Dear everybody, belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Here is the final chapter… finaly=))))

And about the sequel… should I write it? Please put that into your reviews. Because I am kind of confused, should I do that or not…

Hit. Another hit.

The punching ball was bouncing before Logan as he was hitting it hard.

"Who would have thought that a Christmas Eve can unleash so much hidden aggression…" a mocking female voice came from behind.

Logan whipped sweat away from his forehead and looked around. Jean was standing in the doorway of the gym, smile on her face.

"A Christmas Eve spent in a Santa costume definitely can," the man snorted and came back to hitting the bag.

Jean huffed. "But you were a pretty good Santa."

"Whose idea was that?!"

"Rogue's. Come on, the kids need a proper holiday… I mean, little kids."

"I can't stand the noise they're making," Logan confessed.

"Chill, it's already done," Jean waved her hand. "To be honest, I'm pretty tired as well… was buying the presents the whole day. Awful."

"And you came to the gym why? For some workout?" Logan asked ironically.

"Neh, of course not…" the girl gave Logan a look. "Just… it's kind of boring in the lab without T'Challa."

"Kid, he and Storm left two days ago, and you miss them already?"

"Yeah, they need a break, I know…"

Jean sat down onto the floor-mats and leaned against the wall as she was watching Logan.

"Why didn't you leave?" the man asked after a while.

"Em… excuse me?" Jean frowned. "You kicking me out?"

"No, of course not," Logan huffed. "Just asking… Christmas is a family time, and you're here, although you have a family. A really nice one, I must say…"

"Thanks for the compliment to my family," Jean chuckled. "We actually don't celebrate Christmas, we're Musilm, remember? Well, sort of… And all in all, I'm already used to being on my own. So I'm fine here."

"You're not on your own here, kid."

"I meant without my parents."

They became silent.

"And you?" Jean asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Your Christmas… do you always spend it here?"

"It's my second Christmas here."

"Why? I mean, you've been here for… what?... five years?"

"Almost. But I started staying for Christmas only since last year."

"Why?"

"is that an interrogation?" Logan gave Jean a look.

She rolled her eyes and didn't say anything.

"So, you don't plan to leave?" Logan asked after a while.

"Logan, what's with all these questions?" Jean crossed her arms and frowned. "If you want me to get out, just say straight."

"Come on, kid! It's not what I meant!" the man snorted. "Looks like somebody has enough hidden aggression as well..."

Jean rolled her eyes again.

"I plan to stay in the mansion, if that is what you meant to find out," she replied demonstratively calmly.

"And what about your degrees?"

"Dunno yet," the girl shrugged. "I don't need to get degrees to do science, you know… so for me that's not important anymore."

"But it used to be?"

"Yes, sure," Jean smiled to her memories. "I wanted everybody to know how genius I am…"

Logan snorted.

"Yeah, sounds funny to me now too," the girl's smile widened.

"And now? You don't want everyone to know how genius you are?"

"There are far more intelligent people… or mutants, in the world. I don't think I'm something special anymore."

Jean was speaking evenly, it didn't seem like she is upset with that idea.

"You are, kid."

"Excuse me?" Jean snapped out of her thoughts.

"You are special, kid. Not genius-way maybe," Logan smirked. "But special."

"Ow, gee, thanks," Jean gave him a demonstratively wide smile. "How would I live without hearing you saying that."

Logan snorted. "For once I tried to be nice to you, kid. So that you don't have to be afraid of me anymore, and yes, you ruined it…"

"Afraid? I'm not afraid of you," Jean huffed.

"Really?" the man asked sarcastically. "You used to stutter even before I was entering the same room..."

Jean rolled her eyes. "You think way too much of yourself, Wolverine. And of your claws," she added, smiling ironically.

"Oh really?" Logan raised his eyebrow. "You say you're not afraid of my claws? Since when?"

"Since I saw you smacking your lips when asleep," the girl shrugged.

"Wha-at?" Logan's eyes widened.

"What?" Jean made a misunderstanding face. "You didn't know you're smacking lips in your sleep?"

"I don't do that," the man raised his eyebrow warningly.

