Missing5

Disclaimer: Once again I don't but wish I did (especially one hunk). I do own however the mutant Tremor.

Distribution: Anywhere someone would like to post it, just ask. **Thanks to Kari Jo for posting it on her site**

Author's note: My thanks to Khaki and Jessyca again for their continued support and the support of all you other reviewers. Without it I don't think I would have had the strength to continue. Thanks again guys you inspire me. Also if you like this story you will like the one that I'm co-authoring with my friends Faedyn and Kyrie. It's called All Good Things (boy talk about advertising!)

Rated: R – language, violence and other stuff. Tissue alert

CHAPTER 5 – THE SEARCH

Logan was stalking in the woods surrounding the mansion. He had his claws unsheathed and was taking out his anger, frustration, and heartache on the innocent trees or anything else that got in his way. He was glad that the professor had sent the other kids that lived here to a safe house away from here when all this hit the fan. That explains why it was so quiet when he arrived here. At least he didn't have to see anyone else, not yet. He growled and yelled her name into the wind just like he has been doing since that day. (Was it only two days ago?) He thought to himself. He slashed at his skin with his claws, damning his mutation for healing. Damning the men who did this to him fifteen years earlier. He wanted to end it all, he wanted to end his miserable life. Without her - 'his' Marie, his life didn't mean a thing and was not worth living. But this damnable mutation would not even allow him that means of escape.

He was like a wolf (or wolverine) whose mate had been taken from him, he would never love or care about anyone again. He had only one soul mate.

He thought back to the last forty-eight hours, when his world had ended.

~flashback~

He had tried to push the others to start the search for Rogue right away that night. Scooter be damned. They could have left him behind. He had to find her before anything happened to her. But he had to back down. He had, for the first time in his life, responsibilities to others. First they had to bury Bobby. Young, foolish, brave Bobby who had died trying to save another. He deserved that at least. He also looked at everyone in the Medlab and knew that no matter what his feelings were he had to let them recover (somewhat). They would be no use in a battle or helping if (no WHEN) they found Rogue. But he wouldn't be patient very long. He had to find Marie before it was too late. Even if he had to do it himself or die trying. He would give his life for her.

Jean had took the time to leave Scott's side (he was recovering, slowly) to tend to herself. She had cleaned up and changed clothes. She then went to check on Storm and the professor. Storm had already changed into plain clothes and was helping the professor off the bed and into his wheelchair. He looked at Logan with weary eyes and said, "I will try Cerebro in the morning. I'm not recovered enough to try it now". After the look that Logan gave him when he said that he continued, "I know the waiting is the worst part. We all love her and we will get her back, that I promise you Logan." He nodded to Storm who proceeded to take him to his room.

"Yea buddy we will. We all will." Said a weak voice from over to the side of the room. Scott was trying to raise himself with the help of Jean. He looked lousy but very determined. He had put his glasses on. "I don't know what exactly Rogue means to you but I have an idea. I don't have to like it or you, but she means a lot to me and to us. I promised the professor a year ago that I would take care of them and I mean to. We will find her". With that he had to lay back down and thanks to a shot that Jean had given him, he fell into a restful slumber.

Logan thought to himself that sometimes Scooter even surprised him. Jean came over to Logan and put her arm around him. There was a time that he would have jumped at the chance to be held by her, but it was different now. He now knew where his feelings lay.

"Why don't you get something to eat and rest. It's not going to help her any if you collapse. Even with your healing abilities you need food and rest. We will start the search when the professor is ready in the morning. If I were strong enough to use Cerebro, I would. Believe me. I love her also, as a sister."

"I know Jean, but I can't stop thinking what is happening to her while we sit her on our asses. She may be dead or even worse." I couldn't even mention what he was thinking. "If that son of a bitch even lays one paw on her, I will not stop until he is dead or we both are."

With that he turned around and stalked out the door. He started his ritual in the woods that day. He needed the time to think and to plan. He kept seeing the images that were described to him of Marie's abduction. He envisioned her being tortured by Magneto, for heaven knows what. He also saw in his mind's eye Marie being raped by that beast. He could almost hear her scream his name in anguish as that beast took her innocence by force. An innocence that should have been nurtured with love. Not with brutality. Nurtured by him and him alone with his undying love.

"NO!" he screamed into the night. "MARIE!" he howled in anguish and despair. He shredded a tree in his path, sobbing at his helplessness.

He went back to the mansion early that morning, looking haggard. Jean had met him and informed him that they had plans for a small service and burial for Bobby that afternoon. It would only be them. They could not locate Bobby's family. They were his only family. Jean also informed him, ever so reluctantly, that the professor had tried, but was unable to sense or locate Rogue. It had taken a lot out of him but he was going to try it again after the service.

The professor had pulled some strings to get the medical examiner to release Bobby's body without any questions and on the death certificate was listed as 'accidental'. What a laugh thought Logan, accidental my ass. They laid Bobby to rest in the Xavier family plot. It was a nice service but brief. A brief service for a brief life, thought Logan. On the headstone was put his name. That he was a member of the Xavier family (which was to mean he was an X-man, but the world didn't know that) and his epitaph was "Protector of the innocent". The only problem with that thought Logan was the person that they all (excluding him) tried to protect wasn't there.

They all went back to the mansion. As was promised by the professor, he went back into Cerebro to try again to find Rogue. They all waited outside the chamber impatiently and anxious. Even Scott, who was still weak from the attack. He was more than ready to kick some ass.

