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N’Dare Rose Howlet was crying like mad. It wasn’t silent little sobs, it was an cry of outrage. Tears streamed down her cheeks, blending with snot.

“I DON’T WAN’T HIM TO LEAVE!” She bellowed at the top of her lungs. Logan gritted his teeth at the sound of the little ones wailing. He shared a painful look with his wife.

“What’s that sound?” Jimmy pretended to look everywhere, and the girl sitting at the backseat of the car, let go of a glass shattering scream. He winched like his father did.

“Whatever you do son, don’t make her repeat that line” Logan lifted the box and followed his wife as she hurried with a smaller box up the stairs to the building. Two trucks were parked at the street, and Jimmy had marveled at how his mother, and Bellas mother seemed to think that there was space enough in that apartment to hold two truckloads of furniture, kitchen ware and God knows what. He wasn’t alone. His father and Mr LeBeau had grumbled, while helping them to load, and now unload. Bella was currently inside, arranging the plants his mother previously had carried up. Bellas little brother was two years older than N’Dare, and seemed much more content to let his sister go. He sighed and crouched so that he could look through the open car window at the little white haired banshee.

“ What’s this howling about Deedee? It hurts my ears, you know that don’t you?” Her crying didn’t stop, her little arms where folded and she turned her head from him.

“Won’t you come out? Please?” He regretted to be this close to her when the next scream seemed to shatter the air.

“I DON’T WAN’T TO!” He would be deaf for weeks.

“Please Dedee, I need you to tell me what you think about my place. You know…if you don’t like it, I won’t have it” Her crying stopped almost instantly. Se turned her sky-colored eyes to him, suspiciously. For a three year old, she had very strong opinions about anything.

“I promise you, if you don’t like the place, we will pack up and leave. Bella would be upset, but your opinion is important to me. But..” He looked sternly at her, as he saw hope lit up her tear streaked face.

“You have to promise to be honest, right? You will follow me up and look around. Then you will tell me truthfully what you think about it.” She sniffed once and dried her eyes with the back of one hand.

“Charlie is inside with Bella. And Uncle Remy is there too. He promised me that he would show you his card tricks, but only if you come out. And if you like my apartment, we will have a party and invite all your friends. Uncle Hank and aunt Cecilia will be invited and their little baby twins” She lit up at that. She adored Hank and Cecilias twins.

“Really?” she asked her big brother. He nodded solemnly

“Really. Now...are you coming?” It took a few moments before she nodded. He opened the car door, but didn’t help her out of the chair (as a three year old, she could manage anything by herself). She took his outstretched hand and jumped down to the pavement. They met their parents at the door.

“Daddy, daddy! Jimmy said he won’t move if I don’t like it!” Logan raised an eyebrow at his son. But it was Ororo who spoke

“James?”

“If she gives me an honest opinion yes. I can’t live in a place my sister don’t like. I can’t take the risk she wouldn’t come and visit me. Right?” He winked at them, something the snow-haired little girl missed. She tugged his hand impatiently and he let her drag him on.

Their parents stood and watched them go inside the tall building. Logan circled his arm around his wife’s waist.

“How ya holding up darlin?” he asked, sensing sadness in her. She sighed and edged closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“It is harder than I imagined it would be. Letting him go after 19 years…”

“He needed a place for himself and the girl. And he’s only an half an hour away from us.”

“I know Logan…but it is still difficult. I am afraid it will feel empty and I will worry that he won’t eat properly.” He laughed suddenly.

“You don’t need ta worry about that darling. He’s learned ta cook pretty decent meals, he learnt that from the best, and he cleans his plate three times”

“That he learned from the best” She smiled at him. Father and son seemed to compete who could eat the most, not minding her disapproval at their slobbering.

“Bella is a good girl, and can take care of him.”

“Yes she is a wonderful young woman and I love her like my own daughter.”

“And you do realize that the little whirlwind we created will fill up the space after him?” She chuckled

“Yes, N’Dare Rose is a quite willful child.”

“Saying the least. She is a handful and more. Imagine what it would be like when she becomes a teenager. Could we ship her off to yer relatives in Africa? I’d like ta keep my sanity a bit longer. ” He grinned when she hit him on his shoulder. But she responded his smile with her own. Their youngest child had a hot temper, and they both claimed she got it from each other.

“Better darlin?”
She nodded and hugged him.

