"A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast." -- Proverbs 12:10

---

Logan became aware of his own breathing first.

Awareness crept back to him with the leisure of an aloof cat. He lay in bed, stretched out on his stomach, toes over the foot of the bed. One arm curled around the pillow and under his head while the other arm lay pinned underneath him. He could sense the light that coruscated through the homely curtains pressing on his exposed arm and face. Logan stretched and groaned softly, burying his face in the white pillow.

His groan quickly turned into a coughing fit when excess mucus trailed down the back of his throat. He tiredly pushed himself into a vertical position, finally opening his eyes and clearing his throat. "Oh what the hell," he murmured, rubbing the haze out of his eyes as he swallowed. Gathering his bearings, he looked around the barren room which was decorated by the professor to match all the others. The sunlight cast a warming glow on his meager possessions, all of which were not out of place. Logan didn't trust very many people and he sure didn't trust a mansion of teenagers to not invade his privacy. A deep breath revealed the only scents in to room to be his own before he cursed his demur instincts for his irrational actions.

His silent security check was soon interrupted by a soft knock on the dark wood door. "Logan?" a soft southern voice called.

Logan sighed and tried not to let a smile ruin his bad mood as he planted his bare feet on the carpeted floor. He adjusted himself through his plain cotton boxers and crossed the small bedroom, reaching the door. He opened it and stared down at her. "What?"

A gentle smile lit Rogue's face. "Just seein' if you wanted to join us for breakfast."

Logan returned the smile reflexively. "Who's us?" he asked, his throat still scabrous from sleep. She was the only one in the hallway, as usual, and his voice was louder and harsher than he intended. He didn't get many visitors, but could guess why.

Rogue's gaze moved from his face to a point behind him and back again. "Bobby and John and I. If you want to."

Logan shifted his weight, her unnerving patience and innocence burrowing into some warm, foreign part of him. "For you kid, only for you," he sighed, running a hand through his coarse hair. "I'll be there in a minute."

He watched Rogue smile brightly before she turned and continued down the hall, once again leaving him alone in this long empty corridor. He shut the door and turned into the sun. It seemed unusually warm, probably because the cold winter air had placed a chill on the mansion the past few days. In the sparse life he knew, the cold never bothered him. It always seemed fitting, the abused animal tossed out in the cold to fend for himself, scarcely getting by. Wild things could never be tamed, right? But now, as he pulled on a pair of jeans, he realized that the starving dog had gotten a taste of the good life in front of the fireplace and was coming to like it. Logan walked to the window and gazed at the untouched snow covering the school grounds that glistened in the morning sun. It glistened with such a brightness that everything indoors turned a murky green color until your eyes again became adjusted to florescent lighting. The pristine snow was welcoming, nobody could deny that, but Logan no longer felt the strong nomadic pull that told him he belonged roaming through it.

Breaking his rapture, Logan turned and grabbed a shirt off the floor, held it to his face and inhaled, then decided if it smelt okay to him than it would to everyone else. He slid the shirt over his head, barely taking notice of the way the fabric felt as it rubbed the goose bumps on his arms. Preparing himself to go downstairs and pretend that this deprived dog understood his place amongst his new family, he took a cleansing sigh and mentally prepared himself to greet the bubbling students and good natured teachers. Before he could change his mind, he reminded himself that the one person who did somehow understand him was waiting for him downstairs, and he would never be able to deny her anything.

---

Since Wolverine would never allow another's good mood to lighten his, his natural bad mood worked to bully the others down to a level that was tolerable for him. Logan walked into the kitchen and the handful of students ceased talking to watch him wearily. He paused momentarily, knowing that a simple 'Boo!' and a pop of the claws would send the teens running from the room. He would have been proud of that ability a few months ago. Now, he tossed them a small smile to put them at ease and proceeded to sit in the corner by Rogue and what’s-his-name.

Rogue smiled and made room for him at the table. "Mornin'," she said softly, pouring some cereal into a bowl in front of him.

"Mornin'," he replied, taking in his surroundings before stopping to watch her actions. She continued to pour milk in the bowl and inch a spoon closer to his hand. "What are you doing?" he asked in puzzlement.

Rogue looked into his eyes with a smile that warmed him. "Someone's gotta make sure you eat right," she stated simply.

Logan looked to his bowl as a strange feeling tingled over him. "Thanks," he mumbled, immediately regretting how ungrateful he sounded but choosing not to say anything more.

"So," Bobby spoke hopefully to Rogue, "Whatcha got planned for today?"

Rogue smiled coyly into her cereal. "I'm going to classes like you," she replied.

Logan watched Bobby fidget at the ignorance of his question. He smiled to himself and used his spoon to sink a Frosted Mini Wheat. "I think I'm gonna eat outside," he announced.

Rogue turned concerned eyes to him. "It's freezin' out there!" she exclaimed.

"Used to it," Logan grumbled as he picked up the bowl and stood. He headed for the door and didn't need his heightened senses to hear Rogue gathering her things. He hadn't meant for her to follow but wasn't disappointed either. He actually liked having her company. She reminded him of simpler things. Things that had nothing to do with Adamantiam or scientists or cruelty. Rogue always took his mind away from those things by caring for him in a way that he probably should have sought from another woman. As he opened the heavy front door, a rush of cold air invaded the long mansion hallway. He stood for a moment, listening to the sibilating wind. A dusting of snow blew from the roof and stung his cheek.

"We're not payin' to heat all of Westchester," Rogue scolded from behind him.

Logan cocked his head to the right. "You're right. The professor is."

Marie touched his free hand with her gloved one and walked him out onto the icy concrete step. "Sit down and talk to me," she said.

Logan obeyed not because she told him to, but because he was going to anyway. "Talk?"

"Yeah, you know, what ordinary people do to communicate thoughts and feelings."

Logan glared at her.

Rogue smiled. "What's bothering you Logan?" she asked. Her voice sounded tired.

"Nothin'." He shoveled a spoonful of cereal in his mouth and gazed out across the pallid snow.

Marie gave an exasperated sigh. "Look around Logan, it's just you and me. You don't have to be all macho tough guy with me."

Logan rolled his eyes. His knuckles itched. He just wanted to be left alone. For the most part, he got what he wanted. "Rogue, I don't need a mother, ‘specially not you." He knew his words stung her, but like a train wreck, it was unstoppable and left him to watch his words shoot through the cold air towards Marie.

"I'm tryin' to be your friend!" she exclaimed, a hurt look engraving her face.

"Just leave me alone. I'll be fine." That’s not what he wanted to say but his stubborn mouth was disobedient and unsure how to communicate what he truly felt inside.

Marie stood up and shook the snowflakes from her coat. "Fine. You make me so mad Logan!" she bent down and whispered in his ear. "If you ever want to be ordinary, you know where to find me." The warmth of her breath solidified in the air before she turned and left him.

Logan grumbled and ran a hand through his hair, feeling the moisture of melting snow. Very few people had the last word with him and he wondered if Marie knew just how much he wanted to be ordinary. He set the cooling bowl on the cement beside him. Another gust of wind danced with the sparkling snowflakes on the lawn. A neat row of icicles hung above his head, the obscure tips pointed at him in curiosity. The temperature was starting to have effects on his extremities, numbing his fingers and nose but Logan was proud of his stubbornness and would not go inside yet.

He absentmindedly kicked at the snow gathering on the bottom step and listened to the satisfying crunches. Suddenly a small figure appeared before him. Startled more by his lack of warning than the presence itself, Logan‘s heart skipped a beat. Peeking around the brick corner of the school was the head of a fairly large brown dog. Logan cocked his head and briefly listened to it's strong heartbeat. "What to you want?" Logan asked in his most intimidating voice.

The dog lowered it's head and blinked.

Logan studied the intense amber eyes that lingered on him. He thought it a little unusual for a dog to stare at someone for so long. It was starting to get to him. "Well don't just stand there, either you're coming or going."

The dog took a step forward and purposely planted it's right front foot in the snow. It let out a soft whine, so soft that Logan almost confused it for the wind. Something about this animal was really starting to get to him. It's long thick fur caught the falling the snow and contrasted it with it's sandy brown coloring. The right ear pointed to the sky while the other flopped over forwards. A long tail hung between it's back legs giving this scruffy animal a sympathetic appearance. It continued staring, silently asking permission to approach.

Logan let his features soften. "Come here," he ordered, pointing to the step.

The animal cautiously crept forward and Logan watched it's shoulder blades press against too-thin skin with each step. The soft crunching of snow ended as the dog came to a stop inches from his boots, head hung low. "It's okay," Logan told it, although he couldn't blame it for not believing him. He put his hand out for the dog to sniff but instead the frightened animal sank to the ground, wincing.

"You really got a way of making a person feel like shit," he muttered, withdrawing his hand. "You hungry?" He grabbed his bowl of cereal, fingers melting the thin layer of frost that had collected on the rim. The dog cocked it's head, slowly standing. Logan held out the bowl for the dog. "Here."

The dog began to sniff the bowl, eyeing Logan.

He rolled his eyes and set the bowl in the snow between the dog's front feet. "Happy now?"

The dog lowered his head and gave it's tail a single wag before lapping the cold milk. A warm feeling spread through Logan's chest, although he couldn't feel much else. His ass was numb, his hands were purple and his nose hair was frozen. His breath misted and quickly dissipated as he sighed. A smile crept over him as he watched the dog eat with enthusiasm. He pulled a cigar from his pocket and gripped it with his teeth, searching his pockets for a light.

Suddenly the dog perked it's ears and raised it's head to look at the mansion's front door. Seconds later Logan heard someone on the other side. The dog's eyes grew wide in fear before it turned and ran around the corner in which it came from. Logan turned back to the front door just as Marie stepped outside.

"I'm not here to start anything, I was just checkin' on you. You've been out here for half an hour now."

Logan looked back to the spot where the dog had been, the only evidence of it's presence being the disturbed snow. "Uh..." he started, grabbing the bowl and standing. "Yeah. I'm coming," he talked around the cigar.

Rogue eyed him questioningly but didn't say anything.

Logan placed the cigar back in his pocket and shot her a smile. He glanced at the spot once more before pushing away his disappointment at losing the sorry beast. Without a word, he followed Rogue inside.

---

The day passed uneventfully for Logan. He taught his self defense class, wandered during lunch and got in a hard workout before dinner. Not that he attended dinner, because he rarely did. He would scavenge the kitchen at two thirty in the morning after he woke from a nightmare. Not that food mattered anyway, eating was just something to occupy his time for about a half hour at a time.

So here it was, somewhere past 8, and he was wandering hallways and scaring young children. He knew Rogue was looking for him as she always did so he could help with her homework. They would sit in front of the TV and she would turn the channel to some Real World bullshit and ask him a question once in a while. Sometimes he could help her and sometimes she taught him. After her homework was completed he got to turn the channel to hockey or car repair or some equally manly show. Most of the time she would doze off and he would break out the alcohol. Then Marie would wake herself an hour and a half later and be confused, so he would help her pick up her books and she would go to bed. Logan smiled because he secretly enjoyed being able to spend time with her. The kid had personality and spirit. She had friends. Logan envied her.

