Author's note: Also those of you that are not members here can leave a review. So please do it! ; )
Hey, guys. Second chapter from the States. I really, really wanna go home. : ( I'm absolutely not happy here. This has nothing to do with your country!!! I'm just in a small village in PA and here's absolutely nothing you can do. No shops or anything. The next mall is about 30 minutes by car and I am boring my a off. : ( It's horrible. I'd love to see NYC or Washington but every time we plan a trip it's raining. : ( Anyway, here's the next chapter. If things keep going like they are now, I should be able to finish Changes while I'm in the States, since…I have nothing else to do. So, have fun reading!!
Oh, and if there are any odd expressions: I don't have my English-German dictionary with me, because it's too heavy. : ( Only the German-English one and this one's not that thick.
Beta done by me.
Changes Sequel – II. Covenant Part 20
After Scott had landed the jet and the X-Men had left it, they looked around the dark area in hope to find what they had come for. "Can you pick up on them?" Scott asked and gave Logan, who had needed to be persuaded by the Professor to come and help them through the sewer and factory, a look.
"No," this one grunted and looked around uninterestedly.
"I know you don't want to be here, Logan," he said. "But we need your help here, so come on!" He led the way to the entrance of the factory followed by the others. "Be careful and pay attention! I'll go in first," he warned and opened the heavy door. The inside was dark, only lit up by few broken lamps on the ceiling. Scott cursed when the door gave a screeching noise and waited if there was any reaction on the inside. If they were still there, then they knew they were coming. "And?" he asked Logan but this one shook his head. "We have to be careful if they wear their uniforms. If you see one of them, make sure to keep a distance and inform the others." After receiving nods of his team, he told them to separate and search the factory. Ordering Logan to lead one team, he led the other one and was surprised to find the place mostly deserted. It was unlikely, as he thought, that the Brotherhood had been here. At least he couldn't see any traces of them that indicated they or anyone else had been here at all. "Maybe you were right," he told Mystique, who walked right next to him. "And it was a false alarm…"
"He's probably preparing to attack the mansion by now," she replied cynically and rolled her eyes. "If he lays a hand on my son, I swear…," she began as Scott suddenly stopped and she bumped into him. "What?"
"Logan picked up on Sabretooth," he told his team in a hushed voice.
"So they're here," Bobby nodded and checked if someone was behind them. "Any signs of Magneto and his gang?"
"There's a door, why don't we check on it?" Mystique suggested and they headed for it.
In another corridor of the faculty, Logan led the group around another corner. Sabretooth's scent was still too strong as that the mutant could have been away for very long. Nevertheless, he wasn't so sure. His senses seemed to be working as if he was meters underground. "And?" Ororo asked him but he shook his head. "I'm sure they are still somewhere around…"
"What about Magneto?" Peter asked him. "Can you sense him?" he asked as Logan suddenly stopped and gave them a sign to do the same.
"Logan, what's wrong?" Ororo asked and tried to read anything in his eyes.
"Cyke said they found some mutants," he grunted and let go of his headset. "Obviously members of the Brotherhood…"
"And? Do they know where Erik is?" she asked him as he cocked an eyebrow at her.
"They're dead, Storm," Logan replied and saw how her eyes widened a bit.
"What?!" she asked him in disbelief.
"Seems as if Sinister's guys have done their job…," Peter mumbled and looked around. "Was Magneto with those mutants?"
"No…," Logan grunted. "They are currently lookin' for survivors…" He gave a door at the far end of the corridor a short glance. Somehow it looked strange… "Over there," he said and walked over to it. As he approached the door, he finally saw why it looked so strange. "Pyro's work…"
"So it seems," Ororo nodded and she followed him through the melted steel. A look around was enough to tell her that no one was there.
"They found Magneto, Pyro and Juggernaut," Logan informed them on their way back. "And two additional survivors. The rest is dead…"
"Damn…," she cursed as her arm was suddenly grabbed by him. "What?" Looking at Logan from aside, both, she and Peter, exchanged a look as they saw the furrowed brows of their teammate. They could tell that he had picked up on something.
"Run," was all Logan said before Sabretooth, Daken and two mutants, that looked too much like him that it couldn't have been a coincidence that they were here, broke through a nearby wall next and headed after them. "Cyke, have ya brought the survivors to the jet?" he asked aloud and listened to the reply. "Then start the fuckin' engines!"
"'Ro!" Peter yelled as the woman broke through the floor with a loud shriek all of a sudden. Stopping, he gave their followers a brief glance. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just keep on running!" she said and got up. "We meet at the jet!"
"Let's go!" Logan grunted and grabbed his arm to force him into a run. Ignoring the pain in his hands, he extracted the claws and heard how Peter changed into his organic form. Together they ran down the corridor and he could already hear how the jet's engines began to roar on the outside as Daken and his two doppelgangers blocked their way. "Hi, Dad," his son greeted with and evil smirk and a look to the side told Logan that their powers were obviously blocked; Colossus was forced to change back and his hands were covered with blood that left the cuts on his knuckles. "Nice of you to pay us a visit."
"Cut it off," Logan grunted and retracted the claws, but still kept his position to attack. He turned his head and searched for Sabretooth, but the mutant was nowhere to be seen. "Damn it…"
"He's after Storm…," Peter mumbled and exchanged a look with him. "What now?" he asked as a large red beam slammed Daken into the wall. Impressed by it, the two Wolverines whimpered and backed off a bit.
"Now!" Logan said and forced Peter into a run once more. "They're scared." Growling at them and baring his teeth, he leapt at the right one while his teammate attacked the second one. Together they slammed both Wolverines into each other, heard how bones cracked and let them drop to the ground next to the unconscious Daken. "Didn't I tell you to start the jet?!"
Scott shrugged with a smirk. "Well, I thought you could need some help. Did I hit them?"
"You hit the bull's eye," Peter replied and followed them to the outside where the jet was already hovering above the ground.
"Where's 'Ro?" Logan asked after they had entered it but the woman was nowhere to be seen.
"I thought she was back at the jet since she wasn't with you," Scott said and turned around.
"Obviously not!" the other man snapped and glared at him. After looking back at the facility, Logan suddenly felt his inner alarm setting off and ran back to the outside.
"Hey!" Scott called after him but his teammate was already gone. "Damn…"
"What now?" Bobby asked him while he was controlling the jet.
"He can handle himself," Scott replied but still looked worriedly at the open hatch. "Let's just wait…"
Knowing where the exit should be, Ororo ran through the endless corridors in the basement in hope to reach a staircase or something similar soon. Due to the fall she had lost her headset and was now running blindly around, as a noise behind her caught her attention. She stopped panting and turned her head, just to see a grinning Sabretooth standing only few meters behind her. Not thinking twice, she began to run again, as fast as she could, and soon reached the door she believed to be the exit. She opened it, went inside and stopped. It was a dead end. "No…," she gasped and was about to turn around as the door slammed open and a smirking Sabretooth blocked the exit. Terrified, since she knew that her powers were blocked, Ororo began to back off until her back hit the wall. She couldn't help but shiver and looked around for any weapon she could find.