“I love you Logan”

“Love ya too ‘Ro.”
Ororo bent forward and planted a kiss on his lips, a soft stroke, that he turned to a deeper kiss.

“Quit slobbering ye two! There’re children about!” Rogue didn’t sound a bit upset. She grinned at her two best friends as she walked toward them.

“Ah think they’re settled now. Remy’s still up there winning the heart of Deedee. Ah’ve got a serious competition”

“It is the price you must pay when you marry the most charming thief in the world Anna-Marie”

“It’s a curse” Both women laughed and Logan growled which made them laugh harder.

“wat’s so funny?” Remy came towards them, carrying the obviously enthralled girl while his son walked next to them, shooting annoyed looks at Deedee. Rogue scooped him up, which made him shout with glee.

“Nothin” Logan grumbled, and Ororo shook her head smiling. Turning Logan looked at the street sign with a furrow between his brows.

“Lehnsherr street. Hmph. My kid is living in the street named after one of the biggest fuc…screw ups in history. Never thought I’d see da day”

“Much have changed mon ami. Wen Magneto died defending Genosha from the last wave of Sentinels, he was officially declared a hero. By both mutants and humans. His death gave Genosha and other mutant haven’s amnesty.”

“No need ta give me history lessons gumbo. I was there.” Silence fell between the adults and they contemplated the changes in their life. Both good and bad. They had lost friends, too many friends to reach part of the dream. Mutants lived in peace at least in Genosha and other havens, but still there were many parts in the world where they still were hunted. They were still X-men. There had been talk of disbanding, but as long as there were threats to both humans and mutants they couldn’t leave their responsibilities, even that many of them now had families.

Deedee reached her little arms out to her father and he scooped her up. He could still feel amazement and a slight disbelief when he saw his children and his wife. Many years ago he wouldn’t have believed he could have a family of his own. Who of them ever did? That playful and often seen as the class clown Bobby Drake would marry first of them all and now had three kids. That Jean who returned re-married Scott and finally could have children that weren’t born in an alternate reality? Hank and Cecilia adopted children, and now despite what the devoted scientist had believed Cecilia had given birth to twins, making them a family of six. Rogue and Gambit had their family and maybe most surprising of them all, he, Logan had too. A wife that loved him and owned his heart and soul and the children. James had came early in their marriage. He had been afraid to have kids, even opposed to the notion when Ororo first brought it out. One reason was that he wasn’t sure that the lethal virus he once was infected with was really removed and he didn’t want to leave her alone to raise a kid by herself. The other reason was that he would fail as a parent. But when James was born, he couldn’t escape the feelings. How could he protect himself from child’s love and trust? He still worried that he would fail, but now that James was grown and was moving out, he couldn’t be more proud of the kid. And perhaps of himself.

It was as if ‘Ro sensed his thoughts because she gave him a amused look. He grinned at her. Deedee pulled at his sideburns like she used to do when she was just a few months old, and giggled when he growled playfully. She had come late in their marriage, when they almost had given up hope of getting more children. They had miscarried one, which if it wasn’t for James and their strong love could have destroyed them.

“Are ya comin to the barbeque tonight? Ah’m gonna try keep Hank from burning the steak’s too much”

“No, we will just leave N’Dare at your house. Would you mind having her over the night?” Ororo asked stroking strands of white hair from the little girls forehead.

“Ofcourse not sugah. So what are ya up to?”

“It’s our anniversary” replied Ororo with a smile

“Oh mah God, Ah’d forgot. How many years? Twenty? Congratulations!” Impulsive as ever, Rouge, with her son in her arms strode to hug both Ororo and Logan.

“ Twenty, Jeesus. Ah’m feeling old! So how are ya gonna celebrate it? Romantic dinner at a fancy restaurant?” She asked with a huge grin, knowing that wasn’t Logan’s thing.

“Nope we’re goin huntin” He shot a look at his wife, a look she recognized all too well, and he had to bite back a growl when he picked up “that- scent from her.

“We better erect the forcefields. Storms puts a damper on barbecue’s” Remy added dryly.

After saying goodbye to the young couple and giving them well wishes they made ready to go back home.

“I’m gonna mejjy uncle Jemy when I’m big, daddy” Deedee declared confidently, which made the older women start laughing again. Logan couldn’t help but laugh himself.

“Now that would be a nightmare”





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