Chapter Twenty-Seven

Anne jerked awake. She could have sworn she had heard a wild animal. She sat up and looked around; she was still in the Med Unit.

“What is it, babe?” James asked. He was lying by her side.

“I thought I heard something, must have been a dream.”

“What did you think it was?”

“Sounded like an animal growling.”

Jimmy smiled down at her, “That was me. I’m a little hungry.”

“Me, too. You could have went and got yourself something. I would have been fine.” Sometimes he was the silliest man she knew. It was goofy to lay there hungry just because she was sleeping.

“Nope, not leaving you,” he was so serious Anne laughed at him.

“You’re nuts, old man,” Anne couldn’t help herself, falling into an old pattern of behavior.

“Only when it comes to you, little girl,” Jimmy responded in time.

Anne couldn’t resist she just had to kiss him. She was so happy.

Coming up for breath she said, “I swear the roof is going to cave in at any moment. This is just too good to last.”

“I missed you too sweetheart,” was his response. His stomach growled again.

Anne giggled, “I totally agree, I’m starving too.”

“Well let’s head to the kitchen then.”

“One tiny problem, love, I don’t have any clothes.”

“Oops,” he said with a sheepish grin. “Wasn’t thinking.”

“They still keep the old uniforms down here?”

“Yep, keep’em in the locker room.”

“Still labeled?”

“Yep, babe you were an X-man?”

“Yes, get the one labeled Rebel and bring it here.”

“You are just full of surprises. Should have known you would have been one of us.”

“You’re the one that trained me to be a soldier.”

“Right, I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Ha ha, go already,” she smiled as he left.

Anne saw a cart by the door with stuff on it and two balloon bouquets. She wrapped the sheet around herself and went to inspect them.

One bouquet had a huge yellow Mylar smiley face in the middle surround by several different colored latex balloons all saying ‘Get Well Soon’. The label on it read ‘To Wolvie. From Becca and Jubilee.’ That was very sweet. Becca got her Daddy a present and doesn’t even know it. The other set of balloons were to her from the girls. Her balloons were mostly Mylar ‘Get Well Soons’ with a few purple latex mixed in.

The cart had three flower arrangements on it and four boxes of candy. The flowers were for her from Charles, Hank and Storm. The candy was also for her from Jean, Charles and Rogue and Joseph. The last box of chocolate was for both her and Logan and was from Becca and Jubilee. It seemed to Anne that those two were getting along well.

She would have to remember to thank Jubilee especially for being kind to Becca.

“Here darlin’. What’s all this?” Logan stopped at the cart. He started reading the cards.

“They wanted us to know that they care for us.”

“Becca got something for me?”

“Yea, she did.”

“I want to meet her. But first I’ve got to eat. Hurry up and get dressed. I thought we could eat in my room. I want to see my daughter before we see everyone else.”

“Sure,” Anne kissed his cheek and went back to the bedside to get dressed.

Logan turned his back to her and busied himself with reading more of the cards. He defiantly didn’t need to get distracted by her again. At least not until they had ate. He couldn’t remember the need for her being this bad before. Of course that could have been because all the times before he didn’t really remember her. Each time they had been brought back together was like meeting for the first time. They had been reunited and torn apart again and again. That was the past and he would never let it happen again.

“I won’t let it happen either,” Anne whispered behind him. Her hand touched his shoulder. Anne had heard his thoughts from across the room and wondered how.

James turned and swept her into his arms. He clung to her like a drowning man to a life preserver. She returned the same to him. Then he kissed her. Soft and sweet. “Never,” his whispered.

“Never,” she answered. “Let’s get going.”

He let her go, taking her hand.

“You look to die for in that outfit.”

“Thanks. It works.”

“What do you do? Stand there and distract the men while everyone else does the work.”

“Actually I can be pretty lethal.”

“I bet you could,” he was serious. He knew exactly what she was capable of, when it came to combat. “I’ll show you to my room then I’ll get us some food.”

“I can get there on my own,” she said.

“How?”

“I know the way. You have my old room. Remy told me.”

“Okay, see you there,” he kissed her and stepped out of the elevator onto the first floor.

Joseph saw Anne step out of the elevator and he ducked around the corner. She walked off in the opposite direction. He waited for her to round the corner and the quickly walked the length of the hall. He made it to the corner just in time to see her enter Logan’s room.

This was too good. He decided to wait and see if Logan was coming. It would be perfect if he could trick Gambit into finding the two there. Especially with her dress up like a dominatrix. That’s all he could think of with her in that outfit. A black and purple leather corseted body suit with gauntlets and thigh high stiletto boots. All she need where hand-cuffs and a whip and she would be a walking fantasy.

Joseph stood against the wall and listened for the elevator. Hopefully this wouldn’t take too long. Last he had seen of Gambit he was carrying boxes up to the third floor suite for Storm. Joseph had came back to the second floor and his room to talk to Rogue but she wasn’t there. He had been aggravated that she wasn’t there and was on his way to find her when he had caught sight of Anne.

Luck was defiantly on his side. The elevator opened and Joseph walked around the corner. ‘Great,’ he thought. It was Logan carrying a tray of food.

“Hey, Logan, you’re out of bed. This is great,” Joseph smiled at him, “I can’t wait to tell the others.”

“Joe, I’m still real tired. Do me a favor and keep this to your self for now. Alright?”

“Sure,” Joseph said. It was only a little lie; he was only going to tell one person. “Hope to see you again soon.”

Joseph made his way to the ballroom. It was his best chance at catching Gambit alone. And just his luck, Gambit was just stepping out of the room carrying two boxes.

“Can I help?” Joseph asked.

“These be the last two,” Gambit answered with an odd look on his face.

“Well as least let me carry one,” Joseph took the top box and fell in beside Gambit.

“Why you helpin’ all the sudden?”

“Well I saw Logan going into his room and thought that Rebel wouldn’t be far behind. At least according to Beast. So I thought maybe ya’ll would need more help.”

“Logan’s out?”

“Yea, I just saw him.”

“How did he look?”

“Fine to me, maybe you should see for yourself?”

“Maybe, let’s get these boxes up stairs the girls’ are gonna be thrilled that Logan’s up.”

“You know, Gambit, if you want I’ll take both boxes and you can go ahead and go see Logan. You could warn him before the ladies converge on him.”

“Good idea, give me ten, maybe fifteen, minutes then tell them.”

“Sure, you go ahead.”