Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men or its characters. Only little Anna.

*&*&*&*

The moon’s light flowed into the nursery pale pink room, illuminating a figure rocking a tiny bundle of blankets; warm inside a steady grasp. Rocking the soft child slowly, carefully, fondly. The leaves of the trees outside the Mansion whispered on the ground landing here and there with the Fall’s chilly midnight wind.

The tiny girl, in the hands of her mother, stared with big, unfocused hazel eyes at the glittering ceiling. Eyes closing every now and than, languidly comfortable in her pale green wearable blanket. A tiny baby bottom tucked away in a new clean diaper, the smell of baby power shifting in the air, soothing. Her mother’s raising full-milk chest luring her into her baby sleep, as she continued suckling the nipple in her tiny mouth. Nursing hungrily for the warm liquid entering her hungry suckling mouth.

Little Anna (Anna Alexandra Howell) was lying so comfortable in the hands of the her mother; nursing contentedly that she was unaware of the danger she was in. Annie, as she was called, wasn’t quite eight weeks old and had not developed any concept of day and night.  Nor did she comprehend the danger that loomed of falling from her mother’s hands, whom had fallen asleep with the rocking movements of the rocking chair.

“Here, darlin’, let me take her. Go to bed.”

The deep, masculine taciturn voice roused the woman on the cherry made chair from her short slumber. A soft blink answered the voice, revealing green eyes, just like the infant’s. A wary, sleepy smile stretches on her pouty, full lips. The man’s hazel heavy-lid eyes surveyed the moment silently, a warm, tender emotion flickering in his normal stoic handsome face.

Detaching the sleeping infant from her full breast, Marie, Rogue to her enemies and former battle name, quietly and attentively cleans the baby’s mouth.

It was three in the morning; Marie wasn’t surprised to be up at this time. Her husband and her were use to it. She was surprised this midnight; usually she’d be up all night exchanging the baby with her husband to quiet her down. Baby colic’s were a nuisance. There was nothing they could do except give her, her medicine. Sometimes the medicine doesn’t help Anna a lot. Due to her age they couldn’t give her more than her prescription. She didn’t want anything bad to happen to her baby. She’d rather be up all night than regret something later on.

Falteringly she covering her chest with her robe, Marie stood up, slowly; vigilantly trying not to disturb the buddle in her arms. Annie had been fussy for awhile. She was glad for once the baby was finally asleep. The past two-half months have been hell for them, but she wouldn’t change them for anything in the world. She’d do it all over again if she had too.

Languidly walking towards his wife, Logan couldn’t help but grin softly.  He’d heard her get up their bed and enter the adjourning bedroom next to their’s. The nursery was big, a gift from everyone. Everyone had helped with it. It had been a surprised for Marie. A gift from every X-Men.

Instead of feeling conscious of pastel pink walls with tiny baby bears and other infant symbols, Logan felt at ease, he felt comfortable…..he felt at home. Inside the room of his daughter, he didn’t have to worry about keeping his reputation on the surface of his actions.

Inside this room, he wasn’t the Wolverine everyone fears, he wasn’t the war hero, he wasn’t the merciless, savage animal he was turned into; he wasn’t the man he’d fear he would turn into; inside this room he was a father and husband to his daughter and wife. He was Logan. Not Wolverine; not Weapon X; not an adamantium-laced skeletal structure with retractable claws and resistance to telepathy mutants. He was just Logan. 

James Howlett.

Despite being cold, fierce, badass outside their room, Logan always dropped his stoic expression when he was with them. He had a reputation to uphold only outside this room. Everyone counted on him and now he had a family he’s been devoted to. He was more than wiling to carry out the promise he made to Marie while getting married.

And he couldn’t forget his motto as well.

To have and to hold.

He had now what he’s been wanting all those years back and he is more than willing to keep on proving and showing Marie his hold on her like she has her hold on him.

Someone in hell or heaven has decided to grant him this chance, this change, and he wasn’t letting it go anytime soon, not by a long shot.

A big long shot.

A small sensual grin appeared on Marie as she handed her drowsy child over to her handsome husband. He looked irresistible wearing those silky pajama pants and the robe hanging on his broad shoulders, allowing her a view of his lightly-hair dusted muscular chest and the lean sinewy lines of his abdomen. A line of fine dark hair disappeared past the elastic of those loose pajama pants.

If Marie wasn’t as tired as she was she would have had jumped his bones right then and there, well, inside their room. Little Anna was too little to learn about the bees and flies. And it would be sickening on her part to be doing that in front of an innocent child. Beside they still couldn’t do anything. It was too soon to be jumping on each other.

Logan allowed a yielding tender smile to grace his chiseled face. Marie called that unique smile the ‘Annie Smile’. It was reserved for their child. Pulling her robe closer to her chest, Marie kissed his stubbled cheek, tipping up on her toes to reach him. He was tall compared to her 5’7 figure, towering over her with his 6’3 body.

