Christmas Eve found Logan hanging stockings over the huge mantle in the main gathering room. Cassandra was levitating next to him holding the box of nails while Hunter handed him stockings with names inscribed in gold glitter. Rogue and Morgan were patrolling the grounds keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity but so far no one had tried to get to Logan since the first attack. Logan looked around at the kids playing board games or sitting at the row of game consoles and reflected that not too many years ago he'd have been on the road come December first. He pulled a small smirk as he tacked another stocking up. This place was making him soft.
"Last stocking dad." Hunter said and handed him the red felt by the loop.
Logan took it but didn't hang it immediately instead he studied Hunters face and wondered when he'd first heard Hunter and Cassandra call him dad. He couldn't remember and he wondered if that was a good thing. He hung the stocking and took the nails from Cassandra. "Go on and play you two."
Cassandra lowered herself to the ground and scampered off with Hunter towards the kitchens. "You two leave Storm alone in the kitchen hear?"
He chuckled as they veered off course and into the rec room. He could smell the gingerbread cookies Storm was baking and he knew the kids could too. He walked into the kitchen and started putting the tools away. Storm looked up at him with a smile. "The stockings are hung?"
""All twenty three of them." He confirmed and glanced out the windows.
"Rogue and Morgan passed the window five minutes ago. I'm sure they'll be in soon." Storm said accurately reading his glance.
He nodded and pinched a cookie when she wasn't looking, only to be zapped with a spark of static electricity. He stuffed the cookie in his mouth and beat a hasty retreat. He heard the door open and smelt more than heard Morgan and Rogue walking in. Rogues vanilla and strawberry scent mingled with Morgans muskier scent. They were peeling out of their coats and shucking boots. "Pieter and Bobby are on rotation." Rogue said upon seeing him.
She kissed him quickly and murmured appreciably at the hint of ginger on his tongue. Morgan moved past them into the rec room. She leaned against the wall to watch her kids playing foosball against a couple of other kids. Rogue excused herself to help Storm in the kitchen and Logan went to stand next to Morgan. "Nothing?"
"Obviously." She replied shortly.
"What's yer problem?" He asked.
"I don't do Christmas." She replied.
"I didn't either till I hooked up with the X-Men." He replied.
Morgan quirked a brow but didn't comment. She was looking at the photo's on the walls her eyes settling on the picture of her brother Robert, he'd lived at the mansion for three years before moving to Europe and he hadn't been heard from since. Xavier assured everyone he was fine but had retreated to a religious commune and did not wish to be disturbed. Logan's opinion had been that he was already disturbed. "Why hasn't Castleton made his move?" He asked her.
"Because we're waiting for it and he knows it. Castleton isn't stupid despite attacking in broad daylite with kids around." She replied. "If I read him correctly he'll wait until Christmas day or the day after."
Logan snorted. He'd pumped her for every scrap of information he could get out of her. Not that it had gleaned much. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You ever gonna come back fer yer kids?"
"They aren't mine anymore." She replied coolly. "I birthed them and got them as far as I could but I'm no fit mom. Besides, they call you dad and Rogue mom."
He inclined his head. "They call you 'mom' too ya know."
"Yes and I wish you hadn't encouraged that."
He shrugged and watched the twins tag team the larger boy they were playing against. He heard a door bell ring and went to answer it. Standing on the stoop was a tall man dressed in a long black leather trench coat. Dark eyes set under thick brows seemed to search his own from a youngish face pocked here and there with burn scars. Arrayed behind him were three men and one woman all had the hardened look of people used to killing. They all wore trench coats and most had scars. Logan could smell the scent of old blood on all of them and it made his hackles raise. "Who're you?" He snarled.
"My name is Gregory Hale. I'm looking for Morgan." The man spoke with the calm assurance of someone with superior fire power.
"Why?" Logan barked and fought the urge to pop his claws and cut the mans head from his shoulders.
"We're here to help her." The man replied coldly.
"Morgan! You know a guy named Hale?" Logan barked.
He heard her wings unfurl with a snap and knew she was pissed. His claws popped with a 'snik' Hale and his group suddenly came out with an array of weapons. He counted six guns, a knife and an electric baton. Morgan came up behind him and he shifted a little to the left. "Gregory. What the hell are you doing here?" She snapped.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
And the leader from chapter one is back. He's one of my characters same as Morgan. Sorry about the limited Logan/Rogue interaction. There will be more soon I promise.
Chapter End Notes:
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