I woke , breathing hard. I fumbled for the light switch, finally finding it. I snapped the light on. The clock on the wall said that it was just past seven-thirty. I sat up and hugged my knees to my chest. I had dreamed that I was running from something. I didn't know what, just something. It had nearly caught me when I woke up. I shivered and got up. I went upstairs and got dressed in some street clothes. I walked out the door and stood in the crisp morning air. I went for a long walk along the lake, watching the ducks and geese as they chased each other and flew around. I smiled as I watched them. I reached the end of the lake and stared into the water. I started to softly sing a song that I faintly remembered my mother singing to me as a lullaby.

"Come, stop your crying, it will be all right. Just take my hand, hold it tight. I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry ." I sang the words as I walked slowly back towards the manor. "For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here, don't you cry." I reached the front door and continued singing softly to myself. "'Cause you'll be in my heart. Yes, you'll be in my heart. From this day on, now and forever more. You'll be in my heart. No matter what they say. You'll be here in my heart. Always." I looked up at the stairs and let out a long, slow breath.

I headed for my motorcycle, not wanting to hang around the house for a while. I'll be back by twelve-thirty. I thought. I started it up and drove out of the garage. The wind whipped my hair around and I laughed with the joy of speed. I sped over to the mall to grab a pair of boots and cowboy hat that I had seen. I picked them up and dropped them off at the manor. I grabbed my keys again and ran back out to my motorcycle. I cranked it up and sped over to a lake that I had seen on the way back. I parked my motorcycle under a tree and leaned against it. I watched the waterfall crash down on the rocks and felt my breathing slow. I closed my eyes and fell asleep, sliding down the tree with the warm sun on my face and smile on my lips.

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Beep! Beep! Beep!

I moaned as I looked at my watch. I had set the alarm on it to go off at twelve-twenty. Ten minutes before I had to be back. "Shoot." I muttered, climbing onto my bike. "Musta fallen asleep." I roared down the street, skidding to a halt in the front of the school. I wheeled my motorcycle in the garage and went to my room. I met Logan in front of the stairs.

"Come on." he said. "We're goin' out to eat."

"Yes!" I said, rushing to my room to get ready.

I slipped on a comfy checkered shirt that Kitty had bought me, some nice-ish jeans, and some socks. I looked down at my feet and grabbed my boots, pulling them on. I walked into the bathroom and braided my hair, then stuck my cowboy hat on my head. I looked in the mirror. Not bad. I thought. You clean up good.

I grabbed my new tight-fitting leather jacket, pulling it on as I walked downstairs.

I sat on the couch to wait for Logan.

I didn't have to wait long. He came down the stairs about two or three minutes later.

"Come on. Let's go." he said, walking towards the door.

I followed and he opened the door of his Jeep for me to hop in. "Thanks." I said, climbing into the passenger seat. He went around and got in front, starting the engine. He drove to a little diner place that looked slightly run-down. We went inside and sat down at a booth.

"What'll it be ta drink, sweetie?" a waitress came over to get our order. Her nametag read "Susie".

"Water." I said while Logan ordered a beer.

"Comin' right up." she said, disappearing behind the kitchen doors after handing us our menus.

Logan handed me my menu. I read over it, then thought for a minute. "Chicken." I finally said with a smile.

"What'll ya have, sugar?" Susie appeared at our table with our drinks.

"A kid's chicken sandwich with a chocolate shake and a number one." Logan handed back the menus. The waitress smiled at me.

"A chocolate shake? Honey, you're sweet enough. You're really gonna have to keep an eye on this one. The boys will be droolin' all over her." she said with a kind smile.

I giggled and tried to hide behind Logan.

She smiled and went to order our food. I leaned back in my chair and watched the ceiling fan spin slowly. It was oddly hypnotic. I drank my water as we waited for our food.

Susie came back with our food and a refill on my water. I slowly ate my chicken, enjoying the flavor. I finished and drank my shake. It was delicious! I leaned back in my chair after I was finished and closed my eyes, waiting on Logan to finish his food. I tipped my hat over my eyes and dozed off.

"Come on darlin'." I heard about five minutes later. Logan was standing up at the table, holding my jacket out to me. He had already paid for the meal and was getting ready to leave.

I got up and followed him out the door. I climbed into the Jeep and we headed back to the school. I jumped out of the Jeep and walked inside. I heard Logan behind me. I turned around and gave him a hug. "Thank you." I said. I hurried upstairs to my room, changing clothes once again. I hung up my Western clothes and stepped into the hallway. I was feeling restless, so I decided to go out for a run. I ran outside, jogging over the path and around the mansion. I ran through the woods, around the gardens, and through the entire lawn. I ran faster and faster, reveling at the feel of the wind in my hair. I ran for hours, never tiring. I only stopped when I saw that night had fallen. I looked at the moon. It hung in the sky, watching over me. I went to my room, changed, and collapsed in bed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow...

