Marie and Kitty had just put the last of the food away when the SUV pulled up. The two women looked out the window at the two people in the SUV. "What do you think she's telling him?" Marie asked as they watched Sara talk to the big man in the passenger's seat. "I have no idea; maybe like ok we are here don't go all caveman animal psycho on me."

"That's not funny." Marie said slapping her arm. "He really could do that." The two women watched as he opened the door and got out. Sara came around and stood beside him talking again. She pointed to the swing on the front porch and he slowly walked over and sat on it.

The girls watched him as he moved. He took in a deep breath of fresh air. "It's not normal for a man that big to move like that." Kitty said watching his long graceful strides. Marie shivered remembering him from years ago. He never said a word to her just simply did what he was told. He was never mean to her like the others were. She remembered him growling at Toad once for messing with her too much. The smaller man back down and he turned and just stared at her before setting down again and watching her. Her brows knitted together at that thought. Out of all the ones that held her there he was the most gentle. She never really thought about that much but he had been. He never did anything to her, even when they moved her to the machine his lard hands where unnaturally gentle on her. He carried out his orders like an unfeeling robot. But when he pulled open the door to get her she could have sworn she saw a flash of regret cross his face. He was even gentle when he cuffed her to the damn machine. She remembered Magneto yelling at him that there was a problem go take care of it. He let her small hands slide from his large gloved ones. He turned and walked away like a mindless animal that had just been called by its master.

"I have to say, He may be crazy but at least Sara has something really, really nice to look at when he takes his shirt off." Kitty said pulling Marie out of her thoughts.

"Jesus Kitty."

"What? Don't tell me you didn't look at him in the med bay. That man has a drop dead gorgeous body."

"Yeah, I'm sure Sara was looking for a drop dead gorgeous psychopath to hook up with." Marie said pushing kitty to the door.

Sara met the girls at the door and walked them out to Marie's jeep. "Are you sure you're ok with this?" Marie as again. "I'll be fine baby girl." She said reassuring the young woman. She talked to them for a bit before hugging the two women and saying her good byes. Marie got in the driver side and looked up at the giant setting in the swing. His long hair fell around his face and he was so still he looked like a statue. He didn't even blink.

"I got something I need to talk to you about when you have time." Marie said looking at Sara. "In private."

"Okay, I'll be by the main house in a day or two. The Professor wants progress reports. I'll find you." She said smiling at the young woman.

"Well this has been a really long day." Sara said setting beside Victor on the swing. She patted his hand and sat back to relax. He just look at his wrist and then over to hers. She wore the same tracking band as he did. "Probably start beeping or something if I get too far away from her." He thought to himself. She took a really good look at him as they sat in silence. He was bare foot and she thought it was odd his toes didn't have claws too. They looked like any other man's feet but his nails where black just like the claws at the ends of his big hands. "Huge Hands." She thought looking back down at his feet. "What was the old saying...you know what they say about men with big feet and hands." She shook her head at that thought as she looked up to his face. He was a handsome man in a wild way that was a fact. But she knew he was unaware of his looks. His self-hatred only allowed him to see an animal when he looked into a mirror. His deep voice made her jump a bit when he spoke. "Can you really do it?" He asked without looking at her. "Do what?" She asked softly making him talk more. "Can you really help me?" he asked looking down at her. "Yes, I'll never give up on you I promise." She said smiling at him. He knew she told him the truth, she wasn't bragging or over confident in herself. It was just a fact. Her voice echoed in his mind from earlier. "I'm going to help you come hell or high water. But remember this; you can call me Sara or Dr. Callaway, whatever you want. But don't ever call me Frail again."

His belly rumbled and she looked at him and laughed. "You hungry Tiger?" She asked patting his stomach lightly. He just looked at where her hand touched him as she stood to go inside. "You want to hang out with me in the kitchen while I cook us dinner?" He stood but stumbled a bit and she had her hands on him in a flash. "Oh, easy there Big Daddy." She said resting her hands on his chest. "I'm fine." He growled trying to pull away from her. "No you're not Victor, just take it easy." She said gripping his shirt tighter. "Not even you can recover this quickly from what you've been through today." He growled at her but she continued talking to him. "It's just you and me here sweetie. Just take is slow please. Till you feel better." He stared down at her and she felt so small next to him. It was an unusual feeling because she was tall for a woman. She found it oddly comforting. His hand moved to her face and she held her breath. He hooked one long claw under her sunglasses and pushed them up on her head. She looked down without even thinking about it. "You shouldn't hide behind sunglasses." He whispered. She looked at him her eyes glowing with a soft purple fire. "They are beautiful." He said staring at her eyes. "It's just me and you here right?" he said repeating her words. She smiled and laughed. "You have a point there." She let go of his shirt and backed up a bit.