"You do," Jean shrugged again. "I saw that when you were asleep in the lab…"

"In the lab I was in a coma, kid, you couldn't've seen me doing anything but lying there like dead. So you probably stalked me in my sleep…"the man snorted.

"Ow, so now you admit you do smack lips?" Jean smiled widely. "And FYI, you are the one stalking me when I'm asleep…"

"What?"

"What?" the girl gave Logan a look. "I don't remember how many times I found you in my room when I was waking up…"

"Kid, are you nuts?!" the man was shocked by what she was saying, but even more was he shocked by that playful tone she was having. He couldn't sense any fear coming from her, probably for the first time ever, since he met her. The times when she wasn't having a clear mind due to tiredness don't count.

"And you're blushing," Jean shrugged.

"Huh?" Logan thought he misheard her.

"You're blushing," Jean repeated, now with a wry grin on her face.

That Logan couldn't stand. He made fists without intention, and the claws went out. "Kid," he croaked, "you shouldn't do this, seriously. I may hurt you."

"It's fine," Jean's smile became warm. "You won't."

Suddenly she stood up and walked up to him.

"Kid," Logan repeated warningly.

Jean didn't reply. Still smiling, she lifted Logan's right arm with both hands and traced his fingers with hers, placing her right hand over his, her fingers between the claws.

The she did the same with his left hand.

Logan could feel Jean's cold skin over his own, heated by the workout.

"You may get hurt," he said slowly, looking down at their hands.

"You won't hurt me," Jean's voice showed she was smiling.

The man looked up at the girl's face and saw she indeed was. His eyes traveled down from hers and stopped on her lips. A sly grin appeared there for a second when Jean leaned forward, and the next moment Logan felt he himself is leaning down to her. "Kid," he spoke, though not stopping the move, "I don't think we should…"

"Thinking is not your best talent," Jean wouldn't let him speak, and in a second Logan felt her lips on his.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Kid?" Logan spoke up.

They were still in the gym, lying on the mats. Jean was lying on her back, her head resting on Logan's shoulder, while she was looking up at the ceiling and playing with a lock of her hair.

"Mhm?" she replied.

"Don't get me wrong, but…"

"Ow-ow, nice start," Jean huffed.

"Kid," Logan rolled his eyes, although she couldn't see that. "It's impolite to interrupt."

"Sorry, Professor Logan," the girl snorted.

Logan hid a smile and kept talking. "What I wanted to say is… I am not who you think I am…"

"O-kay, more details please," Jean turned over to her stomach and looked at the man. "I'm starting to worry…"

"You should've done that before," the man huffed. He watched the girl looking at him with a slight concern and he couldn't help touching her forehead where the frown appeared. Jean smiled slightly, the frown was gone.

"And?" she looked at Logan expectantly.

"I will never be the right one for a princess…"

Jean rolled her eyes.

"Wait, wait," Logan called for her attention again. "I didn't mean it is a one-night stand…"

The girl laughed loudly, throwing her head back. "Really?" she chuckled.

Logan felt confused and slightly annoyed.

"What d'you mean?" he asked, not even bothering to hide his anger.

"Never mind," the girl chuckled one last time and cleared her throat. "You were saying?"

"That I will never be the prince type, you know…"

"I know," Jean interrupted, "that if I was looking for a prince, I wouldn't be doing this," she emphasized the last word, "in a gym on the floor."

"O-kay…" Logan was slightly taken aback.

"So look, I am not exactly sure what you meant to say by what you were saying, but you may relax – no obligations. Deal?"

"O-kay…" the man repeated. That was not exactly what he expected or meant to say or ask, but that was absolutely fine with him. "And when saying you wouldn't be doing this," he couldn't help asking, "did you mean this as in looking for a prince or having sex?"

The girl chuckled. "Both," she looked at him meaningfully.

The man huffed.

"Okay," Jean took a deep breath. "I think I am tired and would like to go to my room. Wanna join? Voluntarily," she huffed, "no obligations. I just thought since you were trying so many times to get into my room when I'm asleep…"

"Hey, that's not true!" the man exclaimed demonstratively. "Well maybe," he added, "a couple of times… but that was coincidentally, not like I was stalking you in your sleep…"

"Whatever," Jean huffed again and grabbed her t-shirt lying nearby. "so?" she looked back at Logan.

