Who Needs Powers?

Chapter 10: I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home

When they did finally get back, and the little group was out of the jet, they didn't waste one second on the lab — not when the kids had heard the jet come in and half of them were bouncing at the door to the hangar just waiting for them to return.

K gave Logan a kiss as Katie tackled Clint, positively attached to him in a hug as she gushed about how much she'd missed him and was he okay and did he fight any bad guys and why was he gone so long and could she hug him again...

Charles stayed behind to make sure that they found their way to the lab, though the adults were just through the doors when Scott stepped around the corner with James, looking overly relieved to see them.

James was still clearly down — all the way up until he spotted his parents, that is. And then it was everything Scott could do to stop him from falling backward out of his arms as the little guy twisted and tried to reach for them. Logan picked him up first, and the little guy couldn't stop himself from pulling his hair if for no other reason than because he didn't want to let go once he was holding on. But that only lasted long enough for him to gum Logan's cheek and get in a solid snuggle before Logan was utterly abandoned as James tried to dive for his mother.

K scooped him up and snuggled in, letting him get it out of his system, wordlessly babbling and cooing as he went between holding tight to Mom and double-checking that his father was still there, too. There were more than a few times when he'd pick himself up entirely and lean for Logan just long enough for Logan to rest his hand on the back of James' head and give him a little kiss before he went right back to his mom.

"He missed you lots," Katie said, holding Clint's hand as she came over to Logan.

"Totally mutual," Logan said, resting his hand on her head. "You okay, kiddo?"

Katie nodded and then let go of Clint to hold her hands up for him to pick her up, wrapping her arms around his neck once he did. "I was really scared," she told him in a small voice.

Logan wrapped her up and held onto her as tightly as she needed and kissed the top of her head. "I'm real hard to get rid of, little darlin'. Even if it takes me some time to get back once in a while."

"Yeah, but I was real scared," she whispered. "'Cause of how I love you."

"I'm sorry to hear you were that scared," he said in a rumble. "But we weren't gonna leave you here without us."

"Yeah, but..." Katie picked her head up so Logan could see how honestly worried she was. "My first dad got killed by bad people, and I don't want it to happen to you too!"

Logan leaned his head closer so he could rest his forehead against hers. "Do you know how long I've been fighting bad guys?"

"Longer'n I've been born?" Katie asked.

"Longer'n the professor and his friend have been born."

Katie's eyes went wide. "That's really long, 'cause of how the 'fesser is so old he lost all his hair and stuff."

"I know," Logan said. "And they're older'n dirt, so that just means I've been around for a lot."

"And you're not gonna get killed by bad guys?"

"Sweetheart, it's really, really hard for me to be hurt for long. It'd be real tough for one of 'em to take me out." He let out a breath and gave her another tight hug before he let her slip down. "When you're older, I'll explain it a little better, but me an' K both aren't goin' anywhere."

"Okay," she said, stealing one more hug before she'd let him set her down. "Good, 'cause I love you, Daddy. Lots, okay? And lots."

"Love you too, punkin'," he said. "Now, you wanna go help your big brother get checked over? We all gotta go see big Blue to make sure no one's gonna try to follow us."