Part Three

Over twenty-four hours later, Logan sighed and leaned back against the couch, aware of the noises from downstairs and the creaking of the couch as his muscular framed shifted comfortably. Jubilee's shallow breaths came sharply as her ribs stretched and cracked with each inhalation. One fist still clenched the bedcovers as pain wracked her body and her face was set in a look of fear, pain and sadness as she slept. The day had wore on with him sitting and watching her as she drifted in and out of consciousness, only vaguely aware if someone was in the room with her or not from the sedatives she was on again.

Logan turned away, knowing that it was his fault she was like this, sleeping in his bed with body broken and spirit shattered. He heard footsteps and hushed voices coming down the hallway to stop outside his door. Pulling himself up as a quiet, almost silent knock was administered to the wood, Logan walked over and opened the door softly, the rustle against the carpet humming in his sensitive ears. Hank stood quietly between Logan and a very nervous Kitty.

Hank lifted a tray of soup they had eaten at dinner to Logan. Handing it off, he bounced quietly over to where Jubilee slept, beginning to take her blood pressure. Logan set the hot tray on the old desk across from the bed. Kitty stepped into the room a bit, always staying as far away from Jubilee as possible and handed Logan a six pack of beer.

"Remy said he drank all of yours so he sent this up to put in the fridge." Kitty whispered, walking to the bachelor's mini-fridge in the corner or Logan's room. She kept her eyes to floor and phased the beer through the fridge door. Turning to leave, Logan avoided her eyes as she wondered about his sanity at staying locked in this small, dark room until Jubilee had recovered. Muttering softly about good wishes and health, she began to walk down the hall, Logan watched her retreating back.

"How is our young girl faring as of now?" Hank asked as Jubilee sleepily opened her eyes to the noises in the room, seeing the Beast smiling his toothy grin.

"Worse." she croaked, throat closing in pain. "I wanna die..."

"Now, now. You'll be up and around, rather slowly mind you, once your back and neck heal. You'll be good as new in a month or so, the cracked ribs having mended themselves I'm sure."

"Oh..." Jubilee's head rolled to the side, staring at the corner wall the bed fit into. Her favorite doll, Bamf, a tiny replica of Nightcrawler that had been Illyana's before her death, had been placed next to her on the pillow and Jubilee looked at Logan, tears in her eyes as he nodded at the gift. Hank patted her arm as he finished taking her blood pressure and then left her alone with Logan, closing the door silently behind him.

Jubilee sobbed once, then twice, letting the depressive feelings pour out of her in tears, whimpering at the pain and sadness as it rolled like waves in an ocean over her small, broken frame. Lifting a hand, she struggled to wipe the tears away as they came, hating to show the weak side of her soul, wanting it to be done without the feelings of hate and painful memories rising to the surface.

Logan sat beside her on the bed, clutching her hand. Jubilee gripped tightly and Logan gently and carefully pulled her into a sitting position as she sobbed, hugging her tightly to him. Jubilee's skeletal arms wrapped around his neck as she sat in his lap, his muscular arms holding her steady as he comforted her.

"Let it out Jubes...let it out..." Logan stroked her short hair down against her head and kissed her forehead, his own tears of guilt and anguish hiding amongst the ebony feathered locks under his chin. Shaking, Jubilee's tears stopped, but she still held to Logan with thin arms, gripping onto his shoulders for dear life.

"I-I-I-I'm sorry I'm such a f-f-failure Wolvie..." she whispered into his ear as her head rested against his shoulder, wet and cold from the tears. "I-I'm sorry I'm in t-t-the way all the time..."

"No, its not like that...you're not a failure. Ever."

"But I d-did fail." she replied sleepily, breaths te. "F-f-first I wasn't g-g-good enough to be with any family. They all left me alone, all m-my foster families. Then I wasn't g-g-good enough to stay here with you and I was sent away to t-t-the Academy...and now I'm alone..." Jubilee felt the scars on her wrist behind his neck, looking at the dark shadow she knew housed the purple welts.

"Don't ya ever say that. You can go anywhere ya want, and I need ya. I love ya..." Logan rubbed her back as she tried to take in enough breath through her lungs, ribs aching painfully. Her head swam with black dots and her shredded back pulled at the bandaging and gauze as he moved his hand lightly over the cuts.

"No." her voice was suddenly stronger, colder than before. "Ya got Kitty now. All I was, was second string. I was good fer a bit and then I was sent away to the lower class again. It's happened before, with my real family and everyone else who ever said they loved me. No, you've got Kitty."

Jubilee struggled to pull away from him, her ribs and back cracking in protest. Sobbing at the pain, she stopped and clung sadly to Logan, feeling his strong hands holding her to keep further damage from happening. The crown of Jubilee's head fell against his barrel chest and she held her wrists as she had all those weeks ago in the Hulkbuster base when they bled to the floor, draining her of her life supply as she wept the cruel tears of anguishing pain, sadness and death from her soul.

(Written by Nova Zion)

* * * *

"What is on your mind, Kitty?" Ororo Munroe did not turn as her good friend phased up through the floor to perch on the couch in the attic bedroom. Moving among potted plants with a watering can and an indescribable grace, she heard the younger woman sigh and she turned, her piercing blue eyes meeting the Jewish girl's sad hazel ones.

"I'm concerned," Kitty admitted, pushing her waist-length brown curls behind her shoulder and twisting the tiny gold star of David necklace she wore nervously in her delicate fingers.

Ororo set down the watering can and crossed the hardwood floor to sit beside her teammate and friend. "Concerned?" she inquired.

"About Logan," the brunette explained. "I'm afraid he might be going a little crazy, seeing Jubilee like this."

The Egyptian woman paused, then stood to resume watering her plants. The light of the full moon rained down on her as it climbed in the sky, making her long white tresses glow like a halo about her.

"Kitty, do you believe Logan would die to save your life?"

"Without a doubt," the Chicago native replied quickly.

"What about Jubilee? Would he die to save her?"

Katherine paused before answering, "Yes."

"Then why should he not hesitate to give up his sanity for her life? Jubilee is very sick right now, and she needs someone who is willing to stand by her side, no matter what." She glanced back to Kitty, who looked either rebuked or skeptical, Storm couldn't tell which. Setting down the watering can and picking up a pair of pruning sheers, she added, "Logan is able to take care of himself, Kitty. The one you should be concerned about is Jubilee."

"You're right, Storm," Pryde said, though her voice was a mask over her emotions. "Thank you. Good night." Without waiting for a response, she drifted back through the floor and out of sight.

"Good night, Kitty," Ororo sighed, wondering if Jubilee knew just how many people she was affecting.

(Written by Dana Night)