Scott eyed Logan, he didn't want to admit it, but it bothered him to see Logan like he was. Out of control and hurting. He may never come to like him, but he had come to respect him as a comrade and a valued member of the team.

After about an agonizing hour, the professor came out. He dreaded what he had to tell the anxious group of loving friends.

He took a deep breath and said, "I have not been able to locate Rogue. I don't sense her at all."

Logan raised his voice contemptuously, "What the fuck does that mean professor? I thought that machine of your was all-seeing!"

Xavier didn't need to have Logan's heightened senses to sense his anger and frustration. He carefully worded the following. "What it means is that either Rogue is being shielded, blocked if you will, or she is……." (he didn't know how to finish it.)

"She's what, damn you!" growled Logan. "Spit it out!"

"Or else she is dead. But," he added quickly, "we don't know that for sure."

"Go to hell, all of you! I'm going to do this my way now." Logan said.

"What way is that?" asked Scott, already knowing the answer

"The old fashioned way - just look." "I'm going to do this alone, do you understand?" asked Logan.

"I won't give up until I find her. What you guys don't understand don't understand is that I realized that I had wasted a year of 'our' life. Marie is my life, my reason for living." He said softly.

With that he turned and left them all standing there and staring at him for what he had just said. Storm went to try and stop him but the professor placed his hand on her arm. "Let him go, he needs to do this. We will continue looking for Rogue with our own resources. Let him do it his way, for now. We will be able to cover more ground this way. I will keep an 'eye' on our friend to make sure he doesn't get himself into trouble." Xavier said.

Logan went out the door of the mansion, not even bothering to pack anything. He grabbed 'his' bike. "By god", he thought, he would pull apart every inch of this damned planet if need be until he found her, one way or the other. And if they had harmed her in any way, they would know the wrath of the 'Wolverine'.

Hang on baby, I'm coming for ya. thought Logan, trying to push the thought out into the world, hoping beyond hope that she could hear him.

This went on for the next two days. All of them working in their own ways to track Rogue down. They hardly slept at all. There were leads but they all became dead ends. There were sightings of the people who did this, but when they found out the leads were cold.

Then on the second day when Logan was in Canada at Alkali Lake looking through the ruins of the compound because something in what Jean and Storm had said and how they described the beast/man. It struck something in the back of his memory. But before he could find out anything he heard Xavier's words in his head - Logan, you must come back right away. We have a secure lead.

Logan dropped everything and hopped on 'his' bike. He drove like a man with the devil chasing him. He made it back to the mansion in record time.

When he approached the war room he looked at everyone that was assembled there. They all had on their black leather uniforms. Even Scott looked ready to do battle.

"Okay, what is it?" he asked.

Xavier started, "One of my contacts saw a girl that matched Rogue's description. Mind you, he didn't get a very clear look, but he was certain because of the white streak in the girl's hair. He said that it looks like she's being held at an old abandoned research building in Washington, DC. He gave me the location."

"Well what the hell are we waiting for, let's get going." Said Logan impatiently. "We're wasting time." He turned to run out the door.

"Wait a minute. You forgot something." Scott said as he threw a uniform at Logan. It was one of Scott's. Again.

Xavier spoke up. "We can't take the jet because of the location and population. So we will all meet at the garage and take one of the 'special' vans."

The reached their destination in record time, even with Scott driving.

They cautiously went up to the building. It was strangely deserted. Scott looked in a window at the side of the building. As they tried a second window, they look in and saw a figure tied to a cot with its back to them. The figure did not stir, but they could tell it had dark hair with what looked like a white streak in the front. Logan tried to search out her scent, but was unable to because of the chemicals and a smell of gasoline.

"Damn it, I smell gas. Let's get in there and get her out now! It has to be Marie!." Logan yelled as he unsheathed his claws.

But before they could act, the building blew up. They were all thrown to the ground by the force of the explosion. The building was quickly engulfed in flames.

Logan was the first one up and he ran to the burning building all the while yelling her name.

'NO!" "MARIE!!"

There was nothing they could do. Storm brought forth rain and wind to put the fire out. It took a little while. When the fire was under control, they shifted through the rubble. Scott was the first to come across the body.

He came out of what was left of the building carrying the covered body. He placed it on the ground in front of Logan and the professor. He handed something to the professor. He had never seen or felt such sorrow as he did now. Jean and Storm were crying. Scott also had tears in his eyes behind the visor. Xavier just looked at Logan and said.

"The body has been burnt beyond recognition. But Scott found these next to the body." He handed a stunned Logan the charred dog tags. He could barely make out the number but he saw clearly the words 'Wolverine' etched in them.

He clutched the dog tags to his chest like they were a lifeline. He then he tenderly picked up the covered body of his love, his life. He then did something that he never remembered ever doing before, he cried. Not a just a cry but a whole hearted, soul-wrenching cry.

He held on to her and would not let anyone near them. "Get the fuck away from me!" He said menacing. "I promised I would take care of her, but look where that got her."

He then let out a heart-wrenching howl ~ "NO! NOT MY MARIE! NOOOOOO!"………..

~End of flashback~

TBC

I warned you about the tissue warning. How do you like it so far? Reviews are always welcome, as is constructive criticism. (hint: not everything is what it appears to be. Quote from Magneto to Storm from X-men the Movie - "Did you really see what you think you saw?") Do you want more???????