With everyone gone, the mansion was very quiet. Logan and Retley were in the rec room watching TV. Logan was currently in charge of the remote, clicking speedily through the many channels. Retley could barely see what was on before he would click to the next channel. Finally she leapt at him and grabbed the remote. Unfortunately he counterattacked before she could even change one channel. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto his lap. She stretched her arm away to keep it out of his reach, but he started tickling her and she dropped it, trying to ward him off.

Logan picked up the remote, keeping an arm around Retley's waist, not letting her go. They got comfortable and eventually decided on a movie to watch.

When the movie was finally over Logan looked down to see that Retley had fallen asleep. He carefully picked her up in his arms and took her up to her room. He gently tucked her in and brought the covers up to her chin. She looked so innocent and peaceful. He was sure her dreams weren't haunted by nightmares like his were.

He leaned over, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. On impulse he softly kissed her forehead and turned to go. He was stopped when felt a hand lightly grasp his wrist. He turned to see a sleepy-eyed Retley smiling up at him. He froze. She was so beautiful. He still was unable to move when she slowly raised herself to her knees on the bed. She hesitantly raised her hands, placing one on each side of his face. He closed his eyes; if he kept looking at her he wouldn't be able to control himself.

He about lost it when he felt her brush her lips lightly across his forehead, then his cheeks, then finally his mouth. It was so light he barely felt it. But the instant her lips touched his he was lost. He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her against him, crushing his mouth to hers. He heard her gasp in surprise and it drove him wild.

He started to slowly lower her onto the bed, not breaking contact with her mouth. He wanted to lose himself in her; his body was telling him to, his mind was screaming no. Somehow he was able to pull himself away. He was still above her, holding himself up with his arms. "Darlin', we shouldn't." He knew they shouldn't. Part of him wanted her to make him stop, the other willed her not to.

She put her finger to his lips to silence him, a soft smile on her face, her eyes dark with passion. "Are you sure?"

She answered by putting her hands behind his head, lacing her fingers through his thick black hair and pulling his mouth toward hers ...

The next morning Retley awoke within the warm embrace of Logan's arms. She felt so safe there. All the rest of the world melted away. Her head against his chest, she could hear his strong heartbeat. She looked up at his face, to find him staring back at her. He put a finger under her chin, bringing her face up to meet his. "You alright?" She nodded and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, softly kissing the base of his throat.

A few moments later Retley suddenly rolled away and hopped out of the bed, grabbing the sheet with her. Although she was covered up, it left Logan quite exposed. Totally ignoring his lack of attire, he put his hands behind his head. With a content, yet slightly smug smile on his face, he asked, "Where do ya think yer goin'?" She smiled and pointed toward the bathroom. "To take a shower?" She nodded. He smiled wickedly. "Can I join ya?" Her eyes widened. He suddenly grabbed at the sheet, trying to pull her back.

She ditched the sheet and made a run for the bathroom.

When Retley was finally able to make it downstairs it was practically the afternoon. Logan was currently taking a shower.

She was chopping up some vegetables to snack on when Jean came into the kitchen. Surprised she asked, 'Jean, I thought you guys weren't supposed to be back yet?'

"When we got to Colorado, it didn't take us long to wrap things up. We just got back. Hank and the Professor are here too."

'Oh.' Retley turned back to her vegetables. Jean tried to scan Retley's mind, but she couldn't read anything.

Jean smiled, narrowing her eyes at Retley. "What are you hiding?" She asked playfully.

Retley slightly blushed. 'I don't know what you're talking about,' she said lightly.

"You're hiding something; I know it."

'What makes you say that?' Her eyes were wide with innocence.

Just then a freshly showered Logan came into the kitchen. Jean didn't need Retley to answer, because Logan's mind was easy enough to read. And what she saw in his mind shocked her.

She turned to Retley. 'You didn't?!'

Retley looked at Logan, realizing Jean had read his mind. Damn the man for not keeping his thoughts to himself. She turned back to Jean. 'It appears I did,' she noted innocently. Jean just shook her head and smiled, leaving the kitchen.

Logan came up behind Retley, putting his arms around her waist and nuzzling the side of her neck. She playful pushed him away with her elbow, turning around and pointing the knife she was holding at him. Logan laughed, putting his hands up in surrender. He grabbed a cup of coffee and retreated to go find the paper.

Retley continued to cut up the veggies. She couldn't believe what she had done last night. It was so completely unlike her. Heck, she barely dated while growing up.

Retley, not paying attention, let the knife slip, cutting the palm of her hand. She dropped the knife and grabbed the kitchen towel, applying pressure to the cut. Her eyes were shut tight, the cut had really hurt, but the pain seemed to be numbing.

