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