The cold night had brought out the stars, watching their dance across the heavens was as good as any watch he’d ever owned and it was more reliable. He heard the engines sound drift up to him, ducking out of sight, looking at the stars it was around 11.30pm and the engine didn’t sound healthy. The whole van looked like it had hit several trees as it came into the lights of the garage. From his position he could see Jubilee holding Damask, Peiter was driving and Bobby looked like he’d been in a fight with a truck and lost. He’d wait and see what they did first before he’d come out and lecture them about doing something he’d done before.
Peiter opened the passenger door and held his hands out to Damask who moved over reluctantly from Jubilee’s grasp and clung to his strong frame. He’d seen enough to know that this wasn’t normal, taking a deep breath collecting all the information he possibly could before they noticed him. It was Jubilee who noticed him first, she surprised him by flying out of the van and flinging her arms around him. “ Oh Wolverine I’m so glad to see you.” She’d never been pleased to see him, ever. Untangling himself from her grip his eyes took in the wreck that was Damask. He could feel his blood beginning to boil over and it was better for Jubilee if she wasn’t clinging to him when he let go.
Peiter clutched Damask close to him, his eyes cold and flinty, he just looked at him and took her inside into the warm. His scent and body language speaking volumes, Logan was finding it hard enough to control himself never mind Peiter. He’d noticed Damask’s shirt had been torn, her skirt dirty and creased, he turned on Bobby who was still trying to get himself out of the passenger seat.
His eyes froze Bobby in place, “You'd better get inside and tell me what happened,” looking at a shivering Jubilee and noticing for the first time that she’d been crying. “Both of you, inside.” They left without an argument, leaving the van stood in the light of the garage, he could see at least three different colours of paint on the suv. It looked like he’d be having a trip into town soon.
He found them all in the study, in front of the large open fire Damask being cradled by Peiter. Bobby leaning against the arm of the large sofa, his bruises forming on his skin, even Jubilee looked sickly. “So who’s going to start?” The group looked at each other and Bobby cleared his throat to start, he’d volunteered to face the wrath. “Uh-uh not you bub. Jubilee, you tell me, ALL of it.” He saw her sink into the seat even further her hand grabbed Damasks and squeezed it hard, eyes red and puffy looked up into his own hard stare and met it equally.
“Okay but it’s not Damasks fault okay? No matter what you might hear tomorrow, it wasn’t her fault, she was only doing what we all do. It just went a little wrong that’s all.” She smiled then. A thin fragile smile to Damask and her eyes became hard and cold when she turned back to him. “No matter what they might say it wasn’t her fault.”
“What wasn’t her fault? Start Jubilee.”
She coughed and cleared her throat, never taking her hand away from Damasks small pale hand. Looking at Peiter and seeing him incline his head a little to get her started she began.
“Well we’d just finished shopping for the gifts in the main court when Bobby noticed we’d picked up a little tail. A group of young boys, who were following us round. Peiter and Bobby just stopped and let them catch up with us and asked them what they wanted. They were just mall rats, trailing us to see if we’d give them anything.” Her voice became strained when she started again. “After we’d shrugged them off we went to the food court, as we had enough time to grab something to eat before we came home and seeing as Damask here had never had Mall Court Food we decided to grab a table and eat.”
Peiter’s face became even harder as Jubilee continued and he could sense the young mans anger go up a notch. “We took our table and we were okay until the Mall Security came over. They were looking for a couple of guys who’d threatened a group of young boys and guess who they were looking for,” Bobby opened his mouth but a quick look got him to close it again.
“Go on Jubilee.”
“They were asked to go with them and they did, we just sat there waiting for them to come back. That’s when things went a little wrong. We decided to go and try some stores while they were being questioned and they both knew which stores we’d be in so we went. The guys who’d been following us earlier re-appeared and we ended up in a bad situation. I should have gone back to the food court I know, there were more people and more exits. They trapped us in a side corridor, they wanted Damask.”
