FicWad

Daddy's Girl
Chapter 5: Enter The X-men

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Walking down the halls of the vast mansion, Logan and Laura found themselves in a truly unusual place. The Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters was a deceptive title to say the least. All around them there were children and adults performing feats that no ordinary human could match. Everywhere they looked, there were mutants, young and old, living life as normally as mutants could in a world that hated and feared them.

But Logan was not impressed. Seeing teenage girls walk through walls, watching a kid teleport around a basketball court, and seeing some guy making snowballs with his bare hands to make ice sculptures for a girl with a white streak in her hair was merely a sideshow.

Yet he let this Professor Xavier make his pitch. He could care less whether or not he wasted his breath.

"So you say this circus is a school?" said Logan as he walked alongside the wheelchair bound man.

"Yes. The Xavier Institute is my life's work," he explained as he led them to a balcony that overlooked the vast backyard, "Growing up, I discovered that I could read minds and manipulate thoughts. Since then I have dedicated my life to understanding the phenomenon of mutation. I believe that mutants are a guiding force that will lead humanity forward. However, there are those who don't hold mankind with the same level of respect as I do."

"Tell me about it," muttered Logan, "I see some of em runnin' the country."

"Be that as it may, that makes my task all the more important," continued Xavier, "I have spent years using my vast family fortune to build a place where mutants can learn and grow and where humanity can learn to accept us rather than fear us."

"That's all well and good, Prof, but I don't see what the hell this has to do with us," said Logan, a serious look in his eye, "You knew about that attack. You knew someone was coming after me and my daughter. And I think I have a right to know who!"

Seeing this somewhat frustrated look in his eye did not discourage Professor Xavier, for he knew this was a lot to take in. But even after having just met him, he could tell that he was a rather complicated man. Yet he did have a point.

"His name is Sabretooth," he explained.

"Yeah, that part I got," he grunted distastefully, "Who the hell is he?"

"He's a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants, a shady group whose ideas stand in stark contrast to mine."

"Brotherhood of Mutants?" said Logan with a skeptical look, not knowing whether or not to laugh or scoff.

"Yes, they are a part of a growing faction that believes war between humans and mutants is inevitable. And time and time again, they have sought to instigate that war. Yet I feel that such chaos cannot be allowed to pass. So we fight to stop them in whatever ploys they attempt."

"And we just happened to be in the crosshairs," he said distastefully, growing increasingly resentful of this whole place with each passing moment.

"Yes, it would seem so. But I'm afraid I cannot give you a reason why," said Xavier, maintaining a sincere tone.

"Perfect. Just perfect."

A heavy silence fell over them as Logan turned to his daughter that he was doing so much to protect. She seemed strangely drawn to the sight of mutant kids playing in the field, embracing who they were instead of hiding it.

There was a girl making a mini fireworks show for some of the younger kids, there was a rather large boy with metal skin helping to lift large boxes full of sports equipment, and there was a game of football going on complete with super powered players.

She had never seen anything like it. Having lived so isolated and withdrawn, she didn't think a place like this was possible. It was so strange, yet at the same time she felt so out of place. She didn't know why she and her father had been taken here, but she couldn't help but feel better that they ended up here instead of with that snarling beast.

"Mr. Howlett..." said Xavier, attempting to speak calmly to the feral man before him.

"Logan...Call me Logan," he said with a grunt.

"Okay, Logan," said Xavier, correcting himself, "I understand your frustration. But just know that as long as you and your daughter are here, you are completely safe."

"You sure seem overconfident," he scoffed, casting the Professor a skeptical gaze.

"Believe what you may, but even you must agree that you were attacked and it would be risky for the both of you to venture out without any answers as to why."

"Are you readin' my mind to figure this one out?" he said in a coarse tone.

"No, I am simply thinking about what any parent would do if they knew that he and his child were a target," explained Xavier, "And if you were to give us the privilege of your presence, then maybe we could help find the answers you're looking for."

Logan took a moment to digest that. On one hand, this guy seemed genuinely sincere. He wasn't some military prick or a greedy scientist, but that didn't mean he trusted him.

Yet still, that attack on him and Laura hung strongly over his mind. Whoever that guy was, he had attacked for a reason. He had an objective and he may have succeeded if Xavier's henchmen hadn't shown up.

But still, this was a conflict he wanted no part of. He had a life and a little girl he wanted to protect. And getting involved in this conflict didn't seem like the best way to do that. But for now it seemed as though this was their only option until they could get some answers.

