A/N - Hello! here's hoping I didn't leave you hanging for TOO long waiting for this fight, but I have been very distracted lately. Anyhow. here we go!

robbiepoo - You know I love me some Scott. (Rare for a Wolverine stan to say, but there it is) And I WANT him to be happy and HEALTHY. So. We'll just throw a monkeywrench in my hopes and dreams a lil bit ,eh? Also - yes. that awful thing you're not wanting to have to talk about? ITS HAPPENING ANYHOW. *smooches*

gmoore14 - You know what - thank you. I actually really needed to hear that (and continue to need to from time to time) and that was well timed and very much appreciated. I always hope that my love for the character shows through - especially since I relate to Logan (comic) better than any other comic character, so I pour a lot into him. Thanks. Really. Thanks! Looking forward to more of your thoughts!

Chapter 4: Dad And Mom And Cap To The Rescue

The flight to Canada was a long one - at least, it certainly felt that way when everyone on board was anxious about what kind of shape they'd find Scott in. The quinjet made the distance pass quickly, but the time … the time seemed to drag on and on. All three heroes were anxious - and clearly Logan and K were almost holding their breath as they got closer to the coordinates that Logan had entered into the navigation system.

"Okay. So … security on this will probably be tight," Steve said mostly to himself. "What am I looking at? What's the plan?"

"I don't know about you, but if you just want to circle over the section of the complex that's above ground, I'll just … jump out," K said. "Aim for an air vent for maximum confusion. Scare the living daylights out of anyone nearby …"

"If we do that closer to the western side, I'm pretty sure we'll end up in the labs," Logan said.

"And … what about landing on your kid?" Steve said, frowning.

"He'll be in the sublevels," Logan said. "Where the cells are. And the testing. And the not so legal labs."

"Yeah, the ones we'd hit first are the ones that are cleared for government funding. The other ones … much nastier," K agreed.

"And I'm supposed to what exactly?"

"Wait for all the guards to go inside toward the confusion, then stroll in just as pretty as you please," K said as if it was the only solution.

Logan got to his feet and clapped a hand on Steve's shoulder. "If you keep it on the north side, you'll avoid any failsafes and have a better shot at your camo workin' for you," Logan told him. "Unless you can pick a spot and make this thing auto land and cloak itself … in that case, what the hell are you waiting for?"

"Well now I'm going to make Tony put that capability on this thing," Steve muttered.

"Surprised it's doesn't do that already," K said. "Are you sure he didn't put it in and not tell you? He does like to fly off a lot."

"That wouldn't surprise me at all," Steve said, shaking his head. "Alright. I'll meet you both inside. I'm sure it won't be hard to find you once you get started."

"If it's any consolation, I really don't remember more than vague directions inside this place," Logan said. "And I just told them to you."

"Not really consolation, but alright," Steve said. "I've got your back - once I finish cursing Stark's name for this jet."

"Oh, but I thought you were helping us today," K teased.

Steve smirked. "Maybe I'll take the cursing on the road."

She gave him a little smile as she and Logan went to the opening door as Steve circled. The two of them took a moment to look over what they could see of the building before simply jumping out. They weren't terribly high up, and the quinjet was cloaked so it was invisible to the eye - and to radar, so when the two of them did make impact - both of them claws first to cut through the building, to those inside - it sounded as if a pair of bombs went off.

They weren't entirely sure where they were going, but they knew it was down a few flights. And they knew that anyone that got in their way was likely part of the problem, so they simply started getting down to business.

At first, those nearest the spot where Logan and K had dropped through the roof were all ducking and covering - the dust was thick and the impact had taken out the electricity in that quadrant of the building. Most of the workers there were all hiding, taking cover, panicking and taking stock of themselves and each other as the two ferals rushed by them. But … once Logan and K got out of the initial impact zone, it wasn't long before people were trying to rush to the scene. Emergency lights were blinking - guards were starting to rush and fill the empty spaces - and the first one that saw Logan only had time to suck in the breath he'd need to call for help before Logan cut him down neatly.

