Alleys:

ALLEYS..............

Downtown was hot and humid. Jean Grey felt the heat as soon as she stepped out of the post office. The sunlight was bright and she could smell the faint scent of roses from the flower salesmen . She smiled to herself amazed at this beautiful day. She found the car with Scott Summers at the driver's seat. As she reached for the handle she saw a rose on her seat. He smiled at her as bright as the sunshine.

"So, you just didn't feel like coming in huh?" she tossed him a crooked smile

"You ready?" he asked as she picked up the flower.

"Scott........:" she grabbed his arm. Jean's telapathy was going nuts. She heard someone screaming in her head. She walked from the car and soon started to run. She heard Scott behind her. It was a female...... was it Storm? Don't let it be Rouge. She ran faster now, she could hear Scott on her heals. She stopped at a corner and started down the back alley. Why did everything seem to happen in alleys?

She stopped and put a finger to her lips. As they approached she noticed something fuzzy and red. They got closer to see it was hair. Jean kneeled down to cradle her head. Scott searched her wrist for a pulse. She had been attacked or in a battle of some sort but why? Scott nodded to Jean when he felt her pulse. Jean's mouth dropped as she stared at the other redhead.

"What?" he followed her look down at the woman. The gash above her eye had started to heal. "How?" he whispered to Jean.

Scott looked at her again she was lovely. With high cheeks, sharp facial curves, full lips and hair that encircled her face while Jean held her. She looked quiet and peaceful, very angelic.

"Her wound closed like she had a healing factor, like Wolverine" Jean whispered to Scott. Jean felt the other mutant's muscles go stiff and she opened her eyes slightly. Her deep blue eyes looked very tired. 'LOGAN?' the voice intruded in Jean's mind. The woman was weak and gave to Jean's hold as she fell back into Jean’s arm.

"We better get her back to the Professor," Scott pointed to the other wounds which had NOT closed, "Even Logan needs a safe place to rest and heal." He put an arm under her legs and one under her back and lifted her from Jean's lap.

"She knows Logan, Scott," she announced.

An eyebrow shot up, "How do you know ? Did you read her?"

"No," she stared at the woman, "she told me."

"COME BACK HERE" Rogue chased the little girl around the Kitchen Island in the x-mansion. The child stopped at Rogue's request long enough to find a toy, levitate it and send it flying at Rogue's head. Rogue ducked behind the island. 'Thank goodness Logan had been working on my training'. She stood up in time to get a nerf ball in the head.

Logan was perched at the breakfast nook by a window. Holding his newspaper lightly he smiled in amusement at the sight. "Need more time in the danger room, Rogue?" he laughed.

Rogue didn't answer but stuck her tongue out at him. 'GREAT now I am acting like her.' More time in the danger room was not what she wanted right now. She started in pursuit of the 4 yr. old again..

"Good Kiddy, Kiddy, Kiddy..........where did you go?" Rogue started looking around the kitchen.

Logan retreated back to his newspaper and cigar.

Storm walked in and got herself a glass eyeing Rogue. She looked at Logan for an answer but he didn't seem to notice them from behind the paper.

Rogue continued her solo hide and seek.

"What are you looking for Rogue?" she gave in and finally asked. Storm started to pour her juice by the fridge.

"Imp," Rogue said with a sigh. Imp was the name Logan had given to elf-like child and it stuck.

He must have been paying some attention, Storm thought to herself. He had a grin playing at his lips as he took a drag from his cigar.

"Jordan? Why Rogue?" Storm asked

Rogue stood up straight and faced Storm. "Well Cyclops asked me to baby-sit them a while and when I was chasing Justin, Imp made off with my wallet" she told her in a quick breath. Then jumped under the table in time to avoid another flying toy assault.

Storm was not so lucky, she was hit in the back of the head with a toy truck. Stunned she rubbed her head. "Well she can't be far," Storm mumbled, "What about Justin and the baby?"

