Fan Fiction ❯ When Stars Collide ❯ Chapter 4

Jubilee shivered beneath her fur coat at the chilly winter's breeze that blew in from the Seine River. It had been a short walk to the river boulevard, which made the perfect escape for lover's trysts and time- traveling refugees alike. Benches lined the sidewalks in dark corners and shadows, and was relatively empty given the bitter cold night.

Finding a bench protected from prying eyes and the cold wind , Jubilee and Logan slumped down in exhaustion. The gurgling sound of Logan's lungs had stopped a few blocks ago after he had hacked up blood clots, and now the scars were fading above the dark bruises from the impacts of the bullets. His healing factor was doing its job, it just had a lot of work to do.

As for Jubilee, despite her relief at finding Logan safe and alive she was still reeling from the time travel. The overexertion during their escape was also fast catching up with her. But they needed a plan of action, and she had no idea what was going on.

"At least I can do something about the cold, while we chitchat." Jubilee muttered.

It didn't require much concentration or power to warm the air around their bodies to a balmy heat. However, it was more than her body could take at the present and she wobbled precariously falling forward with a wave of diziness. Logan scooped her in his arms and onto his lap in a blur of motion with reflexes that belied his condition.

"That's enough of that, Jubes! Everyone has their limits, and you've just reached yours. Might as well get comfy and figure out what's goin' on." Wolverine chuckled softly, but held her in an iron firm grip that didn't bode well for struggling.

"B-but your wounds!? Don't give me that look, Logan! Put me down, I'm going to hurt you like this!" Jubilee replied weakly….Well she was awful comfy, so why struggle?

"I'm feeling much better. Trust me, darlin'." He held her closer and gazed into her eyes, showing his need to know she was ok. "Its not going to do us any good if you faint and I have to carry you around like a sack of flour." Logan threaded his fingers through her hair and massaged the nape of her neck in slow strokes which seemed to melt away her arguments.

Logan felt as though he couldn't touch her enough. His hands just kept gravitating towards her, and he was half afraid that if he looked away she would disappear. Wolverine wanted to bury his face in her hair and just sit, inhaling her sweet scent. Best not dwell on what other parts of you want to do, given the circumstances.

He had known instantly that she was part of his life when he had seen her tumble to the ground in a flash of light. Before he had even smelled her familiar scent, he had felt himself drawn to her like a magnet. It was as though he had been waiting, and had known she would be there. She is mine! He struggled to beat down the possessive beast inside of his psyche, and concentrate on the matter at hand.

"Now then, rest so I can tell you what I know, and vice versa.We need all the information we can get if we are going to figure out what to do next."

"I woke up in a strange room two months ago, in the l'Hotel Sofitel. I didn't remember who I was, why I was there, or much of anything about my life. All I know is that when I woke up I was weak, but very very angry. "

Jubilee chortled under her breath with amusement, not bothering to hide her grin.

"You don't seem particularly surprised at that, eh darlin'? Well, neither were the folks holding me captive. Next thing I knew I was diving at their throats, ready to kill them, when I heard a little whimper that caught my attention."

" At the back of the room stood a silent man with a sort of flickering knife of light coming out from his fist. And he was holding it to the back of a little girl's head."

Jubilee frowned in confusion as she listened.

"She couldn't have been much more than three or four years old, and had golden curls that fell over a ragged and filthy nightgown. They told me that if I didn't do exactly as they said, they would torture the child. I would have done anything once I heard her fear, and they knew it."

"They've been having me dance to their tune for the last few months, dangling Katrina's safety in front of my nose the whole time. It could have been a lot worse. The hotel was luxurious, and they kept us fed, safe, and warm. They watched her like a hawk though, knowing that if they were more than a step away from her I'd gut them..what?"

Jubilee's eyes had widened in shock. "K-katrina! It can't be! I saw her only a few hours ago when we tucked her into bed with the sitter. She's been here for months? Was she Russian, Logan? Did she tell you her last name, by any chance?"

Logan nodded slowly. "Katrina Patrova."

Jubilee sucked in her breath sharply at the answer.

