Shocking Events
Logan stood outside the house and waited for his old friends to answer the door. He watched as the door slowly opened. He knew that they wouldn't be in a good mood due to what he had done to those men but Wolverine felt that he was the only one that had ever really cared about Psylocke.
The door opened all the way and standing in the doorway was a very familiar face. One wearing her ruby lenses in order to control Cyclops's power. Her long auburn locks falling about her shoulders and her distinctive white streak glistening in the light from the house.
She smiled at him and said happily, "Come in sugah. We have all been awaitin' for ya." Rogue was indeed happy. She had started to wonder if Logan had decided not to show up. It would have been bad since everyone, including a very distraught young girl by the name of Jubilee, had been looking forward to seeing him and trying to dissuade him from his course of action.
None of them but Rogue knew though that the only one who had a chance was Jubilee. She was the only one out of all of them who had ever been really close to Wolverine and Rogue hoped that the closeness that they shared would be enough. If it wasn't then Vargas was dead and so was anyone who tried to protect him. Rogue knew that for a fact. She knew too much about Wolverine ever since she had absorbed his powers. His thoughts and his fake memories had been in her head and she had always wondered how he had been able to deal with it. It had nearly driven her insane. She knew though, that out of all of them he was the strongest in spirit as well as body.
"Well Rouge I said that I would be here and I didn't want to break my promise to you," Logan said as he stepped into the house. He stepped past Rogue who shut the door behind him like some hostess. Logan couldn't help but notice again how amazing beautiful Rogue was. You are and were a fool cajun. You will never find a better woman than the one standing in front of me. She is one of the best women that I have ever met, Logan thought to himself as she walked by him. Once again Logan noticed the sway of her hips but he also knew that she had eyes for only one man. She had feelings for a certain cajun that was a utter fool.
"Back to the old school Logan," Rogue said still as friendly as ever as she led him from the doorway into the house. She couldn't help but notice that he was wearing his old brown uniform which meant that he was ready for Vargas. She knew that he was wearing in order to honor Psylocke in some way. She wasn't sure she understood but that was what the uniform stood for.
"Yeah, that and blood won't show so much on this one," Logan said grimly. He just couldn't get Vargas out of his head. He knew that when he met Vargas one of them was going to die. There was no way around it. It wouldn't be like with Sabretooth. Oh no he wouldn't let Vargas run.
Wolverine rounded a corner and saw the rest of the team sitting or standing in what he guessed to be the living room. He saw that Bishop as standing with his arms crossed by the fireplace. He had a scowl on his face but Wolvie dismissed him out of hand. He had never liked the man and he doubted that he ever would.
He saw that Neal was sitting in the chair by the fireplace with nothing special about him. Wovie saw though that the man was in pain. It was a pain that Logan recognized all too well. The pain etched on his face was the same feeling that Logan had felt time and again when he had fallen in love with a woman only to have her cruelly taken away from him. Logan truly felt sorry for the young man but he didn't know what he could do to ease his pain except bring him Vargas's head.
Beast Woverine knew was still in the hospital recovering from his wounds. There was another friend that he had almost lost to this Vargas. Beast Logan knew though wouldn't approve of Wolverine's tactics in getting Vargas's attention.
Wolverine saw that Sage was there as well leaning against the wall with her glasses on. She was wearing the same expression that she had always wore but her body was tense because she was nervous. Wolverine was too much of a warrior not to notice that. She smiled at him warmly though and he nodded his head in turn.
Rogue walked over and sat down on the couch next to a woman that Cloud knew well. The leader of this team, the leader that had let Psylocke die. The leader who had failed to protect her team. The woman with dark skin and white hair. The woman who had been called a goddess, and who controlled mother nature itself. The woman who now stood up from where she had been sitting when she saw Logan walk into the room and just stand there.
"Logan it is good to see you again my old friend," she said as she came forward and embraced him. A gesture which he just couldn't bring himself to return.
Storm hugged Wolverine and had hoped that he would hug her back but she hadn't really expected him to. There was too much pain etched on his face. The pain that she had seen only rarely. The true emotions of the Wolverine that only a few ever got to see. She knew that the pain was slowly eating him up and that until he killed Vargas he wouldn't feel that he had honored Psylocke. He felt that he needed to bring her home one last time like he had before at the completion of a mission. Storm knew all that and still it hurt her when he didn't hug her back. It was like hugging a tree, a thing of nature and unfeeling.
