Author's Note- This one took awhile to edit, sorry for the wait. But I had a lot of old concepts in it and it's the second to last chapter I've got written up from years ago and I'm still trying to figure out all the details for the rest of the story here. I'm not entirely sure this chapter is the best, but it'll have to do! I just want to get it up for you all, so thanks for Reading!

Thanks to acetwolf94 who reviewed and definitely got me to get this chapter powered out!

Victor crouched on the sturdy oak branch looking down at the cliff he was currently lingering over. Nothing but a tree branch was between him from falling to the ground hundreds of feet below him.

He wasn't sure what he liked about this spot, but it reminded him of a place James and he had stopped at once. He was mad at James and vice versa. Something frivolous and unimportant. It was a part of Jimmy's whole 'I'm gonna be a snotty teenager' stage.

He wasn't sure why it made him think. Maybe it was because the air was so crisp and cold. He liked the cold and it helped to clear his head sometimes, when he wanted it to. Canada had always been cold. He grew up there and that was what felt natural. Worst places in the world were places like Vietnam. Hot and sticky, and it made him edgy. So it could be the cold, or the familiarity of trees that he liked. He didn't know what it was, but it did make him think, so here he was, thinking.

This whole thing was unnerving and he found himself looking over his shoulder everywhere he went. He had tried the whole coincidence thing and ignoring it. But after those files, well, there was no lying to himself about it. It wasn't anything he couldn't take care of, but it did unnerve him and it also meant he had to push James more.

He wasn't sure why he felt like James' needed to remember for this, he just did. Maybe Victor knew somewhere buried deep, James wouldn't trust him now. Wouldn't listen to a word he said because all he knew was unfounded hate towards Victor. There were plenty of reasons to hate Victor anyways, but he didn't know them all. How could he get through the runt's head when he needed to if he didn't?

Whatever the reason, it felt instinctual, so he was going to continue doing it. Instinct was always right.

Another thing he wasn't sure about was the way to….

Abruptly he felt his body falling through the tree. His claws grew instantly, digging into the cliff's face, he managed to dig his claws in enough to make a catch and get stationary. He looked below him and then back at the tree above him.

He saw an evenly broken off branch. Just like it had been cut off, it was perfectly smooth and straight. He sniffed the air and felt disgruntled it was Jimmy's scent he found. Sure, the cut in the tree would make that the obvious choice, but he hadn't expected it. Hadn't heard him coming, and Victor was better than him, he should have.

He snarled in self-disgust and climbed up the cliff, flinging himself onto the top and looking instantly for his brother. He found him crouched low about twenty feet away with his claws extended.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to know what came next. The fight. James started to rush at him and he copied his movements. They clashed, both sets of clash slashing into the rival. He swiped at James only to be blocked by the other man's forearm and thrown off balance. He stumbled backwards for a moment before catching himself easily and turning to rush forward. His arm swung high and he made contact with the side of James' head.

The younger feral let out a rage filled roar and Victor felt James' claws dig deep into his side, two of the three claws slipping between his ribs and the other cutting one in half.

He felt himself double up with a howl of pain as James pulled them out and hit him in the stomach with his claws. He got up on one knee, one hand balancing himself on the ground and the other clinging to the side of his chest, where four of his ribs were broken in half and blood was gushing everywhere.

He'd heal.

James kicked him in the shoulder and he fell on his back. He let out a hiss of pain before standing back up trying to get his bearings. James was fighting for blood and he knew it. His bones hadn't started to heal yet and he couldn't really move the upper half of his body, his lower half was struggling to compensate.

He felt James ram him into the tree he had been occupying before James snuck up on him. How had he done that? Had Victor been so self absorbed that he couldn't even tell that his own brother was sneaking up on him? It must be because as much as he didn't want to admit it, he hadn't heard James come up to him. That was a problem he was going to have to fix. This was what happened with thinking, it was useless.

He was too comfortable.

"Alright Creed. Enough games. I want answers."

He felt his eyes slip close as the loss of blood made his blood pressure go up and his ears started ringing. James shook him again and he opened his eyes lazily. It made his side twitch oddly though, something else was probably broken down there.