It wasn't hard to find the two of them in all of that destruction - so they weren't surprised when Cap caught up to them and didn't say anything before he dove in as well, just as efficient as ever and taking out a bit of frustration on the soldiers, too.

For the way the building was constructed, radio communication between the three rescuers would be spotty at best, but they were easily able to at least share the directions they were going when they were far enough apart in their search that they couldn't simply shout to each other. But, the moment K spotted Thornton, she couldn't help but let the boys know. "Greasy little bald creep!" She snarled into the comms. "This has to be the right way, and if it's not - we'll know that real quick too!"

"On our way," Cap replied, though she could hear the sharp clang of the shield bouncing off a few helmets over the scratchy comm.

K started chasing down Thornton's trail, positively locked onto him by sight and scent, and the moment she caught a whiff of Scott's scent clinging to him, her growl dropped nearly an octave and she crouched down a bit lower. When she was halfway close enough, she put on a burst of speed and reached out to slice through his achilles tendons - dropping him hard without having to get too close.

Cap got there just a few moments later, and Logan was on his tail by a few solid lengths. "He smells like Scott," K said, gesturing down at the panicked scientist.

"Who is he?" Cap asked, frowning hard.

"Professor Thornton," Logan said in a growl as he came to stand next to Steve. "I took his hand off. He was the guy in charge when I was here - far as I can remember."

"Where's Scott?" K asked Thornton - her focus purely on him as she paced a short path.

"Consider your answer very carefully," Cap said when Thornton seemed to glare at K for answer.

"He's with a trainer."

Both Logan and K paused for a heartbeat. "Which trainer?" Logan asked, but Thornton wasn't stupid enough to answer that one. And he refused to answer anything else after that, too.

K snarled outright and kicked him in the side of the head, determined to backtrack on Thornton's scent if nothing else. "All yours, Cap," Logan said before he fell into step with K, moving quickly to take the lead.

And though the two of them were perfectly occupied following the scent trail, they did take the time to relay their turns to Steve over the comm. "Left … three halls, right …"

When they finally burst into a high security sub-level, it was clear they were in the right spot - by scent alone, they could easily find Scott through the antiseptic that floated down the halls. And Logan was already impatient enough - and hoping that the kid hadn't totally given up yet. "HEY SLIM!"

There was just a beat before the obviously surprised response: "Dad!"

Logan darted forward as K did what she could to keep the soldiers and doctors stepping out to see what was happening away from what she was sure would be a touching reunion. Though admittedly, the snarl was probably enough for most of them.

Logan was nearly to the cell when Cyber's voice filled the room. He was close enough too, that Scott could see Logan's reaction the instant he heard him. At that moment of recogntion, there was nothing thoughtful about it as instincts took over. Logan froze for an instant - eyes wide - but almost as soon as the clear fear response showed, it was followed by a low snarl as he turned toward the source of the sound.

"Finally come back for more, didja pipsqueak?" Cyber drawled out in his raspy low timbre.

Logan didn't even try to respond, instead relying on his actions to speak for themselves. And it was a very different show than Scott was used to seeing from his Dad in a full-on fight. Logan's strikes were almost more reactionary, less precise, and though he was putting a lot into it, Scott knew first hand that there wasn't much to be done against Cyber's adamantium skin. Which just meant Logan was boxing with a wall - with little hope, even for him - of breaking through it.

And with it, Scott was forced to listen as Cyber taunted Logan - right down the line. A lot of the insults were the same as what Scott had heard - plus a few more thrown in about how the department had expected Logan or K or both to come running to save Scott - but there was an edge there that showed exactly how much Cyber was enjoying himself, too. "You might as well save yourself the healin' and just roll over, boy."

