Kit felt like her body had been dipped in kerosene and set on fire. Her chest burned most of all and she moaned softly in her sleep. She felt a soft hand touch her face and she opened her eyes.

"Mum?" she whispered, staring at the beautiful face framed in white light. Her mother nodded, smiling, and again reached out to touch Kit's chest, easing the burning somewhat. "Am I dead?" Her mother shook her head and caressed Kit's broken wrist, relieving the pain there as well. "I miss you, Mum." With another, gentle smile, Kit's mother bent and kissed her forehead before Kit woke up with a gasp, staring up at the ceiling of a room she didn't know.

"Kit?" It took her a second to place the voice and the scent, then she turned her head to look at Logan. He took his feet down off the bed and reached for her hand.

"Hi. Where am I?"

"Professor Xavier's. They came n' picked us up. How ya feelin'?" he asked, his voice gentle as he studied her bruised face.

"Like hell. How are you, love? He hurt you pretty badly." She tried to sit up, but thought better of it very quickly, sinking back onto the pillow.

"All he did t' you an' yer worried about me." He shook his head and sat beside her on the bed, holding her hand in his lap. "You shoulda left when I told ya to."

"I couldn't leave you there after everything you did for me. I may not be much of a fighter, Logan, but I will defend what's important to me."

"Ya did a good job, darlin'. Put some hurtin' on him he won't forget." She smiled and brought his hand to her mouth to kiss it lightly.

"So, I guess you got me here after all," she teased, then her smile faded. "I'm sorry I made you stop. None of this would've happened if I hadn't."

She winced as the overhead lights snapped on and Logan whirled to glare at the person at the door.

"Wolvie? They said you were hurt," Jubilee whispered and he got off the bed to face her, his face softening. He opened his arms to her and she ran over to hug him.

"Nah, can't hurt an old Canucklehead like me, kid," he assured her, trying not to grunt in pain as she squeezed him hard. "Wantcha t' meet someone, Jubilee. This is Kit. She saved my life. Kit, this is Jubilee." Jubilee regarded Kit warily.

"Oh. Nice t' meet ya. I knew something had happened to you, Wolvie. I told the professor something was wrong. I'm glad you're home, though." She hugged him again then headed back out, turning at the door. "Well, thanks, I guess," she said to Kit and closed the door behind her.

"Cute little hurricane," Kit joked and Logan chuckled, sitting on the bed again. "I don't remember much after he had you pinned down, Logan. What exactly happened? And who was that walking pile of ugliness?"

Logan told her of his history with Sabretooth, but was saved from telling her what he had done to her by Hank McCoy's appearance. Logan got off the bed with some relief, letting Hank introduce himself to her.

"My name is Dr. Hank McCoy, Miss—"

"Kit," she replied, a bit stunned by his appearance but too polite to say so. He was aware of it though and chuckled as listened to her heartbeat and lungs then checked her pulse.

"A great pleasure to meet you, Miss Kit. I believe we owe you some thanks for keeping Logan alive long enough to bring you to us. Hm. Your pulse seems a bit fast. Perhaps I should have Logan leave the room?" he teased and she blushed. "I am sorry, Miss Kit, I could not resist. I'm certain he does you much more good by staying than if he were to leave. Now then, how are you feeling?"

"Alive, due in no small part to you, I'm certain. Thank you."

"I merely facilitated the repairs, Miss Kit. The blood transfusion you received from Logan should also help speed your recovery." Her eyes widened and she stared at Hank.

"Blood transfusion?" He cleared his throat and looked at Logan with raised brows. He shrugged and sank down onto his own bed.

"Yes. He knew you had lost a lot of blood when you arrived and wished to be of some assistance. And, if I may say, he was correct in that you do have the most interesting eyes." Kit was speechless and looked from one man to the other. "Well, I shall leave you to get some more rest, then, and will see the both of you in the morning. Sleep well."

"Hank, you mind turnin' off the damn lights on yer way out?" Logan asked gruffly, a little embarrassed. McCoy snapped them off without comment and closed the door behind him.

"Why did you do that?" Kit asked quietly, seeing him as easily in the dark as he saw her.

"Didn't want the lights on."

"You know what I mean. Would you come here, please?" She shifted over a little painfully to give him more room on the bed beside her and reached for his hand as he sat next to her.

"I wasn't ready t' let ya go, just yet. 'Sides, I owed ya. A life for a life, Kit."

"Logan, I don't know quite what to say, other than thank you."

"No need."

"I love you, Logan," she whispered, reaching for his hand.

"Yeah, well..."

"You don't like it, do you?"

"Not really. Puts you in too much danger, Kit. Anyone connected t' me stands t' get hurt, either by me or because of me."

"That doesn't seem to worry your friends here. I think it scares you for more reasons than that." Kit let go of his hand to reach out and caress his cheek. "I'm sorry. As soon as I can, I'm going to leave."

"Like hell you will!" he snapped, grabbing her hand. "You think I'm gonna let you waltz outta here alone when that sadistic piece o' slime knows who you are?"

"Well, love, that puts us in a bit of a bind. You don't want me near you for fear I'll get hurt, but you don't want me away from you for the same reason. Now what?"

