"What's up Hank? Said ya needed ta talk to me?"
Hank looked up a bit nervously and nodded. "Ah yes, Logan I wanted to share something with you?"
He hesitated a moment and Logan noted it, "Yeah?"
"Well, you see Logan I was running some tests. On, X-23. Bloodwork and the like and..." Hank's words got a glare from Logan and he quickly spoke to clarify, "A precautionary measure. And completely with the girls consent."
Logan eased up a little and so Hank continued. "Well you see, Logan, the Professor and I were checking out x-23's bloodwork to search for any potential problems that may be there. In that past its been found that...clones, often have certain defects caused by the whole process used to bring them into being. I was simply verifying the X-23 was not subject to any of these."
"Yeah?" Logan pushed when Hank stopped. "Somethin wrong with her?"
"Not neccassarily wrong..." Hank replied, "More..." He paused and it was the first time Logan had ever seen the blue mutant have to actually search for a word. "unexpected."
Logan wasn't sure where this was going or what it had to do with him except him being the one X-23 had been cloned from but Hank's uneasiness was telling him it was something big.
"You see Logan, in order to create a clone..."
"Hank, I know what a clone is." Logan growled, "S'a copy a someone."
"Yes. That is a simplified way of explaining it. But, in this instance the importance comes from the fact that a clone is a recreation of a subjects DNA. A sample is taken and injected into an egg which is then incubated and develops into a fetus and..."
Logan began rolling his hand, making a motion that was telling Hank to hurry up and get to the point.
"Well Logan, the ultimate result is an almost exact copy of the DNA provider. Which would be you except..." Logan arched an eyebrow. "Well except when I inspected X-23's DNA I found that only part of it was yours."
"Huh?"
"To be specific, half was yours." Hank said and added quietly, "Logan, X-23 is not your clone...she's your daughter."
"Wha?" Logan replied his face going nearly blank.
"Your offspring?" Hank offered to clarify.
"I know what a daughter is Hank." Logan sighed, taking a step back and leaning against a counter. "How?"
"Well, you see the process of creating a child..."
"Hank!" Logan barked and halted Beast's explanation. "I mean, she told us...they told her she was a clone. Everyone said she was..." He furrowed his brow. "Do you know who could be...?"
Hank shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I have no way of comparing the other DNA information with a possible parent. Perhaps if you gave me a list of potentials. How many could there be?"
Logan gave Hank a look that clearly told him not to go in that direction and the blue mutant quickly scurried away from the question, "Well the good news is, she is medically fine. The healing factor she inherited from you does a sound job in keeping her healthy and since she isn't in fact...a clone, her genetic makeup is fine. Physically her eyes check out fine, good teeth great..."
Beast continued but Logan didn't hear the rest as he tried to wrap his mind around the fact that he was suddenly a father. Hank set his hand on Logan's shoulder and drew the feral mutants attention back to him. "The only other one who'll be finding this out from me is the professor. I wanted to tell you first before I made a report to him."
Logan nodded, "Thanks Hank. I'll...I'll talk to her, I guess..."
Hank smiled and gave Logan's shoulder a pat, then turned and left the room.
*****
Logan stood in the empty danger room waiting. Right on time the doors opened and she walked in. X-23 had come for thier usual run, something that had become routine after her joining onto the mansion but when she entered she could tell that this wasn't going to be one of those.
"Logan?" She tilted her head to the side at him in question, "We still on for the sim?"
Shaking his head he gestured for her to come forward. "Nah, thought we'd do somethin different today. Got somethin I need ta talk to you about."
Confused but agreeing she shrugged and moved forward. "Okay."
He started walking and spoke out to the room, "Computer, run Logan's valley."
Around the two the grey metal walls disappeared and were replaced by a snowy valley surrounded by a forest of trees. Logan led the way towards the trees and began his talk.