"Laura..." said Logan, turning to his daughter, "What do you think? Would you be alright staying in a place like this, darlin'?"

Laura took a moment to think about that. This place was so strange to her, but not in a bad way. She didn't quite know what to make of it, but as she thought back to that mysterious fight, it became clear that they were caught up in something big.

And regardless of how strange this place felt, it seemed a hell of a lot better than facing it alone.

"I don't know, but..." she stammered, looking back out to the others, "I guess it would be safer here than back home."

"But would you be comfortable?" said Logan, pushing his point, "We ain't stickin' around if ya don't like it."

"But what about you?" she asked.

"Forget about me," he scoffed, "I'm your father and you come first, ya hear? And if you wanna stay then that's all I need to hear."

It put Laura in a rather strange position, but it was one that hardly surprised her. He had always put her wants ahead of his own, but it was never with a decision this big.

It was a rather interesting scene to Xavier, but it showed just how concerned Logan was for the well being of his daughter. Even if he was cynical about his views, he was willing to look beyond them for Laura's sake. As brutish as he seemed, his daughter was his sole focus. And that proved to be the most decisive.

"In that case...Yes," said the teenage girl, "I think staying here would be better."

"Then it's settled," said Logan, "Ya got yourself a couple of guests, Chuck."

"Thank you. I appreciate you giving us a chance," said the Professor, smiling at their final decision, "We'll set up some guest rooms for the both of you. In the meantime, why don't I introduce you to my staff?"

As they went back inside, they were greeted with the presence of three figures, whom the Professor had summoned via telepathy. One of them was a young man with strange red glasses that shrouded his eyes, and the other two were the women they encountered in the lower levels. The one with the red hair and the one with the white hair still looked to be a little out of it. Logan was guessing they were still sore from their 'awakening.'

But thankfully, they didn't show too much animosity. They didn't seem hostile, but Logan would reserve that judgment for later.

"This is Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops," said the Professor in a welcoming tone, "And these two, whom I understand you've already met, are Ororo Munroe, codename Storm, and Dr. Jean Grey."

Scott extended his hand in a welcoming gesture, but Logan didn't shake it. He merely cast all three of them a cynical look. Just because he was staying here didn't mean he was going to trust them. Trust for Logan was not an easy thing to gain and these guys had a long way to go.

"Some faculty," he said with a slight scoff, "So I take it you were the one that showed up back at that crash."

"Yeah, that was us," affirmed Scott, a bit turned off by this guy's snide nature, "You're both very lucky. Sabretooth is a dangerous mutant."

"Right..." scoffed Laura, "We could've taken him."

This girl was definitely her father's daughter, almost to an extreme. And without a doubt, they were going to make things pretty interesting here at the institute.

"I'm sure," said Jean, "Come, I'll show you to the guest rooms."

Without another word, Logan and Laura followed the redhead back down the halls, leaving Scott, Ororo, and the Professor to take in what they had just seen.

"Remind me again why we rescued him?" commented Scott.

"It's a lot for him to take in, Cyclops," said the Professor, always the optimist, "His life and that of his daughter's has been changed so drastically in such a short period of time. I'm sure he'll come around."

"I don't know, Charles," said Ororo skeptically, "He's not exactly taken by our hospitality. I get the feeling he's a bit of a brute."

"Hey, I thought you have a thing for brutes," joked Scott.

"Don't even try it," quipped Ororo, making her leave for some more aspirin, for that girl may have been a teenager, but she knew how to leave someone with a hell of a headache.

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Up in the dormitories, Jean led Logan and Laura to a series of unoccupied rooms on the east wing. There weren't a lot of students in this area so it should give them some quiet. But at the same time, the redheaded mutant was curious about this strange duo. They seemed very close and Logan was clearly very dedicated to the safety of his daughter. Yet at the same time they seemed so untrusting and dark.

There had to be a reason why they were this way, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. However, she decided to leave that for later as she led them into one of the rooms.

"This area is pretty quiet, so you should be safe from the crowds. With so many kids around, it can get pretty rowdy," explained Jean as they took in the room.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he muttered, not looking too impressed.

"I sleep right down the hall with my fiancé, Scott. If there are any problems, we'll be happy to help," she said, still trying to sound friendly.

"We'll manage," he said, his tone not changing.

There was an awkward silence for a moment. Jean didn't know what more she could say. This guy clearly didn't trust them no matter how friendly they were. Yet despite this, she simply let them be.

"Well in that case, I'll show Laura her room as well. It's right over..."

But Logan didn't let her finish that.