"They're with Bobby"

At this Logan looked up. 'Bobby is probably bald by now,' he thought as chuckled to himself. Then he got hit with a flying toy.

"Okay, 'nuff, Imp," he stood up and reached behind the chair he sat in and produced the wild-eyed child. She giggled and started to flee from Logan but fell to the floor. Her shoelaces were tied together. Logan shrugged.

Rogue retrieved the child by Logan's feet and her now empty wallet. She sighed, "Why are these kids here, Storm?"

"Charles did not elaborate."

Logan but her a look. It said leave it go ............ A small sound caught their attention. Justin stood their arms folded in defiance. Rogue blushed, had he heard her asking about them? Had she offended him.

Bobby came in with a crying infant who wanted out of his arms. Storm took the child and it quieted. Bobby waved his hand at Justin carefully. Justin smiled at the frozen treat.

"Storm, I was told to get you. The Professor wants to see you. The others are there already." Bobby said causally. Logan walked up as if he expected to be invited. Nothing was said and he left the noisy room. Toys began to fly in the air again.

"Too many telepaths," he mumbled

"Is not," Imp huffed at him. Justin turned to Bobby as Storm gave Bobby the now noisy infant back to him. The voice was just above the cry. "Next time can you do flavors?"

'Too many telepaths' he thought. Humph, it felt like Déjà vu. Logan searched to find what he wanted in the x-mansion, to be alone. He had woke up with a bad headache. He could not remember the last time he had a headache. Imp was a cute kid. It was hard to stay grumpy around her.

Maybe he would see Beast in the infirmary. Check on his healing power. ‘No, too many tests, he thought. Maybe he would see Jean. He smiled at the thought. ‘Boy would that get to Red-eye,’ he thought. Then he scowled again. He forgot they were in a meeting.

He found his way outside to "borrow" Scott’s bike, after he got some air and some beer he would feel better. He made a mental note to get Rogue in the danger room.

Storm stood in the Professor’s office wide eyed and amazed. "Will you tell him then?" she asked quietly.

"Yes. They must know each other. If they are a friend or foe we will be here for him. She is from his past and must hold answers for him of some sort." He looked at his X-men he knew they would support whatever he told them. "We have to be there for him it may open a flood gate," he told Jean.

Scott smirked, "Yeah, we should be careful. He is unstable at best."

Jean gave him a scolding look.

Beast came to the room. "Sorry I am late, Charles." He held something in his hand and gave it to the nearest person. Jean turned the dog tag in her hand, it was clean and cool. She turned it to read it, it said ‘ALLY-CAT.’

Imp barged into the room with Rogue in hot pursuit, almost knocking Jean over with the door. Imp stopped when she saw Xavier. Rogue stopped when she saw the dog tag. "Do you want me to give that to Logan?"

Jean stared at her "Why?"

"Isn’t it his?" Rogue asked "I saw him come back a little while ago." She didn’t mention he had some beer.

"Logan has a tag like this?" the Professor looked at her. Confused Rogue had wondered what she and Imp had barged into. Imp now subdued, stood next to the Professor like and obedient dog. Rouge wondered what power he had over the child.

"Storm could you take Jordan to her brothers," he gestured towards the child next to him. Storm went to the now smiling child and walked her out of the room. Professor X looked towards Beast.

"Well she is doing well considering all she has put her body through. She is healing on her own but her healing factor is not nearly as great as Wolverine’s. I have other tests to run but nothing is finalized."

"Jean have you had any success reading her thoughts?" he glanced at the read head.

She looked lovely but thoughtful. "No, just the once. It was like she was trying to talk to me but couldn’t. I have tried but it’s like there is a wall there. Do you think she is another telepath?"

"I think so," Beast chimed in. "Otherwise I have an alarming concern for Logan’s welfare."

"Perhaps she is ready to talk to me. What do you make of the dog tag , Henry?" Xavier sighed

"I have seen some before but not one quite this personal looking. It contains no numbers just a name. Maybe it is just a nick name for her mutant abilities." He handed the tag on.