Wrapping his left arm on Marie, Logan pulled her closer to him, sighing contently. Bending his head he nuzzled her lavender-mango scented dark brown curls. She smelled so good. Delicious like always. He didn’t know what it was about that unique maternal…powdery smell that drove him to the point of insanity. He couldn’t wait to get her in bed. Maybe, he though as he closes his eyes, slowly, it was the way she looks when she’s breastfeeding their hungry little daughter.

Marie had had a rough delivery and another forty days without sex was ordered by the Doc. Logan didn’t care as long as Marie was alright. He only hoped that the wolverine inside him held his rein a little longer before allowing him out and satisfy his, their, desire with their beautiful mate.

“She has your hunger,” Marie whispered suddenly.

Logan lips twitched; his brow crooked. Now thinking about it, he recalls, she was right. The child was so much like him that people wouldn’t doubt the baby’s paternity. Not that he didn’t. From her silky dark curls, which she inherited from her mama, to her hazel penetrating eyes. Logan felt a pity for the man who might end up with his daughter. Of course that’s before getting a lesson from him for courting his daughter.

Just thinking of another man’s hands on his baby daughter, Logan felt the familiar pain on his knuckles. As if his claws were thinking the same thing he was. Willing his mind to calm he felt Marie’s slender hands on his knuckles. The familiarity of this gesture punched in letters inside his mind. She was so trusting with him and his claws. That was one of the reasons the big bad Wolverine felt in love with this woman. No one had ever done that for him.

No one.

Logan licked his suddenly dried lips, a gesture noticed by Marie, who licked her own. “She sure has, darlin’,” his deep voice suddenly gone husky. It was moments like this that they felt more connected than ever. Just the three of them.

Tightening his hold on her, he allowed his muscular arm to curl around her slender creamy neck, tilting her face towards him as his lips descended with hot, burning, intent on hers. His other hand held his daughter to his broad chest. A little face snuggled and pressed into his warm skin.

Feeling comfortably safe, secure, and pleasantly warm, she allowed his kiss with one of her own. His lips closed over hers, confident and assured as always. Her toes curled in her slippers. She felt the same funny lick of heat unfurl and flick in her belly with his heated, possessive, kisses. Pulling back softly he lingered on her lips, their breath mingled as one.

Whispering on her open lips,” You taste so sweet, sweetheart…” his eye-lids lifted; trapping her with his heavy, penetrating gaze. “Sweeter.” Marie allowed her eyes to close as his hot breath hit her swollen lips. She felt him lean closer to her, his hot scrutiny on her lips. “ Sweeter and riper than ever, darlin,” he finished with a deep drawl as he softly ran his lips over hers. Nuzzling her just a bit.

Marie fought a wanton moan as she felt his lips closed over hers again. It was easy to sink into his kiss. He was really very experienced in that area. She quenched the feeling of jealousy. He was hers. She allowed herself to feel his strength to discover the familiar characteristics of his persona as he drew her closer to him, if any closer than they were.

She crawled deeper into his warm embrace; until it caged her tightly, holding her in a steel grip. Breathing hard she moved her head onto his hard shoulder, wrapping a slender sleeved hand on his neck, pulling his face closer to hers. Moving deeper into his kiss, enough so that she forgot where she was, forgot who she was, forgot who they were, forgot everything but the pressure of his lips on hers. Sliding her other arm around his firm hips, under the robe to sensually stop around his broad, tense muscular back, she dug her fingernails on the soft tan skin as he groaned deeply in her mouth.

Logan took all she had to give him, drank from it as a wolverine would fight for food. He wallowed in her taste as she parted her lips. He felt her still as he surged within, and then quivered as he slowed, but languidly, stroked her tongue with his. Swiveling his tongue on her mouth to finally pull her tongue, slowly, inside his moist mouth, and sucked. Deep inside them, the embers began to glow. Caught in this game, as excitement gripped her, he tentatively felt Marie return his caresses, as she unmistakably felt the rush on desire that surged through him.

A tiny whimper brought barely hearable, but thanks to his sensitive ears Logan backed off, remembering where they were and the unmistakable, familiar bundle on his right arm. Reluctantly he withdrew from the kiss, but not before holding her in place with his hand to lick her red, swollen bottom lip, nip it and suckle it again before drawing back for good. Dropping his hold on her he licked his lips and he let his rough hand slide down her detectable bottom to fondly pat it.
She drew back as well. She’d heard the whimper of her little girl too. Willing herself to calm, licked her lips as their lungs fought for air with labored breathing. Chests heaved and the whimpering turned into a wail.

“You go rest. You are going to need it when our days of celibacy are over, darlin,” Logan advised.

