Previously on X-Men Evolution

"Some old friends of ours are in town," Fury stated. "The Reavers, to be exact."

As the cyborgs slowly approached, X23 writhed as jolts ran through her body, practically immobilizing her with the pain.

"Do not struggle, Weapon X," a lady whispered. "Soon you're miserable existence will be brought to an end. Now we take the animal that spawned this creature."

X23 dragged herself toward the Institute.

"From what I can tell, he was somewhere along the main Bayville highway when I lost contact," Xavier stated grimly.

"Who the hell are ya, lady?" Logan growled as he circled his attacker. "Don't tell me Creed's sending his girlfriends after me."

"Lady Deathstrike belongs to no one!"

"They wanted him dead," X23 snapped.

"This time, your victims destroy you!" Deathstrike shouted.

"We should be on the move as well," Ororo declared.

"Sam, I would rather your team remain at the mansion," Xavier stated.

"No way, bro; you're staying at the mansion for this one!" Scott shouted as he boarded the Velocity.

"Deathstrike to Reavers … Listen closely," Deathstrike ordered.

"Stick with your teams and stay in contact at all times," Xavier ordered.

"I'm hidin' out at the old iron-works factory at the end of town," Logan's voice growled.

Deathstrike jammed her curled fingers into Ororo's neck, knocking her out, then whispered into her comm. link. "Move in now"

Jean suddenly noticed several objects soaring towards them. "Hey, what are those?" she asked, reaching out and catching them. Her answer was sudden, very loud, and it came directly from the objects.

Kitty was just about to accelerate the craft when the systems suddenly sparked and died. "Guys! Grab on!" she cried as the aircraft hurtled into the ground.

[

Xavier Institute

"Cyclops? Shadowcat? Storm? Do you read me?" Hank tried again. Snarling, he turned to Xavier and blurted out "I'm not getting anything."

X23 snarled to herself. Her first day at this school, and they had already lost their instructor and half their students. And still you stand here.

"Well? Are we going or not?" Evan demanded, already halfway into his fighting stance.

Xavier's expression did not change as he calmly spoke. "Cerebro: Initiate DEFCON 3 alert; Authorization Xavier 79626363."

--------------------

Alex looked up as the rec room darkened. "What's going on?" he asked, bewildered, as he watched the steel shutters creeping in front of the window.

"DEFCON 3," Sam declared, standing up as Xavier's voice entered their heads. X Men: get into defensive positions and prepare for imminent attack.

"Attack?!" Alex asked. Man, I've been here like a week!

"Everyone pick a position!" Sam yelled as he ran out of the room, followed by the other occupants.

"This better not be another drill," Bobby grumbled as he ran outside, leaving Alex alone in the room.

--------------------

"Are you blind?!" X23 snarled. "Your kids are being attacked outside!"

"Yes," Xavier responded, removing the headgear. "And if they're after our teams, then the mansion is an obvious target; we need to be ready."

"What about Auntie O and the others?" Evan demanded.

Xavier exchanged a grim look with Hank, then slowly replied. "They know how to handle themselves; we can't help them from here."

X23 huffed. "Maybe you can't." Without another word, she extended her claws and headed toward the door, only to find herself getting very sleepy …

On instinct, Evan reached out and grabbed X23 as she collapsed. "What did you do?!" he demanded, glaring at Xavier.

Removing his fingers from his temple, Xavier replied "We can't have her cutting holes in our defences; at least not until everyone's safe. Evan, take her to the infirmary."

Evan opened his mouth as if to protest, then nodded and threw the limp X23 over his shoulder before running out of the room.

--------------------

Alex looked up as Evan ran into the rec room, the teenage girl draped over his shoulder. "Evan? Dude, what -"

"Alex, I need a favour."

[

Factory

Ororo groaned as she opened her eyes and blinked, trying to adjust to the darkness.

"You are a strong one," came the smooth voice from beside her. Ororo's eyes narrowed as she recognized the voice, if not its owner.

"Do I know you?" she challenged, pulling herself upright, only to find herself chained to a nearby pipe.

"I was once called Yuriko Oyama," Deathstrike replied stepping toward Ororo. "Now be still and let me loosen the nerves, or you will pass out again." Though her glare did not fade, Ororo allowed Deathstrike to continue massaging the bruise on her neck.

"I don't know any Yuriko; why did you attack me?" Ororo demanded, thinking quickly. Lightning or high winds would wipe out both of them, and Ororo already guessed that rain would not slow this woman down.

"I have personal business here; I simply wish to see that no one interferes again," Deathstrike replied, stepping back and looking Ororo up and down. "Hmm," she murmured, closing her eyes. "I hope you are not Logan's latest conquest."

Ororo lunged forward as Logan's name mentioned. "What have you done with him?!"

"Nothing yet; for now, I wait," Deathstrike replied coolly. Turning away, she called over her shoulder. "I will be doing all of you a favour; getting involved with that … animal only brings pain to those around him."

"The only one I see causing pain today is you," Ororo retorted, glaring after Deathstrike.

Deathstrike glanced back at Ororo. "I haven't yet started."

[

Xavier Institute.

"Dude, what the heck-?" Alex cried as Evan fired a volley of glowing spikes into the window. One explosion later, the outside was visible again.

"I gotta help my aunt, and I need you to guard this hole while we're gone." Evan snapped.

"W-We?" Alex stammered, but Evan was already kneeling and shaking X23. The young mutant woke up with a snarl and aimed her blades towards Evan's face.

"Knock it off," Evan snapped, grabbing her hands. Pulling her to her feet, Evan pointed at the hole he'd created. "I'm going after my aunt. You coming?" he yelled.

X23 glanced at the door, then at Evan. For the first time in 3 years, she smiled.

--------------------

The half-tank German Macon glanced at the mansion, watching the small explosion. "Who did that?" he demanded.

"Bonebreaker, are you in position?" came Deathstrike's cold voice over his comm. unit.

"Well … yes," he seethed.

"Then you're clear; move in."

Hoisting the weapon he'd brought for the occasion, Macon's eyes narrowed as he sighted in.

[

Bayville Forest

Chuck, what's goin on over there? Logan demanded as he continued his trek. Deathstrike could run, but not hide; not her scent, anyway.

An agitated Xavier finally responded. Logan. I'm afraid a lot has happened …

Just spill it, Chuck!

Logan could almost hear Xavier sigh. Someone has abducted Ororo…

"What?!" Logan snarled, extending his claws.

and we've just lost contact with our field teams.

"No, no, no, NO!" Logan snarled, driving his claws into the ground. Ororo and the kids?! Where are they?!

Hold on, Logan; I'll get their loc--- As abruptly as it had appeared, Xavier's voice vanished.

Chuck? CHUCK!

Logan growled. He was no expert telepath like Jean or Chuck, but he could remember Xavier's senses as he was cut off: a rise in adrenaline, something large crashing into the room, Hank diving toward him, then … nothing.

Within seconds, every creature within a mile was fleeing from ragged howl that escaped the man who had been born a mutant, become a soldier, been made into a living weapon, then taken in by a school. Even at his lowest point, with nothing to lose, nothing to fix, Logan could make a lot of noise.

As his scream finally died down, Logan sank to his knees as coherent thoughts penetrated the rage, the grief, whatever it was flooding him quicker than his own adamantium bones had. The first of these thoughts he was no stranger to.

This is my fault.

Xavier had warned him about hoarding responsibility for what happened around him. Kitty and Kurt's near-deadly encounter with him and Sabretooth because of Weapon X trying to lure him back … the mansion blowing up because he couldn't detect Mystique … the attack on the mansion by his clone …

Now, Ororo and the older kids were missing, the Xavier Institute was probably blown away again, with Xavier and the younger kids inside. All because of some lady who wanted him dead

Logan had always told himself it would have been better for everybody if his past had stayed forgotten; whatever he'd hidden within his own mind probably belonged there, hidden from everyone, including himself.