"Look who's there…," the tall mutant purred and watched in purest satisfaction how the woman pressed herself against the wall. He heard her panting in exertion and smelled the fear that her body radiated. He loved to see her eyes being widened like that. Chuckling, he slammed the door shut and came slowly closer. He was aware of the fact that he was the hunter and she was his prey. Deciding to play that game a bit more Sabretooth cracked his knuckles with a feral grin. Every time the woman tried to run past him he quickly blocked her way with a chuckle until she gave up with a desperate sob. "Ahhh…what's that?" he asked her in faked pity and grinned when she glided down to the ground as he stopped in front of her. He knew he had her. "I haven't even started yet…," he hissed and grabbed her roughly before he pushed her forcefully to the ground.
"No…," Ororo cried and tried to fight him off when she felt his large hands grabbing the front of her uniform. "Please let me go!"
"Hm…," Sabretooth grinned and stopped his attempts for a moment. "What do ya offer me if I'll just let ya go, hm?" he asked and ran a claw over the woman's wet cheek with a low chuckle. "Can't do that…" His chuckle became even louder when he heard her screaming for help. With an easy movement he had pulled her up to bend her face down over the steel table in the room. "Yer borin' me, bitch!" he growled and grabbed her throat. "No fightin' at all… Too easy fer me, don't ya think?" He chuckled as she let out a whimper when he bent over her. "Or maybe…it's what ya want, eh?" he growled into her ear and rubbed against her before he grabbed the front of her leather pants. "Ever done it with my lil' bro'?"
"Please, don't…," Ororo whimpered and tried to move under his heavy weight but it only earned her another chuckle.
"I'll make it quick…," Sabretooth smirked and licked his lips. "Promise…"
Logan ran searching through the corridors and followed the scents he could pick up on. The basement was too unclear to find a direct way through it. He practically felt like running through the underground base of Alkali Lake, when he had tried to reach his friends in time and prevent them from dying. He knew why he hadn't wanted to come in the first place… As he turned around another corner the scents became stronger and he extracted his claws before opening a single door. Ready to attack whoever was behind it, he growled and was surprised to find the room empty; except for the woman he'd been looking for, who sat in the farthest corner, legs pulled close and looked back at him with a tearstained face. Retracting his claws, Logan clenched his fists as his senses told him clearly what must have happened in the room before. Seeing his look and feeling how shame washed over her, Ororo lowered her head and began to sob.
On the outside, Scott had been pacing in front of the jet and was waiting for his two comrades to return. They had to go back to the mansion quickly to bring the surviving members of the Brotherhood to the ICU and now his feeling kept on telling him that something must have happened. Logan and Ororo were both too long gone. "And?" he heard Peter calling.
About to shake his head he saw movement from afar. "They're coming. Start the engines and make sure that the radar works. We can't afford to lose a third jet," Scott said and gave Logan a worried look since this one carried Ororo, who had her arms wrapped around his neck and hid her face on it. "What happened?!" he asked but Logan just went past him.
"Nothin'," he grunted.
"What about…," Scott began and was cut off.
"She's fine," Logan replied a bit louder than necessary and felt how the woman in his arms startled. "Move your butt and let's head back home!" He went over to one of the beds that they had taken with them in case they had to transport wounded people. "Lie down," he said a bit calmer and helped Ororo to do so before he secured her. "We'll be home soon," he added and was about to head for his own seat as she grabbed his hand.
"Stay here…," she begged him in an almost inaudible voice and he saw the fear in her eyes. "Please…" Only nodding, he held onto the walls as good as he could when Scott sent the jet onto its way back home.
"What are their chances?" the Professor asked with a concerned look at Erik and the remaining mutants of the Brotherhood.
Looking at his chart, Hank pulled down his glasses and sighed. "They were lucky…," he replied and gave Magneto a look. "But I have to say that John, Cain and Erik are in far better condition than those two… I can't tell if they will survive or not, but I'll do my best."
Nodding, Charles turned around and wheeled to the door. "Well, we already have a lot to do to find out more about the clones Sinister has made of Logan… Keep me updated, will you?"
"Of course," Hank said and returned to his work.
Just as the Professor had left the ICU a door opened and Forge stormed out of it. "Charles!" he yelled and the bald man stopped in an instant; obviously more than alarmed. "I made it! It should work!" Smiling, since he understood what the man meant the Professor nodded.
"I'll tell the others to meet me in my office in about 20 minutes."
Half an hour later the X-Men were gathered in the Professor's office. He was sitting behind his desk and waited. "So, what happened?" Scott asked him. "Any more attacks?"
"No," Charles soothed him. "I will let you know as soon as Logan is here." Just as he had said it the door opened and a pissed looking Logan entered with Jamie on his arm.
"What do ya want?"
"Would you please come closer and lay Jamie on the desk?" the Professor asked kindly, but all he received was a cocked eyebrow and skeptical look from the man at the door.
"Why?" Logan grunted and pulled his son instinctively closer in order to protect him. "What do ya want with him?"
"I asked Forge after Apocalypse's last attack to try and create a device that would allow us to connect with our older selves," Charles replied and earned questioning looks. "After hearing about the man who helped us in the fight… Well, I assume, Logan, that it was Jamie, who came to help us from the future…"
"Yeah, sure," Logan nodded cynically. "And I'm Santa's reindeer…," he added and turned around to leave when he was stopped by the Professor.
"The man who helped us created, as far as I've been told, a Phoenix, Logan," he said and the mutant at the door stopped. "Only Jean and her children can do that. There's no mutant whose powers are similar to Jean's. If someone can create a Phoenix and possesses a power so strong that it even beat Apocalypse…then it can be only Rachel or Jamie and since it was a man it has to be Jamie."
"Sounds logical…," Hank nodded and all heads turned to Logan, who still had his back turned to them and glared daggers at the door.
"Since Jamie obviously possesses about powers that allows him to switch into his younger versions, since Remy told me that the boy had suddenly vanished here before the man had appeared, I assume that he switched bodies with our Jamie in order to help us," Charles went on and looked at Logan as this one turned around.
"So what do ya wanna do?"
"With this device here," Forge explained and touched the object. "We should be able to do the same…"
"So?" Logan shrugged.
"So we have a chance to get to know why Jamie came to help us," Charles said. "There must be a reason behind it. Remember that your older version contacted Jean, too, in order to tell her about the impact the loss of Jamie would have on the future. By telling you this, we were able to prevent this future from happening. So what if Jamie came to change something?"
"Well, even if this crap is true…," Logan grunted. "Ya ain't gonna use my kid for some sick experiments, Chuck!"
"I tested it," Forge tried to soothe him. "It worked."
"Yeah?" the other man replied cynically. "Who did ya talk to then? The brain he lost?" He nodded at the Professor. "What did it say? Help me, he's a madman?"
"What if it really works?" Hank asked him and Logan turned to glare at him. "I mean… We could ask them when attacks will happen and prevent them… Maybe something will happen to us and the school tomorrow and he could tell us…"
"What if the thing explodes and kills my kid or teleports him to who knows where?" Logan replied. "Not…gonna…happen!" From afar he could hear a click and saw that Forge had activated the device. Growling at him, his eyes suddenly grew wide as Jamie began to glow and disappeared. He stared at his empty hands in shock for a second until his brain realized what had just happened. "You…," Logan growled at Forge and his eyes blackened in rage. "…are dead!" About to leap at him, he was suddenly thrown back by a gigantic ball of light. As soon as it had come, it was gone again. Since all he saw was stars that danced in front of his eyes, Logan shook his head and looked up.
