Back to the Mansion (July 1991)

Isabella sat in the car a moment outside of the mansion before she finally got out. She had spoken to Hank on the phone and had told him that she wanted to get herself tested. He had agreed to perform the test and they had arranged a specific day and time for her to come to the mansion. She hadn't told Tony she was doing this. She wanted to figure out the results first before deciding if she needed to tell him anything.

Hank met her at the door and walked her down to the lab. "I appreciate you doing this for me."

Hank had liked Isabella. Despite what Charles and Tony had tried to do, Hank felt Isabella was more than strong enough to deal with what was and he had no intention of hiding anything from her. That had the fortunate effect of trust between them and Hank shook her hand as Storm brought her to the lab and departed.

“So I guess you intend on having more children...does Tony know that?” Hank said as he prepared the gun that would collect the sample. “Now that we’re alone I wanted to be more...descript about the anomaly I’ve found in Serena...unless you don’t wish to know more...though it is just a theory,” He said as he felt around her back for the spot he was going to inject. “You’ll have to take off…” He said awkwardly. Hank was very boyish around women.

Isabella looked at Hank. "Well, we haven't specifically discussed it yet. But if we do decide we would like to have more children I would like for us to at least be prepared. As far as I know neither of us have had any relatives who have had genetic mutations, but I suppose that could potentially be easy to cover up."

Isabella turned her back to Hank and removed her top. She was wearing a black, lace bra underneath. Hank had her lay down face first on a table so he could get the sample.

"I would like to know more about the theory you mentioned regarding Serena."

He began to use his fingers to pinpoint the area he would use for the injection site. He used a small black marker and marked the spot. “I won’t get into Quantum Mechanics but basically time travel works in odd ways compared to real time. Sometime in the future...our future and Serena’s, she may have traveled through time. I know its strange to be able to know that now ‘before’ she could possibly travel through time but thats how it works. Cause and effect in time travel anyway. The odd thing though was that there were a couple of them...like she’s done it more than once,” Hank said as he pressed on the spot to dull the nerves. “So maybe her mutation involves that...maybe,” He said. “I’m going to count to three ok?” He asked. “One, two…” ‘Kachunnkk’ He pulled the trigger. Isabella felt a quick jolt of pain and pressure and then it was done. “And thats it, you can get up” He said just as Logan came into the lab. He stopped when he saw Isabella getting up in just her bra. He grinned but his mouth quickly turned down when he saw what Hank held.

“Is everything alright here?” Logan asked. He was concerned...now that something was wrong with Isabella otherwise why would she be here.

Isabella listened to what Hank said, but it all still seemed strange to her. However, recent events had shown them that strange things were possible. She began to wonder if time travel was apart of her mutations. If so, why would she send herself back to be reborn? Was there something she was trying to fix and, if so, did that mean she would remember being from the future?

She held her breath as Hank extracted the sample. Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as painful has she had thought it might be and it was quick. As she was standing up she heard someone walk into the lab. She looked over and saw Logan. She picked up her blouse.

"I just decided to get myself tested," she told him as she began to button it back up.

Logan’s face moderated with her explanation. “So even though she may have traveled later in life, we’d see evidence of that before it happened. So in a sense, the opposite of cause and effect,” Hank said.

“Jesus Hank, its bad enough you talk to your geek buddies like that,” Logan said. Hank put the sample into the centrifuge. Logan didn’t even really know what he was doing here. Perhaps a part of him wanted to create an inroad with this woman as the present road he was on began to fill up with potholes. There had been another incident with Jean and himself and he was afraid and also thrilled at the same time that he was beginning to batter down the walls that kept her feelings for him at bay.

“Was there...something you wanted Logan?” Hank asked dryly. “The Professor wanted you to make a few adjustments on Cerebro,” He said. “Well...it’ll be a couple of hours, I suppose I can see what he needs,” Hank said and looked over at Isabella. “Meet back here in 3?” He asked. When she nodded he left them.

“I might like to see this tower of yours sometime,” Logan said out of the blue. He wasn’t one for tact.

