Respect Forgotten

((The follow up to Mutual Respect

Note that none of the X-Men or any related themes belongs to me. I make no money from this and all characters and themes belong to Marvel Comics.))

So help her if she tried to stop him.

It was late, she would not be up, none of them would. He could be left in peace to get out of here and begin his own personal business hunting down who he sought out most.

He was relaying on her to be asleep for her own safety because he would not let her stop him if he tried.

She wasn't asleep, she was sitting on the roof, waiting.

The wind was facing her, he would not smell her, he would not know she was there until she let her presence be known.

He was leaving now, crossing the path towards his jeep. She had made sure it would not start.

She sat, knees to chest watching as he kicked a tyre, growling but nothing more.

Then his eyes locked onto hers. Her blood froze. Neither made a movement and neither broke eye contact.

Then his growl turned into a snarl as he turned and walked down the path towards the gate.

Now she made her move, lifting off from the roof and touching down on the ground barefooted, following in his wake.

He turned around again to meet her eyes.

"Back off 'Ro."

"Logan, please-"

But he turned and kept walking. She followed again, ignoring the low constant growl that he issued as a warning.

"Logan if you walk out that gate-"

He turned around yet again and snapped at her.

"You wont stop me, you can't. You got no right to."

She sighed heavily. "Logan I am asking you as your leader, as your friend, not to do what you are about to do."

"Yeah? Well I'm askin' you as Wolverine to get the hell outta here before ah hurt ye."

He was still for a second watching her unflinching blue eyes. She had no idea.

"You wouldn't do that."

He voice was pain filled, doubtful; she refused to believe what he had just threatened her with.

"Wanna bet?"

He turned away slowly, starting up the path again. The sound of padding bare feet followed.

He gritted his teeth, clenched his fist, struggled to hold back the horrible temptations rising inside of him where the feral side lay.

She tried again.

"Logan I will not let you reach that gate. I cannot let you. Please, don't do this."

He didn't turn or stop this time as he spoke back in response.

"Don't try and stop me. Don't dare."

But a shadow flew over him just then and she came to land in front of him, barring his path.

For a moment he froze as she stood before him, determined and undaunted. He couldn't do it, he wouldn't hurt her. She was the only one with faith in him; it was why she had followed him. He couldn't hurt that.

Then as her eyes narrowed so did his.

"Move."

"No."

"Now!"

Still she stood eyes shadowed over by the moonless sky. His teeth were bared as he snarled again.

"You're pushin' it darlin'."

"I know."

His rage built. Random images flashed across his untouchable mind. Memories, faces, death and hate, life and love. Too much to bare for one lifetime.

"Logan?"

He snapped. Now all that he saw in front of him was an obstacle in the way of him making everything right for himself. His claws sprang and hit her. Once, twice, three times he struck her followed by a rip roar scream of unleashed terror and rage.

Then he stopped.

She stood for a second, her blue eyes buried in rejection and disbelief that he had just done what he had done.

But as warm sweet blood spilled into her mouth from the gashes on her cheek and spilled from her arm and her belly onto the cold night ground she fell, in knowledge of the truth, to her knees.

The claws were sheathed as he came down to his knees with her just as she fell to her side.

"'Ro?"

He lifted her head and his hands touched on the fresh blood there, the deep cut that he in his selfish rage had caused.

Too shaken and pain stricken to move or speak she only felt as he lifted her head up to his chest, cradling her desperately.

His cheek rested on her hair as he put one hand there and wrapped the other protectively around her waist.

"Why'd you try and stop me darlin'? I warned you. Why'd you even bother with me?"

She felt something damp drown into her hair, a single tear of his. At least she had stopped him.

Stopped him and left him devastated, holding her there just before the gate, trying to find an excuses for himself but having none.

"I'm sorry."

Although it was not enough it was all he could say.

End