Marie raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, mimicking his gesture, as she heard this.

“Really?” she asked, letting her southern bell drawl spill out, she stepped back to look up at him, eyes connecting.

“Don’t push me, you little minx, you won’t like the outcome. I ought to spank that detectable ass of your, sweetheart,” he replied hotly starting to pace the room, trying to calm the child down.

Marie smiled warmly as she saw Logan straighten the child on his chest and rub her tiny back her little head bobbing. Tiny hands fisted on his chest. If anyone would have told her ten years ago that she’d be a mother and wife, she would of kicked them where the sun doesn’t shine. It was that hard to believe, perhaps it was even a bit comical.

“Do you promise, sugah?” she asked, pushing her long lightly curled hair back with the white streaks popping out against the shadows of the room. Her green eyes lit up with sparks of bright mischief.

Her naughty question brought his attention back to her, turning from his daughter to face her.

“Promise what, darlin,” he questioned, a frown on his face, forgetting what he had said as he felt and heard the tiny movements and hands fisting on his chest and gurgling baby sounds.

She coyly looked him up and down; teasing him,” to spank me,” she whispered huskily. A smile threatened to bubble up onto her apple shaped face.

Logan let loose a deep chuckle, before answering her question. “Consider yourself in liability, honey.”

“I’ll hold you to your oath, Logan.”

“You won’t have to. I’ll be there to do more than collect, Marie,” Logan said, assuring her. “Now, go rest.

Giving him a benign smile, Marie left the nursery and climbed her king size bed falling asleep immediately. The promise he made swiveling in her mind.

*&*&*&*

It was broad daylight when Marie woke up again. Finally feeling happy of getting a good suitable rest. She opened her eyes to feel the sun pouring through the ascot valances expensive curtains of the big Mansion own by Professor Xavier.

And then came the familiar knocking on her door. Like everyday.

“Time to wake up Howell family.” Chanted the unmistakably voices of Jubilee and Kitty through their bedroom door.

She realized with a rush of trepidation that Anna hadn’t woken her up with her high wails.

Had something bad happened to her?

What if she suffocated in the baby crib?

With that unbearable though on her mind Marie was more than ready to leap out of the bed, but stopped herself as she heard a familiar gurgle to her side. Lifting her head from the accent silky pillows she sat up, the comforter pooled around her waist and puffed out on her stomach.

Logan was sleeping on his side of the bed. A muscular arm rested over his eyes to block the daylight light. He was sprawled flat on his back, which was really bizarre and out of the blue. Logan always slept on his stomach, hogging as much of the bed as possible. Even her own side if she had anything to say on that topic.

Another gurgle bubbled up. Pushing the heavy paisley, jacquard, champagne colored comforter off her, she crawled to Logan’s side.

Maybe it’s his stomach?

Is he hungry?

Pulling aside the blanket covering him, Marie had to smile. Stretched out on her papa’s muscled chest, lay Anna, wide awake and content. Cooing as she saw her mother peering at her, tiny fist in her mouth. Hazel eyes moving around the room to finally stop on her mother.

“Come here you precious thing.” Marie chuckled as she scooped the baby up, Anna bobbed her head up and down, pulling her little fist out the mouth to pat her mom’s cheek with it. Snuggling her closer to her chest, she turned to her right as she felt her man move.

Logan had been awake the whole time. Wondering when Marie was going to get up, stifling a chuckle as he felt her sit up unceremoniously. Opening his eyes, he sat up to propped himself back on the big comfortable pillows, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

Raising his brows into his hair-line he said,” I do hope you were referring to me,” a teasing grin appeared on his twitching lips.

“Of course,” She smiled broadly, obligingly him slightly. Scooting over to him she planted a good morning kiss on his grinning mouth. Feeling his stubble hair rasp against her mouth as he slid a hand behind her head, pulling her mouth down for a better sample of her mouth.

Anna’s twitching and howling broke them apart.

“You little spoilsport,” he snarled playfully at his daughter. Who looked at him with big, innocent round eyes. Their daughter had a sparking devilish side, he had to hand it to her though, his little girl was becoming more of a spitfire than her mother complete with little head horns, tail and all. The little girl seemed to realize when her parents were getting too comfortable for her liking and ignore her. She craved her parent’s attention; just like Logan does sometimes for the baddies. 

‘Yeah you’re sure as hell my kid, baby girl,’ he thought, for the second time in a few hours.

“Logan,” Marie warned, before laughing at his petulant pout. Logan joined her as she chuckled over his childish comportment. Logan could have sworn he saw little Anna roll her eyes just before she closed them so she could ignore the boring conversation.

:::End:::

I hope you guys liked it. Leave me a review. I know it was too cheesy. Oh, well. But it was driving me crazy for days. So I finally decided to sit down and write it out. It turned better that I expected it.

Lady firebrand