Now, it seemed his past was crawling up of its own accord, and spreading like a disease to the family that he'd taken in, that had taken him in. So this is what I brought yer school, Chuck.

SNIKT.

Logan snarled as he turned toward Deathstrike's scent. Now I got somethin' to bring you, Deathstrike…

[

Xavier Institute

"Uhhh," Xavier groaned as he lifted his head up. When the device had smashed through the floor into the basement, Xavier had barely had time to glance at it before Hank had pounced on him, pushing him out of the room, at which point he'd felt his head hit something immediately before everything went black.

"Charles?" Hank's faint voice finally reached his ears.

"Easy, Charles," Hank urged, hauling him with one arm over his shoulder.

"Hank … the bomb …" Xavier mumbled.

"A dud," Hank remarked as he continued down the hallway. "Looks like somebody forgot to pack the heat."

"Somebody …?"

His answer came a series of explosions upstairs.

--------------------

Macon as he waved toward his men. "Keep firing!" One of his men grinned as he loaded his rifle and fired another beam toward the building

Mumbling a series of German curses to himself, he cast his eyes on the small cloud that had gathered near one of the windows. "You two, with me!" he snapped as he rolled toward the mansion.

--------------------

"Hank, why are our defences not responding?" Xavier asked, rubbing his head. This was getting old.

Without slowing, Hank replied, "Our 'somebodies' must have brought an electromagnetic pulse with them." Hank recoiled for a second as another explosion upstairs was heard.

"The students …!" Xavier gasped.

"That's why we train them."

--------------------

"Everyone all right?" Sam yelled. The device rang with a chorus of shaken affirmatives from the others, now scattered across the mansion walls.

"Well? Fire already, big guns!" he heard Tabitha yell. Sam finally noticed that, among the gunfire outside, the mansions defences were silent. "Can somebody take a look out there?" Sam called.

"Are you kidding?"

"I got it," Jamie Madrox put in before tensing up. Another Jamie shifted out of the original and took a peek over the walls. Immediately, a beam lanced through the young clone, which disappeared from view.

Jamie screamed as the clone's memories returned to him, along with the pain of its … death? Not the time! "There's a bunch of … robot things at the gates …" he gasped. "Our guns aren't doing anything."

"Man, that stuff never works right," Bobby grumbled.

"Y'all right, James?" Sam asked.

Jamie looked at the spot where his clone had … disappeared. "Yeah … I think …"

--------------------

Alex grimaced as he pulled himself to his feet. Man, this hotel does have its prices he groaned to himself.

Looking up, Alex found himself head to head with a grinning, partly metallic face.

--------------------

"All right, looks lahke we're on our own for this one, so listen up" Sam declared. "Iceman, Sunspot, yer with me; everyone else, cover us from here."

"What are we doing?" Bobby demanded.

"Rollin' out the welcome mat," he quipped, finally drawing grins from the other two boys. "Everyone ready?"

An assortment of glows and crackles responded; each unique, yet equally powerful in their own ways.

"Fire away!"

The front lawn lit up.

[

Bayville Freeway

"I thought we were supposed to keep 'em busy," piped up one of Cole's men.

Cole pointed at the burning crater where the young mutants had once stood. "They look pretty busy down there, don't they?" The men cracked up.

"Say, where are they, anyway?"

"Right here."

"Huh?" The band of cyborgs turned and themselves facing four dishevelled, glaring mutants, sulphuric smoke still drifting around them.

"Maybe next time, you outta look harder," Kurt suggested, letting go of the other three.

"Or let me do that for you!" Scott added twisting his visor. Beside him, Jean splayed her fingers while Rahne shifted into her feline form and snarled at the men before her.

Cole seethed. "Take them out!" he yelled, adjusting his headset.

With a flurry of laser blasts, sulphuric smoke, cries, and growls, the fight began.

[

Blackbird Crash Site

"Jeez; boss-lady is not gonna like this," one of the men complained, staring at the upended jet with its nose in the dirt.

Reese shrugged. "Ehhh, what can I say; things got outta hand."

"Think they survived that?"

"You kiddin'? They say spinal compression's a killer."

"Really? Ah hadn't heard," chimed in a feminine, Southern voice.

"Well, lady, you really outta …" Reese trailed off as he realized he only ever hired ladies for parties. "Wait a minute, who-?" he began to demand as he turned to face the voice.

Its owner, a short goth in forest-green, had just thrown the man in her grasp to the ground. Next to her stood young brunette, with his new recruit Ted shorting out at her feet. "Sorry; did we interrupt your show?"

"Uhhh …." Reese stammered. Where did these kids come from?

"Never mind; there's a better one up there," the goth spat, pointing skyward.

Following her finger, Reese noticed a pair of wings hurtling towards him. And in its hands …

"Now!" Piotr snapped. With a grunt of relief, Warren released the large, metal man, who immediately crashed into the crowd, scattering the cyber-soldiers and leaving a large crater in the ground.

With that, the others sprang into action. Rogue snatched a rifle from the soldier she had absorbed and expertly fired at the other soldiers.

Kitty took a dive toward the pile of soldiers underneath Piotr, leaving crackling bodies in her wake.

Warren circled around for another pass.

Reese snarled as he ducked behind a tree, loading his weapon. So it's a fight after all.

--------------------

"Any sign of them?" Evan asked, panting slightly. The two of them had run over a mile before stopping to check for scents.

X23 ignored him and continued sniffing the air. Finally, she growled, "Quiet; I'm getting a scent."

"Are we going to be sniffing the ground all day?" Evan asked impatiently.

"Got another plan?" X23 snapped. When Evan stayed silent, X23 snorted and continued. "Thought so; now shut up and follow me."

She had barely taken a step before Evan had grabbed her tattered uniform and pushed her against a tree. Shocked, and mildly annoyed, X23 glanced at Evan's glare, noticing several spikes emerge from his wrist. "Listen," he began. "I busted you out of there to get my aunt, not to be your lapdog, so…"

Evan didn't get a chance to finish, as X23 was already dicing his wrist spikes before kicking him in the face. Looking up, he noticed X23's glaring face. "You listen; you want my help, you do what I say. Otherwise, you might as well go back to your prep school before you really piss me off." With that, she was off in full-tilt run, still sniffing the air.

Evan groaned as he pulled himself to his feet. She is Logan's clone.

[

Factory

"I don't understand; what do you want with us?" Ororo demanded. For the past few minutes, Deathstrike had been sitting quietly in a guarded crouch. Even with the dim lighting, Ororo could see the slow rise and fall of her chest.

"I already told you; it is not you or your school I am after; only the animal," Deathstrike replied, rising gracefully to her feet.

"Then why are you attacking all of us?" Ororo asked.

"Simply ensuring none of you interfere,"

Ororo stared, appalled, as Deathstrike began stretching her long limbs. The woman's cold expression had not changed during the entire conversation. "You're a monster," she murmured. "Logan should have killed you too …"

"HE DID KILL ME!!!" Deathstrike screamed, her usual composure dropped. "It is because of him that I was forced to live this way, to become this monster!"

"He's not the one making your decisions," Ororo responded smartly.

Deathstrike shook her head forcefully. "You know nothing!" Turning away from Ororo, she continued. "When my family's honour is involved, it is not a matter of choice."

"Did your 'honour' choose to attack our kids?"

[

Bayville Freeway

Jean grunted as she pushed against the growing barrage of grenades and beams. Beside her, Scott was busily firing his own barrage into their attackers, who were trying to encircle them.