"Well maybe she will speak to me." He said as he moved his wheel chair from behind his desk. They all followed him.

Rogue stared over his should as they made their way down the long metallic looking halls. The dog tag said 'Ally-cat'. It looked a little different than Logan’s. A slightly different color than his, more of a bluish . 'Who is Ally-cat?'

The room was quiet. Logan needed it quiet too. He sat on his bed waiting for his headache to go away. There was something going on and he wasn’t in it. That was fine with him. He took his shirt off and his pants and crawled under the covers.

Since he had been at the x-mansion Xavier had helped him with his memories and his anger. He started having dreams about a woman, one that he wanted to find in his head now. In his dreams her laughter was like sunshine. Her features were sharp and surrounded by a cloud full of red curls.'Was she real? Probably Jean,' he thought to himself.'Wouldn’t that bust Scott’s chops a little more?' He chuckled to himself as he found the inviting covers. In his dreams, his dream Jean was a little wild and carefree. She didn’t seem to need him though, she seemed to touch him and leave. She was strong and didn’t need his protection in his dream, she was his equal then.

'Bah! He put his cigar out in the ashtray by the bed and stretched out. Dreams he had no time for them. If only Jean would act more like this dream Jean.

Charles sat next to Ally cat. He could have fell in love with the young woman and all her mystery.She reminded him of someone he had known long ago, he was almost nostalgic.
She gave him very little to read. He had found the same wall Jean had but could get a bit more than she could.

Hank stared as Charles as he probed the young woman’s mind. She reminded him of an elf. He was tempted to put Vulcan ears on her. He smiled to himself as he worked. She looked vaguely American Indian was it? He complexion was a perfect olive tone and her eyes even closed seemed to hold their own secret.

He stopped smiling as he looked at one of his tests and the results were clear. She was not Logan’s enemy, she was his lover. 'Pregnant', he would bet that was why she had such little of Logan’s healing factor. It made sense, perfect sense until the lights went out.

"Hank," Jean stared at him with concern. He sat up a little. "What hit me?" He mumbled. He looked over from the bed he was now on, "How did you lift me?"

"Imp must be getting stronger," Rogue said quietly, "It had to be her." She motioned to the shelving that hit Beast that now lay broken on the floor.

"She is a handful but hardly capable of that." Beast rubbed his head. "Did you make any sense of her yet?" he looked at Charles.

"More than before. Her name is Allyson she is a telepath and a strong one. Her concern for Logan is real and I believe she can help him," he spoke as he stared at the redhead. "Sabertooth and Mystique attacked her."

"Why would they want her?" Scott wondered.

"Indeed." Hank mirrored his tone.

Rogue wondered who she was too Logan. She was excited to tell Bobby about the sleeping woman. Logan was mysterious guy and now there was a mysterious guest for him. She looked sort of Chinese or something and the sooner she woke the better. It seemed everyone had questions for her.

‘Logan’ he heard the voice. This girl was less a ‘dream Jean’ in his mind . He held her close as if she would run the other way if this spell were broken. He buried his face in her soft massive red curls along her neck, savoring her scent. He kissed her neck gently and she made a sound that was not much more than a mouse, "It will be okay" he told his dream. He pulled away gently but could not make out her face. He kissed her lightly as if to brush her lips with his. He touched her hand and noticed the cold metal of a shiny ring. He was glad he had given it to her. He had marked something that was as unobtainable as the wind. He took his hand to her shoulder to caress it and then kiss it, just like he did to her neck. He had to be careful he knew she could run like a deer at any time. She was not fighting him though, she returned his caress and kiss. She pushed her body closer to him so she could press herself against every bit of manhood.

He moved his caress and kiss as his began to touch her breast. Then it was gone.

He sat up in bed. He could hear someone at the door. He could smell Imp a mile away but who was with her? He could smell fear and pain. He pulled his pants on and opened the door.

