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"Don't you look happy."

Walt nodded. "I am," he said quietly. He was sitting on the couch with his hat off in the darkened room, holding Shogo watching the kid sleep. "Shh... he's sleeping, Jubes. Speaking of how was your nap, momma?"

He heard her walk up behind him. He felt her place her hand on his shoulder, her fingertips brushing his neck just like earlier. "I slept great," she said quietly. "I love him but he wears me out. Logan went home?"

Walt nodded. "He did. He offered to take Shogo but..."

Jubilee ran the fingers of her other hand through his hair. He looked at her reflection in the window and saw she was smiling. He was too. "But you didn't want to let him go?"

Walt nodded. "I love children. I never had any of my own... just my friends. Despite being old-fashioned and firm I tend to dote, I'm afraid."

Jubilee kept playing with his hair. "You always have... you're probably their favorite "uncle" or something. That's how you were with the kids here. That's something you and Logan have in common... a soft spot for children and young people."

Walt nodded. "You too, Jubes... we're all orphans that way. You and I... we got lucky. My grandparents eventually found me... you found Logan. We know the importance of family... and the families who take us in. The people we make a part of our family and the families that make us a part of theirs. The people special to us. "

Jubilee had come around the couch. Walt noticed she'd already changed into pajamas. She reached out and Walt sighed assuming she wanted her son but she grabbed his arm and pulled lightly. He stood and followed where she led him.

They went upstairs and then to one of the bedrooms. Hers. Walt started to turn to put Shogo down in his bed but she shook her head and lead him towards the big bed. "Uh, Jubes..."

"Shhh," she said sitting him down on the bed. She pulled his boots off for him then climbed into the otherside of the bed. She snuggled up to him as he held her son. "You're a special person to me," she said quietly. "You always have been... don't go away again like last time, ok?"

Walt nodded. "Sorry," he whispered. "You've always been special to me as well... If that's what you want, I won't."

Jubilee nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder. "This is what I want."

Walt kissed her head and they stretched out on the bed. The three of them together. Walt nodded slightly. "Alright. This is good... I like this too."

He felt her breathing even out. She was asleep. Walt carefully took his phone out and had Friday take a picture recording. "Good night. I love you."

He hit send and set his phone aside and they fell asleep like that.

"Friday. Play it again, please?"

(("Of course, Penny. This is your third viewing. Would you like me to set it to repeat?"))

"Yes, please!"

Penny smiled at her phone watching the small clip play over and over. "Good night. I love you."... "Good night. I love you."... "Good night. I love you."

Neo came over and sat with her. She leaned her head on Penny's shoulder, watching with her. She looked around at all the others on their break with their phones out. He'd sent it to all of them.

Neo looked at Penny's face and made a big smile at her then pointed at her.

Penny did smile and nodded. "I am happy, Neo. They look happy too."

Neo nodded in agreement. They did look happy. It made her happy too.

Neo pointed at her collar then the picture.

Penny nodded. "I hope so... knowing Walt he doesn't want that for them even though he wants them close."

Neo nodded. That was how he was. She shook her head and pointed at the way Jubilee held him and her child. Complete love and trust on her face.

Penny smiled and nodded too. "I agree. I also think he will not get a choice. She will decide for him. I love, Walter... but Master is silly that way. It is a good thing that is part if his charm!"

They both laughed.

"This place makes me want to hurl!"

Gwenom nodded. "I agree with Jubilee... Earth-2149 is disgusting!" She gave Walt a look. "You really know how to show girls a good time."

Walt sighed and nodded. "I warned you... but I agree. It's unpleasant."

They looked down at the carnage and devastation from the rooftop they were on. The horde of creatures below them milling about.

"Gwenom and I are on stealth," Walt said. "Jubes you're going to create distractions and diversions if necessary. Noone engage close in if you can help it and do not pull any punches... and most importantly of all. Do. Not. Get. Bit. Understood?"

They both nodded and Jubilee prepared to launch a explosion to draw the creatures away. "Zombies," she muttered. "Why did it have to be zombies?"

