DISCLAIMER: The characters aren't mine so neither are the lawsuits.

I parked my scoot in the garage, in the same place I had always left it. The empty spot was waiting for me. *Nothin's changed.* My smile never quite shifted the expression frozen on my face by the 400 miles worth of wind from the last few hours on my Harley. No better way to travel. I grabbed my duffel bag off the back of my scoot -- only one, I travel light -- and headed for the back door.

Snow flurries had been falling for almost half an hour, but now they were starting to stick. Smelled good. First snow of the season always does. Something cleansing about it. Like startin' over ... again. Like comin' home.

Pausing for just half a second to look at the door, I stepped into the kitchen. The light was soft and the air warm, whole new world compared to outside. Drake, Betsy and Hank swung their heads around to look at me. The surprise was still on the men's faces when Betsy threw her arms around me. She whispered in my ear, "Welcome home Logan," in an embrace so quick that by the time I had my arms raised to hug her back, she was backing away and Hank was slapping my shoulders.

Drake never got up from the table. He just put down his newspaper, waved and said, "Hey Wolvester."

"Hey Icicle."

Then Jean walked in. "Logan!" She smiled. It was beautiful but, hell, it hurt. She walked that walk of hers across the kitchen and hugged me. She took too long to let go. *Ahh hell.* She was holdin' on so tight I didn't have to hold her back to keep her feet from touching the floor. She smelled so good, no other scent like it in the world. The rest of the room got quiet. Hank cleared his throat. Jean let go. "We've all missed you, and we're glad you're home."

*Always 'we' never 'I'* She reached up and started pickin' snow out of my hair, still too close. I felt myself really wantin' to smile, but I held back. I had to. It just wouldn't be right.

Cyke walked in next. "What's all this commotion I hear?" Jean took a step back as he reached out to shake my hand. "Good to see you're back Logan." Jean clasped on to his other arm, her head against his shoulder. Hurt like hell. I forced the distraction to the back of my thoughts.

Something was missing. "Where's Jubes?"

"I believe our young firecracker has turned in early this evening --" *Real early for her. It's only just past midnite.* "-- though she most assuredly would have persevered her exhaustion had your arrival been anticipated." *Good ole Hank.* Clapped him on the shoulder as I made my way towards Jubilee's room. "She'd kill me if I didn't wake her up." I heard a couple of laughs, but it was true. Even though I knew I'd get an earful for disturbing her sleep. *That's my girl.* Walking down the dark hall I realized how much I'd missed her.

<<She's missed you a lot.>> There was no one there. It was Jean's voice in my head. <<She's been moping lately, and worse, she's been trying to hide it.>> Before I could respond she said, <<You came home just in time.>> And she was gone. Too many thoughts there. From Jean comin' and goin' in my head to Jubes and who's watchin' out fer her when I'm not around, and whether that's too often or not often enough. Too many thoughts.

As I reached for Jubilee's doorknob I noticed something. It didn't smell right. Smelled empty. I opened the door and went in and sniffed. No stray scents. Nobody there, and definitely not Jubes. Even in the dark I could see that her bed hadn't been touched. *Where is she?* I went back to check the rec room. No Jubes. Well it was time for me to turn in, so I decided to go back to my room after a quick snack from the kitchen. *Somebody left me a drumstick. Perfect* Jubes would know I was back soon enough and come find me. I caught Jubilee's scent as I approached my door. *So she is around. Well she must be asleep or I'd hear her running around lookin' fer me. I'm gonna get it tomorrow for not wakin' her up. Doesn't matter to her that she ain't where she's supposed to be.*

My door was locked. I know I didn't lock it. So I had to wonder who would lock it and why. And why hadn't anyone mentioned it to me? *Time to find out.* Too tired to look around for a key, I popped a claw. Adamantium slices neatly through the locking mechanism of a brass door knob. Pretty quiet too.

Lights were out. Nothin' outta place. Heard breathin'. Slow and steady. Someone sleepin'. I inhaled deeply. There was someone in my room all right. And-by the strength and concentration of the scent-had been there for a while. It was Jubilee's scent.

Sure enough. There she was. Curled up in my bed with her arms wrapped around my pillow in a death grip. Sound asleep.

What Jean had telepathically said earlier hit home. I stood over her, watchin' her sleep for a minute, deciding whether or not to wake her up and move her. *I could sleep on my couch and let her find me when she wakes up in the morning. She'd feel guilty about kickin' me outta my own bed. Nah, then she'd kill me and then be grumpy at me for a week. But it sure would be fun to rile her up. Another time.* I leaned over her tightly huddled frame. "Jubes, wake up." She curled up tighter. I moved a piece of her hair that was hanging over her eyes. "Jubilee, who's been eatin' my porridge?"

She started awake and looked at me, rubbed her eyes and looked again. "Wolvie!" And then she mauled me. *That's my little firecracker.*

After a minute she settled down. As settled as Jubes ever gets. I just looked at her. She knew what question I was thinkin'.

"I missed you Wolvie. You weren't around, so your room was the next best thing. But anyway, you're back so now I can talk to you. You're not mad at me for bein' here are you?" I shook my head. *Now I'm in for it. Here it comes.* "Sit down, I've got a lot to tell you. I mean you've been gone for like a month. Wait a minute? Porridge? You callin' me Goldilocks?"

