Yesh! I had successfully updated this story as soon as possible. Since I wasn't that busy this weekend, I had been able to do this chapter. Yey! By the way, I want to thank cylobaby and LadyPeneloSolidor, who had reviewed in the previous chapter and the other readers who had enjoyed this story. I would very much be grateful if you voice out what you think about this story so that I may be able to improve it in the sequel, plus, please tell me what scenes that you had liked best in the story so that I may be able to put it at the last part of the story. I have a plan. _ Anyway, please enjoy! ^_^

Part Nineteen: IF ONLY....

Victor didn't know where he was going. He didn't even have a plan on how to defeat Anthony Butcher. He hadn't even got the clue to where he could find his enemy. It was only his instinct who had led him to hunt Anthony down. He was blinded by rage and fury that he didn't even think. Though, he always acts recklessly, without giving much thought to the outcome of his actions. He believes that if you think before you act, you will only lose some time and time, for him, was very precious. He felt like he might run out of time. From what? He didn't know.

He followed his keen sense of smell in finding Butcher's camp. He was positively sure that he'll be camping near them so that Butcher would be able to see their every move. Just like the times during the war. They always have to watch their enemies, so that they'll be able to get ready and prepared.

"I know where he's located." A voice echoed inside Victor's mind. He groaned when he realized who was inside his mind. It was Piper.

What are you doing inside my head? he asked, angrily. He tried focusing his mind on his work and ignore her voice, which was quite impossible.

We want to prove to you that you're not alone, Piper replied. Victor knew that she was smiling when she said that. He knew her too well. If a voice can smile, then her voice would be smiling right now.

I told you, mind your own business.

He could just imagine Piper standing in front of him. She would be rolling her eyes if she heard him answer her like that. He chuckled when he seemed to see her gentle, soft eyes and her genuine smile. It may sound so cliche, but, her smile really brightens up his day.

I'm still inside your mind, Piper reminded him, slightly embarrassed.

Victor coughed. Yeah, um, well, Just get out of my mind, please. My mind is not a book that you can just read.

Piper cackled, but soon lost contact with Victor since he had shut her out of his mind. She sighed and turned to Logan, who was waiting patiently beside her to hear her report. "I think he's near us," she informed. She grinned.

Logan grinned back. "That's good to know. Now, where was he heading to? North? South? East? West? Where?"

Piper thought about it. "I think he went that way." She pointed to her East. They were standing in front of their house and was attempting to stalk Victor, but he was smart enough to cover his tracks, making it hard for Logan to hunt him down. Victor was good in covering his scent and his footsteps. It was such a shame that he didn't teach Logan how to take the cover off.

Logan smirked. "He can hide his tracks from us, but he shouldn't underestimate a mind reader," he said.

Piper laughed. "Well then, let's go that way." She started marching to the direction where Victor had headed.

Logan followed her. "Hey, I have a question to ask."

"What is it?"

Logan seemed to hesitate to say his question, but he really was desperate to know her answer.

Piper raised an eyebrow as she felt his uncomfortable feeling. She was trying to read his mind. She knew that he was looking for the right words for his question, so she waited, patiently, as they continued to walk.

The two of them were silent for awhile as Logan continued to search for the right words to use. The silence lasted for a few minutes, when it was broken by Logan.

"Are you hiding something from us?" he asked, hoping that she wouldn't get insulted by that question. He didn't know why, but he felt like, that question was too personal since everyone knows that everyone does have a secret. Secrets that should be better hidden than known by others.

Piper's gaze fell down to the ground. "Why ask that question?"

"S-sorry. I shouldn't have asked that question. It's just that, ah, you know, um..."

"It's alright," Piper said, looking back at Logan. "You don't have to explain anything and your question doesn't bother me. It's just that, I didn't expect that you'll ask that question."

Logan sighed, relieved that he didn't hurt her feelings. "It's okay if you don't want to answer that question. It's just stupid anyway. And I wouldn't care if you do keep a secret. Everyone needs to have a secret, right?"

Piper chuckled. "I don't think that everyone really does need a secret. It's their choice if they want to keep one or not," she interjected. "And by the way, you question is not nonsense." She smiled. "Yes, I'm hiding something from the two of you and I'm not planning to tell you what's that one is." She had a mischievous look on her face when she said the last sentence.