Not that they were having much luck; already, Rahne had thrown herself amongst the cyborgs and was slashing and snapping at every limb she could see.

Amateurs Cole cursed to himself as he watched his men drop like flies. This is embarrassing! It soon became more embarrassing.

As one cyborg drew another grenade, he suddenly found it being plucked from his hands by something blue and furry. "Vhat is it vith you people and bombs?" it exclaimed before dropping the grenade at his feet and disappearing again.

The explosion that followed left half the remaining cyborgs scattered along the highway and a very angry Cole in the ditch. No more playing around, he swore, extending his arms.

After tearing another cybernetic limb from its owner, Rahne looked around just in time to see the impossibly long cybernetic arm slam into her before hurling her into the woods. Noticing this, Kurt leapt towards the arm's owner only to find another arm slamming into his gut, driving the wind from his lungs and dropping him into the asphalt.

"Kurt!" Scott cried. Forgetting his training at the sight, Scott ran toward the grinning cyborg, who fixed his leer upon him.

"That's a nice visor," Cole remarked as he fired his microremotes toward Scott. This would be fun …

Within seconds, Scott noticed the pressure in his head.

"Scott? What's going …?" Jean's question was cut short as an optic blast slammed into her chest, pitching her to the ravine. Gasping in pain, she looked up as a grimacing Scott grabbed at his visor.

"Ah, c'mon; don't spoil it now!" Cole laughed as he adjusted Scott's power setting and bumped his servos; he loved taking control.

"Jean, look out!" Scott cried as another beam lanced toward Jean, who desperately threw her best telekinetic shield in front of it.

"Scott!" Jean grunted, pushing against the beam. "Turn it off, will you?!"

"Jean!" Scott cried, struggling against the immovable trap his visor had become. "I … can't …!"

--------------------

Another metal crunch echoed through the forest as Piotr's metallic fist slammed into another cyborg. Without another word, the cyborg fell to join the growing pile on the forest floor.

Searching for another target, Piotr did not notice the cyborg aiming a grenade launcher at his back until he heard a crackling sound behind him. Acting on instinct, Piotr rolled to the side and turned to face his attacker, only to find him convulsing on the ground while Kitty waved as she phased out of sight.

Reese cursed to himself as he ducked another attack from the winged mutant. For such a small group, these kids seemed to come from everywhere at once!

"Over here!" Warren yelled. Snarling in frustration, Reese fired a series of shots skyward, clipping one of Warren's wings and driving him into one of the thicker trees.

One down, Reese thought to himself, right before he found himself trapped by two very large metal arms. "Time to end this!" Piotr growled.

"Sorry!" Reese grunted. "Outta towels!" As Piotr's grip tightened, Reese jammed his fingertips against a metal surface and activated the current he saved for such occasions.

The shock hit Piotr like nothing he had ever felt; within seconds, his body lay convulsing among the other cyborgs.

"Peter!" he heard someone yelp behind him. Without even a glance over his shoulder, Reese reached into his belt and tossed one of his sonic grenades towards the voice.

After the high-pitched explosion, he turned around to find a stunned Kitty stuck waist-deep in the ground. Now this is more like it he gloated. "Where's the Manson wannabe?" he demanded, reloading his gun.

[

Xavier Institute

Macon's team, expecting little resistance from a house full of demoralized teenagers, were unpleasantly surprised to find themselves in the fight of their lives.

Within minutes, under the barrage of fireworks, bombs, and electrical bolts, many cyborgs gave up trying to fire at the building and were busy trying to dodge the firepower.

Preoccupied as they were, none of them noticed the three mutants hurtling in for with their more personal 'welcomes.'

"Bomb's away!" Sam shouted as he crashed his body into the thickest crowd of cyborgs he could spot. As he circled around for another strike, he could see Bobby and Roberto already amongst the force; Roberto swinging one cyborg around like a hammer while Bobby circled the group on his ice slide, firing blasts that froze cyborg after cyborg in place.

Aiming another dive, Sam thought to himself I thought these guys were supposed to be dangerous

--------------------

Alex, out of earshot and on his own, was already finding out how dangerous they could be.

As the cyborg lifted him off the ground, Alex desperately pushed out with his hands, concentrating his thoughts as Scott had taught him. This time, his powers obeyed him, lancing out into the cyborg's armpit and severing the arm grasping Alex from the rest of the body.

As Alex and the arm collapsed to the floor, the cyborg stared at the empty socket, then grumbled. "Aw, cripes; that cost an ...!" Never a fan of puns, Alex decided not to wait for the cyborg to finish and fired another blast into the cyborg's face, catapulting him out onto the lawn.

Alex stared outside, then at his hands. Dude; I just … Another bolt interrupted his thought, replacing it with Scott's voice. Stay alert, bro. Wishing he'd started earlier on target practice, Alex rolled to the side, firing blindly, and was rewarded with a grunt and a curse in a foreign language from outside.

Pushing the limp cyborg off his lower half, Macon ground his teeth and increased the throttle towards the hole.

Peeking around the corner, Alex noticed the half-tank heading for him. Deciding to let himself be shocked later, Alex focused his attention and fired a continuous blast toward the tank, only to realize it wasn't even slowing.

No shame in taking cover thought Macon as he continued forward, his personal deflector extended. Can do without this pest, though.

Focused on hitting the man-tank, Alex didn't notice the small grenade landing at his feet until it was too late.

[

Bayville Forest

"Wait," X23 snapped, holding up a hand.

As a panting Evan came to a stop behind her, he asked, "What?"

Ignoring Evan, X23 took another deep breath, taking in the scents around her. Including two very familiar ones. "He's here."

"Is he all right?" Evan asked.

X23 took another breathe. Something else about one of the scents …

"He's mad."

[
Factory

"All this in your family's name?" Ororo demanded, staring at Deathstrike. Snorting, she continued, "Somehow I'm not impressed …"

Before Ororo could blink, four adamantium blades darted directly in front of her throat. "Insult my family again," Deathstrike hissed, "and you will be my first lesson for Logan."

Raising her chin, Ororo fixed Deathstrike with a defiant stare. "You misunderstand; I was saying you were the insult."

Deathstrike's eyes flared, and in the next instance Ororo felt the adamantium scraping slowly along her cheekbone. Gritting her teeth, Ororo resisted the urge to scream.

Someone else, who had already caught both scents from outside, was not so quiet.

With a howl that haunted many of his enemies, and even a few friends, Logan slashed through the nearest iron wall, ignoring the door, and burst into the room, still bleeding from his earlier wounds. Without slowing for a second, he hurled himself toward the two women, tackling Deathstrike and driving her to the floor. Snarling as he hadn't in years, he raised a hand and drove his claws towards Deathstrike, only to find them interlocked with her adamantium blades.

Snarling back at Logan, Deathstrike twisted beneath him, drove an elbow into Logan's nose, and pulled herself away from him. As Logan dove toward her again, she swung her foot in a hooking manoeuvre, catching Logan across the face and snapping his head far enough that she heard bones crack. Without a sign of pain, Logan snapped his head back into position and ran toward Deathstrike, claws in motion.

Goddess, they're killing each other, Ororo thought as she watched Logan and Deathstrike trade blows, many leaving holes or gashes in the others skin. Even in all her years in Africa, watching wild beasts during their hunts, she could not recall such a savage duel.

It could only last so long, however; at some point, Logan ducked, or rather fell, under one of Deathstrike's slashes, and cut across her cybernetic calves, drawing a scream from her and bringing her down beside him. Unsatisfied, Logan rolled on top of her and brought his right hand up for a killing stab. Shame this part of the fight never lasted long …

"Logan!"

Logan paused as he heard the voice. It sounded awfully familiar …

Logan had been indulging in one of his favoured vices when the rain came out of nowhere, soaking him and the cigar. Growling, Logan looked around, seeking his object of revenge, when it floated down amidst another gust of wind.