"She sleeps here," he said bluntly.

"Mr. Howlett, her room is connected so you don't have to worry..."

"I sleep here, lady!" spat Laura in a sudden outburst that silenced the redhead.

That left no room for argument, but it did earn Laura a parental scold from her father. She bowed her head slightly to acknowledge her mistake. Even though they didn't trust them, that wasn't an excuse to lose her temper. They had enough enemies in this world anyways.

"Okay. We'll get you a cot," said Jean as she turned to make her leave, thinking she had overstayed her welcome anyways.

Then, just before she left, she remembered something.

"Oh, and before I forget," she said, reaching into her pocket and turning back towards Logan, "I thought you might want this back."

In her hand, she held Logan's dog tag and wallet along with a picture that had fallen out. It was the one him and Laura when she was just four and he always carried around with him. Even though he wasn't the mushy type, his daughter just brought out those feelings in him.

Jean had been taken by the picture. They looked so happy. One would never suspect they were so dark. They seemed like a loving family together, but they were clearly so much more to them.

"Thanks," he said in a flat tone as he took them stashed them away, not even giving the redhead a second look as she made her leave.

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While Logan and Laura adjusted to their new surroundings, the Professor gathered his staff in the high tech lower levels to discuss their newest arrivals. Jean later joined them, not looking any more optimistic after showing those two around. But aside from their mannerisms, there were much bigger issues to discuss now.

"I'm telling you, Professor, I think having these two here are a mistake," argued Scott, "Something is seriously up with them and they seem to be pretty private about it."

"I understand your feelings, Cyclops," said the Professor, maintaining a reasonable tone, "But regardless of their demeanor, they're here now and we should make the best of it."

"Easier said than done," muttered Ororo.

"Agreed, but aside from how they got here, I think we must ask ourselves the more important question as to why," said the Professor, focusing on the task at hand, "They were attacked by Sabretooth and there must be a reason for that."

"You think Magneto's making a move, Professor?" asked Jean, holding in her hand some files she had gathered for this meeting.

"I feel it's a strong possibility," said the Professor, the memory of Erik's strong words back at Congress still echoing in his mind, "Call it a hunch."

It wasn't much, but it seemed to be enough for the three mutants before him. They trusted their mentor's judgment and if he thought this was something big, then there must be a good reason for it.

"So I guess the real question here would be what does Magneto want with these two?" asked Scott in a serious tone.

"Well I did some background research on them," said Ororo, tossing a file onto the desk, "But it isn't much. These two don't have a big paper trail. Logan is a small time mechanic in a regular Canadian town and his daughter by all accounts is a regular student at a local high school."

"Doesn't exactly sound like Magneto's usual targets," commented Scott.

"Perhaps, but I think he hardly wants them for their personal lives," said Jean as she took out a couple of X-ray scans from her file, "What these two lack in their locality, they make up for in their mystery."

Looking at the readouts, they all grew more curious. They may not have had Jean's medical expertise, but they knew something was different about these pictures.

"Are these real, Jean?" said Ororo, looking quite shocked at what she was seeing.

"I triple checked them," she assured, "And it's no trick. Both of them have a skeletal structure unlike anything I've ever seen. Every bone in their bodies has been coated in a metallic shell."

"That can't be a natural mutation," surmised Scott in an intrigued tone.

"It definitely isn't," continued Jean, "I scanned this metal. Logan's is pure adamantium and Laura's is a similar, but weaker version. Near as I can tell it's been permanently bonded to their bones. I don't see how any human being could survive such a process, but these two have a healing factor that enables them to live through something like this."

"Healing? That would explain how they survived that explosion without any scars," said Ororo, thinking this was an important facet to this little mystery.

"And it also makes Logan's age impossible to determine. But that's not all," said Jean as she showed a few more readouts, this time of DNA scans, "They both also exhibit enhanced senses and in Laura's case, her strength seems a bit more than that of a usual teenage girl. But that's not what bothered me the most."

"And what was it that did bother you the most?" asked the Professor.

Taking a deep breath, Jean laid out the scans on the table for all of them to see. And even as a doctor, this completely baffled her.

"I know Laura is Logan's daughter. She's legally and biologically his. She shares his DNA, but the odd thing is that she shares more DNA than any child should. Even if she is the apple of her daddy's eye, I don't see how it's possible for a child to have a 90 percent match with her father. It just isn't biologically feasible."

It was a rather odd revelation that only seemed to pose more questions than answers. But that only made these mysterious guests all the more important. Something this strange didn't come along every day and when the Brotherhood was involved, it had to mean something more.

