The smell of breakfast woke Logan up the next morning.
Turning his head he saw a still sleeping Ororo. Looking down at her hands, he smiled to himself. After his invigorating dip in the lake the previous night, he returned to his room. He spent most of the night talking with Ororo; doing his best to keep her mind off of her situation and his mind off her scantily clad form. For the most part, the poison ivy that covered the back of her body didn't give her any problems. The rash on her hands was another matter entirely. Ororo couldn't help scratching and rubbing her hands together in an attempt to alleviate the itching. Remembering Hank's orders that she wasn't to scratch at the rash, Logan came up with an idea. He put a pair of his white sweat socks on her hands. That way she could rub her hands together without making the rash worse.
Climbing out of bed, he threw a T-shirt on over his sweat pants and headed down stairs in search of food. It was around ten and the others were already sitting around the table enjoying their breakfasts. Everyone seemed to be getting along Logan noticed. Some serious apologizing must have taken place between last night and this morning.
"Hey sugar! Heard about what happened to Storm".
"How is she doing Logan"?
"As well as can be expected Jean. She's sleeping right now". Taking a seat at the table, Logan looked at the pancakes piled high on Henry McCoy's plate. "Grub smells good. Did you guys bother to save me and Ro any?"
Lifting her head from her own generous stack of pancakes, Jubilee swallowed her mouthful. "Don't be silly. Of course we did. We made you guys a plate. Put it in the oven myself to keep warm. Couldn't have you missing out on my awesome pancakes could, I"?
Logan looked at her not trying to cover his shocked expression. "You cooked"?
"Not exactly. Jean and Rogue did the actual cooking but I did provide the key ingredients for the pancakes. If it weren't for me we would be having plain old pancakes instead of Jubilee's wildberry cakes. Picked the berries myself I did."
"I think I speak for all when I say that my taste buds applaud and appreciate your efforts immensely Jubilee".
"You and your taste buds are welcome Hank".
Logan looked again at the pancakes and the berries that were in them. "Wildberries"?
"Yeah picked them from that bush behind the cabin. By that big oak tree."
"You didn't?"
"Yeah, I did. What's the problem?"
"Those ain't the type of wildberries you're suppose to eat. They're wild alright but they're also poisonous".
The other X-men who had been busy chowing down during the little exchange stopped eating and spat out their food.
"Mon dieu! You tryin' to kill Gambit chere? What de hell Gambit ever do to you?"
"Alright people calm down".
"You calm down Scott! Jubilee poisoned us. For all we know we could be dying".
"You ain't going to die Rogue. You're just going to wish you had. The berries aren't gonna kill you but they will give you one hell of an upset stomach, severe nausea, headache, you name you'll probably get it. But don't worry it'll pass in about twenty four hours and you'll be good as new".
Getting up from the table and walking towards the kitchen, Logan laughed. "Well, I think I'll go make Ro and me some plain pancakes and head on up. If I were you guys, I would go crawl into bed while you still can".
After feeding Ro her breakfast in bed, Logan grabbed a quick shower and changed into his usual attire of jeans and a flannel shirt. He made his way down to the sofa and sat in silence for a moment enjoying the peace and quiet. For the first time this weekend, he felt as though he had the cabin all to himself. Ororo wasn't mad at him any more, the others were out of his hair for the next twenty-four hours, and the weather was great. Logan was beginning to think that some fun could be salvaged out of this weekend after all. Grabbing his fishing pole, tackle box, a radio and cooler, Logan headed for the lake. He had a good three hours before he had to come back to apply another layer of lotion to Ororo's rash. He would spend that time relaxing by the lake, drinking beer, and fishing.
Logan sat on the pier; his line cast out in the water enjoying the soft breeze that blew over his body. Popping the top off a tall cool Molson, he tilted his head back and let the cool liquid slide down his parched throat. Turning on the radio, Logan flipped through the stations listening for something good. Finally deciding on a station, he leaned back in his seat, crossing one boot over the other and closed his eyes. Once again, a gentle breeze blew over him. This time the breeze brought with it the faint scent of sandalwood mixed with the unmistakable smell of calamine lotion.
"Shouldn't you be in bed darlin"? He didn't open his eyes nor did he have to know that Ororo had joined him on the pier.