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I jerked myself awake. There was a noise outside. I heard a muffled thump, then the sound of glass breaking. Wolverine was already out of his room, shirtless and wary. I pulled on some clothes and shoes and slowly made my way downstairs, sticking to the shadows. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and an alarm sounded.

Wolverine hurried down the stairs. "Get the kids outta here!" he yelled. I saw everyone hurrying towards the emergency exits in the walls. I grabbed a little girl and whispered "It's O.K., you're safe." before running with her to the exits. "Good thing some people are gone for break, huh?"

She nodded and followed a little boy into the crawl-space. I turned around and ran back to Wolverine, confident that the others would be safe with the senior X-Men. I couldn't find him among all the MRD officers, so I just went in for a fight.

"Come on, boys! Let's play!" I called, springing forward into a tigress. I caught the first guy around the waist. He fell with a solid thud! and didn't get up. Some S.H.I.E.L.D. officers shot at me, but I ran past them and knocked some into a wall.

I found some guards on the second-floor landing. "Luna!" a man said. "Nice to see you again! Do you remember me?" He laughed cruelly.

"No." I said, shaking my head.

"Maybe you'll remember this." he said, tossing a metal dogtag at me. I caught it and looked at it. One side had Luna Elvira Night with a bunch of letters and numbersprinted on it. I turned it around and saw that the other side had some more letters and numbers and the word Tigress. "My name, Luna, is Stryker. Do you remember that?"

"How did you get this?" I asked in shock, ignoring the question.

He just laughed at me.

I lunged and pinned him to the wall. "You'll tell me!" I hissed, eyes flashing green dangerously. I let go of him and turned as one of his guards foolishly tried to stop me. I let my claws out with a loud SHINK! and stabbed him through the stomach. He fell back, dead, with a stunned expression on his face. I finished off the other three in much the same way.

I could hear Stryker clapping behind me. "Bravo Luna! You've finally embraced your wild side!" he said, that grin still on his face.

I snarled and pinned him to the wall again. "What is this?" I snarled, holding up the dogtag. He ignored me and rambled on about "my days at Weapon X" or something.

"After you turned into an animal, we couldn't use you the same anymore. So we dropped you off at your dear old dad's house. Genosha. From what I've heard, Magneto had paid to put you into the Weapon X Program when ya turned six. He hunted ya down from the Brotherhood and somehow wiped the incident from yer memory. You were turned into our services and what happened, happened." he said, watching me closely.

I punched the wall, dangerously close to Stryker's head. I listened as Wolverine ran up the stairs. I was nose to nose with Stryker when he found me.

"You... You... How can you do something like this?" I asked angrily.

He shrugged. "Well, it's been fun, but I gotta plane to catch. Just remember, Luna. You were an animal when we had you, and you're still an animal now. Once an animal, always an animal. Chow." He kicked me and sent me flying into the wall, then ran out and jumped onto a helicopter.

"Luna! Are you alright?" I heard Wolverine's voice. I stood up and shook my head, gesturing towards the bodies on the floor.

"I killed em, Wolvie. All of em..." I looked at their blank, unseeing eyes. "I didn't even think about what I was doing! I just..." I stopped, my voice catching in my throat. "Killed them..."

I felt Wolverine pick me up and hold me to his warm chest. "I know, darlin'." he said, stroking my hair.

I showed him the dogtag. "Stryker gave me this." I slipped it around my neck.

"Are ya sure that's a good idea darlin'?" he asked.

I nodded. "I need to remember what happened. He told me horrible things, Wolvie. Things that I've done..." I shook as I cried, burying my face into his chest. I heard other people running up the stairs. I glanced up and they saw my tearstained face. Then they looked at the dead guards at my feet and put two and two together.

"Luna, did you...?" I nodded.

"Yeah, Jubes. I did..." I put my head into Wolvie's chest again, not wanting to see what I'd done. Wolverine took me downstairs and set me in a chair. He turned around to go back upstairs and I grabbed his arm. "Wolvie, what are ya gonna do with them? I should help get them outta here..."

"No darlin', you've seen enough. We'll handle them, don't worry."

I nodded again and kissed the palm of his hand. "Love ya Wolvie."

"Love ya too kiddo." He turned and left.

I sat in the chair, knees to my chest. One single thought ran through my mind. I'm goin' to kill Stryker...