Reacquainted Souls: Part Four

by Kerri G.

Logan loaded their bags in the Range Rover and looked back at Charlotte saying her good-byes to Thomas and Matthew at their vehicle. She smiled and kissed them both, hugging them tightly. He could hear her admonish them to call more often. Thomas reminded her to take her cell phone with her and to not forget her blades.

Finally they pulled away, Charlotte waving after them. She wiped her eyes and walked up next Logan at the Rover.

"It's always hard to see him go," she said. "I don't like what he's doing, but I can't stop him. He's 200 years old."

"Are ya ready to leave?" Logan asked gruffly. Teary-eyed women were something he never knew how to handle.

She leaned over and kissed him. "A few more things and I'll close down the house."

Back inside, she headed down to the computer room to give instructions to the system.

"Are ya sure ya don't have more bags to go?" He asked from the doorway. She had packed lightly, too lightly in his experience of traveling with the female members of the team. Betsy seemed to take her entire wardrobe on every trip.

"No. If I can get it later, then I don't need it." She finished typing in commands to the large mainframe.

Finally she was done and moving out of the room. He turned to go back up the stairs. When she wasn't following, he stepped back, tracking her into another storage room.

This room had a huge wall safe, much like a bank vault. The metal was unfamiliar, gleaming a dull coppery black. The door was open and he could see it was a weapons locker. He moved in for a closer look.

"That's far enough," she told him, her back to him as she opened several drawers inside, taking various items out. "There's another shield here that will knock you out if you try to cross it."

"What are those things?"

She glanced up at what he was talking about. "Weapons. Mother had them. I keep them here because they're too dangerous. They operate on a cellular level, literally destroying a living target from the cells out. Ugly sight." She turned around and he finally knew what Thomas meant by 'blades'.

She held an evil-looking double edged sword, bearing only the slightest resemblance to the one she'd been practicing with, obviously scaled down to her size, and two smaller knives. All were made of the same coppery black metal as the vault. The smallest blade she slipped into her boot. He seemed to remember those knives from their Austrian encounter. She carried the other two in their separate cases out of the vault, pausing to close it and spin the locks.

"Ain' ya 'fraid someone'll steal those?" he asked, gesturing at the vault.

Charlotte shrugged. "They've got to first get through security and then decipher the language the locks are coded in. Not an easy thing to do since no one on the planet speaks it." She lead the way upstairs this time.

Turning lights off as she went, making sure things were in their proper places, her last stop was the library. Here she packed her laptop and opened a normal-looking safe set in the floor under her desk. Here she took out a leather billfold and a handful of cash. Flipping open the wallet, she counted the credit cards and stuffed the cash inside.

At his look, she shrugged again. "I like to be prepared."

He finished loading the Rover and she shut the front door, not bothering to lock it. "The security system will take care of things while I'm gone," she explained. "Normally I don't stay here during the winter because it often gets snowed in. I want being alone to be a choice, not a 'have to'. Are you one of those people who must drive?"

"I prefer drivin', if it's all the same to ya," he confessed.

"I don't mind, but I'll warn you now. I tend to fall asleep if I'm not at the wheel," she tossed him the keys. "Old age."

He caught them with one hand and pulled her close with the other. "Ya got time to change yer mind."

"After everything you did to persuade me to go?" She slid her hands inside his jacket around his waist. "I'm sure I like being with you and I want to keep on being with you. So we drive to New York. If I decide I can't take it I'll go into the city. I figure just the trip across country will tell me that much."

He pressed his lips to hers, waiting for her to respond, thrilled every time she did. Her mouth softened and parted beneath his, tempting him with her complete and enthusiastic cooperation. Reluctantly he let her go. "We better get goin' now." He opened her door. "Where's our first stop?"

Five days later, he pulled the Rover up in front of the mansion. Because they'd called from up the road, the entire team was gathered on the front steps.

"Nothing like a gauntlet." she muttered to herself.

"Losin' yer nerve, darlin'?" He grinned at her.

"I'm gonna make you pay, buddy. I just might tie *you* up next time," she told him, referring to the previous night's activities.

"Ya liked it, maybe I will." He had no shame, truly.

Professor Xavier waited in his library. He took her hand in his. "I am pleased Wolverine was able to persuade you to visit for the winter."