Logan ruffled her hair, just like what Victor had done. "Yeah right. I know that you wouldn't keep a secret hidden for long. With that big mouth of yours, I know that we'll know it sooner or later," he sneered. Pinching her two cheeks.

Piper swatted his hands off her face. "That hurts. Who told you that you can do that?"

"Victor does that, so why can't I?"

Piper's smile, faded, when she heard what Logan had said. It seemed like when he mentioned Victor's name, her chest had gotten tighter. Logan seemed to noticed this so he faked a cough. Obviously, he was a little and slightly jealous.

Piper snapped out of her thoughts and tried dismissing the subject. She didn't want Logan to feel uncomfortable. The two of them fell silent again. They were occupied by their own thoughts. They obviously weren't in a hurry to catch up with Victor. They don't know why, but they just felt nothing was going to happen to him.

Logan suddenly whistled a tune from a song that he had heard from a young man during the war. He didn't know the lyrics of the song since the man just hum it whenever they were preparing to fight their enemies. The song was kinda relaxing since the melody was just soft and slow. When Logan heard it for the first time, he thought that it was a lullaby, but then, the song gets stronger at the end.

Piper was puzzled by the song that Logan was whistling. It sounded familiar. It was liked, she had heard that song before. She even felt that she had sung that song before. It was like, there was a certain bond between her and the song. "That song," she muttered, under her breath. It sounds familiar.

Logan didn't seem to hear her, since he continued whistling. He even whistled louder. The song got stuck inside his mind and he didn't know why he just remembered it. He knew that he had tucked at the corner of his mind, everything that he had learned from the war.

Piper listened carefully to the song. She still couldn't lay a finger to where she had heard that song. She was sure that she had heard it before. She thought hard, raking her brain for any memory that she had when she heard that song.

How can you remember the song, if you had lost some of you memories? a voice said, inside her head.

Shut up, Piper snapped at the voice.

Calm down, I was just reminding you. No harm done, the voice protested.

"Jimmy, where did you learn that song?" Piper asked, looking at Logan's eyes. She suddenly felt like she was in a whirlpool, being sucked out from reality and into one of Logan's memory.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Jimmy sat on a dead log, around the fire. It was already midnight and still there were no report about their enemies. Victor was busy sharpening his claws, not caring about the disgusted looks of the other soldiers around them. There were lots of mutants in the army, but they were outnumbered by the normal human beings. As he sat on the dead log, a man, younger than he was, started whistling a tune from proverbial song and Jimmy was sure that the song was sung by a lot of soldier in the camp.

"It's a war song," the younger man said, as if reading his mind. Jimmy hadn't noticed that he had stopped whistling.

"Is that so," Jimmy said, in a husk tone of voice.

"My father taught me that song when I was a kid," the young man stated, clearly wanting to have a conversation.

Jimmy acted like he was interested, but in fact, he wasn't. He wasn't the type of guy who would like to have a conversation with anyone.

"He told me that, whenever someone sings that song, the spirits would surely hear him and aid him in the battlefield," the guy added, eagerly. His eyes seemed to twinkle when he explained further what the song was. Jimmy was slightly amused by the kid's explanation. It sounded convincing, but he knew that it was all just a legend. Something to believe in, just so they could be able to relay on something.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Piper was pushed back to reality. She shook her head, dazed. She was feeling weak and exhausted by getting inside Logan's memory. She was afraid that she might had lost another memory with what she did. She looked around. Everything seemed to be fine, except that she was lying on the damp ground. Logan was holding her, closely and tightly. He was worried.

"What happened? You just passed out all of a sudden when I was telling you the story about the song I was whistling," he informed.

Piper sat up and moved away from Logan. She needed some space and air. "I don't know. It's just that, I got suck into one of your memories," she whispered, as if she couldn't believe it herself. In the past, she didn't faint whenever she uses her power, but how come she fainted now?

Logan stood up and helped her get on her feet. "Maybe you're just tired. I think we better turn back. I'm sure Victor would go back," he said, patting her shoulders.

Piper shook her head. "I'm fine. Why are we in here, anyway?" she asked, looking around.

Logan raised an eyebrow. "Because we were looking for Victor," he replied, baffled.

Piper tilted her head to one side as if his answer made her even more mystified. "Why?"

Logan looked at her suspiciously. If she was playing games with him, it wasn't funny. "Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

Piper glared at him. "I am sure, so tell me, why are we following Victor?"