Isabella finished buttoning up her blouse and then tucked it into her pants. She ran her fingers through her dark hair and then looked at Logan when he told her that he might like to see the Tower one day.

"I'd be happy to show you around," she told him. "May I ask if there is any particular reason why you would like to see it?"

Logan wasn’t one to get into his own personal business, or his love life or lack thereof but he felt an odd kinship with Isabella. She was approachable or she seemed to be. Idly Logan picked up one of Hank’s odd contraptions and played with it. “Because I’m in love with another man’s wife and I’m not certain I will stop...trying…” He said but didn’t finish that statement. He wasn’t looking at her and he frowned as he wondered what the device he held actually did.

Isabella remembered her conversation with Jean and gave a little nod of understanding. "Well, as I said you are more than welcome to come by and I can show you around. However, just so you know if you ever decide you want to come for more than just a visit you need to understand that the Avengers are a team and being apart of that team has responsibilities beyond just yourself."

Logan’s brow furled for the first time as he looked at her. She had no idea how long he’s lived, what he had been through and how long he has been an X-men. This irritated Logan, especially so because she was fairly young. “I know what being in a team means, I ‘am’ a X-men you know,” He said trying to moderate his temper. “A soldier too...a few times,” He said though he didn’t elaborate on that. “Did you want to get something to eat or drink? Anyone or anything you want to see?” He asked.

Isabella would readily admit she knew nothing about Logan because he had offered her no information about himself, apart from the fact that he was in love with Jean. She blinked however when he mentioned having been a soldier a few times. She wondered what exactly he meant by that. She decided she would need to ask him about that at some point. "I could use something to drink," she replied.

Since it was between meals the cafeteria wasn’t all that filled. There were classes happening right then and students were in the halls. “So what’s your poison, soda, water, tea, coffee? If you want something harder I have beer and whiskey in my room, not alot of people drink around here,” Logan said. When she got what she wanted he sat across from her at the small seating area that was in the corner of the cafeteria. The chairs were old and covered in brown leather. THere were side tables, a coffee table and a fireplace that crackled in the corner.

For a split second Isabella considered taking him up on the whiskey, but she needed to be able to drive home and wasn't sure how it would look with her being in his room. In the end she decided on some tea. She prepared it with a little honey and lemon and then sat down at one of the tables with Logan sitting across from her.

"So, you were a solider more than once?"

Logan didn’t often talk about himself. What Charles had restored had been a shock to him. ANd still he didn’t really know how old he was. Not really. His healing mutation came at birth like his claws. “All of them...World war I, II, Korea, Vietnam,” He said. “Before that It gets really sketchy,” He said. “My mutation is healing and extendable bone hand claws. Heightened senses, strength, agility,” He said and shrugged. “The metal came...later,” He said as he looked at the floor again. He recalled the pain he felt when the metal was grafted onto his bones. The burning, the searing pain like lava inside his body. It nearly killed and him and drove him mad.

Isabella sat there listening to Logan with pure fascination. Everything he said intrigued her and she could tell that it was difficult for him to talk about himself. She wondered how long he had actually been alive, but then realized what a lonely existence that must be.

"Metal?" she asked gently. She could tell whatever it was was upsetting to him.

Logan lifted up his right hand, made a fist and 3 long, metal claws shot out just behind his knuckles. He turned them so she could see them clearly. “A colonel had tried to turn me into ‘the ultimate weapon’. They messed with my head and used my healing abilities against me. He grafted a super heated liquid form of adamantium onto my bones by injecting the substance at points all over my body under the skin and muscle. The process needed me to be conscious and I was...subjected to probably the worst pain I’ve ever experienced if you can imagine molten lava being injected inside of you. It wasn’t immediate, the process took time and I survived it though they weren’t certain if I would. As they continued to try and warp my mind I escaped not even remembering my own name,” Logan said. “I have no family, few real friends and a bad temper. Charles and Jean have helped me be ‘less’ like a wolverine and ‘more’ like a person. Unlike Frank, my anger doesn’t have a target, it just exists and The X-men have used that. So when you explain to me about...responsibilities, I live them. What else could I do anyway if I wasn’t fighting bad guys?” He said as he retracted his claws instantly.

