Night Before:

 

 

Logan had funny dreams. He saw Ally, Kamikaze and then he saw Justice. Adams appeared out of no where and held Allyson by the neck as he drew on Ally's skin much like had drawn on Logan's skin to give him his adamantium skeleton. Bonsai held Justice back from helping Ally. Haley and Alex were lying on surgical tables and they had been drawn on as well. Logan had no voice when he called for it, he felt his feeble call for his wife and friends remain silent and Oliver laughed at him.

"You think they are ALL I want, Logan," Oliver laughed.

Logan shook awake sweaty and unsure of what had happened. His claws were out as he sat up in bed. He was in his bed in his room with a sheet over his naked body. He heard familiar breathing, as he smelled Ally. He looked over to see her laying on her side with her back to him, her breathing was even and calm, she was still asleep. He quickly withdrew his claws, and then he reached over and touched her red curls that were stretched behind her. She would be gone soon and he didn't know how long. He touched the place on his head and felt the unfamiliar bandage. Ally rolled over and her eyes flickered at him.

"You're awake." She whispered.

He wrapped his arms around her waist as he joined her sleepy figure lying on the bed. "Did it work?" he asked as he pulled her closer.

His warmth made her ready to fall back asleep as she felt safe and familiar in his arms. "Mmmmhmmmm." She mumbled as her eyes began to close quickly and sleep began to take her from him.

He smiled as he moved slowly from her sleepy body and found some shorts and left the room quietly.

He felt charged as he stepped into the dimly lit hallway and he knew he should feel tired but he felt charged. He felt like jogging but instead he found himself on the way to gather the beer he had hid in the refrigerator. What he found in the kitchen was Xavier.

"Hello, Logan." Xavier smiled at him as if he had been expecting him but by the looks of the half-full coffee cup and robe, he wasn't.

"Hi," he stammered, he still wasn't sure what to make of Charles right now. Logan regained his composure as he faced him. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I take it you overheard Professor Adams?"

"You readin' my mind?"

He shook his head in denial. "I wasn't even sure about Adams at first, Logan. I am very sure now of course. I would rather not say anything in fear of clouding somebody's mind"

Logan watched him not really hearing him clearly, "Your brother? How?"

"He is my half brother, Logan. We shared the same mother, nothing more." Xavier sighed. "I am the same man, you can still trust me."

Logan knew he could trust him but secrets meant trouble in Wolverine's book.

"How did he get to you at the park?"

"That is his special gift as a telepath, just as mine is being able to control other's actions. Although I don't remember it being so strong?" he sighed as his thought turn to another. "Allyson and Jean need to develop their talents more. Allyson has some abilities beyond belief and Jean has that capability but they need to develop it. A telepath's gift can vary."

"You gonna tell them?"

"Not before they are about to go to war against their father." Charles looked out the window. "Against my brother, my equal, I am almost powerless now. I believe he may have experimented on himself and his new abilities make me feel like a novice now in comparison."

Logan felt for Charles the man who had used his own gifts to try to help him find his past before. He sat down across from Xavier as he began to cope with the new knowledge. He silently wondered if his own sister and the rest of his family were as messed up as Xavier's and the Adams. He felt a smile creep to his face. "So I married your niece, huh?" Logan's smile turned to a cocky grin.

Xavier gave him a rueful smile and returned his gaze to the window as Logan made his way out the kitchen doorway. 'Who would have ever thought he would be related to Wolverine?'

Once Logan was in the hall again he heard some music from the distance and he followed it to the rec room. He found Hayley with a beer and a cigarette shooting pool alone. He felt a small pang of worry as he watched her, 'She is so much like me, sometimes it was like having a conversation by myself. That was why is worked with Ally, she was not crazy like Hayley and not overly calm like Alex but a good mixture of the two. Ally could argue like Hayley but reason like Alex.'

He watched Hayley maneuvering around the pool table in a spaghetti strap nightgown as she took a thoughtful puff on her cigarette. Her long black hair dangled past her shoulders tickling her back and breasts as she moved slowly around the table. Logan realized he had been staring as her naked breasts came to view as she bent over to look at the green felt closer. He cleared his throat loudly.