Logan walked passed Jean's room and inhaled her soft scent as he had a million times before. Tonight though, he heard his name. So he stopped and eavesdropped.

"...so withdrawn lately. Am I being too concerned?"

"I wouldn't worry too much sweetie. He's naturally a loner. Unfortunately it's probably a product of his ordeal."

A small laugh. "That's downplaying it."

A sigh. "Sorry. I just can't imagine what he went through."

"I can."

"Again, sorry."

"I think I make him angry when I try to get him to talk to me. I wish he'd just open up to me so I can help him."

"That's a typical guy for ya..."

"So I shouldn't worry?"

"Tell you what. I'll start paying more attention and if we need to, we'll talk to the professor."

"Thanks Jean."

"Don't worry too much Rogue. You're prettier when you smile."

The door opened and Rogue walked into the hallway. Logan leaned against the wall, not bothering to hide the fact that he had been listening. "Hey."

"Hi," Rogue replied as she stopped in front of him. She looked back to Jean's room then to him again. "Are you mad?"

"No."

Rogue smiled and shifted her books to the other hand. "Friends is comin' on in five minutes." She looked at him.

Logan rolled his eyes. "Let's go," he sighed, fingering the cigar in his pocket hungrily.

---

Logan took a deeply satisfying drag of his cigar and exhaled into the frigid night air. After Rogue had her fill of Ross and Joey and Phoebe and whoever the hell else was staring in that show, he got permission to turn the channel while she completed her homework. So for an hour he allowed himself to be engrossed in a bloody hockey game. Rogue had fallen asleep amidst a pile of books and papers, and without someone to explain the rules of the game to, it soon became boring so he slipped outside to enjoy a cigar. He leaned against to brick building, wrapping his arms around his waist against the cold. He really needed a new jacket. This one smelled of smoke and blood and Canada air. Not that he minded any of those things.

Logan cocked his head seconds before a familiar shaggy face appeared from around the corner. It's posture was relaxed but curious, as if it drew comfort from the night. It's tail swung slowly as it stomped a front foot once.

"What do you want?"

The dog barked. Logan caught a glimpse of white pointed teeth.

"You really need to quit lurking," Logan informed it. He took the cigar from his mouth and stubbed it out on the cement beside him.

The dog came forward then, and stopped inches from him. It's nostrils flared as it tested the air around Logan and it's ribs expanded as it's deep chest filled. It remained silent.

"What's up bub," Logan asked it softly. "I don't have any food."

The dog walked up to him then, and sat on the bottom step facing Logan. With a soft cry it lay it's head on Logan's thigh. It looked at Logan, raising one eyebrow and moving the long hair that hung over it's eyes.

Logan reached out slowly, remembering the last time he tried to touch it. This time the dog allowed Logan to touch it. Logan paused in thought then softly stroked the dog's head from eyes to neck. "So what are you, huh?" Logan wondered out loud. He risked a quick look to the exposed area between to dogs legs. "A boy. So what's your name?" Logan asked as he settled himself against the building. The dog inched closer. "Scruffy? Buster?"

The dog shoved it's nose under Logan's hand, demanding more attention.

"Quit bein' needy, it's a sign of weakness." Logan absently wiped his hand on his jeans. "As I was sayin', if you're gonna be hangin' around here, I've gotta have a name to yell at you. So what'll it be?"

The dog lifted it's head and barked once, then raised a paw to Logan's knee.

"Well I don't know what the hell that means, but I'm gonna name you...uh, just as soon as I think of a name."

The dog sighed and licked it's lips.

"Yeah, okay. Let's go get some diner. I'm sure by now all the ankle-biters have cleared out." Logan got up, stretching and cracking and adjusting. Beside him, the dog rose also and began to wag it's tail. Logan drew in one more breath of stinging air and let it cool his lungs. "You better behave or I'll throw your ass right back out here," Logan warned, pointing at the dog as he opened the mansion's wooden door.

The dog cocked it's head in wonder at the sound of Logan's deep voice, then silently followed Logan inside and walked at his side down the hall. "You know," Logan said, "I could almost tolerate you hangin' around."

Logan listened to the silent hallways for any warning of an insomniac student. The only noises detected by his sensitive ears were the soft thud of his boots and the clicking of toenails. Logan never considered himself an animal lover, let alone one to have a pet. Yet here he was, becoming more fond of this sad, haggard animal by the minute. He would never admit it, but the dog reminded him of himself as an outcast needing saving. A weary soul ready for companionship.

Logan put his hand on the kitchen door and looked at the dog. "Silence," he reminded. "Around here it's possible to think too loud."

The dog wagged it's tail.

"Come on," Logan whispered as he pushed the door open.

Man and dog crept into the kitchen, not bothering to turn on the lights. Both could see well enough without them. Logan pulled open the door to the refrigerator and the bottles in the door clanked together gently. Soft light spilled onto the floor, causing the crumbs to cast shadows. "Let's see what we got here," Logan muttered, shoving colored containers aside in his search. "Where's the meat..."

The dog watched him with bright eyes and wagged it's tail.

Logan found a hunk of leftover roast and pulled it out with as much excitement as Logan could ever display. "Jackpot," he muttered. He looked at the dog. "Hot or cold?"

The dog would have barked but it remembered it's order to stay silent.

"Yeah. Cold." Logan tossed the roast on the counter where it landed with a thud. He pulled a serrated knife from a drawer and admired it briefly in a boyish manner before slicing the meat in half. "Heads up," he warned before tossing one half to the drooling canine.

The dogs jaws closed on the meat with a precise snap. It's head lowered as the meat yo-yoed between it's mouth and the floor as it ate, getting smaller each time it hit the ground. Logan heard the dog literally inhale the food. He watched in awe. "Damn," he murmured.

"Logan?"

Logan jumped, an action he was not used to, as his heart tripled it's beat. Marie. The only person who had ever been able to sneak up on him. She stood in the door way blinking the sleep out of her eyes and turned on the light, making them all flinch. Logan then heard a deep growl he was surprised to learn it wasn't him making the noise.

A look of fear bled from Rogue as the growling became more intimidating. Logan looked in the direction of her stare and found himself standing behind one very agitated dog. It's hackles were raised and tail was wagging stiffly. Leaning towards Marie, the dog bared glistening white fangs.

"Hey!" Logan yelled, breaking the tension. "Back off bub." He reached forward and grabbed the animal by the scruff of the neck and yanked it back. The dog whimpered in submission, looking at Logan with hooded eyes.

"Logan," Marie started, her voice shaking. "What is that?"

Logan felt he should comfort her, so he stepped closer to her and smiled. "It's okay, I won't let him hurt you. It's just a mutt I found outside."

"But it's inside," Marie said, relaxing marginally.

"He was just leaving. I'm throwing him out now."

Marie stepped back as Logan whistled sharply and stepped into the hallway, the shaggy brown dog trotting at his heels. She watched the two disappear down the dark hallway and shook her head, then turned off the lights and headed for her room.

Logan reached the front door and put his hand on the doorknob. He looked at the dog. "What the hell was that about, huh?"

The dog looked at the ground.

"You tryin' to protect me? Do I look like I need protecting?"

The dog remained still.

Logan sighed. "Alright look. You can't be so... scary or someone will call animal control and haul your flea ridden ass to the pound." He opened the door and was hit with a wall of cold air. "You go back to where you came from and work on that temper of yours, then come see me. Now go." He pointed to the sculpted yard blanketed in snow and stood to the side.

The dog looked at Logan with a look of pure innocence and question, one ear up and one ear down. It's tail wagged before it sighed, then burst into a run and galloped into the snow, vanishing around the corner of the building.

"Take care of yourself," Logan said to himself.

---

"He did what?"

"Be quite Jubes!" Marie hushed, batting her hand. "It's a secret."

"But a dog? That seems very un-Logan like."

"What? It's not like it was a little Pomeranian or something." Marie ran a hand through her hair. "This thing scared me half to death, standing there snarling like it was."

"Okay, so Wolvie's new little buddy is a flesh-eating rabid mutt. Cool."

"Jubilee!" Marie laughed.

"So, does the professor know about it?"

Marie sobered. "No. I doubt it. He probably wouldn't approve."

"Yeah, I could see it now, 'Logan! Your dog urinated on my wheelchair!' I would pay to see that," Jubilee laughed.

Marie smiled. "Poor Logan," she sighed. She glanced out the window and saw the Wolverine sitting on the concrete step she had joined him on last night. He was looking out across the snow while cigar smoke rose lazily from his mouth. His worn jean jacket moved in the breeze that swayed the trees. Marie turned back to Jubilee. "Don't you think he looks... sad?"

Jubilee looked at Logan. "Marie, that's how he always looks."

Marie stared at her. "You're right..." she whispered, ducking her head in thought.

Jubilee picked up a pen. "When I was little, I knew this great Golden Retriever named Tanner. He was so gentle, even when all us kids were tryin' to ride him down the street."

Marie smiled. "We had a yellow Lab named Summer. She was a farm dog so I was never really close to her, but I always new she was outside, protecting me."

"I guess that's what they do best, right? Save us from all kinds of things. Sometimes from ourselves."

"Come on girls," Dr. Gray interrupted. "Class is starting."

Marie and Jubilee gathered their books as Jean walked into the classroom. Marie cast one last glance outside before following Jubilee into Dr. Gray's class.

---

Logan needed to be kept occupied. He could never sit still very long for as far back as he could remember. He was a hands on kind of guy who loved fixing things or creating things. So here he was on this frigid day in January, fixing the school's garage door in a fashion that would put the maintenance man to shame.

Logan cursed as he tripped over the misplaced hammer. He bent stiffly and snatched a screwdriver from the cold concrete floor with a gloved hand. He climbed up the step ladder and continued to tinker with the door's motor. Logan was content.

He was focusing on a screw when motion triggered his peripheral vision. Logan instinctively popped his claws through his leather gloves and spun around to face the intruder. A smiling face greeting him.

"What are you doing here?" he snapped, retracting his claws and turning back to his work.

"Woof."

"A bark? You think I can understand that?" Logan sighed. "Well don't just stand there, hand me that long screw on the floor right there."

With a few quiet clicks the dog appeared below him, looking up at Logan with soft brown eyes and the head of a screw protruding from it's mouth.

"No shit," Logan muttered. He reached down to take the item from the dog. "Well I'm impressed."

The dog wagged it's tail and sat down.

"So dog, tell me about yourself." Logan worked with his hands above his head and a rag hanging from the back pocket of his jeans. "You obviously have a mean streak. I think you learned that from being on your own. So you're like most of the people here. You came to the right place, good boy."

The dog barked once, causing the hair to fall in it's eyes.

"I don't think you give out trust either. You make people earn it. That's another good quality. I can respect that. Give me the pliers."

The dog obeyed.

