Title: This Thing of Ours
Series: Through the Years 7/25
* Disclaimer in part one*
Previous instalments can be found at www.autumnpenguins.com
A/N: As you can tell by the tone of this series it is a dark, dark story,
that being said, this is probably the lightest, happiest chapter in the
series. And as with its predecessors, this story has historical figures and
events in it. This time around it is Johnny Torrio that figures heavily in
the plot. Torrio was the leader of the Five Points Gang in Manhattan, they
later became known as the notorious La Cosa Nostra (it means 'this thing of
ours').
Thanks to Karen and Jonas for their continued help on what will be an epic
length story.
**********
Victor's Lab,
Present day.........
Logan, and Marie crept into the now familiar lab setting. It had
been three days since they had been in here as Logan tried to process his
regained childhood memories. All he had ever known was death and sadness.
If was comforting to know there had been one bright spot in his life, his
brother. Logan had pushed down his secret longing for a family years ago, because
thinking about how alone he was brought him nothing but misery. But now, he
had a family. His brother was Sabertooth, the same man he had been attacked
by and fought less than a year ago.
But something had changed inside him over the months. He didn't have
a hateful glint in his eyes anymore; it had been replaced by a quiet
sadness. His shoulders were no longer proud and broad, but now carried the
weight of the world. Logan didn't know what to think honestly, he was bound
by blood to the man, but he didn't really know much about him. Of three
encounters with him, two had been violent.
His head spinning already, Logan decided to push his conflicted
family thoughts back and focus on what he had been brought here to learn.
"All set?" Victor asked as Logan and Marie entered the room, gloved hands clasped.
"Yeah." Logan said as he settled himself onto the gurney, ready for
whatever was to come his way.
"How do you know that you're dosing him in order?" Marie asked.
"It's color-coded, Erik designed it that way when he copied the
formula. The older the memory, the more serum is needed. Some of them are
only a few years apart, but there's enough of a difference to tell." Victor
answered as he searched through the vials.
When he selected the proper dosage, and once Logan was secured, he
plunged the needle into his vein and waited for it to do its work. Marie
and Victor busied themselves making tea and a bite for breakfast, oddly
comforted in each other's company. Victor had already lived each of the
memories, and knew Logan's story as well as his own. They sat down and
Victor dove into the tale once again.
"When Nicolas-Logan and I split, I went back to New York and he
ended up in Concord, Massachusetts." Victor began, taking them both years
back into the past.
Concord, Massachusetts
May, 1900
Nicolas Logan had started a new life for himself. He'd moved from
Fall River eight years ago and had established himself as a hard worker.
He'd become an errand boy for an elderly man who ran a mom and pop grocery.
When the man had died five years ago, Nicolas inherited the store. He'd
kept the little corner shop exactly as it had been when Mr. Kayson owned it
and had retained most of the clientele as well. The result was that Nicolas
found himself living comfortably for the first time in his life.
He tried hard to put Victor out of his mind, but no matter what he
did it never seemed to work. In his mind he always saw the little boy who'd
been crying in the bathroom in 1889. It seemed like a lifetime ago. His
life had changed so much in some aspects, but he was still in an emotional
hellhole most of the time. But now he had his own store, he owned his own
house, and it wasn't in a slum or outside of town. He'd scrapped through
and was finally out of the red. Why shouldn't he enjoy life now when he had
been so miserable? Why shouldn't he have a family and fine whiskey and, all
the things that a fine and respected young gentleman of the age should be
entitled to?
He was 23 and he wasn't getting any younger. He had a successful
business and a house big enough for a wife and some children. There was
nothing to stop him; Nicolas was determined to get himself a family. Now
all he needed was to find himself a suitable wife, someone he could love and
have a family with. Someone to spend the rest of his life with.
Immediately one face popped into his mind. A girl he'd seen in his store
frequently since he began working there. Lauren Ginnley.
She had to be at least seventeen now, making her of marriageable age.
He'd seen her taking care of her younger siblings when the family came into
the store so he knew she was good with children. Lauren was sweet, not too shy and pretty in her own way. Nicolas thought she liked him, at least
a little, after all she always talked to him no matter what it was she came
in for. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. All he
had left to do was convince her to marry him.
That thought firmly implanted in his mind Nicolas dressed and walked
the ten minutes to his store. He unlocked the door and busied himself with
the morning tasks. When the till was in order and his ledger was balanced,
Nicolas looked up and was surprised to see the object of his recent thoughts
standing in front of him.