Logan walked in and saw Retley standing there, clutching her hand with a towel that was covered with blood. He grabbed her hand and looked at the bloody palm. He couldn't see the cut so he brought her over to the sink and put it under the running water. The blood washed away, but Logan couldn't find a cut.

He grabbed her other hand, which was unmarked too. He looked confusingly at Retley. "What happened?" Her eyes still closed she nodded toward the vegetables. There next to them was a knife; the blade covered with a strip of blood. "Where were you cut?" At this she opened her eyes and looked down at her hands; they were unmarked. She looked at Logan confused.

Walking slowly over to the knife, she picked it up, placing the tip against her palm. Pressing it into her flesh, she made a small cut. Logan grabbed the knife from her and took her cut hand. Before their eyes the cut began to heal. Within seconds, the cut was gone. They looked at each other, both wide-eyed.

"We better go talk ta Hank."

"I must say Miss Marks, you are full of surprises."

Retley gave Hank a weak smile as he continued to run the tests.

"Well ... it appears, my dear, that you are in fact a mutant."

She simply gave him an astonished look.

The Professor, who had joined them a few minutes ago, spoke up. "But Hank, I thought you confirmed earlier that she wasn't a mutant?"

"Earlier, Professor, she wasn't. Several of the tests had confirmed that. I am truly confused. It appears she has somehow taken on Logan's healing factor." Hank rubbed his forehead. "Well…my hypothesis is that her mutation is to take on other mutant's powers. My guess is that it was previously undetectable because she had not taken on any mutation. It is obviously not involuntary; or else she would have taken on everyone else's powers. Of course the duration in which she has the powers is undetermined. I can't tell if she has taken on Logan's healing factor permanently or temporarily. I…" Hank let out a loud sigh. He couldn't explain it. Even if a mutant's powers hadn't manifested yet, it was always detectable through tests. But why was hers undetectable before?

There was silence for awhile, until Logan spoke. "We otta tell her."

Retley looked at the Professor. 'Tell me what?'

Hank and the Professor looked at each other. "I don't think it is an appropriate time," the Professor stated.

"Now's as good a time as any," Logan growled out. "She needs ta know."

Retley was still looking at the Professor. 'Know what?'

Nobody said anything.

Finally Retley bashed her fist down onto the examining table. She glared at Charles, 'I've been patient with you guys. But now I think you better tell me what's going on. And you don't have to beat around the bush, just tell me straight.'

He let out a sigh. This wasn't the easiest thing to tell someone. He collected his thoughts. Then, looking at Retley, he started to explain. "As you know Retley, Dr. Treager studied mutant genetics. Well, some twenty years ago he created an experiment. Its purpose, we believe, was somewhere along the lines of predicting the evolution of mutants." He paused, looking away from Retley. "You were that experiment."

She simply stared at him.

"We do not know all of the details," Hank provided. "It appears you were created by Dr. Treager, but then sent away to keep you from falling into the wrong hands. We—"

He was cut short by Retley raising her hand to silence him. To hell with the details. She didn't was to hear any more. That fact that she was an experiment created in a lab was enough.

Her eyes were clenched closed, in a vain attempt to stop the tears. She suddenly turned and ran from the med lab.

Logan started to go after her, but was stopped by Hank's hand on his shoulder. "She really should be alone right now."

Logan forcefully shrugged of Hank's hand. "Like hell!"

He then raced past the two men to go after Retley.

Logan had a pretty good idea where to find her. As he suspected, there she was by the lake, where the two of them often sat. She was curled up with her knees to her chin. Her face buried in her hands.

He quietly approached her, sitting down next to her. He put his arm around her shoulders. She turned in his arms to bury her face in his chest, grabbing hold of the front of his shirt as if her life depended on it. She was crying so hard, she was shaking. He kept his arms around her, holding her close, letting her cry.

When she had stopped shaking, Logan said softly, "I understand how ya feel."

Her face still against his chest, she shook her head.

"Yeah, darlin', I do."

She pulled back to look up at him. Her tear-stained face looking at him curiously.

He lifted a hand and extended his claws. Retley couldn't help but jump. He was silent for some time before he spoke. "Ya see…someone put these things in me. I don't remember who, but…" He cleared his throat. "I didn't have a choice. I know what it's like ta be an experiment."

She looked from him, to his claws. When she looked back, the expression in her eyes had changed. Instead of anger and pain at what she had discovered, they showed a different kind of pain. Pain for him. He retracted his claws.

She took a hold of his fist in both of her hands, bringing them up to place a kiss on his knuckles, where his claws had been. She then opened his fist to place another soft his on his palm. Then she turned her face to lean her cheek against his hand. After a few moments she put her arms around his neck and hugged him. They just held each other, in a silent understanding.