"Shut up and go t' sleep," he growled at her and shifted till he was lying beside her, his arm thrown over her stomach. Kit sighed and snuggled closer, drifting to sleep quickly.

In the morning, Hank ran a series of test on both of them. Logan was nearly completely healed and Kit was well on her way. The bruises on her face and body had faded to a pale yellow and she was able to get out of the bed slowly, leaning on Logan only at first. Her wrist was healing nicely and Hank expected she would be able to have the cast removed in only a couple days. Her cracked ribs had knitted well and her concussion was almost nonexistent. Even her punctured lung had sealed itself.

"I must say, I am amazed, Kit. I had no idea Logan's healing factor would adapt to your system so well," Hank commented as he studied his tests and x-rays. "I would say if you would care to spend one more night here in the infirmary, we should be able to have a room ready for you. I know the professor is anxious to talk with you as well."

"No need for her t' spend another night here, Hank, if she's just waitin' on a room. She's got a place t' stay," Logan stated, his arms folded over his chest. Kit, sitting in a chair, pushed herself up and Logan reached for her quickly to steady her.

"Ah, I see," Hank murmured, watching the look they exchanged. He nodded, his suspicions confirmed. "Well, then, when you are feeling up to it, the professor and the rest of the X-men would be most honored to meet you, Kit. He has invited you to join us for dinner tonight, in fact."

"Tonight?" Kit panicked, her hand gripping Logan's tightly.

"I'll be with ya, honey. It ain't like anyone's gonna tear ya apart. They'll like ya, Kit, ya gotta trust me," he added softly, taking her upper arms in his hands.

"I trust you," she stated after a deep breath.

"Wonderful. I shall make sure another place is set for you. Kit, we are glad to have you here," Hank told her, laying a kind hand on her shoulder, and she thanked him. "Logan, why don't you get the young lady settled? Perhaps she would like to see the grounds?"

"Good idea."

Logan took Kit by the hand and led her to his room. It was a relatively small room, very masculine, and a bit cluttered. A Japanese katana hung on the wall with a picture of a beautiful woman. A rumpled double bed was in the middle of the room and there was an attached bath. The floors were wood and in need of buffing, but lovely anyway.

Logan closed the bedroom door behind him and Kit turned to look at him, her eyebrows raised. He grinned that wolfish grin of his and slowly advanced on her.

"Um, Logan? What are you doing?"

"Feelin' better?" he asked, his voice deep and smooth.

"Ye-es," she replied hesitantly, still moving backward as he came toward her. "Why?" Kit stopped abruptly as her back hit the wall, and Logan pinned her there, one hand on either side of her head.

"Good." He leaned in to capture his mouth with his own and Kit quickly melted at his touch. Her arms went around his neck as her knees weakened and she moaned deep in her throat. When he finally released her mouth, she looked up at him with the slightly unfocused look he loved putting there.

"Shouldn't...shouldn't we wait?" she gasped as he started on her neck. "Anyone could...oh, dear god." Logan chuckled softly and pulled her into his arms to let her calm down. "You're a tease."

"I plan on makin' good on that. T'night." Kit had to laugh as well and kissed him back.

"Tonight, then. Now, were you not going to show me the grounds, or was that just a ruse so you could take advantage of me?"

"Hard t' take advantage of someone that willin'. C'mon, then."

They walked out of the house hand-in-hand, the sound of a one-on-one basketball game reaching them from around the corner. The voices were clear as well, and what they said made Kit stop in her tracks.

"Oh, c'mon, Gambit. I don't believe for a minute she saved his life. Mutant or not, she's still probably just some floozy he picked up in a bar."

Kit ripped her hand free of Logan's, threw him a wounded look and bolted for the nearby trees.

"Uh, petit, I t'ink maybe you shut up now, non?" Gambit suggested, looking over her shoulder.

"Why? I'm entitled to my opinion as much as the next..." She turned as the chain link gate slammed open and a furious Logan bore down on her.

"Dat's why," Gambit said to himself as Logan stopped just short of wrapping his fingers around her neck.

"Eep. Wolverine." She had never been the target of his anger before and found it was not a pleasant place to be.

"How much you hear, homme?"

"Every flamin' word! So did Kit," he ground out. "It took me 3 flippin' days t' talk her inta comin' here and you chase 'er off in less than a minute!" His hands flexed in impotent fury, feeling the need to punch something or someone.

"I...didn't know you were there," she said, her voice small as she cringed away from him.

"So that makes it okay, huh? Don't matter what ya say as long as the person yer talkin' about don't hear it?"

"N-no. I..." His hand was shaking with restraint as he pointed a finger at her.

"I don't wanna hear it! I'm gonna go find her and the next words I hear from you better be an apology. Get me?"

"Yes, Wolvie," she whispered, swallowing hard. He whirled on Gambit, who was determined not to be the one Logan took his physical anger out on.

"You got anythin' t' say, Cajun?" he demanded, but Gambit held out both hands in innocence.

"I not even met de girl, Wolverine." With a grunt, Logan turned and stalked away, slicing the chain link with his claws to release some of the anger. Jubilee looked at Gambit, who just shook his head. "Tried t' warn you, petit."