| Summary: Each of the XMen talk of their observations
regarding Logan and his new baby girl |
|
| "I had been the object of his desire
several years ago. I don't know what I did to deserve his attentions,
but I had to push him away. It was very hard to do – the man is
handsome, courageous, and all the more – feral and dangerous. He is an
effective predator – a killer with 9-inch adamantium claws embedded in
his arms – but never once did he ever try to hurt any of us at the
school. A sworn protector he has since become. For me, I resisted the
temptation of his excitement – the wildness, the thought of not being
so regimented, and his seductiveness. I was already engaged to someone
– someone I had known for a long time, who was strong, reliable, and
responsible. Yet, he plagues me with thoughts of sharing unbridled
passion, uninhibited pleasures, setting free the animal inside me – the
animal we all house inside. Then, Panther entered his life - a perfect match to the Wolverine – fitting together with him like two pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. She is as feral as he is, as wild and unbridled as he, and most of all - she understands him thoroughly and loves him deeply. I had told him he would some day encounter this special someone. Their courtship was a rocky one for he obsessed on the heart-breaking words I had said to discourage him, and she assumed he was still pining for me and refused to interfere. As wild as she was, she still held on to her morals. A year ago, he became a father. I never imagined this feral man being such a loving, doting father. The child – the apple of his eye – has become his latest object of obsession. He flies into a rage whenever there is any threat towards his offspring. It now is only Panther's kind and loving ways that will calm the rage of the Wolverine again. There are days I sit back and reflect on what could have been. I watch him carry his daughter around – cradled in his broad, strong arms so protectively. The way he spent hours being angry, hiding away in his room, or wanting to run again has all changed. He will sit with her on the floor and growl and grunt at her just to make her laugh only to sit back and smile himself. She is already exhibiting the mutant abilities she has inherited from both her parents – a strong-willed feral personality and the ability to heal. I have kept records of her progression as she grows – a continuing study of mutant evolution. But the one thing I fall back on is how I misjudged him – and I let him go." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "There's my special friend – the man who almost left me alone on that desolate snow-covered road in Canada. He changed his mind and that began the change in him. My friend never thought much of caring for anyone but himself. I could understand that – no one cared for him. He was a wild ferocious animal capable of slicing you to bits with them metal claws of his. He wanted for nothing, cared for no one, and lived life in a feral way. Home was the camper attached to his pick up truck – his refuge and escape when it was time to move on. Our first few months together were a little awkward now that I think about it. Everyone just thought I had a little crush on him. And, why not? He is such a handsome man, even though he is so much older than I – and he took care of me. He never broke that promise to protect me and I will always love him for that. There were so many times I wondered what I was doin' thinkin' about him all the time – maybe it was when our minds joined them two times and for so long I had him in my head. I began to feel I possessed him because only I knew him and understood him so intimately. But, when he left – only leaving his dog tags and those binding thoughts he shared with me when our minds became one – those things he left in my care to remember him by – it was then that I began to realize it was only a crush on the man who saved me. Bobby began to take his place – and it was right – we loved the same things, enjoyed being together, and growing into full adulthood together. Then, he returned and when I thought it would be bad, it turned out so good, for she came to reside at the school. He had met his match –a feral female of quick wit, intelligence, beauty, and having the same ability to heal. She comforted him when he was having his fits of rage; listened to him when he needed to talk – pouring out the pain of a fractured heart and a fractured life; and stood up to him when he was being stupid. He fell head over heals in love with her –abandoning the doctor as a part of his recent past – yet, never abandoning me as his true friend. I pushed him to her – pushed him to realize his heart needed her, and I don't regret one bit of what I did even though at times I was terribly mean to him and part of me wished I could be her. I pride myself in thinkin' it is because of me that he learned to love again –he learned to care – casting aside the feral ways of self- preservation and inability to trust and love. I believe it is because of me that he is now happy. This couple has honored me – she has presented him with a daughter a year ago, and this child bears the names of both of his past loves. I enjoy babysitting – giving the weary parents time to spend together. But, this one day will forever remain plastered in my mind. I go to their room to pick up the baby. It is well passed feeding time. I knock on the door to find mommy looking out the window – camera in hand – I had seen her do this so many times before when she was spying on the dad before they started actually goin' together. "Danielle," I begin to address Panther, "where is Jean Marie?" "Look out the window," she replies with a gentle softness in her voice and afterwards, a big smile. I go to the window and look outside. It is wonderfully sunny out – mildly warm, but comfortable. Just about 20 paces away is a tree, and under the tree is the dad. He lays out in the shade, in the freshly cut grass, on his back. He is wearin' his trusty blue jeans and a white tee shirt. The delight of this image is the child – lying on his chest – her tiny frame must have gone to sleep to the sound of the beating of his loving heart. He has protectively embraced her in his powerful arms and he too has gone to sleep – the light wind caressing his feral sideburns. I smile widely. My friend has indeed changed – and I like to think it is because of me." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Who ever would have thought Hairball would be a father – well, not in the ideal sense of the word. Any man can make a child, but it takes a special man to be a real father and this man certainly has done just that. I have to admit that when we first met, after I dragged his arrogant ass away from his exploding truck, that I would end up being his friend. It was a reluctant friendship – we had to learn to count on each other for the benefit of the Team. As much as I hated it, I understood his wanting Jean. She's my girl –a really special woman. But when Panther came along and stole his heart, it made way for us to put aside our rivalry. Instead of making rude comments, he now comes to me for advice – to give him answers to questions on keeping Panther happy. Now, there is a child – his daughter – his special girl. I pity the jerk that dares threaten this child. I've seen him in action – seen his berserker rage – the fits of anger and the bloodshed from the metal claws of the Wolverine. He is fierce when it comes to protecting the children of this school, but I am sure he will be ten times fiercer if anyone hurts his little girl." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I haven't been around much as of late. The winds of time whirl me in new directions – new things to explore. I have learned to not fear those who feared me. There are those who still think ill of us mutants, but my teaching skills are reaching out beyond the Xavier School. I have a position at the local college – for all people – mutants and regular people. But, I return every so often and I have come home to visit with the little one – Jean Marie – Little Jeannie Marie as she is affectionately called. I sit with Panther and watch the Wolverine with his child – a special bond between them – an unbreakable bond of father and daughter. I would suspect someone getting a belly full of metal if they dared tried to interfere. She is a delight – very personable and spirited and knows very well, even at this young age, that she has her father wrapped around her tiny finger." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "When I set up this school, it was for the young teenagers who discovered their new mutant gifts. It never dawned on me that we would have little ones here. Logan and Danielle brought a new life into the world – the first to be born right here at this establishment. I delighted in being able to expand this extended family – this group of mutants – who had no family for the most part. This school filled the void for them. I take pride in seeing how it was through the interactions of all my residents – "my children" I think of them all as – that this large family has come about. Many came in frightened –unsure of who or what they were and how to cope with it. Others were angry. One in particular was the Wolverine. He was so difficult to handle at first. His rebellious nature left one to wonder. But, Rogue started it, Jean assisted, and Panther continues to keep the Wolverine in check. He has learned a great deal – learned to put his anger aside and to think of others beside himself. If this school has done anything for him it was to bring back the human inside the feral man. Now a father himself, we spend more time chatting about kids – about expanding the school for younger mutants – those born to mutants. His protectiveness of his own child and his adopted family is intense. Yet, he has learned to curb his anger and react with reasoning before violence. Although, when provoked, he will not hesitate to fight." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I thank Jean for her understandin' and love. I thank Marie for bein' a true friend to an old jackass like me. Charles – Wheels – he gave me a roof over my head and never expected anything in return. Storm – she's a goddess with a heart of gold. The kids – well now, maybe my experiences with the kids haven't exactly been too great, but that's changed too. Guess bein' around them helped warm me up for what was to come about. I sit here in the grass cradling' my little one – my special girl – and thinkin' how this all happened. I prided myself on bein' a loner – never needin' or wantin' anything. I was an animal – no home, no past, nothing but myself. I found myself carin' for others – Marie – my sweet Marie – who was my first real friend that I can remember. Jean reminded me that I was still a man capable of loving someone. Then along came my Panther – she stole my heart when I was ready to give up on love again. She loves me, understands me, and doesn't stand for my crap. Now, she's mine – really mine – and has given me a future – her full love and a gorgeous daughter. Danielle sits at my side with her camera taking pictures of me goofin' around with her. I have lost my heart to a little girl with curly brown hair and light brown eyes. I can't say what I would do if anyone ever wished to do her harm. I still have a berserker rage that can fly at a moment's notice. But, this child overwhelms me with a feeling of pride and I will not hesitate to kill if someone dares try to hurt her. She has her mother's eyes and she already knows how to use them to melt my heart. She's only a year old but she can easily win over anyone's heart. I think about all the boys she's gonna bring around askin' my approval and damn if I ain't gonna find fault with all of them. She's Daddy's little girl and I ain't gonna let her go to just anyone. I know it's a long way off, but time has a way of just passin' by quickly." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Lord knows I wanted him from the start. But, I couldn't get between two people who I thought were still in love. I later learned it never happened and that's when we got close – really close. We bonded deeply – both of the same feral ways – like two animals now mated for life. Sounds really primal, but that's how we are – very basic. All I wanted was his heart – all he wanted was to trust. I knew from the start that he'd make a great father some day – his unrelenting protection of the Xavier residents, especially of Marie, proved it to me. I learned of his growth after arriving there, but the pains of his past still haunted him. We shared that too – me not to the same extent – but I was aware of what was to be done to me at the installation, which did happen later on. And, here we both are augmented into a lethal weapons. We learned to put the past aside – to put a leash on the nightmares and harness the rage for the greater good. He treats me like a queen – his girl he calls me. When I first heard him introduce himself to my best friend as my `boyfriend' I have to admit I was tickled to have captured the Wolverine. I have a new life now with Logan and our daughter. My new claws and feline ways allow me to help other mutants and to protect the weak. When she was born, I saw such love in his eyes. He dotes on her for everything. The moment she would cry in her bed, he would be up and rocking her back to sleep. He needs to know her every whereabouts and usually is never out of her sight. When he returns from a mission, he is immediately looking in on her – and she knows it – raising her arms up for him to hold her. This kid is gonna be so spoiled – what will I do? She's Daddy's little girl." |