There was Imp and she was alone with her eyes big with fright. He must be losing his mind he thought. Imp walked in and sat down on his bed while he was lighting a cigar. "Make yourself at home, kid," he grunted at her. ‘Why do kids and animals follow me?’ he watched the child as she got comfortable. It was probably better to interrupt his Jean dream before a telepath caught on, especially Jean.

"They want you," Imp mumbled she looked a little scared of him. Something wasn’t right here. He could smell someone with Imp and it was strong and familiar. Maybe she had something that belongs to someone else. "What’s up kid?"

Imp held a fist out to him. He stepped closer. She dropped the dog tag in his waiting hand and jumped back. It smelled of blood and another familiar scent. It wasn’t his dog tag but similar. He read the name quickly.'Shit!' Allyson how could he not remember Ally. The girl in his dreams with the red hair it was Ally not Jean. They were both telepaths, redheads and not easy to obtain. He hadn’t been attracted to Jean but to the fact she had reminded him of Ally. He snapped back to reality and looked at Imp.

"Ally sent you?" he looked a little taken back and that made it made Imp more comfortable now. She must have been nervous to bother him, it was rumored not wake Wolverine when he asleep or busy.

The small child just smiled now. He looked at the tag Ally’s scent was strong on it. She had to be near by. He reached over and grabbed a shirt then he grabbed Imp under his arm and ran with Ally’s tag in hand.

Storm was confused. 'If Magneto wanted a telepath, why this one? Why she connected to Logan?'

"Charles, we should get Logan. I have some test results he should know about," Beast looked far away.

"Why Logan?" Charles raised and eyebrow.

"Well if my guess is right Logan is going to be a daddy." Beast made a weak attempt to make the words sounds humorous and light but it didn’t seem to work. They all stared at him with surprised expressions. Then he realized they were staring behind him. Where Logan stood wide eyed holding Imp under one arm and a shirt and a metallic object in the other hand.

Jean grabbed Scott and Rogue’s arms and nudged them out of the room. Logan set Imp down gently to the ground and stood up straighter.

"Hello, Logan," Xavier smiled at him slightly.

Logan moved forward slowly, he knew it wasn’t a dream now. There was Ally and she had been haunting his dreams. He missed her as soon as he saw her. How could he not remember her? All this time he had been at the mansion he could not remember her. She was so close to him he could breathe her scent and remember how close they were. She smelled like a fresh wind after the rain with earthy tang that was her own. She was beautiful, her wounds couldn’t hide that. What happened? He could smell Sabertooth on her. He started to scowl.

"Logan," Jean put a hand on his shoulder. He touched her hand gently but he felt as if he had betrayed both women. He felt as if he had led Jean on about their friendship. He would have to get Jean alone and talk to her.

"What happened?" he demanded without taking his eyes off her.

"Scott and I found her. We think she was attacked by Sabertooth and Mystique," she knelt beside him and gave him a half a smile, "She is going to be okay. She is healing".

Logan pulled a chair and sat next to Ally. "What do you mean?" he lowered his gaze as he now seemed to notice the people still in the room. Beast cleared his throat uncomfortably. ‘What did that mean?’

Imp wasn’t scared of Logan anymore. She tumbled into his lap and stared at him innocently, "They just need rest." She announced proudly. Logan raised an eyebrow. Storm walked over to Imp and put her hand out to her. Imp smiled and the snowy haired beauty. She made her way off Logan's lap as she grabbed Storm's hand and left.

"How bad are her injuries?" he looked at Charles and Beast.

"Logan, she is healing herself," Charles offered

"How?"

"What was your last memory of her?" Beast asked quietly.

Logan blushed slightly feeling a little exposed. He knew his last memory was of sex as it was from his dream. What did it matter though? He had given her that ring because they had wanted to marry eventually. He remembered telling her ‘I will be back, I promise,’ they had been lying in bed talking. It was not that long before he had run into Rogue.

"It was right before I met Rogue. Maybe a month or so.."

Jean was now blushing, "She is a telepath?"