"How could this be? Clones maybe?" asked Ororo.

"Anything's possible, Storm," said Xavier, "This makes these two all the more important. If Magneto wants them, then there must be a good reason. And until we can find out, they'll have to stay here indefinitely."

The three pupils didn't quite know what to think of that, but if this was against forces such as the Brotherhood, sometimes it was necessary to make such sacrifices.

"That'll be fun," said Scott, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"I understand they may be rough around the edges," said the Professor, trying to reassure his staff, "But we need to give them a chance. They are both in a great deal of danger and we must let them know that they're safe here. Hopefully they can learn to trust us."

It seemed almost harder than fighting Magneto himself. Yet for the three X-men, it seemed all but necessary despite such stubbornness.

"Professor..." said Jean as she gathered up her materials, "Your optimism never ceases to astonish me."

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After staying in their room for a while and setting up a cot for the night, Logan and Laura decided to get some air. They were never too keen on being cooped up, probably because of the animal in them. But it didn't feel any easier in this strange place. It was full of strangers whom they didn't know and didn't trust. It felt like someone would jump them at any moment. So despite giving this place a chance, they remained vigilant.

Outside it was easier since they weren't as enclosed. However, Laura stuck close to her dad, not wanting to leave the safety of his side. He noticed some of the teenage students looking at her, particularly the boys. They couldn't help but check her out, seeing her in those tight clothes she liked to wear. But they were all driven back when she flashed them an angry scowl that was all too reminiscent of her father's.

"Some place they got here, eh?" said Logan, trying to lighten the mood.

"It's okay, I guess," she said in an uncertain tone, "But it feels too much like high school. Everybody looks at me with that curious look in their eye. I don't like it."

"Just say the word and I'll gouge em out!" he said, managing a grin.

"Thanks dad, but I'll just ignore it," said Laura, managing a smile.

Eventually, the duo settled under a tree near the area where the football game was still going on with the older students. It may have been a bit contentious around this place, but at least they still had each other. And that was all they needed.

Yet still, the knowledge that they were the target of yet another madman didn't sit well. They had enough tyrannical madmen for a dozen lifetimes and until they could get some answers, they were stuck here.

"So who do you think these Brotherhood pricks are?" asked Laura, her thoughts drifting back some of Xavier's words.

"Beats me," shrugged Logan, "Probably just another bunch of greedy hacks out for a little prestige."

"But why would they want us for that?" she asked.

"I don't know that either," sighed Logan, "But don't worry, darlin'. Whoever they are, they ain't gonna get ya. I'll make sure of that."

"I know you will, daddy," she said, smiling at her father and giving him a hug, "And that's all the assurance I need."

Such actions got Logan to smile. Even in times of uncertainty, the simple embrace of his little girl was enough to keep him going. He didn't know who was after them, but with his baby by his side he had all the more reason to fight it.

Suddenly, this little moment was interrupted by the sudden impact of a football right on Logan's head. This caused his instincts to kick in as he turned around, kept his daughter behind him, and whipped out his claws. But upon seeing that it was a football, he managed to take a few deep breaths to calm himself.

"Uh...Sorry mister," said a young woman with a white streak in her hair in a distinctive southern accent.

"Just watch we're you're throwing!" shouted Laura as she picked up the ball and threw it into the air with a perfect and accurate spiral.

Such an act shocked and intrigued the boys, especially a young brown haired boy caught the ball without even having to move. Seeing the strange new girl show off such impressive skill sparked their curiosity as they made their way over to meet her.

"Hey, that was some throw," said the boy with the brown hair.

Laura cast him an indifferent look, but it didn't seem to dissuade him.

"I'm Bobby," he said in a friendly tone, "I take it you're new here?"

"Just temporary," she said, sticking close to her big, scary dad.

"Hey, that's cool," he said with a smile, "So...You want to join in our game? We could use a new QB."

"Hey!" said another boy coming up from behind him, "You're going to replace me already?"

"John, ya couldn't throw a spiral to save yer life," said the girl with the white streak.

"Yeah, and I was wide open!" said another girl with dark skin and Asian features.

It was a quarrel that even Logan found humorous, but Laura didn't seem convinced. But they persisted.

"Sorry, but that's Rogue, he's John, and she's Jubilation Lee. We all just call her Jubilee," said Bobby pointing out each of his friends, "So how bout it? Want to give it a shot? Football just isn't fun without a good QB."