Hayley had been about to make her pool shot when Logan coughed loudly at the doorway. 'What the…

Is He going to hack up a lung or something? Just like Logan,' she sighed as she looked up at him and her pool ball bouncing violently around the table. "Thank for the miss." She rolled her eyes at him as she made her way to her beer and took a slow drink. "I hear the chip is gone." She asked with out facing him.

"Yeah," he mumbled as he walked in eyeing the pool table deep in thought.

"After all that you should be tired what are you even doing up?"

"I am pretty awake."

"You would be."

"So, why aren't you sleeping?"

"I know. Big day and all but I feel like tomorrow is Christmas and the day before my execution all in one. Y'know? Anxious and excited."

Logan watched her as she started surveying the pool table again. "Going to play 'dad' a game of billiards?" He smiled at her slightly. He hadn't remembered that they had all been taught how to play until he had seen Hayley's intense gaze at then game. It was more of an art form for the family. She gave him a very bored looked but continued her study of the table.

"Well, Congrats on the loss of the chip thing," she mumbled

Logan knew this mood well. Hayley probably wanted to be alone. "Well, be careful tomorrow and watch each other's backs." He started out of the room as he felt a light touch on his shoulder. He didn't turn but could hear Hayley behind him. "Logan," she whispered. He turned to face her now soften blue eyes staring at him. She glanced around uncharacteristically nervous. "Does anybody really fall all the way out of love?"

He sighed as he peered into eyes he was very familiar with, eyes like Ally's. "No, I guess they don't"

She leaned up and kissed his cheek lightly and to her surprise he didn't pull back or even flinch. She sighed as she relished the closeness of him and it reminded her of the closeness they had shared once, she also missed the closeness of a man. Hayley had always craved men she loved everything about them, their smell, their strong arms, and their quiet demeanors. It wasn't until Logan was this close but she realized she missed him. Hayley was only partly aware she giving off her trademark smell but she was.

Logan realized what Hayley was doing. She seemed in somewhat of a dream state and when he noticed her scent begin, he decided to help her. Logan grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her gently, "Hayley" He said firmly as he forced her to look at him. She smiled at him sweetly and pressed her lips to his ignoring the message he was trying to send. He grabbed her arms as she tried wrapping them around his neck. He sighed at her; he would have to be a little firmer. "Hayl" he said in a louder, bored tone.

Hayley regained her composure. 'Was Logan so blind? He needed something different.' Hayley decided. Then visions of Ally flew across her mind as she read Logan's thoughts. She felt like a traitor and she silently said a thank you that one of them had been strong. She jerked away feeling as dirty as she did when Sabertooth had 'touched' her. A wave of repulsion rang over her as she backed away from him with her hand over her mouth. She knew Logan had noticed it too because as shadow of worry crossed his face.

'Oh no. I don't need your pity.' Hayley thought as she stood tall and walked over to her cigarette and took a drag. She turned her face into a tight grin. "You gonna Play?" she gestured to the pool table. She felt stronger and Logan seemed to dismiss her moment of weakness as madness.

Hayley gave him a beer she had stashed in the room.

"Thanks." He mumbled as he grabbed her hand gently. She looked at him somewhat perplexed. "Hayl, it wouldn't have worked between us." Then he felt her hands become hot as her eyes flashed a warning.

"I don't need counsel, Logan. I just lost my head." Hayley snapped at him. Then her looked softened again. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

Logan watched her confused and laughed a little, 'Women.' He thought to himself. "You okay?" he laughed.

Hayley nodded as she watched him leave her. 'Will he ever now how I loved him?' she wondered to herself.

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Justice came back to the pool to retrieve the shirt he had forgotten earlier but he found Storm. 'Had she been there the whole time?' She was sitting on the diving board and when she saw him she stood up and smiled at him. Her statuesque frame was almost overwhelming as she dove into the pool. Justice watched her with new eyes as she pulled herself gracefully along the water. He retrieved his shirt and walked over to where Storm would emerge.

Justice sighed as he watched her and he realized he was too wound up to sleep.

"Hello," she smiled at him as she climbed up the ladder. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Nope, I feel like I have had a lot of caffeine."

Storm laughed at him; "Do you want to swim?"

He sighed and sat down on the side of the pool, "I don't know." Storm echoed his movements as she sat beside him.

"Want to talk?" she offered.

He sat back against the cool concrete and put his hands behind his head. "Yeah, I guess I do."

"Excited and anxious?"

"Yeah"

"I am too."

"Why?"

