So this chapter is late. Obviously. And I'm really sorry about that. But I really didn't know where to take it from the last chapter. This is my first story ever, so bear with me. And I'm sorry it's so long. I have so much I want to happen now and every time I try to shove more stuff into the chapters, it just seems too rushed. Read and Review people! PLEASE?!

Logan

Logan groaned loudly, fighting to hold onto the last remnants of unconsciousness. The more he woke up, the more pain registered throughout his body. Finally he gave up and tried to open his eyes. The light was blinding, and it took him a few moments to adjust to his surroundings. He groaned again and tried to shift in his bed. Pain flared up his back and he hissed. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, gathering all of his inner strength. Opening his eyes again, he went to move, gritting his teeth as his back reminded him why he had to stop the first time. Ever the persistent one, he tried to sit up, only to be welcomed with more pain and resistance. He felt constricted, and for a moment he flashed back to his nightmare, right before he was injected with the Adamantium. He panicked and started to struggle against his restraints. A soft hand lightly touched his arm and gently pushed him back.

"You must sit still, my friend."

Logan shifted his eyes until he found the owner of the voice. He relaxed instantly and the last remnant of his flashback faded away. He attempted to smile but it hurt too much and quickly turned into a grimace.

"'Ro?" He croaked out.

Ororo placed a cool hand on his brow and brushed his hair out of his face. "I'm right here Logan. How do you feel?"

"Like tha Brotherhood used meh as a piñata for a few hours."

Ororo chucked softly and shook her head. "Oh Logan. Even when you're horrendously injured and had a brush with death, you still crack jokes." Her smile saddened and she looked away for a few beats before she turned her gaze back onto her friend. She bit her lip, obviously having something else to say.

"What is it 'Ro?"

She hesitated for a second, then sighed loudly. "What happened in there Logan? I mean a whole section of a wall in the Rec Room is completely destroyed, the window in the Danger Room is beyond shattered, and the Danger Room? Hank is still trying to assess the damage. When we finally managed to break down the door, Logan you were broken and in a pool of your own blood. Your spine was ruptured and your legs cracked-" Her voice broke with sadness and she took a few deep breaths to get her emotions under control. "Hank had to break your spine again and set both of your legs so they would heal properly. You've been out for a few days." She looked at him expectantly.

Logan shrugged and then winced as a flash of agony shot through his back again. "All I remember is arguin' with Amara, her hittin' meh, a storm, and then lights out." He paused for a second, then realization hit him. He turned his head and ignored the pain as his eyes desperately roved around the room.

"She's not here, Logan."

He stopped his search and slowly regarded his friend again.

"We brought her here to check for any injuries. She woke up after a few hours, took one look at you, and ran out of here. Hasn't left her room since."

"Why?"

"I don't know. She won't talk to anyone, Logan. I try bringing meals to her, but every time I come back I see the same tray of food untouched. Logan, I'm- I fear for her."

Logan nodded in understanding, his gaze moving to the ceiling, deep in thought.

"Emma fears her, of her powers, her temper. She wants to kick her out."

Logan tensed and his head snapped back to Ororo, his gaze asking questions his mouth couldn't form.

"I just came from a meeting with her. Don't worry, Amara is free to stay here with us for as long as she wants. Emma put up a good fight, but I reminded her of the Professor, of his philosophy. He would never throw out a person so broken and hurt and confused."

He visibly relaxed and returned his gaze to the ceiling. Why do I care about this woman so much? She almost killed meh, he thought. Then it hit him. That pain and anguish and just sheer fury… He recognized it. He'd had the same thing. He remembered what it was like, when he first woke up in the woods. Logan was filled with rage. Anger towards himself, towards his lack of memories, towards anyone and everyone who tried to help him. He hated the hand he had been dealt, and though there was nothing that could change that, he could not accept it. Amara was mad at the world, and mad at herself, and instead of seeing that, he had been an asshole, fueling her anger. God, just once he'd like to not fuck up when it came to women. Ororo had begun speaking again and he tried to focus on her voice.

"… but I don't know how much longer that would be. She's- she's killing herself, Logan. And you were unconscious and looked so horrible and were in so much pain-I feel like, I feel like there's nothing I can do I just… Oh goddess!" The walls broke, and Ororo lowered her head against Logan's cot, sobbing. He patted her hand comfortingly, whispering soothing words to calm her down.

She cried for a few minutes, letting all the frustrations of the past few days wash away. Logan petted her hair softly, allowing her to release everything. After a few moments her sobs subsided, reduced to quiet sniffling. She lifter head gaze Logan an apologetic smile. "Thanks."

"Anytime, 'Ro."

She wiped her eyes and grasped Logan's hand. "I don't know what happened between you two, both in the past and the present, but because of it, I think you're the only person she'll talk to."

Logan stared up at the ceiling again, considering what she said and looking for answers he just didn't have.

"I'd understand if you don't want to, considering what she did to you-"

"No, no I need ta know. I'm done runnin' away from my problems, 'Ro. Whatever it is that I did, I hurt her. Badly. It's time I take responsibility for that shit."

Ororo smiled and nodded. "I'll go get her from her room."

"Thank ya."

Ororo swept out of the med bay, leaving Logan alone with his thoughts. No matter what is said, I have to tell her. I have to get her to understand… She's not a monster, she's not alone, and she's not weak. He smiled to himself at that last part, imagining all the ways, at least that he knew about, that Amara was fast becoming one of the strongest people he knew.