"You're not very pretty, but you have the right intentions. I think." Logan eyed the dog. "I don't want to see you humping anything. You do that in private."

The dog whined.

Logan sighed and tossed the pliers onto the pile of tools on the ground before stepping down and sitting on the step ladder. His breath floated to the shadows of the garage roof. "It's pretty cold outside," he said to himself. He rubbed his knuckles through the leather gloves to warm them. He looked at the dog.

It shivered.

"Your skinny ass doesn't have enough meat. You're probably freezing."

The dog scooted closer and shoved it's nose under Logan's hand.

Logan sighed again and looked across the garage to the mansion. Steam billowed from the multiple chimneys scattered throughout the buildings. The sun was shining, but it hadn't been when he came out here, and Logan could feel from the air that more ice and subzero temperatures were on the way. "So," Logan started, weighing options in his mind. "Tell you what. You be waiting outside tonight when I step out for a smoke and I'll think about letting you in. But don't get your hopes up. As soon as it warms up, you're out of here, got it?"

The dog boldly licked Logan’s chin and wagged it's tail.

---

Logan sat on a shiny, overstuffed red leather chair in the corner studying the fire blazing in the fireplace. The ghostly flames had always captivated Logan and even now held him spellbound as teenage students mingled around him. The beckoning aroma of lasagna tempted his empty stomach but Logan burrowed further into the plush chair, too stubborn to give in to his needs and join the others. He enjoyed the solitude.

"Logan, ah can hear you growling from the doorway."

"What?" Logan's eyes watered as he blinked and looked away from the hot fire.

Marie stepped closer. "You're hungry. Please come eat with me."

"No."

Marie smiled. "You're so cute when you're annoyed," she teased, cocking her head.

Logan didn't turn away from her fast enough and reflexively smiled in return. "Shut up."

"Oh, that's a good one. The big bad Wolverine says 'Shut up'." Marie held out a gloved hand. "Come on, I'll protect you."

Logan sighed dramatically to make Marie understand the sacrifice he was suffering for her. She rolled her eyes and gripped his large hand. A soft whoosh of air filled the chair's cushion as he rose to his feet. "Why do I let you talk me into these things?"

They walked to the doorway. "Because you know ah know what's best for you," Marie replied.

"And how is that?" Logan asked, looking at her as they walked down the carpeted hallway.

"It's a woman's instinct," she replied matter-of-factly. "You need someone to watch over you Logan. Everyone does."

Logan's knuckles itched at the thought of having a babysitter, especially one younger than him, but he settled for rolling his eyes and huffing at the risk of hurting Marie's feelings.

They had reached the kitchen and the sound of clanking dishes and talkative students was audible to both their ears. "Come on," Marie smiled. "Let's go have some dinner."

Together they entered the modestly sized kitchen. Marie was greeted by her fellow students. Logan tried to look intimidating. As they each scooped a portion of the lasagna onto white plates and took their seats, Bobby spoke up. "So I was taking the trash out this morning and I saw a dog."

Logan tried not to look interested in the conversation that was taking shape around him and ate a forkful of the pasta.

"A dog? What kind?"

"It was just a mutt. Real scruffy looking."

"Well I'm not picking up the trash if it tears it open tonight."

And that quick the conversation turned to the melodrama of Dawson's Creek reruns, leaving Logan to contemplate his four legged friend. He no longer tasted the food as he ate it, but merely went through the motions to keep Marie's worries at bay. Logan's worries, if that's what they qualified as, were solely on the mutt outside. The dog was his, he found it first Damnit. Like it or not, Logan had taken a shining to the mangy beast and he was becoming unjustly jealous.

"Well, look who joined the land of the living."

Logan looked up from his plate with forced control and glared at Scott. The response that came to mind was not suitable for this crowd, so Logan settled for a small growl. Marie nudged him with her knee under the table. "Be nice," she whispered with a smile.

Scott smiled at the two of them and took a seat opposite Logan at the table. "I haven't seen you much Logan, whatcha been up to? Keeping out of trouble?" Scott's expression was partially hidden behind his glasses, but what Logan could see unsettled him.

Logan casually slid his free hand beneath the table and released his claws, tracing an unseen pattern on the underside of the table. "As much as ever," Logan replied, feeling his muscle's tighten. He hovered over his plate and tried to look busy.

"That's good," Scott replied as he began eating. He added with a chuckle, "I'm watching you."

Logan pressed the adamantiam blades to his thigh and forced a return smirk. "I hope those stylish glasses of yours don't hinder yer ability."

"No more than the sight of champagne drinking surgeons hinder yours."

"Scott," Jean warned, taking a seat beside her boyfriend.

Logan grimaced and cut through his flesh in an effort to avoid causing a scene and embarrassing himself. The fiery pain distracted him until he could finish eating. He dared not look up, knowing he would see Scott having some sort of physical contact with Jean, claiming her and smirking. Hurriedly, he retracted his claws and took his plate to the dishwasher.

"Accident?" Scott asked as Logan passed him.

Logan turned, noticed Scott was staring at him and looked down. His torn jeans were stained with his own blood. Logan shrugged and walked to the door, replying, "At least my accidents don't require me to change the bed sheets every night."

Marie giggled and Scott looked uncomfortable. Logan left.

---

Logan scratched a manly scratch and grabbed the doorknob. Who the hell did Scott think he was? Just because he was the leader of the X-Men and the professor's pet did not make him some kind of superior being.

Logan was, but would never admit, a little jealous of the almost father-son relationship between the professor and Scott. The professor was one of those people that you could never really be mad at, so Logan happily focused his aggression on the arrogant Cyclops. Pricks like him needed to be taught a lesson.

Logan opened the front door with a scowl, but his demeanor changed when his hazel eyes focused on the smiling, shaggy dog sitting before him. Logan searched the surrounding area and found nothing out of the ordinary. "You were waiting for me?" he asked, reaching down and running his fingers through the dog's rough beard. It licked his palm in return.

The frigid night air made his eyes water and he rubbed his nose. The cold always penetrated him easily, coursing down his indestructible bones and chilling him to the core. Logan was used to it, letting the coldness take him into his own dark and gloomy mood. He sighed. The animal before him whimpered in impatience as a breeze blew past them and into the glowing mansion. A horse whinnied from the stable.

Logan gathered his attention away from the surroundings. It was too naive to be wandering. He looked at the dog. "Well, whadda you say we head in. I'm sure the professor would have a fit if he saw us trying to heat all of New York."

The dog barked and stood up. It's tail immediately began to wag.

"Come on. And keep quiet. I ain't exactly on friendly terms with the hall monitor." Logan stepped aside and shut the heavy door after the dog was inside. "My room is basically at the other end. They stuck me in the back so I would be out of the way. You know, out of sight, out of mind. Kinda like you."

The dog cocked his head.

"Struck a nerve? Sorry." Logan and the dog continued down the long hallway. "It's not that bad. I don't mind bein' alone. Prefer it actually. I like bein' my own boss."

The dog silently agreed.

"Well, here we are. Home sweet home and all that shit." Logan opened the door to the room everyone called his. The dog trotted in and began cataloging every scent. Logan smiled, remembering the many walks around the property he had taken to familiarize himself with his surroundings. Now he knew this territory like the back of his hand.

"Okay, here's the rules. You sleep on the floor like a dog should. If I see one dog hair on the bed, you're meat on a stick. No urinating on anything in this room. I do not want it to smell like piss in here. And finally, no destroying anything." The dog looked at him. "Now we need a name." Logan crossed the room after pushing the door shut. He sat at the head of the bed and leaned against the wall. The dog sat beside him on the floor and lay his head in Logan's lap. "So what kinda name does a scrapper like you need? Something edgy, masculine...something like..."

There was a soft knock at the door. The dog's head whipped around to face the sound and his lips curled, releasing a low growl. Logan looked from the door to the dog and back again. He inhaled deeply and recognized the sweet scent of magnolia and nail polish. Marie.

He pushed the dog back and opened the door. "Hello."

"I thought I heard you talking to someone."

Logan looked back at the dog. It was no longer growling but still held it's head low. "Uh yeah." Logan cleared his throat and wished for some alcohol. "This is my dog. I found him."

Marie stepped forward and held out a gloved hand for the dog to sniff. "He's cute Logan, but I never imagined you as a 'pet' guy."

Logan stood a little straighter and shut the door. "He and I share some things. And besides, as soon as the weather warms up, he's going back outside."

"Right." Marie knelt before the dog and rubbed his chin. "So what's his name?"

"Rip," Logan replied, watching the interaction between the two. "His name's Rip."

"Ooh," Marie smiled, "Very manly." The dog thumped it's hind leg against the carpet as she scratched 'the spot'.

Logan face bent into a smile. "He likes you."

"Why shouldn't he?"

Logan tipped his head in acceptance. "So how was the rest of dinner?"

Marie sat on the edge of Logan's bed and thought for a few seconds. "Quiet."

Logan grunted and sat beside her. The dog moved to sit in front of him. "You need help with homework?"

Marie watched as Logan absently ran his long fingers through the dog's coarse hair. "Yeah, you know a good tutor?" she smiled.

Logan heard footsteps seconds before Rip's ears perked up, which was seconds before Jean knocked on the door. "Actually, I do," he replied, getting up to open the door.

"Logan? I'm looking for Rogue," Jean called through the door.

Logan got up and stood in front of the door. He turned and pointed at Rip, ordering the dog to stay before he opened the door.

"Logan, hi, I just needed to talk to Rogue and- oh, a dog. Yours?"

"No, I found it."

"Does it have a name?"

Logan swallowed. "Rip."

"Then it's yours," Jean replied, walking towards the dog.

"I wouldn't do that-" Logan started as the dog's lips curled.

Jean stopped in her tracks. "Logan..."

Logan pushed the door shut and stood between the dog and Jean. "He doesn't like strangers," Logan explained, staring at the dog.

"No kidding."

"He just needs to get used to ya," Marie said, petting the dog's back.

The dog sat, leaning against Marie and settling for simply glaring at Jean. It sighed.

So did Logan. "Uh, sorry," he apologized to Jean.

"Logan, if you're planning on keeping him then at least take him to some obedience classes. He can't be scaring the children."

"What? Obedience? It's a mutt that I'm getting out of the cold-"

"Logan, you're its caretaker. That means you have to keep it safe and happy. Do you even have dog food?"

Logan looked at the dog, then at Marie. "No, I-"

"Well come on. Rogue can watch him while we go to the store. We need groceries anyway. Do you mind Rogue?"

Marie patted her schoolbooks on the bed next to her. "No problem. Who knows, maybe Rip can help me more than Logan."

Logan made a face at her. "I'll be back," he told her before turning to the door. "Be careful." He opened his mouth to say something else, but decided against it and left behind Jean.

---

"Jubes, come on, you gotta see this!"

The door opened and Jubilee appeared in the doorway. "I'm trying to study Rogue, what do you want?"

Marie smiled. "Trust me on this one. We can study later."