She met his eye quickly, "Well, if you succeed it would make a difference to the brotherhood and to us. It would change the dynamics between mutants dramatically." She had a far away passionate stare for what she was talking about.

"Guess I never thought of us being a factor to change things." He started to stare back at the night sky.

"Why wouldn't you? Your father has changed so many lives already," she sighed as she kicked the water gently. "Never really seen it from an outside perspective before, I guess." He took a deep breath as he realized the levity that the next day would bring. "So, how about them cubs huh?" he joked weakly.

She punched him lightly, and then she leaned over to him and kissed him. She wasn't sure when she would see him again and she wanted to seize the moment. There was no smell, aroma or mystique about Justice to attract her to him except she felt an urge to be close to him. She only hoped she wasn't pushing him too soon after his wife.

Justice gave in to Storm's kiss easily and relaxed as it deepened. His heart began to pound loudly and his pulse began to ring in his ears. He had found himself wondering about her and how it would be to hold her again, now she was in his arms and he enjoyed it. 'Damn it! She is not really interested in me, it's the scent.' Suddenly he jerked away from her, leaving Ororo to stare at him curiosity filled eyes. He was almost lost for words but he composed himself and would let her judge. "Storm, Hayley would give off a smell when she was attracted to a man and they flocked to her as if she was a pure pheromone, I think I may be doing that too and I can't take advantage of you. It's not me you like it's a smell." Then he lowered his gaze at her, "Why are you smiling?"

She took a deep breath to keep from laughing at him, "I know about the smell and you are not doing that. It is you that I am attracted to, even if you are a nut." She smiled at him. "Justice you have to do what you heart tells you."

Justice felt elated. He grabbed Storm and let his emotions take over. She responded eagerly and let the simple kiss evolve into a deep connection of their souls and mind. Justice folded her into his arms but she pushed him away a little.

"Could we go some place a little more secluded?" She asked quietly.

She reminded him a lot of Ally the way she spoke but he knew what she meant and he nodded with a grin. He grabbed his shirt as he helped her to her feet.

He held her hand gently as they walked in but Alex stepped in the way holding the telephone towards them. "Just, phone for you." She smiled uneasily as she looked at Storm's hand in her brothers.

Justice smoothed his hair on the side of head with his hand. Then he nodded to them both as he mumbled 'excuse me' and wandered into the house.

Alex looked at Storm apologetically, "He does this." She shrugged. "It is one of the guys from his firm and Justice's business always came first." Alex looked in the direction Justice had disappeared to.

Alex began to gather the trash around the pool and sighed at the uncomfortable silence. "Yes, Justice likes you a lot." Alex said with a smile.

"I didn't say anything" Storm watched Alex a little upset. Alex had read her thoughts uninvited.

Alex looked surprised. "Then you must have been shouting the question in your head." She laughed. "I made no effort to read you."

Storm nodded and she believed Alex. "Thank you, though."

"We all take relationships slowly plus Justice has spent most of his life living with three sister and he is a total gentlemen" Alex said as she watched Storm follow her in pursuit of Justice.

They found Justice facing a wall with his back towards them. His was gesturing with his hands and the conversation became audible as they got closer.

"Mark, Bob and I went over this. I am leaving tomorrow." He paused as he looked up and down the wall. "I can have to the work done tomorrow but I have other business to attend to." There was a tiny voice from Justice's cell phone. "Yeah, I can get it to you but I can't stay and see this through. If I have to work all night, I will and it will be golden, Mark." He paused as he noticed Storm and Alex behind him. "Yeah, all you have to do is present it to them. Bob is there if you need further help." Justice paused and held a finger up to Storm and Alex. "It will be a work of art okay?" he was almost shouting now. "Yeah, I will be back as soon as I can be. Thank you. Good bye." He sighed as he clicked the phone off.

"Well?" Alex watched Justice evenly. She knew what he was going to say but in Storm's better interest, she wanted him to say it out loud.

He crossed his arms; " We ARE still leaving in the morning just a little later." He looked at Alex; "You should try to get some sleep. I might be too tired to drive."

Storm looked at Justice as if somebody had rained on her parade. "You have to work all night?"

He nodded. "My career has to come first."

Alex watched him carefully Justice was on edge, "Can't Bob handle it."

"No, he can't. He is still covered in cases of mine he took over while we came after Ally."