"You not afraid?" the man raised an eyebrow, fighting a smile that was spreading along his lips.

"Like you wouldn't sense it if I was," the girl smiled.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Logan woke up from a strange sensation – everything felt too perfect. A soft warm bed, a nice sweet smell, a comfortable posture… he didn't sleep that good in a while. And that was what his soldier mind found suspicious. (A/N: Soldiers do wake up from silence and comfort, that is a proven fact, so don't be skeptical :)

His eyes scanned the softly lightened room – that wasn't his – and soon enough he understood that he is in a bed, and the pleasant smell comes from a female body lying before him.

Logan took his left hand away from Jean's waist and brushed through her slightly tangled hair. His right hand was in the meantime used by the girl as a pillow, and though Logan couldn't see her face – the girl was lying on a side, back towards him – he could exactly tell the rhythm of her breath, as the air was brushing the inner side of his arm every time she was exhaling or inhaling. The man closed his eyes and placed his right hand back onto the girl's waist.

This movement obviously disturbed the girl because she moved her head – Logan couldn't help smiling at that tickling sensation – and then Jean stretched her hands and exhaled loudly – she woke up.

After a second the girl turned towards him and her eyes widened.

"Logan?! What the…?!" she almost yelled.

"Huh?" the smile was washed away from the man's face.

"What are you doing here?" Jean sat up on the bed swiftly, covering her upper part with a blanket. "What is going on?!"

"Uh… but…" the man couldn't do anything but mumble. "You… well… invited me…"

"What?!" her eyes widened even more. "You nuts?"

"Kid, I…" Logan rose on his elbows, he was now confused even more. "I mean… you said I can…"

"So you wanna say I invited you to spend a night in my room? And that's why you're here? Naked?!" Jean's voice sounded almost hysterical.

"Wa-ait," it clicked in Logan's head. "You weren't yourself, right?"

"Huh?"

"Yesterday night. You were probably sleepy or something… cuz your brains turn off when you're sleepy…"

"So you just decided to use a moment?! How nice!" Jean huffed.

Logan felt his cheeks are getting red both with frustration and confusion. Jean was looking at him with fury in her eyes.

The man opened his mouth to say something, when her face suddenly changed and she burst out laughing.

"Kid?!"

"Sorry," the girl choke, and kept laughing.

"That was a joke?!" Logan couldn't believe it.

Jean nodded, unable to stop laughing.

The man was taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, but in about half a second he couldn't help chuckling.

"Sorry," Jean squeaked and took a deep breath. "My early-morning humor," she shrugged, still with a smile on her lips.

Logan shook his head. He wasn't angry anymore.

"And you blushed again," the girl added and huffed.

"I did not," Logan gave Jean a look.

"I saw it," she shrugged.

Logan rolled his eyes. "That was not very funny, to be honest."

"Of course that wasn't," the girl huffed again. "For you. For me it was."

She lay back onto the pillows and frowned – the sunlight was coming from a window right into her eyes. Jean turned her head, leaving hair to be illuminated, and now she was looking at Logan.

"You gonna be sitting up the whole time?" she asked.

"I think your joke made me want to go," the man raised an eyebrow, doing his best for the voice to sound serious.

"Come on, it's cold outside, why would you want to leave?"

"I don't plan to go outside…"

"I meant it's cold in the room. Really unpleasant to get out of the bed…"

"It's not cold at all," Logan huffed.

A small smile appeared on the girl's lips as she took her hand out from under the blanket. A second later strands of white light spread across the whole room from her hand, and it did become chilly, Logan could feel it immediately.

Jean hid her hand back under the blanket.

"And you're the one telling me I took advantage of the situation," Logan snorted.

The girl shrugged demonstratively and curled up on the bed, closing her eyes.

"Maybe you're the one who had that evil plan all along?" the man continued.

"what plan?" Jean mumbled.

"Of getting me in your bed."

"Sure," the girl replied evenly, eyes still closed. "That was the only thing I dreamed of since I saw you."

"finally an honest confession," Logan smiled, though the girl couldn't see it.

