A/N: This has to be the longest chapter that I have written in this story so far. I would like to apologize for the wait, I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter as it is a very important chapter in the story. I proof read through it and spell checked it twice but still there is only so much that once pair of eyes can find sometimes. I will apologize for any spelling and grammar errors. And now I would like to thank you all for reading this story. Whether or not I end it here shall be a surprise. Now leave me lots of reviews because I love getting them.


Cassandra.

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As the team entered Lady Liberty, Logan could smell something off. It just wasn't right, other than the obvious. Him in a leather monkey suit, Marie in the hands of a mad man. No it was more than that.

Behind Storm, Logan watched as the group passed the security desk with no guard. A small television was on, volume low as the newsman narrated.

Looking around the alarms suddenly sounded just as Logan was passing through the metal detector. Clenching his jaws slowly a low growl forming inside of his chest one more reminder of what he was that if it hadn't been for him Marie wouldn't be in this mess at all. It was his fault that she had run away that night; if he had just kept his distance from her maybe he wouldn't have stabbed her through the chest forcing her to use her mutation on him to save her own life.

*Skit* His claws shot out snapping through the side panels of the metal detector shutting it down before he stepped through his brows raising as he looked at the rest of the group staring at him as his claws shot back into his fist leaving the middle one remaining unsheathed and it's meaning was directed strictly at Scott daring him to say anything.

Proceeding into the hall of memories of New York's vast rich history Logan's nostrils flared. "Someone's here." He growled out his shoulders squaring as he proceeded ahead of the team.

"Who is it?" Scott questioned not entirely sure if he trusted Logan's so called 'Animal Instincts' at all.

Logan knew this scent from somewhere, but where he couldn't exactly place it. The mansion, he knew this scent from the mansion but what would someone else from the institute be doing here? Everyone from the team was already with him.

Before the thought could be finished a replica of Logan shot out from its hiding place claws extended ready to deliver the killing blow but the real Logan was ready for it. Mystique the incredible mutant could shape shift into anything that she wanted. The bitch in Wolverine clothing as it was.

Countering Mystique's attack Logan landed a kick to her abdomen sending her stumbling backwards into her hiding place again as he lurched forwards after her the team right behind him.

"Wait!" Two Logan's said halting the team before they could move any further, Logan sliced the wire cording that held the door open as it slide shut behind them the team was left standing there dumbfounded as to just which Logan was which. They team wasn't left much time to think as Toad's tongue lashed out grabbing Storm's ankle and sending her flying into the air landing not far away from him as he jumped down from the railing hitting Cyclopes square in the chest knocking him into another room.

Only Jean was left to defend herself against the sickening sight of Toad himself, he was ready to strike but how out he truly loved to play the game as he launched himself at her.

Throwing her arm up her concentration at its peak catching Toad in mid leap his form hovering over hers. However now that she had him there, what was she to do with him? Hearing a strange throaty sound Jean's attentions were brought back to the mutant she had in the air when a wade of green slim was spit into her face covering her breathing passages and allowing Toad to freely fall back to the ground where he preferred it.

Now as the group was being thoroughly disbanded by Toad one handedly or shall we saw single tongued, Logan and Mystique were in the heat of battle. One had to admit that the woman did have some moves, ones that left even Logan in pain despite his fast acting healing factor. Straightening again after twisting Mystique over his back onto the floor he straightened his back looking at his double as Mystique leapt into the air sending a round his kick to his face and in the process transforming back to her natural form. In all of her blue skinned, yellow eyed glory she was fully on her feet watching Logan stumbling back into chain linked fencing that protected many of the electrical switch boxes before she picked up a spare and pounding Logan in the chest with it, his claws ripping straight through it.

Mystique had flexibility going for her and one had to wonder if it wasn't a part of her mutation as her feet met his shoulders to avoid the lash of his claws moving through the chain length fencing like it was a piece of paper and propelled herself into a packing crate that had been left there. Staring down on him a coy smile spread across her blue lips revealing a pink tongue that slide over them before leaping into the air and climbing up a pipe into the darkness.

