The world was on the edge of his consciousness. He only felt the warmth of the sun on his back and the breeze that slowly dried the sheen of perspiration on his skin. Breath slow and steady, heart calmly pumping, Logan had just finished an early morning run and was sitting cross-legged on one of the benches at the edge of the garden, near the trees, clad in an old pair of shorts and running shoes. At a suggestion from Hank, he had been using meditation to try to seek out more of his memories. It had taken a while to learn to relax like that. Problem was, he had learned to become so relaxed he really didn’t care if he remembered anything or not.

And that felt good.

Hmmm, something was out of place. Something was not balanced anymore. His ears told him someone had invaded his territory, softly, quietly, downwind, but invaded nonetheless. Logan opened his eyes

Bright yellow ones stared back at him, almost nose to nose.

Instantly crushing the usual response of his muscles, he let out a surprised breath and held his posture until he was sure he was under control and she was safe.

"Megan," he growled, "that’s not exactly a safe thing to do, sneak up on me, I mean."

She giggled and joined him on the bench. The eleven-year-old was wearing her very colorful short and shirt outfit reserved, he knew, for special occasions. She also had a laughing sparkle in her eyes and he wondered just what he was in for on this nice, sunny day.

"I did it! I finally snuck up on you. What were you doing anyway?"

"Meditating," he said as he rolled his neck and shoulders.

"Is it hard?"

"It takes a lot of work, yeah, especially for me. What are you up to, kitten?"

She leaned over and put her head against his shoulder. "I wanted to be the first one to tell you ‘happy birthday’. I am, aren’t I?"

He grunted. "I guess you are at that."

Marie had still been sleeping when he had taken off for his run and she was usually the first one to see him in the mornings since they were spending much more time together. She had wheedled him into letting her sleep with him last night and, bad as the threat the nightmares posed was, he just couldn’t resist the temptation. It wasn’t really his birthday; he would never know when that was, but it was the second anniversary of the day the kids had all gotten together to give him the first birthday party he had ever remembered having. It had become a special day for him for that reason alone.

She straightened up and looked him in the eye. "So how old are you, anyway?" she asked with her typical bluntness.

He thought for a moment and decided on the truth. "I don’t know."

She grinned. "You sound like Dr. Grey. Come on, it’s me. I can keep secrets. I’m good at it remember?"

Her eyes were still bright but he could see the shadow of doubt behind them and sighed. Obviously more truth was needed.

"I really don’t know, Megan. I don’t remember. I don’t even know when my real birthday is. You came here after they threw me the first party so you don’t know that the older kids picked this day two years ago when they found out I didn’t have one."

There was silence as she absorbed this.

"So your birthday is really just a day the older kids picked so they could celebrate you being around?"

He shrugged. "That about covers it."

She laughed. "That is so cool! I mean they really must like you to do that!" She winked. "I know Rogue more than likes you."

"What do you mean?" An image of Megan seeing Rogue creep into his bedroom came to mind and he suddenly had visions of explaining the birds and the bees. He shivered.

"She had me help her…" Megan clapped her hands over her mouth in an over-dramatized display.

His eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. What are you doing up so early on a school day? Were you supposed to help her with something?"

Small legs swung back and forth as Megan appeared to be admiring her shoes. "Did I tell you I was good at keeping secrets?"

"You did. You’re also good at keeping someone distracted. Don’t tell me they’re going to throw a big party again." Yellow eyes twinkled merrily. "Come on, share. I told you I couldn’t remember."

Her face sobered. "That was for real, wasn’t it?"

"Yeah it was. Only the teachers and the college students know about it."

"And me?"

"And you," he said with a nod.

A crease appeared between her eyebrows. "How far back can you remember?"

"About eighteen years."

She swung her legs absently now, her gaze lost in thought. "That’s it?"

"That’s it."

He wondered what she what she was thinking and was pleased to see an impish grin reappear on her charming little face.

She snuggled up against him one more time. "Maybe that’s why you’re so cool to be around. You don’t pull any ‘when I was a kid’ stories on me because you’re still growing up, too. I’m glad you trust me with your secret. I won’t tell."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Just like you won’t tell me what Rogue is up to?"

"Uh huh." There was a giggle.

There was a sigh.

"You’ll like it."

"Now you’re teasing," he warned.

She snickered. "Birthdays are always fun."

"Not when they’re full of surprises," he growled.

Megan began to kick her feet again. "So what do you wish for when you blow out the candles?"

There was an evil grin. "So there’s a cake, hmmm?"

"Um..."

"Which means there’ll be a party, hmmm?"

"Well…"

He grabbed her around the waist and hauled her up in the crook of an arm as he stood. "I guess we’ll just have to go find out."

"Ahhhhhh! Logan! You’re not supposed to go back in yet! You haven’t even taken a shower and you’re all icky! Logan!" She squirmed to no avail then went limp. "I give."

He stopped walking. "Are you gonna tease me with secrets anymore?"

"No." It was a sullen little face now.

"Promise?"

"Promise." She was almost in tears. "Rogue worked so hard. You aren’t going to ruin it, are you?"

Logan set her down and knelt in front of her. "I would never do anything to ruin something Rogue has worked so hard on."

"Or me?"

"Or you," he said with a very serious face.

She smiled dazzlingly at that and flung her small arms around his neck. "Take a shower and look surprised when you go to breakfast, okay?" she whispered in his ear.

He grinned and hugged her back. "Okay."

She pulled back and looked at him. "You could wish for your memory back when you blow out the candles."

There was a long silence.

"I don’t make wishes when I blow out candles, kitten."

"’Cause you have us?"

He was startled but found that her insight was true. How could a little girl’s eyes bore through you like that? Or how, for that matter, could a woman steal your heart so completely that you would give into birthday surprises that made no sense other than having a chance to celebrate you being around?

He nodded and stood, clasping her small hand in his as they walked through the garden and back to the dorms.

End