Chapter 13.

Midnight gettin' uptight where are you
You said you'd meet me now it's quarter to two
I know I'm hangin' but I'm still wantin' you

Hey Jack it's a fact they're talkin' in town
I turn my back and you're messin' around
I'm not really jealous don't like lookin' like a clown

I think of you ev'ry night and day
You took my heart then you took my pride away

I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you that's why
I hate myself for loving you

Daylight spent the night without you
But I've been dreamin' 'bout the lovin' you do
I won't be as angry 'bout the hell you put me through

Hey man bet you can treat me right
You just don't know what you was missin' last night
I wanna see your face and say forget it just from spite

I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you, that's why
I hate myself for loving you

I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you that's why
I hate myself for loving you

I think of you ev'ry night and day
You took my heart then you took my pride away

I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you that's why
I hate myself for loving you

Remy strolled past the rec room, whistling to himself. He stooped, his eyes growing wide. Was he hallucinating? He backed up slowly, his breath stopping as he looked in the door.

Victor Creed was sitting on the X-Men's couch, watching television in nothing but a pair of sleep pants, and eating a big bowl of Sugar Bombs. He looked up at Remy. "Hey, Cajun."

"What de hell are you doin' here?"

"Chuckie let me out. You wanna watch Universal Soldier?"

Remy backed up slowly. "Non."

"Why not? I figured you fer a Van Damme fan." Victor cocked his head to the side. "Y'know, if they ever made a movie outta this freak-show you people call I team, I can see Van Damme playin' you."

Remy backed up a little more, then ran down the hall. He banged on Logan's door.

"What the hell do you want, gumbo?" Logan growled.

"Creed!"

Logan's eyes grew wide. "Did he escape again?"

"Worse! De professor let him out! He's eatin' my Sugar Bombs!"

For a moment, Logan was speechless.  "You better not be joking, Remy."

"Would I joke about somet'in' like dis?"  Logan shook her head slowly.

"Why…?  Doesn't Xavier know what he is?"

"I t'ink Xavier's flipped his bald lid, chère."  Remy expected Logan to storm down to the professor's study and go on one of her frequent rants, but all she did was step back slowly into her room.

"I can't deal with this right now, Remy."  Remy looked worried. 

"You gonna be okay, chère?" 

"Are you?"

"I dunno." 

"Me either," said Logan quietly before shutting her door.

Victor opened the fridge, his eyes gleaming at a big package of roast beef. He wasn't much of a cook, but he made a mean sandwich.

He stopped. He knew that scent. It was one of his favorites… He closed the refrigerator door and went after her. "Hey, runt!"

Logan kept walking. She wasn't in the mood to see him.

"Logan! I wanna talk to you!"

She walked faster.

Victor bounded up to her, grabbing her by the shoulder and spinning her around to face him. "I said I wanna talk to you."

Logan pushed his hand off of her. "Well I don't want to talk to you."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because I hate you, Creed," Logan growled. "You're the most despicable creature I have ever known. You make me sick."

Victor narrowed his eyes at her. "Come on, baby, you can't mean that now. Remember how I made you scream?" He winked at her.

Logan reeled. She didn't want to think about that. "Creed, don't…"

"Don't what?" he asked, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Remind you of the best damn fuck you ever had."

Logan glared at him. "You are so damn full of yourself."

"What are you afraid of, runt? Afraid you might like it too much? Afraid you might not be able to stop yourself from doin' it again?"

"I will never screw you again, Victor."

Victor grinned viciously at her, then descended on her mouth, kissing her with a mixture of lust and anger. Logan immediately responded, kissing him back with the same amount of fury.

Victor pulled back and dropped her down to the ground. "Never, huh?" He walked off, chuckling to himself.

"Fuck you, Creed!" Logan yelled, pulling herself to her feet.

"A little late fer that, runt!" he called back, leaving her alone in the hallway.

Alone in his room, Victor stopped smiling.  He had been almost sure Logan still wanted him, and now he had proved it, but for some reason he didn't feel any satisfaction.  She had hurt him and he had hurt her back. 

If he was honest with himself, Victor had never wanted to hurt Logan.  Sure, they had more bad blood between them than some Middle Eastern countries, but he didn't want to see her suffer.  It didn't bring him any satisfaction. 

In fact, it made him feel shitty.  Victor growled to himself, pacing the small bedroom like it was a steel cage.  He didn't do this—he didn't form attachments to anyone.  He didn't have a heart, as the runt had pointed out to him on numerous occasions.  Let the little weaklings deal with the lovey-dovey crap.  Sabretooth didn't need anyone.

But Victor needed Logan. 

Logan pounded a holographic Sabretooth into the floor, relishing the sterile nature of the Danger Room scenario. This Victor couldn't make her feel like she wasn't in control. He couldn't taunt her. He couldn't infuriate her.

He couldn't make her want him.

The scenario ended and Logan slumped. She glanced over at the wall, shivering the memory that flooded her mind. She could almost still smell him, could remember the way his skin felt against hers. She unsheathed her claws, running towards the wall, clawing the spot where'd they'd been.

Kitty watched from the control room. She leaned forward into the microphone. "Uh, Logan, the simulation's over. You're not hallucinating Creeds, are you?"

Logan jumped back, looking up. "No!" She stormed out of the room.

Kitty sighed, closing her abnormal psychology text book and going after her. "Hey, wait a sec!" she called. "Logan, you all right?"

"I'm fine, Kit."

"I guess Sabretooth being here is really messin' with you, huh?"

"Yeah."

"You know, sometimes I wonder how much between you and Victor is really hate, and how much it's something else."

Logan's gaze shot up. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Come on, Logan—have you ever stopped to think about the way you and Creed fight? You jump on top of each other and roll around on the ground, getting all sweaty. And what would Freud say about the whole sticking the claw in him thing."

"Fuck Freud," Logan growled. She shot Kitty a warning look. "You're walking on thin ice, Pryde."

"Just making an observation…"

"I have to go take a shower," Logan muttered.

"All right, talk to you later."

"Yeah."

Victor watched the clock's second hands tick slowly past midnight, and sighed.  Another hour until he was locked down in his plush little prison.  The mansion was silent.  The X-Men all seemed to go to bed at a disgustingly early hour, except for the Cajun, and he wasn't staying up in the mansion.  He wandered from the rec room into the kitchen, stopping when he saw the refrigerator light on.  Logan was standing in front of the door staring at the contents.  Victor cleared his throat uncomfortably.  She turned her head a little towards him.

"Hey, Creed."

"Hey."  She shut the door without taking anything out. 

"Can't sleep?"

"Nah.  You?"  She shook her head.  "Logan…" he started.

"I don't wanna talk about it, Victor.  As far as I'm concerned, it never happened."  His blond brows drew together. 

"You and I both know that's bullshit, Logan."  She stood in the center of the tile floor, barefoot, wearing ratty boxers and an oversized hockey jersey. 

"It would never work out, Creed."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do."  Victor fought the urge to reach out and take her.  She was so beautiful, even with messy hair and pajamas—she'd been beautiful since he first laid eyes on her.  But she couldn't stand him. 

"You keep thinkin' that then, runt," was all he said.  "Denial seems to be a good way of copin' for ya.  Hope it works out."  He turned on his heel and went to bed.