"That explains a few things." was all he said at first. "Next question." He felt her grow nervous. "Was gonna ask why ya let no one near ya, but I think I can just look into my own heart for that answer. When was the last time you weren't alone?"

Raven was startled by the question, she could feel that he geniunely cared, was interested. "When I was about fourteen, my parents passed on to the next world. I had known of my gifts for a few years, my parents taught me, I was accepted, I was loved. I inherited both of their gifts. Then they were killed in a car accident, and I was alone." Logan could feel her anguish, felt her heart cry out at the memory, he wanted to comfort her, wanted to protect her from the past, but knew it was impossible, just as nothing could protect him from his past, he couldn't protect her from hers. "My grandfather and my mother's mother both argued over me, like I was a piece of property, my grandfather won in the end; he was in the country, my mother's mother was and still is in Japan. Grandfather taught me all about my heritage from his side, I learnt very little from him about my Japanese heritage, so when I was of age, I left him to go learn from her." Raven cringed at the memory, again Logan felt the suffering of her past, and again she felt his wish to help her. "I spent a few years in Japan learning of my heritage, but I didn't like what I learned, so I left. My mother's mother is a power telepath and empath, she still has her hooks in, and still communicates with me. My grandfather is more mundane and phones me. But it does not matter, to finish your question, since my parent's left me thirty four years ago, I have been alone. I have had distant friends, but no one who accepts me and loves me for me." Silence filled the air, Raven just enjoyed the strength that came from Logan, while he could feel her surprise that he had yet to pull away.

Why hadn't he pulled away? Was it that this girl, this woman, had felt and endured so many of the same things as him? Was is that he felt for her? He didn't know. "Yer turn."

"Who hurt you so badly, Logan? Why is it that when I touch you I can feel the pain of a wound of the heart years old that has still not healed?"

Logan found himself telling her all about Jeanie, about Scott, and the circumstances involved, how even now when he glanced at Jeanie, even though she was married to Scott, how he felt longing and his heart tear. Raven was a solid, sympathetic presence the entire time.

"I can help you." She offered tentatively. He could feel her nervousness about the offer but it also masked whatever else she was feeling.

"How do ya think ya can do that?" He asked suspiciously.

"I'm not just a doctor. I'm a healer, I can heal physical wounds with my hands, I can also heal mental wounds. I will not take away the memory, or the love. I will not take anything from you, I will just heal the wound so you can deal with it, so your heart doesn't break every time you see her, so you don't ache with longing every time you see her with her husband.." She thought she might have lost him, lost the tentative trust and tentative friendship based on mutal understanding, but he didn't pull away from her. He just sat there silently, his emotions chaotic. "Please, let me?"

"Why? What do ya gain? What do ya get out of it?"

Raven smiled softly, "Not healing would be the same as you not protecting. You protect the innocent and the weak, I heal the hurt and weak. Is it so different?"

Logan jerked his hand away. "So now I'm weak, eh?"

"Hardly. But you are hurt. Why is it that the male ego is so fragile and sensitive that it has to take insult where it can?"

"'Cause when a dog has been kicked a lot, it 'spects to be kicked more." It was his turn to sigh. "Alright. Do yer thing. But, if fer any reason..." he let the threat trail off.

"I understand." the two words meant more than the obvious, went layers. She tooks placed her hands on his temples, brushing aside the tangles of hair. "Relax." she whispered. He could feel her presence fold around him, like a mother bird settling its wings around its chick, he could feel her warm presence inside him, he didn't like it. He'd never liked head-invasions, but he dealt with it. She could feel his hostility but wasn't surprised, there was always hostility. She found the wound and closed it, stitching it up with her gift as she would a cut with thread. He could feel something being changed, his heart didn't ache so much, didn't cry out, didn't bleed as it seemed to so often. She filled the wound with her gift, sealing up the slash. She withdrew as carefully and softly as she had entered, careful to do nothing to startle the beast within. She settled back, looking at him.

"I feel better. Different." He pulled out a cigar and lit it, obviously taking an internal inventory. "Still love 'er, but, it's different. Still wanna be with 'er, but not the same. Can almost accept she's with Scott. Easier to take."

"Then I did everything I meant to. There will always be the scar, there will always be the longing and the love, but now it should be dealable, it should be healthier, if you see my meaning?"

"Yup." Wolverine looked her over. "Only got one thing to offer ya as payment."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "I did not ask for payment nor do I expect it."

"Didn't say ya did, but it's only right" Wolverine stood, letting out a breath he felt he'd been holding for an eternity. "Won't go after yer granddaddy."

He knew by the look on her face that it was the best thing he could have ever done. To kill the family of a friend, no matter what that family had done, just wasn't right and while he may not always do what was right, sometimes he managed it. He offered his hand, which she took to hop down from the table, he pulled her against him and gave her a soft kiss. She felt his loneliness, he felt hers, she also felt his offered friendship and gave hers in return.

They parted soon after, he going back to his team, and her to hers. Yet, she knew if she ever needed him she could count on him, as he knew the same for her.