It was past twilight when the small family finally sat down around the campfire for dinner. After pitching the two tents, Logan had insisted that she stay at the camp and rest. Storm tried to argue with him that she was fine, but he wouldn't have it. He convinced her that Charles needed someone to stay with him because Laura would be hunting with Logan to get the food.
After eating, Logan and Storm sat by the fire and watched as Laura settled down by the Professor to rest. "What are you thinking about?" Logan asked, stroking Storm's silver hair as she leaned against him. For the first time in awhile, he actually took the time to appreciate her closeness; the way her scent wreathed around him as he continued to stroke the silver softness that he swore were equivalent to clouds.
"Everything," Storm whispered. Her voice was low, and he could tell she was fighting the crack that threatened to show him how she really felt. Her body trembled a bit as she took a shaky breath, Logan felt the need to pull her in closer. "Laura…. Eden…" her voice once again trailed off, as if she were scared to say the next name.
Logan didn't need to hear it to know that she was once again thinking of their lost child. It suddenly dawned on him that tomorrow would be the anniversary of the West Chester incident… and Kendall's birthday. He pulled her tighter to him, silently holding her as she fought to keep a stable control over her emotions.
Laura shifted and looked up toward the fire as Storm and Logan huddled together over the fire. She tilted her head in question as she saw Logan continuing to embrace the strange mutant that could control the weather. "She's remembering her child," Charles said softly next to her. He turned his head a bit toward their direction, then lowered his voice a bit more. "Do you wish to know what happened?"
Laura nodded, sitting down to listen to him intently. "A very powerful mutant wanted to take control over their child," he began, speaking in the softest of tones to make sure they weren't overheard by the one they called Logan. "To do that, though, the child needed to be born, and the Shadow King had tried to hide in Storm's mind until the big day. Unfortunately for him, she felt him enter, and it forced her into early labor. Logan was forced to cut the baby from her womb because Storm had begun losing control over her powers as she fight for her mind, and only Logan would be able to survive the lightning strikes that were taking place.
"Our doctor, Jean Grey, had been forced to hit Storm with a psi bolt, stunning her and allowing us to enter Storm's mind. We would never have been able to otherwise." The Professor bowed his head. "The child died in her arms several hours after we had chased off the Shadow King. The child had been terribly weakened from the ordeal… since then Storm has blamed herself for Kendall's death."
Laura looked back at the couple huddled. Logan was still embracing, and she noticed a tear break free from the eyelid of the black woman. Her heart was supposed to be of ice. She was supposed to be an emotionless soldier with nothing but rage… but she felt great sympathy for the white-haired mutant. Although she couldn't know what it was like to be held by her own mother, she knew what it was like to have everything taken away from her. She'd had nothing at birth. Only the basic care from the nurses. When she was old enough, all she was able to do was train and fight. No breaks, no one to form a close bond to. She envied the couple in a way.
"They're talking about raising you," Charles whispered in her mind. "More than likely, Storm will win; Logan has a high respect for her... but also an incredibly soft spot to the point that he will do anything to make her happy."
Logan twitched in his sleep as he the nightmares started coming back. Storm woke up, and moved a safe distance away from him. He was flat on his back, his arms flailing… too dangerous for her to try and caress him awake. "Logan…" she whispered, keeping her voice low so he didn't wake the others…
"You need to cut the baby out!" A voice Logan realized belonging to Jean ordered. He was back in the medical bay at the mansion. He could he Storm crying out as the labor pains rippled through her body. Jean then turned and grunted as Storm stopped crying out. A moment later she turned back to Logan as she wheeled the Professor a safe distance to Storm. "Logan!"
Logan turned to her. "Why do I need to do it?"
"The baby is in distress," Jean explained again, exasperation filling her voice. "And with Storm out, she can't push; You need to gently, but quickly perform a C-section on Storm while the Professor and I take care of the Shadow King." She turned to catch his gaze. "If you don't they both die."