Now he understood, Damask had been controlling her power over the last few weeks. It must have been the stimulus of so many new things, new people, new experiences, her control had slipped in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jubilee looked up at him with fresh tears in her eyes. “It wasn’t her fault Wolverine, it wasn’t. I should have known better than to go down that corridor. I had to use my powers to get us out of there, I think I hurt someone but it was all I could think of. We got out of the corridor and we just ran into the crowds, I lost Damask near the exits. Peiter found her, curled up under a seat near the doors. There was a crowd round her and they didn’t look like they wanted to help her.”
She squeezed Damasks hand and Damask smiled weakly back at her. “I’m sorry I lost you, I just didn’t know what to do, there were so many round you. I couldn't get to you.” He could see the scene in his mind, the crowds of shoppers, the sounds of the mall at night. Everyone’s emotions hiked up and Damask dropped in the middle of it all, it was a disaster waiting to happen.
He turned to Bobby, “That how you got the shiner?” He nodded mutely. Looking at Peiter and Damask he caught Peiter’s eyes and saw the hate lurking just under the surface. “Take her to bed Peiter and come back down when she’s settled. You can cool off on Patrol tonight. Maybe we’ll do some more work on the slopes later. How does that sound?” The large man stood up easily with Damasks small frame in his arms, his eyes burning as he spoke.
“Good but not as good as going back would be.”
He understood the anger, the rage inside him but it wasn’t the way to keep a low profile here at the school, there were others here who needed its protection. Nodding he spoke, “Yeah I know but it’s all we can do for now okay? We’ll go back tomorrow and you can point out the idiots that started this whole thing. How’s that do you? If these kids are ‘Mall Rats’” He looked at Jubilee’s small curled form on the sofa and wondered how fragile she really was under that bluff exterior. “They’ll be there tomorrow and we’ll pay them a visit.” Watching as Peiter moved off with Damask in his embrace, feeling a sharp spike of jealousy as they disappeared from view.
Looking at the pair of them on the sofa they looked tired and haggard, there was more to this story and the van had a major role in it.
********************************************************
“What happened next Jubilee?” Snapping out of her thoughts her eyes met his and clouded for a moment.
“What?”
“What happened to the van?” she blushed almost immediately and Bobby shifted uncomfortably, he caught the scent of fear from them both and this wound him even further. “Someone better tell me because you ain’t leaving this room till someone does.” Folding his arms over his chest to amplify the point.
Bobby sighed, “We ran into the F.O.H outside the mall.” Bobby’s face showed the resignation of defeat, he expected to be called to for the damage to the van. “They noticed the registration plate of the suv and they decided to follow us and have a little ‘fun’.”
He allowed Bobby and Jubilee to take their time, they explained the run from the Mall with Damask in Peiter’s arms. The group of men who noticed the outpouring from the mall and the word ‘mutant’ shouted after them. Then the chase through the streets and the near misses with the trees along the roads. He got a very good description of the three trucks from Bobby and Jubilee, who by now were curled up with each other on the sofa, their mutual experience of hatred giving them something to cling to. The clock in the study read 12.30am when they eventually left for bed, after he’d gotten everything out of them that he thought he could use. With Xavier away and the school nearly empty the F.O.H must have seen them as a easy target, soft. Well he’d have to show them otherwise, with a little help from Peiter.
Peiter met up with him on the lawn, the snow already floating down from the laden sky. He looked angry and he could scent the young mans annoyance at not being able to protect Damask as well as he could’ve. Throwing a look his way he saw the set of his jaw, taught strong and humming with tension. “You were set up Peiter, I’ve been going over what you all told me. There’s no way you could have been picked out by random, they knew who you were.”