"Miss Ginnley." He began, bowing his head, "I didn't hear you come
in."
"You looked busy, I didn't want to bother you."
"You could never be a bother," he said sincerely.
She smiled and her cheeks reddened. They stared at one another for
a second too long. "What can I get for you this morning?" Nicolas asked.
"Well Mr. Logan, I would like to place a special order."
"What's the occasion?"
"My sister Margaret is getting married in two months, and she wants
to serve oranges at her reception." Lauren said.
"Oranges? Mighty extravagant isn't it?" Nicolas quipped.
"Well, Margaret will settle for nothing but the best." Lauren
grinned.
"Then what are you going to have at your wedding m'am?"
"I haven't even thought about that yet." Lauren answered.
"Well, let me know then when you decide." Nicolas grinned.
"Will do. Now, about the oranges. Would it be impossible to order
five dozen?"
"That's a tall order. But I'm sure we can arrange that. When do you
need them?"
"July 12th. And if you can order them, I'll even pick them up
myself," she teased.
"I'll have to do my best then. I'll let you know the status the next
time I see you."
"Thank you, Mr. Logan."
"Good Day, Miss Ginnley." Nicolas nodded as she walked out the door.
December 1900
Lower East End, Manhattan
Victor Creed had grown used to a rough life. He was toughened
inside and out nowadays. There was nothing he wasn't ready to deal with,
and nothing he couldn't do. He was a hardass in the truest sense of the
word. He was the only Englishman living in Little Italy who wasn't hassled
for simply stepping into their little world. The locals knew he was as
tough as any of the neighborhood men. He could take anyone and anything,
the name Sabertooth stuck with him when a five year old had compared him to
the creature in his dinosaur book.
Victor liked it that way; he'd rather be feared than have people
like him. He wasn't close to anyone and he didn't intend to be. Life was
easier without any attachments; he'd learned that at thirteen. The attachment he
did have almost made him stay in Fall River eight years ago. He'd committed
his second murder there and had still been an amateur. Now he was seasoned
much more and knew the first rule in life was to not get attached.
Everything eventually changed; it was just easier to deal with it that way.
He didn't want anything more out of life than to survive. It had
been how he'd lived for as long as he could remember. But now an opportunity arose
that he couldn't decline. He'd personally been invited to a meeting with
the new set of movers and shakers. Victor didn't know quite what to expect.
He knew enough to know it was about some sort of gang, but he wasn't
familiar with the internal going-ons. He'd always worked alone, save that
one time with Jarod.
But still, an opportunity was an opportunity so he straightened
himself up and knocked on the door. A short man answered the door. "Come on
in, we've heard of your talents." From the sound of his voice, the speaker
was Irish.
"Paul Kelly, this is the man they call Sabertooth," a smoky voice
with a hint of accent said from the corner of the room.
"Sabertooth, this is Paul Kelly. As for me, I'm Johnny Torrio. I
think we're destined to be great friends." Johnny said, his gaze locked on
Victor's features.
Victor made the first move towards Johnny and extended his arm as a
gesture of acceptance. Johnny shook it and Sabertooth was in.
Victor's Lab
Present Day.........
Logan was still sleeping on the gurney as Victor finished telling
Marie the latest chapter in their life story.
"So Logan got the girl?" Marie smiled.
"Not Logan, Nicolas. He was different then." Vic said.
"It doesn't matter, I like him exactly how he is. He's special,
Logan is."
"He is one of a kind." Vic consented.
"He looks like he's waking up." Marie said before rising and moving
towards the gurney.
Sure enough, Logan began to stir from his sleep and slowly fought
his way from the darkness. "Hey." He gave her a weak smile.
"Hey."
"That one wasn't too bad." Logan said quietly to Marie.
"Good. Sounds like you had it pretty rough."
"Yeah. But I don't want to think about the past at the moment. And
I'm dying to get out into some fresh air. Do you wanna come with me?"
"Of course. But I want you to rest up there for a little bit, and
eat something before we get going." Marie said.
"You're the boss. What do we have? Better not be any more of those
girly dainty things." Logan teased.
"Well sugar, it's the girly dainty things, or nothing." Marie shot
back.
"Decisions, decisions. Hit me with a girly thing then." Logan said
as he freed himself from the restraints and joined the other two at the
table for an intimate breakfast for three.