SNIKT! The claws came out. He didn't want to hurt Storm— or their child for that matter— but if there was no other choice, he would do it. As he pulled back Storm's gown and raised his claw, he hesitated. "Why can't Hank do it?" He called as Jean knelt beside the Professor.
"Because you're the only one who can survive the lightning if things go awry…" she said, pressing her head to the Professor's.
Logan snarled under his breath, but one look at Storm and his heart broke. "You'll be fine…" he promised, placing his claw at the very bottom of her stomach, using minimal pressure to slice her open. He took a deep breath and slid his hand inside of of her womb, feeling the babe's head. He slid his hands deeper until he could feel the shoulders… then slowly slid his hand out. "I got you," he whispered, gently pulling his child out as quickly as he could. When he turned to look at his child's face, though… it was covered in Shadow….
Logan woke up, his arms flailing in the air. "Logan!" he heard her call his name. Looking at his hands, he saw that his claws had once again come out; he trembled slightly at the thought of hurting Storm; and that was when he felt her hand on his shoulder. "Logan…"
"Are you hurt?" Logan asked, cupping her face as he gazed into her blue eyes. She shook her head silently as he pressed his forehead to hers. Her scent filling his nostrils as he took several deep breaths; calming him as he came back to reality from the nightmare.
"What was it about this time?" Storm asked gently, as they laid back down in the sleeping bag, cupping his face she searched his eyes.
"Farouk…" Logan growled, looking away so that she couldn't read the emotions he knew his eyes would betray. He felt her body stiffen at the mention of the name, but then relax a moment later as he continued. "It was as if we were too late to rescue Kendall from his clutches after I cut her out of ya."
"Don't blame yourself, Logan," Storm once again whispered, pressing him closer into her. "We both know you did everything you could."
Logan sighed, his mind immersing himself in her scent as it calmed his frayed nerves. After several minutes, he glanced back up at Storm. "Do you really believe that Laura is our second chance?"
"What else can I believe?" Storm asked, stroking his jaw. "Especially since you said that Eden does not exist…"
Logan nodded, sighing a bit then pulled away from her. "Gonna take a leak," he said kissing her cheek. "We'll talk more when I get back… if you're not asleep."
Laura stirred as she sensed the footsteps coming toward her. The scent reminded her of Logan… but something was off. It wasn't quite… right. She kept her breathing deep and even, trying to make it seem like she was asleep. "Don't wake her yet," the Professor rasped in air mattress a few feet from her. "Let her sleep another hour."
The weight shifted from her to Charles, who kept speaking. "You know, Logan, this is without a doubt…the most perfect night I've had in a long time." His voice began to crack after a couple of heartbeats, and Laura could smell the mix of salt and water… she believed she herd Gabriela call them tears. "But I don't deserve… do I?" Another pause, making Laura more interested in what the Professor was saying. She couldn't understand why the Professor was speaking this way… he was no killer… nor a soldier. He was a teacher… a healer… what could he have possibly done that was so unspeakable? "I've remembered what happened in West Chester… this is not the first time I've hurt people. Until today… I didn't know. You wouldn't tell me… Ororo was lost in her grief… believing that she was responsible for something I did… so we just kept running away from it." Laura heard the shift in the mattress as the Professor continued. "I think I finally understand you. Logan—"
SNIKT! He never finished. Laura looked up just as Logan pulled his claws out from Charles… and she saw red.
Storm awoke from her light doze when she heard Laura screaming. "Laura!" She called, crawling out of her tent. The one that Logan had pitched for the Professor was like the venues you saw at the festival. Easy access to go in, but still protected from the elements. She saw the walls of the tent shift as something fell against them; Laura's continual battle screams echoing around. Storm's eyes clouded over as she stepped forward. Suddenly, Laura flew out of the tent, stunned; and Logan stepped out… but he looked slightly different from a few minutes before… her breath caught in her throat, though, when she noticed the flap open… and in the Faint light of the waning moon, she saw Charles's bleeding chest. The sky quickly darkened and clouded over as anger and grief began to overwhelm her. Something bowled her over, and as she was momentarily distracted, she heard a dark and sinister voice, laughing in her mind. "Charles Xavier is dead… now I am truly free."