"Yeah, but she is healing herself?" he was still confused. "Why is it taking so long?"

Beast cleared his throat and removed his glasses to look at Logan. He didn’t feel he should be the one to tell Logan he sighed, "It would seem your child has a strong sense of self-preservation . He or she is doing it. Considering, it is going slowly but as the child grows so will the ability to heal." He smiled.

Logan seemed to have no words until one rang in his head, 'Pregnant. Ally is pregnant, Shit.' How long had it been since he had seen her last. It had to be his. Why else would she be healing? He let her hand go for the first time since he can into the room. He walked over the to window. He wanted Sabertooth now more than ever. He had not only attacked Allyson but his unborn child. He took a breath trying to calm him. She would need him to in control when she woke.

Nobody spoke for a while until Logan broke the spell of silence that hung in the room. He turned around to face them. "The baby is okay?"

"I would say so, It will be hard to know until we run some tests on her and the child," Beast smiled at him.

"So, it would be hard to for someone to off her now?" he murmured

"Not impossible though," Charles pointed out.

"While she carries your child that is," Beast added. "Is it yours? Only Ally can answer that but I don’t know of many other mutants who heal themselves"

‘My child,' he thought. It seemed surreal. 'Why didn’t she tell me? Did she know? She had to. How could she not. He walked slowly towards her and sat down again. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

Jean walked over to him and put a gentle hand on his arm. "Logan, if you need me….." She smiled weakly at him. He nodded still looking at Ally. How could he look at Jean right now? She stood silently and walked out.

Beast walked over to Ally and checked her IV and the medicine’s he had been giving her.

Logan couldn’t remember the last time he had betrayed somebody as badly as he had Jean. He remembered one and he looked up at them.

"How long has she been here?" he asked Beast

"Just since this morning"

Charles noticed the alarm in his voice, "Why Logan?"

"If she hasn’t been conscious we need to wake her." He looked at them both

"Waking her is not an option," Beast looked down his nose, "She needs to heal."

"She hasn’t been conscious Logan but why should we be concerned?" Charles asked again.

"Because her sisters could rip the place apart," he sighed, "they protect each other like it’s them against the world. If she has cut contact with them….."

"They act now and ask questions later?" Beast guessed

"Not unlike others we know," Charles teased him. "I will contact them before or when they get here."

"If they listen," he looked around the room, "We have try to bring them down nicely"

"Why wouldn’t they listen?" Charles wondered aloud

"I am not exactly their favorite person," he gave them both a rueful smile as he thought one person in particular, "Justice might listen."

"Logan what exactly are we dealing with here?" Beast sat down in a nearby chair to listen.

"They are all telepaths. Justice is the oldest; he is pretty strong and fast. Then there is Hayley, Allyson and Alexandra they are triplets. Hayley controls fire and has a temper to match. Alex controls ice and can freeze things. Allyson she is a lot like Jean she can use her mind to move things. She helps keep the other two balanced. They can also fist fight pretty well if needed."

"Oh, my," Hank looked worried now.

"We should be prepared," Charles looked thoughtful, "Are they as powerful as they sound?"

Logan shrugged. He turned Ally’s dog tag around in his hand. He knew his memory was full of holes but how could he forget Allyson?

"I don’t want a brawl at the school but if they are coming we should be prepared." Charles sighed, "I should gather the others." He left the room quietly.

Beast put a hand on Logan’s shoulder, "I am sure Charles and the others will handle it."

"They aint handlin’ it alone. I know these guys"

In Xavier’s office, Xavier was telling them about Ally’s siblings.

"Maybe we can reach them?" Jean said hopefully.

"It sounds like they are not ones to listen." Charles smiled at Jean.

"How can they keep us out?" she asked

"They all have some telepathic abilities," he looked from person to person. "They are not enemies, they are just looking for their sibling. Let’s bring them down easy."

"How? They sound pretty powerful, Professor," Scott threw his hand in the air. "Someone is going to get hurt."