Charlotte smiled. "He was most persuasive. How could I resist?"

A smattering of giggles erupted behind her and was quickly shushed.

Jubilee gave her the once over, gum snapping, one hand on her hip. "How old are you again?" she asked. She hadn't decided whether or not she liked the new addition to Logan's life. She was leaning towards *not* in a big way.

"Jubilation," Ororo said disapprovingly.

"Well, she doesn't look 300 years old." Jubilee defended herself.

She was taken into the elevator and up three stories. Down the hall, Jean opened the door into a beautiful guest suite with a large four-poster bed. "The regular room you use is not available," she apologized. "Under the circumstances I thought this one would be suitable."

"And Logan is right next door," Betsy purred snidely.

"Good," Charlotte regarded the other woman with a lifted brow. "That is the only reason I came here, you know. He promised me plenty of rough and wild sex and I promised I'd come here and get sneered at. Might be an even trade, we'll have to see."

Betsy had the grace to blush at that. "I didn't mean that."

"We'll all get along just fine," Rogue gave Betsy a hard look.

A knock at the door ended the conversation.

"Logan said this is all you brought," Hank entered with her suitcase and her laptop case.

She nodded. "There are a few smaller items in the Rover, but I can get them later."

Hank cleared his throat. "I did speak to Thomas a few days ago and he mentioned that you appeared rather tired and pale when he last saw you. He asked if I would examine you."

Charlotte looked at him questioningly. "Do I look sick to you?" she asked seriously, "Logan *has* been keeping me up nights. Maybe I could use a B12 shot and some iron pills."

The women laughed at that.

He realized she was teasing and grinned. "It is good to have you here." He kissed her hand and ushered himself out of the female-dominant atmosphere.

She turned to open her suitcase and begin unpacking.

Jean offered a hand while Betsy recovered herself and eyed her wardrobe with a professional critical air.

"You didn't bring much in the way of clothing," she said. "Perhaps we can take you out shopping tomorrow?" She offered an olive branch for her earlier comment.

"I could use a good facial and manicure," Charlotte answered. "If you know a place-?"

"I know just the place. We could make it a girls day out if Charles doesn't have an early morning training session. What do you say? Jean, Rogue?"

"Ah'd like to, but Ah cain't. Mah skin, remember?"

"I'm sorry, Rogue, I didn't think." Open mouth and make room for the other foot. Must be a record.

"It's okay. Ah don't mind, really. Maybe some real shoppin' another day?"

The intercom chimed in with a call to dinner.

"It's Sam's night ta cook," Rogue said. "It's okay, most o' the time, but he's tryin' somethin' new. No tellin' how it'll turn out."

"Hey, guys," Jubilee pushed open the door. "The Prof says, like, now!"

The four women followed her out the door.

"I'll talk to Storm and let you know what time tomorrow," Betsy said as they descended in the elevator. A thought struck her. "Rogue, as long as the attendants wear gloves you'll be just fine. I'll tell them when I call for appointments."

Rogue brightened. "Yeah. Then Ah wouldn' have ta miss the fun."

In the dining room the enormous table was being readied for the evening meal. Charlotte watched Storm lay down utensils and remembered she left her blades in the Rover. With a smile to Jean, she left the room and went out the front door.

The Rover had been moved. The drive was clear.

"Lookin' for somethin', chere?"

She turned to find Gambit seated on the steps off to the side. "I left some things in the car. I didn't think it would be moved so quickly."

He vaulted lightly to his feet, offering her his arm in a gallant gesture. "I'll walk wi' you."

She smiled and took his arm. He'd seemed so much better now, almost as if Antarctica hadn't happened to him. He carried a darker aura because of his experience, but she couldn't tell if there were long lasting effects without probing his mind, and she wouldn't do that. She'd spent enough time in his head during his illness. She had dealt with her anger concerning Rogue, but still felt that killing twinge every now and then. One day at a time, one impulse at a time.

"You know," she told him companionably, "I'm still amazed so many personalities can co-exist under one roof."

"Not always peaceful here, chere. Som'times very hard. We work for de common good, neh?"

"I understand the concept, I've just been alone for a good part of the last 50 years. Got tired of people. Afraid I'll forget how to act." 'Peaceful' didn't seem to be in the X-men rules of conduct.

"Den why you here?"

"Damned if I know."