It was a situation Laura had never been in before. As physically endowed as she was, she was never one to just get out there. Part of that was because her father always warned her about exposing herself as a mutant, but in a place like this it wasn't a problem.

Looking at these kids, Logan studied them as if they were science projects. Not a lot of people just came up to his daughter and asked her to play. He remembered how tough it was for her when he took her to the park as a toddler. But these were teenager. They didn't spark the same suspicion as the elders of the mansion. And if Laura was going to socialize, he might as well encourage her.

"I don't know," she said, her anti-social side coming out again.

"Hey, come on! As long as you're here, why not have a little fun?" said Jubilee in a friendly tone, "Besides, these guys are pushovers and we could use some girl power!"

Their upbeat nature was somewhat annoying to Laura, but she did crack a smile. It was nice to see someone who wasn't so serious for a change. And it had been a while since she tossed around the old pigskin anyways. Looking back up at her dad, she seemed a bit torn. But much to her surprise, he encouraged her.

"Can't argue with that, darlin'," he shrugged, "Go on, show em how Canadian's kick ass on the grid iron."

Smiling at her daddy's words, she took the ball from Bobby and held it with a firm grip.

"You're on!" she said with a wolfish grin.

"That's the spirit!" said Bobby, "Now come on, Rogue and I need to catch up."

"Oh you're still going down, Iceman!" said John with a confident gaze.

"We'll just see about that, Pyro!" said a determined Rogue.

As he watched Laura follow them onto the field, Logan found himself smiling. It was nice to see that his daughter could get a little social time while she was here. It tore him up to see her so isolated. Part of him didn't want her to end up like him, a loner and a recluse. But she already took after him to such a great extent already. And regardless of his anxieties, he was proud to have her.

As he sat back and watched his daughter show off her athletic abilities, he was soon met with a new presence. It was Cyclops who, thanks largely to the coaxing of his lover, Jean, was out to try and get to know their latest guest. He didn't seem too enthusiastic about being around him, but he kept it to himself as he watched with some relief that at least his daughter was giving this place a chance.

"That's some kid you got," he commented, watching as she threw a perfect long bomb to Bobby, who in turn did a funky celebration dance that earned him some scorning from Rogue.

"I know," said Logan, not even looking at him, "Did your girl make ya come out here?"

"Yep," he affirmed with a sigh, "She can be VERY persuasive."

"I'm sure," muttered Logan, not enjoying his company any more than him.

There was a brief silence between the two men. There wasn't much to talk about, so they merely watched the game.

"You and Laura seem close," said Scott, hoping to break the ice.

"She's my baby girl, of course we're close," said Logan, not taking his eyes off her.

"That's good to hear. How old is she?"

"15," answered Logan bluntly.

"Any boyfriends?"

"Never...I'd kill em."

"Hate to be her prom date," made Scott with a slight laugh.

That earned him a look from the feral man. He didn't have much of a sense of humor, especially when it came to his daughter. He took being overprotective to a new degree. And for a guy who was now the target of Magneto, that spoke volumes. And even thought Scott wasn't too enthralled about having him here, he could see that he had a genuine concern for his daughter. And that was something that he respected.

"We'll stop the Brotherhood," he told Logan in a confident tone, hoping to reassure him of their sincerity, "Laura's safer here than anywhere else."

"Glad you seem confident, one-eye," quipped Logan in response, "Just don't think that because I'm here I'll get involved in this little war."

"We're not out for war, Logan," said Scott, trying to make that clear.

"But you fight to stop it," he went on, "And I don't want any part of it. Whether it's your side or these Brotherhood pricks, all I care about is protecting my little girl."

Scott was silent upon hearing that. There was just no way to respond. He wasn't a parent and he didn't know this guy any more than the others. He may not have been the most savory character to be around, but he understood why he did what he did.

"When you and the redhead have a kid of your own...You'll understand," he told him.

Scott gave that a little thought. Maybe he didn't quite understand as much as he thought he did. As brutish as Logan may have seemed, he was still a concerned father. And his daughter came first.

"We'll keep you posted on any progress we make with the Brotherhood," said Scott as he turned to make his leave.

"Whatever," muttered Logan, not really caring that much anyhow.

"But take it from me, Logan. The Brotherhood is no joke. They're dangerous and they'll go to any lengths to get what they want."

"You done, pretty boy?" scoffed Logan.

"For now," said Scott, not surprised by his response, "But just do yourself and your daughter a favor and expect the unexpected. Because when dealing with the Brotherhood...Anything is possible."

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