Victor growled lowly at him, getting his other arm up to try to shove him off. But James had a damn good hold and he was having problems with his entire left side. He didn't like James winning, though, or even beating him for a moment, much less have him like this. Vulnerable. James pressed harder on his chest and he found it suddenly harder to breath.

'He must be pressin' on both my fuckin' lungs,' He scowled to himself, though he could feel his body starting to heal itself. Once again in his life he cursed his slower healing factor. He knew it wouldn't be the last either.

"Answers to what?" He asked tauntingly, his voice detached of the emotions he refused to feel.

"Don't play with me Creed," his Brother's voice snapped and he might have laughed if he had enough energy to.

"Yeah. So you've said." His dull sarcasm apparently wasn't the answers James was looking for because he felt James claws slide sickingly back into his stomach, ripping his freshly healed skin with it and the smell of more blood stained the air.

"What do you want Creed?"

"What do I want? That's fuckin' original," He wasn't really in the mood for this to be perfectly honest and James was ticking him off. Being in the vulnerable side didn't help his mood any either. It was making him want to lash out at him, which would be a great option if he could move his arm.

"Talk. Creed."

"You want me to talk?" He asked, lip pulling up in a sneer. "Get offa me," He commanded, his eyes burning with malice. He wouldn't stand for his runt of a brother to have him pinned against a tree. If his stomach wasn't healing...

"Yer not in the position ta tell anyone anything."

"Sure I am. 'Cause if you don't get yer mitts off a me now, I ain't sayin' a thing and yer just gonna have ta keep on wonderin'," He snarled and felt a nasty grin etch his features as James backed off of him rather reluctantly.

Victor stood up shakily, and looked down at the skin above his ribs. He couldn't really tell if the bones were healed yet, because his skin had patched over again. It sure as hell didn't feel like it though. Probably weren't going to set right either.

Great. He was still vulnerable. James had listened though, good. That was his place. Far below Victor.

"Good," He snarled, looking up from his wounds and into his brother's brooding face.

"Why do you keep botherin' me?" James snarled back, equally as fierce.

"Hey. I didn't throw you off the damn cliff, runt," He grumbled. "Yer botherin' yerself," He growled.

"Bullshit. You keep findin' me, tryin' ta toy with me and I ain' amused anymore."

He barked out a laugh, but it sent a spasm of pain through his chest and he could tell his ribs weren't even close to done healing. Poor Jimmy.

"Listen Runt. You want to know why I'm botherin' you? It's 'cause I'm sick of lettin' you be a lazy fuckin' bastard," He growled. He was also too busy trying to fix things with these creep to deal with Jimmy right now. "Think. Use that thing between yer ears, or what's left of it," He finished with a careless shrug. He was not in the mood to have twenty fuckin' questions with James.

"Bull-shit!" James snapped, lashing out at him with his claws. Victor lunged to the side, and his body protested the action as it sent pangs of pain coursing through his whole body, especially his chest. But he wasn't getting pinned again or looking like he wasn't already ready to throw him away.

"I thought you wanted me ta talk? What, don't like what yer hearing?" He asked, a nasty grin growing, which caused James to lunge at him again.

He let his claws extend and he thrust them into James' stomach as he went to land his claws in Victor's side, again. He clenched James' hand and threw him and his dangerous claws which were as much his own fault as James', away from him.

"Yer not this stupid," He commanded again, but he did remember now that his healing was catching up that he'd had to end his little games with James anyways. Only way to get through without more drama from what had been coming up. "Not enough ta not see the similarities anyways. Healing powers, claws, senses… the rage."

His brother interrupted his little speech and he smirk as James barreled into Victor and knocked them both onto the ground. Jimmy roared across the small plain area which had become their battle field. His claws were inches from Victor's face, and he didn't flinch or even blink.

It wasn't like this was his first time in this position, nor would it be his last, and he knew James' couldn't do it. That he didn't have it in him. He'd been madder than this before and still couldn't kill him. Second, he didn't think his ribs were strong enough yet to throw James off of him. He was fuckin' heavy and he might as well buy his body some time to heal.