Rounding a corner she spied the Rover parked in a stall. Opening the back, she pulled her blades from under the blankets. She slipped the smaller one into its accustomed spot in her boot, was about to buckle the other around her waist, when she heard a low whistle.

"Dat a beautiful knife. Can I look?"

She handed it to him.

He pulled the knife out of the sheath and turned it in his hands, admiring the workmanship. He handed her back the knife and reached for the sword. Before she could stop him, he had it unsheathed. He stepped out into the open area and swung it several times experimentally. "A l'le light, but perfectly balanced," he said approvingly.

"It was made for me. Weight slows me down, I don't need it to swing." She took it from him, afraid he'd hurt himself. That Torelan metal would slice through anything, including adamantium.

"Jus' like Xena!" He pulled a small metal cylinder from an inside pocket. With a flick of the wrist, it telescoped into a 6' bo.

"I don't think this is a good idea," she said, knowing where his mind was headed.

"Come on, chere, fight wi' me," he coaxed.

She gave in to his playfulness, he reminded her of a younger Thomas. After sparring a few minutes she feinted to one side, ducked under the staff, whirled lightly on the balls of her feet, and brought the sword down just above his hand. Her blade sliced through the metal like butter. Then she brought her blade up sharply and knocked the end from his hand, the tip coming to rest at his throat. That brought him up short, his demonic eyes glowing with humor. She lowered her blade slowly with an answering grin. He was no Immortal, but he had potential as a practice partner. She just couldn't kill him.

"Whatcha doin' down there," Rogue's voice called from above them. She flew down and landed lightly in front of them. "We're ready ta eat." She frowned at Gambit. "Remy, where yer manners? She's a guest."

"You worry for me, chere?" he drawled, sliding his arm around her waist. She pushed him off impatiently, though gently, Charlotte noticed.

"We were just playing," she assured her. Her hand touched the sharp edge and started to bleed. "Damn!"

"Hey!" Rogue said, alarmed. She pressed her comm link. "Hank, get out here ta the garage. We got blood!"

"I'm okay," Charlotte protested. She pulled a clean rag out of the back of the open Rover and wrapped it around the cut. She used another rag to wipe the sword. It glowed dully in the setting light of the sun. "It's not serious."

Hank came running out with his doctor's bag, Logan and Bishop close behind. The last two immediately looked around for signs of danger.

"What did you do, my dear?" Hank took her hand in both of his large ones and unwrapped the bloody rag. The cut had stopped oozing blood and begun to scab over. He tut-tutted and opened his bag, pulling out antiseptic and bandages.

With no visible source of danger, Logan focused on the hapless Gambit. "If ya laid one hand on her, Cajun," he growled and released his claws, " I'm gonna skewer ya an' serve ya for dinner."

"I did not'ing," he backed up and into Bishop, who looked angry enough to hold him down while Logan prepared him for the main course.

"Both of ya simmer down," Rogue demanded, pushing Bishop and Logan away from Remy. "He didn' touch her, just ask first, why doncha? It was an accident."

"Logan," Charlotte used the hand Hank wasn't pouring over to touch his face, bringing his attention around to her. "It's all right. I did it." Sleep with a man every 50 years and he thinks he owns you.

He reluctantly retracted his claws and looked over Hank's efforts. "No one hurt ya?" He sounded disappointed.

"That is all I can do for you now," Hank taped the bandage in to place.

Not having any bad guys to slice and dice put Logan in a lousy mood. He picked up the sword and knife and tucked them under his arm and took her hand with the other, pulling her along behind him. "Everyone's at the table."

They joined an slightly irritated group waiting impatiently at the dinner table. Logan dropped her things on a side board and seated her next to Jubilee, and took the seat next to her. With a final glare at Gambit he turned his attention to his plate.

"Is everything all right?" Xavier asked again.

"It is my fault," Charlotte admitted readily. "Remy and I indulged in a bit of impromptu swordplay and I cut myself."

Talk turned toward other matters, several conversations going at once. Charlotte allowed her psychic sense to open and absorb the underlying currents between the team members. Where these people for real? she wondered. The first time she'd visited it was different, like exploring an unknown land. The natives were fascinating in their normal habitat. Now that she'd be staying for the winter, maybe, she had to become one of the natives.

Open chaos, insert soul.

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