Logan came to a stop next to Cal. "Who the hell are these people?" he growled. The sirens chose that instant, and Cal screamed even louder, blood running out of her nose and ears. "What's going on Chuck?"
"They've obviously come up with some type of weapon that affects Ms. Collier. It doesn't seem to affect me or any of the other mutants with mental powers though." Xavier wheeled forward. "I'll see what I can do to make it stop." he closed his eyes and concentrated. "These men are well prepared for our new friend. Nothing I can't handle though." The sirens stopped suddenly, and there was dead silence.
Scott and Ororo found their way to the entry. Cal sat up suddenly, her eyes practically glowing a feral black. With a growl she shot into a crouching position and sprung for the door. Just as she reached it, the door had swung open and a man with a gun slipped through. She took him down in one blow, and he fell to the floor. She looked back at the children and yelled, "GO! HIDE!" and with that they scattered up the stairs.
A shot rang through the night air, and Cal jerked backwards as the bullet entered her shoulder. Logan roared and ran into the night, claws unsheathing, and gutting two men sneaking up onto the porch. The Xmen ran outside, Scott shooting his laser at several of the troops, while Storm called lightning; felling a tree. Cal had regained her footing, and run full tilt into a group of six men with guns. She kicked out at one snapping his neck, and electrocuted the two more with two quick energy globes. Told before hand to take her alive, the other three soldiers tried to shoot her legs, and even though she dropped, she still managed to kick out and snap one of their knees. Two men left, one tried to run, but was brought down by Scott, the other sensing defeat emptied his clip into Cal's abdomen. Logan ran him through.
Cal lay on the ground, coughing up blood. The few men left had retreated. Logan dropped to his knees., and pulled Cal into his arms. A sound of anguish came out of his throat, much the same as when he'd thought Rogue dead. Though, this time there would be no sharing of his regenerative ability.
Cal coughed and smiled through the blood. "Ah, was that for me big guy. Who'd of thought you cared? Not so sure I'm gonna make it this time. Never had a clip emptied into me. It kind of hurts a lot." she raised a bloody hands to touch Logan's face, and passed out.
Scott and Bobby had run over to them. "Logan, we have to get her to infirmary." Bobby yelled.
Logan was unseeing.
"Logan," Scott said softly, touching the bigger man's arm. "She's got a fighting chance if we get her inside. She's like you, Logan. She heals like you."
Logan looked at the other man, not sure to trust him. But he stood quickly lifting her into the air, and running into the mansion with her.
Cal had been in the Mansion's hospital for three weeks. She lay so pale on the metal table in the infirmary. Ororo and Rogue had put a pillow under her head, and covered her with a light blanket. They'd stripped the bloodied clothes off her body, and she lay naked under that blanket. Logan looked at the unconscious woman wondering when he'd actually started caring for someone else. Did that make him betray Jean, the woman who'd never been his? He knew that the attraction between them was mutual. It was almost animal in nature, primal. She was so much like him, he thought as he trailed a finger down her soft cheek. That would make for interesting times. Especially since they seemed to butt heads so often.
Ororo entered the room to sit with the comatose girl. She hoped Cal woke up soon. Logan looked horrible, though she doubted he realized it. She laid her hand on his shoulder gently, "Logan, go rest, or get something to eat. I will sit with Cal. If she wakes up I'll call you first thing." Logan looked at her and nodded.
The whole castle had been watching Logan and Cal circle each other for weeks. Like wolves sniffing out their mates. Logan had made it out the door, and was just walking down the hall when the shriek of terror filled the hallway. Running back to the room he found Ororo trying to hold the blonde down, and Cal was shrieking in terror. Logan moved Ororo out of the way, and took Cal by the shoulders.
"Cal!" he yelled into her face. Stark terror filled her eyes, and turned them black. "Cal, calm down!" he yelled again, this time giving her a small shake. The girl started taking deep breathes, and stopped yelling. Her entire body was trembling and she held the thin blanket to her body. Logan smoothed the hair away from her face, and she broke down into sobs.
"Daddy…" came her keening voice. Logan held her to him, whispering to her and making soothing sounds. He knew that when she came to she would hate that she had shown such weakness in front of him, but she'd have to deal with it. "Alone, don't leave me alone." she sobbed.
They had to sedate her heavily. Her body was similar to Logan's so her metabolism burned up the sedative quickly. Currently she was sleeping, and the Xmen were in Charles' office.
"It's like she is very disoriented." Ororo told them.
"She remembers bits and pieces, but doesn't seem to grasp the entire situation." Logan said wearily.
"I'll come down and take a look into her thoughts, see if I can't tell something." Professor Xavier told the worried group. They were on their way down when the watch on Logan's arm started beeping.. "She's up."
When they entered the infirmary Cal was sitting on the table with the sheet wrapped around her nakedness. She looked at the group with reservation.
"Ms. Collier do you remember who we are?" Charles asked her.
"Yes, I remember. I remember everything." she said quietly. "I'm sorry I freaked out."
"It's quite alright Ms. Collier. Happens to the best of us sometimes." he said.
She looked at him from deeply troubled eyes and he sighed.
"When are you planning on leaving?" he asked gently.
"I was going to tell you." she told him. "I can't stay here after this. Not and endanger those children. You know as well as I do that they'll be back, and in full force next time."
"We can still help you."
"No, I'm sorry but I'm leaving Professor. I appreciate all you've done, and all you've tried to do. But we've reached the end of my stay."
Logan sat through the conversation not saying a word. Something inside of him seemed to be snapping; shattering into something he didn't recognize. Without a word he turned and walked out of the room.
Cal watched him leave with haunted eyes.
Scott cornered Logan outside of his quarters. "I can't believe you're just going to let her leave." he said angrily.
Logan spun, grabbing Scott by his shirt front and slamming him into the wall. "What am I supposed to do? You heard her. You saw her, her mind's made up. It's done. She's leaving." He dropped Scott to the ground, and entered his room.
Later that night Cal Collier stared up at the mansion, turned on her bike, and drove away.