James had been too lost in whatever thoughts he must have had to register the scent of smoke and cherries belonging to an old friend during the plane ride. Raylene didn't mind though, she wanted to remain unnoticed in the small plane, which was difficult as it was. She had been talking with John, or Wraith, about the Island herself, trying to track Wade down. She knew James had talked to him, and Wraith had 'fessed up to James, so it was only logical to tail James. This was where it had led her, hiding in a small plane with a Cajun, waiting for James to return. If what she head was right, well then, she was glad she got out of their team about the same time James left. She didn't stay hidden with the Cajun in the plane for long, just long enough to end up being rendered useless in James' and Victor's fight with what Wade had been made into. Just long enough to see and know James lost his memory. Just long enough to see Kayla's last, and redeeming, actions. She gave the woman credit, but there was nothing Raylene could have done.
She ran into the crumbling rubble of what was left of the place. Not all was ruined as she found a mostly intact room with a monitor showing a security camera feed, but she gasped as she watched Wade's arm grab his decapitated head on screen. He was still alive, and she'd be damned if she didn't try to save him. She began to dash out but froze in place. She shivered deeply as she heard Wade shush her from the camera feed. Had he even heard her get into the building? Either way, she was rushing out to find him, no matter the risk.
There were so many things between her and Wade that she left secret from anyone. The night she had joined the boys in a bar to drink, she had also joined Wade in his tent. It had been more like she waited for him in the shadows, afraid to even be taking the risk of rejection. She genuinely liked Wade, and those emotions were hard to handle without there even being rejection. She didn't want to be left alone again, like she had been when her parents died. Drinking that night, laughing with all of her teammates, she had been so at ease. Out of all her teammates, Wade had always went out of his way to make her smile.
When he finally got to his tent, she allowed herself to be seen, speaking quietly to the one known as the merc with a mouth, "Wade-"
"Holy shit! We need to get you a collar with like some bells, you're always just popping up." He had jumped slightly, having been just a bit scared, as he began to put away his belongings for the night. He watched her wearily, knowing that she liked to appear innocent before killing someone. She only giggled, a sound still foreign to his ears though he was adjusting. She was beginning to laugh more around him, which he would have to admit, he liked.
"Wade," she began softly again, "I just wanted to tell you how funny I think you are. I know everyone tells you to shut up and -"
"Yeah, especially James. I mean, I'm not ragging on his holier-than-thou air. Nice to know I have a fan though, I better remember to record you seriously saying I'm funny though, it's hard for people to believe me. I'm not quite sure why though...I mean I was serious about that man-eating chihuahua."
"I don't even mind being interrupted, I just-"
"I would hope you don't mind. I usually don't take too kind to assassination attempts. Even if the assassin is as hot as you."
"Just shut up and kiss me Wade, before I do kill you." Exasperated, she pulled him by the shirt, crashing their lips together. She was glad to find his lips willing and his hands warm on her hips. When they parted for air, she rolled her eyes playfully as he began to add a snarky comment, her grinning all the while.
"I see you've found a good way to shut me up. The question is: can you find them all?"
She laughed as her hands kneaded at his chest lazily. "You know, I've always liked a challenge, but get this: anything besides that kiss, costs a date, a real date, once we're out of her. I get paid up front before you get anything too."
She continued her light laugh as she lifted his jaw with a finger to close it as it rested agape at her declaration. Swiftly remembering who he was, and living up to his name, Wade added his little bit. "As long as we don't end up wearing the same dress, it was so awkward the last time it happened, I'm willing to test it out."
That night, she stayed in his tent, and in his arms, like she did the rest of her nights while she remained with the team. Besides the bedtime snuggling, the attempts at seducing her, and the occasional grope he managed to get in when he could, things never got very physical. When she left the team a few weeks after James did, acting on what was one of her better thoughts of conscience, she succeeded in weaseling an address to write him to, and he succeeded in getting a farewell lap dance from her in exchange for the address. She kept to her declaration though, not letting the lap dance get too wild. She didn't find the courage to write him until a year after she was gone. It took her only a month to receive a letter back.
Dear Miss Coriander,
Okay, so that's about as formal as I'll ever get. I'm glad you finally decided to write. I was starting to worry that wherever you were ran out of trees and paper. Apparently New York City has made an exception to your rations now, congrats. All sarcasm delayed, glad you decided to keep in touch.
You should be glad you left when you did, it's starting to get a little too ugly for even my obviously sensitive tastes. I don't know why we're doing what we are, but the money's good and Stryker says we're helping out all of our kind. Okay, so maybe he hasn't gotten better at bullshit. I don't really care though, we're still kicking ass.
Damn, I miss you more than I miss pancakes and chimichangas, and that's saying something! We haven't had a decent meal over here in weeks. I'm beginning to think Stryker just gets off on control. It would explain all that pulling rank shit he tries to do. I bet I'd find tons of pictures of chicks tied up in his personal effects. How this line of thought went from me honestly just thinking of that lap dance you gave me to Stryker's porn stash, I'll never know.
We're heading out soon, probably another mission where I don't get to kill anything. Oh the joy...Listen, well technically read, I'm heading home to Canada soon. I want you to come with me, if you want. Then I'll take you on that date.
She still had that letter with her, wherever she went. She had planned on going, but a few letters after the first, she got horrible news. The doctors had told Wade he had cancer. Stryker said he could help, if Wade stayed. He told her not to come back to the team for him. He stressed it. He wrote that it was getting to be too much, even for him. They kept correspondence up until three months before she saw James again. His letters were never more than a month's wait, but they had been growing more distraught. She tried her best to offer any comfort she could, including pictures of herself to put in his room or something, and she hated being seen.
That was when she decided to go to Canada. She called in an old favor from a Canadian friend, and set off to the Northwestern Territories to coordinate her search efforts there. When she got there, she saw James again, and took off from there. Following him from afar, she found herself surprised Victor didn't find her too. That, or she figured that she wasn't necessary to any of Stryker's plans.
Then she ended up in this mess, crying quietly as she ran through the rubble, trying to find the merc who stole her heart. She choked on a sob as she spotted him, running over to him in relief. She didn't even care that her normally well groomed hair was disheveled or that she was still wearing a black t-shirt and jeans she had been for the last three days. The relief she was feeling was short lived as Wade held her up by her throat, choking the life slowly out of her and tilting his head.
"Who are you?" Wade's voice was harsh and demanding, no humor to be found. No Wade to be found.
"Raylene C-Coriander." She choked out, knowing that if she phased through his grip with her powers, they'd only end up fighting. As her legs wriggled to find a purchase to relieve some of the pressure on her throat, the letter she had in her pocket fell out. She swallowed hard, it being no help as he picked it up with one hand.
He released her just as she thought she was truly going to die. Her blue orbs frantically searching his brown ones for any sense of recognition. She held onto his arm, pleading for once in her life. "Please remember me Wade," sirens from emergency responders wailed closer and closer, "before it's too late."