"NO!"
After leaving Storm, Logan decided to take the scenic route back to the camp. He needed this time alone, just to think of everything. Although he and Storm by now had gone through the pros and cons of keeping Laura, he still wasn't sure he was ready to become a father… and he had yet to tell her that he was dying. Although, part of him knew that she knew. She just didn't want to voice it.
Don't you want to spend your last moments with your family… a nagging voice inside his head whispered. He growled as it continued. You lost one child and have a chance to be a father for a short time… isn't that worth keeping the child?
And if 'Ro is unable to handle it after I'm gone? He attempted to argue with himself. He wasn't fooling anyone though. Storm was a very resourceful woman; she had to be to become the best thief in Cairo. Another thought came to mind, though. Does she deserve to be on the run for the rest of her life to protect a child that's not even hers?
Does she really care at this point if the child is hers or not? The nagging voice pressed. Charles Xavier is her father as much as yours— even if you wish to deny the latter.
Logan growled, which quickly turned into a cough that he didn't even bother to fight; knowing he wasn't going to win the argument. He was almost back to the camp when a breeze began swirling around him… followed by faint battle cries that belonged to Laura. As he began to pick up speed, a lightning bolt crashed into the heart of where the camp sight is… illuminating his path for the briefest of seconds as torrential rain poured upon him. The scent of blood hit his nostrils, even through the rain that he knew was Storm's doing, and he slid to a Stop a few yards away from his tent; he saw Storm being pinned down by Sabretooth as he whispered something in her ear…; Laura was continuously screaming several yards beyond on them as a figure… he looked exactly like him… paused and turned around.
Lightning crashed down upon Sabretooth; forcing the feral mutant to release a roar as Storm shoved him off with a strong wind; and that was when Logan noticed the still figure in the large tent. "Charles!" Logan cries, ignoring Laura's cries as she was taken away.
"Laura!" Storm screamed, trying to get to the younger mutant… only to be grabbed and thrown aside by Sabretooth. Thunder boomed through the sky, and Logan had faith that Storm could hold her own until he could get Charles to the truck.
Charles looked up at him in shock, and Logan saw the three claw marks on his chest. Thinking fast he grabbed ripped a piece of the blanket on the air mattress, and pressed it against the Professor's chest. "Hold this…" he whispered, noticing as Laura's screams grew fainter and fainter. "It wasn't me. It wasn't me."
Trying to not slip on the grass as the rain continued to come down, he placed the Professor in the back of the truck. "Hold this now," Logan whispered, clutching Charles's hand. "Hold it tight…"
He clutched Charles's shoulder as Thunder rolled through the heavens as the wind started billowing around the camp, the tents being lifted off the ground; he needed to go help Storm before she wore out her energy again. He was about to move when he heard Chuck's moan. "Our boat…"
"What?" Logan asked as another flash of lightning cut through the sky.
Charles looked up at him, a smile crossing his face. "The sun seeker…" Charles whispered as his final breath escaped his lungs.
Logan cradled the Prof's Head in his palm as the weather intensified around him, drowning out the cries of Laura. Suddenly, an explosion caught his attention, and his thoughts went to one thing. "Laura…"
Storm grunted as she felt Sabretooth pin her down, and although physically it was most certainly him, mentally, she knew what was going on. "Monster…" she hissed, allowing the rage she felt to override her grief.
"I would prefer Master," Farouk replied. "Because that is what I will be once I have you under my control!"
Her mouth was soon covered by the host's, and she struck his face with several volts of electricity. "Only if you can breach my defenses," She snarled as she rolled away from him when he released her. "We both know you won't be able to do that while the weather is doing my bidding."
"There are other ways to get to you," Farouk replied, a twisted smile crossing the lips of Sabretooth. "Like how I can easily influence the fools that call themselves scientists to release the little girl…"
Storm seemed to hesitate at the thought for a moment, but that moment was what he needed to once again bowl her over and pin her down. He grabbed her wrists, his claws breaking the skin as he tightened his grip; weakening the connection she had with the weather. "All you have to do is become my Shadow Queen… and I'll set the child free."