Amara

So cold. Everything around her was just so cold. Amara grasped her sheets tighter to her body and curled even more into herself. Everything was just shit. Her life was shit. Her powers were shit. And these damn nightmares? Fuck that shit. These past few days have been straight from hell. First, she loses control of emotions, and thus her powers, and almost kills Logan, the man she had decided to lay off of. Now everything from her past has come back full force. The people whose faces she will always remember, it's always the same. The fear mixed with disgust then rage. She saw it in the faces of the men who captured her and her father, the jailers, the fellow prisoners, the men in the streets, the cops, and after the little stunt she pulled, the looks the X-Men had given her when she had awoken. Like she was a monster. She'd been considered a monster her whole life, but she always brushed off. Convinced herself that people's opinions didn't matter, that she knew who she was, what she was, and that was that.

But then, then she saw Logan. Battered and broken, bloodied and bruised, and she knew, she just knew that her time was up. No more pretending. No more convincing or denying. This was it. She had to accept it. She was a monster. What kind of person would do that to someone else? Would beat them within an inch of their lives? If Logan didn't have that healing factor… She would have killed him. He would be dead. And that, through all of the other terrors that were now plaguing her, hiding in the shadows and haunting her dreams, that thought is what has been torturing her the most.

She threw the covers off of her and shifted onto her back. She glared up at the ceiling, not really seeing what was in front of her. Everything was just blurs and colors. Blinking rapidly did nothing to correct her vision, and her patience was waning fast. She gnashed her teeth and ground her fists into her eye sockets. Didn't help. She inwardly groaned, shut her eyes as tight as she could and counted down from ten. Taking a deep, calming breath, she opened them. Her breath caught in her throat at what she saw.

"Da-daddy?" She choked out.

Her father grinned widely, his eyes crinkling in the corners just the way she loved. He stared down at her lovingly, and she understood why her mother had always told people she was only the incubator. Amara was the spitting image of her father. They had the same eyes, nose, mouth, even the hair was the same just hers was slightly longer. Finally her brain remembered one of its main functions and Amara released the breath she forgot she was holding.

"How's my little princess doing?"

Amara felt tears streak down her face, and she quickly wiped them away before her father could see them.

"Fine, daddy. I'm- I'm fine."

"No I know I raised you better than that. You better stop lying and tell what's wrong."

She chuckled sadly and moved her hands from her eyes, letting the tears fall freely. "You always could see right through me. Daddy, I- I messed up. He's here daddy. The man who so kind to you, to us. James, well he goes by Logan now, but daddy, he's here. He doesn't remember anything about what happened. He doesn't remember and I told myself… Well I decided that it wouldn't be fair for me to continue to blame him for the past. But every time I saw him daddy, I just, I lost it. And last time, I hurt him so bad… I almost killed him, daddy."

She barely got the last sentence out before the tears fell harder, streaking down the sides of her face and soaking her pillows. She saw her father's face get closer, and she closed her eyes when she felt his lips press to her forehead.

"I don't even remember doing it, what kind of person does that to another? I'm- I'm just what they said I was. A monster. A freak of nature…."

Her sobs eventually subsided, instead being replaced with the soft shushes coming from her dad.

When she finally got control of herself, she wiped her eyes and regarded the face in front of her. His smile was replaced by the same soft smirk she remembered he always wore when he was about to share some wisdom.

"Baby, you are not a monster. Nor a freak of nature. Listen to me, a monster wouldn't have stayed in that prison when they know they could break free. A monster would not have chosen only to steal from those who looked like they could go without. A monster would not have come back with these people peacefully. And a monster would definitely not have stopped themselves from killing a man who caused them pain. Neither time. You understand me?"

Amara nodded slowly, letting his words sink in.

"Princess, you are so strong. Much stronger than the anger and hurt and betrayal you carry around within you. Look at me, really look and listen to me now." He paused, the seriousness in his face capturing Amara's attention and not letting go. "Let it go, sweet pea. You have to let it go."

She smiled and nodded again. Something rang in her head, and she turned to stare at her door for a few seconds before someone knocked.

"Amara?" It was Ororo.

Amara looked back and was dismayed to see her father's face retreating back into the ceiling.

"Daddy?"

"What was that?"

"Remember what I said, baby. Let it goooo…."

"Daddy please stay, please don't leave me. Not again."

"Amara are you alright?"

"Sweetpea, I've never left you. I'll always be with you…"

"Daddy wait!"

"Amara please let me in you're scaring me."

"I love you, princess…"

Her father graced with her one last smile, before his image disappeared completely.

"Daddy? DADDY?!"

"AMARA? Please…" Ororo knocked insistently, each knock harder than the last.

Amara hesitated for moment before she got up and moved towards the door.

"You know, if you keep banging like that, you'll break the door and I don't think the Ice Queen would be too happy."

The knocking stopped abruptly and she could hear a soft giggle. She smiled quickly and then took a breath. Here I go, she thought.

"Listen, Rory-"

"Don't worry about it."

Amara smiled again, and whispered a thank you.

"Listen, um, Logan woke up a few hours ago." Ororo paused for a second, as if expecting some sort of outburst from Amara. When she didn't get one she continued.

"He wants to see you, but is still to hurt to come upstairs. Will you come down with me?"

Amara froze as images of the fight and the result flashed through her head again. She backed away stiffly until she flopped onto her bed, her breathing ragged. Could she do it? Could she face him? After everything she's done? She pulled her knees up to her chest and considered it. If I open this door, there is no turning back, no more hiding. I can't keep the pain bottled up anymore, these people deserve to know why I'm like this. Especially Logan. I owe him every explanation in the world. But everything that happened… Her father's words rang in her head. Let it go.

"I will, daddy. I promise." She whispered, glancing up at the ceiling again.

She took a moment to collect herself then ran to her door and threw it open, startling Ororo with her abruptness.

"Let's do this shit."