Wolverine--The Next Generation

The Same-Day Aftermath

*Logan’s POV*

I didn’t say a word the entire fly home. My whole body and mind just felt numb. I didn’t even get nauseous when we took off or hit turbulence. I just sat back in my seat, clutching Jimmy in my arms. I thought about that little girl that I pulled out from beneath the rubble. She didn’t deserve to die. I’ve seen people die countless times, but it was people that earned death and had what was coming to them. It wasn’t children… it was people that were trying to harm them.

We got back to the mansion ten minutes later. Scott carried Adra to the infirmary. I helped Jean show the students to their dorms. Jean pointed something out to me after we showed the last student, Hong-li, his room. “Logan, what are we going to do with Jimmy? He really shouldn’t stay here, since he’s not a mutant.” I looked down at the little blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy holding my hand. He looked up at me with pleading eyes, like he was begging me not to let him go. I looked back up at Jean, “Let’s talk to the professor, see what he thinks.” Jean offered her hand to Jimmy, but he just moved closer to me, almost like he was afraid of her. “I’m not going to harm you. You don’t have to be afraid.” Jimmy looked up at me, like he wanted me to confirm what Jean had said. “It’s alright. Go ahead. Take her hand.” He took Jean’s hand hesitantly, but didn’t let go of mine. Hand-in-hand… in-hand, we walked to Professor Xavier’s office. I knocked on his door and he told us to come in. The three of us walked in. “Hello Logan, Jean,” he said nodding to each of us. He rolled out from behind his desk and looked at Jimmy, “Hello, young fellow. Who might you be?” He kind of hid behind me shyly, “Jimmy.”

“Well, Jimmy, we need to figure out where you are going to stay. Do you know where your parents are?” His lips started quaking and tears fell from his eyes, “They were in the building. I got outside before it happened. They were up high…” He didn’t finish his sentence because he started crying harder. He hugged my leg and I picked him up and held him against me. Jimmy wrapped his arms around my neck and cried into my shoulder. A look of sadness came over Professor X’s face, “Poor child. He needs somewhere to stay, but I am hesitant about keeping him here. I don’t know how well having a normal child staying in a mutant school will go. Some of the students may view him as a threat.” I looked at Xavier in disbelief. “A threat? He’s five years old for God’s sake!”

“True. Throw that point aside. Where are we going to room him?”

“Room him with Rogue or Bobby Drake. Hell let him stay with Storm!” He thought about it for a minute then replied, “I think it would be too risky letting him stay with Rogue. Storm’s room has an extra cot. He’ll stay there for the time being.” He put two fingers to his temples and closed his eyes for about 10 seconds, almost looking in a hypnotized state. He opened his eyes. “Storm is coming to meet the boy. She’ll take him in for now.”

“Good. I’d let him stay with me, but after what happened last night with Marissa… I just don’t want to risk it.”

“Wise decision, Logan.” Right then, Storm walked into Xavier’s office. She stood beside me and looked at Jimmy. “Is this him, Logan?”

“Yeah. Jimmy?” He looked at me, then Storm, then back at me. “This is Storm. You’re going to be staying in her room, okay? Just for a little while, okay?” Jimmy shook his head in protest, “No. I want to stay with you, Logan.” This kid just doesn’t want to let me go. I exhaled sharply, exasperated. “Jimmy, you can’t stay with me. People tend to get hurt around me. I don’t want to hurt you. Understand?” He nodded his head slowly. “Yes, sir.”

“Can you go with Storm now? I promise she’s not going to hurt you.” He nodded his head and I put him down. Storm offered her hand to him and he took it, reluctantly. As he was walking away with her, he gazed back at me over his shoulder with the saddest look I’ve ever seen on a kid. Xavier spoke up, “He feels as though you’re abandoning him, Logan. Not to mention he’s terrified of everybody else around him. You’re the only one he does not fear.”