*********
Series: Through the Years 7/25
* Disclaimer in part one*
Previous instalments can be found at www.autumnpenguins.com
A/N: As you can tell by the tone of this series it is a dark, dark story,
that being said, this is probably the lightest, happiest chapter in the
series. And as with its predecessors, this story has historical figures and
events in it. This time around it is Johnny Torrio that figures heavily in
the plot. Torrio was the leader of the Five Points Gang in Manhattan, they
later became known as the notorious La Cosa Nostra (it means 'this thing of
ours').
Thanks to Karen and Jonas for their continued help on what will be an epic
length story.
**********
Victor's Lab,
Present day.........
Logan, and Marie crept into the now familiar lab setting. It had
been three days since they had been in here as Logan tried to process his
regained childhood memories. All he had ever known was death and sadness.
If was comforting to know there had been one bright spot in his life, his
brother. Logan had pushed down his secret longing for a family years ago, because
thinking about how alone he was brought him nothing but misery. But now, he
had a family. His brother was Sabertooth, the same man he had been attacked
by and fought less than a year ago.
But something had changed inside him over the months. He didn't have
a hateful glint in his eyes anymore; it had been replaced by a quiet
sadness. His shoulders were no longer proud and broad, but now carried the
weight of the world. Logan didn't know what to think honestly, he was bound
by blood to the man, but he didn't really know much about him. Of three
encounters with him, two had been violent.
His head spinning already, Logan decided to push his conflicted
family thoughts back and focus on what he had been brought here to learn.
"All set?" Victor asked as Logan and Marie entered the room, gloved hands clasped.
"Yeah." Logan said as he settled himself onto the gurney, ready for
whatever was to come his way.
"How do you know that you're dosing him in order?" Marie asked.
"It's color-coded, Erik designed it that way when he copied the
formula. The older the memory, the more serum is needed. Some of them are
only a few years apart, but there's enough of a difference to tell." Victor
answered as he searched through the vials.
When he selected the proper dosage, and once Logan was secured, he
plunged the needle into his vein and waited for it to do its work. Marie
and Victor busied themselves making tea and a bite for breakfast, oddly
comforted in each other's company. Victor had already lived each of the
memories, and knew Logan's story as well as his own. They sat down and
Victor dove into the tale once again.
"When Nicolas-Logan and I split, I went back to New York and he
ended up in Concord, Massachusetts." Victor began, taking them both years
back into the past.
Concord, Massachusetts
May, 1900
Nicolas Logan had started a new life for himself. He'd moved from
Fall River eight years ago and had established himself as a hard worker.
He'd become an errand boy for an elderly man who ran a mom and pop grocery.
When the man had died five years ago, Nicolas inherited the store. He'd
kept the little corner shop exactly as it had been when Mr. Kayson owned it
and had retained most of the clientele as well. The result was that Nicolas
found himself living comfortably for the first time in his life.
He tried hard to put Victor out of his mind, but no matter what he
did it never seemed to work. In his mind he always saw the little boy who'd
been crying in the bathroom in 1889. It seemed like a lifetime ago. His
life had changed so much in some aspects, but he was still in an emotional
hellhole most of the time. But now he had his own store, he owned his own
house, and it wasn't in a slum or outside of town. He'd scrapped through
and was finally out of the red. Why shouldn't he enjoy life now when he had
been so miserable? Why shouldn't he have a family and fine whiskey and, all
the things that a fine and respected young gentleman of the age should be
entitled to?
He was 23 and he wasn't getting any younger. He had a successful
business and a house big enough for a wife and some children. There was
nothing to stop him; Nicolas was determined to get himself a family. Now
all he needed was to find himself a suitable wife, someone he could love and
have a family with. Someone to spend the rest of his life with.
Immediately one face popped into his mind. A girl he'd seen in his store
frequently since he began working there. Lauren Ginnley.
She had to be at least seventeen now, making her of marriageable age.
He'd seen her taking care of her younger siblings when the family came into
the store so he knew she was good with children. Lauren was sweet, not too shy and pretty in her own way. Nicolas thought she liked him, at least
a little, after all she always talked to him no matter what it was she came
in for. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. All he
had left to do was convince her to marry him.
That thought firmly implanted in his mind Nicolas dressed and walked
the ten minutes to his store. He unlocked the door and busied himself with
the morning tasks. When the till was in order and his ledger was balanced,
Nicolas looked up and was surprised to see the object of his recent thoughts
standing in front of him.
