The Road Home
by
Rocky-Cat


Disclaimer: They all belong to Marvel. All of them. No money being made off of this. Sorry, but it's true.

---

The road to the mansion looked the same as always. Funny, it should have been different in some way. Lord knows, she felt different enough. It would only have been right for her surroundings to reflect that difference, too, but life had a way of doing the unexpected.

The huge mansion hadn't been her home for over five years now, a full quarter of her young life. Still, it was the only place she felt she could truly call home. A line from one of her English Lit classes involuntarily popped into her head. "Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in." Robert Frost, right? She smiled briefly, thinking how stuffy old Prof. Graham would have been stunned to know anyone had been paying attention to any of his lectures. Nice guy. She'd been genuinely sorry when he'd passed away last semester.

Last semester. Wow, what a time that had been. The "low-mileage, pre-owned" Miata ate up the last few miles to Salem Center as Jubilee found herself hashing over the last few months once again. It was time to get over it already. Maybe the summer break would be enough to heal her emotions and let her get her mind back on track for senior year. At least she hoped so.

Last semester meant Richie. Not her first lover, maybe not even her first love, but definitely her first serious relationship. He was a year ahead of her and they'd met on the racquetball court at the gym. They were pretty well matched as players and soon began playing against each other regularly. From there the relationship just took off. He was cute, smart, and funny; he was everything Jubilee thought she wanted in a man. There was never anything about him she could fault. He treated her like she was the most important thing in his world and he was great in the sack, too. He even knew she was a mutant and it hadn't bothered him at all. She could never bring herself to tell him about her past as an X-Man, though. As far as Richie knew, she was an orphan who had been raised in a group home with other mutants. Her "foster family" was very important to her but it was something she'd tried to keep separate from her college life.

So where had everything gone so wrong? As Richie's graduation approached he had begun to make plans for the future. The engineering consultancy he'd worked for the summer before had offered him a permanent job and he'd accepted. He wanted Jubilee to move to Chicago with him after her own graduation and, one February night after dinner, they'd had "The Conversation."

The ring was totally amazing and the idea of spending a lot more time with Richie was definitely appealing, but marriage? Now? Try as she might she just couldn't wrap her mind around it. Her teen years with the X-Men and GenX hadn't been a childhood at all. She'd been living a totally abnormal adult life during all those years when she should have been roller skating, dating, yakking on the phone, and generally just being a kid. Finally, these last three years in college, she'd had a chance to live an age-appropriate life for once. She just wasn't ready to take on the responsibility of a marriage yet. This time was far too precious to her -- these few short years before she had to become an adult again for real.

Richie was hurt and she'd been almost in tears when she'd turned him down. She just couldn't explain her reasons to him in a way that made sense and even though she knew she was doing the right thing, the pain was nearly unbearable. She hadn't even told her girlfriends that Richie had proposed. Rather than deal with a load of intrusive questions, she'd told them that they'd decided against a commuter relationship and had agreed to "just be friends." That move stopped the questions but not the relentless second-guessing.

Jubilee pulled up to the gates of the mansion and punched in her personal security code. The gates swung open noiselessly and she grinned to realize that her code had remained in the system. Once an X-Man, always an X-Man it seemed.

She left the electric blue car in the drive and bounded up the front steps. Before she even got to the top the door opened wide. Jean Grey stood framed in the opening, a broad welcoming smile on her face. Jubilee ran towards her and straight into her arms.

"Jubilee, it's so good to see you again. Are you home for the summer?"

"Jean, I missed you." Jubilee was surprised to realize that it was true. She did miss Jean, and everyone else, too. Even Scott, when you came right down to it. She hugged Jean quickly and stepped back. "Not the whole summer. Just for a few weeks before my internship begins."

"Everyone will be so happy to see you. Come in. You've been driving for hours. Do you want something to drink before you unpack?"

Jubilee followed Jean into the kitchen and the two women sat down with glasses of ice tea. Within moments Rogue wandered in and soon the girl talk was flying fast and furious. Before she knew it, before she'd been in the house for even an hour, the whole story about Richie came tumbling out.

Jean's arm slid around her in a comforting embrace and Rogue's gloved hand stroked hers soothingly. "Sugar, I know it hurts somethin' fierce right now, but I promise you, the pain gets better. Y'did the right thing, sweetie."

"Rogue's right, dear. Richie sounds like a very special person and knowing that you did the right thing intellectually doesn't make it hurt any less. But we're here for you, Jubilee. We're your family and we'll always be here for you."

Jubilee smiled gratefully at both women. "Thanks. I know you're both right. It's just going to take some time. Still, I'm really glad to be home. Who's around the shack now?"

"Oh, the usual," Rogue replied. "Us, Scott, Remy, Storm, and Logan. Oh, and Betsy's due back soon. The Professor is in Washington now but he'll be back in a day or so. I know he'll be so happy t'see you."

Jubilee was looking forward to seeing Professor Xavier also. She had yet to thank him in person for helping arrange her internship with a prominent mutant rights lobbying group. She was really looking forward to learning how government worked from the inside and, with the current political climate, a strong voice in Washington championing mutant rights was a necessity, not a luxury.