Jubilee looked back to the thick history book that was settled heavily on her pillow. Didn't look like it was going anywhere. "Alright," she sighed, closing the door behind her. "What is it?"

Marie led them down the hall towards Logan's room. "Guess what Logan got."

Jubilee shrugged. "Pissed off?"

"Very funny."

"So what's the mystery? And where are we going?"

"It's in his room."

"He won't mind us being in there?"

Marie looked at Jubilee. "Just don't touch anything." Marie put her hand on the doorknob. "This is a secret. You gotta promise you won't tell anyone."

"Okay. I promise. Now what is it?"

Marie opened the door and smiled brightly at Jubilee.

"Oh my God. He kept the dog?" Jubilee exclaimed. "When did this happen? What's it's name? Can I pet it?"

The girls entered the room and Marie shut the door behind them. "Be careful, he's skittish around strangers."

The dog stood under the window, watching them from hooded eyes. It made no sound.

"Yeah, I can tell," Jubilee replied. "What's Logan doing keeping a dog? And where is he?"

"He's out buying dog food. He found it wandering around outside."

"This is the crazy dog Bobby was talking about?" Jubilee threw her hands up. "Oh, that figures. Leave it to Logan to befriend the psycho-dog."

Marie went over to the dog and cupped it's head in her gloved hands. "He's harmless, Jubes. Just all talk, see?"

Jubilee looked less than impressed. "So what are we doing here?" She looked around the barren room.

"Well, I thought that while Logan is gone, we could clean up Rip. I mean, he's starting to smell up the room." Marie inspected her gloves then wiped them on the floor.

"You drug me into Wolvie's territory to give a dog a bath?" Jubilee asked, looking at herself in the dresser mirror.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Marie replied. Jubilee stared at her. "Think of it as a makeover. A really major makeover."

Jubilee looked through the dog's long eyebrows and into it's warm brown eyes. She sighed. "Alright."

Marie smiled. "Great. Go pick out some shampoo," she said, getting to her feet. "We'll need some conditioner and hairbrushes too. Ooh, and some scissors!"

Jubilee grinned. "This is gonna be so much fun! I'll be right back!"

Marie laughed to herself and went into the bathroom to prepare.

---

"Logan, those banana's are too ripe. They won't last another three days. Get a bunch with some green."

"Excuse me if I'm not a mind reader."

"You don't have to be Logan, it's a rule of fruit shopping. Haven't you ever bought fruit?"

"I don't think I've ever been in a grocery store."

"Oh."

Logan replaced the yellow and brown bananas with a firm green bunch. "Better?"

Jean smiled. "Thank you. I know how degrading this must be for you."

Logan rolled his eyes but agreed, feeling extremely out of place in this well-lit, populated environment. Everyone here was happy, not drunk. These were mothers and small children, not hairy old perverts. Yeah, Logan was one big proverbial fish out of water.

"Alright, this is everything on the list." Jean looked at the heaping shopping cart. "Let's get your dog food and get out of here."

Logan trailed behind Jean, much like the five-year old following his mother in the next isle. Logan shook his head at the umpteen different ways of canning tomatoes. The canned tomatoes had a whole isle to themselves for cryin' out loud. Logan wondered what the difference was, but then remembered that he had better things to wonder about.

Jean steered the cart down the pet isle and stopped in front of the bagged dog food. "Logan, get over here and help," she commanded, beginning to read the ingredient list on a bag of Pedigree.

"Help what?" Logan asked gruffly, moving beside her.

"We need to pick out a brand of dog food," she stated simply, moving on to a bag of Purina.

"What is it with women and needing ten choices of everything?"

Jean smiled. "We make informed decisions instead of letting bright colors and pretty women influence us."

"That hurt," Logan grunted. "So what should I be looking for?"

"Just leave it to me."

"But you said I had to help."

"Well I'm not going to lift this forty pound bag," she replied with a hint of a smile.

Logan would have sighed but the fact that Jean Gray needed him and his muscles sort of made him proud. He waited until Jean had picked out a bag of Iams then lifted the bag into the cart like it was nothing, not failing to notice how she watched him. "That it?" he asked, causing her to look away as she blushed.

"Uh, yeah. Let's go before we wind up with a couple of gallons of cheese."

Logan smiled at her, not quite getting the joke, and allowed her to lead them to the checkouts. "Um, thanks," he said, moving beside her.

"No problem," Jean smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"You know, for helping me with the dog and all..." Logan felt the need to clarify.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Logan looked at her then quickly dodged an expecting young woman pushing a cart in the opposite direction. "Depends on the question."

"Are you okay? I mean..." Jean pushed the cart up to the conveyor belt. "We care about you Logan." She lowered her voice, knowing Logan's sensitive ears could hear her. "I know you're not used to living in a 'family' setting..." She used her fingers to make the quote symbols before setting the milk on the conveyor.

Logan felt the air change. "Family? Is this what a family is like?"

Jean rolled her eyes. "Alright, scratch that. What I mean is, some of us are worried about you."

Logan was getting bored and defensive. "Like who?"

Jean slammed a box of crackers on the conveyor. "Rogue, Logan. Rogue and I are worried about how withdrawn you've become."

Logan was taken aback both by the fact that he had just been called withdrawn, and that someone had noticed. Wow. He looked at a toddler in a cart in the next line and decided that this conversation should be leashed and taken outside. Time to smoothly change the subject. "What would you do if you couldn't die?"

Jean pointed to the last item in the cart and dug through her purse as Logan lifted the dog food onto the conveyor. "You CAN die Logan, just like you can feel pain."

"That's not an answer."

"Are you serious?" Jean half-laughed.

Logan looked at her.

"I've never thought about it," she replied, not paying attention to the bill's total when she swiped the credit card. After silently signing her name, she continued, "I guess I would try to go after Magneto."

Logan knew that. Jean would find a purpose, and it would be a good one. Logan chose to drift through life for a very long time before snagging on something that gave him purpose, something that reached out to him as much as he needed something to cling to. Logan watched Jean as she piled the paper sacks into their cart. He never wondered about her childhood as strongly as he did now. Only happy childhoods filled with love could instill such loyalty to righteousness.

"Logan."

His awareness came to attention. "What?"

Jean looked at him. "You coming?" She had been pushing the cart towards the door and was now stopped, looking back at him.

Logan glanced around him, noticing the cashier watching him with interest as she rang up the customer next in line. "Yeah," he replied as he followed her through the automatic doors. Something stirred within him and he recognized a slight feeling of dread. It was small, so he pushed it aside.

"I'm proud of you Logan, that was a very nice thing you did by taking in the dog."

Logan wearily scanned the parking lot. "I told you, it's gone as soon as spring hits."

Jean just smiled. The cart rattled across the parking lot. The bright sun pinned their shadows to the pavement and heated the earth. The snow was melting, dripping from the roof tops and flowing into gutters. Songbirds fought over the trash littering the parking lot. They reached the gleaming car and stopped in front of the trunk.

"So Rogue is really upset?"

"Yeah." Jean began loading the trunk.

Logan grabbed the dog food. "I'll talk to her."

"She'd like that." After Logan dropped the kibble, Jean shut the trunk. "I know she's growing up but she still looks up to you. Why, I can't understand," Jean added with a smile.

"Probably same reason Cyke and I are so close," Logan retorted.

"Because of you charming, brutally honest and hot tempered personality?"

Logan looked at Jean over the roof of the car and bent his arms at the elbows, knuckles pointed toward the sky and giving her full view of his forearms as he popped his claws. "Because of these," he grinned.

"Logan!" Jean scolded, looking for frightened young children.

The claws retracted as slow as Logan could make them while still controlling the pain. He watched the glistening metal disappear under his flesh and then his knuckles heal shut, looking as if nothing had happened.

"It still gets to you doesn't it?"

Logan looked at her as they slid into the car. The innocence of the question reminded him of his first encounter with Marie in his truck. Logan looked at a pile of dirty snow as the car started. "Yeah," he replied.

---

Logan's room was in ruins. The floor was littered with hair brushes, bottles of nail polish, scissors, combs, puddles of water and balls of dog hair. There was not one spot in the bathroom that was dry. The tub was half full of muddy water, strands of hair and pieces of debris. There were paw prints on the door, scratch marks in the carpet.

Marie was in the bath tub, straddling the dog with her pants rolled up to her knees. She wore rubber gloves that stretched to her elbows. Her hair hung carelessly around her face and clung to the back of her neck.

"Jubes, hurry!" Marie strained against the dog, squeezing her thighs together in an attempt to secure the dog while her arms wrapped around it's neck.

Jubilee franticly scrubbed the dog's legs. "I'm goin' as fast as I can! Make him hold still!"

Muddy bubbles trailed down the dog's legs and floated on the surface of the bath water. The dog squirmed and cried, trying to escape the girl's efforts. "Come on Rip, be good," Marie pleaded, grabbing the dog's muzzle and looking into it's wild eyes.

"Okay, done!" Jubilee exclaimed, backing away from the dog and grabbing the shower head. "Clear!"

Marie shoved off from the dog and quickly shut the shower curtain behind her. Jubilee held the curtain tight around her hand as she aimed the water at the dog. It shook, sending water beading down the curtain and shower walls. Marie caught her breath before peeking in through the plastic to check the dog. It sloshed the water to the top of the tub as it circled, searching for an escape. The dog was panting from exertion, and so were the girls.

"You stay in there," Marie instructed, pointing a yellow gloved finger at the dog. "You're almost rinsed off."

Fiery amber eyes caught sight of an escape from his watery prison and the dog leapt onto the shower curtain. Both girls screamed and fell to the tiled floor, covered in wet plastic and pinned under sixty pounds of frantic mutt. Water puddled around them from the waves caused by Rip's jump.

"DAMNIT!" Jubilee yelled, sitting up and pushing the dog off.

Beside her Rogue sat up also, laughing. "Jubilee, calm down before you cause everyone to run in here."

Jubilee glared at her, water dripping off her hair. "You would think this is funny." She pushed herself to her feet as the dog shook again, splashing water onto the counter and the mirror and the wallpaper. "You love the Wolverine, of course you would love his damn dog too."

Marie threw a handful of bubbles at her friend. "Shut up and help me dry him," she said, pushing the shower curtain aside and standing up. "Logan will be back any time now."

Jubilee grabbed Logan's towel off the wall hook and tossed it to Marie. "You are so lucky to have a friend like me," she said. "You owe me so big for this one."

Marie smiled. "I do." She carried the towel to where the dog was shivering in the corner. "I'll take you to lunch this weekend, okay?"

Jubilee wiped the water off the mirror. "Make it dinner and you got a deal."

Marie began to rub the dog under the towel. It groaned and leaned into her. "Deal," she replied. "Isn't he cute?" she asked, giggling as the dog's tail thumped against the wood counter in appreciation.

"He does smell better," Jubilee replied, holding up an empty bottle of kiwi melon shampoo. "Think he'll tolerate a blow dryer?"

