Disclaimer: I don't own. Just playing around with them!
Rating: M
Author's Note: This story picks up during the end of the events of X2 at Alkali Lake after Logan defeats Lady Deathstrike. Jean lives and X3 NEVER happened. (I hate this title, but couldn't think of anything better).
Logan had just finished healing from his brutal fight with the beautiful, but dangerous, Lady Deathstrike when Stryker rounded the corner with one of his men, who kept a large, shiny gun trained on Logan.
Logan snarled and unsheathed his claws as he started toward Stryker, but he held up a hand as the soldier cocked his weapon, "Ah ah...the bullets within this gun can do damage to even the invincible Wolverine...they're the reason your past is so mysterious."
Logan growled, "If you think you can put me down before I kill you...feel free."
He suddenly charged forth as the soldier fired shots, hitting him in the arm and the stomach, which didn't even slow him down.
Stryker panicked and yelled, "The head! Shoot him in the head!"
Little did he know, those would be his last words.
Logan's claws buried in Stryker's chest just as the soldier was finally able to land a shot to his head. Stryker immediately slumped to the floor along with Logan, whose head bore an ugly bullet hole with liquid adamantium leaking from it.
The soldier heard the alarm within the structure begin to sound, warning of the instability of the dam.
Meanwhile, the rest of the X Men and rescued children were rushing aboard the jet.
Marie immediately noticed who was missing and panicked, "Logan! Where's Logan?"
Jean cringed a little as Scott helped her into a chair, "He left...I don't know where he went, but he separated from the group and left..."
She shook her head and started to rush out of the jet, but Scott grabbed Marie's arm, "We have to get outta here. That dam could burst at any minute."
Marie snatched her arm from his grasp, "We're NOT leaving without him!"
Jean let out a breath, "Rogue...Logan can handle himself."
"He wouldn't leave any of us behind, we're not leaving him!" she said as she started toward the closing ramp of the jet, but Scott grabbed her and snatched her back in. She struggled a little, but when it became clear that she wasn't going to win against him, she sighed and held up her hands, "Fine!"
Before anyone could react, she snatched off her glove and grabbed a hold of Kurt's arm and began whispering, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." as she absorbed his power. The teleporter shook and gasped as she took on his life force, causing the blue hue of his skin to temporarily fade to a more normal, pinkish complexion.
By the time Scott grabbed her, she was able to teleport from directly beneath his grasp to the outside of the jet.
She ran as fast and as hard as she could, stumbling and tripping through the high snow. Marie entered the abandoned facility and began rushing through the hallways, calling his name as she poked her head through doorway after doorway.
A powerful, sudden jerk of the walls around her increased her urgency. She ran into one last room and spotted his feet, laying motionless beside what appeared to be a man-sized water tank.
"Oh god...Logan! Logan!"
She rushed over and knelt beside him. Another powerful shudder of the structure made him blink his eyes open.
He gave her a confused look as she grabbed his shoulders and helped him up, "Logan! Are you alright? We have to get outta here!"
Logan hesitantly pulled away, but Marie grabbed his hand within her gloved one and yanked him to his feet. He must've understood that they were in danger, because he stopped putting up a fight and ran out with her.
She led him through the snow to the awaiting jet. Almost as quickly as they were aboard, it took off. They could see and hear the dam breaking as they gained altitude.
Logan looked around confusedly as Marie sat beside him, "Logan, are you alright?"
He shook his head, "Who the fuck are you people!"
Marie stood in the doorway of the med lab as the professor, Scott, Jean and recently arrived Hank attempted to examine Logan, but he refused to have any part of it.
The professor spoke evenly, "Logan, we have to find out what happened to you."
"Yeah, right. Sorry whoever you are, but I don't usually allow people I don't know to go poking and prodding me. Especially if they look like oversized blue monkeys...no offense."
Hank let out an annoyed growl.
Scott spoke up as he helped bandage Jean's sprained ankle, "It's no use professor. Just release him back into the wild where he belongs."
Logan snarled, "Something tells me that if I DO know you people...I don't like you very much."
Scott rolled his eyes.
Marie was heartbroken. He'd forgotten her...he was just an angry, feral mutant now.