It wasn't the Professor's name, though, that had brought her up short. It was his. Logan. He didn't even have to be in the room. Just the sound of his name was enough to cause that funny feeling deep in her stomach, sort of like the floor dropping out from under you on an E-ticket ride. He'd been her first childish love, her teacher, her partner, her friend, and the object of more than a few hot and sweaty fantasies. But she was supposed to be beyond all that by now. What she'd felt for Richie was real. It didn't seem possible that she could still have those kind of feelings for Wolverine. She didn't want to have those feelings anymore, but here they were. Damn, another unnecessary complication.

Although Jubilee was expert by now at maintaining her mental shields, her unexpected reaction to Logan's name caused a slight weakening. Without meaning to, Jean picked up on the leakage and looked sharply at the younger woman. Fortunately, Jubilee's attention was elsewhere and Jean quickly looked away again. This could get interesting, she thought.

The mini-reunion broke up and Jubilee went off to her old room to unpack and rest up before dinner. With any luck I can get in a short nap before I shower for dinner, she thought.

Her room was just the same as it had always been, right down to the outdated boy-band posters on the walls. It seemed a whole lot cleaner than before, though. Gratefully, Jubilee dropped down on the narrow bed and was asleep in seconds.

~~~~~~~~~

Dinner's on and it smells like Remy's cooking, she thought. Her stomach grumbled quietly as the yummy scent of chicken sauce piquant wafted up the stairs, along with the muted sound of Remy arguing with Jean in the kitchen. Yep, she was definitely home again.

Jubilee jogged downstairs and strode into the big eat-in kitchen. She was glad they weren't eating in the formal dining room tonight. Way too stuffy for a first night back. As she came through the door conversation stopped and all eyes turned towards the newcomer. Watching their reactions was so cool, if entirely predictable.

Scott smiled blandly, genuinely for him. "Welcome home. Nice to see you again."

Jean froze Remy with a final glare and broke off her argument with him to smile warmly and nod in agreement. Remy turned to greet her and the angry blaze in his crimson eyes turned to something entirely different as he looked her over lingeringly from head to toe. "Jubilee, p'tite. If Remy knew you gon' turn out so beautiful he'd 'ave come t'steal you away, not wait f'you to come to him." He grinned cheekily, both at her and at the evil eye that Rogue was shooting him.

"You just pay him no never-mind, honey. Remy's just funnin' ya. But you do look a lot more rested up, gal."

Jubilee felt more like herself. After a good sleep she'd showered quickly and thrown on shorts and a tank top and pulled her wet shoulder-length hair into a French braid. Her make-up-free skin positively glowed and her youthful energy and contagious enthusiasm infected everyone near her. Except the one person in the room with a healing factor.

Wolverine broke off his conversation with Storm the moment Jubilee walked into the room. He'd known she was in the mansion the second he'd stepped inside. He could smell her unique scent, so fresh and clean, and he'd been looking forward to seeing his little girl again. What he wasn't prepared for was the young woman standing opposite the table from him. This wasn't his Jubilee, couldn't be. This woman had a figure that could stop rush-hour traffic and a smile bright enough to rival the Northern lights. She was poised and confident and all woman. Not at all the coltishly awkward teenager who tailed after him constantly, snapping her gum and running off at the mouth non-stop.

His hesitation was apparent and his confusion manifested itself as something akin to anger. Ignoring his obvious attitude--So, like what else is new? -- Jubilee rounded the table and approached him. She could feel the wall he had suddenly erected around himself and see how rigidly he held his body. So what? I haven't seen The Walking 'Tude for nearly three years. If I want to say hi, I will.

Jubilee came up to him and, as her arms went around his stocky body, his breath nearly stopped. The same height as he, but that was all that was the same. In her quick hug he felt everything. He felt her breasts pressed tightly against his chest, her groin barely grazing his, the warm clasp of her arms around his back, her soft, tender lips brushing his cheek lightly, the slide of her bare arms against his. Her scent invaded his senses and the feel of her nubile body incited him. If he didn't hate himself so desperately for his thoughts right now he'd pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless. For starters.

He grasped her shoulders weakly and returned her greeting. "Hey, Jubes." Good. His voice was neutral and he hadn't betrayed any of the unnatural thoughts racing through his mind. Maybe no one would notice anything.

"Hey yourself, Wolvie," she replied, determined to ignore whatever was eating him. "Been behaving yourself while I've been away?" He scowled and she turned a teasing grin on him before moving on to greet Storm.

From there dinner progressed more or less normally, except for one thing. Rather than sit next to Wolverine, as had been her normal habit, Jubilee sat between Storm and Remy, discussing her natural science classes with the one and flirting casually with the other. Across the table Wolverine just watched the bright new butterfly who had invaded his heretofore peaceful home.

The meal was over and the X-Men went off to their own evening pursuits. Rogue and Gambit invited Jubilee to play pool with them and arrived in the rec. room to find Logan ensconced in front of the TV, engrossed in the latest murder and mayhem of Terminator 28, or whatever number they were up to now.

From the corner of his eye Logan could just barely see the three young people, but his attention was only on one. The three chatted inanely over their game, Remy and Rogue squabbling good-naturedly and Jubilee laughing along, but each time Jubilee leaned over the table to make a shot she had the undivided, if unnoticed, attention of the room's only other occupant.

It didn't matter which side of the table she was on. Either way was pure torture for Logan. If she stood facing him her breasts -- a nice handful, an even tastier mouthful (Shut up, ya idiot!) -- pushed at the stretchy fabric of her top, threatening to spill out if she bent over any further. If she faced away from him he had a clear view of her legs, lean and muscular, leading up to a softly rounded ass. It was a physical thing. He actually ached to run his rough hand up those legs, caress those beautiful cheeks, and pull her ass tight into his groin. The only thing that kept him from leaving the room and putting as much distance as possible between himself and Jubilee was the painfully apparent erection he now sported. He would die before letting any of them know this was happening, and he felt as if he just might. He fidgeted uncomfortably and stared unseeingly at the television.

Finally, Rogue broke up the game. "I'm calling it a night, guys. I got some stuff t'do before hittin' the sack. Y'all don't hafta quit, though. Jubilee, honey," she added as an afterthought, "us gals are goin' shoppin' tomorrow. Wanna come?"

"Like you have to ask? Sure thing, Rogue. See ya in the morning."

"Good night, ma belle." The Cajun's voice was as sultry as a bayou summer night. "Remy come visit your dreams t'night t'make sure dey all sweet."

Logan barely grunted over his shoulder.

Without Rogue the game ended and Remy and Jubilee sat across from each other at the card table, sipping Cokes.

"Dat a mighty fine car ya got, p'tite. Remy put it in de garage for you before dinner."

Jubilee looked shamefaced. "Oops. Sorry 'bout that. I kinda forgot to park it and all. But, hey, I didn't give you my keys."

"Chere, I'm insulted. Since when did Remy ever need keys t'start a car?" He looked down at her in disapproval, the severity negated by the twinkle in his crimson eyes.

"Guess I wasn't thinking. But, yeah, isn't she sweet? Do you know how many half-caf grande lattes with an extra shot I had to pull to afford it? Still, I really like the fact that I earned all the money myself. I'm also working in the science library to keep her in gas. It's a pretty good feeling, knowing I can do it all myself."

The pride in her voice was palpable. That's my girl, thought Wolverine. He turned his attention back to the movie until he picked up a new thread in their conversation.

"Remy so sorry t'hear about your fren' Richie. Rogue, she tell me how much de homme mean t'you."

"Yeah, well, it happens." Remy might be a good person to talk to. He probably had more experience with relationships than all the other X-Men put together. Once again Jubilee recounted her tale of woe. Remy listened sympathetically, nodding occasionally and making all the right noises at the right time. Suddenly, though, their conversation was abruptly interrupted. Logan growled menacingly, flung himself from the couch, and stalked from the room without so much as a backward glance.

"What's his problem this time?" Jubilee asked, bewildered.

She was even more confused by the slight knowing smile that crossed Remy's face. "Remy t'ink dat de homme, he don' like t'hear 'bout your amours."

"Huh?"

"Logan a man, him, chere," he explained patiently. Remy had kept one eye on Logan and knew he'd been listening to their talk. He'd watched his body gradually tense up and seen his fists clench unconsciously as if about to extend his claws. He could feel the blazing anger building in him and knew exactly when it reached the boiling point. He also realized that the pauvre petite was totally oblivious. Unknowingly echoing Jean's earlier impression he wondered about the interesting implications of this new development. "He don' wan' t'know. . . "

Remy's voice trailed off as Jubilee turned to look at the door Wolvie had just barreled through. She turned back to him and shook her head, comprehension warring with disbelief, disbelief winning out for the moment.

"I don't get it, Remy."