Logan took hold of her hand. "You had lost another memory," he said, soberly.

Piper pulled her hands away from Logan's. She didn't believe a word he said. "That's not true. I know you're just kidding me, right?" she said. She laughed, nervously, hoping that it was a joke. "Right? That was just a joke."

"Piper."

That was it. Piper turned away from him and ran. She didn't know where she was heading but, she just wanted to run away from Logan. No, not from Logan, but from the truth. She didn't want to think that she had lost another precious memory. What's happening to me? she thought. Unwanted tears started to come out. She didn't want to cry. Go away. She ran faster. She could hear Logan shouting after her. It was a miracle that she was running fast.

"PIPER!"

Go away!

Piper didn't want to hear his voice or anyone's voice. Why was she here, outside? Where was Victor? Why was this happening? So many questions and she couldn't answer even one of the questions. She had forgotten them. Where's my house? She was horrified when she realized that she couldn't remember the way to her beloved cottage, where she sought for comfort and warmth. Oh no.

The tears that she had been holding flowed freely. This was her nightmare. Those memories that were more precious than every material things on Earth were gone and she didn't know how to get them back. She wanted them back. Why can't she just remember anything?

Piper couldn't hear Logan's voice anymore and she couldn't sense his thoughts. She was glad that she couldn't hear anything inside her mind except for her own thoughts. The usual murmuring and noises inside her mind were gone and for the first time, it was quiet, so she was thankful for that. It seemed like her power was a gift disguised in a curse, or maybe it was the other way around. She could know everything that runs inside the mind of a person. She can hear their intentions, whether it was good or bad. Sometime she hated it and sometimes, she was grateful for it.

She slowed down since she was tired. It seemed like her legs were too sore to move and her mind was too exhausted to think. She stopped near an old tree with a wide trunk. The dead roots that were sticking out of the ground seemed to form a small place where Piper could lie down on. Without thinking, she collapse, not caring whether her dress was dirty or in a mess. As long as she would be able to have peace, even for just a short time.

She sighed, contentedly. She was grateful for the peaceful silence inside her head. She closed her eyes and let her breathing be even. She could live a life like this, quiet and peaceful.

"Would you like to be with us?" the young Jimmy asked.

Victor shot him a look. He was shocked to hear that his brother was inviting this stranger to join them. What made him even more unhappy to hear was that because he will be the oldest and that meant he had to guide the two of them when he, himself, didn't have any idea of what they will do.

Piper looked unsure. "I don't know if your brother would like that. Besides, I'm fine being alone."

Jimmy looked at Victor pleadingly, "You wouldn't mind, would you?"

Victor looked at him doubtfully before glancing at Piper. He didn't want to have someone tag along with them since it will just make him worry more, but when he looked at Piper, he was struck with the gravity of her situation. She still needed somebody to look after her since she was still a kid, but she had survived in the woods by herself this whole time. Well, if she knew how to live alone in this kind of place, then it will never hurt to bring her along with us, he thought.

Victor looked at Logan and then to Piper, smiling just enough to reveal two sharp canines, "Sure. Why don't you tag along with us?"

Jimmy's face lit up with a huge grin. His expression was priceless. The boy was really happy to have a friend like Piper join them in their journey.

Piper gave Victor and Jimmy a shy smile and said, "Thanks." She felt like her heart had been freed from a small cage within her. Nothing but gratitude shone in eyes as she looked towards the two brothers, they just made her feel as if she was as free as a bird. She was really thankful to the two of them. For the past few years, she had been alone. Before, she thought she would never remember what it felt like to be happy again, but as Victor let her join their company, she instantly knew that she would find happiness with them. She just couldn't stop smiling.

"You don't have to thank us," Logan said.

Piper felt her chest ached as she remembered the very night when she was accepted by the two siblings. How could she be this selfish? Running away from them, without even thinking of what they'll feel. I think this will be for the best, she thought. She knew that if she stayed longer, Victor and Logan would only worry more and be burdened by her situation. She sat up and pulled her legs closer to her chest. She laid her head on her knees as she let her tears come out, once more.

Selfish, that was what she thought she was. If only she had looked at the other way around, she would have realized that if she left them, they would only get worse than what she thought they would be. If only she wasn't too oblivious, she would have noticed that they need her, just the way she needed them. If only....

Well, what do you think? Don't forget to review and tell me what your favorite scene in the story. Thank you for reading! ^^