Marie glanced at their purple hair dryer laying on the floor. "I guess we could try it," she said, adjusting the towel on the dog's back.

Jubilee plugged in the hair dryer and advanced toward the dog. "I think this is gonna be one of those funny stories we'll tell our grandchildren."

"I think you'd make a sweet old grandma."

"Oh, thanks. At least my children won't be part wolf."

"Jubilee," Marie exclaimed. "Shut up, I do not like him like that!"

Jubilee laughed and turned on the hair dryer. The dog watched her wearily. "What's it doing?" she asked, changing the subject.

Marie pulled the damp towel off the dog and stood beside Jubilee. "He probably has never seen a hair dryer before," she said. "Just go slow."

Jubilee aimed the warm air at the dog. It flinched and twitched it's ear, then shook it's whole body. Once it stilled, Jubilee brought the dryer closer. It's body stiffened and lips curled.

"Wait." Marie stepped in. "Rip, no," she instructed firmly. "Be good."

"He can't understand you," Jubilee said. "He doesn’t know anything."

The dog rumbled.

Marie raised a pointed finger as if she were reprimanding one of the younger children. "Rip, knock it off. You be a good boy." She sighed. "You are so full of it. I know you're just a big baby," she added, grabbing the dog's jowls and kissing his nose.

The dog sneezed and licked it's lips. It looked at Marie and relaxed his ears, then gave a sigh.

"Okay," Marie said, proudly turning towards Jubilee. "He's okay now."

Jubilee shook her head. "You continue to amaze me."

The girls worked on getting the dog dry for the next ten minutes. Rip remained patient throughout their ministrations and pampering. While Marie gently worked on the horrible mats behind Rip's ears, Jubilee fluffed the dog's tail. Rips' true color was not the dull brown that he had been thirty minutes ago, and proof of that was still on the bottom of Logan's bath tub. Now the mutt was a rich and shiny chestnut dappled with mahogany. The dog was predominantly terrier mixed with who knows what else. A coarse, three inch long coat covered his body and repelled water. As Marie ran her gloved hands down his body she could feel protruding shoulder blades, ribs and hips. "Poor thing," she muttered to herself.

"I am so ready to scream!" Jubilee exclaimed. "Every time I get one knot out, he moves and creates five more!"

"Use more of the detangler," Marie replied, combing through Rip's long eyebrows. She was mesmerized by the dog's expressive eyes. He was no longer afraid to look at her and Marie was amazed by the depth she saw there. This was a dog for crying out loud, but there was something about it she could not explain.

"What the hell is going on?"

The girls jumped and looked up to find Logan standing in the doorway. "Logan!" Marie smiled, glancing at Rip as the dog immediately went to Logan's side and began sniffing his pant leg. "Surprise!"

Logan cocked his head and looked down at the dog. The dog looked up at him. Logan looked around the bathroom, noting the mud and sand contrasting the white bath tub, the paw prints on the wall and floor, the muddy bath towels soaking up splashed water, the shower curtain in a crumpled heap outside the tub and giant tangles of dog hair scattered over the entire bathroom. "Surprise is right," Logan replied because he was too surprised to say anything more Logan-like.

"Are you mad?"

"Mad is not quite the right word," Logan replied, looking to his dog again.

"I'm gonna go now," Jubilee said, intent on squeezing through the five inches of narrow space between Logan's strong body and the door way.

"Not so fast." Logan stopped her with a look. "You two are going to make this room look like it did before you played beauty consultant."

Jubilee tossed the shower curtain over the rod. "There ya go. See ya!"

Marie held back a giggle as Jubilee slipped out. "Don't worry, I'll clean up. You know," she continued, picking up the hair brush, "He's a very good dog. Well suited to you."

Logan allowed himself to smile as he pet the dog's head. "Yeah." He looked up to see Marie staring at him. "What?"

"You two look so cute together."

Logan's face fell. "I am not 'cute', he replied, "And neither is he." Logan turned and began to pick up the bedroom.

Marie laughed and finished fishing the hair out of the bath tub. She looked at Logan's turned back with an evil grin before flinging the dripping hairball at him. It hit him between the shoulder blades then dropped to the floor with a plop.

Logan turned his head and looked at Marie over his shoulder. "I know you didn't just hit the clawed Canadian with a ball of slimy hair."

"What are you gonna do about it?" Marie challenged.

Logan smiled, then looked at the floor as he sat on the foot of the bed. The dog sat between his knees. He looked at her with a sigh. "Why are you not afraid of me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, none of the other ankle biters in this place have the balls to even walk past my door. But here you are, cleaning out my bath tub and throwing shit at me."

"Well you're not the easiest person to get to know," Marie replied. "Maybe if you didn't growl all the time, or stopped doing manly things in public..."

Logan stared at her. "Manly things?"

Marie looked in his eyes. "Yeah," she replied but didn’t elaborate. She was silent for a moment before asking, "Is that what's been bothering you lately?"

"What, my manly things?"

Marie blushed. "No stupid," she slapped his arm. "Are you lonely?"

"What? No."

Mare eyes were gentle. "Believe it or not Wolverine, there are people who care about you and they are living in this school."

Logan had enough 'serious talk' for the week. Loneliness was just a feeling, and feelings showed weakness. He was not weak. He stood up and grabbed a bowl off his dresser.

"Did you get that out of the kitchen?"

"No," Logan replied as he set the glass bowl on the floor with a clunk.

"Logan! You did too! You can't do that! People have to eat out of that!"

He grabbed the bag of Science Diet brand dog food and sliced it open with the flick of his wrist. He smirked at her as he dumped a pile into the bowl.

Marie shook her head. "It's times like these I wish you had a full name."

"Times like these I'm glad I don't." He patted Rip on the rump as the dog began to eat.

Marie sighed. "Well, I'll leave you two alone now," she said as she gathered her beauty supplies. "See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight darlin'," Logan replied, watching the door close behind her. He was left with the lonely sound of dripping water and crunching kibble. Feeling the need to think, he stood and stripped off his worn jeans, dropped them in a pile on his way to the bathroom, urinated, then pulled on a pair of X-Man brand sweatpants over his boxers. He sat on the bed and peeled off his shirt, throwing it at the light switch. As the room went dark Logan sank into the mattress. His vertebrae popped. The dog licked the bowl clean then licked it's lips, looking at Logan with reflective green eyes that pierced the darkness of the moonlit room.

It cried.

"Shut up," Logan replied in a softer voice than he had used in a long time. "You're fed and there's a roof over your head, you can't need anything else."

The dog stood for a moment, confused. Then it sat beside Logan's bed and laid his head on the mattress next to Logan’s'. Logan stared at it, listening to it breathe. The dog inched closer and licked Logan’s nose.

"What the hell!" Logan wiped his nose off. "What's wrong with you?" He asked, then softening, laid a heavy hand on the dog's head. He ruffled it's fur, scattering the fruity scent of a female shampoo into the air and he thought of Rogue. There weren't many people he thought of, but the young girl was definitely one of them. She had stolen a piece of his heart long ago. He knew he would kill to protect her, and he knew he would die for her. She taught him of innocence, selflessness and courage. The world needed more people like her.

Logan's eyes grew heavy as his breathing slowed. He inhaled deeply and caught the lingering scent of Marie and Jubilee, the dog, and strongest of all, himself. Logan yawned and adjusted himself then closed his eyes. "Goodnight dog," Logan said to the room. Then, feeling oddly guilty, corrected himself. "Goodnight Rip."

The last thing Logan heard was the grunt of the dog as it flopped on the floor to sleep.

---

Logan groaned and turned away from the sunlight. His stomach rumbled in hunger and he had an erection. He adjusted himself and tried to calm down, burring his face in the pillow. Logan inhaled deeply and stretched, feeling the manly need to take up as much space as possible. His hand hit something unfamiliar and his claws instinctively shot out. Wide awake, he flipped over to face the intruder and was met with the surprised stare of Rip.

Logan looked around, alone and remembering everything. His claws retracted with embarrassment. "What are you doing up here?" Logan grunted, swallowing the stagnant saliva in his mouth.

Rip lay curled in a nest of blankets and sheets on the right side of Logan's bed. His tail thumped a good morning.

"I thought I told you-"

The dog crawled to Logan at the sound of his voice and began enthusiastically licking his hand. His tail wagged happily.

Logan found himself smiling. He wiped his hand on the blanket then pet the dog's head. "You're a weird creature, ya know?" Logan looked out the window, squinting at the morning sun. A cardinal swooped across the virgin lawn in search of breakfast. Logan yawned and looked around the green-tinged room. "How about breakfast?" he asked as he spied the dog food in the corner.

Logan stood on well muscled legs and grabbed the bag. The dog jumped to the floor behind him. Kibble tinkled into the glass bowl and reminded Logan of some business he needed to attend to. He watched the dog begin to eat with satisfaction before crossing the room in the direction of the bathroom. He left the door open because after all, the dog was male too.

Ten minutes later, Logan emerged from the steamy bathroom a lot fresher than when he had went in. And a lot hungrier. "All right dog, let's grab some food." Logan pulled on a pair of jeans and pulled a worn shirt over his head. After shoving his feet into his boots, he grabbed the doorknob. "Let's go make yer presence known."

Logan opened the door and inhaled the hallway air, constantly on guard. Rip licked his lips and trotted after his new human, tail held high. Logan pulled the door shut and together man and dog walked down the hall to the stairs.

"What is that?"

Logan's shoulders tensed on defense. "What the hell's it look like?" He turned to face Scott and the dog pivoted to stand beside him.

Scott smirked and looked away briefly. "What's it doing in here?"

Logan looked at his adversary with a challenging glare. It was way too early for this. "It's coming with me to get something to eat," he replied, enunciating his words in the way one did when talking to a person of lesser intelligence.

"It better go with you back to wherever it came from,” Scott said, losing his smile.

A low growl sounded from beside Logan, halting the conversation. The dog's head was held low, parallel to the ground while his tail swung back and forth in short, controlled motions. His clear eyes watched Scott with a defensive weariness that Scott had only ever seen from Logan.

Scott glanced at Logan. "Leash your mutt, Logan."

Proud of his dog but knowing the aggressiveness would not be allowed, Logan silenced Rip. "Can't blame him for not liking you," Logan said, turning back to the stairs. Rip followed.

"Did you clear this with the professor?"

Logan rolled his eyes and started downstairs. "No Cyke, not yet. Wanna come with me and hold my hand?"

Scott followed the pair. "You know he won't approve of this."

"Have I told you you're a dick today?"

"It's a dangerous animal, Logan."

Logan stepped off the last step, knuckles itching. "No more dangerous then you operating heavy machinery," he retorted. The dog trotted at his side obediently.

"Haha. I'm laughing real hard at that one," Scott pushed. "Has any of that charm gotten you laid recently?"

Logan's claws pierced the skin between his knuckles and not for the first time, he was grateful of the pain. He spun to face Scott, tense and wanting. His chest heaved once in restraint. "Go to hell."