~~~~~~~~~

So what was there to get? A good lookin' woman walks in the door, an' I like what I see. What's the big deal? It's perfectly normal, right? The problem was, it wasn't normal. This wasn't just any woman, this was Jubilee.

Logan sat slouched in a chair on the side porch of the mansion -- the "veranda," as Rogue called it -- with his booted feet up on the railing. A weather-beaten Stetson was pulled low over his eyes and a plume of cigar smoke curled lazily from beneath its shadowed brim. With his faded denims and white tank top he looked like the world's scruffiest cowboy on his day off.

And some jerk named Richie had hurt his li'l girl. It didn't matter that he'd heard from Jubilee's own mouth that she'd been the one to leave him. She was in pain and that was enough for him to want to put this bozo in his own very special world o' hurt. He ground his teeth in anger as thoughts of what he'd like to do to the nervy pup ran through his mind.

He was deep into some graphically detailed thoughts of slow evisceration when he heard the sound of a car pulling up. It was followed shortly by the mixed chatter of a quartet of female voices and the sight of a walking heap of shopping bags.

"Hey, Wolvie, lend a gal a hand?" Rogue called out from the center of the pile.

Wolverine barely glanced up in response.

"It would be the gentlemanly thing to do, Logan." Storm's measured tones arose from the left-most side of the mound.

"Gentleman? Wolvie? You're kidding, right?" Jubilee barely got the words out through her laughter. "Get real."

The women moved on into the house, the sound of their amused conversation fading slowly behind them. Wolverine kept to his post on the porch. He took another pull from the longneck beside him and settled in with his thoughts. So Jubes didn't think he was a gentleman? That's good, 'cuz he wasn't. Well, at least Jubilee was decently covered up today, the part of her he could see, anyhow. Nice Capri pants, covered most of her legs. Good legs on her, and a nice laugh, too. Not some girly little titter, but a hearty, genuine laugh that came from deep down. Good qualities in a woman. He closed his eyes against the intrusive sunlight and listened for the soft echoes of her voice. A tiny smile creased his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jubilee tossed her new purchases down on the bed and ran back downstairs. Maybe Wolvie was avoiding her, maybe he wasn't, but she hadn't really had the time to hang with him yet. Well, no time like the present. Geez, she thought, sounds like something Cyke would say when he's really laughing it up.