"Dad?" a young man that stood in the middle of the room asked and gave him a scared and confused look. "What's going on?"
"You don't have to be scared, Jamie," the Professor tried to soothe him and looked at the man in interest; practically as everyone else did. "We just did a little exchange. It won't take long and you'll be back home. But we have some questions first…"
"Exchange?!" Jamie asked and looked from him towards his father, who slowly got up and scanned him from head to toe.
"Yes," Charles smiled. "We exchanged you against your present version."
"Dad, what is grandpa talking about?" the man now asked his father and had both brows furrowed.
"It's 2016…," was all Logan could say since he was too absorbed in staring at him. He looked at the unruly, nearly black hair first that looked so much like his own, switched then to the two green eyes. He felt a sharp stitch in his chest. They were the perfect copy of Jean's, he thought. Other than that the boy seemed to have inherited his physical looks while the features were a perfect mixture of both parents.
"What?!" Jamie suddenly asked and awoke him from his daydream.
"How old are you Jamie?" the Professor asked and the boy turned to him.
"Tu…turning 16 in three days…," his opposite stuttered and began to feel uncomfortable. The looks he received from all those familiar faces were just too scary. "What do you mean with 2016?! What the hell is going on here?!"
"We don't have much time to explain, I am sorry," Charles apologized. "But we have some important questions. Was it you who came to help us against Apocalypse?" he asked and received a suspicious look and a nod after a while. "Why?"
"To change time…," was all Jamie replied before he cocked an eyebrow at the bald man and crossed his arms. Nudging Hank, Scott nodded at the young man and received a nod in return. It was too obvious who the boy's father was.
"Change time?" Logan suddenly asked and his son turned around. "I thought everythin' was fine by ya after we saved ya…"
"It was, yeah," the younger man replied. "Until we woke up one day and everything was different." Logan noticed the sudden change within his son. "Dad said… I mean you said that you guys must have done something wrong and that you'd warned mom about it."
After he thought about the things he'd just heard the Professor looked up from his desk. "Do you know what we did wrong?"
"No…," Jamie shrugged. "But I read some data about it. The things I changed by coming to help you… Well…" He looked at Logan, who had his arms crossed and cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Well what?" he grunted and noticed that his son suddenly looked ashamed at him.
"I didn't mean to be too late…," he heard him saying in hardly more than a whisper. "I wanted to save you and mommy. But all I managed to do was to save the others."
"What do you mean by that?" Charles asked with furrowed brows. "Which others?"
"Her for example," Jamie replied with a nod at Ororo, who had stared at the table most of the time; all she did was widening her eyes a bit. "She and some of the others died on that day due to another attack of Apocalypse," he went on and didn't see that the X-Men exchanged surprised glances. "I read that Apocalypse's attack killed my parents, destroyed the school and killed nearly all X-Men and their allies. Those in the basement survived, because mom's power protected them, long enough to save themselves. But the rest…" He shook his head.
"Who of them died?" the Professor demanded to know and watched how Jamie looked at the group again.
"The files said that Storm, Beast and Mystique had died instantly… Iceman, Gambit and Nightcrawler had died later," he explained and heard the shocked gasps of the group. "Uncle Scott had been in a coma for years due to his injuries. When he woke up… Well, you can't call it a life that he had. Mom always said that it would have been better for him to die…" He thought about what else he had read in the files years ago. "Oh, and dad's friends…"
"The Alpha Flight Team?" Logan asked and Jamie nodded.
"Yeah, they were killed in the attack, too…"
"Do you know what happened afterwards?" Hank asked him. "I mean…if Apocalypse wasn't destroyed…"
"He's not destroyed now," Jamie cut him off and shook his head. "He can't be destroyed. Only temporarily terminated. His power is too old and too great as that someone could destroy him forever. He will always come back…"
"So it's not over…," Scott mumbled and heaved a deep breath while he ran a hand through his face. "Great…"
"Well, all the files said was that…," the boy went on. "Apocalypse regained his power. He destroyed whole cities and countries within days and extinguished the human population. Afterwards he used his robots to hunt down mutants that were against him. After barely more than two weeks the world was his." He looked into the round and into the shocked faces. "Of course there were still mutant groups that tried to fight him," he added but shook his head. "But it was only a matter of time before he killed them, too…"
Letting the news sink in, the Professor began to think hard. "And it changed after you came to help us?"
"Yes it did," Jamie nodded.
"When you're nearly 16, boy…," Hank mumbled. "Then it's 2031 by you, am I right?" he asked and received a nod. "So the twins are 23 if I am not mistaken and Rachel is 21… Jeez…," he said and looked at the others. "Can you imagine that?"
"Well…," Bobby said with a nod at Jamie. "It's already hard to imagine that… I mean he's a baby here and now…that…"
"Thanks," Jamie said with a smirk and Bobby looked up but noticed that the man was talking to Jubilee, who blushed. "You keep on saying that to me even if you're nearly 42 in my time…"
"Sayin' what?" Logan asked with a glare at Jubilee. "Her casual stuff?"
"Yeah."
"Cut it off, Jubes!" he growled and the woman blushed even more. "Ya ain't gonna date my sons, mark my word!"
"Oh, it's too late for that anyway…," Jamie remarked before he could stop himself.
"What?" Logan asked suspiciously. "Who are ya and the rest datin'?!"
"Can't tell you, dad, sorry," his son replied. "I can only say that you hate Ray's boyfriend…"
Thinking about it for a moment, Logan suddenly glared at Scott. "Don't tell me she dates his son?!"
"I doubt that, Logan," Scott replied with a snort. Suddenly he frowned. "She doesn't right? I mean…" He looked at Logan. "Don't tell me he's my brother-in-law in your time because if then I'll jump from the next building right now…"
"Guys…," Kitty cut them off as the device in front of the Professor suddenly began to beep.
"It's time. The exchange is over," Forge said and Charles nodded.
"Thank you for letting us know, Jamie," he said and received a nod. "Are there any things like attacks that will happen and which we can still prevent?"
"I don't know," Jamie shrugged. "The only files I read were about the old timeline. You locked them away so that no one else can read them anymore…"
Looking up when the room's light became brighter Logan saw that his son began to glow. He knew it was probably his last chance to ask him what was on his mind. "Hey! How's mommy?"
"Fine," Jamie replied. "You probably gave her and yourself a heart attack with this, but well…" He shrugged with a smirk. "You guys are fine. And still look the same from what I can tell."
"And still act like newly-weds I suppose," Scott remarked and heard the young man laughing.
"You bet," he nodded and suddenly gave his father a serious look. "I don't know when she came back…"
"Ya read my mind?!" Logan asked back with a cocked eyebrow and ignored that all heads had turned to him.
"No, I knew you'd ask," his son said and began to glow stronger. "Gotta go, I think."