Scott smiled a smile that could never reach his eyes. "With you around, I'm already living it."

"Hey!" Jean approached, breaking the palpable tension between the men. "Isn't it a little early for a testosterone match?" she asked, not wanting an answer. "Logan, I would like to perform a health check on your friend," she said, nodding to the animal standing silent behind Logan. "Scott, I believe you have somewhere to be."

Scott pulled her close and gave her a firm kiss. "You're right. If you need me, you know where I'll be."

Logan let his claws retract slowly, wincing as the blades dragged across his skin. Damn Scott. He shifted his weight and let one hand rest on Rip's warm head. He said nothing as Scott shot him another cocky smile and walked away.

"Logan?"

He set hard eyes on her. "I'm gettin' somethin' to eat first."

---

Logan took another bite of the red apple as Jean raised the dog's lip. "He's young," she commented.

Logan listened and chewed.

"In tact."

Logan translated that fact into meaning that the dog still had it's testicles and smiled.

"Surprisingly clean."

Logan spoke up. "The girls gave him a bath last night." He finished his apple.

Jean smiled. "Well wasn’t that sweet."

'Sweet' was not a word Logan used much but he silently agreed. "So does he have a clean bill of health?"

"As far as I can tell. No parasites or wounds. Keep feeding him and he should fill out very nicely."

Logan threw the remainder of the apple into the metal trash can where it hit with a bang. The dog flinched then tried to figure out what had caused the noise.

"You think he was abused?" Logan asked, studying the dog.

Jean sat on a stool next to the microscope. "Possibly. Or it may just be that he never was properly socialized."

"Socialized?"

Jean scratched the dog's rump as it took a step towards the trash can. "Dogs are like us in that if they’ve never seen something before, it can be scary. A lot of dogs are afraid of other people or dogs, small children or men. They have never been exposed to those things before and may bite out of fear."

Logan pondered the concept for a moment. "You know a lot about dogs."

"I wanted to be a vet when I was little. Read a lot of books."

Rip had made his way to the trash can and buried his head inside, sniffing around for anything to eat. Unaware of the two sets of eyes on him, he grabbed the apple core with his front teeth and pulled it out of the trash can.

Logan inhaled in preparation to correct the dog but Jean stopped him. Proudly, Rip trotted to Logan and dropped the apple to the ground at his feet. Rip sat and looked at Logan with a happy, lopsided expression.

Logan's heart melted just a little. "Good boy, thank you," he smiled, laying a large hand on the dog's head and ruffling his fur.

"Do you ever think some things happen for a reason?"

Logan looked at Jean. "Isn't that called fate?"

"I suppose. It seams to me that you two were made for each other."

Logan looked at her questioningly, dropping his hands to his lap. "How so?"

"Well, this little guy needed someone to care for him and you needed something to care about. You're lucky you found each other."

"I care about plenty of things," Logan lied.

Jean pet the dog when it approached her. "Nothing that requires such a large amount of your devotion."

Enough of this pansy talk. Logan looked at the door. "Well, thanks for the check up."

As Logan stood Jean asked, "Where are you going?"

"I figured it's time for Rip to piss, so I taking him out."

Jean ducked her head. "God Logan..."

He smiled as she mumbled something about being blunt and headed for the med lab door. Without speaking, Rip was at his side. Logan was beginning to appreciate having the furry, four-legged companion next to him. He left Jean and stepped out into the hallway, turning towards the door to go outside.

The air was cold and crisp and carried the breath. Rip bounced into the snow and searched the ground for a place worth marking. Logan felt his pockets in search of a cigar. He shivered against the cold and disappointment in coming up empty handed. He would have to go into town later. He watched with neutral emotions as Rip urinated on every bush with the vigor of a teenage boy in a strip club. "Good boy," he said, because it felt right.

Logan scanned the perimeter of the grounds, noting each fallen branch and shrub general detail of the landscape with his powerful eyesight. Nothing was out of place. Sighing in contentment, he looked down to find Rip looking up at him expectantly. "You done?" Logan asked, knowing the answer and not really sure why he was even talking to the dog in the first place. After not getting an answer, Logan turned for the door. "Lets go then."

Logan stepped inside and closed the door after the dog. The warm air burned his skin and the hallway was tinted green for a few minutes. "Come on dog, I need to get my money. Then we'll go out." Logan made his way down the lonely hallway, hearing some students giggling within their rooms. He felt not so alone with Rip at his side and reached over to rub the dog's head. Maybe Jean was right. Maybe he was meant to find this fellow solitary wanderer. He never imagined himself a 'pet' kind of guy although he had to admit that if something happened to the dog at this very instant, he would feel the loss.

Logan's thoughts were interrupted when the furry head and crooked ears disappeared out from under his heavy hand. "Rip?"

Logan turned in time to see Rip's long haired tail disappear around the corner... of Scott and Jean's room.

"Uh, Rip?" Logan trotted to the doorway, ducking his head and looking for witnesses. Inside the neatly organized room, Rip sniffed and searched with obvious concentration. "Rip!" Logan said more forcefully. After all, he didn't want the dog to catch whatever disease Scott had.

Rip looked straight at Logan then proceeded to the right side of the bed. Beside the head of the bed sat a nightstand littered with a bottle of men's cologne, a man's watch and a thick, worn paperback book. A corner of Logan's mouth curled. He leaned back, glanced down the still empty hallway, then up, then resumed his position leaning against the doorway. Rip sniffed the corner of the bedspread from the floor to the top of the mattress and back down before taking a step forward.

"No, Rip, stop," Logan mumbled, crossing his arms and raising one hand to cover his mouth. "Bad dog."

Predictably, Rip hiked his hind leg, balancing on his left, and spritzed the quilt with yellow urine.

Logan laughed, ducking his head because he knew how completely wrong this was. "Get over here," he ordered, or rather tried to order as much as anyone can while laughing whole-heartedly. "You are in so much trouble..."

"What are you doing?"

Logan was startled out of his good mood by Scott's sudden presence behind him. The fact that Logan was startled at all surprised him even more. He turned, standing straight and defensive by learned instinct. "What?"

Scott rocked backward quickly for emphasis. "For someone with 'superior' hearing," Scott used his fingers to make the quotation symbols, "You don't catch on too quickly."

Rip stalked across the room, a deep growl rumbling through his slender ribcage.

"What do you want?" Logan asked, cocking his head slightly and reaching for his dog.

"What do I want? This is my room and I'm curious as to what you're doing lurking around here."

"I do not lurk and since you're here now, I'll be leaving." Logan shoved off from the doorframe and took a step into the hall.

"I'm watching you."

Logan looked at Scott. "Right." Scott set himself up but Logan was feeling generous. 'Wow, look at me, resisting temptation,' he thought, feeling that he should be proud.

Logan left Scott and walked quicker than usual down the hall to his room. Rip's toenails clicked behind him. He was almost to his sanctuary when Marie stepped out from the concealed space behind the grandfather clock.

"I saw you."

Logan stopped. "Me?" He looked at Rip. Rip looked back with a guilty gleam in his eyes. "It's all his fault."

Marie knelt with her knees on the floor in front of the scruffy dog. "Are you the one responsible?" She cooed, cupping his chin. Logan winced. "Little old you can make the Wolverine laugh like that?"

"Laugh?" Logan echoed, cocking his head. He thought they were talking about dog piss.

"I've never seen you laugh like that," Marie replied, trying to straighten the dog's limp ear. "It's nice."

Logan thought about blushing but decided against it. "I laugh," he replied even though he knew it was lame. Why was every thing he did a big deal to someone? He was not some geek who sat in front of a computer all day and never saw the light of day. Hell, he has lived more than anyone else in this place. The problem was, Logan thought, that no one here really knew him. Then Logan realized that perhaps that was his fault. Hmm.

"YOU ARE SO DEAD!"

Logan cringed as Scott's screech pierced his eardrums. Marie looked at him, confused.

"What-"

Scott stormed into the hall, pointing a rigid arm at Wolverine. "YOU! Follow me now." He spun and started for the stairs.

Anybody that knew Scott knew he was on his way to the professor's office, and Logan decided he would be there to defend himself. And Rip. So Logan complied and followed the X-men leader as he stomped down the stairs. Marie and Rip followed Logan.

"Would you grow some balls and stop!" Logan growled, jogging two steps to catch up to Scott.

"No! I have it bad enough with you around, I will NOT tolerate animals urinating on my personal belongings!"

"It was an accident!" Logan said, exasperated.

Scott grabbed the doorknob to Xavier's office. "An accident?" He squinted at Logan through his glasses. Dropping his voice he continued, "You're the fucking accident."

Before Logan's claws could extend, Scott pushed open the door and burst inside.

"Professor, we need to talk."

Logan stood inside the doorway. Marie and Rip waited cautiously in the hall, watching the proceedings from a safe distance.

The professor looked up from the papers scattered neatly over his desk, only mildly startled. "Yes Scott, how can I help you?" His eyes moved to Logan, then Marie and back to Scott.

"I want him out of here! Him and his mutt!"

The room fell silent. Professor Xavier turned to Logan. "Logan, do you have something you want to share with me?"

If Logan were a dog, his ears would have flattened against his head in anger as he glared accusingly at Scott. But Logan was a man, so he settled for taking a breath and making light of the situation. "I found a stray dog outside and decided to watch over it until spring comes."

"He let it urinate on my bed!" Scott announced.

The professor turned back to Logan. "Is this true?"

Logan knew that lying to a telepath, particularly this one, was as impossible as it was for the adamantiam to fall off his bones. "I...it...he..." Logan cursed inwardly, then looked up in hopes the professor didn't 'hear' him. "I didn't make him do it."

"It's the SAME THING YOU GENETIC THROWBACK!"

"Scott," the professor scolded. "That's enough." He moved his wheelchair around his large wooded desk and stopped beside it. "Is this the subject in question?" he asked, eyeing the dog that was standing submissively beside Marie.

Logan tore his locked gaze from the fuming Scott. "Yes." He willed the dog to be good while under the professor's scrutiny.

"His name?"

Scott crossed his arms and shifted his weight.

Logan watched the dog lower it's head and wag it's tail. "Uh, I've been calling him Rip."

The professor chuckled and folded his hands together. The dog took a cautious step forward into the office. "Well hello Rip," Charles greeted the dog with a smile. "I hear you've been a bad dog."

Rip cocked his head at the professor's friendly tone of voice and continued approaching.

Logan looked at Marie who simply smiled her sweet southern smile. A battle began to take place inside of Logan as he watched Rip creep towards the professor. He had gotten attached to the mutt's soft eyes and protectiveness but desperately wanted to appear indifferent, because that was true to his nature. Before Logan had given his voice permission to speak, he found himself saying, "It's not his fault. Cyke's right, I didn't stop him."

Scott nearly jumped for joy. "I'll call animal control."

"That won't be necessary Scott," Charles said, gently petting the dog's head.

"That what?" Scott and Logan exclaimed in unison for the first and only time in their lives.