Even though she'd been gone only moments, Wolverine was nowhere to be found. He'd left a clear trail to follow, though. Jubilee's nose wrinkled in disgust as she picked up the telltale cigar stink. Don't need super senses to track this game. He went thataway!

Jubilee followed in its wake, the heavy summer air making the trail that much easier to trace. Across the manicured lawn and into the trees, the path led towards the shaded pond. A decorative bridge where, years ago, she had often gone to mope, sulk, or just play Pooh-sticks spanned the stream that fed it.

The scent had dissipated. No doubt Wolverine had realized he was being followed and had extinguished his smoke and moved into the trees. No matter. It wasn't like Jubilee was trying to hide herself. Still, as she drew closer to the pond, a wicked impulse seized her. Wolvie was still here somewhere and he had to know she was around. I'll teach him to try to hide from me.

She dipped a hand in the water and shivered slightly. The price I pay for a good prank, she thought. Unselfconsciously, as if she were alone, which, really, she very well might be, she pulled off her clothes and dove into the cool water. She surfaced, laughing and sputtering, rubbing her arms against the sudden chill. He black hair fell partly across her face and as she reached up to push the wet strands away the gentle slope of her breasts just broke the surface of the calm water. Okay, it'll warm up if I move. So I gotta keep movin', right? Jubilee alternated swimming laps with diving for imaginary treasure on the pond's silty bottom. By the time the goosebumps receded, she'd largely forgotten that this was supposed to be a joke. For a little while, at least, she'd managed to shrug off the heavy weight of emotion that had been pulling her down. Everything felt too good. The warm sun, the cool water, even the lone bird watching her from the bridge, it all felt so right.

"Hey, birdie," she called to the startled robin. "Like whatcha see?" Smiling happily as the bird took flight, Jubilee stood in the shallows, the water reaching just below her waist. The sun fell comfortingly on her shoulders and she turned to face it, throwing her head back and lifting her arms as if to embrace its warmth. Her full breasts rose and tautened as she stretched, pink nipples hard from the cold water. Eyes closed, still smiling, she ran her hands down her sides lingeringly, briefly cupping her breasts before continuing down her narrow waist and gently rounded stomach and coming to rest by her hips. The water eddied slowly around her just above her dark pubic hair and teased gently at her more sensitive parts. A slow tingling feeling, the beginnings of a pleasant sexual languor, spread through her touching every part of her body.

The moment felt too good to let end, but Jubilee looked up at the sun moving towards the western horizon and realized that she'd be missed if she didn't return for dinner. Reluctantly she climbed up the bank and looked down at her discarded clothes. Humor touched her features as she realized she had no towel. Looks like I'll have to air dry myself, she thought, and dropped down on the soft grass. Within moments the warm sun lulled her to sleep.

Hearing the regular rhythm of her breath, the man watching from the trees dared to begin breathing again, too. Wolverine had known that Jubilee was following him but he still wasn't willing to have a face-to-face with her yet. His jaw had nearly hit the ground when he saw her reach the pond and calmly start stripping off. What the hell was she thinking? Didn't she realized there could be someone watching--like him? He stopped thinking clearly at all when she slipped into the water. He watched her glide through the pool like a water nymph and lost any interest in berating her. He'd nearly died when she emerged from the water and offered herself to the sun, at ease with her body, comfortable in the natural setting. He felt a special kinship with her in that moment, almost on a par with the blazing lust that was coursing through his body.

That was it. He would have to leave the mansion before her presence made him do something they'd both regret. Taking one last look at her naked body spread out in front of him like a mouthwatering feast he closed his eyes, shook his head, and slipped soundlessly back through the trees.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jubilee woke up twenty minutes later. She'd had the oddest dream. She'd been asleep and had felt a presence next to her. It was hungry, starving in fact, but not in a scary way. She reached out to the shadow, wanting to hold it and needing somehow to feel it against her. She still couldn't see it, but it touched her, curling against her side as she stroked its thick hair. It wanted something from her and she wanted desperately to give it, but she had no idea what it needed. Suddenly, with a rough growl, it tore away from her and dematerialized into the darkness.

"Wolvie?" She sat up quickly and stared around her. Ohmigod! Wolverine! She had totally forgotten why she had come out here. Had he seen her? Was he watching? What a dumb, stupid excuse for a joke! She'd only wanted to talk. Quickly pulling on her clothes, she raced back to the mansion.

Moments later, breathless and distracted, hair wet and clothes in disarray, she skidded to a halt to avoid running over Remy who was standing in the middle of the path. He put his hands on her shoulders to stop her momentum and waited for her to catch her breath.

"Chere, what de matter?"

"Where. . . ?" she gasped out, eyes darting around her. Her brows were drawn together and her lips pressed into a thin line. Instantaneously, Remy understood.

"In dere, p'tite," he responding, gesturing towards the garage. She pulled from his grasp before the words were even out of his mouth and Remy shook his head sadly. De little one, she don't deserve dis. Someone needs to kick some sense into dat steel plated skull o' his. Maybe, do', de little firecracker be de one t'do it. Remy lit a cigarette and melted back into the shadows.