She stepped further into the room and wiped a tear away, which immediately caught Logan's attention. He must've smelled it, because his expression immediately softened once he laid eyes on her.
He narrowed his eyes, "I want to talk to her...alone."
Scott shook his head, "Uh...I don't think that's such a good idea."
The professor looked at Logan as he read his mind for violent thoughts. When he found none, he looked back at Marie, "Is that alright with you?"
She nodded, which prompted the professor to lead Scott and Jean out of the room. When the door was closed, Logan eyed her carefully. After a long moment of silence, he sighed, "I guess I owe you a thank you...since you saved my life."
Marie shook her head and muttered, "No I didn't..."
"I was there...that dam broke right after that plane took off. I woulda died if I'd been left in there."
She bit her bottom lip and shrugged, "Maybe...not sure if your healing factor would help your lungs recover from drowning..."
"My what?"
She suddenly realized that she wasn't the only one he had forgotten...he'd forgotten who he was, as well. Marie crossed her arms and took a few cautious steps forward, "You're a mutant, Logan."
He snorted a little, "Riiiight. And now I guess you're gonna tell me I'm a super hero too, huh? What are my special, super powers?"
"You have regenerative capabilities that make you virtually indestructible, an adamantium skeleton, keen, animal-like senses and six nine inch claws that protrude out of your knuckles."
Logan's laugh was a little more genuine this time. He hopped off the table and shook his head, "Ya know...your craziness is starting to outweigh your hotness and you'd have to be pretty fuckin' crazy in order to pull that off."
That statement took her by surprise, but she was able to regain her bearings as he walked past her, "Logan, wait...please."
Logan stopped and turned around with a raised brow.
She walked up to him and looked into his eyes, "You can trust me...please. Let me prove to you that you are who we say you are."
He let out a deep breath and allowed her gloved hand to take his as she led him over to the sink at the far side of the room.
She picked up a scalpel and held out her hand for his, "I'm just gonna give you a small cut on your finger tip and it's going to heal right before your eyes...you just need to watch it."
Logan slowly placed his hand in hers, then cringed slightly as she sliced a half inch cut into his index finger. He watched as his skin stitched back together within mere seconds, leaving a small drop of blood in its place.
He sat there in stunned silence for several moments before he finally spoke, "Ok...I'm starting to believe you..."
She took his hand and gently rubbed her covered finger across his knuckles, "You have claws too...they're metal."
"Yeah? How do I release 'em?"
She shrugged a little and released his hand, "Rage...anger...fear...I mean, you don't know who you are, so you kinda don't know what to be scared of."
Marie put her hands on her hips and chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully as he clenched his fists repeatedly.
He closed his eyes, let out a low growl and suddenly released all six claws with a *snikt*. Logan clenched his teeth, "Shit...that stings."
As he retracted them, she stepped forward and took his hand to watch as the slices in his knuckles healed up, "When we first met...I remember askin' you if they hurt when they came out...you told me they did...every time."
Marie sighed and let go of his hand as he gave her a half grin and cocked his head to the side, "Were you and me...do we...I mean...are we-"
She raised a brow, "What?"
"It just seems like you and I have this...chemistry."
Marie tried not to blush, "You didn't think anything of Jean?"
"Who? The redhead? She seems kinda like an ice queen...like a guy would be afraid their dick would freeze and break off if they stuck it in there."
She laughed and shook her head before rolling her eyes and putting her hands on her hips, "Well...it's good to know your sense of humor is still in tact."
"A lot more is still in tact...if you wanna take anything for a test run."
"Wow..." she laughed and put her head down in order to hide the deep red flush of her cheeks. When she felt the warmth in her face subside a little, she raised her head to look at him, "Can we have Hank and the professor examine you now? We're here to help you Logan...can you trust us?"
He stared into her eyes for a moment, "I don't know about trusting them...but I trust you."
She took his hand, "Ok...that's fair..."
I'm so excited about this story you guys. I feel like I might have a fun one on my hands, so definitely let me know what you think. I like the fact that these two are getting a fresh start and since Logan's lost his memory, he's only respnding to his instincts when it comes to Marie...and his instincts are tellin' him that she's HIS!
Review please!