"Logan, you and Rip are excused. I need to discuss some things with Scott privately."

Logan glanced at Scott just long enough to take satisfaction in the confused expression on his face, readable even through red glasses. Logan smiled and cleared his throat, quickly calling Rip to attention before turning to leave. Marie backed into the hallway to allow Logan and the dog space to exit the professor's office.

"Come on," Logan grunted as he walked past her into the hall.

He heard Marie begin talking to him as they walked and he felt guilty for not hearing her. He attention remained in the professor's office. As the door closed he listened harder, thankful for his enhanced senses, and smiled when Scott began to whine.

"Why does he get to keep it? It's a destructive animal and he is hardly responsible enough to care for it! We do not need all this-"

"On the contrary Scott, this is exactly what Logan needs."

A pause, then, "I don't get it."

"Logan has connected with this canine in a way he has had difficulty with in his fellow humans. I believe he will care for this dog to the best of his abilities and I want no static towards him from anyone else in the school."

A sigh. "Yes sir."

"Logan!"

Marie's exclamation hit him half a second before the wall did. Marie was thoughtful enough to grace Logan with a concerned look as she reached out to steady him. Then the giggles started.

Logan shook himself and the notion that Wolverine had just blindly walked into a wall. Damnit, who built this place anyway?

"I'm sorry, Logan, are you okay?"

"Fine," he growled, not daring to look at her.

"Serves you right for eavesdropping," she scolded.

"How did you know-"

Marie laughed. "The head tilt. I don't know why men can't concentrate on anything without it."

Logan huffed and reached down, feeling the warm furry head that was a new comfort in his life. The professor was right, Logan was going to care for this animal the best he knew how and the more Cyke doubted him, the harder he would try. How could anyone not feel empowered every time they looked down into those liquid amber eyes and misshapen ears? He was starting to believe what Jean had suggested about fate bringing him and Rip together. He was finding parts of himself in this dog that he didn't even know had been lost.

Plus, the mutt was proving to be a total chick magnet.

Yeah, this could work.

---

The unspoken tension at dinner drove Logan outside afterwards. He felt Scott's fuming gaze upon him for longer than he ever would have permitted if not surrounded by children. Marie periodically placed a soft hand on his knee in vain attempt to distract him. At first he would smile to appease her, but even that because fruitless as the beast in him would lie still no more. He was nearly fed up with subjecting himself to this kind of agitation. Rip lay under the table, looking up at him longingly although Logan wasn't sure if it was for food or attention. While the students chatted about boys and girls and music, Scott sat a distance away, silent except when spoken to, and that was mostly done by Jean.

Now Logan reveled in the stillness of the night that was cooling his temper and soothing his spirit. The moon lit the road under his feet and played in the treetops above his head. The combination of ice and gravel crunched under each solid step and was echoed by the faithful dog accompanying him. He listened beyond the immediate surroundings and heard the unsettling squeal of a mouse as it was pierced by an owl's talons. Logan shuddered discreetly and hugged his lined jean jacket tighter around his thick frame. The need for tobacco was driving him to the small liquor store he had sniffed out a week after arriving in New York.

While trying to think of something to say to the dog, Logan's ears tuned into the purr of a six cylinder engine on the road behind him. He stopped to face the strangers and squinted into the bright headlights. Rip moved into a defensive posture in front of Logan. They watched in an observing silence as the car slowed to a stop at the side of the road and the left rear door opened. A young woman stepped out, snow crunching under her black, fashionable boots. As she pushed the door shut, Logan inhaled deeply and recognized the sweet southern scent of Marie. The car moved forward and passed him, temporarily rendering him blind from the intense light.

"Hey stranger."

Logan shook his head, letting his eyes readjust to the darkness. "Hey," he replied, eyeing her as Rip trotted over to her happily. "What are you doing out here?"

"I just thought you might want some human company. Especially after the dinner you just endured."

Logan continued walking as Marie matched his determined pace. "It was no big deal. I can handle One-eye."

"I know. I wish you guys could just get along for a day. I think you'd find out there's nothing to be angry at each other about."

Rip darted out before them and crashed into the overgrown bushes by the side of the road. Logan cocked his head and listened to the sounds of a small, panicked mammal jumping through the dead leaves and tree branches. Marie looked at him in question. "Rabbit," he announced, turning in the direction Rip had gone. He placed his hands on his hips and sighed a puff of steam into the chilly night air. Marie drew her coat closer around herself. The moonlight reflected off the blonde streak in her hair, softly illuminating her face.

"You love him, don't you?"

"What?"

Marie smiled at him, then looked into the moving vegetation that flagged the dog's movement. "Rip. He's gotten to you."

There was a reassuring silence as Logan pondered being serious for a moment. What the hell, he could trust Marie with his feelings. "Yeah. I like him."

Marie grinned. "Me too."

Rip came bounding back to the road, tongue quivering with every smiling pant and his coat full of burrs and twigs. He smiled a bright, doggie smile before walking to Logan, his tail waving in the air.

"Good boy," Logan smiled, reaching down and ruffling the fur on the dog's head.

Rip jerked his head away from Logan's touch, ears erect and sharp eyes focused. Logan heard the faint but growing hum of an engine from the road behind them. He turned and straightened. "Company."

Marie subtly moved behind Logan as his body stiffened. "Who?" she asked.

Logan reached out with his senses with no avail. He didn't bother to answer her, mostly because he was still trying to answer when the dark green mustang appeared at the top of the hill. The prevalent scent that reached him was testosterone, and Logan bristled. The car sped closer in the reckless manner that suggested someone of youth was behind the wheel. A low growl rumbled from Rip as the car screeched to a halt before the trio.

"Hey sexy! How about you jump in and take a ride with some real men!"

The three teenagers whistled and shouted at Marie, who glared back at them. "Go to hell," she warned.

Logan's knuckles itched and his upper lip threatened to curl into a snarl. "You heard the lady," he said in his deep and intimidating voice.

"Yeah, and who are you?" the teenager in the passenger seat challenged.

Logan took a step forward then felt Marie's gloved hand on his arm. "Come on out here and I'll show ya," Logan pressed.

"Logan," Marie called gently. "Come on."

The teenagers laughed and the car rolled forward slightly. "Yeah right old man. She ain't worth it. You can keep the whore to yourself."

The car sped off before all nine inches of adamantiam claw could extend. Logan settled for a good growl and spun, planting the claws of his right hand into a nearby tree. He hated releasing his claws without a chance to use them. The icy sap inside the tree chilled his claws and he pulled them back into his knuckles with a slow burn. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Don't be," Marie sighed, grabbing his right hand and smoothing his knuckles with her gloved thumb. They started walking and Marie added, "You don't need to protect me from everything anymore, Logan."

Logan gently pulled out of her grasp silently. God did he need a cigar. Marie was wrong, she did need protecting and not just because he had told her that he would. She needed it because she was good, and he didn't know many good things but he knew he wanted to keep her safe. Logan was starting to confuse himself when he spotted the lights from the liquor store beckoning him.

"Are you mad at me?"

What? "Of course not."

Marie sighed and skipped a couple steps to catch up to Logan. He had failed to realize she had fallen behind. "Thanks," she said, and he knew it was sincere.

"Anytime kid."

And then all was right again.

---

Logan grabbed a handful of cigars and went in search of some suitable alcohol. Marie was shifting uncomfortably behind him. The store was quiet, but that was normal for this time of the night. The lone cashier leaned over the counted while reading a tattoo magazine, all the while a security camera pointed steadily at his back.

The quiet isolation of the small store hung heavily in the air. While neither Logan nor the cashier were unnerved, Marie clearly was becoming anxious to leave. "Are you sure Rip is okay outside?" Marie asked as Logan greedily grabbed a six pack of Canadian beer.

"He's a dog, he's fine outside."

Marie sighed and followed Logan as he wound his way through the isles. "Won't he wander off?"

Logan set the bottles on the counter with a resounding clink. He looked at Marie who shot him a small smile. "Hey, would you mind going out and keeping an eye on him?"

Marie smiled deeper. "Sure," she replied, turning for the door.

Logan turned back to the cashier who had set his magazine aside. He set the cigars on the table next to the beer and reached for his wallet as the cashier reached to ring up the alcohol.

Before Logan could turn towards the door it violently swung open, causing the alert chimes to scream in protest. The cashier flinched as two figures concealed in black swept inside, raising shotguns to the ceiling. "Nobody moves, nobody dies!" the taller figure yelled before firing the weapon.

Logan's claws ripped through the skin so fast there was only the subsequent pain. As he took his first defensive step forward, the second covered man grabbed Marie with an arm around her neck, spinning her to face Logan.

Logan found himself at the dangerous end of a shotgun and Marie frozen in place with another gun aimed at her temple. For the first time in his remembered life, he halted his attack at his opponents command.

"Freeze mutie!" the taller man ordered. "Or the girl dies."

Logan eyed the men with all the anger he could muster. They each wore black jeans and turtle necks, black ski masks and black leather gloves. They smelled of narcotics and smoke, with an underlying scent of sex. The taller man was a good six inches taller than Logan and the only personal feature visible was a pair of icy blue eyes. The shorter man was only a couple inches taller than Logan and his dark brown eyes darted between Marie and Logan. Logan looked at Marie, who stood paralyzed in the arms of the criminal. "Let her go," he growled in his most threatening growl.

"I don't think you're in a position to tell me what to do," the taller man sneered, approaching the forgotten cashier.

Logan desperately wanted to tear the grin off Blue Eyes but a quick glance to the oversized gun pressed against Marie's pretty head held him still. She couldn't defend herself with the protective clothing on the gunman and Logan couldn't save her without one of the men firing. The sensation of helplessness was new to him, and he hated it.

A sharp clang announced the opening of the cash register. "Load it up," Blue Eyes ordered, shoving a backpack at the silent cashier. He grabbed one of the amber bottles sitting on the counter and expertly removed the cap before taking a long drink. Logan watched as the security camera was spotted and promptly destroyed with a single shot.

The bag was handed back by the trembling cashier, sagging with the weight of the money. "Good boy," Blue Eyes rewarded with a pat to the cheek. "You live."

Logan watched in complete silence, clenching and unclenching his fists, adamantiam scraping the bone, just so that he was causing someone pain. His eyes drifted to Brown Eyes when he heard the gunman's low murmurs of affection to Marie. She winced and turned her head away. Logan's muscles bunched and his blood pumped hard around hot metal. He was sure the fluorescent lights dimmed to red.

"See somethin' you like?" Blue Eyes challenged, stepping in front of Logan.

Logan's body ached for a fight but the risk to Marie outweighed his feral psyche. "You got the money," he stated, hinting.

Blue Eyes leaned back in amusement. "Perhaps that's not all I came for." He scanned Logan up and down. "How horrible it must be for you to have those sharp claws and not be able to use them, just because of this little girl. What are you doin' with something this pretty anyway?"

If Logan had hackles, they would have risen. As Blue Eyes approached his friend and Marie, he ordered, "Leave her alone."