"Jamie!" he heard his father calling and met his gaze. "Tell mommy to hurry up," Logan added and heaved a deep breath. "Tell her that I miss her…"
"I will," his son nodded with a sad smile. "Bye!"
They covered their eyes when the light became too bright; soon the room had its old color back. On the ground, right in front of them, sat the one year old Jamie and looked at them with big green eyes; a cookie in one hand and a paper attached to his back. "Da," he said and held the cookie up to his father, who came closer.
"Hey," Logan said, pulled him up and gave him a kiss. "Stole a cookie? Good boy!" Nevertheless, he began to frown when he saw the paper and left the room in silence to read it.
"I can't believe that ve vere supposed to die…," Kurt said and reached out to cover his wife's hands with his, but she pulled away. Noticing it, he only frowned and turned back to the Professor as he began to speak.
"So now we know why we got help…," the bald man said. "But it's a pity that Jamie couldn't tell us more about things that will happen now…"
"He's so cute, don't you think?" Jubilee grinned and sighed when the others rolled their eyes. "Oh come on! He's hot! Too bad that he didn't have a pic of his brother…"
"You're too old for him anyway," Scott remarked. "And besides…it's not our topic!" He ran a hand through his face and looked at Mystique, who still stared at the ground. Not knowing what else to do he entwined his hand with hers and gave her an encouraging smile.
"Well, at least we are warned that Apocalypse still exists. Not that I have believed otherwise…," Charles said and looked at Hank. "Please keep me updated on Erik and the others. Maybe they have some information about Sinister's whereabouts. Other than that, I will ask Logan to contact his old groups. They need to keep their eyes open." With that he gave them a nod that they could leave.
On the outside, they ran into Logan, who stood in the middle of the corridor and stared at the letter in his hand. "What's wrong, boy?" Hank asked him since the look on his friend's face told him that this one was thinking hard.
"Which date is today?" Logan mumbled without looking up from the letter that had been attached to Jamie's back.
"August 25," Scott replied. "Why?"
"What time?" was all Logan asked him and put Jamie to the ground.
Exchanging a look with the others first, Kurt checked his watch. "Nearly 4:17 p.m." He had barely said it when Logan let the letter fall to the ground, turned and ran down the corridor towards the backdoor.
"Okay, what was that now?" Scott asked when Mystique knelt down to read the letter. "What does it say?"
"That we gave them a heart attack…that we should be more careful with such things… God, has Logan written that?!" she asked and narrowed her eyes. "Can someone read his handwriting?"
Taking the letter from her, Ororo recognized that the first two lines had been written by Hank, while the following two were from Logan. "He wrote that….," she began and her eyes grew wide.
"He wrote what?" Scott asked but the woman had already started to run into the same direction than Logan had. "Must be something big. Let's follow her," he said and they headed off, too. They saw from afar how Ororo obviously ran towards the boathouse. It didn't take long and they heard her letting out a loud scream. "Faster!" Scott told the others and they stopped next to the weather goddess, who was staring at something in front of her. "God no…," he gasped as he saw what was wrong. On the jetty lay a soaked Miloh, who panted heavily, while next to him lay a just as wet TJ, who looked rather dead than alive and who Logan tried to revive. One look at the jetty told him that the girl must have slipped and fallen into the cold water.
"Be right back," Hank said and turned to head back for the infirmary to get medical equipment, while Ororo dropped to her knees and could only stare at her daughter.
"Kid, breathe…," Logan cursed and blew once more air into the girl's lungs when she finally began to cough. Turning her around he rubbed her back. "It's okay, just breathe," he told her and exchanged a quick look with Ororo, whose face was tearstained and who began to sob in relief.
"Mommy," TJ cried hoarsely and clung to her mother sobbing, whereas she had wrapped her free arm around Logan and was crying into his chest. Kurt, who saw this, looked away hurt.
"What happened?" Scott asked and pulled off his shirt to hand it over to TJ; looking at Logan and waiting for an explanation, when Mystique handed him the letter. Trying to read the handwriting, he soon gave up, when Jubilee snatched the letter from him.
"I had to decipher his writing in classes. Let the master handle it!" she said proudly and began to read. "If it ain't too late, keep that in mind: On August 25 around 4 somethin' pm., TJ had an accident at the boathouse. Save her and the wolf. Logan PS: And if ya try a shit like that again, I'll make sure that it won't be Jamie next time who pays ya a visit. He writes as he speaks…"
"So, she was supposed to die…," Kurt gasped and stared at his daughter, who was wrapped into Scott's shirt and still sobbed into her mother's chest. He practically felt his heart bursting in his chest.
"He, too," Logan mumbled with a nod at the exhausted wolf. "He tried to keep her above the water…"
"Sweety, what were you doing here?" Ororo managed to ask during her heavy sobs, when Hank arrived.
"I…I played Hide and Seek with Isa…," the girl cried. "I wanted to hide in…in the boat…"
"Did you slip?" Mystique asked her and received a weak nod.
"She must have hit her head," Hank said after feeling dried blood on the back of the girl's head. "We have to bring her into the infirmary. I'll make a scan to make sure that she hasn't any serious injuries." Nodding, Ororo watched how Kurt pulled his daughter up and joined the others on their way back. When she got up, she hissed and held her lower abdomen.
"You alright?" Logan asked and gave her a look from aside, but she nodded. "Sure?"
"It's because I ran," she said through clenched teeth. "I'm still… Well, it still hurts…"
He watched how she got slowly up. "Ya should tell the Furball and his girl…," he suggested and pulled Miloh carefully up. "Maybe he has…"
"I'm fine," she cut him off and looked away, but still held her belly.
"No, ya ain't," Logan replied and walked past her. "You're pale as a ghost."
She watched how he began to walk back to the mansion and joined him. "Logan…," Ororo said and he stopped; looking rather pissed. "Thank you," she said and had, before he could pull away, placed a kiss onto his cheek. "Thank you for saving her…"
"Whatever," he grunted and turned to enter the mansion. While she went downstairs, he went upstairs and put Miloh into the bathtub, where he began to clean him first and towel him dry next. "Good thing ya did," Logan said and stroked over the wolf's head while this one lay next to his mate and looked more than tired. He looked at him and couldn't help but think about the fact that his wolf had actually died today by the attempt of saving TJ. He would have drowned just like the girl. It would have been a disaster; not only for himself, but also for the children and Callie. "I'll get ya somethin' t'eat," Logan mumbled and got up to leave for the kitchen.
A few weeks later the new school term had begun and the teachers were occupied with their classes once more. The school had gotten some new additions to their students and especially the Professor and Scott had a lot to do with re-organizing rooms and classes, while the others kept on doing their casual stuff. During a break from teaching, Hank entered the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Pretty busy day, huh?" he asked Ororo, who sat at the counter and stared at the mug in her hands that was still full. "Ororo?" he asked since he hadn't gotten any reply and began to frown since he still didn't get any reaction from her. Giving her a concerned look he went over and touched her shoulder, which made her nearly jump off of her stool. "God, what's wrong with you?" he asked her after he'd caught her fall. "You behave so strangely lately… Did something happen?"
"No," she replied and looked away.