"How are all of you doing," Logan asked as Storm stepped back away from him. How it hurt to see the look on her face! Logan could see the pain that he had caused her written plainly on her face and yet as much as it hurt him to see that he knew that deep down she would forgive him. That was what hurt more than anything.
"We are fine Wolverine," Bishop said as he came forward slowly step by step. "I see though that you are walking a path that will lead you to destruction. Is that what you want. Do you really want to become a criminal?"
"No Bishop I don't want to become a animal. That was all I could think to do though," Logan said.
"Logan please don't continue with this personal quest of yours. I know that you were Psylocke's friend. We all were. She wouldn't have wanted us to fight amongst each other though Logan you know that. She wouldn't have wanted vengeance for her death, you know that as well. Please Logan just listen to us," Storm said since she had no other idea of where to start.
"Storm I understand what you and Rogue have been telling me. At least to a certain extent. The thing is though none of you can even begin to realize what it is like to lose so many friends over the years when you know that you should have been dead long before them," Logan said as he slowly sat down in the chair that he had been standing by.
"Logan we have all lost friends," Rogue said as she sat down on the arm of the chair next to Logan.
"Rogue I know that. I just don't know. This one is different because we don't have a body to bury. Psylocke I feel should at least be allowed to go home one last time," Logan said angrily.
"I understand that Logan but you know that the course you have chosen isn't the right one. Deep down I think you do know that," Storm said evenly.
"This coming from the woman who should have been by Psylockes side," Logan angrily replied.
Storm knew that it was coming but it still hurt her a lot to hear those words spoken by one of her oldest friends. Coming from Wolverine that hurt even more since at one time she had wanted to be more that his friend. He had hurt her deeply and she wasn't even sure that through all his grief he had even known that he had hurt her.
Logan saw that his words hurt Storm and he immediately felt bad about saying them. He knew that it wasn't her fault. He knew that it had been Psylocke's honor that had demanded she fight for a friend. Logan knew all too well the burden of honor. "I am sorry Storm. I didn't mean what I had just said. I . . . I am not thinking quite like I should I realize that. I know that it isn't your fault. The only person that I have to blame is myself. I have to blame myself for not being there. It is my job to protect all of you and yet I have failed yet again." Logan hung his head and a single tear gathered at the corner of his eye which no one even saw.
Logan sniffed the air out of habit at that time and he smelled her just before she came bursting into the room. Logan would have known that scent anywhere and he hadn't wanted to see her. It was bad enough having this small group of his friends see him the way that he was. He didn't need Jubilee to see him in the state that he was now in.
"Wolvie," she nearly yelled at him from across the room as she rounded the corner of the hallway where she had been hiding. "How can you blame anyone especially yourself. That isn't right nor fair to any of them." At this she gestured to Storm and the rest of the team.
"It is easy to blame others Jubes. The worst part though is that it is truly my fault and I must atone for my mistake," Wolverine said as he lifted his head to look at the kid. The girl that had grown into a very beautiful young woman. Logan finally had to admit that to himself. He hadn't wanted to see her grow but she had and he had to deal with it. That and with the feelings that he had when he saw her. One day he would have to face those feelings but that was not for today but for another time and another place.
"You can't blame yourself no matter how much you want to. You weren't even there! You couldn't do anything about it! Come on Wolvie just give up this quest of yours and let Psylocke lay," Jubilee said hoping that her outburst might at least make her Wolvie think.
"Oh Jubilee why are you here. You should be back in the States being a kid. You shouldn't have to be here to see me this way. This isn't my best kid it isn't even close," Wolverine said quietly.
"I am here Wolvie to keep you from making a big mistake. The professor sent me here to stop you from going through with your quest to kill this Vargas guy. Why can't you just listen to all of us Wolvie. We only want what is best for you," Jubilee said as tears glistened in her eyes.
"Oh Jubes," Wolverine said as he stood up and went to her. He put his arms around her and pulled her close. "You shouldn't have to worry about me kid. I am the best there is at what I do remember."
"I don't want you to die," Jubilee mumbled into his chest.
"Jubilee look at me," he said as he lifted her chin with the tip of his index finger. "Pslocke was my friend as are all of you. This Vargas won't stop until we are all dead. I know that much. I must stop him then before any more of you die. I couldn't live with myself if you died on me kid. I just couldn't live with myself if any of you died. It is my job then to make sure that you don't die. At least not before your time. All of you have too much to live for," Wolverine said as he looked around the room then.