Jubilee's breathing had returned to normal by the time she strode into the garage. Wolverine was there, his back towards her, bent over his bike. He was adjusting the saddlebags and they looked fully loaded. She watched him for a minute and then spoke.

"Running away again, Logan?"

He'd heard her come in, smelled her unique scent before she'd even opened the door, and had been nearly knocked to the ground by the flood of images that assaulted him. Resolutely he'd kept his head down and continued to pack, deliberately ignoring her. Her use of his given name brought him up sharply, though. Rarely did she ever call him "Logan." It was always "Wolverine" or "Wolvie." She never called him "Logan" unless she was dead serious and she sounded more than that right now.

He straightened up slowly and turned towards her, arms crossed over his chest, feet planted firmly a foot apart. Staring unwaveringly at her he cut an imposing figure. "Going out," he said simply.

"Looks more like you're rabbiting," she snorted. "Listen," she continued, giving him no chance to contradict her, "since I got back you've been stalking around here like Sabretooth with a bad case of hemorrhoids. You've got a problem with me, you let me know about it. Give the big macho act a rest and deal with it. You are not running out on me again, got it?"

She bit off her words tersely and returned his stare with an icy one of her own. Wolverine was brought to mind first of a spitting kitten but quickly changed his mind. There was nothing kittenish or gentle about her. Her words were genuine, the feelings deep. She leaned forward aggressively, her entire body taut and rigid. Those sparkling blue eyes were darkened by rage and now resembled shards of glittering obsidian. Good. She was angry with him. Made it that much easier to leave.

"Not your problem, darlin'," he said, mounting the bike. There was no warmth or banter in that endearment. His voice was harsh, his tone distracted. "See ya 'round."

As he pulled out of the garage Jubilee whispered one final word at him, so quietly that no one but he could ever have heard it. It's sound, however, echoed loudly in his head for hours.

"Bastard."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three days later and no one had heard a word from Wolverine. No one was concerned, either, since this was perfectly normal behavior for him. He'd come back from wherever he was whenever he was ready. If absolutely necessary, Professor X and Cerebro could locate him a matter of moments.

So all was normal at the mansion and Jubilee didn't even notice that Remy and Jean had entered into an unspoken conspiracy to make sure she was constantly occupied and busy with something. And Jubilee, who in her entire life had never had what she could call true, genuine privacy, was expert by now in hiding her innermost thoughts and putting on a congenial front.

It was taking her a while, though, to decide what her innermost thoughts really were. She was angry at Wolverine, furious in fact, for walking out on her yet again. There was no doubt in her mind that she was the reason he had left. What was it about her that disgusted him so he couldn't even be in the house with her? And why did it matter so much that he had left? Sure, he'd been her partner, her friend, and all that, but this went deeper somehow.

That night she went to the boathouse, where Wolverine kept a separate apartment. This was where he went when the nightmares became too much or when he just wanted some space. There was no security system to speak of. After all, who would risk Wolverine's volcanic temper just to get a look at his jammies? Jubilee picked the lock with ease and went in. After a few minutes of poking around, she smiled. Looks like the Wolvster doesn't even own any jammies. Now why am I not surprised? And why was the image of Wolverine naked in bed doing those funny things to her insides?

Jubilee didn't even know what she was doing there. There wasn't anything laying around to give a clue as to where he had gone and what would she have done anyway if there had been? Follow his hairy ass to Madripoor or some other god-forsaken corner of the universe? Not freakin' likely. In disgust she stomped out, relocking the door, and went back to the mansion.

In the shadows, a tall man with glowing red eyes frowned thoughtfully before lighting a cigarette.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later she was back. It was nearly midnight and the heat was unusually oppressive. A late night walk had just happened to end up at the boathouse and by the time she'd picked the lock and entered his rooms she'd stopped kidding herself about the random coincidence part. She missed him, she was mad at the son of a bitch, she hated his guts, and she figured, she probably loved him. How else could such a jerk be doing this to her?

Jubilee stood in the center of the room and inhaled deeply. Wolverine's scent was still faintly detectable in the air. It reminded her of the deep woods after a summer rain -- bosky, piney, earthy. Earthy, that was the word for him, alright. This was what she needed, a connection. She rummaged around in his drawers until she found what she was looking for. In the darkness, with only a shaft of silvery moonlight illuminating the sparse quarters, she pulled off her clothes and slipped on the worn black T-shirt. It hung loosely on her thin frame, skimming her curves lightly before ending at mid-thigh. The soft cotton brushed suggestively against her bare skin and her nipples hardened immediately at the gentle friction.

Smiling sleepily, Jubilee crept into Wolverine's bed. She kicked off the blanket, leaving only a thin sheet between her and the night air. It felt good but something was still missing. Half asleep already, she reached for the spare pillow and hugged it closely to her. This might be the only way she'd ever get into Wolvie's bed, but for now it was enough. She fell asleep with the scent of Logan filling her senses and easing her mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wolverine was hundreds of miles away already but his mind had never left the mansion. The look of cold fury on Jubilee's face, the sound of her voice spitting that single word at him, haunted him ceaselessly. Without stopping to think why it mattered so much he turned the bike around and headed back to Westchester. This time he had to confront her and confront himself as well.