The young, dark-skinned woman – Ororo, if he remembered right – that had just landed looked anything but apologetic. "You know those things can kill you, right?"

Logan just grunted. "I've heard. So?" he inquired, fixing his glare.

Unfazed, Ororo replied, "So I may have just done you a favour."

"And why would ya do that?" he smirked, digging into his pockets for the rest of his pack, only to growl as he found it soaked beyond use as well.

Ororo shrugged "Why not?"

Why not …

"Logan," Ororo tried again. Still growling, Logan looked at Ororo, the woman who had been part of his latest life since its beginning, then looked down at Deathstrike, the woman who'd hatred in a way few others had.

His knuckles were itching.

It would be so easy …

"Logan," Ororo insisted. "She's not worth it."

Just one quick stab …

Deathstrike stared defiantly at him; almost daring him.

That was enough for Logan.

With a grunt, he retracted the claws and brought his open palm across her face.

Rolling off her, he brought his legs up to his chest and took a deep, slow breathe. In a voice he barely recognized, he told her, "I'm done playing your game."

A bleeding, crackling Deathstrike sat up and stared at Logan.

"Just go," he grumbled, waving toward the hole he'd created.

Deathstrike glanced toward the door, then back at Logan. Her expression hardened.

Caught up in his own thoughts, Logan never noticed the heel until it crashed into his bloodied face.

Logan snarled as he caught himself, then pushed himself back into a crouch, already scanning for Deathstrike.

"No …." he muttered as his vision cleared.

A crazed Deathstrike was now standing behind Ororo, one arm wrapped around her neck and the other aiming her adamantium blades towards her eyes.

[

Bayville Highway

"Now this is classic," Cole snickered as he watched the visor push against the invisible defence, both grimacing from the strain and fear. Where was his recorder …?

Cole's fantasy was interrupted as something landed on his back. "Playtime's over!" Kurt grunted as he ported both of them as far as he could.

There was plenty of room between the ground and sky.

Caught up in the thrill of his first teleportation, Cole was slow to realize the figurative and literal gravity of his situation. Only during the last half mile, when he noticed the ground rushing toward him, did he begin to scream …

The crunch that accompanied his landing cut the scream short, replaced by a series of curses and grunts as he rolled down the small hill and finally came to a stop near a large rock.

Mumbling about repair costs, Cole finally looked up when a hissing finally reached his damaged lobes. "Ya gotta be kidding …" he gasped as he noticed the source.

"Haven't ye heard, lad?" the feline humanoid replied from her perch on the large rock. "Cat's always land on their feet." Now Pretty Boy had time to scream.

Back at the highway, Kurt returned to find a freed Scott and Jean glaring at the small band of intact cyborgs. "Now: where were we?" Scott mused, fingering his visor.

[

Bayville Forest

Rogue cursed to herself as she ducked behind a tree. Me and the metalheads, she grumbled silently. Already the sound of grinding gears, heavy feet, and extremely coarse language were getting closer.

Think! Logan, along with Hank, Ororo, and the Professor, had drilled them in tricky situations since they had first come to the Institute. She could still remember his recurring instruction. Figure out how to turn the mess around with what you have.

Lost in thought, it was not long before she ran face first into something and landed on her back, spitting out … feathers?

Looking up, she was met by the sight of a pair of wings hanging from a red suited body lodged a cluster of branches …

"Dammit, rich boy," she grumbled, pulling him down from the tree.

"Over there!" she heard a voice call out.

Rogue let loose a few more curses, then looked back at Warren. What you have …

"Sorry, Warren," she muttered, reaching down toward his face.

Less than a mile back, Reese fought a grin as he raced ahead of his men. "This way!" he shouted, heading for the clearing where he had heard the noise. Time to finish the job, so he could collect his pay.

Bursting into the clearing, he stopped abruptly when confronted with his foe: a pale, unconscious, winged twentysomething sprawled across a pile of moss.

"That's what made the noise?" asked Denis, as he ran up behind Reese, shaking his head incredulously.

"She – she was here, I say!" Reese stammered.

"Riiigghht."

Reese grumbled incoherently, until a flapping noise caught his attention. Cocking his head, he asked "D'ya hear that?"

"What?" Denis shrugged. "The bird? Ya know, they do have those in the forest."

Ignoring the jab, Reese raised his weapon and peered about. "That's a big bird," he mumbled. "Heading our way …"

With barely a rustle to announce her arrival, the 'big bird' shot through the canopy and into several of Reese's men, shorting them out as she phased her winged, metallic body through them.

"Ambush!" Reese screamed, firing his weapon wildly toward the big bird, only to see Denis collapse, crying "Nice shootin' there, boss!" before pointing his own gun back at Skullbuster and squeezing the trigger.

As he landed on his back, his cybernetic chest still aflame, Reese was already busy plotting his retaliation against his teammate. That is, until a small, metal fist at his throat brought his mind to more immediate, and unpleasant, matters.

As he felt himself lifted up by the metallic limb, Skullbuster's cybernetic eyes almost short-circuited as he recognized the goth girl; rather, the goth girl with metallic skin and wings, a metallic girl that was still knee-deep in solid ground. "Wh-what are ya?" he gasped.

The girl's metallic features contorted into a scowl. "The Manson fan," she snapped, lifting him higher. "'Cept Ah hate his music," she finished, before bringing him down toward the ground.

[

Xavier Institute

About time, Macon thought as he rolled through the breach and into the trashed rec room, ignoring Alex's still form. From what he was getting over the comm. his men had their hands full trying to survive the furious assault by these mutant children.

Now that he was inside, however, he could take out half their firepower in a sneak attack; something Cole and Reese weren't too fond of, immature show-offs that they were …

A sudden loss of vision interrupted his thoughts. What in the …?

Alex grunted and struggled to hang on as the tank-man swivelled on his treads. Man, I have better luck staying on my board!

"Get your hands off me, child!" Macon snarled, hurtling forward until he crashed into the nearby pool table, pitching Alex into the wreckage.

Seeing the blonde kid sprawled across the wrecked furniture, Macon sputtered incoherently, then hauled out his personal rifle. No way this … teenager would keep bothering him!

Seeing the rifle, Alex acted on instinct and through a series of blasts toward the tank-man. This time, it only took a few shots before the rifle went up in flames.

"Sheisse!" Macon screamed, tossing the rifle and rolling menacingly toward Alex. "Do you kids ever stay dead?!"

Alex gulped as the tank drew closer to him, crushing debris under his treads. Maybe this time …

In the next instance, following a low growl and a flash of blue fur, Macon found himself crashing on his side. Muttering a few more German curses, Macon pushed his tread speed to maximum.

Nothing happened. "Nein!" Macon yelled as he realized he'd lost traction. "I NOT DONE!" he ranted, pushing against the floor. "I …"

Macon went silent as something slammed into his still-biological neck, knocking him unconscious. "I think that's enough," Hank sighed, still brandishing the broken table leg.

Alex moaned quietly as he tried to pull himself up. Immediately, Hank was at his side. "Easy there," he urged, gently lifting Alex into his arms as he quickly checked for serious injuries. "How you feeling?"

Alex groaned as his brain finally registered the bruised limbs and other damages. "You catch the license plate …?" he mumbled.

Hank chuckled as he hopped toward the hallway. "He's not going anywhere."

"How'd you …?"

"One of the perks of living with a telepath."

[

Factory

"Yer … aim's a bit off, lady," Logan began, slowly rising to her feet. "It's me you want, ain't it?"

"I swore to make you suffer as I did, Logan-san," Deathstrike gasped, her arms not budging. "I'm a woman of my word."