"Nothin' ya don't know or can't find out," He replied lazily. It got to James, just like he knew it would. Again, knew him too well. Taunting him was as easy as fighting him.

"I. Don't. Remember," He growled lowly. Victor could hear the resentment buried deep within his voice and it made him feel better in his own sick twisted way. James never had been very good at masking his emotions from Victor. Victor had practically raised the ungrateful brat.

"Who ya tryin' ta convince? Me… or you?" He felt James other set of claws dig back into his chest, while the others stayed gleaming over his face. He took a breath in, one because he needed air and two because he was starting to get frustrated.

"I can't."

"Bull-shit. You could remember if you wanted to. Yer ju…"

He let out a snarl as James' claws dug their way deeper into his chest, but tried to keep his gaze focused and away from the pain. It did help that he was getting to James. He could smell the aggravation rolling from his scent. Victor hoped he was going through a lot of pain right now, he deserved it.

James shook him so that his head bounced off the ground and he felt another surge of anger at the position he was in. It shot up like lighting and spread like poison through his mind and veins. No one, not even his brother could do that to him. He didn't like being caught off guard, he didn't like getting hurt, or being vulnerable, and he would not stand for any of it.

He let out an animalistic roar and pushed his brother off of him with strength that could only come from the rage within him and from a never surrendering animal. He lunged now and ignored the protest through his upper body, bowling them into the ground. He rolled off of James and turned to slash at his chest before grabbing him by the chest and throwing him up over his head and onto the ground.

He jumped over him, baring his teeth some, but some of his mind seemed to filter back in through the rage.

"You could remember," He growled "Yer just too much of a fuckin' coward," He spat, jumping away from James as he roared and tried striking back at him. Victor lowered into a crouch, keeping even distance between them as he felt his side stitching up again. Something cracked in there, so apparently his ribs were starting to straighten back up.

They circled each other and Victor wouldn't let him gain any distance.

"Yer too lazy," Victor taunted.

James snarled and Victor could smell his hesitation. Victor knew he shouldn't have said all that, but his adrenaline was pumping and he was angry. Angrier than his last encounter or the ones before that.

"You don't know anything."

"Don't I? How would you know whether I do or not?" His every thought was one of killing, blood and pain. Everything he looked at made him more amped up to act upon those thoughts, and the man in front of him just made it even worse. He gave him reason to release his pent up anger, human reasons which were the reasons for the few times he ever had held back.

"Why do you keep botherin' me?" James snarled his original and still pointless question.

"Cause it's my fuckin' job," He snapped hastily, knowing full well he shouldn't have said it, but he was too angry to care. Any judgment or morals weren't in play.

"What are you talkin' about?" James said, cautiously. Victor's frustration was leading him to be impulsive. The annoyance and anger in James' voice somehow made him calmer though. Like James was getting what he deserved.

It was making his head clear up so he could say what he needed to say and not give any more information up. It took his reasons away and shaped them into something else. Something actually useful.

"Don't you wish you knew?" He said with a vindictive grin that exposed his sharp canines.

"I told you ta stop playin' games with me Creed," His brother's anger was tremendous and Victor felt satisftion that he was this way. He deserved to be the angry one for once. He deserved to have to be the one who had to be burdened with his own choices instead of Victor carrying it all.

"Maybe I'm not."

James let out another snarl and lunged at Victor. He grabbed his brother's form midair and tumbled on the ground and struggled to keep his claws away from his throat.

Well, he remembered that.

Victor got his feet up under the other feral, pushing with his chest, which he was pretty damn sure, made his healing ribs crack again. He growled as he threw the heavy mutant into his tree he'd been occupying.

James hit it with a sickening crack that made him smirk. Hopefully it hurt worse than anything he could remember, even then it wouldn't be enough of a payback. He wasn't sure anything would be.

"Use whatever excuse you want Jimmy. Ya can't deny yer memories forever," He spat out, he couldn't deny his true nature. He had a good hundred and fifty year streak... but this was what they were. He accepted it when it was useful to him, didn't he? Well Victor was going to make him accept it all the other times too. That was what they were.