Chapter 1:
Confusion of the highest quality.

Wolverine jumped back, the skin on his chest peeled off and he let out an angry cry. 'This chick isn't playing around.' Wolverine thought. The girl's right arm was crystallized and spiked. She had a vengeful expression and her eyes were black; no pupils, just black.

Wolverine got back on his feet, "You think I'm gonna give up that easily?" He smiled confidently. His chest healed within seconds, 'that's more like it.' He thought. The girl put her left arm in front of her and made a 'come hither' motion.

Wolverine held his fist tight, his claws descending out of his flesh. His back arched slightly, he charged towards her at full speed. The girl didn't flinch.

'What's with this girl?' He thought to himself and slashed at her, she lifted her right crystal of an arm up and Wolverine felt his claw get stuck, 'oh shit' he began to panic, but didn't let it show. With his free hand he stabbed into her stomach, but it crystallized before he even began to swipe.

He looked at her, "Who are you?" He growled. "Your worst nightmare." She smiled deviously. Her left arm became the crystallized mace shape that her right was. "Any last words?" Her voice sounded full of hatred.

Wolverine made a quick movement, lifted his legs and kicked her face. He put enough force into it to get his claws free. "That's funny; I was just about to say the same thing to you." He walked over and stood over her. Her eyes were closed, and her crystal arms and mid section had faded into normal flesh.

"Sorry, but I have to kill you. Xavier's orders." Wolverine said. "I said no such thing." A voice came from the back of Wolverine's mind. "Yeah, you did. You told me to kill her." Wolverine barked back. "Plans have changed." Xavier's voice grew agitated. "Why? Because you don't have the heart to kill her? I'm the one who's doing it, just close your eyes or something!" Wolverine said raising his fist over the unconscious girl's head.

"Logan!" Wolverine looked up; Storm appeared from Xavier's jet. "Oh, come on, not you too!" Wolverine yelled. "If we don't have to kill her, then we won't." Storm said.

"Will you guys make up your minds already? Jesus, first you tell me to kill her, now you take it back, what next you want me to wake her up and fight her again?" Wolverine groaned. "She's just a kid." Storm replied.

"She is not! Look at her, she's at least 17." Wolverine pointed to her. "That is still a minor." Storm reminded him.

"Yeah, by a year." Wolverine rolled his eyes. "Arguing isn't going to change our minds, Logan." Storm said. Her face was serious and stern. "Fine. Whatever." Wolverine sighed. His claws retracted and he winced at the pain. "Thank you." Storm said approaching Wolverine.

Wolverine didn't respond, he reached to pull a cigar out of his shirt pocket only to see all of them were sliced or unsmokable. 'Great.' Wolverine shook his head.

"Rogue asked about you again." Storm said as she picked the unconscious girl up. "You know how I feel about that." Wolverine said in a low voice. "Please just come and say hi. Even if it is only for an hour, she's worried about you, Logan." Storm asked. "Fine." He sighed, "But you owe me some cigars." Wolverine grunted. "Sure, Logan." Storm said and carried the girl into the jet.

Wolverine followed, 'I'm sure as hell not walking back to Xavier's school' he thought to himself. The jet was fast, but it still took about 15 talkless, boring, annoying minutes.

Wolverine felt like he might fall asleep a few times, but opened his eyes when he thought they were landing, each time he did they weren't. When they finally landed Wolverine had fallen asleep.

"Wake up." Storm snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Agh!" He opened his eyes. 'Damn you, irony.' He said in the back of his mind.

The unconscious girl was being wheeled out in a wheelchair by Storm. Wolverine got up and started to walk to the door. Rogue was hugging Storm and Wolverine saw Storm point back up at him.

Rogue's jaw dropped, "Logan!!!" She yelled and ran up to him. "Hey kidd— owh!" She tackled Logan. "I can control my powers now, see?" She said as she touched his arm. "Yeah, that's great." Wolverine faked a smile and stood up.

"Why haven't you visited in so long?" Rogue looked at Wolverine with big brown eyes. 'I can't tell her the truth. She'll be crushed if I told her that I was keeping away because of herself.' Wolverine thought. "Y'know I had to go help people and stuff." Wolverine said, fumbling over his words.

"Oh." Rogue said softly."But I'm visiting now." Wolverine said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Who's the girl?" Rogue asked with a little jealousy in her voice.

"Don't know." Wolverine shrugged. "I'm serious!" Rogue squealed."So am I." Wolverine said and chuckled a bit.

Rogue followed Wolverine as he went into the building like a lost puppy. Wolverine felt awkward when she stared at him so intently. Wolverine has a tough time telling his friends that he's not interested in them in 'that way'. Especially if they're teenagers, like Rogue. He couldn't figure out a nice way to say it, and Rogue was a good friend.

Storm was in a special cell for violent mutants with Xavier and the crystal girl. Wolverine scoffed. "What?" Rogue asked, still staring. "That girl. They told me to go kill her and now they're babying her. I don't get it." Wolverine said, "And Storm owes me cigars."

"You still smoke?" Rogue looked curious. "Yeah. Why?" Wolverine looked back at her. "Nothing, smoking is cool." Rogue said. "No it's not." Wolverine chuckled, "It's a bad thing." Rogue looked puzzled, "Then why do you do it?" Rogue questioned. "That's a good question." Wolverine said, "Rogue, I'm gonna go shower." He moved his thumb in the opposite direction. "Oh, okay. Come to my room when you're done!" Rogue said smiling. "Sure thing." Wolverine smiled and turned around.