"I haven't been sitting twiddling my thumbs for the last two months, Jubilee. I've been listening, and watching them very closely. They kept speaking of Katrina's gift, and my own powers. I learned about my mutant abilities and healing factor in bits and pieces, but they never called me anything but Wovlerine."

"Over and over I heard them talking about how they were waiting for a teacher for Katrina, someone who had the same abilities and understood how to use them."

"Wait, what gift, what abilities? Katrina is a mutant? She's only a baby for God's sake, what kind of monsters are these people?!" Jubilee clenched her fists tightly, her whole body tensing at the thought of the little girl scared and alone with strangers.

Logan tried to soothe her with his voice. "As far as I could tell, she can travel through time and space. "Quantum displacement portals", I think they called it? These Fender people want it bad, and they have no qualms with using a child for their purposes."

"Quantum displacement portals? Fender Industries?" Jubilee said weakly, with a sinking feeling in her gut.

Logan nodded and gave her a questioning look.

Jubilee raised her hand. "One nuclear physicist mutant, at your service."

Logan released a string of curses into the cold winter air.

Jubilee sighed heavily with exasperation.

"Godammit, none of this makes any sense! Fender Industries, one of the most respected research companies in the world, kidnapped you and Katrina? All to get me to come here? And what the hell are we doing in Paris in the 1920's?"

Logan blinked at Jubilee in surprise.

"Oh yes, we aren't even from this time, Logan. Its the year 2003 in our time. Hell, I won't even be born for another 50 or so years!"

"The last time I saw you was a little over two months ago, which seems to correspond almost exactly with what you recall. We had just finished a spar in the Danger Room and we..well, that's not important. But I went to find you that evening and you were gone."

"Danger Room?"

Jubilee looked at Logan incredulously. Taking her time, she explained about Professor Xavier and how his dream had taken off in the form of the X-men. She explained his own mutations and abilities, and answered his questions about hers. He listened quietly with few comments, until she explained what they knew of his own past, or rather how little they knew.

"This is making a hell of a lot more sense coming from you, Jubilee. I knew I could fight, it just comes natural. But when the claws popped out the first time I didn't know what was goin' on. They've been trying to keep me in the dark all these months, but I've picked up on more than they knew." Logan stilled, deep in his thoughts.

"What about you an' me? What's our story, darlin'?" Wolverine said in a husky voice.

Jubilee was a little flustered at how bluntly he had asked her about their relationship.

"We're friends..but we used to be partners back in the day. We made a good team, but I've been pretty busy with my education the last few years. I just returned to Westchester a little bit before you went missing."

Wolverine looked at her a little strangely.

"Friends and partners, eh?"

His tone prompted her to tell him the story of how their lives had crossed one fateful evening in Australia. She smiled fondly as she recalled a few of their more colorful adventures in Asia and Madripoor, relaxing for the first time in months. The blustery wind and present danger seemed distant as she snuggled in his lap, basking in the warmth of Logan's laughter over a particularly humorous story.

Loud footsteps echoed down the avenue interrupting their light mood, and they both went on alert, listening intently. Two men turned the corner, one thin and tall, the other stocky with an long scar along his jaw.

Sending out a light psychic touch, Jubilee sensed that they were searching for an injured man and woman from the nightclub, with little details as to their descriptions. Nodding slightly to Logan she sent him a warning They're looking for us. We don't want to arouse their attention.

Logan startled Jubilee by pulling her roughly against him and slanting his lips against hers. He kissed her softly despite the tight embrace, and she shivered in response sucking in her breath sharply. The men tried to appear casual as they strolled by, but glanced sideways at them searching the shadows for their features. Dizzy from the kiss, Jubilee still had the presence of mind to mumble a string of endearments in French that the men could overhear.

Logan felt his body tighten at the taste of her, and forgot the subterfuge of the moment. Hell, who are you kidding? You've been looking for an excuse to kiss her since you saw her in the nightclub.

He didn't know what to think about what he had learned about his past tonight. It didn't ring true to him that they were just "friends". He could never be immune to this woman's charms, even if he wanted to. She had a sensuality and vitality for life that she tried to cover with her no-nonsense manner, but she couldn't fool him.