"What about the X-men?" Storm crossed her arms as she felt a chill. "Are you going to stay on after everything thing is settled."

An alarm went off in Alex's head; Storm was on dangerous ground. "Settled?" Justice scoffed. "I don't think things with our father will be 'settled' until he is dead. How do the X-men fit in with that?"

"Aren't you going to be an X-man?" Storm looked betrayed.

"We have our own lives, Ororo. That is complicated enough with out adding in a hero oriented affiliation."

Storm was dumbfounded. Gone was the warm gentleman that held her earlier and the man who she had felt deeply about. There stood Justice but he was now the cynical, cold lawyer who seemed to remember business first. "Of course," She mumbled. "Excuse me" she said quietly as she made a quick exit.

Alex watched the beautiful woman retreat back into herself and then from her brother. She left Justice staring after her. Alex walked over and hit him on the arm, hard, "ASS." She hissed at Justice and her eyes began to glow. Alex walked out before he could justify his actions.

"Al," Justice called after Alex and started to chase after her but found himself on the floor that was now covered with ice. 'Yup, I sure have a way with the women.' He thought to himself and then Alex made sense, as she usually did. He liked Storm and he could have expressed himself better. He sighed as he thought of how much further away Storm was than Canada right now and would he be able to reach in time?

 

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Charles was headed back to his office in the late hours as he let his mind wonder about tomorrow's ventures and where they would lead. A shadowed figure caught him out of the corner of his eye.

He watched as Allyson came closer to him with a friendly smile on her face.

"Professor." She ran ahead and held the door open for him until he maneuvered his chair into the dark quiet office.

"What can I help you with Allyson?" Charles found a light and flipped it on as they both blinked against the bright light for a second.

"Logan," she said quietly, "and the babies" Then Allyson took a deep breath. "I am not very comfortable leaving them or Logan but I know I have to." She looked at her hands. In her heart she knew it was only a matter of time before her father would come for the babies, Logan and her whole world.

"Logan and the children will be safe," Charles said flatly but he wondered what she was getting at.

"I have some reservations about Logan." She sighed as Charles gestured to a chair. She sat down and took the offered teacup. "Thank you." She stirred it a little absentmindedly, "You see, Logan still doesn't remember his sister or his family. And I am afraid he might while I am gone."

"Why is that?"

"Well, his sister (Amber) and I were good friends. She stumbled into the experiments and she paid dearly for it." Ally looked emotional at the memory. "Our father killed her in one of his mutations. When Logan found her he went into a rage that they couldn't stop. That is when he mutated Logan." She met his eyes. "I don't if he if went into on of his rages around you but they are hard to stop and I suspect that memories of his sister or his mutation may trigger them."

"We haven't encountered this rage yet but we will be here for him." He took a drink of his tea thoughtfully. "I take it he and his sister were close?"

"He never spoke of any other family and she was the only one we met. Justice thinks he may have even seen her die. The last time father took Logan's memory, Logan got it back rather quickly and once he remembered everything and he was inconsolable. He left us and came back months later a little more callous and antisocial than before."

"What can we do?"

"Be prepared, I guess. There is not much we can do for Logan when he gets like that but perhaps you might find a way to pre-empt any trouble." She said politely.

"We will do our best." He sighed as he looked out the dark window.

Allyson stood slowly to leave, "Thank you professor. It is a consolation to know somebody will understand."

"Yes, We all have tales." Xavier mumbled.

"What?" Allyson turned around quickly, 'Did I hear him correctly?' she moved towards him and his large mahogany desk. "I knew it. You are the uncle that my father spoke of." She felt betrayed. "Father said that he and his brothers used to say that in times of wonder. It would also explain why he effected you at the park. Biological ties are very hard to break. Aren't they Uncle Xavier." She was now leaning on the desk as she stared into his eyes, eyes that reminded her of her father.

His regal composure now gone, he didn't seem very sure of how to approach his niece, "Allyson, I wasn't sure you were my niece until recently. I also thought it would be best not to tell you before you were going to face your father. If he is able to get that knowledge from your thoughts, you may be in more danger." His looked softened as he spoke with more emotion, "I am afraid knowing I am your uncle will put you in more danger. Your father hates me." He pushed his chair around the desk to her side and she knelt down to his side.