"She ain't part of this," Logan insisted, taking slow steps towards Deathstrike and Ororo … Ro! "Let. Her. Go."

"Why?!" Deathstrike spat as she backed away from Logan. "Were you so discriminating, animal?!"

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!!!" Logan screamed.

"How convenient!" Ororo was practically forgotten as the wounds, both fresh and old, came unravelled. "You do not remember the murderers you signed up with?"

"I didn't …" Logan snarled, but Deathstrike was continuing.

"You do not remember your missions for your country?!" Deathstrike's hands were far from still now. "My family?! YOU DO NOT REMEMBER THEM?!!!!"

"You got the wrong guy, lady," Logan snapped, somewhat hesitantly.

"Liar!" Deathstrike hissed. "You were there."

Logan had no answer. Most of his memories were still hazy, after all. What had he done in all those years?

Did he bring this on everyone?

Suddenly a scent caught Logan's attention, and he almost smiled.

Turning his attention back to Deathstrike, he withdrew his blades and crossed his arms. "Maybe," he muttered.

"What?!" Deathstrike was up against the wall now.

"Maybe you're right," he proclaimed, spreading his arms. "I probably was an animal back then; it's all a fog by now." Taking a deep breathe, he continued. "But that's the past; it's over now."

"What you did is not 'over' for me!!" Deathstrike hissed. Still glaring at Logan, she began to slowly cut through Ororo's cheek. Unwilling to scream for the madwoman, Ororo clenched her jaw.

"Stop!" Logan yelled. Keep her busy…

"You see?!" Deathstrike pointed to the visible gash on Ororo's face. "Others' wounds do not vanish without a trace, Logan!"

"Yer the one stickin' the blade in her, lady!" Logan insisted, his voice rising. "What's next?! Ya gonna trash every spot I slept, dice up every schmuck I had a beer with?!!!" Logan clenched his fists; it was usually Charles on this side of the argument. "IT'S OVER!!! What's done is done, unless you," he snarled, pointing a finger at Deathstrike, "start it up again!" Still glaring, he held up his hands beside his head. "Somebody's gotta walk away from this."

Deathstrike shook her head. "I do not have that choice."

Logan took a deep breathe, held it, then dropped his arms. "Fine; have it yer way," he snapped as he turned away from the two women.

"Logan …" Ororo gasped.

"Weapon X!" Deathstrike screamed, her adamantium hand moving away from Ororo's face to point at Logan's face.

"I'm done here; you gonna deal with the lady or what?" he yelled over his shoulder.

Even Deathstrike took several seconds before responding. "What?"

"Wasn't talking to you," Logan snapped.

As if in answer, a circle of glowing objects appeared down the wall to Deathstrike's right before exploding.

As Deathstrike snarled in surprise and turned to face the newcomer, two pairs of adamantium blades slashed through the wall directly to Deathstrike's left, which was followed by a shrieking X23 diving directly into Deathstrike.

"That's why I don't work alone anymore," Logan remarked as he watched his clone struggle with Deathstrike, until the taller Japanese woman finally kicked X23 off. Landing like a cat, X23 snarled and leapt towards Deathstrike, claws extended.

Hearing a new set of footsteps, Logan turned to greet the source of the earlier explosion. "Took yer time, Porcupine," he growled.

Ignoring Logan, Evan raced toward his aunt, who had just pulled herself into a sitting position.

"You okay, Auntie O?" Evan demanded. Ororo nodded firmly, still fingering the bruise on her throat and the gash in her cheek. Narrowing his eyes, Evan turned to look at Deathstrike battling X23. "I wouldn't bet on her," he whispered, extending his wrist spikes.

"Evan!" Ororo called, but Evan was already rushing off to join in the fight that was already halfway across the factory. Shaking her head, Ororo muttered, "That boy never listens."

"I'll deal with him later," Logan grunted as he slipped an arm under Ororo's. "Let's just get ya outta here before this becomes a habit."

Ororo snorted softly.

--------------------

Target located.

Objective: Exterminate.

Mission Parameters …

Little else was on X23's mind at this moment; not why she'd come looking this lady, nor what she planned to do next. Unlike Wolverine, who drew upon the rage he carried like a second heart, X23 fought at her best with those emotions forgotten. To her, combat was as natural as breathing.

Unfortunately, this lady was no back-seat commander like she'd expected; she knew how to fight, was at least as fast as X23 herself, and, so far, had not shown the slightest sign of hesitation or fatigue.

Another day.

X23 snarled as Deathstrike effortlessly deflected X23's latest volley; her limbs did not seem to move so much as simply appear wherever X23's blades attacked. Grunting, she hopped back and decided to wait for Deathstrike to come after her. It did not take long.

"You … animals simply won't die!" Deathstrike screamed as she leapt toward X23, both hands slashing downward. Rolling out of the way, X23 hopped to her feet and brought her claws in an arc to where Deathstrike's head … should have been …

Instead, Deathstrike was prone on the iron floor, sweeping her legs out from under her. Landing on her back, X23 had barely hit the floor before she began swinging a bladed arm toward Deathstrike's head, only to find it locked up inside Deathstrike's own adamantium blades. Without hesitating, X23 rolled toward Deathstrike, bringing her free arm down toward Deathstrike's throat. This time, even Deathstrike was taken off guard, and only a desperate shove brought it off the mark, leaving it embedded in the iron. Snarling herself, Deathstrike brought her free hand around towards X23's shoulder.

X23 howled as the adamantium blades drove through her skin, scraping along her own altered bones. By the time she opened her eyes, Deathstrike was back on her feet, holding X23 in the air. Gritting her teeth, X23 stared fixed Deathstrike with a cold glare.

She might as well have glared at ice. "You know what makes this easy for me, child?" Deathstrike breathed, tightening her grip on X23's shoulder. X23 twitched. "You are not even human," Deathstrike finished, bringing her other clawed arm up.

"Says the lady with the metal hands." The taunt was immediately by a volley of glowing spikes. Hissing, Deathstrike threw X23 to the side while batting down the nearest spikes and diving out of the way.

Without another word for the occasion, Evan ran toward Deathstrike, who was already rising to her feet. For once, however, she didn't charge back; instead, she waited, her hands ready and her cold stare unwavering. Eager to get in a few hits of his own, Evan was caught completely off guard by her next move.

In one smooth, flowing motion, Deathstrike spun out of Evan's path while arcing her left foot into the back of Evan's head, driving him into the stack of machinery she had been standing in front of.

Evan grunted as the stack collapsed around him, pinning him to the floor. I am so out of practice.

Deathstrike shook her head as she watched the young mutant struggle under the weight. Pitiful. Crouching near his still-visible head, she waited until he stopped struggling enough to return her glare. Bringing one of her fingers under his chin, she whispered, "Consider that your last warning."

Evan snorted. "Haven't you heard?" Glowing spots began to appear among the machinery. "I never listen to warnings!" The stack exploded, unleashing a torrent of spikes that Evan had pulled from every bone he could think of.

Deathstrike was already in the air, however, and the spikes instead peppered the wall in front of Evan. Landing like a cat, she splayed her sharpened fingers and snarled at Evan. "Fair enough! I will send your bones for the animal to chew on!" Shrieking, she raced towards a drained Evan. She was done holding back; finished clinging to her family's obsolete honour; now, she wanted blood!

Suddenly she collided with a pair of small feet, knocking her back into the weakened with enough force to smash through the already-damaged section.

Shaking her head, Deathstrike had time enough to note the sky above her before her attention was drawn by the shriek she had come to recognize. Rolling to avoid X23's stab, Deathstrike immediately lashed out, catching the girl across the side.

