Author's note: I wrote this before "The Wolverine" came out. This story assumes that Logan was still with the X-Men during "The Avengers".

WAR BUDDIES

During the thing in New York with the aliens and the flying monsters, Logan heard the news-guys asking one another who this "Captain America" really was. After all, he couldn't be the Captain America from World War II, could he? That guy was decades dead and gone.

Right?

Logan stared at the television and knew in one glance that Steve Rogers was back.

Logan first met Steve in Italy, at the foot of Monte Casino. And the fact that you can say "Monte Casino" and almost nobody understands what that means was part of the problem. Back then, Logan couldn't at first believe the silly costume Steve was wearing, but then he saw what Steve could do. And for a while he thought that Steve might be the same kind of thing as Victor and himself. But eventually it turned out that they were mutants and Steve was something else. Something created in a lab.

"Created in a lab" is a phrase that in later years acquired a lot of meaning to Logan. The official history suggested that what happened to Steve was nowhere near as bad as what happened to Logan. Logan hoped to God that was true.

The fight in New York was over before the X-Men could get too involved. Kitty was in the city at the time. She kept to the background while saving civilians. The rest of them suited up, but the Avengers worked fast. They made the decision to turn the Blackbird around and go back home somewhere over Queens.

Back at the mansion, Logan made a phone call. "I want to talk to Rogers."

The incredibly dangerous guy on the other end of the phone said, "Who the hell do you think you are, Logan?"

Logan just laughed, "I'm the ex-SHIELD-NATO-CIA guy who's going to be on the phone to the 'New York Times' and the 'Washington Post' in the next minute unless I hear the word 'yes' from you. Let's see... do you suppose they might like to hear the truth about the Kennedy assassination? Or how about that business down in Antarctica back in '46-'47? Or what really happened in Cambodia?"

"Don't threaten me, Logan," the voice on the phone said coldly.

"Fine. Then I won't threaten you. Hey, Fury, I want to see an old war buddy. Can you help me?"

"Why should I?" Fury asked tightly.

Logan's answer was so fast that he didn't even have time to think about it. It just sort of poured out of him.

"The problem is... guys like me and Steve are running out of people who understand. People to talk to. Yeah, the guys who fought in 'Nam and the Gulf and in the sandbox have seen war. But they're from a different world and have a different way of looking at things. And the old soldiers who fought in World War II and Korea - the guys from Steve's world - hell, we're losing them faster and faster with every blink of an eye. Steve's damn near alone, Fury. And we can do better than that for him."

There was a long pause as the part of Fury that was still a soldier wrestled with the intelligence prick that he had become.

"I'll set it up," he finally said.

Logan hung up without bothering to say thanks.

"This must be his son... or grandson," Steve said slowly as carefully examined the photograph that Fury had handed him. It showed someone who certainly looked like Corporal Logan, but he was dressed in modern clothes and was getting out of a modern car. There was a travel bag slung over one shoulder. He was talking to a pretty youngster who had some sort of light-colored streak in her hair.

"No, it's actually him," Fury replied.

"Why is he still so young?" Steve asked. "Did he get frozen like me?"

Fury shook his head, "No. He just doesn't age as fast as most people. You read about mutants in your briefing packet? Turns out he is one."

Now Steve shook his head, "I'd say that's incredible, but the last few weeks have been nothing but incredible. Is he still in the Canadian army?"

Fury winced, "No. He left the military after the war and got into intelligence work. Unfortunately, he got badly used. It's not a pretty story, but I suppose I should let him tell it to you."

Steve looked up and met Fury's eye, "He wants to meet?"

The look on Fury's face was slightly strained, "Yes, he want's to meet. In fact, he insisted. Are you interested?"

Steve looked back down at the photograph. It was incredible, but... Logan had actually been there. Had seen the things Steve had seen. Done the same kinds of things Steve had done.

"Let's do it," Steve said.

Off hand, Logan had no clue what the hell "Schwarma" was. Then he caught a whiff and recognized it immediately. He'd had it plenty of times during his days of pulling ops in the Mideast. He just never knew what it was called.

Of course, SHIELD had some people keeping an eye on the situation. Natasha and Clint were at another table - one which had a view of Steve's table, the door, and the windows. Natasha kept her face blank when Logan glanced at her. Logan wondered if Fury knew about that business in Romania back when she was just a kid.

Steve was sitting in a corner table, idly turning a coffee cup around in his hands.

As he caught sight of Steve, for a strange moment Logan thought he could hear the howl of incoming artillery, the roar of machine-guns, and the crack of rifles, all mixed in with shouting and screaming men and the scent of blood and fear and fire and cordite.

Logan took a deep breath, shook his head, and forced himself back to the twenty-first century.

Steve stood up when he saw Logan and the grin on his face was like the sun breaking through clouds. Logan suddenly had the idea that there hadn't been a lot for Steve to be happy about lately.

They shook hands.

"Captain, good to see you again," Logan said, wondering why the hell he suddenly felt the need to be formal about rank.

"Corporal Logan," Steve replied. "The last time was... when? Just after D-Day?"

"Yeah. The fighting in the boccage country." Bucky had been there, Logan saw no reason to mention that.

Still standing, both men paused. Not sure what to say or do next.

"You haven't changed," they both said simultaneously. Then they laughed.

Off in the corner, Natasha finally smiled. Clint rolled his eyes.

Steve and Logan sat down. Steve handed Logan a menu and said, "You've got to try the food in this place."