Coughing Cyclopes was recovering from the kick that had been sent to his chest as he adjusted the beam on his visor blasting the door open in time to see Jean struggling under the slim partially covering her face, she was out of oxygen and was thrown aside by the blast to the door. "Hold still." His voice was commanding and panicked still at the same time as he leaned forward examining the damage before he knew the only option was to blast the damn thing off. Reaching up he adjusted his visor to its lowest beam as Jean clenched her one visible eye shut blasting the slim away from her face.

Climbing up Storm looked around seeing the table that she had crashed into on her way to the floor when Toad leapt onto the trailing right in front of her jumping onto her his feet dug into her torso as his hands clasped her shoulders sending them tumbling over one another before they were thrown apart.

"I think it's time someone reminds you why they call me Storm." She breathed out staring into Toad's beady little green eyes as a sudden wind swept up around them moving her hair as her eyes slowly turned milky white, the wind blowing everything around them that was blowing everything down including Toad was being thrown backwards by the force of the high winds as he continued stubbornly to stand up over and over again. Storm was advancing on Toad when her weather powers threw open the double doors that lead out onto the viewing area, if Toad had thought that the winds inside Liberty were harsh he hadn't seen anything until he was being forced into the air backwards by Storm's winds his tongue lashing out as it grasped the railing to keep himself from being blown straight into the harbor.

"Do you know what happens to a Toad when it's struck by lightening?" Storm's brow cocked gently in her delicate features as she looked up towards the sky watching the thunder roll before a lightening bolt charged from the sky striking Toad's tongue. "The same thing that happens to everything else."

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Finding his way back out the way he had come Logan's still sheathed claws cut through the metal door blocking his way and stepping out as Scott was helping Jean clear little congealed bits of Toad's slim off of her face. As the two saw Logan step through the ruined door Scott's hand shot up to his visor quickly.

"How do we know it's really you?"

Honestly it was true and who could take chances on a mission like this with Mystique running around masquerading as people as she often did.

Raising his brows slowly Logan looked at Scott. "You're a dick." He stated bluntly as if it were a fact well known by all of them and at the moment Scott wasn't going to take offence to being called a dick. Scott really didn't care what Logan thought of him, but he did have to admire the strange, rude, brooding man for going along on this mission. Had Scott ever met him before this had all happened he would not have pegged Logan for the type of man who would go on a mission like this just to save a girl that he really hardly knew? "Okay." Scott shrugged his shoulders letting his hand drop from his visor.

But that was the way that Scott saw it, from Logan's point of view he knew all that he needed to know about Marie, and that was that he loved her. He was irrevocably in love with her, poisoned skin and all. And Logan had some pretty creative ideas about how to get around Marie's skin.

"Hey…" Everyone looked up to see Storm leaning over the rail. "Up here." She gestured with her head before disappearing from the railing altogether.

While Logan, Jean and Scott were regrouping Storm had found the stair way to the top of Lady Liberty. She hadn't been here since childhood and since then they had closed off viewing from the top of her crown but the stair way was still in use however as the elevator no longer went to the top floor.

Trooping up the stair way a large hole had been blown out at the time of Liberty's head revealing the flamed torch that shone as a beacon to all that this was the home of the free and the land of the brave. "Everyone get out of here." Logan growled through clenched teeth as he stared up at the torch.

"What's wrong?" Storm stepped forward almost touching Logan's shoulder before his body started to begin to move not of its own free will.

"I can't move."

As Logan was pinned up against the wall the rest of the team followed suit as Magneto floated in from the hole in Liberties head his metal helmet under his arm as he smiled down at them all Mystique jumping through after him to stand at his side. His always loyal right hand woman.

"How wonderful of you all to join me on this night on one of my most momentous achievements." Magneto smirked slowly looking around at the team his once great friend had formed to fight against him in the war on man kind. Smiling as he motioned Mystique forward. "You'd better close your eyes." He told Scott as Mystique took his visor.

"And you, lets point those claws of yours in a safer direction." He said as Logan's arms unwillingly contorted towards his chest before metal straps were clasped over them. "There, that's much better."

"I've seen Senator Kelly." Storm swallowed her eyes following Mystique as she held Scott's visor in her hands.