"We will be fine, he seems to need us." She gave him a weak reassuring smile. "I am sorry to doubt you." Allyson knew she had some treacherous thoughts at first and now she felt a little guilty.

He smiled at her. "Allyson, whatever answers you need, I will be more than happy to answer for you." He held her hand lightly. "When you return."

She nodded, "Thank you, Professor"

"Please call me Charles."

On impulse she hugged him with a broad smile. "It's nice to know we have more family."

Charles watched her go and he became more worried. He knew this might even cloud Ally's mind more that it had before. He also knew if she didn't go Oliver would certainly come after the twins. He took an another drink of his tea. He also worried that Eric would want the twins or worse he would get them. 'Yes, Eric I still search for hope.'

 

 

Logan returned to the bedroom with a beer in hand and he was surprised when he saw the light on and Ally was gone. 'Now where did that woman go?' He was about to leave and look for her when he heard the baby monitor snap to life with sound. It was Ally's voice talking calmly to a baby. 'She must be in the nursery' Logan thought. He heard her sweet voice singing and humming a lullaby.

"I am just a little black rain cloud, hovering over the honey tree." She sang as he listened curiously with a smile. 'What the hell did that mean?' Then it dawned on him about what she had told him about the clouds and not taking things for granted. Those four were very hung up on things their mother had said. They remembered very little about her and her Japanese way but what they knew they held on to with both hands. He took a long puff on the stogie and went on to retrieve his wife from a sleepless night with the baby.

He peered around the door to find her with a baby bundled in blue in her arms as she continued to hum the honey tree song. She was putting him back in his crib. She caught a glimpse of Logan out of the corner of her eye and smiled slightly. They crept quietly from the room as he wrapped an arm around the small of her back to guide her towards the bedroom.

Ally let an audible sigh as they walked away. 'Will they miss me as much as I will them? Will they even know I am gone? Will Logan be all right with them?' She looked up in time to see Alex coming at them with a determined stride.

"What is it?" Alex asked as she stopped.

"She misses the kids already." Logan said as he watched Ally look at him surprised he could pick up her mood.

"I spoke to Beast a little while ago and he told me Xavier is going to have interviews for a possible nanny tomorrow morning." Alex met their surprised looks, "We knew there would have to be a nanny but with you leaving tomorrow, he had to schedule everything now."

"He did say something about it." Ally mumbled, "I am not quite used to the idea yet."

"Well if the X-men need to help somebody needs to be here with the kids." Logan supported the idea.

"I guess so" Ally seemed far away.

"You guys should get some sleep."

"Well Justice has to work all night because that mop head Mark doesn't know what he is doing." She gave a small sigh, "So, we will be leaving later than expected."

"How are you guys gonna find your dad." Logan asked quickly

Ally and Alex exchanged and uncomfortable look, "One of us has to let him in our heads to guide us." Alex said as she crossed her arms.

"What?" Logan almost shouted. 'This deal keeps getting worse and worse' he thought.

 

 

Justice sat in the room overwhelmed with the papers that Mark had faxed him. He heard a person at the door and opened it to reveal Storm with a thoughtful expression.

"I am sorry," she said calmly before he could greet her.

"You? You didn't do anything wrong." He gestured for her to come in. "I am only surprised that you or Alex didn't break a hand across my face."

She laughed at him and she knew she was right to see him she didn't want for him to go away with unresolved issues. "I didn't mean assume you would join the X-men."

"Look, Storm, We both know I am in the wrong here." They both sat at the table by the window. "I am sorry about being an ass and I didn't mean to be so jumpy."

She eyed the mountain of papers he had on the night table. "You really will be up all night."

He shrugged and tossed her a calm smile.

"Are you sure about this it sounds like a suicide mission? Why don't we just attack him straight out?"

He looked at her surprised. "You are not like that Storm, we both know that." He sighed a little, "Innocent people would be hurt, plus if we get inside we could get the files on the people who have participated in the experiments."

She shook her head, "You right, I am sorry. I just don't want to see one of you used as a human sacrifice,"

"Better a few in danger, than a lot of others."

She felt scared for him and she knew he must be overwhelmed. "I hope you will reconsider staying on after all is said and done. You and your sisters will be missed greatly." She stood up slowly and paced a little, "I know I will miss you all, even Hayley."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Hayley? Even after she mistook you for a match the first time she met you?" They both began to laugh.




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