Before he had even entered the boathouse Logan knew Jubilee was inside. Her scent was too warm and fresh for there to be any other explanation. The slight scratch marks around the keyhole only confirmed what he already knew. Resourceful and gutsy. He smiled tightly and silently entered his room.

Jubilee lay asleep on his bed, a picture of angelic innocence. Through the thin sheet that covered her he could see that she lay half on her side, legs sprawled carelessly. Small as she was, she still managed to occupy most of the bed. His eyes were drawn to the gently rounded curves of her ass, highlighted by the drape of the sheet. He bit his lip and swallowed hard in an attempt to quash the sudden wave of lust that rushed over him. The sheet rippled gently with the soft rhythm of her breathing and he was sorry that her arm blocked him from seeing the rise and fall of her breasts.

Sleep erased the anger from her features and he could now fully appreciate her beauty. Her teenage cuteness had matured into something more refined and ethereal. No wonder this Richie of hers was so broken up over her. He'd have to be crazy not to be. She was still Jubilation Lee, but she was no longer his little girl. She was a woman now and it was time he acknowledged that fact. Still, she deserved someone her own age, with a future, not a bitter, hardened old man like him who couldn't even remember his past, let alone know what was going to happen to him tomorrow. None of which answered the question, "What was Jubilee doing wearing his old shirt and sleeping in his bed?" Wolverine had learned long ago never to question why a woman did anything she did. It was a lot safer that way.

As silently as he had entered he moved back towards the door. His hand was on the knob when a voice stopped him.

"Logan?"

"Yeah, darlin', it's me. Go back to sleep."

"Logan, turn around." Her voice was quietly insistent and he complied reluctantly. Immediately he wished he hadn't. She sat up now, the sheet falling around her hips. Her sleep-tousled hair made her look younger than her years but now he could also see clearly the shape of her breasts pushing against the thin material of his shirt. Why was she bent on making this so difficult for him?

"Logan, why did you come back?" Her question brought him back sharply to the present.

"I came back 'cuz of you, darlin'." A small spark of something or other leapt to life insider her, but she needed to hear more. She continued looking at him expectantly.

Seeing that she wasn't going to be satisfied with that answer he sighed quietly and moved to sit at the end of the bed. "Look," he explained, "you caught me off-base last week. I guess I wasn't ready to see you yet. I didn't like all the stuff that was going through my head and I figured it was just better if I made myself scarce." Each word sounded pained. It matched Wolvie's expression, she thought. He looked like he was being dragged across a bed of broken glass. Jubilee suppressed a small frown and countered with a question of her own.

"Did it ever occur to you to ask what I was thinking? Maybe I wanted to know what was on your mind."

"Trust me, darlin'. You do not want to know what's on my mind."

Jubilee pulled her legs under her and sat up on her haunches. She leaned forwards towards Wolverine, her features set, a challenge sparkling in her eyes. A thrill ran through her as she realized what she was about to do and she pressed on, relishing the uncertainty. "Don't tell me what I want and what I don't want. I know exactly what I want. Do you?"

Wolverine eyed the gap where the shirt had fallen away from her body. His night vision was good enough to see down the front of her body, clear enough to see that she wasn't wearing anything but his shirt. Heat flooded his body, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Yeah, darlin', I do," he growled.

"Then do something about it."

Christ, did she have any idea what she was asking? Her expression, her scent, everything about her told him she did. There had to be a way out of this. His body was screaming for release and he wanted nothing more than to take what she was offering. Still, he couldn't, not with Jubilee. Her word was the only thing that could stop him.

"Darlin', tell me to leave. Tell me to get the hell out of here, out of your life, now. Otherwise. . . " His voice was strained, his rough features anguished.

"Otherwise what?"

"Otherwise," his voice went husky and dark, black velvet on a steamy Southern night, "I'm going to lay you down on this bed and look at you. I'm going to study every inch of your naked body until it's burned into my mind forever. Then I'm gonna touch you. I'm gonna slide my hand down your shoulder and feel just how soft your skin is. I'm gonna feel the turn of your ankle and the curve of your ass. I'm going to hold your breasts and play with your nipples until they're hard and stiff and you can't stand it anymore. Then I'll taste you. I wanna hear every gasp, every sound you make. I wanna hear you breathing my name and watch you writhe under me. I wanna feel your nails digging into my back and see your face when you're satisfied and tired. I'm gonna turn you inside out, darlin', just like you're doing to me."

Jubilee listened to his threat with increasing anticipation. His promises were thrilling, his words causing uncontrollable shivers to course through her. She could already feel his hands roaming her body at will and the moisture gathering between her legs. Oh, yes! This was what she wanted, all right. Her eyes closed and her mouth opened in a soundless cry.

Wolverine watched the effect his words had on her and saw the pulse hammering at the base of her throat and knew he had lost. Her arousal was obvious, his own painful. Deliberately he put thought behind him and slid closer to Jubilee. Her eyes flew open at the touch of his hands on her thighs. They closed again as his hands slid upwards, pushing the shirt out of his way. Slowly, agonizingly, he continued upwards, lifting the shirt while at the same time dragging his hands leisurely across her hips, up her sides. Her arms lifted of their own volition and the shirt disappeared over her head, thankfully gone.

A quiet voice ordered her to lie down and she stretched back on the bed. True to his word, Wolverine took his time looking at her. She could feel the weight of his blazing stare moving down her body and heard his breathing getting heavier. Unconsciously she moaned softly and pushed her hips towards him.