"Ah, so the good Senator survived the fall. And the swim to shore." Magneto smirked rather proud of himself. "He's dead. I saw him."

Jean spoke up watching as Magneto came closer to her. "Are you sure you saw, what you saw?" He asked before he frowned.

"Why do none of your understand what I am trying to do? Those people down there, they control our fate and the fate of every other mutant! Well, soon our fate will be theirs."

"You're going to kill them, your machine doesn't work." Storm cried because she knew, she was their when Kelly had died and it would happen to all those people down there if they didn't somehow stop him.

"Storm fry'em." Scott had had just about all he could stomach, had he had his visor he would have already done it himself. He was kicking himself for having not taken action sooner rather than have just let Magneto get the upper hand against him.

Suddenly Magneto laughed at that little show of bravery. "Oh yes! A bolt of lightening into a huge copper conductor, and I thought you lived at a school." He shook his head at Scott slowly. "Our time has come dear friends; humans are not longer the dominant species on the planet. We are."

Magneto smiled to himself gently before levitating himself through the hole in Liberties head again leaving Mystique and the X-Men to their own devices.

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"Please, don't do this." Marie's eyes watered as Magneto came to her probably for the last time. She had said that she wouldn't beg, she had sworn to herself. But as she looked into those cold unrelenting eyes she knew that this was the end and she was alone.

"I'm truly sorry my dear but…this is the way it must be." Magneto told her his hands slowly rising even as she shook her head still pleading with him not to do this to her and his hands made contact with her face the pull almost instant as she felt all of his thoughts, his memories and most of all his powers being issued to her. Suddenly her whole body felt like a stone like a magnet as her hands were forced downward into the handles of the machine her eyes widening as she realized just exactly what this machine would do, she saw Logan and three other people all dressed in leather and they were here they had come for her and there rose a hope that not even this machine could take away from her. If she survived it she could be with Logan again, that is if he would have her after what she had done but why else would he have come all this way just for her unless he wanted her with him. She didn't know maybe guilt.

Marie's powers had weakened Magneto but hadn't killed him as he fell away from her crawling to safety as the rings of his machine began to spin slowly at first and then picking up speed breaking free from the flame of liberty to shine a whole new light of liberty on the city.

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Logan couldn't stand it any longer as Marie's screams reached his ears. He was going to have to stab himself to get out of this. Looking down at his arms pinned against his chest if he was going to save Marie than there was simply no other way to do it. Taking in a deep breath he released the claws screaming. "FUUUUUUCK!" The pain was unbearable as he felt his restraints break dropping him into the floor his arms freed just before impact his eyes closed as he lay there face down.

As Logan had screamed Mystique dropped Scott's visor to see what had happened. As she moved closer to Logan she shoved him with her foot having completely forgotten about the visor as it levitated into the air quickly.

"Scott when I tell you, open your eyes." Jeans voice was shaking. This was their only chance.

"No!" Scott replied terrified of what would happen when he did not knowing what was going on around him.

"Scott trust me." Jean pleaded levitating his visor closer to them. "Scott now!" She screamed.

Opening his eyes he looked straight into Jean's but his optic blast was deflected by his visor pointed straight at Mystique who was hit by the red beam and sent flying through the roof.

Getting up from the ground it had taken Logan a little longer than he had expected to heal from that blow granted he didn't go around stabbing himself through the chest that often in fact he tried to avoid it at all costs but for his Marie he had been willing to do it. Cutting Jean and Scott free, Scott blasted Storm out as they all gathered at the opening in the ceiling.

"How are we going to get up there?" Storm asked staring up as a vivid light began to surround the machine growing and inclosing everything that it touched.

"Just blast the damned thing!" Logan screamed pushing Scott

"The rings are moving to fast I'd kill her!" Scott replied eyeing the rings moving as Marie screamed again.

Growling Logan looked back at the other two women. "Storm, you think you can get me up there?" He asked looking into the goddess's eyes as they suddenly widened in shock at what Logan was asking her to do.

"You'll fly right over it I don't have that kind of control Logan." She told him.