"Mhm."

"Shit, it really is cold in here," the man admitted.

"Sure. You just say that to have a reason to get closer to me," Jean commented.

Logan couldn't help laughing loudly. "Okay, I give up. You caught me."

"Finally an honest confession," Jean smiled wryly and opened her eyes.

Wolverine returned the smile. Then his eyes spotted wounds on the girl's wrists. He stretched his hand and touched one of them.

"When will they finally heal?" his fingers were travelling from one wound to another.

"Dunno," the girl shrugged. "They don't bother me."

"These three are still fresh," the man shook his head when his fingers reached the three scratches he himself gave her more than a month ago. "I'm sorry for that, kid."

"Don't be," Jean smiled.

"and these wounds from the gloves… You shouldn't have put them on. I told you not to…"

"Yeah, your words sounded really convincing with Magneto throwing you against the walls and the ceiling like a stuffed toy."

"I could bear the pain. I've been through worse, trust me."

"And the others?" Jean looked at him seriously.

"Huh?" the man didn't understand.

"You think you're the only one hurt when you are in pain?"

"I don't get it…"

"When Magneto was doing all that to you… and also before, what they were doing with you in that cave… I was… I mean… that mattered to me as well."

The girl looked away from his eyes.

"When somebody you care about suffers," she continued, "and you can't help that someone anyhow… that's the worst torture there can be."

"Kid," Logan shook his head, "don't take this for boasting, but I'm strong. I can handle pain that is…"

"But you don't have to handle that pain on your own all the time!" Jean interrupted, now looking into his eyes again, and raising on her elbows.

"Kid, I…"

"I don't mean only physical pain when you're hurt – I mean… even your life everyday… like you're carrying the world on your shoulders. You don't need to do that…"

"Listen," Logan interfered, "I wish there was only the physical pain I have to handle. I would pray for a world where only my body gets scratches and wounds. But I've done terrible things… so now I don't deserve anything but an everyday pain, remembering what I've done."

"So now you're trying to pay for that by catching every bullet in the room? By trying to sacrifice yourself for whatever you did years or even ages ago?"

"So? What if it is so?" the man narrowed his eyes angrily. "You can't deny I am strong enough to handle those bullets…"

"But that spear Magneto threw! That was a trap! And if that wasn't for your habit to always jump before someone to catch a bullet, nothing would work!"

"Yeah, and you would be dead!"

"But you could have died!"

Logan wasn't replying for a while.

"You know," he finally spoke, "I never got a chance to thank you for saving my life…"

Jean smiled with relief.

"Thank you," the man continued. "Now that I missed my chance to die I will stay alive and keep 'paying for what I did years or ages ago,' as you called it."

The smile fell from Jean's lips.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"As you said, I know who I am and I remember – well, at least partially – what I did. And dying would've been a too good option for me. I don't deserve happiness like that…"

"Logan," Jean started, but the man wouldn't let her finish.

"so I will stay alive, keeping catching bullets and wounds for everybody," the man looked directly at the girl, bitter smirk on his face.

Jean was breathing deeply, obviously trying to calm down.

"So you see, kid…"

But the girl interrupted.

"You know why I did that?"

"Huh?"

"Why I saved you?"

"Nice one," Logan snorted. "Because saving somebody who tried to save you before is generally considered the right thing to do…"

"Because I am a selfish spoiled princess…"

"Wh-? How?" the man's eyes widened.

"Because I couldn't imagine living without the man I care about. A lot," Jean was looking straight into Logan's eyes. Her cheeks blushed slightly, but she wouldn't look away. "So even if you'd prefer dying, I would still selfishly save you. Every time. And even if you prefer being hurt to prevent a bigger shit – yeah, those gloves on me were a huge trouble to everybody – I would still selfishly put them on, just not to see how you suffer, because that hurts me more than it hurts you."

"Kid,…"

"So I would always do what I can to ease your pain and sufferings because in the end that hurts me more. Just face that. It's not like you can change that. Live with that."

"That you care?" the man hid a smile.

"Yes," Jean replied firmly, still looking at him, though her cheeks turned even brighter red.