"What about you sugah. Don't you have anything to live for," Rogue asked fearing the answer that she would get.
"Truly Rogue I have little left to live for. Every time I fall in love with someone she gets killed. I know that love isn't for me now. The rest of you though can still learn to love and you should. It is the way of life. I though am a Wolverine. And that means that I defend my family. I defend you all to the death if that is the case," Wolverine finished as his voice dropped to a near growl.
"Wolvie please don't hunt this Vargas down. Please for me," Jubilee pleaded and Logan nearly gave in right there to the look in her eye. He would do nearly anything for Jubilee and the professor had known that when he had sent her. He wouldn't forget his quest though. Psylocke would see her home one last time and Vargas would die. No more of Logan's would die due to his inaction. He had to become the Wolverien fully and kill this man Vargas. There was no other way to do things.
"I'm sorry Jubilee but I have to do this. I have to avenge Psylocke if for no other reason than she needs to find her peace. I truly think that she isn't happy until her body is taken home," Logan said as he smiled at Jubilee.
"Logan I think that you should reconsider this course of action. It is taking you down a path that I believe you never wanted to go. I believe that you are becoming more and more like the men that you so hate. I think that you know that as well and yet you are willing to forego everything that you are in order to complete your objective," Sage said from her place on the couch. She had been silent until that time.
"Sage you are right in a way. I have done things tonight that I am not proud of and yet they needed to be done. I may be a little like Sabretooth. Who knows I may be more like him than I would like to admit but if that is so then it is best I find this Vargas. Then maybe if I am so much Sabretooth he can kill me before I fully become a rabid beast," Wolverine said. He shot down her argument quite well he thought as he waited for another of them to speak up. He knew that one of them would but the one that spoke up next surprised him.
Neal stood up slowly and Logan could tell he was angry. "You would dare kill another in Betsy's name. You are no better than Vargas if that is so Wolverine. I loved her and I know that she wouldn't want you to go on any killing spree just to avenge her. I know that and so do you. You wouldn't be so willing to kill for her if you had loved her at all," Neal accused Logan.
Storm and Rogue could see right away that what Neal had just said was the wrong thing to say to Wolverine. Especially at the time that they were said. Logan slowly pulled away from Jubilee and turned to look Neal fully in the face. His body was tense and if he had been an animal he would have been ready to spring. Logan growled then and out of them all Storm, Jubilee, and Rogue were the only ones that knew what was coming.
"You speak to me like that bub. I have got news for you. I loved Betsy easily as much as you or anyone else for that matter. In fact I had a psychic rapport with her much like Cyclops and Jean. So you dare to tell me the way that she would feel. I don't think so bub," Wolverine growled as there was a distintive skint that rung throughout the room. Everyone was surprised at that especially Neal.
"Listen up rookie. I don't think of you as an X-man yet so you better watch yourself. If you get any of these people hurt then I promise you that I will hunt you down and nothing will protect you. Not even the professor himself if you run to him. Betsy may not want me to kill Vargas I won't argue that point with any of you anymore. The thing is though Vargas needs to die before he kills any of you. I care for all of you too much to let that happen. That is all of you but Neal here who if he wants can have the fight of his life on his hands," Logan said as he turned and watched everyone.
Neal was too stunned to say or do anything. He hadn't thought that Logan's pain was the equal of his own and yet he knew at that point that it was. He knew that it may have even been greater than his own. He felt sorry for what he had said but he knew that he couldn't take it back and he knew too that he had just made an enemy of sorts with Logan at that time.
"Logan what has gotten into you," Storm asked surprised at his reaction to Neal. She knew that he considered his friends family but what he had said and threatened to do to Neal had all been unnecessary.
Logan retracted his claws and looked around the room at the people who at one time had been his friends. He knew then that he had quite possibly ended his friendship with all of them. He knew that he wasn't acting like himself but that was fine. He had a job to do and when it was done he would go back to being his old self. If that wasn't enough for everyone then he would just go back into the wilds and let his wild self take over for good. No one would care then and neither would Logan. If he had no family there was no point in controlling his urges.
"Just watch yourself Neal. I am not in the mood for your self righteous bullshit. Everyone here wants vengeance it's just that none of you have the guts to go and get it. Just admit it to yourselves if not to me," Logan said as he had finally lost his patience.
"I can't believe that you would say that to us Logan," Rogue said utterly surprised though she knew that indeed wanted vengeance.