"That's so cute, you care about her," Blue Eyes chuckled, fingering the blonde streak of hair by Marie's cheek. "So tell me, is she a good fuck?"

Logan took one step in a blind rage before the large display window in the front of the store shattered and crumpled to the pale tile floor. In the midst of the glass diamonds and powder, Rip stood and shook his body, dislodging more of the shimmering shards. Everyone's face took on a look of surprise, giving the courageous dog the time needed to launch himself at Brown Eyes.

Logan also took advantage of the startled gunman. He grabbed the arm of Blue Eyes, spinning him violently and plunging nine inch claws into the man's chest with a sickening crunch. Warm blood seeped onto his knuckles and almost reflexively, Logan jerked his hand free. Blue Eyes collapsed to the floor, unmoving, his gun and backpack lying in the pooling blood.

The sounds of vicious growling and Brown Eyes' yelling finally reached Logan's ears. Heaving with adrenaline, he looked up. Marie had escaped her captor's grasp and was watching dog and man struggle, seemingly unsure of how to help without getting bit or shot. Logan closed the distance on the pair, claws extended and bloodthirsty. As he grabbed a flailing arm, the shotgun went off and Rip fell to the floor with a whimper. Logan was sure Marie screamed as he executed Brown Eyes in the same manner as his partner. For a second no one moved and the small store was silent. Logan panted and looked to the shell-shocked cashier. He stared back at Logan, frozen. Logan looked over Marie, checking for any obvious injuries. When he could see none, his attention jumped back to the still dog.

"Shit," he mumbled, going to Rip and kneeling. Marie was at his side.

"Is he okay?" she whispered.

Logan retracted his bloodied claws and ran his hand down the whimpering dog's ribs. He lifted his hand, wet with sticky blood, and stripped off his jacket. Not able to answer Marie, Logan simply pressed the worn denim to the dog's wound. Rip cried and lifted his nose to the ceiling to look at Logan. His tail thumped weakly, splattering in coppery blood every time it hit the floor. Their eyes locked and for an instant Logan could see the dog's very soul. A sad smile spread over Logan as the brightness in Rip's eyes began to cloud.

Logan's throat tightened in unfamiliar pain. Softly, he stroked the dog's head, running his calloused fingers through the wiry hair. With a mighty effort, Rip licked Logan's salty palm. Logan blinked. Why were his eyes burning? He dropped his hand to gently rub the soft indent behind the dog's ear. With a hard thud, Rip's head fell to the floor, splattering the clotting blood collecting on the tile. The dog took a long, shaky breath and let it out with a haunting, gut wrenching cry. Logan never knew dogs could cry.

A feminine hand rested on his bicep and Logan dropped his eyes. His jacket was largely soaked in warm, liquid life and he pulled his hand away. There was no saving this animal. He inhaled, trying to dull the massive heartache he was feeling right now. "Goodbye my friend," he whispered, running the back of a gentle hand over the dog's cheek.

With a small sob, Marie cupped Rip's nose. "He's gone," she said after a moment in a small, shaky voice. A single tear fell upon the deceased dog before she stood up.

'I know,' Logan thought, for the first time unable to make his voice audible. He rose to his feet and instantly Marie wrapped her thin arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest.

"It's mah fault," she cried. Her southern accent always got stronger when she was upset. "Ahm so sorry Logan."

"It's not your fault," Logan said so softly he could barely hear himself, "Not your fault."

Numbly, he held her, feeling her tremors of sorrow reverberate through his own body.

Logan inhaled deeply and tried to push the pain away. He was Wolverine, he was strong, indestructible. He did not get upset over a dead dog. "Come on," he muttered, peeling her off of him. "Let's get goin'."

"Uh, wait a minute man, I gotta call the cops," the cashier spoke up.

"Call 'em," Logan responded, kneeling down and spreading the jacket evenly over the dog.

Marie sniffed and wiped her nose. "I think we should stay here. Ahm sure there's a phone, we can call the professor-"

"I've never tangled with them before, I ain't gonna start now." Logan rose to his feet, Rip draped across his arms.

Logan walked to the front doors, each step crunching the broken glass, and pushed his way outside. The bell over the front door sounded a descending chime. Marie looked around the devastated liquor store in silence. Harsh florescent lights sharply contrasted with the pools of thickening blood. Bodies lay broken and lifeless on the cold white tile. The cashier mumbled something before picking up the phone then dialed three numbers. As his hushed but panicked conversation started, Marie took a breath and started after Logan.

---

The professor sat motionless in his wheelchair. Outside, he could just make out the solid form of Logan as the Canadian sat in solitude under the largest oak tree on school grounds. Although the professor was sure Logan would never admit it, Xavier could see the sorrow in his posture. Even he sky began tossing around some clouds, threatening more snow.

"He's okay, right?" Marie asked. She was standing behind the professor and had been silent until now.

"He is fine," Xavier replied, "More so than in a while, perhaps. He is experiencing the correct emotions for the moment." Xavier smiled softly at some unspoken thought then turned to Marie. "How are you, my dear?"

Memories of the life changing event one week prior came flooding back. "I get sad thinking about it. I feel bad for Logan."

"He is grieving. Have you?"

"It was just a dog."

"Dog has proven time and again that it is more than just an animal." Xavier smiled. "Just look at the impact one scrawny mutt had on our Logan."

Marie returned the smile. "Yeah. Who would have thought."

Xavier sighed and glanced outside. "The perfection of life with a dog is disturbing because you know, even as it begins, that it must end. Time bestows the gift and steals it in the process. This is a lesson I'm afraid we've all learned." He patted Marie's gloved hand in reassurance. "Things will return to normal quick enough."

Marie continued to look out the window before a slow smile crept over her face. "Yeah. Everything will be fine."

---

Logan hovered near the freshly covered grave in remembrance. After he and Marie returned home a week ago, word of Rip's death had spread through the school quickly and quietly. He knew most of the children who had known the dog were truly remorseful, but Logan got the impression that his fellow teammates were only keeping their silence because it was the right thing to do. To them, it was just a dog, a mutt, and one that Logan should have no feelings for. As if he didn't have enough people tip-toeing around him...

Logan rubbed his knuckles and looked at the knobby joints with mixed emotions. Claws could protect you from a lot of things, but not emotions. He had wanted to burry Rip alone but Marie insisted on being with him. By moonlight the dog was buried under the tree Logan secretly favored. His side had been cold the past week without the familiar furry body following him. His chest felt strangely hollow, he supposed that was grievance. The loneliness was beginning to subside in a way Logan figured it was supposed to. After all, he had only known the dog for how many days?

The events had been hard on Marie and Logan wasn't sure who she was more sad for, him or the dog. Logan finally convinced her that nothing that night was her fault. The other X-Men congratulated her on keeping her cool despite the dangerous situation. Logan's actions were predictable, which Scott was sure to point out, and not worth a congratulations. Logan didn't care. He did what was necessary, as always, and had no regrets. The story of his life. Logan smiled.

Feeling somewhat more lighthearted, he headed back to the mansion. He spied the professor watching him and tried to understands Xavier cared about him. It kind of worked. The snow crunched under his boots as he trudged up to the door. He turned on the doorstep and looked back to the unmarked grave. With a sigh, he willed a goodbye to any dog spirits that may be running the grounds then went inside.

---

Logan became aware of his own breathing first. Cold air poured off the window next to his bed. The sun was half-way up, spotlighting Logan with warm golden rays. 'Nature is it's own alarm clock,' Logan thought fleetingly. He yawned and collected his limbs from where they lay sprawled on all corners of the bed, then adjusted himself through his sweatpants to make sure that was still there too.

He stopped rustling the sheets when he heard suspicious whispers outside his door. Had his subconscious awoken him with the threat of intruders? He lay paralyzed for a second, assessing the situation.

"Ah can't wait till he wakes up, he's gonna love this!"

"Marie, be quiet! You're gonna wake him up!"

"Shhh!"

Logan raised an eyebrow when one of the girls whined. His sensitive ears caught the sound of the doorknob turning ever so slowly and he rolled on his side to face away from the door. If they wanted him to be asleep, he could humor them. Just this once.

"Go on," a hushed whisper urged. "Go get him."

The door swung shut in silence until it hit the frame. Marie and Jubilee fell silent outside his door. Logan opened one eye and sniffed. He was not alone.

"I don't hear nothin'!"

Logan rolled over to greet his visitor. On the floor sat a pot-bellied puppy with two warm brown eyes and a glistening black nose. Logan stared at the puppy. It stared back. Logan smiled. The puppy began to wiggle.

Logan pushed down the covers as the puppy clambered over. He sat up before reaching down and grabbing the thin skinned pup by it's soft puppy armpits. He released it on the bed where the puppy resumed it's joyful wiggling and stumbled up the length of Logan's legs to get to his face for kisses. Logan held the puppy down by it's shoulders until the wiggling stopped. Curious, Logan lifted the puppy and spotted tiny, puppy-sized genitals. A boy. He set the pup down with a plop and it began squirming again.

Logan studied the small animal as it licked his fingers. The white-tipped tail whipped happily back and forth around his hindquarters, oscillating the pup's whole body. Dancing oversized brown paws sprouted tiny black toenails. Velvet brown ears dangled low, stretching the thin skin atop the pup's head. His immature, apple dome shaped skull encased two liquid brown eyes that shone with love itself. The puppy sat then, and looked longingly at Logan. Logan looked back.

The puppy barked, sounding a high pitched puppy bay as it pointed it's nose to the ceiling and puckering it's mouth. Logan laughed. The small hound pup leaped onto Logan and he let himself fall back on the bed.

Marie entered the room with a blinding smile on her face. "Isn't he the sweetest thing?" she cooed, plopping down on the foot of the bed.

Logan sat up, slightly embarrassed at being seen in a vulnerable position and playing with an animal. He straightened his thin white t-shirt to cover his lower abs and cleared his throat. "Uh, he's a nice looking dog."

Marie cocked her head in amusement. "Jubilee and I picked him out. He's not for you, though."

"No?"

Marie tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "He's for all of us. You just have to take care of him." The puppy clumsily made it's way to Marie. "We miss Rip," she said softly. "I know you can't replace loved ones, but Rip worked magic and... well I hope this little guy can do the same."

"He's got big shoes to fill," Logan grunted.

Marie looked at Logan. "You gonna name him?"

The puppy made it's way back to Logan and stumbled, landing heavily between Logan's legs. With a pained grunt, Logan lifted the puppy and looked it in the eyes. The puppy instantly began wiggling and stretched, licking Logan's nose passionately. Marie giggled and Logan raised his eyes to meet hers as he set the velvety package of Jell-O-puppy on the bed. He thought for a moment, studying the tri-colored hound pup as it explored two of his new family members. Oversized puppy bones and joints supported excess fat and skin. Underdeveloped muscles propelled the pup short distances before giving out and causing him to collapse.

Finally, Logan took a breath. "His name is Bones."

END