"'Ro," Hank sighed and sat down next to her. "We know each other for years and I can tell when something is bothering you. You know you can talk to me…"
"It's nothing," Ororo only said and got up to leave the room, while Hank shook his head and gave her a concerned look.
"Hey, what's wrong with her?" his wife suddenly asked and entered the kitchen. "She bumped into me without even noticing it."
"I don't know," he shrugged and kissed her when she stopped next to him. "I'd love to talk a bit more to you, my dear, but my biology class is waiting."
"Have fun," Moira teased him and he snarled playfully.
Late at night Logan lay awake in his bed. It was once more a sleepless night for him and all he did was staring at the empty side next to him, while he kept on thinking about what his son had told him. She was back at the time his son would turn sixteen. That was all he knew and he also knew that he couldn't wait that long. He would never be able to live that long without her… Logan startled when the door of the bedroom was suddenly opened and growled. "What do ya want here?" he grunted as he saw who his guest was.
"I'm scared…," Ororo cried and he rolled his eyes before he lay back down.
"Then go to your hubby and leave me alone!" he hissed as she suddenly let out a loud sob. "Damn it, close the door before ya wake up my kids!" Logan grunted in a hushed voice and heard her doing so, before she came closer and sat down on the edge of the bed next to him. He looked at her from aside for a while, noticed how the tears were running down her cheeks while she stared at her hands. "Go t'Kurt…"
"I can't…," she replied in barely more than a whisper and shook her head.
"Why not?" Logan asked her annoyed and ran a hand through his face. "Damn it, I wanna be alone…"
"I'm confused…," Ororo sobbed as if she hadn't heard him and began to knead her hands nervously. "…and Kurt wouldn't understand."
"What?" he groaned in annoyance and frustration. "Say what ya want and stop babblin' around."
Turning her head she looked at him through wet and empty eyes. "I don't understand what happened…"
"He raped ya. That happened!" Logan grunted. "Anythin' else?!"
"But why didn't he kill me?" she asked him and sobbed. "I was helpless, he could have killed me afterwards… Why didn't he do it?"
Logan didn't reply first and looked at her. She really was a mess, he thought and heaved a deep breath while he tried to think like his arch nemesis. If he was him and had raped her, why wouldn't he kill her or keep her as a trophy? Sabretooth could have taken her with him to have more fun with her. He knew how messed up his nemesis was. He enjoyed torturing others until they began to beg for him to kill them and even then he went on. So what could have been a reason for Sabretooth to not kill her? Looking at her again, his eyes began to scan her body as it hit him. "If I were ya…," Logan said and she met his eyes again before he sat up a bit. "I'd make a test…"
"You…," Ororo stuttered and her eyes widened. "You think…"
"Why else should ya still be alive? If he was really goin' for it, he'd have either killed ya or taken ya with him," he grunted and closed his eyes with a sigh. "Would ya leave me alone now?"
She sat next to him and stared at her belly in shock. Her heart had begun to race in her chest in fear. What if he was right? Heaving deep breaths, since breathing suddenly appeared to be very hard, she began to shiver and suddenly threw herself at him with a desperate sob. Growling, since he only wanted her to leave and be alone, he nevertheless listened to her heartrending sobs. Only rolling his eyes in annoyance, Logan reached out to comfort her until her sobs became weaker. "What…what if I'm pregnant?" she mumbled into his chest and quaked with fear.
"Get rid of it," he grunted and she let go of him to stare at him with widened eyes.
"I can't!" Ororo shook her head. "I could never do this…"
Shrugging Logan lay back down. "Well, then risk your life," he said nonchalantly. "Ya know what the Furball and his girl have told ya after Tommy was born."
She ran a shaky hand through her face and heaved a deep breath. "Would…would you make a test with me?" she asked him and he cocked an eyebrow at her.
"No!"
"Please…," Ororo begged and held his gaze, but Logan shook his head.
"I said no!"
"Logan,…please…"
Growling, he roughly grabbed her hand and pulled her with him. "I hope ya know that you're pissin' me off!" he grunted and left his rooms.
After they had paid the basement a visit and she had disappeared in his bathroom for a while, he now watched her from aside while she stared at the stick in her hands, which trembled. He couldn't hide his annoyance that she had dragged him into this situation. He wasn't interested and didn't care about it. At least that's what he tried to tell himself. While he kept on looking at her from aside, saw how she chewed on her lower lip in tension, he only hoped that the result would be visible soon. He only wanted to be left alone… "No…," Logan suddenly heard her gasping and a second later the test fell to the ground, while she began to pant heavily. "God, no…," Ororo added and buried her face in her hands before she began to sob aloud. He sighed and laid a hand on her shoulder. He had barely touched her when she had already turned and cried into his chest.
When Logan woke up a bit later it was still dark on the outside and she slept half on top of him with a tearstained face. He sighed in frustration and pulled her off him before he got up to get his leather jacket from the ground. "How am I supposed to tell Kurt about this?" he suddenly heard her asking in scarcely more than a weak whisper.
"Dunno," he grunted and put his jacket on.
"Where are you going?" Ororo asked frightened and sat up when he went over to the door.
"What do ya think?!"
"Can I…," she began but he cut her off.
"No!" Logan said and pointed a finger at her. "Stay here, sleep and don't even dare t'follow me! I wanna be alone and I mean it." With that he left his rooms and headed for the back door.
Hours later, he sat on the outside in the grass next to Jean's stone and sipped on a bottle. While he did so he couldn't help but feel a presence close by; as if someone was standing behind him. He began to frown as he saw a small orange dot that suddenly floated in front of him and encircled his head. The presence he'd begun to notice began to feel stronger, but suddenly disappeared as he heard footsteps coming closer. "Piss off!" Logan growled and sipped on his beer again.
"No!" Scott said and went down to his knees next to him; giving the stone a brief look. "You know… Someone once told me that it was time for me to move on…"
"Heard that before and again, dickhead, I've been wrong, so piss off!" Logan grunted and turned his head away from him.
"Logan…," Scott began and sat down in the grass next to him. "It's October by now and you're doing that for nearly a whole year…"
"And?!"
"And we're worried," he replied and shook his head.
"As if you'd care…," Logan snapped and sipped on his bottle again.
Scott sighed. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't care, right?" he asked him and ignored that the man rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Logan… Did you put drugs into the drink?" he demanded to know next and received a glare. "The Professor told me to keep an eye on it. And from the way you look lately…"
"Go get laid," Logan growled but Scott was unimpressed.
"Do you think Jean would like this?" he asked him. "Seeing you like this?! You have children to take care of!"
"I do care for them, Summers!" Logan snapped aloud. "Don't ya even dare t'accuse me of not takin' care of them!"
"Yeah, at day," his opposite replied angered. "At night you sit here and try to get drunk. You try everything to kill the pain, don't you?" he asked him. "Does it help?! Feeling numb from the inside for a few minutes? Does it bring her back or help you through the day?!"
Logan glared at him full of hatred and uttered a low growl. "If ya don't shut up, Summers…," he warned.