Turning Scott looking at his team mates. "Storm, get him up there. Jean try and steady him…and if he doesn't make it…well then I'll blast it." He said finally becoming the commander of his team again. It was the first good idea that he'd had all night and whether it worked or not they still had to give it a shot.

Standing back the wind inside the conductor started to pick up swiftly as Logan's feet left the ground, sending him up out of the roof and free floating into the air as Jean tried to steady him her control not what it should have been as there were more than one life at steak. The whole of New York was depending on them and they didn't even know it. Slowly as Logan reached the top of the machine Storms winds stopped allowing Jean to all but float him to the bridge of the rings. Standing up Logan looked down as the light that had surrounded them already in the conductor started to stretch across the harbor. Jumping down Marie was almost gone he could see it in her face as he unsheathed the claws preparing to release her when he couldn't move. Looking down Magneto was just below him his hand outstretched contorting the metal of his claws until they where almost unrecognizable when a beam of red shot out from the conductor releasing Logan from Magneto's powers his strained muscles free as he twisted around with the force of them slashing through the metal rings of the machine sending them into all directions as the light that had eclipsed them disappeared.

Logan's sensitive ears could hear Magneto moan in pain from below him but all of his concentration was on Marie. Cutting her loose from her binds he bent down pulling her up into his arms as her eyes slide open just a fraction.

"Ah'm sa glad ya came Logan." She breathed out slowly she felt so much pain as tears appeared to slide down the slits in her eyes. "Ah'm so damn tired." She gasped gently looking into his hazel hues. Those eyes that seemed to have pierced straight into her soul that very first night at the strip club, and if this was the face that she was going to see before she was finally put at rest from this cruel world well than her heart couldn't have beat faster for Logan.

"Course I came darlin'." He smirked trying to sound harder than he felt in that moment seeing her so weak, so fragile in his arms. His jaw firmed feeling his eyes sting. "I know. I know you're tired but I promise you can rest soon. I'll take you away anywhere you want to go you've got so much more to live for…c'mon baby stay with me." He whispered pulling her in closer until he knelt down pulling her right into his lap.

Marie almost laughed but it hurt so much just trying to breath when he said she had so much more to live for a small smile graced her face as she spoke. "Like love?" She asked her vision getting foggier.

"Yeah, yeah like love." Logan said looking into her eyes, literally feeling her slipping farther away from him.

"Buh Ah don't know love." Her voice broke the tears that slide in fat drops rolled down her neck as she gasped for breath. "Ah don't know love." She shivered looking into his face, the face that to her despite what anyone else in the world thought was the kindest face in the world.

"Oh no baby…" Logan shook his head feeling his heart breaking. "That's not true Marie you know that's not true…because I…" His voice broke off. Her eyes had closed and even as he had felt her breath so shallow before it had disappeared. "I love you…I love you Marie!" He shook her screaming feeling her small little body against his much bigger frame loose all use of any muscle she might have been using.

"No, you're not going to give up on me girl! Not without a fight you won't. Our skin touches and you take my healing. You don't even have to be awake, so you take it, take it all!" He screamed throwing his gloves off and holding her face in his hands so tightly that it made her little cheeks squish together puckering her full lips. But there was nothing, not even the tiniest ounce of life was left in her to take what he was so willing to die to give to her.

"Take it Marie please…" He begged releasing her cheek from one of his hands to cradle her head in his arm. And he whispered. "I love you Marie, I do…I always will. I love you, come back to me." He lowered his head one hand still resting against her porcelain skin still warm to the touch and his lips met hers for the first time ever and knowing that the first time would be the very last time and then again for the first time. The Wolverine, cried.

Logan staid there with her holding her, rocking her in his arms for the better part of any hour until he could muster up the strength to stand and he lifted her weightless body in his arms her head cradled against his chest and leapt down from the torch platform. Scott, Jean and Storm all watched crest fallen as Logan slide back into the conductor. Jean quickly stepping up to check her pulse, to try to do anything she could even though she knew that it was much to late for this sweet girl who could have had everything in the world had she been given the chance but Logan shrugged away from her quickly, protectively hovering over Marie's body in his arms.

"Just take us home."