With barely a hiss to mark her injury, X23 swung her claws toward Deathstrike. Catching the first in one adamantium, Deathstrike grabbed her elbow and twisted it towards X23's face, snapping the normally unbreakable bone underneath. As X23 finally shrieked in pain, Deathstrike twisted her hips, tossing the young … animal away from her.

Splaying her fingers, Deathstrike turned toward the prone fighter. Gone was her calculated plan to avenge her family by targeting the Weapon X and its genetic clone while keeping the others out of the way without harming them; forgotten was the respect for life taught by those who had raised her; even her father, in whose name she had set out upon this search, was becoming a faint memory. The primal desire for revenge was all that filled her mind now; anyone in sight would suffice.

Consumed by her fixation, Deathstrike did not notice Logan sneaking up behind her until he had grabbed her neck and back, hurling her over his head and into the dirt. This time, she did not land so gracefully.

"Give it up, Deathstrike," Logan growled, backing away. "This ain't goin anywhere."

"You are not going anywhere!" spat Deathstrike. Shrieking, she dove after Logan. The grace she had demonstrated in her last attack was gone; now she swung her bladed claws in random, almost desperate, attacks, like a cornered animal.

The winds were picking up.

Without extending his own claws, Logan continued backing up, until he finally deflected one arm and slugged Deathstrike across the jaw.

The skies were darkening.

Thrown back by Logan's surprise assault, Deathstrike glared back at Logan. "DIE!" she shrieked, leaping toward Logan. Logan's claws extended.

Neither of them were prepared for the bolt that knocked Deathstrike back into the ground. "There's been enough of that," Ororo stated, her cold, almost regal poise returned to her as she floated toward Deathstrike.

Deathstrike gritted her teeth as she felt herself picked up by a gust of wind. The skies and winds against her now? Her disbelief fled her mind as she slammed back into the ground.

"No …" she gasped taking a step towards the Ororo. The weather goddess' eyes flashed, the sky lit up, and the clap of thunder followed. Snarling, Logan grabbed X23 and ran into the factory to pull Evan out.

Deathstrike leapt toward Ororo, only to land in one of her small tornadoes. Her eyes flaring, Ororo raised her arms, lifting a spinning Deathstrike with them. "Here's your revenge, Yuriko!" she called. The sky flashed again.

As it died down, Logan stepped out of the factory in time to spot Deathstrike hurtling off into the distance, while jagged bolts of lightning trailed her. Logan's eyes narrowed. Even I never pissed off Ororo that much.

The wind and lightning died down as Ororo noticed the small group on the ground. As she landed beside them, she immediately blurted out, "Are they all right." Neither X23 nor Evan seemed to stir. "Evan …?"

"I said I'm fine, now can you put me down?" grumbled Evan. "This is emb-"

"Listen porcupine," growled Logan. "I've had a really lousy day so far, and I ain't in the greatest of moods; so why don't you quit yer moaning before I lose my cool again?"

Even Evan's spikes seemed to retreat.

Ororo shook her head. "Let's go home."

[

Xavier Institute – One Day Later

'Home', as it turned out, was still there when Logan returned, though not in the greatest of states.

The gate and front yard were in ruins, the cyborg's relentless bombardment coupled with the students' own attacks had levelled everything above ground level. Now, the only features in front of the Institute were the debris from the ground defences and cybernetic limbs.

The Institute itself was also noticeably, though less thoroughly, damaged. The front walls were littered with holes, ranging from the small clusters of bolt-holes to the large, car-sized gap left by the strange missile they'd brought with them. Hank, though refusing to give any conclusions, had guessed that it had something to do with the Institute's electronic systems shorting out.

The recreation room was in shambles; not a single piece of furniture had withstood Bonebreaker's rampage.

The worst damages, however, were crowded in the infirmary.

Logan, though wearing the stern expression he kept up around the students, was a whirlwind of horror and guilt. Here there was Alex, the mansion's newest student, still weak from the pain medication for the multiple sprains and bruises, yet forbidden to sleep due to his concussion. A bruised Scott refused to leave his side.

There was Jamie, the youngest kid in the room, curled up into a ball and refusing to speak to anyone, or even meet their gazes. Battle shock.

Kurt, nursing broken ribs he had refused to admit to until he got back to the mansion …

Warren, still in a coma from Rogue's absorption, missing a few feathers …

Kitty, covered in shrapnel, fighting off her own concussion …

Piotr, breathing through a respirator, still stuck in metal form …Rogue, clutching her head, still overwhelmed by absorbing four abilities within an hour … Evan, still slowly recovering from a broken back … X23 … Ororo …

Lost in the shock of what Deathstrike, the Reavers … he … had inflicted, Logan didn't realize he was rushing out of the infirmary until Xavier's called out to him. "Logan?"

Logan blinked; he was already halfway down the hall. "What?" he growled.

"Are you all right?" Xavier asked, rolling toward him with an ice pack to his head.

Logan glanced down at his torn clothes, then shrugged. "Nothin' that won't grow back."

"That's not what I meant," Xavier replied, still staring at Logan. Though his expression remained neutral, it was clear Xavier didn't believe him.

"Well …" Logan began, before glancing at the infirmary.

Following his gaze, Xavier frowned and waved his hand, indicating down the hall. "Come."

--------------------

"I got enemies, Chuck," Logan blurted out as soon as he'd closed the door.

"We already knew that, Logan," Xavier replied, rolling behind his desk.

"No …" Logan growled. "That's just it: there's a lotta thugs like Creed, Cornelius, Omega Red, the Reavers, and now this …" Logan paused, looking at his lap, "Deathstrike," he finished, furrowing his brow.

"And we've survived them all, haven't we?" Xavier asked.

"Barely. The point is, there's a lotta people after me because …" clenching his fist, Logan extended one set of claws and held it before Xavier. "Because of what I am." He snorted. "Or because I pissed them off," he added.

The corner's of Xavier's mouth twitched. "We all have pasts, Logan,"

"Yeah, and I got a half-century of mine buried away somewhere!" Logan snarled. "I didn't see Cornelius, X23, Viper, or Deathstrike coming until they had me where they wanted me! And …" Logan gritted his teeth, "you and the kids keep getting caught in the middle!"

All traces of humour had fled Xavier's face by now. It was clear where Logan was coming from: Sabretooth, seeking young hostages to use against Logan; Kitty and Kurt, used as test subjects by Weapon X; now of course, Deathstrike and the Reavers' attack that had half the team in the infirmary. Finally, he rested his chin on his hands and asked bluntly, "What are you trying to tell me, Logan?"

Logan growled. The thought had been lingering since he'd entered the infirmary. Logan had never feared for himself in a long time, but since he'd become part of Xavier's family, he had realearned fear; specifically, fear for the people he'd joined, the kids he'd taken under his clawed arm. "I just … I can't keep putting these kids in danger, Chuck." He let out a sigh that he'd been holding, then continued while perusing the floor. "And if I stay, they will be."

Xavier didn't even shift. "I see." Leaning back in his wheelchair, Xavier continued to study Logan, who was now studying his feet. "That doesn't leave me much to say, does it?"

Logan finally looked at Chuck. "I was … kinda hopin' you'd say somethin', Chuck."

Xavier's expression hardened. "All right, then: if you think this is the best course of action, I had better pack my bags as well."

Logan wrinkled his brow. "Huh?"

"I have my share of enemies too, Logan. Magneto, Mystique, Mesmero, Apocalypse." His expression darkened. "My own son, who I never knew existed. If I thought being away from the mansion would keep the students and staff safe, I would have done that ages ago."

"Yer not listenin', Chuck!" Logan snarled, standing up.

"Oh I am, Logan. Very closely," Xavier replied evenly. "You think if you cut your ties with us, we'd be safe from your enemies. In fact, you wish we'd never crossed paths with us at all."

