The hand in hers gripped her weakly. His eyes were still closed, but they started to move beneath the lids, and his mouth opened slightly, his throat muscles contracting. An alarm went off from another machine. Jean reached over, shut off the alarm, adjusted the controls.

"What, Dr. Summers?"

"He trying to breathe on his own. I've adjusted the respirator to react when he initiates a breath instead of forcing a steady rhythm. If he's able to keep his blood oxygen level up, I should be able to extubate him tomorrow."

"That's good?"

"That's very good. He's coming out of the coma."

Jubilee smiled and squeezed his hand. "I knew you could do it."

Jubilee spent the rest of the day moving between Rogue and Logan. It was weird to see Rogue, still with so many of the angry man's behaviors. She still had to be kept in a locked room off the main med lab, but at least she'd stopped popping the claws.

Dr. Summers said it was because as the person she'd absorbed regains his powers, she loses them. With Logan's body starting to heal, Rogue's acquired abilities dulled. Still, Logan's personality didn't seem to be fading nearly as quickly.

Gambit stayed just outside the med lab for most of the day. He worried about her so much, he just couldn't stay away, even though she wouldn't see him. Or rather, even though the Logan she'd absorbed wouldn't allow her to see him. Jubilee visited him a couple of times, but she never had any good news for him.

Logan, lying in the main room got better and better. That night, while Jean was trying to convince her to leave, he'd opened his eyes for a second and looked at her before closing them again. She decided to stay right there, sleeping on the cot Jean provided.

The next day, Jubilee held his hand while Jean extubated him.

"Now, Logan. I want you to take a deep breath... Ok, now blow out like you're blowing up a balloon."

He looked at her funny and Jubilee wondered if he'd ever blown up a balloon, but then he complied, exhaling as Jean pulled the tubing from his throat.

He started coughing as Jean reached up and pulled an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. Logan took a few shuddering breaths, still coughing, and then seemed to settle down. Jean offered him some water, which he drank gratefully, then rested back against his pillow.

Satisfied that her patient was progressing well, Jean left to check up on Rogue.

Squeezing his hand, Jubilee introduced herself. "Hey, there. I'm Jubilee."

"I... know." Logan said, his throat still scratchy. "I heard ya."

"Really? I was hoping you would. You weren't doing so hot then."

"Wanted to die."

"Yeah, that's what it looked like." Jubilee replied, then slowly, not wanting to scare him off, but wanting to know, she asked, "Why did you do it, Logan?"

He took a minute, seemingly deciding whether or not to answer, then he said, "I've had a long life. *COUGH* Hmm, longer than anyone deserves, and none of it good. Marie was my last hope. The only good thing I've ever known."

"She's not a thing, Logan. She's a person, with dreams and thoughts of her own." Jubilee silently added, 'not that you could tell right now.'

"Know that now. Now, there's nothing."

"No, you still have a lot of people who care about ya. Rogue loves ya like a sister. Sure, it's not the kind of love you were looking for, but it's still love. You have a lot of people around here who care about ya. Sure, some of them are pissed at ya right now, but that doesn't mean that deep down they don't care. Heck, I hardly know ya, and I really care about ya."

"Why?"

"Ya remind me of me. I know what it's like to be alone in the world, but I've found a family here. You can too."

"You wouldn't say that if ya knew me, kid."

"Try me. Tell me what's so terrible about yourself."

"I don't 'member much," Logan tried as an excuse not to talk, although it was true that he still didn't remember a lot.

"Oh, c'mon. Tell me what you recall, then. You'd be surprised. Once, I was like..." started Jubilee.

"Can it. OK. What d'ye wanna know?"

"Dunno. Why not start with the oldest memories you've got?"

"Oldest. Kid, I can't even tell what comes first," grumbled Logan.

"You mean, like, you don't remember when you were young, and all?" she asked, startled.

Logan made a face. Young. Has he ever been young? Heck, he couldn't even tell how old he was. Most of the partial memories he had from his life before the experience with the Weapon X projects were from military events in which he had participated. Right now, he didn't want to talk about the X project. That kid by his side might not like to share such experiences. Besides, this med lab was stressing him enough already, indulging in those memories could just make things worse.

"So?" insisted Jubilee.

"All right." He paused. He'd never thought anyone would really care to hear his war experiences, what memories left he had of them. That Jubilee girl would not let him rest until she got her fill of stories. Besides, what harm could it do, as long as he made sure not to touch the Weapon X episode.