But there wasn't a snippy response as Scott was used to hearing. Instead, Logan tried to fight that much harder. He couldn't quite land the hits he wanted and his breath was coming in desperate swallows of air. Cyber was being careful to protect what little of his face showed unprotected by adamantium. And the obvious fear mixed with the hard strikes were wearing Logan down. It wasn't until then that Scott realized that Cyber hadn't gotten a decent swipe on Logan though, so at least he wasn't drugged yet. A misstep was what did it though, and as Logan missed the mark by a fraction of an inch, Cyber turned with him, caught Logan's arm and sunk his claws in right at the back of Logan's neck. He kept a tight grip though the shift and drove down, slamming Logan into the ground and quickly making sure that he couldn't pop back up. Not with Cyber leaning on him tight to the ground.

He was chuckling to himself as Logan's panic started to overwhelm him - screams slipping past his lips even as Cyber ground his face into the floor. It was clear that Cyber was far more pleased now than when the town was obliterated. And it was then that Scott realized something else … not one of the guards or scientists that were normally buzzing around was there.

Logan was openly panicking while Cyber whispered out all sorts of nasty little promises and threats - unable to throw the much larger man off of him. But even Cyber stopped when another growl echoed the lab. From his expression, it was clear that he thought it was Creed - ticked off about not getting to tear into Logan. But that false impression was short lived when K darted out from an entirely different direction to take Cyber on head first. Literally. His eyes widened when he saw her charging and snarling low, and an instant later, Cyber had no choice but to let go of Logan as K tackled Cyber clean off of Logan- with a claw through his eye. He wasn't dead - but he was blinded and screaming while K made her way over to cut open Scott's door.

"We have to get out of here," Scott said, rushing to where Logan was to help him.

"Yeah. Get him up," she said, turning back toward Cyber. "Did he touch you?"

"Mom, we need to leave," Scott said.

"And we need for him to not track us," K said. "And he will."

"You can't kill him; I tried," Scott said. "Come on. He's not the only-"

"You didn't have as long as I've had to figure it out," K said. "Get Logan up."

Scott let out a breath but nodded, already helping Logan upright, though it was clear he was sure K was wrong on this count and worried for his new mom's well being.

But K was already headed toward Cyber, who was still screaming and cursing both little ferals, which was exactly what she wanted. He had one hand pressed to his eye - that was bleeding badly, and as soon as he closed his other eye - still bitching and shouting, she darted forward again and sent a single claw into his opened mouth and twisted her hand hard.

That was all it took.

The whole floor went silent before Scott could get Logan to the corner. "I'm only sorry that with him we couldn't pay it back to him for every hit," K told him - though her tone was still laced with a growl as she made her way over to help with Logan.

Scott stared at her for a long second before he shook his head. "We need to go," he said quietly. "He's not the only one around."

"Yeah, Cap's here too," she said. "And I'm not too worried about any other idiots they have here. That was the worst of it."

"Yeah, well, I'm still out of juice or I'd agree with you, but Sabretooth was here-"

"I know. We caught his stink upstairs," she said. "Maybe Cap's taking his head off. He's mad enough."

Scott looked almost abashed. "Right. The button."

"You just about gave him a heart attack, which is fine. He needs some excitement in his life."

"Yeah." Scott shook his head. "Let's just… leave."

"Right up here, Scott," K said, breaking from the way they'd come in. "There's an exit down this way." She took a moment to signal Steve, letting him know they were headed to an exit with everyone they wanted to take home, and Scott followed behind her with Logan - seeming to get somehow quieter as they got closer to the exit.

They had just stepped outside when he heard a ringing clang - Steve had taken K's direction to heart and had already bashed his way outside through a window, not that he didn't have plenty to do anyhow. He took a moment to look at the little family and rushed over to them. "Let me get him - we'll all move faster this way," Steve offered, and Scott simply nodded as he shifted Logan to move him toward Steve. He pointed toward where he'd left the jet and gave Scott a relieved smile. "Glad to have you back, Scott."

"Yeah," Scott said quietly. "Let's get out of here."

Steve let out a breath, though it was clear he saw the shift in Scott once the pressure was off. "Yeah. Of course," Steve said before the three of them broke into a run for the jet. They were fast, and the quinjet seemed to open for them before they got to it. "I'll get us in the air as soon as Logan's settled in. You remember where the blankets are, right?" Steve asked as he let K take over for him on Logan.

