – leaving the fridge-door open – and contemplating her options. The room was boring without the TV running, and the room with Rogue and the baby seemed to be off limits to her at the moment and Laura didn't want to make the nice people here angry at her. So she approached the other door and opened it with some difficulty.

Her bare feet stepped onto the wooden floor and her large eyes darted from one end of the corridor to the other. Both looked almost identical, except for the large window at the one end and more corridors stretching into eternity on the other end. Laura first approached the window and looked out, seeing birds gather at the little fountain beyond and drinking the water while she was chewing on the soft plastic nipple, enlarging the hole. Soon it got boring and the girl walked down the empty hallway, passing by a large vase on a small pedestal.

Logan was carefully stalking his clone like a predator would his prey, and watched amused the toddler peeked over the rim of an antique vase that was as tall as the girl. He was ready to dash forward and help the child, but luckily she decided to leave the vase alone - before it could fall over - and walked further down the corridor.

Laura was curious about what might be behind the many other doors, but she knew from her old home that opening other peoples' doors was a bad thing, so she walked down the large stairs and saw an open door and a TV running. At first she remained in the doorframe and let her gaze travel over the weird large armchairs – that was what Daddy called that stool in his room – and the table in front of them. To her right were two other tables, one smaller with metal sticks on its sides and a large one with a cave-like hole at its end. The toddler neared the metal sticks and stretched up and with a little jump she caught the stick and pulled herself up, like she had practiced at her old home.

It wasn't easy to climb to the top, but the little girl mastered it and stood between the metal-bars proudly, grasping the bottle that was hanging from her mouth and taking a sip.

Jones had turned around on the couch and looked over the back, staring at the in pink clad toddler, kicking one of the plastic men on the foosball table with her toes. "What are you doing?" The girl, rumors said to be the Wolverine's lovechild, froze and looked at him with fearful eyes. The boy stood up and approached the child, scaring her further and Laura wanted to take a step back, but tripped over one bar and fell onto her bottom and one of the men's heads.

Logan sprinted from his watching point on the other end of the foyer and stopped in the doorway, when he noticed that the girl wasn't really harmed – or what he had feared, had fallen head-forward to the hard floor - and that the boy was already next to her, looking rather helpless at the crying girl. The Canadian decided to watch for the moment.

Jones felt a shiver ran down his spine at the thought that Wolverine would blame him for making his daughter cry. "Shh. I won't hurt you!" He tried to help her up. "Are you hurt?" But to his dismay the child flinched away from his hand and started to cry harder. What should he do? 'I'm so dead! Wolverine goes already crazy when Becca cries and she isn't his kid!'

"C'mon. Please stop crying." He turned towards the TV. "Hey, do you want to watch Ben 10?" Jones blinked once and the TV screen changed to a mouthy boy in a green-white jacket. But the tears continued to flow down the toddler's cheeks, so he blinked again. "Hey, the Flintstones! Look they're funny." He tried and watched Fred give BamBam the little finger, with the usual outcome – Fred being tossed around.

Laura whimpered, but let the words the boy said sink in and she watched the cartoon and saw him giggle.

Jones sighed relieved that the tears had stopped, but saw that her gaze was blank. "No Flintstones? Maybe Pokemon?" He blinked again and the channel changed.

Laura stared at the odd boy. Daddy and Rogue needed a little box with buttons on it to make the program change. "How you do tat?" She asked in a tiny voice.

Jones looked at her clueless. "What do you mean?" She lifted her index finger and pointed to the TV and it dawned on him what she meant and he blinked again and again. "That's my gift."

Laura watched him with her mouth hanging open and then decided to also try it, but nothing happened.

Jones feared that the toddler would cry again so he tried to explain. "That's my gift. Only I can do this."

"Why?"

"Dunno." The boy thought it time to try again and get her off the foosball table. "I'll help you down, OK?" Laura thought a moment and then nodded, clutching her bottle in one hand. "I'm Jones. What's your name?"

"X- Laura." The girl followed him to the couch, not noticing her father watching them from the doorway. "Do it again!"

Jones blinked and the lamp behind Laura turned on. "Again!" Light out and radio on. "Again!" The TV flickered from one program to the next.

Logan smiled softly as the girl seemed to enjoy ordering the boy around and after a few more moments of watching, he walked away and approached the kitchen.

X X X X X

The mansion was slowly waking up and Logan left the kitchen with a tray of pancakes and orange juice, passing by a few of the younger students on his way back to the rec room. There he found Laura sitting – still sucking on the bottle – on the pool-table with Jones, Michiru and Kelly gathered around it and she rolled the blue ball at two others, banking the yellow one. "Yeah!"

"Now is my turn," said Kelly and lifted the black ball and rolled it towards Laura's blue one, making it bounce back.

Laura giggled and crawled towards her ball and rolled it at Kelly's black one, bringing it closer to a pocket.

"Havin' fun, kiddo?" Logan approached the children and Laura jumped to her feet a little surprised.

"Daddy?" The toddler saw the feral smile and was glad that he wasn't angry with her.

The Canadian held the tray in one hand and reached with the other for the girl, picking her up. "Let's bring the breakfast to Rogue."

Laura slung her legs around her father's waist. "OK."

Logan didn't miss the stares of the older children. 'I'll never get away from that Papa-bear image now…' He turned to leave, but whispered into the girl's ear. "Tell your friends 'bye'."

"Bye."

"Bye, Laura!"

X X X X X

Logan decided that it might be the right time to have lunch in the dining hall with everybody else. Laura had immediately chosen a smaller table next to the windows and was now staring at the students file in and fetch their lunch.