"There was this guy tied to a post..." he started.

"Whooooooaa! Hey, uh, who, when, where? I mean..." cut in Jubilee.

"Kid," growled Logan. "I'll tell you what I can recall."

"Okay, sorry. Go on. Why was he tied to a post?"

"Not sure. He's tied there to the post, in the middle of the field. I dunno where, but it's a war zone. I know that, 'cuz I've seen quite a few... I'm with five other guys in the rank. There's an officer shouting orders, and then we're all shaking and aiming at the poor guy. I can hear him cry and call for his mom..."

"Gee. That's weird..."

"Hey, you want me to stop?"

Jubilee shook her head vehemently.

"Ok. So, we aim at him, waiting for the order to fire." Logan stopped.

"What did you do?" asked Jubilee, fascinated.

"I aimed straight at his heart and fired upon order. The guy died instantly."

Jubilee's jaw dropped. "You killed him?"

Logan growled. Of course, he'd killed him. "Kid. We were all his buddies, I guess. I dunno, but then, I knew the guys wouldn't kill him. When the officer checked to make sure, the poor soul had five bullets in places that would have made him suffer for hours. My bullet made sure he didn't." "Oh." Jubilee's brain raced. Well, in some ways, one could say Logan had acted correctly under the circumstances.

"I think... I dunno... the name Brian comes to mind..."

Time to change the topic, thought Jubilee. "Ok, I'm sure you have less... er, you have some happy memories, right?"

"Happy?" Logan raised an eyebrow. "Nope. Nothin's funny in watching people die or killing them."

"Try," ordered Jubilee.

Logan thought for a minute. Happy... what happy memories did he have?

"Oh, there is that one..."

"Cool. Go ahead," invited Jubilee.

"Naw. Ye're too young to hear that, kid."

Jubilee frowned as she put her fists to her waist, determination incarnated.

"Keep yer shirt on..." Logan paused. He'd thought of another story. Where and how did it start?

"There was this guy. We ran in each other over some ruins in a farm. I think he was a Nazi or somethin'... Anyway, the guy had no chance, 'cuz y'know, I'm the best at what I do." Logan grinned. He always loved to put that somewhere in a sentence.

Jubilee rolled her eyes. At least, Logan seemed to be enjoying himself. He continued.

"So I got my blade all around his lunch bag... y'know... Couldn't use the rifle... covert operation and all..."

"Lunch bag? He carried a lunch around?" asked Jubes, puzzled.

"His stomach, kid."

"Ok, stop there. I asked, like, happy memories. You know, happy as in somethin' that made you... smile?" 'Yeah right, as if the guy could smile,' thought Jubilee.

"Lemme finish, kid," growled Logan. "The guy ain't dying, 'cuz I didn't want to kill him... well, not right there anyway. Think the squad needed informants... So I carry him back to our HQ. On the way, we stop for cover, and I decide to go through his pockets. And what do I find?"

"I wouldn't even try to guess," grinned Jubes.

"A recipe book!" At the memory, Logan's face relaxed and if the girl hadn't been around around, he would even have smiled.

"Ok, care to explain the joke?"

"See, kid, I captured a cook."

Jubilee shook her head, trying to understand.

"The guy was a cook. That meant, the whole unit would have our own private cook. Sure thing, he did fix some nice stuff with our daily rations of corned-beef!" finished Logan. "Well, until the big brass asked for him."

"Did you... uh... y'know... cut him.. with these?" asked Jubilee, motioning at his arms.

"No, kid. I didn't have them then," replied Logan, his face turning grim.

"Of course, you had them. If they're bone..." Jubilee felt her whole body stiffen. She sure regretted her last sentence. This Logan, the real one, didn't know about Rogue's claws.

"What didja say, kid?" asked Logan, staring intently at her.

"Nothing... I mean. Hey, what if I let you rest..." Jubilee stood, but a large hand grabbed hold of her wrist.

Oops. Major oops. Jubilee did the only thing that came to her mind.

~ Dr. Summers!!!!! I... I... I think that Logan would like to hear about his mutation? Like, NOW. ~

The answer came straight back.

~ Not now, Jubilee. I have a situation here. ~ replied an upset Jean.

~ Hey, I called first! What's so urgent? ~

~ Remy just crashed in here. And Logan, er... Rogue and Logan aren't too happy to see him. So you'll just have to wait. ~ explained Jean, then she closed the telepathic link.