"Then what? You'll beat me up? Well go ahead," Scott gave back. "You're angry and you keep that anger buried within you while it needs to be released! So go ahead, beat me up if you think that this will change anything at all!" He startled a bit when Logan threw the bottle against the next tree all of a sudden and got up. He prepared himself for being hit by a fist in the next minute and was surprised to see that the man just turned around and left. Only shaking his head, Scott felt how anger rose within him and got up, too. "Fine! Then run again!" he yelled. "Go on and keep on turning yourself into an emotional moron if you think that this will change anything!" He could hear from afar how a door slammed shut within the mansion and sighed. He then turned to look at the tombstone. "Wanna do us all a favor, Jean?" he asked and ran a hand through his hair. "Come back…and that quickly…"
When Logan returned to his rooms at sunrise Ororo still slept in his bed and he rolled his eyes in annoyance. After throwing his leather jacket into a corner he went over to Jamie's room and then to the bathroom to prepare the boy for the day. He then woke up his children and told them to get ready and meet him in the kitchen, while he went downstairs to prepare their breakfast. "Good that I see you, my friend," Kurt said and received a cocked eyebrow. "Have you seen, 'Ro? I have vaited for her all night, but she hasn't come back after telling me she'd go for a valk… I'm vorried…"
"She's asleep," Logan grunted and put Jamie onto the counter.
"You know vhere she is?" the blue mutant asked hopefully and received a nod. "Vhere?"
"Upstairs, okay? She's fine," Logan sighed and handed his boy a bottle.
"But vhy didn't you tell me?" Kurt asked him in disbelief since he hadn't slept all night due to his worry for his wife.
"Why does everyone of ya have to go on my fuckin' nerves, damn it?" Logan snapped and didn't hide that he was more than pissed of.
"What's wrong here?!" Hank asked and entered the room with furrowed brows and followed by Moira. He looked from Kurt to Logan and back.
"Nothin'!" the latter grunted, took his son and left.
"What's wrong?" Moira asked Kurt, who uttered a heavy sigh and sat down on a stool. She could see that he was depressed.
"Why is he so angry again?" Hank asked him next and poured him and his wife some coffee.
"I only vanted to know vhy he didn't tell me that 'Ro stayed vith him last night," the nearly black mutant shrugged and became confused when he saw the shocked look of Moira.
"Ororo spent the night with Logan?" she asked aloud and the mug nearly fell to the floor.
"I doubt that they did what you think they did, dear," Hank soothed her but she only gave him a look that spoke volumes.
"Why else should she be staying with him then?" she asked and crossed her arms.
"He's still grieving for Jean," her husband replied and shook his head. "He doesn't care for anything else but this and his children lately, so I highly doubt he slept with Ororo."
"I vaited for her all night…," Kurt said sadly and looked at his cup. "But she didn't come…"
"God…," Moira cried and ran a hand through her face. "Why didn't Logan tell you?!"
"Because he was in the garden all night," came the reply from the door and all three of them turned to watch how Scott entered, followed by Mystique and Alex, who held onto his mother's hand.
"It's already freezing cold at night," Moira said and exchanged a look with Hank. "What's he doing on the outside?"
Mystique helped Alex onto a chair and began to pile some pancakes onto a plate for him. "He sits next to Jean's grave…"
"We have to do something about this," the dark haired woman replied and shook her head. "It's not good for him…"
"I tried to talk some sense into him," Scott said and smiled when his son uttered a cry of joy when his mother handed him the plate. "He's stubborn like hell…"
"And I've seen what he has been like back then, Moira," Hank added and shook his head. "It's impossible to get through to him if he doesn't want to. The more you try the more dangerous he'll become…"
"But still…," she sighed and put her mug down.
"It's useless, believe me!" her husband said. "We tried everything back then… He just doesn't care."
"But we have to do something…," she mumbled and looked up when Kurt suddenly jumped off of his stool and headed for the door.
"Gott, vhere have you been?" he asked Ororo, who stood in the door and had both arms wrapped around herself. When he tried to touch her she backed off.
"Are you alright?" Moira asked her suspiciously and turned around to have a better look at the woman, who seemed to be a complete mess.
"I…I need…," Ororo began and evaded Kurt again to the surprise of her husband. She wrapped her arms around herself protectively and gave Moira a look. "Could you check on me?"
Only nodding and trying to ignore that it was just odd how her friend behaved, Moira got off of her stool and beckoned Ororo to follow her. "Sure… Now?" she asked and received a nod. "Then come on…"
They were barely gone as Kitty stormed into the room. "Hey, would you help us, please?" she asked in an urgent voice.
"Why, what happened?" Scott asked alarmed and came closer.
"Remy chose the wrong words and Logan knocked him out with one blow," the young woman explained while Hank sighed loudly.
"What did he say to him?" he demanded to know.
"Well, Remy's in a bad mood since he had a major throw down with Rogue yesterday and he's still a bit drunk," Jubilee explained matter of factly. "He bumped into Wolvie, who told him to piss off and…"
"WHAT did Remy say to him?" Hank asked again and crossed his arms.
"That behaving like an asshole won't bring Jean back…," Kitty answered barely audible.
"Great…," Scott cursed and exchanged a look with Hank. "Where's Remy now?"
"Lays in the foyer on the ground," she said.
"And Logan?" Hank asked.
"Took the children out to eat somewhere else where people stop getting on his nerves," Jubilee explained.
"Take me to Remy," he said and put his cup down. "And then I'll talk to Charles. It can't go on like this…"
Watching nearly all of them leaving, Mystique looked at her son and stroked through his dark hair. "Well, I doubt it'll help…," she mumbled.
"What?" Alex asked and stopped eating to look at her with his big, light-blue eyes.
"Nothing dear," she waved off. "Mommy was just thinking out loud…"
While he watched his daughter interacting with Isa and TJ, John was bent over the banister on the terrace and heaved a deep breath. "How are you doing, John?" he heard the Professor asking behind him and turned his head when the bald man stopped next to him.
"Actually good," he smiled and looked back at his daughter.
"She's doing well as far as I've heard," Charles said after following the man's gaze. "And she has already made friends here."
"Yeah," the man next to him nodded and crossed his arms. "Still… I really appreciate what you have done for us, but…" He sighed. "I already told Anna that we would leave."
"It is because of your brother, I suppose?" Charles asked. "The tension between you and him is the first thing I notice everyday next to Logan's grief. But it is not a reason to leave, John."
"It's just…," the dark haired man began and looked to the ground. "I can understand him. But he's already feeling bad enough, so I don't want to be a reason that adds itself to his condition."
"You know," the Professor began and wheeled a bit forward while he watched over the children. "Your brother is not holding a grudge against someone forever. He would have reacted differently to you if Jean hadn't died. I am sure of that. It's just…that Jean really meant and still means a lot to him. She helped him to change, to forget about his past… Since she's gone he has nightmares again that she had managed to suppress…"
"About the experiments on him?" John asked and received a nod. "Yeah, I know them… I have them, too…"
"Logan just needs time. He still hopes that Jean will come back and I believe that's the only reason why he's still here," Charles said bitterly. "He knows that you can't be held responsible for what has happened. It had been the same with him back then when he attacked us. Apocalypse had controlled him, Logan hadn't had a chance to fight back. He knows that it wasn't his fault… Just give him a bit more time to get used to you. Even if he says that he doesn't want to talk to you…I doubt he means it. It's only very hard for him to trust others." While he had spoken, Charles had held John's gaze. "And I think, besides that I would deeply regret to see you leaving us, that you are still in danger. We don't know where Sinister is hiding and if he'll try to get you back, John. Here at the mansion you can be save from him. The same goes for your daughter. She can go to school here and learn about mutations. And we can help you protecting her."