"Never…" she hissed, summoning a lightning bolt to hit right next to them. The concussive force stunned Sabretooth as they rolled, allowing Storm to escape his grasp. "You're the reason my child was lost to me in the first place."
"Charles!" She heard Logan cry as she watched him race to ward the tent.
Despite not being able to see her anymore, Storm could hear Laura's cries. "Laura!" She called out, summoning a wind to carry her to the child. Adrenaline was flowing through her veins as she flew toward the child; but she knew if she wasn't careful, she would crash and despite her will, her physical body would once again need to recuperate. She wasn't able to get very far when she felt claws grab her leg and throw her to the ground again.
"Why did you possess them?" Storm demanded as thunder rolled through the sky. She needed to buy some time so that she could strike Farouk's host with a lightning bolt that would hopefully disconnect the Shadow King. She was safe from the Shadow King's clutches while she's still connected to the tempest; but, the moment her body failed her, her mental defenses would be weakened even more than they already were from the year of dealing with Charles's seizures. When the Farouk didn't answer, lightning flashed through the sky, a warning of how much she had pent up over the last year. "Answer me, fiend! You owe me that much for killing my child!"
Farouk laughed. "We both know it wasn't I who killed little Kendall," he replied, charging at her. He knew what she was trying to do; her body wasn't ready for a fight on this scale, and to keep her moving would force her to split her concentration. What he wasn't prepared for, was Storm unleashing a lightning bolt made of pure anguish. He collapsed on the ground, the healing factor this host's body possessing not able to reverse the damage like he had those other times.
"You have no right to speak her name!" Another rumble of thunder, she was no longer even trying to suppress the emotions in a controlled fashion; she wanted to release everything she had on the monster. For what he had done to Jean… Charles… the dead X-Men… her only child.. "And you may not have killed her, but you're the reason she's dead!"
An explosion caught Storm by surprise, unintentionally allowing a bolt to strike close to her. She turned and heard Laura's screams, forgetting about Farouk for a moment as she raced to the aid of the child. Logan had already beaten her to the child's location, but he was momentarily distracted by whoever he was fighting. Storm took a moment to cover the place in a fog as she took out a Bobby pin from her hair. "Hold still," she whispered as the child struggled against the restraints. She inserted the pin into the lock, trying to get the child's hands free first. Laura kept crying out shaking the restraints. "Laura…" she whispered, placing the back of her hand on the child's cheek. "You need to calm down."
The child breathed heavily for a moment, as Storm continued to fiddle with the lock that held the child's limbs. Fatigue began to set into Storm's limbs, as she struggled with the lock; she heard a click, when she sensed movement behind her.
Covering the child, she winced as claws grazed her back. Looking up, she saw Sabretooth growling at her, preparing for another attack. Knowing she couldn't take hold the weather much longer, she summoned a small twister to carry the monster and the parasite away. When she was sure they were gone, she disconnected from the weather, collapsing next to Laura, fighting to stay conscious. "Storm!" She heard Logan call.
"Here!" She called back weakly.
"Can you walk?" He asked, picking up Laura who was struggling against the loosened restraints.
"Yes," Storm said, struggling to her feet as Logan jogged toward the truck. Summoning a wind, she used it to lift her about half a foot and rode the winds after Logan, her knees buckling as she reached the door to the truck. He had cut Laura free of the wrist restraints and she was freeing her ankles as Storm slammed the passenger door shut, breathing heavily as Logan kicked the truck into gear.
Laura began screaming uncontrollably, and Storm weakly turned to see what had set the child off… only to look away as her heart broke. She was far too exhausted, though, to do anything except shed the tears of grief. "It wasn't me…" Logan whispered.
"I know…" Storm replied, tears still crawling down her face as she leaned back against the seat to try and rein in the weather. Unconsciousness soon overcame her and at the edges of the darkness, she heard the faint voice of Farouk. "I'll find you, Ororo… much sooner than you think…"