"That's what I'm sayin' Chuck; I'm drawing psychos like sharks, and I'm the blood they smell! We can't keep dodgin' 'em forever!" Logan yelled.

"Perhaps not," Xavier replied. "But, if you had never trained us, we wouldn't have gotten this far …"

"I ain't the only trainer around, Chuck!" Logan insisted, though some of the edge in his voice had faded.

"No," Xavier continued, "But we survived today, and many other days, by working as a team." Pointing at Logan, he added, "A team that you trained. So, if you are intent on leaving, ask yourself this: will we be better able to protect ourselves with you gone?" Logan just snarled and turned toward the door. "Will you be better off without us?" Logan stopped.

Suddenly, Xavier winced as something else caught his attention. Opening his eyes, he called out. "Logan, there's a SHIELD helijet landing outside."

--------------------

"Ya never could give up yer old habits, Fury," Logan remarked as Fury lit up another cigar. Despite Logan's protests, Xavier had decided to invite Fury in, and now they were walking down the halls while they spoke.

Fury raised an eyebrow. "Haven't seen you quit yet, Logan."

"I meant inviting yourself in without callin' ahead," Logan countered, rubbing his knuckles. "Might be bad for yer health."

"Why are you here, Fury?" Xavier interrupted, ignoring Logan.

"Calling ahead," Fury replied, pulling the cigar out of his mouth. "We picked up the Reavers your teams trashed out in the field. And, at the moment, a team's on the way here to get Bonebreaker and the weapon his team stole." Holding up a hand, he added, "And don't bother asking me what it is."

"We guessed," Logan growled. "What about Deathstrike?"

Fury shook his head, somehow looking even grimmer. "We swept the area; no sign of her."

"So she's still out there," Logan snarled, glancing back at Xavier.

"She'll be a bit busy running from us," Fury offered. "How're the kids?"

"Recoverin'," Logan snapped, a bit sharply. "That it, Patch?"

Fury narrowed his eyes. Logan had been withholding information before, and the way he sounded now … "Mind if I pop in?" he asked.

"It's an infirmary, not a zoo!" Logan barked.

Fury stared. "There something you don't want me to see in there, Logan?"

Before Logan could answer, an all-too familiar snarl echoed down the hall followed by raised voices.

"Look out, she's loose!"

"I got her! OWW!"

"Bobby, watch it!"

"Easy there; we don't want to fight …"

Fury's eyes widened before he ran down the hall toward the voices. Cursing under his breathe, Logan followed.

By the time they arrived at the infirmary, the room was in full uproar, despite the injuries. Everyone who could walk was moving to block the door or drag the unconscious patients toward it; those who couldn't were rolling off their beds to drag themselves.

At the center of it stood X23, her expression wild, her stance guarded, and her claws aimed toward whoever was nearest. Only Hank and Evan had refused to flee; they stood and sat respectively near X23, trying to coax her into relaxing.

Fury pulled away from the door, allowing shock to cross his face. In a rare show of anger, he grabbed Logan by the shoulder and roughly pulled him away from the doorway. "She's here?!"

Logan sighed; cat, or rather the wolverine, was out of the bag. "Yeah."

"Damnit, Logan …" Angry as he'd ever been, Fury could think of anything to say or do except to pull his radio from his pocket.

Logan grabbed his arm. "Don't."

"Forget it, Logan; I'm bringing her in!" Inside the infirmary, X23's ears twitched, and she lowered her claws slightly.

"C'mon, Fury. HYDRA's already taken half her life from her; you gonna take the rest?!" Logan snarled.

"I've sat on this too long as it is!" Fury snapped.

"Damnit, Fury, SHE"S A CHILD!!!" Logan roared.

"Don't preach to me, Logan," Fury deadpanned, turning away and switching his radio on.

By reflex, Logan brought several claws to Fury's throat. "Turn. It. Off."

Fury just glared at Logan. "You really want to start this?" By now, the whole infirmary had gone quiet.

"No one has to 'start anything', Colonel," Xavier interjected as he rolled up to the pair. "Logan, release him." Growling, Logan obeyed, and instead moved to plant himself in the doorway.

"I can't ignore this, Xavier," Fury stated.

"Nor would I expect you to; I only ask that you listen first."

Fury's knuckles were white by now. Finally, he relaxed his grip on the radio and crossed his arms. "You got one minute, Xavier."

"Very well: correct me if I'm wrong, but, as far as I know, X23 has not attacked you, nor even surfaced, in the past three years. In fact, apart from the break-in, the only people she has attacked were the same people you were trying to eliminate."

"Get to the point, Xavier; you just lost 15 seconds,"

"Then I'll be blunt: this girl is no more a threat to you than Logan, myself, or any of the students living within this mansion. And," Xavier continued, "if you wish to detain her simply for being alive, then you have me to go through as well."

"Don't go there, Xavier …" Fury began to warn.

"That was not a threat, Fury," Xavier interrupted, his voice and expression barely shifting. "But, if you wish to detain her, I have the right to hear the charges against her, a warrant …"

"You gotta be kidding!" Fury's free hand was at his head now, as he imagined going to his arresting a child he'd reported dead, explaining why he hadn't caught her yet, why he'd left her for a second; All for breaking and entering …

Behind Fury, Logan was fighting a grin. Chuck sure can talk. In the infirmary, most of the students were glancing at X23 and each other.

Fury looked back at Logan, then at Xavier. "You're protecting her, after she took you all down?!" he asked.

"X23 is a person, a mutant like all of us," Xavier replied, waving toward the infirmary. "If you expect me to send her into exile because of what she is, or what she was driven to do in the past …" Xavier paused as he glanced toward the wall. "Kitty, if you don't mind …"

Kitty, flanked by Kurt and Bobby, simply pouted before phasing everyone back through the wall.

Xavier returned his attention to Fury. "Quite simply you're in the wrong school."

"Oh boy," Scott muttered. Don't tell me …

Fury himself was rubbing his head as he ran through his options. Now would be a good time to wake up and laugh about this dream he thought. No such luck; he was awake. And, either way, whatever he decided, he'd be in for one long, drawn-out headache.

Sighing, he backed away from Logan and Xavier to glare at both of them. "She goes off the reservation for one goddamned minute, you're all sharing the crosshairs with her! You got it?!"

Folding his arms, Xavier replied. "We'll take responsibility, Fury, as we always have."

"Fine; she's your problem now; I'll show myself out," Fury snapped as he turned to stalk out of the mansion. He needed another cigar.

The halls and infirmary were silent as the attention slowly shifted to X23. After several long, awkward moments, Scott finally spoke up. "Well," he started, standing up and walking toward X23. As he, somewhat quickly, extended a hand toward X23, he continued, "I guess we might as well say welcome …"

Scott barely noticed his hand being grabbed before he found himself hurtling into Hank. Snarling, X23 jumped back to her feet and swung her claws towards an approaching Jean, who pulled herself away. Without hesitating, X23 turned to the nearest wall. Four slashes and one kick later, she was off running.

"That went well," remarked Xavier.

Logan rubbed his head; now he needed a smoke. "Elf; lend me a port?"

--------------------

Keep moving!

That was the only thought on X23's mind as she leapt over the gate and dashed towards the woods. She had to get away, before Fury called in reinforcements, before they locked her away again, before the stench of brimstone … brimstone?

"Hey kid."

X23 shrieked as the deep voice grunted behind her. Instinctively, she leapt away from the voice and twisted to face it in one smooth manoeuvre.

"This is gettin' kinda old, ain't it," her pursuer remarked, holding his arms out to his side as he walked slowly toward her.

X23 kept her claws aimed toward him. "Why do you keep following me?" she demanded.

Logan shrugged. "Why not?"

X23 growled incoherently. "You can't keep me here!" she snapped as she turned away.