Isabella jumped when three, long metal claws suddenly appeared out of Logan's hand. She just stared at them and as she listened to Logan explain how he had come to have them she felt her heart break for him. She couldn't imagine going through anything like he had. It was a wonder that he didn't hate everyone. There was some hate, but there was something else there too, buried beneath it that Isabella could see when she looked into Logan's eyes. Underneath it all he was a good person.

She slowly reached out and gently placed her hand on top of his and gave him a little smile. "You have another friend in me Logan. If you need me, I'll do what I can to help you."

Logan felt an urge to pull back from her hand but something inside of him just let him leave it there. He frowned though at the complex set of emotions that went through him right then. “Thank you,” Logan said and pulled his hand back. “I’ve never met Steve Rogers or Bruce Banner what are they like?”

Isabella was more than happy to tell Logan about Steve and Bruce. She told Logan the story of how she and Tony had found Steve in the ice and had saved him. They spent the next three hours just talking. Isabella was surprised by how easily she found she could talk to Logan and hoped that he found it easy to talk to her.

Finally, it was time for her to get the results of her test and she looked at Logan. "I know this is going to sound strange, but would you mind being there with me when I get the results? I don't have Tony here and I would just like to have someone else there with me."

So together they found themselves back in Hank’s lab however when they arrived Hank and another woman had stepped away from one another as if they were doing something that they didn’t want anyone to see. The woman was shorter than he and had bright red hair and blue skin with an odd pattern over it. Hank hastily put his glasses back on and cleared his throat. The woman only turned and looked at them. “Hmmm,” Logan grunted as if he had seen this before.

“Isabella Stark, this is Mystique,” He said. Mystique’s yellow eyes looked at Isabella. “So your the one that tamed the heart of Tony Stark...I’ve always wanted to meet you,” she said and turned and gave a discerning look at Hank. “Hank, you never told me you had such notable friend? You either Logan...why do I feel as if I’m the last one to know here?” She said though her face was all smiles.

Isabella was startled by Mystique. She had met mutants before, but never one that looked quite the way she did. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about Mystique. The woman smiled at her, but deep in her gut she got a warning feeling about her. She decided to remain friendly, but cautious.

"It's nice to meet you," Isabella said as she extended her hand. She looked at Mystique as the woman shook her hand. She could see Mystique eyeing her. She then turned and looked at Hank. "Do you have the results yet?"

Mystique smiled at Isabella as she shook her hand. “She’s worried about me Hank. See? I’m judged by my appearance even in my own home,” Mystique said, “C’mon Mystique,” Logan said. The two women looked at one another a bit longer and then Mystique shifted into Isabella. “Or do you like this better?” Mystique said. “Hun...please,” Hank said and Mystique sighed and let the visage go as she stepped away from them and out of the lab. “She’s...complicated,” Hank said. “That’s an understatement,” Logan murmured under his breath.

Isabella blinked when Mystique suddenly transformed into herself. The woman was a shapeshifter and somehow that did not make her feel any better about the woman. She had tried to be polite, but clearly that had backfired on her. She didn't say anything as Mystique left. She waited until she was gone before she looked at Hank and Logan. "I wasn't judging her."

Hank gestured to Isabella. “Its alright, she’s...easily offended,” Hank said. “How about we go over why you’re here,” Hank said but his tone was irritated and Isabella would feel that it was pointed at her. Logan just shook his head. Hank held up his clipboard. “So Isabella, you appear to be a carrier,” He said as he handed her the result. “This means likely that one of your parents is a carrier or a mutant,” Hank said as he watched her read the results.

Isabella could sense that Hank was irritated at her, but she wasn't sure what to do to or say to change that so she just remained quiet on the subject of Mystique. Hearing that she was a carrier of the mutant gene was somewhat upsetting to Isabella, but in the back of her mind she had expected it. She sighed and just nodded.

"So, this means that if I have more children that they will likely have genetic mutations as well?"