Chapter 3:
The next day Logan decided he had waited long enough. He needed to see and talk to Marie himself. He had waited at the Professor's request. The Professor had said that Rogue's pregnancy and delivery had been rough, and that she need her rest. Logan, himself couldn't sleep last night. He kept seeing a very pregnant Marie on the medlab table screaming and pushing, trying to deliver her baby.
Logan couldn't believe it, Rogue, his Marie, pregnant. No, now she was a mom. She had had another man's baby.
That thought had stopped Logan short. What had he meant by another man's baby. 'When did he ever think of her having his baby?' 'Stop it Bub! You should be happy for her. It means she finally got over her childish crush on you. If she fell in love with someone else and has started a family of her own. She doesn't need you anymore.' That thought depressed Logan greatly. He had always saw Marie as a part of his life. Maybe not as she had wanted, he knew he wasn't any good for her. She was a kid, she didn't need a old geezer like him. It just wasn't right, he was old enough to be her grandfather, if not her great grandfather. For all he knew he could be her great-great-grandfather.
Plus Logan told himself he needed a mature woman, not a kid with starry eyed dreams that he couldn't and didn't want to fulfill. Yep, he was glad she had gotten over him. 'Although she had gotten over me mighty quick, didn't she?' Logan grumbled to himself. That thought replaced his depression with annoyance.
Logan stopped before going into the medlab when he heard Hank trying to talk Marie into resting some more.
"I'm fine Hank, good as new. I know you love spending your time down here in your lab, surrounded with your many test tubes and beakers, but it's not very comforting for me." Rogue said really wanting to just get out of the place.
Logan heard the tension in Rogue's soft spoken words, and he wonder if his dreams of labs still haunted her. That depressed him again. He knocked then stepped inside.
"Hey, I thought I'd come see how you where doing, and meet the new guy." Logan said his smile just a little nervous. He hadn't realized how nervous he was to finally see her until he walked into the room. Seeing her sitting up on the bed.
"Hey." Rogue returned, her voice nervous as well, but pleasant as if she was happy to see him.
Logan became more confident hearing the pleasure in her voice at seeing him even if she was nervous. He figured it was bound to be after they hadn't see each other since he took off with Jeannie. He inhaled Marie's scent just to make sure she was happy to have him here. She was both happy and very nervous. He wanted to put her at ease.
"How are you doing?" Logan came to stand in front of her just to the side so he could looked down at the little baby boy sleeping peacefully in her arms.
"Much better now that I'm not carrying around all that extra weight." Rogue teased with a smile. "I was just telling Hank here that I'm ready to head up to my own room now." Rogue said looking over at Hank, who was still frowning, but she could tell he was relenting.
"Alright Rogue, I'll release you if you promise to take it easy for the rest of the day. I want you off your feet as much as possible at least for the rest of this morning. No heavy lifting at all until tomorrow."
"Heavy lifting? Hank you have held this kid, haven't you?" Rogue chuckled.
"Yes, he is quite a hefty fellow, I agree." Hank smiled in return. "But no lifting anything heavier. Agreed?" Hank asked giving Rogue a serious look.
"You better do what he says, Kid, if you want out of here anytime soon." Logan said with his own serious look.
"Okay Hank, no heavy lifting and taking it easy until this afternoon." Rogue agreed.
"Very well, James and you may return to your room. I am available day or night if you or James should need anything." Hank said giving Rogue a gentle and caring look. Rogue knew Hank meant it. He had been there for her a good many times.
"Thanks Hank, you're the best." Rogue said smiling warmly and sincerely at him.
"I do my best." Hank smiled then left Logan and Rogue to themselves.
"Do you mind holding him for a minutes so I can get down and get our stuff?" Rogue asked looking at Logan.
"I don't think that's a good idea. I might hurt him." Logan said looking horrified and taking a step back from them.
"Don't be silly Logan. You won't hurt him. He's pretty resilient. Plus I trust you to take care of him." Rogue said her voice soft and sincere.
Logan caught his breath as he looked up at Marie and saw and smelt the truth and trust in her eyes and voice. He also saw a warmth and tender care in her eyes that stole his breath. He swallowed hard, and determinedly stepped back up beside her. He looked down at the baby and frowned nervous. "What do I do?" He asked his voice trembling.
Hearing his shaky tone Rogue giggled, cause Logan to glare at her in mock outrage and scowl at her. "The mighty Wolverine is scared of a little baby." Marie teased relieved that apparently she and Logan were still okay. "Hold him like I am now, just make sure to support his neck and head when you hold him." Rogue held James out to Logan. Logan gingerly place the baby in his arms and made sure his hand were under the little guy's head.
"Look at you, you're a natural." Rogue beamed at him.
Logan looked back up at Rogue knowing she was teasing him again, but was shocked to see the sincere and tender look in her eyes again. She smiled a little teary at him, but looked away and got down off the bed.
"Hey, are you okay?" Logan asked confused why she was close to tears.
"Yeah, I'm good. Don't mind me, it's just hormones. Hank said it will take awhile to get back to my normal moody self." Rogue forced a smile at her own joke.
"No gloves?" Logan questioned stunned, just now realizing her hands were bare.
"No gloves. I've got control now." Rogue's smile was even more forced as she went about collect her and James things in the baby bag Jubilee had brought for James.
Logan didn't understand Rogue's reaction. He figured she'd be beaming and excited about her control. However he put it to those hormones she had talked about.