Why didn't I claimed her as mine? How could she not know that she already was?

Logan couldn't help but take a deeper taste, dipping his tongue into her mouth. She tasted hot and sweet, like honey. Jubilee trembled, fighting temptation for a moment as his tongue stroked hers. He could feel the moment her resistance melted when she whimpered softly and began kissing him back with abandon.

Jubilee couldn't think straight, her mind had shut down when Logan's lips had touched hers. She could only feel, and right now she felt wonderful and alive. Running her fingers through the his hair she pulled his mouth even closer, enjoying a moment she knew would be too soon over. After all, Wolvie didn't care for her that way, and he didn't know that in his current condition. Guilt washed over her and she flushed, pulling away regretfully.

However, Logan was not ready for the kiss to end.

Brushing his knuckles lightly along her spine, she shivered despite her sense of guilt. Persuadingly he nipped at her bottom lip, granting him entrance once again. Growling gently with satisfaction he cupped her bottom in his hands and kissed her in a way that made the previous kiss seem like a simple peck on the cheek.

Logan knew they were in no danger, the two men had gone on their way convinced they were young lovers in their own little world. He wasn't sure they were so far off on their estimation. He wanted to forget about the anxiety and worry of the past few months and focus on what felt real. Jubilee was his, her body against his was warm, comfortable, and just felt right. He could feel her uncertainty of the situation and knew that they could never have been intimate.

Just another puzzle to figure out. He had known this woman for only a couple hours, and yet he knew he wanted to be with her for a lifetime. How could he possibly have not known the same in his former life? Logan had no doubt that they would work through this dilemma with Katrina and Fender Industries, and then what? Was he supposed to let her waltz out of her life without a fight? Logan decided he didn't care about the reasons behind his past decisions. What mattered was he wanted her now, and he was going to do everything in his power to make her his.

He tightened his grip on her at the thought, and a wave of possessiveness rolled over him. Jubilee could sense his change in mood, and was flabbergasted. Could it be this wasn't just an act for the search party?

"L-Logan?"

Logan looked up at her from the sensitive spot of her collarbone that he was nibbling at.

"Hmmm? What darlin'?"

"What are you doing? The men have gone."

"Something I obviously should have done a long, long time ago, Jubes." He replied in a dry voice with a chuckle. Logan licked teasingly at the pulse of her neck before placing a soft kiss there.

Jubilee arched her neck into his kiss without even thinking. 'Logan, we shouldn't be doing this! I can't take advantage of you, you don't even remember what our relationship was like."

Jubilee managed to catch his attention long enough for him to give her a hot look. She took a shaky breath and prayed for willpower.

"Do I look like a guy being taken advantage of, sweetie?" Logan looked genuinely amused.

"Well, I..uhhh."

"You said it gorgeous. We shouldn't be doing this..here, at least." Logan grinned wolfishly.

"Wolvie, you don't really mean that. You've never made any sort of advances on me in all the time I've known you. We're partners, friends, teammates...and that's it."

Logan gazed at her intensely, their eyes locked in a moment of truth.

"Its true I don't remember much of what happened to me before I arrived in Paris. Yet." He paused, emphasizing the word.

"But I know in my gut that you in my arms is right, Jubes. My memory is coming back in bits and pieces. If I couldn't be honest with myself before, there's no reason I can't be honest with myself now."

Jubilee scowled stubbornly. "This is crazy, Logan. You don't know what you're talking about, I think one of those bullets hit you in the head!"

Logan threw back his head and roared with laughter.

"Why are you being so stubborn about this, Jubes? Is it so unbelievable that I find you desirable? That I want to kiss you?" He brushed aside a stray lock of hair from her forehead, gazing at her questioningly.

"I'm freezing my buns off, Wolvie and I think the cold started to has seep into your brain. This conversation is over as far as I am concerned." Jubilee set her jaw tightly with a no-nonsense look.

"Fine, let's go somewhere warmer and more secure until we decide what to do about Katrina. But this conversation is not over." Before she could argue he pulled her towards him for one last kiss which left her breathless.