A predatory smile crossed his face as he took in Jubilee's body. Her lips were soft and full and, as he watched, her tongue reached out and slowly, seductively moistened them, leaving them shining in the moonlight. Her breasts were beautiful, crowned by large rosy nipples. They were rock-hard and it took all his willpower not to take one in his mouth then and there. There would be plenty of time for that later.

His gaze traveled downward, past her narrow waist and gently rounded abdomen. His eyes were drawn irresistibly to the triangle of glossy curls atop her legs. He could smell how ripe she was, how ready for him, and his smile broadened. Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and let his other senses absorb her presence.

Jubilee heard the sound building gradually, a quiet growl that was almost a purr. It increased in volume slowly, tonguing at her ears, tantalizing her with its promise. It swirled around her, enveloping her, turning her desire into wild need. A low voice, rough in her ear.

"Look at me, darlin'."

With an effort, Jubilee opened her heavy-lidded eyes. Logan loomed above her, elemental need written so clearly in his face that it took her breath away. She was so hot. Couldn't he see that?

"Touch me, please."

The gently whispered plea ripped something open inside of him and Wolverine felt as if he'd finally be set free. He bared his teeth in a snarl and brought his lips down over hers. His mouth closed on her ravenously, lips sliding and sucking, tongue pillaging. Jubilee could feel him reaching and searching, as if trying to absorb her very life force. But, oh, the heat he was pouring into her! She moaned urgently into his mouth and lifted her hands, tangling them in his thick hair, holding him to her. She pushed up towards him but he continued to hold himself over her, prolonging his passionate assault on her mouth.

Hazily she became aware of a hand stroking urgently down her flank and moving upward again to capture her breast. Wolverine's hand closed over the mound, molding it in his palm and brushing the nipple with his thumb. A denim-clad thigh insinuated itself between her legs and instinctively she thrust up against it. Sensations from all quarters buffeted her until her excitement rose to a fever pitch. Wolverine's mouth suddenly closed over her nipple, teeth nipping slightly, sandpaper tongue stroking roughly, and Jubilee arched her back, giving in to an electrifying orgasm. Tremors shot through her and her hips bucked wildly, pushing again and again at Logan's barely restrained erection.

A throaty chuckle registered dimly at the edge of her consciousness and a wave of blackness threatened to overwhelm her but she remained firmly anchored to the present by a chain of fire that was being forged by Logan's lips moving slowly down her belly. He nuzzled briefly at her soft, dark hair and snaked his tongue out to flick teasingly at her clitoris. More vibrations rippled through her, almost indistinguishable from her climax. He pulled back to let her calm down a bit and reached under her, grasping a firm cheek in each hand. Their eyes locked and Jubilee caught a brief glimpse of Logan's unguarded expression. He was intent, determined, and his dark eyes shone with an otherworldly gleam. Before she could decipher that look he dipped his head between her thighs and traced a line of liquid fire along her labia.

A small whimper escaped her as his tongue stroked between her folds, caressing the same sweet spot until her fingers clutched convulsively at his broad shoulders. Her nails bit deeply into the thick muscle to -- what? Pull him closer? Push him away? It didn't really matter as long as she could touch him and know his presence was real.

Logan listened to her breathing. It was rough and uneven, quiet cries increasing in urgency mingled with shuddering gasps. She sounded every bit as good as she tasted and he'd never tasted anything so wonderful in his life. His blunt fingers curled against her tight ass, letting the smooth flesh caress his palms, as he thrust his tongue deeply inside her. His name erupted from her lips, hoarse and desperate, as her body froze in an arch, groin pressed tightly to his face.

His erection was threatening to rip clear through his jeans and he knew he had to get inside her now. He slid up along her body and settled over her. His hips rocked against hers in a steady motion while he brought his lips to hers once again. Jubilee wound one arm behind him, holding him fast while she drew the taste of herself from his mouth. Her other hand raked down his heavily muscled back and frantically pulled his shirt from his waistband. She scrabbled at his belt buckle and tore wildly at his fly all the while meeting his thrusts with increasing insistence.

Finally, in frustration, she reached a hand into the neckline of his worn T-shirt and pulled, rending it from top to bottom. She pushed the torn fabric away, tangling her fingers in his chest hair and gliding her palms over his shoulders. Logan was about to comment on her unexpected ferocity when a guttural moan was torn from him. Jubilee's small hand had reached into his open pants and grasped his cock. Her clasp was hot and strong and she stroked along his engorged length drawing him closer and closer to that place he didn't want to reach just yet, not by himself.

With an effort he rolled away and pulled off the remainder of his clothes. He reached over to pull Jubilee on top of him, but she resisted.

"No. I want you on top. I want to feel your whole body pressed up against mine. Now." She needed to feel his reassuring bulk to remind herself once again that this was no fantasy but beautiful reality. More important, though, she was aching to rub her breasts against his glorious thicket of chest hair, knowing the teasing pressure would drive her insane.

Logan's teeth were clenched with the effort of restraining himself. As he rolled on top of her Jubilee pushed up and caught his earlobe in her mouth, sucking at it and raking along it with her teeth. Wolverine growled and, to his surprise, Jubilee growled back. Her tongue swept the outline of his ear and she panted at him.