"I don't mean it the way it sounds. It is just that I am not good with words. I am not one that can tell you what he means. All I know Rogue is that all I am good for anymore is killing. It is all I have ever really been good at. In all my years it has been war that I have lived for. Everytime that I found something else to live for it was taken from me. It seems that the ol canucklehead is no good to anyone except as a bringer of vengeance," Logan said as he walked from the room and found himself a chair to sit in.
"I never thought that Wolvie thought of himself as no good except to kill," Jubilee said as a fresh set of tears fell down her cheeks.
"Neither did I child," Storm said as she held Jubilee around the shoulders. She looked across at them all then. "I think that perhaps we have all misjudged Logan. All this time many of us thought of Logan as heartless and willing to kill without thinking. It seems that we were wrong. Logan has wanted something else in his life but he felt that the killing is all that he was good for."
"I think that you are right sugah," Rogue said and she knew that they were.
"I think that we should go tell Logan that we are sorry. All of us including you Neal," sage said as she slowly stood up.
"I am not going to apologize to that damn animal. He is going to sully Psylocke's name with his quest for vengeance. I will have no part in it," Neal said as he stormed out of the room in the opposite direction that Logan had went.
"Well that was productive," Jubilee commented and that brought a smile from Rogue and Storm.
* * * * *
Logan was angry at himself for telling them the things that he had. He hadn't wanted to tell them the way that he felt but they had badgered him into it. Now they probably hated him even more and he wouldn't blame them if they did. Damn! How could he have let himself get lost to the anger that he had spent a better part of his life trying to control.
He was pacing back and forth when he smelled a pair of familiar scents just seconds before the doorbell rang. "About time Vargas. I was starting to wonder if you didn't want another trophy," Logan said as he headed for the door.
* * * * *
"Who could that be sugah," Rogue asked as she walked towards the door. She had no idea who it could be and it made her a little nervous. They had all been a little jumpy since Psylocke's death and this didn't make things any better.
Just before she reached the door she saw Logan come around the corner of the room he had went into. That made her even more nervous seeing him come out of the room that he had been pacing in for more than thirty minutes. They had all decided that is was best that they leave him alone to deal with his grief and the things that he had said in his own way. They had all thought that it would be best if they did.
"That's for me Rogue don't worry," Logan said as he placed himself right behind her as she reached for the door handle. She noticed that he had crossed his arms and he was wearing a grim smile. The type of smile that could send a shiver up even the most hardened hero's back.
Rogue opened the door and saw two familiar faces. The faces of the two people who had been with Vargas when he had killed her friend. She felt her blood start to boil and could feel the anger starting to build. She knew the others were feeling the same way and she fought hard for control just like they were.
She knew that it was a good thing that Neal didn't see them because he would have killed them on the spot. She knew that deep down no matter what he said he craved Vargas's death more than even Logan did. That scared her a little. Not because she didn't think that she could stop him but because he was starting to lose himself to the dark emotions. The X-Men had too many experiences with those types of emotions and she didn't want to repeat them.
She saw Logan out of the corner of her eye and noticed that he was still smiling. He had expected them! He must have told them where to find him. Then it all made sense to her. He had done those things knowing that Vargas would be looking for another trophy. Logan had hoped that it would be himself that Vargas would go after and so had left a address with these two. That was smart she thought. Logan was indeed a smart person no matter what he had said.
The man stepped forward and bowed to Logan. "Vargas says to meet him at this address. He also said that if you wanted you could bring all of your little friends. He is looking forward to meeting you Wolverine. He thinks that you will make an excellent addition to his trophy room," the man said with a slight smile.
"You go tell Vargas that you can't kill a man that isn't a man. Tell him I am more than any man could ever hope to be and tell him that when we meet in battle I will claim my prize. Tell him to make sure that he has Psylocke's body with him. I don't want to have to look for it after I kill him," Logan said grimly and the man's smile disappeared.
Rogue shut the door in the face of the man and whirled on Logan. "You are still going to fight him Logan! After all that we talked about and everything that we said to each other! You are that willing to throw your life away!" Rogue slapped him across the face then and left the room.
"I'm sorry everyone but it is just something that I must do," Logan said as he opened the door. "You can all come but first I must get my things. I need to get ready," Logan said as he shut the door behind him.
"Logan I think that you need to kill this Vargas in order to get rid of some of your demons," Storm said to the door. She didn't know it but Logan heard that and slowly walked away. He knew that he had hurt Rogue and he didn't know how he could make it up to her. All he knew was that later in the night either he or Vargas wouldn't live to kill again.