1.

He couldn't believe it had been more than twenty years since they fixed the future. Time was a strange thing to him, having already lived so long, sometimes seeming to stretch to infinity and at others flying past. Vietnam seemed like yesterday, his father's death only last week, but that day in 1973 when they'd set the events in motion that would change the world seemed like another life altogether.

Logan hadn't forgotten the boy who helped them, though. Sometimes thought of him when he was working and considering how useful it would be to have Pietro around right now, realising that he'd erased a friend when he'd changed the past. Hadn't bothered keeping tabs on him – sometimes people showed up again, sometimes not, either way you learned to accept it. He'd recognised him immediately that day he walked back into the Academy, deep in conversation with a small girl with long blonde hair. Recognised the boy that is – not Pietro.

They looked a little alike – Peter had grown slightly taller, but he'd never developed those broad powerful shoulders or the swept-back wings of hair that Logan always thought he'd copied from him. Still slender as a reed despite a little more muscle on him, still those unmistakable dark eyes, but there was humour and good cheer alight in their depths that he never recalled seeing in his friend. The combat suit was gunmetal grey, not blue, and he had the lightning motif subtly worked in as two silver bolts across his chest rather than one white streak. Missing the jagged scar across one cheek that Pietro had borne and which pulled his smile into a sneer. Logan had never known how he'd got it, only that it had ruined what was otherwise a very handsome face.

Most of all, it was obvious how sane Peter was in comparison. Pietro had lived too long in isolation, had always been prone to black moods and rage which Logan had often accompanied him in drinking away. It was hard to get either of them drunk, but they managed. All those years without allies aside from his equally twisted sister had made him so harsh, so intolerant of others, so much always seeming on the verge of a major breakdown and unable to control his emotions or his too-fast thoughts enough to find any peace. Going days without sleep, taking anything he could find that would pick his mood up off the floor, more often than not drugged to a stupor when he wasn't working but still perfectly able to pick a fight with anybody.

He'd watched a while before going on his way, taking a walk with Xavier when he'd again caught sight of the man who was not his old friend, this time being met by two beautiful red-haired girls who had as one bowled into him and smothered him with affection. He scooped them up, swung them both in a circle, grinning broadly all the while before setting them down and bending to plant a tender kiss on each little forehead. Logan had been astonished – though Pietro was quite the alley-cat when he felt like it, showing love like that was absolutely alien to him.

"Good with the kids, huh?" he'd asked, indicated the man with a nod. Xavier had smiled in that amused way he'd never lost

"He is, but those are his. Twins, Ruth and Rachael, they attend the Academy"

"He had kids?!" that was unexpected. Of course Pietro might have had kids – he'd never stuck around long enough to find out though

"Just the girls. Married a fellow student after he enrolled. You seem surprised? Peter has always been a very loving person, did you think otherwise?"

He certainly had done. There were many words he could have used to describe Pietro – hyperactive, irritating, disloyal, sarcastic, arrogant – but loving had never been one of them. He wondered if this change had all been brought about by meeting him at seventeen, bringing him to the attention of the Academy instead of leaving him to find his own way in the world. Could that really have changed a person so much?

"Come and meet him – he's much calmer than you remember I'm sure" Xavier had called the man over, introduced them. Even from that broad friendly smile he'd seen that there was virtually nothing of the man he knew in him. "Peter, you remember Logan don't you?"

"Dude with cool claws like that? Not likely to forget him!" he'd laughed, shook Logan's hand kindly, left him speechless with his warmth and friendliness, "Whatever moisturiser you're using, it's working. You hardly aged a day"

"Looking pretty good yourself" he'd muttered. It was true, Peter had to be in his fifties but he still looked at least ten years younger than that, "You teach here now?"

"Peter set up our new gymnasium, and actually I believe he's considering retirement"

"Not just yet, Prof" he grinned, "Gotta make sure Flick knows what she's doing first. But yeah for now I teach, but like he said I'm planning to step down, spend a bit of time with my kids before they get too old to want to hang with their Dad. Anyway, good to see you again – I'm sure you've got things to do"

He had been about to dart off, when Logan had caught one arm in a vice-like grip and forced him to stay. Peter glanced at the hand that restrained him, wondered if he should struggle, didn't feel like breaking any bones today and stayed.

"Wanda," Logan demanded, "Your twin sister. Is she…?"

"She's fine, dude, I didn't know you knew her" Peter wriggled experimentally, couldn't get free, "Do you mind letting me go? You're kinda strong"

"When you say fine, you mean not crazy, not locked up? Not evil?"

"No! She lives in New York – go see her if you're so concerned, she's single!"

"Logan…" Charles said gently. The man realised he still had a grip on Peter's bicep, released him.

"Sorry kid" he muttered, "Just… I guess a lot changed"