"I can take it. Give it to me, Logan. All of you. I want it all."

He plunged into her. The clasp and slide of her, so hot, so wet. The hard-won veneer of civility slipped away and a look of raw animal passion crossed his face. Jubilee's desire was as fierce as his own and she let him know it as she met his thrusts head-on, rhythmically bearing down on him and enclosing him in her scalding depths. Her hips twisted against his maddeningly and her strong legs wrapped around his back as if she'd never let go. He felt the long scratches she was raking in his back and smelled his own blood. Rationality was a mythical thing now. The mixed scents of blood and woman, the sound of his name gasped in desperate demanding tones. Long shudders ran through him and the pressure built up unbearably. With each thrust he felt as if he could lose himself in her burning heat and he thrust harder, wanting to bury himself inside her, needing to feel her tremble with their shared craving. Her voice was steady in his ear, only occasional words penetrating his consciousness. The words didn't matter, only the sound. It was erotic, insistent, a low cry that rose into a piercing scream.

Logan slammed himself urgently into her and Jubilee pulled his head down to hers, capturing his mouth in a fierce kiss. Her tongue mimicked the thrust of his cock inside her. He was almost there. . . couldn't take anymore. He plunged deeply again and felt Jubilee's body convulse around him. His own orgasm came immediately after as he pulsed deeply inside her, his howl of satisfaction drowning out her ecstatic cries.

He stayed with her, riding out the aftershocks in her arms. Finally he rolled to the side, taking Jubilee with him. She reached up and pushed a lock of hair off his forehead. Her fingers followed in a gentle caress, dragging through his thick sideburns and trailing down his arm to come to a rest in a possessive grip on his firm ass.

"Wow."

"Yeah, wow."

Words didn't seem necessary at the moment and Logan and Jubilee were content to lay together, enjoying the closeness and each other. Jubilee abruptly broke the silence with a single word.

"Whiskey."

"Huh? Whad'ya say?" Wolverine wasn't at all sure he'd heard her correctly.

"I said 'whiskey.' That's what you taste like, whiskey. A good single malt, smooth and peaty, with a really good burn going down."

Wolverine frowned at her in reprimand. "How do you know so much about whiskey?" His thumb brushing across her nipple suggested that maybe Logan wasn't all that upset with her.

Jubilee had a hard time remembering what he'd asked her. Her nipple hardened under his touch and she reached the happy conclusion that maybe the night wasn't quite over yet. "Mmmm. . . feels good." She pushed into his hand and looked startled when he pulled away. "Oh, yeah, right. College. I learned at school. That what I went there for. . . to learn, right?"

Logan laughed at her confused answer, a cheerful sound that made her smile, too. Still smiling he popped his claws, reached behind her, and brought back his arm with the tattered remains of his shirt dangling from one claw. He held it over her so that she could see the damage she'd caused and asked, "Did you learn this in school, too?"

"No," she laughed, "I learned that from you."

"Did ya, now? Well, it looks like you owe me a shirt, darlin'."

"Would it help if I let you return the favor someday?"

"Someday?" Logan asked. He bit gently at the soft skin of her neck and slid his tongue wetly into the hollow at the base of her throat. His hand caught hers and guided it between them to close around his resurgent erection.

"Er. . . how about right now?"

"Now yer talkin', darlin'."

"Cool. I get to have my beefcake and eat him, too!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Epilogue

The morning sun slitting through the shades didn't wake the pair but a loud rumble from the left side of the bed did. Jubilee lifted herself up on one elbow and sleepily pushed at Wolverine's shoulder.

"I'm up, Jubes," he grumbled.

"Yeah, I can hear. Think we need to go find you something to eat?"

"Probably a good idea. I'm thinkin' one order of Jubilee, over easy, and some steamin' hot buns." He leered lasciviously and grabbed for her behind as she rolled neatly away and stood up.

"Right. An' I'm thinking one super-size order of smoked ham. Seriously, Wolvie. . . "

"Seriously, Jubes. . . " His demeanor changed from teasing to thoughtful and his brows drew together in a frown. "Seriously. . . where do we go from here? Yer leaving soon. . . "

"We go wherever this takes us. Look, I'm not looking for promises or 'forever after' here. I need some time to figure this out myself. But right now I know this is what I want more than anything else. And I can tell you that I'll always be here for you, Logan. Always have, always will. You know that.

"I'll be here at least two more weeks, Wolvie, and then I'm only going to be in D.C. The way you drive you can be down there in four hours tops. You know, I have free time when I'm in school, too. Dorms have very liberal overnight visiting policies these days. . . "

"So I hear."

She let the barb pass and continued, ". . . so I don't see a problem. Do you?"

"Nah, guess I don't. 'Cept maybe one thing." Wolverine's voice rose slightly and he ignored her questioning look to speak directly to the door. "If you don't get yer skinny ass outta here this second, Gumbo, I'm gonna slice and dice ya so fine there won't be enough o' you left whole t'roll into one o' yer cigarettes. Got that, Cajun?"

Jubilee saw Wolverine's conspiratorial smile and covered her mouth with her hand to suppress her laughter. From the other side of the door came a congenial chuckle.

"Just checkin' t'make sure de p'tite didn't hurt you none. I'll tell Jeannie not t'worry, eider. She say she hear some awful funny noises from out dis way las' night. Somethin' like metal bein' all twisted up?"



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