Logan couldn't help touching her face to sense that her skin was actually hot.

He smiled finally.

"Kid, I care about you too. And that's the point. Near me, the people I care about… they aren't happy. And sometimes they don't even survive," the smile fell.

"Nothing bad will happen to me," Jean shook her head.

"I myself may hurt you," Logan took the girl's hand and turned it, so that the scratches from his claws were now visible.

"Not anymore," Jean took her hand away. "You won't. and… you will not have to hurt me… ever…"

"What you mean?" the man frowned.

"Remember, I promised you you won't have to kill me? I won't lose control over my powers, I promise. You won't need to kill me to save others. Ever."

Logan took a deep breath and then smiled again at the seriousness on the girl's face.

"You're frowning," he touched her forehead.

The girl smirked, losing all the seriousness.

"So? Can you live with that?" she asked after a while.

"With what?"

"That I care. And that I will be there for you even when you won't want it."

Logan chuckled. "that sounds like tyranny…"

"That sounds like a spoiled princess," Jean shrugged.

The man laughed.

"I guess I can try to live with that," he shook his head.

"I'm good with that," Jean nodded and a smile spread along her lips.

"Just remember… I don't deserve being happy."

"You deserve that more than anyone in the world," Jean was still smiling.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door. They both flinched.

"Yes?" Jean responded to the knock.

"Merry Christmas, Jean!" they heard Rogue's happy voice. "Hope I didn't wake you up?"

"Merry Christmas, Rogue! and I'm awake."

"Cool, the kids are already having breakfast… have you seen Logan by the way?"

Logan wanted to respond, but Jean covered his mouth with her hand.

"Nope…. Maybe he went out?"

"Yeah, that's like him… leaving on Christmas morning," Rogue snorted. "When will he finally accept he's not alone anymore?"

"Have no idea…" Jean tried her best not to laugh.

"Okay, see you downstairs!"

"See you, Rogue!"

About half a second later Jean burst out laughing.

"What was that?" Logan was surprised.

"What?"

"Why wouldn't you let me speak?"

"Ow, so you have problems admitting you're 'not alone anymore,' but no difficulties admitting you spent a night in my room?" the girl huffed.

"Ow, and you say you want to be there for me, but don't want people to know we're together?" Logan huffed too.

"Ow, are we?" Jean raised here eyebrow demonstratively.

Logan couldn't hide his surprise, but the girl burst out laughing again.

"Didn't know you're such a… minx," he shook his head, still surprised.

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you," Jean chuckled.

The man smiled, still shaking his head, and bent down to kiss the girl. She responded, still smiling.

"Merry Christmas, by the way," Jean spoke after a while.

"Merry Christmas."

"I have something for you, to be honest," the girl wrapped a blanket around her body and stood up from the bed, heading to the table.

"Oh no, come on… I am not a fan of cute romantic presents…." Logan rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry, me neither," the girl huffed. She tossed him a relatively think folder. "Merry Christmas."

"What's that?" the man was surprised.

"You remember I promised to look for something about that logging site? Well, that took me some time, internet research, phone calls… that is what I found."

Logan wanted to open the folder, but then stopped.

"Thank you," he murmured.

Jean didn't reply, they were silent for a while.

"Really, thanks," Logan spoke, still not opening the folder. "I… uh… will…"

"You don't have to look in it now. Or even at all… do as you wish."

"But you spent time on it and…"

"My time is not that valuable, don't worry, I'll live."

the girl returned into the bed.

"Thanks," the man said again, managing to put a smile on.

"Come on, Logan," Jean smiled, "cheer up. It's Christmas, let's go down and eat… and then you can play snowballs with the kids."

"Thank you for allowing," Logan snorted. Then his eyes spotted the folder again. "I will take a look at it later… I guess."

"Take your time… maybe your life will be good enough to forget about the past completely," Jean shrugged.

"Now that such a valuable asset as you is in this life?" Logan chuckled.

"Exactly," the girl smirked. "Now come on, the breakfast is waiting and the kids must be dying to bury you in snow…"

So, that was it for this story… hope the last chapter wasn't disappointing? Please tell me whether anybody will be interested in reading the sequel… that I will be happy to write =)