"Now why would I do that?" Logan's casual tone caught her off guard, and she whirled back to face him as he brought a cigarette to his mouth. "I'd probably save my kids a few weeks of sleep, and me a few headaches, if I just let ya run off on your own."

"Then what are you doing here?" X23 hissed, lowering her claws slightly.

Lighting up the cigarette, Logan continued. "Just droppin' some news: Fury agreed to call off the manhunt, if you hang with us for a while."

X23 almost laughed. "He did? What is this place, his new prison?"

Logan took another drag. "That's what you think?" Shaking his head, he began turning away from her. "And here I thought ya did your homework on the place before ya trashed it. Must be slippin'"

X23 stared after Logan. "Where are you going?" she yelled.

"Back home; have fun on the run," he called over his shoulder.

X23 growled to herself. "Wait!" she yelled, running after Logan. "What do you want from me?"

Logan shrugged. "I'd ask you the same question." Flicking the cigarette away, he continued. "But I leave the sales pitches to Chuck and the others."

X23 glanced at the debris-strewn building. "You want me to stay here?"

"Only if you want to."

X23 shook her head. Stay with the X men? Run with the college kids who attracted more trouble than HYDRA? Settle in one place, above the radar? While some part of her perked up a bit at the thought, her instincts screamed against it. You'll make yourself a target! These people don't trust you! Now's the time to …!

X23 shook her head; Madame Viper, again.

"So what's it gonna be kid?" said Logan, interrupting X23's thoughts.

"Don't call me that." X23 looked at Logan, then at the school, and shook her head. "And I work alone," she grumbled, hanging her head and turning away from the school.

"So do I, kid," Logan called. Ignoring X23's annoyed scowl, he went on. "But, hell, having a home base to fall back on, and some friends to back you up, it has its advantages."

X23 looked at Logan, then turned away and began walking.

Logan sighed; it had been a long shot. "So what are ya gonna do now?" he yelled. X23 shook her head and continued walking. "Well: the door's open, if ya need a place to sleep while ya figure it out," he called. X23 finally looked back at him, her expression still hard. "Your call," he concluded, before turning away and heading back into the house.

By the time X23 peeked over her shoulder, Logan had disappeared.

X23 took another look at the damaged house. No one except Logan had come after her, and all he had done was talk. Even the spook Xavier had not tried to ambush her as he had in the War Room. No one was chasing her now.

What was with this place?

[

Xavier Institute – The Next Morning

Evan groaned as the light snuck under his eyelids, jostling his brain and shoving back towards consciousness. It was times like this that he missed the tunnels; light was scarce, so sleeping in was the norm for most.

Rolling over, he reluctantly opened his eyes, and was confronted by a sleeping X23 in the next bed over. At the sight, Evan was instantly alert. Rolling off the bed as quietly as he could, he began sneaking toward the doorway. Maybe if he could get word out before she woke up …

"You make a lot of noise," X23 grumbled, her eyes still closed.

Evan winced, then turned to face her. "I, uh, didn't want to wake you."

"Forget it," X23 snapped, hopping to her feet. "I just needed a few hours sleep."

"Right; 'cause you're not staying," Evan nodded, his arms crossed.

"No."

"Right." Evan watched her as she slowly made her way toward the door. Something about her movements seemed different; her limbs moved as though they had extra weights attached; and her eyes fixated upon the ground rather than darting around her surroundings. As he watched her, something occurred to Evan.

"Hey, since you're leaving anyway, are you hungry?"

--------------------

"Jean, could you pass the eggs?"

"Where's the bacon?"

"Hold your horses; it's coming!"

"Bobby, can you, like, please wait your turn?"

"Would you? Hey, quit that!"

BOOM!

"TABITHA!"

"Sorry Shades; it slipped. Though the milk face does kinda suit you …"

BAMF!

"Sorry I'm late!"

"So am I, now; do you know what brimstone tastes like?"

Logan watched as the kids practically fought among themselves to get the food to their plates. This was a daily occurrence; the kitchen could be more hazardous than some of his Danger Room programs, especially if somebody was really hungry. Over the years, he had gotten used to the morning clashes; it had been grafted to his life as thoroughly as the adamantium had been grafted to his bones.

And now, he might have to leave it behind, or risk tearing it apart.

Logan growled to himself; he was dying for a smoke now, but there were kids in front of him. How the hell did Chuck ever convince me to follow that rule?

Suddenly, a familiar scent caught his attention and, despite himself, he grinned.

"Vhat's so funny, Logan?" Kurt asked, his mouth full. By now, Logan's slip had caught most of the others' attentions; Logan rarely smiled, and when he did, it was usually worth knowing why.

"Tell me you're not sticking us in the Danger Room?" a worried Ray added.

"You already had it," he grunted. "But we got a guest for breakfast, so you'll all be on your best behaviour, right?" he finished, fixing them with the glare they knew too well.

"Who's the … oh!" Kitty managed as the door swung open, admitting Evan and X23, who froze like a deer in the headlights when she noticed the stares.

"Uhh … hello," stammered Rogue, who had just dropped her bacon on the table.

X23 glared suspiciously at the other silent students, until Evan quickly breezed past her.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm starving." Spearing one of the nearby bananas for himself, he ripped another free. "Want one?" he called, tossing it toward X23.

Grunting in surprise, X23 extended her claws and impaled the fruit. After staring at it for a few seconds, she started to bite into it.

"Wait!" Jean cried, heading toward X23, only to be stopped by a glare from the shorter mutant. "You're … uhh … supposed to take the …"

"Leave it, Red," Logan grunted, fighting a grin as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Well, that's a start," Xavier remarked, rolling up next to Logan as X23 tentatively approached the table, where chatter was slowly resuming.

Logan shrugged. "Don't ask me how long this'll last."

"That should be up to her," Xavier replied before taking a sip from his tea.

"I wasn't talking about her, Chuck," Logan growled.

After shooting Logan a hard look, Xavier responded, "The decision's still yours, Logan. It always has been."

"And what would a guy like me be bringin'" Logan asked.

Xavier shrugged. "Well I am in need of instructors …"

Logan barked out a laugh. "Do I look like the teachin' type?"

"This is, primarily, a school." Folding his hands, he continued. "But it's a school for people like you or me; people who will be attacked because of who they are." The grin on Logan's face began to fade. "They need to be able to defend themselves when it becomes necessary. And," he concluded, gazing meaningfully at Logan. "Someone will have to teach them how."

Logan grunted to himself. This was new. Here he was with a school of do-gooders and Salvation Army wannabes? And the head of that school was asking him, whoever he was at the moment, to teach them how to fight. Who said the world was sane?

"I'll think about it."

"Logan?" Xavier asked, drawing Logan from his thoughts. "Have you decided?"

Logan snorted. "I'll think about it.

"So … uhhh …." Scott began, as X23 finally took a seat between Jean and Evan. "Since you're here, what do we call you?"

"Well …" X23 muttered, thinking back. What was it that Risman had whispered to her when she thought no one had been watching; that name she picked up off the toy she had smashed in the park …

"Laura, I guess."

The End

Author's Note

Own nothing, etc, etc ….

And her you have the conclusion of the Past and Present story. Just so you know, I wasn't planning on a two-parter; it just worked out that way. You like? Hate? Confused? Any/all opinions, welcome always.

So, to sum up. There will be more episodes on Logan's past on later dates (though perhaps not this season.) And, yes, X23 is staying for now; how long is anybody's guess.

Next episode: when Bayville is hit by a series of mutant murders, through 'unknown causes,' the X-men may be forced to turn to an old enemy who apparently cannot be trusted. (Like I'd name the enemy right here.) I will say, however, that the x-men may end up with a new member within the episode ...