After Jubilee detonated an explosion drawing Way some of the average zombies they made their way from rooftop to rooftop. Walt lead the way and dispatched several of the loathsome creatures using the octopi tentacles to restrain and then dispatch them with his bowie knife. Several were former S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and he collected their weaponry... and their IDs while Friday recorded their retinas and fingerprints for biometrics.

"Alright. We're getting close... remember that the superpowered ones are not to be engaged if you can help it. They're different. They still have abilities and many are intelligent but consumed by their hunger. They cannot be reasoned with... but they can think and use cunning and strategy against you and they're more powerful in a way because only their brains are their weakness."

He started readying the weaponry and equipment. Silenced firearms for all of them as well as knives. Grenades for Gwen and himself. "I know Jubilee has weapons training. Gwen what kind of combat training do you actually have? I've noticed your fighting style is unique. It's practiced in some ways but surprisingly rudimentary in others."

Gwen looked at the gun, knife and grenades and laughed nervously. "Actually..."

Walt and Jubilee both blinked then looked at her incredulously. "No... none?" Jubilee asked.

Gwen laughed again but Walt stared at her intently. "Gwen... this is deadly serious. As Gwenom you have incredible ability at your disposal but you can't afford to use close in attacks here... and if you have limited formal training I need to know before we can trust you with a weapon."

Gwen hung her head and sighed. "The truth is... I don't have any... I've been copying movies, TV, games and stuff... but I have experience from being in fights-"

"No," Walt said and shook his head. "You have experience but no proper training... it's my fault. I had assumed someone must have taught you something that I was unfamiliar with. Until you've had training you're only an experienced novice."

"But," Gwen protested. "I know how they work-"

"You know nothing!" Walt stated. "You only think you do and that's just enough knowledge to be very dangerous to everyone." He sighed. "It's my fault. I'm tempted to scrap this mission and do it another time. It's not worth the risk."

"I can cover her," Jubilee said but sighed. "But that makes things a lot harder if the situation gets hairy..."

Walt nodded. Gwen's abilities were fantastic but in this situation she was not going to be at her best. It placed a lot more burden on Jubilee and himself. He activated the scouter. "Friday... I need to release some more of the limiters."

(("Understood, Boss. Would you like a general level and abilities assigned or customize yourself?"))

Friday brought up several "menus" and "panels" in his view display. "Both. Unlock level 2 and I'll customize. Can't afford to make any mistakes."

(("Yes, Boss."))

He started making selections as the power coursed through him. "Gwen... you may take two of the knives only. You can use your webbing to assist yourself and Jubilee. Jubes can you show her quickly the proper way to handle them and use them for stabbing?"

Jubilee nodded. "Can do. Come on rookie. You're with me."

Gwen picked up two of the knives unhappy with the decision. "This is silly. I can do mo-"

"Shut it!" Jubilee hissed surprising Gwen. She was suddenly just as serious as Walt. She'd spent countless hours training in the danger room and with several teams, not just the X-Men. She'd also been personally trained by Wolverine. She knew how serious this was.

"He's making the best decision for all of us," Jubilee said pointing at Walt making invisible adjustments. "Our success isn't worth a damn if it costs us one of us. If something happens he's going to blame himself... he's already blaming himself for what he sees as his blunder. He'd rather abort the whole mission and honestly he isn't wrong. There's no room for further mistakes and sometimes on missions... mistakes are all you get. It's all our faults Gwen."

Jubilee took a breath and very seriously looked Gwen in the eyes. "Don't you dare make this harder by being obstinate because of your pride... instead focus on absorbing everything I'm about to show you. Otherwise we're going home or worse he's going to leave us both behind where it's safe and go into danger alone. I don't want that and I'm certain that you don't either. Understood?"

Gwen was surprised. Maybe she really was in the wrong? They were worried about her and also for her and each other. "I... I'm sorry. I would be happy to learn whatever you can teach me."

Jubilee smiled and nodded. "Okay then. We don't have a lot of time. Since you need to stab them in the head you're going to want to hold the knives like this or this. The average human skull is around 6.5 to just a bit over 7 millimeters in thickness. With your strength that's easy. The trick will be not getting the knife stuck or breaking the blade. Use your webbing to restrain them securely. Then you're going to want to apply..."

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Raven Manami Aiba Tsuyu Asui Haruhime Sanjouno The Baroness Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida and Gwenom

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