"It's too glorious a day to be cooped up Logan. I couldn't stand to be in that room for another minute." Ororo stepped up to him and ran a socked hand over his cheek causing him to finally open his eyes. "Especially without you being there".
Flashing her a smile he stood up out of his chair and looked her over. She was wearing one of his undershirts. It hung loosely on her frame stopping right above mid-thigh. Her hair was still pulled back in the ponytail he put it in. It was looped up and pinned to the top of her head so it wouldn't irritate her rash. Her hands were still covered in socks and were hanging loosely at her side. "You missed me, huh"?
"Of course I did".
He regarded her briefly again before asking, "feeling any better"?
"A little. The lotions helping and Hank gave me a pill to take. He said it was something he was working on and thought that it might help me heal faster".
"I don't know Ro. The way things have been going for us lately I'm thinking maybe it's not such a good idea for you to play guinea pig".
She met his half-serious concern with a soft chuckle. "Don't remind me Logan. Anyway, Henry assured me the medication is perfectly safe, that there are no side effects I need worry about".
Ororo stepped towards him and relaxed into his quasi embrace when he placed his hands on the sides of her hips. It was one of the few areas where the poison ivy hadn't spread. Looping her socked arms over his shoulders, she savored their closeness as she lost her self in his eyes. Mesmerized as she was, she failed to notice that Logan begun to sway them to the beat of the song playing on the radio. Lying his head on her shoulder, he sang along to one of his favorite Eric Clapton songs.
"I've always been
One to take each and every day
Seems like by now
I'd find a love who cares just for me
Then we'd go running on faith
All of our dreams would come true
And our world will be right
When love comes over me and you"
Enjoying the way Logan's voice reverberated through her body as he held her as close as possible, she looked down in confusion when he stopped singing. "What is it Logan"?
Letting out a low growl, his body instinctively tensed. "That kid has got the worse timing".
"Jubilee"?
"Who else. She's making her way out this way. Thought she'd be holed up in her bed for the rest of the day. Guess I couldn't get that lucky".
Ororo could now hear the teenager making her way through the woods towards the pier. Using her pet name for Logan to call to him as she approached.
"Wolvie. Come on I know you're out here. Why don't you answer me?" Stumbling over a root she almost fell onto the pier. "There you are. Hey Storm good to see you up". Noticing how close the two were standing Jubilee smiled and asked with a playful wickedness, "not interrupting anything am I".
The fact that she was had Logan on edge to begin with. The fact that she had the nerve to mention it pushed him right on over and he snapped. "What the hell do you want kid!"
"Logan! There is no need to yell at the child. What is it that you require Jubilation".
"Thanks Storm. I was wondering if Logan could go to the store for me?"
"Hell no. We got all the provisions we need. I ain't gonna go traipsing off to the store just to satisfy your munchies".
"I don't have the munchies. I'm not asking you to go to the store to get me junk food. I got enough sense to know that you're royally pissed off at the world right now so I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't an emergency. I would go myself but I'm still a little sick from the berries".
Logan saw she was serious. He also saw the look Ororo was giving him. The one that begged him to be the sweet and considerate man she fell in love with. The look he couldn't stand because it broke him every time. 'Damn her and those eyes'. "Fine, I'll go. What's it you need me to get for you"?
"Here, I wrote it down. By the way, since you're going and all, you could pick up some more tortilla chips and some salsa". Turning around and walking unsteadily on her feet, she made her way back to the house.
Ororo walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. She watched him uncrumple the paper Jubilee gave him. "Thank you Logan for being so kind". Ororo knew he was doing this as much for her as he was for Jubilee. " So what is it you have to go get?"
Logan stared at the paper and cursed not so quietly. "Oh shit no!" Crumpling the paper back up, he let it fall to the pier and walked off mumbling towards the jeep without looking back at Ororo. Before disappearing out of her sight he called back, "you owe me big time Ro".
Bending down to pick up the paper, it took Ororo a while to open it up with the socks on her hands. Once she managed to open it, she finally saw what caused Logan's reaction. Scribbled in Jubilee's distinctive handwriting were the words, "a box of Stayfree maxi-pads with wings" complete with smiley faces dotting both I's.
~~~ Next Chapter => ~~~
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