"Tail?" The toddler pointed towards a teenage girl with a fluffy tail and then her eyes widened as she saw Artie's lizard-like tongue. "Daddy, look!"

At first the feral didn't know how to react and muttered an 'I know.', but when the toddler stuck her tongue out he remembered this morning and what Jones had told her. "That's his gift."

"This is a special school, Laura. Everybody here has a gift." Marie was surprised to find her family in the dining hall, but she went over to them immediately and placed Becca in her seat onto the tabletop. "Hi." She added and watched Jubilee, Kitty, Pete, Bobby and John leave their usual table and move to the one next to Logan's – earning them a snarl.

"That's not nice, Wolvie. We just wanna keep Rogue company." Jubilee was still chewing her gum and Kitty waved at the toddler. "Hi, Laura."

The girl slid a little closer to her father – so much attention and so many people and noise were a little scary. She watched Becca squeal and wave her arms above her head and Logan's features soften as he picked the baby up.

The Canadian smiled while holding his little daughter in front of his face and planted a kiss onto her tiny nose. "Hey, seems like you missed me, lil' skunk." Becca laughed as she was cradled against her father's chest and he stroked the white patch of hair on her forehead with his thumb.

Kitty observed the interaction of her teacher and the baby and couldn't get off the feeling that Becca looked a lot like the big bad Wolverine – especially the eyes.

Laura's gaze travelled through the room, most students were looking at her father and the baby, and she noticed a girl with yellow eyes. Then her attention returned to the teenager sitting across from her. "Do you has a gift, Rogue?"

Marie was about to leave and fetch her food, but she sank back down on her chair and smiled. "Yes, sweetie."

Her green eyes widened. "Daddy, too?"

Logan stopped tickling his daughter and sat Becca onto his lap. "Yes."

Laura began to scrutinize the man from head to toe and then frowned. "What's your gift?"

The feral locked eyes with his mate and she nodded encouragingly. His hazel gaze centered on his young clone and his features became gentler. "I won't hurt you, Laura, so don't be scared." He lifted his hand and let his three Adamantium claws slide slowly out from between his knuckles.

Scenting the air, Logan confirmed his suspicion that the sight of his deadly mutation frightened the child. Laura stared like frozen at the sharp weapons and swallowed, while Becca first clapped her hands giggling and then she reached for the shiny metal.

Marie rolled her eyes and leaned over the table, touching carefully Logan's claws with her fingertips while the whole room watched fascinated.

Slowly Laura's eyes met her father's expectant and anxious gaze. "You're hurt, Daddy."

Logan smiled – her words reminded him at his first meeting with his Marie – and he retracted the blades, making Becca pout.

The toddler's eyes widened even further as the small wounds knitted themselves back together. She reached out and touched the freshly healed tissue. After a moment she met her father's gaze. "Do I have a gift?"

Logan contemplated his answers and saw her hopeful expression. "Maybe." Her face fell and he quickly added. "We'll see when you're older. But the odds are good."

"Really?"

'She's most likely the only kid on this planet wishing to be a mutant.' Marie smiled down at the child. "Yep, babygirl." The brunette rose. "Ah better fetch mah lunch 'fore nothing is left."

X X X X X

Scott frowned about his girlfriend's grim expression as they watched Rogue slide a second steak from her plate onto Logan's – obviously without being asked to bring him any seconds. The feral sent her a wolfish grin in thanks and continued to tap his foot – Becca enjoying her horse-ride on his lap.

The X-men-leader mistook Jean's reaction as worry about Rogue acting willingly like a slave. "I think they're fine." The redhead faced him startled, as did Storm. "I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, but Logan truly tries his best to support Rogue and their girls."

Ororo stared at her friend like he'd grown a second head. "Did Logan hit you on your head one time too much or are you sick?"

"Am I the only one noticing how happy Rogue is since his return? We feared the last months the situation would be too much for the insecure and introverted Rogue, we all learned to know when he wasn't around. Or that he would take advantage of her." His gaze switched from one woman to the other. "But the opposite happened and Rogue crawled from her shell and even enjoys hitting the clubs once a month now."

"They are good for each other." Storm added glad that Scott finally seemed to overcome his prejudices concerning the feral. "You can't deny that Logan is more reliable and happier than a year ago."

Scott chuckled, remembering this morning in the kitchen. "The bloodthirsty Wolverine even makes pancakes in the form of a bunny-face."

Jean joined in the laughter with a few pressed chuckles. 'That little bitch twists everybody around her little finger! And I have to play along!' The doctor put her fork down and faked a smile. "I forgot I have a test running at the lab." 'I have to get outta here!' She felt a powerful surge of adrenalin rush through her veins, her fury burn in her stomach.

"Now, Jean?"

"I'm sorry, Scott, but I'll have to repeat it if I won't return now." She swiftly stood up and left her half finished food for Scott to clean up. "See you later."

Scott watched bewildered his girlfriend leave. "Umm, yeah."

When Jean finally reached her lab – her fists balled - her anger eventually overwhelmed her, causing the shelves to shake and the light bubble above her head to explode. The redhead blinked shocked and held her breath. The glass raining down on her made her realize that it was indeed her powers fuelled by her rage being out of control.

Her breathing accelerated, a shiver running down her spine, her hands shaking uncontrollably. 'Oh God!' The shock was huge, settling into her bones and a single tear rolled down her pale cheek. The usually perfect woman swore that she would never lose control again. "Rogue isn't worth it." She muttered eventually, scared half to death by her own abilities.