"Miss Ginnley." He began, bowing his head, "I didn't hear you come
in."
"You looked busy, I didn't want to bother you."
"You could never be a bother," he said sincerely.
She smiled and her cheeks reddened. They stared at one another for
a second too long. "What can I get for you this morning?" Nicolas asked.
"Well Mr. Logan, I would like to place a special order."
"What's the occasion?"
"My sister Margaret is getting married in two months, and she wants
to serve oranges at her reception." Lauren said.
"Oranges? Mighty extravagant isn't it?" Nicolas quipped.
"Well, Margaret will settle for nothing but the best." Lauren
grinned.
"Then what are you going to have at your wedding m'am?"
"I haven't even thought about that yet." Lauren answered.
"Well, let me know then when you decide." Nicolas grinned.
"Will do. Now, about the oranges. Would it be impossible to order
five dozen?"
"That's a tall order. But I'm sure we can arrange that. When do you
need them?"
"July 12th. And if you can order them, I'll even pick them up
myself," she teased.
"I'll have to do my best then. I'll let you know the status the next
time I see you."
"Thank you, Mr. Logan."
"Good Day, Miss Ginnley." Nicolas nodded as she walked out the door.
December 1900
Lower East End, Manhattan
Victor Creed had grown used to a rough life. He was toughened
inside and out nowadays. There was nothing he wasn't ready to deal with,
and nothing he couldn't do. He was a hardass in the truest sense of the
word. He was the only Englishman living in Little Italy who wasn't hassled
for simply stepping into their little world. The locals knew he was as
tough as any of the neighborhood men. He could take anyone and anything,
the name Sabertooth stuck with him when a five year old had compared him to
the creature in his dinosaur book.
Victor liked it that way; he'd rather be feared than have people
like him. He wasn't close to anyone and he didn't intend to be. Life was
easier without any attachments; he'd learned that at thirteen. The attachment he
did have almost made him stay in Fall River eight years ago. He'd committed
his second murder there and had still been an amateur. Now he was seasoned
much more and knew the first rule in life was to not get attached.
Everything eventually changed; it was just easier to deal with it that way.
He didn't want anything more out of life than to survive. It had
been how he'd lived for as long as he could remember. But now an opportunity arose
that he couldn't decline. He'd personally been invited to a meeting with
the new set of movers and shakers. Victor didn't know quite what to expect.
He knew enough to know it was about some sort of gang, but he wasn't
familiar with the internal going-ons. He'd always worked alone, save that
one time with Jarod.
But still, an opportunity was an opportunity so he straightened
himself up and knocked on the door. A short man answered the door. "Come on
in, we've heard of your talents." From the sound of his voice, the speaker
was Irish.
"Paul Kelly, this is the man they call Sabertooth," a smoky voice
with a hint of accent said from the corner of the room.
"Sabertooth, this is Paul Kelly. As for me, I'm Johnny Torrio. I
think we're destined to be great friends." Johnny said, his gaze locked on
Victor's features.
Victor made the first move towards Johnny and extended his arm as a
gesture of acceptance. Johnny shook it and Sabertooth was in.
Victor's Lab
Present Day.........
Logan was still sleeping on the gurney as Victor finished telling
Marie the latest chapter in their life story.
"So Logan got the girl?" Marie smiled.
"Not Logan, Nicolas. He was different then." Vic said.
"It doesn't matter, I like him exactly how he is. He's special,
Logan is."
"He is one of a kind." Vic consented.
"He looks like he's waking up." Marie said before rising and moving
towards the gurney.
Sure enough, Logan began to stir from his sleep and slowly fought
his way from the darkness. "Hey." He gave her a weak smile.
"Hey."
"That one wasn't too bad." Logan said quietly to Marie.
"Good. Sounds like you had it pretty rough."
"Yeah. But I don't want to think about the past at the moment. And
I'm dying to get out into some fresh air. Do you wanna come with me?"
"Of course. But I want you to rest up there for a little bit, and
eat something before we get going." Marie said.
"You're the boss. What do we have? Better not be any more of those
girly dainty things." Logan teased.
"Well sugar, it's the girly dainty things, or nothing." Marie shot
back.
"Decisions, decisions. Hit me with a girly thing then." Logan said
as he freed himself from the restraints and joined the other two at the
table for an intimate breakfast for three.
*********