'It's not nice, but it's the best thing for her…' Wolverine thought as he headed for the door. Storm walked past him without noticing at first, but looked back, "Where are you going?" Wolverine looked like a deer caught in headlights, "Would you believe me if I said the shower?" Wolverine asked with his hand on the door handle. "Logan." Storm said sounding disappointed.

"Look, you and I both know that Rogue has feelings for me; and you and I also know that I am way too old for her." Wolverine said quietly. "So, just let me go. Tell her that I had to." Storm had had enough, "No." Storm glared at him, "No, I'm not covering your ass so you can ditch her. That isn't right. You should tell her, face to face, in person like you just told me." Wolverine flopped his hands to his side, "Fine." Storm nodded, "Damn right, fine."

Wolverine turned around and began to walk in the direction of Rogue's room. He acted casual with his hands in his pockets and stopped next to a window; he saw the crystal girl running. 'she escaped!' was the first thing that came to his mind. He ran back to the door and Storm stopped him, "What did we just talk about?" Wolverine tried to push past her "No, you don't understand—"

Storm was already angry with him, "No you don't understand! Rogue is—" Wolverine interrupted "LISTEN TO ME! That girl that I almost killed is running away!" Wolverine yelled.

"What?!" Storm gasped. "Yeah, come on we have to catch her!" Wolverine ran out the door and Storm followed. They ran to the right side of the huge building to see the crystal girl running quickly across the field.

"Shit!" Wolverine cussed noisily. He darted towards her, Storm running shortly behind. "I told you I should've killed her, but noooo! You all wanted to save her!" Logan said as he ran towards her. "Oh shut up!" Storm yelled from behind him.

The girl was arms length away from Wolverine; "I got this!" he tackled her and wrestled her down. He sat on top of her holding her wrists down, "HAH! Whatcha gonna do now?" Wolverine laughed in her face. "Get off of me!" The girl wiggled.

"No chance little girl!" Wolverine boomed. "I'm not a little girl, you giant ass!" She wailed. "Liar!" He laughed hard. "I'm 21 you faggot!" She yelled and wiggled more.

Storm caught up with Wolverine huffing, "Jesus you run fast." Wolverine looked up at Storm, "I got her." He repeated. "I'll kill you!" she yelled. "I doubt that!" Wolverine smirked.

Storm put a hand on Wolverine's shoulder to hold herself up, "Whew, give me a minute." Storm wheezed. "Go ahead, I can hold this weakling down all day." Wolverine taunted.

"When I get up, you are so dead!" The girl yelled. "Right, and I'm an organ donor." Wolverine laughed again. "How is that funny?!" She screamed. "It's only funny if I'm winning." Wolverine continued laughing.

Storm caught her breath, "Why were you running?" she looked at the girl. "I'm not joining the filthy brotherhood!" She grunted. "What? We're not the Brotherhood." Storm said confused. "Wait—what?" The girl blinked.

"We're fighting the brotherhood, actually. We're the X-men." Storm said. "…Oh." The girl frowned. "Logan!" Rogue ran up, "…What are you doing?"

"Uuuhhh—" Wolverine was confused with what Storm and the girl were talking about, his mind was still on that. "Oh. I see." Rogue said tearfully. "I wish you both the best." Rogue walked away. "Ah shit. Why does she always assume the worst?" Wolverine said. "Can you get off me now?" The girl glared.

"Oh—yeah sorry." Wolverine let go of her wrists and stepped over her. "…So who's side is that metal guy on?" The girl sat up rubbing the back of her head. "He's on the brotherhood's side." Wolverine said looking down at her. He cleared his throat, "Dumbass."

"…" The girl looked upset. "What's wrong?" Storm asked. "I got the sides confused. I can't believe I did that." She frowned. "And you almost killed me." Wolverine chimed in. "You were asking for it, buddy." She laughed a bit.

Storm sighed, "I knew Xavier was right. You had me worried, though." Storm rubbed her temples. "What?" The girl asked. "Xavier found out you were wreaking havoc and killing some of his x-men and sent me out to kill you, but told me to back off before I finished the job." Wolverine shrugged.

Wolverine blinked a bit, "Oh crap, your stupidity got me side tracked." He stood up and headed for Rogue's room.

"Wait you douche!" The girl yelled. "What?" Wolverine looked back. "I'm Crystal-Fist; people call me Chris for short." She put her hand out. "I'm Wolverine, or Logan." He shook her hand, "Now I gotta go explain to Rogue a lot of things."

He began walking away and turned back, "How old did you say you were again?" Wolverine blinked. "21, why?" Chris asked. "Good. Stay near here, I'll be back." Wolverine said and ran to Rogue's room.

He tapped on the door, "You in there, Rogue?" Wolverine heard breathing behind the door. "…Maybe." Rogue said through the door. "Come on, let me in." Wolverine asked. Rogue opened the door, "Yeah?"

"It wasn't what it looked like." Wolverine insisted. "Really?" Rogue asked. "Really. But… Listen, we need to talk." Wolverine rubbed the back of his head. Rogue let him into her room.

"You're a great friend, you are; but I'm a lot older than you are. Plus you're still a minor. I know how you feel, but…" He sat her down on the bed, "But it wouldn't work out." Wolverine said. "What about later? When I turn 18?" Rogue asked, trying to rationalize. "We'll see how the future plays out, okay kiddo?" He smiled. 'You pussy.' He thought to himself.

"Okay." Rogue smiled back blushing.