"Yeah," Scott said. "It shouldn't take too long… it wasn't dosed for healers."

"No, but he took some damage going in," K said, glancing over her shoulder at the compound. "He'll be fine by the time we land."

"Good," Scott said as he pulled down a blanket and handed it to K before he got one for Logan as well.

"Hey. You need this more than I do," K said. "Take a seat. I'll wrap him up and monitor him. Give me lip and I'll wrap you up and monitor you too."

"I'm fine," Scott said, shaking his head.

"Well I won't be until you settle in and let me take care of my boys."

Scott let out a breath at that, but without a real argument, he simply took the blanket K handed him and sat down, watching K work with his jaw locked until some of the glow finally started to come back to his eyes and he simply closed them and leaned back.

"I have the pair that Tony made you," K said after she had Logan sleeping soundly. "Didn't have time to grab the visor, but … we had a spare set in the boathouse."

"Thanks," Scott said.

K took a moment to get the glasses and when she pressed them into his hands, it was with a bottle of water as well. "What we're here for, right?"

"Yeah." Scott took a moment to adjust the glasses before he turned the water bottle in his hands. "Where are we going?"

"Westchester," she replied. "Where a very pretty redhead is waiting for you and probably pacing a hole in the very expensive looking carpet."

For just a second, Scott couldn't help but smirk, but that fell when he shook his head. "I don't know," he said slowly.

K sat down next to him, though she was turned toward him. "What are you thinking, sweet, sweet caramel Mocha?"

He turned the bottle over a few times. "You know … you know that town - there was a town by the compound."

"That's surprising," she said, frowning a little herself.

"Old mining town," he said.

"It was empty when I was there years ago," she told him.

He glanced up for just a second. "I leveled it," he said in a strained sort of tone. "There's nothing there. At all."

K thought about it for a long moment. "Were you alone?"

He shook his head. "No. But I couldn't stop it."

"That doesn't sound like you," she said, shaking her head slowly. "Was it Silas?"

"Yeah." Scott shook his head. "I tried to keep it contained-"

"Then yeah, no. That wasn't you," K said firmly.

"It was an entire town, Mom," Scott said, finally letting some of his honest anger show.

"And it was under the influence of some heavy psychotropics and hallucinogens."

"I knew what he wanted me to do and I still fell for it."

"Woah, wait. You didn't fall for anything," she said. "That's part of his hazing process. I've seen it a few times. He mentally works someone over hard, then drugs them up and makes them kill. It's how he breaks people down. That wasn't you. Don't even entertain that."

Scott was already shaking his head. "What kind of X-Man am I supposed to be if I can't even keep my powers off long enough to stop someone from using me like a bomb?"

"If you weren't drugged up, I'd say not much. But … let me ask you something, sweetheart. Do you think that your Dad is any less a hero because of what those people did to him?"

"That's not really the same thing," Scott said. "Dad couldn't even remember his name."

"Really? Silas made him murder the whole camp," K said.

Scott frowned before he finally let his shoulders drop and closed his eyes. "Yeah, but I did it, Mom," he said, though his tone was much softer.

"Yeah, but … you'll have to ask your dad if he was drugged up or not. I think the answer is a little different than your answer to that question."

"I wasn't there for that long," Scott argued half-heartedly, though it was obvious he was just… tired by that point.

"We can come back to it, can't we?" K asked quietly. "When you've had a little distance from it - and when you've had time to think about what they could have done with literally anyone else you know."

Scott let his shoulders drop, and he nodded, leaning back quietly. "Alright."

K nodded at that, bit her lip and paused as she watched him. "I'm a filthy mess … but I was worried for you." She picked up one arm. "We can hold off if I'm just too gross."

Scott glanced her way for a moment before he let out a choked-sounding laugh and simply leaned over - and though K was surprised he went for it, she wasn't at all surprised that once she had her arms around him, he simply melted into the hug, not about to move from where he was and holding on hard for the duration of the flight.