"Logan said their brother is pretty reasonable," he smiled. "I am sure the X-men can handle this."

They all smiled at him and his confidence. They all hoped he was right.

Logan walked outside to get a cigar. He looked at the school’s manicured lawns and it perfect gardening.‘A father,’ he chuckle to himself. Somebody would call him ‘Dad’. He wanted Sabertooth for what he had done. He felt a hand on his back. Without looking he knew it was Rogue.

"Hey kid," he mumbled.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah."

"Is she your wife?" she asked quietly

"No"

"But she is pregnant with your baby?"

"Yeah"

"You are sure it’s yours?"

He turned to stare at her.‘She has to be kidding,’ he thought.

"Just asking, sorry," she mumbled a little embaressed.

"When she gets better are you going to leave?" she met his gaze, "All of you"

"Not with Magneto after her" he sighed, "She’s safer here."

Rogue had cold chills at the mention of his name, "Why is he after her?"

He shrugged and took another drag on his cigar. ‘Why was he after her?’

"What do you think he wants with her?" Jean asked Scott as they walked hand in hand through the quiet trees near the brook. They loved it here because it was beautiful, it had a magical quality. They found a soft place in the grass under the protection of the big oak trees. Jean sank down gratefully against Scott’s chest.

"Why does Magneto want Ally I don’t know." He smiled at her sweetly. He really didn’t feel like discussing Logan and his knocked up girlfriend. 'Hadn’t they started enough trouble for the Professor and the others? Who were they? Now they would have to protect themselves because they gave her shelter.' He sighed, 'It wasn’t Allyson’s fault' he finally thought. She couldn’t be responsible for everyone.
"Who is she? She looks a little like you but has a darker complexion."

"And has the same abilities," she sighed, "She looks so familiar to me."

"I guess that is why Logan was taken with you, you look like Ally." He smiled brightly at her.

She looked far away, "I can’t get past the feeling I know her from somewhere."

Scott shrugged, "In a way, I am happy for Logan. Now he can find his past with his kid and girlfriend and….."

"Leave?" she sat up and looked at him. "You want him gone," He turned a corner of his mouth as if he would laugh. ‘Unbelievable’ she thought.

Logan found Charles in the infirmary holding Ally’s hand. She looked better with more color but still did not move. Hank was not there. What was he doing? Reading her mind? He walked up behind him.

"Logan…" he greeted him without looking to see who it was.

"You know Ally or something?" he asked him measuredly

He shook his head, "She seems familiar to me, Yes." He turned his chair. "Although, I believe I can reach her siblings."

Logan nodded he knew this meant Charles would fight along side his X-men.

Logan laughed, "Imp is getting to be a strong telepath maybe she should help too." Xavier smiled.

Beast was chuckled as he came into to the room, "And a small child shall lead them."

Victor Creed sat on a perch by the window. Was he a pawn? 'Why did she smell of that runt? Telepaths' he grunted, 'who needed them?' He thought back to the battle, she had thrown him very hard without hands. Eric hadn’t even told him she was a mutant. She fought Mystique hand to hand pretty well but Mystique was better. Why had she fought hand to hand in the beginning when she had such an awesome power?

'Was she trying not to use her power? Why? That was dumb'. He gave a light growl, as he could smell Eric’s approach.

"Still brooding?" Eric came up from behind with a confident stroll.

"You wouldn’t let me kill her" he grunted at him

Eric scowled at Sabertooth. Why must he be so primitive? "You can kill her but not yet?" he gave him a taunting glance, "that is if your able."

"She dropped a wall on Mystique and she was healing herself."

Strangely, Eric looked pleased as he turned up a corner of his mouth in an evil smile as he stared and faced the wall. Was he making plans? A member of the Brotherhood he would guess.

"Why do you want her? Is it Because of that runt? She smelled like him"

"You still hate Wolverine?" Sabertooth amused Eric. He was so easily angered and tamed. "Let’s say her family and I are old friends and not good ones."