"You said it, darlin', not me." I kicked off my boots and sat on the bed leaning my back up against the wall. Not comfortable enough. Stretched my legs out in front of me lengthwise on the bed. Put my hands behind my head. Better. Jubes was sittin' by where my knees were, chatterin' away. Changin' positions as often as she changed stories. I heard about her new roller blades, how boring school is, how many pranks her and Drake have pulled off since Thanksgiving, about the concert she went to three weeks earlier, and about more danger room scenarios and shopping trips than I can count. The last thing I remember, she was laying on her side, head on her hand propped up on an elbow, yawnin' every other word.

I'd slept in. But I'd slept well. Been a while since I'd done that. I gave a little stretch and realized that I'd slept in my clothes right on top of my blankets and all. My mind flashed back to the night before. *I musta fallen asleep while Jubes was talkin'. Well, I'll hear about it when Jubes gets up. Take a while to live that one down with her.* I moved to get up and I made another discovery. I wasn't alone.

Closed my eyes tight. *No. It can't be.* But there's no foolin' my sense of smell. I looked down. There was Jubilee, curled up in my arms sleepin' like a rock. Even snorin' a little. *What have I done?*

But then I realized that the answer to that question was nothing. I was still in my clothes. And Jubes was alone under the blanket, well mostly under it. Enough of her was sticking out for me to see that she was in her pajamas. I recognized them because they were an old t-shirt and pair of boxers she'd gotten second hand from me. *Jubes wearin' my clothes. Thought only married couples did that. Feels good havin' her here like this, close to me. Feels right. Like somethin' out of a memory I shoulda had. A memory I should have. Stop! You can't think that way. This is Jubilee, she's just a kid, just ... how old is she now? Seventeen. Not a kid for much longer. But still a kid now. Time to put Jubes back in her own room. No reason for her to know she'd slept the whole night in my bed with me. She might get ideas. Like I did. Can't hurt her like that.*

I slid out of bed as smoothly as I could, trying not to disturb her. I felt the cold air where Jubes had been nestled against me. *It was nothin'. Just keepin' each other warm, like campin'* But a tiny voice kept sayin' to me, "But you weren't campin'. You weren't sleepin' under the sky. It was Jubes. An' you didn't want it to end."

Real gentle like, I picked her up and carried her back to her room. That strange smell struck me again. But I ignored it for the moment as I tucked Jubes into her own bed, careful not to wake her. She looked so peaceful. *My little firecracker, my little Jubilee.* I found myself sweeping the hair away from her eyes. She was still. I leaned over close to her face. And I kissed her forehead. My lips were almost touching hers before I realized what I was doing and I pulled away. Her lips were parted just the tiniest bit. She looked like Sleeping Beauty waitin' for her Prince to wake her with a kiss. *She'll have to wait a little longer. Who am I kiddin'? A lot longer.*

As I turned to leave I recognized the strange smell in Jubes' room. It was stale. Her dresser was covered in a layer of dust. So was most of the floor. *She hasn't been in here in weeks. She's been livin' in my room almost as long as I've been gone. So last night wasn't her first night in my bed. What's wrong Jubes?*

Before I closed her door I took one last look at Jubes sleepin'. It was a good picture to carry around with me, an' I wanted to remember it well. Except every time I recall that memory of Jubes sleepin', she's always in my arms.

I woke up feelin' like a million bucks. No doubt about it. And I knew why, too. Wolvie was home again. And not just home, but with me. He stayed with me all night, until we both fell asleep. After he was snoring I just snuggled right up next to him. I knew he wouldn't be able to argue if he was snorin'. Just for that I'd even let him get by with fallin' asleep on me while I was talkin' to him. I missed him so much when he was gone. And the holiday season just made it worse to be without him. Him being around just seemed to make everything better.

I never woke up before noon on my own. Never, it'd be like sacreligious or something. But that day I did. I even woke up before Wolvie. He was still snorin', but with him holdin' me I wasn't about to move. So I closed my eyes on the sunlight streamin' through the window and went back to sleep with a smile on my face.

When I woke up the second time, I didn't hear snoring, so I knew I had to play it cool. I just kept my eyes closed and pretended to be asleep. Wolvie was awake. And since he shuddered when he found me I knew something was up. But I didn't know how he was gonna react. He didn't do anything for a while. Maybe he was thinking, or what, I don't know, but he was real quiet. I couldn't decide if that was good or bad. Then he picked me up and carried me back to my room. All I could think was 'he's kicking me out.' But then he kissed me! Just my forehead, but he kissed me! I almost lost it right there. He was so close I wanted to just wake up and kiss him back. I didn't need to open my eyes to know he was close enough. I could like feel him. But then he just left. But I knew his little secret. He kissed me thinkin' I'd never know. But I did. And I'll never forget it, no matter what.

I didn't take too long to get up and get breakfast, before the Popsicle got to all my sugarbombs. Wolvie was waitin' at the table, getting greeted by everyone. I picked a kinda quiet moment after most of the rest of the team had left the table or were out of earshot. "I musta slept for a long time cuz I haven't felt this good since before I moved to Massachusetts. I musta been real tired too, cuz I don't even remember goin' to bed."

"Ya didn't darlin'."

"But I woke up in bed. I must've gone."

"Nope. Ya fell asleep in my room and I carried you back to your -- to bed."

But he never mentioned that he did that this morning, not last night. "Well I slept great."

"You were pretty tuckered, kiddo. Guess between that an' bein' back in yer own bed is just what you been needin', darlin'."

"Guess so." For now. But I know his secret ... our secret, whether he wants me to or not. Secrets can't stay secrets forever. And someday he'll wake up and realize just what he's missin' ... our little secret.