"So you think I should stay?" John asked and Charles turned his wheelchair around to wheel back inside.
"It is up to you. If you decide to go, we won't stop you. But as I said, we can really need your help," the Professor replied. "And besides…," he added and stopped briefly. "I doubt you would just leave your brother's side after finding him after all those years… I'll see you at dinner, I hope."
"Daddy!" Anna suddenly called and threw herself at his legs before he could react. "Isa asked if I can sleepover at her place, can I? Please?"
"Does her mother know?" John asked and pulled her up into his arms.
"I'm staying at my father's place tonight," Isa told him. "He's cool with that."
"So can I?" Anna cooed and gave him her best pleading look, which made John chuckle.
"I think so, but I will still have a talk with her father about it, okay?" he asked and put her back to the ground.
"Cool," Anna smiled and ran back to her friends; leaving her father thoughtful behind. After telling her that he would be inside, he made his way through the kitchen and towards the door next to it, which led him upstairs. Heaving a deep breath he knocked and waited. After a while the door was opened. "Can we talk?" he asked carefully and gave the shorter man an insecure look.
"'bout what?" Logan grunted and had his eyes narrowed.
"It's important," John tried and waited a while before his brother finally let go of the door and turned around. After entering the apartment, John took his time to look around. The rooms here were much bigger than his own, even if Anna had a second bedroom right next to his own. The interior was also much brighter than his, which was caused by the two white two-seaters and the one-seater around the wooden table, but also the light parquet on the floor and the rest of the light wooden furniture; not to forget the curtains, which were white and light-yellow. "Nice," he remarked and looked at the names on the two doors on the right, which told him that it were the kids' rooms, and the one door on the left, which told him that the boy he'd already met must have a single room. All in all he counted 5 names and assumed that the two remaining white doors on the left must lead to the bathroom and bedroom. He couldn't deny that he liked the apartment. It really looked cozy to him.
"What…do ya want?" Logan cut him off and awoke his brother from his daydream.
"I'm sorry," John apologized since he hadn't noticed that he had been so taken with looking around. "I, ehm, I talked to the Professor. I told him that I was thinking about leaving," he said and tried to read any reaction in his brother's face, but there was none. "He said that he would appreciate if we stayed, but… I mean I know that you already have a hard time. So, if you want me to go, I'll go… Just let me know and I'll pack our things." Looking at Logan for a while, he had hoped to receive an answer, but again there was none. Taking that as a yes, he only nodded and turned around to leave.
"And where do ya wanna go?" Logan suddenly asked and John turned around.
"I don't know," he replied honestly. "Back to Canada I think…"
Nodding, Logan went over to a desk and opened a door, before he began to rummage in it. "And then?" he asked while he looked for something. "What if that bastard still looks for ya or your kid?"
"Well, we'll see," his brother shrugged. "I only don't want to stress you and remind you of what happened, you know. I mean I finally know where you are and everything, but I also want to consider your wishes. And if that's that you want me to leave, I'll do that. You only have to say it…"
"Hm…," Logan made and got up from the ground again with an old box in his hands. "Ya should read them," he said and handed the object to his opposite.
"What are those?" John asked him with furrowed brows.
"Mom's diary and some letters," Logan waved off and crossed his arms again. "We found them on the old estate…"
Nodding, John went through all the papers. "What do they say?" he asked and saw that his brother shrugged.
"Letters to that idiot gardener, things that were on her mind… Some stuff about father," Logan listed. "That she had an affair and got pregnant, that she wanted to leave with that idiot…" John sighed. "That she feared I'd be the same monster like you…"
"Monster…," his brother spat and shook his head while his eyes flashed in anger. "What does she know anyway?! Father did everything for her and she threw herself at this idiot…"
"Well, too late t'change that," Logan shrugged. "Ya can read them and throw them away afterwards, I don't care. I'm through with that shit…"
"Okay…," John nodded and got up. "But you still didn't answer my question…"
Looking at him for a while, Logan thought hard and shrugged. "Stay here if ya want…," he mumbled.
"Sure?" his brother asked surprised but also insecure.
"Yeah," came the reply and Logan watched how his brother put down the box on the table and came closer. "But don't expect me t'do a happy dance 'bout it. For me you're a stranger and a former enemy."
"I know," John nodded and stopped in front of him. "But still I'm glad to have you back…"
"Don't even think 'bout playin' the big bro' now," Logan warned him but accepted the hug.
Smiling at him, John patted his shoulder. "I'm sorry about your wife," he said and noticed that his opposite looked down. "I know how terrible it is… And I mean I only have one child to take care of." He heaved a deep breath and looked at the wall near the window. "That's her?" he asked and nodded at a picture. Following his gaze, Logan nodded and watched how his brother went over to look at it. "She's beautiful."
"Yeah," Logan replied barely audible and swallowed hard. In the past months he'd done his best not to look at any pictures that hang on the walls in the apartment.
"The Professor said you believe she will come back," he heard John saying and nodded. "Well, if you believe it…why shouldn't she?" he gave him an encouraging smile and pulled something out of his back pocket. "That's my wife," he said in a sad voice and Logan began to frown when he looked at the picture.
"That's Ann," he mumbled and his brother furrowed his brows.
"You know her?" he asked in surprise and received a nod.
"She took me in every time I ran out of money or food," Logan told him. "She was a good girl…"
"Yes, she was," John nodded, gave the picture a loving look and put it back into his pocket. "So…5 kids, huh?"
"Yeah," Logan nodded and turned his head when Miloh entered to bring his mate some meat. "I just cleaned the floor, you freakin' dog…," he cursed and sighed.
"Where did you get an arctic wolf?" his brother asked and looked at the animal more closely. "I thought they lived in Canada."
"He followed me around when I was up there, so I took him back home with me."
Nodding, John watched how the wolf lay down next to the husky and growled at him. "Is she pregnant? Because he's so protective of her and brings her food…"
"Yeah, I think so," Logan replied and ran a hand through his face. "I have to ask the Furball to do a scan to be sure. At least if he lets me touch her…"
"Well," John said after a moment. "It's time for dinner soon. Will you do me a favor?"
"What?" his brother asked and raised an eyebrow.
"Eat something, okay? I mean I haven't eaten or slept for over a year after losing Ann… I know what it feels like," he said. "But still I can tell you from experience that you will feel more than horrible after a while and even more so when you begin to eat again. Believe me, you don't want to experience it! So better start eating slowly again. It's better than eating nothing at all, okay?"
"I'll think about it," Logan grunted after a while and received a nod before his brother left.
