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.