Feeling Peiter’s eyes on him he met his gaze, seeing the confusion there and the realisation that they had been in more danger than they’d thought. “There’s no need to beat yourself up about it now, it’s over. They must have noticed the van from the food runs we’ve been doing lately and decided to send their little message that we’re not wanted in their own way. Well we’ll be able to do something about that later won’t we? But for now we’re on patrol and that means going over the grounds, all of em including the woods.” He grinned as the words sank into Peiter, “An if we feel like getting a little extra work done out there then who’s to know? Come on I’ll tell you how to spot a guy whose watching you in a crowd.”
They spent the night going over new security details and covering the grounds, teaching Peiter how to spot tails and the nervous ticks that most people try to cover up while they’re being sneaky. They’d just finished stacking the logs he’d cut earlier that day at the new cabin site when he saw the first lights go on in the kitchen. They’d both worked off the frustration and anger they’d felt earlier, although they would be going out later that day to find the trucks that had almost killed them. The gloves were off now and they had to defend themselves, Scott would have to be told and he’d probably want to involve the police. They all knew how the police would react to it, to them it’s just another problem caused by mutants but he’d try to do the right thing, be honest and put his faith in the law. The problem was he didn’t.
Walking into the kitchen his nose was assaulted by the smells of a huge breakfast, bacon, sausage, waffles, toast, fruit, two kinds of eggs and strong coffee. Ororo, Marie, Kitty, Jubilee and Damask were working flat out, dishing up the food onto plates. Damask noticed them first and dropped her spoon to the table making the others look round as she flew into Peiter’s arms. Ororo smiled as she saw the large man melt into her small form. Looking at them both she spoke, “Hungry Logan? Peiter?”
Seeing the mountain of food on the table, which would have been enough to feed a small army, just decided to nod and poured a large mug of coffee. “Be careful Logan that’s Jubilee’s blend, she does it when she needs to study, so you’ve been warned.”
Taking a long draught from his mug feeling the bitterness attack his sinus before it actually hit his tastebuds making him wince.
“See told you I could make him wince, no-one can drink my brew and not react.” Jubilee sounded smug as Marie laughed into her own small mug of tea. Allowing the brew to flow into his stomach feeling the muscle tighten and threaten to throw the thing back out, controlling his reflex he managed to answer her.
“Next time Jubilee I’ll make you one of mine.” Marie looked at Jubilee and shook her head vigorously, as if she shouldn’t even take him up on the offer. Jubilee ignored her.
“I can drink anything you can brew Wolverine.” Marie just put her hand on her friends shoulder and patted it in condolence. Jubilee caught her meaning, “Hey there’s nothing I can’t handle, after drinking mall coffee for the last few years there’s nothing that can get to my stomach.”
Ororo grinned and came closer.
“That may be so Jubilee but you said ‘Anything you can brew’ and I don’t think Logan was thinking about coffee.” The words settled on her mind and sank in, her eyes opened wide.
“He wouldn’t, would he?” Looking at Marie with the realisation of what she’d just done, she’d just challenged Wolverine to a drinking contest and one of his own making too.
“Rogue tell me he wouldn’t hold me to it would he?” She was already in a fit of laughter as was Ororo. Turning to face him he could see the terror lurking in her eyes, “Tell me you wouldn’t.”
“I never back down from a challenge Jubilee, you know that.” Grinning as her head hit her hands and groaned loudly, just as Scott walked into the kitchen with Hank.
“What challenge?” Scott asked, sleep still marring his thoughts.
Ororo answered him “Jubilee has just challenged The Wolverine to a drinking contest.” His eyebrows shot up as he looked at the prone form of Jubilee with her head on the table and a grinning Logan.
“Well as long as it teaches a lesson I don’t mind.” At hearing this Jubilee’s head shot up.
“You mean you’d allow a ‘minor’ to drink in the school! This is not the thing we want to teach the younger students is it? It’s not a very good example to set!” Helping himself to the large amount of food on offer Scott thought as he filled his plate.