When they sat at the table together a bit later, John kept an eye on his younger brother and watched for minutes how he shoved his food from one side of the plate to the other. Sighing, he took a sip from his glass and exchanged a look with the others. "You said you'll think about it," he said and looked at Logan again, while all heads had turned to him; waiting for Logan to snap since they were unaware that both men had talked to each other before.
"I ain't hungry," Logan grunted and let the fork fall onto the plate.
"You'll feel like dying, believe me," his brother said worriedly. "Try at least to eat half of it."
Looking to and fro between both men and feeling surprised that they really talked with each other, they waited for Logan's reaction to it. "Do you want to eat something else?" Moira asked him. "I can cook something else…"
"No," he grunted and looked away.
"Logan, you should really do something about those depressions of yours," Scott suggested and heard him giving a snort.
"Says the guy who believes that I take drugs… Yeah, sure."
"Okay, I have been wrong about it. I'm, sorry," Scott replied. And watched how he got up to leave the room. "Come on, don't run away again!"
"I ain't runnin' away," Logan snapped.
"What is it then you're doing?"
"Ray's cryin', but never mind," he replied and made his way upstairs where he went over to Laura's and Rachel's room, but both girls weren't in it. So he went to the twins' room next and froze at the door…
Unknown of him the X-Men had gathered in the Professor's office and listened to the news he had received. They looked up when the door opened and Logan came in. They noticed the stern look on his face and the Professor watched how he came straight over to his desk and put something onto it. He gave the keys a surprised look and Logan a questioning one afterwards. "How am I supposed to understand this?" he asked him and met the man's gaze.
"I'm leavin'," Logan simply replied.
"Where are you going and when will you be back?" Mystique asked him but he shook his head.
"I won't," he said with a brief look at them. "Me and the kids are goin' back t'Canada and we'll stay there."
"What?!" Hank asked aloud and got off of the sofa to stare at him in shock.
"You can't just leave!" Ororo said and looked at him pleadingly.
"Yeah, I can. It's a free country and my decision is final," Logan replied and turned back to the Professor. "Thanks for everythin' and good luck." He turned his head when Ororo jumped out of her chair next.
"No, you can't just leave!" she said again but he walked over to the door.
"Yes, I can," he said once more and his hand touched the doorknob. He knew it was a shock for them, but not for him. Not after seeing his children before…
The Professor hadn't looked up the whole time through. He only stared at the keys in front of him. "Logan…"
"Ya can't talk me outta it, Chuck," the man said and gave him a look. "We ain't stayin'!"
"I don't want to talk you out of it," the bald man replied to the shock of all others.
"But Charles!" Hank tried to intervene but he was cut off.
"No, Hank. It is his decision and I will accept it," he replied. "But only on one condition!"
Logan sighed and rolled his eyes. He should have known that it wouldn't be that easy. "What?"
"You go with them on that mission we just discussed," Charles said. "We can need your help on it. Do it and you can leave…"
The others stared at the Professor frowning, exchanged glances from time to time and looked to and fro between the bald man and the man with the unruly hair; both held each others gazes for minutes. They didn't know what the Professor was up to, but were anxious to get to know how Logan would react to it.
"Only that mission, Logan," the Professor tried again. "Please…"
Sighing, the man rolled his eyes. "What mission?" Logan grunted and crossed his arms.
Of course, as he had thought, they had directly stepped into another trap of Sinister and his men. The Professor had been told by a source he actually thought he could trust that Sinister had another lab located up at the border of Canada. So they had traveled there right after the last meeting and landed close by. Logan had led them up through the snow and also through the complex underground, when he had suddenly stopped.
"Logan, what's wrong?" Scott asked and watched the man from aside. This one narrowed his eyes a bit and concentrated. "What do hear?"
"A beepin'," Logan grunted and went over to the source of it. He looked at the 10 tanks in front of him for a while.
"Beeping?" Hank asked him clearly worried and heard how Logan cut carefully into the metal of the tank.
"Shit…"
"Shit what?" Scott asked and came closer with the others, just to stop dead in the tracks. "Oh God…"
"I can defuse some bombs, but not this one," Logan told him and took the timer. "We've three minutes, so move!"
"Okay, guys, run!" Scott shouted and they followed Logan as he led the way back. "Come on, people, faster! Storm, hurry up!"
"Tinmen, help her!" Logan ordered while running and tried to push his senses to find the way back. While running, he kept on checking on the timer and had to watch how it merciless counted backwards. He knew he shouldn't have come… When there was only one minute left, he saw the last metal double-door from afar.
"It's closin'," Bobby shouted and felt how panic began to rise within him.
"Peter, hand Storm to Beast and run to the second door," Scott ordered. "Stop it from closing!"
"Okay," Colossus said and did as he was told, while Logan had started into a run and used his weight to prevent the first one from closing.
"Hurry up!" he shouted as the doors kept on closing and gritted his teeth as he tried to slow down the process. He watched how his teammates went through and waited until Scott was on the other side, too, before he had to let go.
"Logan"! Cyclops shouted as the door went shut and his teammate was trapped.
"Go, I find another way," he heard him shouting through the door.
Unsure of what to do, Scott heard Colossus yelling at him to hurry up, since he couldn't hold back the doors anymore. "Hurry up!" he told Logan, before he ran towards the second door.
Behind the first one, Logan kept on looking around for another way, but there was none. The only way out was through that door, the way down the basement was a dead end. "Damn it," he cursed and slammed his fists against the metal door as an idea crossed his mind. Extracting his claws he rammed them into it and began to cut when his eyes caught the sight of the timer in his free hand, which just counted from 00:01 to 00:00. He heard the ten tanks blowing off and the wave it caused slammed him against the door. Only able to see stars, unable to hear anything but a loud whistling sound and with blood dropping from a cut above his right eye and his cheek, Logan turned his head and his eyes widened as the giant firewall moved through the small corridor like a huge wave. He felt how his skin began to burn and it didn't take long before he was blinded by the light.
"What was that?" Bobby asked and stopped on the outside as the ground began to shake.
"The explosion…," Scott said and looked at the building from afar. He grabbed his headset. "Logan, where are you?" he asked but all he could hear was roaring. "Logan, do you read me?"
"No!" Ororo shouted and they all turned their head as another earthquake shook the ground. They soon had located the source of it and had to watch how the building collapsed. "No…," the woman cried and covered her mouth with her hand.
"Logan, come on…," Scott mumbled and searched the area for any sign of his teammate.
Inside, Logan lay on the ground; bloody and his skin heavily burned. He tried to fill his burned lungs with air, but all he breathed in was the toxic the fire had left behind. He was unable to hear how the building above him collapsed. In fact, he couldn't hear a thing anymore. Barely able to see a thing, he managed to turn his head and felt how life was slowly drained from him. Nevertheless, a weak smile became visible on his face. "Jeannie…," he mouthed barely audible and his head dropped lifelessly to the ground at the same time the whole building collapsed…
I had pre-written the last two scenes for months. Finally I was able to use them. The next things that follow were pre-written long ago, too. I am really happy that I can finally type them up. LOL I have a large pile of papers next to me, which were the reason why I had to leave some Hugh Jackman movies at home, LOL, because the bag was too heavy. : ) So, please review!!! Thanks to those who have reviewed the previous chapters. See ya!!