"Big daddy huh?" he said arching an eyebrow at her. "Oh sorry, it's just my thing I guess. I always end up giving people I know nicknames." She said laughing at herself. He gave her a ghost of a smile and she ducked under his arm giving him a little support. His big arm hung around her shoulders and he relaxed again at her touch. "I like that one." He chuckled.

(Personal journal entry)

Dinner went well, we talked while I cooked. I think he maybe letting his guard down a bit. I'm going to continue to try my hardest to gain his trust. And I'm going to continue trying my approach of simple touches. I think this could be a huge step in the right direction. I'm hoping he'll associate my touch with kindness. He seems to have responded to it well so far.

Sara sipped on a cup of coffee as she typed on her laptop.

Victor smiled a little today and even laughed a bit this afternoon. I wanted to jump up and down at that brake trough. I think he's getting use to my nicknames and he likes some of them. I told him I'd never give up on him and I pray he believes me. He laid down in one of the bedrooms a few hours ago. He looked so tired. I'm still having flashes of his memories when I look at him sometimes, most of the time it's of him in that damn lab. They are horrifically graphic. I should talk with the professor about this.

She closed her lap top and set back in the chair in the living room. Her head fell back on the back of the chair and she closed her eyes. She was dozing when the sound of a door opening jerked her awake. She saw Victor slip out onto the back deck. "How can a man so big move so silently?" she said to herself. She sat her empty coffee mug on the table as she walked to the door. She watched him through the glass door. He was leaning on the deck hand gripping the decks railing. His head was down and his hair was over one shoulder. She was staring at his bare back when His memory flashed in her mind before she could stop it. It took her breath away and left her feeling sick and lightheaded. He was strapped to a table and they cut his back removing a strip a flesh exposing the length of his spine. Sara closed her eyes trying in vain to stop his memory. She watched in horror as they severed his spinal cord in several places. They left him there on that table paralyzed for days. She put her hands over her eyes trying to stop the memory. She opened her eyes and He was still there; his back was unblemished and she watched the thick muscles move slowly as he inhaled a deep breath. She shook her head pushing the graphic images from her mind as she opened the door.

"Hay Tiger, it's cold out here. You okay?"

"You should have let me go." His voice was deep and lifeless.

"What?"

"Why didn't you let me go?" he asked a bit louder.

She touched his back and he stiffened.

"I should be dead. Why did you take that away from me?" he was trembling as he gripped the deck railing harder.

"Victor let go sweetie. Let go of the railing." His breathing was harsh and he was sweating as she ran her hand over one of his large ones. There was a loud popping sound as large chunks of wood broke off from the deck in his huge hands. "Let go Victor." She grabbed his hand trying to open it. "I don't think he even registered the pain." Her mind was racing, as he slowly opened his hands and the wood chunks fell to the deck floor. She watched as large slivers of wood pushed their way out of his hands as his wounds healed. He grabbed her hand so fast her mind didn't quite comprehend the movement. It was like a large shadow in the night.

"Do it." He said putting her hand over his heart. His blood was warm and sticky on the back of her small hand.
"DO IT NOW!" he yelled in her face flashing his fangs in the moonlight. He was holding her hand so tight she was sure her bones were crushed.

He fell hard on to his knees in front of her. His sudden decent shook the boards under her feet. "I know you can, Please Sara! He never stops, he's screaming at me he'll never stop! He wants me to hurt you! KILL ME NOW! He was yelling at her begging her to end his long life. "Death is the only way I can stop him."

"No Victor I can't do that." she said it softly as if talking to a child. She cupped her free hand to the side of his face and made him look at her. "Look at my eyes Victor, I want you to calm down and just breathe for me." He let her hand go and she put it on the other side of his face. "I'm not here to hurt you Sabertooth." she spoke softly to the animal forcing him to watch those hypnotic eyes. Leaning down close to his ear she whispered softly to the beast. "I want you to smell my scent. You know I'm telling you the truth. I need you to go to sleep for me. You have to let Victor rest so I can take care of him. I swear on my life I won't forget about you either. I'm here for you and him, you just have to sleep for me now."

She felt him inhale deeply filling his lungs with her scent. It calmed the beast and He relaxed into her arms. She hugged him to her body. "I got you Tiger, just breathe." she whispered resting her chin on the top of his head.

They stayed like that for a long while. Until her lower back made a loud crack from him hugging her to his body so hard. She couldn't stop the small yelp and a surge of pain. His head shot up to look at her. He let go quickly and rested his large hands on the sides of her hips.

"Well, am I going to have to start payin' you for that Big daddy?" She asked him with a smile. "I didn't know you were a chiropractor too." She said pushing her fingers through his think hair to massage his scalp. She felt him relax again. And then he did it. And it knocked her for a loop. He smiled at her, an honest to god smile that made Sara forget to breathe and time stood still. It was beautiful. His dark eyes locked on to hers and it over whelmed her. He had a moment of peace and clarity and he chose to share it with me. I saw the man that was underneath all the rage, pain and bloodlust. And the only word I could think of was… Beautiful.