“Actually it will because it’ll only happen once and seeing as I’ll be the judge of the contest the word will spread and others will know how stupid the whole idea of drinking is. That is if you don’t mind me sitting in Logan?”
Exasperated Jubilee snatched a couple of bagels and stomped off to eat somewhere that seemed a little closer to sanity. She bumped past Bobby muttering about men, leaving the rest of the kitchen in laughter.
Settling down with a full plate, managing to eat slowly and carefully all the while watching Marie, burning her image into his mind. Watching Peiter and Damask eat together, one or the other picking little pieces off their shared plate and feeding the other with it, reminding him of birds in the spring.
Marie walked around the table and sat down, her bare hands brushing his hair, picking out the pieces of bark that had stuck there. “You look like a wild man this morning,” her eyes sparkled full of mischief just for him. Her whole body looked relaxed, soft even. Her hand touched the collar of his shirt and traced the edge near his skin, making his nerves react to her closeness. “Want to risk it?” As she moved closer to him, her scent filling his mind completely blocking out hunger and fatigue. Watching her pupils dilate as she moved her mouth to his and knowing how much she missed not waking up next to him this morning.
As their lips met briefly, he could feel her need for his touch he didn’t disappoint her. Curling his hands around her back and holding her tightly in his grip, feeling her muscles relax with his touch. Knowing that he wasn’t afraid of her or her skin gave Marie the confidence she needed to face the day, the day she’d be leaving with Kitty. Her eyes were a mixture of regret and excitement, regret for having to leave him so close to Christmas. But excited at the prospect of having a family who were willing to have fun with her no matter what her mutation.
“So what time are you leaving?” His voice sounded flat even to him and he caught her scent of unease. “I’m not mad Marie just a bit tired we’ve had a long night.” Putting down his fork she moved his arms open and crawled onto his lap.
“We’re not going until 2pm, Kitty’s dad is coming to pick us up. We’re flying out at 5. We’re hoping to miss the rush of traffic for the Mall.” At the mention of the mall he looked over to Scott who was shoving breakfast down at a speed that rivalled his own.
“There’s a problem we need to discuss Cyc, something happened last night when the kids were at the Mall. Our ‘friends’ from the lab are in town.” Scott stopped mid-chew and he stared at him. “It’ll wait till breakfast is over and I’ll fill you in. You might want to call Xavier and let him know what happened. It could be trouble for us.” He squeezed Marie in his lap and felt her tighten up as she gripped him hard. Looking at her worried face he knew the best place for her at the moment was away from here. If they were planning anything, he needed to know she was safe then he could concentrate on what had to be done. Ororo interrupted his train of thought.
“The workers are arriving Logan, are you going out too?” The snow was falling gently and softly on the ground, covering the garden with its soft beauty.
“Yeah I’ll be out there for a while, get them started on what we need today. But if the snow keeps coming down like it is the shifting of the cut lumber will have to wait till later. We need a decent truck to move them down without slipping on the snow.”
“What about the horses?” Hank had been slowly eating his breakfast, reading the paper with interest, eyes following the rise and fall of the stock market when he’d come out with the sentence that had stopped everyone in their tracks.
Noticing the silence, he looked up from his paper to see everyone looking at him. Feeling the eyes of everyone on him he felt the need to explain further. “We have the equipment in the stables and the horses need exercise. I’m sure the larger horses will be more than adequate to pull the loads you need moving.”
Of course, why hadn’t he thought of it? The horses in the stable block, they were large even-tempered creatures he’d seen the children riding on them in the summer. Even Xavier liked to take a ride around the grounds and if they could cope with the weight of his saddle, then pulling a tree shouldn’t be a problem. Smiling he hugged Marie closer to him and grinned at Hank. Pushing bacon into his mouth he wondered what else the day would bring, a fight would round the day off nicely, especially if Peiter and he had anything to say about it.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
The shoppers come home but not everything is as it should be and Logan gets to have a little 'fun' with Wolverine.