"Care to walk with me upstairs?" She asked her smile relaxed again.
"I guess I could do that, seeing how I came down here to see you." Logan smirked teasingly, glad to see her more at ease again.
"Good, come on, let's get out of here." Rogue said looking up at Logan who was staring down at the little boy in his arms with the most tender smile Rogue had ever seen on the feral man's face. Again tears came to her eyes, but she forced them away. She didn't want to start crying, and causing Logan to freak out and lose his pleasant smile. "Do you mind carrying him up for me?" Rogue asked hoping he would agree.
"Sure no problem, I've got him." Logan said softly then looked over at Rogue and smiled. The longer he held the kid, the more comfortable he got. Logan wouldn't admit it, but it felt right to hold the boy. Apart of Logan or was it the Wolverine was purring at the rightness of it all.
"Thanks." Rogue smiled her thanks as they headed out of the medlab.
The ride in the elevator was quiet except for the low purring sound that Logan was making. Rogue tried to hide her smile at the faint sound. They had just stepped off the elevator when Jean came up on them.
"There you are, I've been looking for you." Jean said coming to stand beside Logan. "Hello Rogue, how are you feeling this morning?" Jean asked sincerely caring, but her insecurities were high again seeing Logan's peaceful and serene expression while holding Rogue's new baby.
"Much better, thanks. Oh, I guess I owe the both of you congratulations on your engagement. Jubilee told me the good news." Rogue smiled telling herself she just wanted Logan happy. He loved Jean, this was what she wanted for him.
"Thank you, we're happy and excited about it, right Logan?" Jean asked looking over at her fiancé, and saw that he was no longer looking serene, he had a guarded look in his eyes.
"Yeah." Was all Logan said with a small twitch of his lips that was as close to a smile as he could for Jean's sake.
"I'm happy for you." Rogue said feeling if she didn't get away soon she was going to lose the battle with the tears that was trying to clog her throat.
"Congratulation to you too on your baby. He is so cute. Can I hold him?" Jean asked politely.
"Sure." Rogue forced the answer wanting all the time to say no. Rogue berated herself. She was going to have to treat Jean better. She was going to be Logan's wife soon. She was just going to have to get use to it, and accepted it for her own sake.
Logan didn't want to let James go, but Jean was taking the baby from his arms. Logan felt the lose as if it was tore from his very soul. James had filled more than just his arms. He had filled a place in his heart. The place right next to where Marie stayed. Logan knew at that moment that he would to anything to protect James. Just like he would do for his Marie.
"He is a big fellow. I beat your glad to have him finally out." Jean stated while smiling down at little James.
"Yes, It was one of the worst pains I've ever felt. Even more painful than Magneto's machine, but I got James at the end of it all, it was worth the pain." Rogue smiled over at her son.
"I'll have to take you word for it. I don't think Logan and I are going to be having any. I don't think we're parent material."
Logan's frown deepened as he clenched his jaw. Logan hadn't known Jean thought that about him. Sure he really didn't make a commitment easily, but once he did he stuck to it. He had always vision he'd have a kid or two or three, maybe four once he choose to settle down. It hurt to know Jean didn't think he would make a good father, and it angered him that she had just decided for them that they weren't going to have any kids. He peeked a glance over at Rogue to see a frown on her lovely face.
"Actually I think Logan will make a great dad. I think he's a natural." Rogue said being honest, but it grated on Rogue, that Jean thought so little of Logan's ability to love any children he had.
"Come on be serious, can you actually see the mighty Wolverine changing dirty diapers, and caring for fussy babies. He has a hard enough time dealing with the children around here. No, I just can't see him doing the father thing." Jean laughed like she thought was amusing.
"I believe Logan can do anything he wants to, and maybe with a few nose plugs and earplugs he could handle the dirty diapers and fussy babies." Rogue smirked at Logan with a twinkle in her eyes, before she turned serious again. "But that something for you guys to decide. Having children is an important decision. Once kids are involved your life becomes pretty much all about them."
After a few moments of silence, and Rogue wringing her hands; Logan wanted to end the awkwardness. "What did you want Jeannie?" Logan asked forcing his voice to sound calm instead of the tension he felt.
"What do you mean?" Jean looked up at Logan confused.
"You said you were looking for me. What did you want?" He asked crossing his arms over his chest to stop himself from reaching over and pulling James back into his arms.
"Oh, I was looking for you so we could have breakfast together."
"I'm helping Rogue and James upstairs."
"That's alright, I can take it from here. Thanks for the help." Rogue said with a small smile. "I better get going. I promise Hank I'd take it easy for the rest of the morning." Rogue said reaching over and taking James from Jean. "He'll have a fit it I don't follow his orders." Rogue smiled trying to relieve the sudden tension around them.
"Do you want to join us for breakfast? You need to eat to keep your strength up. After yesterday you could use the fuel." Logan said worrying about her eating right.
"Thanks, but I don't think so. Maybe another time." Rogue said and left for her and James suite the Professor had insisted she take when she returned to the mansion pregnant with James. He told her she was going to need the extra room soon once James was born. So she might as well take it so she wouldn't have to bother about moving once James was born and ready for his own room. She had cried and thanked him for not kicking her out and letting her stay. The Professor had hugged her with tears of his own and told her that she was apart of his family, and this would always be her home. That had only made Rogue cry harder with gratitude and relief.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I woefully still own nothing, sigh.