Wolverine, Storm, Jean, Gambit and the rest of the X-Men belong to Marvel. No profit is being made by this.

Finally a Past
Part Two
By Alicia Campbell

Breakfast was over far too fast for some people. As Storm wished happy shopping to the other women, she worried about what Wolverine wanted to speak with her about.

Before she left, Rogue offered some advice. "Sugah, don't take no crap from that man. If he yells at ya, you yell right back. Kay?"

Storm laughed at the impossible Southern woman. "I will remember that, Rogue. Thank you for your advice."

"Anytime Ororo. Anytime." She stepped into the car. "Oh, and if he upsets ya, Ah'll break his neck." Rogue waved and slipped into her convertible. Storm tried to laugh.

"Storm." The voice behind her was flat and emotionless, and it startled her. She jumped and twirled around.

"Logan. You surprised me." She offered him a smile.

"Sorry. We need to talk." He held up his hand to avoid her sweet voice. He steered her over to her gardens and sat down with her at on the bench. "Look, Storm, there's no easy way to say this. I'm sorry, but I don't think we should continue our relationship. It's interfering with our work. We need to be.."

She held up her hand. "Enough said, Logan. But I do not think this has anything to do with our work." She struggled to control her composure, knowing these things needed to be said. "I think it has to do with you. Jean and Scott, Rogue and Gambit. Are you saying that they are unaffected by their relationships? They still work together. Logan, you are shutting me out. I at least to deserve the real reason why." She silently congratulated herself on saying it all.

"Ororo.." Logan's voice was filled with pain. "Everyone I've ever loved.. Well, it's done them harm. I couldn't stand to be the cause of pain to you." He looked at the ground, alarmed that he'd admitted this to her.

"Logan, perhaps your previous relationships just weren't meant to be. In any case, it is my decision to make."

"No! It's not. I refuse to let you. You don't know what you'd be getting yourself into!"

"Logan! I do know. I know more about your past than you know, or than you'd like to admit. I know the world. I know at least some about your past. I accept the danger. I accept you, as well as whatever comes with you. I shall not lose you to fear of the past." She put her hand on top of his. "Please Logan. Let me make my own decision."

Wolverine sighed. All his years of experience went against this. Against depending on someone, and against letting anyone in. But it had been so long, so long since there'd been someone he could hold and love. Someone he could talk to. Perhaps it was a chance worth taking. She seemed to think so.

"All right pretty lady. But don't say I didn't warn you." He smiled one of his rare smiles and she laughed. Then they shared a stolen kiss, oblivious to any watching eyes.

"Aw, Jeanie. Ah've seen ya try on a whole store and then go to another. Let the girl alone. Maybe there be a boy at this party..." Rogue let the sentence trail.

"Well.. You never know who'll you'll meet where," Jubilee called. She emerged wearing a scooped v-neck dress of soft blue muslin. She didn't look much like their Jubilee, but she looked great. They both told her so.

A large blush spread across her face. "You really think so?"

"You'll knock 'em dead." Jean hugged her.

"Can you guys help me with my makeup.."

A large commotion growing from the lower floor of the mall drew their attentions. It looked like a mob was forming and that was never good news.

"What's going on, sugah?" Rogue craned her neck to see.

"I'm not sure. I can only feel hate.. and fear." Jean had her eyes closed and her telepathic powers stretched out over the crowd.

"That's usually our cue to help. Sugah, get ya bags."

Jean, Rogue and Jubilee headed out into the fracas. There was a lot of yelling, but nothing that made any sense. They could see mall security trying to intervene, but to no avail.

"I'll bet it's a mutant," Jubilee muttered.

"Pro'ly our Friends of Humanity." Rogue snorted.

The three women pushed their way towards the center of the group. At the center were a large, burly man and a slender, lithe woman. The man was shouting obscene things at the girl, but she wasn't backing down from the fight. She retorted with snappish, quick remarks that only served to get him angrier.

"Please. Friends, stop this." Jean reached in and sent out calming waves to both parties. "What happened?"

"This mutie refuses to leave my business!"

Jean sighed inwardly and nodded toward Rogue, telepathically telling her they were right.

"It's a free country, bub!" Jean frowned at the word, but didn't have time to think of it. "I can come and go as I please!"

"We don't want your kind here!!!"

A chorus of "Yeahs" followed the man's statement from the crowd.

"Please. Miss, come with us before this gets out of hand. Please, no one needs any trouble." Jean's voice had always had a calming effect; coupled with her telepathic abilities, it seemed to be getting through to the woman.

"And who are you!?! More muties? Mutie lovers?"

Rogue took the cue and jumped off her feet into the air. She wasn't about to risk Jean's safety over this. She scooped up Jubilee, then Jean and the woman and soared out of the mall. Angry shouts and curses followed them.

As soon as they were outside, the woman pulled herself from Rogue. She carefully smoothed her outfit. "Thank you for your help. I'll be fine here."

"Ya keep acting like that, and ya'll be stirring up more trouble 'fore ya know it!" Rogue exclaimed.

The woman bristled. "I can take care of myself."

"Well, you don't seem like you're from around here. Is there anything we could do to help you?" Jean soothed.

"Well..." The woman looked reluctant to put herself further into these strangers' debt.

"Let me introduce my friends. My name is Jean." The pretty redhead smiled easily. "This is Rogue," she motioned at the Southern, the mostly auburn-haired woman. The woman had a white streak down the middle of her hair, but also had an easy smile. Not so trusting as Jean's, but a smile nevertheless. "And finally, this is Jubilee." With this, she pointed at the happy Chinese teenager still modeling her dress.

"Hiya," Jubilee replied.

"Well, my name is Crystal. It's been a pleasure to meet you." Crystal had obviously decided that these people had helped her and she should at least be civil to them. "I'm looking for an old friend."

"Maybe we could help, sugah. We know most of the people 'round here."

"I doubt you know him. He tends to keep.. a low profile."

Rogue raised an eyebrow. She loved a challenge and this woman sure seemed to be offering a challenge. "Go ahead, sugah."

"I am looking for Mr. Andrew Chacer. Andrew Logan Chacer. Do you know him?"

Rogue raised an eyebrow in suspicion. It sounded like... But that was unheard of. "Is he a mutant too?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" The girl's snappish tone had returned.

"Calm down, we're mutants too. We're only trying to locate your friend. Do you have a picture of him?" Jean suggested.

"How do ya know him?" Somehow Rogue had a gut feeling about this and it worried her.

"He's my brother. But we've never met. I've come a very long way and spent a very long time searching for him." She sighed. "The only picture I have of him is a baby picture and I doubt that will be much help." She produced a small picture of a smiling toddler. Still, Rogue noticed a resemblance.

"I don't know..." Jean started.

"Let's take her home and run it through Cerebro." Rogue regretted the words the second they were out of her mouth. It was a wonderful idea; Cerebro did have the capabilities to show the probable future likeness of the child. However, she wanted rid of this woman, and Rogue did NOT want her coming into their home. "Ah've got a big mouth," she muttered.

Jean was delighted and started them towards the mansion.