He recalled the ticklish feeling as a soft hand roamed over his body - almost a caress but not quite. He had realized it was very methodical in its purpose and then he had realized that all of this felt sickingly familiar- the clinical smell, the gurney table he was lying on and the medical hum of machines in the background. Panicked, he jumped up and grabbed his examiner by the neck. He was too panicked to get on a personal level but even in his heightened state he realized how beautiful she was and he could sense she did not want to hurt him. Remembering the kid, he had run through the maze of corridors, desperately trying to pick up her scent, anything that could signify that she might be here, wherever the hell here was. Logan remembered his confusion in the corridors, remembered thinking just what the hell this place was and what he was doing here, remembered the voices in his head, voices that were subconsciously drawing him to their source. Recalled the moment he realized that he was in a school which seemed to be full of mutants, the shock when that girl had run through that door, when he had met Chuck, Storm, One-Eye and finally Jean. Remembered how his heart had leapt to his mouth when she walked into the room - all serenity and grace. How he had realized that she was somehow involved with this asshole Cyke - he could smell him all over her and it made him resent the man - who was almost a kid, who had this smug expression on his face and who he was indebted to - even more. He remembered the confrontation with One-Eye and then the realization that it was Chuck who had been in his head all along and who might actually be able to help him with what he was looking for.

Remembered seeing the kid, watching her with affection in the classroom surrounded by people just like her and realized that she might be ok. He could smell her again and now she had a new air about her - he knew it was hope. He watched that Ice-Cube boy and that Flame kid try to impress her and he knew she'd be all right, that he'd never destroy her innocence like he could have if she had stayed on the road with him in Canada, subjecting her to a lifestyle that she didn't deserve. Here, she would have a chance to lead a normal life, go to school, be a teenager. They'd always share a bond over Laughlin City but that would be it - he didn't realize how wrong he was.

He talked to Jean that night, she had shown him to his room and they had flirted. He could always sense her hesitation though. One-Eye was always at the back of her mind. His admiration for her had turned to a deep respect when she had demonstrated her powers, he could feel a depth of power within her that she had not unleashed, hovering beneath the surface - it added to her attraction. She was dangerous just like him. Logan would always remember the shock on her face when she had read his mind - had seen things that he couldn't remember. He could see that she was afraid to tell him what she had seen, he had taken her hand, tried to reassure her that it would be ok and then Cyke with his usual sense of timing had arrived, had seen him holding her wrists and drawn his own conclusions - not that Logan minded, pissing off One-Eye was an additional bonus. They had exchanged the usual crap and Cyke had got the last parting shot - Logan usually would have a comeback but this time he was left without anything to say - "the first and last time that's gonna happen" he'd promised.

Remembering that night, Logan shuddered - he had almost killed Marie. Jeans probe of his mind had brought all the repressed memories to the surface. He had dreamed that night, nightmares really, full of anonymous masked faces, soft laughter, champagne, water - so much water, screaming, lines marked on his body. The lines where the boiling adamantium was going to be inserted into his body - and finally those instruments. He had seen the needle coming down, felt it plunge into his body, felt the pain, felt the rage and instinctively unleashed his claws to deal with the bastards the way he wanted to. He recalled feeling his claws sink into flesh, the smell of blood and Marie. MARIE! That's when he had woken up to find her impaled on his claws - choking and spluttering as her blood filled her lungs. He sheathed his claws, withdrawing them from her body with a sickening wet SNIKT and realized that she was going to die and he could do nothing to help. He could only stare at her, eyes locked, desperately trying to convey how sorry he was, how he felt about her. He vaguely recalled screaming for someone to help him even though he knew it was already too late, Logan knew what death smelt like. He remembered the compassion in her eyes, knew that she didn't blame him, remembered the plea in her eyes as she reached out to touch him one last time, just skin to skin, no barriers. He felt he fingers brush his cheek very softly and then he felt it, a pain like he had never felt before, deep in the marrow of his bones, drawing his very essence out of him. He didn't care though; his eyes were still locked with hers. She was almost sobbing and he saw the apology in her eyes and her pain as she absorbed him, was imprinted with his memories, abilities and "gift", even though he didn't realize exactly that this was what was happening in those last seconds he realized she was using her mutation, he could sense her healing and he was glad, even if it meant he died he was glad, Marie would live and then all he knew was blackness.